What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

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ruralavalon
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Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by ruralavalon »

Jungle of Stone, by William Carlsen.

This book is a very interesting history of the discovery of the ruins of numerous Mayan cities in Central America by two amateur explorer-archeologists, lawyer John Stevens and architect Frederick Catherwood, in the 1840s and continuing with their role in building the railway across Panama in the 1850s.
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Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by jginseattle »

Confessions of a Vintage Guitar Dealer: The Memoirs of Norman Harris, by Norman Harris and David Yorkin. The writing is very plain, but there are a lot of great stories in this entertaining book.
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Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by black jack »

Being Mortal by Atul Gawande. I held off reading this book for a time, as I expected it to be a detailed examination of how our bodily systems fail as we die. I was mistaken; it is a discussion of how our current approach to old age and debility fails us, and an examination of efforts to address the failure. The failure comes because, as our health declines, we turn to doctors, who are trained to fix us, to deal with things that are not unfixable. The result is that at the end of our lives we often get extremely expensive care that, in many (if not most) cases, does little good and often great harm, and often results in people dying hooked up to machines in a hospital rather than in their home, as many would prefer.

The efforts to find another way include hospice care, palliative care, geriatricians (a practice area that, being relatively low-paid in the hierarchy of physician specialties, is actually experiencing a decline in practitioners even as the need for their services is increasing with the aging of the Baby Boomers), assisted living facilities (most of which have strayed from the original vision), and experiments with coordinating care to enable frail or disabled people to live at home in some financially feasible way. Gawande talks about his experience with his own patients, and with his own father (not his patient), and about learning how to talk with patients to learn what they want - which is not necessarily "do everything you can to extend my life," especially when the costs and benefits are clearly spelled out: risky surgeries which might result in very limited gains, and might possibly make things worse (in some studies, patients who opted for hospice care and no further medical intervention lived longer than similar patients who opted for continued medical intervention).

I wish I'd read this book when it first came out, as it might have enabled us to better help my mother-in-law in her final year of life, which ended with her dying in a hospital instead of her home (which she had wanted to do). Highly recommended if you have elderly parents, or expect to be elderly yourself someday.
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Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

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WHITE TRASH and THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD.
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Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

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"Fluent in 3 Months : How Anyone at Any Age Can Learn to Speak Any Language from Anywhere in the World" by Benny Lewis.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who has ever considered learning another language, started learning a language but did not persist, or is learning a new language too slowly. This book can be life changing.

Victoria
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Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by Reimaru »

"The Copywriter's Handbook: A Step-By-Step Guide To Writing Copy That Sells" by Robert W. Bly

Heard it's one of the most recommended ones out there, and I agree. I've just finished the "Headlines" session and it's rather useful, especially for writers like me.
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Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

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Black Widow by Daniel Silva - usual great writing by Silva with interesting food and places described beautifully, characters believable. Story about ISIS attacks.
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Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by bertilak »

I read the first three of five Ripley Novels and now the fourth: The Boy Who Followed Ripley.

This one is different: it shows Ripley in a more positive light. I found it less satisfying: the characters' motivations and actions didn't "click" with me. I kept expecting some twist that would reveal why Ripley was behaving as he was. There is some suspense and a nice sequence about a kidnapping where the talents of Tom Ripley are impressive, but overall the book seemed strained. I think this is mostly for completists who just have to see the series through to the end. I am in that category and will go on to the last one.

I still say read the first and get drawn into the second and third but this one could be a pass.

Onward to number 5, Ripley Under Water. At least the title is intriguing.
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Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by fortysixandtwo »

Currently reading "The Last Colony"—the third book in John Scalzi's "Old Man's War" series. Scalzi is good at weaving together numerous existing sic-fi concepts into fun, compelling stories. His work reminds me of Joe Haldeman who wrote "The Forever War", one of my top five books overall.
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Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by 6miths »

Picked up '11/22/63' by Stephen King out of the LittleFreeLibrary box near our cottage. Fun read and the price was right!
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Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by jdb »

Several recents including one mentioned on this site.

Viking Art. Thought that would be an oxymoron, like Big Shrimp. Who knew that the pagan sea warriors had vibrant art. Will check out other art books in this Thames & Hudson series. Thanks Nicolas.

The Sting Of The Wild, The Story of the Man who Got Stung for Science, by Justin O. Schmidt. The entomologist author through personal experience devised the "Pain Scale for Stinging Insects". As one reviewer noted, "It is impossible to read this book without feeling things crawl up your legs or hearing angry buzzing." As backyard beekeeper enjoyed reading about symbiosis between honeybees and hominids. Recommend for everyone who has vicariously wanted to experience the sting of a Warrior wasp.

Oh Florida! How America's Weirdest State Influences the Rest of the Country by Craig Pittman. The book title says it all, funny but since supposedly all true quite scary. A great light read for airplane trip provided destination not in Florida, otherwise would want to get on next return flight.
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Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by quantAndHold »

Life After Life, by Kate Atkinson - "Every time Ursula Todd dies, she is born again. Each successive life is an iteration on the last, and we see how Ursula's choices affect her, those around her, and--so boldly--the fate of the 20th-century world" (Amazon review)

Fantastic read. I read the whole 680 (large print) pages over the long weekend. I don't usually do that.
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Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by bertilak »

I previously read the first four of Patricia Highsmith's five Ripley novels.

Now I have finished the fifth and final one: Ripley Under Water. The five were written over a thirty six year period: 1955 to 1991.

As mentioned in my previous review (linked above) I was somewhat disappointed in the fourth one, The Boy Who Followed Ripley. I was much happier with this one. In it Ripley is forced to deal with his earlier transgressions from the first two novels, primarily the second (Ripley Underground). Overall not quite as tense as the first three and Ripley remains sympathetic as in The Boy Who .... He also remains a dangerous adversary.

Quick summary (no spoilers): Ripley is hounded by a nasty stranger who has come in contact with a couple of people from Ripley's past who (rightly) believe Ripley's actions (never proven) have had huge negative impacts on their lives. The stranger decides to have some fun by working to expose Ripley's guilt and causing fear and anxiety by letting Ripley know he is doing so.
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Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by Merlin »

Turner Classic Movies: The Essentials: 52 Must-See Movies and Why They Matter Concise, well-written. If you like the TCM critiques, this is a way of referring to them before you watch a film on your own time. I am a old film aficionado, but still a newbie, and much of the film's background and importance was news to me. This book sparked my interest in watching these films.
Best regards, Merlin
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Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by ruralavalon »

The Pale Horse, by Agatha Christie.

A Priest murdered on a foggy night in London had a list of names of completely unrelated people who have recently died. Three women living in a former country inn say that they are witches and that they can cast spells that kill.

This is a fun mystery.
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Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by Blues »

Red Platoon: A True Story of American Valor by Clinton Romesha.
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Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by gkaplan »

I just finished Sounds and Sweet Airs: the Forgotten Women of Classical Music by Anna R. Beer.

Enthusiasts of classical music may have heard of Fanny (Mendelssohn) Hensel, Clara (Wieck) Schumann, and Lili Boulanger, but even the most ardent among them may not be aware of Francesca Caccini, Barbara Strozzi, Élisabeth Jacquet de la Guerre, Marianna Martines, and Elizabeth Maconchy. All eight are profiled in this book, described by Beer as "a celebration of the achievements of a handful of women over four centuries of Western European history." Starting in 17th century Florence (Caccini) and moving through the years to 20th century London (Maconchy), the author recounts the lives and careers of composers who just happened to be female, setting each individual's story in the social context of her times and providing a detailed portrait of the artist and her music. Suggestions for further reading and listening complete this carefully compiled collective biography. (Synopsis taken from a Library Journal review.)

Unfortunately, as interesting as this topic might have been, the writing is generally dry and uninspiring. Moreover, while the book has a bibliography, the text itself has no footnotes, even though the author quotes individuals throughout the book, refers to other works, and makes questionable statements and allegations. The book, consequently, has a decided lack of authenticity; nevertheless, the book probably is unique in its scope, so I would give it a lukewarm recommendation to those who might be interested.
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Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by mancich »

The Essays of Warren Buffett. A lot of folks on here have mentioned it, and it is a really good read. His wisdom and (un)common sense about investing, vs. what Wall Street tries to peddle, is very insightful and reassures me I'm on the right path following the buy and hold strategy.
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Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by snowshoes »

Stigum's money market, 4E. by M Stigum & A. Crescenzi, very dry reading...
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Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by island »

black jack wrote:Being Mortal by Atul Gawande. I held off reading this book for a time, as I expected it to be a detailed examination of how our bodily systems fail as we die. I was mistaken; it is a discussion of how our current approach to old age and debility fails us, and an examination of efforts to address the failure. The failure comes because, as our health declines, we turn to doctors, who are trained to fix us, to deal with things that are not unfixable. The result is that at the end of our lives we often get extremely expensive care that, in many (if not most) cases, does little good and often great harm, and often results in people dying hooked up to machines in a hospital rather than in their home, as many would prefer.

The efforts to find another way include hospice care, palliative care, geriatricians (a practice area that, being relatively low-paid in the hierarchy of physician specialties, is actually experiencing a decline in practitioners even as the need for their services is increasing with the aging of the Baby Boomers), assisted living facilities (most of which have strayed from the original vision), and experiments with coordinating care to enable frail or disabled people to live at home in some financially feasible way. Gawande talks about his experience with his own patients, and with his own father (not his patient), and about learning how to talk with patients to learn what they want - which is not necessarily "do everything you can to extend my life," especially when the costs and benefits are clearly spelled out: risky surgeries which might result in very limited gains, and might possibly make things worse (in some studies, patients who opted for hospice care and no further medical intervention lived longer than similar patients who opted for continued medical intervention).

I wish I'd read this book when it first came out, as it might have enabled us to better help my mother-in-law in her final year of life, which ended with her dying in a hospital instead of her home (which she had wanted to do). Highly recommended if you have elderly parents, or expect to be elderly yourself someday.
I read that too. Great synopsis Black Jack. It was an interesting, yet somewhat depressing read, but hey, it's reality.
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Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by ruralavalon »

The Johnstown Flood, by David McCullough.

This is the history of a devastating 1889 flood resulting from the failure of a poorly rebuilt and poorly maintained dam in Pennsylvania.
"Everything should be as simple as it is, but not simpler." - Albert Einstein | Wiki article link: Bogleheads® investment philosophy
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Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by bertilak »

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1925) by Anita Loos

This is a wonderful little book. It is in the form of a diary by the self-centered but lovable 25-year-old Lorelei Lee. She comes across as a strange mix of scheming and naive. She does understand men quite well! When Lorelei concocts a particularly clever scheme for making a few dollars while turning a troublesome situation to her and friend Dorothy's favor, we catch a glimpse of Dorothy’s view of Lorelei:
  • So when I got through telling Dorothy what I thought up, Dorothy said my brains reminded her of a radio because you listen to it for days and days and you get discouradged* and just when you are getting ready to smash it, something comes out that is a masterpiece.
[* Note: this and other misspellings are in the original.]

Here is a quote showing Lorelei’s view of the world: (They are in London.)
  • Last night we really met the Prince of Wales. I mean Major Falcon called for Dorothy and I at eleven and took us to a ladys house where the lady was having a party. The Prince of Wales is really wonderful. I mean even if he was not a prince he would be wonderful, because even if he was not a prince, he would be able to make a living playing the ukelele, if he had a little more practice.

    … He asked Dorothy for a dance but Dorothy will never learn how to act in front of a prince. Because she handed me her fan and said “Hold this while I slip a new page into English histry,” right in front of the Prince of Wales. So I was very very worried while Dorothy was dancing with the Prince of Wales because she talked to the Prince of Wales all the time and when she got through the Prince of Wales wrote some of the slang words she is always saying on his cuff.
The introduction of the book says the actual Prince of Wales bought 19 copies to pass around among his family and friends.

Anita Loos went up a couple of notches in my book when I read that one of her good friends was Henry (H.L.) Mencken. In the book she is merciless to a character named Henry.
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Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by MJW »

"The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin"

Funny how some experiences in life seem to be universal across the ages.
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Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by gouldnm »

I just finished reading one of the best books that I have read in a long time. It's called "The Chaneysville Incident" by David Bradley. I'm not sure how to characterize it, but it has elements of history, mystery, and even horror.

It's about an African-American man who goes back to his hometown in Pennsylvania because a man who was like a father-figure to him is dying. The town is very close to the old Mason-Dixon line, which was where there was a lot of Underground Railroad activity.

His father died, and it was never clear if his father committed suicide or was murdered. The area had a long history of racial hatred, and at the time of his death, the father was researching an event that happened in the town of Chaneysville. Twelve slaves who were trying to escape were captured and died. But it's not clear if they died because they wanted to (rather than go back to being slaves) or because they were killed.

Hence, the son is solving two mysteries: the mystery of how his father died, and also the mystery of how the twelve slaves died, which his father was researching at the time.

The incident actually happened and you can still visit the farm where the graves were found. The farm is still owned by family members who are the descendants of the original farmers who were there at the time of the incident.

This is one of the best books I have read in a very long time. Highly recommended.
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Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by nisiprius »

Robert Ruark, Poor No More. It's a sad thing that there are authors who are very successful and well-known during their lifetime who fade--often somewhat suddenly--into almost total obscurity. He's one of them. I remember liking this book a lot, and on re-reading it I find that I'm liking it a lot again. It's not anything great, but its interesting and readable and memorable. It could have been cut to half its length--he does go on and on with his descriptions. They're very good descriptions actually but I do find myself skipping to the end of them. It features a very strange antihero. The protagonist really is a bastard.
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Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by nisiprius »

VictoriaF wrote:"Fluent in 3 Months : How Anyone at Any Age Can Learn to Speak Any Language from Anywhere in the World" by Benny Lewis.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who has ever considered learning another language, started learning a language but did not persist, or is learning a new language too slowly. This book can be life changing.

Victoria
So, were you able to become fluent in three months?
Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen nineteen and six, result happiness; Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pounds ought and six, result misery.
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Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by MP173 »

I just finished "The Burgler Who Counted Spoons" by Lawrence Block.

Gentleman Burgler Bernie Rhodenbarr is back in action. Great author...I relish reading any of his books.

Now reading "Man on the Run, Paul McCartney in the 1970s" by Tom Doyle. Very good look at McCartney's life post Beatles during the 70s. Linda McCartney probably saved his life.

Ed
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Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by VictoriaF »

nisiprius wrote:
VictoriaF wrote:"Fluent in 3 Months : How Anyone at Any Age Can Learn to Speak Any Language from Anywhere in the World" by Benny Lewis.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who has ever considered learning another language, started learning a language but did not persist, or is learning a new language too slowly. This book can be life changing.

Victoria
So, were you able to become fluent in three months?
I became fluent in English using the methods described in the book.

Victoria
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Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by Alice Ranch »

Poor Economics, a radical rethinking of the way to fight global poverty. Banerjee and Duflo, 2011

Have felt disillusioned and angry about our decades of global aid. This work redefines the problems. Has local implications as well. Cheers
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Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by TareNeko »

Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void
by Mary Roach

I'm halfway through the book and to me the most interesting aspects are problems due to zero gravity and the physiological issues of being away from earth in a limited space.
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Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by Bungo »

Liar's Poker by Michael Lewis. I don't know why I haven't already read this, but better late than never. I'm about 1/3 of the way through it, and it's very entertaining so far. I would include one of several hilarious quotes but none of them are family-friendly. :D
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Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by MJW »

ruralavalon wrote:The Johnstown Flood, by David McCullough.

This is the history of a devastating 1889 flood resulting from the failure of a poorly rebuilt and poorly maintained dam in Pennsylvania.
That one is on my shelf but I haven't read it yet. I enjoy David McCullough's writing. 1776 and John Adams were both great reads.
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Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by d0gerz »

Just started reading The Circle by Dave Eggers, the first book by this author I'm reading. About a young woman who goes to work at a software company that sounds a lot like Google, except creepier.

Last book I read was Salvation of a Saint by Japanese mystery writer Keigo Higashino. Part of his Detective Galileo series and the second one translated into English after The Devotion of Suspect X. I enjoyed both of these. They're not mysteries in the conventional sense, more like the TV show Columbo where you know who the killer is and the intrigue is in how the detective solves the puzzle.
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Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by Blues »

d0gerz wrote:Just started reading The Circle by Dave Eggers, the first book by this author I'm reading. About a young woman who goes to work at a software company that sounds a lot like Google, except creepier.
I've tried to get into a couple of Eggers' earlier books but something about his style puts me off. (I must not be hipster enough or something like that although I have made it through some books by contemporaries with similar stylings.)
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Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by MJW »

d0gerz wrote:Just started reading The Circle by Dave Eggers, the first book by this author I'm reading. About a young woman who goes to work at a software company that sounds a lot like Google, except creepier.
I will be interested to know what you think of The Circle after finishing it. I read it a year or two ago. It was interesting to me for about the first third of the book but then became too "out there" for me. Also, I can't think of the last time I read a book with a more unlikable main character.
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Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by nisiprius »

TareNeko wrote:Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void
by Mary Roach

I'm halfway through the book and to me the most interesting aspects are problems due to zero gravity and the physiological issues of being away from earth in a limited space.
A great book. And Roach is not afraid to talk about the gross stuff. Yes, she could have called it Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Life In Space* (*but were afraid to ask.)
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Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by Pugs135 »

Once A Cop. The true story about a onetime crack dealer became one of the highest ranking members of the Nypd.
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Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by gkaplan »

VictoriaF wrote:
nisiprius wrote:
VictoriaF wrote:"Fluent in 3 Months : How Anyone at Any Age Can Learn to Speak Any Language from Anywhere in the World" by Benny Lewis.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who has ever considered learning another language, started learning a language but did not persist, or is learning a new language too slowly. This book can be life changing.

Victoria
So, were you able to become fluent in three months?
I became fluent in English using the methods described in the book.

Victoria

Based on your recommendation, I decided to place a hold on this book at my library. I taking Modern Hebrew language classes at Portland State. I finished my first year in June and will start my second year September 26th. I'm doing okay, if grades are any judge, but it's incredibly difficult. I asked my instructor before I started the first year how much studying he thinks one should do outside class. He said one hour a day. I find that I have to do much more than that, like two or three hours a day in addition to class time.
Gordon
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Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by heartwood »

MJW wrote:
d0gerz wrote:Just started reading The Circle by Dave Eggers, the first book by this author I'm reading. About a young woman who goes to work at a software company that sounds a lot like Google, except creepier.
I will be interested to know what you think of The Circle after finishing it. I read it a year or two ago. It was interesting to me for about the first third of the book but then became too "out there" for me. Also, I can't think of the last time I read a book with a more unlikable main character.
Since you ask, I read The Circle when it first came out. I recall it was OK but not a read I enjoyed. The company seemed to mainly suggest Google, but it also had hallmarks of other tech companies: Apple and Facebook come to mind. I had already read his A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, and later read his A Hologram for the King, a National Book Award finalist, and asked myself what each was about as I read, several times. I read several of the reviews and still don't get the acclaim.

When his Heroes of the Frontiers came out this past summer I skipped it. He's obviously a prolific author and has an audience for his style of novel. It's just not what I enjoy reading.
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Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by VictoriaF »

gkaplan wrote:
VictoriaF wrote:
nisiprius wrote:
VictoriaF wrote:"Fluent in 3 Months : How Anyone at Any Age Can Learn to Speak Any Language from Anywhere in the World" by Benny Lewis.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who has ever considered learning another language, started learning a language but did not persist, or is learning a new language too slowly. This book can be life changing.

Victoria
So, were you able to become fluent in three months?
I became fluent in English using the methods described in the book.

Victoria

Based on your recommendation, I decided to place a hold on this book at my library. I taking Modern Hebrew language classes at Portland State. I finished my first year in June and will start my second year September 26th. I'm doing okay, if grades are any judge, but it's incredibly difficult. I asked my instructor before I started the first year how much studying he thinks one should do outside class. He said one hour a day. I find that I have to do much more than that, like two or three hours a day in addition to class time.
Benny Lewis's recommendations are different for beginners and those who want to improve already strong language skills. Beginners should emphasize communications with native speakers and deemphasize classes. After picking up a few key phrases from a phrasebook, one should dive right into conversations without using English. Continuing with the water analogy, in direct language communications, every extra word makes difference between sinking and swimming and the learning process driven by the survival instinct becomes more effective. You may consider traveling to Israel and speaking Hebrew there. Alternatively, you could find people who would speak Hebrew with you over Skype or similar systems.

Lewis has many recommendations for communications, including language exchanges where you speak with someone in English for 30 minutes, and then they speak in Hebrew with you. He warns about language partners who shift to English when conversations become difficult and provides tips for selecting free partners and paid instructors.

The total daily amount of time dedicated to the language learning should be over two hours, but these two hours do not have to be in one block of time. When people become really excited about language learning they do it all the time, e.g., reviewing new words for a few minutes while waiting for a bus.

I am contemplating learning the Czech language, and that was the reason for reading Lewis's book. If I decide to proceed with it, I will study on my own for a month using a phrasebook and online courses for beginners. Then I'll spend two weeks in Prague at an intensive language school. Then I'll spend a week at a health spa where I will try to communicate with people I don't know in Czech. After that, I will spend a week with some friends trying to impress them with my Czech.

Victoria
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Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by goodenyou »

Free to Choose by Milton Friedman and Rose Friedman.
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Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by gkaplan »

This morning, I finished The Dread Line by Bruce DeSilva.

Since he got fired in spectacular fashion from his newspaper job last year, former investigative reporter Liam Mulligan has been piecing together a new life – one that straddles both sides of the law. He's getting some part-time work with the detective agency of his friend McCracken; he's picking up beer money by freelancing for a local news website; and he's looking after his semi-retired mobster-friend's bookmaking business.

Mulligan still manages to find trouble, however. He's feuding with a cat that keeps leaving its kills on his porch; he's obsessed with a baffling jewelry heist; and he's enraged that someone in town is torturing animals. All this keeps distracting him from a big case that needs his full attention: The New England Patriots, shaken by a series of murder charges against a star player, have hired Mulligan and McCracken to investigate the background of a college athlete they're thinking of drafting. At first, the job seems routine, but as soon as they begin asking questions, they get push-back. The player, it seems, has something to hide – and someone is willing to kill to make sure it remains secret. (Summary edited from an Amazon review.)

I enjoyed this book, as I have all the author's books. If I had one criticism of the book, it would be that too many story lines were going on. That is only a minor criticism, however.
Gordon
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Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by rakornacki1 »

Commander-In-Chief by Tom Clancy, one of his best.
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Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by jdb »

Razor Girl by Carl Hiaasen. May be one of his best and that is saying a lot. Hilarious plots. And he doesn't have to make most of them up, just reads Miami Herald and watches so called reality television. As owner of Tesla loved the part where very bad guy gets electrocuted when plugs in the borrowed Model S. But in fairness to Tesla and without giving away plot he did slice the cord while jimmying the plug and held cut portion while standing in puddle. Will be loaning to friend with house in Key West where most of story occurs. Highly recommend as light and humorous read. Not to be taken seriously. But that probably could be said of much of Key West.
Last edited by jdb on Mon Sep 19, 2016 11:01 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by patgrennan »

Dark Matter; new book. not sure if i liked it. bounced around alot.....found myself saying 'now which person is this? what????????????????????"
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Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by ruralavalon »

Bear Island, by Alistair MacLean.

A film crew is off to the Arctic on a rebuilt steam trawler, mysterious deaths commence without apparent motive. Not MacLean's best book, but still worth reading.
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Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by wizzard »

A Random Walk Down Wall Street: Including a Life-Cycle Guide to Personal Investing by Burton Malkiel.

Finished this earlier today and man what a book! I added this to my top 5 list, excellent information and certainly a must read to anyone remotely interested in finance.

I also placed an order for The Elements of Investing also by Burton Malkiel :D
"In uncertain times, show equanimity. Otherwise you are an unfit shareholder" -Charlie Munger
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Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by Bungo »

I recently read The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro. Excellent book, a rare five star rating from me.

Now reading Don Quixote, the recent(ish) translation by Edith Grossman.
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Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by gkaplan »

VictoriaF wrote:
gkaplan wrote:
VictoriaF wrote:
nisiprius wrote:
VictoriaF wrote:"Fluent in 3 Months : How Anyone at Any Age Can Learn to Speak Any Language from Anywhere in the World" by Benny Lewis.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who has ever considered learning another language, started learning a language but did not persist, or is learning a new language too slowly. This book can be life changing.

Victoria
So, were you able to become fluent in three months?
I became fluent in English using the methods described in the book.

Victoria

Based on your recommendation, I decided to place a hold on this book at my library. I taking Modern Hebrew language classes at Portland State. I finished my first year in June and will start my second year September 26th. I'm doing okay, if grades are any judge, but it's incredibly difficult. I asked my instructor before I started the first year how much studying he thinks one should do outside class. He said one hour a day. I find that I have to do much more than that, like two or three hours a day in addition to class time.
Benny Lewis's recommendations are different for beginners and those who want to improve already strong language skills. Beginners should emphasize communications with native speakers and deemphasize classes. After picking up a few key phrases from a phrasebook, one should dive right into conversations without using English. Continuing with the water analogy, in direct language communications, every extra word makes difference between sinking and swimming and the learning process driven by the survival instinct becomes more effective. You may consider traveling to Israel and speaking Hebrew there. Alternatively, you could find people who would speak Hebrew with you over Skype or similar systems.

Lewis has many recommendations for communications, including language exchanges where you speak with someone in English for 30 minutes, and then they speak in Hebrew with you. He warns about language partners who shift to English when conversations become difficult and provides tips for selecting free partners and paid instructors.

The total daily amount of time dedicated to the language learning should be over two hours, but these two hours do not have to be in one block of time. When people become really excited about language learning they do it all the time, e.g., reviewing new words for a few minutes while waiting for a bus.

I am contemplating learning the Czech language, and that was the reason for reading Lewis's book. If I decide to proceed with it, I will study on my own for a month using a phrasebook and online courses for beginners. Then I'll spend two weeks in Prague at an intensive language school. Then I'll spend a week at a health spa where I will try to communicate with people I don't know in Czech. After that, I will spend a week with some friends trying to impress them with my Czech.

Victoria
I am almost finished reading this book, and I don't have the same good vibe that you do, Victoria. I think the author is way too optimistic about a person attaining fluency in the time frame he writes about, no matter how motivated that person might be. Most people have other commitments besides learning a language and don't have the time to use the techniques and methods the author discusses in his book.
Gordon
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Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by Fallible »

Just now happened on a book review in The New Yorker (9/5/16 issue) that begins with Ben Graham's winning a battle (1920s) to get Northern Pipeline to distribute a huge pile of cash to its shareholders. The book is Dear Chairman: Boardroom Battles and the Rise of Shareholder Activism by Jeff Gramm, who, the magazine writes, describes a letter Graham wrote as an "important turning point in the history of modern capitalism."

Just thought Bogleheads with a special interest in Graham might be interested in the book. Review is good, too:

http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/ ... r-activism
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