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Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part V

Posted: Mon Apr 09, 2012 1:07 pm
by chaz
Sam I Am wrote:I'm alternating between two books, one fiction, and one that would make me much happier if it was a book of fiction.

My fiction read is by Jonathan Kellerman, one of my favorite who-done-it authors. This time around Lt. Sturgis and Doctor Delaware are trying to find a serial killer, and the body count is rising, in Victims. The Kellerman family of authors also includes wife Faye, son Jesse, and daughter (her name escapes me for now). The daughter is young, and hasn't written any books geared toward adult readers, to my knowledge, yet. The son and wife are fine authors in their own right.

My non-fiction read is by Charles Murray, and is titled Coming Apart - The State of White America, 1960-2010. The book discusses the growing divide in how upper class and lower class Americans are separated by much more than just income, as they have so little in common today vs 50-60 years ago. Depressing reading with more than a little truth in his observations.

Sam I Am
I,also, like the Kellermans.

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part V

Posted: Mon Apr 09, 2012 1:40 pm
by dewey
Moral Landscape by Sam Harris. Argues for a science of morality based on neuroscience and scientific discoveries on the horizon. Views aspects of traditional religious and moral codes as confining and often detrimental to humanity. Well written.

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part V

Posted: Mon Apr 09, 2012 8:19 pm
by Fallible
Having finally finished the long 1975 "Thurber," a somewhat disappointing James Thurber bio (but a fun explanation of how the Thurber cartoon dog came to bear the drooping head of a bloodhound and squat legs of a basset hound), and being a third of the way in on the long "Alexander Hamilton" by Ron Chernow, I took a break with "Fables and Fairy Tales" by Tolstoy. I liked them all, but I'm certain the Bogleheads would especially like the one titled, "Equal Inheritance," about a father who has two sons, but plans to give all of his money to the son he favors.

Also am high up on library list and eagerly awaiting Eric Kandel's new book, "The Age of Insight: The Quest to Understand the Unconscious in Art, Mind, and Brain, from Vienna 1900 to the Present." :)

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part V

Posted: Mon Apr 09, 2012 8:25 pm
by gkaplan
I read Chernow's Alexander Hamilton about six years ago. Terrific read. I just recently Chernow's The Warburgs. Also a terrific read. The guy can write. His book on George Washington is on my "To-Read" list.

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part V

Posted: Mon Apr 09, 2012 8:56 pm
by Fallible
gkaplan wrote:I read Chernow's Alexander Hamilton about six years ago. Terrific read. I just recently Chernow's The Warburgs. Also a terrific read. The guy can write. His book on George Washington is on my "To-Read" list.
I'm glad to hear you liked it so much and I agree he can write. I was hooked after reading just the first sentence in the Prologue, which puts you right in the scene (I'm feel like I'm standing outside the house, watching the old widow knit and arrange flowers). I had a similar feeling reading the first sentence of "John Adams," by David McCullough, another good writer and great bio.

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part V

Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2012 10:33 am
by Valuethinker
randomwalk wrote:I just finished Memoirs of Hadrian by Marguerite Yourcenar.

Now reading How Rome Fell by Adrian Goldsworthy.
You might therefore like Rosen's 'Justinians Flea' which takes the story from 342 onto the end of antiquity (the reign of Justinian, and then Herclitus (sp?)' war with the Persians).

Besides the incredibly well known 'I Claudius' by Robert Graves, he also wrote 'Count Belisarius' about what might have been the greatest general in history (certainly up there).

The L Sprague De Camp historical science fiction novel Lest Darkness Fall is set in Visigothic Rome. In 60+ years I don't think it has ever been out of print- -it is both informative and quite funny.

Tom Holland (Persian Fire, Rubicon) has just written a book about the confrontation between Byzantium and the Arabs at the birth of Islam, but I have not yet read it.

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part V

Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2012 11:06 am
by chaz
"Day of Atonement" by Faye Kellerman.

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part V

Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2012 11:18 am
by cinghiale
Colorado13 wrote:
I just finished "The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business" by Charles Duhigg. The author discusses a bit of brain science, memory and habit. He describes how habit led to one woman's gambling addiction, how retailers analyze our buying habits to increase our spending, and if/how we can replace bad habits with positive ones.
I'm halfway through this book... liking it very much.

This is a good companion read to Kahneman's Thinking, Fast and Slow.

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part V

Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2012 11:22 am
by FabLab
Calhoon wrote:Blood Meridian -- Cormac McCarthy. One of the better books I've read, ever, though might not be everyone tastes. Horrific.

Also rereading No Country for Old Men for a second time.

Anyone know of any good authros who write in a style similar to McCarthy's later books. By that I mean stark, little to no detail, no interspection. I'm amazed at how he does with so little.
I'm assuming you've read his Border Trilogy: All the Pretty Horses, The Crossing, and Cities of the Plain. McCarthy is one of my favorite fiction authors; sounds like you, too.

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part V

Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2012 11:45 am
by stoptothink
John Krakauer Under the Banner of Heaven

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part V

Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2012 11:46 am
by stoptothink
John Krakauer Under the Banner of Heaven

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part V

Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2012 12:08 pm
by rersresq
Peter Schweizer's Throw Them All Out. Schweizer exposes the advantages of politicians trading on inside information. His expose on 60 Minutes, in Newsweek, and with this NYT's bestseller is MUST reading1

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part V

Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2012 2:20 pm
by Sam I Am
Message deleted.

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part V

Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2012 3:00 pm
by Saphomd
Finished my two books posted previously.

Now I am reading:

Proud to be liberal---by Elizabeth Clementson.

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part V

Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2012 3:48 pm
by MP173
Live Wire by Harlan Coban.

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part V

Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2012 8:16 pm
by mickeyd
Boomerang by Michael Lewis.

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part V

Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2012 9:00 pm
by Calhoon
Fablab,

"I'm assuming you've read his Border Trilogy: All the Pretty Horses, The Crossing, and Cities of the Plain. McCarthy is one of my favorite fiction authors; sounds like you, too."

Read the first two in the trilogy, but still need to read Cities of the Plain. Really looking forward to Suttree by him.

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part V

Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2012 10:30 pm
by Juniormint
Karma and Other Stories by Rishi Reddi

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part V

Posted: Wed Apr 11, 2012 7:57 am
by randomwalk
Calhoon wrote:Anyone know of any good authros who write in a style similar to McCarthy's later books. By that I mean stark, little to no detail, no interspection. I'm amazed at how he does with so little.
Not quite as minimalist, but you might enjoy Philipp Meyer's American Rust, which came out a few years back to very positive reviews. He's also got another book coming out this fall called The Son.

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part V

Posted: Wed Apr 11, 2012 9:12 am
by MattE
I just finished Shogun by James Clavell, and am now working my way through Hyperion by Dan Simmons, along with the Art of War, which the eBook I have of is not in a very legible format and has lead to me reading it in tiny bits and pieces over a very long span of time for such a short book.

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part V

Posted: Wed Apr 11, 2012 12:09 pm
by Calhoon
Randomwalk,

"Not quite as minimalist, but you might enjoy Philipp Meyer's American Rust, which came out a few years back to very positive reviews. He's also got another book coming out this fall called The Son."

I'll check him out. Thanks!

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part V

Posted: Wed Apr 11, 2012 12:59 pm
by randomwalk
Calhoon wrote:I'll check him out. Thanks!
My pleasure. Another you might like is Ron Rash. He's got a new book out right now, and his last several have all been well-received.

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part V

Posted: Wed Apr 11, 2012 7:28 pm
by Calhoon
Yea, hadn't heard of him either. I'll put him on the list as well.

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part V

Posted: Wed Apr 11, 2012 9:00 pm
by BoomersRock
Half way through Coffeehouse Investor, listening to 18 disc audiobook bio of Frida Kalo and just picked up the new Grisham book from the library, Calico Joe.

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part V

Posted: Sat Apr 14, 2012 1:07 pm
by a
Valuethinker wrote:Besides the incredibly well known 'I Claudius' by Robert Graves, he also wrote 'Count Belisarius' about what might have been the greatest general in history (certainly up there).
If this were readily available, it would be the first book of historical fiction I have ever picked up.

Procopius's history of the Gothic wars is free, though, so I am reading that. I first read about Belisarius in Gibbon's Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. Despite the fact that Gibbon is writing a serious history, he refers to Belisarius as "the hero."

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part V

Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2012 10:58 am
by chaz
"Just One Look" by Harlan Coben.

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part V

Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2012 12:42 pm
by tacster
"The Man in the Rockefeller Suit", by Mark Seal. Fascinating story of a serial con man (and probable murderer).

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part V

Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2012 5:12 pm
by Sam I Am
Message deleted.

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part V

Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2012 7:12 pm
by randomwalk
I just finished Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman.

Now reading Catherine the Great by Robert Massie.

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part V

Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2012 6:06 pm
by ruralavalon
Just started Ball Four, by Jim Bouton.

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part V

Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2012 6:43 pm
by gkaplan
Just started Ball Four, by Jim Bouton.
Great book. I read it when it first came out – about forty years ago.

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part V

Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2012 9:32 pm
by ruralavalon
gkaplan wrote:
Just started Ball Four, by Jim Bouton.
Great book. I read it when it first came out – about forty years ago.
I hadn't read it when it was first out, heard an interview witn the author on the radio a few days ago and it sounded like it would be very interesting.

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part V

Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2012 10:28 am
by chaz
" Silent Partner" by Jonathan Kellerman.

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part V

Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2012 11:48 pm
by LH
2012 Finance
A guide to asset protection Klueger
Hard times an oral history of the great depression Terkel
Currency wars The Making of the Next Global Crisis Rickards
mistakes were made but not by me

2012 Nonfinance
The girl with the dragon tattoo
I moved the Cheese
American Sniper
hunger games 1
hunger games 2
hunger games 3
candide - voltaire http://www.gutenberg.org/files/19942/19 ... 9942-h.htm

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part V

Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2012 8:08 am
by Valuethinker
a wrote:
Valuethinker wrote:Besides the incredibly well known 'I Claudius' by Robert Graves, he also wrote 'Count Belisarius' about what might have been the greatest general in history (certainly up there).
If this were readily available, it would be the first book of historical fiction I have ever picked up.

Procopius's history of the Gothic wars is free, though, so I am reading that. I first read about Belisarius in Gibbon's Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. Despite the fact that Gibbon is writing a serious history, he refers to Belisarius as "the hero."
The Penguin edition is available in the US

http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchR ... &x=64&y=15

The L Sprague De Camp 'Lest Darkness Fall' is a historical fiction (an American archaeologist from 1940 winds up in Justinian Rome) where Belisarius plays a walk on part-- I don't think it has ever been out of print in the last 60+ years. The follow-ons from that are the series by Harry Turtledove 'Videssos': Turtledove was inspired to do a Phd in Byzantine history by reading De Camp, and Videssos is a thinly disguised byzantium.

Eric Flint and David Drake have made Belisarius the central hero in a 6 novel cycle -- not as well written but fun if you like military history mash-ups.

If you don't like Fantasy and Science Fiction then I can still recommend De Camp as being historically insightful and funny-- best intro to Visigothic Rome you'll ever get.

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part V

Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2012 8:56 am
by coldav
FabLab wrote:
Calhoon wrote:Blood Meridian -- Cormac McCarthy. One of the better books I've read, ever, though might not be everyone tastes. Horrific.

Also rereading No Country for Old Men for a second time.

Anyone know of any good authros who write in a style similar to McCarthy's later books. By that I mean stark, little to no detail, no interspection. I'm amazed at how he does with so little.
I'm assuming you've read his Border Trilogy: All the Pretty Horses, The Crossing, and Cities of the Plain. McCarthy is one of my favorite fiction authors; sounds like you, too.
Cormac McCarthy is a great author. Right, "Blood Meridian" is his best but not for everyone. His view of humanity appears to be very dark. His Border Trilogy was superb except in my opinion the final one, "Cities of the Plain," was not as good as the previous 2.

I loved how the movie "No Country For Old Men" mirrored the book.

As to your question on authors who are like McCarthy, I wish I knew. Currently, he seems to be the only one. Also, I wasn't impressed with "The Road."

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part V

Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2012 9:21 am
by Patchy Groundfog
The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dustbowl by Timothy Egan

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part V

Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2012 11:21 am
by FabLab
ruralavalon wrote:
gkaplan wrote:
Just started Ball Four, by Jim Bouton.
Great book. I read it when it first came out – about forty years ago.
I hadn't read it when it was first out, heard an interview witn the author on the radio a few days ago and it sounded like it would be very interesting.
Wow! Seems like forever since I last thought about this one. Read it when first published and for many, many years considered it my favorite baseball book. I'm delighted to hear that Bouton is out there and, to borrow the words of ESPN's Tony Kornheiser, "still gettin' it done." :D

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part V

Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2012 9:18 pm
by Colorado14
cinghiale wrote:Colorado13 wrote:
I just finished "The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business" by Charles Duhigg. The author discusses a bit of brain science, memory and habit. He describes how habit led to one woman's gambling addiction, how retailers analyze our buying habits to increase our spending, and if/how we can replace bad habits with positive ones.
I'm halfway through this book... liking it very much.

This is a good companion read to Kahneman's Thinking, Fast and Slow.
I'll add that one to my list, as I am not familiar with it/have not read it.

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part V

Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2012 8:32 am
by don1066
The Peculiar Memories of Thomas Penman...................hilarious!

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part V

Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2012 8:50 am
by Jack44
Am currently into a re-reading of "The Frontiersmen: A Narrative" by Allan W. Eckert. It is a "novelized" history of the early years of the country and the first volume of his Pulitzer nominated series "The Winning of America". Eckert has a unique ability to bring history to life through reconstructed dialogue while maintaining a strict adherence to historical accuracy of events.

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part V

Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2012 3:33 pm
by ruralavalon
Captains Courageous, by Rudyard Kipling.

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part V

Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2012 3:43 pm
by Igglesman
In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin
Erik Larson

Well written and researched history.

Now onto:
Isaac's Storm: A Man, a Time, and the Deadliest Hurricane in History by the same author...thanks for the BH recommendation.

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part V

Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2012 7:26 am
by zzcooper123
"Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking" by Susan Cain

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part V

Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2012 9:29 am
by magicmom
Just finished all three Hunger Games books.

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part V

Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2012 11:28 am
by darbyzz
Marxism, Fascism and Totalitarianism: Chapters in the Intellectual History of Radicalism by A, James Gregor

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part V

Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2012 1:41 pm
by randomwalk
I just finished Catherine the Great by Robert Massie.

Now reading Dead Souls by Nikolai Gogol.

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part V

Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2012 6:30 pm
by market timer
Just started The Ambassadors, by Henry James. Another free Kindle download.

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part V

Posted: Mon Apr 23, 2012 2:01 pm
by Brewtownphilee
Just finished the entire 50+ issues for Y The Last Man by Brian K. Vaughan. A story about a boy becoming a man. It's a comic and better than most of the fiction I've ever read. Now, I'm starting America's Longest War by Steven B. Duke and Albert C. Gross. Its about the war on drugs. An older book, but more relevant than ever. Just got a new Samsung tablet and reading these on the Kindle App. So much for my kids using the tablet... :P

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part V

Posted: Mon Apr 23, 2012 2:08 pm
by ExcelJunkie
cinghiale wrote:Colorado13 wrote:
I just finished "The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business" by Charles Duhigg. The author discusses a bit of brain science, memory and habit. He describes how habit led to one woman's gambling addiction, how retailers analyze our buying habits to increase our spending, and if/how we can replace bad habits with positive ones.
I'm halfway through this book... liking it very much.

This is a good companion read to Kahneman's Thinking, Fast and Slow.
Both books are very similar to 'You are not so smart'. I enjoyed and would recommend all three of these books.