Reading list

[franko]

tattac said:

duster said:

On a different note. Presently reading "The curious incident of the dog in the night time" by Mark Haddon. Wow...

I finished it about a week ago. Good read.
I have lots of thoughts about it but don't know where to start.

OK, now read The Ninth Life of Louis Drax by Liz Jensen (reviews here and here

I picked up the book in a bargain bin -- the title intrigued me. Didn't realize at the time that it would be compared with The Curious Incident . . . . Haven't read The Lovely Bones. Anyone? Bueller?

[duster]

franko said:

tattac said:

I finished it about a week ago. Good read.
I have lots of thoughts about it but don't know where to start.

OK, now read The Ninth Life of Louis Drax by Liz Jensen (reviews here and here

I picked up the book in a bargain bin -- the title intrigued me. Didn't realize at the time that it would be compared with The Curious Incident . . . . Haven't read The Lovely Bones. Anyone? Bueller?

I read "The Lovely Bones" at the urging of my lady friend. The premise is certainly intriguing and I found it well written. All in all, an enjoyable read. Clearly, its reputation precedes it. I had just finished it when my teenage niece literally snatched it from my hands and disappeared for a few days. I would call that a ringing endorsement.

[franko]

duster said:

franko said:

OK, now read The Ninth Life of Louis Drax by Liz Jensen (reviews here and here

I picked up the book in a bargain bin -- the title intrigued me. Didn't realize at the time that it would be compared with The Curious Incident . . . . Haven't read The Lovely Bones. Anyone? Bueller?

I read "The Lovely Bones" at the urging of my lady friend. The premise is certainly intriguing and I found it well written. All in all, an enjoyable read. Clearly, its reputation precedes it. I had just finished it when my teenage niece literally snatched it from my hands and disappeared for a few days. I would call that a ringing endorsement.

My wife has been (somewhat) pushing it on me. Our reading preferences are much different -- very rarely do we enjoy the same books. I'll give it a shot, though.

[franko]

Forget that it was an "Oprah" book.

Night is an autobiographical novella written by Elie Wiesel, a young Jewish boy, who tells of his experiences during the Holocaust. Elie is from the small town of Sighet, Transylvania. This book begins in late 1941 and chronicles Elie's life through the end of the war in 1945.

At the beginning of the book Elie has a very strong faith in God and the Jewish religion, but this faith is tested when he is moved from his small town by the Nazi's. Elie has to deal with the death of his family, the death of his innocence, and the death of his God at the very young age of fifteen. He tells us of the horrors of the concentration camp; starvation, beatings, torture, illness, and hard labor. He comes to question how God could let this happen and to redefine the existence of God in the concentration camp.

This book is also filled with acts of kindness and compassion amid the degradation and violence. It seems that for every act of violence that is committed, Elie counteracts with some act of compassion. This is what makes this book so unforgettable.

Night is a very short yet powerful book that every [one] should read. It gives us a personal, thought-provoking, and unforgettable message of the horrors man can inflict on his fellow man. This book is Wiesel's message to us that we must not allow this kind of nightmare to be repeated. link

Worth the read.

[Toronthab]

No guff....for a while,..until recently, I've been buying about 3 books per week.

Help!!

I can't read that fast!


And how come I'm not smarter??!!

[franko]

Queen of the South, by Arturo Pérez Reverte.

Gets better as it goes along.

[Habs_fan_in_LA]

I know that I'm always behind in my reading, but I just read "Prey" by Michael Crichton.
Much better than Jurassic park.
Good food for thought about God, life, evolution, rebuilding the Hab's and more.

[Disgruntled70sHab]

Don't know if anyone has mentioned this book yet. I just finished reading "Gates of Fire," by Steven Pressfield. It tells the story of the Battle of Thermopylae as cited to a Persian scribe by the only Greek survivor of the battle.

It also describes Spartan society, beliefs and values. It was such an excellent read I went to Mr. Pressfield's web site and left a note saying how much I enjoyed it. I also asked him if he deliberately left an opening for a sequel near the end that might describe the Battle of Plataea through the eyes of a character named "Rooster." I got a reply from him and he said he hadn't thought of the sequel but ... well, I'd have to forward his reply on.

A worthwhile read that leaves me wanting more. Pick it up. You won't be disappointed.



Cheers.

[franko]

Highly entertaining. [review]

[Habs_fan_in_LA]

franko said:

Highly entertaining. [review]

Read it a few years ago. Not up to St. Urbans Horsman or Duddy Kravitz, but still a very good book.
I second the recommendation.

[roke]

disgruntled70shab said:

Don't know if anyone has mentioned this book yet. I just finished reading "Gates of Fire," by Steven Pressfield. It tells the story of the Battle of Thermopylae as cited to a Persian scribe by the only Greek survivor of the battle.

It also describes Spartan society, beliefs and values. It was such an excellent read I went to Mr. Pressfield's web site and left a note saying how much I enjoyed it. I also asked him if he deliberately left an opening for a sequel near the end that might describe the Battle of Plataea through the eyes of a character named "Rooster." I got a reply from him and he said he hadn't thought of the sequel but ... well, I'd have to forward his reply on.

A worthwhile read that leaves me wanting more. Pick it up. You won't be disappointed.



Cheers.

I believe HA has touted this book in the past and I may have as well. A great book although I don't remember too much from it.



Edit: took out the picture so as to not take up as much space on the page.

[Skilly]

The next thing I read will probably be the final Harry Potter book ..... when is that coming out anyway???

[jkr]

I am now just finishing Team of Rivals by Doris Goodwin. I love Civil War books & this is an excellent study of Lincoln & his unique political skill of bringing diverse viewpoints together for the good of his country. Present day leaders would benefit greatly by studying this text.

Be prepared for heavy going - the book is almost 800 pages but well worth the effort.

[M. Beaux-Eaux]

Hmmm...Books read or begun over the last while:

Takedown - Tsutomu Shimomura

Baudolino - Umberto Eco

The Three Pillars of Zen - Roshi Philip Kapleau

A Short History of Progress - Ronald Wright

Solitude - Anthony Storr

Modern Irish Short Stories - edited by Ben Forkner

The De-Voicing of Society - John L. Locke

Quintet of the Year - Geoffrey Haydon

The Energy of Slaves - Leonard Cohen

Under the Thunder the Flowers Light Up the Earth - D.G. Jones

[franko]

A literary novel that takes historical liberties with Canada’s national obsession: hockey.



Hockey, totalitarianism and Scandinavian prostitutes -- what more could one possibly ask for in a novel?

[edit] Mildly amusing reading for a Sunday afternoon. Who knew that backgammon was Romanina's national sport?

[duster]

It's been a busy few months so I haven't read as much as I would want to.

I'm presently reading "Hadrian's Empire" by Danziger and Purcell. Perhaps the best book on this complicated and gifted man I've read since Yourcenar's "Memoires D'Hadrien".

Some recent reads include

- Gwynne Dyer's "Ignorant Armies". Thought provoking, concise and well researched.

- Flaubert's "Salammbo". Read it in French. I managed to find a copy in France after a lot of searching here in Canada (out of print). I'd almost forgotten how addictive, compelling and disturbing this book really is.

- Peter Mayle's "French Lessons". A re-read in this case. Mayle is his usual amusing and informative self. I'm thinking of going to the "Marathon du Medoc" this year and his description of it is very funny.

- Yan Martel "Self". I can't say I found it as interesting a read as "Life of Pi".

"Freakonomics" by Levitt and Dubner is next. Several friends have urged me to read it so I'll give it a shot. Has anyone else read it?

[franko]

duster said:

"Freakonomics" by Levitt and Dubner is next. Several friends have urged me to read it so I'll give it a shot. Has anyone else read it?

Didn't live up to the hype imo.

[Toronthab]

duster said:

It's been a busy few months so I haven't read as much as I would want to.

I'm presently reading "Hadrian's Empire" by Danziger and Purcell. Perhaps the best book on this complicated and gifted man I've read since Yourcenar's "Memoires D'Hadrien".

Some recent reads include

- Gwynne Dyer's "Ignorant Armies". Thought provoking, concise and well researched.

- Flaubert's "Salammbo". Read it in French. I managed to find a copy in France after a lot of searching here in Canada (out of print). I'd almost forgotten how addictive, compelling and disturbing this book really is.

- Peter Mayle's "French Lessons". A re-read in this case. Mayle is his usual amusing and informative self. I'm thinking of going to the "Marathon du Medoc" this year and his description of it is very funny.

- Yan Martel "Self". I can't say I found it as interesting a read as "Life of Pi".

"Freakonomics" by Levitt and Dubner is next. Several friends have urged me to read it so I'll give it a shot. Has anyone else read it?

Great looking list. You're inspiring me!

[franko]

Thanks for Chucking That at the Wall Instead of Me : a good book for educators to read.

Her experiences working with at-risk/dysfunctional children. Children? I know adults that act the same way!

[franko]

No one's read anything but Harry Potter since April? I figured this to be prime reading season, since there was no hockey to occupy.

Let me revive the thread, then: a Sunday at the pool in Kigali. It's no Shake Hands With The Devil, but it's not meant to be. A fictionalized veiwpoint from a civilian perspective, as moderate Hutus and the minority Tutsis were annihilated by the majority Hutus, as the world watched.

Tough slogging at times . . . but brings some emotional turmoil to life.

[duster]

Harry Potter? never heard of him

Meanwhile, a couple of books that I've read lately.

- "Freakonomics" : Maybe I expected so much more...

- "Snow" by Orhan Pamuk: This is one of the best books I've read in a long time.

- "A war like no other" by Victor Davis Hanson: A re-examination of how classical Greece literally committed collective suicide.

- Selected Stories of Philip K. Dick: A brilliant writer. Far more than just "Blade Runner"

[mic]

duster said:

I'm presently reading "Hadrian's Empire" by Danziger and Purcell. Perhaps the best book on this complicated and gifted man I've read since Yourcenar's "Memoires D'Hadrien".

As you seem to read French fluently, I could advise you to read the Mémoirs d'Hadrien by Margueritte Yourcenar. I read it quite a while ago, but I have good memories of it. I'm currently on Moby Dick by Melville.

[franko]

duster said:

- "Freakonomics" : Maybe I expected so much more...

I found the book wanting as well.

My wife is after me to read [Blessed Unrest[/u] by Paul Hawken. I will . . . then we'll have some good discussions as to why she is wrong to take everything he says as gospel.

[duster]

mic said:

duster said:

I'm presently reading "Hadrian's Empire" by Danziger and Purcell. Perhaps the best book on this complicated and gifted man I've read since Yourcenar's "Memoires D'Hadrien".

As you seem to read French fluently, I could advise you to read the Mémoirs d'Hadrien by Margueritte Yourcenar. I read it quite a while ago, but I have good memories of it. I'm currently on Moby Dick by Melville.

Thank you for the suggestion. It's a terrific book, especially in it's original French. Yourcenar is one of the best. May I suggest another work of hers called "L'Oeuvre au Noir" or "The Abyss" as it's known in English?

[Tattac]

duster said:

- "Snow" by Orhan Pamuk: This is one of the best books I've read in a long time.

I'm reading it now. The weird thing about Pumuk is that I tend to read his books for months. I like it when I am in the process of reading but I usually don't feel like taking the book again. So it's not like I am reading Snow now, more like looking at it every day. And it's still great. What is wrong with me?

The White Castle was the only one that wasn't a long read. But it looks like a Cliff Notes version in comparison to his other books.

I loved Istanbul. Maybe it's because I loved the city.

www.orhanpamuk.net/books.htm

[mic]

duster said:

mic said:

As you seem to read French fluently, I could advise you to read the Mémoirs d'Hadrien by Margueritte Yourcenar. I read it quite a while ago, but I have good memories of it. I'm currently on Moby Dick by Melville.

Thank you for the suggestion. It's a terrific book, especially in it's original French. Yourcenar is one of the best. May I suggest another work of hers called "L'Oeuvre au Noir" or "The Abyss" as it's known in English?

Thanks for the suggestion. I haven't read L'Oeuvre au Noir yet, but I will definitly try.

[franko]

With the hockey season "over" [OK, games continue, but they are only secondary teams], it's back to reading.

An interesting one: I Don't Believe in Atheists, by Chris Hedges.

Deals with fundamentalism of both the left and the right.

[CrocRob]

Good idea for a thread. I prefer nonfiction, and my current suggestions are all sports-related.

Bowls, polls and tattered souls by Stewart Mandel of cnnsi.com -- you might need to be interested in NCAA college football for this one to be good.
Searching for Bobby Orr by Stephen Brunt
Moneyball by Michael M. Lewis. It's about the changing philosophy in baseball, and using new metrics to evaluate players' worth and building efficient, cost-effective teams.
Future Greats and Heartbreaks by Gare Joyce. A year in the life of a scout, following the Columbus Blue Jackets through the draft and season prior to MacLean's firing (and draft following).
A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking. It's a bit dense, but it's the best and least dense introductory book on theoretical physics out there. I'm part-way through the accompanying book, The Universe in a Nutshell which is also very good, but a bit more dense.

I'm pretty partial to Michael Crichton and Tom Clancy when it comes to fiction (what can I say, I like my creature comforts). Crichton's most recent book, Prey is excellent and gives fictional, but interesting, insight into the world of nanotechnology.


Not sure if any of these books were previously mentioned, but are all worth a read.

[duster]

I read "Prey" on a flight recently. I liked it. About to start Nino Ricci's "Testament". Anyone read it?

[jkr]

May 8, 2008 13:11:40 GMT -5 CrocRob said:

Good idea for a thread. I prefer nonfiction, and my current suggestions are all sports-related.

Bowls, polls and tattered souls by Stewart Mandel of cnnsi.com -- you might need to be interested in NCAA college football for this one to be good.
Searching for Bobby Orr by Stephen Brunt
Moneyball by Michael M. Lewis. It's about the changing philosophy in baseball, and using new metrics to evaluate players' worth and building efficient, cost-effective teams.
Future Greats and Heartbreaks by Gare Joyce. A year in the life of a scout, following the Columbus Blue Jackets through the draft and season prior to MacLean's firing (and draft following).
A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking. It's a bit dense, but it's the best and least dense introductory book on theoretical physics out there. I'm part-way through the accompanying book, The Universe in a Nutshell which is also very good, but a bit more dense.

I'm pretty partial to Michael Crichton and Tom Clancy when it comes to fiction (what can I say, I like my creature comforts). Crichton's most recent book, Prey is excellent and gives fictional, but interesting, insight into the world of nanotechnology.


Not sure if any of these books were previously mentioned, but are all worth a read.

I have read the Brunt, Lewis & Joyce books & enjoyed them. I found the insights into prospects like Esposito & Kessel that appeared in the Joyce book particularly interesting.