Just finished "The Four Agreements".
Now I'm reading "Way of the Peaceful Warrior" (again).
Next up is "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" (for the umpteenth time).
need more books here.
Just finished "The Four Agreements".
Now I'm reading "Way of the Peaceful Warrior" (again).
Next up is "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" (for the umpteenth time).
need more books here.
My last two were Snow Falling on Cedars and The Mosquito Coast. I'm now reading Posession by A.S. Byatt
I have recently finished the following and I can highly recommend them:
The Journeyman Taylor, Gerald Seymour
A very gripping fast paced thriller, this moving tale is staged in the mountains of County Tyrone, heartland of the Provisional IRA's most active Brigade and in England. Twists and turns with the IRA and British agents going hammer and tongs.
Mont Blanc & the Aiguilles Rouges, a guide for skiers, Anselme Baud
A figurehead of extreme skiing brings a fantastic comprehensive guide to descents of the area. Some of the lines described and illustrated are fucking mental, I shat myself just reading about them. Anselme includes a moving tribute to his son Edouard who died skiing the Gervasutti couloir.
Blood of the Isles, Bryan Sykes
Ireland, England, Wales or Scotland, this scholarly work explores our modern genetic make-up and tells us about our tribal past. We nearly all descended from Celts and we kick ass.
A Thousand Splendid Suns, Khaled Hosseini
From the author that brought us Kite Runner, this is better. A haunting tale of love, loss and betrayal. Stunning and heartbreaking. Set in Taliban Afghanistan. Highly recommend it.
I have currently got on the go:
Victoria's Wars, the rise of empire, Saul David
Both the brutalities and the thrills of the age of empire, with the ringing clash of steel Britain secured its empire. Accounts of heroic actions, military blunders and victories snatched from the jaws of defeat. A powerful story.
Sea Kayak Navigation, Franco Ferrero
A short, simple and very practical guide to finding your way at sea. Demystifies a black art.
The Gay Science
One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest
Just finished Guns, Germs and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies by Jared Diamond. Very good, very interesting.
Just started the Dharma Bums (again) by Kerouac.
Current:
The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt, by Edmund Morris
Fucking hilarious and engaging book about Theodore Roosevelt's rise to the Presidency.
Last:
John Adams, by David McCullough
Pretty good book about John Adams's life
Yeah, that one was somewhat inspirational for me.:rolleyes2Quote:
Originally Posted by RedWolf
Currently reading Sacred Summits: John Muir's Greatest Climbs.
I've heard that Paul Auster has a new book coming out, or just out recently. That will be next on my list.
2nd the John Adams bio...read that last summer and really enjoyed it.
Quartered Safe Out Here -- the war memoirs of George MacDonald Fraser
Last:
The Cold Six Thousand by James Ellroy - Crime/fiction set in the 1960's.
Current:
Bringing Down The House by Ben Mezrich - How six students took Vegas for millions.
working on The Border Trilogy by Cormac McCarthy, just finished book 1: All the Pretty Horses and going to start working on book 2: The Crossing probably next weekend.
Really a fun read! I got inspired to read his work by watching No Country For Old Men a couple times. I definitely dug the book although some of the Spanish conversations I didn't understand and some the descriptions of places and things I didn't get either as I'm a New Englander and the things he's describing are in west Texas. I mean as far as I know, an arroyo was a young pitcher for the Red Sox when they won the WS in 2004.
In all seriousness though, I really enjoy McCarthy's work and am stoked I still have another 600 or so pages of books to read.
Also read The Sunset Limited by McCarthy in about an hour and 1/2, odd but cool little screen play.
reading The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Polan.
Very interesting read on the problems of industrial agriculture, benefits of local food production and sustainability.
Would highly, highly recommend.
Just started my summer fiction kick again - reading a collection of short stories by Mark Helprin called The Pacific. Some great stuff in there on love and beauty.
Nice. Definitely on my list but haven't gotten around to it. Did you ever read The China Study?Quote:
Originally Posted by BeanDip4All
Last Book:
Guns, Germs, and Steel (Jared Diamond). Re-read to prepare for...
Current Book:
Collapse (Jared Diamond). I really enjoy the knowledge contained in Diamond's books and the way in which is presented. I realize that some of what he says is his interpretation, but he always states assumptions and what they are based on.
Current - "Blink" by Malcom Caldwell
Discusses unconscious vs. conscious decision making. Makes you look at all interactions in a new way.
I read another book last year by Gladwell - "The Tipping Point" also a good read.
Last read - "Blind Side" by Michael Lewis.
Blackwater- by Jeremy Scahill. Very interesting profile of Blackwater and it's founder... quite the profitable endeavor with very little accountability for it's actions.
The Coldest Winter- by David Halberstam. Excellent account of the largely forgotten Korean Conflict. A study in MacArthur's (and his staff of yes men's) hubris.
Legacy of Ashes- by Tim Weiner. A history of the CIA who it seems didn't realize much success, especially in the early years. USSR had our number from the get go, and attempts to manipulate the goings on in Eastern Europe and China were met with the deaths of many valiant people.
Hog Pilots, Blue Water Grunts- Robert D. Kaplan. Follow up to Imperial Grunts, his profile of Special Forces in Yemen, Mongolia, Colombia, the Phillipines, Iraq and Afghanistan. In this book he chronicles the day to day lives and attitudes of sailors, A-10 pilots and others stationed all over the world.
Just finished Wormwood, a collection of short horror stories by Poppy Z. Brite.
Am wading through Brite's The Value of X novella (the precursor to her New Orleans cooking/restaurant books Liquor, Prime, Soul Food), and just started Dishwasher.
I recently finished Five Skies and Out Stealing Horses. I recommend both.
The Papers of Samuel Marchbanks
A collection of very short pieces by Robertson Davies writing as his wity and curmudgeonly alter ego. I really like having this type of book bedside when I only want to read two or three pages.
I agree with pechelman Davies knows how to use the language.
Also been going through Adrian Mckinty's Dead Trilogy (Dead Yard, Dead I Well May Be, and Bloomsday Dead). Fast paced crime stuff with a ruthless Northern Irish protagonist. Good stories, funny in spots plenty of tension.
Fecking excellent read, very good writer.Quote:
Originally Posted by DJ2
"Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder" - by Richard Louv
GMF passed away in Jan. of this year as I greedily awaited more Flashman. Requiem et PaxQuote:
Originally Posted by Sparky
Finished the Dharma Bums, starting The End of Oil: On the Edge of a Perilous New World by Paul Roberts tomorrow.
GG&S was my first Diamond book, and I really enjoyed it. What do you think of Collapse thus far? I think it'll be one of the next that I pick up...Quote:
Originally Posted by Daywalker
Just finished the last lecture, it was alright.
Don't have a new book yet, other than trying to study for the GMAT.
Think I'll pick up the Clapton autobiography.
The Omnivore's Dilemma and Collapse are both extremely interesting books.
I need to pick up some of the books mentioned in this thread.
All the King's Men. A must read.
I'm really enjoying it so far. It draws interesting parallels to today's society without being outwardly alarmist. I'm about a 1/4 of the way through and am finding there are not as many "leaps" (in assupmtion) but it also lacks a bit of the "hmmm" factor of GGS. One of the things I really liked about GGS was that I learned something new every paragraph or two. That being said, it's reading great and I think it's just a slightly different topic & style.Quote:
Originally Posted by RedWolf
Last finished One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest, I liked it.
Introduction to Metaphysics by Martin Heidegger
Not as tedious as I thought it would be so far.
Last Book:
Parallel Worlds: A Journey Through Creation, Higher Dimensions, and the Future of the Cosmos by Michio Kaku
Quantum physics, parallel universe, hyperspace and shit like dat.
Current Books:
Disclosure : Military and Government Witnesses Reveal the Greatest Secrets in Modern History by Stephen Greer
Real life X Files shit. UFOs, coverups, reverse engineered technology.Tin foil hat optional.
Guests of the Ayatollah: The Iran Hostage Crisis by Mark Bowden
Bowden (better known for Blackhawk Down) details the shit that went down based on firsthand accounts from captives and their captors. This makes you feel like you were right there.
Last: The Zombie Survival Manual
Now: Some Army/Marine manual on counter insurgency written by some General dude.
Last: The Diving Bell and the Butterfly really an amazing book and a quick read.
Now: All the Pretty Horses. No Country For Old Men, the movie, intrested me in more Cormac McCarthy. just started so i'll let you know
last book- Possession by A.S Byatt. Reminded me why I majored in English and also why I will never be an english professor.
current book- Mutiny on the Bounty. I love almost any sailing or naval related book.
You should get "In the Heart of the Sea" - the true story that inspired Melville's Moby Dick.Quote:
Originally Posted by Joey Joe Joe Junior Shabadoo
Last book: Hell's Angels - Hunter S. Thompson.
I've always been a Hunter fan, so this book was right up my alley. Definitely a good read, well written as anything he's ever put type to. *Warning* This book will incite strong urges to buy a Harley 74 or vintage BSA with a flip down dvd player in helmet for watching Marlon Brando's The Wild One. You have been warned.
Currently reading: GONZO, an oral biography by the editors of rolling stone.
The Eight Gates of Zen - John Daido Loori
Last book:
Introduction to Metaphysics. I see metaphysics as somewhat pointless. And this book's writing sucked.
Now:
The Complete Stories-Franz Kafka
any of you runners, or even triathletes, ever read Once a Runner by John Parker? I love that book. Always read it right before SEC champs.
you know, I've heard the "lore" over that book but have never been able to get my hands on a copy. I would love to read it.Quote:
Originally Posted by satori
Copies are just extremely hard to come by, and the ones you can buy are ridiculously expensive. Here it is on ebay for almost $200.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Once-a-Runner-A-...ksid=m20.l1116
What's the deal? Did it just have very limited production? Satori, is it worth that much (somehow I doubt it).
last -
In Defense of Food
current-
House of Meetings
beandip, I havent read it in almost 10 years, but will never forget it. It reminds me of Prefontaine and his generation of runners, or maybe just him...Its going on Ebay for almost $200? Sheet, thats mad! I think I should have a copy of it at home, but honestly dont know. If I do, and only if it gets passed around and not sold, Id be glad to send it out to you guys. CJ sent me 3 books to me here in Japan and Im so grateful so maybe, if he is interested, or hasnt read it, I could pass it on to him first...Anyways, gotta check when I get home in August. Been 3 years plus since Ive been to the states :nonono2:Quote:
Originally Posted by BeanDip4All
CJ... wonder where he is these days?Quote:
Originally Posted by satori
Satori,
that's an awesome offer, thanks... if you can find it next time you're home, I'd love to borrow... in the meantime I will keep my eye out. I've heard there is a copy in the NYPL but haven't really checked yet.
Right now I am reading thie horrible book by Meg Wolitzer called "The Ten Year Nap." It had a good review in the times and also my Jillrabbit friends suggested I read bc it is sort of about feminism. Well, it SUCKS. Do not read. Just... meandering writing with no point, nothing happens in the plot, and I fundamentally dislike the majority of the self-indulgent, lazy, absorbed characters. But, I'm not the kind of person to start a book and not finish, so I plod onwards. Argh.
must be why you're a triathlete ;-)Quote:
Originally Posted by BeanDip4All
Just finished "Omnivores Dilemma". An eye opening look into where our food comes and the forces at play in the food industry. A great read that might make you rethink your eating and purchasing habits. A few parts are a little graphic but it's more about the making you consider the implications of where you buy your food and how it's produced (veggies, meat or dairy) than grossing anyone in veganism.
Reading Breaking Trail by Arlene Klum now. The autobiography genearally focusing on her life and the trials and tribulations of female high altitude mountaineering in the 70s. I jsut got started bue my wife loved it and her dad shared a lab w/ arlene way back when doing his post doc work.