What is the last book you read? What book are you reading right now? and How often?

[stump832]

Yes, indeed. Shallow and pedantic.

[Woodsy]

Yes, indeed. Shallow and pedantic.

you rang?

[ubertele]

Last Book: Marley and Me-I would highly recommend this book to any dog owner. It may be one of the best I have ever read.

Reading now: Eiger Dreams. Just wanted to finish off all of the JK books.

[cj001f]

you rang?

I thought that was the group line shared with 7,253 others?

[bad_roo]

In my opinion, that book was sophmoric and hackneyed compared to his follow-up, "knee to the head, knee to the head, elbow smash".

True, it's a bit concrete. I still don't think he's topped his earlier effort "Don't Mess With El Guapo."

"From Here I Can Deliver The Head Butt" is a great piece of literature.

[Alioops]

(No offense intended Ali, I just really didn't like it)

Absolutely no offense taken. I wanted a serious opinion and you gave it. (I miss my book club back home).

I did get frustrated waiting for "the coward to become a man", but still enjoyed the book.

[lemon boy]

(I miss my book club back home).

quite possibly the lamest thought that's ever run through my head is now getting spilled onto der internet but b/c it's down here where only the lamest of the lame go anyway.

I don't think it would be very difficult to have a book-club here.

[Turbo Honkey]

True, it's a bit concrete. I still don't think he's topped his earlier effort "Don't Mess With El Guapo."

"From Here I Can Deliver The Head Butt" is a great piece of literature.

I believe that you guys are reading individual chapters which were published as a serial in The Economist.

You just might want to spring for Bas Rutten's Big Book of Combat 1&2 and get the complete work from street fightin' genius himself.

As Bas likes to say "One good headbutt is worth two eyepokes."

[cj001f]

I don't think it would be very difficult to have a book-club here.

That'd be interesting - or perhaps a lending library/free book thread. I've several I'd be willing to pass on/trade.

[Alioops]

quite possibly the lamest thought that's ever run through my head is now getting spilled onto der internet but b/c it's down here where only the lamest of the lame go anyway.

I don't think it would be very difficult to have a book-club here.

K....but I am telling everyone it was YOUR idea. You can pick the first book to redeem yourself.

edit: I see you already started it.

[powderwhore]

Started last night and got through half of Into Thin Air. I wansn't all that busy at work.

Before that I read Under the Banner of Heaven. Now I'm scared. Catch the theme of my recent readings.

[tradygirl]

Okay, well now my answer has changed thanks to a lot of time on airplanesP:

Last book: The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffeneger
Book following that: Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld
Current book: Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis based on radio talks he gave during WWII
Next in Line: Memoirs of a Geisha and Son of a Witch

I loved "Time Traveler's Wife"! Great characters and I loved the way the timeline was put together. I just got through "Wicked" and couldn't really get into it, so I'm saying ixnay on "Son of a Witch".

Great book I just got through..."My Sister's Keeper" by Jodi Piccoult. The ending was a little contrived, but it was excellent.

[road trip]

BUMP because this is a good thread (and timely for me).

[The AD]

I just started "The Brothers Karamazov" about a week ago. It's been a little difficult to get into, but it's growing on me now.

I saw a book review in the Seattle Times last weekend that looks like it would be a good read: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/htm...cascade18.html

Here's the link to the book on Amazon in case that Seattle Times link doesn't work: http://www.amazon.com/White-Cascade-...e=UTF8&s=books

[pde20]

Given how long this thread has been idle my recent list is quite long and represents about the last 6 months, but I definitely got a few good titles from here, so hopefully others might appreciate a longer list.

Recently Finished, in no particular order, only those that I would reccommend
Thirteen Moons by Charles Frazier
Shantaram by some Australian
Omnivore's Dilemma by Michale Pollan
The River of Doubt by Candace Millard - Teddy Roosevelt expedition to Brazil
The Places in Between by Rory Stewart
Prince of the Marshes by Rory Stewart: If you want to get a totaly new and fascinating perspective of Iraq and what a supreme cluster fuck we have gotten ourselves into, read Prince of the Marshes.
The Last Crossing by Guy Vanderhaeghe: Western and very good, I thought.
American Theocracy by Kevin Phillips

Currently Reading:
The End of Faith by Sam Harris
The Complete Book of Long Distance Cycling - trying to get wise about building an iron taint for the summer riding season.

On Deck:
Blood and Thunder by Hampton Sides
The Terror by Dan Simmons

[uncle crud]

Last book I finished?

Mind Scan, by Robert Sawyer. 1 of 5 stars. Lame. Came highly recommended, too.

What I'm reading right now?

The Brothers K, by David James Duncan
Fury, by Salman Rushdie
Warped Passages, by Lisa Randall

[uncle crud]

"State of Fear" -Michael Crichton

Man what a read. Totally debunks global warning and cautions the dangers of politicized science. Very intresting and worthwhile book. Mike Crichtons fans will love this one

That's very amusing, and a bit sad. You look to a writer of distorted pro-Imperialist, pro-Plutocratic sci fi to get the hard evidence on climate change?

Wow. And you admitted it here, too. Wow-Wow.

[Viva]

Recently finished Shattered Sword (forgot the authors) which is a re-analysis of the Battle of Midway during WWII focusing on the Japanese strategy/tactics, leadership, and capabilities. Remarkable book. These guys did some serious research using surviving Japanese records (including ship's logs) and convincingly debunk several common assumptions made/believed over the decades since that battle.

I'm seeing more books similar to this one where researchers carefully examine the records in order to determine the actual significance of a given historic event. There's a couple of books on the Allied bombing campaign against Germany and it affect on the war's outcome that I'd also like to read. I thumbed through both and each appeared to have a different take on the bombing of Dresden- i.e., justified vs. unjustified. Ought to be fun to compare the two.

I think this is kool because back when I was a war buff, many of the books were primarily based on survivor's interviews and personal accounts and lacked a thorough critical analysis of the actual event(s), no doubt for a number of reasons. These earlier books had plenty of who, what, when, and where, but infintesimally little on why. Nor were the consequences well analyzed.

[BeanDip4All]

I was halfway through The Alchemist, but I think I left it in the Hellgate condos at Straightline camp?! Damn interlodge speedy exit. How am I going to know if he finds the treasure?!

Now reading: The Big Oyster: History of the Half Shell which is all about oysters and their history in New York.
The Chess Artist: Genuis, Obsession, and the World's Greatest Game which I found for $3 at the strand- effectively is a Dostoevsky-style portrayal of chess as religious fanaticism.
and working my way through Breakthrough Triathlon Training by Brad Kearns. Other than Friel's bible, this has been one of my favorite tri books- he take a more holistic approach and is more about getting in the workouts around your life than any of the other tri books I've read.

Have a bunch of others in que. I'll be happy when midterms are over

[advres]

I am currently reading "The First Deadly Sin" by Lawrence Sanders.
Last book I read was "The Hunt Club" by John Lescroart.

I usually read 3 or so books a month depending on how drunk I get during apres.

[Free Range Lobster]

Finished:
The Doryman's Reflection
Taking On The World (Ellen MacArthur)
Armed Madhouse - Greg Palast

Currently reading:
AK-47

To Read:
Heat - Bill Buford
Guests of the Ayatollah: The Iran Hostage Crisis - Mark Bowden

[Joey Joe Joe Junior Shabadoo]

Just finished: Bowling Alone & All the Presidents Men

Reading: Razor's Edge by Maugham

Next: Too many to list, but probably Don Quixote, it has been taunting me after many false starts and it is time kick Cervantes ass once and for all.

[departure]

I just finished "Into Thin Air" and am currently reading "The Constant Gardener" by John Le Carre and "Crime and Punishment" by Fedor Dostoevsky ... I'd recommend them

[KungPowder]

Just Finished:
Lord Jim -Joseph Conrad
Greek Ways -Bruce Thornton

Now Reading
I am Charlotte Simmons -Tom Wolfe
Genome -Matt Ridley

[RedWolf]

Recently Finished
Into The Wild - Krakauer
The Great Shark Hunt - H.S. Thompson

Currently Reading
The Stranger - Camus
The Joke's Over - Steadman

On Deck
The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid - Bryson
The World is Flat - Friedman