WHAT AM I READING
I'M reading Absolute Sound and Stereophile...What kind of a 'phile do you think I am
I'M reading Absolute Sound and Stereophile...What kind of a 'phile do you think I am
What's Everyone Reading
- Thread starter Steve williams
- Start date
Been on a bit of a philosophy binge. Just finished:
Maimonides "Guide For The Perplexed"
Marcus Aurelius "Meditations"
Jessica Pallington "What Would Keith Richards Do? Daily Affirmations from a Rock and Roll Survivor"
I found the last one most essential...
Maimonides "Guide For The Perplexed"
Marcus Aurelius "Meditations"
Jessica Pallington "What Would Keith Richards Do? Daily Affirmations from a Rock and Roll Survivor"
I found the last one most essential...
Everyone knows I am a big Ken Follett fan. I just started his latest which is part one of the Century Trilogy called Fall Of Giants. I'm 1/4 of the way through and so far a very good novel
Well I finally finished Ken Follett's new novel Fall Of Giants which is Part One of his new Century Trilogy series with parts 2 and 3 to be released over the next two years. As stated I am a big fan of the author. This book which comes in at a few pages under 1000 takes place around World War l and as always is richly based around historical events. This book is very slow moving, filled with much historical data but intertwines the lives of many characters from the USA, Great Britain, Russia and Germany. How he continues to write stories around historical events is truly wonderful. Unlike most of his other books however, this one just plods along slowly and just comes to a gradual end without too much drama or excitement. It is clearly paving the ground work for the next two installments which apparently will follow the same characters and their families through World War ll and then on into present era. Obviously you need to read this one before the other two so all I can say right now is that I hope the next two books involve some greater drama than what occurred in the first book.
WHAT AM I READING
I'M reading Absolute Sound and Stereophile...What kind of a 'phile do you think I am
Now you made me laugh Dave
I am reading in parallel a Leadership booklet from HBR press, the Four Agreements from Toltecs (Miguel Ruiz) and of course digging all the available wisdom at WBF
I've lucked into quite a few books this summer:
"The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot. Fascinating convergence of science and sociology.
"I Walked With Giants" by Jimmy Heath. A great jazz autobiography
"The Jazz Ear: Conversations Over Music" by Ben Ratliff. NY Time's critic discusses jazz by playing and discussing the artists' requests.
"Unbroken" by Laura Hillenbrand. A not to be believed story of an Olympic runner who becomes a POW during WWII
"How To Live -or- A Life of Montaigne" by Sarah Bakewell. "In one question and twenty attempts at an answer"...an amazing book of philosophy and biography
"The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot. Fascinating convergence of science and sociology.
"I Walked With Giants" by Jimmy Heath. A great jazz autobiography
"The Jazz Ear: Conversations Over Music" by Ben Ratliff. NY Time's critic discusses jazz by playing and discussing the artists' requests.
"Unbroken" by Laura Hillenbrand. A not to be believed story of an Olympic runner who becomes a POW during WWII
"How To Live -or- A Life of Montaigne" by Sarah Bakewell. "In one question and twenty attempts at an answer"...an amazing book of philosophy and biography
Not to mention the 42(?) days adrift in the Pacific. Enjoyed it immensely.
Currently reading "In the Garden of Beasts", by Erik Larson. Fascinating story of the US envoy and his family in Berlin, 1933.
I used to be a huge sci-fi fan as a teenager but went off it for years as it got boring (great ideas but wooden characters).
I've recently discovered that the 'modern' authors are excellent and I've returned to the genre.
I highly recommend 'Altered Carbon' by Richard K. Morgan.
That is the book that brought me back to the genre after a long absence
I've recently discovered that the 'modern' authors are excellent and I've returned to the genre.
I highly recommend 'Altered Carbon' by Richard K. Morgan.
That is the book that brought me back to the genre after a long absence
I've probably said this before because I feel it so strongly, but Philip Roth's contemporary work is amazing. If you still equate him with Goodbye Columbus and Portnoy's complaint, you'll either be disappointed or blown away by the likes of American Pastoral and The Human Stain. Not light fiction by any means. Literature. Some of the best of our time. Some of the best of any time.
Tim
Tim
Glad you're enjoying it, Doc.
I also enjoyed Isaac's Storm and Devil, immensely. I thought Thunderstruck, the Marconi/Crippen story, was only so-so, but that's just me.
For those not familiar with Mr. Larson, he writes about historical events as seen through the lives of key participants. Isaac's Storm describes the great Galveston Hurricane of 1900 thru the prism of Isaac Cline, Galveston's meteorologist. The Devil in the White city brilliantly intertwines the stories of Daniel Burnham, chief architect of the 1893 Columbian Exposition (known as the White City), with that of Dr. H.H. Holmes (the devil), a serial murderer of young women, some of whom were attending the fair.
Yeah, but before I start sounding pseudo-intellectual here let me just say my favorite cultural experience of the last year was watching the entire extended edition of Lord of the Rings on blu ray with my son. Single greatest line in all of my literary experience?
"Many who live deserve to die, and many who die deserve life. Can you give it to them, Frodo?"
LOTR rocks.
Tim
"Many who live deserve to die, and many who die deserve life. Can you give it to them, Frodo?"
LOTR rocks.
Tim
I'm half way through UNBROKEN by Laura Hillebrand who also wrote Seabiscuit
This is a story during World War ll and could be included in my thread elsewhere named "and just when you thought it couldn't get worse...." as the story goes in that direction with the hope for survival.
A very good read and definitely recommended.
As for watching The Hangover with your kids, I completely agree but the best IMHO to have watched with your kids for raunchy teen humor is "Superbad"
This is a story during World War ll and could be included in my thread elsewhere named "and just when you thought it couldn't get worse...." as the story goes in that direction with the hope for survival.
A very good read and definitely recommended.
As for watching The Hangover with your kids, I completely agree but the best IMHO to have watched with your kids for raunchy teen humor is "Superbad"
