What Are You Reading?

[Bemused]

"But What if We're Wrong?"- Chuck Klosterman

Some good stuff in here but overall I've enjoyed most of his other stuff better than this. Couple too many thin propositions in my opinion. A fun read nevertheless, Klosterman is great overall.

 

[Fight'n Hampsters]

Read The Giving Tree to my youngest grandson over Skype tonight.

Fabulous!

 

[Fight'n Hampsters]

Just completed Bryson's "A Short History Of Nearly Everything". Frankly it was a challenge to finish this. I'm not much of a scholar, and this is very dense with quite technical and detailed discussion about subjects that I could never grasp when I was in school. And it takes them to the PhD level and beyond!

In spite of that, I did finish it but ended up skimming many of the pages. It was just too far beyond me!  :silent:   

Bryson clearly did his research (from what I can gather), and for those with more developed minds this will be more relevant. For me, not so much. As always, YMMV.


Cheers,

RR

OOPS! I put my reply in yours...

A more accessible, but still fascinating one of his is "At Home". Its a history of how homes and rooms in homes have changed over the centuries.

 

[Brewdude]

Just completed Bryson's "A Short History Of Nearly Everything". Frankly it was a challenge to finish this. I'm not much of a scholar, and this is very dense with quite technical and detailed discussion about subjects that I could never grasp when I was in school. And it takes them to the PhD level and beyond!

In spite of that, I did finish it but ended up skimming many of the pages. It was just too far beyond me!  :silent:   

Bryson clearly did his research (from what I can gather), and for those with more developed minds this will be more relevant. For me, not so much. As always, YMMV.

A more accessible, but still fascinating one of his is "At Home". Its a history of how homes and rooms in homes have changed over the centuries.

Cheers,

RR

Yes, I finished "At Home" just prior to this one and found it to be fascinating. One of his best IMHO.


Cheers,

RR

 

[Brewdude]

Just finished Orwell's 1984. Don't remember ever reading this in the past, but do recall seeing the B&W flick many years ago. Got the book from the library and have the movie reserved.

Now onto another Orwell book - "The Road To Wigan Pier". Saw a reference to this somewhere and am just now checking it out. Another library loan. Very interesting so far.

No political motives at all in either of these choices. Just curiosity.


Cheers,

RR

 

[DrT999]

Just finished Orwell's 1984. Don't remember ever reading this in the past, but do recall seeing the B&W flick many years ago. Got the book from the library and have the movie reserved.

Now onto another Orwell book - "The Road To Wigan Pier". Saw a reference to this somewhere and am just now checking it out. Another library loan. Very interesting so far.

No political motives at all in either of these choices. Just curiosity.


Cheers,

RR

Orwell's 'Road to Wigan Pier' and 'Down and Out in Paris and London' are great explorations of the poorer sections of the English working class during the Great Depression, so be prepared.

 

[Brewdude]

Just finished Orwell's 1984. Don't remember ever reading this in the past, but do recall seeing the B&W flick many years ago. Got the book from the library and have the movie reserved.

Now onto another Orwell book - "The Road To Wigan Pier". Saw a reference to this somewhere and am just now checking it out. Another library loan. Very interesting so far.

No political motives at all in either of these choices. Just curiosity.


Cheers,

RR

Orwell's 'Road to Wigan Pier' and 'Down and Out in Paris and London' are great explorations of the poorer sections of the English working class during the Great Depression, so be prepared.

Just completed reading both, actually. "Down and Out" being the one I finished just today. Very compelling. Just like one was there. Paints a very black picture, doesn't it!

"Wigan Pier" got a little preachy for me at the end. So I gave it up when Orwell went into his Socialist treatise.


Cheers,

RR

 

[DrT999]

Just finished Orwell's 1984. Don't remember ever reading this in the past, but do recall seeing the B&W flick many years ago. Got the book from the library and have the movie reserved.

Now onto another Orwell book - "The Road To Wigan Pier". Saw a reference to this somewhere and am just now checking it out. Another library loan. Very interesting so far.

No political motives at all in either of these choices. Just curiosity.


Cheers,

RR

Orwell's 'Road to Wigan Pier' and 'Down and Out in Paris and London' are great explorations of the poorer sections of the English working class during the Great Depression, so be prepared.

Just completed reading both, actually. "Down and Out" being the one I finished just today. Very compelling. Just like one was there. Paints a very black picture, doesn't it!

"Wigan Pier" got a little preachy for me at the end. So I gave it up when Orwell went into his Socialist treatise.


Cheers,

RR

Glad you liked them! But yeah, Orwell does preach; remember it written in light of the Spanish Civil War and the prelude to WWII

 

[Brewdude]

On a George Orwell kick right now I guess.

Just finished reading Animal Farm. Think I might have read this many years ago but can't be certain. In any case it was interesting and I will not be inclined to make any political statements. Not my style. Or my intent.

So that closes the Orwell series. At as least for me.


Cheers,

RR

 

[DrT999]

On a George Orwell kick right now I guess.

Just finished reading Animal Farm. Think I might have read this many years ago but can't be certain. In any case it was interesting and I will not be inclined to make any political statements. Not my style. Or my intent.

So that closes the Orwell series. At as least for me.


Cheers,

RR

There's also his account of the Spanish Civil War ('Homage to Catalonia') and three novels from the 1930s ('Burmese Days', 'The Clergyman's Daughter', and 'Keep the Aspidistra Flying'), although I prefer his other work.

 

[Brewdude]

Thought I'd give a classic a whirl - Jonathan Swift's "Gulliver's Travels". Didn't really know much about it, other than it being about a giant in a land of tiny inhabitants who rope him to the ground. And that memory goes back to my childhood.

Anyway, the book turned into a struggle and a bore for me. Largely the way it was written back in the 1700's. I've had issues with other classic works from then and beyond. And while this wasn't as difficult as some, it became a chore so I gave it up early on. Library book, so no expense. Not for me, the HS dropout!


Cheers,

RR

 

[Brewdude]

On an Al Capp roll right now-

Just finished "The Best of Lil' Abner". It's a collection of Capp's favourite strips, many in colour as they would have been in the Sunday funnies. One of my favourites is the Shmoos, and remember reading about them back in the day.

Really great to see all that fine artwork again after all these years. Capp certainly had a talent for drawing unique characters - Fearless Fosdick, Marryin' Sam, Lonesome Polecat, General Bullmoose, Moonbeam McSwine, Evil Eye Fleegle, Joe Btfsplk (world's worst jinx, and my current avatar), and many more.

Not to mention Abner, Mammy and Pappy Yokum, and the delectable Daisy Mae! I once had a childhood crush on Daisy Mae, and even wrote a song dedicated to her entitled "Daisy Mae Waltz".

Currently about halfway through "Al Capp - A Life to the Contrary", an autobiography by Michael Schmaucher and Denis Kitchen.

So far I'm enjoying the hell out of it, as it provides a great deal of the back story of Capp's rise to the top of his profession. And, there are many interesting anecdotes about his, er, personal life!


Cheers,

RR

 

[Lonecoyote]

Never Again!
Author: Rabbi Meir Kahane

I've read this paperback a year after Rabbi Kahane's assassination. The anniversary of his death is less than 2 months away, it's time I refresh my memory a bit.



REST IN PEACE, my dear friend

 

[Lakebound]

The Mauritius Command (Vol. Book 4) (Aubrey/Maturin Novels) authored by Patrick O'Brian

 

[Bemused]

The Autobiography of Malcolm X

 

[BriarBeagle]

Daniel Silva - The Fallen Angel

Chuck C - A New Pair of Glasses

Essentials of Negotiation (School Textbook)

 

[Lonecoyote]

The Story of the Jewish Defence League

Founder and Author: Rabbi Meir Kahane



Rest In Peace My Dear Friend

 

[Lonecoyote]

Knight's Cross, A Life of Field Marshal Erwin Rommel 

Author: David Fraser



KEEP ON PUFFING!!!

 

[DrumsAndBeer]

Finished Christopher Morley's "Haunted Bookshop." A whimsical, light hearted mystery of sorts. Had to read it as it does have quite a bit of pipe smoking in it.

In the middle of H. G. Wells's "The Time Machine."

 

[Lonecoyote]

And Then There Were None

Author: Agatha Christie



KEEP ON PUFFING!!!