What book are you currently reading?

[live2ride]

What book or books are you reading right now?

I am currently reading Edward Abbey's Desert Solataire, soon to be follwed by the monkey wrench gang. Also what are some of your favorite books and why?

One of my favorite books is "Into thin air" by John Krakaeur. I love that book because I would love to climb everest one day!

[CarpeyBiggs]

My night stand currently has:

1- The Monkey Wrench Gang

2- Faster, by James Gleick

3- Escalante, the Best Kind of Nothing - Brooke Williams

4- On writing, by Stephen King

And on the toilet -

A People's History of the United States

[scoutabout]

Into Thin Air is a great book! If you enjoyed it, I highly recommend reading:

http://www.amazon.com/Climb-Tragic-Ambitions-Everest/dp/0312965338/ref=sr_1_5/104-8966563-6931115?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1194926621&sr=8-5

The Climb is Anatoli Boukreev's account of the events chronicled in Into Thin Air.

http://www.amazon.com/Above-Clouds-Diaries-High-Altitude-Mountaineer/dp/031229137X/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2/104-8966563-6931115?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1194926621&sr=8-2

Above the Clouds is a collection of diary entries by Anatoli Boukreev.

Right now I'm reading "The Tipping Point" by Malcolm Gladwell.

[marc olivares]

just about finished w/

Look Me in the Eye: My Life with Asperger's (http://www.amazon.com/Look-Me-Eye-Life-Aspergers/dp/0307395987)

by John Robison

[CarpeyBiggs]

Into Thin Air is a great book! If you enjoyed it, I highly recommend reading:

The Climb is Anatoli Boukreev's account of the events chronicled in Into Thin Air.


I've meant to read Boukreev's account for some time. From what I understand, he paints a much different picture than our hero, Krakauer. Thanks for the reminder to get it on my list :2thumbs:

[CarpeyBiggs]

just about finished w/

Look Me in the Eye: My Life with Asperger's (http://www.amazon.com/Look-Me-Eye-Life-Aspergers/dp/0307395987)

by John Robison

And, how did you like it Marc? I had a roommate for 8 months who had Asperger's. It was an interesting time for me... He was very reclusive though, and I never spent the time to get to know him well. Would be interesting to learn more.

[marc olivares]

And, how did you like it Marc? I had a roommate for 8 months who had Asperger's. It was an interesting time for me... He was very reclusive though, and I never spent the time to get to know him well. Would be interesting to learn more.

it's a great read, his brother wrote Running w/ Scissors (http://www.amazon.com/Running-Scissors-Memoir-Augusten-Burroughs/dp/0312425414/ref=pd_sim_b)
(also a great, but tough read).
after reading a book like this, it would definately make dealing w/ an Aspergian much easier.

[greyhair biker]

well, just finished Temple of the Winds by Terry Goodkind. Now I am reading 'On a Pale Horse' - Piers Anthony. I read alot of scifi/fantasy stuff and usually mix it up between about a dozen different authors. Terry Brooks is one of my favs, also Issac Asimov, Stephen R. Donaldson and Robert Heinlein.
...the bathroom read is always either Mountain Bike Action or Petersens 4x4....or the latestdaily catalog from Victorias Secret :lol8:

[ExpUt]

2/3 through The Monkey Wrench Gang, I hadn't read it since high school. Its been fun to read about alot of places I have visited, Comb Wash, Hidden Spendor Mine, Valley of the Gods... a little different frame of mine then most, but hey its a good read.

I just finished Desert Solataire, another Abbey book I read in high school english 10 years ago. My next book is Long Way Down.

[Mtnman1830]

Just finished Walden by Thoreau, looking for something else...

Monkey Wrench Gang sounds like the next one.

[cachehiker]

I'm just about to finish "A Prayer for Owen Meany" by John Irving. There is maybe 20 pages left but I have to be careful. I've heard the ending is every bit as sad as "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" which up to this point qualifies as the saddest ending I've ever read. I don't exactly want to be sitting here bawling at my desk.

I haven't decided what to start next but "It Can't Happen Here" by Sinclair Lewis is near the top of the list. "A People's History of the United States" by Howard Zinn, "Tess of the D'Urbervilles" by Thomas Hardy, and "Luther the Reformer: The Story of the Man and His Career" by James M. Kittelson are also being considered.

I tend to read classics with a diversion into something historical, theological, or sociological every third of fourth book. I find most of what is still highly regarded after a few decades is worth reading. There are exceptions of course. "Moby Dick" by Herman Melville immediately springs to mind.

There's also "Basic Metrology for ISO 9000 Certification" by G. M. S. de Silva and "How to Form a Non-profit Corporation" by Anthony Mancuso sitting on next to my little reading nook in the basement. There's a pair of page turners for you.

[ericchile]

Effective Java

[Shan]

:wallbash:

[greyhair biker]

:wallbash:
...I have a vast library of books to choose from on the other side of that wall there Shan that youre welcome to peruse :haha: :popcorn:

[accadacca]

Uhhh a digital one. . .it is called uutah.com. :lol8:

[James_B_Wads2000]

Into Thin Air is a great book! If you enjoyed it, I highly recommend reading:

The Climb is Anatoli Boukreev's account of the events chronicled in Into Thin Air.


I've meant to read Boukreev's account for some time. From what I understand, he paints a much different picture than our hero, Krakauer.

Not really it

[CarpeyBiggs]

[quote=scoutabout]Into Thin Air is a great book! If you enjoyed it, I highly recommend reading:

The Climb is Anatoli Boukreev's account of the events chronicled in Into Thin Air.


I've meant to read Boukreev's account for some time. From what I understand, he paints a much different picture than our hero, Krakauer.

Not really it

[AFI]

Deep Survival: Who Lives, Who Dies, and Why

[Jaxx]

I don't know if this counts but I'm reading "Mountianeering: Freedom of the hills" not too much of a story line but I recommend it. :2thumbs:

[TreeHugger]

[quote=CarpeyBiggs][quote=scoutabout]Into Thin Air is a great book! If you enjoyed it, I highly recommend reading:

The Climb is Anatoli Boukreev's account of the events chronicled in Into Thin Air.


I've meant to read Boukreev's account for some time. From what I understand, he paints a much different picture than our hero, Krakauer.

Not really it

[TreeHugger]

Wow, lot's of reader's here! I'm impressed with the selection fo reading materials presented.

I just finished In the Time of Butterflies, am currently reading The Brief Wonderous Life of Oscar Wao, and have next in line The Bookseller of Kabul and The Places In Between (recommended on this forum a while back).

Cachehiker: A Prayer for Owen Meany is one of my all time favorite books! John Irving is probably my favorite author, well, one of them anyway, he is a brilliant character writer, for sure.

[cachehiker]

A Prayer for Owen Meany is one of my all time favorite books! John Irving is probably my favorite author, well, one of them anyway, he is a brilliant character writer, for sure.

It will likely end up one of mine as well. I will finish it tonight. This is the first book of his that I've read and it was recommended to me by the guy I'm always talking books with at the bar on Friday nights. He is a voracious consumer of literature and I frustrate the hell out of him with my 15 pages per day pace and tendency to insert career oriented stuff into the queue. He mentioned Irving's Dickensian characters and I had to move it up. Dickens has always been one of my faves.

My other faves, or at least books that have had a dramatic and/or beneficial effect on my life and/or outlook, include:

"A Tale of Two Cities" and "Great Expectations" by Charles Dickens
"Mother Night" and "God Bless You Mr. Rosewater" by Kurt Vonnegut Jr.
"The Bonfire of the Vanities" by Tom Wolfe
"Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" by Hunter S. Thompson
"A Clockwork Orange" by Anthony Burgess
"Stranger in a Strange Land" by Robert Heinlein
"Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" by Robert M. Pirsig
"The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald
"The Hunchback of Notre Dame" by Victor Hugo
"1984" by George Orwell
"His Master's Voice" and "Solaris" by Stanislaw Lem
"The Return of the Native" by Thomas Hardy
"Wuthering Heights" by Emily Bronte
"The Lord of the Rings" by J. R. R. Tolkein
"Atlas Shrugged" by Ayn Rand
"Death is a Lonely Business" by Ray Bradbury

I could go on and on and on ...

What about you?

Oh, and I shouldn't leave out:

"How to Cook Everything: Simple Recipes for Great Food" by Mark Bittman

Impressing a woman with my culinary endeavors in the kitchen has always been a major turn on. :naughty:

[Scott Card]

I just read "No David" to my five year old. Its a favorite. Thankfully I am done with the "Goodnight Moon" era of my life.:haha:

[Iceaxe]

I've read all Krakaeur's books, I like his writing style. I also read Anatoli Boukreev's account of the Everest disater.

I normally read about a book a week, usually military history, sometimes other history and biographies. I seldom read fiction.

For the last four month's I've read nothing but football books, currently sitting on my nightstand are:

"Single Wing Offense With the Spinning Fullback" by John F. Aldrich
"Winning Single Wing Football" by Ken Keuffel
"Gap Air Mirror Defense" by John T. Reed
"Coaching the Spread Option Offense" by Bobby Granger
"Defending The Spread Offense" by John Rice

I'm guessing most of you would find my reading selection boring....

:cool2:

[JP]

Not a big conventional sports fan :haha:

[Brian in SLC]

I actually thought Boukreev's book was quiet different than Into Thin Air as well. It had a different perspective. I thought Krakauer was rather accusatory, particularly toward Boukreev and enjoyed reading the other side. I also read Climbing High by Lene Gammelgard, she was on Scott Fisher's team, I love this book and keep it on my nightstand to revisit periodically. It's a woman's perspective, written in a journal type format from her actual writings and thoughts at the time. Very very good. And inspiring.

I thought the Gammelgard book wasn't great. Maybe not even "good" IMHO.

By someone's count, the '96 Everest events has spawned something like 27 or more books, as of a couple of years ago.

Read both the Krakauer and DeWalt (Boukreev) books and both were interesting reads. Krakauer's being a great read. This differences have been debated to death, and, its interesting to follow in the subsequent re-issues of at least Krakauer's book, he's updated the conversations between he, DeWalt and Boukreev with some of that info. In then end, they agreed to disagree. Not on what happened, but, why and how, methinks. Accusatory? Yeah. Questioned Boukreev's role as a guide, surely.

Am currently and slowly finishing Walter Bonatti's the Mountains of My Life. Makes me feel like a wuss, for sure.

In the way of that has been a recent purchase of Alan Kearney's Patagonia which is chock full of interesting history on the peaks down there.

-Brian in SLC

[jb]

Just starting Janet Browne's 2-volume biography of Darwin.

Just finished The Grapes of Wrath. That's the best fiction I've read in a long time--set in the 30's, but amazingly relevant. And every year around Halloween I read some Victorian ghost stories. This year I decided on something slightly more modern and went with Lovecraft's The Case of Charles Dexter Ward.

[Iceaxe]

I thought the Gammelgard book wasn't great. Maybe not even "good" IMHO.

I also read both the Beck Weathers and Gammelgard books on the Everest deal.... Yawn.... not really worth it unless you are really into sniffing every fart on the expedition.

:popcorn:

[cachehiker]

Just finished The Grapes of Wrath. ... best fiction I've read in a long time

I found The Grapes of Wrath to be terribly tedious, not to the degree of Moby Dick but hard to stick with. Page after page after page of poor souls drawing maps in the sand with sticks. That was a long time ago though, and my tastes have changed a lot since then. Steinbeck experimented a lot and I've enjoyed everything of his that I've read. Maybe I should give it a second chance someday.

I've also read Krakauer's book Into Thin Air. It was a relatively quick and entertaining book and I really appreciated the break from some of the heavy stuff I had been reading. Unfortunately, I never really considered it the sort of epic tale that gets put on the "special" shelf in the living room.

So many books ...
So little time !!!

[TreeHugger]

I actually thought Boukreev's book was quiet different than Into Thin Air as well. It had a different perspective. I thought Krakauer was rather accusatory, particularly toward Boukreev and enjoyed reading the other side. I also read Climbing High by Lene Gammelgard, she was on Scott Fisher's team, I love this book and keep it on my nightstand to revisit periodically. It's a woman's perspective, written in a journal type format from her actual writings and thoughts at the time. Very very good. And inspiring.

I thought the Gammelgard book wasn't great. Maybe not even "good" IMHO.


-Brian in SLC

Maybe it's my female connection. :-) Here are a few quotes of hers from the book, I really like her messages:

1. "I am grateful for the invaluable lessons I have learned from the mountains."
2. "You must pursue your goal and have the courage to persevere even in the face of failure."
3. "Learn from failure, grow through losses."
4. "To grow up is to learn that one's mature life consists of a sum of personal choices and decisions."
5. "It is up to me, and me alone, to decide how I will spend my life."
6. "The well balanced person strives not only for the goal but lives fully in the flow of life."

Pretty cool stuff, I think. :-)

[sparker1]

Just finished "Night Fall" by Nelson DeMille today. He is one of my favorite authors because of the wise cracking dialogue that I appreciate. This one is a good choice for government conspiracy fans. Earlier this week, I read "Up In Honey's Room" by Elmore Leonard, another favorite for the same reason. Many of his books have been made into movies, such as "Get Shorty".

[TreeHugger]

A Prayer for Owen Meany is one of my all time favorite books! John Irving is probably my favorite author, well, one of them anyway, he is a brilliant character writer, for sure.

It will likely end up one of mine as well. I will finish it tonight. This is the first book of his that I've read and it was recommended to me by the guy I'm always talking books with at the bar on Friday nights. He is a voracious consumer of literature and I frustrate the hell out of him with my 15 pages per day pace and tendency to insert career oriented stuff into the queue. He mentioned Irving's Dickensian characters and I had to move it up. Dickens has always been one of my faves.

My other faves, or at least books that have had a dramatic and/or beneficial effect on my life and/or outlook, include:

"A Tale of Two Cities" and "Great Expectations" by Charles Dickens
"Mother Night" and "God Bless You Mr. Rosewater" by Kurt Vonnegut Jr.
"The Bonfire of the Vanities" by Tom Wolfe
"Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" by Hunter S. Thompson
"A Clockwork Orange" by Anthony Burgess
"Stranger in a Strange Land" by Robert Heinlein
"Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" by Robert M. Pirsig
"The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald
"The Hunchback of Notre Dame" by Victor Hugo
"1984" by George Orwell
"His Master's Voice" and "Solaris" by Stanislaw Lem
"The Return of the Native" by Thomas Hardy
"Wuthering Heights" by Emily Bronte
"The Lord of the Rings" by J. R. R. Tolkein
"Atlas Shrugged" by Ayn Rand
"Death is a Lonely Business" by Ray Bradbury

I could go on and on and on ...

What about you?

Oh, and I shouldn't leave out:

"How to Cook Everything: Simple Recipes for Great Food" by Mark Bittman

Impressing a woman with my culinary endeavors in the kitchen has always been a major turn on. :naughty:

(You're right, women are impressed (and turned on) by culinary endeavors) :-)

OK, since you asked, here are some of my all time faves:

Lolita - Nabokov
Last Exit to Brooklyn - Hubert Selby
Book - Robert Gruden
Life of Pi - Yann Martel
3 Cups of Tea - Greg Mortenson
Poisonwood Bible - Barbara Kingsolver
The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini
Water for Elephants - Sara Gruen
Middlesex - Jeffrey Eugenides
Anything by E Annie Proulx
Anything by John Irving ( I particularly loved one of his newer ones called Until I Find You)

Of course, there's more, but that's it off my head for now. I cant wait to try some of the recommendations I"ve read about here!

[Deathcricket]

Terry Goodkind - Confessor

Just finshed "The Orc King" by R.A. Salvatore - Wow it was amazing but the ending bummed me out. But the Dark Elf series (by R.A. Salvatore) is probably the best set of books I've ever read. I believe the series is about 15 books long and I would highly recommend it to anyone who like fantasy novels.

[Wasatch Rebel]

I'm reading a book called "Blink" about how to think faster.

[brookiekiller]

Just finished the Dark Tower series by Stephen King.

Am currently reading Kate Elliott's Crown of Starts - on Volume 2.

I am going to read Ken Follet's "Pillars of the Earth", and that was before Oprah picked it - next. I can't seem to read enough.

I prefer Fiction - Non Fiction bores me to death.

[R]

We Were Soldiers Once, and Young by Hal Moore and Joseph Galloway.

[TreeHugger]

Here is an amazing book I read recently. Wow, so powerful and thought provoking... how does one live through this and come out "normal", or even "ok"?

A Long Way Gone, Memoir of a Boy Soldier. By Ishmael Beah.

I got to hear him talk here in SLC. I just remember looking at him and listening to him thinking "what those eyes have seen...." It was hard to imagine. whew.

[Wasatch Rebel]

Well, I just finished this book: Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10
by Marcus Luttrell. If you want non-fiction that's gripping read this. I couldn't put the darned thing down.

[Felicia]

On my night stand from top to bottom:

On Writing by Stephen King
Zion Canyoneering by Tom Jones
All the Men are Sleeping by D. R. MacDonald
November issue of Ophra

I love Steinbeck, Longfellow, and Wordsworth.

I read Janet Evanovitch as soon as it becomes avaliable. Great reading on the freeway and at work. :haha:

I'm about to try to read Carrie - trying to get adventrous. :nod:

[live2ride]

Just picked up two new books, don't laugh at one of them ( I saw it on opera and am a nut about health so I thought I would give it a chance)

You on a diet, by Mehmet OZ.

Into the wild, Krakaeur

[Felicia]

So after I posted last night I settled into to check out Carrie....just for a minute. I bought Christine. Given I'm not a car person....i read about Kolob again. :haha: (I would really like to do that canyon someday)

I took Christine back this morning and had to order Carrie.

This thread has got me thinking about I subject that just never comes up in my life. What are you reading? What do you want to read? What have you read? I never thought of myself a much of a reader, but it seems over the course of time I have done a fair bit of reading. (usually history, historicals, classics, travel)

I tend to read stuff again. While I was at the bookstore I tried to find the book that the movie "The Villiage of the Damned" was from. I could not remember and no one knew. Just a moment on the computer once I got home revealed that it is titled "The Midwich Cuckoos" by John Wyndham.

Now I realize that I have read several of his books...guess I have read science fiction. :nod:

Several titles have repeated in this thread and I think that I will check them out.

I the meantime I have two more Janet Evanovich books....got 20 pages left in On Writing and two thirds the way through Wurthering Heights. :haha:

[Randi]

What book or books are you reading right now?


Currently reading: It

[packfish]

Danny- Champion of the World

[sparker1]

Randi, I just read Blood and Thunder a few days ago. I found it interesting, although the author seemed to draw things out too much (my opinion only). Assuming it is very accurate, it opens one's eyes to the travails of the Navajo. I had always heard about the abuse of other tribes, but never the Navajo. It also covered much of Kit Carson's life and career (highly favorable view).

[erial]

Another Country, Navigating the Emotional Terrain of Our Elders by Mary Pipher, Ph. D.

Using conversational, accessible language, Dr. Pipher illuminates the problems of the elderly and the problems between them and their children.

Early on she quotes Alex Haley: "The death of an old person is like the burning of a library." If you're a baby boomer, you'd likely find this book to be enlightening.

[greyhair biker]

Just started 'The Last of the Mohicans'

[Mtnman1830]

Just started 'The Last of the Mohicans'

Hope you enjoy it. It took me a while to read, but it is a good one.


I just started "The Monkey Wrench Gang"

[greyhair biker]

Just started 'The Last of the Mohicans'

Hope you enjoy it. It took me a while to read, but it is a good one.


I just started "The Monkey Wrench Gang"

It's one of the few books that adapted well to the screen. One of my absolutely favorite movies...mohicans, not monkey wrench gang.

[Bo_Beck]

Really enjoyed some of her books, and starting Atlas Shrugged for a second go round. It's been almost 30 years since first picking up and reading one of her novels! Am digging into "Rock Art Symbols" by Alex Peterson as well.

[Randi]

Randi, I just read Blood and Thunder a few days ago. I found it interesting, although the author seemed to draw things out too much (my opinion only). Assuming it is very accurate, it opens one's eyes to the travails of the Navajo. I had always heard about the abuse of other tribes, but never the Navajo. It also covered much of Kit Carson's life and career (highly favorable view).

It's cool that so many folks here read!
And that some of us have read, or are planning to read the same books too! :five:

I gotta make a comment to whoever said they liked Deep Survival though: No offense but I hated that book! I bought it after reading Surviving the Extremes, cuz I was still in that "adreniline rush" adventure mode of reading, but I couldn't choke down the first few pages, or even a few pages in the middle. That Author, regardless of his credentials can't write for beans, in imnsho.

Hampton Sides got me outta my fiction phase, and into reading "real" books. I picked up Ghost Soldiers at an airport, read it on the plane and realized that "truth" is better than "fiction", as in I'm actually learning about history as I read. The book is about the Bataan death March, and the aftermath of the prisoners who actually make it to the camp. Incrediable story! I've been hooked on Military history every since.

Most of those "big" bible size books do drag things out to some extent. Takes me a loooong time to get through em too. I'm poised to read a few shorter ones before jumping itto another Epic, but I'm pretty excited about reading that one at some point.

~Randi

[Randi]

Really enjoyed some of her books, and starting Atlas Shrugged for a second go round. It's been almost 30 years since first picking up and reading one of her novels! Am digging into "Rock Art Symbols" by Alex Peterson as well.

Hi Bo! Hey, I forgot all about Atlas Shrugged. It's on my list too! :mrgreen:

~Randi

[Bo_Beck]

Really enjoyed some of her books, and starting Atlas Shrugged for a second go round. It's been almost 30 years since first picking up and reading one of her novels! Am digging into "Rock Art Symbols" by Alex Peterson as well.

Hi Bo! Hey, I forgot all about Atlas Shrugged. It's on my list too! :mrgreen:

~Randi

I saw your list Randi, and saw Shibumi, and remembered that I had read it just after reading Atlas Shrugged. Shogun was another one I really enjoyed! Got to hunker down though to delve into Atlas Shrugged! It sort of drags on, but certainly keeps one wondering.

[Rev. Coyote]

Speaking of classics, my pick for a top-notch slot would be "Frankenstein" by Mary Shelly. It's as relevant a statement on the human condition today as it was when first penned.

For adventure "classics," I'd pick "The North Pole" by Peary (I have a 1st edition) and Powell's diaries.

[asdf]

Just started 'The Last of the Mohicans'

Hope you enjoy it. It took me a while to read, but it is a good one.


I just started "The Monkey Wrench Gang"

It's one of the few books that adapted well to the screen. One of my absolutely favorite movies...mohicans, not monkey wrench gang.

Monkey Wrench gang is being made into a movie... in new mexico.

[Cirrus2000]

I've really been enjoying reading this thread, and meaning to chime in for ages. I'm a voracious reader of all kinds of books.

There are a number of fiction authors whose entire oeuvres have graced my nightstand. Everything by:

Wilbur Smith
Leon Uris
Jack Whyte - amazing Arthurian stuff
James Clavell - I read Shogun in 8th grade - had to get King Rat and Tai-Pan immediately. Tai-Pan still rates as one of my all time favourites!
Stephen King - yeah, kind of a guilty pleasure. I can do Lowest Common Denominator pretty well.
Tad Williams - such unconventional fantasy
David Gemmel - Wrote such rollicking good heroic fantasy. I could tear through one in a day, and a week later have no idea what I'd read. Light and fluffy, but so much fun!
Most of Robert Ludlum, Michael Chrichton, Diana Gabaldon, Robert Jordan, Katharine Kerr. Many John Grisham, Herman Wouk and Jeffrey Archer. A number of Tom Clancy, Edward Rutherfurd, and Clive Barker. Smatterings of Michener, Solzhenitsyn and even Frank Herbert (back when Dune was, like, a trilogy). Tolkein, of course.

Recently, a mix of fiction and non. Some other favourites from the last few years:

Fiction (heavy on my wife's book club stuff)
Don Quixote - Cervantes.
A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius - Dave Eggers
Life of Pi - Yann Martel
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time - Mark Haddon
Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden
A Song of Ice and Fire - series by George RR Martin

Non-Fiction
The Elegant Universe - Brian Greene
Guns Germs & Steel - Jared Diamond
Collapse - Jared Diamond
The Selfish Gene - Richard Dawkins
The God Delusion - Richard Dawkins
Eats, Shoots and Leaves - Lynne Truss
A Test of Will - Warren MacDonald
The Exploration of the Colorado River and Its Canyons - Powell
Desert Solitaire - Edward Abbey
God is Not Great - Christopher Hitchens
A History of Britain - 3 volumes - Simon Schama
How the Scots Invented the Modern World - Arthur Herman
The Map that Changed the World - Simon Winchester
The Professor and the Madman - Simon Winchester
Letter to a Christian Nation - Sam Harris
Why Darwin Matters - Michael Shermer
Flushed: How the Plumber Saved Civilization - W. Hodding Carter
and of course,
Canyoneering 3 - Steve Allen
Zion: Canyoneering - Tom Jones

Lately, a lot of computer manuals as well - teaching myself ASP, JavaScript, and now working on PHP. (Geek!)

[Mtnman1830]

Mtnman1830 wrote:
greyhair biker wrote:
Just started 'The Last of the Mohicans'


Hope you enjoy it. It took me a while to read, but it is a good one.


I just started "The Monkey Wrench Gang"


It's one of the few books that adapted well to the screen. One of my absolutely favorite movies...mohicans, not monkey wrench gang.

Dances with Wolves also made a good movie. The sequel, 'The Holy Road' is also very good.

Jeff Long writes some good books,
Year Zero, and The Descent

[sparker1]

Read this one last year: The Exploration of the Colorado River and Its Canyons - Powell. Most impressed by how one-armed Powell was able to do so much, and so nonchalantly.

[sparker1]

Sorry, double post.

[Brewhaha]

Right now I'm making my way through:

Foundation by Isaac Asimov
Prime Obsession by John Derbyshire
Cure for the Common Life by Max Lucado
Arches and Bridges by Fran Barnes

[Cirrus2000]

Most impressed by how one-armed Powell was able to do so much, and so nonchalantly.
Absolutely. It's amazing how he would just throw out a "and it took 12 hours to get back," or "all hands disappeared as the boat flipped and we thought they were lost. Met up again below the falls..." kind of thing.

By the way, right now I'm reading a book on "Dynamic Web Forms" by: Dan Ransom! (I had no idea...)

[CarpeyBiggs]

By the way, right now I'm reading a book on "Dynamic Web Forms" by: Dan Ransom! (I had no idea...)

WTF? You aren't supposed to release my dirty laundry on this board, Kev! :nono:

Seriously though, I am surprised there are as many Dan Ransom's as there are. Just glad he didn't lock up my web domain, that wannabe punk!

[cachehiker]

I just started "The Monkey Wrench Gang"

As did I. Let me know what you think.

I was going to go after something heavier (and older) but changed my mind and took a radical left after seeing so many references to it posted here. I'm cruising past page 150-ish and it has been an enjoyable read thus far. It seems like I'm one of only a few posters here who doesn't generally venture out of the classics and into stuff written within the last 10-20 years. Am I right?

[tallsteve]

Like Greyhair I too am a Terry Brooks fan- have read everything he's written. Am currently reading "Adobe Illustrator 3" Classroom in a Book. I have to learn Illustrator for work. Am also reading a book about everyday heroes in during the revolutionary war but can't remember the title or author. Finished the George Washington biography not too long ago.

[Mtnman1830]

Finished Monkey Wrench Gang the other day. What a great book! I had to write some of it down because it was so funny.

Definatley one of the greatest books I have read.

Now I am entranced by Desert Solitare...

[cachehiker]

Finished Monkey Wrench Gang the other day. What a great book! I had to write some of it down because it was so funny.

That's good to hear. Unfortunately, this time of year just kills me. I'm lucky to get 10 pages per day in.

November birthday followed by Thanksgiving and then hosting a hiking club potluck social and winter planning meeting. Coordinate a biking club banquet involving 30 people while squeezing all of the Christmas shopping and decorating into 7-10 days. Host a fancy Christmas dinner for a half dozen friends before the family arrives for Chrismas (my turn this year). All this while working overtime and attempting to date.

I've enjoyed it up to this point but to make a long story short, it will probably be New Years Day before I finish this book.
:frustrated:
I know I'm not the only one in this boat. Next year should be better.

[Mtnman1830]

Nearly finished with Desert Solitaire.

I just picked up "Deep Survival" and "The Worst Journey in the World".
"No Picnic on Mount Kenya" is on order....

I haven't yet bought Dean Koontz's new novel. I am worn out of pointless reading.

[cmpbiker]

Just started 'The Last of the Mohicans'

Hope you enjoy it. It took me a while to read, but it is a good one.


I just started "The Monkey Wrench Gang"

It's one of the few books that adapted well to the screen. One of my absolutely favorite movies...mohicans, not monkey wrench gang.

I thought the movie screenplay was a much better story, the recent version with DD Lewis was based on a 30's movie with Randolph Scott, I think. I thought that the book version of Col. Munro should be taken out and bitch slapped at every page turn. If you can find it Mark Twain wrote an essay that is titled "James Fennimore Cooper is an idiot and sucks real bad" or something like that. I think these may be similar-
http://www.llumina.com/mark_twain_on_cooper.htm
http://ww3.telerama.com/~joseph/cooper/cooper.html



I am reading "1491" which is a great historical read, similar to a Jared Diamond book. I also keep an Abbey book close by when I need some cheering up, right now it is Monkey Wrench Gang. When I want to sleep I pick up "selling is dead" part of my career enhancement series.

[Randi]

I recently finished "It's not about the Bike" by Lance Armstrong. I loved it.
It's really amazing what that man went through, and how he beat the odds against all odds! What a MAN!!! (how come there's no heart emoticons?)

The book I'm reading now is even more amazing! It's called "We Die Alone". It's an incredible true story about a failed mission to organize and supply the Norwegian resistance during WWII. All were captured and killed except one man who escaped over the mountains. He was wounded, starving, the victim of an avalanche where he was hurled 300' down the mountain and somehow survived, became snow blind, than crippled from frostbite,and still, he struggled on. Near death he was rescued and transported by sypathetic villagers ~ at great peril to themselves and their families & with little liklihood of success ~

This is a GREAT book!

You know what really amazes me about so many of these types of books? There are so many unsung heroes throughout history. You learn a name here or there of a handful that set in motion an event which changes the course of history, or saves countless lives, or even a single life at great peril to themsleves. But there are so many acts of heroism which no one will ever know about.

And you know that saying "adversity builds character", well it sure seems that "adversity not only builds character, but it also reveals character". The way in which folks deal with the bad times, not the good, is the real indicator of the type of person they are.

Hey, I should keep that sentiment in mind for the next time I go on a first date! Maybe I should set up some sort of a "disaster" plan so I can gauge my dates reaction...see if he's a hero or a fool right off the bat so I don't waste any time... :2thumbs:

~Randi (Yipee! It's Friday!) :mrgreen:

[erial]

The Grand Controversy, The Pioneer Climbs in the Teton Range and the Controversial First Ascent of the Grand Teton by Orrin H. Bonney and Lorraine G. Bonney

This book was published by the American Alpine Club in 1992. I bought it at a library book sale. Who really climbed Grand Teton first? The authors reason that that first climb occurred in 1872. A fellow named Owens had the political means, however, to establish his own 1898 climb as being numero uno.

My favorite chapter details the exploits of a trio of college lads who motor from Montana in their Model T and make it all the way to the top with hardly any beta, their climb being probably the fifth or sixth on record.

This is a good read complete with heroes and villain.

[Ih8grvty]

well, just finished Temple of the Winds by Terry Goodkind. Now I am reading 'On a Pale Horse' - Piers Anthony. I read alot of scifi/fantasy stuff and usually mix it up between about a dozen different authors. Terry Brooks is one of my favs, also Issac Asimov, Stephen R. Donaldson and Robert Heinlein.
...the bathroom read is always either Mountain Bike Action or Petersens 4x4....or the latestdaily catalog from Victorias Secret :lol8:

On a pale horse...
i read that back in high school, so pre 89, still love that book and still own a copy, I have my kids reading it now, all because they laughed about a episode of family guy where peter had to become death. Who knew TV could lead to reading?
My own current reading is "Liseys Story" , Stephen King.
Iv read it before, but Iv read all of kings works before and some several times.

[Ih8grvty]

Just finished The Grapes of Wrath. ... best fiction I've read in a long time

I found The Grapes of Wrath to be terribly tedious, not to the degree of Moby Dick but hard to stick with. Page after page after page of poor souls drawing maps in the sand with sticks. That was a long time ago though, and my tastes have changed a lot since then. Steinbeck experimented a lot and I've enjoyed everything of his that I've read. Maybe I should give it a second chance someday.

I've also read Krakauer's book Into Thin Air. It was a relatively quick and entertaining book and I really appreciated the break from some of the heavy stuff I had been reading. Unfortunately, I never really considered it the sort of epic tale that gets put on the "special" shelf in the living room.

So many books ...
So little time !!!


I liked the Grapes, it was The Picture of Dorian Grey that I had a hard time finishing.
I knew the story, had been looking forward to reading it for a long time, my brother had a copy he found in a used book store and let me borrow it, it took me a long long while to get through it.

[abirken]

Almost done with Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follet. Really good but just a BIG read. Will give a full opinion when I'm done. :2thumbs:

[UTJetdog]

I'm going to be spending some time in the Bridger Wilderness in Wyoming this summer so I am reading a Jim Bridger biography by Cecil Alter to help me have a better historical appreciation for the area.

I just finished "Sky's Witness" by Chip Rawlins and I'm also starting "Fly Fishing the Mountain Lakes" by Gary Lafontaine.

[TreeHugger]

Finished Monkey Wrench Gang the other day. What a great book! I had to write some of it down because it was so funny.

Definatley one of the greatest books I have read.

Now I am entranced by Desert Solitare...

[TreeHugger]

A lot of Edward Abbey fans here. Anyone read A Fool's Progress? It's my book for book club this month... didja like it?

[JP]

A lot of Edward Abbey fans here.
Would I like this Ed guy?

[chickenlicken]

The Great Train Robbery by Michael Crichten and
I'm sure this will get some feathers ruffled here, but I just finished An Inconvenient Truth by Glenn Beck.

He has some good insights and great statistics, but you have to sort through some meaningless chapters to get to the "meat". All in all a decent read.

[Cirrus2000]

A lot of Edward Abbey fans here. Anyone read A Fool's Progress? It's my book for book club this month... didja like it?

I really enjoyed this one. Made me wonder just how autobiographical it was...

JP: Well... maybe. Just maybe... If you think you'd enjoy a beer with the Rev, then you'd likely enjoy a book with Ed. :popcorn:

[Ih8grvty]

A lot of Edward Abbey fans here. Anyone read A Fool's Progress? It's my book for book club this month... didja like it?

I really enjoyed this one. Made me wonder just how autobiographical it was...

JP: Well... maybe. Just maybe... If you think you'd enjoy a beer with the Rev, then you'd likely enjoy a book with Ed. :popcorn:


Whos buying?
I can enjoy a beer with damned near anyone, if they are paying.
That said I dont really know the Rev, I might even enjoy a beer with him if i bought.

[josh]

I am reading "The Ethics of What We Eat" by Peter Singer and Jim Mason.
I have about 4 more chapters. Good read so far it has been informitive.

If you liked "Fast Food Nation " then I would say this is one you would enjoy.

[Jaxx]

A lot of Edward Abbey fans here.
Would I like this Ed guy?

I doubt it.

[tallsteve]

Just finished "The Host" by Stephenie Meyer. A very unique sci-fi/love story novel. One of the best books I've read in a long time. To me, a book is good if you can't stop thinking about it and can't wait to talk to others that have read it. Finished the book over a week ago and still can't get it out of my mind.

[JP]

JP: Well... maybe. Just maybe... If you think you'd enjoy a beer with the Rev, then you'd likely enjoy a book with Ed. :popcorn:
He's a Liberal, isn't he :ne_nau: He's a founder of the Church of Environmentalism, isn't he....... Hmmmmm. Well, if it's done objectively and not all one-sided, I probably can stomach that.


I doubt it.
It all depends on how he writes. :lol8:

[Cirrus2000]

JP: Well... maybe. Just maybe... If you think you'd enjoy a beer with the Rev, then you'd likely enjoy a book with Ed. :popcorn:
He's a Liberal, isn't he :ne_nau: He's a founder of the Church of Environmentalism, isn't he....... Hmmmmm. Well, if it's done objectively and not all one-sided, I probably can stomach that.


I doubt it.
It all depends on how he writes. :lol8:

No nonsense, no BS. Honestly, I can't see how anyone who loves the desert could not love Desert Solitaire. You do need to read that, I'd say. It may annoy you in parts, may even piss you right off, but when you read his descriptions of a "harsh and beautiful land", you'll get over all that. Then you can feel free to ignore the Monkey Wrench Gang and so on...

[greyhair biker]

I've gone back to the Heritage of Shannara series by Terry Brooks...currently Druid of Shannara...chapter 26 page 325 to be precise :haha:

[tallsteve]

I've gone back to the Heritage of Shannara series by Terry Brooks...currently Druid of Shannara...chapter 26 page 325 to be precise :haha:

Elfstones of Shannara is my favorite- maybe it's because it was the first book of his I read. But, even after reading them all a couple of times, it still reamains my favorite. I met Terry Brooks at a book signing at BYU. It was right after my back surgery so I could barely walk but I just had to meet the man. He could tell I was in pain and wrote a nice get well message in my new copy of Running With the Demon.

[greyhair biker]

Elfstones is one of my favs too, although the Knight of the Word series is great in it's own right. Yeah, a big Terry Brooks fan here. :five:
....and his Landover series is good too.

[Mtnman1830]

Just finished "Deep Survival: Who lives,Who dies, and Why" by Laurence Gonzales and "The Worst Journey in the World" by Apsley Cherry-Garrard

yeah, two books at one time...

Both are fascinating books.

Next up is "No Picnic on Mount Kenya" by Felice Benuzzi

[KapitanSparrow]

Somehow I missed out on Treasure Island over the years so I downloaded a pdf from google books ;-) They used to have Tolkien's trilogy but now it's gone :-(

[Randi]

Just finished "Deep Survival: Who lives,Who dies, and Why" by Laurence Gonzales and "The Worst Journey in the World" by Apsley Cherry-Garrard

yeah, two books at one time...

Both are fascinating books.

Next up is "No Picnic on Mount Kenya" by Felice Benuzzi

If you liked Deep Survival, you'll LOVE "Surviving the Extremes" by Kenneth Kamler

Only two books eh? ; )~

Believe it or not, I have about 7 going right now!

Almost done with "Blood and Thunder: The Epic Story of Kit Carson and the Conquest of the American West" by Hampton Sides....after the other six (I've promised myself I won't pick up another until ALL of those are over with) I'm planning to read "Why Darwin Matters: The Case Against Intelligent Design" by Michael Shermer so I can give it back to it's rightful owner!

followed by

"Anti-Oedipus: Capitalism and Schizophrenia " by Gilles Deleuze & Felix Guattari (this book has come highly recommended to me by my daughter Rachael).

My name is randi and I'm a book-a-holic! :mrgreen:

[greyhair biker]

just finished 'Talismans of Shannara' - book four of the Heritage series.
...now I have several more Terry Brooks' to choose from...hit the book sale at the library :nod:

[abirken]

Finishing "Into the Wild" by Krakauer and re-starting "Outlander" by Diane Gabdalgon.

Wanted to read the book first (into the wild) before watching the movie. :2thumbs:

[Mtnman1830]

Finishing "Into the Wild" by Krakauer and re-starting "Outlander" by Diane Gabdalgon.

Wanted to read the book first (into the wild) before watching the movie. :2thumbs:

As is the norm, the book is much better.

However, the movie did not portray McCandles as a nut. It was well done.

[abirken]

Finishing "Into the Wild" by Krakauer and re-starting "Outlander" by Diane Gabdalgon.

Wanted to read the book first (into the wild) before watching the movie. :2thumbs:

As is the norm, the book is much better.

However, the movie did not portray McCandles as a nut. It was well done.


Yup it's typically like that so I totally made myself read the book first. I like Krakauers style of writing. I've read all of his other books and am surprised I didn't read this one. He really dives into the subject and offers many facts which I think is considerate, unbiased writing.

[live2ride]

Finishing "Into the Wild" by Krakauer and re-starting "Outlander" by Diane Gabdalgon.

Wanted to read the book first (into the wild) before watching the movie. :2thumbs:

As is the norm, the book is much better.

However, the movie did not portray McCandles as a nut. It was well done.


Yup it's typically like that so I totally made myself read the book first. I like Krakauers style of writing. I've read all of his other books and am surprised I didn't read this one. He really dives into the subject and offers many facts which I think is considerate, unbiased writing.

Great reads, so what do you think of Into the wild, so far?

[colbylee]

I'm kinda reading J.R.R. Tolkens The Children of Hurin.

[abirken]

Great reads, so what do you think of Into the wild, so far?


I'm loving it so far. I'm almost done but haven't picked it up in a few days b/c I've been super busy. Overall, I love Krakauers writing and I find the story fascinating. I feel for Chris b/c it depicts him from day one as not fitting into normal society and he's somewhat of a robot to his parents. Are his parents to blame for his adult decisions? Hard to say. Seems as if he connects with nature more than anything else?? I haven't finished but when I do, I'll let ya know what I think. :2thumbs:

[Cirrus2000]

Finishing "Into the Wild" by Krakauer and re-starting "Outlander" by Diane Gabdalgon.

"Diana Gabaldon". (Been drinkin'? :bootyshake: )

I've enjoyed that series, despite it being advertised as a "romance".

I just finished "Defining the World: The Extraordinary Story of Dr Johnson's Dictionary", by Henry Hitchings. Interesting stuff, along the lines of some of Simon Winchester's stuff: "The Map That Changed the World" and "The Professor and the Madman".

Prior to that was "With God on Their Side: How Christian Fundamentalists Trampled Science, Policy, and Democracy in George W. Bush's White House" by Esther Kaplan. Somewhat political.

Currently reading "Shadowplay" by Tad Williams (really enjoyed the first in this series, "Shadowmarch".) His "Otherland" series was incredible.

Also slowly working through "Darwin's Orchestra" by Michael Sims - an essay-a-day almanac of the intersection of the arts and natural history. Interesting tidbits throughout.

[BruteForce]

I just finished reading Killer Elite (Military SF oriented) and Battle of Mogadishu.

Time to head to B&N for a new book(s).

[Sun Dance]

Just finished Lee Iacocca's Where have all the leaders gone?

I'm also reading Hemingway's A Moveable Feast and Robert Wood's The 2 oz. Backpacker.

[KapitanSparrow]

Norman Davies' "Rising '44 - The Battle for Warsaw"

[Jaxx]

Mountain Madness by Robert Birkbey. It's about Scott Fischer. Very interesting person. I am on about page 175 now.

[abirken]

Finishing "Into the Wild" by Krakauer and re-starting "Outlander" by Diane Gabdalgon.

"Diana Gabaldon". (Been drinkin'? :bootyshake: )

I've enjoyed that series, despite it being advertised as a "romance".



I butchered the poor womans name! HAHA!!!!!! And yes actually this weekend was a cocktail kinda weekend. :lol8:

[MY T PIMP]

"The True Story of Outlaw Claude Dallas" By Jeff Long. A great read about a modern day outlaw. Speaking of, was just released from prison in 2005.

[Mtnman1830]

Just finished "The Maine Woods" by Thoreau.

I am now in a few chapters to "I was a Born-Again Mormon; Moving toward Christian Authenticity" by Shawn McCraney

[blueeyes]

Couple weeks back finished "Into the Wild" and last week finished "Three Cups of Tea" excellent book. Now I am looking for something new.

[Cirrus2000]

Just finished "Twilight", and am on to "New Moon" by Stephenie Meyer. I feel like a teenage girl.

Also partway through "Madness, Betrayal and the Lash" by Stephen Bown - a history of Captain George Vancouver's Pacific travels.

[abirken]

Couple weeks back finished "Into the Wild" and last week finished "Three Cups of Tea" excellent book. Now I am looking for something new.


Funny, we've read the same things. I loved both books. What did you think about Three cups of Tea? It's such an inspirational book in my opinion. My son's class started collecting Pennies for Peace after his class read it. Great read for all ages.

Right now I am in the middle of "Outlander". Finished "Pillars of the Earth". And starting "Loving Frank".......a memoir of Mamah Borthwick Cheney's love affair with Frank Lloyd Wright. Juicy stuff!!

:2thumbs:

[greyhair biker]

just finished book One, of the Last Chronicles of Thomas Covenant - the Runes of the Earth by Stephen R. Donaldson. I'll be picking up Book Two - Fatal Revenance - on monday. :2thumbs:

[blueeyes]

Couple weeks back finished "Into the Wild" and last week finished "Three Cups of Tea" excellent book. Now I am looking for something new.


Funny, we've read the same things. I loved both books. What did you think about Three cups of Tea? It's such an inspirational book in my opinion. My son's class started collecting Pennies for Peace after his class read it. Great read for all ages.

Right now I am in the middle of "Outlander". Finished "Pillars of the Earth". And starting "Loving Frank".......a memoir of Mamah Borthwick Cheney's love affair with Frank Lloyd Wright. Juicy stuff!!

:2thumbs:

I was very inspired by Three Cups of Tea. Amazing story. I tried to get my son to read it. Ha ha, he picked up Twilight.... hmm wonder if he really will read that one. Guess if he doesn't I will.

Anyway I like the way Into the Wild and Into thin Air were written and just happened to noitice another book written by John Krakauer at Smith's yesterday on my way to Pineview. Didn't even read what it was about before I picked it up. Intresting subject material. I am about half way through. I sure got a disaproving look from my father-in-law. :roll:

May have to try one of the three you just read after this one.

[abirken]

Anyway I like the way Into the Wild and Into thin Air were written and just happened to noitice another book written by John Krakauer at Smith's yesterday on my way to Pineview. Didn't even read what it was about before I picked it up. Intresting subject material. I am about half way through. I sure got a disaproving look from my father-in-law. :roll:

May have to try one of the three you just read after this one.


Are you reading "Under the Banner of Heaven: A story of a violent faith"? It's a great read if you like Krakauers style. Very informative to me and I liked the book. I am not Mormon and went into the book totally ignorant, but I felt I got a good history lesson as to how the Mormon religion evolved and how it dissected into the different entities. :nod: Of course that's not what the whole book is about, but anyway....good read!

[tallsteve]

Just finished "Twilight", and am on to "New Moon" by Stephenie Meyer. I feel like a teenage girl.

I just finished "Breaking Dawn" the 4th and final book in the "Twilight" series. Not sure how this book can be passed off as a 'Teen' novel- I wouldn't want my 12-13 year old daughter reading it (if I had any that young). Much more violent and graphic compared to the other three. About half-way through I couldn't put it down and the ending was satisfying if unexpected.

[jumar]

Dune
Figured I'm not a proper geek until I've read Dune. :nod:

[blueeyes]

Anyway I like the way Into the Wild and Into thin Air were written and just happened to noitice another book written by John Krakauer at Smith's yesterday on my way to Pineview. Didn't even read what it was about before I picked it up. Intresting subject material. I am about half way through. I sure got a disaproving look from my father-in-law. :roll:

May have to try one of the three you just read after this one.


Are you reading "Under the Banner of Heaven: A story of a violent faith"? It's a great read if you like Krakauers style. Very informative to me and I liked the book. I am not Mormon and went into the book totally ignorant, but I felt I got a good history lesson as to how the Mormon religion evolved and how it dissected into the different entities. :nod: Of course that's not what the whole book is about, but anyway....good read!

Yes and I will finish it tonight. I love the way Krakauer writes. I grew up a Jehovah's Witness in Utah, converted to LDS and now... well let say I believe in God but not so sure I believe much in organized religion. However I am very happy for those who have strong convictions in their faith. The book really opened my eyes to FLDS.

Religion is a powerful force... so many have died or suffered just for what the believed or didn't believe.

And yes the book is a good read! Quite the contrast to Work and Glory.

By the way Abirken I love your tats! Makes me want to go get one. I am just a bit chicken or indecisive. I know what I want... I just don't know where I want it.

Chere'

[abirken]

I am finishing up Twilight. WOW! First of all, makes me feel 16 again which isn't such a bad thing. And second of all, I am in love with Edward. Yup folks, IN LOVE. Thinking of moving to the Olympic Peninsula in search of an 81 year old vampire that looks 18..........leaving it all behind here in Colorado. :lol8: :nod:

In any case, very entertaining read and can't wait to get the next one started. Fabulous!

[blueeyes]

Me TOO! My son and I are racing to see who can finish it first. Hell if I would have known that is the trick to getting him to read, I would have started reading the same book he is long time ago.

Definetly a high schoolish book. But a fun quick read.

[Kent K25]

Textbooks....'nuf said

[greyhair biker]

finished 'Fatal Revenance' - waiting for the last in the series to come out so in the meantime I'm reading 'Witches Brew' by Terry Brooks.

[Cirrus2000]

I am finishing up Twilight. WOW!
...
Fabulous!


Me TOO!
...
a fun quick read.

I've got about 200 pages left of Breaking Dawn (or Breaking Wind, as I call it when my wife's around. Drives her nuts...)

Totally addictive. It's funny, because I've been rolling my eyes over the writing for the whole series. So much adolescent drama! And yet, I can't stop reading them!


Dune
Figured I'm not a proper geek until I've read Dune.
Don't forget the sequels. All of 'em! Well, OK, at least the real Frank Herbert ones... :haha: Only 6 books...

[abirken]

Yes it's quite hard to admit that I have a crush on an 18 year old vampire. What can I say? I guess I'm a dork. HAHA!! :lol8:

[KapitanSparrow]

I browsed B&N this morning but the only thing I bought was a Starbucks coffee, heh.

[Randi]

I browsed B&N this morning but the only thing I bought was a Starbucks coffee, heh.

I have the hardest time not buying at least one book every time I'm browsing a bookstore! And I shy away from Starbucks...they're the WalMart of coffee houses - always undermining the little guy. And they burn their coffee to boot! Beware Seattle's Best - they're also owned by Starbucks! I'm a Peets fan! :2thumbs: ~ My son works there.

Anyhow, I'm just finishing up "Blood & Thunder" by Hampton Sides (an amazing read), and I'm half way through "Holy War Inc. ~ inside the secret world of Osama Bin Laden" by Peter Bergen, (It's also amazing and scary - that guy & his family have so many insidious connections to various corporations (many here in the USA including Disney for god's sake) it's hard to fathom just how deeply rooted Al Qaeda is and how hard it's going to be to dissolve the organization. I'm just starting "Amazing Grace ~ The story of America's most beloved song" by Steve turner.

Looks like it's gonna be a good one too.

[abirken]

Randi~ Have you read "Mayada, Daughter of Iraq: One Woman's Survival Under Saddam Hussein"?

Great read. Sounds like it may be up your alley. :2thumbs:

[abirken]

I'm a Peets fan! :2thumbs: ~ My son works there.


Love Peets!

I like DazBog http://www.dazbog.com/

Or when I'm feeling wealthy (which is rare), I order a case of Organic, free trade beans from Costa Rica (shipping's free with a case!). It's like Christmas time when I get the box from http://www.cafebritt.com/twenty-something/. 20 bags of shade grown-organic-freetrade coffee for 149.00 and they usually throw in some Macadamia nuts. Can't go wrong. :2thumbs:

YUM. COFFEE........... :mrgreen: oh yes. And books! :2thumbs:

[Randi]

Randi~ Have you read "Mayada, Daughter of Iraq: One Woman's Survival Under Saddam Hussein"?

Great read. Sounds like it may be up your alley. :2thumbs:

No I haven't even heard of that one, but I've read a few other's in that vein. WE have it SOOOO good here compared to so many women living under repressive regimes.

I read a very good book a few months ago called Winter in Kabul By Anne Jones. Her writing is humorous and engaging and really cuts to the heart of the attitudes which (still) prevail in Afghanistan (and all hard line Muslim nations) concerning women. It's just such a sad situation over there, and in so many parts of the world. God am I happy that I was born over here instead of a hard-line Muslim nation.

Thanks for the heads up Alison...maybe I'll pick it up and put it in the queue! :mrgreen:

[Randi]

I'm a Peets fan! :2thumbs: ~ My son works there.


Love Peets!

I like DazBog http://www.dazbog.com/

Or when I'm feeling wealthy (which is rare), I order a case of Organic, free trade beans from Costa Rica (shipping's free with a case!). It's like Christmas time when I get the box from http://www.cafebritt.com/twenty-something/. 20 bags of shade grown-organic-freetrade coffee for 149.00 and they usually throw in some Macadamia nuts. Can't go wrong. :2thumbs:

YUM. COFFEE........... :mrgreen: oh yes. And books! :2thumbs:

YUM. COFFEE.
& TEA! I get both of em free from my son Aaron! :2thumbs:
He's always bringing home coffee and tea to try. The only time I buy coffee now, is for friends...and it's usually from Peet's and I get a 50% discount! Thanks Aaron! Hehehe....

Someday I want to open a "coffee, tea, boba & books" shop!
In Escalante maybe! I've never even seen boba in Utah! Utanians might like it! We love it here in the OC...hehehe
Oh to dream...... :mrgreen:

[Rev. Coyote]

Reading "Little Big Man" right now. It's amazing.

[erial]

The Forgotten 500 - Gregory A Freeman


One of the war stories that stayed lodged in my memory for a half century was my father's telling of his fear of getting shot down over Yugoslavia. He'd been briefed that if captured, the people there would string you up by your privates. There were more gory details as to the torture that would await the unlucky airman, but I was never able to get beyond that pecker stretcher image.

Turns out that was bogus information. The Serbians did a good job of rounding up shot down allied airmen and keeping them safe from the occupying nazis until an audacious air rescue was carried out in 1944.

Good read. Heroes, villains, spies, Wild Bill Donovan, commies, and cliffhangers.

[abirken]

Hey Blueeyes.......have you read anything by Noah Ben Shea? I noticed you have a quote from him. My co-worker is reading a book written by him and says it's been very enlightening. What's your opinion? :popcorn:

[blueeyes]

Nope I sure haven't. I saw the quote at the local coffee joint and fell in love with it. I think I am going to frame it and hang it on my new office wall.

If he writes books I was unware, now I will have to investigate. I am looking for another book.

Currently I am reading about Access Database. zzzzzzzzzzzz

[basilone0331]

I just finished reading Killer Elite (Military SF oriented) and Battle of Mogadishu.

Time to head to B&N for a new book(s).

You would like Roughneck Nine One by Frank Antenori, If you haven't read it already.

[KapitanSparrow]

Lost Treasures On The Old Spanish Trail as well as The Utah Gold Rush :naughty:

[abirken]

Books on Alison's night stand:

Outlander which is thoroughly romantic!
New Moon which is sucking me into the Twilight series and loving it!
Lonely Planet Bali and Lombok to research my upcoming trip.
Kelseys 3rd edition to Canyons in the Colorado Plateau to research canyon beta.

I always have a few that I rotate through. But Deathcricket reminded me of Neil Gaiman which I haven't read any of his stuff in over a year or so. So of course, this got my wheels spinning and will have to go pick up another Neil Gaiman b/c his style of writing is dreamy! And I loved it! :2thumbs:

[basilone0331]

Blind Man's Bluff


oh and
Principles of Human Physiology, Chemistry: A Molecular Approach, and a few others

[Mtnman1830]

Browsing the internet for a bit of light reading, now that the snow is near.

I came across this page

http://www.randomhouse.com/modernlibrary/100bestnovels.html

I have only read 8 of the ones on the list.

BTW, Where it Twain? Remarque? Dickens?

[BruteForce]

Anything by Vince Flynn, featuring Mitch Rapp.

Current book is: Transfer of Power

In short, terrorists take over the Whitehouse and the CIA's top anti-terrorist operative is sent in to kick butt and take names!

[Scott P]

I'm reading Addicted to Danger by Jim Wickwire .

[Cirrus2000]

Evolution: What The Fossils Say, And Why It Matters. - David Prothero

[KapitanSparrow]

A Stranger To Myself - Willy Peter Reese

[Rev. Coyote]

"Hell's Angels" by Hunter S. Thompson

[Kent K25]

The Five Dysfunctions of a Team - Patrick Lencioni

[Mtnman1830]

I have gotten half way through Moby Dick. It is an interesting read, changing writing styles several times, but is a great book.

[Mtnman1830]

Just finished Moby Dick - a great work, indeed.

Now I picked up A Conneticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court by Twain.

[Mtnman1830]

Finished A Conneticut Yankee, and am reading Tom Sawyer with my son, and reading Frankenstien.

[Mtnman1830]

Now I am reading "The Brothers Karamazov" by Fyodor Dostoyevski

[shlingdawg]

Consent to Kill - Vince Flynn

Another fan of the Mitch Rapp series.

[blueeyes]

So I went back and started reading this thread from the begining, because I am looking for a good book to read. Monkey Wrench Gang sure is mentioned a lot so I think I will pick up a copy and see if I like it.

I just finished New Moon, because it was laying around the house and I had nothing else to do. Eclipse was laying around too so now I am stuck in it. This is ridiculous I feel embarassed to say I have read, am reading these books. But they aren't half bad for light silly romantic read. I like vampires, they kinda have the bad boy thing going on. Maybe I will pick up Interview with a Vampire.

My favorite all time book is The Count of Monte Cristo (I hated the movie)

Books lying on the floor next to my bed or in my office:

The Glass Castle - Jeannette Walls
Man's Search for Meaning - Viktor E Frankl
Uncertaninty Einstein, Heisenberg, Bohr, and the Struggle for the Soul of Science - David Lindley (REALLY LIKED this book)
Lady's Choice Ethel Waxham's Journal & Letters, 1905-1910 A Wyoming Courtship --- ugg my Mom gave this one to me and I have made it to page 85 I don't think I will ever finish it.
Zinn & The Art of Mountain Bike Maintenance - Lennard Zinn (trying to learn how to take care of my bike)
The Memory Keeper's Daughter - Kim Edwards
Lord of the Rings - J.R.R. Tolkien

With no TV in the house, I am getting even more reading done.

[erial]

The Great Deluge: Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans, and the Mississippi Gulf Coast by Douglas Brinkley

A couple nuggets:

Americans, however did not share Chertoff's good humor, and they were decidedly not "extremely pleased." Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was on vacation, shopping at the Salvatore Ferragamo store on Fifth Avenue in New York, when a fellow shopper spotted her and shouted, "How dare you shop for shoes while thousands are dying and homeless?"

***

[While on Air Force One] What was truly important to Nagin was that his head was shaved and waxed just right for his photo-op with President Bush. Like a primping teenager, he just wouldn't get out of the shower. Guards rapped at the bathroom doors, telling the mayor, "You've got five minutes and then the President gets here." They knocked again. But Nagin feigned deafness, wanting to smooth his head just right.


Brinkley takes local, state, and federal leaders to task, but he also details the heroic efforts of average citizens and the first responders.
A terrific read, but you may want to avoid if high blood pressure is an issue.

[erial]

Tony Hillerman, 83; wrote Navajo mysteries
By Amanda Lee Myers

Associated Press

PHOENIX - Tony Hillerman, 83, author of the acclaimed Navajo Tribal Police mystery novels and creator of two of the unlikeliest of literary heroes - Navajo police officers Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee - died Sunday of pulmonary failure.
Mr. Hillerman's daughter Anne Hillerman said her father's health had been declining in the last couple of years and that he was at Presbyterian Hospital in Albuquerque, N.M., when he died.

He lived through two heart attacks and surgeries for prostate and bladder cancer. He kept tapping at his keyboard even as his eyes began to dim, as his hearing faded, as rheumatoid arthritis turned his hands into claws.

"I'm getting old," he said in 2002, "but I still like to write."

Lt. Joe Leaphorn, introduced in The Blessing Way in 1970, was an experienced police officer who understood, but did not share, his people's traditional belief in a rich spirit world. Officer Jim Chee, introduced in People of Darkness in 1978, was a younger officer studying to become a hathaali - Navajo for "shaman." They struggled daily to bridge the divide between the dominant Anglo society and the impoverished people who call themselves the Dineh.

His commercial breakthrough was Skinwalkers, published in 1987 - the first time he put both characters and their divergent worldviews in the same book. It sold 430,000 hardcover copies, paving the way for A Thief of Time, which made several bestseller lists. In all, he wrote 18 books in the Navajo series, the most recent The Shape Shifter.

Each is characterized by an unadorned writing style, intricate plotting, memorable characterization, and vivid descriptions of Indian rituals and of the vast plateau of the Navajo reservation in the Four Corners region of the Southwest.

The most acclaimed of them, including Talking God and Coyote Waits, are subtle explorations of human nature and the conflict between cultural assimilation and the pull of the old ways.

"I want Americans to stop thinking of Navajos as primitive persons, to understand that they are sophisticated and complicated," Mr. Hillerman once said.

Occasionally, he was accused of exploiting his knowledge of Navajo culture for personal gain, but in 1987, the Navajo Tribal Council honored him with its Special Friend of the Dineh award. He took greater pride in that, he often said, than in the many awards bestowed by his peers.

Although he was best known for the Navajo series, he wrote more than 30 books, including a novel for young people; a memoir, Seldom Disappointed; and books on the history and natural beauty of his beloved Southwest.

He also edited or contributed to more than a dozen other books including crime and history anthologies and books on the craft of writing.

Born May 27, 1925, in Sacred Heart, Okla., population 50, Tony Hillerman was the son of August and Lucy Grove Hillerman. They were farmers who also ran a small store. It was there that young Tony listened spellbound to locals who gathered to tell their stories.

The teacher at Sacred Heart's one-room schoolhouse was rumored to be a member of the Ku Klux Klan, so Tony's parents sent him and his brother, Barney, to St. Mary's Academy, a school for Potawatomie Indian girls near Asher, Okla. It was at St. Mary's that he developed a lifelong respect for Indian culture - and an appreciation of what it means to be an outsider in your own land.

In 1943, he interrupted his education at the University of Oklahoma to join the Army. He lugged his mortar ashore at D-Day with the 103d Infantry Division and was severely wounded in battle at Alsace, France. He returned from Europe a war hero with a Silver Star with Oak Leaf Cluster, temporary blindness, and two shattered legs that never stopped causing him pain.

He returned to the university for his degree and, in 1948, married Marie Unzer. Together, they raised six children, five of them adopted.

As a young man, he farmed, drove a truck, toiled as an oil-field roughneck, and worked as a reporter and editor for a variety of newspapers. He quit in 1962 to earn a master's degree from the University of New Mexico, where he later taught journalism and eventually became chairman of the journalism department. In 1993, he was inducted into the Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame.

He was still teaching when he wrote Blessing Way. A story that always made him chuckle: His first agent advised him that if he wanted to get published, he would have to "get rid of that Indian stuff."

Mr. Hillerman is survived by his wife, Marie, and their six children. Services are pending.

[Mtnman1830]

Just finished "The Brothers Karamazov" by Fyodor Dostoyevski, and started "Tom Sawyer" my Mark Twain.

[Cirrus2000]

Just finished Three Cups of Tea (http://www.threecupsoftea.com/), by Greg Mortensen and David Oliver Relin. If you haven't read it, do. Incredible.

Now reading Endless Forms Most Beautiful - The New Science of Evo Devo (http://seanbcarroll.com/books/Endless_Forms_Most_Beautiful/), by Sean B. Carroll. A moderately detailed look at the merging fields of evolutionary biology (Evo) and developmental (as in embryology) biology (Devo). A fascinating overview of how so many body shapes and sizes have developed using the same genetic "tool box". One of the best books I've read in a while - having trouble putting it down.

[abirken]

Just finished Three Cups of Tea (http://www.threecupsoftea.com/), by Greg Mortensen and David Oliver Relin. If you haven't read it, do. Incredible.


AGREE! Read it last year and Greg actually came to Carbondale (a nearby town) to do a talk about his work. As a result of my son's class reading this book, they started collecting "Pennies for Pencils" the entire year and his school donated the money to the cause. Very inspirational book. :2thumbs:

I have started the following in no particular order- Scar Tissue by Anthony Kiedis, The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd and The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay. I recently finished Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold.

[blueeyes]

I have yet to pick up a copy of Monkey Wrench Gang but still plan to.

Just finished

The Russian Concubine - Kate Furnivall
Diary of a Wimpy Kid - Jeff Kinney (Sarah made me read this one cute kids book.)

Currently Reading Digital Fortress - Dan Brown

Three Cups of Tea is amazing... I have loaned my copy out three times now.

[canyonphile]

Just finished "The Brothers Karamazov" by Fyodor Dostoyevski, and started "Tom Sawyer" my Mark Twain.
How was The Brothers Karamazov? I tried reading that book at least 2x, and couldn't get into it. I had read Crime and Punishment years ago, enjoyed it immensely, so figured I'd read his other works.

It sounds like you're working your way through lots of classic literature - good for you! :2thumbs: I've done the same thing several times in the past. I have Cervantes' Don Quixote de la Mancha to read one of these days :nod:, and a few others I can't remember.

Currently, I'm reading a non-fiction book An Empire of Wealth: The Epic History of American Economic Power, by John Steele Gordon. It is a fascinating read and has actually been really great as a review of American history in general. In fact, I've probably learned (or re-learned) more about American history, including wars, than anything I was taught in school.

I'm also reading a few painting books and a new bread baking book I just bought to keep things interesting :haha:

Most recent fiction book I've finished was A Thousand Spendid Suns, (by the same author who wrote The Kite Runner)which will surely go down as a classic. It was a very powerful and moving novel.

-SJ

[Ride On]

I am about to start Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne, but i am lazy so i might listen to it instead.

[wthomas]

the Book of Mormon

[blueeyes]

I am about to start Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne, but i am lazy so i might listen to it instead.

Thats not lazy! That is multi- tasking. I love books on tape. Last one I listened to was Bourne Identity. I have actually listened to it twice. Clean and listen or drive and listen.

[CarpeyBiggs]

The Audacity of Hope - Barack Obama

Initial impressions are that it is pretty boring and not very insightful. Go figure.

Also reading "The Bottomless Well: The Twilight of Fuel, The Virtue of Waste, and Why We Will Never Run Out of Energy."

So far, so interesting. We'll see how it plays out.

[accadacca]

I am rereading Purple Cow by Seth Godin

[nelsonccc]

Just finished book 7 of the Dark Tower series. Wow. Each of those puppies is like 500+ pages. I started the series in August and just finished. I can't even count the number of times my legs went to sleep while reading on the pot.

Going to start the Reagan Diaries next.

[Joe Gardner]

I bought two books at REI this week, and received two books from Amazon.com in the mail.

From REI: Staying alive in avalanche terrain & The chuting gallery.
From Amazon: The Mammals of Costa Rica & Tropical Plans of Costa Rica

[Mtnman1830]

Just finished "The Brothers Karamazov" by Fyodor Dostoyevski, and started "Tom Sawyer" my Mark Twain.
How was The Brothers Karamazov? I tried reading that book at least 2x, and couldn't get into it. I had read Crime and Punishment years ago, enjoyed it immensely, so figured I'd read his other works.

It sounds like you're working your way through lots of classic literature - good for you! :2thumbs: I've done the same thing several times in the past. I have Cervantes' Don Quixote de la Mancha to read one of these days :nod:, and a few others I can't remember.


-SJ

Brothers Karamazov was extremely tedious. I hope that the others on my list of his aren't as bad.

Yeah, I am on a Classical Literature kick right now. Looking forward to some of the book. One that isn't on the list I want to read is Dante's Divine Comedy.

[Don]

the Book of Mormon

Spammer! Quick hide your IP; their homing in on you. :haha:


I just started Slavomir Rawicz's The Long Walk: The True Story of a Trek to Freedom

[Ride On]

I am about to start Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne, but i am lazy so i might listen to it instead.

Thats not lazy! That is multi- tasking. I love books on tape. Last one I listened to was Bourne Identity. I have actually listened to it twice. Clean and listen or drive and listen.

yah but im not doing anything productive wail i listen I am playing video games :user:

[Mtnman1830]

Just finished Marx's Manifesto

[Wasatch Rebel]

I'm reading two The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, and American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House . American Lion:Andrew Jackson in the White House is a biography of Andrew Jackson by John Meacham.

[Cirrus2000]

Just finished The Secret Knowledge of Water and The Way Out, both by Greg Childs.

Currently reading Under the Banner of Heaven.

Next up is The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark by Carl Sagan.

[mtn_trsh]

curently reading the art of dreaming, by carlos castenada.

[Kent K25]

Man on Fire - A.J. Quinnell

The rest of the books in this series are out of print and expensive...hoping to track them down slowly over time...

[tapehoser]

On Killing by Lt. Col. Dave Grossman.

[Iceaxe]

"I Hope They Serve Beer In Hell" - Tucker Max

[Rev. Coyote]

curently reading the art of dreaming, by carlos castenada.

That guy will make your head spin. Will also make you VERY respectful of moths.

[BruteForce]

Consent to Kill by Vince Flynn.

Mitch Rapp is the man!

[Mtnman1830]

Finally finsihed Tom Sawyer - took me long enough.

Just picked up 'The Aeneid' by Virgil

[blueeyes]

Lolita

I am frustrated by this book. I had no idea what it was about when I started reading it. I like the way the guy writes and uses all kinds of new words and very descriptive. But the topic makes my stomach turn. I don't think I will finish it. Anyone else read this?

[tapehoser]

Playing for Pizza by Grisham.

It's OK. Little slow to begin with and hasn't picked up yet and I'm 3/4 way through. It's about football....in Italy.

[Thomas]

Consent to Kill by Vince Flynn.

Mitch Rapp is the man!

I love Vince Flynn I have all his books on my iPod, and I listen to and from work. I don't have much time to read so I subscribed to www.audible.com they have thousands of books and it nice to be able to "read" books during my commute, while exercising, or doing yard work.

I just finished listening too "The Testament" by John Grisham and it was good.

[JP]

Getting ready to start "Guilty". Have some computer crap to get out of the way first :haha:

[Deathcricket]

"The Pirate King" by R.A. Salvatore

It's been out for 4 months, can't believe I'm such a slacker and didn't see it see it sooner. I have to say a little disappointed... But only due to the length. It's 350 pages but it's the big "harry potter type" font where there is 4 words per line and you get a cramp from turning pages so often. Then lots of skipped pages for chapter breaks and such. Got 3/4 of the way through it on a 5 hour flight. But even after having a series 25 books long, I'm still entertained so I can't complain much.

[Ih8grvty]

Dead Watch, by John Sanford.
I love the Prey Novels, and the Kidd novels he wrote, so this was a next logical step.
not actually reading it at the moment, but I did just buy it today, and I will start reading it either in the bathroom sometime today, or in bed tonight. Depends on what one of the two opportunities strike me first.

[KapitanSparrow]

Reading one of my favorite Polish authors, Waldemar Lysiak. This one is about the history of Polish leftist intellectuals that have ruined it all for the rest of us (Poles).

[greyhair biker]

I'm afraid the only books I have been reading of late have not been books but rather Mountain Bike Action, DirtRag, and Bicycling Retailer......magazines :ne_nau:

[Mtnman1830]

Just finished "The Aenied" by Virgil. I was a bit nervous about reading it, but instead, I am excited to read The Illiad and The Odessey now. It really isn't bad for a book that is 2,000 years old.

I liked Book V - Games and a Conflagration.

And a quote from Book IX - A Night Sortie, A Day Assault lines 1039 - 1049

"Turnus
Spoke and rose to full height, sword in air,
Then cleft the man's brow square between the temples
Cutting his head in two - a dreadful gash
Between the cheeks all beardless. Earth resounded
Quivering at the great shock of his weight
As he went tumbling down in all his armor,
Drenched with blood and brains; in equal halves
His head hung this and that way from his shoulders."

Wow, the combat fought in these times was something else.


I picked up "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson today, and will start "All Quiet on the Western Front" soon.

[tapehoser]

Just finished Terminal Freeze by Lincoln Child. First half was pretty slow and it wasn't that great.

[Wasatch Rebel]

I'm reading 48 Days to the Work You Love. It's a career finding/changing book and very good.

Also, there's a site called [url]www.goodreads.com[/i] where you can list your books and give them up to five stars in rating, and also review them if you want. It's a good place to find out about books to read the you may not have heard of.

[cachehiker]

Lolita

I am frustrated by this book. I had no idea what it was about when I started reading it. I like the way the guy writes and uses all kinds of new words and very descriptive. But the topic makes my stomach turn. I don't think I will finish it. Anyone else read this?

It's on my shelf and in my queue but my best bookworm friend has warned me about it as well as Back Roads by Tawni O'Dell amongst others.

Well, after recently finishing Of Human Bondage by W. Somerset Maughm and The Long Walk by Slavomir Rawicz, I decided to take on A People's History of The United States by Howard Zinn. I'm about nine days and 60 pages into it and must say that in spite of its somewhat liberal view, it's better written than any other historical work I've ever taken on.

[ststephen]

I'm also reading my son's current 7th grade book, "Warriors Don't Cry" by Melba Patillo Beals. It is the memoirs of one of the 9 students who first integrated the public high school in Little Rock AR. I highly recommend it both for its historical perspective as well as its inspiration of personal triumph. It's also interesting to see how much she learned from the soldiers of the 101st who came to protect them.

How far we've come in 50 years!

[Mtnman1830]

Finished "All Quiet on the Western Front"
Still reading "A Walk in the Woods"
Picked up "The Complete Stories of Sherlock Holmes"
and "I Was A Born Again Mormon"

[blueeyes]

Read "The Poisonwood Bible"

Currently reading "Pigs In Heaven"

both by Barbara Kingsolver

Good books, good topics, like the way she writes.

[Cirrus2000]

Just finished: Beyond the Zonules of Zinn: A Fantastic Journey Through Your Brain by David Bainbridge. Fascinating look at brain anatomy, physiology and development, for the lay person.

Currently reading: Death From The Skies by Phil Plait. The many ways the universe could kill us, astronomically. What would happen if a black hole wandered our way? What if we were hit by a nearby Gamma Ray Burst? What will happen when our sun dies? etc. etc. Really interesting.

Next up: A Crack In The Edge Of The World by Simon Winchester. "America and the great California earthquake of 1906". I've read his The Professor and the Madman and The Map that Changed the World, and both were quite good. Looking forward to his take on this.


Hey Cher

[Randi]

Read "The Poisonwood Bible"

Currently reading "Pigs In Heaven"

both by Barbara Kingsolver

Good books, good topics, like the way she writes.

I have that book in the queue!
Glad to hear it's a good one. I rarely read fiction, but this one was on sale for $1.00 at the "friends of the library bookstore" I frequent, & it sounded interesting. Scanning the text, it looked to be written well.

I'm currently reading
Young Stalin" by Simon Montefiore ~ it's a historical account of stalin's childhood and his life leading up to his rise to political power.

I'll most likely follow this book at some point with "Stalin ~ the court of the red Tsar" which is also written by Monteifore.

I'm a huge fan of history.

[blueeyes]

[quote=Cirrus2000]
Hey Cher

[Win]

I've been enjoying a few books this Summer:

Finished: "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson. Highly recommended, fun read.

Finished: two by Michael Perry "Population 485" and "Off Main Street" , tales about life in rural Wisconsin. Fun reads recommended by a friend.

Currently reading another by Perry: "Truck: a love story".


Win

[Cirrus2000]

Finished: "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson. Highly recommended, fun read.
I thought that was just great! Got my son (12) to read it, and he really enjoyed it, too.

[greyhair biker]

Just started back into the series by Piers Anthony -- Incarnations of Immortality. Finished 'Bearing an Hourglass' today and start 'Wielding a Red Sword' tomorrow. I have a lot of time to read at work between loading railcars and such :ne_nau:

[DOSS]

The Climb... Just finished Into Thin Air... Don't know what will be next

[coinslab]

History of Emery County!!! :nod:

[BruteForce]

I finished the entire Vince Flynn series (Mitch Rapp rocks) and am hoping for more new books. Went to B&N the other day and picked up:

Brad Thor's, the Lions of Lucerne.

[uintahiker]

Working on
The Decline And Fall of the Roman Empire.

Great read- not as dry as you'd expect. Gives a lot of great background for european history through today.

[BruteForce]

Working on
The Decline And Fall of the Roman Empire.

Great read- not as dry as you'd expect. Gives a lot of great background for european history through today.

I had to read that when I went to the U. I still have that text book. It was a great read as I recall.. Haven't opened it since 1990 at least! :roll:

[Kent K25]

Multicultural Education in a Pluralistic Society (textbook)

[Mtnman1830]

The Sun Also Rises - Hemmingway
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn - Twain
Three Cups of Tea -

[greyhair biker]

Naked Empire - Terry Gookind
...book 8 of The Sword of Truth series.
friggin books have about 700 pgs each. Just perfect for summers in the backyard :haha:

[Iceaxe]

The Dirt: Confessions of the World's Most Notorious Rock Band

Hard to write a bad book when its all about whiskey, porn stars, drugs, black leather, high heels, overdoses and death.

Good book

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51mARZhvAGL._SS500_.jpg

[traveling2u]

A very good book to describe a situation when things change and we fail to achieve what we want, then is time for us to make changes. Dont wait to waste time.

[Mtnman1830]

Just finished Great Expectations by Dickens, and The Pearl by Stienbeck... What's next? Robinson Crusoe?

[Iceaxe]

Right now I'm reading...

The Tudors: The Complete Story of England's Most Notorious Dynasty
by G. J. Meyer

http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/04bG4ut3NdgZX/220x.jpg

[StudChild]

I love his books. :assault::rifle::kboom::flag:
http://www.booksforthefuture.org/files/amazon_images/0399138250.jpg

[Cirrus2000]

Evolution Rx (http://www.evolution-rx.com/)

The subtitle sounds all new agey and stuff: "A practical guide to harnessing our innate capacity for health and healing." :blahblah: In fact, it's science based and very interesting. How human development over the last million years affects our health today.

http://www.evolution-rx.com/wordpress/wp-content/themes/evolutionrx/images/bookcover.jpg

[Deuce]

Just finished "A Dog in a Hat" - Joe Parkin

[Ride On]

Naked Empire - Terry Gookind
...book 8 of The Sword of Truth series.
friggin books have about 700 pgs each. Just perfect for summers in the backyard :haha:
I'm on that one too but I'm almost done with it. I cheat and listen to them at work.:headbang:

[mattandersao]

Better Not Bigger: How to Take Control of Urban Growth and Improve Your Community.

Soon I will start my annual reading of Desert Solitaire and Monkey Wrench Gang:clap:

[Cirrus2000]

Better Not Bigger: How to Take Control of Urban Growth and Improve Your Community.

Soon I will start my annual reading of Desert Solitaire and Monkey Wrench Gang:clap:
I always read Desert Solitaire in Utah - next trip is in 18 days, so I'd better get it out and ready! :2thumbs:

[DOSS]

Just finished Over the edge of the world
33550

Now I am onto The Forgotten Man
33551

[TreeHugger]

NO! I couldn't stomach it. Sorry... just not my type of story. The main character gets involved with a single mother so he can have relations with her little girl. I have no idea how it ends and don't care to know.

I read Lolita. I actually loved the book, as twisted as it was. I'm a Nabokov fan, what can I say.
Also read Poisonwood Bible - loved it - one of my favorite books.

[TreeHugger]

Currently reading:

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41R7Wdo4ExL._SL160_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-dp,TopRight,12,-18_SH30_OU01_AA115_.jpg (http://www.amazon.com/Once-Runner-Novel-John-Parker/dp/1416597891/ref=sr_1_11/188-8453607-2281854?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1272906799&sr=1-11)“The best piece of running fiction around. Beg, borrow, or buy a copy, and you'll never need another motivator.” —Dave Langlais, Runner's World
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/21MB-JKuFsL._SL160_AA115_.jpg (http://www.amazon.com/Mohsin-Hamid-Reluctant-Fundamentalist/dp/B00324AS3K/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1272906962&sr=1-10)The Reluctant Fundamentalist, is a daring, fast-paced monologue of a young Pakistani man telling his life story to a mysterious American stranger. It's a controversial look at the dark side of the American Dream, exploring the aftermath of 9/11, international unease, and the dangerous pull of nostalgia.
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/511e5x5U3mL._SL160_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-dp,TopRight,12,-18_SH30_OU01_AA115_.jpg (http://www.amazon.com/Undress-Temple-Heaven-Susan-Gilman/dp/0446696935/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1272907139&sr=1-1)"Youthfully upbeat, Gilman delivers an entertaining memoir...offering the full wallop of disorienting, in-the-moment, transformative travel adventures." (Publishers Weekly )

All three are GREAT books!

I love this thread - lots of great reading suggestions!

[TreeHugger]

Recently read:
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51fEDHZrPDL._SL160_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-dp,TopRight,12,-18_SH30_OU01_AA115_.jpg (http://www.amazon.com/Animals-Translation-Mysteries-Autism-Behavior/dp/0156031442/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1272907299&sr=1-1)Philosophers and scientists have long wondered what goes on in the minds of animals, and this fascinating study gives a wealth of illuminating insights into that mystery. Grandin, an animal behavior expert specializing in the design of humane slaughter systems, is autistic, and she contends that animals resemble autistic people in that they think visually rather than linguistically and perceive the world as a jumble of mesmerizing details rather than a coherent whole. (Publishers Weekly) Very interesting!!
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51M38VyUJ2L._SL160_AA115_.jpg (http://www.amazon.com/Stones-into-Schools-Promoting-Afghanistan/dp/0670021156/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1272907384&sr=1-1)Even better than Three Cups of Tea!! (and I really liked Three Cups of Tea).

[Iceaxe]

Just finished Over the edge of the world
33550

Sounds like my kinda book.... I just ordered a copy. :cool2:

[DOSS]

Sounds like my kinda book.... I just ordered a copy. :cool2:

you won't regret it.. very well written... in the end you will know why Christopher Columbus isn't all that and a bag of chips :)

[live2ride]

some good ones here, need a new book to read so I am going to have to look for a good outdoor/ climbing/ cycling related to something like that book.

[ststephen]

[QUOTE=TreeHugger;400595]Currently reading:

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41R7Wdo4ExL._SL160_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-dp,TopRight,12,-18_SH30_OU01_AA115_.jpg (http://www.amazon.com/Once-Runner-Novel-John-Parker/dp/1416597891/ref=sr_1_11/188-8453607-2281854?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1272906799&sr=1-11)

[TreeHugger]

SCORE! I've got a least one Mother's Day gift worked out :nod:

:-) !! I just started it, its great so far!

[accadacca]

Just finished: Man's Search for Meaning

I just remembered this thread and thought I would look for my next book. :2thumbs:

[Ride On]

just finished the sword of truth series by Terry Goodkind

[Mtnman1830]

Finished Robinson Crusoe and The Hobbit. Reading Lord of the Rings.

[DOSS]

Just finished The First Total War (http://www.amazon.com/First-Total-War-Napoleons-Warfare/dp/0618349650)
34829
Almost done with the Orson Scott Card - Ender's Saga and soon to be reading his version of the Book of Mormon and then on to
After the Reich (http://www.amazon.com/After-Reich-Brutal-History-Occupation/dp/0465003389)
34830

[Iceaxe]

[QUOTE=TooeleCherokee;400582]Just finished Over the edge of the world
33550
[QUOTE]


I just finished this.... great book, thanks for the recommendation. :2thumbs:

[dbaxter]

Just finished The Hunger Games. Had a hard time putting it down...

[Cirrus2000]

Just finished The Hunger Games. Had a hard time putting it down...

Cool - My daughter (11) read this last year, and was very keen on it. I've since seen a lot of people that surprised me reading it, and everyone has had good things to say. I'll have to give it a whirl...

Perhaps after my current book: How The Mind Works (http://www.amazon.com/How-Mind-Works-Steven-Pinker/dp/0393334775/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1277096403&sr=8-1), by Stephen Pinker
http://rgr-static1.tangentlabs.co.uk/images/ar/97803933/9780393334777/150/0/plain/how-the-mind-works.jpg

Just finished In Search of the Old Ones, by David Roberts. Thanks, denaliguide, for the point-out!

[ddavis]

Perhaps after my current book: How The Mind Works (http://www.amazon.com/How-Mind-Works-Steven-Pinker/dp/0393334775/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1277096403&sr=8-1), by Stephen Pinker
http://rgr-static1.tangentlabs.co.uk/images/ar/97803933/9780393334777/150/0/plain/how-the-mind-works.jpg


I haven't read that one, but I read Pinker's "Stuff of Thought", which used the structure of language to infer thngs about the way the mind works. I like his stuff. It's hard reading (at least 'Stuff' was), but very interesting. My favorite chapter was the discussion of swearing. I've run across a couple of essays on the internet by Pinker about swearing/cussing/etc. Enjoyed them a lot.

[blueeyes]

just finished the sword of truth series by Terry Goodkind

Started this one back in October. I have two books left to complete the series. I can't find the second to last one it lost itself in the move!!! I am in suspense here. Grrrr... I know it will show up soon.

[Randi]

Currently reading these four:

One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

Holy War by Karen Armstrong

Snow by Orhan Pamuk

Lenin's Tomb 'last days of the Soviet Empire' by David Remnick


***still trying to finish these two - have 10 or 20 pages to go***

Tears of Blood 'a cry for Tibet' by Mary Craig

Einstein ' his life and universe' by Walter Isaacson

~I have a problem finishing books once I'm very near the end. It's weird. The Einstein book for instance is extremely fascinating, and well written. I've been a captive audience right up to the last 10 or so pages. This happens with 80% of the books I read. Perhaps it's because most of what I read is non-fiction & I already know the eventual outcome? Anyhow - I'll finish these up at some point just like I always do.~

[Pelon1]

Hood by Stephen Lawhead.

[Cirrus2000]

I haven't read that one, but I read Pinker's "Stuff of Thought", which used the structure of language to infer thngs about the way the mind works. I like his stuff. It's hard reading (at least 'Stuff' was), but very interesting. My favorite chapter was the discussion of swearing. I've run across a couple of essays on the internet by Pinker about swearing/cussing/etc. Enjoyed them a lot.
Cool - I enjoyed "Stuff of Thought" as well, which inspired me to buy "How The Mind Works". Like the former, this one is a bit of a tough read - I started it a while back, but it got sidelined as easier books came along... Now I'm right back into it, and it's very cool. Pinker has a way of mixing in research findings that are really fascinating.

Next time we have lunch at the Burr Trail Grill, we'll have to talk books! :2thumbs:

[ddavis]

Next time we have lunch at the Burr Trail Grill, we'll have to talk books! :2thumbs:

You're on. I might be finished with my Oliver Cromwell biography by then - although I'm at the point where he's dead and buried, then dug up with his head on a spike, so maybe there's hope.

Next book on the list is called Understanding Comics, by Scott McCloud. My son gave it to me to read. It should be very interesting.

[denaliguide]

Cool - My daughter (11) read this last year, and was very keen on it. I've since seen a lot of people that surprised me reading it, and everyone has had good things to say. I'll have to give it a whirl...

Perhaps after my current book: How The Mind Works (http://www.amazon.com/How-Mind-Works-Steven-Pinker/dp/0393334775/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1277096403&sr=8-1), by Stephen Pinker
http://rgr-static1.tangentlabs.co.uk/images/ar/97803933/9780393334777/150/0/plain/how-the-mind-works.jpg

Just finished In Search of the Old Ones, by David Roberts. Thanks, denaliguide, for the point-out! your welcome. another good one is "cowboys, cliffs and cave dwellers." fred blackburn is one ofthe authors. its about reverse archeaology and finding lost collections of the early archeaologists on cedar mesa.

my last book was "mogul" raiders of the north. sort of historical fiction about the afganistan, pakistan, india region in the years after genghis khan.

[Ride On]

Started this one back in October. I have two books left to complete the series. I can't find the second to last one it lost itself in the move!!! I am in suspense here. Grrrr... I know it will show up soon.
they are only the highest quality and the next one is great too.

going to start Mein kampf. then back to nerdy books with the Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series.

[erial]

The Last Season by Eric Blehm

Author chronicles the life of and search for backcountry ranger Randy Morgenson. This non-fiction book is engrossing as a good mystery, but it also is quite lyrical in its celebration of the Sierras. I've never been to Kings Canyon NP, but after reading this book, I definitely want to spend some time there.

[ibenick]

Civil Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau

Okay, hardly a book, more of an essay but it feels like a book at the moment. Summer school sucks. :angryfire:

[accadacca]

Just finished Over the edge of the world
33550

33551



Sounds like my kinda book.... I just ordered a copy. :cool2:
Just finished this one too. I really enjoyed it. Tks for the tips in this thread. :cool2:

Who has read the "The Prince?" :popcorn:

[live2ride]

i could go for a good cycling book about now, if there are any?

[ddavis]

Who has read the "The Prince?"

By Machiavelli? I have, more decades ago than I want to admit.

[accadacca]

By Machiavelli? I have, more decades ago than I want to admit.
Yep.

[ddavis]

Who has read the "The Prince?"

Looking for a recommendation, or just asking?

I think it's been 30 years since I read it. A must if you are studying philosphy, political science, or military theory (it's right up there with Clauswitz). As I remember, it's pretty short and very practical in nature, and completely focused on the survival and well being of the state. I don't remember too many details, but I do remember the discussions on exterting (or resisting) political influence on neighboring states - keep foreign troops outside your boundaries, and place your own troops wherever possible (assuming sufficient resources). The other piece of advice that stuck with me was the one about not issuing any orders you couldn't enforce. I think that's not just good advice for a prince, but also for parents.

[mike123]

I would also be very thankful for advice on a good book. I haven't read any books for such a long time and I really miss some good literature. So is there any new fiction that is really good?

[crankshank]

In my truck for on-the-go reading: The Watsons Go to Birmingham-1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis
Next to the bed: Fierce Invalids Home From Hot Climates by Tom Robbins... Again.
Next to the toilet: I AM AMERICA (AND SO CAN YOU!) by Stephen Colbert

[Jaxx]

Left for Dead by Beck Weathers

[Cirrus2000]

Left for Dead by Beck Weathers

Quite a story, huh? I enjoyed that one, though it did get a little too deeply into the self-analysis and navel-gazing for me. Still - an amazing tale.

[Jaxx]

Quite a story, huh? I enjoyed that one, though it did get a little too deeply into the self-analysis and navel-gazing for me. Still - an amazing tale.

I am only about 100 pages in but it have kindof lost interest because it is all about his childhood and personal life. The beginning was awesome. I will power through it hoping for it to get better.

[accadacca]

I just downloaded this one to read on vacation - "Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase to Catch Lincoln's Killer" :popcorn: