What book are you currently reading?

[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!

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.

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...

~Randi (Yipee! It's Friday!)

[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

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.

[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.

[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.

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.