Which book are you currently reading?
- Thread starter made in holland
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- 7,436
- Canada
- photonrider
Now, it's time for Raptors.
One of my all-time favourite authors. I can never resist a Crichton.This guy teaches as much as he entertains. You can't come away from any of his books without learning some hard science.
Another thing I like about his writing is how effortlessly he fades into the background as a master story-teller, letting the story take over the reader and putting writer completely out of mind.
Then he shocks the hell out of you and one has to close the book for a moment and check the cover in awe - MG, Crichton - what a writer.
- 33,155
- Hammerhead Garage
Manila Noir
It's a collection of short stories based in one city by local authors. It's one volume in quite a large series that I have really become a fan of; I've also got St. Petersburg Noir, Mexico City Noir, Venice Noir and Mumbai Noir. I'm hoping that I can expand my collection of the series further, but they're hard to find.
It's a collection of short stories based in one city by local authors. It's one volume in quite a large series that I have really become a fan of; I've also got St. Petersburg Noir, Mexico City Noir, Venice Noir and Mumbai Noir. I'm hoping that I can expand my collection of the series further, but they're hard to find.
- 7,839
- Leiria
- jpfctf
- jpfctf
Recommend me a book by him*.
It has been my intention for some time to read one of his books, but I'm not sure which one to start with.
* Except maybe Jurassic Park and The Lost World.
- 33,155
- Hammerhead Garage
Batman Eternal (Vol. 3)
I got into comics while exploring graphic novels as a text type, and it took off from there. I mostly just stick to The New 52, and was disappointed with Batman Eternal (Vol. 2) before I realised that there was a third volume. I picked it up yesterday and found the conclusion very satisfying; not only did it tie off a lot of the unresolved storylines, but it cleverly addressed the one element that I has found difficult to grapple with.
I got into comics while exploring graphic novels as a text type, and it took off from there. I mostly just stick to The New 52, and was disappointed with Batman Eternal (Vol. 2) before I realised that there was a third volume. I picked it up yesterday and found the conclusion very satisfying; not only did it tie off a lot of the unresolved storylines, but it cleverly addressed the one element that I has found difficult to grapple with.
- 7,436
- Canada
- photonrider
Hoooo boy. Where to start?
The Andromeda Strain? Congo? Sphere? Terminal Man?Prey might be a good introduction to his writing - or State of Fear, which is punchy and adventurous enough to keep a new reader hooked till the hard science starts filtering in. Airframe is great if you are into aviation - lots to learn in that one, too.
The Andromeda Strain remains a classic - written before we were numbed by everyday conventional violence to be indifferent to fear - yet, still today, quite a thought-provoking and scary read.
- 33,155
- Hammerhead Garage
Start with Disclosure. It's about gender politics and corporate espionage and makes for a neat little thriller. Crichton does tend to be conservative in the political side of things, so some feminist interpretations tend to be against it (though I have seen others that think it raises some interesting ideas).
I'd avoid State of Fear - it's unabashed climate change denial masquerading as an adventure. Crichton does make a point that we don't know anything about super long-term climate patterns, but it's preachy at times and has dated really badly. In Crichton's world, you're either conservative and rational with good judgement, or you're liberal and radical and therefore unstable.
Pirate Latitudes isn't bad; it's pretty downplayed relative to his others, but it attempts to really recreate the Golden Age of Piracy and approach it as hard historical fiction rather than a romanticised epic adventure.
Next is okay, exploring the legal and ethical implications of genetic engineering, but the storyline is sprawling and devolves into bad science fiction in the third act.
I'd avoid State of Fear - it's unabashed climate change denial masquerading as an adventure. Crichton does make a point that we don't know anything about super long-term climate patterns, but it's preachy at times and has dated really badly. In Crichton's world, you're either conservative and rational with good judgement, or you're liberal and radical and therefore unstable.
Pirate Latitudes isn't bad; it's pretty downplayed relative to his others, but it attempts to really recreate the Golden Age of Piracy and approach it as hard historical fiction rather than a romanticised epic adventure.
Next is okay, exploring the legal and ethical implications of genetic engineering, but the storyline is sprawling and devolves into bad science fiction in the third act.
- 24,619
- Anoka, MN
A bit of an update on what I've read lately.
The Fear Index - Robert Harris
It's pretty decent, a worthwhile read for someone that like Crichton. I will say the characters could have been a little better though as you don't really feel any attachment to them and the pacing feels rushed.
Airframe - Michael Crichton
I wouldn't say this is even close to his best, but it was still a very good read. I did feel it was a little rushed though.
The Day of the Jackal - Frederick Forsyth
I can see why this novel has received so much praise over the years as it was a terrific read from beginning to end.
The Fear Index - Robert Harris
It's pretty decent, a worthwhile read for someone that like Crichton. I will say the characters could have been a little better though as you don't really feel any attachment to them and the pacing feels rushed.
Airframe - Michael Crichton
I wouldn't say this is even close to his best, but it was still a very good read. I did feel it was a little rushed though.
The Day of the Jackal - Frederick Forsyth
I can see why this novel has received so much praise over the years as it was a terrific read from beginning to end.
- 7,436
- Canada
- photonrider
I couldn't get into this right away, and only restarted it because of my interest in aviation. The characters didn't grab me at all, but I found all the technical stuff fascinating enough to plough through to the end. definitely nowhere near his best. Terminal Man affected me this way, too. Pirate Latitudes, published posthumously, caught me by surprise - I have a copy but just can't wrap my mind around Crichton writing this, so still to begin it
I will have to read the whole thing through eventually to have any opinion.
Another classic, and there was a time that Forsyth was so popular - together with Jack Higgins, Desmond Bagley, Alistair MacLean . . . all super adventure story writers. I have the whole collection of MacLeans stored away in some dusty cupboard.
Huge amount of reading done since I was last in here - worth mentioning would be Catherine Clements' Theo's Odyssey and Jasper FForde's First Among Sequels featuring Thursday Next - one of my favourite heroines.
- 5,300
- Tijuana, B.C.
- MRT_Cinnamon
Found Schopenhauer's "On the Sufferings of the World" in the local bookstore, it was $25 pesos (about $1.40 USD)
I couldn't resist, I'll start reading it now.
I couldn't resist, I'll start reading it now.
- 7,436
- Canada
- photonrider
What did you think of it?
That's the third time this novel was featured here in the last six months. Must be a good book? Here was my review of it:
It's a most delicious feeling when one picks up a book and discovers a new author, and this happened to me recently.
As I mentioned, my main fodder is reference or text books, having given up munching on fiction since lately fiction turned out to be nothing but cookie-cutter production.
Then I pick this novel up and read what some of the other authors (that I have trusted to generate some fairly decent fiction in the past) have to say about this guy, Neil Gaiman:
"Original, engrossing, and endlessly inventive. ..." George R.R. Martin.
"Gaiman is a treasure house . . . we are lucky to have him." Stephen King.
And so on . . .
So I started the book. And stopped reading everything else till I had finished it - which is unusual for me since I'm always reading something somewhere, and have several books on the go all over my life - I actually carried this around with me!
Damnably enjoyable. I'm looking forward to reading him again.
Good job, Neil. Thanks. 👍
My experience is that unless an author comes up with a 'trend-forming' readership with a debutante work that rides on some form of sensationalism, authors take time to gather their readers. It may be ten years since a book they have written is in print, then a reader picks them up and suddenly that author has a new reader that looks for other books by them. Fame comes slow generally, but readership gathers momentum as the years go on - and 'suddenly' they are an established author - established firmly in the mind of the new reader too.
In this way Jasper Fforde is a new author to me - discovered with delight and now hungry for more - a 'writers' writer'. His mastery of the language almost supersedes the mastery of pun owned by the ancient speakers of Sanskrit. The two novels I have acquired - both come to me quite serendipitously - have been read, re-read, and again browsed through.
I swear the book changes every time I read it.
Jasper would probably tell me it really does, dang him.
Right now I'm whipping through a rather odd collection:
Marx - Ruis
Marx's Kapital - Smith & Evans
Capitalism - Lekachman & Van Loon
Economists - Caravan.
Hilarious. These guys leave me speechless with laughter.
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- 31
- Ynys Mon
Started Going Clear last night, an exposé of scientology, it's founder and some of it's celebrity adherents.
Not the best thing i've ever read but interesting in that the whole organization is far more bizarre than i'd ever imagined.
Not the best thing i've ever read but interesting in that the whole organization is far more bizarre than i'd ever imagined.
- 7,689
- Michigan
- Rallywgn81
Currently reading Circle of Reign by Jacob Cooper between semesters. Pretty good book. Especially considering it was not the book I went in looking for.
Anyone into audio books? I'm picky about the narrator, but some people like Michael Kramer can really add a lot to a story.
Anyone into audio books? I'm picky about the narrator, but some people like Michael Kramer can really add a lot to a story.
- 24,619
- Anoka, MN
I managed to get through this book...
I should have known something was off when I saw the "praise list" on the back cover was for another book by the author. It's not terrible by any means, but the plot is very shallow and I spent most of the time waiting for something interesting to happen and when it finally did it wasn't all that satisfying.
I should have known something was off when I saw the "praise list" on the back cover was for another book by the author. It's not terrible by any means, but the plot is very shallow and I spent most of the time waiting for something interesting to happen and when it finally did it wasn't all that satisfying.
- 7,436
- Canada
- photonrider
Which book would you suggest?
How about A Course in Miracles? Author?
I'll let you find out.Otherwise, the Captain Underpants series is really absorbing, too. In a funny way.
___________
Right now I'm at that really odd spot in my life - while I read several books at the same time (usually) all reading has been completed and I have to start several more. Dilemma.
- 33,155
- Hammerhead Garage
Career of Evil
The third novel in JK Rowling's (writing as Robert Galbraith) Cormoran Strike series. It's comparable to its immediate predecessor, The Silkworm, in that it doesn't quite match The Cuckoo's Calling. Nevertheless, it's still a pretty strong read, mostly because it avoids my least favourite trope like the plague - the devious, cunning psychopath who can not only predict the heroes' moves with supernatural accuracy, but work those moves into their own plans so they inadvertently aid him. Here, the characters grind through lengthy investigations, trawl through dead ends and waste time with red herrings, but the reader never feels exhausted by it. Strike's unusual backstory is balanced out by the mundane nature of his investigations. If I had two complaints, it's that Strike and Robin are still wrestling with the same problems (a lack of income and Robin's jealous fiancée) that they were in The Cuckoo's Calling, and their personal histories weigh this one down too much.
The third novel in JK Rowling's (writing as Robert Galbraith) Cormoran Strike series. It's comparable to its immediate predecessor, The Silkworm, in that it doesn't quite match The Cuckoo's Calling. Nevertheless, it's still a pretty strong read, mostly because it avoids my least favourite trope like the plague - the devious, cunning psychopath who can not only predict the heroes' moves with supernatural accuracy, but work those moves into their own plans so they inadvertently aid him. Here, the characters grind through lengthy investigations, trawl through dead ends and waste time with red herrings, but the reader never feels exhausted by it. Strike's unusual backstory is balanced out by the mundane nature of his investigations. If I had two complaints, it's that Strike and Robin are still wrestling with the same problems (a lack of income and Robin's jealous fiancée) that they were in The Cuckoo's Calling, and their personal histories weigh this one down too much.
- 7,689
- Michigan
- Rallywgn81
Finished up Circle of Reign. Great book, in look forward to more of The Dying Lands Chronicles series. Also got The Emperor's Soul by Brandon Sanderson for xmas. A rather short book, roughly 165 pages or so, that takes place in the same world as his Elantris book. A very good read that went down in a day. Sadly, the next set of books will be course books.
- 24,619
- Anoka, MN
Finders Keepers - Stephen King
I really liked Mr. Mercedes so reading this was a given since it's the second in the trilogy. It has a similar feel to the first book and King does a great job making the transition into a different book seamlessly. In similar fashion to the first book the supernatural aspects King is known for are absent* which is a nice break as much as I like his other work. If you liked Mr. Mercedes I would definitely recommend giving this a go.
Although there isn't any supernatural activity going on during the main plot, there is some and it sets it up for there being much more in the third novel. As a side plot Hodges visits Hartsfield in the hospital a couple times where there are rumors of him developing telekinetic powers.
- 15,390
- TRAPPIST-1g
- ProjectWHaT
I just finished reading Brave New World by Aldous Huxley. Definitely an interesting read that I recommend to everyone.
- 5,284
- Sick_Cylinder
I remember Brave New World affecting me deeply when I read it as a teenager many years ago - definitely a good read!
I don't see many Motorsport books listed here! I'm at an age where I've read a lot of novels in the past as a young man and now enjoy motorsport biographies and history. There are a lot, many dull as dishwater and badly written, but I try to find ones about specific areas of interest or which are rated as the best of the best. I feel I have limited time - certainly not enough to spend it reading bad books - so I'll recommend a few which I think everyone would enjoy.
After being enthralled by this book I passed it on to an octogenarian friend who has no interest in motorsport and they agreed it was a page turner, far more exciting than most novels! Go like Hell by A J Baime is a book which tells the story of Ford's assault on Le Mans ending with their 1, 2, 3 victory in 1966 with the 7 litre Ford GT40 Mark 2. It tells the story from the point of view of a small cast of characters, namely Henry Ford the second, Enzo Ferrari and a few others. It explains why defeating Ferrari became an obsession for Ford and how Ken Miles was denied his rightful victory.
Despite the fact that we all know the story, somehow through a combination of great story telling and extensive research, including interviewing most of the protagonists Baime manages to bring events to life.
A J Baime brings to life the professional era of racing - in complete contrast Duncan Hamilton's book brings to life the previous era and is no less fascinating for it. I would not agree with Chris Evans (the new host of Top Gear) that this "May be the best book ever", but I would agree that every person with any interest in Motorsport should read it.
Having lived through the dangers of war Hamilton finds that motor racing is the thing that brings him the level of excitement that he needs. He was probably the last racer from an era when provided that you had great skill and tremendous courage you could party as much as you wanted. His excessive drinking and riotous lifestyle is in complete contrast to that of modern racers - it is a book which perfectly captures its period. I even found the style of writing took me back to an earlier time - it is not difficult to read like some historical novels with their dated English, but it is sufficiently old fashioned that it has a special charm.
The Unfair Advantage is a book which Mark Donoghue wrote with Paul Van Valkenburgh when he was taking a year off from Motor Racing. He returned to Formula One during one of its historically most dangerous periods and was tragically killed within a few months.
This book is rated as one of the best motorsport books ever written and I would second that opinion. It gives an insight into the level of preparation which Mark Donoghue and Roger Penske (his Team Manager) brought to the sport - a level probably above that brought to the sport by anyone else at the time, but would now be regarded as completely normal for a professional team. Mark calls this preparation his "Unfair Advantage".
John Morton won the Trans Am 2.5 Championship in 1971 and 1972 and I wanted to get "The Stainless Steel Carrot" which describes that period as it is also rated as one of the best motorsport books of all time, but I couldn't afford a copy so I bought "Inside Shelby American" which describes an earlier period when he begged Carroll Shelby for a job and started sweeping up and running errands and ended driving race cars. It is a brilliant book which provides insights into the Shelby American story including not always flattering ones about its founder Carroll Shelby.
I am currently reading these two books which I got for Christmas - "The Last Road Race" which is the story of the last Formula One Grand Prix held on a real road course - the 1957 Pescara Grand Prix and "Alan Mann - a life of chance" which sadly was published posthumously.
I don't see many Motorsport books listed here! I'm at an age where I've read a lot of novels in the past as a young man and now enjoy motorsport biographies and history. There are a lot, many dull as dishwater and badly written, but I try to find ones about specific areas of interest or which are rated as the best of the best. I feel I have limited time - certainly not enough to spend it reading bad books - so I'll recommend a few which I think everyone would enjoy.
After being enthralled by this book I passed it on to an octogenarian friend who has no interest in motorsport and they agreed it was a page turner, far more exciting than most novels! Go like Hell by A J Baime is a book which tells the story of Ford's assault on Le Mans ending with their 1, 2, 3 victory in 1966 with the 7 litre Ford GT40 Mark 2. It tells the story from the point of view of a small cast of characters, namely Henry Ford the second, Enzo Ferrari and a few others. It explains why defeating Ferrari became an obsession for Ford and how Ken Miles was denied his rightful victory.
Despite the fact that we all know the story, somehow through a combination of great story telling and extensive research, including interviewing most of the protagonists Baime manages to bring events to life.
A J Baime brings to life the professional era of racing - in complete contrast Duncan Hamilton's book brings to life the previous era and is no less fascinating for it. I would not agree with Chris Evans (the new host of Top Gear) that this "May be the best book ever", but I would agree that every person with any interest in Motorsport should read it.
Having lived through the dangers of war Hamilton finds that motor racing is the thing that brings him the level of excitement that he needs. He was probably the last racer from an era when provided that you had great skill and tremendous courage you could party as much as you wanted. His excessive drinking and riotous lifestyle is in complete contrast to that of modern racers - it is a book which perfectly captures its period. I even found the style of writing took me back to an earlier time - it is not difficult to read like some historical novels with their dated English, but it is sufficiently old fashioned that it has a special charm.
The Unfair Advantage is a book which Mark Donoghue wrote with Paul Van Valkenburgh when he was taking a year off from Motor Racing. He returned to Formula One during one of its historically most dangerous periods and was tragically killed within a few months.
This book is rated as one of the best motorsport books ever written and I would second that opinion. It gives an insight into the level of preparation which Mark Donoghue and Roger Penske (his Team Manager) brought to the sport - a level probably above that brought to the sport by anyone else at the time, but would now be regarded as completely normal for a professional team. Mark calls this preparation his "Unfair Advantage".
John Morton won the Trans Am 2.5 Championship in 1971 and 1972 and I wanted to get "The Stainless Steel Carrot" which describes that period as it is also rated as one of the best motorsport books of all time, but I couldn't afford a copy so I bought "Inside Shelby American" which describes an earlier period when he begged Carroll Shelby for a job and started sweeping up and running errands and ended driving race cars. It is a brilliant book which provides insights into the Shelby American story including not always flattering ones about its founder Carroll Shelby.
I am currently reading these two books which I got for Christmas - "The Last Road Race" which is the story of the last Formula One Grand Prix held on a real road course - the 1957 Pescara Grand Prix and "Alan Mann - a life of chance" which sadly was published posthumously.
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