Which book are you currently reading?
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Silver Arrows
(Banned)
- 4,715
- Brandon, MB
- Silver-Arrows21
Ali: A Life by Jonathan Eig.
There's actually a quote on the back that really puts things quite well, basically, after tons of books focusing on one specific fight, or a specific period, of Muhammad Ali's life, there is a complete one filled with new information, interviews with people close to him, etc. It definitely does a good job of putting Ali's entire life in perspective, and showing him in many different forms: as a boxer, as a showman and a pitchman, as a religious and racial icon, and maybe more importantly, as a man. You really do feel the many different forces that are at play throughout his life.
If you're interested in reading an excerpt from the book, one's been posted on Deadspin's satellite section The Stacks.
Muhammad Ali's Desperate Twilight
There's actually a quote on the back that really puts things quite well, basically, after tons of books focusing on one specific fight, or a specific period, of Muhammad Ali's life, there is a complete one filled with new information, interviews with people close to him, etc. It definitely does a good job of putting Ali's entire life in perspective, and showing him in many different forms: as a boxer, as a showman and a pitchman, as a religious and racial icon, and maybe more importantly, as a man. You really do feel the many different forces that are at play throughout his life.
If you're interested in reading an excerpt from the book, one's been posted on Deadspin's satellite section The Stacks.
Muhammad Ali's Desperate Twilight
- 29,862
- a baby, candy, it's like taking.
- TexRex72
Dead Thread Resurrection...
Starting up Piers Anthony's Incarnations Of Immortality series again after something like five years since my last read-through.
Leading off appropriately enough with On A Pale Horse, but chomping at the bit (pun intended) as I usually do until I get to the third book, With A Tangled Skein--I love the way Piers addressed the three fates.
Starting up Piers Anthony's Incarnations Of Immortality series again after something like five years since my last read-through.
Leading off appropriately enough with On A Pale Horse, but chomping at the bit (pun intended) as I usually do until I get to the third book, With A Tangled Skein--I love the way Piers addressed the three fates.
This was my holiday read and I really enjoyed it. I think Dick is my favourite author, his books are just so enjoyable and readable.
I've started Will Gibbons Neuromancer and to be honest, not all that jazzed by it. His style of writing isn't one I find enjoyable and so I'm struggling though it.
- 7,689
- Michigan
- Rallywgn81
I am currently listening to...
One of these days, I'll have the free time to actually read books again.
One of these days, I'll have the free time to actually read books again.
- 2,239
- caswellhouse
Past couple weeks I've read the new king novel, the outsider. Good read, typical disappointing ending.
I would consider it a 4th book in the Mercedes series.
I also read good omens from Terry pratchett and Neil gaiman published in 90 before either were known authors.
Great book, read it on friday while camping.
I would consider it a 4th book in the Mercedes series.
I also read good omens from Terry pratchett and Neil gaiman published in 90 before either were known authors.
Great book, read it on friday while camping.
DesertPenguin
(Banned)
- 10,691
- Long Island, New York
- DesertPenguin_
I found out that The Art Of Racing In The Rain is being made into a movie (and in production already!) so I'm rereading the book
- 7,689
- Michigan
- Rallywgn81
- 3,028
- Massachusetts
- GBO-Possum
I’m less than 10% through this on my Kindle, and it’s gripping! Reviews are singularly positive as well.
Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup
by John Carreyrou
Text below from Barnes and Noble:
“The full inside story of the breathtaking rise and shocking collapse of Theranos, the multibillion-dollar biotech startup, by the prize-winning journalist who first broke the story and pursued it to the end, despite pressure from its charismatic CEO and threats by her lawyers.
“In 2014, Theranos founder and CEO Elizabeth Holmes was widely seen as the female Steve Jobs: a brilliant Stanford dropout whose startup "unicorn" promised to revolutionize the medical industry with a machine that would make blood testing significantly faster and easier.
“Backed by investors such as Larry Ellison and Tim Draper, Theranos sold shares in a fundraising round that valued the company at more than $9 billion, putting Holmes's worth at an estimated $4.7 billion. There was just one problem: The technology didn't work.
“A riveting story of the biggest corporate fraud since Enron, a tale of ambition and hubris set amid the bold promises of Silicon Valley.”
Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup
by John Carreyrou
Text below from Barnes and Noble:
“The full inside story of the breathtaking rise and shocking collapse of Theranos, the multibillion-dollar biotech startup, by the prize-winning journalist who first broke the story and pursued it to the end, despite pressure from its charismatic CEO and threats by her lawyers.
“In 2014, Theranos founder and CEO Elizabeth Holmes was widely seen as the female Steve Jobs: a brilliant Stanford dropout whose startup "unicorn" promised to revolutionize the medical industry with a machine that would make blood testing significantly faster and easier.
“Backed by investors such as Larry Ellison and Tim Draper, Theranos sold shares in a fundraising round that valued the company at more than $9 billion, putting Holmes's worth at an estimated $4.7 billion. There was just one problem: The technology didn't work.
“A riveting story of the biggest corporate fraud since Enron, a tale of ambition and hubris set amid the bold promises of Silicon Valley.”
- 29,984
- Thailand
Having spent the last couple of months delightfully chewing through the LOTR trilogy for the second time in my life I wanted something a bit less involving to move on to. A friend gave me this and I started today.
Not overly impressed with the English usage after coming direct from Tolkien but I can live with it as long as the narrative stays interesting which it has for the time being.
Not overly impressed with the English usage after coming direct from Tolkien but I can live with it as long as the narrative stays interesting which it has for the time being.
- 28,470
- Windsor, Ontario, Canada
- Johnnypenso
One of the first sci-fi books I ever read back in high school. Really captured my imagination. Don't watch the movie though, it'll ruin the whole Dune experience
. If you like Herbert's writing style I'd highly recommend Destination Void and The Jesus Incident. My current book. Never having read it I nevertheless recommended it to a friend of mine who is fascinated by geopolitics but doesn't have a good handle on economics. I ordered it for him and after reading a few pages I decided to "borrow" it for a while and read it myself. Time to brush up a little. Dr. Sowell is one of the leading economists of our day and this book is written in plain english, devoid of graphs and charts, with countless real life current and historical examples used to illustrate his points. Deep enough to be relevant but not so deep you need a degree in economics to figure it all out.
- 29,984
- Thailand
One of the first sci-fi books I ever read back in high school. Really captured my imagination. Don't watch the movie though, it'll ruin the whole Dune experience
I saw the movie back when I was a wee babe in the late 80's and could barely remember it so I looked up some clips on Youtube and was horrified.
I love the story and the characters are great but I can't say I enjoy the writing style, it's really the only downside for me but I overlook it because the book as a whole is so enjoyable.
- 28,470
- Windsor, Ontario, Canada
- Johnnypenso
Haha, that's why I mentioned his writing style. I'm not a writer so I don't have the right words to describe it but dry is the word that often comes to mind. His characters often seem wooden and unemotional but I found the Dune series entertaining and fascinating nonetheless. Probably time to re-read it as I haven't had a go at Dune in probably 20 years. I believe Herbert was a a newspaper guy before he was a writer so that might explain some of his writing style.
- 3,334
- NJ
- koszak27
After hearing about how this book (and another book, Baron Trump's Marvellous Underground Journey, by the same author) had potential time travel implications, I decided to read it:
While I'm not convinced it has anything to do with time travel or the current POTUS, the 2nd sentence reads: "The city staggered under the blow like a huge ocean liner which plunges, full speed, with terrific crash into a mighty iceberg, and recoils shattered and trembling like an aspen." This book was written 16 years before the Titanic sank.
In any event, the book is more a lesson in economy than the clues of someone who knows the future in my opinion. It is a short read and the writing is remarkably modern for a 122 year old book.
While I'm not convinced it has anything to do with time travel or the current POTUS, the 2nd sentence reads: "The city staggered under the blow like a huge ocean liner which plunges, full speed, with terrific crash into a mighty iceberg, and recoils shattered and trembling like an aspen." This book was written 16 years before the Titanic sank.
In any event, the book is more a lesson in economy than the clues of someone who knows the future in my opinion. It is a short read and the writing is remarkably modern for a 122 year old book.
- 2,658
- Somewhere in the cloud
- GTP_Dutchy
I'm not so much of a book worm usually i'll read 1 book a year. This is the one i'm currently reading and i'm about halfway through.
Got to know tom clancy because i played a lot of rainbow six (1) and raven shield/ athena sword. Suprisingly i didn't start with rainbow six.
The first book i read was Teeth of the Tiger. then moved on to rainbow six. Recently I finished Locked on. When i'm done with this book i'll probably going to start without remorse and start following the timeline a bit more
Got to know tom clancy because i played a lot of rainbow six (1) and raven shield/ athena sword. Suprisingly i didn't start with rainbow six.
The first book i read was Teeth of the Tiger. then moved on to rainbow six. Recently I finished Locked on. When i'm done with this book i'll probably going to start without remorse and start following the timeline a bit more
- 24,619
- Anoka, MN
Recently I finished Locked on. When i'm done with this book i'll probably going to start without remorse and start following the timeline a bit more
If you do you won't regret it, there's a few rough spots but for the most part it's a great series. Once I'm caught up on the Mitch Rapp series I plan on picking back up where I left off with Jack Ryan (I've read up to Full Force and Effect).
- 2,658
- Somewhere in the cloud
- GTP_Dutchy
- 29,862
- a baby, candy, it's like taking.
- TexRex72
This has been sitting on the shelf looking at me, mocking me...
I've had it something like 15 years (since I discovered Poe's second album, Haunted, was composed as a sort of supplemental to the book--she and he are siblings) and haven't gotten more than halfway in despite at least a dozen attempts. I'm going to finish it this time, and I will have done so by year's end.
I've had it something like 15 years (since I discovered Poe's second album, Haunted, was composed as a sort of supplemental to the book--she and he are siblings) and haven't gotten more than halfway in despite at least a dozen attempts. I'm going to finish it this time, and I will have done so by year's end.
- 24,619
- Anoka, MN
That one has been in my queue for awhile, I'll eventually get to it.
Currently I'm reading book 3 of the Dark Tower series.
- 29,834
- Bratvegas
- GTP_Liquid
First book I've finished this year:
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (John Le Carre)
What's it about?
An old pro in the British intelligence service, George Smiley has to find out who is the USSR's mole in London.
A very good book that I found hugely enjoyable. I read this having read Le Carre's breakthrough novel The Spy Who Came In From The Cold and the two are quite different. Tinker, Tailor is not only longer but a lot more cerebral; it requires a lot more paying attention to the inferred information not explicitly said which did make it a very long read. I read the first 5/7ths in about a week and left a huge gap before actually finishing it now so I had to go back and re-read the previous two chapters to get up to speed again.
It's touted as being one of the best spy novels out there but I wouldn't go quite so far as that. I wouldn't call this book 'boring' but because the whole point of the book is more about about the mundane minutiae of spying rather than garrotting enemy henchmen in Morocco or using shoe telephones it plays out a lot more slowly than some other spy books I've read, including The Spy Who Came In From The Cold. There is less focus on action and more on thinking which is good if you want a book that is engaging and challenging.
But don't get me wrong, it's a great book and I hugely enjoyed it. There is a trilogy associated with this book and I do now want to go on to read the two following books in the series which are a direct sequel to this story.
In fact, now that I've read this, even though there was a Hollywood film made about this book in 2011, I'm going to watch the classic 1979 BBC serial because, y'know... Alec Guinness.
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (John Le Carre)
What's it about?
An old pro in the British intelligence service, George Smiley has to find out who is the USSR's mole in London.
A very good book that I found hugely enjoyable. I read this having read Le Carre's breakthrough novel The Spy Who Came In From The Cold and the two are quite different. Tinker, Tailor is not only longer but a lot more cerebral; it requires a lot more paying attention to the inferred information not explicitly said which did make it a very long read. I read the first 5/7ths in about a week and left a huge gap before actually finishing it now so I had to go back and re-read the previous two chapters to get up to speed again.
It's touted as being one of the best spy novels out there but I wouldn't go quite so far as that. I wouldn't call this book 'boring' but because the whole point of the book is more about about the mundane minutiae of spying rather than garrotting enemy henchmen in Morocco or using shoe telephones it plays out a lot more slowly than some other spy books I've read, including The Spy Who Came In From The Cold. There is less focus on action and more on thinking which is good if you want a book that is engaging and challenging.
But don't get me wrong, it's a great book and I hugely enjoyed it. There is a trilogy associated with this book and I do now want to go on to read the two following books in the series which are a direct sequel to this story.
In fact, now that I've read this, even though there was a Hollywood film made about this book in 2011, I'm going to watch the classic 1979 BBC serial because, y'know... Alec Guinness.
- 7,689
- Michigan
- Rallywgn81
Just recently finished book two of the "Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne." A fantasy epic that follows the lives of three royal siblings after their father, the Emperor of Annur, is assassinated. The sister is the Minister of Finance for the realm and is the first to know of the murder. The two brothers are far flung in the world, one training to be an elite warrior, the other, the heir to the throne, was sent to learn the ways of a clan of reclusive monks. The story is about the events that unfold after as both the brothers separately discover the death of their father and the desperate straits they find themselves in as they reconcile the loss and try to make their ways home and figure out what happened and what to do next. So far it's been one of the better fantasy series I've read.
I am a huge fan of this series. That is to say, I have read the series 3 times, listened to the audio books 4 or 5 times, have a tattoo of the Ka symbol and am working on starting a Business called Shardik Inc, mostly because North Central Positronics would get annoying to write after a while. Is this your first foray down the path of the beam? If so, get ready cause it gets even weirder after the 4th book.That one has been in my queue for awhile, I'll eventually get to it.
Currently I'm reading book 3 of the Dark Tower series.
Silver Arrows
(Banned)
- 4,715
- Brandon, MB
- Silver-Arrows21
