What have you been reading lately?

[grateful1]

My year end performance review!

 

[nfulton]

I've fast become interested in our Native American history. I have read several boring old studies (it's exciting to me) and such on the tribes around Marietta and their movements westward. It all started after I read "The Mayflower" by Nathaniel Philbrick. It is a recommended read. I also just finished "Cod" and "Salt" by Mark Kurlansky and I would recommend them as well.

 

[cookie_1978]

I am reading The Big Bam to my 7 year old son - He and I are both enjoying it.

 

[stevehawk]

Seeing the type of books you’ve been reading, may I humbly suggest that you take a look at this short list of written works.

The list is incomplete, but I have a feeling that each of you can find something that is enjoyable to read and has more longevity than novels by Dan Brown, Tom Clancy, Stephen King, or John Grisham.

LMAO!

I gave it only a cursory scan, but recognized a dozen or so on that list that I've read. If I were a career student, I might be required to read a few more of them. Fortunately, I'm a full-grown adult and, as such, am able to select my own reading material.

 

[Ginseng]

Penthouse Letters. :whistling:

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

I have almost no time to read recreationally aside from cigar magazines, and the popular and natural science magazines at the newsstand.

I read to my daughter every night and I cycle through my comic book collection. Presently I'm working through the box of underground comix from the mid-late 1970's. Damn, they sure don't write stuff like that anymore. Anyone remember Kitchen Sink Press? ???

Wilkey

 

[CoventryCat86]

Jaguar Service Manuals.

 

[Mark Twain]

Seeing the type of books you’ve been reading, may I humbly suggest that you take a look at this short list of written works.

The list is incomplete, but I have a feeling that each of you can find something that is enjoyable to read and has more longevity than novels by Dan Brown, Tom Clancy, Stephen King, or John Grisham.

LMAO!

I gave it only a cursory scan, but recognized a dozen or so on that list that I've read. If I were a career student, I might be required to read a few more of them. Fortunately, I'm a full-grown adult and, as such, am able to select my own reading material.

:laugh:

This is not required reading, this is the type of reading one does after they realize the difference between Melville, Twain, Faulkner, and Hemingway opposed to Brown, Clancy, King, or Grisham. Very few living writers are a part of that list I linked. The only way a writer can truly be part of the Literary Canon is after they’re dead.

I don’t think many people will read books by Brown, Clancy, King, or Grisham after they’re dead because they are plot driven novels that follow a set formula designed to sell the most books. I don’t waste my time reading these books because they just become redundant over time. I find it much quicker to watch a bad movie as entertainment than to read bad fiction. A bad movie is over in a couple of hours; a bad book will take you much longer to finish.

 

[AVB]

I may may suggest Evelyn Wood, I usually can do a 400 page book in well under 3 hours. YMMV

 

[tigger]

I find it much quicker to watch a bad movie as entertainment than to read bad fiction. A bad movie is over in a couple of hours; a bad book will take you much longer to finish.

Though a bad book allows one to use one's bad imagination to interpret it.

Like I said, I'm a literary slut, prone to rolling around with just about any tome that riffles its pages at me.

 

[Mark Twain]

I may may suggest Evelyn Wood, I usually can do a 400 page book in well under 3 hours. YMMV

Speed reading has its drawbacks. :whistling:

Though a bad book allows one to use one's bad imagination to interpret it.

Like I said, I'm a literary slut, prone to rolling around with just about any tome that riffles its pages at me.

:laugh: I think you'd like Henry Miller's Tropic of Cancer.

 

[Zeebra]

I actually just finished re-reading Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code after watching the movie. Now I'm waiting on Godfather's - Revenge by Mark Winegardner. Huge Godfather fan here. Just picked one up on ebay and should be here any day now.

I here Dan Brown is coming out with another in '07. I look forward to that as well.

I'm a huge Godfather fan as well -- did you actually enjoy Godfather Returns? I was so disappointed.

I didn't finish it Zeebra. I was somewhat dissappointed from what I read. I may have read a 100pages a few months back and never got around to it again. It just didn't do much for me. That's why I'm hoping 'Revenge' is better but I do plan on giving 'Returns' another try. I thought maybe it was because I didn't read the original Godfather so more than likely that will be my next book after Revenge. Kind of working backwards here.

Oh man, do yourself a favour and go read the original Godfather! Then read The Sicilian by Puzo and then you can read The Last Don and Omerta if you're into mafia books

 

[xRanger]

Have not read these lately, but they are my favorite all time series of books. "The Chronicles of The Black Company" by Glen Cook. Nine books in the series, and I could probably read them over and over if I had the time.

Linky

Bill

 

[Gonz]

I'm going to try not to take it as an insult to my intellect because you think some of the books I enjoy are "bad fiction".

Besides, just because you may not have enjoyed a particular read or author does not make it a bad book. To each his own, just please try not to insult the rest of us because you don't like it.

 

[Zeebra]

Last book I read was "Rich Dad, Poor Dad".

I thought it would have been "Tiara's and the manly image"

 

[MiamiCubano]

Just about to finish "One Square Mile of Hell" by John Wukovits.
Outstanding book.

 

[Devil Doc]

The Original Illustrated Sherlock Holmes by A. Conan Doyle.

Doc.

 

[Mark Twain]

I'm going to try not to take it as an insult to my intellect because you think some of the books I enjoy are "bad fiction".

Besides, just because you may not have enjoyed a particular read or author does not make it a bad book. To each his own, just please try not to insult the rest of us because you don't like it.

I do not insult your intellect, the point I'm trying to make is that there is a difference between reading the canon and reading the books that you listed. A "good" book IMO is a book that is still read after the author is dead. A "bad" book will not be read after an author dies. I don't think people will be reading most of the books written today 100 years from now.

 

[smokelaw1]

I find it much quicker to watch a bad movie as entertainment than to read bad fiction. A bad movie is over in a couple of hours; a bad book will take you much longer to finish.

Though a bad book allows one to use one's bad imagination to interpret it.

Like I said, I'm a literary slut, prone to rolling around with just about any tome that riffles its pages at me.

Great line, Tim. Have you read the new Thomas Pynchon? I just ordered it. After my recent third time through Gravities Rainbow (I read it with the companion this time) I figure it's time to give GR a break, and find a new neighbor for it and The Crying of Lot 49.

 

[Mark Twain]

I find it much quicker to watch a bad movie as entertainment than to read bad fiction. A bad movie is over in a couple of hours; a bad book will take you much longer to finish.

Though a bad book allows one to use one's bad imagination to interpret it.

Like I said, I'm a literary slut, prone to rolling around with just about any tome that riffles its pages at me.

Great line, Tim. Have you read the new Thomas Pynchon? I just ordered it. After my recent third time through Gravities Rainbow (I read it with the companion this time) I figure it's time to give GR a break, and find a new neighbor for it and The Crying of Lot 49.

Three times through Gravity's Rainbow! Wow, I had trouble reading it just once, LOL. I have not read his new book, I wasn't too impressed with Mason & Dixon compared to V and The Crying of Lot 49.

 

[AVB]

I don't think that death has a cause and effect relationship on whether or not an author is "good". Many authors didn't do well during their lifetimes and are now considered great, but some did. Also, it takes time for a work to reach enough people to have a societal opinion formed which skews the odds of a great author being dead.