Author Topic: OT: From the Bookshelf (Read 49732 times)

kimmer · « **Reply #15 on:** February 17, 2006, 11:22:23 AM »

dakota, I like your idea of finding good books for your grandkids. Reading to your grandchildren is a great way to have a positive influence in their lives.

Since my last post here, I finished reading "Passing on the Comfort, The War, The Quilts and the Women Who Made a Difference". This book is heart-warming, touching and worth the read even if you aren't into quilts. I think I'll start another thread about it -- because some of you may be interested in a different aspect of the book. I will tell you that this book really spoke to my heart.

I also read another Vince Flynn political thriller, and a light mystery from Tamar Myers: "Assault and Pepper"-- that had me rolling.

Currently I'm reading, "The Man Who Never Was". It's dry and more technical than I like -- but interesting.

I started 6, or was it 7? books -- and dumped them all after a chapter or two. They just didn't interest me for one reason or another.

Today we are heading up the road and one of our stops is the used book store. I'm taking 18 books that I will use to open an "account". Not sure how many books I'll bring home.

kimmer

sandbox · « **Reply #16 on:** February 17, 2006, 12:16:11 PM »

this was a good book by a Professor at CalTech
Black Holes_The Membrane Paradigm

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/030003770...glance&n=283155

I also found Tom Friedman's Flat World an inspirational read.

http://www.thomaslfriedman.com/worldisflat.htm

Prior to my reentry into the computer world I always had a bookmark with something to do.

eric j · « **Reply #17 on:** February 17, 2006, 12:53:53 PM »

My eyesight's less good now so I buy fewer books. I read plays still, being an active member of an amateur drama group - http://www.semi-circle.ch/ - in Basel.

I tend to enjoy ambiguity, but not only.

Some books that have impressed me in recent years are:

The Master and Marguerita by Mikhail Bulgakov (a Russian classic from the 20's, banned by Stalin)

If This is a Man by Primo Levy

If on a Winter's Night a Traveller by Italo Calvino

The Quantity Theory of Insanity by Will Self

The Leopard by Guiseppe di Lampedusa

Miss Smilla's Feeling for Snow by Peter Hoeg

Sophie's Choice by William Styron

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon.
The narrator in the book is a 15-years-old boy suffering from autism. An incredible - and uplifting - insight into a state of mind that most of us cannot imagine. (One of my daughters is a speech therapist who has encountered this mental condition among her pupils).

Among the authors are at least one Nobel prizewinner and a Pullitzer prizewinner. Not all of the books may be currently in print in the USA.

Anyone interested in Russia might enjoy:

Natasha's Dance by Orlando Figes "A Cultural History of Russia". Be prepared for some 725 pages. I found it fascinating.

Already too much. Time to stop.

eric j

Shades of Gray · « **Reply #18 on:** February 18, 2006, 01:41:54 PM »

For fiction, I enjoy legal and police mysteries, such as

Stephen Booth (mystery writer: British)

Black Dog

Dancing with the Virgins

Blood on the Tongue

Blind to the Bones

One Last Breath

The Dead Place - haven't read this yet...

==============

Sheldon Siegel (San Francisco legal mysteries: U. S.)

Special Circumstances

Incriminating Evidence

Criminal Intent

Final Verdict

The Confession

================

Patricia Rushford (children's mysteries and police mysteries)

Series: Max and Me Mysteries (8-12 yr old)

Series: Jenny McGrady Mysteries

Series: Angel Delaney Mysteries

Series: The McAllister Files

Series: Helen Bradley

Series: Sins of the Mother

==============

Non-fiction: theology, history, biography, computer software, mathematics

(with degrees in Mathematics, National Security Affairs, Divinity, Exegetical Theology - I have an interest in many topics!!)

I usually have 3-5 books going at th same time, and an extra in the car. You never know when traffic will alow five minutes of reading!

weldiger · « **Reply #19 on:** February 18, 2006, 01:47:28 PM »

Dakota
here are a few places for free reading online, or free downloads for e reader.
I am loving some old Mark Twain stories that I have on Palm to read instead of even older magazines in Dr. office!
You mentioned Water Babies
one of my
Favorite sites

Shalom
weldiger

gunug · « **Reply #20 on:** February 19, 2006, 03:06:59 PM »

Kelly - Thanks, I've read the Ringo "MARCH" one's except for the last one on that list. I appreciate most of what BAEN puts out and have read a number of the one's you can download for free on my Pocket PC. I also have been reading a lot of Mercedes Lackey's books.

There is also a BAEN series about a town in West Virginia being suddenly taken back to the 17th Century that is pretty good but somewhat fragmentary; I like to read books in the sequence they were written and like to know I can get me hands on all of the volumes!

kelly · « **Reply #21 on:** February 23, 2006, 07:17:23 PM »

gunug. Just finished Weber's latest Harrington Book At All Costs.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honor_Harrington

Like all the books in that series, it could use more editing/cutting.

Say, about 300 of the 830 pages.

But all in all it's probably the best he's done.

kbeartx · « **Reply #22 on:** February 23, 2006, 09:09:18 PM »

QUOTE(MamaMoose @ Jan 31 2006, 1:20 AM)

I read mostly new fiction: techno thrillers, World War II stuff, mysteries, and noir detective stuff.

MM -

Neal Stephenson: Snow Crash, The Diamond Age, and Cryptonomicon all fit into your categories. I suspect you will LOVE them [if you haven't already]; I did.

Recently began Laurie King's The Beekeeper's Apprentice and I'm thoroughly enjoying it [a bright teenage girl meets the retired Sherlock Holmes, and they click].

- KB

gunug · « **Reply #23 on:** February 26, 2006, 04:45:45 AM »

Kelly - Thanks for the personal review and the link. I'll probably break down and buy this one (I bought the last one with a CD that included all of the previous one's in Acrobat and LIT formats).

weldiger - I can recommend:

http://www.blackmask.com

&

http://digital.library.upenn.edu/books/

The Online Books Page is the UPENN's crowning achievement! I have edited the format of the text or html books a little and then "printed" them to PDF's using OS X's facility for this.
My latest from Blackmask was H. Ryder Haggard's A Winter Pilgrimage!

kelly · « **Reply #24 on:** March 01, 2006, 09:41:33 PM »

Found a writer I like better than Robert B. Parker.

Read four so far. The Library has about all of them.

http://www.robertcrais.com/novels.htm

QuickTime Ad

http://www.robertcrais.com/audio/audio_spo...-la_requiem.mov

http://www.robertcrais.com/media.htm

kimmer · « **Reply #25 on:** March 01, 2006, 10:07:47 PM »

^Oh wow! I'll be hitting the library to see if I can find one of his books -- looks good.

I finished my latest book today -- "Burden of Proof" by Scott Turow. Gads. I bought it because I like the movie, "Presumed Innocent" based on his book. I hoped this book would be as good. WRONG! I only finished the book because I wanted to know who the rat was that was talking to the FBI -- but what a disappointing book. It was more like a poorly written romance novel -- complete with the bedroom escapes of a newly widowed 60-something. *blech* I sure won't be buying any more of Turow's books.

kelly · « **Reply #26 on:** March 01, 2006, 11:10:14 PM »

I just lucked into Robert Crais.

I saw the movie Hostage with Bruce Willis.

http://imdb.com/title/tt0340163/

http://imdb.com/name/nm0186101/

The comments section mentioned him and it sounded like good stuff.

Great to find a whole new Series to read.

Especially when it's really good.

kimmer · « **Reply #27 on:** March 02, 2006, 06:59:00 PM »

^Gosh, we just watched this movie a month or so ago. I never thought to go look up the author.

I notice he wrote for "JAG", "Earth 2", "Cagney and Lacey" and others. Yeesh ... I need to pay more attention.

I can't believe my reading streak - after Turow, I have read 3-5 pages of 3 different books and put them all in the "sell or leave in a coffee shop" pile.

Hope the next book in the pile is better.

Hoping to get to the used book store next week. I'd like to find a Crais book (library is a no go), and I'm hoping to find "The Queen's Fool" by Philippa Gregory.

At least I have "Inkspell" tucked away if need be -- although I have been saving this book as my "housewarming" present to myself.

kelly · « **Reply #28 on:** March 02, 2006, 07:35:36 PM »

What stood out for me was writing for Hill Street Blues.

http://www.robertcrais.com/bio.htm

Too bad about the Library.

We have a great Public Library in Iowa City.

Some of his Books were Best Sellers.

So there's a chance you can find some used.

kimmer · « **Reply #29 on:** March 03, 2006, 06:48:36 PM »

The library here is a sad joke. They have plans to expand the building, and with that they are hoping to have a better selection of books; but they depend a great deal on donations. I can try the "inter-library" loan system, but I have to pay for the books that come that way and only get to keep them a week or less -- depends on the book.

I'll let you know how my book scouting trip goes.

I struck out on book #4. I'm almost afraid to try #5 in the pile.

I may re-read a Diane Mott Davidson -- at least I know I'll like it. hahaha

News:

Author Topic: OT: From the Bookshelf (Read 49732 times)