What book are you reading?

What book are you reading at the moment? It could have been a "YES RIGHT NOW!" thread, but books take a little longer to get through than songs, so you should only really need to post in this thread once a week (or longer).

I'm reading "To Kill A Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, and I was meant to have finished it by last September. I have an exam (mock GCSE) on it on January 9th, so I need to finish it soon.

EDIT: This thread is also so I can see what books might be worth buying, so feel free to post some info about the book, or make recommendations.

"Can Cows walk down stars" by various scientists

a great book answering all of life's little questions, like the one in the title

"Kafka on the Shore" by Haruki Murakami

War and Peace by good old Leo

space odessey 2061 bu auther c clarke brilliant book

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Originally Posted by ColdKnight

War and Peace by good old Leo

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That would've been the best book ever written if Anna Karenina didn't exist. Is this your first time through W&P?

'The Letter of Marque' by Patrock O'Brian.

Clancey: Rainbow Six. Just finished re-reading Taiko and Musashi by Eiji Yoshikawa.

I'm reading Bertrand Russell's Power.

It is an intense analysis of power is all its forms.

Here be dragons by Sharon Penman. Historical fiction about King John and the welsh Prince Lewellyn (or something like that) and it is basically about medieval England and Wales centered around John's bastard daughter who is wed to the Prince of Gwynned.

I was reading Tim O'Brien's The Things They Carried, but am now between books. By the way The Things They Carried is an extremely good book which is centered around the Vietnam War and things related to it like draft-dodging and readjusting to civilian life.

Couple of different things-Ranulph Fiennes's biography of Captain Scott, as well as Focault's Pendulum by Umberto Eco.

Critique of Pure Reason, Kant; and A New Essay concerning Human Understanding by Leibniz -- a pt. by pt. refutation of Locke's An Essay Concerning Human Understanding (actually just reading the bit on innatism).

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Originally Posted by Proletariat

That would've been the best book ever written if Anna Karenina didn't exist. Is this your first time through W&P?

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Yeah first reading of it. Why so?

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Originally Posted by TogakureOjonin

Just finished re-reading Taiko and Musashi by Eiji Yoshikawa.

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I'm about 130 pages into Musashi. It is very good so far.:book:

I'm reading "Osprey Essential Histories: Rome at War - Caesar and His Legacy". I just got it today, and it is very good so far. I'm in the Gallic Wars part :2thumbsup:

Roman Warfare by Adrian Goldsworthy

Great book...a must get...:2thumbsup:

Fever pitch (nick hornby)...crazy english people.

Just starting on The Plot Against America by Philip Roth. Fail to see how
Amazon UK could class it as the 'perfect partner' for Bob Dylan's Chronicles,
of all things. Don't intend to read through the latter to find out.

The Arms of Krupp, for the second time. Excellent book on the development of artillery from the 1800s onward and gives incredible insights on German history.

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Originally Posted by ColdKnight

Yeah first reading of it. Why so?

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Simply curious. I loved the depiction of what an anachronistic curmudgeon was like during the 1850's Russia. The Bolkonski Father is definitely my favorite Tolstoy character.

Are you enjoying the book?

Cien Años de Soledad, by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. For those of you who don't trust your Spanish, you can pick up a copy by the title of A Hundred Years of Solitude-- I have heard that the translation is quite good. An incredible book.

DA

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Originally Posted by Del Arroyo

Cien Años de Soledad, by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. For those of you who don't trust your Spanish, you can pick up a copy by the title of A Hundred Years of Solitude-- I have heard that the translation is quite good. An incredible book.

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Yup. In my opinion a Hispanic equivalent of War and Peace; I read the translation, though. Don't know Spanish.

Both are glorious books -- "world class."

Right now? Ha! My intellectual self is soundly in hybernation ("half dead"). Might go and buy some books the day after tomorrow if I could. I need to look for some "serious literature."

Just finished both Black like me and Anthem, and will start re-reading The Prince again soon.

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Originally Posted by AntiochusIII

Might go and buy some books the day after tomorrow if I could.

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You could pick up a copy of Memoria de Mis Putas Tristes, in English under the title Memories of my Melancholy Whores or something like that-- Gabriel Garcia Marquez's latest. A very good book, and short (yay!). I've heard nothing about the translation, but I suspect it may be good enough.

DA

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Originally Posted by Big King Sanctaphrax

Focault's Pendulum by Umberto Eco.

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Cool.

I'm reading Celts: History and Civilization by Venceslas Kruta. It's less of a text and more like a photo-documentary.

I'm re-reading Stephen and Matilda: the Civil War 1139-54 by Jim Bradbury (some of you may guess why), I just finished Enemy of God by good old Cornwell and reading bits of On War. I would also be reading the Pale Horseman by Cornwell again, but I forgot it at home. I'm supposed to read l'Ingenu by Voltaire, but I just forgot about. Philosophy and me do not mix.

For school I have required reading (To Kill A Mockingbird) But in my spare time im currently reading The Enemy Within and Liberalism is a Mental Disorder (I love that title.)

eh, not reading but writing

Hungarian Chronicles
The rise and fall of a nation

Der Steppenwolf by Herman Hesse, and Ides of March by Thornton Wilder. Also sporadically reading Caesar's Civil War.

The Double by Dostojevskij

I have two on the go. Non-fiction is Sahib by Richard Holmes. Fiction is The Hundred Days by Patrick O'Brian.

Have loads of books waiting in the wings (especially after Christmas). May have to psyche myself up for The Eastern Front, 1941-45, German Troops and the Barbarisation of Warfare!:help:

"The Weekend Novelist" by Robert J. Ray. Someone told me it was an excellent book for someone with literary ambitions but little time. After reading (very slowly) through four-fifth of the book, I do not agree. But it does have some interesting points.

At the moment I'm reading:

Franco-Prussian War: The German conquest of France in 1870-1871
by Geoffery (spelling?) Wawro.

The Art of War
by Sun-Tzu

"Cryptonomican" by Neal Stephenson.

I picked up "The Running Man" by Richard Bachman/Steven King as a time killer at the DMV. About 60 pages to go, nothing like the movie, thankfully.

I'm just about to start Stalingrad (Beevor), as well as slowly reading 'Does anything eat wasps' (New Scientist) and a collection of the Onion from 2003-04.

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Stalingrad (Beevor)

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Excelent book, if not mildly disturbing at times.

Right now I've got my face in alot. There's The Ecology of Freedom by Murray Bookchin, Desolation Angels by Jack Kerouac, Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott (on again off again), The Princeton Review's Best 361 Colleges (on again off again), as well as my continuous reading and rereading of On The Road, also by Kerouac. And more short stories and essays than I want to consider (have to read and analyze 10 of each instead of taking a final exam).

American Spartans The US Marines combat history

and for fun Conapiracy Theories:2thumbsup:

Uhm, Rituelen. Nieuwe en oude gebruiken in Nederland (Rituals. New and old customs in the Netherlands) by Jef de Jager, starting in The shadow of the wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon, rereading (for the 3rd time) the appendices in The Lord of the Rings, and The Histories of Gregory of Tours (on and off for months now).


Maybe I should actually start reading again for my thesis as well...

currently reading Ceasar by Colleen McCullough, only just started so cant comment on it yet.

Also just read a book about the Nuremberg WW2 trials, by a Russian lawyer who was a spectator during the trials - Can't think of his name at the moment.
I liked the book, he gives a bunch of information on how the high ranking Nazi leaders behaved during the trial and gives good comment on how they tried to defend themselves and how the prosecution attacked those often feeble attempts.
Good read for those who are interested.

:balloon2:

Soldiers and Ghosts by J.E. Lendon. :book:

A magnificent read...

Dutch Guy, I just finished Caesar, and I'd be interested to chat with you when you're done. The author just seems to be getting stronger as she rolls along. My $0.25 summation of the whole Masters of Rome series: Great historical detail, iffy hypotheses about major historical characters, mediocre writing. In other words, enough for me to keep reading. Not everything needs to be a masterpiece.

I'm currently reading Pride of Carthage, mostly because it's the biggest Roman-era historical novel my local library had laying about. Entirely unsure of what I think of it. A few great passages, some really tedious exposition. And as always when reading a novel about Hannibal, the sheer lack of detailed knowledge about Carthiginian culture shines through. It's very different from reading about Caesar, where there's a plethora of ancient sources.

Anybody else slogging through big historical books?

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Originally Posted by TogakureOjonin

Clancey: Rainbow Six. Just finished re-reading Taiko and Musashi by Eiji Yoshikawa.

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I've also just finished Musashi and although it's good I was a
bit disappointed because of the style. I guess it's my german translation
because it reads as if it was translated 30 years ago.
I noticed a lot of paralells to Lone Wolf and Cub in the storyline.
It seems that LWaC was strongly inspired by Musashi.

I've also finished Neal Stephenson's trilogy "Baroque Circle".
I'd strongly recommend them. The best books I've read in 2005.

~:cheers:

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Originally Posted by Slyspy

I have two on the go. Non-fiction is Sahib by Richard Holmes. Fiction is The Hundred Days by Patrick O'Brian.

Have loads of books waiting in the wings (especially after Christmas). May have to psyche myself up for The Eastern Front, 1941-45, German Troops and the Barbarisation of Warfare!:help:

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I had to bite my tounge to keep from laughing there. :laugh4:

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Originally Posted by evil_maniac from mars

At the moment I'm reading:

Franco-Prussian War: The German conquest of France in 1870-1871
by Geoffery (spelling?) Wawro.

The Art of War
by Sun-Tzu

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Oh, and by the way, I also have these lined up to read next:

The Prince
by Niccolo Machiavelli

The Communist Manifesto
by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels

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LotR, The Return of the King :charge:
.

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Originally Posted by Mouzafphaerre

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LotR, The Return of the King :charge:
.

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Well I'll be damned, after all the praise I gave Harry Potter you are still reading a tale about to youth-friends from a world full of fairy's that go to all sorts of trouble to climb a mountain with a bloody ring?

for shame!

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Originally Posted by Lemurmania

Dutch Guy, I just finished Caesar, and I'd be interested to chat with you when you're done. The author just seems to be getting stronger as she rolls along. My $0.25 summation of the whole Masters of Rome series: Great historical detail, iffy hypotheses about major historical characters, mediocre writing. In other words, enough for me to keep reading. Not everything needs to be a masterpiece.


Anybody else slogging through big historical books?

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So far after having read te first 80 pages of the book I'm starting to like it more and more, which is a good thing since the start of the book was rather slow.
This is my first book in the masters of Rome series and if all the books are like this one, keep getting better and better once you keep reading , then I might continue the series.

Though I should continue reading, can't really be certain considering I've only just started.

Thanks for the advice though Lemurmania.

Also I've just finished the 3rd book in the Emperor ( by Con Iggulden (sp ? ) series ( fiction novel about Caesar's entire life )which I enjoyed reading a lot.
Anyone else read the series. ?

I would recommend it if you like the era and don't mind a few historical changes for the sake of the story, and don't worry it's nothing major

:balloon2:

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Originally Posted by Fragony

Well I'll be damned, after all the praise I gave Harry Potter you are still reading a tale about to youth-friends from a world full of fairy's that go to all sorts of trouble to climb a mountain with a bloody ring?

for shame!

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That's the Incompatible language films, not the books! :stare:
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Reading a Fanasty Novel now for pure recreational reading. To The Green Angle Tower, by Tad Williams

http://www.tadwilliams.com/angel_tower.html

My next reading will be a history book - just haven't decided which one.

Jared Diamond's Guns, Germs, and Steel http://www.wwnorton.com/catalog/spring99/gunsgerms.htm
Actually, picking it back up after a hiatus. Idaho recommended it, so I got it last spring; fascinating examination of how chance tech advances let some groups leap-frog others.

I hear someone made a TV presentation of it, but I've not seen it. I wonder if it was any good.

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Originally Posted by Lemurmania

Anybody else slogging through big historical books?

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I posted before that I'm re-reading The Arms of Krupp. I think that qualifies. Great book.

By some insanity, I've lost my biography of W.T.Sherman by Liddell Hart in my 10x10 bedroom. You'd think that wouldn't be possible but it is. I was re-reading that one as well and was half way through.

When I'm finished with Krupp, and if I still can't find Sherman, I'm going to finally read Livy's The War with Hannibal which has been on my shelf for a year.

just Sabriel, and Catcher in the Rye again.

oh yeah and i'm just finishing up "The Stand" great peice of work.

At the moment I am reading "Ivanhoe" by Sir Walter Scott. I got about 100 pages left, its quite good realy, although a quite heavy read.
But I am a fan of older english (100-200 years ago 'ish written) so it's rather a joy then a curse.

Burning Angel, by James Lee Burke. after that i will read the second part in an interesting mediaeval fantasy trilogy, The Wounded Hawk, from The Crucible Series, by Sara Douglass...

just read Tim Severin's (English readers may recall him as the adventurer and archaeologist who builds traditional Celtic boats and recreats insanely long voyages at great risk to life and limb...) first novel in a trilogy about Vikings, really good stuff, including a good treatment of the legendary battle of Clontarf.

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Anybody else slogging through big historical books?

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big historical books that i never managed to get through include somebody-or-other's (possibly Bertram Wolfe) biography of Henry VI...gah. too much finance...

<-----WW1 junky

The Unknown Soldier by Neil Hanson

The one book I'd recommend for some mental relaxation is Summer of night by Dan Simmons, damn fine fun.

Lemurmania, I gave up on pride of carthage, can you recommend something that's accurate in relation to carthaginian customs etc? A friends been raving about a book he found on it, but he's gone off to south america for 6 months without telling me the title or author

Nostradamus ate my hamster --> Robert Rankin, very funny :laugh4:

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Originally Posted by Scurvy

Nostradamus ate my hamster --> Robert Rankin, very funny :laugh4:

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Can you pweeeease laugh with your mouth shut, the scurvy thang ain't purdy, & it sure as sheet ain't funny

edited cos I can't spell YOUR =P

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Originally Posted by Prodigal

Can you pweeeease laugh with your mouth shut, the scurvy thang ain't purdy, & it sure as sheet ain't funny

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am i supposed to understand that? :dizzy2:

Picture of dorian Gray - Oscar wilde, or trying to finish...

also broggling round looking for Anna Karenina, sure it was round here somewhere...

Currently reading the Fall of Carthage by Adrian Goldsworthy and after it's time for Hans von Luck's memoirs. ~D

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The Hobbit, 2nd time two weeks after the first. :book2:
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German Medieval Armies 1000-1300. It is an Osprey Book.

I got the following books for christmas:
German Medieval Armies 1000-1300
German Medieval Armies 1300-1500
Swiss at War 1300-1500
Medieval European Armies
Armies of Medieval Russia 750-1250
Medieval Russian Armies 1250-1500

I started with the Medieval European Armies book because it is very general and gave me a sort of introduction to the period.

Don't know if it counts as reading, but I just finished The Ugly American. Absolutely wonderful.

Dragon and the Raven by G.A. Hentry

Gods and Legions by Michael Curtis Ford, about the Emperor Julian the Apostate

I'll start The Historian soon, maybe in a couple of days, anyone read it?

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Originally Posted by Proletariat

That would've been the best book ever written if Anna Karenina didn't exist. Is this your first time through W&P?

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This is neither correct for Russian literature nor literature in general. But, I still like you. ~:)

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Originally Posted by Redleg

Reading a Fanasty Novel now for pure recreational reading. To The Green Angle Tower, by Tad Williams

http://www.tadwilliams.com/angel_tower.html

My next reading will be a history book - just haven't decided which one.

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That is a good one, I read it about 10 years ago.

I'm reading the 11th book in the Wheel of Time... I should say I read the prologue then went looking for something that actually has pace to it.

Reading WoT was easy before as I used to read such a huge volume of works that WoT was a nice diversion from the others, now it seems to slow without the other ones to balance my book diet.

I am reading: "Mongols and Mamluks : The Mamluk-Ilkhanid War, 1260-1281"

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/052...lance&n=283155

A Game of Thrones

Brilliant Book by George R.R. Martin

A year in the merde, by Stephen Clarke

"The Golems Eye", and "The Firm"

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Originally Posted by Pindar

This is neither correct for Russian literature nor literature in general. But, I still like you. ~:)

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I'm as uncultured as your next medical field-educated Philistine, but I always figured he was part of the Golden Age of Russian Lit.

Do you consider Tolkein's work literature? (Yes, I'll get back to you on him at the private bidale, once I get a little more time)

Great Expectations. It's pretty boring so far. I'm hoping it will start moving a little faster soon. I'm at PG 5o so far.

Reading "The Coast Guard"

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/088...Fencoding=UTF8

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Originally Posted by Wakizashi

A Game of Thrones
Brilliant Book by George R.R. Martin

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With a few exceptions, I'm rarely captivated by fantasy. GRRM is one of those exceptions. ~:)
He will need to do well on A Dance With Dragons, because his latest, A Feast For Crows, was hardly satisfying.

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Originally Posted by Proletariat

I'm as uncultured as your next medical field-educated Philistine, but I always figured he was part of the Golden Age of Russian Lit.

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I would agree Tolstoy was part of Russia's Literary Golden Age, but I wouldn't put Anna Karenina as the best book ever written. I wouldn't even give it the best book honor for the 19th Century.

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Do you consider Tolkein's work literature?

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Yes.

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Originally Posted by Proletariat

Do you consider Tolkein's work literature?

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I do. What makes them (re)readable is much more the literature than the content. :yes:
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The Civil war and the wars of the Nineteenth Century by Brian Holden Reid.

A very good book with maps and drawings of the battles and of the countries of the time as well as pictures and drawings of the men and their equipment. I am enjoying it immensely as it deals with a topic I didn't really know that much about (I knew a bit but not much in depth)

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Originally Posted by Mouzafphaerre

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I do. What makes them (re)readable is much more the literature than the content. :yes:
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Tolkien disagreed. He got a bit tired of people searching for references. It is a (fun) fairytale, no more no less. And I already explained why LOTR is more gay then all the gaping assholes in the world combined.

Soooooo how is Harry Potter doing :book: Now THAT is literature :P