What are you reading?

[ewomack]

Almost done with a small biography of Andrew Johnson, 17th president of the US. Those were also some awful times. I'll refrain from further comment.

 

[Glasspack]

Jim,

I too have seen the October Sky movie 10 times. I got the book Rocket Boys for Christmas this past year and I am almost done reading it for the 2bd time. !

 

[Greg Furtman]

@Glasspack @Jim Hinton , after reading Rocket Boys you should read Homer Hikam's "From Rocket Boys to October Sky". It is a very intersting read and sheds a lot of light on both the writing of the book and the making of the movie. I really enjoyed it.

 

[jadebox]

@Glasspack @Jim Hinton , after reading Rocket Boys you should read Homer Hikam's "From Rocket Boys to October Sky". It is a very intersting read and sheds a lot of light on both the writing of the book and the making of the movie. I really enjoyed it.

Even though it has no rockets, I also recommend Homer Hickam's Carrying Albert Home. It has the same nostalgic spirit of October Sky with a touch more historical whimsy.

 

[Jim Hinton]

@Glasspack @Jim Hinton , after reading Rocket Boys you should read Homer Hikam's "From Rocket Boys to October Sky". It is a very intersting read and sheds a lot of light on both the writing of the book and the making of the movie. I really enjoyed it.

Thanks Greg, I'll have to check that out. He has a real interesting style of writing.

Jim

 

[Jim Hinton]

Even though it has no rockets, I also recommend Homer Hickam's Carrying Albert Home. It has the same nostalgic spirit of October Sky with a touch more historical whimsy.

Hi Greg;
I saw an ad for 'Carrying Albert Home'. It sounded kind of intriguing, transporting a gator has to be interesting. I was particularly noticing that she was given the gator by her then beau, Buddy Ebsen. I'm sure that there is more to that story that we will never hear.

Jim

 

[Hobie1dog]

replacecapitalism.com
very interesting, 23 short chapters by Marshall Brain

 

[Greg Furtman]

replacecapitalism.com
very interesting, 23 short chapters by Marshall Brain

Looks like an interesting read. Thanks.

 

[RocketGeekInFL]

 

[Sooner Boomer]

Just finnished "Makers" by Cory Doctorow. It's a taleabout thenear future. It can be seentwo ways -either as adistopicprediction abut economic downturn and cast-oo tech (and people), or a message of hope and an encouragement that we can overcome whatever happens.
It primarily revolved around a couple of "makers" (in previous times, they would be called "hackers"), who develop ways for individuals to come together and form tech-based social groups to produce andsell small itoem/products.

 

[Cape Byron]

Not reading, but downloaded and added to the list:

Strangled Infant: The Boeing X-20A Dyna-Soar by Clarence Geiger

 

[jadebox]

Hi Greg;
I saw an ad for 'Carrying Albert Home'. It sounded kind of intriguing, transporting a gator has to be interesting. I was particularly noticing that she was given the gator by her then beau, Buddy Ebsen. I'm sure that there is more to that story that we will never hear.

Not giving anything from the novel, but Buddy Ebsen attended Rollins College near Orlando, Florida. My wife and I attended a book-signing for Carrying Albert Home at Rollins College (some years later).

 

[Cl(VII)]

The Quantum Garden by Derek Kunsken

Pure brain candy, no danger of learning anything or stimulating deep thoughts.

 

[Alan Whitmore]

Two books at this moment. The biggest is Shelby Foote's 3 volume "The Civil War, A Narrative". 2 million words, according to the author himself in a PBS interview from about 25 years ago. I'm up to Gettysburg now and it has only taken me 3 months. Foote was such a fine writer that you just want to slow down and savor every word. The other is a fabulous little volume by Bland Simpson called "The Great Dismal, a Carolinian's Swamp Memoir". Purely by coincidence, Foote was an undergraduate at UNC-Chapel Hill before WW2, Simpson taught creative writing at UNC-CH in the 1980s and 90's, and I managed to receive both a AB in Chemistry and a PhD in Genetics from that once-great academic institution.
Alan

 

[Cl(VII)]

I managed to receive both a AB in Chemistry and a PhD in Genetics from that once-great academic institution.
Alan

Man, I thought only we took shots at UNC that way. -Duke ’07 (grad school)

 

[Marc_G]

The Quantum Garden by Derek Kunsken

Pure brain candy, no danger of learning anything or stimulating deep thoughts.

Love the Quantum series. As you say, no danger of learning, but fun and compelling reads!

 

[Ez2cDave]

replacecapitalism.com
very interesting, 23 short chapters by Marshall Brain

To me, this is far more interesting .

https://www.amazon.ca/Rules-Deplorables-Fighting-Radical-Socialism/dp/0692170987

https://www.amazon.com/Rules-Defeating-Radicals-Countering-Strategy/dp/1733218203

 

[sandeja1]

"How to: Absolute scientific advice for common real-world problems" by Randall Munroe

He is the creator of: https://www.xkcd.com

 

[cwbullet]

I am reading to COVID Clinical Practice Guidelines. I may fall asleep and get a concussion from hitting my head on the desk.

 

[Ez2cDave]

I am reading to COVID Clinical Practice Guidelines. I may fall asleep and get a concussion from hitting my head on the desk.

They were probably "outdated" and "obsolete", before they ever reached you, Chuck !

Dave F.

 

[cwbullet]

They were probably "outdated" and "obsolete", before they ever reached you, Chuck !

Dave F.

Nope! The DOD guide was published yesterday. It was a rush to press and came from the conference I attended a few weeks ago. It is a combination of research our of Korea, Japan, and Italy. There are two parts the clinical and administrative part. The best part is that it will be updated with new research monthly.

We are making improvements every day. Soon, my facility will be able to test 1100 samples a day for the virus. If that is not impressive, I don't know what is.

 

[jlabrasca]

Man, I thought only we took shots at UNC that way. -Duke ’07 (grad school)

So you're from New Jersey?

Duke is puke, and Wake is fake, but the school I hate is NC State...

 

[Cl(VII)]

So you're from New Jersey?

Duke is puke, and Wake is fake, but the school I hate is NC State...

Nope, born in WV, grew up in central PA and western MD...amalgamated Appalachia in other words.

Careful, you talk about NC State that way, and they may begin to thing they matter.

 

[jlabrasca]

Nope, born in WV, grew up in central PA and western MD...amalgamated Appalachia in other words.

Careful, you talk about NC State that way, and they may begin to thing they matter.

That's one of my almae matres your talking about... and, yeah...

Q: Why doesn't NCDOT offer an NCSU alumni specialty plate?
A: Not enough handicapped parking spaces.

Q: What do you get if you exceed the speed limit driving through Raleigh on your way from Rocky Mount to Durham?
A: A Bachelor's Degree from NC State.

Two union states and a border state, that makes you yankee enough to go to Duke, I guess.
Its okay. I was a carpetbagger in NC for about seven years.

On topic for the thread, just finishing Humble Pi, (its a really quick read. if you've listened to any of Matt Parker's talks you've heard some of the stories, but its still worth reading for the added depth and detail).

Starting on Ka by John Crowley. Hoping it will be sufficiently distracting.

 

[Sooner Boomer]

To me, this is far more interesting .

https://www.amazon.ca/Rules-Deplorables-Fighting-Radical-Socialism/dp/0692170987

https://www.amazon.com/Rules-Defeating-Radicals-Countering-Strategy/dp/1733218203

I would also reccomend the "original", "Rules for "Radicals" by Alinsky. Then read Hillary Clintin's JD thesis paper.

 

[OverTheTop]

Re- reading this:

Very clever man, and largely undervalued in the general population.

 

[Cape Byron]

Re- reading this:
View attachment 410286
Very clever man, and largely undervalued in the general population.

I'd never heard of him until now. Wikipedia gave me a brief overview. Fascinating man.

 

[Cape Byron]

Good and Cheap, Leanne Brown. $4.00 a day recipes. I heard her on ABC radio today and was inspired. Free PDF here: https://www.leannebrown.com/

 

[Tim51]

The Mirror and the Light, the final installment of Hilary Mantel's trilogy reimagining the life of Thomas Cromwell, a key player in the court of Henry VIII and the English Reformation.

 

[justforfun]

There's Adventure in Rockets, by Julian May. My father bought me this book, in 1958.