What are you or have you been reading? (a book thread)

[Fore Check]

I just looked up at the stack of books that I read in 2007 - and the total is about 35.

So I thought - do very many TRFers read books for fun with any regularity?

This year, I read all 11 books of the Jack Reacher series by Lee Child and those are BY FAR my favorite books that I've ever read. I also read the 3 available books of the Camel Club series by David Baldacci and liked those nearly as well, but in a different way. Steve Berry made 5 appearances on my reading list (I got the 3rd installment of the Cotton Malone books, the just released "The Venetian Betrayal" for Christmas but I have yet to read it), and - much to my enjoyment - I read some Clive Cussler for the first time. Believe it or not, for some unknown reason I've been avoiding Cussler and now feel dumb for it. I will more than likely motor through the umpteen Dirk Pitt novels this year.

Right now, however, I'm on the 4th book of the Phillip Mercer series by Jack Du Brul ("Pandora's Curse") having just finished the 1st three ("Vulcan's Forge", "Charon's Landing", and "The Medusa Stone.) The Mercer series by Du Brul is particularly intriguing because not only is the action fierce and the stories well done, the "hero" - Mercer - is a mining engineer by trade (like me.) How many action hero mining engineers are there? I almost fell out of my chair when I discovered this Mercer character and immediately bought all 7 books in the series. They're great!

I guess I've been reading a LOT, and have been enjoying it.

Anyone else read anything good lately?

 

[jj94]

I honestly forgot how many I read. I can't remember a thing about what I read in the beginning of the year, but I'm going to have to guess about five. In the summer, I read about ten, about six or seven of them being for Accel Academy (something during the summer to help me out in the next grade; it actually helped me this year in all of my grades). Then from the start of 8th grade (early September) to the end of the year, I would have to guess that I read five books, four of them being for school. The book I liked best though was When the Legends Die and Snakehead (from the Alex Rider series).

 

[Fred]

reading lots of Dan Abnett lately from the Warhammer 40000 universe. Strange because i dont like the game but the books are great. I usually read three to four books a month.
Cheers
fred

 

[lessgravity]

I'm a pretty avid reader. Usually a book every one to two weeks. I just finished


This was a very good book. Even though I have read much about Von Braun I learned quite a bit.... like the fact that he hated the mispronunciation of his name. It's Von Braun( pronounced "Fon Brown")... Braun is German for Brown and is pronounced exactly that way. I don't think I've ever heard it pronounced correctly.

Next week I'm beginning to read two of my classic favorites. I was given autographed copies of both The Martian Chronicles and Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury for Christmas!

 

[gpoehlein]

I'm an avid reader. I tend to prefer science fiction/fantasy, with the occasional mystery thrown in for good measure.

Not long ago, I read all the paperbacks in Jim Butcher's Dresden Files series (yes, the books that inspired the short lived show on SciFi). There is one more out in hardcover, but I don't usually buy them - they are expensive and take up too much room.

I'm now reading Jack McDevitt's Chindi - part of his Academy Novels series. I really enjoyed his Alex Benedict series, and these are just as good.

 

[conleyt]

I'm always reading something, as soon as I finish one book I start another. I just finished reading the "His Dark Materials" trilogy and now I'm reading "Creating Space: The Story of the Space Age Told Through Models" by Mat Irvine.

Tom C.

 

[fastfreddie]

Hmmmmm, I've read several of John Sanford's Prey novels, and one of his other fiction novels the Devil's Code. Also read another of his novels called Death Watch I think it was, but it was about Washington politics and quite frankly, I hate politics and wasn't really into that one.

Also on the have read list, Larry Niven's Ringworld, Ringworld engineers, his collections Neutron Star, All the Myriad Ways and Convergent Series, and a couple of his Man-Kzin Wars collections.

In between I read a couple of the Scarpetta novels by Patricia Cornwell, and The Filthy Thirteen which was the inspiration for the movie The Dirty Dozen.

Just curious, do you guys tend to keep your books and re-read them, or are you the "one time and get rid of 'em" types? I keep all of my books, and read them over. A couple of my favorite Niven novels I've had so long that they fell apart.

 

[quinn]

I'm in the middle of Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey/Maturin series.. the movie Master and Commander was based on a couple of these, but the books are much more interesting.. can't recommend them enough. No rocketry, but these are some people who seriously, seriously like the smell of black powder in the morning... and any other time. irate:

 

[Fore Check]

Just curious, do you guys tend to keep your books and re-read them, or are you the "one time and get rid of 'em" types? I keep all of my books, and read them over. A couple of my favorite Niven novels I've had so long that they fell apart.

I like to keep them. I don't necessarily re-read them, but I flip back through them. Kinda hard to explain.

My wife just doesn't understand - she keeps wanting me to sell them at a used book store or garage sale; then she wants me to forego buying any more books and use the library instead. Don't get me wrong; I like libraries. I just like to keep the books when I'm finished.

 

[skycopp]

My reading interests varies. The other day I was reading the Book of Proverbs (the one in the bible). Then I started reading Experimental Composite Propellant by Terry McCreary. Just finished it a few hours ago on the flight to the Bahamas.

 

[Fred]

I like to keep them. I don't necessarily re-read them, but I flip back through them. Kinda hard to explain.

My wife just doesn't understand - she keeps wanting me to sell them at a used book store or garage sale; then she wants me to forego buying any more books and use the library instead. Don't get me wrong; I like libraries. I just like to keep the books when I'm finished.

Me too. i have some books i have reread a number of times. hey i have eaten apple pie multiple times and i still like it
Cheers
fred

 

[mrmonteith]

Just finished High Power Rocketry 2. My ARRL handbook should be here tomorrow. Also ordering Amateur Rocket Motor Construction Manual.

Skycopp, what did you think of that book? I'd love to read it. I just can't swallow that price for now.

Michael

 

[hokkyokusei]

I keep a record of what I've read, when and what I thought of it at the time, but I won't bore you by posting it here!

Last year I read almost nothing until april and since then read about 50 books. I read a mixture of fiction and non fiction. I've been trying to wean myself off SF for years, but it still makes up the bulk of what I read.

Highlights this year were:
The Damned United, David Peace
The Book of Dave, Will Self
The God Delusion, Richard Dawkins
Riding Rockets, Mike Mullane
1421 The Year China Discovered the World, Gavin Menzies
A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian, Marina Lewycka
A Spot of Bother, Mark Haddon
World War Z, Max Brooks
Reading the Rocks, Marcia Bjornerud
I Am Legend, Richard Matheson
The Complete Short Stories: Volume 1, JG Ballard
Touching from a Distance, Deborah Curtis
The Mystery of Mallory and Irvine, Tom Holzel & Audrey Salkeld
Mapping Mars, Oliver Morton

Like some other have said, I hate to throw books away, you never know when you might want to reread something.

 

[hokkyokusei]

... and now I'm reading "Creating Space: The Story of the Space Age Told Through Models" by Mat Irvine.

What's that like? I've often thought it might be worth a read.

 

[skycopp]

Skycopp, what did you think of that book? I'd love to read it. I just can't swallow that price for now.

Michael

If you are ever interested in experimental propellant, then this book is a must.

 

[maxpower]

I read three books on George Washington. Washington's Secret War was my favorite. I started a book on Lincoln but didn't finish it as I switched to Team of Rivals. Another book about Lincoln. I can't remember what I read earlier in the year. That was too long ago. My memory is not what it used to be.

If you like American History at all I highly recommend Washington's Secret War and Team of Rivals.

 

[Peartree]

I lost track of how many books I read this year. I'm in graduate school so most of them were textbooks. Over Christmas I finished "The Case for a Creator" by Lee Strobel. An excellent read, accurate and technical but since Strobel used to be a newspaper reporter (investigative journalist) he writes so that anyone can understand what is being explained by PhD scientists. While Strobel's approach is unaplogetically Christian, it is very informative and should be considered by anyone (on either side) involved in the creation/evolution debate or the "creation science" debate or any of those your local school districts might be squabbling over.

---Hey, I go to seminary. What kind of books do you THINK I read for fun?---

Actually, I LOVE Clive Cussler and Tom Clancy. I've just been in school for so long that I'm WAY behind in reading them.

 

[Indiana]

I've been reading Dean Koontz lately, I tend to pick an author and stick with them for a while.

I also picked up a book called The Golden Ratio by Mario Livio. It is about the number PHI. Only a few pages in so far.

I also read parts of Men of Mathematics.

 

[Rocketjunkie]

I'm now reading Jack McDevitt's Chindi - part of his Academy Novels series. I really enjoyed his Alex Benedict series, and these are just as good.

His latest is Cauldron. They find the source of the Omega clouds.

 

[SCE to AUX]

Just finished "Live from Cape Canaveral" by Jay Barbree.

An interesting read, from an NBC reporter who covered the space program from pre-mercury through the shuttle. No spectacular new revelations, but interesting to hear another insider view of some of the famous and not-so-famous stories of the glory days of NASA.

 

[Stefan_Jones]

I generally read a few things at once, often a mix of novels, non-fiction, and graphic novels (comics):

Currently:

Krazy & Ignatz Sunday strips, 1937-1938 (Krazy Kat comics)
Sardine in Outer Space (weird French kids' comic about girl space pirate)
Engine City by Ken MacLeod (SF novel)

Up next:

Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K. Jerome (1889 humor novel)
Grease Monkey by Tim Eldred (graphic novel)

 

[JoeLaunchman]

Essential reading for all rocketeers: Men From Earth by Buzz Aldrin

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0553053744/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[noise]

I read pretty much just hard sf these days (or cyberpunk if something comes out, but that's rare). Reading C.J. Cherryh - Cyteen right now. Just finished the last of David Brin's Uplift books. Read a couple newer Niven books this year...

That's what comes to mind right now, I can't really recall everything I read in the last year, always reading something.

 

[judo]

I might be able to start reading for pleasure again in 2009. Next up is The Sectional Anatomy Learning System for MRI school.

The last thing I read was Daughter of the Dragon, from the Mechwarrior - Dark Age series. I read that in April 2006.

Series I've enjoyed:
Battletech/Mechwarrior
John Norman's Gor
Jennifer Roberson's Saga of Tiger and Del and Cronicles of the Cheysuli
Micheal Crichton's stuff

 

[darkhelmet]

Engine City by Ken MacLeod (SF novel)

I read his "Execution Channel" just before Christmas. Not as good as I expected from the reviews.

Currently reading "Modern Fascism" by Gene Edward Veith

“The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it." -Albert Einstein

 

[vcp]

..Men From Earth by Buzz Aldrin

I usually have about three books going at once, that one's in the 'reading room' at the moment. Using the Printed Circuits Handbook and several other tech books at work. And I nearly always carry my iPaq with a few dozen books on board for reading at any opportunity; long stoplights, microwave, commercials, before the movie.

I really believe the iPaq (mine is an old, 1945) is a nearly perfect reading machine. Fits in my pants pocket, smaller than a paperback; can have it out and reading in seconds. Some diffuculty in sunlight, but better, I can read in the dark; in bed, in a dim theater, almost anywhere without needing to find reading light. Text size is adjustable so I can read without glasses if I've forgotten them. Drop it in a ziplock bag and I can read while relaxing in the tub. I actually think the small screen size speeds reading - one screen is just about one eye gulp, and I can take in a screen almost as fast as I can press the advance button when I'm concentrating. Add headphones and I've got MP3's while I read. Read well over 100 books on it - the page advance button has a notch that my thumbnail has worn into it. (Amazon is pushing the 'Kindle', but I can't see it working.)

Right now on the iPaq I'm nearly through Weber's Honorverse series, for probably the fourth or fifth time - it keeps getting longer. The last few reads I've tried to time the end of the series with the publication of a new volume, but I might be early this time. Can't help it, I like space opera. (Grew up on Doc Smith)(no, not the one from 'Lost in Space', E.E. Smith)

Galileos's Revenge: Junk Science in the Courtroom - interesting chapter on how certain lawyers 'protecting the little people' evicerate corporations and doctors with junk science malpractice suits, get rich themselves, and raise the cost of health care for all the other little people. (and then ...)

Spent quite awhile on what I call 'recreational cosmology', that is, on the popular cosmology books that give the public a vague look at the science. Hawking, Davies, et al. The Fabric of the Cosmos, Greene. I have, but haven't worked up the ambition to read The Road to Reality, by Roger Penrose. A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson; more than cosmology, excellent.

The World is Flat, Friedman. Freakonomics, Levitt & Dubner.

Like military history but didn't get much of it this year. Duty, bio of Tibbets (who recently died), by Bob Greene.

Quite a bit on rational thinking: Shermer Why Darwin Matters; Why People Believe Weird Things, others. Sagan The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark (actively being puffed on by a number of folks in the headlines lately); The Varieties of Scientific Experience (first new Sagan book in years, he's been slacking - I have a cat named Sagan, and another, Feynman.) Dawkins god is not Great et al., and similar by Sam Harris. Monkey Girl and 40 Days and 40 Nights on the Dover trial.

Introduction to Patent Law might take the exam someday.

Other SF: I know I reread The Moon is a Harsh Mistress and The Door Into Summer; also Stine's Star Driver (which I've always thought was his best). Also a 3-book space opera series by Elizabeth Moon which I've immediately forgotten - doesn't hold a candle to Weber. Dahak series. Ringo Posleen series. Varley Red Lightning sequel to Red Thunder (closest thing I've read to Heinlein in years); waiting for the Rolling Thunder sequel.

Almost forgot, also in the reading room: ATOM: An Odyssey from the Big Bang to Life on Earth... and Beyond; really facinating and readable as it follows an oxygen atom from its beginning as quarks, through stellar evolution and nucleiosynthesis, formation of the solar system, geologic and biologic processes, ...and Beyond, as it says, to proton decay.

I really should keep a list. Oh, and the new Einstein bio.

GC

 

[Pantherjon]

I am not nearly as avid a reader as I used to be, with work and all..But mostly tend to read sword and sorcery/fantasy type books..The books have begun to pile up of the ones I have gotten to read and haven't gotten around too..Currently I am reading(a little bit at a time) something a little bit different then what I usually read 'Eearth Abides'..Read it years ago, and when I saw it at the B&N when I was using my gift card I HAD to get it..In the wings some of the books waiting for me to read are the new Shannara books by Terry Brooks and the latest(final I think?) book in the Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind called Confessor..Still haven't finished the latest book in the Wheel of Time series..Got them to read , just finding the TIME is difficult!:rotflol:

 

[cls]

wow, TRF is a literate bunch!! some good selections here. Lately I'm reading "Fair Game", by Valerie Plame; and "Censoring Science", Mark Bowen.

 

[Silverleaf]

Read The First and Second Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, the Unbeliever (6 books) by Stephen R. Donaldson (for the 70th time) and just finished reading the Ruins of the Earth - Book 1 (of 4) of the Last Chronicles of Thomas Covenant in preparation for Fatal Revenant - Book 2 which just came out.

Considering Donaldson's last 2 books in the series won't see publication till 2010 and 2013 respectively, I also went through The Atlas of The Land by Karen Wynn Fonstad as I read the 7 books above, making notes and the like for a possible updated release of the maps.

Frontiers in Astronomy

Rocketry:

3rd time going through ROTW and all supplements.

Topics in Advanced Model Rocketry by Mandell, Caporaso, and Bengan

Design of Liquid Propellant Rocket Engines. NASA SP-125 by Huzel, and Huang

Cheers,

 

[skippy-2]

Current reads:

In the Heart of the Sea, Nathaniel Philbrick (The true story that inspired Moby Dick)

Gould's Book of Fish, Richard Flanagan (A novel in 12 fish)

A Spot of Bother, Mark Haddon (Author of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time)

Last read:

Out of the Ordinary: True Tales of Ordinary People, Jon Ronson. Thin and weak, compared to 'Goats'.


Outstanding reads of 2007:

Oh Pure and Radiant Heart, Lydia Millett. (Oppenheimer and Fermi return to 20th century America.)

Moondust: In Search of the Men Who Fell to Earth, Andrew Smith. Fantastic.

We Need to Talk About Kevin, Lionel Schriver. One of the best ten books I have ever read.

Slaughterboy, Odo Hirsch. Historical tale for young adults.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, JK Rowling. Well, really, you had to.

Company, Max Barry. Signed copy following long conversation about how to not be sued by famous people and companies.

Talk to the Hand, The Utter Bloody Rudeness of Everyday Life, Lynne Truss.

Space Race, Deborah Cadbury. Companion volume to the TV series.

Blueprints for a Barbed Wire Canoe, Wayne Macauley. Another few reasons not to trust the government.

Nineteen Minutes, Jodi Picoult (utter, utter, utter garbage).

The Men Who Stare at Goats: Jon Ronson. Bizarre.

And a lot of forgettable dross. Out of about 35 books I read last year, I can only recall ten or so being worth committing to memory.