What book is everyone reading at the moment?

[Tobermory]

I've been finishing The Demon Haunted World for three months now. But mainly I read court transcripts and Bar/Bri outlines. If there's anything that might turn one off to reading, it's that.

 

[JoeEllison]

Talk Talk by T.C. Boyle.

 

[SRW]

A Secret of the Universe By Steve Gibson, Just starting the second chapter, so far so good.

This is the first novel I have read in a while, and Steve's first novel, I have high hopes as I enjoy his podcasts and am looking forwarded to a book by a skeptic.

Here it the vidio promo.

 

[clerihew80]

Shalimar The Clown - Salman Rushdie.

 

[Denial]

The History of Europe by Karsten Alnæs. Originally in norwegian, it's being translated to five other european languages now (can't tell you which though, but english and german would be rather safe guesses).

 

[Geek Goddess]

Indian Summer: The Secret History of the End of an Empire, by Alex von Tunzelmann.

I've read several books on Indian history, most of it in the era of the British raj, and have enjoyed this one so far. It disturbs me that what most people think they know about Ghandi came from the movie, which idealized the man and got history out of order and wrong.

 

[LBN]

Right now I'm plowing my way through the "prequel" and "sequel" Dune books written by Brian ("Why Didn't My Father Wear A Condom?") Herbert and Kevin J. ("The J. Stands For Jagoff") Anderson. Although supposedly based on notes magically found in hidden safety deposit boxes ten years after Frank Herbert's death they are filled with so many science fiction cliches you would think they are written by a 14 year old fanboy. The attraction of Frank Herbert's original series is not even so much the story as it is the insight he had into politics, religion, philosophy, etc. The books were almost a guise for him to get his views out. Brian Herbert is the proverbial monkey pounding on a keyboard and Kevin J. Anderson is the other part of what was going to be a humorous metaphor but I lost track of it now.

So why am I reading them? I'm a sucker. I bought into the whole "based on the original outline for Dune 7" spiel. I already know how it all ends because these two amateurs phoned it in.

After that I'll probably work my way through Neal Stephenson's Cryptonomicon simply because it's the only other book I own that isn't in storage right now.

I have The Children of Húrin on my Amazon purchase list even though I know the whole story cobbled together from The Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales.

House of Leaves by Mark Danielewski is on the plate. I found it in a bookstore and later added it to my Amazon list. Only later found out he is the brother of one of my favorite singers.

Destroy, She Said by Marguerite Duras. French erotic nihilism. What could be more beautiful?

But the one to which I am looking forward the most is tentatively titled Zero Requiem by Chris Blanc. I'm sure it will be beyond my comprehension but undoubtedly brilliant. More info available at: chrisblanc.org

 

[Dogdoctor]

I am reading "Why Darwin Matters" by Micheal Shermer. I am familiar with much of what he says but there are some little nuggets of new info here and there.

 

[aofl]

I just finished reading Reclaiming History by Vincent Bugliosi. That's right, I read the whole book (though not the CD-ROM of end notes. Yet).

I hope I don't ruin it for anyone, but it turns out Oswald did it.

I'm just happy to have my life back.

A

 

[fuelair]

Just finished Changes(ed.Bishop/Watson) - an SF anthology on the topic of Metamorphosis. Still in Oscar Micheaux the Great and Only (Black film producer - for almost 20 years the only ongoing independant one - '31-'50-and author and pioneer farmer and the other famous -and only real- resident of Metropolis, Illinois - where there is no mention of him in Chamber of Commerce info.

 

[Chris Haynes]

I am reading Rethinking Thin by Gina Kolata.

I am listening to Tim Curry read Lemony Snicket's Series of Unfortunate Events. I am presently on the last half of A Slippery Slope, which I downloaded as an audio book from my library's subcription to http://www.overdrive.com/. I tried a previous rendition of e-audio book from the library, but the licensing refused to work on my 2004 vintage i-River mp3 player. But this one works on my "ancient" mp3 player.

Downloading audio books is awesome... It makes it easier to spend time when I do mundane things like make dinner (it takes time to fry potato pancakes) or weed the garden.

 

[Wudang]

My "normal reading" book is Steve Erikson's "Deadhouse gates" - nice style, rich universe but he doesn't spend half of every chapter with "The Madeup Gods? Thrud's mind reeled as he recalled the tales of Shebaheth who begat Boreng, who begat Tedium who...". Paints with a broad brush and lets you fill in the details.
Working through "Mastering regular expressions" by Friedl for a work project. Excellent stuff that I never really go to grips with before.
As a treat I'll let myself read another chapter of Hemingway's "A moveable feast" which I find an absolute joy.

 

[LBN]

As a treat I'll let myself read another chapter of Hemingway's "A moveable feast" which I find an absolute joy.

One can never go wrong with Hemingway. "A Clean, Well-Lighted Place" is the template for my life.

Obscure synthpop band Blue Clocks Green did a great song called "Hemingway" in 1988. (If one googles for it, one can find it.) It has a happy melody and danceable beats with the lyrics "Just like Hemingway you can be a hero all you have to know is what to say / And if I want to be just like Hemingway I'll put a pistol in my mouth and blow my head away". (Technically, Hemingway put a double-barreled shotgun to his forehead and pulled both triggers but we can allow for artistic license in this case.)

 

[Spidey13]

After that I'll probably work my way through Neal Stephenson's Cryptonomicon simply because it's the only other book I own that isn't in storage right now.

I'm about to start that one myself.

 

[LBN]

I'm about to start that one myself.

Of course if you haven't read Snow Crash it's a must read. I read that they're going to be developing it into a movie. It's almost scary how some of the concepts in the book have become reality: Gated communities everywhere, privatized police forces, corporate franchise prisons, online communities with 3D avatars.

I think my next tattoo should be POOR IMPULSE CONTROL across my forehead. But then I would need to get a nuclear warhead to carry around with me.

 

[Wudang]

But then I would need to get a nuclear warhead to carry around with me.

Aren't those legal in Texas?

 

[LBN]

Aren't those legal in Texas?

You're darned tootin'!

 

[Hourglassmemory]

I'm currently reading two books at the same time because I like them both.
the third instalment of the "His Dark Materials" trilogy "The Amber Spyglass", and Daniel Dennet's "Breaking the Spell"(it recently came out in Portugal).

I am a compulsive book buyer.
I have 8 books that I'm yet to read and I bought 2 yesterday.
"A Briefer History of Time" by Stephen Hawking
"The Varieties of Scientific Experience" by Carl Sagan
"Tunnels" by Gordon and Williams
"The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" by Douglas Adams (800 pages)
"The Historan" by Elizabeth Kostova
"A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson
"The Ancestor's" Tale by Richard Dawkins
"The Life of Pi" by Yann Martel

 

[TJ]

House of Leaves by Mark Danielewski is on the plate. I found it in a bookstore and later added it to my Amazon list. Only later found out he is the brother of one of my favorite singers.

Please! You must let me know how this book is!

 

[ksbluesfan]

Carl Sagan: A Life by Keay Davidson

This book makes me feel like a stupid slacker. Compared to Sagan, many people are.