What book are you reading?

In paperback my last book was the Life of Pi. Great read. As an exercise, reading the original War of the Worlds by HG Wells on my Cell Phone reader. I am about half way through and can hardly wait to get from cell page to cell page. I just read a few 'pages' when I can when out and about.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Alnilam @ Dec 12 2006, 03:15 PM) [snapback]361069[/snapback]</div>

How'd you like that? I have it but never started.[/b][/quote]
For the most part I enjoyed it. It wasn't quite what I expected when I checked out the back cover. Rather than an examination of what Charles Lindbergh would have done if he had run for President and won in 1940, it centers on the author's family living in a Jewish ghetto in Newark, NJ. The fear and uncertainty that they go through is really compelling and made it much more enjoyable for me.

My only quibble was the way he ended it. It was a little too tidy and verged on deus ex machina. But it was a fun read (or listen, considering the way I "read" it).

 

I just picked up El albergue de las mujeres tristes by Marcela Serrano at the library. Picked it up more or less at random. I'd never heard of the author before.

 

Genetic Programming IV: Routine Human-Competitive Machine Intelligence by Koza, et al. Actually going through the whole series. Textbooks on techniques for breeding computer programs using evolution-inspired methods.

Also just did Marly and Me and Steven King's Cell.

 

Reading a novel by Christopher Moore - "A Dirty Job". The owner of a second-hand store in San Francisco is designated to collect the souls of people who are dying so that the souls can go to a new owner. Bizarre, but very funny.

Proco - I read "The Plot Against America" last year about this time - I thought it was excellent.

 

I'm reading "Enough" by Juan Williams
I'm also reading "There Are No Shortcuts" by Rafe Esquith

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Jeannie @ Dec 12 2006, 07:45 PM) [snapback]361254[/snapback]</div>

i love christopher moore!!! i am reading 'brother odd' by dean koontz, 'lisey's story' by stephen king, and 'island of the sequined love nun' by christopher moore.

 

"A short history of nearly everything" by Bill Bryson
"Our Inner Ape" by Frans de Waal

I don't like reading books though. B)

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Jeannie @ Dec 12 2006, 04:45 PM) [snapback]361254[/snapback]</div>

Your description of the plot reminds me of Dead Souls by Nikolai Gogol.

For those who do not know the book: An impoverished landowner buys slaves who have died but not yet been reported as dead, so that he can use them as colateral and borrow much more money from the bank than his land would be worth with no slaves (souls) to work it. Pretty clever scheme, really.

 

I just finished "How the Irish Saved Civilization" by Thomas Cahill. It's a fascinating book. I have Irish ancestry, which made it especially interesting.

I normally read thriller/horror/scifi fiction , but this was a Christmas present last year and I figured I should read it before the year was up. I'm glad I did!

 

Just finished Fannie Flagg's "Can't Wait to Get to Heaven." What a hoot! Hilarious southern fiction by the author of "Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe." Currently half way through "Certain Women"
a novel by Madeleine L'Engle.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(dreichla @ Dec 12 2006, 11:21 AM) [snapback]361029[/snapback]</div>

I loved this book. It's pretty rare to find one that makes you choke up and chuckle out loud sometimes at the same time.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(AuntBee @ Dec 13 2006, 12:46 AM) [snapback]361340[/snapback]</div>

I want that Fannie Flagg book - it's on my Christmas list.

I read ALL the time - it's my 'mindless entertainment' instead of watching TV. (I got out of the habit in the mid-70's when I had a black and white tv with rabbit ears halfway between New York and Philadelphia - I got snow from all the channels in both cities.) Mostly I read mysteries, with an occasional Victorian novel that takes a lot longer to read.

Just started Janet Evanovich's "Metro Girl"

 

This looks like a good thread to revive!

I tend to read books in "bunches" - starting one, getting half-way through, starting another, starting another. I'll eventually wind them all up and then start a fresh "bunch".

My current reading list:

* Flim-Flam: Psychics, ESP, Unicorns and other Delusions (by James Randi)
* Extraordinary Popular Delusions (by Charles Mackay)
* Spike & Dru: Pretty Maids All in a Row (by Christopher Golden)

What's everyone else reading?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(paulccullen @ Dec 12 2006, 07:18 PM) [snapback]361293[/snapback]</div>

That's an excellent book! Its one of those that make you realize that if one little thing was different, our lives would have been so impacted, even hundreds of years later. Without the classics, would the Enlightenment happened? Probably not!

 

Biology ~ Campbell/Reece

School is in session so no time for the more fun books.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Dragonfly @ Dec 12 2006, 09:43 AM) [snapback]360915[/snapback]</div>

Great question---i love to hear what others are reading

currently reading

Re-reading (for about the 6th time)
'Snow Crash' by Neal Stephenson
I'm a cyberpunk fanatic
and
'Right sizing your life' by Ciji Ware
since we just sold our house and moving into our RV
until we find a quality small house....

Froley

 

Just finished "World Without End" by Ken Follett. Enjoyed it.