OT: The Good Book: What are you reading right now?

[PaulD]

For those among you aspiring writers:

Goodreads: Part memoir, part master class by one of the bestselling authors of all time, this superb volume is a revealing and practical view of the writer's craft, comprising the basic tools of the trade every writer must have. King's advice is grounded in his vivid memories from childhood through his emergence as a writer, from his struggling early career to his widely reported near-fatal accident in 1999 -- and how the inextricable link between writing and living spurred his recovery. Brilliantly structured, friendly and inspiring, On Writing will empower and entertain everyone who reads it -- fans, writers, and anyone who loves a great story well told.

Runner , why am I not surprised. Good taste. Read this book twice. Loved it. Inspiring.

An old girlfriend sent me the paperback out of the blue years ago.

 

[Lshap]

Haven't read Asimov in over two decades and it's my sweet love's favorite author, so I picked up ole Isaac for another foray into the world of positronic brains.

So i decided to start with the Robot series and I finished the 2nd book, The Caves of Steel.

I gotta say, i can see the influence of technocrats like Bucky Fuller wasgreat for Asimov and is something which we will gear towards in the next few decades.

Whoa... Asimov. Burned through a ton of his novels and short stories when I was a teenager and into my 20s, but, like you, it's been a lonnnggg time. The Foundation Trilogy made a massive impact on me back then. Creative as hell and great storytelling, but I wonder how his writing would hold up today.

 

[Pompeius Magnus]

Haven't read Asimov in over two decades and it's my sweet love's favorite author, so I picked up ole Isaac for another foray into the world of positronic brains.

So i decided to start with the Robot series and I finished the 2nd book, The Caves of Steel.

I gotta say, i can see the influence of technocrats like Bucky Fuller wasgreat for Asimov and is something which we will gear towards in the next few decades.

Reading stuff from him and the other humanist writers of the 60's kinda makes me sad now. They had so much hope about the potential of mankind and our ability to eventually get our shit together . I can't imagine the future nowadays without it being pretty bleak. I wonder where things went so wrong.

 

[overlords]

Haven't read Asimov in over two decades and it's my sweet love's favorite author, so I picked up ole Isaac for another foray into the world of positronic brains.

So i decided to start with the Robot series and I finished the 2nd book, The Caves of Steel.

I gotta say, i can see the influence of technocrats like Bucky Fuller wasgreat for Asimov and is something which we will gear towards in the next few decades.

Asimov is great. Glad to hear the relationship is going well

Oh, and just for the lulz:

Time p***y - Wikipedia

"Time p***y" was the third of three stories Asimov wrote for John W. Campbell for a new category of science fiction tall tales in Astounding Science Fiction called "Probability Zero". Campbell rejected the first two stories, "Big Game" and "First Law", but reluctantly accepted "Time p***y".

Well played, Campbell. Well played.

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

Asimov is great. Glad to hear the relationship is going well

Oh, and just for the lulz:

Time ***** - Wikipedia



Well played, Campbell. Well played.

 

[QuebecPride]

Good time to start the wheel of time series by robert jordan if you liked the game of thrones tv series - this is the next big thing. 14 books, massive in scale. One of the best fantasy series ever written.

As the books are always better than tv, start em now!

Wait, they're going to make a TV series on that too? Sweet. I'll start reading for sure.

 

[dinodebino]

Claws of the panda. Book about China's influence. Good read.

 

[Runner77]

Is anyone a fan of sex, drugs and rock'n roll bios? Here's the latest and it’s from Blondie: Face It by Debbie Harry



Lots of revelations in this but not everything. There will be more in what is hinted as a possible follow-up book.

Just curious, do any of you have any favorites in this genre?

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

Is anyone a fan of sex, drugs and rock'n roll bios? Here's the latest and its from Blondie: Face It by Debbie Harry



Lots of revelations in this but not everything. There will be more in what is hinted as a possible follow-up book.

Just curious, do any of you have any favorites in this genre?

The first and original autobiography of an addict:

Confessions of an English Opium-Eater, by Thomas De Quincey

I know you meant rockstars, but I rolled with the mention of drugs.

 

[Lshap]

Is anyone a fan of sex, drugs and rock'n roll bios? Here's the latest and its from Blondie: Face It by Debbie Harry



Lots of revelations in this but not everything. There will be more in what is hinted as a possible follow-up book.

Just curious, do any of you have any favorites in this genre?

Keith Richard's bio was damn good. Filled with details of his musical evolution, along with every body function you could imagine.

James Taylor's unauthorized bio (written by a well-known old friend of mine) was a circus ride of sex, drugs and musical connections. Fun read.

I worship Paul Simon; his bio was pretty straight but interesting.

I read Jim Morrison's bio decades ago ("No One Here Gets Out Alive", I think). Can't get more sex, drugs & rock 'n roll than that.

 

[Pompeius Magnus]

Keith Richard's bio was damn good. Filled with details of his musical evolution, along with every body function you could imagine.

James Taylor's unauthorized bio (written by a well-known old friend of mine) was a circus ride of sex, drugs and musical connections. Fun read.

I worship Paul Simon; his bio was pretty straight but interesting.

I read Jim Morrison's bio decades ago ("No One Here Gets Out Alive", I think). Can't get more sex, drugs & rock 'n roll than that.

His bandmate Ray Manzarek's one is pretty decent if memory serves. I remember him absolutely bashing the Oliver Stone biopic at every opportunity in it

 

[Chili]

Picked up a Jim Morrison bio recently (Break on Through). Haven`t read it yet though. As well added a book about Jimi Hendrix in his own words (Starting at Zero).

Currently reading a bio of Victor Hugo (Graham Robb). A very interesting life.

 

[Runner77]

If someone's looking to make their own pasta, simply, saw the author of this book on Kimmel yesterday:

"Evan Funke's respect for tradition and detail makes American Sfoglino the perfect introduction to the fresh egg pastas of Emilia-Romagna. It's bold in its simplicity and focus." — Missy Robbins, chef/owner of Lilia and MISI

American Sfoglino: A Master Class in Handmade Pasta by Evan Funke

I've also referenced this in the Food thread. Worth a look:

 

[Runner77]

A little bit of Canadiana as viewed by an American with Canadian roots: Parking the Moose by Dave Hill.

From Goodreads:

A quarter-Canadian from Cleveland explores his roots--and melts your face with joy.

There's an idea most Americans tend to learn as children. The idea that their country is the "best." But this never stuck with Dave Hill, even though he was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio. His grandfather, you see, was from Canada (Clinton, Ontario, to be exact). And every Sunday at dinner he'd remind Dave and anyone else within earshot that it was in fact Canada, this magical and mysterious land just across the mighty Lake Erie, that was the "best."

It was an idea that took hold. While his peers kept busy with football, basketball and baseball, hockey became the only sport for Dave. Whenever bacon was served at home, he'd be sure to mention his preference for the Canadian variety. Likewise, if a song by Triumph came on the radio, he'd be the first to ask for it to be cranked up as loud as it would go.

“Parking the Moose”: a novel uncovering the best of Canada

Refreshing to see Canada from an American perspective, but one who took the time to take it in.

Hill was on Melnick's show this afternoon.

 

[ahmedou]

#KlonkSeries(1-12)

Klonk was a hella of character. His imaginative universe. The narration. The name of the books were fascinating. How he doens't exist in real life? A joy to read those novels.

 

[QuebecPride]

Just finished another book by Michael Lewis, Flash Boys: A Wall Street Revolt (2015), which again looks at inner workings of Finance and the Financial Markets.

This one follows an RBC trader and his colleagues in their hope to steer clear of the numerous traps laid out by Wall Street, their Dark Pools, the Exchanges and the High Frequency Trading firms. HFT firms increased the volumes of trades in the marketplace, but their arrival coincided with less efficiency in the markets, as it became harder and harder to see your buy/sale orders to be fulfilled in full and at the stated price.

Lewis never disappoints. This is the 4th book I've read from him, (The Big Short, The Undoing project, Liar's Poker) and he is quickly rising as one of my favorite authors (I have never made such a list, but I always devour Lewis' books). As I'm writing this post, I realize he's written a lot more books than I thought. Moneyball and The Blind Side are definitely on my to-read list as I've seen the movie adaptations, but I'll skim through a few reviews of his other books to see if others might interest me. His newest, The Fifth Risk (which looks at the US government), didn't inspire me much at first, but I liked Flash boys so much that I might give it a shot anyway, as Lewis is such a great storyteller.

If you're a Finance geek, and I know we have a few of those on here, I highly recommend this.

***

I finished reading the first Rebus book by Ian Rankin, Knots and Crosses. Rankin's revered as one of the best detective books authors. Knots and Crosses was a decent book, nothing earth shattering, but it had its moments and intrigues. While I thought it was fairly easy to make the connection between the criminal's occupation and the clues the authors gave us, I was still surprised by Rebus' relation to him and if there's something I appreciate about a story, it'ss when its turns and plots surprise me. This is definitely not a 'must-read', but from what I gather, Rankin's writing skills and narrative got better as he wrote more books. I'll have to read a couple more books to see if I like Rankin as an author, but I liked that it was on the shorter side, as I very often read bricks that take a month to read and I often lose interest after a while. I'm not a big detective book reader either, but I was intrigued by Rankin as most of his stories take place in Edinburgh where I lived for a year.

Any thoughts on Rankin? Which books were your favourites from the Rebus series?

 

[Harry Kakalovich]

Just finished another book by Michael Lewis, Flash Boys: A Wall Street Revolt (2015), which again looks at inner workings of Finance and the Financial Markets.

This one follows an RBC trader and his colleagues in their hope to steer clear of the numerous traps laid out by Wall Street, their Dark Pools, the Exchanges and the High Frequency Trading firms. HFT firms increased the volumes of trades in the marketplace, but their arrival coincided with less efficiency in the markets, as it became harder and harder to see your buy/sale orders to be fulfilled in full and at the stated price.

Lewis never disappoints. This is the 4th book I've read from him, (The Big Short, The Undoing project, Liar's Poker) and he is quickly rising as one of my favorite authors (I have never made such a list, but I always devour Lewis' books). As I'm writing this post, I realize he's written a lot more books than I thought. Moneyball and The Blind Side are definitely on my to-read list as I've seen the movie adaptations, but I'll skim through a few reviews of his other books to see if others might interest me. His newest, The Fifth Risk (which looks at the US government), didn't inspire me much at first, but I liked Flash boys so much that I might give it a shot anyway, as Lewis is such a great storyteller.

If you're a Finance geek, and I know we have a few of those on here, I highly recommend this.

***

I finished reading the first Rebus book by Ian Rankin, Knots and Crosses. Rankin's revered as one of the best detective books authors. Knots and Crosses was a decent book, nothing earth shattering, but it had its moments and intrigues. While I thought it was fairly easy to make the connection between the criminal's occupation and the clues the authors gave us, I was still surprised by Rebus' relation to him and if there's something I appreciate about a story, it'ss when its turns and plots surprise me. This is definitely not a 'must-read', but from what I gather, Rankin's writing skills and narrative got better as he wrote more books. I'll have to read a couple more books to see if I like Rankin as an author, but I liked that it was on the shorter side, as I very often read bricks that take a month to read and I often lose interest after a while. I'm not a big detective book reader either, but I was intrigued by Rankin as most of his stories take place in Edinburgh where I lived for a year.

Any thoughts on Rankin? Which books were your favourites from the Rebus series?

I read Flash Boys - it was a fun story. I like Michael Lewis.

 

[Harry Kakalovich]

I'm reading Norwegian Wood by Murakami. It's for my book club - I'm about halfway through.

 

[Pompeius Magnus]

I'm reading Norwegian Wood by Murakami. It's for my book club - I'm about halfway through.

I misread and thought you mentioned reading the work of Mishima and I was getting ready to have a polite yet stern conversation with you about how you shouldn't take his stuff at face value and all. Thank god

 

[Kimota]

Reading Clash of Kings. Stannis' introduction is altogether different than it was in GoT let me tell you.

 

[Scintillating10]

Ken Dryden and Scotty Bowman was on 690 this week promoting a new book they have out. Titled Scotty, written by Dryden. Sounds interesting. They talked a lot about the '70s and the Habs 6 CUps during the decade. Each Cup win, why Scotty left, why Dryden retired, etc...

 

[Pompeius Magnus]

Ken Dryden and Scotty Bowman was on 690 this week promoting a new book they have out. Titled Scotty, written by Dryden. Sounds interesting. They talked a lot about the '70s and the Habs 6 CUps during the decade. Each Cup win, why Scotty left, why Dryden retired, etc...

I've read mixed reviews about it FWIW. Scotty apparently doesn't open up much, outside of the strictly hockey related stuff.

 

[Harry Kakalovich]

I'm reading The City & the City by China Mieville - just started.

 

[Marshy71]

Has anyone read the Malazan book of the fallen series? Or anything by joe abercrombie?

Am seriously looking at these next, any feedback on them will be appreciated

 

[Chili]

Max Domi has a new book out : No Days Off: My Life With Type 1 Diabètes.

About to start J. Paul Getty`s autobiography (aka the richest man in the world back then).