The Book thread

[usmccharles]

So, we have a TV show and a Movie thread which i am a regular poster in.  I decided to start reading more so i can learn more about certain subjects or just to mix things up a bit in my life.  So feel free to discuss what your reading now, have read, favorites, on your list to read, etc....

 

My two favorites:

The Confessions of an Economic Hitman by John Perkins

20,000 Leagues under the Sea by Jules Verne

 

On my list:

The Sell by Fredrik Eklund, Bruce Littlefield

Liar's Poker by Michael Lewis

The Wolf of Wall Street by Jordan Belfort

 

 

I am very interested in the Game of Thrones books, does anyone have any personal experience with them? 

[darklight1216]

I read the first three books of A Song of Ice and Fire, but the last two don't interest me.

GRRM has a nasty habit of killing off too many sympathetic characters. Now I'm left with huge volumes that shift POVs dozens of times between people I dislike and peeople I don't know.

But the first three books were very intriguing. I plan to read them again soon just to take a closer look at how the author made everything unfold. Although I probably won't read any more of the books, I do hope he finishes them so I can find out what happens in the end though, of course I have my suspicions.

Those will have to wait a while because I'm currently re-reading a YA book that I liked as a child. I never realized that it was a part of a 4 book series. Ironically, The Queen's Thief has so much politial intrigue that I've seen some compare it to Asoiaf.

After that I will get back to Dean Koontz's Odd Thomas series which I started recently.

[usmccharles]

On the GoT books, are they all different stories or do they go in sequence?

[52520Andrew]

They follow the show for the most part. I agree that the first 3 are really good(3rd being my favorite although it is long) while these last 2 weren't as good although by the end of the 5th things were getting more interesting. Just like everyone else into the books, waiting for Winds of Winter lol

[ludy51]

I tried to start a book thread to. It died rather quickly

[usmccharles]

I tried to start a book thread to. It died rather quickly

well...2nd time is a charm?

[darklight1216]

After reading the final chapters of The Queen of Attolia, Le Petit Nicolas, c'est Noël and the Bible in the last hours of 2015, I brought my count for the year up to a shameful 43. (Plus two unabridged audiobooks)

Maybe I should make a reading resolution for 2016.

Does anyone else keep a count of how many books they read?

[Moderator 3]

I don't keep count, but in no way do I think nearly a book a week is "shameful".

[1/28/01]

Books, yuck.

[darklight1216]

I don't keep count, but in no way do I think nearly a book a week is "shameful".

Well thanks, but I was in the 60s last year...

I won't make an official resolution this year, but there are a lot of books I want to read again.

Relentlessly depressing though they may be, Octavia Butler's Patternmaster books were very good. It's a scifi series that deals with a futuristic telepathic society and it also has shape shifting and extraterrestrial diseases.

I'm going to re-read them with an eye on her use of exposition. Plus I had to read them out of chronological order because they were checked out at the library so the experience might be a little different.

I'll be able to borrow them all with the kindle prime lending library this time.

Any other ebook readers here or do you prefer dead tree tomes?

[Moderator 3]

I was one of the first Kindle users (now on my 2nd) since my family and friends thought my house was becoming a fire trap with all these books. My favorite "shopping" is the Top 100 Free page. I take anything that sounds even remotely interesting and have been introduced to many new authors and genres. I'm not too big on the sci-fi stuff, but I do like mystical and werewolf themes.

[usmccharles]

My gf reads at least a book a day, it's insane. Jealous of how quick she reads

[theblackdog]

After reading the final chapters of The Queen of Attolia, Le Petit Nicolas, c'est Noël and the Bible in the last hours of 2015, I brought my count for the year up to a shameful 43. (Plus two unabridged audiobooks)

Maybe I should make a reading resolution for 2016.

Does anyone else keep a count of how many books they read?

 

I have an account on GoodReads and I use their app to keep track of the books I have read and the books I want to read.  They do let you set up a reading challenge for the number of books read for the year.  I fell short this past year, reading only 24 books out of my goal of 25, but I plan to do better this year.

[darklight1216]

I have an account on GoodReads and I use their app to keep track of the books I have read and the books I want to read.  They do let you set up a reading challenge for the number of books read for the year.  I fell short this past year, reading only 24 books out of my goal of 25, but I plan to do better this year.

I barely know anything about GoodReads. I thought it just had book reviews.

 

That plan sounds like fun. I might have to check it out. Thanks for sharing.

 

 

I was one of the first Kindle users (now on my 2nd) since my family and friends thought my house was becoming a fire trap with all these books. My favorite "shopping" is the Top 100 Free page. I take anything that sounds even remotely interesting and have been introduced to many new authors and genres. I'm not too big on the sci-fi stuff, but I do like mystical and werewolf themes.

So you got one of the first Kindles and you've only upgraded once? I got a new one after about 2-3 years.

 

I like those themes too. I can never find many good werewolf books, unfortunately.

However, I came across a book not too long ago called The Werewolf's Guide to Life that I really enjoyed. It's premise is that you have recently been attacked by a large animal and it tells you what to do next; how to restrain yourself during your "moons" and protect your loved ones, what to eat, how to avoid getting killed etc. 

I thought it was hilarious.

 

For mysticism I have to recommend Daughter of the Forest by Juiliet Marillier (sp?). It it's a beautifully written fairy tale.

 

The King of Attolia became the first book I read in 2016. It's sequel will soon join it.

 

[Gordo52]

"I heard you paint houses" is a great read if you're fascinated with Mob/Union/American history. Explains the Hoffa mystery...A movie about it starring De Niro, Scorcese, Pacino & Pesci is coming soon. (hopefully it's still gonna happen)

Power of positive thinking, Thomas Jefferson & the Tripoli pirates, Homicide: A year on the killing streets(inspired the wire) - just a few other great books I've read in the past year worth suggesting.

Currently reading Bullies by Ben Shapiro. Very interesting.

[Moderator 3]

 

I like those themes too. I can never find many good werewolf books, unfortunately.

However, I came across a book not too long ago called The Werewolf's Guide to Life that I really enjoyed. It's premise is that you have recently been attacked by a large animal and it tells you what to do next; how to restrain yourself during your "moons" and protect your loved ones, what to eat, how to avoid getting killed etc. 

I thought it was hilarious.

 

Finally found time to go on Amazon and look up the werewolf series I enjoyed. It's "Law of the Lycans". It's up to 7 books now. I've read the first 5 and just bought the 6th. It's set in the current time which helped make it interesting to me.

[darklight1216]

"I heard you paint houses" is a great read if you're fascinated with Mob/Union/American history. Explains the Hoffa mystery...A movie about it starring De Niro, Scorcese, Pacino & Pesci is coming soon. (hopefully it's still gonna happen)

Power of positive thinking, Thomas Jefferson & the Tripoli pirates, Homicide: A year on the killing streets(inspired the wire) - just a few other great books I've read in the past year worth suggesting.

Currently reading Bullies by Ben Shapiro. Very interesting.

I pretty much never read about American history unless a teacher is forcing me to. I love history about other countries for some reason, but only certain ones. It's kind of weird.

 

Read any good books about ancient Egypt lately?

 

Finally found time to go on Amazon and look up the werewolf series I enjoyed. It's "Law of the Lycans". It's up to 7 books now. I've read the first 5 and just bought the 6th. It's set in the current time which helped make it interesting to me.

Thanks for looking that up. I appreciate the recommendation. 

 

It looks like that series was initially published on Smashswords. I discovered that not too long ago and it makes me wonder if self-publishing really could be the future as some speculate.

[Militant X 1]

I'm presently reading three books at the moment.  They are:

 

The Souls of Black Folk - W.E.B. Du Bois

 

A Black Theology of Liberation - James H. Cone

 

The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership - John C. Maxwell

[theblackdog]

I'm trying to read through and finish The Amber Spyglass so that I can finish out the His Dark Materials trilogy, but I continue to want to throttle the author at times.

[ludy51]

I continue to want to throttle the author at times.

Why?

[samsamdinh1]

My favorite list book! How's about you?

1. Harry Potter

2. Percy Jackson and the Olympians

3. The Hunger Games

4. Lord of the Rings

5. Diary of a Wimpy Kid

6. Warriors

7. A Song of Ice and Fire

8. The Heroes of Olympus

9. The Chronicals of Narnia

10. Maze Runner Series

[darklight1216]

On 18/2/2016 at 8:38 PM, samsamdinh1 said:

My favorite list book! How's about you?

 

After the Bible, it's just too difficult to choose.

I will say that of the 12 books I've read so far this year my favorite has been the King of Attolia.

 

Do you really like every book in each series more than the every single one of another series? Ie: Do you prefer the Half-Blood to The Fellowship of the Ring or is your list more general than technical?

On 20/1/2016 at 10:11 PM, Militant X 1 said:

I'm presently reading three books at the moment.  They are:

 

The Souls of Black Folk - W.E.B. Du Bois

 

A Black Theology of Liberation - James H. Cone

 

The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership - John C. Maxwell

Looks like a good list for February.

[ludy51]

I think I must've read The Martian about 5-6 times by now