Recent Books You've Read

[KB 34]

Recently finished
"You're Okay, It's Just a Bruise" by Rob Huizenga, MD
-----Written by a former Raiders team doctor, tells about how ridiculous the franchise is and how injuries were handled. Good read.

Journey to Cubeville (Dilbert)
-----Typical Dilbert, I'm having a harder time reading Dilbert as I learn more about professional work environments as I can think of similar incidents I've run into.

Currently reading
Saboteurs: The Nazi Raid on America by Michael Dobbs
-----The story of Nazi soldiers sent to the US by u-boats to blow up factories and such during WWII. Also a good read.

[barvos4evr]

Just finished The Zombie Survival Guide by Max Brooks. he can do no wrong!

[Lauren T.]

Don't remember if I mentioned this on the previous site, but I'm working my way through the "Uglies" series by Scott Westerfeld. It's young adult sci-fi, sort of... it's all futuristic and everyone rides hoverboards and gets an operation when they turn 16 to fix all their perceived physical imperfections. The catch is that along with the "pretty" operation, lesions are put on the brain to keep everyone bubbleheaded and submissive. The series is basically about a set of teens that think differently and attempt to escape the city.

It was originally a trilogy, and the series was wrapped up well by the third book, but the author released a fourth book set in the same city. So far (I'm about 1/3 of the way in), some of the old characters are mentioned but never "seen".

If you want a quick read and like utopian/dystopian futuristic sci-fi, check the books out! I am really looking forward to the movie (currently slated for 2011).

[Agent-X-]

I don't think you guys really want to know about all the non-fiction books I'm reading, but I'll play along.

Currently reading...
Love and Respect
Master Plan of Evangelism
Total Church
The Disciplined Life

There are others I've been reading, but I don't plan to come back to those until these are done.

[The Rap]

Are you in training to become a religious leader?:D

[ScooterBrave]

I don't think you guys really want to know about all the non-fiction books I'm reading, but I'll play along.

Currently reading...
Love and Respect
Master Plan of Evangelism
Total Church
The Disciplined Life

There are others I've been reading, but I don't plan to come back to those until these are done.

Good selection. Have you read 3:16 by Max Lucado yet? Terrific read and very inspirational.

[Agent-X-]

Are you in training to become a religious leader?:D

Not yet. I'm involved in campus ministry though. Leaders are readers. :)

Good selection. Have you read 3:16 by Max Lucado yet? Terrific read and very inspirational.

I haven't read that one yet. I'll have to check it out. Thanks for the recommendation.

[BigWorm]

Reading Gone For Good by Harlan Coben. It's not the best he's written but I'm trying to wrap up his whole collection.
Next up, Michael Connely. I read the Lincoln Lawyer last week, it was a hell of a read. Now I have to read nine books about a detective before I read the next Lincoln Lawyer book because they meet up and find out their long lost brothers. Ah the joy of a good series.

[bmitm76]

I'm currently working my way through these:

Discipleship of the Mind by James Sire
Church Next by Eddie Gibbs
Being White (It's a book about interacting with other cultures and ethnicities. I am white and work as an athletic director at a youth center with primarily black students. It is really a fantastic book about living and working with others from different cultural back grounds. I recommend it to everyone as our country and world are rapidly becoming more integrated. Just as a warning the book is written by an evangelical christian and that is made clear several times, but not written as a book for christians.)

The Hobbit. Such a classic.

[Devil Wears Prado]

I'm currently reading Why We Get Sick. I got a couple books to read for summer too, Invisible Man and Angels and Demons. I'm not sure which version of Angels and Demons to buy though... there are so many of them on Amazon / books.com, anyone mind helping me there?

[The Rap]

Get the one written by Dan Brown as it is the prequel to The Davinci Code although they made the film into the sequel.

[Devil Wears Prado]

Get the one written by Dan Brown as it is the prequel to The Davinci Code although they made the film into the sequel.

There's one on Amazon...

http://www.amazon.com/Angels-Demons-Movie-Tie-Novel/dp/1416580824/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1247028062&sr=8-1

Is this it?

[The Rap]

Yea that's it and it is pretty good.

[barvos4evr]

I got the worst sunburn of my life reading Angels and Demons! Just a few short weeks ago too!

I work outside at ports, so i tend to develop a very awful farmer tan. I decided that "it's a nice day, time to read and lay out and even the tan up!" So I put some hardcore spf on my arms and face and proceeded to open that book up. 340 pages later I realized I was still laying out in the sun!!!!! I had such a severe burn I know I went into shock the next night! I know I did!

Don't read page turners in the sun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Good story, bad prose, better than the film!

[Dreamscape]

I'm very anxious for the third book in the Frankenstein trilogy by Dean Koontz to be released. I've read the first two at least twice. Now, at the end of the month, the third one will be out. Great premise of Frankenstein being a legend based on fact and the original monster has spent all these years learning to deal with his inner pain while the doctor has perfected his art of "making" people.

[Andy G.]

I finished The Memory of Running a few days ago. Great story. Smithy Ide's parents die. The day of their funeral, he finds out his schizophrenic sister is also dead, and her body is in Los Angeles. He hasn't seen her since she disappeared years ago. He's 42, drinks heavily, smokes and weighs 279 pounds. So he gets on his bike and he rides it all the way across the country, from Rode Island to Los Angeles, leaving his crappy job in the process. He reminisces about people and events in his life, and has some interesting experiences along the way. I really enjoyed it.

I've started Faulkner's first novel, Soldiers' Pay. It's already made me laugh quite a bit.

[kelso4thebraves]

I just got done reading Letter to John By Nicholas Sparks..Great book!

[The Rap]

Currently reading Richard Dawkins' "The God Delusion" which is awesome.

[Chris_Moderato]

Paris 1919

[Dreamscape]

Finished up the fourth Bourne book, The Bourne Betrayl, and loved it. Starting the fifth, though I'm more looking foward to the third book in the Frankenstein trilogy by Dean Koontz finally getting released in early August.

[Hobbes]

Finished up the fourth Bourne book, The Bourne Betrayl, and loved it.

That book isn't by Ludlum, right? I was wondering if the non-Ludlum Bourne books were any good.

[Dreamscape]

That book isn't by Ludlum, right? I was wondering if the non-Ludlum Bourne books were any good.
Indeed. I thought it was pretty good. Great detail in the action sequences and pretty good character interaction. I've never read the original trilogy. I did buy the first book along with the fifth one, but I'm going to start on the latter first. I wasn't going to buy the fifth one, but Barnes and Nobles had the hardcover for under $7. Not a bad buy.

[Devil Wears Prado]

I've always been curious as to what other people have been using as their bookmarks. I don't really know why, but I'm always wondering lol.

Personally, I just use an index card to keep my place in my books, but what do you guys use?

[Andy G.]

I usually read books that I check out from the library, so I use the receipt or whatever you want to call the piece of paper they give you with the due date and what not.

[KB 34]

I use the closest piece of paper to me as a bookmark. Occasionally it's an actual bookmark like the Ares-I bookmark I'm currently using. Receipts for the book work well as do random sheets of paper with notes on them. I also like to tear little pieces of paper to mark important pages of books for future reference. A good book will typically have at least 3-5 of them while a mediocre book will have one, and a bad one zero. Years later it's interesting to see what I felt was important at the time. My dream is to have my own library so I typically buy the books I read from used bookstores, especially off their clerance racks. I don't feel safe in most libraries anyhow and would rather pay a little bit to get the book I want.

[sdp]

I wish I had the time to read casually. I've been swamped with school work all summer.

[barvos4evr]

I usually end up using an old bill or my bank statement or whatever similar sized piece of paper is nearby.... I lose bookmarks like I lose pens and lighters!

[Lauren T.]

Magazine subscription cards are usually the most handy for me, but I have been known to use a receipt or index card. :)

[FrankEC]

I usually use one of my business cards. They gave me a box of 500 about 4 years ago, and I bet I've handed out 20 since then.

I started reading "The Brothers Karamazov" last night. I've always wanted to read it, but could never find the time. So, I finally decided to make the time. I just hope I can finish it before the fall TV season starts :p.

[Dreamscape]

I usually read on my lunch break so it tends to be a receipt from McDonalds or something.

[Hobbes]

I almost exclusively read e-books on my PDA, so I don't have need for a bookmark.

[hoosjon]

I use "business cards" from restaurants that i've been to and liked, like Puka Dog in Honolulu or Parker's BBQ off I-95 in NC.

My dad uses those fake credit cards that they send you in the mail ... that are still made of credit card material? I just love that he gets excited when he gets mail from those ppl! (lots less now with the economy in the dumper)

[hoosjon]

I almost exclusively read e-books on my PDA, so I don't have need for a bookmark.

Been thinking about getting Kindle or another app on my iPhone to do that, just to give it a try. What's the advantage over regular paperbacks?

[Hobbes]

Been thinking about getting Kindle or another app on my iPhone to do that, just to give it a try. What's the advantage over regular paperbacks?

In my case, I've always got my PDA with me anyway, so I always have my book. It's compact and easy to pull out and read anywhere I need to kill some time. I can have countless books with me without any extra bulk and I like reading on a screen (some folks don't). Changing pages is as easy as the press of a button, and I can easily read in low-light conditions. As for bookmarks, the software remembers where I am in each book. I've rarely read a book in any other way for the past 5+ years.

[Lauren T.]

I'd love a Kindle or Kindle-like device...I'm just waiting for one that has a back light option so I can read at night, in the car, etc.

[The Rap]

In the car while driving? LOL I bought a few bookmarks and the one I currently use is with a pic and sayings from Shakespeare.

[Chris_Moderato]

We are taught entirely too much Shakespeare in high school.

[KB 34]

I liked Shakespeare, even took an extra class in it because it was a weighted grade, easy, and interesting. We did read too much Hawthorne and Steinbeck. Both needed to take science classes where they'd fail miserably until they got to the point and didn't bore the reader to tears.

[barvos4evr]

We are taught entirely too much Shakespeare in high school.

I agree, I think that the "classics" should be updated every 40 years or so. I mean, teach Shakespeare, but maybe mix in a little Martin Amis, Flannery O'Conner and William Styron in there too!

[luvdembravos]

We are taught entirely too much Shakespeare in high school.


And yet, I still can't answer a Shakespeare-related Jeopardy question correctly whenever one comes up on that show. Guess that crap never sunk into my brain.

[Chris_Moderato]

I agree, I think that the "classics" should be updated every 40 years or so. I mean, teach Shakespeare, but maybe mix in a little Martin Amis, Flannery O'Conner and William Styron in there too!

Agreed. I took a class on Shakespeare's tragedies and poetry in college. I managed to get a B in the class, in spite of the fact that I skipped 95% of the class. Everything you need to know about Shakespeare you are taught in high school.

[The Rap]

And yet, I still can't answer a Shakespeare-related Jeopardy question correctly whenever one comes up on that show. Guess that crap never sunk into my brain.

Crap? Jeez!

[luvdembravos]

Crap? Jeez!

Sorry Rap. I know you're a lover of the arts but I just found Shakespeare to be boring.

[The Rap]

It's ok as long as you don't deny his greatness and don't call his writings crap. When you do keep in mind the person who loses most is you.

[Chris_Moderato]

It's ok as long as you don't deny his greatness and don't call his writings crap. When you do keep in mind the person who loses most is you.

You can't really dictate someone's response to art, can you? I mean, I'm a lover of the arts, especially the literary arts, but I wouldn't presume to lecture anyone on the proper way to respond to Shakespeare.

[barvos4evr]

There is much suspicion among some literature scholars that Shakespeares works were written by a committee. ( well not really, more like several different playwrights and actors wrote different parts of the stories and then fine tuned them together). I can't remember the article I read ( this was over 10 years ago) but it had some convincing arguments.

[The Rap]

You can't really dictate someone's response to art, can you? I mean, I'm a lover of the arts, especially the literary arts, but I wouldn't presume to lecture anyone on the proper way to respond to Shakespeare.

And you can't pass up any opportunity to attack me. I am feeling like there is someone looking over my shoulder all the time. If there is anyone who believes that the arts are totally subjective it is me so your attempt at my doing something wrong is pure bs.

[The Rap]

Nick, there are many articles out there which address this issue and say that it is all born out of jealousy and disbelief that all those classics could have been written by a single person.

[Chris_Moderato]

And you can't pass up any opportunity to attack me. I am feeling like there is someone looking over my shoulder all the time. If there is anyone who believes that the arts are totally subjective it is me so your attempt at my doing something wrong is pure bs.

I didn't say you did anything wrong. I'm just saying, if you do believe that art is subjective, then shouldn't you also recognize the validity of an argument that Shakespeare is "boring" and his writings "crap"?

As for your response to bravos, do you have links to any of these articles? I'd be very interested to read them, if they are online.

[The Rap]

Okay but there was an inference in what you wrote and maybe it is due to the internet communication problem. I also read many articles over the past 40 or so years but don't rememebr who, where, or why anymore.

[Devil Wears Prado]

Right now I'm reading Angels & Demons. Basically it's because I have to, but I'm not complaining! It's a pretty good book, and I haven't been immersed into a book like this for a while.

Next book I'll be reading is Invisible Man. Again for school. But I remember reading a lot of athletes' favorite books and many of them had Invisible Man as being one of their all-time favorites.

After all that, I plan on reading Moneyball again. I stopped reading about 1/3 of the way through, but I think I can get back into it again. Even if it's from the beginning.

[Lauren T.]

Right now I'm reading Angels & Demons. Basically it's because I have to, but I'm not complaining! It's a pretty good book, and I haven't been immersed into a book like this for a while.
Why do you "have to" read it? Is it on your summer reading list?

I don't think I've been forced to read a book since I finished college, and I like that. :)

[Devil Wears Prado]

Why do you "have to" read it? Is it on your summer reading list?

I don't think I've been forced to read a book since I finished college, and I like that. :)

Yeah, it's on my summer reading list.

I want to read Moneyball, but I can't read more than one book at a time.

[barvos4evr]

Right now I'm reading Angels & Demons. Basically it's because I have to, but I'm not complaining! It's a pretty good book, and I haven't been immersed into a book like this for a while.

Next book I'll be reading is Invisible Man. Again for school. But I remember reading a lot of athletes' favorite books and many of them had Invisible Man as being one of their all-time favorites.

After all that, I plan on reading Moneyball again. I stopped reading about 1/3 of the way through, but I think I can get back into it again. Even if it's from the beginning.

That Dan Brown, he spins a good yarn but his prose is absolute dog ****e!!!

[sdp]

Yeah, it's on my summer reading list.

I want to read Moneyball, but I can't read more than one book at a time.

Do you have a copy? I will give you my copy of Moneyball--it's brand new. However, I couldn't make it through the third chapter. PM me your mailing address and it's yours.

[Devil Wears Prado]

Do you have a copy? I will give you my copy of Moneyball--it's brand new. However, I couldn't make it through the third chapter. PM me your mailing address and it's yours.

Thanks for the kind offer. However, I bought it a few months ago on Amazon for less than $3.

[crazzycat]

"Shyness" Christophe Lone

[Dreamscape]

Finished up Bourne Betrayal. Compared to Bourne Legacy, I thought it was a better read, though I enjoyed the fourth book as well. Bourne continues to deal with the world despite seemingly everything being taken from him. Just started the third and final book of the Frankenstein triology by Dean Koontz and not loving it too much.

[The Rap]

The Defector by Daniel Silva and A Plague of Secrets by John Lescroat both fantastic by two of my favorite writers.

[barvos4evr]

I'm about to start reading Watchmen again. It's just so darn good!

[Chris_Moderato]

Almost done with 1919.

[KB 34]

Pretty much have fnished The Devil Wears Pinstripes-Lots of Yankee bashing which is pretty amusing.

Working on Who Really Won the Space Race?-Making me reconsider a lot about the V-2 and how the Von Braun team was utilized by the US and USSR.

Recently read Sputnik-Really increased my knowledge about the army and navy rivalry that killed the US satellite program for years.

Also reading Cracking the GRE 2009 Edition-Quite painful

[The Rap]

Almost done with 1919.

Interesting because I was just about to order it along with other novels of his in one volume. How was it?

[Chris_Moderato]

Interesting because I was just about to order it along with other novels of his in one volume. How was it?

This is Paris 1919: Six Months That Changed the World (http://www.amazon.com/Paris-1919-Months-Changed-World/dp/0375760520), just for clarity. It's about the Paris Peace Conference following World War 1. It is quite interesting and still extremely relevant.

[The Rap]

Just finished reading "The Family by Jeff Sharlett who went undercover at the Ave C hopoe for the right wing Republicans. The book literally scared the sh*t out of me. To read about the lunacy of belief where Jesus no longer cares about those who don't have and is only interested in those with power which, in turn, leads to an understanding and admiration for Hitler, Pol Pot and Suharto to name just a few is unreal. Then when you go through the book and see who was/is involved in that system will floor you. It confirmed everything I thought about the right wing nut jobs but I never realized how farreaching they are.

[barvos4evr]

just read Chariots of the Gods! Yeah yeah, it's the aliens were here thousands of years ago book. I watched a show on the subject and decided to read the book. The verdict? It's a lot more interesting and persuasive than I thought it would be. I don't believe it per se , however, there is interesting similarities between distant cultures that could be construed in the manner described.

Plus, it's fun reading about stuff like that!

[The Rap]

One of my very favorite authors who has become a friend as well is James Lee Burke, one of the best today. I am reading his latest, "Rain Gods," and am in awe as usual.

[Middle Man]

...The book literally scared the sh*t out of me. ... [/B]

Yuck, I bet that was messy.

[Chris_Moderato]

Yuck, I bet that was messy.

:D

[JanShan12]

I'm currently reading A Revolutionary Approach to Customer Service: Raving Fans! by Ken Blanchard and Sheldon Bowles.

Since my promotion, one of the things I've been put in charge of is marketing. It's much harder than I thought it would be. The guy who's running things with me gave me this book on Friday. Hopefully it will spark some fresh ideas in my head.

[ScooterBrave]

Blanchard is great. If you ever get to meet him, it is an experience. After Situational Leadership and The One Minute Manager, however, he has developed a keen eye for spotting a trend and jumping on the bandwagon.

[The Rap]

Finished reading Pat Conroy's latest "South of Broad" and it confirmed to me that he might be the best writer out there. Currently almost done with Dan Brown's "Lost Symbol" and though it is somewhat interesting I can't figure put why everybody seems so hot about him. Then again, I never understood all the hooplah about Harry Potter either.

[Chris_Moderato]

I am close to finishing Teacher Man by Frank McCourt. Great book, as I was told it would be. Everyone should read this.

Getting ready to move into An Unauthorized History of The Simpsons next.

[The Rap]

I'm in the middle of The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon. The book won the Pulitzer Prize and is awesome.

[Lauren T.]

I'm almost finished reading "My Life in France", Julia Child's autobiographical take on her years there long before she became famous here. It's a charming book. :)

[KB 34]

Last night I started A Clergyman's Daughter by George Orwell. While most people are familiar with 1984 and Animal Farm, Orwell has a number of other well-written and interesting novels. I highly recommend Keep the Aspidistra Flying and Down and Out in Paris and London. I don't recommed Burmese Days which bored me to death quickly.

[Andy G.]

I'm almost finished reading "My Life in France", Julia Child's autobiographical take on her years there long before she became famous here. It's a charming book. :)
You know I'd never heard of Julia Child until I saw the movie with Amy Addams and Meryl Streep? Is that weird?

[barvos4evr]

You know I'd never heard of Julia Child until I saw the movie with Amy Addams and Meryl Streep? Is that weird?

Welllll.... yer young. I grew up with a family who lived on PBS so i saw her on TV a lot growing up. I don't remember how often her shos aired in the 90's, so she may be a touch before your time. She really was the grandmother of all cooking shows though. It all starts with her.

[Lauren T.]

We only had broadcast TV in the 80s and 90s, so there wasn't much to watch! PBS was a staple in our house too, and I loved to watch her fling those chickens around. She was so tall - 6'2" - and I don't remember PBS disguising that fact!

[The Rap]

You are very cute Lauren. I never heard the word "charming" used to describe a book before.

[BigWorm]

Just finished reading "The Road". It was very dark and oddly written but very good as well.

[The Rap]

I just resad it too. Darkest book I have ever read but typical of the writerwho has also written other classics like No Country For Old Men. I want to see the film though with Viggo Mortensen.

[The Rap]

Just finished Game Change and it was amazing but one thing bothers me. Why did we have to wait a year to find out these things about those running for office?

[The Rap]

Finishing reading "13 Bankers" and I don't think any book ever made me want to puke before. A must read. Right or left, it doesn't matter.

[KB 34]

I just finished Hyperspace by Michio Kaku. It was the first time I've read a book and felt it was written from nerds on a completely different level from myself. One book managed to cover quantum theory, mathmatical developments related to string theory and higher dimensions, and theoretical studies about other potential civilizations on other planets. I don't recommend this book to a non-STEM sudience. Next on my list to read is Chemistry of Space, which was a gift from my professors for being named the top graduating chemistry student. It's a much easier read.

[barvos4evr]

I've read all his books.... it's all great! If you liked it I recommend Chaos by James Gliek!

[Devil Wears Prado]

Just started reading Why We Get Sick: The New Science of Darwinian Medicine. I bought this a couple years ago as suggested by Tucker Max on his website but never really got into it much. My brother just read it and now he's really interested in medical books. After I read this, I may just go ahead and decide to finish reading Moneyball and iWoz. Seriously, I have to stop purchasing books and then putting them down a week later. And if it counts... I started reading Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe. Gotta get the form right in the gym!

[Abaddon]

I just finished Hyperspace by Michio Kaku. It was the first time I've read a book and felt it was written from nerds on a completely different level from myself. One book managed to cover quantum theory, mathmatical developments related to string theory and higher dimensions, and theoretical studies about other potential civilizations on other planets. I don't recommend this book to a non-STEM sudience. Next on my list to read is Chemistry of Space, which was a gift from my professors for being named the top graduating chemistry student. It's a much easier read.
I've read The Elegant Universe which covers very similar topics. I read it 4 years ago and I've been meaning to go back and give it another read now that I'm more proficient in physics and math. I checked this book(Hyperspace) out on Amazon and I may give it a look. Extra spacial dimensions is definitely very difficult to imagine.