Whatchoo readin'?

[Sam Conder]

In another thread, I mentioned that I am currently reading Beyond Band of Brothers: The War Memoirs of Major Dick Winters.

If you're a reader, what are you currently reading? Is it a good book? Would you recommend it?

[fbrend123]

Last book read was, Atlas Shrugged, by Ayn Rand. Good read, lotsa pages. Scary thing is, even though somewhat dated, describes pretty much what is happening in my state, right now.

[JR]

A World Lit Only by Fire
The medieval mind and the renaissance
William Manchester.

The popes were some freaky people in 1500!

[LarryG]

In deference to what I think was the intent of the thread, I won't mention the lighthearted mystery I'm reading currently, but I will recommend one of my most recent reads: "Uncommon Carriers," by John McPhee.

Of course, anything by John McPhee is always worth recommending. If you want to know how things work, if you want to know how various people make their livings in jobs you might otherwise not give a thought to ... read John McPhee.

[Black wallnut]

America's Great Gunmakers
Wayne Van Zwoll

One of my favorite authors, lives in my area, friends with a friend of my dad. I've got a signed copy. The book is more about factory guns as opposed to custom gunmakers.

[os1kne]

I'm currently reading The Day After Tomorrow by Allan Folsom. It's good, but not great (some things are a bit too coincidental or too far "out there" for me. I've read almost all of the Michael Connelly books and they tend to be excellent.

[scmhogg]

Sam--Thanks for the tip. You might be able to guess why it is of interest to me.

fbrend--Try the Fountainhead next. In the 60's, I subscribed to the Objectivist's News-Letter by Nathaniel Brandon. If you want to know more about Rand's philosophy, read The Virtue of Selfishness.

JR--A World Lit Only by Fire, is a tough read, but well worth it. Manchester's historical insights are amazing. I particularly remember how long it took news to reach various parts of Europe at the time.

I am currently reading Stolen Boy, a novelized version of the Jesse James Hollywood case here in California. I am interested as Jesse was my client at the time. Not very well written or accurate. His use of metaphors would make his high school English teacher cringe.

Steve

[Mr__Bill]

When I hunger for a good read I turn to...
Good Eats by Alton Brown

[Tom Slick]

I am reading a physics book and electronics book for college classes. they are boring!

[fbrend123]

Scmhogg, did The Fountainhead a couple years ago. Ellsworth Toohey's rant to Peter Keating left its mark. Lent it to my son-in-law, who then went out and bought Atlas Shrugged. Lent that one to me after he finished it. Haven't read any other Rand, since I need a rest after AS. My reading is sporadic, anyway. I have a tendency to read a book in as few sittings as possible, once I start. Unfortunately, it's usually a long time from the end of one book to the beginning of another.

[gsmittle]

The Taming of the Shrew, William Shakespeare
Asimov's Guide to Shakespeare, Isaac Asimov
Clues to Acting Shakespeare, Wesley Van Tassel
Handbook of Physical Comedy,by some dude I can't remember just now

History of the Theatre,Oscar Brockett

I am such a nerd!

g.

[JR]

. In the 60's, I subscribed to the Objectivist's News-Letter by Nathaniel Brandon.

I had a number of issues of The Objectivist at one time. It was interesting to me that Rand could be such a clear thinker, yet she came to such different conclusions than I. Of course, it's big part of her philosophy that you should follow your conscience.

My beef with her came when she derided the people at Woodstock, comparing them to the alternative at NASA. Whetever.

JR

[mashtun]

Whatchoo readin'?

Right now lots of Woodworkign books and Forums like this one. Check out Overstock.com if you are in the market for book, they have 17 pages of Woodworking books, and they all seem to be about a buck or more cheaper than amazon.

I don't mean to change the thread, but since a lot of you have been talking about Ayn Rand, you should see The Passion of Ayn Rand, a movie about her. It sort of sheds a differnent light on her.

Oh and I am about to start the last two books in the DUNE series.

John

[gwyneth]

A World Lit Only by Fire
The medieval mind and the renaissance
William Manchester.

Excellent book--it makes it clear how difficult it is for us to understand what it was really like back then. Any images our minds can form are colored so completely by essential changes (e.g. light at night, hot water on demand) that making the leap is almost impossible.

(Note that there are probably very few non-history fora on the internet where a member recommends this and at least two others agree--I don't mean the opinions, but actually having read it.)

Last night I became the first human in an unknown number of years to pick up "Vantage Point", LBJ's post-presidency retrospective.

About 20 per cent through it. It's surprisingly readable, somewhat more candid than I'd expected, and in only one or two places so far has my reaction been, "Wait a minute..."

There are also a numher of haunting passages that word for word could have been usefully quoted in the last five years.

Doris Kearns Goodwin was one of the aide/editors who helped him produce it, and I now have lots of questions about how effective she and the others were about enforcing honesty and objectivity.

So far, it's way less self-justifying than the post-presidency books of his immediate successor were.

[radhak]

Nowadays I am reading one full book each evening, sometimes even able to finish a couple of books.

Yesterday it was 'Arthur in a Pickle' and 'Rumpelstiltskin', the day before it was 'Dont let the Pigeon drive the Bus!', and 'Are you my mom?', before that...

What - you meant the other books? Well, I am unable to recall anything beyond the past 5 years, so this will take some time...