Books! What are we reading these days?

[calvin]

I have been on a Robert Harris binge. Historical fiction of the great kind with the "Cicero" trilogy, and then "An Officer and a Spy", dealing with the Dreyfus Affair. Great reads! I read his newest, "Conclave", which was interesting as to the politics in electing a pope. A reasonable read. Then read "Fatherland". Chilling. What if Hitler had won? The author's note on the 20th anniversary of its publication was to the effect that he has written better books, and more successful books, but none with the impact of "Fatherland".

I read the Bruce Springsteen autobiography which is, as I expected, lucid, illuminating, introspective and just plain fun. I saw him in 1978 in Toronto, perhaps 5 rows back from the stage, on the floor: an experience of a lifetime. The book is a great read.

Since I am still in my David Bowie period, I read the Woody Woodsmansey autobiography. "Spiders from Mars" is the title. He was the drummer in the Ziggy era, when it all started. A self-deprecating and highly readable book, and an ever so sensible person you would love to meet at the local. He had reason to be negative in light of the way the Spiders From Mars ended as thevBowie band, but Woody Woodsmansey is to fine person, and too committed a musician, to live in the rear view mirror. Another excellent read.

I recently savoured "The Swerve", a Pulitzer Prize winner by Stephen Greenblatt. Fascinating. One of the most important works of literature is a poem by Lucretius, which was discovered in 1417 in a monastery. This is a story of the poem and its influence through the ages, and the story of the man who found it. If you are interested in books, Roman history, the Catholic Church, the Renaissance and philosophy, Epicureanism in particular, this is compelling. A delicious read!

Finally, I am re-reading "Thinking Fast and Slow" by Daniel Kahneman. A book which takes a while to warm up to, if I can dangle that preposition, but well worth the effort. Our brains are complex, and this book analyzes our ability to react quickly in assessing information - and explains why those initial impressions or conclusions are so often wrong.

I look forward to your current reading lists and comments!

[StraightForward]

I'm almost through reading The Art of Eating, which is the collected work of M.F.K. Fischer. Good stuff.

I have Biomechanics and Physical Training of the Horse on my nightstand, and can't seem to get past page 1 because it's technical and I don't pick it up when I'm in the right frame of mind to focus and study like I've got a final tomorrow morning.

[PaulaO]

I'm revisiting the Newbery Award winners from my childhood. Johnny Tremain (which was so boring I don't know how I read it as a kid), Thimble Summer, The Westing Game, and Dear Mr. Henshaw. Also dipping into Sherlock Holmes.

[Canyon]

A few months ago, a friend loaned me “In the Garden of Beasts” by Erik Larson. I finally got around to reading it. It’s about WiIliam Dodd, US Ambassador to Nazi Germany, and his family (concentrating on his daughter Martha and her affairs). There are some interesting parallels to our current political climate.

[amygdala]

i'm re-reading mercedes lackey's The Free Bards-- which also has some interesting paralells to out current political climate. dressed up as fantasy

[texsuze]

I recently read "My Antonia" by Willa Cather. Just a wonderful read. Characters and landscapes that you can picture in your mind. Excellent book and one of those you're sad to see end.

Right now I'm reading "Goodbye to a River" by John Graves. Texans who've been here a while would probably 'get it' more intensely than those outside the Lone Star State, but it has a dash of everything: humor, darkness, country philosophy, cynicism (did I spell that correctly?). John Graves has a style of writing that can really be savored.

And I still think Andre' Agassi's autobiography "Open" is one of the best books I've read. Can't explain it, I just really think it is so well done.

[Anne]

I'm on a budget, so re-reading quite a bit : just finished The Goldfinch (Donna Tartt); various Aurelio Zen books (Michael Dibdin), love the suave italian characters and irony; The Shipping News (Annie Proulx) - all around glorious uplifting read. And for lightweight summer reading (it's *meant* to be summer here, though it's been cold!), Jilly Cooper novels (Riders, Polo, Appassionata) - completely fun and escapist fare.

[piedmontfields]

I just started THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE by US journalist David Finkel about the PTSD++and other psychological impacts of our long lasting war in Iraq. It is heartbreaking and very powerful.

On my "to be borrowed" list is THE UNWINDING by New Yorker writer George Pucker. It was recommended to me as a very subtle portrait of US economic life and struggles (way more so than something like HILLBILLY ELEGY).

I tend to read a lot of heavier non-fiction, mixed in with literary fiction and some truly light fiction

[Kelo]

Dressage Chronicle fans, the 4th and final book just dropped. Its called Rings of Fire.

Hasnt been long since the 3d book came out, so sort of a happy surprise.

Otherwise, if anyone is looking for lighthearted beach reading romance, I have enjoyed the books by Penny Reid. There is a knitting series and a beard series, both good. The characters are all quirky and a tiny bit awkward, instead of being the beautiful perfect people usually characterized, and they are quite clever.

[Amado]

Dressage Chronicle fans, the 4th and final book just dropped. Its called Rings of Fire.

Hasnt been long since the 3d book came out, so sort of a happy surprise.

OMGosh, Seriously?! I was just thinking about that the other day, I read 2 and 3 over Christmas. LOVED them. *runs off to Amazon to download!*

[Amado]

I got majorly hooked on Hugh Howey (Wool and a bunch of others) several years ago because of Paws (where is she now, has anybody "seen" her?), I recently read the "Sand" series, and it is fantastic. Can't wait for the next set.

[Flight]

I've just finished the 4th dressage chronicles and started the 3rd book in the eventing series by Natalie Keller Reinert. They are nice easy reading and so horsey

I really liked the Wool series by Hugh Howey, will have to check out the Sand series.

[silk]

I've read a few Jodi Picoults recently. To Harvest a Heart, one with a title about Whales, and another I forget the name of. I enjoy her style of writing.

[StraightForward]

I got majorly hooked on Hugh Howey (Wool and a bunch of others) several years ago because of Paws (where is she now, has anybody "seen" her?), I recently read the "Sand" series, and it is fantastic. Can't wait for the next set.

I might have to check that out, but I still giggle when I think of my husband ranting about the end of Wool, or was it Dust. He was so mad, I about died laughing.

[PaulaO]

Just picked up the latest Stephanie Plum (Turbo Twenty Three) and a grown up Judy Blume book, In the Unlikely Event.

[Racetrackreject]

I got majorly hooked on Hugh Howey (Wool and a bunch of others) several years ago because of Paws (where is she now, has anybody "seen" her?), I recently read the "Sand" series, and it is fantastic. Can't wait for the next set.

OH, I'll have the check out Sand too. Thanks for the recommendation!

[Backyarder3]

Enjoying The Other Queen by Philippa Gregory....But not finding much time to read . Be read a couple of her books and have enjoyed them although the politics and family trees can be mind boggling !

[Kelo]

I've just finished the 4th dressage chronicles

What did you think of it?

I enjoyed it just as much as the previous ones, as always the horsey part was great, but (trying to stay vague to prevent spoilers) I guess I wished for more detail in the people relationships, just because it was the final book of the series.

[ThursdayNext]

A friend recommended The Royal Spyness series as extremely light mystery reading, and I've blasted through that pretty quickly. Not high literature, but there's something comforting about it.

I'm in the middle of Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsberg, which I'm enjoying. It's pretty well-written and fast paced, although the design can sometimes be a little distracting.

Another book I've started is A Train in Winter: An Extraordinary Story of Women, Friendship, and Resistance in Occupied France. I am interested right now in the ways women have resisted historically. This is a hard book -- so many good people lost their lives, and it was so senseless. But then the men and women who resisted prove that humanity is not all bad, and I need that message right now, too.

And, finally, I just finished reading the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe to my kids. They are 6 and 7, and they both loved the story so much that I bought the rest of the series for the oldest's birthday in a few months. Meanwhile, we started Trumpet of the Swan last night. I love family bonding time at the end of the day, when I get to relive all my childhood reading!

[Woost2]

Vist Hugh Howey on FB. He is lovely. And rarely wears clothes.

I'm just finishing Patricia McConnell's The Education of Will: A Mutual Memoir of A Woman and Her Dog. I have met her and seen her enough that I love her voice -- writing or speaking. This is not a training book but rather ... well, here's a blurb ...

“Patricia B. McConnell’s inspirational memoir, The Education of Will, is, above all, a book about redemption. McConnell faces her own history of trauma as she tries to understand and heal her fearful and reactive border collie, Willie. This book is filled with McConnell’s fascinating and often humorous insights about working with wonderful and sometimes wounded dogs. But this isn’t a book about training dogs. It’s much more. The Education of Will engages in an intimate and challenging conversation with the reader: about saving yourself, saving others, and allowing others to save you. It is original, powerful, heartwrenching in its honesty — and filled with a comforting, gentle grace.”

—Cat Warren, author of What the Dog Knows

[Flight]

I've just finished the 4th dressage chronicles

What did you think of it?

I enjoyed it just as much as the previous ones, as always the horsey part was great, but (trying to stay vague to prevent spoilers) I guess I wished for more detail in the people relationships, just because it was the final book of the series.

Trying hard not to say any spoilers here, but I did like it a lot, and I actually thought it had more other (as in non-horsey) stuff in than I expected it would. I liked how it wrapped up being the final book, but yes it was more a superficial overview than detailed.

[Amado]

Just finished book #4. Loved it! Hope she writes more books.

[Astral]

(I always tend to have a few going at once)
Currently reading Terry Tempest Williams' "Pieces of White Shell" (which, admittedly, I started a while ago and then it kind of got kicked under my bed, and I'm just rediscovering it now!), Lawrence Durrell's "Justine," and Neil MacGregor's "Shakespeare's Restless World."

[PaulaO]

Last night I finished "Hillbilly Elegy" by J.D. Vance. Truthfully, skipped a middle chunk because his childhood was essentially the same story over and over--mother addicted to drugs, grandma and grandpa were his haven, multiple stepfathers, did poorly in school, victim and witness to domestic violence. The most interesting part was how this molded him into the adult he is. He joined the Marines, went to OSU, and eventually graduated from Yale Law School. It's a sobering story.

[svvdressage]

I just started reading Gitchie Girl. It is a true story about 5 teens that were camping at a state park in the 70's. While there, they were attached and 4 were murdered. The 5th teen is the author of the book. The state park is about 8 miles from my house and the author is still local. I am only a few pages in.