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The BOOK Thread

There's a lot of hoopla about Harper Lee's new book, Go Set A Watchman. I read To Kill Mockingbird in school. I need a refresher.

Yeah, I understand it's actually the first Draft of "Mockingbird" set 20yrs later. Her publisher told her it was too rough & honest for the day (1960) so she rewrote it and that's the "mockingbird" we all know. I'm curious to read it too. I'll wait till the hub-bub does down.
 
So when Bay Book closed, the owner recommended Rachel Bach's trilogy of Fortune's Pawn, Honor's Knight, and Heaven's Queen based on the info that I enjoyed the Eli Monpress series. Apparently Rachel Aaron used the name Bach for her foray into Sci-Fi. I really enjoyed the books though - almost more so than the Eli Monpress series. Fans of war hammer 40k or Starcraft will notice some influences along with Star Wars and other classics. Aside from that I won't spoil anything beyond saying it's a great trilogy and worth picking up if you like science fiction.
 
Just found this Forum while poking around. :)
Me Likey!

Crap, Forgot about this thread. :(

Just finished reading about 12-14 Jack Reacher books in used paperbacks.
Anybody in the East Bay want to swap for other adventure type books?

Reading some Westerns now.
 
Rendevous with Rama would be better, IMO.

Pity they screwed up Starship Troopers so badly, but the philosophy bits would be problematic... :laughing
 
Rendevous with Rama would be better, IMO.

Pity they screwed up Starship Troopers so badly, but the philosophy bits would be problematic... :laughing

Actually I think I read that several times. When I was a kid there weren't any computers; & just 3 channel TV. So I would loose myself in Novels & technical manuals all the time...

I think I read everything A.C. Clarke published. Along w/all the good Si-Fi stuff I could find...:teeth

Edit: My kid told me the other day, "Dad no one reads books anymore."

Oh brother...
 
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"They Eat Puppies, Don't They?" Christopher Buckley is really good. Really good, as is all his stuff. Thank you for smoking? Fall off your chair!
 
I am almost finished with "The Great War of our Time" by Michael Morell, recently retired CIA guy. Fascinating view on world events since 9/11 (and leading up to). And the press, and politicians, and Edward Snowden.

great quote from chapter 13:

"...the most dangerous terrorist alive today. He is a master of his craft and he is evil. He built a rectum bomb and recruited his younger brother..."
 
So when Bay Book closed, the owner recommended Rachel Bach's trilogy of Fortune's Pawn, Honor's Knight, and Heaven's Queen based on the info that I enjoyed the Eli Monpress series. Apparently Rachel Aaron used the name Bach for her foray into Sci-Fi. I really enjoyed the books though - almost more so than the Eli Monpress series. Fans of war hammer 40k or Starcraft will notice some influences along with Star Wars and other classics. Aside from that I won't spoil anything beyond saying it's a great trilogy and worth picking up if you like science fiction.

Will put it on my read list. :thumbup
 
A friend lent me Undaunted Courage and that was good. The story of the Lewis and Clark expedition / Lewis' biography.

If you liked that, try Endurance. The Earnest Shackleton expedition to the Antarctic. (I read the Alfred Lansing version)

Read that while I was on a Navy boat going around South America (and later South Africa). Spent a few nights out on the deck trying to figure out how in the fuck they survived those waters with a glorified row boat, a sextant, a few wool sweaters, and no food. Big, huge, hairy, brass ones, really.
 
Recently finished the Ilium/Olympos duology by Dan Simmons and currently reading The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick.

Next up will have to be Hieroglyph: Stories and Visions for a Better Future by Stephenson, etc.
 
Anyone read a good non fiction book lately?

Born To Run, I finished a month ago.


Finished Deep Survival by Lawrence Gonzales recently, really interesting take on why certain people survive when things go pear-shaped and others don't (aside from dumb luck)

Currently reading Charlie Chaplin's autobiography, interesting character...actually taking a break from it while reading Sand by Hugh Howey. Picked it up from the sci-fi/fantasy shelves at SFPL, pretty darned entertaining.
 
Sand is pretty damn good. I can't say I've loved everything I've read by Howey (a few of his short stories are kinda meh), but he's been by far one of the more consistently good authors I've read. The Wool trilogy, I Zombie and Beacon 23 are all excellent.
 
:thumbup cool, this is the first I'd ever heard of him. I'll definitely check out Wool and the others after I finish Sand.
 
Sand is pretty damn good. I can't say I've loved everything I've read by Howey (a few of his short stories are kinda meh), but he's been by far one of the more consistently good authors I've read. The Wool trilogy, I Zombie and Beacon 23 are all excellent.

I really enjoyed Dust in that trilogy. Didn't care for Half Way Home but I'll have to check out Sand.
 
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