BS: Read any good books lately?

Subject: RE: BS: Read any good books lately?
From: Joe_F
Date: 21 Jul 08 - 09:01 PM

_The Lucifer Effect: Understanding How Good People Turn Evil_ (Random House, 2007) by Philip Zimbardo, who recruited a bunch of nice Stanford undergraduates, put them in a fake jail, randomly assigned some to be guards and the rest to be prisoners, and watched them degenerate into cruelty & despair, dragging him along with them. Eventually his girlfriend, horrified after a tour, induced him to call a halt.

Power corrupts the powerful and the powerless.

Subject: RE: BS: Read any good books lately?
From: Skivee
Date: 22 Jul 08 - 03:02 AM

Neal Stephenson's Crytonomicon. It's not some crappy book about priests bringing the dead back to life.
It's a well written, multi timeline, 1,000 page sci-fi brick. It stretches across the globe, from WWII to a near future where people and industries are building towards more into an intensely more digital life.
A hefty amount of cryptograpghic and ramdomness theory is thrown in as narrative. At one point one of our heroes is bicycling in the Pine Barrens with Alan Turing. He notices that Turning chain pops off periodically. There's a 4 page discussion on the calculus behind the chain popping of. It's backed up by numerous complex formulas. Along the way, you learn stuff about random things that aren't. This should have made me want to stab my eyes out with my reading light, but it was totally engrossing.
Code theory and calulus as entertainment reading !! Who knew?

Subject: RE: BS: Read any good books lately?
From: Riginslinger
Date: 22 Jul 08 - 10:01 PM

A friend of my son's is in prison for holding up a gas station. It was a Texaco gas station, so who could blame him. I don't think he has much formal education, but he seems to read pretty well. He likes to have me send him books. I have to have them sent directly for Amazon.com or Barnes&Noble, or etc., or the guards think there's something in the book and take them apart to investigate, ruining the books.
                      He's in his mid-fifties, he's a Native American--West Coast--and he's led a really tough life.
                      What should I send him?

Subject: RE: BS: Read any good books lately?
From: bobad
Date: 22 Jul 08 - 10:35 PM

Here's one that might come in handy "How To Break Out Of Prison"

Subject: RE: BS: Read any good books lately?
From: Riginslinger
Date: 22 Jul 08 - 11:11 PM

Great! I'm not trying to get the guy killed!

Subject: RE: BS: Read any good books lately?
From: katlaughing
Date: 22 Jul 08 - 11:31 PM

Anything by Sherman Alexie. Here's his site: Click. I esp. liked Indian Killer and Smoke Signals. The latter was made into an excellent movie.

Subject: RE: BS: Read any good books lately?
From: Riginslinger
Date: 23 Jul 08 - 12:03 AM

Kat - Thank you so much!

Subject: RE: BS: Read any good books lately?
From: Rowan
Date: 23 Jul 08 - 12:41 AM

He's in his mid-fifties, he's a Native American--West Coast--and he's led a really tough life.
                      What should I send him?

Being from Oz I may have missed a vital piece of context and I'm trying to avoid any sense of disparagement; are you requesting a preferred or limited set of topics for your friend?

If variety is what you're looking for, a quick scan through the thread should give you a host of recommendations with only the occasional critical comment. If your friend likes reading but has a limited ability/vocabulary/etc I suspect you could still pull out quite a few suitable books from the ones listed in the thread.

Best of luck!

Cheers, Rowan

Subject: RE: BS: Read any good books lately?
From: katlaughing
Date: 23 Jul 08 - 01:52 AM

That is so true, Rowan. I have found some wonderful reads just by perusing this thread, as you know.:-)

Just finished Nuala O'Faolain's "My Dream of You". Quite good, esp. with the true life divorce case from 1849 which is included, some of its duocuments verbatim. Some of her descriptions of Ireland are breathtakinginly, achingly beautiful.

Subject: RE: BS: Read any good books lately?
From: quokka
Date: 23 Jul 08 - 03:25 AM

I've read Nuala O Faolin's 'Are You Somebody?' which was very good.
Just finished 'Unstrung Heroes'by Franz Lidz - hilarious. Mudcateers who enjoy puns will love this memoir.
Recently re-read Joan Baez 'And a Voice to Sing With' and Woody Guthrie's 'Bound for Glory'. Pure gold!
I've usually got three or four different books on the go, depending on what I'm in the mood for.
Am right in the middle of a Richard Thompson biography called 'Strange Affair' by Patrick Humphries. It's pretty good.
Nearly forgot! Yesterday I read 'Lady Sings the Blues' !!! Wow. This is a re-release with CD attached. It is well worth a look.

Cheers,
Quokka

Subject: RE: BS: Read any good books lately?
From: quokka
Date: 23 Jul 08 - 05:27 AM

Oh and also Felicity Kendal's autobiography 'White Cargo'. Fascinating read. What a life she's had!

Cheers,
Quokka

Subject: RE: BS: Read any good books lately?
From: Riginslinger
Date: 23 Jul 08 - 08:03 AM

"Nuala O Faolin's"


               Is that Sean O'Faolin's daughter?

Subject: RE: BS: Read any good books lately?
From: Riginslinger
Date: 23 Jul 08 - 08:12 AM

"Being from Oz I may have missed a vital piece of context and I'm trying to avoid any sense of disparagement;"


                      It's funny how I just assumed everyone would know the context of being in prison in America. It's all about racial identity, so this fellow is segregated into a small group of Native Americans. There are far more Mexicans, Blacks, and Neo-Nazi Whites. If there are Asians, I don't think they distinguish between Chinese and Koreans, or whatever, but they have to be a member of a group to survive.
                      In any event, untill he gets out, he'll be wrapped up in whatever it means to be Native American.

Subject: RE: BS: Read any good books lately?
From: GUEST,Quokka
Date: 23 Jul 08 - 08:57 AM

Yes, Nuala is Sean O'Faolin's daughter.
Cheers,
Quokka

Subject: RE: BS: Read any good books lately?
From: Gulliver
Date: 23 Jul 08 - 09:57 AM

Reading Bill Bryson's "A Short History of Nearly Everything". Excellent!

Don

Subject: RE: BS: Read any good books lately?
From: GUEST,HiLo
Date: 23 Jul 08 - 10:21 AM

I loved Nuala O'Faolins Book Are You Somebody and so bought her novel My Dream of You. I have not read it yet and in fact I'd forgotten I owned it. Thanks for the mention of it, I will start it tonight.
Have recently read The Towers of Trebizond by Rose McCaulay. Just grand and one of the best opening lines of any novel ever.

Subject: RE: BS: Read any good books lately?
From: SharonA
Date: 23 Jul 08 - 11:35 AM

"Misquoting Jesus: The Story Behind Who Changed the Bible and Why" by Bart D. Ehrman.

This is a kind of a beginner's book for people who are interested in the ways that New Testament manuscripts were altered and modified, intentionally and unintentionally, by copyists and translators before the invention of the printing press (and the interpretations of those different versions up to the present day). It's written in a much simpler style than many other scholarly works on the subject of early-Christian research and exegesis (including other books by the same author).

As with most works of this type, Ehrman has a bias in his interpretation of the available data, but Ehrman makes his opinions quite clear and explains in his introduction the unexpected path his own belief has taken that has led him to form those opinions. He was "saved" during the evangelical push of the early '70s and attended the ultra-evangelical Moody and Wheaton colleges, but his research and even his education caused him to question and finally to reject the fundamentalist agenda.

If you too have come to the realization that not every word in the Bible is literally true, if you wonder whether the Gnostics were really so heretical after all, if you're not ready to slog through a tiny-fonted tome by Elaine Pagels or Bruce Metzger, then try this book!

Subject: RE: BS: Read any good books lately?
From: irishenglish
Date: 23 Jul 08 - 12:05 PM

Been catching up on Paul Auster-Oracle Night, Travels In The Scriptorum. Currently reading Michael Palin's Diaries 1969-1979, The Python Years. Very good read for anyone interested in Python.

Subject: RE: BS: Read any good books lately?
From: quokka
Date: 23 Jul 08 - 12:44 PM

Also just re-read Paulo Coelho's 'The Alchemist'. This is one book I can read over and over, although if you haven't guessed by now I'm a wee bit of a bookworm...I haunt libraries and second-hand bookshops. Rarely buy a 'brand-new' book - I figure there's so much to read, so little time, plus I can usually get it from the library if it's newish. I read fiction, biographies, oh heck I think this topic needs a new thread! Fave authors, perhaps...ooh I just remembered, I absolutely LOVE Jonathon Livingston Seagull. I guess I'd better stop before I get too carried away...
Cheers,
Quokka

Subject: RE: BS: Read any good books lately?
From: katlaughing
Date: 23 Jul 08 - 12:54 PM

We've had a few other threads like this and that: click here. Not to say there shouldn't be another.:-)

Subject: RE: BS: Read any good books lately?
From: Mike789
Date: 23 Jul 08 - 08:06 PM

Reading William Gibson is a hoot. He coined the word "Cyberspace".

Neuromancer -- Early work, very cool.

Pattern Recognition -- More recent, cool, though tamer.

Subject: RE: BS: Read any good books lately?
From: GUEST,Neil D
Date: 29 Jul 08 - 01:35 PM

I am 2/3 through "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" by Jonathan Safran Foer. Its protagonist is 9 year old Oskar Schell, trying to make sense of things after losing his father in the World Trade Center collapse, but this is not a childrens book. At times funny and touching and often very sad (to borrow a phrase from Oskar, it makes me wear heavy boots) this book is quite profound. Mr. Foer's first novel, "Everything Is Illuminated" was made into a movie which two years ago was THE movie that I told everyone was a must see. I now recommend this novel just as highly.

Subject: RE: BS: Read any good books lately?
From: Rowan
Date: 29 Jul 08 - 07:22 PM

I read Louis Sachar's book "Holes" a while ago and found it an interesting read, even though I gather it is aimed at teenagers. Both my daughters liked it and were a trifle peeved when I donated it to the school library. After they'd read it, of course.

Cheers, Rowan

Subject: RE: BS: Read any good books lately?
From: Riginslinger
Date: 29 Jul 08 - 09:59 PM

I have boys coming to visit--9 and 10 years old. Any suggestions on good bedtime stories?

Subject: RE: BS: Read any good books lately?
From: heric
Date: 29 Jul 08 - 11:12 PM

I just read "Flush" on the strong recommendation of my daughter, and I liked it, too. It's a good choice. (She really did say "strongly recommend.")


From School Library Journal
Grade 5 Up–In Flush (Knopf, 2005), Carl Hiaasen's ecological concerns focus on illegal dumping of raw sewage from a floating casino. Noah Underwood's dad has sunk the gambling ship, the Coal Queen, in protest. Now the elder Underwood is launching a media campaign from his jail cell to raise public awareness since the sewage-spewing ship will soon be back in operation. Though Noah and his younger sister Abbey believe in their father's cause, they also fear their mother will file for divorce if he continues to react so outrageously to environmental issues. After a few false starts and run-ins with the casino owner's son and the ship's hired goon, the siblings come up with a plan . . . .

Subject: RE: BS: Read any good books lately?
From: Riginslinger
Date: 30 Jul 08 - 07:29 AM

I didn't even know things like that were out there!

Subject: RE: BS: Read any good books lately?
From: jacqui.c
Date: 30 Jul 08 - 07:39 AM

i'm most of the way through 'Marley and Me' by John Grogan.

It's nice to know that our Seamus is an almost normal yellow lab in comparison to this one - this is a book that has made me laugh out loud a number of times and that is causing me to become sleep deprived!

Subject: RE: BS: Read any good books lately?
From: Rowan
Date: 30 Jul 08 - 07:36 PM

G'day Riginslinger,
On another thread (about whether kids read anymore) Sandra from Sydney mentioned the NSW Premier's Reading Challenge, which was originally a program encouraging students from Years 5-8 to get reading. Years 5 & 6 are the last two years of primary school (called Grade School, I believe, in the US) and Years 7 & 8 are the first two years of secondary (or High) school. I noticed at the URL below that it's now expanded to cover from Kindergarten (preschoolers) to Year 9.

The separate booklists are seachable by title, author or category. Although the URL is an https: site I had no trouble accessing it.

Lots of luck.

Cheers, Rowan

Subject: RE: BS: Read any good books lately?
From: Riginslinger
Date: 31 Jul 08 - 10:50 AM

Thanks again, Rowan!

Subject: RE: BS: Read any good books lately?
From: Joe_F
Date: 31 Jul 08 - 09:13 PM

I am most of the way thru _The Confession_ by James E. McGreevey, a former governor of New Jersey. It might be subtitled Love, Lust, & Politics: Their Vile Interactions. Highly educational for me at least.

Subject: RE: BS: Read any good books lately?
From: Ebbie
Date: 01 Aug 08 - 11:48 AM

I just finished 'Lost Horizon', which I borrowed from the used-book store where I work part time.

I had certainly heard of the book - published in the early 30s, and claims to be the first book ever printed in paperback - and most certainly knew the shangra-la concept but my question is: Is this where the concept of Shangra La came from? Or did it only pick up a much earlier allusion?

Interesting story, I must say.

When I first picked it up I thought it was a different book, different subject. What is the name of a movie done early on- 50s or maybe 40s - about, among other things, miscegnation, passing for White, and consequent family conflicts? "Lost" something, I know. Maybe with Dorothy Dandridge in it?

Subject: RE: BS: Read any good books lately?
From: katlaughing
Date: 27 Aug 08 - 02:46 PM

Something rather interesting: Bookfinder's out of print book trends, i.e. most sought after out of print books...I used to have one of them. Now, I'll have to see if I can find it!

Subject: RE: BS: Read any good books lately?
From: Riginslinger
Date: 27 Aug 08 - 03:16 PM

How could a Nora Roberts title become a sought after book, or am I reading it wrong?

Subject: RE: BS: Read any good books lately?
From: katlaughing
Date: 27 Aug 08 - 03:46 PM

Must be a specific version, Rig. I went to www.addall.com and did a search on that title and it came up with tons of them, so good question.

Subject: RE: BS: Read any good books lately?
From: MAG
Date: 28 Aug 08 - 12:13 PM

Just finished *Yiddish Policemen's Union* -- stayed up most of the night to finish it.

How can I not go look for something called *Undomestic Goddess*?

Subject: RE: BS: Read any good books lately?
From: katlaughing
Date: 28 Aug 08 - 12:18 PM

MAG, I just sent out my copy of it, or I'd send it to you. You can join www.paperbackswap and request a copy from there. There are PLENTY available. It's a fun read!

Subject: RE: BS: Read any good books lately?
From: MAG
Date: 29 Aug 08 - 11:29 AM

I'll get it from the Library, Kat. Our copy was out yesterday, so I'm rereading *Pattern REcognition* instead for now. In between doing what I listed on the declutteri g thread, of course!

Subject: RE: BS: Read any good books lately?
From: John Hardly
Date: 29 Aug 08 - 08:05 PM

Interesting writer I just finished off four books. Jodi Picoult

Subject: RE: BS: Read any good books lately?
From: olddude
Date: 29 Aug 08 - 08:45 PM

Multivariable Calculus by Bruce H. Edwards

Subject: RE: BS: Read any good books lately?
From: Riginslinger
Date: 29 Aug 08 - 10:47 PM

So I'm reading the "The Best American Short Stories of 2007," obviously, 2008 ain't over yet. And in this one story, this guy and his wife decide to commit suicide, so they pull into the garage in a late modle Toyota, close the garage door and leave the engine running.
                   The obvious problem is, a late model Toyota with a catalytic converter produces almost no carbonmonoxide, the thing what kills you.
                   The story was written by a PHD from Johns Hopkins University, and vetted by the editors of the publication that is was originally published in, plus the editors of TBASS of 2007.
                   An out of work coal miner from West Virginia with a 6th grade eduation would have spotted this right away--if he'd been inclined to read it--but it slipped right by all of those folks with advanced degrees from Harvard to UC Berkeley.
                   The out of work miner would have voted for Hillary Clinton. The PHD's would have voted for Barack Obama, and they'd have been wrong.

Subject: RE: BS: Read any good books lately?
From: Michael Harrison
Date: 30 Aug 08 - 03:22 AM

Well, I am just finishing up, "The Dublin Saga" by Edward Rutherfurd, which consists of two books, "The Princes of Ireland," followed by "The Rebels Of Ireland" and I couldn't put them down.
It is the history of Ireland intertwined with a novel, and, for me, at least, it was a most excellent read. Now I'm told that I need to read "The Green Flag" by Robert Kee - the real stuff, I guess.

My sweet missus has not been able to put down the Scottish historical novel series by Diana Gabledon (sp?) that started with the book, "The Outlander." So there's a few to consider. Cheers.

Subject: RE: BS: Read any good books lately?
From: Beer
Date: 30 Aug 08 - 07:57 AM

Michael,
Read the first one of the Dublin saga and can hardly wait to get my hands on the second novel. Read all of Diana's Outlander series and found them truly fascinating. my next book is titled Gondar by Nicholas Luard. A friend just gave it to me. Hope it is enjoyable as the last few I've read.
Beer (adrien)

Subject: RE: BS: Read any good books lately?
From: GUEST,HiLo
Date: 30 Aug 08 - 09:09 AM

I just finished a very good novel by Trish Cohen called "The Townhouse". It is the story of the son of an iconic rock star who leaves his only son a decaying townhose and not much else.The story revolves around the son's struggle to hang on to his fathers only legacy. Great read, sad, funny and very well written.
I am also reading a grand non fiction book by Judith Flanders called " Consuming Passions". She writes wonderful social histories (The Victorian House) and this is a fascinating look at the rise of consummerism. Loads of interesting detail. Although is pertains exclusively to England, it is none the less, a great read. Some of the subject areas are ; the rise of shoping and department stores, Popular Music and Theatre, Books and Publishing, the advent of railroads and travel and it ends with a look at the ultimate consumer binge..christmas and what consumerism has done to it. Just a great book.

Subject: RE: BS: Read any good books lately?
From: john f weldon
Date: 30 Aug 08 - 10:21 AM

Currently reading that 50s pulp-master Mickey Spillane. The hero Mike Hammer is a racist, homophobic, sexist, right-wing thug. It's total garbage and I don't recommend it to anyone. But sometimes I just looove a little garbage!

Subject: RE: BS: Read any good books lately?
From: john f weldon
Date: 30 Aug 08 - 10:34 AM

A search reveals no mention of Martin Amis' "The Information". It's been a few years but this tale (by Chaim's brother-in-law) is about two rival authors. One has managed to become popular while the other writes books that absolutely no-one can read without becoming ill. The latter repeatedly attempts to sabotage the former. It's very funny, and for an animator seems very familiar. I suspect some folkies will find these guys recognizable, too.

Less junkie than the aforementioned Mickey S.

Subject: RE: BS: Read any good books lately?
From: ard mhacha
Date: 30 Aug 08 - 10:58 AM

Michael Harrison well worth a read is Sean O`Callaghan`s book on Cromwells time in Ireland, entitled `To hell or the Barbados`, an insight into a period of hidden history, well researched by O`Callaghan.

Subject: RE: BS: Read any good books lately?
From: katlaughing
Date: 30 Aug 08 - 05:40 PM

ard macha, that one sounds interesting....I had ancestors who went to Barbados as bigwigs...thanks for mentioning the book.

Michael, thanks to you, too. I have just ordered the Outlander from www.paperbackswap and look forward to the series.

Subject: RE: BS: Read any good books lately?
From: katlaughing
Date: 30 Aug 08 - 08:12 PM

Just finished Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See. As her memoir, On Gold Mountain, this was excellent. Equally as interesting are her notes, afterwards, about the travels and research she went through to write it, esp. the info about the secret women's writing known as "nu shu." You may read more about the book at her wbsite: Lisa See dot com.

Subject: RE: BS: Read any good books lately?
From: Michael Harrison
Date: 31 Aug 08 - 01:50 AM

Beer - you should find "The Rebels Of Ireland" at amazon.com or at
half.com at very good prices. Reading is a fine pastime - until they drop the puck again. GO RED WINGS!

ard mhacha - thanks for the tip on the Cromwell book I will most certainly be looking out for a copy of that one. Cheers.

Subject: RE: BS: Read any good books lately?
From: ard mhacha
Date: 31 Aug 08 - 06:29 AM

Michael and Kats I got O`Callaghan`s book from Amazon.