Books: Anybody reading anything interesting

Subject: BS: Anybody reading anything interesting
From: bobad
Date: 21 Feb 05 - 12:06 PM

I'm just digging into Bob Dylan's Chronicles and am quite enjoying it. He seems to be uncharacteristically candid about his inner self. Particularlly remarkable is the burning thirst for knowledge he had before becoming famous - the volume and scope of his reading and an almost manic need to experience life at the moment provided the building blocks for his art. I also like his writing style, at times it sounds like some of his songs.

Subject: RE: BS: Anybody reading anything interesting
From: GUEST,Skipy
Date: 21 Feb 05 - 12:48 PM

Yes, Mudcat!
Seriously though, "Forgotten voices of the great war" by Max Arthur.
Skipy

Subject: RE: BS: Anybody reading anything interesting
From: Bunnahabhain
Date: 21 Feb 05 - 12:52 PM

The Mars trilogy, by Kim Stanley Robinson. Long, but worth it.

Subject: RE: BS: Anybody reading anything interesting
From: harpgirl
Date: 21 Feb 05 - 01:23 PM

Guns, Germs & Steel. I saw that Amos had read it I think and discovered that Jared Diamond has a new one out. Very interesting

I was disappointed in the Chronicles. I thought Dylan was being deliberately obtuse about his life although the focus on music was interesting and he does write in a lyrical way.

Subject: RE: BS: Anybody reading anything interesting
From: GUEST,mg
Date: 21 Feb 05 - 01:25 PM

I just read the Sewing Circles of Harat (sp?) about educational groups that met in Afghanistan under the guise of being sewing circles. Very good book. Also an Amenian cookbook and the latest Oprah magazine. mg

Subject: RE: BS: Anybody reading anything interesting
From: wysiwyg
Date: 21 Feb 05 - 01:30 PM

Intro sections of Daniel Patterson's book, SHAKER SPIRITUALS. Fascinating reading about the foundations for the really unique sound of Shaker modes.

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Anybody reading anything interesting
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 21 Feb 05 - 01:32 PM

Handsome Harry by James Carlos Blake - a novel, a re-telling of the Dillinger story from the perspective of Harry Pierpont, the only member of the gang to be electrocuted.

Have you read any of the Barrie Roberts Sherlock Holmes novels. Barrie used to run the folk club in Coventry at The Fitters Arms, and he is a real character. I have recently made contact again through mudcat. I have only just got round to sending for three of his novels from Amazon. There are many: some are cheap, some are dear!

A rather terrific read is Surviving in Stroke City by Gerry Anderson. Some brilliant anecdotes in this. Anderson was a gigging musician for such luminaries as Pecker Dunne (of Sullivan's John fame)Screaming Jay Hawkins and then a DJ. Anderson has that wonderful Irish Behanesque chutzpah. you will love this book - no option otherwise.

Subject: RE: BS: Anybody reading anything interesting
From: annamill
Date: 21 Feb 05 - 01:53 PM

A thread has me re-interested in Harlan Ellison. I just finished "Strange Wine", "Angry Candy" and I'm now on "The Essential Ellison".

Very strange man, Ellison.

Funny though, his writings seemed to have affected my way of thinking.

I am also in the process of reading James Patterson (sometimes I read two books at the same time, depending which mood I'm in) and after reading Harlan, Patterson's writing seems almost childlike. I enjoy Patterson's stories but not his writing.

Annamill

Subject: RE: BS: Anybody reading anything interesting
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 21 Feb 05 - 04:28 PM

Something by Bernard Cornwell (wrote the 'Sharpe' series) called 'A Crowning Mercy' about Puritans and Royalists in Britain in 1640's. Only reading it because I forgot the characters and I just bought the sequel.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Anybody reading anything interesting
From: kendall
Date: 21 Feb 05 - 04:37 PM

The DaVinci Code

Subject: RE: BS: Anybody reading anything interesting
From: GUEST,Peter Woodruff
Date: 21 Feb 05 - 05:04 PM

I am reading David Corn's "The Lies of George W. Bush" and Chalmers Johnson's "The Sorrows of Empire." Just for fun, I'm also reading Simon Winchester's "The Map That Changed the World." So far, I can rate these three books as equally interesting, informative, and entertaining. I'm interested in history as these titles reveal...I return to "The Map That Changed the World" for solace from in your face history.

Peter

Subject: RE: BS: Anybody reading anything interesting
From: Alice
Date: 21 Feb 05 - 05:17 PM

http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=78650

Subject: RE: BS: Anybody reading anything interesting
From: Cluin
Date: 21 Feb 05 - 06:27 PM

Just finished Merle Haggard's My House of Memories. It was kind of scattered, but interesting.

Now reading The Digital Photography Manual by Philip Andrews. Nothing new there yet, but it's good to review the basics anyway.

Subject: RE: BS: Anybody reading anything interesting
From: annamill
Date: 21 Feb 05 - 06:37 PM

Cluin, did Merle happen to mention a special he did with Big John Allen for PBS? He might have something about Big John's wife running out to hug him while he was in the middle of taping. Just wondering. I was sure he'd remember it as he had a really horrified look on his face at the time.

Love, Annamill (the ex-Mrs. Big John Allen; No thats not why he's my ex)

Subject: RE: BS: Anybody reading anything interesting
From: Cluin
Date: 21 Feb 05 - 06:41 PM

Nope. He didn't mention that particular event, but he did say there were lots of things he wasn't going to talk about, either for fear of law suits or his kids reading the book.

Subject: RE: BS: Anybody reading anything interesting
From: Bert
Date: 21 Feb 05 - 06:42 PM

Just read To The Hilt by Dick Francis

Subject: RE: BS: Anybody reading anything interesting
From: DougR
Date: 21 Feb 05 - 07:24 PM

I just finished reading "The Broker" by Grisham. I can't recommend it though. A good guide book on visiting Italy would be much better I think.
DougR

Subject: RE: BS: Anybody reading anything interesting
From: sixtieschick
Date: 21 Feb 05 - 08:00 PM

"Middlesex" by Jeffrey Eugenides. Won a Pulitzer. The writing is astonishing.
I was bored out of my gourd by Bob Dylan's "Chronicles." I gave up after struggling to stay awake through the second chapter in which he offers inane, superficial book reviews of classics he read in a friend's apartment in the Village.

Subject: RE: BS: Anybody reading anything interesting
From: Teresa
Date: 21 Feb 05 - 08:25 PM

Barbara Kingsolver's Prodigal Summer, and I have Annie Proulx' Wyoming Stories and many others waiting on the pipeline. Charles de Lint, Marian Zimmer bradley, and I've been wanting to read Robinson's mars Trilogy.. I'm pleasantly surprised at the number of SF fans around here. :) I've heard Ellison interviewed, but still haven't read any of his yet. I shall I'm sure.

Teresa

Subject: RE: BS: Anybody reading anything interesting
From: Midchuck
Date: 21 Feb 05 - 09:50 PM

"Dies the Fire" by S. M. Stirling is the best read so far this year.

P.

Subject: RE: BS: Anybody reading anything interesting
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 21 Feb 05 - 09:55 PM

Adobe - Photo & Illus CS

Absolutely mesmerizing - and good for the negative space.

Sincerely,
Gargoyle

Subject: RE: BS: Anybody reading anything interesting
From: freda underhill
Date: 22 Feb 05 - 04:26 AM

I've just finished reading "Primary Colours" by Anonymous - great read, and am now into "Baghdad without a Map" by Tony Horwitz (written before the war) - both are very good reads.

freda

Subject: RE: BS: Anybody reading anything interesting
From: GUEST,The Beast of Farlington
Date: 22 Feb 05 - 05:31 AM

Hotel New Hampshire - by John Irving. Mammoth, towering, bizarre.

Oracle Night - Paul Auster - intriguing, beguiling, a book within a book.

Subject: RE: BS: Anybody reading anything interesting
From: GUEST
Date: 22 Feb 05 - 07:01 AM

Juggling a few at the mo! Just finished the first books in 2 seperate series by Stephen Lawhead Taliesin from the Arthurian Legends and The Iron Lance from the Celtic Crusades. Both good reads. About to embark upon a standalone by the same author - Patrick. Finished both the DaVinci code and Angels and Demons earlier followed by Digital Fortress. Deception Point is waiting in the wings:-) Also playing a game called Gabriel Knight 3 which while not quite a read is almost as good as - And fits in quite nicely with parts of the Davinci code. Also part way through some H Rider Haggard classics I downloaded from Amazon.

Somehow manage to fit work, Tai Chi, Hiking and boozing in as well:-)

Cheers

DtG

Subject: RE: BS: Anybody reading anything interesting
From: 42
Date: 22 Feb 05 - 07:26 AM

For a great giggle with tons of fascinating information check out

Eats, Shoots and Leaves...

cant' be beat.

j

that's hilarious....a misplace apostrophe in a recommendation for a book about punctuation.

Subject: RE: BS: Anybody reading anything interesting
From: GUEST,James
Date: 22 Feb 05 - 07:55 AM

Are You Somebody by Nuala O Faoilain. A very good book.. Also read her novel which I was not Crazy about. Also recently finished Reading Lolita in Tehran by A. Nafisi..Great idea but the author could not seem to decide what kind of book to write..too bad, could have been two good books rather than one medicre one/ Speaking of Sherlock Holmes, I have also read recently Laurie R. King's The Beekeepers Apprentice. A Good read.

Subject: RE: BS: Anybody reading anything interesting
From: GUEST
Date: 22 Feb 05 - 07:55 AM

How To Make Love Like A Porn Star: A Cautionary Tale by Jenna Jameson

Subject: RE: BS: Anybody reading anything interesting
From: Ethan's Granny
Date: 22 Feb 05 - 08:06 AM

Just finished the Da Vinci Code which I read in 2 sessions. Now I'm on Angel Pavement by J B Priestley, which is more my usual thing, although I'm fond of Terry Pratchett and Colette as well! A mixed bag, much like myself!

Subject: RE: BS: Anybody reading anything interesting
From: mack/misophist
Date: 22 Feb 05 - 09:48 AM

Just finishing a Joseph Conrad jag with Lord Jim. Both it and The Nigger of The Narcissus were head and shoulders above Heart of Darkness, which I thought grossly over rated.

Subject: RE: BS: Anybody reading anything interesting
From: Flash Company
Date: 22 Feb 05 - 10:15 AM

Will in the World by Stephen Greenblatt.

FC

Subject: RE: BS: Anybody reading anything interesting
From: Emma B
Date: 22 Feb 05 - 10:22 AM

Today I'm mostly reading "The Well of Lost Plots" by Jasper Fforde - unless you've read his books - totally undescribable.                I'm also trying to come to terms with "Teach yourself Mandarin" which is slightly saner but not much!

Subject: RE: BS: Anybody reading anything interesting
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 22 Feb 05 - 12:54 PM

As is often my case, I'm reading two books at once:

For about the last five weeks I've been spending lots of hours reading James Boswells The Life of Samuel Johnson. It is about 1297 FULL, small-typeface pages. I sometimes think I'll have as many hours in, reading his life, as he did in living it! It is interesting, though. I'm about 3/4 through it now, and I may live long enough to finish it.

Just the other day I picked up from my old bookshelves (because I needed a book that I could carry with me in a pocket, which is decidely not true of the above) an old copy of Mark Twain's The Innocents Abroad. My, oh my, that man could WRITE! It's been many (maybe 40?) years since I read it previously, so it's effectively a fresh read to me.

I can heartily recommend both books, but The Life of Johnson only to a person with a long attention span. The Mark Twain is one of those books you can pick up and lay down, read in almost any order, come back to next month, etc., and not have your pleasure spoiled.

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: BS: Anybody reading anything interesting
From: dwditty
Date: 22 Feb 05 - 01:11 PM

The World Don't Owe Me Nothin' - David Honeyboy Edwards' autobiography. If you love country blues, this is a look you won't get from any white guy taking a tour and collecting stories. Honeyboy lived it (and continues to do so - still playing out at age 89).

dw

Subject: RE: BS: Anybody reading anything interesting
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 22 Feb 05 - 03:54 PM

I seem to remember I liked Victory when I was into Conrad. Also under Western Eyes.

Didn't really go a bomb on The Secret Agent. I've often wished to catch up with Bob Hoskins film of it though. didn't like the one about the south american revolutions. Love the name Josh MacWhirr - it sounds really scottish.

Subject: RE: BS: Anybody reading anything interesting
From: Rapparee
Date: 22 Feb 05 - 06:31 PM

The Murder of Chaucer, by Terry Jones et al.
Arsenals of a Democratic culture, by Sidney Ditzion.

And I don't have the authors for:

The Vigilantes of Idaho, Pleasure seeking in the Old West,
and five other books I bought over the weekend.

Subject: RE: BS: Anybody reading anything interesting
From: GUEST
Date: 22 Feb 05 - 06:31 PM

The Los Angeles metro city bus schedule.

Subject: RE: BS: Anybody reading anything interesting
From: Burke
Date: 22 Feb 05 - 06:56 PM

I just finished Pratchett's Going Postal. I have liked some of his others better. Also Orson Scott Card's Crystal City and Diana L. Paxson's addition to M.Z. Bradley's Avalon books, Ancestors of Avalon. Sometimes you just have to keep reading a series.

I have 2 books going right now: Land of the firebird : the beauty of old Russia by Suzanne Massie in preparation for a trip to Russia; and, For the glory of God : how monotheism led to reformations, science, witch-hunts, and the end of slavery by Rodney Stark.

Of books mentioned, I really liked Guns, Germs, and Steel.

Subject: RE: BS: Anybody reading anything interesting
From: Bill D
Date: 22 Feb 05 - 08:24 PM

Teresa..Harlan Ellison is amazing.. I like his non-ficton better than his stories, however.

and I think I had read everything Marion Zimmer Bradley ever wrote as of 6-7 years ago...I was surprised at how deeply I got into the Darkover series, since I usually prefer 'hard' Sc-Fi....I guess Darkover manages to merge science & fantasy in a way that few others can emulate.

Subject: RE: BS: Anybody reading anything interesting
From: michaelr
Date: 22 Feb 05 - 10:34 PM

I'm re-reading Tad Williams' "Otherland", a tetralogy of the most amazing and brilliantly creative cyber-fantasy ever (well, maybe the ONLY tetralogy of the most amazing and brilliantly creative cyber-fantasy ever).

Excellent writing, and so is his earlier "Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn" series. Takes Tolkien's legacy where it deserved to go -- way above the fray of cheap imitators.

Cheers,
Michael

Subject: RE: BS: Anybody reading anything interesting
From: Cluin
Date: 22 Feb 05 - 10:41 PM

Always wanted to read that series, Michael. But my local library doesn't carry the first book.

Subject: RE: BS: Anybody reading anything interesting
From: Shanghaiceltic
Date: 22 Feb 05 - 11:07 PM

Just finished three more of Ian Rankin's excellent Rebus series books. Rebus is a Scottish police detective and all the plots are set in or around the Edinburgh area. Any of you who have ever lived, worked or visited Edinborough will recognize many of the locations.

They are all excellent with realistic plots and some good dour Scottish black humour.

The last three were;

Fleshmarket Close
Knots and Crosses (which as the first in the series)
Flesh and Blood

Subject: RE: BS: Anybody reading anything interesting
From: Cluin
Date: 23 Feb 05 - 12:06 AM

I've read a few of the Rebus series, Shang. Excellent yarns. But my reading of them depends on what comes my way, either from the library of my buddy who collects them. Consequently, I've bounced around the timeline a lot. But I did read Knots & Crosses first.

Subject: RE: BS: Anybody reading anything interesting
From: Paco Rabanne
Date: 23 Feb 05 - 06:17 AM

The Catnic lintel technical guide by Corus.

Subject: RE: BS: Anybody reading anything interesting
From: kendall
Date: 24 Feb 05 - 04:48 PM

Notes from a small island by Bill Bryson. An American's impression of the UK. Very good read.

Subject: RE: BS: Anybody reading anything interesting
From: GUEST,Skipy
Date: 24 Feb 05 - 05:25 PM

I'm reading Mudcat.
Skipy (about to go & get another cider).

Subject: RE: BS: Anybody reading anything interesting
From: GUEST
Date: 24 Feb 05 - 07:14 PM

Pick of this year's reading so far;
"dare to be a Daniel" Anthony Wedgewood Benn
"What's left" Tony Booth
"Experience" Martin Amis
But above all others;
"Chronicles" Dylan
"Lone Star Swing" Duncan McLean (A Scot's search for the roots of Western Swing...a great read)

Subject: RE: BS: Anybody reading anything interesting
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 25 Feb 05 - 06:46 AM

Thanks to everybody for contributing to this. There are several books mentioned that I will be looking at. The Dave Honeyboy Edwards sounds terrific.

I have just sent for the Josh White biog from Amazon. Anybody read that? Be glad of your impressions.

Subject: RE: BS: Anybody reading anything interesting
From: M.Ted
Date: 25 Feb 05 - 09:58 AM

Read the Dylan book, and found that, in the last two chapters, he actually started writing the book I was expecting to read to begin with--

I just picked up "In Close Harmony:The Story of the Louvin Brothers" by Charles Wolfe, which is very interesting--

Subject: RE: BS: Anybody reading anything interesting
From: alanabit
Date: 26 Feb 05 - 08:38 AM

I enjoyed Dylan's Chronicles, although he does jump around in his times a bit.
I read Paolo Cuehlo's "Eleven Minutes", which he had announced was going to be aout a "shocking subject". I found it rather a charming love story. I enjoyed the famous one, "The Alchemist" too. Think I'll look for some more of his stuff when I go to the UK in September. I don't speak Portuguese and I can't be arsed to read it in German. I only read German for work!

Subject: RE: BS: Anybody reading anything interesting
From: robomatic
Date: 26 Feb 05 - 09:49 AM

Finished "Wide As The Waters" by Bobrick about the English translations of the Bible. Very Good.

Reading: " A Problem From Hell - America and The Age Of Genocide " by Samantha Power. Somewhat informative. Waiting to see if it adds anything new to this subject.