Every once in a while someone asks this and I get some good book ideas. It has been a while, so I’m gonna ask: Whatcha readin?
Currently I’m reading a Dean Koontz novel “The Face.” Koontz in generally an easy read for me and usually finish him in a day or two, but this one didn’t catch me. In the queue I have Hawke by Ted Bell, which has the potential to be a fun James Bond-type action book. Then there’s The Word, which pre-dates the Da Vinci Code as a “thriller with an Acient Manuscript, a secret society…” etc. Alos there is Horoics for Beginners by John Moore which is a spoof on the Fantasy genre. Often these spoofs have potential but peter out for me, but I’ll try this one anyway.
Sundays are my “deep” reading day. This only means that it usually non-fiction and may be about something I have a passing interest, but wouldn’t normally sit and spend a lot of time reading about. It is often religion related (but need not be), and could come from any of the world’s religions. It often takes me months to finish these books, because, as I said, it is only a passing interest. A few months back I finished a book on Buddhaism and I just finished a book on “How to Think Like Leonard Da Vinci”. (It was mediocre. a facintating history of Leonardo, but the “how-to” part left me luke-warm) This morning I started “The Purpose Filled Life” which was a gift. It didn’t speak to me and I will not be finishing it. In the queue is a book called “The Science Of the Mind” which is not, probably, what you would think it is. It is a different way of looking at religion or perhaps a religious movement of its own.
Sex, Drugs and Cocoa Puffs by Chuck Klosterman, the author of Fargo Rock City. Subtitled “A Low Culture Manifesto” he plumbs the depths of Saved by the Bell, Sugar-Coated Kiddie Cereals, the Lakers-Celtics rivalry of the '80’s, Billy Joel’s music and other landmarks (notice I don’t say high points) of the past 25 - 30 years and draws very funny connections and insights from them…
Fire from Heaven by Mary Renault - an historical novel, the first in a series about Alexander the Great. I just finished the Masters of Rome series by Colleen McCullough (starts with The First Man in Rome - it is big, and getting comfortable with the Roman characters’ names is tough at first, but historical fiction just doesn’t get any better). Anyway, I loved that and so thought I’d give this a try since it is also very highly regarded.
I’m about halfway through Up Country by Nelson DeMille, and just started Dogs of Babel by Carolyn Parkhurst.
I hit the sale rack at the library yesterday.
I got Bleachers by John Grisham for a quarter.
I also got The Crimson Petal and The White by Michel Faber and Cloudsplitter by Russell Banks for a buck each. The last two are donated copies (no library stickers), and are in great shape. Quite a bargain!
Damn, I always hit ‘submit’ too soon.
So, we’re a gang now? The “Watcha’ Readin’ Gang”?
Cool!
I always wanted to be in a gang! Do we get leather jackets with catchy nicknames on the back? Can we go out and start rumbles with non-readers?
I’m re-reading the Diary of Anne Frank. Being the book junkie that I am, I have a large stack ready to be read but I haven’t had time to read much this summer.
Lately I’ve been on a binge of reading Philip K. Dick. Within the last couple of weeks, I’ve read Martian Time-Slip, The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch, Time Out of Joint, Ubik, and Flow My Tears, The Policeman Said. Currently, I’m reading The Man in the High Castle.
After I finish that, I’ve got a few books on the “waiting to be read” pile, and I plan to start with “The Fortress of Solitude” by Jonathan Lethem, which recently came out in paperback. When I finish that, I’ll probably go for another Philip K. Dick book, but I haven’t decided which one to check out next.
BiblioCat – hope you love The Crimson Petal and the White as much as I did. Do a search when you’re done – we had a thread on it about a year ago that I thought was pretty interesting.
One book ago was **Inamorata**, a novel about a member of the Scientific American team investigating psychics in the '20s. Well written, interesting, really enjoyed it. (Plus it was set in Philly, which is always fun for me.)
Currently reading the new Carol O’Connell, **Dead Famous**, which ain’t grabbing me yet, but I’ve been so fried recently I can’t deal with anything too demanding right now.
Just finished Pamela Dean’s The Secret Country, Sue Henry’s The Serpent’s Trail, and Carolyn Haines’s Splintered Bones.
Currently reading Chaz Brenchley’s Hand of the King’s Evil, Janet Evanovich’s To the Nines, and Dan Brown’s The DaVinci Code (which my husband really enjoyed. Go figure).
I’m working on Wizard and Glass fourth in Stephen King’s Dark Tower series. I also have a book called “Ring of Fire,” a collection of short stories set in the 1632 universe.
Well, that plus all my textbooks. But those don’t count.
The Neandertal Enigma , by (James?) Shreeve. Only about a fifth of the way into it. Mitochondrial DNA, extinction of Neandertals, stuff like that. Man, this guy is a great writer!
Just finished The Stone Angel by Margaret Laurence (loved it) and am about 100 pages into Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke. I’m liking it – it’s kinda slow-moving but there’s lots of humor.
I’m reading Colors Insulting to Nature by Cintra Wilson. I’ve been really slow about it because I’m not sure if I’m going to love it or hate it. I love Cintra so so there’s a lot at stake! I am also in the middle of Masters of Atlantis by Charles Portis.
I’m also reading Chasing Vermeer which I only bought because I was seduced by the Brett Helquist illustrations. I’m saving the second half for some perfectly cozy evening. I’m really looking forward to the new Lemony Snicket in a few weeks.
I just finished Deep Water by Patricia Highsmith. I loved it. Before that I read John Hersey’s Algiers Motel Incident which I found pretty compelling.
I recently started A Sunday at the Pool in Kigali by Guy Courtemanche and A Personal Matter by Kenzaburo Oe but I didn’t finish either one. I feel guilty about it but maybe some other day.