# It's Time For Another Edition Of -- So, What Are You Reading? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 1, 2001, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-time-for-another-edition-of-so-what-are-you-reading/90999 "2001-11-01T22:14:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jodi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7feea3/32.png) [@Jodi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jodi)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2001, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-time-for-another-edition-of-so-what-are-you-reading/90999/1 "2001-11-01T22:14:03Z")
Yep, I’m out of reading material. Ten days’ of pneumonia will do that to you. So here I am again to snaffle suggestions from the DoperReaders, who we all know have far more discerning tastes than Oprah. Title, subject, and short opinion, if you please. Line forms to the left. Me go first? Well, okay. The last three books I read were: _Cherry_ by Mary Karr, a follow-up to her first memoir, _The Liar’s Club_. I thought it was good but not nearly as good as TLC, which I loved. _The Bridegroom_ by Ha Jin, a collection of short stories set in modern China. Entertaining – he’s a great writer – but nothing that really struck me or held my attention. _The Prize Of All The Oceans_ by some guy whose name I forget. A non-fiction book about an 18th century circumnavigation of the globe by an English commodore who sacrificed ships and men for honor and glory. Very interesting study of what constitutes a ‘successful’ voyage, and at what point the price of glory becomes too high. So – what are _you_ reading? ---
**Author:** ![lenin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3bc359/32.png) [@lenin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lenin)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2001, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-time-for-another-edition-of-so-what-are-you-reading/90999/2 "2001-11-01T22:25:24Z")
_The Koran_, written by a chap named Allah in association with a bloke named Muhammed. Long, tedious, but interesting. _Marxism for Beginners_, author unknown(it’s a photocopy). It’s sort of like a picture book towards everyone favorite political movement… Interesting. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2001, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-time-for-another-edition-of-so-what-are-you-reading/90999/3 "2001-11-01T22:32:56Z")
About five romances. So sue me. Just finished The Anubis Gates, thanks to The Teeming Millions for naming it for me. Cannot adequately discribe this book, but it is a fun read. Still reading Hornblower and the Hotspur. A boy and his boat or Adventure on the High Seas. For some non-fiction action, I’ve got All Souls: A Family Story from Southie. Kinda like Angela’s Ashes in Boston. It has the added attraction of the author’s mom not being a stupid cow. I’m sorry, but Frank McCourt’s mom pissed me off on every second page. ---
**Author:** ![Tars\_Tarkas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tars\_Tarkas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tars_Tarkas)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2001, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-time-for-another-edition-of-so-what-are-you-reading/90999/4 "2001-11-01T23:07:55Z")
Just finished _The Moon is a Harsh Mistress_ by Robert A. Heinlein, and am now reading _Mattimeo_ by Brian Jacques, trying to catch up to where the cartoon is on PBS. ---
**Author:** ![Gadarene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Gadarene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gadarene)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2001, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-time-for-another-edition-of-so-what-are-you-reading/90999/5 "2001-11-01T23:11:29Z")
Metamagical Themas, by Douglas Hofstadter Cases, Materials, and Problems in Property, by Richard Chused The Federal Rules of Civil Procedure …What? ---
**Author:** ![lawoot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/35a633/32.png) [@lawoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lawoot)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2001, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-time-for-another-edition-of-so-what-are-you-reading/90999/6 "2001-11-01T23:14:04Z")
_The Fourth Hand_ for the second time. A graphic novel by Kyle Baker called _You Are Here_. _Lord of the Rings_ for the umpteenth time. Not much else at my job to read in the [euphemism] reading room [/euphemism]. [Edited by Ukulele Ike on 11-01-2001 at 07:56 PM] ---
**Author:** ![lawoot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/35a633/32.png) [@lawoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lawoot)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2001, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-time-for-another-edition-of-so-what-are-you-reading/90999/7 "2001-11-01T23:15:21Z")
preview is my friend…grrr ---
**Author:** ![Gazelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Gazelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gazelle)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2001, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-time-for-another-edition-of-so-what-are-you-reading/90999/8 "2001-11-01T23:15:50Z")
**Dune** by Frank Herbert Mom read it years ago and got addicted to the series… I could never get into it, but finally decided to try it again. What a great book. Next up: **The Good Earth** by Pearl Buck ---
**Author:** ![Demise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/34f0e0/32.png) [@Demise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Demise)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2001, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-time-for-another-edition-of-so-what-are-you-reading/90999/9 "2001-11-01T23:22:42Z")
The latest issue of _Maxim_. Don’t look at me like that! Fine, I admit it, I need to hit the bookstore soon. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2001, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-time-for-another-edition-of-so-what-are-you-reading/90999/10 "2001-11-01T23:33:03Z")
**The Man Who Loved Children** by Christina Stead. A couple of years in the life of a very dysfunctional family, written in 1940. I thought it was great, so I bought some more Stead and a biography. Gotta see what makes a woman that angry. Re-reading **Davy** by Edgar Pangborn, a post-apocalypse story with a (for want of a better word) definite “hippie” flavor. **Cinderella Skeleton** was the Halloween book. It’s a kid’s book, and it was a hoot. She’s a bony little chick who loses her whole foot at the ball. Also reading **Anno Dracula** by Kim Newman, the first of his alternate history/fantasy series. Queen Victoria is married to Count Dracula, someone is murdering vampires in a Ripper style, and trouble is brewing. Waiting for **From Hell** by Alan Moore and **Coldheart Canyon** by Clive Barker. Guess I’m a horror fan. ---
**Author:** ![BurnMeUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@BurnMeUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BurnMeUp)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2001, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-time-for-another-edition-of-so-what-are-you-reading/90999/11 "2001-11-02T00:05:27Z")
Red Lobster, White Trash and the Blue Laggon by (someone) Queenan - A professional critics submersion in the absolute worst that pop culture has to offer sand his take on it as it consumes his life… very very amusing. On deck - Mists of Avalon ---
**Author:** ![Corixidae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@Corixidae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Corixidae)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2001, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-time-for-another-edition-of-so-what-are-you-reading/90999/12 "2001-11-02T00:09:51Z")
Just this moment finished **When the Bough Breaks** , by Jonathan Kellerman. Next up is another of his Alex Delaware novels, **Time Bomb**. I know these Alex Delaware books go in some chronological order but I rarely pay attention to order when I read several books in a series, usually because the first one I read is almost never the first of the series. ---
**Author:** ![tavalla](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tavalla/32/89_2.png) [@tavalla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tavalla)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2001, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-time-for-another-edition-of-so-what-are-you-reading/90999/13 "2001-11-02T00:12:25Z")
I’m on a “revisit the favourites” kick at the moment. “LA Confidential” by James Ellroy “The Hobbit” and “Lord of the Rings”, JRR Tolkein “Snow Falling on Cedars” by David Guterson “The Darkangel” by Meredith Ann Pierce And a new one, “Night of the Wolf” by Alice Borchardt (new to me, anyway). ---
**Author:** ![Interrobang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/interrobang/32/17463_2.png) [@Interrobang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Interrobang)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2001, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-time-for-another-edition-of-so-what-are-you-reading/90999/14 "2001-11-02T00:21:36Z")
I’m in the middle of _Cadillac Desert: The American West and Its Disappearing Water_, by Marc Reisner. It’s a fascinating history of American efforts to move water around and make it do what we want it to do. I never thought I’d find dams particularly interesting. Surprise! I’m also reading Jim Crace’s _The Devil’s Larder,_ his follow-up to _Being Dead_, which was maybe the best novel I’ve read in the last five years or so. TDL is a collection of 64 very short stories, all dealing in some manner with food; it’s a little like Hans Christian Andersen in the 21st century. So far, very good. ---
**Author:** ![RocknRoll\_Killing\_Machine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/5daacb/32.png) [@RocknRoll\_Killing\_Machine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RocknRoll_Killing_Machine)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2001, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-time-for-another-edition-of-so-what-are-you-reading/90999/15 "2001-11-02T00:22:52Z")
Beach Music - Pat Connely Filth - Irvine Welsh On The Road - Jack Kerouac All are good. ---
**Author:** ![Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/angel_of_the_lord/32/2949_2.png) [@Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angel_of_the_Lord)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2001, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-time-for-another-edition-of-so-what-are-you-reading/90999/16 "2001-11-02T00:27:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by tavalla \* > \*\*I’m on a “revisit the favourites” kick at the moment. > > “LA Confidential” by James Ellroy > “The Hobbit” and “Lord of the Rings”, JRR Tolkein > “Snow Falling on Cedars” by David Guterson > “The Darkangel” by Meredith Ann Pierce\*\* Heh. I’ve just started _Snow Falling on Cedars_ myself. I like it a lot, so far. I’m also rereading Raymond Carver’s collected poetry, and I plan on reading the Qu’ran as soon as I can find a copy (not an easy feat here). ---
**Author:** ![robinh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b77776/32.png) [@robinh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robinh)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2001, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-time-for-another-edition-of-so-what-are-you-reading/90999/17 "2001-11-02T00:33:05Z")
I’m reading _Birth as an American Rite of Passage_, by Robbie E. Davis-Floyd. It’s an interesting look at the medical model of birth from an anthropological point of view. ---
**Author:** ![drillrod](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@drillrod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drillrod)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2001, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-time-for-another-edition-of-so-what-are-you-reading/90999/18 "2001-11-02T00:37:22Z")
I’m currently re-re-re-reading **The Talisman** by Stephen King and Peter Straub in anticipation of reading the sequel **Black House** ---
**Author:** ![Kayeby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9de0a6/32.png) [@Kayeby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kayeby)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2001, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-time-for-another-edition-of-so-what-are-you-reading/90999/19 "2001-11-02T00:43:41Z")
**"The Happy Housewife"** by Heleen van Royen. It’s more than a little bizarre (she tongues a _corpse_) but I’m sort of getting into it. ---
**Author:** ![Maeglin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8baadc/32.png) [@Maeglin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maeglin)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2001, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-time-for-another-edition-of-so-what-are-you-reading/90999/20 "2001-11-02T00:48:33Z")
Real sorry about the illness…I hope you are feeling better. _The Politics of Latin Literature: Writing, Identity, and Empire in Ancient Rome_ – Thomas Habinek Still working on [The Manuscript Found in Saragossa](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0140445803/qid=1004661911/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_10_1/104-7466232-4613515), a terrific book by the 18th century aristocratic adventurer, Jan Potocki. Fighting, sex, the supernatural, marvelous tales of aristocratic intrigue…this book is one hell of a ride. Recommended to me by none other than **Uke** himself. _Rhetoric in the Middle Ages: A History of Rhetorical Theory from St. Augustine to the Renaissance_, by James J. Murphy. MR [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-time-for-another-edition-of-so-what-are-you-reading/90999.md?page=2)