# Khadaji's Whatcha Readin' thread - September 2014 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 29, 2014, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-september-2014/696911 "2014-08-29T22:15:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![yanceylebeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yanceylebeef/32/12290_2.png) [@yanceylebeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yanceylebeef)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2014, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-september-2014/696911/21 "2014-09-02T15:07:30Z")
Just finished Nick Harkaway’s [Tigerman](http://www.amazon.com/Tigerman-Nick-Harkaway-ebook/dp/B00I7695S2/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1409670247&sr=1-1&keywords=tigerman). Amazing, heartbreaking and magnificent. Just in time, too. [The Bone Clocks](http://www.amazon.com/Bone-Clocks-David-Mitchell-ebook/dp/B00IHMF9KE/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1409670341&sr=1-1&keywords=the+bone+clocks+by+david+mitchell) by Mitchell and [Acceptance](http://www.amazon.com/Acceptance-Novel-Southern-Reach-Trilogy/dp/0374104115/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1409670379&sr=1-1&keywords=acceptance), the third novel in VanderMeer’s Southern Reach trilogy dropped into my kindle last night. ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2014, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-september-2014/696911/22 "2014-09-02T15:15:05Z")
> [@jabiru](#): > > I bought a copy of Jo Nesbo’s new book _The Son_ and mentioned it at work. A colleague suggested I should read his books in order, so _The Son_ is back on the shelf while I’m reading _The Bat_ with others to follow, should I enjoy the first one enough to want to continue. It isn’t necessary: _The Son_ is a stand-alone, not part of his long-running detective series. ---
**Author:** ![DZedNConfused](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dzednconfused/32/15991_2.png) [@DZedNConfused](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DZedNConfused)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2014, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-september-2014/696911/23 "2014-09-02T16:19:54Z")
> [@Politzania](#): > > I did have one minor quibble - she states that while we often speak of time in distance terms (a “long” time) - we don’t do the reverse. Maybe that’s her UK bias showing, but here in the MidWest US, it’s common to speak of destinations being X hours away… (where approx 60 miles = 1 hour). > > Recommended to those with an interest in pop psychology and case studies - worth at least a library read. Yeah we do that out here in the Wild West as well. I canNOT tell you how many miles it is to my sister’s house but I know it’s roughly an 11 to 12 hour drive at _ahem_ 80 to 85 miles per hour. Also if I wer told a meeting had been moved up two days I would assume it was two days earlier. I don’t know if that’s because I’m in Utah or if that’s because I’m me. ---
**Author:** ![delphica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9a140/32.png) [@delphica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/delphica)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2014, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-september-2014/696911/24 "2014-09-02T16:54:48Z")
> [@Politzania](#): > > One scenario to determine how you view yourself relative to the passing of time I found quite interesting. \*\*A meeting you have scheduled for Wednesday was moved up two days. What day of the week is meeting now on? \*\* > My answer was “Friday” … which she linked to the perspective of the self moving forward to the future. An answer of “Monday” relates more to the feeling that the future is moving towards you. Either way - there’s a potential of mis-communication with the other meeting attendees! 🙂 This book sounds interesting, thanks for the info! The way I learned it at secretarial class (a million years ago) was that if a meeting set for the _second_ Wednesday of the month needs to be changed to the _first_ Wednesday of the month, it is literally moving UP on a written calendar and that is why we say “the meeting has been moved up.” But this instruction also came with a caution that it was potentially confusing for people and that you should always write out the new date in the memo. My most recent read was _The Glass Sentence_, by S.E. Grove, which is a fantasy/adventure novel, aimed at middle grade readers. It was really awesome. It presents a world that had some sort of “time disruption” event, so that Boston is stuck in the mid 19th century, and England is in the Middle Ages, for example. It doesn’t get too into how exactly that works, it’s the kind of thing where you have just roll with it. I think it’s one of the best children’s lit fantasy stories to come out in recent years. ---
**Author:** ![Catamount](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/catamount/32/2840_2.png) [@Catamount](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catamount)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2014, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-september-2014/696911/25 "2014-09-03T00:19:15Z")
I need to preface this with a short rant: People who write in library books need to be drug out into the street and shot. I had to read John Scalzi’s _The Android’s Dream_ with an eraser in my hand to remove some wag’s editing and opinions of the novel. Fortunately this flaming jackass wrote in pencil, as opposed to the one who wrote in a copy of \*Damia \*with a pen. I had to take a white-out wand to that one. Although I can understand the editorial corrections. Someone at Tor Books needs to learn how to proofread. Also, am I the only person in this fading republic who knows how to spell [Ocracoke](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ocracoke,_North_Carolina)correctly? Okracoke is not a city on the Outer Banks, it’s a nasty soda flavor. Rant over. Other than that, Android’s Dream was a fun read with lots of unexpected twists and turns. I really enjoy Scalzi’s take on interplanetary law. He did a good job with that in both this book and _Fuzzy Nation_. I felt bad about Archie, though. He didn’t deserve his fate. And with that I end my trek through all the John Scalzi at my local library. Next up is Poul Anderson. Hopefully Scribbles McGee hasn’t read any of those novels. ---
**Author:** ![Reno\_Nevada](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Reno\_Nevada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reno_Nevada)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2014, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-september-2014/696911/26 "2014-09-03T00:28:40Z")
I just finished Charles Stross’ **The Rhesus Chart** , fifth book in the adventures of Bob Howard, one-time IT admin at a secretive British agency dedicated to covering up the existence of Cthulhu-style abominations from beyond time and space. Stross evidently is developing a plot running through the books as we approach the time when the starts are aligned. In this one, vampires cause problems for Mr. Howard. I am enjoying this series; I like the mix of eldrich abominations and project management. ---
**Author:** ![jabiru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bbce88/32.png) [@jabiru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jabiru)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2014, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-september-2014/696911/27 "2014-09-03T00:47:21Z")
> [@Malthus](#): > > It isn’t necessary: _The Son_ is a stand-alone, not part of his long-running detective series. Yes, I didn’t realise this at first but, having started at the beginning (with _The Bat_), I’ve decided to proceed in an orderly fashion. I was disappointed in _The Bat_ and I’m not sure why. I was left feeling cheated at the end but I will read the next book, since I already have it from the library. He’s a popular author, so perhaps his books got better later on. ---
**Author:** ![araminty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5e925/32.png) [@araminty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/araminty)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2014, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-september-2014/696911/28 "2014-09-03T00:51:24Z")
I just finished reading book 3 of Lev Grossman’s trilogy, [The Magician’s Land](http://www.amazon.com/The-Magicians-Land-Novel-Trilogy/dp/0670015679), for the second time. Previous to that, I re-read Diana Wynne Jones’ last (sob) book, [The Islands of Chaldea](http://www.amazon.com/Islands-Chaldea-Diana-Wynne-Jones/dp/0062295071/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1409705184&sr=1-1&keywords=islands+chaldea), which was completed by her sister Ursula. I really loved them both. I am back to book 3 of the Craft Sequence by Max Gladstone, [Full Fathom Five](http://www.amazon.com/Full-Fathom-Five-Novel-Sequence/dp/0765335743/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1409705427&sr=1-1&keywords=full+fathom+five), which I started a while ago and put aside for the above. It’s LONG, I keep looking at my kindle’s progress bar which seems to do nothing. It’s not as good as the first, which I really enjoyed and gobbled up on a camping trip, but, I think, better than the second, which hasn’t left much of an impression. I like the world, the interesting way religion influences the characters’ lives, and good characterization. I’ll keep reading them, I guess. ---
**Author:** ![jabiru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bbce88/32.png) [@jabiru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jabiru)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2014, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-september-2014/696911/29 "2014-09-03T00:52:03Z")
Oh, forgot to mention my current read. When I was in the library, collecting my reserved copy of _Cockroaches_, the second book written by Jo Nesbo, I spotted a book called _Kinsey and Me_, which I thought was about how Sue Grafton came to write her Alphabet series books, how she sees Kinsey and other insights. It’s not; it’s a book of short stories, a format which I don’t like for mystery/crime etc books. I’ll persevere unto the end, though, because I’m that kind of person. Except when I’m not. :o ---
**Author:** ![kayT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayt/32/3633_2.png) [@kayT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayT)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2014, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-september-2014/696911/30 "2014-09-03T00:53:55Z")
I bought Kinsey and Me almost six months ago, **jabiru,** and so far have read two stories. I agree with you about the format and I hope you get further than I did! ---
**Author:** ![jabiru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bbce88/32.png) [@jabiru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jabiru)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2014, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-september-2014/696911/31 "2014-09-03T01:24:07Z")
> [@kayT](#): > > I bought Kinsey and Me almost six months ago, **jabiru,** and so far have read two stories. I agree with you about the format and I hope you get further than I did! I’ve read the first two. I will press on for the time being but I’ve become a reader who’s time is running out and there are way too many good books out there for me to waste time on something I’m not enjoying. I will give it a bit longer but I can definitely see me returning it unfinished. ---
**Author:** ![Implicit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Implicit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Implicit)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2014, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-september-2014/696911/32 "2014-09-03T02:09:36Z")
> [@jabiru](#): > > Yes, I didn’t realise this at first but, having started at the beginning (with _The Bat_), I’ve decided to proceed in an orderly fashion. > > I was disappointed in _The Bat_ and I’m not sure why. I was left feeling cheated at the end but I will read the next book, since I already have it from the library. He’s a popular author, so perhaps his books got better later on. I didn’t like The Bat, but did enjoy The Redbreast, so I agree that you should give him another try. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2014, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-september-2014/696911/33 "2014-09-03T03:24:03Z")
> [@](#): > > Other than that, Android’s Dream was a fun read with lots of unexpected twists and turns. I really enjoy Scalzi’s take on interplanetary law. He did a good job with that in both this book and Fuzzy Nation. I felt bad about Archie, though. He didn’t deserve his fate. > > And with that I end my trek through all the John Scalzi at my local library. Next up is Poul Anderson. Hopefully Scribbles McGee hasn’t read any of those novels. Scalzi just published a prequel novella and its novel (Lock Out). The novel has a tone similar to The Android’s Dream. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2014, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-september-2014/696911/34 "2014-09-03T03:35:50Z")
> [@Politzania](#): > > …I did have one minor quibble - she states that while we often speak of time in distance terms (a “long” time) - we don’t do the reverse. Maybe that’s her UK bias showing, but here in the MidWest US, it’s common to speak of destinations being X hours away… (where approx 60 miles = 1 hour)… Mark Twain once said, “In Europe a hundred miles is a long way, and in America a hundred years is a long time.” > [@Dung\_Beetle](#): > > …Now on to a haunted house novel from the 70s, [Burnt Offerings](http://www.amazon.com/Burnt-Offerings-Robert-Marasco/dp/B00125Q32G/ref=sr_sp-atf_title_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1409668444&sr=1-2&keywords=burnt+offerings) by Robert Marasco. The writing feels weird and dated, but I’m liking the story so far. You knew there was a 1976 movie?: [Burnt Offerings (film) - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burnt_Offerings_(film)) ---
**Author:** ![jabiru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bbce88/32.png) [@jabiru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jabiru)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2014, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-september-2014/696911/35 "2014-09-03T06:10:20Z")
> [@Implicit](#): > > I didn’t like The Bat, but did enjoy The Redbreast, so I agree that you should give him another try. Thank you. I shall persevere. ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2014, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-september-2014/696911/36 "2014-09-03T13:31:05Z")
> [@Reno\_Nevada](#): > > I just finished Charles Stross’ **The Rhesus Chart** , fifth book in the adventures of Bob Howard, one-time IT admin at a secretive British agency dedicated to covering up the existence of Cthulhu-style abominations from beyond time and space. Stross evidently is developing a plot running through the books as we approach the time when the starts are aligned. In this one, vampires cause problems for Mr. Howard. I am enjoying this series; I like the mix of eldrich abominations and project management. Then I highly recommend _Resume With Monsters_. [Resume with Monsters: William Browning Spencer: 9781565049130: Amazon.com: Books](http://www.amazon.com/Resume-Monsters-William-Browning-Spencer/dp/1565049136/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1409751013&sr=1-2&keywords=resume+with+monsters) ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2014, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-september-2014/696911/37 "2014-09-03T13:39:32Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > You knew there was a 1976 movie?: [Burnt Offerings (film) - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burnt_Offerings_(film)) No, but I’d like to see it sometime. I finished the book this morning and thought it was great. It performed just as that kind of tale ought to do and was a fun ride (though predictable). Next up will very likely be [I Shall Wear Midnight](http://www.amazon.com/I-Shall-Wear-Midnight-Discworld/dp/0061433063/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1409751392&sr=1-1&keywords=i+shall+wear+midnight), which I’ve been pushing away because it’s the last [del]Nac Mac Feegle[/del] Tiffany Aching book. ---
**Author:** ![DZedNConfused](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dzednconfused/32/15991_2.png) [@DZedNConfused](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DZedNConfused)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2014, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-september-2014/696911/38 "2014-09-03T15:06:00Z")
> [@Dung\_Beetle](#): > > Next up will very likely be [I Shall Wear Midnight](http://www.amazon.com/I-Shall-Wear-Midnight-Discworld/dp/0061433063/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1409751392&sr=1-1&keywords=i+shall+wear+midnight), which I’ve been pushing away because it’s the last [del]Nac Mac Feegle[/del] Tiffany Aching book. Personally, I feel its one of PTerry’s best books. Tiffany is growing up very well and she’ll be a fine successor to Granny. And I think it’s the only Discworld book that made me cry not from laughter but from emotion. ---
**Author:** ![DZedNConfused](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dzednconfused/32/15991_2.png) [@DZedNConfused](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DZedNConfused)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2014, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-september-2014/696911/39 "2014-09-03T15:15:06Z")
Well goodness from famine to well some rainfall, I have won another book from a Goodreads Giveaway. [The Birth of the Pill: How Four Crusaders Reinvented Sex and Launched a Revolution](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20663691-the-birth-of-the-pill?utm_medium=email&utm_source=giveaway_winner) This should be an interesting read 😃 ---
**Author:** ![slumtrimpet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@slumtrimpet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slumtrimpet)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2014, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-september-2014/696911/40 "2014-09-03T16:42:44Z")
> [@Sattua](#): > > … > > Read Promises to Keep by Katharine Tree. Entertaining stuff, and she sure has set the stage for the next book to go kersplooey. Here’s a land mine, and here’s a land mine, and here’s a land mine… which one will get stepped on first? > > … Yeah, just finished\* that myself and book three in the series should definitely be interesting. This author seems to be coming into her own. Hope I don’t have to reread the first two to refresh my memory (like I had to with the _Outlander_ series 'cause it took so damn long) 🙂 Also just finished\* [“Magic Casement”](https://www.goodreads.com/series/53081-a-man-of-his-word) the the first of a four book “A Man of his Word” series by Dave Duncan. Pretty damn good. I’ve read Dave Duncan over the years (he’s hard to find in most bookshops and virtually impossible to find in a library so yay amazon kindle!) and always enjoyed him. Really epic adventure fantasy at it’s finest. And a shout out to Connie Willis. Just finished\* “Impossible Things”, a collection of her short stories. I’m not really fond of short stories but it was the last thing of hers I could find that I hadn’t read. It was excellent too, of course. I hate when I find a fabulous author and there’s nothing left of theirs to read. ☹ \*realized I’ve ‘just finished’ a few too many books. Need to stop reading so much and go do something… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-september-2014/696911.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-september-2014/696911.md?page=3)