# The eternal question...wotcha readin'? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 17, 2002, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-eternal-question-wotcha-readin/137185 "2002-11-17T18:35:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2002, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-eternal-question-wotcha-readin/137185/41 "2002-11-18T19:20:56Z")
Just finished Fred Allen’s memoirs, **Much Ado About Me** , and started Thos. Hardy’s **Jude the Obscure**. A friend (unasked) sent me the latter, and I am _really_ not in the mood for it, but feel rather obligated, as he keeps asking me what I think of it . . . ---
**Author:** ![scout1222](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/34f0e0/32.png) [@scout1222](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scout1222)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2002, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-eternal-question-wotcha-readin/137185/42 "2002-11-18T19:36:26Z")
**Politzania** - I’m in the middle of A Prayer for Owen Meany right now! I picked it up thanks to a previous thread like this one (recommended by, I think **jarbabyj** and seconded by many). Once that’s done, I’ll move on to The God of Small Things. Once that’s done, I’ll need to replenish my collection, and/or go to the library. I’ve been thinking of trying out Terry Pratchett, because so many of you can’t stop raving! ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2002, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-eternal-question-wotcha-readin/137185/43 "2002-11-18T19:41:25Z")
_From The Dust Returned_ by Ray Bradbury _Japanese Inn_–the history of Japan as seen from one inn, & the family that runs it. ---
**Author:** ![lawoot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/35a633/32.png) [@lawoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lawoot)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2002, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-eternal-question-wotcha-readin/137185/44 "2002-11-18T20:45:10Z")
**Holes** by Louis Sachar. **Stupid White Men** by Michael Moore. **A Prayer for Owen Meany** by John Irving (again!) ---
**Author:** ![TigoleBitties](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cab0a1/32.png) [@TigoleBitties](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TigoleBitties)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2002, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-eternal-question-wotcha-readin/137185/45 "2002-11-18T22:34:31Z")
I am chugging through the Faye Kellerman Peter Decker Mysteries. A very interesting read simply for the insight on the Jewish religion that I had not known about. The mysteries are pretty good too, though a bit easy to figure out in some cases. ---
**Author:** ![11811](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/9d8465/32.png) [@11811](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/11811)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2002, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-eternal-question-wotcha-readin/137185/46 "2002-11-19T00:07:01Z")
Slowly plugging through “The Battle for God,” and also “Approaching the Koran.” Before that was “The World of Caffeine.” ---
**Author:** ![Soup\_du\_jour](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@Soup\_du\_jour](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soup_du_jour)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2002, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-eternal-question-wotcha-readin/137185/47 "2002-11-19T01:58:48Z")
Besides the books that need to be read for one class or another… I’m reading _The Silmarillion_ as well. In fact, I bought it at a Barnes and Noble last weekend! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Realhoops](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8dc957/32.png) [@Realhoops](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Realhoops)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2002, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-eternal-question-wotcha-readin/137185/48 "2002-12-10T20:08:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by slackergirl \* > \*\*Just finished **Angle of Repose** by Wallace Stegner. … > > I really liked Angle of Repose. It’s a slow read, but I really got into it. \*\* [Angle of Repose](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0679603387/qid=1039550843/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_1/102-5054611-8774563?v=glance&s=books&n=507846) is a great book. A bit slow, yes, but very much worth the Pulitzer it won. I’m currently rereading (as is my annual habit) [Crossing To Safety](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0517187760/ref=pd_sim_books_1/102-5054611-8774563?v=glance&s=books) which is simply one of my favorite books of all time. > [@](#): > > From Crossing to Safety: > > I didn’t know myself well, and still don’t. But I did know, and know now, the few people I loved and trusted. My feeling for them is one part of me I have never quarreled with, even though my relations with them have more than once been abrasive. Anyone read any of Stegner’s works beyond these two? I know I occasionally seem his name come up on some of these types of list threads, but generally just in response to these two works. ---
**Author:** ![Badtz\_Maru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e36b37/32.png) [@Badtz\_Maru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Badtz_Maru)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2002, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-eternal-question-wotcha-readin/137185/49 "2002-12-10T20:12:48Z")
I recently finished the ‘Anubis Gates’ and ‘Gun with Occasional Music’, and am currently re-reading ‘Maximum Bob’. ---
**Author:** ![OfBlinkingThings](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ebca7d/32.png) [@OfBlinkingThings](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OfBlinkingThings)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2002, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-eternal-question-wotcha-readin/137185/50 "2002-12-10T20:20:11Z")
Death on the Installment Plan By Louis Ferdinand Celine Welcome to the Monkey House by Vonnegut Ask the Dust by John Fante ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2002, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-eternal-question-wotcha-readin/137185/51 "2002-12-10T20:22:01Z")
Just started **Lullabye** by Chuck Palahniuk (author of **Fight Club** ). ---
**Author:** ![Eberfinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bbce88/32.png) [@Eberfinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eberfinn)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2002, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-eternal-question-wotcha-readin/137185/52 "2002-12-10T21:08:20Z")
Right now i’m reading the Shannara series of books by Terry Brooks. When it comes to fantasy these books are great. Each series is anywhere from 3-5 books long and based over about a 1000 year period. If you like books about mythical creatures these books are great. ---
**Author:** ![Banger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8491ac/32.png) [@Banger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banger)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2002, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-eternal-question-wotcha-readin/137185/53 "2002-12-10T21:43:25Z")
I’m [re-reading](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=149444) **The Hobbit**. It amazes me when I see posters reading several books all at once. I am simply unable to read more than one book at one time. In fact, I never finished John Steinbeck’s **East of Eden** after I accidentally packed it away while moving. By the time I unpacked it I had already started another novel, and as a result it has remained only half-read for a few years now. ---
**Author:** ![Bomzaway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e480ec/32.png) [@Bomzaway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bomzaway)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2002, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-eternal-question-wotcha-readin/137185/54 "2002-12-10T21:45:00Z")
Right now, I’m reading (rather…listening to) **Empire Falls** by Richard Russo. A small town setting, so the book has a bit of a small town pace to it. But it’s filled with some pretty interesting characters and once it starts going, it’s hard to put down. Just finished **On Fire** by Larry Brown. It’s an autobiography of a retired fireman and his experiences in a small Mississippi town. It was decent. Before that **Rise to Rebellion** by Jeff Shaara. Excellent and interesting. A commentary on the American war for independence from the viewpoint of various participants such as John Adams, Franklin, Washington, British General Thomas Gage, and others. Next? I’m thinking of re-reading **Where is Joe Merchant?** by Jimmy Buffet. That’s all for now. ---
**Author:** ![SkipMagic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skipmagic/32/20706_2.png) [@SkipMagic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkipMagic)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2002, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-eternal-question-wotcha-readin/137185/55 "2002-12-10T21:49:12Z")
**What’s Sad:** I was at my girlfriend’s house the other night and, out of sheer boredom, I picked up _Trixie Belden: The Mysterious Visitor_. **What’s Worse:** That book is on loan to her from MY collection. Ahem. :eek: [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-eternal-question-wotcha-readin/137185.md?page=2)