# The Fall Edition of "Whatcha Reading?" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 3, 2004, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fall-edition-of-whatcha-reading/267384 "2004-10-03T23:31:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2004, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fall-edition-of-whatcha-reading/267384/1 "2004-10-03T23:31:52Z")
Deciding to turn over a new leaf and shed myself of my romance books, I have ventured into the real book section. I just finished reading: **The Nanny Diaries** and am reading, and thoroughly enjoying: **About a Boy** by Nick Hornby. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2004, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fall-edition-of-whatcha-reading/267384/2 "2004-10-03T23:48:24Z")
Reading \*Lord Jim \*by Conrad. The dude could turn a phrase, but am I really expected to buy this narration device? Anyway, never been able to get all the way through it; this is probly my third try. Intend to keep plugging. ---
**Author:** ![Glory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7cd45c/32.png) [@Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Glory)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2004, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fall-edition-of-whatcha-reading/267384/3 "2004-10-03T23:50:25Z")
I just re-read Pearl Buck’s “The Good Earth” (haven’t read it in since high school). It falls apart a tiny bit at the end, but I still love it. I think I’m going to continue the nostalgia and read “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn” next. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2004, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fall-edition-of-whatcha-reading/267384/4 "2004-10-03T23:51:05Z")
A trilogy of novels about the Civil War – The Three Days, By Antietam Creek, and The River and the Wilderness – by Don Robertson, a wonderful writer who (IIRC) won a Pulitzer for Paradise Falls. And whenever my daughter finishes it, The Dark Tower by Stephen King. ---
**Author:** ![JayElle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/4bbf92/32.png) [@JayElle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JayElle)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2004, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fall-edition-of-whatcha-reading/267384/5 "2004-10-04T00:46:17Z")
I just finished Jenna Jameson’s autobiography. I was… um… interesting. I went to Half Price Books today and stocked up. This afternoon I started on the biography of _Georgiana: Duchess of Devonshire_. I also bought: Ian Pears’ _The Dream of Scipio_. His _An Instance of the Fingerpost_ bored me to tears, but hopefully this will be better. I’ve been wanting to re-read Margaret Atwood’s _The Handmaid’s Tale_, so I picked that up, too. I loved _Alias Grace_ and _The Blind Assassin_. I also got a history book on _Doctor Johnson’s London_, a mystery called _The Inquisitor_ and Gregory Maguire’s _Lost_. If you haven’t read Maguire’s _Wicked_, I highly recommend it. ---
**Author:** ![Stark\_Raven\_Mad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Stark\_Raven\_Mad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stark_Raven_Mad)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2004, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fall-edition-of-whatcha-reading/267384/6 "2004-10-04T00:53:41Z")
A New Approach to Latin, by E.G. Macnaughton and T.W. McDougall. in preparation for the latin courses I’ll be taking next year; and Yours to Reason Why: Decision in Battle, by William Seymour. Amazing book. A review, from ebay: > [@](#): > > Title: Great educational fun: A wargame in text form. > Rating: 5 > Review: I am glad to see that Da Capo decided to re-print this book in a cheap paperback edition. The author is always interesting and vivid (his review of Battles in Britain, for example). In this case, he takes the reader step by step through the situation as it unfolded before one of commanders, presenting information that he would have had at the time. At several critical points there is a “pause” to ask the reader to select one of the options. Immediately after in small print, Seymour explains the decision actually made and briefly discusses the wisdom of the choice. Then the narrative continues to a second critical juncture, and so on. Small tactical maps interspersed in the narrative (there are 76 in all) are quite helpful. The 25 plates containing paintings or photos of commanders, some artwork on the battlefield scenes and a few interesting contemporary cartoons aren’t remarkable, but nicely complement the text. There are good orders of battle for each campaign selected and a very well chosen bibliography, arranged to match the respective battles. The selections of battles for the most part are the usual (see Crecy’s 1851 classic) “decisive” encounters seen in other battle books: Hastings,Crecy, Agincourt, Cromwell in the Third (English) Civil War, Saratoga, Waterloo, Chancellorsville, and Gettysburg. The twentieth century battles might seem to deviate from this pattern a bit. Gaza/Palestine 1917 (instead of Passchendaele, Gallipoli, Verdun, Somme) and Anzio (instead of Britain, Barbarossa, Stalingrad, etc. for WWII). However the WWI and WWII selections are justified by the treatment in the narrative. > This is the way, in my humble opinion, military history should be taught, and to a large extent Seymour follows the methodology that has been used by the world’s leading military academies. > > Great reading, and terrific brain food. Highly recommended. ---
**Author:** ![Stark\_Raven\_Mad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Stark\_Raven\_Mad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stark_Raven_Mad)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2004, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fall-edition-of-whatcha-reading/267384/7 "2004-10-04T00:56:32Z")
JayElle - is Jenna Jameson’s book worth picking up? I am a great fan of her other work but am not too sure of her writing prowess. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2004, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fall-edition-of-whatcha-reading/267384/8 "2004-10-04T01:04:33Z")
I am taking a break from George Takei’s autobiography while cooking dinner at the moment. Good book. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2004, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fall-edition-of-whatcha-reading/267384/9 "2004-10-04T01:08:40Z")
A trip to the Neue Galerie (repository of Austrian and German art, 5th Avenue and 86th Street) bookshop yielded a new edition of the short works of Arthur Schnitzler from the British publisher Angel Classics. Also enjoying G.K. Chesterton’s short biography of St. Francis of Assisi. And the **Old Farmer’s Almanac** for 2005. “Boil old toothbrushes for four minutes and use them for cleaning golf clubs, bird feeders, and fish tanks…or for getting the last bits of corn silk off fresh ears.” ---
**Author:** ![Agrippina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8797f3/32.png) [@Agrippina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agrippina)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2004, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fall-edition-of-whatcha-reading/267384/10 "2004-10-04T01:10:35Z")
I just got done with **The Road to Wellville** by TC Boyle and am now reading **Coming Up For Air** by George Orwell. ---
**Author:** ![Blalron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@Blalron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blalron)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2004, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fall-edition-of-whatcha-reading/267384/11 "2004-10-04T01:12:04Z")
**The Great Hunt** The second book in the “Wheel of Time” series by **Robert Jordan** ---
**Author:** ![Ilsa\_Lund](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a6a055/32.png) [@Ilsa\_Lund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ilsa_Lund)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2004, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fall-edition-of-whatcha-reading/267384/12 "2004-10-04T01:29:32Z")
_Ulysses_. ---
**Author:** ![Sinusoidal\_Saurus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/71e660/32.png) [@Sinusoidal\_Saurus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sinusoidal_Saurus)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2004, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fall-edition-of-whatcha-reading/267384/13 "2004-10-04T01:38:51Z")
_Year of Wonders_, by Geraldine Brooks. She definitely writes the most graphic descriptions of plague victims I’ve ever read in a novel. And it’s loosely based on events that occured in an actual village in England. Maisy ---
**Author:** ![JayElle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/4bbf92/32.png) [@JayElle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JayElle)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2004, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fall-edition-of-whatcha-reading/267384/14 "2004-10-04T02:04:29Z")
> [@Stark Raven Mad](#): > > JayElle - is Jenna Jameson’s book worth picking up? I am a great fan of her other work but am not too sure of her writing prowess. Well, it’s obviously written with some help from co-author Neil Strauss. I don’t htink it was worth the full hardcover price ($27.95 USD) but there are tons of beautiful photos. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2004, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fall-edition-of-whatcha-reading/267384/15 "2004-10-04T02:22:17Z")
I’m halfway through [The Years of Rice and Salt](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0553580078/qid=1096856417/sr=8-1/ref=pd_csp_1/002-0122347-9061640?v=glance&s=books&n=507846), recommended in an alternative history thread here a year or two ago. It’s excellent! ---
**Author:** ![ITR\_champion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c67d28/32.png) [@ITR\_champion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ITR_champion)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2004, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fall-edition-of-whatcha-reading/267384/16 "2004-10-04T02:27:07Z")
_A Short History of Japan_, by Ian Nish. My entire alleged education included perhaps one week dedicated to Japan, so this was intended to fill a gap in my knowledge. It’s readable though unfortunately it was written before the idea of cultural history really took hold. ---
**Author:** ![Baldwin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baldwin/32/7264_2.png) [@Baldwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baldwin)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2004, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fall-edition-of-whatcha-reading/267384/17 "2004-10-04T03:32:00Z")
Just started _The Glorious Cause_ by Jeff Shaara, second of his two historical novels about the Revolutionary War. ---
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2004, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fall-edition-of-whatcha-reading/267384/18 "2004-10-04T03:48:05Z")
I’m blasting through the C.J. Box books, which someone here recommended in a mystery thread not long ago. All the books are set in Wyoming, where I lived for a time, so it’s sort of like going back for a visit – well, except for the murders and exploding cows and so on. Box’s characterizations of Wyoming folk are dead on and his stories are harrowing, funny and addicting. I just finished _Winterkill_, so I have one more to go (and 25 people ahead of me at the library). Next up, _King Solomon’s Carpet_ by Barbara Vine. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2004, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fall-edition-of-whatcha-reading/267384/19 "2004-10-04T03:59:22Z")
I’m reading: Laurie R. King’s _The Game_ Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory’s _The Outstretched Shadow_ and Sharon Duncan’s _The Dead Wives’ Society_ ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2004, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fall-edition-of-whatcha-reading/267384/20 "2004-10-04T04:26:47Z")
Just read Miriam Toews’ **A Complicated Kindness** - best book I’ve read all year! It’s about a teenage girl living in a Canadian Mennonite community. I highly recommend it, especially to anyone looking for a book for their non-reading teenage kids. Also recently finished Dave Eggers’ **You Shall Know our Velocity!** which I enjoyed more than A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius. Very sad, though. And, as ever, Eggers glides in and out of conventional and postmodernist methods of storytelling- with ease. Haven’t got another read lined up- that’s why I’m here. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-fall-edition-of-whatcha-reading/267384.md?page=2)