# What are you reading now? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 15, 2005, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-reading-now/290187 "2005-02-15T14:06:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Figaro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ea666f/32.png) [@Figaro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Figaro)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2005, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-reading-now/290187/61 "2005-02-16T20:20:37Z")
_The Fabric of the Cosmos_ by Brian Greene. Great discussion of theoretical physics and cosmology for the everyman. No math, but not dumbed down conceptually. I’m also reading a very nice biography of Amelia Earhart, I think the title is _The Sound of Wings_ . Not sure about that, though. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2005, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-reading-now/290187/62 "2005-02-16T21:17:24Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > Also ]Rhapsody\* by Elizabeth Haydon. Haven’t read that one but I enjoyed another book of hers, _The Champion_. Last night I ditched _The Blue Place_. The main character is **way** too fond of her body, and that got old fast. Started **The Memory of Running** by Ron McLarty. This book got some attention when Stephen King raved about it in an EW column. Actually, it didn’t get published until King praised it. It’s good. People who liked **I Know This Much is True** by Wally Lamb would like it. McLarty is one of those authors who observe the little details that make characters come to life. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2005, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-reading-now/290187/63 "2005-02-16T21:19:02Z")
Last night I ditched _The Blue Place_. The main character is **way** too fond of her body, and that got old fast. Started **The Memory of Running** by Ron McLarty. This book got some attention when Stephen King raved about it in an EW column. Actually, it didn’t get published until King praised it. It’s good. People who liked **I Know This Much is True** by Wally Lamb would like it. McLarty is one of those authors who observe the little details that make characters come to life. (I hope this doesn’t load twice. While I was waiting, I noticed that I quoted a poster and got an author’s name wrong.) ---
**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:** [February 17, 2005, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-reading-now/290187/64 "2005-02-17T12:53:32Z")
_writes down “Ron McLarty”_ Just started on The Know-It-All : one man’s humble quest to become the smartest person in the world, by A.J. Jacobs. So far, enjoying the hell out of it. It’s about a man who decides to read the entire set of the Encylopedia Brittanica. But you probably already know that, because I get most of my recommendations off the SDMB and I’m sure someone else has posted about this one. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2005, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-reading-now/290187/65 "2005-02-17T13:11:27Z")
That’s it for _I, Robot_. Good stuff, especially “Liar.” I did start to figure out the endings before they came, but I agree with the roomie- it’s not because the stories were predictable, just well-reasoned-out. What do you think, **Lobsang**? Not sure what to read next. Probably Studs Terkel book. Another thread convinced me to read _The Da Vinci Code_ for laughs, but I haven’t got it from the library yet. ---
**Author:** ![EmeraldGrue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dc4da7/32.png) [@EmeraldGrue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmeraldGrue)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2005, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-reading-now/290187/66 "2005-02-17T16:39:59Z")
Just finished Neal Stephenson’s **Snow Crash** and Chuck Palahniuk’s **Fight Club** (haven’t seen the movie); now I’m working my way through two immense tomes, Mark Z. Danielewski’s **House of Leaves** and Neal Stephenson’s **Quicksilver** , vol. I of the Baroque Cycle. Also rereading Leibniz’s **Monadology** for school. ---
**Author:** ![Harborwolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Harborwolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harborwolf)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2005, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-reading-now/290187/67 "2005-02-18T00:41:58Z")
I’m embarassed to say this, but I’m just now reading the **Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy**. Never read it before now. I saw the trailer for the movie and thought that it was about time. Hopefully soon I can get my geek standing back once I’ve finished. After this, I’ll go through some **Hellboy** and, if I can find it, **Collapse** by Jared Diamond. And **EmeraldGrue** , you should get the album **Haunted** by Poe. She’s Mark Z. Danielewski’s sister and the album is kind of a companion piece. It’s also a good album in it’s own right. ---
**Author:** ![Ooner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/c67d28/32.png) [@Ooner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ooner)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2005, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-reading-now/290187/68 "2005-02-18T00:49:41Z")
I finally finished **Choke** after putting it off for a couple weeks. It’s taken me 4 Palahniuk books to realize I really really really don’t like him. And now, on the **The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy** which I’d like to re-read before the movie, and Jonathan Franzen’s **The Twenty-Seventh City** because I really liked **The Corrections** ---
**Author:** ![Sgt.Pepper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f04885/32.png) [@Sgt.Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sgt.Pepper)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2005, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-reading-now/290187/69 "2005-02-18T00:57:59Z")
Well, I just finished **Lord of the Flies** , which I haven’t read since school. Excellent book. Also, I’m reading **Hitchiker’s Guide to the Galaxy** , one of the editions with a bunch of that series in it. I’ve read it before, but I’d like to brush up for the movie. That’s more or less my light reading for now. For smoke breaks I’m working through **The Da Vinci Code**. It must be taken in tiny bits, so that’s why it’s smoke break material. I’ve read it before, but I’ve come across a person who recenty read it and loved it, so I got to stock up on some ammo. Also, on my last reading I though I found some material ripped off from **Holy Blood, Holy Grail** , so I got to find out what that is, and if it’s not just something I blew out of proportion\*. For my main reading, I’ll next go to Neal Stephenson’s **Quicksilver**. I know it’s got mixed reviews here, but I really loved how **Cryptonomicon** went all over the place, and I’m hoping this one will be like that too. How are you liking it so far, **EmeraldGrue**? \*I know that’s misspelt, but even consulting a dictionary I can’t find how it’s properly spelt. Brain fart. ---
**Author:** ![wheelie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b4bc9f/32.png) [@wheelie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wheelie)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2005, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-reading-now/290187/70 "2005-02-18T04:41:16Z")
> [@klaus\_vonBarrenbeiser](#): > > Almost done with Ghost Rider by Neil Peart. True story of how he put his life back together after his only child and his wife both died within a year. Great book, the 55,000 miles in 14 months seems like the shortest aspect of his journey. I just bought _Wolves Of The Calla_ but can’t decide if I should start over from the beginning or not. ---
**Author:** ![Landshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/77aa72/32.png) [@Landshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Landshark)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2005, 11:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-reading-now/290187/71 "2005-02-18T11:13:05Z")
> [@wheelie](#): > > I just bought _Wolves Of The Calla_ but can’t decide if I should start over from the beginning or not. Having just completed it, I’ll suggest that if your memories of events in the first four volumes are at all hazy, it will likely help to re-read them before starting this one. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2005, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-reading-now/290187/72 "2005-02-18T16:44:47Z")
Or if you don’t want to re-read before tackling the last two Dark Tower books, you might consider picking up a copy of Bev Vincent’s book, The Road to the Dark Tower. It has pretty detailed summaries of all the books, including the tie-ins. Big time-saver. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2005, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-reading-now/290187/73 "2005-02-18T16:50:54Z")
I’m re-reading Robert Rodriguez’s _Rebel Without A Crew_. A guy I know wants to shoot a feature film. First we’re going to shoot my short film _Somebody_. Rodriguez’s book is very inspiring. ---
**Author:** ![Khampelf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Khampelf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khampelf)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2005, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-reading-now/290187/74 "2005-02-18T18:13:40Z")
I’m Re-Reading Robert Anton Wilson’s Cosmic Trigger Series at work. At Home, I’ve been going through Gardner Dozious’s (sp?) Best of Science Fiction Short Story Anthologies. I got the idea to go through all of them in order, and I’m up to the 15th (best of 1998) I think. ---
**Author:** ![Maeglin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8baadc/32.png) [@Maeglin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maeglin)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2005, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-reading-now/290187/75 "2005-02-18T18:56:45Z")
> [@Sgt.Pepper](#): > > For my main reading, I’ll next go to Neal Stephenson’s **Quicksilver**. I know it’s got mixed reviews here, but I really loved how **Cryptonomicon** went all over the place, and I’m hoping this one will be like that too. How are you liking it so far, **EmeraldGrue**? For what it’s worth, I detested _Cryptonomicon_ so much that I put it down after barely more than a hundred pages. Yet I burned through the entire Baroque Cycle in no time at all. I enjoyed _Quicksilver_ immensely more. ---
**Author:** ![BurnMeUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@BurnMeUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BurnMeUp)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2005, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-reading-now/290187/77 "2005-02-25T15:06:58Z")
Cook Off by Amy Sutherland. It’s about national cookoffs and the people who religiously compete in them. ---
**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:** [February 25, 2005, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-reading-now/290187/78 "2005-02-25T15:16:03Z")
Thanks, **BurnMeUp** …I’m putting it on my list. ---
**Author:** ![susan\_foster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@susan\_foster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan_foster)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2005, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-reading-now/290187/79 "2005-02-25T15:21:51Z")
I’m getting back into Rex Stout - I first read them from my mother’s book collection, but now I am picking some up for my own collection.I just re-read **Fer de Lance** , **Some Buried Caesar** , **In the Best Families** , and **A Right to Die**. Good to get back to him - I love his style. Also getting into the Shopaholic series, and have a stack of books out from the library (my best friend!), including \*\* The Devil Wears Prada\*\*, \*\* Rendezvous with Rama\*\*, \*\* Cryptonomicon\*\*, \*\* The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time\*\*, **Nightingales - the Extraordinary Upbringing and Curious Life of Florence Nightingale** , \*\* Practical Magic\*\*,and \*\* Thinner than Thou\*\*. Plus 1 more on hold at the library, and 14 requests not yet available. Yes - I like to read. And yes - I am single, so I have the time to do so. Susan ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2005, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-reading-now/290187/80 "2005-02-25T15:23:31Z")
Yeah, that does sound intriguing! What’s the author’s tone – detached? sympathetic? snarky? ---
**Author:** ![zev\_steinhardt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/97f17d/32.png) [@zev\_steinhardt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zev_steinhardt)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2005, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-reading-now/290187/81 "2005-02-25T15:36:43Z")
I’m currently in the middle of about four or five different books. In my bag which I carry on the train to/from work with me every day are the following books: Sabriel, by Garth Nix The Ten Commandments of Character, by Joseph Telushkun The Demon Haunted World, by Carl Sagan and (probably of no interest to 99.9% of you) the _Shulchan Aruch_ (written by Rabbi Jospeh Cairo ~ 1580) with the commentary of the _Mishneh Brurah_ (written by Rabbi Yisroel Meir Kagan ~ 80 years ago). The actual book I read on any particular trip depends on my mood and whatever stikes my fancy, although I try to get at least a few minutes of the last work in each trip - regardless of what else I choose to read. The last two books I finished (not too long ago) were: Dying of the Light, by Geroge R.R. Martin (a very interesting book) Give Me A Break: How I Exposed… by John Stossel. Zev Steinhardt [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-reading-now/290187.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-reading-now/290187.md?page=5)