# What ya reading?? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 27, 2001, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-ya-reading/63526 "2001-04-27T12:12:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![DynoSaur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DynoSaur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DynoSaur)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2001, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-ya-reading/63526/61 "2001-04-28T04:41:19Z")
_Otherland: City of Golden Shadow_ by Tad Williams Not bad. Not great, but not bad. A bit overlong, I think. Just starting _Dreamcatcher_ - well, tomorrow, I guess. _Lies My Teacher Told Me_ - starting that soon, too. It’s about the little lies that we all got taught in our history classes. _The Bear and the Dragon_ - Tom Clancy If I can just remember where I left off… _Nonzero: The Logic of Human Destiny_ - Robert Wright Interesting book about human society and increasing complexity. I’ve also got a stack of about 20 other books waiting to be read…_sigh_… ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2001, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-ya-reading/63526/62 "2001-04-28T04:43:57Z")
I received an online coupon from Borders this week and bought a dozen or so books there yesterday. I’m currently reading two; _Corrupting Dr Nice_ by John Kessel, a sicence fiction comedy, and _The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Urban Legends_ by Brandon Toropov, which incidentally mentions this message board. I’m also reading _Hyperion_ by Dan Simmons, which I’m finding somewhat disappointing in view of its reputation; _The Wind from the Sun_, a collection of short stories by Arthur C. Clarke; _26 Nights_, about a man who’s trying to win a bet by consecutively seducing twenty six woman in alphabetical order; and _Uncle John’s Tenth Bathroom Reader_ which I’m reading when appropriate. ---
**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:** [April 28, 2001, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-ya-reading/63526/63 "2001-04-28T06:44:09Z")
Currently on page 378 of _Stranger in an Strange Land_, and no, I’ve never read it before. Also near the start of _A Canticle for Leibowitz_. And I started Hardy’s _Jude the Obscure_, but I haven’t read any of it for two weeks now. Finally, there’s some reading for my anthropology class that I need to catch up on. ---
**Author:** ![dwyr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dwyr/32/363_2.png) [@dwyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwyr)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2001, 7:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-ya-reading/63526/64 "2001-04-28T07:29:22Z")
Sorry, slight aside here: DynoSaur, I don’t think Tad Williams is capable of writing a short book. The third book of his fantasy trilogy, called To Green Angel Tower (the book I mean), was so long that it was published as **two** paperbacks. I’ve read City and the two after it, just waiting for the fourth. I really got into it after a bit. ---
**Author:** ![ageless6](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9de053/32.png) [@ageless6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ageless6)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2001, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-ya-reading/63526/65 "2001-04-28T08:28:54Z")
Milossarian: “You are being lied to” sounds interesting, but you neglected to say who wrote it. Unless, of course, we are once again being lied to, and this is some sort of “Catch 22” farce. ---
**Author:** ![Timchik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c0e974/32.png) [@Timchik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Timchik)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2001, 8:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-ya-reading/63526/66 "2001-04-28T08:47:04Z")
_The Constant Gardener_ by John LeCarre. His latest; not his best, maybe, but just about anything he writes is worthwhile. _Povesti_ [Novellas] by Nikolai Gogol. The Nose, The Overcoat, Nevsky Prospect, etc. My Metro reading. Amazingly funny writer, worth reading again and again. _Chapaev i Pustota_ by Viktor Pelevin. Translated into English as _The Clay Machine Gun_, I think. Pelevin’s a kind of Gogolesque/post-modern wannabe; this novel was all the rage in Russia five years ago, but is already sounding a bit dated. About a schizophrenic who thinks he’s a Russian Civil War hero. His _Omon Ra_ is much better written, less self-consciously ‘experimental’, and funnier. ---
**Author:** ![Soda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@Soda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soda)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2001, 8:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-ya-reading/63526/67 "2001-04-28T08:59:11Z")
Protesilaus said: > [@](#): > > **As for the corn-in-Europe thing, Cecil wrote about that here.** and Katisha said: > [@](#): > > **Soda – corn in England is generic – it can be any kind of grain.** I’m reading the book in Swedish, and the translator probably translated _corn_ to _majs_, which is the Swedish word for Indian corn or maize. So I should probably write an angry letter to the translator. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Cumber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b5ac83/32.png) [@Cumber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cumber)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2001, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-ya-reading/63526/68 "2001-04-28T16:22:18Z")
At the moment I’m reading _Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland_. Well, I’ve read the poem at the start. Most of my reading these days is done on the tram while going to/from work/uni, and it’s the weekend so I haven’t had much reading time since I started. Before that I was reading _Stone and Sea_, by Graham Edwards, a seemingly little known author who is responsible for the _Dragoncharm_ trilogy, from whence comes my screen name. And I was very proud to see that Cumber got his name mentioned in it! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![skydyvr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@skydyvr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/skydyvr)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2001, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-ya-reading/63526/69 "2001-04-28T16:38:24Z")
As you’ll see below, I’m a HUGE science fiction fan 😃 And, since I’m a nice guy, I’ll link to sample chapters, at least where available 😉 [A Civil Campaign](http://www.baen.com/chapters/acc_1.htm) by Lois McMasters Bujold - the latest in the Vorkosigan books (gotta love that 'twisty little mutant!) [Worlds of Honor #3: Changer of Worlds](http://www.baen.com/chapters/W200012/0671319752___1.htm) by David Weber. This is an anthology set in Weber’s “Honor Harrington” universe. If you liked Hornblower, you’ll love Honor Harrington. Imagine a female Hornblower, set in a ‘space opera’ universe. Entire first book “On Basilisk Station” online [here](http://www.baen.com/chapters/basilisk_p.htm). [Gust Front](http://www.baen.com/chapters/W200101/0671319760___0.htm) by John Ringo. Second book an an ‘alien invasion’ genre. Pretty good tactics and some VERY nice toys in these books. First book, A Hymn Before Battle, is [here](http://www.baen.com/chapters/W200007/0671319418___0.htm) And I’ve usually got several other paperbacks and the like floating around, mostly science fiction, but some other stuff as well. Enjoy! ---
**Author:** ![fierra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/58956e/32.png) [@fierra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fierra)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2001, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-ya-reading/63526/70 "2001-04-28T16:44:48Z")
_Shadow Games_ by Glenn Cook, plus off & on I’m reading some mythology tales/information. It’s usually more, but I’m also reading my Open University coursework, which as per usual, I’m behind on…and spending a lot of time talking to someone in America - that has really made my reading time suffer (& it’s all worth it) 😉 ---
**Author:** ![skydyvr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@skydyvr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/skydyvr)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2001, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-ya-reading/63526/71 "2001-04-28T16:47:19Z")
muttering ‘razz-frazzin frinkin freepin vbb software’… Lemme try this again…is there some stupid reason why you can’t do more than ONE link in a friggin post??? [Gust Front](http://www.baen.com/chapters/W200101/0671219760___0.htm) by John Ringo. Second book of an ‘alien invasion’ genre. Pretty good tactics and some VERY nice ‘toys’ in these books. The first book, “A Hymn Before Battle”, is located [here](http://www.baen.com/chapters/W200007/0671319418___0.htm). Enjoy ---
**Author:** ![skydyvr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@skydyvr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/skydyvr)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2001, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-ya-reading/63526/72 "2001-04-28T16:49:12Z")
[A Civil Campaign](http://www.baen.com/chapters/acc_1.htm) by Lois McMasters Bujold - the latest of the Vorkosigan series. Gotta love that ‘twisty little mutant’!! Naismith/Vorkosigan 2004: The **REAL** split ticket! ---
**Author:** ![oldscratch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ed655f/32.png) [@oldscratch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oldscratch)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2001, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-ya-reading/63526/73 "2001-04-28T21:15:21Z")
**Human Error** by James Reason. About the human propensity to error, and how we error in established patterns. **Schizophrenia and manic-depressive disorder : the biological roots of mental illness as revealed by the landmark study of identical twins** by E. Fuller Torrey. It’s a study. **Synchronicity : science, myth, and the trickster** by Allan Combs, & Mark Holland. A book exploring synchronicity, once I’m finished I’ll probably move on to Jung’s work on it. ---
**Author:** ![kiffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/d78d45/32.png) [@kiffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kiffa)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2001, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-ya-reading/63526/74 "2001-04-28T22:27:06Z")
Sick Puppy: a novel about Florida politics highly recommended by a “political consultant” who does business in Florida. I just “amazon’ed” The Professor and The Madman about the writing of the Oxford English Dictionary. I suffer from a common affliction of forgetting lyrics to songs which also extends to remembering titles and authors. I don’t remember the title and author of my third book which is about the fast food revolution and all those additives lurking in your McD pommes frites! ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2001, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-ya-reading/63526/75 "2001-04-28T23:04:31Z")
AuntiePam! Where’ve you been? its been so long since i’ve seen one of your posts. 🙂 i’ve missed you. This is what I am reading: The Crocodile Bird The Bonesetter’s Daughter (Nearly done, I just haven’t picked it up in a few days…) And there are a couple of other mystery novels that I’m going to read when I’m done. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2001, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-ya-reading/63526/76 "2001-04-29T00:14:53Z")
**The Tim** – Koontz’s overuse of similes in Corner drove me bananas – I guess I figured someone who’d written as many books as he has would have gotten over that by now. Does he always have happy endings? I hate happy endings. I’ll try the two you suggested. Thanks. **Zoggie** , old girl, thanks. The Board was taking so long to load, I just gave up trying to visit and decided it was time to start reading some of the books that have been suggested in these wonderful threads. I **love** the book threads. ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2001, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-ya-reading/63526/77 "2001-04-29T02:36:45Z")
Just finished Jim Carroll’s autobiography of his adolescence, _The Basketball Diaries_–very rough stuff and well written considering his age at the time. Now reading: Stephen King’s _Dreamcatcher_ and an edited collection of essays called _The Slate Diaries_. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2001, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-ya-reading/63526/78 "2001-04-29T20:02:03Z")
Oh AuntiePam, I could never forget you. Alright, have finished The Crocodile Bird- it was really something, and yes I would reccomend it if you’re asking. Next i’m starting to re-reading My Cousin Rachel, for the second time. The last time I read it was almost two years ago. Well, maybe 23 months ago, as I started reading it around end of May. So far, it, too, looks promising. ---
**Author:** ![xekul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/838e76/32.png) [@xekul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xekul)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2001, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-ya-reading/63526/79 "2001-04-29T20:10:47Z")
_Organic Chemistry_, 5th ed., by John McMurry. Stupid finals. Other than that, I’m in the middle of _The World According to Garp_ by John Irving and _The 48 Laws of Power_ by Robert Greene. I try to read one novel and one non-fiction book concurrently, but I haven’t touched either for weeks because the above monstrosity has priority for… two more days. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-ya-reading/63526.md?page=3)