I’ve got into the habit of keeping a few books going at the same time. Right now I’m reading:
[ul]
[li]The Bible. Imagine that? I’m not religious in any way, but I feel it’s part of having an all-round education. One day, I’ll tackle the Koran too.[/li][li]Psycho by Robert Bloch. I just started reading it this morning, but I have a good feeling about it (if you can have a good feeling about a book like Psycho).[/li][li]The Empty Chair by Jeffery Deaver. I actually just bought it today, so I haven’t actually started yet, but I just might start tonight. (Hiya Trouble!)[/li][li]Pope Joan by Donna Woolfolk Cross. I’m not sure I like it, but I can’t stop reading it. There are a few things I find rather contradictory, like eating corn in a novel set in Europe in the 9th century. As far as I know, Europeans didn’t know about corn until America was discovered. Or maybe I just remember it wrong. It’s a little too much like Clan of the Cave Bear, which was a good book. When I was 13.[/li][li]I’m also reading a couple of Swedish books, and a shitload of course literature but I doubt you’ve heard of any of them so I won’t bore you anymore.[/li][/ul]
Hey Fran! I just finished The Green Mile about a week ago, and then I had the wierdest dream, but I suppose I won’t share it with you so I don’t spoil the book. It was wierd as hell though. Fantastic book, I was sorry it ended. I might have to re-read it soon.
I just finished The Big U by Neal Stephenson. Unfortunately, with finals fast approaching, I’ll have to wait awhile before starting something else.
(As for the corn-in-Europe thing, Cecil wrote about that here.)
Ain’t Enough Hours Inna Day
The Greatest Benefit To Mankind: A Medical History Of Humanity, by Roy Porter
Opium:A History, by Martin Booth
My Land, My People, by HH the Dalai Lama
- Mark Twain On The Damned Human Race*, a collection of essays
What up with the Mark Twain/Dalai Lama juggernaut, UncleBeer?
One of my favorites! I’m reading A Widow For One Year by Irving right now, about 75 pages to go. I can’t wait to see how it ends!
I’m also re-reading (for the 800th time) The Collected Poems of Rainer Maria Rilke, but this time I’m paying special attention to the Duino Elegies. There’s just so much in them to comprehend - I feel like I’ve only skimmed the surface, and I’ve read them a bazillion times.
In the Skin of the Lion by Michael Ondaajte is my in-bed choice (lightweight but beautifully written) and I’m tearing through Antony and Cleopatra for Shakespeare 351 and Uncle Tom’s Cabin for Amer Lit 307.
I’m always, always reading The Collected Works: 1974-1994 by Stephen Dunn, the poet of my heart. He is pure genius, and nothing is better than opening up his book and losing myself in one of his incredible poems right before I fall asleep. He guarantees sweet, thoughtful dreams.
Lots of good stuff in this thread…
I’m currently reading Dante’s Inferno. Just finished Marlowe’s Edward II, which is terrific. Next up: either Shakespeare: A Life by Park Honan, or Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. 
(Soda – corn in England is generic – it can be any kind of grain. :))
Shodan, “Job” is a great book. I’ve read it several times.
Right now I’m working on “The Sunne in Splendour” by Sharon Kay Penman and just about to start “The HeavenTree Trilogy” by Edith Pargeter.
Right now I’m reading Spain by Nikos Kazantzakis, because I’ll be going to Spain in 4 days and I want to pysch myself up. 
I’ve also been paging through an Anthology of Spainish Poetry, by various authors.
I’ve got The Collected Poems of Emily Dickinson next to my bed for night-time reading.
I’ve recently finished The Bear Comes Home by Raffi Zabor and The Bridge of Beyond by Simone Schwartz-Bart.
All excellent, excellent books.
Rock Springs Stories, Richard Ford. I read at least one story a night. I’ve probably read them a dozen times each. My favorite writer.
Finding Fish, Antwone Quenton Fisher. An unbelievably heartbreaking story of a poor child growing up in and out of foster care in Cleveland. The kind of story thats hurts to even read, yet you can’t put it down.
Shakespeare and the Popular Voice
Milton’s Theatrical Epic
The York and Wakefield mystery plays (bits ‘n’ pieces)
Horrid Laughter in Jacobean Tragedy
European Witch Trials
Religion and the Decline of Magic (also in bits ‘n’ pieces … damn thing’s about 800 pages long)
And many, many student papers, some of them unspeakable bad (see my Pit thread on this subject).
Oh, and also the Moon Handbook to the South Pacific and Lonely Planet New Zealand. Only fifteen days 'til vacation…
I just finished re-reading Plan B by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller.
Almost done with The Uncrowned King by Michelle West.
Halfway through The Princess Bride.
And just started Fletch’s Moxie by Gregory McDonald.
Wow, I’m slacking off. I used to have 6 or 8 going at once all the time.
Currently, I am reading:
Great Presidential Wit by Bob Dole, funny things said by ex-presidentiaries
Utah Blaine, Ride The Dark Trail and The Sky-Liners, all by Louis L’Amour, all nice generic westerns
The Toynbee Convector, a collection of short stories by that guy who “And There Will Come Soft Rains”, which isn’t in this collection
The Empire’s New Clothes, can’t remember the author and the book is not in this room so I can’t look it up, it’s basically dissecting cartoons and comic books and the Lone Ranger for their psychological effects on kids
I’m reading C&P as well. I’m only at the beginning of part three (although for my English class, I’m supposed to be near the end of part five). I like it a lot more than I was expecting to. I’m also reading the Cliffs Notes for this book at the same time. It helps so much.
I usually don’t read more than one book at a time so I’m not like, “Wait, so Holden Caulfield wasn’t eating chocolate-covered cotton balls with the severed pig’s head?” It’s easy for me to be confused. Also, I finish all of the books faster that way.
I also wrote down most of the titles in Books you read when you were young that absolutely shocked/disturbed you. I can’t wait to get started!
I’m reading Blindess, by Jose Saramago. It was recommended by our very own SexyWriter, and I’m finally reading it.
I usually read one at a time. My next one will be Tourist Season, by Carl Hiaasen.
Recent and current reads –
River of Darkness by Rennie Airth – mystery set in England just after World War I – pretty decent
Dreamcatcher by Stephen King – I liked what he did with Jonesy and Mr. Gray
From the Corner of His Eye by Dean Koontz – my first and last Koontz. I just don’t understand his popularity with horror fans.
The Oracle Glass by Judith Merkle Riley – I’ll read more of her stuff – nice historical, witty.
More Than Human by Theodore Sturgeon. I know, better late than never.
From These Ashes – all of Fredric Brown’s short SF in one luscious 700-page volume.
Ancient Lights by Davis Grubb – recommended by someone here – indescribable, very rich, I don’t feel worthy.
Currently have three in the works:
Don’t Know Much About History by Kenneth C. Davis. Pretty entertaining review of American History. Just finished the part covering the Korean War. Should finish this one over the weekend.
The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Robert A. Heinlein. About halfway through. Read this along time ago, but I usually have at least one Heinlein book open somewhere in the house.
City of God by St. Augustine. Translation by Henry Bettenson. This one will take a couple more months to get through. Once I finish I’ll have plenty of ammo to use against those neo-paganists over in GD.
Foucault’s Pendulum by Eco, which kicks major ass so far (I’m halfway through).
And Auntiepam I’d recomend reading something else by Koontz, like Dragon Tears. From the Corner of his Eye is different from all his others, and very strange.
Just finished reviewing two mysteries for the newspaper: Bad News by Donald E. Westlake (Dortmunder caper novel. Remember “Hot Rock” with Robert Redford? Based on this guy.), and Black Lotus by Laura Joh Rowland, set in Shoganate Japan.
Moved on to Sputnik Sweetheart by Haruki Murakami, which has mysterious elements in it but is not a genre mystery. He’s supposed to be Japan’s best hope for a Nobel, if you believe the PR. Just started it.
I also just finished Unnatural Death by Dorothy Sayers, one of her lesser mysteries.
Then there’s Lieutenant Hornblower and Hornblower and the Atropos. It’s the first time I’ve reread them in years. Returning to them after a heavy immersion of Patrick O’Brian makes for an interesting comparison. Forester doesn’t immerse me in the history as well as POB, but he writes some beautiful passages (and thanks to POB, I understand all the nautical terminology!). And now that I’m married, I can understand much better the emotional interplay between Maria and her “Horry.”
Oh, and the implosion of the Crown Books chain allowed me to pick up more books! There’s Doctor Dogbody’s Leg by James Norman Hall (of Bounty fame), a collection of short stories about a ship’s doctor. They’re all tall tales about how he lost his leg. And there are several others whose titles escape me for the moment.
Plus, I’ve been deeply rereading Twain and Sherlock Holmes for a fiction project. On a road trip to Dover, Del., I listened to a tape of Twain’s essays, including “Fentimore Cooper’s Literary Offenses,” one of his best.
Now in the car’s player is an abridgment of Pepy’s diary, read by Kenneth Branaugh. Most excellent! (Highly recommend the U. of California Press’ unabridged editions as well, with their excellent annotations.)
There are more books waiting on deck for their turn, but this list will have to do. Now, aren’t you glad you asked?
The King’s English by Kingsley Amis.
Child of Flame by Kate Elliott. I have waded through the first four books and I’m now finishing the fifth out of fascinated horror. There are so f*cking many mistakes which should have been edited. And the plot is becoming totally out of control.
One good thing is in this volume at least she isn’t starting the chapter with He or She did something and then it takes the reader a few paragraphs to figure out who she is talking about. When a writer sets up a convoluted plot, the least they can do is try and make it clear.
I recently finished Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere, which was recommended and provided (yay) by KKBattousai
I’m now working on Come Back Alive by Robert Young Pelton and The Elements of Typographical Style by Robert Bringhurst…
I used to read several books at a time, but I work in a bookstore, and had to stop. There was wayyyyy too much temptation, so using my massive will-power, I am trying to keep it down to two at a time. My two current are The Brothers Karamazov and The Orthodox Church by Timothy Wares. I picked up TOC after getting confuzzled by some of the religious stuff in TBK, and have found it enormously enlightening. My translator’s endnotes explain some of the basics, but now I think I have a deeper understanding of what’s going on. I started reading TBK an age or so ago, and am still not halfway through. In my defense, it’s nine hundred pages long and written in print so tiny I practically need a microscope to read it. Anyway, I like it. There’s a reason it’s a classic - complex characters, good story and plotting, thought-provoking philosophical discussions.
I have sixteen books on my to-be-read shelf, and another ten or so in my pile at work. Every single one of them is non-fiction. Agh.