# Whatcha readin' January (08) edition
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-january-08-edition/431790
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [December 31, 2007, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-january-08-edition/431790 "2007-12-31T13:07:56Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)
#### Post date: [January 1, 2008, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-january-08-edition/431790/21 "2008-01-01T04:28:17Z")
**Best**
_The Stolen Child_ (Keith Donohue)
_A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier_ (Ishmael Beah)
_Mountains beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, a Man Who Would Cure the World_ (Tracy Kidder)
**Worst**
\*The Road \* (Cormac McCarthy)
_The Sociopath Next Door_ (Martha Stout)
_Horseradish: Bitter Truths You Can’t Avoid_ (Lemony Snicket)
**Had to slog but it was sufficiently worthwhile**
_Temptations of the West: How to Be Modern in India, Pakistan, Tibet, and Beyond_ (Pankaj Mishra)
**2007**
Number of books: 125
Difference from previous year: +65
Number of pages: 36,821
Mean pages/book: 294.568
Number of fiction (includes children’s/young adult, poetry, fictive humor): 58
Number of non-fiction: 67
Reviews posted here. I’ll get the last 2 done this week.
**Goals for 2008**
1. Read 50+ books, of which at least one per month is long, complex, or professional.
2. Continue to review every book I finish.
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### Author:  [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)
#### Post date: [January 1, 2008, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-january-08-edition/431790/22 "2008-01-01T04:40:54Z")
It’s already January here, almost lunchtime. Today, I’ll finish John Burdett’s _Bangkok Tattoo._ It’s been very good, even with all of the little distortions one always sees in a local book like this. For instance, the protagonist is part owner of a bar in Soi Cowboy but at one point must go over to the Nana Plaza bar area to buy his beloved Northeastern snack of assorted insects. That scene was probably written in simply to give Nana Plaza a mention, the same as a similar restaurant scene set in the Patpong bar area later, because I can tell you that there is indeed at least one insect cart set up right in the middle of Soi Cowboy. He could have bought his bugs right outside the door of his bar.
After that, I will read _Mr. Paradise_, by Elmore Leonard.
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### Author:  [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)
#### Post date: [January 1, 2008, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-january-08-edition/431790/23 "2008-01-01T05:05:03Z")
_Bangkok 8_ is on my short list for January.
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### Author:  [@Hoops](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hoops)
#### Post date: [January 1, 2008, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-january-08-edition/431790/24 "2008-01-01T05:05:20Z")
[QUOTE=Siam Sam]
It’s already January here, almost lunchtime. Today, I’ll finish John Burdett’s _Bangkok Tattoo._
[/quote]
What a coincidence; I’m about 2/3rds of the way through Burdett’s _Bangkok 8_, which I picked up at random from my workplace’s unofficial lending library.
Before that, it was my second rereading of Neal Stephenson’s _Cryptonomicon_, which along with _The Baroque Cycle_ certainly rewards rereading.
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### Author:  [@movingfinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/movingfinger)
#### Post date: [January 1, 2008, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-january-08-edition/431790/25 "2008-01-01T05:36:07Z")
I read 88 books this past year, although some of them were formulaic mysteries or techno-thrillers. If I had more work to do I would have less time to read for pleasure, but more money with which to buy books.
My goal is to read 100 books in 2008, but a faint “ahem!” coming now and then from my bookshelf of unread books seems to be emanating from **Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell** , which I have promised I will read, and which will make the goal of 100 books a bit iffier.
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### Author:  [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)
#### Post date: [January 1, 2008, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-january-08-edition/431790/26 "2008-01-01T07:01:30Z")
I finished George R.R. Martin’s _A Clash of Kings_ yesterday evening. Which was unfortunate, since the library wasn’t open today (well, yesterday) and won’t be tomorrow (well, today, technically) and I desperately want to start _A Storm of Swords_.
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### Author:  [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)
#### Post date: [January 1, 2008, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-january-08-edition/431790/27 "2008-01-01T07:07:40Z")
Great opening to \*Bangkok 8! \*Excellent voice and initial premise.
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### Author:  [@Auntbeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Auntbeast)
#### Post date: [January 1, 2008, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-january-08-edition/431790/28 "2008-01-01T07:19:06Z")
I read some doozies this year, so I went by page count. 47 books or 14192 pages which turned out to be only 36 actual books.
I went on a deep post-apocolyptic/dystopian bend courtesy of the kind folks here at the SDMB. Richard Matheson, both I am Legend and Hell House, Fell in love with “The Handmaid’s Tale” and followed up with “Oryx and Crake.” Tried some of the Discworld stuff but wasn’t too thrilled with it, although I liked parts of them better than others. I haven’t given up yet.
Right now I’m in the middle of a book titled Cryptography, which is neato cool, but a heavy read. Next up? I’m tackling the Cthulu mythos.
I will read 50 books proper this year. I’ve gotten a Nokia 770 internet tablet which is the worlds best reading in bed, reading anywhere ebook reader, and yes, I’ve seen, touched and tried the Kindle.
Here’s to an electronic 2008.
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### Author:  [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)
#### Post date: [January 1, 2008, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-january-08-edition/431790/29 "2008-01-01T14:19:10Z")
[QUOTE=Hoops]
What a coincidence; I’m about 2/3rds of the way through Burdett’s _Bangkok 8_, which I picked up at random from my workplace’s unofficial lending library.
[/QUOTE]
_Bangkok 8_ is very good, and \*Bangkok Tattoo \* is an excellent follow-up. I’ve never understood why authors change real things ever so slightly. For instance, in _Bangkok 8_ he had the Buddha shrine in the wrong corner of Nana Plaza, even though he was obviously familair with the place. He used real bar names for Nana Plaza, but made up fake names for bars in Soi Cowboy. (Dart-shooting vaginas are real, however. Many’s the night I’ve held a balloon over my head to have some cutie shoot it out of my hand in that manner. The best I ever saw was one girl in Midnite Bar in Soi Cowboy who could hit a moving target! Now THAT was talent.)
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### Author:  [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)
#### Post date: [January 1, 2008, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-january-08-edition/431790/30 "2008-01-01T14:22:08Z")
[QUOTE=Shoshana]
Great opening to \*Bangkok 8! \*Excellent voice and initial premise.
[/QUOTE]
\*Bangkok Tattoo \* opens well, too:
“‘Killing customers just isn’t good for business’.”
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### Author:  [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)
#### Post date: [January 1, 2008, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-january-08-edition/431790/31 "2008-01-01T16:06:25Z")
[QUOTE=Siam Sam]
Dart-shooting vaginas
[/QUOTE]
I don’t do this too often, but:
_Band name!!_ 😃
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### Author:  [@Nightingale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nightingale)
#### Post date: [January 1, 2008, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-january-08-edition/431790/32 "2008-01-01T17:51:46Z")
_Pillars of the Earth_ by Ken Follett. . . it was a Christmas gift from my inlaws. I’m not far into it but am enjoying it so far.
_Grave Sight_ by Charlaine Harris. A light read, but fun so far.
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### Author:  [@vison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vison)
#### Post date: [January 1, 2008, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-january-08-edition/431790/33 "2008-01-01T19:26:13Z")
Got up early and finished _The Time Traveler’s Wife_. Parts of it were excellent.
Hoping _The Botany of Desire_ is here tomorrow.
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### Author:  [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)
#### Post date: [January 1, 2008, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-january-08-edition/431790/34 "2008-01-01T19:29:44Z")
I’ve started the Hornblower series. I discovered my penchant for the genre with the Aubrey/Maturin series, and so far, am enjoying this one even more.
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### Author:  [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)
#### Post date: [January 1, 2008, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-january-08-edition/431790/35 "2008-01-01T19:36:49Z")
_Lisey’s Story_ By Stephen King and _The Witness_ by Sandra Brown.
Coming up on my bookpile is _Hello Darkness_ by Sandra Brown and then _Deal Breaker_ (that will be a reread) by Harlan Coben.
After those, in order: _Echo Park_- Michael Connelly, _Drop Shot_- Harlan Coben, _The Husband_- Dean Koontz, and _The Cold Moon_- Jeffery Deaver
I really, really need to find/get _Self Defense_ by Jonathan Kellerman and the next one after that in the Alex Delaware series (It’s either _The Web_ or _The Clinic_, I forget which) so I can start reading him again. I like reading series books in order and even though I have all the other Alex Delaware books after those two, I can’t/won’t read them until I read those two first.
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### Author:  [@ladybug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ladybug)
#### Post date: [January 1, 2008, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-january-08-edition/431790/36 "2008-01-01T19:38:40Z")
I’m about halfway through _The Memory Keeper’s Daughter_ by Kim Edwards. I’m really enjoying it.
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### Author:  [@Eleanor\_of\_Aquitaine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleanor_of_Aquitaine)
#### Post date: [January 1, 2008, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-january-08-edition/431790/37 "2008-01-01T20:15:15Z")
[QUOTE=jayjay]
I finished George R.R. Martin’s _A Clash of Kings_ yesterday evening. Which was unfortunate, since the library wasn’t open today (well, yesterday) and won’t be tomorrow (well, today, technically) and I desperately want to start _A Storm of Swords_.
[/QUOTE]
I love those books. I’m jealous that you still have two more to read.
\*Eifelheim \*was very good so I’ve just ordered Michael Flynn’s _The Wreck of the River of Stars_, as suggested by \*\*wonderlust \*\*in last month’s thread.
Right now I’m going through a new collection of Connie Willis short stories and novellas, _The Winds of Marble Arch_, which includes several of her Hugo and Nebula winners. I’ve read most of them before but they’re all worth a second read.
I also started the last of the Lord Peter/Harriet Vane mysteries written by Jill Paton Walsh, _A Presumption of Death_.
Tomorrow I’ll stop by and pick up the new Patricia Briggs paperback, _Iron Kisse_d.
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### Author:  [@Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mona_Lisa_Simpson)
#### Post date: [January 1, 2008, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-january-08-edition/431790/38 "2008-01-01T21:48:34Z")
Hmm, can I join? Ive never joined the book club thingy, but I really think I need to. In fact I might just start a pit thread about the people that surround me, which will tell you more about that, but anyway, Im going to start reading/posting to this thread.
I got _The Gum Thief_ for Christmas, and _Long Nights on Air_ (actually gifted “from” my son… to me… bought by me… but I’ll take what I can get)
I just finished the first one. Normally I loooooove Douglas Coupland, but this book, not so much. I like phrases, sentences, paragraphs, characters, situations, observations, but the basic plot/meat of the story? I didnt like it. At all, especailly the little “Who’s afraid of Virginia Woolf?” type story within a story. Anyone else read this? Or would that be a thread of its own?
I read alot, and yet a whole bunch less than I used to. A fifty book goal for the year is pretty worthy for me though I think.
On to the Elizabeth Hay novel.
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### Author:  [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)
#### Post date: [January 1, 2008, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-january-08-edition/431790/39 "2008-01-01T21:55:05Z")
**Juliefoolie** , you’re in! We don’t need no stinking memberships.
Also consider jumping over to goodreads and joining the SDMB group there. You can start a “shelf” in your account called “2008” and input any book you read this year.
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### Author:  [@Mrs.Cake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mrs.Cake)
#### Post date: [January 1, 2008, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-january-08-edition/431790/40 "2008-01-01T22:37:29Z")
Currently on the bedside table:
Book to re-read: _Belgrave Square_ by Anne Perry
Brain-Candy Quick Read: _Bloodline_ by F. Paul Wilson (the latest in the increasingly ho-hum Repairman Jack series)
Classic I Should Have Read Years Ago: _Brideshead Revisited_ by Evelyn Waugh
Xmas Gift Book for reading out loud with Husband: _The Book of General Ignorance_, subtitled Everything You Know Is Wrong.
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