# Whatcha Readin' July 2010 Edition **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 30, 2010, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-july-2010-edition/545121 "2010-06-30T21:57:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Trion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ccd318/32.png) [@Trion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trion)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2010, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-july-2010-edition/545121/121 "2010-07-26T14:00:23Z")
> [@Gulo\_gulo](#): > > **Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void** by Mary Roach ~ Roach of “Stiff” fame takes on space travel! Very fun. What? I didn’t think that was out yet! ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2010, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-july-2010-edition/545121/122 "2010-07-26T14:38:40Z")
Page 1 of _The Anniversary Man_ by R.J. Ellory. His _A Quiet Belief in Angels_ was **so, so good.** ---
**Author:** ![Gulo\_gulo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bcef8e/32.png) [@Gulo\_gulo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gulo_gulo)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2010, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-july-2010-edition/545121/123 "2010-07-26T21:48:04Z")
> [@Trion](#): > > > [@Gulo\_gulo](#): > > > > **Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void** by Mary Roach ~ Roach of “Stiff” fame takes on space travel! Very fun. > > What? I didn’t think that was out yet! I lucked out and got an ARC thought Librarything’s Early Reviewers group. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2010, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-july-2010-edition/545121/124 "2010-07-26T22:41:12Z")
The latest Louise Erdrich, _Shadow Tag_. An artist husband and his model wife, bad marriage, she starts keeping a pair of journals, one for him to sneakily read, then the real one. Dark, but I couldn’t not finish it. Not sure I’ve ever read anything by her before. And now, because it’s summer and I’m on countdown to my vacation: The Chronicles of Narnia, which I loved as a child but haven’t read since. Damn, not a huge amount of subtlety in the theology of it, eh? All over my head as a kid, and not bothering me overmuch now: Really enjoying it. Finished _The Magician’s Nephew_ last night, happily kneedeep in _The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrob_ today. [Loving the fact that I can get through three chapters on each 20-minute train ride into work.] ---
**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:** [July 27, 2010, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-july-2010-edition/545121/125 "2010-07-27T19:12:42Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > Finished _The Magician’s Nephew_ last night, happily kneedeep in _The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrob_ today. You’re reading out of order?! :eek: * * * Finished my audiobook, Thirteen Reasons Why, a YA novel by Jay Asher, about a high school student who receives a package from a classmate who committed suicide. In the package, several cassette tapes detailing (you guessed it) thirteen reasons why. Despite the extremely hokey premise, I was really rooting for this book at the beginning. Who hasn’t wanted to know WHY? However, the narrator reading for the dead girl had a really bitter, sarcastic tone. Probably very appropriate for the character, but soon she was just unlikeable. Interspersed with that, there was the male reader playing the listening boy, who just thought dead girl had been greater than sliced bread. If it was reverse psychology, it worked. ## On top of that, when I added together all thirteen of her reasons, it only equaled maybe one reason. If you were a big whiny angsty teenage pussy. I just posted this over at Goodreads in order to counteract all the gushing reviews. (The author’s not a member or I wouldn’t have!) Sorry for the duplication. ---
**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:** [July 27, 2010, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-july-2010-edition/545121/126 "2010-07-27T19:41:46Z")
Just finished [Metzger’s Dog](http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/234335.Metzger_s_Dog), by Thomas Perry and I loved it. It’s a smart, funny caper book written in the 80s, with a fun bunch of crooks, a psychotic dog, a self-possessed cat, drug lords, university professors and the CIA – a perfect summer read. Next up, [Drood](http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3222979.Drood), by Dan Simmons. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2010, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-july-2010-edition/545121/127 "2010-07-27T20:44:16Z")
> [@Dung\_Beetle](#): > > > [@twickster](#): > > > > Finished _The Magician’s Nephew_ last night, happily kneedeep in _The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrob_ today. > > You’re reading out of order?! :eek: I’m reading a one-volume edition that presents them in the order Lewis thought they should be read, which isn’t the order in which they were written. Working for me so far – I’ll finish \*TLTW&TW \*on my way home and start _The Horse and His Boy_ before I go to sleep tonight. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2010, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-july-2010-edition/545121/128 "2010-07-27T20:57:57Z")
> [@koeeoaddi](#): > > Just finished [Metzger’s Dog](http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/234335.Metzger_s_Dog), by Thomas Perry and I loved it. It’s a smart, funny caper book written in the 80s, with a fun bunch of crooks, a psychotic dog, a self-possessed cat, drug lords, university professors and the CIA – a perfect summer read. > > Next up, [Drood](http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3222979.Drood), by Dan Simmons. I love a good caper book. I may look at it. I hated Drood though, so maybe I’ll wait and see what you think. If you enjoy it, it may be an indication that we don’t share similar tastes. ---
**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:** [July 27, 2010, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-july-2010-edition/545121/129 "2010-07-27T21:02:21Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > I’m reading a one-volume edition that presents them in the order Lewis thought they should be read, which isn’t the order in which they were written. Oh dear. Well, I won’t argue with you, but if you’re interested\* in finding out why people disagree about the order, it’s discussed in the Wikipedia article: [The Chronicles of Narnia - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Chronicles_of_Narnia) \*and if you’re not, I don’t blame you. I love the books and I’m glad you’re enjoying them! I re-read them every so often myself. ---
**Author:** ![Eleanor\_of\_Aquitaine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a88e4f/32.png) [@Eleanor\_of\_Aquitaine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleanor_of_Aquitaine)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2010, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-july-2010-edition/545121/130 "2010-07-27T21:17:52Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > And now, because it’s summer and I’m on countdown to my vacation: The Chronicles of Narnia, which I loved as a child but haven’t read since. Damn, not a huge amount of subtlety in the theology of it, eh? All over my head as a kid, and not bothering me overmuch now: Really enjoying it. Finished _The Magician’s Nephew_ last night, happily kneedeep in _The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrob_ today. [Loving the fact that I can get through three chapters on each 20-minute train ride into work.] I completely missed the theology in these when I was a kid, too, even though I was a regular Sunday school attendee. I resisted pointing it out to my kids when I read these books to them. That fourth Felix Castor novel, _Thicker Than Water_, was really good, my favorite of the series so far. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2010, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-july-2010-edition/545121/131 "2010-07-27T21:26:22Z")
> [@Dung\_Beetle](#): > > > [@twickster](#): > > > > I’m reading a one-volume edition that presents them in the order Lewis thought they should be read, which isn’t the order in which they were written. > > Oh dear. Well, I won’t argue with you, but if you’re interested\* in finding out why people disagree about the order, it’s discussed in the Wikipedia article: [The Chronicles of Narnia - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Chronicles_of_Narnia) > > \*and if you’re not, I don’t blame you. I love the books and I’m glad you’re enjoying them! I re-read them every so often myself. Not particularly, no – but thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2010, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-july-2010-edition/545121/132 "2010-07-28T22:54:12Z")
I have finished _Lord of the Changing Winds_ - an acceptable fantasy, but not exceptional. Kes is a human healer who is sought out by a Griffin mage. He awakens her to fire magic and she become a healer of Griffins. The Griffins have been driven from their dessert by a country who wants to expand their territory. There is some intrigue, some magic, some war and a hint of romance. As I said, it wasn’t exceptional, but it was passable and I will likely read the rest of the trilogy. ---
**Author:** ![Judith\_Prietht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b19c9b/32.png) [@Judith\_Prietht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Judith_Prietht)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2010, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-july-2010-edition/545121/133 "2010-07-29T14:02:46Z")
I finished up **The Descendants** and while I thought it was good, I’m not necessarily seeing why there’s so much buzz and why it was necessary to adapt it to film. Although I am curious to see George Clooney as Matt King, and to see how Hawaii is depicted. I’ve moved on to Dave Eggers’ **Zeitoun** , which, yes, I totally get the hype. While we’re several years removed from Katrina, the book really brings all the images and emotions back again. I have a love-hate thing with Eggers, so I’m very pleased that I’m enjoying this one. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2010, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-july-2010-edition/545121/134 "2010-07-29T15:11:16Z")
_Anniversary Man_ was excellent, though not as lyrically beautiful as _A Quiet Belief in Angels_. I still want to read all Ellory’s books, but only those two are released in the U.S. I can get them on Amazon, I think. Now reading _White Shadow_ by Ace Atkins, about the 1955 murder of a mob boss in Ybor City. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2010, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-july-2010-edition/545121/135 "2010-07-29T17:53:02Z")
I’ve been skimming former British Prime Minister John Major’s autobiography, cleverly titled… _The Autobiography_. It’s actually better than I would’ve thought. He has an interesting chapter on Margaret Thatcher’s fall from power, emphasizing his loyalty to her and (so he says) his great hesitancy in running for her job himself after she took herself out of contention. Not a word on his early-Eighties affair with a female MP - in fact, she’s not mentioned at all in the index. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2010, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-july-2010-edition/545121/136 "2010-07-29T18:47:47Z")
> [@koeeoaddi](#): > > Just finished [Metzger’s Dog](http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/234335.Metzger_s_Dog), by Thomas Perry and I loved it. It’s a smart, funny caper book written in the 80s, with a fun bunch of crooks, a psychotic dog, a self-possessed cat, drug lords, university professors and the CIA – a perfect summer read. I’m heading to the library and have put this on my list. Have you read the dog books by Jerry Carroll? Top Dog and Dog Eat Dog – they’re awesome. Finished _Cutting for Stone_ by Abraham Verghese. I liked 95% of it, but it veered off into melodrama toward the end. Still, for a picture of life in Addis Ababa in the 50’s and 60’s, it was enlightening and entertaining. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2010, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-july-2010-edition/545121/137 "2010-07-29T18:50:55Z")
_John Adams_ by David McCullough (again). I’m on a real history/biography kick lately. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2010, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-july-2010-edition/545121/138 "2010-07-29T18:52:12Z")
I’d be glad to recommend some other McCullough books (he went to my high school, long before me), or other history books generally, if you like. ---
**Author:** ![Eleanor\_of\_Aquitaine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a88e4f/32.png) [@Eleanor\_of\_Aquitaine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleanor_of_Aquitaine)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2010, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-july-2010-edition/545121/139 "2010-07-29T18:58:35Z")
Has anybody used [half.com](http://half.com)’s new Buying Wizard tool yet? You enter a list of books you want, specify the minimum acceptable condition for each, and it tries to find a single seller who has them all, or else it groups them the best way possible to save money on price and shipping. This is going to save me so much time. It was such a pain to search for a seller who has more than one book on my wish list. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2010, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-july-2010-edition/545121/140 "2010-07-29T19:22:35Z")
> [@Eleanor\_of\_Aquitaine](#): > > Has anybody used [half.com](http://half.com)’s new Buying Wizard tool yet? You enter a list of books you want, specify the minimum acceptable condition for each, and it tries to find a single seller who has them all, or else it groups them the best way possible to save money on price and shipping. > > This is going to save me so much time. It was such a pain to search for a seller who has more than one book on my wish list. Pretty cool. I’ll have a look at it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-july-2010-edition/545121.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-july-2010-edition/545121.md?page=8)