# Whatcha Readin' July 2012 Edition **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 30, 2012, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-july-2012-edition/626856 "2012-06-30T22:40:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**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 11, 2012, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-july-2012-edition/626856/61 "2012-07-11T03:51:21Z")
> [@Eleanor\_of\_Aquitaine](#): > > I’ve read _Founding Brothers_, and his books on Washington and Jefferson. The latter is called _American Sphinx_, and Ellis is rather less charitable with Jefferson than with Adams, so beware if you’re a big fan. _American Sphinx_, right you are. No, I’m not a Jefferson fan at all, really, so no danger there. ---
**Author:** ![delphica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9a140/32.png) [@delphica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/delphica)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2012, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-july-2012-edition/626856/62 "2012-07-11T15:10:16Z")
> [@delphica](#): > > I’m currently halfway through a YA title that is awesome so far - _Code Name Verity_ by Elizabeth Wein. Girl spy shot down on a mission over Nazi Germany! This ended up being really good, I would highly recommend to anyone who likes keeping up with current YA lit. I’ve just started _Mightier Than the Sword: Uncle Tom’s Cabin and the Battle for America_. So far, it’s very engaging reading, which I’m not sure I was expecting. ---
**Author:** ![yellowval](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/919ad9/32.png) [@yellowval](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yellowval)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2012, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-july-2012-edition/626856/63 "2012-07-11T15:19:43Z")
I decided to re-read Laura Ingalls Wilder’s “Little House” series and finished “Little House in the Big Woods.” I’ll probably start the second book today. I’m also still working on “Gone With the Wind.” I have 325 or so pages to go. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2012, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-july-2012-edition/626856/64 "2012-07-11T17:22:51Z")
I scored an ARC of [The Dog Stars](http://www.amazon.com/The-Dog-Stars-Peter-Heller/dp/0307959945) by Peter Heller. Nine years post-apocalypse (flu), Hig is a pilot living in a small airport in (I think) Colorado. His companions are Jasper, his dog, and a survivor type (forgot his name) who was probably anti-social when there was still the possibility of being social. The book reminds me of _The Road_, not just for theme but for the unique writing style – lots of short, choppy sentences and sentence fragments. It takes some getting used to but it fits. Hig’s life isn’t smooth, so describing that life won’t be smooth either. Hig is trying to stay human, trying to appreciate what’s left, but it’s hard. His companion glories in killing anyone who wanders close to the airport, and wants to wipe out a nearby enclave of Mennonites because they have a flu-related disease. Heller is from the Iowa Writer’s Workshop, and I’ve always had good luck with them. ---
**Author:** ![Invisible\_Chimp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f05b48/32.png) [@Invisible\_Chimp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Invisible_Chimp)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2012, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-july-2012-edition/626856/65 "2012-07-11T17:43:45Z")
I’m starting **1Q84** by Murakami and **The Enchanter** by Nabokov, a precursor to **Lolita**. I loved **Lolita** , so I hope to love this too. I’ve haven’t read Murakami in awhile, so it’ll be nice to get back into his world. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2012, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-july-2012-edition/626856/66 "2012-07-11T18:32:01Z")
> [@Invisible\_Chimp](#): > > I’m starting **1Q84** by Murakami and **The Enchanter** by Nabokov, a precursor to **Lolita**. I loved **Lolita** , so I hope to love this too. I’ve haven’t read Murakami in awhile, so it’ll be nice to get back into his world. I don’t know why you’d want to bother with _Lolita_. According to one reviewer at [this website](http://leasthelpful.com/), it’s about an old guy whining about his bratty daughter. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![wonderlust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonderlust/32/7237_2.png) [@wonderlust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonderlust)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2012, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-july-2012-edition/626856/67 "2012-07-11T19:16:17Z")
> [@AuntiePam](#): > > I don’t know why you’d want to bother with _Lolita_. According to one reviewer at [this website](http://leasthelpful.com/), it’s about an old guy whining about his bratty daughter. 😉 I’d like to see that review, but don’t see any way to search for it. Using google search didn’t help either. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2012, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-july-2012-edition/626856/68 "2012-07-11T20:27:47Z")
Finished _Den of Thieves: The Ancient Blades Trilogy: Book One_ a mediocre traditional fantasy. I didn’t hate it, but I don’t recommend it and will likely not read the other two unless I really run out of books. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2012, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-july-2012-edition/626856/69 "2012-07-11T20:43:42Z")
> [@wonderlust](#): > > I’d like to see that review, but don’t see any way to search for it. Using google search didn’t help either. The reviews on that site are in general hilarious (here’s a review for [Twilight](http://leasthelpful.com/post/25361219265/team-newman-definitely)), so it’s worth spending some time there giggling, but if you don’t feel like browsing, [here’s the Lolita review](http://leasthelpful.com/post/25223465657/even-worse-than-that-talking-animals-book-i-read). ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2012, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-july-2012-edition/626856/70 "2012-07-11T21:02:44Z")
_[House of Rain](http://www.amazon.com/House-Rain-Tracking-Civilization-Southwest/dp/0316067547/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1342040357&sr=1-1&keywords=rain+anasazi)_, by Craig Childs. Childs is a good writer, making what would normally be a dry subject (the movement of the Anasazi tribes across the Southwest) interesting and informative. The amount of ruins available for public viewing is only a fraction of what was once a populous and powerful culture. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2012, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-july-2012-edition/626856/71 "2012-07-11T22:51:02Z")
> [@wonderlust](#): > > I’d like to see that review, but don’t see any way to search for it. Using google search didn’t help either. It’s the second review under “Classics Revisited”. On preview, the Dork beat me to it. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![wonderlust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonderlust/32/7237_2.png) [@wonderlust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonderlust)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2012, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-july-2012-edition/626856/72 "2012-07-12T03:31:21Z")
Thanks, that’s an interesting site, but I have constant problems loading it - the connection is reset and it won’t load. ---
**Author:** ![yellowval](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/919ad9/32.png) [@yellowval](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yellowval)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2012, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-july-2012-edition/626856/73 "2012-07-12T13:06:00Z")
> [@AuntiePam](#): > > I scored an ARC of [The Dog Stars](http://www.amazon.com/The-Dog-Stars-Peter-Heller/dp/0307959945) by Peter Heller. Nine years post-apocalypse (flu), Hig is a pilot living in a small airport in (I think) Colorado. His companions are Jasper, his dog, and a survivor type (forgot his name) who was probably anti-social when there was still the possibility of being social. > > The book reminds me of _The Road_, not just for theme but for the unique writing style – lots of short, choppy sentences and sentence fragments. It takes some getting used to but it fits. Hig’s life isn’t smooth, so describing that life won’t be smooth either. > > Hig is trying to stay human, trying to appreciate what’s left, but it’s hard. His companion glories in killing anyone who wanders close to the airport, and wants to wipe out a nearby enclave of Mennonites because they have a flu-related disease. > > Heller is from the Iowa Writer’s Workshop, and I’ve always had good luck with them. That sounds awesome and I love regional authors (I’m from Minnesota - hi, neighbor!) so this one is definitely going on my list. ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2012, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-july-2012-edition/626856/74 "2012-07-12T13:19:18Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > _[House of Rain](http://www.amazon.com/House-Rain-Tracking-Civilization-Southwest/dp/0316067547/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1342040357&sr=1-1&keywords=rain+anasazi)_, by Craig Childs. Childs is a good writer, making what would normally be a dry subject (the movement of the Anasazi tribes across the Southwest) interesting and informative. The amount of ruins available for public viewing is only a fraction of what was once a populous and powerful culture. That looks great. I’m going to check it out. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![timid1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a9a28c/32.png) [@timid1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/timid1)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2012, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-july-2012-edition/626856/75 "2012-07-12T13:51:24Z")
Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy. Amazing, Simply amazing. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2012, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-july-2012-edition/626856/76 "2012-07-13T01:48:27Z")
I’m getting a bunch of reading list ideas from the recent [Greatest 20th Century Novels](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=656782) and [Complex Experimental Surreal Books](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=655938) threads. Having just finished a re-read of _Finnegans Wake_ a few days ago, I started in on _Cloud Atlas_ by David Mitchell today, as recommended in the latter thread. ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2012, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-july-2012-edition/626856/77 "2012-07-13T23:12:06Z")
_Crime and Punishment_ by Doysteovsky, Penguin Classics edition ---
**Author:** ![Shakester](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shakester/32/437_2.png) [@Shakester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shakester)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2012, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-july-2012-edition/626856/78 "2012-07-14T07:26:14Z")
[Iron Man](http://www.amazon.com/Iron-Man-Tony-Iommi/dp/0306819554): _My Journey through Heaven and Hell with Black Sabbath_ by **Tony Iommi**. Good stuff. I’ve always loved Iommi’s guitar style, and he’s clearly got a lot more wit than Ozzy ever had. I love Ozzy as Sabbath’s vocalist, but Iommi and Geezer Butler were always the brains behind Sabbath. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2012, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-july-2012-edition/626856/79 "2012-07-14T21:21:11Z")
Finished \*Mind Games (The Disillusionists Trilogy: Book 1). \*It was an interesting premise that wasn’t too badly carried out and there was a little twist at the end. Justine Jones is a hard-core hypochondriac and she meets a man who teaches her to transfer her fear to others - one step in disillusioning them. Disillusionment is a “reboot” of the psyche - and once disillusioned bad guys reboot to become good. There is quite a bit of discussion on the morals of this vigilantism and at another time I might have found that bit dull, but I didn’t mind. I did not enjoy it enough to recommend it, but I liked it enough that I may read the others. A friend has just recommended _The Clockwork Vampire Chronicles_. Has anyone here read it? ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2012, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-july-2012-edition/626856/80 "2012-07-15T22:08:55Z")
> [@yellowval](#): > > That sounds awesome and I love regional authors (I’m from Minnesota - hi, neighbor!) so this one is definitely going on my list. Hi neighbor! Heller isn’t from Iowa – I think he’s from Montana. But he’s an Iowa Writer’s Workshop graduate. Yeah, put it on your list. The ending was somewhat open but it was satisfying. Heller could write a sequel. There’s more story to tell. I read a bunch of samples on the Kindle last night. _Canada_ by Richard Ford sorta grabbed me, but I don’t want to pay $13.99 for an e-book. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-july-2012-edition/626856.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-july-2012-edition/626856.md?page=5)