I’m currently wrapping up Stephen King’s Dance Macabre. Next up in the pile is… well, I haven’t decided. Probably Sagan’s Cosmos, but I’m really in the mood for something lighter.
I just completed the Year of Discworld. I read all the novels, though none of the associated books like The Science of Discworld.
Now, for a complete change of pace, I’m reading Les Miserables.
Wow, I can’t imagine what it would be like, living with Discworld in your head for a year. I’m curious, did you read anything else during that time, or was it completely Pratchett-intensive?
Matter, the new Culture novel by Iain M. Banks.
Almost half-way through, and at least so far it’s set mostly on an artificial planet that is outside of the Culture’s sphere of influence, and deals with the peoples who live on it. The major connection to the Culture is a woman who used to live on this planet but went away to join the Culture, and is coming back.
Very good read, as I’ve learned to expect from Banks.
Thanks again Khadaji, these threads are great and I am always jotting down notes for future reads.
Wrapping up my Feb 08 reads, I recently finished:
Leave Me Alone, I’m Reading: Finding and Losing Myself in Books by Maureen Corrigan. I liked this a lot – musings on a lifetime of reading by the NPR Fresh Air book critic. Also, great title, right?
Dinosaurs in the Attic: An Excursion into the American Museum of Natural History by Douglas Preston. This was all kinds of museum geek awesome, and replete with good natural history trivia.
Longer reviews in my Live journal.
Still in progress:
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The Moon in the Mango Tree**, mild but vaguely interesting novel about missionaries in Siam.
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The Mathematics of Love** by Emma Darwin. A two part novel, one set in Regency times and the other in the 1970s. I’m beginning to suspect the 1970s were selected so that there can be a lot of free love in the book.
Duma Key by Stephen King. I am about 2/3 through and really enjoying it! I am trying not to be tempted into reading any of the current threads about it before I finish.
Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi. This is for my book club.
Un Lun Dun by China Mieville.
I am about half way through Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood.
About a 3rd of the way through 1633 by Eric Flint (my work book, as it’s on my e-reader).
Not sure what’s next.
And it’s here that I admit my weakness for paranormal romance/kick-butt female series.
I just finished the latest Kim Harrison, The Outlaw Demon Wails. I liked it well enough, but I just felt like she tried to put too much in:
(spoilers below for this book, and the previous)
I wish she had held off on bringing back Marshall. Can’t Rachel go a single book without dating/being interested in someone? It veers a little close to Laurell K. Hamilton/everyone loves Anita territory. And of course it suffers in comparison to the last book - how can she beat killing off Kistin?
Susan
Just finished A Short History of the American Stomach, by Frederick Kaufman (meh) and The Stars My Destination by Alfred Bester (bleah).
Currently working on Gang Leader for a Day: A rogue sociologist takes to the streets, by Sudhir Venkatesh. Depressing and frustrating, but still pretty good.
Just finished “Bad Blood - The Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment” by James H. Jones, did a review for school, and am now reading “Will the Circle Be Unbroken” by Studs Terkel - that’s for school too - for a research paper I have to do on aging and the care of the elderly in our country.
I feel a little guilty about it, but I didn’t like that one either. It’s a sci-fi classic, dammit, what’s wrong with me? I feel similarly guilty for not liking Ursula K. Le Guin.
Right now I’m reading another Charlie Huston book, No Dominion. I can’t tell if the story is any good yet, but I like his writing style very much. I’m not one of those who typically “hears” the voices of the characters in a book, but he gives each person’s dialog such a distinctive cadence that I can almost hear them talking.
you’re right. i’d had thought this thread itself might be a good list, but there seems to be little interest.
Not lack of interest – but doing things democratically on the boards can get bogged down. I suggest starting a thread saying something like “I want to start a Doper group to read and discuss a novel. I’m thinking of X or Y. Who’d be interested?” and see what happens.
ETA: When I organized the Musicals group a few years ago, I didn’t want to be high-handed, so tried to not boss people around – people are actually fine with someone providing leadership and a plan – addl. tweaks to the plan will come, but just go ahead and present a plan. See the recent set-up of the classics reading group.
In the middle of A Meeting At Corvallis by S.M. Stirling, having just devoured Dies the Fire and The Protector’s War. He can be a bit repetitive, like Harry Turtledove, but every once in a while he throws in this completely dorky reference that cracks me up, like the outtake from Stupid Plot Lists (SFF Net) But his picture in the back of the book is just…creepy.
I’m reading through Mercedes Lackey’s Elemental Masters series right now. I’m rediscovering some of the authors I loved as a geeky middle-schooler.
When those are done, I plan to start *Krakatoa: The Day the World Exploded *by Simon Winchester.
Just finished it – well-done book, lots o’ interesting info in it. “A good read.”
Good to hear.
I loved loved loved The Professor and the Madman.
I didn’t even really care what *Krakatoa *was about, I just wanted to check out more Simon Winchester.
I’m in the middle of The World Without Us by Alan Weisman, and I’m finding it fully deserves all the attention it has received.
This was in my “what are you reading” thread from about a year ago. My conclusion; Good, but I REALLY wish he had more eyewitness accounts on the day of the explosion. That’s the most interestting part, and he doesn’t really give enough of it.
I don’t have a lot of time to read considering I have to spend most of my time with U.S. History I, Art History I and Anatomy and Physiology textbooks but I try to read a chapter or so a night of something completely unrelated to school to keep myself from going insane.
I just finished I Am Legend. I really enjoyed it.
I recently started Relic by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. Good read so far but I’ve read other books by them so knew I would like this.