# Whatcha Readin' Nov 2010 Edition **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 31, 2010, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-nov-2010-edition/558963 "2010-10-31T11:40:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![BigBertha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d78d45/32.png) [@BigBertha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigBertha)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2010, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-nov-2010-edition/558963/101 "2010-11-26T23:30:45Z")
Trickle Up Poverty by Michael Savage. Its excellent! ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2010, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-nov-2010-edition/558963/102 "2010-11-27T02:30:27Z")
> [@Enterprise](#): > > It’s an experience. Pynchon leaves me feeling constantly out of the loop of his references–I just know that there’s something he must be riffing off of, but most of the times. I just don’t catch it. Pynchon’s writing is pretty dense, hypotactic, convoluted, but never willfully obscure. In reading him, I always feel like each sentence has been specially crafted with attention to every word. > > Pynchon is a fairly philosophical writer, in that his stories will more often revolve around different meditations on a subject, rather than plot as such, but the medidations are always part of the plot, rather than mere exercises in philosophy. In _Mason & Dixon_, for example, the characters will find themselves in a pub, a point which actually advances the plot, and the whole scene becomes a medidation on the nature of time, but that’s more or less incidental. > > I’m not sure you should start with _Against the Day_, though. It’s on my shelf, but if you want to get into Pynchon, start with _Crying of Lot 49_, or _Inherent Vice_, which are both vastly more accesible. Thanks. I may see if our library has either of those first. ---
**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:** [November 27, 2010, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-nov-2010-edition/558963/103 "2010-11-27T02:32:31Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > I like Stross. But I always feel like it’s an effort to read his books. This is the first one of his I’ve read. Although _Saturn’s Children_ had its moments, I don’t know that I’ll be picking up any others. I finished over the Thanksgiving holiday: _Curious Cats_ by Mitsuaki Iwago - A funny, clever picture book of cats, by a very talented photographer. _Gun, with Occasional Music_ by Jonathan Lethem - A surreal, satirical, hard-boiled detective novel, described on the jacket blurb as “Philip K. Dick meets Raymond Chandler,” which isn’t too far off the mark. A disappointment overall, though. _The Second Plane_ by Martin Amis - a collection of essays about 9-11 and its aftermath, plus two related short stories. The best essay is “On the Move with Tony Blair,” following the then-British PM around on his various foreign trips; Amis has a keen eye for the absurd while being sympathetic towards those whose lives are inevitably changed, usually for the worse, as they lead democracies in a 24/7 news environment. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2010, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-nov-2010-edition/558963/104 "2010-11-27T18:09:22Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > This is the first one of his I’ve read. Although _Saturn’s Children_ had its moments, I don’t know that I’ll be picking up any others. I’ve been reading his Merchant Princes series. It’s an interesting idea - a woman finds out that she is a member of a family that has the genetic ability to travel between alternative dimensions. The family uses their ability to secretly trade between dimensions and they have a lot of money and power. But because their power is based on a genetic quirk, they don’t face any real competition and they’ve become bound in tradition. The woman, who grew up outside the family, is able to use the power more flexibly and outmaneuver her family. Like I said, it’s an interesting idea. But it’s a six volume series. Stross will spend pages describing a committee meeting or a trade agreement or somebody setting up a corporation or filing for a patent or walking through the woods. You wish he would just get on with the story. ---
**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:** [November 27, 2010, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-nov-2010-edition/558963/105 "2010-11-27T22:10:23Z")
Yup, that’s Stross. I think I’m done with him. Just dipped into Stephen King’s short-story collection _Skeleton Crew_ today, after seeing several of its stories praised in a Dope thread and elsewhere. “Word Processor of the Gods,” “The Reaper’s Image” and “The Jaunt” were best. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2010, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-nov-2010-edition/558963/106 "2010-11-28T22:46:43Z")
Finished _Cruel Zinc Melodies_. I had just finished the most recent _Garrett_ novel by Glen Cook and it just seemed like I had missed the previous book. Turns out: I had read it, it just wasn’t very good. Sure, I still enjoyed it because I like Cook’s Garrett novels - but this one just wasn’t that memorable and I was kinda disappointed with the ending. He had too many sub plots going and it seemed to me that the main plot was wrapped up too simply in the end. ---
**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:** [November 28, 2010, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-nov-2010-edition/558963/107 "2010-11-28T22:55:38Z")
During our holiday traveling we finished the audiobook _The Fortune of War_, by Patrick O’Brian, and started _The Surgeon’s Mate_. These are set during the War of 1812, and my husband the American history buff is having a little trouble sympathizing with the British Navy for their losses to America’s brand new “little navy”. Jack and Stephen are aboard the _HMS Java_ when she strikes to the _USS Constitution_, but then they are also present when the _HMS Shannon_ defeats the _USS Chesapeake_ in an extremely quick, bloody action. **Elendil’s Heir** , I was at the bookstore over the weekend and I thought of you when I spotted Ron Chernow’s new book on Washington. If I remember correctly, you were looking forward to it. ---
**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:** [November 29, 2010, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-nov-2010-edition/558963/108 "2010-11-29T19:28:48Z")
Finished Stephen King’s _Full Dark, No Stars_. I was far more pleased with it than I have been with his other recent stuff. For one thing, there were next to no supernatural happenings. I’m now on to Bill Bryson’s _At Home_, which I can tell is going to be as good as all his other stuff. However, it’ll probably be a bit of a slog for me at my current reading rate of fifteen minutes every other day or so. Just started a new audiobook this morning, George MacDonald Frasier’s _Flash for Freedom_. ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2010, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-nov-2010-edition/558963/109 "2010-11-29T19:46:09Z")
Almost finished with _The Ark Sakura_ by Kobo Abe. Just picked up _The Best American Noir of the Century_ edited by James Ellroy, which I’ll start next. ---
**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:** [November 30, 2010, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-nov-2010-edition/558963/110 "2010-11-30T14:23:06Z")
> [@Eleanor\_of\_Aquitaine](#): > > … **Elendil’s Heir** , I was at the bookstore over the weekend and I thought of you when I spotted Ron Chernow’s new book on Washington. If I remember correctly, you were looking forward to it. Yes indeedy. I’ve already dropped a hint to my wife for Christmas. ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2010, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-nov-2010-edition/558963/111 "2010-11-30T14:38:33Z")
> [@Dung\_Beetle](#): > > Just started a new audiobook this morning, George MacDonald Frasier’s _Flash for Freedom_. Heh, I’m a Flashy fan, and the only time I’ve ever been tempted to use a false book cover-sleeve was when reading that one - the cover of my edition depicted our hero wielding a bullwhip towering over two semi-clothed African women, one carrying manacles. It looked like some sort of hardcore racist fetish porn. 😃 ---
**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:** [November 30, 2010, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-nov-2010-edition/558963/112 "2010-11-30T15:06:09Z")
> [@Malthus](#): > > Heh, I’m a Flashy fan, and the only time I’ve ever been tempted to use a false book cover-sleeve was when reading that one - the cover of my edition depicted our hero wielding a bullwhip towering over two semi-clothed African women, one carrying manacles. It looked like some sort of hardcore racist fetish porn. 😃 I was looking at all the covers for this book on Goodreads. I can’t find the one you’re describing, but there’s a [1973 cover](http://www.goodreads.com/book/photo/2677609.Flash_for_Freedom_) that looks like a Boris Valejo painting - two naked, buxom women cowering at the feet of Flashman, who is brandishing a couple of firearms. The sub-title says “A novel of outrageous adventures and lusty wenching”. The cover on my copy wasn’t so bad, if you didn’t look too closely, but I was careful not to let anybody read it over my shoulder. ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2010, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-nov-2010-edition/558963/113 "2010-11-30T15:17:21Z")
> [@Eleanor\_of\_Aquitaine](#): > > I was looking at all the covers for this book on Goodreads. I can’t find the one you’re describing, but there’s a [1973 cover](http://www.goodreads.com/book/photo/2677609.Flash_for_Freedom_) that looks like a Boris Valejo painting - two naked, buxom women cowering at the feet of Flashman, who is brandishing a couple of firearms. The sub-title says “A novel of outrageous adventures and lusty wenching”. > > The cover on my copy wasn’t so bad, if you didn’t look too closely, but I was careful not to let anybody read it over my shoulder. Woah. That’s not the cover I remember - it’s a lot more prono-looking than the one I have! 😃 Here’s the cover I was thinking of: [Flash for Freedom! : Fraser, George MacDonald: Amazon.ca: Books](http://www.amazon.ca/Flash-for-Freedom-Flashman/dp/0452260892/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1291129910&sr=8-10) ---
**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:** [November 30, 2010, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-nov-2010-edition/558963/114 "2010-11-30T16:59:53Z")
> [@Eleanor\_of\_Aquitaine](#): > > I was looking at all the covers for this book on Goodreads. I can’t find the one you’re describing, but there’s a [1973 cover](http://www.goodreads.com/book/photo/2677609.Flash_for_Freedom_) that looks like a Boris Valejo painting… Alas, one must sign in to see that image. ---
**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:** [November 30, 2010, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-nov-2010-edition/558963/115 "2010-11-30T17:30:40Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Alas, one must sign in to see that image. With an image search I found it [here](http://www.painting-palace.com/en/paintings/37047). That is hilarious. ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2010, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-nov-2010-edition/558963/116 "2010-11-30T18:34:16Z")
> [@Eleanor\_of\_Aquitaine](#): > > With an image search I found it [here](http://www.painting-palace.com/en/paintings/37047). That is hilarious. Oddly, in both pics Flashy is wearing a distinctive red-and-white striped shirt. Coincidence? ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2010, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-nov-2010-edition/558963/117 "2010-11-30T18:34:20Z")
About halfway through the final Aubrey-Maturin, _Blue at the Mizzen_. High hopes for Aubrey to be awarded the coveted blue flag – the title sorta gives it away. 😃 ---
**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:** [November 30, 2010, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-nov-2010-edition/558963/118 "2010-11-30T20:36:16Z")
> [@Malthus](#): > > Oddly, in both pics Flashy is wearing a distinctive red-and-white striped shirt. Coincidence? Omigod… does he turn _French?_ ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2010, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-nov-2010-edition/558963/119 "2010-11-30T21:37:47Z")
[December’s Thread.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=13199017#post13199017) ---
**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:** [November 30, 2010, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-nov-2010-edition/558963/120 "2010-11-30T21:39:27Z")
> [@Malthus](#): > > Heh, I’m a Flashy fan, and the only time I’ve ever been tempted to use a false book cover-sleeve was when reading that one - the cover of my edition depicted our hero wielding a bullwhip towering over two semi-clothed African women, one carrying manacles. It looked like some sort of hardcore racist fetish porn. 😃 Yep, I just jam the audiobook case down between my car seats… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-nov-2010-edition/558963.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-nov-2010-edition/558963.md?page=7)