# Whatcha Readin' Oct 2012 Edition **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 30, 2012, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-oct-2012-edition/636309 "2012-09-30T12:40:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2012, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-oct-2012-edition/636309/41 "2012-10-04T05:37:30Z")
> [@pinkfreud](#): > > I have been working my way through [The Disappearing Spoon: And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements](http://www.amazon.com/The-Disappearing-Spoon-Periodic-Elements/dp/0316051640) one delicious chapter at a time. It is so enjoyable that I don’t want it to end, so I dole out one tasty chunk to myself every night at bedtime. My, how I love this book! But just try telling people that the best book you’ve read recently is about the Periodic Table of the Elements. Yep, I enjoyed that one, too. Much better than what I’m reading now: For Better: The Science of a Good Marriage. I love this sort of stuff but this one isn’t telling me anything new except that if I roll my eyes at my husband even while joking it’s a terrible sign that I have contempt for him. ---
**Author:** ![corkboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@corkboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corkboard)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2012, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-oct-2012-edition/636309/42 "2012-10-04T12:39:43Z")
Currently reading \*\*The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks \*\*by Rebecca Skloot. It’s… okay. I’m not sure what I was expecting, but I feel both the portions about her life as well as the portions about the science behind her cells are all a little superficial. Next up is \*\*An Object of Beauty \*\*by Steve Martin. ---
**Author:** ![Domestic\_Samurai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3ab097/32.png) [@Domestic\_Samurai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Domestic_Samurai)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2012, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-oct-2012-edition/636309/43 "2012-10-04T15:13:49Z")
> [@pinkfreud](#): > > I have been working my way through [The Disappearing Spoon: And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements](http://www.amazon.com/The-Disappearing-Spoon-Periodic-Elements/dp/0316051640) one delicious chapter at a time. It is so enjoyable that I don’t want it to end, so I dole out one tasty chunk to myself every night at bedtime. My, how I love this book! But just try telling people that the best book you’ve read recently is about the Periodic Table of the Elements. Same here - loved it and got crazy looks when I talked about it. I read it on my Kindle the first time then decided it was worth a spot on the bookshelves and bought a hard copy. ---
**Author:** ![Politzania](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3ab097/32.png) [@Politzania](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Politzania)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2012, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-oct-2012-edition/636309/44 "2012-10-04T17:50:51Z")
> [@pinkfreud](#): > > I have been working my way through [The Disappearing Spoon: And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements](http://www.amazon.com/The-Disappearing-Spoon-Periodic-Elements/dp/0316051640) one delicious chapter at a time. It is so enjoyable that I don’t want it to end, so I dole out one tasty chunk to myself every night at bedtime. My, how I love this book! But just try telling people that the best book you’ve read recently is about the Periodic Table of the Elements. Good news - Sam Kean carries his sensibilities over into the history of genetics & DNA in his latest: _[The Violinist’s Thumb: And Other Lost Tales of Love, War, and Genius, as Written by Our Genetic Code](http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13528350-the-violinist-s-thumb)_ - read it last month & quite enjoyed it. Am a good bit into the audiobook of Terry Pratchett’s latest solo work, _**[Dodger](http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13516846-dodger)**_ - am loving his take on Victorian England, with Charles Dickens & Dodger investigating a crime. Stephen Briggs is the narrator & is quite entertaining. And is it just me, or is Onan a real-world version of Gaspode? 😃 I learned about toshers from reading Peter Ackroyd’s _[London Under: The Secret History Beneath the Streets](http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10783451-london-under)_ earlier this year & was pleasantly surprised to see the profession appear again in my reading. Just finished Connie Willis’ _[Blackout](http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6506307-blackout)_ and (thanks to **Eleanor’s** heads up) had _**[All Clear](http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7519231-all-clear)**_ on deck & was able to keep right up with the story. I still have my suspicions about Sir Geoffrey & am not sure what’s going on with the VE-Day references, but am enjoying the story quite a bit. ---
**Author:** ![DZedNConfused](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dzednconfused/32/15991_2.png) [@DZedNConfused](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DZedNConfused)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2012, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-oct-2012-edition/636309/45 "2012-10-04T22:36:20Z")
I have\* London Under\* on my to read list at Goodreads. Good to hear it’s worth the effort! ---
**Author:** ![LawMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2012, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-oct-2012-edition/636309/46 "2012-10-05T02:23:44Z")
Well, just finished _ **Crucible of Gold** _, and am a bit sad to have no more Temeraire–though I do feel I’ve gotten my fix and will be able to hold out for the next one. I am rather beginning to wonder how she’s ever going to get Napoleon to lose this war–she currently seems to have the balance of power rather overwhelmingly in his favor. I predict that the United States will become involved soon, probably on the British side–actions on the French side in this novel would seem to trigger the Monroe Doctrine. Mind you, it would help if the Brits can avoid press-ganging our sailors and thus avoid starting the War of 1812. 😉 Just snagged _ **The Disappearing Spoon** _, based on this thread. I’d been waffling between _ **Cloud Atlas** _ and trying to wade into Churchill’s history of WW2 (disqualified for lack of a good Kindle edition, sadly), but the glowing comments here swayed me off to the Spoon. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2012, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-oct-2012-edition/636309/47 "2012-10-05T02:30:14Z")
> [@LawMonkey](#): > > Just snagged _ **The Disappearing Spoon** _, based on this thread. I’d been waffling between _ **Cloud Atlas** _ and trying to wade into Churchill’s history of WW2 (disqualified for lack of a good Kindle edition, sadly), but the glowing comments here swayed me off to the Spoon. Oh god, the PRESSURE! I always feel pleased and anxious when someone tries a book I like. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Tad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/278dde/32.png) [@Tad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tad)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2012, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-oct-2012-edition/636309/48 "2012-10-05T02:31:58Z")
Currently reading Arctic Voices: Resistance at the Tipping Point, all of Cormac McCarthy’s books, and every Krazy Kat collection I can get my hands on. Between that I’m reading some G.M. Hopkins poetry, and some random comics here and there (like Blankets right now). ---
**Author:** ![Rollo\_Tomasi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/58956e/32.png) [@Rollo\_Tomasi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rollo_Tomasi)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2012, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-oct-2012-edition/636309/49 "2012-10-05T02:42:07Z")
> [@LawMonkey](#): > > I’d been waffling between _ **Cloud Atlas** _ and trying to wade into Churchill’s history of WW2 (disqualified for lack of a good Kindle edition, sadly), but the glowing comments here swayed me off to the Spoon. I finished **Cloud Atlas** recently. I found some of the “stories” more interesting than others (I know it’s the heart of the book, but I had to keep my mind from wandering during the Hawaii story), but I enjoyed it overall. Definitely a challenging read. ---
**Author:** ![Battle\_Pope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@Battle\_Pope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Battle_Pope)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2012, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-oct-2012-edition/636309/50 "2012-10-05T03:00:12Z")
Currently reading [Germline](http://www.amazon.com/Germline-Subterrene-War-T-C-McCarthy/dp/031612818X/ref=la_B004A2JC3U_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1349405681&sr=1-2). Book 1 of \*The Subterrene War \*by T.C. McCarthy. If you like military SF it’s well worth a look. The writing reminds me a lot of Michael Herr’s _Dispatches_ and other books on the Vietnam War (_The 13th Valley_, \*Short Timers \*etc) with maybe a bit of Hunter S. Thompson thrown in. Looking forward to reading the next two books. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2012, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-oct-2012-edition/636309/51 "2012-10-05T12:26:45Z")
Finished _Widow’s Web (Elemental Assassin, Book 7)_. The series is light and easy to read and I enjoyed this as much as any other book in the series - I’ll read the next. ---
**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:** [October 6, 2012, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-oct-2012-edition/636309/52 "2012-10-06T00:38:19Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > Continuing on with Connelly, I’ve started his _Void Moon_. It’s his next book after _Angels Flight_ but not part of the Harry Bosch series. A woman who is on parole after doing time for burglary reenters the profession. Finished _Void Moon_, by Michael Connelly. This was an excellent read. A stand-alone, not part of his Harry Bosch or Lincoln Lawyer series, although it does make a brief reference to characters in his earlier _Trunk Music_, which was a Harry Bosch novel. Continuing on with Connelly, next up is _A Darkness More Than Night_. This is another Harry Bosch story, this time uniting him with retired FBI agent Terry McCaleb from Connelly’s earlier _Blood Work_. I’ve not read _Blood Work_, but we did see the 2002 film version of it starring Clint Eastwood. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2012, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-oct-2012-edition/636309/53 "2012-10-06T13:27:50Z")
In case anyone’s interested: the Kindle Daily Deal today is Hugh Howey’s acclaimed **Wool** omnibus, all five books of the original series, for $1.99. Even cheaper than usual! [Link](http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html/ref=pe_170810_26165460_pe_button/?docId=1000677541). ---
**Author:** ![Scholar\_Beardpig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de053/32.png) [@Scholar\_Beardpig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scholar_Beardpig)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2012, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-oct-2012-edition/636309/54 "2012-10-06T13:34:56Z")
I’m bouncing back and forth between _Osman’s Dream_ and the collected works of Sienkiewycz, though as I get more stuff on my Kindle, I constantly feel the urge to graze back and forth rather than focus. Also, I have a book in the back seat of my car called _Salt._ It’s about the history of salt, and about how the salt trade has influenced world history and economies. If I’m just driving around and doing my thing, and I want to stop or eat or something, I’ll read it. Makes me very thirsty. ---
**Author:** ![DZedNConfused](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dzednconfused/32/15991_2.png) [@DZedNConfused](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DZedNConfused)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2012, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-oct-2012-edition/636309/55 "2012-10-06T14:11:11Z")
> [@Scholar\_Beardpig](#): > > Also, I have a book in the back seat of my car called _Salt._ It’s about the history of salt, and about how the salt trade has influenced world history and economies. If I’m just driving around and doing my thing, and I want to stop or eat or something, I’ll read it. Makes me very thirsty. I DO want to read that one! I have a fondness for off beat historical books. ---
**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:** [October 6, 2012, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-oct-2012-edition/636309/56 "2012-10-06T14:34:02Z")
I’ve read Salt, it’s good. Very interesting. **Mark Kurlansky** is the author, which should make searches much easier. I’ve also read and enjoyed his book about the Basques. I’m currently reading: [Caveat Emptor](http://www.amazon.com/Caveat-Emptor-Secret-American-Forger/dp/1605983608): _The Secret Life of an American Art Forger_ by **Ken Perenyi**. It’s pretty interesting, though I suspect there may be a little exaggeration in the storytelling. Entertaining, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2012, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-oct-2012-edition/636309/57 "2012-10-06T16:58:20Z")
[Isaac’s Army: A Story of Courage and Survival in Nazi-Occupied Poland by Matthew Brzezinski](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0553807277). From Amazon: > [@](#): > > Starting as early as 1939, disparate Jewish underground movements coalesced around the shared goal of liberating Poland from Nazi occupation. For the next six years, separately and in concert, they waged a heroic war of resistance against Hitler’s war machine that culminated in the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. In Isaac’s Army, Matthew Brzezinski delivers the first-ever comprehensive narrative account of that struggle, following a group of dedicated young Jews—some barely out of their teens—whose individual acts of defiance helped rewrite the ending of World War II. I just started it last night and it’s riveting. Brzezinski is looking at what makes heroes. Recently finished _Very Bad Men_ by Harry Dolan. A crime thriller with realistic, mature characters, but way too much plot and an implausible premise. ---
**Author:** ![DZedNConfused](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dzednconfused/32/15991_2.png) [@DZedNConfused](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DZedNConfused)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2012, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-oct-2012-edition/636309/58 "2012-10-06T18:06:41Z")
> [@AuntiePam](#): > > [Isaac’s Army: A Story of Courage and Survival in Nazi-Occupied Poland by Matthew Brzezinski](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0553807277). I read Isaac Asimov’s.. _headdesk_ > [@AuntiePam](#): > > Recently finished _Very Bad Men_ by Harry Dolan. A crime thriller with realistic, mature characters, but way too much plot and an implausible premise. Maybe you’ve found Jonathan Kellerman’s pseudonym? ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2012, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-oct-2012-edition/636309/59 "2012-10-08T01:37:41Z")
Just finished _Crime at Black Dudley: Albert Campion #1_ and was rather disappointed. I bought it because the blurb said: _Albert Campion, the consummate (if compulsively quipping) Gentleman Sleuth._ But Campion did very little of the sleuthing and was very much a minor character. I had hoped for a grand new (to me) detective series, but I will pass on the others. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2012, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-oct-2012-edition/636309/60 "2012-10-08T01:47:07Z")
Khadaji, Allingham was a very erratic writer. I’ve never read that one, but I’ve read some other Campion novels, such as the excellent _Dancers in Mourning_ and the not-so-excellent _The China Governess_. So, while I won’t say you should give her another shot, I would say that you might find it rewarding. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-oct-2012-edition/636309.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-oct-2012-edition/636309.md?page=4)