# Whatcha Readin' October 2011 Edition **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 30, 2011, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-october-2011-edition/598194 "2011-09-30T20:10:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2011, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-october-2011-edition/598194/21 "2011-10-03T19:32:38Z")
I’m about 100 pages into _Master and Commander._ I don’t think I’ve understood ten words so far. But I’m enjoying it. It’s like watching cricket highlights. I have no idea what the hell they’re going on about, but it’s fun to listen to. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2011, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-october-2011-edition/598194/22 "2011-10-03T19:49:55Z")
[Bumping into Geniuses: My Life Inside the Rock and Roll Business](http://www.amazon.com/Bumping-Into-Geniuses-Inside-Business/dp/1592403700)(Amazon link). Danny Goldberg was deeply connected in the music business from the late 60’s through the early 90’s, writing columns, doing PR for Led Zeppelin and managing Nirvana. This is his collection of stories… ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2011, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-october-2011-edition/598194/23 "2011-10-03T20:02:15Z")
Finished _Unlikely Friendships_ a collection of stories about animals that formed friendship bonds. It was OK, and helped pass time when I had down-time at work, but the stories were bare-bones. Mostly just descriptions of the animals and a brief description of how they bonded. I came away wanting more detail. ---
**Author:** ![LawMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2011, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-october-2011-edition/598194/24 "2011-10-03T21:25:25Z")
W00t! Just discovered that Steven Brust has a Dragaera short story available for the Kindle on [amazon.com](http://amazon.com). I’m sure it’ll be 99 cents well spent. In other news, I’ve placed a hold on _Flashman and the Dragon_ from the library. I was a bit surprised to realize that I’ve demolished most of the Flashman series since the dope introduced me to it sometime in the last year. I think I’ve only got three to go, including _Dragon_. Meanwhile continuing _Tristram Shandy_, which is quietly delightful in its mellow, meandering way. ---
**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:** [October 3, 2011, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-october-2011-edition/598194/25 "2011-10-03T22:08:27Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > I’m about 100 pages into _Master and Commander._ I don’t think I’ve understood ten words so far. > > But I’m enjoying it. It’s like watching cricket highlights. I have no idea what the hell they’re going on about, but it’s fun to listen to. Those are my favorite books, I’ve read them all at least twice, and over the weekend I still had to look up what “sailing large” means. It’s marvelous to hear the nautical stuff read aloud - my husband and I do a lot of driving in the fall, and we’ve just started an audiobook of _The Ionian Mission_. For a creepy October read, I’ve started _Anno Dracula_, by Kim Newman. It’s an alternate history of Bram Stoker’s \*Dracula \*universe, in which Vlad Tepes triumphed over Van Helsing and has married Queen Victoria. It incororates a ton of characters from Victorian literature and from all kinds of vampire fiction - wikipedia has a long list. I’m unfamiliar with most of them, but I’m enjoying the book anyway. ---
**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:** [October 4, 2011, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-october-2011-edition/598194/26 "2011-10-04T02:28:58Z")
After hearing people rave about Terry Pratchett for years, I’m finally going to Discworld. I’m starting with “Night Watch.” ---
**Author:** ![DataZak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ea666f/32.png) [@DataZak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DataZak)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2011, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-october-2011-edition/598194/27 "2011-10-04T05:54:04Z")
> [@Eleanor\_of\_Aquitaine](#): > > For a creepy October read, I’ve started _Anno Dracula_, by Kim Newman. It’s an alternate history of Bram Stoker’s \*Dracula \*universe, in which Vlad Tepes triumphed over Van Helsing and has married Queen Victoria. It incororates a ton of characters from Victorian literature and from all kinds of vampire fiction - wikipedia has a long list. I’m unfamiliar with most of them, but I’m enjoying the book anyway. I loved Anno Dracula. Not really creepy, Dracula only appears in the final chapter and you already know who Jack the Ripper is from the opening chapter but the literary mash ups were fun to read. Newman even gives nods to [Prince Mamuwalde](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blacula) and the hopping vampire from the Hong Kong _Mr. Vampire_ movies. 🙂 I’m reading _Habibi_ by Craig Thompson. Is this the best graphic novel of 2011? It should be. ---
**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 5, 2011, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-october-2011-edition/598194/28 "2011-10-05T02:06:30Z")
Well, I’m reading Terry Pratchett’s new book, **Snuff**. I have, through mysterious and inexplicable means, obtained a pre-release copy. I’m about 40% into it. It’s good, a bit of a return to form after Unseen Academicals. I didn’t _hate_ UA, but it wasn’t one of his better Discworld books. Snuff, however, is a Sam Vimes story, and Vimes is a great character. It’s classic Pratchett. ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2011, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-october-2011-edition/598194/29 "2011-10-05T02:21:35Z")
I’ll be looking for it. I love Vimes but don’t care for the Unseen stuff as much myself. ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2011, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-october-2011-edition/598194/30 "2011-10-05T03:44:58Z")
I just finished _Hyperion_ by Dan Simmons. It’s awesome. Even the fact that it ends abruptly without resolution doesn’t bother me because I’ve already got the sequel, _The Fall of Hyperion_, on deck. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2011, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-october-2011-edition/598194/31 "2011-10-05T04:30:31Z")
I just finished _The Magicians_ by Lev Grossman. A few months ago I asked people for suggestions for a “dark Narnia” and this is the book that got the most recommendations. Well. It’s definitely unabashedly like Narnia, I’ll give people that. But it’s not nearly as dark as I was hoping for. Still, I do plan to read at least the next book. ---
**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 5, 2011, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-october-2011-edition/598194/32 "2011-10-05T13:31:13Z")
Finished **Snuff**. My two word review: Classic Pratchett. ---
**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:** [October 5, 2011, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-october-2011-edition/598194/33 "2011-10-05T13:34:24Z")
> [@DataZak](#): > > I loved Anno Dracula. Not really creepy, Dracula only appears in the final chapter and you already know who Jack the Ripper is from the opening chapter but the literary mash ups were fun to read. Newman even gives nods to [Prince Mamuwalde](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blacula) and the hopping vampire from the Hong Kong _Mr. Vampire_ movies. 🙂 Well, I found it creepy. Especially that final chapter with Dracula. But I agree, the literary mashups were fun, as were the references to historical figures. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2011, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-october-2011-edition/598194/34 "2011-10-05T15:26:12Z")
I finally finished _ **American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House** _. Considering it won it Pulitzer, I expected it to be better. It’s also tough to read a mostly positive biography about a guy who was so blind to his dangerous inconsistencies. Now I’m going through _ **Edith Wharton’s Ghost Stories** _, because Halloween. ---
**Author:** ![ScatteredFrog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8c91f0/32.png) [@ScatteredFrog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ScatteredFrog)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2011, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-october-2011-edition/598194/35 "2011-10-05T15:27:52Z")
In the middle of _Ghost in the Wires_ by Kevin Mitnick. Really fun read; seriously, it’s very difficult to put down. And some time I’ll get around to solving the codes at the beginning of each chapter. 🙂 After that, I’ll read Jon Stebbins’ _Beach Boys FAQ_… ---
**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:** [October 5, 2011, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-october-2011-edition/598194/36 "2011-10-05T15:42:49Z")
> [@bup](#): > > Now I’m going through _ **Edith Wharton’s Ghost Stories** _, because Halloween. Hope I didn’t kill your other thread by being so vehement about “The Eyes”! I was interested to see what else people might say about it. And I hope the rest of the stories are better. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2011, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-october-2011-edition/598194/37 "2011-10-05T16:37:45Z")
I’m a little over halfway through\* The Twelfth Card\*, one of Jeffery Deaver’s Lincoln Rhyme series. I’ve read a number of the Rhyme novels and enjoyed them all. This one isn’t really clicking for me so far, but I’m not ruling out a spectacular finish. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2011, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-october-2011-edition/598194/38 "2011-10-05T17:02:30Z")
> [@Dung\_Beetle](#): > > Hope I didn’t kill your other thread by being so vehement about “The Eyes”! I was interested to see what else people might say about it. And I hope the rest of the stories are better. 🙂 I knew that thread would be lucky to get a reply - competing with ‘what’s the sexiest costume?’ and ‘my wife and girlfriend and I were talking about zombie vampires…’ So thanks for answering. ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2011, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-october-2011-edition/598194/39 "2011-10-05T17:15:06Z")
> [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](#): > > I just finished _Hyperion_ by Dan Simmons. It’s awesome. Even the fact that it ends abruptly without resolution doesn’t bother me because I’ve already got the sequel, _The Fall of Hyperion_, on deck. I **loved** that book, especially the Chaucer Canterbury Tales angle. You will like the sequel, too. Another 2 part space opera recommend would be for the Peter F Hamilton books _Pandora’s Star_ and _Judas Unchained_, possibly my two all time favorite sci-fi novels. I just finished reading Lee Child’s new Jack reacher novel Th_e Affair_, which is actually a prequel…that said, the story is classic Reacher and it never disappoints me. And I just picked up Ken Follets\* A Dangerous Fortune\*on a whim because Amazon kept recommending it…while it was a little PBSish I really found I couldn’t put it down…a very pleasant surprise. ---
**Author:** ![Ian\_D.Bergkamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Ian\_D.Bergkamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ian_D.Bergkamp)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2011, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-october-2011-edition/598194/40 "2011-10-05T17:25:20Z")
Just finished re-reading a couple of graphic novels–the outstanding _Golden Age_ from James Robinson and Paul Smith, followed by Mark Waid and Alex Ross’s _Kingdom Come_. Now reading _White Angels: Beckham, Real Madrid & The New Football_ by John Carlin. Carlin is a very good writer, especially when describing actual matches, so it’s been a very pleasant read so far. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-october-2011-edition/598194.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-readin-october-2011-edition/598194.md?page=3)