# What's everyone reading? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 27, 2006, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-everyone-reading/341868 "2006-01-27T17:44:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Monstre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@Monstre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monstre)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2006, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-everyone-reading/341868/41 "2006-01-27T23:16:37Z")
Working on **“Guards! Guards!”** (Terry Pratchett) right now. ---
**Author:** ![dangermom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@dangermom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangermom)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2006, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-everyone-reading/341868/42 "2006-01-27T23:19:40Z")
I’m reading A. S. Byatt’s _Possession_ and Dante’s _Divine Comedy_. And about a million other books, I’m skimming/rereading/going through. I have been asked to run a book club for the women in my church, and need a bunch of nominations for the first meeting. I went to the library last night and checked out everything from _Bless me, Ultima_ to _The prize winner of Defiance, Ohio_. ---
**Author:** ![photopat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e95f7d/32.png) [@photopat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/photopat)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2006, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-everyone-reading/341868/43 "2006-01-27T23:40:34Z")
> [@Monstre](#): > > Working on **“Guards! Guards!”** (Terry Pratchett) right now. Neat. Great book, isn’t it? How far along are you? ---
**Author:** ![Lucretia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/13edae/32.png) [@Lucretia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucretia)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2006, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-everyone-reading/341868/44 "2006-01-27T23:50:39Z")
> [@Balance](#): > > I’ve been on a Manly Wade Wellman binge lately. I’m a Lovecraft fan, and Wellman sounded intriuging, so I checked him out on Amazon. Now, I’ve added him to my wish list. Thanks for turning me on to that! ---
**Author:** ![Linty\_Fresh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Linty\_Fresh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Linty_Fresh)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2006, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-everyone-reading/341868/45 "2006-01-27T23:55:44Z")
I’m currently working through **The Logic of Failure** by Dietrich Doerner. A mind-blowingly profound look at the reasons people can screw up when faced with complex systems, it’s forcing me to re-examine my goals in life. Easily the best book I’ve read this year. I just finished **Solaris** by Stanislaw Lem. I really enjoyed Lem’s insights into the nature of communication or lack thereof. I liked both movies, but the book concentrated on the psychology and philosophy behind the action. It gave me a new perspective on some problems I’ve been trying to work through. 2006 is starting out as a great year for books. ---
**Author:** ![Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laughing_Lagomorph)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2006, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-everyone-reading/341868/46 "2006-01-28T00:03:53Z")
In keeping with my preference for non-fiction I recently finished [“To See Every Bird on Earth”](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1594630011/103-1644315-8986262?v=glance&n=283155), a story by a son written about his father who is a “big lister” in birdwatching circles, one of those people who has seen a significant fraction of every species of bird extant on the planet earth. The book is really more about a somewhat dysfunctional father-son relationship, and a broken family. I found extra interest in the book because 1) I am a birdwatcher myself, although not at the level of Richard Koeppel and 2) the author is approximately my age, his father is approximately my father’s age, and his father grew up in the same area my father did. I would recommend it if you are a birder, or like non-fiction in general. Parts of it are surprisingly sad. ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2006, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-everyone-reading/341868/47 "2006-01-28T02:46:39Z")
**Censored 2005** –censored news stories. ---
**Author:** ![Cyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a88e4f/32.png) [@Cyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyn)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2006, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-everyone-reading/341868/48 "2006-01-28T02:50:43Z")
The Dragon riders of Pern series ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2006, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-everyone-reading/341868/49 "2006-01-28T03:13:30Z")
> [@dangermom](#): > > And about a million other books, I’m skimming/rereading/going through. I have been asked to run a book club for the women in my church, and need a bunch of nominations for the first meeting. A surefire hit would be **The English Passengers** by Matthew Kneale, recommended by Twickster and others here. It starts with a search for the Garden of Eden, and would be an interesting choice for a church group. It’s not religious or anti-religious, just extremely entertaining and well-written. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2006, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-everyone-reading/341868/50 "2006-01-28T03:20:39Z")
Rereading Linda Hamilton’s Merry Gentry books. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2006, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-everyone-reading/341868/51 "2006-01-28T03:21:49Z")
> [@Der Trihs](#): > > Rereading Linda Hamilton’s Merry Gentry books. Ahhgh ! That’s _Laurell_ Hamilton !. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2006, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-everyone-reading/341868/52 "2006-01-28T03:21:49Z")
Almost half way through _Capote_, a biography by Gerald Clarke. After that, I’ll start on _Too Brief A Treat: The Letters of Truman Capote_, also by Clarke. ---
**Author:** ![dangermom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@dangermom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangermom)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2006, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-everyone-reading/341868/53 "2006-01-28T06:08:44Z")
> [@AuntiePam](#): > > A surefire hit would be **The English Passengers** by Matthew Kneale, recommended by Twickster and others here. It starts with a search for the Garden of Eden, and would be an interesting choice for a church group. It’s not religious or anti-religious, just extremely entertaining and well-written. Thanks; I put it on hold. I’ll check it out. ---
**Author:** ![Monstre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@Monstre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monstre)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2006, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-everyone-reading/341868/54 "2006-01-28T06:14:15Z")
> [@photopat](#): > > > [@Monstre](#): > > > > Working on “Guards! Guards!” (Terry Pratchett) right now. > > Neat. Great book, isn’t it? How far along are you? A little over 2/3 through. Just after…the dragon disrupts the coronation and gets crowned king himself I’m reading the Discworld books in the original order of publishing, so this is my 8th one. But I’m not reading them all back to back – I’ll mix it up and read various things, and every once in a while do another Discworld when I’m in the mood for something light and fun. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2006, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-everyone-reading/341868/55 "2006-01-28T14:02:38Z")
I just got a new book in called The Skewed Throne. I have no idea how good it will be but the author works with a friend (at my old university.) That is cool enough that I will give it a try. Anyone hear of it? The author signed it for me. ---
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2006, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-everyone-reading/341868/56 "2006-01-28T19:53:25Z")
I’m halfway through Edmund Morris’ biography of Teddy Roosevelt, [Theodore Rex](http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?userid=ye405kyC17&isbn=0812966007&itm=1). I just started Frank Deford’s book about John McGraw and Christy Mathewson, [The Old Ball Game](http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?userid=ye405kyC17&isbn=0871138859&itm=1) . ---
**Author:** ![manx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/65b543/32.png) [@manx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manx)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2006, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-everyone-reading/341868/57 "2006-01-29T05:11:41Z")
I’ve just finshed _the Method Actors_, a fairly self-concious first attempt from an NZ writer, Carl Shuker. Think _The Rules of Attraction_, but set in Tokyo. It’s the kind of writing I enjoy, and I did like reading it, but it felt less than the sum of its parts. I’m almost halfway through Ben Okri’s _The Famished Road_, and I’m really struggling with it. Nothing seems to be happening, it’s just a weird kid wandering through the night, being chased by spirits, chapter after chapter. I’ll keep on plugging though, I didn’ t start to enjoy _The Trial_ untill a little over half-way through. I keep poking at Robert Fisk’s _Great War For Civilisation_ in the hope that it’ll get a little smaller, but to no avail. I’m going to read someting silly and fun once I’ve finished _Famished Road_, and then I’ll tackle Fisk. ---
**Author:** ![ThisSpaceForRent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thisspaceforrent/32/345_2.png) [@ThisSpaceForRent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisSpaceForRent)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2006, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-everyone-reading/341868/58 "2006-01-29T06:04:22Z")
Current…rereading _ **Fierce Invalids Home from Hot Climates** _ by Tom Robbins…on deck a rereading of _ **Infinite Jest** _ by David Foster Wallace. ---
**Author:** ![mrald](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3da27b/32.png) [@mrald](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mrald)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2006, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-everyone-reading/341868/59 "2006-01-29T06:10:28Z")
The Patricia Cornwell series about Scarpetta. Can’t decide if that was a fifteen book waste of time or not… ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2006, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-everyone-reading/341868/60 "2006-01-29T06:20:38Z")
Funeral in Blue by Anne Perry (fluff - Victorian mystery) Honeymoon With My Brother by Franz Wisner (true life adventure) The Untold Story of Milk by Ron Schmid (health/natural foods) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-everyone-reading/341868.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-everyone-reading/341868.md?page=4)