Read Any Good Books Lately?
Comments
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Flexichick wrote: [quote=Flo]"Beat the Reaper" by Josh Bazell entertained me recently. Kind of like ER meets The Sopranos. Its about a doctor in a witness protection program.
I started reading this last night. So far, so good.
Read that entire book two weekends ago nearly all at once (in fariness, was on vacation at my in-laws in south VA and prefer to spend many, many hours reading in solitude than talking to them, as they always drag the conversation into politics or religion). Was a good, fast-paced storyline but wasnt entirely thrilled with the abruptness of the ending.
Also read online that DiCaprio's production company purchased the book rights for a potential starring roll for him. Eh. -
am reading "Let the Great World Spin" by Colum McCann. So far, so good.
DiCaprio also optioned "The Wolf of Wall Street" about Jordan Belfort and the Stratton Oakmont stockbroker scam. That should be interesting - a whole bunch of people I went to HS with got involved in the Stratton Oakmont shit and went to jail -
Yup, reading Twilight. It's good so far. I just love picturing Robert Pattinson as Edward Cullen.
The book is a lot more detailed than the movie..
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I just started Cutting For Stone by Abraham Verghese and it's really good. Let The Great World Spin is next at bat.
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Just read Singularity Sky by Charles Stross, who I think is awesome despite the fact that he looks like Danny Hellman. This is real high-concept Sci-Fi, and it's well-written too.
Next, I'm moving on to Iron Sunrise. -
Just finished Assassination Vacation and am about a quarter of the way through Wordy Shipmates, both by Sarah Vowell. If you are somewhat sarcastic, dorky, and enjoy a storytelling/informal fashion of history, you will like these books - oh yes, you will. Even better - they are both fairly quick reads!
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Am reading "The Best American Magazine Writing 2009", which is chockfull, though I keep hearing print journalism is dead. Am a sucker for the Best of Series and other compilation-type books. Want to read "Cowboys Full, A History of Poker" by James McManus if I can get my hands on a copy.
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I just finished "Invisible" by Paul Auster last night. He's a Brooklyn author, for those that don't know, but Brooklyn isn't featured in this book as he's featured it in some others. I'm not always a big fan of everything Auster writes, but I did enjoy this one.
I started "The Tender Bar" last night. I can't remember the name of the author right now.
I have a recommendation for "Daemon" by Daniel Suarez next. It's not really my genre, but I think I'll give it a try. Plus, it'll be the first thing I read on Current Wife's new Kindle, so I'm looking forward to see how I like that as well. -
"i am not sidney poitier"
was such a funny fast modern novel that I'm going for more Percival Everett...
http://www.veryshortlist.com/vsl/daily.cfm/review/1217/Book/i-am-not-sidney-poitier/
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Just started Jonathan Lethem's (Motheress Brooklyn, Fortress of Solitude) newest, Chronic City, which is so far pretty good. Very tailored towards those of us who live in this wonderful city.
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anthonycm wrote: I have a recommendation for "Daemon" by Daniel Suarez next. It's not really my genre, but I think I'll give it a try.
I was thinking of reading this also. Let me know what you think when you are done.
I am reading the Diana Gaboldon series. Great story and beautifully written.
Next up for me is the Yiddish Policeman book recommended here and Little Big by Crowley -
stacey wrote: [quote=anthonycm]I have a recommendation for "Daemon" by Daniel Suarez next. It's not really my genre, but I think I'll give it a try.
I was thinking of reading this also. Let me know what you think when you are done.
I read it (just on a whim, no rec, didn't even know what it was about) and was very pleasantly surprised. So much so, that I'm keeping tabs on when the next novel is coming out. -
homeowner wrote: [quote=stacey][quote=anthonycm]I have a recommendation for "Daemon" by Daniel Suarez next. It's not really my genre, but I think I'll give it a try.
I was thinking of reading this also. Let me know what you think when you are done.
I read it (just on a whim, no rec, didn't even know what it was about) and was very pleasantly surprised. So much so, that I'm keeping tabs on when the next novel is coming out.
Thanks Homeowner - I have just added it to my list. -
I just read "Bitter is the New Black". Excellent light summer reading written by a smartass. I may go get another of her books.
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I recently discovered Jonathan Ames' graphic novel "The Alcoholic." It's pretty entertaining. I would have recommended that but then I read his book "The Extra Man." Now I think all of my friends should "The Extra Man." The main character is so obviously Jonathan Ames. He so transparent about his sexuality! Oy. He is attracted to trannies and cross-dressing but is so painfully awkard about pursuing his interests. He rooms with Henry, a 70+ year old man whose lifestyle includes escorting wealthy dowagers. That's where the title comes from ''Extra Man" as in the ladies need an extra man at the table.
I'm not doing a great job selling this. But it really is a hilarious book. In some ways it reminded me of Harold and Maude. It's a swift read. Great if you have a short attention span. -
vidro3 wrote: also just finished disgrace by jm coetzee.
Aieee! Coetzee is a misogynist. I know he's supposed to be the second coming in lit, but this book just made me angry.
very good. easy read. would probably take you a day. -
vidro3 wrote: what about the books that the series Dexter was based on? I dunno if they are good or not but if you like the series you might want to check them out.
Ugh, I started to read the first book in the series. Not very good. And, if you've seen the series, it's repetitive. Definitely better on-screen.
and then tell me all about them. -
I am absolutely startled that this thread became dormant.
As we all know, among the many things God's Country is known for is the fact that Brooklynites LOVE good books. So why isn't this the busiest thread in the forum???
C'on folks - what's on your reading agenda?
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OK. Here's mine:
A Tree Grows In Brooklyn by Betty Smith
While many of my youthful classmates read it back in the 1960s, for some reason I failed to read it. Well, I'm making up for lost time!
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If your looking for hardcore brooklyn, give Selby's Last Exit To Brooklyn a try.
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The Cosmic Serpent : DNA and The Origins of Knowledge by Jeremy Narby.
One of the most interesting and ground-breaking books Ive ever read.
The Cosmic Serpent: DNA and the Origins of Knowledge is a 1998 non-fiction book by Jeremy Narby. Narby performed two years of field work in the Pichis Valley of the Peruvian Amazon researching the ecology of the Asháninka, an indigenous peoples in Peru.
Investigating the connections between shamanism and molecular biology, Narby hypothesizes that shamans may be able to access information at the molecular level through the ingestion of entheogens, specifically ayahuasca.[1] Biophysicist Jacques Dubochet criticized Narby for not testing his hypothesis.[1] Narby and three molecular biologists revisited the Peruvian Amazon to try to test the hypothesis, and their work is featured in the documentary film, Night of the Liana.[2] -
Currently reading Fakebook: A True Store, Based on Actual Lies by Dave Cicirelli
Basically, its a story about a guy who gets fed up with the way Facebook presents the fabulous accomplishments of people you really don't care a lot about. So he decides to send his electronic self out in the world to live the kind of adventure he felt he should be having. He lets only his immediate family and a couple of close friends in on the scheme. Publishers Weekly describes it as "a wacky and bold memoir about identity in this cockeyed social media environment". I think its mostly about a guy from New Jersey who has that late-twenties crisis of consciousness everyone goes through, who also needs to be the center of attention, and how he deals with it.
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Hamilton said:
If your looking for hardcore brooklyn, give Selby's Last Exit To Brooklyn a try.Read it well over 40 years ago and have never forgotten what a hard hitting book that was.
Perhaps some one should come up with a list of the Top 10 books about Brooklyn. It would certainly rank way up there.
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http://www.thesweetscience.com/news/articles/17531-rest-in-peace-joe-rein
Pro boxing writer Joe Rein from Brooklyn wrote under the name "John Garfield" for many decades. I was greatly privileged to have exchanged ideas with him on several websites. A true gentleman, exceptionally knowledgeable about boxing, and one to be remembered with great fondness forever.
Will be greatly missed.
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Gloves, Glory and God by legendary boxer Henry Armstrong
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Gosh. Am very surprised that folks aren't sharing what books they are reading.
Ok. Here's my latest reading:
Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, & Redemption
by Laura Hillenbrand
Staggering story.
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Just now getting around to reading Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. Found it in a curb box. Worth getting into?
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I've been working my way through the Ex-Heros books by Peter Clines. I picked one up on a whim from the library and have been hooked. I read the last two books in the series Ex-Communication and Ex-Purgatory and am starting back at the beginning now with Ex-Heros. They are a zombie/superhero mashup which are actually pretty compelling. I also finished "The Twelve" by Justin Cronin as I'm in a post-apocalypse phase at the moment.
On my list to read are "A History of the African-American People (Proposed) by Strom Thurmond, as told to Percival Everett & James Kincaid", The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches by Alan Bradley; and White Teeth by Zadie Smith
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Just now getting around to reading Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. Found it in a curb box. Worth getting into?
Critics are divided on this book - half say it is good, others say it is not.
Haven't read it myself and cannot honestly say it is on my to-do list at the moment.
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Lefty [Gomez] - An American Odyssey by Vernona Gomez & Lawrence Goldstone
Bio of the famous NY Yankees super star of the 1930s.
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The Museum of Extraordinary Things~ Alice HoffmanGood reading about events in 1911 in NYC and in God's Country.
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