Thread: What are you reading?

Recommend and/or give a summary or critique of your favourite fiction or non-fiction book(s) here.

OB

The Harry Bosch books by Michael Connelly.

Truly excellent stories about an LAPD detective. Very well researched, paced and constructed. Totally believable. The books are so well written that as you read them, you can see a film of the book playing in your head. Mr Connelly used to be a police reporter for the Los Angeles Times, and his descriptions of american police work are very detailed.

One of the best opening lines; "The old lady had changed her mind about dying but by then it was too late." (referring to a suicide). One simple line describing a situation both very sad but also intriguing, making you want to read on.

"Angels Flight", or "The Narrows" are good ones to start with. "City of bones" is very haunting.

I think The best Harry Bosch books are the series from "The Black Echo" to "Echo Park".

Two other books "Blood Work", and "A Darkness More Than Night" feature an FBI detective, Terry MaCaleb, and these are also excellent.

After "Echo Park", the author goes off the boil, in my opinion, and Mr Connelly's later books seem to have lost his usual depth and subtlety, becoming more formulaic.


OB

Well, the following isn't my absolute favorite novel, but it is in my top twenty list and one that I've read again recently as part of my annual revision list.

Piers Anthony's sixth book in the Incarnations of Immortality series; For Love of Evil, and without revealing too much spoilers; here it is.

It tells the tale of a magician's son who eventually becomes the incarnation of Evil amongst other incarnations of various classifications, such as Death, Fate, Good, Nature, Time, etc. One of the reasons why I like this particular book is how it deals with the mechanisms of belief, the classification of values that is Good and Evil as a subset of an ordered system, how it touches on the nature of Evil under a myriad of world belief systems, seemingly Evil actions and schemes undertaken to identify the Good in people, the vague concept of Love and how it applies to the Incarnation of Evil office, and finally how the story ultimately portrays the protagonist in resolving the conflicting emotions and actions in displaying his love for another that it led to his demise and subsequent reinstatement as being the preferred version of an Incarnation of Evil by the various Good and Neutral incarnations as opposed to his successor.

Originally Posted by For Love of Evil

She sang the Song of Evening, which was also the Completion of Love. It was perhaps the most evocative rendition of such a melody ever performed by a mortal, for not only was she the finest female singer, enhanced by magic; she was truly in love. The entire assembly responded to that feeling, and so did he, reveling in the delight of the free recognition of her love for him, and his love for her. All present knew that there was no way that he could match this presentation.

But he could. He was the finest male singer, and he had more than just love to express. He sang the one type of song that was forbidden to him; a hymm to God. Never mind that God was not listening, and perhaps was not worthy; the wedding party understood its significance, This was the supreme act of sacrifice: the one way Satan himself could prove himself worthy. As he sang, the choir of undamned souls joined him and flocked to him, enhancing his music, and were released to Heaven. Orb stared at him, Gradually realizing that her belief in his falsity was in error; that he truly did love her. He sang directly to her as he concluded. Now all the souls were gone, and his own body was destroyed by the power he had invoked. He went out, literally, in flame.

He had sung himself knowingly into his doom. He had given up his existence as an Incarnation, that she might know, at the end, that his love had been true. He would never possess her, and he had lost his challenge to God, but he had done what he had to do.

Originally Posted by scoobydoo1

Well, the following isn't my absolute favorite novel, but it is in my top twenty list and one that I've read again recently as part of my annual revision list.

.

You posted in the non-fiction thread, but thanks anyway for being the first to reply.

OB

Originally Posted by One beer

You posted in the non-fiction thread, but thanks anyway for being the first to reply.

OB

My bad, I had both threads opened, and must have mistakenly posted in the wrong one. I'll PM a mod to have it moved.

"Trespassing on Einstein's Lawn - A Father, a Daughter, the Meaning of Nothing, and the Beginning of Everything" - Amanda Gefter

Traces the story of Amanda Gefter, a science writer for New Scientist who faked her way into science journalism following a quest initiated by her father and their mutual respect for the late John Wheeler to get to the very bottom of 'why this universe'. With access as a science journalist to the great physicists of our time in an array of disciplines, Amanda like a gifted project manager weaves what on first glance would appear to be disparate ideas in the field of Quantum Gravity approaches into a satisfying and comprehensive singular story that places the observer at centre stage of their universe where 'everything arises from the frame of reference taken of observers embedded in an unbounded infinite homogenous state'.

A remarkably well written account of where physics is at today and unlike the pessimistic accounts of Peter Woit ("Not Even Wrong"), Lee Smolin ("The Trouble with Physics") and Jim Baggott ("Farewell to Reality"), showcases how the disparate roads towards Quantum Gravity are fast-tracking towards a unified relativists solution as opposed to heading further towards mathematical obscurity.

Thank god for science writers like Gefter who have the ability to deftly convert some very arcane and exotic ideas into something understandable for the non-mathematicians out there.

This was a page turner and has significantly flavoured my thoughts ever since my first read. I continuously use it as a reference source and the subject matter is particularly relevant for many of the current popular threads on this forum.

Currently re-reading Allen Steele's Near Space series (apart from the final one, which I not only don't own but have never come across ¹).
A (mostly ²) no-nonsense hard SF series about the colonisation of space, working, in various volumes, from the setting up of orbital power sats through to (ignoring the unread last book) a permanent Mars base (well, a number of them, by more than one nation...).
It's a "nuts and bolts" telling, focussing quite a bit on the technical difficulties as well as the political and human ones.

1 But is now on my Amazon Wish List ready for the next time I have some disposable income.
2 He does have, for example, the annually-recurring Ghost of Challenger, in which a space launch can be seen - and photographed - exploding every year on the anniversary of the event. But it's only visible from space...

The War Without a Name: France in Algeria 1954-1962.
France's (and, for that matter, Algeria's) struggles with decolonisation, following on from the defeat of les paras at Dien Bien Phu and the pullout from French Indochina.
Getting into this book almost straight after watching Lost Command (itself a film version of Lartéguy's The Centurions) one quote from that film really struck me as holding true: on accepting the surrender of Raspeguy (Anthony Quinn - a character based on Bigeard) the Viet Minh commander (played by Burt Kwouk ¹) says something along the lines of "The world has now seen that France can be defeated" ² and makes a number of direct references to Algeria.

1 Far better known as Cato in the Peter Sellers Pink Panther films.
2 Despite (certain) current, modern, views France wasn't always regarded as a loser nation - and had in fact, prior to WWII, been the most militarily successful nation in Europe.

"The Autistic Brain" by Temple Grandin and Richard Panek, published by Mariner.

A fascinating insight into how the autistic brain is wired up differently to the norm. The result of this is that some mental processes are vastly enhanced, but others are degraded.

Ms Grandin has subjected herself to many brain scans of different types to find out how the structure and wiring of her own brain differs from 'neurotypical' layouts.

Includes the AQ test where one can find where one's brain might be on the spectrum - from 'normal' to possible autistic.

OB

I am just about to crack open Jim Holt's "Why does the World Exist - An existential detective story ". Pretty good reviews. Has anyone here read it and can offer a personal review before I get cracking?

The fiction and non-fiction book club threads have been merged and re-titled at OP request.

Ya don't wanna know.

I have been so swamped, I haven't had a chance to pick up a book in 3 months!

Just finished (except for one volume which isn't in sight at the moment) Paul Preuss' Venus Prime SF series (based on Arthur C. Clarke shorts), William Barton's The Transmigration of Souls and Steve Perry's Matador series, (again, minus one volume that's wandered off to have fun ¹).
I feel like I'm getting back to my old self, at least as far as reading is concerned.

1 Due to redecorating and having 1/2 to 1/3 of my books stuffed willy-nilly into the "pantry" (and under a ton of model kits) finding those "missing" books would be more effort than it's worth at the moment: especially as it appears that within the next few weeks I'm going to lose my home ².
2 Worry not loyal minions fans: I'll be rehoused. But moving is going to be a complete pain the arse. (Hopefully there'll be more space available for bookshelves: which means I can buy MORE books).

Originally Posted by Dywyddyr

Just finished (except for one volume which isn't in sight at the moment) Paul Preuss' Venus Prime SF series (based on Arthur C. Clarke shorts), William Barton's The Transmigration of Souls and Steve Perry's Matador series, (again, minus one volume that's wandered off to have fun ¹).
I feel like I'm getting back to my old self, at least as far as reading is concerned.

1 Due to redecorating and having 1/2 to 1/3 of my books stuffed willy-nilly into the "pantry" (and under a ton of model kits) finding those "missing" books would be more effort than it's worth at the moment: especially as it appears that within the next few weeks I'm going to lose my home ².
2 Worry not loyal minions fans: I'll be rehoused. But moving is going to be a complete pain the arse. (Hopefully there'll be more space available for bookshelves: which means I can buy MORE books).

Sir Ducky, I just did a big move. Two houses into two houses and other rental house moving into. Three houses total. It SUCKS. Getting settled here. Other house for sale Other house long term rental. I still have stuff to do. I am not moving again, till they bury me!

I've been reading the Dresden Files by Jim Butcher. It kind of reminds me of the Rockford files in many ways. I'm planning on reading The Kingdom of Ice: The Grand and Terrible Polar Voyage of the USS Jeannette by Hampton Sides. it sounds like an interesting narrative non-fiction.

Originally Posted by Harold14370

The fiction and non-fiction book club threads have been merged and re-titled at OP request.

Thank you Harold, (and John Galt).

OB

I have just finished 'Everything and Forever - Learning to See Timelessness' by Gevin Giorbran from a recommendation made by of one of the members of this forum.

An interesting read that views time as the orderly progression of possible states between ordered extremes of grouping order versus symmetry order. Both ordered states, grouping order from the Big Bang and symmetry order positioned in our future, are influencing the possible states or pathways of our universe/multiverse. The writer seeks to extend principles of thermodynamics to suggest that entropic direction is not towards disorder but rather towards a state of pure equilibrium.

Finished reading Area 51: An Uncensored History of America's Top Secret Military Base by Annie Jacobsen. I thought that I was buying a book about a crashed spaceship and aliens preserved in a secret area of the Southwest. This is a very interesting book about America's nuclear program and surveillance programs from the end of WWII to the mid 60s. About dirty bombs and unnecessary nuclear tests in the open atmosphere, about intentional dirty bombs back in the 60s, about the purposeful and ignorant contamination of our soil and water and people, not to mention our role in the escalation of and perpetuation of the Cold War. Interesting and engrossing, it shows just how science and the military kept testing new and bigger nuclear weapons for no good reason. About plutonium in the air and strontium 90 in the milk supply and contaminated grassland and farmland. This book explains a lot to me as an RN why middle aged baby boomers are dying of all sorts of previously rare cancers. What was our government thinking?

"Double Cross" by Ben Macintyre, a writer at large for The Times of London . It's about a Spaniard, code name Garbo, working for the British Secret Service, MI6, during WW2.

Garbo was initially rejected by MI6 so he went to the German secret service and was hired as an operative. After he became a trusted German agent, he went back to and was hired by MI6.

I'm not finished reading it yet but so far it is very well written and very interesting.

My script

Originally Posted by babe

My script

Pray, tell us more Ms babe.


OB

Currently deeply into The Great Book of Amber. Zelazny's magnum opus (according to some) ¹.
A friend got me onto these sometime back in the early/ mid '70s and I thought a re-read (plus, at the time, I hadn't seen the final 5 books of that saga) was due.

1 While I find them enjoyable, for me Zelazny's best work (in novels at least) would be the likes of Creatures of Light and Darkness and Lord of Light.

"The Black Ice" by Michael Connelly

Another detective Harry Bosch book. 'Black Ice' is a heroine/crack/PCP drug. Another detective that Harry knows was investigating the black ice trade and goes missing - eventually being found in a motel bathroom with his face blown off by a shotgun - apparently in a suicide. Harry is suspicious, since this is out of character, and events in other investigations he is involved in have coincidences to this one. His investigations take him to Mexico.

I won't say any more, (I have read it before, so I know what happens), but it has some really good detective and forensic work combined with action and what seems to be a very realistic portrayal of working life and politics in the LAPD, and living in Los Angeles.

OB

Originally Posted by Implicate Order

I am just about to crack open Jim Holt's "Why does the World Exist - An existential detective story ". Pretty good reviews. Has anyone here read it and can offer a personal review before I get cracking?

I cannot, but he gave an interesting TED talk about the same question. He expresses doubts about Brian Greene's The Elegant Universe and Lawrence Krauss' A Universe from Nothing. He further proposes that the reality we live in, is a "generic reality", for which no explanation is necessary.

Anyhow, I am currently reading the sixth edition of Darwin's On the Origin of Species that appeared in 1872, translated to Dutch by R. Rook.
I had tried to read the English version (which is freely available on the web), but the language was too difficult (for me) to understand Darwin's words.

Just finished Reeve's "Mortal Engines" tetralogy ( all four books ) - it mightn't be the deepest or most philosophical of works, and both the story and the characters do lack a bit of substance in places, but it was nonetheless a very enjoyable read. The entire overarching concept is also pretty original and somewhat thought-provoking, and I couldn't help but find the ending quite moving. Overall, I would definitely recommend it for some light yet captivating entertainment.

My next book will be "One Man's Wilderness" by Sam Keith.

Dr zhivago, the lack of plot is made up for with flowery language. Also reading On the origin of the species.

From Time to time I enjoy rereading things from my past Now I'm rereading The Little Prince. It isn't long so I'll just post a link to it here. It is a free book.



https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...qnxiOVYzawg8Ig

Originally Posted by One beer

Originally Posted by babe

My script

Pray, tell us more Ms babe.


OB

Did two shows this summer on the Mainland of "Love Letters" by A.R. Gurney

I am trying to bring it here, but finding an actor HERE is a bear. There I have an EQUITY actor, musical person who is also the local newscaster as my partner in this show, on the Mainland. He and I have such a magical chemistry in this show and it shows.

I am often reading scripts for theatre and working on music. I am trying to find another two person show I could do, both here and Mainland. I would like to bring "Love Letters" to the island for Valentine's Day, as a dinner theater piece. The last time I did that, Mainland, it was sold out and they turned people away. I am considering offering doing this for another hotel, so never let your script get stale.

I have been invited to do a 1/2 hour music program for the Holualoa Parade of Lights (Christmas) and in the process of adding 15 minutes of music to my program for the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel and Resort, that I do for the ohana that work there (They line the floors that are about the lobby), their families and hotel guests, but mostly the ohana of those that work there. I don't ask for any compensation for myself, and just a brunch or something for my band (all of us old musical people) to cover their gas and as a thank you from the resort. They have been very kind in doing this.

My payment, is seeing the smiles of those that work there, and seeing the little kids sing sometimes along.

Anyone read John Gray's Straw Dogs and The Silence of Animals?

I found these to be controversial but quite a rewarding read.
Not since The Selfish Gene have I read anything quite as depressing as Straw Dogs.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Straw-Dogs-.../dp/1862075964

I am thinking about rereading The Hobbit and starting The Lord of the Rings trilogy afterwards.

I don't seem to have time to read......ok well except on the "white porcelain throne". I am in constant motion!

There are tablets for that...

https://www.imodium.com/

Originally Posted by PhDemon

There are tablets for that...

https://www.imodium.com/

AHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAHHA

Oh my god that is hilarious! AHAHAHAHHHAAHHAH


WHACKING YA UP THE SIDE OF THE HEAD!!

Still laughing!!!

Originally Posted by PhDemon

There are tablets for that...

https://www.imodium.com/

reported for promoting his own website

I need to sell more... too many people are full of s***, I want them to keep hold of it and stop spreading it on forums!

Originally Posted by PhDemon

I need to sell more... too many people are full of s***, I want them to keep hold of it and stop spreading it on forums!

Save it for the beak bill.

Gayle Forman - Just One Day