Hey!! Let's get some action going! What are we reading?

[bjones6416]

I've just begun reading "The Lacuna," by Barbara Kingsolver. I admit it's too early to comment on it yet, since I've only read a few pages, but so far I've really enjoyed it because of two things: Number one, I think Barbara Kingsolver is just so gifted. Her wording is wonderful -- here's a description of the couples at a nighttime fiesta in a Mexican village:

"The girls wore striped wool skirts, lace blouses, and their narrow-waisted boyfriends."

Love that. The second reason I'm enjoying it is because I added a Spanish-English translation dictionary to my Kindle and have temporarily changed my default dictionary over to it. It really enhances the experience for this book.

[carld]

Originally Posted by Simon Wood

I just started Jim Butcher's Summer Knight (a Dresden File). Pretty good so far.

Probably my favorite series of all time. I've read that he intends to write a total of 20 case files, then a 3-book apocalyptic finale to wrap everything up. I finished Changes (book 10) a couple weeks ago and all I can say is

You might like Dog Days as well. It's also an urban fantasy, but for some reason the first book isn't available as an ebook in the US, books 2 & 3 are.

I'm between books myself at the moment. I'm casting about trying to decide what to read next. Nothing is grabbing me by the lapels and screaming "Read me!"

[GeoffC]

Originally Posted by bjones6416

"The girls wore striped wool skirts, lace blouses, and their narrow-waisted boyfriends."

how did the girls wear their boyfriends

[DixieGal]

Originally Posted by poohbear_nc

His "Death" books are my favorites!

I could not choose a fave between Death and Granny Weatherwax. I love them both. The only one that I've disliked enough to stop reading was the new-ish one about basketball. "Unseen Academics" I think is the one.

[DixieGal]

Originally Posted by GeoffC

how did the girls wear their boyfriends

Wrapped around their little fingers.

[Sparrow]

Originally Posted by GeoffC

how did the girls wear their boyfriends

They wore them out ........... to a nighttime fiesta.

[bjones6416]

Originally Posted by GeoffC

how did the girls wear their boyfriends

I pictured them with their arm draped possessively over the girl's shoulders. See there? Lots of interpretations. That's why I like her books.

[edbro]

Reading IBM and the Holocaust: The Strategic Alliance Between Nazi Germany and America's Most Powerful Corporation by Edwin Black

Extremely interesting account of how IBM worked with the Nazis to count and catalouge the Jews. IBM maintained databases of the Jews; how many, personal data, which ones were strong enough to work, which ones should be exterminated, etc.

http://www.inkmesh.com/ebooks/ibm-an...y+Edwin+Black+

[FlorenceArt]

Originally Posted by edbro

Reading IBM and the Holocaust: The Strategic Alliance Between Nazi Germany and America's Most Powerful Corporation by Edwin Black

Extremely interesting account of how IBM worked with the Nazis to count and catalouge the Jews. IBM maintained databases of the Jews; how many, personal data, which ones were strong enough to work, which ones should be exterminated, etc.

http://www.inkmesh.com/ebooks/ibm-an...y+Edwin+Black+

Scary! Any info on how serious and objective this research is? I always have problems with conspiracy theories, but this one sounds more believable than others.

On a lighter note, I am near the end of The Year of The Flood. Also continuing to read the excellent magazine on the brain and how it constantly rewires itself.

And, as I am prone to do about once a year, I bought new software and am about to embark on some technical reading. And to grumble for a while about cheap editors who not only won't provide a printed manual, but insist on designing their pdfs as if they were destined for print and not on-screen reading. Some of them don't even have a clickable table of content

So, anyway, feverishly waiting for my (manual-less) Final Cut Studio to arrive, plus the first related book I purchased (in paperback, because paper is still the best medium for this type of book at the moment): Sound Editing in Final Cut Studio.

[edbro]

Originally Posted by FlorenceArt

Scary! Any info on how serious and objective this research is? I always have problems with conspiracy theories, but this one sounds more believable than others.

Yes, the author outlined his research methods. He had many volunteers and paid researchers here in the States as well as in Germany and other European countries. He said he literally had tens of thousands of documents.

[BenG]

I'm rereading the Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan and just finished the second book in the series, The Great Hunt. Rereading the early books reminded me of how good the series was and why I've stuck with the series for so long(20 years!).
I think one of the main problems with the latter books was that there was no sense of moving toward an end or resolution to the main plot line. It didn't help that we had to wait 2-3 years before the next installment, so I think these latter books may be better when read straight through.

I've got a long row to hoe, so I'm taking a break with Ellen Kushner's mannerpunk novel, Swordspoint.

[Ea]

Originally Posted by BenG

....

I've got a long row to hoe, so I'm taking a break with Ellen Kushner's mannerpunk novel, Swordspoint.

I've been reading that for months now, picking it up, reading a little bit and putting it down again. It somehow holds my attention enough to remember what happened from time to time, and keep reading, but not enough to finish it quickly. I'm still not quite sure what the story is about, so far (abt. 25% in I think). BTW, what is "mannerpunk"? Never seen that expression before

[Latinandgreek]

Originally Posted by BenG

I'm rereading the Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan and just finished the second book in the series, The Great Hunt. Rereading the early books reminded me of how good the series was and why I've stuck with the series for so long(20 years!).
I think one of the main problems with the latter books was that there was no sense of moving toward an end or resolution to the main plot line. It didn't help that we had to wait 2-3 years before the next installment, so I think these latter books may be better when read straight through.

That's good to know. I've been meaning to pick up the series, but have been delaying it due to complaints about the later books dragging on. You are probably right about latter books being better when read straight through. I read the first 70 or so "Fables" comic books, and now that for the last two years I've had to wait a month for each new installment I find that the series reads much better when read straight through. I think I'll bump up WOT on my TBR list.

[MacEachaidh]

Originally Posted by GeoffC

I'd say the next one, certainly, perhaps the third; but it's so long since I read the series that I can't remember when it becomes dire ....

I'll third the suggestion. I enjoyed the first three "Dune" books - albeit in slightly diminishing quantities - but if I remember correctly, I put the 4th down about two-fifths of the way through and never felt moved to pick it up again.

[BenG]

Originally Posted by Ea

I've been reading that for months now, picking it up, reading a little bit and putting it down again. It somehow holds my attention enough to remember what happened from time to time, and keep reading, but not enough to finish it quickly. I'm still not quite sure what the story is about, so far (abt. 25% in I think). BTW, what is "mannerpunk"? Never seen that expression before

Mannerpunk is a fantasy of manners(though some would make a distinction between the two):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fantasy_of_manners

http://kate-nepveu.livejournal.com/17600.html