stacks of books piled by your bedside

[Adri]

Re: stacks of books piled by your bedside

Just finished The Tattoo by Chris McKinney and Blu's Hanging by Lois-Ann Yamanaka. Right now I'm reading Marley & Me by Josh Grogan. After that, I think, is Wild Meat and the Bully Burgers by Yamanaka and The Queen of Tears by McKinney.

[flying snow]

Re: stacks of books piled by your bedside

Things I've been reading:

Almost French by Sarah Turnbill (i think that's her last name)

Nonfiction, travelogue/memoir. She's from the land of Oz, is travelling around before settling down and meets a man in Bucharest. She visits him in France...and if I told you anymore it would ruin it. I liked it alot, read more like fiction.

Also just finished The Genius Factory by David Plotz. It's the story of the Nobel Sperm Bank. Dr. Robert Graham created it in 1980, only using sperm he got from people who were Nobel Laureates. Or so we thought...

Both were fast reads, read them in two days, but I'm also on spring break and have time. Once school is going again, there goes recreational reading. Sigh.

About a year ago I read a Japanese author (who's living in Hawaii) called Takashi Matsuoka. Read both of his books: Cloud of Sparrows and Autumn Bridge. I really wish he'd put another book out, as I loved these. It's about love and samaurais. Sort of. Read the inside of the jacket.

ALso spent the last year reading all of Terry Brook's the SHannara series...and I do mean ALL of them. I do hope he continues with it, as I was really into it. Gotta love fantasty.

[Linkmeister]

Re: stacks of books piled by your bedside

I've made a truly fateful decision. I was returning Robert Wilson's "Spin," "Darwinia," and "The Chronoliths" to the library the other day (all three are good, but "Spin" really goes far beyond his earlier work in terms of scientific speculative fiction) and I thought "I wonder if there are any copies of the Aubrey/Mathurin series here." The first two books (of 20 or so!) were on hand, including "Master and Commander," so I checked them out.

This could be a dreadful mistake or a joyous choice.

[flying snow]

Re: stacks of books piled by your bedside

If you like science fiction, I highly recommend Robert Heinlein. He's one of my all time fave authors. Friday is probably my favorite book by him.

Another sci/fi/fantasy author that's good is Michael Moorecock. His Eternal Champion series rocks...with the exception of Von Beck, I found that a little dry. Or something.

And, if you have never read any of the Dragonlance novels, you should. Margaret Weiss and Tracey Hickman kick ass.

(Is my inner geek showing? Oh wait, I am a geek. Lol.)

I have never read anything by Stephen King before, and there was an excerpt from his newest book, Cell, in Entertainment Weekly a while ago. Well, I ended up reading the excerpt and decided I needed to know what happened. I highly recommend it as well. THe only thing I wasn't thrilled about, was the ending, I felt it just left me hanging.

[Linkmeister]

Re: stacks of books piled by your bedside

I've got most of Heinlein's stuff, and some of Asimov's, and a few of Clarke's. I've also got a fair bit of Simak and da Farmer. I've read a lot of the other "name" authors, too.

Wilson is relatively new among sci-fi authors, maybe 8 books.

[kaneohegirl]

Re: stacks of books piled by your bedside

if you are into mystical mixed with today with some HOT romance you should read the books by Laurell K Hamilton both her Vampire Hunter series and her Merry Gentry (involving the Faerie Court) are EXCELLENT.

[Adri]

Re: stacks of books piled by your bedside

Heh, I'm saving Hamilton's Micah for the plane ride to the mainland for a trip I'll be taking soon. I've read most of her other books. However, I know a couple of people who are really uncomfortable with the amount and detail of the sex in her writing.

[U'ilani]

Re: stacks of books piled by your bedside

I just finished "The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk, and I have to say I don't understand what all of the hype was about--this book has sold around 4 million copies. While she certainly writes beautiful prose, and her protagonist was pretty well developed, her other characters are black & white (no pun intended!), and she tries to draw out more from the simple storyline than is really there. In all, this book is boring.

I've just started "The Intuitionist" by first-time novelist Colson Whitehead.

[Linkmeister]

Re: stacks of books piled by your bedside

My review of "The DaVinci Code" is here.

Your mileage may vary.

[alohabear]

Re: stacks of books piled by your bedside

Are you reading them now, because you saw the movies and enjoyed them?
Or are you waiting to see the films until after you read the books?
Or have you already read them, and are returning to 'em?

I first read them in middle school. They are such escape fiction that at least once a year I like to read the whole trilogy. The films, although well made, cannot compare to the words of Tolkien.

[Leo Lakio]

Re: stacks of books piled by your bedside

Humphrey Burton's biography of Leonard Bernstein,
"Spoon River Anthology" by Edgar Lee Masters (poetry),
"102 Minutes" by Jim Dwyer & Kevin Flynn (inside the WTC),
"Candyfreak" by Steve Almond (about the chocolate industry),
David McCullough's biography of John Adams.

Made it through three of these so far (Bernstein, Masters, Almond); added "Salt" by Mark Kurlansky to the stack.

[Pua'i Mana'o]

Re: stacks of books piled by your bedside

Made it through three of these so far (Bernstein, Masters, Almond); added "Salt" by Mark Kurlansky to the stack.

I own a copy of Salt. It was an interesting read, but not necessarily a riveting one. Still, the topic of salt is an understated one in this day and age and that book was a great reminder that wars were fought over the stuff, as well as civilization shaped by its trade.

I just bought "Ireland" by Frank Delaney, and contemplating getting the audio cd set, as the whole point of the book is based on oral history, and that might be the best way to digest the material. Jury is still out on that one (audio books are expensive! And I've never "done" audio books before).

[U'ilani]

Re: stacks of books piled by your bedside

Hawaii Public Library System is really great. You could borrow the audiobook instead of buying it. I've just checked out their website, and you can place holds on-line and they'll forward the "book" to whichever library you select once it becomes available.

[timkona]

Re: stacks of books piled by your bedside

"A Civil War" - the story of Army/Navy Football rivalry

"Pigskin" - the history of football from the beginning until the TV age (1950)

"Dick & Jane Rainy Day Fun" - my 4 year old reads it to me

"The Worldly Philosophers" - historical review of the great economists

"The Pirate Dictionary" - got it at DisneyWorld last summer

[MadAzza]

Re: stacks of books piled by your bedside

"Stealing land, the European way."

"Stealing land, the Japanese way."

"Stealing land, the Korean way." (pamphlet)

"Gaining the upper hand in relationships through intimidation."

"Pidgin: Da Primer."

"Dr. LatexGlove, or How I learned to stop worrying and love the kaka," by Mufi Hannemann

"Hawaii on $967 A Day."