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What Are You Reading Right Now?

currently reading : Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie. i'm listening to the audiobook version. it's great so far; not sure how i haven't read this book before now.
 
Recently, I finished reading "Hillbilly Elegy, A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis," by J.D. Vance

I am currently reading "A Man and His Presidents, The Political Odyssey of William F. Buckley Jr., by Alvin S. Felzenberg
 
"The Truth" (Terry Pratchett)

"The 1950s" (David Halbersham)
 
'Independent People' by Halldor Laxness

'Lonely Man of Faith' by Joseph B. Soloveitchik

'Scandal' by Shusaku Endo
 
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Read 3 Philip K Dick short stories: Foster Youre Dead, Second Variety (made into a movie called Screamers in 1995)and Faith of Our Fathers. The last one is the most mind-blowing and one of the best sci-fi works I ever read. I wrote a more detailed review of it in my writer's blog.
 
PoS said:
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Read 3 Philip K Dick short stories: Foster Youre Dead, Second Variety (made into a movie called Screamers in 1995)and Faith of Our Fathers. The last one is the most mind-blowing and one of the best sci-fi works I ever read. I wrote a more detailed review of it in my writer's blog.
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I can't recommend him enough.

I read all the short stories, then read all the novels. It' interesting the way he'll borrow and blend his short story ideas into the novels.
 
Mr Person said:
I can't recommend him enough.

I read all the short stories, then read all the novels. It' interesting the way he'll borrow and blend his short story ideas into the novels.
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I did a bit of research on PKD before I wrote up my review and I am convinced he was mentally ill. Nevertheless, I think he wouldnt have thought up all these groundbreaking ideas if he hadnt been. He was the one author I couldnt get into as a kid because I was more interested in reading about space battles and stuff, while PKD was more into drugs and mind bending reality. Hopefully I can find more of his stuff in used bookstores.
 
PoS said:
I did a bit of research on PKD before I wrote up my review and I am convinced he was mentally ill. Nevertheless, I think he wouldnt have thought up all these groundbreaking ideas if he hadnt been. He was the one author I couldnt get into as a kid because I was more interested in reading about space battles and stuff, while PKD was more into drugs and mind bending reality. Hopefully I can find more of his stuff in used bookstores.
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Maybe.

He was really messed up for a while. First speed, then opiates/booze. Perhaps it was self-medication instead of just "fun".

But I love his stuff, especially the novels; the constantly shifting plots, mental puzzles, and the fact that the endings are often rather vague - you're left not being entirely sure what happened.

I find his stuff only really suffers in terms of prose. He was an idea guy, not a linguistic genius.
 
Mr Person said:
Maybe.

He was really messed up for a while. First speed, then opiates/booze. Perhaps it was self-medication instead of just "fun".

But I love his stuff, especially the novels; the constantly shifting plots, mental puzzles, and the fact that the endings are often rather vague - you're left not being entirely sure what happened.

I find his stuff only really suffers in terms of prose. He was an idea guy, not a linguistic genius.
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I totally agree. His characters are passive plot devices, prose is clunky at times, and storyline is nearly nonexistent, but his ideas are just wow brilliant. He is probably the most popular classic sci-fi author right now. Back in his days hardly anyone ever read his stuff. Heinlein, Asimov and Bradbury were the mainstays back then but PKD is the king now.

His drug use was legendary- he would take a thousand uppers a week and type out 60 pages of writing a day. While Im pretty sure he was subjected to a lot of drug induced psychosis, he was a strange bird to begin with. PKD would rummage through his trash to see if the FBI was picking through it. He would even try to surrender to cops he met on the street thinking he was guilty of something, lol.
 
From Colony to Superpower: U.S. Foreign Relations Since 1776 by George C.
Herring

I just finished my second read through of "Power, Faith, and Fantasy: America in the Middle East 1776 to Present" when I decided to grab this one. I'm about 1/4 the way through. Interesting but not what I would consider light reading. But if you find the subject of America's interaction with the rest of the world over time intersting, as I do, you should consider this read.
 
I'm listening to the audiobook version of "11/22/63" by Stephen King, read by Craig Wasson. I have listened to it several times (6, at least) - and it has become a sort of comfort item. I like the escape it provides when life gets overwhelming. The only other narrator that even comes close to Wasson's level of perfect narration (that I know of) is Will Patton reading those James Lee Burke detective novels.
 
currently :

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it's a fascinating fantasy novel that gets you thinking about the universe.

my wife and i listen to a lot of audiobooks, and i also have to recommend this series :

https://www.goodreads.com/series/51639-dublin-murder-squad

the entire series is awesome, and i have listened to the last chapter of The Trespasser at least several dozen times now.
 
SoulFire77 said:
Have you read "American Gods" or "The Graveyard Book"? I loved them both.
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no, i haven't, but i will look into them. thanks for the recommendation.
 
Helix said:
no, i haven't, but i will look into them. thanks for the recommendation.
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I also really enjoyed "The Thief of Always" by Clive Barker. It is his "cleanest-cut" novel (it's a young adult novel), and far and away the best thing he ever wrote (perhaps there is a lesson there for him, who knows...) It's definitely worth your time.
 
I've been on an Gavin Menzies kick. I first read 1421 The year China Discovered America. I was so impressed by the detail and evidence offered I progressed to his next book, Who Discovered America. Again very detailed with facts and evidenced offered. I have just finished today his third or fourth book, The lost empire of Atlantis. This guy makes sense.

I would recommend all three book.
 
Basic Books - 2017 - 422pp

Historian Thomas Weber closely examines Hitler's ideological formative years 1918-1926.

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St. Martin's Press - 2017 - 344pp

The authors explain Trumps rise and the danger his administration poses to democracy, and offer a recovery roadmap for the future.

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Next is Fire and Fury by Michael Wolff and then; Media Madness: Donald Trump, the Press, and the War Over the Truth by Howard Kurtz
 
African Genesis by Robert Ardrey
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Im just about finishing this and its a profound revelation. If you ever wondered how people are capable of mass murder, extremism, racism, sadism and all that, then you must read this. When this book first came out it changed the general consensus on human origins completely- prior to it most anthropologists believed in the concept of early man as a noble savage, but this book completely blew that illusion out of the water. Some parts of it are dated, but it gives you the proper insight on what drives people today since we havent changed much- that killer instinct is inside us all. Warfare, greed, and aggression is part of our genetic makeup, and we need to accept that in order to move forward.
 
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PoS said:
African Genesis by Robert Ardrey
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Im just about finishing this and its a profound revelation. If you ever wondered how people are capable of mass murder, extremism, racism, sadism and all that, then you must read this. When this book first came out it changed the general consensus on human origins completely- prior to it most anthropologists believed in the concept of early man as a noble savage, but this book completely blew that illusion out of the water. Some parts of it are dated, but it gives you the proper insight on what drives people today since we havent changed much- that killer instinct is inside us all. Warfare, greed, and aggression is part of our genetic makeup, and we need to accept that in order to move forward.
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Greetings, PoS. :2wave:

I'm considering your post as a good reason to order this book! :thumbs: What's the next one of yours that I should also get? I read the Girl in the Darkness, *I have read all the Dying World books*, and the ones you wrote before them - Wrath of the Old Gods (both Sci Fi series) - Question: Will we ever hear from the talking dog again that you used in the Glooming books? I liked that little guy! :lamo
 
polgara said:
Greetings, PoS. :2wave:

I'm considering your post as a good reason to order this book! :thumbs: What's the next one of yours that I should also get? I read the Girl in the Darkness, *I have read all the Dying World books*, and the ones you wrote before them - Wrath of the Old Gods (both Sci Fi series) - Question: Will we ever hear from the talking dog again that you used in the Glooming books? I liked that little guy! :lamo
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Hi polgara!The talking dog is the Trickster god, and sadly I have no plans to write more of him because that series didnt sell too well (it did break even though). I would suggest you try out my newest book out titled Wetworld- I tried to conjure up real aliens (not just people with pointy ears a la Star Trek) so you might get a kick out of it. ;)
 
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Night Probe! by Clive Cussler

I read books for either research or for the fun of it, and this book belongs in the former. For a long time I've tried to figure out what makes a bestseller, and with this book I can see why. It starts off with a bang, then shifts to a mystery that gives out just a few hints as the plot unravels and just keeps chugging along. Dirk Pitt is a man's man, every girl falls in love with him and he beds them in a matter of minutes- he's like James Bond and Indiana Jones all wrapped up into one. Short chapters and fast paced so readers dont get bored. I think my research is paying off. lol
 
"So Anyway..." (John Cleese, first part of his autobiography).



Interesting and hilarious, as you might imagine.
 
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