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[Thrillho]

Recently read Disaster Artist, an autobiography/tell-all by Greg Sistero, co-star of infamous terrible movie The Room.

I'll say this much, reading about how Tommy Wisseau acts in real life makes The Room seem outright coherent. The book is surreal, depressing, funny and a little bit touching. Made me want to watch the movie again.

OH HAI MARK

[Blue Kitty]

I got a few books for my kindle and I'm reading Johannes Cabal: The Fear Institute

[94ssd]

I've started Absalom, Absalom! by William Faulkner. I'm not sure I like it very much, but I'll finish it before forming a definite opinion.

[Is it cold in here?]

John Stuart Mill, "Considerations on Representative Government", much more interesting than it sounds like.

[94ssd]

Finished Absalom!, Absalom! Southern Gothic (aka tales about rich Confederates) isn't really a genre I enjoy, but I'm just trying to keep up with my "read more classics" resolution.

I'm about to start reading When I Was Cool: My Life at the Jack Kerouac School by Sam Kashner. I meant to start today, but the university library was closed even though the website said they'd be open today.

[Is it cold in here?]

Just finished "The Professor and the Madman".

EDIT: Now into "Quiet: the power of introverts in a world that won't stop talking".

[94ssd]

Charles Dickens' American Notes

[Thrillho]

Finished Salvation's Reach by Dan Abnett. I don't know if I'm just starting to tire of the series or if this actually is one of the lesser books. It's still good, but he insists on focusing so much time on new characters when it's like goddammit you already have 200 characters in the regiment as it is, can we hear more about them? I liked Maggs, what the fuck happened to Maggs?

[94ssd]

Naked Lunch by William Burroughs. It's...um...interesting.

[Lupercal]

The beat-version of Confessions of an English Opium Eater, as I recall.

I've been alive for just over 23 years on this Earth and have so far managed to avoid watching The Shining because I wanted to read it first, relevance or not. Classic King so far...I'll see how this turns out. King's forward suggests that this was a turning point, stylistically, in his career from Carrie and 'Salem's Lot, which I also loved.

[ev4n]

Have not read any King yet, and I'm in my 40s.

Snacked on Scalzi's Ghost Brigades today.  Not bad.  Not as good as Old Man's War, though.

[94ssd]

The beat-version of Confessions of an English Opium Eater, as I recall.

Junkie would be more along that line as far as Burroughs talking about the hows and whys of being a heroin addict (interestingly he declared himself cured of his addiction late in his life, despite claiming in Junkie that addiction is permanent and you can only fight it). Naked Lunch is an interesting look at what happens when a very smart man takes a lot of drugs and then tries to write a Modest Proposal-esque satire of everything.

[Kugai]

Anne McCaffrey: A Life With Dragons by Robin Roberts

[Schmee]

Working my way through Arc 26 of Worm. It's... I was about to write "Incredibly good for a web serial", but on second thought, I'll settle for "Incredibly good." Superheroes, supervillains, psychopaths, combinations of the three, parallel universes, and surprisingly well-thought-out characters and powers.

[94ssd]

Guilty of Everything: The Autobiography of Herbert Huncke.

He really was guilty of a lot of things. I feel like every 3rd paragraph ends with "and then I was sent to Rikers Island."

[Is it cold in here?]

"Short Nights of the Shadow Catcher", about a Seattle-based photographer who documented the vanishing Indians.

[LawGeek]

All the King's Men by Robert Penn Warren. Trying to catch up on "classics."

That is a fantastic book.  It's the only one we own as a signed special edition; since it's hubby's fave I got it for him as a present when we were dating and ten years later it still has a place of pride on our shelves.

Right now I am reading:
Runaway (Munro, Alice / Short stories)
As I Lay Dying (Faulkner)
Tomorrow-Land: The 1964-65 World's Fair and the Transformation of America (Tirella, Joseph)

Normally I try not to read more than one book at a time, two if one is fiction and the other non-fiction.  However, the first one is for a book club coming soon, and the last one I am reading in anticipation of the fair grounds being opened up next week for two hours only.  So Faulkner's been back-benched for a bit, but I'm still sneaking him in when I can. 

I finally got my husband to start reading again, after being consumed with classics in high school and college then somehow drifting away.  I think this was mostly accomplished when he got me a Kindle Paperwhite for Valentine's Day and he inherited my new-ish Kindle complete with huge library.  His obsession with the World's Fair got the better of him, and we're competing to see who can get through Tomorrow Land first in anticipation of the fair ground event. 

[Grognard]

fiction for the moment:
just finished: "The Dark Beyond the Stars" by Frank Robinson
just started: "Blue Horizon" by Wilbur Smith

[94ssd]

Currently reading No Logo by Naomi Klein, a book about branding's effect on the economy and society. I picked it up from the free book table in the Sociology building after reading on the back cover that it inspired Radiohead to ban advertising on their tour.

[Mlle Germain]

I'm currently re-reading "The Fault in Our Stars" by John Green (after reading it for the first time two weeks ago). And wow, that is one of the best books I've read. I guess you could classify it as a book for young adults, but if you're a not-so-young-anymore adult (like me. I mean, I'm still pretty young, but not in the prime target group for young adult fiction anymore), that should totally not stop you from reading it - my 63-year-old mum gave it to me because she thought it was really good. It is, in my opinion, extremely well written, gripping, funny and terribly sad at once. The first time I read it, I read it in one go.
So yeah, if you're looking for something new to read, maybe check it out.

I'm ploughing through the complete works of Austen, and various other classics which catch my eye in the library. At the moment, though, I'm reading Henrietta's War by Joyce Dennys, which reminds me of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer - similar style and setting, both excellent.

Very late to the party, but I also really enjoy Jane Austen. To anyone who wants to read something of a similar type, I'd also recommend Anne Bronte's (can't do the double dots over the e) "The Tenant of Wildfell Hall".

[hedgie]

Spinoza's Ethics.  Bear in mind, it is for a course, so even though I enjoy it, it's only half-pretentious.

[GarandMarine]

I just finished On Basilisk Station and In The Name Of The Queen and I must say I <3 the Honorverse. Sure it's basically Horatio Hornblower genderbent and IN SPAAAAAAAAAAAACE but... I fucking like Horatio Hornblower!

Mr. Gareth sound general quarters and bring the ship to battle station if you please. Helm, Mr. Cold lay in an intercept, I want to do everything we can to avoid that broadside once we close. Tactical, Groggy hold to 100,000 klicks then engage with laserheads, please remind your defensive fires teams that another missile through our sidewall could well cripple us.

[Welu]

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. Brought it with me for travel reading and wanted to wait till most of the details of the Fincher film had faded from my memory so I could enjoy the mystery element better. Seemed to be kind of unnecessary since there is obviously a lot more detail in the book but even more than I expected. I'm managing to create my own image of the characters quite nicely. Was worried I'd just be picturing Daniel Craig the whole time.

[Thrillho]

I just finished On Basilisk Station and In The Name Of The Queen and I must say I <3 the Honorverse. Sure it's basically Horatio Hornblower genderbent and IN SPAAAAAAAAAAAACE but... I fucking like Horatio Hornblower!

Mr. Gareth sound general quarters and bring the ship to battle station if you please. Helm, Mr. Cold lay in an intercept, I want to do everything we can to avoid that broadside once we close. Tactical, Groggy hold to 100,000 klicks then engage with laserheads, please remind your defensive fires teams that another missile through our sidewall could well cripple us.

So, it turns out I've got scurvy, and uh... doctor says I have to tell everyone I've... 'been' with...

[GarandMarine]

Space scurvy? Damn that's worse than normal scurvy...

[ev4n]

Tried the first Wallander novel.  I want to like it, but it's just way too depressing.  Like reading Sartre.

[Grognard]

I just finished On Basilisk Station and In The Name Of The Queen and I must say I <3 the Honorverse. Sure it's basically Horatio Hornblower genderbent and IN SPAAAAAAAAAAAACE but... I fucking like Horatio Hornblower!

Mr. Gareth sound general quarters and bring the ship to battle station if you please. Helm, Mr. Cold lay in an intercept, I want to do everything we can to avoid that broadside once we close. Tactical, Groggy hold to 100,000 klicks then engage with laserheads, please remind your defensive fires teams that another missile through our sidewall could well cripple us.

Sir,  PD launchers 19 and 20 report frame damage and cannot launch. All others are ready.

Additionally, the HMS Hydra (CLAC-19) reports 10 squadrons of LACs launched, but HYDRA has taken minor damage to their wedges and are falling out of line at 20 klicks per second.

Finally, the HMS Loyalist (CL-42) is not responding to comms, is venting from her port-side frames, and her wedges are at 50% and falling.  She did manage to flush her PD missiles, and while they are on automatic zone defense, their layers will be overlapping ours.

[Blyss]

New Dresden.  Skin Game.  FUCK YES!  That is all.

[ev4n]

Wait how did I miss that there's a new Dresden out there?  I think he's jumped the shark, but I'll still read it, because books.

Read Gaiman's the Ocean at the End of the Lane.  Loved it.  Reminiscint of Coraline.

[Blyss]

It actually snuck up on me.  I wasn't aware of it until about a week ago.  But yes, loving it so far.

[LocoJoe]

I'm currently reading the third book in the Ender series, Xenocide. I really enjoyed the first two books and can't wait to dive into this one. I also picked up Dune. I've been told nothing but amazing things.

As far as comics go, I'm currently reading Chew and Morning Glories.

[ev4n]

I hope you enjoy Xenocide.  It's where the Enderverse dropped off for me.

[Grognard]

I highly recommend Ender's Shadow.
it is MUCH, MUCH better than Speaker or Xenocide

[KOK]

I just finished The Thin Man, and am about to start on Tortilla Flat. I tend to pick up classics if I run into them in second hand book stores.

[Noxx]

Just finished "Island of the lost: shipwrecked at the edge of the world", which was a pretty well written account of a pair of wrecks in the Auckland islands. In between other books I'm still working on "A terrible mistake", which is great, but one of those books that requires you to stop and research or vet a lot material, so it's dragging on.

[Blyss]

My current reading list is...  well, weird.  I've been reading a shitload of websites, and journals and research papers because someone asked me to determine if:

A. The 'Rage' virus from the 28 ____ Later series is possible.

and

B.  if actual Zombies (dead returning to life) is even remotely viable.


Reading about infectious diseases is not conducive to good sleep. 

 

[Noxx]

No it's not, hemorrhagic fevers in particular, might want to pick up The Demon in The Freezer

[Blyss]

No it's not, hemorrhagic fevers in particular, might want to pick up The Demon in The Freezer

Awesome, thank you.

[Blue Kitty]

Since I'm done with American Gods I picked up Anansi Boys, and after that I'm gonna read Horns by Joe Hill

[The Seldom Killer]

Recent reading has included:

Perdido Street Station - China Meiville - Quality on a par with Neal Stevenson with the combined imaginations of Iain Banks and Jeff Noon. Wonderful telling of a story combined with an excellent portrait of an evolved city. I will be looking forward to getting into more from this author. Genius verging on madness.

How I Won the Yellow Jumper - Ned Boulting - A very endearing account of Ned's transformation from a pitch reporter/journalist into on of the main faces of British coverage of the Tour de France. Probably only going to appeal to cycling fans but it does give a fascinating insight into the other side of the camera on the easiest, and hardest sport to report on. You will need to have watched at least one Tour to understand a lot of what gets discussed in the book (it starts tomorrow, yay).

The Bone Season - Samantha Shannon - Emerging young writer. Hunger Games-ish setting. Not brilliant but enjoyable and will probably buy the sequel.

The Humans - Matt Haig - Simple plot, simple storytelling but absolutely wonderful and great take on what it is to be human. I strongly advise you to read this book.

[Schmee]

I'm currently working my way (very, very slowly) through Gödel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid by Douglas Hofstadter. It's fascinating, but very heavy reading.

[Noxx]

Just went back to try to finish "executed on a technicality". I had previously abandoned it because it was pissing me right the hell off, as Innocence Project cases tend to do.

[sitnspin]

Just finished "Cibola Burn" the latest in The Expanse series.

[Noxx]

Just downloaded "convicting the innocent" for the kindle. Hopefully it gets me through all of today's waiting rooms.

[Blue Kitty]

Finished Anansi Boys and I really liked it. It's a nice sequel of sorts to American Gods, even if they are completely different books. Time to start reading Horns by Joe Hill

[Nyithra]

Been going through the series that showtimes Dexter is based off of

[94ssd]

Just picked up And the Mountains Echoed, haven't started reading it yet but hopefully I will tomorrow.

[Blyss]

Been going through the series that showtimes Dexter is based off of

A friend of mine bought me the first three, and I enjoyed them.  How many are they up to now?

[Nyithra]

The series is complete and there are 7 books if my memory is correct.

[Aimless]

"Our brains, wired to detect patterns, are always looking for a signal, when instead we should appreciate how noisy the data is."
-- Nate Silver


Kicked off my vacation reading with Nate Silver's The Signal and the Noise, a book about some of the more important challenges associated with forecasting--and decision-making--in vitally important fields ranging from baseball to seismology. I believe it's his first book and it's a little rough around the edges (spineless editor, I suspect), but it's a great read so far.

I'm nearing the halfway mark and each chapter so far has focused on a specific field of research--that is also of direct real-world importance to real people--in order to highlight a few important concepts or ideas that help the reader understand when, how and why forecasting may be difficult as well as recognize when these limitations are the most dangerous wrt their impact on decisions (at all levels from the individual going for a walk without an umbrella to the politician voting for the wrong stimulus bill). To some extent these chapters seem to have the goal of eliciting indignation and outrage from the reader and I expect the second half of the book will concern itself with [Messianic ] Bayesian approaches to mitigating many of the problems described in the first half.

This description may make the book sound a little dull or fussy or irrelevant, but it's actually really fun! The subjects and discussions are diverse but coherent, grounded in reality and presented in a way that is clear and entertaining.