What Are You Reading Now?

[Uncle Ted]

I am not a big fan of the elections for judges. I'd prefer to see a modified Missouri plan of appointment followed by retention through a public vote.

That sounds like a good compromise.

[PaloAltoCougar]

Flash Boys: A Wall Street Revolt. This is the hot book in business circles as it reveals a lot about high speed trading. The SEC's chair testified this morning before Congress and commented directly on the book, declaring that "the stock market in not 'rigged'". But the real point of the book isn't so much that it's "rigged", but that the nature of stock trading is such that a few traders, equipped with dedicated fiber optic lines or microwave towers, are able to front-run most traders by a matter of a few milliseconds and thus create billions of dollars of wealth for themselves annually because of that time advantage. It's not unlawful, but it's still disgusting. High frequency traders (HFTs) aren't trading on stocks they believe in, or even know anything about, but rather exploiting a speed advantage in the system, and shaving off just a bit of the gains ordinary traders would otherwise receive.

Interestingly, Lewis reports the exact location of some of the microwave towers and fiber optic lines that confer this advantage. One wonders how the Occupiers or others might use this information.

Read the book only if you're interested in stock trading as it can get a little tedious at times, but it was still interesting, as Lewis's book always are.

[eldiente]

What Are You Reading Now?

Flash Boys: A Wall Street Revolt. This is the hot book in business circles as it reveals a lot about high speed trading. The SEC's chair testified this morning before Congress and commented directly on the book, declaring that "the stock market in not 'rigged'". But the real point of the book isn't so much that it's "rigged", but that the nature of stock trading is such that a few traders, equipped with dedicated fiber optic lines or microwave towers, are able to front-run most traders by a matter of a few milliseconds and thus create billions of dollars of wealth for themselves annually because of that time advantage. It's not unlawful, but it's still disgusting. High frequency traders (HFTs) aren't trading on stocks they believe in, or even know anything about, but rather exploiting a speed advantage in the system, and shaving off just a bit of the gains ordinary traders would otherwise receive.

Interestingly, Lewis reports the exact location of some of the microwave towers and fiber optic lines that confer this advantage. One wonders how the Occupiers or others might use this information.

Read the book only if you're interested in stock trading as it can get a little tedious at times, but it was still interesting, as Lewis's book always are.

Fantastic book. Buy and hold index funds is the closest thing the average investor can get to a fair shake. Lewis is a phenomenal author.

[Green Monstah]

I'm reading Beyond Band of Brothers, which is Maj. Dick Winters' war memoirs. Just started it last night (up through jump school), but I'm stoked.

[Omaha 680]

Money: The Unauthorized Biography by Felix Martin. Fascinating read on the history of money and what money is/isn't.

[HuskyFreeNorthwest]

Money: The Unauthorized Biography by Felix Martin. Fascinating read on the history of money and what money is/isn't.

I read the cover on that at the book store a week or two ago, I have about a four book logjam that I need to plow through first but if he interested to know if it is worth the read.

[Omaha 680]

I read the cover on that at the book store a week or two ago, I have about a four book logjam that I need to plow through first but if he interested to know if it is worth the read.

I'm about a third of the way through and I'm really enjoying it. But economics is an area of interest for me and about half of the books I read are on economics. I think any one can appreciate the early chapters that argue against the conventional view of the history of money (that it was invented to replace barter economies). It's getting into monetary policy history now, where Martin is explaining how historical figures' understanding of the history of money affected their policy.

[SteelBlue]

Flash Boys: A Wall Street Revolt. This is the hot book in business circles as it reveals a lot about high speed trading. The SEC's chair testified this morning before Congress and commented directly on the book, declaring that "the stock market in not 'rigged'". But the real point of the book isn't so much that it's "rigged", but that the nature of stock trading is such that a few traders, equipped with dedicated fiber optic lines or microwave towers, are able to front-run most traders by a matter of a few milliseconds and thus create billions of dollars of wealth for themselves annually because of that time advantage. It's not unlawful, but it's still disgusting. High frequency traders (HFTs) aren't trading on stocks they believe in, or even know anything about, but rather exploiting a speed advantage in the system, and shaving off just a bit of the gains ordinary traders would otherwise receive.

Interestingly, Lewis reports the exact location of some of the microwave towers and fiber optic lines that confer this advantage. One wonders how the Occupiers or others might use this information.

Read the book only if you're interested in stock trading as it can get a little tedious at times, but it was still interesting, as Lewis's book always are.

I'm on the wait list for this one and am #10 of 11 in line, so I should get to read it by Christmas. I suppose I could pay for it, but I don't see that happening.

[SteelBlue]

The Luminaries. Won the Man Booker Prize for 2013, and its author at 28 became the youngest ever winner. She's a New Zealander and the story takes place in the mid 1800's in NZ gold rush country. It's a beast at 830 pages, but so far it's been an excellent read.

[PaloAltoCougar]

The Other Wes Moore. Here's the Amazon summary of what's been a quick and fascinating read:

Two kids named Wes Moore were born blocks apart within a year of each other. Both grew up fatherless in similar Baltimore neighborhoods and had difficult childhoods; both hung out on street corners with their crews; both ran into trouble with the police. How, then, did one grow up to be a Rhodes Scholar, decorated veteran, White House Fellow, and business leader, while the other ended up a convicted murderer serving a life sentence? Wes Moore, the author of this fascinating book, sets out to answer this profound question. In alternating narratives that take readers from heart-wrenching losses to moments of surprising redemption, The Other Wes Moore tells the story of a generation of boys trying to find their way in a hostile world.

One of the things that struck me is the extremely high risk of latchkey kids falling into trouble. Having a stay-at-home parent is, I think, ideal; for those whose economic circumstances simply don't allow for that, providing meaningful activities and proper supervision for the kids in the parents' absence ought to be among society's highest priorities.

[happyone]

It’s been a while since I’ve updated the “What I am reading list”, so here goes

The Kid

http://www.amazon.com/Kid-Immortal-L...ywords=the+kid

My thoughts
https://www.goodreads.com/review/sho...w_action=false

I highly recommend this one to any baseball fan.

Verdun: The Longest Battle of the Great War

http://www.amazon.com/Verdun-Longest...+the+great+war

My thoughts
https://www.goodreads.com/review/sho...w_action=false

I found this slightly disappointing

The Amber Road

Sixth volume of Prof. Sidebottom’s “Warrior of Rome” series

http://www.amazon.com/Amber-Road-War...the+amber+road

My thoughts
https://www.goodreads.com/review/sho...w_action=false

Decent look at the Roman relationship with Barbarian Tribes circa 265 AD

The Woodvilles

http://www.amazon.com/Woodvilles-Ros...nfamous+family

my thoughts

https://www.goodreads.com/review/sho...w_action=false

Good revisionist history of the end of the Wars of the Roses

Imperial Fire

http://www.amazon.com/Imperial-Fire-...=imperial+fire

My thoughts

https://www.goodreads.com/review/sho...w_action=false

good sequel to the author’s Hawk Quest

The Searchers

http://www.amazon.com/Searchers-Maki...merican+legend

My thoughts

https://www.goodreads.com/review/sho...w_action=false

Excellent look at the making of the iconic movie and the real life story the inspired it

Like a Mighty Army

http://www.amazon.com/Like-Mighty-Sa...my+david+weber

#7 in Weber’s Safe Hold series. I didn’t write up my thoughts, but I thought it was a fun read.

The War that Ended Peace

http://www.amazon.com/War-That-Ended...at+ended+peace

My thoughts

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/...at-ended-peace

Excellent look at the 25 yrs that preceded WW I and how Europe drifted into WW I

Books number 2 and 3 of Edward Marston’s Home front Detective series in in London during WW I

http://www.amazon.com/Instrument-Sla...ront+detective

http://www.amazon.com/Five-Dead-Cana...ront+detective

Not great literature, but I thought decent murder mysteries.

The Price of Glory

Another book on Verdun – much, much better than Verdun: The Longest Battle

http://www.amazon.com/Price-Glory-Ve...alistair+horne

My thoughts

https://www.goodreads.com/review/sho...w_action=false

If you are going to read one book on WW I this might be the one.

Finally the most recent

Sharon Penman’s 2 volume of her look at Richard the Lionheart

King’s Ransom

http://www.amazon.com/Kings-Ransom-S...man+sharon+kay

I haven’t jotted down my thoughts yet, but I thought this was very good. This covers the time from his shipwreck on the way back from the Holy Land to his death in 1199. I thought it was better than the first volume.

[Green Monstah]

I'm reading Beyond Band of Brothers, which is Maj. Dick Winters' war memoirs. Just started it last night (up through jump school), but I'm stoked.

This book was so-so. I came away from it impressed with Ambrose's work in Band of Brothers.

[SteelBlue]

Lone Survivor: Gained a better understanding of just how elite the SEALS are. Mind blowing to consider how much knowledge and skill was lost in the original mission and the rescue. The toughness of the 4 man team was incredible.

The Kite Runner: This was a book I've been intending to read for years, but have never gotten around to it. I was visiting my parents for the weekend and had finished the book I brought and saw this on my mom's bookshelf. I loved it. It was especially interesting having just read Lone Survivor.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Lone Survivor: Gained a better understanding of just how elite the SEALS are. Mind blowing to consider how much knowledge and skill was lost in the original mission and the rescue. The toughness of the 4 man team was incredible.

The Kite Runner: This was a book I've been intending to read for years, but have never gotten around to it. I was visiting my parents for the weekend and had finished the book I brought and saw this on my mom's bookshelf. I loved it. It was especially interesting having just read Lone Survivor.

I liked his second book also (The Warmth of a Thousand Suns).

[ERCougar]

I liked his second book also (The Warmth of a Thousand Suns).

I think it's A thousand splendid suns.

I only say this because I loved the book too.