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  • I got tired of fallen asleep while I drive listening to books... so I tried the Jack Reacher series by Lee Child. Churned through three books and figured out that they're basically same books. I guess I can skip the other 20.

    When poet puts pen to paper imagination breathes life, finding hearth and home.
    -Mid Summer's Night Dream

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    • Originally posted by BigPiney View Post
      I reserved the four that looked interesting to me.
      There There
      Tommy Orange


      The Great Believers
      Rebecca Makkai


      Where the Dead Sit Talking
      Brandon Hobson


      Gun Love
      Jennifer Clement

      American Marriage looks dumb so that did not go on my to read list.

      Without even reading them, I predict that one of the two Native American ones wins this year.

      So, I've started reading the long list. I just finished Gun Love and I'll be shocked if it's not a finalist. You don't spend a single minute in a happy place and that will affect how a lot of readers ultimately feel about the novel. People who read for escape or strictly for pleasure may hate this one, though it'll be hard for anyone not to appreciate the lyrical prose. I think it's brilliant and strangely beautiful literary fiction but I still have some thinking to do about what it all meant. (Reminded me a bit of Mr. Splitfoot, Piney. I think you read that one).

      Before I started "Gun Love", I dove into "Florida". It's a short story collection. I got about a third through it and I realized I've read several of these before (New Yorker). That frustrates me about short story collections. Anyway, I got bored and thought "let me just check the first page of a different one to snap out of this" and Gun love was closest. The difference in the two books was startling. Opening sentences were "My mother was a cup of sugar. You could borrow her anytime." and a few sentences later: “My mother was so sweet, her hands were always birthday-party sticky. Her breath held the five flavors of Life Savers candy … But sweetness is always looking for Mr. Bad and Mr. Bad can pick out Miss Sweet in any crowd. My mother opened her mouth in a great wide O and breathed him right into her body.”

      I didn't pick up Florida again until Gun Love was devoured.
      Last edited by SteelBlue; 09-17-2018, 12:25 PM.

      Comment


      • Originally posted by SteelBlue View Post
        So, I've started reading the long list. I just finished Gun Love and I'll be shocked if it's not a finalist. You don't spend a single minute in a happy place and that will affect how a lot of readers ultimately feel about the novel. People who read for escape or strictly for pleasure may hate this one, though it'll be hard for anyone not to appreciate the lyrical prose. I think it's brilliant and strangely beautiful literary fiction but I still have some thinking to do about what it all meant. (Reminded me a bit of Mr. Splitfoot, Piney. I think you read that one).

        Before I started "Gun Love", I dove into "Florida". It's a short story collection. I got about a third through it and I realized I've read several of these before (New Yorker). That frustrates me about short story collections. Anyway, I got bored and thought "let me just check the first page of a different one to snap out of this" and Gun love was closest. The difference in the two books was startling. Opening sentences were "My mother was a cup of sugar. You could borrow her anytime." and a few sentences later: “My mother was so sweet, her hands were always birthday-party sticky. Her breath held the five flavors of Life Savers candy … But sweetness is always looking for Mr. Bad and Mr. Bad can pick out Miss Sweet in any crowd. My mother opened her mouth in a great wide O and breathed him right into her body.”

        I didn't pick up Florida again until Gun Love was devoured.
        I am going to read it based on that quote alone. Wow.
        Dyslexics are teople poo...

        Comment


        • I just finished Indianapolis

          Very interesting read. It is not just the story of the sinking of the USS Indianapolis in literally the closing days of WW II, but the story of the attempts of the survivors to get the Navy to correct what was in their view a grave injustice. The Indi's Captain, Charles McVay, was court martialed after the sinking.

          One great substory is that of a 13 yr old boy, Hunter Scott, who made the overturning of McVay's court martial his meaning in life after doing a history fair project on the sinking. He first heard of the sinking while watching "Jaws" with his Dad. This is the video clip



          The last commander of the WW II ship's namesake, a LA Class attack sub, USS Indianapolis, also figures prominently in the narrative after he decides to invite the survivors of the WW II ship to it's decommissioning ceremony. They ask him to look into the court martial, and he does.


          Congress eventually passes legislation ordering the Navy to correct McVay's service record in 1999. The Navy slow walks it and it isn't unlit 2005 that his record is amended.
          Last edited by happyone; 09-24-2018, 06:23 PM.

          I may be small, but I'm slow.

          A veteran - whether active duty, retired, or national guard or reserve is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote a blank check made payable to, "The United States of America ", for an amount of "up to and including my life - it's an honor."

          Comment


          • Originally posted by happyone View Post
            I just finished Indianapolis

            Very interesting read. It is not just the story of the sinking of the USS Indianapolis in literally the closing days of WW II, but the story of the attempts of the survivors to get the Navy to correct what was in there view a grave injustice. The Indi's Captain, Charles McVay, was court martialed after the sinking.

            One great substory is that of a 13 yr old boy, Hunter Scott, who made the overturning of McVay's court martial his meaning in life after doing a history fair project on the sinking. He first heard of the sinking while watching "Jaws" with his Dad. This is the video clip



            The last commander of the LA Class attack sub, USS Indianapolis, also figures prominently in the narrative after he decides to invite the survivors of the WW II ship to it's decommissioning ceremony. They ask him to look into the court martial, and he does.


            Congress eventually passes legislation ordering the Navy to correct McVay's service record in 1999. The Navy slow walks it and it isn't unlit 2005 that his record is amended.
            Have you read "In Harm's Way"? It sounds like this almost like a long and interesting prologue to that story.

            Comment


            • Yes I have. It's the same story, but this book tells a more complete story. Only about half the narrative is the story of the sinking and subsequent search and recovery. The authors narrative starts at the very beginning, telling the history of the Indi from her commissioning in 1932. She was Spurance's, commander of the 5th fleet, flag ship and was selected to transport the bomb to Tinian mainly because she was available. She had suffered a Kamikaze strike at Okinawa and had to be sent back to the US for repairs. When a ship was needed to transport the bomb parts she had just finished those repairs.

              In telling the story of the men in the water, it is much more complicated than just sharks attacking the floating men. In fact according to the authors, the vast majority of the deaths were from injuries during the sinking, exposure, salt water poisoning or even plain murder. The sharks were mainly content to eat the dead. They estimated that "only" between 100 - 150 of the 600 who died were from shark attacks. That still makes it the largest shark attack on record.

              If anyone is interested, here are is the author's presentation on BookTV

              https://www.c-span.org/video/?449257-2/indianapolis
              Last edited by happyone; 09-24-2018, 07:54 PM.

              I may be small, but I'm slow.

              A veteran - whether active duty, retired, or national guard or reserve is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote a blank check made payable to, "The United States of America ", for an amount of "up to and including my life - it's an honor."

              Comment


              • anyone read Harari's latest, 21 lessons for the 21st century?
                I caught his interview with Sam Harris, and I'm intrigued. But it also seems like it might be a riff on Sapiens.
                But, Sapiens is in my top 5 non-fiction, so even a riff likely to be very good.
                I'm trying to decide if it will be my next book.
                I intend to live forever.
                So far, so good.
                --Steven Wright

                Comment


                • Originally posted by Brian View Post
                  anyone read Harari's latest, 21 lessons for the 21st century?
                  I caught his interview with Sam Harris, and I'm intrigued. But it also seems like it might be a riff on Sapiens.
                  But, Sapiens is in my top 5 non-fiction, so even a riff likely to be very good.
                  I'm trying to decide if it will be my next book.
                  Sapiens is one of the most overrated books ever.

                  Going to pass on this one.
                  "There is no creature more arrogant than a self-righteous libertarian on the web, am I right? Those folks are just intolerable."
                  "It's no secret that the great American pastime is no longer baseball. Now it's sanctimony." -- Guy Periwinkle, The Nix.
                  "Juilliardk N I ibuprofen Hyu I U unhurt u" - creekster

                  Comment


                  • Originally posted by Jeff Lebowski View Post
                    Sapiens is one of the most overrated books ever.

                    Going to pass on this one.
                    I agree. I started it... but never finished it.

                    I've got two audible credits but am having a hard time finding something I'd like to curl up with.

                    Edit... just got Napoleon... 32 hours. I like some time value for my credits.
                    Last edited by clackamascoug; 09-24-2018, 08:20 PM.

                    When poet puts pen to paper imagination breathes life, finding hearth and home.
                    -Mid Summer's Night Dream

                    Comment


                    • Originally posted by clackamascoug View Post

                      Edit... just got Napoleon... 32 hours. I like some time value for my credits.
                      I'm currently plowing through the second book in the Pillars of the Earth (Kingsbridge) trilogy. It comes in at a solid 41 hours. Enjoying it.

                      Comment


                      • I finally read Black Hawk Down. I can see why it was a bestseller.
                        "What are you prepared to do?" - Jimmy Malone

                        "What choice?" - Abe Petrovsky

                        Comment


                        • Originally posted by LiveCoug View Post
                          I'm currently plowing through the second book in the Pillars of the Earth (Kingsbridge) trilogy. It comes in at a solid 41 hours. Enjoying it.
                          I don't think Ken Follett can write a bad novel

                          I throroughly enjoyed all three of the Kingsbridge novels

                          I may be small, but I'm slow.

                          A veteran - whether active duty, retired, or national guard or reserve is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote a blank check made payable to, "The United States of America ", for an amount of "up to and including my life - it's an honor."

                          Comment


                          • Originally posted by clackamascoug View Post
                            I agree. I started it... but never finished it.

                            I've got two audible credits but am having a hard time finding something I'd like to curl up with.

                            Edit... just got Napoleon... 32 hours. I like some time value for my credits.
                            Which Napoleon?

                            I may be small, but I'm slow.

                            A veteran - whether active duty, retired, or national guard or reserve is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote a blank check made payable to, "The United States of America ", for an amount of "up to and including my life - it's an honor."

                            Comment


                            • Originally posted by happyone View Post
                              Which Napoleon?
                              pufm5y-l-610x610-t+shirt-napoleon+dynamite-vote+pedro.jpg
                              "I think it was King Benjamin who said 'you sorry ass shitbags who have no skills that the market values also have an obligation to have the attitude that if one day you do in fact win the PowerBall Lottery that you will then impart of your substance to those without.'"
                              - Goatnapper'96

                              Comment


                              • ask a silly question ....

                                I may be small, but I'm slow.

                                A veteran - whether active duty, retired, or national guard or reserve is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote a blank check made payable to, "The United States of America ", for an amount of "up to and including my life - it's an honor."

                                Comment

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