What Are You Reading Now?

[Mrs. Funk]

Just finished Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro. His style is in this novel is conversational and sparse—not much flowery adjectival descriptions of setting, physical appearances, etc.

It's quasi-science fiction, though only really in the sense that it's set in a sort of parallel universe. Without giving away the crux of the story (which comes out gradually, and is only hinted at in the beginning), the implications of the society established in Never Let Me Go are both fascinating and chilling.

A recommended read.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Just finished Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro. His style is in this novel is conversational and sparse—not much flowery adjectival descriptions of setting, physical appearances, etc.

It's quasi-science fiction, though only really in the sense that it's set in a sort of parallel universe. Without giving away the crux of the story (which comes out gradually, and is only hinted at in the beginning), the implications of the society established in Never Let Me Go are both fascinating and chilling.

A recommended read.

Great writer.

Have you seen the movie? I thought it was quite good.

[Mrs. Funk]

Great writer.

Have you seen the movie? I thought it was quite good.

I have not, but after reading the book I'm very interesting to see how they handled the subject matter.

[Flattop]

Currahee!: A Screaming Eagle At Normandy by Donald R. Burgett

Burgett served in Company A, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne Division during World War II. In this book, the first of four books written by Burgett about his wartime experiences, the author takes us through training at Fort Benning, final training in England and the fighting in Normandy in June 1944. This is one of the best books about combat to come out of any war. Those who enjoyed Luttrell's Lone Survivor might also enjoy Burgett's books.

[happyone]

Finished The President is a Sick Man - Good Book!!!! This is a really fascinating story and shows how both politics and the public's right to know have changed in the last 100 yrs.

The basic story - President Cleveland was diagnosed with cancer of the mouth shortly after his second inaguration in 1893. He had the cancerous spot and a portion of his upper right jaw removed over the 4th of July weekend of that year.

Some interesting factiods

The operation was done in complete secrecy - only one person in Clevelands cabnet knew what was happening - the Sec of War. Cleveland dispised his Vice Pres and kept him in the dark about the whole thing.

They were able to keep in secret for about 8 weeks and when the story was finally broken the reporter was vilified

Presidental politics was as nasty in 1884 as it is now

The tumor is on display in the Mutter Muesem in Philedelphia.

Even though Cleveland was a Democrat, his politics would put him in the very right wing the Rebulican Party today

I highly recommend this.

Currently reading

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Country-Vast-Designs-Continent-Collection/dp/B0057DCVS4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1322264584&sr=8-1"]Amazon.com: A Country of Vast Designs: James K. Polk, the Mexican War and the Conquest of the American Continent (Simon & Schuster America Collection): Robert W. Merry: Books@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51i0sebwYKL.@@AMEPARAM@@51i0sebwYKL[/ame]


Somebody recommended this a few months ago and the library finally got it in.

[oxcoug]

This:

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Splendid-Exchange-Trade-Shaped-World/dp/0802144160/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1322509491&sr=8-1"]Amazon.com: A Splendid Exchange: How Trade Shaped the World (9780802144164): William J. Bernstein: Books@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51V-gTm2gML.@@AMEPARAM@@51V-gTm2gML[/ame]

Totally into it. Finds the perfect balance between relevant narrative history and excellent storytelling.

[Art Vandelay]

J

On SU's repeated recommendation, and my enjoyment of The Road, and No Country, I just bought:

Amazon.com: Blood Meridian: Or the Evening Redness in the West (9780679728757): Cormac McCarthy: Books

SU: What should I look for as I begin this?

Since SU didn't answer your question, I will. Look for nightmares, questions about your own sanity, and concern for the human race. McCarthy is a fantastic writer (one of my favorites). Blood Meridian is very dark and strange, it seems to be very symbolic, I'm just not sure of what.

[EuropeanFootballMale]

I really liked the Steve Jobs biography. I never really knew what a weirdo hippy he really was, even for a while after Apple really got going. The board brought in a President early on in large part because they wanted someone who could tell Jobs that he needed to bathe more than once a week and wear deodarant (it didn't work). He rarely wore shoes, even to high level buisness meetings, and would soak his feet in the toilet at work when he wanted to relax. The name of the company came from an apple farm/commune he lived on for a while. When Jobs was working at Atari they made him work at night because nobody could stand to be around him. The friendship between Jobs and Woz is also interesting. Basically Woz was/is a giant doofus teddy bear and Jobs was a driven narcisistic jerk. There is a story about how Jobs got Woz to design the original Breakout game for Atari and then screwed him out of some of the money he should have received because Jobs wanted money to go bum around India for a year. Woz didn't find out until many years later when a book about Atari was published and it really bothered him, He still doesn't like to talk about it. Also interesting to read about the battle with cancer. Just a ton of interesting stories. Issacson writes great bios.

[DrumNFeather]

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo...worth it?

[lambdacoug]

Inheritance - Paolini

[happyone]

Finally finished A Country of Vast Designs - very interesting book, well worth the read if you are interested in American history. It is a look a Pres Polk's presidency, the Mexican American War and the politics behind it.

Some interesting tidbits

When Pres Polk was running for Pres - one of his campaign promises was to serve only one term - which he did. He did not stand for reelection

In foreign policy his stated goal was to acquire the Mexican provinces of New Mexico and California and settle the question of who controlled the Oregon territory. He didn't particularly want a war with Mexico, he would have much rather simply purchased the Mexican territory. He accomplished both

When war did come, he did not get along with either of his major commanders, Zachary Taylor and Winfield Scott.

He was able to get Texas annexed to by the US causing great heartburn in Mexico City and indirectly starting the war.

His Sec of State, James Buchanan, should have been fired several times, but Polk couldn't bring himself to it.

He passed away less than a year after leaving the presidency

Currently reading

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Frontsoldaten-German-Soldier-World-War/dp/0813109434/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1324184359&sr=1-1"]Amazon.com: Frontsoldaten: The German Soldier in World War II (9780813109435): Stephen G. Fritz: Books@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41vuXNFtx8L.@@AMEPARAM@@41vuXNFtx8L[/ame]

[eldiente]

Finally finished A Country of Vast Designs - very interesting book, well worth the read if you are interested in American history. It is a look a Pres Polk's presidency, the Mexican American War and the politics behind it.

Some interesting tidbits

When Pres Polk was running for Pres - one of his campaign promises was to serve only one term - which he did. He did not stand for reelection

In foreign policy his stated goal was to acquire the Mexican provinces of New Mexico and California and settle the question of who controlled the Oregon territory. He didn't particularly want a war with Mexico, he would have much rather simply purchased the Mexican territory. He accomplished both

When war did come, he did not get along with either of his major commanders, Zachary Taylor and Winfield Scott.

He was able to get Texas annexed to by the US causing great heartburn in Mexico City and indirectly starting the war.

His Sec of State, James Buchanan, should have been fired several times, but Polk couldn't bring himself to it.

He passed away less than a year after leaving the presidency

Currently reading

Amazon.com: Frontsoldaten: The German Soldier in World War II (9780813109435): Stephen G. Fritz: [email]Books

I enjoyed the broader perspective given by this book into the Mormon Batallion's role......... Not as significant as I had thought .....

[FMCoug]

I enjoyed the broader perspective given by this book into the Mormon Batallion's role......... Not as significant as I had thought .....

There is a reason nobody but Mormons has even heard of it. It's all part of the mormon heritage pride thing ... but what it comes down to is they walked a long way and by the time they got there it was over.

[eldiente]

There is a reason nobody but Mormons has even heard of it. It's all part of the mormon heritage pride thing ... but what it comes down to is they walked a long way and by the time they got there it was over.

According to this book, that is not correct either.

The "facts" as told in this book may not match traditional LDS historical retelling, but the battalion was an important projection of force in a remote part of the area of conflict and thus important in the Presidents long-term objectives in a way that no other military force was capable of. The battalion also experienced some remarkable (miraculous?) events underway...

[Devildog]

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Lone-Survivor-Eyewitness-Account-Operation/dp/0316067598"]Amazon.com: Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10 (9780316067591): Marcus Luttrell, Patrick Robinson: Books@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/511JmwEaJJL.@@AMEPARAM@@511JmwEaJJL[/ame]