What Are You Reading Now?

[SteelBlue]

That is because Saunders' book was crap.

Ha ha, whatever. For the first few months after that book came out it I used to check in on its Amazon reviews at lunch just for the laughs. The anger in some of them was incredibly entertaining. You did the audio version, right? I am almost certain that if you read a hard copy, you'd have at minimum a more favorable opinion. There were quite a few things that would have made the audio seem almost like you got a bad copy.

[Jeff Lebowski]

I read The Greater Journey by David McCullough. It chronicles the stories of several Americans who went abroad to live in Paris in the 1800's, including Samuel Morse, James Fenimore Cooper, and John Singer Sargeant. Sounds like a boring topic, but McCullough pulls it off nicely. Also serves as an interesting history of Paris during this time.

By the way, I watched a documentary feature on David McCullough on HBO Now. He has a little shed in his backyard where he wrote all of his books. It has electricity, but no phone or internet. Just a desk, a chair, and some bookcases. He would go in there and forbid anyone to interrupt him unless it was a grandkid or an adult with an emergency. He pounded out every one of his books on an old typewriter! Incredible.

After reading that book, I thought I would read The Last of the Mohicans since Cooper was featured in the McCullough book. Not bad, but the old-timey language made reading a little tiresome. The movie was way better.

[BigPiney]

Ha ha, whatever. For the first few months after that book came out it I used to check in on its Amazon reviews at lunch just for the laughs. The anger in some of them was incredibly entertaining. You did the audio version, right? I am almost certain that if you read a hard copy, you'd have at minimum a more favorable opinion. There were quite a few things that would have made the audio seem almost like you got a bad copy.

I have not done the audio version yet. I read the written word. I actually think the audio version will be entertaining with all the different characters and now that I know what is going on and who is who.

[SteelBlue]

Happyone, (and any others) have you read The Frontiersmen by Eckert? I just finished it, and I'm curious to know your opinion. I found it both interesting and well organized, especially for a doorstop of a book. I'm having trouble defining it though. I know it's considered a historical narrative but it sure had a historical fiction feel at times. Citations are scarce and quite frankly many of the best details seem like they can't possibly be true. Most notably I'm thinking of Tecumseh predicting the New Madrid quake of 1812. Not just predicting it, but using it as the rallying point for massing forces.

Since you've read just about every history book printed since 1900 I'm curious to know how you treat this one.

[happyone]

Happyone, (and any others) have you read The Frontiersmen by Eckert? I just finished it, and I'm curious to know your opinion. I found it both interesting and well organized, especially for a doorstop of a book. I'm having trouble defining it though. I know it's considered a historical narrative but it sure had a historical fiction feel at times. Citations are scarce and quite frankly many of the best details seem like they can't possibly be true. Most notably I'm thinking of Tecumseh predicting the New Madrid quake of 1812. Not just predicting it, but using it as the rallying point for massing forces.

Since you've read just about every history book printed since 1900 I'm curious to know how you treat this one.

I've read it, but it was so long ago (High School and I'm older than dirt IRRC only PAC, '71 and SU are older) that I don't remember much about it, other than I thought it was really good. I did read the whole series way back in the mid/late '70s early '80s. Is this the one that features Simon Girty?

That said, I reread one of his others recently, The Conquerors. It is about Pontiacs rebellion in the 1760s. In his books, the history is solid, events happen when and where he says they did and he doesn't have fictional characters, but the dialogue is fictitious. I guess because of the dialogue it is HF, but as close to actual history as you can get

https://www.amazon.com/Conquerors-Wi...querors+eckert

my thoughts

https://www.goodreads.com/review/sho..._review_page=1

[SteelBlue]

Is this the one that features Simon Girty?

It's the one that features Simon [Butler] Kenton but Girty appears frequently.

[happyone]

I read The Greater Journey by David McCullough. It chronicles the stories of several Americans who went abroad to live in Paris in the 1800's, including Samuel Morse, James Fenimore Cooper, and John Singer Sargeant. Sounds like a boring topic, but McCullough pulls it off nicely. Also serves as an interesting history of Paris during this time.

By the way, I watched a documentary feature on David McCullough on HBO Now. He has a little shed in his backyard where he wrote all of his books. It has electricity, but no phone or internet. Just a desk, a chair, and some bookcases. He would go in there and forbid anyone to interrupt him unless it was a grandkid or an adult with an emergency. He pounded out every one of his books on an old typewriter! Incredible.

After reading that book, I thought I would read The Last of the Mohicans since Cooper was featured in the McCullough book. Not bad, but the old-timey language made reading a little tiresome. The movie was way better.

I thought it was very good, but I don't think that Mr. McCullough can write a bad book

[SteelBlue]

The Kirkus Prize finalists announced today:

https://www.usnews.com/news/entertai...0-kirkus-prize

Jesmyn Ward's ghostly "Sing, Unburied, Sing" and Mohsin Hamid's acclaimed novel about refugees "Exit West" were among the finalists Tuesday for the fourth annual Kirkus Prize.


Fiction nominees besides Ward and Hamid included the novels "The Ninth Hour" by Alice McDermott and "White Tears" by Hari Kunzru and a pair of story collections: "What It Means When a Man Falls from the Sky," by Lesley Nneka Arimah, and Carmen Maria Machado's "Her Body and Other Parties."


Nonfiction nominees were Jack E. Davis' "The Gulf," Patricia Lockwood's "Priestdaddy," Edward Dolnick's "The Seeds of Life," Valeria Luiselli's "Tell Me How It Ends," Michael Twitty's "The Cooking Gene" and Laura Dassow Walls' "Henry David Thoreau: A Life."

[Jeff Lebowski]

The Godfather by Mario Puzo was on sale recently on audible.com for $4.99 so I picked it up. Huge fan of the movie, of course, but hadn't read the book. It was fantastic. One of the most enjoyable audio book experiences I have had. Narrator was exceptional.

[SteelBlue]

The Godfather by Mario Puzo was on sale recently on audible.com for $4.99 so I picked it up. Huge fan of the movie, of course, but hadn't read the book. It was fantastic. One of the most enjoyable audio book experiences I have had. Narrator was exceptional.

I picked up a used copy a couple years back and have yet to crack it open. You've inspired me.

[happyone]

currently reading something that is NOT military history

Dodgerland

It's the story of Tommy Lasorda's first 2 Dodger teams - set against the changing American society in general and LA in particular

So far it's been a really good read - but then I am a Dodger fan.

https://www.amazon.com/Dodgerland-De...rds=dodgerland

[BigPiney]

National Book award Finalstst announced.

Fiction
Elliot Ackerman: Dark at the Crossing (this looks really good and I am now on the waiting list)
Lisa Ko: The Leavers (also looks good)
Min Jin Lee: Pachinko
Carmen Maria Machado: Her Body and Other Parties: Stories
Jesmyn Ward: Sing, Unburied, Sing (probably the winner, great book)

[SteelBlue]

National Book award Finalstst announced.

Fiction
Elliot Ackerman: Dark at the Crossing (this looks really good and I am now on the waiting list)
Lisa Ko: The Leavers (also looks good)
Min Jin Lee: Pachinko
Carmen Maria Machado: Her Body and Other Parties: Stories
Jesmyn Ward: Sing, Unburied, Sing (probably the winner, great book)

Of the finalists I've only read Ward and Ko. The Leavers was good, but the two books aren't even in the same league. I agree that Ward likely wins this one and I have a feeling she's going to be a finalist for every prize.

[falafel]

Currently reading The Underground Railroad. For all the prizes it has won, I expected it to be better.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Currently reading The Underground Railroad. For all the prizes it has won, I expected it to be better.

It's a dud.