johnbryanpeters
Well-Known Member
The Language of Thieves, Martin Puchner
what do you read?
- Thread starter bonefishjake
- Start date
Exhalation by Ted Chiang. Short stories, which I generally do not gravitate towards. But it's really good.
I listened to audible. I didn’t listen to the second one though. Not sure why.
Books are hard to get through nowadays.
1speed
Incredibly profound yet fantastically flawed
By second one, you mean Children of Ruin, right? I didn't even know that existed until I saw it linked on GoodReads since I was already reading Children of Time.
ChrisG
Unapologetic Lifer for Rock and Roll
Oh, hey. It's been a while.
My reading since mid-March, when I suddenly found myself going out a lot less.
*Awareness by Anthony DeMello
-This was a gifted to me by a close friend for Christmas 2019, but it sat for a while. An interesting mix of "Christian spirituality, Buddhist parables, Hindu breathing exercises, and psychological insight" (per the back cover blurb). I wasn't really digging it at first, but eventually there were entire passages that had me talking out loud to the book and re-reading multiple times.
*Million Dollar Bash: Bob Dylan, The Band, and the Basement Tapes by Sid Griffin
-As my signature may alert you, I've nerded out pretty thoroughly on Dylan. This book continues that process. Recommended only if you're already going deep, in which case it's essential reading.
*Crooked Cucumber: The Life and Zen Teachings of Shunryu Suzuki by David Chadwick
-Suzuki's Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind is one of the most important books of my life, and his biography had been on my list for many years. I finally got around to ordering a used copy (which turned out to be signed by Chadwick-bonus!) and really took my time with this during the gray days of this past April. Inspiring portrait of someone who's played a notable role in my adult life, simply by writing one little book.
I decided to lighten things up and read some music-related books that weren't about Bob Dylan, which led to...
*The Doors: A Lifetime Listening to Five Mean Years by Greil Marcus
-I was obsessed with The Doors and Jim Morrison for a few years, mostly when Apocalypse Now and the publication of No One Here Gets Out Alive spurred a second wave of interest in the band at the end of the 70's/start of the 80's, just in time for me to start high school and really discover the counter culture of the 60's in a big way. This was fun to read, because Marcus is by turns full of shit and brilliant, and I know enough about the subject matter to tell the difference. I think I read the entire thing in two afternoons, haha.
*So Many Roads: The Life and Times of the Grateful Dead by David Browne
-I grew up surrounded by tape-trading Deadheads, and consequently developed a pretty solid knowledge of their catalog and culture, for someone who was mostly a bystander. Anyway, I've always predicted that a time would come when I really, authentically began listening to them, and 2020 has been that time. I found myself listening to live shows every day while doing school work in the spring, and decided to read something to give me more context. This was well-written and I learned some things. Listening to Red Rocks 7/8/78 as I type this, haha.
*Doomed To Fail by J.J. Anselmi
-Another music book, this time focusing on metal, particularly what would be classified as doom, sludge, and post-metal. Basically Black Sabbath through Neurosis with various detours into other realms of (mostly) slow heaviness. Many bands that I'm way into,, but nothing all that revelatory.
Lastly, back to something more thought-provoking...
Begin Again: James Baldwin's America and Its Urgent Lessons For Our Own by Eddie S. Glaude Jr.
-I first encountered James Baldwin in college, as an undergrad, and the little I read knocked me out. Absolutely mighty. I was able to teach a bit of his writing early in my career as well, but he's really been waiting for me to come back and do my due diligence. This book, which is a lovely mixture of biography, literary criticism, social commentary, and the author's own story, has been just what I needed to prime me for some serious time with Baldwin's essays this winter.
My reading since mid-March, when I suddenly found myself going out a lot less.
*Awareness by Anthony DeMello
-This was a gifted to me by a close friend for Christmas 2019, but it sat for a while. An interesting mix of "Christian spirituality, Buddhist parables, Hindu breathing exercises, and psychological insight" (per the back cover blurb). I wasn't really digging it at first, but eventually there were entire passages that had me talking out loud to the book and re-reading multiple times.
*Million Dollar Bash: Bob Dylan, The Band, and the Basement Tapes by Sid Griffin
-As my signature may alert you, I've nerded out pretty thoroughly on Dylan. This book continues that process. Recommended only if you're already going deep, in which case it's essential reading.
*Crooked Cucumber: The Life and Zen Teachings of Shunryu Suzuki by David Chadwick
-Suzuki's Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind is one of the most important books of my life, and his biography had been on my list for many years. I finally got around to ordering a used copy (which turned out to be signed by Chadwick-bonus!) and really took my time with this during the gray days of this past April. Inspiring portrait of someone who's played a notable role in my adult life, simply by writing one little book.
I decided to lighten things up and read some music-related books that weren't about Bob Dylan, which led to...
*The Doors: A Lifetime Listening to Five Mean Years by Greil Marcus
-I was obsessed with The Doors and Jim Morrison for a few years, mostly when Apocalypse Now and the publication of No One Here Gets Out Alive spurred a second wave of interest in the band at the end of the 70's/start of the 80's, just in time for me to start high school and really discover the counter culture of the 60's in a big way. This was fun to read, because Marcus is by turns full of shit and brilliant, and I know enough about the subject matter to tell the difference. I think I read the entire thing in two afternoons, haha.
*So Many Roads: The Life and Times of the Grateful Dead by David Browne
-I grew up surrounded by tape-trading Deadheads, and consequently developed a pretty solid knowledge of their catalog and culture, for someone who was mostly a bystander. Anyway, I've always predicted that a time would come when I really, authentically began listening to them, and 2020 has been that time. I found myself listening to live shows every day while doing school work in the spring, and decided to read something to give me more context. This was well-written and I learned some things. Listening to Red Rocks 7/8/78 as I type this, haha.
*Doomed To Fail by J.J. Anselmi
-Another music book, this time focusing on metal, particularly what would be classified as doom, sludge, and post-metal. Basically Black Sabbath through Neurosis with various detours into other realms of (mostly) slow heaviness. Many bands that I'm way into,, but nothing all that revelatory.
Lastly, back to something more thought-provoking...
Begin Again: James Baldwin's America and Its Urgent Lessons For Our Own by Eddie S. Glaude Jr.
-I first encountered James Baldwin in college, as an undergrad, and the little I read knocked me out. Absolutely mighty. I was able to teach a bit of his writing early in my career as well, but he's really been waiting for me to come back and do my due diligence. This book, which is a lovely mixture of biography, literary criticism, social commentary, and the author's own story, has been just what I needed to prime me for some serious time with Baldwin's essays this winter.
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krink
Eddie Munster
I just read Jeff Van DerMeer's the Southern Reach Trilogy and Bourne. That is some trippy sci-fi. Did you like Bourne?
I am an actual book guy myself, and like you I prefer the trade paperback, which is the size you mention. It goes Hardcover, trade paperback, then mass market paperback. The MM paperback is that small one. I have always liked the trade paperback. But I'm also trying to embrace the electronic version of the world. I have found some work there, others do not.
I admit I do not like alternating chapters but I do not remember this book enough to say. What I will say is that the Expanse series suffered from that. I think it was a good book series that I would have enjoyed better were it not done better. I actually liked Death's End in that it pretty much had monster chapters in parts. Just pick it up and put it down when you are done.
I finished the trilogy today. It is nothing short of incredible and I agree with your assessment of it. I am considering reading something low-brow and mind-numbing because anything else compared to this is going to suck. I can't read another SciFi anything just yet.
Not meant to derail @ChrisG , but what are your thoughts on Dylan selling his song rights for $300million today?
So after reading the Three Body Problem trilogy I needed something so low brow to remove any and all expectations that books can be that good all the time.
I chose The Key to Rebecca by Ken Follett.
Worked like a charm. If you have this book and you're not sure to read it or use it to start your fire tonight - go with fire. It's not bad, per se. But you know what, it's not really good either.
I chose The Key to Rebecca by Ken Follett.
Worked like a charm. If you have this book and you're not sure to read it or use it to start your fire tonight - go with fire. It's not bad, per se. But you know what, it's not really good either.
Back to SciFi, picked up the classic Ringworld by Larry Niven. This was written in 1970, but that should not date it too much.
@1speed have you read this?
I found it to be pretty disjointed, and as much as the story could have been potentially awesome I thought it really floundered along with neither fleshed out storylines of the inter-species politics as well as the science fiction itself. A lot of potential but it leaves it all on the table and kind of peters out in the end. I don't think I'll be picked up the next book in this series.
@1speed have you read this?
I found it to be pretty disjointed, and as much as the story could have been potentially awesome I thought it really floundered along with neither fleshed out storylines of the inter-species politics as well as the science fiction itself. A lot of potential but it leaves it all on the table and kind of peters out in the end. I don't think I'll be picked up the next book in this series.
I read this and I'm pretty sure I liked it a lot, but it was a long time ago. I don't think I read any of the sequels.
1speed
Incredibly profound yet fantastically flawed
I haven't read it. I'm actually fairly new to sci-fi, so I'm sure there are a lot of books you've read that I'm not (yet!) even aware of. I've been relying a lot on Goodreads' algorithm to identify subsequent options and so far that's done a fairly decent job in terms of stuff I've enjoyed. (And, yeah, the recursive nature of relying on AI to forge my preferences in sci-fi isn't lost on me.) I'll look into Ringworld, although your description doesn't sound super promising.
I wouldn't bother.
Try this:
Rendezvous with Rama - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
It's been a while but I recall it being really solid.
Big Dumb Animal
Hippo Nipples' #1 Fan
Try the breach by Patrick Lee. There's 3 books in the trilogy: The breach, ghost country, and deep sky.
I loved them, fast reads but very entertaining. Nothing too deep and profound as some sci-fi books can get but enjoyable none the less.
I also forgot about Ender's game by Orson Scott Card. I really loved that series, even the off shoot with the character Bean. I don't remember how many books but there's quite a few.
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Big Dumb Animal
Hippo Nipples' #1 Fan
I haven't read this in 20 years but I also remember it being good, I can still remember certain parts of it after this long.I wouldn't bother.
Try this:
Rendezvous with Rama - Wikipedia
It's been a while but I recall it being really solid.
Picked up State of Fear by Crichton. It's been sitting on the pile for years and I wanted something easy.
It's a sensational book pertaining to global warming. I imagine everyone will hate it because it does not take an extreme position for or against it. The message is that nothing is truly known, either way. And we need to do things & make decisions with a balanced approach. As anyone with a pulse knows, such an approach to any issue is no longer possible in this day and age, it seems.
Book is dated, 16 years old now. I have no idea what he would say today. But the point about everyone needing to be so extreme is well-served.
The story itself is a tad absurd though.
It's a sensational book pertaining to global warming. I imagine everyone will hate it because it does not take an extreme position for or against it. The message is that nothing is truly known, either way. And we need to do things & make decisions with a balanced approach. As anyone with a pulse knows, such an approach to any issue is no longer possible in this day and age, it seems.
Book is dated, 16 years old now. I have no idea what he would say today. But the point about everyone needing to be so extreme is well-served.
The story itself is a tad absurd though.
A Short History of Nearly Everything
I read this book many years ago and I thought it was great. Picked it up again as a refresher and while it is still good, it did not wow me quite as much. The first 1/2 or so is still great, but the back half is a bit less interesting to me. I think it's because the subject matter is not specifically my thing as it is more biology & evolution. The first half is more my realm and I thought it was fantastic.
It does veer into the idea that we as a species are probably not going to be around so long. This is not necessarily because of what we do, so much as the fickle nature of the planet. As an example, the current atmosphere is apparently the 3rd distinct atmosphere to cover the earth. That said, it's not like something that flips overnight.
There are a lot of points in this book that make you wonder. I'll tag @1speed here as I think there are times when you read this and think about the human race as it sits in the universe, which is a concept we see a lot in the SciFi stuff that we both like to read.
1speed
Incredibly profound yet fantastically flawed
I've been working through a collection of books I received as birthday or Xmas presents over the last month or so. It's been a pretty good run of books I've enjoyed. I'm still on a fiction kick (I still blame the fact that reality itself sucks enough right now to make escape in fiction a more attractive option than any non-fiction.)
Recursion by Blake Crouch - kind of a unique spin on time travel.
Zer0es & Invasive by Chuck Wendig - two overlapping books (distinct stories that exist in the same "universe") I read Wendig's "Wanderers" last year and loved it, so I gave these a shot. The first one is about a group of hackers who uncover the ultimate conspiracy while being forced to work for the people perpetrating it. I loved the story because the hackers themselves were all great characters. Invasive was a fun read, but its premise bothered me a bit because I couldn't really see how the central conflict would ever really become as big a problem as it was made out to be. But it kept me interested, so that was good enough.
The Troupe by Robert Jackson Bennett - I've read a bunch of Jackson's stuff now and I really enjoy his storytelling. His Divine Cities trilogy is one of my favorite collections. The Troupe is a fantasy-thriller set in the world of traveling Vaudeville performers. It's a really imaginative tale that slowly builds to a massive confrontation in the last few chapters.
Children of Ruin by Alex Tchaikovsky - second book in the Children of Time series (and I really hope not the last!) As I've said here before, I really loved the first book, so I kind of figured book 2 couldn't possibly live up to Children of Time. Happily, I was wrong about that. Not only was it as good, it was probably better. It's a massively ambitious story covering a dozen different themes yet it never feels disjoint. I'm not going to get into a description of it here because there is just too much there, but if you enjoyed the first one, definitely check it out. If there is a book three and it's as good as this one, I'd have to say it'd probably replace the Three Body Problem as my favorite sci-fi trilogy (so far!)
Recursion by Blake Crouch - kind of a unique spin on time travel.
Zer0es & Invasive by Chuck Wendig - two overlapping books (distinct stories that exist in the same "universe") I read Wendig's "Wanderers" last year and loved it, so I gave these a shot. The first one is about a group of hackers who uncover the ultimate conspiracy while being forced to work for the people perpetrating it. I loved the story because the hackers themselves were all great characters. Invasive was a fun read, but its premise bothered me a bit because I couldn't really see how the central conflict would ever really become as big a problem as it was made out to be. But it kept me interested, so that was good enough.
The Troupe by Robert Jackson Bennett - I've read a bunch of Jackson's stuff now and I really enjoy his storytelling. His Divine Cities trilogy is one of my favorite collections. The Troupe is a fantasy-thriller set in the world of traveling Vaudeville performers. It's a really imaginative tale that slowly builds to a massive confrontation in the last few chapters.
Children of Ruin by Alex Tchaikovsky - second book in the Children of Time series (and I really hope not the last!) As I've said here before, I really loved the first book, so I kind of figured book 2 couldn't possibly live up to Children of Time. Happily, I was wrong about that. Not only was it as good, it was probably better. It's a massively ambitious story covering a dozen different themes yet it never feels disjoint. I'm not going to get into a description of it here because there is just too much there, but if you enjoyed the first one, definitely check it out. If there is a book three and it's as good as this one, I'd have to say it'd probably replace the Three Body Problem as my favorite sci-fi trilogy (so far!)
1speed
Incredibly profound yet fantastically flawed
So I've been off the bike entirely for a bit now because my back has become a real issue that is looking more and more like it's going to need surgery. So my days are pretty much working way longer than I would like and then reading at night until I fall asleep. At least I've been on a winning streak with books lately.
I started off the month with the second in the Last Kingdom series, The Pale Horseman. I like these stories - I even started watching the Netflix series, which is good but it takes some serious liberties with the story and (IMO) moves too fast - it covers the entire first two books in the first season. The second book was great though, and Uhtred is a great character.
After that, I took a huge departure from my recent preferences and read Richard Powers' The Overstory. It was a Pulitzer Prize winner a couple of years ago, but I picked it up after reading an article that said Benioff and Weiss, who destroyed GoT for me with one episode, have optioned the rights to make a series of it. I figured "Hey - I like books that they ultimately ruin for everyone! I should check this out!" I don't even really want to describe this one too much. Nor do I really know how. It's part work-of-environmental-activism, part relationship story, part philosophical treatise on what "intelligent life" really is, part whatever-you-choose-to-take-away. The one thing I can say for certain is that I thoroughly enjoyed it and I love the way it's written - almost in the tone of a fable. I don't know if it's for everyone, but I would probably recommend it to anyone to at least try. I would be very curious to know what anyone who has read it thinks, too. (Have you read this one, @Norm ??)
After that, I went "lighter" with Robert Jackson Bennett's novella "Vigilance". I read this one in a couple of hours. It's short - I think it was originally written for Tor.com. It's a satirical story about an America in decline where a "Running Man"-esque game called "Vigilance" is run on TV by an ultra-conservative new channel as a means to scare Americans into staying heavily armed and ready for attacks from terrorists foreign and domestic. It was amusing and I flew through it, but I wouldn't call it a great story.
So now I'm reading another Tchaikovsky work, "The Doors of Eden". I just started it on Tuesday night, but I'm already hooked. I like how this guy writes and what he chooses to write about! This one is about multi-dimensionality and the horrors it might entail.
I started off the month with the second in the Last Kingdom series, The Pale Horseman. I like these stories - I even started watching the Netflix series, which is good but it takes some serious liberties with the story and (IMO) moves too fast - it covers the entire first two books in the first season. The second book was great though, and Uhtred is a great character.
After that, I took a huge departure from my recent preferences and read Richard Powers' The Overstory. It was a Pulitzer Prize winner a couple of years ago, but I picked it up after reading an article that said Benioff and Weiss, who destroyed GoT for me with one episode, have optioned the rights to make a series of it. I figured "Hey - I like books that they ultimately ruin for everyone! I should check this out!" I don't even really want to describe this one too much. Nor do I really know how. It's part work-of-environmental-activism, part relationship story, part philosophical treatise on what "intelligent life" really is, part whatever-you-choose-to-take-away. The one thing I can say for certain is that I thoroughly enjoyed it and I love the way it's written - almost in the tone of a fable. I don't know if it's for everyone, but I would probably recommend it to anyone to at least try. I would be very curious to know what anyone who has read it thinks, too. (Have you read this one, @Norm ??)
After that, I went "lighter" with Robert Jackson Bennett's novella "Vigilance". I read this one in a couple of hours. It's short - I think it was originally written for Tor.com. It's a satirical story about an America in decline where a "Running Man"-esque game called "Vigilance" is run on TV by an ultra-conservative new channel as a means to scare Americans into staying heavily armed and ready for attacks from terrorists foreign and domestic. It was amusing and I flew through it, but I wouldn't call it a great story.
So now I'm reading another Tchaikovsky work, "The Doors of Eden". I just started it on Tuesday night, but I'm already hooked. I like how this guy writes and what he chooses to write about! This one is about multi-dimensionality and the horrors it might entail.