What are you currently reading?

[Draško]

[SimonNZ]

Finished:



off and on, among other things:

[SonicMan46]

Finished:

   

Hi Simon - love those books that that seem to cover too much in the span of one-volume - just ordered the book inserted above, A Short History of Europe: From Pericles to Putin from the History Book Club - not released yet but should arrive late next week?  However, I have 3 other books to start, so may be a while for that one?  Dave

[SimonNZ]

Hi Simon - love those books that that seem to cover too much in the span of one-volume - just ordered the book inserted above, A Short History of Europe: From Pericles to Putin from the History Book Club - not released yet but should arrive late next week?  However, I have 3 other books to start, so may be a while for that one?  Dave

I didn't mean to keep going with The Penguin History Of The World. I picked it up expecting to confirm that it would just be everything once over lightly with a succession of names, places and dates. But it actually justifies its much reprinted status, largely because the personality and quirks of the author come through so clearly and unapologetically - in the manner of, say, your favorite lecturer at university. Likewise the threads he choses to follow and his take on things are often unexpected - try not to raise your eyebrows  when you hear how unimpressed he is with the "achievements" and "legacy" of ancient Egypt, for example. And, of course, plenty of signposts for things I now want to look into in more detail.

[Ken B]

I didn't mean to keep going with The Penguin History Of The World. I picked it up expecting to confirm that it would just be everything once over lightly with a succession of names, places and dates. But it actually justifies its much reprinted status, largely because the personality and quirks of the author come through so clearly and unapologetically - in the manner of, say, your favorite lecturer at university. Likewise the threads he choses to follow and his take on things are often unexpected - try not to raise your eyebrows  when you hear how unimpressed he is with the "achievements" and "legacy" of ancient Egypt, for example. And, of course, plenty of signposts for things I now want to look into in more detail.

I hesitate to ask about the Mitchell book. She's an icon in Canada of course, proving no country is without its flaws. I truly loathe Big Yellow Taxi.

[SimonNZ]

I hesitate to ask about the Mitchell book. She's an icon in Canada of course, proving no country is without its flaws. I truly loathe Big Yellow Taxi.

Actually that was pretty good. The author got access to everyone, including Mitchell herself, and in covering her entire career with nearly equal focus it highlights some neglected gems on later albums. Some backstory and autobiographical elements in the songs which I hadn't been aware of before, despite having listened to and read about Joni for most of my adult life. Good, if tragic, coverage of the development of  her 80s and onwards self-destructive impulses and waspish character.

Not overly critical, though. Nothing is actually bad or a total misstep. The author describes having written an early article about Joni with a couple of innocuous asides she didn't like and being blackballed be her for years following. He's clearly not going to make that mistake again, so most things are presented best foot forward, and when presenting various takes on a situation is careful to let Joni's spin be the final word - even knowing that's not how the reader will weigh the charges. Way more gushing about the first two albums than I would care to do - While I quite like the first one I think the unique voice really comes into its own with the third.


There's considerably more to her than "Big Yellow Taxi" or "Both Sides Now" if that's all you really know of her. The decade of albums she made in the 70s are a remarkable run, including "Hejira" which is just about my favorite album by anyone. And "Blue" and "Court And Spark" I've played thousands of times. I could give more and specific recommendations if you want them.

[Karl Henning]

https://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/2019/03/06/how-get-your-digital-affairs-order/sM9xWUrECUGzfmnzfkA83H/story.html

[Jaakko Keskinen]

If you don't mind me asking, Karl, do you like Our Mutual Friend so far?

[Jaakko Keskinen]

Now reading Mann's The Magic Mountain in English - unabridged, finally. 

[André]

Now reading Mann's The Magic Mountain in English - unabridged, finally. 

A milestone in one's life, I say  0:)

[Artem]

Good and rather scary. Schweblin is an interesting young writer from Argentine living in Germany whose work I look forward to following.

[Ken B]

I just finished

Death of a Hollow Man
Caroline Graham

This is a Barnaby novel. Midsomer is not mentioned but these are the source of Midsomer Murders.

This book is terrible. Terrible.

[Ken B]

That study people cite about women and blind Orchestra auditions? https://medium.com/@jsmp/orchestrating-false-beliefs-about-gender-discrimination-a25a48e1d02

[Mandryka]

I think it's rather good.

[NikF4]

I just finished

Death of a Hollow Man
Caroline Graham

This is a Barnaby novel. Midsomer is not mentioned but these are the source of Midsomer Murders.

This book is terrible. Terrible.

As my auld granny would say "Hell mend ye".

[Florestan]

Just started:

https://bibliotheque-russe-et-slave.com/Livres/Lermontov%20-%20Un%20heros%20de%20notre%20temps.pdf

Lermontov - A Hero of Our Time (French translation)

Hat tip to NikF4, this looks very promising. I wonder why I've been waiting for that long before reading it.

[SimonNZ]

Finished:




Started:



this had better improve soon, because the opening chapters on roots and causes are a mess, with no attempt at untangling


also on the go:

[Ken B]

On tape, at the gym, so in short sessions:

The Perilous Question
Antonia Fraser

I am enjoying it.

[André]

Gaston Leroux' first big success (1907). His most famous opus was yet to come: The Phantom of the Opera.

The Yellow Room was adapted on the screen (5 times), on tv, radio, on cartoon series. Much admired by Agatha Christie, Jean Cocteau and the Surrealists.

[SonicMan46]

Well, some new ones - first two Kindle DLs on my iPad and two others as physical books - all in the process of being read:

Earth-Shattering (2019) by Bob Berman - purchased based on a recent NPR interview w/ the author - fascinating account of the universe's cataclysmic events from the 'Big Bang' 13.8 billion years ago, to the creation of the earth & moon, and many other events that will astound - highly recommended, esp. to astronomy fans!

An Elegant Defense (2019) by Matt Richtel - also bought after hearing the author's comments on an NPR interview - the history, science, research, and other topics regarding the human immune system - about half way through and fascinating to me (as a retired physician).

A Short History of Europe (2019) by Simon Jenkins - from Pericles to Putin - LOL!  Of course, not easy books to write - conciseness a must but now up to the start of the Crusades and enjoying; much of the history is familiar to me but there are a lot of 'new' facts that are new (for me) - recommended if you like these 'short overview' attempts to sum up a complicated portion of the world's history.

Oxford History of Western Music, 2nd Ed (2019) by Richard Taruskin & Christopher Gibbs - about every six years or so, I like buying a 'college type' tome on Western Classical Music; usually have obtained the Norton book (have the 8th ed from 2010) - the price on these books has really escalated, so likely the last one that I'll purchase - so far, an excellent read - into the Baroque period - I only do about 10 pages at a time, so will take a number of weeks.  Dave