What are you currently reading?

[MN Dave]

I read a lot of Dick back in the day.

[MN Dave]

Was reading BLIND PANIC by Graham Masterton.

Will soon be reading DARKNESS ON THE EDGE OF TOWN by Brian Keene.

[DavidW]

Was reading BLIND PANIC by Graham Masterton.

Will soon be reading DARKNESS ON THE EDGE OF TOWN by Brian Keene.

I bought the new Keene novel too!  Currently reading Old Man's War though by Scalzi.

[MN Dave]

I bought the new Keene novel too!  Currently reading Old Man's War though by Scalzi.

I'm not hearing great things but we'll see.

I have that Scalzi novel in the TBR pile.

[greg]

I plan on getting into this one and experimenting with Windows programming:


(1394 pages!) 
I figure if I can master what is in this book, I should be able to learn any form of programming easily. The only bad thing is that C# seems to replacing C++ for Windows programming- not only that, but video game programming, too. BUT if I can learn this, C# should be really, really easy...

[SonicMan46]

Jazz (2009) by Gary Giddins & Scott DeVeaux - just published late last year and getting started - should be a good read - have read Giddins in the past; plus, only 5* reviews on Amazon @ the moment.  There are plenty of recordings analyzed which can be obtain on a 4-CD set for $60 (too much!  Plus, I likely have most of these recordings already in my collection - will search & match as much as possible!) - 



 

[karlhenning]

Jazz (2009) by Gary Giddins & Scott DeVeaux - just published late last year and getting started - should be a good read - have read Giddins in the past; plus, only 5* reviews on Amazon @ the moment.  There are plenty of recordings analyzed which can be obtain on a 4-CD set for $60 (too much!  Plus, I likely have most of these recordings already in my collection - will search & match as much as possible!) - 



 

Yes, the accompanying records packet is a bit rich by me.  I had a great time through the initial read, and I shall revisit it with pleasure before long.

[SonicMan46]

Yes, the accompanying records packet is a bit rich by me.  I had a great time through the initial read, and I shall revisit it with pleasure before long.

Good morning Karl - yep at $15 a disc Norton is really gauging the readers, esp. for this old material - but I'll just search my jazz collection and expect to find most of these performances discussed. 

Interestingly, the book gives a Norton website where MP3 were to be located - GREAT!  But Norton either never created the site, has shut it down, or possibly still plans to have it up and running - don't know?  But the book, as expected, is quite good so far - just getting to New Orleans - Dave 

[Kaiser]

This is one seriously amazing book! Essential for the Zappa / Beefheart fan. Check my review on amazon for this!

[MN Dave]

Took a break from the novel for this:

"The Beckoning Fair One" By Oliver Onions.

[greg]

Read the Great Gatsby today (even read the thread about it on this forum).
My opinion... ehh... didn't like it. 

Now, I do like his style of writing very much- the way he describes stuff is very, very nice (with a few moments of being genuinely funny) while at the same time not being over-the-top (like taking 30 pages to describe how a tree looks). Very imaginative and poetic. What I don't like about this book is the plot, setting and characters.

For one, I didn't even care when a certain character died... for two, the setting of rich people dinner parties always makes me want to throw up... for three, the plot felt way too simple and mundane for me. I think I read somewhere (was it here?) about someone mentioning that the plot was practically something that you could find in a soap opera. Now that I think about it....   

Of course, I only read it because it is so highly rated and short at the same time- I figured "hey, i can read this in half a day," and did. Ehhh... at least I can say I've read it now.

[greg]

Anyways, I've been looking at this list:
http://www.thebest100lists.com/best100novels/

and similar ones, which seem to have the same books, but in slightly different order.
A few of the ones I liked were 1984, Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, It (on another list, I think), and Brave New World and Of Mice and Men were okay.

Of course, I plan to read Crime and Punishment before long... and others that look tasty to me from the list include The Brothers Karamazov, Catch-22, Ulysses, Slaughter-house Five, The Stand, and Ender's Game. The last two my dad has read and recommended them... interesting thing about Ender's Game- there is this foreign guy he works with (just showed me his picture today) named Ender- he recommended the book to him, the guy read it and liked it. 

[DavidW]

For one, I didn't even care when a certain character died...

Read it again in a few years and you might actually find sympathy for the people that you were apathetic towards.

[greg]

Okay, but it will be a few years. 

[Frumaster]

Last night I read Somerset Maughan's short novel "Rain."  The ending left me reeling, although some of the details are little fuzzy to me.  Many possible courses of action weren't even hinted at in the text, but they stick out in my mind.  Highly recommended for a dull evening.  Next I really need to finish some books I've already begun.  Godel Escher Bach, Bach Meets Frederick the Great..., some computer science textbooks, but first I think I'll stay with Maugham and try Razor's Edge.

[Bogey]

Decision in the West: The Atlanta Campaign of 1864

[SonicMan46]

Just finished up the New Orleans chapter in the book Jazz by Giddins & DeVeaux - just some initial thoughts for those who are contemplating a purchase - the authors are concentrating on the 'major' performers w/ some preliminary but brief history - w/ each biographical discussion, one or several recordings are analyzed in depth w/ a 'chart' timing - this approach is useful if you have the specific recordings (now as mentioned previously, Norton the publisher is offering a 4-CD box at a ridiculous price) - fortunately I had the discs shown below which allowed me to listen to the recordings reviewed in detail by the ODJB, Jelly Roll Morton, Joe Oliver/Armstrong (not great sound!), and Sidney Bechet/Armstrong on an Oliver set.

Bottom line - excellent book so far, more enjoyable if you can follow along w/ the recordings. 

Jazz (2009) by Gary Giddins & Scott DeVeaux - just published late last year and getting started - should be a good read - have read Giddins in the past; plus, only 5* reviews on Amazon @ the moment.  There are plenty of recordings analyzed which can be obtain on a 4-CD set for $60 (too much!  Plus, I likely have most of these recordings already in my collection - will search & match as much as possible!) - 

   

 

[Harpo]

My book club is tackling The Sound and the Fury by Faulkner. So I'll be starting it soon....

[zorzynek]

My book club is tackling The Sound and the Fury by Faulkner. So I'll be starting it soon....

such an amazing book

[greg]

I've started Crime and Punishment again- on page 103/967 (this e-book version has short pages).
I really do feel like I've just started something which will turn out to be quite a ride- hoping it does turn out that way.