What are you currently reading?

[NikF]

Reading the remaining short stories in this, on account of Gautier having written the libretto for the ballet we watched last night.

[Jaakko Keskinen]

Going through Faust II. Amazing, so overwhelming that I'm exhausted. It lingers a bit too much with the mythological characters, though. It's great for a while but when it continues for too long, you want change. It was better in scenes with the Emperor. Mephistopheles steals the show, even from Faust himself. The real joy comes from the multiple ways he can be interpreted, he is so layered character. He can be played as incarnation of pure evil who still manages to have outward charm that fools people but also as a noble demon who isn't merely manipulating Faust 100 % of the time but has some genuine redeeming qualities.

After I'm finished with this and Richard III, I'll probably move on to Wilhelm Meister.

[lisa needs braces]

Such an interesting subject. I'm going through Dan Carlin's epic length aural tour of WW1 (the series is titled "Blueprint for Armageddon") and I wanted to delve into books on the subject afterwards. Any recs?

ps that Dan Carlin podcast link is here:

http://www.dancarlin.com/hardcore-history-series/

[Daverz]

Well written and argued, but way more nerdy detail than I was prepared for.  My thumb gets sore paging thru the chapter endnotes.  I'm sticking with it, though.  No spoilers, please!

[asin]B00B23DEBQ[/asin]

[Ken B]

Well written and argued, but way more nerdy detail than I was prepared for.  My thumb gets sore paging thru the chapter endnotes.  I'm sticking with it, though.  No spoilers, please!

[asin]B00B23DEBQ[/asin]

You probably want to pass on Erickson then ... But Beevor's book on Stalingrad is great.

[Daverz]

You probably want to pass on Erickson then ...

This is Stalin's War with Germany in 2 volumes?

I did enjoy Richard J. Evans 3 volume history of the Third Reich.  Stahel's book seems to be for a more academic audience, focusing somewhat relentlessly on his thesis.

[asin]B0023SDQGW[/asin]

But Beevor's book on Stalingrad is great.

I've heard good things about it.

[Ken B]

This is Stalin's War with Germany in 2 volumes?

I did enjoy Richard J. Evans 3 volume history of the Third Reich.  Stahel's book seems to be for a more academic audience, focusing somewhat relentlessly on his thesis.

[asin]B0023SDQGW[/asin]

I've heard good things about it.

Yes, I think that's the title. I stopped part way. I have read book 1 of Evans and liked it. I have the second on my shelf. Burleigh is good too.
The one I liked best is an old one by Bracher, The German Dictatorship. Mostly about the process of consolidating power.

[NikF]

With Toots out socialising with her little friends, I'm afforded the simple pleasure of an evening in Clochemerle.

[aligreto]

I have just started to read 1Q84....

[Karl Henning]

A tale of two [proposed] time zones

[Pretorious]

Currently reading The Vicar of Wakefield by Oliver Goldsmith.



I must say, I'm quite enjoying it so far, more so than I thought I would. I've come off reading a few lengthy books and this is a welcome reprieve from them, being just over a hundred pages.

[Doulton]

I read and reread and reread again the novels of Anthony Trollope.

[stingo]

Finished

[asin]B00C448DL8[/asin]

and

[asin]B009IPQKLQ[/asin]

[Karl Henning]

I read and reread and reread again the novels of Anthony Trollope.

Interesting! What do you like about his work?

Thread Duty:

Hate crimes in America dropped by 8 percent in 2014

[Karl Henning]

Finished

[asin]B00C448DL8[/asin]

I've never read any of the Baum books. What's your opinion?

[Mookalafalas]

I'm about 10% of the way into this on a Kindle. 

[asin]B00E78IB3E[/asin]

I started the Lockwood bio a year or two back and lost my way.  I don't expect to have that problem with this one.

[listener]

Way out from my usual taste but the idea of 'concept books' appeals to me (like the Phaic Tan, Molvania and Sin Sombrero Guidebooks)  HORRORSTÖR  (Grady Hendrix) is set in a home furnishing store like the Swedish one that is overtaken by its location.   Short, quick read, graphics to match.

[stingo]

I've never read any of the Baum books. What's your opinion?

I found that the stories were engaging, if repetitive. The formula from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is repeated, especially in the stories that just come after it. But toward the end of the series, Baum starts to use some pretty interesting opening premises. If you do decide to take the plunge, reading a story now and again is probably the best approach.

[ritter]

Finished this yesterday...



Nicholas Fox Weber's book sometimes has what from a European perspective can be seen as too casual and gossipy a style, but in the end, this is clearly a work of love and admiration for the characters it depicts, and provides a fascinating insight into a period in which some art that we now take for granted was new, and to a certain extent had almost to be forced on a resisting public. Well worth the read...

..and then started:

[asin]2070227243[/asin]
Miracle de la Rose, after these first pages, is turning out to be one of Jean Genet's most succesful books IMHO. The depiction of the relationships within the prison, of the lives and desires of the low and down-and-out is very poetically done (in spite--or because--of the use of slang), and interpersed with the authors thoughts and musings. And the way time is dealt with ( in an almost imperceptible back-and-forth) is quite clever.

[Bogey]

Thought I would post this here:



My wife and I were just reflecting yesterday on how we would always head to a favorite independently owned book shop here in Colorado during this time of year and spend hours perusing new (and old) titles for gifts for friends and family.  One can still do this, but the hustle and bustle throughout the shop is now down to traffic that need not merge.  Really miss this experience and maybe those that are old enough to remember this, you might concur.