What Are You Reading Right Now? The IAC Book Thread

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LiveonJG
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What Are You Reading Right Now? The IAC Book Thread

Post by LiveonJG » Tue Feb 17, 2009 6:31 pm

Seeing as I am always reading something and the IAC Book Club went down in flames, I thought this would be a good way of discussing our reads. A book coming with a recommendation from a fellow IAC member might just help the round out our reading lists. I tend to get bogged down in history as this thread will show, so come on everyone, what are you reading right now?

I just finished Benerson Little's The Sea Rover's Practice: Pirate Tactics and Techniques, 1630-1730.

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If you have any interest in the Golden Age of Piracy, AAARRRR! and would like to gain a greater appreciation and knowledge of the actual history of those times then you might just like this book. Leaving fanciful tales behind, Little takes a scholarly approach to the methods and equipment employed initially by Privateers and later their descendants, Pirates. May yer sails be full and a fair wind guide ye to glory!

Right now I'm about 30 pages in to Peter Bedford Ellis's The Celts: A History.
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More to come once I finish it.

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Post by chitwnvw » Tue Feb 17, 2009 7:02 pm

Small Wonder or is it Small Wonders, I'm not usually such a vw nerd.
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Post by Sylvester » Tue Feb 17, 2009 7:20 pm

chitwnvw wrote:Small Wonder or is it Small Wonders, I'm not usually such a vw nerd.
Jodi Piccult, Songs of the Humpback whale. I read EVERYTHING.
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Post by Cindy » Tue Feb 17, 2009 8:12 pm

The Meaning of Everything: The Story of the Oxford English Dictionary.

im creeping through it, between assignments. looks good so far.

reminds me a little of bill bryson's The Mother Tongue. his was a history of the english language itself, and very entertaining.

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Post by locoqueso » Tue Feb 17, 2009 8:40 pm

A Writer's Reference by Diana Hacker

Not a fun read but its a helpful reference for someone trying to improve their writing skills. I never knew there were so many rules for using a comma.
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Post by zblair » Tue Feb 17, 2009 8:41 pm

"The Simpsons and Philosophy; The D'oh! of Homer." Edited by William Irwin, Mark T. Conard and Aeon J. Skoble.

John, I've got a nice book on Druids :joker:

Loco, Hacker's website is a great reference too! There are great examples of things there. I've about worn out that book, but with grad school approaching I'll be back again at it. At least I know my work should be more clearly defined between humanities and science. I hope.
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Post by Cindy » Tue Feb 17, 2009 8:52 pm

locoqueso wrote:A Writer's Reference by Diana Hacker

Not a fun read but its a helpful reference for someone trying to improve their writing skills. I never knew there were so many rules for using a comma.
The Elements of Style is the best book for improving your writing skills. Eats, Shoots and Leaves is good too. and for die-hards like me--brysons reference book for writers and editors. all kinds of tricky stuff in that book.

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Post by dingo » Tue Feb 17, 2009 9:05 pm

'Raising Steaks' by Betty Fussel..the history, geography and anatomy of raising cattle for steaks, beef and the rest...the slaughtering, meat selection etc etc..very interesting, and despite some very graphic detail, always makes me salivate while reading, for a slab of medium-rare Angus on the Barbi
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Post by dtrumbo » Wed Feb 18, 2009 6:31 am

On The Grind by Stephen J. Cannell.

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Yes, that Stephen J. Cannell, the creator of the TV shows 'The A-Team', '21 Jump Street', etc.

This is the latest in a series of 'Shane Scully' novels. Like his TV shows, his books are just entertainment. Certainly not enlightening. They occupy the two hours of Metro-bus commuting I do each day.
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Post by Sylvester » Wed Feb 18, 2009 7:45 am

byproxy wrote:reminds me a little of bill bryson's The Mother Tongue. his was a history of the english language itself, and very entertaining.

cindy
I am a big fan of Bryson, I need to get that book sometime. I have recently read:

Plain Truth, Keeping Faith - Jodi Piccult
Here, There and Everywhere: My Life Recording the Music of the Beatles by Geoff Emerick Good read
Their eyes were watching God - Zora Neal Hurston
Leaving Home - Garrison Keillor
Fatal Cure - Robin Cook
The Broker, The Partner, The Last Juror, The King of Torts, The Street Lawyer, The Brethren - John Grisham

I need to get some history in too during my commutes, I am getting rusty.
Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue, I’ve topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace. Where never lark, or even eagle flew. And, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod, The high untrespassed sanctity of space, Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.
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Post by bretski » Wed Feb 18, 2009 8:03 am

I've been on a James Patterson kick lately...

Just finished Kiss The Girls
preceded by Along Came a Spider

I'm considering re-reading Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. I drove through the Aspen area recently, and it got me thinking about ole Hunter S...
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Post by Sylvester » Wed Feb 18, 2009 8:07 am

bretski wrote:I've been on a James Patterson kick lately...

Just finished Kiss The Girls
preceded by Along Came a Spider

I'm considering re-reading Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. I drove through the Aspen area recently, and it got me thinking about ole Hunter S...
WHat did you think of those Patterson books?
Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue, I’ve topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace. Where never lark, or even eagle flew. And, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod, The high untrespassed sanctity of space, Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.
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Post by hambone » Wed Feb 18, 2009 8:12 am

I would like to know more about the Celts. They were such a mysterious force.
Reading the Wilson VW book until I can almost quote from the thing.
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Post by bretski » Wed Feb 18, 2009 8:21 am

Sylvester wrote:WHat did you think of those Patterson books?
I really enjoyed them. Fast, suspenseful reads. A few summers ago, somebody handed me a copy of Cat and Mouse, and I read it in a day. It's the 4th book in the series. Anyway, I always meant to go back and start the series from the beginning. Jack and Jill is next on the list, when I get a chance.

Kiss the Girls is creepy-good stuff...I know that a few movies have been made of the books, but I won't watch them. Morgan Freeman is one of my favorite actors, but he is horribly mis-cast as Alex Cross (main character).
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Post by RussellK » Wed Feb 18, 2009 8:40 am

Just Finished: Dead Man's Walk - Larry McMurtry

Just Started: Great Plains Originals - ??
Sin Killer - Larry McMurtry
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