what are you reading?

[RayKingsForemanGrill]

The Border Trilogy - Cormac McCarthy...

[flosses like fossas]

The Border Trilogy - Cormac McCarthy...

yes! how did i forget that?

[Brewtacular]

Just finished a fantastic book called Country Driving by Peter Hessler. Currently, reading a memoir of sorts by Haruki Marukami called What I Talk About When I Talk About Running.

[PlayerHader]

Just read The Wednesday Letters. It was a decent story, but the message was almost too blunt. Interesting premise that could have been made into a much more interesting and engaging book. Then again, mid-20s males probably were not the target audience.

[barrelman2010]

Am finishing up 'The Lombardi Legacy' which came out last fall by Dave Robinson and another Wisconsinite Royce Boyles

(Always learning something new about him and the goings on during that magical era)

 

www.the lombardilegacy.com

[mothershipconnection]

The End of Faith - Sam Harris. Starts out strong, but fades. Fixates on over generalizations in attempting to make points that could be explained better.

 

Starts strong but fades into crap. We'll leave the rest to the politics forum, but Harris needed to stick with his main topic, as he has the pseudo-scientific understanding of human behavior characteristic of pop psych readers. It really chaps my buns when members of the "skeptical movement" embrace the same clunky unfalsifiable accounts of human behavior you'd expect from an Oprah enthusiast.

[Buckylovesbeer]

Just finished the latests in my war book collection, although this one is not a WWII book, which is rare for me.

 

"The Great Gamble - The Soviet War in Afghanistan" by Gregory Feifer - 2009

 

Probably the most difficult read I have ever tackled. Lots of names of Soviets and Afghan, Arabs, etc. The first 50 pages took a long time to read and understand. After the intro, the book itself is pretty interesting. Since it is quite new, the author has a unique perspective on how the Soviet struggle in Afg. is similar and different to the current NATO operation. But it is told on a personal level, because the author tells the story of the conflict by interviewing the people who were there on both sides.

I was surprised at a lot of the facts that are coming out of the former Soviet Union - More deaths for them there than US deaths in Vietnam, but also that the USSR made no attempt to find MIA's or to notify parents of MIA's - the just assumed (and under the belief that all captured soviets are traitors and should be punished) that all missing soldiers were dead.

The US played a large role in that war, and most of us know that. But the Saudi's played a huge role as well, basically with their funding and weapons.

 

A very challenging topic and read, but something that I would argue none of us are experts on.

[jwill535]

"If Chins could Kill" The Bruce Campbell Autobiolgraphy. Pretty humourous book, going over his life trying to be a A actor to becoming the most famous B movie actor ever. Prior to that it was "Behind the Paint" the story of the Insanse Clown Posse, written by Violent J. Once you get use to the language it is pretty amazing the effort they put in to make them selves multi platinum artists. The first chapter of the book it actually pretty depressing.

[Dragonbait]

Finished "Uncle John's Bathroom Reader" Baseball version... interesting stuff in there (NO the book didn't get "marked")

 

Finished the First Percy Jackson book: 'Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief'

 

Before that was Dan Brown's 'The Lost Symbol' - The other two books were better, but this one definately was interesting to hear about all the odd stuff in our history and Dan Brown does his research.

 

On my to read list: 'Marley and Me', 'Catcher in the Wry', and 'A Summer up North'

[Buckylovesbeer]

Which version of Catcher in the Wry? I read Bob Uecker's version in High School (its about his days in the minor leagues) and it was very funny!

[Dragonbait]

Uecks of course... None other will qualify. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

[flosses like fossas]

on the recommendation of my somewhat maniac MBA-student friend, i am trying out the 4 hour work week. anyone read it? thoughts?

 

i am a huge skeptic, but after 50+ pages the least i can say is that it's intriguing. it's not gimmicky, which is nice, though the author's voice often comes across as arrogant. but he's not showing off, he speaks very confidently (most often) about decision-making, and about how hesitation and fear of "what-ifs" keep most people from achieving so many things because they fear risks.

 

i can't say i ascribe to any of it word-for-word, but i do agree with much of his philosophy about risk taking and the rewards associated with it. it's interesting so far.

[Buckylovesbeer]

"Patton, Montgomery, Rommel - Masters of War" by Terry Brichton (2008)

 

The newest additon to my WWII library. Very interesting story about how the three best generals of the Western European theatre (in the field) compared in WWII. Tells the story of the war through their eyes and their own writings. Pretty good stuff. Patton is a great guy to read about, always swearing and gruff and full of funny quote. But it dives deeper into his own doubts and fears, as well as his affair with an aide that his wife caught. His life was ended tragically in a car crash, before he could write his own biography.....which is too bad. Some books are beginning to appear with the idea that it was a conspiracy - his death......because Patton made it known that the Soviets were just as big of an enemy as the Nazis, and that a bigger war was definately coming.

The author then discusses in details the tallent and myth surrouding Rommel. He was a great leader, but also, a great propaganda tool. Brichton talks about how Rommel, being a German general, cannot be innocent of the German war crimes. But he does discuss how history has tried to make Rommel "the good German general." Its a good view of how Rommel never seemed to get what he needed, and thus, was never able to fully win. But he sure came close.

The third character is possibly the most famous British general of the last 100 years, Sir Bernard Law Montgomery. He is entirely different than the other two characters mentioned above....cautious, picky, and refusing to attack without complete numerical superiority. But his background is wild. Hates his mother. Thinks everyone is out to get him. Very anti-American. After the war, becomes involved in numerous scandals involving young boys. Crazy stuff.

 

This book is a great read if you are interested in the subject. I enjoyed it!

[hawing]

I recently finished a new book, Letters to Jackie: Condolences from a Grieving Nation. It's simply a sampling of the over 1.5 million condolence letters Mrs. Kennedy received from around the world in the two years following JFK's assassination.

 

It's usually nearly impossible to mention Kennedys without getting into politics, but few of the sampled letters are political; most are simply condolences. 1963 predates me by a few years, but this book gave me a better idea than I'd ever had before of what the nation- and worldwide grieving was like. I also found it fascinating how closely (almost creepily so) some identified with the Kennedys. People wrote to Jackie inviting her to visit if she was ever in their town, or asking for a memento to remember the former first couple by. One guy asked for one of JFK's suits. Hmmm. OK.

[gypcasino]

the 4 hour work week.

I'm reading it right now. I ordered the "expanded and updated" version from Amazon a few weeks ago. There were a bunch of positive reviews and IMO the reviewers didn't seem like shills so I figured I'd give it a shot. I'm about 100 pages in.

[barrelman2010]

Am now reading "Men at Work"

a 1989 book on baseball by George E. Will

linky doo

[sgtcluels]

The End of Faith - Sam Harris. Starts out strong, but fades. Fixates on over generalizations in attempting to make points that could be explained better.

 

Starts strong but fades into crap. We'll leave the rest to the politics forum, but Harris needed to stick with his main topic, as he has the pseudo-scientific understanding of human behavior characteristic of pop psych readers. It really chaps my buns when members of the "skeptical movement" embrace the same clunky unfalsifiable accounts of human behavior you'd expect from an Oprah enthusiast.

I'll agree with that. It was written in 2004, and since then his speaking engagements have gotten a lot better. Curious if he'd rewrite parts of the book since he's since received a phd in neuroscience. Dawkins is a much better writter, but next I think I'll try to read some Daniel Dennete.

[brewcrewman17]

I checked out No Quarter: The Battle of the Crater 1864 from the Wisconsin Historical Society the other day. I'd done a little research in 19th century newspaper archives about The Battle of the Crater for a paper earlier in the semester, so it seemed like a sign when I saw the book in the "new books" case in the library. The battle is really fascinating, actually. During the siege of Petersburg, Virginia, Union forces realized they were stuck only 450-500 feet from highly fortified Confederate lines. In one of those decisions that makes you think, "seriously?" the Union army proceeded to tunnel the 500 feet to the Confederate lines and pack the end of the tunnel with 4000 pounds of gunpowder. The book tells the story of the battle itself and it's outcome - the battle was ultimately a failure because Union forces charging the Confederate lines got caught in the giant crater left by the explosion and were slaughtered. It's a really interesting look at Civil War battle tactics as well as race relations in the Union Army. I'd highly recommend it.

[hawing]

I checked out No Quarter: The Battle of the Crater 1864 from the Wisconsin Historical Society the other day.

Excellent choice of library. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif I hope the staff were courteous and efficient.

[mothershipconnection]

but next I think I'll try to read some Daniel Dennete

 

Dennet, too, goes a bit beyond his facts with accounts of human behavior. Read Skinner's About Behaviorism first, as he had data and facts rather than introspection.

[flosses like fossas]

the 4 hour work week.

I'm reading it right now. I ordered the "expanded and updated" version from Amazon a few weeks ago. There were a bunch of positive reviews and IMO the reviewers didn't seem like shills so I figured I'd give it a shot. I'm about 100 pages in.

thoughts? so far i'm surprised by how useful much of his advice is. however, i basically disregarded the section where he develops a product to sell.

[Principessa21]

"If Chins could Kill" The Bruce Campbell Autobiolgraphy. Pretty humourous book, going over his life trying to be a A actor to becoming the most famous B movie actor ever. Prior to that it was "Behind the Paint" the story of the Insanse Clown Posse, written by Violent J. Once you get use to the language it is pretty amazing the effort they put in to make them selves multi platinum artists. The first chapter of the book it actually pretty depressing.

Based on your recommendation here I picked up "If Chins Could Kill." I thought it was great. I always loved the Evil Deads, so the behind-the-scenes were fantastic and his chapters on being an actor were really interesting. So thank you. I'm going to try to find "Behind the Paint" next. I'm not a fan of the band but the book looks promising.

[nodakfan17]

"The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People"

 

I'm only on the 3rd habit, but so far, "search the web for sports information every morning" is not one of them.

[yfinn6]

I read "Flags of Our Fathers" in about 3 days. I couldn't put that book down. I had seen the movie before I read the book, but the book was definitely better - which is usually the case IMO. I've ready Terry Frei's "Third Down and a War to Go" and really enjoyed that, I'm thinking about picking up EB Sledge's Memoir from the Pacific War, maybe Robert Leckie's as well. I'd like to read into just what made The Pacific mini-series on HBO.

 

I had a hard time finding the right genre, but war seems to be it; so much to write about.

[Buckylovesbeer]

I read "Flags of Our Fathers" in about 3 days. I couldn't put that book down. I had seen the movie before I read the book, but the book was definitely better - which is usually the case IMO. I've ready Terry Frei's "Third Down and a War to Go" and really enjoyed that, I'm thinking about picking up EB Sledge's Memoir from the Pacific War, maybe Robert Leckie's as well. I'd like to read into just what made The Pacific mini-series on HBO.

 

I had a hard time finding the right genre, but war seems to be it; so much to write about.

I agree with you about Flags. War books can be very good reads. That is why it is what I stick too.... welcome to the addicted club.