Official Book Thread - What You're Reading & Everything Book Related (merged)

#954
#954
About to start a new book, should be interesting.

Devil’s Game: How the U.S. Helped Unleash Fundamentalist Islam by Richard Dreyfuss
 
#955
#955
Reading Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert Heinlein. It's pretty freaking awesome. Human being raised solely among martians comes back to earth. It's mostly supposed to be a dramatic social and political commentary, but if they made it a film, it would probably be a comedy.
 
#956
#956
Currently reading:

The Magus by John Fowles - I am about 250 pages in, and I can see why this is considered a classic. I have no idea where it is going or who is telling the truth.

Recently finished:

American Sniper by Chris Kyle - I came away really disappointed with this book.)

Last Days by Adam Nevill - Ok horror read.

The Troop by Nick Cutter - One of the better horror novels I read lately. It was really fun.

Words of Radiance (The Stormlight Archive, #2) by Brandon Sanderson - Only the second book, but it is right up there with ASOIAF and The First Law Trilogy as my favorite fantasy series.

The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt - Best novel I read in years. Her novel The Secret History is great too.


myrobbins7 said:
About to start a new book, should be interesting.

Devil’s Game: How the U.S. Helped Unleash Fundamentalist Islam by Richard Dreyfuss
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That is Robert Dreyfuss, not the guy from Jaws.
 
#957
#957
n_huffhines said:
Reading Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert Heinlein. It's pretty freaking awesome. Human being raised solely among martians comes back to earth. It's mostly supposed to be a dramatic social and political commentary, but if they made it a film, it would probably be a comedy.
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Awesome! Came here to post that I started re-reading Stranger in a Strange Land yesterday. If they ever turned this book into a film, it won't be a comedy (I mean once you reach the end you'll "grok" what I mean) - it would have a lot of funny moments though. Michael is a very funny character and for about the first half of the book it's all pretty light-hearted fun, but I'll be damned if Hollywood ruins one of my favorite books by twisting it into a comedy!

Heinlein uses a lot of reoccurring characters throughout his novels. I think Jubal Harshaw is also in The Cat Who Walks Through Walls (highly recommended) and To Sail Beyond The Sunset.

Be sure and check out The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress, too - it is a great book to follow up with.
 
#962
#962
qwerty said:
Sciency.
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The Elegant Universe by Brian Greene

Our Mathematical Universe by Max Tegmart

The Science before the Science by Anthony Rizzi

The first is the gold standard of current physics. The second is more theoretical (speculative) and centers on the implications of various experimentally tested theories. The last I haven't read yet, I am about to start tomorrow, it has great reviews from everything I have read about it.
 
#965
#965
Volunteer_Kirby said:
Awesome! Came here to post that I started re-reading Stranger in a Strange Land yesterday. If they ever turned this book into a film, it won't be a comedy (I mean once you reach the end you'll "grok" what I mean) - it would have a lot of funny moments though. Michael is a very funny character and for about the first half of the book it's all pretty light-hearted fun, but I'll be damned if Hollywood ruins one of my favorite books by twisting it into a comedy!

Heinlein uses a lot of reoccurring characters throughout his novels. I think Jubal Harshaw is also in The Cat Who Walks Through Walls (highly recommended) and To Sail Beyond The Sunset.

Be sure and check out The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress, too - it is a great book to follow up with.
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I read that one first. I liked it more, actually.

After finishing Stranger, I stand by my statement that it should be a comedy. I think ending a comedy dramatically is a great idea, but I like weird movies. I can't really see a movie being made if it's pitched as a drama. If they follow the author's tone, it's too preachy (I like the sermon, but I'm the target audience).
 
#966
#966
Recently I read (recommended in bold):

Greg Fitzsimmons' memoir
President Me by Adam Carolla
Politically Incorrect Guide to the Middle East
Duff McKagan's biography
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
The Invisible Hand in Popular Culture (beginning and end were slow, but the bulk of it was awesome)
 
#967
#967
n_huffhines said:
Recently I read (recommended in bold):

Greg Fitzsimmons' memoir
President Me by Adam Carolla
Politically Incorrect Guide to the Middle East
Duff McKagan's biography
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
The Invisible Hand in Popular Culture (beginning and end were slow, but the bulk of it was awesome)
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I really loved One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Was president me funny? I hesitate to buy his books because I feel like it would all just be regurgitation of the stuff from his podcasts.
 
#968
#968
n_huffhines said:
Reading Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert Heinlein. It's pretty freaking awesome. Human being raised solely among martians comes back to earth. It's mostly supposed to be a dramatic social and political commentary, but if they made it a film, it would probably be a comedy.
Click to expand...

Read that years ago on a Heinlein kick. The part about him not wanting to walk on grass since it was living then realizing its purpose is something I always think of when I think of that book (for some reason)
 
#969
#969
n_huffhines said:
Recently I read (recommended in bold):

Greg Fitzsimmons' memoir
President Me by Adam Carolla
Politically Incorrect Guide to the Middle East
Duff McKagan's biography
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
The Invisible Hand in Popular Culture (beginning and end were slow, but the bulk of it was awesome)
Click to expand...

The invisible hand is everywhere. I am about 30 pages from finishing the Intelligent Investor. Any good business/econ books out there?
 
#970
#970
Almost finished with "For Whom the Bell Tolls" by Hemingway. This is the first time I am reading a Hemingway novel. It is very captivating even if he seems to be somewhat of a communist apologist. I really like his literary style. Easy to read and understand without being superficial and obvious. Many things in the dialogue are intentionally left unsaid for the purpose of tension, but the reader can make assumptions as to the holes in the conversation. Will definitely be reading another Hemingway soon.
 
#971
#971
Finished "For Whom the Bell Tolls". Loved it. In my top 5 probably.

I just picked up "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson. Super funny and clever so far. Seems like a lighthearted quick fun read.
 
#972
#972
This is really the only place I can say this and not sound like a total jerk, but I got my first royalty check for my first online book this week. I'm hoping to self publish the series (it's a trilogy) by the end of it all and maybe even do a kickstarter to get it funded, but just seeing one check even means it had to sell decently with no advertisement really, and its really humbling to see anything up there for sale on the same platforms as some of the greatest writers of all time, Amazon and Kindle really have made things so much easier for writers, especially small town ones who wouldn't have much of an audience otherwise.
 
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#973
#973
Daloth said:
This is really the only place I can say this and not sound like a total jerk, but I got my first royalty check for my first online book this week. I'm hoping to self publish it by the end of it all and maybe even do a kickstarter to get it funded, but just seeing one check even means it had to sell decently with no advertisement really, and its really humbling to see anything up there for sale on the same platforms as some of the greatest writers of all time, Amazon and Kindle really have made things so much easier for writers, especially small town ones who wouldn't have much of an audience otherwise.
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Wow, what a jerk! :)

What is your book about?
 
#974
#974
Daloth said:
This is really the only place I can say this and not sound like a total jerk, but I got my first royalty check for my first online book this week. I'm hoping to self publish the series (it's a trilogy) by the end of it all and maybe even do a kickstarter to get it funded, but just seeing one check even means it had to sell decently with no advertisement really, and its really humbling to see anything up there for sale on the same platforms as some of the greatest writers of all time, Amazon and Kindle really have made things so much easier for writers, especially small town ones who wouldn't have much of an audience otherwise.
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That's pretty awesome. What's it called?
 
#975
#975
Daloth said:
This is really the only place I can say this and not sound like a total jerk, but I got my first royalty check for my first online book this week. I'm hoping to self publish the series (it's a trilogy) by the end of it all and maybe even do a kickstarter to get it funded, but just seeing one check even means it had to sell decently with no advertisement really, and its really humbling to see anything up there for sale on the same platforms as some of the greatest writers of all time, Amazon and Kindle really have made things so much easier for writers, especially small town ones who wouldn't have much of an audience otherwise.
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Congrats! That's definitely something I plan on doing hopefully sooner than later. What is the book, and how was the whole process of putting it online for sale?
 
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