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ydpl8s
Trad climber
Santa Monica, California
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Just finished Cixin Liu's Three Body Problem trilogy, and now I am reading the the trilogy by one of his translator's Ken Liu. I just finished the second book of The Dandelion Dynasty, it is titled Wall of Storms. This trilogy has been described as a Chinese Game of Thrones, I think it's better than that.
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Lorenzo
Trad climber
Portland Oregon
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De Architectura - Vitruvius
Progress and poverty - Henry George
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Lynne Leichtfuss
Sport climber
moving thru
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So many mediocre books out there. Not crazy about fiction. I like to read about people's lives and history and what's happened and happening on this planet.
Just finished, One Goal by Amy Bass. Worth the read. What happens when community gets together for a common (soccer) goal. We can do this people. We can get along with strangers and aliens in our land!
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neebee
Social climber
calif/texas
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hey there say, ... my jake books, of course... :)
but-- actually, i have taken a break from them:
am reading spanish, now, to get more 'in my brain' as to
full sentences and how verbs work:
so, here are some, translated in spanish, that i am reading now:
1-the princess bride...
2-the prisoner of zenda
3-the return of sherlock holmes (have already read many others, of these, in spanish--and more to go)
4-the old man and the sea...
5-and, i have a few more, too, but, these will do for now...
(i switch around, day by day) ...
already read in spanish:
1-around the world in 80 days...
2--hound of the baskervilles...
3-secret garden...
4--heidi...
getting sooo much better!
*now-- you guys:
go and READ my jake books...
*did you ever get to finish it, lynne...
email me... :)
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justthemaid
climber
Jim Henson's Basement
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Im sort of with you Lynn- as I get older I find myself disinterested in fiction and more intolerant of bad writing. On an average day I'm (falling asleep) reading geology books.
An exception: I just finished Kim Stanley Robinson's Aurora - which is probably the best science fiction novel I've read in at least a decade. He's a brutal realist with his portrayal of space travel- as always.
Now I'm back to Non- fiction reading Skeletons on the Zahara. A well written account of survivors from an 1815 shipwreck where the sailors were captured by Bedouins and underwent an extremely brutal ordeal. It's my second time around with this book- it's really gripping.
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MikeL
Social climber
Southern Arizona
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d-know,
Me, too. His book (a sort of missal) is like a corkscrew.
Lynne,
You know, don’t you, that some literati would say that there is no such thing as non-fiction. Ditto for so-called “documentaries,” “factual reports,” and “news.” They are all single-sided interpretations. Truth cannot be told. But it’s interesting to read one’s take on things sometimes. Derrida said that all texts are self-referential.
Be well, girl. :-)
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Gary
Social climber
Desolation Basin, Calif.
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Re-reading My System by Aaron Nimzovich. He has a witty way with words and phrases.
Now that I'm retired I dusted off the chess pieces and have been going to a local chess club. I haven't seen Reilly there yet.
The chess scene has changed since I last played 25 years ago. It's all computer driven. The kids play like computers, all tactics and combinations, the old guys like me are still stuck in the 1890s, playing for development and control of the center and some sort of strategic plan.
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Gregory Crouch
Social climber
Walnut Creek, California
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Taking a last lap through a book that's going to publish in a fortnight called The Bonanza King, trying to decide if it's any good.
I can't tell. And the truth is, I'm not the one who gets to decide.
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Its ALL fiction!
The best of what's called fiction, is as as honest and predictive as it gets!
Im going to jump on that one, JTM! huge fan of the author,, is it up to the Mars books standard?
Well said, GC, once its out of our hands it gets a life of its own!
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Lynne Leichtfuss
Sport climber
moving thru
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Writing is indeed subjective. Some writers find a niche and give us a host of bad, mediocre or mostly good books.
I've never been a fan of ultra suspense (bet you guys would have guessed that) or romantic novella's where only the names and locations change.
Niche writers I like: Anne Tyler, Pat Conroy, James Michener, Corrie ten Boom, Brennan Manning.
My son's wife, Joy, teaches Jr. High English and Lit. I read all the books being considered for her classroom library. There is some great stuff out there, plus you get a wonderful view into what the youngest generation is reading and what people are writing for them.
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justthemaid
climber
Jim Henson's Basement
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@ Jay- it is all fiction at some level- even historical books always have to fill in the blanks and are subjective on some level.
As for Aurora- it's every bit of what you would expect from Robinson. It's definitely not as heavy a commitment as reading the Red Mars series. Jumping into those is like reading the Sci-Fi equivalent of War and Peace
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MikeL
Social climber
Southern Arizona
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Lynne,
I was a lit major (with philosophy), and I can say I never read a contemporary writer until I left school. It was beneath us. Ha-ha. We missed out on much. But it’s good to have some standards.
Was Michner a niche writer? Nice writing, his.
I like what you say about views on the younger generation. I’d love to hear what you understand in that regard!
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Lynne Leichtfuss
Sport climber
moving thru
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Justthemaid, Hi! I'm writing a book and it will have no fiction in it.
MikeL, I think Micheners niche, his calling so to speak, was researching the history of various places, peoples and writing about them. I'm just starting to re read Poland. What specifically would you like to know about the young readers and those that write for them?
Have a great weekend everyone!
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MikeL
Social climber
Southern Arizona
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Lynne: What specifically would you like to know about the young readers and those that write for them?
Just if there is anything different about their reading habits or interests as a newly emerging generation. You made a reference to it, and I was wondering.
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Mark Rodell
Trad climber
Bangkok
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Jun 10, 2018 - 05:26am PT
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Good luck Bonanza King. I am reading Train Dreams by Denis Johnson (RIP).
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A Essex
climber
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Jun 10, 2018 - 05:47am PT
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Hunger Games
This is America
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stevep
Boulder climber
Salt Lake, UT
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Jun 10, 2018 - 07:55am PT
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Just finished Cixin Liu's Three Body Problem trilogy, and now I am reading the the trilogy by one of his translator's Ken Liu. I just finished the second book of The Dandelion Dynasty, it is titled Wall of Storms. This trilogy has been described as a Chinese Game of Thrones, I think it's better than that. Good recommendation. I've only read the first book of each of these, but they were both very well done.
Just finished The Killers of the Flower Moon, which is excellent and depressing non-fiction about conspiracy and murder of Osage in the 1920s. Now zooming through a lighter read, The Long Walk by Stephen King.
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Gunkie
Trad climber
Valles Marineris
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Jun 14, 2018 - 05:59am PT
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Bad Climber -- Just finished reading Dead Run by Dan Schultz, a fascinating book about the biggest manhunt in western history after a trio of militia/enviro whack jobs kill one cop and injure a couple of others. This was back in 1998. It's very well written. Get after it.
Just finished it, too. Good and interesting. A bit yawn inducing toward the end, but glad I read this book. Thanks for the recommendation.
Not sure what's next on the list.... Flying to San Diego from Philly this evening; could use a good one.
EDIT: just downloaded "The Remains of the Day" by Kazuo Ishiguro
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Gary
Social climber
Desolation Basin, Calif.
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Jun 14, 2018 - 10:32am PT
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Les Miserables by Victor Hugo. Only 1100 pages to go, but I'm hooked.
I'm surprised this didn't make the Great American Read on PBS.
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