What Are You Reading Right Now?

[Apocalypse]

He's a good author, didn't he also right that one book that turned into a movie starring tom hanks about the illuminati or something?

Angels & Demons, yeah.
He's most known for The Da Vinci Code, though.

 

[Andalublue]

Just finished Transition by Iain Banks (Iain M Banks in US edition).

Thoroughly entertaining and witty Sci-Fi fable about power and intervention. It has a plot that would take hours to explain, so I won't, but suffice to say, it delivers a lot of wildly inventive ideas about quantum theory 'multiverses', some sharp philosophical ideas about solipsism, corruption and the madness brought on through the exercise of power. It's allegorical and very funny and perverse and violent and sexy and scabrous. No one gets off scot free. Favourite quote, and one DPers will especially appreciate, I'm sure:

"Libertarianism. A simple-minded, right-wing ideology ideally suited to those unable or unwilling to see past their own sociopathic self-regard."

 

[tlmorg02]

I am reading Moscow 1812: Napoleon's Fatal March by Adam Zamoyski

 

[tlmorg02]

I was watching something on the history channel about some guy who lures ladies in with job offers and then kills them, is that what it is about?

I have read Devil in the White City and yes he both lured them with job opportunities or by courting them.

 

[1069]

Rereading Les Misérables now.

 

[mac]

"Ender's Shadow" by Orson Scott Card. Science fiction, but a great exploration of human existence and worth.

 

[Laila]

Life and Death among the Somali by Gerald Hanley.
It's a book written by a European colonial officer.

 

[24107]

Life and Death among the Somali by Gerald Hanley.
It's a book written by a European colonial officer.

Please, share your review on this book, when you have completed it, it's sounds interesting.

 

[peepnklown]

I used to buy books all the time but, I do not have the cash right now. I miss reading 4 books at a time. I might have a few audio books I might look into from a friend.

 

[Manc Skipper]

"How Mumbo-Jumbo Conquered the World" by Francis Wheen. A rage against the retreat from enlightenment principles. A fun read, but as one reviewer put it, "indicting most of the transgressors with retreating from Enlightenment values is as sensible as charging McDonald's and KFC with betraying Escoffier."

(peepnklown) have you tried http://www.paperbackswap.com/help/how_to_swap_books.php or something similar?

 

[1069]

I used to buy books all the time but, I do not have the cash right now.

Yeah, me too.
Fortunately, now I have thousands of books, and I just reread my favorites.
Since there are hundreds of favorites, it's not like I'll ever get tired of rereading them (although i suppose they'll fall apart someday and have to be replaced).
My issue is that I don't think I'll ever find any new books that I'll like as much as I like my old ones.
And what with new hardbacks costing forty bucks and new paperbacks costing ten or more, it's just not worth it- even used, they'e too expensive a risk. So many books just plain suck; I used to have the money to blow 200 bucks on books, in order to find one or two good ones.
Certainly don't have that sort of money anymore.

 

[Andalublue]

"How Mumbo-Jumbo Conquered the World" by Francis Wheen. A rage against the retreat from enlightenment principles. A fun read, but as one reviewer put it, "indicting most of the transgressors with retreating from Enlightenment values is as sensible as charging McDonald's and KFC with betraying Escoffier."

I enjoyed that book, but have to agree with the reviewer. Much more impressive, and has to be compulsory reading for anyone who bemoans the dumbing down of society, is Bad Science by Ben Goldacre. It's just a brilliant exposé of the charlatans who are getting away with confusing everyone with false scientific information. The bits about homoeopathy (total tosh) and about "Dr" Gillian McKeith (fake and liar) are particularly excellent. Strongly recommended!

 

[Scarecrow Akhbar]

The Passage, by Justin Cronin.

800 pages, and I couldn't put the damn thing down.

The word is "stunning".

 

[GayLibertarian]

I am reading MAPPLETHORPE by Patricia Morrisroe.

It is quite enlightening as I have discovered that Robert Mapplethorpe was a vile racist, who hobnobbed with the uppercrust New York artists's community through his wealthy benefactor (and one time lover) Samuel J. Wagstaff, Jr. while photographing his lovers, drug addict friends and sexual liasons. It is an absolutely *superb* read as it highlights the 1970's and 80's gay culture. Mapplethorpe's black and white photos were extremely explicit and eventually broke through (and into) the art community where photography became, in and of itself, "art", even though the content was graphic.

 

[Andalublue]

I am reading MAPPLETHORPE by Patricia Morrisroe.

It is quite enlightening as I have discovered that Robert Mapplethorpe was a vile racist, who hobnobbed with the uppercrust New York artists's community through his wealthy benefactor (and one time lover) Samuel J. Wagstaff, Jr. while photographing his lovers, drug addict friends and sexual liasons. It is an absolutely *superb* read as it highlights the 1970's and 80's gay culture. Mapplethorpe's black and white photos were extremely explicit and eventually broke through (and into) the art community where photography became, in and of itself, "art", even though the content was graphic.

Was 70s and 80s gay culture riddled with vile racists? I must have missed something. I suspect what it highlights is a very particular gay clique that just happened to live during those times. Must read it though, sounds interesting.

 

[spud_meister]

Was 70s and 80s gay culture riddled with vile racists? I must have missed something. I suspect what it highlights is a very particular gay clique that just happened to live during those times. Must read it though, sounds interesting.

you missed this

New York artists's community

in America, every decade is a racist decade.

 

[24107]

Gates of Fire is a 1998 historical fiction novel by Steven Pressfield that recounts the Battle of Thermopylae through Xeones, a Spartan Helot and the sole Greek survivor of the battle.

Gates of Fire is on the Commandant of the Marine Corps' Reading list. It is taught at West Point and Annapolis and at the Marine Corps Basic School at Quantico.

 

[Fiddytree]

Leo Strauss-The City and Man

 

[Cyberhwk]

 

[TripleAgent]

Very good, interesting read. A bit like Dan Brown novels.

 

[tryreading]

Just want to express renewed hatred for John leCarre. He showed me again how he can leave me empty and disturbed and sad, and as always blown away by another of his books. Am afraid to read anything else for a while, bound to be a let-down.

 

[Sanitas]

Just finished Cormac McCarthy's The Road last night. Then I started Survivor by Chuck Pahliniuk (sp?).

 

[Andalublue]

Just want to express renewed hatred for John leCarre. He showed me again how he can leave me empty and disturbed and sad, and as always blown away by another of his books. Am afraid to read anything else for a while, bound to be a let-down.

Second that. Has he ever written a book that leaves the reader feeling warm and reassured? Newp! Can I make a recommendation? The BBC are running a series of dramatisations of Le Carrés books on Radio 4, it's called The Complete Smiley. Check it out on the BBC website's iPlayer. They are seriously good, with a terrific cast. If you love Le Carré (as well as hating him) you'll enjoy it.

 

[tryreading]

Second that. Has he ever written a book that leaves the reader feeling warm and reassured? Newp! Can I make a recommendation? The BBC are running a series of dramatisations of Le Carrés books on Radio 4, it's called The Complete Smiley. Check it out on the BBC website's iPlayer. They are seriously good, with a terrific cast. If you love Le Carré (as well as hating him) you'll enjoy it.

I was looking around online yesterday, and saw that the BBC did create a series based on A Perfect Spy, the book I just finished. Got to follow up at some point to find out if I can watch it somehow. Will also check out the BBC website info. Thanks for that.

But the danger is his books are sometimes unacceptably altered when translated to film. For example, The Tailor Of Panama ended very differently on screen than it did in the book. It was a good movie, but definitely not a Cornwell ending. I bought a copy of the video of The Constant Gardener about a year ago, but haven't watched it yet for fear of gross inaccuracy. The book was excellent and I don't want the memory of it smudged.

BTW, glad to run into someone here who reads this man's books.

 

[Scarecrow Akhbar]

I am reading MAPPLETHORPE by Patricia Morrisroe.

It is quite enlightening as I have discovered that Robert Mapplethorpe was a vile racist, who hobnobbed with the uppercrust New York artists's community through his wealthy benefactor (and one time lover) Samuel J. Wagstaff, Jr. while photographing his lovers, drug addict friends and sexual liasons. It is an absolutely *superb* read as it highlights the 1970's and 80's gay culture. Mapplethorpe's black and white photos were extremely explicit and eventually broke through (and into) the art community where photography became, in and of itself, "art", even though the content was graphic.

You're not seriously expecting us to believe that the "artist" famous for taking pictures of men will bullwhips up their asses had as his patron and lover a guy named "Wagstaff", are you?