What book(s) are you reading right now?

[RosieRed]

I just got home from the bookstore with six new books in hand -- good news for me! (I read way too much.) It got me thinking ... what's everyone here reading these days?

I just finished "Tragedy and Triumph: The Journals of Captain R.F. Scott's Last Polar Expedition." It was a little too scientific for my taste -- lots of weather and geology observations -- but the story itself is a great one. R.F. Scott and his crew, from England, are trying to be the first people to reach the South Pole. They make it there eventually, only to find out Roald Amundsen and his party, from Norway, got there first. Then, as one might guess from the book's title, Scott and his travel mates die on the way back -- stuck in a blizzard, only 11 miles from food.

His last journal entry is classic, in my mind: "Every day we have been ready to start for our depot 11 miles away, but outside the door of the tent it remains a scene of whirling drift. I do not think we can hope for any better things now. We shall stick it out to the end, but we are getting weaker, of course, and the end cannot be far. It seems a pity, but I do not think I can write more."

Anyway, enough about my obsession with artic exploration books! I'm about to finally start Michael Chabon's "Summerland," which I'm excited about.

Also, I just bought "The Long Ball" by Tom Adelman. Has anyone else read this book? About the 1975 season/World Series?

[WVRed]

I'm thinking about buying Deliver Us From Evil by Sean Hannity, has anybody read it or heard if its any good?

[crector]

A Mist of Prophecies by Steven Saylor which is so far a pretty decent historical whodunit set in ancient Rome.

[TeamCasey]

James Patterson. Not sure which one. Just looked like a quick read.

[RedsBaron]

I've read Tom Adelman's "The Long Ball." It's good, not great. He seems to have a pro Red Sox viewpoint in the book, with Yaz being portrayed as always heroic while Bench and Rose often appear to be jerks, although he is sympathic towards Sparky. Adelman lives in Boston, so a Red Sox bias isn't that surprising. There is also a ridiculous portion of the book where Adelman purports to give us the thoughts of Fidel Castro-"Good news is so infrequent, he thinks, and they have so little to look forward to, these desperate Americans. He feels a keen pity for the followers of the Boston Red Sox"-I doubt Adelman can read Castro's thoughts, and Castro is hardly well known for his pity towards anyone. The book is worth a read, but I must give it a qualified recommendation.
I'm reading Jeff Shaara's "The Glorious Cause", his sequel to "Rise to Rebellion," a two novel depiction of The American Revolution. I recently finished Walter J. Boyne's "The Influence of Air Power upon History."

[cumberlandreds]

I am reading Band of Brothers. Excellent book by the late Stephen Ambrose. For those you who don't know it's about the men of the 506th Division of the 101st Airborne during WWII. I have been recording the series from the History Channel and it's as good as the book. :thumbup:

[Roy Tucker]

We have some good book threads in the is forum that folks may want to go back and read for good reads...

http://www.redszone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9958
http://www.redszone.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=3684

RedsBaron, I read those 2 Jeff Shaara books last winter. I thought they were very good (liked the second one a bit more). It was interesting to read that we basically got our tails kicked by the British for the better part of the Revolutionary War. Washington kept the American Army alive by running a lot and picking his spots for battles and made it a war of attrition. And that it was pressure from the England that eventually sapped the British will to fight the war. As I read the books, I kept thinking "I thought we won this war, when is it going to start happening?".

"Band of Brothers" is excellent as well and read it a couple years back. Just saw the TV series on the History Channel and thought it was phenomenal and actually better than the book. My dad was a WW II vet, 4th Marine Div, and fought in the Pacific landings In the Marianas (Saipan, Tinian, Roi-Namur). His birthday is Memorial Day (he died 10 yrs. ago) so its always a day of reflection and remembrance for me.

Have recently read..

- Angels and Demons, Digital Fortress, Deception Point - Dan Brown - Decent stories that zoom right along, would be a good beach reads. Nothing remarkable but readable.

- Plan of Attack - Bob Woodward - an interesting look (veeeerrrrry interesting) at the Iraqi War. I highly recommend this book. Woodward does his research and I thought this was a balanced look at how we got to where we are.

- Ben Franklin - Walter Isaacson - been on my shelf for a long time, finally for to it. Old Ben was quite the guy. In these politically correct days, we need a Ben around to teach us tolerance. Recommend this book.

- American Gods - Neil Gaiman - I don't know how to describe this book, so I'll just say calling it SF fantasy is not paying it justice. A very weird roadtrip and look at the American soul. I think I liked it but I can't tell. It's very much stuck with me so it must be good.

- The Known World - Edward P Jones - A story about a black slave owner (a black who owns black slaves) in Virginia before the Civil War. You need to be patient with this book and it will reveal itself. I thought it was a wonderful book and was the 2004 Pulitzer Prize winner for fiction.

[Chip R]

Right now I'm reading "Generation of Swine" by Hunter S. Thompson, Truman by David McCullough and Joe Morgan: A Life in Baseball.

[zombie-a-go-go]

The Stones of Summer by Mossman and The Teammates by Halberstam. I also picked up a copy of The Broom of the System by Wallace; I haven't read it in years and it was out of print for a while.

On the way to work this morning, though, I was reading Complete Divine by David Noonan :lol:

[Raisor]

Right now I'm reading , Truman by David McCullough .

Chip, have you read his John Adams bio? One of the best bios I've ever read (and it won the Pulitzer a couple years ago, too)


I just finished the 20th (and last complete) novel in the Aubrey/Maturien series by Patrick O'Brien (Which Peter Weir's Master & Commander film is based). Great great stuff, took me six months to read all 20. I picked up the first Hornblower novel, but haven't decided if I want to dive right into another long British Navy series right now.

[Chip R]

Chip, have you read his John Adams bio? One of the best bios I've ever read (and it won the Pulitzer a couple years ago, too)

I picked up the first Hornblower novel, but haven't decided if I want to dive right into another long British Navy series right now.
No, I haven't read the Adams book yet.

British Navy, huh? Tell me... are there any males there? :mhcky21:

http://snltranscripts.jt.org/78/pics/78rcowperthwaite3.jpg

[cumberlandreds]

The Stones of Summer by Mossman and The Teammates by Halberstam. I also picked up a copy of The Broom of the System by Wallace; I haven't read it in years and it was out of print for a while.

On the way to work this morning, though, I was reading Complete Divine by David Noonan :lol:

I have read The Teammates. It's excellent! You will enjoy it. Halberstam is a great writer. I have read some of his other books. All good.

[cumberlandreds]

No, I haven't read the Adams book yet.

British Navy, huh? Tell me... are there any males there? :mhcky21:

http://snltranscripts.jt.org/78/pics/78rcowperthwaite3.jpg


I second the Adams bio. It's a great book! It along with Lincoln's bio by Carl Sandberg are the two best bio's I have ever read. :thumbup:

[westofyou]

I have read The Teammates. It's excellent! You will enjoy it. Halberstam is a great writer. I have read some of his other books. All good.

Halberstam is being interviewed on BP radio and it should be available for download sometimes soon (if not already)

I personally like his non baseball stuff the best, The Reckoning was great as was The 50's.

Currently I'm reading "The Great Plains" by Ian Frazier, if you have a taste for history in the Plains States this is a must read.

[RedsBaron]

I have read The Teammates. It's excellent! You will enjoy it. Halberstam is a great writer. I have read some of his other books. All good.
I loved "The Teammates." I also liked "Summer of '49" and "October 1964."

[TeamBoone]

You guys read some pretty heavy stuff... I read tons, but it's pretty much limited to pure entertainment. Just finished Last Car to Elysian Fields by James Lee Burke; next up, TheDaVinci Code by Dan Brown.

I went on a book-buying spree over the winter and have a ton waiting for me on the old bookshelf.

[LvJ]

"I, Robot" by Asimov .. again.

[Roy Tucker]

Halberstam's "The Best and the Brightest" is excellent and would be timely.

A good Halberstam sports book is "The Breaks of the Game", a chronicle of the '79 NBA Portland Trailblazers (Walton, Lucas, Hollins, Johnny Davis et al). A great time capsule of the late '70's in the NBA.

A second (third) to McCullough's Adams.

woy, I've had "Great Plains" recommended to me. I'll have to put it on the stack.
TB, you'll love the Da Vinci Code. Be ready to not sleep till you're done.

[Eric_Davis]

This is so strange, because I'm reading, "The Letters of John and Abigail Adams". The letters are their originals from 1763 through the late 80's or early 90's. I picked up the book a year ago after specifically walking into a used book store looking for it,...shocked when I found it on my first attempt.

Instead of reading about someone's biography, you're actually reading their personal thoughts on a day-to-day basis about everything that was on their minds. It's an unfiltered account of what was going on in Massachusettes and in Congress before, during, and after the revolution.

Abigail's writing is every bit as thoughtful and profound as John's. They sacrificed so much for the liberties we have today. The tyrannical Muslim society must be stopped at all costs. They won't be happy until they have World domination so they can tell us how to dress, how to act, how to dominate women, how to pray, how to think, who to like, and who to hate.

Being a season-ticket holder of the TrailBlazers for some time now, and being a regular attendee of the games since 1972, I'll be very interested in looking at that book about the '79 season. Didn't even know it was out there.

[westofyou]

Being a season-ticket holder of the TrailBlazers for some time now, and being a regular attendee of the games since 1972, I'll be very interested in looking at that book about the '79 season. Didn't even know it was out there.

Where do you live?

Westmoreland, myself.

[Super_Barry11]

next up, TheDaVinci Code by Dan Brown.

I just started The DaVinci Code last night, actually!! My stepdad recommended it since he adored it so much.

I just finished another Dan Brown book, Deception Point. I couldn't put that one down!! I loved it!! :thumbup:

[Roy Tucker]

ED, I'll have to check out that John and Abigail Adams book. IIRC, their letters are quoted liberally through the McCullough book. And the enduring love that they have for each other just shines through brilliantly. A real love story.

Breaks of the Game is good. It's a couple years after the '77 championship and is a portrait of a team in disarray with all the Walton injury animosity. I'm not sure if its in print still or not.

[Eric_Davis]

WestofYou, I live in Gresham, work in Milwaukie, and spend a majority of my time in Portland. I've been on these forums since the early 90's, but I'd lose my email from time to time. My old name was BlazerBenner. I love the REDS more than any other sports franchise. There isn't even a close second. I love the Bengals, too. I thought I'd pick Eric Davis, as he's my most admired sports personality of all-time, a dynamic human being.

[Eric_Davis]

WestOfYou. I notice you with the SABR connection. I think I know who you are. I was first touting Bill James in the early 80's, and read his early books from cover-to-cover. Also, helped run a card shop in Vancouver during 86-87, the last boom year for the business.

I've won my share of cash in Fantasy Sports games. I find it hard to do them, though, as I don't like to enter them unless I feel I have the time to win them.

So, I pretty much stick to football now.

Anyway, thanks Roy, I'll find that book. '79? I wasted my life in College (switched schools the next year so I could concentrate on studying instead of partying) that year. Paid very little attention to sports that year. Probably the only year in my life I've done that.

[RosieRed]

I've read Tom Adelman's "The Long Ball." It's good, not great. He seems to have a pro Red Sox viewpoint in the book, with Yaz being portrayed as always heroic while Bench and Rose often appear to be jerks, although he is sympathic towards Sparky. ...

RedsBaron, thanks for the heads up.

[gratefulred]

"Guns, Germs and Steel" by Jared Diamond

It's a scientific approach to the history of civilization (but not at all technical - very easy to read), which seeks to answer questions like 'Why did Africa develops metal tools when they did, while native Austrialians were using stone tools thousands of years later?' or 'Why was the New World colonized by Europe and not Europe colonized by Africa?' The author attacks the questions from the standpoint of environmental factors.

[westofyou]

"Guns, Germs and Steel" by Jared Diamond

It's a scientific approach to the history of civilization (but not at all technical - very easy to read), which seeks to answer questions like 'Why did Africa develops metal tools when they did, while native Austrialians were using stone tools thousands of years later?' or 'Why was the New World colonized by Europe and not Europe colonized by Africa?' The author attacks the questions from the standpoint of environmental factors.

Great Book, don't forget to get your high quality grains.

[zombie-a-go-go]

"Guns, Germs and Steel" by Jared Diamond

It's a scientific approach to the history of civilization (but not at all technical - very easy to read), which seeks to answer questions like 'Why did Africa develops metal tools when they did, while native Austrialians were using stone tools thousands of years later?' or 'Why was the New World colonized by Europe and not Europe colonized by Africa?' The author attacks the questions from the standpoint of environmental factors.

That book's bada**. :thumbup:

[Sweetstop]

I'm currently reading The Towers Of Trebizond by Rose Macaulay...rereading Seventeen by Booth Tarkington (which I read as a teen..it was written in 1915) and The Sisters: The Saga of the Mitford Family by Mary S. Lovell.

[gratefulred]

Great Book, don't forget to get your high quality grains.

I'm not that far in...don't spoil the end!

I'm guessing the Europeans win? :biglaugh:

[Roy Tucker]

Was on vacation so I got some serious reading time in...

Read "The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay" by Michael Chabon. It's been on my stack for a long time and I finally got around to it. Fabulous book, a great and epic tale, and I very highly recommend it.

Read "The Grapes of Wrath" by John Steinbeck because my son was reading it for his summer English reading assignment (he has to read this, a couple Arthur Miller plays, and an Ayn Rand book). I'd forgotten how good it is and what a political statement it makes.

In the process of reading "Crimson Petal and the White" by Michel Faber. Excellent tale and pretty damn kinky. I was reading it in the van on the drive back from Destin and had to tilt it away from my 11 yr. old. :eek: Oh, and this is for book club. Should be a lively discussion with all the ladies.

[Sweetstop]

I recently read "My Antonia" by Willa Cather. My daughter lent it to me after reading it for the One Book One Chicago program. It is a beautiful novel. I'm not sure why I missed it in the past. I've read other Cather such as "So Big".

Also read "Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America" by Barbara Ehrenreich, which is quite an eye-opener. Doing research for the book, the author attempted to get by on minimum wage...different low-paying jobs, different parts of the country..to see how a good portion of our country lives.
Very sobering.

I'm now reading "The Sisters: The Saga of the Mitford Family" by Mary S. Lovell about those wacky Mitford girls and their crazy politics back before, during and after WWII. Very interesting...personal version of the history of the time.

RT, I read "The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay" a couple of years ago or so...may have mentioned it here...and fell in love w/ Chabon's style.
I noticed he helped w/ the Spiderman II screenplay.

[RedsBaron]

I read "The Grapes of Wrath" in college many years ago-depressing.
I just finished "The Glorious Cause", Jeffrey Shaara's sequel to "Rise To Rebellion". These two novels tell the story of the American Revolution through the eyes of its prinicipals, particularly Washington and Cornwallis in the sequel. I really enjoyed them.

[Puffy]

Am I the only moron who is working his way through Clinton's book?

Yes, I am reading My Life by President Clinton. I am currently on page 400 and not even half way done. Its really interesting, but like the man himself, I suspect that his fans will love the book, while the detractors will hate it.

I just finished Fraud by Paul Waldman about the Bush lies in the 2000 elections and how his campaign, by playing him off as less than intellectual, used that to their advantage.

I also just finished Franken's book - Lies and the Lying Liars, and once again if you like the man and his humor (and lean to the left) it is a hysterical book.

As for baseball books, Roger Kahn's October Men is a great account of the 78 Yankees in all their dysfunction.

[zombie-a-go-go]

"Alas, Babylon" (Pat Frank) is a nifty, quick read - supposedly it's a "classic," even though I'd never heard of it before... but if HarperCollins says it's a timeless piece of literature, who am I to doubt them? ;) Actually, it was pretty good, although short.

I'm on my second go-through of David Foster Wallace's newest collection of short stories - titled "Oblivion" - right now. The fact that the stories practically require an immediate second read-through to fully understand them says something either about me or him - take your pick. ;)

[jmcclain19]

I have two books I've been trying to read for a while, both H.W. Brands - "The Reckless Decade" and "Lone Star Nation".

I dusted off a little while ago "Smashmouth", Dana Milbank's account of the 2000 election, just for a little amusement.

On Memorial Day weekend I read from cover to cover the John Paul Jones Bio by Evan Thomas.
And I have a copy of Sun Tzu's Art of War next to my bed I've been perusing for inspiration from time to time.

Glad to see that a few people like Guns, Germs and Steel, was thinking about getting that one after I finished my Brands double.

Usually I just stick to history, mostly American and Russian History, but I've actually read a few sporting type books in the last few months.

"Horse of a Different Color" - Funny tale of the trials and tribulations of a Chicago Tribune editor who quit his day job to start a Horse Farm in Kentucky, and ended up birthing the 2001 Kentucky Derby winner. Squires, the author, pokes fun at himself while describing the inner nuances of the Racing world. If you are an animal/horse fan or need an inspirational story, this is one.

"Moneyball" Self-explanatory

"The Meaning of Ichiro" - Probably one of the more intriguing books I've bought in a while. Talking about the history of Baseball in Japan, Ichiro, Nomo and other major Japanese stars migration over. Especially the tales of how Nomo used to sleep with a baseball taped to his hand to get used to his forkball grip and how much Ichiro and his father played into his success both here and how his image conscious wife helped make him what he is now.

[RosieRed]

For the Michael Chabon fans who haven't read "Summerland" yet, I *highly* recommend it. Delightful book, great writing, wonderful characters, etc. (Plus it has a baseball theme!)

Not to give away too much, but one of my favorite scenes from the book was the story of a princess who was punished for instituting the designated-hitter rule. :roll:

[Roy Tucker]

Sweetstop,

- I'll have to check on My Antonia. I think my son read that for school too. It rings a bell.
- Jeez, it makes absolute perfect and orthogonal sense for Chabon to have helped with Spidie II.

z-a-g-g, I read "Alas Babylon" back in 5th-6th grade during the height of my "we're all going to die in an atom war/duck and cover" phase. That and "On the Beach" and "Tomorrow". Wow, I haven't thought about that book in years. Like 40 years. Whoa.

RB, I read those 2 Shaara books and enjoyed them both. Throughout "The Glorious Cause", I kept thimking, "I thought we won this war, why are we getting our butts kicked so badly".

[jmcclain19]

Am I the only moron who is working his way through Clinton's book?

Yes, I am reading My Life by President Clinton. I am currently on page 400 and not even half way done. Its really interesting, but like the man himself, I suspect that his fans will love the book, while the detractors will hate it.

Puffy, I got it as a gift, but I didn't get more than a few pages before I stopped. Just too rosy colored for me.

Actually, if you haven't read it yet, I'd read Joe Klein's "The Natural", it's a much more interesting account of the events.

I've always found the much less bias political books more interesting than the slanted ones. I've often disagreed with Klein's columns, but I still like and respect his writing.

Much like I've found one of my favorite bios was of the first George Bush "Life of a Lone Star Yankee". If you have any interest in his life, that is one of the better ones to read.

[RedsBaron]

RB, I read those 2 Shaara books and enjoyed them both. Throughout "The Glorious Cause", I kept thimking, "I thought we won this war, why are we getting our butts kicked so badly".
Yeah, the books, especially the second one, really makes you appreciate how George Washington was the indispensible man in the Revolution. I really enjoyed both books.

[Chip R]

Chip, have you read his John Adams bio? One of the best bios I've ever read (and it won the Pulitzer a couple years ago, too)
I got it for my birthday. My mom asked me what I wanted and that was the only book I could think of. I'm reading it now and am finding it very enjoyable. Thanks for the recommendation. :thumbup: I'm also re-reading "Have a Nice Day: A Tale of Blood and Sweatsocks" by Mick Foley and "The Best and the Brightest" by David Halberstam.

[gratefulred]

Just finished Vonnegut's "Breakfast of Champions"

Now reading Jon Krakauer's "Under the Banner of Heaven"

[Yachtzee]

I'm on my last books before sell my soul to Law School case books. I chose a couple baseball books:

"Pennant Race" by Jim Brosnan. An insider's view of the 1961 Cincinnati Reds' run for the pennant, as 'Broz' was a key reliever for the Redlegs. Nice follow up to "The Long Season."

"The Neyer/James Guide to Pitchers" by Bill James and Rob Neyer. More of a historical reference that a statistical analysis. The book started when James and Neyer were having lunch and discussing Harvey Haddix, when the notion came up, "We know his stats, but what pitches did he throw?". I'm sure the regular readers of James and Neyer know all about it, but for those not into stats, it is a nice look at the different pitches that have been thrown in the major leagues and the pitchers who threw them.

[Sweetstop]

- I'll have to check on My Antonia. I think my son read that for school too. It rings a bell.
- Jeez, it makes absolute perfect and orthogonal sense for Chabon to have helped with Spidie II.

The man has a remarkable vocabulary! I'll bet it's been awhile since you've used orthogonal in a sentence? ;) Roy, I'm sure you would enjoy "My Antonia." It's a bit unusual in that Cather makes the narrator a life-long male friend of the title character, a beautiful immigrant woman who comes to the plains of Nebraska as a girl in the later part of the 19th century.

[Puffy]

I'm on my last books before sell my soul to Law School case books.

Read all you can this summer cause once first semester starts you will have NO time for any additional reading!!

Seriously, its not that bad - and some advice for ya. You'll hear alot of people try and sell you the virtues of case summaries. Worthless! The only thing they are good for is if you get called on in class - otherwise they really do nothing. Of course thats just my opinion, but I don't know of anyone who was doing them beyond second semester of my 1L year.

[Yachtzee]

Read all you can this summer cause once first semester starts you will have NO time for any additional reading!!

Seriously, its not that bad - and some advice for ya. You'll hear alot of people try and sell you the virtues of case summaries. Worthless! The only thing they are good for is if you get called on in class - otherwise they really do nothing. Of course thats just my opinion, but I don't know of anyone who was doing them beyond second semester of my 1L year.

Thanks for the tip! I will avoid those. So far it seems like everything operates under the adage, "A Law Student and his money are soon parted." My next big expense will be books. I already have my first assignments, but I wasn't able to purchase books today because the bookstore hasn't unpacked them yet.

So far this summer, I've been trying to get in as much non-law reading as possible. The only "law" book I've read this summer is "One L", which I gather is a kind of ritual that those who have gone through Law School like to pass on to those entering. I enjoyed it a lot, even if it did make me wonder what I was getting myself into a few times.

[RedsBaron]

I found the case summaries and outlines on the law such as "Gilbert's" to be useful, but only after studying the actual case opinions. I would annotate the canned summaries (which are not always accurate) with my own research.
After 25 years of practice, I often use an associate's legal research, but I usually supplement that research with my own. When reviewing a memorandum from an associate, if I find a cited case that seems to be particularly on point, or which surprises me by its holding, I read the case myself. The associate's research in a way is like my old "Gilbert's"-useful but not the only thing to rely upon.

[RedsBaron]

By the way, do not rely upon the "headnotes" you will find at the start of opinions published by the West Publishing Co., the publisher of most reported cases. The headnotes are useful and usually accurately state the law, but you need to read the opinions themselves for the actual holding by the court, as opposed to mere dicta. Some lazy lawyers will cite a case where a headnote or sentence supports their argument, but if you read the entire opinion you will find the actual court holding was much different (it's really fun to point that out to the court in your reply brief).

[Puffy]

I found the case summaries and outlines on the law such as "Gilbert's" to be useful, but only after studying the actual case opinions. I would annotate the canned summaries (which are not always accurate) with my own research.
After 25 years of practice, I often use an associate's legal research, but I usually supplement that research with my own. When reviewing a memorandum from an associate, if I find a cited case that seems to be particularly on point, or which surprises me by its holding, I read the case myself. The associate's research in a way is like my old "Gilbert's"-useful but not the only thing to rely upon.

Yes, those Gilbert's and outlines are really helpful - but they are not an end all. If you go to class just relying on those you will be made a fool by your professor, and studying from them will only give you a partial story.

Another bit of advice I can give you is to make smart friends! I say that because you're gonna want their outline for your tests, always share outlines with everyone, you guys are in it together, and someone else's outline might have something that you missed, or vice versa.

And Yachtzee, its really not as bad as people make it out to be. You will be overwhelmed for awhile, but every single person there is in the same boat you are, and just as overwhelmed (which is why you should share notes, outlines, etc).

[RedsBaron]

Yes, those Gilbert's and outlines are really helpful - but they are not an end all. If you go to class just relying on those you will be made a fool by your professor, and studying from them will only give you a partial story.

Another bit of advice I can give you is to make smart friends! I say that because you're gonna want their outline for your tests, always share outlines with everyone, you guys are in it together, and someone else's outline might have something that you missed, or vice versa.

And Yachtzee, its really not as bad as people make it out to be. You will be overwhelmed for awhile, but every single person there is in the same boat you are, and just as overwhelmed (which is why you should share notes, outlines, etc).
I agree-good advice.....and good luck Yachtzee!

[Yachtzee]

I agree-good advice.....and good luck Yachtzee!

Oops, didn't mean to hijack the thread into a law school discussion.

Thanks RedsBaron and Puffy. I really appreciate the advice! I just called down to the bookstore and it sounds like most of the books for the Law School are available for purchase. I've already checked online and it looks like I'm going to be spending almost $100 for some of these books. I'm just hoping I can keep the price down to under $1000.

Here's a question...How often do you find yourself going to the case books vs. doing research online. I've heard that some offices have been divesting themselves of their law libraries because everyone uses online repositories. I've also been told that even though I have to sit in on a program on how to use the Law Library, most research is done using Lexis-Nexis and Westlaw.

[Puffy]

Oops, didn't mean to hijack the thread into a law school discussion.

Thanks RedsBaron and Puffy. I really appreciate the advice! I just called down to the bookstore and it sounds like most of the books for the Law School are available for purchase. I've already checked online and it looks like I'm going to be spending almost $100 for some of these books. I'm just hoping I can keep the price down to under $1000.

Here's a question...How often do you find yourself going to the case books vs. doing research online. I've heard that some offices have been divesting themselves of their law libraries because everyone uses online repositories. I've also been told that even though I have to sit in on a program on how to use the Law Library, most research is done using Lexis-Nexis and Westlaw.

OK - case books are useless beyond law school. Just the fact that the law is always changing means that the case book I used when I was a 1L in 1999 will be revised probably twice by the time you purchase it in 2004. I know some people who have kept all their books thinking they might come in helpful once you start to practice, but i always sold mine at the end of the year (and got $30 when i paid $230 for it, but it paid for some drinking).

We use lexis here and its great - but I think you need to know how to use the law library. There was some talk in Panama City (Bay County, Florida) about closing down the law library at the courthouse because it costs too much, but the attorneys here fought it, which just shows that while law libraries are becoming less prevalent, they are still needed.

My advice is to really pay attention when you have the Lexis/Nexis or Westlaw trianing that your school will make you attend, but also keep in the back of your mind the program on the law library, its just good to know.

Where are you going to school anyway?

[RedsBaron]

Oops, didn't mean to hijack the thread into a law school discussion.

Thanks RedsBaron and Puffy. I really appreciate the advice! I just called down to the bookstore and it sounds like most of the books for the Law School are available for purchase. I've already checked online and it looks like I'm going to be spending almost $100 for some of these books. I'm just hoping I can keep the price down to under $1000.

Here's a question...How often do you find yourself going to the case books vs. doing research online. I've heard that some offices have been divesting themselves of their law libraries because everyone uses online repositories. I've also been told that even though I have to sit in on a program on how to use the Law Library, most research is done using Lexis-Nexis and Westlaw.
Puffy is correct-the case books are generally worthless in a law practice, other than maybe looking nice on a bookshelf to reassure clients that you have read the law. :)
You should learn how to use the law library, but most research is now done online.
By the way, should you take any commercial law courses, I recommend White & Summers set on the Uniform Commercial Code. I still use their work and I've been practicing for 25 years.

[TeamCasey]

So many of you like non-fictional material. I have to read so much at work, that I'd rather escape into something lighter at home.

Do any of you like satirical crime fiction? Sort of like a humorous drama. One of my favorite authors is Carl Hiaasen. I've read all his, except for Skinny Dip. I'd like to investigate other authors with the same knack.

[zombie-a-go-go]

Do any of you like satirical crime fiction? Sort of like a humorous drama. One of my favorite authors is Carl Hiaasen. I've read all his, except for Skinny Dip. I'd like to investigate other authors with the same knack.

All I got is Elmore Leonard, but I imagine you've probably read him already.

[TeamCasey]

All I got is Elmore Leonard, but I imagine you've probably read him already.

Actually, I think I've only read one of his. I was going to pick up a few more at half price books. Got any favorites?

[zombie-a-go-go]

Actually, I think I've only read one of his. I was going to pick up a few more at half price books. Got any favorites?

In no particular order (and I haven't read a tenth of what the guy's written - he's a machine), I liked:

Touch
Freaky Deaky (this one's a riot)
Cuba Libre
Pagan Babies
Stick (prolly my favorite)

stay away from:

Bandits
Tishomingo Blues

at all costs.

[Roy Tucker]

Roy, I'm sure you would enjoy "My Antonia." It's a bit unusual in that Cather makes the narrator a life-long male friend of the title character, a beautiful immigrant woman who comes to the plains of Nebraska as a girl in the later part of the 19th century.
Checked over the weekend and that is one of the other books that my son has to read for his summer assignment. So its "Grapes of Wrath", "My Antonia", "The Crucible", and "Death of a Salesman". I'm reading them with him since I haven't read them since HS (beside My Antonia which I haven't read).

[Sweetstop]

Checked over the weekend and that is one of the other books that my son has to read for his summer assignment. So its "Grapes of Wrath", "My Antonia", "The Crucible", and "Death of a Salesman". I'm reading them with him since I haven't read them since HS (beside My Antonia which I haven't read).

I recently read "East of Eden" for the first time and then put "The Grapes of Wrath" in my to read pile to reread, since I haven't read it since high school either. Let me know how you like "My Antonia" (stress on 3rd syllable, as I'm sure you know :) ).

[Sweetstop]

[QUOTE=TeamCasey
One of my favorite authors is Carl Hiaasen. I've read all his, except for Skinny Dip. [/QUOTE]

I enjoy Hiaasen also. I read a review by Janet Maslin of Skinny Dip in yesterday's Lexington Herald-Leader. She says he's at his best....his humor elevated to compare w/ Preston Sturges, Woody Allen and S.J. Perlman.

[RosieRed]

I've read "My Antonia" a few times now; good read.

This talk about high school reading is bringing on serious flashbacks. I had such an awful teacher when we read "The Hobbit" that I'm afraid she turned me off Tolkien forever. The same teacher had us read "Beowulf" as well; it wasn't pretty.

[15fan]

Piglet's 1-2-3s.

Sometimes I read it 5 or 6 times each night before bed time...

[zombie-a-go-go]

Warning: Alex Garland's new book is pretty tedious. Avoid @ fair-to-moderate costs.

[Roy Tucker]

Piglet's 1-2-3s.

Sometimes I read it 5 or 6 times each night before bed time...
Oh man, I spent a few thousand hours reading to my kids. I can recite whole Dr. Suess books by memory.

Also "hundreds of cats, thousands of cats, millions and billions and trillions of cats", "hug their little dears and dust their pants", "'quiet old lady whispering hush", and "he'll want a glass of milk".

They've all gotten big now. A :thumbup: and a :thumbdn:. Go figure.

[Stormy]

The Queen of the South ~ Arturo Perez Reverte

Colossus: The Price of America's Empire ~ Niall Ferguson

The Art of War ~ Machiavelli

[RosieRed]

I fully credit my mom reading to me when I was a kid as the reason why I read so much today; I actually thank her for it all the time.

When I was in grade school and junior high, I used to *beg* my mom to take me to the bookstore or library so I could get some new books (I had to have the newest Sweet Valley High! ;) ), and she would get so fed up with me. "You JUST got two new books last week; you can't possibly be done with them!" Now she has to deal with my 13-year-old brother, who always wants new video games or CDs or rollerblades or a pair of expensive sneakers. I ask her now "See, me wanting books all the time wasn't so bad, was it?" and she says "I'd give anything to hear your brother say he wants a new book." Thanks bro, for making me look like the best child ever! :roll:

But back to the topic: I just finished Richard Russo's "Empire Falls" this morning, and I really liked it, especially the characters. (I'm not sure why it won a Pulitzer though.)

[Sweetstop]

But back to the topic: I just finished Richard Russo's "Empire Falls" this morning, and I really liked it, especially the characters. (I'm not sure why it won a Pulitzer though.)

Good read. I would agree w/ you about the Pulitzer. HBO is making a film of it w/ Paul Newman, I think. He was also in Nobody's Fool, another of Russo's books.

[zombie-a-go-go]

Isn't The Art of War by Sun Tzu?

[SunDeck]

I'm reading a german translation of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. A little strange, I know, but some relatives are coming over from Germany in the Fall and I need to work on my German.

[Roy Tucker]

Isn't The Art of War by Sun Tzu?
Yep, "The Prince" is the classic Machiavelli book.

Funny, but I thought about how the Sun Tzu book would make a good companion book when I saw Machiavelli but didn't notice the cross-match.

"Empire Falls" is pretty good. I think we discussed it in here before (searching searching), yep, here http://www.redszone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9958&highlight=empire+falls

[RosieRed]

"Empire Falls" is pretty good. I think we discussed it in here before (searching searching), yep, here http://www.redszone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9958&highlight=empire+falls

Thanks Roy! I don't remember that thread at all.

But going through it, I saw you mentioned "Bel Canto" by Anne Patchett and "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel. I read them both a while ago, and loved them both. "Bel Canto" was beautiful, in my opinion, and I've had a number of friends/co-workers borrow it.

Also, I've heard rumors that "Life of Pi" is going to be made into a movie. I say good luck with that tiger!

[Roy Tucker]

(stress on 3rd syllable, as I'm sure you know :) ).
Actually, I didn't know this till we asked the Hispanic clerk at B+N where to find the book. Roy, in all of his white breadedness, asked for "My An-TOH-nia". Roy was thusly (and gently) corrected.

[Sweetstop]

Actually, I didn't know this till we asked the Hispanic clerk at B+N where to find the book. Roy, in all of his white breadedness, asked for "My An-TOH-nia". Roy was thusly (and gently) corrected.

In the Mariner Books edition I have (and I suppose all others) on the first line of the 1st chapter of Book 1 there is a footnote when the name is first mentioned. A Bohemian name, it's actually strong first syllable w/ long e sound for the i which is what I was talking about.

[Roy Tucker]

This talk about high school reading is bringing on serious flashbacks. I had such an awful teacher when we read "The Hobbit" that I'm afraid she turned me off Tolkien forever. The same teacher had us read "Beowulf" as well; it wasn't pretty.
You know, this frustrates me to no end.

My son loves to read and reads a lot. However, he has almost a phobic aversion to reading what someone TELLS him to read. Left up to his own devices, he reads a lot and reads where his mind takes him (e.g. he just finished "The Elegant Universe", all about string theory). But tell him what to read and he turns into a stubborn mule.

I sat down with "The Grapes of Wrath" in a beach chair sitting with my feet in the Gulf of Mexico. Sitting there slathered in SPF 30, moving my chair up and down with the tides, wading out in the water every so often to cool off, and watching pelicans for diversion, I was transported to the Dust Bowl of the '30's and was engrossed with the epic tale of the Joads. It took me a couple of afternoons to polish it off. I thought it was great. I praised the book to Zach to high heavens, said it was a great tale, read this book first.

Well, it's been like pulling teeth. He is about 3/4 done with the book and is whining and complaining the whole time. I've tried multiple times to engage him in conversations and you'd think I asked him to discuss the Treaty of Ghent. I know it's because he HAS to read the book and he's being a mule about it. He's got 3 more books to read, a paper to write, and August is filled with band camp, volleyball camp, working at McD's, and he is being a butthead about reading the damn book. I've washed my hands of the whole thing and have told him "YOYO baby". But my wife keeps getting on my case that HE isn't reading the book. Augh!!!!

There, I feel better. Just ignore me. You may resume your normal transmissions.

[Sweetstop]

So much to do during summer vacation! Yikes! I'll have to say I never enjoyed the classics that much when in school either . BTW, I have a Zachary also.

[Roy Tucker]

So much to do during summer vacation! Yikes! I'll have to say I never enjoyed the classics that much when in school either . BTW, I have a Zachary also.
Yeah, I know. I was the same way in school. I just thought I could prevent my kids from making the same mistakes I did. It's like a time travel movie where I can go back in time to amend my past only to find out it was pre-destined to happen the way it did no matter what I do.

He is Zach normally and Zachary when he's in trouble. Lately, he's been Zachary a lot. :mad:

[Stormy]

Machiavelli also wrote his own treatise on - The Art of War, which is what I'm currently reading. Voltaire alluded to it as the greatest manifesto on the protocols of warfare in the history of western literature.

[SandyD]

MEL OTT: The Little Giant of Baseball by Fred Stein

TULIPMANIA: The Story of the World's Most Coveted Flower & the Extraordinary Passions It Aroused. by Mike Dash

As for My Antonia, picked it up as an adult and enjoyed it. Read it in a weekend. There's a pretty powerful passage about a Russian wedding party (Chapt VIII). Remember that Rosie?

[rotnoid]

I'm in the middle of a book called "The Venona Secrets" discussing the level of Communist infiltration of the US government during the 40's and 50's. It's amazing how many high level members of Truman's admin were card carrying Commies.

[gonelong]

Just finished Of Mice and Men - heading back to catch up on some of the classics I passed on in my younger years.

I am also reading Brown Bear 2-3 times a day (11 month old).

GL

[Runner 1413]

I am not reading right now. I don't get the point of reading during summer vacation as for me. I would like to read Lord of the Rings but I cannot get myself to read that much. But I will have to read The Hobbit.

[TeamCasey]

I definitely read more in the summer than any other time. I can take the book out with me and get away from the two idiot boxes for awhile. (The TV and computer ...... not TeamMorris and TeamBoone :MandJ: )

[Roy Tucker]

Machiavelli also wrote his own treatise on - The Art of War, which is what I'm currently reading. Voltaire alluded to it as the greatest manifesto on the protocols of warfare in the history of western literature.
I did not know that (he said in his best Johnny Carson voice). Thanks.

I read more in the summer. Lots of evenings on the patio with my feet propped up reading till dark (and straining my eyes to get those last few pages read in the twilight).

I also hit a spell Jan.-Feb. where I read a lot. The fall and spring are very busy in the Tucker household.

Back a few for Rosie... I really did enjoy Bel Canto and Life of Pi. I think I read them back to back early last summer.

Bel Canto in particular struck a note with me. I never had any music training when I was young but have taken up the piano the last couple years and have gotten great satisfaction from it.

Life of Pi would make an intriguing movie (for some reason the Tom Hanks flick Cast Away comes to mind). Thinking about it a bit, there really isn't much direct interaction between Pi and the tiger. He figures that mostly if he provides enough fish/etc. to it, it will leave him alone. I'll watch for it.

[RosieRed]

As for My Antonia, picked it up as an adult and enjoyed it. Read it in a weekend. There's a pretty powerful passage about a Russian wedding party (Chapt VIII). Remember that Rosie?

With the wolves? Yep, that's a hard one to forget! :eek:

Roy, I think I read those two books back-to-back last summer as well! I know I bought them at the same time. For probably the next 3 or 4 months after reading them, anytime anyone asked me if I'd read any good books lately, I always mentioned those two. I even coerced one of my friends to read "Life of Pi," because I was dying to discuss the ending with someone who'd read the book. Luckily, my friend liked the book as much as I did!

[jmcclain19]

I just picked up, and started last night reading "1912" by James Chance.

The conventions just kind of put me in the mood.

[RosieRed]

A few days ago I finished "Victim of the Aurora" by Thomas Keneally. Wasn't very impressed; it was kind of bland to me.

Now I'm reading "In Harm's Way" by Doug Stanton. It's about the USS Indianapolis, both the sinking and how the survivors survived. I'm about halfway through it, and so far it's excellent. Sad and amazing story.

[jmcclain19]

Took the weekend and finally polished off H.W. Brands "Lone Star Nation".

Interesting take and background on the founding of Texas through the eyes of the half dozen men who were it's key leaders. Lots of great insight, always a fan of Brands style, littered with great small stories inside the larger picture. If your a history fan, especially the 1820-1850 US History buff, I'd recommend it.

Had a friend recommend "Rammer Jammer Yellow Hammer" by Warren St. John so I ordered it on BN.com this weekend. It's about a NYTimes Reporter who is from Alabama, who returns home for a year and follows the Crimson Tide football team all season in an RV, and writes about the expierence. Heard it's hillarious, so I'll report back when I get my copy. May take me a little longer than I'd like, thanks to my re-entrance in classes, but hopefully I can attack it with a vengence.

[pedro]

just finished 'the gospel according to biff, christs childhood friend' by christopher moore. enjoyed it.

[TeamCasey]

I thought I'd throw these out there, since it's the only non-fiction I've read in awhile, other than work stuff.

I'm reading "The Hungry Ocean." It's about a female swordboat captain (Linda Greenlaw). You'll remember her, if you read Sebastian Junger's "Perfect Storm."

I also have "The Lobster Chronicles".

I put "All Fishermen are Liars". on my wish list for Christmas.

[RosieRed]

TC, how do you like "The Hungry Ocean" so far? I haven't read it, but I probably will one of these days.

I finally read "The Long Ball," which I enjoyed. Now I'm in the middle of "High Fidelity."

[Roy Tucker]

Finished "The Crimson Petal and the White" by Michel Faber. It's about a 19 yr. old prostitute in Victorian England named Sugar. Long, the second person narrative takes a little getting used to, but good.

Also read "My Losing Season" by Pat Conroy. It's about Conroy's last year in college at the Citadel playing point guard. An excellent book and I highly recommend it. Nothing at all like his fiction.

[westofyou]

Nothing at all like his fiction.

No long winded love passages about his mothers beauty eh?

I just finished The Numbers Game by Alan Schwartz about the history statistics in baseball, and yes I feel even more powerful.

I'm also reading the John Adams Biography, I'm 1/3rd done, it is very good as recommended.

Book 3 of the journey is a easy to read piece on the band Wilco, I just started that.

Book 4 sits by a chair that I occasionally sit in if there's no cat there, it's Ty Cobb the biography by Charles Alexander a history professor at OU and a great deadball era Biographer.

[LvJ]

Has anyone read Chuck Palahniuk's "Survivor"? I was meaning to pick that up sometime.

[jmcclain19]

No long winded love passages about his mothers beauty eh?

I just finished The Numbers Game by Alan Schwartz about the history statistics in baseball, and yes I feel even more powerful.

I'm also reading the John Adams Biography, I'm 1/3rd done, it is very good as recommended.

Book 3 of the journey is a easy to read piece on the band Wilco, I just started that.

Book 4 sits by a chair that I occasionally sit in if there's no cat there, it's Ty Cobb the biography by Charles Alexander a history professor at OU and a great deadball era Biographer.
Adams Bio is a good piece of work.

If you like it, and enjoy quality works about that era, I'd also recommend a book by Richard Brookheiser - Gentlemen Revolutionary: Gouverneur Morris, the Rake who wrote the Constitution.

http://espn-att.starwave.com/eoe/hustle/content/gallery6.jpg

Excellent work about a important but little known figure in that period. Quite the character as well, a womanizer with a wooden leg. Vital in NY history as well.

Recieved it for Christmas last year, read it quickly. Only been out for a year or so.


I'm still polishing off "Rammer Jammer Yellow Hammer"

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0609607081/qid=1094596374/sr=ka-1/ref=pd_ka_1/103-4313697-6011813

Debating what I should move onto next.

[Redsfaithful]

Has anyone read Chuck Palahniuk's "Survivor"? I was meaning to pick that up sometime.

Yeah, good book. I like Palahniuk, I'm not rabid about him like many of his fans, but he writes thought provoking page turners if nothing else.

[Phoenix]

I'm reading the 9/11 Commission Report. Everybody should read it and understand these muslim extremists we're dealing with. The new security measures we've enacted and the Patriot Act was a great step in the right direction.

[Chip R]

I just started Marvin Miller's autobiography and "Distant Replay" by Jerry Kramer and Dick Schapp. I have the Adams bio at work but due to my busted ankle I haven't been to work for the last week and a day.

[Unassisted]

I just started

Are We Not Men? We Are Devo!
by Jade Dellinger, David Giffels

According to Amazon:
With flowerpots on their heads, distinctive post-Kraftwerk imagery, and staggeringly catchy electro-pop riffs, Devo carved an '80s niche setting them apart from the mish-mash of punk, new wave and rock surrounding them. Dellinger interviewed band members and asso-ciates, ransacked their archives to provide illustrations, memorabilia and rare photographs documenting Devo's entire career, and re-evaluated their complete works to provide the most -exhaustive survey of the Devo phenomenon.

According to me:
Fun read that I'm about halfway through. I went to a Devo concert in Cleveland in '84 and was a fan a few years before that. The story of how they got their start is a fascinating read and surprisingly full of controversy. Chrissy Hynde, Iggy Pop, and David Bowie helped them along the way. Lots of Akron, Cleveland and Kent State anecdotes from the 60s and 70s, too. If you lived or went there in those days, you might really dig the pop-culture riffs on things like Ghoulardi and various eccentric Kent State profs. I didn't, but I'm enjoying it, nonetheless.

[RosieRed]

I'm about 80 pages into "Lie Down in Darkness" by William Styron. It's slow going so far ... hopefully the pace will pick up. Has anyone else here read this book?

[LvJ]

Bought "A Matter of Character", by Ronald Kessler. I'll begin reading once it arrives.

[Sweetstop]

Finally getting around to "Fast Food Nation" by Eric Schlosser. At the same time I'm reading a book written in the 70's that I picked up at a flea market "Tracy & Hepburn: An Intimate Memoir" by Garson Kanin, a close friend of the couple.

[remdog]

I have the Adams bio at work but due to my busted ankle I haven't been to work for the last week and a day.

For all the time you spend on this board no one here ever suspected you actually work. :p:

Rem

[jmcclain19]

Bought "A Matter of Character", by Ronald Kessler. I'll begin reading once it arrives.

Let me know how you like that one.

I own just about every other one of Kessler's books. Was looking at that one as well.

[LvJ]

Let me know how you like that one.

I own just about every other one of Kessler's books. Was looking at that one as well.

No doubt. Looking forward to reading it.

Whats' Kessler's best, in your opinion?

[jmcclain19]

No doubt. Looking forward to reading it.

Whats' Kessler's best, in your opinion?


The Bureau was my favorite to date. Great little tidbits and stuff I'd never heard about from the Hoover era FBI all the way up to pre-9/11 stuff. If you're an American History buff that's a great pick up.

Inside Congress is filled with some tawdry yet amusing stuff actions as well. Read that and you'll never see Congress in the same light ever again.

Kessler's expose' type stuff is usually the most entertaining. That is why I was interested in his book on Bush. Someone else who had read his CIA book and saw me reading it turned me onto another one of my favs, James Bamford's "Body of Secrets", about the NSA.

[Chip R]

For all the time you spend on this board no one here ever suspected you actually work. :p:

Rem
Yeah, no kidding. :lol:

[Puffy]

No long winded love passages about his mothers beauty eh?

I just finished The Numbers Game by Alan Schwartz about the history statistics in baseball, and yes I feel even more powerful.

I'm also reading the John Adams Biography, I'm 1/3rd done, it is very good as recommended.

Book 3 of the journey is a easy to read piece on the band Wilco, I just started that.

Book 4 sits by a chair that I occasionally sit in if there's no cat there, it's Ty Cobb the biography by Charles Alexander a history professor at OU and a great deadball era Biographer.

Thats good to hear about the Adams biography WOY - may I ask who the author is?

I am in the middle of a biography of Lincoln by Donald (or Davis, one of those two names) and its very good.

[westofyou]

Thats good to hear about the Adams biography WOY - may I ask who the author is?



Full of law references and all that rot!!!

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0684813637/102-5393452-8734536?v=glance

[pedro]

"bloodsucking fiends" by christopher moore. pretty funny so far.

[Roy Tucker]

Reading "Flyboys" by James Bradley. It's interesting, albeit makes some historical connections that are a little far-fetched. The Japanese brutality was absolutely staggering.

WOY, the Conroy book is pretty good. But he still does worship at the Oedipal altar of his mother. One thing I didn't know, supposedly his dad ("The Great Santini") completely turned his life around after reading Conroy's early books after being such an unbelievable SOB for much of his life.

"Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince" is the title of the next Harry Potter book.

[LvJ]

The Bureau was my favorite to date. Great little tidbits and stuff I'd never heard about from the Hoover era FBI all the way up to pre-9/11 stuff. If you're an American History buff that's a great pick up.

Inside Congress is filled with some tawdry yet amusing stuff actions as well. Read that and you'll never see Congress in the same light ever again.

Kessler's expose' type stuff is usually the most entertaining. That is why I was interested in his book on Bush. Someone else who had read his CIA book and saw me reading it turned me onto another one of my favs, James Bamford's "Body of Secrets", about the NSA.

Very nice. I'm going to have to check these out once I'm done with 'Character'.

[zombie-a-go-go]

"Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell" by Suzanna Clark. That book is always in my backpack these days. It's a long read, but a good one, and every spare minute I can find I take in another page or three.

[jmcclain19]

Puffy the Adams bio is one of my favorites.

I would recommend it. Another I would recommend is Mr. Fired Professor himself, Joseph P. Ellis, who wrote "Founding Brothers". Excellent book, not so bright guy. They even turned the idea of the book into a History Channel mini series, which I also now own the DVD set.

[jmcclain19]

Very nice. I'm going to have to check these out once I'm done with 'Character'.

Glad I could help. :thumbup:

[jmcclain19]

Decided to dust off The Rehnquist Choice by former Nixon Counsel John Dean tonight, good read so far, but it's early.

[Rojo]

Roy,

I've heard some people challenge the events in Conroy's book. I haven't read it but I guess there is some basketball game melee that couldn't have possibly happened.

[jmcclain19]

Here's my book of the week/weeks

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0805072748.01-ATVPDKIKX0DER._PE32_PI_SCMZZZZZZZ_.jpg

Book that piqued my interest at the bookstore. About the intersection of two of my interests, science and constitutional law/supreme court history.

One of the basic premesies, is how the juxtaposition between the two have been intertwined for so long, yet the basic premise of each is at odds with one another. The whole of Constitutional law is based on the idea of stare decisis, the thought of following prior precedence. And a major prong of science, is the thought of proving prior thoughts wrong and coming up with your own conclusion.

Good read so far, lots of discussion about the founders, morality and social science.

[Roy Tucker]

Reading "The Rule of Four" now for book club.

Just finished "Software" by Rudy Rucker (on a recommendation from a co-worker). Good sci-fi, part Gibson, part Heinlein.

My son is reading "Beloved" for school and I'm trying to read it with him. Been slow going so far.

Have King's Dark Tower Book 7 on the stack. I'm eager yet reluctant to read it since that is *it* for the DT series and it seems like I've been reading about Roland forever and I'm sad to see him go.

[Roy Tucker]

Roy,

I've heard some people challenge the events in Conroy's book. I haven't read it but I guess there is some basketball game melee that couldn't have possibly happened.
Sorry Rojo, missed this...

Hadn't heard that. I don't remember a melee in the book (but then, I don't remember what I had for lunch yesterday either). I know The Citadel wasn't too happy about it. Evidently, Conroy and the school have patched things up.

I'd still recommend the book. I think you find out more about yourself on a losing team than you do a winning one.

[Puffy]

Well, I finished Clinton's book - finally. Now I am going to start a book called Blinded by the Right by David Brock. Brock was a former arch-conservative investigative reporter who broke the "Troopergate" thing and also was a part of the Whitewater stuff before he saw the light and came over to the good side (the left!)

[jmcclain19]

Well, I finished Clinton's book - finally. Now I am going to start a book called Blinded by the Right by David Brock. Brock was a former arch-conservative investigative reporter who broke the "Troopergate" thing and also was a part of the Whitewater stuff before he saw the light and came over to the good side (the left!)

Brock's an opportunist in the fullest sense.

Political books like his on both sides bother me. I couldn't go pick up Hannity's or Coulter's or Brock's book. The full on kool-aid drinkers. I know what they are going to say before I read it. Save your time Puffy, move onto stuff with more substance :thumbup:

[Puffy]

Well, I wanna read the interworkings of the right wing machine of the nineties. I know its changed since then, but I don't think anyone can seriously doubt that conservatives went full bore after Clinton and I just want some insight into how.

Also, Brock, from what I understand, is not a kool aid drinker and I don't believe he spews hate like Coulter or Hannity (or some would say Franken, although I'd disagree with them because Franken is a comedian first and foremost and he makes fun of everybody, including himself, something Coulter, Hannity, Limbaugh's can't do because of their egos.)

I gotta at least start it and see how I like it.

[jmcclain19]

So I just finished reading Kim Jong-Il: Dear Leader by Michael Breen.

Wow, if I didn't think North Korea was a backwards mess before, it just amazes me.

First off, there is an entire chapter on Kim Jong-Il's education, and the list that each teacher, before the year started, got about Kim's "requirements" was just amusing if it wasn't so sad.

The writer tries to be too wity and cute at times with analogies meant to be funny, but there isn't that much material out there on North Korea, and this book certainly was a good read.

Bought Joseph Ellis, Mr. Falsehood himself, (but I still love his writing) and his newest book on George Washington, "His Excellency" last night. Looking forward to cracking that one open this weekend.

[Sweetstop]

I don't know if any of you know this work, but I want to strongly recommend The Reader by Bernhard Schlink, translated from the German by Carol Brown Janeway. It is a beautiful and morally disturbing novel...a quick-read (one or two can't-put-it-down sessions), which won't quickly be forgotten.

I don't want to give away the story, but it begins in Germany in the years after WWII.


Now reading Steinbeck's Travels With Charley, which I picked up at the Burlington Antique Show a few weeks ago.

[Roy Tucker]

Just finished "The Time Traveller's Wife". I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it.

Finished "The Rule of Four" and I didn't think much of it.

Reading the 9/11 Report now. Very readable and chilling.

[Crash Davis]

Just finishing up "Anti-Intellectualism In American Life." Won the Pulitzer Prize in 1964 and written by one of my favorite historians, Richard Hofstadter. Great read and especially germane to George W. Bush's 21st century America.

Going back to "Feet Of Clay" (A Study of Gurus) by Anthony Storr. I read all but the last couple of chapters before getting sidetracked by the above book. Interesting psychological look at famous religious leaders.

I also need to finish "Reading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir In Books" by Azar Nafasi. A bit lighter reading than the two above, I only got about half-way through before getting sidetracked. But it wasn't for lack of interest. On a related note, I had read "The Kiterunner" by Khaled Hosseini which brought me to "Reading Lolita." I really enjoyed "The Kiterunner" which is mostly set in modern Afghanistan. It's an interesting look at the mideastern culture. Highly recommended.

[jmcclain19]

Finished up reading His Excellency by Joseph Ellis last month.

Did an amazing job of Humanizing George Washington, which isn't an easy thing. Showed how he battled with setting his slaves free. How his hatred for the British was fueled by some slights early in life, and how strong his pride was.

The book however, is not flattering in the slightest toward Thomas Jefferson or James Madison.

It was my favorite type of history novel, an academic piece that told a story, I plowed thru it quickly because it was an easy read.

Just also finished up Titan by Ron Chernow, a story about John D. Rockefeller. Spends quite a bit of time talking about how Rockefeller's relationship with his corrupt and shady father set up the duality of Rockefeller as a man in life. Pious and hidden at home, the exact opposite of his father, yet ruthless in business. Interesting introspective piece. Drags a bit at times, but Rockefeller's personal life was interesting, in a car wreck sort of manner.

Just cracked open Conrad Black's bio of FDR, which is a 1000+ page monster. Should take me a good while.

[RedsBaron]

One the books I'm now reading is "Born Fighting", a book about the Scots-Irish written by James Webb. Webb is an interesting guy. A 1968 graduate of the Naval Academy, he then served as a Marine in Viet Nam, winning purple hearts and the Navy Cross (the second highest medal given to those in the Navy). After the war, he obtained a law degree. He served as Secretary of the Navy during part of the Reagan administration. He has written several best selling novels, including "Fields of Fire." "Born Fighting" is his first non-fiction book.

[Newport Red]

On page 137 of Moneyball.
I've got some catching up to do.

[Redsfaithful]

I just read Positively Fifth Street by James McManus. Its about a writer (McManus) who goes to Vegas to write a story on the murder of Ted Binion, owner of the casino that runs the World Series of Poker. While in Vegas he uses his advance money to enter the World Series and makes it all the way to the final table.

Really good book.

I'm now reading Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut, who I absolutely love.

[RockytopRED]

Just finished :

Rivethead " tales from inside the assembly line " by Ben Hamper.

Bleachers - John Grisham

Friday night lights- bissinger

I highly recommend all 3.

[jmcclain19]

I just read Positively Fifth Street by James McManus. Its about a writer (McManus) who goes to Vegas to write a story on the murder of Ted Binion, owner of the casino that runs the World Series of Poker. While in Vegas he uses his advance money to enter the World Series and makes it all the way to the final table.

Really good book.

I'm now reading Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut, who I absolutely love.

Hey you know the Binion murder has been back in the news alot lately?

http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&ned=us&q=Binion+Murder&ie=UTF-8&scoring=d