Book talk

[Hapless Bills Fan]

On 2/17/2021 at 10:25 PM, transplantbillsfan said:

I realized there were no book threads. Don't we have readers here? Where are we? What are we reading? I always look for new suggestions. The truth is, I am an English teacher and teach upper-level English students, so my liesure reading stuff ends up being "fluff."

 

So despite the fact that my favorite all-time book is Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert Pirsig, I have been reading a ton of Stephen King lately. Right now I'm on book 3 of The Dark Tower series, but over the last few years I've also read his newest books The Outsider and The Institute and Sleeping Beauties along with some of his classics like The Shining and Salem's Lot, and The Stand... I loved all of them. I firmly believe King belongs in the Canon... he's the modern Hemingway.

 

I usually read one nonfiction book simultaneously with a fiction book. I guess that must be my ADD... so I've also read a good amount of nonfiction. I'm not bringing up all of the titles because some of them are political, but I also love reading surfing memoirs and different types of philosophy or logic books. I think my favorite recent non-fiction book is called Surfing with Sartre. It's a philosophy book that essentially connects surfing with academic philosophy.

 

I would love some suggestions... or just to hear what you guys are reading.

 

I have pretty eclectic reading taste.  Let's see....not necessarily recent reads, but favorites

 

Nonfiction

A History of the World in Six Glasses, Tom Standage.  very enjoyable way of looking at human culture and history as being influenced by our beverages of choice.

The Terrible Hours, Peter Maas.  Submariner "Swede" Momsen is a hero and role model to me - the man who faced barrier after barrier and persevered

The Mold in Dr Florey's Coat, Eric Lax.  I read this while I was still working in academe.  For anyone who thinks Penicillin was invented by Ian Fleming, eye opening education in the difference betweeen drug discovery and drug development

Dark Invasion, Harold Blum (still reading)  About actual German espionage in America during WW I and the fight against it. 

 

My favorite Steven King book is an old one...The Green Mile. 

 

On 2/18/2021 at 8:03 AM, Captain Hindsight said:

I just finished the Martian. They made it into a movie with Matt Damon, but the book was better

 

Love The Martian.  Haven't seen the movie.

[transplantbillsfan]

16 hours ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

I have pretty eclectic reading taste.  Let's see....not necessarily recent reads, but favorites

 

Nonfiction

A History of the World in Six Glasses, Tom Standage.  very enjoyable way of looking at human culture and history as being influenced by our beverages of choice.

The Terrible Hours, Peter Maas.  Submariner "Swede" Momsen is a hero and role model to me - the man who faced barrier after barrier and persevered

The Mold in Dr Florey's Coat, Eric Lax.  I read this while I was still working in academe.  For anyone who thinks Penicillin was invented by Ian Fleming, eye opening education in the difference betweeen drug discovery and drug development

Dark Invasion, Harold Blum (still reading)  About actual German espionage in America during WW I and the fight against it. 

 

My favorite Steven King book is an old one...The Green Mile. 

 

 

Love The Martian.  Haven't seen the movie.

 

I actually just ordered A History of the World in Six Glasses on Amazon because it sounds like the kind of nonfiction read I enjoy.

 

Thanks for the recommendation! 

[Buddo]

Thomas Pynchon is a writer I would recommend, but he isn't going to be for everyone. He has a style of his own, but is bitingly observant, and funny with it, in his characters.

 

Talking of funny - Terry Pratchett, who has just the best takes on some of the absurdities of life, contained within his 'discworld' series - and some of the funniest turns of phrases you will see written.

 

Thought provoking Sci-Fi, would be Philip K Dick, who manages to fit in more stuff in small novels, than should be allowed. None of the movies made of his stuff, actually covers even remotely all the things he puts in the novels.

 

 

[transplantbillsfan]

3 hours ago, Buddo said:

Thomas Pynchon is a writer I would recommend, but he isn't going to be for everyone. He has a style of his own, but is bitingly observant, and funny with it, in his characters.

 

Talking of funny - Terry Pratchett, who has just the best takes on some of the absurdities of life, contained within his 'discworld' series - and some of the funniest turns of phrases you will see written.

 

Thought provoking Sci-Fi, would be Philip K Dick, who manages to fit in more stuff in small novels, than should be allowed. None of the movies made of his stuff, actually covers even remotely all the things he puts in the novels.

 

 

 

One of my Graduate classes focusing on Postmodernism essentially revolved around Pynchon's works.  Gravity's Rainbow was good, but there's a disgusting scene in that book that haunts me to this day.

[ndirish1978]

Do I read? Yes. Do I read some books because I feel obligated to read certain "must reads?" Yes. But the stuff I actually enjoy is pretty much just sci fi / fantasy. Brandon Sanderson and Patrick Rothfuss stand out in those genres as current authors.

[Augie]

On 2/21/2021 at 2:04 PM, T&C said:

I see no one has mentioned cookbooks... I must have 40+ of them, used to collect them. Some of them date back to the 1940's but most are between then and 1980 but mostly 50's and 60's. Also have a signed Paul Prudhomme hardcover and some old ones from churches and such. Some have personal notes in pencil in them regarding an adjustment of the recipe. The way they used to use lard... surprised a lot of people lived to their 90's.

 

I have a rack in the kitchen full of cookbooks. My mother asked me which ones I used the most and I pointed to my iPad on the kitchen table. I subscribe to America’s Test Kitchen, used to do MasterClass and will google anything that looks interesting on the Food Network or elsewhere.

 

I’ve taken a bunch of cookbooks to Goodwill, but there are special ones I need to keep. We have certain books with special recipes I refuse to give away, including some Middle Eastern cookbooks (the wife is Lebanese and we do an occasional feast). 

 

Probably my favorite “cookbook” is a 3 ring binder I put together with my favorite recipes. It’s broken down by categories (fish, chicken, vegetarian, etc) and it’s my hand chosen favorite stuff all in one place. 

 

I should probably look into some reading of more substance, and maybe I will mix more of that in with my light reading content. 

[ndirish1978]

8 minutes ago, Augie said:

 

I have a rack in the kitchen full of cookbooks. My mother asked me which ones I used the most and I pointed to my iPad on the kitchen table. I subscribe to America’s Test Kitchen, used to do MasterClass and will google anything that looks interesting on the Food Network or elsewhere.

 

I’ve taken a bunch of cookbooks to Goodwill, but there are special ones I need to keep. We have certain books with special recipes I refuse to give away, including some Middle Eastern cookbooks (the wife is Lebanese and we do an occasional feast). 

 

Probably my favorite “cookbook” is a 3 ring binder I put together with my favorite recipes. It’s broken down by categories (fish, chicken, vegetarian, etc) and it’s my hand chosen favorite stuff all in one place. 

 

I should probably look into some reading of more substance, and maybe I will mix more of that in with my light reading content. 

 

Is America's Test Kitchen worth the sub? I purchased half the stuff in my kitchen on their recommendations. 

[Augie]

30 minutes ago, ndirish1978 said:

 

Is America's Test Kitchen worth the sub? I purchased half the stuff in my kitchen on their recommendations. 

 

I’d probably say no, but we are not as frugal as we should be. I do like and trust the product reviews as well. I just got an email that they were charging my credit card to renew and thought about shutting it down. Maybe next year. As I mentioned, I have a notebook full of my favorite stuff and I really enjoy their content and recipes. BUT, there are so many FREE options it’s probably wasteful. 

 

I’ll see stuff that looks good on TV then look it up and make it.  Maybe I need a life?   🤷‍♂️  

 

I like cooking enough that I let it ride for another year and pray that before it comes due again we are having more people over for dinner! 

 

 

.

Edited February 24, 2021 by Augie

[T&C]

2 hours ago, Augie said:

 

I have a rack in the kitchen full of cookbooks. My mother asked me which ones I used the most and I pointed to my iPad on the kitchen table. I subscribe to America’s Test Kitchen, used to do MasterClass and will google anything that looks interesting on the Food Network or elsewhere.

 

I’ve taken a bunch of cookbooks to Goodwill, but there are special ones I need to keep. We have certain books with special recipes I refuse to give away, including some Middle Eastern cookbooks (the wife is Lebanese and we do an occasional feast). 

 

Probably my favorite “cookbook” is a 3 ring binder I put together with my favorite recipes. It’s broken down by categories (fish, chicken, vegetarian, etc) and it’s my hand chosen favorite stuff all in one place. 

 

I should probably look into some reading of more substance, and maybe I will mix more of that in with my light reading content. 

If they don't mention aspic they must be modern.

 

Some of the names of the recipe's from the 40's 50's are a real hoot and the way they are worded sometimes are the same. I keep them because they remind me how my Grandma on my Dad's side used to cook back when I was a kid.

[reddogblitz]

Cool thread.

 

If I had to pick one book as my favorite it would be All the King's Men by Robert Penn Warren.

 

Someone mentioned Dickens.  I really like his stuff. My favorite would be David Copperfield.  Although Great Expectations is also excellent.

 

My brother turned me on to a guy a few years ago no one has mentioned, Ian McEwen. Have read Nutshell, The Atonement, The Innocent, and am now reading Amsterdam.  All are excellent.

 

I also really like Kurt Vonnegut. My favorite being Player Piano.

 

I'm not super big on King. I did read The Institute recently and thought it was excellent.  Have also read The Green Mile, Buick 66, Carrie, and The Stand.

 

I also like Ray Bradbury a lot.  Dandelion Wine and Fahrenheit 411 especially.

 

I really like 1984 as well.  Really the part up until he gets captured.

 

I read real books exclusively.  No electronic readers for me.

 

 

[transplantbillsfan]

On 2/24/2021 at 12:47 PM, ndirish1978 said:

Do I read? Yes. Do I read some books because I feel obligated to read certain "must reads?" Yes. But the stuff I actually enjoy is pretty much just sci fi / fantasy. Brandon Sanderson and Patrick Rothfuss stand out in those genres as current authors.

 

See. I'm over the "must reads" at this point. Some of the "must reads" truly are... but it's really all dependent on taste.

 

I loved plenty of "the classics" like King Lear, The Stranger by Camus, Catch 22, etc.

 

2 books I absolutely detested are considered "must reads." Hated Moby Dick. Hated War and Peace. In fact I stopped reading War and Peace 400 pages in... which is a fraction of the book.

 

Oscar Wilde once said "taste is indefensible."

 

It's the truth.

 

This thread is meant to see if we can find some with similar tastes who might open us up to new books and authors. I actually just got 2 books this week that were direct recommendations from @Hapless Bills Fan and @GoBills808. I can't wait to read the books, but even if I don't like them it says nothing about them or me. It's just different taste.

[Joe Ferguson]

Stephen King's the Stand was a classic. It was so good that I read it twice.

I also recommend reading Michael Crichton's Jurassic Park, way way better than the movie.

[transplantbillsfan]

1 hour ago, Joe Ferguson said:

Stephen King's the Stand was a classic. It was so good that I read it twice.

I also recommend reading Michael Crichton's Jurassic Park, way way better than the movie.

 

Absolutely on Jurassic Park and even more so on The Lost World... book was fantastic, movie was all right then terrible after the gymnastics scene.

 

Also really liked a few of his other books, including The Andromeda Strain and Micro.

[RaoulDuke79]

I forgot to mention Kitchen Confidential. Great read for the foodies out there. But if you're into books and food you've probably already read it. RIP Anthony Bourdain.

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

On 2/26/2021 at 6:12 PM, RaoulDuke79 said:

I forgot to mention Kitchen Confidential. Great read for the foodies out there. But if you're into books and food you've probably already read it. RIP Anthony Bourdain.

that is a solid book. I remember reading it when it came out (1999 or 2000?), when Bourdain wasn’t nearly as famous. 
 

There are some other pretty good chef/insider biographies. I remember really liking the book Heat, about a writer who goes and works for Mario Batalli at Babbo. I actually liked that one better than Kitchen Confidential. 
 

 

 

 

[twist_to_open]

Although Spielberg wrecked the movie, Ready Player One was a really good read, and I'm not just saying that because I'm a Rush fan, it was really popular when it came out.