Beerball Posted March 19, 2008 Posted March 19, 2008 Shelby Foote leans a bit too the south? Yah think?? That guy couldn't get any more southern. I love his written stuff but I love the interviews with him (ie Ken Burn's The Civil War) more because I loved his southern drawl. Someone I would have loved to sit down and talk to about that war seeing it's one of my favorite times in US history. RIP Shelby. That's actually why I got this set as well. I could listen to him for hours, just something about that drawl. Course he's hasn't said anything noteworthy in a while. Off topic, but Burn's made that period come alive with nothing more than still shots & music. Terrific series. (yes, the narration was terrific but to me secondary)
BillsFanNC Posted March 19, 2008 Posted March 19, 2008 The best fiction I've read in years was The Terror by Dan Simmons. Link It's about English explorers in the 1840's who attempt to find the Northwest Passage but are trapped in the ice and stalked by a monster. Very tense book; I loved every page. I'm about 200 pages into this book as well. A very good read.
dib Posted March 19, 2008 Posted March 19, 2008 The best fiction I've read in years was The Terror by Dan Simmons. Link It's about English explorers in the 1840's who attempt to find the Northwest Passage but are trapped in the ice and stalked by a monster. Very tense book; I loved every page. Doesn't Ripley get away with her cat in that one?
Pete Posted March 19, 2008 Author Posted March 19, 2008 That's actually why I got this set as well. I could listen to him for hours, just something about that drawl. Course he's hasn't said anything noteworthy in a while. Off topic, but Burn's made that period come alive with nothing more than still shots & music. Terrific series. (yes, the narration was terrific but to me secondary) I love every Ken Burn's documentary that he has ever made. The dude understands and appreciates American culture and American history like no one else. I would love to have a beer with Ken and shoot the sh--
Hazed and Amuzed Posted March 19, 2008 Posted March 19, 2008 Slaughterhouse Five. If you're a fan of Lost and the direction it's going in then you might want to take a look at this book. One of Vonnegut's best.
BillsFanInTexas Posted March 19, 2008 Posted March 19, 2008 Then We Came To The End by Joshua Ferris - I didn't think I would like this, but it's very well written and funny. I'm reading this now...still waiting for it to get "funny." I'm about 150 pages in and keep hitting myself on the head because I should have kept a journal with all the funny stuff I've seen/heard while working in offices.
molson_golden2002 Posted March 19, 2008 Posted March 19, 2008 A Short History of Nearly Everything- Bill Bryson I am a big fan of Bryson and find him quite funny. I usually read a Bryson book along with the others to balance some lightness in my reading.http://www.amazon.com/Short-History-Nearly...9804&sr=1-2 a few books on chess theory mostly covering the middle game- if anyone ever wants to play me in chess go to www.redhotpawn.com and give me a challenge- my screen name is Globetrekker http://www.amazon.com/Truman-David-McCullo...0103&sr=1-1 I am always looking for new recommendations. Anyone read anything good lately? That's a great book! Hs the chess book helped your game??? I'm reading McCullough book on the Brooklyn Bridge now. Lovein it!
Pete Posted March 19, 2008 Author Posted March 19, 2008 That's a great book! Hs the chess book helped your game??? I'm reading McCullough book on the Brooklyn Bridge now. Lovein it! Yeah I am big Bryson fan. Some of his other stuff has me laughing out loud while I read it in public places. My chess game is much improved after some of the books. One chess book I really enjoyed is Attacking Chess by Josh Waitzkin (the subject for Searching For Bobby Fisher) http://www.amazon.com/Attacking-Chess-Aggr...n/dp/0684802503 Other chess books I am studying- The Middlegame by Euwe and Kramer http://www.amazon.com/Middlegame-Book-Stat...9025&sr=1-1 Endgame-Pandolfini http://www.amazon.com/Pandolfinis-Endgame-...d_sim_b_title_1 Weapons of Chess-Pandolfini http://www.amazon.com/Weapons-Chess-Omnibu...d_sim_b_title_1 Chess Openings by Pandolfini http://www.amazon.com/Chess-Openings-Traps...d_sim_b_title_3 some other stuff. If you play I highly recommend www.redhotpawn.com I am Globetrekker on there and would love to play. I have played Chicot and Tolstoy from TBD on that sight. I have yet to read McCullough and have that Truman book on order. I am really looking forward to reading his books- I have heard nothing but great praise for them
Peter Posted March 19, 2008 Posted March 19, 2008 That's actually why I got this set as well. I could listen to him for hours, just something about that drawl. Course he's hasn't said anything noteworthy in a while.Off topic, but Burn's made that period come alive with nothing more than still shots & music. Terrific series. (yes, the narration was terrific but to me secondary) If he does, that really would be noteworthy.
molson_golden2002 Posted March 19, 2008 Posted March 19, 2008 Yeah I am big Bryson fan. Some of his other stuff has me laughing out loud while I read it in public places. My chess game is much improved after some of the books. One chess book I really enjoyed is Attacking Chess by Josh Waitzkin (the subject for Searching For Bobby Fisher) http://www.amazon.com/Attacking-Chess-Aggr...n/dp/0684802503 Other chess books I am studying- The Middlegame by Euwe and Kramer http://www.amazon.com/Middlegame-Book-Stat...9025&sr=1-1 Endgame-Pandolfini http://www.amazon.com/Pandolfinis-Endgame-...d_sim_b_title_1 Weapons of Chess-Pandolfini http://www.amazon.com/Weapons-Chess-Omnibu...d_sim_b_title_1 Chess Openings by Pandolfini http://www.amazon.com/Chess-Openings-Traps...d_sim_b_title_3 some other stuff. If you play I highly recommend www.redhotpawn.com I am Globetrekker on there and would love to play. I have played Chicot and Tolstoy from TBD on that sight. I have yet to read McCullough and have that Truman book on order. I am really looking forward to reading his books- I have heard nothing but great praise for them I never saw searching for Bobby Fisher. I have to. I use to be a Yahoo! Chess addict but don't play as much anymore. I could waste 3 hrs sitting there playing three minute chess. I'll check out that redhotpawn and let ya know what I think.
Pete Posted March 19, 2008 Author Posted March 19, 2008 I never saw searching for Bobby Fisher. I have to. I use to be a Yahoo! Chess addict but don't play as much anymore. I could waste 3 hrs sitting there playing three minute chess. I'll check out that redhotpawn and let ya know what I think. I am absolutely addicted to Redhotpawn! It is a correspondence chess sight where you can set the parameters for how long per move. I usually play between 50-100 games at a time. They also have a speed chess sight there. I like to set the clock for 3 minutes and you get 5 seconds to move. Those are great games. Redhotpawn is great because it is all chess lovers there. There are no chess engines allowed- and they will bust you if you use one. So no cheaters. There are some great forums and some great chess clubs. I am always down for a chess game- so look me up when you check out the sight
WWVaBeach Posted March 19, 2008 Posted March 19, 2008 Just finished an advance readers edition of a book titled The Disagreement. Civil War novel...not bad.
Andrew in CA Posted March 19, 2008 Posted March 19, 2008 A Short History of Nearly Everything- Bill Bryson I am a big fan of Bryson and find him quite funny. I usually read a Bryson book along with the others to balance some lightness in my reading.http://www.amazon.com/Short-History-Nearly...9804&sr=1-2 I loved that book. Bryson is the man, and he wrote it from the perspective of someone like me: no idea about anything in science. My gf at the time gave me In a Sunburned Country before I went to Australia, and I was hooked- and I stayed away from Canberra. Still have A Walk in the Woods in the queue, though. I'm reading Leviathan by Hobbes, Living Buddha Living Christ by Thich Nhat Hanh, and The Sun Also Rises by Hemingway.
Pete Posted March 19, 2008 Author Posted March 19, 2008 I loved that book. Bryson is the man, and he wrote it from the perspective of someone like me: no idea about anything in science. My gf at the time gave me In a Sunburned Country before I went to Australia, and I was hooked- and I stayed away from Canberra. Still have A Walk in the Woods in the queue, though. I'm reading Leviathan by Hobbes, Living Buddha Living Christ by Thich Nhat Hanh, and The Sun Also Rises by Hemingway. I agree. Sunburned Country was great. A Walk in the Woods cracked me up. There is some hysterical stuff in that book and he sprinkles in some great information amongst his stories. I also recommend "I am a Stranger Here Myself" and "Notes From a Small Island". Everything Hemingway wrote was money too. My personal favorite Hemingway book is "A Moveable Feast". Hemingway lived the life I aspire to live
Andrew in CA Posted March 19, 2008 Posted March 19, 2008 I agree. Sunburned Country was great. A Walk in the Woods cracked me up. There is some hysterical stuff in that book and he sprinkles in some great information amongst his stories. I also recommend "I am a Stranger Here Myself" and "Notes From a Small Island". Everything Hemingway wrote was money too. My personal favorite Hemingway book is "A Moveable Feast". Hemingway lived the life I aspire to live I've read A Farewell to Arms and For Whom the Bell Tolls, both of which were fantastic. I would put Bell Tolls in my top 3 fiction books. So far, though, I'm not really of fan of Also Rises. We'll see, but I'm about 3/4 through and it's pretty boring. However, I can't wait to get deeper into his catalogue.
Simon Posted March 19, 2008 Posted March 19, 2008 I just finished Endurance: Shackleford's Incredible Voyage. Not much to say aside from Holy Schnikes, that ship was accurately named. Good stuff.
stuckincincy Posted March 19, 2008 Posted March 19, 2008 (edited) I loved that book. Bryson is the man, and he wrote it from the perspective of someone like me: no idea about anything in science. My gf at the time gave me In a Sunburned Country before I went to Australia, and I was hooked- and I stayed away from Canberra. Still have A Walk in the Woods in the queue, though. I'm reading Leviathan by Hobbes, Living Buddha Living Christ by Thich Nhat Hanh, and The Sun Also Rises by Hemingway. Good assortment. May I suggest some works from Vol. 1 and 2 of the Harvard Classics? ...Ben Franklin's autobiography, John Woolman's journal, and the meditations of Marcus Aurelius. The editor and the publishers chose these to be early in the Classics for good reason - which becomes apparent when one reads them. The Harvard Classics: http://www.bartleby.com/hc/ Edited March 19, 2008 by stuckincincy
dpbillsfan Posted March 20, 2008 Posted March 20, 2008 Last two have been by John Feinstein, "A Good Walk Spoiled" and "Next Man Up". Both are excellent reads. Got some really good titles to read thanks to this thread.
meazza Posted March 20, 2008 Posted March 20, 2008 http://www.amazon.com/Demon-Our-Own-Design...n/dp/0471227277 Demon of our own design by Richard Bookstaber
rockpile Posted March 20, 2008 Posted March 20, 2008 The Game That Was by Myron CopeI could be a whore and put in my book, but that would be shameless and I would never stoop to that level. Not too much on my plate, as most of my reading is research for my next book. Go ahead, Ken - be a whore. Hell you ran for President! Actually, that is VERY cool!
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