What book r u reading?

[RestlessSoul]

Currently half way through Napoleon the Great by Andrew Roberts. I don't think Napoleon was that great tbh, but probably more so than Alexander, who's empire also failed to survive him. Roberts is an engaging writer though and Bonaparte was certainly an interesting character.

 

[Spice]

Over the weekend I read a sweet debut novel my the daughter of a childhood friend entitled Atticus in a Skirt, by Tommi Elizabeth Powell. She did a great job! I just wish her editor had been as good. Great story, great voice, poor typeset.

Tonight I'm starting Purple Hibiscus, by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, a contemporary fiction set in Nigeria around a 15 year old young woman. Just a few pages in and I don't like her daddy at all! And to be such a successful business man, community and church leader, he's sure has a nasty temper.

 

[Watchmen]

The Revenant. Never watched the movie. Enjoying the book so far.

 

[Mock Turtle]

Nearly finished As Far As The Eye Can See: A History Of Seeing (2019) by S. Denham Wade - Where the author travels through the history of human vision, and before, so as to note the changes and progress that came about through the various discoveries and inventions that have occurred. Well worth a read.

Previously had read - Alex Through The Looking Glass: How Life Reflects Numbers And Numbers Reflect Life (2014) by Alex Bellos - Anyone who wasn't charmed by Mathematics when young might gain from this book, or another of his, Alex's Adventures in Numberland - as to which I can't remember if I've read this or not.

 

[Spice]

I'm about halfway in The Golem and the Jinni, by Helene Wecker. It's quite an enjoyable tale and well written, especially for an author's debut novel.

 

[Harel13]

I'm in the middle of Arcanum Unbounded by Brandon Sanderson. It's a collection of short stories and notes about the Cosmere, the universe where most of his fantasy novels take place. Problem with this book is that to best enjoy it you need to remember the plots of the main novels from the universe - the two Mistborn trilogies, Elantris, and Stormlight Archive. My problem is that the last time I read Elantris was five years ago, the first Mistborn trilogy three and a half years ago, I've only read the first book of the second trilogy and that was also some years ago, and I've yet to start the Stormlight Archive. So, I read the first short story which doesn't necessitate remembering Elantris, then speed reread Elantris in a couple of days, read the second short story, then read a couple of other short stories on the Mistborn world basing myself on vague recollections. And when I'll get to the Stormlight story I'll stop until I get started on that series. But I like the author notes, he gives some background on why each story was written or what inspired him.

 

[Evangelicalhumanist]

Just started "The Barn: An Extraordinary True Story" by David Hill.

The murder of Emmett Till is a harrowing event in American history, one of the catalysts for the civil rights movement.

Emmett Till was a 14-year-old boy from Chicago who in August 1955 traveled to Mississippi to visit relatives. His brutal killing would expose the deep-seated racism and violence faced by Black Americans, especially in the Jim Crow South.

The events leading to Till's murder began when a white woman, Carolyn Bryant, accused him of making an inappropriate advance toward her, an alleged brief interaction considered a grievous offense in the racially segregated South of the 1950s. Days later, Bryant's husband Roy Bryant, and his half-brother, J.W. Milam, abducted Till, brutally tortured and murdered him. They were later tried and acquitted by an all-white jury.

One of the things that interests me about this story is that at the trial, eight of the jurors, a defense attorney, and the sheriff were all from the same extended family as the two men on trial. That such a miscarriage was permitted says, it seems to me, much about the U.S. at the time. And the fact that it happened during my lifetime (I was not quite 8 when it happened) troubles me.

 

[jbg]

I just finished re-reading The Great Gatsby (Paperback) by F. Scott Fitzgerald; in High School senior year, 1974-5 and now.Rereading classics without the pressure of a pending exam and the competitive pressure of an English honors class definitely helps enjoyment. Particular since I started honors track in Junior Year, I couldn't hope to compete with the eloquence of my class mates. One of many key excerpts:

They were careless people, Tom and Daisy-they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness, or whatever it was that kept them together, and let other people clean up the mess they had made.

I have used this expression again and again, to describe people that don't mind damaging each other, and other people. One of many examples of great writing.
Also, the book is a great period-peace of the halcyon days of the Prohibition Era, early 1920's, particularly those with the privilege of imbibing freely. I would write more and might start a thread. Re-reading classics that perhaps we were too young, or under too much academic pressure to appreciate has its values.

 

[The Hammer]

 

[Shadow Wolf]

It's mostly been tech manuals and textbooks lately. Right now it's a book about electronics to fill some holes and gaps in my knowledge. Then it's going to be repair guides for the same reason.

 

[Wu Wei]

Chen Taijiquan Illustrated by David Gaffney & Davidine Siaw-Voon Sim

 

[Spice]

I just finished re-reading The Great Gatsby (Paperback) by F. Scott Fitzgerald; in High School senior year, 1974-5 and now.Rereading classics without the pressure of a pending exam and the competitive pressure of an English honors class definitely helps enjoyment. Particular since I started honors track in Junior Year, I couldn't hope to compete with the eloquence of my class mates. One of many key excerpts:

I have used this expression again and again, to describe people that don't mind damaging each other, and other people. One of many examples of great writing.
Also, the book is a great period-peace of the halcyon days of the Prohibition Era, early 1920's, particularly those with the privilege of imbibing freely. I would write more and might start a thread. Re-reading classics that perhaps we were too young, or under too much academic pressure to appreciate has its values.

My favorite Gatsby quote:
"There is no confusion like the confusion of a simple mind,..."

 

[Spice]

It's Spooky Season and my books align accordingly. Tonight I began A Storm of Witchcraft, The Salem Trials and the American Experience, by Emerson W. Baker.

Having finished the Author's Note and Introduction I excitedly anticipate an enlightening read on more than just the witch hunt of 1692.

I've already learned that Benjamin Franklin's aunt, his mother's sister, was one of the first accusers. And that the Puritans had anticipated a theocracy that the Salem "incident" ultimately ended even though Massachusetts did not end its state church, the Congregational Church, until 1833. And I never knew there had been an attempted invasion of Quebec in 1690 that nearly destroyed the Massachusetts Bay Colony.

Maybe I should take notes on this one!

 

[Harel13]

Just finished Brandon Sanderson's The Way of Kings. Wow! What an amazing book! I couldn't put it down (and that's saying something, at over a 1000 pages long!).

 

[Spice]

Just finished Brandon Sanderson's The Way of Kings. Wow! What an amazing book! I couldn't put it down (and that's saying something, at over a 1000 pages long!).

I just heard about that one in my fb reader's group. The poster was doing the Audible and said the first 100 or so pages was tough to get through but then it picked up. Did it take that long to grab your interest?

 

[Harel13]

I just heard about that one in my fb reader's group. The poster was doing the Audible and said the first 100 or so pages was tough to get through but then it picked up. Did it take that long to grab your interest?

I think I was hooked much earlier. The first couple dozen were harder, because they were more slow paced and it takes a little while to understand the world of the story, but I'm already a Sanderson fan so I knew it would be worth pushing through.

 

[Kathryn]

I just finished re-reading The Great Gatsby (Paperback) by F. Scott Fitzgerald; in High School senior year, 1974-5 and now.Rereading classics without the pressure of a pending exam and the competitive pressure of an English honors class definitely helps enjoyment. Particular since I started honors track in Junior Year, I couldn't hope to compete with the eloquence of my class mates. One of many key excerpts:

I have used this expression again and again, to describe people that don't mind damaging each other, and other people. One of many examples of great writing.
Also, the book is a great period-peace of the halcyon days of the Prohibition Era, early 1920's, particularly those with the privilege of imbibing freely. I would write more and might start a thread. Re-reading classics that perhaps we were too young, or under too much academic pressure to appreciate has its values.

I reread The Great Gatsby recently and loved it. I also read My Antonia as an adult and loved it too. I highly recommend rereading classics! I also reread OF Mice And Men and adored it too.

 

[Eddi]

I'm reading Taoism For Dummies!

 

[Kathryn]

I just read two very different books for two very different book clubs and i liked then both but i much preferred one over the other. I will let you decide which I preferred. ''I read Peace Like A River and The London Seance Society in that order becaiuse that's how the book clubs fall.

 

[Spice]

My current novel is Stardust, by Neil Gaiman. Friday I finished Good Girls Don't Die, by Christina Henry and it still has a hold. Quite a read!