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Re: What are you reading?

Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2013 4:55 pm
by serleran
Quasi.

Re: What are you reading?

Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2013 11:09 pm
by Just Jeff
Lurker wrote:Ohhhhh, well I do understand now, but .... still to old and crusty to be 'hip' 8-) Just ask my cadets !!! :lol:
You're in good company. I'm a Crusty Old Fossil Rocker from way back.

Currently reading Sahara, my first sampling of Cussler. I don't recommend it.

Re: What are you reading?

Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2013 3:07 am
by kreider204
serleran wrote:Quasi.
Latin, "as if," (qua = "as"; si = "if"), resembling, like, similar to, or even "sorta" :)

I knew studying nothing but dead languages would pay off someday ...

Re: What are you reading?

Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2013 12:54 am
by dachda
Just finished Library of America's American Science Fiction: Four Classic Novels 1953–1956 Wonderful classic Sci-Fi, recommend all four novels. It featured these novels:
The Space Merchants, Frederik Pohl & C. M. Kornbluth
More Than Human, Theodore Sturgeon
The Long Tomorrow, Leigh Brackett
The Shrinking Man, Richard Matheson

There is a 2nd volume featuring 5 novels from 1956-1958 but now I'm in the middle of another of LOA's two volume sets:

American Fantastic Tales: Terror and the Uncanny from Poe to Now (boxed set)

This one has all the usual suspects (Poe, Howard, Lovecraft, Wolfe, King) plus some writers you never knew wrote fantastic/horror tales like Willa Cather, F. Scott Fitzgerald, John Cheever and Tennessee Williams. The first story is dated 1805, the last in 2007.

Re: What are you reading?

Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2013 2:22 am
by TheMetal1
Just finished the 3rd book in the Prism Pentad series The Amber Enchantress chronicle adventures in world of Dark Sun

Image

Now onto the 4th book in the series The Obsidian Oracle

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Re: What are you reading?

Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2013 12:34 am
by Ancalagon
The Art of War

Re: What are you reading?

Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2013 5:02 pm
by Just Jeff
Ancalagon wrote:The Art of War
What version?

Re: What are you reading?

Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2013 5:13 pm
by Rigon
A Canticle for Leibowitz

R-

Re: What are you reading?

Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2013 12:06 am
by Ancalagon
Just Jeff wrote:
Ancalagon wrote:The Art of War
What version?
Oxford University Press, 1963

Re: What are you reading?

Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2013 3:04 am
by Just Jeff
Hmm. Now I can't find the version I had. It was loaded with anecdotes, more or less contemporary with Sun Tzu, that provided historical examples of his tactics.

I picked up my copy because I was playing a character who was supposed to know military tactics. ;)

Re: What are you reading?

Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2013 5:00 am
by Ancalagon
I picked up my copy about 10 years ago just for leisurely reading. Now I'm hitting it again because it was on a supplemental reading list for a grad course I'm taking. Pretty cool for a refresher on info I may be able to apply to gaming while also using the info for a grade. 8-)

Re: What are you reading?

Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2013 2:09 pm
by Lurker
Well this isn't an "I'm reading this" post, but I HAVE to brag about one of my Cadets ... :!:

He came into my classroom as a battle buddy for a cadet who was retaking a test. After talking with him (he is very quiet in class, so I knew very little about him) I realized he was fairly well read - especially for a cadet we have here. I then told him to look through my book for a bit, he almost begged me for a book to read. Said he knew he couldn't read much while he was here so started something worth reading before coming here. He couldn't believe I had a copy. Of course I let him check it out and in 1 week he has finished 2 different reports on it. Now for the surprise .... 8-)



It was Gibbon's 'Decline & Fall of Rome'. :shock: Imagine a 16 year old kid reading that for fun, and then a kid that needs to come here to TYA. The icing on the cake is that there are 3 other cadets arguing to see who will be next to get it!!!! :)

I guess there is hope!!!!

Re: What are you reading?

Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2013 2:20 pm
by Rigon
Lurker wrote:Well this isn't an "I'm reading this" post, but I HAVE to brag about one of my Cadets ... :!:

He came into my classroom as a battle buddy for a cadet who was retaking a test. After talking with him (he is very quiet in class, so I knew very little about him) I realized he was fairly well read - especially for a cadet we have here. I then told him to look through my book for a bit, he almost begged me for a book to read. Said he knew he couldn't read much while he was here so started something worth reading before coming here. He couldn't believe I had a copy. Of course I let him check it out and in 1 week he has finished 2 different reports on it. Now for the surprise .... 8-)



It was Gibbon's 'Decline & Fall of Rome'. :shock: Imagine a 16 year old kid reading that for fun, and then a kid that needs to come here to TYA. The icing on the cake is that there are 3 other cadets arguing to see who will be next to get it!!!! :)

I guess there is hope!!!!
Very cool.

R-

Re: What are you reading?

Posted: Sat Feb 16, 2013 2:47 am
by Lurker
Rigon wrote:
Lurker wrote:Well this isn't an "I'm reading this" post, but I HAVE to brag about one of my Cadets ... :!:

He came into my classroom as a battle buddy for a cadet who was retaking a test. After talking with him (he is very quiet in class, so I knew very little about him) I realized he was fairly well read - especially for a cadet we have here. I then told him to look through my book for a bit, he almost begged me for a book to read. Said he knew he couldn't read much while he was here so started something worth reading before coming here. He couldn't believe I had a copy. Of course I let him check it out and in 1 week he has finished 2 different reports on it. Now for the surprise .... 8-)



It was Gibbon's 'Decline & Fall of Rome'. :shock: Imagine a 16 year old kid reading that for fun, and then a kid that needs to come here to TYA. The icing on the cake is that there are 3 other cadets arguing to see who will be next to get it!!!! :)

I guess there is hope!!!!
Very cool.

R-
Rgr on that, plus he shocked me again yesterday. I was giving the class on drugs and on the part about downers oand barbiturates. I didn't even realize I used the 'little yellow pill" and/or "mother's little helper" example a few time. Out of no where he blurts out "The stones ... that is what you are referring to, Its the rolling stones" Not only does he like to read good deep books, but also knows good classic rock!

Now to get back on topic. I'm a chapter or two away from finishing the "Afghan Campaign". After that, I'll start D. Dunnett's "Niccolò Rising". That, or I'll go to my first love (book wise) and pick up the Hobbit again and finish relearning to love reading for fun! ;)

Re: What are you reading?

Posted: Sun Feb 24, 2013 4:05 pm
by DeadReborn
My hunger for Middle-earth continues; started reading Unfinished Tales: The Lost Lore of Middle-earth.

Re: What are you reading?

Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2013 2:34 pm
by mbeacom
Been reading Assassins Apprentice by Robin Hobb. Very slow. Not much at all has happened and I'm 250 pages in on a 400 page book.

Recently finished the first few books in the Jack Reacher series. (modern crime/action thrillers) They also start slow but finish very strong.

Just before that I finished the first book in the Night Angel trilogy, "The Way of Shadows". Its very dark fantasy, not appropriate for children but an excellent read.

Re: What are you reading?

Posted: Sun Mar 03, 2013 11:37 pm
by slimykuotoan
Just finished Hitman (Bret Hart).

And am starting Warhammer 40K: Flight of the Eisenstein.

Re: What are you reading?

Posted: Tue Mar 05, 2013 3:05 am
by Litzen Tallister
Currently, my 'downstairs' book is a long slog through the Poison Elves trade paperbacks. Upstairs is Casket of Souls from Lynn Flewelling.

My 'to be read' stack is getting a bit longer than it should be. So much to read and so little time. :D

Re: What are you reading?

Posted: Wed May 01, 2013 3:44 am
by Mac Golden
KH.

How was Elric?

Re: What are you reading?

Posted: Thu Sep 12, 2013 9:06 pm
by Lurker
Well this is another one about my cadets. In July we got a new group and I got my classes out of them about 3 weeks ago. In that 3 week I've gotten to know a couple of them (this group is much better than my cadets from last group so can step back and be more mentor/friend than discipline teacher with them).

One of them is quiet but very smart. He mentioned he read a few fantasy & sci fi books, but couldn't find anything at the library he really liked. I brought him in a 'Dune' prequel (I couldn't find Dune #1 in my books, I guess I have 1 more box hidden somewhere needing to be found and opened up), 'Stranger in a Strange Land', & 'On a Pale Horse' ... He is hooked on them! :)

Also, another cadet (who sadly reads at 3 - 4th grade level) wanted a book about war he could read. I grabbed one of the 'illustrated classics' for young readers I have for when my girls get older (Red Badge of Courage) and he is getting into it too! :D

Now I just need to find some time for me to get back to reading again ...

Re: What are you reading?

Posted: Fri Sep 13, 2013 1:18 pm
by Dracyian
I am an ADD reader when it comes books and series, I get hooked then get distracted by something else and then come back then i'm distracted again lol.

ANyways I'm about a third of the way through the Game of Thrones, it is a terribly slow read with a lot of extra stuff in the book. I understand that makes for a more completel understanding but I'm dying of boredom so I put that down to read more Drizzt novels, and the manga Negima

Re: What are you reading?

Posted: Fri Sep 13, 2013 4:08 pm
by seskis281
Been re-reading Heinlein' "youth" series - Double Star, Between Planets, Farmer in the Sky, Time for the Stars. Also Starship Troopers, though that lives "between" his youth and adult novels IMO.

Re: What are you reading?

Posted: Fri Sep 13, 2013 5:40 pm
by kreider204
seskis281 wrote:Been re-reading Heinlein' "youth" series - Double Star, Between Planets, Farmer in the Sky, Time for the Stars. Also Starship Troopers, though that lives "between" his youth and adult novels IMO.
I read a ton of Heinlein when I was a youngin' - I really enjoyed Double Star and Starship Troopers in particular.

This summer I read Tolkien (Hobbit, LotR) for the first time since maybe high school (probably pushing 25 years ago). I was glad to discover that it still held up.

Re: What are you reading?

Posted: Fri Sep 13, 2013 11:00 pm
by NJPDX
Just got done with Gene Wolfe's "New Sun" books. I'm not quite sure what to say ... very tough read, not so much because of the many archaic words, but the narrative was very hard for me to trace at times. I get the feeling this is one of those series that needs more than one read-through to suss it out.

Anybody else have a similar experience? Gotta admit it's one of the few times I've read a book and felt that confused plus dimly aware that I've just read something that is utterly above and beyond me.

Re: What are you reading?

Posted: Sat Sep 14, 2013 2:26 am
by Go0gleplex
Just finished Elizabeth Moon's "Vatta's War" series and have started Christopher Stasheff's "A Wizard in Rhyme" series Funny, looking at the print dates, these books are 20 yrs old or so. YIKES!

Re: What are you reading?

Posted: Sat Sep 14, 2013 3:30 am
by Treebore
Go0gleplex wrote:Just finished Elizabeth Moon's "Vatta's War" series and have started Christopher Stasheff's "A Wizard in Rhyme" series Funny, looking at the print dates, these books are 20 yrs old or so. YIKES!

Yeah, and I read them about 20 years ago. I remember reading both series', so they must have been decent.

Re: What are you reading?

Posted: Sat Sep 14, 2013 4:39 pm
by TheMetal1
Just finished a discworld novel "Pyramids"and now on the next one "Guards, Guards!" Also reading a 1st Special Service Force book called "We move only Forward"

Re: What are you reading?

Posted: Sat Sep 14, 2013 10:02 pm
by Julian Grimm
Currently I am reading The Halflings Gem in a bid to reread the entire Drizzt series.

Re: What are you reading?

Posted: Sun Sep 15, 2013 1:26 am
by dachda
Wolfe is known for his allusive writing as well as for his catholic faith influencing his themes. It's one of the reasons I love reading his work, usually a fascinating story line, coupled with all this suggested meanings you could take years out to ponder on. One his funner books you might want to try is The Wizard Knight. Draws heavily upon Norse myths. Check out the wiki about it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wizard_Knight

I've read nearly all his novels and love 'em. Another series that might be more accessible is the Soldier series, centering upon a Greek soldier who has lost his long term memory. Every day he must read his journal of the night before to know where he is, who he is with and why. Also a fascinating story, with Greek Gods, battles, politics etc . . . involved. Great stuff. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soldier_of_the_Mist


NJPDX wrote:Just got done with Gene Wolfe's "New Sun" books. I'm not quite sure what to say ... very tough read, not so much because of the many archaic words, but the narrative was very hard for me to trace at times. I get the feeling this is one of those series that needs more than one read-through to suss it out.

Anybody else have a similar experience? Gotta admit it's one of the few times I've read a book and felt that confused plus dimly aware that I've just read something that is utterly above and beyond me.

Re: What are you reading?

Posted: Sun Sep 15, 2013 4:35 am
by Go0gleplex
Treebore wrote:
Go0gleplex wrote:Just finished Elizabeth Moon's "Vatta's War" series and have started Christopher Stasheff's "A Wizard in Rhyme" series Funny, looking at the print dates, these books are 20 yrs old or so. YIKES!

Yeah, and I read them about 20 years ago. I remember reading both series', so they must have been decent.
Yeah. They're decent. Wizard in Rhyme has a lot of prose by the greats in it posing as spells. Have had the books since they were printed. A couple of the few series that have survived the purges when I moved. Just finished off David Weber's Oath of Swords Quartet. Gotta love a Paladin whose 7'-6" tall.