What have you read recently? 2009 -2020

Status
Not open for further replies.
Wally Lamb's The Hour I First Believed; Rachel K's Telex from Cuba; Dennis Lehane's The Given Day; and of course The Story of Edward Sawtelle. Recent non-fiction included A Team of Rivals (great A. Lincoln book); Andrew Jackson, his life and times; Seabiscuit, an American Legend; and A Terrible Glory: Custer and the Little Bighorn-the last great battle of the American West. Oh and I read Obama's Dreams from my Father.

Like to read. :)

t.r.
 
DangerMouse said:
Moloka'i by Alan Brennert. This is probably the best book I have read for a long time, possibly in my top 5 of all time. I would highly recommend it. It's a real tear jerker, but a wonderful story.
Click to expand...
Thanks, I see Brennert has just published another one called, "Honolulu." Wonder how they compare to Michener's "Hawaii" which I loved.
 
Hillerman's series - starting on Rex Stout - reading Stockdale's books, too. Also have an unfinished Ludlum plus a bunch other waiting in the queue. I second the Daniel Silva books - also like Dick Francis. Oh, also reading Kathy Reich's books - Bones TV series is loosely based on the character.

To hijack thread - I also love the new TV series Life - probably because the lead guy was the guy in Band of Brothers. I'm a sucker for red hair....my husband is a redhead :)

Here in Germany with AFN we're about a season behind - I was sad when they canceled new Amsterdam series.

For non-fiction books, I have my knitting design books, travel books and am going to pursue the Hazlitt Economics book mentioned, a CS Lewis book, and a 'get organized' book.
 
Just finished The Ascent of Money by Niall Fergeson. Not an easy read. He does point out recessions, panics, and depressions occur when regulation of trading and banking practices is lax.

For fiction, also just finished The Whiskey Rebels by David Liss. Historical novel about life in early America. He focuses on financial subjects: this one about the impact of the creation of the Bank of the United States, funded by a tax on whiskey -- and it's impact on the economy, the rise of speculation and trading in bank stocks and subsequent panic (see lax regulation above).
 
I just finished Kotlikoff's Spend to the End and I would have to say it was the most boring book I have ever read .Only buy it if you have insomnia as it will put you right to sleep .
 
Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt is my current pre-St. Patty's Day read.

Being non-fiction dealing with Ireland and America during the Depression,
it'll make you appreciate even a really bad day in the market.

-LB
 
leftbucket said:
Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt is my current pre-St. Patty's Day read.

Being non-fiction dealing with Ireland and America during the Depression,
it'll make you appreciate even a really bad day in the market.

-LB
Click to expand...


I read that years ago . Pretty depressing ! Another book along those lines is A Glass House .
 
I just finished listening to "Confessions of an Economic Hit Man" by John Perkins. I have recently listened to the following:
Blink
Collapse
Freakonomics
In Defense of Food
Predictably Irrational
Stirring It Up
The Alchemy of Finance
The Botany of Desire
The Tipping Point
The World Without Us

I found out that our library has a digital version available for download as a book on tape or PDF that it has gone in with the rest of the cities in the county to provide for free. An exceptional selection for free download and it works with my iPod, so I paid nothing for all of the above, you just will have to listen to them before the checked out period ends (3 weeks). It is very easy!

I have been hiking 3 days a week and have had the time to listen to all of these books as well as keep up with the podcast called "Security Now" with Steve Gibson and Leo Laporte.

Here is the link to our library,
http://phoenix.lib.overdrive.com
 
I just finished "Rogue Trader" by Nick Leeson. Incredible story and vicariously interesting. That's from a locational, not a trade execution perspective.

Anything by John Irving works for me. That man can just plain tell a story.
 
I just finished "Windy City; a Novel of Politics," by Scott Simon. It starts with the mayor of Chicago found dead with his face in a pizza - from nicotine poisoning. Need I say more?

I also read "Deamon" by Daniel Suarez. A rich, brilliant, paranoid game designer dies of cancer and leaves behind a complex set of running processes and scripts that begin killing people and taking over corporations. A fun read (the IT aspects are pretty good but you do have to suspend disbelief). A sequel is in the works.
 
I have a tendancy to read biographies/autobiographies. If you like that sort of thing the following are excellent (in my humble opinion)

The Glass Castle - Jeannette Walls

Into thin Air - Jon Krakauer

Under the Banner of Heaven - Jon Krakauer

Recent fiction read

Water for Elephants - Sara Gruen EXCELLENT

Firefly Road - It bored me to tears
 
I read fiction fast, and non-fiction slowly. I'm a sci-fi/fantasy fan, and have recently been re-reading some old favs - Fritz Lieber's Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser series, Douglas Adams' Hitchhiker books, things like that. I can usually knock one of these books out in a day or so. In my attempt to read the classics I missed or can't remember well I'm reading For Whom the Bell Tolls, with Don Quixote in the on deck circle. I've been reading The Great Depression Ahead by Harry Dent. He makes Hemingway look positively upbeat.
 
I'm mostly a reader of sort of meaty fiction, now that I have the time in ER. Just finished one of my favorite novels of all time.

Angle of Repose -- Wallace Stegner. Won the Pulitzer in 1971. Deserved it. More than just a compelling story of settlers in the West in the 1870s. The writing elevates this to the Serious Book category. My highest recommendation.
 
Angle of Repose is a fantastic book. I second the recommendation.

My most recent reads include

The Last Battle by Cornelius Ryan - history of the battle for Berlin and the end of WWII in Europe.

American Lion by Jon Meachum - a biography of Andrew Jackson

The Age of Napoleon by J. Christopher Herold - history of the era

Il Sorriso di Monna Lisa (Mona Lisa Smile) -- adapted from the screenplay of the Julia Roberts movie of the same name
 
leftbucket said:
Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt is my current pre-St. Patty's Day read.

Being non-fiction dealing with Ireland and America during the Depression,
it'll make you appreciate even a really bad day in the market.

-LB
Click to expand...

Have recently read Teacher Man by Frank McCourt. Tells of his life in America post Ireland.

This book was dogged by the critics, but I enjoyed it because he was honest about his emotions & feelings. It kinda had the attitude of "this is who I am, if you don't like it--tough"
 
Bought/read Enough by Jack Bogle, as much as I admire him, I doubt this audience would learn much from it, and I've already sold it online. Just finished America's Cheapest Family, and I think I'm going to re-read Walden next. To each his own, but I'm another who rarely reads fiction, last time was in college about 35 years ago...
 
I read the first 2 of Susan Penman's historical fiction works (see below). If you want some European history lessons this is a nice way to start. I listed her works in historical order below. When Christ and His Saints Slept covers the English and French history when Maude and Stephen were fighting for the crown. Time and Chance covers Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine, also Thomas Becket's falling out with Henry. Devil's Brood was just released and has very good reviews at Amazon. It continues with the Henry II and Eleanor history and is next on my list.

1101-1154 When Christ And His Saints Slept (Vol 1 of Trilogy)
1156-1171 Time And Chance (Vol 2 of Trilogy)
12th Cent Devil's Brood (Vol 3 of Trilogy)
1192-1193 The Queen's Man
1193 Cruel As The Grave

1183-1232 Here Be Dragons (Vol 1 of Welsh Trilogy)
1231-1267 Falls The Shadow (Vol 2 of Welsh Trilogy)
1271-1283 The Reckoning (Vol 3 of Welsh Trilogy)
1459-1492 The Sunne In Splendour
 
Quiet Strength by Tony Dungy. I'm only 30 pages into it, and I'm already thinking about buying free copies for my office mates some of whom are anything but.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

S
Scott Burns' own story
Replies
3
Views
3K
haha
haha

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom