What have you read recently? 2009 -2020

[Meadbh]

I am in the middle of "The Emperor of all Maladies" by Siddartha Mukherjee. The author is an oncologist who started a project on the history of cancer and realized that he was describing a phenomenon with a personality. So it's subtitled "a biography of cancer". He has a very engaging writing style and the suspense keeps the pages turning. It has won a ton of awards, including the Pulitzer prize. Highly recommended.

The Emperor of All Maladies

[GregLee]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meadbh "The Emperor of all Maladies" by Siddartha Mukherjee.

Here's an interview on PBS with Mukherjee:
Telling the Story Behind Cancer | PBS NewsHour | Jan. 25, 2011 | PBS

[haha]

My Kindle is the source of many good things. Lately I have been reading every Chekov story I could find. I am out of them, so now I started on Pushkin. My Kindle, some salted herring, and a glass of chilled vodka and life is good.

I hope we get some snow this winter.

Ha

[Bestwifeever]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moemg I have been working my way through The Jackson Brodie books by Kate Atkinson. The first book "Case Histories" was strange but the following were much easier to follow ."One Good Turn ""When will there be good news ""Started early took my dog". The all take place in Scotland & England and actually they turned out to be a really good read .

I really like the Jackson Brodie books too. Atkinson's first book, "Behind the Scenes at the Museum," which won a couple of big awards, but I just can't get into its style.

[redduck]

I just love this thread. For the last week or so, I've routinely gone through every post, from post #1 Lsbcal to post #1064 Bestwifeever and took notes on the books/authors that I might be interested in. Checked out the authors and book titles on Amazon. All this "research" made me rather dizzy (as far as I can tell). But, not so dizzy that I'll be tempted to read S.I. Hayakawa again (sorry, Ha). Didn't vote for Hayakawa for U.S. senator, either.

So, "thanks" to all of you who wrote reviews.

[Lsbcal]

Just finished McCall Smith's Amazon.com: The Unbearable Lightness of Scones: A 44 Scotland Street Novel (5) (9780307454706): Alexander Mccall Smith: Books

This is the 5th in his 44 Scotland Street series (should be read in sequence for the best results). Really great as a light, entertaining and thoughtful read. A nice counterpoint to the miserable real world news nowadays.

The series follows quirky characters who mostly reside at one apartment address in Edinburgh Scotland.

[martyp]

I recently listened to an audio version of "The Last Stand: Custer, Sitting Bull, and the Battle of the Little Bighorn" by Nathaniel Philbrick. I had previously listened to his book about the Mayflower. Both of these books were excellent. I listened to "The Last Stand" during my road trip to Chicago while I drove through the Dakotas. In the way back I visited the Little Bighorn Battlefield. What a great way to experience a book.

[harley]

Quote:

Originally Posted by martyp I recently listened to an audio version of "The Last Stand: Custer, Sitting Bull, and the Battle of the Little Bighorn" by Nathaniel Philbrick. I had previously listened to his book about the Mayflower. Both of these books were excellent. I listened to "The Last Stand" during my road trip to Chicago while I drove through the Dakotas. In the way back I visited the Little Bighorn Battlefield. What a great way to experience a book.

I preferred the Readers Digest Condensed version -

Please Mr Custer - YouTube

[Gumby]

Quote:

Originally Posted by martyp I recently listened to an audio version of "The Last Stand: Custer, Sitting Bull, and the Battle of the Little Bighorn" by Nathaniel Philbrick. I had previously listened to his book about the Mayflower. Both of these books were excellent. I listened to "The Last Stand" during my road trip to Chicago while I drove through the Dakotas. In the way back I visited the Little Bighorn Battlefield. What a great way to experience a book.

I recently read this and thought very highly of it. I was particularly impressed by the way that he painstakingly explored the petty infighting, backstabbing refusals to work for the common good, and glory seeking self promotion by the various Army officers that led almost ineluctably to the debacle. It all sounded familiar to denizens of modern corporate America. Only now, hundred of people don't usually die as a result.

[martyp]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gumby I recently read this and thought very highly of it. I was particularly impressed by the way that he painstakingly explored the petty infighting, backstabbing refusals to work for the common good, and glory seeking self promotion by the various Army officers that led almost ineluctably to the debacle. It all sounded familiar to denizens of modern corporate America. Only now, hundred of people don't usually die as a result.

They didn't mention the infighting in the Rangers talk. I found that part interesting and frustratingly familiar to present times.

[Nodak]

If your interested in Little Big Horn from the Indian's perspective try "High Noon On The Greasy Grass" By Millig (I can't remember his first name).

[martyp]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nodak If your interested in Little Big Horn from the Indian's perspective try "High Noon On The Greasy Grass" By Millig (I can't remember his first name).

Thanks. The Bookstore at the Little Big Horn Battlefield had every imaginable publication of the battle. It was amazing.

[Lsbcal]

Finished Amazon.com: The Company We Keep: A Husband-and-Wife True-Life Spy Story (9780307588159): Robert Baer, Dayna Baer: Books

This is about a man and woman who were in the CIA and eventually met. Each short chapter is written by either Bob or Dayna and involves some action they were in. This is real life stuff, heavily censored I'm sure, but still gives you a feeling of the kind of person one should be if one wants to be an operative out in the "field" -- assuming you had any doubts. I'm definitely the stay out of Dodge type myself and this confirmed it. I do not really want to explore Damascus or Beirut.

Spy fiction stories are kind of fun and generally should have some real life basis but really you never know. The information in this book feels like the real stuff.

The book also discusses some of the family issues that Bob and Dayna have gone through. Helps you to understand how some develop into physical risk takers and military/intelligence types.

[Walt34]

Light - Science & Magic by Fil Hunter, Steven Biver and Paul Fiqua. Okay, it's a photography textbook not for everyone but interesting anyway. How to control the lighting to photograph things like polished metal and glass to make the item look good without unwanted reflections.

In another book I read of one person who buys items on EBay that have either no photographs or were poorly photographed, does a professional job photographing them, and resells for a hefty profit.

[donheff]

Finished Incognito: the Secret Lives of the Brain, by David Eagleman. A good read for science buffs who want to keep up with the latest research on the mind. It is an easy, interesting read.

About halfway through, Inside Scientology: The Story of America's Most Secretive Religion, by Janet Reitman. Ever since I read about rattlesnakes in mailboxes of apostates, infiltration of the Government by covert Church operatives, and then perused some of the advanced Operating Thetan documents on the Internet in the 90s, I have been fascinated by this religion. This book doesn't disappoint. I have no problem with Scientology being deemed a religion - everybody is entitled to their beliefs but, wow, it has the history of a major RICO operation as well. A must read for those who are interested in Scientology. It will be interesting to see how the book views the last decade of their operations as they have gone more mainstream and Hollywood. Someone should make a Broadway play about these folks.

[TromboneAl]

I had this book on my iPod touch:

Amazon.com: One Shot: A Reacher Novel (Jack Reacher) (9780440246077): Lee Child: Books

So I gave Lee Child on more chance. It is definitely entertaining, and I read the whole book. I still had some problems with unrealistic things, but it kept me occupied.

I read this between Elko, Nevada and California during the times that Lena was driving. W2R mentioned that reading from an eReader didn't make her carsick whereas reading a normal book did.

I didn't get carsick while reading through the desert (straight roads), but in the windy sections near Mt. Lassen, I felt the start of motion sickness, and stopped reading.

[Meadbh]

I just finished this book (on my Kindle):

Amazon.com: The Bear's Embrace: A True Story of Survival (9780375421310): Patricia Van Tighem: Books

It is a heartbreaking true story by the victim of a bear's disfiguring attack on the author and her husband in 1983. She suffered more than anyone should have to bear, both physically and mentally. Her book was published in 2000. She committed suicide in 2005.

Patricia Van Tighem - Obituaries, News - The Independent

I recently met her husband. I found him a very impressive person, although I didn't know about the bear attack at the time.

[GregLee]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meadbh She suffered more than anyone should have to bear, ...

I just asked my wife whether I should comment on this awful pun, and she said she thought it was too grizzly to discuss. Honest, that's what she said.

[Meadbh]

Oops! It was totally unintentional. My bad!

[Nemo2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TromboneAl I had this book on my iPod touch: Amazon.com: One Shot: A Reacher Novel (Jack Reacher) (9780440246077): Lee Child: Books So I gave Lee Child on more chance. It is definitely entertaining, and I read the whole book. I still had some problems with unrealistic things, but it kept me occupied.

WRT Reacher and 'the unrealistic'.....it would appear that Tom Cruise is slated to portray Reacher in an upcoming movie.......kinda like Angelina Jolie appearing as Roseanne Barr.