What have you read recently? 2009 -2020

[MichaelB]

The Infidel and The Professor
David Hume, Adam Smith, and the friendship that shaped modern thought

Hume and Smith were two of the greatest intellectuals of the 18th century, and also best friends. This very well written book gives the story of that friendship as well as a brief but very accessible explanation of their thoughts.

That sounds like a good read. I think I'll give it to myself as a Christmas present.

When I was younger (so much younger than today) I used to spend my free time in bookstores. Anyone remember Waldenbooks and B. Dalton? Just browsing the titles, reading blurbs and back covers, looking for something interesting to read. This thread brings me back and reminds me of that experience.

 

[Chuckanut]

The Lost Fleet: Victorious

Last book in the "Lost Fleet" saga.

Captain Geary, after getting the fleet back to Alliance space despite incredible odds, then confronts the mysterious aliens who seem to have a plan to keep humans at war with each other.

The series is set one-hundred-plus years into an interstellar war between two different human cultures, the Alliance and the Syndics. The protagonist of the story is discovered floating in a suspended animation escape pod one hundred years after he made a "heroic last stand" against an enemy fleet. In his absence, he has been made into a renowned hero in the Alliance, but his legend and actions are used to justify poor tactics and decisions. Awakened after being discovered during a secret mission that turns out to be an enemy trap, he is suddenly dropped into the role of fleet commander and expected to live up to the legend that has grown around him.

 

[donheff]

When I was younger (so much younger than today) I used to spend my free time in bookstores. Anyone remember Waldenbooks and B. Dalton? Just browsing the titles, reading blurbs and back covers, looking for something interesting to read. This thread brings me back and reminds me of that experience.

+1 Not many book stores around anymore. I miss the serendipity of stumbling on a great book that way.

 

[Chuckanut]

+1 Not many book stores around anymore. I miss the serendipity of stumbling on a great book that way.

We still have Barnes and Noble in our area. And there is an Amazon book store in the local high-class mall. We also have a descent used book store in the area.

 

[Walt34]

When I was younger (so much younger than today) I used to spend my free time in bookstores. Anyone remember Waldenbooks and B. Dalton? Just browsing the titles, reading blurbs and back covers, looking for something interesting to read.

I did that some, but I liked the library better because I could take the books home for free. Where I lived at the time we had a terrific library that took up most of the block it was located on. It was at least two stories, maybe three stories tall, I can't remember now.

 

[GravitySucks]

Bleak House by Charles Dickens.
Took over three months to finish. Now I'm missing all the characters I've been hang out with for months.

 

[braumeister]

That sounds like a good read. I think I'll give it to myself as a Christmas present.

You might want to check the library first. Even though it's a new book, I was able to borrow it. $16 is a bit more than I'm normally willing to pay for a Kindle edition.

 

[6miths]

Daughter gave me 'American Eclipse' by David Baron for Christmas. The story of the eclipse of 1878 that went through the western US that year. An interesting read and a reminder of my experience of the 'American Eclipse' this year.

 

[harley]

When I was younger (so much younger than today) I used to spend my free time in bookstores. Anyone remember Waldenbooks and B. Dalton? Just browsing the titles, reading blurbs and back covers, looking for something interesting to read. This thread brings me back and reminds me of that experience.

Way back when I was in college there was a bookstore just off campus. It was called Books, Strings, and Things. It was the coolest place, with books, records, knick-knacks, all sorts of stuff. Had live music there occasionally. Richard (the owner) used to let us play D&D in the back room there. I always thought that when I FIREd I'd open a place like that. Just hang out, watch and listen to the college kids and other people, and read and listen to music. Then, sadly, Crown, B. Dalton, Waldenbooks, B&N, then Amazon. That's the only thing I ever thought I'd do (work-wise) after retirement. If not that, then nothing. Luckily, I really like nothing. I do miss places like BS&T, but that's the way of capitalism.

 

[scrabbler1]

My nearby shopping mall had a decent bookstore. It was at one time Waldenbooks, then a Borders Express, then something called Books-a-Million. Now it is some baby toy store. Ugh. We had a bigger Borders further away until they folded years ago. Now it's just a B&N, not far from that bigger Borders store. It's still somewhat inconvenient to go there, so if I know what I want and don't need to browse (and I DO like to browse), I buy it on line.


As to books am reading, I am reading Quakeland, by Kathryn Miles. I saw her on C-Span discussing the book. I have always been interested in earthquakes, so I find this a good read.

 

[Ronstar]

I frequent Barnes and Noble, but recently became a fan of The Poisoned Pen in Scottsdale, Az. Picked up Typhoon Fury by Clive Cussler there a couple of months ago - he stops in for book signings every once in a while, but I haven't been there for a book signing yet.

 

[Mr._Graybeard]

When I was younger (so much younger than today) I used to spend my free time in bookstores. Anyone remember Waldenbooks and B. Dalton? Just browsing the titles, reading blurbs and back covers, looking for something interesting to read. This thread brings me back and reminds me of that experience.

I worked at a B Dalton store for a few months when they were a going concern at area shopping malls. We sold cheap romance novels by the bale.

There's something about a big independent book store, though, that infuses my brain the moment I walk through the door. Maybe it's the small of fresh ink on paper. A place to sit comfortably is also a nice touch, as well as a well-stocked magazine rack. B&N captures a slice of that, even though it's a chain.

 

[braumeister]

There's something about a big independent book store, though, that infuses my brain the moment I walk through the door. Maybe it's the small of fresh ink on paper. A place to sit comfortably is also a nice touch, as well as a well-stocked magazine rack. B&N captures a slice of that, even though it's a chain.

Absolutely.
Two of my favorite places are Tattered Cover in Denver and Powell's in Portland. Both are legendary.

 

[PawPrint53]

I frequent Barnes and Noble, but recently became a fan of The Poisoned Pen in Scottsdale, Az.

I'm guessing that's a mystery bookstore? I was bummed when the Seattle Mystery Bookstore closed down a month or so ago. No longer live in Seattle, but always went there and bought a book when we visited.

We still have an independent bookstore where we live, and we buy a book a month. Not going to keep it in business, but we want to support it as much as we can. We never buy books from Amazon. Mostly we go to the library. We love Powell's in Portland and go there every time we visit Portland. When we lived in northern Colorado, every visit to Denver included a stop at the Tattered Cover.

 

[harley]

A place to sit comfortably is also a nice touch, as well as a well-stocked magazine rack. B&N captures a slice of that, even though it's a chain.

I remember 4 years ago at our local B&N in Salisbury MD, they started removing all the chairs and benches and such before Christmas. I asked if it was permanent, but they said it was just for Christmas decorating and displays. But they never brought them back. You can still sit at one of the 3 or 4 small tables in the coffee bar part, but not in the actual store anymore. I quit going to B&N shortly after that.

 

[Ronstar]

I'm guessing that's a mystery bookstore? I was bummed when the Seattle Mystery Bookstore closed down a month or so ago. No longer live in Seattle, but always went there and bought a book when we visited.

We still have an independent bookstore where we live, and we buy a book a month. Not going to keep it in business, but we want to support it as much as we can. We never buy books from Amazon. Mostly we go to the library. We love Powell's in Portland and go there every time we visit Portland. When we lived in northern Colorado, every visit to Denver included a stop at the Tattered Cover.

Yes it is primarily a mystery bookstore. I haven't seen anything else but fiction in there. I like the little mom and pop mystery type stores.

 

[Mr._Graybeard]

I remember 4 years ago at our local B&N in Salisbury MD, they started removing all the chairs and benches and such before Christmas. I asked if it was permanent, but they said it was just for Christmas decorating and displays. But they never brought them back. You can still sit at one of the 3 or 4 small tables in the coffee bar part, but not in the actual store anymore. I quit going to B&N shortly after that.

I don't blame you. Try sitting at one of the remaining tables without buying coffee -- I can imagine what would happen.

A couple of booksellers in my area like to bring in authors to talk about their work, sign books, etc. Retailers like that will survive the Amazon blitz, I think (hope).

 

[Mr._Graybeard]

A little off track, but book fans might enjoy a program that my public radio station offers. Every weekday they read a chapter from a featured book. Appropriately, the program is called "Chapter A Day." It's been a regular program since 1931, and you can listen to it online. https://www.wpr.org/programs/chapter-day

 

[Calico]

I remember 4 years ago at our local B&N in Salisbury MD, they started removing all the chairs and benches and such before Christmas. I asked if it was permanent, but they said it was just for Christmas decorating and displays. But they never brought them back. You can still sit at one of the 3 or 4 small tables in the coffee bar part, but not in the actual store anymore. I quit going to B&N shortly after that.

What do you know - it isn't just my local B&N - I guess it's a company strategy. They removed all the chairs a couple of years ago. They did leave several backless benches in front of the magazine racks, but I cannot sit on one of those for more than 10 minutes without back pain. When I told them this, and inquired why they removed the chairs, they suggested "you can always sit in the coffee shop."

After they removed all the comfortable seating, a huge amount of floor space was devoted to shelves and shelves of toys and stuffed animals, most of which reflected the latest "movie merchandising" trends in children's toys.

I came to the conclusion that I am no longer their target demographic. Apparently they are only interested in the parents and the coffee aficionados.

Now I only frequent the small independent bookstores in the area. Fortunately there are several very fine indies around here. One of the perks of living within 5 mile of one university and 10 miles of another. Thank goodness for indies.

 

[savory]

Listen to Short Nights of the Shadow Catcher: The Epic Life and Immortal Photographs of Edward Curtis - In the summer of 1900, Edward Curtis gave up a successful photography career to pursue a quixotic plan: to photograph all the Indian communities in North America. He quickly learned that his subjects were dying off fast, so he’d need to hurry if he was “to capture the essence of their lives before that essence disappeared.” A mountaineer, explorer, intrepid photojournalist, and amateur anthropologist, Curtis was Ansel Adams crossed with Annie Leibovitz, a willful and passionate chronicler of a people he came to love. “I want to make them live forever,” Curtis said in the early days of his decades-long mission. As Egan’s thrilling story attests, he succeeded, even though he died penniless and alone. --Neal Thompson

Currently reading - American Gospel: God, the Founding Fathers, and the Making of a Nation - The American Gospel–literally, the good news about America–is that religion shapes our public life without controlling it. In this vivid book, New York Times bestselling author Jon Meacham tells the human story of how the Founding Fathers viewed faith, and how they ultimately created a nation in which belief in God is a matter of choice.

 

[savory]

A little off track, but book fans might enjoy a program that my public radio station offers. Every weekday they read a chapter from a featured book. Appropriately, the program is called "Chapter A Day." It's been a regular program since 1931, and you can listen to it online. https://www.wpr.org/programs/chapter-day

Use to love listening to Radio Reader with Dick Estell while in university. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Radio_Reader. Did not realize until now that he was doing his reading from Michigan State U.

 

[USGrant1962]

I'm about 200 pages into Ulysses Grant's new biography by Ron Chernow. It's a pretty good page turner -- I just got past Shiloh.

Good to know. That's on my wish list but no one bought it for me - guess I'll blow that dough and buy it myself.

I did get "The Second World Wars" by Victor Davis Hanson and am 150 pages into that. Excellent, fresh view of WWII. There are some eerie parallels between the appeasement era, that per Hanson essentially allowed WWII to happen, and modern times.

 

[RobbieB]

Midnight Line - Lee Child.

Jack Reacher strikes again -

 

[Mr._Graybeard]

Good to know. That's on my wish list but no one bought it for me - guess I'll blow that dough and buy it myself.

I did get "The Second World Wars" by Victor Davis Hanson and am 150 pages into that. Excellent, fresh view of WWII. There are some eerie parallels between the appeasement era, that per Hanson essentially allowed WWII to happen, and modern times.

Nice thing about those histories -- you don't have to peek at the end to see how it turns out.

I'm just getting into the second half of the Grant book, which begins with the inauguration of Andrew Johnson. I'm pretty well read on the Civil War, so this part of the book should be the most informative for me. One impression I'm getting overall is that Grant could be suckered pretty easily.

 

[donheff]

Beartown, by Fredrik Backman, took the top spot on my 2018 reading list. I never read Friday Night Lights but I suspect this is a Swedish version with hockey replacing football. When I started reading I was not aware that it is set in Sweden. The struggling small town and it's citizens could be somewhere in northern Pennsylvania or Michigan. This is much more than a book about hockey, it is about people and the choices they make. The characters are fully drawn and compelling. The story line seems inevitable and unavoidable. Put this one on your list.