What have you read recently? 2009 -2020

[MichaelB]

“The Path Between the Seas” by David McCullough. The history of the Panama Canal, a fascinating story well researched and told.

 

[anethum]

I recently read Inheritance ("a memoir of genealogy, paternity, and love") by Dani Shapiro. This was a very enjoyable and fast read. We learn in the first 10 pages that the author took a DNA test and had an unexpected discovery about her background and parentage.

 

[Calico]

Thanks to all above who recommended "Why We Sleep."

I put a hold on it at my local library. I am hold #10 on three copies, so it will be a while before it is available.

Hmmm....I wonder if all the ER folks above who recommended it also use my local library.

 

[Time2re]

Reading Code Girls by Liza Mundy. True story of the young women recruited to be codebreakers during WW II, breaking German and Japanese military codes. Working under strict vows of secrecy, this story left untold for so many years. Very interesting story.

 

[bigreader]

I just discovered a new (to me) noir detective, Claire DeWitt, in a series written by Sara Gran.

https://www.goodreads.com/series/91440-claire-dewitt-mysteries

DeWitt is a complex and troubling character and the stories are very dark. I found them well-written and binge-worthy! In addition to this series, Gran has a "one and done" mystery called Dope about a recovering drug addict/PI that was also a good read.


BR

 

[donheff]

A Million Drops, by Spanish writer Victor del Arbol is excellent. The Washington Post selected it as last year’s book of the year. From the Amazon blurb: An intense literary thriller that tears through the interlocked histories of fascism and communism in Europe without pausing for breath.

 

[Chuckanut]

A Million Drops, by Spanish writer Victor del Arbol is excellent. The Washington Post selected it as last year’s book of the year. From the Amazon blurb: An intense literary thriller that tears through the interlocked histories of fascism and communism in Europe without pausing for breath.

Having just returned from Central Europe (Eastern Europe to we Americans) I am fascinated by how much fascism and the communist block affected and still affects many of the countries on that continent even today. It's not pretty. I think I will give that book a shot.

The photo below is from an alternative memorial to the official one blaming Hungary's holocaust on the German occupiers.

 

[donheff]

Tiamat’s Wrath is the 8th volume of The Expanse series by James S A Corey. Very good with lots of possibilities for Book 9 next year.

 

[Moemg]

I just finished "Eleanor Oliphant is completley fine ". This is basically a women's book . You will laugh and you will cry but you will be unable to put this book down.

 

[CoolRich59]

“The Path Between the Seas” by David McCullough. The history of the Panama Canal, a fascinating story well researched and told.

Excellent book. McCullough is one of my favorite authors. I thought "The Path Between the Seas" was one of his best; on the other hand, I was pretty disappointed by his penultimate "The Wright Brothers".

However, just today I received his newest book, "The Pioneers: The Heroic Story of the Settlers Who Brought the American Ideal West", and the premise sounds great. I can't wait to get started on it.

 

[Mmm Rrr]

I just got back from 4 1/2 months on a ship, I read about 30 books. My favorites were:

The Cat's Table by Michael Ondaatje : I read this as we were going through the Suez Canal. It's a fictionalized account of his solo trip from Colombo to London through the Suez as an 11 year old.

A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles. Just lovely from the first page to the last.

 

[robnplunder]

I just read The death of Ivan Ilych by Leo Tolstoy. It reminded me of my late younger brother's passing.

 

[Nemo2]

https://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/10/books/review/canada-by-richard-ford.html

Canada by Richard Ford.

Possibly not a book I would ordinarily have read, but the library bookstore had a pristine hardcover for $1 Canadian, so I picked it up.

Extremely well written with observations and insights galore, it primarily follows a young boy, alienated from his surroundings, (been there, done that), before and after his parents are arrested for an ill conceived bank robbery.

An uphill 'coming of age' story:

what actually happens in the story feels secondary, or at best equal, to the language itself. In the hands of a lesser writer, this can create problems: the prose begins to feel self-indulgent, written not to illuminate any truths but to please the writer, and in the process, story itself is lost and the reader is left behind. But “Canada” is blessed with two essential strengths in equal measure — a mesmerizing story driven by authentic and fully realized characters, and a prose style so accomplished it is tempting to read each sentence two or three times before being pulled to the next.

I enjoyed it.

 

[WestUniversity]

The third book in the Numa series featuring Kurt Austin. I’ve read the entire Dirk Pitt series, so I decided to try this series as well. Not as good as the Dirk Pitt series but it’s classic Cussler...

 

[Chuckanut]

Just started the 11th book in the Frontier Saga by Ryk Brown - Out of the Ashes. This series is really hard to put down. One of the best SciFi series I have read for adventure and entertainment.

 

[Accidental Retiree]

I just finished "Eleanor Oliphant is completley fine ". This is basically a women's book . You will laugh and you will cry but you will be unable to put this book down.

You were right on all counts. I just started and finished it today.
It’s excellent.

 

[scrabbler1]

If you were a baseball fan in New York in the mid-1980s (as I was), then the book, "Doc, Donnie, The Kid, and Billy Brawl," by Chris Donnelly is one you have to read. The book highlights the 1985 season for the Mets and Yankees, the first time in nearly 30 years the city was abuzz about a possible Subway Series all the way into September.

 

[brett]

Just finished Ron Miscavige's book Ruthless. It is about his life in Scientology and his son who leads the organization. How he decided to escape his years of being followed by PI's.

 

[rpguy4]

Just finished reading a book 'Playing with FIRE' by Scott Rieckens. True story about a millennial couple living in California, who wanted to spend more family time together, and decided to make life style changes to save more money and retire early. Book is also a promoting a new documentary film on FIRE to be released in 2019.

 

[ugeauxgirl]

Just finished reading a book 'Playing with FIRE' by Scott Rieckens. True story about a millennial couple living in California, who wanted to spend more family time together, and decided to make life style changes to save more money and retire early. Book is also a promoting a new documentary film on FIRE to be released in 2019.

Was it any good? I just read "Work Optional" by Tanja Hester who has a FIRE blog, and I didn't love it.

 

[rpguy4]

I thought it was an enjoyable, and easy read. The book also mentions and has interviews with JL Collins, https://jlcollinsnh.com/ and his book 'The Simple Path to Wealth' which I just picked up from the library. JL Collins has been mentioned in several posts within this forum as well.



I have not read "Work Optional" by Tanja Hester. Playing with FIRE deals more with the the couple learning about FIRE, and then deciding what life style changes they needed to make in order to FIRE within ~11 years. The book documents their discussions, and planning in order to reach their goals, while learning about FIRE along the way.


hth

 

[Qs Laptop]

The third book in the Numa series featuring Kurt Austin. I’ve read the entire Dirk Pitt series, so I decided to try this series as well. Not as good as the Dirk Pitt series but it’s classic Cussler...

I've read all the Dirk Pitt stories, all of the Kurt Austin stories, and all of the Juan Cabrillo (Oregon Files) books. Also, most of the Isaac Bell stories, and a couple of the Fargo Adventures.

I can't believe I'm saying this but I look forward to reading the Juan Cabrillo books more than any other character. Yes, I'd rather read an Oregon File story instead of a Dirk Pitt story. Give it a shot!

 

[starry night]

Finished it today...

Coincidentally, just finished second volume of Mueller Report this morning.
Perhaps I had best not make comment here.

 

[Qs Laptop]

Coincidentally, just finished second volume of Mueller Report this morning.
Perhaps I had best not make comment here.

So someone has read it. Good to know.

 

[SumDay]

Two Trains Leave Paris - Number Problems for Word People

Math was never my strong suit, and I'm having fun learning this that absolutely eluded me in school. Anyone familiar with PEMDAS?