What have you read recently? 2009 -2020

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I am readng, "A Deadly Wandering," by Matt Richtel. It is about the tragic death in 2006 of two rocket scientists (yes, actual rocket scientists) due to another driver, 19-year-old Reggie Shaw, texting while driving in northern Utah. Richtel, who was interviewed on C-Span's BookTV recently about this book (that's where I get a lot of my book ideas), wrote about the work of a persistent cop in figuring out Shaw was actually texting when the accident occurred, and the action of a persistent victim's advocate to pursue the prosecution of Shaw in the face of inadequate laws and a reluctant local DA. Richtel also writes in the book about the work of neuroscientists about how technology has created problems in paying attention to an important task like driving because of the increase in devices such as cell phones and smart phones.

I am about halfway through the book.
 
Reading RADS, a book detailing the events around the Sterling Hall bombing in Madison WI in 1970. Fascinating story that provides a great deal of insight into the actions and opinions of the anti-Vietnam generation.


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I've been ER'd for about two years now. One thing I promised myself was that, with all the extra time, the quality of my reading list would improve (more history, biographies, literature etc). Unfortunately it's been a steady diet of detective series, thrillers, and tawdry best sellers.
So I'm happy to report I finally got around to Michael Oren's "Powerr, Faith & Fantasy", a historical overview of US involvement in the Mideast from independence to the present day. Quite good and very enlightening.
 
chilkoot said:
I've been ER'd for about two years now. One thing I promised myself was that, with all the extra time, the quality of my reading list would improve (more history, biographies, literature etc). Unfortunately it's been a steady diet of detective series, thrillers, and tawdry best sellers.
So I'm happy to report I finally got around to Michael Oren's "Powerr, Faith & Fantasy", a historical overview of US involvement in the Mideast from independence to the present day. Quite good and very enlightening.
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That one sounds pretty good to this history nut. May I suggest "The Looming Tower" by Lawrence Wright?

I'm doing a quick re-read of "The Iron Brigade, a Military History." I just can't seem to get enough Civil War lore.
 
Just finished Rebel Yell: The Violence, Passion, and Redemption of Stonewall Jackson, by S.C. Gwynne (author of the Pulitzer Prize - nominated Empire of the Summer Moon).

Best Civil War book I've ever read.
 
I'm reading "Bulls, Bears and the Ballot Box" by Bob Deitrick and Lew Goldfarb. Subtitled, How the performance of our presidents has impacted your wallet.
 
A couple of days ago I finished "The Jackhammer Elegies" by Stefan Jaeger. Not too often does one find a book in which the hero is a structural engineer. It was a pretty good read.

Today I finished "The First 20 Minutes" by Gretchen Reynolds. It's about exercise and the huge effect that even light amounts have on health and the brain, and one's ability to think, and lifespan. Turns out that even a little bit is hugely important.
 
I recently finished Tana French's The Secret Place which I was disappointed in--the writing was wonderful, but the story centered on teenagers in boarding school (don't care) and the side plot of the detectives investigating the story was quite slight. It was most interesting in that the action (if talking to teenaged girls is action) took place in a day, interspersed with chapters progressing through the previous year.

I also just finished with Louise Penny's latest mystery, The Long Way Home, which did not impress me either. Maybe it's just me.
 
Two recommendations:

The Plantagenets: The Warrior Kings and Queens Who Made England, by Dan Jones, and The Peripheral, by William Gibson.

Jones book is long and dense but interesting. In short, if you thought Game of Thrones was over the top then read The Plantagenets. A state of constant violence with Kings marching off to war on a lark. Sons joining forces with their mother to war against their father. Alliances made and broken. The middle ages were nuts. I got this book after reading a good review of Jones newer book - The Wars of the Roses - which was not yet in the library. I have Roses on hold now.

Gibson's newest is, well, Gibson. You are plopped down in a somewhat newish future or, rather, two of them. Hobbyists from the future are able to contact "continua" in the past creating new "time stubs" that go off in their own direction after interference. This one involves future detectives, tough as nails women, some hard boiled vets. Lots of interesting tech. Hacking. The usual stuff. As with all Gibson novels you don't get a narrative voice explaining what is going on or interpreting the lingo. You have to puzzle it out for a while until the dialog uncovers things. If you like Gibson, you will like this one.
 
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Catching up on 6 months of National Geographic, and just starting Clive Cussler's "Poseidon Arrow" and "Drawing the Line, How Mason and Dixon Surveyed the Most Famous Border in America"
 
I'm reading my way through Robert Parkers "Jesse Stone" series.


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Just read Lost in Shangri - La , a true story of the rescue of the survivors of a military plane crash in the Baliem Valley in West Papua during WWII. It was well researched and easy to read, and gave a view of a large 20th century stone age culture.

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My wife read this one, was totally enthralled, and passed it to me.....superb:

Mitchell Zuckoff Frozen In Time.....juxtaposing lost WWII US aircraft on Greenland and the modern day search for the planes/crew who went missing at that time.

FROZEN IN TIME/ Mitchell Zuckoff Book Trailer - YouTube
 
I picked up a couple of books by Ben Goldacre, a doctor/science writer. I am just finishing Bad Science: Quacks, Hacks, and Big Pharma Flacks. It is an interesting and amusing look at complementary and alternative medicine focusing on how many of the proponents rely on flawed science to promote bogus interventions and how Big Pharma uses some of the same techniques to flog ineffective meds. Bad Pharma: How Drug Companies Mislead Doctors and Harm Patients, goes into more depth on the Pharma end of Bad Science.
 
'Wild- From Lost to Found on the Pacific Coast Trail, Cheryl Strayed'. Pretty good read, about the authors journey hiking (solo) the ~1000 mile Pacific Coast Trail from California into Oregon.
 
I loved that Lost in Shangri-La book. Very neat story and well written.

Gotta be honest, Wild was not as compelling. It seemed too much woo woo and about her personal life (the same way I felt about Eat Pray Love) than a real travel story.


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I'm in the middle of book three of the 299 Days series, by Glen Tate. In essence the series is about a financial apocalypse caused by excessive government debt.
 
Just bought 41. (George Bush)

I hope to read it over the holidays. Anyone read it yet?
 
No, but I want to read it.


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Testing the Current by William McPherson:

The book revolves around a boy, Tommy, a second-grader in 1939. The story takes place in a mid-western city near the Canadian border. Most of the major characters, a group of friends, are well-to-do (financially upper-middle class). They summer on “The Island”--which is a series of islands located in the middle of a nearby river. They live in well-appointed cottages and there is a country club atmosphere (golf course included).

The book is seen through Tommy’s eyes as he observes the world around him--which mainly consists of adults whom he gets along with and who enjoy him as well. He’s quite observant and what he sees often has huge impact on him. It is also clear that he will be deeply impacted by his childhood observations as he moves towards his teen-age years and then into adulthood. The story has very little action--just people living their lives--and nobody doing anything particularly outrageous.

I felt the book was very well-written and enjoyed it. The author never breaks stride--the book is seen through Tommy’s eyes and stays true to that. You get the idea the this is how a bright, thoughtful seven (and later eight) year old boy might process his world.

As for a recommendation: I think some people will enjoy the book, but I also would understand if others were bored to tears and put it down before finishing it.

This book review is dedicated to Bestwifeever, who has not previously had a book review dedicated to her. (hard to believe)
 
redduck, thanks for that review, I have wanted to read some of his books after the sad essay he wrote that got such a lively discussion around here. I think HaHa was also going to read a few. Thanks for the reminder to check out my library for this one.


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Sarah, you are so in luck as "Testing the Current" (I couldn't figure out how to underline it here) is once again available--I just returned it to the library this afternoon (Wed.).
I suggest you get to the library tomorrow as it opens so as to beat HaHa in checking out the book.

I also suggest as you read the book you take notes on whom the characters are (at least for the first few chapters).
 
redduck said:
Sarah, you are so in luck as "Testing the Current" (I couldn't figure out how to underline it here) is once again available--I just returned it to the library this afternoon (Wed.).
I suggest you get to the library tomorrow as it opens so as to beat HaHa in checking out the book.

I also suggest as you read the book you take notes on whom the characters are (at least for the first few chapters).
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Plus dedicate the review to me :)

I will try to check it out, now that it is back on the library shelf. Spoiler alert us if necessary, RD, but is there a reason the title makes me think it's a how-to book about rewiring one's home? Really that is a terrible title--think how poor Mr. McPherson's life might have changed for the better if the book had a different title.
 
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