Spring - Summer Reading Thread

Bensell · Post by **Bensell** » Fri Apr 17, 2015 2:00 pm

Finally got around to this one after checking it out of the library a month or so ago:

I'm about 50 pages from the end and it is outstanding.

The book prior was pretty good story about a teenage girl dealing with the aftermath of an accident

Pruitt · Post by **Pruitt** » Fri Apr 17, 2015 7:27 pm

Fascinating stuff. Korean/American writer gets a job teaching at a Christian college in North Korea that caters to the sons of the elite.

Brontoburglar · Post by **Brontoburglar** » Fri Apr 17, 2015 7:55 pm

Pruitt wrote:Fascinating stuff. Korean/American writer gets a job teaching at a Christian college in North Korea that caters to the sons of the elite.

This is one hell of a book

howard · Post by **howard** » Fri Apr 17, 2015 8:00 pm

I saw her on c-span talking about this story, amazing.

Rush2112 · Post by **Rush2112** » Sat Apr 18, 2015 12:45 am

Only in prehistory, but fascinating

Just finished, and meh.

rass · Post by **rass** » Sat Apr 18, 2015 8:45 am

I read Dance, Dance, Dance and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time in the airport/on the plane/by the pool last week.

A_B · Post by **A_B** » Wed Apr 22, 2015 10:32 am

Curious INcident... is excellent.

I finally broke down and borrowed Team of Rivals. I haven't read a 750 page history book in a couple of years.

Bensell · Post by **Bensell** » Wed Apr 22, 2015 12:58 pm

Bensell wrote:Finally got around to this one after checking it out of the library a month or so ago:

I'm about 50 pages from the end and it is outstanding.

I don't know what kind of streak I'm on but this is at least the fourth book I've read recently that doesn't really wrap things up and there is no plans for a sequel by the author. Normally I'm fine with a novel being just about a certain period in life and the character just lives on, but on the other hand I'd really like to know that the main crime has been solved/addressed/avenged.

Starting this later today based on my sister's recommendation:

And for my current book that I read that I really don't pay much attention to like when I watch soccer or hockey, usually it's something I've read multiple times like Lonesome Dove, I have this piece of "non-fiction"

So far I don't like his style of writing at all, but I really want to see what his final conspiracy conclusion is

Bensell · Post by **Bensell** » Wed Apr 29, 2015 6:28 pm

I think this is the last of the Lauren Oliver novels I've not read:

It is now my favorite of hers - really crazy story about graduating seniors in small town New York playing a fucked up version of dare

Not sure what's next - maybe this:

The Sybian · Post by **The Sybian** » Fri May 01, 2015 10:29 am

Brontoburglar wrote:
Pruitt wrote:Fascinating stuff. Korean/American writer gets a job teaching at a Christian college in North Korea that caters to the sons of the elite.

This is one hell of a book

Just read it based on your comments. I am fascinated with North Korea, and this gave a very believable look into a slice of society I haven't read anything about. So thanks for posting.

The psychology behind completely cutting off a society from the world and feeding them constant lies and setting up the ultimate cult of personality is mind blowing. I recently read Escape From Camp 14, the biography of the only known person to escape a political prison camp. The guy was born in the camp, almost completely separated from his parents, no concept of any human emotions, no trust because everyone would tell on you for every minor infraction. Take someone raised like this and throw them into Seoul and then America, it is amazing he could cope. Most can't, and everyone else at least had a semblance of a life.
Escape was an amazing story, but the author is a terrible writer. Definitely worth reading.

Pruitt · Post by **Pruitt** » Fri May 01, 2015 1:09 pm

One of the things about "Without You There Is No Us" is that the students are the children of the elite... so their lives are better than any other young people in the country... but they are still shitty.

I thought that Suki Kim wrote the book in a perfect voice. She laid out her feelings of dislocation early and made herself believe that she was making a difference.

(SPOILER ALERT)

But the ending of the book - after the Kim Il Sung's death - left such a strong feeling that nothing would ever change. Her description of the students looking at her with puffy, bleary eyes and absolutely no warmth or feeling towards her as she saw them for the last time will stay with me for a while.

Need something a bit lighter, so I am wading into these two...

(have the perfect music to listen to while reading it)

And this one...

because I remember that craze well. My baby boy had 50 of those stuffed toys and while we knew better, we had people tell us that a few of them were worth a fortune. Laughed my ass off as I watched my one year old son chew on a beanie baby supposedly worth $200.

Rush2112 · Post by **Rush2112** » Fri May 01, 2015 1:35 pm

Pruitt may I suggest:

Pruitt · Post by **Pruitt** » Fri May 01, 2015 1:58 pm

Now on my list. Thanks for the recommendation.

Bensell · Post by **Bensell** » Mon May 11, 2015 12:51 pm

Started this while watching the end of the Players yesterday:

And this is going to be my fiction book of the moment:

Bensell · Post by **Bensell** » Thu May 14, 2015 11:46 am

I picked up this Tuesday night and am about halfway through it now.

Very interesting read on the Bud Selig era of baseball.

A_B · Post by **A_B** » Thu May 14, 2015 10:34 pm

I've read very little this year and I pisses me off

The Sybian · Post by **The Sybian** » Sat May 16, 2015 8:27 pm

Just finished Machine Man, and it was horrible. Decent idea, very beginning had potential, but the characters were 2 dimensional stereotypes. The book felt more like a screen play. Reading a fight scene as lame and drawn out as the fight in Face/Off just doesn't work. Next time I see my friend who recommended the book, he is getting punched in the balls.

I downloaded Stephen King's 11/22/63. It is 35 disks, so it is intimidating the hell out of me.

Giff · Post by **Giff** » Wed May 20, 2015 1:59 pm

Bensell wrote:Started this while watching the end of the Players yesterday:

And this is going to be my fiction book of the moment:

I've got both of these waiting on me to pick them up at the library.

Bensell · Post by **Bensell** » Fri May 22, 2015 12:08 pm

Giff wrote:
Bensell wrote:Started this while watching the end of the Players yesterday:

And this is going to be my fiction book of the moment:

I've got both of these waiting on me to pick them up at the library.

Men in Green was entertaining but I haven't started The Testing yet since I've been reading these two after I realized I couldn't renew them:

DaveInSeattle · Post by **DaveInSeattle** » Tue May 26, 2015 11:56 pm

The Sybian wrote:
Just read it based on your comments. I am fascinated with North Korea, and this gave a very believable look into a slice of society I haven't read anything about. So thanks for posting.

You should read "The Orphan Master's Son" by Adam Johnson (won the Pulitzer for fiction a few years ago). Amazing book about North Korea.

Rush2112 · Post by **Rush2112** » Wed May 27, 2015 12:00 am

The Sybian wrote:

Just finished Machine Man, and it was horrible. Decent idea, very beginning had potential, but the characters were 2 dimensional stereotypes.

I've only read his book Jennifer Government. Which I would describe similarly. I just picked it up with no recommendation, but I'm not punching myself in the balls.

ETA: Actually I found out about the book here: http://www.nationstates.net/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; and I think there was a Swamp group, and damn I've been a Swamper for a long time.

Pruitt · Post by **Pruitt** » Wed May 27, 2015 5:48 am

Page 80 in what is shaping up as a fantastic book.

Trues story - Charles Taylor who later became a crazed despot in Liberia lived in the states and fathered a son. During his blood soaked drive to take over Liberia, his teenaged American son came over for a visit and became a vicious killer who led a militia for his father.

Can't make this stuff up...

The Sybian · Post by **The Sybian** » Wed May 27, 2015 10:22 am

Rush2112 wrote:

I've only read his book Jennifer Government. Which I would describe similarly. I just picked it up with no recommendation, but I'm not punching myself in the balls.

ETA: Actually I found out about the book here: http://www.nationstates.net/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; and I think there was a Swamp group, and damn I've been a Swamper for a long time.

Oh shit, I remember playing that game. I read Jennifer Government, too. Very cool idea and future dystopia he created, but the writing was pretty bad, the characters were very thin cliches, the story was lame and rushed. Again, probably a better screenplay than a book. Kind of surprised this it wasn't made into a movie.

Currently listening to Stephen King's 11/22/63. Really enjoying it, having a hard time putting it down. It is 35 CDs, which intimidated me, but it moves fast.

Rush2112 · Post by **Rush2112** » Wed May 27, 2015 10:28 am

The Sybian wrote:Again, probably a better screenplay than a book. Kind of surprised this it wasn't made into a movie.

In development.

Bensell · Post by **Bensell** » Thu May 28, 2015 8:51 am

This was a great baseball book:

A_B · Post by **A_B** » Thu May 28, 2015 8:59 am

Started reading this:

It's sickening, but I can't help but feel a lot of what I have read so far is circumstantial. Granted, a LOT of smoke from a LOT of people, but a couple of the key points early on are made based on what a convicted con artist said. Not the greatest source.

Other sources seem more trustworthy, and again there is a preponderance of evidence, and maybe in the last 30 pages or so I will get to see the kill shot, but not the greatest reporting I've ever seen just yet. Maybe I'm just skeptical, but Krakauer donated over $75,000 to this guy and as such has a motive for a slam piece.

The Sybian · Post by **The Sybian** » Thu May 28, 2015 9:03 am

Bensell wrote:This was a great baseball book:

That just reminded me of a great story I completely forgot about. A good friend growing up went to a summer camp near Billy Martin's farm outside of Binghamton. They went horseback riding and unknowingly went across Billy's property. As any sane, sober man would do, Billy pulled a shotgun on a group of 10 year old campers and threatened to kill them. This was shortly before he died in a car accident.

A_B · Post by **A_B** » Thu May 28, 2015 9:04 am

You kids get your horses off my lawn!

Post by **Shirley** » Fri Jun 12, 2015 8:28 am

I've been listening to The Kite Runner in my car this week. Man. Before this one, I think the most unlikable main character I had ever come across was Ignatius J Reilly from A Confederacy of Dunces, but at least he was unintentionally funny and pretty much harmless. This kid Amir's actions are just stomach turning at this point.

I have to assume there's some redemption coming, especially as the character seems very autobiographical.

A_B · Post by **A_B** » Fri Jun 12, 2015 9:20 am

I actually put that book down after about 100 pages.

The Sybian · Post by **The Sybian** » Fri Jun 12, 2015 9:43 am

A_B wrote:I actually put that book down after about 100 pages.

I kind of wished I did. Halfway through, the story and writing style completely change. It felt rushed and poorly written. I thought 1000 Splendid Suns was a much better book, despite how depressingly fuckawful the story itself was. Not awful in writing, but gut wrenching.

I finished 11/22/63. Man, what a bizarre and crazy story that was. I really enjoyed it, but 800+ pages (35 CDs) was a bit excessive. Still, couldn't put it down.

Pruitt · Post by **Pruitt** » Fri Jun 12, 2015 1:47 pm

The Sybian wrote:
A_B wrote:I actually put that book down after about 100 pages.
I kind of wished I did. Halfway through, the story and writing style completely change. It felt rushed and poorly written. I thought 1000 Splendid Suns was a much better book, despite how depressingly fuckawful the story itself was. Not awful in writing, but gut wrenching.

What a grim read - after that book I felt that the best thing the world could do was wipe Afghanistan completely off the map.

An exaggeration, but man, what a hopeless place.

I'm really enjoying these stories.

Bensell · Post by **Bensell** » Thu Jun 18, 2015 11:23 am

I will be reading this while watching the U.S. Open all afternoon:

Pruitt · Post by **Pruitt** » Thu Jun 18, 2015 11:25 am

I'll let you know tomorrow if this book is any good.

Giff · Post by **Giff** » Thu Jun 18, 2015 12:36 pm

Bensell, did you finish The Testing yet? I liked it, but I'm a sucker for those YA post-apocalyptic series. I liked it better than Hunger Games or Divergent.

BSF21 · Post by **BSF21** » Thu Jun 18, 2015 12:58 pm

Finished this about a month and a half ago. Fantastic. I recommend the audible version. The narration was spot on and I'm really excited to see what they do with the movie.

Currently about 5 hours away from finishing this:

Which has also gripped me quite nicely. The audio version sounds like something they could option into a movie up to this point. Nicely written up to this point.

Post by **brian** » Thu Jun 18, 2015 1:03 pm

The first trailer for The Martian was released a week or so ago. Definitely has a great cast. Hope it's as good as the book.

BSF21 · Post by **BSF21** » Thu Jun 18, 2015 1:08 pm

brian wrote:The first trailer for The Martian was released a week or so ago. Definitely has a great cast. Hope it's as good as the book.

Very excited and thought Matt Damon was a nice choice as Mark Watney.

Could have seen Mark Ruffalo in that role as well.

DSafetyGuy · Post by **DSafetyGuy** » Thu Jun 18, 2015 2:18 pm

Pruitt wrote:I'll let you know tomorrow if this book is any good.

I like this one better:

Bensell · Post by **Bensell** » Thu Jun 18, 2015 9:15 pm

Giff wrote:Bensell, did you finish The Testing yet? I liked it, but I'm a sucker for those YA post-apocalyptic series. I liked it better than Hunger Games or Divergent.

It was good. The second book is better and I just picked up the third at the library today.