Books Thread

[Beebs]

All paper all the time.

I'm sure there are many benefits to Ebooks and delivery method of choice. But I'm plain tired of mismatching cables and updates and passwords and all the other noise that comes along with technology. I have a very low tolerance for such stuff. Getting rid of my smart phone even and going back to a flip.

I figure if I can hold off another 10 years or so all these infant growing pains will be figured out with this level of tech and much more user friendly to someone like me.


(Says the guy sitting in front a computer, posting to a message board)

[phungi]

I love reading on my Kindle (old school, non backlit version). It feels nice in my hand, and just the right amount of text fits on the screen so I never feel like I'm getting bogged down like I sometimes do with paper books.

Reading in the Kindle app on the iPad is okay in a pinch, but the iPad feels a bit heavy, and after 10-15 minutes my mind starts to wander to all the other things I could be doing with it.

Phone app is okay for waiting rooms, lunch breaks, etc, but presents the same attention span problem as the iPad x1000.

I almost never read paper books anymore.

Gotta go with the Duke on this one... I prefer reading on a Kindle (I upgraded to back-lit "Paperwhite" version from the original) versus any other tablet device or computer, as the weight and contrast are preferable to a book... iPads/tablets/smartphones/computers have glare, weight, and reading-angle issues.

I read fast, and was accustomed to taking several library books on vacation, then having to buy one... Can't imagine going back to books after this many years...

[Clams]

SPOILERS BELOW - don't read this if you're reading the book

Finally finished this last night. Duke and Beebs, I'm with you guys on almost all of your comments. Loved the Next Bad Man scene. Another great scene with Grant was where he and Maria the waitress were talking as he was fixing her door. Grant was a great character. So was Sean. I wonder who will play them in the movie. I'm thinking a Tom Berenger type for Grant (or maybe Matthew McConaghey) and that young'un Ansel Elgort for Sean.* And Duke, like you I totally shed some tears when I read that one word (what father wouldn't?). One place where I diverge from you guys is that I'm glad there wasn't much detail about what went on in that cabin on the mountain. I've got my own teenage daughter and I'm not sure I could've handled anything graphic. Clues were dropped as to what went on, and for me at least, that was sufficient. Like you guys, I have a bit of a problem with the Billy and the bad guy just randomly meeting up in a bar. I also share your beef with the mom's disappearance from the book. Another thing that was glossed over was the bad guy's psyche/motivation. But all in all, exceptional prose (especially for a thriller), a real page turner, and a great book.

One side note - last week, my wife and I took our kids away for a few days during spring break. We spent one day hiking in the Catskills. The trails were deserted except for us and my kids, both teenagers, went off way ahead of my wife and me to the point where they kept disappearing from our view and earshot. Obviously this is normal and shouldn't have spooked me, but being that I was in the middle of this book, it spooked the shit out of me!

* I have no idea if there will really be a movie, but I think this is the type of story (great characters, locations, drama) that would play really really well on the big screen.

So Beebs, what should I read next?

[StormandStatic]

Giving it a shot. His style is a little annoying but it's a fascinating subject and his piece in the NY Times on the subject was really good. I've seen this stuff happen in real time and it's common in subcultures I used to frequent so I'll probably tear through the book.

[Flea]

Started this today. First time revisiting The Stand since high school.

[joelle]

this book is incredible. well written, informative, realistic,and scientific.

[211poundsofpork]

That's funny. I did the same exact thing you did a few years ago - just revisiting. Still as awesome as I remembered it...

Started this today. First time revisiting The Stand since high school.

[Beebs]

That's funny. I did the same exact thing you did a few years ago - just revisiting. Still as awesome as I remembered it...

Started this today. First time revisiting The Stand since high school.

Was just thinking about revisiting this one myself.

So Beebs, what should I read next?

No idea. Lot of clunkers for me lately. Soon as I find a good one you'll be the first to know.



This ones on my list. Does it make me a raging dork that I'll read pretty much anything in the post apocalyptic genre?

[John A Arkansawyer]

Eduardo Galeano is dead. His books remain. The trilogy Memory of Fire is one of the most beautiful, horrible, awesome things I have ever read.

[StormandStatic]

Giving it a shot. His style is a little annoying but it's a fascinating subject and his piece in the NY Times on the subject was really good. I've seen this stuff happen in real time and it's common in subcultures I used to frequent so I'll probably tear through the book.

Skip it.

[Beebs]

Giving it a shot. His style is a little annoying but it's a fascinating subject and his piece in the NY Times on the subject was really good. I've seen this stuff happen in real time and it's common in subcultures I used to frequent so I'll probably tear through the book.

Skip it.

Heard him interviewed on WAMC last week (I think I recall us being in roughly the same geography, Storm). Joe Donahue is an excellent interviewer (particularly of authors) and Ronson seemed pretty inarticulate and unable to give good answers and examples to great questions about the book and topic. I recall thinking interesting topic but I bet it's a miss.

Reminds me, few years back I read Rabid: A Cultural History of the World's Most Diabolical Virus. Rabies is practically the god damned zombie virus incarnate. Endless depths of fear and superstition and medical horror to draw on for a great read. Barley informative snooze fest.

[StormandStatic]

Giving it a shot. His style is a little annoying but it's a fascinating subject and his piece in the NY Times on the subject was really good. I've seen this stuff happen in real time and it's common in subcultures I used to frequent so I'll probably tear through the book.

Skip it.

Heard him interviewed on WAMC last week (I think I recall us being in roughly the same geography, Storm). Joe Donahue is an excellent interviewer (particularly of authors) and Ronson seemed pretty inarticulate and unable to give good answers and examples to great questions about the book and topic. I recall thinking interesting topic but I bet it's a miss.

Spot on. Terrible writer, goes on forever about subjects really only tangentially related to the topic. There's a great NYT op-ed he wrote that includes all of the most interesting stuff from the book: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/15/magaz ... .html?_r=0 When I read this I thought he would expand on these examples, but these are pretty much it.

I grew up on WAMC. Where in the broadcast range are you?

[Beebs]

Heard him interviewed on WAMC last week (I think I recall us being in roughly the same geography, Storm). Joe Donahue is an excellent interviewer (particularly of authors) and Ronson seemed pretty inarticulate and unable to give good answers and examples to great questions about the book and topic. I recall thinking interesting topic but I bet it's a miss.

Spot on. Terrible writer, goes on forever about subjects really only tangentially related to the topic. There's a great NYT op-ed he wrote that includes all of the most interesting stuff from the book: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/15/magaz ... .html?_r=0 When I read this I thought he would expand on these examples, but these are pretty much it.

I grew up on WAMC. Where in the broadcast range are you?

Grew up in northern Columbia county, live up around Saratoga Springs now. WAMC lifer.

[StormandStatic]

Rad. I'm from Northern Dutchess.

[Duke Silver]

Dreary, pointless Gone Girl knockoff. Too depressing even to qualify as trashy fun.

[Cole Younger]

Started this today. First time revisiting The Stand since high school.

Sweet. Im going to do that at some point myself. Funny, I just revisited salem's lot last week. I was a little concerned that it wouldn't be as enjoyable this time around but it hasn't diminished a bit with time. I can't quite put my finger on what it is about that book. There are A LOT of characters, especially for it to be no longer than it is, and I think that's a big part of the appeal for me. Something about the little band of characters who team up to fight Barlow just hits the spot. I think there is something very similar at play when it comes to my love of The Stand.

[grapico]

Beebs,

Read this post apocalyptic gem if you haven't:

[dogstar]

Beebs,

Read this post apocalyptic gem if you haven't:

I approve of this.

[StormandStatic]

Re-rereading. Something that never occurred to me before: this book has a narrator.

[Beebs]

Beebs,

Read this post apocalyptic gem if you haven't:

I approve of this.

Oh, right. Had this one on the library list but somehow lost track of it. Thanks for the reminder.

[one belt loop]

Not reading this, but saw it online and how could I pass up posting this cover?

[Tequila Cowboy]

Not reading this, but saw it online and how could I pass up posting this cover?

[jr29]

Jerry Lee Lewis: His Own Story

[schlanky]

[Duke Silver]

[Barely_Oakely]

I started reading this the other day because this so called spring weather has got me itching for an adventure myself. I'm trying to remember if I read this in grade school or not. If I did it was probably an edited version. There's a lot more use of the N bomb than I was expecting. I found it a little disturbing when Huck's inner monologue was talking about Jim as property rather than a human being. Kinda strange to think that this was only set about 150 years ago... Not so much a great story as a good glimpse into the Pre-Civil War american psyche.

[Flea]

That's big fun. And a rumor abounds that Spielberg may somehow be involved in bringing it to celluloid.

[joelle]

dogs. the best.

[Clams]

dogs. the best.

Read that a few years ago. Great one!

[phungi]

SPOILERS BELOW - don't read this if you're reading the book

I am late to the "Descent" party, but finished this last night. It was definitely a page-turner (or thumb-flicker on a Kindle) and held my interest the entire way through.

Agree with most that was stated (esp re: the mother) but regarding the "randomness" of events, while coincidental, Billy running into Steve/Joe in a bar was explained in the context of the same randomness as Steve/Joe coming across Sean/Caitlin while looking for the other gal. I thought it all fit well under the guise of the author's existential crisis related to "is there a god"?

Also, perhaps knowing there were spoilers here, I was wondering if there was a twist... even if I was looking for one, the "understated" method of writing and lack of detail regarding the capture, day-to-day life in the "shack" and the relationship between captor and captive did a great job of setting me up for the "reveal" regarding how Caitlin actually escaped from the shack. Very vivid without vivid details.