UBB.Developers Forums General Discussion Chit Chat Threads Book Club

Let's try this again, since the last post went *poof*

Read a good book lately? Post about it here!

I just completed "Uncle Tungsten", the latest book by Oliver Sacks. Sacks is a renown Neurologist, who also has written "Awakenings" (you may have seen the move), "An Anthropologist on Mars" and "The Man who Mistook his Wife for a Hat"---they are all excellent books, btw.

In this case, Sacks recounts his youth in London, and his adventures with Chemistry. Sacks grew up in a family filled with doctors, scientists and inventors and their influence clearly shows.

Part biography-part History of Chemistry, and all in all a fascinating book.

Haven't finished any books recently... too much internet time []https://www.ubbdev.com/threads/php/images/icons/smile.gif[/]

My favorite authors are fairly mainstream tho, Robert Ludlum and Tom Clancy top the list, writing in similar styles and subjects. I read a lot before the internet... now I read more, but it's on a screen []https://www.ubbdev.com/threads/php/images/icons/smile.gif[/]

i started to read the fellowship of the rings and halfway throught with a kurt vonnegut book called timequake. that in a nutshell describes how i am.

Tom Clancy rocks!

LoL when The Hunt for Red October was out I must have read that book at least a dozen times.

I enjoy reading Ludlum also. []/forum/images/icons/smile.gif[/] I recently finished the 6th book in the Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind and can't wait to start the 7th book. Right now I'm just starting "Atlas Shrugged" by Ayn Rand but I have a lot less free time this time of year. []/forum/images/icons/frown.gif[/]

I haven't read Ludlum in about 15 years. He was one of the first authors that I read extensively. Clancy as well, I read all of his earlier books, but haven't lifted one of those suckers at half a dozen years. I used to read a lot of the Spy/Thriller fiction genre of books.

More recently I've been spending my time reading Scientific/Mathematics books.

Presently, I am reading "Galileo's Daughter" by Dava Sobel, which is an absolutely fantastic book. Sobel also wrote "Longitude", which is one of the best books I've ever had the pleasure to read.

Is that scientific and pleasurable too? []/forum/images/icons/crazy.gif[/] I try to read stuff that takes my mind off internet/scientific/computer when I read, too much online stuff already.... tho I do wanna check out Powasek's new designing for community book, it sounds pretty nice.

Ludlum writes mostly spy/thriller stuff, tho my mom bought me a book for my birthday maybe 10 years ago that was about some half-alzheimered general marching on Omaha... Nebraska []/forum/images/icons/tongue.gif[/] One of the funniest books I've ever read. I believe the name was "The Road to Omaha". []/forum/images/icons/laugh.gif[/]

Another funny funny funny book is "Iron Joe Bob" by Joe Bob Griggs.... a spoof of the men's movement in the '80's, very recommended. I had to stop reading it at work because I would laugh out loud most every page []/forum/images/icons/laugh.gif[/]

heheh... it's still funny []/forum/images/icons/laugh.gif[/]

I've kind of given up on reading fiction.

Granted, I had to put all reading for pleasure on hiatus while working on my MBA. With the exception of summer/winter breaks, I probably only read half a dozen "fun" books through the whole 4 years.

Of course, that will all come to a grinding halt once again in August when I'll start working on my J.D.

It's funny. I used to read dozens of books a year, but if you asked me anything about most of them, I probably couldn't give you an answer as to what the book was about.

With the science/math/history books, I feel like I'm actually coming away with some knowledge gained, and often will make use of it. Discussion of a fiction book, or the author and his/her other writings, doesn't tend to go much further. But you can have countless discussions about Pythagoras---of course you have to find someone willing to discuss him []/forum/images/icons/wink.gif[/]

I think that is the problem... I completely stopped reading for pleasure once I went back for my MBA. Mainly because I *knew* I should be doing homework on something, I couldn't stop to read anything else. I couldn't bring myself to read non-fiction books because they reminded me too much of schoolwork []/forum/images/icons/tongue.gif[/]

I need to pick up something light like Grisham so I can begin enjoying it again... any recommendations?

Grisham is good, I've read a lot of his stuff, missed the last couple.

For light reading, I like James Patterson's stuff. Also Patricia Cornwell stories are like watching an episode of Quincy.

If you haven't read the Harry Potter books yet, I would definitely put them at the top of your to read list. They are just as much for adults as children. Don't let the hype and hubbub disuade you. They are exremely well developed and quite imaginative.

I've also always wanted to go back and read a lot of the books that I "should have" when in H.S., some of the classics of literature, etc.

If you really want something light and easy, Elmore Leonard or Robert Parker work, quick, fast and quirky.

Picked up Grisham's "the summons" and another by ludlum (they were on sale []/forum/images/icons/wink.gif[/]) ) this past week while outta town.. should be fun reading []/forum/images/icons/smile.gif[/]

Just noticed last night that "The Bourne Identity" by Ludlum is coming soon to a theater near you with Matt Damon playing the lead character []/forum/images/icons/smile.gif[/]

Another Tom Clancy novel (in the same series as "Hunt for Red October" "Patriot Games" "Clear and Present Danger" and a few others is also coming out with Ben Affleck as Jack Ryan and Morgan Freeman playing another major role - previews looked real good []/forum/images/icons/smile.gif[/]

Bourne Identity was probably the book that got me hooked on the whole spy genre. It's got to be a good 20 years since it read it. I know there were a couple of additional books based on the same character, but I can't recall reading them.

Re: Clancy: I really enjoyed Alec Baldwin playing Jack Ryan in Hunt For Red October, and even though I like Harrison Ford, I still prefer the Baldwin version of the character. Should be interesting to see the new Dr. Ryan.