Read any good books lately?

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I'm definately skyfing this thread from another forum, but I'm curious as to what the W'ers are reading.

I'm still halfway through the "rise and fall of the third reich" by shirer, its a big one and I've been reading it on and off for a couple years. ( I keep loosing my place)
After reading "brave new world" for university I had an urge to read some science fiction that had nothing to do with Star Wars so I picked up a fun little johnny nemonic style novel called Gridrunner from the nerd store that was a fun little romp, then I moved onto Ender's Game to follow an 8 year old recommendation that I had little inkling to follow at the time.  (And because I didn't/dont'/never will feel like reading harry potter)

What are you reading?
 
Currently "Gomorra" by Roberto Saviano, about the camorra in and around Napoli in Italy. And I thought they had it bad just living next door to a ticking volcano!

Previous reading this summer has mostly been Jan Guillou's three latest books and some Tove Jansson short stories. I did some pretty heavy reading before that (Kim Stanley Robinson, insanely good) so I needed something lighter.

The Saviano book is not a smooth read so it's taking a while. Getting ready for something big and involving again!
 
Valve Amplifiers by Morgan Jones.  He was one of my lecturers at university.  Top Bloke, bloody good engineer, and all round Hi-Fi genius.
 
Morgan Jones - I'll have to look that up.  I've got every valve amp book going.

I'm going to read the Paul Bigsby biography soon - I'm getting it for my birthday.

Besides that, I read endless kids books  :doh:
 
Stephen Wolfram's 'A New Kind of Science' and my study guide for my CISSP test next month. It seems I vacilate between those and Michael Moorcocks 'Elric' series lately.
 
I've been reading a lot of horror lately, such as H.P. Lovecraft, Clive Barker, Stephen King and such.

I've also been reading a lot of Arthur C. Clarke, and some post-apocalyptic novels, such as "A Canticle for Leibowitz"

Currently scouring the book stores for some classics that I've never read, like A Clockwork Orange or Catcher in the Rye
 
mayfly said:
Morgan Jones - I'll have to look that up.  I've got every valve amp book going.

Morgan has written two books

One on Circuit design,
http://www.amazon.ca/Valve-Amplifiers-Morgan-Jones/dp/0750656948/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1247572285&sr=8-1

and one one how to actually put them together
http://www.amazon.ca/Building-Valve-Amplifiers-Morgan-Jones/dp/0750656956/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_b?ie=UTF8&qid=1247572285&sr=8-1

I've got both and they are great.  Informative, and well written without getting too bogged down in mathematics and minutiae.  Humorous too.
Rumour has it that he in the process of agreeing a new contract to release an updated edition of the 'Valve Amplifiers' book.  Dont know when ti will be available though.
 
Hey VA, I read that Shirer book a long time ago. I thought it was great. Factual without being buried in stats and such. I am reading April 1865, by Jay Winik now. I don't care for it. But, I open it up when I go to bed and it knocks me right out.

Stormbringer, I read all the available Elric of Melnibone books probably 25 years ago. I loved them.
 
Eoin Colfer - The 'Artemis Fowl' series and 'Airman'
Mathew Riely - Area 7
John Marsden - The Tomorrow Series

They're all very cool books.

Edit: Oh and the Hobbit, J.R.R Tolken.
 
Outside of work-related books, I just finished "Better", by Atul Gawande. Great read about the medical profession from an insider.
 
Cows, Pigs Wars and Witches.  By Marvin Harris.  I've read this book several times.  One of my all-time favorites.

 
Just finished Voyage au bout de la nuit by Louis-Ferdinand Céline, a "a dark, nihilistic novel of savage, exultant misanthropy, leavened with an ebulliently cynical humour." (Wikipedia) One of my all-time faves. Now I'm working my way through Jacques Poulin's Le coeur de la baleine bleue.
 
I'm considering Thomas Pyncheon and Edgar Allan Poe - anyone read anything of those two?
 
jimh said:
mayfly said:
Morgan Jones - I'll have to look that up.  I've got every valve amp book going.

Morgan has written two books

One on Circuit design,
http://www.amazon.ca/Valve-Amplifiers-Morgan-Jones/dp/0750656948/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1247572285&sr=8-1

and one one how to actually put them together
http://www.amazon.ca/Building-Valve-Amplifiers-Morgan-Jones/dp/0750656956/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_b?ie=UTF8&qid=1247572285&sr=8-1

I've got both and they are great.  Informative, and well written without getting too bogged down in mathematics and minutiae.  Humorous too.
Rumour has it that he in the process of agreeing a new contract to release an updated edition of the 'Valve Amplifiers' book.  Dont know when ti will be available though.

ok buddy, I've just ordered both of these.  They better be good! :evil4:  :eek:ccasion14:
 
kboman said:
I'm considering Thomas Pyncheon and Edgar Allan Poe - anyone read anything of those two?

Poe is always a good choice. His short stories are gritty, dark, and extremely well put together. He's always been a favourite of mine. "The Fall of the House of Usher," "The Pit and the Pendulum," "The Tell-Tale Heart," "Murders in the Rue Morgue," etc. All classics.
 
Xplorervoodoo said:
I've been reading a lot of horror lately, such as H.P. Lovecraft, Clive Barker, Stephen King and such.

I've also been reading a lot of Arthur C. Clarke, and some post-apocalyptic novels, such as "A Canticle for Leibowitz"

Currently scouring the book stores for some classics that I've never read, like A Clockwork Orange or Catcher in the Rye

my favorite horror writer is Dan Simmons.. he is actually a great Fantasy, Sci Fi, and mystery writer too...
 
ErogenousJones said:
kboman said:
I'm considering Thomas Pyncheon and Edgar Allan Poe - anyone read anything of those two?

Poe is always a good choice. His short stories are gritty, dark, and extremely well put together. He's always been a favourite of mine. "The Fall of the House of Usher," "The Pit and the Pendulum," "The Tell-Tale Heart," "Murders in the Rue Morgue," etc. All classics.

Excellent - but where do I start?  :icon_scratch:
 
mayfly said:
ok buddy, I've just ordered both of these.  They better be good! :evil4:  :eek:ccasion14:

Of course they're good.  I've got them    :icon_tongue:
Although I am biased, as I know Morgan.  In fact it was he that got me into valves/tubes in the first place, whilst at uni.  I even wired a guitar from some silver wire he had a local jeweler make.

Now that you've ordered them, I should point out that (in case you didnt read the bumf on the amazon page) they dont into into much, if any, detail about guitars amps.  They are more aimed at the Hi-Fi end of the spectrum.

:eek:ccasion14:

 
jimh said:
Now that you've ordered them, I should point out that (in case you didnt read the bumf on the amazon page) they dont into into much, if any, detail about guitars amps.  They are more aimed at the Hi-Fi end of the spectrum.

:eek:ccasion14:

WHAT??!?!

kidding - yea I figured that  :icon_biggrin:
 
Poe is great.  If you like that you should also check out Nathaniel Hawthorne's short stories.  They are like Poe, but more bizarre than creepy, although some of them are creepy.

Right now I'm reading Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.  It is hilarious.  Oh yeah, and I'm also reading like 10 different graphic novels. 
 
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