What are you reading now?
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@george-k said in What are you reading now?:
"OK, I've been tasked to join 6 other people on a ship to a backwater planet which might be invaded. One of them might be a spy.
But, before we arrive, each of us should tell us about his backstory."
A nice take on the Canturbury Tales.
Only about 10% into it, but it's engaging and fun.
That's one of my favorite books. Didn't care for the sequels though.
wrote on 6 Jul 2021, 01:03 last edited by@horace said in What are you reading now?:
@george-k said in What are you reading now?:
That's one of my favorite books. Didn't care for the sequels though.
Thanks for the feedback!
Is this one of those "trilogy" books that doesn't finish the story? It really pisses me off when I "finish" a book, only to realize that I need to read another thousand pages to finish the story.
As I said, I've enjoyed the first bite of this book. Hopefully it'll end on a note in which I feel satisfied, but not driven to get the next one.
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Re-reading it, first read it maybe 25 years ago. Exceptional book, holds your attention for all 1250 pages.
Shirer was an American journalist assigned to Europe, lived in Paris and Berlin and Vienna. He became one of Edward R Morrow's guys.
So many casual first person references, not as the story itself, just as side notes. Two examples:
He was in Vienna during the Anschluss.
I had emerged from the subway at the Karlsplatz to find myself engulfed in a shouting, hysterical Nazi mob which was sweeping toward the Inner City. These contorted faces I had seen before, at the Nuremberg party rallies. They were yelling, “Sieg Heil! Sieg Heil! Heil Hitler! Heil Hitler! Hang Schuschnigg!
He was at Munich in September of 38, and describes Chamberlain and Hitler as their meeting ended:
The ice, however, had been broken, and as the meeting broke up at 1:30 A.M. the two men seemed, despite all that had happened, to be closer together personally than at any time since they had first met. I myself, from a vantage point twenty-five feet away in the porter’s booth, where I had set up a temporary broadcasting studio, watched them say their farewells near the door of the hotel. I was struck by their cordiality to each other. Schmidt took down the words which I could not hear: ...
And on and on. It's really gripping. You don't really notice the length, any more than you do in a series that's several seasons long. I mean, other than it takes a couple months to finish. lol
wrote on 6 Jul 2021, 01:09 last edited by@jon-nyc said in What are you reading now?:
Re-reading it, first read it maybe 25 years ago. Exceptional book, holds your attention for all 1250 pages.
Shirer was an American journalist assigned to Europe, lived in Paris and Berlin and Vienna. He became one of Edward R Morrow's guys.
So many casual first person references, not as the story itself, just as side notes. Two examples:
He was in Vienna during the Anschluss.
I had emerged from the subway at the Karlsplatz to find myself engulfed in a shouting, hysterical Nazi mob which was sweeping toward the Inner City. These contorted faces I had seen before, at the Nuremberg party rallies. They were yelling, “Sieg Heil! Sieg Heil! Heil Hitler! Heil Hitler! Hang Schuschnigg!
He was at Munich in September of 38, and describes Chamberlain and Hitler as their meeting ended:
The ice, however, had been broken, and as the meeting broke up at 1:30 A.M. the two men seemed, despite all that had happened, to be closer together personally than at any time since they had first met. I myself, from a vantage point twenty-five feet away in the porter’s booth, where I had set up a temporary broadcasting studio, watched them say their farewells near the door of the hotel. I was struck by their cordiality to each other. Schmidt took down the words which I could not hear: ...
And on and on. It's really gripping. You don't really notice the length, any more than you do in a series that's several seasons long. I mean, other than it takes a couple months to finish. lol
I just finished finished it today. 1711 pages. Though I did put it down for about a month right before September 1st, 1939.
Fantastic book. Definitely the kind you re-read every 10-15 years.
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@jon-nyc said in What are you reading now?:
Re-reading it, first read it maybe 25 years ago. Exceptional book, holds your attention for all 1250 pages.
Shirer was an American journalist assigned to Europe, lived in Paris and Berlin and Vienna. He became one of Edward R Morrow's guys.
So many casual first person references, not as the story itself, just as side notes. Two examples:
He was in Vienna during the Anschluss.
I had emerged from the subway at the Karlsplatz to find myself engulfed in a shouting, hysterical Nazi mob which was sweeping toward the Inner City. These contorted faces I had seen before, at the Nuremberg party rallies. They were yelling, “Sieg Heil! Sieg Heil! Heil Hitler! Heil Hitler! Hang Schuschnigg!
He was at Munich in September of 38, and describes Chamberlain and Hitler as their meeting ended:
The ice, however, had been broken, and as the meeting broke up at 1:30 A.M. the two men seemed, despite all that had happened, to be closer together personally than at any time since they had first met. I myself, from a vantage point twenty-five feet away in the porter’s booth, where I had set up a temporary broadcasting studio, watched them say their farewells near the door of the hotel. I was struck by their cordiality to each other. Schmidt took down the words which I could not hear: ...
And on and on. It's really gripping. You don't really notice the length, any more than you do in a series that's several seasons long. I mean, other than it takes a couple months to finish. lol
I just finished finished it today. 1711 pages. Though I did put it down for about a month right before September 1st, 1939.
Fantastic book. Definitely the kind you re-read every 10-15 years.
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wrote on 6 Jul 2021, 01:10 last edited by
Though next I need to pick up a lighter read.
Thinking of re-reading Bonfire of the Vanities.
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Though next I need to pick up a lighter read.
Thinking of re-reading Bonfire of the Vanities.
wrote on 6 Jul 2021, 01:11 last edited by@jon-nyc said in What are you reading now?:
Thinking of re-reading Bonfire of the Vanities.
Just don't stop at a questionable site in NYC these days, OK?
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@george-k said in What are you reading now?:
"OK, I've been tasked to join 6 other people on a ship to a backwater planet which might be invaded. One of them might be a spy.
But, before we arrive, each of us should tell us about his backstory."
A nice take on the Canturbury Tales.
Only about 10% into it, but it's engaging and fun.
That's one of my favorite books. Didn't care for the sequels though.
wrote on 6 Jul 2021, 01:11 last edited by@horace said in What are you reading now?:
@george-k said in What are you reading now?:
"OK, I've been tasked to join 6 other people on a ship to a backwater planet which might be invaded. One of them might be a spy.
But, before we arrive, each of us should tell us about his backstory."
A nice take on the Canturbury Tales.
Only about 10% into it, but it's engaging and fun.
That's one of my favorite books. Didn't care for the sequels though.
I loved that book, too. The sequel I started wasn't very good.
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wrote on 6 Jul 2021, 10:27 last edited by
@george-k said in What are you reading now?:
I LOVED Bonfire of The Vanities.
Me too! I heard a discussion of it recently that talked about how relevant it all still is decades later. Made me want to read it again. I’m pretty sure I’ve read it twice already.
Only non-witches get due process.
- Cotton Mather, Salem Massachusetts, 1692
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The best full body cycling workout is when you "plank":
Link to videoDoing it downhill is one thing, but the best plankers do it uphill.
wrote on 6 Jul 2021, 13:42 last edited by@horace said in What are you reading now?:
The best full body cycling workout is when you "plank":
Link to videoDoing it downhill is one thing, but the best plankers do it uphill.
Carbon aero wheels on a fixie? Silly.
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@george-k said in What are you reading now?:
I LOVED Bonfire of The Vanities.
Me too! I heard a discussion of it recently that talked about how relevant it all still is decades later. Made me want to read it again. I’m pretty sure I’ve read it twice already.
wrote on 6 Jul 2021, 18:20 last edited by@jon-nyc said in What are you reading now?:
@george-k said in What are you reading now?:
I LOVED Bonfire of The Vanities.
Me too! I heard a discussion of it recently that talked about how relevant it all still is decades later. Made me want to read it again. I’m pretty sure I’ve read it twice already.
Sounds like the TNCR Book Club's choice for July is Bonfire of the Vanities.
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wrote on 11 Jul 2021, 14:22 last edited by
Project Hail Mary.
Andy WeirIf you liked The Martian you should really like this.
Loving it. Great summer vacation read.
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Project Hail Mary.
Andy WeirIf you liked The Martian you should really like this.
Loving it. Great summer vacation read.
wrote on 11 Jul 2021, 14:31 last edited by@bachophile Thanks, Bach. I've not redd The Martian; it's been on my semi-enthused reading list . . . the Look Inside looks great for this one. Love his lively style.
20,038 ratings, 4.5 average stars.
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topic:timeago-later,7 days
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wrote on 18 Jul 2021, 20:13 last edited by
Finished
Kind of uneven - plot is good, detail that is interspersed is good, but I thought the lead character was particularly not credible - but it was an engaging morality play.
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Finished
Kind of uneven - plot is good, detail that is interspersed is good, but I thought the lead character was particularly not credible - but it was an engaging morality play.
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wrote on 19 Jul 2021, 01:57 last edited by
Are there any dirty bits?
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Are there any dirty bits?
wrote on 19 Jul 2021, 11:47 last edited by@doctor-phibes said in What are you reading now?:
Are there any dirty bits?
You mean, "Does it have the 'Right Stuff'?"
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@doctor-phibes said in What are you reading now?:
Are there any dirty bits?
You mean, "Does it have the 'Right Stuff'?"
wrote on 19 Jul 2021, 14:06 last edited by@george-k said in What are you reading now?:
@doctor-phibes said in What are you reading now?:
Are there any dirty bits?
You mean, "Does it have the 'Right Stuff'?"
For Phibes, I think he's referencing the Right Stiff.
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wrote on 23 Jul 2021, 18:55 last edited by
Collection of essays
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wrote on 23 Jul 2021, 22:45 last edited by
Let me know what you think about that Ken. I respected his writing during the Iraq war years ago.
