Books Read In 2011-2012

[jaywellington]

My first non pipe-related thread!

Inspired by Eric's 'Excel your smoking', I decided to create a thread about books I've read during the past year.

What I do is keep a handwritten log of the books I read, and my goal is to read at least 10 books every year.

It might sound a very 'loose' minimum, but I'm a university student, a musician, and working part-time here and there, therefore I don't have a galore of leisure time!

I love books, and I'd like you to share books you've read throughout 2011-2012, if you may.
From September of 2011 to September of 2012, I've read 9 books in total (one more!!!!):
'Venus in Furs' by Leopold Von Sacher Masoch (the epitome of masochism)

'The Associate', 'Playing for Pizza' and 'The Confession' by John Grisham (always a page turner!)

'Relentless' and 'Brother Odd' by Dean Koontz (Stephen King light, but sweet)

'Imajica' by Clive Barker (highly recommended for dark fantasy readers!)

'11.22.63' by Stephen King (how nostalgic, changed my viewpoint of Glenn Miller's 'In the Mood')

'Alive' by Piers Paul Read (a shocking true story)

 

[cynyr]

Well done, jay! Do all the reading you can, between studying.
I like John Grisham, have read several of his. Always very good.

11.22.63 is Stephen King as he used to be. A very good book.

I also enjoy Koontz, and have been wanting to dip into Clive Barker.
Some things I have read this year:

Room by Emma Donoghue - awesome good.

All four of the Hannibal Lecter novels by Thomas Harris - Lambs was the best, Hannibal Rising a disappointment.

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak was a good Holocaust tale.
I'm currently into a biography of Erwin Rommel. I get a lot of books on Kindle, plus I'll usually have a look at anything The Wife brings in from the library. Since I refuse to own a television box, there's always time for reading.

 

[jaywellington]

cynyr



The Book Thief sounds very interesting, should check it out!

I have read approximately 10 Grishams, and King's book was, indeed, redolent of his past work.

The nostalgia in the end overwhelmed me!
I couldn't agree with you more on how you call TV...

It is, in my opinion, a brainwashing device-don't want to offend anybody!
Best Regards!

 

[judcole]

I read lots. :D Of course, I am retired. I also strongly dislike television.
My count for the calendar year 2012 currently stands at 56. Mostly, but not exclusively, fiction.

 

[matchstickman]

Just finished up "The King of Plagues" by Jonathan Maberry. Possibly the greatest living fiction author in my humble opinion. Getting ready to start working on "The Devils of Loudon" by Aldous Huxley. I don't really get the chance to read as much as I would like. I have many a mistress that demand my time and attention.

 

[ssjones]

A good list.
Kings new one was outstanding, so good that I hated to finish it. This one also sold me on e-books, the hard book weighed about 5 lbs!
I read "Dead of Night" by Maberry, pretty good.
I'm going thru all of Don Winslow books. He wrote the book "Savages" and "Kings of Cool", the book prequel. The book was far better than the movie. "The Winter of Frankie Machine" was also outstanding. Dawn Patrol and The Gentlemans Hour are all So-Cal surfer related, great reads. I'm reading "The Power of the Dog". Winslow is my new favorite author, I love his style.
I also read a lot of Jeffrey Archer, historic novels, this past year. I've read the series that starts with "Only Time Will Tell", and look forward to the next installation.

 

[winton]

My son works at a library, so there are always books around. I love Terry Pratchet and Thomas Sowell. I just finished a Star Trek Next Generation X-men crossover novel.
Winton

 

[fnord]

I'm juggling two at this time and both are fascinating reads: Jimmy Breslin's biography of Damon Runyon and Eugene Sledge's recounting of his experiences as a WWII marine in "With the Old Breed: at Peleliu and Okinawa." (The latter almost reads as a shooting script for "The Pacific.")

 

[sjpipesmoker]

I've only read one book this year, Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand, I have Still Searching for pipe dream in the works.
fnord--"With the Old Breed" is a great book.

 

[radio807]

Team of Rivals - Goodwin

Bad Religion - Douthat

Mere Christianity - Lewis

Run to the Mountain - Merton

John Adams - McCullough

The Power of Myth - Campbell/Moyers
BTW, TV rots your brain.

 

[tbradsim1]

The book about Sledges campaign at Pelilui is an inspiration of American youth in World WarII ,nowadays most of our 18yr old youths are worried about the next version of IPhone, this young man was drinking kerosine laced water, when they could get it, and going for days fighting for their lives, no supplies, little to eat,great book. The old cajun

 

[pipesicle]

Unbroken was a great book, very inspirational about a great man.

The Archer by Bernard Cornwell is also an enjoyable story.

 

[jaywellington]

Jud that's an IMPRESSIVE record!!! Congratulations!

I hope I can score alike someday! :wink:
Al very interesting suggestions!



Pipe Novelist If you have many a mistress demanding attention, enjoy it! You can read more books later... I would also like to check out your suggestions! Thanks for sharing!
winton This Star Trek X-men crossover is sci-fi and surreal in itself! I bet it would have made The Big Bang Theory's 'Sheldon Cooper' jump for joy :D
radio807 Nice list! TV rots your brain indeed! I'm so excited to see this written by so many commenters.. Guys, that's just great! But I wouldn't expect anything different.. We are pipe smokers, ain't we? ::

 

[jaywellington]

Mainly, thank you all guys for your posts!

Keep on sharing and expanding the thread!

:puffpipe:

 

[lostandfound]

I can't really remember what I've read this year. I know I read something called The Good Thief, about a boy who is taken under the wing of a morally... mmm,... confused thief, set in the 1700's-ish. I read the newest "Bourne" book, which they recently made into a movie. I read... one of Dan Brown's books. Ah. The Lost Symbol. Very good.
What's more interesting: A good portion of the city I live in underwent heavy flooding back in '08, and our public library was right smack dab in the middle of the flood zone. So, they built a new one. It's currently under construction but they are very near completion. I'm pumped. I love libraries. Our temporary public library was placed in our degenerating mall on the west side of town and... bleh, far too utilitarian to want to spend more than the amount of time necessary to check out a few books.

 

[quaffer]

For 2012, Goodreads.com has me at 22 books for a grand total of 10708 pages. Currently reading The Malice of Fortune by Michael Ennis, a bit of historic fiction where Machiavelli and Leonardo da Vinci team up to solve a series of murders. I'm 20% of the way through and it is definitely holding my interest.
Thanks for the tip on King's 11.23.63. I will be downloading that one this evening.
Kill your television!

 

[jaywellington]

quaffer Man, what an intriguing mix!

Sure sounds like a book I would like giving it a try!

Like Artistic-sci-fi detective novel!

Thanks for this tip!
11.23.63 is a great read! One of the best books I've ever written (wish!)..mmmm... sorry.. Read :P

Anyways, it is gripping, and if you are the nostalgic type -which I am- and love the 50's and 60's - affirmative here!- you will feel the vibe!

I haven't ever been to the USA, and I'm only 21 years old, still this book touched me...

I think you will love it!
My next 1000+ paged book goal will be Haruki Murakami's IQ84 , they have called it a response to Orwell's 1984...

If you know the writer (I've read his 'After Midnight') you will sure want to check this out!
His novels (or at least the one I read) draw a very fine line between dream and reality...
Happy reading!
Good luck with your goal :: !
I have to check out Goodreads.com!

 

[ssjones]

I enjoyed 1Q84, its a little quirky.

Another good sci-fi/adventure was "The Passage"

 

[jaywellington]

quaffer

*** 'After Dark', not midnight, my mistake!

 

[jaywellington]

Al
The Passage? Interesting...
Author?
And, would you recommend 1Q84?

I'm thinking of buying it sooner or later!

I like 'big' books!