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LeafErikson

Lifer
Dec 7, 2021
1,856
15,799
Oregon
Started the Aubrey/Maturin series by Patrick O'Brian a couple weeks ago. I'm about halfway through the third book now, and just ordered 4-6 this evening. A really great read so far. A very interesting look into 19th century naval life. It seems well researched and is well written. Would recommend.
Looks like something I'll have to check out! I have one of his books on my shelf that I got for $1 at a book sale a few months ago. Thanks for the post.
 

K.E. Powell

Can't Leave
Aug 20, 2022
493
1,781
37
West Virginia
Currently reading "The First Casualty: The War Correspondent as Hero and Myth-Maker from Crimea to Vietnam" by Phillip Knightley. It's about the history of the war correspondent. It's so far rather interesting, and Mr. Knightley, despite being a journalist himself, casts a very critical and historically-minded eye towards his profession and its members. Very impressed with it thus far, though I am only about a third of the way through.
 

RonB

Can't Leave
Jan 17, 2021
411
1,965
Southeast Pennsylvania
Started the Aubrey/Maturin series by Patrick O'Brian a couple weeks ago. I'm about halfway through the third book now, and just ordered 4-6 this evening. A really great read so far. A very interesting look into 19th century naval life. It seems well researched and is well written. Would recommend.
My desert island selection. The 20 novels are incredible. I've read them through six times. (Maybe I shouldn't admit that.)
 
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RonB

Can't Leave
Jan 17, 2021
411
1,965
Southeast Pennsylvania
The latest Jack Reacher release by Lee Child. One of my favorite writers, I've been saving it for Christmas. Recently finished Righteous Prey by John Sandford, 4 stars out of 5 and The Fallen by David Baldacci. 5 stars.
I agree, Child's Reacher series and Sandford's Prey series are excellent, with some better than others of course. Connelly's Bosch series, especially the earlier stuff, is also very good. One of my favorite series is Richard Stark's Parker series. If I had to pick one of these series, I'd pick the latter. They are about a criminal and his various heists and run-ins with other bad characters.
 
Jan 28, 2018
12,952
134,620
66
Sarasota, FL
I agree, Child's Reacher series and Sandford's Prey series are excellent, with some better than others of course. Connelly's Bosch series, especially the earlier stuff, is also very good. One of my favorite series is Richard Stark's Parker series. If I had to pick one of these series, I'd pick the latter. They are about a criminal and his various heists and run-ins with other bad characters.
Haven't read Stark, thanks for the heads up, I'll give him a look.
 
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instymp

Lifer
Jul 30, 2012
2,420
1,029
The latest Jack Reacher release by Lee Child. One of my favorite writers, I've been saving it for Christmas. Recently finished Righteous Prey by John Sandford, 4 stars out of 5 and The Fallen by David Baldacci. 5 stars.
All good. (To me) And My kind of reading.
Strictly entertainment for me.
 
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MikeDub

Starting to Get Obsessed
Sep 26, 2022
257
759
SoCal
The Ethics of Beauty by Timothy Patitsas. Only a few days in but it’s giving me insight on an old (but new to me) way to interpret and respond to life’s events. Fascinating stuff
 
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RonB

Can't Leave
Jan 17, 2021
411
1,965
Southeast Pennsylvania
I just read CP Snow's Homecomings from his Strangers and Brothers series. Not as good as some of his earlier books IMHO.

Currently reading Mr. Lincoln's Army by Catton, O Jerusalem by Lapierre and Collins (about the beginning of Israel), and Oliver Wiswell by Roberts (about the American Revolution from a loyalist's viewpoint).
 
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vosBghos

Lifer
May 7, 2022
1,523
3,360
Idaho
Planning to order that one...was just looking up the author.
Depending on where you come from with your own faith it can be pretty challenging as the esoteric view turns the common view on its head and attributes all religion to the mystery schools so definitely take it all with a grain of salt and be ye not deceived for the devil is a liar and the father of lies.
 
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Dec 3, 2021
4,792
40,300
Pennsylvania & New York
I agree, Child's Reacher series and Sandford's Prey series are excellent, with some better than others of course. Connelly's Bosch series, especially the earlier stuff, is also very good. One of my favorite series is Richard Stark's Parker series. If I had to pick one of these series, I'd pick the latter. They are about a criminal and his various heists and run-ins with other bad characters.
Haven't read Stark, thanks for the heads up, I'll give him a look.
Over the years, I think I prefer Donald Westlake writing as Richard Stark more than writing as himself—the Parker novels are wonderfully pared down, lean and mean crime novels.
 

brian64

Lifer
Jan 31, 2011
9,603
14,669
Depending on where you come from with your own faith it can be pretty challenging as the esoteric view turns the common view on its head and attributes all religion to the mystery schools so definitely take it all with a grain of salt and be ye not deceived for the devil is a liar and the father of lies.
Oh yes...I'm quite familiar with the contrast between the mystical/esoteric view and that of orthodox/institutional religion. In fact, contrasting the two is a large part of what interests me.

I'm sufficiently grounded in my understanding of the core issues, but the institutional perspective leaves a lot of questions unaddressed...as does mainstream secular history (which is mostly a distorted view, and often just worthless)...so we must sort it out on our own.

Organized religion tends to throw out the baby with the bathwater when it comes to the mystical/esoteric perspective IMO. But you are also correct that the mystical view tends to err in the opposite extreme.
 
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