What are You Reading?

[meatballj]

Currently reading a book about the Balkans (no, not the tobacco). Called "The Ghosts of the Medak Pocket," its by Carol Off a CBC radio journalist here in Canada. Its the story of the Bosnian conflict in the early 90's and focuses on a particular incident where Canadian peacekeepers were in a precarious position stuck between Croatian shelling of Serbian outposts. It starts off (the part I'm currently in) with an interesting history of the region and its history and context for the conflict.
A friend of mine did two tours in the former Yugo before his tour in Afghanistan. He was 19 at the time and over coffee one morning he said he saw stuff that will stay with him forever and gave him nightmares for years.

 

[rigmedic1]

The STand by Stephen King.

 

[fearsclave]

Alas, Babylon, by Pat Frank. 1959-vintage novel about a US/Soviet nuclear exchange and the aftermath. Great stuff.

 

[trucha]

The telling room by micheal pattertini. A story about a cheese maker in the castille region of Spain. It was a gift but one of the best books I've read in a while.

 

[docrx]

The Perfect Smoke by Fred Hanna ::

 

[dryseason91]

'The Outlaw Album' by Daniel Woodrell and 'The Pale King' by DFW. Just finished 'The Flame Alphabet' and 'The Age of Wire and String' by Ben Marcus - he has to be one of the most underappreciated contemporary American writers.

 

[Rincewind]

The Talisman by Stephen King / Peter Straub

 

[mso489]

Just finished Utopia Parkway: The Life and Work of Joseph Cornell by Deborah Solomon. This carefully

written biography of the assemblage artist (shadow boxes arranged with found objects, and collages)

proves to be a biography with the quality of a novel. Cornell's life was static enough that she can trace

the nuanced changes within the man, his family, his friends and career, with a smooth continuity. A

more varied life requires some hopping around that enforces a somewhat choppy but honorable biographical

tone. This one proceeds a few years at a time, with the changes made striking by their gradual evolution. His

was a sad life, but it makes an enthralling read. Often, he was just hanging on, but his career was roaring

ahead.

 

[mso489]

Ref. earlier post on Cormac McCarthy, I read The Road, which is an amazing totally grim novel, so much so that,

when at the end he tries to impart a grace note by saving his orphaned child by linking him up with a mega-warrior

survivor couple, it's too late. I just don't believe it.

 

[fadingdaylight]

Just started into Ian Irvine's A View From The Mirror quartet for thethird time. Greatest story ever told.

 

[conlejm]

Somerset Maugham's "Moon and Sixpence". I am cycling through the short stories of Maugham, Hemingway (just read "Old Man at the Bridge") and Steinbeck (just read "Winter of our Discontent"). Excellent early-to-mid 20th century writers.

 

[docrx]

Plaster City by Johnny Shaw...a gripping novel set in the southern California desert.

 

[Rincewind]

Black House by Stephen King / Peter Straub. And no, it's not about a certain H&H pipe tobacco that is loved by more than a few on this forum!

 

[jfox520]

Joyland by Stephen King. When I finish this I will have read every book of his to date.

 

[Rincewind]

jfox520 Very impressive. That is a LOT of reading. I am working my way through King myself but have a ways to go. My favorite by far has been the Dark Tower series. Excellent story!

 

[jfox520]

drhuff He has a total of 70 novels so far. Two more coming one in June and the other in November. It has taken me quite a few years. I agree with the Dark Tower series being the best. I love the way his stories are intertwined.

 

[phred]

Just finished 1491 by Charles Mann, currently reading his followup, 1493. They're very interesting books, covering current academic thinking about pre-Columbian North and South America and the people that lived there, and then exploring the initial rush of globalization that happened once Europeans started extracting resources and introducing new crops (including tobacco...) to the Old World.
Spanish silver exports, for example, destabilized the Chinese economy on a huge scale and may have contributed to the Manchu takeover in the Qing dynasty. And tobacco was popular enough in Japan after its introduction that gangs formed, demanding that prohibitions against smoking be lifted. All manner of interesting tidbits, put together in an engaging narrative of basic macroeconomics, epidemiology, and cultural shifts.

 

[Rincewind]

jfox520 About the Dark Tower series being made into movies or a TV series. Every now and then I read bits and pieces about when they will be produced. I'm not exactly sure where things stand currently but originally I read that Javier Badem was slated to play Roland Deschain (the Gunslinger) then I heard it was going to be Russell Crowe. I know there have been several studios (Warner Bros. and HBO) involved in wanting to make the movies/TV series but I don't really know where it stands today. Maybe you could shed some more light on the subject. I just hope that when it happens it will be done right and they do justice to the story. I have been disappointed with some of the other adaptations of Kings novels.

 

[okiescout]

If you enjoy a "mans man" adventure novel that keeps you from setting it down until you are finished with it.....

try a "Jack Reacher" novel by Lee Child! With great sadness I am about to read the last of his list of books.

The character is a decorated US Army Major MP detective, retired. As the son of a career military family he had traveled the world with his parents and been stationed overseas most of his career. When the condition presents itself he takes the opportunity to retire from the service and travel America ( the country he has seen the least of).

He travels the country in a low key manner, and he is drawn into adventures frequently defending the under dog.

He uses a calculating and aware mind and his size to avoid having to use arms unless required. The books are packed with action that is both believable but conducted on a level few of us would be able to participate in. Reacher always hits the ground running in story lines you will be hard pressed to outguess. Each book has only Reacher as a common element and are broadly different in geographical location as well as plot. You can google Lee Childs up on the web.

 

[curl]

i reading another ivan doig novel

this one is called ride with me mariah montana

i think after this, i'll be all caught up with doig's fiction writing