What ya reading? Version 425108

[Ashartus]

Originally Posted by Aeneas

Paul Kearney "The Wolf In the Attic"
(I imagine it will be typical Kearney, which pleases me greatly. Takes place in 1920's Oxford. Appearances by Tolkien and CS Lewis. Dave Hutchinson says: This is a wonderful, magical book, full of ancient myth and set in an England on the threshold of the modern world.)

I've heard a lot of good things about this one. I have the ebook but haven't read it yet, currently reading A Different Kingdom (there have been a lot of good deals on Paul Kearney ebooks lately, hope it helps him build a bigger profile).

[CliffFletcher]

Currently reading:

The Devil's Broker: Seeking Gold, God, and Glory in Fourteenth- Century Italy by Frances Stonor Saunders. This is an account of the exploits of John Hawkwood, the notorious English mercenary who made his riches in the tumults of 14th century Italy. Maybe a bit drier than I had hoped, given the subject matter, but it's still a worthwhile read if you're into medieval or military history.

The Mad God's Amulet by Michael Moorcock. This the second in the Hawkmoon series, which I'm re-reading after my initial read a long, long time ago in high school. I gotta say it's somewhat disappointment. It cracks along at a great pace, unlike modern fantasy novels, but it's a thin. Very thin. This was an early work by Moorcock, so I might have better luck with a re-read of the Corum or Elric books.

[Swift]

I'm currently reading an Oxford World's Classics edition of Myths from Mesopotamia. (Gilgamesh, Atrahasis and other flood/creation stories) Very interesting to see the parallels in the stories later enshrined in the Bible almost 2000 years later.

Also reading Playback by Raymond Chandler. I read a couple of Chandler's novels last year and really enjoy his dialogue for a quick read. This is his last novel and considered his weakest according to Wikipedia.

[Aeneas]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

Aeneas, we have uncannily similar tastes in books.



I've been meaning to pick this up. I enjoyed Summer of Night.



I just added this to my Chapters wishlist yesterday. I've been meaning to read a Kearney book for a while now. Anything in particular you recommend?



In another strange coincidence, I have Tim Power's the Stress of Her Regard on my wishlist; it's about Byron, Keats, Shelly, and vampires... So if you like Powers and Byron, that might be a good choice.



How are you enjoying it? I read it last year and really liked it. Hastings has the journalist's flair for snappy writing and the telling anecdote. Dan Carlin's hard core history segments on the subject are a good companion.



You're a better man than I. Didn't make it past the first book.

Kearney: I have read pretty much everything he has written. Started with "A Different Kingdom" years ago and loved it. Followed that with "The Way To Babylon" and "Riding The Unicorn" Then I read his newer stuff: "The Ten Thousand", "Corvus" and "Kings Of Morning"
Finally I found his Monarchies of Gods books.

Tim Powers: Of course I have read Stress Of Her Regard! And everything Powers has written. Quite fond of "Drawing Of The Dark" It has Vienna under siege by the Ottomans, fantasy, and BEER!

Max Hastings: Great book. I wish certain poster(s) on here would read it. There are some who have very set ideas about why WWI happened, and this sort of book could perhaps open their eyes a little.

Richard Evans: Man what a slog. I hate to not finish what I start, and this was a loaner from VladtheImpaler. What a thorough examination. I will admit it is a stuggle, but I do want to finish. I just keep reading other things instead. Bad sign I guess.

[Aeneas]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

Currently reading:

The Devil's Broker: Seeking Gold, God, and Glory in Fourteenth- Century Italy by Frances Stonor Saunders. This is an account of the exploits of John Hawkwood, the notorious English mercenary who made his riches in the tumults of 14th century Italy. Maybe a bit drier than I had hoped, given the subject matter, but it's still a worthwhile read if you're into medieval or military history.

The Mad God's Amulet by Michael Moorcock. This the second in the Hawkmoon series, which I'm re-reading after my initial read a long, long time ago in high school. I gotta say it's somewhat disappointment. It cracks along at a great pace, unlike modern fantasy novels, but it's a thin. Very thin. This was an early work by Moorcock, so I might have better luck with a re-read of the Corum or Elric books.

The first sounds excellent.

I have found the same with Moorcock. Loved them as a teenager, but re-visiting later in life has not been rewarding. I think I liked the Corum ones the best.

[agulati]

I recently finished 11/22/63 by Stephen King. An excellent read a bit different from his usual genre. I love how he builds a universe that can show connection between different books, but can also be enjoyed independently.

I'm toying between either starting either the series The Wheel of Time or Discworld. Not sure which one to pick up first.

[CofR]

Originally Posted by agulati

I recently finished 11/22/63 by Stephen King. An excellent read a bit different from his usual genre. I love how he builds a universe that can show connection between different books, but can also be enjoyed independently.

One of my favourite King books, never have felt more connected to a love story in a novel.

[Puppet Guy]

Just finished A Newfoundlander in Canada by Alan Doyle. It's a recollection of his first trips around the country with Great Big Sea. He describes each province as a member of a large family and how they fit in his Newfoundland frame of reference (eg: Alberta's the successful older sibling who moved out before you were aware). His travels coincided with the time I left Alberta for the Maritimes, so I found a few parallels to my own experience.

[direwolf]

I'm currently reading Tom Petty's biography "Petty" by Warren Zanes, and it's great. Highly recommended if you're a fan.

[JohnnyB]

Been killing a lot of audio books this month. Ones I've either finished or am part way through so far in Sept:

Shoe Dog, by Phil Knight
Fantastic book. Memoire by the founder of Nike. Will never look at Nike as a company the same way again. Not a business book, but a great story.

Measure What Matters, by John Doerr
A great book on simple, practical and scalable management practices used by intel and then brought to Google and other standout companies.

Fear, by Woodward
Not as shocking as it was billed to be but certainly seems like a book that will be an important part of the historical record for this presidency.

21 Lessons for the 21st Century, by Yval Noah Harari
Doesn't measure up to Sapiens or Homo Deus. He really seems to stretch beyond his areas of expertise and includes a bit too much filler. Still pretty decent, but not close to his other books.

Thinking Fast and Slow, by Daniel Kahneman
A classic of economics and very much worth reading for those with any interest in behavioural psychology.

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, by Maya Angelou
It's pretty good though feels like I've made a return to a high school English class reading list. The audio book is great because it's actually read by Maya Angelou.

Dune Messiah, by Frank Herbert
Not as good as the first Dune, but it's still cool sci-fi.

Americanah, by Chimamanda Adichie
Still in the middle of this story about a successful female Nigerian immigrant to the US who decides to go back to Nigeria to be part of the future there. Enjoying it very much so far. An interesting window into a different life with a perspective so different from my own.

Our Mathematical Universe, by Max Tegmark
I first read Tegmark in Life 3.0, which was a great book also. With this book I'm totally being won over by him as he expresses so much love for the beauty of science and math in our universe while getting you thinking about the universe in mind-expanding ways. Love it.

[sevenarms]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Oh sweet, that makes a ton of sense, then. I was enjoying it, and then it just stopped. Will have to stay tuned for the next in the series.

The next book is called The Consuming Fire and comes out mid-October.

[Coach]

Just getting into my first HP Lovecraft dose with At The Mountains of Madness. Was suppose to read it for an English class almost a decade ago. Regret not reading it then. I didn’t realize it was set in such a contemporary world, for some reason i was under the impression it would be a surrealist fantasy realm. Or maybe I’m still too early to say.

[CliffFletcher]

Other than a handful of stories set in the Dreamlands, most Lovecraft is set in the 1910s and 20s.

I'm surprised he's being taught in English class. An influential writer, sure, but not exactly a model of the kind of prose the literary establishment holds in high regard. He's pretty much the poster boy for purple prose.

[Coach]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

Other than a handful of stories set in the Dreamlands, most Lovecraft is set in the 1910s and 20s.

I'm surprised he's being taught in English class. An influential writer, sure, but not exactly a model of the kind of prose the literary establishment holds in high regard. He's pretty much the poster boy for purple prose.

It was an English class on sci-fi and fanstasy, so it was more about content and influence than writing skill. It was mostly graphic novels actually. It was an awesome class. That was when I figured out when choosing English electives, just go to the library and see what books are on the reading list.

[socalwingfan]

Just finished Ken Follett's "Century" trilogy and absolutely loved it. Going to be digging into more of his work

[Puppet Guy]

finishing up Flashman's Lady, book 6 in The Flashman Papers. They keep getting better!

[troutman]

I bought a copy of this book for each of my teenage sons, and would hope it can become a popular guidebook on learning critical thinking skills.

The Skeptics’ Guide to the Universe: How to Know What’s Really Real in a World Increasingly Full of Fake

Steven Novella, with Bob Novella, Cara Santa Maria, Jay Novella, and Evan Bernstein. Grand Central, $30 (496p) ISBN 978-1-5387-6051-2

In this handbook on applying logic and reason to everyday life, Novella, a clinical neurologist at Yale University School of Medicine, expands on his podcast of the same name, assisted by the podcast’s other cast members. Seeking to give “one giant inoculation against bad science, deception, and faulty thinking,” Novella unpacks and defines false perceptions, biases, and logical fallacies while showing how emotions can overwhelm judgment and memories can lie. Putting his skepticism to use, he demonstrates how confirmation bias creates “the confident illusion that we are following the evidence,” how “good clean science blends imperceptibly into blatantly absurd pseudoscience,” and how “grand conspiracy theories... intrinsically fail within about four years.” Ghost hunter claims and free energy scams are thoroughly and precisely dismantled. In plain English and cogent prose, Novella makes skepticism seem mighty, necessary, and accessible all at once. He also shares advice on speaking to closed-minded friends or family: locate common ground, don’t be confrontational, and find the thing toward which they’re already skeptical. Empowering and illuminating, this thinker’s paradise is an antidote to spreading anti-scientific sentiments. Readers will return to its ideas again and again. (Oct.)

Publishers Weekly

[JohnnyB]

AI Superpowers, China Silicon Valley and the New World Order, KaiFu Lee
Much more about China than about Silicon Valley. Maybe a 95% focus on China with the bits about Silicon Valley being more just to contrast with what China is doing. A lot of cheer leading in this book and a lot of love for China's approach, but despite the partisanship it is well worth reading. There is a lot of truth in among the basis for his love of the Chinese approach to AI.

Robot-Proof: Higher Education in the Age of Artificial Intelligence, Joseph E. Aoun
Best book I have read out of higher ed in terms of actually admitting and confronting the challenges that higher ed institutions are currently facing and will increasingly face as market changes driven by automation expand. I don't think it goes far enough in re-imagining higher ed learning for the future, but it is probably representative of how many unis will try to adapt.

[JohnnyB]

Prediction Machines: The Simple Economics of Artificial Intelligence, Ajay Agrawal, Joshua Gans, Avi Gol
The first third of the book isn't particularly insightful, but after that there's good discussion about business strategy and decision making for deployment of AI. Nice to get the perspective from a Canadian point of view rather than the standard Silicon Valley or Chinese perspective on AI.

[FireGilbert]

Yuval Noah Harari's new book "21 Lessons for the 21st Century" is brilliant.

He explains issues facing modern society such as the failures of liberal democracies and rapid technological development and provides talking points and solutions on how humanity can somehow cope. This gave me a greater understanding about why the world seems like such a mess right while also scaring the crap out of me with what the future might hold. My favourite bit of advise was that due to how quickly society is changing for the first time in history children should no longer look to their parents for guidance.

I enjoy Harari's writing style and he is quickly becoming one of my favourite authors. I would even consider him to be the new Jared Diamond.