What are You Reading?

[Luv2play]

6 hours ago, Rod Hagen said:

Are the sentences in his letters as Jaw-dropping as in his work?

Yes. And a little more unfiltered. As time went on and his fame and wealth increased he became more secure and some of his less attractive traits came to the surface. 
I wouldn’t want to spend a week with him on safari.

[+ poolboy48220]

On my camping vacation, I just read "The Friend", by Sigrid Nunez, about a writer whose mentor commits suicide and she takes care of his Great Dane. Interesting book, presented as little snippets of her thought that gradually take on a narrative. 

I was also going to read "Etiquette for Nice People Who Sometimes Say F**k", but an unfortunate rain storm soaked it. I'm trying to dry it out right now. 

[Luv2play]

One book I am currently reading is my own which is to be published this fall. I have spent over a year in writing it and the last 3 months in reading proofs. Getting down to the final proof in the next week and hope to have it come out in late September.  
It’s an historical treatise of limited interest but should do alright in the local market. I will do a book launch and it will be featured at our local museum, at which I am the curator. 
It’s my second effort at writing a book. My first was a self published family history. This latest I got a publisher to pay the costs.
Satisfaction at the end of the day but lots of sweat invested in the research and writing. Got to get things right in a historical book as much as possible. 

[+ poolboy48220]

I started Mel Brook's autobiography, "All About Me", last night, I'm about halfway through.  Plenty of smiles and laughs as I was reading. He turns 100 next year.

[+ Charlie]

I am currently reading Divided Loyalties: How the American Revolution Came to New York by Richard M. Ketchum. I think it is probably the best history I have ever read about the origins of the American Revolutionary War. (And believe me, as a former resident of New York, Philadelphia and London, I have read a lot of histories of that period.)

[Danny-Darko]

52 minutes ago, Charlie said:

I am currently reading Divided Loyalties: How the American Revolution Came to New York by Richard M. Ketchum. I think it is probably the best history I have ever read about the origins of the American Revolutionary War. (And believe me, as a former resident of New York, Philadelphia and London, I have read a lot of histories of that period.)

I'll have to look for it. Thanks Charlie! 

Edited September 20 by Danny-Darko

[Decatur Guy]

I'm nearing the end of my third visit with "Stranger in a Strange Land."

[mtaabq]

I just finished David Pevsner’s memoirs, “Damn Shame”. Mr. Pevsner is an actor/writer/entertainer who has appeared on stage and television (and cruise ships!) with varying degrees of success. He also admits to working as a provider for a time. He became more well-known once he began posing nude at a more mature age in photos that he then posted to his Tumblr account. (Tom Bianchi photographed him on several occasions.) His stories are very interesting; stories of stage and screen are always amusing and in this regard he does not disappoint. (He appeared in one of my favorite films, “Role/Play”.) But there is a certain narcissism, especially in later chapters, that I found a bit off-putting. I’m certain Mr. Pevsner won’t care what I think of him or his book; after all I did buy it (Kindle version) and read it. It was by no means a waste of time to read, but I’m not sure exactly sure if I liked it.

[+ poolboy48220]

I'm fighting my way through "Saturn's Child" by Charles Stross, after reading a review that said it was a fine homage to Heinlein's "Friday" (a guilty pleasure).  It's a little TOO 'out there' for me. I keep thinking of Nancy Pearl's advice; If you’re fifty years old or younger, give every book about fifty pages before you decide to commit yourself to reading it, or give up. Over fifty? Subtract your age from 100 and use that as your guide.  For what it's worth, I got to page 89 last night. 

[Tigre_Bigotes]

I recently picked up "Butt Seriously," by Dr. Evan Goldstein.

it's all about, you guessed it, anal.

Insightful stuff actually. I'm looking forward to trying some of the things suggested in the chapters. Things I've never experienced 

[Tigre_Bigotes]

Apart from that, I also picked up the Matthew McConaughay book. "Greenlights."

haven't cracked it open yet though 

[AtticusBK]

I’ve got a copy of BUTT, SERIOUSLY and need to read it more closely. Had just flipped through it before.

and I’m currently reading a novel that garnered lots of praise: GREAT BLACK HOPE by a debut,   black, gay author, Rob Franklin. Totally enjoying it so far. 

[Tigre_Bigotes]

16 hours ago, AtticusBK said:

I’ve got a copy of BUTT, SERIOUSLY and need to read it more closely. Had just flipped through it before.

and I’m currently reading a novel that garnered lots of praise: GREAT BLACK HOPE by a debut,   black, gay author, Rob Franklin. Totally enjoying it so far. 

The main thing that has attracted me about "Butt Seriously" is the idea of gaping. I've never had that kind of control, and the author's "training" protocol seems like it can help to achieve gaping.

[Nightowl]

Has anyone read Ken Follett’s Circle of Days?

[+ poolboy48220]

I have not but I absolutely loved his book about building the cathedral in the middle ages, "Pillars of the Earth".  My dad turned me on to that book and he was quite upset that the miniseries did not follow the book exactly 😁

[marylander1940]

[MikeBiDude]

23 hours ago, Nightowl said:

Has anyone read Ken Follett’s Circle of Days?

Just finished it. FYI it’s not a continuation of the Kingsbridge series, some readers were confused and thought it was.

That said…I really like the book. I found the writing/flow a bit “choppy”, but Follett’s character development is spot on as always, it was a very pleasant read, a page turner for me.

[+ DrownedBoy]

"Power & Liberty" by Gordon S. Wood, which looks at political philosophy and how it changed during the revolution.

It's an influence in Ken Burns's upcoming documentary on the American Revolution (mid-Nov) so it seemed like a good time to read it.

[+ EVdude]

On 10/25/2025 at 9:46 AM, poolboy48220 said:

I absolutely loved his book about building the cathedral in the middle ages, "Pillars of the Earth". 

One of my all time fav books. And Follett is one of my fav authors.

[+ EVdude]

Just finished Clown Town… book 9 in Mick Heron’s Slough House (Slow Horses) series. While it’s gotten mixed reviews, I thought it was one of the better in the series. Now moving on to Michael Connelly’s latest installment in the Lincoln Lawyer series..  The Proving Ground.

[MikeBiDude]

1 hour ago, EVdude said:

Michael Connelly’s latest installment in the Lincoln Lawyer series..  The Proving Ground.

Two thumbs up here, just finished it. Great Connelly style. I always like his mention of local LA restaurants, sometimes real “dives” but good places.

[Nightowl]

On 10/25/2025 at 9:46 AM, poolboy48220 said:

I have not but I absolutely loved his book about building the cathedral in the middle ages, "Pillars of the Earth".  My dad turned me on to that book and he was quite upset that the miniseries did not follow the book exactly 😁

I’ve read the entire series and the first one was the best.  Didn’t see the miniseries though.  

[mike carey]

I have yet to check out his oeuvre but thought I'd share.

[+ EVdude]

On 10/26/2025 at 7:16 PM, MikeBiDude said:

Two thumbs up here, just finished it. Great Connelly style. I always like his mention of local LA restaurants, sometimes real “dives” but good places.

Yep, The Proving Ground proved good!  Connelly is always current… deftly worked in the LA fires and AI driven social media into a great court story. Unlike the gawd awful new season of The Morning Show which is completely out of touch with reality. But I digress.