What Are You Reading?

[+ Lucky]

The NYTimes came out with its 10 best books of the year and it looks like a pretty strange selection to me. Of the five fiction picks, I have read one and am reading the other. "Saturday" by Ian McEwan really had me hooked, in a good way, but "Veronica" by Mary Gaitskill is appealing only in a train-wreck sort of way. I hate it but can't give it up.

 

Kafka on the Shore, On Beauty, and Prep round out the fiction choices.

 

Of the non-fiction choices, Joan Didion's "The Year of Magical Thinking" I have bought, but the publicity for it is almost obnoxious.

 

So what else should I be reading?

[BobbyThompson]

I forgot what it's like to be able to read for fun. Somehow, Intro to Statistics is just not that great of a read.

 

I'm surprised that "The Historian" wasn't on the list. That was supposed to be the book of the year. I'm just thankful that damn "The Da Vinci Code" is excluded!

 

I'd also be interested in hearing what are everyone's favorite cd's of the year.

[LoneStar]

RE: What Are You Listening?

 

>

>I'd also be interested in hearing what are everyone's favorite

>cd's of the year.

 

Our New Orleans: A Benefit Album For The Gulf..., Various Artists

Horses: 30th Anniversary, Patti Smith

Easter, Patti Smith Group

Plans, Death Cab For Cutie

Greatest Hits, Blondie

Wizard, A True Star, Todd Rundgren

Over The Years, Queens Of The Stone Age

Hunky Dory, David Bowie

[Guest rohale]

I'm reading a whole host of books these days, I find myself these days trying to be a little more informed with books like these, so here goes:

 

The Historian - Elizabeth Kostova

The Quest For Christ

The Lost Painting - The Search For A Caviaggio Masterpiece

Darlin Judy ( Biography Of Dame Judi Dench )- John Miller

Look To The Lady - Sarah Siddons, Ellen Terry and Judi Dench on the

Shakesperian Stage

Tony Blair - The Making Of A World Leader. Authored by Philip Stephens

Clinton And Blair - The Political Landscape Of The Third Way

The Ancestors Tale - A Pilgrimage To The Dawn Of Evolution. Authored

By Professor Richard Dawkins (Oxford University)

 

 

 

 

When it comes to music I'm trying to broaden my horizons with a variety of musical tastes with the following from 2005:

 

Classical Music:

The Origins Of Fire - Music and Visions Of Hildegard Bingen

Steve Hackett - Metamorpheus

Anthony Phillips - Field Day

Roger Waters - "Ca Ira" ( operatic history of the French Revolution )

 

Pop Or Rock:

The Rolling Stones - A Bigger Bang

Green Day - Bullet In A Bible

Bjork - Restraints 9

Johnny Cash - The Legend Of Johnny Cash

Paul McCartney - Chaos And Creation In A Back Yard

The Blind Boys Of Alabama - Bridge Over Troubled Waters

Nelly - Suite

Michael Buble - It's Time

U2 - How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb

Annie Lennox - Bare

Collective Soul - Youth

Johnny Lang - Long Time Coming

Keb Mo - Keep It Simple

BB King - 80

Eric Clapton - Me And Mr. Johnson

 

Jazz:

 

Gerald Albright - Kickin It Up

Enrigo Pieraninzi - Plays Moricone

Fourplay - Elixir

 

 

Basically to sum things up, these are just some of my choices from books and music cd's. That's about it.

 

Ro

[Epigonos]

As I love to read I find this a most interesting thread. I seldom read fiction and usually have two books going at once. I keep one book in my car for reading during cycling at the gym and waiting for appointments. A second book I keep at home for reading here.

 

I have recently finished the following:

 

"The World of Christopher Marlowe" by David Riggs

"Armageddon: The Battle for Germany 1944-1945" by Max Hastings

"Mary Queen of Scots, The True Life of Mary Stuart" by John Guy

 

I am currently reading:

 

"The Dictators: Hitler's German, Stalin's Russia" by Richard Overy

"Leon Battista Alberti: Master Builder of the Italian Renaissance" by Anthony Grafton

 

At the top of my list of books waiting to be read are:

 

"Last Chance to Eat: The Fate of Taste in a Fast Food World" by Gina Mallet

"Mark Twain: A Life" by Ron Powers

"The Constitution and the New Deal" by G. Edward White

"A History of the Jews in the Modern World" by Howard M. Sachar

"Niccolo's Smile: A Biography of Machiavelli" by Maurizio Piroli

"Sailing the Wine-Dark Sea: Why the Greeks Matter: by Thomas Cahill

"Mao: The Unknown Story" by Jung Chang and Jon Halliday

"The Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln" by Doris Kearns Goodwin

[Houston Bonfires]

My Favorites:

 

Books:

 

"At First Sight" Nicholas Sparks

"A Million Little Pieces" James Frey

 

Music"

 

"King of the Mountain" Kate Bush Double CD Set (1st release since

1993 I think)

 

My means of explanation "At First Sight" is precious respite from technical required reading.

 

"A Million Little Pieces" is the best read I have found dealing with addictive personalities with which my family is rife.

 

"King of the Mountain" is powerful listening by a tremendous talent who in my opinion sings for herself and for all others she can't give a shit.

 

My Two Cents

 

Houston Bonfires

[Rick Munroe]

I'm currently reading the latest issue of Us magazine. Did you know that Jessica left Nick, and Britney left Kevin? There are more stories inside the magazine but I have to wait until I'm back on line at the supermarket to read more... :+

[Guest jeffOH]

I'm reading Maureen Dowd's "Are Men Necessary". (BTW Rick, OK magazine has way more pictures and fewer words cluttering up their pages.)

[seaboy4hire]

Right now I am reading "Judaism For Dummies" by rabbi ted Falson, Ph.D. and David Blatner. Next book on the list to read is "American Skin" by Don De Grazia. After that most likely another Jewish/Qabala book. As far as favorite cd that should be no surprise to most on here but Madonna 'Confessions On A Dance Floor'.

 

Hugs,

Greg

 

Greg Seattle Wa [email protected]

http://www.male4malescorts.com/reviews/gregseattle.html

http://seaboy4hire.tripod.com

[Bilbo]

I'm in the middle of "Psychohistorical Crisis" by Donald Kingsbury - written in answer to some of the less demographic implications in Asimov's psychohistory books.

I just got through with a quick go through of a book of eight plays for children which had been commissioned from well known adult playwrights. That was business reading. None of them fit my theater's requirements since mine is a touring theater and these were commissioned by resident theaters. I did like what I saw of them, though, so I'll eventually read them for my own enjoyment.

And the new Robin Hobb "Shaman's Crossing" arrived today and got added towards the top of the stack waiting in our bed's headboard.

[Guest alanm]

"Russia!" Gugenheim Museum Book on current exhibit

 

"The Brothers Bishop" by Bart Yates

 

"Master of the Senate" (Lyndon Johnson) by Robert Caro

 

"Alec Guiness" by Piers Paul Read

 

"The Notorious Dr. August" by Chris Bram

[+ Lucky]

RE: What? Are You Reading?

 

I have been pretty fascinated to see how much reading some here do! I don't suppose we could ever do a book club thing where we read something together and discussed it...

[seaboy4hire]

Rick what is the news on Jessica being prego? I just saw the cover but didn't catch the article.

 

Hugs,

Greg

Greg Seattle Wa [email protected]

http://www.male4malescorts.com/reviews/gregseattle.html

http://seaboy4hire.tripod.com

[+ Lucky]

She's as pregnant as you are straight. However, Star magazine's cover shows conclusive proof that she has had plastic surgery. Now, go read a book!

[VaHawk]

RE: What? Are You Reading?

 

Well, I thought we already did that! aka BN's blog! :o

[seaboy4hire]

Ya I saw that cover just this evening when I was at the grocery store. As for go read a book, I am about to hit the sack. This lil trooper is beat and I probably wouldn't get past the first paragraph before falling asleep. Off to bed for me. Darn alarm will be buzzin away at 420am GRRRRRR.

 

Hugs,

Greg

Greg Seattle Wa [email protected]

http://www.male4malescorts.com/reviews/gregseattle.html

http://seaboy4hire.tripod.com

[seaboy4hire]

RE: What? Are You Reading?

 

I perfer the gossip from US Weekly or Star.

 

Hugs,

Greg

Greg Seattle Wa [email protected]

http://www.male4malescorts.com/reviews/gregseattle.html

http://seaboy4hire.tripod.com

[Guest zipperzone]

>Rick what is the news on Jessica being prego? I just saw the

>cover but didn't catch the article.

 

You've got that all wrong - It's NICK who is preggers!

[splendidpup]

Fiction:

Alan Hollinghurst "The Line of Beauty"

Kazuo Ishiguro "Never Let Me Go"

Alan Moore "Absolute Watchmen" (graphic novel, fancy way of saying comic book)

 

Nonfiction:

Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner "Freakonomics"

Elizabeth Royte "Garbage Land"

 

CDs:

Kirsty MacColl "From Croydon to Cuba...An Anthology"

Sinead O'Connor "Throw Down You Arms"

Alison Moyet "Voice"

 

Cheerily, Ben

http://www.male4malescorts.com/reviews/ben_la.html

[Bilbo]

If you've never read yourself to sleep, you're really missing something great. I have been known to go to bed a half hour before Maverick to get a chance to do that without the light bothering him. And, yeah, if anyone wants to send me a booklight for Christmas, well, hey!

[+ Charlie]

I'm reading "Boy in the Sand", a biography of Calvin Culver a.k.a. Casey Donovan, who was a high-end escort even before he became a major porn star. The writing is cliched, and the author's attempt to provide a cultural context for the life results in banal generalizations and some factual errors (I think he depended on standard myths rather than research), but it is still a fun read. In this gay hagiography, Cal is a paragon of beauty, charm, high culture and talent, as well as so highly sexed that he he could shoot porn scenes all day, have dinner and a romp with a wealthy client, then turn a few tricks on the way home to sleep with his lover. The anecdote about the Sunday afternoon at Riis Park when men lined up outside his bathhouse stall for blowjobs sounds like a porn fantasy, but I was there and saw it; what the author doesn't mention is that Cal was obviously stoned and many of the men were pretty unattractive. My own experience with Cal was only slightly more romantic: I was wandering around Fire Island one night, waiting for my best friend to finish fisting our host, a theatrical celebrity who was squealing like a pig, at his house; Cal came along, flashed his dazzling smile, and proceeded to ravish me right there on the moonlit boardwalk, then continued his journey toward the meat rack. Oh, the lost glamour of it all!

[noviceny]

As for music, I just listened to your improv piece and am gonna try to down load it to my Ipod...it was fucken sweet. Pissed that Daniel was erased cause I never heard it.

 

My favorite CD for the year : Dont have one...the Ipod rules

 

Last Book I read : "Treatment Planning in Psychotherapy" - its a real winner x(

 

Last Book I purchased : Dante's Divine Comedy...my friend said he's gonna read it and I had to read it in college, but dont remember it much so we decided we would read it and discuss it together. My own version on Oprah's book club

 

Last CD I listened to in its entirety : Van Halen's Greatest Hits...I have the two CD collection and think that officially makes me white trash, even without being totally white :-)

[Guest john1927]

Glamorous? I don't know if it was glamorous, but it sounds like fun.

 

I want to learn about Wall Street.

I'm currently reading "Den of Thieves", by James B. Stewart.

I've just finished the forgettable "John D. Rockefeller",

author forgotten.

Next book on my table is "With Reagan: The Iside Story" by Edwin

Meese.

I've read "Barbarians at the Gate", a brilliant book.

[+ Lucky]

I can't believe any self-respecting gay man would read a book by Ed Meese. I hope you didn't pay for it.

[+ Lucky]

I finished Veronica, and it turned out to be pretty good after all. She was out to do something different, and it took a while for an old codger like me to adjust to the new pace.

After that, I read Bret Easton's Ellis' strange novel, Lunar Park. I don't recommend it.

 

But now I am reading It's Superman, a novel imagining the details the comic strips didn't. It's a fun read!