Streets of Laredo is just depressing. I've never read the prequels to Lonesome Dove. Some day I guess I will. But right now I am STILL reading Team of Rivals which is taking me forever.

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i only do 2 books at bedtime and he'll pick one that seriously has like 10 words. i try to steer him away from those because he's really not getting his money's worth on them.

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This x1000

We read two books every night. I always pick a Bernstein Bears, Curious George or Dr Seus (I like to see how fast i can read them without stumbling). My 4 year old always picks a baby book with something fuzzy to touch or some flap to lift. It drives me nuts.

I finished Tuesdays with Morrie for the first time last night. Excellent.

Now I'm on to some required reading for work. The E myth revisited and Movers of Mountains.

Is there a payoff to House of Leaves? I'm almost halfway through it and it's been more of a chore to read than anything.

Yet I'm still having trouble sleeping because of it, which is hard to explain since thus far there hasn't been anything scarier than a abyss-like closet.

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i only do 2 books at bedtime and he'll pick one that seriously has like 10 words. i try to steer him away from those because he's really not getting his money's worth on them.

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This x1000

We read two books every night. I always pick a Bernstein Bears, Curious George or Dr Seus (I like to see how fast i can read them without stumbling). My 4 year old always picks a baby book with something fuzzy to touch or some flap to lift. It drives me nuts.

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Get some Richard Scarry. I have been using that to help teach my 5 year old to read.

The worst is a Dora book my daughter has. She loves it because it has buttons that make sounds while you read. There is a Mickey one with buttons too. Ugh.

Last night we read, "Oh the places you'll Go". Not too bad actually.

Well book one for 2014 complete. I usually average about 2 a month, but very busy period and it was 900 pages.

1) William Manchester's "The Last Lion: Winston Spencer Churchill Alone 1932 - 1940". This was Vol 2 of biography trilogy on Churchill. Read first one a little over a year ago and will probably complete later this year. This covered a period when Churchill was lone voice against Hitler when appeasemnet was the offical policy. Think "Winds of War" from British side. Covers up to attack on France by Nazis. Really great behind the scenes of that period, Churchill and British. (A-)

Next: Jo Nesbo's "The Bat" (previous Nesbo books read - "The Snowman" and "The Redbreast")


[This message has been edited by Clavell (edited 2/25/2014 12:13p).]

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Is there a payoff to House of Leaves?

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If there is, I never found it. Good luck.

Finished Capote's "In Cold Blood" yesterday. I know it's a classic, but this was my first read and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Absolutely masterful example of the nonfiction novel. Easily gets my first A+ in a long while.

Up next: "Alexander of Macedon" by Harold Lamb

Just started "NOS4A2" by Joe Hill. I kept getting referrals to this author so thought I'd try him out. Turns out he's Stephen Kings son.
His books look pretty interesting.
Anyone read his stuff?

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Finished Capote's "In Cold Blood" yesterday. I know it's a classic, but this was my first read and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Absolutely masterful example of the nonfiction novel. Easily gets my first A+ in a long while.

Up next: "Alexander of Macedon" by Harold Lamb

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I taught that to Juniors. They loved that book. Some read his other stuff because they loved In Cold Blood.

i'm just a teenage dirtbag, baby

"In Cold Blood" definitely the gold standard for true crime novels.

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Finished Capote's "In Cold Blood" yesterday. I know it's a classic, but this was my first read and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Absolutely masterful example of the nonfiction novel. Easily gets my first A+ in a long while.

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Been at least twenty five years since I've read it and really didn't expect much but remember reading it in a few day and thoroughly enjoying it despite the topic. The movie with Robert Blake is also very good as well as Capote staring Philip Seymour Hoffman which re-accounts Capote's research for the book.

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Finished "Monster Hunter International" by Larry Correia in about a week. I enjoyed it tremendously, and jumped right into the sequel, "Monster Hunter Vendetta."

If books were movies, the Monster Hunter stories would have to account for the popcorn-crunching, gun-blasting, one-liner-punctuated summer action flicks that you either love or your hate. Personally, I love a great action movie. While I can appreciate nuanced film, I'm not above shelling out for a ticket to watch JCVD, Stallone, Bruce Willis, etc. shoot a ton of bullets and blow up half a city to wage a one-man war against an army of bad guys.

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My sentiments exactly, lots of fun.

My list so far this year:

1-3)Wheel of Time books 12-14
4)The Paris Wife -- it's written from the point of Ernest Hemingway's first wife Hadley. Take place mostly before he became very successful/famous. Pretty interesting reading.
5)Divergent -- quick but interesting read. I was afraid it would be too much like Hunger Games but haven't felt that way so far.
6)Insurgent

In progress:
Allegiant (just under half done) -- Not enjoying this one as much as the first two. Seems to be pretty exposition heavy so far.

Sec. Gates book.

[This message has been edited by AgDC (edited 2/27/2014 4:07p).]

First post on this thread, but figured I'd look for inspiration here following my last 2 reads:

1) "The Complete Works of H.P. Lovecraft" - I'd give it a B, I love horror and wanted to read everything from one of the classic writers. It's a collection of stories, obviously some better than others, but wow is it long and given the old language, it's a bit of a tough read, and I have a pretty good vocabulary. Bits of awesome mixed with WTF.

2) American Sniper - I'd give this an A- probably. I have great respect for Chris Kyle, and wasn't expecting literary genius here, and it delivers in spades. Tons of great stories and really puts you in his shoes (as much as possible obviously).

Might continue w/ the trend and read "Lone Survivor" next, but might go rogue and do "Game of Thrones" or something.

Us And Them - The Pink Floyd Experience
http://www.usandthemband.net

Just finished Chris Kyle American Sniper.
8/10 compared to Lone Survivor.

About to start No Country for Old Men.

Blood Song - Anthony Ryan A+

Very much enjoyed this book and loved how, as the story went one, so much more of the world you never knew existed comes into being.

Looking forward to the second in the series.

Books finished in January:
1) The Great Santini by Pat Conroy A-
2) Living on the Black: Two Pitchers, Two Teams, One Season to Remember by John Feinstein C+

Books finished in February:
3) Lincoln's Dreams by Connie Willis B-
4) Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand A
5) The Master Mind of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs B-

finished WoT book 5, and catch 22.

i liked catch 22, and it was funny in many parts, but i'm not sure i appreciate it fully. i feel like this is often the case with books with apathetic, misift, or anarchic main characters. maybe my mind doesn't find it fully sympathetic.

I stayed up late last night reading a book on anti-gravity. I just couldn't put it down.

1) The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas: A+ -- Yep, the book was better than the movie.
2) Diablo III: Storm of Light by Nate Kenyon: C+ -- almost embarrassed to throw that one up here. A dumb, easy read telling you how an item got from place A to B before the xpac comes out next month. Don't judge.

Currently Reading: Galveston: A Novel by Nic Pizzolatto (guy that created and wrote True Detective)

Also Reading: Duty by Bob Gates

1-3)Wheel of Time books 12-14
4)The Paris Wife -- it's written from the point of view of Ernest Hemingway's first wife Hadley. Takes place mostly before he became very successful/famous. Pretty interesting reading.
5-7) Divergent series -- First two books were quick but interesting reads. The 3rd book (Allegiant) was a disappointment. Managed to be both convoluted and simplistic with an unsatisfying ending that didn't feel earned.

Still working on the Gates book. Thinking I'll start on Mistborn series. Seem to remember it getting good reviews around these parts.

[This message has been edited by AgDC (edited 3/2/2014 7:26a).]

Finished Heinlen's Cat Who Could Walk Through Walls. Pretty quick read and not bad, but not great. I give it a big bag of meh.

Just got a shipment of Louis L'amour books in the mail. May have to reread those before they get put in the library.

Finally finished "Team of Rivals". It was LONG. I recommend it if you are in to history, if not you will probably not care for it.

I just started "Crunch and Des: Classic stories of Saltwater Fishing" by Phillip Wylie. This is a collection of short stories from an old newspaper column from the 1930's. This is a great light read full of fun "big fish" stories to entertain anyone who's in to saltwater fishing.

1) "Alive: The Story of the Andes Survivors" (Read): B-
2) "Then They Came After Me" (Bahari): A
3) "Killing Kennedy" (O'Reilly): B-
4) "The Road" (McCarthy): A+ (re-read for third time)

1) Inheritance - Paolini

Reading
-Sabriel
-Vanished - Gansky

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1) "Alive: The Story of the Andes Survivors" (Read): B-
2) "Then They Came After Me" (Bahari): A
3) "Killing Kennedy" (O'Reilly): B-
4) "The Road" (McCarthy): A+ (re-read for third time)

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Have you read Blood Meridian by McCarthy? It is number 2 of the best American novels written in the 20th Century.

Yeah, I read Blood Meridian about 3-4 years ago. A difficult but very good read. I will probably re-read it again next year.

I just finished No Country for Old Men by McCarthy. A+++

Tomorrow I'm gonna to start either Gates of Hell, a novel about the battle of Thermopylae or No Easy Day. I haven't decided which yet.

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5-7) Divergent series -- First two books were quick but interesting reads. The 3rd book (Allegiant) was a disappointment. Managed to be both convoluted and simplistic with an unsatisfying ending that didn't feel earned.
[This message has been edited by AgDC (edited 3/2/2014 7:26a).]

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I agree, hunger games got progressively worse as well, felt the same way here.
I'm semi-excited for the movie.

Late to the party:

Gang Leader for a Day--Sudhir Venkatesh
Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal--Christopher Moore
The Problems of Philosophy--Bertrand Russell

1)Marrying Up by Wendy Holden--B
2)The Hangman's Daughter by Oliver Potzsch-A
3)Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead-B+
4)The Rose Ransom by Spencer Baum-B-
5)House of Bathory by Linda Lafferty-A+
6)The Dark Monk by Oliver Potzsch-A
7)The Beggar King by Oliver Potzsch-B+
8) Welcome to the Real World by Carole Matthews-C
9)The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult--A-
10)Longbourn by Jo Baker--B
11)Moon Dwellers by David Estes-A
12) The Tao of Martha by Jen Lancaster-A-
13) Ambition's Queen by V.E. Lynne-C
14) Bring up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel-A
15) Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel-B
16) Starstruck by Brenda Hiatt-B+
17) Starcrossed by Brenda Hiatt-A
18) The Confession of Katherine Howard by Suzanna Dunn-B-
19) The Queen's Sorrow by Suzanna Dunn-B
20) Divergent by Veronica Roth-A
21) Insurgent by Veronica Roth-B