Last book you read and rating - DPChallenge Forums

Pentax D-FA* 70-200mm f/2.8 ED DC AW

09/09/2011 02:57:02 PM · #302

Last three for me were excellent:

On Hallowed Ground by Robert Poole - history of Arlington Cemetary - 8

Black Cross by Greg Iles - WWII thriller - 10

Shanghai Girls by Lisa See - Historical fiction; could be considered "chick read", but very, very good - 10 (sequel is good also but not as good)

K3Master

Pentax K-3

09/09/2011 02:58:30 PM · #303

I'm reading the whole "Song of Fire and Ice" series by George R.R. Martin.

Wow. How did these get popular? Driest, most ridiculously Dr. Phil crossed with Days of Our Lives crap 'fantasy' on earth.

They are just terrible. TERRIBLE.

DrAchoo

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

09/09/2011 06:38:52 PM · #304

Originally posted by K10DGuy:

How far into them are you? They did come in the Top 10(?) of NPR's Best Science Fiction books. (Checked: they are listed as #5)

I have some issues with them, but overall think they are pretty good. Martin is sometimes difficult to read for his cynicism and lack of redemption/resolution for protagonists.

Message edited by author 2011-09-09 18:39:25.

Revecca

Nikon D5000

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR

09/09/2011 06:50:29 PM · #305

My last read book is "The Rescue" by Nicholas Sparks (also the author of "The Notebook")

It was a great read! I couldn't put it down.

Louis

Nikon D800

Nikon AF Nikkor 85mm f/1.8D

09/13/2011 03:31:16 PM · #306

Originally posted by posthumous:

Sum by Eagleman. 3 I guess this book is for people who know nothing about world religion or science fiction. Even watching Star Trek would eliminate some of the surprises in here.

That bad? That's disappointing. Alex just bought me his "Incognito", on neuroscience, which is supposed to be a good popular-science book on the subject. I haven't read it yet. I'd recommend Michael Shermer's "The Believing Brain" on the same subject.

bergiekat

Canon EOS-5D Mark IV

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II

09/13/2011 03:45:36 PM · #307

Originally posted by GeneralE:

The Mason Williams Reading Matter ... Mason Williams was a "righter" (sic) for the groundbreaking Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, and composer of the popular guitar instrumental "Classical Gas" ... it is a miscellaneous collection of essays, stories, poems, jokes, and photographs. It's mostly pretty funny and short enough to read in one or two sessions.

MAN: What's he got that I haven't got?

WOMAN: Awareness.

MAN: What's that?

Love Mason Williams! He is brilliant and funny! Just bought the Classical Gas guitar book. Now to learn...

Currently reading The Rose Labyrinth. So far, quite engaging...

DrAchoo

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

09/15/2011 02:26:05 AM · #308

I just read Foundation by Isaac Asimov. To echo the feelings of K10 concerning a book in the top 5 of NPR's sci-fi list, I'm not sure what all the hubbub is about. It reads exactly as it was written, as a serial done over many years. No character development whatsoever. Lots of repeating things because people hadn't read the previous section for many years. I'm not saying it wad terrible; it was enjoyable. But I would label it more as quaint rather than groundbreaking.

09/15/2011 03:12:17 AM · #309

Read Slapstick by Vonnegut.
I've always enjoyed Vonnegut, so it's not surprising I also liked this one a good deal too. I did this for a small bookgroup I have going with some friends, and the overall reception was decent though not spectacular. A bit stranger than some of the others from him that I've read.

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro

09/15/2011 03:21:32 AM · #310

Originally posted by DrAchoo:

I've only read the first three, not the later ones. I'd say it's good CLASSIC Sci-Fi, and for that reason it's groundbreaking and seminal but the expectations of the genre then were different. Compare it to stuff today and it's going to be way different. Character development wasn't big on many of the "hard" sci-fi writers of that era, in general. What it does well is create a sweeping grandiose story that exists over a huge swath of a universe with an intricate course of events and interplanetary elements.
I always suggest people read it, same with HG Wells and Clarke, if for no other reason than to see where the genre has come from. Clarke and Wells were the same way with characters, they were only there to move the plot. Hell, there is no name for the main character in the War of the Worlds- he's just the narrator and the main character in the Time Machine is just "the Time Traveler." Wells was a historian... go figure ;)

Message edited by author 2011-09-15 03:22:02.

posthumous

Canon EOS-40D

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II

09/15/2011 10:35:44 AM · #311

Originally posted by Louis:

Originally posted by posthumous:
Sum by Eagleman. 3 I guess this book is for people who know nothing about world religion or science fiction. Even watching Star Trek would eliminate some of the surprises in here.

That bad? That's disappointing. Alex just bought me his "Incognito", on neuroscience, which is supposed to be a good popular-science book on the subject. I haven't read it yet. I'd recommend Michael Shermer's "The Believing Brain" on the same subject.

I got both books at once, Sum and Incognito. Incognito has a lot of good information (that is influencing and inspiring me), but it is so dumbed down that it becomes a bit irritating. He is writing for LCD. Both books would get a blue ribbon here. :)

Spork99

OM System OM-1

09/15/2011 11:04:04 AM · #312

"Area 51" by Bob Mayer - Complete crap. I'm just glad the download was free. It's not even worth the memory on my Nook. 0/10

Louis

Nikon D800

Nikon AF Nikkor 85mm f/1.8D

09/15/2011 11:40:25 AM · #313

Originally posted by DrAchoo:

In fact, Asimov was not really a good writer, and his reliance on exposition and other mechanical problems make him somewhat tedious to read.

Louis

Nikon D800

Nikon AF Nikkor 85mm f/1.8D

09/15/2011 11:45:01 AM · #314

Originally posted by posthumous:

Yeah, that was my sense. Oh well. I don't know what LCD is, but I take it to mean the book is directed squarely at laypeople. Shermer's book is the same, but I liked it nonetheless.

Another good read I just had was Erik Larson's "In the Garden of Beasts", about the American ambassador to Germany, William Dodd, and his family living in Berlin between 1933 and 1937. It's a popular history book, but one of the most engaging I've read in a while.

Edit: LCD = Lowest Common Denominator, I guess.

Message edited by author 2011-09-15 11:46:14.

DrAchoo

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

09/15/2011 11:45:35 AM · #315

Originally posted by Louis:

Originally posted by DrAchoo:
I just read Foundation by Isaac Asimov. To echo the feelings of K10 concerning a book in the top 5 of NPR's sci-fi list, I'm not sure what all the hubbub is about. It reads exactly as it was written, as a serial done over many years. No character development whatsoever. Lots of repeating things because people hadn't read the previous section for many years. I'm not saying it wad terrible; it was enjoyable. But I would label it more as quaint rather than groundbreaking.

In fact, Asimov was not really a good writer, and his reliance on exposition and other mechanical problems make him somewhat tedious to read.

Holy moly. I agree with two Louis posts in one day. :)

Actually, I didn't find him "tedious", just not earthmoving. I also didn't really enjoy the device of psychohistory as it led to a fatalism that removes all suspense from the plot. This is especially glaring after just reading George R.R. Martin where you really don't know if the character you have read about for 2,000 pages is going to die in the next five.

Message edited by author 2011-09-15 11:45:56.

crowis

Canon EOS-60D

Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM

09/15/2011 01:14:01 PM · #316

Last Book I read was "Crown of Swords" by Robert Jordan. Excellent book, part of an enormous series which will be 13 books once completed. The publishing house is having the last two books written by one of his friends/work partners as the author passed of heart disease about four years ago. Have really enjoyed them, though not as thoroughly as George R.R. Martin's works. Fun stuff to read however, and if you like character development, then Jordan is your man.

Trumpeteer4

Nikon D7000

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5G IF-ED

01/11/2012 09:34:22 PM · #317

Originally posted by crowis:

My brother is really enjoying the Robert Jordan series right now.

My latest book was "The Maze Runner" by James Dashner, overall I thought the story was interesting. As far as reading level I think it's on the order of "The Hunger Games," so targeted mainly to a teenage audience. It also has sort of a "Lord of the Flies" vibe to it.

o2bskating

Canon EOS-350D Rebel XT

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6

01/11/2012 10:43:53 PM · #318

last book is "1Q84" by Haruki Murakami. i actually found that book on dpc someone's daughter is on the cover of the book but i can't remember who's. the translated version is 3 books in one but not too long to deal with. only thing i didn't like about the story is it seems to loose something in the translations, some places are awkward with just the feeling you get reading it. so for that i think they could have done better besides that it's a good story the characters are good i think some things could have been explained better but you don't get lost. so i liked it!

Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS USM

01/11/2012 11:30:06 PM · #319

On The Ridge Between Life And Death: A Climbing Life Reexamined

Traces and explains the life and climbs of a seminal mountaineer that put up some crazy routes in Alaska, what climbing meant and means to him, and what it means for those who care for such a person. I really enjoyed it, as I do mountaineering, but it's readily accessible for the non-climber, as well.

God No!
This one is by Penn Jillette, and is sorta a rambling tale of amusing anecdotes. I laughed a good deal, but I'd recommend listening to some of his interviews if you're not familiar with him before picking it up.

Currently reading Into Thin Air and really enjoying it... will likely pick up Eiger Dreams as a follow up.

and slowly reading Beyond the Hundredth Meridian, which is interesting. It's about Powell's journey down the Colorado and his attempts to protect the west against Gilpin and Greeley. It's slow reading because I only read bits of it every now and then. Not because I don't enjoy it, I'm just purposefully keeping it as a book that I read when I have some dead time to myself.

Skip

Canon EOS-1D X

01/12/2012 06:06:08 AM · #320

Born to Run by Christopher McDougall - 10/10

An absolutely fascinating look at man's inherit ability to run, and everything related to it, from every angle. Framed around the story of the ultimate extreme running race that pitted the world's elite extreme runners against the renown Tarahumara, McDougall explores running mechanics, shoe companies, extreme racing, nutrition, evolution, and the pure exhilaration of running. His writing is colorful, gripping, and motivating...I have not run (on purpose, anyways) in years, but after reading this, I'm ready to hit the road.