BOOKS THREAD

Never read a bad book by Turow, going back to "One-L". The guy can flat-out write.

 

Haven't read in a while because of a number of reasons, but did go back to the Old School and picked up the Complete Adventures of Sherlock Holmes as a stocking stuffer for my wife (long story), but it is a really good read.

Arthur Conan Doyle was really progressive for his time, talking about Holmes' cocaine use and his manic/depressive behavior.

Have already read "A Study in Scarlet," "Hound of the Baskervilles" and several of the other short stories that appeared in the Strand.

 

As I believe was previously recommended on this thread ...

"Obsolete: An Encylopedia of Once-Common Things Passing Us By" -- Anna Jane Grossman

Fun read, even though I'm one of the losers who still uses about 3/4ths of the things in her book

 

I finished What Dreams May Come last week. I'm sure most of you know about this one (maybe through the movie) but I figured I'd share my thoughts on it. It was a very good read, so much so that I poured through the final 120+ pages in one sitting. Let me say that I'm a slow reader because I like to examine the craft while I enjoy the story (usually 30ish pages is good for me in one sitting) but I was just on a roll with this one. Richard Matheson did a helluva job.

Also, I just started Stephen King's On Writing. This is really, really good stuff.

 

Recently read Scott Spencer's "Man in the Woods" and enjoyed it immensely. Lots of food for thought about good/evil, and ordinary people dealing with extraordinary events. Highly recommended.

Am currently reading "The Radleys" by Matt Haig. Story of a family of vampires who are 'abstainers', the kids raised unaware of being vampires. Not something that would normally be on my reading list but read a review in EW and was intrigued. About half way through and really loving it.

Next up will be Sebastien Junger's "War".

 

Have been working through James Ussher's 'Annals of the World'. It's an interesting take on the history of the world using the Bible and other ancient texts.

 

Forgot to mention that I just read Steve Martin's "An Object of Beauty". Really, really enjoyed it. An interesting story and a great education on contemporary art.

 

I discovered these compilations a few years ago and have read about 5 out of the last 20 years and love them.

Just finished "The Passage" by Justin Cronin and it was a true page turner. There's some valid criticisms, the gaping 100 years missing but still a fascinating story.

Now reading "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis. Really makes me feel like an idiot for not keeping track of what was going on. The financial houses on Wall Street are truly idiots that should have been allowed to fail.

 

I just finished Patti Smith's terrific "Just Kids." It was on a bunch of "Best of the Year" lists for 2010 and it totally deserved the honors. I am not a Patti Smith fan (or maybe I should say I wasn't until I read this book) and I didn't want to put it down. She writes beautifully. I highly recommend it.

 

Just finished: "Got a Revolution: The Turbulent Flight of Jefferson Airplane" by Jeff Tamarkin. He does a good job giving a balanced account from the various factions/personalities in the band. Highly recommended for rock fans.

Now reading: "In Defense of Food" by Michael Pollan. Very interesting read, especially regarding the relationships between Processed Food Inc. and the government. This book will make you think as you read it late at night, munching on Cheez-Its ...

 

A couple weeks ago, I hit one of the multitude of Borders that is going out of business and loaded up. This week's outing is "The Match" -- Mark Frost's outstanding work of the Harvie Ward/Ken Venturi v. Ben Hogan/Byron Nelson impromptu match at Cypress Point.

The four were basically the chess pieces in a swinging dickfest between two millionaires who challenged each other over dinner one night. Ward, the best amateur in the country at that time and the wished-upon heir apparent to Bobby Jones as the amateur beau ideal and the vanguard against the creeping professionalism in the game, was the employee of millionaire car dealer Eddie Lowery.

You know Lowery as the 10-year-old caddie of Francis Ouimet when he beat Harry Vardon and Ted Ray -- the Tiger and Phil (or Westwood and Donald/Poulter/Casey) of their day -- in the 1913 U.S. Open. Venturi was another prodigy of both Nelson (who rebuilt his swing as a favor to Lowery) and Lowery.

Given Frost's excellent painting of the entire scene of America and golf at that time, this is another outstanding book thus far. I'm about halfway in.