Amph What book are you reading right now?

Southern Spirits by Angie Fox

 

Miss Lonelyhearts and The Day Of The Locust by Nathanael West

Two short novels: The writer of an advice column is emotionally burdened by the letters he receives. Hollywood inspires an artist to paint a masterpiece.

The Death of Ivan Ilych and The Kreutzer Sonata by Leo Tolstoy

Two short stories: Ivan faces the greatest challenge to his health and happiness. Jealousy drives a husband to an extreme measure.

Journey To The End Of The Night by Luis Ferdinand Céline

A misanthrope fights in World War I, travels in Africa, works for the Ford Motor Company and becomes a doctor.

Untouchable by Mulk Raj Anand

One day in the life of an untouchable outcast in India's caste system.

The Magicians by Lev Grossman

Quentin Coldwater attends the magical school of Brakebills and travels to the magical land of Fillory.

The Family Of Pascual Duarte by Camilo José Cela

Pascual serves more than one prison term for violent crimes.

The Lost Plot by Genevieve Cogman

Irene and Kai are sent to an alternate earth to investigate a rogue librarian accused of meddling in dragon politics. The fourth novel in The Invisible Library series.

The Nose by Nikolai Gogol

A short story: A Russian official is shocked when his nose leaves his face and begins a life of its own.

The Zoo Story by Edward Albee

A play: Two strangers meet in the park and discuss more than a visit to the zoo.

Our Town by Thornton Wilder

A play: Life in the small town of Grover's Corners implores us to appreciate our own life before it is gone.

 

Star Wars: Ascension by Christie Golden
I'm glad I'm almost done with my Legends reread

 

Iain Banks The Cutlure to get a tv series

Via Amazon.

 

Had some time to read Sands of Time while in between appointments yesterday.

 

I didn't know Amazon sold boks at a loss

If true, as the article points out, if the competition is destroyed Amazon will not continue to sell at a loss so people can get cheaper books.

 

Jack Reacher Never Go Back I'd seen the films before even reading any of the books they came from. This is the first one I've read. Apart from a few details to the core of the plot the story, namely Reacher returning to his unit to break a Major out prison, him supposedly having an illegitimate child and there being some kind of shady dealings going on in Afghanistan by the military, this is quite different to the film. In the main I enjoyed it, Reacher seems indestructible and able to deal with any situation, the child aspect is not as front and centre as it is in the film and in the end is a little inconsequential overall. There are a few plot contrivances to keep it moving, but I found it to be an enjoyable thriller. I'll defintiely read some more of his adventures.

 

@AndyLGR I liked both of the films, but I'd heard the books were different; particularly the Reacher character being more in the Dwayne Johnson mold than the Tom Cruise one. So I decided to give the first one (Killing Floor) a read and ultimately bailed. I kept waiting for something to happen, but it just kept repeating--Sheriff walks in, questions Reacher, who denies the allegations in a mind-numbingly laconic manner, and the Sheriff walks back out. I'm sure things eventually pick up, and I do plan to give it another go some day, but I was in the mood for red meat action and instead got day old chicken nuggets. Store brand no less.

 

I've read 3 of the books and I always got the impression Reacher was a Clint Eastwood / Liam Neeson type , rugged, tall , lean , stoic .

 

I really did not enjoy Day of the Locust. It's a . . . take. It's not hackwork, but I found it very unpleasant. Very strange book.

 

This thread is a hell of a way to find out the origin of a very specific joke from Rear Window, I tell ya what.

 

Ahh, okay. The picture I'd been painted by people is that he's this 6 foot 5 unstoppable killing machine. Which Tom Cruise, you know, isn't.

 

oh Tom Cruise is definitely wrong , but Dwayne Johnson wouldn't be right either .

.

 

Final on Star Wars: Apocalypse by Troy Denning

 

Young Sherlock Holmes: Death Cloud. A nice simple to read book, but very enjoyable. This is the third time reading it

 

New Warhammer 40k book - The Magos by Dan Abnett. It's the latest in his Eisenhorn series.

 

Tried reading The Zookeeper's Wife but bailed. It's incredibly dry and meandering.

 

Wrong thread.

 

The Chicago Cubs: Story of a curse by Rich Cohen

@Juliet316


Seriously pizza? You know how bad I miss that!??!

 

Yeah there’s a degree of that in the Never Go Back book too, which makes him come across as a bit cocky. Luckily it’s not too excessive in this one, but I’ve only read one, maybe it’ll get old quickly with those traits as I read more.

 

Sorry.

 

@Juliet316

No worries I am doin this to myself!

 

DP

 

Unfinished Tales of Numenor & Middle Earth. Christopher Tolkien has done a remarkable job of organizing his father's work and presenting it to the world. Having put together a "finished" version of the Silmarillion, here he approaches the interesting task of representing some of the more finished fragments from Tolkien's sprawling, constantly-revised writings on Middle Earth, without attempting to weave them into a finished whole. The result is a bit of an academic approach, large fragments surrounded by editorial commentary and heavily annotated. The result can be a bit frustrating when a tale peters out, or when Christopher cuts out a big middle chunk of the Narn i Hin Hurin because there are no substantial alternate versions expanded beyond what's already in the Silmarillion, but overall it's incredibly rewarding to be able to peer deeper into Tolkien's world, and to see both Tolkien's wonderful, evocative prose and Christopher's explanation of the way the story was constantly shifting and changing over the years, including many ways in which Tolkien's ultimate intentions changed greatly from the versions of the stories seen in the Silmarillion, but were not reflected in that book because only the earlier ideas existed in a form finished enough for Christopher to incorporate. It's interesting enough to see the alternate or expanded versions of well-known stories, but it's really wonderful to be able to see all-new stories and bits of lore that were never included anywhere else, like the tale of the Numenorean king Aldarion and his wife Erendis, or a fairly radical conception of the history of the people of Ghan-buri-Ghan. Wonderful stuff.

 

I think I'd be totally okay w/it once the story got rolling, but at least the first 50 or so pages of The Killing Floor was inert w/that Mexican yawn-off between Reacher and the police.

Looking @ the series' scores on Goodreads, there's an impressive consistency of 4/4.1. I'm not sure there's a lot of variety, but it's nice to have a series like that that's akin to McDonalds. If it's what you're hungry for you can rest easy because you know exactly what you're getting and it satisfies.