This is a bit of a follow on to previous post....I ended up picking up Girl with the Dragon Tattoo again...and forging past the first 50 pages...and indeed couldn't put it down until I was through Dragon Tattoo, Played with Fire, and Kicked the Hornets Nest....Thanks Al & Nate.......
What to read now...am still looking for exciting outside adventure genre and interesting american history...may explore the indian wars as I will be headed to Montana for some camping and flyfishing afer IM Lou....will not be far from Custers Last Stand.....
I just finished reading Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. I picked it up after reading several great reviews. It had some terrific, suspenseful moments and I was never sure how it was going to end. That said, I was very disappointed with the ending.
I am now reading Just Kids by Patti Smith. Over the years I have enjoyed her music very much, although I must admit that it is an acquired taste, and while I considered much of it great stuff, there was, in my mind at least, a great portion of her musical library that I considered unlistenable.
Anyway, she has an elegant, engaging writing style and I am enjoying her tale.
This is a bit of a follow on to previous post....I ended up picking up Girl with the Dragon Tattoo again...and forging past the first 50 pages...and indeed couldn't put it down until I was through Dragon Tattoo, Played with Fire, and Kicked the Hornets Nest....Thanks Al & Nate.......
What to read now...am still looking for exciting outside adventure genre and interesting american history...may explore the indian wars as I will be headed to Montana for some camping and flyfishing afer IM Lou....will not be far from Custers Last Stand.....
Any recommendations?
I've done a lot of reading of American western history and books in general, due to my love of adventuring on the motorcycle:
I just pulled these off my shelf, dunno if they are in print?
The American West by Dee Brown
The Course of Empire by Bernard DeVoto
The Best of the West by Tony Hillerman
Out West by Dayton Duncan
Anything that brings you up to speed on Lewis and Clark (I think DeVoto has a good one, I've read many) and western/pioneer expansion, Indian wars is good reading to add context to what you see on your travels.
Rich's Road Rules
Eat there if:
The owners name is in the name of the restaraunt.
Cop cars in the parking lot
"Pie" is in the name.
Have a plan for what you're going to do that day and bring that plan to breakfast at the above. Vet the plan with a local...and 90% of the time you'll end up tossing out yours in favor of theirs.
Stop for all historical markers
Avoid at all cost eating at restaurants with "family" and cute spelling in the name of the joint. Kountry Kitchen is absolute no-go
Finally read Unbroken, What can I say that is one of the best books I've read all year. Not Taco Bell Material by Adam Carolla, I'm a Carolla fan, seen his live show a couple times now and listen to the podcast daily.
Picked up this little WWII tale, Fatal Dive (www.amazon.com/Fatal-Dive-Solving-M...ref=sr_1_1,) at Costco the other day after I finished my other books faster than I could get my next Amazon order in.
August holidays had me reading a ton. Several books to recommend this time. Really enjoyed Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail. Cheryl Strayed's memoir of hiking 1100 miles on her own as a way to get her life back in control after the death of her mother, the scattering of her family, and the break down of her marriage. Also, enjoyed The Cat's Table by Michael Ondaatje - the story of a 12 year old boy sailing from Sri Lanka to London on his own and the characters he and two other boys he bonds with meet on the ship. And finally, Rules of Civility by Amor Towles. One of the best books I have read this year. The story of a young woman in late 1930s New York City and the characters she meets in the city's upper crust milieu. Loved it.
Just finished "I'm here to Win!" by Macca. Good quick read, but I don't feel it's as good as some people say.
I have another nine books to choose from next, several about explorers like Magellan and Marco Polo, one on Al Capone, and one about the Blue Oval, Ford.
+1 for 'Lost' by Cheryl Strayed. Wasn't expecting to like it, but ultimately I did.
Also just finished 'No Easy Day'. I don't care which side of the poltics you are on, and what the DoD/Navy have to say about it ... the SEAL teams are absolute bad-ass. I couldn't put this one down.
Like alot of us here (just guessing), I've downloaded the Tyler Hamilton tell-all 'Secret Race' and hope it is at least a good (if sobering and idol-shattering) read.
Also partway through Gone Girl ... like Lost this was one of my wife's book club books and it is very good so far. The NYT Review of Books rave seems well-earned thus far.
I actually read both Hamilton's book and No Easy Day this weekend flying to/from IMWI. Both good reads:
Inside the Race: HUGE expose of professional cycling. The book basically shatters your Fanboy-ness of every cyclist you can name. To the book's credit, he doesn't talk much / at all about stuff or people that he doesn't direct experience with.
No Easy Day: I don't think it was very well written but I did enjoy it. That is, I've read similar books where a similar military person tells the story of a major event but "sets it up" by talking about the author's training and career before he got to that event. I don't think the book did a very good, or clean / coherent job of doing this. I guess you could call them flashbacks? What I enjoy most in books like this is the accurate descriptions of the training, preparation, rehearsals and immediate actions that operations and skills like this require. It's very difficult to get that stuff across in movies because it isn't very sexy.
I'd also be curious to see the web traffic this week of products / companies mentioned in the book. That is, the author talks about he uses this gun with this sight, carries this flashlight, keeps it in the cargo pocket of these pants tucked into these boots. I could see many folks hitting up those companies to find similar gear...myself included. I could use a good flashlight, new Gerber mulitool and hiking boots. Not so much $65k night vision goggles
Hey Mike - I was scrolling through this thread thinking I need to recommend "Wool" for sci-fi fan Kindle owners - and I then I saw your post! I agree - highly recommended.
I'm here to win - Macca: nice book, exciting, honest, loved reading it. Chrissie Wellington's book is good, yet not always as entertaining as Macca's.
Got Philippe Gilbert's book which is about his 2011 season where he won almost everything he wanted - it was BORING. Gave up after a few chapters. Still trying to get a copy of Fabian Cancellara's book but seems to be impossible to find.
Now ordered: The Secret Race (Tyler Hamilton) and Racing through the Dark (David Millar).
For those that have read both Hamiliton's Secret Race and the 200+ pages of USADA Reasoned Decision: Is there information / value in reading the former if you have read the latter? I've read the Reasoned Decision and feel that unless there is new information in Hamiliton's book, I really don't want to support it. Having read the RD and having my personal dreams/cycling fanboy-ness shattered, I don't doubt that Hamilton's story is for the most part true, I just have trouble giving money to him after his years of supporting the lie and cover-up. Good on him for coming clean now, but I still have a problem supporting him with my wallet. However, if there is actual additional information contained that would be of interested to me (a long time cycling fan), then I might find a way to get over my own-self and get the book.
As a bit of a stylistic left turn from books on the Lance fallout, etc I am reading John Steinbeck's masterpiece, The Grapes of Wrath. Absolutely amazing story telling from a book written in 1939.
This one is great! So many fun facts and bits of information. It covers a bunch of topics giving each a little page with slick graphics and call outs. It is the type of coffee table book you can just pick up, open to any page and enjoy for a bit.
Anyone else that has read David Millar's book Racing through the dark? If not, i really recommend it, it's one of the best books I've read in a long time. Great story about cycling's doping culture, how difficult / impossible is to not get sucked into it, the big black hole after getting caught and suspended etc Really good.
I just finished Not a Good Day to Die by Sean Naylor. It's about the near disaster of Operation Anaconda in Afghanistan. Very compelling, although a little confusing - lots of names and acronyms tossed around in close quarters. Very frustrating read, because you keep wanting to throw the book at the upper echelons of command! Highly recommended.
Also, The Lions of Kandahar by Rusty Bradley. Another story of Afghanistan combat, with a focus on the Afghan forces. Good read. I don't think the average American has the slightest notion of what's been going on over there in the last decade. I try to stay informed on international issues, and I know I wasn't very clued in.
Who Am I, the autobiography of Pete Townshend. Interesting, if you were a fan of The Who. A little less interesting otherwise. He has a meandering writing style that often lapses into the "On Friday I did this, and saw these guys, then the next day I did this." Very eye-opening about his personality and personal life. That guy is seriously, seriously messed up! Not nearly the rollicking read that Keith Richard's Life was, IMHO.
I recently finished The Power of Habit, by Charles Duhigg. Few things you come across are life changing, and this book has the potential to be that for me. We all know the various ways that stores and advertisements pray on peoples natural instincts and what-not to increase sales, but this book goes into exactly how habits work, which gives you the knowledge of how to redesign and alter those habits so that anything you do out of habit that you don't like, you can change into something more positive. I found it to be incredibly eye opening.
League of Denial: The NFL, Concussions and the Battle for Truth
Very scary book about the guys playing FB and getting bad head injuries and the long term consequences of repeated head trauma. I heard it was a PBS special as well but I haven't seen it.
A Captain's Duty: Somali Pirates, Navy SEALs, and Dangerous Days at Sea The Richard Phillips book that was made into a movie I haven't seen yet. Book was good. I think you all know how it ends
Waiting to Be Heard: A Memoir--- the Amanda Knox book penned by her. She pretty much got screwed. Italy is a very messed up country. If I had kids I would not let them travel abroad without first reading this book. I have even less desire to travel to Italy after reading this book.
Mistrial: An Inside Look at How the Criminal Justice System Works...and Sometimes Doesn't Mark Geragos is a LA lawyer who really breaks down the legal system. He was a commentator on CNN frequently while the whole Trayvon Martin thing was going on. I really liked the guy and also loved his book.
The System: The Glory and Scandal of Big-Time College Football. I saw a story on 60 minutes sports about 7 on 7 football that led me to this book. I have spent the last two years also doing some part time contract work for the NCAA, Big 10/12 and some other colleges and have had a lot of contact with D1 athletes mostly football players. To hear some of their stories about being recruited, going away to football factory high schools, playing 7 on 7, developmental camps etc. This book sort of put all things into perspective.
The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game This is the book which the Blind Side movie was based upon. It really could be two books. If you haven't seen the Blind Side I won't bore you with the details rent the movie. What the movie does not really touch upon is the other part of the book which is mostly about how Lawrence Taylor changed how the game of football is played. He also changed how left tackles are valued and compensated.
The Emerald Horizon: The History of Nature in Iowa (Bur Oak Book). I did some trapping for a guy who turned me onto this book. I ended up making several hundred dollars doing the trapping but this book ended up costing me money when I turned a small portion of my acreage that was being farmed into a tall grass prairie this spring. My big bluestem grass looks cool though.
Impossible Odds: The Kidnapping of Jessica Buchanan and Her Dramatic Rescue by SEAL Team Six This was a story that was on 60 minutes late last spring. The actual rescue didn't get a lot of press though I do remember it happening. Basically a hippy sort of gal goes to Somalia to do some humanitarian work teaching children how to avoid being blown up by land mines. The Somalis do what they are good at chewing khat and kidnapping westerners for ransom kidnap Jessica and hold her for a couple of months. The SEALS sweep in and do what they are good at and kill every last one of the kidnappers and rescue Jessica. I wouldn't be surprised if this isn't made into a movie.
Friday Night Lights: A Town, A Team, And A Dream -Long before it was a movie and TV show an author lived embedded with the Odessa Permian football team for an entire year in 1988.
Game of Shadows: Barry Bonds, BALCO, and the Steroids Scandal that Rocked Professional Sports --trade publication.
I just finally got around to reading all the essays and I must say that it was a great read. Additionally, some of them really made me think -- which I do appreciate. One of the best was by a Marine officer which discussed how the book was used during the Marine Corps evolution to 'Maneuver Warfare.' Without giving too much away, the author says the group intentionally called some of the exercises "games" so as to keep it fun and not a chore; they even received an essay response on an MRE wrapper.
For a while I was reading lots of stuff in the zombie apocalypse genre . Just fun, relatively mindless stuff, often good storytelling. Got to where Amazon was showing me several pages of similar recommendations and I was concerned about the NSA profiling me .
I watched the first season of Game of Thrones and that encouraged me to pick up the first book again. I had stalled in the first attempt. Really enjoyed reading them but have stalled, again, on the 4th book, I think. Excellent sleep aid...
Now I'm working through Asimov's Foundation series and will then transition to the Robot series. I read all of this in high school, so it's fun to revisit.
I've been reading a few books by Gavin Menzies, such as "Who Discovered America?: The Untold History of the Peopling of the Americas" and "1434: The Year a Magnificent Chinese Fleet Sailed to Italy and Ignited the Renaissance" after already having read "1421: The Year China Discovered America".
Always interested in seeing alternative - and I believe logical - theories on history.
I am almost finished with The Boys in the Boat, about the 8 man crew team that went to the 1936 Berlin Olympics. I think it's really interesting, although I had a hard time getting started because there was a lot of background that wasn't coming together, but it's held up. Rowing is kind of fascinating because of how the team needs to truly work in perfect synchronization, thus "teamwork" is not just about the physical aspect of rowing but the mental aspects of becoming a true crew.
There 2 story lines in the book- one about the crew, and then there are chapters about the work of the Nazis putting the '36 Olympics together, and that is also interesting from a historical propaganda point in terms of the measures they took to make the world believe that there was nothing going on in Germany. I am curious as to how the story line between the crew team and Goebbel's propaganda machine will intersect at the end of the book.
I just finally got around to reading all the essays and I must say that it was a great read. Additionally, some of them really made me think -- which I do appreciate. One of the best was by a Marine officer which discussed how the book was used during the Marine Corps evolution to 'Maneuver Warfare.' Without giving too much away, the author says the group intentionally called some of the exercises "games" so as to keep it fun and not a chore; they even received an essay response on an MRE wrapper.
Thanks for the recommendation, I picked this up yesterday. I read Ender's Game in high school, recently read it again and saw the movie.
Just finished Chrissie Wellington's "A Life Without Limits". Honestly, although it was a good read, I was a little disappointed. I thought it would be more insight into her personally, not athletically.
Currently reading Tyler Hamilton The Secret Race: Inside the Hidden World of the Tour de France: Doping, Cover-ups, and Winning at All Costs....fascinating...well written....I remain a big fan of Lance Armstrong...and not matter what you think of him ...this book gives a real good behind the scene look at what was (and probably still) going on in the Cycling world.
FYI- Scott agree with you about the Chrissie book....
x2 what Rachel said about Mindset. I used it with my students in pre-college Reading classes (pretty powerful in that setting), but then I was given it as a parent and to read it from that perspective was even more insightful.
Comments
This is a bit of a follow on to previous post....I ended up picking up Girl with the Dragon Tattoo again...and forging past the first 50 pages...and indeed couldn't put it down until I was through Dragon Tattoo, Played with Fire, and Kicked the Hornets Nest....Thanks Al & Nate.......
What to read now...am still looking for exciting outside adventure genre and interesting american history...may explore the indian wars as I will be headed to Montana for some camping and flyfishing afer IM Lou....will not be far from Custers Last Stand.....
Any recommendations?
I just finished reading Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. I picked it up after reading several great reviews. It had some terrific, suspenseful moments and I was never sure how it was going to end. That said, I was very disappointed with the ending.
I am now reading Just Kids by Patti Smith. Over the years I have enjoyed her music very much, although I must admit that it is an acquired taste, and while I considered much of it great stuff, there was, in my mind at least, a great portion of her musical library that I considered unlistenable.
Anyway, she has an elegant, engaging writing style and I am enjoying her tale.
I've done a lot of reading of American western history and books in general, due to my love of adventuring on the motorcycle:
I just pulled these off my shelf, dunno if they are in print?
The American West by Dee Brown
The Course of Empire by Bernard DeVoto
The Best of the West by Tony Hillerman
Out West by Dayton Duncan
Anything that brings you up to speed on Lewis and Clark (I think DeVoto has a good one, I've read many) and western/pioneer expansion, Indian wars is good reading to add context to what you see on your travels.
Rich's Road Rules
Eat there if:
Have a plan for what you're going to do that day and bring that plan to breakfast at the above. Vet the plan with a local...and 90% of the time you'll end up tossing out yours in favor of theirs.
Stop for all historical markers
Avoid at all cost eating at restaurants with "family" and cute spelling in the name of the joint. Kountry Kitchen is absolute no-go
Not Taco Bell Material by Adam Carolla, I'm a Carolla fan, seen his live show a couple times now and listen to the podcast daily.
Picked up this little WWII tale, Fatal Dive (www.amazon.com/Fatal-Dive-Solving-M...ref=sr_1_1,) at Costco the other day after I finished my other books faster than I could get my next Amazon order in.
I love WWII factual stuff.
---Ann.
I have another nine books to choose from next, several about explorers like Magellan and Marco Polo, one on Al Capone, and one about the Blue Oval, Ford.
Also just finished 'No Easy Day'. I don't care which side of the poltics you are on, and what the DoD/Navy have to say about it ... the SEAL teams are absolute bad-ass. I couldn't put this one down.
Like alot of us here (just guessing), I've downloaded the Tyler Hamilton tell-all 'Secret Race' and hope it is at least a good (if sobering and idol-shattering) read.
Also partway through Gone Girl ... like Lost this was one of my wife's book club books and it is very good so far. The NYT Review of Books rave seems well-earned thus far.
I actually read both Hamilton's book and No Easy Day this weekend flying to/from IMWI. Both good reads:
I'd also be curious to see the web traffic this week of products / companies mentioned in the book. That is, the author talks about he uses this gun with this sight, carries this flashlight, keeps it in the cargo pocket of these pants tucked into these boots. I could see many folks hitting up those companies to find similar gear...myself included. I could use a good flashlight, new Gerber mulitool and hiking boots. Not so much $65k night vision goggles
Got Philippe Gilbert's book which is about his 2011 season where he won almost everything he wanted - it was BORING. Gave up after a few chapters. Still trying to get a copy of Fabian Cancellara's book but seems to be impossible to find.
Now ordered: The Secret Race (Tyler Hamilton) and Racing through the Dark (David Millar).
For those that have read both Hamiliton's Secret Race and the 200+ pages of USADA Reasoned Decision: Is there information / value in reading the former if you have read the latter? I've read the Reasoned Decision and feel that unless there is new information in Hamiliton's book, I really don't want to support it. Having read the RD and having my personal dreams/cycling fanboy-ness shattered, I don't doubt that Hamilton's story is for the most part true, I just have trouble giving money to him after his years of supporting the lie and cover-up. Good on him for coming clean now, but I still have a problem supporting him with my wallet. However, if there is actual additional information contained that would be of interested to me (a long time cycling fan), then I might find a way to get over my own-self and get the book.
Check it out....
I just finished Not a Good Day to Die by Sean Naylor. It's about the near disaster of Operation Anaconda in Afghanistan. Very compelling, although a little confusing - lots of names and acronyms tossed around in close quarters. Very frustrating read, because you keep wanting to throw the book at the upper echelons of command! Highly recommended.
Also, The Lions of Kandahar by Rusty Bradley. Another story of Afghanistan combat, with a focus on the Afghan forces. Good read. I don't think the average American has the slightest notion of what's been going on over there in the last decade. I try to stay informed on international issues, and I know I wasn't very clued in.
Who Am I, the autobiography of Pete Townshend. Interesting, if you were a fan of The Who. A little less interesting otherwise. He has a meandering writing style that often lapses into the "On Friday I did this, and saw these guys, then the next day I did this." Very eye-opening about his personality and personal life. That guy is seriously, seriously messed up! Not nearly the rollicking read that Keith Richard's Life was, IMHO.
Very scary book about the guys playing FB and getting bad head injuries and the long term consequences of repeated head trauma. I heard it was a PBS special as well but I haven't seen it.
A Captain's Duty: Somali Pirates, Navy SEALs, and Dangerous Days at Sea The Richard Phillips book that was made into a movie I haven't seen yet. Book was good. I think you all know how it ends
Waiting to Be Heard: A Memoir--- the Amanda Knox book penned by her. She pretty much got screwed. Italy is a very messed up country. If I had kids I would not let them travel abroad without first reading this book. I have even less desire to travel to Italy after reading this book.
Mistrial: An Inside Look at How the Criminal Justice System Works...and Sometimes Doesn't Mark Geragos is a LA lawyer who really breaks down the legal system. He was a commentator on CNN frequently while the whole Trayvon Martin thing was going on. I really liked the guy and also loved his book.
The System: The Glory and Scandal of Big-Time College Football. I saw a story on 60 minutes sports about 7 on 7 football that led me to this book. I have spent the last two years also doing some part time contract work for the NCAA, Big 10/12 and some other colleges and have had a lot of contact with D1 athletes mostly football players. To hear some of their stories about being recruited, going away to football factory high schools, playing 7 on 7, developmental camps etc. This book sort of put all things into perspective.
The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game This is the book which the Blind Side movie was based upon. It really could be two books. If you haven't seen the Blind Side I won't bore you with the details rent the movie. What the movie does not really touch upon is the other part of the book which is mostly about how Lawrence Taylor changed how the game of football is played. He also changed how left tackles are valued and compensated.
The Emerald Horizon: The History of Nature in Iowa (Bur Oak Book). I did some trapping for a guy who turned me onto this book. I ended up making several hundred dollars doing the trapping but this book ended up costing me money when I turned a small portion of my acreage that was being farmed into a tall grass prairie this spring. My big bluestem grass looks cool though.
Impossible Odds: The Kidnapping of Jessica Buchanan and Her Dramatic Rescue by SEAL Team Six This was a story that was on 60 minutes late last spring. The actual rescue didn't get a lot of press though I do remember it happening. Basically a hippy sort of gal goes to Somalia to do some humanitarian work teaching children how to avoid being blown up by land mines. The Somalis do what they are good at chewing khat and kidnapping westerners for ransom kidnap Jessica and hold her for a couple of months. The SEALS sweep in and do what they are good at and kill every last one of the kidnappers and rescue Jessica. I wouldn't be surprised if this isn't made into a movie.
Friday Night Lights: A Town, A Team, And A Dream -Long before it was a movie and TV show an author lived embedded with the Odessa Permian football team for an entire year in 1988.
Game of Shadows: Barry Bonds, BALCO, and the Steroids Scandal that Rocked Professional Sports --trade publication.
In addition to re-reading "Ender's Game" recently...so I could discuss it with my son (11) before we went to see the movie... I picked up the essay collection: "Ender's World" (http://www.amazon.com/Enders-World-Fresh-Perspectives-Classic-ebook/dp/B00B6TYOGA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1390076941&sr=8-1&keywords=ender's+world).
I just finally got around to reading all the essays and I must say that it was a great read. Additionally, some of them really made me think -- which I do appreciate. One of the best was by a Marine officer which discussed how the book was used during the Marine Corps evolution to 'Maneuver Warfare.' Without giving too much away, the author says the group intentionally called some of the exercises "games" so as to keep it fun and not a chore; they even received an essay response on an MRE wrapper.
For a while I was reading lots of stuff in the zombie apocalypse genre
. Just fun, relatively mindless stuff, often good storytelling. Got to where Amazon was showing me several pages of similar recommendations and I was concerned about the NSA profiling me 
.
I watched the first season of Game of Thrones and that encouraged me to pick up the first book again. I had stalled in the first attempt. Really enjoyed reading them but have stalled, again, on the 4th book, I think. Excellent sleep aid...
Now I'm working through Asimov's Foundation series and will then transition to the Robot series. I read all of this in high school, so it's fun to revisit.
Always interested in seeing alternative - and I believe logical - theories on history.
I am almost finished with The Boys in the Boat, about the 8 man crew team that went to the 1936 Berlin Olympics. I think it's really interesting, although I had a hard time getting started because there was a lot of background that wasn't coming together, but it's held up. Rowing is kind of fascinating because of how the team needs to truly work in perfect synchronization, thus "teamwork" is not just about the physical aspect of rowing but the mental aspects of becoming a true crew.
There 2 story lines in the book- one about the crew, and then there are chapters about the work of the Nazis putting the '36 Olympics together, and that is also interesting from a historical propaganda point in terms of the measures they took to make the world believe that there was nothing going on in Germany. I am curious as to how the story line between the crew team and Goebbel's propaganda machine will intersect at the end of the book.
Thanks for the recommendation, I picked this up yesterday. I read Ender's Game in high school, recently read it again and saw the movie.
Currently reading Tyler Hamilton The Secret Race: Inside the Hidden World of the Tour de France: Doping, Cover-ups, and Winning at All Costs....fascinating...well written....I remain a big fan of Lance Armstrong...and not matter what you think of him ...this book gives a real good behind the scene look at what was (and probably still) going on in the Cycling world.
FYI- Scott agree with you about the Chrissie book....
x2 what Rachel said about Mindset. I used it with my students in pre-college Reading classes (pretty powerful in that setting), but then I was given it as a parent and to read it from that perspective was even more insightful.