books: what are you currently reading?

[Caleb]

I hope to read The Brothers K soon. 

[rockstar_not]

Reading "Prodigal God" by Timothy Keller, again - what a book and concept in such a short read.  "Wild Goose Chase" by Mark Batterson.  "1001 Ideas that Changed the Way We Think" edited by Robert Arp.

[eded]

I'm on Strange Days by Dean Goodman.  A group of recollections of interviews with music giants over the years.

After a few years of limited reading for leisure, it is nice to get back to it.  My wife got me a kindle for Xmas.  It took a while, but I'm really liking it.

Ed

[Caleb]

Just did a reread of CS Lewis's autobiography, Surprised By Joy.  I'm about to start The Wind In The Willows by Kenneth Grahame for the first time in my life. 

[ducktrapper]

Thanks, creature.  I'll put it on the list.  Duck, I read The Brothers Karamazov and loved it.  The multiple names for each character took a little effort, but what stunning plot development with depth of metaphor and meaning that I haven't matched in the literature I've read.  Crime and Punishment, good but not on the same level--even if the high schools of America would rather teach it.  I thought I'd like The Idiot, but I put it down, maybe too soon.

The Brothers K is the best one. You'll get no argument from me.

Has anyone tried Marcel Proust? À la recherche du temps perdu (In Search of Lost Time. Now if you want difficult, I can't imagine anything more dense. Makes Conrad look like a piker and there's about 10,000 pages in all. I got about 300 pages in on my only attempt.     

[Mikeymac]

My wife got me a kindle for Xmas.  It took a while, but I'm really liking it.

Ed

Is it the standard Kindle? I've had mine for almost 2 years (this coming Christmas), and I also grew to like it for certain kinds of reading/books and periodicals. I now have over 100 items on mine - I've probably read 2/3 of them... some of the unread ones were cheap/free downloads that I'll probably read "someday." My wife graduated up to a Kindle Fire, but I'm content with this - don't want all the extra distractions of a Fire, or I wont' just read books (which is the case with hers).

How many others on here are using a standard Kindle or Nook? I can also read my books on my Droid Razor phone, so that's handy if I'm stuck somewhere and didn't bring anything to read (hate browsing the internet on my phone - too small!). 

[eded]

Is it the standard Kindle? I've had mine for almost 2 years (this coming Christmas), and I also grew to like it for certain kinds of reading/books and periodicals. I now have over 100 items on mine - I've probably read 2/3 of them... some of the unread ones were cheap/free downloads that I'll probably read "someday." My wife graduated up to a Kindle Fire, but I'm content with this - don't want all the extra distractions of a Fire, or I wont' just read books (which is the case with hers).

How many others on here are using a standard Kindle or Nook? I can also read my books on my Droid Razor phone, so that's handy if I'm stuck somewhere and didn't bring anything to read (hate browsing the internet on my phone - too small!). 

Mine is the Paperwhite.  I am pretty sure it is the most basic version out.  The screen is fantastic and readable in any lighting condition.  I had the app on my iPad for a while but just never used it.  I don't know why, but I haven't used any of the reader apps very much on the iPad, but the Kindle just works for me.

Ed

[Danny]

Is it the standard Kindle? I've had mine for almost 2 years (this coming Christmas), and I also grew to like it for certain kinds of reading/books and periodicals. I now have over 100 items on mine - I've probably read 2/3 of them... some of the unread ones were cheap/free downloads that I'll probably read "someday." My wife graduated up to a Kindle Fire, but I'm content with this - don't want all the extra distractions of a Fire, or I wont' just read books (which is the case with hers).

How many others on here are using a standard Kindle or Nook? I can also read my books on my Droid Razor phone, so that's handy if I'm stuck somewhere and didn't bring anything to read (hate browsing the internet on my phone - too small!). 

I use the Kindle app on my Samsung tablet and phone.

[Caleb]

I have a Paperwhite and like it.  Most if my reading is via audiobook, but when I do read print it's about half paper and half Kindle. I do read lots of poetry too, and just don't care for it at all on kindle.  There's something about a real book of poems that I like.

[Mikeymac]

I just ordered David Limbaugh's new book, Jesus on Trial.  Also ordered another one with the same title by two well respected biblical scholars.

Also ordered 13 Hours: The Inside Account of What Really Happened in Benghazi. I've seen the three authors on several news and opinion shows, and their story is riveting. One lives right here in Omaha...hope to meet him someday.

[Caleb]

Reading Thomas Wingfold, Curate by George MacDonald.

[Danny]

               "UNBROKEN" A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption
by LAURA HILLENBRAND

          As a WWII military history buff I can say this is one of the best ever written.  It was very hard to put down, except when my emotions were so tied up in knots from being drawn into the experiences of brave men enduring unimaginable tests of their character and humanity.

      But it's a book about much more than that.

[Caleb]

I'm reading Honestly, the autobiography of Michael Sweet of Stryper fame.  I read over half of it in one sitting.  I enjoy this type of reading now and then.  These types of books move along nicely, esp when you're interested in the subject matter.  I was a child of the 80s and loved Stryper.  They were my first ever concert.  If you were ever a fan, I highly recommend this book.  I'm enjoying it a lot so far. 

[Strings4Him]

I'm reading Honestly, the autobiography of Michael Sweet of Stryper fame.  I read over half of it in one sitting.  I enjoy this type of reading now and then.  These types of books move along nicely, esp when you're interested in the subject matter.  I was a child of the 80s and loved Stryper.  They were my first ever concert.  If you were ever a fan, I highly recommend this book.  I'm enjoying it a lot so far. 

I remember them, for sure. 

[Caleb]

The Michael Sweet memoir was great for the first half and possibly a little further in, but it went a little off the rails there for me.  I loved hearing about the early days of Stryper, and had that been the entire book I prob would've been ok with it.  The book seems rushed and jumbled together after this point though, and for me, the stuff the artist/writer is currently doing never makes for very interesting writing.  It was a fun read but I wished it had finished stronger.

[Caleb]

Just started MY FIRST GUITAR by Julia Crowe.  I'm just into it but am really enjoying.  Lots of different artists, such as Les Paul, Dick Dale, Jimmy Page, tell of their first guitar.  There is also quite a bit of history about each artist and their experiences thrown in.  Most everyone here would prob enjoy this one quite a bit. 

[rockstar_not]

Started "Einstein in Berlin", but it just couldn't sustain my interest.  The author, Thomas Levenson, wrote a great book on Isaac Newton's career as the anti-counterfeit expert of the Royal Mint.  True story.  This one, however, just didn't have enough zing.  Went back to the library today.

[Caleb]

Finished MY FIRST GUITAR and highly recommend.  Any guitarist would enjoy this book.

[Caleb]

Just read Buddy Guy's autobiography.  Pretty cool to learn of his early days on a plantation, and he comes off as pretty humble as far as his talent goes. Part of that is that he's old and has had time to get perspective. I like old guys and that's one of the main reasons I read the book.  But it is sad to know that he, like myriads of other men, have put the things that really matter (family) behind their dreams of "being something" in the world.  Not a good trade in my estimation.  Good book though.

[tuffythepug]

I've been going through books at a pretty good clip this year.   The one I'm reading now is "Two Years Before The Mast" by Richard Henry Dana Jr..    1840.
It's a very well written first-hand account of the adventures of a merchant sailing ship from Boston which is traveling up and down the coast of Calif. in the early 1830's before there were very many cities.  just a few missions and a couple of forts between San Diego and San Francisco.  The descriptions of life on board a sailing ship and the land and people of early Calif. are quite fascinating.