What are you reading?

[_Drifting]

I'm currently reading a new piece by Will Schryver called "Book of Abraham, the Game Changer", oh wait...no I'm not...

[_Analytics]

Is he disappointed that the thing about not dying before he got old hasn't worked out? I love the Who.

There's a great tension in the book between his wanting to be "normal" and the pull of the pretentious artist/decadent rock star lifestyle. Great read.

I'll definitely put it on my list. I mess around with a guitar a bit, and Squeezebox is on the short list of songs I know.

I'm in the middle of Night Soldiers by Alan Furst. On the non-fiction side, The Clash of Cultures by John Bogle and Better Off Without 'Em by Chuck Thompson.

I haven't hear of Night Soldiers. The latter book is the one about right-wing southerners seceding, right?

Night Soldiers is a novel about a kid from Bulgaria who was recruited to join a team of elite Russian spies in the years leading up to WWII. He eventually gets involved in the Spanish Civil War as a Russian spy. A really interesting perspective on those times and events.

Better Off Without 'Em is a little different than what you are imagining. It's written by a liberal from Oregon who is a professional travel writer. The book is about the South and is part humorous rant and part serious analysis of the dominate Southern culture and the effect it has on the nation as a whole. He quite seriously suggests that it would be a huge win/win if the South really broke off and formed its own country. To give you a feel for the tone of the book, here is the first paragraph:

Hang out in my living room on any national election night and at some point in the evening, usually around 7 p.m. Pacific time, you're almost certain to hear me scream something like: "Why in the hell does the United States—and by extension the entire free world, capitalist dominion, and all of Christendom—allow its government to be held hostage by a coalition of bought-and-paid-for political swamp scum from the most uneducated, morbidly obese, racist, morally indigent, xenophobic, socially stunted, and generally ass-packwards part of the country?"

The rest of the book systematically defends this portrayal of the South, and quite seriously suggests that the South really is so different from the rest of the United States that they really ought to form their own country.

It's a shockingly honest and frank about a taboo topic. It's also quite insightful and dare I say persuasive. Highly recommended.

[_Morley]

Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides. I sinned when I skipped this excellent book when it first came out, years ago. Fortunately, in art, redemption is sometimes possible.

Saint Maybe by Anne Tyler. I thought I'd need to lose myself in good prose after the election. (It turned out that I didn't, but Tyler is always funny and delightful.)

[_Morley]

I'm dating a Muslim, and she has assigned me Best of Enemies (by Abu-Sharif and Mahnaimi).

[_madeleine]

"Communicating at Work: Principles and Practices for Business and the Professions"

Also just finished "Maximilian Kolbe: Saint of Auschwitz".

[_just me]

Life of Pi

One of my favorites.

Would you mind posting your thoughts when you finish? NO SPOILERS here, just a question: Did your copy include cover promo text that suggested the book would "make you believe in God"? When you finish, I'd be very interested in your thoughts on how that relates to the story.

I'm just over halfway. I'll lecha know.

[_moksha]

Earlier today in the bathroom library, I was reading The Modern World by Tom Tomorrow. This is a must read when pictures alone do not suffice.

[_subgenius]

Just started reading an architectural study....(might be thread worthy)
The Early Temples of the Mormons - Laurel B Andrew

[_MeDotOrg]

I'm dating a Muslim, and she has assigned me Best of Enemies (by Abu-Sharif and Mahnaimi).

Looks good - just ordered from Amazon....

[_ludwigm]

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