Book(s) you are currently reading.

[Tom McAndrew]

The Last Stand by Nathaniel Philbrick. About Little Big Horn, of course. I don’t know how definite this account of the battle is (I’ve read Son of the Morning Star, but too long ago), but wow, Philbrick has read everything about everything. My own two big takeaways: 1) had Reno been more aggressive and run through the village things might have been different, 2) an integral part of Custer’s strategy was to take hostages, as he had done at the Battle of the Washita, 1868. Philbrick points out that if Custer had moved away from the river and joined Keough on Calhoun Hill, then taking hostages would no longer have been an opinion. @Tom McAndrew you’d like this, I found the end notes to be as fascinating as the book itself.

I've been tempted to read this book, as everything he's written about the American Revolution has been first rate. While he's not a historian as a career (i.e., ,an academic), he does a phenomenal amount of research for his books, and then has the gift of being able to write in a captivating, and quite interesting manner, which makes his books very informative, and enjoyable to read.

 

[JoeLion]

Empire of the Summer Moon by Gwynne. The history of the Comanche.

 

[Mr. Potter]

"Street Lawyer" by John Grisham

 

[Midnighter]

Started 'Killing Comendatore' by maybe my favorite contemporary writer, Haruki Murakami. It's not an easy book to explain, but if you are familiar with Murakami's previous works he hits on nearly all of the tropes that make his books so well-regarded and read worldwide, which is rare since his work is distinctly Japanese in terms of tone/setting. These include an educated, artistic protagonist often popular with women but never really in long term relationships, affinity for jazz/classical/rock music, mysterious beings, fantastical underworlds, Tokyo at night, etc. - think Japanese David Lynch with more exposition and coffee/whisky/sex interludes....One thing I love about Murakami is his chapters are relatively short, which makes for dipping in and out very easy.

The plot:

Killing Commendatore focuses on an unnamed male protagonist who is a successful portrait painter. One day, his wife leaves him, for seemingly little reason, so he heads out on a long journey across Japan by car. When he’s finished with that, he holes up in the home of a former painter to be inspired to paint again. However, he finds an unseen painting by the artist of the home he’s now residing at in the attic, and that opens up a whole slew of complications: he begins to hear a bell ringing in the middle of the night, he discovers a pit in the backyard, and a mysterious figure approaches him, asking him if he could paint his portrait in any style at all for an obscene amount of money. Things get really strange, as per a Murakami novel, when a character in the painting the unnamed protagonist has discovered appears in human form, albeit as a two-foot tall representation.

 

[MacNit]

Just finished:

I read it again after twenty years and was extremely impressed by how it holds up. Weiner is a great voice for scientists; he did a fantastic job with the earlier The Beak of the Finch.

Now reading, another re-read. I'm really digging this.

- “Wake up with a Purpose” by Sister Jean

- “The Collapse of the Third Republic” by Shrier (Rise and Fall of the Third Reich)

Very different books. Both excellent.

 

[Fac]

Black Cross by Greg Iles.
Just finished Dead Sleep by same.

Both are very good.

 

[Fac]

I liken McCarthy to Bukowski and Poe. They write about misery in a way that makes it seam beautiful. I have to take their work in small doses for fear that I‘ll find myself living in a tent down by the river addicted to heroin.

What's wrong with that?

 

[EricStratton-RushChairman]

The Last Stand by Nathaniel Philbrick. About Little Big Horn, of course. I don’t know how definite this account of the battle is (I’ve read Son of the Morning Star, but too long ago), but wow, Philbrick has read everything about everything. My own two big takeaways: 1) had Reno been more aggressive and run through the village things might have been different, 2) an integral part of Custer’s strategy was to take hostages, as he had done at the Battle of the Washita, 1868. Philbrick points out that if Custer had moved away from the river and joined Keough on Calhoun Hill, then taking hostages would no longer have been an opinion. @Tom McAndrew you’d like this, I found the end notes to be as fascinating as the book itself.

Reading this reminded me of my Dad who passed away one year ago today.

When I was younger and would say, "Don't worry Dad, I have a plan"... he would reply, "So did Custer"

 

[laKavosiey-st lion]

 

[Jim from Spicewood]

 

[LionJim]

It gives a great picture of how science works. Just a marvelous book.

 

[bbrown]

Recommended this to someone the other week so I thought I'd give a re-read and yea just as good as I thought.
If anyone is interested in the SW specifically parts of NM and Arizona this is a good fun read.
https://www.prestonchild.com/books/preston/gold/

 

[Got GSPs]

Blood and Treasure, historical nonfiction. Discusses the advance of white settlers in North America, past the Appalachian mountains and displacing Native Americans. Daniel Boone and his family are featured prominently.

 

[manatree]

Book-adjacent…..

75 Years After ‘The Lottery’ Was Published, the Chills Linger

 

[LionJim]

Book-adjacent…..

75 Years After ‘The Lottery’ Was Published, the Chills Linger

That’s a freaking genius story.

 

[manatree]

That’s a freaking genius story.

Fair ≠ right.

 

[KKBundy]

Fair ≠ right.

All you “blue hairs” would get destroyed on TOS where the topic du jour is an ND de commit in the class of ‘25 puts PSU in the Top 5 as of this moment!!!!

 

[bohucon]

I don't know how to read.

The Soul of America by John Meacham

 

[manatree]

All you “blue hairs” would get destroyed on TOS where the topic du jour is an ND de commit in the class of ‘25 puts PSU in the Top 5 as of this moment!!!!

If only my hair stuck around long enough to be blue.

 

[wbcbus]

 

[Tgar]

Just finished The Goldfinch by Donna Tarrt. Riveting, compelling, deep, addled, insane, wild and thought provoking.

 

[rudedude]

Just ordered The Life We Chose, by Matt Birkbeck, about Big Billy D’Elia, NEPA mob man and contemporary of Russell Bufalino. Same author penned the Quiet Don.

https://www.mattbirkbeck.com/

 

[rudedude]

Also just completed Fairy Tale by Stephen King. Enjoyable book and I do enjoy how he develops his characters.

 

[Tgar]

Just ordered The Life We Chose, by Matt Birkbeck, about Big Billy D’Elia, NEPA mob man and contemporary of Russell Bufalino. Same author penned the Quiet Don.

https://www.mattbirkbeck.com/

Have my copy, opening it tonight. Looks like a quick and riveting summer read.

 

[psuro]

Who knew that there was actually a manual?

 

[HarrisburgDave]

My wife gave this to me on a recent trip to the beach. (We are that old couple that sits on their beach chairs with their toes in the water and an umbrella over their heads). I could not put it down. I understand they made a movie that will be coming out later this year. You won’t regret reading this.

 

[Bkmtnittany1]

My wife gave this to me on a recent trip to the beach. (We are that old couple that sits on their beach chairs with their toes in the water and an umbrella over their heads). I could not put it down. I understand they made a movie that will be coming out later this year. You won’t regret reading this book.

all the light we cannot see - Google Search

Ok… you got me interested. What is it about? Btw… that is the only way I sit on the beach!!

 

[HarrisburgDave]

Ok… you got me interested. What is it about? Btw… that is the only way I sit on the beach!!

It’s WW2 in France. A blind French girl and her father leave Paris while a German boy who loves radio is recruited to use his skills to catch Resistance members. So much more to it. Beautifully written and a page turner.

 

[Bkmtnittany1]

It’s WW2 in France. A blind French girl and her father leave Paris while a German boy who loves radio is recruited to use his skills to catch Resistance members. So much more to it. Beautifully written and a page turner.

My daughter told me that I will love it…. Thanks

 

[Bkmtnittany1]

Just ordered The Life We Chose, by Matt Birkbeck, about Big Billy D’Elia, NEPA mob man and contemporary of Russell Bufalino. Same author penned the Quiet Don.

https://www.mattbirkbeck.com/

Have been I D’Elia’s presence a few times. He was having dinner with the boys at Brutico’s in Old Forge and at another spot a few times in WB…The Saber Room

 

[JakkL]

Just finished a book called Ark Found. It was ok. Waiting for the latest Bourne novel to be released next week. I've read all of 17 them. Ludlum(my favorite author 1-3), Lustbader 4-14, and now Freeman 15-18.

Ludlums were fantastic, the first 7 or 8 from Lustbader were good, but his last few were tiresome. Freeman have been good so far.

 

[Tom McAndrew]

Empire of the Summer Moon by Gwynne. The history of the Comanche.

that's an excellent book. I read it the 1st year it was released, and could not put it down.

 

[bbrown]

that's an excellent book. I read it the 1st year it was released, and could not put it down.

+1. on Empire of the Summer Moon, good book.
I saw an outdoor play in Palo Dura Canyon, TX about Quanah Parker. It was a lot of fun.

 

[IrishHerb]

Just finished Michael Connelly's Desert Star. Now starting John Grisham's Boys from Biloxi.

Connelly was ok, if you like detective stories. Biloxi seems to be a bit slow ... a bit like Grisham's Painted House ... may get better as I get further into the book.

 

[LionJim]

Just finished reading Blood Meridian for like the sixth or seventh time. (About once every four years.) I really took my time, looked up countless words (worth it). For better or for worse, it’s the story of the American West.

A single sentence, a single paragraph:

They entered the city in a gantlet of flung offal, driven like cattle through the cobbled streets with shouts going up behind for the soldiery who smiled as became them and nodded among the flowers and proffered cups, herding the tattered fortune-seekers through the plaza where water splashed in a fountain and idlers reclined on carven seats of white porphyry and past the governor’s palace and past the cathedral where vultures squatted among the dusty entablatures and among the niches of the carved facade hard by the figures of Christ and the apostles, the birds holding out their own dark vestments in postures of strange benevolence while about them flapped on the wind the dried scalps of slaughtered indians strung on cords, the long dull hair swinging like the filaments of certain seaforms and the dry hides clapping against the stones.

 

[laKavosiey-st lion]

I’m reading the schit out of the gray man series. I am the gray man

 

[DELion]

Just finished Don't Tell Anybody the Secrets - singer/songwriter Lucinda Williams' memoir. She's led an unconventional life. But her music has been the beneficiary.

 

[Woodpecker]

Just finished reading Blood Meridian for like the sixth or seventh time. (About once every four years.) I really took my time, looked up countless words (worth it). For better or for worse, it’s the story of the American West.

A single sentence, a single paragraph:

They entered the city in a gantlet of flung offal, driven like cattle through the cobbled streets with shouts going up behind for the soldiery who smiled as became them and nodded among the flowers and proffered cups, herding the tattered fortune-seekers through the plaza where water splashed in a fountain and idlers reclined on carven seats of white porphyry and past the governor’s palace and past the cathedral where vultures squatted among the dusty entablatures and among the niches of the carved facade hard by the figures of Christ and the apostles, the birds holding out their own dark vestments in postures of strange benevolence while about them flapped on the wind the dried scalps of slaughtered indians strung on cords, the long dull hair swinging like the filaments of certain seaforms and the dry hides clapping against the stones.

Just read it as well with similar impressions. No denying the guy could paint pictures with words but I struggled to get into the plotline. I didn't resort to the dictionary but just tried to figure out what things meant by context (several examples in the paragraph you referenced). Half the time I thought, well THAT'S not really a word - he made that up. Nevertheless, an American classic.

 

[bbrown]

Just read it as well with similar impressions. No denying the guy could paint pictures with words but I struggled to get into the plotline. I didn't resort to the dictionary but just tried to figure out what things meant by context (several examples in the paragraph you referenced). Half the time I thought, well THAT'S not really a word - he made that up. Nevertheless, an American classic.

I've read a few of his books, struggled to get through a couple of his books would be more accurate.
He was not a fan of punctuation.

 

[EricStratton-RushChairman]

I’m reading the schit out of the gray man series. I am the gray man

I am doing the same, 3 books in. Just makes me really miss Vince Flynn, his Mitch Rapp books were the finest in this genre IMHO