What are you reading at the moment?

Freebird

I tend to read non-fiction with the subjects including history, philosophy, anthropology, sociology, and psychology. I have a STEM degree, so I suppose I am filling in the gaps. I am currently rereading Sapiens, as it's a book that turned on a few lightbulbs regarding how easy it is to manipulate humans, and is essential reading in today's polarised political and social environment.

Researching, and engaging in music, poetry and lyric writing satisfies my fictional needs, so it's a healthy balance between reality and make-believe..

CHRISB50

The Push - Tommy Caldwell

proggy

Camino Island - John Grisham.

breakstuff

Mortimer and Whitehouse : Gone Fishing.

Very chucklesome. 

hollywoodrox

The 1% rule and how to learn to love the process

and. The universe vs Alex woods

ToneControl

White Gold

ICBM

Wild Swans: Three Daughters Of China - Jung Chang

An autobiographical account of the lives of the author, her mother and grandmother through the twentieth century, from the end of the old empire through the Mao era and afterwards. If you think that the current state of politics in the UK is bad, you should probably read this... I'm about three-quarters of the way through at the moment, in the middle of the Cultural Revolution. It's absolutely terrifying what a dictatorship based on an unhinged personality cult did to a country - 'communism' isn't really a correct description, it was more a feudal monarchy with a mad emperor.

That they've been able to rebuild from that to the world's second largest economy - and soon the first - in only fifty years is really remarkable.

JerkMoans

Usually have several books on the go at any one time.

currently:

A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towle - Russian aristocrat survives revolution,wryly observes the changing times while maintaining his refined manners under house arrest in a luxury hotel. Charming, sometimes sad but elegantly witty comedy of manners.

How to be a Bad Birdwatcher - Simon Barnes - whimsical introduction to ornithology by Times nature and sport correspondent.

Zen Guitar - Philip Toshio Sudo- pithy aphorisms re our favourite subj., currently aiming for my green belt.

And a load of stuff about medical issues affecting family

Dave_Vader

Just started Back to Reality by Mark Stay

It's a body-swapping time-travelling musical adventure with a double decker bus and the word squire spelled incorrectly as a Fender sub-brand.

What more could you want?

munckee

boogieman said:

Just finished the first of Conn Iggulden’s Julius Caesar series. Really enjoyed it... it’s all historically accurate but he makes it into a great yarn.

Starting the Eric Clapton autobio next. I’m not much of a fan of his later music but I’m interested to read about his early days with John Mayall and Cream, meeting Hendrix, how he beat his addiction etc. 

I liked clapton's autobiography, didn't feel like a vanity project by any stretch.  Without too many spoilers confirmed my suspicion Lennon was a muppet.

menamestom

Just finished The Desert and the Sea, a journalists account of being held hostage by Somali pirates for 977 days.
An interesting insight to pirate life, which is generally very disorganised and reliant on the drug Khat.    
No particular plan, ridiculous ransoms, in fighting, constant moving around due to aircraft surveillance etc.
Very chaotic. 


Next up is 'Gotta Get Theroux this' - Louis Theroux's new Auto biog.

grappagreen

Life 3.0 is very interesting if you want to be scared shitless about the future of AI...

WiresDreamDisasters

Did anyone do the "this forum" joke yet?

tony99

munckee said:

boogieman said:

Just finished the first of Conn Iggulden’s Julius Caesar series. Really enjoyed it... it’s all historically accurate but he makes it into a great yarn.

Starting the Eric Clapton autobio next. I’m not much of a fan of his later music but I’m interested to read about his early days with John Mayall and Cream, meeting Hendrix, how he beat his addiction etc. 

Without too many spoilers confirmed my suspicion Lennon was a muppet.

haha why?

Moominpapa

ICBM said:

Wild Swans: Three Daughters Of China - Jung Chang

An autobiographical account of the lives of the author, her mother and grandmother through the twentieth century, from the end of the old empire through the Mao era and afterwards. If you think that the current state of politics in the UK is bad, you should probably read this... I'm about three-quarters of the way through at the moment, in the middle of the Cultural Revolution. It's absolutely terrifying what a dictatorship based on an unhinged personality cult did to a country - 'communism' isn't really a correct description, it was more a feudal monarchy with a mad emperor.

That they've been able to rebuild from that to the world's second largest economy - and soon the first - in only fifty years is really remarkable.

Yeah, I'm currently reading The Tragedy of Liberation, which is a the first of a trilogy by historian Frank Dikotter about the Mao era in China.  Without a doubt the single most depressing book I have ever read (and that includes Primo Levi's If This is a Man, which is no rib-tickler, either).

ICBM

Moominpapa said:

Yeah, I'm currently reading The Tragedy of Liberation, which is a the first of a trilogy by historian Frank Dikotter about the Mao era in China.  Without a doubt the single most depressing book I have ever read (and that includes Primo Levi's If This is a Man, which is no rib-tickler, either). 

I’ll maybe look for that too.

The most depressing book I’ve ever read is Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee... the history of the genocide by the United States against the native Americans.

BigLicks67

ICBM said:

Moominpapa said:

Yeah, I'm currently reading The Tragedy of Liberation, which is a the first of a trilogy by historian Frank Dikotter about the Mao era in China.  Without a doubt the single most depressing book I have ever read (and that includes Primo Levi's If This is a Man, which is no rib-tickler, either). 

I’ll maybe look for that too.

The most depressing book I’ve ever read is Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee... the history of the genocide by the United States against the native Americans.

I picked up Mao - The Unknown Story by Jung Chang/John Halliday at a car boot sale recently. BMHAWK is also another car boot find and they are both on the very long list of books to read I have.

Currently reading Gomorrah by Roberto Saviano about the Camorra crime organisation in and around Naples.

Jalapeno

Getting to the end of Philip Pullman's 2nd Book Of Dust - Secret Commonwealth, first one was a prequel to His Dark Materials trilogy, this one is set after.

No roller skating elephants yet, more's the pity

Then the latest Bernard Cromwell, and then next Jack Reacher book is out in a fortnight.

JezWynd

Jalapeno said:

Getting to the end of Philip Pullman's 2nd Book Of Dust - Secret Commonwealth, first one was a prequel to His Dark Materials trilogy, this one is set after.

No roller skating elephants yet, more's the pity

I'm reading this one atm; an enjoyable, more complex read than pt 1, I'm thinking. No spoilers please, I'm only 15% in!

HAL9000

Just finished The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle. Interesting concept - the main character is tasked with solving a murder. He keeps reliving the day of the crime but each time as a different character (with different character traits, strengths, weaknesses, etc) whilst he collects clues and gathers insights. Well enough written and a clever idea, but ultimately I just didn't care enough about any of the characters and nearly gave up around the halfway point. To be fair it did get better towards the end but i couldn't recommend it. I'm probably in the minority though - Amazon reviews average out at about 4 stars.