|
|
Post by Highway61Revisited on Jul 19, 2007 12:54:42 GMT -5
I'm on a Faulkner kick, so, I just picked up The Sound and the Fury.
Also, for the 10,000,000th time I'm reading Carl Sagan's Cosmos.
Oh, and I picked up the first book in The Sandman series.
|
|
|
|
Post by stephenvegas on Jul 19, 2007 13:15:39 GMT -5
The 3 books I've read so far this summer are:
1. The Missing Link's book "Bang Your Head."
I really liked it and I think it is always great to read about wrestlers in LOW. I think the next wrestling book I'm going to read is Terry Funk's.
2. "Casino" by Nicholas Pileggi.
it is about a real life story about the mob's actions in Las Vegas during the 1970s and early 1980s back when the mob actually controlled a large portion of Las Vegas. It is very similar (but they slightly altered the names) to the movie "Casino" directed by Martin Scorsese. I also have the book "Wise Guy" which was also written by Pileggi and was turned into the movie "Goodfellas."
3. "Mr. Paradise" by Elmore Leonard.
I really like reading Leonard's books (I think I've read about 10 of them) most of which are about crime stories that take place at least partly in the Detroit area, but he has also written some westerns too. In the past some of his books have been turned into movies such as "Jackie Brown" (from his book "Rum Punch"), "Get Shorty," "Be Cool," "Out of Sight," and "Fifty-two Pickup." From the library I checked out "The Hot Kid" by Elmore Leonard which will probably be the next book I read.
|
|
|
|
Post by Highway61Revisited on Jul 19, 2007 13:26:35 GMT -5
The 3 books I've read so far this summer are: 3. "Mr. Paradise" by Elmore Leonard.I really like reading Leonard's books (I think I've read about 10 of them) most of which are about crime stories that take place at least partly in the Detroit area, but he has also written some westerns too. In the past some of his books have been turned into movies such as "Jackie Brown" (from his book "Rum Punch"), "Get Shorty," "Be Cool," "Out of Sight," and "Fifty-two Pickup." From the library I checked out "The Hot Kid" by Elmore Leonard which will probably be the next book I read. Jeff Daniels' character in The Squid and the Whale calls Leonard the "filet of the crime genre", he hit it right on the head. Wiseguy by Pileggi, the basis for one of Scorsese's greatest films, Goodfellas, is a fantastic read as well. |
|
|
|
Post by stephenvegas on Jul 19, 2007 13:35:54 GMT -5
The 3 books I've read so far this summer are: 3. "Mr. Paradise" by Elmore Leonard.I really like reading Leonard's books (I think I've read about 10 of them) most of which are about crime stories that take place at least partly in the Detroit area, but he has also written some westerns too. In the past some of his books have been turned into movies such as "Jackie Brown" (from his book "Rum Punch"), "Get Shorty," "Be Cool," "Out of Sight," and "Fifty-two Pickup." From the library I checked out "The Hot Kid" by Elmore Leonard which will probably be the next book I read. Jeff Daniels' character in The Squid and the Whale calls Leonard the "filet of the crime genre", he hit it right on the head. Wiseguy by Pileggi, the basis for one of Scorsese's greatest films, Goodfellas, is a fantastic read as well. Yeah, Leonard is awesome. In addition to "The Hot Kid," another one of his books I want to read is "Riding the Rap." I also recently saw a trailer for an upcoming movie "Killshot" starring Mickey Rourke which is from Leonard's book "Killshot" that I read from the library a few years ago. |
|
|
|
Post by JamieOD on Jul 19, 2007 15:57:27 GMT -5
I'm busy reading "Moneyball" which looks at how the Oakland A's baseball team is able to use statistics in order to find the players most effective for their team and cheaply too. The book also goes into baseball stats in general. It's a shame that due to the complex nature of baseball stats, the theory cannot be properly put to the test for non-American sports like soccer. As I mentioned on this board before, I'm the odd one in Dublin because I am into American sports.
|
|
|
|
Post by Werner Mueck on Jul 19, 2007 16:00:20 GMT -5
Cool, I was just hearing yesterday how the A's usually kick butt with the free agents and trades right after the all star game and for some reason this year they weren't able to cut it.
|
|
|
|
Post by Dragon Breath on Jul 19, 2007 16:01:48 GMT -5
I'm busy reading "Moneyball" which looks at how the Oakland A's baseball team is able to use statistics in order to find the players most effective for their team and cheaply too. The book also goes into baseball stats in general. It's a shame that due to the complex nature of baseball stats, the theory cannot be properly put to the test for non-American sports like soccer. As I mentioned on this board before, I'm the odd one in Dublin because I am into American sports. Fantastic book. I read it on vacation a few years ago. Its amazing that much of the MLB has adopted the ideas that seemed so revolutionary not that long ago. There are similar sabermetric type efforts happening with basketball and football. Both of these sports are much more dynamic than baseball, so its a bit harder to analyze their data. |
|
|
|
Post by Trent Lawless on Jul 19, 2007 16:16:02 GMT -5
I just read/narrated a book for work called Saint Patrick's Battalion by James Alexander Thom. It's a novel based in the Mexican American War, which is a time period in American history I didn't know a whole lot about. I enjoyed getting something of an education in the middle of a story weaving together the lives of an Irish-American errand boy and a Mexican boy whose mother winds up becoming involved with an Irish turncoat who went from the American to the Mexican side because of the abuse the Protestant officers gave to the Irish and German Catholic troops under their command.
I also not too long ago read Norman Mailer's newest The Castle in the Forest. It's a novel narrated by a minor demon who was responsible for "recruiting" Adolf Hitler from his childhood. If you can handle Mailer's style, and a bit of graphic sexualty, it's pretty decent. Plenty of stuff to think about there.
|
|
|
|
Post by Pete Beck on Jul 19, 2007 21:59:02 GMT -5
The Icarus Hunt by Timothy Zhan. I really don't read a lot of Sci-Fi mostly fantasy, but my 12 year--old read it and said it was good so i picked it up...and it is good so far...sci-fi mystery would be it's best classification.
have rad a couple others this summer...Thud by Terry Pratchett is very good...And The Wizardlord by Lawrence Watt-Evans is what accompanied me to G-Con...another good book.
|
|
|
|
Post by johnnyreb on Jul 19, 2007 22:00:48 GMT -5
i read westerns i like louis l'amour.also been reading the maxuim ride series.
|
|
|
|
Post by Werner Mueck on Jul 19, 2007 22:02:10 GMT -5
I was reading Piers Anthony's "Battle Circle" again on the trip to Jamestown. It's a post apocalyptic story about warriors who roam the wastelands and settle their differences in circles set up for that purpose. It's kinda like sumo but with weapons. I think it predates all his "silly pun Xanth" stuff. It's a serious read and pretty good.
Edit: Now that I think about it, the book I have is a set of three in one. The name of the compilation is "Battle Circle". The name of the first book in the series is "Sos the Rope".
|
|
|
|
Post by azfan on Jul 19, 2007 23:46:24 GMT -5
I read Moneyball. The name has unfortunately been applied to Bean's system. Another unfortunate thing is when his assistant, Paul DePodesta, was hired by my Dodgers, and he wrecked them for two years.
|
|
|
|
Post by Highway61Revisited on Jul 20, 2007 0:28:35 GMT -5
Moneyball is good baseball reading though after you finish that, pick up Baseball Prospectus' Baseball Between The Numbers. Great, must-read book for any hardcore baseball fan.
Also, The New Bill James Historical Abstract is an absolute must-read. I could go on-and-on with baseball books. But those two should keep you busy for a while. Specifically, James' book.
|
|
|
|
Post by Shon Maxx on Jul 20, 2007 6:48:57 GMT -5
Star Wars: Outbound Flight. This book is about the ill-fated flight to encounter life outside the galaxy, until Thrawn and his group show up. Pretty good thus far.
At home, I'm still reading HOF: The Heels.
On the 'Next' list is "Beauty in the Beasts," which is about animals performing heroic and selfless acts.
Take care,
Jay
|
|
|
|
Post by euritar on Jul 20, 2007 11:21:32 GMT -5
Just finished HOF: The Heels, next on my list is the new Harry Potter book.
|
|
|
|
Post by BDS on Jul 20, 2007 16:55:28 GMT -5
The wife got me Tony Dungy's memoir, Quiet Strength, for our anniversary, and I started that earlier in the week.
|
|
|
|
Post by Wildfire on Jul 20, 2007 17:59:08 GMT -5
Sandman is one of the best Comic series ever.. even if you hate comics... I'm a big Timothy Zahn fan myself.. his Star Wars stuff is awesome... I'm certain I've read and own Icarus Hunt, though I can't remember which book of his that is  I picked up "Pagan Babies" by Elmore Leonard at a used book store the other day, based on Mr. Vegas recommending in before.. Its in the queue. Currently, I just finished "Homecoming" by John Halmas, which was a fun post- apcolypse type sci-fi... I'm also reading the "Wayfarer Redemption" series by Sara Douglass.. excellent high fantasy with really strong female character. Comic wise, I just picked up some old Transformers reprints from the 80s, which are fun. I also have the 1st trade for 52 to read. |
|
|
|
Post by DracoRulz on Jul 20, 2007 22:21:15 GMT -5
Just finished up Showcase Presents Green Lantern, Volume 1 earlier today. Man, comics were so much more innocent back in the 60's.
Also working my way through 'A Storm Of Swords' by George R.R. Martin.
Once I finish that up, or maybe before, I'm going to continue the board's Elmore Leonard love and start reading 'Cuba Libre'.
|
|
|
|
Post by Wildfire on Jul 21, 2007 19:00:47 GMT -5
George RR Martin is really good... that's a great series so far
|
|
|
|
Post by stephenvegas on Jul 21, 2007 19:50:03 GMT -5
Just finished up Showcase Presents Green Lantern, Volume 1 earlier today. Man, comics were so much more innocent back in the 60's. Also working my way through 'A Storm Of Swords' by George R.R. Martin. Once I finish that up, or maybe before, I'm going to continue the board's Elmore Leonard love and start reading 'Cuba Libre'. I read "Cuba Libre" earlier this year and enjoyed it. "Pagan Babies," mentioned by Wildfire, I haven't read yet but have heard good things about it. I was going to check it out at the library earlier this summer but decided to get Leonard's "Pronto" instead about the sports handicapper. Last night while flying back to Las Vegas, I read a good portion of Leonard's "The Hot Kid" and it is also really good so far. While I was at the bookstore earlier today, I almost got Leonard's new book "Up In Honey's Room" which got just released in May. But I think I will wait to get in in paperback or from the library and instead I picked up "The Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame: The Heels." |
|
