What are you reading now?

The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein.  It was included in a used book donation we took in at Autobooks-Aerobooks.  The subject matter really has nothing to do with the title.  It chronicles a man's life as seen through the eyes of his dog Enzo.  I'm a little late to this party but I have a one-million-book backlog.

Also, one of our book publishers included a David Baldacci book called The Fix, one of the Amos Decker series of detective potboilers, in a recent shipment.  I had to read it because the main character, investigator Amos Decker,  developed synesthesia and an indefatigable memory after a blow to the head in an NFL game.  Not too many of those floating around the literary world.  Since The Fix is the third book in the series, the first two cover his path from head trauma to criminal investigations more thoroughly.  However, this one stands alone and is a very good page turner.

Here in the store, it's raining biographies.  Enzo Ferrari: Power, Politics, and the Making of an Automotive Empire by Luca Dal Monte, is in my book queue. At 912 pages, it could be the definitive biography of a very complex subject.  Can't wait.  Meanwhile, Hurley From the Beginning by Hurley Haywood and Sean Cridland (Sean is quite the maniac himself) reveals a side of Haywood heretofore hidden from most of the racing public.  Hobbo:  Motor Racer, Motor Mouth by David Hobbs with Andrew Marriott promise a good romp through F-1, F-5000, and sports cars as well as his early life.  Lots more where those came from too.

With it being mentioned in the SR-71 thread, I found a PDF of Sled Driver. I’m already half way done in an afternoon. I do not condone piracy, but when something is 24 karat Unobtainium, exceptions will be made. 

Got a Harry Potter trivia contest coming up, so re-reading them. 

Picked this up from the p.o. box a day or two ago.

And just learned that this one is now in the p.o. box so I'll pick it up tomorrow.

In reply to Brian :

Not 24 karat but $200 and up to $1k+ on Amazon. 

Currently re-reading Dhalgren by Samuel R Delany.  It's a big, opaque, sf-ish novel about an undentified but localized apocalypse.  If even William Gibson admits he doesn't really understand it, I sure won't.

I read it first when I was about 12 or 13, which is an entirely inappropriate age for this book, but I made it through.  I reread it in my mid-20s and got a little more out of it.  I figure I'll see what my mid-50s self brings to the reading.

I re-read Challenger by Mickey Thompson, copies are scarce (I got mine from goodwill twenty years ago) but man is it a good book.

Wife and I did some Yard Sailing this Morning.  I found a Copy of the 'Silmarillion' It's  A book from J.R.R. Tolkien, MY copy disappeared so 20-30 years ago,I suppose I loaned it out but I now HAVE  another . I feel better.

Football for a Buck, Jeff Pearlman’s new book about the USFL just showed up Thursday.  We just happened to also interview him for our podcast Thursday night too

You can get it for free here. 

Semi-warning the site is definitely for those of a pretty traditional RC faith.  To me it is very middle of the road conservative.  The link however takes you directly to the fill out your info part.  You can always block the emails later.  

Not stuff I totally agree with as I accept this countrys heritage right or wrong but an interesting read so far even if it is ground I've traipsed across before.

I did actually donate $5 as that was the cheapest I could have got it shipped on Amazon before realizing I probably have it bought and unread in temporary storage anyway. 

Came across this one so for two dollars less than the kindle version I picked out a 'very good' hardback copy shipped sans the politicians handwarming fee at $8. 

The picture is for the kindle edition.

Suprf1y said:

This is up next

I finally had a chance to read this and really enjoyed it. It was a light read but quite interesting at times.

Currently working on this:

Not a "feel good" read, but it's about what might possibly be the most important single event of the 20th Century.  The losses suffered by both sides are simply mind-blowing.  A must read for any history buff.

I read most of the Killing series (I skipped Killing Jesus, the authors say that the book focuses on the man and not the religious icon, but still, not my cup of tea.) and just picked up Killing the Nazis.  I really like this series because they are history but told in an original way, and I have been interested in all of the subjects so far.  I understand that the author is some kind of political person and also one of these sexual assaulters, which makes me not want to support him, but it's hard for me to find stuff I enjoy reading, so I choose to support his co-author.

I am also reading a book on social media marketing. 

I started reading In Cold Blood by Truman Capote and I'm loving it so far.

Lost Moon about Apollo 13 has been sitting on my shelf for about 5 years. Finally blowing through it. Amazingly well written.

Not books I am currently reading but ones I am trying to find around the house that I want to reread as winter is here:

Zen And the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. Pirsig

The Boat That Wouldn't Float. Mowatt

Read these growing up and want to revisit them. Enjoyed them both and thought I would poat them. Good stories from a different time....

amerson said:

I started reading In Cold Blood by Truman Capote and I'm loving it so far.

That was excellent, especially considering how groundbreaking it was when it was written.  That kind of stuff just didn't exist as actual literature before then.

Norman Mailer wishes he was Truman Capote, but he has about 10% of the talent and 1000% of the ego.

I finally found my copy of David Copperfield. I was about 10 chapters in when I misplaced it. Up next is It. 

Tom’s soon-to-be-wife, Nicole (11 days to the wedding!!) loaned me this:

About burial practices around the world and, more particularly, about our culture’s total divorce from any familiarity with death, although it’s the absolute common denominator that unites us all. Highly recommend.

Margie

Just read a book called “Night Circus “, interesting twists and turns but ended a little under developed.

"You Can Farm" by Joel Salatin. 

God's Demon is really interesting. I recommend it to all who enjoy something more dark yet still rewards the soul (lol) with philosophy and emotion.
Plus there's this website that has all the paintings of the place; the artist is phenomenal in his imaginings of the underworld.

It's about the history of OKC. Very, very good read so far. I'm about 30% of the way in and have already learned a bunch of stuff. 

The writer was originally sent to OKC in 2012 to write a story about the Thunder basketball team. He fell in love with the city, obsessively researched it, and wrote this book.

In reply to pinchvalve :

I admit some of the books look interesting, although I wonder how much political spin they have as I, um, generally disagree with the author’s views.