Is anybody reading anything?

[northbayteky]

You know, like a good book?

I haven't read anything in ages and I'm really missing Lord Rahl and the Confessor. I also miss Juan Cabrillo and Clive just hasn't turned out another Oregon story that holds my interest.

[Larommi]

I tried. I am too digital now to read a book.

I even tried to read a book via digital, then my DADD kicked in.

[northbayteky]

The last few books I've read I actually didn't read, but I listened to. Books on CD.

[74AD]

in an effort to get ready for a trip to universal studios hopefully in the next few years. I have been listening to the harry potter books. I ran through 6 chapters of the second book while spending a couple of hours on the tractor cutting our property. I will probably try to finish it in the next couple of cuts and move on to the next.

I haven't really been physically reading anything lately. I probably should. I enjoy it, but I haven't had time and if I read at night I just fall asleep.

[slgrieb]

Been a while since I've read any Cussler I was very excited about, but I'm 2 of his Isaac Bell novels behind, and I've enjoyed the ones I've read. Lately, I've been reading quite a bit of G.M. Ford's Leo Waterman mysteries. Highly recommended! One thing I like about the Waterman series is that you can read them out of order with minimal confusion.

I had a little time to kill between appointments the other day, so I actually hit the library and checked out a real, print book; Dan Simmons' The Abominable. Don't recall I ever met a Dan Simmons book I didn't like.

[northbayteky]

I tried reading one of the Isaac Bell novels, and it didn't hold my attention.

[slgrieb]

I tried reading one of the Isaac Bell novels, and it didn't hold my attention.

I'm surprised. Do you remember which one?

[slgrieb]

Don't recall I ever met a Dan Simmons book I didn't like.

Well, now I have. Actually, there isn't much wrong with this 663 page novel that couldn't be fixed by cutting about 300 pages and having a totally different plot. I guess Simmons has now joined the ranks of Stephen King and J.K. Rowling as one of Those Who May Not Be Edited.

What I liked about the book: 1. Well drawn, believable characters (with one critical exception). 2. Most of the climbing scenes, and particularly the descriptions of the dangers of high altitude climbing in 1925) are very dramatic and vivid.

What I disliked about the book: Everything else. All through the book, there are just too many long, incredibly tedious expository scenes going on. Page after page of discussion about the differences, relative merits and deficiencies of early models of breathing equipment for climbers. I mean, it is about 200 pages into the book before the expedition to climb Everest even leaves England. But, no worries, there are still 423 pages to go. And the pace doesn't pick up at all during those last 423 pages. To call the novel "ridiculously and offensively slow paced" is an understatement.

And then there is the plot: Sorry for the spoilers, but on the first level, it purports to be a tale of a small expedition trying to reach the summit of Everest with a lean, fast expedition, unencumbered with the style of the time which operated like a major military campaign; think trench warfare. Of course, that isn't really the purpose of the expedition. I'll refrain from going through all the red herrings and misdirections presented, but in the end, the real mission is to recover pornographic photos of a young Hitler having sex with you Jewish boys before the Nazis can get to them. Why are these photos atop Mt. Everest? What do the British plan to do with them if they are recovered? Gotta read the book to find out. Or, I'll spill the beans if I get enough reactions to justify another rant

[Webhead]

I'm reading a ton of books. I read them on the laptop using either iBooks or Kindle. But my books are all boring, lame tech books. Here's what I got going...

- "The Art of Social Media" by Guy Kawasaki
- "OS X Yosemite" (comprehensive user manual)
- "Big Data" (haven't read much from it yet but it's on the list)
- "Things a Little Bird Told Me" - Biz Stone (finished that one)
- "Work Rules!" - Laszlo Block
- "How Google Works" - Eric Schmidt
- "Becoming Steve Jobs" - Brent Schlender

[Cleetus]

Making my way through a lot of the Tony Hillerman novels right now. Good easy summer reads.