Just finished Fuzzy Nation by John Scalzi last night. It was an entertaining read.

I thought Piper wrote that.

Currently going through Our Choice for iPad. It's a much more immersive experience than the book.

The Freedoms We Lost: Consent and Resistance in Revolutionary America by Barbara Clark Smith.

+ anything with zombies.

However, I bought the entire series "The Tudors" on DVD and that has derailed all reading for the present.

Been watching the Tudors on the British Costume channel on Wednesday nights. It's been a trip.

I thought Piper wrote that.

Nope (http://www.amazon.com/dp/0765328542), this is an authorized "reboot" of the original story. As to why, to quote Scalzi (http://whatever.scalzi.com/2010/04/07/the-super-secret-thing-that-i-cannot-tell-you-about-revealed-introducing-fuzzy-nation/):


While Fuzzy Nation is a “reboot” of Little Fuzzy, the idea behind it is not to replace the original, but to celebrate it and hopefully draw new readers to it and to other work by Piper.

Oh, I forgot the new one was out. I've been holding out for a decent budget Little Fuzzy movie since I was 13.

Sense and Sensibility, The of Brutality of Fact.

90% through with Under the Dome by Stephen King. It's entertaining, but I'm getting annoyed with how many times he ends a chapter or even a "scene" with an obvious foreshadowing sentence.

Because I am a nerd, I've been reading a five (short) book fantasy series by B. V. Larson (The Haven Series). It was pretty inexpensive on my Kindle and got decent reviews but I'm not thrilled with it. Few of the characters are particularly likeable and while I really like the fantasy genre, too often clumsy writers just make up ways for magic to get them out of a situation instead of plotting intelligently. This series started out pretty promising but at this point, I sort of hope the main character gets killed and the love interest runs off with an elf. Any elf would be better than the main character. In fact, she'd be better off with one of the wee folk or a troll.

Just went through a couple of Harry Turtledove books from the Baen Free Library: Wisdom of the Fox and Sentry Peak. Turtledove is the grand master of the alternate-universe genre; the Fox book, actually two novellas in one book, was great. Sentry Peak was a fascinating tale, obviously based in large part on the War Between The States but with a number of interesting reversals, however almost none of the characters really inspired me to care greatly about their outcomes. Almost all of the generals were incompetent fools, except for one obviously based on Nathan Bedford Forrest.

Followed that up with an early Tony Hillerman, Skinwalker. Made me wish I had known Tony -- I was a couple of years behind him in the professional writing courses at OU but did know his brother Barney well. Sadly they're both gone now...

For the SF and Fantasy lovers, I highly recommend the Baen Free Library which is on the web (http://www.baen.com/library/). Great stories, classic authors, and most books are in all the popular formats!

I'll check that out - thanks, Jim.

I have to second the recommendation for the Baen Library, and add http://baencd.thefifthimperium.com/ as well.

Many thanks! I've bookmarked it...

A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens. For perhaps, the 8th time.

It is simply one of the very best books on the mechanisms of people and their politics.

A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens. For perhaps, the 8th time.

It is simply one of the very best books on the mechanisms of people and their politics.

My husband went through a period of reading all of Dickens books and is a big fan. A Tale of Two Cities wasn't his favorite, though. He liked David Copperfield the best.

"American Colossus: The Triumph of Capitalism, 1865-1900" by University of Texas historian H.W. Brands. His most famous book is "A Traitor to His Class" a history of FDR. I'll read that one next.

My husband went through a period of reading all of Dickens books and is a big fan. A Tale of Two Cities wasn't his favorite, though. He liked David Copperfield the best.

Dickens has one of the best methods of exposition--you see what he is talking about because he describes things so very well--with wit and seriousness combined. He was one of the very best. I have all his works.

Just finished "Anathem" by Neal Stephenson. Digging through the stack trying to make up my mind on what to start next. The top contender is Leningrad: State of Siege by Michael Jones.

Don't know either Anathem or Lenningrad but both sound interesting.

Really enjoyed Mark Hatch's Maker Manifesto - exciting concept. Also enjoyed the Jack Reacher novels - kind of sad I finished them.

Non-fiction:

Blue Ocean Strategy by Kim - current
The Maker Manifesto by Mark Hatch - just finished
The Bite in the Apple by Chrisann Brennan
Grain Brain by Perlmutter
Wheat Belly by Davis
Kentucky Traveler by Skaggs

Fiction:

The Day of the Jackal by Forsyth - current - oldie but goodie
Storm Front by John Sandford - just finished
All 18 of the Jack Reacher novels by Lee Child
The Beast by Kellerman

The above post's.

All 18 of the Jack Reacher novels by Lee Child
No clue that there that many of those out.

I tend to have an ever growing stack of books that I try to work my way through. The Friends of the Library book sale and the (formerly) dollar paperback rack at half price books usually keeps the end of the stack out of reach.

In the current pile with Leningrad is "the thousand autumns of Jacob de Zoet" by Mitchell and "The Stranger" by Camus.

I'm about halfway through Richard Dawkins: An Appetite for Wonder. It's a wonderful memoir about his early childhood and how he became an evolutionary biologist. Even if you don't agree with his personal views, it is a very good read.

I have also purchased Stephen King: Doctor Sleep; his newest novel. That should be interesting!

All 18 of the Jack Reacher novels by Lee Child
No clue that there that many of those out.
The character should be popular among the New Urbanists as he owns no car and walks and hitches everywhere! I sometimes become obsessive about a writer and just set out to read everything.


I tend to have an ever growing stack of books that I try to work my way through. The Friends of the Library book sale and the (formerly) dollar paperback rack at half price books usually keeps the end of the stack out of reach.
The Kindle and the ease of ordering and carrying a library around with me has dramatically increased my reading.

In the current pile with Leningrad is "the thousand autumns of Jacob de Zoet" by Mitchell and "The Stranger" by Camus.Just checked the titles on Amazon - 347 reviews for de Zoet and 707 for Camus's book. Marked them in one of my lists.

Just finished A Dance With Dragons. Much more interesting read than A Feast For Crows.

Now starting to re-read Ender's Game. It's been a few years since I've read this and I want to re-familiarize myself with the book before seeing the movie interpretation.

Principles of Quantum Mechanics by David Griffith. Pretty cool. It's
written very clearly instead of with the usual esoteric gobbledygook.

Has anyone read Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close? I liked most of it.
The part of Oskar was written very well. At least until the end, which was
written as if a deadline had to be met and quality was thrown out the
window. The ending was very, very disappointing.

Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain.

Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain.

I think that was the second best book I read last year. Lots of insight into the restaurant industry. Before I read it, I just didn't get Anthony Bourdain at all.

Good book. Is this a topic you like? I might be able to suggest a few more
you'll enjoy.
Yes. Bring'em on!

Amazon.com: Fate of the States: The New Geography of American Prosperity eBook: Meredith Whitney: Kindle Store (http://www.amazon.com/Fate-States-Geography-American-Prosperity-ebook/dp/B007ZHCAWM)

Miracles and massacres

Miracles and massacres
I've not heard of it. Who's the author?

:ot:

I've seen many reviews describing "Naked Lunch" as hilarious. I can't
say that I agree. In fact, it's quite disgusting and at times extremely
repulsive. I can't stand Benway, not that you're supposed to like him.
A pervert in the style of nazis "ym"sh".

Also, growing up in the 60's, I don't see it congruent with the counter
culture even though it was read by many "hippies" of the era. It
just didn't jive with the times. I believe it was about Burrough's
demented side due to drug addiction.

Yeah, I don't really think that Naked Lunch is much of a comedy. Haven't read it in awhile so I may have missed something. I do have a Burroughs book in the to-read pile, Cities of the red night.

Yeah, I don't really think that Naked Lunch is much of a comedy.
There's a movie? OY!

I've not heard of it. Who's the author?

Glenn Beck and his daughter. Actually had some pretty positive reviews.

Was that published by Tate Publishing or Grove Press?

9sL102pyaLg

Ballistics (A book of poetry by Billy Collins.)

Here's a sample (it's sort of the introduction to the book):

August in Paris

I have stopped here on the rue des Ecoles
just off the boulevard St-Germain
to look over the shoulder of a man
in a flannel shirt and a straw hat
who has set up an easel and a canvas chair
on the sidewalk in order to paint from a droll angle
a side-view of the Church of Saint Thomas Aquinas.

But where are you, reader,
who have not paused in your walk
to look over my shoulder
to see what I am jotting in this notebook?

Alone in this city,
I sometimes wonder what you look like,
if you are wearing a flannel shirt,
or a wraparound blue skirt held together by a pin.

But every time I turn around
you have fled through a crease in the air
to a quiet room where the shutters are closed
against the heat of the afternoon,
where there is only the sound of your breathing
and every so often, the turning of a page.

I've returned to one of my faves, 1984.

1984 and Animal Farm are my two most favorite fiction novels.

I'm currently reading "The Real Lincoln" by Thomas DiLorenzo

Anyone use the GoodReads app or website?

I've been to the Goodreads site many times . . . For some reason I thought it was all about book reviews and recommendations.

I finished off Enders Game and was bored and started leafing through old copies of my collection of Asimov's Foundation series books. So, I'm reading through those again. I also picked up World War Z on Kindle and started in on that. I'm also about halfway through Ketcham's "The Life of Abraham Lincoln". Its a little dry and its taking me a while to get through that one.

Yes.

Wondered a while back if it would be neat to have an OKCTalk Book Group.

I sort of remember that question too. Again: The Mark Inside (Amy Reading).
Probably available in a paperback version by now. Maybe at Barnes and Noble. =)

I sort of remember that question too. Again: The Mark Inside (Amy Reading).
Probably available in a paperback version by now. Maybe at Barnes and Noble. =)
I have that one on my wishlist.

I've been to the Goodreads site many times . . . For some reason I thought it was all about book reviews and recommendations.

The app has some pretty cool features like letting you scan in the books to your reading list, that kind of thing. Just now starting to play around with it.

I heard that the movie 'Shooter' is based on a trilogy of books (which is what the employee at the liquor store said last night):

Point of Impact - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Point_of_Impact)

It's shown that there are actually 6 books in the series. I think these would be a great read.

The Experience Economy, Updated Edition by Pine II, B. Joseph, Gilmore, James H.

Kind of goes along with Blue Ocean strategy. Think I'd prefer a good summary or review actually. Same for Blue Ocean.

Happy City: Transforming Our Lives Through Urban Design by Montgomery, Charles

The first chapter about the mayor of Bogotá was a good example of Blue Ocean strategy. Have enjoyed the book and find the ideas well presented.

Innocence: A Novel by Koontz, Dean

Thoroughly enjoyed this book. Kept me interested. Reminds me a lot of the Odd Thomas books.

The Atlantis Gene: A Thriller (The Origin Mystery, Book 1 and Book 2) by Riddle, A.G

Not the greatest fiction I've ever read but managed to keep me interested through both volumes. Lots of genetic science that was a little new to me mixed in with the story that made it more interesting.

The Book Thief by Zusak, Markus

Looks pretty good but just got started.

I have that one on my wishlist.

The Oklahoma Metro Public Library System is, like, having a Genie in a bottle with no backhanded tricks.
(your wish is their command)

Fiction:

The Passage and The Twelve by Justin Cronin were fantastic. The third and final book comes out in 2014.

The Riftwar Saga by Raymond E. Feist. Some of the best fantasy you can read, about two dozen books in all. The series ended earlier this year and it felt like I lost a friend; I started reading them around 1999 or so).

Read the Percy Jackson and Heroes of Olympus series (my oldest is into Percy Jackson and I had to scout them out). Really cool story line if you don't mind it being geared toward juvenile fiction.

Non-fiction:

Just started The Inheritance of Rome about the transition from Rome to "barbarian" rule in the west.

"How the Hippies Saved Physics" by David Kaiser. Not as funny as I was
hoping it to be. So far it involves Einstein's disputes of mechanical
physics and the epistemology of those who agree with Bohr, not that
he's mentioned. It's a little like a rehash of the debates between the two.

The title is a bit misleading. I was hoping for some fun since I was once
a hippie. Feel free to take photos at the next OKC event. I'll part my
hair down the middle.