Summer reading

[Cadwr]

This summer I'm trying to get some reading done before classes start in the fall. Normally season wouldn't affect my reading (with the exception of possibly reading more in the winter due to weather), but now that I am in school I don't have much time to read outside of summer.

I currently have 10 books out from the library:

Currently reading: Newton and the Counterfeiter: The Unknown Detective Career of the World's Greatest Scientist - Thomas Levenson

The Forgotten Genius: The Biography Of Robert Hooke 1635-1703 - Stephen Inwood
Cyberchiefs: Autonomy and Authority in Online Tribes - Mathieu O'Neil
Around the Roman Table: Food and Feasting in Ancient Rome - Patrick Faas
The Shoemaker and the Tea Party: Memory and the American Revolution - Alfred F. Young
Fuck: Word Taboo and Protecting our First Amendment Liberties - Christopher Fairman
Hara-kiri: Japanese Ritual Suicide - Jack Seward
Lexicon of Musical Invective: Critical Assaults on Composers Since Beethoven's Time - Nicolas Slonimsky and Peter Schickele
Torture As Public Policy: Restoring U.s. Credibility on the World Stage - James P. Pfiffner
Tomorrow's Table: Organic Farming, Genetics, and the Future of Food - Pamela C. Ronald and R.W. Adamchak

I also have a bunch of books on my Kindle waiting to be read, like The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, Dexter by Design, The Kite Runner, Controversial New Religions, The Pillars of the Earth, The Cigar Maker, The Satanic Verses, Blasphemy in the Christian World, Minds and Gods: The Cognitive Foundations of Religion, This Book Is Overdue!: How Librarians and Cybrarians Can Save Us All, and... really too many to list.

Is anyone else doing any summer reading? or read anything good recently?

So far Newton and the Counterfeiter is good. It spends more time than I would like on Newton's history, but that is mostly because I have already read a lot about him- for someone who isn't as familiar with his history it would probably be just right.

 

[Wink]

I was just gonna ask something like that, as far as reading. I've been out of school for a while and haven't read any good books since then I just started reading the art of war someone told me it was a good book. What other books can you suggest for starting up again. Im really into self improvement,self knowledge some where along those lines.

 

[SkinsFanLarry]

Wink, "A Pirate Looks at Fifty" by Jimmy Buffet is a pretty damn good book in my opinion.

I also enjoyed all the books I've read by Sonny Barger....I've ordered his most recent and I'm really looking forward to reading it.

 

[ninjafox99]

I am planning to start "Eating the Dinosaur" by Chuck Klosterman over the weekend. Should be an easy read.

 

[ChazHollywood]

Just finished The Right Stuff. Debating now whether to re-read Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, or start something new. Pirate Looks at 50 has been on my list since Larry first mentioned it on another thread, but I haven't gotten to it yet. Big Buffett fan over here (both Jimmy and Warren).

I'd recommend The Right Stuff if you have any interest in the history of the early space program. Tom Wolfe manages to tell the story from a very human perspective.

-Charles

 

[Cadwr]

I was just gonna ask something like that, as far as reading. I've been out of school for a while and haven't read any good books since then I just started reading the art of war someone told me it was a good book. What other books can you suggest for starting up again. Im really into self improvement,self knowledge some where along those lines.

I have some opinions about reading for self improvement, as it has been one of my main concerns since 3rd grade, when I took myself out of public school. I don't know if I could recommend specific books, but I'd say stay away from books that actually claim to be about self improvement- I want to vomit every time I see a Joel Osteen book. Look around a library or bookstore for things that interest you, and then read them. Read a little bit about a lot of things, and a lot about a few things that really interest you- and be sure to read things that run counter to your own views. Reading both non-fiction and fiction is good too.

That's all pretty generic advice... Let's see, for classics I would check out Fahrenheit 451 and The Catcher in the Rye if you haven't read them. If you enjoy The Art of War you might want to check out The Book of Five Rings by Miyamoto Musashi. I thought it was more dense and harder to get through than The Art of War, but it is an interesting read on strategy and swordsmanship by one of the best swordsmen in history.

I have a hard time recommending books without knowing what interests a reader has.

A Pirate Looks at Fifty, Eating the Dinosaur, and The Right Stuff all added to my list of books to read. I'm particularly interested in The Right Stuff as I love both history and science.

I finished "Newton and the Counterfeiter" and "Lexicon of Musical Invective" today/tonight. Newton and the Counterfeiter was a good look at a much lesser-known aspect of Newton's life- right up my ally. Lexicon of Musical Invective was a pretty funny look at extremely harsh criticism of classical composers, i.e. people who said that Tchaikovsky would be forgotten. I got some good laughs out of it.

Not sure which book I want to read next. I'd flip a coin if there weren't 8 books to choose from. I need a die or something.

 

[njstone]

I'm currently reading:

Way of the Warrior: Qualities of a Spritual Warrior, by Graham Cooke
Dragonfly in Amber (Outlander Series, book 2) by Diana Gialbon
[about to start] The Writer's Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers , by Christopher Volger
And virtually any cigar review I can find

And currently watching:
How I Met Your Mother, Season 5
Legend of the Seeker (based on The Sword of Truth book series, which I've read)

 

[CWS]

Reading WEB Griffins Presidential Agent Series from start to finish on airplanes

 

[Wink]

Wink, "A Pirate Looks at Fifty" by Jimmy Buffet is a pretty damn good book in my opinion.

I also enjoyed all the books I've read by Sonny Barger....I've ordered his most recent and I'm really looking forward to reading it.

Im going to check them out. Thanks larry. Sheesh..You guys must be speed readers I take it one book at a time, I have to concentrate and try to absorb the information.

 

[Wink]

I have some opinions about reading for self improvement, as it has been one of my main concerns since 3rd grade, when I took myself out of public school. I don't know if I could recommend specific books, but I'd say stay away from books that actually claim to be about self improvement- I want to vomit every time I see a Joel Osteen book. Look around a library or bookstore for things that interest you, and then read them. Read a little bit about a lot of things, and a lot about a few things that really interest you- and be sure to read things that run counter to your own views. Reading both non-fiction and fiction is good too.

That's all pretty generic advice... Let's see, for classics I would check out Fahrenheit 451 and The Catcher in the Rye if you haven't read them. If you enjoy The Art of War you might want to check out The Book of Five Rings by Miyamoto Musashi. I thought it was more dense and harder to get through than The Art of War, but it is an interesting read on strategy and swordsmanship by one of the best swordsmen in history.

I have a hard time recommending books without knowing what interests a reader has.

A Pirate Looks at Fifty, Eating the Dinosaur, and The Right Stuff all added to my list of books to read. I'm particularly interested in The Right Stuff as I love both history and science.

I finished "Newton and the Counterfeiter" and "Lexicon of Musical Invective" today/tonight. Newton and the Counterfeiter was a good look at a much lesser-known aspect of Newton's life- right up my ally. Lexicon of Musical Invective was a pretty funny look at extremely harsh criticism of classical composers, i.e. people who said that Tchaikovsky would be forgotten. I got some good laughs out of it.

Not sure which book I want to read next. I'd flip a coin if there weren't 8 books to choose from. I need a die or something.

Gotcha....thats sound advice. Maybe I didn't word it right but I meant to say books that can actually add to your outlook on life maybe books that offer you ways to better yourself or help you to help another. I don't like to read something that waste my time ex. romance novels, adventure books etc..etc.
Thanks guys!! didn't try to hijack this thread, but im in the midst of finding good books to read.