What book are you currently reading?

[VespaMatt]

I'm currently reading "The Limit: Life and Death on the 1961 Grand Prix Circuit" by Michael Cannell. I'm a huge fan of books on racing in the 40s, 50s, 60s - it was a time when race car drivers on the European circuits were real mens men and death was very likely. They lived a playboy lifestyle traveling the world, dressing well, and carousing with beautiful women in their off time and for work trained and participated in what was truly a grueling sport with no safety regulations (they didn't even wear seat belts back then).


The main character of this book is Phil Hill, an american mechanic from alcoholic parents who rose to become one of the best supercar and grand prix drivers of his time. Also featured is his rival, Count Wolfgang Von Trips, a descendent of German nobility with Robert Redford-good looks. Numerous other races and drivers are profiled along with plenty of carnage. You don't need an interest in modern racing at all to enjoy the book, and its a very easy read. I'm also a huge fan of the book 'Go like Hell' which focuses on the Ford and Ferrari rivalry of the 1960s, what I think would truly make for a riveting film.

[pratyk]

I've seen 3-4 people reading the Great Gatsby on the trains in the past 1-2 weeks. Must be the upcoming movie

[chern]

"Killing Pablo" has been sitting on my nightstand for a few weeks now. It's an awesome story, but it's a really dense read.

[scrambledpotato]

Do yourself a favor and pick up "His Majesty's Dragon" by Naomi Novik. The Temeraire saga is astounding. It's period-correct Napoleonic alternative history fiction with every detail exact. Except it has dragons. Imagine a beast the size of a city block with 10-15 men hanging on it like it's a frigate, flying through the air and waging war between England and France. I just can't recommend this enough.


I'm reading Sherlock Holmes again (wife rereads Dune, I reread Sherlock). Things are busy at work, and sitting down with it and a bottle of Great Lakes really helps to unwind. Just started The Red Headed League, and it's hard not to smirk at times.

[chetsteadman]

I've been trying to de-rust some of my foreign language skills, so I've been reading stupid children's books in Spanish.


Aside from that, I last finished Calvin Trillin's Third Helpings; I highly recommend this book (part of the Tummy Trilogy series) for anybody who is into food writing.

[rob2]

@tomservo

Reading Tocqueville by choice - not sure it's for pleasure, but it's interesting. I've had a bit of a Colonial / Revolutionary / early USA History thing happening since I was fortunate enough to spend five weeks in the USA a couple of years ago.I was, as some of you say, "travelling on someone else's nickel", and whilst I did what I was there to do, I had a fabulous time exploring DC, Northern Virginia and Manhattan, as well as quick visits in Chicago and San Fran. What an amazing region between DC / Richmond / Charlottesville - all the Revolutionary and Civil War history and sites, as well as Mt Vernon, Moticello and UVa, and then the glories of DC itself!

[tdig]

I'm currently halfway through "Shut Your Eyes Tight" by John Verndon. His first book "Think of a Number" was quite good and I am definitely enjoying this one as well. I'm a big fan of private eye/detective style reads.

[todd]

The Name of the Wind / The Wise Man's Fear (first two books of a trilogy) by Patrick Rothfuss. I can't recommend these enough. A hero's journey told from the hero's perspective. Set in a completely believable fantasy world.


Read "The Billionaire's Vinegar" by Benjamin Wallace. It's about the high stakes forgery in the wine collecting world. A 1787 Chateau Lafite Bordeaux that was supposedly owned by Thomas Jefferson sold for $156,000. It's an amazing story that could easily be a movie.

[chris3]

Just finished Old Man and the Sea. I somehow avoided reading it in high school. Savored every word of it. Short little novella with a lot to say about aging, nature, adventure and being a guy.

[risingstars]

"Change by Design"


I must recommend any book by Richard P Feynmann...

[greg_s]

@Chris, I'm now in the middle of old man and the sea. Very quick and compelling read. This is the first of Hemingway that I've read and I'm intrigued to read more.

[jtm3]

Hello all, this is my first post so I guess it's an introduction... Well, I have nothing to say except I'm currently reading "V." by Thomas Pynchon, and it is absolutely kicking my ass. :P

[greg_s]

I just started Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri. She is one contemporary writer that is worth checking out. She won the Pulitzer for her first book, a collection of short stories, called the Interpreter of Maladies. There is a melancholy feel to her prose, like Gabriel Garcia Marquez, but very well-written and complex characters.

[tomservo]

Greg I'll have to check out Lahiri, sounds like my kind of bag.


Hemingway is fantastic. Such an interesting guy and a tragic figure. Once you get through a few of his novels (they are quick reads) check out his memoir "A Movable Feast"

[Duvel]

Thought I'd pick this thread up since I've recently returned to the library after a long break from book reading. My reading over the winter has been magazines, mainly the New Yorker, but the recent Fleming episodes got me interested in the Bond novels again. Yesterday I picked up The Man with the Golden Gun and Moonraker, two of the Fleming books I haven't read yet. But I'm probably more excited about the new Bond book Carte Blanche by James Deaver. Will be interesting to see how this book treats a modern day Bond.