What books have you read lately?

[LadyGodiva]

I am in the midst of reading The Da Vinci Code and I'm more than half way through it. Prior to that I was reading "Brida" by Paulo Coelho. If you haven't read any of his books, and you like something a little different give "Veronica decides to die" and "11 Minutes" a try. Both are by Coelho and I thought they were excellent. Left you thinking.

Ummm...we're not going to count John's book as READING, okay? :tongue:

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[e3]

Im not a huge reader but "Three Blind Mice" by J. Patterson was my last one.My wife is one of those people that will read three or four book at the same time..i dont know how she keeps all the people straight. If anyone is into Military Stories Andy McNabb is great..He was in the Regiment and most of his stories are based on what happens.

[tilesnake]

Playboy. :devil2: :whip: :moon:

[smee]

I'll ignore that.... :rolleyes:

reading three books at the moment; Bio of Leonardo DaVinci, a book about Lord Nelson and another book by the name of "Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norbert" by Susie Clark - it's the length of a bible. I read at night in bed laying down with the book on my chest - when it falls and hits me in the face - it's time to go to bed....when that book hits - I get knocked out!

LG - DaVinci Code was good good fluff - I read it in about 12hrs. I hope they don't blow it with a really crapay movie.

[tileguytodd]

Are we talking Fiction or non fiction here??

Fiction latest ( Fantasy )
Terry Brooks -King of Shannara
Ed Greenwood-Elminster
David Eddings-The Belagariad (5 books and a reread for me)
Daid Eddings the Malorean(another 5 books with the same characters will go out of town with me while I do a motel job)

Non fiction-
The Advancing Guitarist-Mick Goodrick (not for the beginner)
The Guitarists Guide to Composing and Improvising-Jon Damian
The Router book- Pat Warner
Table Saw Magic-Jim Tolpin

Magazines -A Pile i recieve monthly and Bimonthly including but not limited to:
The Tile Letter
Floor Covering Installer
Jobsite
Qualified Remodeler
National Floor Trends
Kitchen and Bath Design
Model Railroader
Model railroad craftsman
N scale
N scale magazine
Garden Railroader
Wood
Popular woodworking
Workbench
Woodworkers Journal
Guitar Player
Electronic Musician
Field & Stream
Outdoor Life
BWCAW Journal(boundary Waters Canoe Area quarterly)
American Hunter
Fur Fish and Game

Its amazing i have time to do any work :D :D :D

Some get skimmed of course,others get read in depth.Some are great referance material and are saved.Some get chopped and dropped(clipped articles ;) )

It keeps me occupied :D

[Gary K]

Todd,

When do you have time to lay tile, between all those books and this forum?

Gary

[tileguytodd]

Yea, I know Gary, My presence on the forum has been suffering lately hasnt it. ;)
I read alot more than i watch TV.
Lately ive been telling myself to thin down on the hobbies.I would like to do them all and they all suffer from time constraints and being spread quite thinly.
I pretty much gave up Gardening cut i cant resist going through those seed catalogs every winter anyways :D

Why do you think I quit doing the little Jobs???
I had to have some ME time :D

[John Bridge]

I love reading fiction, but I don't have time for it anymore. I read the Internet. :)

[opiethetileman]

I read johns book 54449968676755 times now on the thrown

[LadyGodiva]

The internet, John's book and magazine DON'T count! :bang:

Geez, I guess we can't even start up a book club on this forum! :uhh:

Better see if Oprah has one online.

[Fant]

All of John Sandford's "Prey" books plus his "Kidd" books. All the Prey books are set in MN. and WI. Plus a lot of other fiction. All of Dan Brown's stuff except The Da Vinci Code (waiting on paperback). And currently reading Vince Flynn - Term Limits. I do most of my reading on airplanes. Everybody remember to take reading material on the way to Coverings.

[Raymond S]

Fant - love those John Sanford books, the Prey series more than the Kidd, though.
Check out any of the Robert Crais "Elvis Cole" books.
The best of all may be the Stephen Hunter books.

[oma]

Todd, I have a copy of Jim Tolpin's "Built-in Furniture". It's a great source for getting ideas if you like wood-crafting home projects.

I've been too busy for the past year to read anything besides home building related stuff, but I have The DaVinci Code sitting around waiting for me to get to it. I also bought one of Bill O'Reilly's books, but it will have to wait awhile. I can't think of anything that would make me give up gardening :)

[LadyGodiva]

Oma I could hardly put The Da Vinci Code down last night because it was so exciting! But I needed my beauty sleep, so I had to. I'm reading it in Spanish and it's no easy task though I'm doing fine (Spanish is not my first language).

Also a good and informative read was "Crossing Borders" by Jorge Ramos, the news guy on Univision. It was interesting to read about his struggles as a Mexican journalist in an English speaking country, and trying to figure out where 'home' really is.

[jgleason]

Recent books I've read....

Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire

Deception Point by Dan Brown

Angels and Demons by Dan Brown

Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz

Trojan Odyssey by Clive Cussler

[Albert]

i read mad magazine.

albert ("alfred e. neumann")

[Eric Philson]

Believe it or not I just started my third read of 'The Federalist Papers'. I know, I'm a goof. :rolleyes:

[LadyGodiva]

Believe it or not I just started my third read of 'The Federalist Papers'. I know, I'm a goof. :rolleyes:


How much fun is that, huh? :laugh2:

[LadyGodiva]

Joe, what do you think of Dan Brown's other books? I had never read anything by him before.

Next in line to read is "In the time of the butterflies" by Julia Alvarez. It's about Rafael Trujillo, the dictator in the Dominican Republic who ruled the island from 1930 to 1961.

[smee]

LG - I've read Dan Brown's other books. They are worth a go...especially since you're on a tear with Da Vinci Code....

[Rd Tile]

The Cat in The Hat. :D

The Art of the Deal.:):)

Todd, you have more magazines than my Doctors office.:)

[Steven Hauser]

:D

The Federalist Papers are awesome.

:)

[Raymond S]

Dean Koontz is pretty far out there, isn't he?

[jgleason]

LadyG - What Linda said. If you like Davinci Code you'll like the other Dan Brown titles. I've read all four of his novels (Davinci Code, Deception Point, Angels & Demons and Digital Fortress)

Raymond - Out there? :eek: You bet, that's why I've read most of his work.

[Hobbit]

LG...

Some pretty good titles in this thread. Linda and Joe are very correct about Dan Brown. You will like them all. They are mostly historical fiction...(whatever that means..??), but they really make you think. I have read them all and believe that he (Dan Brown) is one of the most perceptive authors I have had the pleasure of spending an evening with.

There are several threads in here somewhere where we discuss books. I was never a real Steven King fan until someone here turned me on to the "Gunslinger" books. Absolutely fantastic. Not stereo-typical King, but I think that makes them better. There are seven of them. Four originals (from some years back) and three new ones (in the last year or so) to complete the Saga. Also, we have discussed the Tolkien books (JB keeps saying he is going to read the Hobbit, but he hasn't convinced me that he has done so yet). The "Ring" trilogy is the foundation for all fantasy that followed, and no one does it better than Tolkien. I can also recommend Steven Donaldson who has The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant. If you enjoy the genre, you won't be able to put them down.

Enjoy.!!

:) :)

[jgleason]

Hey Hobbit! Been awhile since I've reread Tolkein. Might have to do that soon. I first read The Hobbit when I was fourteen. I read it on one sitting, too good to put down.

Have you read any Robert Jordan, particularly The Wheel of Time series? I believe there are ten books in the series, each quite lengthy. Very good reading and very difficult to put down once you start.

[Rhode Island Flooring]

Hmm tile guy todd the shredder eh?

guitar world

Stephen kings,
dreamcatcher , and everythings eventual

floor covering installer (mag)
PC world (mag)
oh and the north wes airlines magazine, on a plane lol

RIP dimebag daryl!!!< (gutar hero)

[John Corley]

Hello All

My last book was State of Fear by Michael Crichton.

I'm a "right winger" but I enjoyed the book nonetheless...


I jad the opportunity to work on Dean Koontzs house. Let me tell ya... what a house!!!!!!! :bow:

He is a nice guy!

[tileguytodd]

Joe, Robert Jordon Wheel of time Started out great.
I lost interest after about the fourth book though(should try again I imagine ;) )
Raymond Feist's Riftwar Saga Starting with Magician apprentice is excellant
Terry Brooks is the modern day Tolkien,( he's not Tolkien however ;) )
TSR gave some good writers a start.Salvatore is one of them.Ed greenwood is another.
I'm also a long standing fan of the quick Pulp Sci Fi
Like Robert Heinlin,Andre Norton, Poul Anderson, Jerry pournelle.
Asimov had a few good reads but is a bit too techy for me

I also am a big fan Of Jack London,Sigurd Olson and Jim Kjelgard

Dang, i almost forgot Edgar Rice Burroughs (of Tarzan fame and even better The martian tales :)


Chronicle's of Thomas Covenenant was interesting if ya like lepers ;)
Much better than The Hardy Boys :D :D :D

Rich, thats just my magazines, Niki gets another 8 or 10 :D

So, who has read Tolstoys War and Peace and if so, Why??? :D

[LadyGodiva]

I've never read anything by Steven King. I'll try the Gunslinger books once I'm done with the pile I got for Christmas.

[tileguytodd]

I buy pretty much all my fiction paperbacks used at garage sales or used book stores.Minneapolis has a great Sci fi Fantasy used book store called Uncle Hugo's.You can even trade in your old reads for credit.
Ive been known to go to a rummage sale see a box full of Sci Fi/Fantasy and offer em 20-30 bucks for the whole box full :)

Paperbacks have gotten way spendy!! 9 bucks for a 500 page paperback means used book store for me.Previousley broken in books means i lose my page less often ;)
So, anybody like Tom Clancy or Clive Cussler??
Red Storm Rising was fabulous

OK one more Sci Fi book that was great and the movie sucked.(no,not dune)
Battlefield Earth!! L Ron Hubbard (personally its the only thing he ever wrote i found worth reading) It is an excellent epic.
Silverthorne by meyers is fun along with
The earthsea trilogy by Ursela Leguin and
Lord Valentines Castle By Robert Silverburg
Boat of a million years by Poul Anderson and finally
Ringworld by David Niven.

Also the guys that created the Sci Fi Movie Stargate and the series Stargate SG1 should be remembered with the giants of the genre.Nothing better than watching Maguyver (Richard Dean Anderson) crush aliens :D

[Raymond S]

Yeah, read all of Cusslers, and Clancy's too. Gonna see the movie "Sahara", one of Cussler's.Preferred the Dirk Pitt books over Kurt Austin.
Clancy is great, although very technical. Am afraid to try to read any of his non-fiction... my eyes would glaze over. I think his earlier stuff was much better, before the Op-Center and Rainbow books.

[FireWrks7]

Last thing I read was Publication 17. Forgetful me needed a refreshing go over.


Anthony

[RandyL]

Hey LG. I don't read nuthin'. I read certain things if its interesting............a picture on the same page can catch my eye and i might read that section. :)
As a matter of fact, I didn't even read this thread........only read the title and scrolled to the bottom to make a response...HA HA HA! :yeah: :yeah: :yeah:

[jay f]

Todd, before you give up gardening for good, check out Earthboxes. They work great, require no work (except for watering) after planting, and can even be raised organically (for the health concious). :)

[yngpaul]

I travel a lot so here it goes.
Fiction:
Brimstone - Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
The Narrows - Michael Connelly
Still Life with Crows - Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
Hour Game - David Baldacci
The Killing Game - Iris Johansen
Tishomingo Blues - Elmore Leonard
The Bear and the Dragon - Tom Clancy
Prey - Michael Crichton
Some poker books.

Nonfiction:
Demon of the Waters - Gregory Gibson (about mutiny on the whale ship The Globe)
Between a Rock and a Hard Place - Aron Ralston (About the guy who cut off his own hand when he got stuck hiking alone)
Positively Fifth Street - James McManus (writer who entered WSOP a few years ago)

Currently The Lion's Game - Nelson DeMille

I really have to get back to finishing that bathroom...

[Davestone]

Randy, we must have been separated at birth. :bow: :)

[opiethetileman]

Yeah i got anew book to read today it has picture and some long sticks. Ita cigar catalog hahhaaahaaaaaa

[e3]

Twins from differant parents??

Mikes Cigars?? Got mine yesterday!!Starting to think what I feel like smokin in Fla.

[jay f]

Just finished Prey and State of Fear, rereading (for the third time)Teeth of the Tiger (Tom Clancy). I am hopelessly addicted to any fiction by Clancy. Also read alot of Patrick F. McManus. Born and raised on a farm, sorry! :)

[Davestone]

I lived on a pig farm in McCleansboro Ill. in the seventies.Hey, Opie, did ya hear about the guy that they found dead missing an arm around Bartow? A nine ft. gator got him,they found the arm in his stomach..the neighbors said they had been feeding him. :bow: :bang: :)

[e3]

dam!!swolled his own arm!!that would kill ya,did he choke?

[Davestone]

Naw ya scallywag,the gator ate the guys arm! :D

[Raymond S]

Yngpaul,
Have you read "The Relic" by Lincoln and Childs? Best one of theirs.
What poker books have you read?

[GraniteGirl]

There are some great books mentioned here!

My all time favorite reads were the Diskworld novels by Terry Pratchett and the Hitch hikers' guide to the galaxy omnibus.

Currently busy reading "The Zanzibar Chest" - bio of a war reporter in Africa and "The Cuban Affair" - the intrigue of the Elian Gonzales story.

Also busy editing "Bagdad behind the wire" a travelogue/bio of a friend of ours who is doing catering contract work in Iraq.

Adriana :D

[jjwq8]

Sudanese Free Trade Zones Act and General Regulations and the US Federal Acquisition Regulations (officially termed the simplified version, consisting of 2,254 A4 pages) for my insomnia.

[LadyGodiva]

Twins from differant parents??

Mikes Cigars?? Got mine yesterday!!Starting to think what I feel like smokin in Fla.


Now read this :topicoff:

[oma]

I heard on the radio tonight that the Vatican has announced that people should not read The DaVinci Code. Makes me think I should go ahead and see what it's all about (grin). Good thing I'm not Catholic.

[tileguytodd]

Caught a bug(nasty little sucker and have spent most of the last few days in Bed.Behind on my schedule again:mad:
Got caught up on my reading though ;)

This is the worst flue ive had in decades(if it is a flue) :sick:
3 days on chicken broth and 7 up.If this keeps up i'll have to take a notch out of my belt and my Felker hat :)

[e3]

hope you feel better soon!!!your not to sick to fish are ya!!!! now thats sick!!!

[LadyGodiva]

The Vatican is always yapping, and I ignore most of what those old men have to say. They need to get a grip on reality and quit making rules that do not apply to modern day living. I'm Catholic, but as I told my Bishop, I'm a radical Catholic. Deal with it.

I had to quit reading for a bit because of family visiting. I do understand that they cannot come out and say that it's a great book though. However, my daughter is in Catholic school and read Da Vinci code for an assignment. Her school is much more open, though they have to teach whatever the Vatican sends down as rules. But then again, this is America and the Church's rules are different depending on the country/culture.

Believing in God is one thing, following "Religion" is another. I teach my children to THINK, not follow blindly.

[yngpaul]

Yngpaul,
Have you read "The Relic" by Lincoln and Childs? Best one of theirs.
What poker books have you read?

No, but I'll try that one after The Lion's Game. I've read Winning Low Limit Hold'em (Lee Jones), Tournament Poker For Advanced Players by Sklanski, Online Poker, Crushing the Competition (forget the author), and Poker, a Winner's Guide (Andy Nelson). I want to get Caro's Book of Tells. Brunson's Super System I think is a little dated and a hard read. Maybe I'll look at Super System II.

The Lee Jones book on low limit holdem covers games up to $3/$6. It is right on the money with how you should play. I find myself referencing it often. I play $2/$4, no limit plus tournaments online and in Atlantic City, then I usually have a monthy game at my house. I think at next month's game I am going to give everyone a sponge on the way in, that way before the game they can do a little sanding of joint compound in the bathroom I am trying to get done. :yeah:

[bml]

I read about one book every two days. I will read pretty much anything. A really great series if you like detective/mysteries is the Harry Bosch series by Michael Connelly. Connelly also has a two book series that starts with an all-time favorite of mine The Poet and ends with The Narrows. They are sort of John Sandfordish but much better. Another personal favorite of mine in a more classical fiction is The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand. This is particularly good if you are into individualism and rebelling against society.

Brooke

[Raymond S]

Sklanski's "Texas Hold 'em for Advanced Players" is really very good.
Advanced Hold'em by Carl Anderson is ok, although I haven't read it in many years. I wonder if I would still think it is.
Super System - I finally read it. Ho hum.
Caro's book is a must read.

If you like Pendergast, you will love The Relic.

[yngpaul]

I've been meaning to pick Caro's book up for some time now, but after I saw his infomercial I got turned off a little.

Yeah I like Pendergast. I didn't like the ending to Brimstone though. They threw in a character at the end who had nothing to do with the story. Still Life with Crows was ok, a little predictable at times but pretty good. Sounds like you have the same taste in books. Tishamingo Blues was really good. Its about a high diver who witnesses a murder and gets mixed up in a big mess at some casino in Tunica.

[Raymond S]

Who wrote that? Been to Tunica many times, best games in the South, especially when a big tournament is going on. Matter of fact, my wife gave me a trip up there for Christmas a few years ago, for the World Poker Open. I think she was actually giving herself a week of me being gone.
Yeah, I know what you mean about Caro. But I figure I'll get more out of his book than he'll get out of my dollars.
Speaking of Caro, he has some software called Poker Probe. It's hand comparisons. It's where they get all those percentages from they show on tv. I've got an old version that I've used about a million times.

[yngpaul]

Elmore Leonard wrote it. The casino is basically in the background. The real story is how this straight laced diver gets mixed up with these people. There are a few side bars that all tie in well to the story. I read it because I saw good customer reviews on it somewhere and the story looked interesting.

There are a bunch of downloadable programs that can be used with some of the online poker sites (free or money sites). It runs simultaneously with the game. It will read your hole cards and the cards on the board, calculate hand percentages, and also calculate the percentage of every possible hand. Most of them also tell you what your next recommended move should be. I tried a couple of them but they were too distracting. I found that I was concentrating more on the software than the other players on the table and how they were betting. Pretty good if you are just learning the game though.

I would love to enter something like The Borgata Open in AC, but I just don't have the 10K to enter, or the time to put in to win a satellite.

[yngpaul]

A really good nonfiction book is The Long Walk: The True Story of a Trek to Freedom by Slavomir Rawicz. It is about a Polish officer who was captured by the invading Russians in 1939, and was sent to a Siberian concentration camp in the middle of the winter with other captives. The book is about the escape of him and 6 others and how they made their way on foot thousands of miles south across the Himalayas and through a desert to British India. It was an amazing book.

[drew]

Believing in God is one thing, following "Religion" is another. I teach my children to THINK, not follow blindly.

And your children will thank you one day! Sorry for going :topicoff: but I just thought you should be commended for that view.

Other than trade mags, contracts, & the internet I don't do much reading, unless you count my kids school books when I'm checking their homework, ahh the joys of parenthood, you get to try & remember all that stuff you learned in school and have never used since. :cool:

[LadyGodiva]

Drew, thank you for that compliment.

Your kids will thank you for being concerned about their homework :)