Jump to content

What are you reading? V1


Forge

Recommended Posts

17 minutes ago, theJ said:

That's true.  Every story doesn't have to have a hero.

Though admittedly it probably does help ticket sales.

Well even hero's have their faults, to expect them to be perfect is unrealistic for people. It may be true that it's just to expensive with too little commercial appeal right now especially with the comic book phase the world is going through. But if they wanted they could make a movie about Washington without him ever going home to reveal that part of his life. Crossing the Delaware would be one that could simply focus on the revolution. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Wrapped up Changes by Jim Butcher, Dresden Files book. I've read up  to that point before, so I'll be starting the next book in the Dresden Files soon, which I'm excited for.

 

Also listening to Sufficiently Advanced Magic by Andrew Rowe. It's a pretty simple/straight forward book, but a lot of fun and enjoyable well written.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 1/23/2019 at 6:22 PM, Oregon Ducks said:

I would love to hear your thoughts when you finish it. 

I'm deciding how to proceed. Should I read the next one written or start at the beginning chronologically (with the Brian Herbert/Kevin Anderson books)?

Finished it. It was a "good" book. I thought the pacing the last 15-20% was weird, especially the time jumps. But I am definitely looking forward to the new movie. Paul is still insufferable lol.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Still reading Almost A Miracle by John Ferling.  It's really dragging with minutiae and not nearly as engaging as 1776.  I've had to go back and re-read entire chapters since I've been dazing through some of them.  Still some fascinating information there, I just wish it was a little bit more of a microcosm because by the time it actually explains the battles and their significance, I feel like I've learned what shoe size every Continental wore and what they ate for dinner. 

I'm into the War in the South section now, which is fascinating again considering how inept we were there.  Reading this makes you wonder how in the hell we ever won the war given how big some of our eff ups were and considering some of the people we had in command.  Traitors, incompetents, politics interfering with everything, how the war essentially started from taxation only for us to do the exact same thing during the war (highest inflation period in America's history during the war)...

I'm definitely taking at least a full book break on the American Revolution after this and will probably read a couple Stephen King novels I've never read before.  Still have a lot of American Revolution books to go, but skimming through what I have there, they all look much more engaging and much lighter. 

I've read a lot of books in my life, but this one is definitely the most challenging as far as keeping my attention for most of it. 

I'd  still highly recommend it to anyone interested because of the amazing detail and some truly, truly, truly fascinating facts and an all-encompassing description of the actual war. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm finally reading the Harry Potter series (just finished book 5).

I generally really like the series.  But sometimes Harry can be really whiny.  And sometimes the teachers are so cruel toward the students it's borderline unbelievable.  But for the most part, it's a wonderfully crafted tale.

I'll also say that the movies do a pretty good job of capturing the essence of the books.  #1-3 follow the books almost exactly.  They have to make some changes to #4/5 due to the length.  Some fairly major changes actually.  But overall it's mostly just sequencing and trimming, so that's nice to see.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

613pYgnV-iL._SX329_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg

Finished Red Sister last night, and would recommend. Wasn't sure how much I'd enjoy a book about warrior nuns but it turns out I just really like stories about kids taken to train and become fighters. Kinda like Jon Snow, or Blood Song, if anyone has read that. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 minutes ago, skywindO2 said:

613pYgnV-iL._SX329_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg

Finished Red Sister last night, and would recommend. Wasn't sure how much I'd enjoy a book about warrior nuns but it turns out I just really like stories about kids taken to train and become fighters. Kinda like Jon Snow, or Blood Song, if anyone has read that. 

That sounds fairly interesting. How is the pacing of the book?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Again requesting suggestions.  My plan is outlined below.  Are there any particular books on listed subjects, any recommended biographies, any historical periods I'm missing that you think are poignant or interesting?  I am focusing solely on American History right now, but if there are any books out there on World History that you think might be important context for American History, I'd listen to those suggestions as well. 

As far as what I'm looking for, I prefer all-encompassing books and I don't really like the ones that focus on one portion of things.  As far as biographies, I like the ones that provide context both in what's going on in the country during the time as well as a little context on what happened before.  For example, if I had to pick one Abraham Lincoln biography, I would like one that outlined his path to the Presidency, including his debates with Douglas.  I don't like the ones that focus on just one particular point in their lives (even though obviously I have some of those ones already). 

After Almost A Miracle, I already have and am planning on reading, in order:

1. Paul Revere's Ride (Fischer)
2. Bunker Hill (Philbrick)
3. Signing Their Lives Away (The Fame and Misfortune of the Men Who Signed The Declaration of Independence)
4. A Great Improvisation (Schiff)
5. Patriots (Langguth)
6. The Swamp Fox (Oller)
7. Washington (Chernow)
8. John Adams (McCullough)
9. The First American (The Life and Times of Benjamin Franklin)
10. Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power (Meacham)
11. The Constitution of the United States of America and Other Writings of the Founding Fathers
12. Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation (Ellis)
13. 1812: The War That Forged A Nation (Borneman)

Are there any important American Revolution era books I am forgetting/missing? 

After the American Revolution, I am going to stick predominantly to biographies of each American President (even William Henry Harrison).  Other than the Presidents, I'm planning on getting at least one book on the following:

Texas War for Independence
Civil War (multiple books spent here)
Battle of Little Bighorn
Spanish-American War
WWI (Multiple)
The Great Depression
WWII (multiple)
Multiple books on JFK's era, including the Civil Rights 1964, Cuban Missile Crisis, Vietnam, etc)
Watergate Scandal
Iran-Contra

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...