What book are you reading now?

[The Bread Guy]

'The Mint': terrifying.... on various levels


"The Mint concerns the period following the First World War when Lawrence decided to disappear from public view. He enlisted in the Royal Air Force under an assumed name, becoming 352087 Aircraftman Ross.[1] The book is a closely observed autobiographical account of his experiences in the RAF. The book covers his initial training at RAF Uxbridge in 1922[2] and a part of his service at RAF Cranwell, 1925–26."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mint_(book)

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/767350.The_Mint

And downloadable to Kindle cheap-cheap ($2) @ Amazon right now - thanks for the tip.

 

[tomahawk6]

I am learning some history of the Louisberg area with this book. The fortress was key to the St Lawrence and success taking it from France pretty much opened Quebec to conquest and to drive France from North America. Interesting time period.

 

[dimsum]

I just finished The Water Knife by Paolo Bacigalupi, and am currently reading Windup Girl also by him. 

They're both essentially climate sci-fi, or "cli-fi" as one of the reviews has noted.  The Water Knife really makes you think about how climate will impact human population and conflict because it's not set another continent; most of the southern US is either underwater or has dried up, and refugees from Texas and New Mexico are desperately streaming outwards. 

 

[ModlrMike]

Erebus: One Ship, Two Epic Voyages, and the Greatest Naval Mystery of All Time

Michael Palin

 

[FJAG]

Just finished Craig Johnson's "Depth of Winter" his latest Longmire book.

I'm a longtime fan of the Longmire series about a sheriff in the smallest county in Wyoming. It's been made into an excellent TV series which is available on Netflix.

Unfortunately this book doesn't measure up at all. Normally his books are mysteries which concentrate on the solving of a crime(s) while painting a picture of the rural Wyoming countryside and people.

This one goes in another direction having Longmire going into the mountains of the Mexican hinterland to rescue his adult daughter from a Mexican drug lord. It's more an action/adventure than a mystery.

Unfortunately the plot is stilted and incredulous as the principal character goes through several captures and miraculous escapes with the aid of a strange assortment of allies.

Clearly not Johnson's best work by a long shot.

https://www.amazon.ca/Depth-Winter-Longmire-Craig-Johnson/dp/0525522476/

Thought I'd turn to the "Golden Compass" for something completely different.

:cheers:

 

[dangerboy]

I'm a longtime fan of the Longmire series about a sheriff in the smallest county in Wyoming. It's been made into an excellent TV series which is available on Netflix.

I really liked the show Longmire, and not just because Katee Sackhoff  is in it  ;D. I forgot that it was based on books, I shall have to check them out.

 

[remember]

CompTIA A+ Certification. Reading saved me money. My computer got broken. Instead of buying a new one I had it fixed and had the motherboard replaced. "Motherboards are cheap nowadays"...The heart of the computer. Saved me $900 dollars.

 

[Eye In The Sky]

Pillars Of The Earth, after having just finished The Century Trilogy.  One night into Pillars and I had a hard time putting it down.

 

[FJAG]

Muscling my way through Margaret Atwood's Handmaid's Tale. I figured with the new book out and with the TV series (which I haven't watched) and what with everything down south I thought I'd give it a try.

So far I can see why I've waited 35 years to read it.

 

[dimsum]

In the minutes I have between study and sleep, I'm reading Reaper Force (about the RAF MQ-9 crews) by Dr. Peter Lee. 

Pretty good so far, although it strikes me a bit like the Rolling Stone "Generation Kill" article. 

 

[remember]

https://www.amazon.ca/War-Animals-Unsung-Heroes-World/dp/1621576582/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=war+animals&qid=1569918089&sr=8-1

I wish there would be bidding on these. I will be the first one.

 

[FJAG]

Okay. Finished Handmaid's Tale now.

Interesting plot line and actually some decent writing (I guess that's why it got awards)

My criteria for a good novel is: Do I care if any of the characters live or die or do I want to see what happens next in their lives.

Simple answer is: No I don't. For me this was a one of and I think I'll skip the sequel.

:cheers:

 

[dangerboy]

Okay. Finished Handmaid's Tale now.

:cheers:

This was one of the books that was manditory reading  when i was in High School. For the most part I liked most of the books we were made to read but I didn't like this one. Like you I am skipping the sequel.

 

[ModlrMike]

Recently finished Killing Floor by Lee Child. The first in the Jack Reacher series.

Now reading Turn the Ship Around by  L. David Marquet

 

[FJAG]

I've found a new series that's fun to read.

I've long been a fan of mysteries and along the way became a fan of the Brother Cadfael series which are about a one time Welsh crusader turned Benedictine monk in 12th Century England who solves crimes and strange deaths.

When I saw that there was another series about Brother Hermitage, a monk in 11th Century England around the time of the Norman invasion, I just had to try it out. There are some twenty books, some of which are standalone separate from Brother Hermitage, written by someone who calls himself Howard of Warwick. With titles like "The Doomsday Book (No Not that one)", "The Case of the Cantankerous Carcass", "Hermitage, Wat and Some Murder or Other" you can get the sense that the books don't take themselves too seriously. The author has a lovely drole sense of English humour and invents some very funny characters along the way (Unlike Atwood's, these ones you actually care about). To make things even better, the Kindle versions come at very reasonable prices.

https://howardofwarwick.com/

https://www.amazon.ca/s?k=howard+of+warwick&i=digital-text&crid=14YX862UZFI38&sprefix=howard+of+warwick%2Caps%2C232&ref=nb_sb_ss_c_2_17

:cheers:

 

[dangerboy]

For anyone with a Kobo Ebook reader and is interested in Operation Market Garden there is a sale on the book "Arnhem" by Major-General Urquhart on the Kobo store. I have not read the book yet but for $0.99 it is a good blind buy.

 

[tomahawk6]

I have been reading about the Roman Army Marius Mules series book 8 by SJA Turney. Warfare through the ages are similar such as the need for supplies and the need of denying an enemy food hence scorched earth policies. In more modern times we see the destruction of an enemies industry as a means to weaken the enemy and hindering their ability to wage war as in WW2.

 

[FJAG]

I have been reading about the Roman Army Marius Mules series book 8 by SJA Turney. Warfare through the ages are similar such as the need for supplies and the need of denying an enemy food hence scorched earth policies. In more modern times we see the destruction of an enemies industry as a means to weaken the enemy and hindering their ability to wage war as in WW2.

That looks like a good suggestion. I've always liked the Caesar books by Colleen McCullough so the subject matter interests me. Again the Marius Books have a very reasonable Kindle price and considering the difference between Kindle and Paperback it would seem that these are self published by Turney. I'll give one a go. Always like to find a new series.

:cheers:

 

[Brad Sallows]

>Pillars Of The Earth

A great yarn.  5 upvotes from me, and for its sequel World Without End.  Didn't know there was a third, but there is: A Column of Fire.

I found the two miniseries based on the first two books compelling.  Like Game of Thrones, I found myself chafing for certain characters to get their comeuppances.

 

[tomahawk6]

That looks like a good suggestion. I've always liked the Caesar books by Colleen McCullough so the subject matter interests me. Again the Marius Books have a very reasonable Kindle price and considering the difference between Kindle and Paperback it would seem that these are self published by Turney. I'll give one a go. Always like to find a new series.

:cheers:

Book 7 was heavy on combat and book 8 takes the former legate of the 10th into nretirement. Alas the tribes have not been pacified and Froto's retirement may be short lived. Altogether very interesting reading.