Books you read in 2020

Discussion in 'TMB Book Club' started by Kevintensity, Jan 6, 2020.

  1. Cornelius Suttree

    Cornelius Suttree the smallest crumb can devour us
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    I have to finish a book today or my streak of at least one book a week in 2020 is over

    time to get really high
     
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  2. Fargin' Icehole

    Fargin' Icehole 50% soulless
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    Started The Silmarillian again today to slow my ass down.
     
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  3. CBH

    CBH Well-Known Member
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    1. The Russian Five: A Story of Espionage, Defection, Bribery and Courage by Keith Grave 6/10
    2. An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz 4/10
    3. Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland by Patrick Radden Keefe 8/10
    4. Daughter of War (Pike Logan #13) by Brad Taylor 7/10
    5. Failing Up: How to Take Risks, Aim Higher, and Never Stop Learning by Leslie Odom Jr. 8/10
    6. Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders 8/10
    7. Quarters: The Accommodation of the British Army and the Coming of the American Revolution by John G. McCurdy 10/10
    8. The Hot Zone: The Terrifying True Story of the Origins of the Ebola Virus By Richard Preston 9/10
    9. Moscow Rules (Gabriel Allon #8) by Daniel Silva 8/10
    10. The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen 6/10
    11. Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid 8/10
    12. Solo Faces by James Salter 7/10
    13. Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup by John Carreyrou 9/10
    14. The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead 8/10
    15. The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life by Mark Manson 7/10
    16. Wild Bill: The True Story of the American Frontier's First Gunfighter by Tom Clavin 7/10
    17. "I Heard You Paint Houses", Updated Edition: Frank "The Irishman" Sheeran and Closing the Case on Jimmy Hoffa by Charles Brandt 7/10
    18. Power Down (Dewey Andreas #1) by Ben Coes 8/10
    19. Fleishman is in Trouble by Taffy Brodesser-Akner 8/10
    20. The Affair (Jack Reacher #16) by Lee Child 7/10
    21. The Splendid and the Vile: A Saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance During the Blitz by Erik Larson 9.5/10
    22. The Kremlin's Candidate (Red Sparrow #3) by Jason Matthews 9/10
    23. An American Marriage by Tayari Jones 8/10

    24. The Defector (Gabriel Allon #9) by Daniel Silva 7/10 This was another good installment of the series but nothing really stood out to me from it.

    25. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Millennium Series #1) by Steig Larsson 8/10 I really enjoyed this as it was a little different than what I normally read. I think I’ll read more of the series and I had watched the movie awhile ago and it was good too but didn’t think it spoiled the book.

    26. The Rembrandt Affair (Gabriel Allon #10) by Daniel Silva 8/10 I enjoyed this one more than the past couple, I really enjoy the books with more art or World War II storylines to them.

    27. A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles 8/10 This was such a beautifully written book that I wanted to give it an even higher score. I enjoyed all the scenery and it kept me engaged but didn’t give me a crazy drive to read it non-stop or not put it down.
     
    #253 CBH, Jun 17, 2020
    Last edited: Aug 31, 2020
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  4. Kevintensity

    Kevintensity Poster/Posting Game Coordinator
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    1) The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow 8.5/10
    2) The Gone World by Tom Sweterlitsch 8/10
    3) The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski 8/10
    4) Thief River Falls by Brian Freeman 7/10
    5) The Hot Zone by Richard Preston 8.5/10
    6) Atomic Habits by James Clear 8/10
    7) The Chestnut Man by Soren Sveistrup 7.5/10
    8) Sword of Destiny by Andrzej Sapkowski 6/10
    9) Belichick by Ian O'Connor 8/10
    10) Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro 9/10
    11) Shoe Dog by Phil Knight 9.5/10
    12) The Stand by Stephen King 9.25/10
    13) The Office by Andy Greene 10/10
    14) Suttree by Cormac McCarthy 9/10
    15) Devil in the White City by Erik Larson 7/10
    16) Flowers for Algernon 9.25/10
     
  5. billdozer

    billdozer Well-Known Member
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    It's been a long time since I've ready Flowers for Algernon, or seen Charly for that matter.
     
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  6. Cornelius Suttree

    Cornelius Suttree the smallest crumb can devour us
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    1. No Country for Old Men - Cormac McCarthy (10/10) (reread)
    2. Child of God - Cormac McCarthy (10/10) (reread)
    3. The Crying of Lot 49 - Thomas Pynchon (4.5/10)
    4. Fire Sermon - Wright Morris (9/10)
    5. The Field of Vision - Wright Morris (7/10)
    6. The Throwback Special - Chris Bachelder (3/10)
    7. Slow Man - J.M. Coetzee (6/10)*
    8. Ghosts - John Banville (6.5/10)
    9. Solo Faces - James Salter (10/10)
    10. The Year of Silence - Madison Smartt Bell (7/10)
    11. The Hunters - James Salter (9.5/10)
    12. Lunch at the Piccadilly - Clyde Edgerton (4/10)
    13. The Moviegoer - Walker Percy (10/10)
    14. The Floating Opera - John Barth (8.5/10)
    15. Reflections in a Golden Eye - Carson McCullers (8/10)
    16. Play It as It Lays - Joan Didion (5/10)
    17. The Color of Night - Madison Smartt Bell (6.5/10)
    18. Clock Without Hands - Carson McCullers (10/10)
    19. Dusk and Other Stories - James Salter (7/10)
    20. Blood Meridian - Cormac McCarthy (10/10) (reread)
    21. Quarantine - Jim Crace (6/10)
    22. Lancelot - Walker Percy (6.5/10)
    23. State of Wonder - Ann Patchett (8/10)
    24. The Stranger - Albert Camus (8/10) (reread)
    25. Suttree - Cormac McCarthy (10/10 (reread)
    26. The End of the Road - John Barth (8/10)
    27. Canada - Richard Ford (9.5/10)
    28. The Thanatos Syndrome - Walker Percy (7.5/10)
    29. The Angel Esmeralda - Don DeLillo (7/10)
    30. The Last Gentleman - Walker Percy (8/10)
    31. A Sport and a Pastime - James Salter (7.5/10)
    32. Vineland - Thomas Pynchon (0.5/10)
    33. The Last Hurrah - Edwin O'Connor (9.5/10)

    34. Ratner's Star - Don DeLillo (5.5/10)

    Published in 1976, this was DeLillo's fourth novel and it's probably up there with The Names for my least favorite of his. It was funny, but it's sooooooo heavy on math and astronomy that I really wasn't able to absorb parts of it easily. If you like astronomy and math and want to read 437 pages of very smart writing, this might be for you. But I'd check out at least 14 other DeLillo books before this if math/science aren't your thing

    35. The Body Artist - Don DeLillo (6/10)

    Published in 2001, this novella details the grief experienced by a performance artist after her husband dies. Just over 120 pages, you could easily read this in one sitting. It's fine

    * denotes adjusted score after further reflection
     
    #256 Cornelius Suttree, Jun 19, 2020
    Last edited: Jun 19, 2020
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  7. Truman

    Truman Well-Known Member
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    1. Black Ops (Expeditionary Force #4) by Craig Alanson (7/10)
    2. The First Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill George Washington, by Brad Meltzer (6/10)
    3. Blood of Elves (The Witcher #1) by Andrzej Sapkowski (8/10)
    4. Time of Contempt (The Witcher #2) by Andrzej Sapkowski (7/10)
    5. Family Secrets: The Case That Cripled the Chicago Mob, by Jeff Coen (8/10)
    6. Baptism by Fire (The Witcher #3) by Andrzej Sapkowsi (7/10)
    7. Lock Every Door by Riley Sager (7.5/10)
    8. Riot Baby by Tochi Onyebuchi (6/10)
    9. Last of the Mohicans by James Fienmore Cooper (7/10)
    10. Into the Fire (Orphan X #5) by Gregg Horowitz (8.5/10)
    11. The Hot Zone, by Richard Preston (8.5/10)
    12. American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins (7/10)
    13. Hymns of the Republic: The Story of the Final Year of the American Civil War, by S.C Gwynne (8.5/10)
    14. The Power of the Dog (Power of the Dog #1) by Don Winslow (9/10)
    15. The Cartel (Power of the Dog #2) by Don Winslow (9/10)
    16. The Border (Power of the Dog #3) by Don Winslow (9/10)
    17. The Field of Blood, by Joanne B Freeman (7.5/10)
    18. Station Eleven, by Emily St. John Mandel (7/10)
    19. A Beginning at the End by Mike Chen (7/10)
    20. Savages by Don Winslow (6/10)
    21. The Kings of Cool by Don Winslow(7/10)
    22. The Force by Don Winslow (8/10)
    23. Sea of Poppies (Ibis #1) by Amitav Ghosh (8/10)
    24. River of Smoke (Ibis #2) by Amitav Ghosh (7/10)
    25. Deacon King Kong by James McBride (8/10)
    26. New Waves by Kevin Ngyuen (7/10)
    27. Flood of Fire (Ibis #3) by Amitav Ghosh (7.5)
    28. Russians Among Us: Sleeper Cells, Ghost Stories and the Hunt for Putin's Spies by Gordon Corera (8.5/10)
    29. The Glass Hotel by Emily St John, Mandel (7/10)
    30. Wolf Hall, by Hillary Mantel (7/10)
    31. The End of October, by Lawerence Wright (8.5/10)
    32. The Ballad of Songbird and Snakes by Suzanne Collins (4/10)
    33. The Enemy of All Mankind by Steven Johnson (8/10)

    34. I am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes (8/10)
    35. The Deficit Myth by Stephanie Kelton (10/10)
    36. The Chosen Ones by Veronica Roth (9/10)


    I am Pilgrim - Book club book. My thoughts are in the thread. Really enjoyed it. Looks like he was setting up a series but didn’t write any more books :(

    Deficit Myth - Outstanding book about Modern Monetary Theory. Everyone read it

    Chosen Ones - really liked this. It’s about a group of teens who fulfilled a prophecy to defeat a dark lord and saved Earth. The story picks up 10 years later They’ve become celebrities and it’s about how they all manage it and face a new threat. Also it takes place in Chicago so I’ve been to all the locations in the book, which made it extra fun for me. This is the fantasy I like. Not high fantasy with super complex magic systems and a million locations.
     
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  8. billdozer

    billdozer Well-Known Member
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    1. The Shadow of What Was Lost (Licanius #1) - James Islington (10/10) (reread)
    2. An Echo of Things to Come (Licanius #2) - James Islington (10/10) (reread)
    3. The Light of All That Falls (Licanius #3) - James Islington (10/10)
    4. Starsight (Skyward #2) - Brandon Sanderson (7.5/10)
    5. The Prestige - Christopher Priest (7.5/10)
    6. American Gods - Neil Gaiman (7.5/10)
    7. Norse Mythology - Neil Gaiman (7.5/10)
    8. Good Omens - Neil Gaiman (8.5/10)
    9. Neverwhere - Neil Gaiman (8.5/10)
    10. Stardust - Neil Gaiman (8.5/10)
    11. Spellslinger (Spellslinger #1) - Sebastien de Castell (8.5/10)
    12. Shadowblack (Spellslinger #2) - Sebastien de Castell (8.5/10)
    13. Charmcaster (Spellslinger #3) - Sebastien de Castell (8.5/10)
    14. Soulbinder (Spellslinger #4) - Sebastien de Castell (8.5/10)
    15. Queenslayer (Spellslinger #5) - Sebastien de Castell (8.5/10)
    16. Crownbreaker (Spellslinger #6) - Sebastien de Castell (8.5/10)
    17. The Girl and the Stars (Book of the Ice #1) - Mark Lawrence (8.5/10)
    18. Red Rising (Red Rising #1) - Pierce Brown (9/10)
    19. Golden Son (Red Rising #2) - Pierce Brown (9/10)
    20. Morning Star (Red Rising #3) - Pierce Brown (8.5/10)
     
  9. TC

    TC Peter, 53, from Toxteth
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    1. The Noonday Demon: An Atlas Of Depression / Andrew Solomon (9/10)
    2. The Edifice Complex: How The Rich And Powerful (And Their Architects) Shape The World (6.5/10)
    3. Educated: A Memoir / Tara Westover (7/10)
    4. Train Dreams (A Novella) / Denis Johnson (10/10)
    5. From Bacteria To Bach And Back: The Evolution Of Minds / Daniel Dennett (6/10)
    6. Breaking New Ground: A Pictorial History Of Saluda County (5/10)
    7. The Southern Country Editor / Thomas D. Clark (6/10)
    8. The Stand / Stephen King (7.5/10) *reread*
    9. Jesus' Son: Stories / Denis Johnson (10/10)
    10. Prague: A Novel / Arthur Phillips (8/10)
    11. The Beatles: A Hard Day's Write (The Stories Behind Every Song) (9/10)
    12. Midnight Riders: The Story Of The Allman Brothers Band (7.5/10)
    13. Dune / Frank Herbert (6/10)

    14. Life / Keith Richards (8/10)
    Thought people just liked this book because all the debauchery but Keith comes off as a pretty decent bloke to me. I’m giving his 5 string guitar tuning a whirl.

    15. Third Coast: Outkast, Timbaland, And How Hip Hop Became A Southern Thing (7.5/10)

    Continuing my books about music trip and switching up the genres. Learned a ton about the music I grew up listening to (book published in 2007). Delves just as much into the DJs/producers as the MCs which was something I didn’t know a lot about.

    Up Next --
    [​IMG]
     
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  10. Lucky24Seven

    Lucky24Seven Ain't nothing slick to a can of oil
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    Finished 11/22/63 by Stephen King. What a doozy. Fantastic read. 8.5-9.0 / 10. Highly recommend
     
  11. Cornelius Suttree

    Cornelius Suttree the smallest crumb can devour us
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    :popcorn:

    Simon & Schuster’s Scribner imprint has announced that it has acquired a new novel by Don DeLillo. The Silence, which DeLillo started writing in 2018 and is now set for October 20, follows five people who come together in Manhattan to watch the 2022 Super Bowl just as, the publisher said, “an unknown catastrophic event renders the digital world silent.” Scribner elaborated that the book features “echoes of the sudden, isolating effects of the Coronavirus” and “is a powerful work about what it means to be human.” Nan Graham, the multi award-winning author’s longtime editor, took North American rights to book from Robin Straus at the Robin Straus Agency.

     
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  12. Upton^2

    Upton^2 blocked just a park away, but I can't really say
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    1. The British Are Coming by Rick Atkinson - 7.5/10
    2. Catch and Kill by Ronan Farrow - 8/10
    3. The Fiery Trial by Eric Foner - Finished Frederick Douglass by David Blight last year. This book was so fantastic. Second Founding is on my list.
    4. The Uninhabitable Earth by David Wallace-Wells - 7/10
    5. Uncanny Valley by Anna Weiner - 3/10
    6. The Economists' Hour by Binyamin Applebaum - 8/10
    7. The Shadow of Vesuvius by Daisy Dunn - 8/10. Biography of Pliny the Younger. Finished it in preparation for my trip to Rome schedule for May this year which will obviously not be happening. But still fun.
    8. The Splendid and the Vile by Erik Larson - 8.5/10. About the Blitz coupled with Churchill's speeches to the public and vying to get Roosevelt involved. Very good.
    9. Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy - 9.5/10
    10. Empire of the Summer Moon by SC Gwynne - 9/10. Truly amazing. Learned so much. Have his biography of Stonewall Jackson on deck.
    11. Supreme Inequality by Adam Cohen - 7/10. Recent history of Supreme Court rulings and impact on workers, the poor, etc. Depressing read, but good context.
    12. Barbarian Days by William Finnegan - 9/10. Surfing memoir fixed with a literary autobiography from writer at New Yorker. Fantastic quarantine read. Got me inspired to get back into snowboarding.
    13. The End of October by Lawrence Wright - 6/10. Meh. Really dragged on at the end.
     
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  13. Truman

    Truman Well-Known Member
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    Man. I really liked End of October. Good summer read. Hope you didn’t read it because of my review and ended up being meh.
     
  14. Upton^2

    Upton^2 blocked just a park away, but I can't really say
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    I usually like everything from Wright. I enjoyed the first 2/3 a lot. Just seemed to drag on at the end

    the submarine plot really lost me, and that took up a good chunk of the book.
     
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  15. Truman

    Truman Well-Known Member
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    1. Black Ops (Expeditionary Force #4) by Craig Alanson (7/10)
    2. The First Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill George Washington, by Brad Meltzer (6/10)
    3. Blood of Elves (The Witcher #1) by Andrzej Sapkowski (8/10)
    4. Time of Contempt (The Witcher #2) by Andrzej Sapkowski (7/10)
    5. Family Secrets: The Case That Crippled the Chicago Mob, by Jeff Coen (8/10)
    6. Baptism by Fire (The Witcher #3) by Andrzej Sapkowsi (7/10)
    7. Lock Every Door by Riley Sager (7.5/10)
    8. Riot Baby by Tochi Onyebuchi (6/10)
    9. Last of the Mohicans by James Fienmore Cooper (7/10)
    10. Into the Fire (Orphan X #5) by Gregg Horowitz (8.5/10)
    11. The Hot Zone, by Richard Preston (8.5/10)
    12. American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins (7/10)
    13. Hymns of the Republic: The Story of the Final Year of the American Civil War, by S.C Gwynne (8.5/10)
    14. The Power of the Dog (Power of the Dog #1) by Don Winslow (9/10)
    15. The Cartel (Power of the Dog #2) by Don Winslow (9/10)
    16. The Border (Power of the Dog #3) by Don Winslow (9/10)
    17. The Field of Blood, by Joanne B Freeman (7.5/10)
    18. Station Eleven, by Emily St. John Mandel (7/10)
    19. A Beginning at the End by Mike Chen (7/10)
    20. Savages by Don Winslow (6/10)
    21. The Kings of Cool by Don Winslow(7/10)
    22. The Force by Don Winslow (8/10)
    23. Sea of Poppies (Ibis #1) by Amitav Ghosh (8/10)
    24. River of Smoke (Ibis #2) by Amitav Ghosh (7/10)
    25. Deacon King Kong by James McBride (8/10)
    26. New Waves by Kevin Ngyuen (7/10)
    27. Flood of Fire (Ibis #3) by Amitav Ghosh (7.5)
    28. Russians Among Us: Sleeper Cells, Ghost Stories and the Hunt for Putin's Spies by Gordon Corera (8.5/10)
    29. The Glass Hotel by Emily St John, Mandel (7/10)
    30. Wolf Hall, by Hillary Mantel (7/10)
    31. The End of October, by Lawerence Wright (8.5/10)
    32. The Ballad of Songbird and Snakes by Suzanne Collins (4/10)
    33. The Enemy of All Mankind by Steven Johnson (8/10)
    34. I am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes (8/10)
    35. The Deficit Myth by Stephanie Kelton (10/10)
    36. The Chosen Ones by Veronica Roth (9/10)
    37. The Rage of Dragons, by Evan Winter (10/10)

    This book was outstanding. First novel I’ve rated a 10 in a while. I’m surprised how much I liked it because fantasy isn’t my favorite thing but this was awesome. The lazy description is ASOIAF meets Gladiator. Ifs an African setting about a dude on a journey of revenge. The universe isn’t enormous and the magic system isn’t overly complicated. Those are usually what prevents me from getting into the fantasy genre. However you can tell the universe is going to open up in the next book. There’s a lot of good character building without slowing the plot down. It’s also really fast paced, comparable to Red Rising like that. Don’t want to over hype this book but I really loved it. The 2nd book was suppose to be out now but got pushed back to November because of COVID :angry:
     
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  16. Kevintensity

    Kevintensity Poster/Posting Game Coordinator
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    1) The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow 8.5/10
    2) The Gone World by Tom Sweterlitsch 8/10
    3) The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski 8/10
    4) Thief River Falls by Brian Freeman 7/10
    5) The Hot Zone by Richard Preston 8.5/10
    6) Atomic Habits by James Clear 8/10
    7) The Chestnut Man by Soren Sveistrup 7.5/10
    8) Sword of Destiny by Andrzej Sapkowski 6/10
    9) Belichick by Ian O'Connor 8/10
    10) Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro 9/10
    11) Shoe Dog by Phil Knight 9.5/10
    12) The Stand by Stephen King 9.25/10
    13) The Office by Andy Greene 10/10
    14) Suttree by Cormac McCarthy 9/10
    15) Devil in the White City by Erik Larson 7/10
    16) Flowers for Algernon 9.25/10
    17) The Arm by Jeff Passan 8/10
    18) The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro 6.5/10

    Thinking about this book after I finished. I found the details of the story boring especially in the second half, I skimmed through the second half until I got the major parts of the story that interested me. I like the overall idea of the story, and found it quite sad. I was just ready to move on to something else.
    Never let me go was much better.
     
    #266 Kevintensity, Jun 29, 2020
    Last edited: Jun 30, 2020
  17. TC

    TC Peter, 53, from Toxteth
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    1. The Noonday Demon: An Atlas Of Depression / Andrew Solomon (9/10)
    2. The Edifice Complex: How The Rich And Powerful (And Their Architects) Shape The World (6.5/10)
    3. Educated: A Memoir / Tara Westover (7/10)
    4. Train Dreams (A Novella) / Denis Johnson (10/10)
    5. From Bacteria To Bach And Back: The Evolution Of Minds / Daniel Dennett (6/10)
    6. Breaking New Ground: A Pictorial History Of Saluda County (5/10)
    7. The Southern Country Editor / Thomas D. Clark (6/10)
    8. The Stand / Stephen King (7.5/10) *reread*
    9. Jesus' Son: Stories / Denis Johnson (10/10)
    10. Prague: A Novel / Arthur Phillips (8/10)
    11. The Beatles: A Hard Day's Write (The Stories Behind Every Song) (9/10)
    12. Midnight Riders: The Story Of The Allman Brothers Band (7.5/10)
    13. Dune / Frank Herbert (6/10)
    14. Life / Keith Richards (8/10)
    15. Third Coast: Outkast, Timbaland, And How Hip Hop Became A Southern Thing (7.5/10)

    16. The B Side: The Death of Tin Pan Alley and the Rebirth of the Great American Song (5/10)

    Found it hard to follow at times because I'm out of my element on Sinatra, Broadway, etc. It's something I wanted to know more about though to be able to appreciate it and understand how it connects to modern music.

    17. All The Pieces Matter: The Inside Story of The Wire (10/10)

    Read all 330 pages in 2 days. My #1 all-time TV show so not surprising I ate this up. Definitely read if you're a fan.

    Up Next --
    [​IMG]
     
  18. Fargin' Icehole

    Fargin' Icehole 50% soulless
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    The Wire is my #1 too. Gonna put this on deck. :respek:
     
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  19. Kevintensity

    Kevintensity Poster/Posting Game Coordinator
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    1) The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow 8.5/10
    2) The Gone World by Tom Sweterlitsch 8/10
    3) The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski 8/10
    4) Thief River Falls by Brian Freeman 7/10
    5) The Hot Zone by Richard Preston 8.5/10
    6) Atomic Habits by James Clear 8/10
    7) The Chestnut Man by Soren Sveistrup 7.5/10
    8) Sword of Destiny by Andrzej Sapkowski 6/10
    9) Belichick by Ian O'Connor 8/10
    10) Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro 9/10
    11) Shoe Dog by Phil Knight 9.5/10
    12) The Stand by Stephen King 9.25/10
    13) The Office by Andy Greene 10/10
    14) Suttree by Cormac McCarthy 9/10
    15) Devil in the White City by Erik Larson 7/10
    16) Flowers for Algernon 9.25/10
    17) The Arm by Jeff Passan 8/10
    18) The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro 6.5/10
    19) Ball Four by Jim Bouton 8.5/10

    His quotes of manager Joe Schultz cracked me up.
    "Hell they're the same as us. Let's go knock em around and we'll come back and pound some Budweisers."

    Team proceeds to get 2 hits and lose 4-1.
     
  20. Truman

    Truman Well-Known Member
    Donor
    Missouri TigersSt. Louis CardinalsChicago BullsSt. Louis BluesEvertonBook Club

    1. Black Ops (Expeditionary Force #4) by Craig Alanson (7/10)
    2. The First Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill George Washington, by Brad Meltzer (6/10)
    3. Blood of Elves (The Witcher #1) by Andrzej Sapkowski (8/10)
    4. Time of Contempt (The Witcher #2) by Andrzej Sapkowski (7/10)
    5. Family Secrets: The Case That Crippled the Chicago Mob, by Jeff Coen (8/10)
    6. Baptism by Fire (The Witcher #3) by Andrzej Sapkowsi (7/10)
    7. Lock Every Door by Riley Sager (7.5/10)
    8. Riot Baby by Tochi Onyebuchi (6/10)
    9. Last of the Mohicans by James Fienmore Cooper (7/10)
    10. Into the Fire (Orphan X #5) by Gregg Horowitz (8.5/10)
    11. The Hot Zone, by Richard Preston (8.5/10)
    12. American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins (7/10)
    13. Hymns of the Republic: The Story of the Final Year of the American Civil War, by S.C Gwynne (8.5/10)
    14. The Power of the Dog (Power of the Dog #1) by Don Winslow (9/10)
    15. The Cartel (Power of the Dog #2) by Don Winslow (9/10)
    16. The Border (Power of the Dog #3) by Don Winslow (9/10)
    17. The Field of Blood, by Joanne B Freeman (7.5/10)
    18. Station Eleven, by Emily St. John Mandel (7/10)
    19. A Beginning at the End by Mike Chen (7/10)
    20. Savages by Don Winslow (6/10)
    21. The Kings of Cool by Don Winslow(7/10)
    22. The Force by Don Winslow (8/10)
    23. Sea of Poppies (Ibis #1) by Amitav Ghosh (8/10)
    24. River of Smoke (Ibis #2) by Amitav Ghosh (7/10)
    25. Deacon King Kong by James McBride (8/10)
    26. New Waves by Kevin Ngyuen (7/10)
    27. Flood of Fire (Ibis #3) by Amitav Ghosh (7.5)
    28. Russians Among Us: Sleeper Cells, Ghost Stories and the Hunt for Putin's Spies by Gordon Corera (8.5/10)
    29. The Glass Hotel by Emily St John, Mandel (7/10)
    30. Wolf Hall, by Hillary Mantel (7/10)
    31. The End of October, by Lawerence Wright (8.5/10)
    32. The Ballad of Songbird and Snakes by Suzanne Collins (4/10)
    33. The Enemy of All Mankind by Steven Johnson (8/10)
    34. I am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes (8/10)
    35. The Deficit Myth by Stephanie Kelton (10/10)
    36. The Chosen Ones by Veronica Roth (9/10)
    37. The Rage of Dragons, by Evan Winter (10/10)
    38. Over the Edge of the World: Magellan's Terrifying Circumnavigation of the Globe, by Laurence Bergreen (8/10)
    39. Bent Heavens, by Daniel Kraus (6.5/10)
    40. The Book of M, by Peng Shepard (7/10)

    Magellen -
    Liked this a lot because I learned a shit load. Didnt know much about him except he was the first to circumnavigate the globe (sort of)

    Bent Heavens - Meh. Horror story about an Alien abduction. Didnt really land for me



    Book of M - I’m not sure how to rate this one. There was a lot I liked about this book and a lot I didn’t. Premise is there’s a pandemic where people lose their memory. Sometimes it happens rapidly, others it’s a slow decline. People who lose their memory can forgot how to eat and whither away and die. Others are so confused whats happening it scares them and drives them to violence. The condition is preceded by people losing their shadow. So if your shadow disappears, it means you’re eventually gonna forget everything. The book got very weird and trippy in a good way, but also over complicated things to where it drags a lot. Some good twists too. This was the debut novel. I think she has a lot of good ideas. I think / hope she improves as a novelist. I’ll read her next book



     
  21. TC

    TC Peter, 53, from Toxteth
    Donor
    South Carolina GamecocksCarolina PanthersCarolina Hurricanes

    1. The Noonday Demon: An Atlas Of Depression / Andrew Solomon (9/10)
    2. The Edifice Complex: How The Rich And Powerful (And Their Architects) Shape The World (6.5/10)
    3. Educated: A Memoir / Tara Westover (7/10)
    4. Train Dreams (A Novella) / Denis Johnson (10/10)
    5. From Bacteria To Bach And Back: The Evolution Of Minds / Daniel Dennett (6/10)
    6. Breaking New Ground: A Pictorial History Of Saluda County (5/10)
    7. The Southern Country Editor / Thomas D. Clark (6/10)
    8. The Stand / Stephen King (7.5/10) *reread*
    9. Jesus' Son: Stories / Denis Johnson (10/10)
    10. Prague: A Novel / Arthur Phillips (8/10)
    11. The Beatles: A Hard Day's Write (The Stories Behind Every Song) (9/10)
    12. Midnight Riders: The Story Of The Allman Brothers Band (7.5/10)
    13. Dune / Frank Herbert (6/10)
    14. Life / Keith Richards (8/10)
    15. Third Coast: Outkast, Timbaland, And How Hip Hop Became A Southern Thing / Roni Sarig (7.5/10)
    16. The B Side: The Death of Tin Pan Alley and the Rebirth of the Great American Song / Ben Yagoda (5/10)
    17. All The Pieces Matter: The Inside Story of The Wire / Jonathan Abrams (10/10)

    18. Chronicles Volume 1 / Bob Dylan (9/10)
    Never been a huge fan of Dylan's music, so this isn't just a fanboy rating. The book is very well-written -- I guess that Nobel Prize for Literature was legit. He has an eye for details that most musicians writing their autobiography wouldn't have. Also plays around with the structure more; doesn't go straight through start to finish. Book kinda just tells 5 extended episodes from his life then ends.

    Up Next --
    [​IMG]
     
  22. Kevintensity

    Kevintensity Poster/Posting Game Coordinator
    Donor
    Florida State SeminolesAtlanta BravesTampa Bay BuccaneersNashville PredatorsCalgary FlamesPoker

    1) The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow 8.5/10
    2) The Gone World by Tom Sweterlitsch 8/10
    3) The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski 8/10
    4) Thief River Falls by Brian Freeman 7/10
    5) The Hot Zone by Richard Preston 8.5/10
    6) Atomic Habits by James Clear 8/10
    7) The Chestnut Man by Soren Sveistrup 7.5/10
    8) Sword of Destiny by Andrzej Sapkowski 6/10
    9) Belichick by Ian O'Connor 8/10
    10) Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro 9/10
    11) Shoe Dog by Phil Knight 9.5/10
    12) The Stand by Stephen King 9.25/10
    13) The Office by Andy Greene 10/10
    14) Suttree by Cormac McCarthy 9/10
    15) Devil in the White City by Erik Larson 7/10
    16) Flowers for Algernon 9.25/10
    17) The Arm by Jeff Passan 8/10
    18) The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro 6.5/10
    19) Ball Four by Jim Bouton 8.5/10
    20) Summer Frost (Forward short story #2) by Blake Crouch 9/10
    21) Randomize (Forward short story #6) by Andy Weir 6/10
    22) The Last Conversation by Paul Tremblay (Forward short story #5) 6/10
     
    #272 Kevintensity, Jul 11, 2020
    Last edited: Jul 19, 2020
    CBH, Tangman, clemsonvianj and 2 others like this.
  23. BP

    BP Bout to Regulate.
    Donor
    Atlanta BravesGeorgia BulldogsAtlanta Falcons

    Titan: The life of J D Rockefeller Sr- Ron Chernow
    Conquistador- Buddy Levy
    Washington's Spies- Alexander Rose
    On the Road- Jack Kerouac
    Jungle of Stone-William Caelsen
    Granite Mountain-Brenden McDonough
    Cant Hurt Me- David Goggins
    Under the Banner of Heaven-Jon Krakauer
    Troublemaker-Leah Remini
    In the Garden of Beasts- Erik Larson
    A Thousand Lives-Julia Scheeres
    Desert Solitaire- Edward Abbey
    The Killer Across the Table-John E Douglas
     
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  24. TC

    TC Peter, 53, from Toxteth
    Donor
    South Carolina GamecocksCarolina PanthersCarolina Hurricanes

    Idk if I can finish this. Too folksy and homespun
     
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  25. Tangman

    Tangman Well-Known Member
    Donor
    North Carolina State WolfpackCharlotte HornetsWashington Football TeamEvertonBook Club

    1) Common Ground: A Turbulent Decade in the Lives of Three American Families (J. Anthony Lukas) - 9.5/10 -
    2) Chaos: Charles Manson, the CIA, and the Secret History of the Sixties (Tom O'Neill) - 6.5/10
    3) Lolita (Vladimir Nabokov) - 8.5/10
    4) The Hot Zone: The Terrifying True Story of the Origins of the Ebola Virus (Richard Preston) - 7.5/10
    5) One Nation Under God: How Corporate America Invented Christian America (Kevin M. Kruse) - 7/10
    6) The Ascent of Money: A Financial History of the World (Niall Ferguson) - 6/10
    7) Field of Blood: Violence in Congress and the Road to Civil War (Joanne B. Freeman) - 8/10
    8) The Dog of the South (Charles Portis) - 9/10
    9) What It Takes: The Way to the White House (Richard Ben Cramer) - 9/10
    10) Miss Lonelyhearts (Nathanael West) - 8/10
    11) Learning from the Germans: Race and the Memory of Evil (Susan Neiman) - 8/10
    12) Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow (Yuval Noah Harari) - 7/10
    - Thought this was pretty decent but not as good as Sapiens. Some interesting discussions on data and how that is transforming the human experience. His dislike of current meat production practices is obvious but it felt shoehorned in here. I also think he oversimplifies some very nuanced topics, free will for example. This one is worth reading I think and he raises some important questions but ultimately this is a far more speculative work.
    13) The Heart is a Lonely Hunter (Carson McCullers) - 9/10 - An outstanding book that I'm ashamed I haven't read until now. Insane to think that a 23-year old wrote this. McCullers hits on a bunch of themes throughout the book: racial and social inequality, misogyny, the futility of dreams, the nature of friendship, the horrors of the pre WW2 South, and on and on. Hard to say much more without giving away the plot but it's absolutely worth your time if you've never read it. The major plot point also hits the reader like a ton of bricks out of nowhere.
    14) Thy Neighbor's Wife (Guy Talese) - 8/10 - Nice easy read from Talese. This is basically a history of obscenity laws in the US plus profiles of "obscene" magazine folks (Hefner mostly) and a breakdown of the founding players of the legendary Sandstone Retreat. Talese actually visited Sandstone several times while writing this book and took part in Sandstone's sensual pleasures; there's an entire chapter of the book where he describes those encounters in the third person. This opened him up to much criticism at the time of writing (circa 1980). I think the funniest part of the book described Thurgood Marshall having to watch different pornographic videos when considering obscenity cases before the SC; apparently, he could be heard in the hall outside of his office enjoying these videos and egging on the performers. Anyway, it's pretty wild how quickly national mores changed on this topic.
    15) Power of the Dog (Don Winslow) - 8.5/10 - Enjoyed this a lot for what it is. It feels like most everyone who posts here has read this so no need to go too deep. You can tell Winslow has done a lot of research on this topic. He weaves actual history with the narrative pretty seamlessly. Fun and quick read. I'll read the other 2 in the trilogy by the end of the year hopefully.

    Up Next: 1) The Anarchy: The East India Company, Corporate Violence, and the Pillage of an Empire 2) What We Talk About When We Talk About Love 3) Confederates in the Attic: Dispatches from the Unfinished Civil War
     
    #275 Tangman, Jul 20, 2020
    Last edited: Jul 21, 2020
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  26. TC

    TC Peter, 53, from Toxteth
    Donor
    South Carolina GamecocksCarolina PanthersCarolina Hurricanes

    Oooh this sounds good
     
  27. The Blackfish

    The Blackfish The Fish in Black
    Staff Donor TMB OG
    Alabama Crimson TideIndianapolis ColtsBook Club

    Agreed, looking forward to his review.

    Still haven’t been reading much since my 2nd kid was born and then quarantine when I stopped having to commute to work. Looking to start back up.
     
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  28. Tangman

    Tangman Well-Known Member
    Donor
    North Carolina State WolfpackCharlotte HornetsWashington Football TeamEvertonBook Club

    Funny enough, I've actually had more time to read after my 2nd was born in December. My eldest daughter has always been a handful but is finally sleeping through the night now and taking direction a little better. My younger daughter is just a dream kid who has slept through the night since she was a month old (knocks on wood).
     
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  29. TC

    TC Peter, 53, from Toxteth
    Donor
    South Carolina GamecocksCarolina PanthersCarolina Hurricanes

    1. The Noonday Demon: An Atlas Of Depression / Andrew Solomon (9/10)
    2. The Edifice Complex: How The Rich And Powerful (And Their Architects) Shape The World (6.5/10)
    3. Educated: A Memoir / Tara Westover (7/10)
    4. Train Dreams (A Novella) / Denis Johnson (10/10)
    5. From Bacteria To Bach And Back: The Evolution Of Minds / Daniel Dennett (6/10)
    6. Breaking New Ground: A Pictorial History Of Saluda County (5/10)
    7. The Southern Country Editor / Thomas D. Clark (6/10)
    8. The Stand / Stephen King (7.5/10) *reread*
    9. Jesus' Son: Stories / Denis Johnson (10/10)
    10. Prague: A Novel / Arthur Phillips (8/10)
    11. The Beatles: A Hard Day's Write (The Stories Behind Every Song) (9/10)
    12. Midnight Riders: The Story Of The Allman Brothers Band (7.5/10)
    13. Dune / Frank Herbert (6/10)
    14. Life / Keith Richards (8/10)
    15. Third Coast: Outkast, Timbaland, And How Hip Hop Became A Southern Thing / Roni Sarig (7.5/10)
    16. The B Side: The Death of Tin Pan Alley and the Rebirth of the Great American Song / Ben Yagoda (5/10)
    17. All The Pieces Matter: The Inside Story of The Wire / Jonathan Abrams (10/10)
    18. Chronicles Volume 1 / Bob Dylan (9/10)

    19. Cash: The Autobiography / Johnny Cash with Patrick Carr (2/10)
    Book is a joke pretty much. He literally has a chapter just to tell stories about each of his grandkids. I thought this was the cool guy from the poster flipping the bird.

    It seems pretty lazy...he's mostly just telling stories, some of which don't sound very true. (There's a lot of religious "just so" stories.) Also 30 pages from the end he just starts going A-Z on "other stories I wanted to make sure were in the book" :loldog:

    Up Next --
    Debating between another music bio or maybe switching up
     
  30. Truman

    Truman Well-Known Member
    Donor
    Missouri TigersSt. Louis CardinalsChicago BullsSt. Louis BluesEvertonBook Club

    1. Black Ops (Expeditionary Force #4) by Craig Alanson (7/10)
    2. The First Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill George Washington, by Brad Meltzer (6/10)
    3. Blood of Elves (The Witcher #1) by Andrzej Sapkowski (8/10)
    4. Time of Contempt (The Witcher #2) by Andrzej Sapkowski (7/10)
    5. Family Secrets: The Case That Crippled the Chicago Mob, by Jeff Coen (8/10)
    6. Baptism by Fire (The Witcher #3) by Andrzej Sapkowsi (7/10)
    7. Lock Every Door by Riley Sager (7.5/10)
    8. Riot Baby by Tochi Onyebuchi (6/10)
    9. Last of the Mohicans by James Fienmore Cooper (7/10)
    10. Into the Fire (Orphan X #5) by Gregg Horowitz (8.5/10)
    11. The Hot Zone, by Richard Preston (8.5/10)
    12. American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins (7/10)
    13. Hymns of the Republic: The Story of the Final Year of the American Civil War, by S.C Gwynne (8.5/10)
    14. The Power of the Dog (Power of the Dog #1) by Don Winslow (9/10)
    15. The Cartel (Power of the Dog #2) by Don Winslow (9/10)
    16. The Border (Power of the Dog #3) by Don Winslow (9/10)
    17. The Field of Blood, by Joanne B Freeman (7.5/10)
    18. Station Eleven, by Emily St. John Mandel (7/10)
    19. A Beginning at the End by Mike Chen (7/10)
    20. Savages by Don Winslow (6/10)
    21. The Kings of Cool by Don Winslow(7/10)
    22. The Force by Don Winslow (8/10)
    23. Sea of Poppies (Ibis #1) by Amitav Ghosh (8/10)
    24. River of Smoke (Ibis #2) by Amitav Ghosh (7/10)
    25. Deacon King Kong by James McBride (8/10)
    26. New Waves by Kevin Ngyuen (7/10)
    27. Flood of Fire (Ibis #3) by Amitav Ghosh (7.5)
    28. Russians Among Us: Sleeper Cells, Ghost Stories and the Hunt for Putin's Spies by Gordon Corera (8.5/10)
    29. The Glass Hotel by Emily St John, Mandel (7/10)
    30. Wolf Hall, by Hillary Mantel (7/10)
    31. The End of October, by Lawerence Wright (8.5/10)
    32. The Ballad of Songbird and Snakes by Suzanne Collins (4/10)
    33. The Enemy of All Mankind by Steven Johnson (8/10)
    34. I am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes (8/10)
    35. The Deficit Myth by Stephanie Kelton (10/10)
    36. The Chosen Ones by Veronica Roth (9/10)
    37. The Rage of Dragons, by Evan Winter (10/10)
    38. Over the Edge of the World: Magellan's Terrifying Circumnavigation of the Globe, by Laurence Bergreen (8/10)
    39. Bent Heavens, by Daniel Kraus (6.5/10)
    40. The Book of M, by Peng Shepard (7/10)
    41. Jade City ( Green Bone Saga #1) by Fonda Lee (9.5/10)
    42. Jade War ( Green Bone Saga #2) by Fonda Lee (9.0/10)
    43. The Cabinet: George Washington & the Formation of An American Institution, by Lindsay Chervinsky (7.5/10)


    Jade War & Jade City - loved these. Modern fantasy in an Asian City setting. It’s like a The Godfather mixed a magical Kung fu. Multi generational gang war. Good action and good politic’n. Look forward to the next one


    The Cabinet - learned a lot. Didn’t know about how the decision to form a cabinet was a controversial choice. Also reminded how petty and thin skinned Washington was, and how far he went to avoid criticism. Also one of those books where you’re reminded that American politics has always been as vicious as it is today. The difference is they didn’t do it all for personal gain. But it was all the same type of infighting and using proxies to attack political rivals. Also they were all paranoid conspiracy theorist.
     
  31. Gonff

    Gonff Prince of Mousethieves
    Donor
    Oklahoma SoonersMetal

    1. The Shining (The Shining #1) - Stephen King (7/10)
    2. The Last Wish (The Witcher #0.5) - Andrzej Sapkowski (6.5/10)
    3. Washington: A Life - Ron Chernow (8/10)
    4. Liberty's Exiles: American Loyalists in the Revolutionary World - Maya Jasanoff (6.5/10)
    5. Sword of Truth (The Witcher #0.75) - Andrzej Sapkowski (6.5/10)
    6. The Hot Zone: The Terrifying True Story of the Origins of the Ebola Virus - Richard Preston (8/10)
    7. The Field of Blood: Violence in Congress and the Road to Civil War - Joanne B. Freeman (7.5/10)
    8. Blood of Elves (The Witcher #1) - Andrzej Sapkowski (7/10)
    9. The End is Always Near: Apocalyptic Moments, from the Bronze Age Collapse to Nuclear Near Misses - Dan Carlin (7.5/10)
    10. The Storm Before the Storm: The Beginning of the End of the Roman Republic - Mike Duncan (6.5/10)
    11. Affairs of Honor: National Politics in the New Republic - Joanne B. Freeman (8.5/10)
    12. Exhalation: Stories - Ted Chiang (9/10)
    13. A Little Hatred (The Age of Madness #1) - Joe Abercrombie (8/10)
    14. V for Vendetta - Alan Moore (7.5/10)
    15. The Time of Contempt (The Witcher #2) - Andrzej Sapkowski (6.5/10)
    16. The Poppy War (The Poppy War #1) - R.F. Kuang (7.5/10)
    17. The Fifth Season (The Broken Earth #1) - N.K. Jemisin (7.5/10)
    18. The Once and Future King - T.H. White (5/10)

    Currently reading (spoilered for size):
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
  32. BP

    BP Bout to Regulate.
    Donor
    Atlanta BravesGeorgia BulldogsAtlanta Falcons

    Chernow
    :fap:
     
    RegimentML likes this.
  33. BP

    BP Bout to Regulate.
    Donor
    Atlanta BravesGeorgia BulldogsAtlanta Falcons

    Titan: The life of J D Rockefeller Sr- Ron Chernow
    Conquistador- Buddy Levy
    Washington's Spies- Alexander Rose
    On the Road- Jack Kerouac
    Jungle of Stone-William Caelsen
    Granite Mountain-Brenden McDonough
    Cant Hurt Me- David Goggins
    Under the Banner of Heaven-Jon Krakauer
    Troublemaker-Leah Remini
    In the Garden of Beasts- Erik Larson
    A Thousand Lives-Julia Scheeres
    Heart of Darkness-Joseph Conrad
    Killer across the table-John Douglas
     
  34. billdozer

    billdozer Well-Known Member
    Donor
    Clemson TigersCarolina Panthers

    1. The Shadow of What Was Lost (Licanius #1) - James Islington (10/10) (reread)
    2. An Echo of Things to Come (Licanius #2) - James Islington (10/10) (reread)
    3. The Light of All That Falls (Licanius #3) - James Islington (10/10)
    4. Starsight (Skyward #2) - Brandon Sanderson (7.5/10)
    5. The Prestige - Christopher Priest (7.5/10)
    6. American Gods - Neil Gaiman (7.5/10)
    7. Norse Mythology - Neil Gaiman (7.5/10)
    8. Good Omens - Neil Gaiman (8.5/10)
    9. Neverwhere - Neil Gaiman (8.5/10)
    10. Stardust - Neil Gaiman (8.5/10)
    11. Spellslinger (Spellslinger #1) - Sebastien de Castell (8.5/10)
    12. Shadowblack (Spellslinger #2) - Sebastien de Castell (8.5/10)
    13. Charmcaster (Spellslinger #3) - Sebastien de Castell (8.5/10)
    14. Soulbinder (Spellslinger #4) - Sebastien de Castell (8.5/10)
    15. Queenslayer (Spellslinger #5) - Sebastien de Castell (8.5/10)
    16. Crownbreaker (Spellslinger #6) - Sebastien de Castell (8.5/10)
    17. The Girl and the Stars (Book of the Ice #1) - Mark Lawrence (8.5/10)
    18. Red Rising (Red Rising #1) - Pierce Brown (9/10)
    19. Golden Son (Red Rising #2) - Pierce Brown (9/10)
    20. Morning Star (Red Rising #3) - Pierce Brown (8.5/10)
    21. Iron Gold (Red Rising #4) - Pierce Brown (8/10)
     
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  35. Kevintensity

    Kevintensity Poster/Posting Game Coordinator
    Donor
    Florida State SeminolesAtlanta BravesTampa Bay BuccaneersNashville PredatorsCalgary FlamesPoker

    1) The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow 8.5/10
    2) The Gone World by Tom Sweterlitsch 8/10
    3) The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski 8/10
    4) Thief River Falls by Brian Freeman 7/10
    5) The Hot Zone by Richard Preston 8.5/10
    6) Atomic Habits by James Clear 8/10
    7) The Chestnut Man by Soren Sveistrup 7.5/10
    8) Sword of Destiny by Andrzej Sapkowski 6/10
    9) Belichick by Ian O'Connor 8/10
    10) Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro 9/10
    11) Shoe Dog by Phil Knight 9.5/10
    12) The Stand by Stephen King 9.25/10
    13) The Office by Andy Greene 10/10
    14) Suttree by Cormac McCarthy 9/10
    15) Devil in the White City by Erik Larson 7/10
    16) Flowers for Algernon 9.25/10
    17) The Arm by Jeff Passan 8/10
    18) The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro 6.5/10
    19) Ball Four by Jim Bouton 8.5/10
    20) Summer Frost (Forward short story #2) by Blake Crouch 9/10
    21) Randomize (Forward short story #6) by Andy Weir 6/10
    22) The Last Conversation by Paul Tremblay (Forward short story #5) 6/10
    23) Flash Crash by Liam Vaughan 9/10
    24) You Have Arrived at Your Destination (Forward short story #4) by Amor Towles 9/10
    25) Emergency Skin (Forward short story #3) by NK Jemisin 5/10
    26) Ark (forward short story #1) by Veronica Roth 6/10
    27) Bad Blood by John Carreyrou 8.5/10

    Whole lot of despicable people in this one. But it was a very captivating read. Pretty crazy they were able to get away with so much for as long as they did.
     
    #285 Kevintensity, Jul 26, 2020
    Last edited: Jul 28, 2020
    CBH, Blaster, Tangman and 3 others like this.
  36. Blaster

    Blaster Seeker for Truth and Penitence
    Liverpool

    I spent most of the last 3 months in quarantine, but thankfully some of the people with me had good books. Here's the list:

    The Three-Body Problem - Cixin Liu (8.5/10)
    Neuromancer - William Gibson (9/10)
    Infinite Jest - David Foster Wallace (10/10)
    A Farewell to Arms - Ernest Hemmingway (9/10) I don't know if I hate this book or love it
    American Sniper - Chris Kyle (2/10) Absolute Garbage
    Leviathan Wakes James S. A. Corey (8/10)
    World War Z - Max Brooks (8.5/10)
    Moonwalking with Einstein - Joshua Foer (6.5/10)
    Catch 22 - Joseph Heller (9/10)
    Ciaphas Cain: Hero of the Imperium - Alec Stewart (6/10)
    Saga Vol 1-3 - Brian K Vaughn (7.5/10)
    Berserk - Kentaro Muira (9/10) I was not expecting to like this as much as I did. I believe the series is ongoing, but I made it past that part
    Akira - Katsuhiro Otomo (9/10)
     
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  37. TC

    TC Peter, 53, from Toxteth
    Donor
    South Carolina GamecocksCarolina PanthersCarolina Hurricanes

    1. The Noonday Demon: An Atlas Of Depression / Andrew Solomon (9/10)
    2. The Edifice Complex: How The Rich And Powerful (And Their Architects) Shape The World (6.5/10)
    3. Educated: A Memoir / Tara Westover (7/10)
    4. Train Dreams (A Novella) / Denis Johnson (10/10)
    5. From Bacteria To Bach And Back: The Evolution Of Minds / Daniel Dennett (6/10)
    6. Breaking New Ground: A Pictorial History Of Saluda County (5/10)
    7. The Southern Country Editor / Thomas D. Clark (6/10)
    8. The Stand / Stephen King (7.5/10) *reread*
    9. Jesus' Son: Stories / Denis Johnson (10/10)
    10. Prague: A Novel / Arthur Phillips (8/10)
    11. The Beatles: A Hard Day's Write (The Stories Behind Every Song) (9/10)
    12. Midnight Riders: The Story Of The Allman Brothers Band (7.5/10)
    13. Dune / Frank Herbert (6/10)
    14. Life / Keith Richards (8/10)
    15. Third Coast: Outkast, Timbaland, And How Hip Hop Became A Southern Thing / Roni Sarig (7.5/10)
    16. The B Side: The Death of Tin Pan Alley and the Rebirth of the Great American Song / Ben Yagoda (5/10)
    17. All The Pieces Matter: The Inside Story of The Wire / Jonathan Abrams (10/10)
    18. Chronicles Volume 1 / Bob Dylan (9/10)
    19. Cash: The Autobiography / Johnny Cash with Patrick Carr (2/10)

    20. Hammer Of The Gods: The Led Zeppelin Saga / Stephen Davis (8/10)
    Solid rock biography. I love Zeppelin's music but I would have been put off by some of their personal antics. Getting drunk starting fights, messing with underage girls, etc. Jimmy Page would be one of the top people on earth I'd want to jam with, just to see his house and all his guitars.

    Up Next --
    [​IMG]
     
  38. Gin Buckets

    Gin Buckets Well-Known Member
    Donor
    Virginia Tech HokiesIndiana HoosiersAtlanta BravesAtlanta HawksAtlanta Falcons

    What's the best road trip book y'all have read this year? Want a "page turner" to pass the time quicker. It will be audible fwiw.
     
  39. Truman

    Truman Well-Known Member
    Donor
    Missouri TigersSt. Louis CardinalsChicago BullsSt. Louis BluesEvertonBook Club

    I recently finished Blacktop Wasteland. It was a quick, fast read. Pretty gritty
    https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51184675-blacktop-wasteland

    Other go-to page turners - Red Rising and Red Sparrow. Apparently if Red is in the title - it goes fast!
     
    Gin Buckets likes this.
  40. Gin Buckets

    Gin Buckets Well-Known Member
    Donor
    Virginia Tech HokiesIndiana HoosiersAtlanta BravesAtlanta HawksAtlanta Falcons

    Also, really? I can't remember which one of you this is, but you're the lowest rating here for Daisy Jones and the Six

    upload_2020-8-5_12-32-55.png
     
  41. Gin Buckets

    Gin Buckets Well-Known Member
    Donor
    Virginia Tech HokiesIndiana HoosiersAtlanta BravesAtlanta HawksAtlanta Falcons

    I've read the Red Rising books, agreed, very much a page turner. Will look into Blacktop, thanks for the recco. :respek:
     
  42. The Blackfish

    The Blackfish The Fish in Black
    Staff Donor TMB OG
    Alabama Crimson TideIndianapolis ColtsBook Club

    BigRed i think
     
  43. BigRed

    BigRed Well-Known Member
    South Carolina GamecocksLos Angeles DodgersLos Angeles LakersAtlanta FalconsMontreal Impact

    That is not me. I gave the book four stars. Can’t remember who Dan is. I’m not friends with Gin Buckets on Goodreads it seems.
     
    The Blackfish likes this.
  44. The Blackfish

    The Blackfish The Fish in Black
    Staff Donor TMB OG
    Alabama Crimson TideIndianapolis ColtsBook Club

  45. Fargin' Icehole

    Fargin' Icehole 50% soulless
    Donor
    Georgia BulldogsAtlanta BravesAtlanta HawksBayern Munich

    Finished Suttree a few days ago. Had it at the bottom of my list of McCarthy books. But since I finished I've been missing him and all the going ons in Knoxville. Definitely cemented Cormac on my Rushmore of authors. Not sure how I avoided reading him all these years.
     
    Henry Blake and TC like this.
  46. Buenos Nachos

    Buenos Nachos Palabra.
    Donor
    Notre Dame Fighting IrishMinnesota VikingsPittsburgh Pirates

    Yeah, wasn’t a fan of it, but many people I like and respect enjoyed it, so it’s probably just me. I also did the audiobook FWIW
     
    BigRed and Gin Buckets like this.
  47. Gin Buckets

    Gin Buckets Well-Known Member
    Donor
    Virginia Tech HokiesIndiana HoosiersAtlanta BravesAtlanta HawksAtlanta Falcons

    So I purchased Blacktop Wasteland, but the lady wasn't interested. She was all about Daisy Jones and the Six. She won, so that's what we listened to. I thought that shit was great. Reminds me of behind the music in a way.
     
  48. BP

    BP Bout to Regulate.
    Donor
    Atlanta BravesGeorgia BulldogsAtlanta Falcons

    Titan: The life of J D Rockefeller Sr- Ron Chernow
    Conquistador- Buddy Levy
    Washington's Spies- Alexander Rose
    On the Road- Jack Kerouac
    Jungle of Stone-William Caelsen
    Granite Mountain-Brenden McDonough
    Cant Hurt Me- David Goggins
    Under the Banner of Heaven-Jon Krakauer
    Troublemaker-Leah Remini
    In the Garden of Beasts- Erik Larson
    A Thousand Lives-Julia Scheeres
    Heart of Darkness-Joseph Conrad
    Killer across the table-John Douglas
    The Divide-Matt Taibbi
    Zealot-Reza Aslan
     
    #298 BP, Aug 9, 2020
    Last edited: Aug 11, 2020
    Tangman, Kevintensity, TC and 3 others like this.
  49. TC

    TC Peter, 53, from Toxteth
    Donor
    South Carolina GamecocksCarolina PanthersCarolina Hurricanes

    So did you read On The Road for the second time this year?
     
  50. Truman

    Truman Well-Known Member
    Donor
    Missouri TigersSt. Louis CardinalsChicago BullsSt. Louis BluesEvertonBook Club

    1. Black Ops (Expeditionary Force #4) by Craig Alanson (7/10)
    2. The First Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill George Washington, by Brad Meltzer (6/10)
    3. Blood of Elves (The Witcher #1) by Andrzej Sapkowski (8/10)
    4. Time of Contempt (The Witcher #2) by Andrzej Sapkowski (7/10)
    5. Family Secrets: The Case That Crippled the Chicago Mob, by Jeff Coen (8/10)
    6. Baptism by Fire (The Witcher #3) by Andrzej Sapkowsi (7/10)
    7. Lock Every Door by Riley Sager (7.5/10)
    8. Riot Baby by Tochi Onyebuchi (6/10)
    9. Last of the Mohicans by James Fienmore Cooper (7/10)
    10. Into the Fire (Orphan X #5) by Gregg Horowitz (8.5/10)
    11. The Hot Zone, by Richard Preston (8.5/10)
    12. American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins (7/10)
    13. Hymns of the Republic: The Story of the Final Year of the American Civil War, by S.C Gwynne (8.5/10)
    14. The Power of the Dog (Power of the Dog #1) by Don Winslow (9/10)
    15. The Cartel (Power of the Dog #2) by Don Winslow (9/10)
    16. The Border (Power of the Dog #3) by Don Winslow (9/10)
    17. The Field of Blood, by Joanne B Freeman (7.5/10)
    18. Station Eleven, by Emily St. John Mandel (7/10)
    19. A Beginning at the End by Mike Chen (7/10)
    20. Savages by Don Winslow (6/10)
    21. The Kings of Cool by Don Winslow(7/10)
    22. The Force by Don Winslow (8/10)
    23. Sea of Poppies (Ibis #1) by Amitav Ghosh (8/10)
    24. River of Smoke (Ibis #2) by Amitav Ghosh (7/10)
    25. Deacon King Kong by James McBride (8/10)
    26. New Waves by Kevin Ngyuen (7/10)
    27. Flood of Fire (Ibis #3) by Amitav Ghosh (7.5)
    28. Russians Among Us: Sleeper Cells, Ghost Stories and the Hunt for Putin's Spies by Gordon Corera (8.5/10)
    29. The Glass Hotel by Emily St John, Mandel (7/10)
    30. Wolf Hall, by Hillary Mantel (7/10)
    31. The End of October, by Lawerence Wright (8.5/10)
    32. The Ballad of Songbird and Snakes by Suzanne Collins (4/10)
    33. The Enemy of All Mankind by Steven Johnson (8/10)
    34. I am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes (8/10)
    35. The Deficit Myth by Stephanie Kelton (10/10)
    36. The Chosen Ones by Veronica Roth (9/10)
    37. The Rage of Dragons, by Evan Winter (10/10)
    38. Over the Edge of the World: Magellan's Terrifying Circumnavigation of the Globe, by Laurence Bergreen (8/10)
    39. Bent Heavens, by Daniel Kraus (6.5/10)
    40. The Book of M, by Peng Shepard (7/10)
    41. Jade City ( Green Bone Saga #1) by Fonda Lee (9.5/10)
    42. Jade War ( Green Bone Saga #2) by Fonda Lee (9.0/10)
    43. The Cabinet: George Washington & the Formation of An American Institution, by Lindsay Chervinsky (7.5/10)
    44. The Order (Gabriel Allen #20) by Daniel Silva (5/10)
    45. Blacktop Wasteland by S.A. Cosby (7.5/10)
    46. Murderbot Diaries 1-4 by Martha Wells (7.5/10)
    47. Network Effect (Murderbot Diaries #5) by Martha Wells (6.5/10)
    48. Space Station Down by Ben Bova (7/10)
    49. Caste: The Origins of Our Discontent by Isabel Wilkerson


    The Order - Love the Allon series but this was just awful and boring. Wouldnt have finished it if it wasnt part of the series

    Blacktop Wasteland - This is about a black autoshop owner in the Carolinas who is trying to raise a family. He use to be a getaway driver for high value rivalries. His past catches up with him. This is kinda like a grittier Fast and Furious. Good quick suspenseful read

    Murderbot Diaries - This is about a sentient robot that is leased out to galactic explorers as a security bot. To protect them from dangers. The main character is a murderbot who hacked it's own system and is more autonomous. He hates humans, hates his job, and just watches TV all day . It's pretty funny. The first book is a collection of short stories that were pretty good but wanting more. The other book is a full length novel that just kinda dragged

    Space Station Down - This is Die Hard on the International Space Station. It's as dumb and silly as ridiculous as it sounds. Idk if this is a good book, but I enjoyed it for the empty calories that it was

    Caste - This was as good as anticipated. It's less narrative than Warmth of Other Suns, which makes it a little dry. However, she does an excellent job of framing. She takes the James Baldwin approach and does it extremely well. Sadly most people who should read this wont