Books you read in 2020

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

  1. Hank Scorpio

    Hank Scorpio Globex Corporation, Philanthropist, Supervillain
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    Getting back in to reading. I started months ago with 11/22/63 but didn't realize how long it was. I was enjoying it and was a little over halfway through, but then just kind of tapered off.

    Decided to pick up my Kindle again last week and started Ready Player One since I knew it was a shorter read. Just finished it and am now debating going back to 11/22/63 (left off on chapter 19) or doing another quick/ fun read.

    Any suggestions?
     
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  2. TC

    TC Peter, 53, from Toxteth
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    I think 11/22/63 will satisfy what you're looking for.

    If you want something more literary, but still short and page-turning:

    • The Postman Always Rings Twice by James Cain (or Double Indemnity)
    • Train Dreams by Denis Johnson
    • The Pearl by John Steinbeck
     
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  3. Truman

    Truman Well-Known Member
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    11/22/63 really picks up towards the end. I’d recommend finishing it at some point.

    What are you interested in - genre / topic ect.
     
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  4. BP

    BP Bout to Regulate.
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    Oops
     
  5. Hank Scorpio

    Hank Scorpio Globex Corporation, Philanthropist, Supervillain
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    I don't know what I'm into, lol. I guess adventure/Fantasy/mystery?

    I read Shutter Island and thought it was just ok. I liked Ready Player One a lot more. Maybe because it's got a whole different world to immerse myself in that's not present day reality?

    Read about half of The Alienest, enjoyed it somewhat, but tapered off there as well.

    Loved first 3 ASOIAF books. Loved Harry Potter as a teen/ young adult.
     
  6. Truman

    Truman Well-Known Member
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    Brilliance by Markus Sankey
    Red Rising by Pierce Brown
    Rage of Dragons by Evan Winter
    Red Sparrow by Jason Matthews
    The River by Peter Heller
    Jade City by Fonda Lee
    The Chosen Ones by Veronica Roth

    Those are all the fast paced action/adventure off the top of my head. A lot are sci fi and fantasy. Some are spy thrillers.
     
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  7. The Blackfish

    The Blackfish The Fish in Black
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    Finish 11/22/63
     
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  8. Fargin' Icehole

    Fargin' Icehole 50% soulless
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    I vouch for Red Rising. About 30 pages from being done. Been a fun read. Hunger Games in space. Total rip off but it was good enough that I wasn't even mad.
     
  9. Fargin' Icehole

    Fargin' Icehole 50% soulless
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    How are the other books in the Red Rising series? All as good as the 1st or do they drop off?
     
  10. Truman

    Truman Well-Known Member
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    They ramp up even more. It's one of my favorite series. We have a thread on it. Pretty much everyone has loved it
     
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  11. Gonff

    Gonff Prince of Mousethieves
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    Plus it’s still the only book series I’ve seen where someone speaks in bold type.

    So it’s got that going for it.
     
  12. Funshot Residue

    Funshot Residue Mammoth Stabber
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    Recently finished "The Body" by Bill Bryson. Maybe not as good as "A Walk in the Woods", but more educational and plenty of mind blowing facts and humorous bits. The historical side of medicine is pretty new to me, and I enjoyed it.
    Working on "From Here to Eternity" by Caitlin Doughty. A worldwide trip through funeral activities, traditions, and celebrations. Rather informative vis a vis how commercial our end of life process has become and the ways different cultures view and deal with death.
     
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  13. TC

    TC Peter, 53, from Toxteth
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    I’ve got “A Walk in the Woods” coming up soon on my list. My first Bryson book
     
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  14. 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 / 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)

    21. Making Space: Creating A Home Meditation Practice / Thich Nhat Hanh (5/10)
    Short book about meditation. Decent but I've read better. I do recommend mindfulness meditation to everyone in this thread; I have noticed a big improvement from it on things like my focus and my stress level

    22. Nobody Move / Denis Johnson (8.5/10)
    Not quite 10/10 like the first two Denis Johnson books I read but still very good. Entertaining noir thriller about a guy with a big gambling debt and a woman wanted for embezzling $2 million. Originally published as a serial in Playboy

    Still Working On --
    [​IMG]
     
  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)
    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 (10/10)
    50. Utopia Avenue by David Mitchell (7/10)
    51. Reaganland: America’s Right Turn 1976-1980 by Rick Perlstein (9/10)


    Utopia Avenue - About an up and coming band in the 70s. Infused real events and rock starts from the era into the story. Some cool Cloud Atlas Easter eggs. It was good but also dragged in some parts. Pretty trippy like most Mitchell books

    Reaganland - really good. Learned a lot. Also incredibly frustrating to read about a ton and of little tipping points that if they went the other way, we’d all be so much better off. Only down side is this book is painfully long. Calling it a door stopper doesn’t do it justice.

    I need something short and mindless for my next read
     
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  16. BP

    BP Bout to Regulate.
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    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
    The Oxygen Advantage-Patrick McKeown
    No Beast so Fierce- Dane Huckelbridge
     
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  17. Truman

    Truman Well-Known Member
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    Cliffs/thoughts on The Oxygen Advantage?
     
  18. Fargin' Icehole

    Fargin' Icehole 50% soulless
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    Holy shit maybe the saddest book I've ever read. Amazing book though, continue to love CMs stuff. The relationship Billy had with She-wolf was one of my favorite relationships in any book I've ever read. So when he had to Old Yeller her it killed me. I knew the wolf was going to die but I did not see him being the one to have to do it. Just brutal shit, really the whole way through.
     
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  19. 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
    25. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Millennium Series #1) by Steig Larsson 8/10
    26. The Rembrandt Affair (Gabriel Allon #10) by Daniel Silva 8/10
    27. A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles 8/10

    28. Why We Can't Wait by Martin Luther King Jr. 10/10 This was a very good read, obviously picked it up because of the things going on in the country. Helped me learn more about Dr. King.

    29. We Were Eight Years in Power: An American Tragedy by Ta-Nehisi Coates 9/10 This was amazing and I was sorry it took me so long to get to it and read. I had been trying to read it for the past few months.

    30. Portrait of a Spy (Gabriel Allon #11) by Daniel Silva 7/10 I think I have been reading too many of this series in a row because it has hit a low point for me. A lot of the other things I have been reading have been better and more important.

    31. I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings (Maya Angelou's Autobiography, #1) by Maya Angelou 10/10 This was fantastic as well and I couldn't put it down.

    32. Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt 9/10 This was extremely enjoyable and was something that I have wanted to read for awhile but I finally made time for it. Very glad I did.

    33. Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates 10/10 This was incredible and not sure how I missed it for so long.

    34. A Woman of No Importance: The Untold Story of the American Spy Who Helped Win World War II by Sonia Purnell 6/10 This was not as good as I was hoping it would be, the stories were not in a ton of detail and it didn't show how much of what she did while important was of the utmost importance towards winning the war.

    35. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (The Hunger Games #0) by Suzanne Collins 1/10 This was very bad, I couldn't find much redeeming in it at all and was glad when I was done with it.

    36. Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson 8/10 I learned a lot from this book and the individual cases that were talked about in it. There were times when the author was pretentious and hard to believe but the book was good and important.
     
  20. billdozer

    billdozer Well-Known Member
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    Have you seen the movie? I thought the movie was pretty good too, but it's been years since I've seen it now.
     
  21. CBH

    CBH Well-Known Member
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    No I haven’t seen the movie. Finally read it because I was spending a night in Savannah for work. I’ll have to add the movie to my list to watch too
     
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  22. billdozer

    billdozer Well-Known Member
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    It's fairly similar to the book. Some of the people play themselves, including Chablis.
     
  23. BP

    BP Bout to Regulate.
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    Im usually kind of weary of new concepts that can "hack your body" but basically he says the we over breath due to mouth breathing. Nasal breathing is superior. He promotes breathing exercises to help oxygen delivery, and has seen a lot of athletes improve their cardio. Discusses divers and taking big breaths are based on the misconception that taking in more air will increase the oxygen levels of the blood. “Big” breathing as in the case of large breaths through the mouth, will bring more oxygen into the lungs, but will not add any more oxygen to the blood. Lots of good info although the book gets a little repetitive at times. Seems the science is legit. I've also read Wim Hof, even though some of their philosophies are contradictory, He also claims over breathing can cause health problems such as obesity, so Im not 100% in on that, but a lot of the breathing techniques seem helpful and being better or more efficient at breathing during exercise can be beneficial.
     
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  24. TC

    TC Peter, 53, from Toxteth
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    [​IMG]

    Friend kopped this and lent it to me....added to current reading
     
  25. 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
    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
    28) The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka 9.5/10

    Really liked this one. One of my favorite reads this year thus far
     
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  26. TC

    TC Peter, 53, from Toxteth
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    I read this recently too. I love how he maintains his manners with the manager even though he's a giant bug
     
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  27. Kevintensity

    Kevintensity Poster/Posting Game Coordinator
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    after reading, I read on Reddit that others read it from a point of view of someone suffering from depression and it just blew my mind. Also I like how the Metamorphosis can actually be applied to Gregor as well as the sister, and his parents as well. It seems like it just goes deeper the more I think about it, which I love
     
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  28. NC Wolfpack

    NC Wolfpack Go Pack Go
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    About to finish the Lightbringer series, which I really enjoyed. What would be another similar series that I should dive into next?
     
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  29. billdozer

    billdozer Well-Known Member
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    I like the Licanius series by James Islington.
    Or Book of the Ancestor series by Mark Lawrence.
    Or Codex Alera by Jim Butcher.
    All are completed.
     
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  30. a1ND

    a1ND Bold & Spicy
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    I am new to this thread but just finished reading "Rage of Dragons". This book was fantastic and I couldn't put it down. Probably the best book I've read this year and on par with "Red Rising" which to me is the best 3 book trilogy from beginning to end.

    I highly recommend this book if you like action/fantasy and great story telling
     
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  31. Truman

    Truman Well-Known Member
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    I read it recently too and absolutely loved it. Stupid COVID pushed the 2nd book back to November :angry:
     
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  32. a1ND

    a1ND Bold & Spicy
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    yea, i will probably do a re-read of this in Oct right before the Nov release. I have already made the recommendation for Book #2 so i should hopefully be first on the list when it's released
     
  33. 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
    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
    28) The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka 9.5/10
    29) Anxious People by Fredrick Blackman 9/10
    30) In the Penal Colony by Franz Kafka 7.5/10
     
    #333 Kevintensity, Sep 13, 2020
    Last edited: Sep 13, 2020
  34. BigRed

    BigRed Well-Known Member
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    Yesterday I finished reading King of Ashes (The Firemane Saga #1) by Raymond E Feist. Highly recommend it for fantasy enthusiasts. At 500 pages, it’s a fairy quick read and book 2 was released this summer. I believe I heard about the series on Goodreads, but I don’t know how many books are going to comprise the series.

    I gave it 5 stars - IMO it is definitely a solid 4 star read for most fantasy genre fans.
     
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  35. 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)
    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 (10/10)
    50. Utopia Avenue by David Mitchell (7/10)
    51. Reaganland: America’s Right Turn 1976-1980 by Rick Perlstein (9/10)
    52. Axiom’s End by Lindsay Ellis (6.510)
    53. The Mother Code by Carole Stivers (7.5/10)
    54. Star Wars: Thrawn Ascendancy: Chaos Rising by Timothy Zahn (8/10)
    55. A Burning by Megha Majumadr (8.5/10)


    Axioms End - Story about Aliens that come to Earth. Just ok. He author is a YouTube I like. Enjoy her film criticisms, her first novel, ehhh

    The Mother Code - Post apocalyptic novel about robot mothers made to raise the babies the future of human existence relies on. It was really good, classic style sci fi that raises bigger themes and social commentary.

    Thrawn - A nerdy Star Wars book that i liked :comicbookguy: Should doc it a few points for the obnoxiously long tittle


    A Burning - Great book. There is a terrorism attack in India. A girl makes a throwaway comment on FB about it. The rising nationalism party uses her as a scape goat. Another great novel w good social commentary. Not a feel good book. Also really short a good one to mix up after a few long ones
     
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  36. 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)
    21. Making Space: Creating A Home Meditation Practice / Thich Nhat Hanh (5/10)
    22. Nobody Move / Denis Johnson (8.5/10)

    23. The Shock Doctrine: The Rise Of Disaster Capitalism / Naomi Klein (9.5/10)
    It's spectacular. Only held back the 10 rating because I had to force myself to finish it. Took forever just to get halfway. Also it will make you feel terrible about the future. In case you are not woke yet, fuck greedy corporations. That is who is behind trying to ruin us all, not the politician of the week.

    Next Up--

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  37. The Blackfish

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


    I just finished Shock Doctrine as well. So fucking good, but will make you so angry.
     
    Tangman, TC and Truman like this.
  38. TC

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

    Holy fuck, this guy is insufferable. I'm gonna finish the book because it's an easy read, but this guy is just a prick mostly. Condescending towards everyone, throws trash in the woods, etc. I thought people found him funny
     
  39. 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)
    19. One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez (5/10)
    20. Baptism of Fire (The Witcher #3) - Andrzej Sapkowski (6.5/10)
    21. Grant - Ron Chernow (8.5/10)

    Currently reading (spoilered for size):
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    [​IMG]
     
    BP, CBH, Kevintensity and 3 others like this.
  40. TC

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

    Meh or just tedious to read or what? Have it on my shelf
     
  41. Gonff

    Gonff Prince of Mousethieves
    Donor
    Oklahoma SoonersMetal

    I found it very tedious
     
    TC likes this.
  42. 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
    28) The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka 9.5/10
    29) Anxious People by Fredrick Blackman 9/10
    30) In the Penal Colony by Franz Kafka 7.5/10
    31) Action Park by Andy Mulvihill 9.25/10
     
    TC, BP, Henry Blake and 3 others like this.
  43. Truman

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

    There's a doc on Action Park on HBOMax. I knew nothing about it before I watched. Sounded like an insane place
     
    Kevintensity and Henry Blake like this.
  44. Fargin' Icehole

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

    Finished The Metamorphosis last night. Don't think I loved it as much as most in here. I got about 10-15 pages in and realized I'd read it before. No real memory of it. Must have been high school.
     
    Truman, Kevintensity and Tangman like this.
  45. 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
    The Oxygen Advantage-Patrick McKeown
    No Beast so Fierce- Dane Huckelbridge
    A Portal to Paradise-Alden Hayes
    Endure- Alex Hutchinson
     
  46. Kevintensity

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

    Currently reading The Spy and The Traitor, came across this from talking about the kgb interfering in a British election.
    "In an intriguing harbinger of modern times, Moscow was prepared to use dirty trucks and hidden interferences to seeing a democratic election in favor of its chosen candidate."

    Book is really good so far btw
     
    Tangman likes this.
  47. Truman

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

    It's great. I really liked it
     
    Kevintensity likes this.
  48. 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
    28) The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka 9.5/10
    29) Anxious People by Fredrick Blackman 9/10
    30) In the Penal Colony by Franz Kafka 7.5/10
    31) Action Park by Andy Mulvihill 9.25/10
    32) The Spy and The Traitor by Ben MacIntyre 10/10
     
    BP, BigRed, Truman and 4 others like this.
  49. 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

    13) The Heart is a Lonely Hunter (Carson McCullers) - 9/10
    14) Thy Neighbor's Wife (Guy Talese) - 8/10
    15) Power of the Dog (Don Winslow) - 8.5/10
    16) The Anarchy: The East India Company, Corporate Violence, and the Pillage of an Empire (William Dalrymple) - 8.5/10 -
    Thought this was very good from Dalrymple. A good primer that takes the reader from the first British merchants to arrive in India all the way through it's apex of influence. Really like how he showed how the EIC went from a small group of unscrupulous traders with a small band of mercenaries to what was in affect a stateless Army and how they manipulated the various rulers in India to gain power. If I'm being picky, I'd have liked to have seen more "behind the scenes" type stuff from the board in London but those sorts of documents may not be available. I also need to read more non-Western history because some of the names really slowed me down.
    17) What We Talk About When We Talk About Love (Raymond Carver) - 9.5/10 - I thought this collection was incredible, perhaps the best short story collection I've read. Carver writes about desperate people on the outs with beautifully sparse language. Liked all of the stories but some standouts aside from the eponymous story were "So Much Water So Close To Home" and "Tell The Women We're Going." He has a real knack for explaining everything you need to know about characters with a few sentences. TC given your comments on Denis Johnson, I think you'd really like Carver. Also recommended to fans of Murakami, who was apparently a big fan and translated some of his works to Japanese (there's a nice story about the one time they met if you'd like to Google).
    18) Confederates in the Attic: Dispatches from the Unfinished Civil War (Tony Horwitz) - 8/10 - Very enjoyable read that feels a lot newer than one written in the late '90s. A good dive into the "hardcore" reenactment scene as well as Civil War remembrance in the South. He weaves a loose history of the War into something of a travelogue. His visit to Southern KY directly after an interracial murder was probably the most disconcerting part of the book to me. As a child of the rural South, a lot of the things he discussed weren't surprising but they were presented in an entertaining way. Certainly worth your time if you've never read it.
    19) The Cartel (Don Winslow) - 8/10 - Book 2 in this series and another fun read from Winslow. This one does a good job mostly tracking recent Mexican history but feels "real". Again, not going to get too deep into it since I assume most everyone has read these. Winslow has certainly done his research. Looking forward to the final installment.

    Up next: 1) A Distant Mirror: The Calamitous 14th Century 2) Economics: The User's Guide 3) Lies My Teacher Told Me 4) The Border
     
  50. 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)
    21. Making Space: Creating A Home Meditation Practice / Thich Nhat Hanh (5/10)
    22. Nobody Move / Denis Johnson (8.5/10)
    23. The Shock Doctrine: The Rise Of Disaster Capitalism / Naomi Klein (9.5/10)

    24. A Walk In The Woods: Rediscovering America On The Appalachian Trail / Bill Bryson (5/10)
    Would not want to go hiking with this guy. I find his “humor” mostly insufferable. I did learn some stuff about the areas the AT passes through though and enjoyed some of his descriptions. Didn’t know about the towns in PA with coal fires eternally burning under them, or really anything about New Hampshire and Vermont

    Next Up--

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