Books you read in 2021

Discussion in 'TMB Book Club' started by The Blackfish, Jan 1, 2021.

  1. Truman

    Truman Well-Known Member
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    Legends (Old EU)
    Darth Plagueis
    Kenobi
    Thrawn Trilogy (Heir to the Empire, Dark Force Rising, The Last Command)

    New Cannon:
    Lost Stars
    Lords of the Sith
    Dark Disciple
    Bloodline
    Master & Apprentice

    I would say the Aftermath Trilogy is good, and it is. However none of it pays off in the movies so its basically a cool dick tease.

    There's also a new series starting called The High Republic. It takes place 300 years before the prequel trilogy. The first book is out and was pretty good. The next one comes out Tuesday
     
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  2. Truman

    Truman Well-Known Member
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  3. Mookie Blaylock

    Mookie Blaylock Well-Known Member
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    Auburn Tigers

    1. Stealing Home by Eric Nusbaum 7/10


    Going to read Lonesome Dove next, think I’ve seen it mentioned in a few threads on here and this board usually nails it with recommendations
     
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  4. Truman

    Truman Well-Known Member
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    its great
     
  5. Fargin' Icehole

    Fargin' Icehole 50% soulless
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    About half way through LD right now. Really good.
     
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  6. CBH

    CBH Well-Known Member
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    1. The Truths We Hold: An American Journey by Kamala Harris 8/10 This was a very good look into Kamala's life before becoming a Senator, enjoyed learning a lot more about her.

    2. Total Power (Mitch Rapp #19) by Kyle Mills 7/10 This was better than most of the Kyle Mills books in the Rapp series to me. Certainly some parts that I didn't like but overall was something that kept me coming back to finish it quick.

    3. Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance by Barack Obama 9/10 I really enjoyed this, I hadn't read any of Obama's books and felt I should change that and start with the first. I'll probably be reading the others shortly.
     
  7. billdozer

    billdozer Well-Known Member
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    1. White Night (Dresden Files #9) - Jim Butcher (8.5/10) (reread)
    2. Small Favor (Dresden Files #10) - Jim Butcher (9/10) (reread)
    3. Turn Coat (Dresden Files #11) - Jim Butcher (9/10) (reread)
    4. Changes (Dresden Files #12) - Jim Butcher (9.5/10) (reread)
    5. Ghost Story (Dresden Files #13) - Jim Butcher (8/10) (reread)
    6. Cold Days (Dresden Files #14) - Jim Butcher (8.5/10) (reread)
     
  8. The Blackfish

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

    1. A People’s History of the United States - Howard Zinn (8.25/10)
    2. Developing the Leader Within You 2.0 - John Maxwell (6/10)
    3. The New Confessions of an Economic Hit Man - John Perkins (7/10)
    4. The Institute - Stephen King (7.5/10)
    5. This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs. The Climate - Naomi Klein (8/10)
    6. The Burning Case for a Green New Deal - Naomi Klein (7.5/10)
    7. The Dead Zone - Stephen King (9/10)

    Next Up: Grant - Ron Chernow

    Be back in a few weeks
     
  9. DriveByBBQ

    DriveByBBQ Well-Known Member
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  10. Tangman

    Tangman Well-Known Member
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    1. The Border (Don Winslow) - 7.5/10 - Another fun and breezy read from Winslow. He couldn't use history as his guide as much in this one so he had to be a little more creative but I think he pulled it off reasonably well. I do think some of side stories were shoehorned in (refugee plot, for example) and felt a little clunky but it's understandable why he felt it necessary. Enjoyed reading the Goodreads reviews wherein all of the conservative reviewers were frothing mad over his depiction of Trump and family. A worthy finish to the trilogy, though.
    2. Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong (James W. Loewen) - 8/10 - Having put this one off for years, I'm glad I finally got around to it. One thing I've picked up on while being on the internet for most of my life is how unfamiliar even educated people are with American history, and this book hits on most of the reasons why. The version of history we get in school is dumbed-down, patriotic myth; it's no surprise that most people find it disinteresting. Learned a lot about how textbooks are put together (apparently, the listed authors have little or no involvement) and how certain interest groups pressure schools and textbook publishers. Anyway, certainly worth your time, get the updated version if you do read it.
    3. The Jakarta Method: Washington's Anticommunist Crusade and the Mass Murder Program that Shaped Our World (Vincent Bevins) - 9.5/10 - Easily one of the best books I've read in the last few years. A lot of focus on Indonesia naturally (I didn't know much about what happened there aside from the basics) but also how those events helped shape other Cold War anticommunist movements (especially in the western hemisphere). Easy to read and informative. Really enjoyed how he weaved in personal narratives while recounting wider events. I highly suggest this one. Thanks to The Blackfish (I believe) for bringing it to my attention.

    Up next: 1) The Stranger Beside Me 2) The Cigarette Century: The Rise, Fall, and Deadly Persistence of the Product that Defined America 3) The Anatomy of Fascism
     
  11. TC

    TC Peter, 53, from Toxteth
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    Ooh, this sounds good. Probably particularly so for a user from Tobacco Road
     
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  12. The Blackfish

    The Blackfish The Fish in Black
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    Alabama Crimson TideIndianapolis ColtsBook Club

    Thanks to Iron Mickey for bringing it to my attention so I could bring it to your attention.
     
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  13. Tangman

    Tangman Well-Known Member
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    Funny enough, I'm the first male in my family since the 1700s to not farm tobacco.
     
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  14. TC

    TC Peter, 53, from Toxteth
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    Same here actually — ancestors go back to 1700s in SC and I am the first generation not making a living from farming. It’s livestock down here though
     
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  15. Truman

    Truman Well-Known Member
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    1. The Space Between Worlds by Miciah Johnson (7.5/10)
    2. Star Wars The High Republic : Light of the Jedi by Charles Soule (8/10)
    3. Black Buck by Mateo Askiripur (8/10)
    4. I am Legend by Richard Matheson (7.5/10)
    5. Moonflower Murders (Susan Reyland #2) by Anthony Horowitz (7.5/10)
    6. The List (Orphan X #5,5) by Gregg Hurwitz (8/10)
    7. Prodigal Son (Orphan X #6) by Gregg Hurwitz (8.5/10)
    8. Remote Control by Nnedi Okafor (7/10)

    Knocked out a bunch of shorter novels and novellas the past month.

    Black Buck - Black dude that works at starbucks gets recruited to work at a fast growing start up in a sales role. It's pretty much as a token diversity hire. This is basically a riff on Boiler Room/ Wolf of Wallstreet w a lot of social commentary. It was a fast pace enjoyable read. A little ridiculous w some plots but there was a lot I identified w in this book. Not being the token black guy obviously, but the sales part. Im in sales and worked for some start ups. I can tell the author was in a past life. He nailed a lot of it, exaggerated other parts of it. It's a good and entertaining book in general. If youre in sales, it probably hits home quite a bit too.

    I am Legend. - Wanted to read this book forever. Didnt realize it was written in the 50s. It holds up incredibly well. The movie did well by it too, even w the slight changes to make in more modern.

    Moonflower Murders - Only read this because the first book, Magpie Murders was a book club book. Not a genre I typically read, but I like it. It's fun and different for me. He's a good writer.

    Oprhan X - Ongoing series about an ex special super agent that escapes the program and becomes a good Samaritan. Kind of like a Jack Bauer type without all the islamaphobia and smaller stakes than imminent national security threats all the time. An good action series.

    Remote Control - Novella about a little girl in future Ghana that is adopted by the Grim Reaper. It was just alright.
     
  16. Marty Kaan

    Marty Kaan By any means necessary
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    Looking forward to this thread. Currently on a 4 month fast of social media and TV. Dedicating 1-3 hours a day to reading.

    1. Atomic Habits
    2. The Prophet
    3. Can't hurt me
    4. Lies my teacher taught me
    5. Stillness is the key
    6. Greenlight
    7. Meditations
    8. Ego is the Enemy
    9. An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States
    10. the Obstacle is the Way

    Currently Reading
    Can't Make this up
    The Daily Stoic and the Daily Stoic Journal
    Indistractable
    Fast this way
     
    #66 Marty Kaan, Feb 3, 2021
    Last edited: Feb 12, 2021
  17. Kevintensity

    Kevintensity Poster/Posting Game Coordinator
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    1) Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by JK Rowling 10/10
    2) The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon 9/10
    3) American Assassin by Vince Flynn 10/10
    4) Darth Bane Path of Destruction by Drew Karpyshyn 9/10
    5) Darth Bane Rule of Two by Drew Karpyshyn 8.5/10
    6) Darth Bane Dynasty of Evil by Drew Karpyshyn 9/10
    7) Meat Market by Bruce Feldman 8/10

    Enjoyed it, probably would have rated higher if I'd read it when it was released
     
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  18. BP

    BP Bout to Regulate.
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    You should check out No Beast so Fierce. About a Tiger in Nepal/India that killed over 400
     
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  19. BP

    BP Bout to Regulate.
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    Jan dump
    1. Blue Mind-Wallace Nichols
    2. Elantris-Sanderson
    3. The Stand- Stephen King
    4. The girl with seven names-Hyeonseo Lee
    5. Nothing to Envy-Barbara Demick
    6. Atomic Habits-James Clear
    7. White Hunters-Brian Herne
    8. The Lost City of the Monkey God-Douglas Preston

    1. Blue Mind- All the positives about being/living near water
    4 & 5- North Korean defectors
    6. Atomic Habits- really enjoyable and a qick read
    7. Golden Age of safari hunting in Africa in the 18 and 1900s. Some gnarley accounts of maulings
    8. True story about finding a "lost" city in the jungles of Honduras. Basically an previously unknown civilization and people.
     
  20. The Blackfish

    The Blackfish The Fish in Black
    Staff Donor TMB OG
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    You read all of that in January? A listen to audiobooks a few hours per day at 1.8x speed and can’t touch that. 8 books is a lot but one of them being The Stand? Damn
     
  21. BP

    BP Bout to Regulate.
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    Not all of it. I started Blue Mind and Elantris after Xmas but finished in Jan. Our Carpool dissolved so that's an extra 2 hours each day at 1.5x speed. Outside of Elantris and The Stand most of the books are 10-15 hours with Atomic Habits being like 6 I think.
     
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  22. Kevintensity

    Kevintensity Poster/Posting Game Coordinator
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    1) Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by JK Rowling 10/10
    2) The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon 9/10
    3) American Assassin by Vince Flynn 10/10
    4) Darth Bane Path of Destruction by Drew Karpyshyn 9/10
    5) Darth Bane Rule of Two by Drew Karpyshyn 8.5/10
    6) Darth Bane Dynasty of Evil by Drew Karpyshyn 9/10
    7) Meat Market by Bruce Feldman 8/10
    8) Star Wars: Lost Stars by Claudia Gray 10/10
     
  23. Walt Disney

    Walt Disney #Dawgzy
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    1. Chasing the Scream - Johann Hari (9.1/10)
    2. Bullshit Jobs: A Theory - David Graeber (8.1/10)

    fun take on how many meaningless jobs there are and the harm they cause
     
  24. Truman

    Truman Well-Known Member
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    Glad you liked Lost Stars. Now youre sucked into SW.
     
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  25. Dillingham

    Dillingham Well-Known Member
    Donor TMB OG

     
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  26. Marty Kaan

    Marty Kaan By any means necessary
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    I've been reading about 100 pages a day and I'll listen to an audiobook instead of watching TV before going to bed. It's feasible.
     
    #76 Marty Kaan, Feb 10, 2021
    Last edited: Feb 10, 2021
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  27. The Blackfish

    The Blackfish The Fish in Black
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    I know it’s feasible, I hit 7 and have done more in the past but throwing The Stand in there is impressive. I also have two young kids now so my view on what is achievable isn’t what it once was.
     
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  28. clemsonvianj

    clemsonvianj Well-Known Member
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    1. The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life by Alice Schroeder (7.5/10)
    2. From Fish to Philosopher by Homer by William Smith (7/10)
    3. The Tiger: A True Story of Vengeance and Survival by John Vaillant (7.5/10)
    4. The Dichotomy of Leadership: Balancing the Challenges of Extreme Ownership to Lead and Win by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin (9/10)
    5. Sevens Heaven: The Beautiful Chaos of Fiji's Olympic Dream by Ben Ryan (8/10)
    6. Paddle Your Own Canoe: One Man's Fundamentals for Delicious Living by Nick Offerman (9/10)

    autobiography with tips on how to live. pretty funny. would highly recommend.
     
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  29. billdozer

    billdozer Well-Known Member
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    1. White Night (Dresden Files #9) - Jim Butcher (8.5/10) (reread)
    2. Small Favor (Dresden Files #10) - Jim Butcher (9/10) (reread)
    3. Turn Coat (Dresden Files #11) - Jim Butcher (9/10) (reread)
    4. Changes (Dresden Files #12) - Jim Butcher (9.5/10) (reread)
    5. Ghost Story (Dresden Files #13) - Jim Butcher (8/10) (reread)
    6. Cold Days (Dresden Files #14) - Jim Butcher (8.5/10) (reread)
    7. Skin Game (Dresden Files #15) - Jim Butcher (9/10) (reread)
    8. Peace Talks (Dresden Files #16) - Jim Butcher (8/10)
     
  30. Kevintensity

    Kevintensity Poster/Posting Game Coordinator
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    1) Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by JK Rowling 10/10
    2) The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon 9/10
    3) American Assassin by Vince Flynn 10/10
    4) Darth Bane Path of Destruction by Drew Karpyshyn 9/10
    5) Darth Bane Rule of Two by Drew Karpyshyn 8.5/10
    6) Darth Bane Dynasty of Evil by Drew Karpyshyn 9/10
    7) Meat Market by Bruce Feldman 8/10
    8) Star Wars: Lost Stars by Claudia Gray 10/10
    9) NBA Jam by Reyan Ali 7.5/10
     
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  31. Fargin' Icehole

    Fargin' Icehole 50% soulless
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    Lonesome Dove = real good. Watched the mini series in college with my buddy so when I read it the characters were Duvall, Jones, Lane, Glover, Shroder, etc. And that was cool with me. Not gonna fuck with the others in the tetralogy, story is good as it sits.
     
  32. dcon79

    dcon79 Nailed it
    Donor TMB OG

    1) These Truths: A History of the United States 9/10

    Been working on that since the New Year. Great look at how contradictory the US has been since before the founding. Excited to get into more fiction after this one though.
     
    #82 dcon79, Feb 13, 2021
    Last edited: Feb 13, 2021
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  33. Truman

    Truman Well-Known Member
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    Youre missing out. They're good
     
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  34. Mookie Blaylock

    Mookie Blaylock Well-Known Member
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    Auburn Tigers

    2. Lonesome Dove by Larry McMutry 10/10

    Damn, I loved this book. I don't think I've read fiction where I've connected with the characters like this in a long time. The Deets death really bummed me out and then Gus dying right after :feelsbadman:. Was going to ask if reading the rest of the books in the series is worth it and looks like someone above mentioned it, I'll probably come back to the second one later in the year. I did read the synopsis for #2 on Goodreads and it mentioned two characters being married which seemed odd to me. Does the short series do the book justice? I don't watch a ton of non live sports TV so it would take me a while to watch something that long (6'ish hours?) but would probably make the effort to find a way to stream it if so.
     
  35. Truman

    Truman Well-Known Member
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    The mini series does the book pretty well. But there’s some cheesy 80s style acting.
     
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  36. Truman

    Truman Well-Known Member
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    1. The Space Between Worlds by Miciah Johnson (7.5/10)
    2. Star Wars The High Republic : Light of the Jedi by Charles Soule (8/10)
    3. Black Buck by Mateo Askiripur (8/10)
    4. I am Legend by Richard Matheson (7.5/10)
    5. Moonflower Murders (Susan Reyland #2) by Anthony Horowitz (7.5/10)
    6. The List (Orphan X #5,5) by Gregg Hurwitz (8/10)
    7. Prodigal Son (Orphan X #6) by Gregg Hurwitz (8.5/10)
    8. Remote Control by Nnedi Okafor (7/10)
    9. Star Wars: The High Republic: Into the Dark, by Claudia Gray (8/10)
    10. To Be Honest, by Michael Leviton (7/10)
    11. The Assassination of Fred Hampton, by Jeffrey Haas (8.5/10)



    Star Wars - Another book in the new timeline. It was really good. More thoughts are in the SW book thread :comicbookguy:

    To Be Honest - This is a memoir about a dude whose parents raised him to never lie. About anything. I usually dont like memoirs because of unreliable narrorators ect, but this was pretty good. The no lying thing basically makes him an asshole because it took away any discretion in social situations. I almost quit reading the first half of the book because I couldnt believe any of these stories. They were so ridiculous. Then I started to sympathize w him a little bit. Short, interesting and different than what I normally read. I liked it.


    Assassination of Fred Hampton - Picked this up after watching Judas and the Black Messiah. Written by Hampton's lawyer It's more about he legal process and what it uncovered and the attempt to get justice. It was an incredible frustrating read. Our country can be fucking awful. . Also - living in Chicago, it was interesting to hear about what different parts of the city were like back then.
     
    #86 Truman, Feb 17, 2021
    Last edited: Feb 17, 2021
  37. Fargin' Icehole

    Fargin' Icehole 50% soulless
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    I loved it too, was surprised how much I did. I saw the mini series many years ago and loved it then. I'ma watch it soon and I'm curious how it holds up. Casting in it is brilliant though imo. I'm looking forward to it.
     
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  38. TC

    TC Peter, 53, from Toxteth
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    Real life "Liar Liar"?
     
  39. Truman

    Truman Well-Known Member
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    In a way. His dating life was the most painful to read about. Like if he was on a date and got the impression she wasnt that into him, he'd press her to admit she wasnt. And do it w no malice or hard feelings. He saw it as doing both of them a favor to not waste each other's time. She shouldnt lie to herself, and it's completely ok if she doesnt like me ect ect.

    At first youre like - this guy and family is absolutely nuts. Then you think - well, objectively they're right about nearly every rationale for their POV. But only in a vacuum of that's not how society operates.

    It's a good short read that made me think a lot. It's also like watching an uncomfortable train wreck.
     
    #89 Truman, Feb 17, 2021
    Last edited: Feb 17, 2021
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  40. BP

    BP Bout to Regulate.
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    Atlanta BravesGeorgia BulldogsAtlanta Falcons

    1. Blue Mind-Wallace Nichols
    2. Elantris-Sanderson
    3. The Stand- Stephen King
    4. The girl with seven names-Hyeonseo Lee
    5. Nothing to Envy-Barbara Demick
    6. Atomic Habits-James Clear
    7. White Hunters-Brian Herne
    8. The Lost City of the Monkey God-Douglas Preston
    9. Cadillac Desert- Marc Reisner

    Us westerners are really screwed in a few decades when it comes to water. We just take, take, take.
     
  41. Kevintensity

    Kevintensity Poster/Posting Game Coordinator
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    1) Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by JK Rowling 10/10
    2) The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon 9/10
    3) American Assassin by Vince Flynn 10/10
    4) Darth Bane Path of Destruction by Drew Karpyshyn 9/10
    5) Darth Bane Rule of Two by Drew Karpyshyn 8.5/10
    6) Darth Bane Dynasty of Evil by Drew Karpyshyn 9/10
    7) Meat Market by Bruce Feldman 8/10
    8) Star Wars: Lost Stars by Claudia Gray 10/10
    9) NBA Jam by Reyan Ali 7.5/10
    10) The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel 8/10
     
  42. billdozer

    billdozer Well-Known Member
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    Clemson TigersCarolina Panthers

    1. White Night (Dresden Files #9) - Jim Butcher (8.5/10) (reread)
    2. Small Favor (Dresden Files #10) - Jim Butcher (9/10) (reread)
    3. Turn Coat (Dresden Files #11) - Jim Butcher (9/10) (reread)
    4. Changes (Dresden Files #12) - Jim Butcher (9.5/10) (reread)
    5. Ghost Story (Dresden Files #13) - Jim Butcher (8/10) (reread)
    6. Cold Days (Dresden Files #14) - Jim Butcher (8.5/10) (reread)
    7. Skin Game (Dresden Files #15) - Jim Butcher (9/10) (reread)
    8. Peace Talks (Dresden Files #16) - Jim Butcher (8/10)
    9. Battle Ground (Dresden Files #17) - Jim Butcher (9/10)
     
  43. clemsonvianj

    clemsonvianj Well-Known Member
    Donor

    1. The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life by Alice Schroeder (7.5/10)
    2. From Fish to Philosopher by Homer by William Smith (7/10)
    3. The Tiger: A True Story of Vengeance and Survival by John Vaillant (7.5/10)
    4. The Dichotomy of Leadership: Balancing the Challenges of Extreme Ownership to Lead and Win by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin (9/10)
    5. Sevens Heaven: The Beautiful Chaos of Fiji's Olympic Dream by Ben Ryan (8/10)
    6. Paddle Your Own Canoe: One Man's Fundamentals for Delicious Living by Nick Offerman (9/10)
    7. The Italian Job by Gianluca Vialli and Gabriele Marcotti (7/10)

    comparison between soccer in England and Italy (fans, players, coaches, etc.). little outdated (published in 2006) in some respects. enjoyable, easy read.
     
  44. The Blackfish

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

    1. A People’s History of the United States - Howard Zinn (8.25/10)
    2. Developing the Leader Within You 2.0 - John Maxwell (6/10)
    3. The New Confessions of an Economic Hit Man - John Perkins (7/10)
    4. The Institute - Stephen King (7.5/10)
    5. This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs. The Climate - Naomi Klein (8/10)
    6. The Burning Case for a Green New Deal - Naomi Klein (7.5/10)
    7. The Dead Zone - Stephen King (9/10)
    8. Grant - Ron Chernow (10/10)

    Up next: Bleak House - Dickens
     
  45. dcon79

    dcon79 Nailed it
    Donor TMB OG

    1) These Truths: A History of the United States 9/10
    2) The Invisible Life of Addie Larue 8.5/10
     
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  46. Lorne Malvo

    Lorne Malvo Aces!
    Staff Donor TMB OG

    1. These Truths: A History of the United States - Jill Lepore (9/10)

    Another book that I have read over the last year where I found myself banging my head (metaphorically) against the wall, given some of the garbage that's happened in this country since day one. Thought it read pretty well, given it's basically straight history, with some opinion here and there.
     
  47. Kevintensity

    Kevintensity Poster/Posting Game Coordinator
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    1) Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by JK Rowling 10/10
    2) The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon 9/10
    3) American Assassin by Vince Flynn 10/10
    4) Darth Bane Path of Destruction by Drew Karpyshyn 9/10
    5) Darth Bane Rule of Two by Drew Karpyshyn 8.5/10
    6) Darth Bane Dynasty of Evil by Drew Karpyshyn 9/10
    7) Meat Market by Bruce Feldman 8/10
    8) Star Wars: Lost Stars by Claudia Gray 10/10
    9) NBA Jam by Reyan Ali 7.5/10
    10) The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel 8/10
    11) Kill Shot by Vince Flynn 8.5/10
    12) Think Like a Rocket Scientist by Ozan Carol 8.5/10
    13) How to Avoid a Climate Disaster by Bill Gates 9/10

    Kill Shot: solid second book in the Mitch Rapp series. Mitch reminds me of Quinn from Homeland if you've ever seen the series.

    Think like a rocket scientist: saw this on one of those bill gates or elon musk types' recommended reading list. Enjoyed reading it. I struggle rating these kind of self improvement books, but I'd recommend this one and it is one of the better ones I've read the past couple years.

    How to avoid a Climate Disaster: very easy to read and informative. The governmental side, not sure how practical or able some of his recommendations are. Will be looking more into and following the developments of technologies he's mentioned in the years to come.
     
    #97 Kevintensity, Feb 26, 2021
    Last edited: Feb 27, 2021
  48. Lorne Malvo

    Lorne Malvo Aces!
    Staff Donor TMB OG

    1. These Truths: A History of the United States - Jill Lepore (9/10)
    2. The Great Gatbsy - F. Scott Fitzgerald (6.5/10)

    I like this book more in theory than I did actually reading it. The plot never really grabbed me, but the *idea* of the plot (in hindsight) is pretty interesting. Especially considering the characters are in a post-WWI (and pandemic!) world, given we'll be going through the latter soon enough. There were multiple discussions throughout that I found relatively interesting, albeit not always enjoyable. Prose was excellent, but I guess I wanted more.
     
    clemsonvianj, TC, dcon79 and 4 others like this.
  49. Truman

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

    I havent read it since HS but remember hating it. Ive re-read a lot of books from HS but cant get myself to do that one
     
    LKRFN likes this.
  50. Truman

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

    1. The Space Between Worlds by Miciah Johnson (7.5/10)
    2. Star Wars The High Republic : Light of the Jedi by Charles Soule (8/10)
    3. Black Buck by Mateo Askiripur (8/10)
    4. I am Legend by Richard Matheson (7.5/10)
    5. Moonflower Murders (Susan Reyland #2) by Anthony Horowitz (7.5/10)
    6. The List (Orphan X #5,5) by Gregg Hurwitz (8/10)
    7. Prodigal Son (Orphan X #6) by Gregg Hurwitz (8.5/10)
    8. Remote Control by Nnedi Okafor (7/10)
    9. Star Wars: The High Republic: Into the Dark, by Claudia Gray (8/10)
    10. To Be Honest, by Michael Leviton (7/10)
    11. The Assassination of Fred Hampton, by Jeffrey Haas (8.5/10)
    12. The Orchard by David Hopen (10/10)
    13 Kill Switch: The Rise of the Modern Senate and Crippling of American Democracy, by Adam Jentleson (8/10)
    14. We Could Be Heroes, by Mike Chen (6.5/10)


    The Orchard - This is a novel about a HS boy who grew up in a Hassidic community in Brooklyn. Dad lost his job and they had to move to Miami for his new one. The moved to a more secular but still jewish community and HS. It's a coming of age story. It asks big questions about spirituality and ethics and a bunch of stuff, while having a great and engaging plot. Lots of fun HS fuckery too. Would make a great book club book. There are lot of angles to discuss.

    Kill Switch - This about how the Senate filabuster became a thing. It's an interesting book, a little dry. Another one of those history books that frustrate the hell out of you because there are so many times in our history where we were soooo close to getting it right. But of course we went the other way and fucked us up for generations. Also Im over these non fic books and the long ass subtitle.

    We Could Be Heroes - Novel about two people who cant remember more than a few years into their past, ,which is also the same amount of time they have super powers. One guy uses his powers to rob banks, as it's a victimless crime. The other as a vigilante hero. This is the 3rd book Ive read by Chen where the premise is really interesting to me but the execution fell flat. I just need to stop reading him lol