Book thread

[Smith Corks One]

Thanks Mac, you went above and beyond. I'll take your advice and start with The Blade Itself.

[Swirls]

Another option if you want teenager-esque fantasy novels are to look towards Rick Riordan. Percy Jackson and the Olympians is a pretty good set of books to read (despite the movie being absolutely TERRIBLE), and not much bigger than Harry Potter. He's also started a couple other series' since Percy Jackson ended.

Sorta like Mac was talking about with Sanderson's ultimate goal, all of Riordan's book series' sorta inter-mesh with characters/plots.

[MrSaigon]

I read Outliers. Pretty interesting. I have a natural recoil when people try to discredit individuality (probably because I'm a youngest child), and I think Gladwell doesn't give enough respect to it. One thing I'd like to hear is his take on is creativity. But it was a good book with a lot of interesting stories and information.

Also finished (listening to) Moneyball. I had no idea it was going to be so entertaining. Well written, even if Lewis uses the word 'Quixotic' too much. I know some baseball fans resist advanced metrics and maybe this book for that reason, but the behind the scenes stuff here is just so interesting. In a way I think the book is a bit damning for the people the SABR crowd in the detachment and callousness (at least decision-makers, anyway). Terrible narrator, though.

[docellis]

I loved Moneyball. I didn't take it as "preaching an amazing theory" but more like you mention, very interesting behind the scenes baseball stuff.

[heyzeus]

Just started "The Pale King" by David Foster Wallace, which is hearbreakingly good. Hearbreaking because I know it won't really "end" because Wallace killed himself before ever completing the novel, and heartbreaking because there really was no current writer I've found who was possessed with his intellect, unique voice, or lyrical prose.

And more heartbreaking still just because there will never be another novel or essay from him.

[Radbird]

Hope to find King's new novel under the tree this year.

King evokes horrors of history in '11/22/63'

[cards2468]

My mom just started on that book and seems to like it.

I'm starting on Rainbow Six by Tom Clancy. I've been meaning to read it for a long time and finally am getting around to it.

[Team]

Hope to find King's new novel under the tree this year.

King evokes horrors of history in '11/22/63'

I'm about 300 pages into this and I love it so far. If you're a big Stephen King fan I don't think you'll be disappointed.

[Freed Roger]

"The Sisters Brothers" novel about two brothers that are hired killers 1850s California. Undoubtably will be made into a movie someday- it already reads somewhat like a script. Entertaining.

It humanizes the characters much more than the typical Western movie or novel. The West is still a cold hard animalistic place, but not without the characters having remorse, humor, and heart -which makes the story more realistic.

[Radbird]

Did some Christmas shopping this weekend and picked up this book for the kid.

The Prague Cemetery