Books: What are you reading tonight?
We have ongoing threads on t.v. and movies we're watching lately; it's time for one for books. daveT's thread on favori
Captured by Aliens by Joel Achenbach.
This was a fun read. He's exploring the possibility of life elsewhere in the universe, and the search for it. Everything from the serious scientific (as of the 1999 publishing date) like SETI and some of the early Mars probes, to people who believe they have met, are, or have been taken over by alien beings.
He does a good job of keeping the reading light and easy to read.
Just read Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie and really liked it. The main character is an AI ship that embodies many different bodies (plus controlling a ship). It takes a bit getting used to, but it was a very interesting tale. I am now reading the sequel, Ancillary Sword.
Homestand Small Town Baseball and the Fight for America - Will Bardenwerper
This book is centered on small town (sub minor league) baseball but then again so much more. It covers the plight of small towns and corporate greed and a kinship of the people involved.
It is a narrative non-fiction work centering on the Batavia Muckdogs of Batavia NY in the western part of the state. Batavias minor league tem The Muckdogs was cast aside when MLB decided to streamline the minor leagues as a result of Covid. But the Muckdogs re-emerged in a new league consisting of mostly college players (who pay rather than get paid) to play in the league. Mostly lower divison college players who have little to no shot at making even the minor leagues let alone MLB.
We get to know the players, the owners and employees and more importantly the die hard fans and townsfolk. This is about much more than baseball, it is Americana.
I really enjoyed this very well written and interesting snapshot of America.
Homestand Small Town Baseball and the Fight for America - Will BardenwerperThis book is centered on small town (sub minor league) baseball but then again so much more. It covers the plight of small towns and corporate greed and a kinship of the people involved.It is a narrative non-fiction work centering on the Batavia Muckdogs of Batavia NY in the western part of the state.
If you haven't read it, Slouching Towards Fargo is a must read for fans of independent professional baseball.
If you haven't read it, Slouching Towards Fargo is a must read for fans of independent professional baseball.
Thanks will check it out.
If you haven't read it, Slouching Towards Fargo is a must read for fans of independent professional baseball.
Okay just bought it and its on my kindle for my (maybe?) next read. If it sucks you owe me $5.99! Actually I am looking forward to it. First I need to get through my current edition of County Highway. County Highway is absolutely awesome! Just got the recent issue a couple of days ago. If you are unaware County Highway is a newspaper like magazine like series of articles/stories on newsprint that comes our 6 times per year. I think the subscription is $50 per year? And it is cheap at that price for what it provides. I read every issue cover to cover on subjects I didn't even know I was interested in but every acticle in every issue is pure gold.
You should all check out County Highway!
Okay just bought it and its on my kindle for my (maybe?) next read. If it sucks you owe me $5.99! Actually I am looking forward to it. First I need to get through my current edition of County Highway. County Highway is absolutely awesome! Just got the recent issue a couple of days ago. If you are unaware County Highway is a newspaper like magazine like series of articles/
You are too much of a baseball guy and much too weird not to like this book. Plus, you are old enough to know some of the personalities that show up in it. If you don't love it, send me your paypal info and I will send you the money if or when my bank balance is >= $5.99.
You are too much of a baseball guy and much too weird not to like this book. Plus, you are old enough to know some of the personalities that show up in it. If you don't love it, send me your paypal info and I will send you the money if or when my bank balance is >= $5.99.
I am sure I ill love it! The title alone has me sold. And yes, I impulsively buy books based entirely on their title 😀
Not sure if this is of interest, but Smithsonian magazine has an article on
's house..
/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/d2/f6/d2f60703-6ca8-4e64-b80b-f671be00d8ed/1_smithsonian_cormac_shoot_2_-1112.jpg)
Just started it, but it seems as if the writer got some access to go in with people who were trying to sift through and organize the stuff in McCarthy's house.
Himalaya by Michael Palin.
The companion book to his BBC travel series in that region. As with all of his series and books, very entertaining. Quite well written, gives one an insight not only to the things he saw, but the people and cultures he experienced as well.
The new Janice Hallett mystery is excellent. If you haven't read her stuff, you can start with any mystery they are not related except for the novella follow-up to 'The Appeal.'
They are all quite good, I think Alperton Angels and The Twyford Code are my favorites. All of them are unconventional, make excellent use of texts/email in the narrative and are set modern day if you're tired of Golden Age mysteries.
Probably one of my top 2 fave mystery writers working today.
In the Garden of Beasts by Erik Larson
It's about William E. Dodd, who was the US ambassador to Germany in 1933. It's scary, but unsurprising, that a lot of the things that were going on in Germany at that time are going on in the US today.
1929 by Andrew Ross Sorkin came out yesterday. Reviews seem pretty positive; I’m ~ 10% into it and enjoying so far. Let’s hope his timing isn’t prescient!
In the Garden of Beasts by Erik Larson
It's about William E. Dodd, who was the US ambassador to Germany in 1933. It's scary, but unsurprising, that a lot of the things that were going on in Germany at that time are going on in the US today.
The specter of fascism is always falling on the US but landing on Europe.
You are too much of a baseball guy and much too weird not to like this book. Plus, you are old enough to know some of the personalities that show up in it. If you don't love it, send me your paypal info and I will send you the money if or when my bank balance is >= $5.99.
About a quarter of the way in and have realized I already saw the movie 😀 Sort of anyway. The documentary The Saint of Second Chances (Netflix) covers much of the same ground and I am guessing the documentary was inspired by this book. The movie is all Mike Veeck while it seems the book will be much more in depth with more characters. The doc just briefly touched on the Murray and Strawberry connection.
But yeah, this book is already a winner and I already really like the author.
1929 by Andrew Ross Sorkin came out yesterday. Reviews seem pretty positive; I’m ~ 10% into it and enjoying so far. Let’s hope his timing isn’t prescient!
Ultimately kind of meh. I guess fairly interesting but nothing particularly groundbreaking. The Jesse Livermore stories are the best and the classic book about him is a much better read.
Ultimately kind of meh. I guess fairly interesting but nothing particularly groundbreaking. The Jesse Livermore stories are the best and the classic book about him is a much better read.
Shoot, I was afraid that might be the case; thanks for your thoughts. Kinda balked when I saw it’s 590 pages…I mean how much new original source material could the author have uncovered to justify that length? (I still might read it…just not a priority).
Agreed that Reminiscences is an incredibly fun read.
Trust (Hernan Diaz) released a few years ago is really fun fiction about that period…not sure if you guys covered that ITT at the time.
The Lies of Locke Lamora & Red Seas Under Red Skies
First two of Scott Lynch's 'Gentleman Bastards' books. Fantasy about a group of thieves conning the rich. Very good.
The Dark Tourist & The Conspiracy Tourist
Travel books by comic/journalist, Dom Joly. First one he visits places like Chernobyl, N.Korea, Cambodia's Killing Fields, and goes skiing in Iran. Second book he's investigating conspiracy nuts, talking to flat-earthers, QAnons, UFO folk, and people who believe Finland doesn't exist (yes, it's a think).
The Long Shoe
Light-hearted mystery by UK comedy legend, Bob Mortimer, about a man who's girlfriend goes missing, and at the same time he's given a new an apartment in a luxury complex on the condition he spies on his new neighbours.
Molly Jong-Fast's vicious takedown of her still-living mother, How to Lose Your Mother, is perhaps the most disgusting piece of book-like trash I can remember.
I only made it to page 40 or so. yuck
The Puzzler by A. J. Jacobs.
In this book, Jacobs learns about and tries difficult versions of all kinds of puzzles. Word puzzles, math puzzles, chess problems, physical puzzles (Rubik's Cube, Japanese puzzle boxes, jigsaw puzzles, for example).
Not an academic book, but there is some history for each category as well. It's a nice read. Being a long-time fan pf puzzling (did the daily NYT crossword for years back when newspapers were still a thing. Always have a jigsaw going), this appealed to me. Recommend for anyone who's into that world.
Sounds good.
Looked him up and he seems to have done a bunch of fun books I like the look of that I think I'll check out.
