What do you read? (Here's my recent list.)

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What books do you guys read for entertainment?

Recently, I (thought I had) completed reading Harry Turtledove's alternative history of the Civil War and World War I. While I was getting together the info for this list, I discovered that he has just completed another book in the WWI series. I guess I know what I'll read after I finish Ann Coulter's Treason.

For now, I'll stick to the novels that I've enjoyed recently - or are on my list.

Highly recommended for all gun owners!

Unintended Consequences
by John Ross

This is the beginning of Turtledove's alternative history series, in which the South won the Civil War.

How Few Remain
by Harry Turtledove

World War I begins, with some unforeseen alliances.

The Great War: American Front
by Harry Turtledove


The Great War: Walk in Hell
by Harry Turtledove


The Great War: Breakthroughs
by Harry Turtledove

An uneasy peace exists in North America after the USA's triumph in WWI.

American Empire: Blood and Iron
by Harry Turtledove


American Empire: The Center Cannot Hold
by Harry Turtledove

 

[cookie]

More...

I just found out about this one today. Guess what's next.

American Empire: The Victorious Opposition
by Harry Turtledove

I haven't read this one yet. It's not actually part of either series, and is more of a science fiction work with time travelers delivering AK-47s to General Lee's army.

The Guns of the South
by Harry Turtledove

 

[Travis McGee]

 

[Nightcrawler]

I liked Turtledove's WorldWar series, and am eagerly awaiting the next volume in the Colonization series.

As a rule, I avoid political fiction. I've studied enough political science, and read through enough drab, poorly written PoliSci textbooks that I don't need authors preaching their ideaology to me in fiction, too.

Even if I agree with what they're saying, I'm not usually in the mood for a book that has an obvious political message as it's primary reason for being written (but that's just me).

So, if you're a writer, take note. Science fiction or no, The Grand List of Overused Science Fiction Cliches has some good tips on what's been overdone.

Specifically, this one:

The author lectures the viewer/reader; the lecture takes the form of a Platonic Dialogue between two characters, or of the Cosmic Message from the Ultra-enlightened Aliens to the Great Unwashed Human Masses.

You get the idea. I, personally, dislike books that do this.

Again, though, that's just me. I might pick up Enemies. Is it available on Amazon, by chance?

 

[4v50 Gary]

Finished the memoirs of General William T. Sherman & Baumgartner's Kennesaw last week and presently reading John Billing's Tenth Massachusetts Battery. Billing's more famous work is Hardtack and Coffee.

 

[Dorrin79]

most recently I read

Quicksilver by Neal Stephenson

Altered Carbon by Richard Morgan

re-read Return of the King in expectation of the film

re-read Len Deighton's Blitzkrieg, an analysis of the opening stages of WWII

currently reading Carlucci's Edge by Richard Paul Russo. (2nd in a trilogy, Destroying Angel, Carlucci's Edge, and Carlucci's Heart)

 

[Ed]

In sales I listen to lots of books on tape as I drive.

Anything by Lee Child, Great books about an x Army MP.
Tess Geritson has some good ones.
Right now I'm reading Ghost Soldiers.
Michael Conely has good books too.

 

[FireInTheHole]

Nightcrawler: Have you read the 5th imperium series by David Weber? Seems like half of the list of Overused Science Fiction Cliches is used up in the first book "Mutineer's Moon".

Good yarn though, I've read the series a couple times now.

 

[priv8ter]

Books!

The two most recent books I read were Lucifer's Hammer by Niven and Pournelle, and I bought a new copy of I Am Legend, by Matheson....great story...spooky as all get out.

Right now, I am reading 'The Moon is a Harsh Mistress' to my pregnant wife...my way of bonding with the kid. Great book to read, but man, oh man, that Loonie way of talking sure makes it tough to read to someone else...

 

[Jack19]

Lately, been working on "London," by Edward Rutherfurd. Great hisorical fiction as are all of his books.

Have also been reading Shakespeare's Twelfth Night. "What country, friends, is this?"

 

[Dr.Rob]

Lets see...

In Search of Captain Zero (strangely well written nonfiction exploration of self and surf by AC Wiesbecker)

Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Prachett (it's the apocalypse, as written by Monty Python or Douglas Adams... very funny)

Sometimes fiction doesn't need to be gunrelated though they both have their moments.

 

[ACP230]

I just reread "Oliver Wiswell" by Kenneth Roberts.
It is a book on the American Revolution written from the Tory perspective.

Roberts did several other books on the Revolution and the War Of 1812 including: "Rabble In Arms," (from the Revolutionary side) "The Lively Lady" ( about privateers) "Arundel" and "Northwest Passage."

I read them in high school and now have most of the books since the library sold them off for a dime each about 10 years ago.

Roberts did extensive research. I recommend his books.

 

[Border]

The Da Vinci Code, 1/2 through, good so far....

 

[hksw]

Now reading Star Risk, LTD. by Chris Bunch. Also, various catalogs for replacing a BSA scope atop my recently converted 10/22M (from .22 mag to .17 HMR).

 

[kudu]

Anything by David Drake, David Weber, Eric Flint, Stephen Hunter, and Simon R. Green. The first three are excellent military sci-fi writers, lots of action. John Dalmas also, plus a whole lot of other authors not necessarily all about guns.

For some good dry satirical laughs try Terry Pratchett's Discworld Series, not about guns.

 

[Okiecruffler]

I just discovered P.J. O'Rourke so I've been reading his stuff. Funny guy. I'm also about half way thru The Snakebite Survivors' Club by Jeremy Seal. Interesting read if you're into handling snakes, pretty boring if you're married to a guy who's into handling snakes who keeps reading you passages from the book.

 

[Brian Williams]

Recently read the Richard Sharpe series by ????? about a young man enters british military and goes to India and thru the Napoleonic wars as a rifleman.

Dune

Chronicles of Thomas Covanant by Stephen R Donoldson


Secrets of the Koran Scarey people.... scarey book, the Koran that is.

 

[tyme]

(not gun related)
Picture of Dorian Gray (Wilde)
Don Juan (Moliere)
Pygmalion (Shaw)
re-read Thucydides Melian Dialogue (from History of the Peloponnesian War)
re-read the Prince
re-read 1984
most of Lincoln's Constitution (Farber)

I read a chapter of History and Utopia (Cioran) in the store before buying it, but it's really bizarre. After I get done with that I'm thinking about reading Vico's The First New Science and Cassier's Myth of the State, all three of which together I figure should drive me completely insane.

 

[Sindawe]

Interesting reading list so far. OK, here's the current population of my reading shelf.

VBS in a Nutshell - O'Reilly Press
The Tribe of Tiger - Disertation on cats, large and small
Choosing Names, Man-Kzin Wars VIII
The American Zone - Fiction, L. Neil Smith
Aftershocks - H. Turtledove, alternate history
She is the Darkness - Fantasy, Glen Cook
Petty Pewter Gods - Fantasy Gumshoe, Glen Cook
Deadly Quicksilver Lies - ibid

Eagerly awaiting:

Eneimies Forign and Domestic
The next, first and last Heinlein novel
The Ballad of Carl Drenga

 

[coylh]

Heinlein has a number of good novels.

 

[swingset]

I don't read much gusto/guns stuff, reading to me is relaxation time so I usually bug out to some Sarte or Camus. Just got through "The Myth of Sisyphus" the other day. Pretty cool book.

I'm weird that way.

 

[timbo]

Read? What's that? I've been too busy reading up on manufacturing methods to finish off my master's thesis, so I'm not getting a lot of variety in my literature. When I'm not involved in a lot of writing, I tend to go through some Tom Clancy stuff and some fantasy novels.

 

[Sergeant Bob]

Perfessr

Chronicles of Thomas Covanant by Stephen R Donoldson

Leper, outcast, unclean. I'll have to dig that series out and read it for the 4th time! Great books.
Have you read his Gap series?

Just finished Enemies, Foreign and Domestic (I got the AIplane Edition!). Coudn't put it down! Stayed up WAY past my bedtime

 

[FireInTheHole]

Here's my list(in order):

Dune Series
Lord of the Ring
Lucifer's Hammer
Starship Troopers
Armour
The Wheel of Time(Grrr... R. Jordan needs to finish it!)
5th Imperium Series

Various other junky fantasy/scifi.

I dont get much leisure time to read (besides textbooks!) anymore.

 

[TonyB]

just finished NightPrey by John Sandford,it's the second book of his that I've read......I've read almost every Stephen Hunter book,and look forward to Havana..... my wife got me a book about Delta Force written by the guy who helped form it,that's my next one...I like simple stories w/ lots of guns....like me.