The last book you read?

[Gary]

Im reading Deception Point at the Moment..basically the book Dan Brown wrote before Angels and Demons..

[jayjames]

"All Together Dead" by Charlaine Harris

It's one of the Sookie Stackhouse novels, which the HBO show True Blood is based on.

[rob black]

the last book i read was  cross by James Patterson.  I really enjoy the Alex Cross series.

[jayjames]

I read "A Lick Of Frost" by Laurell K. Hamilton a few weeks ago.

[Drama Queen]

"A Thousand Splendid Suns" by Khaled Hosseini.

Not a book that I would have picked out myself, but it's what my book club picked for the month, and exposing myself to books I wouldn't normally read is the main reason I joined. And on this occasion it paid off.

It is somewhat of a depressing book it must be said, but not without it's own rewards for the reader and at least some of the main characters. Although it is a fiction, it also succeeded in making me a lot more sympathetic to the plight of people in Afghanistan... boy have they ever been through the mill.

The two main characters, the heroins were extremely strong women in many ways, but not without their faults either, which I always like to see.

I'm not going to do a full-scale review or anything, because I don't want to ruin the plot for anyone who might want to read it, but while it did not get me overly excited like say a good sci-fi might, I found myself very satisfied at the end and very glad I read it.


Edited to add... the author is more famous for "The Kite-Runner" though I have not read that, or seen the movie. I might be tempted now though.

[Drama Queen]

And today I just finished "Pretties" the second part of the "Uglies" trilogy by Scott Westerfeld.

Futuristic fantasy set in a post apocalyptic utopia, where everyone has to undergo mandatory surgery on their 16th birthday to be pretty. When her best friend escapes the city just before her operation, the main heroine (who WANTS to stay in the city and become pretty) is blackmailed into going out and finding her and bringing her back... or pay the worst price imaginable to her... remaining an Ugly for the rest of her life.

Aimed at the Young Adult audience, but like so many other books in the YA section of the library, it has a very clever style full of subtle social and policitcal observations that can be appreciated by any adult. Covers many topics that have been done many times (the whole fighting the system in particular) but with a nice fresh approach.

The most notable thing for me is that just when I am fully behind the rebellious heroes, the author turns around and makes me see the atagonist's quite valid point of view. Plenty of grey areas, and imperfect characters, the kind of stuff that makes a story exciting and unpredictable.

Can't wait to get my hands on the rest of the series.

[Nick]

Currently switching back and forth between the 'Tao of Leadership' by John Heider and 'The Graveyard Book' by Neil Gaiman. Just started Graveyard but it's shaping up to be a fantastic story for being labeled a children's book. Almost done with Tao of Leadership, and must I say it's a great read and certainly has changed the way I view life.

[Drama Queen]

Currently switching back and forth between the 'Tao of Leadership' by John Heider and 'The Graveyard Book' by Neil Gaiman. Just started Graveyard but it's shaping up to be a fantastic story for being labeled a children's book. Almost done with Tao of Leadership, and must I say it's a great read and certainly has changed the way I view life.

Listened to "The Graveyard Book" a few weeks ago, it's really clever and some nice varied tangents from the main theme. A really cool environment, couple of really cool characters, and the supporting characters made for an enjoyable bunch to read(/hear) about.

If you are into audiobooks, I recommend trying it, as Gaiman reads it himself and is really dramatic. Only downside is his voice is kind of soft and low, which although nails the mood of the book perfectly, makes it hard to hear in the middle of a working day in a machine shop!

Anyway, not going to say anymore, don't want to spoil it for you, let me know what you thought of it when your finished though!

[Goldferg]

Just finished 'Thicker Than Water' by Mike Carey. It's more or less yoru standard Felix Castor book, which if you like them is a good thing. Unlike the normal ones however, this one has a bastard cliffhanger ending that makes me want more, which i won't get for another six months or so until the next book gets published.

Definitely worth pickign up if you've read any of the others, IMO.

[Stevie Swing]

I finished An Arsonist's Guide to Writer's Homes in New England by Brock Clarke today, then had the pleasure of attending a Q&A session with the author in class.

It's a pretty damn funny read, from cover to cover. Sam Pulcifer burns down the Emily Dickinson Home "by accident," gets out of jail 10 years later, and winds up being the suspect in a rash of arsons targeting the homes of famous New England writers. He decides to investigate, and therein just about every corner of literary academia is satirized.

[Drama Queen]

I finished An Arsonist's Guide to Writer's Homes in New England by Brock Clarke today, then had the pleasure of attending a Q&A session with the author in class.

It's a pretty damn funny read, from cover to cover. Sam Pulcifer burns down the Emily Dickinson Home "by accident," gets out of jail 10 years later, and winds up being the suspect in a rash of arsons targeting the homes of famous New England writers. He decides to investigate, and therein just about every corner of literary academia is satirized.

I really like the sound of this, I might have to check it out!

[Stevie Swing]

I'd definitely recommend it, especially if you've been forced to read Mark Twain, Edward Bellamy, Robert Frost, and the zillions of other New England writers.

[Duckman]

Going to sound like a total wrestling mark but fuck it!  Last book I read was Bret Hart's autobiography.

I don't normally read autobiographies but I had to get this one.  I thought it was a decent read, some very interesting moments and his life growing up sounds total chaos.  If he'd have grown up like that these days all 12 kids would've been taken into care.

The only thing I didn't like is the over use of hindsight.  You can see where they're setting up all through the book for Vince and Shawn to screw him over.  Also there's lots of moments where someone does him wrong and he'll say,

"But I always knew I'd get the better of him one day."  Which is total bollocks because you never think like that at the time of someone screwing you over.

Still, a great insight into the mind of Bret and also behind the scenes stuff in WWE.  Shame it's got such a tragic ending, screwjob, Owen dies, Davey dies,  Bret's stroke, all pretty harsh reading.

Peace

Duckman

[Jennifer]

This is going to make me sound like a gigantic nerd, but what the hey: Stephen King's IT. Just finished it last night, haha.

[Gary]

Speedy that book is fucking awesome. You should read the Stand its just as good. I'm reading Lost World, sequel to Jurassic Park, really good insight into evolution.