What'cha Reading?

[IndiReloaded]

A Thousand Splendid Suns was great. Still a little too sentimental at the end

Same here, tho, having never been to the middle east, I find these books fascinating.

Never read Kite Runner. Better than TSS or not?

[Gribble]

I'm about halfway through The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors by James D. Hornfischer.

An unfortunate title, but an amazing read. It's the true story of a scrappy collection of American destroyers and escort carriers (converted merchant vessels) caught with their trousers down by the largest surface fleet ever fielded by the Japanese in WWII.

It reads like a goddamn action novel. Scratch that, if this were a fictitious book I'd have trouble swallowing it. One of the captains, part Comanche, lead his destroyer on a suicidal charge at a fleet consisting of multiple cruisers, battleships, and the Yamato, the largest warship ever to set sail. One gun turret on the Yamato outweighed Captain Evans' destroyer, the USS Johnston. The Yamato itself outweighed Evans' entire fleet, for that matter.

While the rest of his fleet fled he closed the distance, dodging a withering hail of shells, and unleashed a spread of ten torpedoes at close range, effectively removing two cruisers from the battle. Then, once his fellow captains worked up the courage to launch torpedo attacks of their own, he joined them to provide firing support. Nevermind that his ship more or less resembled Swiss cheese by then and had only one functioning engine.

It's just chapter after chapter after chapter of intense action. Phenomenal even if you aren't terribly interested in naval warfare.

[IndiReloaded]

I'm gonna get that for my husband. That sounds good, just from your summary. I can hear the dude's war cry, lol.

[Dasein]

I am reading a biography called "Mao's last dancer".

It is about a peasant boy who grew up with his six brothers in communist China under the reign of Mao Zedong.

He gets selected at school to join Madame Mao's dance academy to study ballet and the wonderful ideology of Chairman Mao.

He is only one of two boys who gets chosen to go to Houston and spend time training with the Houston ballet. During his second visit he defects.

I am three quarters of the way through and I would highly recommend this book. It is extremely inspiring.

[IndiReloaded]

He gets selected at school to join Madame Mao's dance academy to study ballet and the wonderful ideology of Chairman Mao.

You are being sarcastic? I know someone who was in 'charge' of a village during the cultural revolution.

[Dasein]

You are being sarcastic? I know someone who was in 'charge' of a village during the cultural revolution.

Of course I am being sarcastic.

This is how the author tells the tale though. They are completely indoctrinated and brainwashed that they believe Mao Zedong to be a living God. The first thing he learns at school is how to write "Long live Chairman Mao. I love Chairman Mao."

[IndiReloaded]

Okay, let us know once you're done. Sometimes those books have weird endings.

[Mish]

Last book I picked up was "passing thoughts at a bus stop" written by a son of a friend of my dad. He self published it. Though honestly I'm more interested in the publishing process he went through to get it out than the book itself

I have waiting for me a book on psychology, cybernetics, IT Management and a few others which had been gathering dust for awhile.

But they will probably have to wait a bit longer as I've recently rediscovered Conan Doyle's "The Hound of Baskerville" in one of my shelves which I'm thinking of re-reading one more time.

[Gribble]

But they will probably have to wait a bit longer as I've recently rediscovered Conan Doyle's "The Hound of Baskerville" in one of my shelves which I'm thinking of re-reading one more time.

That's one of my most favorite books. When I was a kid if anything irrational spooked me I'd start thinking about Sherlock Holmes. Weird shapes in the closet weren't hellhounds waiting to pounce. They were obviously stacks of pillows and blankets, etc. Always a logical explanation if you care to look for it.

[misombra]

i finally had time to get through desert solitaire.

it's great. it's about the desert and wilderness. on my very short list of favorites.

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Desert-Solitaire-Edward-Abbey/dp/0345326490"]Amazon.com: Desert Solitaire: Edward Abbey: Books[/ame]

[vashti]

Same here, tho, having never been to the middle east, I find these books fascinating.

Never read Kite Runner. Better than TSS or not?

Kite Runner was better IMO.

[IndiReloaded]

This thread is awesome, btw. I have two new books now to read. Thanks Gribble.

[Gribble]

This thread is awesome, btw. I have two new books now to read. Thanks Gribble.

Books are hands down my favorite topics. I couldn't bear to see threads on movies and television but nothing on literature.

[DoesntMatter]

The Turner Diaries

[twilight101]

currently I am reading the Twilight series by Stephanie Meyer...it's fiction but it's a good read...try reading "The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho... i love that book and of course Nicholas Sparks...romantic and sad love stories...