Reading in the new year
6What are you reading? I’ve been mostly reading Patricia Wentworth Miss Silver mysteries, but am currently reading When Prophecy Fails, a '50’s study of a small UFO cult.
Remember to enter the Half Price Books Resolve to Read giveaway before the end of the month!
https://halfpricebooks.com/resolve/?hero
- 26 comments, 38 replies
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I don’t know how long this book will be free, but it is right now:
The Followers: “Holy Hell” and the Disciples of Narcissistic Leaders: How My Years in a Notorious Cult Parallel Today’s Cultural Mania
https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B097J31723/
I’ve been meaning to watch the movie about this cult, which is called Holy Hell (https://smile.amazon.com/HOLY-HELL-Will-Allen/dp/B01KP1QRGE), figure the book may be worth a look, especially for free.
A new Laundry-adjacent book from Charles Stross was released this week, and I’m halfway through it already.
And now I’m done. Good one. Better if you’re familiar with the ones that have gone before, of course…
John LeCarre - British spy novels. Reassuring to believe intelligent, circumspect adults exist (and are paying attention).
@edsa
JLC is so fucking amazing. One of my favs.
I’ve not yet done 2-3 of them.
(In some of his novels written late in life he appears to be a bit of a crank on some issues. The novels are still good.)
His bio and his memoir are both worthy also. Esp re his novel A Perfect Spy.
@f00l
Thanks for rec re bio and memoir!
I opened the year reading
Becoming Supernatural by Joe dispenza
From the dead sea scrolls, the Book of Enoch 1, and Jubilees by Robert Bagley III
Prince of Thieves by Chuck Hogan (the movie The Town is based on this story)
I’m interested in reading Ramtha the White book this year and more Neville Goddard as well. I’m always open to what I call “bubble gum reading” but I usually gravitate to biographies for leisure reading. I also have to get through the PMBOK both 6th and 7th editions.
I started reading every one of Stephen King’s books, (again), last January, and just finished The Institute. 60 down, 4 more to go.
I’m also reading the Bible this year, and all of Tolkien. I never read his books, so that’s new to me.
I don’t work, (obviously), and reading is my jam.
I just started reading The Other Emily by Dean Koontz. If the payoff is as good as the (leisurely) buildup has been, it’s going to be great.
I haven’t started reading yet this year.
Just found out Michael Crichton’s early works really suck
@bmf Crichton himself agrees with you, according to Wikipedia:
He later described the book as “no good”
@bmf @phendrick I read The Andromeda Strain and Jurassic Park. He really didn’t seem to like people much.
@Angelmaat Yeah, that guy definitely had issues. Probably still less issues than Otsuichi…
Mostly, I’m been reading books available for free with the multi-year Kindle Unlimited subscription I was gifted a couple of years ago.
Somehow, I started reading paranormal cozy mysteries over two years ago and find these quite compelling for some reason; they make up the majority of what I’ve been reading. I also like SciFi and non-cozy mysteries and read some non-fiction, though not very much.
ok, given the questionable pretension that I might sometimes have a brain:
Currently in a “brain vacay” mode.
Spending my free “stupid time” on YouTube impulses.
Cats. Dogs Autotune vs non-autotune. History of events I know nothing about. Listicles of mis-pronounced or misused words.
Wherever the “brainless person feed” leads me.
/giphy ”where’s my brain"
@f00l
/youtube where is my mind
@f00l
/youtube steve martin - the absent-minded waiter
@f00l @werehatrack First I was like, BUCK HENRY! And then I was like, HOLY CRAP IT’S PETER ELBING! And that was in the first minute and a half, I think I have to wait to watch the rest or else I’ll be too keyed up to sleep.
I just finished a, “It’s the end of the world and we’re all gonna die” book, with the one I read before that being the same topic. Come to think of it, so were the ones before them.
None of them have been good enough to list here, so maybe I should start the new year right by finding a different genre to read.
@Barney
If you haven’t already read them I recommend Terry Pratchett’s Discworld books, but ignore the first five for a while and come back to them later. Start with Guards! Guards!
@werehatrack Guards! Guards! I’ll put that on my reading list. However, I just found a set of end of the world books. So tempting…
@Barney I read The Last Dog on Earth
by Adrian J. Walker, and really liked it. It was told simultaneously from the human and the dog’s point of view. If you’re still in the market for an apocalypse book, I’d recommend it.
@punkynpye Thanks for the suggestion. It sounds like a book I would like. I’ve often seen it in my sales list, but for some reason or another, I’ve never purchased it. I will now!
@Barney I just picked up a book called Hollow Kingdom by Kira Jane Buxton. Here’s the summary:
It was cheap anyway.
@sammydog01 I bought the book. I had enough credits that I got it for free. Gee, the second book in the series is kind of expensive. Maybe I’ll get lucky and I won’t like the first one?
@Barney Let me know if it’s any good.
@sammydog01 Nooooo, that’s not the way it works. You bought it first, you have to read it first and then let me know if it’s any good.
That’s what the rules say.
@Barney Fine, as soon as I finish Geek Love. Which I do not recommend.
@Barney @sammydog01
Is it just me or does everyone feel compelled to finish a piece-of-crap book, movie etc once they have invested a certain amount of time up front? It’s not like you will get that time back if you just bail once you realize the book/movie sux-- but you will save the time you would have spent!
@chienfou @sammydog01 My time is cheap.
@Barney @chienfou I PAID FOR IT, DAMMIT, I’M GOING TO READ IT.
@Barney @sammydog01
Exactly… Like THAT makes sense.
“Hey you already took my money. Now make me suffer and doubt my judgement on top of it!”
@Barney @chienfou @sammydog01 It’s the “etc” part that’s the worst. A book or a movie is bad enough, but I’m the type that even has a hard time not completing a series that i start, so I’m VERY careful with choosing them, especially multi-season ones! I like to wait until they’re cancelled so i know what I’m in for & can get an idea of the general critical consensus, etc. God help me.
I’m reading a book called “The Gun Seller” by Hugh Laurie. I think it’s the only fiction book he’s written. Pretty good so far.
In the new year, I also started reading. The first book in this year is My Brother Sam Is Dead. I have not finished reading this story yet, because I have a lot of work. You can read the summary here https://freebooksummary.com/category/my-brother-sam-is-dead and maybe you will read it too. I would be glad to know that I helped someone create a reading list.
Rereading the HP series. I usually do first thing. I actually read Azkaban twice. It’s just such a good read. Just started on goblet of fire.
@sillyheathen
Azbakan is one of my favs.
That particular film is also my fav.
I’m driving way too much each day, long story, and just started the audiobook of Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson. It’s really good, and also probably better on Audible than in print.
@sammydog01 I’m almost 3 months late to this but… what a great book.
Most of my ‘leisure reading’ is done reading the newspaper daily. Used to get it thown in the yard, but that service has virtually disappeared. Now read an e-edition that at least is fomatted like a real newspaper. Trying to read the news on most websites is a PITA due to the incessant click-bait crap they throw up there.
I started by reading Caste by Isabel Wilkerson. I’ve been reading a lot of books that make me ashamed to be white, but are also really interesting and informative - no doubt the Republicans want to ban them all. With Caste I fill the time when it got too heavy by reading a series called The Grimoire Saga by S. M. Boyce - nice fantasy books. By the way, if you’re reading kindle books, you should really check out a website called iQreader.com. You put in an author or book you are interested in and it lets you know when the price comes down! It’s saved me hundreds of $s over the years!
@Angelmaat
Unfortunately, the site http://iqreader.com/ doesn’t seem to support https:// connections currently.
Otherwise a potentially useful site.
Calypso by David Sedaris. I enjoyed it!
@njfan Cool. I’ll look for it after I finish the book @barney is forcing me to read.
@njfan Glad to hear it was good, I’m a big fan of David Sedaris in general, so when i discovered that my late sister had a bunch of unused credits on Audible (Even though i know better, i like to think she was saving them just for me!
), i used them to buy all of his available audiobooks. Now i just need to figure out how to switch them to my account & live long enough to get around to listening to them!
Currently $2.99 at many e-book sellers
Links to bn/nook, kobo, Amazon, etc are in the Slickdeals post below
Possibly one day only. Idk how long this price will be valid.
The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress
Robert Heinlein
https://slickdeals.net/share/android_app/t/15659332
@f00l Thanks, one of my all-time favorite books and probably the only computer that I have ever liked.
Full set of kindle versions of the original Ian Fleming-penned James Bond novels (14 books) is on sale today at Amazon for $14.85 (for the set).
Casino Royale
Live and Let Die
Moonraker
Diamonds are Forever
From Russia with Love
Dr. No
Goldfinger
For Your Eyes Only
Thunderball
The Spy Who Loved Me
On Her Majesty’s Secret Service
You Only Live Twice
The Man with the Golden Gun
Octocat and The Living Daylights
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0868BYV6R?binding=kindle_edition&qid=1646858584&sr=1-3&ref=dbs_dp_awt_sb_pc_tukn
/youtube James Bond Queen Elizabeth Olympics
(My person fav “Bond Girl” is QEII, along w Ursula Andress
/image Ursula Andress James Bond
If you already own some of these titles in a kindle version and want to add more to your collection, most of them are $.99 today.
The only one not at that price is Casino Royale, priced today for kindle by Amazon at $1.99.
Yesterday, March 25, was the annual 'anniversary date" on which, according to the chronology in The Lord Of The Rings, Gollum fell into the lava chasm within Mount Doom and the One Ring (and Sauron) were destroyed.
/image Sauron Eye
Audible.com is holding a 48-hour Tolkien-related audiobook sale in honor of the anniversary, and the Amazon Kindle bookstore is doing similar for the e-book editions.
Tolkien Middle-earth “main story e- books” (the books that were filmed), plus a bunch of other Tolien-authored and Tolkien-related e-books are on sale at a bunch of e-bookstores for $2.99 each
Amazon Kindle Books
Google Play Books
Barnes & Noble Nook Books
Kobo Books
Apple books
and possibly elsewhere
Sale goes thru midnight PDT tonite, I think
(see details below for each bookstore)
I think it likely that these books are on sale elsewhere at more e-bookstores, as I suspect this sale is arranged by either the publisher or the Tolkien Estate. But that’s just a guess.)
I’ve only looked up the books in English. I don’t know if translated versions are also on sale.
The list of e-books on sale at that price includes
The Hobbit
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers*
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Unfinished Tales
The Silmarillion
The Fall of Gondolin
The Children of Hurin
Beren and Luthien
Letters Form Father Christmas
and many more
(I’m not sure about whether Lost Tales is part of the sale.)
Please have patience with a longish post, there are a bunch of books and e-tailers to cover here.
/image Hobbit book cover
E-books
Afaik, only the books listed for $2.99 plus tax are on sale at the various stores, but this includes most or all of the “main stuff”.
Not only are the “main books” on sale, but also some recently published Middle-earth additional tales, some parody, commentary, and literary study works on Tolkien: I think the sale even includes Tolkien’s work on Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.
Amazon
Kindle e-books by Tolkien:
https://play.google.com/store/books/collection/cluster?clp=ogENCgd0b2xraWVuGAEwBQ%3D%3D:S:ANO1ljLh56E&gsr=ChCiAQ0KB3RvbGtpZW4YATAF:S:ANO1ljIb5UU
More Tolkien-related e-books at Amazon (some are on sale)
https://slickdeals.net/?adobeRef=196962aeac6d11ec8cd92ecfd3424a6c0001&pno=707785&lno=29&sdtid=15690271&trd=amp%2BMany%2BMore&sdfib=1&afsrc=1
The second Amazon link, just above, is a good place to search for titles, even if you intend to buy them elsewhere.
Google
Play Tolkien-related e-book sale:
https://play.google.com/store/books/collection/cluster?clp=ogENCgd0b2xraWVuGAEwBQ%3D%3D:S:ANO1ljLh56E&gsr=ChCiAQ0KB3RvbGtpZW4YATAF:S:ANO1ljIb5UU
B&N
Nook Tolkien Sale main page is here, sorted by “most popular”:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/tolkien/_/N-8qa?Ns=P_Sales_Rank|0
If you want to see all the Tolkien-related Nook sale books, just sort the book listings by price.
Kobo
Kobo books are also participating:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/search?query=jrr+tolkien&fcmedia=Book&pageNumber=1&sort=PriceAsc
Apple Bookstore
(I don’t know how to purchase these, except by using the Apple Books App on an I-device or a Mac.)
/image Fellowship of the Ring audiobook
Audiobooks
There are various versions of the main books:
Two versions of the “main” unabridged books, narrated by Andy Serkis and by Rob Inglis. Both versions are in this sale, at least on Audible.
[There are also two different abridged and dramatized versions out, a UK version (very good), and a US version (not so great, but includes Tom Bombadil)
(Audible and other digital audiobook sellers have these abridged dramatized versions, but they aren’t on sale this time.)]
About narrators for The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings:
Rob Inglis vs Andy Serkis:
I think the Inglis versions were recorded in the 1970’s and I’ve always liked them. Inglis is particularly good with Tolkien’s songs, which aren’t that easy to do well.
The Serkis versions are very recent releases and are well-reviewed. Most people seem to prefer them, but both versions are good. Listen to samples of each on the site if you have trouble deciding.
I don’t think the Serkis-recorded versions have been on sale before.
There is also a non-dramatized but abridged version of The Hobbit, recorded by Martin Shaw, available on the Audible site. I think that recording was intended for very young children, as The Hobbit is a short book to begin with. But this version isn’t on sale right now.
So, onto the actual sale links:
AUDIBLE
The audiobooks on sale seem to be $3.95 plus tax.
(This is a bit complex: if you want to buy these from Audible at the sale price, read the complete post, the books can be had at the sale price.)
The main Audible sale page for the Tolkien works is here
https://www.audible.com/ep/lotr-flash-sale?ref=a_hp_c2_banner_img_0&pf_rd_p=e6115959-7647-4f0a-99ba-e966d3b77e93&pf_rd_r=00HHAAA2E84CC7EAP8DX
Audible is selling at the sale price
The Silmarillion, narrated by Martin Shaw
https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Silmarillion-Audiobook/B016N9U1XW?ref=a_ep_lotr-f_c10_lProduct_1&pf_rd_p=9a506156-ef1f-4aa3-a6ab-4776237e6b01&pf_rd_r=NS6M4F8AVB2SZ0JN8AN6
The Hobbit and the 3 books of The Lord Of The Rings, narrated by Andy Serkis
https://www.audible.com/series/The-Lord-of-the-Rings-Audiobooks/B098TTYT3L?pf_rd_p=510c0de4-c2a9-4d0c-9730-bf52f15cce66&pf_rd_r=Z6WVARAWKZAXRYDANYSK
The Hobbit and the 3 books of The Lord Of the Rings, narrated by Rob Inglis
https://www.audible.com/series/The-Lord-of-the-Rings-Audiobooks/B009CFOEGK?pf_rd_p=a8fe84cd-5683-48ef-a444-0f39d2163e4d&pf_rd_r=NS6M4F8AVB2SZ0JN8AN6
Various other Tolkien-related audiobooks
(see the bottom of the main Tolkien sale page here)
https://www.audible.com/ep/lotr-flash-sale?ref=a_hp_c2_banner_img_0&pf_rd_p=e6115959-7647-4f0a-99ba-e966d3b77e93&pf_rd_r=TMGVRE6P1SCM48J1602P
These prices are currently for Premier Plus members only. This is a subscription membership.
However, there is a way to get this membership for free for 1 month. Then buy these Tolkien books at the sale prices, and spend your 2 free Audible credits that come with the free 1-month membership on something
else (something not on sale), and then (LASTLY) cancel your monthly membership before 30 days have passed (I use calendar reminders).
(Then you will have the Audible versions of the Tolkien books at the sale price, plus the two other free audiobooks, all to keep, and no other costs.)
Audiobooks: other e-tailers
No audiobook sale I can find on:
NookAudiobooks.com,
Google Play Audiobooks,
Chirpbooks.com,
Kobo.com,
Apple iTunes Audiobooks,
etc.
The Audiobook sale seems to be just for versions from Audible.com.
/image the return of the king book cover
I’ve also heard that Tolkien-related, Middle-earth-related, and Lord of the Rings-related films and games may have been on sale yesterday, or may still be on sale thru midnight tonight. If you want those items, go check: I already own the films and I haven’t had time to look for the pricing on films and games.
Apologies, I’m sure I didn’t remove all the slickdeals afiliation links from every url.
More info and commentary, and how-to is on various Slickdeals topics:
https://slickdeals.net/f/15690271-j-r-r-tolkien-kindle-ebooks-the-lord-of-the-rings-unfinished-tales-of-numenor-and-middle-earth-the-silmarillion-the-fall-of-gondolin-2-99-each-more-via-amazon
https://slickdeals.net/f/15690289-the-hobbit-75th-anniversary-edition-ebook-by-j-r-r-tolkien-2-99
https://slickdeals.net/f/15689929-audible-premium-plus-members-tolkien-flash-sale-3-95
@f00l
if you purchase 2 of the audiobooks from Audible at the sale price, you apparently get in addition a $5 Amazon coupon.
audible.com/LOTRSale
@f00l
At this link below on Archive.org is a list of the various “Tolkien main audiobooks” recordings, (possibly done without copyright-holder consent), always made available for free AFAIK.
Some people who have listened to them really liked them.
https://archive.org/search.php?query=Phil Dragash
Archive.org also has an (I think abridged, uncertain tho) recording of The Hobbit narrated by Nicol Williamson
https://archive.org/details/lp_the-hobbit_jrr-tolkien-nicol-williamson
@f00l The Hobbit is available on audible for $3.95 for non- members. The rest are member only prices. I think there are a couple of hours left if anyone is interested. (The Serkis version.)
@sammydog01
All these prices should be good till midnight Pacific Time this evening.
(I have a bad [and sometimes expensive] habit of checking various book daily deals between midnight and 2am Central Time every day.)
@f00l I went ahead and ordered the Serkis Hobbit and discovered I already had the Inglis version. Looks like I need to do a comparison.
@sammydog01
I’m sort of a Tolkien completist. Own every version I can find.
Have not yet listened to the Serkus narrated stuff tho.
George Carlin (kindle version) book on sale today for $1.99 at Amazon
Limited-time deal:
Last Words
by George Carlin
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002U4XPK6/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_dl_5VHG23SB8PMWCRXJWDRG
/image last words Carlin book cover
@f00l I picked it up. Thanks!
@f00l Today is a Mel Brooks autobiography. $3
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0991X8J58/ref=s9_acsd_hps_bw_c2_KCKDDGBs_3_t?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-1&pf_rd_r=RSF1V4HENJQ44GDFB84Y&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=ec689a1f-5f3a-45eb-91c9-fe863becf18e&pf_rd_i=11552285011
@sammydog01
picked ii up, thx
Kindle version of Bill Bryson book on sale today $2.50 or so
A Short History Of Nearly Everything
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000FBFNII/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1649790958&sr=8-3
Various e-tailers have e-versions of William Gibson’s Necromancer on sale today for $1.99
Amazon, Google Play, Apple Books, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, and Books-A-Million links here.
https://slickdeals.net/share/android_app/fp/712222
/image William Gibson Neuromancer
The unabridged audiobook version of Ready Player One by Ernest Cline is at Chirpbooks for $.99.
I found this book to be hilarious and a lot of fun. However, a fair number (a minority tho, I believe) of people hated the book or found it stupid.
Obviously, reader takes on this book differ, even among those readers who are “literary”.
It’s cheap, so give it a try if you wish.
https://www.chirpbooks.com/audiobooks/ready-player-one-by-ernest-cline
/image “ready player one” book cover
PS the seller is quite reputable.
Listen to books purchased here by using the Chirpbooks app.
3 x Carlin: An Orgy of George including Brain Droppings, Napalm and Silly Putty, and When Will Jesus Bring the Pork Chops?
Kindle Edition
By George Carlin
$2.99
Amazon also seems to have the paperback at the same price.
https://www.amazon.com/Carlin-George-including-Droppings-Napalm-ebook/dp/B00Z7J7FMU/ref=sr_1_3?crid=JXYFCPCU2ZDM&keywords=Orgy+Carlin&qid=1650630192&rnid=2941120011&s=books&sprefix=orgy+carlin%2Caps%2C150&sr=1-3