How good is the book? Can I hide away from stuff that needs done to read? For the poll - A ) If I can and it is good, yes. B ) If I have to. C ) I share my thoughts good or bad.
I am reading (or rereading) some older books right now. Lots of life issues to deal with and it is nice to relax with a good book knowing the story. I can set it down and not be trying to talk myself into just one more chapter all night. (Glances at clock) not doing good at going to bed at a decent hour again. Oh, well. Happy Monday.
It’s dated but I’ve been gradually working my way through Patrick O’Brian’s Master and Commander series. They show up at thrift stores and used bookstores quite often. I love history and he really did his research. He actually went to the British Naval Archives and read first hand the accounts of battles from 18th century captains’ logs. He tries to faithfully reproduce those battles in the books. He even uses the actual names of the ships in his writing but not necessarily in the specific battle. Exceptional description of life aboard a British Man o’ War.
@tweezak I got sucked into those a few years ago and spent over a year going through them. Such great writing and fun wordplay here and there. I used “Sea of Words” by Dean King for help on some of the sailing jargon.
If you like old Star Wars try the X-wing series by Michael A Stackpole (books 1-4and 8 ) and Arron Allston (5-7 and 9). If you want something a little heavier try Neal Stephenson’s The Cryptonomicon.
If you want something more modern ask someone else. I mostly read fanfiction now.
@FoxSpectre Cryptonomicon was in a box of books that someone donated to the library that my wife runs. I thought it looked interesting so I grabbed it to read. Enjoyed it a lot.
For great fantasy, look for the Piers Anthony “Incarnations of Immortality”. Read anything Richard Russo writes, like Nobody’s Fool, and Empire Falls. The Passage Trilogy is Great as well, the TV series did not mess it up much, would love to see HBO take a shot at it.
Anyone take a chance on a random book, realize it’s not that great, but feel obligated to finish it anyway? Because I do and that’s why I’ve been slogging through this current book for the past week. When it’s a good book, I might take a few days. If I don’t really like it, it takes weeks.
@shaunanl I too always feel obligated to finish any book I start. There have been a few I think I would have been better off just accepting it wasn’t for me, as opposed to taking so long to get through it.
@DrWorm@shaunanl I finally got over that just recently. I was reading a book that I thought was a rare misstep from a favorite author, and I slogged through the first third of it, but it was just too much effort. So I put it aside, and I don’t think I’ll go back to it. I do feel a bit guilty, though.
@shaunanl I recently started a Star Trek The Next Generation book about a derelict ship that they encounter after Riker leaves, Worf becomes first officer, etc. It’s dreadful for several reasons; first, it’s apparently part of a story arc for which I had already read two books that come after it, the writing is tedious, and to add insult to injury, I just discovered I’d bought another copy of it somewhere along the line…
@shaunanl Not anymore. My time is too precious to read a book or watch a movie that loses my interest early. Digital stuff is removed from watch list/reader; hard copy goes into the pile destined for Goodwill, and I do it with no guilt whatsoever.
I always feel too much weight from unfinished work to want to read, but when I do start reading, if it’s fiction, I don’t want to stop.
If it’s nonfiction, I’ll often want to read some 20 books at the same time and get nowhere. It’s less of a reading thing and more of an unfocused aspiration thing.
I can lose entire days and/or nights to reading fiction if i’m enjoying it. I love getting drawn into someone’s fictional universe and escaping my own world for a while. With nonfiction, I’m more likely to skim or jump between sections that look interesting, or else fall asleep after 10 minutes.
Just started Wheel of Time series; hope by the time I’ve finished it we’ll have a vaccine up and running! Realistically by the time I finish it we’ll be onto COVID-24
The amount of leisure time determines the book of choice and reading style. (Flying time is no longer an option.)
Depends on the book in question. I have done a few straight 8-10 hour reads but more often a book takes several days
When I do whatnow?
How good is the book? Can I hide away from stuff that needs done to read? For the poll - A ) If I can and it is good, yes. B ) If I have to. C ) I share my thoughts good or bad.
I am reading (or rereading) some older books right now. Lots of life issues to deal with and it is nice to relax with a good book knowing the story. I can set it down and not be trying to talk myself into just one more chapter all night. (Glances at clock) not doing good at going to bed at a decent hour again. Oh, well. Happy Monday.
It’s dated but I’ve been gradually working my way through Patrick O’Brian’s Master and Commander series. They show up at thrift stores and used bookstores quite often. I love history and he really did his research. He actually went to the British Naval Archives and read first hand the accounts of battles from 18th century captains’ logs. He tries to faithfully reproduce those battles in the books. He even uses the actual names of the ships in his writing but not necessarily in the specific battle. Exceptional description of life aboard a British Man o’ War.
@tweezak I got sucked into those a few years ago and spent over a year going through them. Such great writing and fun wordplay here and there. I used “Sea of Words” by Dean King for help on some of the sailing jargon.
If you like old Star Wars try the X-wing series by Michael A Stackpole (books 1-4and 8 ) and Arron Allston (5-7 and 9). If you want something a little heavier try Neal Stephenson’s The Cryptonomicon.
If you want something more modern ask someone else. I mostly read fanfiction now.
@FoxSpectre Cryptonomicon was in a box of books that someone donated to the library that my wife runs. I thought it looked interesting so I grabbed it to read. Enjoyed it a lot.
For great fantasy, look for the Piers Anthony “Incarnations of Immortality”. Read anything Richard Russo writes, like Nobody’s Fool, and Empire Falls. The Passage Trilogy is Great as well, the TV series did not mess it up much, would love to see HBO take a shot at it.
Look at Goodreads to log ans share you favorite books!
I recommend that others do it so they can write the cliff notes for me.
Anyone take a chance on a random book, realize it’s not that great, but feel obligated to finish it anyway? Because I do and that’s why I’ve been slogging through this current book for the past week. When it’s a good book, I might take a few days. If I don’t really like it, it takes weeks.
@shaunanl I too always feel obligated to finish any book I start. There have been a few I think I would have been better off just accepting it wasn’t for me, as opposed to taking so long to get through it.
@DrWorm @shaunanl I finally got over that just recently. I was reading a book that I thought was a rare misstep from a favorite author, and I slogged through the first third of it, but it was just too much effort. So I put it aside, and I don’t think I’ll go back to it. I do feel a bit guilty, though.
@shaunanl I recently started a Star Trek The Next Generation book about a derelict ship that they encounter after Riker leaves, Worf becomes first officer, etc. It’s dreadful for several reasons; first, it’s apparently part of a story arc for which I had already read two books that come after it, the writing is tedious, and to add insult to injury, I just discovered I’d bought another copy of it somewhere along the line…
@shaunanl Not anymore. My time is too precious to read a book or watch a movie that loses my interest early. Digital stuff is removed from watch list/reader; hard copy goes into the pile destined for Goodwill, and I do it with no guilt whatsoever.
When I read books I loose track of time.
I always feel too much weight from unfinished work to want to read, but when I do start reading, if it’s fiction, I don’t want to stop.
If it’s nonfiction, I’ll often want to read some 20 books at the same time and get nowhere. It’s less of a reading thing and more of an unfocused aspiration thing.
I can lose entire days and/or nights to reading fiction if i’m enjoying it. I love getting drawn into someone’s fictional universe and escaping my own world for a while. With nonfiction, I’m more likely to skim or jump between sections that look interesting, or else fall asleep after 10 minutes.
Just started Wheel of Time series; hope by the time I’ve finished it we’ll have a vaccine up and running! Realistically by the time I finish it we’ll be onto COVID-24
@lehigh
: )
Curiously, I found that the final three books, written by Sanderson after Jordan’s death, felt a little rushed at times.
Jordan had created such an enormous fiction-verse that wrapping stuff up wasn’t an easy thing to do. .
Still enjoyed it tho.
I only read comic books. I do listen to audio books.