BOOKS THREAD

[Mighty_Wingman]

Tom Friedman's The World
Is Flat makes many excellent points re the
current economic paradigm.

[/snore]
If I ever write a book, remind me not to ask B_H to review it.

Oh, and I'd like to recommend I Am Charlotte Simmons. And anything else by Tom Wolfe. Of course.

 

[greedo]

Smasher, opinions vary.

 

[Ace]

"The Intimate World of Abraham Lincoln," C.A. Tripp. Presents pathbreaking scholarly evidence that Lincoln's primary response to everything was that of a homosexual. Never before has such a significant historical personage been outed quite like this. Fascinating stuff for wannabe psychologists.

Herbie,

I had thought this homosexual tag was because of gossip dug up or something. So homosexuals can be stereotyped to react the same way to stimuli such as civil wars, slavery and building railroads and such?

 

[Ace]

As an English major, one novel that hit me between the eyes was Native Son by Richard Wright.

Powerful novel.

 

[Moderator1]

I should kick my own ass for starting this thread. Just got back from a Barnes and Noble, many pennies poorer but I hope "richer" in the long run.

I'll add my two cents for the Fatsis book on Scrabble.

 

[greedo]

I am Charlotte Simmons was fantastic.

But Smasher would think that, too, is ponderous and overwritten.

 

[kokane_muthashed]

Generation Kill by Evan Wright of Rolling Stone is outstanding.

Wright was embedded with the Marine Force Recon unit that led the U.S. invasion in Iraq. The book recounts the unit's push across the country to Baghdad and shows just how big a cluster**** the whole operation was.

It's intense, funny, insightful and provides what I felt was an honest depiction of what was going on over there.

I must check this out. I just finished Jarhead and was letdown. Generation Kill sounds more like what I was expecting from Jarhead.

 

[Smasher_Sloan]

I am Charlotte Simmons was fantastic.

But Smasher would think that, too, is ponderous and overwritten.

Well, you're being an especially presumptuous twit today. I offered an opinion on one book I happened to dislike intensely for reasons I listed. As someone said, opinions vary.

For you to attempt to turn that into a dismissive, "Oh, he hates everything" is dead wrong and arrogant.

 

[greedo]

Careful, careful, *****willow.

Take a deep breath, now.

It's a book thread, for God's sake.

 

[Ace]

I am Charlotte Simmons was fantastic.

But Smasher would think that, too, is ponderous and overwritten.

Well, you're being an especially presumptuous twit today. I offered an opinion on one book I happened to dislike intensely for reasons I listed. As someone said, opinions vary.

For you to attempt to turn that into a dismissive, "Oh, he hates everything" is dead wrong and arrogant.

Well, Smasher, if you did hate Charlotte Simmons, you would have a lot of company.

Anyway, sssssh you two. We're trying to read.

 

[greedo]

Ace, you didn't like Charlotte Simmons?

I've always wanted to get in a throwdown in a library.

 

[dennismoore]

I've just started the first book of Lord of the Rings. How many more pages must I endure before the actual, you know, story starts?

 

[Smasher_Sloan]

Careful, careful, *****willow.

Take a deep breath, now.

It's a book thread, for God's sake.

Always a sound strategy: Take a dump in the middle of the room, then chastise the people who say something smells in here.

 

[Ace]

Ace, you didn't like Charlotte Simmons?

I've always wanted to get in a throwdown in a library.

Heard a lot about it and decided I didn't want to read it.

But I'll take you on anyway. Bookmarks at 10 paces?

 

[Ace]

I've just started the first book of Lord of the Rings. How many more pages must I endure before the actual, you know, story starts?

In your...

It does start slowly but picks up pretty quickly once they get out of the Shire -- if you like that sort of thing.

 

[Donny in his element]

Generation Kill by Evan Wright of Rolling Stone is outstanding.

Wright was embedded with the Marine Force Recon unit that led the U.S. invasion in Iraq. The book recounts the unit's push across the country to Baghdad and shows just how big a cluster**** the whole operation was.

It's intense, funny, insightful and provides what I felt was an honest depiction of what was going on over there.

I remember the two-part piece in Rolling Stone a year and a half ago that was the precursor the the book. Great stuff. Thanks for reminding me of the book.

Ace,
I'm partial to Wright's Black Boy (make sure to get the version with American Hunger, which was initially censored by the publisher because it goes into Wright's flirtation with the Communist Party). Great autobiography.

Because I've always been inrigued by the Arctic (Greenland in particular), I recently picked up "This Cold Heaven" by Gretel Ehrlich, about her years traveling Greenland mixed in with a retrospective of its history. So far, so good. I'm a sucker for creative nonfiction.

For fiction, giving Carl Hiaasen a shot, starting with "Tourist Season." I think that if you're Floridian, you have to read Hiaasen. It's in the state Constitution or something.

 

[dennismoore]

Okay, Ace. I'll take your word and hang on, then. I know more about this damn Shire than I ever wanted to, and about Hobbit architecture and pipe-weed -- in three varieties! -- and all the faux geneaology of Hobbits and elves and . . . .

I liked The Hobbit, and I figure I owe it to my cultural literacy to give LOTR a chance, but damn. Did anyone ever dare edit Tolkein?

 

[greedo]

Smasher, you attacked me, *****.

And forget the dump in the middle of the room. I'll **** down your throat if you don't step off.

 

[Huggy]

For fiction, giving Carl Hiaasen a shot, starting with "Tourist Season." I think that if you're Floridian, you have to read Hiaasen. It's in the state Constitution or something.

I love Hiassen's books. In an earlier incarnation of this thread some months back somebody mentioned Tim Dorsey's novels, which are also Florida-based. They are almost rewrites of Hiassen's books but they are damn funny too.

Someone in that thread also mentioned Ace Atkins. I read Dark End Of The Street and can recommend that to those who like the mystery/thriller genre.

 

[Smasher_Sloan]

Smasher, you attacked me, *****.

And forget the dump in the middle of the room. I'll **** down your throat if you don't step off.

No, asswipe, you're the one who decided to take it off-topic and tried to make it personal. Read the thread.

Then issue some more ridiculous threats.