What is PCF reading? (1 Viewer)

[Toby]

I'm still trying to read Roger Zelazny's This Immortal. Reading tends to be on my Kindle app on my phone and I keep nodding off and skipping ahead 2/3 of the book and losing my place!

I loved Lord of Light. Great read. Also been dipping into Stone Cold Dead but it's a bit whiny for my tastes.

 

[brains613]

I'm usually the same way, but I thought the narrator of the Martian was really good. I am also comparing this to the Game of Thrones books which is an 88+ year old Shakespearean actor. I couldn't get through any of it.\

I would say give The Martian audio a preview in iTunes and see if you like the voice.

In my ongoing attempt to get Jack to go with audiobooks, I'll do you (him) one better. I will upload a copy of the book for you to use. All you need to do is put it on your smartphone, and get an app called Smart Audiobook.

Regarding The Martian specifically, it's the first audiobook I've ever listened to more than once. I thoroughly enjoyed it both times.

 

[stocky]

1/3 - 1/2 way through Seveneves. Starting to pick up its pace. Not overly thrilled with it at the moment but still giving it a go.

 

[ellased]

slaying the badger: a book about greg lemond
lanterne rouge: a book about the last cyclist to finish the tour de france

 

[jbutler]

In my ongoing attempt to get Jack to go with audiobooks, I'll do you (him) one better. I will upload a copy of the book for you to use. All you need to do is put it on your smartphone, and get an app called Smart Audiobook.

Regarding The Martian specifically, it's the first audiobook I've ever listened to more than once. I thoroughly enjoyed it both times.

you might just yet get me to give the martian a go in audiobook format since i've still not gotten to the book. will report back.

1/3 - 1/2 way through Seveneves. Starting to pick up its pace. Not overly thrilled with it at the moment but still giving it a go.

i can see it being a bit polarizing, particularly the first third or so where it is even more heavily concerned with the practicalities and the underlying engineering of the off-planet structures. i liked that stuff, but i think even if you don't that it's worth working through it.

 

[stocky]

i can see it being a bit polarizing, particularly the first third or so where it is even more heavily concerned with the practicalities and the underlying engineering of the off-planet structures. i liked that stuff, but i think even if you don't that it's worth working through it.

Actually that is the most enjoyable part. I think it's probably the authors style of writing that's irked me. Constantly explaining the most minuet details like the reader is stupid sometimes. Eg explaining the dropping of A+ from the time line then continuously using it anyway. Constant childish like nicknames and endless barrage of acronyms. I'm really just nit picking but on a few occasion it had my eyes rolling.

Still a good read, just different to my preference.

 

[stocky]

Ok 2/3 of the way through and it has improved immensely.

 

[RichMahogany]

Been MIA from the forums for a while. Although I loved Seveneves and have a huge fondness for Neal Stephenson novels, I have to say that the latter 3rd of the novel, particularly the end, left me a bit wanting.

Still a great read IMHO, but it felt very anticlimactic to me

 

[Chicken Rob]

I just finished "Cry of the Kalahari", which is an unbelievable memoir about a husband and wife who packed up and moved to the middle of Africa with almost nothing and lived among lions and hyenas.

For poker, I enjoyed "Molly's Game". It was entertaining reading (and fantasizing) about the big Hollywood games.

Now I'm finally taking a crack at "Gödel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid", which has been sitting on the shelf for a couple of years. The first 100 pages weren't too complicated.

Does anyone else use GoodReads? I can't remember what I liked (or even read) without it:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/17197067-keith-carangelo?shelf=read

You give me crap about not reading Traffic yet, and youre JUST getting around to Goedel, Escher and Bach? I read that book 20 years ago. Don't think traffic is that old. Hmm...

I thought it was over rated at the time. IIRC the preface was denser than the main text. The main text was not that tough a read. TBH, I barely remember the book at this point. My memory is that it felt like a little bit of a generic philosophy text at the time.

I was an undergrad studying math when I read it, and it wasn't the masterpiece to me that everyone seemed to think it was. Perhaps it is my asperger-like qualities and math brain that made me think this...

 

[jbutler]

just picked up Gawker: An Oral History after reading this excerpt.

it's a kindle single and it's only $2.99 so easy buy if you're interested in media development and criticism or even more narrowly interested in Gawker, which wouldn't be too surprising given the events of the last week (explained and discussed here and here and here and here).

the purchase is made even that much easier if you've bought any decent about of kindle books since you'll likely have a small credit in your account due to settlement of one of the class action suits.

 

[tommythecat]

just picked up Gawker: An Oral History after reading this excerpt.

it's a kindle single and it's only $2.99 so easy buy if you're interested in media development and criticism or even more narrowly interested in Gawker, which wouldn't be too surprising given the events of the last week (explained and discussed here and here and here and here).

the purchase is made even that much easier if you've bought any decent about of kindle books since you'll likely have a small credit in your account due to settlement of one of the class action suits.

What a shitstorm that Conde Nast article started. I actually read it shortly after it went up. I understand editorial's side of the argument and why Craggs and Read left, but they were wrong for putting it up in the first place. The way it was written was terrible and one sided and they basically just went along with this dudes extortion scheme.

 

[jbutler]

What a shitstorm that Conde Nast article started. I actually read it shortly after it went up. I understand editorial's side of the argument and why Craggs and Read left, but they were wrong for putting it up in the first place. The way it was written was terrible and one sided and they basically just went along with this dudes extortion scheme.

generally i agree. i am more sympathetic to editorial i guess. the story was obv a problem. it was either poorly researched or jordan sargent showed very poor judgment crediting the source if he did anything close to sufficient research. that said, the true controversy is denton taking down the post. just an abysmally horrid decision. perhaps a different position would be reasonable if we were dealing with a different site, but given gawker's history and stated mission to this point, it's terrible.

if nick wants to turn the site into a more capable revenue generator, fine, but don't do it by sniping at the writers who are merely doing what they've been instructed to do. make decisions about what is to be published going forward. clearly that's not what happened here since he personally authorized the post the day before he proposed to pull it.

 

[tommythecat]

100% agreed. The damage was done and pulling the post was absolutely the wrong thing to do. Public apology and wait for the inevitable lawsuit. Already being embroiled in another legal battle with Hulk Hogan and the potential 7 figure revenue loss from advertisers were the deciding factors here.

I am relatively new to Gawker/Kinja, but I read articles most nights while at work. There is some serious talent over there, but shit like this waaaaaay overshadows the potential that site has. There is also a lot of fluff that doesn't need to be written...ever. At least when the articles are shit the comments are worth reading.

 

[tripleflatbarrel]

Poker-wise: Exploiting Regulars: No Limit Hold Em Workbook, Tri Nguyen... meh


Super Freakanomics

Up Next: Straight to Hell, LeFerve

Thinking about reading the Girl W the Dragon Tattoo series again.

 

[stocky]

Been MIA from the forums for a while. Although I loved Seveneves and have a huge fondness for Neal Stephenson novels, I have to say that the latter 3rd of the novel, particularly the end, left me a bit wanting.

Still a great read IMHO, but it felt very anticlimactic to me

Finished a couple of days ago. Have this same feeling, really wanted to hear more about diggers and pingers. The middle section was the best part IMO. Overall it was an ok read, but not something I want to really read again soon. If there's a sequel or trilogy I'll definitely get them.

Now to find a new book

 

[tommythecat]

Finished a couple of days ago. Have this same feeling, really wanted to hear more about diggers and pingers. The middle section was the best part IMO. Overall it was an ok read, but not something I want to really read again soon. If there's a sequel or trilogy I'll definitely get them.

Now to find a new book

Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss

 

[stocky]

The Martian by Andy Weir - Audio book was an easy listen but I have the epub version as well
A Dance with Dragons - GRRM because I can't wait for season 6. I have to know whats going on.

Picked up The Martian (well ordered it)

 

[Jake_rrr]

Picked up The Martian (well ordered it)

You won't be disappointed it.

 

[stocky]

You won't be disappointed it.

You are totally right. It's 1am and just finished. Couldn't put it down. I really hope this guy writes more soon. Really funny parts had me laughing out loud. I don't know how technically correct some of the stuff is but I didn't care.

 

[slisk250]

I'm not reading a book now but have been doing some research about a high profile murder case involving an uncle of mine. Plenty of interesting reading about it.

In 1976, celebrated Arizona Republic reporter Don Bolles was murdered by car bomb. That is perhaps the most high profile murder investigation in Phoenix history. In January 1977, my uncle and Don's best friend was found dead and it was ruled a suicide. All of us are convinced he was murdered. I know some things that never made it to print after talking with my dad and cousins. Interesting to learn about the PHX mob, and how evil seemingly upstanding citizens and police can really be. For what little I knew about my Uncle Tom at the time of his death, I sure admire and respect him even more after reading all I could find about the two cases.

 

[jbutler]

I'm not reading a book now but have been doing some research about a high profile murder case involving an uncle of mine. Plenty of interesting reading about it.

In 1976, celebrated Arizona Republic reporter Don Bolles was murdered by car bomb. That is perhaps the most high profile murder investigation in Phoenix history. In January 1977, my uncle and Don's best friend was found dead and it was ruled a suicide. All of us are convinced he was murdered. I know some things that never made it to print after talking with my dad and cousins. Interesting to learn about the PHX mob, and how evil seemingly upstanding citizens and police can really be. For what little I knew about my Uncle Tom at the time of his death, I sure admire and respect him even more after reading all I could find about the two cases.

this is a crazy coincidence because the other night i couldn't sleep and got the odd urge to reread a book about the man who was convicted for a string of murders which included my great aunt. the book, The Big Eddy Club, is an interesting read which intends to expose racism and injustice within the criminal justice system in the deep south.

i grew up with a lot of characters in the book, the prosecutor and presiding judge being family friends, so it was an extremely interesting read for me. lots of the amazon reviews are written by residents of the town in question who bristle at the depiction of a racist court system. some of the depictions of the major and minor players seemed false to some degree or another, but the picture it paints is not far off the mark imo.

overall it's sort of like a midnight in the garden of good and evil type thing. the british journalist who wrote it was clearly smitten - either authentically or morbidly - by the stereotype of southern american culture. how much he was willing to superimpose that stereotype onto the actual people and events is up for debate, i guess, but it's a decent read anyway.

 

[Jake_rrr]

You are totally right. It's 1am and just finished. Couldn't put it down. I really hope this guy writes more soon. Really funny parts had me laughing out loud. I don't know how technically correct some of the stuff is but I didn't care.

Here is a good interview with Andy Weir being interviewed by Adam Savage from Mythbusters. He tried to keep most of the book based on technology that we have today, but maybe it isn't developed as far as it is in the book yet.

 

[BGinGA]

I'm not reading a book now but have been doing some research about a high profile murder case involving an uncle of mine. Plenty of interesting reading about it.

In 1976, celebrated Arizona Republic reporter Don Bolles was murdered by car bomb. That is perhaps the most high profile murder investigation in Phoenix history. In January 1977, my uncle and Don's best friend was found dead and it was ruled a suicide. All of us are convinced he was murdered. I know some things that never made it to print after talking with my dad and cousins. Interesting to learn about the PHX mob, and how evil seemingly upstanding citizens and police can really be. For what little I knew about my Uncle Tom at the time of his death, I sure admire and respect him even more after reading all I could find about the two cases.

Be careful about digging too deep, my friend. Would prefer to keep you around for awhile longer.....

 

[bivey]

Ghost Fleet, Singer and Cole

 

[jbutler]

in light of the new documentary on Farley, i just wanted to bump this to say that anyone with any interest should absolutely pick up the Chris Farley Show (which is indeed a book despite the name), an oral history of Farley with interviews from literally everyone who matters. great, great book.

 

[jbutler]

fyi, amazon has a bunch of bestsellers (and older non-bestseller titles very much worth having) marked down to $2 for kindle versions today. link.

i'm picked up outlander, ready player one, and station eleven. most excited for station eleven prob.

 

[stocky]

Reading Robin Hobbs -Fools Assassin.

Ok so far but nothing great. Early Father's Day present from my daughter.

 

[tommythecat]

Ready Player One is excellent. It is especially cool looking at how far haptic technology has come and how close we are to that type of MMORPG being a reality.

I just ordered all the Tiffany Aching books in the Discworld series which includes Sir PTerry's last book, The Shepherd's Crown. To anyone that hasn't read the Discworld books, you are doing yourself a serious disservice IMO.

 

[slisk250]

The Complete Dovetail - Handmade Furniture's Signature Joint
by Ian Kirby

I have just brought home a nice set of hand tools for all things dovetail and access to exotic wood...a chip box buildin' I will go.

 

[detroitdad]

@Phantom turned me onto the Ian Flemming's series of the James Bond books. The first one is Casino Royale. Very solid book. Its a completely different perspective on Bond. I'm almost finished with book 2, "Live and Let Die". This one is even better. Book one could have used a touch more action. Live and Let Die delivers. I'm hoping to finish it in the next few days.

I just ordered the next three in the series. Can't wait to continue this story.

If you like Bond, James Bond. Then I recommend these. They can be picked up on Amazon for 8-12 bucks shipped.