What are you reading now?

[mydave]

Hello Squib,
OMG, so so so sorry to hear of that unfortunate accident and the unbearable consequence. I don't know what to say, except that you are having many many great friends here from this forum. I am sure that when you need, you will have all the support, mine included.
Yes, I watched all three movies from the series 'The girl with a dragon tattoo'. Some graphic violence scenes. The actors are good, the scripts are fine, but the books are much better (read them after seeing the movies). It is a crime novel by the late Swedish author and journalist Stieg Larsson. It is the first book of the Millennium trilogy, which, when published posthumously in 2005, became a best-seller in Europe and the United States. There are two movies that were adapted from the first book. One in 2009 by Swedish film and latter in 2011 by Hollywood. The other two books were adapted into movies as well.
The best book, however, that I ever read is 'The Shogun' by James Clavell. A bold English adventurer. An invincible Japanese warlord. A beautiful woman torn between two ways of life, two ways of love. All brought together in an extraordinary saga of a time and a place aflame with conflict, passion, ambition, lust, and the struggle for power...https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/shogun/id419945041?mt=11. I read it in 1975 and many times afterward. There is a mini series, now on DVD and Blu-ray. Read it and watch the series. You'll be rewarded with some finest moments.

Dave S.

 

[squib]

First mydave, let me thank you for your very kind thoughts! I truly, in my soul feel your sincerity and appreciate it! You more right than you know about everyone who is a part of this forum! I fell a couple of wks ago and couldn't use my iPad! Boy, I thought I was grateful when it was gifted to me. I had NO IDEA until it was gone just how important it is to my life!
That saying.... You don't know what you' ex got til it's gone?....has lasted and lived a long life because it is true! I very happy to meet you, you have been here but we haven't actually interacted, ( I don't think ?) until now! I could be wrong - that happens a lot!
I don't count my wins or losses so I only take something seriously when I am actually in it. Once I am out I forget! Some folks think I don't take life seriously - they are wrong. I don't take myself seriously, they'd be right.
Not for long anyway!
I adored that book 'Shogun' by James Clavell. I read it years ago yet still remember it. The "Girl with the Dragon..." and movies or books that are gory, brutal or tortuous ( physically ) - I have to skip those parts now because my own pain is already there, and when I read I feel what the characters feel, you get it right?
Have you ever heard of a series called " Duncton Woods "? I for get who wrote it but I'm going to download that series from the library and read it again!
GREAT SERIES! Partly because I'm a Buddhist and the author notes a lot of the book's morality is based on that.
I think "the Good Earth"; The Idiot" - Dostoyevsky "Shogun" and the book called " The Tibetan Book of the Living and the Dying " by Rinpoche Soygal with the "Duncton Wood " series are my all time favorites! If I could only have one book for the rest of my life it would be an easy choice! The Tibetan Book of....," hands down! I don't know a soul on the earth who's life hasn't been changed by reading THAT book!
Have you read any of my favorites mydave ?
PS the Tibetan book I mentioned should not be confused with "The Tibetan Book of the Dead"

 

[mydave]

I hope the forum would allow me a little leeway to express some thoughts, in view of Squib's recent post. I'd hope it helps her, and maybe, just maybe, it would inspire other valuable members of the forum to do the same.
Here it is:

Hello Squib,

I came across this quote from Stephen King: "If you don't have time to read, you don't have the time (or the tools) to write." Perhaps Kevin can add a bunch of other inspiration quotes . You went thru a lot, and did much much reading. Perhaps by mixing reading and writing, there would be more peace and satisfaction. Someday, we may be proud to read your books, who knows. Many have written about their special life, and succeeded. Recently, Amanda Lindhout wrote about her intimate story of an intrepid young woman and her search for compassion in the face of unimaginable adversity. The book's title is 'A House In The Sky' with the help from journalist Sara Corbett. There are many apps and books which can assist in writing. I heard of the writeapp.me website, which provides Private and Secure online notebook.

Well, thanks for reading and consideration. Now, back to the topic.

 

[squib]

Hi mydave, thank you for telling me about that book and her story, I have already requested it from the library! You are the third person this week to mention my life story should be in a book! Before I broke my back I wrote a bucket list! The only thIng left on it is to write a book! How wild is that! I have journals from my travels in Africa, my travels sailing in the Pacific, through the Panama Canal and throughout the Caribbean. The most astonishing thing about the book you mentioned and my travels is this phrase in quotation marks : " the most dangerous place on earth "!
During my sailing, as a crew member " we got in to a LOT of trouble in the Carribean. Two weeks after returning to Vancouver there was an article in the Vancouver Sun ( I of 2 major Newspapers ) that was titled "
The Most Dangerous Place on Earth " - how is that for synchronisity?
Maybe my Bucket List will be completed after all! I think the biggest problem for me is : Where do I start?
I have lived a very unusual life. A good friend of mine had only one huge
thing on her bucket list! To circumnavigate the world on a sailboat! She just completed it a few weeks ago! We have kept emails and letters ever since she started. She began her journey with her Aussie mate in a 34' sailboat in 1990 ( circa ). She wrote an email on my birthday last Sunday which included this:
" I KNOW that you have a wildness that cannot be tamed and it is what attracted me to you even though I didn't understand it. I have a driving need to explore, emotionally and physically but you have it on all levels including spiritually in a much deeper way than I can go. Ironically I am reading a book about a young girl who cannot be tamed. It is called Bloodroot by Amy Greene. It could be a tribute to you! "
So, maybe I should start by reading those two books! What do you say mydave? squib.

 

[squib]

Thanks mydave, I was going to delete it because it got so long......but hey, I'm not trying to rack up posts!

 

[squib]

What? Everyone is having so much fun in the sun no one has time to read a book on the beach?
Well, I just finished some WONDERFUL books
First a book by Andrew Gross called " Everything to Lose." Great book!
Then I read " Missing You " by Harlan Coben! Again a great read!
Then I read " Field of Prey " by John Sandford. A great read!
The last one is the best one! " The Kill Switch " by James Rollins, Grant Blackwood!
A few posts back I was trying to find out who this author was. No one seemed to know! I swear I LOVE READING THIS GUY'S BOOKS! They take you on a world tour and there is always a truth they are based on! This one was so intriguing ,because it was scary true, very feasible about bioterrorism. His previous books have all been Intriguing, he always bases the premise on truth. The characters became more and more interesting with each book. Plus it is based somewhat on the gov't s special group called SigmaForce. This time there is a whole new dimension! The main character has a beloved companion, Kane, his military war dog! How fascinating this book was. I looked at it Nd thought, yikes I will never get through that on time! Instead I could t put it down! I finished it in record time! I'd rather read a book like that instead of sleep! What a fascinating experience! Everyone would love this book for some reason they could relate to! WOW! And even more exciting there are more to come says the author.
Mydave, I think you would really enjoy this book. So many twists and turns, so much to learn about other countries in a way you would never be privy to without living there for years. Even then you probably wouldn't be privy to this info.
So, mydave, I challenge you to read this book and tell me what you think! It is comparable to Preston/Child in my opinion! I would love to hear anyone's thoughts on this book! I am so very glad I have always enjoyed reading, it just seems to get better and better with every book I read! Thanks for creating this thread! I love it!

 

[mydave]

Hey Squib,

We live right by beaches so we enjoy the beaches almost daily. Most of the times though, we would do some fishing for the fun of it. Nothing, I meant NOTHING, as thrilling as getting, fighting and finally pulling in a nice fish. One of the reasons that I love Hemingway's 'The Old Man and the Sea' so much. I even visited his residence in Key West.

Anyway, I think that the books you mentioned sound familiar to me. James Rollins is a great writer. He also wrote the last Indiana Jones book. I haven't read any of his books, yet.

A couple of reasons:

. After reading so many great books, I was . . . scared to read another book, from someone else, in fear of being dis-appointed. I wonder if it was just me. Not too long ago I went thru that feeling, bad, with Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King. I did not even finish but a dozen pages, then dumped it. I tried the ' ... in death' that many loved, I could not find the urge to read on. The story may be great, but the environment is . . . years from now.

. Currently, I am reading 'Invisible' by James Patterson. It appears to be fine. Started last week, and a few pages a day. Hope that it gets good soon.

Anyway, I do have " The Kill Switch " by James Rollins & Grant Blackwood! I will read it next. Hope that you are right or I would come back and blame you.

Edit: Just finish 'Invisible'. Average plus a bit of exaggeration on the serial killer. No one would be that good and that devious at crimes. Oh well, it is fictional .
So, I am ready to read that "The Kill Switch " on my iPad.
Will feedback.

 

[squib]

Hey Dave,
I agree and understand how you feel about the books you mention. I truly believe the In Death series is really a woman's book series's to read. I LOVE James Patterson, I haven't found a book of his I didn't like.
James Rollins will NOT disappoint you! I am sure of it! I had no idea he wrote the Indian Jones! Wow! His new series is about the war dog Kane, so if you want to begin what I consider a new series and you already have it. Well I can't wait to hear what you think.
I went commercial fishing for a year. Once when we were anchored, I decided to jig for a fish! I consider it one of the worst memories of my life. When the fish got on the hook I completely freaked! All I could think of was the pain it was causing the fish. I gave the line to one of the guys and asked him to bring it up and let it go. Unfortunately it was a great catch and he clubbed it to death! I still get the shivers remembering that!
I didn't mind the gill netting so much, but i knew at 23 yrs old I would NEVER want to catch another fish myself for the rest of my life.
I glad you enjoy it though!
Diane.

 

[mydave]

Hi there,

Good recommendation on the 'Skill Switch'. It is quite enjoyable. My thought is that he knows how to capture readers from the beginning. Many writers failed on that crucial technique. He came up with the new subject of LUNA and the great shepherd Kane that understands complex instructions. Kudos for that and for the writing style. I do find that it is hard to share the escape plot out of Russia. Four people (one of them is a mole) and a dog against the most powerful agencies. Come on . But again, it is fictional and he has to reach so many pages and words for the book. Nevertheless, he is a great writer and researcher.

I'm going to read his Sigma Force series next. He recently got a $15M deal for the next four books in the series. So, if they are good, I'd have 10 plus 4 more to read.

By the way, he was commissioned to write only the last Indiana Jones book, The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

As for fishing, perhaps you are to read the following articles. Do fishes feel pain ? Perhaps not:

http://www.weather.com/news/fish-feelings-20130114
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/science-news/9797948/Fish-cannot-feel-pain-say-scientists.html
http://phys.org/news/2013-08-fish-pain.html

The circle hook. A great tool for catch and release:

http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fisheries...ch-and-release/circle-hooks-benefits-and-tips
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circle_hook

So let's go fishing . . .

 

[squib]

Sorry, Dave, no can do!! That one experience has traumatized me for life!
Did you happen to read the facts r fun page where Johanna and both expound on the pain plants feel when they are crushed or cut!?
If plants can scream, so can fish!
I would much rather read about your fishing experiences! As long as it is catch and release and NO BLOOD from the fish HOOK!
Thanks for such a great insight into this author's way of writing. I have ordered the sequel to the KILL SWITCH already!
His books remind of Preston /Child . Did I already ask you if you read TWO GRAVES?

 

[mydave]

"Let there be light" and Primordial Light, the three Kings of Bethlehem and M-State Gold, Middle Ages and the Church, Myth and Science. All were mixed, tossed and tumbled in the Sigma Force #2, Map of Bones. There were ancient knowledge's that exceed all current sciences and who ever get them could dominate the world. Some very powerful groups determined to unlock and obtain such knowledge's. They have all the means to do so. They were close, very very close. The world is doomed . . . But . . . here comes our beloved Sigma team . . . It is a great read.

I'm on the third book of the series, Black Order. This time, it is the Quantum and Relative theories from the legendary German engineering from WW II. Another great one to read.

Hello Diane, sorry for late responding. Perhaps we should not get into the discussion of fishes and plants. I still have to prune our plants and pull the weeds now and then . I read most, if not all of Preston/Child works, including 'Two Graves'. Do you know that you could use this website http://www.literature-map.com/ to find your favorite author and others who have similar writing styles ?

Cheers,

 

[Mickey330]

Just finished reading John Scalzi's new book "Lock In."

Very good science fiction - and a detective story to boot. Highly recommend.

Marilyn

 

[scifan57]

Just finished reading John Scalzi's new book "Lock In."

Very good science fiction - and a detective story to boot. Highly recommend.

Marilyn

Now you can nominate it for the Hugo Award next year.

 

[Mickey330]

Now you can nominate it for the Hugo Award next year.

Heh. Forgot about that!

And yes, it is a contender ... though I read a LOT of science fiction in a year. We'll see.

 

[J. A.]

Gillian Flynn - Gone Girl