What are you reading?

[perth_couple]

The Road by Cormac McCarthy..

Awesome writing and probably the best 'read in an afternoon' book I've ever read.

[Ivor Biggun]

I just got hold of the third of the Millenium Trilogy by Steig Larsson. Unfortunately he died before thses works became so successful. It's called The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest and i can't put it down. Well obviously I can or I wouldn't be posting this, but you know what I mean

[Snick]

The Godfather of Kathmandu
being the further adventures of Sonchai Jitpleecheep.

[f0xxee]

(Snick @ Mar. 07 2010,11:32) The Godfather of Kathmandu
being the further adventures of Sonchai Jitpleecheep.

Hi Snick,

Just read that one last time home... Do you find it a little darker than the three previous books? I enjoyed it a lot, but found the mood bleaker.

I'm interested to hear your opinion when you finish it.

[f0xxee]

"Invictus" by John Carlin.

I first thought that the author tended to gush a little in his worship of Mandela, however by the time I finished the gushing seemed pertinent. Mandela comes across as near as damn it to being a living saint.
The most interesting part for me was the behind the scenes wheeling and dealing, and the magesterial manner in which NM overcame opposition form so many quarters.

Sympathetically written in regard to what could have been a whipping of the Afrikaaners, I could not put it down and although I have not seen the movie I am sure it contains more depth of historical detail.

Uplifting.

[Snick]

Finished today, waited till I was done before posting.

None of his books are happy fuzzy, I did not find it any darker than the previous ones.
I did find it just as good (maybe better) than some of the earlier ones, which was a relief. I was really worried it would be a letdown, as happens with so many authors after the 2nd or 3rd book.

[f0xxee]

Thanks Snick,

I think it might be there are less barbed comments on how Thais see Falangs in this one than the previous three books. Some of the commentary regarding the actions of Falangs and the associated perceptions of the witnessing Thai in the other books taught me more about living peaceably in LOS than any guide book.

Give Invictus a shot. its not about Rugby. I promise.

[blonde_havoc]

(perth_couple @ Mar. 07 2010,10:56) The Road by Cormac McCarthy..

Awesome writing and probably the best 'read in an afternoon' book I've ever read.

I read the Road last year during the late winter, which was probably the best time to read it as the landscape described in the book is basically the same (without all the ash of course)!

I'm currently reading The God Delusion by Dawkins. It's frickin' amazing.

[strocube]

The Voyage Out by Virginian Wolf. I did not like it, fucking tedious and dull.
A Journal of the Plague Year by Daniel Defoe. It's the fucking plague, "Bring out your dead."
A Passage to India by E.M Forster. I'm liking this one.
The Paultain Experience by Paultain. Only up to page 25, but so far it seems interesting.

[Torurot]

The best book I've read this year. Outlines how the print media manipulates the "news"

'Flat Earth News'
Nick Davies 2008 070.4Dav
ISBN 978 1 40743 251 9

[JaiDee]

(blonde_havoc @ Mar. 08 2010,01:48) I'm currently reading The God Delusion by Dawkins. It's frickin' amazing.

I mentioned this one a few pages back, and I wholeheartedly agree; one of the best books ever written IMO and should be mandatory for all high school children. I also read his newer follow-up, "The greatest show on Earth, the argument for evolution''; classic as well and highly recommended.

I had a long plane-flight yesterday and read "Why I left America" by John Arnone.......an easy read I picked up in Asia books about a guy who was fed up with the USA and moved to Thailand to get away from it. Jeeez, seems like a lot of us here can relate to that, eh?

As I read it I felt like I could've been the author myself, his reasons are all quite sound.

[JaiDee]

(JaiDee @ Mar. 11 2010,17:34) "Why I left America" by John Arnone.......an easy read I picked up in Asia books about a guy who was fed up with the USA and moved to Thailand to get away from it.

  BUMP  for this awesome, easy-to-devour book!!

Just finished it, I had a chapter left when I got home..... only sold in Thailand, he couldn't get a publisher to put it out here......very mysogynistic and chauvanistic and also frankly rips on american culture and politics, values, obesity, etc.....and gives 150 pages on why he decided America just wasn't for him so he packed it all in and moved to Thailand. Yes, he comes across as a whiny, bitchy, sour grapes kind of guy, but all his reasons are sound!

 People from the UK and Oz could probably relate to it as well, but for sure guys like; Kahuna, Blonde_Havoc, Kevin, Deepthroat, Pig Dogg, Blue Ballz maybe even Snick {who packed it in YEARS ago, smart lad that he is} and certainly any American who reads here and enjoys Thailand should pick it up; trust me!

He even has one page on how the JFK conspiracy nuts finally drove him bonkers, but    that belongs in another thread.  Besides rants on things like that he basically just gives many valid reasons that we all can relate to for moving to a better, warmer, more fun place;  you will be saying "uh-huh" all the way through it!

Available at Asia Books and probably soon at all Airport kiosks.

[JaiDee]

Another BUMP for a great book I read a few years ago by the author T.J. English which seems particularly appropriate today;

http://calitreview.com/152

''Paddy Whacked'' is a great story about how the Irish Mob rose up through the ranks of the american landscape between about 1840 and the current day; an excellent read and for sure the Micks have rivaled the Italians for mob turf all these years!!

But have gotten much less ink .....no "Godfather'' movie and all that.


The last chapter is dedicated to one Whitey Bulger, a mass murderer from the projects of South Boston who is now number 2 on the FBI's most wanted list, right behind Osama Bin Laden. He killed over 20 people in 25 years of running the Boston Irish mafia, as well as dealing dope and extortion and any other crime which could make him some coin; his brother was the President of the massachusetts senate and he had an FBI agent and an Italian assassin in his back pocket all during his reign. You couldn't even make up his story in Hollywood, but it was all true!!

Pick up Paddy Whacked, and also read more about Bulger, who is still at large, here;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_J._Bulger



FBI most wanted list;

http://www.fbi.gov/wanted/topten/fugitives/bulger.htm

[Snick]

'Sea of Faith'
Islam and Christianity in the Medieval Mediterranean World

http://www.amazon.com/Sea-Fai....&sr=8-1

A history of interactions between the Islamic and Christian world around the Mediterranean.

SPOILER -- They fight a lot, just shows how the more things change the more they stay the same !

[Instant Kama]

Just finished 'Ghost Train To The Eastern Star'. It's Paul Theroux retracing, as closely as possible, the route he followed whilst writing his now thirty five year old classic 'The Great Railway Bazaar'.
I found it a good read but realize it wont be of too much interest if you're not into travel. However what may surprise you is his description of, shall we say, a very VERY prominent non political Thai figure. Yes it's brief, but im surprised the work is still on the book shelves of the Kindom, and i dont fancy his chances of a 'free' visa next time around.