Mamachunk's 75 Books in 2008

I'm going to "join" this challenge, and I'm only going to include books that I own, and not those I get from the Library. I think that's only fair, since I tend to neglect my own collection, because of my ever growing TBR's from my public library...so here goes..

1) Love in the Time of Cholera--Gabriel Garcia Marquez
2) Into the Wild--Jon Krakauer
3)End Times: The Death of the Fourth Estate --Alexander Cockburn & Jeffrey St. Clair

mamachunk, we'd love to see your comments on the books you've read. Did you like it and if so, why? or you didn't like it..etc. We all have a little literary voyeurism in us:-)

I read a book by Jon Krakauer this year too. What are the odds?!
Welcome to the group, mamachunk.

Thanks for the welcome avaland and dihiba...I will definately leave comments after I have read a book on my list...That's something I often forget to do, indepth anyway..its much better then saying "its good". Here's some more of my list:

4) The Reluctant Fundamentalist BY: Mohsin Hamid
5) The Proud Tower: A Portrait of the World Before the War 1890-1914 BY: Barbara W. Tuchman
6) Falling Man BY: Don Delillo
7) The Stone Raft BY: Jose Saramago

So are you listing the books you plan to read over the next year rather than those you have finished?

If you have read all this already, my hat is off to you : ). I have read 6 and feel quite proud of myself (2 a week means 104 by the end of the year).

I haven't started reading these books yet...however I do plan to read them for this challenge. I am still finishing my library books.....I figured i needed a list to help guide me....

Ok..I've finally started on my list (see above)...I absolutely couldn't get through Love in the Time of Cholera....I found it incredibly difficult..I read about 50 pages and had to give up....

I have started Into the Wild-- and I must say that it is really, really good.....

Since I freaked out over "Love in the Time of Cholera", I went to the next book

1) Into the Wild by: Jon Krakauer---This was an absolutely excellent book. An intimate look at the life and death of an adventurous young man, it chronicles his experiences along the fringe of civilization. This book was wonderfully written. I highly recommend it to all...Now I can go watch the movie!!

2) End Times: The Death of the Fourth Estate BY: Alexander Cockburn----Very interesting. Its a collection of essays written by ALexander Cockburn and James St. Clair, and other "CounterPunchers", on the state of the media (through various years), their role in all sorts of shenanigans including the Iraq war, and how hard it is to find good media to get your information from.

3) The Reluctant Fundamentalist BY: Mohsin Hamid---- Great!! This is a great book that tells the story of a foreign man's experiences in NYC as told to a Man in a cafe. The personal is political.... I highly recommend this book...

4) The Proud Tower BY: Barbara Tuchman---Really interesting history before WW1, interesting events and personages that I wasn't familiar with before. When discussing the mechinations of Congress or Parliaments, she brings the environment alive. Politicking back then seems much more interesting then what's on CSPAN nowadays. She does an excellent chapter on classical/chamber music and its composers...I'm fairly ignorant of classical music, however I do enjoy listening to it, even if I can't explain it....that said, this is a really great book.

5) Falling Man BY: Don Delillo----really poignant book. It takes place in the immediate aftermath of 9/11 and the emotional ups and downs of everyday life. --This was an excellent read, even though I am sure that I missed things in this book.

Been a while since I've been here....I was stressing myself out trying to stick to a "list" that I wrote.....anyhoo, now I'm back..

6) The Stone Raft BY: Jose Saramago ---this was a great book, although I must confess that it had me confused a bit..

7) The Name of the Wind BY: Patrick Rothfuss ---really, really good...a wonderful narrative fantasy/coming of age story...I can't wait till the next one..

8) The 4-Hour Work Week BY: Timothy Ferris ----really interesting...basically an organizational/entrepreunerial primer for getting ahead and living like a king/queen...

9) The Complex- Nick Turse very good...its all about the influence of the military in everyday life, the myriad of companies that have interactions with the military (i'm not giving the book justice, but it is really, really interesting....)

10) Deep Storm BY: Lincoln Child-- great novel, kept me on the edge of my toes...its about an amazing discovery at the bottom of the ocean, and the attempts by the government/military to make use of it...

11) Better Off BY: Eric Brende--excellent, all about a couple who decides to live without technology and end up living and adapting to the Amish way of life, interesting discussion about the place of technology in the life of individuals..

12) Strangely Like War BY: Derrick Jensen---really interesting...all about the foresting industry and its assaults on nature/forests and indigenous peoples land...really thought provoking

13) A Game as Old as Empire Ed: Steven Hiatt---excellent!!! A book of essays regarding internationl/third world financing/WTO/GATT/NAFTA etc, etc.... how internation trade policies wreak havoc on third world countries and indigenous peoples, their land, environment, social equity, corruption, etc...excellent book, its a must read

14) Infected BY: Scott Siglar---excellent novel, its about, what else--an infection that runs rampart, and has unique and interesting characteristics....a great horror/thriller novel

15) The Fall of the House of Bush BY: Craig Unger--- excellent book, gives an excellent perspective on how the neo-cons hijacked the Executive Branch, a must read

16) Dark Mission: The Secret History of Nasa BY: Richard C. Hoagland & Mike Bara---good story, good premises, however, I think this could have been better written, it felt like he was trying to sound magnificant with the repetitive mentions of minutae....

17) The Shell Game: A Novel by: Steve Alten----excellent novel, based upon solid information surrounding 9/11, Peak oil, and terrorism...I highly recommend this book

18) World Made By Hand: A Novel BY:James Howard Kuntsler---A pretty good novelization of the themes contained in his other work The Long Emergency--peak oil, the collapse of technology, and a return to a "simpler" life...

19) Legacy of Ashes: The History of the CIA BY: Tim Weiner ---pretty interesting history of the CIA, i do believe he leaves many things out, but at its core, his thesis is that the CIA has rarely lived up to its name, and has been mostly a miserable failure..he uses lots of recently declassified material, interviews with numerous CIA personnel, (Directors, spies, covert operators, etc)...all in all its a good read.

20) Welcome to the Machine: Science, Surveillance, and the Culture of Control BY: Derrick Jensen --excellent, excellent...he is one of my favorite thinkers...a sobering treatise on the nature of control, and its manifestations in society at large, they really are out to get you....heh, heh, heh ,cue evil laughter> A MUST READ---Everyone should read this book...check out his other works

21) The Lucifer Principle: A Scientific Expedition into the Forces of History BY: Howard Bloom---a pretty good read, although I didn't agree with everything I read...check it out

22) Reinventing Collapse: The Soviet Example and American Prospects BY: Dmitry Orlov---Really, really good, it gives a Russian ex-pat and layman's view of would could happen to the United States in the not too distant future. He thinks that the "collapse" of the US will be much harder, then the "collapse" of the Soviet Union. He argues that the Soviets, although experiencing hardship during the transition, were by and large able to weather the storm. Not so the US....he believes that we are unaccustomed to "collectivity"...that's true to some extent...anyway its worth a read

23) Secrets of the Unified Field BY: Joseph P. Farrell--- good read, but can be tedious...He comes up with great conjecture, but the book being published by a really small press/alternative press, I guess they didn't have enough time to edit it properly...that said, its at least worth a try..maybe some mathematicians/physicists and such will have a better time understanding some of the concepts

24) The Giza Death Star BY: Joseph p. Farrell---good, but same problem as above....but worth a try

Is Dark Mission supposed to be an anti-NASA book, mamachunk? Just curious. You certainly have been reading some interesting books.

I just checked Dark Mission out of the library. Hoagland is a long time conspiracy theorist, and I wanted to see his take on things, especially the "Mars face" controversy. I'm only a few pages in, but so far am not impressed. I'm in the space business, and he's trying to make a lot of mileage out of things I *know* are nothing. If I finish it, I'll write up a review sometime.

avaland: anti-NASA, a bit, but its more like there are 2 NASA's. One for public consumption and the other for that secret cabal of masons, ex-nazis, occultic types...

drneutron: cool name!!! Hoagland likes to talk alot but i think this book was way too repetitive, it could've been written way better...

As for the whole Mars face, pyramid thing....Joseph P. Farrell's books mention it in concert with the Giza pyramids and such, that they seem to align together etc, I think Hoagland mentions that too...

Thanks for responding....I was feeling pretty lonely...

mamachunk

MamaChunk, sorry that you were feeling like no one was saying anything. I have been meaning to come on here and comment on the stuff that you are reading. I really like your reading combo, very well rounded and versatile.

I have a question for you. So I was reading your synopses of Infected and Deep Storm and they remind me of early Dean Koontz stuff. They sound really good and I was wondering if you would highly recommend them as I feel like I have not read a good horror/thriller in awhile. I have never heard of either author but both books sound very interesting.

#18 - drneutron: cool name!!!

I picked the name since I have a PhD in physics and my doctoral dissertation was on a new method for energetic neutron detection. Since then, I've wandered into spacecraft system engineering, which is may more fun!

Hey there TrishNYC..how's it going?? I would definately recommend Infected and Deep Storm...they are both great thrillers. A particular author that I like and that writes great thrillers, is Vince Flynn and his Mitch Rapp series, which consists of of 8-9 books. Its definately a thriller...political/military intrigue, and constant twists and turns....I would hartily recommend his books...Start with his first book--Term Limits....its a good introduction to Flynn's writing...the Mitch Rapp series starts with Transfer of Power and continues on for 8 books, with a 9th out in October 2008 (can't wait). Check out website www.fantasticfiction.co.uk and type in "Flynn, Vince" and all of his works will come up, this website is a great resource if you like to read things in order (I know I do) type in any author's name and all of his or her works will pop up...

Steve Alten is another great thriller writer...I would recommend his The Shell Game: A Novel--stupid touchstones, ...Even if you don't agree with some of the 9/11 Truth positions/theories presented (of which his novel contains only a part), I would still recommend his novel, its definately a thriller. Also check out his "MEG" series, about a prehistoric big-ass shark out to get everyone....it sounds cheesy but is definately worth reading, its like "Jaws" on steroids....Well I hope that was helpful...Thanks for your comments...

Enjoy the beautiful weather in NYC, I know I am...Mamachunk

I wouldn't call it anti-NASA--it's a reasoned critique of the agency--but anyone interested may want to see the relevant chapters in Voodoo Science by Robert L. Park. He also, as the title suggests, tackles lots of other forms of pseudoscience.

I have gotten a lot of use out of fantasticfiction.co.uk .... great resource all right!!!

Hey Mamachunk,
I am also totally loving the weather!! If only the whole Summer could be like this!!

I checked out that website and I love it. So much stuff to chose from. I just ordered The Host a few days ago and it should be here anyday now. I am so looking forward to a good horror/mystery combo. Thanks for your recommends and review of Infected and Deep Storm.I am looking forward to reading both. I will also look up Vince Flynn and his works. Stephen Alten also sounds very interesting. I love it, so much to read, so little time.

25) The Whole Truth BY: David Baldacci---good read, but sort of predictable...a good thriller, none the less...Tensions are exacerbated when a dissident is brutally murdered and his execution is played on the web...from this horrifying act, events move preciptiously closer to a World War...countries are pitted against one another, and a "cold war" settles over the globe...however there is more to this story...along comes a tried but true and incredibly troubled reporter and a super-secretive shadowy international operator (how's that for adjectives!!) and their quest to settle scores and find "The Whole Truth"......i'd recommend it, Baldacci is a great writer all around despite me comments at the top, if anyone else has read this--do you find it predictable?? Would love your comments on this...

26) What Happened: Inside the Bush White House and Washington's Culture of Deception BY: Scott Mcclellan---- great read, a slightly different perspective on the Bush presidency from an "insider"....several anecdotes that are new...but how many "confessionals" can one read??? They essentially come out to be the same.....so he portrays himself as an upstanding guy who was duped, and that's true to some extent, but he seems to be a bit naive...he rightly criticizes some aspects of the media and gov't culture, and tries to stand up for the "little guy", but the one thing he doesn't say (maybe for obvious reasons) is that it is also the fault of the "people"...I know that there are a lot of powerful interests and the like out to slam us, but my God, do we all have to lap it up like some kind of half-crazed, starved kitten, not noticing the slightly tangy taste of the poison???? Ok maybe that's harsh, but heres the thing...he as a press secretary was essentially paid to spout administration talking points and helped to market several programs/positions of the administration, and the media for the most part dutifully reported it....but again, we fall in to the trap of accepting everything that is fed to us.....maybe now that is changing, but there's a lot more to do....(for starters reading----reading diverse opinions and beliefs and perspectives and attempting to digest it all)---I can't blame people for not "paying attention"--its a pain in the a**---he offers some good and thoughtful prescriptions towards the end of the book, but being the pessimist that I am, I believe it is all for naught......that said, (sorry for the ramble, I'm feeling incoherent at the moment, and not from the obvious reasons, just a mind freeze)...I would recommend this book....

Mamachunk :)

27) The Giza Death Star Destroyed by: Joseph P. Farrell----interesting conclusion to his "Giza" series...he goes really deep into the physics of the Giza pyramid and the differing theories of how the pyramid worked...he also dives into ancient myths and how they 'explained' the pyramids use as a weapon...a good read, although it can be difficult---drneutron---I think you would understand most of this, even if you might think he is kooky...a good read nonetheless

28) Across the Face of the World by: Russell Kirkpatrick---a fantastic beginning to a great trilogy...excellent world building...the author is a cartographer and geographer...I would highly recommend this book...I;m looking foward to reading the other books in the trilogy

#27 - although it can be difficult---drneutron---I think you would understand most of this, even if you might think he is kooky

I'll have to take a look. Kooky's ok, sometimes! 8^}

I was interested in your comments on Across the Face of the World. He's definitely good at world-building. His cartographic background really shines. Unfortunately, I never really connected with the characters and lost interest about halfway through. I'm glad it worked for you, though!

29) In the Earth Abides the Flame BY; Russell Kirkpatrick --- really good, a continuation of the "Fire of Heaven" series, this book continues where the 1st one left off....Leith tries to come into his own as a leader, yet he is wary and ambivalent about the prospects, doesn't like being "used" by anyone, anyway, the adventure continues as "The Company" readies Faltha for the coming war against them....a good read,

drneutron--do you read any other fantasy authors, or have you read any really good fantasy novels?? I'm not that well versed in fantasy, but I enjoy epics...I've read Robert Jordan & some of Goodkind---(I prefer Goodkind over Jordan)....thanks for your comments, much appreciated....You too TrishNYC!!! Thanks a bunch!! :)

30) Sacred Stacks: The Higher Purpose of Libraries and Librarianship BY; Nancy Kalikow Maxwell ---really interesting book, a quick read....makes an excellent comparison of spirituality/religion and libraries......talks about peoples conceptions of Librarians, the nature of Librarianship, the eternality of the Library as an institution..etc....a worthy read, she includes great anecdotes many of which are quite funny, (mostly for the fact that I have donesome of those things she mentions...) Recommended

mamachunk

I pulled the top few off my library using the fantasy tag and got:

A Cavern of Black Ice - Another good world-builder, from a societal sense rather than geographic sense. Jones' earlier series startign with The Baker's Boy was also good.

Bridge of Birds is one of the most lyrical books I've ever read.

The Bone Key is a set of connected short stories by Sarah Monette, one of my up-and-coming favorites. This one's best classified as urban fantasy/paranormal, I suppose.

Mistborn is the start of a great trilogy (ok, the third book isn't out, so I'm a bit presumptuous!) by an author that hangs out here on LT occasionally. He was chosen to finish up the last volume of Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series.

City of Dreaming Books is an odd little book that really captured my attention. See the description to get a sense of what it's about.

Also, Breath and Bone, The Eyre Affair, The Night Watch. Let me know if you need more!

Also, some of the folks over at the Green Dragon group here on LT put together a list of the 1001 Fantasy Novels to Read Before You Get Turned Into a Newt. Here's a link to the 1001Fantasy library. We're in the process of putting together summaries for each, but it's slow...

http://www.librarything.com/catalog.php?view=1001Fantasy

I enjoy fantasy but have not immersed myself in some of the more well known fantasy series. The fantasy I tend towards is not so much the fantasy of swords and sorcerers but more of ghosts, magic, and the unusual. One of my favorite new authors writes a series about a paticular place where several worlds seem to overlap, Newford - his name is Charles de Lint. I've described him as a sort of cross between Stephen King, JRR Tolkein, with a lot more optomism and hope. I highly recommend his stories but they are not the stuff of traditional fantasy and probably wouldn't necessarily be grouped or categoried that way.

31)- The Right Hand of God BY: Russell Kirpatrick---this is a good ending to a great series, we see how the characters have matured, how events have unfolded for the people of Instruere---a really great series..I heartily recommend it..

32)- Empire BY: Orson Scott Card --wrong touchstone--- an okay novel, alternative history run-amok...a bit to doctrinaire and pedantic for my tastes, nevertheless I stuck with the book, finishing it, and wishing that he encapsulated his ideas in a better light...that said, I still like Card's works,and IU look foward to reading his other sci-fi novels---The Ender series being really, really good...Pastwatch being a really great what-if book....

Blackdogbooks, from your description, you should definitely check out books by Nina Kiriki Hoffman. Start with A Red Heart of Memories. That exactly describes her fantasies. You might also like Emma Bull as well.

Posted a response to your profile page also. After posting, I saw we share a few books. What did you think of the Paolini books?

Thanks for your comments, BDB. I think the Paolini books are quite an accomplishment for someone his age. That said, they are very derivative in numerous ways from classic fantasy literature, notably MiddleEarth and Shannara (which also started out very derivative in the first few books). I find them interesting but not captivating.

I think I agree with you about the derivative nature of the books, though, like you, I also enjoyed them, especially in light of the level of prose for someone so young.

What about Charles de Lint? What do you think about him? He is a new favorite of mine.

I like Charles de Lint a lot. I don't LOVE him like I do Nina Kiriki Hoffman, some of his urban fantasy gets a little gritty, but some of his individual works I like very well and I think he is a quality writer. I enjoy reading his book reviews in Fantasy & Science Fiction. By the way, NO one should start reading Hoffman by reading Catalyst--I'm still not sure what I think about that one, but it is my least favorite by far.

33) The Doors of Perception and Heaven and Hell BY: Aldous Huxley---very strange---he talks about his experiences under the influence of mescalin, and other perceptions of the world around him...a bit of a difficult read, but worth it

34) Collateral Damage: America's War Against Iraqi Civilians BY: Chris Hedges and Laila Al-Arian---A short book considering the topic at hand---the unfortunate and often times barbaric treatment of ordinary Iraqi civilians and how we seem to be losing their hearts and minds..altogether its a great read.

35) The Cosmic War: Interplanetary Warfare, Modern Physics and Ancient Texts BY: Joseph P. Farrell---a further continuation and expansion of his contention that there was once a cosmic war fought between the "gods" and that some very sophisticated physics and weaponry was used...it was interesting, but again, a bit hard for me to grasp, nevertheless I finished it...

36)The Prosecution of George W. Bush For Murder BY: Vincent Bugliosi --this book basically explains the reasons why Dubya should be put on trial for murder...not impeachment, mind you, but murder...in a trial, tried by an Attorney General of the US, or any of the States---I thought it could have done without the usual invective, but nevertheless it was a really interesting book---highly recommended

Cosmic war and the gods with sophisticated weapons and physics.......really?!?!?!?! And in what ancient texts does he find support for his theory?

Its an interesting series of books, but it made my head hurt...

He uses sources, such as ancient Greek/Egyptian myths, Sumerian texts, Babylonian texts, etc...

37) The Great Derangement BY: Matt Taibbi---very good....Taibbi chronicles his journey into "red-state" America, joining a church, out with the troops in Afghanistan/Iraq, and talks about Congress...although its tilted towards the Democratic/Progressive side, its an excellent read, lots of humor, I recommend it

38) Brainwash: The Secret History of Mind Control BY: Dominic Streatfield---excellent survey of mind control experiments and lots of mishaps, cults and their behavior...very interesting...a worthy read

39) Nephilim: The Truth is Here BY: L.A. Marzulli--a good book, great start to a series. Christian Fiction. A "what-if" type of novel--What if Aliens/UFO's are really demons? Are people being deceived by them? The characters are really good....

40) The Unholy Deception: The Return of the Nephilim BY: LA Marzulli----continues with the same characters, except they have matured in their faith, and the Alien Deception grows...people learn to fight off the "aliens/Demons" power....I realize I'm not fully explaining the series properly...I recommend that you read them---I think most people will enjoy it!

Your last two books sound very interesting. I may just look into getting a copy.

Is this a new series or is a series that has already been concluded?

Trish, there are 3 books in the series

1) Nephilim

2) The Unholy Deception

3) The Revealing

I haven't read the last book, i'm still waiting for it to come in the mail.
This series is already concluded.

Enjoy

mamachunk

I had to star your thread as your mixture of titles is very interesting to me. So, now I will keep a much closer eye on your reading. The recommendations always sound so much fun.

41) Elantris BY: Brandon Sanderson-- Very good fantasy novel...this is about a city called Elantris that was once very beautiful and mystical, but that falls prey to a Transformation that destroys the city and is decaying little by little...the inhabitants of Elantris are also decaying, almost like the walking dead, they are prone to agonizing pain when injured, the kind that doesn't stop...when a member of the royal family is thrown into the city just as his fiance (Sarene) arrives...she is dismayed to find that he is "dead"...meanwhile, Sarene, a headstrong independent woman involves herself in the politics of the kingdom...what follows is a wonderful tale of magic, destiny, fear and hope...I highly recommend this book.

42) The Revealing: The Time is Now BY: L.A. Marzulli---very good...this is the last book in The Nephilim series, and the time is now, the "last days" are almost upon the earth, and a secretive group called "The Cadre" are intent on formenting "the apocalypse" and encouraging the Nephilim (alien hybrids) to destroy the main characters Macenzie and Johanen, but Mac's faith has grown trememdously and their faith in God gets them through some very harrowing situations...I would recommend this series...

I'm currently reading another of Dominic Streatfeild's books, Cocaine: An Unauthorized Biography, and am really enjoying the humor and conversational style he brings to his writing. Does he do the same in Brainwash?

Hello Wunderkind...yes, his writing in "Brainwash" is humourous and conversational...he brings much needed clarity to what can easily become an overwhelming topic...he pulls no punches either...I think you would enjoy this very much...

mamachunk

Have you read the Mistborn series by Sanderson? They're pretty terrific, and he's an LT author to boot!

Haven't read them yet drneutron...I just got them from the library, so I will be reading them shortly...thanks for the feedback...

mamachunk

Thanks for the answer to my question mamachunk. I will definitely be seeking that series out cause your description makes them sound so good.

Sanderson sounds like someone I will definitely have to be on the lookout for. My local library does not have anything by him, but I will check the bookstores in my area. Elantris sounds very worthwhile.

43) The Shock Doctrine BY: Naomi Klein--really interesting...essentially she pillories the Chicago Economists--Friedman, et al, that have reeked havoc on many third world countries by disassembling their economies and social structures...that's really it in a nutshell....she also goes into the "national security state" and its attendent corporate entities servicing "the beast" as our soldiers "fight the good fight"....a very worthy read....

44) Samurai Executioner Vol 1: When the Demon Knife Weeps BY: Kazuo Koike --this is my first foray into the world of anime.....and I was pleased by the story even if some of the gratutious and shocking nature of the "drawings" startled me...it just seemed a bit warped...I think the story would have gotten along fine if he could have toned "it" down a bit...basically the story is this....a master swordssmith? ( i think that's the word) becomes the chief "swords-tester" to the SHogun/King....he also becomes his executioner, righting the wrongs and wrestling with his conscience over his actions, albeit as a sanctioned disepenser of justice...all in all it was a good beginning to a series....I recommend it..

45) Samurai Executioner Vol 2: Two Bodies, Two Minds BY: Kazuo Koike this is a continuation of the series with a more searching executioner, a story is told of a woman and the trauma she suffers (again, more gratutious "stuff")..it offers a relationship between the environment that we grow up in, and later actions/consequences...again, I recommend this...I look foward to reading the others....

mamachunk

Thanks for the recommendations on the Samurai Executioner books. My daughter is a huge anime fan, so those sound like they will be right up her alley. Christmas is just around the corner . . .

Anime = Animation.
Manga = Comic Books.

The Samurai Executioner series are comics, right?

Thanks dcozy...yes it was manga.....thanks for the correction....

46) Mistborn BY: Brandon Sanderson ---excellent fantasy book, a great beginning to a series, it tells the tale of a world in which there is nothing but suffering, dread, drearyness, and oppression, a people called the Skaa are an oppressd people, ruled by their terrifying god, The Lord Ruler. The noblemen, are also oppressing the Skaa. Amongst the Skaa people, are thiefs and rabblerousers, however, the Skaa are under too much bondage to rise up...It tells the story of Kelsier, Head thief to his crew, and Vin a young girl brought up on the streets and also part of theiving society...both Vin and Kelsier have powers of the Mistborn. They can call upon metals to travel, make themselves faster, stronger, and to protect themselves and attack their enemies. It follows the adventuring of Kelsier and his crew, along with Vin as they try to overthrow the Final Empire. (Ok, i'm not doing this book justice, but honestly, its a really great book, go read it!!)

47) The Way of the World: A Story of Truth and Hope in an Age of Extremism By: Ron Suskind
Wow!!! What an excellent book!!! An absolute must-read. He chronicles the actions and policies created and acted upon in the aftermath of 9/11. He mentions the story of a Pakistani immigrant working in DC for an economic think tank, who was mistaken for a terrorist while going for his morning jog past the White House. They grabbed him and interrorgated him in the basement of the White House. He also chronicles how far we've come since 9/11 for both good and evil. It is a must read, no matter what your political persuasion. 2 thumbs up!!

Also by Ron Suskind is THe One Percent Doctrine---this is also an excellent book, a must read as well...
Happy reading...

mamachunk

mamachunk,

I just got in a copy of Elantris by Brandon Sanderson the other day, and I hope it is as good as the reviews I have read. If I like it, I will definitely be checking into other books by him!

I've added book #47 to my list of tbr. Thanks for the description and recommendation.

The sequel to Mistborn, The Well of Ascension, is really good too. I haven't read Elantris yet, but it's on the list. Also, Brandon was chosen to finish the last Wheel of Time book after Robert Jordan died.

48) The Dark Side: The Inside Story of How the War on Terror Turned into a War on American Ideals by: Jane Mayer ---Excellent, excellent book...It talks about the various torture debates, and how executive power was usurped by Cheney and his sidekick Addington. Basically there were "laws" and "procedures" that were carefully crafted in order for the Bush Administration and their lackeys to do whatever they wanted, even though most of their interrogation techniques never got them any actionable intellengence...it talks about how torture was in essence legalized...a very good book, its an absolute must read...I highly recommend it..

49) The Well of Ascension BY: Brandon Sanderson ---Excellent book, it continues the story of Vin, Elend, and the rest of the crew, Spook, Breeze, etc...they have been ruling Luthadel and dealing with all sorts of problems, not the least of which is 3 different armies camped outside its gates...its an exciting book with lots of twists and turns...I highly recommend it... But first read Mistborn ...

50) Lady Snow Blood Vol 1: The Deep Seated Grudge by Kazuo Koike & Kazuo Kamiomura---good manga, a bit graphic, Lady SNow Blood has come to be an assassin, that ends up taking revenge on those people that killed and abused her mother,
years before---its graphic, but it is a worthy read

51) Lady Snow Blood Vol 1: THe Deep Seated Grudge part 2 ---it continues the story of her revenge...not bad for a manga, although i could do with out the constant nudity..

Whoa, I love your mix of books. You read so many diverse and interesting topics. My list of books to buy grows every larger every time I read your thread.

Yeah, I have to agree!!!

52) Death With Interruptions BY: Jose Saramago --really good, but it can be a difficult read...Saramago's style of writing is a bit odd, but once you get into it for several pages, it becomes easier...basically its about a day when no one dies, and the country is incredibly perplexed. The people who were "dying" are left in that state, unable to die. Families resort to crossing the border, because once there, the "dying" actually die. Family members then bury their dead..an entire clandestine industry springs up and they are in immediate opposition to the gov't. Eventually people start receiving letters in the mail and they are informed that in one week they will die. Death becomes anthropomorphized in the form of a woman. Like I said, its a bit strange, but worth reading. I love his novels, even though i sometimes feel stupid reading them because I can't understand them...that said, its still worth reading his stuff.. FYI, the movie Blindness is based on is book of the same name...that is an incedible book..

53) LT Reviewer's Book-- The Army Of The Republic --wrong touchstone--BY" Stuart Archer Cohen---Really good novel!!! Its set sometime in the future USA, but almost reads like today's headlines..It tells the story of some Militant Activists who go after corporate criminals and the "Civilian Activists" --(think A.N.S.W.E.R) and the path of a country. Its practically a satirical account of the political/social situation as it exists today, albeit with some artistic license. Dissenters are labled "terrorists/terrorist sympathizers", there is a crushing of civil liberties, a "Blackwater" type company running roughshod over the country..and lots of soul searching. All in all its a fantastic book, worth reading and buying.

#64 mamachunk: Sounds like I will have to keep my eyes peeled for The Army of the Republic. Thanks for the recommendation!

54) Temple At The Center of Time: Newton's Bible Codex Deciphered and the Year 2012 BY: David Flynn --really interesting book. I must admit, I was not too familiar with Newton's work beyond the obvious, Gravity and all, so it was really interesting to find out that he wrote prolifically on Bible prophecy. Basically, Flynn's thesis is that Newton thought that the Temple was/is the basis of time and space. He uses interesting arithmetical calculations (okay, it was simple math), to arrive at his conclusions. Supposedly, Newton believed (as do many Christians) that the "answers" to Bible prophecy as stated in the book of Daniel, although he was diligent in its deciphering and study, was to be uncovered at a future date. Flynn uses basic arithmetic as far as the locations of the Temple in Jerusalem and London, Washington DC, Tigris & Euphrates rivers, respectively, to illuminate the numerical significance and its relation to Biblical prophecy. OK, I hope I've done it justice. That said, its a really interesting book and I think that many would enjoy reading it whether Christian or not, whether well-versed in prophecy or not. So go out and read it..

55) Jihad and Jew-Hatred: Islamism, Nazism, And The Roots of 9/11 BY: Matthias Kuntzel ---This is an excellent and concise book. A quick read, approx 160 pages or so, Kuntzel packs a punch. Kuntzel is a political scientist in Germany, and shows that the roots of Jihadism come straight out of Nazism. Islamic anti-semitism is alive and well, and has never really "disappeared". The Nazis actively encouraged the Islamists in the Middle East during WW 2, {i.e The Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, Amin Al-Husseini,} and now practically all of the Islamists (and a fair smattering of so-called moderate Muslims) have as their unifiying factor: anti-semetism/Jew-hatred. The Protocals of the Elders of Zion is consistently on the best sellers lists amongst the Arab populace, the blood libel is much discussed and its (the Arabs) intellegentsia, periodicals, university professors, etc are constantly foaming at the mouth over "The Jews".

Now people can reasonably argue about Israeli policy and American foreign policy, and the causes of 9/11, but Kuntzel's arument is that regardless of other causes i.e. poverty, corruption of Arab regimes, etc, the seminal idea is anti-semitism. Anti-semitism is what has motivated many if not most of the Islamist factions, groups, and their actions through out the years. His basic argument is the Islamism did not start with the Intifada, but has been present since at least the 30's and is the main, unifying theme underlying Islamic terrorism, etc.

OK, i realize that much more can be said about this topic, but I leave it to the reader to make their own judgements. THis is an excellent book, and all students of history would be well-served by reading it.

56) The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society BY: Mary ann Shafer & Annie Barrows---excellent book! I really enjoyed it. Its a wonderful story told in a series of letters, about an author and her eventual friendship with a Literary Society on the Channel Island of Guernsey. Set immediately after WWII, it captures the hopes and fears of the British populace in the midst of recovering from the horrors of war. Guernsey was occupied by the Nazi's and the stories of the Societiy's members are told through this prism. THe Society becomes a family of sorts and all of their hopes and fears and quirks are told through the various letters. Anyway, its a wonderful book, a definate must read...

hi.
Next on the list is The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

I joined this challenge late so am also coming late to explore the reading of others in the challenge. I enjoyed reading your comments--you have read a wide variety of genres! I'm made several additions to my TBR lits. Thanks for an enjoyable time!

57) Any Given Doomsday BY: Lori Handeland-- Early Reviewer book

Really good! I would recommend reading this book..I would classify this as a supernatural romance type of book, but that said, its really good. Its about Elizabeth Phoenix, a former cop and gifted psychic. She is actually more powerful then she knows, her on again, off again romance to Jimmy complicates her life somewhat, oh, and yes, she has to battle vampires, and ferocious demon things...A long standing battle between Nephilim and Children of the Light (so to speak) rages on and the unwitting leader is Phoenix. A pretty good plot, lots of humourous sarcarsm and some hot sex scenes make this an interesting novel. I normally don't read these type of books, (with an exception for Christine Feehan), but that said, I look foward to the continuation of this series. Go out and read it!

58) The Bush Agenda: Invading the World, One Economy at a Time BY: Antonia Juhasz --Very good book. I've had this sitting around my shelves for about a year, so I thought, what the hell, I'll read it. It basically discusses Bush's imperialistic globalization policies, and the impacts it has made on the developing world. Now some of the stuff goes over my head, I guess I have a basic understanding of the IMF, World Bank, etc, but it appears that far from doing good for the third world economies, it has really debased them, and the people along with it. She mentions Iraq as a huge example of rampant corruption, and sweetheart deals mostly benefitting US/Multinational corporations, while we, the taxpayers pay up for unbelievablely shoddy work, to the tune of several billions of dollars. It was pretty good, and a recommended read.

Mamachunk

hi mamachunk, u are reading some very interesting non-fiction there!

have u read The Shock Doctrine by Naomi Klein? i think it would make a good complementary read to your book #58. it goes further back to Nixon, proving that this is a policy that has underlined US relations with developing countries for decades now, and that political shock (destabilization, repression, invasion, etc) has always been used either as tool or opportunity to carry out economic shock therapy (pure free market instruments such as deregulation, privatization, etc).

Mamachunk and deebee
It looks like you both are reading very interesting books during the heavily inundated political time.

deebee1, i have read The Shock Doctrine..its #43...it was very interesting.

I love reading about politics, history....even though it can be depressing, i love it...

same here and i've been missing this kind of reading as i've been heavily into fiction this year. not that i regret of course. and yes, it can be depressing, but it does help a bit in understanding what's going on and what's not right in our world today, don't u think?

btw, have u read Crossing the Rubicon: The Decline of the American Empire at the End of the Age of Oil by Michael Ruppert? i thought it might interest you, as it's along the lines of what you've been reading. i have just gotten my copy, and it's about next in my reading list

deebee1, yes I have read that book, several years ago. In fact, that's what started my mini paradigm shift...I was a solid republican unti about 3 or so years ago...Now, while I'm still registered republican, I have come to realize that its 2 sides of the same coin, dems & gop...At times I can be so frustrated with politics....

Some of my favorite reads have been, Fiasco, The Assassins Gate, Hubris: The Inside Story of Spin, Scandal, and the Selling of the Iraq War , Cobra 2, 1000 Years For Revenge, "Cover-Up" and Triple Cross Wrong touchstone---those three are by Peter Lance, in order 1) 1000 Years for Revenge, Cover-UP, & Triple Cross. Please read those books...actually that is what peaked my interest in terrorism and such....I think you will freak out with all the info in those books, highly recommended...Also read Dollars for Terror---written in 1999 in France, it is absoulutely wonderful reading..

Not to inundate you, but you should check out a man named "Dave Emory" and his show "For the Record"...If you have ITunes..search for "For the Record" and download all of the shows...if you really want an education, then you'll get it by listening to him..I've never learned so much from one man...

Ok, sorry for the ramble....feel free to peruse my library for some interesting reads....

Happy Reading!!!!

mamachunk

WOW! What an interesting list of political reads...
2009 promises to be an interesting year to read my tbr piles, including those added from your posts.

Thanks...(I think)

I'm particularly interested in 1000 Years for Revenge. I'll check your library to see if you have a review. If not, can you briefly describe this (unless you have already and I'm missing it.)

#75 - Have you read any of Michael Scheuer's books? Scheuer was formerly head of the CIA's bin Laden unit. I found them very interesting and depressing. Imperial Hubris was probably the best one, although his most recent, Marching Toward Hell, is also well worth reading.

Hello sgtbigg!! Actually, I can't remember if I've read Scheuer's books.....But I'll definately check them out.

Thanks!

mamachunk

For terrorism, its history, and the US response, I recommend Ghost Wars: The Secret History of the CIA, Afghanistan, and Bin Laden from the Soviet Invasion to September 10, 2001 by Steve Coll, a New Yorker reporter; The Looming Tower: Al Qaeda and the Road to 9/11 by Lawrence Wright, another reporter; The Commission: The Uncensored History of the 9/11 Investigation by Philip Shenon, a New York Times reporter; and The Dark Side: The Inside Story of How the War on Terror Turned into a War on American Ideals by Jane Mayer, a New Yorker reporter. All of these are impeccably researched, readable, and chilling.

Thanks for your recommendations rebeccanyc. I have read The Looming Tower and THe Dark Side--which was excellent. I have The Commission, its on my list to read.
I started to read Ghost Wars several years ago, but perhaps its worth picking up again and reading straight through.

Thanks again!

mamachunk

59) The Eight by: Katherine Neville Wrong touchstone---excellent, excellent book. I had this laying around for a couple of years, I'm so sorry that I didn't read it earlier. It was an excellent book! It follows two "threads" if you will, from NYC in 1972 to France in 1790....At the center of it all is a mysterious chess service--THe Montglane Chess Service. Catherine Velis from NYC 1972, is a computer expert who is suddenly sent to Algeria on a work assignment and is also tasked with finding out about some chess pieces from the Montglane service. What starts out as a simple hunt, becomes a world wide hunt from France in the 1790's, with the rise of Buonaparte to the rise of OPEC in the 1970's. Secret societies, intrigue, murder all play a part in The Game....It is a terrific read, a proto Davinci code, (and a hell of a lot better)....Read it!!

mamachunk

WOW! Your review of The Eight sounds fascinating.
I've added it to my list of tbr. Thanks for the recommendation.

#81 mamachunk: I read The Eight this year as well and agree completely that it is much better than The DaVinci Code. I do not think I enjoyed it as much as you did - I thought it could have been shortened by about 100 pages, but for a first effort (at least I think it was - she has since written several others), it was still pretty darn good! I am going to try and track down the sequel The Fire and see if it is any good.

60) The War Within BY: Bob Woodward-- really good!! Essentially, this book chronicles how the Bush WH tried to stem the tide of bad news coming out of Iraq, it talks about the "surge" and the efforts of the NSC staffers, assorted Generals and others who tried to re-make this conflict. It can be a bit confusing, what with all the names mentioned. That said it is a very worthy read. Its sad how many mistakes and infighting there was/is regarding the Iraq/Afghanistan conflict. A hearty recommendation.

alcottacre---I am currently reading The Fire, and so far it is really good. I got my copy for about $17 at Costco.

Glad to hear that The Fire is good, mamachunk. I have put it on hold at my local library.

61) The Fire BY: Katherine Neville --(Wrong book touchstone)--Excellent!! A must read, but you have to read "The Eight" first.
"The Fire" starts about 30 years after the events in "The Eight"...Cat Velis has a daughter, and there is a whole new set of players in this Game. Again about 200 years seperate events---1822 in Albania and 2003 in Colorado....A new cast of characters with lots of intrigue, murder, and mayhem. Cat Velis is missing, but has summoned her daughter and others to a birthday celebration at her COlorado hideaway...What follows is a whirlwind of romance, shady alliances as we learn more about the famed Montglane Service and the true secret behind it. From 1822 in Albania with young Haidee and Khauri as they travel from Albania, to Morocco, hiding what must remain hidden to Colorado and the AMerican West to D.C in 2003 with ALexandra the next generation player of the Game. You won't be disappointed....Its a fascinating conclusion to a wonderful adventure story. I highly recommend it!!

Mamachunk

62) Ambrosia: About a Culture BY: James Cummins--LT Reviewers-- A really good book. It chronicles the rise of electronica music and its culture. From its early European antecedents like Kraftwerk and Tangerine Dream to mega stars like THe CHemical Brothers, electronic music and culture is now a part of history. While mentioning the musical influences, he categorizes it as an entire culture where boundaries are cast aside and people come together for the pure pleasure of dancing. He mentions the "dark" side of electronica, the drugs and the negative impressions given by the media. He speaks of the unifiying nature of such a culture, where there is tolerance of all and much experimentalising with music and all artistic forms. THey often come together in an event like a Rave, where art, music and dance come together. THere are many sub genres like: Drum & Bass, House, Techo, Trance, etc. I am a fan of electronic music, more specifically Industrial music, and I enjoyed this history. An interesting read

Mamachunk

Hmmm. I'm gonna have to keep an eye out for this one. I love Tangerine Dream and Kraftwerk...

Tangerine Dream put out some of the best movie scores and songs!!!!!

blackdogbooks and drneutron Tangerine Dream is pretty cool...

I regularly subject my office mate to Hyperborea at work. He repays me by playing endless Phish live sets. Fortunately, we like each other's music...8^}

I feel old...I would have thought Hyperborea was where Conan came from. :-)

Led Zeppelin, Creedence, Janis...

heyy drneutron and TAD--thanks for your responses....can't say that I'm familiar with Hyperborea---it sounds like some kind of super secret spy stuff....

I got into listening to electronica/industrial because my coworkers would make a lot of noise and I wanted something to listen that would drown them out...I started listening to Rant Radio Industrial...you can google them...and they play pretty interesting music, you might or might not like it...

Some of the groups I like are: Negative Format, Qntal---this band is freakin cool, its German/Medieval Electronica--awesome, Icon of Coil, Interlace, VNV Nation, etc.. A really cool jazzy type of electronica album is "Immortal Game" by: symbion project...its one of my favorites...real smooth, nice to sit back, relax and drink some wine while you listen. If you have ITunes--go to radio, then electronica, then scroll down for "Rant Radio INdustrial"---give it a try, would love to know what you think. SOme of the music can be a bit LOUD and WEIRD, but I think you'll find something that you like.

Ok, that was a mouthful, hope I haven't convinced you that I am a freak...

Mamachunk

Sorry, Hyperborea is my favorite Tangerine Dream album...and yes, they named it after Conan's homeland! 8^}

As I said, I'm old. I've never even heard of Tangerine dream. Or Negative Format, or Qntal, or Icon of Coil, or Interlace...............................

My musical taste pretty much run to stuff written between 1960-1975 (well, and between 1700-1850). Individual songs here and there that are more recent but that's it for where I like most stuff.

Thanks for the heads up on Rant Radio Industrial mamachunk- have bookmarked it and am listening right now... always good to hear some "darker" music to counterbalance today's penchant for pop and hip-hop...

Will add Ambrosia: About a Culture BY: James Cummins to my list of books to check out!!!

Thanks again!!!

Kathy

Hope you enjoy that Kathy!

TadAD---I too like the music from 1960-75, even though it was before my time....its some great stuff...I believe there is a book about Laurel Canyon (I think)....I heard an interview on NPR about it a few years back, and they talked about The Mamas and the Papas and Crosby, Stills, & Nash....I forget the name, but you might want to check it out.

mamachunk

62) The Pornography of Power: How Defense Hawks Hijacked 9/11 and Weakened AMerica by: Robert Scheer ---Excellent book. Robert Scheer chronicles the many ways that the "hawks" are making America less safe. In appropriating monies for outmoded Cold War technology, we are no closer to getting the terrorists that have it in for us. Submarines?? Does alqaeda have them?? Not likely...Yet why do we continue to make them? Scheer's argument is that the US has the most powerful military in the world, with all sorts of unsurpassed technology, so why all the need to improve "thing" that have no need of improving, . He argues that most of Defense Spending (for new and improved ships, submarines, and other gadgets) is really nothing more then a give back to those defense establishments and a jobs program.
A very interesting book that is well worth reading.

mamachunk

Sounds like a very good read, mamachunk. Thanks for the recommendation - I will look for it.

#99 - I've heard that argument before. One more book to add to the TBR pile.

Hi mamachunk...
Thanks very much for your comments regarding your book #62. This is something my husband would be very interested in reading and I'm going to obtain a copy for him for Christmas...

63) A People's History of the United States BY: Howard Zinn--- really good...This is a very interesting history book told from "the people's" point of view. The ordinary laborer, slave, servant, prisoner, women, veteran, activist, etc. It offers a perspective that is oftentimes missing from ordinary history books. Even if you don't agree with Zinn's views, I still think you would get a lot from this book. Some parts of it can be a bit dry, but stick with it, you'll be glad you did.

64) Extreme Measures BY: Vince Flynn---another good installment in the Mitch Rapp series. I say "good" not "great" because its becoming a bit predictable. That said, it is action packed and has that "ripped from the headlines" feel, as it deals with the treatment of ghost prisoners, rendition of terror suspects, etc. As usual, Mitch Rapp and CIA Director Irene Kennedy have their work cut out for them. They continue to deal with a Congress that has been fed up with "The War on Terror", and must fight for all that they've done. Its a good read, but please start with the first book, you'll understand a lot more if you do.

mamachunk

65) Twilight BY: Stephenie Meyer....Excellent. A wonderful romantic novel about a vampire and human that fall in love. OK, its a bit more then that, but that's really the essense. It is wonderfully written, and I can't wait to read the others in the series...I highly recommend this, I'm only sorry that I haven't read it sooner.

mamachunk

#102 mamachunk: I have seen the Zinn book mentioned on other threads, so I will have to look into reading that one.

I will have to look into the Flynn books as well. Sounds like a series that I would probably enjoy.

Vince Flynn is a great author...I think you will love his series...
You can find out about all of his books (and any other author as well) at: www.fantasticfiction.co.uk

Type in his name, and all of his works will pop up.

mamachunk

Thanks for the help, mamachunk.

I just finished reading The Fire last night which, I know was another of your recommendations, and while I thought it was good, I think I preferred The Eight to it. Thanks for the suggestion.

>86 mamachunk: & 106. I remember reading The Eight several years ago and I really enjoyed it. The Fire sounds a little dissappointing. Have either of you read anything else by Katherine Neville?

ETA :Touchstones completely haywire! So removed.

- TT

I do not know about mamachunk, but I have not read anything else of hers to this point.

message 102.

Quite a few years ago, I read The People's History of the United States by Howard Zinn. It really does open your eyes to the way in which American history was/is inaccurately portrayed.

I have only read "The Eight" and "The Fire" by Katherine Neville...nothing else by her...

I enjoyed The People's History...and I look foward to tackling the other US History tomes' that I have, by Paul Johnson, (which is a bit rightward in orientation)...

I guess now that I'm a bit older--I can enjoy history more, or at least understand more of it...

mamachunk

66) Year Million: Science at the Far Edge of Knowledge BY: Damien Broderick ---excellent book..Its a collection of essays about what the world will look like at the Year Million. What will last, will we colonize other planets, will humans still be around? One author thinks that mathematics and laughter will definately be around, due to its universality. Other authors speculate on the type of energy that will be around in the future. A very interesting book, and a very worthy read.

drneutron--I think you will love this book.

mamachunk

#111 mamachunk: Sounds like an interesting and worthwhile read. I will definitely check it out. Thanks for both the review and the recommendation!

67) Angler: The Cheney Vice Presidency BY: Barton Gellman---Excellent..a must read. Bascially a biography of the Cheney Vice Presidency, it chronicles the ways in which Cheney and his cronies (Addington, Scooter Libby, and others) usurped Executive powers, and ran roughshod over the Constitution. A very interesting book, interesting anecdotes....

mamachunk

68) The Island at the Center of the World BY: Russell Shorto---Excellent!! Being a New Yorker, I was intrigued about this book. Its a history of NY as a Dutch colony, before the British got here. Wow, what a book! It talks about how Manhattan and the other boroughs were bought and developed. THe relations with the Native Americans, and the various cultures that swirled around lower Manhattan. Even then it was a multicultural haven, oweing to Dutch tolerance. NYC would not be NYC without the Dutch. You learn about Wall Street--yes there was a wall, how we got Broadway, how we got The Bronx, the city of Yonkers, etc. Did you know that cookies and cole slaw are Dutch? It was news to me....Its a very interesting read....

69) Triangle: The Fire that Changed America BY: David Von Drehle...Excellent!!! An excellent social history of the worst workplace diaster before 9/11 and social progressivism and early 20th century NYC. While it starts out talking about the Tammany Hall politics of NYC, and the labor movement,and the strikes that went on at the Triangle Factory and the immigrant and socialist societies of NYC of that era, it quickly moves to the day of the disaster March 25th, 1911...a fire at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in Greenwich Village, NYC. 146 men and women died in the fiery flames, with most of the casulties being immigrant women. In the aftermath, more stringent fire and workplace safety rules were put into place. It is a very readable account of a tragic incident..A very worthy read..

mamachunk

Triangle: The Fire That Changed America goes into my TBR list. That fire and all its causes and effects have fascinated me. Thanks for the referral.

#114 mamachunk: I read The Island at the Center of the World and agree with you that it is excellent. I want to read Shorto's newest book Descartes' Bones, but have not been able to find a copy yet.

Same with Triangle - it has been on Continent TBR for a while now, and I really need to track a copy down. Thanks for the reminder.

Your getting there. Just a few more to go and we still have about three (ish) weeks to go. Shorto's book sounds like something I may want to read. I once worked as a research intern for a Dutch foundation and I learnt so much while working there.

Alcott--If you want, I can give you my copy. I got it for free and would not mind giving it to you.

There goes TrishNYC again, enabling!!!! Don't feed her addiction like you have mine!!!!

>114 mamachunk: and >115 Prop2gether: - did you ever read Specimen Days? One of the three strands of that is based around the Triangle fire. Very interesting book.

#119: Rachael, Specimen Days looks pretty good. On to Continent TBR it goes!

Stasia, don't know how you feel about Whitman but lots of him.... slightly unsettling. It has that Cloud Atlas thing of interlinked stories across different historical timeframes.

#121: Rachael, I still have not read Cloud Atlas - and yes, it does reside on Continent TBR - so I am not really sure what you mean. I bought a copy of Specimen Days over the internet, so I will give it a try and if I do not like it, pass it along. I have not read a lot either by or about Whitman, so who knows?

70) Invasive Procedures by: Orson Scott Card-- Excellent---A great sci-fi/medical thriller...This is a great thriller that tackles the "what-if" implications of DNA manipulation and control. Someone is specifically engineering viruses that correct genetic imperfections/diseases in certain people. Sickle cell anemia, parkinsons disease, etc. However, this virus is lethal to everyone else. Behind this manipulation is a cult that thinks it can perfect humanity and sets a plan in motion to do just that. There's lots of twists and turns in this novel, and is a really good read. Highly recommended...

mamachunk

mamachunk

Regarding your description of Triangle: The Fire that Changed America, I bought this book a number of months ago but haven't read it as yet. I hope to do so early in 2009. Thanks for your review.

My grandmother was a blouse factory worker. Her wages were low; the work was difficult; the atmosphere was difficult. Still, the conditions were better than those portrayed in the book. This is one instance when the unions were very necessary!

#123: Sounds like another good one, mamachunk! I will look for it.

Stasia
If you would like, I'll send it to you when I'm finished. I hope to read it in January.

Linda, if you are sure you do will not want to read it again, I would like to have it! Thanks again for your generosity.

71) Eragon by: Christopher Paolini ---Excellent! A great beginning to a wonderful fantasy..Eragon finds what he thinks is a rock but turns out to be a dragon's egg that hatches for him and ends up bonding with him. He becomes a Dragon Rider and is persued by the evil Galbatorix...His family becomes torn apart with his uncle being killed and his cousin is off apprenticing...Brom (the village storyteller) takes him under his wing) and while off to see the Varden (the opposition to Galbatorix), Eragon learns the ways of a Rider and the ancient elvish language with which he can use magic. What follows is a wonderful story of growth, and adventure.

72) Eldest Excellent---This is the second in the "Inheritance" series by Paolini....this takes off where Eragon left off...Eragon had fought valiantly and heroically against the Shade and earns the name Shadeslayer...he has gained much knowledge and training in the elven city of Ellesmeara...and discovered that him and Saphira (his dragon) are not alone). He along with the Varden bring the fight to Galbatorix and the Empire all the while Eragon's cousin Roran fights against the Empire back in Carvahall...More magic, adventure and growth happens now that Eragon is becoming more confident as a Rider...this is also an excellent read.

I finished these books in 2008--honest, alas I could not complete the challenge as I am still recovering from bronchitis and have been resting during the holidays and not reading much. That said, while I am disappointed that I did not complete the challenge...I will not beat myself up for it. I am glad I read as much as I did, and jealous and astonished that all of you guys and gals that read way past 75. Congrats to you all...Here's to 2009!!!

Mamachunk

hi Mamachunk

I hope you feel better soon.
You came very close, so CONGRATULATIONS on reaching 72!!!

Anita

Remember--it's not about the numbers! It's about reading and sharing and I have very much enjoyed your comments and seeing what you read. I've gotten several good ideas from you. See you on the 75 in 2009!

Feel better and come on over to the 2008 challenge......need to put your name in the thread so we recognize you......I need to recognize you because you've been one of my starred favorites.

>131 blackdogbooks: Come over to the 2009 challenge as well!

Happy New Year!

- TT