What Are You Reading Right Now? ( Hwæt béon ðu bocrædung?) Showing 2,051-2,100 of 10,105

[Dawn]

Here's the link Crystal Earth. :)

[Crystal]

Thanks Dawn!!! :)
My copy is a paperback, but it has the hardcover artwork, the one on the right in the 'other editions.' One of the books I got at the $1 a bag book sale at the now closed used book store on the corner.

[Dawn]

This one ?

I own a couple Brin books but I've never actually gotten around to reading them. will be the one I read first whenever I manage to fit it in.

[Crystal]

That's the cover! yup! You are better at ferreting those out for posting than I am by far. Tip of the hat, madam!

[Crystal]

I liked that one, and the series. The uplift idea is interesting.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

sci fi is not a genre I have ever embraced. I have read a few, plus many Douglas Adams, but sci fi never did anything for me and I wandered off the genre permanently.

[Bryn]

I've read much more sf/f than hf, over my lifetime. But I think I like them in similar ways and I throw them together on a shelf called 'imagined fiction'.

[Bobby]

Bryn wrote: "I've read much more sf/f than hf, over my lifetime. But I think I like them in similar ways and I throw them together on a shelf called 'imagined fiction'."

Now THATS a shelf I'll have to embrace, Bryn. Perfect!

[Simona]

I am readingLost to the West: The Forgotten Byzantine Empire That Rescued Western Civilization, on and off, but it seems really interesting.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Simona wrote: "I am readingLost to the West: The Forgotten Byzantine Empire That Rescued Western Civilization, on and off, but it seems really interesting."

That does seem interesting, Simona.
Is it in English or Italian?

[happy]

If you haven't read it, I really liked Norwich's history of the Byzantine empire (the trilogy not the one volume abridgement)

[Simona]

Terri wrote: "Simona wrote: "I am readingLost to the West: The Forgotten Byzantine Empire That Rescued Western Civilization, on and off, but it seems really interesting."

That does seem interesting, Simona.
Is..."

English.

[Eileen]

happy wrote: "If you haven't read it, I really liked Norwich's history of the Byzantine empire (the trilogy not the one volume abridgement)


which began my obsession with Byzantine history. The Lars Brownworth book is good, but sort of a light version of A Short History.

I had a question about 2 years ago on some aspect of Byzantine history and noticed that John Julius Norwich had a website that you could write to him on. He very quickly sent me in a good direction for an answer. He was quite modest about his books and called himself a popularizer of history. I have to say it is good to get a popularizer of history because most of the university historians of Byzantine history couldn't write themselves out of a paper bag. They do some fabulous research but their writing is ponderous, verbose, and I would find their books completely uninteresting if I wasn't already obsessed. One book I was looking at recently regularly had paragraphs that went on for over a page. Who does that?

I met Philippa Gregory at a book signing last year and mentioned this issue with academic historians. She agreed wholeheartedly with my opinion.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Eileen wrote: "I met Philippa Gregory at a book signing last year and mentioned this issue with academic historians. She agreed wholeheartedly with my opinion. ..."

I may not be as famous as Philippa Gregory, but I also agree wholeheartedly with your opinion. :)

I am a reader of history non fiction and I find so many authors write for themselves and not for a reader. They want to write non stop without many paragraph breaks or sentence breaks so they do.
That is good if they just want to publish a book, but if they want to be read they should be learning which formats are easier for readers to connect with.

[Darcy]

That's why I like my history written by Monty Python members (travel books too come to think of it). On a serious note, some historians I think feel that each book has to be a new dissertation, and meet 'academic' standards so that it will accepted by that community. In the end, there are few there to win over, it's the 'new' readers they should also aspire to engage.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Absolutely agree. I was going to mention that before, but felt I had waffled too much already and didn't want to bore anybody. :D

Some do write as if they need to meet academic standards. They want the 'work' to be taken seriously by their academic peers. As you say though, there are fewer of them than there are of those who want and interesting view on history.
Nobody finds those monotonous, stuffy boring teachers interesting to learn from, people learn most from those that liven things up or talk in an interactive manner (interactive as in they talk in a two way manner, not a one 'I'm talking you listen' kind of way).

[Darcy]

Exactly! Always go for the 'seminar' over the 'lecture' approach. Got better grades for it at Uni, and intend to continue writing that way.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Seminar not lecture.

That sounds like good advice to me. :D

[Eileen]

Terri wrote: "Absolutely agree. I was going to mention that before, but felt I had waffled too much already and didn't want to bore anybody. :D

Some do write as if they need to meet academic standards. They wan..."

A few years back I read a book on Jean LaFitte, the pirate. I was interested in him because the first ancestor of mine to settle in the U.S. (or whatever it was at the time) was a Frenchman who was a pirate with the LaFitte bothers. The book was written by an academic historian and was possibly the most boring book I ever forced myself to finish.

Anyone who manages to make pirates boring has got to be an academic historian!

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Eileen wrote: "Anyone who manages to make pirates boring has got to be an academic historian!..."

Isn't that the truth!!

[Simona]

Marina wrote: "Started . So far its pretty nice."

I meant to add it to my TBR list, then I'll do it.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

I have finished

Am about to start (finally!)

[Dawn]

Mark wrote: "i will be interested in hearing your thoughts on Dawn. i have the full series on my reader ready to go soon."

I finished this one over the weekend Mark. 4 star for me. A little too much emotional baggage with the Rhapsody character for my taste. The writing had a few moments of unsmoothness but the world building was great. Definitely worth continuing the series.

[Bryn]

Pride of Carthage. A hit with me right away. Enormous promise.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Oh goodie!! I am stoked you have started this. :)

[Bryn]

@Terri I was pretty excited by it last night. Might be a major wow.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

I found it special. He puts a lot into that book.
Traditionally he is a fantasy writer, of renown, and as far as I know he has not written another HF. Which is a shame. I like his intelligent writing.
It isn't for everyone. Some may regard it as slow going, but not for me.
It is epic and I like the epic feel.

[Bryn]

I see he wrote two histfics about slaves, I think at a much later date in America? Can't stop to investigate right now, late for work. But when you see how his fantasy fares as against his histfic, no wonder he doesn't come back. :(

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

He has quite the cult following for his fantasy. The negative feedback he gets for his fantasy writing is what some would regard as negative with Pride of Carthage. Slow paced.

And yet, as mentioned in my earlier post, it is the kind of slow paced I like...although I suppose I would not actually call it slow paced, perhaps dragged out at times.
He definitely goes off on tangents some times. tangents I did not appreciate and could have done without.
But if you like slow pace, slow food, slow reading, slow life, Pride of Carthage should work for you.

p.s I forgot about the two slave hf books.

[Darcy]

I need a wee distraction from historical fiction. Thus, as I make my way through The Hippopotamus Marsh and Rome: The Eagle of the Twelfth I'm getting into a different kind of spy novel with Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

I watched the movie a couple months ago. If I could rate it, I would say 3 out of 5 stars. :)

[Jane]

If you're talking about the Masterpiece Theatre TTSS I'm inclined to agree. If, The Eagle, I thought that one was terrible; the book's 1000% better than the movie!

[Bobby]

I'm a sucker for Grisham!

[Darcy]

I'm pretty sure Rome: The Eagle of the Twelfth hasn't been made into a film. Has it?

There was a Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy tele series in the UK during the '80s? Maybe 70's anyway, that was quite good, but I've not seen any of the films.

Bobby: I'm not a Grisham fan, but I loved that book. (and the movie)

[Nate]

No, but The Eagle of the Ninth was recently adapted for film.

[Bryn]

I never read a Smiley book but I used to love those makes with Alec Guinness. So, are the books better??

Ah, but is Terri talking about Gary Oldman in a Tinker, Tailor film? I just saw there was one.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Bryn wrote: "

Ah, but is Terri talking about Gary Oldman in a Tinker, Tailor film? I just saw there was one."

Yes. This one. It is is only a few years old.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1340800/

It even stars Benedict Cumberbatch, who seems popular around here, in a starring role.

[Paula]

I am currently reading Manda Scott's Rome: The Emporer's Spy. This is the first time I have read anything by this lady. Her prose is just awesome!

[Bobby]

The Odds: A Love Story So much not my usual genre but I really enjoy O'nan's writing so am giving it a try.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Paula wrote: "I am surrently reading Manda Scott's Rome: The Emporer's Spy. This is the first time I have read anything by this lady. Her prose is just awesome!"

A terrific book, Paula. I just finished the second one in that series and have also now discovered that it is more than a great book, it is a great series.

[Paula]

Terri wrote: "Paula wrote: "I am surrently reading Manda Scott's Rome: The Emporer's Spy. This is the first time I have read anything by this lady. Her prose is just awesome!"

A terrific book, Paula. I just fin..."

There is something about her style which was similar to Rosemary Sutcliffe's and i was pleased to find out when talking to Manda on twitter that Rosemary Sutcliffe was her inspiration!

[Darcy]

She prefaces Rome: The Eagle of the Twelfth with an explanation of how Rosemary Sutcliff's The Eagle Of The Ninth was the inspiration behind it.

[Monica]

Just finished Byzantium. Moving on to something a bit different, I read the non-fiction freebie download History's famous women pirates: Grace O'Malley, Anne Bonny and Mary Read and was fascinated by the material on Grace O'Malley. I searched for a fiction work with her as the main character and settled on Morgan Llywelyn's Grania. My first "she-pirate" novel ;-)

[Eileen]

Monica wrote: "Just finished Byzantium. Moving on to something a bit different, I read the non-fiction freebie download History's famous women pirates: Grace O'Malley, Anne Bonny and Mary Read and was fascinated ..."

If you want something in fiction on female pirates, there is Jenny Barden's Mistress of the Sea. It is a little difficult to get in the US, but easier in the UK.

[Monica]

Eileen wrote: If you want something in fiction on female pirates, there is Jenny Barden's Mistress of the Sea. It is a little difficult to get in the US, but easier in the UK. ..."

Thanks Eileen, I'll keep that in mind.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

She is a fascinating character that Grace O'Malley.
And the country and coastline she called home is equally fascinating. Very rugged with lots of secret coves.

[Jody]

i

[Tim]

Terri wrote: "She is a fascinating character that Grace O'Malley.
And the country and coastline she called home is equally fascinating. Very rugged with lots of secret coves."

I agree, though really didn't like the Morgan Llywelyn book about her. Its just cliche.

[Tim]

Tim wrote: "Terri wrote: "She is a fascinating character that Grace O'Malley.
And the country and coastline she called home is equally fascinating. Very rugged with lots of secret coves."

I agree, though rea..."

I've always found it fascinating that Gráinne O'Malley seems to have found such a rapport with Queen Elizabeth (the first). I suppose they were both pirate queens in a way.

[Monica]

Tim wrote: ...really didn't like the Morgan Llywelyn book about her. Its just cliche."

Tim, could you suggest a better novel? I chose this one because I'm familiar with Morgan Llywelyn's writing style.

Tim wrote: "I've always found it fascinating that Gráinne O'Malley seems to have found such a rapport with Queen Elizabeth..."

Agreed. That's what drew me in to read more.