What are you reading now?

It seems like every group has a thread like this, so why not? ;) What did you just finish, what are you reading now, and what do you think?

I started the book Trader by Charles de Lint a few weeks ago. It's a pretty good urban fantasy about a guy who wakes up in someone else's body. I took a break after two chapters to get through my Early Reviewer books but The Translator left me feeling a bit down so I went back to de Lint for some lighthearted escapist fantasy. :)

I'm currently reading Sailing the Wine-Dark Sea by Thomas Cahill and Startled by His Furry Shorts by Louise Rennison. I needed some mad British YA humor after The Translator: A Tribesman's Memoir of Darfur. ;) Oh, and I'm reading The People of Sparks by Jeanne DuPrau during SSR and lunch breaks at work. Plus an issue of Archaology magazine. And ... no wait, that's all!

#2 - That's a lot to keep track of Fiona!

I suppose technically I'm also in the middle of a short story collection by George R. R. Martin but I've been reading in between longer works because I like short stories better in small doses. And I'm also reading Inkheart as a read aloud with my husband.

Born on a Blue Day by Daniel Tammet, a who was born with Asperger's syndrome & experiences the world differently from the rest of us.
I grew up feeling like there was an invisible barrier between myself & other people. However, I am not brilliant nor have any extra-ordinary talents. My oldest daughter spent her early years rocking or bouncing herself back & forth & was even more unable to "connect" with people. Her sister, a year younger helped her get along in the world. Bonnie, tho is extremely talented in music, she was a substitute player on our church organ when she was in 5th. grade, she accompanied the high school choir. Then she played keyboard in a rock band having earlier discovered the "healing" qualities of substances & alcohol.
I never heard the word "autism" until the 1980's, now 2 grandchildren have been diagnosed with it.

I just received two new books in the mail today. I am starting both today. I do that when I don't know what to read first.
All That You Can't leave Behind: a rookie missionary's life in Africa and Gardens of Water. i didn't receive Gardens through the ER program but HAD to read it so ordered it. I am also reading two Early Reviewers books-Sitting Practice and Arlington park.

I am trying my best to get through Case Histories which I am sure is a very good book, but I have been too lost for too long and I think I am going to have to start it over - which is bad because my book group meets on Saturday to talk about it! Wish me luck!
Another delay was being totally engrossed in My Enemy's Cradle which I absolutely loved even though the topic was rather sad.
I think the best thing about this group is going to be "getting" in on it early enough to "know" everyone as well as the wonderful books they are reading.
thanks,
LibrarysCat

I took a magnificent trip to the library on Saturday and came home with a delightful mix of books. I think I tend to get strange looks from librarians with the variety of books I check out. This time I was returning a literary fiction about Afghanistan and an urban fantasy novel and checked out a sci-fi classic, two chick lit/romance novels, a detective mystery and a nonfiction history book.

Just started Ray Bradbury's The Martian Chronicles this morning. It's been on my TBR list for ages and after a few fellow Bradbury fans chided me for never having read it, I knew I had to get to it.

I finished Startled by His Furry Shorts and The People of Sparks. Still reading Sailing the Wine-Dark Sea and also in the midst of Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and A Buffalo in the House: the True Story of a Man, an Animal, and the American West by R. D. Rosen, which I picked up at the library on Saturday.

Inheritor as I recently bought deliverer and have to read the whole series to get mysefl set up for it.

#9 - Let me know if you'd recommend the series. I've been meaning to read something by Cherryh.

Absolutely I do.

Foreigner is the first and a good introduction to Cherryh's writing style. It was a recent group read over at Green Dragon there's a non-spoiler thread so you can see a range of opinions, plus a couple of more spoiler containing threads where discussion is still continuing.

Cherryh writes in an unusual tight third person, so some of the action goes on around the hero, and you only get glimpses through their POV. Its a soft SF, hardly any technological details, but plenty of culture and politics.

I meant to join that group read but Foreigner was out at the library and I'm trying to refrain from book buying. I'll have to get to it sometime though, I didn't realize it was all the same series. Are they pretty connected or can the first one stand alone?

There are several unresolved issues left at the end of Foreigner, but they aren't trailing ends, so you could stop there. I believe it was always intended as a trilogy. Books 1 and 2 happen within a few weeks, book3 is 6 months later, and then the second trilogy starts a few years after that (she's currently writing #10-12) Book 2 Invader is perhaps the best of the series, but you will need to read Foreigner first.

The pride of chanur is perhaps the best standalone of her work that I've read (less than 50% !) - the rest of the series is definetly seperate. Else her short stories are very very good.

I agree with Reading Fox, el. I've read all nine of the Foreigner series, and would describe them as three trilogies, because, although each book can stand alone, they are all connected, and there is a larger sense of plot and completion at the end of every third book.

C. J. Cherryh is one of my four most favorite writers, and The Pride of Chanur was totally fabulous. I also especially liked Serpent's Reach, which has been recently been reprinted with Cuckoo's Egg - another good story, as part of an omnibus edition called The Deep Beyond.

I have far too many books going, but the ones related to this thread are What is the What by Dave Eggers--rather slow-going I'm afraid, and a bit frustrating after having just read The Translator: A Tribesman's Memoir of Darfur. I just don't like the voice coming across particularly, or the structure and lack of clear timeline. I'm also reading Not on Our Watch (I don't remember the full subtitle, but one of the authors is Don Cheadle), which is incredibly engaging--I just have to finish grading midterms and essays before I can get back to it...

13,14 - Thanks for the notes about Cherryh! I'll definitely check those out!

whitewave - I've heard lots of great things about Not On Our Watch. Let us know if you write a review of it, I'm always interested in hearing more opinions!

I finished Bradbury's Martian Chronicles and really enjoyed it! Now I'm in the middle of Find Me which is the latest in Carol O'Connell's Mallory series.

I started Captain's Fury this morning. I have Not on our watch in my queue, it looks really interesting...I'll be getting to that one soon I think. At the moment though I wanted a good quick read to get just one more book in for February....and Captain's Fury is just the right book for the job. =)

I started The remains of the day I'd heard about it on LT & bought it from the town library's discard cart. (The copy feels like it has been under water, but the story is good)

Finished Half of a Yellow Sun last night and posted a review today. It's a very good book but it's sad that things don't seem to have changed much in Africa in the last 35-40 years ...

I think my next book will be Austenland by Shannon Hale, which I picked up at the library. I need something light and fun after another foray into the dark side of humanity!

At work I am reading Big Mouth and Ugly Girl by Joyce Carol Oates, a YA title.

Nice review Fiona! Austenland sounds good too - I almost bought that at a bookstore last year but managed to restrain myself (a rare occasion!). Hope you enjoy it!

Ye gaads, I am reading: The Winter King, on my Kindle Black Horses for the King, on my Kindle What is the What, Baby Sign Language Basics, Invader, The Translator A Tribesman's Memoir of Darfur, National Geographic Traveler France, Gardening Month by Month Washington and Oregon, and French Grammar, on my Kindle The Glass Castle. and the NY Times daily. I think I might have a little problem.

well, look at the positive side of it, maggie1944 - you don't have any time left over to get into trouble :D

I'm currently reading Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson I am finding it to be just as inpirational as Daoud Hari's story. It is truly amazing the difference that one person really can make.

I really loved Three Cups of Tea. Amazing experience.

I recall reading interesting news reports and commentaries (e.g., in Egyptian newspapers and such) when al-Qaradawi came out with his book/statements, but I have not read it yet, myself.

I've been slowly working my way through Rashid Khalidi's The iron cage : the story of the Palestinian struggle for statehood. I'm finding it quite interesting, as it sheds valuable historic light on some aspects of the current situation.

I'm reading Chanda's Wars by Allan Stratton, a YA novel that is the sequel to Chanda's Secrets. Both take place in a generic African country: Secrets dealt with the AIDS epidemic, while Wars deals with child soldiers, rebels, etc.

my 75 year old aunt recommended Communion by Whitley Strieber. It is freaking me out a little so at the same time I am working on The Reagan Diaries, Cesar's Way by Cesar Milan and....1,000 Places To See Before You Die. A book in every room is the only way to live !

Re #27-Oh great, yet another to add to my TBR list. LOL. I read Chanda's Secrets and liked the story. I found the story, although fictional, helping me to put a face to the millions of AIDS orphans in Africa. Orphans my family and I will soon be serving(see my profile). I will try to find a copy of the sequel. Thanks for letting me know it exists.

I strongly suggest "Three Cups of Tea" as a great introduction to the role culture plays in Afghanistan. Also, check out any of the publications on Human Terrain Systems (it's an open (unclassified) Army project so all of the documentation about the program as well as some early anlayzed data is available online.

"The Civilian Surge" is also available online (I believe at the Strategic Studies Institue). I would recommend my own book as it is appropriate to much that is written here but that smacks of hubris.

I also loved Understanding Civil War: Evidence and Analysis, Vol. 1--Africa (Paperback)
by Paul Collier (Editor), Nicholas Sambanis (Editor)

and The Logic of Violence in Civil War (Cambridge Studies in Comparative Politics) (Hardcover)
by Stathis N. Kalyvas
Stathis N. Kalyvas (Author)

There are more I could recommend but I have to run to a lunchtime meeting because the Army does not believe in lunch!