So, What Are You Reading These Days? (besides comics)

[Alan M.]

Just bringing this discussion over to ning...

What books are you reading right now that don't have a narrative driven by images as well as words?

[Travis Herrick (Modular Mod)]

Recently I read:

The Moon if a Harsh Mistress by Robert Heinlein. The first book of his I've read and I liked it. It is the story of the Moon looking for independence from the Earth. The Moon is the supplier of most if not all of the grain, and is also a penal colony. One of the things that amused me is that technology is so advanced, yet all of the phones are still corded.

Continuing reading famous writer's I've never read anything from, I also read Ian Fleming's The Man With the Golden Gun. That's right I've never read a James Bond novel either. Bond has been brainwashed to kill M, he is stopped of course. After being deprogrammed he is given the task of killing assassin Scaramanga in the Caribbean. M figuring he will get the real James Bond back, or he will be killed and they won't have to worry about him. Once in Jamaica, Bond undercover, becomes Scaramanga's security at a hotel that is being built. Scaramange is in business with various crime syndicates and the KGB to finish the hotel as well as run prostitutes and drugs into the US. Bond has to stop them of course. This was a really good, tight paced story.

Right now I'm ready The Fall-Down Artist by Thomas Lipinski. Looking at the seldom viewed world of the insurance fraud investigator.  It takes place in the Pittsburgh area, I'm guessing very late 70s maybe early 80s. Carroll Dorsey is the investigator who has seemed to have discovered a fraud ring. It involves a union, a lawyer, and a priest. Which sounds like the start of a joke. Its pretty good so far.

[Richard Willis]

If you haven't already done so, check out the Heinlein Wikipedia Page. It talks about the themes of his many books and might give you an idea of what to read next.

A good James Bond book would be Moonraker, which has no relationship to the movie of the same name. The ending was a shocking surprise to me.

Travis Herrick (Modular Mod) said:

Recently I read:

The Moon if a Harsh Mistress by Robert Heinlein. The first book of his I've read and I liked it. It is the story of the Moon looking for independence from the Earth. The Moon is the supplier of most if not all of the grain, and is also a penal colony. One of the things that amused me is that technology is so advanced, yet all of the phones are still corded.

Continuing reading famous writer's I've never read anything from, I also read Ian Fleming's The Man With the Golden Gun. That's right I've never read a James Bond novel either. Bond has been brainwashed to kill M, he is stopped of course. After being deprogrammed he is given the task of killing assassin Scaramanga in the Caribbean. M figuring he will get the real James Bond back, or he will be killed and they won't have to worry about him. Once in Jamaica, Bond undercover, becomes Scaramanga's security at a hotel that is being built. Scaramange is in business with various crime syndicates and the KGB to finish the hotel as well as run prostitutes and drugs into the US. Bond has to stop them of course. This was a really good, tight paced story.

Right now I'm ready The Fall-Down Artist by Thomas Lipinski. Looking at the seldom viewed world of the insurance fraud investigator.  It takes place in the Pittsburgh area, I'm guessing very late 70s maybe early 80s. Carroll Dorsey is the investigator who has seemed to have discovered a fraud ring. It involves a union, a lawyer, and a priest. Which sounds like the start of a joke. Its pretty good so far.

[Travis Herrick (Modular Mod)]

Cool, thanks for the info Richard, on Heinlein and Bond.

[The Baron]

Now re-reading The Secret History of the Lord of Musashi and Arrowroot, by Junichiro Tanizaki

The Baron said:

Recently Re-Read In Praise of  Shadows, by Junichiro Tanizaki

Currently Re-Reading Naomi, by Junichiro Tanizaki

The Baron said:

Currently Re-Reading Quicksand, by Junichiro Tanizaki

The Baron said:

Currently Re-Reading The Key and Diary of a Mad Old Man, by Junichiro Tanizaki

The Baron said:

Currently Re-Reading:

The Makioka Sisters, by Junichiro Tanizaki

The Baron said:

Currently Re-Reading:

The Reed Cutter and Captain Shigemoto's Mother, by Junichiro Tanizaki

[The Baron]

Recently read So I'm a Spider, So What?, vol. 10, by Okina Baba

Now reading Owarimonogatari - End Tale Part 03, by Nisioisin

The Baron said:

Now re-reading The Secret History of the Lord of Musashi and Arrowroot, by Junichiro Tanizaki

The Baron said:

Recently Re-Read In Praise of  Shadows, by Junichiro Tanizaki

Currently Re-Reading Naomi, by Junichiro Tanizaki

The Baron said:

Currently Re-Reading Quicksand, by Junichiro Tanizaki

The Baron said:

Currently Re-Reading The Key and Diary of a Mad Old Man, by Junichiro Tanizaki

The Baron said:

Currently Re-Reading:

The Makioka Sisters, by Junichiro Tanizaki

The Baron said:

Currently Re-Reading:

The Reed Cutter and Captain Shigemoto's Mother, by Junichiro Tanizaki

[Travis Herrick (Modular Mod)]

Currently reading How Soon is Now? by Richard King. A book about the independent labels that sprouted in the 70s and on. I'm barely into it..

I've also wanted to re-read Elmore Leonard's short story Three-Ten To Yuma for a while now. I finally found it the crime anthology that I had it in, and read it again a few nights ago. Still really good.

[The Baron]

Now re-reading The Gourmet Club, by Junichiro Tanizaki

The Baron said:

Recently read So I'm a Spider, So What?, vol. 10, by Okina Baba

Now reading Owarimonogatari - End Tale Part 03, by Nisioisin

The Baron said:

Now re-reading The Secret History of the Lord of Musashi and Arrowroot, by Junichiro Tanizaki

The Baron said:

Recently Re-Read In Praise of  Shadows, by Junichiro Tanizaki

Currently Re-Reading Naomi, by Junichiro Tanizaki

The Baron said:

Currently Re-Reading Quicksand, by Junichiro Tanizaki

The Baron said:

Currently Re-Reading The Key and Diary of a Mad Old Man, by Junichiro Tanizaki

The Baron said:

Currently Re-Reading:

The Makioka Sisters, by Junichiro Tanizaki

The Baron said:

Currently Re-Reading:

The Reed Cutter and Captain Shigemoto's Mother, by Junichiro Tanizaki

[Jeff of Earth-J]

THE LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF SANTA CLAUS by L. Frank Baum: In lieu of reading this aloud to my nieces or my nephew, I read it aloud to myself. Lots of interesting trivia here. For example, Santa's first two reindeer were Flossie and Glossie. Negotiations with the Knook Prince allowed him as many as ten, so he added Racer & Pacer, Reckless & Speckless, Fearless & Peerless and Ready & Steady (although Tracy questions why Santa would ever use reindeer named "Reckless" and "Fearless"; together they would seem to make a dangerous combination). 

[The Baron]

I used to have a copy of that. May still do.

Jeff of Earth-J said:

THE LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF SANTA CLAUS by L. Frank Baum: In lieu of reading this aloud to my nieces or my nephew, I read it aloud to myself. Lots of interesting trivia here. For example, Santa's first two reindeer were Flossie and Glossie. Negotiations with the Knook Prince allowed him as many as ten, so he added Racer & Pacer, Reckless & Speckless, Fearless & Peerless and Ready & Steady (although Tracy questions why Santa would ever use reindeer named "Reckless" and "Fearless"; together they would seem to make a dangerous combination). 

[Doctor Hmmm?]

I keep meaning to read that ...

The Baron said:

I used to have a copy of that. May still do.

Jeff of Earth-J said:

THE LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF SANTA CLAUS by L. Frank Baum: In lieu of reading this aloud to my nieces or my nephew, I read it aloud to myself. Lots of interesting trivia here. For example, Santa's first two reindeer were Flossie and Glossie. Negotiations with the Knook Prince allowed him as many as ten, so he added Racer & Pacer, Reckless & Speckless, Fearless & Peerless and Ready & Steady (although Tracy questions why Santa would ever use reindeer named "Reckless" and "Fearless"; together they would seem to make a dangerous combination). 

[Travis Herrick (Modular Mod)]

Well, I've shelved How Soon is Now? for now. I was hoping for some cool interesting stories, but it is mostly,,"Here is a band you've never heard of that put out one single." or "here is a record company you've never heard of that released 3 singles."

So, I did read Brad Meltzer's The Fifth Assassain. I liked this a lot better than the other book of his I read (The Tenth Justice which I thought was terrible). This book reads a lot like The Davinci Code. He does the same thing as Dan Brown in ending almost all of the chapters in a cliffhanger, than propels you to keep reading. Also, like Dan Brown here you have secret groups that have been around for years. This book deal with Beecher White and the rest of the Culper Ring trying to stop the assassination of the president, while the assassin builds up to it, by recreating the previous successful ones. I liked it.

Right now, I am reading Sparring with Gil Kane. Which I actually dropped 2 years ago, but I'm more into this time. It is various interviews and such with Gil Kane, and another subject. I was stoked to read the one with Gil and Crumb that took place in Dallas in 1986. The realizing if I had been there at that time, I would have had zero interest. Some of the discussions get super into the details of art.

Travis Herrick (Modular Mod) said:

Currently reading How Soon is Now? by Richard King. A book about the independent labels that sprouted in the 70s and on. I'm barely into it..

I've also wanted to re-read Elmore Leonard's short story Three-Ten To Yuma for a while now. I finally found it the crime anthology that I had it in, and read it again a few nights ago. Still really good.

[Jeff of Earth-J]

THE LONE RANGER RIDES NORTH. I watched The Lone Ranger on TV throughout elementary school. In junior high I read eight (of 18) novels by Fran Striker and listened to old radio shows on cassette tape. Then I didn't have any association with the Lone Ranger for 40 years. In 2020, I started listening to the radio shows on CD. One of the sets I listened to was a collection of Lone Ranger and Green Hornet which highlighted the relationship of those two characters via the Ranger's nephew and the Hornet's father, Dan Reid. the booklet that came with that set pointed out that the 1946 hardcover, The Lone Ranger Rides North, "went into more detail about the Lone Ranger's past and how Dan Reid had come to live with his grandmother" then the radio serial had.

Only the first eight of the 18 novels were reprinted when I was a kid, and The Lone Ranger Rides North was the ninth in the series. But, this being the Golden Age of Buying $#!t on the Internet, I found one on Amazon for less than 10 bucks (sans dust jacket) and had a copy in less than three days. Unfortunately, the only details not found on the radio were quoted in the booklet accompanying the CDs, but i still enjoyed this little bit of nostalgia. Perhaps I'll read some more Lone Ranger. I've got a complete set of Lone Ranger pulps (replica editions) I've never read.