What are you reading?

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  • 007InVT007InVT Classified
    Posts: 893
    This is very interesting too; written by Philby's Grand-daughter: Charlotte

    http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/news/my-grandfather-the-russian-spy-1764026.html
  • Posts: 1,009
    Moonraker
  • Posts: 7,653
    Birdleson wrote:
    Moonraker

    The best of the series. I think.

    I prefer the Blofeld trilogy with its sequel TMWTGG.

  • Silverfin
  • Posts: 1,817
    Now reading:
    295_cover-why-nations-fail.jpg
  • Posts: 7,653
    0013 wrote:
    Now reading:
    295_cover-why-nations-fail.jpg

    Is it any good historically or just political ranting?

  • Having read two Gardner Bond's back-to-back, I'm now having a rest and reading Anthony Burgess 'Tremor Of Intent' before picking up with Gardner again and reading his 'The Liquidator'.

    Enjoying 'Tremor' so far. A very different spy novel.
  • MajorDSmytheMajorDSmythe "I tolerate this century, but I don't enjoy it."Moderator
    Posts: 13,999
    That's Undersea Prison finished. I thoroughly enjoyed this one, it would make a cracking film...

    The 'Stratton' Series
    1. Undersea Prison (2008)
    2. The Hijack (2004)
    3. The Hostage (2003)
    4. The Operative (2006)

    Next: Mercenary
  • edited March 2014 Posts: 1,817
    SaintMark wrote:
    0013 wrote:
    Now reading:
    295_cover-why-nations-fail.jpg

    Is it any good historically or just political ranting?

    I believe some historical facts could be debatable and that of course there is a political discurse in the background: market oriented economies mix up with democratic institutions as the ultimate solution (in brief, neoinstitutional economics).
    The main flaw I've found in it is methodological. They don't perform any statistical analysis to prove the theory but rather choose idiosyncratic examples from history and all of them "fit" with their hyphothesis. Nor can't they isolete alternative variables such as geography. And in the end they left more answers than findings: inclusive institutions are better for economic growth, but what makes that a society choose them? Contingent choices. So almost everything is left to random factors (which could be true, but it takes some statistical models to prove it). They also seem to ignore previews literature that contradicts their claims (vg. Przeworski et al, 2000).
  • Posts: 1,394
    Just finished the Jack Reacher book '' Echo Burning ''.Really good if a little drawn out.I really like this series but want to go read a Bond book next.
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    Currently reading "Days and Years", an autobiography by the Russian-American author Immanuel Velikovsky. I have enjoyed some of his schorarly papers earlier, so this is an interesting read, covering his life from his birth in 1895 up until 1939.
  • Posts: 7,653
    Just finished:
    The Norths meet murder (1947)

    just started:
    Thanks to the Saint 1956)
  • 4EverBonded4EverBonded the Ballrooms of Mars
    Posts: 12,480
    Oooh, I love The Saint and have not read that one. How was it, @SaintMark?
  • Posts: 7,653
    Oooh, I love The Saint and have not read that one. How was it, @SaintMark?

    six short stories in his post WOII period that was more US orientated. And as always his shorter stories are enjoyable and easy to read.

  • 4EverBonded4EverBonded the Ballrooms of Mars
    Posts: 12,480
    Thanks! I am due to order more Saint books.
    I want to read a lot more Wodehouse, too.
  • Posts: 7,653
    Thanks! I am due to order more Saint books.
    I want to read a lot more Wodehouse, too.

    Both enjoyable reading.
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 24,257
    Neutrino
    By Frank Close

    neutrinofrankclose.jpg?w=620&h=314

    As far as popularising science is concerned, we live in prosperous times. More than ever do we find esteemed scientists willing to commit themselves to writing books in which rather complex topics are explained with little to no mathematics and in terms we can all understand.

    Frank Close is one of those science popularisers. Famous for 'The Cosmic Onion', he has also written short, easy-to-read introductions on the subjects of antimatter, particle physics and - this is not a lie - nothing. You may have seen him in several episodes of Through The Wormhole with Morgan Freeman or you may have encountered him in a couple TV interviews concerning particle physics.

    'Neutrino' is yet another impressive though relatively short book. Since the physics of neutrinos has an interesting bit of history behind it, the book is constructed in such a way that it jumps from the origin of the neutrino idea to the set-up of multiple tests to detect the neutrino and from there to very specific investigations concerning neutrinos, culminating, almost romantically, in the very heart of the Sun and supernovae hundreds of thousands of light-years away.

    Even if you would fear that the subject of neutrinos is simply too exotic for you, I'd still highly recommend that you give it a try. After all, neutrino physics and particle physics in general are nowadays hotter than ever and are likely to change all our lives in the coming decades. Not only do we find impressive applications, some of which may actually save our lives, but we're also coming fantastically close to finally setting once and for all the age-old issues of where the universe came from, how it came to be, how old it really is and what exactly constitutes it at the particle level.

    But before anyone cries blasphemy and makes me swear on the Bible, I'd say you find this book in the local library. Even if the first two chapters are all you will read, they may inspire you, open your eyes and realises that the key to the great cosmic puzzle lies in the tiniest of thingies the Big Bang produced.
  • SandySandy Somewhere in Europe
    Posts: 4,012
    That sounds very interesting @DarthDimi. Slightly off topic but related to popular science, I just read this very interesting article Cosmic terror: Why Neil deGrasse Tyson has religious fundamentalists so freaked. I haven't had the chance to watch the new Cosmos but I'm really looking forward to it.
  • edited March 2014 Posts: 7,653
    Just got the new Dune hardcover today, MENTATS OF DUNE and after the very good SISTERHOOD of DUNE I am really looking forward reading this one.

    With it came the latest Pendergast novel by Lincoln & Child, hardcover as well and a 1st edition(!), WHITE FIRE also involves the Sherlock Holmes history and is supposed to be a great book.

    Expecting in two weeks the new one by John Connolly with his brilliant PI Charlie Parker, a series that is easily the most brilliant currently in print. THE WOLF IN WINTER
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 24,257
    Indeed, @Sandy, I'm looking forward to it myself.
    Huge Sagan fan here. Have watched the original Cosmos twice and read the book. I honestly can't wait to experience the new series.
  • Posts: 7,653
    The new cosmos series two episodes into it and I can say I really like it and should be shown at schools simply to give some insight to the kids how small we are in the grand schemes of nature.

    IT IS REALLY GOOD.
  • Lancaster007Lancaster007 Shrublands Health Clinic, England
    Posts: 1,874
    Money by Emile Zola - another excellent book from Zola's Rougon-Macquart series. I also have The Kill and The Belly of Paris lined up…
  • Posts: 1,817
    DarthDimi wrote:
    Indeed, @Sandy, I'm looking forward to it myself.
    Huge Sagan fan here. Have watched the original Cosmos twice and read the book. I honestly can't wait to experience the new series.

    How outdated is the Cosmos book? I have it on my bookshelf but I have only skimmed it.
  • Posts: 15,229
    Finishing Hombre by Elmore Leonard. Don't know what will be next on my list.
  • MajorDSmytheMajorDSmythe "I tolerate this century, but I don't enjoy it."Moderator
    Posts: 13,999
    Last night I finished Poirot And Me by David Suchet. A superb episode-by-episode account of Suchet's 24 years as Poirot. Though the book is mostly about Poirot, it also covers Suchet's career as a character actor in between series. Included in the book, is Suchet's original list of Poirot's character traits culled from the books by Dame Agatha Christie.
  • 4EverBonded4EverBonded the Ballrooms of Mars
    edited April 2014 Posts: 12,480
    Last night I finished Poirot And Me by David Suchet. A superb episode-by-episode account of Suchet's 24 years as Poirot. Though the book is mostly about Poirot, it also covers Suchet's career as a character actor in between series. Included in the book, is Suchet's original list of Poirot's character traits culled from the books by Dame Agatha Christie.

    Oh, I heard Suchet had a book, but I forgot and really never knew anything about it - I cannot wait to read this! Thanks for sharing, @MajorDSmythe. :)
  • Posts: 15,229
    I finished Hombre by Elmore Leonard, great western and the first Western novel I read. Going to start L'orangeraie by Larry Tremblay, some "serious" literature for a change. If it is as good as his play The Dragonfly of Chicoutimi, I will read a masterpiece.
  • MajorDSmytheMajorDSmythe "I tolerate this century, but I don't enjoy it."Moderator
    Posts: 13,999
    Last night I finished Poirot And Me by David Suchet. A superb episode-by-episode account of Suchet's 24 years as Poirot. Though the book is mostly about Poirot, it also covers Suchet's career as a character actor in between series. Included in the book, is Suchet's original list of Poirot's character traits culled from the books by Dame Agatha Christie.

    Oh, I heard Suchet had a book, but I forgot and really never knew anything about it - I cannot wait to read this! Thanks for sharing, @MajorDSmythe. :)

    I would recommend it, moreso if you have an interest in Poirot.
  • Posts: 11,189
    Finally finished Empire of the Sun (a very good if heavy read) and started For Whom the Bell Tolls - my first Hemingway book.
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