what are you reading?

Your couple of paragraphs actually made me want to read this more than any other writeup of it I've seen. Might have to put it on the library list!

On the bardo topic, I'm reading Robert Thurman's Tibetan Book of the Dead right now (and wishing all the while I had bought it hardcopy rather than on my iPad, since I've concluded I really hate reading e-books).

Yeah, we have a Nook from Barnes and Noble. I read a few books on it, but found that it was not a book! My wife still uses it, but I gave up my rights to it.

I just like the feel of a book in my hands - especially hardbacks. I guess I'm being old-fashioned again. :eek:ld:
 
Yeah, we have a Nook from Barnes and Noble. I read a few books on it, but found that it was not a book! My wife still uses it, but I gave up my rights to it.

I just like the feel of a book in my hands - especially hardbacks. I guess I'm being old-fashioned again. :eek:ld:

Funny how we all have our own preferences. I tend to like the feel of paperbacks - trade paperbacks, specifically - the best.
The only advantage I've found to the e-book is being able to make the print larger, because well... the eyes aren't so young any more! :eek:ld:
 
The mention of bardo states made me think of Tim Leary, his The Psychedelic Experience is an interesting read, if you're prepared to approach it with an open mind.

I also thought of Bowie:

"If I don't explain what you ought to know
You can tell me all about it on the next bardo
I'm sinking in the quicksand of my thought
And I ain't got the power anymore."
 
I just got the Summer edition of Ukulele magazine today, so I thought I'd better start reading the Spring edition.

I don't know about everyone else, but I find Ukulele magazine mostly boring. The best thing about it is the ukulele pictures. A few of the lessons were worthwhile too I guess. It's expensive too.

Ahhh, well . . . My subscription runs out with the Winter issue. :eek:ld:
 
I very rarely read any magazines these days, or newspapers. The internet replaced both of those for me.
 
I don't know about everyone else, but I find Ukulele magazine mostly boring. The best thing about it is the ukulele pictures. A few of the lessons were worthwhile too I guess. It's expensive too.

Honestly I find most magazines pretty boring - their entire reason for being is to generate advertising revenue, and the advertising-to-content ratio pretty much reflects this.
 
Honestly I find most magazines pretty boring - their entire reason for being is to generate advertising revenue, and the advertising-to-content ratio pretty much reflects this.

Yeah, I usta subscribe to Bowhunting mags and Target Archery mags and Cycling mags and lots of others, but they weren't so expensive then. Also, they seemed to have been more informative.

My wife stopped subscribing to her Quilting and Knitting mags too. She says she'd rather buy them in a store where she can see what's in 'em. I don't buy mags at all anymore.

Funny how, when one grows old, everything changes. Things and people become very different from what they were. :eek:ld:
 
Quarry's Choice - Max Allan Collins

This is my 2nd read in the Quarry series and I have to say that I'm enjoying them and would like to read more. Quarry was a sniper in the Vietnam war and when the war was over, he became a killer for hire. You might wonder how anyone can care about a character that is a killer but the people he is hired to kill are terrible scumbags and like the character said, the people he kills are basically already dead. Someone has already decided that they are going to die so if he didn't take the money to do it, someone else would. (How's that for mercurial ethics?!) These books are part of the Hard Case Crime series and are written like pulp fiction so you kind of have to go into these books with that mindset. These books are probably geared more toward men and the sex and sexual references written into each book comes from a decidedly un-feminist, guy fantasy frame of mind, are crude and are a bit sophomoric much in the vein of locker room talk. They are kind of cringe-y to me but at least the author doesn't dwell on them for too long. The stories run for 200-250 pages so the stories are pretty tight and they are pretty fast reads.
 
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Just finished Hue 1968 by Mark Bowden author of Blackhawk Down. It is an extremely fair and accurate account of the Battle of Hue, during the Tet Offensive of 1968. It goes into great detail describing the strategy of both sides in this war. Also there are in depth interviews with participants from both sides in this war. This is not a page turner. It is a very intense and tragic description of this terrible war. After reading this I needed a very light book as a followup.

Also I needed three bookmarks. One for the many maps of the various battles, one for the numerous footnotes and one for the page I was reading. As someone who lived through this terrible time I consider Hue 1968 a must read.
 
I'm reading CJ Box novels lately.
All hard backs, though I prefer paper backs.
 
Due to a recent job change I've had little time for reading lately, but said job change has necessitated two hours in the car every day, and as a result I've discovered audiobooks (which I don't hate as much as I hated the Kindle/iPad, but listening rather than actually reading is kind of challenging for a visually-oriented person like myself). I've been in a Huxley phase, listened to both Island and Doors of Perception recently. My current audiobook is The Genius of Birds.
 
I'm reading CJ Box novels lately.
All hard backs, though I prefer paper backs.

Haven't read any CJ Box. Just read a review of the latest Box novel and it sounded good. Always good to find a new author. Thanx maki66 for the tip. I read hardcover, trade or paperback, whatever the local library has.
 
Just finished Beneath a Scarlet Sky by Mark Sullivan. An historically accurate novel of Milan and the alpine region of Italy during WWll. Meticulously researched most of the characters in the book are real people, this really adds to the story. A young Italian man is convinced by his family to join the German Army rather than chance being deported to some type of work camp, or be drafted into the Italian Army. Was it the right or wrong thing to do?

Sullivan recreates the terror and paranoia of this terrible time. Also the beauty of Milan and alpine Italy. His description of the protagonist climbing the Alps will have you on the edge of your seat. If you read this wonderful story, be sure to read the Aftermath, it updates the lives of the main characters. A truly great story of tragic times.
 
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Just finished Beneath a Scarlet Sky by Mark Sullivan. An historically accurate novel of Milan and the alpine region of Italy during WWll. Meticulously researched most of the characters in the book are real people, this really adds to the story. A young Italian man is convinced by his family to join the German Army rather than chance being deported to some type of work camp, or be drafted into the Italian Army. Was it the right or wrong thing to do?

Sullivan recreates the terror and paranoia of this terrible time. Also the beauty of Milan and alpine Italy. His description of the protagonist climbing the Alps will have you on the edge of your seat. If you read this wonderful story, be sure to read the Aftermath, it updates the lives of the main characters. A truly great story of tragic times.

That sounds great.
I read a somewhat similar story about the region and climbing during WWI.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Soldier_of_the_Great_War

I really liked it and read it a couple times.
 
I've been reading songwriting for dummies and music theory for dummies. There really long books so I'll be busy for a while. Haha :)
 
Jeff Guinn's latest compelling slice of Americana:
The Road To Jonestown: Jim Jones and Peoples Temple
 
I'm half way through Music Composition for Dummies, (which I have put aside for now), & just started Flute for Dummies.
I find the music related 'Dummies' books to be good value. :)
I've got most of the same books, including Ukuleles for Dummies, I alway learn a great deal, and enjoy them very much.
 
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