I am still working on that book and the lady in my life is threatening to start reading it even if I am not finished. I am trying to take my time and figure it all out before Patterson reveals the gotchas.

Another thing is I multi-read like some online players multi-account and am usually reading about five books at a time. I did finish Biggest Game In Town by Alvarez, but every time I turn around, I find another book to start reading. We were at a Costco yesterday and I picked up The End of Poverty by Jeffrey D. Sachs and Confessions of an Economic Hit Man by John Perkins. It was almost like the books called out to me as they were the only copies on the table.

I would do better about my reading, but I have this small problem called work taking up way too much of my time.

I am in the middle of A Briefer History of Time - Stephen Hawking. It's VERY GOOD if you like science at all.

I thought it was very, very good. It isn't just about the actual Battle of Thermopylae, but also goes into detail about Spartan society, particularly the extreme dedication that it took to even become a Spartan. However, he doesn't show the Spartan warriors as some sort of super warriors, but also emphasizes their character flaws, which IMO adds another dimension to the story. After reading the book, I tried to watch 300, but I couldn't get through it because it seems just complete opposite, and less badass, to everything I had read in the book.

It will be awhile before I read another King, but I will get to these eventually.


The wife just picked up "A year Living Biblically" or something like that. She's on maternity leave now so she will probably finish it quickley, I'll report what she thinks.

Ken

I heard a year living biblically was really cool. Never read it though.

"Making Money" by Terry Pratchett, latest Disk World novel. If you haven't read any of these and enjoy satire you should pick one up, if you have read them you know what to expect.

Glasshouse by Charles Stross. Not bad so far, first time reading this guy. Recently finished the Dark Tower series (mentioned above) - highly recommended. Can also recommend Spaceland by Rudy Rucker. Think Flatland one dimension up.

I finished Confederacy of Dunces. It was really funny at certain times and really really dragged on at other times. I think I will appreciate it more on a second reading for a number a reasons. The two biggest are that I know the overall story a little better and I can understand a little better the satire of the characters in the novel. Overall, for now, I gave it 3*/5.

I also read Gossip Girl. I am a little unclear from the first novel how the series could have taken off like it did. It's pretty shallow, even by the standards that you might expect from a novel of its nature. Nonetheless, I was slightly entertained at times. Shrug.

Books up nex: The Pigman, The Hottest State, Speak, True Grace, and What is the What.

We'll see which ones I can get done before heading back to school (WitW I will read at school).

i was pretty disappointed in this one. the last 8 books have been identical and really boring

1. How to Lower Your Blood Pressure in Eight Weeks
2. Disease Prevention and Treatment
3. some of the magazine subscriptions I've ordered have started to come in(Esquire and PC Gamer for now)
4. I'm still working on Heat
5. A book of pressure cooker recipes and a book of soup recipes

I read "Barry Sanders: Now You See Him...: His Story in his own words". Barry Sanders is my favorite football player and I decided to buy the book and see what it had to say. Now I know why he retired. The book is a fast read and worth the read if you're a Barry Sanders/ Detroit Lions fan. It is also interesting with how fame changes lives.

I started "Vernon God Little" which looks pretty good. The first part was quite good.

I will start "What is the What" by Dave Eggers tonight. It is the book to read for the book club.

Enrique, agreed here on Sanders/Lions fan. I read it like a year ago and loved it. It is definitely the type of book only serious football fans (or Lions fans) would enjoy, but it was fun times.

I'm reading The Pigman right now. It's a short YA novel. Sort of funny so far though.

Gates of Fire is a very good book. Fast read, very cool look at Spartan society and such. I enjoyed it alot. Reading 'Life of Pi' and its very funny so far. Also picked up 'Catcher in the Rye' for my next read.

I finished The Pigman and I think I liked it enough to read the sequel to it. Freaking Young Adult literature is roping me in after taking that class in it last semester.

Anyhow, I'll be starting Speak tomorrow.

I'm reading "What is the What". Imagine that.

Glad you chose Life of Pi. It's really good. I read it a few years back and really enjoyed it, and my girl read it this summer and loved it too.

Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy. I loved No Country for Old Men the film, and heard that this book was perhaps his best and happened to find it at a local book store. The writing style is something else. No quotations around people's speaking, etc. But the description and writing is really unique and it's hard to imagine being able to write such rich sentences. I think I'm just getting to the point in the book where things really start to get interesting.

Finished "The Life and Times of Michael K" by J.M. Coetzee. Liked it quite a lot, though there were some parts that dragged a bit. He pours on the philosophy a bit thick in the end but it works well, and overall it's a great book. I'm a few chapters into "East of Eden" by Steinbeck. Wasn't sure I would like it after getting through the first chapter, but it has picked up nicely and is pretty compelling so far.

"The Soccer Wars" by Ryszard Kapuscinski, a Polish journalist who has seen it all. Great book. Just remarkable what this guy has seen and done, and he writes with concise eloquence.

His mini Bio: was born in 1932. During four decades of reporting in Asia, Latin America, and Africa, he befriended Che Guevara , Salvador Allende, and Patrice Lumumba. He witnessed 27 coups and revolutions and was senteced to death four times. His books have been translated into 19 different languages. He died in 2007.

Couldn't get 20 languages, huh.

I finally picked Double Cross by James Patterson back up and finished it last night. My overall impression is that it was a transition book. That is a shorter book used to set up for major events in a following book or books. Don't get me wrong, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I will say there was one "secret" about the killer that I picked up on and I don't know how.

The secret I discovered in Double Cross was

Phillip K Dik, - We can remember it for you wholesale.

I finished both Life of Pi and Catcher in the Rye. Both books made me laugh out loud several times, much moreso in Catcher in the Rye. Really a funny book. I recommend both alot. Both are relatively quick reads and very enjoyable.

for those who do not know what either are about:

life of pi- is a book about a teenager stuck on a lifeboat after the sinking of his ship. accompanying him are animals, most notably a bengal tiger. he must survive not getting eaten and using the elements/tactics to survive (ie. fish and the like). very funny and interesting book.

catcher in the rye- i can't really explain what this book is about. its about a guy who has little direction in life (and is a teen). JD salinger creates a very funny cynical character who is pessimistic in nearly all aspects of life. a very funny book.

Coming of age tale for a troubled teen.

That's my boring 8 word summary that I think works pretty well. The book is just WAY better than those 8 words.