Whats everyone reading now or read lately

As for me haven't been doing that much reading lately. Found that I hardly read any more as well. Have to say do have times like this and others don't. Guess it depends on the book itself as well.

To the End of the Land, David Grossman and Jessica Cohen (Translator)

A Midwife's Tale : The Life of Martha Ballard, Based on Her Diary, 1785-1812, Laurel Thatcher Ulrich. Already viewed the dvd part of it and it was worth the watch. Now, I can't wait the book to learn even more about Ms Ballard.

Not Afraid of Life: My Journey So Far, Bristol Palin and Nancy French

This is taken from another thread and/response that I have done regarding Bristol's mother and Tripp's grandmother.

What is/are Sarah Palin stance/s on family leave act (maternity, paternity, etc)? The reason why I'm asking this here because she didn't bring up in neither of her books. In my opinion this should be a paid one. It should also nation and worldwide as well.

Is there anyone else on here besides whom are getting beyond tired of her still being in the spotlight? That also goes her putting her husband, kids, rest of her family, and friends being in the spotlight and etc. Even though I'm still like her as a person then a politician.

She should just go back to her husband and kids. Instead being in the spotlight. Do feel sorry for her kids and the rest of family and everyone whom is associated with her. Because politics have truly ruined her and her husband for sure. Yeah I could be wrong about this.

Finished reading these few books almost half a mo to 2 mo back now.

The Lost Girls: Three Friends. Four Continents.: One Unconventional Detour Around the World, Jennifer Baggett, Holly C. Corbett, Amanda Pressner.It was worth the read. Especially, returning the hardcover because found it was little worn. Had to wait until the paperback was released to read it.

Mountain of Crumbs: A Memoir, Elena Gorokhova a week ago. It was worth read. Especially, since found I learned more about the former Soviet Union then what I already knew about before reading your memoir. Can't wait to read more of Ms Gorokhova's life and/or her mothers life now.

A Father's Love: One Man's Unrelenting Battle to Bring His Abducted Son Home, David Goldman. WOW what a memoir this was and thank you, Mr. Goldman for writing about your ordeal to get Sean back home.

"Don't Shoot! It's only Me" by Bob Hope. It's a good book that goes back a long ways blended with history and humor.

A MUST READ BEFORE THE OLYMPICS.
FLAGANS RUN by TOM McNAB

The book is a novel based on historical fact and interviews with some of the athletes who entered a marathon, not a "games type marathon but a footrace of 3,120 miles across America for prize money to feed their families during the great depression. The end of the book seems so unbelievable, that it is difficult to believe that it is fact not fiction.

There were 831 men who finished the course and one woman. A 52 year old man came second just behind the winner. The leader's time was six minutes per mile.

If you come from US, Scotland, England, Finland, Australia, France, Poland or New Zealand and feel proud of your forebears, this book is certainly a MUST READ.

It is a real tear jerker and certain things which the author describes, are best left to the imagination, like the smell of men's feet in the athlete’s tents.

My favorite author is W.E.B. Griffin and anything he writes, I read. He makes his stories into series of books and blends history and fiction into them. He wrote one series "The Brotherhood of War" into 9 books,(Korea and Viet Nam) , Another one is "The Corps series, (8 books) about Marine Corps, Badge of Honor, about the Philadelphia Police Deptartment, 7 books, and a few others series. Again he blends real history with fiction in all of them and for me anyway makes very enjoyable reading.

I have also read Steven Hawking's "A Brief History of Time" and The Universe in a Nutshell" but I had to read them over and over to "some what" understand what he was trying to convey. He is not light reading, to me anyway.

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Originally Posted by baylee

I have also read Steven Hawking's "A Brief History of Time" and The Universe in a Nutshell" but I had to read them over and over to "some what" understand what he was trying to convey. He is not light reading, to me anyway.

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If you got the gist of that you are far brighter than I am.

I would love to get an abridged version of Graham Hancock's Supernatural to read. It is about the hallucinogenic drugs which people in Peru use to produce their art. They do it under the influence of the most powerful plant drug on the planet.

There are several chapters on “magic mushrooms” that grow in the northern hemisphere. Apparently there are masses that grow in Richmond Park or near Twickenham rugby ground and they grow in profusion, if we have a wet November. I told the cops who work at International rugby matches to read the book and one of them may have actually done that.

It is far too technical for me but I like looking at the pictures. “Supernatural.”

With the movie "MoneyBall" out, I decided to go to the library and get the book. The book is OK but not great.

There have been complaints about the way it was written. Art Howe is furious that he is portrayed as a buffoon.

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Originally Posted by Whip

There have been complaints about the way it was written. Art Howe is furious that he is portrayed as a buffoon.

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After reading the book, it appears to me that the owner and front office brought into a system that Art was never on board with. When the owner and front office are in agreement to use that system and the manager, who has not bought into it, well that tells me he is going to be history in a very short time. In Art's defense, he believed in Billy ball which is not believing in the system. No wonder they made him into a buffoon.

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Originally Posted by baylee

After reading the book, it appears to me that the owner and front office brought into a system that Art was never on board with. When the owner and front office are in agreement to use that system and the manager, who has not bought into it, well that tells me he is going to be history in a very short time. In Art's defense, he believed in Billy ball which is not believing in the system. No wonder they made him into a buffoon.

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The problem was the author met with Howe for only 10 minutes while doing his research for the book. That was it. Hardly enough time to get a real feel for the actual situation.

Here's a link to an interview he did about it: Howe on Chris Russo show

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Originally Posted by Whip

The problem was the author met with Howe for only 10 minutes while doing his research for the book. That was it. Hardly enough time to get a real feel for the actual situation.

Here's a link to an interview he did about it: Howe on Chris Russo show

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I don't know about the movie as I have not seen it yet but either Billy Beane and/or the owner do not believe Art was on board with their system and how they wanted things done. I think it was likely to be Beane but either way Art Howe nor any other " Old Baseball Man " for that matter could not survive without completely buying into the system. The book makes it clear that they believe their system is right and all the old scouts and old baseball men were completely wrong and do not know what they are doing.

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Originally Posted by baylee

I don't know about the movie as I have not seen it yet but either Billy Beane and/or the owner do not believe Art was on board with their system and how they wanted things done. I think it was likely to be Beane but either way Art Howe nor any other " Old Baseball Man " for that matter could not survive without completely buying into the system. The book makes it clear that they believe their system is right and all the old scouts and old baseball men were completely wrong and do not know what they are doing.

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Yet history has now proven them wrong.

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Originally Posted by Whip

Yet history has now proven them wrong.

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???? Not sure what you mean. Theo Epstein is a believer with two titles in Boston and now he is going to the Cubs to see if he can do it there.

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Originally Posted by baylee

???? Not sure what you mean. Theo Epstein is a believer with two titles in Boston and now he is going to the Cubs to see if he can do it there.

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Moneyball and Epstein have both been question heavily this year. There was even speculation who would get fired first.......Francona or Epstein.

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Originally Posted by Whip

Moneyball and Epstein have both been question heavily this year. There was even speculation who would get fired first.......Francona or Epstein.

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Last I seen on ESPN yesterday the Cubs signed Theo to 18.5 million dollar (5 years, I think?) contract and were giving Boston some type of compensation for allowing Theo to get out of his final year of his Boston contract.

Billy Martin (Art Howe's mentor and close friend) used Billy Ball every where he managed (with both high dollar and low dollar teams) and did very well with good results and he still got fired. I think different people define success different ways.

I am going back to the library and try to find a different book to read.

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Originally Posted by Whip

Moneyball and Epstein have both been question heavily this year. There was even speculation who would get fired first.......Francona or Epstein.

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This sounds like an interesting read. I must get a copy from the library and try it. Does anybody reccomend a different one of his books for people who are not aquatinted with this authour's work?

I adore Graham Hankock’s books. He churns out fact after fact but keeps his readers in utter suspense. It is hard to know when Graham Hancock stops presenting factual information and enters the realms of speculation, as he did with his groundbreaking novel “Fingerprints of The Gods.”

"Supernatural" could be Ancient Greek to me. I loved the first chapter but can’t absorb anything beyond that. Graham Hancock travelled to Peru with his wife and a private doctor to test one of the planet’s most powerful plant hallucinogenic drugs The Official Graham Hancock Website: Gallery

He had difficulty taking the drug as his system induced vomiting and it was hard for him to get enough into him to experience the effects. He was eventually able to get enough into his body to see the saw the same visions as Peruvian shamans. The market for artwork in this genre is huge.

Is there a member here who can comment on Peruvian art, hallucinogenic drugs or explain chapter II of the Graham Hancock Book?

I picked up a New W.E.B. Griffin book "Victory and Honor" from his Honor Bound series and half way through the book, it is very good. I also found out he has a new book coming out in December.