What are you reading this winter (2020-21)?

It’s been a while since we had a “what are you reading thread”. Settling in for the duration this winter with a stack of good books seems like a good idea.

A couple months ago I decided to read the eight John LeCarré novels in which George Smiley is a major character. I’m finishing off number five (in chronological publication order) today – The Honourable Schoolboy. LeCarré died last week, halfway through my project. I never get tied of his deft eye for place and character. Good reads.

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I just finished rereading Gideon the Ninth, occasioned by it’s inclusion in the Vox Book Club. Next up is its sequel, Harrow the Ninth.

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I’m about half way through the second book in Stephen Fry’s narration of Greek mythology and both are fantastic.

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The Karla Trilogy (Tinker Tailor, Schoolboy, Smiley’s People) should be required reading for anyone claiming to love spy genre. I was a bit heartbroken to learn of lè Carre’s passing.

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I’ve got a pretty long list coming up.

Right now I’m in the middle of Range by David Epstein, to be followed by “The New Jim Crow” by Michelle Alexander, both from Bill Gates recommended winter reading.

After that I’ve got a stack of books ranging from some photography books to some novels, to Roman Mars’ “The 95% Invisible City” which I’m looking forward to as a fan of his “99% Invisible” podcast.

My fiction reading has been limited of late (open to some suggestions!) and some of my favorite authors seem to have wound up their ongoing series for various reasons.

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Aspiration: The Agency of Becoming, by Agnes Callard.

Shop Class as Soulcraft, by Matthew B. Crawford.

The Blade Runner 2019 graphic novels, to be followed by 2029.

Signals and Boundaries: Building Blocks for Complex Adaptive Systems, by John H. Holland.

Dexterity and its Development, by Latash, Turney, and Bernstein.

I’ve started a couple of others…

Oh yeah:

The Art of Doing Science and Engineering: Learning to Learn, by Richard Hamming of signal processing fame.

The last book is published by Stripe Press, the same Stripe that processes internet payments. I highly recommend their books, they are beautifully designed.

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Sorry about John LeCarre. Definitely mastered his craft unlike any other. I love Russia House. Terrific book you mentioned.

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Rereading The Foundation novels

Thinking to reread the Master and Commander series by Patrick O’Brian, enjoyable but such a commitment.

K9 Search and Rescue by Resi Gerritsen

Python Data Analythics by Fabio Nelli

I subscribe to “safari books online” which turns me into a “book grazer”, a page here a chapter there - always something on my list, never quite finish it.

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Woo Hoo A book thread!

I love to read and try to read for at least an hour a day. I usually have a mix of several Kindle books and several paper books in work and my to be read list is huge.

Things I’m currently reading:

The Mucker Trilogy Edgar Rice Burroughs
Keys to Drawing Bert Dodson
Seldom Dissappointed-A Memoir Tony Hillerman
Ready Player Two Ernest Cline
Silvopasture: A Guide to Managing Grazing Animals, Forage Crops, and Trees in a Temperate Farm Ecosystem Steve Gabriel
Mary Bought a Little Lamb and this is How She cooked it Rhoda Nation
Boomtown Blues: Colorado Oil Shale Andrew Gulliford
Swansea Terminal Robert Lewis
The Maker’s Hand: A Close Look at Textile Structures Peter Collingwood
The Best of Cordwainer Smith Cordwainer Smith
Dusty Zebra & Other Stories Simak Bk 11 Clifford D. Simak

I just finished a couple of John Rain books by Barry Eisler and pretty much everything out on Kindle by Jodi Taylor and a couple of cozy mysteries first books looking for a new series to start.

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I liked this quite a bit.

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Me too, I read all his books so I was excited to read his memoir. I’m about 3/4 done and really enjoying it.

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About 3/4th my way through Rhythm of War. Finished Battle Ground before this one. After this I am planning to take on some classics just to cleanse my palate.

P.S. The Sandman audiobook is really great…(for anyone who is skeptical how a comic series will translate to audio).

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Highly recommending Ministry for the Future by Kim Stanley Robinson.

And also starting to reread Asimov’s Foundation trilogy.

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I’ve been rereading The Foundation series too, the original trilogy books and the other ones he published.

Wikipedia Foundation Series page

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Just picked up Stormlight this year and am working my way through Oathbringer now. I hope to dive into Rhythm of War before the end of the year.

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Almost done with the Psychology of Money - should be required reading, it is really good read about why many people are bad with money.

Next up is Anxious People by Fredrik Backman. I read his other book a Man Called Ove earlier this year, currently my favorite book of 2020.

Also an excellent movie.

I have not seen that, but will check it out! Thanks.

I am reading The Shadow Rising by Robert Jordan and The Self-Taught Programmer by Cory Althoff. I usually have 2 or 3 books going at any one time. I just finished Cibola Burn and Dune in the last couple of months. I have more Non Fiction on my list.

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Welcome to the journey!! :slight_smile:

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