Read any good books lately?

Still reading it. But I still like it.

I think I've read all but one of Klosterman's books. Killing Yourself to Live and Downtown Owl were the best of the bunch. I wasn't super into Coco Puffs but I know I'm in the minority on that. Anyway, whether or not you enjoy Cocoa I'd definitely recommend the other two.

Also, The Visible Man is a quick and addicting read.

First read.

I'm completely opposed to the dead art form known as books and support their banning and/or burning at every opportunity. That being said, this is an incredible piece of nonfiction that I'm glad I didn't turn into a diaper for my incontinent dog. It's about a young guy just finishing up college who takes some time off to hop trains with hoboes back in the 80s. Lots of adventures, lots of great characters, lots of humanity imbued on those out there roughing it. They even wind up in my home state of North Dakota but then immediately leave. What fools:
www.amazon.com/Rolling-Nowhere-Riding-A…/…/0375727868

I really liked the author's sensibilities and writing so am going to read through his books in order. One of them was a finalist for the Pulitzer. I checked that one out when I was visiting North Dakota like a year ago. I forgot it at my parents' and it ended up getting returned like four months late. I had to pay so many fines haha.

The sister of Christopher McCandless wrote a book about him and their upbringing so I've just started re-reading Into the Wild as preparation for that. I read it back in 2006 and have forgotten much of the story. I'm excited to re-read it for many reasons but that aspect makes it a teeny bit like getting a new Krakauer book haha.

Just started.

I've started this on three different occasions but got too busy with life and it fell by the wayside each time. I'm going all the way this time.

I've heard good things about this book, just never got around to it.

I recently finished the newest novel from my favorite author Peter F. Hamilton titled The Abyss Beyond Dreams. It takes place in the same sci-fi universe (with a sub-universe with more fantasy elements) as five other books he has written. After readin' over 10 of his novels I know his writin' style just a tad, but it took close too 300-400 pages of the near 650 to get me. But holy fuck I cannot wait to read the endin'! And he's said he's about 2/3 done with it...but the waitin' is gonna kill me!

I read this today. Thoroughly enjoyed it.

I don't feel like this was worth the hype at all. It didn't really pull me in until the last third or so.



This was alright, but there are much better books that cover the same material.

Currently reading:

Could you make any suggestions? I've always identified as a secular humanist, but as of late certain events have caused me to be shaken up a little. I'm looking into scientific and secular reasoning when it comes to supernatural occurrences.

I've always been a fan of Adyashanti - he can get a bit overly New Agey sometimes (speaks of Oneness and whatnot occasionally), but I find that his general approach to cutting through one's own beliefs is compassionate but razor-sharp. You just have to take and de-spiritualize it to make it apply to you. If you've had what you consider to be an awakening experience I would recommend his "End of Your World"; otherwise I'd go for "Falling Into Grace". A background in meditation or Zen would probably be helpful.

"The Ego Trick" by Julian Baggini is a VERY accessible and easy-to-read introduction to the different philosophical approaches to the self and is more or less completely secular. If you aren't familiar with Buddhism/meditation or have no interest in spiritual language at all, I'd go for this one.

My husband read it. He enjoyed it, but he did say it was bleak (that was actually the specific word he used even). I've tried to read it twice, but I couldn't get past the first chapter. I'm kind of lazy about reading anymore, though. I rarely seem to enjoy books that I have to put any effort into these days.

The language used in describing the nature scenes in Blood Meridian was really impressive. The desert imagery might've been my favorite part of it. I usually like reading "tough" books (Naked Lunch is one of my faves), so I'll probably give the whole things another chance one day.

I'm in the middle of reading "The Splendid Things We Planned." Blake Bailey's autobiographical account of the trying relationship with his drug addicted brother and family. So far, I'm really enjoying it