Thread: What books are you currently reading?

Shakespeare - Romeo & Juliett

Finding it a bit slow. I'm half-way through and Tony hasn't even been mentioned yet.

Inspired to read this since George Blake just passed away at 98 in Russia, lauded by Putin as a national hero:

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More Than Allegory: On Religious Myth, Truth & Belief - Bernardo Kastrup

Very detailed and informative.

I was reading nonstop all December and read some great books, mostly short. Some highlights include a few by Haruki Murakami: Men Without Women, Norwegian Wood, Hear the Wind Sing, and Pinball, 1973. He's a new discovery for me, though I have read his longform Ozawa interview book called Absolutely On Music, which I also enjoyed. I find much to relate to in Murakami and I find him an interesting writer.

Outside of that, I read the first few Sherlock Holmes novels and some of the short stories, for the first time; all good fun reading, nothing too serious. I reread some great books: The Great Gatsby, The Catcher in the Rye, neither of which I had read since high school or early college. I read a few great plays by Henrik Ibsen: Hedda Gabler and The Master Builder, both of which were absolutely phenomenal.

Most recently, I've started Honoré de Balzac's Père Goriot, which I'm about halfway through. So far, so good.

I surprised myself by completing forty-five novel-length books during 2020. I suspect I'll never come close to that total again, let alone surpass it, this lifetime. The vast majority were Fantasy, a few non-fiction. I even read several 'classics', rare for me. I have a two-way tie for Best Re-read of the Year: Guy Gavriel Kay's "The Lions of Al-Rassan" (fantasy) and Bruce Catton's three-volume "The Army of the Potomac" (non-fiction, chronicling the Union's premier army during the US civil War). I ended up picking "The Witcher" series (fantasy) as Best Initial Read(s) of the Year, though I'm not as fond of it as many young BookTubers seem to be. Unlike some years, I had no great dissapointments, so no 2020 Worst Read of the Year. I'm currently reading "The Breaking of Northwall", first book of Paul O. Williams' "Pebar Cycle". I don't yet know if I'll continue on with Pelbar or start digging into a too-high iniital read TBR stack.

Originally Posted by Fazioli

Very detailed and informative.

Loved it!

As for me just here looking for new books.

Originally Posted by ToneDeaf&Senile

I surprised myself by completing forty-five novel-length books during 2020. I suspect I'll never come close to that total again, let alone surpass it, this lifetime. The vast majority were Fantasy, a few non-fiction. I even read several 'classics', rare for me. I have a two-way tie for Best Re-read of the Year: Guy Gavriel Kay's "The Lions of Al-Rassan" (fantasy) and Bruce Catton's three-volume "The Army of the Potomac" (non-fiction, chronicling the Union's premier army during the US Civil War). I ended up picking "The Witcher" series (fantasy) as Best Initial Read(s) of the Year, though I'm not as fond of it as many young BookTubers seem to be. Unlike some years, I had no great disappointments, so no 2020 Worst Read of the Year. I'm currently reading "The Breaking of Northwall", the first book of Paul O. Williams' "Pebar Cycle". I don't yet know if I'll continue on with Pelbar or start digging into a too-high initial read TBR stack.

Good for you for reading forty-five novel-length books, that's impressive. I don't know any of the books or authors you mentioned.

I read a mere fourteen books, not quite a record for me, but it's been years since I read that many. I usually set a goal of reading twelve books a year, and never meet that goal. In 2020 I surpassed that goal by two books. My favorites were Watership Down by Richard Adams and the two Stephen Fry Greek mythology books: Mythos and Heroes.

I'm currently reading A Promised Land by Obama, on my new Kindle. It's a lot easier holding a Kindle than a 700 plus page hardcover book. Now that I have a Kindle, I'll probably read some more new hardcover books.

At 2035 last night, 13 Jan 2021, I completed a fourth read of Paul O. Williams' The Breaking of Northwall, book one of his Pelbar Cycle. It's another of those sagas set long after 'our' civilization was utterly destroyed due to nuclear conflict. Remnants of survivors exist as hostile tribes (for lack of a better term). Book one's chief protagonist belongs to a peaceful, woman-run, tribe who remain safely isolated within their several well-built fortress-cities. Through his many adventures/misadventures, he manages to instill a fledgling union with several formerly adversarial tribes, capped at book's end by those tribes coming together to defeat a new, cruel, technologically advanced enemy bend on capturing Northwall, one of the Pelbar strongholds. The book is overall well done, with an especially strong closing battle.

My originally intent was to not continue the series but instead move on to something in my initial-read TBR pile. I'm reevaluating that.

Originally Posted by senza sordino

Good for you for reading forty-five novel-length books, that's impressive. I don't know any of the books or authors you mentioned.

I read a mere fourteen books, not quite a record for me, but it's been years since I read that many. I usually set a goal of reading twelve books a year, and never meet that goal. In 2020 I surpassed that goal by two books. My favorites were Watership Down by Richard Adams and the two Stephen Fry Greek mythology books: Mythos and Heroes.

I'm currently reading A Promised Land by Obama, on my new Kindle. It's a lot easier holding a Kindle than a 700 plus page hardcover book. Now that I have a Kindle, I'll probably read some more new hardcover books.

I'm passing familiar with Watership Down. I believe I read it on-borrow from a friend decades ago. Those books on Greek mythology sound appealing, both subject matter and author (who is known to me, but not as a writer).

The Kay (Al Rassan) is a strong recommendation from me if you enjoy well written fantasy. To be fair, Kay's books or more 'historic fiction (well researched) with supernatural elements thrown in' than pure modern fantasy. Except his first publication, Fionavar Tapestry, a Tolkienesque epic fantasy. Al Rassan is the better choice to sample, IMO. If you don't care for that, you probably won't enjoy the rest of Kay's output.