What are you reading now?

[TMoney]

Read the book as well. I tried the show but didn't make it past ep. 1.

[Dusty Chalk]

Still Why We Sleep, just got to a part that made me think of Matt and that dreadful day.  

Basically, the author shows how driving while sleep deprived is as bad or worse than driving inebriated, because there isn’t as much of a stigma against driving while tired.  Impaired judgment is still impaired judgement, no matter the cause.  And as I’ve always said, when your judgment is impaired, your judgment as to whether or not your judgment is impaired is impaired.  

From what little I know of what happened, it sure sounds like sleep deprivation may have been a large factor.

[TMoney]

I was listening to Malcolm Gladwell on Bill Simmons podcast and he said the audiobook version of his new book is outselling the hardcover by around 40%. Whoa. The times... they are a-changing.

I have a lot of mixed emotions about audiobooks, to say the least.

[robm321]

I agree, TMoney. My retention while listening isn't nearly what it is while reading. A lot of subtlety is lost as well. 

[n_maher]

1 hour ago, robm321 said:

I agree, TMoney. My retention while listening isn't nearly what it is while reading. A lot of subtlety is lost as well. 

It's a compromise to be sure, but driving to and from work is one of the few times during the day when I'm alone and can consume something like an audiobook.  No option to read during that period and very little time to actually read.  

[Dusty Chalk]

My ex has a really long commute, and has taken to doing the audiobook thing.  I teased her the same way I teased Brent:  “so you’re not reading so much as having it read to you...” etc.  My punishment was to be made to listen to some of her favourite excerpts, while she giggled at some of the more melodramatic readings.  Ah, good times.

But seriously, she still reads.  Also, I will never hold it against someone who has to drive a lot.  Not seriously, anyway.

[EdipisReks1]

10 hours ago, TMoney said:

I was listening to Malcolm Gladwell on Bill Simmons podcast and he said the audiobook version of his new book is outselling the hardcover by around 40%. Whoa. The times... they are a-changing.

I have a lot of mixed emotions about audiobooks, to say the least.

I don't have any mixed feelings about Malcolm Gladwell or Bill Simmons.  I don't mind Audiobooks.

[dsavitsk]

4 hours ago, robm321 said:

My retention while listening isn't nearly what it is while reading. A lot of subtlety is lost as well. 

I am absolutely the opposite. I had to read the Iliad in high school (30 years ago). I got it on tapes and listened to it on high speed and I think it's the only book from that year I remember at all.

[blessingx]

I love audiobooks read by the author. 

[TMoney]

Bad Blood by John Carreyrou.

Fabulous!

Like a great thriller, once you get going with this one you can't put it down. I finished it off in two sittings. If you like thrillers, investigative journalism and good detective stories this book is for you.

It is like watching a train go down the track, picking up speed as it goes, only the bridge is out ahead. As things approach disaster the tension builds, ending in a crescendo as the Journal goes public with its story and the house of cards starts to fall.

I remember reading the Author's contemporaneous reporting on this and being blown away at the lack of scientific and medical rigor and that it hadn't raised red flags in the minds of the extremely influential people associated with the company. I have the same feeling after reading the book.

Absolutely recommended.

EDIT: After the events of the last few weeks I can't wait to read a similar book about WeWork. ?

Edited September 21, 2019 by TMoney

[TMoney]

I've been starting to dig in to Ursula Le Guin's Earthsea books. There is something about her prose that I really enjoy reading. It is apparent right off the bat that she is an extremely talented writer.

Edited September 25, 2019 by TMoney

[Hopstretch]

Man that takes me back. Think I first read "A Wizard of Earthsea" in 1980 or so. I was going through a very regrettable Westerns phase (Louis L' Amour etc.) at the time and it was what really drew me into Fantasy.

[guzziguy]

Love Ursula K. Le Guin.  Earthsea is great.  I especially recommend "The Left Hand of Darkness".

[MexicanDragon]

On 9/19/2019 at 6:30 PM, Dusty Chalk said:

My ex has a really long commute, and has taken to doing the audiobook thing.  I teased her the same way I teased Brent:  “so you’re not reading so much as having it read to you...” etc.  My punishment was to be made to listen to some of her favourite excerpts, while she giggled at some of the more melodramatic readings.  Ah, good times.

But seriously, she still reads.  Also, I will never hold it against someone who has to drive a lot.  Not seriously, anyway.

Heh.

Thanks to talking to @TMoney last night when I should have been asleep, I got the audiobook of Why We Sleep.

Gonna give it a spin at work while I'm up at this un-Satanly hour. 4:30 is too bloody early for this historic night owl.

[ironbut]

On 9/21/2019 at 12:03 PM, TMoney said:

Bad Blood by John Carreyrou.

Fabulous!

Like a great thriller, once you get going with this one you can't put it down. I finished it off in two sittings. If you like thrillers, investigative journalism and good detective stories this book is for you.

It is like watching a train go down the track, picking up speed as it goes, only the bridge is out ahead. As things approach disaster the tension builds, ending in a crescendo as the Journal goes public with its story and the house of cards starts to fall.

I remember reading the Author's contemporaneous reporting on this and being blown away at the lack of scientific and medical rigor and that it hadn't raised red flags in the minds of the extremely influential people associated with the company. I have the same feeling after reading the book.

Absolutely recommended.

Thanks for the recommendation!

I listened to the Audible version during a long road trip and I couldn't stop until it was done.

It helped a tad to know all the streets and places mentioned and the extreme ambitions that run the valley.

[TMoney]

Sunny and Liz go on trial next year for the criminal charges. It'll be interesting to see what happens.

[blessingx]

A short article on cyberattacks and false flags...

https://www.wired.com/story/untold-story-2018-olympics-destroyer-cyberattack/

[ironbut]

Great article Ric!

I couldn't help but recall reading about the quaint, early days of Kevin Mitnick and Kevin Poulsen as I read this and how things have evolved.

[blessingx]

With Harold Bloom’s passing, decided to read what was on his often referenced Western Canon list. There are a couple titles I’ve missed. ? Man, the list makes me too exhausted to actually read the texts, but I do think I’ll tackle Derek Walcott’s Collected Poems next. 

[ironbut]

If you don't mind "dancing about architecture",..

ARSC Awards 

http://www.arsc-audio.org/awards/awards2019.html

The Zappa books looks cool.

[blessingx]

Thanks!
Have to admit I got pretty excited about the “Chasing a Rock 'n' Roll Dream in the Minnesota Music Scene“ until I saw the dates covered. AKA another sign I’ve gotten old. #TheMats 

 

[Dusty Chalk]

Just finished Last Dance by Martin L Shoemaker.  I enjoyed!  Mostly because the central figure is so tactless and crotchety, like House, M.D., except a space captain.  I’m going to start modeling my own life after him.

It’s not perfect—it’s really a bunch of stories tied together in another overarching story—but no less enjoyable for it.

[TMoney]

Just finished The Golden Compass, Book 1. I'm ready to start the HBO series now!

I enjoyed reading it, but I'm not sure I liked it as much as others seem to. Pullman strikes me as a decent writer, but coming off reading Ursula Le Guin his prose just isn't in her league. To be fair, few authors write as beautifully as she does.

So many people seem to LOVE this series. I'll start in on book 2 and see if it hooks me more.

[HiWire]

Back to the classics... the Gormenghast trilogy by Mervyn Peake (still haven't seen the TV series):

[HiWire]

Long, but excellent article on William Gibson, in anticipation of his upcoming novel, Agency:

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019/12/16/how-william-gibson-keeps-his-science-fiction-real?verso=true