Thread: What are You Reading?

Reading Southbound on the Appalachian Trail.

I'm slowly working my way through the Game of Thrones series by George RR Martin. I'm on book 5 now-A Dance With Dragons. Totally engrossing, and believe it or not, a far more complicated world, characters, and "history" created and more fully realized even than Tolkien's, and he was a master. In Martin's world, the line between good and evil is far more ambiguous, and the worldview much more dark and cynical, perhaps reflecting our current age. For this series, I got into it backwards after binge-watching the series and becoming totally engrossed in the various characters and intrigues, shocking developments, etc.

The Art of War by Sun Tzu

I've been meaning to read that for years, JBpilot-always hearing quotes from it!

I finished re-reading The Adventures of Tom Sawyer over the weekend. I took a grad level class on Twain in the spring so I noticed some things with this re-reading that went over my head the first time. Also, the personalities of Tom and Huck are somewhat different between this book and the adventures of Huckleberry Finn.
On a related note, I checked out a book of Bret Harte short stories. Harte was a friend and contemporary of Twain's so I wanted to read some of his works and compare the two authors. Harte is rather one-dimensional when compared to Twain.

Originally Posted by Leatherstockiings

I finished re-reading The Adventures of Tom Sawyer over the weekend. I took a grad level class on Twain in the spring so I noticed some things with this re-reading that went over my head the first time. Also, the personalities of Tom and Huck are somewhat different between this book and the adventures of Huckleberry Finn.
On a related note, I checked out a book of Bret Harte short stories. Harte was a friend and contemporary of Twain's so I wanted to read some of his works and compare the two authors. Harte is rather one-dimensional when compared to Twain.

I think the difference between the two is Tom Sawyer is a child's book that can appeal to adults, while Huckleberry Finn is an adult's book that can appeal to children. In Tom Sawyer, we mainly see the façade of humanity. In Huckleberry Finn we get more of a look at what goes on behind the curtains. Twain is my favorite writer.

Originally Posted by Leatherstockiings

I finished re-reading The Adventures of Tom Sawyer over the weekend. I took a grad level class on Twain in the spring so I noticed some things with this re-reading that went over my head the first time. Also, the personalities of Tom and Huck are somewhat different between this book and the adventures of Huckleberry Finn.
On a related note, I checked out a book of Bret Harte short stories. Harte was a friend and contemporary of Twain's so I wanted to read some of his works and compare the two authors. Harte is rather one-dimensional when compared to Twain.

Started reading, "Mark Twain's Other Woman (The hidden story of his final years)" about Clemmens' final decade. After several chapters I sort of lost interest

Replaced with Suetonius "The Twelve Caesars."

The third volume of his autobiography(unabridged version) has some scandal in it but would seem pretty tame compared to mosern standards. Volume three finishes with an appendix of documents related to his dismissal of his personal assistant and secretary.

Originally Posted by ScoutHikerDad

I've been meaning to read that for years, JBpilot-always hearing quotes from it!

That's the way that I was with it. Even still I'm reading it slowly. It's a lot to digest. Some of it is so simple yet so profound! There is one part that says avoid long drawn out wars or your population will grow weary of it. Seems true to me! (Not making judgements for or against the current wars just how the country seems to feel about them).

Reading Victory Through Air Power by Major Alexander P. De Seversky
Written in 1942 its basically an attempt to convince America that the air is where the war will be won/lost.
He makes some good points but hindsight shows us he is a bit overoptimistic about what air power can do.