What are you currently reading?

[hippypants]

Kim Gordon--Girl In A Band - interesting read about LA in thru 60's 70's and who influenced her art, etc.

[spellbound]

It's A Long Story - Willie Nelson

[SteveSly]

Me, the Mob, and the Music by Tommy James. Quite gripping story of Tommy's rise to fame with the Shondells and his relationship with Morris Levy, owner of Roulette Records and assoicate of the Genovese family. Years ago I met Morris Levy, when he owned the 85-outlet New England record store chain Strawberries. I was on an advisory committee in my town of Medford, MA. A new development of a little-used industrial/commercial parcel of land was being considered, and Morris came to a meeting with the potential developers. One of the Strawberries stores was on the parcel, and he stood to make out whatever was done with the land. As soon as he was introduced, one of the committee members stood up and yelled, "This man is a crook, and I'll have nothing to do with him," and left the room. I had no idea of Morris Levy's history. so I was stunned when the guy burst out like that and left. I learned a little about Morris over the years but never knew the full extent until today when I finished Tommy James' book. Wow, what a story! One of my small brushes with infamy. And I also have a lot more respect for Tommy and his music than I did in high school when he had all those hits I regarded as bubblegum music.

That sounds really interesting. I will have to check it out. Did you happen to catch James performing with Joan Jett on the Rock n Roll Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony about a month ago on HBO? They did “Crimson And Clover”. James still looks and sounds pretty good. Not sure how old he is, but he must be up there. When I was a kid my dad was a member of one of those record club things they used to have. He somehow ordered Tommy James “Dizzy” album by accident and had no interest in it, so it became one of my first albums. I have always just been a casual fan, but think I will check out this book.

[SteveSly]

Natchez Burning
Greg Iles

First book of a fiction trilogy about bringing to justice KKK types responsible for a whole bunch of racist based killings through the sixties to the present.

800 pages + and a very compelling read.

Unfortunately I'm almost finished and the second book is still only in hardcover so I will have to wait a few months for the paperback to be released.

DtB

Iles is one of my father’s favorite authors and he often talks about his books (including this one). I have meaning to check his stuff out.

[nosebone]

The Final Days by Bob Woodward .

inside the White House with tricky Dick & co.

This is a really good book!

[Scott Bails]

Iles is one of my father’s favorite authors and he often talks about his books (including this one). I have meaning to check his stuff out.

I've been meaning to check him out for a while now.

[Lopez]

Did you happen to catch James performing with Joan Jett on the Rock n Roll Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony about a month ago on HBO? They did “Crimson And Clover”. James still looks and sounds pretty good. Not sure how old he is, but he must be up there.

I missed that, Steve. I'll have to see if it's repeated anywhere, say on YouTube. You should enjoy the book. He was quite the perfectionist with his music, and Morris gave him 100% control of the music as long as Morris controlled 100% of the money.

I believe Tommy is 68 or so.

[notallwhowander]

I'm on to another Murakami: The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle. Between last post and this I also read, Wild Sheep Chase. It's pretty much a Murakami summer.

[wideopenears]

The Wind Up Bird Chronicle I loved.....It's the only Murakami I've read thus far, but I have a couple others I will get to...Kafka on the Shore next, most likely.

[SteveSly]

I missed that, Steve. I'll have to see if it's repeated anywhere, say on YouTube. You should enjoy the book. He was quite the perfectionist with his music, and Morris gave him 100% control of the music as long as Morris controlled 100% of the money.

I believe Tommy is 68 or so.

I got it on my kindle today.

[notallwhowander]

The Wind Up Bird Chronicle I loved.....It's the only Murakami I've read thus far, but I have a couple others I will get to...Kafka on the Shore next, most likely.

It seems to be the one most referenced. Last summer I read 1Q84. That was a really weird trip, and an engaging read. I haven't gotten to Kafka on the Shore yet. Honestly, I'll be happy to get through Wind-Up before the summer's end. My recreational reading takes a hit when classes start up.

[JKL2000]

Stephen King - It

[Mike D]

I'm reading Life Itself-Roger Ebert's memoir, published in 2011.

This was written during Ebert's later days, when he'd become wheelchair-bound and worse, mute due to having his jaw removed as a result of salivary gland cancer. That had to be rough going, to say the least.

Ebert's mind was still functioning wonderfully though, and his memory and writing style are finely tuned in this book. I'm about a third of the way through it and I've really enjoyed his descriptions of his youth, education (high-school and university) and post graduate travels to Africa and London.

I always was a big Roger Ebert fan and I'm looking forward to the rest of the book.

[Yodelgoat]

I just fiished reading t"The Martian" and it was great. I guess its going to be a movie soon. They'll Probably ruin it. The book was really close to what life on Mars might actually be like. The one thing the author got wrong was when he wrote the book no one knew just how much water was actually on Mars. So he made water a big issue that the survivor had to really work to get. The tech that was used in the book is actually real/available stuff that Nasa either has available or has been spec' ed out and they actually know how to create the thing. Like I say, it was a great read. About a guy who accidentally gets abandoned by the rest of his crew because they thought him surely dead, due to being impailed by an antena in a sandstorm. but as it turns out the space suits would have actually functioned as the accident is described in the novel. Pretty cool, and once I started I could not put it down...

Loved the character as well, he was at times hysterical, but still quite beleivable. He has to survive something like 3 years. I was sad when it ended, I thought they left a lot still on the table.

A good read

[Yodelgoat]

I also just finished watching the three Atlas shrugged movies, and the last one was so badly done that I figure I better actually read the book. It can be as bad as the movies were, the dirst one started out OK, and then the acting and production got worse and worse until I almost couldnt stand it any more and just barely survived to t he end, but really it was so bad it ruined the whole experience. The book has to be better and more cogent. Whatever you may think politically, Ayn Rand ought to be something you read. At least thats what I think.

[Scott Bails]

Just started Ernest Cline's Armada last night - the follow-up (i.e. not sequel) to his nerd-tastic Ready Player One.

[polmico]

It can be as bad as the movies were

Well I've never seen the movies but, yes, it's just as bad. Probably worse.

[Yodelgoat]

Not a fan eh? even though, (apparently) you haven't read it? Interesting.

[polmico]

Not a fan eh? even though, (apparently) you haven't read it? Interesting.

Oh, I've read it.

[notallwhowander]

I tried to read The Fountainhead, couldn't force my way through it.

[walt]

Stopping Time-Paul Bley and the Transformation of Jazz-by Paul Bley, with David Lee..A good read, so far. Great stories from a pianist who played with....well.. just about every heavy hitter in modern jazz.

[No Pride]

Stephen King - It

I don't know how many of King's books I've read; somewhere between 15 and 20, but I'd say that one was in my top 5. It had everything he's great at; three dimensional characters, evil antagonists, humor and truly terrifying moments. And it even had one thing he's usually not so great at, a satisfying ending.

Stopping Time-Paul Bley and the Transformation of Jazz-by Paul Bley, with David Lee..A good read, so far. Great stories from a pianist who played with....well.. just about every heavy hitter in modern jazz.

I wouldn't mind reading that at all! Speaking of jazz pianists who played with most of "the greats," I read Herbie Hancock's "Possibilities" this past year and enjoyed it thoroughly.

[Yodelgoat]

Oh, I've read it.

So, its .....Bad... as in written or as in "I dont like the Libertarian ideas it promotes"? It doesnt matter to me, but I'm Just partway through it, and I find it engaging, the characters are well developed. Like I expect in a classic novel. Its a little weird to read how it predicts the demise of typewriters. I find it somewhat nostalgic from that perspective. I dont find it poorly written at all. If you require all your books to be philosophically pure, then I understand this isnt for you. I still recommend my previous book "The Martian" I dont see that one as being politically divisive. I'll keep my comments on Atlas to myself. I take it we only discuss "agreeable" books here. Funny, I would think that literature in general is what we are discussing. I apologize and will be more careful in the future to only talk about "good books".

[spellbound]

A Darker Shade Of Sweden: Original Stories By Sweden's Greatest Crime Writers

All the short stories in this book I have read so far are excellent, and some are more sci-fi or creepy horror than crime drama.

[mogrooves]

E.L. Doctorow, R.I.P

I read Herbie Hancock's "Possibilities"

You might want to check You'll Know When You Get There: Herbie Hancock and the Mwandishi Band