tutsiwarrior Posted June 8, 2012 Share Posted June 8, 2012 (edited) presently with Never let me go by that japanese fellow, strange but engaging...and before that Minority Report, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and The Bourne Identity...mundane but ye gots to look at these things to see what all the fuss is about...lackluster prose in most cases but a good story...but 3 headed dogs, pre-emptive murder and amnesiac assasins?...I mean really...I gots War and Peace on the kindle but I'm waitin' before making the leap... I, too, have a Kindle. And I read War and Peace last year -- in hard cover. I love my Kindle, but part of the mystique of War and Peace is its sheer heft. Ya gotta read that one in hard cover. yeah...I haveta agree but I'm mobilizing soon fer a new job and got to consider my luggage weight allowance...I had Anna Karenina with me in paperback in Vietnam and that caused all sorts of problems... Edited June 8, 2012 by tutsiwarrior Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rsquared Posted June 8, 2012 Share Posted June 8, 2012 I have been converted to using a kindle and my recent "big" reads were "The girl with the dragon tattoo" trilogy, thoroughly enjoyed it once it got going. Before that "Frankenstien" by Dean Koontz (5 books), could not put it down. Have read Wilbur Smith and Tom Clancy a while back and did enjoy them, not all of their books though. The hammock is perfect for getting lost in a good yarn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tutsiwarrior Posted June 8, 2012 Share Posted June 8, 2012 (edited) A couple more which I have read recently and found very interesting are: – "The Conquest of New Spain" by Bernal Diaz and translated into English by J M Cohen and it is a first-hand account of the overthrow of the Aztec Empire by the Spanish as well as preliminary explorations of the Mexican coast under Cordoba; and "The American West" by Dee Brown which shoots down a lot of the myths surrounding the West, cowboys, Indians and much of what went on. Do not read fiction as a rule, however I did read, "Lovely Bones" and found it a good read, so followed up and watched the movie, which wasn't as good as the book!! yeah...Bernal Diaz is great and he was invaluable as that fcukin' Cortez and his gang were illiterate pirates...and there is a story there better than anything imaginable...oh, the pride and indecision of Moctezuma when everyone screamed: 'just waste them bastids!'...a tale of pestilence and intrigue...my family in Bolivia has scars from the 'virhuela' the small pox that the europeans introduced for which the local people had no immunity... one of the greatest stories ever told... Edited June 8, 2012 by tutsiwarrior Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xylophone Posted June 8, 2012 Share Posted June 8, 2012 A couple more which I have read recently and found very interesting are: – "The Conquest of New Spain" by Bernal Diaz and translated into English by J M Cohen and it is a first-hand account of the overthrow of the Aztec Empire by the Spanish as well as preliminary explorations of the Mexican coast under Cordoba; and "The American West" by Dee Brown which shoots down a lot of the myths surrounding the West, cowboys, Indians and much of what went on. Do not read fiction as a rule, however I did read, "Lovely Bones" and found it a good read, so followed up and watched the movie, which wasn't as good as the book!! yeah...Bernal Diaz is great and he was invaluable as that fcukin' Cortez and his gang were illiterate pirates...and there is a story there better than anything imaginable...oh, the pride and indecision of Moctezuma when everyone screamed: 'just waste them bastids!'...a tale of pestilence and intrigue...my family in Bolivia has scars from the 'virhuela' the small pox that the europeans introduced for which the local people had no immunity... one of the greatest stories ever told.. Yes, you would have to go a long way to find a better story because this one has everything. When the population first saw the Spanish riding their horses, they thought they were gods because the man and beast were one, and they would flee without fighting and it was not until the death of a horse and rider that they realised the Spanish could be attacked, and possibly beaten. And later on, the description of the Aztec "priests" responsible for the human sacrifices which were regularly made, and the abode in which they lived in order to carry out the sacrifices, was indeed gruesome and conjured up vivid images. If it hadn't have been for the fact that the Aztecs were such cruel masters, then the local inhabitants would not have sided with the Spanish which in many cases they did. As is the case with many "invasions", diseases were introduced and the local landscape in its broadest sense,was forever changed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron19 Posted June 8, 2012 Author Share Posted June 8, 2012 I have been converted to using a kindle and my recent "big" reads were "The girl with the dragon tattoo" trilogy, thoroughly enjoyed it once it got going. Before that "Frankenstien" by Dean Koontz (5 books), could not put it down. Have read Wilbur Smith and Tom Clancy a while back and did enjoy them, not all of their books though. The hammock is perfect for getting lost in a good yarn. The seventh Scroll from Wilbur Smith and Executive Orders by Tom Clancy are two that I have enjoyed in the last year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron19 Posted June 8, 2012 Author Share Posted June 8, 2012 A People's History of the United States, by Howard Zinn. This is a must read for anybody that wants to balance out the revisionist lies they were taught about American History in school. Henry Kissinger once said, "History is the memory of the state." The U.S. is fond of remembering its glories, but has a difficult time remembering its oppression, back stabbing, desertion of friends and state sponsored murder -- to say nothing of the disembowelment of the Bill of Rights that has gone on since its inception. jthis book just gives another perspective that lets the reader draw his or her own conclusions. Like the sound of this one and have now ordered it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DMC1 Posted June 8, 2012 Share Posted June 8, 2012 Read a couple of John Connelly (Charlie Parker series) books recently. Quite entertaining. Reading 2 books at the moment - 'Bangkok Days,' nicely written and funny & 'Prisoner 13498,' about a British guy locked up in China for smuggling drugs. This one again is well written and not like some of the other rubbish along these lines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BookMan Posted June 8, 2012 Share Posted June 8, 2012 Reading "The God Delusion" by Richard Dawkins and although can seem a bit repetitive, is interesting to say the least. An interesting read, but repetitive as u say. Makes some good observations but not going to change many peoples minds.... The Atheist Manifesto by Michel Onfrey is a good read also if u enjoy the Dawkins book. Sent from my HTC One X using Thaivisa Connect App i would also recommend god is not great - how religion poisons everything by the late, great christopher hitchens. youtube him as well if you have the chance, there is some great footage of the man in action, debating believers. I have read that also, and it is a good read indeed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BookMan Posted June 8, 2012 Share Posted June 8, 2012 The last 5 Crime/thriller/detective novels I have read. These are all light reading. Good for when you are in bed or don't want to stretch the thinking cap too much Lee Child - The Affair- (2012) . The latest jack Reacher novel. if you haven't read a Lee Child jack reacher novel I can thoroughly recommend these novels. It is best to read them in order if u can, because after one you will almost certainly want to read them all, and the character does develop a bit Daniel Silva - Portrait of a Spy (2011). Silva's Gabriel Allon is back in this spy style action thriller. All the Allon books have a similar feel and this is no exception. Allon single handedly saves the world yet again....well with a bit of help from his mossad/israeli backed team. There are slightly annoying platitudes towards the Israeli fights for justice, but if you can overcome this underlying propaganda the central character is good and it is entertaining throughout Robert Crais - Taken. (2012) Cole & Pike series. Good entertaining read. Crais has developed two good characters in Cole & Pike. This is one book you will want to keep reading. I can thoroughly recommend this one. Val McDermid - The Retribution. (2011) The fantastic Tony Hill series returns!! This is one set of novels which was made into a TV series and the TV series was excellent! A great character, full of flaws, Tony Hill is a Psychologist who works with the Police profiling serial killers. Thoroughly recommended Lynda La Plant. - She writes chiefly for the female market I would have to assume after reading this. Parts of this novel this made me want to throw the book against the wall for the cringe worthy soppiness. I don't recommend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tutsiwarrior Posted June 8, 2012 Share Posted June 8, 2012 (edited) A couple more which I have read recently and found very interesting are: – "The Conquest of New Spain" by Bernal Diaz and translated into English by J M Cohen and it is a first-hand account of the overthrow of the Aztec Empire by the Spanish as well as preliminary explorations of the Mexican coast under Cordoba; and "The American West" by Dee Brown which shoots down a lot of the myths surrounding the West, cowboys, Indians and much of what went on. Do not read fiction as a rule, however I did read, "Lovely Bones" and found it a good read, so followed up and watched the movie, which wasn't as good as the book!! yeah...Bernal Diaz is great and he was invaluable as that fcukin' Cortez and his gang were illiterate pirates...and there is a story there better than anything imaginable...oh, the pride and indecision of Moctezuma when everyone screamed: 'just waste them bastids!'...a tale of pestilence and intrigue...my family in Bolivia has scars from the 'virhuela' the small pox that the europeans introduced for which the local people had no immunity... one of the greatest stories ever told.. Yes, you would have to go a long way to find a better story because this one has everything. When the population first saw the Spanish riding their horses, they thought they were gods because the man and beast were one, and they would flee without fighting and it was not until the death of a horse and rider that they realised the Spanish could be attacked, and possibly beaten. And later on, the description of the Aztec "priests" responsible for the human sacrifices which were regularly made, and the abode in which they lived in order to carry out the sacrifices, was indeed gruesome and conjured up vivid images. If it hadn't have been for the fact that the Aztecs were such cruel masters, then the local inhabitants would not have sided with the Spanish which in many cases they did. As is the case with many "invasions", diseases were introduced and the local landscape in its broadest sense,was forever changed. yeah...Bernal Diaz described the aztec priests as being 'covered with blood' as they thought that accelerated human sacrifice would get rid of the spaniards...piles of gutted bodies by the temples of Teotihuacan...and of the 'Flower Wars' that the aztecs would conduct against their neighbors to collect victims for their bloody sacrifices and that this contributed significantly to Moctezuma's downfall... jezuz...what a story...and you can see the place where it all happened in Mexico City today as the town center 'Zocalo' is built directly on top of the main aztec ceremonial center...sheesh; mass violent death and incredible suffering and then you can see what Octavio Paz and Carlos Fuentes are talkin' about... and here is tutsi on 'el dia de San Juan' in the Andes and there was a drunken campesino stumbling down the street shouting curses at the Spanish...and I said to my pal Oto; 'what's he on about?' and then he said: 'if ye don't know by now then ye just don't wanna know...'... Edited June 8, 2012 by tutsiwarrior Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rsquared Posted June 9, 2012 Share Posted June 9, 2012 I have been converted to using a kindle and my recent "big" reads were "The girl with the dragon tattoo" trilogy, thoroughly enjoyed it once it got going. Before that "Frankenstien" by Dean Koontz (5 books), could not put it down. Have read Wilbur Smith and Tom Clancy a while back and did enjoy them, not all of their books though. The hammock is perfect for getting lost in a good yarn. The seventh Scroll from Wilbur Smith and Executive Orders by Tom Clancy are two that I have enjoyed in the last year. I just re-read my post and just an edit, I enjoyed all the books I read from Wilbur Smith and Tom Clancy, but have not been able to read all of their work as they have a rather large collection. Particularly enjoyed Rainbow Six, The Seventh Scroll and River God..Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David48 Posted June 9, 2012 Share Posted June 9, 2012 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron19 Posted June 9, 2012 Author Share Posted June 9, 2012 (edited) I have been converted to using a kindle and my recent "big" reads were "The girl with the dragon tattoo" trilogy, thoroughly enjoyed it once it got going. Before that "Frankenstien" by Dean Koontz (5 books), could not put it down. Have read Wilbur Smith and Tom Clancy a while back and did enjoy them, not all of their books though. The hammock is perfect for getting lost in a good yarn. The seventh Scroll from Wilbur Smith and Executive Orders by Tom Clancy are two that I have enjoyed in the last year. I just re-read my post and just an edit, I enjoyed all the books I read from Wilbur Smith and Tom Clancy, but have not been able to read all of their work as they have a rather large collection. Particularly enjoyed Rainbow Six, The Seventh Scroll and River God..Cheers I have the four books of Wilbur Smiths egyptian set.Enjoyed The Seventh Scroll and River God but found Warlock and The Quest a bit over the top with Taita with his magical powers,the inner eye and things like that.Maybe that is the sort of thing people in those days believed.Like most authors,many people would not like all of thier works. Edited June 9, 2012 by Ron19 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
necronx99 Posted June 9, 2012 Share Posted June 9, 2012 Reading 1915 the end of innocence. A history of early battles in the 1st world war. What I find fascinating about this book is the way it is written, factual accounts of unit actions interspersed with diary extracts and letters from the troops involved describing the action from their POV. Given their situation and the slaughter they were sent into at times the stoicism of the troops is boggling. Also quirky to see the evolution of word usage in the letters. One guy describes watching his entire battalion being mown down by Boche machine guns in yet another failed attack on a fortified hill as "terrific". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StreetCowboy Posted June 9, 2012 Share Posted June 9, 2012 (edited) Reading 1915 the end of innocence. A history of early battles in the 1st world war. What I find fascinating about this book is the way it is written, factual accounts of unit actions interspersed with diary extracts and letters from the troops involved describing the action from their POV. Given their situation and the slaughter they were sent into at times the stoicism of the troops is boggling. Also quirky to see the evolution of word usage in the letters. One guy describes watching his entire battalion being mown down by Boche machine guns in yet another failed attack on a fortified hill as "terrific". I think the language is so much the poorer for the misuse of words like 'terrific' and 'fantastic' and 'gay'. The literacy - vocabulary, turn of phrase and use of language - displayed by common people puts us to shame in this day of allegedly greater education. I'm enjoying that book as well, though I don't find much time to read it - thanks very much for passing it on SC EDIT: Double quote undoubled Edited June 9, 2012 by StreetCowboy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bangkokhatter Posted June 9, 2012 Share Posted June 9, 2012 Have just finished Jeffrey Archer's Prisoner of Birth, very good and my first read of Jeffrey Archer(never liked him as a person). Can also recommend Lee Child's Jack Reacher novels "men want to be him, women want to be with him " Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron19 Posted June 9, 2012 Author Share Posted June 9, 2012 Reading 1915 the end of innocence. A history of early battles in the 1st world war. What I find fascinating about this book is the way it is written, factual accounts of unit actions interspersed with diary extracts and letters from the troops involved describing the action from their POV. Given their situation and the slaughter they were sent into at times the stoicism of the troops is boggling. Also quirky to see the evolution of word usage in the letters. One guy describes watching his entire battalion being mown down by Boche machine guns in yet another failed attack on a fortified hill as "terrific". I wan't to order this book but first is that the correct title? Should it be the "1915 The Death of Innocence" as that is the only one I can find that sounds anything like it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
necronx99 Posted June 9, 2012 Share Posted June 9, 2012 Reading 1915 the end of innocence. A history of early battles in the 1st world war. What I find fascinating about this book is the way it is written, factual accounts of unit actions interspersed with diary extracts and letters from the troops involved describing the action from their POV. Given their situation and the slaughter they were sent into at times the stoicism of the troops is boggling. Also quirky to see the evolution of word usage in the letters. One guy describes watching his entire battalion being mown down by Boche machine guns in yet another failed attack on a fortified hill as "terrific". I wan't to order this book but first is that the correct title? Should it be the "1915 The Death of Innocence" as that is the only one I can find that sounds anything like it? Sorry, you are correct, death not end. If You kindle or iPad I can email it to you, pm if interested. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skybluestu Posted June 9, 2012 Share Posted June 9, 2012 Recently finished the latest James Bond novel 'Carte Blanche' by Jefferey Deaver. Ian Fleming's family asked him to write it and I can see why, very good! Deaver's books of short stories are well worth a read too, Twisted and More Twisted. Sent from my GT-I9003 using Thaivisa Connect App Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron19 Posted June 10, 2012 Author Share Posted June 10, 2012 Reading 1915 the end of innocence. A history of early battles in the 1st world war. What I find fascinating about this book is the way it is written, factual accounts of unit actions interspersed with diary extracts and letters from the troops involved describing the action from their POV. Given their situation and the slaughter they were sent into at times the stoicism of the troops is boggling. Also quirky to see the evolution of word usage in the letters. One guy describes watching his entire battalion being mown down by Boche machine guns in yet another failed attack on a fortified hill as "terrific". I wan't to order this book but first is that the correct title? Should it be the "1915 The Death of Innocence" as that is the only one I can find that sounds anything like it? Sorry, you are correct, death not end. If You kindle or iPad I can email it to you, pm if interested. No,niether of them.Just the computer using adobe digital to read e-books.Thank you anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StreetCowboy Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 Reading 1915 the end of innocence. A history of early battles in the 1st world war. What I find fascinating about this book is the way it is written, factual accounts of unit actions interspersed with diary extracts and letters from the troops involved describing the action from their POV. Given their situation and the slaughter they were sent into at times the stoicism of the troops is boggling. Also quirky to see the evolution of word usage in the letters. One guy describes watching his entire battalion being mown down by Boche machine guns in yet another failed attack on a fortified hill as "terrific". I wan't to order this book but first is that the correct title? Should it be the "1915 The Death of Innocence" as that is the only one I can find that sounds anything like it? Sorry, you are correct, death not end. If You kindle or iPad I can email it to you, pm if interested. No,niether of them.Just the computer using adobe digital to read e-books.Thank you anyway. That'll read it just fine - that's what I am using SC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baboon Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 I always have about ten books on the go at the same time - the only drawback of owning a Kindle. The most noteworthy one at the moment being `Inside the Kingdom` by Robert Lacey. A fascinating look into Saudi Arabia. Kindle owners - According to Stickman, `The Ambassador`s Wife` by Jake Needham will be free to download from Amazon from the 12th-14th. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tutsiwarrior Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 (edited) A couple more which I have read recently and found very interesting are: – "The Conquest of New Spain" by Bernal Diaz and translated into English by J M Cohen and it is a first-hand account of the overthrow of the Aztec Empire by the Spanish as well as preliminary explorations of the Mexican coast under Cordoba; and "The American West" by Dee Brown which shoots down a lot of the myths surrounding the West, cowboys, Indians and much of what went on. Do not read fiction as a rule, however I did read, "Lovely Bones" and found it a good read, so followed up and watched the movie, which wasn't as good as the book!! yeah...Bernal Diaz is great and he was invaluable as that fcukin' Cortez and his gang were illiterate pirates...and there is a story there better than anything imaginable...oh, the pride and indecision of Moctezuma when everyone screamed: 'just waste them bastids!'...a tale of pestilence and intrigue...my family in Bolivia has scars from the 'virhuela' the small pox that the europeans introduced for which the local people had no immunity... one of the greatest stories ever told.. Yes, you would have to go a long way to find a better story because this one has everything. When the population first saw the Spanish riding their horses, they thought they were gods because the man and beast were one, and they would flee without fighting and it was not until the death of a horse and rider that they realised the Spanish could be attacked, and possibly beaten. And later on, the description of the Aztec "priests" responsible for the human sacrifices which were regularly made, and the abode in which they lived in order to carry out the sacrifices, was indeed gruesome and conjured up vivid images. If it hadn't have been for the fact that the Aztecs were such cruel masters, then the local inhabitants would not have sided with the Spanish which in many cases they did. As is the case with many "invasions", diseases were introduced and the local landscape in its broadest sense,was forever changed. yeah...Bernal Diaz described the aztec priests as being 'covered with blood' as they thought that accelerated human sacrifice would get rid of the spaniards...piles of gutted bodies by the temples of Teotihuacan...and of the 'Flower Wars' that the aztecs would conduct against their neighbors to collect victims for their bloody sacrifices and that this contributed significantly to Moctezuma's downfall... jezuz...what a story...and you can see the place where it all happened in Mexico City today as the town center 'Zocalo' is built directly on top of the main aztec ceremonial center...sheesh; mass violent death and incredible suffering and then you can see what Octavio Paz and Carlos Fuentes are talkin' about... and here is tutsi on 'el dia de San Juan' in the Andes and there was a drunken campesino stumbling down the street shouting curses at the Spanish...and I said to my pal Oto; 'what's he on about?' and then he said: 'if ye don't know by now then ye just don't wanna know...'... and here is tutsi with his history prof who he hasn't communicated with in 35 years: 'hey, Mary...some folks on an internet site were talkin' about Bernal Diaz and blah blah..' and then she said: 'why tutsi! what a surprise! and Bernal Diaz, blah, blah...' and I had forgotten that I was in love with her and then melted with the blah, blah about Bernal Diaz...and then she stood over me in triumph...a goddam intellectual jew girl: 'yew know, tutsi...I always really liked you but why do you keep messin' with me after all these years?...we basically agree with minor variations regarding some stupid details...' waaahhh... Edited June 14, 2012 by tutsiwarrior Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron19 Posted June 15, 2012 Author Share Posted June 15, 2012 100 pages into Wilbur Smith's " Birds of Prey " Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seasia Posted June 15, 2012 Share Posted June 15, 2012 Heartlands - Travels in the Tibetan World by Michael Buckley. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuddhistVirus Posted June 15, 2012 Share Posted June 15, 2012 Beyond the Sky and the Earth - Jamie Zeppa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BookMan Posted June 15, 2012 Share Posted June 15, 2012 100 pages into Wilbur Smith's " Birds of Prey " Wilbur know how to tell a good tale Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crocken Posted June 15, 2012 Share Posted June 15, 2012 recently i read a great book called The Ravens. by Chistopher Robbins. its about the secret war in Laos. amazing stuff. after i finished the book i drove my car into Laos to visit many of the places in the book. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DMC1 Posted June 16, 2012 Share Posted June 16, 2012 Got a new Kindle coming to me from the UK. Basic one, 89 quid, wifi, with buttons. Can't wait, will be ideal while I'm offshore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baboon Posted June 16, 2012 Share Posted June 16, 2012 You won`t regret your purchase, I assure you. They are fantastic! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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