What Books Are People Reading Now ?

[Rsquared]

Just tried to order 1421 on my Kindle.......only available in hard cover or paperback........buggar!!!!

They had an offer to get all 3......1421, 1434, 1491 at a discount.........so bit the bullet and will have to wait 4 weeks for delivery.

I love shopping after a few happy ales.......doesn't seem so painful.

Never drunk online shop!

Is 1491 the name being given to his Atlantis book?

Don't know about "Atlantis", but the titles are :

1421: The Year China Discovered America

1434: The Year a Magnificent Chinese Fleet Sailed to Italy & ignited the Renaissance

1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus.

Since I've got 4+ weeks for delivery.....have started the trilogy "Without Warning" by John Birmingham....so far so good.

[BookMan]

Just tried to order 1421 on my Kindle.......only available in hard cover or paperback........buggar!!!!

They had an offer to get all 3......1421, 1434, 1491 at a discount.........so bit the bullet and will have to wait 4 weeks for delivery.

I love shopping after a few happy ales.......doesn't seem so painful.

Never drunk online shop!

Is 1491 the name being given to his Atlantis book?

Don't know about "Atlantis", but the titles are :

1421: The Year China Discovered America

1434: The Year a Magnificent Chinese Fleet Sailed to Italy & ignited the Renaissance

1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus.

Since I've got 4+ weeks for delivery.....have started the trilogy "Without Warning" by John Birmingham....so far so good.

Yeah I really enjoy that John Birmgham series, I hope u do also!

[richardjm65]

I've just finished Don Winslow's book "The Power of The Dog". Brilliant - I now have to find and read his other stuff.

James Ellroy says of it:- "The Power of The Dog is the first great dope novel since Dog Soldiers thirty years ago.It's frightening and sad, with a superbly sustained intensity. It's a beautifully compressed vision of hell, with all its attendant moral madness".

I think I'll read it again - it's that good.

Wow. It must be good if you are going to go straight back into it (http://en.wikipedia....iki/Don_Winslow). Ill add that to my reading list when i see it again.

That is a good quote from James Ellroy. I read his early novels and enjoyed them. Ellroy's memoir, 'My Dark Places', is worth a read. It revolves around the murder of his mother (when he was aged ten) and his later life investigation of the case intermingled with memories from childhood. http://en.wikipedia....k_Places_(book)

When I am reading a book I really enjoy I actually get a little sad for the last fifty or so pages, knowing the book is going to end. I don't slow down my reading but the tinge of sadness lingers: i want that book to keep on keeping on.

On finishing a good book and immediately re-reading it - for me it's like being in a classy restaurant and reading the menu the first time, then enjoying all the best dishes the second time. OK, you know the basic story, but the re-read, (which I do more slowly), seems to develop the plot, fill out the characters and give a deeper understanding of why they do what they do, and so it is with the re-read of this Don Winslow book.

I know what you mean about the reluctance to come to the end of a good book - you get attached to the plot and the characters and don't really want to sever the bond. But you know there's going to be another good book really soon, so it's not that bad.

I'm not "Kindled Up" yet, but having had one on loan for a couple of weeks, I liked the experience and will be getting one. The thought of having a choice of many books contained in that little device is great. I still like real books too, and I don't think my shelves of old favourites will be dumped - they're like old friends.

I'm becoming reluctant to lend books now, having lost too many and seen others returned in tatters, sometimes in several pieces. If I don't want to re-read a book though, I'm quite happy to just give it away to the next guy. Up country, even rubbish books get passed around.

[Rsquared]

I'm with BookMan.......have never really contemplated turning to page 1 after just finishing a book.

But then I'm a slow reader, so I take in everything on the first pass......but I do need some time to let every thing soak in after finishing a book before I open up the next one.

To tell the truth I've only read one book twice.........and that was by mistake......I'd forgotten the title of a Robert Ludlem novel I'd read years ago and started reading this one.......things seemed familiar but I couldn't put my finger on it.

About halfway through I realised that I had read it before........but then couldn't remember how it ended....so kept reading.

I guess that happens with old age......

[BookMan]

I'm with BookMan.......have never really contemplated turning to page 1 after just finishing a book.

But then I'm a slow reader, so I take in everything on the first pass......but I do need some time to let every thing soak in after finishing a book before I open up the next one.

To tell the truth I've only read one book twice.........and that was by mistake......I'd forgotten the title of a Robert Ludlem novel I'd read years ago and started reading this one.......things seemed familiar but I couldn't put my finger on it.

About halfway through I realised that I had read it before........but then couldn't remember how it ended....so kept reading.

I guess that happens with old age......

Yeah I have done that also...more than once. Tough at 43 I don't know if i can claim old age yet .

The book was so forgettable the first time around it takes you half way through to realise you have read it.

There are actually a few books i have read more than once

Tolkein's Lord Of the Rings. I have rad 3 times

Roald Dahl's 'Tales of the Unexpected', I have read several times.

Hemingway. Couple of his.

I'm sure there are others if i really thought about it

[londoedan]

Tolkein's Lord Of the Rings. I have rad 3 times

LOTR 3 times and the Hobbit a couple of times - read when I was a lot younger and I'm not sure I'll read them again.

REALLY looking forward to the movie version of the latter, but I think that 3 movies is dragging it out a bit. LOTR moview in 3 parts was great and I didn't miss the bits they left out too much - I can't see Bilbo's tale stretching to 3. Hope I'm wrong.

Edited August 12, 2012 by londoedan

[BookMan]

Tolkein's Lord Of the Rings. I have rad 3 times

LOTR 3 times and the Hobbit a couple of times - read when I was a lot younger and I'm not sure I'll read them again.

REALLY looking forward to the movie version of the latter, but I think that 3 movies is dragging it out a bit. LOTR moview in 3 parts was great and I didn't miss the bits they left out too much - I can't see Bilbo's tale stretching to 3. Hope I'm wrong.

I doubt I will ever read LOTR again either. Hobbit should be interesting.

I wish Lord of the rings movies had been stretched to 6 to get everything in!!

[londoedan]

Tolkein's Lord Of the Rings. I have rad 3 times

LOTR 3 times and the Hobbit a couple of times - read when I was a lot younger and I'm not sure I'll read them again.

REALLY looking forward to the movie version of the latter, but I think that 3 movies is dragging it out a bit. LOTR moview in 3 parts was great and I didn't miss the bits they left out too much - I can't see Bilbo's tale stretching to 3. Hope I'm wrong.

I doubt I will ever read LOTR again either. Hobbit should be interesting.

I wish Lord of the rings movies had been stretched to 6 to get everything in!!

I thought 3 long movies was fine, they came around on HBO a couple of weeks back and watching them again was ace - and I didn't miss Tom Bombadil

[VintageTQ]

Reading 'MAO'

Biography on Mao Tse-Tung's rise to power, its a bit deep and to be honest i feel its probably a little biased, its almost like they wont have anything good said about the guy, even in his early life, and almost explain away every little good thing he did as a ulterior motive for something bad. Sure the guy was a maniac there is no doubting that. (unless your Chinese that is, where even to this day it seems he is a hero).

[MiG16]

I'm becoming reluctant to lend books now, having lost too many and seen others returned in tatters, sometimes in several pieces. Up country, even rubbish books get passed around.

That just reminded me about a book I lent to someone.....before I had a chance to read it myself. To this day I Still never got it back!

The last I heard it had been passed around all over the country!!

[davejones]

The End of Cheap China: Economic and Cultural Trends that will Disrupt the World

[BookMan]

The End of Cheap China: Economic and Cultural Trends that will Disrupt the World

Sounds interesting.

What is the basic prediction?

[davejones]

The End of Cheap China: Economic and Cultural Trends that will Disrupt the World

Sounds interesting.

What is the basic prediction?

I've only just started it, but the prediction is that USA is underestimating the Chinese. US thinks of them as a county that produces low-quality and cheap products. But apparently things have changed massively in the last decade and China is starting to build their own brands that will challenge major US brands in years to come. Just as the US laughed at Japanese firms like Toyota, Sony, etc, they are now doing the same with Chinese brands. Wages in China are going up 20%+ a year and this will mean more expensive goods for the US. As the US economy has only kept going due to cheap Chinese products, what will happen when they get more expensive. Many in the US think the solution is to manufacture in the US, but costs are massively higher and most people won't be able to afford an ipad made in the US. It's a very interesting book and well worth a read.

[BookMan]

The End of Cheap China: Economic and Cultural Trends that will Disrupt the World

Sounds interesting.

What is the basic prediction?

I've only just started it, but the prediction is that USA is underestimating the Chinese. US thinks of them as a county that produces low-quality and cheap products. But apparently things have changed massively in the last decade and China is starting to build their own brands that will challenge major US brands in years to come. Just as the US laughed at Japanese firms like Toyota, Sony, etc, they are now doing the same with Chinese brands. Wages in China are going up 20%+ a year and this will mean more expensive goods for the US. As the US economy has only kept going due to cheap Chinese products, what will happen when they get more expensive. Many in the US think the solution is to manufacture in the US, but costs are massively higher and most people won't be able to afford an ipad made in the US. It's a very interesting book and well worth a read.

Sounds interesting, I enjoy reads like that.

I don't think they will be able to go back to manufacturing in America: they exported most of their manufacturing to mexico didn't they?

[davejones]

The End of Cheap China: Economic and Cultural Trends that will Disrupt the World

Sounds interesting.

What is the basic prediction?

I've only just started it, but the prediction is that USA is underestimating the Chinese. US thinks of them as a county that produces low-quality and cheap products. But apparently things have changed massively in the last decade and China is starting to build their own brands that will challenge major US brands in years to come. Just as the US laughed at Japanese firms like Toyota, Sony, etc, they are now doing the same with Chinese brands. Wages in China are going up 20%+ a year and this will mean more expensive goods for the US. As the US economy has only kept going due to cheap Chinese products, what will happen when they get more expensive. Many in the US think the solution is to manufacture in the US, but costs are massively higher and most people won't be able to afford an ipad made in the US. It's a very interesting book and well worth a read.

Sounds interesting, I enjoy reads like that.

I don't think they will be able to go back to manufacturing in America: they exported most of their manufacturing to mexico didn't they?

Here's the Amazon link if you want to take a look.

http://www.amazon.com/The-End-Cheap-China-ebook/dp/B007BGZN58/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1344911003&sr=8-2&keywords=the+end+of+cheap+china

By the way, I noticed that when I had my Amazon address as Thailand, they charged $2 extra for every book. I asked them about this and they said it was for tax and delivery - <deleted>!!! I can see why they'd charge extra for people with the 3G Kindle, but I have a wifi Kindle, so they don't have any extra delivery charges. And I bet they don't pay any extra tax either. A 99c book ended up costing $2.99. If you change the country on your Kindle to USA then you don't get charged $2 extra.

[richardjm65]

I'm becoming reluctant to lend books now, having lost too many and seen others returned in tatters, sometimes in several pieces. Up country, even rubbish books get passed around.

That just reminded me about a book I lent to someone.....before I had a chance to read it myself. To this day I Still never got it back!

The last I heard it had been passed around all over the country!!

What book was that, Mig? If I see it pass through our town I'll snag it and return it to you in a plain brown envelope.

[BookMan]

Here's the Amazon link if you want to take a look.

http://www.amazon.co... of cheap china

By the way, I noticed that when I had my Amazon address as Thailand, they charged $2 extra for every book. I asked them about this and they said it was for tax and delivery - <deleted>!!! I can see why they'd charge extra for people with the 3G Kindle, but I have a wifi Kindle, so they don't have any extra delivery charges. And I bet they don't pay any extra tax either. A 99c book ended up costing $2.99. If you change the country on your Kindle to USA then you don't get charged $2 extra.

Yeah, Australia has that double pricing crap also.

Thanks for the link, i'll have a look at it now

[GarryP]

Because I used to read so much I could never keep up with the titles of books I had already read, resulting in me buying the same book twice (one three times) - like a number of other posters. However, unlike others, only when I have nothing to read will I re-read a book. Once is enough and then it goes on the shelf.

Unfortunately, for me reading became a habit. Most people would think it a good habit, but if you are reading for reading's sake, as I used to, books simply lose their entertainment value. I would finish a book and if you asked me what it was about a day or two later, I wouldn't be able to tell you. I wouldn't even be able to recall the author or the title. I was reading for something to do. I would finish a book on the BTS and immediately take out another one from my bag and start reading it. Yes, I calculated in advance as to when I would finish one book and make sure I had a backup in my bag. Now that is sick.

Luckily, I am cured now and limit myself to no more than three or four books a month, which I only read tarvelling between work and the office and at lunch time. This includes reading while walking, which I have got down to an art form - I haven't suffered an injury in years. I actually enjoy reading again and no longer read for reading's sake (that last bit would seem to indicate otherwise). However, the memory remains as woolly as ever.

I am currently enjoying my first taste of Flashman (but the narrative is quite bland in parts).

[BookMan]

... I would finish a book and if you asked me what it was about a day or two later, I wouldn't be able to tell you. I wouldn't even be able to recall the author or the title.

Yes, I have been there. Sometimes though I wonder if i just forget the author and title because the story was just average.

A friend of mine always has some books hiding about the place. She keeps one in the car glovebox, one in her bag, one by the bed: always a backup ready to go. Undoubtedly for her it is a comforting thing.

[MiG16]

I'm becoming reluctant to lend books now, having lost too many and seen others returned in tatters, sometimes in several pieces. Up country, even rubbish books get passed around.

That just reminded me about a book I lent to someone.....before I had a chance to read it myself. To this day I Still never got it back!

The last I heard it had been passed around all over the country!!

What book was that, Mig? If I see it pass through our town I'll snag it and return it to you in a plain brown envelope.

Just on this particular occasion it would be handy if thaivisa had the tag function like facebook. I can then tag the culprit. Unlikely to get it back though lol. Has been some years now.....

[Ron19]

Just finished " A History of Thailand " by Rong Syamananda.Very informative.

Have just started Mario Puzo's " The Sicilian ".

[onionluke]

My Shit Life So Far by Frankie Boyle .

[BuckarooBanzai]

Black List by Brad Thor - Very well researched with a lot of facts mixed in with the fiction. A spy type thriller about certain groups controlling information gleaned from the internet, all computer databases and electronic transactions. Very up to date tech wise and so far a pretty good read and pretty hard to draw the line where the reality ends and the fiction begins. Scary stuff.

[Ron19]

Just finished 'The Sicilian' by Mario Puzo,a very good read and now have just started 'Private Dancer' by Stephan Leather.

Edited September 2, 2012 by Ron19

[BookMan]

Juet finished 'The Sicilian' by Mario Puzo,a very good read and now have just started 'Private Dancer' by Stephan Leather.

Id be very interested in how you find private Dancer Ron. I have heard it is an excellent book. Over the years I have seen a dozen copies, but the last 6 months since i wanted to read it, none!

[BookMan]

Black List by Brad Thor - Very well researched with a lot of facts mixed in with the fiction. A spy type thriller about certain groups controlling information gleaned from the internet, all computer databases and electronic transactions. Very up to date tech wise and so far a pretty good read and pretty hard to draw the line where the reality ends and the fiction begins. Scary stuff.

A case of there is no privacy these days?

[Ron19]

Just finished 'The Sicilian' by Mario Puzo,a very good read and now have just started 'Private Dancer' by Stephan Leather.

Id be very interested in how you find private Dancer Ron. I have heard it is an excellent book. Over the years I have seen a dozen copies, but the last 6 months since i wanted to read it, none!

I'll let you know what I think about it once I get into it a bit more. Edited September 2, 2012 by Ron19

[rics21]

Penthouse Thai edition for September.

Sent from my XT910 using Thaivisa Connect App

[BookMan]

Penthouse Thai edition for September.

Sent from my XT910 using Thaivisa Connect App

You can still buy Girlie magazines? I thought they had gone the way of the dodo.

[rics21]

Penthouse Thai edition for September.

Sent from my XT910 using Thaivisa Connect App

You can still buy Girlie magazines? I thought they had gone the way of the dodo.

This is the only magazine here where reviews on the night clubs/ bars/ massage parlours are available.

We need to get reviews on the quality of the services we r paying for.

Sent from my XT910 using Thaivisa Connect App