What are you reading?
Paul in Cannon Beach
4,703 Posts
We haven't done this in a while so I thought I'd ask "what are you reading?"
I won't say the current book I am reading as its an embarrassingly trivial page-turner but the last book I read was quite good "Disney War" by James Stewart. It gave an honest and unflinching look at Michael Eisner's tumultuous reign as CEO of Disney.
I won't say the current book I am reading as its an embarrassingly trivial page-turner but the last book I read was quite good "Disney War" by James Stewart. It gave an honest and unflinching look at Michael Eisner's tumultuous reign as CEO of Disney.
Comments
I believe Ray recently read the book as well. Or can he just remember 1776? :-S
I am also reading The Nine, about the Supreme Court Justices.
Lately, I've been working my way through a compilation of C. S. Lewis books.
I have on order, [i]War Against the Weak: Eugenics and America's Campaign to Create a Master Race[/i], by Edwin Black and a bio on Andrew Johnson. The Johnson bio is the next in my quest to read at least one bio on each president in order.
No, I was not around in 1776. My kids just think so.
Oh, and the newest copies of the Hemmings publications have arrived, Classic Cars, Muscle Cars and Sports Cars. They take priority.
Practicing APA citation, also, in case you couldn't tell.xI-)
I am reading Duma Key by Stephen King.
So I like Horror. I am loving Sci Fi's 31 days of Halloween.
Shirley
My favorite: Daniel Silva (his character Gabriel Allon lives , among other cities, in Venice and is married to Chiara a Venetian Jewish lady) and Ken Follett.
I also like to read history books: I just started one on the Renaissance.
Wildsporty, do you also read Koonz's books? I tried S.King once, a long time ago. I got so scared that I had to keep lights on in the house all night for a while. I cannot remember the title but I have not touched King anymore: I cannot watch his films either!
"Midnight was one of my favorite by Koonz and "Coma" was very good by Cook. Stephen King is still on top not too many of his books or movies I haven't read or seen.
I like autobiography's also. I read all the Corrie Ten Boom books, The David Wilkerson Books, and many other autobiography's. I think the Cross and the Switchblade was a favorite as was "In my father's house".
The autobiographies of Art Linkletter, Patsy Cline, Johnny Cash and Malcolm X were entertaining.
True crime is also entertaining. I read the stories about the Manson family, the Green River Killings, the Fisher case, and other true crime stories.
I also like the prehistoric books such as the clan of the cave bear and Valley of the Horses.
Oh and I have read the whole series of the Dune books, plus all the McAffrey dragon books and I am a fan of C.S. Lewis.
Did I mention that I was a librarian for 8 years before I went into the HR field?
I like all kinds of books except those sappy romance books, can't get into them..my books have to have some excitement.
Shirley
I still kept reading the books though. My life is pretty normal most of the time and I love the excitement.
Shirley
Reading 'Phantoms' on the train coming up from New Orleans years ago was a scary experience. All alone in a tiny room and it is pitch black outside. The only sound you hear is the rumbling of the wheels on the tracks. I didn't sleep a wink!
The 'Odd' series is also very entertaining. I finished 'Brother Odd' recently. It is nice that you don't have to read them in sequence; each story plays out on its own.
Of King's novels - my favorite was 'The Stand' - couldn't put it down. There are definitely parts of 'Misery' which are enjoyable, too. x0:)
Good stuff!
I just finished "The Levity Effect" by Adrian Gostick and Scott Christopher.
I just started "Goodbye, Amelia: Fictions" by Simone Felice and for the past few years or so, I've also been working through the collections of Hunter S. Thompson's writings, so currently, I'm half way through "Fear and Loathing in America : The Brutal Odyssey of an Outlaw Journalist."
How is "Duma Key?" I've read most of King's books. I'm kind of obsessed. Loved the Dark Tower series.
Shirley
I read the Bachman books because I like King so much and obviously he sees these as another important side of his creative outlook, but I pretty much always find myself thinking that if I didn't know it was a King alter ego, I wouldn't pick up another Bachman book.
I've read most of Dean Koontz books and generally enjoyed them. I am also a big fan of true crime and have read everything Seattle writer Ann Rule has written. I am on a break from true crime for awhile. You read too many of those and you start thinking "that would be a good place to dump a body" when you drive by a wooded area.
Ive never read Stephen King though mostly because the size of the books. Obviously they must be really good. Can anyone suggest one of his books as a good introduction to his work?
Wildsporty - have you read Truman Capote's "In Cold Blood"? If not, you absolutely must. Its amazing. It really started the whole genre.
Basically, the authors make a great argument for having fun in the workplace for everything from training to building camaraderie. They include a long list of example of ways to do that (some seem more plausible than others). I think it was both useful for the ideas it offered for infusing the workplace with fun/levity and for giving you arguments to take to the higher ups to convince them it is necessary.
At one point, I'd read most of Dean Koontz's books, but I haven't kept up over the past several years.He is good at the twists and turns. I really enjoy them, but when I read his books back to back, they start to seem similar to me.
It's hard to recommend a first King book. "The Stand" and "It" are two of my favorites, but they are super long and I think you have to be excited about really getting into the books to actually plow in deep enough to be hooked.
The first King book I read was a collection of 4 short stories called "Different Seasons." Three of the four stories were made into movies (Stand By Me, The Shawshank Redemption, and Apt Pupil) -- and I'll tell on myself some here, I first picked up the movie b/c all my friends got to go see Stand By Me, but my parents wouldn't let me see R-rated movies. Joke was on them, though. Years later when I finally saw the movie, I realized the graphicness of those stories far exceeded what they could portray in a movie. That book is a great place to start if you are looking to get a feel for King's storytelling, dialogue, and sense of humor. But it isn't the classic King horror. If you are looking for that, maybe start with Carrie or Firestarter or Pet Cemetery (short, quick reads).
'Pet Semetary', 'Cujo', 'Christine' - all are much better books than movies. King has a way of telling the story from the perspective of, for example, the dog in 'Cujo' or the car in 'Christine' which helps to tell a great story.
Stephen King's books are all good. They are also long. I would suggest to start either :"Salem's Lot" or "The shining".
Shirley
Every so often, I re-skim Margaret Morford's book Management Courage. Sometimes I need validation, and I strongly suspect Margaret was psychically eavesdropping on me when she wrote that.
I am co-chair for the 2009 state conference. The first thing I asked about was booking her. I was concerned about having her 2 years in a row. Everyone involved responded that they wanted to see her again, and besides, she has a number of subjects she can speak about. We booked her for a couple of spots.
Anyone in and around Kansas can come and see her at our conference in Topeka in September of 2009. You are all invited.
I have a friend from high school who recently became a 'fan' of the FB page for HR Hero. She is in Emporia, Kansas but has let her SHRM membership expire. Are there any other details about your conference I can give to her? Or I may just tell her to read this thread x:D
I hope your friend will come. High attendance is more kudos for me. x}>
Seriously, this will be the 20th anniversary of the Kansas State SHRM conference, and we are doing our best to make a strong impact. I hope everyone who can will join us.
Good luck with the event - I know it will be great.
I read a pretty wide variety of stuff although I do have to agree with whoever mentioned sappy romance novels.....ick! I did find a series of romances probably 15 years ago or so that were romances but the main characters were things like vampires, werewolves, or creatures. Those were slightly less sappy and had a little bit more to them, but not much.
Maybe I'll check out the Stand. I dont mind a long book if its good.
Anybody who enjoys non-fiction should check out Erik Larson's "Devil in the White City" - the account of the Chicago World's fair and a serial killer operating nearby or "Isaac's Storm" - the incrdible story of the hurricane that killed 8,000 residents of Galveston Texas. You won't believe how exciting a drop in barometric pressure can be.
Shirley
I like fiction but nothing beats a good story that actually happened.