I've become a huge fan of our local library. I've been checking out around ten books a week or so. That means that my book list is dwindling. Although I'm slowly building up my list through GoodReads.com.
I'm determined to break my reading record for a year, which tops out at 502 a couple of years ago. At the time, I included books I had to read for school and most of these were what people consider "classics".
Currently I'm reading the following:
- Dispatches from The Edge - Anderson Cooper
- The Audacity of Hope - Barack Obama
- Child 44 - Tom Rob Smith
- Ghost: A Novel - Alan Lightman
- Armageddon in Retrospect - Kurt Vonnegut
- Everything is Illuminated - Jonathan Foer
So, what is everyone reading? Or what have you read recently that sticks out or you thought was particularly good?

14 Comments
Gnorb
Written May. 25, 2008 / Report /
Frankly, I have no idea what I'm reading, since it's so transient as of late. I pick up a book, read a page or two, say it's awesome, then put it down. Rinse and repeat.
I guess I've been reading a lot of comics lately, though. Just finished Book 1 of J. Michael Straczynski's "Rising Stars" ("Born in Fire"). Very awesome, and I can't wait to get books 2-4. At the SuperCon this weekend I've picked up a number of independent titles I'll be checking out, some with very good stories and art, others with just good art.
jensized
Written May. 25, 2008 / Report /
Just resumed reading "The Audacity of Hope" and finally am almost finished.
After that I'll be reading Timothy Crouse's "The Boys on the Bus", which is about the press corps on the 1972 presidential election.
Hopefully by summer's end I'll have read Fareed Zakaria's latest "The Post-American World" and Yglesias' "Heads in the Sand."
shadowsun7
Written May. 26, 2008 / Report /
I was reading The Time Traveller's Wife, but now I'm at a loss for books. Am probably going to dive into John Irving's works, starting with Gawp.
Any suggestions?
joshawesome
Written May. 26, 2008 / Report /
I'm starting to get back into comics. Much to my surprise, I discovered that my library has a relatively awesome comic and graphic novel collection. They even have a little sheet by the section where you can write down requests.
I have your last two on my list. I've heard some good things about them. I will have to check out "The Boys on the Bus".
The Cider House Rules. The movie was based on this book.
Ozone42
Written May. 26, 2008 / Report /
I'm reading "A Thousand Splendid Suns," and hoping for a better book than "The Kite Runner."
Last I finished before that was "Water for Elephants," which was nice. Quick read, fun story.
shadowsun7
Written May. 26, 2008 / Report /
Finished both. The Kite Runner rocks, tho. Did you like it, Ozone?
joshawesome
Written May. 26, 2008 / Report /
I read "A Thousand Splendid Suns" and liked it. I haven't picked up "The Kite Runner" yet. It's on my to-read list though. I just keep forgetting to pick it up.
Ozone42
Written May. 26, 2008 / Report /
I thought Kite Runner was pretty terrible. But that was only because it was built up so high by all the reviewers. Had I not heard of it I would have thought it was fine... just not great.
It wasn't a bad story, but it was written very poorly. I am cutting the guy some slack since it was his first novel (and english isn't his native language.) It did get better after about halfway through, so I went on and bought Thousand Splendid Suns to try out.
I've gotta say, so far both books are tremendously overrated. While neither is bad, they just aren't anywhere near worthy of the acclaim they've generated.
Scrivs
Written May. 27, 2008 / Report /
Catch-22 right now. Can't believe I waited till I was 27 to read it.
cooper
Written May. 27, 2008 / Report /
I don't think you missed a thing. I never thought that was such great book. I read it twice because I couldn't understand what I was missing. Still don't.
joshawesome
Written May. 27, 2008 / Report /
"A Thousand Splendid Suns" was good. It wasn't great, it could have been a lot better.
When books get a lot of hype, I purposefully don't read the book for awhile so I can forget about the reviews. Same goes with movies.
Anyway, I only have two of the books left to read that were on my list above. All of them I liked except for "Ghost". That was a horrible book. I had to force myself to finish reading it.
katelynjane
Written Jun. 2, 2008 / Report /
I'm just about finished my first Diana Gabaldon book "Outlander" which is FANTASTIC!! And then I'll be moving onto an Egyptian novel...which I can't remember the name too.
Thanks for this post, I love seeing what other people are reading!!
-katelyn
Gnorb
Written Jun. 3, 2008 / Report /
Done with the comics for the moment and started "World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War" by Max Brooks. Seriously, this is one of the most entertaining, well researched novels I've read... pretty much ever. This book is to the Zombie genre what Bram Stoker's "Dracula" is to the Vampire genre. It has become an instant favorite, in large part due to the format: think "NPR Documentary" meets "Night of the Living Dead".
cooper
Written Jun. 3, 2008 / Report /
Madness and Civilization: Foucault
Water for Elephants:Sara Gruen
Fin-De-Siecle Vienna: Carl Schorske. I had for school at one point, ended up not needing it, but always meant to read it.
--
"Heads in the Sand".
I'll probably get through. I bought it when he was downtown in D.C. at Borders doing a book signing, but I've read him since my first year of college via various publications, so I don't think there will be any surprises I'll get to it eventaully.
Boys on the Bus sounds like something I might be interested in I will have to keep my eye out for that on the cheap.
Most books I read, except for ones I collect - Foucault etc. I either borrow, have hanging around, get free or really cheap.