Exactly what the title says. Here are mine in chronological order.
Emma by Jane Austen. An English major friend of mine recommended it. It was pretty good, though I thought Pride and Prejudice was better.
Witness by Whittaker Chambers. Might be a book I'll reread every few years. Terrific.
Odyssey of a Friend. This is a collection of letters from Chambers to William F. Buckley Jr. Very good.
Demonic by Ann Coulter. I read most of her books when I was in high school; this one came out in my college years and I finally got around to reading it. Pretty good.
Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. I read Anthem the year before and liked it; it was a dystopia novella. This thing is so preachy and tedious. I get why some people like it; she has a lot of compelling writing, but a good two-thirds of this book could be chiseled off to yield a darned good book. Maybe The Fountainhead will be better.
Whittaker Chambers by Sam Tanenhaus. Very good biography on Chambers.
Supreme Courtship by Christopher Buckley. Political farce. Light, enjoyable.
Florence of Arabia by Christopher Buckley. Ditto, though I prefer the preceding book.
More Guns, Less Crime by John Lott. Interesting statistical analysis on the relationships of gun laws and various crimes.
The Alice Network by Kate Quinn. Recommended by the aforementioned English major friend. This is one of those books that switches between two stories between chapters, one during WWI, the other following WWII. The former story is cool; the latter is lame. Mixed.
How to Win Arguments by WIlliam Rusher. I love Bill Buckley's blurb on the back: "Bill Rusher's act of treachery-giving away the house secrets-may make him rich and famous. At home, we will treat him like the Rosenbergs." Good stuff.
Inside American Education by Thomas Sowell. Very interesting, though it is 30 years old.
Les Miserables by Victor Hugo. Again, the doing of my English major friend. It's a towering work. I really liked that Javert guy.
Crime and Punishment by Dostoyevsky. This is one I need to read again, more critically.
Simply Speaking by Peggy Noonan. Light reading in the wake of those two preceding monsters. I liked it.
The Spy Who Came In From The Cold by John LeCarre. Was honestly underwhelmed. Not bad, mind.
12 Rules for Life by Jordan Peterson. This guy models the world in interesting ways. Thought-provoking stuff.
The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis. Very good little book which can be read in a few hours. Highly amusing and witty.
The Tempting of America by Robert Bork. A solid book on how role of the American judiciary changed to what it was in the late 80s. It's a very good book.
The Closing of the American Mind by Allan Bloom. I need to read this one a second time. This is some dense stuff here.
Why Orwell Matters by Christopher Hitchens. What's not to like? Great subject, great writer.
Elric of Melnibone by Michael Moorcock. Good, fun fantasy. I like it.
The End of the Affair by Graham Greene. Recommended by another English major friend. Good book.
The Jeweler's Eye by WIlliam F. Buckley Jr. A collection of Buckley's articles from the 60s. I enjoyed them.
The Fortress of the Pearl by Michael Moorcock. Another Elric book; also good.
1776 by David McCollough. Good. Solid. Recommend it.
I use a folded piece of printer paper as a bookmark in each book. I put the title and the dates I began and finished it. I also use the bookmark to write down words I do not know. If the context doesn't make it clear what the word means, I'll look it up, but all the words get looked up when I'm done and their definitions written in a notebook. I defined 248 new words from reading last year. I'll probably move to doing it by computer at some point, though. I began this practice due to reading books by Bill Buckley; I had to have a dictionary or a computer nearby; the guy used many esoteric words. Stopping to write down a definition every few pages (or multiple times on a single page) became very tedious, so I decided to write them all down in one fell swoop.
Next I might read Edward G. Robinson's memoir All My Yesterdays.
How about you guys? What;'d you read in 2019?
Exactly what the title says. Here are mine in chronological order.
[i]Emma[/i] by Jane Austen. An English major friend of mine recommended it. It was pretty good, though I thought [i]Pride and Prejudice[/i] was better.
[i]Witness[/i] by Whittaker Chambers. Might be a book I'll reread every few years. Terrific.
[i]Odyssey of a Friend[/i]. This is a collection of letters from Chambers to William F. Buckley Jr. Very good.
[i]Demonic[/i] by Ann Coulter. I read most of her books when I was in high school; this one came out in my college years and I finally got around to reading it. Pretty good.
[i]Atlas Shrugged[/i] by Ayn Rand. I read [i]Anthem[/i] the year before and liked it; it was a dystopia novella. This thing is so preachy and tedious. I get why some people like it; she has a lot of compelling writing, but a good two-thirds of this book could be chiseled off to yield a darned good book. Maybe [i]The Fountainhead[/i] will be better.
[i]Whittaker Chambers[/i] by Sam Tanenhaus. Very good biography on Chambers.
[i]Supreme Courtship[/i] by Christopher Buckley. Political farce. Light, enjoyable.
[i]Florence of Arabia[/i] by Christopher Buckley. Ditto, though I prefer the preceding book.
[i]More Guns, Less Crime[/i] by John Lott. Interesting statistical analysis on the relationships of gun laws and various crimes.
[i]The Alice Network[/i] by Kate Quinn. Recommended by the aforementioned English major friend. This is one of those books that switches between two stories between chapters, one during WWI, the other following WWII. The former story is cool; the latter is lame. Mixed.
[i]How to Win Arguments[/i] by WIlliam Rusher. I love Bill Buckley's blurb on the back: "Bill Rusher's act of treachery-giving away the house secrets-may make him rich and famous. At home, we will treat him like the Rosenbergs." Good stuff.
[i]Inside American Education[/i] by Thomas Sowell. Very interesting, though it is 30 years old.
[i]Les Miserables[/i] by Victor Hugo. Again, the doing of my English major friend. It's a towering work. I really liked that Javert guy.
[i]Crime and Punishment[/i] by Dostoyevsky. This is one I need to read again, more critically.
[i]Simply Speaking[/i] by Peggy Noonan. Light reading in the wake of those two preceding monsters. I liked it.
[i]The Spy Who Came In From The Cold[/i] by John LeCarre. Was honestly underwhelmed. Not bad, mind.
[i]12 Rules for Life[/i] by Jordan Peterson. This guy models the world in interesting ways. Thought-provoking stuff.
[i]The Screwtape Letters[/i] by C.S. Lewis. Very good little book which can be read in a few hours. Highly amusing and witty.
[i]The Tempting of America[/i] by Robert Bork. A solid book on how role of the American judiciary changed to what it was in the late 80s. It's a very good book.
[i]The Closing of the American Mind[/i] by Allan Bloom. I need to read this one a second time. This is some dense stuff here.
[i]Why Orwell Matters[/i] by Christopher Hitchens. What's not to like? Great subject, great writer.
[i]Elric of Melnibone[/i] by Michael Moorcock. Good, fun fantasy. I like it.
[i]The End of the Affair[/i] by Graham Greene. Recommended by another English major friend. Good book.
[i]The Jeweler's Eye[/i] by WIlliam F. Buckley Jr. A collection of Buckley's articles from the 60s. I enjoyed them.
[i]The Fortress of the Pearl[/i] by Michael Moorcock. Another Elric book; also good.
[i]1776[/i] by David McCollough. Good. Solid. Recommend it.
I use a folded piece of printer paper as a bookmark in each book. I put the title and the dates I began and finished it. I also use the bookmark to write down words I do not know. If the context doesn't make it clear what the word means, I'll look it up, but all the words get looked up when I'm done and their definitions written in a notebook. I defined 248 new words from reading last year. I'll probably move to doing it by computer at some point, though. I began this practice due to reading books by Bill Buckley; I had to have a dictionary or a computer nearby; the guy used many esoteric words. Stopping to write down a definition every few pages (or multiple times on a single page) became very tedious, so I decided to write them all down in one fell swoop.
Next I might read Edward G. Robinson's memoir [i]All My Yesterdays[/i].
How about you guys? What;'d you read in 2019?
https://imgur.com/a/v1eqoI7
i read ~60 books this year but the best was actually an excerpted pdf
"Extract from a Diary of Rear-Admiral Sir George Cockburn, with Particular Reference to Gen. Napoleon Buonaparte, on Passage from England to St. Helena, in 1815 on Board H.M.S. Northumberland"
about how they had to ship napoleon off to exile and no one really wanted to do it but this guy's diary of the trip is pretty funny. napoleon would throw tantrums and be all french until he got bored and then they'd get drunk and talk about the war
i read ~60 books this year but the best was actually an excerpted pdf
"Extract from a Diary of Rear-Admiral Sir George Cockburn, with Particular Reference to Gen. Napoleon Buonaparte, on Passage from England to St. Helena, in 1815 on Board H.M.S. Northumberland"
about how they had to ship napoleon off to exile and no one really wanted to do it but this guy's diary of the trip is pretty funny. napoleon would throw tantrums and be all french until he got bored and then they'd get drunk and talk about the war
redundant answer but none
same as in 2018 or some of the years before
and this is only ever shame to myself really
redundant answer but none
same as in 2018 or some of the years before
and this is only ever shame to myself really
foucaults pendulum gave me schizophrenia
foucaults pendulum gave me schizophrenia
Mine in semi chronological order:
The chronic innocence by Klaus Rifbjerg
Danish novel from the 50s about two childhood friends growing up together. Its a danish classic but i dont really think it has made any waves outside of denmark. Shits good tho.
Scars by Auður Ava Ólafsdóttir
Icelandic novel about a divorced dad who travels to a foreign country recovering from a civil war to kill himself. This one is really good too but i cant imagine an english translation existing.
La belle sauvage by Phillip Pullman
Prequel to the his dark materials trilogy. If you read the his dark materials trilogy as a kid and enjoyed it then youre gonna love this one. Puts you right back into the world of the original trilogy while also being somewhat grown up.
The northern lights by Phillip Pullman
Banger story about a girl who goes to do a bunch of cool shit up north. I read this when i was like 9 but i couldnt help but re read it after reading la belle sauvage. This book is fucking gorgeous, even if you have no interest in reading the whole trilogy, this book immerses you in a world on par with lord of the rings and harry potter, and functions perfectly as a standalone story.
Misery by Stephen King
Writer almost fucking dies and is kidnapped by some psycho fangirl who gives him hard drugs and forces him to write a new story. My mum told me to at least give Stephen King a shot and i did. Not for me tho but i can see the appeal.
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
This is probably my favourite book ive ever read. It is truly gorgeous.
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
I had a hard time getting into this one cause i really didnt sympathize much with the main character and found him to be kind of obnoxiously written. The second half of the book did help to further my appreciation of the story, and i can see why it seems to be forced down every american highschoolers throat. Good shit.
The Secret Commonwealth by Phillip Pullman
Where the first book in the trilogy (la belle sauvage) functions as a prequel to the original trilogy, this one serves as a sequel. It's a long one for sure, but being as much of a fan as the other books as i am, i didnt really mind sitting through it. Adult Lyra really resonates with me a lot and it is honestly quite frustrating that the book ends as abruptly as it does.
I also read winnie the pooh after my parents gave me a copy of a book with the original illustrations as a highschool graduation gift. Shit is so fucking wholesome. +1
Mine in semi chronological order:
[u]The chronic innocence by Klaus Rifbjerg[/u]
Danish novel from the 50s about two childhood friends growing up together. Its a danish classic but i dont really think it has made any waves outside of denmark. Shits good tho.
[u]Scars by Auður Ava Ólafsdóttir[/u]
Icelandic novel about a divorced dad who travels to a foreign country recovering from a civil war to kill himself. This one is really good too but i cant imagine an english translation existing.
[u]La belle sauvage by Phillip Pullman[/u]
Prequel to the his dark materials trilogy. If you read the his dark materials trilogy as a kid and enjoyed it then youre gonna love this one. Puts you right back into the world of the original trilogy while also being somewhat grown up.
[u]The northern lights by Phillip Pullman[/u]
Banger story about a girl who goes to do a bunch of cool shit up north. I read this when i was like 9 but i couldnt help but re read it after reading la belle sauvage. This book is fucking gorgeous, even if you have no interest in reading the whole trilogy, this book immerses you in a world on par with lord of the rings and harry potter, and functions perfectly as a standalone story.
[u]Misery by Stephen King[/u]
Writer almost fucking dies and is kidnapped by some psycho fangirl who gives him hard drugs and forces him to write a new story. My mum told me to at least give Stephen King a shot and i did. Not for me tho but i can see the appeal.
[u]To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee[/u]
This is probably my favourite book ive ever read. It is truly gorgeous.
[u]The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger[/u]
I had a hard time getting into this one cause i really didnt sympathize much with the main character and found him to be kind of obnoxiously written. The second half of the book did help to further my appreciation of the story, and i can see why it seems to be forced down every american highschoolers throat. Good shit.
[u]The Secret Commonwealth by Phillip Pullman[/u]
Where the first book in the trilogy (la belle sauvage) functions as a prequel to the original trilogy, this one serves as a sequel. It's a long one for sure, but being as much of a fan as the other books as i am, i didnt really mind sitting through it. Adult Lyra really resonates with me a lot and it is honestly quite frustrating that the book ends as abruptly as it does.
I also read winnie the pooh after my parents gave me a copy of a book with the original illustrations as a highschool graduation gift. Shit is so fucking wholesome. +1
WandumTo Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
This is probably my favourite book ive ever read. It is truly gorgeous.
It's definitely up there somewhere for me, too.
I'll have to look into this Pullman guy; I'd not heard of him before.
[quote=Wandum]
[u]To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee[/u]
This is probably my favourite book ive ever read. It is truly gorgeous.
[/quote]
It's definitely up there somewhere for me, too.
I'll have to look into this Pullman guy; I'd not heard of him before.
I finished the ponty pool series, the ritual, doctor sleep, also started and finished the institute right before the year ended.
favorite read this year:
https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/81SVckYznkL.jpg
also re-read modest mouse - a pretty good read and the road.
I finished the ponty pool series, the ritual, doctor sleep, also started and finished the institute right before the year ended.
favorite read this year:
[img]https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/81SVckYznkL.jpg?tag=teamfortresst-20[/img]
also re-read modest mouse - a pretty good read and the road.
just finished reading a The Franco-Prussian War: The German Conquest of France in 1870-1871 by Geoffrey Wawro.
going to check out his book on the Austro-Prussian War as well since it was worth the read.
just finished reading a [i]The Franco-Prussian War: The German Conquest of France in 1870-1871[/i] by Geoffrey Wawro.
going to check out his book on the Austro-Prussian War as well since it was worth the read.
Turnover Tax 2019
European Tax Law
Great read
Turnover Tax 2019
European Tax Law
Great read
valis by philip k dick. I am now insane
valis by philip k dick. I am now insane
When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi
In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
[i]When Breath Becomes Air[/i] by Paul Kalanithi
[i]In Cold Blood[/i] by Truman Capote
Sword of Destiny, Last Wish by Sapkowski & some random philosophy books.
Hal12 Rules for Life by Jordan Peterson. This guy models the world in interesting ways. Thought-provoking stuff.
Very cool! So I assume you have cleaned up your room and become the top lobster?
Sword of Destiny, Last Wish by Sapkowski & some random philosophy books.
[quote=Hal]12 Rules for Life by Jordan Peterson. This guy models the world in interesting ways. Thought-provoking stuff.[/quote]
Very cool! So I assume you have cleaned up your room and become the top lobster?
Practical Guide to Inspection, Testing and Certification of Electrical Installations, 5th ed
Practical Guide to Inspection, Testing and Certification of Electrical Installations, 5th ed
CollaideHal12 Rules for Life by Jordan Peterson. This guy models the world in interesting ways. Thought-provoking stuff.
Very cool! So I assume you have cleaned up your room and become the top lobster?
= )
If memory serves, he doesn't bring up cleaning one's room in the book. Working on climbing the lobster social hierarchy.
[quote=Collaide]
[quote=Hal]12 Rules for Life by Jordan Peterson. This guy models the world in interesting ways. Thought-provoking stuff.[/quote]
Very cool! So I assume you have cleaned up your room and become the top lobster?[/quote]
= )
If memory serves, he doesn't bring up cleaning one's room in the book. Working on climbing the [s]lobster[/s] social hierarchy.
I read Catcher in the Rye to see if it would start my agressions against the beetles. It didn't.
Good, well written book thought, if you want to get in a confused, to-hell-with-society mood this is the book to read.
I read Catcher in the Rye to see if it would start my agressions against the beetles. It didn't.
Good, well written book thought, if you want to get in a confused, to-hell-with-society mood this is the book to read.
I binge read most of Asimov's sci fi novels over summer and winter break. Personally I felt that the Robot series was better than the Foundation series, but all of them are absolute bangers imo
I binge read most of Asimov's sci fi novels over summer and winter break. Personally I felt that the Robot series was better than the Foundation series, but all of them are absolute bangers imo
Orwell's Burmese Days, Keep the Apidistra Flying and Coming Up For Air in an omnibus, still need to read Clergyman's Daughter, amazing novelist
Star of the North by D.B. John, raw and absorbingly realistic for a modern thriller
Inner Engineering by Sadhguru, the most transformative non-fiction book I've read up to now discussing yoga and well-being
Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse, short novel that takes you through the intricacies of a man's spiritual journey during the time of the Buddha, invaluable read
Contact by Carl Sagan, surprisingly great novel coming from the creator of the original Cosmos series/book, an old gem that you shouldn't overlook
Orwell's Burmese Days, Keep the Apidistra Flying and Coming Up For Air in an omnibus, still need to read Clergyman's Daughter, amazing novelist
Star of the North by D.B. John, raw and absorbingly realistic for a modern thriller
Inner Engineering by Sadhguru, the most transformative non-fiction book I've read up to now discussing yoga and well-being
Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse, short novel that takes you through the intricacies of a man's spiritual journey during the time of the Buddha, invaluable read
Contact by Carl Sagan, surprisingly great novel coming from the creator of the original Cosmos series/book, an old gem that you shouldn't overlook
Finished Oathbringer by Brandon Sanderson. 3rd book in his Stormlight Archive series. Hard to describe Oathbringer without going back to The Way of Kings. It's a fantasy book and series that I'd recommend most fantasy fans should start, but if the density of the story is too much, then just drop it cuz it never slims itself. Super good, but super dense. Not a book I want to reread, but something I am def happy about having read. The series so far is really interesting, but I'm not super excited about what happens next because of said dense-ness and other spoiler things.
I think I started the series in 2018, but I read the Powdermage Trilogy and finished the seqeul series Gods of Powder and Blood by Brian McClellan in 2019 and they are super good. The first series basically asks "What if Napoleon was the direct reason the French Revolution happened? And what if we made it so that he could snort gunpowder like cocaine and turn muskets into modern sniper rifles?" It then continues on where you don't kill the king without major consequences happening. The sequel series continues in the world was the original trilogy, but 10 years later. McClellan is a student of Sanderson and you can definitely feel that from his writing. Highly recommend it.
Otherwise, I became a history major so I've had to read a bunch of history books. And while fairly interesting, most are boring as hell if you don't have to read them.
Finished [i]Oathbringer[/i] by Brandon Sanderson. 3rd book in his [i]Stormlight Archive[/i] series. Hard to describe Oathbringer without going back to [i]The Way of Kings[/i]. It's a fantasy book and series that I'd recommend most fantasy fans should start, but if the density of the story is too much, then just drop it cuz it never slims itself. Super good, but super dense. Not a book I want to reread, but something I am def happy about having read. The series so far is really interesting, but I'm not super excited about what happens next because of said dense-ness and other spoiler things.
I think I started the series in 2018, but I read the [i]Powdermage Trilogy[/i] and finished the seqeul series [i]Gods of Powder and Blood[/i] by Brian McClellan in 2019 and they are super good. The first series basically asks "What if Napoleon was the direct reason the French Revolution happened? And what if we made it so that he could snort gunpowder like cocaine and turn muskets into modern sniper rifles?" It then continues on where you don't kill the king without major consequences happening. The sequel series continues in the world was the original trilogy, but 10 years later. McClellan is a student of Sanderson and you can definitely feel that from his writing. Highly recommend it.
Otherwise, I became a history major so I've had to read a bunch of history books. And while fairly interesting, most are boring as hell if you don't have to read them.
My favorite book I read this year was either taipei by tao lin
or zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance by robert m pirsig
My favorite book I read this year was either taipei by tao lin
or zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance by robert m pirsig
Parable of the Talents by Octavia Butler
Thus Spoke Zarathustra by Frederich Neitzsche
How to Cure a Ghost by Fariha Róisín
[i]Parable of the Talents[/i] by Octavia Butler
[i]Thus Spoke Zarathustra[/i] by Frederich Neitzsche
[i]How to Cure a Ghost[/i] by Fariha Róisín
Training for the New Alpinism - Steve House & Scott Johnson
Hegemony or Survival - Noam Chomsky
The first half of Sapiens - Yuval Noah Harari
The Motorcycle Diaries - Che Guverra
My Life in Climbing - Ueli Steck
My Life at the Limit - Reinhold Messner
Failed States - Noam Chomsky
Boomerang - Michael Lewis
Permanent Record - Edward Snowden
Taliban: Militant Islam, Oil and Fundamentalism in Central Asia - Ahmed Rashid
The Fifth Risk - Michael Lewis
Poor Economics - Abhijit Banerjee
The Undoing Project - Michael Lewis
[i]Training for the New Alpinism[/i] - Steve House & Scott Johnson
[i]Hegemony or Survival[/i] - Noam Chomsky
The first half of [i]Sapiens[/i] - Yuval Noah Harari
[i]The Motorcycle Diaries[/i] - Che Guverra
[i]My Life in Climbing[/i] - Ueli Steck
[i]My Life at the Limit[/i] - Reinhold Messner
[i]Failed States[/i] - Noam Chomsky
[i]Boomerang[/i] - Michael Lewis
[i]Permanent Record[/i] - Edward Snowden
[i]Taliban: Militant Islam, Oil and Fundamentalism in Central Asia[/i] - Ahmed Rashid
[i]The Fifth Risk[/i] - Michael Lewis
[i]Poor Economics[/i] - Abhijit Banerjee
[i]The Undoing Project[/i] - Michael Lewis
glassi read ~60 books this year but the best was actually an excerpted pdf
"Extract from a Diary of Rear-Admiral Sir George Cockburn, with Particular Reference to Gen. Napoleon Buonaparte, on Passage from England to St. Helena, in 1815 on Board H.M.S. Northumberland"
about how they had to ship napoleon off to exile and no one really wanted to do it but this guy's diary of the trip is pretty funny. napoleon would throw tantrums and be all french until he got bored and then they'd get drunk and talk about the war
I absolutely love this era of naval history and have a bit of a library on various aspects of it. Reading journals and diaries from the era can be pretty funny. Can you send me a link of this pdf?
[quote=glass]i read ~60 books this year but the best was actually an excerpted pdf
"Extract from a Diary of Rear-Admiral Sir George Cockburn, with Particular Reference to Gen. Napoleon Buonaparte, on Passage from England to St. Helena, in 1815 on Board H.M.S. Northumberland"
about how they had to ship napoleon off to exile and no one really wanted to do it but this guy's diary of the trip is pretty funny. napoleon would throw tantrums and be all french until he got bored and then they'd get drunk and talk about the war[/quote]
I absolutely love this era of naval history and have a bit of a library on various aspects of it. Reading journals and diaries from the era can be pretty funny. Can you send me a link of this pdf?
not ideal but this is how i read it https://archive.org/details/extractfromdiary00cockrich/page/n7