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The Big Three Plus One => General Chat => Topic started by: Shadow on December 31, 2019, 01:11:34 pm

Title: Books Read in 2019
Post by: Shadow on December 31, 2019, 01:11:34 pm
Another year gone and many more books read. I didn't make it to all the ones I wanted (sorry, no Baroque Cycle this year but it's top of the list for next! Also working on Leviathan Wakes from The Expanse and loving it so far). Although I read somewhere around 90 books this year, below are some of the high- (or low) lights.


Young Adult
Spoiler
Abhorsen by Garth Nix
I've been giving Nix a try. This is the third in a creative tale about good and bad necromancers and vast ancient evils. It's not bad but I think this is a good place to stop for me.

The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket
Delightfully grimly funny. Brain candy to entertain.

Starsight by Brandon Sanderson
Really great book with some nice changes in perspective that make one think about their own perspective on others and their cultures.

Sci-fi/Fantasy
Spoiler
The Black Company by Glen Cook
Too much grimdark for me about some mercenaries. I have no desire to continue the series.

The Broken Earth Trilogy by N.K. Jemisin
I was engaged enough to read all three, which set me back with my other reading. Jemisin is a very good author. She is also a very dark author. I have mixed feelings about the trilogy as a whole but the writing definitely deeply affected me and left a lasting impression.

Furies of Calderon by Jim Butcher
I enjoy Butcher's Dresden Files so when I saw he was trying a fantasy series I thought I'd try it. It wasn't outstanding by any means but kept me engaged enough to want to read the next.

Conan the Cimmerian by Robert Howard
Surprisingly entertaining and not nearly as "barbaric" (i.e., shirtless and mindless) as I thought. These were some pretty great, entertaining tales but nothing too deep.

Declare by Tim Powers
I liked some of Powers' short stories so thought I'd try a novel. I found this utterly forgettable. With spies, WWII, Cold War, and actual history and supernatural intertwined, this should have been a slam dunk for me but it was very slow-paced and twice as long as it needed to be. I do have to admire the author's ability to pull all that together though.

Foundryside by Robert Jackson Bennett
A new series. I'm not the biggest Bennett fan but I liked the main character here enough to want to continue. An engaging heist story.

Inish Carraig, by Jo Zebedee
Just...not that good. Much of it was like a low-budget sci-fi B-movie.

The Sandman by Neil Gaiman
I don't read graphic novels often but this was certainly a good one. I only read volume 1 and am very much looking forward to the next ones.

Isaac Asimov
I read a couple of his books (finished the Robots series and almost done with the Foundation series) and again love how well his technology, incentives, and economics mesh, even if his writing is sometimes subpar.

Sword of Truth 2 and 3 by Terry Goodkind
Goodkind is not the best author, and his characters get probably too powerful, but it was at least entertaining.

Unfathomed by Ralph Kern
Just not that well-written, despite being about portals and inadvertant time-travel by ocean vessels.

White Sand 3 by Brandon Sanderson
The last graphic novel in the series (I think). Overall a disappointment, unfortunately.

The Winter of the Witch by Katherine Arden
A fitting finale to the trilogy. She is a decent author and weaves Russian fairy tales into her own story very well.

Biography
Spoiler
Alexander Hamilton, by Ron Chernow
A decent biography (and the one that sparked the Broadway production) but I can't help feeling that it's too much of a hagiography. Chernow is pretty critical of everyone who is critical of Hamilton.

Benjamin Franklin by Carl Van Doren
A pretty good overview of Franklin, if a little dry at times. The first half suffers from being pretty much a repeat of Franklin's autobiography. Looking forward to starting Lemay's three-volume biography next year.

The Last Lion: Alone by William Manchester
Volume 2 of Manchester's magnificent work on Winston Churchill. This set the context of Churchill in WWII so well. Manchester's is one of the best works of biography I have ever seen.

Means of Ascent by Robert Caro
Volume 2 of Caro's brilliant biography of Lyndon Baines Johnson. This was so engaging. I wonder if Caro is too interested in salicious details but he sure spins a compelling story. This was primarily about the senate primary race between him and Coke Stephenson and well-worth reading just to understand the political atmosphere of the time (and what a horrible crook Johnson really was).

No Man Knows My History by Fawn Brodie
This was a really well-done biography of Joseph Smith (yes, that Mormon guy). Brodie was actually quite fair and gave Smith the benefit of the doubt of being convinced of his own prophet-hood rather than being an outright charlatan. It was very enlightening even though I know Brodie has her critics.

The Power Broker by Robert Caro
I never knew I would be so interested in one man in New York city and New York politics. Robert Moses was a management genius, holding as many as 14 simultaneous public offices and architecting the infrastructure of New York City as we know it. He was also incredibly ruthless and bull-headed, sometimes incredibly short sighted. But the way he created Jones Beach by pumping sand from the barges and the way he "got things done" cutting through politics and bureaucratic tape...astonishing.

History
Spoiler
The Birth of Britain by Winston Churchill
Okay, I'll admit that I have an infatuation with Churchill now. What an amazing individual and author. He is a fairly good (and definitely entertaining) historian to boot!

Creativity Inc. by Ed Catmull
The story of Pixar and the people who worked there. I found it very engaging and helpful for trying to create an environment where creativity is the product sought.

The Gathering Storm by Winston Churchill
I told you I was infatuated with Churchill. This was an outstanding book from the perspective of probably the most knowledgeable person on the subject, who was involved in so many key meetings and knew all the key individuals. His breadth of recollection and expertise in so many areas of politics is stunning. A must read for anyone interested in WWII. On to the next book!

The Search for God and Guinness by Stephen Mansfield
It was engaging and interesting reading the history of Guinness beer and the family that ran it through the years, but I felt like the author was particularly avoiding anything that might be negative about the family or company and it felt fairly biased.

Classics
Spoiler
The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer
Okay, I guess? Not a recommended read even though I'd think I'd be one of the more likely people to enjoy this sort of thing. Glad to be done.

City of God by Augustine of Hippo
This was very, very long, and very meandering. There were a few good nuggets of philosophical and theological thought but Augustine could have used an aggressive editor.

The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo
Not even close to the level of humanity in Les Miserables. This one was very much a flop for me. The characters didn't come alive. Although I will say it was a surprise to find that the Disney side-kick-animal with the dancing goat was actually close to the book...

Lolita by Vladmimir Nabokov
Nobokov was an amazing writer and it wasn't even his first language. His command of English is astounding and brilliant. This book was nothing like what I expected. For me, he took a horrible individual and made you understand how he got to this point, and realize that it could just be you or me as well. The whole wondering about the unreliable narrator was brilliant too. This book surprised me by how good it was and how engaging despite never being explicit.

Man's Search for Meaning by Victor Frankl
I would have more admiration (perhaps) if Frankl's account was accurate, but it seems he embellished quite a bit of his own suffering. I didn't find it that revolutionary.

Manalive by G.K. Chesterton
I have a love/hate relationship with Chesterton. Part of me thinks he is so brilliant he's way above me and I'd enjoy him if I were only a little smarter. And then the other part things he's just plain nuts sometimes. To me, this book had zero plot.

Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
Meh. Austen's first novel didn't resonate with me.

One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Marquez
Such a bizarre and surreal book. I didn't take much away from it but it certainly was memorable.

General Fiction
Spoiler
Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson
I loved this book. 'Nuff said.

In the First Circle by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
What a master author. This was a very ironic take on life in the gulag, very depressing and all, but what can you do? You just live on the best you can.

My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry by Fredrik Backman
I like Backman's cantankerous characters. This wasn't as good as Man Called Ove but it was still quite entertaining and heartwarming.

Non-fiction
Spoiler
Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus by John Gray
I know he gets a lot of criticism, but speaking as a married couple, my wife and I think he's spot on! I enjoyed the humorous (and helpful) take on the differences between men and women and how they can understand each other better. Very good book.

The Mythical Man-Month by Frederick Brooks
I liked many parts of the book but much of it is outdated and relegating corrections to an appendix wasn't helpful.

So that's it for me, what were some of your favorite or least favorite books? Recommendations?
Title: Re: Books Read in 2019
Post by: TheFlash on December 31, 2019, 01:56:08 pm
Quote from: Shadow on December 31, 2019, 01:11:34 pm
Another year gone and many more books read.

I'm not quite done for the year, still several hours left here.

Quote from: Shadow on December 31, 2019, 01:11:34 pm
I didn't make it to all the ones I wanted (sorry, no Baroque Cycle this year but it's top of the list for next!

Funny, I've been reading through that for the fourth time these last weeks.

Quote from: Shadow on December 31, 2019, 01:11:34 pm
Also working on Leviathan Wakes from The Expanse and loving it so far).

I think Third did these as well. And Nate. I am definitely awaiting the next release.

Quote from: Shadow on December 31, 2019, 01:11:34 pm
Although I read somewhere around 90 books this year

Niiiiiiiiiiiice. I think my tally is more like 50.


Quote from: Shadow on December 31, 2019, 01:11:34 pm
Young Adult

I haven't bothered with anything YA for a few years....I kept getting burned by stuff with just really, really awful writing.

Quote from: Shadow on December 31, 2019, 01:11:34 pm
The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket
Delightfully grimly funny. Brain candy to entertain.

Is this a recommendation? I probably read half of this as a kid...does it hold up still?

Quote from: Shadow on December 31, 2019, 01:11:34 pm
Sci-fi/Fantasy

Hey, stop lumping these together, they're sometimes quite distinct!

Quote from: Shadow on December 31, 2019, 01:11:34 pm
The Broken Earth Trilogy by N.K. Jemisin
I was engaged enough to read all three, which set me back with my other reading. Jemisin is a very good author. She is also a very dark author. I have mixed feelings about the trilogy as a whole but the writing definitely deeply affected me and left a lasting impression.

Do you think you will read them again? I read them a year or two back, or a bit before the final volume came out....I think about the story from time to time and wonder if it is worth a revisit.

Quote from: Shadow on December 31, 2019, 01:11:34 pm
Furies of Calderon by Jim Butcher
I enjoy Butcher's Dresden Files so when I saw he was trying a fantasy series I thought I'd try it. It wasn't outstanding by any means but kept me engaged enough to want to read the next.

The release date for the next Dresden Files book has been announced for mid-2020.  I haven't tried Furies of Calderon even though I read the entire Dresden series...twice...I guess I probably should try it because I feel like the author has convinced me that yes, he is actually writing with a grin on his face every single day.

Quote from: Shadow on December 31, 2019, 01:11:34 pm
Declare by Tim Powers
I liked some of Powers' short stories so thought I'd try a novel. I found this utterly forgettable.

I try to avoid "utterly forgettable" at all costs...I'd rather just not have read it.

Quote from: Shadow on December 31, 2019, 01:11:34 pm
Isaac Asimov
I read a couple of his books (finished the Robots series and almost done with the Foundation series) and again love how well his technology, incentives, and economics mesh, even if his writing is sometimes subpar.

I did several of these 6 or 7 years ago.  It's tempting to return but I keep finding myself drawn to re-reads of stuff I really enjoyed rather than trying new 'old' stuff.

Quote from: Shadow on December 31, 2019, 01:11:34 pm
Unfathomed by Ralph Kern
Just not that well-written

That stinks.  Sometimes if an author has multiple books I'll give them a pass on writing style for the first book or two, since they often settle in to something much better after some experience. But getting through a book you don't think is well written can be pretty miserable.

Quote from: Shadow on December 31, 2019, 01:11:34 pm
Classics

Still forcing myself to do at least one of these each year.  It can be a little...rough....but I rarely walk away with the bad feeling you get from a "not well-written" or "totally forgettable" so there's that.

Quote from: Shadow on December 31, 2019, 01:11:34 pm
Neal Stephenson

Yayyyyyy.

Quote from: Shadow on December 31, 2019, 01:11:34 pm
So that's it for me, what were some of your favorite or least favorite books? Recommendations?

Nate begged like a pro and convinced me to fill out all my books on his Google Sheet this year.  I think around half of what I did was rereads (2nd, 3rd, even more-th time on stuff I like).  I was more disappointed than ever with the new stuff I ventured into this year, but did find a couple that will probably become favorites.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1YYZuXRscDiaNMAojHH0pDM7KuP776Q55uQJ9GBkjqas/edit#gid=1545521704

Also, we have been sending a 95-page novella around in a media mail package for the Elite Book Club....Shadow is obviously invited, but so is anyone else.  There will be a discussion at some point after it has reached Neo in Australia.
Title: Re: Books Read in 2019
Post by: Shadow on December 31, 2019, 02:20:44 pm
For Young Adult, if you're willing, try Sanderson's Reckoners series, or his Skyward/Starsight (with a third book coming). They aren't tough reads of course but have far more depth than other YA books.

I don't know that I recommend Lemony Snicket, but it's nice if you just want to turn off your brain I guess, and I like that kind of satire.

I don't think I will ever re-read the Broken Earth Trilogy, but I rarely re-read books anyway. I thought it was worth finishing.

Yes, Butcher makes me smile all the way through his books. His Codex Alera book was more serious than Dresden though.

Yeah...some classics really deserve to be read. Others just aren't worth the time in my opinion.

Looking at your list...
I started Malazan Book of the Fallen and got through the first book and felt utterly lost. I looked online and people said you had to get through book 4 before things started making sense. My first thought was that I didn't want to put in the effort, my second was "who was the first person who decided to stick it out?!" Still not sure if I want to give it another go.

Interesting to see your comments on Iron Druid Chronicles. I read the first two books and while I enjoyed them, didn't think it necessarily worth continuing. I might stick with it if you say it's worth it.

Yeah, War and Peace just didn't do it for me. Tolstoy's Anna Karenina was much more digestible and "human" in my opinion.

Is this your first time with the Kingkiller Chronicles? Rothfuss would be one of my favorite authors if he would finish the series. I love his wordsmithing and style. Unfortunately for me, I read Wise Man's Fear at release and have been upset for the last...nine years now?

Nice job on Knuth! I've barely gotten into volume 1 but I'm not a programmer by trade either. However, I am proud to say I have one of Knuth's checks and I consider myself a decent TeXnician.

Which novella is being passed around? I'd enjoy joining in the book club but the Discord traffic is far too high for me to keep up with and sort the book club stuff from the football stuff.
Title: Re: Books Read in 2019
Post by: TheFlash on December 31, 2019, 02:30:17 pm
Quote from: Shadow on December 31, 2019, 02:20:44 pm
Malazan Book of the Fallen and got through the first book and felt utterly lost

Erm, yeah...it's been a lot more like some kind of mean self-torture? At some point I will get done with the 10th one and then go back to the first one and maybe have some chance of understanding it. I think I know how other people feel when I recommend odd stuff like the Baroque Cycle, though. So I will continue pursuing this absurd trail.

Quote from: Shadow on December 31, 2019, 02:20:44 pm
Interesting to see your comments on Iron Druid Chronicles

I was like 2 books in and was like "welp, isn't probably going to get much better, but I may as well do this"....in comparison to, say, Dresden Files, they don't hold up very well at all.  I became accustomed to the way the author wrote, but I would not recommend the series to others unless they have nothing better to do. It's "fun" but doesn't seem to have much depth. I haven't looked at any of the author's other material, for example.

Quote from: Shadow on December 31, 2019, 02:20:44 pm
Is this your first time with the Kingkiller Chronicles?

Yes. I realized that at this point, almost every one of my almost-favorite-ever-tier series are "waiting for the next release" so what does it matter if there is one more on the list? I'd rather have gone through it once and get a second pass through when the next volume actually shows up, than just waiting forever. At this point I'm not even mad about all the stalled authors, I just accept it.

Quote from: Shadow on December 31, 2019, 02:20:44 pm
Which novella is being passed around? I'd enjoy joining in the book club but the Discord traffic is far too high for me to keep up with and sort the book club stuff from the football stuff.

The discussion to come later will be at a dedicated time/place in chat or maybe just an email/forum thread. It could be many months until everyone actually reads the thing because it is being mailed from place to place.  The book itself is a surprise but I guarantee it is within the realm of things you like to read.
Title: Re: Books Read in 2019
Post by: Neo on December 31, 2019, 06:18:38 pm
I wanted to read more this year so set the goal of reading 26 books. Hit that by mid-year so upped the goal to 52 and hit that too!

(📘 = paperback 📓 = ebook 🎧 = audio book)

Spoiler
Plot & Structure: Techniques and Exercises for Crafting a Plot That Grips Readers from Start to Finish, by James Scott Bell 📘
High Fidelity, by Nick Hornby 📘
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, by Ken Kesey 📘
The Millionaire Next Door: The Surprising Secrets of America’s Wealthy, by Thomas J. Stanley, William D. Danko 📓
Freedom™, by Daniel Suarez 🎧
Common Sense on Mutual Funds: New Imperatives for the Intelligent Investor, by John C. Bogle 📓
Devil Take the Hindmost: A History of Financial Speculation, by Edward Chancellor 📘
Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams, by Matthew Walker 🎧
The Great Depression: A Diary, by Benjamin Roth 📓
Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine, by Gail Honeyman 🎧
Your Money and Your Brain, by Jason Zweig 📓
How a Second Grader Beats Wall Street: Golden Rules Any Investor Can Learn, by Allan S. Roth 📓
All about Asset Allocation, by Richard A. Ferri 📓
The Design of Everyday Things, by Donald A. Norman 📓
The Last Wish, by Andrzej Sapkowski 📓
Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind, by Yuval Noah Harari 🎧
Sword of Destiny, by Andrzej Sapkowski 📓
Blood of Elves, by Andrzej Sapkowski 📓
Artemis, by Andy Weir 🎧
The Time of Contempt, by Andrzej Sapkowski 📓
Bossypants, by Tina Fey 🎧
Baptism of Fire, by Andrzej Sapkowski 📓
The Tower of Swallows, by Andrzej Sapkowski 📓
Columbus Day, by Craig Alanson 🎧
Lady of the Lake, by Andrzej Sapkowski 📓
Season of Storms, by Andrzej Sapkowski 📓
Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson 📓
The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts, by Gary Chapman 📓
And Then There Were None, by Agatha Christie 📓
On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction, by William Zinsser 📘
Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch, by Terry Pratchett, Neil Gaiman 🎧
About a Boy, by Nick Hornby 📘
Molly’s Game, by Molly Bloom 📘
The Silver Linings Playbook, by Matthew Quick 📘
The Girl on the Train, by Paula Hawkins 📘
Hyperion, by Dan Simmons 🎧
Big Little Lies, by Liane Moriarty 📘
House of Cards, by Michael Dobbs 📘
To Play the King, by Michael Dobbs 📘
Mythos: The Greek Myths Retold, by Stephen Fry 🎧
The Final Cut, by Michael Dobbs 📘
Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs, by Harold Abelson, Gerald Jay Sussman, Julie Sussman 📓
The Fall of Hyperion, by Dan Simmons 🎧
A Dream About Lightning Bugs, by Ben Folds 📘
Doomsday Book, by Connie Willis 📓
On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, by Stephen King 📓
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, by Agatha Christie 📓
The Mythical Man-Month: Essays on Software Engineering, by Frederick P. Brooks Jr.
Endymion, by Dan Simmons 🎧
Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game, by Michael Lewis 📓
Masters of Doom: How Two Guys Created an Empire and Transformed Pop Culture, by David Kushner 🎧
The Dead Zone, by Stephen King 📓
Remote: Office Not Required, by Jason Fried, David Heinemeier Hansson 📓
The Divide: A Brief Guide to Global Inequality and its Solutions, by Jason Hickel 📓
Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones, by James Clear 📓
The ABC Murders, by Agatha Christie 📓
The Rise of Endymion, by Dan Simmons 🎧
The Moment of Lift: How Empowering Women Changes the World, by Melinda Gates 📓
Title: Re: Books Read in 2019
Post by: Shadow on December 31, 2019, 09:38:55 pm
Nice list Neo!

I really liked One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.
I have Design of Everyday Things on my list. I see you gave it a three. Did you think it worth reading?
You gave Artemis a three. I didn't like it nearly as much as The Martian.
Nice to see some Agatha Christie love. She and Rex Stout are my favorite Detective/Mystery authors.
What was your rating for Good Omens? I found it a little too offbeat for me.
I've heard some good things about Hyperion, with a five star rating, presumably you'd recommend it?

Do you feel like you have a good handle on investing? I decided a while back that I just didn't have the time to be too involved and just did index funds.
Title: Re: Books Read in 2019
Post by: Neo on January 02, 2020, 09:18:06 am
Quote from: Shadow on December 31, 2019, 09:38:55 pm
I really liked One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.

I didn't fully appreciate it after finshing it. I watched the movie soon after and I think the two together gave me a greater appreciation.

Quote from: Shadow on December 31, 2019, 09:38:55 pm
I have Design of Everyday Things on my list. I see you gave it a three. Did you think it worth reading?

Personally, no, I was quite underwhelmed. I don't think it was dated or anything, just not particularly informative? But that's possibly because the book has already had an effect on common understanding and I've benefited from it already. It was recommended to me by people I respect, so I wouldn't ignore it on my account.

Quote from: Shadow on December 31, 2019, 09:38:55 pm
You gave Artemis a three. I didn't like it nearly as much as The Martian.

The audiobook was enough to keep me going, but it definitely lacked the excitement and suspense of The Martian.

Quote from: Shadow on December 31, 2019, 09:38:55 pm
Nice to see some Agatha Christie love. She and Rex Stout are my favorite Detective/Mystery authors.

I also like Raymond Chandler and recently bought a complete collection of his works. I'll have to check out Rex Stout. I'm always interested in suggestions if you have any!

Quote from: Shadow on December 31, 2019, 09:38:55 pm
What was your rating for Good Omens? I found it a little too offbeat for me.

I didn't rate it because I found the audiobook really hard to follow some reason, I'm not sure why. I now listen to a sample of any audiobook before I buy to get a sense for whether the narrator will resonate with me. I think I would have enjoyed the written version more, but am not interested in reading it now. I did enjoy the new Amazon series.

Quote from: Shadow on December 31, 2019, 09:38:55 pm
I've heard some good things about Hyperion, with a five star rating, presumably you'd recommend it?

Absolutely, top 5 for this year I think. Likewise for The Fall of Hyperion. I was much less impressed with the two Endymion novels - the last 1/3rd of Rise was pretty good, but not (personally) worth the rest.

Quote from: Shadow on December 31, 2019, 09:38:55 pm
Do you feel like you have a good handle on investing? I decided a while back that I just didn't have the time to be too involved and just did index funds.

One of my goals last year was to become "financially literate" and I think I achieved that. Index funds is exactly where I ended up and had always planned to, I know the numbers and am not interesting in trying to be an active trader. But I wanted to know the "why" behind the "what" and feel much moer comfortable with that decision after having read all that material and talked with a number of people I know.