I do believe I started the second What Are You Reading (Redux) thread that, tragically, a mere two days ago, in the same dismal manner of its immediate predecessor, was shot straight to cyber nada due to a prolonged period of inactivity.

So, here we go again...

I recently borrowed two books from a friend. One was "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell. I ate it up with a spoon. Look at me! I am a wild monkey, going nuts, beating the crap out of everything in sight with the jawbone of an aardvark in order to express the true level of my excitement over this book.

The other book is the Pulitzer Prize winning "Olive Kitteridge" by Elizabeth Strout. It is, for me, tedious. I am unable to summon the artificial energy and contrived curiosity to read beyond page 81 (been there since about December 27, 2009).

Paul Of Dune - Kind of an interquel (neither a sequel nor a prequel) between Dune and Dune Messiah. Frank Herbert's kid and Keven Anderson have been adding to the Dunebooks since Frank died and this is another of their good efforts.

EC

The Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence for Evolution by Richard Dawkins.

Working my way through books I received as Christmas gifts. Next up after Dawkins:

Goddess of the Market: Ayn Rand and the American Right by Jennifer Burns
The Book of Genesis Illustrated by R. Crumb.
This is Your Brain On Music: The Science of a Human Obsession by Daniel Levitin

just keeping this thread from getting sucked down the rain. like i said, i'm getting short on redux.

I recently finished Born to Run by Christopher McDougal. I put it in my top 5 reads Ever.

The Glass Castle, as soon as I can find it.

^SO GOOD! you will love it!

The City and he City by China Meiville.

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver with sidebars by her husband and their eldest daughter.

In short, the family moves from arid seasonless Tuscon, back to husband's long ago purchased farmstead in (way) western Virginia. Family tries for a year to eat locally. Lots of gardening, gardening insight, recipes, chicken and turkey raising (think old fashioned breeds), trips to the farm market, canning, lamb eating, and lots of outdoor time.

I'm not crazy for spending countless hours canning and freezing every summer.

Recently finished "Rosie" that Julz gave to me. Quick, funny read with wonderful literary references.

I'm now reading "The Beach House" by James Patterson. Started it yesterday afternoon and it will be finished by tonight. Typical mystery novel with all the sex, murder and legalities intertwined...always an entertaining read that doesn't require much deep thought.

Did I give you that one too? I just finished it, it was in my house for 7 years before I decided to open it. I loved it but it was the Gnar as far as imagery.

Sally thank you! I am going to order that now, I love it already!

Git Magic specifically the 4th chapter about branch management.

I read the new Hiaasen book in less than 3 days. Not bad for a slow reader. Great book. Ending was disappointing to me, but as a whole, the book was very entertaining, true to Carl's style and form.

Since January I've read
A Deepness in the Sky, 2000 hugo award winner, sequel to Fire Upon the Deep, 1993 Hugo award winner
Spin,, 2006 Hugo award winner
Ender's Shadow Shadow of the Hegemon, Shadow Puppets, and Shadow of the Giant.

the companion series to Ender's Game and Speaker for the dead. the 1986 and 87 Hugo and Nebula award winners.

I recommend all of them.

I am now starting Rainbow's end, the 2007 Hugo winner.

I'm currently reading Thurgood Marshall: American Revolutionary by Juan Williams, after seeing/hearing the author at the Society of American Archivists annual meeting in Washington this month. Williams spoke so eloquently about his work, that I was inspired to check it out from the library.

I'm 1/4 through the 400 pages, and it is well written, easy to read, humorous, an awesome history, and so far Langston Hughes, W.E.B. DuBois, and H.L. Mencken are in there.......