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Consider this a holiday gift guide. What book are you reading right now? Is it any good?
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Dec 12, 06 @ 10:22 am
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I just started Kennedy by Ted Sorenson. Last read was Churchill by Martin Gilbert (so long, but real good!).
Comment by Niles Township Tuesday, Dec 12, 06 @ 10:37 am
“Gun & Roses- the True Story of Dean O’Banion” by Rose Keefe - this is an excellent Chicago History as well as gangster bio.
Comment by Pat Hickey Tuesday, Dec 12, 06 @ 10:39 am
“A Chautauqua To Remember, The Story of Old Salem.” My spouse bought it for me and I’ve not had my nose out of it since. It is THE MOST FASCINATING STORY about a little known area of Petersburg/New Salem around the turn of the century. It amazes me that there was anything in this area of this magnitude, the largest Chautauqua west of NYC. We found the book at the winery in Oakford but it probably is in the antique stores in Petersburg. Written by Katharine Aird Miller and Raymond H. Montgomery. The Chautauqua would pull in thousands of people in the summers beginning in 1898 for all kinds of activities/lectures. The area is still there with a few year round homes but you really have to read the book and visit the area to understand the magnitude of what went on a century ago. I think the book is around $12-$13.
Comment by Little Egypt Tuesday, Dec 12, 06 @ 10:41 am
Blood and Thunder by Sides about Kit Carson ****
The Manhunt by Swanson about the search for John Wilkes Booth…..great also
Kruschev by Taubman very good.
Comment by G-ster Tuesday, Dec 12, 06 @ 10:42 am
The Okinawa Program by Willcox, Willcox, and Suzuki, although I’m really reading it over, as I’ve read it before.
The book is based on a 25-year longitudinal study done on the elders of Okinawa, Japan, who are among some of the world’s longest lived people with very low rates of disease and disability (something from the East that we Westerners could learn from).
Pluses: Chock full of references to actual studies and journals (tons of references in the back if you want to do more independent research on this topic).
It is good for getting some basic information, but I would want to do more research on the topic, so if you’re into health and longevity, do yourself a favor and pursue more reading than just this book. It’ll get you started, though, as there is ample evidence that lifestyle and diet matters a lot, as it is mentioned that when Easterners come to the West and take on our habits, they see their health problems rise along with everyone else.
If you know someone who is kicking the smoking habit, or something (highly recommended, did it myself here), this might make a good gift in terms of showing people how much hope there is. Yes, your environment DOES matter. It isn’t all just bad genetics, although people may or may not be predisposed to some illnesses.
Comment by Angie Tuesday, Dec 12, 06 @ 10:43 am
reading two books:
1. The Fig Eater, Jody Shields, an interesting, but sometimes ponderous, story of mysterious murder in Vienna, 1910.
2. Ordinary Heroes, Scott Turow, a quite compelling story of a man’s search for his father’s World War II past. only a hundred pages in, but it is so far the better book.
Comment by LG Tuesday, Dec 12, 06 @ 10:44 am
US v Bush
Using a faux prosecution as a framework for considering polotical activites is interesting. I think the overall concept has a number of flaws to it but overall it is a good read and I would recomend it.
Comment by Ghost Tuesday, Dec 12, 06 @ 10:55 am
Re-reading Pride & Prejudice. It’s just that time of the year…
Comment by cms Tuesday, Dec 12, 06 @ 11:03 am
I like the classics.
The Magnificent Ambersons - Booth Tarkington’s novel about how a rich gilded age family lost their money 100 years ago, and this forced their rich spoiled children to face 20th Century reality. ***stars
Guy de Maupassant Short Stories - A collection of one of the best short story writers, ever. *****stars
Buch der Liede - Heinrich Heide. A beautiful memoir of traveling within Germany during the early 1800s by Heide. Spectacular german prose. *****stars.
So, if someone would like to know what classics to read - I might be able to assist.
Comment by VanillaMan Tuesday, Dec 12, 06 @ 11:09 am
The Places In Between by Rory Stewart (paperback), chosen as one of the 10 best books in 2006. A young Scotsman walks across Afghanistan in 2002 and lives to write the story. Fascinating, and a book that people of all ages can read and enjoy.
The new Lost Chicago book by Rich Kahan about the photos taken by Richard Nickel of buildings that have been demolished in the city. The destruction of the Garrick Theatre with the photos of the stage being torn down will stop you in your tracks.
Comment by jaundiced eye Tuesday, Dec 12, 06 @ 11:18 am
Nothing at the moment, but I just finished “Appleebee’s America,” which was very interesting. Great insights for political, business, and religious (or non-profit) leaders in “exurbia.”
Comment by grand old partisan Tuesday, Dec 12, 06 @ 11:21 am
“Pride & Predjudice” by Jane Austen
“A Brief History of Time” by Stephen Hawking
“Next” by Michael Crichton
All brilliant!
Comment by QueenB Tuesday, Dec 12, 06 @ 11:25 am
Martin Gilbert’s The Somme. (Anything by Gilbert a worthy xmas gift)
Faud Ajami’s The Foreigner’s Gift
Comment by Bill Baar Tuesday, Dec 12, 06 @ 11:29 am
Leadership by Rudy Giuliani, for the 2nd time. It’s a pretty good read.
Comment by scoot Tuesday, Dec 12, 06 @ 11:46 am
I just finished “Population 485″ by Michael Perry. This book details the author’s experience as an EMT/Firefighter for the small town of New Auburn, Wisconsin and the stories of the calls, the characters and the brotherhood of a rural volunteer fire department. I had never heard of the author before. All in all, it was a good read.
Comment by Jake from Elwood Tuesday, Dec 12, 06 @ 11:59 am
Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson Available on Amazon or at your Public Library
Third time through. Older book. It is an excellent fictionalized history (including the real people of codebreaking, the development of mechanical computing (Does anyone remember what Statistical Tabulating Company became?), countering the German development of the A-Bomb, buried treasure in the Philippines. A real gripper.
The Highest Tide by Jim Lynch - fiction
Growing up at the south end of Puget Sound and its maritime environment. It is so good that I am sending out three copies to relatives.
BTW, The Public Library System has been God’s greatest gift to us. Long may it thrive and percolate ideas in young and not so young brains.
Comment by Truthful James Tuesday, Dec 12, 06 @ 12:06 pm
I wouldn’t recommend anything I have read lately, but I did come across two year end book lists where I saw some that will have to go on the to-read list:
Chicago Tribune’s Best Books of the Year
Slate’s Year in Books
Comment by Snark Tuesday, Dec 12, 06 @ 12:08 pm
The Big-Box Swindle by Stacy Mitchell. Just came out a month ago. It defines big-box stores and talks about their real effects. Interestingly enough, Joe Moore did most or all of the things they advise against when he set up the Dominick’s/Gateway project in his own ward. For Chicago politics buffs, it’s well worth reading!
Comment by Thomas Westgard Tuesday, Dec 12, 06 @ 12:11 pm
Finally reading “The Grapes of Wrath,” which is (of course) very good. When it comes to gift-giving or reading Steinbeck for pleasure, though, I’d recommend his short novel “Cannery Row.” It’s extremely readable. More importantly, he has a way of describing everything–from people to tidepools to gears–that’s beautiful, clever, and lively. It’s a wonderful example of how far you can go with skillful economy of language. (Obviously something I lack.)
Also, this isn’t a very original recommendation, but I really loved “The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay,” by Michael Chabon. I would especially recommend it to current and former comic book-readers (and the people who love them), but it should have broad appeal to anyone who loves language and a good story. It spans from before the Nazi takeover of Czechoslovakia to well after the HUAC hearings; it involves Houdini-style escapes, rags-to-riches plotlines, WWII, and the Golden Age of comic books. You get the picture: This book covers serious ground. Still, it’s accessible, funny, beautiful, and fantastic (in multiple senses of the word).
Comment by Anne Onimus Tuesday, Dec 12, 06 @ 12:19 pm
I shouldn’t even be doing this by Bob Newhart; pretty good.
Wild Fire by Nelson DeMille; very good.
Comment by anon Tuesday, Dec 12, 06 @ 12:25 pm
“Ernest Hemingway Selected Letters” edited by Carlos Baker. Reading these helps one understand how an Illinois born author changed the way fiction was written in the past century.
Comment by Ali Bin Haddin Tuesday, Dec 12, 06 @ 12:36 pm
I’m reading “The Elegant Universe” by Brian Greene. It’s a (astro) physics researcher’s book explaining superstrings, hidden dimensions, and the quest for the ultimate theory of everything. It’ll exercise your mind…
Comment by Just Wonderin' Tuesday, Dec 12, 06 @ 12:43 pm
I just finished reading Pat Buchanan’s Where the Right Went Wrong. A little too preachy at times (then again, what did I expect from old Pat anyway?)
Thanks Snark for pointing us to the Trib’s best book list. I think I found something to spend my birthday money on (The House: The History of the House of Representatives).
Comment by Bomber91 Tuesday, Dec 12, 06 @ 12:53 pm
Just finished “Good Omens” by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman. It’s about an angel and a devil who enjoy living on earth so much that they join forces to stop the Apocalypse. One problem: they’ve misplaced the Antichrist. A cult classic, just re-released in paperback. B+.
Comment by the Other Anonymous Tuesday, Dec 12, 06 @ 1:00 pm
Re-reading The Sun Also Rises by Hemingway. Not his best IMHO but quite good. Showing its age a bit the second time around.
Most recent new(er) book was Berlin: The Downfall 1945 by Antony Beever, better known for Stalingrad.
Comment by Stuck with Sen. CPA Tuesday, Dec 12, 06 @ 1:06 pm
Wasn’t Hemingway 27 when he wrote Sun…? That’s amazing in and of itself.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Dec 12, 06 @ 1:22 pm
Nonviolence, 25 Lessons from the History of a Dangerous Idea, by Mark Kurlansky. A great, quick read. Kurlansky’s narrative histories are always fascinating and chock full of really amazing info.
Comment by Loved the Salt Book Tuesday, Dec 12, 06 @ 1:27 pm
Just finished two modern classics that were new to me, and definitely among the best books I’ve ever read: All the King’s Men - Robert Penn Warren; Native Son - Richard Wright
Comment by JBC Tuesday, Dec 12, 06 @ 1:37 pm
I guess I should participate as well.
I’m reading Democracy and Slavery in Frontier Illinois by Wesleyan professor James Simeone. It’s a fascinating book and is helping me more clearly understand the Illinois economic, social and political conditions that led to Lincoln-Douglas and why Douglas prevailed, until that final contest.
It’s pretty textbooky, but Simeone has packed his effort with useful and engaging information and vital historical context.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Dec 12, 06 @ 1:39 pm
In terms of recommending a book. I would recommend anything by our soon to be Chief Counsel Dave Ellis. They are all great!
Comment by Anon Tuesday, Dec 12, 06 @ 1:47 pm
Good to see Beevor has at least one fan.
I’m punishing myself by finally getting around to Gibbon’s “Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire.” I wimped out, and chose the Modern Library abridgment, as there are only so many hours in the day. But the payoff, so far, is wonderful writing drenched with Enlightenment-era irony, and a long lesson in how power is earned, stolen, given and abused.
Comment by vise77 Tuesday, Dec 12, 06 @ 1:53 pm
A People’s History of the United States of America - Great book! Every american should read, the history American’s ignore.
Comment by moderate Tuesday, Dec 12, 06 @ 1:56 pm
I’ve tried a few times to dig into “Audacity of Hope,” and actually look forward to reading it. But the first two chapters are DRY….
Comment by Troy News Guy Tuesday, Dec 12, 06 @ 1:59 pm
Two good gift ideas:
For anyone who enjoyed “The Devil and the White City”, buy “Thunderstruck”.
For anyone who grew up Catholic in Chicago, buy “Archdiocese of Chicago: A Journey of Faith” at www.ltp.org or your local parish
Comment by someone Tuesday, Dec 12, 06 @ 2:01 pm
“Illinois in the Civil War” Diary of the participation of the 8th IL volunteer Cavalry.
Comment by Siyotanka Tuesday, Dec 12, 06 @ 2:11 pm
It’s funny, someone mentioned David Ellis earlier. I am currently reading one of his books now, Line of Vision. I liked Life Sentence very much because it reads like you are in Springfield and Chicago. Lot’s of familiar characters. If you hang around the Speaker’s office long enough, you can pick them out!
I am also reading a book called the Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls. It’s an autobiography that is as gripping and compelling as Angela’s Ashes, by Frank McCourt. When you finish it, you’ll want to hug your parents for not being like hers!
Comment by John Lee Pettimore Tuesday, Dec 12, 06 @ 2:21 pm
While not what would be considered “high literature,” Brad Meltzer’s The Zero Game had me hooked by the second page.
I can think of a few reasons that book might find an audience with this crowd!
Comment by 1047 Tuesday, Dec 12, 06 @ 2:58 pm
Just finished Gone for Soldiers by Jeff Shaara (I’ve actually read all of his books) which was fantastic as usual for Mr. Shaara. And I just started America Alone by Mark Steyn. I think Mr. Steyn is a great writer and the book reads well so far.
Comment by books Tuesday, Dec 12, 06 @ 3:02 pm
I usually keep five or six books going when I’m not in the heat of battle, reading 10 to 20 pages a day from each. Currently I’m reading:
The Great Nation, by Colin Jones - a history of 18th Century France.
A biography of Jefferson Davis by Clement Eaton.
A history of the Sacrament of Confession
Caribbean by James Michener
Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin, a very nice history of Lincoln and his cabinet.
And I’ve also gotten hooked on the Alex Cross mysteries by James Patterson and am swallowing them at great gulps.
Comment by charlie johnston Tuesday, Dec 12, 06 @ 3:07 pm
My husband and I recently discovered “The Little Prince” by Antoine de Saint-Exupery… it’s usually thought of as a “children’s” story but it’s more about how children sometimes know better than adults what life is really all about. Excellent for Christmas.
Comment by 'Lainer Tuesday, Dec 12, 06 @ 3:33 pm
“What to Expect When Your Expecting Twins, Triplets or Quads.”
For something lighter, I am reading Hunter S. Thompson, Fear and Loathing in America, Gonzo Letters Volume II. It provides some interesting insights into Dr. Thompson.
I just finished “A Meal Observed” which is a fascinating book about Taillevent in Paris.
Comment by Skeeter Tuesday, Dec 12, 06 @ 4:00 pm
“The China Card” by John Erlichman
It is a fictional book designed around factual events. It is a pretty good book (so far). If you have any interest in China, foreign policy, or the Nixon administration it is the book for you. But good luck finding it! I got it at Goodwill for a buck because the Kewanee Public Library discarded it…. So if you are ever at Goodwill and happen to see it, it is well worth the dollar….
Comment by Lovie's Leather Tuesday, Dec 12, 06 @ 4:13 pm
Oh, and I guess I should recommend this book… “Illinois Politics and Government: The Expanding Metropolitan Frontier” by Samuel K Gove and James D Nowlan.
Comment by Lovie's Leather Tuesday, Dec 12, 06 @ 4:20 pm
The Audacity of Hope by Barack Obama … great stuff.
Happy Holidays, Rich.
Comment by Porter McNeil Tuesday, Dec 12, 06 @ 4:25 pm
Oh…if you’re looking for some occasionally obscure titles, the Warren-Newport Library in Gurnee (Lake County) has THE best used book store in the history of the world. I was there just the other day, Lovie’s Leather, and there was a copy of ‘The China Card’ there which I almost, but ultimately did not get. Most hardcovers are $1 and almost all paperbacks are 50 cents - and they constantly supply the place with really good stuff. It will supplement your Barnes and Noble or Borders membership card and give you a lot of bang for the buck.
Comment by charlie johnston Tuesday, Dec 12, 06 @ 4:31 pm
OMG, two or more little Skeeters on the way? Best of luck to you.
I’m reading James Baker’s autobiography. Seems he never planned to get into politics. So far, so good.
For fun, I’m reading “How to be a Super-Hero” ($6 at Barnes & Noble.) You never know when you will have to know how to repel down the side of a building or suck venom out of a snakebite. (Which reminds me of a joke…ok, I’ll save it for the party..)
Comment by Arthur Andersen Tuesday, Dec 12, 06 @ 4:34 pm
Great question Rich. I’m reading both Zinn’s A People’s History and Obama’s Audacity of Hope right now. Both are great and I’m glad to see them mentioned already.
I just gave up on Kim Stanley Robinson’s Years of Rice and Salt. I couldn’t get into it. I’m eagerly awaiting the third book in his global warming/DC trilogy.
Comment by Y A J Tuesday, Dec 12, 06 @ 4:34 pm
Biography of Crazy Horse. Custer had it coming and got what he deserved.
Comment by huh? Tuesday, Dec 12, 06 @ 4:57 pm
I liked the Team of Rivals book on the Lincoln presidency, which I understand was nearly all written by Doris Kearns Goodwin.
I just started The Stolen Child, by Keith Donohue, which is a fable for grown-ups, about changelings who steal childhood. It is way cool.
The Places In Between is in my on-deck circle — along with The Looming Tower — I’m looking forward to both of them.
Comment by TomD Tuesday, Dec 12, 06 @ 5:23 pm
I’ve been trying for nearly 4 years now to read a 3rd grader’s math text book. I can’t seem to get past the chapters on adding and subtracting.
Comment by John Filan Tuesday, Dec 12, 06 @ 5:28 pm
“All Governments Lie! The Life and Times of Rebel Journalist I.F. Stone” by Myra MacPherson. Okay as far as biographies go. Really interesting to read about other journalists around that time such as Mencken and Lippmann as well as other figures such as Father Coughlin, Eugene Debs and Huey Long. It’s also amazing how by comparison, in those days of rampant graft and corruption (in politics, big biz and the media), that things haven’t really changed that much.
Comment by Saluki Yay-hoo Tuesday, Dec 12, 06 @ 5:49 pm
Stephen King - Lisey’s Story
Kind of slow in the beginning, but it is starting to get to the point where I don’t want to put it down.
Comment by anon #1 Tuesday, Dec 12, 06 @ 5:56 pm
Th Complete Short Works of Mark Twain — the blogmaster of his day.
Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Tuesday, Dec 12, 06 @ 5:58 pm
I’m rereading Plato’s Republic. It is still the most eloquent rejection of what the Bush White House would call “the reality-based community.” But you read it carefully and you realize why trying to actually govern Plato’s way - as Bush has somewhat tried to do for the past six years - leads to disaster.
Comment by ZC Tuesday, Dec 12, 06 @ 6:08 pm
For One More Day - Mitch Albom Excellent. Can be read in a couple of days. Hang on for the ending.
The Innocent Man - John Grisham Highly recommended.
Comment by Shelbyville Tuesday, Dec 12, 06 @ 7:10 pm
Craig Colten’s An Unnatural Metropolis: Wresting New Orleans from Nature (a fine environmental history of the city from the 18th century to about a year before Katrina).
David Pellow’s Garbage Wars: Searching for Environmental Justice in Chicago (links Operation Silver Shovel to larger issues of waste management problems in the city).
Comment by Boone Logan Square Tuesday, Dec 12, 06 @ 7:30 pm
I’m reading “Ring Lardner/Selected Stories” right now. I’m still in “You Know Me Al” which has its moments but is not a real page-turner. A book I can recommend that I read a while ago is “Chicago By Gaslight/A History of Chicago’s Netherworld 1880-1920″ by Richard Lindberg. Despite the title the book touches on some early Chicago political events, giving names, dates, and even exact addresses in many instances. A fun read!
Comment by ahem Tuesday, Dec 12, 06 @ 8:35 pm
ZC, you know that Plato’s Republic is actually Bush’s favorite book, right? And, John Filan, I laughed so hard I almost coughed up a $1500 check!
Comment by Lovie's Leather Tuesday, Dec 12, 06 @ 9:32 pm
reading Christmas books puts me in the spirit so I re-read The Christmas Train by David Baldacci and will start on A Christmas Carol. I’d like to get Dave Berry’s new one about Christmas when he was a kid too, should be pretty funny
Comment by anonymous Tuesday, Dec 12, 06 @ 9:42 pm
Just finishing the fourth in a series on Tudor monarches and their courtiers by Philipa Gregory.
Before that, Pillars of the Earth (am a sucker for anything about the construction of the great cathedrals - awestruck by what can be done by man with a hammer, chisle and the mind). Would recommend anything by E.M. Forster, Austen or Michener.
Comment by Martha Mitchell Tuesday, Dec 12, 06 @ 10:08 pm
I’m half way way through Fort Dearborn, a historical novel by my friend and colleague, Jerry Crimmins. Crimmins spent 6 years researching and writing this excellent tale told through the eyes of two young boys and their fathers about the 1812 Fort Dearborn Massacre.
This is a must read for any Chicago history buff.
Comment by John Rooney Tuesday, Dec 12, 06 @ 10:15 pm
Savage Inequalities-Jonathan Kozol. Interesting w/a sad section about STL metro area.
Bloody Williamson-Paul Angle. Torrid and violent history about S. IL.
Comment by MMS Wednesday, Dec 13, 06 @ 8:27 am
“Team of Rivals” really deserved the Pulitzer and give an absorbing account of how Lincoln kept his friends close and his enemies closer.
Comment by Dem Bob Wednesday, Dec 13, 06 @ 11:24 am
I am reading a new book entitled, “Horribly Corrupt Governors and the ‘Bills’ That Love Them.”
Comment by Establishment Republican Wednesday, Dec 13, 06 @ 2:25 pm
I’m referencing daily “The Peter Principle.”
Comment by Rod Blagojevich Wednesday, Dec 13, 06 @ 5:49 pm