What are you reading right now ?

[JamesG]

Reading Seamus Heaney's translation of "Beowulf" and Tolkien's version of "Sigurd and Gudrun."

[hitman]

Just finished up Battles of the Medieval world, Pretty good little book much like Battle at sea in both style and coffee table form.

[hitman]

I just finished up The Captain's Vengeance (book 12 in the Alan Lewrie series) its not the best book in the series but an improvement over Sea of Grey. I won't go any further than that since Jas is working his way through the series. I also finished up Going Dutch by Lisa Jardine. I really enjoyed it (well maybe not the gardening section) so thanks Grymm for mentioning it.

[hitman]

Travellers and Travel Liars 1660-1800, Good book I'm really glad Mission mentioned it.

[hitman]

The Storm, by Clive Cussler

Ok ya'll know I'm a fan and this book was a Cussler book through and through so I loved it.

[hitman]

Crash Dive: True Stories of Submarine Combat edited by Larry Bond,

A real good collection of stories from various memoirs and non-fiction books mostly WWII but some cold war and Faulklins stories as well. I burnt through it loving every page.

[hitman]

Just finished H.G. Wells's The Island of Doctor Moreau, fun little read that leaves one staring at articles on genetic research and or gorillas doing sign language with a wary eye.

[hitman]

Making some use of the enforced idleness of this blasted head cold I finally finished Waterton's Wanderings in South America. This book and its author are the antithesis of those found in Travelers and Travel Liars. The author does though leave out much of the adventure in his travels in order to encourage future travelers and to provide more for the natural history that was his chief aim. He also details a visit to the United States leaving a much better impression than Kipling did in his American Notes though both were smitten by the fairer sex here abouts. A good read but not one many would take up for pleasure alone.

[hitman]

Between hacking up phlem and pacing around the house I read Conrad's The Heart of Darkness today. I'd say I recommend it but it's a legend so you already know that.

[Jas. Hook]

Hitman -

Reading Lambdin's Lewrie #7 King's Commander.

Interesting side tale about the Silkies appearance at Joseph's committal to the deep.

Jas. Hook

Edited October 4, 2012 by Jas. Hook

[hitman]

Just finished up When March Went Mad by Seth Davis. Excellent basketball book. Jas glad to see your enjoying that series.

[Jas. Hook]

Just finished up When March Went Mad by Seth Davis. Excellent basketball book. Jas glad to see your enjoying that series.

Hitman -

Yes, so far I've found the series interesting and worthwhile.

Just finished King's Commander and moving on to Jester's Fortune.

Jas. Hook

[Ransom]

I've gone back to reading my copy of The Annotated Sherlocke Holmes.

[Korisios]

Incidents of travel in Yucatan. Vols. I & II.

By John Lloyd Stephens.

...an interesting book with John Lloyd Stephens explorations of ancient Mayan city's and his contacts with the Spanish, Mayan and mixed people that lived in Yucatan in the year 1841...

[hitman]

Just finished up Endurance; Shakleton's Incredible Voyage By Alfred Lansig as an audio book. A great read that is much more like modern non fiction in it's length and story telling ability than it's publication date of 1959 would suggest. Gripping is the only word for it really. It even led me to comment that as I was listening to it while driving around that I may be the only soul in history to regret being magically transferred from an antarctic ice flow to the port of Savannah, Ga. I'm now on to Mere Christianity by C.H. Lewis.

[hitman]

Just finished up Endurance; Shakleton's Incredible Voyage By Alfred Lansig as an audio book. A great read that is much more like modern non fiction in it's length and story telling ability than it's publication date of 1959 would suggest. Gripping is the only word for it really. It even led me to comment that as I was listening to it while driving around that I may be the only soul in history to regret being magically transferred from an antarctic ice flow to the port of Savannah, Ga. I'm now on to Mere Christianity by C.H. Lewis.

[Mission]

West with the Night by Berle Markham and the four years voyages of capt. George Roberts by George Roberts (but certainly NOT by Daniel Defoe no matter what that idiot J.R. Moore said.)

[hitman]

I finished Mere Christianity and found it quite good though I am biased. I also read Cussler's The Tombs which is possibly the best of the Fargo series and a good page turner.

[Mission]

If you haven't already, check out Lewis' The Screwtape Letters. I found it to be pretty entertaining.

[hitman]

Finished up The Time Machine by H.G. Wells today as an audiobook from the library.

[Gunpowder Gertie]

Mr. Bligh's Bad Language by Greg Dining - another look at the Mutiny on the Bounty, with emphasis on the behaviour of Bligh.

[Jas. Hook]

Just finished Joseph Plumb Martin's Memoir of a Revolutionary Soldier.

I'm in between Dewey Lambdin's King's Captain and Barnet Schecter's revolutionary war Battle for New York.

Jas. Hook

[hitman]

Finished Lewis Black's I'm Dreaming of a Black Christmas which IMHO was ok but not spectacular and the much better A Sailor of King George by Captain Frederick Hoffman. A lovely memoir I thought it was a good read.

[hitman]

Finished an excellent book entitled The Remains of Company D; A Story of the Great War by James Carl Nelson. One of the best books I've read this year very moving and unlike many books that look at a big subject through the eyes of a small group it doesn't often fall into the trap of proclaiming it's focus the soul subject of all the world attention and even when it does seem to do this it is easily forgiven it.

[Red John]

Understanding that the latest handful of Osprey books doesn't count . . . Jewish Pirates of the Caribbean was a lot better in the end that I had thought as I waded through most of the middle . . . a very good insight into some behind-the-scenes power plays that had a very real effect on the Spanish Main, International relations, the Buccaneers and pyracy itself in that time. It's not a book about Jewish pirates per se, other than a few, but very much a book about how things really happened at the national/international level, with actual people, than one is likely to find in the usual books about the era. One of the few books I've found that gave some real insight into Cromwell's time and the English taking of Jamaica; gives good insight into Charlie II as well as a wealth of discussion about the various Spanish leaders. More detail on pre-English Jamaica and the early times there - Spanish and English - than I've seen anywhere else. Bottom line, hang in there, it's good information and a good story, even if not quite as 'rollicking' a read as "Empire of Blue Water" (a good work no doubt, although a bit more on the 'infotainment' side of the ledger to me - but nothing can beat the descriptions of the earthquake striking Port Royal).

Another good recent read, "If a Pirate I must Be" (history of Bartholomew Roberts). Excellent balance of serious history with valuable, detailed information, and enjoyable reading. To me, aside from true academic works that have more footnotes than text, it's the best book on Roberts out there.

Aye, Happy Thanksgiving friends-