kidsmoke Posted January 11, 2021 Share Posted January 11, 2021 This should have been a great time for catching up on reading (what with quarantine and all), but somehow a lot of my reading time went into trying like hell to comprehend our political drama. I've been longing for months to relax enough to immerse myself in a good book. Have any of you read the old Newbery Award winner, "The Twenty-one Balloons"? It was a favorite book of mine at about 12, and I've always wanted to reread it....Balloon explorer sets off in a giant balloon from San Francisco, meets disaster just off the coast of Krakatoa, which is supposedly uninhabited but turns out to have a secretive population who have a wonderful life due to the massive diamond mines there. Pure escapist fantasy, and so well and cleverly written! Of course Krakatoa had its problems. What are you all reading? Once I'm finished with this, I have some terrific books the kids got me at Christmas. Boy am I sick of political analysis. I need something a heck of a lot wittier. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
calvino Posted January 11, 2021 Share Posted January 11, 2021 Currently reading Christopher Knowlton's Cattle Kingdom. A great, well-written read. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Oil Can Boyd Posted January 14, 2021 Share Posted January 14, 2021 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
kidsmoke Posted January 15, 2021 Author Share Posted January 15, 2021 My Want-to-Read list is swelling again! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Boss_Tweedy Posted January 16, 2021 Share Posted January 16, 2021 On 1/14/2021 at 8:20 PM, kidsmoke said: My Want-to-Read list is swelling again! There's a signifiant chance that someone will discover me dead beneath a ginormous pile of books some day. Death by books doesn't seem like a bad way to go. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
kidsmoke Posted January 17, 2021 Author Share Posted January 17, 2021 5 hours ago, Boss_Tweedy said: There's a signifiant chance that someone will discover me dead beneath a ginormous pile of books some day. Death by books doesn't seem like a bad way to go. There are worse ways to go! Has anybody here read "Beautiful Ruins"? I'm just starting it, and already I can tell I'm going to love it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Oil Can Boyd Posted January 26, 2021 Share Posted January 26, 2021 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
kidsmoke Posted January 26, 2021 Author Share Posted January 26, 2021 I've just finished reading McBride's "The Good Lord Bird". It was terrific! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Chez Posted January 27, 2021 Share Posted January 27, 2021 McBride's "Deacon King Kong" was also quite good. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Oil Can Boyd Posted January 27, 2021 Share Posted January 27, 2021 Yes - I went back to the Color of Water because I had read both Deacon King Kong and The Good Lord Bird last year and really liked them. (And I actually thought the showtime version of The Good Lord Bird was pretty good.) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
kidsmoke Posted June 28, 2021 Author Share Posted June 28, 2021 6 hours ago, Chez said: I need to read this, then pass it on to my sister in SF who idolizes him! He's a fascinating guy. 3 hours ago, Oil Can Boyd said: How is this? I'd love to read it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Oil Can Boyd Posted June 29, 2021 Share Posted June 29, 2021 14 hours ago, kidsmoke said: I need to read this, then pass it on to my sister in SF who idolizes him! He's a fascinating guy. How is this? I'd love to read it. Empire of Pain is very well done. It's got a lot of great reporting and I think Keefe is a really good writer. But it's an infuriating story because the Sacklers' goal was to game the system and make huge amounts of money - which they did. (As an aside, Keefe's podcast - Wind of Change - is great too. It's an investigation into whether the CIA wrote the Scorpions' song Wind of Change.) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
u2roolz Posted June 29, 2021 Share Posted June 29, 2021 I’m looking forward to reading this for some more background on Cliff Booth, but I’d really prefer the rumored 4 hour extended cut which might hit a streaming service at some point. It’s extremely cool that Tarantino wrote this. I’m just old enough to remember these novelizations. I had a few of them for some 80s films. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Analogman Posted June 29, 2021 Share Posted June 29, 2021 I have some for a show called Earth 2 (1994-1995). Quote Link to post Share on other sites
u2roolz Posted July 1, 2021 Share Posted July 1, 2021 On 6/29/2021 at 2:22 PM, Analogman said: I have some for a show called Earth 2 (1994-1995). That’s cool! I’ve heard of that show, but never watched it. I believe it was on around the same time as Sea Quest DSV, right? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Analogman Posted July 1, 2021 Share Posted July 1, 2021 I think so. I actually bought the dvds many years ago. I watch it every once in a while. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
chuckrh Posted July 4, 2021 Share Posted July 4, 2021 pretty good for a first novel. definite differences from the movie. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Przybylinski Posted August 11, 2021 Share Posted August 11, 2021 I'm currently reading this - I think comes out in the US in November but I grabbed a signed copy from Waterstone in the UK 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
kidsmoke Posted August 11, 2021 Author Share Posted August 11, 2021 1 hour ago, Przybylinski said: I'm currently reading this - I think comes out in the US in November but I grabbed a signed copy from Waterstone in the UK Let us know how this is. He must have some great stories! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Przybylinski Posted August 12, 2021 Share Posted August 12, 2021 21 hours ago, kidsmoke said: Let us know how this is. He must have some great stories! For sure - just getting started Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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