What are you currently reading?

[srboone]

Well, I keep telling people I'm not a collector, and I think my list reflects that. Lolita is my favorite, not for subject matter, but for the beauty of it's language. (And if I ever fell in love, I'd hope that I would feel the same way that Humbert Humbert feels about Lo.) I find jackson's writing to be dry, and GS freaked me out when I was 14 and again at 45.

And the King book coming in at #7 is...

Spoiler!

Just giving you one last chance not to look

Spoiler!

The Shining

[TerryE]

I think we had a whole other list for top 10 lists of books. But my number 1 is "100 Years of Solitude" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. I started it twice and stopped early, but for the life of me, now I can't remember why. Maybe it's because the first line mentions a story that isn't covered until about 1/3 of the way through. But now that's one of my favorite parts of the book; the way it plays with time, the way memory actually works.

[srboone]

There was, but I decided to repost it. What the heck.

[frik51]

I've never heard of this one frik. Is it good or just so-so? Still, the best book I've read by McCammon is Swan Song.

Swan Song is excellent, but this one's very, very good as well. it's the first of a series (#4 will be out next year) about Matthew Corbett; it's historical fiction.
The only thing is -I guess I have to warn you-, it's a big book: well over 700 pages.
Well worth checking out, though.

sk

[theenormityofitall]

Well, I keep telling people I'm not a collector, and I think my list reflects that. Lolita is my favorite, not for subject matter, but for the beauty of it's language. (And if I ever fell in love, I'd hope that I would feel the same way that Humbert Humbert feels about Lo.) I find jackson's writing to be dry, and GS freaked me out when I was 14 and again at 45.

And the King book coming in at #7 is...

Spoiler!

Just giving you one last chance not to look

Spoiler!

The Shining

The Shining?? You're right, I didn't like the book at all but I thought the movie was great. But maybe I should try Ghost Story again. Or maybe I got it confused with another book . I know I mentioned this on here before but don't know if it was you who commented on it, but you should try 666 by Jay Ansen if you haven't already. It's one of the only novels that stuck with me over the years since it freaked me out. And even though you couldn't get more opposite, I really like the old novel Tobacco (sp?) Road too...great!

[RJK1981]

Thank you!! I need all the help I can get since I'm tired of trying to read novels and being interested in the first 10 pages or so, then just getting bored. As I've said on here, it's rare for me to finish a novel, even a short one but the classics from guys like Dickens, Poe (especially Poe), Lovecraft, James and even Mailer, I've read with no problem but it was years ago before I had so many other things on my mind and it became harder for me to concentrate on what I was reading. I even bought Great Expectations as an audiobook on my Sansa Clip, and still haven't tried to listen to it and that was 2 years ago lol.
But Killing Pablo I bet I'd really like just as any book by Olsen. I read his book about that guy named Arthur (his first name; can't remember the last...Shawcross or something like that?), and thought it was fantastic. But a lot of thouse authors you named for the fiction works, I never heard of like most of the others here who gave me their lists. I rather hate change so I tend to stick with authors I've known about since the 80's....Garton, Ketchum, Lansdale, King, Simmons, Koontz, etc. In other words, guys who have been around a long time. But I saved your list like with all the others I'm going to do and thanks again.
God, I can really just ramble on and on sometimes, huh? LOL, seriously though, it's the pills. I have to take a narcotic painkiller for a couple herniated discs in my neck and they make me "type-happy" sometimes. I felt I had to mention that to explain why I go on and on sometimes .

You're more than welcome. One author'a books I think I forgot to mention is Douglas Clegg, one of my favorite discoveries thanks to Cemetery Dance. Have enjoyed everything of his that I've read so far. You mentioned Garton, so you might have read them already, but The Folks, The Folks II, and Serpent Girl are all good ones as well. Ketchum's Joyride is a good one as well (and the only book of his I've read thus far).

If the rest of Jack Olsen's books are as enjoyable as "I" The Creation of a Serial Killer, then I will probably end up picking something else of his up one of these days. What I found very interesting about that one is that about half of that book is coming from the serial killer himself. Normally read fiction, but sometimes a good non-fiction read is called for.

As for rambling, well, at least you can use something as an excuse, lol! I get the same way when typing messages, e-mails, etc. but I don't take any pills that make me do that.

[theenormityofitall]

You're more than welcome. One author'a books I think I forgot to mention is Douglas Clegg, one of my favorite discoveries thanks to Cemetery Dance. Have enjoyed everything of his that I've read so far. You mentioned Garton, so you might have read them already, but The Folks, The Folks II, and Serpent Girl are all good ones as well. Ketchum's Joyride is a good one as well (and the only book of his I've read thus far).

If the rest of Jack Olsen's books are as enjoyable as "I" The Creation of a Serial Killer, then I will probably end up picking something else of his up one of these days. What I found very interesting about that one is that about half of that book is coming from the serial killer himself. Normally read fiction, but sometimes a good non-fiction read is called for.

As for rambling, well, at least you can use something as an excuse, lol! I get the same way when typing messages, e-mails, etc. but I don't take any pills that make me do that.

Yeah, Clegg is really good. Come When I Call You! I really liked. And I did in fact, order that vampire trilogy of his from CD awhile back, but am still waiting for it to be released...I think it's going to be worth quite a bit.
Oh yes, and be sure to get another book by Olsen...the one I mentioned about Arthur Shawcross, it was really good. I read it years ago and actually re-read it since it was so interesting. Another true crime book you will definitely want to pick up is called Depraved and anything by Harold Shechtcher (I think his last name is spelled like that, if not it's extremely close). Also by the same guy, the book Deranged. LOL I'm telling ya, you won't be able to put them down. He's even better than Olsen and the best true crime writer in the business. The two most fascinating books by him you really want to read, are his biographies of both Albert Fish, the American cannibal from the 1920's, and the book about the boy killer, Jesse Palmeroy (sp?). I think the titles I listed are about those two guys. But be sure to get the one about good ol' Albert, you'll remember it for years to come that guy was so incredibly twisted.
Oh yes, and as for the pills, I tend to write things in detail anyway, so I can only use those as a bit of an excuse. Besides, I have a legit reason to use them; I'm no druggie lol.

[theenormityofitall]

Swan Song is excellent, but this one's very, very good as well. it's the first of a series (#4 will be out next year) about Matthew Corbett; it's historical fiction.
The only thing is -I guess I have to warn you-, it's a big book: well over 700 pages.
Well worth checking out, though.

sk

HMMMMM...4 books? I don't know if I could handlke that but I do indeed like historical fiction like Simmons' The Terror which you recommended.
Hell you never know, I may pick the McCammon book up. But with all the lists guys on here were kind enough to provide, I have an enormous amount of reading to do .

[PaulB]

I'm with frik51 on this one. I have the read two in the Matthew Corbett series and thought them excellent. Thought them better than The Terror which I found a bit tedious at times (at least I finished it unlike Simmons' other book Drood).

[frik51]

I'm about one hundred pages into my Speaks the Nightbird re-read, and I absolutely love it, much more than the previous McCammon novel I read, The Wolf's Hour. The latter moved incredibly fast, but there was very little substance. Just a quickie! The former book moves very, very slow, but is beautifully written and features some interesting, well-developed characters.
So you didn't finish Drood, Paul? Can't really blame you - I did, but barely. It's my least-favorite Simmons', while The Terror is one of his best (imo). Tedious is not the word I'd use to describe it.

sk

[theenormityofitall]

I'm about one hundred pages into my Speaks the Nightbird re-read, and I absolutely love it, much more than the previous McCammon novel I read, The Wolf's Hour. The latter moved incredibly fast, but there was very little substance. Just a quickie! The former book moves very, very slow, but is beautifully written and features some interesting, well-developed characters.
So you didn't finish Drood, Paul? Can't really blame you - I did, but barely. It's my least-favorite Simmons', while The Terror is one of his best (imo). Tedious is not the word I'd use to describe it.

I really have to stop reading all this stuff, it's just making me buy books. Now I'm going for the McCammon book Speaks the Nightbird, despite there's 4 of them I think you said. I hope it's in PB, because that's literally all I can possibly afford at this time.

[jester05jk]

For the McCammon books, Speaks the Nightbird is available in a 2 volume pb set and is the first book. Then came Queen of Bedlam and about a year or so ago Mister Slaughter.

[RJK1981]

Yeah, Clegg is really good. Come When I Call You! I really liked. And I did in fact, order that vampire trilogy of his from CD awhile back, but am still waiting for it to be released...I think it's going to be worth quite a bit.
Oh yes, and be sure to get another book by Olsen...the one I mentioned about Arthur Shawcross, it was really good. I read it years ago and actually re-read it since it was so interesting. Another true crime book you will definitely want to pick up is called Depraved and anything by Harold Shechtcher (I think his last name is spelled like that, if not it's extremely close). Also by the same guy, the book Deranged. LOL I'm telling ya, you won't be able to put them down. He's even better than Olsen and the best true crime writer in the business. The two most fascinating books by him you really want to read, are his biographies of both Albert Fish, the American cannibal from the 1920's, and the book about the boy killer, Jesse Palmeroy (sp?). I think the titles I listed are about those two guys. But be sure to get the one about good ol' Albert, you'll remember it for years to come that guy was so incredibly twisted.
Oh yes, and as for the pills, I tend to write things in detail anyway, so I can only use those as a bit of an excuse. Besides, I have a legit reason to use them; I'm no druggie lol.

I'm waiting for that Clegg book as well from LRB (got lucky with the waiting list and having money at the time). Am actually avoiding reading the original books to read this release. Haven't read You Come When I Call You yet, but do have the PB release of it. Debating which Clegg to read next actually as I have several I want to read. Might go with The Children's Hour as it's not too long and supposed to be very good. Neverland is calling my name as well though, so we'll see, lol.

Thanks for the suggestions on true crime books, the Shawcross one sounds VERY good and will definitely have to check it out. Wonder if I can find any of those books at my Half-Price Books stores. Don't typically think of looking for non-fiction stuff there. One of these days I will get to reading the Green River Killer book. That is a long one (Though to be fair, a short book probably wouldn't do that case justice), so hopefully Smith isn't as repetitive as with the BTK Killer book of his. Also have a short one on the DC Sniper thing from a few years ago that I haven't read. Got that and the Green River book for free (Along with a ton of other books) when I was stationed in Iraq.

[PaulB]

So you didn't finish Drood, Paul? Can't really blame you - I did, but barely. It's my least-favorite Simmons', while The Terror is one of his best (imo). Tedious is not the word I'd use to describe it.

sk

Have actually added The Terror back onto to "to be (re)read pile. I read it quite a while ago and remember feeling like it lagged in the middle but then picking up a little towards the end. There have been a few books I have struggled with on first reading but really enjoyed with a revisit. (e.g. From a Buick 8 - on initial reading felt it was all just a bit of a pointless unfocused mess but on re reading got really got wrapped up into the story)

[theenormityofitall]

I'm waiting for that Clegg book as well from LRB (got lucky with the waiting list and having money at the time). Am actually avoiding reading the original books to read this release. Haven't read You Come When I Call You yet, but do have the PB release of it. Debating which Clegg to read next actually as I have several I want to read. Might go with The Children's Hour as it's not too long and supposed to be very good. Neverland is calling my name as well though, so we'll see, lol.

Thanks for the suggestions on true crime books, the Shawcross one sounds VERY good and will definitely have to check it out. Wonder if I can find any of those books at my Half-Price Books stores. Don't typically think of looking for non-fiction stuff there. One of these days I will get to reading the Green River Killer book. That is a long one (Though to be fair, a short book probably wouldn't do that case justice), so hopefully Smith isn't as repetitive as with the BTK Killer book of his. Also have a short one on the DC Sniper thing from a few years ago that I haven't read. Got that and the Green River book for free (Along with a ton of other books) when I was stationed in Iraq.

You can get them prett cheap off Amazon...those true crime books, often cheaper there than on ebay. If you haven'y got it yet, I would really recommend Amazon Prime....2 day free shipping on anything offered by Amazon no matter what it costs.
Just be sure if you're not going to get the boy-killer book, get Shawcros and the one about Albert Fish which is till my favorite true crime books and I'v read probably 200 of them. But I did like the BTK killer book you were talking about unless it's by a different author. Amazing a guy can be a serial killer for 30 years and act completely normal, even rasing a family. It's aslo scary as hell. I was going to get the Green River book but then they eventually ruined it for me since we now know who the killer was. But fascinating books which can also be read are the Zodiak killings is CA during the late 60's and early 70's. Somehow he was never caught even though he contantly gave clues to the police. That's even more amazing to me than the Jack the Ripper case.