The Non Politics Thread

[ddraig]

So what books does everyone read? I'm an inveterate reader of Historical Fiction. True issues with fictional characters walking through History. I also read some Science Fiction when I cannot find good historical stories. I know people who read self-help books constantly. Few read non-fiction unless they must. Oh, and people who read Dickens have a high IQ. Just some observations to get the thread off politics. What are your favorite reads?

[D-train]

I was an avid reader as a kid but haven't read a book for about 20 years due to ADHD. Last two I read were Atonement and one about the sinking of the USS Indianapolis. I also read as much of Thoreau's Walden Pond as I could get through. lol

[gil]

I read a fair amount of non-fiction. Currently I'm reading a book on volcanoes around the world and various aspects of the underlying science, such as why different volcanoes erupt in different ways (e.g., Mt. St. Helens explosion versus Kilauea lava flows). I started (but put aside for now) The Art Thief. Last fall I read two biographies of Ernest Hemingway, which led me to read a couple of his novels (A Farewell to Arms, The Sun also Rises).

[Michael K.]

I found myself ignoring most of UW's football games this year. Michigan, USC, UCLA, and Oregon were the ones where I paid attention. That was it. Was very disinterested in the others. Extremely disappointed in the PAC-12 media for horrible scheduling and not promoting the Conference better.

Smart that you didn't pay attention to the Apple Cup. I am still in utter disbelief over the way they kids handled themselves and how incredibly ill prepared that staff was.

I too will always hate OKC. It's not their fault, but I was a real big Sonic fan. That was a nut punch.
I will always hate Oregon, in everything. Mostly because their fans act like NCAA sports were invented in the late 90s, and because they are like the Yankees, just buying wins. Not titles though, so there is that.

My other hatreds seem to rotate. I hated the 49ers when Harbaugh was there, and I've always kind of hated the Chargers...just because they seem to do more with less and get all the excuses made for them. So I really hate them now that Harbaugh is there.
I hated the Cards when Arians was there, and the Pretty Boy that took over for him too...but kind of hard to hate on them now. I sort of like the way they play. Even if their QB is a video game playing check casher.
I hated the Yankees, and still pretty much do, but my hate is mostly shifted towards the Astros now. I hated the A's in the late 90s and early 2000s, but it's kind of hard to hate on them now.

[D-train]

I never had a single negative emotion towards OKC or their owners. They played the idiotic system and got themselves a team. If Hansen had stole the Kings we would have made him a hero. The biggest villains in order:

Schultz
Balmer
Nickels
WA state legislature

[ddraig]

Just wait until you get up close and personal with the California State Legislature!

[Donn Beach]

So you're familiar with the Aubrey–Maturin series

[ddraig]

I was an avid reader as a kid but haven't read a book for about 20 years due to ADHD. Last two I read were Atonement and one about the sinking of the USS Indianapolis. I also read as much of Thoreau's Walden Pond as I could get through. lol

I'm afraid I couldn't get through the Indianapolis book. When I took my daughter to London a few years ago, we went to the British Museum. I was asked if I wanted to take in the Holocaust Museum and I declined. I have too vivid of an imagination!

[douche]

A Gentleman in Moscow was recently recommended to me and although it was mostly enjoyable, it certainly wasn't great.

I read a lot of the Reacher stuff, it's fun and well-written. Another solid fictional writer is CJ Box. I find his writing to be very engaging.

Others I've enjoyed are: The Greatest Show On Earth by Richard Dawkins, The Mosquito: A Human History of Our Deadliest Predator, Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind and Origin Story: A Big History of Everything.

[D-train]

I was an avid reader as a kid but haven't read a book for about 20 years due to ADHD. Last two I read were Atonement and one about the sinking of the USS Indianapolis. I also read as much of Thoreau's Walden Pond as I could get through. lol

I'm afraid I couldn't get through the Indianapolis book. When I took my daughter to London a few years ago, we went to the British Museum. I was asked if I wanted to take in the Holocaust Museum and I declined. I have too vivid of an imagination!

It was heinous. I can not imagine what those guys had to endure with the dehydration and feeling of hopelessness not to mention watching their fellow soldiers being eaten alive by sharks.