How Many Books Have You Read So far In 2009 ?

[CountDeMoney]

I've probably read more books so far this year than the previous 2 years combined.  Decided to make an effort to make a dent in my To-Read Pile.

Some I remember:

Walker Percy, The Last Gentleman
Walker Percy, Love In The Ruins
Salman Rushdie, Shalimar The Clown
Frederick Busch, The Night Inspector (which I unreservedly recommend to all)
Robert Boswell, Century's Son
Thomas Pakenham, The Boer War
Harry Ammon, The Genet Mission
Di Lampedusa, The Leopard (again)
John Le Carre', The Mission Song
Rousseau, The Confessions (again...and only Book 1)
Flannery O'Connor, The Complete Stories ()
J.D. Salinger, Nine Stories (again and again)
Isaac Babel, Red Cavalry
Lombardo's modern translation of The Iliad (not bad; not necessarily good, but not bad)
Various selections of Saint Augustine and Saint Thomas Aquinas, for shits and giggles
A slew of yearly collections of short stories and nonfiction literature...Best American, New American, Best New American Voices, Best of the Writing Programs, etc., stuff like that.

On deck: Lord Mahon's biography of Belisarius, Melville's The Confidence-Man, Rosalie David's Religion and Magic in Ancient Egypt, and I'm going to try to tackle Shakespeare's Titus Andronicus.

[garbon]

This is surprisingly good.  I think that the hysterical reaction of humanity is extremely lowballed, but all things considered I'm surprised Baen didn't bid for this book.

Started to read and then my eyes started bleeding.

[C.C.R.]

Voted 101-150, however all but three or four of those were chidren's books that I read to my daughter(s)...

[ulmont]

This is surprisingly good.  I think that the hysterical reaction of humanity is extremely lowballed, but all things considered I'm surprised Baen didn't bid for this book.

Started to read and then my eyes started bleeding.

You must not read many Baen books.  I think that fan-fic beats about half of John Ringo's works.

[garbon]

You must not read many Baen books.  I think that fan-fic beats about half of John Ringo's works.

This is true. I value my time here on Earth.

[ulmont]

You must not read many Baen books.  I think that fan-fic beats about half of John Ringo's works.

This is true. I value my time here on Earth.

Yes.  I can tell by the amount you post on Languish.   

[Ed Anger]

Garbon is smart to avoid Baen books. I wish I had sometimes.

[Agelastus]

Garbon is smart to avoid Baen books. I wish I had sometimes.

Most of Baen's regular authors are now at the "write anything, it will be printed" stage, which is not conducive to good (or even average) literature.

David Weber being the prime example of author-bloat.

[CountDeMoney]

What the hell are all you on about with this Baen person?  Why are you wasting your time reading that tripe?

I know for a fucking fact none of you have read enough of all the good authors and classics to piss away your time on sci-fi-alt-histard shit.

If you don't eat your meat, you can't have any pudding! How can you have any pudding if you don't eat your meat?

[CountDeMoney]

David Weber being the prime example of author-bloat.

In this eagerly anticipated sequel to 2007's Off Armageddon Reef, the sheer scale of the Kingdom of Charis's naval victory against corrupt forces of the Church of God Awaiting has the Church newly wary of Charis's technological innovations. These were introduced by Merlin Athrawes, bodyguard to King Cayleb II and actually an android imprinted with a human's memories and personality who seeks to throw off the false religion that bars mankind from the stars. As Charis's neighbors scramble to rebuild their shattered fleets and prepare for the inevitable reprisals, the Church lurches toward placing the entire nation under proscription and declaring holy war. The numerous characters are never reduced to stereotypes, and Weber's portrayal of the social changes brought about by Charis's bootstrap industrial and military revolutions ring true. If not as action oriented as the first volume, the descriptions of the rebirth of knowledge and the human spirit are at least as enthralling.

What. The. Chocolate. Covered. Christ.
Go read some Willa Cather, for fuck's sake.

[garbon]

Yes.  I can tell by the amount you post on Languish.  

I don't value my time at work.

[garbon]

In this eagerly anticipated sequel to 2007's Off Armageddon Reef, the sheer scale of the Kingdom of Charis's naval victory against corrupt forces of the Church of God Awaiting has the Church newly wary of Charis's technological innovations. These were introduced by Merlin Athrawes, bodyguard to King Cayleb II and actually an android imprinted with a human's memories and personality who seeks to throw off the false religion that bars mankind from the stars. As Charis's neighbors scramble to rebuild their shattered fleets and prepare for the inevitable reprisals, the Church lurches toward placing the entire nation under proscription and declaring holy war. The numerous characters are never reduced to stereotypes, and Weber's portrayal of the social changes brought about by Charis's bootstrap industrial and military revolutions ring true. If not as action oriented as the first volume, the descriptions of the rebirth of knowledge and the human spirit are at least as enthralling.

[Agelastus]

"Good authors" and (alleged) "classics" are by no means one and the same.

And the book quoted is "Exhibit A" of "author-bloat"...perhaps B, C and D as well. If you were looking to read Weber, I'd tell you to read that last, and solely if you were a masochist who felt they had to read the "complete works".

[CountDeMoney]

"Good authors" and (alleged) "classics" are by no means one and the same.

Fine.  But if you want to rot your brain, do what I do: watch the idiot box.  But for God's sake, at least read better books.

[Ideologue]

What the hell are all you on about with this Baen person?  Why are you wasting your time reading that tripe?

I know for a fucking fact none of you have read enough of all the good authors and classics to piss away your time on sci-fi-alt-histard shit.

If you don't eat your meat, you can't have any pudding! How can you have any pudding if you don't eat your meat?

Fuck, just about all I ever read is nonfiction.  What's that, unleavened bread?