Author Topic: book recommendations  (Read 230153 times)

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Offline CNS

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Re: book recommendations
« Reply #725 on: February 23, 2014, 03:36:09 PM »
Just finished.  Decent books

Offline Pete

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Re: book recommendations
« Reply #726 on: February 23, 2014, 05:06:55 PM »
Just finished.  Decent books

I liked Patrick Rothfuss' unfinished series better (the first one is called Name of the Wind). But, I did enjoy reading this series too.  I started his next stand alone book and am enjoying it so far.

Offline CNS

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Re: book recommendations
« Reply #727 on: February 23, 2014, 08:59:28 PM »
Just finished.  Decent books

I liked Patrick Rothfuss' unfinished series better (the first one is called Name of the Wind). But, I did enjoy reading this series too.  I started his next stand alone book and am enjoying it so far.

I will probably read those too, but am going to move on to something else for now.  Time for a genere change for the next book or two.  Might try that Blood and Thunder one or The Cuckoo's Calling.

Offline Mrs. Gooch

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Re: book recommendations
« Reply #728 on: February 24, 2014, 08:02:36 AM »
I just started reading The Cuckoo's Calling. Not very far into it yet.

Offline Mikeyis4dcats

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Re: book recommendations
« Reply #729 on: February 25, 2014, 03:06:34 PM »
just started reading The System: The Glory and Scandal of Big-Time College Football.  Pretty awesome behind the scenes look at college football.

Never knew the Pirate's backstory....makes me respect him more now.

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Re: book recommendations
« Reply #730 on: February 25, 2014, 03:13:41 PM »
I finally started making a list of all the books I'm finishing this year. Here's what I've knocked out:

1491
Infinite Jest (Obviously started last year)
This Town
The Crying of Lot 49
Signal and the Noise
Persuasion Nation
The Orphan Master's Son

Currently on "The Invisible Gorilla", which is more or less about the limits the human brain has paying attention. Also reading 2666.

Offline ben ji

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Re: book recommendations
« Reply #731 on: February 25, 2014, 03:54:35 PM »
I finally started making a list of all the books I'm finishing this year. Here's what I've knocked out:

1491
Infinite Jest (Obviously started last year)
This Town
The Crying of Lot 49
Signal and the Noise
Persuasion Nation
The Orphan Master's Son

Currently on "The Invisible Gorilla", which is more or less about the limits the human brain has paying attention. Also reading 2666.

Read that and just finished 1493, thought 1493 was even better.

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Re: book recommendations
« Reply #732 on: February 25, 2014, 04:10:27 PM »
good to know! Will put it on my list.

Offline Spracne

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Re: book recommendations
« Reply #733 on: February 25, 2014, 04:19:42 PM »
Looking for interesting non-fiction works like Freakonomics or anything by Gladwell.  Bonus points for economists or statisticians who write in plain American. TIA.

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Re: book recommendations
« Reply #734 on: February 25, 2014, 04:22:38 PM »
Looking for interesting non-fiction works like Freakonomics or anything by Gladwell.  Bonus points for economists or statisticians who write in plain American. TIA.

Signal and the Noise by Nate Silver. He actually kind of mocks Gladwell at one point (justifiably so).

Offline Spracne

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Re: book recommendations
« Reply #735 on: February 25, 2014, 04:25:26 PM »
Looking for interesting non-fiction works like Freakonomics or anything by Gladwell.  Bonus points for economists or statisticians who write in plain American. TIA.

Signal and the Noise by Nate Silver.

When I hear the noise "Nate Silver,"  my brain receives a signal that suggests politics, and I'm not looking for that.  Am I wrong?  Also, I saw that suggestion above and thought it was a Faulkner novel...

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Re: book recommendations
« Reply #736 on: February 25, 2014, 04:45:39 PM »
Looking for interesting non-fiction works like Freakonomics or anything by Gladwell.  Bonus points for economists or statisticians who write in plain American. TIA.

Signal and the Noise by Nate Silver.

When I hear the noise "Nate Silver,"  my brain receives a signal that suggests politics, and I'm not looking for that.  Am I wrong?  Also, I saw that suggestion above and thought it was a Faulkner novel...

There's not much in there about politics. He actually talks a lot about how poor economists are at forecasting the economy (and why). Also how we can use data to assign odds to things like earthquakes and terrorism, and has a long chapter devoted to sports and another devoted to poker. Did you know he developed PECOTA? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PECOTA

Offline Pete

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Re: book recommendations
« Reply #737 on: February 25, 2014, 06:28:45 PM »
Looking for interesting non-fiction works like Freakonomics or anything by Gladwell.  Bonus points for economists or statisticians who write in plain American. TIA.

If you have any connection with KC you might enjoy "The Mafia and the Machine."  It's a history of the mob in KC, and their relationship with politics in the area.  Very interesting stuff.

Offline CNS

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Re: book recommendations
« Reply #738 on: February 25, 2014, 06:52:49 PM »
Looking for interesting non-fiction works like Freakonomics or anything by Gladwell.  Bonus points for economists or statisticians who write in plain American. TIA.

If you have any connection with KC you might enjoy "The Mafia and the Machine."  It's a history of the mob in KC, and their relationship with politics in the area.  Very interesting stuff.

I DL'ed this about six mo ago and just haven't been in the mood for non fiction since.

Offline Spracne

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Re: book recommendations
« Reply #739 on: February 25, 2014, 07:23:43 PM »
Not much of a KC connection, tho

Offline TheHamburglar

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Re: book recommendations
« Reply #740 on: March 06, 2014, 09:20:19 AM »
I got a guy on the other line about some white walls

Offline The_Wippuh

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Re: book recommendations
« Reply #741 on: March 06, 2014, 11:54:53 AM »
Looking for interesting non-fiction works like Freakonomics or anything by Gladwell.  Bonus points for economists or statisticians who write in plain American. TIA.

Naked Economics, wonderful book.  Economics in plain English.  As a bonus, he just put out a book in the same style on statistics.  It's good too.

I liked Patrick Rothfuss' unfinished series better (the first one is called Name of the Wind). But, I did enjoy reading this series too.  I started his next stand alone book and am enjoying it so far.

Some of the best stuff I've read in a long time when it comes to epic fantasy.  Pretty easy to see two trilogies that will form the entire story and it will kick so much ass.  Waiting between the books, as Rothfuss is on Jordan/Martin time, will not be so much fun.

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Re: book recommendations
« Reply #742 on: March 06, 2014, 11:58:25 AM »
Not sure if this the right place to put this.

http://elitedaily.com/news/technology/this-insane-new-app-will-allow-you-to-read-novels-in-under-90-minutes/

Hmm, I'd have to see actual scientific studies about how comprehension compares, but that seems awesome.

Offline The_Wippuh

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Anyone Reading Brandon Sanderson's New Book?
« Reply #743 on: March 06, 2014, 11:59:56 AM »
Called Words of Radiance, book 2 of The Stormlight Archives.

I cannot decide if I hate it or love it and would love to discuss it with others.  It's his attempt at a huge fantasy series and some stuff is already really bugging me about it.

Offline The Tonya Harding of Twitter Users Creep

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Re: Anyone Reading Brandon Sanderson's New Book?
« Reply #744 on: March 06, 2014, 12:01:28 PM »
im reading. whats your favorite chapter? mines 6.
I think what my friend Mitch is trying to say is that true love is blind.

Offline The_Wippuh

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Re: Anyone Reading Brandon Sanderson's New Book?
« Reply #745 on: March 06, 2014, 12:02:48 PM »
I celebrate all of the chapters.

Offline Spracne

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Re: book recommendations
« Reply #746 on: March 06, 2014, 12:09:09 PM »
Looking for interesting non-fiction works like Freakonomics or anything by Gladwell.  Bonus points for economists or statisticians who write in plain American. TIA.

Naked Economics, wonderful book.  Economics in plain English.  As a bonus, he just put out a book in the same style on statistics.  It's good too.

I liked Patrick Rothfuss' unfinished series better (the first one is called Name of the Wind). But, I did enjoy reading this series too.  I started his next stand alone book and am enjoying it so far.

Some of the best stuff I've read in a long time when it comes to epic fantasy.  Pretty easy to see two trilogies that will form the entire story and it will kick so much ass.  Waiting between the books, as Rothfuss is on Jordan/Martin time, will not be so much fun.

Thanks, Wippuh.  Sounds like a really great suggestiono.

Offline slucat

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Re: book recommendations
« Reply #747 on: March 10, 2014, 09:04:12 AM »
Just finished Serena, it was pretty good, hard to put down.
It was made into a film with Bradley Cooper and JLaw.   :love:

Offline Tobias

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Re: book recommendations
« Reply #748 on: March 14, 2014, 10:19:52 PM »

Offline The_Wippuh

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Re: book recommendations
« Reply #749 on: March 20, 2014, 12:49:55 PM »
Halfway through Daemon by D. Saurez and am liking it.  If you're a video game nerd at all, and liked stuff like Ready Player One, you'll like this.