Who's Reading What?

[Justin Spencer]

I just finished Lincoln's Last Days by Bill O'reilly. Really good read, simple and informative, only took a few hours to get through.

[ness]

Re-reading a couple favorites right now: 'In Cold Blood' and 'Another Autumn: The Rufus Chronicle'.

If you're a dog lover, and especially if you're a bird hunter, The Rufus Chronicle is a must read. The author is Charles Gusewelle, a Kansas City Star columnist, who tells the story of his Brittany from start to end with a lot of funny stories about Rufus at home, and a year-by-year chronicle of his hunting. Reminds me an awful lot of our older Brit Molly.

Justin -- I've heard really good things about O'Rielly's Lincoln and Kennedy books -- gonna add them to the wish list.

[Justin Spencer]

Just started the 21st addition of Uncle Johns, Unsinkable Bathroom Reader. Very informative, perfect for "short sittings".

[ness]

Just wrapped up "Woe to Live On" by Ozark writer Daniel Woodrell. I can't remember who it was here that recommended him, but I'd like to say thanks. He's a talented author that I'm gonna read more of. You may know him from "Winter's Bone".

WTLO was about the border wars before/during the Civil War, told from the perspective of a pro-slave Missouri bushwhacker. Awful good read that captures what those violent times were like. You Tiger fans would enjoy the section on the burning of Lawrence.

[Wayne SW/MO]

I go hot and cold on reading and I generally don't get real excited about fiction that pushes the outer limits, but James Rollins is addictive for me.

[chambug]

Try "Transcending the Natural" by Bill Lawson.

[Al Agnew]

Just finished "A Blaze of Glory", Jeff Shaara's latest Civil War historical novel. It's about the Battle of Shiloh, and I think it's one of his best works. Goes into more detail from the point of view of the average soldier on both sides than his previous Civil War books did, and really captures the horrors of that battle and that war. I'm about to finish "Fevre Dreams", a vampire novel by George R. R. Martin, the guy that wrote the "A Game of Thrones" novels that are now a series on HBO. Interesting take on the whole vampire thing, and it's set on the Mississippi in the mid-1800s when paddle wheel steamboats ruled the river.

Mary and I have been checking out books from the Livingston Library instead of buying them, but I think I'll have to buy the Shaara book to add to my collection.

[ness]

Just finished "A Blaze of Glory", Jeff Shaara's latest Civil War historical novel. It's about the Battle of Shiloh, and I think it's one of his best works. Goes into more detail from the point of view of the average soldier on both sides than his previous Civil War books did, and really captures the horrors of that battle and that war.n.

Hmmm. That sounds like something I'd like. Gonna put that on the Amazon wish list.

[Al Agnew]

Hmmm. That sounds like something I'd like. Gonna put that on the Amazon wish list.

Yeah, I really like his books. His dad, Michael Shaara, now deceased, wrote "The Killer Angels", on which the TV miniseries "Gettysburg" was based, about the Battle of Gettysburg. It was a terrific book. The son decided to "finish" the saga with two books, one about the war up until Gettysburg, and the other about the war from Gettysburg to Appomattox. They were the first books he ever wrote, and at first I was not impressed. His writing style entails lots and lots of commas and long sentences. But once you got used to it, the books turned out to be quite good. With the success he had with them, he began to write other war books, including a two volume Revolutionary War story, a book on the Mexican War, four books on WWII, and one on WWI. I really liked the Revolutionary War books, and the WWII and Mexican War novels were pretty good. He does very extensive research and attempts to make them as true to history as possible, telling the story from the point of view of real participants. I recommend all of them.

[ness]

Yeah, I really like his books. His dad, Michael Shaara, now deceased, wrote "The Killer Angels", on which the TV miniseries "Gettysburg" was based, about the Battle of Gettysburg. It was a terrific book. The son decided to "finish" the saga with two books, one about the war up until Gettysburg, and the other about the war from Gettysburg to Appomattox. They were the first books he ever wrote, and at first I was not impressed. His writing style entails lots and lots of commas and long sentences. But once you got used to it, the books turned out to be quite good. With the success he had with them, he began to write other war books, including a two volume Revolutionary War story, a book on the Mexican War, four books on WWII, and one on WWI. I really liked the Revolutionary War books, and the WWII and Mexican War novels were pretty good. He does very extensive research and attempts to make them as true to history as possible, telling the story from the point of view of real participants. I recommend all of them.

Thanks, Al. That's my kinda stuff. They're all rated highly on Amazon.