Whatcha reading redux.

[Weetabix]

Reminiscences of a Stock Operator by Larry Livermore

[Darrell]

I finished A Game of Thrones, and started the second in the series, A Clash of Kings. By George R.R. Martin. I like it so far.

[MiddleAgedKen]

The Discipline of Market Leaders (Treacy and Wiersema)
Blue Ocean Strategy (Kim and Mauborgne)
Counterintuitive Marketing (Clancy and Krieg)

I read the above three for use in the marketing strategy classes I teach (and they may replace the textbook, down the road). None of the three are the be-all-end-all, but they all have value.

Currently reading The Strategy and Tactics of Pricing (Nagle and Holden), for similar reasons. You all envy me my life, admit it.

Also currently reading Ben-Hur and the Douay-Rheims Bible, courtesy of Project Gutenberg. Really need to send those folks a double sawbuck, and maybe do some proofreading.

Not reading per se, but recently acquired and regularly perused: Combat Fleets of the World, 1976-77 and 1982-83 editions. (Edit to add: got them from Amazon sellers for 12 bucks incl. shipping for both -- they're about the size and scope of Jane's or Conway's, so that's no small thing.) They're good references; I'm using them as background for naval miniatures gaming.

I found a game easier to play than Harpoon that still gives a good feel for the command problem: it's called CIC, and is a modification of a WWI/WWII set called General Quarters, by Lonnie Gill. The mod is a freebie, by an Australian named Mal Wright.

[Rod]

Caliphate by Tom Kratman. Future where Islam dominates Europe and the United States has become an imperial power in order to fight them. Kratman's done a lot of research.

[Dub_James]

Ray Kurzweil's books at the moment;

The Age of Spiritual Machines
Transcend
The Singularity is Near

[blackeagle603]

Currently reading 'Investment Biker, Around the World with Jim Rogers" and "Currency Wars: The Makings of the Next Global Crisis."

Interesting to read these in parallel. Investment Biker is esp interesting 20 years after it was written seeing how Jim Rogers observations and predictions have played out -- and getting some ideas about a) coping in TEOTWAWKI situations from his ride through Siberia, China, Africa etc and b) how economies/countries cope and seek a new normal. That played against the review of effects on individuals and nations of currency wars since the 19th century all mixes rather nicely. Leaves plenty to ruminate on (and makes the cardio time fly).

[Odahi]

Currently reading a new (to me) one by one of my "guilty pleasure" authors- Clive/Dirk Cussler, "Crescent Dawn." It's not really GOOD writing, and sometimes there are some pretty serious factual errors, as when someone put a new clip in his revolver, but it's fun and fast reading. YMMV. Also finally finished "Broke" by Beck. Meh. Not much else- it's been way too busy lately, what with getting the birds tested, and it's not going to slow down any time soon. We ship at the end of the month, and I have about two months' worth of work to do in three weeks. Picked up 1633, haven't started it yet, but 1632 was one of those guilty pleasures too.

[308Mike]

I finished reading my book above, and I must say, the book is FARRRRRR better than the movie, and AFAIC, they butchered the book when making the movie and twisted the book out of all proportion. The only thing worthwhile in the movie (compared to the book) is the stunning scenery, 'cause they take a SMALL PORTION of the story line and then twist it to fit their "artistic impressions" - when the author CLEARLY didn't feel the way they gave the impressions in the movie. They (the movie producers) made it seem Kuki was not happy in Africa, when she LOVED Africa, loved the people, loved the wildlife, loved being there, etc., etc., and that why she stayed LONG after her husband and son were gone.

Anyways, my newest book is "HOGs in the SHADOWS",


which will be a much more energetic read - something I'm looking forward to after my last book (although my last book was really good, but it helps to be somewhat of an environmentalist/conservationist to really enjoy that book - which I am). I have no plans to eat people, nor kill them for food for others (although I can think of a couple I'd like to kill on principal, but those are for VERY SPECIFIC reasons, and until that becomes legal, I'll refrain from doing so).

I believe in the feeling of: "If you kill it, you eat it." Unless of course, you're dealing with vermin, varmints, over-populated predators, rodents, including uncontrolled deer populations which need to feed on suburban grasses and foodstuffs 'cause their natural predators have been wiped out and NO ONE is controlling the population explosion of all the BAMBI animals - whom NOBODY wants, or is WILLING to, kill to make more food, simply 'cause the animals they'd need to eat "are so cute!!"

When deer are uncontrolled and nobody else knows what to do, gimme a rifle (and some fellow forum members), a BBQ grill, and some VERY sharp knives, and I/WE can feed a WHOLE LOT of people. Although I'd REALLY to teach them where their food comes from, not from some sterile packet at the local grocery store.

[Weetabix]

Some commentators I respect have endorsed The Hunger Games, so I'm giving it a try. Only 30 pages in, but not bad, so far.

[Jered]

Caliphate by Tom Kratman. Future where Islam dominates Europe and the United States has become an imperial power in order to fight them. Kratman's done a lot of research.

He's talked to Tony Weisskopf about writing History and Moral Philosophy.



That's not for a while yet, though.