Foochar's Journal: What are you reading?

The recent conversation about reading over in LadyGuardian's journal made me wonder, what people are reading right now. Not what are you waiting to start reading, but what books are you currently working on reading. I'll get the ball started.

For "entertainment" purposes I reading Pelandra by C.S. Lewis. I read it about a year ago, but I never finished its sequal Out of the Silent Planet.

For "professional enrichment" I'm reading Learning Java from O'Reilly. I know several other programing languages but I've never picked up Java. It doesn't really apply to my current job, but as much as it is used I think it would be helpful to have a rudimentary understanding of it.

Lastly, I'm trying to get myself back into the habit of reading the Bible on a daily basis. I know I need to do it, but I do a poor job of actually following through with it.

Anyone else care to contribute their two cents?

As a lateblooming SciFi reader

[FortKnox]

I've finished LoTR earlier in June, and figured I should start hitting the "SciFi" classics now that I'm addicted to the genre finally.

So I'm acutally in the middle of "Hitchikers Guide to the Galaxy"

Also, you may want to pickup "Thinking in Java" by Bruce Eckels. Best book to learn Java with.

Re:As a lateblooming SciFi reader

[subgeek]

i have about 100 pages to go until i am finished with return of the king. after that i'm going to get back into the silmarillion.

other than that i read a lot of internet stuff like slashdot. that probably doesn't count.

Re:As a lateblooming SciFi reader

[subgeek]

and more from me...

i haven't read the hitchhiker's series since college. i should probably read that here soon. i never did read young zaphod plays it safe, but i read the rest of them. ok, now i'm convinced i have to read those again soon.

who's your favorite character in the hitchhiker's guide? (maybe if em reads this he'll make an official poll.)

Re:As a lateblooming SciFi reader

[FortKnox]

Actually, I really enjoy the narrator. When he described the 'thoughts of the nuclear missile turned whale as it fell through the sky till its death' I was keeled over in laughter. My favorite part so far.

Re:As a lateblooming SciFi reader

[subgeek]

i didn't want to bias your answer but it's safe now. i think zaphod is my favorite from the series. i'll see if i still think that when i get around to another read.

What I'm reading...

[Some Woman]

I'm in the middle of "My American Journey" by Colin Powell.

Reading...

[johndiii]

Just finished Jennifer Government [barnesandnoble.com], by Max Barry, last night. Fairly quick read, interesting story (corporatism run amok), but the characters seem a bit flat. Sometimes their actions seem to just come out of the blue. I enjoyed the book, but it did not really live up to the cool cover.

Professionally, Modern C++ Design [barnesandnoble.com], by Andrei Alexandrescu. Very interesting, sophisticated use of templates. Highly recommended.

Cosmonaut Keep [barnesandnoble.com], by Ken MacLeod. In the Engines of Light series. Pretty good so far,

Re:Reading...

[johndiii]

Also, Terry Goodkind's latest, Naked Empire [barnesandnoble.com] is due July 21.

On the coffee table

[dthable]

To relax the mind
Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly by Anthony Bourdain. I've only read three chapters so I really don't have much to comment on.

To stimulate the mind
Calculus Made Easy: Being a Very-Simplest Introduction to Those Beautiful Methods of Reckoning Which Are Generally Called by the Terrifying Names of the Differential Calc by Silvanus P. Thompson and Martin Gardner. A professor in one of my many math courses recommended it as a different view of calculus.

For work
A

Big List

[gmhowell]

In the past week, I've finished Moonraker by Ian Fleming, Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom by Cory Doctorow, and Why Orwell Matters by C. Hitchens. Before that, it was Harry Potter 5. Tonight will be comics, then Grapes of Wrath starting next. I have two issues of Analog to read as well.

I think there are one or two more, but that's all I can remember. Oh, yeah, I read both of the Star Trek: Voyager Homecoming books. Kinda lame. I was hoping for a bit more in the way of wrapping up the show.

My list...

[glh]

I just got done reading a book called "What to Expect While you're expecting". For obvious reasons-- we just had our first :) I wasn't really reading it cover to cover, more or less focusing on the last few chapters.

Things are still a little hectic and most of my reading is off and on, at best.

Personal Enrichment-

The Bible. Currently we're studying the book of Ruth in Church. There is some great foreshadowing of the Church, Isreal, etc. in this book. Very good stuff. I also pick and choose books/chapt

Re:My list...

[bubblegoose]

For the baby stuff I recommend

The Expectant Father: Facts, Tips and Advice for Dads-To-Be [amazon.com]

Since you're already past that point the same author writes:
The New Father: A Dad's Guide to the First Year [amazon.com] I never read it, but if it is like the first it should be pretty decent.

Summer Reading

[jeepliberty]

For work: "Learning Perl/Tk" by Nancy Walsh (OReilly).

For Entertainment: Just finished "Term Limits" by Vince Flynn. Tag line "...returning America to the people, one politician at a time."
Just started "The Freemasons: A History of the World's Most Powerful Secret Society" by Jason Ridley. A biographic account of the Freemasons thoughout the centuries. Seems to be unbiased. Found it in the public library. Ashcroft probably knows I have it by now.

For commute: Audio tape of "Pale Gray for Guilt", by John