I am a voracious reader. Since I got acclimated to my Kindle (actually the Kindle app on my iPad mini), I think I am reading more than ever, which I didn’t think possible. Add my Audible app to the mix and my day is spent reading (or listening) to books from can’t see to can’t see. I haven’t listened to the radio in years. The only time I watch TV is when I am exercising on the treadmill or the rowing machine.<\/p>\n
So, here is what I am reading just now.<\/p>\n
Ulysses<\/strong> by James Joyce<\/a>. I still have my copy of Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man<\/em> that I acquired in high school.<\/p>\n Faust<\/strong> by Goethe<\/a>. Short audio book, only 5 hours.<\/p>\n Havoc’s Sword<\/strong><\/a> by Dewey Lambdin. Part of a series about the 18th-century British navy that follows the exploits of the fictional Alan Lewrie. This volume is the series worst. It’s so poor that I might skip the remaining half-dozen books in the series. Up to now, I’ve really enjoyed the scamp’s adventures. Good naval yarns.<\/p>\n Fox<\/strong> by Adam Hardy<\/a>. Another 18th-century British navy series. I love the 14-volume series. The author is dead and I am sad the series is left incomplete. Each volume is a novella of 120-130 pages. This series hits my sweet spot for naval adventure.<\/p>\n Master and Commander<\/strong><\/a> by Patrick O’Brian. Yet another 18th-century British navy series. I read through the entire 20 volume series 10 years ago but I am taking it up again now that I’ve finished the Fox series. The movie of the same name is based on the series.<\/p>\n Hard as Nails<\/strong><\/a> by Dan Simmons. I read the three volumes in this PI noir series. Simmons has written in several genres including sci-fi, horror, and mystery. The more I read of Simmons, the less I like him.<\/p>\n Swan Knight’s Son<\/strong><\/a> by John C. Wright. I am not a big fan of fantasy but I dip my toe in once in awhile. This well-written book left me cold and I will not pursue this series any further.<\/p>\n Son of the Black Sword<\/strong><\/a> by Larry Correia. I did enjoy this fantasy novel and might read another in the series.<\/p>\n Darknet<\/strong><\/a> by Matthew Mather. Blah story ripped from today’s headlines.<\/p>\n Twin Sombreros<\/strong><\/a> by Zane Grey. I am not a fan of westerns nor did I read Grey when I was young but I enjoyed this ‘gunslinger romance.’<\/p>\n Darkship Thieves<\/strong><\/a> by Sarah Hoyt. Another fantasy novel that left me cold.<\/p>\n The Missionaries<\/strong><\/a> by Owen Stanley. Black humor; recommended.<\/p>\n The Fourth Political Theory<\/strong><\/a> by Alexander Dugin. Post post-modern, post history analysis of the contemporary geopolitical situation. The author is Russian.<\/p>\n Bockchain Revolution<\/strong><\/a> by Don Tapscott. I agree with the author that blockchain technology is the next BIG THING.<\/p>\n The Clash of Civilizations<\/strong><\/a> by Samuel P. Huntington. This book is getting a lot of buzz because 20 years ago the author posited that cultural clashes would define the post-cold-war world. So far, it’s very good and lives up to the hype.<\/p>\n The Sleepwalkers<\/strong><\/a> by Christopher Clark. A well-written analysis of origins of WWI. Highly recommended.<\/p>\n The Dark Net<\/strong><\/a> by Jamie Bartlett. The author makes some good points but the book is filled with a lot of bilge. It reads like a term paper done under deadline.<\/p>\n The Arm<\/strong><\/a> by Jeff Passan. The author follows several professional baseball pitchers as they try to heal their pitching arms and revive their careers.<\/p>\n Leverage<\/strong><\/a> by Karl Denniger. The author claims that the debasement of the dollar will destroy the global economy. I haven’t read enough yet to form a coherent opinion.<\/p>\n Poor People<\/strong><\/a> by William Vollmann. The author traveled the world asking poor people why they are poor. A worthwhile read but disappointing and I was unable to finish the final 20%.<\/p>\n The Monstrosity of Christ<\/strong><\/a> by Slavoj Zizek and John Millbank. A Christian theologian (Millbank) and militant atheist (Zizek) provide one of the more thought-provoking discussions about Christianity I’ve ever read. Easily 5 stars.<\/p>\nNon fiction<\/h3>\n