What are you reading right now?

[RooFlyer]

Have just finished:



Mostly the story of Gabriel Wells, an American antiquarian bookseller who in the 1920s broke up a Gutenberg Bible and sold off the individual leaves, and also some of the tales of the subsequent ownership of them. Also looks into the world of antiquarian booksellers, mainly in USA and Europe, and collectors.

Very interesting, but slows a bit as the author delves into his own family history which has connections to Wells' family.

An enjoyable read. Scribe Publications, RRP $36.99

 

[Brissy1]

Have just finished:

View attachment 431120

Mostly the story of Gabriel Wells, an American antiquarian bookseller who in the 1920s broke up a Gutenberg Bible and sold off the individual leaves, and also some of the tales of the subsequent ownership of them. Also looks into the world of antiquarian booksellers, mainly in USA and Europe, and collectors.

Very interesting, but slows a bit as the author delves into his own family history which has connections to Wells' family.

An enjoyable read. Scribe Publications, RRP $36.99

I think he was pilloried for doing that, but made a lot of money nevertheless. State Library NSW has a (complete!) 1st edition and later editions too, were on display last year.
More recently many old books were lost, broken up just to sell off the hand coloured plates.
Coincidently just this week I started reading a set of 4 books (below) which luckily survived, possibly because only 2 plates per volume are coloured.
Bought them decades ago (in the UK apparently as £28 penciled inside Vol 1 cover, bargain)

 

[ellen10]

Just finished The Nightingale, by Kristen Hannah. Great read.

 

[openseat]

I've just received Immortal Souls by Edward Fesser. Perhaps only for the Aristotelians among you.

 

[Foreigner]

English feudal land tenure to end?

Centuries-old leasehold system to be abolished in England and Wales Centuries-old leasehold system to be abolished in England and Wales

 

[Drakecula]

Struggled through the last Atlas book of the trilogy, ugh. Glad that's over.
Finished the Folk of the Air trilogy and book one of a duology that's set afterwards. Have ordered book two and a short story collection set in the same world.

Also finished the sequel to Divine Rivals, Ruthless Vows. Didn't quite hit as strong as the first book, but still good.

I've done a fair bit of reading, more than normal which is great. Eleven so far this year. I've still got so many on my to read pile!

 

[Drakecula]

Seems like it's time for a book update!

I've since read Ghosts of the Catacombs by Janna Ruth, a book I picked up at Book Fair Australia in Sydney last year. It's about a student in Paris who can see/speak with ghosts and a mystery that sends her down in the catacombs under the city. I picked it up because I've been to the catacombs and it's quite fascinating, and spoke with the author about it at the Fair. Got her to sign my copy too!

I also read Psykhe by Kate Forsyth, a retelling of the Psyche/Eros myth. Quite enjoyable though it seemed to be both Roman and Greek at the same time which was a bit odd.

The Midnight Girls by Alicia Jasinska, a young adult story about young women who serve witches and in turn receive monster like powers. They have to hunt princes and remove their hearts. It was set in an Polish-esque setting and was interesting to read a story from the monster's perspective.

I also finished Shield of Lies, the second book in a Star Wars trilogy. I know it's not canon since Disney wiped the slate clean when they took the reins, but still, it's a bit of fun to read.

 

[Bundy Bear]

current book
Australian Football’s 100 year club

I had been reading the Chairmans Lounge but found it hard to read.

 

[RooFlyer]

Current read. The cover explains it. Very detailed and sometimes technical explanation (by someone who was there on one of the spy submarines) of all the spooks, spies and gear of the 1960s and 1970s submarine Cold War including the true story of how a Russian submariner prevented World War III by refusing to agree to launch a nuclear torpedo at an American destroyer because he didn’t believe the countries were actually at war (during the Cuban missile crisis).



Oh, and some insider tales and gossip that the Glomar Challenger / Project Jennifer fiasco of CIA/Howard Hughes’s craft failing to lift a sunken Soviet submarine was not actually a failure at all .

 

[kookaburra75]

Current read. The cover explains it. Very detailed and sometimes technical explanation (by someone who was there on one of the spy submarines) of all the spooks, spies and gear of the 1960s and 1970s submarine Cold War including the true story of how a Russian submariner prevented World War III by refusing to agree to launch a nuclear torpedo at an American destroyer because he didn’t believe the countries were actually at war (during the Cuban missile crisis).

View attachment 437898

Oh, and some insider tales and gossip that the Glomar Challenger / Project Jennifer fiasco of CIA/Howard Hughes’s craft failing to lift a sunken Soviet submarine was not actually a failure at all .

If you liked that read, I can recommend this book, which covers some of those topics but more on what is was like being on the submarines

Blind Mans Bluff by Sherry Sontag

www.penguin.com.au

 

[Foreigner]

Are we limited to only books?

 

[Drakecula]

Are we limited to only books?

Nope! Graphic novels, journal articles, whatever.

 

[luxury-lizard]

Just finished both Source Code: My Beginnings by Bill Gates and Idea Man: A Memoir by the Cofounder of Microsoft by Paul Allen - both excellent histories of the start of the micro-processor revolution - most appreciated by IT buffs from the 70's and 80's.

I also read Careless People: A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed and Lost Idealism by Sarah Winn-Williams - not the greatest book but an important, interesting and scary read for everyone.

 

[mrsterryn]

Currently reading the series Incryptid series by Seanan McGuire.
Urban fantasy with a hint of paranormal

 

[Drakecula]

Currently reading the series Incryptid series by Seanan McGuire.
Urban fantasy with a hint of paranormal

I really liked the Parasitology trilogy she did writing as Mira Grant.
I was lucky enough to get a signed copy of the first book at San Diego Comic Con when I met her. Lovely person, great books.

 

[Foreigner]

People who talk a lot but say very little usually lack these 9 deeper qualities

We’ve all met someone who talks a lot, but says very little. These people often lack certain deeper…

dmnews.com

 

[RooFlyer]

I mentioned to a friend that I was going to do a tour of Bosnia and Herzegovina and they suggested should I read this



The author as a journalist covered the dreadful 1990s Bosnian civil War and returned in the 2010’s to trace the life of Gavrilo Princip, the assassin of Archduke Franz Ferdinand - the event that precipitated World War I.

And engrossing story and has given me much to think of as we go around Bosnia and Sarajevo.