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Request for a new forum - Books!

Sashoir

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The Making of the Atomic Bomb by Richard Rhodes was a fascinating read for me.

Physics, physicists, experiments, history, manufacturing, testing, politics, all in only 800 pages or so.
Out of curiosity, does it cover the thermonuclear era? Or is it mostly the Manhattan Project (which always conjures an image in my head of Feynman cracking safes while playing bongos, even though it's probably largely apocryphal and not in the best taste, given the consequences)? Thank you for the recommendation, either way (also for your many other posts, but I'm not yet well informed enough to comment on the audio reproduction ones)
 

Robin L

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I've been reading books about movies recently. I've been hunting down good transfers of Orson Welles movies that usually come from bad prints. "The Trial" in particular has suffered from bad transfers unfortunately, as it might be the most visually extreme of all his films. In any case, now that the library's open again, I picked up "My Lunches With Orson", conversations with Henry Jaglom and Orson Welles, edited and transcribed by Peter Biskind, author of "Easy Riders, Raging Bulls" and other works concerning films. It's a mostly fun book, full of dish, backstories of self-promotion. It also has some of Orson Welles last thoughts. I'm currently working on David Thomson's "Sleeping With Strangers: How the Movies Shaped Desire", histories and speculations as regards sex and the cinema. I've got the feeling it would be better if Peter Biskind edited it, even though David Thompson is a very good writer. I'm picking up two books by Peter Bogdanovich, "Who the Hell's in It" and "This Orson Welles" from the library.

I've been obsessed with Thomas Pynchon ever since I pulled out a remaindered and stripped copy of The Crying of Lot 49 from the trash can of the Campus Textbook Exchange in Berkeley back in 1979. I just finished "Vineland" for the upteenth time last week. Explaining what's going on in there would be a very heavy lift. But I would recommend Vineland to the folks here on account of how much fun the author has with Rock 'n' Roll and related activities, circa 1970/1984. A central character in the novel documents street protests/police responses with 16mm gear as a radical activity, very relevant to these times.
 
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Eidie

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The Making of the Atomic Bomb by Richard Rhodes was a fascinating read for me.

Physics, physicists, experiments, history, manufacturing, testing, politics, all in only 800 pages or so.
“Dark Sun - The making of the hydrogen bomb” is similarly excellent. All of the above plus spys!
 
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Eidie

Eidie

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Out of curiosity, does it cover the thermonuclear era? Or is it mostly the Manhattan Project (which always conjures an image in my head of Feynman cracking safes while playing bongos, even though it's probably largely apocryphal and not in the best taste, given the consequences)? Thank you for the recommendation, either way (also for your many other posts, but I'm not yet well informed enough to comment on the audio reproduction ones)
It covers the Manhattan project. “Dark Sun” addresses the H-bomb. Also an excellent read.
 

AdamG

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I’m an avid reader and I’m sure I’m not the only one here. I’m always on the lookout for suggestions. So...

How about adding a new forum - books!

I’m thinking sub forums for different genres, maybe one for technical reference, another for sci-fi/speculative fiction etc., etc.

Obviously this could get out of hand with many subthreads so general genres would be the way to go.

It would be great to hear your thoughts on this idea!

BTW I’m currently reading Nicole Galland’s “Master of the revels”, the sequel to her and Neal Stephenson’s “The rise and fall of D.O.D.O”. The later is recommended, to early to say of the former.

Cheers
Have sent Amir a PM notice for his consideration. Expect to hear a reply to your request for adding a new Books section to our forum. Just to let you know we are aware and will give this request proper attention.
 
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Eidie

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Have sent Amir a PM notice for his consideration. Expect to hear a reply to your request for adding a new Books section to our forum. Just to let you know we are aware and will give this request proper attention.
Many thanks Adam!
 

amirm

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AdamG

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Or they could use the Members Section and create separate Book threads on specific Genre. If it becomes very popular and grows beyond managing as a special thread we can circle back and consider a new sub-section creation.
 

Phorize

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I think this is a great idea. Perhaps split into ‘general books’ and ‘audio nerd books’ sections?




The Machine Stops has been one of my favourites since I was a boy. Check out the BBC radio dramatisation of it too. It’s on YouTube and is very well acted.

This is my current squeeze. I’ve actually been carrying it around with me, because I am apparently a massive masochist.

View attachment 141211
On the fiction front I recently finished up Pachinko by Min Jin Lee, which I really enjoyed.
I think this is a great idea. Perhaps split into ‘general books’ and ‘audio nerd books’ sections?




The Machine Stops has been one of my favourites since I was a boy. Check out the BBC radio dramatisation of it too. It’s on YouTube and is very well acted.

This is my current squeeze. I’ve actually been carrying it around with me, because I am apparently a massive masochist.

View attachment 141211
On the fiction front I recently finished up Pachinko by Min Jin Lee, which I really enjoyed.

The Kolbrech/Dunker book is one of the best I’ve read on any subject, it’s a borderline work of art.
 
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Eidie

Eidie

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It is a good idea but I don't know that we need a new forum. Why not have a thread like this and keep adding to it? You can post them on this existing forum: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?forums/fun-topics-videos-etc.12/
Thank you Amir,
I had requested a forum because a single thread would soon become unweildy. If one was looking for sci-fi recommendations, for instance, wading through potentially thousands of posts would be a chore! I think that individual threads for different genres would be most useful to those wishing to participate.

Either way thank you for considering the idea.
 
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Eidie

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Just thought I’d share a recommendation....
The Ancillary trilogy by Ann Leckie. Interesting and innovative Sci-fi. The first book “Ancillary Justice” is the only book to have won the Hugo, Nebula and Clarke awards. Deservedly so.
If you have any suggestions please share!
 

Phorize

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Just thought I’d share a recommendation....
The Ancillary trilogy by Ann Leckie. Interesting and innovative Sci-fi. The first book “Ancillary Justice” is the only book to have won the Hugo, Nebula and Clarke awards. Deservedly so.
If you have any suggestions please share!
Looks interesting, I don’t usually read SF but might pick this up. The author seems like an interesting person-worked as waitress, a receptionist, a land surveyor, a lunch lady, and a recording engineer and SF author.
 

Phorize

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I read musician biographies quite abit. There are a few gems, Stephane Grappelli: a life in jazz by Paul Balmer is a brilliant read, even if you don’t like Jazz Manouche.
 

kyle_neuron

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I read musician biographies quite abit. There are a few gems, Stephane Grappelli: a life in jazz by Paul Balmer is a brilliant read, even if you don’t like Jazz Manouche.

They can be the subject of debate, but if you’d like something a bit more sprawling then I really enjoyed Simon Reynolds’ series. I’d suggest Rip It Up & Start Again first, which covers the post-punk era. Energy Flash is great too, especially the updated version.

Speaking of non-fiction I’ve been dipping in and out of Tim Hartford’s The Data Detective which is good so far.
 

Bob-23

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...just finished: James Salter 'All that is' - beautiful language
...just reading: Steven Pinker 'Enlightenment now. The case for reason, science, humanism and progress' - beautiful graphs
 

Fahzz

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I like crime fiction.
I've read a lot of stuff by Don Winslow recently: The Border Trilogy novels (not really fiction I'm afraid) but his other novels are really good as well.
For a Belfast twist there is Adrian McKinty with his Sean Duffy series and his Michael Forsythe series. Duffy is bad good guy, and Forsythe is a good bad guy.
Put some tunes on and get to work!
 

JeffS7444

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Liu Cixin's "three body problem"
I thought Liu's entire "Three Body" trilogy was one of the more remarkable works that I've read in recent years, and love how he'll start with something which initially seems like magic but is eventually revealed as a really bizarre reality.
 
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Eidie

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Looks interesting, I don’t usually read SF but might pick this up. The author seems like an interesting person-worked as waitress, a receptionist, a land surveyor, a lunch lady, and a recording engineer and SF author.
She certainly does. She has a really interesting take on gender in the trilogy. Whilst I found it confusing at times, the fluidity is innovative, confronting and thought provoking. Worth a read for that alone.
 
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Eidie

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I thought Liu's entire "Three Body" trilogy was one of the more remarkable works that I've read in recent years, and love how he'll start with something which initially seems like magic but is eventually revealed as a really bizarre reality.
I read and loved the first. The second “The dark forest” is awaiting on the shelf. Space opera with different cultural references. Has to be good!
 
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