I've been getting a lot of reading done. I walk for 45-60 minutes every morning first thing (walking at an incline at a heart rate of about 60% of your max in a fasted state is fueled almost exclusively by fat, a great perk if one is trying to get to single digit bodyfat), and as I walk, I read my Kindle. I also read for 15-20 minutes each night before going to sleep. I thought I would take a few minutes each month to let you know what's in my Kindle, in case you're looking for reading ideas. I'll tell you a bit about what the book is about, and what I think of it.
Reading
Sovereign: A Matthew Shardlake Mystery - C.J. Sanscom
This is the third Matthew Shardlake novel, a series of books set in Tudor England about the adventures of a hunchbacked lawyer working for low level nobility in the employ of Henry VIII. This author was introduced to us by Suzy, our neighbor in England, and Ashley and I enjoy his books a lot. They're very well researched historical fiction, and interesting mysteries without being too procedural. I'm in the middle of this one now, and it's outstanding so far. I also have the next two books on my Kindle ready to go when I get to them. So far, I'm giving this one 4 out of 5 "Murder She Wrotes".
The Five Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts - Gary Chapman
This book was recommended to me by Brandon, the guy I replaced. He and his wife (married just over a year) used it to help themselves communicate while he was away. Obviously Ashley and I have been through this a couple of times before, and we've been married 6 years now (Wow!) but I thought it would be neat to read this together in stages and discuss a chapter a week on the phone. It has little "Your Turn" moments at the end of each chapter where you apply what you've read to your own marriage. The Five Languages are: Words of Affirmation, Quality Time, Receiving Gifts, Acts of Service, and Physical Touch. The idea is that each of us has a primary love language, and if our spouse learns to communicate with us in that language, our love tanks will be fuller. The idea is fantastic, and a lot of the ideas he gives will be great to use when I get home. The book has also lead to some good discussions. I highly recommend this to all couples, married or not, it can only help your relationship. I give it 4.5 out of 5 "Stuart Smalleys". Oh wait, I'm sorry, that's 4.5 out of 5 "Senator Stuart Smalleys".
The End of Overeating: Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite - David Kessler
By now you can tell that I like to intersperse my reading for pleasure with reading for spiritual or mental growth. This book was recommended on the fitness website I mention below, and it was only $2.99 on Kindle, so I got it. It starts off a bit slow and sciency, but if you hang through that part it has fascinating insights on why we can't resist eating things that we know aren't good for us, even when we know we'll regret it later. The author gives some great guidance on how to change your habits, and possibly change your future health. It was fascinating for me learning more about the inner workings of the human psyche when it comes to food, but it didn't really tell me anything I didn't know about what to eat, when, and what was good and not good for me. I give this one 3 out of 5 "Richard Simmons".
Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords - George R. R. Martin
I started these books because the HBO series looked like something right up my alley (medieval setting, kings, knights, battles, etc) kind of like Braveheart, Gladiator, and Kingdom of Heaven all rolled up into one 13 hour movie (and that's just the first season!). If you're a fan of fantasy books or medieval writing (Tolkien, Eddings, Brooks, Jordan, King, etc) then this series is for you. Fair warning though, I bought a four book set on Kindle thinking it was complete and it turns out that book five comes out in two weeks, and there are two more planned after. Curses! If you know me well, you know my saga with Roland and his ka-tet, and how I suffered for ten years to see their adventures concluded. Because of that I can't give the books perfect marks, but I can still give them 4.5 out of 5 "Dark Towers".
The Accidental Guerilla: Fighting Small Wars in the Midst of a Big One - David Kilcullen
This was an interesting, insightful look into how to best fight a war against extremists of one sort or another. As interesting as it was, it was also depressing because the techniques Kilcullen outlines are hard to execute without cooperation from the people you're trying to help, and because the timelines to deliver effective, noticeable aid are so long. I probably wouldn't recommend this to anyone who wasn't planning a vacation to Afghanistan, but it really hit the mark with what it was trying to accomplish. It gets 3.5 out of 5 "Lawrence of Arabias".
Bossypants - Tina Fey
This is a hilarious autobiography of one of the funniest, most talented women in entertainment. There were several bona fide laugh out loud moments, and her story is pretty inspiring. There's definitely something for everyone here, and it made me want to go back and watch every episode of her series 30 Rock. It also made me want to go see the Second City comedy troup in Chicago. When I get back, Ashley and I are coming to visit, Kate and Pete, and we want to go! In fact, because Tina Fey is also an unabashed feminist, I'm going to give this book 4.5 out of 5 "Kate Richards Endicotts".
The Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins
I read this series right before I left, so I'm not sure it counts. Plus, it's aimed at young adults, specifically girls in their late teens (I think). That said, these three books are phenomenal looks at a post-apocalyptic society in which a country resembling the United States is divided into 12 districts. These districts are required to send one boy and one girl to compete in the Hunger Games each year as punishment for a revolt started by the 13th district, which was obliterated by the Capital. I know, it sounds pretty hokey and science fictiony, but it's a very powerful story, with fantastic characters. The books are also being made into movies, the first of which is due out in early 2012, so you have a few months to get on board. You won't regret it. I give this series 5 out of 5 "Mad Maxes".
www.grantland.com - Bill Simmons, et al
This is a brand new website founded by my favorite sportswriter, Bill Simmons (ESPN's The Sports Guy). He's rounded up a group of talented authors who will give their takes on all things pop culture, from sports and music to movies and TV. I think it has something for everyone, and I check back every few days for updates. Looking forward to great things. It's also nice because ESPN.com is blocked at work for some reason, so this is my only outlet for The Sports Guy.
Thomas Friedman
Everyone following this blog is aware of my man crush on Thomas Friedman, so we'll just move on. You can find his pieces on the New York Times' website, or frequently posted on my Facebook wall.
Peter King
Hopefully less controversial than Thomas Friedman, Peter King writes Sports Illustrated's "Monday Morning Quarterback", a weekly look into professional football, as well as some off the wall observations and commentary. He's a great source for all things NFL, and I like his writing style.
Fareed Zakaria
Oh here we go again, more political stuff. I think Zakaria and Friedman are two of the most important voices we have in the media today, and I think if a few more Members of Congress listened to them and thought about how to implement some of their ideas, even while keeping them within the fabric of their political party, we'd all be a lot better off.
www.t-nation.com
This is my go-to website for fitness and nutrition info. I've been following it for over 8 years now, and it's *FREE* advice and articles have helped me and many of my friends learn a lot about some pretty complex stuff. If you're thinking about starting a new fitness program, a new diet, want some awesome protein products, or just want to look at pretty girls (they have a Fitness Athlete page), this is the place for you.
Well, I wish I could review the titles below, but that's kind of the point of the post. I can't! Of course, I could probably by a bootleg copy of all these and watch them on my computer, but summer movies are the kind that need to watched on a gigantic screen with the volume set to 11, so I'll just have to wait until I get home to see these. Anyone have any recommendations to add to the list? (Don't list anything that's not out yet, I'll update my list as things are released)
Wish I Was Watching
Thor
Pirates of the Caribbean IV
Hangover Part II
Super 8
Transformers III
Game of Thrones (HBO)
Hope you enjoyed this post...I enjoyed writing it and reflecting on all I've read and what I have to read. I'll probably do this once a month and keep you up to date on my literary travels! Until next time...
Reading
Sovereign: A Matthew Shardlake Mystery - C.J. Sanscom
This is the third Matthew Shardlake novel, a series of books set in Tudor England about the adventures of a hunchbacked lawyer working for low level nobility in the employ of Henry VIII. This author was introduced to us by Suzy, our neighbor in England, and Ashley and I enjoy his books a lot. They're very well researched historical fiction, and interesting mysteries without being too procedural. I'm in the middle of this one now, and it's outstanding so far. I also have the next two books on my Kindle ready to go when I get to them. So far, I'm giving this one 4 out of 5 "Murder She Wrotes".
The Five Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts - Gary Chapman
This book was recommended to me by Brandon, the guy I replaced. He and his wife (married just over a year) used it to help themselves communicate while he was away. Obviously Ashley and I have been through this a couple of times before, and we've been married 6 years now (Wow!) but I thought it would be neat to read this together in stages and discuss a chapter a week on the phone. It has little "Your Turn" moments at the end of each chapter where you apply what you've read to your own marriage. The Five Languages are: Words of Affirmation, Quality Time, Receiving Gifts, Acts of Service, and Physical Touch. The idea is that each of us has a primary love language, and if our spouse learns to communicate with us in that language, our love tanks will be fuller. The idea is fantastic, and a lot of the ideas he gives will be great to use when I get home. The book has also lead to some good discussions. I highly recommend this to all couples, married or not, it can only help your relationship. I give it 4.5 out of 5 "Stuart Smalleys". Oh wait, I'm sorry, that's 4.5 out of 5 "Senator Stuart Smalleys".
The End of Overeating: Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite - David Kessler
By now you can tell that I like to intersperse my reading for pleasure with reading for spiritual or mental growth. This book was recommended on the fitness website I mention below, and it was only $2.99 on Kindle, so I got it. It starts off a bit slow and sciency, but if you hang through that part it has fascinating insights on why we can't resist eating things that we know aren't good for us, even when we know we'll regret it later. The author gives some great guidance on how to change your habits, and possibly change your future health. It was fascinating for me learning more about the inner workings of the human psyche when it comes to food, but it didn't really tell me anything I didn't know about what to eat, when, and what was good and not good for me. I give this one 3 out of 5 "Richard Simmons".
Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords - George R. R. Martin
I started these books because the HBO series looked like something right up my alley (medieval setting, kings, knights, battles, etc) kind of like Braveheart, Gladiator, and Kingdom of Heaven all rolled up into one 13 hour movie (and that's just the first season!). If you're a fan of fantasy books or medieval writing (Tolkien, Eddings, Brooks, Jordan, King, etc) then this series is for you. Fair warning though, I bought a four book set on Kindle thinking it was complete and it turns out that book five comes out in two weeks, and there are two more planned after. Curses! If you know me well, you know my saga with Roland and his ka-tet, and how I suffered for ten years to see their adventures concluded. Because of that I can't give the books perfect marks, but I can still give them 4.5 out of 5 "Dark Towers".
The Accidental Guerilla: Fighting Small Wars in the Midst of a Big One - David Kilcullen
This was an interesting, insightful look into how to best fight a war against extremists of one sort or another. As interesting as it was, it was also depressing because the techniques Kilcullen outlines are hard to execute without cooperation from the people you're trying to help, and because the timelines to deliver effective, noticeable aid are so long. I probably wouldn't recommend this to anyone who wasn't planning a vacation to Afghanistan, but it really hit the mark with what it was trying to accomplish. It gets 3.5 out of 5 "Lawrence of Arabias".
Bossypants - Tina Fey
This is a hilarious autobiography of one of the funniest, most talented women in entertainment. There were several bona fide laugh out loud moments, and her story is pretty inspiring. There's definitely something for everyone here, and it made me want to go back and watch every episode of her series 30 Rock. It also made me want to go see the Second City comedy troup in Chicago. When I get back, Ashley and I are coming to visit, Kate and Pete, and we want to go! In fact, because Tina Fey is also an unabashed feminist, I'm going to give this book 4.5 out of 5 "Kate Richards Endicotts".
The Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins
I read this series right before I left, so I'm not sure it counts. Plus, it's aimed at young adults, specifically girls in their late teens (I think). That said, these three books are phenomenal looks at a post-apocalyptic society in which a country resembling the United States is divided into 12 districts. These districts are required to send one boy and one girl to compete in the Hunger Games each year as punishment for a revolt started by the 13th district, which was obliterated by the Capital. I know, it sounds pretty hokey and science fictiony, but it's a very powerful story, with fantastic characters. The books are also being made into movies, the first of which is due out in early 2012, so you have a few months to get on board. You won't regret it. I give this series 5 out of 5 "Mad Maxes".
www.grantland.com - Bill Simmons, et al
This is a brand new website founded by my favorite sportswriter, Bill Simmons (ESPN's The Sports Guy). He's rounded up a group of talented authors who will give their takes on all things pop culture, from sports and music to movies and TV. I think it has something for everyone, and I check back every few days for updates. Looking forward to great things. It's also nice because ESPN.com is blocked at work for some reason, so this is my only outlet for The Sports Guy.
Thomas Friedman
Everyone following this blog is aware of my man crush on Thomas Friedman, so we'll just move on. You can find his pieces on the New York Times' website, or frequently posted on my Facebook wall.
Peter King
Hopefully less controversial than Thomas Friedman, Peter King writes Sports Illustrated's "Monday Morning Quarterback", a weekly look into professional football, as well as some off the wall observations and commentary. He's a great source for all things NFL, and I like his writing style.
Fareed Zakaria
Oh here we go again, more political stuff. I think Zakaria and Friedman are two of the most important voices we have in the media today, and I think if a few more Members of Congress listened to them and thought about how to implement some of their ideas, even while keeping them within the fabric of their political party, we'd all be a lot better off.
www.t-nation.com
This is my go-to website for fitness and nutrition info. I've been following it for over 8 years now, and it's *FREE* advice and articles have helped me and many of my friends learn a lot about some pretty complex stuff. If you're thinking about starting a new fitness program, a new diet, want some awesome protein products, or just want to look at pretty girls (they have a Fitness Athlete page), this is the place for you.
Well, I wish I could review the titles below, but that's kind of the point of the post. I can't! Of course, I could probably by a bootleg copy of all these and watch them on my computer, but summer movies are the kind that need to watched on a gigantic screen with the volume set to 11, so I'll just have to wait until I get home to see these. Anyone have any recommendations to add to the list? (Don't list anything that's not out yet, I'll update my list as things are released)
Wish I Was Watching
Thor
Pirates of the Caribbean IV
Hangover Part II
Super 8
Transformers III
Game of Thrones (HBO)
Hope you enjoyed this post...I enjoyed writing it and reflecting on all I've read and what I have to read. I'll probably do this once a month and keep you up to date on my literary travels! Until next time...
Great post! Thanks for the look into your reading material.
ReplyDeleteThor wasn't fantastic, just pretty good. I'm surprised X-men isn't on your list. Super 8 was really good. Hope you are keeping busy, it sounds like you are. Thank you for giving me a list of things to read, I'll hopefully be able to check several of those out this summer!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the shout out. I've heard of that Love Language book before. I think I'll get a copy. When you come to Chicago there is LOTS to do. Pete and I went to Medieval Times last week and there are two burlesques we plan on attending soon: Lord of The Boob (featuring references to LOTR and WoW) and Alien Queen (a version of Alien and Aliens set to Queen songs). These are just two examples of all the zany things going on. And, you'll be happy to know I've purchased a Chicago Plus card allowing me unlimited access to the CTA. I'm busing and l-ing to work and I plan on reading during those commutes. I'll never get up to your quantity, but maybe someday.
ReplyDelete@Mike, I've had enough of X-men...never was that into them in the first place, and then Chris Nolan showed what superhero movies can really be and I'm done.
ReplyDelete@Kate, Definitely looking forward to visiting! Maybe in the spring so we can see some baseball games? Reading during commutes is easy, especially with a Kindle. If you don't have one, I'd start dropping hints to Pedro. You can have others loan you books for up to two weeks, so you could work your way through Ashley and my collection before you even have to buy a book!