What are you reading??

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Reading “Julian” by Gore Vidal. First book by Vidal I have read but definitely not the last.
 
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My Dad always clips the financial times watch coverage for me. (He's so sweet.) I decided to sit down and read this month's haul by the lake this evening with a beer and a good cigar.
 
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Just bought this yesterday and will start reading it now.
Hopefully the book lives up to its front and back cover review hype, all from authors I really respect and enjoyed. The real shock to me ( just now) is seeing the publishing date, hopefully it will be a voyage of joy and discovery.

Edited:
 
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Summer by the pool with a book. No wifi no problem.

I finished the Landry book yesterday. 1990.

The Space Eagle? The artwork is enough to encourage me to read the first few pages, to see if it’s worthwhile. 1970.

If Moonwatches are mentioned, I will bump this thread.
 
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Summer by the pool with a book. No wifi no problem.

I finished the Landry book yesterday. 1990.

The Space Eagle? The artwork is enough to encourage me to read the first few pages, to see if it’s worthwhile. 1970.

If Moonwatches are mentioned, I will bump this thread.
And it's the authorized edition. That raises curiosity.
 
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Summer by the pool with a book. No wifi no problem.

I finished the Landry book yesterday. 1990.

The Space Eagle? The artwork is enough to encourage me to read the first few pages, to see if it’s worthwhile. 1970.

If Moonwatches are mentioned, I will bump this thread.

While I was growing up, my parents had an entire bookshelf about the size of two doors full of paperbacks and a few hardcovers. I've no idea where they all came from. I perused it often and as a young kid, often picked my books to read based on the cover artwork. I read some stinkers, some great books that I only later learned were "classics" or ones with cult followings, and some political commentary. I wish I still had the time, or quite frankly, enjoyed reading 20 or 30 books a year like I used to. Now, I'm happy if I can get five read. Good luck in your choices!
 
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In my lifetime quest to read biographies of each British monarch since William the Conqueror I am reading this biography on George VI. I am impressed with this narrative. At 805 pages it is a fairly weighty tome, a detailed account of his life and includes the background whirlwind of history of the first half of the 20th century. He was an admirable person, a royal "spare" who retained dignity and character and worked himself into an early grave. I am impressed with him.

 
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Just bought this one, looks kinda cool.
Will read start reading today.

 
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Biography of Cold War CIA clandestine service leader Frank Gardiner Wisner, he succeed Allen Dulles who inaugurated the role when Dulles became CIA Director. Busy man, led coups in Guatemala and Iran as a well as running the Belarus Brigade of former SS officers to be a thorn in Moscow’s side.



Ends badly for him but exciting story . . .
 
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In my lifetime quest to read biographies of each British monarch since William the Conqueror I am reading this biography on George VI. I am impressed with this narrative. At 805 pages it is a fairly weighty tome, a detailed account of his life and includes the background whirlwind of history of the first half of the 20th century. He was an admirable person, a royal "spare" who retained dignity and character and worked himself into an early grave. I am impressed with him.
Google tells me there are 41 monarchs in this time frame, so an admirable quest. How many have you completed so far?
 
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Google tells me there are 41 monarchs in this time frame, so an admirable quest. How many have you completed so far?

amikoyan, you're mean, you are!

I feel defeated after reading your post, heh!

This site is even more discouraging! https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/KingsQueensofBritain/

I only have 25 monarchs plus Cromwell on the shelves and have read only 19 of those so far over 40-something years, in between reading other history that interests me. I need to plug gaps, need to obtain better biographies of one or two, and, sadly now, need to add a really good complete biography of Elizabeth II. The small one on her that we have here was published in 2019.

Any good Elizabeth II biographies out now that could be suggested will be appreciated.

Years ago I held a goal of reading every book in our home library twice, because I can't recall a book really well unless I read it a couple of times. There are two problems with that. The library has grown through the years. The number of years that I have remaining before shuffling off this mortal coil have diminished. I've not read through our entire library even once and there is really good stuff within it that needs reading.

As my mother used to say: "You have bitten off more than you could chew!"

Here's the bookcase containing the monarch biographies.


A closer look at the British section of the bookcase.
 
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I just finished a biography of a special forces soldier. I like these types of books, endurance spirts people, mountain climbers, explorers, military personnel, be they Special forces or regular military.
I am fascinated by the mental strength these people need, and display, to reach their goals.

I have just started a biography of a British former footballer Ian Wright.

After this I will read something by Walter Mosley, a fantastic American crime writer.
 
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amikoyan, you're mean, you are!

I feel defeated after reading your post, heh!

This site is even more discouraging! https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/KingsQueensofBritain/

I only have 25 monarchs plus Cromwell on the shelves and have read only 19 of those so far over 40-something years, in between reading other history that interests me. I need to plug gaps, need to obtain better biographies of one or two, and, sadly now, need to add a really good complete biography of Elizabeth II. The small one on her that we have here was published in 2019.

Any good Elizabeth II biographies out now that could be suggested will be appreciated.

Years ago I held a goal of reading every book in our home library twice, because I can't recall a book really well unless I read it a couple of times. There are two problems with that. The library has grown through the years. The number of years that I have remaining before shuffling off this mortal coil have diminished. I've not read through our entire library even once and there is really good stuff within it that needs reading.

As my mother used to say: "You have bitten off more than you could chew!"

Here's the bookcase containing the monarch biographies.


A closer look at the British section of the bookcase.
You're gonna need a bigger bookcase!

 
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Biography of Cold War CIA clandestine service leader Frank Gardiner Wisner, he succeed Allen Dulles who inaugurated the role when Dulles became CIA Director. Busy man, led coups in Guatemala and Iran as a well as running the Belarus Brigade of former SS officers to be a thorn in Moscow’s side.



Ends badly for him but exciting story . . .
Started on this one yesterday
 
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Winds of Destruction (PJH Petter : 2008 - 600 pages)
A Pride of Eagles RhAF history (Beryl Salt : 2015 - 856 pages)
 
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amikoyan, you're mean, you are!

I feel defeated after reading your post, heh!

This site is even more discouraging! https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/KingsQueensofBritain/

I only have 25 monarchs plus Cromwell on the shelves and have read only 19 of those so far over 40-something years, in between reading other history that interests me. I need to plug gaps, need to obtain better biographies of one or two, and, sadly now, need to add a really good complete biography of Elizabeth II. The small one on her that we have here was published in 2019.

Any good Elizabeth II biographies out now that could be suggested will be appreciated.

Years ago I held a goal of reading every book in our home library twice, because I can't recall a book really well unless I read it a couple of times. There are two problems with that. The library has grown through the years. The number of years that I have remaining before shuffling off this mortal coil have diminished. I've not read through our entire library even once and there is really good stuff within it that needs reading.

As my mother used to say: "You have bitten off more than you could chew!"

Here's the bookcase containing the monarch biographies.


A closer look at the British section of the bookcase.
@noelekal . I have just seen your response to my post. I am sorry, it was not my intention to discourage you. Reading nineteen biographies of British monarchs is a pretty good achievement, and you've read exactly 19 more than me!

Your library looks amazing, so enjoy those books.
 
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Fabulous book, the storytelling is incredible and the entire expedition beyond comprehension!

 
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This … With streamer at the ready song by song.