What are you reading?

[Crankin]

Wow, I don't challenge myself with that kind of reading, Catrin! Too much like school. My reading is strictly for pleasure or informational/professional.
I am in the process of reading Maeve Binchy's last book. It was published after she died. It's actually a collection of very short stories, all based on characters on Chestnut St. in Dublin, called Chestnut Street. I generally don't read too many short story collections, and this reminds me I should. I skipped May's selection of the Woman's Adventure Book Club, but I did download the June one, which is Miles From Nowhere, and it's about a cycling trip, I think in the seventies?

[BikeDutchess]

Miles from Nowhere is still my all-time favorite cycling trip book! I didn't realize it was available in an e-reader version, thanks!

[Catrin]

Crankin, I guess that is just an indication of subconscious masochistic tendencies because it IS for pleasure ;-) Then again, it takes some of that to even consider training for kettlebell sport so it probably isn't a surprise!

All of you keep getting me interested in Harry Dresden - once I've completed my current Terry Pratchett book (lunch time reading), I will see what my library has for Harry Dresden. I also have other Gaim books to read on my list.

[shootingstar]

One of my birthday gifts to dearie in a few weeks, is a book I bought for him which I'm sneaking in my read: By the Canadian astronaut who played guitar in space, Chris Hadfield: An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth.

I really recommend it: it's his autobiography not only about how astronauts train, more about life lessons the humbling experience of training hard to fly for space but in the end, most astronauts, don't get selected to fly. So it's all about the journey, in the moment, instead of the goal itself.

Also there's a piece about training for a one's own death, in case an astronaut die should accidentally on a space mission.

Here's a great quote (p. 35): "See a funny thing happened on the way to space: I learned how to live better and more happily, here on Earth".

And for experienced cyclists here, we all know for difficult rides, it's all about enjoying the journey, not just the destination/goal itself

[Irulan]

I adore Cmmdr Hadfield. His twitter feed and facebook page are awesome.

[Owlie]

I've been reading The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer. The biology is a little simplistic, but I can forgive it for that. It's an interesting read.

[ny biker]

I'm in the middle of Chris Hadfield's book and also started reading the free Kindle version of Mark Twain's Life on the Mississippi recently. I'm enjoying both.

My first Kindle read was another free book, A Rogue's Life by Wilkie Collins. It was amusing, except for a huge bit of anti-Semitism in one chapter that I did not like.

So far my strategy of buying a Kindle to make reading more convenient is paying off. I've downloaded more than 20 free books. Most are pretty obscure, like writings by Teddy Roosevelt and memoirs by unfamous men who fought in World War I or the Civil War. But there's no risk if I don't like them, since they were free, and they might turn out to be interesting.

BTW Chris Hadfield is working on another book, a compilation of the photos he took from while on the ISS.

[Catrin]

I adore Cmmdr Hadfield. His twitter feed and facebook page are awesome.

You got me curious about this man Irulan, I've not heard of him. Very interesting indeed!