What Was the Last Book You Read?

[RuiFromUK]

Probably I am as much a tea addict as I am to fountain pens so you will not be surprised with this list.

Latest one read:

China's Ancient Tea Horse Road BY Cognoscenti Books, Andrew Forbes, et al

Busy reading:

The True History of Tea BY Victor H. Mair and Erling Hoh

Next to be read:

The Ancient art of Tea: Wisdom From the Ancient Chinese Tea Masters by Warren Peltier

[AZBennett]

I just started "The Shadow of the Torturer" by Gene Wolfe.
The last book I finished was probably "Red Country" by Joe Abercrombie. Although I have read several nonfiction books on addiction recovery and self help.

[Cob]

I should have mentioned my Christmas present, "Adventures in Stationery" read during the holiday, which I reviewed in the Paraphernalia section.

I am just about to start Rebecca West's "The Meaning of Treason." I have been told that Miss West's history was rather better than her novels!

Cob

[manoeuver]

recently finished Bird by Bird, Anne Lamott.
Also Andrea McNichol's book on graphology.
Several Captain Underpantses.

Just started on my first runthrough of Marcus Aurelius' Meditations. It's awesome.
recently acquired book stack below! some are headed straight to the antilibrary.

[sharmon202]

recently finished Bird by Bird, Anne Lamott.
Also Andrea McNichol's book on graphology.
Several Captain Underpantses.

Just started on my first runthrough of Marcus Aurelius' Meditations. It's awesome.
recently acquired book stack below! some are headed straight to the antilibrary.

I read the Iacocca book years ago, it was good even if he was an egomaniac. Strunk & White take me back to school, a bit dry but useful. Theodore Rex, on my shelf awaiting its turn. Let me know how you like it if you read it this year.

[sharmon202]

Does any one know of any cursive writing improvement books on the App Store? I bought Joe vitolos,book on copperplate and it is awesome but it is beyond me. Meaning,,, I'm not ready for that just yet

Is a cursive writing app a contradiction of terms?

[Lady Onogaro]

That's fine, and I didn't address you, either. WOW.

She was just teasing you; she didn't mean to insult you. She's a really nice person.

There is a free book that Hector recommended to me at one point on penmanship (it's what he started with, he said). You can find it here: http://66.147.242.192/~operinan/8/2/203.html

It's on cursive italic, and there are models and practice sheets. He also recommended the Spencerian books that you can find on Amazon rather cheaply (those have practice books, too).

I hope this helps.

[Lady Onogaro]

I just started "The Shadow of the Torturer" by Gene Wolfe.
The last book I finished was probably "Red Country" by Joe Abercrombie. Although I have read several nonfiction books on addiction recovery and self help.

That book by Wolfe is great. I had completely forgotten about it. I'll have to look it up again and re-read it.

I also liked the Sun Wolf and Star Hawk books by Barbara Hambly which I remember reading about the same time.

[VertOlive]

I accidentally bought Gone Girl in my sleep. I was half awake in bed when I thought I hit "Sample" on my kindle. Got the whole book instead so read it. Several nice plot turns, but the characters were not at all likeable or engaging.

[GING GING]

I just read a riveting thriller.. Learning to play nice when it's so much easier to be mean.

[writingrav]

All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr. Fantastic!

[chojo]

Moriarty by Anthony Horowitz, a good read but not as good as House of Silk.

[Lady Onogaro]

Moriarty by Anthony Horowitz, a good read but not as good as House of Silk.

I read House of Silk and liked it after the rather cliched opening. I wondered about this one. I will probably check it out of the library. If you want to read some good Sherlock Holmes pastiches, look at the LB Greenwood books. There is at least one for .99 cents on Kindle. I liked "Sherlock Holmes and the Raleigh Legacy" and "Sherlock Holmes and the Thistle of Scotland." You can find these used for .01 plus shipping on Amazon.

[Lady Onogaro]

I am now reading "Foxglove Summer" by Ben Aaronovitch. If you like fantasy (the Dresden files, anyone?), these are not to be missed. You should, however, read them in order. The first book in the series is "Midnight Riot."

[Inneryeti]

Leonardo Da Vinci Master Draftsman
786 page Catalogue of Metropolitan exhibit. To help visualize size think of Webster's or Oxford Dictionary or an old family bible. Filled with detail, scale photographs, non modernized translations, past scholarly attributions(w/ support), primary source documentation. The images are done in such a way to accurately approximate the subtle tone of the originals.The first 200 pages consists of scholarly articles on the life, impact, influence of Leonardo, as well as the provenances of the work(not normally included in exhibit documentation). Another interesting inclusion is the diversity of scholarly opinion on certain points (in many publications the general lack of scholarly consensus is not highlighted as such.) A fantastic reference for the scholar or artist. Beautiful images and an almost overwhelming amount of contextual information. Definitely a work I can pick up again and again. This is a lifetime addition to my reference library.

[Dreck]

Leonardo Da Vinci Master Draftsman
786 page Catalogue of Metropolitan exhibit. To help visualize size think of Webster's or Oxford Dictionary or an old family bible. Filled with detail, scale photographs, non modernized translations, past scholarly attributions(w/ support), primary source documentation. The images are done in such a way to accurately approximate the subtle tone of the originals.The first 200 pages consists of scholarly articles on the life, impact, influence of Leonardo, as well as the provenances of the work(not normally included in exhibit documentation). Another interesting inclusion is the diversity of scholarly opinion on certain points (in many publications the general lack of scholarly consensus is not highlighted as such.) A fantastic reference for the scholar or artist. Beautiful images and an almost overwhelming amount of contextual information. Definitely a work I can pick up again and again. This is a lifetime addition to my reference library.

That sounds amazing!

[Laura N]

All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr. Fantastic!

Seconded!

The last book I finished in 2014 was My Struggle, Volume 1, by Karl Ove Knausgaard. I would never dare recommend it to anyone else, because it's definitely not for everyone, but I thought it was wonderful: strange, gripping and intense.

[Lady Onogaro]

I have read great things about the Doerr book. It's on my list.

I think the best books I read in 2014 were Transatlantic by Colum McCann and I Have Always Love You by Robin Olivera. Oh, and The Martian by Andrew Weir which was hilarious, thrilling, intelligent, etc. Anyone else have particular favorites for last year?

[Laura N]

Great idea, here are my favorite novels read in 2014:

Elena Ferrante, Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay

Karen Joy Fowler, We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves

Karl Ove Knausgaard, My Struggle, Volume 1

Ali Smith, How to Be Both.

I also reread One Hundred Years of Solitude, which is one of my favorite books ever, and would make every list.

[chojo]

Moriarty by Anthony Horowitz, a good read but not as good as House of Silk.

I read House of Silk and liked it after the rather cliched opening. I wondered about this one. I will probably check it out of the library. If you want to read some good Sherlock Holmes pastiches, look at the LB Greenwood books. There is at least one for .99 cents on Kindle. I liked "Sherlock Holmes and the Raleigh Legacy" and "Sherlock Holmes and the Thistle of Scotland." You can find these used for .01 plus shipping on Amazon.

Thanks for the tip I'll give them a look. I think you'll enjoy Moriarty it does have a surprising twist at the end though.