Not much of a fiction reader per se, especially fiction, but I am reading “100 Years of Solitude,” Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Great book.
Gates or Fire. Which led me to Tides of War by Stephen Pressfield. If your a historian or military officer (or any type of leader) Gates of Fire is a must read.
I currently have several books I’m working on.
Yoga for Athletes by Aladar Kogler, Ph.D.
It’s Not ABout the Bike by Lance Armstrong
The Lance Armstrong Performance Program by Lance Armstrong & Chris Carmichael
Galloway’s Book on Running by Jeff Galloway
Run Fast by Hal Higdon
The Comics Since 1945 by Brian Walker
currently re-reading Eric Newby’s ‘A short walk in the Hindu Kush’, very funny story about an epic trip. ‘Love and War in the Apennines’ about his POW experience in Italy is also excellent.
recently:
- went back and started at the beginning of the Aubrey/Maturin series by Patrick O’Brien. Initially I preferred the Hornblower novels, but these grew on me…
- Sick Puppy, Carl Hiassen - funny thriller with an environmental slant
- Flashman at the Charge, George MacDonald Fraser - a fictional rascal in real historical situations, this one the Charge of the Light Brigade, and some Russian history. The Charge is your basic military SNAFU, familiar to anyone who’s ever had a commanding officer. The account of the serfs explains a lot of Russia’s subsequent development.
On the list:
- The Worst Journey in the World, Cherry Apsley-Garrard, about polar exploration with Scott.
- A visit to the second-hand bookstore, for an Everyman Library edition of some Dickens or Trollope. These editions are great for travelling, more words per ounce than any other… heh.
Jorge Luis Borges, Collected Fictions - Translated by Andrew Hurley. (Thoroughly entertaining.)
Sneaking back through parts of The Lord of the Rings, mostly the Appendices…also for the umpteenth time.
The Journals of Lewis and Clark - edited by Bernard DeVoto
Blood, Sweat and Tears, by Winston Churchill
Mila 18, by Leon Uris
…just to name a few off the top of my head. I have a couple others lying around the house in various places. I usually have 5 or 6 books going at the same time. It can be interesting to pick one up, start reading, and think, “now that doesn’t follow,” only to realize that I was thinking of another book I’m reading.
I’m reading Ludlums Bourne Supremacy and Friel’s Training Bible (again) to try and figure out some scientific approach to my training this year.
Once a Runner stands out in my mind. I forgot the author but the book was motivating andstirring when I was not motivated one year in college. If you ran track in college you’ll get some flashbacks. It is pretty much a true story and if you want to read about some serious running miles and workouts thats the book. Also have re re re reread The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings Trilogy again. The Harry Potter books weren’t all to bad but became somewhat predictable. To be fair though I read them all in a week. Not to mention the usual science stuff that never seems to end w/my job. I’ve been trying to read Friel’s Triathlete Training Bible for about 1.5 yrs now and can’t ever seem to get through it but have read Training Lactate Pulse Rate about 3 times. I personally like books I can read and tune off my brain. No need to waste the cells all evening long, got plenty of time to do that during the day. Last 2 books were Last of the Mohicans and Mutant Message Down Under by Margo Morgan. It was sitting around for 2 yrs and I finally picked it up and read it one afternoon, excellent book IMO.
On the nightstand is Carl Hiaasen’s “Basket Case.” Hard to fall asleep when you’re laughing out loud. Finished “The Two Towers” in early December and now working through “The Return of the King.” Am a slow reader. Best books of '02 included Sandra Tsing Loh’s “A Year in Van Nuys” and E.F. Benson’s “Mapp & Lucia.” Want to reread “The Hours” before possibly seeing the movie.
Oh, also reading “Triathlete’s Training Bible” and Noakes’ “Lore of Running.” Now that’s a tome, but man is it comprehensive.
Amy White
Seaside, CA
Ok now at home rather than at the office and am looking at all the books I have enjoyed and did not recommend in my last post.
If you like the O’Brien books you may like “Cochrane the life and exploits of a fighting captain” by Robert Harvey. Cochrane is the man who Patrick O’Brien based Aubrey on. There is also a book called “Reminiscences of a Naval Officer” by Captain Crawford RN - the actual memoirs of a participant rather than a fictional account. By the way just checked the twentieth Aubrey/Maturin book is called “Blue at the Mizzen”
Ian Rankin is the author of the Rebus - books - like Andrew said very light but good for flights.
Bernard Cornwell books are always a good read - not too heavy but always well researched.
Bill Bryson books I always find very funny - his observations are usually spot on.
I have just finished John Keegans biography of Churchill.
Rgds
I usually read Playboy (as I am bunnyman, after all). If not that, then I read non-fiction, with a couple of exceptions. I have read lately this book:
Omerto, by Mario Puzo. It’s a nice little book about the Mafia by the great writer who brought you the Godfather.
Dinosaur in a Haystack, by Gould. I Just finished Mozart’s Brain and the Fighter Pilot by Restak. Both from Audible.com, techno-weenie that I am. 
-Robert
Spike Milligan of The Goon Show fame wrote a 7 part trilogy of his war memoirs. I’m currently re-reading volume four. There’s a reason the Allies won WWII, but after reading Milligans memoirs, ya gotta wonder how.
I just got my 18 yr old son to read Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. It’s the first book he voluntarily devoured in years.
I just might re-read Helter Skelter next.
Paul
I hate to admit this, but wonder if anyone else feels the same. Prior to beginning post secondary school I used to read all the time, then I was forced to read so much that I really never got back into reading for enjoyment again. My wife is actually using Lance’s book for one of her classes and obviously she had to read it prior to deciding to use it. She often told me about and even tried to get me to read it, and as much as I respect Lance and love bikes, I just couldn’t do it.
I agree. I am in medical school and the only time I can read for pleasure is during breaks. Then again I average 3 or 4 books during breaks. BUt it is really hard to find the time to read for pleasure outside of school work, especially when it primarily involves reading in the first place
hmm…lets see, what am i reading…
anatomy, physioilogy, physics, microbiology, statistics and some organic chemistry just for the hell of it…and yeah, all textbooks.
I wish i had some spare time so that i could actually read a book. My yearly reading is done travelling across the country, either on planes or in cars. Finished the first 2 lord of the rings books that way, and started the biography of willam osler as well, which happens to look like a really cool book.
-kevin