So I'm currently reading the Foundation trilogy by Isaac Asimov. I managed to score a paperback version with the first three books together for a buck. Can't beat that, right? Problem: try and find a picture of the cover. Problem Two: I'm too lazy to scan it. In any case, the Foundation trilogy is to science fiction what the Lord of The Rings trilogy is to fantasy. Excellent set of books. What I didn't know is that there are more of them, written by other authors though. Anyone know anything about them?
I'm not currently listening to anything in particular. I go through spurts where I buy books, and then through rushes of CD buying. This weekend I managed to grab The DaVinci Code as well as (don't laugh!) Hillary Clinton's memoir. I know, I caved. Who knows, though... Maybe it'll turn out ok... Back to music (where I started) BB King released an album last week supposedly, so I'll probably look for that. I'll let you know if I find it.
What are you reading and listening to?
I just finished a book called "We wish to inform you that tomorrow we will be killed with our families: Stories from Rwanda" by Philip Gourevitch, about the Rwandan genocide in 1994. It was really well written - the author manages to deal with a really gruesome subject realistically without being graphic just to sell books - and it gives you a lot to think about. However, it may not be the best book if you're looking for some light summer reading.
Sheesh... Talk about depressing reading... I'll add that one to my list right after Harry Potter V.
Seriously though, there's a lot of depressing reading out there. I read a lot about Israel and the Middle East for a while, there's books like the one you mentioned, and there are books about people who have lived through dieases, molestation, etc. Personally, I find it hard to strike a decent balance between educational and enlightening reading and reading for entertainment, although both are necessary (all work and no play...). With so many classics and other important works that I should be consuming, how can I justify Harry Potter? I'm just not quite sure.
Saw that you are reading the Foundation series. Great books but your info is off slightly. Asimov actually wrote 7 books in this series. After his death there were 3 books published by top notch SF authors with the blessing of Asimov's estate. Anyway the 7 that Asimov wrote are as follows: Prelude to Foundation, Forward the Foundation, Foundation, Foundation and Empire, Second Foundation, Foundation's Edge, and Foundation and Earth. This is a great epic tale by a grandmaster author, all worth the read. Which is why when he died fans still wanted more. So 3 of the better authors in SF genre added to the story. Those three books are also worth the read if you have gotten through the 7 original books and still want more of the Foundation story. Those three books are Foundation's Fear by Greg Benford, Foundation and Chaos by Greg Bear and Foundation's Triumph by David Brin. Hope this helps you out and hope you enjoy one of the best stories in the SF genre.
I am reading a book called Krakatoa : The Day The World Exploded: August 27th, 1883. The focus of the book of course is the cataclysmic explosion of the world's most violent volcanic eruption in history. He also gives a short history lesson of the Dutch settlement of Batavia which is now present day Jakarta, and how the Dutch abandonment of their settlements left the Indonesians to turn to radical Islam after the disaster which set the stage for the present day volatility in Indonesia. Haven't finished it yet, but it is rather compelling if you have the time.
Dan: Thanks for the Foundation reccomendations. I appreciate them. I finished the trilogy earlier this week and I'll definitely add the other books to my reading list.
Thanks for the comment Mike. Tell you the truth, I didn't even know that about that particular volcanic explosion. Again, that sounds like a book I should add to my reading list. I know some people really don't like historical and non-fiction books, but I like to mix up my reading. I'll definitely try to check that out.