Just wondering ... what is everyone reading now?

[pictonguy]

I have a visceral negative reaction when it comes to Deepak Chopra. I couldn't remember exactly why until I found this:
https://www.newyorker.com/culture/q-and-a/Deepak-Chopra-has-never-been-sick

He's a consummate bullshi**er.


My long experience with chronic illness, multiple surgeries, and doctors in several different specialties does not support this. My doctors work hard not just to list and treat symptoms but to identify the causes of illness and try to treat the cause. They know that a person's mental health influences their physical health. They understand, though, that the body is made up of several systems that are very complex and no one person can be an expert in all of them, so they don't make claims they can't back up.


Chopra is a classic pseudoscientist who combines facts and jargon in ways that seem to make sense but can't be proven, so whether you believe the whole of what he talks about is a matter of faith, not science. For one thing, there are several other types of energy in the universe besides electrical.


The facts in that paragraph are not his philosophy. He didn't discover them and he doesn't do any research to try to understand them better or to understand how they might be connected to other phenomena. He combines them with stuff he makes up that appeal to people with a romantic nature or who are desperate to believe in something, especially if they're facing some terrible tragedy or other life circumstance. Not saying either of those apply to you or that they're the only reasons why people follow him. Just saying that imo, he's a snake oil salesman.

Thanks for the heads up, I'll certainly check into it more thouroughly. Don't know much about him other than his book, which I find interesting.

 

[Cooking Goddess]

Just finished reading the third installment of the Thursday Murder Club. An English murder mystery with a group of seniors in a retirement community working to solve murders.

I really have enjoyed them, too, Andy. I just finished the fourth one. Sadly, it will be a while before #5 is out. He's starting another series featuring a daughter in law/father in law team solving crimes.

************
I started reading "It Begins with Us", the sequel to "It Ends With Us", for the library book group meeting on Monday. I also finally downloaded "Lessons in Chemistry" yesterday and did a little reading that book. Gotta finish the book group read this weekend, though.

 

[dragnlaw]

Was wondering - on average - how long do you read at any one time. An hour, several? A chapter at a time? Half the book? Whole book? I'm talking an average size - not Shogun sized, LOL. (I often finish it, burning the midnight oil or at least half then the next half the following night and maybe even start a new one.)
Do you read in the afternoon? Evening? Dead of night? (I read mostly evenings)
Only in the car? train? plane? Waiting in sitting rooms for appointments?

Just curious. I read like I watch TV. Once I start I can't seem to stop. Fiction that is!

How often? Once a week? Two or three times a week? Only weekends? Every night? More in the summer or winter? I go in binges. Won't read for months then suddenly read 5 to 10 books.

Real paper books or e-books?
LOL, with paper, as I get to the bottom of the right page, I'm holding the page in my fingers ready to turn.
E-books, I have to keep my finger well away from the next page as I suddenly find I have flipped the page before intended. SQUAWWKK!

 

[pictonguy]

Generally if I like what I'm reading I'll binge read and try and finish as soon as I can, given those restrictions, life happens around that. Generally a few days gets the job done. Moby Dick, It and Dune took a little longer, lol.

 

[Andy M.]

I usually read in the afternoons for 2-3 hours. If I'm near the end of a gripping book, I'll finish it late at night after SO goes to bed - from 12:00AM-2:00AM

 

[Andy M.]

I really have enjoyed them, too, Andy. I just finished the fourth one. Sadly, it will be a while before #5 is out. He's starting another series featuring a daughter in law/father in law team solving crimes.

************
I started reading "It Begins with Us", the sequel to "It Ends With Us", for the library book group meeting on Monday. I also finally downloaded "Lessons in Chemistry" yesterday and did a little reading that book. Gotta finish the book group read this weekend, though.

CG, I looked back in my Kindle library and found I'd miscounted. I just finished the fourth one too. Thanks for the tip on the new series.

 

[Katie H]

Have Harper Lee's Go Set a Watchman on my audio player. "Scout" is in her mid-20s and has returned home to visit her ailing father, Atticus. I've just begun the book and I think I'm going to enjoy it.

 

[Cooking Goddess]

Was wondering - on average - how long do you read at any one time. An hour, several? A chapter at a time? Half the book? Whole book? I'm talking an average size - not Shogun sized, LOL. (I often finish it, burning the midnight oil or at least half then the next half the following night and maybe even start a new one.)
Do you read in the afternoon? Evening? Dead of night? (I read mostly evenings)
Only in the car? train? plane? Waiting in sitting rooms for appointments?...

Pretty much all of the above. I almost always have an e-book on Libby, so I can read right off my phone if I end up waiting too long anywhere. If I'm home, I read off my tablet. However, I still read from "real" books, both regular print and large. I prefer the large if I'm riding my stationary bike or riding in the car.

I normally read at least an hour a night, settled into a comfy wing-back chair in the back bedroom - the largest in the house. With a glass of wine, a snack of some kind (I'm partial to nibbling crackers), and my book or tablet, I have been known to look up and realize that dawn is breaking! There have been times when, even if it's late, I have only X more pages until the book is done, I want to find out how it ends, and so I'll wander out for a wee bit more wine and say to Himself "I won't be worth a thing tomorrow, but I'm finishing my book tonight".

I enjoyed reading while sitting on our front porch in the MA house. We have a small alcove entry at the new house, just enough for my porch rocker and wicker side table. But I'm tucked into the entry without any chance of waving to neighbors walking by. I just chatted with Loverly tonight about adding a little patio and garden at the front porch walk so I can see people going by and they see me. I like to socialize!

 

[dragnlaw]

I finally got a tablet, mainly because when it is my turn to pick up the grands from school, I have a good 45 minute wait. First time I tried - discovered that my library was empty! and it told me to connect to the internet... people walking by wondered what that black cloud rumbling above my vehicle was.

Took a couple of hours with several technicians, to remedy. But all is good now.
I purchased these books believing they were in actual fact being stored on my computer... not so. at least not unless I was connected.

 

[CharlieD]

Just finished reading the third installment of the Thursday Murder Club. An English murder mystery with a group of seniors in a retirement community working to solve murders.

I started reading it, well almost started, I realized it is the second book in the series. So, I stopped waiting to get the first one. But sounds really interesting.

 

[GotGarlic]

I finally got a tablet, mainly because when it is my turn to pick up the grands from school, I have a good 45 minute wait. First time I tried - discovered that my library was empty! and it told me to connect to the internet... people walking by wondered what that black cloud rumbling above my vehicle was.

Took a couple of hours with several technicians, to remedy. But all is good now.
I purchased these books believing they were in actual fact being stored on my computer... not so. at least not unless I was connected.

Buying them and downloading them are two separate actions, but once you've downloaded them, you can read them offline.

 

[dragnlaw]

LOL, yup GG, I know that now. But, it took 2.5 hours or so with Staples Tech Easy to learn it. Before that, it took another 2 hours (or so) with Staples Tech Easy to also learn that books purchased thru the early Kindle went one to my Gmail account and books purchased after Amazon took over Kindle went to my Hotmail account.
I have to physically log out of Kindle and back in to switch account.

Edit: I also just got the 1st book in Thursday Murder Club. Sample looked great.

 

[dragnlaw]

Finished the first book of Thursday Murder Club. Really enjoyed. Decided that I would check the library and not buy the 2nd. But there are already 52 people in line for only 3 books, gulp... 17 per book, I'd be 18th in line.
I'll put my name in and see how fast the line moves. But 2 weeks allowable - means a fair length of time.
I finished it in one day.. I know others don't read like that, sniff. But I do!!!!!!!!!

They are each $14.00 CD so the next 3 would work out a bit pricey, eh?
For one night's read? It's a cheap date but then again.
Whad'da yuh think?

 

[Andy M.]

dragnlaw, I was running into long waits with my local library. I discovered I could get an electronic library card for the Boston Public Library which is MUCH bigger. I did it all online. The only requirement was that I had to be a resident of MA. Maybe you could do something like that with the Toronto library.

 

[dragnlaw]

Hmmm, thanks Andy. I know that the Hamilton Library has a fairly large pool to draw from but do not know if Toronto is part of it.
I've a couple of friends live in TO so I'll check it out.

Edit:
So what I've found so far, you must be a resident of the city. Most of the cities in Ontario charge for non-residents. Silly, especially for e-books, it's not like you don't return them, they just snatch them back!

 

[Cooking Goddess]

@dragnlaw, find out if your library partners with other library consortium. My local MA belongs to a central and western MA consortium of about 150 libraries. That central MA consortium partners with other consortium, each with groups of libraries as small as a couple dozen to nearly 100. Right now I have seven different library consortium that share books - and share availability information automagically when I request a book.

Now I need to set up my OH circle of libraries so I have even more options...

 

[dragnlaw]

Yeah, what I wrote before was only what I found on-line. They don't say on their web-site just exactly who they draw from. I will have to call or go visit them. Might do it today when I go for my missing mushroom, tomato and cheese run.

 

[dragnlaw]

Went to the Library on my way home. Their Wifi is down, and been down for about 3 weeks. They can't use their copiers, etc. and all books are being checked out by human hands. Her computer seems to work tho....

Anyways, I spoke to them and No, they are not connected to Toronto's library. Just towns affiliated/absorbed by Hamilton. But like I said, I have a few friends who live in Toronto.

 

[BAPyessir6]

The last thing I read again was The Giver by Lowis Lowry. Great read, won awards, one of my favs. It's a shorter book but packs a punch. Great for teens and adults alike. I'm also thinking about rereading the Harry Potter series again.

 

[Andy M.]

Went to the Library on my way home. Their Wifi is down, and been down for about 3 weeks. They can't use their copiers, etc. and all books are being checked out by human hands. Her computer seems to work tho....

Anyways, I spoke to them and No, they are not connected to Toronto's library. Just towns affiliated/absorbed by Hamilton. But like I said, I have a few friends who live in Toronto.

Just go to the Toronto library website and check it out. You may be able to sign up there. Depends on TPL's rules.