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275 titles free (or close to it) for Kindle owners...or anyone if you want to download their 'Kindle4PC' software.

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I got some of the free cookbooks (can't have too many of those) and, of course, Everyday Pilates...just in case I overdo it with the cookbooks.

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@Irishk,

I'm just starting on City Places, Contemporary Writers on the Changing Southwest, a book that resulted from a meeting of some eminent southwestern US writers. I bought it a few years ago and it has been resting on my not-read-yet shelf.
So far I'm bored out of my tree, but that is just from the introduction. Presumably individual writers will keep me interested.

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UK Kindle owners can browse your freebies HERE

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I found a relatively cheap hardcover copy of Bossypants, Tina Fey's autobiography. It's very funny.

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@littlek,

It's very popular...I've been on the waiting list at my library for a while.

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@Irishk,

I'm presently reading (listening t0) Physics of the future: How Science Will Shape Human Destiny and Our Daily Lives by the Year 2100 by Michio Kaku.

Written to the layperson though it seems a tad jumbled in its arbitrary movement from subject to subject. Still very well done and mostly convincing it the possibilities of the authors lavish and grand predictions.

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@tsarstepan,

Quote:

...the authors lavish and grand predictions.

I wonder about that, too. Still, I'm beyond bummed I won't be around for the x-ray vision!!

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@littlek,

on the system of professions - a sociology book

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@samanthac,

Careful where you read that book it sounds nap inducing. Confused

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@George,

Very cool.

There are a few of those in history. Martha's Vineyard is the most famous American one, and contributed a fair amount to American Sign Language (much of ASL is based on French Sign Language). But it was the same situation where there were many deaf people in a small town and so everyone -- deaf and hearing alike -- knew their sign language.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martha's_Vineyard_Sign_Language

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re-reading a bunch of Marvel Comics TPB's (the major story arcs from the last few years, Avengers Disassembled, House of M, Civil War, Secret Invasion, Utopia, NationX, Siege and Second Coming)

listening to The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne M. Valente

http://img.amazon.ca/images/I/51vUL4v5N3L._SL500_AA300_.jpg

Twelve-year-old September lives in Omaha, and used to have an ordinary life, until her father went to war and her mother went to work. One day, September is met at her kitchen window by a Green Wind (taking the form of a gentleman in a green jacket), who invites her on an adventure, implying that her help is needed in Fairyland. The new Marquess is unpredictable and fickle, and also not much older than September. Only September can retrieve a talisman the Marquess wants from the enchanted woods, and if she doesn’t... then the Marquess will make life impossible for the inhabitants of Fairyland. September is already making new friends, including a book-loving Wyvern and a mysterious boy named Saturday.

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Recently finished 1491, a sort of lay summary of the new archeological picture of the pre-Colombian Americas. Fascinating read if you're into that kind of thing. A lot of new knowledge in the past 20 or 30 years, and it's really challenging longstanding views (e.g., the kind of stuff I found in my high school textbooks when the subject was addressed at all).

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Listened to The Curious Case of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon last night. It's narrated by Jeff Woodman who does a wonderful job bringing the characters to life. It's one of the few books that I enjoyed reading years ago and now have enjoyed listening to even more.

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@Irishk,

Finished listening to Alan Furst's Dark Voyage. Very good yarn about a Danish merchant marine vessel and her captain as they are employed in secret missions with England to help supply the allies in World War II Europe.

Also, listening to Pandora's Star by Peter F. Hamilton. Other then the substory of the police investigations led by the annoying and unnecessary Paula Myo character which to me is truly dragging down the book, so far its going well.

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@tsarstepan,

I finished Follett's Fall of Giants last week (about WWI). It wasn't well-reviewed (mostly) but I learned a lot I wasn't aware of for that time period. I'd probably recommend it to people who like the author (I do), but not otherwise.

I'm taking a break from WWII at the moment, but saw one of Furst's books recommended (book of the month) on a bookclub site I read...unfortunately, my library doesn't yet have it.

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@sozobe,

sozobe wrote:

Very cool.

There are a few of those in history. Martha's Vineyard is the most
famous American one, and contributed a fair amount to American
Sign Language (much of ASL is based on French Sign Language). But
it was the same situation where there were many deaf people in a
small town and so everyone -- deaf and hearing alike -- knew their
sign language.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martha's_Vineyard_Sign_Language

The author speaks of MV and of the origins of ASL. Chapers alternate
between background info on linguistics and signed languages and a
narrative of the research team's visit and the experiments they
conducted.
At one point she describes a scene where they and the villagers are
speaking Arabic, Hebrew and English and signing Israel Sign Language,
American Sign Language and the local sign language.

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@tsarstepan,

Ha! Just now got an email from my library that they found a copy of Spies of the Balkans by Alan Furst and are holding it for me!

Quote:

Spies of the Balkans is a cut above the usual espionage fare; it excels in plot, character, and atmosphere--an unusual combination for the genre. Zannis, a younger prototype of characters seen in Furst's previous novels, especially captivated critics, as did the author's "Furstland," "a twilight realm of people on the run--refugees, Jews, leftists and others out of political favor" (Denver Post). Richly researched, the novel offers a compelling portrait of wartime, with few clichés. Only the Chicago Sun-Times criticized some less-developed characters and the plethora of historical detail. Most readers, however, will find that there "is no more intelligent or gripping writer of spy fiction today than Alan Furst" (Daily Beast).

Sounds like a sure-fire page turner!

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@Irishk,

I highly recommend Spies of the Balkans though the title is a tad dull and utilitarian, (the book's one and only weakness).

Irishk? Since Furst was my first WWII thriller based author who do you recommend I go to next?

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@tsarstepan,

Here are a few I've read lately and enjoyed. A few I bought, but most were from my library. I've left off the WWII 'series' novels -- a couple I was sorry I started, but felt obliged to finish...so I did. Also, most of the non-fiction. When I got interested in learning more about the subject, I found two 'best of' lists -- one for novels and one for non-fiction and then started plowing my way through both. None of the following were on either list -- but read for the pure enjoyment.

In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin - Erik Larson

Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resillience and Redemption - Laura Hillenbrand (non-fiction)

Night Over Water - Ken Follett

Suite Francaise - Irene Némirovsky

The Arms Maker of Berlin - Dan Fesperman

The Rising Tide - Jeff Shaara

The Final Storm - Jeff Shaara

Dragon Seed - Pearl S. Buck

The Piano Teacher - Janice Y. K. Lee

City of Thieves - David Benioff

Milkweed - Jerry Spinelli

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@Irishk,

Interesting list - haven't read any of those.

I've just finished my third book by Joseph Kanon. I've liked all of them.

Los Alamos
Alibi
and now,
The Good German

All set in early or mid forties, this last one at the end of WWII in Berlin.

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