Oppo 2020 Monthly Book Club (Repost for the day crowd)

"CB" (jrcb) 01/02/2020 at 08:53 • Filed to: Oppo Book Club

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I should read more, and so should you. So, instead of peer pressure being used to make people jump off bridges, let’s use it to be more productive! Sign up for the book club.

Every month, read one book. Doesn’t matter what (yes, I’ll accept Haynes Manuals), just read. Tell me what you’ll read on this month’s post, and next month, leave a review, as well as what your next book is. Easy, right? WRONG. No wait, right. Take some time before bed or during a lull to read. It’s good for you.

This month, I’ll be reading Mindhunter. Should be fascinating!

What’s everyone else reading?

interstate366, now In The Industry > CB 01/01/2020 at 21:57

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The 2004 Lexus GS owner’s manual.

BaconSandwich is tasty. > CB 01/01/2020 at 21:58

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I'm just finishing up Robopocalypse. My wife bought it for me for Christmas two years ago, and I still haven't finished it. I stayed up later than I should have last night trying to finish it.

CB > interstate366, now In The Industry 01/01/2020 at 21:58

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What page has the engine swaps on it

CB > BaconSandwich is tasty. 01/01/2020 at 21:59

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I hate looking at my bookshelf and looking at all the failures of my attention span.

Nothing > CB 01/01/2020 at 22:20

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Good idea. I used to read a ton when I rode the bus on my work commute. Now that I work from home, I’ve gone from probably 25-30 books/yr to maybe 5 or so. This month, I’ll finish 99 Stories of the Game. By finish, I mean start, I think I only got 15 pages into it last time I started.

CB > Nothing 01/01/2020 at 22:23

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It’s the worst constantly restarting books.

Cash Rewards > CB 01/01/2020 at 22:37

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Thia is great! What type of books do you typically read? I'm usually skewing Syfy these days, with a select few fantasy authors.

CB > Cash Rewards 01/01/2020 at 22:38

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I read a lot of non-fiction. I can’t remember the last fiction book I actually finished. Maybe Handmaid’s Tale? (Which was bad, would not recommend)

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > CB 01/01/2020 at 23:16

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I used to be a huge reader and now...not.

CB > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 01/01/2020 at 23:21

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Well, I’ll message you February 1st and see what you’ve read.

interstate366, now In The Industry > CB 01/01/2020 at 23:23

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The YouTube supplement.

XJDano > CB 01/01/2020 at 23:35

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I also need to do this. I haven’t really read much, but I think it’d be good as well.

I just ordered a book Yesterday , my wife was astonished. I’ll let you know how or if it goes. 

Just Jeepin' > CB 01/01/2020 at 23:36

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I don’t think I can work my way through it in a single month but I need artificial deadlines to get anything done, so I’ll give it a shot.

( Except of course my Jeep won’t run and I still have an abandoned house to do something with so probably not.)

CB > Just Jeepin' 01/01/2020 at 23:37

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I’ll give you the year for that one.

Just Jeepin' > CB 01/01/2020 at 23:53

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What part of “I need deadlines” eludes you?

CB > Just Jeepin' 01/01/2020 at 23:54

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Fine, be like that. You have until next week.

BaconSandwich is tasty. > CB 01/02/2020 at 00:03

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I hear you. I don't like leaving a book unfinished, even if it takes me a while.

Longtime Lurker > CB 01/02/2020 at 00:05

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I love reading but I just haven’t been putting the time into it these past years. The book I’m reading “now” I started on August vacation 2018 then didn’t pickup again till August vacation 2019 and have only read a couple chapters since then.

So I’m going to try to finish The Seventh Plague by James Rollins.

SmugAardvark > CB 01/02/2020 at 00:54

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Currently reading Norse Mythology (well, listening to the audio book) by Neil Gaiman. Good stuff so far!

Grindintosecond > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 01/02/2020 at 04:16

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You lost weight? Congrats! So now your a small reader...

DutchieDC2R > CB 01/02/2020 at 04:16

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I like this idea, I support it and I want to join in.

I'll get back to you on the book, I don't have anything at the moment.

DutchieDC2R > interstate366, now In The Industry 01/02/2020 at 04:17

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Is that on a CD, taped to the last page of the book?

Grindintosecond > CB 01/02/2020 at 04:18

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I bought a book on clearance, “a gentle madness” about bibliophiles vs. the hoarder style bibliomanes....that was a decade ago and I haven’t read it yet....

Some message there.

SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media > CB 01/02/2020 at 06:16

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I think I’m going to finish The Face Of the Water by Robert Silverberg...if only to find out if I’ve read it before.

Then I’m going to try and finish The Call of the Reed Warbler by Charles Massey. If that doesn’t work out then some back issues of ‘ Fine Woodworking’ or 'New Scientist' magazines will get a work out...

DirtyDodge > CB 01/02/2020 at 08:42

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This month I am reading the Cutthroat by Clive Cussler.

interstate366, now In The Industry > DutchieDC2R 01/02/2020 at 09:00

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Cassette. It may be a Supra sedan, but it’s still a 90s-designed Lexus.

Tripper > CB 01/02/2020 at 09:11

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“Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance”. It’s one of those ones I have read about hundreds of times but never actually rea d. There was a tattered copy at the house where we stayed over Christmas, I read through the first chapter then ordered a used copy via Amazon.

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > CB 01/02/2020 at 09:17

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Kingdom of ice

functionoverfashion > CB 01/02/2020 at 09:22

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Sounds great. I recently read Shantaram, it took more than a month but I HIGHLY recommend it. The fact that I was able to plow through a ~900 page book in about 5-6 weeks indicates how good it was. I’d be happy to write more later, this is my first Oppo since about mid-December, so... yeah. 

Chuckles > CB 01/02/2020 at 09:31

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I like this idea. I could use the accountability.

My goal for January is to read Spirits of Place:

From the website:

Stories are embedded in the world around us; in metal, in brick, in concrete, and in wood. In the very earth beneath our feet. Our history surrounds us and the tales we tell, true or otherwise, are always rooted in what has gone before. The spirits of place are the echoes of people, of events, of ideas which have become imprinted upon a location, for better or for worse. They are the genii loci of classical Roman religion, the disquieting atmosphere of a former battlefield, the comfort and familiarity of a childhood home.

Twelve authors take us on a journey; a tour of places where they themselves have encountered, and consulted with, these Spirits of Place .

Featuring essays from: Alan Moore, Maria J. Pérez Cuervo, Warren Ellis, Gazelle Amber Valentine, Iain Sinclair, Bryndís Björgvinsdóttir, Vajra Chandrasekera, Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Kristine Ong Muslim, Mark Pesce, Dr. Joanne Parker, and Damien Williams.

Edited by John Reppion.

zipfuel > CB 01/02/2020 at 09:35

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Working my way through “Our band could be your life - tales from the indie underground” all about a bunch of the influencial 80s Punk/rock bands and how that label ecosystem came to be. Black Flag, Husker Du, Sonic Youth etc

Haven’t read many ebooks on my phone before but its convenient, means I get to it after running out of Jalopnik and Oppo.

Just Jeepin' > SmugAardvark 01/02/2020 at 09:47

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If you like Gaiman, my recommendations:

Anansi Boys (Gaiman) is a sequel of sorts to American Gods , which is fine but not nearly as entertaining .

Kraken (China Mié ville) is a great read and very Gaimanesque.

I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker > CB 01/02/2020 at 09:55

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Bentley manuals okay?

January: Mk1 Rabbit Diesel

February: Mk3 Golf, Jetta, Cabriolet

March: Volkswagen Fox

I’m sure I’ll buy another VW before the end of March. Every time I buy one, the first supporting purchase I make is a Bentley.

ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability > CB 01/02/2020 at 10:23

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Tis a good idea. I just finished reading Unfair Advantage by Mark Donohue, it was pretty good!

I’ll find something to read this month

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > CB 01/02/2020 at 12:32

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The picture on that book cover is disturbing.

Captain of the Enterprise > CB 01/02/2020 at 14:18

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I’m reading “the body keeps the score” by Bessel Van Der Kolk M.D. it’s a book on trauma which I’m hoping helps with mine. 

SmugAardvark > Just Jeepin' 01/02/2020 at 18:34

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Quite the Mieville fan, got started with King Rat many years ago. I read Kraken about 5 or 6 years ago. Great mix of absurd modern fantasy and dark humor. I should check to see if the audiobook is available through my local library, I wouldn’t mind “reading” it again.

Just Jeepin' > SmugAardvark 01/02/2020 at 18:45

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The audiobook is marvelous. There are at least one or two inexplicably un corrected editing mistakes that were retained in the audiobook, which I found  b izarre , but I really enjoy listening to it.

SmugAardvark > Just Jeepin' 01/02/2020 at 19:04

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I went ahead and put it on hold through Libby. So I should have it in about 2 weeks. I’ll try to remember to report back when I get through it. I feel like I’ve listened to a John Lee narration before, and the online sample sounds good, so I have high hopes. Maybe after finishing it I’ll actually burn my way through the Bas-Lag series.

On the topic of narration, I love that Norse Mythology  is actually narrated by Gaiman himself. He’s got a great voice for telling epic stories, and because he wrote it, he has perfect inflections nailed down every time.

ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability > CB 01/04/2020 at 16:49

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I’ve started reading A Scanner Darkly by Philip K Dick. My mind is getting blown slightly.