***OFFICIAL Misc 2023 52 books in 52 weeks thread***

**sl_17b** · 01-19-2023, 02:50 PM

2023
1. Jonathan Maberry – The Dragon Factory – Joe Ledger #2 4/5
2. Jonathan Maberry – The King of Plagues – Joe Ledger #3 4/5

The Joe Ledger series is a Mission Impossible, kind of over the top, action oriented series. Joe was a cop who got recruited to join a paramilitary government organization to go against terrorist type threats. It is a three book series with some later off shoots and short stories. There is quite a bit character development going on and I like this character much better than the Grey Man series and moderately better than the Nowhere Man series. (Especially after the last Nowhere Man book against the drug cartel) I didn't care for that one.

**jreacher** · 01-19-2023, 03:44 PM

Originally Posted by sl_17b

2023
1. Jonathan Maberry – The Dragon Factory – Joe Ledger #2 4/5
2. Jonathan Maberry – The King of Plagues – Joe Ledger #3 4/5

The Joe Ledger series is a Mission Impossible, kind of over the top, action oriented series. Joe was a cop who got recruited to join a paramilitary government organization to go against terrorist type threats. It is a three book series with some later off shoots and short stories. There is quite a bit character development going on and I like this character much better than the Grey Man series and moderately better than the Nowhere Man series. (Especially after the last Nowhere Man book against the drug cartel) I didn't care for that one.

Quoting this so I remember to add this to my to-read list. You sparked my interest with the Gray Man and Nowhere Man comparison.

I've read a couple books by him years ago and liked them (Patient Zero, Ghost Road Blues).

**sl_17b** · 01-20-2023, 01:53 AM

I have always been a fan of character development in a book series. I have stopped reading several series since it seemed like they were so repetitive or the characters were one dimensional.
I read several of the Grey Man books and just never connected to that character. He just seemed bland or "Grey" for lack of a way to say it.
The Nowhere Man series was great up until the last book. In the last book, the cartel book, everything was too easy for him. This reminded me of what happened in the Odd Thomas series where the first 3 or 4 books were great, then the author dropped the ball on the last one.
In regards to the Joe Ledger series, there are of course, a few points I have issues with, hence the 4/5 rating. But overall, they are fast paced with kind of over the top villains like old school Sean Connery/ James Bond movies.

**TappingTheZen** · 01-20-2023, 06:06 AM

Another book down - Xenophon - Memorabilia (Conversations of Socrates) - 4/5
- Really fun book to read... not as philosophically deep as the platonic socratic dialogues, but it probably reflects the different relationship Xenophon had with socrates vs Plato. However, it's enjoyable, thought provoking and shows a different side of Socrates. I especially enjoyed the vibe of 'the dinner party', basically a bunch of lads getting yucky and bantering.

Next book Richard Dawkins - Extended Phenotype. I've been wanting to read this for a while as i read the selfish gene some time ago, so let's see how it goes

Current list for 2023:

Spoiler!

Also gave out a many reps as i could to my fellow book nerds

**Woody-5** · 01-20-2023, 06:31 AM

Just finished #3:
The Power of Now, Eckhart Tolle
insightful read if you're into the spiritual / enlightenment. I found it enjoyable, but I don't know if I'm sold on all of that yet.

Gonna break out of the self help / improvement style book for the next round and get into something fun

Cot damn, I'm on a roll so far this year! I didn't read much at all in 2022, maybe 2-3 books all year.

Spoiler!

**ForeverFappin** · 01-21-2023, 09:07 PM

New member to the challenge. Haven't read a book since school, but have recently gotten back into it

Don't think i can do 52 in a year but i will aim for at least 20. Already 1 down and just started another called Widow of Walcha- True crime book about a murder in country NSW, Australia

List so far:

~~Atomic Habits~~

Widow of Walcha

Mans Search for Meaning

The House of Now and Then

Never Finished: Unshackle Your Mind and Win the War Within

**ConTroLFreaKK** · 01-22-2023, 08:42 PM

Starting late, beginning the book: The Denial of Death by Ernest Becker

**Avalanche3319** · 01-23-2023, 05:33 AM

1. Never Finished - David Goggins.
2. True Believer - Jack Carr
3. As I Lay Dying - William Faulkner
4. Blood Trail (Joe Pickett #8) - C.J. Box

Originally Posted by Woody-5

Finished "The Comfort Crisis" by Michael Easter Sunday night.

This sounds great, added it to my short list.

Originally Posted by sl_17b

The Joe Ledger series is a Mission Impossible, kind of over the top, action oriented series.

Can confirm, the Joe Ledger books are awesome.

**Newgirl23** · 01-23-2023, 05:50 AM

I read a short book by John Rhea this weekend : responsive design, an Undead Introduction to Mobile Web development.
#1

**xxAchillesxx** · 01-24-2023, 09:54 AM

Anybody have any true crime recommendations? I'm currently listening to I'll Be Gone in The Dark by Michelle McNamara (I had no idea this was Patton Oswalt's wife who I remember passed away). Not usually my cup of tea, but it's actually really freaking good. Feels like a solid Investigative Discovery show in book form.

**Avalanche3319** · 01-24-2023, 11:34 AM

Originally Posted by xxAchillesxx

Anybody have any true crime recommendations? I'm currently listening to I'll Be Gone in The Dark by Michelle McNamara (I had no idea this was Patton Oswalt's wife who I remember passed away). Not usually my cup of tea, but it's actually really freaking good. Feels like a solid Investigative Discovery show in book form.

“In Cold Blood” by Truman Capote is fantastic.

**xxAchillesxx** · 01-24-2023, 11:47 AM

Originally Posted by Avalanche3319

“In Cold Blood” by Truman Capote is fantastic.

Awesome, appreciate it. And narrated by my boy Scott Brick. Win win

**MrQuint** · 01-24-2023, 02:14 PM

Just finished “Cro-Magnon:How the Ice Age Gave Birth to the First Modern Humans” by Brian ***an. At times it was dry but also really interesting discussion on cro-magnon and Neanderthal humans.

edit: lmaoooo the author’s name is censored. Let’s go with ****an then

Spoiler!

**DolphinPilot** · 01-27-2023, 12:52 PM

Originally Posted by ironicinori

In! And completed 2022 goal of 36 (I did 52 one year and that was enough). 36 again this year…

And I’m starting with The Brothers Karamazov so RIP.

Funny because wife and I each recommended a book to each other to start the year out, and I’m pretty sure she just googled best books ever and picked one that sounded interesting. Also funny because it’s pretty much the only major Russian classic by Tolstoy or Dostoyevsky I still haven’t read. And funny because at the same time I picked it up, a bunch of smoothbrains went viral for bashing Lex Fridman for having it on his list.

Anyway, reps all around every time I’m ITT as usual, ya book-readin nerds.

Lol what. I loved The Brothers Karamazov. I'd be curious to see what they said, but can't say I care too much about what ****gy literary elitists think, tho.

Still reading Total Recall. It's cool but I wish he went more in-depth on what went into a project and what his mindset was. Some of the things he mentions are basically just IMDb types of trivia. I lold when he said Sharon Stone got triggered hard during Total Recall when Arnold had to grab her by the neck

**TappingTheZen** · 01-29-2023, 06:23 AM

It's been a trying week due to various reasons, so i haven't read as much as i'd like but still finished my current books so:

Richard Dawkins - The Extended Phenotype - 4.5/5 - I must say, i really enjoyed this book. It was a bit more technical than the selfish gene, and he outlines in the preface that this books intended audience is professional collegues, and not lay-people as the selfish gene is. However, it isn't too bad to follow but i did have to make good use of the (excellent) glossary. Largely promoting a perspective shift in genetics that i personally already have due to a CS/genetic algorithm background. (i.e the 'gene' as the unit of selection instead of the organism, the organism simply being a vehicle and phenotypic effects not limited to a 'vehicle')

Daniel Dennett - Bacteria to Bach and back - 3/5 - Not finished yet but i'll finish this today probably (maybe tomorrow)... Not really sure how i feel about Dennett as a philosopher. Occasionally i'll hear him say stuff and love it, but this book in parts was a grind. I'd say he did a pretty good survey of some of the existing literature in evolution and culture, but the book is a bit all over the place and doesn't feel like it has a strongly coherent direction. I also think he proclaims to be solving the 'hard' problem of consciousness, while ultimately actually describing how it 'could' evolve, but not the actual step from inanimate matter to qualia, which is personally what i believe the 'hard problem' is... in fact dennett argues qualia away all together and proposes consciousness as an 'evolved user illusion' (but still, doesn't explain the actual mechanism by which our manifest image is generated, only states that it could be generated). It wasn't an unbearable book overall, and perhaps i'm too spoiled by 'good philosophy' since i've read quite a sizeable amount of the classics, but it didn't do it for me.

Next 2-
Richard Dawkins - The Blind Watchmaker - picked this up in a sale, quite looking forward to it.
Neil Gaiman - Norse Mythology - a bit more 'pop fiction' than i normally read, but norse mythology is fairly interesting to me (not as interesting as greek mythology but still), and my brain could do with reading something a bit more relaxing for a few days.

So current 2023 list:

Spoiler!

**sl_17b** · 01-29-2023, 12:36 PM

3. Terry Mancour – Marshal Arcane - Spell Monger #15 4/5
4. Anspach & Cole – Never Shall I Fail Forgotten Ruin 3/5

The Terry Mancour - SpellMonger series is a bit different. The author plans on having 30 main books in the series. There are already 6 side books written or planned as well as multiple short stories. It is set on a world thousands of years in the future. Humans travelled the stars and arrived on a place where they developed the ability to perform magic. The elves on the world slowly pushed the humans to forget all their advanced technology and knowledge to the point they are living in a medieval and feudal system of knights and magicians in their service.

The author plans the first 10 books to be as the main character starts in the feudal society and slowly learns the humans true history. The second 10 books are scheduled to be about the widespread knowledge of the repression of humanity by the elves and conflict between the knights and magicians. I think the last 10 books are supposed to be about what happens when the humans reconnect with a lost spaceship and recover cryogenically frozen humans.

There are also entities that are right out of HP Lovecraft who have their own designs upon the world and destroying it.

The Anspach and Cole series Forgotten Ruin series is set in which a group of Army Rangers and other military members ended up going through a portal to a world 10,000 years in the future with orcs, elves, magic, etc. The magic of the place slowly affects the new humans.

I like the authors and premise of the books but not the execution. They elected to use a narrator that is entirely too expositional and in effect, talks too much. It is like listening to a 4 year old tell you how their day went. Or like listening to your wife tell you about her shopping trip to the mall just to get to the point that she had an accident as she arrived in the driveway.

**Goodguy03** · 01-29-2023, 06:33 PM

Been reading the classics lately since I've mostly read modern chit all my life

1. Catcher in the Rye- Pretty good. Not that deep as some people would make you believe but it's an interesting little story.

2. Animal Farm- We studied this one in school but I forgot most of it. Just reread it and it's way more fukked up than I remember. Setting aside the political allegory chit, its pretty enjoyable as a story.

3. Fellowship of the Ring- This book is immersive as fuk. Lots of chit in the book was left out of the movie, so it makes it a fresh read for me. The plot drags in a good way.

4.The Metamorphosis by Kafka- Sort of a dry read but not unenjoyable. It has a very relevant message about feeling useless and people viewing you as a burden. Basically the life of the average miscer.

5. Huckleberry Finn- this book is a good combination of funny/fukked up. I like it. Too bad my liberal school never taught us this one.

6. Narnia books- Decided to read the first three books that were published. Really good children's stories. It was nice to read something upbeat as opposed to the thousands of depressing incel books out there on the market today.

Currently reading Fahrenheit 451, Brave New World, Dune, Notes from Underground, Beyond Good and Evil, and The World as Will and Representation

**ForeverFappin** · 01-29-2023, 08:30 PM

Originally Posted by ForeverFappin

New member to the challenge. Haven't read a book since school, but have recently gotten back into it

Don't think i can do 52 in a year but i will aim for at least 20. Already 1 down and just started another called Widow of Walcha- True crime book about a murder in country NSW, Australia

List so far:

~~Atomic Habits~~

~~Widow of Walcha~~

Mans Search for Meaning In Progress

The House of Now and Then

Never Finished: Unshackle Your Mind and Win the War Within

Updated

Really enjoying the Self help books, might stick to them for now. Any brahs got any recommendations?

Originally Posted by Rooney15

Probably gonna start the year off by reading Mans search for meaning by Viktor Frankl. Any of yall read it??

Reading this now, about 3/4 of the way through. I recommend it. First part about the concentration camps can drag on a bit but the 2nd part about logotherapy is good. I see why he wrote the part about the camps in the first part, as it ties together and makes reference to it when explaining the 2nd part of the book.

**DolphinPilot** · 01-29-2023, 09:38 PM

Originally Posted by ForeverFappin

Updated

Really enjoying the Self help books, might stick to them for now. Any brahs got any recommendations?

I'd recommend most anything by Rollo May. Interestingly enough he has a book titled "Man's Search for Himself" which I thoroughly enjoyed and can't recommend enough.
Robert Greene has some great books. I only read 48 Laws of Power and Laws of Human Nature. 48 Laws is hit or miss, but still would recommend. Laws of Human Nature I haven't read for almost 2 years but I remember enjoying it more than 48 Laws.
Extreme Ownership by Jocko and Leif is good.
I'd recommend both of Jordan Peterson's books regardless of what people say about him now

I also have a bunch of other similar books on my to-read list I can't recommend quite yet.

Beyond that I guess it depends on what you are looking for as far as "self-help" is concerned. I'm into psychology/philosophy and trying to find new ways to frame the world and my experience in it. I recommended Colin Wilson in the previous 52 books thread; his book The Outsider, I loved. If you're looking for more problem-solving and motivational, I won't have much to offer, I'm sorry to say.

**TappingTheZen** · 01-30-2023, 03:26 AM

Originally Posted by DolphinPilot

I'd recommend most anything by Rollo May. Interestingly enough he has a book titled "Man's Search for Himself" which I thoroughly enjoyed and can't recommend enough.
Robert Greene has some great books. I only read 48 Laws of Power and Laws of Human Nature. 48 Laws is hit or miss, but still would recommend. Laws of Human Nature I haven't read for almost 2 years but I remember enjoying it more than 48 Laws.
Extreme Ownership by Jocko and Leif is good.
I'd recommend both of Jordan Peterson's books regardless of what people say about him now

I also have a bunch of other similar books on my to-read list I can't recommend quite yet.

Beyond that I guess it depends on what you are looking for as far as "self-help" is concerned. I'm into psychology/philosophy and trying to find new ways to frame the world and my experience in it. I recommended Colin Wilson in the previous 52 books thread; his book The Outsider, I loved. If you're looking for more problem-solving and motivational, I won't have much to offer, I'm sorry to say.

Carl jung has some good books if you want to find new ways to frame your world view, i've read about 8 of his works now and honestly it's more philosophical than psychological. He kind of hijacks the Schopenhauer paradigm (as is much philosophy since schop i guess, nietszche is also riding schopenhaurs paradigm) but makes it much richer, based on his insights from his work. I especially recommend 'the undiscovered self', 'the archetypes and collective unconscious', and 'synchronicity'

One of the things i enjoyed about jung was, he frames his theories such that you can see what he's going for, and you can posit either spiritual, or simply evolutionary explanations for a lot of his ideas, and both are well accommodated by his framework

Henri bergson is another who has a completely new world view, if you're interested in that kind of thing. I'd also recommend Hegel but if you're into philosophy you've probably already read a bunch of Hegel. Hegelian dialectic was a pretty interesting and enlightening innovation.

**Woody-5** · 01-30-2023, 07:31 AM

Finished #4:
Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield
great book about the battle of Thermopylae & the 300 Spartans.

Anyone have recommendations for a good Fantasy series (That's finished!) Growing up I was loving the Shannara series, Dragonlance, Forgotten Realms etc
I read The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss years ago and it was great, but the fukker still hasn't finished the final book.

Spoiler!

**ForeverFappin** · 01-30-2023, 09:29 PM

Originally Posted by DolphinPilot

I'd recommend most anything by Rollo May. Interestingly enough he has a book titled "Man's Search for Himself" which I thoroughly enjoyed and can't recommend enough.
Robert Greene has some great books. I only read 48 Laws of Power and Laws of Human Nature . 48 Laws is hit or miss, but still would recommend. Laws of Human Nature I haven't read for almost 2 years but I remember enjoying it more than 48 Laws.
Extreme Ownership by Jocko and Leif is good.
I'd recommend both of Jordan Peterson's books regardless of what people say about him now

I also have a bunch of other similar books on my to-read list I can't recommend quite yet.

Beyond that I guess it depends on what you are looking for as far as "self-help" is concerned. I'm into psychology/philosophy and trying to find new ways to frame the world and my experience in it. I recommended Colin Wilson in the previous 52 books thread; his book The Outsider, I loved. If you're looking for more problem-solving and motivational, I won't have much to offer, I'm sorry to say.

I picked up Ego is the enemy today by Ryan Holiday, and funnily enough the Author of that book you mentioned, Robert Greene had a testimonial on the back. Will look into some of his stuff, Thanks

**TappingTheZen** · 02-01-2023, 01:40 AM

Wrapped up january with 10 books by finishing Neil Gaiman - North mythology
I give this 2.5 stars, it was alright, Norse mythology is interesting but the writing i found was extremely poor and lacked depth.

Next book i'm gonna read is Xenophon - Hellenica, which continues where Thucydides left off.

Spoiler!

**Bodhy** · 02-01-2023, 02:09 AM

Originally Posted by Woody-5

Finished #4:
Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield
great book about the battle of Thermopylae & the 300 Spartans.

Anyone have recommendations for a good Fantasy series (That's finished!) Growing up I was loving the Shannara series, Dragonlance, Forgotten Realms etc
I read The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss years ago and it was great, but the fukker still hasn't finished the final book.

Spoiler!

If you want complexity, depth, epicness, look no further than Malazan: Book of the Fallen.

One of the most complex and rich worlds every built in fantasy. Don't expect cliches and hand-holding and infodumps though, Erikson, the author, conscientiously avoids all of that. There are few cliches and the plot is very non-linear.

Plus, the magic system is bad-ass. I think it beats the neckbeard Rothfuss easily, beats the overrated GRR Martin, and it certainly beats the piss of the Belgariad.

EDIT: It's been "finished" for a decade now but a new book recently came out.

**Woody-5** · 02-02-2023, 04:04 AM

#5 done, The Buried Giant by Kazou Ishiguro
interesting little book, fantasy that takes place right after King Arthur's reign. Pretty easy read, it was a fun one

Spoiler!

**DolphinPilot** · 02-02-2023, 07:32 AM

Originally Posted by TappingTheZen

Carl jung has some good books if you want to find new ways to frame your world view, i've read about 8 of his works now and honestly it's more philosophical than psychological. He kind of hijacks the Schopenhauer paradigm (as is much philosophy since schop i guess, nietszche is also riding schopenhaurs paradigm) but makes it much richer, based on his insights from his work. I especially recommend 'the undiscovered self', 'the archetypes and collective unconscious', and 'synchronicity'

One of the things i enjoyed about jung was, he frames his theories such that you can see what he's going for, and you can posit either spiritual, or simply evolutionary explanations for a lot of his ideas, and both are well accommodated by his framework

Henri bergson is another who has a completely new world view, if you're interested in that kind of thing. I'd also recommend Hegel but if you're into philosophy you've probably already read a bunch of Hegel. Hegelian dialectic was a pretty interesting and enlightening innovation.

Yeah I should pick up more Jung, definitely. I bought a copy of The Undiscovered Self and most of that book just went right over my head and made me feel like some muddle-brained idiot, haha... I guess I should give it another go but it seemed above my grade, lol

**TappingTheZen** · 02-02-2023, 07:37 AM

Originally Posted by DolphinPilot

Yeah I should pick up more Jung, definitely. I bought a copy of The Undiscovered Self and most of that book just went right over my head and made me feel like some muddle-brained idiot, haha... I guess I should give it another go but it seemed above my grade, lol

Ah really.. i think the undiscovered self is one of his more readable books hah, the central idea being that modern man owes a debt to his unconscious (i.e his primordial self) but the gap between our unconscious and ego is becoming wider and wider (due to the loss of religion which allows us to 'manifest' or 'act out' our unconscious archetypes as a kind of therapy) as society 'civilises' which is the root cause of a lot of issues. Obviously you've read it so you'll have some idea, and this is incredibly simplified but it's an idea that does pop up in his other works.

But i don't think it's an intellect thing, he has a very 'mythological' way of expressing himself that takes time to acclimate yourself to, it's not that different from the likes of hegel, or even niestzche for a first time reader. You just need to build up your exposure to his works before you start piecing things together and realising what he's saying. He builds a lot on schopenhaeur and nietszche but uses more mythological language to express himself if you're familiar with the two. The logic for this mode of expression is twofold, 1. what he discusses are unconscious symbols that are best expressed to the ego via myth. 2. hes examining the psyche 'with' the psyche, not from an external vantage point like we do in science, so he has to explain things from 'inside' the psyche (i.e experience based).

Personally i'd recommend starting with his autobiography, memories, dreams, reflections and going from there.

**HMFIC_BROWSIN** · 02-02-2023, 10:35 AM

IN!

Actually about halfway into my first book of the year, but it's a mega page-turner: Urban Outlaw: Dirt Don’t Slow You Down by Magnus Walker

This is a wild story about an entrepreneur who accidentally found success over & over again in completely different arenas.

**jreacher** · 02-02-2023, 10:45 AM

I'm super stoked - - the next (last?) Orphan X book, by Gregg Hurwitz, comes out on 2/14/23. "The Last Orphan."

**sword_** · 02-02-2023, 10:47 AM

Doubt I'll read 52 books in 52 weeks but I've burned through a lot of books the past 6 weeks since limiting my social media intake.

Atomic Habits
Deep Work
Key Person Of Influence
The Go Giver
Of Boys And Men
The Man Not
The Psychology of Money

Reading Notes From Underground right now. Next will more than likely be Animal Farm and something for Black History Month.

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