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Since I retired in 2015 I have went back to reading a lot. For years reading was tough as I don't have great eyesight but since I discovered tablets and increased fonts I am reading 2-3 books a week. I can't remember when I last turned on the TV as there's nothing worth watching IMHO. I like a lot of genres but I really like historical fiction, primarily Roman and Britain. Some of my favorite authours are Griff Hosker, Simon Scarrow, Jonathan Moeller (fantasy), and many others. Thought this might be an interesting topic on which to chat...

Roman History has been a passion of mine since my 20's. Edward Gibbon The Decline ad Fall of the Roman Empire is a must for one interested in Roman history.
I just started Rick Atkinson;s first book in his Liberation Trilogy about WWII. An Army at Dawn: The War in North Africa, 1942-1943. He is an excellent historian and writer and you feel you are in the action. But also start to understand the military and political leaders.
Biographies of our Founding Fathers, US that is, is also an interest of mine, Actually any history from India, japan, Egypt, Russia. and Middle Ages will keep my interest.

Most of the Roman historical fiction I read has a huge basis in fact. The wrap their fictional characters in actual events of the period. The Cato & Macro series (Under the Eagle) by Simon Scarrow is really enjoyable - 17 books so far. The books by SJA Turney are also very good and I've read all he has written. I spend a lot of times on Goodreads looking for my next series. Note that I've posted about calibre twice - it is an invaluable tool. I buy a lot of my books on Amazon (for Kindle) and I use calibre to convert them into EPUB format to use on my tablet...

I think this is my Goodreads address: https://www.goodreads.com/manyroads

I'm on my 56th book of this year...

Fans of (19th century) historical fiction would do well to read the late George MacDonald Fraser's Flashman series of novels. Ostensibly the memoirs of General Sir Harry Flashman, retired, that were found in an old bureau drawer by his great nephew and published, they track the career of Harry Flashman, the bully of Rugby School in the Victorian novel Tom Brown's School Days, from his expulsion from Rugby and joining the army onward. Flashman's still a bully, a philanderer, and like most bullies also a coward, and his entire military career and his personal adventures between wars are a series of "out of the frying pan, into the fire" scenarios.

He's involved in the First Afghan War (and emerges as the Hero of Jalallabad), the Schleswig-Holstein Question (in which he's kidnapped by Otto Von Bismark and forced to impersonate a Danish prince), he participates in both the Thin Red Line and the charges of the Heavy and Light Brigades in Crimea then is taken prisoner by the Russians, escapes, and ends up fighting skirmishes against them later alongside of central Asian tribesmen and thwarting a Russian invasion of India, he goes west on a wagon train in 1849, is captured and adopted by Apaches, and is rescued by "Buffalo Bill" Cody, he's with John Brown the abolitionist at the raid of the Harper's Ferry armory, he serves briefly on both sides during the American Civil War, was at Custer's Last Stand (surviving because the Sioux who was about to kill and scalp him turned out to be an old acquaintance from when Flashman was traveling with Buffalo Bill after the Apache rescue), was with James Brooke, "the White Rajah of Sarawak", in the Malaysia-Borneo-Sulu region on a Skrang pirate-hunting expedition, was at the Indian Mutiny and the Sikh War and I can't even remember what all else.

He was also one of Queen Victoria's favorite officers and was invited to visit her on several occasions, earned the Thanks of Parliament, the V.C., and many other medals and honors, as most of his attempts to run away and avoid being killed ended up with him appearing to be a hero (for example, at Piper's Fort in Jalallabad, he was the lone survivor, having been knocked unconscious and having a broken leg and thought to be dead, and was found clutching the British flag to his chest as though trying to protect it. He'd actually taken it down to try to give it to the enemy and surrender to save himself, when debris from a cannonball hit him and knocked him out.)

Before Fraser wrote one of these Flashman novels he'd first read absolutely everything available on the subject(s) he was planning to write about, then he'd travel to the locations at which the events took place to see with his own eyes (stupid expression: who else's eyes would he see with?) how the land lay and exactly where particular events such as individual skirmishes during a battle took place. These enabled Fraser to write novels that (except for the Rugby School bully being involved) were historically accurate and were written such that it was easy to believe the protagonist had actually been there himself as an eyewitness/participant.

To answer NGIB's question, my older sister got tired of me always asking her to read me stories so she taught me to read when I was three and I've been reading ever since, up until the past few years when a combination of deteriorating eyesight and multiple pets (mostly rescues) caught up with me and I no longer see as clearly or have the time.

I enjoyed the Flashman novels for their ribald and historical content. Ripping yarns, you might say. There is one set in Madagascar (I think, or Mauritius) where he ends up in the queen's rather personal service.

Lately I've read many of the early accounts of exploration in Australia, most recently Warburton's journey through South-Western Australia, using camels and 'Afghans' along with a young Aboriginal lad, slowly eating the camels and shooting any birds they can get as supplies dwindle, tracking native camps to find water, as scurvy and thirst hover.

Just finished Rick Atkinson's An Army at Dawn. It was excellent as you say richb. Looking forward to reading the next two.

Concerning American Revolution history, recommend 1776 by David McCullough and American Crisis by William Fowler Jr., the first very readable and the second a good analysis of the attempts to keep the Continental Army in being after Yorktown.

Like manyroads, I've also been in the habit of recording my good reads because otherwise they would fade from this aging memory.

Another good author for Roman historical fiction is Anthony Riches. His Empire series (10th book came out this month) is fun reading. I read strictly for pleasure and I most enjoy a series where the characters are realistic and likeable. Another author to check out for Parthian historical fiction (and the crusade in the Balkans) is Peter Darman...

I used to read quite a bit, going through 50-75 or more books a year. I had perfect vision until I hit about 40 years old and then my eyes began giving me issues. I gradually turned to audiobooks. But they are more time consuming. The last couple of years I read the occasional book via Alexa TTS which has gotten quite good, and moves through books quicker than regular audiobooks. I used to read on a wide variety of subjects. I still read my Bible, Philosophy books, and of course anything online with my eyes, but novels are almost always TTS now.
I've tried the Kindle Paperwhite, but my eyes bother me in under an hour. I have a Fire 8 HD tablet which has better contrast, but still irritates my eyes after awhile.
I'm glad I was a voracious reader when I was younger and read widely while my eyes were at their peak. Still fun to revisit an old Fantasy or Science Fiction or Western/Frontier novel via Alexa TTS.

It's hard to read, especially under fluorescent lights. Lots of "neural noise," the letters won't stay still on the page. They rise from the page, throw shadows on the paper, and dance around keeping time with the noise. I do better when my lessons are printed on colored paper, pastels, and green is best. So for the most part I rely on audio books. I love non-fiction books about Christian theology and history.

Artim wrote: Thu Jun 06, 2019 5:25 am It's hard to read, especially under fluorescent lights. Lots of "neural noise," the letters won't stay still on the page. They rise from the page, throw shadows on the paper, and dance around keeping time with the noise.

Some people pay good money for drugs so they can experience things like that.

LOL, @JayM - I don't experience it under natural light, or very much under incandescent light. But in almost all my classes it's stupid fluorescent light. I can sit near a window if there is one, and read stuff printed out for me on pastel colored paper which quiets things down a bit.

The reason I like using tablets to read is I can set the background and text color as well as the font size. Some days I use a very large font, other days a smaller font works. I'll be 64 in a month and age does not help vision, although I never had great vision to begin with. I currently use a Lenovo 10" tablet as my "library" and it works great for me and has good battery life. I tried various Kindles but I prefer a good quality Android tablet...

It took a little getting used to but I quite like reading on my Paperwhite Kindle now. It is small and lightweight so it is easy to use while waiting in a doctor's office. I also really like the combination of using reflected light plus an optional backlight. I think the glow from most screens is detrimental to falling asleep but the Paperwhite Kindle seems to be much less problematic since light-wise, it's more like reading a real book.

Like with using a tablet, it also helps reduce the flood of books I donate to the local library in order to make room for new books.

History, biographies, autobiographies, that's what I enjoy. Currently reading:

The Underground Railroad -- From Slavery to Freedom -- A Comprehensive History by Wilbur H. Siebert (2006)

Check this out: https://www.theatlantic.com/education/a ... es/591184/

Setting a goal for the number of books read per year, that isn't something I'd do. Seems like it would take a lot of the fun out of it.

Just finished the "Marching with Casear" series by RW Peake and I enjoyed it a lot. Reading The Bernicia Chronicles by Matthew Harffy now. Read the final book in the Dragonheart series by Griff Hosker yesterday - sad to see it end for sure...

One of the most stimulating things to do is to just read and to keep-on reading quality books, methinks. Probably one the most intense and mind-challenging exercises as well, as about 80% is left up to the imagination.
Loads of distractions and instant fixes in modern-day society though, with it's instant feedback angles and hopping from one small fix to another. Another bleep from the smartphone etc. Or job-focused stuff (even at home).

Books are time and effort though. Time paid fully back though. TV, Netflix, phones etc are all passive modes of entertainment (plus all come with multiple ads thrown in too). Reading can be seriously hard work at times or else to just allot and set the time apart for it.

I can read either factual or fiction in historical stuff and both long-ago or else present or else science-fiction or else some drama stuff. As long as it provokes thought. Is more positioned in the boring,boring segment of modern-day fast-paced life though.

In the 6 hours it maybe takes to absorb a good book, you could else hit dozens of sports or reality tv or check your phone non-stop for real-life responses. I would still prefer a good absorbing read mostly though. More slow-paced and old-school for sure..

I've slowed down a lot, after vision problems and eye surgery about 12 years ago. I get through about a dozen books per year now, more or less. But I remember my mom being in a "Book of the Month" club years back, so I guess I'm doing okay.

Reading books is still probably my favorite thing to do -- I hardly ever watch movies or tv, and I'm no gamer. I just read a little bit at time, just about every day, and eventually I get through to the end. Every now and again there's a book that I don't want to put down, so I finish those faster, but it isn't like before the eye surgery. I take a book with me to work and read during my lunch hour. I have not had to resort to audio books yet, and I haven't gotten into eBooks or whatever -- I like having a "real" book in my hands!

malspa wrote: Wed Jul 03, 2019 11:44 pm I've slowed down a lot, after vision problems and eye surgery about 12 years ago. I get through about a dozen books per year now, more or less. But I remember my mom being in a "Book of the Month" club years back, so I guess I'm doing okay.

Reading books is still probably my favorite thing to do -- I hardly ever watch movies or tv, and I'm no gamer. I just read a little bit at time, just about every day, and eventually I get through to the end. Every now and again there's a book that I don't want to put down, so I finish those faster, but it isn't like before the eye surgery. I take a book with me to work and read during my lunch hour. I have not had to resort to audio books yet, and I haven't gotten into eBooks or whatever -- I like having a "real" book in my hands!

I have to say that my paperwhite kindle has turned me from an eager reader to a voracious reader. I am on my 64th novel of 2019 already. It is amazingly helpful with vision problems. And to me, the feel of the unit is close 'enough' to that of a real book.

manyroads wrote: Thu Jul 04, 2019 8:37 am I have to say that my paperwhite kindle has turned me from an eager reader to a voracious reader. I am on my 64th novel of 2019 already. It is amazingly helpful with vision problems. And to me, the feel of the unit is close 'enough' to that of a real book.

Good to know. Some people like that sort of thing, I get that. I like finding books at thrift stores and so forth. Don't want another electronic device here.

malspa wrote: Wed Jul 03, 2019 11:44 pm I've slowed down a lot, after vision problems and eye surgery about 12 years ago. I get through about a dozen books per year now, more or less. But I remember my mom being in a "Book of the Month" club years back, so I guess I'm doing okay.

Reading books is still probably my favorite thing to do -- I hardly ever watch movies or tv, and I'm no gamer. I just read a little bit at time, just about every day, and eventually I get through to the end. Every now and again there's a book that I don't want to put down, so I finish those faster, but it isn't like before the eye surgery. I take a book with me to work and read during my lunch hour. I have not had to resort to audio books yet, and I haven't gotten into eBooks or whatever -- I like having a "real" book in my hands!

I took good eyesight for granted for so long. At one eye test in my 20s I was told I had better than 20-20 vision. By age 40 that started going away. Reading was my primary interest until around age 40. I had thousands of books, always something to read. A borderline book horder.
I don't regret any time I ever spent reading.

It is often said that one has but one life to live, but that is nonsense. For one who reads, there is no limit to the number of lives that may be lived, for fiction, biography, and history offer an inexhaustible number of lives in many parts of the world, in all periods of time.

--Louis L'Amour

I like to read as well. I mostly buy books from Abebooks. Someone will mention a book and after perusing it online I may buy it.
The problem I have is I don't always read all of them. That is sometimes I start one book and then become enticed and buy another one and so I switch to it instead.
I mostly read Christian books. Sometimes I read bible commentaries through like Dr Jack MacArthur's Revelation Expositions or some of James Montgomery Boice commentaries.
I am an introvert so I have been reading books by other introverts lately.
I don't always find as much time to read as I would like. I also like to watch youtube videos of classes at the master's seminary especially Nathan Busenitz historical theology classes to satisfy my curiosity about the church fathers. I like real books, not audio books so far.
Occasionally I go outside what I normally read. For instance I have a cousin who has just started writing science fiction and so I bought one of her books and read it.

Was given a a few dollars for Xmas or Birthday gift certificate to purchase a Nook - I read a dozen of the Free books and then purchased the remainder of the trilogies. I was an easy mark for their marketing ploy, but found the nook to be perfect for reading while waiting for appointments, Doctor office visits, or my lady to finish her work for the day. I do not need to remember a page # or use a naughty illustrated bookmark (another gift a few years ago from the kids) the nook remembers where I left off, or the page I was reading last, not my eye position on the page.

I purchased the large size book one of George R. R. Martin's A Game of Thrones in paper back, enjoyed. I then rediscovered I had the paperback in the bookcase and reread it enjoying it a second time. With the Nook I purchased the 5 Book Boxed Set. I am currently on page 2,175 (Davos) of 4,752 pages in my Nook, Presume I will finish this series before the end of the year, only snatching 10 minutes here or 30 minutes every few days in my silly jumbled schedule.

Haven't watched a episode of the Game of Thrones TV series, have left that for after the Nook reading.

Do I like the Nook, yes it fits my hand, and is easy to read for a short moment, or siting in an uncomfortable seat during a 4-11 hour plane flight. I have found it to be an easy to read electronic device, easier to use than my desktop computer, phone or laptop. Have tried to do numerous file conversions to read different formats on the Nook, but ended up working half a day more a week and paying the $3 - $7 per book.

JR

namida12 wrote: Thu Jul 04, 2019 6:14 pm [...] Have tried to do numerous file conversions to read different formats on the Nook, but ended up working half a day more a week and paying the $3 - $7 per book.

JR

Edit:
Try this first: https://www.libraryextension.com/

Also, have tried the following site(s)?
http://gen.lib.rus.ec/
https://b-ok.org/

KBD wrote: Thu Jul 04, 2019 12:16 pm

It is often said that one has but one life to live, but that is nonsense. For one who reads, there is no limit to the number of lives that may be lived, for fiction, biography, and history offer an inexhaustible number of lives in many parts of the world, in all periods of time.

--Louis L'Amour

I like this!

The only book I've read by Louis L'Amour was Education of a Wandering Man. It was actually after reading that one, however, that I started to keep a list of the books I'd finished, because in that book L'Amour mentioned doing something like that. That was nearly 30 years ago! I didn't even have a computer at the time, and my "Booklist" started out as a hand-written document! It's now a (very) long .odt document; Education of a Wandering Man is the 4th entry on the list (finished it in August 1990).

malspa wrote: Fri Jul 05, 2019 7:45 am

KBD wrote: Thu Jul 04, 2019 12:16 pm

It is often said that one has but one life to live, but that is nonsense. For one who reads, there is no limit to the number of lives that may be lived, for fiction, biography, and history offer an inexhaustible number of lives in many parts of the world, in all periods of time.

--Louis L'Amour

I like this!

The only book I've read by Louis L'Amour was Education of a Wandering Man. It was actually after reading that one, however, that I started to keep a list of the books I'd finished, because in that book L'Amour mentioned doing something like that. That was nearly 30 years ago! I didn't even have a computer at the time, and my "Booklist" started out as a hand-written document! It's now a (very) long .odt document; Education of a Wandering Man is the 4th entry on the list (finished it in August 1990).

I love his books. started reading them in my early 20s and have ever since. I like his Sackett books the best, especially the ones about early America: Sackett's Land, The Far Blue Mountains, Warrior's Path, Jubal Sackett. That entire series is good. Several of his books have been made into movies.

Another writer who does good westerns is Elmore Leonard. I'm reading some of his books now.

arjaybe wrote: Fri Jul 05, 2019 2:02 pm Another writer who does good westerns is Elmore Leonard. I'm reading some of his books now.

I've read a couple of his books, quite good.

manyroads wrote: Thu Jul 04, 2019 7:27 pm

namida12 wrote: Thu Jul 04, 2019 6:14 pm [...] Have tried to do numerous file conversions to read different formats on the Nook, but ended up working half a day more a week and paying the $3 - $7 per book.

JR

Edit:
Try this first: https://www.libraryextension.com/

Also, have tried the following site(s)?
http://gen.lib.rus.ec/
https://b-ok.org/

Sorry did not see your reply. I was struggling with sound in my newer system with antiX 19-b2. Partially solved, unknown why it does not work out of the box, but managed to get sound working. Then I returned my HP Chromebook with a AMD A4 processor because it would not let me do Video Chats with family in Japan and the UK. 20/30 minutes with hangout video chat and I would lose video/sound or both, because of overheating. I do not believe the A4 AMD processor is powerful enough for the Hangout Video Chat process. Could not find the HP A6 Chromebook to purchase.

In the end, I purchased a Logiteck C920 web cam but it would not work in my Ryzen 3 2200G system using antiX 19-b2, but that was before getting sound to work in the system. After getting sound working I was able to get the new to me webcam working in Hangout video chat tonight.

early this week I dropped my Barns and Noble Nook, the glass covering the screen shattered and it stopped working. I am reading George R.R. Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire" (Game of Thrones). I had to purchase another $50 Nook, and had the store personnel set up the machine so I did not lose my purchased library. I am on page 2,624 of 4,700+ pages. Have not watched a single TV episode, wanted to read series first, they will look for a copy of the TV series, to watch.

I will explore the links, but would not have a clue how to load them into the nook if they can be converted into nook readable format. I was using Calibre in my Antix/MX desktop and found numerous books on-line but sitting at the desk was not the best. The $49 Nook lets me lay on the couch, bed, or sit in the car, (except during the Las Vegas Summer) and read with very little eye strain.

Thank you again, I have book marked the links and will properly explore them when I finish the Game of Thrones book series.

JR

You just visit any site (your library included). Download what you want and then drag & drop the book(s) into calibre. It (calibre) will reformat almost any file into an agreeable format for whatever device you 'send' the book. If it doesn't do it natively, there is almost certainly a plugin to make the translation 'automagic'.