• Cyburbia is a friendly big tent, where we share our experiences and thoughts about urban planning practice, the built environment, planning adjacent topics, and anything else that comes to mind. No ads, no spam, and it's free. It's easy to join!

Book club šŸ“– What are we reading right now? (Planning related or not)

Gumption by Nick Offerman. Don't waste your time. Boring.
___

I'm about 1/3 of the way through Fall and Rise - The Story of 9/11 by Mitchell Zuckoff. Riveting. Can't put it down.
 
John Adams by David McCullough

It's quite voluminous, but a fantastic relatively easy read and really opens one's eyes that John Adams should be much more highly regarded as a Founding Father than he popularly is.

I'm at his Presidency period right now. Woof...he had it tough.
 
Last edited:
mendelman said:
John Adams by David McCullough

It's quite huge, but a fantastic read and really opens ones eyes that John Adams should be much more highly regarding as a Founding Father than he popularly is.

I'm at this Presidency period right now. Woof...he had it tough.
Click to expand...
Red Jacket by Joseph Heywood. It's about the first game wardens in the Keweenaw Peninsula/ Upper Peninsula in Michigan during the early 1900's. Heywood'd writing takes getting used to, but it's not a bad read.
 
9780062954756.jpg
 
I just finished The Vanishing Act by Brit Bennett and it was very good - I got insight in the world of colorism within the black community and the communities created from the children of slave owners and their slaves - I like how the writer creates characters we don't pity but yet we feel their pain and marvel at their pragmatism
 
I've been bookless for several months. Maybe the longest stretch ever as an adult. Yesterday, however, I ended the drought and started "The Secret History of WW2". It's a big ol' hardbound book. I might go as far as to call it a 'coffee table book' due to its size and the number of pictures.
 
I'm thinking about picking up Submarines of World War Two and between the Wars - by H. Am. Mers


;) :p o_O
 
Last edited:
The authoritative book on how Los Angeles got to be the way it is today: Most of the disasters that we equate with L.A. are the result of bad planning and rampant uncontrolled development. But it was written in the mid-1990s and could use some updating.

Mike Davis - Ecology of Fear.jpg
 
Wow - I've been reading non-heavy stuff to take my mind off of the family issues.

Finished: The Vanishing, Jayne Ann Krentz

Started: The Thursday Murder Club, Richard Osman

On deck: Just One Damned Thing After Another - The Chronicles of St. Mary's, Jodi Taylor
 
Good bump, @luckless pedestrian !

I just finished a not-great book that I had picked up and set down for probably the past year and a half. It was written as three short stories and the first story just wasn't great. I got through the second and third stories at a much faster pace.

Now I've started another book for my lunchtime debriefing time -- The Runaway Quilt by Jennifer Chiaverini -- one that my mother suggested about quilts that also is not really up my alley. But, in trying to bond a bit, I plan to finish it. It's actually not bad for a book about quilts. It's really historical fiction about quilt messages designed to guide slaves along the underground railroad. Fairly interesting so far, actually. Fine pick, Mom. (and something we can chat about along the way)
 
Getting through Star Wars: The High Republic - The Fallen Star. It's okay, will confess that it is enjoyable, but have to admit it is not as good as the previous High Republic books, needs more Marchion Ro machinations front and center.
 
RandomPlanner said:
I just finished a not-great book that I had picked up and set down for probably the past year and a half.
Click to expand...
My observation is that when I've set down a book after a concerted two hours of reading, and have to push myself any point later to pick it back up, it's probably not worth my time.
 
Maister said:
My observation is that when I've set down a book after a concerted two hours of reading, and have to push myself any point later to pick it back up, it's probably not worth my time.
Click to expand...
Normally I would agree but with American DIrt I had to stop and take a break because it was so overwhelming, I needed to step away and come back
 
Read Cloud Cuckoo Land by Doerr about a month ago.

It was a good historically based fiction emphasizing the great value of literacy and the written word across five characters in five different settings across ~600 years (1453 to late 21st century).

It's really good.
 
Planit said:
Sanibel Flats by Randy Wayne White.
It's the first in his Doc Ford series.



Very similar to Carl Hiaasen's books - intrigue & locations.
Click to expand...

I'm a big Randy Wayne fan. Some of the later stories get a bit, ummm strange but still a good read. My buddy and I keep talking about a road trip when he has one of his book signings. I grew up vacationing on Sanibel and that area for 3 weeks every year so I love the references to all the places I know. The Doc Ford bar and grills aren't bad either. The Yucatan Shrimp are awesome!
 
Life Force by Tony Robbins.

No, this is not a 'self-help' book, but is full of medical advancements to improve quality and duration of life. I am only 25% of the way into the book, and some are questionable but some are really fascinating and the stories are amazing.

I also did not realize that Sirius XM's founder is now in the Bio-Technology/ Life Sciences world.
 
Slowly working through "The Power Broker". I've been meaning to do it for some time. Pretty interesting, but it is extensive. I do audio books and I'm about 10 hours into the 66 hour recording. I'll do a few hours every time I finish another book.
 
bureaucrat#3 said:
Slowly working through "The Power Broker". I've been meaning to do it for some time. Pretty interesting, but it is extensive. I do audio books and I'm about 10 hours into the 66 hour recording. I'll do a few hours every time I finish another book.
Click to expand...
I keep a copy of The Power Broker in my home office for self defense - I figure if anyone breaks in, I can just whack them over the head with it and they'll drop like a stone.
 
Embarrassed that I'm just getting around to reading Death and Life of Great American Cities.

Boo on me, but it, as she says over and over, might have limited relevance in the rural and suburban places I've worked. I feel like I've read so much about it that I've practically read it.
 
Faust_Motel said:
Embarrassed that I'm just getting around to reading Death and Life of Great American Cities.

Boo on me, but it, as she says over and over, might have limited relevance in the rural and suburban places I've worked. I feel like I've read so much about it that I've practically read it.
Click to expand...
Bad planner, bad.
angry bad dog GIF

:p
 
I just finished Extreme Ownership.

I found it interesting on how they were able to adapt military principles to the business world. My next step is to see what I can effectively implement within my department.
 
I just started Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol Dweck. I bought it pre-covid and am just getting around to it.

I wonder how different my life would be today if I read this when I bought it. šŸ¤”
 
After someone mentioned Fletch on here a few weeks ago, I found the audio books were free on Audible. Some are really funny, some are ok. Some of the humor and situations are cringey and would never work today. But they're short and fairly light.
 
Iā€™m reading an ebook Lesbianism made easy by Helen Eisenbach.
Chapter 1 Iā€™m already chuckling out loud.

And Iā€™m listening to Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel.
Read by Ben Miles. He played Cromwell in the Royal Shakespeare Company adaptation. And his portrayals of all the characters is exquisite.
Yeah Iā€™m into the Tudor dynasty and watched Wolf Hall on PBS I think a few years ago.
 
Grabbed For Us, The Living by R. A. Heinlein from the library this past weekend.

It's a 2004 published unfinished 'novel' of his from 1939. It's interesting and definitely shows his desired proclivities for sure.
 
Back
Top