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WildBill wrote:I finished the book and highly recommend it. It is really quite an interesting story.

It was amazing how Clarence Thomas was attacked by the liberals because he didn't think the same way as they expected all black people to think.

My favorite line from the book is a quote from Clarence Thomas' grandfather:

"Hard times make monkey eat cayenne pepper"

Thanks for sharing your thoughts, and I'm glad you enjoyed it. Hopefully some others will be curious enough to pick it up.

I admire how open he was about drinking, his failure as a husband, and about how he turned away from his faith for so long and was brought back.

One of my favorite takeaways was the theme of rattlesnakes and water moccasins when comparing overtly racist Southerners with the liberal establishment that seeks to build their careers off of the blind loyalty of black voters.

Another takeaway was his grandfather's refusal to accept government handouts because you are "inviting them into your home".

Good read.

(My Grandfather's Son: The Memoirs of Clarence Thomas)

WildBill wrote: That should be an interesting read.

I'll tell you this: our country could use about 200 million more people with the work ethic of Thomas' grandfather. It's inspiring.

I just finished My Grandfather's Son: The Memoir of Clarence Thomas and would highly recommend it to people from all political backgrounds. It's a marvelous read and eye-opening to learn of the details of Thomas' upbringing and to think how they shaped him. Spoiler alert, he was not always a staunch conservative.

Now I'm on to Freakonomics.

The Annoyed Man wrote: I had the good fortune to read "The Martian" before the movie came out, and boy am I glad I did. I loved the movie. I am going to buy the DVD of it. But as good as the movie was, the book is MUCH better.

I haven't seen the movie yet and got the same recommendation from another friend. Looking forward to it.

n5wd wrote:

fickman wrote:The Man in the High Castle

I watched the series on Amazonedout... wondered about the book. Is it any good?

It's had a few intriguing juxtapositions from our current society, but overall, it's not really what I expected. Very slow paced, but without deep character development. . . I'm about 80% of the way through it and so far I don't regret reading it, but I wouldn't give it a resounding recommendation, either.

I am interested in seeing the Amazon series. I think the imagery of the occupied cities I'm familiar with would be very compelling. There's not much of that in the book.

Other books I've also read in 2015 that I would recommend ahead of it:
East of Eden by Steinbeck
An American Tragedy by Dreiser
A Farewell to Arms by Hemingway
Dad is Fat by Gaffigan
Food: A Love Story by Gaffigan
Bossypants by Fey
Killing Lincoln by O'Reilly
Decision Points by Bush
Siddhartha by Hesse

(And with the kids):
Farmer Boy by Wilder
Skinnybones by Park
Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Blume
Superfudge by Blume

Here's my short list for "up next":
Abide in Christ by Murray
The Martian by Weir

In progress:
Christianity and Liberalism - J. Gresham Machen
The Republic - Plato

"Certified Information Systems Security Professional Study Guide"

oh, and "Little House in the Big Woods" (with the kids).