What books are you reading

[Smit]

I've been reading an hour or so a day for the last few months so I've been through a lot of books and book series.

Rather than buy each book I've been borrowing from the library with the Libby app. Sometimes you have to wait to get the book you want but after learning how to use the app the wait is usually not very long.

Currently reading the "Game of Thrones" series and "The Expanse" series.

The game of Thrones series is available with no wait but the expanse series has a waiting list. I've got the 2nd book right now and I'm first in line for the rest as soon as I get near the finish of book 2.

[jstell]

Anything by Fredrik Backman.  Funny, and amazing the level of empathy he brings to all his (sometimes not altogether likeable) characters as they navigate the realities they're dealt.
"My Grandmother Asked Me To Tell you She's Sorry" is quite charmingly from the perspective of a seven-year-old-girl as we learn of the intertwined lives of the residents of her apartment building.
"A Man Called Ove" is a must for grumpy old machinists or other craftsmen observing the state of the world.  The original movie is better than the Tom Hanks one, even with subtitles.  Book is still far better.
The BearTown Trilogy is epic as we are shown the destructive ramifications of petty animosity caused by blindly picking sides, and the depths of human connection that pull us together in spite of that, when our shared survival depends on it.

Another Tom Hanks movie conversion:  "Charlie Wilson's War".  The movie is actually pretty good, as a movie.  But the book is like 575 pages and goes into so much detail the movie doesn't compare.

Another Swede, Jonas Jonasson's "The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared" and "The Accidental Further Adventures of the Hundred-Year-Old Man" are quite funny.  A mystery-adventure comedy if you will.

More in the adventure-mystery comedy, from Florida instead of Sweden.  Carl Hiaasen's "Skinny Dip" and "Strip Tease" are quick reads, and page turners because some (most?) of the characters are so over-the-top.  And he has many other books.  Haven't got to them yet.

[Brad St]

I recently listened to "You shouldn't have come here" by Jeneva Rose

Romance thriller and good right up to the end. its one of those that it will twist you back and forth till you don't know which way is up.

I finished "The terminal list" recently and now want to watch the movie.

[beej]

I'm reading Augustine's Confessions. I bet I would have to read this book 5 times to comprehend it. But the parts I do understand are life changing.

[mowens]

I'm finding it hard to find a book I like, although I primarily listen to audiobooks. Radio sucks anymore so books are what I listen to in the car. I've researched most popular audio books but, it turns out, there are a lot of those lists and some of them are not based the popularity of the book but the individual tastes of whoever made the list. I suspect that some are sponsored.

I find myself listening to silly romance novels, some of which are so bad that they are free on Audible, because I find them entertaining and not too distracting if I listen at work. If I get lost in work for a while I don't miss much.

I just got the book that Brad St recommended Jeneva Rose. I'll let you know how it goes.

[Brad St]

Mowens, if you are in a mood for some funny stuff then I recommend Janet Evanovich's "Stephanie Plum" series. OMG the voice overs in the audiobooks are worth it alone. They make me laugh and I re listen to them when I'm waiting for my next book loan.

[mowens]

I've listened to all of the Stephanie Plum books. They are good.

[YoDoug]

I'm a knuckle dragging, mouth breathing Republican, I only read picture books.

[SuperHoneyBadger]

I'm a knuckle dragging, mouth breathing Republican, I only read picture books.

We'll accept Okuma and ABB manuals - you're covered

[YoDoug]

We'll accept Okuma and ABB manuals - you're covered

Lol, I don't read manuals anymore. I uploaded them to GPT and ask it questions.

[SuperHoneyBadger]

Lol, I don't read manuals anymore. I uploaded them to GPT and ask it questions.

A true 21st century patrician.

[beej]

Lol, I don't read manuals anymore. I uploaded them to GPT and ask it questions.

genius! and that's the only time I'm gonna say that about you. 

[YoDoug]

genius! and that's the only time I'm gonna say that about you. 

When it comes to me figuring out how to  do less reading, thinking, and work in general, I'm a regular Einstein. 

[Brad St]

I uploaded them to GPT and ask it questions.

LOL, my son is doing this with almost everything he can to test it out. The funny part is that the AI has learned his smartazz attitude and is now giving it back to him 

[YoDoug]

LOL, my son is doing this with almost everything he can to test it out. The funny part is that the AI has learned his smartazz attitude and is now giving it back to him 

I have always been very straight forward with it. I use it as a tool for research, data processing, and coding.

-I started a chat with it and we picked about 10 stocks to watch. Every morning it sends me an overnight summary of news and info related to those sock and general industry related news. Then during the trading day it sends me info if the stocks move more than 3%. Then at the end of the day it sends me a summary of the days news, stock performance, and analysis for those stock going forward. So far it has been very good. I have not actually invested any money into those specific stocks yet. I think in a few more weeks if it stays the course I will dump $1k-$2k into those and see what it can do over a year. I can afford to risk that much.

-I use it as a learning and research tool. An example; we have a few automation cells that have Turck RFID readers and chips. The hardware is now out dated and no longer available. We are building a new cell. I gave it the hardware we use now and asked it to find Turck direct plug and play options for updating and equivalent competitor options. I gave it the vendors we buy hardware from and it stuck to their brands. It gave me reviews and options. It also gave me complete shopping lists, cables, mounts, etc. It also gave me breakdown of each ones EIP configuration. It took it about 20 minutes to compile while I was working on other stuff. This would take me considerably longer on my own.

- My wife has a lot of health issues. She has a log on her phone that she tracks daily food intake, pains, symptoms, etc. We uploaded that data plus a bunch of her health records it it was able to start sorting through the logs and finding relationships to food, allergens, etc.

- I use it at work to produce code for apps for operators and warehouse people to simplify their jobs.

- My 230k miles Hyundai was popping an engine code. I gave the code to GPT and pulled some logs from the ODB. It was able to give me a full troubleshooting guide and pic/diagrams of what to check, where they are located, tools needed, etc. 

- I used it to help narrow down settings for laser marking raw aluminum with Data matrix codes that will be readable from a sensor. It was able to easily tune settings to reduce the white wash out that happens around the edges of the darker engraved marks.

It is not perfect and I do take time to verify what it has told me. It seems like everyday I think of a new task for it that will save me time, teach me something, and make me more productive.