Books

[dutchboy]

I know it's a bad time of year to ask but any of you guys read books in the winter? I exchange with Glenn. I've got 3 or 4 different series I enjoy reading. Maybe when fall rolls around I can send some books out to anybody who might enjoy them. They just gather dust around here.   

[LPS]

I read for an hour or so every night and started doing the kindle thing.  Works great for me.  But what kind of books you have Dutch.  I do have some I could share too.

[dutchboy]

Right now I'm plowing through the C.J. Box Joe Pickett series. I also am reading the William Kent Krueger series featuring Cork O'Connor series. Pickett is about a game warden in Wyoming and O'Conner is about a ex-sheriff in NE Minnesota.

[tangle tooth]

I wish I could read for recreation. I like reading technical and service manuals. I envy you folks who read without falling asleep.
My wife reads. Lots. So far this year she's read about 35 books. Sick woman.

[roony]

Reading "The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich", seeing some parallels to what Putin is doing now. Sobering

[fishwidow]

I love to read, but unfortunately I don’t have the time. Almost the only time is before bed and 2-3 pages, and I can’t stay awake. I drive a lot and I developed the habit of listening to books on tape from the library, which turned into books on CD, which is now downloads from the library.
Dutch, I’ve listened to every Cork O’Connor book and two non-Cork books by Krueger. They were also Minnesota based and very good. Also listened to a couple CJ Box books and liked them. Got several other series by authors that I follow. Lots of good choices out there.
Currently listening to a historical book detailing the battle of the Little Big Horn.

[Steve-o]

Reading "The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich", seeing some parallels to what Putin is doing now. Sobering

The other scary parallel is what the "Allies" (US/NATO) aren't doing.

[Steve-o]

I would recommend Staggerford by Jon Hassler.

"It is only a week in the life of a 35-year old bachelor school teacher in a small Minnesota town. But it is an extraordinary week..."

I found it very well written and tough to put down; some very good twists and turns.  Hassler is a MN author and does an excellent job of characterizing small town life - especially the people (you will recognize many of them), with none of typical, over-the-top Minnesota schtick, doan-cha' know. 

Do get back to me someday if any of you guys get around to reading this.  I'd like to hear what you think.

[Dotch]

I wish I could read for recreation. I like reading technical and service manuals. I envy you folks who read without falling asleep.
My wife reads. Lots. So far this year she's read about 35 books. Sick woman.

Same here. My wife reads those Debbie Macomber books. They're scattered all over the house. I made the mistake of picking one up once to see what was in it, sorta like the Obamacare bill. Now I know where the plots for the Hallmark Channel come from! 

Afraid I'm not much help either. My choice of reading other than work related garbage has been historical automobile related, primarily Studebaker, and farm equipment manufacturer history, primarily International & Cockshutt. I've also collected things like Yearbooks in Agriculture dating back to the days when my parents were young. I can get lost in those for hours. It gives me an idea of the forces in play at that time and helps connect the dots as we moved through the 20th century & beyond. While I find it fascinating, not sure many others here would share that opinion. Get me in the bar tho & start arguing Studebakers, Cliff Clavin ain't got nothin' on me! 🤔   

[mike89]

 and farm equipment manufacturer history, primarily International & Cockshutt.

had to think about that, hadn't heard that name in years!!!!   the 2nd one of course!!   

[Dotch]

The role of Studebaker, International, and Cockshutt in WWII has especially intrigued me mikey. Studebaker for instance built over 63,000 Wright Cyclone engines for the B-17 bombers under contract. They also built scads of heavy duty trucks, many of which wound up in Russia to help them move personnel & supplies. Without them, the outcome of the war could've been far different. International built lots of trucks and halftracks. Cockshutt built all kinds of things for the Canadian war effort, much of it for the Brit's aircraft. Prior to WWII, Cockshutt had imported Oliver tractors, painted them red and put the Cockshutt nameplate on them. After the war there were no Oliver tractors available so they built their own in 1946, the Cockshutt 30. It was the 1st farm tractor with live power takeoff. In 1949 they introduced the Cockshutt 40. Those were the tractors I grew up with. I still have a 40, known as a Co-Op E4 sold thru the cooperatives here in the US.   

[Gunner55]

Brother & I went to work for White Farm Equipment right after he got of college & I finished HS. After a brief stint on a turret lathe, I ended up in the engine department grinding bearings on camshafts. It was an old Oliver plant & we still made a lot of Oliver 550 parts yet then. Did a lot of work for Minneapolis Moline & Cockshutt then too. Seen many Cummins motors for the White tractors come into our department. I was laid off a lot in those days, but I was there the day they closed. Mostly making parts for Bush Hog mowers then.

[roony]

Was that in Charles City Gunner?

[Gunner55]

Was that in Charles City Gunner?

Yes sir, still there when we're not up here.