2026 Reading Challenge discussion

This thread is to discuss Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson.

Pages: 1152 pages

Length: 2 months (August and September)

Participants: Rebecca, Lorraine

Everyone reads at their own pace during a Buddy Read. Because participants can be at different parts of the book at different times, it is extremely important to mark spoilers so that the book is not ruined for someone who is not as far along as others!!!

Mark spoilers by placing {spoiler} before the text and {/spoiler} after the text but use the < and > instead of the { and }.

Hello Rebecca. When do you think you'll start this book?

This has been moved to September's thread. Lorraine, I haven't seen Rebecca comment anywhere recently. Not sure what's going on but thought I'd let you know. You both are in another one together in September as well.

Hi SarahKat. No I did not hear from her and I also noticed she hasn’t comment for a few weeks. So I did not start this book and will not start the other one for now. I’ll wait for her and see what she wants to do about these when she is ready. If she doesn’t come back, I’ll read them when I have more time. Thank you for all your work.

I just saw this book as a buddy read for Sept; missed the announcement for August. This book was sent to me years ago and I never did start it. i know I cannot finish it in one month, since am reading other books at the same time, but am willing to begin.
ron

Hi Ron. I will join you then. And we will ask SarahKat to make it a two months read as I also will not be able to read it in one month. I have a few books to finish but will start on Sunday or Monday. Would that work for you?

Sure. My book is 918 pages and small print, so don't know yet what my daily page read will be. Just finished a buddy read for Noble House, 1187 pages - read 24-36 pages per day on that one.

Read the first 2 chapters. Chapter 1 I loved. The 4th Marines were leaving China just before Pearl Harbor attack. They went to the Philippines and were on Corregidor Island were they were surrendered by an Army General to the Japanese. Because of this the 4th Marines were not allowed to be stationed in the US because of that disgrace. I mention this because I was with the 4th Marines in Vietnam along the DMZ.
The second chapter was confusing - what was talked about concerning math. I did recognize Alan Turning, a pioneer in artificial intelligence.
So I got to page 23.

I was able to read the first 6 chapters. Thank you for explaining the situation in Chapter 1 as I wasn't sure I understood what was happening. I know almost nothing about the Pearl Harbor attack, WWII and the American military or history. It will be interesting to learn of it. As of the math chapters, I hope there won't be too many!

In Chapter 4 you meet Bobby Shaftoe. He is quite cool. Looking forward to get to know him.

I have to say, I need Wikipedia and my dictionary more than for other books. My English will improve.

Shaftoe was in chapter 1, the 1st person introduced. You will be faster than me. Read 1st 4 chapters.

3 threads so far, the 2 in WWII seem about to come together both concern encryption. Am on page 165. I wonder how Shaftoe got out of the Philippines and first showed up at Guadalcanal, then in Europe/North Africa. Did he leave by submarine along with the encryption equipment?

Of the 3 threads I enjoy 2. The third, the most recent in time, I have a hard time with. In the chapter "Why" there are many wasted words, wasted paragraphs, wasted time. I had to stop part way through this chapter; can't read more than a few pages before I have to put the book down and pick up another. The chapters with Randy and Avi have been wasted on me so far. Should I just skip over them? Sure wish there was a condensed version of this book.

My plan is to be 50% done by the end of September. Will take 2 months to complete this book.

Same for me Ron. I will start reading it again as of Monday but I will need another month to complete.

Hi Ron. I've ask SarahKat to bring Cryptonomicon into the October Buddy Read. Started again this morning. I am on page 347 of 911 in my Kindle copy.

really bad Philippines chapter. Computer exploding in someone's face. huh? And it gets worse.

phreaking - had to skip through this chapter, couldn't stand reading it. Will go back & read it page by page. Reading ahead. On page 381.

I am almost at the same place you are. Next chapter for me tomorrow is in fact Phreaking…

if I had to rate the book now I could not give it more than 2.5.

I do understand what you mean. I have read Phreaking ( I did not understand the computer part and found the guy fantasy boring) and have read the Afloat chapter which made me nauseous. I am really not understanding what I am reading and started to wonder why I am reading it. I will give it another couple of days and make a decision. Let just say that at my age, there are too many books to read for losing time on something I am really not sure I will enjoy.

That chapter was terrible. I have this personality trait that won't let me not finish a book, even if it takes years. But I definitely would not recommend this book to anyone.
Am continuing on for now.

At page 451. Meteor next chapter to read. Still reading. Hope they will find gold!

I finished 50% of the book by the end of Sep, which was my goal. The last several chapters I really enjoyed; concerning German submarines. The first 2 chapters I read in Oct were good also. And then I hit the first chapter in the Phillipines, and on page 475, which I read twice, I didn't understand a thing. And they had just found a sunken German submarine. I don't want to become bogged down again.

I am at chapter title Computer which is about 55% in my book. I find this book very unequal in terms of the quality of chapters. Some are boring. Others don’t make sense and they are a few quite good. I wonder what will win in the end. Still reading for now.

I showed down before a long Philippine's chapter. I am also at 55% and feel exactly like you. Will restart soon. May not finish by the end of Oct. Traveling again - from Galveston, Texas to Indiana for an RV rally.

Enjoy your trip Ron. I am also traveling. Actually in Mexico city. Leaving Thursday for Oaxaca. Trying to read a few pages everyday. If we need another month, I will ask SarahKat.

I am 77% through. May or may not finish by the end of Oct. A 4th theme has been added, that of a Japanese Lieutenant who survived a troopship sinking and is now in change of burying stolen gold in the volcanic mountains north of Manilla in the Philippines. The Japs are killing off all the workers as tasks are completed. Many of the modern day theme chapters are diversions from the main story and detract from it. I still would not recommend the book.