I have been reading The Count of Monte Cristo along with some (but not near enough!) of GAF, and I've been filling in the downtime with The Souls of Black Folk, which is really much better than I thought it would be (I was expecting something a bit drier, but I really love the way he writes and how he approaches the material). And he's clearly a Goethe fanboy, which I find endearing.
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What are you reading? (August 2011)
- Thread starter Adam Blade
- Start date
pro_gamer666
Banned
Inherent Vice - Thomas Pynchon
About 70 or so pages in and so far I am liking it quite a bit. My first Thomas Pynchon novel. Seems like quite the "groovy" writer.
About 70 or so pages in and so far I am liking it quite a bit. My first Thomas Pynchon novel. Seems like quite the "groovy" writer.
Finished A Dance With Dragons. Pretty incredible, especially towards the end. Can't wait for Winds of Winter.
But now, I'm really in the mood for some pulp sci-fi. Particularly that of the Warhammer 40,000 variety. Really want to get into it for some reason.
Been eyeing two different collections to start, An omnibus of the first three novels in the Gaunt's Ghosts series and another containing the first three novels in the Eisenhorn series. For any 40k fans out there, which would be better for someone new to the universe? Or maybe there's something better than both of them. I'm pretty in the dark here.
But now, I'm really in the mood for some pulp sci-fi. Particularly that of the Warhammer 40,000 variety. Really want to get into it for some reason.
Been eyeing two different collections to start, An omnibus of the first three novels in the Gaunt's Ghosts series and another containing the first three novels in the Eisenhorn series. For any 40k fans out there, which would be better for someone new to the universe? Or maybe there's something better than both of them. I'm pretty in the dark here.
kinoki
Illness is the doctor to whom we pay most heed; to kindness, to knowledge, we make promise only; pain we obey.
Just started with Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged. Okay, so I didn't know anything really about the book except it was good, it was considered a classic and I've played BioShock. I bought the pocket version so I could take it with me as I was going to and from work. Damn, this is not a pocket, it's a brick. Read the first chapters and it's an amazing read. The most fun I've had since I read Revolutionary Road by Yates.
Maklershed
Member
Very much enjoying book 1 of the Commonwealth Saga so far (Pandora's Star). It really reminds me of The Foundation series. And I'm loving the exploring of the unkown aspect of it right now.
Lionheart1827
Member
I'm about a quarter through this one. Its pretty interesting if you're into near future more realistic sci-fi a la Mass Effect/Star trek rather than Star Wars. A lot of jumping back and forth in the chapters from the main character's past and his present. There is also a lot of detail on technology, think the Codex in Mass Effect, but of course a lot of the technology hasn't even been invented yet. Even the cover looks like the Citadel's Presidium from Mass Effect.
Just finished:
Live From New York: An Uncensored History of Saturday Nigh Live Solid, if a little disappointing. There's really nothing in it that's all that new or surprising.
Appetite for Self-Destruction: The Spectacular Crash of the Record Industry in the Digital Age Great book. It gives a history of the music industry from about 1975 on, focusing on how the industry completely botched the beginning of the digital age. It also includes one of my favorite exchanges in a while (about Michael Jackson's Thriller):
Michael Jackson: I told you I'd do it. I told you I'd outdo Off the Wall.
Walter Yetnikoff (CBS Chairman): You delivered. You delivered like a motherfucker.
Michael: Please don't use that word, Walter.
Yetnikoff: You delivered like an angel. Archangel Michael.
Michael: That's better. Now will you promote it?
Yetnikoff: Like a motherfucker.
Now reading:
Those Guys Have All the Fun: Inside the World of ESPN I'm finding this far more interesting than Live From New York (both books were written by the same pair of authors), probably because I knew less of the history going into it.
Live From New York: An Uncensored History of Saturday Nigh Live Solid, if a little disappointing. There's really nothing in it that's all that new or surprising.
Appetite for Self-Destruction: The Spectacular Crash of the Record Industry in the Digital Age Great book. It gives a history of the music industry from about 1975 on, focusing on how the industry completely botched the beginning of the digital age. It also includes one of my favorite exchanges in a while (about Michael Jackson's Thriller):
Michael Jackson: I told you I'd do it. I told you I'd outdo Off the Wall.
Walter Yetnikoff (CBS Chairman): You delivered. You delivered like a motherfucker.
Michael: Please don't use that word, Walter.
Yetnikoff: You delivered like an angel. Archangel Michael.
Michael: That's better. Now will you promote it?
Yetnikoff: Like a motherfucker.
Now reading:
Those Guys Have All the Fun: Inside the World of ESPN I'm finding this far more interesting than Live From New York (both books were written by the same pair of authors), probably because I knew less of the history going into it.
petethepanda
Member
First Discworld novel I've read. Liking it a lot.
Next up I have Speaker for the Dead and Hyperion.
Randolph Freelander
Member
LocoMrPollock
Banned
Can anyone recommend something humorous? I've been reading a lot of dark shit lately and need something different and lighthearted.
8BitsAtATime
Member
Got it a couple of hours ago, going to do some reading this weekend
LocoMrPollock
Banned
Thanks for the suggestions, I'll definitely check those out.
Settled on this for now.
Settled on this for now.
Granger Danger
Member
Good Omens, always and forever.LocoMrPollock said:
sparky2112
Member
I don't even....LocoMrPollock said:Thanks for the suggestions, I'll definitely check those out.
Settled on this for now.
I read through this recently. It was alright. Very easy to read, Predictable, But interesting enough that I have picked up the next book.
But first though.
I have hummed and hahed over which Discworld book to read first for long enough. I decided to just start at the beginning. If it is indeed the worst of the lot, Then I hopefully have a lot to look forward to if I enjoy this one.
And while I am here. I am looking for suggestions on good short story collections. I'm getting a bit tired of all the scifi/fantasy I have been reading lately so anything differen't would be nice. A bit vague I know, But I am open to reading almost anything. Shorter books or short stories are what I am after most at the moment. Being available on Kindle is also a big plus.
Maklershed
Member
Does anyone know of a good biography of Billy the Kid that has a lot of facts and doesn't romanticize him?
I was thinking maybe this ...
http://www.amazon.com/dp/039333063X/?tag=neogaf0e-20
?
I was thinking maybe this ...
http://www.amazon.com/dp/039333063X/?tag=neogaf0e-20
?
AngmarsKing701
Member
rando14 said:
This. And I'll probably still be reading it in September!
Due to the book club I picked up an old copy of The Count of Monte-Cristo which my dad got when he was young. Unfortunately it only contained the first part and my local library had a version which is shortened so I won't finish the story yet First part has been amazing with the build-up of the mayor villains and circumstances behind Dantes' imprisonment.
I've also been in the mood for some murder mysteries, beginning with Murder on the Eiffel Tower by Claude Izner. Boring characters, not much of a mystery, too simple - a big disappointment since I wanted to like the 19th century Paris-setting. I followed up with A Murder is Announced by Christie which was better but brought the sad realisation that I know what signs to look for to figure out her mysteries. Discovering the formula is no fun :/
Comet in Moominland (Tove Jansson) is the first Moomin novel I've read as an adult. The beautiful artwork [1, 2] and last half of awaiting an apocalypse made it. I'm planning to get through this series during the fall, can't wait.
Next I'll be tackling the rest of From the Earth to the Moon by Verne which has been simple but fun halfway through. Then, The Unknown Soldier which in Sweden and Finland at least is one of the most famous war novels, covering the war between Finland and Soviet during WW2 from the viewpoint of some Finish soldiers. I hope it lives up to the hype.
First part has been amazing with the build-up of the mayor villains and circumstances behind Dantes' imprisonment.I've also been in the mood for some murder mysteries, beginning with Murder on the Eiffel Tower by Claude Izner. Boring characters, not much of a mystery, too simple - a big disappointment since I wanted to like the 19th century Paris-setting. I followed up with A Murder is Announced by Christie which was better but brought the sad realisation that I know what signs to look for to figure out her mysteries. Discovering the formula is no fun :/
Comet in Moominland (Tove Jansson) is the first Moomin novel I've read as an adult. The beautiful artwork [1, 2] and last half of awaiting an apocalypse made it. I'm planning to get through this series during the fall, can't wait.
Next I'll be tackling the rest of From the Earth to the Moon by Verne which has been simple but fun halfway through. Then, The Unknown Soldier which in Sweden and Finland at least is one of the most famous war novels, covering the war between Finland and Soviet during WW2 from the viewpoint of some Finish soldiers. I hope it lives up to the hype.
LocoMrPollock
Banned
Finished The Haunted Vagina. It... wasn't bad. One part Southpark episode, and maybe one part Fantastic Voyage, with a pinch of Goodkind thrown in for good measure.
The main hero cracked me up a few times with his reactions and lines. There's also a pretty good story in there that hooked me about a third of the way in, and of course if you look deeper there's a lot of undertones about our relationships and fears buried in there.
I'll probably end up looking into some of the author's other stuff.
The main hero cracked me up a few times with his reactions and lines. There's also a pretty good story in there that hooked me about a third of the way in, and of course if you look deeper there's a lot of undertones about our relationships and fears buried in there.
I'll probably end up looking into some of the author's other stuff.
Wiktor
Member
I've started reading Mistborn. I've become a huge fan of Writing Excuses podcast lately, so I'm digging through the works of authors who record it. I've already burned through Dan Wells novels , so now it was time for Brandon Sanderson and Mistborn seemed like the best place to get into his works.
About 30% through and I'm liking it a lot. The book is filled with awesome ideas. The magic system based on ingesting metals is such a crazy idea and the way it works is fascinating. The premise of the novel is also just plain cool: the hero defeated the evil and he became the tyrant. Now a band of thieves will try to overthrow him.
Plus damn...Sanderson can write. The pacing is very fast, the writing is clean and the action scenes always get be pumped. Looking forward to finishing the first book and getting to the rest of the trilogy.
About 30% through and I'm liking it a lot. The book is filled with awesome ideas. The magic system based on ingesting metals is such a crazy idea and the way it works is fascinating. The premise of the novel is also just plain cool: the hero defeated the evil and he became the tyrant. Now a band of thieves will try to overthrow him.
Plus damn...Sanderson can write. The pacing is very fast, the writing is clean and the action scenes always get be pumped. Looking forward to finishing the first book and getting to the rest of the trilogy.
Wiktor
Member
The first two are pretty meh compared to the rest. It pick up about halfway through vol 3 and then 4 is quantum leap forward compared to the previous three, and then 5 is quantum leap compared to 5th, and 6th blows 5th away. From Dead Beat the series settles comfortably at the throne of the best urban fantasy on the marketAlmyn said:
I read through this recently. It was alright. Very easy to read, Predictable, But interesting enough that I have picked up the next book.
sparky2112
Member
Well, it fucking is, but it fucking isn't.Dresden said:
Lionheart1827
Member
kaskade said:
My grandfather has been telling me to read this so I started it. Just got to part 2. Pretty good so far.
I have this on my list, let us know how it is when you're done!
AdrianWerner said:The first two are pretty meh compared to the rest. It pick up about halfway through vol 3 and then 4 is quantum leap forward compared to the previous three, and then 5 is quantum leap compared to 5th, and 6th blows 5th away. From Dead Beat the series settles comfortably at the throne of the best urban fantasy on the market
Agree 100%
Read the Belgariad series, so I figure I have to read the Malloreon too.
Still dislike the author's reluctance to use of magic. There were a couple cool uses, but it's still like they're digging a hole with a spade when they have a backhoe available. I think "Just use magic..." a lot while reading through them.
Alpha-Bromega
Member
just finished Anabasis by Xenophon. mostly good but a lot of padding for such a simple and straightforward work
back to Last Temptation of Christ
back to Last Temptation of Christ
Just a short question that suddenly occured to me: do you people have recommendations for great female writers? I have tons of books, but am sometimes ashamed to look over my shelves and see how few of those books are by female authors. These are the ones I have (unread books with an asteriks):
- Isabel Allende (The House of Spirits)
- Jane Austen (Sense & Sensibility, Pride & Prejudice, Emma +++)
- Simone de Beauvoir (A Quiet and Calm Death)
- Emily Brontë (Wuthering Heights)
- Willa Cather (*A Lost Lady)
- Susanna Clarke (Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell)
- Marguerite Duras (Moderato Cantabile)
- George Eliot (*Middlesex)
- Elizabeth Kostkova (The Historian)
- Toni Morrison (Beloved, Jazz)
- Marisha Pessl (Special Topics in Calamity Physics)
- J. K. Rowling (Harry Potter-series)
- Mary Shelley (Frankenstein)
- Murasaki Shikibu (The Tale of Genji)
- Sei Shonagon (The Pillow-book of Sei Shonagon)
- Virginia Woolf (To the Lighthouse, Mrs. Dalloway)
There must be lots and lots of great books that should be on this list. Thanks in advance for any suggestions!
- Isabel Allende (The House of Spirits)
- Jane Austen (Sense & Sensibility, Pride & Prejudice, Emma +++)
- Simone de Beauvoir (A Quiet and Calm Death)
- Emily Brontë (Wuthering Heights)
- Willa Cather (*A Lost Lady)
- Susanna Clarke (Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell)
- Marguerite Duras (Moderato Cantabile)
- George Eliot (*Middlesex)
- Elizabeth Kostkova (The Historian)
- Toni Morrison (Beloved, Jazz)
- Marisha Pessl (Special Topics in Calamity Physics)
- J. K. Rowling (Harry Potter-series)
- Mary Shelley (Frankenstein)
- Murasaki Shikibu (The Tale of Genji)
- Sei Shonagon (The Pillow-book of Sei Shonagon)
- Virginia Woolf (To the Lighthouse, Mrs. Dalloway)
There must be lots and lots of great books that should be on this list. Thanks in advance for any suggestions!
Just finished Wayfinders: Why Ancient Wisdom Matters in the Modern World and would like to share my thoughts:
The chapters in the book are actually stories that he told at Massey Hall in Toronto, so the writing is very easy to follow. The dude seems to have been EVERYWHERE, but never loses that sense of awe and wonder that pushes the reader to genuinely think about human experiences beyond his/her own. His central message: Cultures and languages are being lost at a rate greater than biodiversity loss, and the wonders of human achievements and resilience are being wiped out. Culture is a funny thing: It can unite societies, but it is immensely fragile. Thousands of years of adaptations, oral history and knowledge, can be be lost within a single generation, through ignorance and neglect.
The book explored the various ways different cultures adapted to their environment for the long-term. Aborigines practiced environmental stewardships for TENS of thousands of years, although they have no need for the concept of linear time. Polynesian navigators became human supercomputers in order to find specks of land across the vast Pacific Ocean without compasses, sextants, and GPS's. Nomadic tribes in Northern Kenya accrued huge herds of cattle as an adaptation to a land of recurring drought. These practices were all woven elaborately into the customs and traditions of each unique culture; its all very fascinating stuff.
But even in modern times, we have a tendency to dismiss these incredible and ingenious achievements that allowed indigenous people to survive and thrive. Heyerdahl of the Kon-Tiki fame, ignited the publics imagination with his voyage across the Pacific but ignored the reams of evidence that pointed to this great achievement of Polynesian culture. An Australian politician in the 20th century declared that there is no scientific evidence the the aboriginal is a human being at all, a commonly held notion that led almost to the extinction of one of the oldest and continuous ways of life in the world. Development agencies, with the noble intentions of helping nomadic tribes settled, destroyed a culture that was developed around surviving drought.
Why are cultures worth saving? Ill leave with one of the most powerful passages of the book:
I highly recommend this book. As I read some of OT threads about depression and meaning in life and what it means to be an adult, I can't help but feel that perhaps there are things we can learn from other cultures and other ways of being that can help us live more resilient and enriching lives.
Amazon.com description said:
The chapters in the book are actually stories that he told at Massey Hall in Toronto, so the writing is very easy to follow. The dude seems to have been EVERYWHERE, but never loses that sense of awe and wonder that pushes the reader to genuinely think about human experiences beyond his/her own. His central message: Cultures and languages are being lost at a rate greater than biodiversity loss, and the wonders of human achievements and resilience are being wiped out. Culture is a funny thing: It can unite societies, but it is immensely fragile. Thousands of years of adaptations, oral history and knowledge, can be be lost within a single generation, through ignorance and neglect.
The book explored the various ways different cultures adapted to their environment for the long-term. Aborigines practiced environmental stewardships for TENS of thousands of years, although they have no need for the concept of linear time. Polynesian navigators became human supercomputers in order to find specks of land across the vast Pacific Ocean without compasses, sextants, and GPS's. Nomadic tribes in Northern Kenya accrued huge herds of cattle as an adaptation to a land of recurring drought. These practices were all woven elaborately into the customs and traditions of each unique culture; its all very fascinating stuff.
But even in modern times, we have a tendency to dismiss these incredible and ingenious achievements that allowed indigenous people to survive and thrive. Heyerdahl of the Kon-Tiki fame, ignited the publics imagination with his voyage across the Pacific but ignored the reams of evidence that pointed to this great achievement of Polynesian culture. An Australian politician in the 20th century declared that there is no scientific evidence the the aboriginal is a human being at all, a commonly held notion that led almost to the extinction of one of the oldest and continuous ways of life in the world. Development agencies, with the noble intentions of helping nomadic tribes settled, destroyed a culture that was developed around surviving drought.
Why are cultures worth saving? Ill leave with one of the most powerful passages of the book:
Davis said:
I highly recommend this book. As I read some of OT threads about depression and meaning in life and what it means to be an adult, I can't help but feel that perhaps there are things we can learn from other cultures and other ways of being that can help us live more resilient and enriching lives.