dr3upmushroom
Banned
Now I'm reading the black swan
I loved that book, I'm majoring in Economics and it really helped me articulate a lot of problems I have with the field, and has influenced what I want to do after school.
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What are you reading? (July 2012)
- Thread starter Maklershed
- Start date
I loved that book, I'm majoring in Economics and it really helped me articulate a lot of problems I have with the field, and has influenced what I want to do after school.
Emerson
May contain jokes =>
I don't understand hate either, but I didn't think it lived up to its potential, especially through the second half. I still liked the book though.
I don't know how I feel about these books.
When I heard the premise, I thought is sounded a little too gimmicky/like a cash in. But it had a lot more substance than I expected.
However, I also found that a lot of the characters annoyed me.
But I can't stop reading. Finished the first one fairly quickly. Halfway through this book now.
Vanillalite
Ask me about the GAF Notebook
I don't know how I feel about these books.
When I heard the premise, I thought is sounded a little too gimmicky/like a cash in. But it had a lot more substance than I expected.
However, I also found that a lot of the characters annoyed me.
But I can't stop reading. Finished the first one fairly quickly. Halfway through this book now.
Seems to be the general GAF consensus though obviously some like it more than others. People seem to like the premise and how it plays out, but most GAFers I've seen hate the characters.
I on the other hand think you aren't necessarily suppose to like the characters, but I think they work well in what's trying to be told.
I also liked this book which a lot of people really only enjoyed the 1st book.
Rubbish King
The gift that keeps on giving
Yeah its pretty brutal at times.
The style is not to my preference as its written by the EX-editor of Kerrang, instead of a ghost writer, it is a slow starter and is very informative on the punk era, it has a tint of 'college research essay' to it, once it gets into the nirvana years however, shit starts to go down, the main thing is it is a lot less personal, at the start i ended up skipping pages of stuff explaining an era i kinda already know, there are some interesting links however, for instance it refers to when nirvana and RHCP toured together and its nice to see it from each side. I would still give it a read though, although it cost me 20 quid which was pretty wounding, ive heard its the best one out of all of the bios of dave out there..
j0hnny_385
Member
finished this a couple of days ago:
now onto this:
I also have this in queue:
I recently joined Goodreads and I plan to catalog my entire book library in it.
now onto this:
I also have this in queue:
I recently joined Goodreads and I plan to catalog my entire book library in it.
eattomorro
Neo Member
If I didn't get drunk from all the wine tasting I did this afternooon, I probably would have read more today. Instead I watched Zoom with tim allen which made me wanna vomit more than the hang over did...
Finished Battle Royale. I enjoyed quite a bit more than I thought I would, but it's definitely flawed. I'm not sure if there's a problem with Japanese to English translations in general or if I just don't care for the style in which Japanese authors write, but there are so many lines in this book that sound incredibly awkward, and a lot of the humor falls flat as a result. I know that The Hunger Games has already been called a knockoff (although, after reading Battle Royale I disagree), but while I was reading Battle Royale I kept wishing somebody would just do a completely blatant ripoff or simply rewrite the book. It's a brilliant concept, but a lot of the character relationships were unbelievable, and it would be interesting to have the story take place in a Western country, where the cast of characters could be more diverse.
I just finished the second volume of The Drops of God and am halfway through the third. I don't have any interest in wine, but for whatever reason it's still fun to learn about all of the different types of wine and the factors that contribute to their taste. It's fairly fun and soapy too, but with all of the wine knowledge blasts crammed into each book, it's too slow to read exclusively for the plot.
...and I'm going to start The Gendered Society because I think I've seen Mumei recommend it about twenty times.
TheChocolateWar
Member
I'm in the mood for some Clive Barker/Lovecraft type books. Any Gafommendations?
bone_and_sinew
breaking down barriers in gratuitous nudity
I just finished A Storm of Swords myself a couple of days ago and started A Feast For Crows today. Storm of Swords is fucking amazing, omg are you in for some awesome shit.finished this a couple of days ago:
now onto this:
An extremely fascinating history of Europe, starting at the last ice age. By its nature, it can only touch briefly on most subject even though it's ~1400 pages of tightly packed text, but what you do get is a sweeping overview of our continent. Great stuff, and highly recommended for someone who wants to get into European hsitory but has no idea where to start. I've been reading this on and off for quite a while and I imagine I will still be reading it a year from now. It's not something you blast through.
God I love McCarthy's prose.
Also just finished
even though I haven't really had any writing ambitions since high school. It just seemed like an interesting read, and it was. The biography half really shows how much hard work it takes to become successful at pretty much anything, and I feel like the instructional half will, if nothing else, make it easier for me to identify bad/lazy writing.
Since it's a holiday I stayed up well into the AM to finish Inheritance by Christopher Paolini.
What a shit ending. If anyone has read it read on:
I think I'll start Red Seas Under Red Skies (sequel to The Lies of Locke Lamora) instead of The Aspect-Emperor trilogy.
What a shit ending. If anyone has read it read on:
No Arya+Eragon resolution. No Brom's 7 words revealed. Angela is a complete mystery still. Eragon leaves and says he'll never be back because of what Angela said, not because something is forcing him to. He kills Galbatorix with some complete deus ex machina spell that we've never heard of before. Murtagh and Thorn just up and leave. I'm not sure what I expected, I knew it would suck going in. What a waste of opportunity. I wish I had parents who owned a publisher.
I think I'll start Red Seas Under Red Skies (sequel to The Lies of Locke Lamora) instead of The Aspect-Emperor trilogy.
Maklershed
Member
On the Kindle side of things, I've finished up Containment and started A Tale of Two Cities
A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
The Technomancer
card-carrying scientician
Finishing up the last hundred or so pages of Godel, Escher, Bach and debating whether I want to give China Mieville another shot after how many problems I had with Perdido Street Station but how excellent everyone else seems to think his work is
D
Deleted member 98878
Unconfirmed Member
can't put it down
sparky2112
Member
If you follow book blogs, this is getting quite a bit of buzz of late. Originally self-published (strange enough for a literary doorstop), the guy's wife sent it off to a bunch of book bloggers who like the likes of Wallace, Pynchon, ec. As a result, it's now published by the University of Chicago Press (odd in and of itself, given that university presses aren't really known for novels).
Anyway, De La Paya, like his main character, Casi, is a DA in Manhattan. Casi is running afowl of the legal system through really no fault of his own. And one of his coworkers is trying to convince him to hijack a drug deal that they are privy to as a result of a dealer they are representing. And it has boxing, The Honeymooners, discussions of theology, String Theory, and a chase across the Brooklyn Bridge involving a monkey.
It's a little too self-aware (duh), but it's compulsively readable. I don't know that I out and out LOVE it, but I like it quite a bit and I've still got 1/3 to go. And as first novels go (and considering that this guy is doing on the side of his 'real' job) it's flat-out impressive.
Maklershed
Member
Let me know what you think of that. I read That Old Cape Magic by Russo and even though its depressing as hell I loved it. I could certainly go for another Russo book at this point.
Emerson
May contain jokes =>
Will do. I've only read one chapter so far though.
I need some advice. Has anyone in here read Stephen King's The Stand?
I'm on page 504 of 1100 (or so) and I haven't read the book in a about a year just because it got lost in the shuffle. I'm reading Clash of Kings, but recently got a hankering to start reading Stand again, but not sure if I should start over or what.
I'm on page 504 of 1100 (or so) and I haven't read the book in a about a year just because it got lost in the shuffle. I'm reading Clash of Kings, but recently got a hankering to start reading Stand again, but not sure if I should start over or what.
Maklershed
Member
Sure have and loved it (well except for the ending). I don't think you need to start over. It'll come back to you as you start reading again. If you try to start over after 500+ pages you'll probably just lose interest again.
Lionheart1827
Member
Sequel to Leviathan Wake. Pretty decent so far and way more tightly narrated than the previous book.
Me too! Good follow up so far.
Although the character
Avasaharala or whatever really gets on my nerves. Way too much swearing to take her seriously. Just feels awkward and forced imo.
nakedsushi
Member
Finished:
The Receptionist by Janet Groth
Ho-hum. It was full of name drops of people I didn't know. It's basically about a woman who worked as a receptionist at the New Yorker in the time of JD Salinger, EB White, etc. and she has daddy issues. I was hoping she would get a raise or a boost in position, but she seemed not that motivated in that front and complained about how the forces of the New Yorker was working against her and keeping her in that position.
Next up, a guilty pleasure:
The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa
The Receptionist by Janet Groth
Ho-hum. It was full of name drops of people I didn't know. It's basically about a woman who worked as a receptionist at the New Yorker in the time of JD Salinger, EB White, etc. and she has daddy issues. I was hoping she would get a raise or a boost in position, but she seemed not that motivated in that front and complained about how the forces of the New Yorker was working against her and keeping her in that position.
Next up, a guilty pleasure:
The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa
Avasharala is ok but I agree the swearing is way too over the top. I find Pax's character actually pretty annoying so far
Not much to update for me; I've only read through about a fourth of City of Madmen and Saints. I need to get moving on that.
Lolita is an incredibly good read. And after you finish, you might enjoy this lecture (and a couple that come after) about it. It should give you a further appreciation for it.
Lolita is an incredibly good read. And after you finish, you might enjoy this lecture (and a couple that come after) about it. It should give you a further appreciation for it.
All right. Let's do this. Let's make this happen.
The Shadow of the Torturer by Gene Wolfe
This is totally happening. Totally. Right now.
...and I'm going to start The Gendered Society because I think I've seen Mumei recommend it about twenty times.
HiroProtagonist
Member
The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson
This is the best book he's written - that I've read. The world feels more complete than what he gave us in the Mistborn trilogy, and his characterization is better than those he has continued in The Wheel of Time. There are some odd language choices, and people who like calling the Mary Sue won't like it, but if you like fantasy with original concepts - I recommend it. I'm more excited by reading the next book in this series than I am about the conclusion to the Wheel of Time.
Started:
I really loved his nonfiction account of working up to, then working as, a detective in New York (Blue Blood) and I'm hoping that his foray into fiction pays off as well. He's a good writer, and I have faith.
I really loved his nonfiction account of working up to, then working as, a detective in New York (Blue Blood) and I'm hoping that his foray into fiction pays off as well. He's a good writer, and I have faith.
Very worth it. I think it's one of the best fantasy series of the last two decades or so.
That sounds like a Mary Gentle novel all right. I think her settings are fascinating (Rats & Gargoyles in particular) but they never fucking go anywhere, and as a result I've never finished a novel by her despite having started a few.
I need to get around to this one some day.
All right. Let's do this. Let's make this happen.
The Shadow of the Torturer by Gene Wolfe
This is totally happening. Totally. Right now.
Such an amazing book. The tetralogy gets convoluted towards the end, but still remains far and away my favorite fantasy work.
I am presently reading through A Song of Ice and Fire so that I can keep up with my wife's discourse during episodes of the television show.
Help me, I am ashamed. I haven't read anything since forever. I want to get into reading. So, I bought a Kindle, can you guys recommend me something to read.
I'll be on holiday for 11 days so something I can read while lazing by the pool.
Out of two genres; I was thinking (maybe because I'm playing Alan Wake and really into to it atm) a Horror or maybe a fantasy/sci fi...
I just want something "fun" to read
I'll be on holiday for 11 days so something I can read while lazing by the pool.
Out of two genres; I was thinking (maybe because I'm playing Alan Wake and really into to it atm) a Horror or maybe a fantasy/sci fi...
I just want something "fun" to read
nakedsushi
Member
Help me, I am ashamed. I haven't read anything since forever. I want to get into reading. So, I bought a Kindle, can you guys recommend me something to read.
I'll be on holiday for 11 days so something I can read while lazing by the pool.
Out of two genres; I was thinking (maybe because I'm playing Alan Wake and really into to it atm) a Horror or maybe a fantasy/sci fi...
I just want something "fun" to read
Summer? Kindle?
Horror: Anno Dracula, Kim Newman.
Action/adventure/sf: Conquistador, S.M. Stirling.
I think they're both as entertaining as it gets. Anno Dracula is one of the best horror novels ever written. Conquistador is just pure escapist thrill with tons of action.
Help me, I am ashamed. I haven't read anything since forever. I want to get into reading. So, I bought a Kindle, can you guys recommend me something to read.
I'll be on holiday for 11 days so something I can read while lazing by the pool.
Out of two genres; I was thinking (maybe because I'm playing Alan Wake and really into to it atm) a Horror or maybe a fantasy/sci fi...
I just want something "fun" to read
Good Omens (Pratchett & Gaiman)
It's good fun.
Grenouille
Member
[american gods]
The Lakeside part had a great ending imo.
Although Shadow coming between the two sides and explaining Wednesday's plan to them didn't feel like the climax I was expecting.
Nerdy Fergy
Neo Member
I'm on book 2 of The Wheel of Time. The pace is nice and leisurely, which is perfect for me right now. I am not decided on what to read next, though.
Agreed, I really was not a fan of mistborn (i thought the characters sucked), but this book was really good and I will definitely read the next one in the series
Ooh, Anno Dracula sounds neat. Going to check that out.
Attackthebase
Member
Completed A Feast for Crow, I decided to read through it after I left my Kindle at a resturant and couldn't use it for a few days. I am now back to The Fountainhead. I am about two-third of the way through, and I am in love with this work. I'm thinking about reading through her work during the school semester after I finish my next big novel, A Dance with Dragons.