Finally reading:
Just over half way through the book and I think I'm going to write like McCarthy from now on. It's just so awesome.
don't forget speech marks!
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What are you reading (May 2012)
- Thread starter Maklershed
- Start date
don't forget speech marks!
So awful.
Is any Follett any good? I read The Third Twin recently and thought it was horrible.
Buckethead
Banned
Just finished:
"God, No!" by Penn Jillette
Not so much an Atheism/religion book as it is about Penn's life.
Some of the stories make you laugh. Some make you cry. Some make you cringe.
Definitely recommended.
Currently Reading:
"The Moral Landscape" by Sam Harris
"God, No!" by Penn Jillette
Not so much an Atheism/religion book as it is about Penn's life.
Some of the stories make you laugh. Some make you cry. Some make you cringe.
Definitely recommended.
Currently Reading:
"The Moral Landscape" by Sam Harris
I enjoyed Pillars of the Earth. But this book has tainted those memories and I'm never reading him again.
I like his writing.
Usually.
He's very hit or miss (mostly hit) with me. Love PSS and the Scar, can't finish Iron Council, despite trying twice. Liked City & the City a lot, also liked Kraken.
Haven't tried Embassytown and I'm probably going to await more reviews of Railsea bedore giving it a shot.
Finished the Dragon Factory, which was pretty crap. Now on to: God's War by Kameron Hurley
BenjaminBirdie
Banned
Finished off those lovely but oh so ponderous Games Of Thrones books and dove straight into Patrick DeWitt's immaculate and genuinely hilarious The Sisters Brothers. The perfect thing to read after those kinds of books. A brilliant, staggeringly well wrought breath of fresh air.
17 Stars out of 5 and I'm only at 31%.
17 Stars out of 5 and I'm only at 31%.
I just finished Mistborn yesterday. I loved it but you really fucked me over here. I don't know why I didn't see it at first but now every couple of pages I see whatever character raising their eyebrow and I keep thinking back to this post.
Starting The Well of Ascension today.
nakedsushi
Member
Gah, I hate his writing. I've tried to start PSS, and the City & City because the plot seems like something I would enjoy, but couldn't get more than a few chapters in because of the writing. A very strong "I want to punch him in the face" feeling. Also, I hate author photos. It screws up my perception of the book entirely when I'm preoccupied by how an author looks.
Also, about the Sanderson's eyebrow thing. I've never noticed it but I'm glad I finished the Mistborn trilogy because I don't think I'd be able to un-notice it now. Once I noticed that Mehville loves the word "crosshatch" I began to see it in every other page.
BenjaminBirdie
Banned
I'll be reading this as soon as it comes in this week:
I already own the hardback edition, but never got around to it, and it's way too big to handle. I much prefer paperback editions.
w h o a
Special Edition?
US?
Now reading The Killing Moon by N.K. Jemisin. Wonderful world and characters that stray far outside of the traditional faux-medieval-England that dominates so much of High- and Epic Fantasy. Characters are interested and varied and the magic system is unusual. Good stuff all-around and a fitting follow-up to Jemisin's original trilogy (though completely unrelated.) Highly recommended so far.
It's just the standard US paperback release. I think it is considered special and it will eventually be combined into a single paperback (I'll probably buy that one too haha). Here's the press release for it:
BenjaminBirdie
Banned
ZOINKZ
His raptor like gaze alone could kill dozens!
If you ever read Dan Simmons' Hyperion-books, be prepared to see "gossamer" EVERYWHERE.
BenjaminBirdie
Banned
Hope you like your smoke "greasy," Games Of Thronesers!
It's funny you say that. I only see a man who has an intense phobia of chickens.
This series is evolving into something very, very good. I love how the the different PoVs slowly start to interact and weave together in a meaningful way.
Took the pic link from your blog, Aidan, hope that's cool.
No problemo. Glad you're enjoying the series as much as I am.
Snowman Prophet of Doom
Member
How strange is it that I'll probably have read all of Godel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid by Douglas Hofstadter in like 5-6 total sessions by this time tomorrow? It seems like I usually see it described as a dense book that takes a long time to read, but like much in the realm of so-called "popular science," I think that it's pretty easy to read (save for my non-mathematical mind needing to slow down and figure out some of the reasoning once in a while). Perhaps it's because I see relatively little point in sitting down to work out the little mini-exercises throughout, since the book works far more on the theoretical level than on the practical level? Or perhaps it's just that I took a course in propositional calculus my freshman year, so some of what he's talking about I already kind of intuitively know? I dunno.
It's good, BTW. I don't know that I think it's worth nearly the gushing that it seems to get (though I still have about 300 pages left, so perhaps it all ties together in a mind-blowing way), for I don't think Hofstadter is nearly the writer or the thinker that, say, Steven Pinker - another Academic umbrella'd under the term "cognitive science" - cognitive scientist - is, but I'm learning a lot about logic, science, philosophy, etc.
It's good, BTW. I don't know that I think it's worth nearly the gushing that it seems to get (though I still have about 300 pages left, so perhaps it all ties together in a mind-blowing way), for I don't think Hofstadter is nearly the writer or the thinker that, say, Steven Pinker - another Academic umbrella'd under the term "cognitive science" - cognitive scientist - is, but I'm learning a lot about logic, science, philosophy, etc.
PhoenixSFT
Member
Good to hear The Sisters Brothers is good, I may just pick that up next once I finish Christopher Moore's Sacre Bleu.
Maklershed
Member
After watching the recent Masterpiece production of Great Expectations (did anyone else find Gillian Anderson sexy as hell as Miss Havisham?) I've decided to finally read the book ...
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
Dutch Mafia
Neo Member
"The Fault In Our Stars" by John Green
So good. It took a bit longer to pull me in than his other stuff, but it was fantastic the rest of the way. Please say you got the physical version and not an ebook.
Attackthebase
Member
Tried reading that high school, I got distracted and stop reading it. I've been meaning to go back to it for some time now. I love the Dynasty Warrior lore, so I probably would dig Three Kingdoms. Let me know how you like it.
nakedsushi
Member
Crap, I was just about to start up Hyperion for the first time. THANKS A LOT.
beelzebozo
Jealous Bastard
fugg
yes
yes
PhoenixSFT
Member
I got the eBook, didn't even realize it had paintings and everything. My Kindle Fire's showing up tomorrow though, so I'll see if it'll be in color on that. Maybe I'll just buy the physical copy, I can never support Moore enough!
Not only that, the text is printed in blue ink as well.
Snowman Prophet of Doom
Member
So I'm kind of a dick, and I actually finished reading ALL of Godel, Escher, Bach this evening, since I had nothing to do. In a more ideal world, I'd read it more slowly, let the ideas sink in piecemeal, but I'm a bit OCD when it comes to reading - unless school interferes, I don't like reading more than one thing at a time. So, this being a mammoth, I decided to get it out of the way.
Overall, it's a good book, and the last two hundred pages or so are really quite fascinating. But, I stand by my previous assertion that to a certain degree, it's a bit overblown as far as its reputation goes.
I'll start off by saying that, to some extent, some of the book - especially Part 1, which deals more with explaining some of the logic and terminology underlying Part 2's more abstract ideas - is not for somebody like me, already familiar with the ideas and concepts; it's for somebody coming into the field more blind. As such, I can blame some of the dryness of Part 1 as being simply "the nature of the beast." Part 2 is much more interesting.
I am, unfortunately, not entirely versed in modern programming or modern AI theory, so I'm ill-equipped to judge whether or not the explanations of programming still hold water 33 years later. Any recommendations of modern AI theory/modern programming theory written in the popular science format would be appreciated on this front.
Where the book really shines is in some of the more mechanical descriptions, ironically. Its description of the recursive nature of the brain, for instance, and the ways in which seemingly mindless base levels can add up to complex and integrated ideas, as well as a concept of the self, is extremely well-done, almost enough to sell the whole book. Along those same lines, the book's semi-defense of free will toward the end is one of the best that I've ever read. There are a number of moments like this, wherein complex or complicated scientific or philosophical posits are explained in a very lucid way.
Where the book falters, however, is in its approach to less clear-cut matters like creativity and the ways in which we create meaning. As I mentioned earlier, Hofstadter is neither the writer nor the thinker of, say, Steven Pinker, who is a lot more dynamic and engaging in terms of the ways that he brings together different concepts and puts them in place for an audience. Hofstadter's not a bad writer by any means, of course, but much of his writing style is, for lack of a better word, rote. The dialogues, for example, are very clever in the way that they mimic the structure of pieces by Bach and give breathing room between some of the "heavier" stuff, but at the same time, they are often very self-serving, taking a long time to circle around concepts and examples that would be better served simply being incorporated into the main body of the book. As well, while I think that Escher certainly helps him to graphically illuminate some of the points that he's talking about, I don't think that he's quite the artist Hofstadter wants him to be, for the limitations and gimmicks of his art style, however well-realized, come through even in the relatively small selection of Escher work offered in the book. Escher wasn't a bad artist by any means, but his use of Magritte later in the book was more effective, in terms of showing the ways in which great art can reflect the ideas that he's talking about.
Ultimately, when it comes to these more difficult posits (art, the nature of meaning, beauty, etc.), Hofstadter plays it quite a bit safer, I think, which hurts the book a bit by making it feels like it only explains consciousness up to a point before bumping up against some of the author's own limitations. Still, it's a damn fascinating book, and even though it's long, I didn't really feel its length at all - as I said, I read it in probably 4-6 days of actually reading, so it certainly doesn't swallow your life or anything like that. I'll be reading Daniel Dennett's "Consciousness Explained" later this summer when I have time, so hopefully, that'll offer a bit more of a meaty explanation of some of the deeper levels of the phenomenon.
Overall, it's a good book, and the last two hundred pages or so are really quite fascinating. But, I stand by my previous assertion that to a certain degree, it's a bit overblown as far as its reputation goes.
I'll start off by saying that, to some extent, some of the book - especially Part 1, which deals more with explaining some of the logic and terminology underlying Part 2's more abstract ideas - is not for somebody like me, already familiar with the ideas and concepts; it's for somebody coming into the field more blind. As such, I can blame some of the dryness of Part 1 as being simply "the nature of the beast." Part 2 is much more interesting.
I am, unfortunately, not entirely versed in modern programming or modern AI theory, so I'm ill-equipped to judge whether or not the explanations of programming still hold water 33 years later. Any recommendations of modern AI theory/modern programming theory written in the popular science format would be appreciated on this front.
Where the book really shines is in some of the more mechanical descriptions, ironically. Its description of the recursive nature of the brain, for instance, and the ways in which seemingly mindless base levels can add up to complex and integrated ideas, as well as a concept of the self, is extremely well-done, almost enough to sell the whole book. Along those same lines, the book's semi-defense of free will toward the end is one of the best that I've ever read. There are a number of moments like this, wherein complex or complicated scientific or philosophical posits are explained in a very lucid way.
Where the book falters, however, is in its approach to less clear-cut matters like creativity and the ways in which we create meaning. As I mentioned earlier, Hofstadter is neither the writer nor the thinker of, say, Steven Pinker, who is a lot more dynamic and engaging in terms of the ways that he brings together different concepts and puts them in place for an audience. Hofstadter's not a bad writer by any means, of course, but much of his writing style is, for lack of a better word, rote. The dialogues, for example, are very clever in the way that they mimic the structure of pieces by Bach and give breathing room between some of the "heavier" stuff, but at the same time, they are often very self-serving, taking a long time to circle around concepts and examples that would be better served simply being incorporated into the main body of the book. As well, while I think that Escher certainly helps him to graphically illuminate some of the points that he's talking about, I don't think that he's quite the artist Hofstadter wants him to be, for the limitations and gimmicks of his art style, however well-realized, come through even in the relatively small selection of Escher work offered in the book. Escher wasn't a bad artist by any means, but his use of Magritte later in the book was more effective, in terms of showing the ways in which great art can reflect the ideas that he's talking about.
Ultimately, when it comes to these more difficult posits (art, the nature of meaning, beauty, etc.), Hofstadter plays it quite a bit safer, I think, which hurts the book a bit by making it feels like it only explains consciousness up to a point before bumping up against some of the author's own limitations. Still, it's a damn fascinating book, and even though it's long, I didn't really feel its length at all - as I said, I read it in probably 4-6 days of actually reading, so it certainly doesn't swallow your life or anything like that. I'll be reading Daniel Dennett's "Consciousness Explained" later this summer when I have time, so hopefully, that'll offer a bit more of a meaty explanation of some of the deeper levels of the phenomenon.
BenjaminBirdie
Banned
I saw a few people already start it up on Twitter the other day. I don't know if there's going to be an official one soon, though.
If y'all finish the book by October (lol), Vol 3 of The Graphic Canon comes out with IJ illustrations by yours truly. Got to draw my favorite book ever, no big.
afternoon delight
Member
Finished Master and Margarita by Bulgakov yesterday and it was so good, I wanted to start again it as soon as it was over. The after-notes were very revealing, and I wish I was more versed in the Biblical and Faust allusions it's making in its overall structure, but that didn't stop me from loving it. Easily my favorite for the year, doubt it will be beat.
and the
melted mah brain.
Starting the yearly Odyssey re-read now, I might look into a different translation than the Dover Thrift Edition though. Any thoughts Book GAF?
Satan's Grand Ball
moonlight mile
Starting the yearly Odyssey re-read now, I might look into a different translation than the Dover Thrift Edition though. Any thoughts Book GAF?
sparky2112
Member
GTFO. Seriously? That's about as cool a thing as I'm likely to hear today. I am eagerly awaiting this series, with Vol. 1 coming out in a week or two. You, sir, I now bow before. That. Is. Awesome.
BenjaminBirdie
Banned
No kidding! I drew Don Gately on a whim two Augusts back and the editor saw it and asked me to do four more. I couldn't believe it either.
Musha_Soturi
Member
So on a friend's recommendation I've started reading the Percy Jackson series of books. Finished the 1st one and just started the second.
They're ok so far, I saw the film first and it's a lot different, I must say I actually thought the film made more sense (first time for everything!) But as books go it's not a bad read. I've been reading Star Wars novels for so long non-stop now that it's nice to read something different. I'll probably keep going till the end of the series, but it's not a book I would read again.
They're ok so far, I saw the film first and it's a lot different, I must say I actually thought the film made more sense (first time for everything!) But as books go it's not a bad read. I've been reading Star Wars novels for so long non-stop now that it's nice to read something different. I'll probably keep going till the end of the series, but it's not a book I would read again.
afternoon delight
Member
Sirens of Titan and Cat's Cradle are near perfect continuations of the themes in Slaughterhouse 5, with just-as-varied fictional constructs.
Man Without a Country is straight up humanist gospel.
Schattenjäger
Gabriel Knight
So I just finished a book dealing with a lot of conservative ideology
And just started Lovecrafts At the Mountains of Madness - seems like a real slow burn - should I stick with it ?
And just started Lovecrafts At the Mountains of Madness - seems like a real slow burn - should I stick with it ?