Discuss: What are you reading?

on Feb. 3 2008

Recent books I've completed reading are the entire Dune series (that took a couple of months!!), The God Delsusion, which I note was mentioned earlier. Also Nick Cave's And the Ass Saw the Angel,a great first (and at this point only) novel. Just finished Brian Lumley's Psychomech series and now onto the Necroscope series.

I've also got many books on Freemasonry and its links to the Knights Templar, many books by both Graham Hancock and Robert Bauval, interesting "alternative" looks at historical "fact" and the premise of an Eldar Civilisation.

Yes, I read faaaaar too much at times. Often have 1 fiction and 3-4 non-fiction books on the go at any one time.

And of course, we can't forget that pinnacle of poetic excellence, Shakespeares Monkey Review!!!! Or the many poems on this site.

End.

Mos.

on Feb. 4 2008

Since my last post I have read The Book of Breething by William S Burroughs (which is probably the most confusing thing I've ever read. I can't describe it.. it only takes like 30 minuets to read because a significant amount of it was a bunch of pictures of penises and men hunched over said penises and other weird things and then cryptic little seemingly unrelated side stories). Maybe it's brilliant, I have no idea. It was completely over my head. Except the first few pages about the word "is", I thought that was interesting. And the only thing about the book I really "got".

And I read Valparaiso which is a play by Don DeLillo. It was completely excellent. Anyone read anything by DeLillo? Any recommendations? I'm now in the middle of  his novel The Body Artist.  He has written a bunch and I'm going to read it all but  I dunno what to read next.

OH also, I read this uh.. "novel" called Snakes and Earrings. It was the worst freaking book I've ever read. (The Da Vinci Code MAY be worse, but even that I'm doubtful of).  It, like The Da Vinci Code, has won numerous awards and recieved acclaim all over the world. It's a best seller. It was.. um. Unbeleivably effin horrible. I'm dissapionted in people for liking this. It was translated from Japanese and I suspect a lot of the crappy writing was due to a bad translator. But even still, the plot is stupid. So, I like you all too much to recommend this thing to you, but if anyone wants to read the most ovverrated book in the history of ever (aside from DaVinci Code), go for it.

Also, Mosquitoperson... what did you think of The God Delusion? Just curiuos.

And Anstey, about The Lovely Bones.  read about half of that then got completely bored... a lot of my friends like it for some reason. But I remember thinking it was fairly poorly written. I'll have to give it another shot though. I'd be interested in what you think of it. 

So yes. I'm ranting. I'm also reading Brief Interviews with Hideous Men by David Foster Wallace which is thus far completely hilarious and awesome.

THE END. 

on Feb. 6 2008

People who think atheists have no morals are ridiculous - I've never understood that. If anything, atheists have the potential to be MORE "moral" than theists because their sense of right/wrong is intrinsic, not a result of forced-upon values. And atheists are WAY less likely to hate the gays. I'm just saying.

But yeah, I read most of The God Delusion (But had to turn it into the library before I could finish). I liked it, but, really, his target audience was not me - I don't really need convicning. I'm curious if this book could actually have any affect in changing the opinions of a religious person. Because, as awesome as it was, I kind of doubt it's ability to do so.

 Also in regards to this thread, I read The Daily Mirror last night, which was a book of poetry in which the author wrote a poem every day. I mean, good for him, but the poems weren't very good. Why was this published? I don't understand the world of poetry, furrael. (Case in point: people like Maya Angelou. Eww)

on Feb. 6 2008

on Feb. 7 2008

on Feb. 7 2008

Next up for me; "Jane Eyre" and another paper to write. I love doing analysis papers and criticism papers, does that make me strange?? 

----- LIFE: I messed up, can I have a 'do over'?

inspired from Mosquitobyte on Feb. 7 2008

Mos, while my sense of propriety is bruised, i did chuckle.   I would like to say, the Aeneid still doesn't interest me much. I thought maybe 20 years would improve it.

on Dec. 28 2008

I read "The Princess Bride" by William Goldman recently. Great book. They did a wonderful job with translating it into a movie.

At the moment, I'm getting into Terry Pratchett books. I've heard him described as doing for Fantasy what Douglas Adams did for Sci-fi. I enjoy his books. The satire is good and the social commentary is great.

Wanting to read another Heinlein book. Any burning suggestions? I've got "Stranger in a Strange Land" read. It's a favorite.

Oh, and Ste, don't bother with Dan Brown. Yech. Walmart-shelf-worthy crap, I say. Writers like Brown destroy the craft. Blech.  I swear to god, some woman sees Jesus in her toast every morning and half the population will revere her, the other half will put her in a straight jacket. I just think Dan Brown saw an opportunity to make a lot of money off of unintelligent people, and he did it. The difficulty of the book is pandered to the jesus-crazed and uneducated. It's borderline manipulation. He made a good business decision, and a poor novel. As a sidenote, my boyfriend disagrees and loved reading the book. Said that Brown wrote a good story just like Crichton and King. They also are Walmart-shelf books. I'm just sayin'. I guess I just value those authors that make you think about life. And Death. I look for something more meaningful than a good story.

Try out some Heinlein (if you haven't). He's a libertarian author. His "Stranger in a Strange Land" was a beautiful social commentary. Gets the brain wheels creaking.

on Dec. 29 2008

I am currently reading "crank" by Ellen Hopkins..  

I read "the Secret Lives of Bees" a while ago   .. I didn't really care for it but that's probably just me!  I would love to know your thoughts on it Laurie!  

on Jan. 18 2009

"Whatever you do, don't get "Biological Psychology: An Introduction to Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience", it's freakin boring as hell" - ShanV, literary masochist, way back before when.

"Eysenck and Keane's Excellent Adventures in Cognitive Science" is also a classic. Essential bedtime reading for insomniacs.

"The Psychology of Everyday Things" is, well, interesting and occasionally amusing. A typical scenario...crowds of people in a magnificently abstract public building, gathered around doors and light switches wondering how they work - the beauty of modern architectural design.

I've just finished Bill Bryson's "A Short History of Everything", which explains that scientists, viewed retrospectively, are basically insane - incompetent, deluded, dangerous, obsessive and frequently malevolent. In their defence, they occasionally experience a flash of insight that can be ascribed only to genius, followed by an inexorable descent into obscurity.

Obviously, these are somewhat subjective micro-reviews, and any semblance of accuracy is entirely coincidental.

Footnote to Fallica's suggestions: Lord Foul's Bane and The Illearth War are the first two books in Stephen Donaldson's trilogy, "The First Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, The Unbeliever". If you want to follow the story through to its gloriously ambiguous conclusion, you'll also be reading the second trilogy, which bears the astonsihingly intuitive legend "The Second Chronicles of Thomas Covenant".  All this may consume a considerable slice of your life, as it did mine.

Arbitrary appendage: this FCK editor thing is missing U*ED - Enter and die...

on Jan. 20 2009

ah well, what you may not know is there is also a third book available - 'Hippy Bob & the Wizard of Jihn'.

I may post some exerpts if you're very good.

got two Terry Pratchet books for xmas and have read neither of them yet.

on Feb. 12 2009

I'm urging everyone to jump on the Bolano wagon. 2 years ago I raved about "The Savage Detective". This year "2666" was translated into english (making it ineligible for the Pulitzer). Magnum Opus. Drink the kool-aid, kids.

on Apr. 21 2009

 I had 19 books assigned to read this semester, I have read all but 1 so far and even threw in an extra purely for pleasure. The most fun, by far, has been "The Twilight Saga" for a childrens lit. class. Digging for the interpretations using both Freud and Lacan has been major fun!

I also read "In The Wilderness," by Kim Barnes, and I will get to meet her next week in class. Hopefully, she will sign my book.

I watched the movie, "Capote" and then read the book, "In Cold Blood." After the movie, I was so upset with Truman Capote but I couldn't help but admire his techniques and style in the book. He did a fantastic job on capturing the townspeople.

on Apr. 29 2009

I'm reading a book on archetypes - I forget the name of it, "Awakening the Archetypes Within?" - by Carol Pearson. Fascinating, and stirring up a lotta stuff for me in a good way.

on May 9 2009

 I am just finishing "A Wolverine Is Eating My Leg" by Tim Cahill. I have laughed so hard, it was worth the read.

on May 18 2009

The unfortunately titled, "The Greek Way" by Edith Hamilton.  It's an analysis of ancient Greek culture through their art.  This sounds so dry, I know, but it isn't.  It's fascinating.

on May 22 2009

I just started reading "Metamagical Themas", by Douglas Hofstadter.  Its been staring at me from the bookshelf for about 15 years now, so its about damn time!

on May 24 2009

 I have just started reading "Deviant Bodies" by Jennifer Terry and jacqueline Urla. Can I say....WOW! This is so interesting.

on May 26 2009

 thanks everyone.. this is a great summer reading list for me!! thanks again for everything!  peace 

on May 27 2009

Currently "A Feast for Crows" by George RR Martin. I didn't like the first book initially, but somehow got hooked. Before that "Watchmen", which I recomend if you liked the movie, and Kurt Vonnegut "Slaughterhouse Five" and of course "Welcome to the Monkey House"!  I definitely recommend Vonnegut and plan on reading more of his work.

inspired from Derma Kaput on May 27 2009

Derma Kaput:

Yes! That's the one. Covenant. I'm really enjoying it so far. Some of his lines (especially the descriptive ones) are very beautiful. It's like reading an extended poem.

"The swelling night seemed full of soft communions--anodynes for the loneliness of the dark"

on Sep. 15 2009

WHile I was in Santa Fe I bought a used copy of The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand... Only into Chapter 3 on the plane ride home, but it is good already! I dont want to put it down!

on Jan. 11 2012

Just finished Hunger Games Trilogy and am now reading Vanity Fair.

on Jan. 11 2012

I thought it was excellent. It held my attention through all three books. It is not just another 'teen' series, it advances the main characters from complacency to rebellion and war. All done expertly as you find yourself really caring about what happens to them.

But don't take my word for it, I keep putting down Vanity Fair to read my steamy sex novel.

on Jan. 19 2012