Neffarias_Bredd
Member
Awesome, thanks for the recommendations. I actually already own player of games so thats up next, and I'll be sure to check out the other two you mentioned.
What are you reading? (January 2016)
- Thread starter Maklershed
- Start date
Awesome, thanks for the recommendations. I actually already own player of games so thats up next, and I'll be sure to check out the other two you mentioned.
TwntyOneTwlv
Member
I'm about 100 pages in and I finally feel like I'm starting to get it. It's one big joke. The trial scene with the colonel really hammered that point home.
eu pfhor ia
Neo Member
Haha yup. I think at one point it clicked and then he described something else and it just made me confused.
There's some nice illustrations but I want like a legit guide.
Just finished this book. I found it to be readable and really interesting. I drew some parallels to Starship Troopers, so maybe that is why I liked it. I think this was the perfect book for me to start reading again.
Next up:
This looks like it will be a quick read.
A Brief History of Seven Killings by Marlon James- I really liked this book. It had strong characters, a good plot, and even at 681 pages moved at a good pace. Did not feel that anything dragged on too long. I can't even describe this book very well other than that I really liked it.
Halfway through The Glass Bead Game by Hermann Hesse. It's a strange book. Dense and slow-going, but interesting.
I've read a number of Hesse books. Liked most of them. Never got around to reading this. If you like his style, he has simpler novels that are quite good.
I've read Demian, Siddhartha, and Narcisuss and Goldmund. Enjoyed all three.
RetrospectiveLamb
Member
Just finished reading this. It was quite refreshing because it gave the voice of Imperials soldiers and how they rationalize war against the Rebellion and vice versa. Highly recommend it for people who enjoy Star Wars!
I am reading an excellent history book called "Christianity: The First Three Thousand Years" by Diarmaid MacCulloch. The first thousand years, if you were furrowing your brow upon reading "three thousand", describes the ways that Judaism and Hellenist thought informed the cultures that Christianity was rooted in.
It's fascinating stuff. I also read Elena Ferrante's Troubling Love, my first foray into her books. I loved it and kind of want to read another immediately, but I'm going to hold off for a bit.
Atraveller
Banned
I picked up Paper Magician during my Prime trial, it has an interesting magic system, ok characters, weird out of nowhere romance, the book also has sequels but I didn't read them.
Shai-Tan
Banned
I mostly read monographs (science, philosophy, history) over novels. I'm currently reading:
Power Wars by Charlie Savage
-why Obama national security policy didn't alter course much from GW Bush (very dense insider account)
http://www.cato.org/events/power-wars-inside-obamas-post-911-presidency
How Adam Smith Can Change Your Life by Russell Roberts
-rehabilitating Adam Smith from some opportunistic interpretations of his work though a popularization of The Theory of Moral Sentiments
http://www.lse.ac.uk/newsAndMedia/videoAndAudio/channels/publicLecturesAndEvents/player.aspx?id=2672
The Barbarous Years by Bernard Bailyn
-a history of colonization of British North America 1600-1675. His approach to historiography in a series of books (mostly about American history) is just as interesting as the history itself
Measure Yourself Against the Earth by Mark Kingwell
-random philosophical essays written in a literary style. He was my philosophy 100 professor. It makes me sad that I never learned to write well
http://illaqueate.blogspot.ca (few of his old essays I put up years ago)
Virtuous Violence by Alan Fiske and Tage Shakti Rai
-interesting to read as a follow up to Steven Pinkers book Better Angels of Our Nature. More systematic investigation of the moral logic motivating violence, maybe a little too systematic for its own good (shoving everything into a simple general model)
Power Wars by Charlie Savage
-why Obama national security policy didn't alter course much from GW Bush (very dense insider account)
http://www.cato.org/events/power-wars-inside-obamas-post-911-presidency
How Adam Smith Can Change Your Life by Russell Roberts
-rehabilitating Adam Smith from some opportunistic interpretations of his work though a popularization of The Theory of Moral Sentiments
http://www.lse.ac.uk/newsAndMedia/videoAndAudio/channels/publicLecturesAndEvents/player.aspx?id=2672
The Barbarous Years by Bernard Bailyn
-a history of colonization of British North America 1600-1675. His approach to historiography in a series of books (mostly about American history) is just as interesting as the history itself
Measure Yourself Against the Earth by Mark Kingwell
-random philosophical essays written in a literary style. He was my philosophy 100 professor. It makes me sad that I never learned to write well
http://illaqueate.blogspot.ca (few of his old essays I put up years ago)
Virtuous Violence by Alan Fiske and Tage Shakti Rai
-interesting to read as a follow up to Steven Pinkers book Better Angels of Our Nature. More systematic investigation of the moral logic motivating violence, maybe a little too systematic for its own good (shoving everything into a simple general model)
karmaforgotme
Member
It's really good.
By the way, I have yet to read a bad book from this press.
One of my all-time favorite westerns, but so much more than a western. Just seeing the cover makes me want to dive back into it again.
I've been trying to get over a reading slump, last two times I picked up my Kindle it was more of a typical reading session, so maybe I've made it over the crest? Anyway, first book of the new year is Purity by Franzen.
It's more Franzian than the other book of his I read, Freedom. Which is to say, it's structured around his prolonged delving into characters' backstory, the present day plot is something that ties these stories together more than the backstories are ancillary to it. That's something he really loves, to lay out a character's life in like 10 year chunks. It's got a brand new array of some totally misguided themes, but that's alright, the story works better this time around. Also, since this isn't my first go around, I know not to try and take him so seriously, my lasting impression is of a great story teller, a real craftsman. For a book that's suppose to be polarizing, I simply enjoyed it. I do wish some important characters weren't on the extreme end of the scale, it made them seem more contrived and hollow than Freedom's, but again, I just wasn't so bothered by this book's shortcomings. So yes, the internet is awful, feminism is all kinds of weird, Oedipus complex is apparently very real, everyone is constantly absorbed with guilt and I still liked the way this dude tells a story.
It's more Franzian than the other book of his I read, Freedom. Which is to say, it's structured around his prolonged delving into characters' backstory, the present day plot is something that ties these stories together more than the backstories are ancillary to it. That's something he really loves, to lay out a character's life in like 10 year chunks. It's got a brand new array of some totally misguided themes, but that's alright, the story works better this time around. Also, since this isn't my first go around, I know not to try and take him so seriously, my lasting impression is of a great story teller, a real craftsman. For a book that's suppose to be polarizing, I simply enjoyed it. I do wish some important characters weren't on the extreme end of the scale, it made them seem more contrived and hollow than Freedom's, but again, I just wasn't so bothered by this book's shortcomings. So yes, the internet is awful, feminism is all kinds of weird, Oedipus complex is apparently very real, everyone is constantly absorbed with guilt and I still liked the way this dude tells a story.
cubicle47b
Member
I couldn't put down the Michael Lewis books. He's an incredible writer. I'm just starting Dune this week.
Interfectum
Member
Just finished reading this. It was quite refreshing because it gave the voice of Imperials soldiers and how they rationalize war against the Rebellion and vice versa. Highly recommend it for people who enjoy Star Wars!
I almost snagged this on audible but I'm scared it's going to be too YA for my taste. What did you think of that aspect of the novel?
The Last Wizard
Member
Reading Rockin' Steady
Interfectum
Member
Started reading this
Good shit so far.
Just a followup on this. Fantastic fucking book. I know I'm lttp on this but if anyone hasn't read this yet, go get it.
sparky2112
Member
ESSENTIAL
Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandel
As part of a program at my community college, I was given this book to read and be quizzed on. Which is cool and all but I find it weird because I got it through my History class and it's dystopian fiction.
Read the chapters required, but I feel so captivated and want to press on. Not being quizzed on the first few chapters for over a week so I feel a little torn.
As part of a program at my community college, I was given this book to read and be quizzed on. Which is cool and all but I find it weird because I got it through my History class and it's dystopian fiction.
Read the chapters required, but I feel so captivated and want to press on. Not being quizzed on the first few chapters for over a week so I feel a little torn.
The magic system is the reason I brought it. I finish one chapter. Hasn't really captured me yet.
I got The Martian for Christmas and mowed through it in about a week (super fast for me to read a book). I really liked it. I want to see the movie but somehow I think it will be a letdown.
Over the weekend I started Ready Player One. I am about 12 chapters in
I am really enjoying this as well, highly recommended for those alive in the 80's!
Over the weekend I started Ready Player One. I am about 12 chapters in
(He's through the first gate and trying to figure out the jade key clue.)
sparky2112
Member
Nah.
The Paper Magician and really the entire series had an interesting world and magic system, but I didn't like the main character. I kept hoping that she'd learn from her mistakes and grow but she never did. The ending of the third was a bit of a let down too. Love the covers and would love to read another character in that world, but I don't know if I'd recommend the entire series. First book is fine, though.
Christoff Yurievich
Member
I started the Hyperion series the other day and for some reason couldn't get into the first chapter at all. Like, I can slog through some books but this one just didn't want me to read it or something because I just couldn't pick anything to grab on to. I wonder if it's just a little too 'hard' sci-fi for me right now? I dunno. I'm going to try again a little later.
Dollar Yen
Neo Member
- Problogger - because I was looking to get better at blogging.
- The Good Shufu because it intrigued me.
- The Good Shufu because it intrigued me.
Xamtheking
Member
The 2nd book in the series is really good but the 3rd one is a little meh
Good to know, I'll check it out (was planning on seeing it eventually).
Jag
Member
I'm halfway through it now. Very YA, at least the romantic parts are pretty bad. The story is ok. It was recommend highly here.
So far it reads like SW fanfic. Like they are sitting next to a person that says one of the famous lines from one of the movies so the intent is to give you an insiders perspective on the story.
Mitch
Banned
Finished off The Girl With All The Gifts on Sunday.
Had a hard time putting it down.
Picked up Stephen King's 11/22/63 this past weekend.
About 100 pages in. Never read any of King's work prior to this. Don't know why I've waited so long, because this has sucked me in pretty good.
Bought this on a whim, since I needed a book to read while traveling during the New Year weekend. Didn't know much of anything, aside from skimming through the first few lines of the synopsis.
Had a hard time putting it down.
Picked up Stephen King's 11/22/63 this past weekend.
About 100 pages in. Never read any of King's work prior to this. Don't know why I've waited so long, because this has sucked me in pretty good.
RepairmanJack
Member
As someone who hasn't been a huge fan of King outside of The Dark Tower series, 11/22/63 and Revival had me absolutely in love and wanting to read more of his stuff. I hope he continues down that path of writing because those definitely seem different than his other more recent work.
Dandy Crocodile
Member
My favorite King novels are Gerald's Game, Misery, Dolores Claiborne, and The Stand.
The first three are great and from what I remember end well and tie up loose ends. I can't remember how The Stand ends because it's been a while and I need to revisit it, haha.
Anyone have recommendations for similar books about making contact with other life or their artifacts?On my list of books to read in 2016.So finished the Forever War and damn time dilation sounds nuts. And since I'm on a space kick and with SpaceX being awesome, I started Elon Musk's bio.
5 chapters in and damn do I wanna work at one of his companies even more now.
I'm about halfway through Three Body Problem now (about to start Part III). It's really interesting as a Science Fiction novel in that it's like... fiction about science. It's very much about what it means to make Science part of your identity and not just take it up as a profession. A character encounters a baffling phenomenon and then runs around in a cold sweat, panicking, but also straight up does an experiment and tries controlling variables. It was a nice little understated scene. I'm a little nervous this book is going to stumble in the back half but we'll see.
Thanks.
tintin1029
Member
I'm in the middle of reading
It's surprisingly amazing
It's surprisingly amazing
AngmarsKing701
Member
Average YA quality would be a big improvement for Star Wars literature.
PassiveObserver
Member
If you ever had a loner-ish streak about you, you've gotta read Steppenwolf. Felt like it was written just for me when I read it in college. I have two copies of N&G...nigh time for more Hesse.
Just curious, for those who read physical books here:
How do you keep your place in the book? I seem to have a mental note in my head of where I am in a book, usually can just open the book within 1-2 pages of where I was. I also just remember page numbers. Most other people I know use bookmarks, so I was wondering if other voracious readers were able to remember the page numbers as easily.
How do you keep your place in the book? I seem to have a mental note in my head of where I am in a book, usually can just open the book within 1-2 pages of where I was. I also just remember page numbers. Most other people I know use bookmarks, so I was wondering if other voracious readers were able to remember the page numbers as easily.
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