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[Prospero]

Since the last one of these threads, I've gone through a few things:

Tom Wolfe is one of my favorite American stylists (though I prefer his journalism to his fiction). I think this was unfairly maligned by critics. It isn't exactly Finnegan's Wake, but it's really entertaining, and the accuracy with which he nails the dialogue of college students is creepy.

Two short novels by Carson McCullers:

Reflections in a Golden Eye is about an officer on a U.S. military base in the Deep South in 1941, who's a closet homosexual--it's pretty intense (though I didn't like it as much as The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, my favorite McCullers novel so far). The Ballad of the Sad Cafe is just what the title says it is--I won't say more than that. You can finish it off in an evening--it's a great introduction to her writing style (similar to Flannery O'Connor, but with less Catholicism and even more twistedness, if you can imagine that).

And now I'm switching back and forth between

(which is kicking my ass--it's clearly genius, but it isn't a book that's meant to have its pages turned too quickly) and

(since I've got all three volumes now, I'm going to try to read them all back to back).

 

[Property of Jumpship]

Atheism A Very Short Introduction
Consider Ethics
The Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy

 

[karasu]

 

[Foreign Jackass]

Edit : Ok then, here's my take on it.

So far, I'm having a little trouble going through it, cause english is my second language. I had no trouble getting through 1984 and many english books, but this one is really hard to read. But so far, the story is pretty cool, the world it's set in is rather cold and it's a great satyre on consumerism, genetic manipulations and the death of individuality. On some points it ressembles 1984 a lot, especially in its cold depiction of the future and the use of its protagonist (so far). Not up to par with 1984 for me, but close (I haven't finished it yet, I'm halfway through.)

 

[JasoNsider]

I took the OT's recommendation and read His Dark Materials trilogy, which was excellent.

Then I read Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones. This book was really great. One of the first books that I might re-read some day. Seriously, you should all pick it up, as the Miyazaki film is on its way and you will not regret reading this before you watch the film.

Now reading:

Book 1 in the Jack Aubrey - Steven Maturin series; Master and Commander. Really good so far.

Next I might read Musashi, as you guys have gushed over it many times here.

 

[ToxicAdam]

I just don't have time to read anymore.

This and 'Dilbert" compilations on the john.

 

[LukeSmith]

and

 

[Iceman]

Michael Cricthon's The Great Train Robbery

 

[automagnus]

 

[Crandle]

They're quite the head trip taken together. I'll probably read a political book or something next, as a return to cold hard realism.

 

[goodcow]

Very good look into Amazon so far.

 

[JasoNsider]

People who are listing these books: please let us know if they are enjoyable or not (even if you're not done.) The best way to find new books is to hear testimonials from others.

 

[Brian Fellows]

 

[Gorey]

Now reading:

Book 1 in the Jack Aubrey - Steven Maturin series; Master and Commander. Really good so far.

Now that is some wonderful historical fiction. I'm about halfway through the series...taking it slow.

Currently reading:

Lone Wolf and Cub- vol 15. One of the best samurai dramas ever, in any medium.
Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrel- (slowly but surely). It's not as Harry Potterish as many would have you believe. Very charming.
The Stars My Destination- I <3 you, Alfred Bester. Superlative science fiction from the late 50's. Bester won the first Hugo award for another novel, The Demolished Man. If you like sci fi...read them.

 

[JoshuaJSlone]

I've been reading the Dune books. Currently about a third through God Emperor of Dune.

People who are listing these books: please let us know if they are enjoyable or not (even if you're not done.) The best way to find new books is to hear testimonials from others.

A lot of the time through the first book of this series I was confused. What is a mentat? Why is the spice so valuable? What's the purpose of the Bene Gesserit? Things like that. However, with a pretty good understanding of the fictional universe already obtained, I've quite enjoyed the rest.

 

[thom]

Pretty light reading as of late.

I just finished David Sedaris' latest "Dress your family in corduroy and denim"

 

[Chony]

Just finished Plato : The Republic;
now I am reading Hobbes: Leviathan (which is pretty tough to read if I do say so myself)

 

[enjoy bell woods]

I'm reading this because I just watched the movie recently. So far, so good. I

 

[calder]

Just started and it's been great, as I knew it would be. Loved the miniseries, and just finished the sequel Streets of Laredo which actually makes going backwards chronologically almost more enjoyable if a little bittersweet.

Over the last couple of months I actually read a pile of Star Wars books (Zahn's trilogy and a couple of others) and a half dozen semi-terrible pulp fantasy novels from the early 90's. Found a couple of boxes of paperbacks that I had bought in HS and shortly thereafter.... damn I read some shit. :lol Some of it's still entertaining dross but a lot is just absurd. Re-reading Dean Koontz's Strangers now gave me a great feeling of liberation because I don't read his novels anymore, but I'll admit that the schlockly techno-thrillers and spy/ninja assassin books are just as pleasurable a guilty pleasure now than they were 10 years ago. Larry Bond = rawk.

 

[Mifune]

Maddeningly dense and complex and slow-moving, but I'm kinda loving it. I've got about 250 pages to go, and I find myself looking forward to the next book.

 

[Matt_09]

Currently working my way though...

and also several film books for my uni course.

 

[Alucard]

I recently finished reading Ishmael, by Daniel Quinn. It is one of the most inspirational books I have ever read and now I really want to pick up the rest of Quinn's work.

Currently reading The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy with my g/f. Pretty good so far. We're only about 50 pages in. Damn the names of things and places though...

 

[android]

Diary kinda sucked.

And I'm about to start.

 

[Memles]

Currently, Michael Ignatieff's "The Lesser Evil" for my Poli Sci course: Worst edited book I've seen in awhile. Ugh. Thus far, uninteresting, and I have to write an essay on one of the chapters.

I start Pride and Prejudice for English tonight.

 

[gunstarhero]

Finished Mr Norell and Jonathan Strange not too long ago - best book of 04 imo

 

[Dagless M.D.]

I'm not joking

 

[nitewulf]

Just finished these two:

Two Alastair Reynolds novellas set in his Revelation Space universe. Diamond Dogs deals with an alien artifact known as the Blood Spire. A spiraling tower set in a deserted planet, each room of the tower involves an intricate mathematical puzzle which must be solved in order to move on, failing to do so would result in increasingly harsh punishments.
Turquoise Days deals with another alien phenomenon of the revelation space universe, known as the Pattern Jugglers. Massive biological archiving systems set in oceanic planets.
Both novellas are quite good, however this book isnt suggested as an introduction to his works, you would understand and like the stories more if you are familiar with the revelation space trilogy.

Though advertisd as a sci-fi, this isnt really a hard sci-fi novell. it's a noir set in a far future human society, and as such the author introduces some fantastic technologies, but he never really explains the techs.
Ppl have commented that it's akin to a combination of Raymond Chandler and William Gibson. But I found it didnt have the depth of either. Morgan writes in a visual style similar to both, his hero is a typical hard boiled noir hero, never quite reaching the humanism of Marlowe. And the human society of earth is reminiscent of a decadent cyberpunk society, so basically those are the similarities.
However, it's a very well told tale rife with graphic sex and violence. Chapter 15 is probably one of the best action sequences I have ever read, and the sex scenes are awesome!
His detailed descriptions of the society itself is what really impressed me the most. It's a very nicely done novell.
Recommended for noir and sci-fi fans.

Currently i'm reading a few novels in my native tongue along with Ship of Magic by Robin Hobb.

 

[Drinky Crow]

Just finished Mason and Dixon by Thomas Pynchon. Hilarious, clever novel written in pre-Victorian prose. Even if you didn't grok Gravity's Rainbow, you should read this novel if you just enjoy the ineffably clever -- it's far more accessible than many of Pynchon's works.

Still finishing up The Plot Against America by Philip Roth. Ever wonder what would happen if Lidnbergh had run for President against FDR and won? It's a cautionary tale for the liberal set (especially if you're Jewish).

Oh, and I also finished up the sadly non-fiction What's the Matter with Kansas by Thomas Frank. Ouch. Great book; great insights into Heartland politics from a somewhat sympathetic liberal voice.

Gonna start on Confederacy of Dunces, which I am ashamed to admit has been on my list for a couple years yet I've never gotten around to reading.

 

[Dilbert]

I always feel bad that, based on the kinds of books listed in this thread, none of the books I read would be of interest to anyone else on this board.

 

[Blackie]

Just recently finished up Gene Wolfe's "The Knight", "The Wizard", and George R.R Martins "Fevre Dream". All of those books come highely recommended from me, I loved them.

...still plugging away at Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. Been working on that for a couple months.

 

[thomaser]

I'm just finished reading these:

Holy Blood, Holy Grail - Michael Baigent and others. The grail-myths have always fascinated me, so this was a no-brainer. Especially after reading, and liking, The DaVinci Code, which is heavily based on the theories in HB,HG, and Umberto Ecos Foucault's Pendulum. Fun and riveting, even if the authors are sometimes too quick to see evidence where there might be none.

Iliaden (The Iliad) - Homer. I'm in the beginning of a study of ancient literature, and this is, of course, essential. A slow starter due to the unfamiliar phrasing and tons of names, but it picks up its pace nicely. Truly intense in parts! A great read if you're interested in old literature, or in Greek myth... but be sure to find a good translation!

Kant and the Platypus - Umberto Eco. I'm interested in semiotics, and I love Umberto Eco, so this was a given. I don't have much previous knowledge to go on in this particular field, though, so the book was a harder read than I had expected. It will probably sit better after a second readthrough.

Cities of the Fantastic: The Invisible Frontier vol.1 and vol.2 - Peeters and Schuiten. I absolutely adore the Cities of the Fantastic-series... too bad the English translations are so incredibly slow in the coming. Wonderful stories about a world parallel to ours, which has a large number of literally fantastic cities. These books, The Invisible Frontier, is about a giant centre for cartography which lies in the middle of nowhere. The story is very unorthodox, and I don't really know how to describe it. You'll have to see for yourselves! Oh... and the art is brilliant. Especially the architectonic details. Just brilliant!

Right now, I'm reading these:

Odysseen (The Odyssey) - Homer. The Iliad's sequel, if you like. I've been close to buying it for the longest time, but didn't do it until I had to now that I'm about to study it. I'm halfway through, and it's great so far. Not as actionpacked as The Iliad, but much easier to read because it revolves around far fewer characters. I love suddenly being able to "get" all the references to this book in other books

The Golden Bough - James George Frazer. I'm a sucker for myths, and have wanted to read this for years. The size is daunting, but I have plenty of time. I hope it'll help in my studies too.

 

[Prospero]

On some points [BNW] ressembles 1984 a lot, especially in its cold depiction of the future and the use of its protagonist (so far). Not up to par with 1984 for me, but close (I haven't finished it yet, I'm halfway through.)

You might take a look at Yevgeny Zamyatin's We if you haven't already--it predates both Huxley and Orwell, and is another interesting take on the idea of the dystopia (some feel it's better than both those books). At any rate, it's a big influence on both BNW and 1984, as well as a number of other scattered things, including George Lucas's THX-1138. Stylistically, it's much more stripped down than BNW and 1984. I recommend the English translation by Mirra Ginsburg.

Maddeningly dense and complex and slow-moving, but I'm kinda loving it. I've got about 250 pages to go, and I find myself looking forward to the next book.

I'm digging this as well (and a discussion thread for the Baroque Cycle might be worthwhile in a few months). In my eyes, Stephenson started off as poor man's William Gibson (Snow Crash), and graduated to poor man's Thomas Pynchon (Cryptonomicon), but now he's finally coming into his own literary voice (his prose is gorgeous), and I'm glad I've stuck with him.

 

[Scrow]

 

[Eminem]

I understand it so much morenow, and on so many different levels it's nearly absurd. It truley is genius. Makes you think about so many things in so many different ways.

I've been meaning to reread this for quite some time. Finally got around to it, and it's even more enjoyable than when I remembered it. It's the ultimate pure fantasy novel.





and if any sports fans read these threads....i've read all three of these in the last 2 weeks:

GREAT book. One of the best sports books I've ever read, and I hate the Patriots. But seeing stuff the way Belichick does, and how he works and motivates his team...it's a great read for any football fan.

Nothing groundbreaking, but a shorter, easy read. Tells you a lot of things you might miss on the field, and a MUST read if you're a Parcells fan. Some good info, and worth a look if you like football. More for a casual fan than anything.

Now this just might be King's best work to date
Great read. It reads so smoothly because as you read their e-mails back and forth to each other, it's so easy to substitute you and one of your friends into the book and their position. You know how they're thinking and what you say to your friends every year about your team. Gives a great perspective to people like me who only know the Sox from afar, just knowing them as a cursed team that provide a common ally for every Yankee hater to root for.

 

[Mifune]

I'm digging this as well (and a discussion thread for the Baroque Cycle might be worthwhile in a few months). In my eyes, Stephenson started off as poor man's William Gibson (Snow Crash), and graduated to poor man's Thomas Pynchon (Cryptonomicon), but now he's finally coming into his own literary voice (his prose is gorgeous), and I'm glad I've stuck with him.

Well, I thorougly enjoyed both Snow Crash and Cryptonomicon, but I will agree that Quicksilver really is just something else entirely. Have you read his Diamond Age, by chance? It's easily his most underrated novel.

I don't think I'll be ready to discuss the Baroque Cycle in a few months, unfortunately, since I'm planning to buy the last two books in paperback. And The Confusion doesn't hit paperback until this summer.

 

[Prospero]

Well, I thorougly enjoyed both Snow Crash and Cryptonomicon, but I will agree that Quicksilver really is just something else entirely. Have you read his Diamond Age, by chance? It's easily his most underrated novel.

I enjoyed Snow Crash and Cryptonomicon, too (though I read Snow Crash when it first came out in paperback, years ago--it'd be interesting to go back to it again).

I've read The Diamond Age, and I agree that it's a neglected book--the idea of a future society that has highly advanced technology while retreating to a Victorian conception of morality was really well-executed, and I can't remember seeing anything quite like it in SF, not even in dystopian fiction.

I'd love to see Stephenson try his hand at a pure SF or cyberpunk novel again after the Baroque Cycle, but once writers who start out in SF break out of the "genre ghetto" (like Jonathan Lethem, William Gibson, and now Neal Stephenson) they usually don't go back.

 

[FnordChan]

Alan Grant, a detective with a talent for reading faces, is laid up in bed with a busted leg and is bored out of his skull. A friend drops by a selection of famous photographs and portraits for Grant to mull over, which leads him to solve the mystery of Richard III's supposed murder of his two nephews, the Princes in the Tower. In short, it's freakin' awesome. Next up:

I finally managed to track down the first book of the Culture series; hopefully it'll be worth the wait.

Meanwhile, I second the Alfred Bester and Cities of the Fantastic love.

FnordChan

 

[=W=]

Gonna start on Confederacy of Dunces, which I am ashamed to admit has been on my list for a couple years yet I've never gotten around to reading.

Reading that right now actually. It's awesome.

When I'm done, I'm gonna start either The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien or The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon.

 

[Mifune]

The Stars My Destination is a fantastic read.

Prospero-

I didn't realize Lethem was a SF writer. I've been meaning to pick up Motherless Brooklyn, but no stores seem to carry it. Have you read him? Where do you recommend I start?

And I, too, would love to see Neal Stephenson write a straight sci-fi novel. In interviews he seems to consider the Baroque Cycle to be SF in the literal sense, so he might feel that he hasn't left genre writing.

 

[Foreign Jackass]

You might take a look at Yevgeny Zamyatin's We if you haven't already--it predates both Huxley and Orwell, and is another interesting take on the idea of the dystopia (some feel it's better than both those books). At any rate, it's a big influence on both BNW and 1984, as well as a number of other scattered things, including George Lucas's THX-1138. Stylistically, it's much more stripped down than BNW and 1984. I recommend the English translation by Mirra Ginsburg.

Nice! I'll check this out, when I finish the 3 other books I had for xmas, Animal Farm (should be pretty quick), Slaughterhouse 5 and Catch-22. Isn't it rather obvious I'm kinda new at reading american (edit : Ok, english too) litterature?

 

[fennec fox]

OK, the lady on the cover looks a little too Texan for my tastes, but it's a really fascinating book on animal behavior.

Before that it was

 

[FnordChan]

I didn't realize Lethem was a SF writer. I've been meaning to pick up Motherless Brooklyn, but no stores seem to carry it. Have you read him? Where do you recommend I start?

I'm not a Lethem expert, but I can recommend his first novel:

The cover says it all, really.

FnordChan

 

[Prospero]

I didn't realize Lethem was a SF writer. I've been meaning to pick up Motherless Brooklyn, but no stores seem to carry it. Have you read him? Where do you recommend I start?

For "mainstream" Lethem, Motherless Brooklyn is where to start. But for the early SF Lethem, you should look at his first novel, Gun, With Occasional Music.

Odd that Stephenson thinks of Baroque Cycle as SF, but if by that you mean "fiction that has a lot of science in it," then yes, I guess it is.

 

[carmello]

In the past two weeks I have gotten through 1984, Animal Farm, Keep the Aspidistra Flying, and various short works by Kafka (The Hunger Artist being one). Since watching The Lady Killers some nights ago, I've taken to Edgar Allen Poe with renewed vigour. Next up is Catch 22 by Joseph Heller, which is, I am reliably informed, quite hilarious.

 

[nitewulf]

i had to read "We" back in the 10th grade, i thought it was really quite good. still havent finished cryptonomicon, just the last 150 pages or so, cant seem to get it done.

 

[jonhuz]

 

[MC Safety]

I just don't have time to read anymore.

This and 'Dilbert" compilations on the john.

Cookie Jarvis ruled! It's too bad they replaced the aesthetically pleasing brown box for Cookie Crisp with the eye-assaulting white one.

And what's with the Cookie Crook and that stupid dog? Don't they realize Cookie Jarvis was responsible for magically turning cookies into cereal?

Oh, and I'm reading Harry Turtledove's Settling Accounts.

 

[etiolate]

I finished:
Of Mice and Men

Reading:
American Psycho - Bret Easton Ellis
The Adventures of Kalavier & Clay - Michael Chabon

 

[Foreign Jackass]

In the past two weeks I have gotten through 1984, Animal Farm, Keep the Aspidistra Flying, and various short works by Kafka (The Hunger Artist being one). Since watching The Lady Killers some nights ago, I've taken to Edgar Allen Poe with renewed vigour. Next up is Catch 22 by Joseph Heller, which is, I am reliably informed, quite hilarious.

Damn, I wish I had enough time to read that much. Juggling your time between work, love life, movies, studies, reading, video games, friends is infinitely complex want you want to get good at all of em.

 

[carmello]

Damn, I wish I had enough time to read that much. Juggling your time between work, love life, movies, studies, reading, video games, friends is infinitely complex want you want to get good at all of em.

All I have is work and movies, so I seem to have an inordinate amount of time to spare, much to my chagrin. Reading is about the only thing that keeps me sane T_T