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What are you casually reading these days?

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DarienA

The black man everyone at Activision can agree on
Now that I catch the Metro in to work most mornings I've been able to get back in to reading something I've always enjoyed over the years... however I actually decided to mix it up and reread some of my old books in preparation for new ones in the series and just reread some just because so...

Reread:
Rama series... Geez book 1 and 2 were great... book 3 was crap and book 4... meh.
First 2 Atlantis books... Greg Donegan pen name for Robert Doherty, also wrote the Area 51 books which I've read... his site BTW reports that both of these series are now over...51 started great... and well... yeah. From what I've read Atlantis' final book isn't anything to write home about either, but I'd like to get closure on the series.

Started Reading:
Mechwarrior Dark Age. I was a HUGE fan of the original series of books and when the clan war just ended...well I was really disappointed I'd really grown to like the way Victor Davion was portrayed. When I first heard about M: DA I was like oh there's no way in hell I'm reading this they killed off everybody I knew and basically threw the entire group back in to the Dark Ages? Well I recently decided to read Ghost War and really enjoyed it... nice cameo by Victor in it as well... so I think I'll give the series a shot.

Want to ReRead:
Sword of Truth series... I can remember if I read Naked Empire or not, the only thing I remember is that Richard was trapped behind enemy lines and ended up building a statue or something... so I figure I'll blaze through the original books and refresh my memory on what is going on there.

Want to pick up:
Air Battle Force and Plan of Attack I'm a huge Dale Brown fan and have been so for years... now that Tom Clancy is all political and shit Dale is the only one who gives me the type of descriptions for air craft combat that I like. I've dabbled in some Steve Coonts but nothing has really stuck with me... hey Dale Brown even responded to one of my emails once years ago....
 
S

SyNapSe

Member
I've been reading Wolves of Calla slowly at nights sometimes for a month or so. I'd like to hurry and get it and Song of Susannah finished before the last Dark Tower book hits stores.
 
P

Prospero

Member
1883011590.jpg


Reading a variety of actual newspaper articles written during the period is a nice way to get a balanced perspective on the event. They're arranged in chronological order, so it's almost like reading a novel.
 
C

commish

Jason Kidd murdered my dog in cold blood!
SyNapSe said:
I've been reading Wolves of Calla slowly at nights sometimes for a month or so. I'd like to hurry and get it and Song of Susannah finished before the last Dark Tower book hits stores.
Click to expand...

I have Calla sitting on my shelf, any good?
 
S

SyNapSe

Member
commish said:
I have Calla sitting on my shelf, any good?
Click to expand...

I found the beginning somewhat slow.. I'm about halfway through now, and it's definately starting to pick up. This book really ties into the storyline of Salem's Lot. Well, that's misworded.. part of the storyline and timeline of Salem's Lot jumps into Calla.

It doesn't seem like the other books so far where they are traveling along a lot. This story is mainly based out of one area, and you get to know the people, etc. It's also.. quite long.. which maybe why it seems to be slow early on. It's just a lot of pages of "setting the plate", I guess you would say.
 
M

Mama Smurf

My penis is still intact.
Re-reading

0002245868.02.LZZZZZZZ.jpg


as it's been a couple of years since I read the books, and the new one's coming soon (well, 2005 probably). I would read it closer to the actual release, but I'm moving to Canada soon and it's too heavy to take with me, plus I'm not buying the same book again while out there.

Despite loving the series, I've tried to reread it unsuccessfully about 5 times, as I always end up stopping about halfway through book 1. Which I don't understand, I read plenty of epic, long series multiple times. So this time I started with the 3rd book. Every so often it's a bit confusing as I try to remember what's happened previously, but I think I've got it all now.
 
M

Minotauro

Finds Purchase on Dog Nutz
I've been reading Keep the Aspidistra Flying by George Orwell. I picked it up after re-reading 1984 a few weeks back and being floored. It's pretty good although a lot of references go over my head.
 
C

commish

Jason Kidd murdered my dog in cold blood!
SyNapSe said:
I found the beginning somewhat slow.. I'm about halfway through now, and it's definately starting to pick up. This book really ties into the storyline of Salem's Lot. Well, that's misworded.. part of the storyline and timeline of Salem's Lot jumps into Calla.

It doesn't seem like the other books so far where they are traveling along a lot. This story is mainly based out of one area, and you get to know the people, etc. It's also.. quite long.. which maybe why it seems to be slow early on. It's just a lot of pages of "setting the plate", I guess you would say.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I see it sitting there, quite large in its volume, which is great if it's the tale grabs hold of me quickly, but books that start slow tend to never get finished. But the Dark Tower is almost over, so I have to plow through it sooner or later. I haven't read salem's lot, so I won't get that connection, but I hear that The Stand is referenced as well.
 
I

impirius

Member
About to read The Abolition of Man by C.S. Lewis

Edit: And so far it's great. He doesn't waste any time getting right down to matters. :)
 
B

BuddyC

Member
Agent Dormer said:
Some book called Power-Up: How Japanese Video Games Gave the World an Extra Life by this Chris Kohler fellow.
Click to expand...
You really need a "Chris Kohler Viral Marketer" tag.
 
F

fennec fox

ferrets ferrets ferrets ferrets FERRETS!!!
4150306923.09.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

If you happen to know Japanese you should read Chohei Kanbayashi's SF-y stuff. It's great and it's also been made into several fine OVA's.
 
A

AfroLuffy

Member
I checked out The Odyssey from the library, for a much desired reacquaintance with homeric myth.

Interestingly, after reading the thorough sixty-five page introduction, which exhausted and explored the history, themes, and importance of the work, I felt that reading the actual prose wouldn't be worth the effort.

I suppose the purpose of reading is different for each of us.

Unlike other works of fiction, which I'll digest simply to entertain, I approached The Odyssesy in a quasi-scholarly manner befitting of its impact on western civ. I dubbed this approach, quasi-scholarly, because i never planned on memorizing lines of text to begin with, for i'm an inherently forgetful man and much too lazy for notes, which raises the question as to why i bother at all...?

Regardless, the introduction was enough of a re-education to satisfy.... but, doubtless The Illiad would've been a better choice, as it's far more suited to this sort of inquiry in the first place . The tale of Troy resonated with the inhabitants of the greco-roman world(my favorite historical period) centuries upon centuries later, becasue of this I've learned more about Homer's first work from primary writings than from my own studies of it. Studies which, shall we say, are non-existant; I've never read the damn thing--quasi scholarship indeed!

After reading what i've just put forward, I can vouch with confidence on my deviation from the topic thread; however, if you looked upon these petty tribulations with any interest, then i'm happy to hav....no, you're probably more lonely than I!



Afro Luffy: Lazy and confused 22 year old journalism major far more interested in greek & roman studies but antagonistic/skeptical of the opportunities afforded by such a degree....*teardrop*
 
TheQueen'sOwn

TheQueen'sOwn

insert blank space here
scola said:
We're like, twins! ;)
Click to expand...

I'm 100 pages in... I like how it isn't too hard to understand :). I did my summative research project (for Grade 11 physics) on String Theory and I was very interested when I heard about this book :D.
 
W

White Man

Member
I picked up an untranslated Arthur Rimbaud collection. I've kind of been noodling out very rough translations of things on my breaks at work. I miss all my books on language and linguistics at home. I was going to have my mom ship me most of my Latin stuff this week, but my brother's wife down in the other Washington ended up having her baby, so my mom had to be there for that.

I've also been idly rereading The Crying of Lot 49 over and over again. I think I'm officially an expert on it. I've read every bit of available decent critical writing concerning the text, and no doubt, I've noticed thematic lines that noone else has. My copy's margin is filled with notes now. One of my friends wanted to read the book but I told him he'd have to get his own copy, since my copy is not only almost unreadable, but my notes would spoil plot points.

Hmmm. Need another crack-like book. . .
 
Q

Quadrophenic

Member
I am not reading anything casually at the moment (too much other reading for class). Though i just finished reading the entire Preacher comic series last night, and a week ago I finished the book "When I Was Five I Killed Myself" by Howard Buten.

I recommend both to anyone. Especially 'When I Was Five...". Great story from a unique perspective. Its a quick read too.
 
E

enjoy bell woods

Banned
White Man said:
I picked up an untranslated Arthur Rimbaud collection. I've kind of been noodling out very rough translations of things on my breaks at work. I miss all my books on language and linguistics at home. I was going to have my mom ship me most of my Latin stuff this week, but my brother's wife down in the other Washington ended up having her baby, so my mom had to be there for that.

I've also been idly rereading The Crying of Lot 49 over and over again. I think I'm officially an expert on it. I've read every bit of available decent critical writing concerning the text, and no doubt, I've noticed thematic lines that noone else has. My copy's margin is filled with notes now. One of my friends wanted to read the book but I told him he'd have to get his own copy, since my copy is not only almost unreadable, but my notes would spoil plot points.

Hmmm. Need another crack-like book. . .
Click to expand...
I read a page of that -- Crying Lot -- last week, but then something happened. You've motivated me to read the book, but I left it somewhere.
 
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