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[nakedsushi]

Currently reading Machine of Death.

Fun little light reading so far. Dudes need to get up on this.

I started reading that a few months ago, but stopped about 4-5 stories in. They all kind of started to sound the same to me =(

 

[Laekon]

reading for the first time

I just picked this up on my Kindle a few weeks ago. I'm about 70% in and really liking the story so far. I haven't looked at the rest of the series so far though. If it is more then 4 books I might not continue.

 

[Karakand]

Oh, I'm also reading MY book which is FINALLY OUT today. I'm not just hyping it here. I am actually reading it. Because it is just that funny and well-illustrated.

We wrote an actual book, and didn't just paste together a bunch of our Twitter posts.

If you were hyping it wouldn't you have more information about it than (1) you wrote it and (2) that it has pretty pictures? Was there like a big thread about this or something I apologize if there was I just search for these threads every month.

e: ah now I see

 

[JAGII]

Slooooowwwwwlllllly making my way through it.

 

[Salvor.Hardin]

So I finished The Bell Jar yesterday and absolutely loved it. I'm still torn on how to interpret some of Esther's recovery. Was the electro shock therapy really a good decision at the end? Her mind seems to be slipping off of certain subjects, and although she doesn't remain as self-critical/anal, I can't help but feel uneasy that the solution to her problem was to make her accept how normal people are rather than allow her to confront her situation. It's a complicated matter, especially since she attempted suicide. I would love to hear what other people thought of it.

Also, I'm about to start:

Is there anything I should know about it before I jump in?

 

[plc268]

The Starter by Scott Sigler

Actually, I finished it two days ago, but figured I'd mention it anyway. It's a (american) football book mixed with sci-fi elements. Pretty neat and well written.

Game of Thrones. I figured I'd tackle at least one of the ASOIAF series before the HBO series comes.

Stealing Trinity by Ward Larsen

I need a nonfiction book to read now, since I like to read 1-2 fiction and 1 nonfiction book at a time.

Currently reading Machine of Death.

Fun little light reading so far. Dudes need to get up on this.

I tried, but the first few stories were pretty awful and awfully written, that I gave up on the book.

 

[Ikuu]

Just got my Kindle yesterday and it's got me reading much more than I did before (used to only read on the underground when going to training). Bought a few books and currently reading:

 

[Mr_Appleby]

Faulkner for me too.. first time i've read him.

 

[beelzebozo]

Just got my Kindle yesterday and it's got me reading much more than I did before (used to only read on the underground when going to training). Bought a few books and currently reading:

OUTLIERS by gladwell

i've heard a ton of criticism of gladwell, but for a storyteller who presents topics in interesting ways and encourages further discussion, he can scarcely be beaten. his other books are similarly fantastic, including his collection of articles. i can also recommend some other great nonfiction books of this type if you end up enjoying it (i wager if you are reading OUTLIERS, though, that you're already a gladwell enthusiast)

 

[Pollux]

Currently plowing through Atlas Shrugged....if and when I finish that during April it'll be a re-read of Storm of Swords.

 

[sparky2112]

Also, I'm about to start:

Is there anything I should know about it before I jump in?

Yep. Godspeed, little soldier...

But seriously. Buy a guide, and spend just as much time with it as you do the actual text.

 

[Ratrat]

Yeah, definitely read Old Man's War. That was actually the first thing that came to mind after the first half of that sentence.

You might also check out Lois McMaster Bujold's Vorkosigan series, though it's not quite the same as the others you listed.

awesome, and bought!

This was pretty good. Not really sure where I got it, but it was a pretty quick read and I enjoyed it. It is pretty heavy on the military lingo and such, but it didn't bother me.

Romance huh? Sounds interesting.

That Hyperion cover is pretty nice.

 

[LocoMrPollock]

Romance huh? Sounds interesting.

A little. It doesn't really go overboard with it. The main character is a female as is the writer, but I found it to be refreshing and a little different than what you usually get.

 

[Guileless]

Cardboard Gods by Josh Wilker

I got the just-published paperback edition which has a full two pages in the front full of quotes from rapturous reviews. This book deserves it.

This is a memoir by a Gen X guy who grew up in the 70s with an unconventional childhood as an isolated outcast in a rural area. People from this generation will appreciate the nostalgia that drips off of every page, but so will you youngsters who will be able to appreciate what it was like to grow up before cable, home consoles, texting, and the internet (i.e. completely different).

You don't need to like baseball or have collected cards to enjoy this book. It is laugh-out-loud funny in parts and also depressing (the author is unsparing about his family's problems). Highly recommended.

Note: each chapter starts with a picture of one of his cards that he uses as a starting point for discussion. They are in color and I wouldn't recommend reading the Kindle version for that reason.

 

[Divius]

Almost done with:

Idi Amin is an interesting character and the events in the book are pretty amazing, but the writing itself isn't that great.

 

[Sleepy]

Just finished (for the third time):

Currently reading:

Brilliant, sad, and at times soul-crushingly boring; but, unmistakably DFW.

 

[FnordChan]

Idi Amin is an interesting character and the events in the book are pretty amazing, but the writing itself isn't that great.

If you want to read a good novel about Idi Amin's rule in Uganda, check out Kahawa by Donald Westlake. It's a caper novel about a group of mercenaries, Ugandan refugees, and unwitting adventurers who plan to steal an entire coffee train from Idi Amin and smuggle the coffee out of the country. It's one hell of a read. Used copies are readily available for the cost of shipping and there's also a Kindle edition available. Check it out!

FnordChan

 

[sparky2112]

Brilliant, sad, and at times soul-crushingly boring; but, unmistakably DFW.

General opinion seems to be that Wallace did the soul-crushingly boring thing in the same way Bolano did the crimes in 2666 - numb you up as part of the overall experience. If you're going to write a book about the 'heroism' of surviving soul-crushing bordome, you gotta walk the talk...

BTW, I LOVE his widow's cover. Such a kickass thing to let her do it.

 

[Mumei]

I finished A Storm of Swords last night and started A Feast for Crows.

And I've got a number of unread books on my shelf, so I'll be asking for advice on what to read next after I finish AFFC!

 

[Sleepy]

General opinion seems to be that Wallace did the soul-crushingly boring thing in the same way Bolano did the crimes in 2666 - numb you up as part of the overall experience. If you're going to write a book about the 'heroism' of surviving soul-crushing bordome, you gotta walk the talk...

BTW, I LOVE his widow's cover. Such a kickass thing to let her do it.

Yup. I am in agreement with you on both points. And even the boring sections have their moments, though. Honestly, I feel privileged to even read it.

 

[xBigDanx]

Just finished:

I loved it. Lots of moral, ethical talk but overall good. Is it just me or did he not finish this book? I know it's part of series but he flat out left a big story point up in the air and didn't even acknowledge that it was still an open issue. I'm talking about

Spoiler

the fleet sent to destroy Lusitania

 

[BertramCooper]

About two-thirds through.

I like it so far. The writing is a bit amateurish, but it's from the point-of-view of a teenager, so it fits somewhat.

 

[Fanboydestroyer]

Just finished (for the third time):

Currently reading:

Brilliant, sad, and at times soul-crushingly boring; but, unmistakably DFW.

oh man I've been wanting to read that for a long time. But I chicken out every time I read reviews and or reader feedback on it.

I just started "The Urth of the New Sun" by Gene Wolfe. I like it, but not as much as I did "The Book of the New Sun" although I'm only on chapter 10 so I won't give up yet. actually I think I might just read through the entirity of the "Solar Cycle" I got all 4 "Book of the Long Suns" and the "Book of the Short Sun" trilogy. so why not? lets go for it XD

 

[nakedsushi]

Zoo City by Lauren Beukes

I was reading this, but stopped 20% of the way in. Just wasn't catching my interest and the characters were so 1-dimensional. The setting was kind of cool, but I really hate it when writers have to use current brand names like "Skype" and "Facebook" in their stories. It really brings me out of the world.

 

[beelzebozo]

i recommend this.

"THE FOURTH STATE OF MATTER" by jo ann beard, about the 1991 shooting at the university of iowa. it is heartbreaking and fantastic.

excerpt:

It’s Gang Lu, the doctoral student. Everyone lights up again. Gang Lu stands stiffly talking to Chris, while Bob holds a match to his pipe and puffs fiercely; nose daggers waft up and out, right in my direction. I give him a sugary smile and he gives me one back. Unimaginable, really, that less than two months from now one of his colleagues from abroad, a woman with delicate, birdlike features, will appear at the door to my office and identify herself as a friend of Bob’s. When she asks, I take her down the hall to the room with the long table and then to his empty office. I do this without saying anything, because there’s nothing to say, and she takes it all in with small, serious nods until the moment she sees his blackboard covered with scribbles and arrows and equations. At that point her face loosens and she starts to cry in long ragged sobs. An hour later I go back and the office is empty. When I erase the blackboard finally, I can see where she laid her hands carefully, where the numbers are ghostly and blurred.

 

[coldvein]

just finished 'the case of charles dexter ward' by hp lovecraft. it was really, really good.

 

[Das Boot]

Currently reading Confessions of an Economic Hitman.

Its light on details and "proof" of the events that the author talks about, but it is still an interesting and entertaining read.

 

[saelz8]

Enjoying it.

Here's a review from Amazon.

In "The Bible Unearthed," Israel Finkelstein and Neil Silberman display a rare talent among scholars--the ability to make specialized research accessible to a general audience. In this book the authors reveal how recent archaeological research forces us to reconsider the historical account woven into the Hebrew Bible. Among the conclusions they draw are:
1) The tales of patriarchs such as Abraham are largely legends composed long after the time in which they supposedly took place. This is seen in anachronisms such as the use of camels, not domesticated in the Near East until nearly 1000 years after Abraham's time, in many of the stories.

2) There is good reason to believe that the Exodus never happened. Had migrants to the number of even a small fraction of the 600,000 claimed in the Bible truly sojourned in the Sinai Peninsula for 40 years, archaeological evidence of their passage would be abundant. In fact, there are no traces of any signifant group living in the Sinai at the supposed time of the Exodus.

3) The Israelite "conquest" of Canaan, such as there was, was far from the military invasion of the books of Joshua and Judges. Many of the cities described as being conquered and destroyed did not even exist at the time, while those that did were small, unfortified villages, with no walls to be brought down, by blowing trumpets or otherwise.

4) While there is evidence that a historical David existed, and founded some sort of ruling dynasty known by his name, there is good reason to believe that he did not rule over the powerful united monarchy described in II Samuel. One reason for doubt: Jerusalem, portrayed as the great capital of a prosperous nation, was during the time of David little more than a village.

5) Neither Israel nor Judah emerged as organized kingdoms until significantly after the supposed period of the united monarchy. Israel does not appear as a recognizable kingdom until the time of the Omrides of the 9th century BCE, while Judah does not appear as such until the late 8th century BCE, at the time of kings Ahaz and Hezekiah.

Along with their revision of the biblical account of history, Finkelstein and Silberman attempt to explain the origins of the Hebrew Bible, suggesting that the composition of much of the Bible can be tied to the religious agenda of King Josiah of Judah during the late 7th century BCE. While the origins of the Bible will never be known with certainty--there simply isn't enough evidence--Finkelstein and Silberman definitely provide a plausible interpretation.

The authors, as I noted above, do a superb job of making their work understandable to non-specialists; since even college history majors often don't study the ancient Near East, they take care to include sufficient background information for the reader to understand the context of their account. Anyone with an interest in the subject will find "The Bible Unearthed" to be fascinating reading. And anyone who thinks the Bible is an accurate history book should definitely read it.

Link

 

[Soakedjunk]

I got a nasty bout of tonsillitis and ended reading this in one sitting



I loved it from beginning to end. I enjoyed how Rothfuss ended the book and cannot wait for the third one.

I also just finished rereading ASOIF and started ACOK.

 

[Jay Sosa]

I'm reading the Drew Brees bio, let me summarize:

God, Jesus, Jesus, God, Lord, God, Jesus, Jesus.

Finished this:

It's, not very surprisingly, brilliant.

 

[Maklershed]

Enjoying it.

Here's a review from Amazon.

Link

Sold! Sounds interesting. I don't even care about religion but I love learning about the archaeological aspects of The Bible. I always watch the History Channel documentaries. Which btw its that time of year for them since Easter is right around the corner.

 

[Gorgon]

OK, reposted from the last thread since I didn't know there was a new one.

Finished reading Master of the Five Magics by Lyndon Hardy a few days ago. Nice magic system depiction I've seen in a novel, but the book is nothing special. I ain't buying the rest, but it was worth a read.
OK, reposted from the last thread, didn't notice the new one.

I had to make a pause in my reading of Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrel. The book is great and marvelously writen, but somehow I lost the impetus. I'm about 180 pages in but I lost the momentum and now I have a shit-ton of other stuff to read. I think it will take some time to finish that one.

Now I'm in the mood for the old days of hunting and exploration in Africa and India. Had a grand-grand-grand-father who made an enourmous fortune in the Belgian Congo in the late 1890s to perhaps about the 1920s or 1930s. So I'm in a mood for the whole "white hunter" stuff of old.

I'm beguining to read this one, which is considered a huge classic:

It's basically about the hunting experiences of Jim Corbett, a guy who's fame comes from hunting maneater tigers and leopards in the early part of last century in Northern India, and who made a huge contribution for the establishment of the first Indian national wildlife reserve.

I also ordered the following:

(for backgorund purposes)

 

[Gorgon]

I just picked this up on my Kindle a few weeks ago. I'm about 70% in and really liking the story so far. I haven't looked at the rest of the series so far though. If it is more then 4 books I might not continue.

It's 4 books, but the last two suck balls (the Endymion books). Read only Hyperion and Fall of Hyperion.

 

[tmarques]

Halfway through. Must say I expected more since it's supposed to be Dickens' personal favourite. I think I even enjoyed The Old Curiosity Shop more, and that is supposed to be one of his weaker novels.

 

[Aurelius]

Very interesting read. I was surprised how liberal the US was pre-Cold War. Tempted to pick up a biography of McArthur after this.

 

[npm0925]

I am also working my way through The Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss. What strikes me as particularly interesting about this series is the author's ability to incorporate the scientific method into a fantasy environment, from the naturalist approach to dragons ("The Mating Habits of the Common Draccus") to the quasi-thermodynamics rules governing magic (i.e., sympathy). It sets limits on the abilities of the characters, meaning problems must be overcome in clever ways rather than through the deus ex machina that typifies this genre.

It also takes a special kind of author to make the commonplace events of a character's life interesting to read. This comes through as insipid filler in the works of Martin and Jordan, whereas Rothfuss is able to artfully weave it into the larger fabric of the story.

 

[Divius]

Just finished The Last King of Scotland, and immediately started:

Michael Chabon's The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay

I loved The Yiddish Policemen's Union, so I'm excited for this one.

 

[VoteForPedro]

Earth Abides by George R. Stewart

Just finished this a couple of days ago, really liked it but I thought it kind of dragged on towards the end. Still an interesting read, I especially liked the Biological analysis on the effects of the cataclysmic epidemic that the author presents alongside the advancement of the plot.

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss

Just started this yesterday and already 300 pages in, what a page turner! I heard the second part just came out so I thought it would be a a good time to start reading it. Really digging the Story, main character and the Lore, really interesting way of presenting the plot too, using the "story within a story"/Arabian Nights device.

Game of Thrones is up next, refuse to watch the TV show without reading at least the first book.

 

[Sleepy]

oh man I've been wanting to read that for a long time. But I chicken out every time I read reviews and or reader feedback on it.

I'm assuming you are writing about Gravity's Rainbow. It's my favorite book, but there are parts that still baffle me (and probably always will). Have you read The Crying of Lot 49? It's a good introduction to Pynchon and thematically, syntactically prepares readers for GR.

 

[Maklershed]

Earth Abides by George R. Stewart

Excellent book

 

[ultron87]

It's 4 books, but the last two suck balls (the Endymion books). Read only Hyperion and Fall of Hyperion.

I didn't find the Endymion books to be terrible. Just not nearly as good as Hyperion and the Fall of Hyperion.

 

[Gorgon]

I just started "The Urth of the New Sun" by Gene Wolfe. I like it, but not as much as I did "The Book of the New Sun" although I'm only on chapter 10 so I won't give up yet. actually I think I might just read through the entirity of the "Solar Cycle" I got all 4 "Book of the Long Suns" and the "Book of the Short Sun" trilogy. so why not? lets go for it XD

Give up? You crazy? You don't "give up" on Gene Wolfe's books. You should read the entire Solar Cycle, yes. Best thing ever writen in the speculative fiction field. It's miles beyond anything else.

I didn't find the Endymion books to be terrible. Just not nearly as good as Hyperion and the Fall of Hyperion.

Well, they're not terrible, but the first two are so good that they pale in comparison. It's as if Dan decided to write a "teenage adventures in space" series in the same universe instead.

 

[coldvein]

extremely late to the haruki murakami party, just started hard-boiled wonderland and the end of the world today. loving it so far.

 

[Fanboydestroyer]

Give up? You crazy? You don't "give up" on Gene Wolfe's books. You should read the entire Solar Cycle, yes. Best thing ever writen in the speculative fiction field. It's miles beyond anything else.



Well, they're not terrible, but the first two are so good that they pale in comparison. It's as if Dan decided to write a "teenage adventures in space" series in the same universe instead.

yeah I'm going to be reading from "The Urth of the New Sun" all the way until "The Return to the Whorl" I got all the books lined up, going to read them all. yessire.

 

[Fanboydestroyer]

I'm assuming you are writing about Gravity's Rainbow. It's my favorite book, but there are parts that still baffle me (and probably always will). Have you read The Crying of Lot 49? It's a good introduction to Pynchon and thematically, syntactically prepares readers for GR.

Yeah meant GR. I have not read any of Pynchon's works. Not sure what is attracting me to him, maybe i just like a challenge. If you say that The Crying of Lot 49 is a good introduction, then I guess I will start there. I do have my eyes on Gravity's Rainbow, V, and Against the Day.

 

[Sleepy]

Yeah meant GR. I have not read any of Pynchon's works. Not sure what is attracting me to him, maybe i just like a challenge. If you say that The Crying of Lot 49 is a good introduction, then I guess I will start there. I do have my eyes on Gravity's Rainbow, V, and Against the Day.

One nice(er) aspect of 49 is that it's barely 200 pages. So if you don't like it, or Pynchon's style, you haven't wasted a ton of time. My first read through of GR took over a month; I would have probably stretched it out a bit more, but I read it for an undergrad lit class. Good luck either way.

 

[beelzebozo]

i recommend this.

"THE FOURTH STATE OF MATTER" by jo ann beard, about the 1991 shooting at the university of iowa. it is heartbreaking and fantastic.

excerpt:

this is a short story, i should clarify. it can be read in half an hour maybe. i very much hope you won't sleep on this, because it's a special story that is worth your time.

 

[Fanboydestroyer]

One nice(er) aspect of 49 is that it's barely 200 pages. So if you don't like it, or Pynchon's style, you haven't wasted a ton of time. My first read through of GR took over a month; I would have probably stretched it out a bit more, but I read it for an undergrad lit class. Good luck either way.

is there anything I should know before plunging in? lol I guess my only fear is the fact that people say GR is unreadable. a part of me feels as if that is a challenge, but it is also very intimidating.

 

[Sleepy]

is there anything I should know before plunging in? lol I guess my only fear is the fact that people say GR is unreadable. a part of me feels as if that is a challenge, but it is also very intimidating.

For GR, the best advise is to just go with it. You WILL NOT understand everything, even with Weisenburger's Companion or pynchonwiki as a supplement (save those for subsequent read-throughs). The fun of the first read is the way Pynchon has you believe you know what's going on only to pull the rug out from under you again and again. Well, that and all the fantastically weird shit that happens...

Actually, I'm playing the game Demon's Souls for the first time, and that experience sort of reminds me of my first read of GR. If that makes any sense.

 

[FlyinJ]

Confederacy of Dunces

what a brilliant book this is. it reminds me tonally of CATCH-22 quite a bit. what i really like is how completely erudite and delusional ignatius is, particularly his obsession with the philosopher boethius. ignatius pretty much despises everyone, but when he thinks perhaps there might be something valuable in someone, he says, "why thank you, citizen. are you well learned in the teachings of boethius?"

i'm sure plenty of you read this. it's very good. very very good. and i also read a great short story by jan de beard called "the fourth state of matter" that my girlfrand recommended, which i'd be glad to share with anyone. it's creative nonfiction.

oh, and i read THE SONG OF LAUGHTER AND FORGETTING a few weeks ago, by milan kundera. he is the man.

If you liked this, you'll love Pale Fire by Nabokov, which is basically the inspiration for Confederacy (some say he just did a shoddy rip-off).

It's also much, much better.