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What are you reading? (December 2013)
- Thread starter Maklershed
- Start date
Lord Scrambles
Member
Another day, another post where I poll gaf regarding some kindle daily deal. I suppose it also works as lame PSA of some sort: The Goldfinch for 2.99, thoughts? It's been on the front page of the kindle store for like a month and now it's on sale and it's a whopping 755 pages.
edit: not warming up to that description
edit: not warming up to that description
Mackenzie 92
Member
We've got similar stats. I've only read 21 books out of 40. Considering that I only have about a week after finals are done to read stuff that's not school related, I'm not gonna make it either.
I changed my goal multiple times throughout the year.. 12, 25, 40, 50, etc. Realized again how much I love to read and I read a lot more than I thought I would. Settled to just stick with 50 and finished 53 so far. Having a goal like that did make me hesitate reading very long books, which is kind of a bummer.
Finished 'Anchorboy', and was definitely hilarious, great insight in Jay's time at TSN and the wacky antics that went on.
Now currently browsing my Kobo to see what I will read next, looking at all the deals at Amazon I could be spending a few dollars.
I'm at 22 out of a goal of 25, won't make it, cause of PS4, BF4 etc...
I'm currently 16/20. I should be able to make the goal over the break.
charlemagne
Member
I'm at 35/50, so I'm not going to make it. Maybe next year.
Tragicomedy
Member
50 Movies. 50 Books. 1 year. - 2013 Edition
Should've hung out, man! Unfortunately, the OP stopped updated stuff months ago so I've been unofficially maintaining the thread. I'll be creating the 2014 version in the near future, so be sure to sign up. Toss in some movies and let's roll!
Here's an example of the monthly updates:
1 December update
I finished the 50/50 challenge on 14 October and am currently sitting at 55 books and 54 movies for the year. I have slowed down a TON these past few weeks since I don't feel the need to stack up too much extra credit. I'm in the process of setting up a rough outline of what books I want to hit in 2014. It's going to probably be heavy on Alistair MacLean & Ian Fleming, but we'll see how that goes.
We have eight GAF winners so far including our very own Maklershed and Cyan. I'm tracking at least two more finishers with an unknown number of people popping up last minute with huge updates that push them over the goal line. I think the thread is a great way to see what other people are reading and watching, stay motivated, and track our overall goals.
Okay, thanks
It's really not so much about straight biblical knowledge, but rather cultural context. Most of the analogies in terms of characterization comes mostly from the Exodus, so if you've seen say... Prince of Egypt (lol) you'll "get" it. It's not complex. But my deeper appreciation for the setting in the world is that it borrows heavily from Catholic rituals and culture. The concepts of confession, priesthood, a religion with political clout operating as an institution of its own, and how the common people, the wealthy, and the religious, and the politicians all have slightly different views on the religious body. It's stuff like that which really makes the world more believable and familiar, but at the same time the details and the circumstances are so different from our own world it feels like an alien distortion. Very cool imo.
I picked up Starship Troopers by Robert Heinlein last night.
The book is not anything like I imagined it would be. The movie holds nothing of the what the book is about. I really did not expect so much philosophical exploration on the human condition. That being said, Heinlein has a lovely way of mixing in action with philosophy that doesn't leave you bored and is relevant to the situation. His views on certain politics and social ideas are quite strongly put forth as being "correct" but it doesn't bother me so much as I do not find them to be used to beat me around the head until I agree.
Currently about 60% through the book and I've only had it for a day, really enjoying it. This is my first Heinlein book and I think I'll probably pick up more of his stuff in the future. A very interesting author indeed.
The book is not anything like I imagined it would be. The movie holds nothing of the what the book is about. I really did not expect so much philosophical exploration on the human condition. That being said, Heinlein has a lovely way of mixing in action with philosophy that doesn't leave you bored and is relevant to the situation. His views on certain politics and social ideas are quite strongly put forth as being "correct" but it doesn't bother me so much as I do not find them to be used to beat me around the head until I agree.
Currently about 60% through the book and I've only had it for a day, really enjoying it. This is my first Heinlein book and I think I'll probably pick up more of his stuff in the future. A very interesting author indeed.
Maklershed
Member
Should be finishing up Jurassic Park tomorrow morning. Very dark and very violent compared to the movie.
AngmarsKing701
Member
Just checked my Amazon list and Words of Radiance now shows as a March 4, 2014 date. Wasn't it originally January?
Finished it in about 3 days. A tad overly-long but otherwise one of the most entertaining biographies I've ever read.
A must-read if you believe the collapse of the Soviet Union was inevitable. Hint: it wasn't.
I'm shamefully ignorant about how brutal the Indian Wars really were. This shit was killed or be killed and this book illustrates the madness of it all wonderfully. I'm about halfway through and will probably finish by tomorrow. Popular history at its best.
I think he was originally shooting for late 2013. He decided to push it back so he had enough time to revise it to his satisfaction. He's on the 4th or 5th draft now.
charlemagne
Member
Really? Are you reading for a really short amount of time?
I'm lucky if I can get through 6 books in a year, and I read pretty much every night. I've no idea how some of you people motor through these things like Johnny 5
That dose seem a little on the slow side. I'll echo everyone else and ask if your reading for a short amount of time.
My own reading record for the year is 154 books down. My current job involves lots of idle time and I read quickly on top of that.
Also, as an aside, my local library has an annoying habit of having the second book in a series but not the first. For the Wheel of Time I swear they have most of the even number books and book three.
Quite enjoyed that book, didn't bother me too much about the philosophy being the absolut truth, but it was enough to detract from the experience a bit.
I recommend reading Joe Haldeman's The Forever War as a contrast to this. If only too have read two great Sci-fi war novels.
Salvor.Hardin
Banned
Thanks. The Found Trilogy one is damn sexy as well. Good find.
Decided to start this..
A Prayer for Owen Meany
First lengthy book I've read in a little while, so I'm not use to the slower build up and longer introduction.... or the fact that chapter one seems damn long enough. Sounds like something I'll love though, so we'll see!
A Prayer for Owen Meany
First lengthy book I've read in a little while, so I'm not use to the slower build up and longer introduction.... or the fact that chapter one seems damn long enough. Sounds like something I'll love though, so we'll see!
For a while, this was one of my favorite books. I don't enjoy all of John Irving's work, but this was good.
Plasticine
Member
Finished Ladies Night by Jack Ketchum. Tight. Ferocious. Visceral. Loaded with graphic scenes of violence and unnerving sexual content. Ketchum smartly weaves short vignettes throughout the bare bone plot to open up the scope. As a result he convincingly depicts a New York where the women are driven to kill men. The diner scene will stick with you for some time. While it owes more than a little debt to Romero's zombie flicks, the battle of the sexes conceit keeps it fresh. Highly recommended to horror fans.
Up next:
I love Joe Lansdale, but have never read his debut novel. I recently got the hardcover edition off E-Bay, so it's time to rectify that situation.
Up next:
I love Joe Lansdale, but have never read his debut novel. I recently got the hardcover edition off E-Bay, so it's time to rectify that situation.
I'm getting close to completing Norwegian Woods (so bloody good), but I want to figure out my next book.
I am debating between two right now:
or
I am interested in reading some non-fiction, and I love history. But I also have started to run a lot more, and I love Murakami's writing style.
I am debating between two right now:
or
I am interested in reading some non-fiction, and I love history. But I also have started to run a lot more, and I love Murakami's writing style.
Yeah, I just finished the first chapter, really enjoying it, and that first chapter certainly ends with a hook to keep reading.
moojito
Member
I must be. I'm starting to think that my body equates reading with going to sleep and I start to shut down after 10 minutes or something. I should start reading at other times.
shawnlreed
Member
The Sanderson story is enjoyable. (definitely better than Mitosis, the Steelheart short story he released on Dec 3rd).
DieUnbekannte
Member
Since a lot of people here read Retribution Falls by Chris Wooding in the past couple of months, I got quite curious and started it yesterday. I didn't have much time but I really like what I've read so far. I'm glad I chose a good book to be the number 50 this year
AliceInJam
Member
I just picked this up today...
Can't wait to start it. I am a big King fan and from what I have heard this was a nice return to form for him. Anyone read it yet? Thoughts?
Can't wait to start it. I am a big King fan and from what I have heard this was a nice return to form for him. Anyone read it yet? Thoughts?
We've got similar stats. I've only read 21 books out of 40. Considering that I only have about a week after finals are done to read stuff that's not school related, I'm not gonna make it either.
Now if this reading challenge involved adding books to your to-read list, you would have made your goal ages ago.
Jag
Member
I'm getting close to completing Norwegian Woods (so bloody good), but I want to figure out my next book.
I am debating between two right now:
Just finished Rubicon. Great book that I read in conjunction with the Hardcore History Podcast Death Throes of the Empire.
That does sound cool. Alien distortion is good
It depends how these things are handled of course, but I usually prefer religion in sff books to be quite distorted/ skewed in some way from our world, so I can lose any prejudices I have and look at it properly. So that sounds pretty intriguing.Also, I have seen Prince of Egypt, so I guess I'm good to go, haha.
I'm getting close to completing Norwegian Woods (so bloody good), but I want to figure out my next book.
I am debating between two right now:
I am interested in reading some non-fiction, and I love history. But I also have started to run a lot more, and I love Murakami's writing style.
I'm kind of reading this at the moment (it's lying about at work, I have about 20 pages left to read). I've only read Norwegian Wood by Murakami so I'm hardly a massive fan and I'm not sure what to make of it. It's certainly made me want to start going jogging again! And it contains some good stuff about writing.
I definitely felt like Gone Girl's second half was weaker than the first.
Maklershed
Member
Finished Jurassic Park today and started The High Window
The High Window by Raymond Chandler
I'm reading it. Its pretty fun but to me it seems a lot more like a N0S4A2 sequel than a Shining sequel. That's not a complaint. Just sayin.
The High Window by Raymond Chandler
I just picked this up today...
Can't wait to start it. I am a big King fan and from what I have heard this was a nice return to form for him. Anyone read it yet? Thoughts?
I'm reading it. Its pretty fun but to me it seems a lot more like a N0S4A2 sequel than a Shining sequel. That's not a complaint. Just sayin.
Finished
I think I really need to re-read it sometime to give myself a fully-informed opinion on it. Suffice to say - I liked it a lot, but a number of the themes felt like they flew right over my head.
Now Reading
Pretty damn fascinating (esp since I've been slowly coming to the same conclusion the author presents in this book) although this book so far feels like it's just re-presenting a lot of psych studies I'm already aware of or have knowledge about while relating them to the main thesis that "The self is a illusion / doesn't exist" there has been some occasional interesting and unique insights throughout though.
I think I really need to re-read it sometime to give myself a fully-informed opinion on it. Suffice to say - I liked it a lot, but a number of the themes felt like they flew right over my head.
Now Reading
Pretty damn fascinating (esp since I've been slowly coming to the same conclusion the author presents in this book) although this book so far feels like it's just re-presenting a lot of psych studies I'm already aware of or have knowledge about while relating them to the main thesis that "The self is a illusion / doesn't exist" there has been some occasional interesting and unique insights throughout though.
The Culture Vulture
Member
2/3 through the book now and I have that impression as well.
Still working through the Sharpe books, just over half way through them now, I finished Sharpe's Sword last night. Next book is a short story, Sharpe's Skirmish but its not available on Kindle, anyone who has read it is it worth skipping or should i hold out on moving on to the next book and wait for the short story to be delivered?