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[Burbank_]

I have found the collected works of a certain Jack Vance as an .epub directly on a forum. The same stories(though not the same ISBN) is offered on google read for a considerable amount of money.

These books are from the 1960’s, what is the legality of downloading things like this?

I have previously gotten books extremely cheap on google read or downloaded old works 19th century, early 20th that I assumed was copyright free.

 

[RELIGHT]

Just finished The Maze Runner. About to start The Scorch Trials.

 

[Horseticuffs]

I have found the collected works of a certain Jack Vance as an .epub directly on a forum. The same stories(though not the same ISBN) is offered on google read for a considerable amount of money.

These books are from the 1960’s, what is the legality of downloading things like this?

I have previously gotten books extremely cheap on google read or downloaded old works 19th century, early 20th that I assumed was copyright free.

To my understanding anything released before 1927 is fair game. I just looked this up because I was wondering my no Tolkien was available on Librivox.

 

[geestack]

Finished:


Stoner by John Edward Williams

Yep, it's every bit as good as everyone says it is. It's just a very well written book about a very ordinary man's life. I was apprehensive about starting this because it sounds so boring but it's just so insightful and beautifully written.

On everyone's recommendation in the thread, I checked this out from the library and the first chapter already has me a little rekt. I don't think I'm insightful enough to really describe it, but I feel like the writing is really precise. I don't know if that's the best word to use, but it's very elegant in that it doesn't really waste any words.

Glad I found this thread!

 

[Tragicomedy]

Finished The Giver by Lois Lowry. It was okay, but the writing was clunky and the plot felt like a predictable take on the futuristic controlled society genre. I will very generously give it three stars.

 

[Erico]

Finished The Good Soldiers by David Finkel.

Very well-written account of the day-to-day lives of officers & enlisted men in a combat battalion deployed to Iraq during the Surge. There are some seriously depressing stories in here.

I respect that Finkel, an embedded journalist, never injects himself at all into the narrative.

 

[Sliver]

Leviathan Wakes was a good, fun read if not a little light. Before that I finished Fall of Hyperion, which I really loved, but will probably be my stopping point for the series based on impressions of the later books online.

Next up is The Stand, my first ever Stephen King novel, which I picked up along with the first Dark Tower book.

 

[Horseticuffs]

Next up is The Stand, my first ever Stephen King novel, which I picked up along with the first Dark Tower book.

I just finished that. I hope you enjoy! It's earned it's reputation.

 

[KimiNewt]

Started reading Stuff Matters. It seems to be similar to The Disappearing Spoon (which I loved) - in a good way.

It tries to tell the story of various man-made materials, both their history and their actual properties and how they work and it does so pretty well (I read steel and paper thus far). The only weird bit is that the author includes pieces of his notebook sketches and thus far they have not been very useful.

 

[Easystride]

Reading Michael J Sullivan's Hollow World right now. It's pretty interesting so far. Sci-fi is one of my least favorite genres. I have tried so many times to get into all of the top sci-fi books like Dune and Hyperion, but I always lose interest.

 

[LProtag]

Just finished the MaddAddam triology, which I really enjoyed.

I just found a copy of this at my local used book store, and apparently it's somewhat hard to find, so I'm excited:

I've never read Dune before, so I figured I'd take advantage of my luck in finding a slightly rare copy (it's going for like 40 on Amazon used but I got it for 4) to read it.

 

[Mumei]

Finished The Giver by Lois Lowry. It was okay, but the writing was clunky and the plot felt like a predictable take on the futuristic controlled society genre. I will very generously give it three stars.

You have to read it when you're 12 to really love it, silly.

 

[Haly]

You have to read it when you're 12 to really love it, silly.

^

 

[Woorloog]

I just found a copy of this at my local used book store, and apparently it's somewhat hard to find, so I'm excited:

I've never read Dune before, so I figured I'd take advantage of my luck in finding a slightly rare copy (it's going for like 40 on Amazon used but I got it for 4) to read it.

THERE IS A FRIGGING ILLUSTRATED VERSION????

Needs a reprint, i think. Also need a reprint of the Dune Encyclopedia, so much better than the shit Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson write.

 

[Apt101]

The Ocean at the End of the Lane. I only just started.

 

[Tragicomedy]

You have to read it when you're 12 to really love it, silly.

Naturally, I just don't have a time machine. :/

Wondering if I should read the other three novels in the series. They are super quick reads.

 

[Shengar]

There's supposed a China Mieville's new short story posted on Tor, but I can't find it. What happened?

Fake Edit: Found the ebook version somewhere, thank goodness

 

[burnside13]

i am zlatan

 

[AngmarsKing701]

More shameless plugging, but for those of you interested in my book or have put it on a wish list, it's on sale this week for just $1 for your Kindle.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IV3JTPA/?tag=neogaf0e-20


Thanks!

 

[wtfFlag180]

Finished Saul Bellow's Herzog yesterday. Fantastic novel, I can see why people hate it if they never brought themselves to finish it, though. The ending really makes that book.

Started The Once and Future King. I'm surprised at how funny it is.

 

[fakefaker]

The Post-Office Girl by Stefan Zweig is a powerful book. Finished it yesterday and it's one of those books that touches you and makes you think, looking directly at your core morals. It's definitely worth the read.

Now onto something lighter with Killing Pilgrim by Alen Mattich.

 

[LProtag]

THERE IS A FRIGGING ILLUSTRATED VERSION????

Needs a reprint, i think. Also need a reprint of the Dune Encyclopedia, so much better than the shit Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson write.

It's pretty neat. I had no idea it existed until it was on display at my local used book store. I think they just got it in and put it at the front counter and I was lucky enough to see it.

You can see all the illustrations here: http://ski-ffy.blogspot.com/2010/08/illustrated-dune.html

 

[Pau]

Naturally, I just don't have a time machine. :/

Wondering if I should read the other three novels in the series. They are super quick reads.

I found the other novels to be much weaker, but I also read The Giver when I was 12 and the others didn't come out until I had already grown up.

 

[Tragicomedy]

I found the other novels to be much weaker, but I also read The Giver when I was 12 and the others didn't come out until I had already grown up.

So probably not, since I wasn't crazy about The Giver. I may eventually get to them, but I have a lot in my backlog right now.

Currently reading The Handmaid's Tale and enjoying it a great deal.

 

[Necrovex]

Right now, I'm pummeling through One Piece as I want to finish the War Summit Saga, and to jump back on the anime train due to a group of people essentially making One Piece Kai for the New World stuff.

I'm also reading through The Stranger by Camus. That book is just weird. I'm enjoying it well enough, but I don't get the hype behind it.

 

[Osorio]

For my World Cup withdrawal

 

[Tragicomedy]

For my World Cup withdrawal

Oooh, that looks good. Have you read How Soccer Explains the World? I really dug it.

Also, Soccernomics is pretty enjoyable.

 

[Angst]

I enjoyed the Wayward Pines trilogy and the TV series could be pretty good.

After reading mostly scifi and fantasy I was in the mood for something different so I picked up Lonesome Dove:

The reviews I've read on goodreads are all very positive, so I'm excited to read about gritty cowboys and the Western Frontier!

 

[Cerity]

Currently working my way through 1Q84, first time reading Murakami's stuff.

The first few pages with Aomame were grating, they really reminded me of the typical 70-80's exploitation films. Cool this, cool that, look at this cool thing! Now that Aomame has cottoned onto what is going on it's gotten better. Quite like the Tengo Sections, the writing is a little more what I'm used to.

I do like how it is written though, easy to pick up again but hard to put down.

 

[Horseticuffs]

Finished up Meditations and I really enjoyed it. I moved onto "Self reliance" by Emerson and was pretty bored by it. This makes two of the big Transcendentalists I've been unimpressed by, maybe I ought to bite the bullet and try some Camus or Sartre.


I've heard "The Stranger" is a really important book in Existentialism. I'm sure some of you have read it, and I'd love to hear what you have to say!

 

[Authority]

Read Malcolm X: A life of reinvention and Churchill's Empire. Started the Burning Soul.

 

[Jag]

Abercrombie continues to shine in the grime. I liked Red Country quite a bit, and like you I'm not typically a fan of westerns.

King and a Half is starting out really slow. First Abercrombie that didn't really grab me right away.

 

[daydream]

Finished up Meditations and I really enjoyed it. I moved onto "Self reliance" by Emerson and was pretty bored by it. This makes two of the big Transcendentalists I've been unimpressed by, maybe I ought to bite the bullet and try some Camus or Sartre.


I've heard "The Stranger" is a really important book in Existentialism. I'm sure some of you have read it, and I'd love to hear what you have to say!

Probably Camus' best, a must-read imo. Can't speak to the quality of the translation, though.

 

[AngmarsKing701]

King and a Half is starting out really slow. First Abercrombie that didn't really grab me right away.

As I said earlier in the thread, it's definitely a PG-13 Abercrombie. I still like his use of language and the way he writes, but that is more front-and-center in Half a King than the actual plot/characters.

 

[Ratrat]

Cant wait for Magician Land....anyone else love thsee books?

 

[Osorio]

Oooh, that looks good. Have you read How Soccer Explains the World? I really dug it.

Also, Soccernomics is pretty enjoyable.

Yep, Foer's was really good. Never read Soccernomics but I read these recently:

and

 

[Protein]

The Conservative Nanny State: How the Wealthy Use the Government to Stay Rich and Get Richer.

There's a free ebook version on the guy's website:
http://deanbaker.net:8080/books/the-conservative-nanny-state.htm

 

[ShaneB]

Finished up Fantasy Life and really loved it, great sports book about fantasy sports and the bonds it creates. Was pretty tempted to just give it a 5/5, but stuck with a 4/5.

I'll be moving onto this next. Picked up the paperback while at Costco about a week ago. Seems like it could be a fun read.

Now Reading...

The Humans by Matt Haig

 

[Shiv47]

Finally finished Bob Stanley's (member of Saint Etienne and music critic) Yeah Yeah Yeah: The Story of Modern Pop, which was a long but great read. A good music book makes me want to hunt down everything it mentions that interests me, and this book did that many times over. Now getting back into Wolf Hall, which I had started a couple years ago, put down for some reason, and I'm now going to finish it. Also reading The Blazing World by Siri Hustvedt, which I saw on the Booker Prize long list and as it sounded intriguing. After that is the latest McSweeney's quarterly, which has Latin/South American short crime fiction as its focus.

 

[Tragicomedy]

Yep, Foer's was really good. Never read Soccernomics but I read these recently:

and

I'll add those to my impossibly large backlog.

 

[Shengar]

I'll add those to my impossibly large backlog.

Book backlog or backlog of everything?

 

[nakedsushi]

Thanks to all the recommendations, I finally put my fears to rest and started on this. I was afraid it would be boring w/ background stuff, but it's already sucked me in!


Shift by Hugh Howey

I posted about this a month or so ago after I read it, but now that it's out for the general public, did anyone end up picking up:


California by Edan Lepucki
I want to hear what you guys think of my friend's book! Does it live up to GAF standards?

 

[Mumei]

I'll add those to my impossibly large backlog.

I haven't read the latter, but I loved Inverting the Triangle.

 

[studyguy]

Reading the Powder Mage series.
Really nifty stuff.

 

[ShaneB]

My god, just a few chapters in and 'The Humans' is absolutely hysterical. The coworker sitting next to me likely thinks I'm crazy for how much I've been laughing.

 

[Tragicomedy]

Book backlog or backlog of everything?

Books. I'm trying to consistently read 50+ a year, but still seem to be falling further behind. So many great things I want to read is a good feeling, though.

I haven't read the latter, but I loved Inverting the Triangle.

Yeah, that seems right up my alley.

 

[Mannequin]

Finally finished Bob Stanley's (member of Saint Etienne and music critic) Yeah Yeah Yeah: The Story of Modern Pop, which was a long but great read.

I did some research on this book and it sounds right up my street. I'll add it to my ever-growing backlog.

The only other music book I've read is Revolution In The Head. If you even have a passing interest in The Beatles I would highly recommend it.

 

[hardcastlemccormick]

Finished:

After four years of on-and-off reading (most of it this year), I finished The Brothers Karamazov. Damn great book, I'm glad I put in the time.

Bought myself a Kindle Paperwhite v2. The best thing for reading, including paper. Love it. Blasting through a lot of cheap stuff I've had on my account for forever.

 

[Shiv47]

I did some research on this book and it sounds right up my street. I'll add it to my ever-growing backlog.

The only other music book I've read is Revolution In The Head. If you even have a passing interest in The Beatles I would highly recommend it.

Yeah, I have that, and enjoyed it. McCartney recently said that it's filled with stuff that just isn't true, so I guess it should be taken with a grain of salt. If you're interested in music books and like punk at all, Jon Savage's England's Dreaming is a superb book about that era. One of my favorite music books.

And Inverting the Pyramid is a great book as well, moving to soccer. Anyone who isn't aware of it should check out Jonathan Wilson's quarterly soccer journal The Blizzard, which is really good stuff, collecting quality writing on the sport from writers all over the world. It's UK-based, so getting the hard copies in the US is kinda pricey, but the e-versions are pretty cheap for those so inclined.

 

[SolKane]

Has anyone read Parade's End? I was thinking of starting it but there are a lot of mixed reviews on Amazon. FWIW I loved The Good Soldier.