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[Deleted member 125677]

lol. When it's available second-hand for a penny I might.

Not related to quote, but I sort of went all in hoping to snatch a copy of Pale Fire in the town were we're staying for now to no avail. Didn't bring any of the Hesse books from back home, I do however have Dr. Zhivago with me and a Mo Yan book (Red Zorghum) if any of those are of interest to you? I'll try to look around for Pale Fire when we get to Italy as well, if not we could read it in early August when I get back from vacation

 

[Aizo]

I just finished The Disaster Artist, and I really have to say that it's a legitimately well written and interesting novel if you have seen The Room. I highly recommend it. Every chapter switches between how Greg Sestero (the actor who plays Mark in The Room) and Tommy Wiseau (Johnny in The Room) met in one chapter, and how the filming of the movie went in the next. It really kept me interested in every chapter until the end. I really have a lot more respect for Greg and a greater understanding of how such a film was made.

 

[karmaforgotme]

Finished Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk tonight.

Are there other great Iraq war based novels out there? This one doesn't take place in Iraq, but it fits the mold.

I enjoyed the book too. Iraq war reading? The best books I've read from Iraq conflicts are Jarhead (first Gulf War), Redeployment (a collection of short stories), Generation Kill (non-fiction, but a great read), Kaboom, and Fives and Twenty-Fives. I've also heard good things about Renehan's Valley. To be honest since I served in the Marines back in the 90's I am partial to stories about Marines over other services.

That said some of the greatest writing that came out of war has been from WWII (The Naked and Dead), and Vietnam (Matterhorn, Fields of Fire, The Things They Carried). Check those out too.

 

[Mumei]

Done with Mountains of Mourning and The Vor Game. Mountains was good if a little predictable but I loved The Vor Game. Next up: Cetaganda.

The Mountains of Mourning is one you'll be rethinking at some point. It's one of the most important for establishing Miles'

Spoiler

character as a Barrayan (as opposed to the persona he constructs for Admiral Naismith); since one of the biggest through lines for Miles as a character is his struggle with his identity as a small, physically-disabled man in a martial society. The Mountains of Mourning highlights an aspect of his identity that doesn't get as much play in the early books.

(Don't worry; the spoilers are fine for what you've read; it's just for anyone else)

 

[Rest]

Just finished Foxcatcher. It was pretty badly written, but it was so interesting that it didn't matter. I finished it in just couple days.

 

[Weiss]

Finished John Dies at the End a few days ago and reaffirmed why it's my favourite book. I've never really read anything with characters that felt as real as Dave, John and Amy.

Started Battle Royale but probably going to stop. The prose is super awkward and stilted.

 

[lt519]

Just finished Armor. It was actually a really entertaining military sci-fi book. Stands up there with Old Man's War, The Forever War, and Starship Troopers.

Going to wait a couple days and snag Armada when it comes out on Tuesday. So excited for that one.

 

[TheOnlyOneHeEverFeared]

thanks for posting, sounds good!

I'm working my way through Bill Bryson's "Down Under" (known by a few names I think) which details a few of his trips in Australia. As an Australian it's quite amusing to read an outsider's take on everything. I read my first Bryson book the other week (Mother Tongue) and his non-expert populist tone is an ease to read.

I love Bryson, he's one of my favourite authors.

I'm reading Jeremy Paxman's Great Britains Great War.

 

[TTG]

I enjoyed the book too. Iraq war reading? The best books I've read from Iraq conflicts are Jarhead (first Gulf War), Redeployment (a collection of short stories), Generation Kill (non-fiction, but a great read), Kaboom, and Fives and Twenty-Fives. I've also heard good things about Renehan's Valley. To be honest since I served in the Marines back in the 90's I am partial to stories about Marines over other services.

That said some of the greatest writing that came out of war has been from WWII (The Naked and Dead), and Vietnam (Matterhorn, Fields of Fire, The Things They Carried). Check those out too.

Thanks for those recommendations, I've definitely got a gap in my reading here. All I can remember right now are: All Quiet on the Western Front, Catch-22, Billy Lynn(obviously) and Slaughterhouse 5 and Flashman, if that counts. If we're honest, I've probably read more about space marines than books set in actual conflicts.

Going back to Billy Lynn's Halftime Walk for a moment, it's a bit unique because it takes place in Texas in '03. The convergence of politics, the NFL and celebrity at that time, just a really interesting mix of figures revolving around Bravo. The more I think about the book, the more I like it.

 

[Piecake]

I am currently reading Hall of Mirrors: The Great Depression, the Great Recession, and the Uses-And Misuses-Of History by Barry Eichengreen

It is quite interesting so far. As the title suggests, it compares the Great Depression and the Great Recession, what caused them, how did people respond to them, and whether that response was, well, helpful or not. Basically, his argument is that we did learn something from the GD, but not everything, and our limited success has actually prevented necessary reforms to take place.

I am still only about 65 pages in, but I am liking it so far. There isnt a whole lot of econ jargon, so I think basically everyone will be able to understand it. He also roots the story in people and their actions, which keeps it entertaining and my mind from wandering.

His comparison between the Euro and the Gold Standard is interesting, and makes a lot of sense.

https://hbr.org/2012/08/how-europes-new-gold-standard/

Apparently it is not a new one though, though the author of the book I am reading does get cited for his most well-known work, Golden Fetters.

 

[Nymerio]

The Mountains of Mourning is one you'll be rethinking at some point. It's one of the most important for establishing Miles'

Spoiler

character as a Barrayan (as opposed to the persona he constructs for Admiral Naismith); since one of the biggest through lines for Miles as a character is his struggle with his identity as a small, physically-disabled man in a martial society. The Mountains of Mourning highlights an aspect of his identity that doesn't get as much play in the early books.

(Don't worry; the spoilers are fine for what you've read; it's just for anyone else)

Yeah, I feel like Mountains of Mourning does a pretty good of answering the question of

Spoiler

why it's the Vorkosigan saga rather than the Naismith saga

.

It's not that I didn't like it, I just knew right away that

Spoiler

Harra's mother killed the baby.

I'm almost done with Cetaganda and I'm already looking forward to the next book.

 

[Paganmoon]

Finished Nemesis Games last night

I usually try to write my thoughts/reviews of a book I’ve read completely spoiler free, but for this one I’m going to go into some spoiler areas. I’ll start without them.
I’ll repeat my first impressions by saying, it’s the same old pulpy space opera that I’ve come to expect of the expanse series, with its Mary Sue characters, that are the best of the best in their fields (and the best at almost anything else they try to do). With their 2D, RPG character archetypes and morals. And it works most of the time, as it’s a pulp novel, meant to entertain then be forgotten. And it usually does that, but this, the fifth book in the series, doesn’t do it as well. The thing that really stood out compared to the other books, is how I did not like the writing and the juxtapositions it tried. And I’m kept wondering if it has to do with Daniel Abraham taking a step back from this book to focus on his own series (I believe he’s writing 2, his high fantasy, dagger and coin series, which I’m enjoying, and an urban fantasy series I’ve not read). And leaving Ty Franck to write most of this might have been an issue. Now this is all speculation of course, I have no idea how the writing was split for this book.

But anyway, onwards to the spoilers:

Spoiler

Firstly, there are many similarities with the story beats in the prior book, Cibola Burn. It’s not a verbatim copy, but both books start with a terrorist attack, both books have a planet that’s devastated by an apocalyptic type event. In both books our main characters are separated for most of the story, and in both books Naomi is a prisoner, with, to begin with, some liberties, and to an extent is or becomes “buddies” with her jailor, or guard. Now I haven’t much else to say about this, other than I thought it stood out, that the story beats were so similar.

I did not understand the motivations of the belter rogue faction, there’s still a need for transports between the thousands of new worlds that have opened, and their skills will be needed on the many ships making these transports. Besides, their ancestors once left earth, and colonized the asteroid belt, and they adapted, why couldn’t they now adapt? It felt very heavy handed, and in no part of the book did I think they had a point. Which surprised me when Holden blurts out “[Marco Inaros] is not wrong” a few times in the book. My first reaction was “oh get off it”, everything is not grey, sometimes things are black and white, murdering a whole planet because you feel mistreated is always wrong, there is no grey zone. And this coming from Holden, a person who sees everything in black and white, but suddenly in this book, decides to see shades of grey, after a faction destroys earth, his home planet, where his 8 parents live. It felt very contrived, as if the writer wanted to force a conflict and in a way say “The guy you thought was so evil, you know, he’s really doing it for a good cause”.

Didn’t like the idea of trying to be put forth that pretty much everyone is redeemable either. Clarissa murdered her friend, she blew up a ship, she tried to kill Naomi, tried to destroy Holden, but she’s sorry about it, really, so it’s ok now.
I can understand Amos being ok with that, he’s after all a sociopath, but there is no way I’ll accept the fact that Alex, Naomi or Holden would work with her, on their ship. And if Bobbie is to join their crew as well, I don’t see Bobbie in anyway being ok with Clarissa being on board, but I guess that’s another contrived conflict for the next book.

And moving on from there, Filip, yes he’s Naomi’s son, and she’ll love her child no matter what, that’s a given, but even if she loves her child, with all her heart, she must see and know that Filip isn't a good person, and is responsible for billions of deaths, and he’s proud of it, it cannot be explained away, no matter how much you try.
“He’s only 15”
He murdered billions of people.
“He’s really a good boy underneath it all”
He murdered billions of people!
“If he gets to be with his mother, he’ll be better”
ok… but he murdered a whole damned planet!
We’re not talking about a boyish prank, or that he found a gun in his parent’s cabinet, and accidentally shot his friend. He planned, and performed the murder of a planet, without a second thought.
And all this is trying to be juxtapositioned, with Naomi’s situation, as “Naomi has done horrible things as well, she destroyed ships, if you as a reader are ok with Naomi being free, you should feel the same about Clarissa and Filip”.
But Naomi’s action were done without any intention, they were not premeditated, she was writing a program to make ships better, or so she thought. She did not plan on murdering innocents in cold blood. And Cyn wasn’t her friend, He was her jailer, no matter what they were once, he was her jailer now, and she wanted to flee. Clarissa in contrast murder her friend in cold blood. And trying to compare the two, just does not work.

A good writer can succeed in doing this, take GRRM as an example, he can write overlong passages, and chapters, and books about things that just make his stories halt (the last two books being the examples in my mind), and killing of his main characters left and right, and you still want to read his next book.
Or Joe Abercrombie, who can write loathsome characters, or totally damaged ones, and you’re still interested in them. If you don’t like them, you can see that they can exist, you don’t agree with them, but you get their motivations. In this book, all characters are caricatures, and the antagonists are straight out of a B-movie.

All in all, I’m not sure how I feel about reading the next book in the series, I might drop it all together. Though the book was still entertaining, as all Expanse books prior to it, these few points where what stuck with me while reading, and it poisoned the experience of it.

 

[RELAYER]

Totally agree. Will Durant (and his wife Ariel) could just write. It's some of the best prose I've ever read in history writing. He's not a rigorous academic historian but he does a great job uniting broad strokes of history.

I've read the first two volumes and I'm using the series as a jumping off point to read other stuff, including classics. (Next up: The Upanishads, Herodotus, and Thucydides).

This is how I used Durant's books as well.

In fact, Durant's books are peculiar in that, on one hand, they serve as a great introduction to classicism and history, but on the other hand, with the way he throws references around, one almost needs to already be acquainted with history and classical authors in order to fully appreciate Durant's writing and comments. It makes the prospect of reading them twice exciting, but as has been pointed out, if 15K pages is a lot, 30K is downright threatening to the eyesight!

You've probably already done your own research, but if I may offer a recommendation about which edition of Herodotus and Thucydides to buy, The Landmark Editions, edited by Robert Strassler, are far and away the best. The series also has produced editions of Xenophon's Hellenika and Arrian's Anabasis. They are treasures.

BTW, have fun with Herodotus! I knew it would be an interesting read but I didn't expect it to be such a page turner! His famous conviviality really shines through.

 

[karmaforgotme]

If we're honest, I've probably read more about space marines than books set in actual conflicts.

The Marine Corps had a required reading list when I was in. Two of the books on it was Ender's Game and Starship Troopers. I just started a re-read of Old Man's War myself. I've only read the first book, and I'm going to try to read the whole series this time.

 

[Mumei]

I have H is for Hawk out from the library, and while I've barely started it (... page 10!) I have high expectations now.

Still working on The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie, too.

 

[Seanspeed]

I've been reading this and it's equal amounts architect history lesson and horror.

It's about how the 1893 world fair came to be and who was involved in it along with the disturbing story of serial killer H.H. Holmes and his prolific career as a serial killer.

This guy erected an entire building designed as a murder house.

A MURDER HOUSE.

The book is absolutely spellbinding and enthralling whilst capturing the excitement and pageantry of the fair, high life in high society and delving deep into the mind and history of a serial killer.

The serial killer parts are fascinating in a sort of HOW DID ANYBODY NOT NOTICE HOW CREEPY THIS MOTHERFUCKER WAS OR HIS MURDER HOUSE.

I'm maybe a little over halfway through, and it's a fantastic read. Highly recommended.

I'm guessing MURDER HOUSE was taken already, or else that would clearly be the title of the book.

Was good though, yea.

I am currently nearing the end of Nemesis Games(The Expanse 5th book).

Gotta say, its by far the most disappointing book of the series so far. It's got the last 10% or so to redeem itself still, but I'm doubting that's going to happen, as what usually happens is that I'm already at the climax at this point and the last 5-10% is all about everything working out for everybody and having a mostly happy ending. Bleh.

It feels like so little happens. Technically, there's one very major event that should be super 'woah holy shit' but somehow the author(s) don't do a very good job of getting the impact across as they're too focused on the little day-to-day existence of the main characters and the bromance-style narrative. And more and more, every character feels like they talk and act the same, with only the villains of the story seeming to have any unique character.

And I hope this doesn't spoil too much for anybody, but I'm also highly disappointed at the lack of any alien sort of influence. I really loved all the protomolecule stuff and felt it was a huge part of the draw of the narrative, and there's nothing of that here, though there is *some* room for that to come into play still, though I wont say anything more than that.

But yea, while I still like the characters and its not a bad book by any means(I wouldn't say to not read it if you've already read the other books and enjoyed them), its the least gripping of the whole series so far. Disappointing.

 

[survivor]

I have H is for Hawk out from the library, and while I've barely started it (... page 10!) I have high expectations now.

Still working on The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie, too.

I read it a few weeks ago and I still can't believe a book about training a goshawk ended up being enjoyable.

 

[Mumei]

I read it a few weeks ago and I still can't believe a book about training a goshawk ended up being enjoyable.

I've previously read a book about training a golden eagle, and this is much better written.

 

[ShaneB]

I have H is for Hawk out from the library, and while I've barely started it (... page 10!) I have high expectations now.

I added it to my to-read list after seeing at Chapters a while. Sounded pretty neat.

 

[sparky2112]

I'm reading other stuff, but I stumbled upon this yesterday, and it's been pretty darn good so far:

I guess Brian Wood is kind of a big deal in comics, but I bop in and out of them, so he's new to me. This is straight-ahead historic fiction. It'll be interesting to see how this performs...

 

[eznark]

Finished up Collision Low Crossers. Awesome book. Made me like Rex more, Pettine less and solidified my boner for Jim Lionheart.

No idea what the read next.

 

[Mumei]

Finished up Collision Low Crossers. Awesome book. Made me like Rex more, Pettine less and solidified my boner for Jim Lionheart.

No idea what the read next.

Try The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell.

 

[ryseing]

I just finished The Disaster Artist, and I really have to say that it's a legitimately well written and interesting novel if you have seen The Room. I highly recommend it. Every chapter switches between how Greg Sestero (the actor who plays Mark in The Room) and Tommy Wiseau (Johnny in The Room) met in one chapter, and how the filming of the movie went in the next. It really kept me interested in every chapter until the end. I really have a lot more respect for Greg and a greater understanding of how such a film was made.

The Disaster Artist made watching The Room 100x better, especially once you start noticing all the small things Sestero points out like the pictures of spoons. Can't wait for the movie adaptation. Franco as Wiseau should be...interesting. I think he can nail Wiseau's unique brand of crazy.

 

[Lionheart1827]

Been reading this book. Its a book about nuclear weapons and their history. Lots of interesting shit I've never known about in regards to nuclear weapons, delivery systems, stockpiles, and how its all tied together. If you're into this kind of stuff, you'll probably like it. Some of the material can get a bit dry since there is so much information, but I eat this stuff up.

I'm only about 30% into the book so far and it switches between a nuclear silo accident story to historical chapters on how nuclear weapons were developed and maintained, etc. Its amazing how many times we were so close to completely annihilating each other. Cool stuff so far.

 

[mu cephei]

Wrapped up The Slynx by Tatyana Tolstaya. It's alot like A Clockwork Orange, but based on the Soviet state and after a nuclear war. It's gets pretty warped at times, was mostly enjoyable, but dragged on in parts. Don't think I'd ever read it again heh.

Thanks for the summary. I'll keep an eye out for it, for the setting if nothing else.

Not related to quote, but I sort of went all in hoping to snatch a copy of Pale Fire in the town were we're staying for now to no avail. Didn't bring any of the Hesse books from back home, I do however have Dr. Zhivago with me and a Mo Yan book (Red Zorghum) if any of those are of interest to you? I'll try to look around for Pale Fire when we get to Italy as well, if not we could read it in early August when I get back from vacation

Pale Fire in early August (or whenever you get it) sounds good to me! Red Sorghum does look interesting, but not for right now.

Spoiler

sounds like you're having a pretty fab holiday

 

[Christoff Yurievich]

Finally finished The Explorer. (only took me six months, I blame it on Library books and their due dates vs. The Explorer sitting on my Kindle not going anywhere.) I really enjoyed it - even if the giant gap says otherwise - and I started Echo this morning because I want to know what happened after that ending.

Seeing how Echo started though...I wonder if it's going to be

Spoiler

like The Damned Trilogy and the story moves forward by years outside of the books. If you haven't read that trilogy, basically there's a story in the first book and the second book continues the basic thread but it's many many years later and so on for the third book as well so the series takes places over several hundred years.

Still, hoping this one won't take six months as well.

 

[Orbis Tabula]

So, I'm about to pick up The Brothers Karamazov after a recommendation and I'm running into some trouble picking a translation. Basically, it seems like the Constance Garnett translation is the most popular (and in public domain, so I can read it for free). But I could get the Pevear and Volokhonsky translation. Everyone says that one is the best, but I would have to pay a couple bucks for it. I was wondering if any of the experts on GAF might have some feedback on it. I'd like to get the best possible experience and, if the P&V translation really is that much better than the Garnett translation, I'd happily pay for it. But if it's just a case of people making a big stink about differences that don't matter, I might just stick with the free option.

 

[Piecake]

So, I'm about to pick up The Brothers Karamazov after a recommendation and I'm running into some trouble picking a translation. Basically, it seems like the Constance Garnett translation is the most popular (and in public domain, so I can read it for free). But I could get the Pevear and Volokhonsky translation. Everyone says that one is the best, but I would have to pay a couple bucks for it. I was wondering if any of the experts on GAF might have some feedback on it. I'd like to get the best possible experience and, if the P&V translation really is that much better than the Garnett translation, I'd happily pay for it. But if it's just a case of people making a big stink about differences that don't matter, I might just stick with the free option.

I would recommend reading the P&V translation.

A pretty easy way for you to decide whether or not it is worth it is to just read about 5-10 pages of both translations on amazon.

 

[Zeyphersan]

*ahem*

Very insightful so far, also a pretty breezy read. The author stretches this "sex = grammar" metaphor WAYY too thin, but otherwise I'm at least enjoying the book. Should finish up today or tomorrow

 

[Orbis Tabula]

Thanks for the immediate feedback, guys! P&V it is!

To be honest, I feel quite silly now. For some reason, the idea of translation quality had never occured to me, when it's the most obvious thing in the world. Of course some translations would be better than others! Now I'm worried that I've read the shitty versions of The Count of Monte Cristo and Lolita. Although, I suppose that wouldn't be too bad. Just means I get to read them again.

Thanks again.

 

[Dresden]

Thanks for the immediate feedback, guys! P&V it is!

To be honest, I feel quite silly now. For some reason, the idea of translation quality had never occured to me, when it's the most obvious thing in the world. Of course some translations would be better than others! Now I'm worried that I've read the shitty versions of The Count of Monte Cristo and Lolita. Although, I suppose that wouldn't be too bad. Just means I get to read them again.

Thanks again.

Don't worry about Lolita, you assuredly read the only version in English.

 

[Ashes]

I bought both. Garnett's is good enough.

If you really want to get into the book, read it along with a companion piece.* Essays, commentaries, etc...






*Hard to find spoiler free notes though. Luckily, I was forewarned by a friend.

 

[Piecake]

I think I read the shitty version of the Count of Monte Cristo because I did not enjoy it all that much. I would definitely describe it as flat, lifeless and slow. It has been a long while since I read it so I have been thinking about reading it again, especially since it seems to get a lot of love in this thread. Well, one translation in specific.

 

[Orbis Tabula]

Don't worry about Lolita, you assuredly read the only version in English.

Well now I feel doubly foolish. I'd better get to reading my book now, so I can regain my feeling of smug superiority over all the plebs I know who haven't read a single Russian book.

 

[Mumei]

Don't worry about Lolita, you assuredly read the only version in English.

Ha

I think I read the shitty version of the Count of Monte Cristo because I did not enjoy it all that much. I would definitely describe it as flat, lifeless and slow. It has been a long while since I read it so I have been thinking about reading it again, especially since it seems to get a lot of love in this thread. Well, one translation in specific.

If you didn't read the Penguin Classics translation, you didn't read the good translation. The older translation is (usually) abridged to ~600 pages from the original ~1200, censored, and has a much more stilted English.

 

[ShaneB]

I think I read the shitty version of the Count of Monte Cristo because I did not enjoy it all that much. I would definitely describe it as flat, lifeless and slow. It has been a long while since I read it so I have been thinking about reading it again, especially since it seems to get a lot of love in this thread. Well, one translation in specific.

I want to love it. I feel like I should love it, but I'm crawling through the tome and just tempted to drop it. I'm at 15% in and already feels like it's what I've been reading for weeks, I'm already set for something different.

 

[Mumei]

I want to love it. I feel like I should love it, but I'm crawling through the tome and just tempted to drop it. I'm at 15% in and already feels like it's what I've been reading for weeks, I'm already set for something different.

Correct.

Spoiler

You should at least get to the point where he reaches the island. It is a bit of a slog to get to that point, especially if you already know the outlines of the story (sailor -> betrayed -> prison -> island of monte cristo -> *revenge*), and you're waiting for the *revenge* bit, but it's worth it!

 

[Piecake]

Ha



If you didn't read the Penguin Classics translation, you didn't read the good translation. The older translation is (usually) abridged to ~600 pages from the original ~1200, censored, and has a much more stilted English.

Yea, I definitely do not remember it being that long. Guess that is another book to put on my reading list, though it will probably be a number of years (more time to forget).

 

[Orbis Tabula]

If you didn't read the Penguin Classics translation, you didn't read the good translation. The older translation is (usually) abridged to ~600 pages from the original ~1200, censored, and has a much more stilted English.

Oh, phew. Dodged a bullet.

 

[Maklershed]

Totally forgot to post an update the other day. I finished Sneaky People which was fantastic. I can't recommend it enough. Like I mentioned a little earlier in this thread, it's my favorite book of 2015 so far. It's like Upton Sinclair's Babbitt mixed with Bukowski.

Now on to LA Noir: The Struggle for the Soul of America's Most Seductive City. I had been holding off on reading this because the show Mob City was using it as its basis and since I'm not intimately familiar with the true facts of that time period or Mickey Cohen I didn't want to 'spoil' the show on myself but it's looking it's never coming back. I assume it's cancelled and I just missed the news. So now its book time!


L.A. Noir: The Struggle for the Soul of America's Most Seductive City by John Buntin

 

[Mumei]

Totally forgot to post an update the other day. I finished Sneaky People which was fantastic. I can't recommend it enough. Like I mentioned a little earlier in this thread, it's my favorite book of 2015 so far. It's like Upton Sinclair's Babbitt mixed with Bukowski.

Are you participating in this month's book club, OP?

 

[Maklershed]

Are you participating in this month's book club, OP?

Oh yeah! Forgot about that. Putting LA Noir on hold and now starting A Little Life.


A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara

 

[TwntyOneTwlv]

I'm about 200 pages into House of Leaves. I just made it through the Labyrinth chapter and my mind is full of fuck.

 

[Piecake]

I'm about 200 pages into House of Leaves. I just made it through the Labyrinth chapter and my mind is full of fuck.

 

[hardcastlemccormick]

Just wrapped up The Professor And The Madman by Simon Winchester.

Nonfiction; A man from an insane asylum helps with the Oxford English Dictionary.

Am engrossing story, held back by its authors stilted, overly formal prose and total inability to wield chronology effectively. Winchester bounces back and forth between decades, hinting at things just around the corner incessantly and occasionally revealing his own previous attempts at inspiring further interest as clickbaity misdirection. The opening of the novel is the most infuriating of these instances.

I would have much preferred to read this story as a much shorter New Yorker article rather than its slightly bloated and annoying novel form. The story underneath is fascinating, although contains no real plot of significance beyond the premise.

 

[kswiston]

I am about 1/3 of the way through The Confusion by Neal Stephenson, which is volume 2 (covering books 4 and 5) in his Baroque Cycle. I don't see the Baroque Cycle get as many mentions as Stephenson's other work, but they are probably my favourite books by him.

 

[Northeastmonk]

I just received this in the mail today. Abomination by Gary Whitta. I funded the Inkshares copy a while ago. I started the e-book edition, but I decided to wait for the hard copy. He even signed it too.

I want to start something because I feel like my motivation for reading has sunk over time. I'm getting better at reading and staying on course. I hope to do marvelous things with this book (finish it).

Cliff Bleszinski tweeted about the project and it caught my attention.

 

[Nymerio]

Finished Cetaganda yesterday evening. Great book (like the rest of the series I've read so far). Miles continues to be an amazing character. I love how can be so arrogant in some ways but is so very self concious in others, I'm also beginning to see how the Miles in Mountains of Mourning back on Barrayar as Lord Vorkosigan is different from the Lord Lieutenant in Cetaganda and the Admiral Naismith in the previous books. Cetaganda spoilers:

Spoiler

The Cetagandans are going to do something with his DNA or whatever, right? Pretty sure that's what Rian meant when she said he'd see and it actually makes kind of sense for their gene pool to splice in something of Miles forward momentum

Probably going to start the next book tonight: Ethan of Athos.

 

[RELAYER]

Any recommendations for editions of Livy?
Penguin Classics or Oxford World Classics?

 

[Bladenic]

All done with Bad Feminist. May write some words on it. Not too impressed overall.

Now I'm all set for Go Set A Watchman today.