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What are you reading? (June 2015)
- Thread starter Maklershed
- Start date
Here is what I read this month:
Currently reading:
I started this book and put it down years ago. I restarted it back in January but got preoccupied with other books. In an effort to clear out my current Kindle backlog I'm pushing to finish this one. It's taking forever to really get going but I feel like it's finally picking up.
Currently reading:
I started this book and put it down years ago. I restarted it back in January but got preoccupied with other books. In an effort to clear out my current Kindle backlog I'm pushing to finish this one. It's taking forever to really get going but I feel like it's finally picking up.
All I'll say is that the answers are there, but they don't fully come until the end of the third book. But, if you stick with it, you will eventually understand why something put a bubble around the planet and secured it from time for millions of years. And the answers are sort of fascinating.
AngmarsKing701
Member
I thought it was just two books. Pandora's Star and Judas Unchained. No?
I really struggled with PS. So slow. I thought there were just so many characters who felt like they didn't belong to the story or side things going on that could have been cut.
But GAF tells me JU had the payoff so it's on my shelf.
D
Deleted member 125677
Unconfirmed Member
I'm reading Lingua Tertii Imperii, by the jewish philologist Victor Klemperer. It was published in 1947, based on notes and analyses of the language of the third reich. It's extremely interesting to read about language became violent and hostile, long before physical violence became commonplace. It's a solid work of History of Nazi mentality as well.
hardcastlemccormick
Banned
Finally finished the Space Odyssey series.
3001: Final Odyssey wasn't terribly gripping; once again it revolves around nice, pleasant conversation for its entire run and at no time contains anything resembling tension or danger. At least unlike 2061, the subject material was novel, with plenty of time to cover. One thousand years of future as influenced by the discovery of the Monolith! Not bad. Some of that future seems weakly drawn and not terribly innovative, but I found it interesting. Also unlike 2061, there's a furthering of the plot as it involves the aliens.
No idea what to read next.
3001: Final Odyssey wasn't terribly gripping; once again it revolves around nice, pleasant conversation for its entire run and at no time contains anything resembling tension or danger. At least unlike 2061, the subject material was novel, with plenty of time to cover. One thousand years of future as influenced by the discovery of the Monolith! Not bad. Some of that future seems weakly drawn and not terribly innovative, but I found it interesting. Also unlike 2061, there's a furthering of the plot as it involves the aliens.
"Defeating" the monolith by throwing a computer virus at it might be one of the worst plot points I've read in a while but the stuff that happened around that was pretty cool.
No idea what to read next.
Maklershed
Member
Finally finished Middlemarch by George Eliot. Took over 4 months, but that's because I took so many Coursera-courses in that period that it was difficult to get time for other reading. The book is excellent, easily on par with authors like Dostoyevsky and Tolstoi regarding the depth of the characters. Its insights about human nature are so fascinating, and feel so truthful. Dorothea is perhaps a little too good to be perfectly believable, though.
Now, started How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie. One of the most popular books of all time. I have a tendency to criticize people when things don't go as I want, and I want to work on that. Need to up my people skills! Hope this can help.
Now, started How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie. One of the most popular books of all time. I have a tendency to criticize people when things don't go as I want, and I want to work on that. Need to up my people skills! Hope this can help.
Dedication Through Light
Member
Been reading Dissent and the Supreme Court, already out of date due to the recent supreme court case, at least for that it only went up to 2013. Poor Scalia since its about dissent.
Im surprised we in grade school went over many of the key cases in this book, or us history classes did good.
Im surprised we in grade school went over many of the key cases in this book, or us history classes did good.
hardcastlemccormick
Banned
Nice recommendation. I'll give it a look.
My problem at the moment is too much to choose from, which is not a bad problem to have. Sometimes I have book commitment issues.
I am only about half way through, but I would recommend 1776 by David McCullough if anyone is interested in some American Revolution history reading to celebrate the Fourth of July with. It almost exclusively focuses on Washington's military campaigns, but it is well written and avoids being a series of dry facts.
This is on my list. This reminds me how I need to start reading some nonfiction too.
Any recommendations on some other history books that aren't dry in addition to 1776?
TheKaeptain
Banned
I read this in a day. It's fantastic.
Founding Brothers By Joseph Ellis is very good
Lawrence in Arabia: War, Deceit, Imperial Folly and the Making of the Modern Middle East by Scott Anderson is quite fascinating, informative and entertaining.
The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabella WIlkerson is definitely a must read as well.
If you want to get a good grasp of American history then I would recommend going through the Oxford History of the United States series. It is pretty beastly, but a lot more entertaining than Oxford is probably indicating to your brain. It is by no means stuffy and scholarly and strictly academic.
Maklershed
Member
These are by far my non-dry (moist?) favorites:
J. Edgar Hoover: The Man and the Secrets by Curt Gentry
One Summer: America, 1927 by Bill Bryson
AngmarsKing701
Member
sparky2112
Member
Not to bag on 1776, but Richard Ketchum's 'The Winter Soldiers'
covers the same ground and did it better, first.
covers the same ground and did it better, first.
The Black Jacobins
TapeDispenser1000
Member
Just started this book
Currently reading Haunted by Chuck Palahniuk, finishing The Road by Cormac McCarthy and What The Budda Taught by Walpola Rahula.
I got a question; I'm reading all of these electronically, but it seems a lot harder to stay committed and immersed than with physical copies. Am I just weird or does anyone else prefer physical to ebooks? I have no problem reading essays and longform stuff on the internet, but I would rather have a physical copy of a book; I guess it's the tactile feedback that helps me retain stuff. idk.
edit: I should subscribe to these threads for book recommendations because I really need to get back into reading. Makes me feel bad I've slacked so much recently.
I got a question; I'm reading all of these electronically, but it seems a lot harder to stay committed and immersed than with physical copies. Am I just weird or does anyone else prefer physical to ebooks? I have no problem reading essays and longform stuff on the internet, but I would rather have a physical copy of a book; I guess it's the tactile feedback that helps me retain stuff. idk.
edit: I should subscribe to these threads for book recommendations because I really need to get back into reading. Makes me feel bad I've slacked so much recently.
Finished The Echo and The Explorer. Forgot that this was a series and read The Echo first, a day after that I remembered and started The Explorer. Didn't really matter that I read them out of order though, both books were very enjoyable. I do prefer The Echo though.
I've now started Mistworld
Yep. Amazing cover.
I'm not sure but the way the anomaly works seems to be a bit different in both books. In the first book he seems to loop even outside the anomaly but in the second book the loops only seem to happen within the anomaly.
I've now started Mistworld
Yep. Amazing cover.
Zeyphersan
Banned
I just started reading the first book in the Witcher saga (The Last Wish) and it's pretty great so far, actually. Hoping it keeps my interest for a while, honestly. I'm a bit anxious about powering through the series since the most recent books aren't in English yet and won't be until 2017 -_-
Maklershed
Member
Are you reading on a computer or an e-reader? If the former that definitely would be a problem for me. I personally love my kindle though. With the Amazon cover and e-ink its just like opening up a smallish hard cover book.
And if you need some recs check out the OP. I've done my best to curate the most active book recommendation threads on GAF for the past three years or so. I also have a few links to some other websites that might be useful.
By the way, if anyone comes across some lists/recs/articles you find interesting or useful and think it should be added to the OP please let me know and I'll add it. Would also gladly accept fancy images or a new banner image for the thread
Finished Use of Weapons.
At first I wasn't sure what to make of it. Was such a bizarre, almost surreal world at first, but once I settled into what was possible in its reality I started enjoying Zakalwe as a character and some of the insights from the author. Banks can describe thoughts and ideas beautifully. And holy shit at that ending... brutal.
Next up is Caliban's Wars in the Expanse saga.
I blitzed through Leviathan Wakes. Was such a fun and easy read with great world building. Light on ideas or insights about human character, but such an interesting vision of the future.
At first I wasn't sure what to make of it. Was such a bizarre, almost surreal world at first, but once I settled into what was possible in its reality I started enjoying Zakalwe as a character and some of the insights from the author. Banks can describe thoughts and ideas beautifully. And holy shit at that ending... brutal.
Next up is Caliban's Wars in the Expanse saga.
I blitzed through Leviathan Wakes. Was such a fun and easy read with great world building. Light on ideas or insights about human character, but such an interesting vision of the future.
Well, not quite as happy as I was when I learned that my friend is on the fourth and most recent book in the series. But yes, I am - even though I don't expect you to like it.
To be honest, I was a little disappointed by Child 44. Going to start Galveston now and see where that takes me.
Well, not quite as happy as I was when I learned that my friend is on the fourth and most recent book in the series. But yes, I am - even though I don't expect you to like it.
It's a young adult novel, so maybe this time, Valetine's love for adjectives, metaphors, and the English language won't overwhelm me this time!
Finished Leaving Mother Lake which was a nice memoir. It's interesting to see a society that has such different ideas about gender relations and sex. Also interesting to see read about someone who is actually confident.
Been reading stuff about networks. I'm at a crossroads concerning what I want to study at the graduate level, so hopefully this helps me get a better sense of how to combine my computer science, statistical, and sociological background.
Been reading stuff about networks. I'm at a crossroads concerning what I want to study at the graduate level, so hopefully this helps me get a better sense of how to combine my computer science, statistical, and sociological background.
You Know Nothing
Member
Started Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell.
Really loving it. It has a sort of subtle humor going for it throughout. I've found myself sensibly chuckling quite a bit.
Really loving it. It has a sort of subtle humor going for it throughout. I've found myself sensibly chuckling quite a bit.
Is she though? She's very naive early on. She loses that naivety, and does good things, but that supremely bittersweet, beautiful ending points out that in the end she didn't end up some big, important character, her ambitions may have fallen short, but her qualities were not lost on those around her and ultimately her life was for good. So to me she's more of a potential heroine who ends up simply a decent human being.
Anyway, amazing, unbelievable book.
I'd recommend The Great Influenza by John M Barry. Actually I'd recommend any of his three history books. They are all very well written and cover some little talked about parts of American history.
*skeptical noises*
We'll see!
It's really very funny.
It has been remarked (by a lady infinitely cleverer than the present author) how kindly disposed the world in general feels to young people who either die or marry. Imagine then the interest that surrounded Miss Wintertowne! No young lady ever had such advantages before: for she died upon the Tuesday, was raised to life in the early hours of Wednesday morning, and was married upon the Thursday; which some people thought too much excitement for one week.
And by the way, glad to hear you enjoyed A Little Life. It's an experience.
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Don't be! It's really a breeze of a read, and one of the most compulsively readable classics I've read. Just make sure you get the Penguin Classics edition for the Robin Buss translation, if you are reading it in English.
YYeah it'll be the Buss translation if I read it. I kinda wanted to read The Black Count, but figured it wouldn't be the same without reading Monte Cristo first.
Will decide if that's what's next. Not reading as much on vacation.
I hope it is. It's one of my very favorite books. Edmond Dantés is a fantastic protagonist. I mean, think about it. Edmond Dantés named himself after Edmond Dantés and not a Tolkien protagonist, so clearly he's great.
I read War and Peace earlier this year, but I've only read the Pevear & Volokhonsky translation. I really liked it, but I can only compare it to itself; I don't know how it compares to the Russian in terms of fidelity or how it compares to other recent attempts in terms of how it works in English.
Maklershed
Member
Thought I'd run this idea past all you fine folks:
What would you all say to a reading thread sponsored 'Book of the Month'? Its something we'd communally choose each month and then whoever wants to read it can read during the course of the month and add their discussion whenever they want. It'd be like a book club thread but less structured.
What would you all say to a reading thread sponsored 'Book of the Month'? Its something we'd communally choose each month and then whoever wants to read it can read during the course of the month and add their discussion whenever they want. It'd be like a book club thread but less structured.
We already have a few of those don't we? Cyan used to run one, and then LOTRGAF did Silmarillion and now GoTGAF has two going, one for show watchers and one for non-show watchers (I swear those guys cannot do anything as a single group).
They have middling turnouts, but I did read a few good books thanks to them.
They have middling turnouts, but I did read a few good books thanks to them.
Maklershed
Member
Oops, apologies, I wasn't clear - it wouldn't be a separate thread. It'd be within this thread. It'd just be very informal.
I think that would work better than having a separate book of the month. Someone can correct me if I am wrong since I never did it, but those book of the month threads never really seem to have sparked too much interest or discussion.
If we integrate it, I would be in favor of doing both a fiction and a non-fiction book. I don't know if I will ever participate, but it would be a good sources of recs.
Sure, we kind of already do that spontaneously with stuff like Leviathan Wakes and Annihilation anyway so go for it.
Though I'll likely stick to my reading queue or else I'll never clear the backlog.
The only downside is that one book would dominate most of the conversation. Though I personally like people talking about the books; I prefer the way the thread naturally ebbs and flows.
Seems like a drastic change rather than a more natural one. And I even, being an author on a GAF, would personally, dislike, if a GAF author was chosen, to launch their book, not that it would happen this month or next, but say next year or the year after, or something.
Maybe if we do a weekly book or something, we could tie it further with other threads [fifty books/fifty films], but more importantly not let a single book dominate things overwhelmingly...
Seems like a drastic change rather than a more natural one. And I even, being an author on a GAF, would personally, dislike, if a GAF author was chosen, to launch their book, not that it would happen this month or next, but say next year or the year after, or something.
Maybe if we do a weekly book or something, we could tie it further with other threads [fifty books/fifty films], but more importantly not let a single book dominate things overwhelmingly...
All of the more popular translations are readable.
I read the Aylmer and Louise Maude translation two years ago. The Maudes knew Tolstoy personally, and Aylmer was his authorized biographer. Tolstoy was happy with their work, so that's good enough for me.