"Hey you, what'cha readin'?"

[Electric Banana]

Right now, I'm reading Even Cowgirls Get the Blues by Tom Robbins. I actually started reading it when I was down in Phoenix, and just barely read more of it today. I selected this book because I read Fierce Invalids Home From Hot Climates last year, and absolutely LOVED it, so I wanted to check out some of his other work!

So what book(s) are you reading right now? Why did you choose to read it/them?

[Hyde]

The girl I'm seeing wants me to read a series called "Twilight" and is loaning me the books. Supposed to be about vampires and stuff. Anyone have any idea what this is?

[Atlas]

I was thinking of reading some of my JTHM, but I'm not sure yet.

[Polygon]

As usual I'm always reading an issue of Sport Compact Car and as for books I'm reading the Broker by Michael Crichton.

[Matron]

The girl I'm seeing wants me to read a series called "Twilight" and is loaning me the books. Supposed to be about vampires and stuff. Anyone have any idea what this is?

I actually have this series in my to be read pile, I'll move the first one to the top of the list and tell you how it is. ( of course it's due back at the library next week, so I'd be reading it soon anyway, hehe)

I've heard it's a really good series, but it's YA, so probably not too gruesome or racy. Maybe about as extreme as the Harry Potter series is what I'm guessing.

So, it looks like Twilight is what I'm about to be reading. Oh yeah, the author is Stephanie Meyers, and I have liked some of her other, more grown up stuff a lot.

I've also got His Dark Materials to be read, it was due back yesterday, and a book called Dream Chaser by Sherrilynn Kenyon, another vampire author I like. I read a lot of vampire type books.

[Atlas]

My buddy Paul reads SCC. He participates in rally races n' all that fun stuff. He's danm good, too.

[Polygon]

I'd believe it since he's an SCC reader. It's the best car mag ever. I suck balls at rally racing. I'm more of a road racer.

[Hyde]

I actually have this series in my to be read pile, I'll move the first one to the top of the list and tell you how it is. ( of course it's due back at the library next week, so I'd be reading it soon anyway, hehe)

Your terms are acceptable. :D

I've heard it's a really good series, but it's YA, so probably not too gruesome or racy. Maybe about as extreme as the Harry Potter series is what I'm guessing

Well...I liked the Harry Potter series quite a bit, so, that sounds fine.

--

I'm thinking I'll give a run through Dante's Inferno again.....except I think I'll read it in the traditional latin this time.

[Cyrus the virus]

The Black Echo by Michael Connelly. Story's okay, but the amazing thing is how detailed it is. I'm not a police investigation-type guy, CSI is cool and all but HOLY SHIT it gets boring - this was pretty good. I'm at the end.

[Indigo]

The girl I'm seeing wants me to read a series called "Twilight" and is loaning me the books. Supposed to be about vampires and stuff. Anyone have any idea what this is?

Twilight is awesome, read it.


I'm half way through Dean Koontz's The good guy. It is both hilarious and thrilling.

[Powerslave]

Well, right now I'm juggling a few books, and it doesn't help that I read at a glacial pace, but the three I'm in the middle of right now are 'Las Nieves del Tiempo' by Eladio Jara (He's my Grandpa, and it's just a collection of his newspaper articles over the years), 'Development as Freedom' by Amartya Sen (Mentioned in virtually every class I've had so far, so I figured it'd be good to read it first hand), and 'Profit Over People: Neoliberalism and Global Order' by Noam Chomsky (Kinda so-so, his interview compilations are much better). They're all pretty small books though, so it's manageable. I haven't really had a lot of novel-reading time since Orwell's 'Homage to Catalonia' a few months ago, but now that I'm back home (and if I finish those other ones soon enough), then I plan to indulge in a large backlog of Gabriel Garcia Marquez material that I've been meaning to get to for a while now.

[LagDragon]

Seinfeld and Philosophy.

I borrowed it from a friend. I'll give you my thoughts when I'm finished.

[Priest4hire]

I just finished Plato and a Platypus Walk Into a Bar. It's basically a review of philosophy told in the form of jokes. It's quite good too. And the title?

"The other day Plato and a Platypus walked into a bar. The bartender gave the philosopher a quizzical look and Plato said: "What can I say? She looked better in the cave.""

I'm just starting Fahrenheit 451. I figured it's about time I busted it out again.

[Hyde]

Seinfeld and Philosophy.

I borrowed it from a friend. I'll give you my thoughts when I'm finished.

Please don't. Those two words should never be in the same title.

Much like "Seinfeld and Funny" should never be in the same sentence.

[Jarrid]

Trying to finish Ervin Laszlo's Quantum Shift in the Global Brain: How the New Scientific Reality Can Change Us and Our World, but I have not really been able to read as of lately. I also bought Voltaire's Candide yesterday, so I really want start on that sooner or later. I have way too many books on my shelf that need to be read.

[Baby]

Seinfeld and Philosophy.

I borrowed it from a friend. I'll give you my thoughts when I'm finished.

Curious! Love Seinfeld. :-)


Right now, I'm reading ISTANBUL by Orhan Pamuk... as usual, excellent!

[Phakiel]

Nothing, still waiting for 1984 to arrive.

[Matron]

Your terms are acceptable. :D



Well...I liked the Harry Potter series quite a bit, so, that sounds fine.

--

I'm thinking I'll give a run through Dante's Inferno again.....except I think I'll read it in the traditional latin this time.

Ok, you owe me one night's sleep.

I'm kidding, I really should know better by now than to start a book that late.:rolleyes: I just wasn't planning to like it as much as I did. I picked it up around 2 am, just to read a couple of chapters, see how it was going to be, and ended up reading straight through til 9:30 this morning. I'm probably going to read it again today, because I'm not ready to be finished, and the library doesn't have the next one available yet. Going to have to buy all four of these this weekend.

I don't really know your taste in books, but if you don't like a good love story, it probably isn't for you. Because that's pretty much what it is, a well written love story.

It's about a somewhat awkward girl who moves to Washington to live with her father, only to find out that these kids don't think she's nearly as awkward as the ones at her old school. The boys like her, making the girls want to be her friend just to be closer to the boys. It's a very small school, only around 350 kids total, whereas her junior class at her old school was over 700 kids, so not much chance of hiding. Everyone wants to know her here. Except for one boy, who's enigmatic, too beautiful for words, and who actually physically recoils when he first meets her. So the story is pretty much her wondering why he hates her, learning about who and what he is, and then exploring their limits, because while he's fascinated by her, he also has the urge to taste her blood, killing her.

I loved it, but then again, I'm a sucker for a good love story, and even though this is high school love, it feels more.. more grown up and real, not like puppy love. And I don't meant grown up in a sexual way, but in that mental, emotional way. A good part of the book is anticipation- is he going to kiss her, hold her, that sort of thing. This writer does that very well, IMO.

Ok, I've gushed enough, now. If anyone is interested, they are also making a movie, that doesn't look bad, but a lot of times things get lost in the transition from great book to a mediocre movie. The website is www.twilightthemovie.com.

[DrunkSwashbuckler]

I'm thinking I'll give a run through Dante's Inferno again.....except I think I'll read it in the traditional latin this time.
A feat made all the more impressive given that the traditional language for the Divine Comedy is Italian, not Latin.

***********

Currently jumping back and forth between Erikson's Malazan Book of the Fallen series, an economics book called "Farewell to Alms," and a book on Body Language, the last thrown in to mix up my normal reading.

Anyone with even a passing interest in economics should pick up "Farewell to Alms," though; ****ing fantastic.

[Hyde]

A feat made all the more impressive given that the traditional language for the Divine Comedy is Italian, not Latin

Ever read much 700 year old Italian? It may as well BE Latin to a great extent.
Even still, leave it to Dreamless to exploit a typo to the best of his ability.

That's okay, though....when he knows how to speak, read and write in more languages than he has fingers..well...then this'll matter.

[DrunkSwashbuckler]

Dante is known as the "Father of the Italian Language" for a reason, having given credibility to the Tuscany dialect by writing his two greatest pieces in a language other than latin. Don't be pissy because you got called out on your bullshit exaggeration; one of the reasons that the Divine Comedy was called a Comedy (aside from the progression of the tale) was because all major works of literature in the 1300s were written in Latin, and doing otherwise was seen to be demeaning to your work. If it truly was simply a typo and you know the Divine Comedy with such vigor as one who has read it numerous times would, the only probable option to explain this mess would be alzheimer's.

[Hyde]

Dante is known as the "Father of the Italian Language" for a reason, having given credibility to the Tuscany dialect by writing his two greatest pieces in a language other than latin. Don't be pissy because you got called out on your bullshit exaggeration; one of the reasons that the Divine Comedy was called a Comedy (aside from the progression of the tale) was because all major works of literature in the 1300s were written in Latin, and doing otherwise was seen to be demeaning to your work.

Can YOU read it in the old Italian? Or could you in Latin? Can you read Demotic? Perhaps Sanskrit then? Or how about simple Welsh Gaelic?

Seriously, Dreamless. I made a mistake. Of the two of us being pissy....I think it's you. Now stop being a forum Malcontent with me....this isn't a year and a half ago when I couldn't censor...or perhaps censure....your ass.

[DrunkSwashbuckler]

So you openly admit that you should be held to a different standard than others?

[Hyde]

So you openly admit that you should be held to a different standard than others?

I'd call that a radical interpretation of the text.

But I'm sorry, man....we started over...and if you can't tone down the miser routine, you're not needed.

The new forums have been officially opened for less than a week and you've already been pestering people and at the center of like 3 different conflicts. It ends now....one way or another.

[Serge]

http://www.alathea.org/gandalf.gif

[Void]

I just finished reading Life of Pi by Yann Martel.

Now I'm reading So Long and Thanks For All The Fish by Douglas Adams.

[Hyde]

http://www.alathea.org/gandalf.gif

hahaha....i love that.

I just finished reading Life of Pi by Yann Martel.

Now I'm reading So Long and Thanks For All The Fish by Douglas Adams.

What did you think of Life of Pi? A Friend of mine recommended that but I haven't picked it up yet. Hell I don't even know what it is about.....I'm guessing Pi.

[Void]

What did you think of Life of Pi? A Friend of mine recommended that but I haven't picked it up yet. Hell I don't even know what it is about.....I'm guessing Pi.

The best way to describe it without spoiling it is by saying "It's a story that will make you believe in God." That said, I don't believe in God. But it is an excellent book, that in the very least will amuse you. The title comes from the protagonist, who is named Pi.

I actually picked it up because I remembered Dreamless mentioning it as the most influencial book he'd ever read.

[LagDragon]

Please don't. Those two words should never be in the same title.

Much like "Seinfeld and Funny" should never be in the same sentence.

The fact that you regard Scrubs as one of the best shows in television history makes a retort seem pointless.

So I'll just stick with that.

[Hyde]

The fact that you regard Scrubs as one of the best shows in television history makes a retort seem pointless.

So I'll just stick with that.

Scrubs > Seinfeld in every conceivable way. The Show about Everything vs. the Show about Nothing.

When a show needs canned laughter to make it seem funny....it's not.

Name me one funny thing Jerry Seinfeld has ever said and I'll apologize publicly.

[LagDragon]

Scrubs > Seinfeld in every conceivable way. The Show about Everything vs. the Show about Nothing.

When a show needs canned laughter to make it seem funny....it's not.

Name me one funny thing Jerry Seinfeld has ever said and I'll apologize publicly.

I've got a better idea.

[charolastra00]

I'm currently reading Teach Yourself Icelandic. And by read, I mean stare at the words, flip back endlessly at the letter pronunciation guide, annotate, get pissed off and throw the book, and finally start to cry. :P

Tomorrow I'm going to be stranded in the NYC Kennedy Airport international terminal for a good 9 hours with a laptop which does not hold battery power so I'll probably bring Milan Kundera's The Unbearable Lightness of Being and Jared Diamond's Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed to read and seem uber pretentious.

So far this summer, I've also read Malcolm Gladwell's Blink (similar to The Tipping Point which I LOVE but not near as good), Susan Sontag's In America, and Alan Watts' The Book. Not much but I haven't been able to get to the library.

So, just to whore out myself, I use Goodreads (http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1017021) and you should too. It's kind of addicting.

[Less Than Liz]

except I think I'll read it in the traditional latin this time.
Er....OooOOooOOOooOOooohhh?

EDIT: Oh, darn, I'm behind in the thread. Oh, well.

[Cyrus the virus]

For someone so accomplished and awesome, Hyde, you sure are insecure. Goddamn.

Anyway, finished the book I was reading earlier and picked up another of Michael Connelly's books, The Narrows. I'm not usually into investigative novels or anything of the sort, but I like his a lot.

[Electric Banana]

I'm currently reading Teach Yourself Icelandic. And by read, I mean stare at the words, flip back endlessly at the letter pronunciation guide, annotate, get pissed off and throw the book, and finally start to cry. :PI love love love LOVE the Teach Yourself series... I was obsessed with the Origami one for a project I did when I was in community college.

[Hyde]

For someone so accomplished and awesome, Hyde, you sure are insecure. Goddamn.

Anyway, finished the book I was reading earlier and picked up another of Michael Connelly's books, The Narrows. I'm not usually into investigative novels or anything of the sort, but I like his a lot.

I'm not being insecure, I just hate it when people need to validate themselves by picking nits and capitalizing on others errors or typos. Would it not have been far more constructive for him to have said "Don't you mean Italian?" than to go into a diatribe intended to make me look foolish....over a typo?

[Inari]

There are some instances where it's more constructive to make someone look foolish than it is to just correct them.

[Serge]

I actually just started reading World War Z

[Hyde]

There are some instances where it's more constructive to make someone look foolish than it is to just correct them.

Not in a community atmosphere, no. People need to step aside from the moment, reverse the roles, and say..."if I made the mistake, which would I rather someone said to me?"

If you can honestly say you'd rather be made fun, you really have some self image issues or are a masochist.

Good Natured ribbing is one thing....outright insult is another.

[Inari]

In a community atmosphere everyone is held to the same standards.

And yeah, I don't want to see the day where anyone (including myself) can say something incredibly stupid and get away with it. Sometimes people just need to be corrected. Sometimes they need to be embarrassed. It keeps people honest.

Besides, it applies to everything. If someone is a total asshole for no reason they get called out on it. What I don't understand is how people get "censured" for being abrasively blunt but not for exaggerating, spreading misinformation, or otherwise being a moron. They're both open to interpretation, but only one is punishable because being told the truth hurts people's feelings. What are we, in the third grade?

[Hyde]

In a community atmosphere everyone is held to the same standards.

as it should be here. sadly it's not.

no matter....let's end the discussion. the mods/admins and such have been discussing the recent events in private and an agreement of sots has been reached, so....let's all move on.

[Matron]

I'm re-reading Twilight, and waiting on the library to get the next book in the series in. If it's not in by Friday, I'm buying it, along with the rest of the series.

Having to wait for payday to get a book you really want bites the big one, hard. And not in a fun, kinky way.

Also, I've got a book called Dream Chaser, that I just realized was due back last Saturday, so I'm going to read it tonight.

[Hyde]

I'm re-reading Twilight, and waiting on the library to get the next book in the series in. If it's not in by Friday, I'm buying it, along with the rest of the series.

Having to wait for payday to get a book you really want bites the big one, hard. And not in a fun, kinky way.

Also, I've got a book called Dream Chaser, that I just realized was due back last Saturday, so I'm going to read it tonight.

haha..um...sorry? :D

[Matron]

Haha not your fault, I keep the library funded with my late fees. I read them and forget to take them back, or read the ones I can keep a month before I read the two week ones.

[Powerslave]

Couldn't sleep last night so at about 6 in the morning I asked my sister if she had any stephen hawkings book (I had wikied stuff about the universe all night after the Galaxy Song from the Meaning of Life got stuck in my head aisudhaisdu), so she gave me The Theory of Everything and I gobbled it up through the day (it's only like 160 pages). What a mind****!! It's just a series of seven lectures where he tries to make it at least possibly understandable to the layman, but it was still really screwy and impossible to visualize. The decipherable parts were really interesting stuff nonetheless, and he even cracks some jokes a couple of times, makes you wanna keep reading. I'd recomend it to anyone who's got any fleeting interest in the ways of the universe.

[Void]

I finished the whole More Than Complete Hitchiker's Guide To The Galaxy.

Now I'm reading Eye of the World by Robert Jordan. 1/10 of the way through!

[Matron]

I sat up all night (again) reading a book called The Host. Kinda a body snatchers story, the human race has been taken over by this race of "souls" that go from planet to planet, taking over different races. Only this time, when the new soul wakes up, the human she took over was still there, fighting her.

I was weary of trying this at first, because I don't usually care for the sci fi type of thing, but I forced myself to keep going because I liked the author (Stephanie Meyer, the same one who wrote "Twilight"), and am very glad I did.

Unfortunately, I now have that lovely sat up all night headache.

[twerp]

I actually just started reading World War Z

I am sooo ready for the zombie apocalypse.


Have you read the Zombie Survival Guide as well? It is just as brilliant a piece of literature as World War Z.

[Atlas]

Now I'm reading Bobby Fischer's Teaches Chess.

[Jarrid]

Woah, it is Jojo. Nice.

I am almost done with my Ervin Laszlo book. Going to start reading Voltaire's Candide tomorrow. Ready to start that. :)

[Matron]

Got the next two books in the Twilight series, so there goes sleep the next couple of nights.

[Jarrid]

I have a good friend that loves that series or anything pertaining to Stephenie Meyer. He really wants me to read The Host, but I am not too sure about it all. I lent him a book by G.I. Gurdjieff called Beelzebub's Tales to His Grandson, which is an epic book, but he has not started it yet. He has had it for a while, too! I am just going to stop lending out books from now on. People either never read it or wind up losing it some how or another. >.<

[Matron]

I read both books, over 1200 pages, in roughly 10 hours. Now I'm bookless and feeling kinda lost. If you don't mind a love story with some vampires and elements of danger thrown in, they are great. It's not really "romance" but it is definitely a series about love.

Oh, I have books, but nothing that appeals to me right now. Stupid library let the book I had on hold go because I took to long to pick it up, but they won't let me re-reserve it because it says I already have it on reserve.

Oh, and The Host turned out to be really good too. Less romantical than the Twilight books. I dunno if I already said that here. Have I mentioned I've only had 2 hours sleep in the past 2 days?

And I never lend out books, I never get them back.

[Less Than Liz]

I'm not particular interested in vampire romances, but I'll admit I found the movie trailer somewhat intriguing.

I have a giant backlog of books to read. World War Z was recommended to me a loooong time ago and I still have to pick it up. I am still re-reading Free to Choose, but only when I have the opportunity to do so on my lunch break. Also in the background is Armchair Economist, which I picked up solely because my professor wrote it and it's essentially his early economics courses rolled into a quirky book but nothing worth getting worked up over. Finally, I'd like to reread Trickster's Choice and Trickster's Queen. I read 'em early in HS, but I always like to go back and read stuff again (in case you haven't noticed.)

I read the first two Eragon books (or whatever their names are called) and thought they were pretty awful, but I feel a little obligated to complete the trilogy despite that.

[Matron]

Yeah, I'm a sucker for vampire stories, always have been. But this one wasn't really your typical vampire story, these people pretty much lived like... people. They chose not to feed on humans, not to lose any more of their humanity than they had to, so they hunt and feed on animals. It was more of a story of two people struggling to work out their differences and how to live together with them. His difference just happens to be that he's a hundred year old vampire who also wants to taste her blood (which is a death sentence in these books) almost as much as he wants to be with her.

[Jarrid]

Yeah, I really have not been too interested in anything about vampires and especially vampire romance novels. I suppose I would not be cut out for the series. :p

[Matron]

Just got back from the library. Gonna be reading "From Dead To Worse" By Charlaine Harris in a minute.

[?lgarnas Tr?dg?rd]

Natsume Soseki's Kokoro.

Nice story set in during the modernization of Japan. The emperor dies, General Nogi commits seppuku, and the book details the way people's lives are changed with the way Japan's outlook changes, moving into democracy and a new way of life.

[Syrus]

I'm reading Good Omens by Neil Gaimen right now, then next I want to read the Durnwich Horror.

[Void]

I'm reading Good Omens by Neil Gaimen right now, then next I want to read the Durnwich Horror.

Did you ever read American Gods like I suggested?

[DrunkSwashbuckler]

World War Z is a fun read, but don't try and analyze it too much or the entire concept falls apart (specifically, the Battle of Yonkers).

[Jarrid]

So I decided to stop reading Candide because I got a book in the mail today. It is Ervin Laszlo's book called Science and the Reenchantment of the Cosmos: The Rise of the Integral Vision of Reality. So far so good. The two other books by Laszlo have proved to be very interesting and enjoyable to me, so I will continue to read and learn about what he has to say.

[Hyde]

Okay so, Neil Gaiman. Right. I don't have a lot of time to physically read anymore, but I do have time for audiobooks(as I work so much it's ridiculous, but I can listen to that whilst working, I've found...and absorb it rather well.)..

So for the last few days, I finally took the time to "read" the Audiobook of Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman, a novel that had long been suggested to me by any number of assorted people and that I had just never sat down to do.

Best Book I've read in a long LONG time. I then watched the BBC Miniseries of it. Book was obviously better, but I did enjoy it. If you like incredibly absurd fantasy(and really...what fantasy isn't?) I HIGHLY recommend this book.

Next on my list is American Gods, and then Anansi Boys....after that is still TBD.

[Matron]

I'm looking for something to read, so I put that one on my list at the library.

I've read everything that I have right now (that I'm interested in anyway), and I'm going kinda stir crazy. I'm not happy without a pile of books waiting to be read.

[Hyde]

I am grabbing the Good Omens audio before I go to bed. Not bad.....600megs....20 minutes worth of download. I like how that works.

Book got great reviews so why not? I'm on Gaiman kick lately.

[Priest4hire]

Well, I've finished Fahrenheit 451 a little while ago and it's still quite a good book. Then I read Joseph Howe and the Battle for Freedom of Speech. Although it's very short it is quite interesting. Howe himself is fascinating. He was charged with libel at a time when having written the truth was no defence. So he chooses to act as his own counsel and then proceeds to deliver a 6 hour speech to the jury. So moved were they that despite being told by the judge to find him guilty they promptly acquitted him.

Then I listened to a massive lecture series on the philosophy of science. I'll have to listen to it again as the material is very dense and philosophy is hard. Now I'm reading Body Hunters: How the Drug Industry Tests Its Products On the World's Poorest Patients. Its basically about what the title says it's about. Very cheery.

[twerp]

I hated Farenhiet 451. Any books that are set in Orwellian futures all end up being the same.

[Hyde]

I'm about 4 chapters into Audio American Gods at this point. I've also got planned the entire Dune series, Good Omens, and then after Neil Gaiman and Frank Herbert, I turn my attention to Terry Pratchett

[Matron]

I don't think I'd take in anything at all of recorded books- my mind would probably wander. I've never been able to pay attention when being read to.

[Priest4hire]

I hated Farenhiet 451. Any books that are set in Orwellian futures all end up being the same.

I wouldn't really say that's true. I mean, Fahrenheit 451 is akin to 1984 in that it's set in a dystopia but otherwise they are quite different. For example, a key point in Bradbury's novel is that it was the people that brought about the end of real literacy and the state of society in the novel. It was not the result is some totalitarian regime.

Besides, shouldn't it really be Zamyatinian futures?

PS. I just finished Body Hunters and have decided to start on Invasive Procedures by Orson Scott Card and Aaron Johnston.

[Electric Banana]

Well, I've finished Fahrenheit 451 a little while ago and it's still quite a good book. I totally ignored the rest of your post, because that's one of my favorite books...so instant love. <3

[Jarrid]

Finished the Ervin Laszlo book. It is quite an amazing piece of work. Totally has changed my perception of things about life. I am now reading the Bhagavad Gita translated by Stephen Mitchell. Should be a great read.

[Matron]

Right now I'm reading a book that's kinda pissing me off. I hate when an author throws something completely different into a series he or she has been writing for years, just because a new trend has become popular and this person wants to cash in.

I've read JD Robbs series about a cop in the future for 10 years or more, and suddenly, vampires are popular, so she's throwing them into a series that has never featured anything remotely like this before. And doing it poorly, IMO, and I like vampire stories.

[Atlas]

I just bought a few books. I've read some, but need to catch up on others.

Here's what I bought:

- Catcher In The Rye

- A Midsummer Night's Dream

- Robinson Crusoe

- The Grapes of Wrath

- The Pearl

- East of Eden

- Of Mice And Men

- Travels with Charley in Search of America

- Cannery Row

[twerp]

I started reading Me of Little Faith, by Lewis Black. He basically talks about his experience with religion in the way only Lewis Black can do. I think one of the quotes on the back of the book is "Lewis Black is the only man I know who can yell in print."

[Electric Banana]

I just bought a few books. I've read some, but need to catch up on others.

Here's what I bought:

- Catcher In The Rye...HATED that book... I read it only a year or so ago...and I absolutely loathed it.

[Matron]

Catcher In The Rye wasn't bad, from what I remember. I might have to read it again now that I'm not young and stupid though.

The book I was reading ("Eternity In Death" by JD Robb) ended up being ok. It wasn't a real vampire, just a guy that thought he was. It was a short story though, not a full book so it wasn't as steamy as usual, lol.

I picked up the first three books in Lilith Saintcrow's "Dante Valentine" series, I've heard good things about them. Yes, I read a lot of trashy books. :D

[Data]

I also hated Catcher in the Rye. I was bored to tears and didn't see where the hype was coming from.

Right now I'm reading Love in the Time of Cholera. Its surprisingly hilarious.

[Hyde]

I have a LIST of books to get through at this point....newest addition? a Re-Read of the Dark Tower series, by Steven King.

Also, I'm doing outlining and world building for my own first novel, so there will be a lot of reading with that as well.

[Matron]

I need to get back into the Dark Tower books. I read as far as Wizards and Glass I think, then I stopped because they were taking so long to come out. Then suddenly, I noticed they were all out, and I had missed them!

[Cyrus the virus]

They are generally great books.

...Generally.

The last few are really a matter of opinion and taste. Please be sure to update me on where you guys are at in the stories. That's one of my favorite series, and some of the only books I'll ever bother to have conversations about.

Gunslinger's still my favorite, though.

[Matron]

Yes, I really liked that one too. I also like the one where he started tying things in with The Talisman. (sorry, my brain is rather fuzzy at the moment. aaaah vodka!)

The last Stephen King books that I read and really enjoyed are The Regulators (Bachman I think) and Desperation.

[Cyrus the virus]

I love some of his Bachman works. The Long Walk :o

[Matron]

I liked that one too. And Thinner wast just freaky as hell.

[Void]

Finished Eye of the World onto the next Wheel of Time book, The Great Hunt.

[Atlas]

I'll repost my latest purchase of books + some more I just got.

- Cannery Row
- The Grapes of Wrath
- Of Mice And Men
- The Pearl
- Midsummer Night's Dream
- Robinson Crusoe
- Catcher In The Rye
- The Elements of Style
- Fight Club

[Jarrid]

Saturday it did not take me long to finish the Bhagavad Gita. Talk about some amazing work, and so many physics references in it. It absolutely blew my mind away with what Krishna was saying. Loved it.

I am waiting for The Tao of Physics: An Exploration of the Parallels between Modern Physics and Eastern Mysticism by Fritjof Capra. It should be in the mail tomorrow hopefully before work. I am looking forward to reading this book.

[Atlas]

I own The Tao of Chess. Good stuff. :P

[Cyrus the virus]

I started reading Shadows of the Empire by some person. The first 12 pages were bad enough that I chose to put it away and sit on the metro staring at things whizzing by.

[Jarrid]

Two of my friends loved that book. I just cannot get into any kind of Star Wars book at all, or really any kind of science fiction book period. Only couple I remember off of the top of my head that I liked a whole lot are probably A Brave New World by Aldous Huxley and Beelzebub's Tales to His Grandson by G.I. Gurdjieff, if you count those two as science fiction. However, I would not mind reading some Isaac Asimov. I have always wanted to pick up some of his books if I ever had the time.

[Matron]

Can anyone recommend anything for a 12yr old boy who hates to read? Something not too long because he'll freak out. So far the only thing I've ever seen him read and like was The Spiderwick Chronicles, he won't even read Harry Potter.

[Jarrid]

A Modest Proposal by Jonathan Swift. Teach the kid some good morals. ;)


Sorry, Dire. The only books I read around that age and younger were encyclopedias all the time.

[Atlas]

Just began Robinson Crusoe. Good stuff!

[Hyde]

Finished Neil Gaiman's American Gods last night...Excellent book with some great mythos references and appearances by all kinds of gods and culture heroes. Loved it.

Need to pick a new one to start tonight....right now I'm trying to decide between Good Omens by Gaiman and Terry Pratchett, Stardust by Gaiman, or starting something completely different. I'll figure it out in a few hours.

[Cyrus the virus]

Two of my friends loved that book. I just cannot get into any kind of Star Wars book at all, or really any kind of science fiction book period. Only couple I remember off of the top of my head that I liked a whole lot are probably A Brave New World by Aldous Huxley and Beelzebub's Tales to His Grandson by G.I. Gurdjieff, if you count those two as science fiction. However, I would not mind reading some Isaac Asimov. I have always wanted to pick up some of his books if I ever had the time.

I'm still going to give it a shot, because I've hated a lot of books at the beginning that I ended up adoring, but this is kind of irritating already. It reads like fanfiction (which I guess shouldn't be surprising).

[Jarrid]

Need to pick a new one to start tonight....right now I'm trying to decide between Good Omens by Gaiman and Terry Pratchett, Stardust by Gaiman, or starting something completely different. I'll figure it out in a few hours.

I read Stardust not too long ago, and I did not really care for it that much. I watched the movie first, however, and that may had ruined it for me. I hated the movie.

[BAMAJAMA]

Finished Neil Gaiman's American Gods last night...Excellent book with some great mythos references and appearances by all kinds of gods and culture heroes. Loved it.

Need to pick a new one to start tonight....right now I'm trying to decide between Good Omens by Gaiman and Terry Pratchett, Stardust by Gaiman, or starting something completely different. I'll figure it out in a few hours.

Good Omens is a good read. I am actually re-reading the LOTR trilogy for the first time in 20 years. I don't often go back and re-read books, I just add to my library.

[Hyde]

Okay, so I literally 20 minutes ago finished Good Omens by Neil Gaiman.

I liked it. I hope they get the movie made that's been floating around for the last 6 years. With Terry Gilliam signed on to direct it, I have to believe it would be excellent.

[Cyrus the virus]

I dropped the Star Wars garbage and picked up Asimov's Nemesis, which I probably should have read last summer.

[Jarrid]

Let me know how you like like it. Like I told you, I want to read some of Asimov's work.

I am still reading The Tao of Physics by Fritjof Capra. I am over half-way through it, and I am actually extremely impressed with it so far. I have learned a great deal, but then again, a lot of it is quite over my head, but I am glad I had read some of Ervin Laszlo's books to guide me a little bit on what exactly is being said. It also helps to have read a lot of the religious and philosophical texts that Capra uses such as the Tao Te Ching, Upanishads, Bhavagad Gita, and so forth.

As I know after I read this book, I will probably start reading The Rainbow and the Worm: The Physics of Organisms, and this book looks like it will be a tough one to get down. I flipped through a few pages and was baffled with all of the equations. Haha, I am absolutely horrible when it comes to math. After that, I will probably try to fit in and read the I-Ching translated by Richard Wilhelm and Cary F. Baynes (was told it was the best translation thus far) because it has been sitting on my shelf for about three months, and it is a book I have wanted to try to understand. I find Taoism very interesting, and I would like to learn more about it and especially about the 64 hexagrams.

Not sure what book I am going to order tomorrow.

[Matron]

I started Neverwhere on Hyde's recommendation. So far, I'm liking it, but am having a hard time just making time to read. I hit these lulls once in a while, where I don't read at all. I guess I'm hitting one right now. Spending too much time here with you guys and out walking these days.

[Jarrid]

Yeah, I am there with you, Dire. I just do not really find the time to read at my house. I mostly just read at work, but that can always be a bad thing. . . especially when I am trying to grasp quantum physics. :p

[Matron]

Well, I have time, I just don't have the inclination right now. I've pretty much been reading every waking moment for the past couple of months (other than when I've been here), right now I'm just book-exhausted, I suppose.

[Cyrus the virus]

I had to read some of the more popular Asimov books for a Science Fiction class I took last summer, and I liked them. So far Nemesis is pretty neat, but I'm still early in.

[UO_Duck]

The Bonehunters by Steven Erikson. Doesn't have good pacing, though...

[Matron]

I finished Neverwhere last night. Now I'm sitting here looking at Patricia Cornwell's "At Risk" trying to decide if I want to try it or not. I always loved her Kay Scarpetta series, but the last few books pretty much sucked to me. This is a new series though, that I've heard good things about, so I'll probably give it a try.

[Hyde]

Finishing up Twilight tonight. Then Will resume Neil Gaiman works with "Warning! Contains Language", "Snow Glass Apples" and a few others I have...after that? I'm considering Orson Scott Card's Ender's Saga.

[Matron]

Well, I was just starting Exquisite Corpse by Poppy Z Brite, when my husband picked it up, read the first couple of pages, and ran off with it. It seems like it'll be good from what I read. About a serial killer who fakes his death to get out of prison.

But since he took it, I'll probably start Fearless Fourteen by Janet Evanovich, and laugh my ass off all evening. Funniest. Series. Ever. About a clueless NJ woman who decides to be a bounty hunter. Dog, she isn't.

[Data]

Now I'm on Fahrenheit 451. I need to get through some more "classics" so I can call myself well read.

[Blackdragon]

Resident Evil: Zero Hour by S.D. Perry

I know I already played all the games, but it's quite a different experience reading it.

[Hyde]

Finished the Teen-girl favorite Twilight by Stephanie Meyer I've been hearing about for months at this point. Not bad. Good subject material if you like Vampires and such. Overall review: Good Story, but overwritten....I'll give it a....7 out of 10.

I Also got through most of Neil Gaiman's M is for Magic today. Very enjoyable, as all of Gaiman's work is.

I figure tonight I'll start the second book in the Twilight Series, New Moon.

[Matron]

Finished Fearless Fourteen yesterday, and got Exquisite Corpse back. It's interesting, to say the least. Serial killers and necrophilia, and I get more creeped out by the cockroach in the guy's shower. Guess I'm nuts too. I mean, the murder and the other stuff is gross, but I hate roaches more than just about anything on this earth. Thanks, Creepshow!

[Genopuff]

Ultramarine omnibus....warhammer 40k ftw!

[Indigo]

I've started reading the dexter books... I can't wait for the 3rd season so I just started reading the books.

[Jarrid]

I stopped reading The Rainbow and the Worm: The Physics of Organisms the other day. I was completely lost because I have not learned enough to grasp all of the biology, chemistry, and physics contained the book. I felt like a complete idiot after reading two chapters of it. Stanislav Grof's The Ultimate Journey: Consciousness and the Mystery of Death came in the mail yesterday, and I decided to start reading this. I am a little more familiar with his writing style as well as the topics he brings up. I know I will enjoy it.

[Atlas]

Reading some Poe.

[Matron]

I'll probably be starting Jim Butcher's "Dresden Files" series tonight. Finished up Exquisite Corpse, and man that was one ****ed up story. The relationship parts were good, but I really could have done without all the cutting up and eating people. I might try to find some good mindless fluff to get that mess out of my head this afternoon.

[Void]

I finished the Great Hunt, and have since re-read the Hobbit, and am now on Fellowship of the Ring.

[Cyrus the virus]

Bluebeard by Vonnegut. My favorite of his so far.

[BAMAJAMA]

I just finished re-reading The Lord of the Rings trilogy. I haven't read it since HS(20 years ago, yes I am old). I just had too much other stuff to read to get back to it. Unfortunately, I am both too cheap right now to buy anything new and all the used bookstores in my area have closed up shop.

[Matron]

The library is a poor man's (or in my case woman's) best friend. Especially in this modern age, where I can look stuff up online, go to my library's website, and request it for myself. Then they call when it comes in, and I just go pick it up, no browsing endless shelves looking for something worthwhile.

[DrunkSwashbuckler]

Request:

I'm looking for a really good Epic Fantasy series, along the lines of Bakker's Prince of Nothing or George RR Martin's Song of Ice and Fire. Any suggestions?

Caveat: Dislike Terry Brooks and Goodkind.

[BAMAJAMA]

The library is a poor man's (or in my case woman's) best friend. Especially in this modern age, where I can look stuff up online, go to my library's website, and request it for myself. Then they call when it comes in, and I just go pick it up, no browsing endless shelves looking for something worthwhile.

Well, the library around here sucks, they don't get any decent fantasy/sci-fi until it is 10 years old.

Request:

I'm looking for a really good Epic Fantasy series, along the lines of Bakker's Prince of Nothing or George RR Martin's Song of Ice and Fire. Any suggestions?

Caveat: Dislike Terry Brooks and Goodkind.

These may seem silly as they are older series and you may have read them.
1-The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant-Stephen R Donaldson
2-Riftwar Saga(and many other series in the same world)-Raymond Feist
3-Belgariad and Mallorean-David Eddings
4-Untitled Series(yet to be released)-Me;)

[Poofy]

Lewis Black - Me of Little Faith

[DrunkSwashbuckler]

BAMAJAMA: Thanks, I'll check out the Riftwar Saga, I think. I loved the Belgariad, but the Mallorean felt too much like a rerun.

[Electric Banana]

I just finished Even Cowgirls Get the Blues and have already started another Tom Robbins book, Another Roadside Attraction. It seems like it'll be a very quick read. :)

[Jarrid]

Still reading the Stanislav Grof M.D. book: The Ultimate Journey: Consciousness and The Mystery of Death. I have not had time to read it at all because we have been so busy at work. I usually never read when I am home, so no telling when I will get this done. Very interesting so far. It is talking about the psychological stages of a human from the beginning of the pregnancy to the very end when it exits the womb. Very intriguing information one does not quite think about when it comes to this subject.

[BAMAJAMA]

BAMAJAMA: Thanks, I'll check out the Riftwar Saga, I think. I loved the Belgariad, but the Mallorean felt too much like a rerun.

I agree about the "rerun" part, but they are still entertaining enough reads. The first book in the Riftwar Saga is simply called Magician:Apprentice(unless you get the combined book with Magician:Master). There are about 5 or 6 books in the series. Then there are several followup series set in the same world. The first series(Riftwar) is the best. If you didn't like The Magic Kingdom Of Landover series by Brooks, you may not like The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant by Stephen R Donaldson. It depends on whether you disliked the Landover series because of it's humour or because of it's tie into the real world. TCoTC has a real world tie in but is not comic fantasy.

Two other series I didn't mention but are good are The Lord of the Isles series by David Drake and The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan. The only problem with Jordan's series, he died with maybe the last 1 or 2 books left in the series. I am sure someone will have his notes and publish them posthumously. I hope so anyway, I would ahte to have read 11 books and miss the 12th and 13th;)

[Hyde]

In the past two days have finished both Neil Gaiman's collection of short stories Fragile Things, and the conclusion of Stephenie Meyer's Twilight Saga Breaking Dawn.

About Fragile Things: I found many of the stories very VERY enjoyable, especially Monarch on the Glen. Sunbird was very appropriately Gaiman, as were most of the others. Overall an excellent time spent.

About Breaking Dawn: I will be the first to admit that I never expected ANYTHING from the Twilight series, but I ended up liking it very VERY much, from book one to the very good climax and close that was Breaking Dawn. I can honestly say I'll miss the characters.

[Matron]

I also read Breaking Dawn this weekend, and really liked it as well.

Today, I was looking for a pair of cheap sunglasses and ran up on a book, Acheron, that's not supposed to be out for a couple of days, so I grabbed it. Now I'm gloating to all my friends that read this series (The Dark-Hunter series by Sherrilyn Kenyon) that I found the book early. Bitchy, me? Noo!

[DrunkSwashbuckler]

I agree about the "rerun" part, but they are still entertaining enough reads. The first book in the Riftwar Saga is simply called Magician:Apprentice(unless you get the combined book with Magician:Master). There are about 5 or 6 books in the series. Then there are several followup series set in the same world. The first series(Riftwar) is the best. If you didn't like The Magic Kingdom Of Landover series by Brooks, you may not like The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant by Stephen R Donaldson. It depends on whether you disliked the Landover series because of it's humour or because of it's tie into the real world. TCoTC has a real world tie in but is not comic fantasy.

Two other series I didn't mention but are good are The Lord of the Isles series by David Drake and The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan. The only problem with Jordan's series, he died with maybe the last 1 or 2 books left in the series. I am sure someone will have his notes and publish them posthumously. I hope so anyway, I would ahte to have read 11 books and miss the 12th and 13th;)Robert Jordan dictated what would happen in the finale in order to circumvent any unfortunate circumstances, so it will be written. So, obviously, I've read them; love, love, love the story, but he needed a better editor. Too many characters without killing any of them off and he had the incessant need to describe every detail, and then describe it again the next time it comes up (ala the same room). Each book could probably have 200 to 300 pages stripped from it and have it flow better. What I dislike about Terry Brooks is more or less his complete rip-off of Lord of the Rings (Sword of Shannara?), which happened to be my only encounter with him. I haven't been able to bring myself to read any of his other entries.

Right now, I'm reading "The Chronicles of the Dread Empire" by Glenn Cook and I'm really digging it.

PS: Have you read Scott Bakker's Prince of Nothing trilogy? It's relatively unknown, but it is easily my favorite fantasy universe I've ever encountered. His masterful play on real world events like the Crusades and the Roman conquest dwarfs even George RR Martin's use of the War of the Roses.

[BAMAJAMA]

What I dislike about Terry Brooks is more or less his complete rip-off of Lord of the Rings (Sword of Shannara?), which happened to be my only encounter with him. I haven't been able to bring myself to read any of his other entries.

Right now, I'm reading "The Chronicles of the Dread Empire" by Glenn Cook and I'm really digging it.

PS: Have you read Scott Bakker's Prince of Nothing trilogy? It's relatively unknown, but it is easily my favorite fantasy universe I've ever encountered. His masterful play on real world events like the Crusades and the Roman conquest dwarfs even George RR Martin's use of the War of the Roses.

I have not but I will make a note of that. I have read George RR Martin's Fire and Ice series and enjoyed it.

On Brooks, I started to read the first book of the Shannara series and just didn't like it for some reason, maybe that was it, it seemed too familiar. I can't honestly remember, it has been quite a few years ago. But if you like satirical fantasy, his Magical Kingdom of Landover series is well worth a read. It is just slightly more serious than Terry Pratchett's Discworld series.

[Matron]

I loved the Landover books, but I couldn't get into Shannara, even though I tried. It just didn't catch my fancy.

I've heard enough about Pratchett that I think he's going to be next on my list, once I finish the Dresden files series.

[Jarrid]

In the past two days have finished both Neil Gaiman's collection of short stories Fragile Things, and the conclusion of Stephenie Meyer's Twilight Saga Breaking Dawn.

About Fragile Things: I found many of the stories very VERY enjoyable, especially Monarch on the Glen. Sunbird was very appropriately Gaiman, as were most of the others. Overall an excellent time spent.


Around the beginning of this year, I was at my local book store (Books-A-Million=bleh), and they sell library books sometimes. I found Fragile Things (hardcover) in the pile for $3, and the book is in a great condition. I was pretty shocked. I have not had the chance to take a read, but I will check it out sooner or later.

[BAMAJAMA]

dire, a note about Pratchett's Discworld books, they are not really a series. Feel free to pick up any one of the books, they are in no set chronological order. There are usually a few characters in most of the books but there are some that deal with completely seperate parts of the world and characters. BTW, I want to move to Ankh-Morpork;) There was also another Brooks series that I enjoyed and it is set on our earth(for those who like their fantasy based in our world). I think it is called "The Good and Evil" series, the first book was "Running with the Demon".

[Void]

I just finished re-reading The Lord of the Rings trilogy. I haven't read it since HS(20 years ago, yes I am old). I just had too much other stuff to read to get back to it. Unfortunately, I am both too cheap right now to buy anything new and all the used bookstores in my area have closed up shop.

I'm currently wondering why I never read it before. Probably because the movie was in production when I was in high school. And because I thought all books stank as much as R.L. Stine.

[BAMAJAMA]

I'm currently wondering why I never read it before. Probably because the movie was in production when I was in high school. And because I thought all books stank as much as R.L. Stine.

You shall do nothing else in this world until you have read The Hobbit and LOTR. You shant eat, you shant sleep and you shant even poop. The books are much better than the movies(they were good but to a reader of LOTR, they don't stack up)

[Dick Fitzwell]

When on the plane ride back from Sweden I read the entire Shadow of the Hegemon book. I may have to read it again, mainly because reading a book in one sitting like that SUCKS.

[Hyde]

I finished Neil Gaiman's "Warning!: Contains Language" Yesterday. I started, and completed, Neil Gaiman's "Speaking in Tongues" as well. Another 2 books of collections of short stories and both very very enjoyable.

Today, I finally start the Wheel of Time in an en effort to read the entire series back to back.

[Void]

Once I'm done Fellowship of the Ring, I'll probably read the third Wheel of Time book.

When on the plane ride back from Sweden I read the entire Shadow of the Hegemon book. I may have to read it again, mainly because reading a book in one sitting like that SUCKS.

I still haven't read anything past Ender's Game. I've heard that it was the best in the series, and I do mean to get around to the others.

[Dick Fitzwell]

Ender's Game was really good, you should also check out Ender's Shadow. It's the same story only from Bean's point of view.

[Void]

Ah yes. I remember hearing about that (or reading about it?). I haven't read any sf in quite awhile, so perhaps I'll pick that up as well, when I go to get The Dragon Reborn.

[Matron]

I finished Neil Gaiman's "Warning!: Contains Language" Yesterday. I started, and completed, Neil Gaiman's "Speaking in Tongues" as well. Another 2 books of collections of short stories and both very very enjoyable.

Today, I finally start the Wheel of Time in an en effort to read the entire series back to back.


Good luck with that!

I tried, I really did. I was loving the series, but I got up to book 8 or so and got just so bogged down that I stopped, and never went back to them. I still want to some day, but with my memory, I'd feel I had to start over again, and I'd probably end up stopping at the same place. I've done it before with other books, and games as well.

[Cyrus the virus]

Oh yeah, my friend really wants me to read Ender's Game, so that should happen in the near future.

[BAMAJAMA]

Dire, what's with the name change? A little help here folks, I read something by Gaiman(I think) awhile back but can't find the book and can't remember the title. It was part of a series. It involved evolved bats and rats helping humanity fight off aliens. I am not even sure that it was Gaiman. It was something like Rats, Bats and Vats.

[Priest4hire]

Well, I just finished reading The Complete Guide to Writing Fantasy Vol. 1 and I've started up on Writing Dialogue. That and I'm listening to History of the English Language. The latter is a very interesting.

[Matron]

Bama, it's been DireCharm/mommy for 8 years now, I just wanted a change, so I'm trying this one out for a while. If you'd rather, just call me Dana, I don't mind.

[Hyde]

Dire, what's with the name change? A little help here folks, I read something by Gaiman(I think) awhile back but can't find the book and can't remember the title. It was part of a series. It involved evolved bats and rats helping humanity fight off aliens. I am not even sure that it was Gaiman. It was something like Rats, Bats and Vats.

Not Gaiman:
http://books.google.com/books?id=VoNwNwW2q3QC&dq=Rats,+Bats+and+Vats&pg=PP1&ots=KrY67JuVO_&sig=1KPtWa-9bl9KcpX4rhq7UALejTo&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=1&ct=result

[BAMAJAMA]

Thank you Hyde, now tell me where I hid that book and I will be duly impressed;) BTW, as I recall, that was a fairly entertaining read. I have read something by Gaiman, just can't recall what, senility and all, you people will experience it sooner or later:)

[Cyrus the virus]

Finished my Vonnegut book. Want more Vonnegut.

[Matron]

I'm not reading anything, I'm beat, I'm all read out, I'm mentally exhausted.

Sitting up for three nights til 7 am reading is killing me, I've got to stop.