# What book are you reading right now?



## AuntHen (Jan 9, 2010)

I am reading Stephen King's "Under The Dome"... (it is super thick... holy cow!)

I just bought "The Lovely Bones" today. I want to read it before I see the movie. So it is next on my list :happy:


Love to read when I get time:wubu:


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## luscious_lulu (Jan 9, 2010)

I just started Inca Gold by Clive Cussler


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## littlefairywren (Jan 9, 2010)

_Season of the Witch_ by Natasha Mostert

An erotic, gothic, murder and witchcraft kind of blend. Good night time reading!


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## StarWitness (Jan 9, 2010)

_The Lovely Bones_ is incredible. Have a box of Kleenex handy.

Right now, I'm reading _The Blind Assassin_ by Margaret Atwood. It's a bit difficult to get into, but I've heard great things about it, so I'm hanging in there.


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## Blackjack (Jan 9, 2010)

_The Narrative of A. Gordon Pym of Nantucket_ by Edgar Allan Poe. Finished _The Strange Case fo Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde_ last week; and before that I was reading _The Odyssey_.


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## prettysteve (Jan 9, 2010)

"Stop acting rich ...and start living like a real millionaire!" by Dr.Thomas Stanley


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## Rowan (Jan 9, 2010)

Finally reading the twilight series to get the books out of the way now that ive seen the first two movies.


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## Edens_heel (Jan 9, 2010)

About to start reading Push, by Sapphire. After that, probably Empire of the Sun, by J. G. Ballard.


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## Mathias (Jan 9, 2010)

Step on a Crack- James Patterson


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## thatgirl08 (Jan 9, 2010)

The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand. Anthem was so much better.

& Fat!So? by Marilyn Wann.


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## cinnamitch (Jan 9, 2010)

Finishing up the book by Ted Kennedy, True Compass


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## Aust99 (Jan 9, 2010)

Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella


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## FredtheFA (Jan 10, 2010)

I'm reading a book called "Fighter pilots". Just a bunch of stories from WW1 to the Gulf War.


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## Zoom (Jan 10, 2010)

The best multivolume book since the Dark Tower (or Harry Potter, depending on your tastes)...

"*ABOUT TIME*"
The Unauthorized Guide to Doctor Who
by Lawrence Miles and Tat Wood

Six volumes (so far). An extremely detailed primer on BBC television. Will contain more data than you could ever possibly learn on the subject; overcomplete with exhausting and interesting anecdotes. Oh, and it interweaves the whole thing with Doctor Who.


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## steely (Jan 10, 2010)

Skylight Confessions by Alice Hoffman. She is one of my very favorites.


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## DreamyInToronto (Jan 10, 2010)

I am reading book 5 of the Transmetropolitan comic AND Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman (halfway through both).


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## Dr. Feelgood (Jan 10, 2010)

_Jeeves in the Morning_ (UK title _Joy in the Morning_) by P.G. Wodehouse.


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## Green Eyed Fairy (Jan 10, 2010)

_The Lovely Bones_ - someone gave me the book several years ago but it wasn't until I saw the trailer for the new movie coming out that I thought I had better go ahead and read it. The movie looks like it might be good....but know that I won't be able to enjoy the book, most likely, if I see the movie first.


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## Slygore (Jan 10, 2010)

A Clash of Kings, by George RR Martin


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## mimosa (Jan 10, 2010)

I recently finished "Wilt" by Tom Sharpe. I just started "Love in the Time of Cholera".


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## superodalisque (Jan 10, 2010)

Hoodwinked by John Perkins who also wrote Confessions of an Economic Hitman

is a breakdown of what really went down relating to the banking debacle and who the real culprits are and what the real intentions were behind banking strategy.


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## Weirdo890 (Jan 10, 2010)

I'm reading The Coming of Conan the Cimmerian by Robert E. Howard. Godd riveting storytelling so far.


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## smithnwesson (Jan 10, 2010)

I'm currently reading W. E. B. Griffin's _Black Ops_. LC Castillo is a handsome, rich, Special Forces guy who gets a lotta 'tang. He's sent on missions by the President (not the current one -- think of Ronnie and Ollie North). He kicks ass and takes names.

It's male fantasy fiction, but very entertaining.


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## blackcaesarbhm (Jan 11, 2010)

I just finnish reading Take It Back by James Carville and Paul Begala..


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## Sliver (Jan 11, 2010)

I'm juggling a couple books right now: on my Kindle is The Ultimate Suburban Survival guide by Sean Brodrick and the hard copies are The 6 Week Cure by Doctors Mary Dan Eades and Michael Eades along with The Paleo Diet for Athletes by Dr Loren Cordain. Good books, I'm enjoying them all.


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## ZainTheInsane (Jan 11, 2010)

Currently, 'Oddest Jobs' by Mike Mignola and Christopher Golden (and various other authors).


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## the_captain (Jan 11, 2010)

_Last Chance Millionaire_ by Douglas Andrew. Some of what he says is way off base, IMHO, but I'm hoping to find some nuggets of wisdom in there!


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## snuggletiger (Jan 11, 2010)

Attempting "Moby Dick" by Melville for the 3rd time.


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## JoyJoy (Jan 11, 2010)

A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers, Always Looking Up by Michael J Fox, and The Dragon Reborn by Robert Jordan (Wheel of Time series)


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## BigIzzy (Jan 11, 2010)

Ford County(collection of short stories) by John Grisham


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## BigIzzy (Jan 11, 2010)

Always Looking Up by Michael J Fox, [/QUOTE]

I've heard some great things about that book! Not to mention that I have heaps of respect for the guy for how he's bravely faced and stood up for Parkinson's disease! I've had several members of my family who suffered from the disease.


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## PamelaLois (Jan 11, 2010)

Mathias said:


> Step on a Crack- James Patterson



I just finished this, I hadn't ever read a Patterson book before, but you can bet I will be looking for more of his books in the future. I really enjoyed this.

Currently, after seeing the current Sherlock Holmes movie (RDJ - nom) I thought it would be a good idea to read the original books. Really good stories. The movie was good, but the books are much more interesting.


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## JoyJoy (Jan 11, 2010)

BigIzzy said:


> JoyJoy said:
> 
> 
> > Always Looking Up by Michael J Fox,
> ...


I've always been a fan of his, but seeing how he's dealt with his disease has given me great respect for him. After watching his TV special back in May, "Adventures of an Incurable Optimist" (if you haven't seen it, you should! It's here.), I've follwed him pretty closely. His attitude is wonderful.


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## ZosofanCMR (Jan 11, 2010)

Just finished "The Gamble" about the Iraq Surge...now I'm reading "Laurel Canyon" a book about the 60's LA rock scene

mui bueno


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## Jes (Jan 11, 2010)

fat9276 said:


> I am reading Stephen King's "Under The Dome"... (it is super thick... holy cow!)
> 
> I just bought "The Lovely Bones" today. I want to read it before I see the movie. So it is next on my list :happy:
> 
> ...



I rec you read Lovely Bones and then Sebold's memoir Lucky. It's a solid pairing, and one will really inform the other, but I warn you, I had to store Lucky under the bed and only read a few pages at a time now and then. It can be pretty intense.


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## Edens_heel (Jan 11, 2010)

Started - and finished - Precious/Push, by Sapphire today. Excellent read... I actually kept flashing back to Flowers for Algernon as I read it - totally different worlds and characters, but a very similar execution and unique writing style, becoming increasingly more literate as the story progresses. Now I just can't wait to see the film. Wondering if it's playing in the GTA tomorrow...


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## Edens_heel (Jan 11, 2010)

Oh, and up next is either Empire of the Sun, by J.G. Ballard, Anathem, by Neal Stephenson, or the graphic novel duet of Red Snow and A Drifting Life (again). I've been meaning to re-read A Drifting Life ever since I finished working on it, but for some reason I just haven't been able to sit down and sink my teeth into the final product - too many editorial passes methinks.


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## AuntHen (Jan 11, 2010)

Jes said:


> I rec you read Lovely Bones and then Sebold's memoir Lucky. It's a solid pairing, and one will really inform the other, but I warn you, I had to store Lucky under the bed and only read a few pages at a time now and then. It can be pretty intense.



hahaha... I have wrapped King's books in clothes or towels and always put them under the bed or somewhere out of sight at night after reading since I was in highschool. Call me a chicken, I don't care. I will never just leave them out in the dark where I sleep:blush:


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## DeniseW (Jan 12, 2010)

I'm reading Angela's Ashes yet again, I read it every few years, I think it's my favorite of all time.


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## mpls_girl26 (Jan 12, 2010)

Half the SKy - Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn


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## protuberance (Jan 13, 2010)

Hitman - Bret Hart


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## Gingembre (Jan 13, 2010)

Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol


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## Jay West Coast (Jan 13, 2010)

A signed copy of _Three Cups of Tea_ that my sister got me for Christmas. He even wrote a little note in there to me. Go sis!


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## LovelyLiz (Jan 15, 2010)

I'm reading a light, uplifting book called, _To Treat or Not to Treat: Bioethics and the Handicapped Newborn_ by Richard Sparks (as part of my program, but it involves stuff I'm really interested in and do work on).



snuggletiger said:


> Attempting "Moby Dick" by Melville for the 3rd time.



I wish I could say that in the end it felt worth all the effort. I read it because my friend and I both agreed to read a book the other assigned us. It was good, but I guess I never fully connected with it. (Maybe not the best thing to say on the dawning of your 3rd attempt) 



JoyJoy said:


> A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers, Always Looking Up by Michael J Fox, and The Dragon Reborn by Robert Jordan (Wheel of Time series)



I really liked that Dave Eggers book! I have literary crushes on him and Jonathan Safran Foer. Dave Eggers has done some really great work in the inner cities, and wrote that great book about a Katrina survivor too.



Jay West Coast said:


> A signed copy of _Three Cups of Tea_ that my sister got me for Christmas. He even wrote a little note in there to me. Go sis!



Sweet! Let me know how you like it! Several of my friends read it, and it really inspired them.


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## pdgujer148 (Jan 15, 2010)

Edens_heel said:


> Anathem, by Neal Stephenson



"Anathem" takes awhile to get into gear, but if you stick it out I think that you will agree that this is Stephenson's most enjoyable novel in quite awhile.


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## pdgujer148 (Jan 15, 2010)

I'm reading "Hyperion" by Dan Simmons.

Simmons gets his fair share of accolades, but it burns me that he isn't better known.

I'm enjoying "Hyperion" (The Canterbury Tales retold a couple few centuries in the future), but if you want to mainline Simmons, please check out "The Terror".


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## succubus_dxb (Jan 15, 2010)

I have read all of my books, so I've gone back to the beginning. Right now i'm reading:

"A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man" - James Joyce

"On The Road" - Kerouak 

Roald Dahl's short stories - they're fantastic


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## snuggletiger (Jan 15, 2010)

took a break from Melville.
now its RED BADGE OF COURAGE and the COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO


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## mpls_girl26 (Jan 15, 2010)

Jay West Coast said:


> A signed copy of _Three Cups of Tea_ that my sister got me for Christmas. He even wrote a little note in there to me. Go sis!



Very good book. I am waiting for his new book "Sticks into Schools" to come out in paperback.


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## AuntHen (Jan 16, 2010)

succubus_dxb said:


> I have read all of my books, so I've gone back to the beginning. Right now i'm reading:
> 
> "A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man" - James Joyce
> 
> ...




Roald Dahl is the bomb diggity! Snarf blats and fizz whompers! He made me laugh so hard!


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## pdgujer148 (Jan 16, 2010)

fat9276 said:


> Roald Dahl is the bomb diggity! Snarf blats and fizz whompers! He made me laugh so hard!



Dahl is a favorite.

Have you read his "adult" novel "My Uncle Oswald". It tends to get shoved off to the side, but I think it is hilarious.

Basic Plot: Oswald and his partner Yasmin Howcomely plot to steal the semen of the greatest minds of the age using seduction and a powerful aphrodisiac.

The sequence with Marcel Proust always makes me laugh.

Fun.


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## mejix (Jan 16, 2010)

I am about 4/5 into _War and Peace_. Yes, the only reason people read _War and Peace_ is to say that they read _War and Peace_. 

I am also working on _A Life of Picasso: The Triumphant Years_ by John Richardson, but nobody ever brags about John Richardson.


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## hillking12 (Jan 16, 2010)

What is the What im almost half way in very good so far


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## NancyGirl74 (Feb 20, 2010)

Just finished _The Graveyard Book_ by Neil Gaiman. 

*READ IT! *

It won the Newberry Medal and I would agree 100%. It was recommended by a coworker and I put off reading it for quite a while because it was billed as a children's/young adult book (personally I love children's literature but I've been to more grown up stuff lately). Anyway, it was well worth picking it up. I'll go out on a limb and place it up there with other children's lit classics and yeah, even Harry Potter (and if you know me you know that's high, high praise). _READ IT_ and I dare you not to cry at the end like I did (ok, so I sobbed but I'm a dork).


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## mejix (Feb 20, 2010)

_A Scanner Darkly_- Philip K. Dick

meh. its ok i guess.


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## Dr. Feelgood (Feb 20, 2010)

I just finished _The Middle Ages_ by Morris Bishop. It's probably the most fascinating nonfiction book I've ever read: I actually had trouble putting it down to do mundane things like eat. Highly recommended.


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## Blackjack (Feb 20, 2010)

mejix said:


> _A Scanner Darkly_- Philip K. Dick
> 
> meh. its ok i guess.



It gets better in the latter half, I found. I thought that it was very good, although philosophically a bit less engaging than some of Dick's other stuff.

I'm currently reading _The Sign of Four_, Arthur Conan Doyle's second Sherlock Holmes story. The first one, _A Study in Scarlet_, I found great, and I'm loving this one so far, too.


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## Edens_heel (Feb 20, 2010)

Just finished a collection of short stories by Wells Tower called Everything Ravaged, Everything Burned. It was a New York Times and Amazon notable book from last year, but honestly it was decidedly dull. I'm really growing tired of the trend in short story writing where they don't actually have a narrative through line of any kind... just resolve something, dammit!

Just picked up and am about to dive into Don Delillo's White Noise. Heard a great deal of positive buzz about this book, so my hopes are high.


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## LovelyLiz (Feb 20, 2010)

I'm reading two very different books right now...

By the atheist ethicist Peter Singer, I'm reading: _Rethinking Life and Death: The Collapse of Our Traditional Ethics_. He's famous for advocating infanticide for babies born with disabilities and for a rational defense of animal rights.

Then I am also reading a book called _Forget Not Love: The Passion of Maximilian Kolbe_, a biography of this Catholic monk (who is a saint now) who voluntarily died in place of another prisoner in Auschwitz.


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## succubus_dxb (Feb 20, 2010)

my MADAWESOME new man bought me a few books this week, so I am reading:

American Psycho (FINALLY. funnily enough- the only book which has to be sold in plastic wrap in Australia)

Meatphysics 

How to Make Trouble and Influence People
:happy:


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## firefly (Feb 20, 2010)

Diane Mott Davidson - Dying for chocolate


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## pdgujer148 (Feb 21, 2010)

Im just finishing the Hyperion Cantos.

I was probably a mistake to try to read all four books (2500 pages) in a month. Dan Simmons is one of our best pop fiction writers, but his penchant for spewing endless catalogs of trivial detail can get exhausting after awhile.

So, its taking me forever to finish The Rise of Endymion. It is very start and stop as Simmons breaks in for yet another travelogue. I think Id be more tolerant if Id given the books more room to breathe, but right now I just want to see how everything comes out and dont much care for extraneous world building.

That said, I am impressed with the Hyperion Cantos. I dont read much science fiction, but from what I have this seems to be top notch stuff. The scope of the story and the rich philosophical, aesthetic, and social undercurrents make for a challenging and interesting read.


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## bmann0413 (Feb 23, 2010)

A book called "Monsters: An Investigator's Guide to Magical Beings" by John Michael Greer. It's a pretty interesting group but the cover for it kinda creeps me out. lol


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## snuggletiger (Feb 23, 2010)

Finished COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO, great read, went by fast. 
RED BADGE OF COURAGE not bad dialouge was a little bit to read

Now I finished reading TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD by Harper Lee great book worth a reread, goes by fast

CATCHER IN THE RYE by Salinger. I am up to chapter 6 and to me the book is shit. I am not seeing the greatness here. I can see why Salinger is a one hit wonder at best. Just because a squeeze in a swear word in every sentence just gets old after a while and Salinger just comes off as low class. Then leads me to sit there and say what publisher could read that crap of Salinger's and call it a decent story. Might as well have published used toilet paper. Maybe the book gets better but I am not seeing any improvement.


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## Edens_heel (Feb 23, 2010)

snuggletiger said:


> Finished COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO, great read, went by fast.
> RED BADGE OF COURAGE not bad dialouge was a little bit to read
> 
> Now I finished reading TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD by Harper Lee great book worth a reread, goes by fast
> ...



Great choices, especially The Count of Monte Cristo - to this day, it is the finest example I've ever read or experienced of wrapping up all your loose threads in one grand, epic, brilliant conclusion.

Currently working through Delillo's White Noise and loving it so far, and also reading Steven Pinker's The Blank Slate: The Modern Denial of Human Nature, and editing a brilliant little mosaic of short stories titled Urban Unmentionables and Other Tales of the Fantastic.


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## Blackjack (Feb 23, 2010)

(crossposted)


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## superodalisque (Feb 27, 2010)

Joel Kotkin. The Next Hundred Million: America in 2050

is a pretty positive snapshop of what America will look like in terms of its demographics by 2050 in relation to other nations and current expectations. its an interesting and hopeful argument counter to what a lot other futurists are writing in terms of the economy, globalism, green culture and the future of suburbs and rural america. interesting read.


here's a cspan video of the author discussing his book:

http://www.c-spanarchives.org/program/id/219640


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## superodalisque (Feb 27, 2010)

Blackjack said:


> (crossposted)



love the accompanying photo for some reason it puts me in the mind of a barry moser woodcut 

View attachment moser1.jpg


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## Agent 007 (Feb 27, 2010)

'The Balkans: Nationalism, War and the Great Powers, 1804-1999' by Misha Glenny, a former correspondent for The Guardian and the BBC. The book focuses on the role that the Great Powers played in the development of the Southeastern Europe. A must read for anyone who wants to be involved in that region.


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## Edens_heel (Feb 27, 2010)

Just finished Delillo's White Noise (fantastic, btw) and am moving on to the first book in David Peace's Red Riding Quartet, Nineteen Seventy-Four.


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## pdgujer148 (Feb 27, 2010)

"The New York Trilogy" by Paul Auster. Lucid precise writing; gargantuan abstract themes. I'm liking it so far.


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## Edens_heel (Feb 27, 2010)

pdgujer148 said:


> "The New York Trilogy" by Paul Auster. Lucid precise writing; gargantuan abstract themes. I'm liking it so far.



One of my absolute favourite books. I would also recommend In The Country of Last Things, Timbuktu, and Leviathan. All his books are fantastic, but those three stand out.


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## Paquito (Feb 27, 2010)

Just finished Push, by Sapphire. Not the best book to read in public. And in the beginning of the book, you have to go very slowly to understand the words, as it's written in the diction of Precious.


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## Weirdo890 (Feb 27, 2010)

Walt Disney's Nine Old Men and the Art of Animation by John Canemaker 

THis is a book about the nine animators who created and animated the many Disney characters you've come to love. This tell their stories about their lives, their egos, battles, and jobs at the Walt Disney Studio. A damn good read for any aspiring animator or animation aficionado.


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## LovelyLiz (Feb 28, 2010)

pdgujer148 said:


> "The New York Trilogy" by Paul Auster. Lucid precise writing; gargantuan abstract themes. I'm liking it so far.





Edens_heel said:


> One of my absolute favourite books. I would also recommend In The Country of Last Things, Timbuktu, and Leviathan. All his books are fantastic, but those three stand out.



:wubu: to you both. I've also really enjoyed the several books I've read by Auster. And I'd add _Music of Chance_ to the list.


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## Edens_heel (Feb 28, 2010)

mcbeth said:


> :wubu: to you both. I've also really enjoyed the several books I've read by Auster. And I'd add _Music of Chance_ to the list.



I've got nearly everything he's written - even his "lesser" titles are absolutely enthralling. His most recent, Invisible, was also fantastic - one of the best representations of a sociopath I've seen since Kate in East of Eden.


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## pdgujer148 (Mar 1, 2010)

mcbeth said:


> :wubu: to you both. I've also really enjoyed the several books I've read by Auster. And I'd add _Music of Chance_ to the list.



I finished "The New York Trilogy" a few hours ago. Incredible. Loved it.

One Question: Who is the unnamed narrator of "City of Glass"?

Auster (the author) suggests that Don Quixote, disguised as a Moor, was employed by Cervantes to translate "Don Quixote". He also suggests that Quixote, far from insane, orchestrated the events of the novel and their subsequent publishing to see "...to what extent would people tolerate blasphemies if they gave them amusement".

Don Quixote - DC - Daniel Quinn.

So, is Daniel Quinn somehow the narrator of the story? That the unlimited narrator is actually a 1st person narrator (sorta)?

------

I'd like to think that Daniel Quinn disintegrated from Auster's novel and reappeared as Daniel Quinn in William Kennedy's novel "Quin".


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## Tanuki (Mar 2, 2010)

The Hobbit

I'm reading this for the first time in 12 years, Its funny just how much I remember, but then again it made a huge impact on me when I was 10, it was one of the first books I read because I actually wanted to read myself for myself, so its kinda shocking its taken me this long to get back to it!


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## LovelyLiz (Mar 2, 2010)

pdgujer148 said:


> ...So, is Daniel Quinn somehow the narrator of the story? That the unlimited narrator is actually a 1st person narrator (sorta)?
> 
> ------
> 
> I'd like to think that Daniel Quinn disintegrated from Auster's novel and reappeared as Daniel Quinn in William Kennedy's novel "Quin".



Interesting theory! I read the book a few years ago so don't remember all the specifics...but that's a compelling take on it, and it sounds really plausible from what I recall. Nice work. :bow:


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## snuggletiger (Mar 2, 2010)

Tale of 2 Cities. 
Finally finished Catcher in the Rye. Still don't see the hype for the book and Salinger.


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## pdgujer148 (Mar 2, 2010)

mcbeth said:


> Interesting theory! I read the book a few years ago so don't remember all the specifics...but that's a compelling take on it, and it sounds really plausible from what I recall. Nice work. :bow:



Thanks for the response.  I don't think it is possible to have a definitive interpretation of the novel-it just keeps bouncing reflections of itself back and forth. 

There is a graphic novel of The New York Trilogy that has received good reviews. I can't remember the name of the artist, but the entire package was produced by Art Spiegelman (Maus) and endorsed by Auster. Might be interesting to see how the book is translated to a visual medium.


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## Edens_heel (Mar 3, 2010)

pdgujer148 said:


> Thanks for the response.  I don't think it is possible to have a definitive interpretation of the novel-it just keeps bouncing reflections of itself back and forth.
> 
> There is a graphic novel of The New York Trilogy that has received good reviews. I can't remember the name of the artist, but the entire package was produced by Art Spiegelman (Maus) and endorsed by Auster. Might be interesting to see how the book is translated to a visual medium.



I've only seen the "City of Glass" component done as a graphic novel... never the entire product. It's interesting, but I preferred the purely text-based work, as Auster's work is, to me, best left to the abstraction of imagination.

Right now reading The Communist Manifesto - fun, fun, fun!


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## cinnamitch (Mar 3, 2010)

Currently reading Self- Sufficient Life and How to Live It.


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## pdgujer148 (Mar 3, 2010)

Edens_heel said:


> I've only seen the "City of Glass" component done as a graphic novel... never the entire product. It's interesting, but I preferred the purely text-based work, as Auster's work is, to me, best left to the abstraction of imagination.
> 
> Right now reading The Communist Manifesto - fun, fun, fun!



A misunderstanding. The review I read used Art Spiegelman's cover art for the trilogy instead of the art for graphic novel.

I went to a local comic shop and paged through the "City of Glass" adaptation. Not bad, but i wasn't inclined to purchase it.

Anyway, my next book will either be "Specimen Days" by Michael Cunningham or "Black Hills" by Dan Simmons.


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## Blackjack (Mar 9, 2010)

Just finished _The Hound of the Baskervilles_- an outstanding read, and I loved it.

Up next is either _Frankenstein _or _Neuromancer_.


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## Mz Taz (Mar 9, 2010)

Have just started reading MC Beaton's (she wrote the series Hamish McBeth) series of books on her female detective Agatha Raisin, good characters and funny lines and situations.

Another favourite and again just finished reading J D Robbs latest"Fantasy in Death".

As you can see by these listed there is a theme of detectives and murders.


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## pdgujer148 (Mar 9, 2010)

I started "The Fortress of Solitude" by Jonathan Lethem.

I'm dubious. One of many examples.

Page 4: "Possibly the dead kitten was the insoluble lozenge of guilt he'd swallowed."

Seriously? If the whole book is this tortured and precious I'm out. I'll give it fifty pages.


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## Cece Larue (Mar 9, 2010)

I'm re-reading "The Bottoms" By Joe R. Lansdale He's local and one of my favorites.


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## pdgujer148 (Mar 12, 2010)

"The Fortress of Solitude" was an "insoluble lozenge" of a book. 

So, moving on, I am reading "Spy: The Funny Years".

I miss "Spy" so much.

If you missed out, "Spy" was a vicious satirical monthly published during the 1980s. If you can imagine a cross between "The National Lampoon" (70's version-when it was funny) and "The National Enquirer" and the "New Yorker", you have an idea of the tone. However, only living in the times and reading the magazine can convey how blistering and original Spy really was.


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## Edens_heel (Mar 12, 2010)

Right now reading Nineteen Eighty-Three, by David Peace. It's the final part of a series called the Red Riding Quartet - amazingly sparse and dynamic (and visually disturbing) British crime novels focussing on the murders of children and prostitutes in the UK from 1974 - 1983. Can't recommend it enough if you're a fan of crime fiction. Be aware though, as they are British and the word "c*nt" is tossed around like candy.

Aside from that, I'm continuing on my notorious book binge, following up The Prince and The Communist Manifesto with Mein Kampf... fun stuff.


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## Blackjack (Mar 12, 2010)

Finished _Hound of the Baskervilles_, moved on to _Frankenstein_.


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## cinnamitch (Mar 13, 2010)

*Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed*- Jared M. Diamond


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## Gingembre (Mar 14, 2010)

Edens_heel said:


> [snip]they are British and the word "c*nt" is tossed around like candy.



Well, what can I say? We Brits do love our c... Haha!

I'm currently rereading Jeanette Winterson's "Oranges are not the only fruit" - read it about 9 years ago and loved it, and just found out my friend is interviewing her as part of a radio show with her. He's going to get my copy signed for me, which inspired me to reread it


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## Micara (Mar 24, 2010)

I am re-reading "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" by Stephen Chbosky. One of my favorite books ever. I highly recommend it. And even though it was published by MTV, don't hold that against it.


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## Edens_heel (Mar 24, 2010)

Part way through Mein Kampf (no, I'm not a neo-Nazi - just fascinated with notorious books as of late), but also reading Victor LaValle's Big Machine.

Just finished reading Nikolski, by Nicolas Dickner. It won this year's Canada Reads competition, held by the CBC. I'm not too sure what I think about it to be honest - a sort of mosaic of times and lives coming together in Montreal, but surrounding piracy (literal and internet-based) and the tiny village of Nikolski and what it may or may not contain. It is interesting in its execution, but I struggled to get attached to the characters as it jumped too much between years before letting the reader catch their breath. More good than bad, though I can't see why it won the competition.


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## mejix (Mar 24, 2010)

finished *the blind assassin* by margaret atwood. huge disappointment. i thought it would never end. 

3/4 into *guston in time: remembering philip guston* by ross feld. has some good parts. whenever you get to hear philip guston.


----------



## Blackjack (Mar 24, 2010)

Finished _Frankenstein_, now reading _Neuromancer_.


----------



## Mathias (Mar 24, 2010)

Finished The Beach House by James Patterson. I think I'm going to read Game Change next.


----------



## Sugar Magnolia (Mar 24, 2010)

A guide - HTML with CSS & XHTML.

I know.


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## pdgujer148 (Mar 24, 2010)

Just finishing up "Decay Inevitable" by Conrad A Williams.

Williams writes pitch black dark fantasy. He has received decent regard in the UK, but has been unable to make a dent in the US (Only vampires need apply) market. Pity. Williams knows how to construct a sentence and has an imagination as that buggers early Clive Barker.

This isn't his best novel. Check out "One", or "The Unblemished"


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## pdgujer148 (Mar 27, 2010)

I think I'll dive down the rabbit hole for awhile and read Phillip K. Dick's VALIS trilogy.

I was advised by the person who introduced me to Dick's novels to avoid VALIS until I read some of his more popular stuff and knew a bit about Dick's life. 

Twenty years later its time to see if these books are as trippy as advertised.


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## Weirdo890 (Mar 27, 2010)

I'm currently reading _The Tales of King Arthur and his Knights_, written and illustrated by Howard Pyle. I always like a good tale of knighthood and chivalry every once in a while. I'm trying to prepare myself for when I read Miguel de Cervantes' _Don Quixote_.


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## snuggletiger (Apr 22, 2010)

Now its Call of the Wild by Jack London.


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## LovelyLiz (Apr 22, 2010)

Hey! Thanks for bumping this thread...

I'm actually in the library right now, and reading a book called _The Bible and Liberation: Political and Social Hermeneutics_ which is a collection of essays on the topic.


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## CastingPearls (Apr 22, 2010)

pdgujer148 said:


> I think I'll dive down the rabbit hole for awhile and read Phillip K. Dick's VALIS trilogy.
> 
> I was advised by the person who introduced me to Dick's novels to avoid VALIS until I read some of his more popular stuff and knew a bit about Dick's life.
> 
> Twenty years later its time to see if these books are as trippy as advertised.


I just read Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep for the first (and likely not last) time and am enthralled with his work.


----------



## CastingPearls (Apr 22, 2010)

Avid reader here. Is there anyone else here who has several books going on at once? Do your bathrooms also double as libraries? Do your homes have skyscraper stacks?

On the last pages of No Touch Monkey - Ayun Halliday

The Kiss (A memoir) - Kathryn Harrison

The Best of H.P. Lovecraft -(agonizing but so juicy) 

I'm just cracking open the cover of
Under the Dome - Stephen King

Weird NJ's special edition Last Exit


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## mejix (Apr 22, 2010)

this weekend i'll finish *nostromo*, i think. who would've thought that the europeans were the victims? hehehe. it is a fantastic book actually, somewhat prophetic. 
i'm still working on *painting below zero* by james rosenquist. james i love ya but you need an editor, pronto!


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## MuleVariationsNYC (Apr 26, 2010)

mcbeth said:


> Hey! Thanks for bumping this thread...
> 
> I'm actually in the library right now, and reading a book called _The Bible and Liberation: Political and Social Hermeneutics_ which is a collection of essays on the topic.





CastingPearls said:


> Avid reader here. Is there anyone else here who has several books going on at once? Do your bathrooms also double as libraries? Do your homes have skyscraper stacks?
> 
> On the last pages of No Touch Monkey - Ayun Halliday
> 
> ...



I've been reading several books simultaneously, which I haven't been in the habit of since High School.

-1/3rd of the way through "The Varieties of Religious Experience" by William James. Have you read it, Mcbeth?

-10 pages left in "Discipline & Punish: The Birth of the Prison" by Michel Foucalt.

-Absolutely tearing through "White Fang" by Jack London. A very different tone than I remember.

-Soon to resume "The Denial of Death" by Ernest Becker, which I've started to read several times and enjoy fervently, but which I always put down in order to read all other the phenomenal books Becker references.


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## LovelyLiz (Apr 26, 2010)

MuleVariationsNYC said:


> -1/3rd of the way through "The Varieties of Religious Experience" by William James. Have you read it, Mcbeth?
> 
> -10 pages left in "Discipline & Punish: The Birth of the Prison" by Michel Foucalt.



I read that James book when I was doing my undergrad. I remember it being interesting food for thought, but also kind of outside my main interests. How are you liking it?

I am, however, quite a bit more interested in Foucalt lately - his concept of biopower is related to some of what I'm working on; and I have also really developed an interest in thinking about punishment/retributive justice (as related to our criminal justice and prison system), and the whole culture and society built around that. How is that book you're finishing up by him? I may have to add it to my summer reading list.


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## MuleVariationsNYC (Apr 26, 2010)

mcbeth said:


> I read that James book when I was doing my undergrad. I remember it being interesting food for thought, but also kind of outside my main interests. How are you liking it?
> 
> I am, however, quite a bit more interested in Foucalt lately - his concept of biopower is related to some of what I'm working on; and I have also really developed an interest in thinking about punishment/retributive justice, and the whole culture and society built around that. How is that book you're finishing up by him? I may have to add it to my summer reading list.



I'm liking James a lot. He's essentially right up my professional alley, and he's giving me a lot to chew on. It's also one of the books I feel I need to get under my belt before getting back into "The Denial of Death" - so it has the effect making me feel like I'm reading a prequel to something I know will be fantastic. 

The Foucalt book is pretty incredible. He facing this incredibly daunting topic, but just calmly pulls it apart piece by piece. And he's so matter of fact about it. Even when he's rocking you on your heels with some shattering conclusion, he's built it up so logically that it has an authority that doesn't need indignation or outrage on his part, though it's clearly there for him to have taken on the project. Definitely one of the best non-fiction books I've read - I say go for it this summer. Plus you get the added bonus of walking around in public with a book that says "*Discipline and Punish*" on it in big letters, resulting in quizzical looks from numerous passer-bys as they try to figure out what scandalous book you could possibly be reading. It definitely makes my morning subway ride a little more entertaining.


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## mejix (Apr 26, 2010)

i know he is important and his influence is everywhere but _the archaeology of knowledge_ left me traumatized. 

and, no, La Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak is not making an effort to communicate.


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## snuggletiger (May 11, 2010)

Finished CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF, a book of poetry by Edna St Vincent Millay and yes I tried figuring which lines followed the poetic patterns of rhymes. then finished a collection of Oscar Wilde Plays (Salome, Lady Windemere's Fan, and The Importance of Being Ernest)


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## Weirdo890 (May 12, 2010)

The Book of Genesis Illustrated by R. Crumb


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## Micara (May 12, 2010)

Clone Codes. It's a kid's book, but I can't resist futuristic stories. Plus that's all I really have time to read right now!


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## CastingPearls (May 12, 2010)

Still on Under the Dome...don't remember The Stand being this underwhelming. Been suspicious for years that King's been publishing undergrad sycophants' work as his own while working on more of the Towers bullshit.


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## willowmoon (May 12, 2010)

The Spiral Dance -- by Starhawk


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## Your Plump Princess (May 12, 2010)

This is an incredibly closet-nerd-induced question, but does Manga count? If so, I'm Reading Angel Sanctuary. If not, Sorry I wasted ya'lls time. Lol


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## CastingPearls (May 12, 2010)

Your Plump Princess said:


> This is an incredibly closet-nerd-induced question, but does Manga count? If so, I'm Reading Angel Sanctuary. If not, Sorry I wasted ya'lls time. Lol


All reading counts!!! A relative has a reading disability and learned how to read from comic books and the Sunday funnies. Read what you love!


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## Gingembre (May 12, 2010)

I am just getting back into reading, having worked my way through a stack of books and then never got around to picking up any new ones. I am one of those people who cannot have several books on the go at once - i have to finish one before I can start another. I also hate buying books...or rather, keeping books. I have half a bookcase dedicated to my favourite books, which i keep, but mostly i think books should be shared around. For this reason, I source most of my books from the library, or my mum, or friends, or charity shops. Most books i buy, I tend to give away/leave in places for people to find so that they can have a read too. :happy:

I have recently finished Philip Pullman's 'The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ'. It was....meh...ok...a bit thin. Currently I am rereading 'Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit' - I rarely reread books (there are so many unread ones out there, haha!), but this is one of my favourites which a good friend recently got signed for me by Jeanette Winterson herself! When I'm done with this one, I am looking forward to starting Hillary Mantel's 'Wolf Hall'.


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## Edens_heel (May 13, 2010)

Recently finished Annabel Lyon's The Golden Mean (amazing). Finishing up Cory Doctorow's Eastern Standard Tribe, then moving on to, in no particular order:

Almost Transparent Blue, by Ryu Murakami
The Interrogation, by J.M.G. Le Clezio
Sputnik Sweetheart, by Haruki Murakami
Metro 2033, by Dmitry Glukhovsky
Calculating God, by Robert J. Sawyer

Also, still working through Mein Kampf at a snail's pace... definitely needed a break from the heavier works I was plowing through.


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## pdgujer148 (May 13, 2010)

I just finished Roger Zelazny's poetic and cheeky take on the Egyptian pantheon of gods: "Creatures of Light and Darkness". It isn't half as clever as "Lord of Light", but it is a fun read nonetheless.

I just started Jesse Bullington's faux 13th Century folktale "The Sad Tale of the Brothers Grossbart". Soo far it is a weird fusion of "Blood Meridian", the stories of the Bros. Grimm, and a Monty Python sketch.


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## LovelyLiz (May 13, 2010)

Edens_heel said:


> Recently finished Annabel Lyon's The Golden Mean (amazing). Finishing up Cory Doctorow's Eastern Standard Tribe, then moving on to, in no particular order:
> 
> Almost Transparent Blue, by Ryu Murakami
> The Interrogation, by J.M.G. Le Clezio
> ...



I LOVE LOVE LOVE Haruki Murakami. :wubu: Have you read a lot of his other stuff? I liked Sputnik Sweetheart fine, but there are probably 4 others I like better.


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## Edens_heel (May 13, 2010)

mcbeth said:


> I LOVE LOVE LOVE Haruki Murakami. :wubu: Have you read a lot of his other stuff? I liked Sputnik Sweetheart fine, but there are probably 4 others I like better.



One of my favourite authors, actually! I started with The Wind-Up Bird Chronicles, and have since then read After Dark, The Elephant Vanishes, After the Quake, A Wild Sheep Chase, Dance Dance Dance, and Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World.

I also own, but have not yet read: Sputnik Sweetheart (obviously), Kafka on the Shore, Norwegian Wood, South of the Border; West of the Sun, and Blind Willow Sleeping Woman.

So, I'm about halfway through. I think Dance Dance Dance so far is my favourite - what about you? Anything in particular stand out that I haven't read yet?


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## LovelyLiz (May 13, 2010)

Edens_heel said:


> One of my favourite authors, actually! I started with The Wind-Up Bird Chronicles, and have since then read After Dark, The Elephant Vanishes, After the Quake, A Wild Sheep Chase, Dance Dance Dance, and Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World.
> 
> I also own, but have not yet read: Sputnik Sweetheart (obviously), Kafka on the Shore, Norwegian Wood, South of the Border; West of the Sun, and Blind Willow Sleeping Woman.
> 
> So, I'm about halfway through. I think Dance Dance Dance so far is my favourite - what about you? Anything in particular stand out that I haven't read yet?



He's one of my favorites too. For sure.

I actually don't think I've read Dance Dance Dance...but that cant be right... I thought I had read most everything by him! Guess not! Anyway, Kafka on the Shore was his first book I read, and it is probably my favorite. It's hard to tell whether that's just because it was my first exposure to his style, or because it's actually my favorite. Probably some of both. Wind-Up Bird Chronicle and Hard-Boiled Wonderland are right up there too. 

I'll have to check out Dance Dance Dance really soon.


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## Edens_heel (May 13, 2010)

mcbeth said:


> He's one of my favorites too. For sure.
> 
> I actually don't think I've read Dance Dance Dance...but that cant be right... I thought I had read most everything by him! Guess not! Anyway, Kafka on the Shore was his first book I read, and it is probably my favorite. It's hard to tell whether that's just because it was my first exposure to his style, or because it's actually my favorite. Probably some of both. Wind-Up Bird Chronicle and Hard-Boiled Wonderland are right up there too.
> 
> I'll have to check out Dance Dance Dance really soon.



Dance Dance Dance is sort of a pseudo-sequel to A Wild Sheep Chase - takes on some similar themes, and once more deals with the character of the sheep man.

Also really loved Hard-Boiled Wonderland - that book is an acid trip in and of itself


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## kristineirl (May 13, 2010)

I'm reading two things at once, the "Y-The Last Man" series and LOST and Philosophy. Both are terrific reads.


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## Edens_heel (May 13, 2010)

kristineirl said:


> I'm reading two things at once, the "Y-The Last Man" series and LOST and Philosophy. Both are terrific reads.



Y has to be one of my favourite comic series of all time. The last couple of issues, though, they will fuck with your emotions.


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## kristineirl (May 13, 2010)

Edens_heel said:


> Y has to be one of my favourite comic series of all time. The last couple of issues, though, they will fuck with your emotions.



I have to admit, there have been some *GASP* moments for me thus far. Truth be told, this is the first actual comic _book_ that i've ever read, and i'm *hooked. *


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## Nutty (May 13, 2010)

Finished _Grendel_, John Gardner (RIP)


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## LovelyLiz (May 15, 2010)

I'm doing something I NEVER get a chance to do in the middle of an academic term...I'm reading a novel! Decided after the course I was teaching ended last week, and I gave a presentation in the seminar I'm taking...I get a little reward. That reward is coming in the form of:

_Absurdistan_ by Gary Shteyngart. 

I'm only a couple chapters in, but I've already laughed out loud several times. It's really enjoyable to read. Also, the main character is a fat man (not always described in the most complimentary adjectives, but not always as an insult either - and the story is told in his own voice primarily), and even his girlfriend is "big-boned." I got this book as a gift so didn't realize the characters were going to be fat, so that's an interesting addition. So far it's been hilarious though. It's a fitting reward.


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## Weirdo890 (May 16, 2010)

I've begun reading _Don Quixote_ by Miguel de Cervantes

So far so, so good. Interesting fact about this is this book was one of the stories that Walt Disney was planning to make into an animated feature film after _Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs_ had been released.


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## MzDeeZyre (May 16, 2010)

I am currently reading- House Rules by Jodi Picoult


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## Edens_heel (May 16, 2010)

Weirdo890 said:


> I've begun reading _Don Quixote_ by Miguel de Cervantes
> 
> So far so, so good. Interesting fact about this is this book was one of the stories that Walt Disney was planning to make into an animated feature film after _Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs_ had been released.



LOVED Don Quixote, but I will admit that it took me 300 pages or so to really start to get sucked into the rhythm. Those 300 pages took me a few weeks to slog through, and then I polished off the remaining 800 inside of a week. It was just a matter of getting used to the rhythm of the writing and translation.


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## largenlovely (May 18, 2010)

Mr. Norrel and Jonathan Strange...it's interesting in an odd way but i'm only just beginning it so..we'll see


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## mejix (May 18, 2010)

largenlovely said:


> Mr. Norrel and Jonathan Strange...it's interesting in an odd way but i'm only just beginning it so..we'll see



let us know how you like it. for some reason i keep coming across this title recently even though its from 2005.


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## pdgujer148 (May 18, 2010)

largenlovely said:


> Mr. Norrel and Jonathan Strange...it's interesting in an odd way but i'm only just beginning it so..we'll see



Take it slow. Get used to the deliberate pacing and dry humor. 

I read it a few years ago. It doesn't hit its full stride until page 400 or so, but once it gets moving it is a very entertaining read. Also, don't worry, unlike many other long novels the payoff is worth it.


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## largenlovely (May 18, 2010)

mejix said:


> let us know how you like it. for some reason i keep coming across this title recently even though its from 2005.



i'll make sure to let y'all know what i think 



pdgujer148 said:


> Take it slow. Get used to the deliberate pacing and dry humor.
> 
> I read it a few years ago. It doesn't hit its full stride until page 400 or so, but once it gets moving it is a very entertaining read. Also, don't worry, unlike many other long novels the payoff is worth it.



Ok, i noticed that..i'm only like on page 130-ish and it's just been a strange lil intro so far..but enough to have me intrigued though so i continue on...

glad to hear it's worth it though. I just finished The Thirteenth Tale and i had a $*%&( of a time getting myself involved in that book but once i did it was pretty interesting..i guess i keep choosing books that start slow.


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## snuggletiger (May 18, 2010)

The Federalist Papers, and after that going to start on the Illiad by Homer.


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## Tanuki (May 18, 2010)

About to start reading A Game of Thrones again... only read it for the first time a while ago but instead of reading book 3 I decided to start at 1 again, Great fun


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## largenlovely (May 18, 2010)

omg omg omg the best..BEST series ev-ah!!!! I've read all of them and waiting on the last one to come out

did you know HBO is making a series based on the books?




T-Bear said:


> About to start reading A Game of Thrones again... only read it for the first time a while ago but instead of reading book 3 I decided to start at 1 again, Great fun


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## Tanuki (May 18, 2010)

largenlovely said:


> omg omg omg the best..BEST series ev-ah!!!! I've read all of them and waiting on the last one to come out
> 
> did you know HBO is making a series based on the books?



OMG yes I cannot wait the cast looks amazing!


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## largenlovely (May 19, 2010)

i know i totally can't wait!!! I'm hoping the final book will come out so i can read that before the series starts...i am such a huge fan of this whole series



T-Bear said:


> OMG yes I cannot wait the cast looks amazing!


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## crazygood (May 19, 2010)

I went to a 2$ bag sale at my library last summer and filled a paper grocery bag with all kinds of books by women authors or biographies about interesting women. 

I'm currently reading Iris Origo: Marchesa Of Val D'orcia. I'm about halfway through and so far it's been a little bit dry, but I'm trying to stick with it because Origo seems to be an interesting and strong-willed woman that I'd like to know more about, despite the authors attempt to make you not care about her at all.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iris_Origo


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## Rowan (May 19, 2010)

"The Millenium Reader" and "Installing, configuring and administering Microsoft Windows XP Professional"

Dontcha just love school? lol


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## MaxArden (May 19, 2010)

No Dominion by Charlie Huston


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## CastingPearls (May 19, 2010)

Has anyone read Of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies? Looking for a DIMS review.....


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## Micara (May 19, 2010)

CastingPearls said:


> Has anyone read Of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies? Looking for a DIMS review.....



I want to read that. On a similar note, I am currently reading "Little Vampire Women."


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## Edens_heel (May 19, 2010)

CastingPearls said:


> Has anyone read Of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies? Looking for a DIMS review.....



From everything I've heard, from multiple readers, those three books (along with Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters, and Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter) are more amusing in concept than in execution.


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## largenlovely (May 22, 2010)

why oh why do i keep getting more books when i'm so far behind on reading the ones i do have...*sigh*


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## Mz Taz (May 24, 2010)

Feet of Clay again

Terry Pratchett

Just love all his books:bow:


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## Dr. Feelgood (May 24, 2010)

_Death by Water_ by Kerry Greenwood. It is one of a series of whodunits set in 1920's Australia. The heroine is a flapper -- well, okay, a vamp -- and the book reads like a collaboration between F.Scott Fitzgerald and Terry Pratchett.


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## HottiMegan (May 24, 2010)

I picked up Eat, Pray Love on Saturday and am enjoying it. She gives such good description of the food she indulges in while traveling in Italy. Makes me want to visit


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## Dromond (May 25, 2010)

"D is for Deadbeat" by Sue Grafton.


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## Dmitra (May 25, 2010)

Just finished Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt so trying to pick myself off the floor with a cheerful little murder mystery: re-reading An Unsuitable Job For A Women - P.D. James. Also reading the very short Break of Day by Collette.


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## Edens_heel (May 25, 2010)

Working on Toni Morrison's _Jazz_ (amazing so far), then moving on to Douglas Smith's _Chimeroscope_, Murakami's _Norwegian Wood_, and J.M.G. Le Clezio's _The Interrogation_.

Recently finished Annabel Lyon's _The Golden Mean_, Steven Polansky's _The Bradbury Report_ (great story, annoying-as-fuck writing style), and Tim Lebbon's _The Thief of Broken Toys_.

Oh, and still slowly working through _Mein Kampf_... too draining to plow through.


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## MuleVariationsNYC (May 26, 2010)

"The Little Book of String Theory" by Steven Gubser. 

Very nerdish and dense, but strangely enough it's helping me to have read "Anathem" by Neal Stephenson first, which was easily one of my favorite fiction novels of the last decade.


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## largenlovely (May 27, 2010)

Ok so i just finished "Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell" by Susanna Clarke ...it was a great book ..fabulous book..i loved it but the end has me thinking...Ya know how when you've just finished a book and you are trying to piece it all together. So...i'm not quite sure how i feel about the ending just yet since i just laid it down 2.5 minutes ago.

Once i fully digest the previous book, i will be moving on to "How I Became Stupid" by Martin Page...seems like it might be comically entertaining. It's a pretty short book so if it's not so interesting then it won't be much of a waste of time..we shall see


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## largenlovely (May 27, 2010)

ooooooohhhhhhhhh that sounds interesting!!! I've been meaning to study up on string theory but i've been holding back because of a fear that i might not be able to grasp it. Scientifically proving a number of alternate universe's sounds incredibly interesting though.



MuleVariationsNYC said:


> "The Little Book of String Theory" by Steven Gubser.
> 
> Very nerdish and dense, but strangely enough it's helping me to have read "Anathem" by Neal Stephenson first, which was easily one of my favorite fiction novels of the last decade.


----------



## supersoup (May 27, 2010)

T-Bear said:


> About to start reading A Game of Thrones again... only read it for the first time a while ago but instead of reading book 3 I decided to start at 1 again, Great fun



oooooh, i'm stoked to see this has good DIMS reviews, it's my next book in line to read!



CastingPearls said:


> Has anyone read Of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies? Looking for a DIMS review.....





Edens_heel said:


> From everything I've heard, from multiple readers, those three books (along with Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters, and Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter) are more amusing in concept than in execution.


 
my boyfriend is a huge sci-fi/fantasy nerd, and he couldn't get into these books...he read the zombies one and didn't really care for it.


i'm currently reading a book in the Dresden series by Jim Butcher...i'm reading Turn Coat...i am all sorts of addicted to these books. i have the tv series on dvd too, i just love it. i'm super sad i only have one more book after this one though


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## HDANGEL15 (May 27, 2010)

HottiMegan said:


> I picked up Eat, Pray Love on Saturday and am enjoying it. She gives such good description of the food she indulges in while traveling in Italy. Makes me want to visit



*that book was one of the best reads I had a few years ago....worth all the acclaim...on the down side JULIA ROBERTS is playing the main character, and the movie is coming out this summer i believe.....*



DameQ said:


> Just finished Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt



*i thoroughly enjoyed all of Frank McCourts books...I loved his writing style, and content..just all good to me

Just put down SALEM FALLS by Jodi Picoult....hated finishing it...it was a page turner...also read a strange one by Joyce Carol Oates called ZOMBIE, about a serial killer...strange but quick read*


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## Dromond (May 27, 2010)

MuleVariationsNYC said:


> "The Little Book of String Theory" by Steven Gubser.
> 
> Very nerdish and dense, but strangely enough it's helping me to have read "Anathem" by Neal Stephenson first, which was easily one of my favorite fiction novels of the last decade.



I've done my best to wrap my brain around string theory, but with limited success. I think I understand the basic idea, but the intricacies are quite beyond me. Anything that would help me understand this fascinating theory better, I'm all for it.


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## lizzie_lotr (May 27, 2010)

I'm currently reading ....

The Alienist
Bound by Honor
Renfield Slave of Dracula
The Crimes of Paris


I think I have a problem buying books, I can't seem to stop.

Oh, and first post! first post! Hope I did it correctly


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## HottiMegan (May 27, 2010)

HDANGEL15 said:


> *that book was one of the best reads I had a few years ago....worth all the acclaim...on the down side JULIA ROBERTS is playing the main character, and the movie is coming out this summer i believe.....*



It was a wonderful book. It' makes me want to reintroduce myself to my spirituality. (i practice a very similar yodic meditation) I'm going to send it to my mom to read. I am looking forward to the next book Commited to see the continuing story with Felipe. 
Julia Roberts is about 10 years too old for this role. I'll probably rent it when it comes out though. Movies from books are rarely as entertaining.

I finished Eat Pray Love last night and will begin The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. I had thought this book was on the list of 100 books people need to read but it turns out it wasn't. So now i don't know where i heard the name of this book. It's 750+ pages so it should take me about a week to finish.

I am trying to read all but the Shakespeare on the 100 books on that BBC list i have done about 40 of them. (No Shakespeare because i read so much of that in college and it just never appealed to me. I can watch Shakespeare but reading it is boring to me)


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## mejix (May 27, 2010)

largenlovely said:


> Ok so i just finished "Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell" by Susanna Clarke ...it was a great book ..fabulous book..i loved it but the end has me thinking...Ya know how when you've just finished a book and you are trying to piece it all together. So...i'm not quite sure how i feel about the ending just yet since i just laid it down 2.5 minutes ago.



thanks for the report!


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## HDANGEL15 (May 27, 2010)

HottiMegan said:


> It was a wonderful book. It' makes me want to reintroduce myself to my spirituality. (i practice a very similar yodic meditation) I'm going to send it to my mom to read. I am looking forward to the next book Commited to see the continuing story with Felipe.
> Julia Roberts is about 10 years too old for this role. I'll probably rent it when it comes out though. Movies from books are rarely as entertaining.
> 
> I finished Eat Pray Love last night and will begin The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. I had thought this book was on the list of 100 books people need to read but it turns out it wasn't. So now i don't know where i heard the name of this book. It's 750+ pages so it should take me about a week to finish.
> ...


*
Actually very much looking forward to reading that as well...now I am wondering if i should re-read eat pray love...as i adored it so much round #1.........

I tried to read The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, as he is getting on all the best seller lists for the continuing saga...and I just couldn't get into it... curious what your take is.*


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## crazygood (May 27, 2010)

I just checked out a book containing both A Room With A View and Howards End by E.M. Forster. I've seen RWAV a dozen times but I've never read the book! I adore Helena Bonham Carter but, as usual, the book is turning out to be even better than the movie. I could never get into the movie version of Howards End, but I hope the story is more engaging.


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## pdgujer148 (May 27, 2010)

largenlovely said:


> Ok so i just finished "Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell" by Susanna Clarke ...it was a great book ..fabulous book..i loved it but the end has me thinking...Ya know how when you've just finished a book and you are trying to piece it all together. So...i'm not quite sure how i feel about the ending just yet since i just laid it down 2.5 minutes ago



I'm glad you liked it. Clarke takes her sweet time setting up the plot, but once things get moving the is all the richer for the care taken building characters and conflicts. I need to read it again.


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## largenlovely (May 29, 2010)

welcome  If you wind up reading it let me know what you think



mejix said:


> thanks for the report!


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## largenlovely (May 29, 2010)

oh i agree..i felt very involved in the characters for sure. The more i think about it, the more i've felt that it ended as it should have..it was appropriate.




pdgujer148 said:


> I'm glad you liked it. Clarke takes her sweet time setting up the plot, but once things get moving the is all the richer for the care taken building characters and conflicts. I need to read it again.


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## largenlovely (May 29, 2010)

I just finished "How I Became Stupid" by Martin Page..i didn't really care for it. I expected it to be more than it was i suppose. 

Next i'm moving on to "The Queen's Fool" by Phillippa Gregory


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## Dromond (May 29, 2010)

It's time for some brain candy. I'm reading "Outbound Flight" by Timothy Zahn.


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## CameoRose (May 29, 2010)

HottiMegan said:


> It was a wonderful book. It' makes me want to reintroduce myself to my spirituality. (i practice a very similar yodic meditation) I'm going to send it to my mom to read. I am looking forward to the next book Commited to see the continuing story with Felipe.
> Julia Roberts is about 10 years too old for this role. I'll probably rent it when it comes out though. Movies from books are rarely as entertaining.
> 
> I finished Eat Pray Love last night and will begin The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. I had thought this book was on the list of 100 books people need to read but it turns out it wasn't. So now i don't know where i heard the name of this book. It's 750+ pages so it should take me about a week to finish.
> ...



I LOVED Eat, Pray, Love!  I have also read Committed. I enjoyed it as well!!


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## Jigen (May 30, 2010)

"Corso di Retorica", by Renato Barilli.


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## Dromond (May 30, 2010)

Dromond said:


> It's time for some brain candy. I'm reading "Outbound Flight" by Timothy Zahn.



I do not recommend this book. The story is not engrossing. It's just "meh."


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## cinnamitch (May 30, 2010)

Wish You Well- David Baldacci

So far so good , fluff but enjoyable fluff

Wish You Well
Precocious twelve-year-old Louisa Mae Cardinal lives in the hectic New York City of 1940 with her family. Then tragedy strikesand Lou and her younger brother, Oz, must go with their invalid mother to live on their great-grandmothers farm in the Virginia mountains. Suddenly Lou finds herself coming of age in a new landscape, making her first true friend, and experiencing adventures tragic, comic, and audacious. But the forces of greed and justice are about to clash over her new homeand as their struggle is played out in a crowded Virginia courtroom, it will determine the future of two children, an entire town, and the mountains they love.


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## largenlovely (Jun 2, 2010)

Just finished, "The Queen's Fool" by Phillippa Gregory and it was a pretty good book...lots of intrigue.

Next i'm gonna move on to a book called, "Passage" by Connie Willis


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## Edens_heel (Jun 2, 2010)

Currently on a Canadian small press binge - going through the entire catalogue of CZP books (ChiZine Publications). Highly, HIGHLY recommended, especially Douglas Smith's Chimerascope - one of the best short fiction/fantasy compilations I've ever read.


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## HottiMegan (Jun 2, 2010)

HDANGEL15 said:


> *
> I tried to read The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, as he is getting on all the best seller lists for the continuing saga...and I just couldn't get into it... curious what your take is.*



I am like 200 pages into it and still not terribly grabbed by it. I invested that many pages, i'm going to try to finish it. I am so tempted to put it to the side to read the latest Janet Evanovich books since the newest one is coming soon.


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## HottiMegan (Jun 3, 2010)

I was just wondering if any of you avid readers have a Nook. I am thinking about getting it for my birthday next month and want to get some reviews. It looks cool and love the idea of not doing any more paperbacks that fall apart after 5 or 6 reads. (yeah, i regularly reread books)


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## CameoRose (Jun 3, 2010)

HottiMegan said:


> I was just wondering if any of you avid readers have a Nook. I am thinking about getting it for my birthday next month and want to get some reviews. It looks cool and love the idea of not doing any more paperbacks that fall apart after 5 or 6 reads. (yeah, i regularly reread books)



I personally really LOVED having the e-reader  Now I have the iPad so I've been reading my books on it. Which I love even more. I'm someone who really enjoys a book, going to the bookstore, the smell, etc so I was thinking it might be hard to get used to reading my books on a screen but nope...was fairly easy. Now I go browse the bookstore and then go home and d/l the book for much cheaper. 

I personally highly suggest getting the Nook!  Plus it's so much better for the environment!


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## Edens_heel (Jun 3, 2010)

CameoRose said:


> I personally really LOVED having the e-reader  Now I have the iPad so I've been reading my books on it. Which I love even more. I'm someone who really enjoys a book, going to the bookstore, the smell, etc so I was thinking it might be hard to get used to reading my books on a screen but nope...was fairly easy. Now I go browse the bookstore and then go home and d/l the book for much cheaper.
> 
> I personally highly suggest getting the Nook!  Plus it's so much better for the environment!



Honestly, don't care about the cost or the environment when it comes to books - I can simply not get over losing the touch, feel, smell, and sense of progress (being able to visibly see how many pages are left and working through to the end) that comes with having an e-reader. I've tried it many times, and it's a lost cause for me. 

I can safely say I won't be joining the e-reader brigade.


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## pdgujer148 (Jun 3, 2010)

Edens_heel said:


> Honestly, don't care about the cost or the environment when it comes to books - I can simply not get over losing the touch, feel, smell, and sense of progress (being able to visibly see how many pages are left and working through to the end) that comes with having an e-reader. I've tried it many times, and it's a lost cause for me.
> 
> I can safely say I won't be joining the e-reader brigade.



I used to feel the same way until I bought a kindle.

I'm not totally sold on ebooks, but they do have advantages.

1. They are great if you have to shlep around a bunch of reference books. I manage OSHA, NAID, and ISO programs at work. It is nice not having to deal with a bulky library of reference books.

2. They're great if you sometimes read ephemeral junk books from time to time. There is no way I'm paying $26 for a Douglas Preston/Lincoln Child potboiler, but for $9.99 I'll indulge.

3. My library is virtually everywhere. I can read my books on my computer, my iPod, and my kindle.

4. Thousands of free classic novels, and many publishers offer up free books to introduce modern novelists.

That said, my paper library is growing at a steady pace. I've just become choosier about the books that I buy.


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## HottiMegan (Jun 4, 2010)

My interest in an e-reader is to be able to have so many books at my fingertips. And being able, hopefully, to read in the dark. I often stay up into the wee hours of the night reading in bed. I'd love to do that without a flashlight shoved under my head to shine on the book. i'm attracted to the nook because it runs Android and the free reads at Barnes and Noble.


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## Weirdo890 (Jun 4, 2010)

HottiMegan said:


> My interest in an e-reader is to be able to have so many books at my fingertips. And being able, hopefully, to read in the dark. I often stay up into the wee hours of the night reading in bed. I'd love to do that without a flashlight shoved under my head to shine on the book. i'm attracted to the nook because it runs Android and the free reads at Barnes and Noble.



I say go with the Nook. My mom has one, and absolutely adores it. She loves getting the free e-books from Barnes and Noble.


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## Weirdo890 (Jun 4, 2010)

I had to put _Don Quixote_ down for a while. I wanted to find out more about the time period and place that the book is set in. I'm now reading _Oliver Twist_ by Charles Dickens. I'm really enjoying it. Dickens is a great storyteller. Top-notch writing. I love the ever-looming sarcastic narration. The book I want to read next is _Bambi: A Life in the Woods_ by Felix Salten.


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## lalatx (Jun 4, 2010)

The Zombie Survival Guide: Complete Protection from the Living Dead by Max Brooks

It is best to be prepared for the inevitable.


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## willowmoon (Jun 4, 2010)

lalatx said:


> The Zombie Survival Guide: Complete Protection from the Living Dead by Max Brooks
> 
> It is best to be prepared for the inevitable.



I used to work with the living dead -- it's called third shift.

The book I've been reading is _A Year at the Movies: One Man's Filmgoing Odyssey_, by Kevin Murphy, of Mystery Science 3000 Theater fame. Good stuff.


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## lalatx (Jun 4, 2010)

willowmoon said:


> I used to work with the living dead -- it's called third shift.
> 
> The book I've been reading is _A Year at the Movies: One Man's Filmgoing Odyssey_, by Kevin Murphy, of Mystery Science 3000 Theater fame. Good stuff.



I miss MST 300 we used to watch it on the weekends when I was a kid.


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## Agent 007 (Jun 5, 2010)

lalatx said:


> The Zombie Survival Guide: Complete Protection from the Living Dead by Max Brooks
> 
> It is best to be prepared for the inevitable.



Hmm, that brings back memories of the Zombie Thread.

You're right. In a post-apocalyptic world it's necessary to know how to deal the folks who didn't get into their bomb shelter in time.


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## Agent 007 (Jun 5, 2010)

The book I'm reading right now is "Three Victories and a Defeat: The Rise and Fall of the First British Empire, 1714-1783" by the British historian Brendan Simms. It's an interesting historical study of British foreign policy in the 18th century. In the book Simms argues that, contrary to popular opinion, British statesmen in this period were not primarily focused on naval or colonial expansion, but on maintaining the balance of power in Europe and on maintaining "European liberties". When Britain neglected its European commitments and alliances and focused too much on naval or colonial issues, the results were terrible. The American War of Independence is an example of this.

A review of the book can be found here.


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## moore2me (Jun 5, 2010)

I have a question and a comment about e books. First, a question for those of you that have the electronic readers and have been using them. How sturdy are the machines? I am pretty spastic and accident prone. I drop stuff during the day (not on purpose), but I am hard on equipment. I try to be careful, but take precautions like using plastic drinking glasses and plastic or paper plates. I limit buying kitchen items packaged in glass. Is there any point in trying to work with a Kindle?


An unrelated comment about hard copies of books. I have been collecting books for almost fifty years. My collection reached its peak and most interesting during my college years. I have saved many of my books and consider them to be long-term friends. They give me comfort and make me happy. Every now and then, I give one away to a friend or a young person. Sometimes I lend one out. Most just sit on the bookcase and we look at each other. I remember the good & bad times I had when going thru school and using the books. Sometimes I open one of them and read my class notes on the margins. When I sit in the library surrounded by these old books, it is one of my favorite places to be in my house.


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## pdgujer148 (Jun 5, 2010)

moore2me said:


> I have a question and a comment about e books. First, a question for those of you that have the electronic readers and have been using them. How sturdy are the machines?



The kindle has a fairly delicate screen. I dropped one about four feet and cracked the screen (it was in a hard-backed cover at the time). 

I'd recommend the iPad for the accident prone. A little more expensive, but very sturdy. There is a kindle app for the iPad as well.


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## largenlovely (Jun 5, 2010)

Ya know, i can appreciate a sudden twist in a book...or a good metaphor illustrating a point, but my book took about the stupidest twist that i would have never foresaw....i'm gonna finish the book, but i don't know that my opinion can be salvaged after this....

I'm hoping the ending will make me change my mind but it doesn't look good

the book is, "The Passage" by Connie Willis


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## CastingPearls (Jun 5, 2010)

pdgujer148 said:


> The kindle has a fairly delicate screen. I dropped one about four feet and cracked the screen (it was in a hard-backed cover at the time).
> 
> I'd recommend the iPad for the accident prone. A little more expensive, but very sturdy. There is a kindle app for the iPad as well.


I was waiting for this comparison. I've been debating btw the Kindle and iPad. I'm glad I hesitated. Thanks.


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## moore2me (Jun 6, 2010)

Dear pdgujer148,

Double what CastingPearls said above. Thanks from me too. M2M


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## mimosa (Jun 6, 2010)

Nothing really fancy. A book called How To Eat Like A Hot Chick. I would like to start eating healthier without dieting. 
http://www.amazon.com/How-Eat-Like-Hot-Chick/dp/0061560863


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## Edens_heel (Jun 6, 2010)

David Nickle's Monstrous Affections - collected short stories.

I've been on a true short fiction kick for the past year, and it's only getting worse (which is interesting since a couple of years ago I found myself not at all interested in short fiction, whereas now it seems to be dominating my reading and writing patterns).

Anyone have some good short story compilation recommendations? Or want some?


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## largenlovely (Jun 7, 2010)

well, "The Passage" did not redeem itself in the end...NEXT

I'm moving on to "Where Are You Now" by Mary Higgins Clark


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## largenlovely (Jun 7, 2010)

Well, upon further inspection i realized i've already read "Where Are You Now" by Mary Higgins Clark....obviously, it didn't make much of an impression on me since i didn't remember reading it until i started re-reading it lol

So, i'll move on to, "The Pillars of the Earth" by Ken Follett


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## MuleVariationsNYC (Jun 7, 2010)

largenlovely said:


> So, i'll move on to, "The Pillars of the Earth" by Ken Follett



Pillars of the Earth is a good read, a sort of sweeping epic novel. I read 3 or 4 Follett books several years ago, and I thought it was the best of them by a fair amount. 

Currently I'm making my way through, "Out of Our Heads: Why You are Not Your Brain, and Other Lessons from the Biology of Consciousness." Despite the long title, it's a relatively accessible read, although not the most amazing writing.


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## largenlovely (Jun 7, 2010)

oh that's good news  i'm only in the 3rd chapter so far so just barely getting into it but i'm looking forward to delving in deeper since it has a good review 



MuleVariationsNYC said:


> Pillars of the Earth is a good read, a sort of sweeping epic novel. I read 3 or 4 Follett books several years ago, and I thought it was the best of them by a fair amount.


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## Lamia (Jun 11, 2010)

I just picked up John Irving's "Widow For One Year". I love his work. I haven't read any of his stuff for years. I still love "The World According to Garp".


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## Carrie (Jun 11, 2010)

On Sunday I enjoyed one of those rare, deliciously self-indulgent days where you just take a break from everything and settle into a comfy spot with a good book all day. I read "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo", by Stieg Larsson, which was excellent. I don't know that I've ever had another book where so many people recommended it to me not just as a great book, but something that I specifically would enjoy, and they were spot-on. The story was intricate and well-paced, the characters compelling, and I really don't know much about Sweden at all, so it was very interesting to read a book set there. Lisbeth is a neat character - you love her and hate her and understand her and want to protect and smack her all in one fell swoop. It's no mean feat to write a character as messy and complicated and unlovely as she is and have the reader fall in love with her anyway. 

I'm looking forward to reading the next two books in the series; I already have "The Girl who Played with Fire". Very sad about Stieg Larsson; I would have liked to have read a lot more from him.


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## LovelyLiz (Jun 11, 2010)

Lamia said:


> I just picked up John Irving's "Widow For One Year". I love his work. I haven't read any of his stuff for years. I still love "The World According to Garp".



I ADORE John Irving. I went through a phase where I read like 5 of his books in a row. _A Prayer for Owen Meany_ continues to be one of my favorite books of all time.


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## Tiguan (Jun 11, 2010)

I Only read The Bible.

As far as I am concerned.. it is the Only Book.

I TRIED to read a few in High School, and read some in Jail...

... and along with playing Chess that is where it will Stay.

You all just brought back some Memories. I will pay Homage to these Memories...


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## cinnamitch (Jun 11, 2010)

Storm Chaser : In Pursuit of Untamed Skies 
by Warren Faidley
I love to read about Tornadoes and thought this one looked interesting


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## Edens_heel (Jun 11, 2010)

Tiguan said:


> I Only read The Bible.
> 
> As far as I am concerned.. it is the Only Book.



This is just a horribly criminal thing to say - how can you ever expect to understand even a fraction of the world and universe beyond by only reading one book?

Even as a religious text, it will not give you all you should know - not on its own. It's a fraction, a tiny part of the library of man, and only one of many, all valid religious perspectives. Pick up the Quo'ran, the Torah, the Tibetan Book of the Dead, etc. Learn to see the bible in a more complete light by reading its counterpoints and divergent arguments.

I read what you posted and it just made me sad. I hope your perspective changes dramatically some day - for yourself.


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## Edens_heel (Jun 11, 2010)

Taking a break from a recent short story binge and am back to finishing off the Murakami books yet to be read - right now working through, and loving, Norwegian Wood.

Also STILL working my way through Mein Kampf. Soared past the halfway point, but I just can't read it for more than a day at a time before feeling ill at what I've read.

Scary how much of the rhetoric is taken verbatim from the book today though by a certain blonde, pudgy, cry-on-command television show host.


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## Lamia (Jun 12, 2010)

mcbeth said:


> I ADORE John Irving. I went through a phase where I read like 5 of his books in a row. _A Prayer for Owen Meany_ continues to be one of my favorite books of all time.



I do too. I went through that period a long time ago and got everything of his and read it...and then sort of forgot about him for a while. I've never read this and I'm up to page 68 so far and it's pretty good. Little too much sexual stuff for my taste, but the other parts redeem it. 

One of the characters is children's author and this is an excerpt of one of his children's stories. I love it. 

_(From A Widow for One Year, by John Irving)

The door in the floor

There was a little boy who didn't know if he wanted to be born. His mommy didn't know if she wanted him to be born, either. This is because they lived in a cabin in the woods, on an island, in a lake - and there was no one else around. And, in the cabin, there was a door in the floor.

The little boy was afraid of what was under the door in the floor, and the mommy was afraid, too. Once, long ago, other children had come to visit the cabin for Christmas, but the children had opened the door in the floor and they had disappeared down the hole, under the cabin, and all their presents had disappeared, too.

Once the mommy had tried to look for the children, but when she opened the door in the floor, she heard such an awful sound that her hair turned completely white, like the hair of a ghost. And she smelled such a terrible smell that her skin became as wrinkled as a raisin. It took a whole year for the mommy's skin to be smooth again, and for her hair not to be white. And when she'd opened the door in the floor, the mommy had also seen some horrible things that she never wanted to see again, like a snake that could make itself so small that it could sneak through the crack between the door and the floor - even when the door was closed - and then it could make itself so big again that it could carry the cabin on its back, as if the snake were a giant snail and the cabin were its shell. 

The other things under the door in the floor are so horrible that you can only imagine them. 

And so the mommy wondered if she wanted to have a little boy in a cabin in the woods, on an island, in a lake - and with no one else around - but especially because of everything that might be under the door in the floor. Then she thought: Why not? I'll just tell him not to open the door in the floor!

Well, that's easy for a mommy to say, but what about the little boy? He still didn't know if he wanted to be born into a world where there was a door in the floor, and no one else around. Yet there were also some beautiful things in the woods, and on the island, and in the lake.

Why not take a chance? the little boy thought. And so he was born, and he was very happy. His mommy was happy again, too, although she told the little boy at least once ever day, "Don't you ever, not ever - never, never, never - open the door in the floor!" But of course he was only a little boy. If you were that boy, wouldn't you want to open that door in the floor?

And that, is the end of the story._


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## spiritangel (Jun 13, 2010)

I have been skipping all over the place with my reading of late actually stole two of my books back from my sisters house so am currently reading Jenny Crusie's Bet Me sexiest sceene with a Krispy Kreeme EVER lol


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## Blackjack (Jun 17, 2010)

Just starting Stanislaw Lem's _Solaris_.


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## mejix (Jun 17, 2010)

Blackjack said:


> Just starting Stanislaw Lem's _Solaris_.



another author i've curious about. need to make some time to read him.


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## NYCGabriel (Jun 17, 2010)

by Ian Fleming
Live and Let Die
Diamons are Forver

by Raymond Benson
Zero Minus Ten
The Man with the Red Tattoo


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## CastingPearls (Jun 17, 2010)

Lamia said:


> I do too. I went through that period a long time ago and got everything of his and read it...and then sort of forgot about him for a while. I've never read this and I'm up to page 68 so far and it's pretty good. Little too much sexual stuff for my taste, but the other parts redeem it.
> 
> One of the characters is children's author and this is an excerpt of one of his children's stories. I love it.
> 
> ...


I too adore Irving. A Prayer for Owen Meany was the first of many profoundly affecting books that I treasure.


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## pdgujer148 (Jun 17, 2010)

CastingPearls said:


> I too adore Irving. A Prayer for Owen Meany was the first of many profoundly affecting books that I treasure.



I haven't been much of a fan since "Son of the Circus", but I am a huge fan of "A Prayer for Owen Meany", and "The Cider House Rules". I think I've read the Christmas pageant sequence a few dozen times since the book came out.

I spoke briefly with him at a book reading for "A Widow for One Year". He was gracious if a little distant (which is understandable).


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## Lamia (Jun 18, 2010)

I am now reading "Voyage of the Fox Rider" by Dennis L McKiernan. I love fantasy and he's one of my favorites.


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## HottiMegan (Jun 19, 2010)

I'm reading Last Writes by Laura Levine. I downloaded it to my nook last night and am only 50 pages from the end. Very quick read. 
I think I've read at least 5 books this week. I'm looking forward to the 16th Stephanie Plum book to come out. I intend to download it at midnight 
Once i finish Last Writes, i'm going to read Anne of Green Gables. Hoping to finish it before 16 comes out


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## CarlaSixx (Jun 19, 2010)

Presently, I am reading a book titled "Get Me Out Of Here" by Rachel Reiland. It's a book about Borderline Personality Disorder (also highlighted in the movies "Girl, Interrupted") and it is something I am personally dealing with as well. It was reccommended to me by my doctors, and books about the same topic were reccommended to my mother by the doctors as well. It's a person's first hand account about what it's like through every stage of BPD. Through diagnosis, treatment, hospitalisation, and recovery. Great book and I can definitely see myself in it. 

I don't particularly enjoy fiction all that much but I am reading one called "From The Embers" and I don't remember the author's name but it is a translated work. It's very interesting. It has two men reminiscing and fighting over life, love, and emotions. A rather emotionally mature book. Not much descriptive work. It's all about feeling rather than imagining the scenery.


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## superodalisque (Jun 20, 2010)

rereading the Divine Comedy. i haven't touched it in ten years and this time i actually have the time to do side research while i read! excited!


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## HDANGEL15 (Jun 20, 2010)

*Just finished reading EAT PRAY Love, for the 2nd time, and enjoyed it just as much if not more this round. Started her newest book COMMITTED last nite, not that I can relate to the subject so well....but Figured I would try it.*


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## Micara (Jun 21, 2010)

I'm starting "Water For Elephants". I borrowed it from my friend.


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## Still a Skye fan (Jun 22, 2010)

I'm currently reading "Resolution" by the late great Robert B. Parker.

It's a great western story and I'm enjoying it quite a bit.


Dennis


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## Dromond (Jun 22, 2010)

I'm on a history kick right now. I just got two books from the library. "Wit and Wisdom of Abraham Lincoln," and "Civil War Blunders." I also saw, "The South Was RIGHT!" on the shelf... but... I passed on it.


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## Szombathy (Jun 22, 2010)

The collected writings of Rainer Maria Rilke. And enjoying it. A breath of fresh air.


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## supersizebbw (Jun 22, 2010)

Fyodor Dostoyevsky - Notes From Underground


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## biggirlsrock (Jun 22, 2010)

On an Ann Rule kick...just finished the stranger beside me (ted bundy) & green river turning red (gary ridgway). i'm in the middle of small sacrifices now.


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## LovelyLiz (Jun 23, 2010)

supersizebbw said:


> Fyodor Dostoyevsky - Notes From Underground



Wooooooo! Dostoevsky :wubu: 

I really liked that book - but the main character's neuroses kinda jacked me up because when I read it (about 10 years ago) I was going through a pretty neurotic period myself. But it also helped shake some things loose. Hope you enjoy it.


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## Edens_heel (Jun 23, 2010)

mcbeth said:


> Wooooooo! Dostoevsky :wubu:
> 
> I really liked that book - but the main character's neuroses kinda jacked me up because when I read it (about 10 years ago) I was going through a pretty neurotic period myself. But it also helped shake some things loose. Hope you enjoy it.



Agreed about the Dostoevsky love - my favourite writer, with Brothers K as still, to this day, my favourite book. The last chapter just makes me cry. In fact, I still have one final book on my Dostoevsky reading list: The Adolescent. Might have to crack that soon...


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## LovelyLiz (Jun 24, 2010)

Edens_heel said:


> Agreed about the Dostoevsky love - my favourite writer, with Brothers K as still, to this day, my favourite book. The last chapter just makes me cry. In fact, I still have one final book on my Dostoevsky reading list: The Adolescent. Might have to crack that soon...



Yeah, I'm with you on the Brothers K. I especially like all the stuff with Father Zossima. But really, all the brothers are such amazing characters. Incredible book. You may be urging me to read it for the 4th time...maybe this summer! I haven't read The Adolescent either - let me know what you think. (It's funny, I had ready most everything else by Dostoevsky _before_ I finally read Crime and Punishment a few years ago.)


----------



## PamelaLois (Jun 24, 2010)

I just got a great gift in the mail from my brother and sister-in-law......
A copy of North by Northwestern autographed by the entire crew of the F/V Northwestern!!!! The book is the story of Sig, Edgar and Norman Hansen of Deadliest Catch fame. I was so excited to get a copy of the book it took me 2 days to notice the 7 autographs, what a dope! I'm enjoying the book, what a crazy life these guys and their families have lived.


----------



## supersizebbw (Jun 25, 2010)

I hadn't read any of his work before and a friend convinced me to try it...i'm loving it so far...the main characters train of thought is a real rollercoaster ride...i'm definitely a fan and will be moving on to his other books next.


mcbeth said:


> Wooooooo! Dostoevsky :wubu:
> 
> I really liked that book - but the main character's neuroses kinda jacked me up because when I read it (about 10 years ago) I was going through a pretty neurotic period myself. But it also helped shake some things loose. Hope you enjoy it.




Will definitely read Brothers K after i'm done with this one since everyone seems to have really liked it too.


Edens_heel said:


> Agreed about the Dostoevsky love - my favourite writer, with Brothers K as still, to this day, my favourite book. The last chapter just makes me cry. In fact, I still have one final book on my Dostoevsky reading list: The Adolescent. Might have to crack that soon...


----------



## HottiMegan (Jun 26, 2010)

I'm reading Anne of Avonlea. I started it last night and am in pretty far. I bought a LM Montgomery collection of her works and it's going to supply me with a lot of reading  (It's 2900 pages)


----------



## MuleVariationsNYC (Jul 12, 2010)

Just finished two books. First, "The Brief, Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao" by Junot Diaz. Fantastic. Second, "The Blind Contessa's New Machine" by Carey Wallace. I'm admittedly biased, as the author is a good friend of mine, but Amazon reviews here. 

Next up, the transcript of a 1971 debate between Chomsky and Foucault about their views on human nature. Should be fun. Or something.


----------



## willowmoon (Jul 12, 2010)

Mike Nelson's Movie Megacheese -- it's a book from MST3K host Michael J. Nelson -- essential reading for any MST3K fan!


----------



## HottiMegan (Jul 12, 2010)

I just finished Anne of Ingleside. I am now taking a break from Anne and moving on to Touch of Dead, a collection of Sookie Stackouse short stories.


----------



## mejix (Jul 12, 2010)

finished *the constant gardener* by john le carre. about to finish *never let me go* by kazuo ishiguro. nibbling on *poems of nazim hikmet*, and *hold everything dear*, essays by john berger.


----------



## LovelyLiz (Jul 12, 2010)

Finished _Absurdistan_ and really recommend it! Especially on this website. The main character is about a 350 pound man, and though it's a comedy and sometimes his weight is played for laughs, he has relationships and sex, etc. (and the women he dates are not small either). It was very funny.

Now I'm reading _Hannah's Child: A Theologian's Memoir_ which is the autobiography of one of my favorite theologians/ethicists, Stanley Hauerwas.


----------



## Edens_heel (Jul 13, 2010)

Finally finished Mein Kampf and decided to wash my brain out with The Tibetan Book of the Dead. This week, read The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and am now 300 pages into its sequel, The Girl who Played with Fire. Some questionable plotting, but overall very fun - and Lisbeth Salander is one of the more interesting protagonists I've come across in a long time. Easy to see why so many have flocked to these titles.


----------



## Dani Adorable (Jul 13, 2010)

I've just started "Stranger in a Strange Land" and I'm really excited to really dig into it.


----------



## fatgirlflyin (Jul 13, 2010)

I see lots of people walking around with The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, anyone read that group of books yet?

I have a long flight on Monday and was thinking about picking one up for the trip.


----------



## Edens_heel (Jul 13, 2010)

fatgirlflyin said:


> I see lots of people walking around with The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, anyone read that group of books yet?
> 
> I have a long flight on Monday and was thinking about picking one up for the trip.



See my above post - they're a great deal of fun.


----------



## HottiMegan (Jul 13, 2010)

fatgirlflyin said:


> I see lots of people walking around with The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, anyone read that group of books yet?
> 
> I have a long flight on Monday and was thinking about picking one up for the trip.



I read the first one and have the second sitting on my shelf waiting to be read. (i haven't read a regular book since getting my nook a month ago)
I enjoyed the book but it took me a good 200 pages to really get into it. But by then i was hooked. It's a long read at well over 500 pages too. And like Edens said, the character Lisbeth was a fun read. I am looking forward to getting to know her better in the second book. (there are others in line before this one)


----------



## Adamantoise (Jul 13, 2010)

Bits and pieces,really-wikipedia articles,manga,old gaming magazines.


----------



## largenlovely (Jul 14, 2010)

I haven't been able to get to my reading much lately but i just finished Ken Follett's "The Pillars of the Earth" which was pretty good.

I'm moving on to "The Historian" by Elizbeth Kostova


----------



## pdgujer148 (Jul 15, 2010)

Based on an earlier post I attempted to try to rekindle my adolescent man-love for John Irving.

I a reading "Until I Find You".

My review: A bad case of logorrhea.

I'll finish all 800 pages of this monster--I might even cry--but the tears will be shed for time lost


----------



## LovelyLiz (Jul 15, 2010)

pdgujer148 said:


> Based on an earlier post I attempted to try to rekindle my adolescent man-love for John Irving.
> 
> I a reading "Until I Find You".
> 
> ...



As one of the several posters gushing about John Irving, my apologies.


----------



## HottiMegan (Jul 15, 2010)

I'm reading Guilty Pleasures. I had heard of the Anita Blake series and thought i'd give it a shot. It's okay. I'm a sucker for a mystery.
I should finish it today. Then i'm going to try my hand at some Sherlock Holmes. I bought a collection of his stories and want to read it. 
I have been a voracious reader this summer, averaging 4 books a week!


----------



## Boris_the_Spider (Jul 15, 2010)

The Woman Who Walked Into Doors by Roddy Doyle. Not a happy book, but an absolutely brilliant one. Doyle is one of my favourite authors and I've read this particular one three or four times before. It is an excellent work.


----------



## pdgujer148 (Jul 16, 2010)

mcbeth said:


> As one of the several posters gushing about John Irving, my apologies.



No apologies needed.

However, it reads like one of those very special episodes of Happy Days where the cast sat around and thought about the good old days when Fonzie jumped the shark. You know, the episodes where nothing happened; just a sketch of a story and a bunch of old clips to stretch it out. 

Thats Until I Find You; a collection of Irvings greatest hits mish-mashed together for no discernable purpose. I havent made up my mind if Irving is lazy, a perfectionist, or just trying to work out some formative events.

Regardless, I will finish the novel. Ive read a couple of reviews that indicate that there is a twist in the last 400 pages of the novel that justifies the plodding first half. Never know I might do a 180.


----------



## annetang (Jul 16, 2010)

:happy: The Lovely Bones ( photocopied edition) by Alice Sebold.


----------



## HDANGEL15 (Jul 16, 2010)

fatgirlflyin said:


> I see lots of people walking around with The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, anyone read that group of books yet?





HottiMegan said:


> I read the first one and have the second sitting on my shelf waiting to be read.
> I enjoyed the book but it took me a good 200 pages to really get into it. But by then i was hooked. It's a long read at well over 500 pages too. And like Edens said, the character Lisbeth was a fun read. I am looking forward to getting to know her better in the second book. (there are others in line before this one)



Wow..i just couldn't get into it..tried..perhaps I need to give it a 2nd shot..or listen to it as book on tape...i really enjoy that..I am listening to **THE HOST** right now by stephanie meyers in my car...while reading Nora Roberts. **BLACK HILLS**...a good inviting book. that i jumped right into...and good escape for me 

Also just treated myself to *Charlaine Harris 8 book collection* for some good reading, as so many on DIMS have said the books ROCK...just don't know when I will get to them LOL


----------



## crispcat (Jul 16, 2010)

The System of Objects by Jean Baudrillard


----------



## largenlovely (Jul 17, 2010)

ya know, i don't usually read or care for Vampire stuff...but this is a combination of the actual history of Vlad the Impaler mixed with the Dracula myth so it's pretty interesting. But.......... everytime they say Dracula, i can't help but think of Count Chockula..and it's totally ruining the book for me lol



largenlovely said:


> I'm moving on to "The Historian" by Elizbeth Kostova


----------



## blackcaesarbhm (Jul 17, 2010)

The Great Awakening-Jim Walis..


----------



## largenlovely (Jul 25, 2010)

Just finished _The Historian_ which was a pretty good book if you don't get bogged down in all the details.

Moving on to _The Stonewycke Trilogy_ by Michael Phillips and Judith Pella


----------



## Carrie (Jul 25, 2010)

Boris_the_Spider said:


> The Woman Who Walked Into Doors by Roddy Doyle. Not a happy book, but an absolutely brilliant one. Doyle is one of my favourite authors and I've read this particular one three or four times before. It is an excellent work.


He's one of my favorites, too! This has been on my "must-read" list for a while; time to bump it up, I think.


----------



## thirtiesgirl (Jul 25, 2010)

I just finished Drood by Dan Simmons, a fictional re-telling of the last 5 years of Charles Dickens' life, during which he worked on his unfinished novel, The Mystery of Edwin Drood. Now I've just started Sarah Waters' The Little Stranger, which I'm enjoying so far. A ghost story about an old Victorian mansion, set in post-war 1940s England? I'm in. I wasn't a big fan of her previous novel, The Night Watch, but I love her Victorian, slightly Dickensian earlier stuff like Fingersmith and Affinity.


----------



## mejix (Jul 25, 2010)

finished *never let me go* by kazuo ishiguro. moves from absolutely brilliant to great and then collapses into _dude what the hell?_ the basic premise is just soooo sad. soooooooooo sad. 

finished *lady chatterley's lover*. weird. a novel of ideas but with good sex scenes. sweeping generalizations a la robert bly. orgasms are called 'crisis'.

halfway through *disgrace* by coetzee. not the type of novel i was wanting to read but i'm enjoying it. 

started *fathers and sons*. nothing like characters making their entrance in xix century russian novel.



*


----------



## Edens_heel (Jul 25, 2010)

In the past week:

Finished The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest - excellent ending to the series, and far better than the second book (which frustrated me in terms of how it was structured). Amazing final courtroom scenes.

Read Extra Lives, by Tom Bissell, which should be required reading for anyone who has grown up a gamer.

The Big Sleep, by Raymond Chandler - because everyone needs a little noir now and then.

Memory Wall, by Anthony Doerr - six interconnected short stories dealing with memory and the tangibility or fragility of it. Beautiful and heartwarming.

And just started Ryu Murakami's Audition - hoping to hell it's not as disturbing to watch as the Miike film.


----------



## fatgirlflyin (Jul 25, 2010)

I finished the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo a few days ago. Pretty good book, the first part was kinda hard to get into because it dealt with a lot of financial stuff that I know zip about and some of the words throughout the book I didn't know how to pronounce (so I just winged it and made up my own way of saying them). I will probably buy the second and third one on payday to finish reading the story.


----------



## thirtiesgirl (Jul 25, 2010)

Edens_heel said:


> The Big Sleep, by Raymond Chandler - because everyone needs a little noir now and then.



Yes! I'm a big fan of crime noir fiction and love Raymond Chandler. My favorite is James Ellroy, though: LA Confidential, White Jazz, The Black Dahlia. He's such a 'macho' writer, his style cracks me up at times. But that's the way the LAPD was in the '50s, all that macho, racist, sexist, homophobic bullshit. ...Not that things have changed all that much in 60 years. :sour face: But Ellroy's a great story teller, which I love.


----------



## Edens_heel (Jul 25, 2010)

thirtiesgirl said:


> Yes! I'm a big fan of crime noir fiction and love Raymond Chandler. My favorite is James Ellroy, though: LA Confidential, White Jazz, The Black Dahlia. He's such a 'macho' writer, his style cracks me up at times. But that's the way the LAPD was in the '50s, all that macho, racist, sexist, homophobic bullshit. ...Not that things have changed all that much in 60 years. :sour face: But Ellroy's a great story teller, which I love.



Ellroy is possibly one of my all-time fave writers (have a signed copy of Blood's a Rover, though still haven't had a chance to crack it open as I want to first re-read American Tabloid and The Cold Six Thousand). I'd put the Big Nowhere and LA Confidential as his two best, though I do love the quartet in its entirety. In fact, I'd put LA Confidential as neck and neck with Raiders of the Lost Ark as my favourite film - I know it's drastically different from the novel, in which it was part 3 of and epic 4 parter, but as a stand-alone film, it's an incredible achievement.


----------



## thirtiesgirl (Jul 25, 2010)

Edens_heel said:


> Ellroy is possibly one of my all-time fave writers (have a signed copy of Blood's a Rover, though still haven't had a chance to crack it open as I want to first re-read American Tabloid and The Cold Six Thousand). I'd put the Big Nowhere and LA Confidential as his two best, though I do love the quartet in its entirety. In fact, I'd put LA Confidential as neck and neck with Raiders of the Lost Ark as my favourite film - I know it's drastically different from the novel, in which it was part 3 of and epic 4 parter, but as a stand-alone film, it's an incredible achievement.



I'm kind of embarrassed to say, but the movie is what got me into his books. LA Confidential is one of my all time favorite movies. I'd read a little bit of Chandler and Jim Thompson ("The Grifters") before Ellroy, so it was a natural progression, but I was kind of slow on the uptake with Ellroy. I still haven't read The Big Nowhere yet, but it's on my list.


----------



## Edens_heel (Jul 25, 2010)

thirtiesgirl said:


> I'm kind of embarrassed to say, but the movie is what got me into his books. LA Confidential is one of my all time favorite movies. I'd read a little bit of Chandler and Jim Thompson ("The Grifters") before Ellroy, so it was a natural progression, but I was kind of slow on the uptake with Ellroy. I still haven't read The Big Nowhere yet, but it's on my list.



Don't be embarrassed - that was my entry point into his work as well. 

Now if you had said the film version of The Black Dahlia was what got you into his work, that would have been embarrassing.


----------



## LovelyLiz (Jul 26, 2010)

mejix said:


> finished *never let me go* by kazuo ishiguro. moves from absolutely brilliant to great and then collapses into _dude what the hell?_ the basic premise is just soooo sad. soooooooooo sad.
> 
> finished *lady chatterley's lover*. weird. a novel of ideas but with good sex scenes. sweeping generalizations a la robert bly. orgasms are called 'crisis'.
> 
> ...



I'm adding the Ishiguro book to my reading list. I need a good sad book right now. Thanks for listing it. 

One of my best friends LOVES Coetzee and turned me onto him a bit. He is a beautiful, brilliant writer - but he can be a bit dense and more work to get through for me than your typical novel (his denseness is ala Faulkner, etc.). But when I'm in the mood for some well-crafted, really lovely sentences, Coetzee delivers.

I read _Sons and Lovers_ but never _Lady Chatterly's Lover_. Have you read both? Are they similar?


----------



## Captain Save (Jul 26, 2010)

I've picked up the _Bourne_ books written by Eric Van Lustbader. I know, it's cheap escapist fare, but it's an enjoyable ride which gets me back into the habit of reading, which was all I was looking for at the time. 

The one I'm reading now is The Bourne Sanction. Unless I get too bored with them, I'll probably finish the series and move on to something I've seen recommended here.


----------



## Edens_heel (Jul 26, 2010)

Just finished Ryu Murakami's Audition... fuck that, it was even MORE disturbing than the film. Never, ever again.


----------



## mejix (Jul 26, 2010)

mcbeth said:


> I'm adding the Ishiguro book to my reading list. I need a good sad book right now. Thanks for listing it.
> 
> One of my best friends LOVES Coetzee and turned me onto him a bit. He is a beautiful, brilliant writer - but he can be a bit dense and more work to get through for me than your typical novel (his denseness is ala Faulkner, etc.). But when I'm in the mood for some well-crafted, really lovely sentences, Coetzee delivers.
> 
> I read _Sons and Lovers_ but never _Lady Chatterly's Lover_. Have you read both? Are they similar?



Be warned that *Never Let Me Go* is a mixed bag. The ending is not very satisfying. The rest is excellent. The prose in *Disgrace* is very lean. This the first time I read Coetzee so I don't know how it compares to others. A friend recommended the novel to me. I guess Coetzee is the author that friends recommend. Never read *Sons and Lovers* but I am curious.


----------



## Dr. Feelgood (Jul 26, 2010)

I just finished Ralph Ellison's _Invisible Man_. I last read it twenty years ago (!) and thought then that it was the greatest American novel of the twentieth century. Now I'm sure it is.


----------



## HDANGEL15 (Jul 27, 2010)

*Just finished Nora Roberts. *BLACK HILLS*...really really enjoyed her, she has written a ton of books, lots of trilogys, nice escape...ending was a little to neat and wrapped up TOO fast though

Listening in the car to BIG GIRL, by Danielle Steel, probably the first book of hers I have picked up in decades...and indeed it is exactly what I hoped for...and great to start / stop in the car

Reading Jodi Picoults HOUSE RULES...started off typical for her, with every character having their own voice via chapters...i like this alot *


----------



## Blackjack (Jul 27, 2010)

Finished _Solaris_ a couple weeks ago. Eerie read, quite good, despite some awkward pacing.

Currently reading _Grapes of Wrath_. A little over 30 pages in and loving it for the most part so far.


----------



## collared Princess (Jul 27, 2010)

Messages..A widow who has put together a book about unusual happenings to people,family members before and after 9 /11..Preminitons,strange conversations with loved ones before they passed away..very good book


----------



## fatgirlflyin (Jul 27, 2010)

Blackjack said:


> Finished _Solaris_ a couple weeks ago. Eerie read, quite good, despite some awkward pacing.
> 
> Currently reading _Grapes of Wrath_. A little over 30 pages in and loving it for the most part so far.



Grapes of Wrath is an awesome book! I read it at least once a year, have since high school. Hope you enjoy!


----------



## snuggletiger (Jul 27, 2010)

Just finished "THE SUN ALSO RISES" by Hemingway and "LIFE ON THE MISSISSIPPI" by Twain. next book will probably be "THE OLD MAN & THE SEA" by Hemingway


----------



## supersoup (Jul 27, 2010)

Edens_heel said:


> Just finished Ryu Murakami's Audition... fuck that, it was even MORE disturbing than the film. Never, ever again.




this has piqued my curiosity to the point of taking this as a challenge.

must. read. someday.


----------



## Ola (Jul 27, 2010)

"The Predictioneers Game" by Bruce Bueno De Mesquita

Awesome book, I thought people were too spontaneous/unreliable for it to be possible to predict the future, but according to the CIA this guy is spot on 90% of the times!


----------



## largenlovely (Jul 27, 2010)

Oooooooohhhhhhhhhhh i didn't know that there was a book out by him!!! I watched something about this on discovery channel and found it completely fascinating!!!

I'm gonna look for that book 




Ola said:


> "The Predictioneers Game" by Bruce Bueno De Mesquita
> 
> Awesome book, I thought people were too spontaneous/unreliable for it to be possible to predict the future, but according to the CIA this guy is spot on 90% of the times!


----------



## Ola (Jul 27, 2010)

largenlovely said:


> Oooooooohhhhhhhhhhh i didn't know that there was a book out by him!!! I watched something about this on discovery channel and found it completely fascinating!!!
> 
> I'm gonna look for that book


Oh trust me, the book's amazing! He explains everything really well, and I've actually learned a thing or two from it that can be applied in real life situations too! Like how you get the lowest price possible when you're out buying a new car. That technique might save me thousands of bucks one day! 

It's definitely an interesting read, I recommend it!


----------



## largenlovely (Jul 27, 2010)

the whole idea and concept behind it really appeals to me...yes i agree, i'll HAVE to have this book!!! lol



Ola said:


> Oh trust me, the book's amazing! He explains everything really well, and I've actually learned a thing or two from it that can be applied in real life situations too! Like how you get the lowest price possible when you're out buying a new car. That technique might save me thousands of bucks one day!
> 
> It's definitely an interesting read, I recommend it!


----------



## Ola (Jul 28, 2010)

^ Excellent! I hope you'll enjoy reading it as much as I do! 


Anyways, I also recently finished reading a book called "I am a genius of unspeakable evil, and I want to be your class president". I really need to recommend it to all of you, because it's one of the most hilarious books I've ever read! It rivals the works of Douglas Adams for sure!


----------



## pdgujer148 (Jul 28, 2010)

I can only speak for myself, but my reading habits are completely random and based on whim.

I started the week thinking that I would read Fyodor Dostoevsky's "Demons", was persuaded by the good taste of another Dims regular to dig Haruki Murakami's "Kafka on the Shore" out of my library, but ended up engrossed in an Australian novel by Steve Toltz called "A Fraction of the Whole" because Borders Rewards sent me a 40% off coupon and a quick perusal of this book gave me a belly laugh.

This is a monster of a book. Nowhere perfect. The reviewers gushed about Mark Twain and "A Confederacy of Dunces". That's BS. However, I would liken the novel to David Foster Wallace's "Broom of the System" and Martin Amis' "London Fields"; imperfect, but entertaining and suggesting future greatness.


----------



## Carrie (Jul 28, 2010)

Currently re-reading Robert B. Parker's Spenser series, for the quadrillionth time.


----------



## HottiMegan (Jul 28, 2010)

I'm on Bloody Bones of the Anita Blake series by Laural K Hamilton. I have slowed my reading a bit since i'm In the throws of a crazy quilt project. I was averaging a book and a half every 2 days. I've been on the same book since Monday.


----------



## Jes (Jul 28, 2010)

Wisconsin Death Trip. *FINALLY*


----------



## smithnwesson (Jul 28, 2010)

THIS

Dean Koontz's 4th in his Frankenstein series on my Kindle. It ain't too bad.

Lots of ass-kickin' and TEOTWAWKI.

It certainly isn't Jane Austin, but will do for now.

 - Jim


----------



## CAMellie (Jul 28, 2010)

Dean Koontz' "Frankenstein Lost Souls". It's book 4 in the series. While I AM enjoying this installment, and the one before it, I have to admit that I preferred the first 2 when he collaborated with other authors.


----------



## HottiMegan (Jul 28, 2010)

I want to read that Frankenstein book. It's on my list to read. I enjoyed the first three.


----------



## annetang (Jul 31, 2010)

Who can recommend some books for my reading list in fall, neither too long nor too complicated, lyric prose would be nice ? :happy: Thanks ahead.


----------



## largenlovely (Aug 3, 2010)

finished _The Stonewycke Trilogy_ and then moved on to _Tuesdays with Morrie: An Old Man, A Young Man, and Life's Greatest Lesson_ by Mitch Albom which was freaking phenomenal!!!! 

Now i'm reading _The Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible_ by A.J. Jacobs ...which i figured would be quite hilarious but so far it's just kinda mildly amusing. I've only just started it so maybe it will be more entertaining after a few more pages.


----------



## CastingPearls (Aug 3, 2010)

CAMellie said:


> Dean Koontz' "Frankenstein Lost Souls". It's book 4 in the series. While I AM enjoying this installment, and the one before it, I have to admit that I preferred the first 2 when he collaborated with other authors.


I didn't know it was out! GOOD DEAL! Thanks!


----------



## Captain Save (Aug 3, 2010)

I finished reading _Hannibal_ over the weekend, and I felt joy in my heart at the ending! I really didn't like the way the movie ended; she was too pious for my taste.


----------



## ConnieLynn (Aug 3, 2010)

Just finished Larsson's three books in fast order: Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Girl Who Played with Fire, Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest

I put off reading them because I'm one of those people who loses the desire to read a book or see a movie if everyone and their brother is hyping it... just contrary that way 

I really didn't care that much for the first one, but got into it by the second.


----------



## CAMellie (Aug 3, 2010)

Everville by Clive Barker


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## CastingPearls (Aug 3, 2010)

CAMellie said:


> Everville by Clive Barker


Have you ever read his Weaveworld? That's a book you can can lost in.....


----------



## CAMellie (Aug 4, 2010)

CastingPearls said:


> Have you ever read his Weaveworld? That's a book you can can lost in.....



I haven't, but thanks for the suggestion! Next in line for me is Sleep No More by Greg Iles


----------



## calauria (Aug 4, 2010)

"Madeleine" by Bernard Taylor

Madeleine is crazy as hell, too!!


----------



## pdgujer148 (Aug 4, 2010)

CastingPearls said:


> Have you ever read his Weaveworld? That's a book you can can lost in.....



I love "Weaveworld" but my favorite Barker novel is "Imajica". I've read it at least three times (all 800+ pages) and every time I read it my regard for it increases.


----------



## HottiMegan (Aug 4, 2010)

ConnieLynn said:


> Just finished Larsson's three books in fast order: Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Girl Who Played with Fire, Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest
> 
> I put off reading them because I'm one of those people who loses the desire to read a book or see a movie if everyone and their brother is hyping it... just contrary that way
> 
> I really didn't care that much for the first one, but got into it by the second.



i'm glad to hear the second one is good. I have it sitting on my shelf collecting dust because the first one was so hard to get into.


----------



## garbled (Aug 4, 2010)

Anthony Beevor, stalingrad: an excellent history of one of the most important battles of ww2 and one of the most viciously fought.


----------



## largenlovely (Aug 11, 2010)

moving on to _Vanishing Acts _ by Jodi Picoult


----------



## mejix (Aug 11, 2010)

Finished the Hikmet, now working the Cavafy poetry anthology. For fiction I think its going to be *A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius*.


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## mejix (Aug 11, 2010)

garbled said:


> Anthony Beevor, stalingrad: an excellent history of one of the most important battles of ww2 and one of the most viciously fought.



I remember watching this documentary where this Russian scholar is saying something like "the rumors about widespread cannibalism during the siege are totally unfounded, there are only 15 documented cases."




*


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## largenlovely (Aug 11, 2010)

that looks pretty interesting...i think i may put that on my list of future reads



mejix said:


> *A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius*.


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## mejix (Aug 11, 2010)

largenlovely said:


> that looks pretty interesting...i think i may put that on my list of future reads



I haven't read Dave Eggers. Opinions seem to be polarized about him so I'm curious. By the way, I picked up a copy of Jonathan Strange for $2 bucks. It was for charity and this edition is so nice to hold in the hand. It will probably have to wait for next month or so.


----------



## Carrie (Aug 11, 2010)

CAMellie said:


> I haven't, but thanks for the suggestion! Next in line for me is Sleep No More by Greg Iles


I love Greg Iles! One of my favorites. :happy:


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## largenlovely (Aug 12, 2010)

ya know, i've went through a number of books recently...but i gotta say that was one that i consider a favorite. 



mejix said:


> By the way, I picked up a copy of Jonathan Strange for $2 bucks. It was for charity and this edition is so nice to hold in the hand. It will probably have to wait for next month or so.


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## snuggletiger (Aug 12, 2010)

The most boring book in the world
The Iliad by Homer.


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## largenlovely (Aug 12, 2010)

lol ...the Iliad wasn't so bad...but the odyssey was my favorite  I keep expecting them to make a movie about it but all i've gotten was a mini series that came on tv a number of years ago  



snuggletiger said:


> The most boring book in the world
> The Iliad by Homer.


----------



## supersoup (Aug 12, 2010)

i have to stop coming into this thread, it's like torture!! i want to read all the books in the world now!!!!

when i can start buying books again, i'm not stopping until i've got a library, *evil cackle*.


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## LovelyLiz (Aug 12, 2010)

mejix said:


> I haven't read Dave Eggers. Opinions seem to be polarized about him so I'm curious. By the way, I picked up a copy of Jonathan Strange for $2 bucks. It was for charity and this edition is so nice to hold in the hand. It will probably have to wait for next month or so.



I really liked it when I first read it (when it first came out). Found it very funny. Maybe felt it lagged as it went on...but overall I do recall liking it. Post up your assessment. 


Now I'm reading _Spheres of Justice: A Defense of Pluralism and Equality_ by Michael Walzer.


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## CarlaSixx (Aug 12, 2010)

I just picked up _Angels And Demons_ by Dan Brown today, and got _Get Me Out Of Here_ by Rachel Reiland once again to finish it off. 

I probably won't enjoy _Angels And Demons_ much but I wanted to get away from Bios because I gravitate towards those way too much. _Get Me Out Of Here_ is rather awesome, though. It's completely relate-able. It's like reading my own type of thoughts and reactions to situations in a book and has stirred up one hell of a lot of emotions from me.


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## Captain Save (Aug 12, 2010)

_The Bourne Deception_ by Eric Van Lustbader, to be followed by _Beauty's Punishment_ by A. N. Roquelaure. 

As my second book sits here on my desk, I half expect to see vampires and witches in the story, and I _know_ there's no vampires or witches in it!

This thread has me wanting to devour everything in print as well, so I'm just gonna go with it and enjoy the ride. Eventually, I'm _gonna try to take over the world_ when all the reading goes to my head.


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## largenlovely (Aug 12, 2010)

I know i've advertised it a million times since it was shown to me 

but http://www.paperbackswap.com is awesome!! I've been on there for a long time and wouldn't know what to do without the place now




supersoup said:


> i have to stop coming into this thread, it's like torture!! i want to read all the books in the world now!!!!
> 
> when i can start buying books again, i'm not stopping until i've got a library, *evil cackle*.


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## Blackjack (Aug 12, 2010)

snuggletiger said:


> The most boring book in the world
> The Iliad by Homer.



If you think that _The Iliad_ is the most boring book in the world, you'll probably find a lot of older literature difficult. It's not nearly as compelling as _The Odyssey_, but it's still a good, worthwhile read.



largenlovely said:


> lol ...the Iliad wasn't so bad...but the odyssey was my favorite  I keep expecting them to make a movie about it but all i've gotten was a mini series that came on tv a number of years ago



It's going to be tough to do a film for _The Odyssey_. Even a miniseries might not be able to fully encompass the events of the tale. But aside from time constraints, there's a lyric to the prose and a lot of sequences that are just unfilmable. Because I'm such a movie buff, I frequently visualize scenes as film sequences when I read something, and oftentimes it was difficult to figure out how it would be done.

Which is a shame, because the narrative is compelling, the pace is wonderful, and the story most certainly is worthy of the acclaim it's recieved over the ages.



CarlaSixx said:


> I probably won't enjoy _Angels And Demons_ much but I wanted to get away from Bios because I gravitate towards those way too much.



_Angels and Demons_ is a fun read. I don't know that it's really good, but I really enjoyed it and would recommend it.


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## largenlovely (Aug 12, 2010)

maybe that's why it hasn't been done...but i would think that, even with leaving some stuff out, that someone could make something that was more than passable. It's just such a great book that i hate to see that nobody has made more than just a mere nod to it in _Oh Brother Where Art Thou_ and of course, the mini series which i planned my entire week around lol

I've been dreaming of this as a movie since i first read it waaaaaaaaay back in the day *sigh* 




Blackjack said:


> It's going to be tough to do a film for _The Odyssey_. Even a miniseries might not be able to fully encompass the events of the tale. But aside from time constraints, there's a lyric to the prose and a lot of sequences that are just unfilmable. Because I'm such a movie buff, I frequently visualize scenes as film sequences when I read something, and oftentimes it was difficult to figure out how it would be done.
> 
> Which is a shame, because the narrative is compelling, the pace is wonderful, and the story most certainly is worthy of the acclaim it's recieved over the ages.


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## LovelyLiz (Aug 13, 2010)

Going to stay in and read short stories by Flannery O'Connor tonight.

I'm just in the mood for some of her.


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## mimosa (Aug 13, 2010)

I am reading the bible every morning. I am getting in touch with my spirituality again. It feels really good too. :happy:


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## largenlovely (Aug 15, 2010)

tonight i'm going to start _Dreamland_ by Kevin Baker


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## iglooboy55 (Aug 15, 2010)

Black Like Me.
The name caught my eye for it's the title of a song by Spoon, and if you haven't read it its a wicked interesting book. White guy turns skin black. Goes to deep south. Experiences black lifestyle. (took place in the 40s i think). This is probably one of the best nonfiction books i've ever read.


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## largenlovely (Aug 15, 2010)

oh wow...that does sound interesting!! 

I love books where someone attempts to try to experience a life that is foreign to them and what they learn from it. This will definitely be on my list of things to read in the future.



iglooboy55 said:


> Black Like Me.
> The name caught my eye for it's the title of a song by Spoon, and if you haven't read it its a wicked interesting book. White guy turns skin black. Goes to deep south. Experiences black lifestyle. (took place in the 40s i think). This is probably one of the best nonfiction books i've ever read.


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## BurlesqueBrit (Aug 19, 2010)

I end up reading and re-reading quite a few books at the same time, at the moment I think it might be a record for me though:happy:

Queen of Sorcery - book 2 of the Belgariad/Mallorean series by David Eddings
Elephant Song by Wilbur Smith
The Russia Concubine by Kate Furnivall
The Last Empress by Anchee Min
and having just been sorting through my childhood things in the loft, so the first in the Malory Towers series by Enid Blyton, the first in the Narnia series by C.S.Lewis and The Little White Horse by Elizabeth Groudge.

And of course, where I can find time to fit them in, a few journals for uni


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## HottiMegan (Aug 19, 2010)

I'm reading the Lost Symbol by Dan Brown. I liked the first two books (way better than the movies). I found this book on my library's ebook lending site. I was so stoked to see so many books i can check out. Looks like there's a wait list on a lot of them but i am so happy i can get some free ebooks to read  wish i woulda known about this before i forked over some money for so so books.


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## snuggletiger (Aug 19, 2010)

I guess for me on the Iliad its keeping track of all these Gods & Goddesses. Thank goodness there's a program in the front of the book to remind me who is who. But anything is better then Catcher in the Rye. That has to be the stinkiest book in the world.


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## paintsplotch (Aug 19, 2010)

One Foot in the Grave, by Jeanette Frost 

i tend to like paranormal romance kinda stuff..... gets me by :blush:


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## thirtiesgirl (Aug 19, 2010)

Just finished historical fantasy author Guy Gavriel Kay's Ysabel, which is kind of a continuation of his first 3-book series, The Fionavar Tapestry. Like the Fionavar Tapestry, Ysabel mixes history and fantasy with modern elements, which I don't like as well as Kay's strictly historical fiction, like The Lions of Al-Rassan or his 2-book series, The Sarantine Mosaic. Kay's writing style can also be overly-flowery and over-dramatic at times, which grates on me after a while. I'm in the mood for something cleaner, colder now, where the emotions are true but not made overmuch of. I'm thinking of re-reading William Gibson's Pattern Recognition for the third or fourth time. Not sure how many times I've read it now.


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## fatgirlflyin (Aug 19, 2010)

Has anyone read Eat Pray Love? I saw the movie yesterday and bawled through most of it. So much I could relate to. Thinking I'd like to read the book now.


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## HottiMegan (Aug 19, 2010)

It was a good book. I read it and passed it along to my mom. I had a hard time parting with it since i'd like to reread it. I'm on the waiting list for the sequel at the library. The spirituality part really made me want to pursue my spirituality.
I wanted to see the movie but we have no sitter so we usually just rent movies.


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## TwilightStarr (Aug 21, 2010)

I am currently re-reading "She's Come Undone" for about the 100th time.


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## HDANGEL15 (Aug 21, 2010)

fatgirlflyin said:


> Has anyone read Eat Pray Love? I saw the movie yesterday and bawled through most of it. So much I could relate to. Thinking I'd like to read the book now.



*yes I did 2x..I liked it so much I had to reread it again before I saw the movie!!! I admitted on movie thread...that this was one of the ONLY books I ever read and really enjoyed the movie...they did a great job of catching the gist of the book *



HottiMegan said:


> It was a good book. I read it and passed it along to my mom. I had a hard time parting with it since i'd like to reread it. I'm on the waiting list for the sequel at the library. The spirituality part really made me want to pursue my spirituality.
> I wanted to see the movie but we have no sitter so we usually just rent movies.



*her next book isn't so much a sequel, it is about committment and marriage which is alien to me...i couldn't get into it all..but THATS ME... a single girl*


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## HDANGEL15 (Aug 21, 2010)

largenlovely said:


> moving on to _Vanishing Acts _ by Jodi Picoult



*read house rules
it was by far the best she ever wrote in my opinion....JUST DIDN"T want it to end...awesome read*


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## thirtiesgirl (Aug 21, 2010)

TwilightStarr said:


> I am currently re-reading "She's Come Undone" for about the 100th time.



I like the book a lot, too. Funnily enough, I know a lot of fat women into size acceptance who hate the book. They feel it's an extremely negative portrayal of a fat person. But I don't see it that way. I see it as a character study of a very damaged woman who just happens to be fat. It isn't her only defining factor. But I guess not a lot of other people see it that way.


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## Blackjack_Jeeves (Aug 21, 2010)

I've seen a few of the episodes on TV and really enjoyed them, but not enough of them in any sort of sequence to truly understand the story. So my brother went and bought me the first two books of the series, The Sword Of Truth by Terry Goodkind. I am about halfway through Wizard's First Rule. It is a VERY difficult book to put down!


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## TwilightStarr (Aug 21, 2010)

thirtiesgirl said:


> I like the book a lot, too. Funnily enough, I know a lot of fat women into size acceptance who hate the book. They feel it's an extremely negative portrayal of a fat person. But I don't see it that way. I see it as a character study of a very damaged woman who just happens to be fat. It isn't her only defining factor. But I guess not a lot of other people see it that way.



I can see how someone could take that from the book but it truly has so much more to it.


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## mel (Aug 22, 2010)

The Search by Nora Roberts


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## Edens_heel (Aug 22, 2010)

_Your call is Important to Us: the Truth About Bullshit_, by Laura Penny. A little outdated (written in 2005), but a fantastic look at how rhetoric, advertising and PR shape and fuck up our society in innumerable ways. Also scathingly funny - highly recommended.


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## pdgujer148 (Aug 22, 2010)

I just gave up on Rick Moody's "The Four Fingers of Death". 

I should know better. Moody is a pretentious gasbag of Jonathan Franzen proportions. Still, there is something underneath all of the self-conscious postmodern posturing that suggests that he has a great novel in him. This isn't it.

The basic concept of the novel is amusing. A down and out experimental author of one sentence novels is given to chance to write a movie tie-in to a dreadful B-movie creature feature about a crawling hand from Mars. The writer expands the story into a 600 page epic. 

The bulk of "The Four Fingers of Death" is a maximalist and ridiculously literary rendering of an Ed Wood type movie.

And, yeah, that sounds kind of cool on paper, but actually reading 600 pages of it is torturous.


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## george83 (Aug 22, 2010)

I've just finished reading all the classic James Bond novel's some good some not some good.

The really good ones I preferred over the movies, esp the Roger Moore movies lol


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## mimosa (Aug 22, 2010)

I am reading the book right now. It is very good. I can also relate to it. I can not wait to watch the movie. Shhhh don't tell my guy friends. :blush:




fatgirlflyin said:


> Has anyone read Eat Pray Love? I saw the movie yesterday and bawled through most of it. So much I could relate to. Thinking I'd like to read the book now.


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## DeniseW (Aug 22, 2010)

I'm reading it for the first time, a friend told me about it and I just got it at the library, so far so good...





TwilightStarr said:


> I am currently re-reading "She's Come Undone" for about the 100th time.


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## HDANGEL15 (Aug 23, 2010)

*Just read THE GIRLS by Lori Lansens about co-joined twins; written by both of them with very different voices. What a fantastic story, so well written and beautiful. I love freaks, what else can I say *


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## Micara (Aug 25, 2010)

"Mockingjay" by Suzanne Collins. Book 3 of the Hunger Games trilogy. I've only been waiting a year for it!!


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## Weirdo890 (Aug 25, 2010)

_Drawing on the Right Side of Your Brain_ by Betty Edwards. I'm hoping this book will help me in unleashing my creative potential and thus I can become better at art. :happy:


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## HottiMegan (Aug 25, 2010)

HDANGEL15 said:


> *her next book isn't so much a sequel, it is about committment and marriage which is alien to me...i couldn't get into it all..but THATS ME... a single girl*



I just got it via the library and will put it on my nook tomorrow. i read the description and looks like fun. I don't know how much i'll relate being happily married for 12 years. (i have never really been an adult and single since i met hubby at 17 and married him at 19)


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## AuntHen (Aug 27, 2010)

Persuasion

by Jane Austen

sighhhh... love this era and all her books!:wubu: (except Northanger Abbey...no thanks)


*next I want to tackle my Charlotte Bronte books... Villette & Jane Eyre (of course)


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## mejix (Aug 28, 2010)

*A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius*- 7ish or 8ish out of 10, Haven't made up my mind yet. 

*Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde*-7/10 Great beginning. Clunkish ending. 

*Around the World in 80 Days*- 6/10 "If it can be done, it ought to be done first by an Englishman!"

*Notes from Underground*- 100/10- Didn't remember the hilarious sections. 

*The Complete Poems of CP Cavafy* -8 or 9/10. Liked it but not as much as the first time around.


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## HottiMegan (Aug 28, 2010)

I'm going between three books right now:
Narcissus in Chains
The Lost Symbol 
Commit ed

The lost symbol keeps putting me to sleep so i'm not sure i'll finish it. I downloaded it from the library so i wont feel guilty about quitting it. Committed is okay. Narcissus in Chains only has 100 pages left.. it's meh as far as the Anita Blake series goes.


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## CastingPearls (Aug 28, 2010)

Women Food and God ~ Geneen Roth

Profound.


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## Tania (Aug 28, 2010)

The last two books I read cover-to-cover were All the President's Men (by Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein) and Kendra Wilkinson's "memoir." LOL.

The last "books" I read piecemeal were the Epic of Gilgamesh, The Odyssey, and an American Government textbook - all stuff I assign to my classes.


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## Bafta1 (Aug 28, 2010)

I'm now reading some obscure book on conditions for ethnic minorities in Russia between 1917 and 1921. I wouldn't recommend it.

On the other hand, I just finished Khaled Hosseini's book "A Thousand Splendid Suns". It's a fantastic read! And if you're interested in women's issues in Islam, this book is a fantastic window into that world. I became a fervent feminist after reading it.

Fat9276, Don't you think Jane Austen's books are all the same??? I think Bronte is much better.

Mejix, I love the Verne quote!!!! As an Englishman, I quite agree with the sentiment!


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## HottiMegan (Aug 28, 2010)

CastingPearls said:


> Women Food and God ~ Geneen Roth
> 
> Profound.



I was thinking about getting that book. It looked interesting and eye opening.


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## CastingPearls (Aug 28, 2010)

HottiMegan said:


> I was thinking about getting that book. It looked interesting and eye opening.


If the 'god' part throws you off, it's more 'spirituality' than a personage.


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## AuntHen (Aug 28, 2010)

Bafta1 said:


> I'm now reading some obscure book on conditions for ethnic minorities in Russia between 1917 and 1921. I wouldn't recommend it.
> 
> On the other hand, I just finished Khaled Hosseini's book "A Thousand Splendid Suns". It's a fantastic read! And if you're interested in women's issues in Islam, this book is a fantastic window into that world. I became a fervent feminist after reading it.
> 
> ...



Sort of! Bronte is more morbid. I enjoy that Austen's books all end happy Plus Austen is funny!


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## mejix (Aug 28, 2010)

Bafta1 said:


> Mejix, I love the Verne quote!!!! As an Englishman, I quite agree with the sentiment!



Here's the correct quote, courtesy of the Gutenberg Project:

"Lord Albemarle, an elderly paralytic gentleman, was now the only advocate of Phileas Fogg left. This noble lord, who was fastened to his chair, would have given his fortune to be able to make the tour of the world, if it took ten years; and he bet five thousand pounds on Phileas Fogg. When the folly as well as the uselessness of the adventure was pointed out to him, he contented himself with replying, 'If the thing is feasible, the first to do it ought to be an Englishman.' "


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## HottiMegan (Aug 29, 2010)

CastingPearls said:


> If the 'god' part throws you off, it's more 'spirituality' than a personage.



I'm just bummed that it's not in e format other than a pirated pdf version 

eta: means i'm gonna have to read it the old fashioned way


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## Dmitra (Aug 29, 2010)

1. Colloquial Russian - Svetlana Le Fleming and Susan E. Kay
2. The Threesome Handbook - Vicki Vantoch
3. The Universe in a Single Atom - His Holiness the Dalai Lama

All in book form as I'm selectively Ludditic. :doh:


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## LovelyLiz (Aug 30, 2010)

CastingPearls said:


> If the 'god' part throws you off, it's more 'spirituality' than a personage.



Yeah. The whole book is really kind of vague, at least to me - and that kind of nondescript "god" you reference is just a case-in-point of what to me is an overall vagueness. I have found a couple of points interesting, but I guess I'm just not on its wavelength or something (not because of the God piece, for other reasons). But I have about 50 pages to go.


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## PamelaLois (Aug 30, 2010)

I decided that I needed a challenge, so my current reading project is 
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. Yeah, kids book, but I decided to read the French translation, even the title is different. Harry Potter a L'Ecole Des Sorciers (Harry Potter and the School of Sorcerers)

Thank God I have read the book before, so I am able to muddle through it and understand most of it.


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## HottiMegan (Aug 30, 2010)

that is a challenge! I haven't read a french novel since highschool!


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## PamelaLois (Aug 30, 2010)

HottiMegan said:


> that is a challenge! I haven't read a french novel since highschool!



I haven't read french since college 25 years ago! It's amazing how much of it has come back, but having read the book a few times in english has made it much easier. When I've gotten stuck on something, it's easier to figure it out through context since I know the book so well. I will definitely try to do the whole series, if the library carries all the books. I know they have at least the first 4.

Also, I am "reading" (listening to on CD) Vanity Fair by Thackery. I tried to read the book a few years ago, after seeing the movie, but I found it impossible to comprehend as the author switches point of view so much. Sometimes he talks in first person, sometimes in third person, and sometimes directly to the reader. He wanders off on tangents about different characters, or his impressions of a setting or person. The person reading the book on CD is fabulous, he changes his tone when he switches into the meandering meaningless drivel and I find it so much easier to follow. I may try reading the book again. 

or not


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## Bafta1 (Aug 31, 2010)

mejix said:


> Here's the correct quote, courtesy of the Gutenberg Project:
> 
> "Lord Albemarle, an elderly paralytic gentleman, was now the only advocate of Phileas Fogg left. This noble lord, who was fastened to his chair, would have given his fortune to be able to make the tour of the world, if it took ten years; and he bet five thousand pounds on Phileas Fogg. When the folly as well as the uselessness of the adventure was pointed out to him, he contented himself with replying, 'If the thing is feasible, the first to do it ought to be an Englishman.' "



Love it!!!!!!


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## HottiMegan (Aug 31, 2010)

I just started The Last Song last night. I like Nicholas Sparks. He writes romance well.


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## Mishty (Aug 31, 2010)

It's almost Fall so of course I'm readin' * The Great Gatsby* with my new Stus in honors 9. Next up? Cold Sassy Tree! Woot!


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## HDANGEL15 (Aug 31, 2010)

*I just picked up the 30 cd version of Stephen Kings UNDER THE DOME....I was a lot intimidated by the book which had 2 pages of characters listed....But I am gonna give it a try.....*


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## PamelaLois (Aug 31, 2010)

HDANGEL15 said:


> *I just picked up the 30 cd version of Stephen Kings UNDER THE DOME....I was a lot intimidated by the book which had 2 pages of characters listed....But I am gonna give it a try.....*



some books are just way better on CD than reading, but some don't hold up. I could not get into Dan Brown's Deception Point on CD, even though I loved reading the book, and I loved all 4 of his other books on CDs.


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## pdgujer148 (Aug 31, 2010)

HDANGEL15 said:


> *I just picked up the 30 cd version of Stephen Kings UNDER THE DOME....I was a lot intimidated by the book which had 2 pages of characters listed....But I am gonna give it a try.....*



Don't be intimidated by the number of characters. It boils down to twenty or so clearly defined character. The rest are cannon fodder as the town falls apart.

Under the Dome isn't the best Stephen King novel and the end is pretty absurd, but it is the best book he is written in a long time--full of melodrama (I mean that in a good sense) and character you love and characters you love to hate.


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## The Orange Mage (Sep 1, 2010)

I'm tiding over the wait for "A Dance with Dragons" (I only finished the previous book a few months ago) by reading T.H. White's "The Once And Future King."

Those who are completely lost: The first "book" of it is The Sword in the Stone, the same story adapted by Disney into an AWESOME animated movie back in 1964.


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## nettie (Sep 1, 2010)

fat9276 said:


> Sort of! Bronte is more morbid. I enjoy that Austen's books all end happy Plus Austen is funny!



Currently reading _Pride and Prejudice and Zombies_. Anyone else read it? And sorry if this book has already been discussed; I'm just now going back through the posts.


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## CarlaSixx (Sep 1, 2010)

iglooboy55 said:


> Black Like Me.
> The name caught my eye for it's the title of a song by Spoon, and if you haven't read it its a wicked interesting book. White guy turns skin black. Goes to deep south. Experiences black lifestyle. (took place in the 40s i think). This is probably one of the best nonfiction books i've ever read.



I had to read this in my grade 10 Advanced English class. Everyone loved it and it's still a book that gets a lot of buzz around high schools. As well as _Animal Farm_ and _Lord Of The Flies._ Though only _LOTF_ is studied in Advanced English out of the 2.

We also studied To _Kill A Mockingbird_ in grade 9 I believe, and since I bought the book for only 1$, I've just picked it up today to read it. I never got to the end, and didn't even get to see the end of the movie, lol. We were watching it in class after our exam about the book and I got sent to the principal's office after the first 20 minutes :blush: I did like it overall, though.

--------

When it comes to Audio Books, I could never get into them. Not when it was an actual book, at least. When it's a script, like Shakespeare, I *love* to have an Audio version, but otherwise hate them. I guess it's because there's a little more room for imagination in a script than in a novel. It was something I thoroughly enjoyed in high school. We'd read along in our books with the audio tape. I still would love to do that now if it was possible. More of the story would stay permanently fried into my brain, lol. But unfortunately, it's rather rare.

I'd really like to read a good bio. I'm a sucker for the human experience.


----------



## CarlaSixx (Sep 1, 2010)

iglooboy55 said:


> Black Like Me.
> The name caught my eye for it's the title of a song by Spoon, and if you haven't read it its a wicked interesting book. White guy turns skin black. Goes to deep south. Experiences black lifestyle. (took place in the 40s i think). This is probably one of the best nonfiction books i've ever read.



I had to read this in my grade 10 Advanced English class. Everyone loved it and it's still a book that gets a lot of buzz around high schools. As well as _Animal Farm_ and _Lord Of The Flies._ Though only _LOTF_ is studied in Advanced English out of the 2.

We also studied To _Kill A Mockingbird_ in grade 9 I believe, and since I bought the book for only 1$, I've just picked it up today to read it. I never got to the end, and didn't even get to see the end of the movie, lol. We were watching it in class after our exam about the book and I got sent to the principal's office after the first 20 minutes :blush: I did like it overall, though.

--------

When it comes to Audio Books, I could never get into them. Not when it was an actual book, at least. When it's a script, like Shakespeare, I *love* to have an Audio version, but otherwise hate them. I guess it's because there's a little more room for imagination in a script than in a novel. It was something I thoroughly enjoyed in high school. We'd read along in our books with the audio tape. I still would love to do that now if it was possible. More of the story would stay permanently fried into my brain, lol. But unfortunately, it's rather rare.

I'd really like to read a good bio. I'm a sucker for the human experience. Maybe even some of those "self help" kinds of books if any were actually worth reading. I can't tell by titles and covers alone, and I don't know very many people in RL who read at all.  You'd think with their level of intelligence (my friends are quite smart) they would actually enjoy reading a book every once in awhile but I actually get laughed at when I talk about reading


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## HDANGEL15 (Sep 1, 2010)

pdgujer148 said:


> Don't be intimidated by the number of characters. It boils down to twenty or so clearly defined character. The rest are cannon fodder as the town falls apart.
> 
> Under the Dome isn't the best Stephen King novel and the end is pretty absurd, but it is the best book he is written in a long time--full of melodrama (I mean that in a good sense) and character you love and characters you love to hate.


*
I haven't read anything by him in decades...but heard this was a close 2nd to THE STAND, which I found to be one of the best books I ever read, I do enjoy his writing once again.

Dilemma.....Jonathan Franzens' FREEDOM is now on hold at the library on CD also....can't listen to 2 and read one at the same time  *


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## KHayes666 (Sep 1, 2010)

How The Mob Ran Vegas.....the movie Mobsters starring Richard Greico and Christian Slater was based on the originators of mafia activity in Las Vegas.

"The best damn cocksucker in the US" also makes an appearance in this book. I brought it home from Vegas and my dad took a month and a half to finish it. I should be done with it by friday.


----------



## LovelyLiz (Sep 24, 2010)

I am finishing up _Democracy Matters_ by Cornel West. Actually, I've listened to it on audiobook as I took a long roadtrip the other day. He has a great voice - and very impassioned ways of speaking and putting words together. It's great to hear him reading it.


----------



## Blackjack (Sep 24, 2010)

Just started _The Handmaid's Tale_.


----------



## CastingPearls (Sep 24, 2010)

Blackjack said:


> Just started _The Handmaid's Tale_.


Awesome book. Enjoy. Have you read Oryx and Crake?


----------



## Edens_heel (Sep 24, 2010)

Blackjack said:


> Just started _The Handmaid's Tale_.



Atwood's best, though I can't stand her abuse of the comma.

I now work for a publisher and have a few gigs reviewing books, so the amount I read has just shot through the roof. Lately I have plowed through:

The Hunger Games Trilogy (1: great; 2: awesome, but fucked up the ending by telling and not showing; 3: not sure how i feel... definitely the weakest of the three though).

The Hair Wreath and Other Stories (amazing)

And today I picked up:

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
Our Tragic Universe
Sandra Beck

Now just waiting to get my hands on some of the Giller nominees from this year's batch to review...


----------



## pdgujer148 (Sep 24, 2010)

CastingPearls said:


> Awesome book. Enjoy. Have you read Oryx and Crake?



Funny. I chose "Oryx and Crake" as my selection for book club.

I was so pleased. One of the best book club discussions I have been part of (if only because reactions to the book were wholly positive, or vehemently negative). One lady who did not like the novel suggest the I was a "pigoon" for picking the novel in the first place (which was fine by me because her previous selection was some Nora Roberts potboiler).


----------



## CastingPearls (Sep 24, 2010)

pdgujer148 said:


> Funny. I chose "Oryx and Crake" as my selection for book club.
> 
> I was so pleased. One of the best book club discussions I have been part of (if only because reactions to the book were wholly positive, or vehemently negative). One lady who did not like the novel suggest the I was a "pigoon" for picking the novel in the first place (which was fine by me because her previous selection was some Nora Roberts potboiler).


Roberts v Atwood....OMG!! I died laughing.


----------



## Lovelyone (Sep 25, 2010)

I bought "Women Food and God" by Geneen Roth after reading what Jes posted about it. I took to highlighting everything in the book that I have experienced or agreed with or found enlightening. After the first three chapters I realized that I had better switch over to highlighting the things I didnt agree with...as to save myself carpal tunnal. 
I also bought the "Why weight?" workbook by the same author and found that to be a bit interesting also.


----------



## HDANGEL15 (Sep 25, 2010)

*Just finished the 2nd of Dean Koontz FRANKENSTEIN series.....I started the 3rd of 4....and not sure if I want to continue or not...

I still have UNDER THE DOME, Stephen King, checked out from library as well as the entire Charlaine Harris series staring at me from across the room *


----------



## Ample Pie (Sep 25, 2010)

I've been reading the _Murder, She Wrote_ series. It's awful; but I can't stop reading it, because I love Jessica Fletcher as a character. I'm pretty much obsessed with her.

However, I finally dug Woman On The Edge Of Time out of my collection and may actually read it, though I've owned it for years and have never touched it. I love Marge Piercy, but, man, I sure pick up a lot of dystopian literature.


----------



## Aria Bombshell (Sep 25, 2010)

sigh....don't judge...


I'm rereading Breaking Dawn. After that, I want to reread the last Harry Potter, to prepare for the movie lol


----------



## Micara (Sep 26, 2010)

I'm reading the first Stephanie Plum novel, _One For The Money_. I'm halfway through and I really like it!


----------



## Lonely Dove (Sep 26, 2010)

I'm currently re-reading the Dexter series, as book five is now out, and before I buy it I want to read the others again.

I'm up to "Dearly Devoted Dexter" (book 2)

Before I started re-reading Dexter, I re-read the Harry Potter books (all 7 of them lol).

I have a varied taste in stuff lol


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## Lonely Dove (Sep 26, 2010)

Re-reading the Dexter books, currently on "Dearly Devoted Dexter", (the 2nd in the series). Book number 5 is out now, and I am reading the series from 1-4 before getting the next one...

Before that I read the 7 books in the Harry Potter series. (pretty big contrast lol)


----------



## CarlaSixx (Sep 26, 2010)

Presently finishing my reading of "Skinny Women Are Evil" by Mo'Nique. I had read part of it in my last year of high school and just recently decided to look for it once again in the library. It had been moved to a new location in the shelves and I was lucky to find it right before the very second I was about to give up and leave the library.

It's very comical, but heartfelt at the same time. I love the way this book is written. You can hear Mo'Nique say every single word of the book, and in the way she would emote it as well. It's pretty awesome


----------



## AmazingAmy (Sep 26, 2010)

I keep hoping between two Joanne Harris novels - _The Evil Seed_ and _Sleep, Pale Sister_.

Thinking I might re-read the Trueblood series soon!


----------



## HottiMegan (Sep 26, 2010)

I'm reading *The Help*. I started it last night since i only have 6 days left on this digital library copy. I'm about 75 pages into it and like it so far.


----------



## HottiMegan (Sep 26, 2010)

Micara said:


> I'm reading the first Stephanie Plum novel, _One For The Money_. I'm halfway through and I really like it!


They're finally making a movie out of that book. I haven't read the earlier books in a few years. I have One for the Money downloaded, just haven't reread it yet. 



Lonely Dove said:


> Re-reading the Dexter books, currently on "Dearly Devoted Dexter", (the 2nd in the series). Book number 5 is out now, and I am reading the series from 1-4 before getting the next one...
> 
> Before that I read the 7 books in the Harry Potter series. (pretty big contrast lol)



I want to get the Dexter series. I like the show a lot and i like dark books. I like to reread a series before the new one comes out too  I did that with the Sookie books. I reread #7-15 for the newest Janet Evanovich. (I couldn't find the box that had #'s 1-6)


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## AmazingAmy (Sep 26, 2010)

I'd like to read the Dexter series too, actually. I've always wanted to watch the show, but due to it being buried in the FX channel amongst a million Sky ones, I totally forget when it's on.

I think I'll treat myself to the books then the DVD boxset afterwards!


----------



## Lonely Dove (Sep 27, 2010)

The Dexter TV series goes off on a different tangent to the books, slight differences also with the characters etc (which is normal when books are made into movies/tv shows).

the series takes a huge turn from the books, I prefer the books, but I had seen the show before I read the books.

I see season 5 is out over in the US, I cant wait to start watching it too...


----------



## AmazingAmy (Sep 27, 2010)

Yeah, Trueblood was like that. I really enjoy the additions and changes they sometimes make, though. Even though books can be great in their own right, they sometimes aren't enough to translate into a TV series. I love the added perspectives in Trueblood.

And on everyone mentioning _Oryx and Crake_: I agree, it's awesome. I read it for an ecocriticism module in my final year of university, and it's got to be one of my favourite books. It still makes me sad to know what Crake was planning all along.


----------



## Emma (Sep 27, 2010)

I'm having trueblood withdrawls at the moment. I've got no books left and the show is over for however long.


----------



## AmazingAmy (Sep 27, 2010)

CurvyEm said:


> I'm having trueblood withdrawls at the moment. I've got no books left and the show is over for however long.



I know the feeling! I want more of Sookie, Bill and Eric, both on page and screen.

So tell me, Emma... Team Bill or Team Eric?


----------



## Emma (Sep 27, 2010)

AmazingAmy said:


> I know the feeling! I want more of Sookie, Bill and Eric, both on page and screen.
> 
> So tell me, Emma... Team Bill or Team Eric?



Team Eric all the way. Though I wouldn't mind if something awful happened to Sookie and he was all mine.


----------



## Mishty (Sep 27, 2010)

Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston, I read it in high school but got a copy Saturday for $1.00 and think I'm gonna really it enjoy it.


----------



## KHayes666 (Sep 28, 2010)

just finished Vince Neil's autobiography....getting back to The Godfather's Revenge.


----------



## Emma (Sep 28, 2010)

Some Charlaine Harris book but I've forgotten which one.


----------



## Ola (Sep 28, 2010)

*No Logo* by Naomi Klein


----------



## Proner (Sep 28, 2010)

Let the great world spin by Colum McCann


----------



## spiritangel (Sep 28, 2010)

Northen Lights by Phillip Pullman ( one of the books the golden compass was based on) I picked it up for $2 and so far am getting well and truly sucked in


----------



## LovelyLiz (Sep 28, 2010)

_Just Generosity_ by Ron Sider.

(I'm realizing maybe this is a thread for what *fiction* book you are reading right now. But you didn't say that, suckas! So I'm here with all my non-fiction books too... )


----------



## TwilightStarr (Sep 28, 2010)

Creating Myself by Mia Tyler

I first learned of Mia Tyler when I was in high school, I saw her picture in a magazine and was so excited too see a rocker chick plus size model, since then she's done various things including VH1's Celebrity Fit Club but I never knew too much about her. So as I was looking at the book section of a local dollar store and saw this book I knew I had to have it and just from the first 20 or so pages I have read I already like it and have a feeling I am going to love it.


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## pdgujer148 (Sep 29, 2010)

I just finished "Dexter is Delicious". Best Dexter book in a long time. I think Lindsay has found a way to get the series back on track. This is probably one of the more gruesome entries into the series, but it is also one of the funniest.


----------



## Lonely Dove (Sep 29, 2010)

pdgujer148 said:


> I just finished "Dexter is Delicious". Best Dexter book in a long time. I think Lindsay has found a way to get the series back on track. This is probably one of the more gruesome entries into the series, but it is also one of the funniest.



Dexter is awesome. I love them all


----------



## largenlovely (Sep 29, 2010)

just finished reading _A Rose For a Crown_ by Anne Easter Smith, a historical fiction novel about Richard III and now i'm gonna go back and re-read Shakespeare's version of Richard III


----------



## Bafta1 (Sep 29, 2010)

spiritangel said:


> Northen Lights by Phillip Pullman ( one of the books the golden compass was based on) I picked it up for $2 and so far am getting well and truly sucked in



I love those books! Philip Pullman was a student at the same college as me in Oxford. (A long time before me though). They are so much better than the Harry Potter books, and so underrated too. 

I don't know what I'm reading right now. A combination of things. But I suppose the most serious undertaking is Will Durant's History of Western Philosophy. I want something light!!! Anyone read the Girl with The Tattoos, or whatever it is? Is it good?


----------



## LovelyLiz (Sep 29, 2010)

Bafta1 said:


> I don't know what I'm reading right now. A combination of things. But I suppose the most serious undertaking is Will Durant's History of Western Philosophy. I want something light!!! Anyone read the Girl with The Tattoos, or whatever it is? Is it good?



I love Will Durant! He's the one who wrote that line that everyone thinks Aristotle actually said, but really it's just such a good, brief summary of Aristotle's virtue ethics that people *wish* it came from him. ("We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." Good times!)


----------



## Bafta1 (Sep 29, 2010)

mcbeth said:


> I love Will Durant! He's the one who wrote that line that everyone thinks Aristotle actually said, but really it's just such a good, brief summary of Aristotle's virtue ethics that people *wish* it came from him. ("We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." Good times!)



Citing a common misquote of Aristotle... You just made me swoon...


----------



## pdgujer148 (Sep 30, 2010)

I'm reading "The Strain" by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan. Actually, I'm reading this for the second time because the 2nd novel in the series just came out and I couldn't remember the plot of the first novel.

Now, that sounds like a backhanded compliment, but it isn't. I read the first novel while convalescing from the flu. I had something like a 102 degree fever the first time I read "The Strain". Reading it a second time really underlines how pan-fried my brain was at the time--I don't recall the plot, but I remember liking the novel.

del Torro and Hogan are a very odd-couple. Guillermo contributes original mythic set pieces while Hogan provides discursive Clancyesque lessons on technical details. For example, del Torro posits that the vampire apocalypse should occur during a eclipse; Hogan is compelled to break the narrative to explain the mechanics of lunar eclipses. 

I won't suggest which approach is best. del Torro builds a compelling dreamscape; Hogan gives us a cold procedural explaining how autopsies work, and the workings of the CDC.

The Net Effect is chilling; Science Vs. Superstition. "The Strain" offers a moment by moment desorption of a world undone by its myths.


----------



## LovelyLiz (Sep 30, 2010)

Bafta1 said:


> Citing a common misquote of Aristotle... You just made me swoon...



Well, I was so happy to see some more books I had actually heard of mentioned in this thread! Consider it a mutual swooning society...


----------



## Dmitra (Sep 30, 2010)

You Just Don't Understand - Deborah Tannen


----------



## fatgirlflyin (Oct 1, 2010)

The Lacuna By Barbara Kingsolver 

I checked in a lady the other day who was reading this book and she couldn't stop raving about it so I picked it up. Its a good read, moves quickly and since I spent some time down in Mexico City it has things and places in the book that I have actually seen and been to which makes it even more interesting!

Next up for reading is Under the Dome by Stephen King.


----------



## AuntHen (Oct 1, 2010)

fatgirlflyin said:


> The Lacuna By Barbara Kingsolver
> 
> I checked in a lady the other day who was reading this book and she couldn't stop raving about it so I picked it up. Its a good read, moves quickly and since I spent some time down in Mexico City it has things and places in the book that I have actually seen and been to which makes it even more interesting!




Ooo that sounds good... I loved her "The Poisonwood Bible"... that book was just....


----------



## fatgirlflyin (Oct 1, 2010)

fat9276 said:


> Ooo that sounds good... I loved her "The Poisonwood Bible"... that book was just....



I'll have to check that one out, I really like the way she writes so I imagine I'd enjoy other books by her as well.


----------



## superodalisque (Oct 1, 2010)

rereading Walter Mosley's "White Butterfly". i love his cadence and characters. i love Easy Rollins because he's from the same generation as my father and reminds me of him quite a bit. i feel close to him, his politics, his outlook and experience again when i read the novels. also, nothing suits like a good mystery with unpredictable twists and turns in a black 1950s Watts and Compton atmosphere. its not ground gone over ad nauseam by other authors.


----------



## KHayes666 (Oct 5, 2010)

fat9276 said:


> I am reading Stephen King's "Under The Dome"... (it is super thick... holy cow!)
> 
> I just bought "The Lovely Bones" today. I want to read it before I see the movie. So it is next on my list :happy:
> 
> ...



wow....this was the first post and I missed it completely.

I loved Under The Dome


----------



## activistfatgirl (Oct 5, 2010)

I'm working through three: James Baldwin's Go Tell it On the Mountain, the third book in the Stiegg Larson trilogy, and the 12th in the Anita Blake vampire hunter series.

Varying degrees of literary appeal, there.


----------



## AmazingAmy (Oct 5, 2010)

activistfatgirl said:


> I'm working through three: James Baldwin's Go Tell it On the Mountain, the third book in the Stiegg Larson trilogy, and *the 12th in the Anita Blake vampire hunter series*.
> 
> Varying degrees of literary appeal, there.



I'm a bit way through the second one! You've reminded me I need to finish it; thanks.


----------



## activistfatgirl (Oct 5, 2010)

AmazingAmy said:


> I'm a bit way through the second one! You've reminded me I need to finish it; thanks.



The first few are the best! Eventually it all gets far fetched, but I think I'll drag myself through them all, for I am anything but a quitter.


----------



## femaleseat (Oct 5, 2010)

roses by Leila Meacham , great family saga, i was so sad when i finished it!!

anyone have any ideas for a good thick family saga ? or authors


----------



## CastingPearls (Oct 5, 2010)

femaleseat said:


> roses by Leila Meacham , great family saga, i was so sad when i finished it!!
> 
> anyone have any ideas for a good thick family saga ? or authors


I just finished reading Roses too. Very sad.

Have you ever read the Thorn Birds? Great book.


----------



## pdgujer148 (Oct 6, 2010)

activistfatgirl said:


> I'm working through three: James Baldwin's Go Tell it On the Mountain, the third book in the Stiegg Larson trilogy, and the 12th in the Anita Blake vampire hunter series.
> 
> Varying degrees of literary appeal, there.



I'm pretty sure that "Giovanni's Room" is the 13th or 14th Ian Flemming Bond Novel.

If you get this joke, please enter "Peter Gujer" in the groom section of your marriage certificate.


----------



## AmazingAmy (Oct 6, 2010)

Just finished _The Evil Seed _by Joanne Harris. Took me damn long enough, but it dragged a little in the middle. Still, great story though, and a really subtle take on vampires.

Now to finish the rest of _Sleep, Pale Sister_!


----------



## femaleseat (Oct 6, 2010)

CastingPearls said:


> I just finished reading Roses too. Very sad.
> 
> Have you ever read the Thorn Birds? Great book.



no, never read it.....will def check it out, any other ideas?


----------



## Edens_heel (Oct 6, 2010)

Just started Emma Donoghue's Room, written from the perspective of a five-year-old who has never left the small room in which he lives with his mother, who was abducted at an earlier age and kept in the room by a man identified at first only as "Old Nick." So far very unsettling, but quite excellent.


----------



## MissHoney (Oct 6, 2010)

I'm currently reading Kushiel's Dart by Jacqueline Carey. I'm loving it and plan on reading the entire series.


----------



## superodalisque (Oct 7, 2010)

i'm currently on a Walter Mosley run and i'm reading Black Betty after finishing White Butterfly and Fearless Jones.


----------



## HDANGEL15 (Oct 7, 2010)

KHayes666 said:


> wow....this was the first post and I missed it completely.
> 
> I loved Under The Dome



*I am about 300 pages into it and am really enjoying it as well...

just finished Jonathan Franzens FREEDOM.....meh.....could have passed on this one*


----------



## KHayes666 (Oct 8, 2010)

162-0: The Greatest Wins in Red Sox History.

One of the wins happened on June 15, 1992 with a 6 year old birthday boy in attendance...sure you can guess who that was lol


----------



## AmazingAmy (Oct 9, 2010)

Ugh, I'm giving up on _Sleep, Pale Sister_; and because _I Am Number Four_ isn't going to arrive until next week I've gone and bought _By Midnight_ by Mia James today. Fucking love vampire fiction.


----------



## Lovelyone (Oct 10, 2010)

I am reading The Holy Bible. Its on my life list to read the entire thing.


----------



## AmazingAmy (Oct 10, 2010)

Still reading _By Midnight_ by Mia James, but thought I'd give an update to say it's amazing. Awesome British vampires in Highgate! I'm in Heaven.


----------



## Edens_heel (Oct 10, 2010)

Just finished Emma Donoghue's Room.

For all the accolades, I'm not sure what I think. It was a fast, one-sitting read, so it was obviously engaging, but I felt cold to the characters because of two things:

The writing style: I respect the decision to write from the child's POV, but there was a lack of authenticity in his actions and reactions. I didn't buy the over-the-top inquisitive nature in the face of such an oppressive sonuvabitch as Old Nick. yes, he was shielded from reality in so many ways, but there were certain things that could not be hidden, and I think they would have severely dampened the spirit she wrote him with. As it stands, the mother was a far more believable character.

The tangential characters: they were written as to appear dumb and awkward to such an extreme that, once again, I didn't buy it at all. 

I suppose my issues stem from only buying the mother as a genuine character. It's definitely a gutsy, interesting book, and I did enjoy it, but I wouldn't be so quick to call it a shoe-in for the Mann Booker prize, or any other's it's been nominated for.

Now reading China Meiville's Un Lun Dun - total palette cleanser after the darkness of Room.


----------



## AmazingAmy (Oct 10, 2010)

Edens_heel said:


> Just finished *Emma Donoghue's Room*.
> 
> For all the accolades, I'm not sure what I think. It was a fast, one-sitting read, so it was obviously engaging, but I felt cold to the characters because of two things:
> 
> ...



Thanks for this, Eden. I've been thinking of getting _Room_, but wasn't sure what to expect. Think I'm going to give it a go and see what I think.


----------



## Edens_heel (Oct 10, 2010)

AmazingAmy said:


> Thanks for this, Eden. I've been thinking of getting _Room_, but wasn't sure what to expect. Think I'm going to give it a go and see what I think.



My pleasure - I realize I'm likely the lone voice of dissent in this matter, and to be clear I did like it and respect what it tried to accopmlish, I just felt cold at the end of it all.

I would love to read what you think after reading it yourself!


----------



## Bafta1 (Oct 10, 2010)

Lovelyone said:


> I am reading The Holy Bible. Its on my life list to read the entire thing.



Good luck!!! I was doing fine with it until Jeremiah: that bit finished me off. Tell me when you've got through it!


----------



## Mishty (Oct 11, 2010)

The Lover by Marguerite Duras


----------



## mejix (Oct 11, 2010)

Finished* Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass*. 8 out of 10

Halfway through *The Crying of Lot 49*. Meh. 5ish out of 10 Make that 4ish.


----------



## HDANGEL15 (Oct 15, 2010)

*I am about 20% into the 4th novel of Dean Koontz Frakenstein series...THE lost souls

I am kinda perplexed ...it's as if it HAS NOTHING to do w/the first 3....


Also 600 pages into UNDER THE DOME, Stephen King, and it's continuing to be a great (but long) read....very THE STAND -esque*


----------



## Edens_heel (Oct 17, 2010)

I've decided yet another book industry attention-seeking whore is needed. With that, I present the beta of my book review/rant site: http://backlisted.blogspot.com/

Enjoy my soon-to-be-continuous stream of publishing-related diatribes (and comment are awesome too)


*end shameless plug*


----------



## AmazingAmy (Oct 18, 2010)

Have finally finished _By Mdinight _by Mia James, and thoroughly look forward to the next in the series coming out. If anyone fancies getting into a series as it's published, I recommend it. Looks like it's going to be a really awesome collection!

Now I'm onto _I Am Number Four_!


----------



## AmazingAmy (Oct 18, 2010)

Edens_heel said:


> I've decided yet another book industry attention-seeking whore is needed. With that, I present the beta of my book review/rant site: http://backlisted.blogspot.com/
> 
> Enjoy my soon-to-be-continuous stream of publishing-related diatribes (and comment are awesome too)
> 
> ...



Oooh, I'll be keeping an eye on that!


----------



## rellis10 (Oct 18, 2010)

Watchman by Ian Rankin

I picked up a few books recently, trying to get back into reading in the vague hope it will help my writing.


----------



## Blackjack (Oct 18, 2010)

Finished _Handmaid's Tale_ last week, and started in right away on _Dracula_.


----------



## mejix (Oct 18, 2010)

Finished *The Things They Carried*. Beautiful. 9 out of 10

Will being *Tropic of Cancer* this week.


----------



## Adamantoise (Oct 18, 2010)

Mary Shelley's Frankenstein.


----------



## LovelyLiz (Oct 18, 2010)

mejix said:


> Finished *The Things They Carried*. Beautiful. 9 out of 10



THANK YOU for reminding me of this book. I need to put it toward the top of my pre-bedtime reading list...


----------



## pdgujer148 (Oct 18, 2010)

Just finished "Kraken" by China Miéville. I enjoyed it, but it was a bit too antic for my taste. I like Miéville when he puts on a straight face ("The City and the City"). "Kraken" seems like an attempt to one-up Neil Gaiman in twee myth manipulation racket ("Kraken" shares more than a couple plot points with "Neverwhere") instead of the careful world building Miéville is known for. That said, the book is stuffed with some mind bending concepts, fun characters, and and excellent prose. Still, unlike Miéville's other books, I don't think I'll remember more than scraps of the novel a month from now. Treat it as "a romp" and you might get better mileage than I did.


----------



## Edens_heel (Oct 18, 2010)

pdgujer148 said:


> Just finished "Kraken" by China Miéville. I enjoyed it, but it was a bit too antic for my taste. I like Miéville when he puts on a straight face ("The City and the City"). "Kraken" seems like an attempt to one-up Neil Gaiman in twee myth manipulation racket ("Kraken" shares more than a couple plot points with "Neverwhere") instead of the careful world building Miéville is known for. That said, the book is stuffed with some mind bending concepts, fun characters, and and excellent prose. Still, unlike Miéville's other books, I don't think I'll remember more than scraps of the novel a month from now. Treat it as "a romp" and you might get better mileage than I did.



Thanks for this. I just finished another of his books, Un Lun Dun, and had a similar reaction as you did to Kraken. The City and the City, on the other hand, remains one of my favourite books of recent years. Straight-up fantasy and Mieville loses a little of his steam, but when writing something a little more closely resembling reality simply skewed, the man can work miracles.


----------



## mejix (Oct 19, 2010)

mcbeth said:


> THANK YOU for reminding me of this book. I need to put it toward the top of my pre-bedtime reading list...



Cool! Hope you like it.


----------



## NJDoll (Oct 19, 2010)

Chelsey Handler "Bang Bang Bang".. So far it's OK. I really want to get her second book, "Are you there Vodka, It's me Chelsey."


----------



## femaleseat (Oct 19, 2010)

"promises to keep" by jane green.....AMAZING!


----------



## LovelyLiz (Oct 19, 2010)

*After the Quake* a collection of short stories by Haruki Murakami. 

I've been in the mood for some short stories to read before bed, and didn't have a chance to stop by the library yet. So I had this one around, and haven't read much of it yet. It's a group of stories Murakami wrote in response to Japan's Kobe earthquake in 1995.


----------



## Edens_heel (Oct 19, 2010)

mcbeth said:


> *After the Quake* a collection of short stories by Haruki Murakami.
> 
> I've been in the mood for some short stories to read before bed, and didn't have a chance to stop by the library yet. So I had this one around, and haven't read much of it yet. It's a group of stories Murakami wrote in response to Japan's Kobe earthquake in 1995.



Great book!

And might I suggest, if you're in a short story mood (my fave type of book these days):

Light Lifting, by Alexander MacLeod
Chimerascope, by Douglas Smith
Sarah Court, by Craig Davidson
The Hair Wreath, by Halli Villegas
Overclocked, by Cory Doctorow
Everything Ravaged, Everything Burned, by Wells Tower
How This Night is Different, by Elisa Albert
Objects of Worship, by Claude Lalumiere
Monstrous Affections, by David Nickle
Memory Wall, by Anthony Doerr
The Thing Around Your Neck, by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Altogether some of the best short fiction collections I've ever read. There are more I'm sure, but this is an amazing group to pick from (if I do say so myself).

And let me know if you want to read some unpublished short stories as well


----------



## Still a Skye fan (Oct 19, 2010)

I'm currently reading Volume 5 of "The Walking Dead" ... Okay, it's a comic book but still a damn good read!

Dennis


----------



## LovelyLiz (Oct 20, 2010)

Edens_heel said:


> Great book!
> 
> And might I suggest, if you're in a short story mood (my fave type of book these days):
> 
> ...



Wow, thanks so much for the recommendations!!! I often end up re-reading short stories I know in books I own (like Flannery O'Connor or Carver or Dubus), but I always want to add to that list. If you had to pick just ONE of those to put at the top of the list, which would it be?


----------



## AmazingAmy (Oct 20, 2010)

On short story collections, here's my contribution:

_Tokyo Cancelled_ by Rana Dasgupta

It's a collection of incredible magical realist tales told by the passengers of a cancelled flight to Tokyo. By the same author, they take place all over the world in a variety of cultures, and are simply amazing! I've never read anything like them.


----------



## HDANGEL15 (Oct 20, 2010)

NJDoll said:


> Chelsey Handler "Bang Bang Bang".. So far it's OK. I really want to get her second book, "Are you there Vodka, It's me Chelsey."



*I didn't read BANG BANG BANG....but did the latter....it was a laugh riot...cause i actually listened to it on cd with my bestie while driving to a festival there in back in our rental winebago (that was funny enough as it was LOL)*


----------



## Edens_heel (Oct 20, 2010)

mcbeth said:


> Wow, thanks so much for the recommendations!!! I often end up re-reading short stories I know in books I own (like Flannery O'Connor or Carver or Dubus), but I always want to add to that list. If you had to pick just ONE of those to put at the top of the list, which would it be?



Easy answer: Douglas Smith's Chimerascope. Amazing from start to finish, though more sci-fi, horror and fantasy focussed than some of the others.


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## Edens_heel (Oct 20, 2010)

AmazingAmy said:


> On short story collections, here's my contribution:
> 
> _Tokyo Cancelled_ by Rana Dasgupta
> 
> It's a collection of incredible magical realist tales told by the passengers of a cancelled flight to Tokyo. By the same author, they take place all over the world in a variety of cultures, and are simply amazing! I've never read anything like them.



That definitely sounds up my alley - going to hunt for it next time I break down and go book shopping (which should be any day now...)


----------



## luscious_lulu (Oct 20, 2010)

Broken by Kelly Armstrong. It's the 6th book in the women of the otherworld series. 

I'm really enjoying the series.


----------



## shuefly pie (Oct 20, 2010)

*The Blindfold*, by Siri Hustvedt

I've really liked everything I've read by her. My introduction to her work was, *What I Loved*, and I've been enchanted by her ever since.


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## LovelyLiz (Oct 20, 2010)

AmazingAmy said:


> On short story collections, here's my contribution:
> 
> _Tokyo Cancelled_ by Rana Dasgupta
> 
> It's a collection of incredible magical realist tales told by the passengers of a cancelled flight to Tokyo. By the same author, they take place all over the world in a variety of cultures, and are simply amazing! I've never read anything like them.



Magical realist! You just said 2 words I really tend to like in relation to a book...since it's how I experience life anyway.  I'm jotting that title down. THANKS! You must also be a Haruki Murakami fan then, right?


----------



## AmazingAmy (Oct 20, 2010)

mcbeth said:


> Magical realist! You just said 2 words I really tend to like in relation to a book...since it's how I experience life anyway.  I'm jotting that title down. THANKS! You must also be a Haruki Murakami fan then, right?



I'm not familiar with Haruki Murakami, but am checking him out on Amazon at this very moment; thank you for pointing me toward him!  I absolutely adore magical realism. I studied it for a semester in my last year of university and realised it's what I've always written without knowing what it was called.


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## LovelyLiz (Oct 20, 2010)

AmazingAmy said:


> I'm not familiar with Haruki Murakami, but am checking him out on Amazon at this very moment; thank you for pointing me toward him!  I absolutely adore magical realism. I studied it for a semester in my last year of university and realised it's what I've always written without knowing what it was called.



Me too. 

I ordered _Tokyo Calling_ this morning. Got a used copy for just a few bucks!


----------



## frankman (Oct 20, 2010)

Fiesta; The Sun Also Rises, for the umpteenth time.


----------



## Edens_heel (Oct 20, 2010)

AmazingAmy said:


> I'm not familiar with Haruki Murakami, but am checking him out on Amazon at this very moment; thank you for pointing me toward him!  *I absolutely adore magical realism*. I studied it for a semester in my last year of university and realised it's what I've always written without knowing what it was called.



Right. You need to read Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World. Now.

Another great choice is The World More Full of Weeping, by Robert J. Wiersema. It borders the cusp of magical realism with a beautiful story of a boy lost in the woods. Very short, only 70 pages, but worth every savoured sentence.


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## AmazingAmy (Oct 21, 2010)

Edens_heel said:


> Right. You need to read Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World. Now.
> 
> Another great choice is The World More Full of Weeping, by Robert J. Wiersema. It borders the cusp of magical realism with a beautiful story of a boy lost in the woods. Very short, only 70 pages, but worth every savoured sentence.



So many suggestions, so little time! Thank you for these.  May I also recommend the all-time favourite among magical realists: _One Hundred Years of Solitude_ by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. You might've already read it, being so popular, but shouldn't miss out if you haven't! Also, anything by Angela Carter for sure.

And I wish I hadn't lost the link to it, but I once had a resource of some award-winning magical realist short stories. I'll see if I can track it down and post it here. 

Edit: Oh, and _The Hundred Secret Senses_ by Amy Tan is simply beautiful!


----------



## Emma (Oct 21, 2010)

Witches abroad by Terry Pratchet.


----------



## frankman (Oct 21, 2010)

CurvyEm said:


> Witches abroad by Terry Pratchet.



That's a good read on a fat Tuesday.


----------



## Jes (Oct 21, 2010)

Montesquieu's Persian Letters, 1721. Cultural satire. Trying to read the introduction...


----------



## Emma (Oct 21, 2010)

frankman said:


> That's a good read on a fat Tuesday.



Whats fat tuesday?


----------



## Rojodi (Oct 21, 2010)

CurvyEm said:


> Whats fat tuesday?



Day BEFORE Ash Wednesday, you know, Mardi Gras


----------



## frankman (Oct 21, 2010)

CurvyEm said:


> Whats fat tuesday?



I'll get back to you about this when you've finished the book. Then you'll know what fat tuesday's all about.

I have a special love for Terry Pratchett's books. He's so clever and his characters are incredibly well described.


----------



## Edens_heel (Oct 21, 2010)

AmazingAmy said:


> So many suggestions, so little time! Thank you for these.  May I also recommend the all-time favourite among magical realists: _One Hundred Years of Solitude_ by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. You might've already read it, being so popular, but shouldn't miss out if you haven't! Also, anything by Angela Carter for sure.
> 
> And I wish I hadn't lost the link to it, but I once had a resource of some award-winning magical realist short stories. I'll see if I can track it down and post it here.
> 
> Edit: Oh, and _The Hundred Secret Senses_ by Amy Tan is simply beautiful!




I have read - and loved - One Hundred Years of Solitude. Utterly brilliant, and it truly has one of the greatest opening lines of any book ever written.

I will have to think of more, however, as my favourite titles of all time don't fall into magical realism, so I should refrain from mentioning too many of them. I'll browse the shelves and see what else I can find within this expansive genre.

Too many books to read...


----------



## Emma (Oct 21, 2010)

shrove tuesday?

Don't american it up you guys :eat2:


----------



## LovelyLiz (Oct 27, 2010)

_Obligations: Essays on Disobedience, War, and Citizenship _by the philosopher/ethicist Michael Walzer

It's for a class I'm taking right now, but I'm really digging it.


----------



## KHayes666 (Oct 27, 2010)

The book I'm writing apparently is going to be a lot more pages than I originally intended, forgot all about the Clinton scandal.


----------



## frankman (Oct 27, 2010)

KHayes666 said:


> The book I'm writing apparently is going to be a lot more pages than I originally intended, forgot all about the Clinton scandal.



Are you writing a conspiracy theory zine, or a manifesto?


----------



## CastingPearls (Oct 27, 2010)

Who Moved My Mouse? (A Self-Help Book for Cats Who Don't Need Any Help) ~ Dena Harris

The Bell Jar ~ Sylvia Plath


----------



## frankman (Oct 27, 2010)

Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye, and it's fantastic. Again.


----------



## Edens_heel (Oct 29, 2010)

Just finished John Lavery's *Sandra Beck:
*
http://backlisted.blogspot.com/

Short answer: it's fantastic, strange, and totally unique.


... and I second the notion that *The Bluest Eye* is all kinds of brilliant.


----------



## pdgujer148 (Nov 2, 2010)

I just started "Hell" by Robert Owen Butler. I'm not impressed so far. 

The short version: A news anchor for the Evening News From Hell learns a deep dark secret about the underworld (so says the cover). Butler uses the setting to satirize pop culture. Early cameos include: Anne Boleyn, Sarah Palin, Humphrey Bogart, Dante and Hugh Hefner. Thing is, the satire isn't that sharp, and Butler seems obsessed with making sure we all know how clever he is.

"Hell" reads as if it was written by a stroke victim trying to write a pastiche of late Robert Coover (minus the kink). 

Now, if you want to read a slightly less literary tale about angels and demons I suggest you check out Richard Kadrey's Sandman Slim novel. They might be derivative (Kadrey's Lucifer is straight out of Vertigo comics, and the basic plot setup owes more then a few nods to the Dresden Files) but Kadrey knows how to churn out good pulp fiction. It pretty much reads like a collaboration between Jim Thompson, Clive Barker, and Elmore Leonard. Empty calories, but very tasty all the same.


----------



## frankman (Nov 3, 2010)

I'm reading some of my favorite short stories for my lit class. Statements:

1) Getting my Nadine Gordimer on; "The moment before the gun went off" is one hard-hitting story.

2) Anyone who has not yet read Dubliners by James Joyce has some catching up to do. "Araby" and "Sisters" are works of art.


----------



## pdgujer148 (Nov 3, 2010)

I quit reading "Hell". Awful book.

Decided to re-read George Saunders' "Pastoralia". I love Saunders. If you enjoy surreal comedy give Saunders a shot. His stories are bizarre and bittersweet.


----------



## Edens_heel (Nov 4, 2010)

Reading a YA book, Beautiful Darkness, sequel to last year's Beautiful Creatures. Reaffirming my feeling that the most interesting characters and plots seem to be coming out of YA books lately.

Up next: 

Hygiene and the Assassin, by Amelie Nothomb
Annabel, by Kathleen Winter
The Bone Cage, by Angie Abdou
This Cake is For the Party, by Sarah Selecky
In A Strange Room, by Damon Galgut
Before I Wake, by Robert J. Wiersema
Transubstantiate, by Richard Thomas
Major Karnage, by Gord Zajac
Our Tragic Universe, by Scarlett Thomas

and if I can snag a copy somehow...
Under the Poppy and Extremities, both by Kathe Koja

Lots of reviews will be coming soon... Also finally picked up a copy of Franzen's Freedom. I was holding out on it until the hype died down, but for 3 bucks at a university bookstore, brand new and pre-Oprah book club stickering, well I couldn't say no to that!


----------



## Candy_Coated_Clown (Nov 4, 2010)

Currently reading _Chimerascope_ by Douglas Smith.

After that, I'll be reading _Objects of Worship_ by Claude Lalumière.


----------



## Edens_heel (Nov 4, 2010)

Candy_Coated_Clown said:


> Currently reading _Chimerascope_ by Douglas Smith.
> 
> After that, I'll be reading _Objects of Worship_ by Claude Lalumière.



And? AND?!? Thoughts, CCC! I need 'em!


----------



## HDANGEL15 (Nov 5, 2010)

Edens_heel said:


> Reading a YA book, Beautiful Darkness, sequel to last year's Beautiful Creatures. Reaffirming my feeling that the most interesting characters and plots seem to be coming out of YA books lately.
> 
> Up next:
> 
> ...



*quite the impressive book list.....looking forward to reviews....I got FREEDOM at the library and bleh...really a disappointment to me.....curious to see what you think though*


----------



## Edens_heel (Nov 5, 2010)

HDANGEL15 said:


> *quite the impressive book list.....looking forward to reviews....I got FREEDOM at the library and bleh...really a disappointment to me.....curious to see what you think though*



Thanks - I'll post the link here to each one that I do. Also picked up the new Robert Wiersema book last night, Bedtime Story, and Adam Levin's massive 1,000-page brick, The Instructions. When I'll have time for this is anybody's guess...

And thanks for what you said about Freedom - you are not the first to offer that caution that it just isn't all it's cracked up to be... not by a long shot.


----------



## The Cookie Faerie (Nov 6, 2010)

Currently reading Towers Of Midnight by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson. Not to mention I'm trying to get started on The Great Book of Amber by Roger Zelazny.


----------



## Edens_heel (Nov 7, 2010)

For the YA crowd:

http://backlisted.blogspot.com/2010/11/review-beautiful-darkness-by-kami.html

Short answer: awesome.


----------



## pdgujer148 (Nov 8, 2010)

Edens_heel said:


> For the YA crowd:
> 
> http://backlisted.blogspot.com/2010/11/review-beautiful-darkness-by-kami.html
> 
> Short answer: awesome.



Good article.

About a year ago I downloaded The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancy for free from the kindle store. It was a limited time promo. I gave it a spin and found it to be one of the best written horror novels I'd read in years. It is about this Dickensian grotesque of a Natural Philosopher who with the aid of his young assistant and ward hunt monsters. The book is scary, gory, has great characters, and tackles some pretty deep questions about human nature. Even the monsters are cool and original: Anthropophagi

So, it was a surprise to me when I discovered that it was a novel for young adults. I couldn't figure out why Simon and Schuster would consider this often brutal novel appropriate, and why Yancy would eschew the adult market. My conclusion was that the horror market (at the time) was so bloated with King, Koontz, and endless vampire books (now it is zombies) it made perfect sense that Yancy would choose to publish in the wild west of YA Literature. At least there he had a chance with publishers who know that the next big thing isn't necessarily the last big thing.


----------



## Lovelyone (Nov 8, 2010)

"Why Weight?" a book by Geneen Roth.
Actually its not really a book, its more like a workbook about overeating.


----------



## Ruffie (Nov 8, 2010)

I am reading The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell right now.


----------



## superodalisque (Nov 8, 2010)

Gyorgy Lukacs: History and Class Consciousness


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## pdgujer148 (Nov 8, 2010)

I'm reading (restarting) "The Sad Tale of the Brothers Grossbart" to kill time while I punish myself on the elliptical trainer. It's a fun read if you dig pitch black comedy.

I'm also reading "Omensetter's Luck" by William H. Gass. This is my third time through and I am convinced that it is one of the greatest forgotten novels of the 20th Century (unless they still teach it in college-which I doubt since the entire "G" section of '70s lit (Gardner, Gass, and Gaddis) seems to have been struck from the cannon). I read it aloud in the bathtub because it is the only was I can parse the Reverend Jethro Furber's stream of consciousness rants. A beautiful and beautifully written book.


----------



## HDANGEL15 (Nov 8, 2010)

Edens_heel said:


> Just started Emma Donoghue's Room, written from the perspective of a five-year-old who has never left the small room in which he lives with his mother, who was abducted at an earlier age and kept in the room by a man identified at first only as "Old Nick." So far very unsettling, but quite excellent.





Edens_heel said:


> Just finished Emma Donoghue's Room.
> 
> For all the accolades, I'm not sure what I think. It was a fast, one-sitting read, so it was obviously engaging, but I felt cold to the characters because of two things:
> 
> ...



*Just started listening to this story....its sort of unnerving that the 5 yr old narrator is a child on CD....just about 10% into it and OLD NICK just walked in...so I have no idea what's the background story yet....but pretty enthralled so far *


----------



## mejix (Nov 9, 2010)

Finished 
*Tropic of Cancer*- Unintentionally funny. 5 out of 10
*Billy Budd*- Not sure why I read this. 4 out of 10
*The Twits*-My first Dahl book. Loved it. 8 out of 10

Started:
*Things Fall Apart*


----------



## frankman (Nov 9, 2010)

_The Brothers Lionheart_, by Astrid Lindgren. It's way darker than I remembered it to be. It's still great though, but it packs a different punch 15 years later than it did then.


----------



## gobettiepurple (Nov 9, 2010)

The biography of Andrew Mellon . . . I am a sucker for biographies, especially those that deal with tycoons of history


----------



## HottiMegan (Nov 9, 2010)

I'm reading Dead to the World.
Its like the fourth or fifth time. I'm reading through the Sookie series yet again. It feels sort of nice to just escape into Sookie's world. I've needed an escape into my imagination lately so i have forgone the 70+ new books i have downloaded to my nook in favor of my good old stand by.. Familiar books are sort of like cuddling up with a favorite warm blanket for a few hours. I'm averaging a book every other day so i'm going to be done with the series really soon.


----------



## HDANGEL15 (Nov 9, 2010)

HottiMegan said:


> I'm reading Dead to the World.
> Its like the fourth or fifth time. I'm reading through the Sookie series yet again. It feels sort of nice to just escape into Sookie's world. I've needed an escape into my imagination lately so i have forgone the 70+ new books i have downloaded to my nook in favor of my good old stand by.. Familiar books are sort of like cuddling up with a favorite warm blanket for a few hours. I'm averaging a book every other day so i'm going to be done with the series really soon.



*I bought the series months ago...and have waited to start reading....finally decided yesterday it's time to see what every one is talking about!!! I so miss the thrill of the twilight series last year...that was some of the fastest reads I ever had.....hoping this one is as enticing...almost *


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## HottiMegan (Nov 9, 2010)

I haven't read the twilights. I didn't like the first movie. So it didn't make me want to read it. I am a big fan of mysteries and there is always a fun one in the Sookie books. My mom sent me the first book in the Twilight series. I'm going to try it some day


----------



## Weirdo890 (Nov 9, 2010)

I have so many books that I don't know where to start, but I think I will start with a shorter book, perhaps _Animal Farm_ by George Orwell. I'm thinking I should just cut TV out of my life and focus on my girlfriend, school, reading, and drawing.


----------



## frankman (Nov 9, 2010)

HottiMegan said:


> I haven't read the twilights. I didn't like the first movie. So it didn't make me want to read it. I am a big fan of mysteries and there is always a fun one in the Sookie books. My mom sent me the first book in the Twilight series. I'm going to try it some day



Prepare to be underwhelmed.


----------



## Weirdo890 (Nov 9, 2010)

frankman said:


> Prepare to be underwhelmed.



I read only two pages of the first book and I was already underwhelmed.


----------



## Lovelyone (Nov 9, 2010)

while going through boxes in my mom's craft room I found about ten of the Chicken Soup for the Soul books. I've been reading them.


----------



## pdgujer148 (Nov 9, 2010)

HottiMegan said:


> I haven't read the twilights. I didn't like the first movie. So it didn't make me want to read it. I am a big fan of mysteries and there is always a fun one in the Sookie books. My mom sent me the first book in the Twilight series. I'm going to try it some day



If you are looking for a good mystery with a supernatural vibe to it consider checking out Mike Carey's "Felix Castor" novels. The first novel, "The Devil You Know", is a little slow (it was Carey's first novel after writing DC Vertigo's Lucifer comic for years), but the series really picks up steam after that. The mystery at the heart of the third novel took me by surprise.


----------



## HottiMegan (Nov 10, 2010)

On your recommendation i just downloaded a copy of the first book. i'll try it very soon  (I have like 100+ books on my list but i'm sort of on a supernatural kick so it's high up on my list now  )


----------



## pdgujer148 (Nov 10, 2010)

HottiMegan said:


> On your recommendation i just downloaded a copy of the first book. i'll try it very soon  (I have like 100+ books on my list but i'm sort of on a supernatural kick so it's high up on my list now  )



Cool! I hope you like it. 

Trust me, the first book simply sets the stage. It doesn't reach Harrison Ford (1977) levels of awesomeness in the first novel, but that is rectified in Volume 2


----------



## Edens_heel (Nov 10, 2010)

pdgujer148 said:


> If you are looking for a good mystery with a supernatural vibe to it consider checking out Mike Carey's "Felix Castor" novels. The first novel, "The Devil You Know", is a little slow (it was Carey's first novel after writing DC Vertigo's Lucifer comic for years), but the series really picks up steam after that. The mystery at the heart of the third novel took me by surprise.



The publisher I work for actually has a great supernatural mystery series by Gayleen Froese - local Edmonton author. Touch is the first title, and Grayling Cross, its sequel, is coming out in March. I've only read the second (edited it) and it was pretty damn enjoyable - adult, well written (if you like biting sarcasm), and not at all dealing with vampires that fucking sparkle.


----------



## Edens_heel (Nov 10, 2010)

Also, currently reading Hygiene and the Assassin, by Amelie Nothcomb. About a racist, misogynistic, nihilistic recluse of a writer who, upon learning he has only months to live, allows for a series of journalists to interview him. He eviscerates the first few, until butting heads with someone who knows far too much about him.

It's sparse, almost entirely dialogue with little else, but it's one of the best verbal duels I've ever read. Truly vicious in a delightful way  I'll post a review soon, providing I can get a moment to breathe from the onslaught or work lately.


----------



## Edens_heel (Nov 11, 2010)

Without doubt, one of the best books i've read this year: http://backlisted.blogspot.com/2010/11/review-hygiene-and-assassin-by-amelie.html


----------



## Edens_heel (Nov 13, 2010)

Finally started reading what's proven to be one of the biggest Canadian releases of the year, Annabel, by Kathleen Winter. Story of an intersex child born in the Maritimes in the 1960s. Nominated for all three of the biggest lit awards we have: The Writer's Trust, The Giller, and The Governor General's award. So far shut out for the fist two, and the third is announced on the 16th (I think).

Beautifully written and engaging so far - handles the subject matter with terrific delicacy. I'll definitely be posting a review of this one when I have the chance.


----------



## HottiMegan (Nov 21, 2010)

I am now just a few pages into The Woman in White. It was a super successful detective book mid 1800's and thought i'd give it a shot. I browsed over 130 books to figure out what i'd like to read  I hope it's good!


----------



## DearPrudence (Nov 21, 2010)

Right now I'm reading Barrel Fever by David Sedaris. I'm a huge Sedaris fan, and this is like the 5th book of his I've gotten. I recommend him to just about everyone I meet... seriously.


----------



## cinnamitch (Nov 21, 2010)

Medium Raw, Anthony Bourdain.


----------



## Blackjack (Nov 21, 2010)

Finished _Dracula_- although Stoker is excessively verbose (seriously, far more dialogue than necessary- or desired), the story's still damned good.

Now on to _I Am Legend_- I'm surprisingly lacking in the number of Matheson tales that I've read, and I look to remedy that.


----------



## mejix (Nov 21, 2010)

Trying to finish *Things Fall Apar*t by Chinua Achebe. Some really good parts in the middle of a whole lotta meh. 

Next in line: *Crime and Punishment*. Because nothing says Christmas like Dostoievsky.






*


----------



## one2one (Nov 21, 2010)

Ape House by Sara Gruen. Love it ... perhaps even more than Water for Elephants, although it isn't quite as eloquent as I remember that one being.


----------



## Fuzzy (Nov 22, 2010)

Star Wars: Dynasty of Evil - Third in the Darth Bane series

( yeah, something simple for my brain before I hit the sack.. otherwise, I'm reading this.)


----------



## DearPrudence (Nov 22, 2010)

one2one said:


> Ape House by Sara Gruen. Love it ... perhaps even more than Water for Elephants, although it isn't quite as eloquent as I remember that one being.



I loved Water for Elephants! Great story.


----------



## Adrian (Nov 22, 2010)

Currently, I am reading a technical book, "Debrief: A Complete History of U.s. Aerial Engagements - 1981 to the Present," by Craig Brown. It is a study all of the aerial battles American pilots have been involved in since the end of the Viet Nam War. Descriptions of each aerial engagement as told by each pilot involved -from Aug. 19, 1981 to May 4, 1999. The one aerial encounter not described by the pilots involved was the shooting down of two Libyan MiG-23s back in January 4, 1989 by two US Navy F-14 Tomcats. The pilots have never officially spoken of the aerial encounter because of the terrorist assassination attempt against the family (in southern California) of Capt. Will Rogers III commanding the USS Vincennes, which had shot down an Iranian airliner by mistake in July of 1988 killing all 290 people aboard the airliner.
After the reprisal assassination attempt the US Navy was cautious about releasing the names of aircrew members involved in combat since then.
It is a good book for those who want to study in depth, modern day aerial combat.


----------



## pdgujer148 (Nov 22, 2010)

3/4ths through "Johannes Cabal the Necromancer" and enjoying every word.

This book is a trifle at best, but it reads like a love song to Ray Bradbury and Douglas Adams.


----------



## ThatFatGirl (Nov 22, 2010)

I'm reading Let Me In by John Ajvide Lindqvist. 

I'm not usually into vampires, but I saw the Swedish movie ("Let the Right One In") based on the book recently and loved it. I'm only on page 150 or so, but so far it does not disappoint.


----------



## Edens_heel (Nov 22, 2010)

Recently finished Robert Wiersema's Before I Wake.

http://backlisted.blogspot.com/2010/11/review-before-i-wake-by-robert-j.html

Brilliant, heartbreaking book that will terrify any parent.


----------



## Weirdo890 (Nov 23, 2010)

I'm getting into H.G. Wells' _The Time Machine_. I'm a big science-fiction guy.


----------



## HottiMegan (Nov 23, 2010)

I have the Time Machine on my nook waiting to be read. I went through an HG Wells themed movie kick a year ago and watched all things dealing on his stories or him that i could find. It was a fun jaunt..


----------



## Weirdo890 (Nov 23, 2010)

HottiMegan said:


> I have the Time Machine on my nook waiting to be read. I went through an HG Wells themed movie kick a year ago and watched all things dealing on his stories or him that i could find. It was a fun jaunt..



I need to see the films based on his novels. I read _The Time Machine_ and _The War of the Worlds_ before, but they were the children's versions, from The Children's Illustrated Classics Series. Now I'm working my way through the originals.


----------



## Edens_heel (Nov 25, 2010)

Any self-respecting sci-fi geeks out there need to check out Major Karnage, by Gord Zajac: http://www.chizine.com/chizinepub/books/major-karnage.php

Only a hundred pages in, but loving every minute - it's made me laugh out loud several times already, especially given that he has a sanity metre implanted in the back of his head that ranges from "Daffodil" to "Strawberry Shortcake" - and the latter is far deadlier.

Worth every penny!


----------



## pdgujer148 (Nov 25, 2010)

Reading "Mallone Dies" whilst punishing myself on an elliptical trainer.

Not the perfect metaphor, but I think Beckett would have been darkly amused by the concept of a reader running nowhere while reading this novel.


----------



## Blackjack (Nov 25, 2010)

Less than twenty pages left in _I Am Legend_. Picked up Shakespeare's _The Tempest_ last night because I've had a craving for the Bard lately, and I've read one of his plays each autumn for the past few years and missed it this year. 

I'd like to burn through a copy of _Le Petit Prince_, but I haven't had much luck in finding it at the bookstore I usually shop at.


----------



## HDANGEL15 (Nov 25, 2010)

*TWEAK, Nic Sheff pretty much a train wreck I can't stop reading



simultaneously reading the DEAD AND GONE series by Charlaine Harris- really enjoying this, and surprised by how different the books are...how unusual to read after watching....it's much kinkier and Sookie is much different, ERIC IS AS sExy or more!!!! :smitten:*


----------



## Donna (Nov 26, 2010)

Edens_heel said:


> Any self-respecting sci-fi geeks out there need to check out Major Karnage, by Gord Zajac: http://www.chizine.com/chizinepub/books/major-karnage.php
> 
> Only a hundred pages in, but loving every minute - it's made me laugh out loud several times already, especially given that he has a sanity metre implanted in the back of his head that ranges from "Daffodil" to "Strawberry Shortcake" - and the latter is far deadlier.
> 
> Worth every penny!



Have to agree with this. I believe I read somewhere that this is Zajac's first novel? Can't wait to see what he comes up with next. 

"May the worm be with you!"


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## Edens_heel (Nov 26, 2010)

Donna said:


> Have to agree with this. I believe I read somewhere that this is Zajac's first novel? Can't wait to see what he comes up with next.
> 
> "May the worm be with you!"



Just don't talk to me about...

_The War!!!_
 
Shit - sanity levels just hit Strawberry Shortcake. Time for a siesta.

And yes, it is his first and I cannot wait to see what he comes up with next. So far, every book from that publisher (CZP) has been totally original and absolutely fucked up in all the best ways.


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## pdgujer148 (Nov 27, 2010)

I'm about halfway through Cormac McCarthy's "Child of God". I'm not sure what to make of it. It has comedic elements, but the subject matter is so dark that enjoying the humor almost seems depraved.


----------



## one2one (Nov 27, 2010)

DearPrudence said:


> I loved Water for Elephants! Great story.



I think I remember reading that Water for Elephants came about after she found some old books, published in the 20s and 30s, of circus life during the depression. They were full of old photos and painted such a picture of that era that from there the story was born.

For Ape House, she spent a lot of time researching the book at the Great Ape Trust in Iowa. It's the story of a family of bonobo apes who are 'liberated' from a language learning lab and end up on a reality TV show.


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## pdgujer148 (Nov 29, 2010)

Finished off "Child of God". I didn't like it, no not one damn bit. 

I just started Margaret Atwood's "After the Flood". It's a kick to read more about the world that was hinted at in Oryx and Crake.


----------



## GentleSavage (Nov 30, 2010)

Because I'm not enough of a geek already, I'm currently re-reading the Wheel of Time Series by Robert Jordan. Right now I am on the fourth book, "The Shadow Rising".

At least when I have time to read for pleasure. I usually just read the Bible, which as of late has been a considerate part of my nightly homework related reading.

*sigh*...


----------



## Tanuki (Nov 30, 2010)

GentleSavage said:


> Because I'm not enough of a geek already, I'm currently re-reading the Wheel of Time Series by Robert Jordan. Right now I am on the fourth book, "The Shadow Rising".



Oooo I love that book!

As for me I am about to start Wild Cards by George R. R. Martin, should be fun :3


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## Luv2BNaughty (Nov 30, 2010)

The latest issue of Rolling Stone mag..lol does that count?


----------



## DearPrudence (Nov 30, 2010)

Luv2BNaughty said:


> The latest issue of Rolling Stone mag..lol does that count?



I'll count it, if only because your avatar thing is Buddy the Elf.


----------



## Aust99 (Dec 2, 2010)

Dead Until Dark, the first book in the Sookie Stackhouse novels by Charlaine Harris....


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## 1300 Class (Dec 2, 2010)

_Coolidge_, by Robert Sobel. Quite interesting.


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## KHayes666 (Dec 3, 2010)

The Godfather's Revenge


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## Aliena (Dec 3, 2010)

I'm not reading anything at this moment, but I'm thinking the new 'Cross' book by Patterson looks good.


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## HDANGEL15 (Dec 4, 2010)

Aust99 said:


> Dead Until Dark, the first book in the Sookie Stackhouse novels by Charlaine Harris....



*just about to finish CLUB DeAD, 2nd of the series...and they are really quick reads and very *GRAPHIC**


----------



## iglooboy55 (Dec 4, 2010)

Black Like Me by John Howard Griffin, again.


----------



## Edens_heel (Dec 4, 2010)

Just finished Richard Thomas' Transubstantiate: http://backlisted.blogspot.com/2010/12/review-transubstantiate-by-richard.html

Next moving on to either Sub Rosa, by Amber Dawn; In A Strange Room, by Damon Galgut; or the graphic novel Essex County, by Jeff Lemire.


----------



## frankman (Dec 9, 2010)

Started again in The Nightwatch, by Terry Pratchett. Whenever I have some time to spare, I always revisit my old favorites.

It's excellent and funny, and the descriptive vividness of the Discworld's characters and surroundings never ceases to amaze.


----------



## The Orange Mage (Dec 9, 2010)

Started reading Ender's Game. I wish a teacher would have handed this book to me at least 15 years ago.


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## bonified (Dec 9, 2010)

I'm about 2/3 in, crazy book so far, I'm loving it! 

http://www.suite101.com/content/long-time-coming-by-robert-goddard-a197771


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## HottiMegan (Dec 9, 2010)

I'm rereading the Stephanie Plum series. I haven't read the early ones in a long time. They're a fun romp.


----------



## Admiral_Snackbar (Dec 9, 2010)

Just finished reading Spider-Man "The Other," re-reading from last year. It was the last big run of Spidey by J. Michael Straczynski before Joe Quesada took a baseball bat to the entire storyline and tried to take it out a whole new door.

A buddy lent me his copy of Salvatore's Gauntlgrym, which is the new Drizzt novel leading into the new iteration of Bioware's "Neverwinter" series. Should be interesting, since they killed off all the annoying side characters in the last book.


----------



## FishCharming (Dec 9, 2010)

frankman said:


> Started again in The Nightwatch, by Terry Pratchett. Whenever I have some time to spare, I always revisit my old favorites.
> 
> It's excellent and funny, and the descriptive vividness of the Discworld's characters and surroundings never ceases to amaze.



wish i could rep you! The nightwatch are my favorite of the discworld novels, i wish pratchett would do another one!

i'm re-reading (again) The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde. Figure i'd go through the series yet again since he's putting out a new Thursday Next novel in a few months.


----------



## largenlovely (Dec 9, 2010)

currently reading _The Sea, the sea_ by Iris Murdoch


----------



## snuggletiger (Dec 9, 2010)

Finished "A Christmas Carol" by Dickens
right now plowing through "Wuthering Heights" by Bronte.


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## pdgujer148 (Dec 10, 2010)

I finished 'The Year of the Flood" by Margaret Atwood. Although it is a story about a new set of characters it answers some of the issues that were left open at the end of "Oryx and Crake".

I don't recommended it if you haven't read the first book. Also, I have to add that not much happens in this book until the final 40 pages, but there is enough setup for a strong finish to this proposed trilogy. 

Just started "True Grit" @ the behest of a friend in giddy anticipation of the Coen Brothers adaptation. 

I read the book years ago. I forgot how much I love Charles Portis. I discovered him in college back when I had an academic crush on Walker Percy and then forgot about him. 

Amazing. His ability to write genre fiction that can be read for pure enjoyment, but can also stand up to intense critical scrutiny is amazing. 

You could give this book to just about anyone and they would fall in love with it.


----------



## Blackjack (Dec 10, 2010)

Just finished _The Tempest_, which was very enjoyable. Not as dark or dramatic as the heavier tragedies like _King Lear _and _Macbeth_, and not as great; but I had a bit more fun reading it, and enjoyed it still more than any of Shakespeare's comedies that I've read.


----------



## superodalisque (Dec 10, 2010)

"The Prudence of Love" Dr. Eric Silverman

good description from a blurb:

This book investigates the connection between love and happiness using a variety of historical and contemporary sources in philosophy, psychology and religion. Silverman proposes that the benefits of love extend beyond those in the relationship, and that unloving people , through their indifference towards others, undermine their own happiness.

go SLU alum!!!!


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## Gingembre (Dec 10, 2010)

Blackjack said:


> Just finished _The Tempest_, which was very enjoyable. Not as dark or dramatic as the heavier tragedies like _King Lear _and _Macbeth_, and not as great; but I had a bit more fun reading it, and enjoyed it still more than any of Shakespeare's comedies that I've read.



I commend you, sir! I really like Shakespeare but when I try and read it...ehh, it just doesn't work out. I think i concentrate more on the sound/rhythmn of the language rather than the actual storyline, if that makes sense, so I end up rereading bits to make sure I've actually talken it in. Gives me a headache! I shall stick to watching Shakespeare played out on ye olde stage, I think.

As for me, I'm nearly done with Eat, Pray, Love. It's been an easy read, but a nice one...before that I read Peter Moore's _The Long Way Home_ which is a factual account of a guy's journey overland from the UK to Australia. Both books have given me extremely itchy feet and I am now craving adventures overseas! Next on my list is Shantaram which was recommended to me by my mum and a friend...seemingly it is "A novel of high adventure, great storytelling and moral purpose, based on an extraordinary true story of eight years in the Bombay underworld". Sounds exciting!


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## Lovelyone (Dec 10, 2010)

snuggletiger said:


> Finished "A Christmas Carol" by Dickens
> right now plowing through "Wuthering Heights" by Bronte.


 
Wow these are two of my favorites. I think its much better reading them than seeing the made for tv movies about them.


----------



## superodalisque (Dec 10, 2010)

thatgirl08 said:


> The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand. Anthem was so much better.
> 
> & Fat!So? by Marilyn Wann.



Anthem is one of my favorites. shame she never got to complete it.


----------



## Admiral_Snackbar (Dec 10, 2010)

If only this was a real book... 

View attachment goodnight_dune.jpg


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## Edens_heel (Dec 11, 2010)

Sub Rosa, by Amber Dawn (published by a small Vancouver firm called Arsenal Pulp)

Think Alice in Wonderland, if Wonderland was a mythical strip of property in East Vancouver where magical prostitutes, ghosts, and guardian angels walk the streets together.

In other words, trippy, but in a cool, post-modern, magic realism take on feminism. So far so good.


----------



## Donna (Dec 11, 2010)

I'm revisiting one of my favorite book series...Piers Anthony's Xanth series. They are such a great escape from Mundania.


----------



## Inhibited (Dec 12, 2010)

I have just started reading "The Happiest Refugee" by Anh Do.... have only read the first 10 pages or so far but i can't put it down is a great story so far.


----------



## gobettiepurple (Dec 12, 2010)

the biography of andrew mellon . . .


----------



## pdgujer148 (Dec 12, 2010)

"True Grit" basically put me in a Portis fever. Reading: "The Dog of the South"


----------



## largenlovely (Dec 12, 2010)

_Paladin of Souls_ by Lois McMaster Bujold


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## descalabro (Dec 12, 2010)

I'm reading "Eugénie Grandet",by Honoré de Balzac. But the book that really hooked the most my in the these last months was "Mila 18", by Leon Uris. I never had the subject of WWII's Warsaw Ghetto described in such a powerful way.


----------



## KHayes666 (Dec 13, 2010)

Moving on from ML Carr's autobiography to Pete Maravich's biography


----------



## Admiral_Snackbar (Dec 14, 2010)

Admiral_Snackbar said:


> If only this was a real book...



As a follow up, a thread on Fark (here if you're a member) had several people spinning possible content for the Dune book. To wit:

_Goodnight Dune,
Goodnight Room.
Goodnight Stars
And Gom Jabbars.
Goodnight Fish Speakers,
Goodnight Hunter-Seekers.
Goodnight Spice
And Piter De Vries.
Goodnight Sand,
Goodnight Air,
Goodnight Mentats everywhere.

***********************
On the planet Dune
There was a bloody coup
By Harkonnen goons
And an insurgent named
For the mouse in the moon

And the source of the spice, which commands a high price
And legions of Fremen, who all fight like demons
And the young Paul Atreides, hiding out in a sietch
With Duke Leto's old lady, a Bene Gesserit witch

***********************
Goodnight Dune,
goodnight great worms and 'copters throom
good night desert hawks and sandtrout
good night all teachers of boys who are still out

Goodnight spice and harvesters sifting
Goodnight ergs with dunes a drifting
Goodnight sietch with waterseals tight
Goodnight Harkonnens, with throats slit right

goodnight guildsmen and children and those
who work in the night drawing water from clothes
goodnight worshipful of Arakeen
goodnight to those who pray for a planet that's green_​


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## largenlovely (Dec 15, 2010)

_As The Crow Flies_ by Jeffrey Archer


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## Carrie (Dec 15, 2010)

I am loving my new Kindle. Sunday I read "The Blind Contessa's New Machine", which was absolutely wonderful, highly recommended. Now I'm working on "Coal Miner's Daughter" and trying, unsuccessfully, to refrain from calling my dogs "Dooooo!" in a really bad fake southern accent.


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## Dmitra (Dec 15, 2010)

Destroy All Movies!!! by Zack Carlson and Bryan Connolly.


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## superodalisque (Dec 18, 2010)

After the hanging and other stories --O.V.Vijayan 

i especially love the stories "The Wart" and "The Foetus"

they are heavy in mythological symbolism and are a critique on power relationships.

about the Foetus the author says " ... a take-off point to indicate human evil, evil in the state, evil in negating nature. There is no calling for retribution."

even though he looks at these ideas of evil what i like about the author is that good triumphs in these two short stories. love wins in "The Foetus" and transformation purifies in "The Wart".

why do i feel like i should be doing a segment on "Reading Rainbow" ?


----------



## largenlovely (Dec 18, 2010)

is it ok to quote your own self? probably much like talking to yourself but ... lol

I will be finished with this book by tonight and it's one of those books that you wish would never end...i love this book. 



largenlovely said:


> _As The Crow Flies_ by Jeffrey Archer


----------



## Still a Skye fan (Dec 18, 2010)

I'm working on "Public Enemies: America's Greatest Crime Wave And The Birth of the FBI, 1933-1934" by Bryan Burrough.

This was a rather bland Johnny Depp gangster movie a couple years back but the book is fascinating.


Dennis


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## stephbreezy (Dec 19, 2010)

Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang- Chelsea Handler!:smitten:


----------



## largenlovely (Dec 19, 2010)

_A Conspiracy of Papers_ by David Liss


----------



## Admiral_Snackbar (Dec 19, 2010)

Robot Dreams, by Isaac Asimov


----------



## mimosa (Dec 20, 2010)

I am reading The Confident Woman Devotional.


----------



## patmcf (Dec 21, 2010)

Anne Brontë's _Agnes Grey_

I also just thumbed through a wealth of really interesting sources on Canadian international Military involvement in the post-Second World War era. In a paper I made the argument that Canada is not the peacekeeping nation it is made out to be. If I had to choose one source it would be David Bercuson's "Significant Incident: Canada's Army, the Airborne, and the Murder in Somalia." Really great scholarship on Bercuson's behalf. 

However, now I am on Christmas break and will allow my brain to turn to mush for two glorious weeks. Looking forward to it


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## Edens_heel (Dec 27, 2010)

Robert Wiersema's Bedtime Story.

Gorgeous Magical Realism book about a boy who has a seizure while reading a book and becomes trapped, having to finish out the story in place of the book's original protagonist, whilst his parents, still in reality, attempt to discern the cause of the seizure. 

Wiersema writes some of the most realistic, grounded characters I've ever had the pleasure of getting to know. Between this and his first book, Before I Wake, I have come across the most accessible and mature adults I think I've read. They make dramatic mistakes, they lie to one another, but when the truth comes out, it is never not handled with rational minds and intelligence. 

Highly recommended - in fact, I highly recommend all three of his books (the last being a novella titled The World More Full of Weeping). He definitely uses similar themes in his work - children lost or ill, relationships broken and on the mend - but they are all unique and worth every page of time.


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## penguin (Dec 27, 2010)

I've _just_ finished Kushiel's Mercy by Jacqueline Carey. LOVE this series.


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## LovelyLiz (Dec 27, 2010)

In the non-fiction category:

_Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison_, Michel Foucault

(Btw, what a gruesome beginning!)

In the fiction category:

_Tokyo Cancelled_, Rana Dasgupta

Thanks to AmazingAmy for the recommendation! I'm about 1/3 of the way through, and I've enjoyed it so far. I find the prose a bit messier than Haruki Murakami (his prose is so clean and so vivid - really unparalleled, and I just read his short stories _After the Quake_ before beginning this collection), but the stories are gripping and have that taste of magical realism that I totally dig.


----------



## HottiMegan (Dec 27, 2010)

i downloaded The Bride Collector by Ted Dekker from my library and am only about 25 pages into it. It's good so far but i keep falling asleep. Not from the book but from the fact I've been tired when i go to bed lately


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## largenlovely (Dec 28, 2010)

You've talked me into checking these out 

I couldn't finish _Conspiracy of Papers_ ...wasn't my cup of tea. So i moved on to _Arthur & George_ by Julian Barnes. It's pretty interesting so far. Not nearly as good as _As The Crow Flies_ by Jeffrey Archer though...that is one of the best books i've read this year i think.



Edens_heel said:


> Robert Wiersema's Bedtime Story.
> 
> Gorgeous Magical Realism book about a boy who has a seizure while reading a book and becomes trapped, having to finish out the story in place of the book's original protagonist, whilst his parents, still in reality, attempt to discern the cause of the seizure.
> 
> ...


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## largenlovely (Dec 28, 2010)

i haaaaate it when that happens. I look forward to going to bed at night and spending my "me" time by reading...and sometimes i'm too beat to fully enjoy it or get too far with it and that always makes me feel disappointed.



HottiMegan said:


> i downloaded The Bride Collector by Ted Dekker from my library and am only about 25 pages into it. It's good so far but i keep falling asleep. Not from the book but from the fact I've been tired when i go to bed lately


----------



## graphicsgal (Dec 28, 2010)

I just finished _House Rules_ by Jodi Picoult. I heart her. I am looking for a new one to read now.


----------



## Edens_heel (Dec 28, 2010)

How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe, by Charles Yu.

Insanity of the best order - here's the synopsis:

Minor Universe 31 is a vast story-space on the outskirts of fiction, where paradox fluctuates like the stock market, lonely sexbots beckon failed protagonists, and time travel is serious business. Every day, people get into time machines and try to do the one thing they should never do: change the past. Thats where Charles Yu, time travel technicianpart counselor, part gadget repair mansteps in. He helps save people from themselves. Literally. 

When hes not taking client calls or consoling his boss, Phil, who could really use an upgrade, Yu visits his mother (stuck in a one-hour cycle of time, she makes dinner over and over and over) and searches for his father, who invented time travel and then vanished. 

Accompanied by TAMMY, an operating system with low self-esteem, and Ed, a nonexistent but ontologically valid dog, Yu sets out, and back, and beyond, in order to find the one day where he and his father can meet in memory. He learns that the key may be found in a book he got from his future self. Its called How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe, and hes the author. And somewhere inside it is the information that could help himin fact it may even save his life. 

Can't recommend it enough, though it's possible that being high will help to make sense of the book (am yet to test this theory)


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## HottiMegan (Dec 29, 2010)

largenlovely said:


> i haaaaate it when that happens. I look forward to going to bed at night and spending my "me" time by reading...and sometimes i'm too beat to fully enjoy it or get too far with it and that always makes me feel disappointed.



Me too! I usually spend an hour or two reading in bed and it's good. I think I've been too tired thanks to having my older boy home from school. He tires me out!  I snuck off to read a little while this afternoon while my little one was napping


----------



## largenlovely (Dec 29, 2010)

that's probably what it is....my sister's 2 oldest girls go to school and the youngest boy is one year away from going to school so during the day he's all she has....but this week, she's had ALL 3 of them and she says they've been cracked out on christmas kinda hyper lol ....and i promised her i'd babysit for New Years Eve so they could go out this year....thank GOD they gotta lot of video/board games for Christmas at least lol




HottiMegan said:


> Me too! I usually spend an hour or two reading in bed and it's good. I think I've been too tired thanks to having my older boy home from school. He tires me out!  I snuck off to read a little while this afternoon while my little one was napping


----------



## snuggletiger (Dec 29, 2010)

Plugging through Jane Austen's Sense & Sensibility


----------



## Edens_heel (Dec 30, 2010)

A follow-up to my last post: http://backlisted.blogspot.com/2010/12/review-how-to-live-safely-in-science.html

One of the best science fiction books I've ever read.


----------



## Ola (Dec 30, 2010)

I recently finished reading "The Centenarian Who Climbed Out Through the Window and Disappeared"

That's the English title, but I don't know if the book has been fully translated and/or released for you guys yet. I highly recommend it though, I wasn't able to put the book down before I had read through the whole thing! 


Right now I'm waiting for "Earth (The Book): A Visitors Guide to the Human Race", which I ever so wisely ordered right in the middle of the Christmas rush. :doh: xD


----------



## TimeTraveller (Dec 31, 2010)

I have a strange idea of fun, so this morning for enjoyment and language practise I've been re-reading German composer Georg Philipp Telemann's amiable autobiography on pages 354 - 369 of:

http://openlibrary.org/books/OL22881441M/Grundlage_einer_Ehren-pforte

It's fun to literally read the pages of history, even though it's in that quaint yet @#$%! old German Fraktur font.


----------



## shuefly pie (Dec 31, 2010)

I'm reading *Hurry Down Sunshine*, by Michael Greenberg.

Greenberg offers the uncompromising and abrading story about his teenage daughter's descent into madness. Not exactly light reading, but it's certainly thought-provoking and in an intangible way, humbling.


----------



## Tanuki (Dec 31, 2010)

Dune... never read it before!


----------



## Ola (Dec 31, 2010)

TimeTraveller said:


> It's fun to literally read the pages of history, even though it's in that quaint yet @#$%! old German Fraktur font.


lol, well at least it's readable.  When I wrote my term paper for last year, I had to go through a bunch of official documents from the 1830's. Everyone must've been high on opium back then, because seriously, the cover page in that link you posted looks normal in comparison! xD


----------



## Edens_heel (Dec 31, 2010)

About to read the Giller winner for 2010, Johanna Skibsrud's The Sentimentalists. 

Also attempting to figure out how I'm gonna get the mountain of Christmas books back home in my luggage - seems everyone in my life knows books are the safest bet to buy me as gifts, which is great, but also bad as I now have about 20 extra pounds of stuff to carry back. Thinking this ebook thing might not be a bad idea after all...


----------



## TimeTraveller (Dec 31, 2010)

TimeTraveller said:


> It's fun to literally read the pages of history, even though it's in that quaint yet @#$%! old German Fraktur font.





Ola said:


> lol, well at least it's readable.  When I wrote my term paper for last year, I had to go through a bunch of official documents from the 1830's. Everyone must've been high on opium back then, because seriously, the cover page in that link you posted looks normal in comparison! xD


Yes, I have found many old documents that almost caused my document scanner to burst into flames. 

I note that you are in Sweden. As an amateur polyglot, I generally confine myself to English, French, German and Spanish. However as I said I have a strange idea of fun. For Christmas I listened to the oratorio _Den heliga natten [The Holy Night]_ by Swedish composer Hilding Rosenberg. The texts were only in Swedish, but I enjoyed "Josefs sång" ["Joseph's Song"] so much and the Swedish language sounds so beautiful when it's sung that I locked myself in a cavern with my dictionaries for 3 days and translated this one text into English myself, although I made no attempt to maintain the rhymes. Fortunately Swedish wasn't as bad as my near-death encounter with Icelandic (or perhaps simply the apocalyptic music of Icelandic composer Jón Leifs).

Gott Nytt År! [Happy New Year!]



> Hilding Rosenberg (1892-1985): _Den heliga natten [The Holy Night]_:
> 
> "Josefs sång" ["Joseph's Song"]
> 
> ...


----------



## Ola (Dec 31, 2010)

TimeTraveller said:


> Yes, I have found many old documents that almost caused my document scanner to burst into flames.
> 
> I note that you are in Sweden. As an amateur polyglot, I generally confine myself to English, French, German and Spanish. However as I said I have a strange idea of fun. For Christmas I listened to the oratorio _Den heliga natten [The Holy Night]_ by Swedish composer Hilding Rosenberg. The texts were only in Swedish, but I enjoyed "Josefs sång" ["Joseph's Song"] so much and the Swedish language sounds so beautiful when it's sung that I locked myself in a cavern with my dictionaries for 3 days and translated this one text into English myself, although I made no attempt to maintain the rhymes. Fortunately Swedish wasn't as bad as my near-death encounter with Icelandic (or perhaps simply the apocalyptic music of Icelandic composer Jón Leifs).
> 
> Gott Nytt År! [Happy New Year!]


Yes, Icelandic is brutal, but it's kinda cool that they're basically speaking Old Norse.  Nice translation by the way, and cheers! Gott nytt år!


----------



## pdgujer148 (Jan 2, 2011)

Just started "V." by Thomas Pynchon.

This is actually my 2nd reading. 

I'm curious as to whether 20 years will change my opinion of the novel. At Risk: Is my 40-ish self's opinion that Pynchon is full of shit correct, or is my 20-ish self's opinion that he is a genius correct?


----------



## NancyGirl74 (Jan 2, 2011)

Just finished _*Lolita*_ by Vladimir Nabokov...It was poetic, disturbing, and beautiful. A wrong, twisted, one sided love story. You wanted to hate the main character because he deserved it...but I think you end up feeling immense pity for him in the end. Beautifully written. A work of art.


----------



## FA_wro (Jan 2, 2011)

As usual I'm doing a few at a time.

Right now on the menu:

Day of the Triffids - classic post-apocalyptic sci-fi story that has inspired just about every single good post-apocalyptic story/movie/whatever in the past 50 years. Mostly because it focuses on how people react and interact during such dire times. Even Walking Dead follows this  The comic at least, not the series, which kinda sucked.

Clash of Civilizations - Huntington's classic geopolitical insight into clashes between cultures and religions.

Life at the Bottom - Theodore Dalrymple's essays on how so-called progressive or liberal values tend to diminish individual responsibility and lead to violence, welfare dependency and criminality.

Just finished Oriana Fallaci's pamphlet, The Rage and the Pride. Written soon after the WTC attacks. It's a short piece, everybody should read. I won't say much about it, other than the fact that I wholeheartedly agree with her.


----------



## SuperMishe (Jan 2, 2011)

Just started *The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo* for the third time. I have managed to get through the first fifty pages so far, so maybe this time I can finish it!


----------



## 1love_emily (Jan 2, 2011)

Right now, I'm about halfway through "Under the Banner of Heaven" by John Krakauer. It's about Mormon Fundamentalism. Anytime I tell someone that, they give me a weird look and question why I'm reading it and tell me it must be boring.

Well, obviously...

They haven't heard of Mormon Fundamentalism. It's interesting, that's for sure. 

Next on my list is "Three Cups of Tea"... I'm not sure what comes after that. I'm still stuck reading stuff for school while I'm reading other books.... meh
 yep


----------



## one2one (Jan 2, 2011)

I just finished Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris. 

It was the second seasonal book I read in honor of the holidays and a welcome relief from the first, which was the Stupidest Angel: a Heartwarming Tale of Christmas Terror by Christopher Moore.

Don't get me wrong, I like Moore (or at least I _adored_ Lamb), but the Stupidest Angel was not what I expected. It was more like repeatedly slowing down while passing the scene of an accident; even though you know you shouldn't look, you can't quite help it and are often sorry you did. It is worthy of a Bulwer-Lytton award.


----------



## cinnamitch (Jan 2, 2011)

Reading Country Wisdom& Know-How. Great reading about all sorts of various things you might want to learn about if you decide to live a more rural, off the beaten path life.


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## 1love_emily (Jan 3, 2011)

cinnamitch said:


> Reading Country Wisdom& Know-How. Great reading about all sorts of various things you might want to learn about if you decide to live a more rural, off the beaten path life.



What kind of stuff do they say? I'm moving away to rural Missouri from "urban" Nebraska this fall and I'd be interested to know some things I should know.

I already know that the part of Missouri I'm going to is now pronounced "Mizz-zhur-uh" which I absolutely love DDD


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## cinnamitch (Jan 3, 2011)

1love_emily said:


> What kind of stuff do they say? I'm moving away to rural Missouri from "urban" Nebraska this fall and I'd be interested to know some things I should know.
> 
> I already know that the part of Missouri I'm going to is now pronounced "Mizz-zhur-uh" which I absolutely love DDD



Well it tells you how to identify certain birds, herbal remedies, how to plant a garden, recipes for various meat dishes including muskrat, porcupine and raccoon. Just a lot of different subjects and an interesting read.


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## Admiral_Snackbar (Jan 4, 2011)

Reading this for the frillionth time. I simply cannot lose my enjoyment over words such as "verterium cortenide" (the active induction material in a warp drive coil), "excelion-infused carbonitrium" (part of the main engine's matter/antimatter reaction chamber housing) and "arkenium duranide" (part of the plasma injection manifold system that delivers energy from the main engine to the warp nacelles). There's so much lovable technobabble and inside jokery in this thing that it's like nerd pornography. 

View attachment techmanual.jpg


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## HDANGEL15 (Jan 4, 2011)

Edens_heel said:


> Also attempting to figure out how I'm gonna get the mountain of Christmas books back home in my luggage - seems everyone in my life knows books are the safest bet to buy me as gifts, which is great, but also bad as I now have about 20 extra pounds of stuff to carry back. Thinking this ebook thing might not be a bad idea after all...



*i'd say UPS....but realized you live in Edmonton...what's their equivalent...it's a drag to carry heavy bags.....where' are you...i'll unburden ya!!!!!

I love my library, it's the RIGHT PRICE!!! and I just can't afford to buy books anymore*


----------



## AmazingAmy (Jan 5, 2011)

_The Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy and Other Stories_ by Tim Burton.

I picked it up today in HMV for £3 because it was cute and quite inspiring.


----------



## deanbpm (Jan 5, 2011)

The boy with nails in his eyes
put up his aluminium tree,
It looked pretty strange
because he couldn't really see.


Love it!


----------



## LovelyLiz (Jan 5, 2011)

_A Theory of Justice_ by John Rawls.

Studying for my comprehensive exams...


----------



## shuefly pie (Jan 5, 2011)

"A Fair Maiden," by Joyce Carol Oates

http://tinyurl.com/27udne6


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## pdgujer148 (Jan 5, 2011)

"V." is still great. Guess I just don't like late Pynchon.

Started "The Master and Margarita" by Mikhail Bulgakov. I futzed around in the bookstore for over an hour comparing translations. I agonize over that kind of stuff. I split the difference and went with Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky (safe and ubiquitous). 

Also picked up "The Wordy Shipmates" by Sarah Vowell--something to read on the elliptical.


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## LovelyLiz (Jan 5, 2011)

pdgujer148 said:


> Started "The Master and Margarita" by Mikhail Bulgakov. I futzed around in the bookstore for over an hour comparing translations. I agonize over that kind of stuff. I split the difference and went with Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky (safe and ubiquitous).



Let me know how you like it - it's definitely one of the Russian novels at the top of my list. And Pevear and Voloknonsky are definitely the go-to translators even among Russian speakers and scholars, they're phenomenal. So I give you props on your choice, anyway.


----------



## Still a Skye fan (Jan 6, 2011)

I recently started TRUE GRIT by Charles Portis.

I enjoyed the John Wayne movie and actually enjoyed the new remake with Jeff Bridges (a rarity as I usually hate remakes).

I'd never read the book before and it's really good, so far.

Dennis


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## vinarian (Jan 7, 2011)

Just finished reading all of the Cirque Du Freak books, next on my list is to re-read the Harry Dresden (Jim Butcher) novels in anticipation for his upcomming novel in March


----------



## Destroyer117 (Jan 8, 2011)

I finished off reading Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad which was an amazing read abeit short, and I'm now picking up Ruled Britannia by Harry Turtledove.


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## Blackjack (Jan 8, 2011)

My haul from Barnes & Noble today:

_The Picture of Dorian Gray_, Oscar Wilde
_The Satanic Verses_, Salman Rushdie
_The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn_, Mark Twain
_Serenity: Better Days_, the second comic
_Pride and Prejudice_, Jane Austen (I've heard some really great things, and I'd love to at least have it available to read)
_Ender's Game_, Orson Scott Card
_Life of Pi_, Yann Martel

I started on _Dorian Gray_ tonight... this stack ought to take me through 'til the summer or almost.


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## pdgujer148 (Jan 8, 2011)

Blackjack said:


> My haul from Barnes & Noble today:
> 
> _The Picture of Dorian Gray_, Oscar Wilde
> _The Satanic Verses_, Salman Rushdie
> ...



Careful with Orson Scott Card. If you go past book one prepare for a trip down the rabbit-hole.


----------



## frankman (Jan 8, 2011)

Blackjack said:


> My haul from Barnes & Noble today:
> 
> _The Picture of Dorian Gray_, Oscar Wilde
> _The Satanic Verses_, Salman Rushdie
> ...



Pride and prejudice is VERY good. The Yann Martel one is great, and Dorian Gray is one of my favorite books ever. You're going to enjoy the rest of your winter, I just know it.


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## LovelyLiz (Jan 8, 2011)

frankman said:


> Pride and prejudice is VERY good. The Yann Martel one is great, and Dorian Gray is one of my favorite books ever. You're going to enjoy the rest of your winter, I just know it.



_Life of Pi_ f*cked me up for a good while.


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## frankman (Jan 8, 2011)

mcbeth said:


> _Life of Pi_ f*cked me up for a good while.



Hell yes, same here. Great book, it totally got me involved.


Oh, and Beej, let me know how plowing through the Satanic Verses is treating you when you cross that bridge, yeah?


And to the Destroyer117, who just read Conrad's Heart of Darkness: good choice, dude. It's one I often revisit, since I'm a sucker for early stream of conciousness writing, where the aim is to drag you into the story and feel with the character instead of juxtaposing random garbled shit and call it a thought pattern. A Passage to India is also great in that aspect. Highly recommended!


----------



## Webmaster (Jan 8, 2011)

I just finished "Freedom" by Jonathan Franzen. 

With all the massive build-up (he was on the cover of TIME Magazine), I expected nothing less than the Great American Novel, i.e. a very finely crafted story that subtly reflects who and what we are, and also documents the times we live in.

"Freedom," for me, did turn out to be an enjoyable read. It's the story of a family from about 1975 to maybe 2005. There's drama, humor, introspection, family stuff and also something that I've truly come to appreciate in this texting tweeting, grammar and punctuation-free world of self publishing: excellent writing that's superbly edited and presented. That's why the sole error in the book sort of stuck out like a sore thumb.

Good though it was, if "Freedom" truly represents the definite commentary on the last 30 years in these here US of A, then we must have lived in a world rather more sarcastic, dysfunctional and shallow than I perceived it. On the story-telling side, there was more James Michener in it than I expected.

Anyway, good read, but somehow also a good example of raised expectations from that feature in TIME.


----------



## frankman (Jan 8, 2011)

Right now, I'm rereading Windows on the World, by Frederic Beigbeder. Easily one of the most grippingly important books of the post 9-11 world. It does a class job telling two stories, one in the odd chapters, one in the even. One contains the musings and day to day affairs of the writer, one tells the story of Cartnew, who spends his breakfast in the Windows on the World lounge when the planes hit.

Frank Wynne did an amazing job translating the book from French; it reads fresh, like an original.

I can't praise this book enough. It's a must read.


----------



## AmazingAmy (Jan 8, 2011)

I'm back on an old _Anita Blake_ book that I gave up on without realising I was two pages away from hot vampire/Executioner chemistry. Only a few pages left to go, and have one of my grandma's crime books for after that. Also completed the first Vampire Academy novel not long ago. I love teen vampire fiction.


----------



## Mishty (Jan 12, 2011)

_What Dreams May Come_ - *Richard Matheson *


so lovely.....


----------



## Edens_heel (Jan 12, 2011)

The Paradox of Choice: Why More is Less - How the Culture of Abundance Robs Us of Satisfaction, by Barry Schwartz.

Basically, a book to tell me that I'm even more fucked up and indecisive than I already thought - just with some science and conjecture to follow it up.

In all seriousness, it's an excellent read if one is at all curious about or wants to be encouraged to think about why we perceive abundance to be such a good thing when, in truth, the amount of choices we have throw in our own faces is making our lives exponentially more difficult than they need to be.

Reading a few other things as well, though my reading is going to take a bit of a dive soon as I force myself back into writing... need to finish up a draft of a book by May.

http://backlisted.blogspot.com


----------



## activistfatgirl (Jan 12, 2011)

I just finished King's Under the Dome, which was fun for what it was. When I put my serious hat back on, I'm reading The Ascetic of Desire, a novel about a young spiritual student meeting the author of the Kamasutra. Haven't gotten super far, but it's compelling so far.


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## pdgujer148 (Jan 13, 2011)

activistfatgirl said:


> I just finished King's Under the Dome, which was fun for what it was. When I put my serious hat back on, I'm reading The Ascetic of Desire, a novel about a young spiritual student meeting the author of the Kamasutra. Haven't gotten super far, but it's compelling so far.



RE: "The Dome"

King still knows how to create likable blue collar heroes and loathsome villains. He still has exceptional storytelling skills.

What he lacks is the ability to adequately conclude extended narratives. His short stories and novellas are fine, but whenever he goes over 600 pages you can bet that the ending is going to suck.

I would have rather had him end "The Dome" with: "And then, when things were at there bleakest, the dome disappeared. Nobody every figured out why the dome appeared or why it left." I could have lived with that. Instead we are treated with a left-field twist that makes no sense when you think about it and is lifted from the forgotten 80's comedy "Explorers". 

I remember throwing the book to the floor and yelling, "Seriously!?!? I read 1000 pages for this!"

That said, it is a pretty good ride up until that point...


----------



## Edens_heel (Jan 13, 2011)

pdgujer148 said:


> RE: "The Dome"
> 
> King still knows how to create likable blue collar heroes and loathsome villains. He still has exceptional storytelling skills.
> 
> ...



Haven't read the Dome yet, but i feel exactly the same about The Stand. Having a giant, glowing, very literal deus ex machina come down from the heavens to set everything right was such an enormous slap in the face. He's a great idea man, but he cannot end anything right.


----------



## The Orange Mage (Jan 13, 2011)

Gonna pick up Orson Scott Card's "Xenocide" from the library today. The previous two books in the series were excellent and I accidentally got the fourth one a week ago thinking it was a trilogy! :doh:


----------



## Admiral_Snackbar (Jan 13, 2011)

Edens_heel said:


> Haven't read the Dome yet, but i feel exactly the same about The Stand. Having a giant, glowing, very literal deus ex machina come down from the heavens to set everything right was such an enormous slap in the face. He's a great idea man, but he cannot end anything right.



Read Robert McCammon's "Swan Song". It's more bleak (nukes instead of bioweapons) and has a much more satisfying ending. It's an obvious homage to The Stand but done better in many ways. The thing to realize is that many of those earlier novels were written when he was battling alcohol and drug abuse. I know his later works had some influence related to when they were written in relation to when he was hit by a car and recovering.

Realize, too, that The Lord of the Rings had a similar "quick pop" climax; guy goes to throw a ring in a pit, another creepy guy who wants the ring fights him, creepy guy ends up falling with the ring into the pit and destroy it and himself. Yes, whether you were a fan of the book or the movie there were still 26 more endings to the damn thing, but the denouement of many of these types of books is always a letdown because a good author builds it up to such a frenzy.

Koontz is an excellent example where he weaves an amazing story where the climax is metaphorically equivalent to some woman looking away as she jerks you to orgasm into a kleenex, then hands it to you to dispose of as she wrinkles her nose. I daresay it's almost a literary "fuck you" to the reader. The fact his novels have continued to sell like gangbusters despite this obviously tired formula says that people read them for the stories and characters, not the endings. 

I personally feel King is tired of writing, hates it at times, but does so because it makes him money, keeps a throng of anxious readers happy and in the end exorcises whatever demons he hasn't tackled in all his novels previously. The classic Family Guy joke was evidence of that. I personally would love to have him move back into short stories, because those fixed (as pdgujer148 stated) his inability to sustain a narrative.

Lastly, King needs to focus more on his non-horror stories, because those tend to be the best. The fact that Green Mile and Shawshank were lauded as amazing books and films speaks to that.


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## Blackjack (Jan 13, 2011)

Having read some from his new book _Full Dark, No Stars_, I can say that King is still pretty fucking good at short stories and novellas. "1922" might be my favorite of his tales that I've read in a good long while.

Agreed that he's not so good with longer novels, though. I enjoyed _The Shining_ and like _Salem's Lot_, but felt a bit let down by the ending of _The Stand_ (though I most certainly don't regret reading it). _Cell_ was, I thought, pretty good until the last quarter of the book or so when the floating stuff got introduced, at which point I was more like "...really? There's no need for this crap" than anything else; but the final few paragraphs of that novel were a worthwhile payoff.

As to why he writes... I don't think that it really has anything to do with money. I seriously doubt that he'd need the money from continuous new releases. He's said- and I believe him- that he doesn't create the stories he writes so much as he _discovers_ them, and I don't think that he can help himself. He claimed that he would be done with writing once he finished the _Dark Tower_ series, but I'm convinced that he hasn't stopped simply because he _can't_. (see also: Isaac Asimov's short story "Dreaming is a Private Thing", which also addresses this concept)


----------



## Deven (Jan 13, 2011)

I'm currently reading H.P. Lovecraft's works, I have a complete collection on my kindle. When it freaks me out enough (Herbert West: Reanimator did) I'm reading Portia De Rossi's (Ellen DeGeneres wife) Unbearable Lightness.


----------



## HottiMegan (Jan 13, 2011)

I'm wavering on which to read. One of the Sherlock Holmes books (i have two collections) or the new Dean Koontz book.


----------



## Edens_heel (Jan 13, 2011)

Another terrific example of not being able to stick the literary landing: John Twelve Hawk's Traveler trilogy. Two great reads and 9/10ths of a fun third book, and all of it totally undone by a worthless, quick-let's-get-this-shit-out-the-door denouement that completely and utterly betrays the build-up.

Best example ever of an ending tying everything up into a wicked, full-circle conclusion? Gotta go with the classics on this one: The Count of Monte Cristo. If you love your endings to beat you over the head and leave you for dead (in a good way), read it.


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## HDANGEL15 (Jan 14, 2011)

pdgujer148 said:


> RE: "The Dome"
> 
> King still knows how to create likable blue collar heroes and loathsome villains. He still has exceptional storytelling skills.
> 
> ...





Edens_heel said:


> Haven't read the Dome yet, but i feel exactly the same about The Stand. Having a giant, glowing, very literal deus ex machina come down from the heavens to set everything right was such an enormous slap in the face. He's a great idea man, but he cannot end anything right.





Admiral_Snackbar said:


> I personally feel King is tired of writing, hates it at times, but does so because it makes him money, keeps a throng of anxious readers happy and in the end exorcises whatever demons he hasn't tackled in all his novels previously. The classic Family Guy joke was evidence of that. I personally would love to have him move back into short stories, because those fixed (as pdgujer148 stated) his inability to sustain a narrative.
> 
> Lastly, King needs to focus more on his non-horror stories, because those tend to be the best. The fact that Green Mile and Shawshank were lauded as amazing books and films speaks to that.



*enjoyed all the incite...i read for enjoyment and I was just plain excited to read one of his books again after such a long while, and dig all the character development and just an interesting story.....i know his short stories are the best, and has some wonderful movies based on them; but for me theres something pretty cool about reading a really big tome.....just my 2 cents....i love reading what y'all have to say for sure, and pick my books off of your suggestions 95% of the times....THANKS*


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## pdgujer148 (Jan 15, 2011)

mcbeth said:


> Let me know how you like it - it's definitely one of the Russian novels at the top of my list. And Pevear and Voloknonsky are definitely the go-to translators even among Russian speakers and scholars, they're phenomenal. So I give you props on your choice, anyway.



I just finished "The Master and Margarita" tonight. I love this novel.

I've been sitting at my desk writing and redacting what I intended to be a brief enthusiastic statement, but I can't come up with anything that adequately describes how unique, funny, disturbing, entertaining, repellent, and touching this novel is. 

Cheap critics claim that this or that "took their breath away": It honestly happened to me multiple times while reading this novel.


----------



## hrd (Jan 23, 2011)

at the top of my stack right now is _the last dragonslayer_ by jasper fforde - i'm a fan of his stuff (the thursday next series is wicked sweet), so i'm curious to see how he writes for kids/teens, but how can you not love a book whose cover is textured to resemble dragon scales - it's not available stateside yet, but i was lucky to snag a random copy off ebay just after it was published in the uk - though i purchased it from someone in america, so figure that one out - my best guess is that they own an infinite improbability drive - or maybe they hitched a lift on the tardis =)


----------



## The Orange Mage (Jan 23, 2011)

Finished the last of the four "Ender" books. The ending was...actually pretty disappointing. :\


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## hrd (Jan 23, 2011)

Edens_heel said:


> Best example ever of an ending tying everything up into a wicked, full-circle conclusion? Gotta go with the classics on this one: The Count of Monte Cristo. If you love your endings to beat you over the head and leave you for dead (in a good way), read it.



_monte cristo_ was one of my fave books as a kid, so i'm going to have to read it again to truly experience it =)


----------



## CAMellie (Jan 23, 2011)

I just finished _Kushiel's Scion_ by Jacqueline Carey and am now re-reading _Gerald's Game_ by Stephen King until I can get to the library again.


----------



## AmazingAmy (Jan 23, 2011)

_Happy Like Murderers: The True Story of Fred and Rosemary West_ by Gordon Burn.

It's pretty intense, detailed stuff. Definitely absorbing though. It reads so well as a story you sometimes forget these people existed and really did what they did. It also makes me absurdly grateful for my safe, loving childhood.


----------



## Blackjack (Jan 23, 2011)

Finished _The Picture of Dorian Gray_, which didn't impress me; now I'm reading _Ender's Game_.


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## Edens_heel (Jan 23, 2011)

Blackjack said:


> Finished _The Picture of Dorian Gray_, which didn't impress me; now I'm reading _Ender's Game_.



Such a shame - LOVED Dorian Gray. Ender's was okay, but I think 1) it's very overrated, and 2) Orson Scott Card's raging homophobia has killed any interest I had in his writing.


----------



## shuefly pie (Jan 24, 2011)

"Boy Alone: A Brother's Memoir," by Karl Taro Greenfeld

Memoir about growing up with a brother with autism. Wrenching stuff for me to read. I can't say how the story would affect someone else.


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## pdgujer148 (Jan 28, 2011)

I just finished China Miéville's "The Scar". Loved it! It takes a couple hundred pages to get moving, but once the setup is complete Miéville delivers an unfailing string of jaw dropping moments every twenty pages or so.

Example: A race of people whose blood coagulates like stone on contact with the air. Their sport: ritualistic cutting to create self-styled armor for arena combat. I understand that this sounds weird and macabre, but Miéville has an uncanny knack for making the unbelievable believable and the grotesque odldy beautiful. It is like acknowledging the gross brutality of a bullfight and appreciating the rituals of the performance.

No point in trying to describe the plot. I could say that The Scar is about a woman who while escaping her own city is abducted by pirates and forced to live on a sprawling oceanic city consisting of salvaged boats, and learn to live among sentient dolphins, scholarly mosquitoes with sphincter mouths, sentient cacti, genetically altered prisoners mutated into various mechanical/biological atrocities , vampires, and a bad ass with a sword that can predict all possible outcomes of a swing, and a...

The novel is chaos. Hoverer, and this is the most impressive part, it all makes complete sense in the end.


----------



## PunkyGurly74 (Jan 28, 2011)

Any dog lovers?

This past summer I lost my 12.5 year old yellow lab named Max. He was a character and a half. I had been fostering doggies and I adopted both of them (so I failed at fostering twice hehehe). I hadn't trained a dog in over a decade and after already being exposed to some readings on dog behavior I knew I wanted to use positive reinforcement. So, we found a class...love my trainer. 
After a private session with us (to make up a couple weeks of training I missed for a shot lived job) she suggested some books for me to read. 

So, I just finished Patricia McConnell's "The Other end of the Leash". This book makes me want to be an animal behaviorist. It is wonderful insight into how we humans (primates) communicate (through body language) to our dogs. Dogs are visual. Every small move we make, facial expression ..they catch. It dispells a lot of myths too - the "alpha fallacy". She relates stories to illustrate just how often we miss understand our dogs and how even other professionals we trust don't understand our dogs. 

This is a great book for anyone who loves dogs.

I am waiting on some other books to come in at the library at the moment..so in the meantime from my library I am reading "John Adams" - amazing book. I see why it won the Pulitzer. I have a BA in history and my favorite history prof was an an early American history guy. So, I picked up Adams because I heard it was good..and it is an amazing book and gives you great insight to one of the most important figures in early American history.


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## HDANGEL15 (Jan 28, 2011)

*Heading to Playa del Carmen tomorrow for R+R and taking with me:
Life, Keith Richardson
Lucky, Alice Sebold
The Red Garden, Alice Hoffman
Just Kids, Patti Smith

Looking forward to lots of down time, beach, read, sleep, eat...keep it simple*


----------



## lizzie_lotr (Jan 29, 2011)

Shadow of the Wind, by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. One of the few books I've read where I simply did not want it to end. I highly recommend it!!!!!! :happy:


----------



## AmazingAmy (Jan 31, 2011)

Seeing this thread has reminded me I should buy a new book tomorrow. I'm uninspired by any I have at the moment!


----------



## Blackjack (Jan 31, 2011)

Finished _Ender's Game_, fucking loved it. Might buy others in the series when I have money.

Currently reading _Life of Pi_.


----------



## activistfatgirl (Feb 1, 2011)

I'm reading The Shipping News by E. Annie Proulx.

Anyone else on Goodreads? I'm Tiffanyten there if you'd like to social media your reading with me. I like the encouragement to read instead of wasting time on this free cable I landed on.


----------



## KHayes666 (Feb 1, 2011)

Started the 200 page Bob Cousy on the Celtics mystique earlier, I'll have it finished within an hour.


----------



## snuggletiger (Feb 1, 2011)

Reading "Little Women" by Alcott.


----------



## AmazingAmy (Feb 1, 2011)

Not reading them yet because they haven't arrived, but I've just ordered _Siren _and _The Replacement_, two supernatural fantasies for teenagers. I do love teenage fiction.


----------



## Carrie (Feb 1, 2011)

activistfatgirl said:


> I'm reading The Shipping News by E. Annie Proulx.
> 
> Anyone else on Goodreads? I'm Tiffanyten there if you'd like to social media your reading with me. I like the encouragement to read instead of wasting time on this free cable I landed on.


Oh, god. I fear you've just introduced me to my newest internet-time-suck.


----------



## Deven (Feb 1, 2011)

I'm currently reading Unbearable Lightness: A Story of Loss and Gain by Portia De Rossi. It's about her eating disorder and about playing straight when she was truly a lesbian. I'm loving everything about it. I love that her dedication page is to her wife, Ellen Degeneres.


----------



## HDANGEL15 (Feb 1, 2011)

HDANGEL15 said:


> *Heading to Playa del Carmen tomorrow for R+R and taking with me:
> Life, Keith Richardson
> Lucky, Alice Sebold
> The Red Garden, Alice Hoffman
> ...



*i did so much relaxing didn't read nearly as much as i hoped...but had no idea LUCKY was a memoir.....very very up close and personal rape experience and the dealings with the aftermath....i love a train wreck and the details..*


----------



## pdgujer148 (Feb 2, 2011)

Blackjack said:


> Finished _Ender's Game_, fucking loved it. Might buy others in the series when I have money.



I'd be interested in what you think about Speaker for the Dead. Some fans act as if the book was a purposeful insult; I think it is a brilliant and moral response to Ender's Game. Regardless, things get weird quick.


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## Blackjack (Feb 2, 2011)

pdgujer148 said:


> I'd be interested in what you think about Speaker for the Dead. Some fans act as if the book was a purposeful insult; I think it is a brilliant and moral response to Ender's Game. Regardless, things get weird quick.



I've heard that the series after the first one is a trip down the rabbit hole, which I'm cool with. In any case, it'll be a while before I get to them, since I've got four more books before my stack's finished now.


----------



## shuefly pie (Feb 2, 2011)

*The Panic Virus*, by Seth Mnookin

Well-written. Very interesting to me, but then I have a vested interest in the subject.

Check it out here: http://tinyurl.com/4scwb7a


----------



## SuperMishe (Feb 2, 2011)

SuperMishe said:


> Just started *The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo* for the third time. I have managed to get through the first fifty pages so far, so maybe this time I can finish it!



YAY! LOL! I finished that and enjoyed it, breezed through the Girl Who Played With Fire and right now I'm half way through the Girl Who Kicked the Hornets Nest and I'm alternating between devouring it and pacing myself as I know this is the last book :-(


----------



## mejix (Feb 2, 2011)

*How Proust Can Change Your Life* by Alain De Botton. De Botton can get patronizing sometimes but overall this is a light, fun read.


----------



## HottiMegan (Feb 2, 2011)

I'm enjoying Shoes to Die For. It's a Jaine Austen mystery by Laura Levine. It's a quick, witty read


----------



## Scorsese86 (Feb 11, 2011)

_Decision Points_

356 pages in one week is pretty good for me.


----------



## mejix (Feb 11, 2011)

*Life* by Keith Richards, read by Johnny Depp. I am enjoying this book a lot.


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## HDANGEL15 (Feb 12, 2011)

mejix said:


> *Life* by Keith Richards, read by Johnny Depp. I am enjoying this book a lot.


*
reading it too.......with Patti Smith, Just Kids, coming up next *


----------



## Edens_heel (Feb 12, 2011)

Reality is Broken: Why Games Make Us Better and How They Can Change the World, by Jane McGonigal.

Anyone with a passing interest in gaming - video or any type of gaming - should give this a read. It deals predominantly with the social catharsis of gaming and how its benefits and potential for community building/engaging can enact change with more speed and efficiency than anything else.

Up next: gritty horror/sci-fi titled Nexus: Ascension, by Robert Boyczuk and Cheese Monkeys, by Chip Kidd.


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## Tina (Feb 12, 2011)

_Under the Dome_ by Stephen King

Recently finished _Let Me In_ by John Ajvide Lindovist

Next will be _Full Dark, No Stars_, by Stephen King

I want a Kindle.



Admiral_Snackbar said:


> Lastly, King needs to focus more on his non-horror stories, because those tend to be the best. The fact that Green Mile and Shawshank were lauded as amazing books and films speaks to that.



I'd love to see more short stories from him.


----------



## Nose_body_knows (Feb 14, 2011)

I am reading the Harry Potter series for what seems like the hudredth time, up to book 4.


----------



## Jah (Feb 14, 2011)

Magician by Raymond E. Feist


----------



## Nose_body_knows (Feb 14, 2011)

Jah said:


> Magician by Raymond E. Feist


good book!


----------



## mejix (Feb 14, 2011)

HDANGEL15 said:


> *
> reading it too.......with Patti Smith, Just Kids, coming up next *



Aaaah, yes, ze Patti Smeez. Thats in the horizon too. Yes!


----------



## KHayes666 (Feb 15, 2011)

Split Image by Robert B Parker....one of his final works (RIP)


----------



## AmazingAmy (Feb 15, 2011)

Just finished reading:

_The Replacement_ by Brenna Yovanoff
_Siren_ by Tricia Rayburn
_Entangled _by Cat Clarke

Do love my contemporary fantasy and YA.

Currently onto _A Discovery of Witches_ by Deborah Harkness.


----------



## snuggletiger (Feb 15, 2011)

Finished "Little Women" By Louisa May Alcott

may start reading some Raymond Chandler books next.


----------



## activistfatgirl (Feb 15, 2011)

Finished The Shipping News by Annie Proulx of Brokeback Mountain fame and I thought it was wonderful. Prose as sparse and chilly as the setting in Newfoundland, but the characters begin to thaw out and fall in love as spring comes. Just lovely.


----------



## AmazingAmy (Feb 15, 2011)

Have just ordered *I Am Not A Serial Killer* by Dan Wells, about a teenager boy whose convinced he's a sociopath. Looks dark and funny and also has two follow-ups, can't wait!


----------



## kayrae (Feb 16, 2011)

Currently reading* All Marketers Are Liars* by Seth Godin


----------



## Inhibited (Feb 16, 2011)

AmazingAmy said:


> Have just ordered *I Am Not A Serial Killer* by Dan Wells, about a teenager boy whose convinced he's a sociopath. Looks dark and funny and also has two follow-ups, can't wait!



o0o this sounds like a good read .. i will be getting this book for sure ..


----------



## CoralRain (Feb 16, 2011)

The "Lucky " one by nicholas sparks. I'm such a sucker for his books.


----------



## Blackjack (Feb 16, 2011)

Finished _Life of Pi_ today. Wasn't as wowed by it as I expected, but I did thoroughly enjoy it.

Not sure what's up next. Maybe _Huckleberry Finn_.


----------



## Dmitra (Feb 17, 2011)

Sons and Lovers by D.H. Lawrence. Forgot just how giddy his writing can make me feel.


----------



## penguin (Feb 17, 2011)

I've just started Dreamcatcher by Stephen King, but it's so not drawing me in. Normally his books suck me right in, but maybe after trying to read his Richard Bachman collection of short stories, I'm a little jaded. They were _bad_.


----------



## pdgujer148 (Feb 17, 2011)

penguin said:


> I've just started Dreamcatcher by Stephen King, but it's so not drawing me in. Normally his books suck me right in, but maybe after trying to read his Richard Bachman collection of short stories, I'm a little jaded. They were _bad_.



"Dreamcatcher" is one of King's weaker novels. I lost all hope after the introduction of the "shit-weasels" (King reverts to his scatological 10-year old inner child every now and then and it isn't pretty when he does). The rest is a mish-mash of themes and ideas from his better novels.

If you really want some fun go and watch the film. It borders on being so bad its good.


----------



## Edens_heel (Feb 18, 2011)

This:

http://backlisted.blogspot.com/2011/02/review-daytripper-by-fabio-moon-and.html

If you have -any- interest in comics or graphica, READ THIS.


----------



## Blackjack (Feb 18, 2011)

Edens_heel said:


> This:
> 
> http://backlisted.blogspot.com/2011/02/review-daytripper-by-fabio-moon-and.html
> 
> If you have -any- interest in comics or graphica, READ THIS.



Y'know, I saw that review when Andrew posted it and was very interested, but this second vote of support sells it. I'm gonna buy this ASAP.


----------



## Ernest Nagel (Feb 18, 2011)

Just finished "I'm Perfect, You're Doomed; Tales from a Jehovah's Witness Upbringing" by Kyria Abrahams. One of the funniest books I've EVER read! :bow:


----------



## Edens_heel (Feb 18, 2011)

Blackjack said:


> Y'know, I saw that review when Andrew posted it and was very interested, but this second vote of support sells it. I'm gonna buy this ASAP.



Well if it helps add further support, that's two Andrews telling you to buy it.

Definitely one of the most pleasurable experiences I've had with a comic OR a book.


----------



## coriander (Feb 19, 2011)

I just finishd reading _Generation A_ by Douglas Coupland, and am currently reading _Eleanor Rigby_, by the same author. :happy:


----------



## Edens_heel (Feb 19, 2011)

coriander said:


> I just finishd reading _Generation A_ by Douglas Coupland, and am currently reading _Eleanor Rigby_, by the same author. :happy:



You have my deepest sympathies.

(Don't mind me - I'm probably the one Vancouverite who has LOATHED everything I've read by Coupland.)


----------



## coriander (Feb 19, 2011)

Edens_heel said:


> You have my deepest sympathies.
> 
> (Don't mind me - I'm probably the one Vancouverite who has LOATHED everything I've read by Coupland.)



You aren't the only one - my roommate hates him, too.


----------



## snuggletiger (Feb 19, 2011)

Not sure if I want to start reading the Federalist Papers or the Bible.


----------



## Scorsese86 (Feb 19, 2011)

_Going Rogue: An American Life_

God, (or Reagan), what a boring book! Poorly written, not interessting, and she, (writer Sarah Palin), blames everyone for her faults.


----------



## Edens_heel (Feb 19, 2011)

coriander said:


> You aren't the only one - my roommate hates him, too.



Oh good, I feel better now. For years, being deeply immersed in the book industry on all sides, I was beginning to think I was alone in thinking Coupland to be little more than an angsty, thinks-he's-more-clever-than-he-is tool. Glad there's at least one other person who thinks like I do


----------



## pdgujer148 (Feb 20, 2011)

I'm taking a break from the serious stuff for a bit and treating myself to Joe R. Landsdale's "The Complete Drive-In".

Lansdale (same guy who wrote Bubba Ho-Tep) is one of our best horror writers out there. Other horror writers revere the guy, but because his work is regional (Texan through and through), has an off-kilter tone, and isn't about vampires, zombies, or serial killers he has had a tough time getting much of a fan base.

I'm looking forward to reading this (it is actually three novels). Lansdale is always good for many good laughs, a few solid scares, and an idea or two that may initially sound absurd, but sticks with you and given time truly makes you shiver with dread.


----------



## SuperMishe (Feb 20, 2011)

On Friday eve I bought 3 books and have finished 2 already!

*Room* by Emma Donoghue (? sp of name). Was very good. took a bit of getting used to the language as it's narrated by a 5 year old with no concept of the "real world". I loved the ending.

*Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk* by David Sedaris. I have to admit, I was disappointed. I thought it would be much funnier than it was. I think he missed a great opportunity for more humor here.

Just started *Mini Shopaholic* by Sophie Kinsella. I've read all the others and I wanted something fun. So far so good!


----------



## Surlysomething (Feb 20, 2011)

Naked - David Sedaris


Yes, that was me at the park reading and laughing out loud.


----------



## penguin (Feb 20, 2011)

pdgujer148 said:


> "Dreamcatcher" is one of King's weaker novels. I lost all hope after the introduction of the "shit-weasels" (King reverts to his scatological 10-year old inner child every now and then and it isn't pretty when he does). The rest is a mish-mash of themes and ideas from his better novels.
> 
> If you really want some fun go and watch the film. It borders on being so bad its good.



I'm not that far into it, but I just don't care about the characters, their ~talents~, the people they've found in the forest or why they fart so much. I'm so disappointed in him for how lame this is. So many of his other books have sucked me right in, but not this one. At least I only paid $2 for it.


----------



## Blackjack (Feb 20, 2011)

Took a break from _Pride and Prejudice_ today to read _The Little Prince_, which was on loan from a friend. It took about an hour and was incredibly enjoyable.


----------



## coriander (Feb 20, 2011)

Edens_heel said:


> Oh good, I feel better now. For years, being deeply immersed in the book industry on all sides, I was beginning to think I was alone in thinking Coupland to be little more than an angsty, thinks-he's-more-clever-than-he-is tool. Glad there's at least one other person who thinks like I do



Yeah, that's pretty much what my roomie says. That, and he's heard most of Coupland's ideas before in bars. I'm quite young, though, so maybe I will come to loathe him as I get older.


----------



## Edens_heel (Feb 20, 2011)

coriander said:


> Yeah, that's pretty much what my roomie says. That, and he's heard most of Coupland's ideas before in bars. I'm quite young, though, so maybe I will come to loathe him as I get older.



The lit-asshole in me says you can get everything Coupland has tried to say over all his books by just reading White Noise, by Don Delillo


----------



## Admiral_Snackbar (Feb 21, 2011)

Gauntlgrym, by R.A. Salvatore. While I've accepted his penchant to have fantasy-type dwarves speak like pirates (when I play a dwarf in Dungeons & Dragons, it's part of my contractual agreement NOT to speak this way, and I instead make them sound like William F. Buckley), I'm surprised he actually injected some (gasp) hot wizard sex into the thing. Most of his forays into romance made the Twilight books seem like Penthouse Forum stories.

A great deal of the game setting of the Forgotten Realms was wrecked, err "modified" with the 4th edition ruleset, so I will be curious how he works it into the plot. Since Gauntlgrym fast forwards 100 years since the last book (The Ghost King, which was nothing more than weaponized WTF), I hope it's not going to be a nerd-soul crushing disappointment.


----------



## Micara (Feb 21, 2011)

I just finished "The Dirty Parts of the Bible" by Sam Torode. It's a coming of age story set in the 1930's. It was very, very good- very funny and kept my interest throughout. I was reading it under my desk at work, and everywhere I could. I highly recommend it. The Kindle version is only 99 cents on Amazon.


----------



## Miskatonic (Feb 23, 2011)

I just finished Dracula (which was not nearly as good as I expected it to be), and I have the Girl With the Dragon Tattoo sitting next to me waiting for me to crack it open and have a go at it. I might actually get off the computer and do just that.


----------



## snuggletiger (Feb 23, 2011)

Blackjack said:


> Took a break from _Pride and Prejudice_ today to read _The Little Prince_, which was on loan from a friend. It took about an hour and was incredibly enjoyable.



how are you liking Pride and Prejudice?


----------



## KHayes666 (Feb 23, 2011)

Just finished this


----------



## penguin (Feb 24, 2011)

I gave up on Stephen King and decided to start working my way back through my Raymond E Feist collection. I'm starting with my signed copy of Talon of the Silver Hawk and will work my way through to the most recent book in the series.


----------



## patmcf (Feb 24, 2011)

I just completed the _Where's Waldo_ Series.






I could not find him.


----------



## KHayes666 (Feb 25, 2011)

patmcf said:


> I just completed the _Where's Waldo_ Series.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Did you find the Wizard though?


----------



## patmcf (Feb 25, 2011)

KHayes666 said:


> Did you find the Wizard though?



I have come to the conclusion that he and Waldo are hiding together.


----------



## TwilightStarr (Feb 26, 2011)

Exit to Eden by Anne Rice

not my usual type of read but it sounded very interesting and was only 50 cents at the goodwill thrift store down the street


----------



## maxi (Feb 26, 2011)

I just finished reading Luc Sante's "Kill All Your Darlings" - and have just cracked open "Sunset Park" by Paul Auster. Sante has quickly become my favourite writer. Check out his book "Factory of Facts". Really great stuff.


----------



## maxi (Feb 26, 2011)

Edens_heel said:


> The lit-asshole in me says you can get everything Coupland has tried to say over all his books by just reading White Noise, by Don Delillo



I liked White Noise a great deal - but then it really lost steam over the last 70 or so pages. It got too clever for its own good. Coupland has many moments of being too clever too - but somehow, I think there is more substance in the longer view.


----------



## SuperMishe (Feb 26, 2011)

Mini Shopoholic - the latest in the series... fluffy light reading...


----------



## coriander (Feb 27, 2011)

I am now reading _Working Class Zero_ by Rob Payne.

I'm about halfway through, and I'm finding it pretty bland and...one-dimensional, I guess? It's supposed to be "funny and spirited" but it kind of falls short of both.


----------



## UnknownSpirit01 (Feb 27, 2011)

Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers - Robert M. Sapolsky

It's a book I'm reading for my psych110 class and it's very interesting, I like it.


----------



## Fuzzy (Feb 27, 2011)

Programming Entity Framework

Yeah, I know.. pegging the nerd meter here..


----------



## CAMellie (Mar 1, 2011)

I'm back on a Stephen King kick and am reading both _The Bachman Books_ and _Skeleton Crew_


----------



## Azrael (Mar 1, 2011)

Currently reading an online version of Gerald Gardner's _Witchcraft Today_. So hard to get an original copy as the book was written in 1954 and was only reprinted in 2004 for the 50th anniversary.

Interesting book to say the least. Although Gardner's history seems abit off of modern day discoveries but that's to be expected.


----------



## KHayes666 (Mar 2, 2011)

48 Minutes by Terry Pluto


----------



## WVMountainrear (Mar 2, 2011)

_Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers_ by Mary Roach


----------



## mejix (Mar 2, 2011)

Finished *Life* by Keith Richards. The book looses steam towards the end but overall its pretty fantastic. Mick, Keef, what you've got is a bromance.


----------



## Ola (Mar 2, 2011)

*Johannes Cabal - The Necromancer* by Jonathan L. Howard. It seems good, so far!


----------



## HottiMegan (Mar 2, 2011)

I'm reading The Help. This is my third attempt. I keep downloading it from the library and only have a couple weeks to read it. Then life gets in the way.. so i checked it out again  I hope to finish it before its expiration date


----------



## Admiral_Snackbar (Mar 3, 2011)

More than anything, I want to keep reading this over and over: Goodnight Dune.

Cuteness is the mind-killer
Cuteness is the little _punnim_ that brings total Bambification
I will face the cuteness.
I will permit it to go over, around and through my resolve.
And when it has gone past I will turn to see the brat behind the mask
Where the cuteness has gone there will be nothing.
Only I will remain.


----------



## Linda (Mar 3, 2011)

Almost done with Jane Eyre. *swoons*
I never thought I would find love and passion such as this in life....I was wrong.


----------



## pdgujer148 (Mar 3, 2011)

I'm reading "Scar Night" by Alan Campbell. Not sure whether to classify it as Steampunk or urban fantasy, but I can say that it reads like Gormenghast on steroids.


----------



## coriander (Mar 4, 2011)

_Lamb_ by Christopher Moore.

I should be studying/reading my textbooks, but I'd really rather not.


----------



## CAMellie (Mar 5, 2011)

I read _Blockade Billy/Morality_ by Stephen King and now I'm in the middle of _The Langoliers_ from _Four Past Midnight_


----------



## AmazingAmy (Mar 8, 2011)

Currently dividing my attentions between Maggie Stiefvater's *Shiver *and Kelly Creagh's *Nevermore*. I got the latter in the post today and was so excited I actually did jazz hands.


----------



## Proner (Mar 8, 2011)

"Sous les vents de Neptune" by Fred Vargas


----------



## CastingPearls (Mar 8, 2011)

Zombies for Zombies; Advice and Etiquette for the Living Dead ~ David P. Murphy

(forewarned is forearmed) <well, at least while you still have arms>


----------



## CAMellie (Mar 8, 2011)

I've started _Twilight_ and have checked out all 4 of the books. I'm going to read them just for shiggles.


----------



## KHayes666 (Mar 9, 2011)

Just finished The Bronx Is Burning.....you New Yorker's who lived in the late 70's really got screwed lol


----------



## CAMellie (Mar 9, 2011)

CAMellie said:


> I've started _Twilight_ and have checked out all 4 of the books. I'm going to read them just for shiggles.



I can't do it. My eyes are bleeding. Pray for me. (They go back tomorrow)


----------



## DreamyInToronto (Mar 9, 2011)

lovelylady78 said:


> _Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers_ by Mary Roach



I am reading this too! I can't believe how awesome it is.


----------



## Dr. Feelgood (Mar 9, 2011)

_Don Quixote_, by Miguel de Cervantes. This is one of those books (like _Huckleberry Finn_) that I try to re-read every so often just because it is so wonderfully funny and deep and true.:wubu:


----------



## WVMountainrear (Mar 9, 2011)

DreamyInToronto said:


> I am reading this too! I can't believe how awesome it is.



Me too...I've busted out laughing several times. It's a great book.


----------



## CastingPearls (Mar 9, 2011)

lovelylady78 said:


> _Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers_ by Mary Roach





DreamyInToronto said:


> I am reading this too! I can't believe how awesome it is.





lovelylady78 said:


> Me too...I've busted out laughing several times. It's a great book.



I just bought it and Bonk too. She's a riot.


----------



## HDANGEL15 (Mar 22, 2011)

*Georgia Bottoms by Mark Childress ; I have read alot of his books, like Gone for Good, Crazy in Alabama. He is so entertaining and a very colorful writer of the South...good times this book.

THE OTHER, by Dave Guterson of Snow Falling on Cedars fame. This one is a lot darker then the others in my opinion, but I can't wait to pick it up again and finish it!!! 

on my next read list and coming in from the library shortly

Water for elephants by Sara Gruen

Pray for silence by Linda Castillo

True colors by Kristin Hannah*


----------



## one2one (Mar 22, 2011)

coriander said:


> _Lamb_ by Christopher Moore.
> 
> I should be studying/reading my textbooks, but I'd really rather not.



I adored this book. I was hooked from the beginning ... when Joshua kept patiently putting the lizard in his mouth and bringing it back to life again and again.

I'm reading Cheyenne Madonna by Eddie Chuculate.


----------



## OneHauteMama (Mar 22, 2011)

Currently, I'm reading "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan. I'm really enjoying it! I also just finished "The Lost Symbol" by Dan Brown...I love all his Robert Langdon books, anyway lol.


----------



## coriander (Mar 22, 2011)

one2one said:


> I adored this book. I was hooked from the beginning ... when Joshua kept patiently putting the lizard in his mouth and bringing it back to life again and again.



Totally! When I read that, I *knew* it was gonna be good! XD




OneHauteMama said:


> Currently, I'm reading "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan. I'm really enjoying it! I also just finished "The Lost Symbol" by Dan Brown...I love all his Robert Langdon books, anyway lol.



Ooh, I read The Omnivore's Dilemma for one of my courses. It was a good read, and it just made a lot of sense, you know?


----------



## mejix (Mar 22, 2011)

Finished *The Lazarus Project* by Aleksandar Hamon. Meh. 
Working on *Home* by Marilynne Robinson. I liked *Gilead*. This one I don't know... 
Luckily I am also reading the anthology *Surrealist Poetry in English*. Found a couple of gems there.


----------



## 1love_emily (Mar 23, 2011)

I'm reading this easy, teen fiction book called "If I Stay"... it's comparable to Twilight in it's depth, but it's fun to read while on spring break.

Next on my list is "3 Cups of Tea"


----------



## Blackjack (Mar 23, 2011)

Still working my way through _Pride and Prejudice_. I'm still not loving it, but Austen's wit, intelligence, and talent are increasingly evident the more I read. I just feel that I'm lacking a connection with the characters and that the events are fairly predictable.


----------



## Linda (Mar 23, 2011)

Blackjack said:


> Still working my way through _Pride and Prejudice_. I'm still not loving it, but Austen's wit, intelligence, and talent are increasingly evident the more I read. I just feel that I'm lacking a connection with the characters and that the events are fairly predictable.





I am reading that right now too! I just got done with Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights is on tap.


----------



## OneHauteMama (Mar 23, 2011)

coriander said:


> Ooh, I read The Omnivore's Dilemma for one of my courses. It was a good read, and it just made a lot of sense, you know?



I know! I'm loving it. I also rented "Food, Inc." from Netflix. It was great...it included parts from the book, as well as from _Fast Food Nation_. It shows Joel Salatin's farm (Polyface) and I really loved watching it...it brought both books to life for me.

ETA: The books and movie DO talk about the "obesity epidemic". I just want to clarify that I don't mind being fat...I'm okay with it and I've learned to love myself, and I've got nothing but love for my fellow fatties...however, being fat AND healthy is a goal of mine, so these books and this DVD were very interesting to me.


----------



## Dr. Feelgood (Mar 23, 2011)

Those of you who enjoyed _The Omnivore's Dilemma_ might also like _Eating Animals_ by Jonathan Safran Foer, which I read last summer.


----------



## lucidbliss (Mar 25, 2011)

*


Linda said:



I am reading that right now too! I just got done with Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights is on tap.

Click to expand...

*

*HOPE its the Wuthering Heights version with Tom Hardy as Heathcliff.... MY SUPER FAVE... *




I'm reading Awakened the latest/last book in the "House of Night Series" 
also im reading 

Fingerprints of the Gods - Graham Hancock
Underworld- Graham Hancock
DMT the spirit molecule-Dr. Rick Strassman
Singing to the Plants- Stephan V. Beyer ( about Ayahuasca it is a interest of me lol )


Ayahuasca (ayawaska pronounced [aja&#712;waska] in the Quechua language) is any of various psychoactive infusions or decoctions prepared from the Banisteriopsis spp. vine, usually mixed with the leaves of dimethyltryptamine-containing species of shrubs from the Psychotria genus. The brew, first described academically in the early 1950s by Harvard ethnobotanist Richard Evans Schultes, who found it employed for divinatory and healing purposes by the native peoples of the Amazonian Colombia, is known by a number of different names (see below). A notable property of ayahuasca is that neither of the ingredients cause any significant psychedelic effects when imbibed alone; they must be consumed together in order to have the desired effect. How indigenous peoples discovered the psychedelic properties of the ayahuasca brew remains unknown.[


In Ecuador, Bolivia and Peru, and to a lesser extent in Brazil, "ayahuasca" or "ayawaska" is Quechua for "spirit vine" or "vine of the souls"; aya means "spirit" while huasca or waska means "vine". The spelling of ayahuasca is the hispanicized version of the name; many Quechua or Aymara speakers would prefer the spelling ayawaska. The name is properly that of the plant B. caapi, one of the primary sources of beta-carbolines for the brew. Other terms include:




ummmm also reading HP SERIES... AGAIN... 5ths times a charm ... just kidding just reading it i have a habit of reading a series over and over if im going to watch the movie.....[/B]


----------



## CastingPearls (Mar 25, 2011)

The Romance of Lust : A Classic Victorian Erotic Novel - Anonymous


A fun juicy romp on every page.


----------



## pdgujer148 (Mar 25, 2011)

I'm just finishing Alan Campbell's Deepgate Trilogy (Scar Night, Iron Angel, God of Clocks).

I love these books and I am glad I finally gave Campbell a chance (the first book has been sitting on the shelf for a couple years now). You'll like these books if you like dark humor, surreal imagery, and revisionist mythology.


----------



## Linda (Mar 25, 2011)

lucidbliss said:


> *HOPE its the Wuthering Heights version with Tom Hardy as Heathcliff.... MY SUPER FAVE... *
> 
> 
> Yes I have seen that version....but it's the book I am ready to read real soon. As soon as I get through Pride and Prejudice. It has proven a harder read to get through than Jane Eyre. But I am doing it!!


----------



## russianrobot (Mar 27, 2011)

The Savage City - T.J. English


----------



## pdgujer148 (Apr 7, 2011)

I just finished "Johannes Cabal: the Detective". This was pure fun. Steampunk noir with more then a bit of snark as well as a clever deconstruction of "Murder on the Orient Express".

About to start...

A Confederacy of Dunces. This is actually my 4th reading, This time for a book club, I'm eager to see how others respond to it.


----------



## CastingPearls (Apr 7, 2011)

pdgujer148 said:


> I just finished "Johannes Cabal: the Detective". This was pure fun. Steampunk noir with more then a bit of snark as well as a clever deconstruction of "Murder on the Orient Express".
> 
> About to start...
> 
> A Confederacy of Dunces. This is actually my 4th reading, This time for a book club, I'm eager to see how others respond to it.


I've read Confederacy at least ten times. It's my favorite book.


----------



## danielson123 (Apr 7, 2011)

2nd reading of Kerouac's _On the Road_.


----------



## Lamia (Apr 7, 2011)

"Sense and Sensibilty and Sea Monsters"

19 pages in I kind of just wish I was reading Jane Austen instead...


----------



## CastingPearls (Apr 7, 2011)

Just starting Eat, Pray, Love.


----------



## penguin (Apr 7, 2011)

The Land of Painted Caves, by Jean M Auel. I was so excited for it to come out, yet her love of repetition is dragging already.


----------



## CastingPearls (Apr 7, 2011)

penguin said:


> The Land of Painted Caves, by Jean M Auel. I was so excited for it to come out, yet her love of repetition is dragging already.


Oh no! I was hoping it'd be good---hey come back with a review when you read some more...I know what you mean by her droning though....


----------



## penguin (Apr 7, 2011)

CastingPearls said:


> Oh no! I was hoping it'd be good---hey come back with a review when you read some more...I know what you mean by her droning though....



It's the sixth book in the series, so there's really no need to recap in so much detail about her life with the Clan or the events of the other books. When I reread the other books, I usually skip large chunks of description of the countryside, and I find myself doing that already in this book :/ I find her dialogue more stilted in this book than in previous ones, too. I'm about a third of the way in, so I hope it improves soon. It's okay so far, but I'm just waiting for something to start happening.


----------



## HDANGEL15 (Apr 7, 2011)

CastingPearls said:


> Just starting Eat, Pray, Love.



*Have read this 2x and just love love love it...hope you get as much enjoyment as I did, BOTH *TIMES


----------



## Weirdo890 (Apr 8, 2011)

For my own pleasure, I'm just starting _Nostromo_ by Joseph Conrad. I just read a few of his short stories, such as _Heart of Darkness_, and I loved them. His writing is beautiful and poetic. He also shows the duality of human nature, even in the protagonist.

For my education, I'm starting a few books. One is _How to Cheat in Photoshop CS5_. There's also _Bridgman's Complete Guide to Drawing From Life_ by George Bridgman (among other life drawing books), and _Cartoon Animation_ by Preston Blair.


----------



## PamelaLois (Apr 8, 2011)

penguin said:


> The Land of Painted Caves, by Jean M Auel. I was so excited for it to come out, yet her love of repetition is dragging already.



I just got this from Amazon and am about halfway through it. You are so right about her love of repetition. I waited so long for this book to come out, re-read (ok, listened to the cds) the whole series to get ready for it, but the repetition and endless descriptive passages are so boring. She just gets too bogged down in useless information that doesn't move the story along. The worst example was Plains of Passage, way too much describing the landscape, over and over. The problem with listening to the cds in the car is that you can't just skim over the passages, you have to listen to them. I think there were a few times I almost fell asleep and drove off the road.

And the part of the story I really wanted her to address was Durc's life, but I don't think that's going to happen. 

On the upside, I did get Harry Potter et le Prisonnier d'Azkaban and am enjoying reading the stories in French so much.


----------



## TwilightStarr (Apr 8, 2011)

Random Family by Adrian Nicole LeBlanc


----------



## penguin (Apr 8, 2011)

I skip HUGE chunks of description when I reread the older books, and I've found myself doing that with this one. It's the sixth book in the series - I KNOW what her childhood was like. I KNOW how she found the animals. She doesn't need to keep repeating it for pages on end. I'm starting to think she gets paid by the word, and so does her editor. 

I'm hoping some actual action kicks in soon, because this has been a big let down so far :/



PamelaLois said:


> I just got this from Amazon and am about halfway through it. You are so right about her love of repetition. I waited so long for this book to come out, re-read (ok, listened to the cds) the whole series to get ready for it, but the repetition and endless descriptive passages are so boring. She just gets too bogged down in useless information that doesn't move the story along. The worst example was Plains of Passage, way too much describing the landscape, over and over. The problem with listening to the cds in the car is that you can't just skim over the passages, you have to listen to them. I think there were a few times I almost fell asleep and drove off the road.
> 
> And the part of the story I really wanted her to address was Durc's life, but I don't think that's going to happen.
> 
> On the upside, I did get Harry Potter et le Prisonnier d'Azkaban and am enjoying reading the stories in French so much.


----------



## CastingPearls (Apr 9, 2011)

PamelaLois said:


> I just got this from Amazon and am about halfway through it. You are so right about her love of repetition. I waited so long for this book to come out, re-read (ok, listened to the cds) the whole series to get ready for it, but the repetition and endless descriptive passages are so boring. She just gets too bogged down in useless information that doesn't move the story along. The worst example was Plains of Passage, way too much describing the landscape, over and over. The problem with listening to the cds in the car is that you can't just skim over the passages, you have to listen to them. I think there were a few times I almost fell asleep and drove off the road.
> 
> And the part of the story I really wanted her to address was Durc's life, but I don't think that's going to happen.
> 
> On the upside, I did get Harry Potter et le Prisonnier d'Azkaban and am enjoying reading the stories in French so much.


Snorefest on Plains of Passage. *sigh*


----------



## pdgujer148 (Apr 9, 2011)

Now re-reading Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov.

My favorite Nabokov novel is Pale Fire (and if that makes me a hipster douche-bag so be it), but Lolita is a very close second. I love unreliable narrators and trying to figure the actual story behind their delusions, omissions, and outright lies is more fun then reading a detective novel.


----------



## activistfatgirl (Apr 9, 2011)

WHAT?!?!?!?! The sixth Jean Auel book is out? WHAT?

I read these when I was a kid and it seemed like there was never going to be another. I was so into these books I wrote the author a letter telling her I wanted to be an archaeologist and I framed the response she sent back.

I ended up studying Anthropology in school, but decided living people were more interesting so I went cultural instead of archaeological. BUT STILL! Those books were a huge part of my pre-teen years.

Are you guys re-reading everything? I don't think I remember enough to enjoy a new chapter in their lives...

Still, excited!


----------



## DarkestBurningStar (Apr 9, 2011)

This:





The last time I read a romance novel was when I was 17 years old, but the title caught my eye. I'm not having any fun myself, so I'll read about a fictitious Big Girl having some.


----------



## PamelaLois (Apr 9, 2011)

activistfatgirl said:


> WHAT?!?!?!?! The sixth Jean Auel book is out? WHAT?
> 
> I read these when I was a kid and it seemed like there was never going to be another. I was so into these books I wrote the author a letter telling her I wanted to be an archaeologist and I framed the response she sent back.
> 
> ...



I didn't re-read them, exactly, I listened to the books on CD during my drive to work. I went through the first 4 but couldn't get a copy of Shelters of Stone, but since I read it recently, I pretty much didn't need to read it again. 

You read those in your PRE-teen years? 
With all the sex in them I would hardly call them appropriate for a kid! 

I'm into Part 2 of Painted Caves, and nothing is happening, still. I'm kinda disappointed.


----------



## CarlaSixx (Apr 9, 2011)

Right now I'm reading The Mirror Effect by Dr Drew. I like it and definitely see some of my friends and celebrities in it, as well as a few tendencies I have that I can work on changing. It's rather cool, but repetitive.


----------



## penguin (Apr 9, 2011)

activistfatgirl said:


> Are you guys re-reading everything? I don't think I remember enough to enjoy a new chapter in their lives...
> 
> Still, excited!



I've read them all enough times to not need to do before reading this one. I started reading them in grade 9 (back in 1990), and I confess it was because I was shown the sex scenes, hah. Though there is a surprising lack of sex in this one so far (but then I honestly tend to skip them too, along with the lengthy descriptions).


----------



## CastingPearls (Apr 9, 2011)

penguin said:


> I've read them all enough times to not need to do before reading this one. I started reading them in grade 9 (back in 1990), and I confess it was because I was shown the sex scenes, hah. Though there is a surprising lack of sex in this one so far (but then I honestly tend to skip them too, along with the lengthy descriptions).


Yeah I'm in agreement with Penguin--started reading them pretty young and read them so many times there's no need for a refresher. My parents never censored what I read as long as they knew what I was reading. If they were concerned about explicit sexual content, they'd talk to me about it. We were pretty open about that stuff.


----------



## pegz (Apr 9, 2011)

"I'm Not Myself These Days" by Josh Kilmer

It's about a drag queen....

So much for being well read....or a literary genius..... I'm reading it for the joy of it....


----------



## danielson123 (Apr 10, 2011)

I'm finally going to pick up The Fountainhead tomorrow. I've had it since I graduated high school 2 years ago and it's been sitting on my bookshelf this whole time.


----------



## CarlaSixx (Apr 10, 2011)

pegz said:


> "I'm Not Myself These Days" by Josh Kilmer
> 
> It's about a drag queen....
> 
> So much for being well read....or a literary genius..... I'm reading it for the joy of it....



Sounds right up my alley  teehee!!

---

I'm presently reading "We All Fall Down" by Nic S... (I forget the last name)

I just bought it today. It was sitting in the novel section of the books and I've been wanting to read a novel. I flipped it open and liked the page I read, so I bought it. Price was great, too. Well... when I opened it to really check it out... it turns out to be a memoir of an addict struggling through staying sober. And what I've read so far is ringing so true for me in my experiences. It's brilliant.


----------



## coriander (Apr 11, 2011)

Just finished reading _Mysterious Skin_ by Scott Heim. It's definitely a story that's going to stick with me...


----------



## Linda (Apr 11, 2011)

I am reading Wuthering Heights and to be honest it disturbs me. Maybe it was the pre-conceived idea I had. I was told it was a romantic novel. I guess I can see the deep love part but it really disturbs me. 

 disappointed


----------



## ConnieLynn (Apr 11, 2011)

This House of Sky by Ivan Doig


----------



## penguin (Apr 11, 2011)

I've finished The Land of Painted Caves, and overall I was disappointed with it. The first half of the book has the characters wandering over the countryside looking at caves, and honestly, I didn't find it that interesting. I do want to look up the artwork from the caves, but that wasn't why I wanted to read the book. In the final third of the book the action finally starts, so you can pretty much skip the first half and not miss too much. The repetition of previous events was really annoying, and I skipped a lot of it. It's not one that I'll be rereading too often.


----------



## Deven (Apr 11, 2011)

DarkestBurningStar said:


> This:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I'm reading it too. It caught my eye on Saturday at Barnes and Noble, so I bought it off Amazon for my Kindle. This isn't my typical kind of book, but the hot pink cover and the title caught my eye.


----------



## herin (Apr 11, 2011)

I'm about to re-read The Chronicles of Narnia


----------



## Tanuki (Apr 12, 2011)

Started reading the wheel of time .... again! love it so much


----------



## Jes (Apr 12, 2011)

Anne Frank's diary, in the original dutch. It's a little bit touch and go for me (b/c of the language, of course, and the fact that it's older dutch than I'm used to) but I think it'll be worth it.


----------



## AmazingAmy (Apr 12, 2011)

Currently crawling through _Shiver_ by Maggie Stiefvater, but am going to start on _Why Men Love Bitches: From Doormat to Dreamgirl_ by Sherry Argov.

Also very eager to re-read _New Moon_ and _Wuthering Heights_ after they keep getting mentioned recently... I do love dysfunctional romance. It's so much more awesome.


----------



## PamelaLois (Apr 12, 2011)

penguin said:


> I've finished The Land of Painted Caves, and overall I was disappointed with it. The first half of the book has the characters wandering over the countryside looking at caves, and honestly, I didn't find it that interesting. I do want to look up the artwork from the caves, but that wasn't why I wanted to read the book. In the final third of the book the action finally starts, so you can pretty much skip the first half and not miss too much. The repetition of previous events was really annoying, and I skipped a lot of it. It's not one that I'll be rereading too often.



This.
Exactly.
And I wasn't very satisfied with the ending.
Overall, a big disappointment


----------



## Deven (Apr 13, 2011)

DevenDoom said:


> I'm reading it too. It caught my eye on Saturday at Barnes and Noble, so I bought it off Amazon for my Kindle. This isn't my typical kind of book, but the hot pink cover and the title caught my eye.



>.<

I wish it hadn't caught my eye....


----------



## danielson123 (Apr 13, 2011)

Re-reading the first half of _Hitman: My Real Life in the Cartoon World of Wrestling_


----------



## penguin (Apr 13, 2011)

PamelaLois said:


> This.
> Exactly.
> And I wasn't very satisfied with the ending.
> Overall, a big disappointment



Ugh, yes. It wasn't satisfactory at all.


----------



## Mishty (Apr 13, 2011)

One of my students mom's gave me a copy of Eat, Pray, Love, and a string of beads. So far, it's not that bad.


----------



## CastingPearls (Apr 13, 2011)

Mishty said:


> One of my students mom's gave me a copy of Eat, Pray, Love, and a string of beads. So far, it's not that bad.


I just started reading it myself. It's helping.


----------



## KHayes666 (Apr 15, 2011)

danielson123 said:


> Re-reading the first half of _Hitman: My Real Life in the Cartoon World of Wrestling_



One of the greatest books EVER.


----------



## DarkestBurningStar (Apr 18, 2011)

DevenDoom said:


> >.<
> 
> I wish it hadn't caught my eye....



LOL me toooo~! :blush: How far into it are you? :happy:


----------



## Deven (Apr 18, 2011)

DarkestBurningStar said:


> LOL me toooo~! :blush: How far into it are you? :happy:



I finished it... not much substance and the only thing I got out of it was that you need a man and a nose job to have self-value.


----------



## danielson123 (Apr 18, 2011)

_The Complete Works of Washington Irving_. Finishing it all this time.


----------



## razor (Apr 18, 2011)

The Creature from Jekyll Island.


----------



## HottiMegan (Apr 19, 2011)

I realized recently that the newest Sookie Stackhouse book comes out in a few weeks, so i just restarted the series. I should be able to do a book every few days unless i fall asleep easily every night.


----------



## Twilley (Apr 19, 2011)

Recently trying to read Camus' The Stranger, both for my philosophy class and to slake personal curiosity, but it's been a difficult endeavor so far. It's a very bleak narrative so far.


----------



## CastingPearls (Apr 19, 2011)

Twilley said:


> Recently trying to read Camus' The Stranger, both for my philosophy class and to slake personal curiosity, but it's been a difficult endeavor so far. It's a very bleak narrative so far.


It's bleak but when I read it in high school I found it profound but that had a lot to do with the whole high school feeling disenfranchised isolated thing too.

People tend to either love or hate Camus. I like him. He's got some good quotes too if you ever feel like googling on a slow night.


----------



## Twilley (Apr 19, 2011)

CastingPearls said:


> It's bleak but when I read it in high school I found it profound but that had a lot to do with the whole high school feeling disenfranchised isolated thing too.
> 
> People tend to either love or hate Camus. I like him. He's got some good quotes too if you ever feel like googling on a slow night.



It's just difficult because I'm going through a rough patch at the moment and reading it's not helping at all. It's a similar feeling to when I picked up Catcher in the Rye; it' so bleak that I get depressed just from reading it, ugh.


----------



## CastingPearls (Apr 19, 2011)

Twilley said:


> It's just difficult because I'm going through a rough patch at the moment and reading it's not helping at all. It's a similar feeling to when I picked up Catcher in the Rye; it' so bleak that I get depressed just from reading it, ugh.


I can relate. I was in high school, as I said, in I.C.E. (Isolated Classroom Experience) which was edu-speak for in-school suspension (where they made us sit in little veal stalls all day long--even lunch) for calling a teacher a fucking bitch and while I was contemplating the wall in front of me and carving my initials into the desk which I barely fit into I had a choice between reading that or gathering a mental hit list of my enemies. The list was short. It was basically the teacher that got me suspended and a couple of bullies.


----------



## AuntHen (Apr 20, 2011)

Gladys Aylward: The Little Woman


----------



## Weirdo890 (Apr 20, 2011)

_The Children of Odin_ by Padraic Colum. I love tales of ancient mythology.


----------



## HDANGEL15 (Apr 22, 2011)

*Just finished LIFE OF PI by Yann Martel

WOW....just a fabulous most enjoyable story I have read lately....would love to see it made into a fantastic movie, coming in 2012......such imagery is awesome and a bengal tiger and meerkats.....just so fun*


----------



## CastingPearls (Apr 22, 2011)

HDANGEL15 said:


> *Just finished LIFE OF PI by Yann Martel
> 
> WOW....just a fabulous most enjoyable story I have read lately....would love to see it made into a fantastic movie, coming in 2012......such imagery is awesome and a bengal tiger and meerkats.....just so fun*


That was an amazing book. I second that emotion re a movie.


----------



## CAMellie (Apr 23, 2011)

Moreta: Dragonlady of Pern by Anne McCaffrey


----------



## pdgujer148 (Apr 23, 2011)

"Masters of Atlantis" by Charles Portis. What a funny book. I've been getting stares at the gym as a giggle-snort my way through this fantastic piece of weird humor.


----------



## activistfatgirl (Apr 23, 2011)

PamelaLois said:


> I didn't re-read them, exactly, I listened to the books on CD during my drive to work. I went through the first 4 but couldn't get a copy of Shelters of Stone, but since I read it recently, I pretty much didn't need to read it again.
> 
> You read those in your PRE-teen years?
> With all the sex in them I would hardly call them appropriate for a kid!
> ...



How do you think I learned about sex?!?

I read far too much adult stuff. I remember reading Grapes of Wrath in 7th grade and the breast milk scene just blowing my brain. Then there was the devil-killing-a-woman-with-his-engorged-penis paperback I picked up innocently at the used book store. Funny thing was my mom wouldn't let me watch Beavis and Butthead because of the cursing, but she had NO idea what I was reading in all those books I consumed!!


----------



## danielson123 (Apr 23, 2011)

Need something to read after finals next week. Probably going to go with Hitchhiker's Guide series again, or the Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes (2nd batch of short stories.)


----------



## 1love_emily (Apr 23, 2011)

I'm reading "The Inner Game Of Tennis"

It's about mastering the mentality to be able to accomplish anything. 

And it's really interesting


----------



## CAMellie (Apr 27, 2011)

_False Memory_ by Dean Koontz


----------



## danielson123 (Apr 28, 2011)

_The Secret Live of Houdini: The Making of America's First Superhero._ Browsed it a few years ago for a research project, finally getting around to reading the whole thing.


----------



## pdgujer148 (Apr 28, 2011)

I'm reading Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith. 

The whole ironic monster/history-lit mash-up craze is a bit long in the tooth, but this is by the guy who started the trend and it is a fun read (especially if you know your Lincoln history--the way the author tweaks history is often very clever).


----------



## DearPrudence (Apr 29, 2011)

Right now I'm reading, "Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal." I'm pleased with how funny it actually is.

I've recently read both The Catcher in the Rye and The Great Gatsby. Both a little overrated, if you ask me.


----------



## Forgotten_Futures (Apr 29, 2011)

Re-reading Timothy Zahn's _Angelmass_.


----------



## AmazingAmy (Apr 29, 2011)

Just finished A Certain Slant of Light by Laura Whitcomb, which was sad and beautiful. I'm now waiting on Jekel Loves Hyde by Beth Fantaskey and A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness.


----------



## danielson123 (Apr 30, 2011)

_I Am America (And So Can You!)_ - Stephen Colbert
_Happyslapped by a Jellyfish_ - Karl Pilkington

I go through books too fast.


----------



## AuntHen (Apr 30, 2011)

back on a Jane Austen kick... Cpt Wentworth anyone??!! :batting:

*Persuasion*


----------



## penguin (Apr 30, 2011)

fat9276 said:


> back on a Jane Austen kick... Cpt Wentworth anyone??!! :batting:
> 
> *Persuasion*



I'll take Mr Darcy!


----------



## danielson123 (May 2, 2011)

When every semester ends, I have to read my favorite book, The Great Gatsby, in one sitting. It has to happen. Gotta hit the library sometime tomorrow to restock on rations.


----------



## KHayes666 (May 11, 2011)

danielson123 said:


> When every semester ends, I have to read my favorite book, The Great Gatsby, in one sitting. It has to happen. Gotta hit the library sometime tomorrow to restock on rations.



That's one of my favorites too.


----------



## danielson123 (May 11, 2011)

Conrad's _Heart of Darkness_ again then _The Age of Innocence_ by Edith Wharton...


----------



## sweetfrancaise (May 11, 2011)

danielson123 said:


> Conrad's _Heart of Darkness_ again then _The Age of Innocence_ by Edith Wharton...



I love _The Age of Innocence_! One of the most beautifully written books on how awful people can be. And follow up with the film, it mirrors the novel almost line-by-line. Can't say the same for Conrad, though, spent way too long reading that book in college. Yeesh...

I'm reading _The Last Hero_ by Rick Riordan. I love his books; I think juvie fic is completely underrated. I'll probably follow that by reading the first two _Red Pyramid_ books and then get back to something a little more adult.


----------



## danielson123 (May 15, 2011)

_The Town and the City_ - Jack Kerouac


----------



## mel (May 15, 2011)

an Insurance Education Book-- I have a test in a few weeks. Ok..so I am supposed to be reading it..I cant get started yet


----------



## RedPhoenix1969 (May 15, 2011)

The Bourne Supremacy


----------



## luvbigfellas (May 15, 2011)

The Stand

For at least the tenth, probably more, time.


----------



## hiddenexposure (May 15, 2011)

I actually have my thumb firmly planted in 2 books
Me Talk Pretty One Day ~ David Sedaris 
The War of Art~ Stephen Pressfield


----------



## AmazingAmy (May 16, 2011)

*Jekel Loves Hyde*. I can't stop rolling my eyes.


----------



## Blackjack (May 16, 2011)

Finished _Pride & Prejudice_ last week. Only one or two bits of the actual love story interested me, but I enjoyed the characters immensely and liked Austen's style. I look forward to reading another of hers in the future.

But for now, I just started on Salman Rushdie's _Satanic Verses_. About ten pages in so far since I haven't had much opportunity for reading, but I think I'll like it.


----------



## CarlaSixx (May 16, 2011)

A driver's license handbook to study for my test.

This is Gonna Hurt by Nikki Sixx

The Invitation by Oriah Mountaindreamer. 

------

I'm loving This Is Gonna Hurt. The more I read from Nikki, the more I see myself. I'm loving his little tidbits of knowledge and his awesome photography. He also has this great anecdote in it about being judged for the colour of his skin by a black man... the man calling him "tattoo man" and stuff. It's very great and possibly one of my more favourite parts of the book so far.

------

The Invitation is an in-depth description of what her famous poem is about. I first came across that poem at 12 years old and didn't grasp it, but it kept returning year after year until I finally found someone I wanted to share the poem with, and then it kind of hit me. Now I bought this book, by chance, and have it in deeper detail by the author of the poem herself! 

It was definitely by chance as I was just about to give up looking for another book and was going to bring back one I had in my hands, when this book, The Invitation, was popping out of the shelf, looking like it was about to fall. I caught the shine of the text (it's embossed and in shiny gold) in the light and turned to see what the heck it was. I saw the start of the poem on the cover and my jaw dropped. I *needed* to get this book. So I did. Nevermind the rather high price for it, I wanted it bad enough to pay it. 

This poem has meant a lot to me over the years, and it continues to mean a lot to me. Getting this book has been wonderful and I can't wait to finish it. I'd recommend it to those who need a little guidance in life, and those very interested by spirituality and philosophy. It doesn't force any belief system on you, but it does give you a sense of spirituality overall. It's rather lovely.


----------



## darlingzooloo (May 16, 2011)

Just started Eva Luna, by Isabel Allende, though I am fighting the urge to go up into the attic and retrieve her 'Daughter of Fortune' and re-read that again. 
Also you have all just reminded me that I want to go to the library! XD


----------



## danielson123 (May 17, 2011)

Damn, my now-defunct student ID means I can't get books out of any of the school liberries anymore!  Back to that public crap.


----------



## mel (May 17, 2011)

....Fury ..


----------



## CAMellie (May 18, 2011)

_Eragon_ and _Eldest_ by Christopher Paolini. Books one and two of The Inheritance Cycle. 

Pretty interesting, so far.


----------



## KHayes666 (May 18, 2011)

The Selling of the Green and the Moral Decline of the Boston Celtics.


Basically 2 black sportswriters from New York call the Celtics organization every name in the book (racists the most prevalent) for 250 pages based on OPINIONS of bitter ex-players and mortal enemies of the Celtics such as Dolph Schayes and Wilt Chamberlain.

The best part was when they said "The Celtics had a laugh at the Knicks expense. The Knicks had the last laugh with 2 championships" 

Love how they mention the ONLY 2 championships in New York's history but fail to mention how Boston won 11 before and 5 after (at the time of the book's publication).

Most of their claims that the Celtics are racist are completely ridiculous. One part shows how the Celtics kept white guys at the end of their bench instead of black. Anyone who's ever watched an NBA game (apparently the writers didn't) know the back end of the bench guys never play. What difference does it make if Terry Duerod or Michael Smith is at the end of the bench if they're never gonna play? Another claim was that they traded popular guard Gerald Henderson to Seattle instead of white Danny Ainge because he was black and expendable.

Love how they fail to mention Danny Ainge had a miserable 1984 post-season while Henderson made the famous steal that saved the 1984 Finals for Boston. At the time Gerald had more trade value than Danny which is why he was traded for a future draft choice (the ill-fated Len Bias trade). Had nothing to do with skin color, had everything to do with building for the future and Henderson had a lot more value than Ainge. In fact, Ainge was eventually traded after posting the best year of his career in 1989. Love how the writers fail to mention Ainge being traded in the exact same fashion as Henderson but cry foul when Henderson was shipped out.

The opinions that the Celtics are all bad guys are mostly from opponents like the previously mentioned Schayes, Chamberlain, etc come off as laughable. One of the quotes from Chamberlain says "I don't like the Celtics." So the writers are using obviously biased opinions to make a fact? Not the best journalism I've seen.

There are some legitimate claims. Red Auerbach (longtime coach and general manager) used to fuck with other teams by having his equipment manager turn off their opponents water or turn up the heat in the summer. Auerbach also took credit for the major trade that sent the draft rights to Joe Barry Caroll for Robert Parish and the draft rights to Kevin McHale when it was Bill Fitch who organized the trade all along. They also show how Cedric Maxwell was basically run out of town (true) and Auerbach held a grudge against Maxwell for many years (also true).

But just when they start to provide some real evidence, they go back and shoot themselves in the foot by interviewing former owner John Y Brown. Brown claims Auerbach took all the credit for the good decisions and left Brown with blame for the bad ones.

Well gee, the Celtics went 29-53 in Brown's year of terror and Brown liked to brag about the trades he made during the season. These "trades" did little to help the team and hurt the chemistry more than anything. The trade that brought a coked out Marvin Barnes was made without Auerbach's permission as was the trade that sent 3 draft picks for Bob McAdoo. Neither move helped the team and Auerbach wasn't apart of either. The book would rather try to label the Celtics has shady and sneaky by giving the OPINION of the ex-owner rather than publish the FACTS of the harm done by said owner.

The coup di grace...or make it coup diSgrace is how they try to point the finger at the Celtics for the actions of the city itself. When Bill Russell's home in Reading was broken into in the 1960's, his possessions were destroyed and someone sprayed feces on the walls. Its a very unfortunate true story but the writers had the audacity to claim it was the Celtics and Red Auerbach's fault. How are the actions of a few racist assholes from Reading determining the actions of the Celtics organization?

I mean, its easy to see why the writers are the way they are. The city of Boston itself had a nasty racist reputation up until the year 2000 (and even now it still has a lingering effect) and the Celtics featured the most white superstars in NBA history. A black sportswriter who saw the white Celtics routinely pound the black Knicks (my opinion, not fact) year after year would leave that writer just as bitter as Wilt Chamberlain, Dolph Schayes and Jack Kent Cooke who lost to the Celtics year after year after year.

The book is mostly 75% opinion and 25% fact. Most of the opinions are from bitter ex players and former opponents, not the best way to judge an organization. How this was ever published is anyone's guess.


----------



## Edens_heel (May 18, 2011)

luvbigfellas said:


> The Stand
> 
> For at least the tenth, probably more, time.



I'll never understand the love this book gets. Nine-tenths of a great story, totally undone by a _literal_ deus ex machina - an ending pulled so fiercely from King's ass that it took his tonsils with it.


----------



## Edens_heel (May 18, 2011)

Currently reading a short fiction collection titled Machine of Death. After this, moving onto two graphic novels: Chester Brown's Paying For It, and Zack Worton's Klondike (which is the final book from Drawn & Quarterly that I had any part in - proofed the first hundred pages back in 2008). Really dying to get into Jennifer Egan's Look At Me after all that...


----------



## ConnieLynn (May 18, 2011)

CAMellie said:


> _Eragon_ and _Eldest_ by Christopher Paolini. Books one and two of The Inheritance Cycle.
> 
> Pretty interesting, so far.



I read the first three back to back because a friend loaned them to me. Thought they were pretty good. The 4th is due out later this year.


----------



## 1love_emily (May 20, 2011)

I'm reading the Joy Luck Club right now. 

It's so sad!

Next on my list to read is 20 Years at Hull House by Jane Addams, and Gone with the Wind.


----------



## Rojodi (May 20, 2011)

"Altar of Bones" by Phillip Carter.

An action/thriller with an interesting twist on both the Kennedy assination and Monroe death.


----------



## spiritangel (May 20, 2011)

I started re reading deathly hallows because earon did not arrive in time for the trip to the fracture clinic so will finish it then read the first three books of the inheratence saga cause the nnew one comes out in November so figured a re read was in order


----------



## danielson123 (May 22, 2011)

Finally got to the library the other day. Slim pickins. Ended up leaving with a biography on Alexander Hamilton and a book on the Harlem Renaissance. I have unique tastes.


----------



## Robbie_Rob (May 23, 2011)

Currently reading Haunted by Chuck Palaniuk. Good read but not for the timid


----------



## semtex81 (May 24, 2011)

"The Captain's Daughter and Other Stories" By Pushkin - for class

Old issues of Magnet - for fun


----------



## ConnieLynn (May 25, 2011)

Winter Garden by Krisitin Hannah. 

Not my usual genre, but I'm enjoying it.


----------



## mejix (May 25, 2011)

Finished *Burmese Days* by Orwell.
Working on *Just Kids* by Patti Smith. 
I think I will start *The Tiger's Wife* by Tea Obreht this weekend.


----------



## pdgujer148 (May 25, 2011)

The Cold Six Thousand by James Ellroy. This novel is as hard-boiled as they come. A fun read if you like conspiracy theories, and don't mind Ellro'y stripped down near monosyllabic writing style.


----------



## Edens_heel (May 25, 2011)

pdgujer148 said:


> The Cold Six Thousand by James Ellroy. This novel is as hard-boiled as they come. A fun read if you like conspiracy theories, and don't mind Ellro'y stripped down near monosyllabic writing style.



Please tell me you read American Tabloid first - and then polish it off with Blood's a Rover.


----------



## pdgujer148 (May 26, 2011)

Edens_heel said:


> Please tell me you read American Tabloid first - and then polish it off with Blood's a Rover.



I read American Tabloid awhile back, but the previous exploits of Bondurant and Littell are still vivid. I have to hand Ellroy that. A decade after reading American Tabloid I have better recollection of the plot of that novel then I do of what I ate for breakfast this morning.


----------



## Edens_heel (May 26, 2011)

pdgujer148 said:


> I read American Tabloid awhile back, but the previous exploits of Bondurant and Littell are still vivid. I have to hand Ellroy that. A decade after reading American Tabloid I have better recollection of the plot of that novel then I do of what I ate for breakfast this morning.



The man is a master, no doubt about that. I've read AT and Cold Six, but I that was some time ago. I've got a copy of Blood's a Rover just waiting to be cracked, but to do so I'm going to revisit the others - sink into the full American Underworld trilogy.


----------



## retep (May 26, 2011)

im reading bagamoyo by a debut australian author dennis nelison


----------



## one2one (May 28, 2011)

The Cookbook Collector by Allegra Goodman. I'm about half way into it and enjoying it.


----------



## SarahLaughsAlot (May 30, 2011)

Since School Is Over For The Semester And I Don't Return Until August =) I Am Currently Re-Reading Pride and Prejudice&#9829; how i love it!


----------



## HDANGEL15 (May 31, 2011)

*Firefly Lane + The Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah- I enjoyed both...and will probably read the rest of her books. I usually like reading everything an author writes if I enjoy him/her....but I think I will sidetrack with The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets Nest by Steig Larsen......after watching The Girl Who Played with Fire this weekend, everyone tells me the BOOKS ARE AMAZING....so I will try again....The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo did not win me*


----------



## PeanutButterfly (May 31, 2011)

I just finished Jodi Picoult's Nineteen Minutes. I loved it. An easy read, little mystery and a thought provoking at what drives someone over the edge. I'm reading Absolute Power now, by David Baldacci.


----------



## HDANGEL15 (May 31, 2011)

double post.......


----------



## ConnieLynn (Jun 2, 2011)

Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin in conjunction with watching the series on HBO.

Heart Earth by Ivan Doig as a follow up to This House of Sky.

The Prince of Frogtown by Rick Bragg. Bragg's book about his grandfather, Ava's Man, was incredible. This one hasn't hit the mark so far.


----------



## pdgujer148 (Jun 7, 2011)

Just started "Falling Man" by Don DeLillo. The last line I read was this: "The moment seemed false to her, a scene in a movie when a character tries to understand what is going on in her life by looking in a mirror."

Funny, that is exactly the way I feel about this book 50 pages in. I'll finish it because DeLillo has given me some good reads in the past, but meh so far.


----------



## pegz (Jun 7, 2011)

Dark of the Moon ~ John Sandford


----------



## 1love_emily (Jun 7, 2011)

Twenty Years at Hull-House by Jane Addams.

Yeah, she pretty much developed sociology. In the early 1900s. She was such a beast!


----------



## maxi (Jun 10, 2011)

pdgujer148 said:


> Just started "Falling Man" by Don DeLillo. The last line I read was this: "The moment seemed false to her, a scene in a movie when a character tries to understand what is going on in her life by looking in a mirror."
> 
> Funny, that is exactly the way I feel about this book 50 pages in. I'll finish it because DeLillo has given me some good reads in the past, but meh so far.



DeLillo kind of lost me with anything after White Noise. He just doesn't seem to have much hold on his words anymore. Ditto for the latest offering by Paul Auster. I won't give up on him though.


----------



## lozonloz (Jun 10, 2011)

Unemployment is driving me to power through all the Simon R Green books I have yet to demolish.

Currently going through the Nightside books, which arent his best, but still make me giggle. ATM just finished "Just another judgement day". I like the bit about vampires with straws.


----------



## ConnieLynn (Jun 10, 2011)

Dead Reckoning by Charlaine Harris

Just read the latest Sookie book in one sitting. It was OK, but it's time for Harris to wrap it up.


----------



## Nose_body_knows (Jun 12, 2011)

I am reading "The Shadow Rising" by Robert Jordan. I am reading it as a Ebook on my psp (its cool, I can read it in the dark).


----------



## zakman231990 (Jun 12, 2011)

I am working on the Lost Symbol by Dan Brown on my Kindle right now.


----------



## paperman921 (Jun 12, 2011)

Moneyball by michael Lewis. Then onto the last harry potter before the second part of the last movie comes out.


----------



## Lamia (Jun 12, 2011)

Nose_body_knows said:


> I am reading "The Shadow Rising" by Robert Jordan. I am reading it as a Ebook on my psp (its cool, I can read it in the dark).



This is my favorite book of the Wheel of Time series. My brother is reading it right now I got him hooked. 

I still haven't made it past a Winter's Heart....the later books are very hard to get through.


----------



## Nose_body_knows (Jun 12, 2011)

Lamia said:


> This is my favorite book of the Wheel of Time series. My brother is reading it right now I got him hooked.
> 
> I still haven't made it past a Winter's Heart....the later books are very hard to get through.



It is prob my favorite too, I made it up to knife of dreams but didn't get past that, so I know what you mean. I am reading the series again to try and finish it because the last book comes out soon. I got both my brothers into the series too, it was about eight years ago and I havent read them since. Also I loaned the books to my brothers and they got destroyed.


----------



## EMH1701 (Jun 12, 2011)

Out of curiosity, I have started reading Atlas Shrugged. I am normally a sci-fi and fantasy nerd, but I am also Libertarian so I thought I would give it a go. Haven't seen the movie yet. Waiting for it to come out on Redbox.


----------



## pdgujer148 (Jun 13, 2011)

I just finished "Tell All" by Chuck Palahniuk. I don't recommend it. The book has its charms; chief of which are a number of fake screenplays authored by Lillian Hellman in which she fights the Nazis, thwarts Lee Harvey Oswald, and becomes a superhero--it is vicious satire, but not too far from the truth. Still, the central plot is a bore. 

I can never decide whether Palahniuk is am underachieving genius or just a snake-oil salesman. Perhaps both.

Just started "Full Dark, No Stars" by Stephen King. I'm excited. I think King is at his best when he writes novellas so i am hoping that this collection is worth the wait.


----------



## Blackjack (Jun 14, 2011)

pdgujer148 said:


> Just started "Full Dark, No Stars" by Stephen King. I'm excited. I think King is at his best when he writes novellas so i am hoping that this collection is worth the wait.



I read "1922" from that and absolutely loved it; I think that it might be my favorite story that he's done in the past decade outside the Dark Tower cycle.


----------



## Edens_heel (Jun 15, 2011)

Just finishing up More Money than Brains, by Laura Penny, and about to dive (finally) into A Visit From the Good Squad, by Jennifer Egan.


----------



## Edens_heel (Jun 15, 2011)

pdgujer148 said:


> I can never decide whether Palahniuk is am underachieving genius or just a snake-oil salesman. Perhaps both.



More the latter. I think he'd be fantastic as a short story only writer, seeing as he has only one good idea per book and manages to stretch that shit out to a couple of hundred pages.

Fight Club and Lullaby were flukes.


----------



## Lamia (Jun 16, 2011)

I half way through Game of Thrones.


----------



## Edens_heel (Jun 18, 2011)

Just finished A VISIT FROM THE GOON SQUAD. Loved every page - this book was written for me, start to finish.

http://backlisted.blogspot.com/2011/06/visit-from-goon-squad-by-jennifer-egan.html


----------



## Steph78 (Jun 18, 2011)

Just finished "The Help" by Karen Stockett (can't wait for the movie). Now onto "Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter" by Seth Grahame-Smith.


----------



## LovelyLiz (Jun 18, 2011)

maxi said:


> DeLillo kind of lost me with anything after White Noise. He just doesn't seem to have much hold on his words anymore. Ditto for the latest offering by Paul Auster. I won't give up on him though.



I'm with you on Auster. Both on the meh-ness of the most recent stuff, and the not giving up on him.


----------



## penguin (Jun 19, 2011)

Lamia said:


> I half way through Game of Thrones.



I just bought that this morning and only read a few pages before I had to get on the bus. I'm about to go dive back into it. I'm so ridiculously excited for this.


----------



## Lamia (Jun 19, 2011)

penguin said:


> I just bought that this morning and only read a few pages before I had to get on the bus. I'm about to go dive back into it. I'm so ridiculously excited for this.[/QUOTE
> 
> It's really good so far. I haven't had much time to read this week, but I like having a good book to think about.


----------



## pdgujer148 (Jun 20, 2011)

Double-Whammy-Week: two book clubs, 2 books, one week.

So, reading "The Crying of Lot 49" and "Notes From Underground". Luckily both novels are short. The difficulty is dealing with the density of Dostoevsky and the prosaic paranoia of Pynchon. Should be fun.


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## EMH1701 (Jun 20, 2011)

Still on Atlas Shrugged. It is a lengthy book to read, especially when you don't have a ton of time.


----------



## Edens_heel (Jun 26, 2011)

A warning to all those looking for the "next great summer read" - ROBOPOCALYPSE is NOT that.

http://backlisted.blogspot.com/2011/06/robopocalypse-by-daniel-h-wilson.html


----------



## CastingPearls (Jun 26, 2011)

Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children - Ransom Riggs


----------



## KHayes666 (Jun 28, 2011)

Started and finished Robert Parker's Trouble In Paradise in under 3 hours.


----------



## pdgujer148 (Jun 28, 2011)

Finished "Notes From Underground". Loved it. I'm wondering if the Russian sense of humor suddenly clicked for me past year or if the cheap Signet Classics I read in school were just poorly translated. 

I just started in on Mike Carey's Thicker Than Water. I love Carey's Felix Castor novels. The whole supernatural noir thing has been done to death, but Carey has been doing it longer (he wrote Hellblazer for Vertigo) and with more wit and style then anyone else.


----------



## KHayes666 (Jun 29, 2011)

Started and finished Robert B Parker's The Professional in a little over 4 hours.


----------



## CastingPearls (Jun 29, 2011)

I Am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced - Nujood Ali 

The biography of an activist in the resistance against child marriage.


----------



## CarlaSixx (Jun 29, 2011)

Beating The Blues
and
Tha Magic Behind Harry Potter.

---

The first book is something recommended to me for one of my mental disorders that I'm experiencing. It's called Dysthymia and the book is a sort of "self help" style book but with really important information that even a psychiatrist would inform someone of if they had the time to do it. Seeing as I can't be seen as often as needed for my condition, and that I want to avoid meds and read a lot, my psych has recommended this to me.

As for the second book, I'm very intrigued by it. I was going to buy it in the past, but I ran into it at the library and decided to pick it up. It's really cool. For those interested in real science, this is great. They use themes in the Harry Potter series to explain real science theories in a more understandable way. It's still more "complicated" for those who aren't nerdy in the least, but those that have a penchant for facts and studies, this is pretty awesome.

---

I also picked up "I Hate You, Please Don't Leave" which is always recommended to someone like me (BPD) but I'm not going to actually pick it up and read it until I've finished the other two.


----------



## Adamantoise (Jun 29, 2011)

The Fry Chronicles by Stephen Fry. :bow:


----------



## spiritangel (Jun 29, 2011)

oooh the stephen fry books have to go on my list he is awesome


Earagon, I am reading the first 3 books again as the last book comes out in november yay


----------



## Adamantoise (Jun 29, 2011)

spiritangel said:


> oooh the stephen fry books have to go on my list he is awesome



He is fantastic-I watch QI almost every night.


----------



## ataraxia (Jul 4, 2011)

I forgot about this thread, so I'll post a little bit of history.

Century Rain by Alastair Reynolds
The Terror by Dan Simmons
The Atrocity Archives and The Jennifer Morgue by Charles Stross

Right now, Distress by Greg Egan


----------



## TwilightStarr (Jul 4, 2011)

I am currently reading The Dead Girls' Dance, it is Book 2 of the Morganville Vampires Books.

My friend recently let me borrow the whole series.


----------



## Jess87 (Jul 5, 2011)

Not a book in the traditional sense, but I'm currently playing catch up with _Fables_. I stopped at the Dark Ages story arc and just recently realized how much I missed reading it.

Also, I'm in the process of reading _Geek Love_ again. I read it while in my early teens and it's definitely time to give it another go.


----------



## Admiral_Snackbar (Jul 5, 2011)

A little old, a little new:

The Tommyknockers, by Stephen King
War of the Twins, Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman
20th Century Ghosts, Joe Hill
Unclean, Richard Lee Byers (Forgotten Realms novel)


----------



## Lovelyone (Jul 5, 2011)

I am reading an antique cookbook. I love how they say "pinch of, palmful, use a tease of, and smidge of" when trying to declare amounts to add to the recipes. One recipe even says to use a teacup full of flour. Very interesting.


----------



## ConnieLynn (Jul 5, 2011)

Lovelyone said:


> I am reading an antique cookbook. I love how they say "pinch of, palmful, use a tease of, and smidge of" when trying to declare amounts to add to the recipes. One recipe even says to use a teacup full of flour. Very interesting.



I love old cookbooks. I have a Better Homes & Gardens from the 40s that I use all the time. The recipes are tweaked to deal with wartime rationing, so they give you lots of different ingredients to use as substitutions.


----------



## spiritangel (Jul 5, 2011)

just started eldest yestderday and in between that trying to decide what to cook from economy gastronomy


----------



## snuggletiger (Jul 6, 2011)

The Old Testament. Trudging through Judges.


----------



## CastingPearls (Jul 6, 2011)

I went a little nuts on Amazon after a hysterical panda discussion on my FB page and ended up with these:

Pat the Zombie ~ Aaron Ximm & Kaveh Soofi
The Book of Bunny Suicides ~ Andy Riley
FU Penguin ~ Matthew Gasteier
100 Facts About Pandas ~ O'Doherty, O'Doherty & Ahern 

(The last one is Frank's fault)


----------



## pdgujer148 (Jul 18, 2011)

I read about 550 pages of Adam Levin's "The Instructions" while traveling last week. So far I think that it is pretty incredible. The narrator is ridiculously discursive and improbably well spoken for age 10. The book is about 1000 pages long and covers four days in the life of Gurion Maccabee, a ten year old fighter, Talmud scholar, activist, and possible messiah. Levin's style is unique; some hybrid of J.D Salinger, Phillip Roth, and David Foster Wallace except Levin has a lighter touch then any of the three. This is a challenging, but very readable novel: smart, funny, touching and all that.


----------



## Rojodi (Jul 20, 2011)

"The Jefferson Key" by Steve Berry. Another one of those intrigue stories with historical elements in it.


----------



## Adamantoise (Jul 20, 2011)

I'm going to start reading a book named '100 Hair-Raising Little Horror Stories'-I found it at work and decded to buy it. :happy:


----------



## Blackjack (Jul 20, 2011)

Adamantoise said:


> I'm going to start reading a book named '100 Hair-Raising Little Horror Stories'-I found it at work and decded to buy it. :happy:



I think I've got that one- it's not bad. More or less what I expected from a collection like that at a low price. I read maybe two dozen of the stories; I didn't find any of them all that great, but none of them poor.


----------



## mejix (Jul 20, 2011)

I finally finished *The Tiger's Wife*. I didn't quite understand the ending but by then I didn't care. Just glad to be done with it. _Ovah-rrated._


----------



## ataraxia (Jul 21, 2011)

The original Ringworld. Never got around to it before. Pretty good, but not great.


----------



## Jess87 (Jul 21, 2011)

The Meowmorphosis

I'm really into Quirk Classics. Probably because the vast majority of my reading consists of classics or is accompanied by pictures. This is one is fun so far is hilarious. Gregor Samsa as a cat is great, because really they are way cuter than bugs. There's a nod to The Trial as well.


----------



## lizzie_lotr (Jul 21, 2011)

I'm currently working on Varney the Vampire. Love it!


----------



## mejix (Jul 26, 2011)

Started *The New York Trilogy* by Paul Auster. Not making any promises though.


----------



## pdgujer148 (Jul 28, 2011)

About 150 pages into Kim Newman's "Anno Dracula". This book posits an alternate history in which Dracula (who is Vlad the Impaler) marries Queen Victoria and transforms England into a warren of vampires. The great joke of this scenario is that nothing much changes: Victorian rule continues with small exception that the Queen's consort has a penchant for impaling anyone who breaks the law. Meanwhile vampire whores are being murdered in Whitechapel, and numerous characters drawn from history and Victorian literature set out to unmask Jack the Ripper. Fun book.


----------



## ataraxia (Jul 29, 2011)

Permanence by Karl Schroeder. Not new any more, but still worth a look. It's a lot more interesting than the back cover sells it as - there's a big spoiler about 100 pages in that changes everything.


----------



## idontspeakespn (Jul 29, 2011)

Just re-read "The Mistress of Spices"...a lot of people hated it, said that the writing style was a mess, but it was a blend of poetry and prose and you had to understand that it was coming from a first-person perspective of someone who was steeped in magical metaphors and used this linguistic(?) mix. In my opinion I think a lot of people didn't click that this was someone who's first language isn't English, though she uses both in thought and speech to represent her view of the world. I take that into account. 

If you like things that have a mystical bent to them and haven't read it yet its worth checking out. There are also social/philosophical issues that come out which make me view America (being American) in a completely new way. 

Next up: because my dissertation work is really almost killing me and I need something easy to jump into, I will re-read the Anne of Green Gables series ...still my favorite books 20 years later.


----------



## idontspeakespn (Jul 29, 2011)

Lovelyone said:


> I am reading an antique cookbook. I love how they say "pinch of, palmful, use a tease of, and smidge of" when trying to declare amounts to add to the recipes. One recipe even says to use a teacup full of flour. Very interesting.



I love antique cookbooks! I was in Bath earlier this year and saw the best cookbook in the Old Books bookstore and it was REALLY old and was used for serving the Royal family. Stuff like, ' Brace of Coney with a salt and pork gravy served with a side of cold tongue. Fabulous! :eat1:


----------



## sweetfrancaise (Jul 30, 2011)

idontspeakespn said:


> Just re-read "The Mistress of Spices"...a lot of people hated it, said that the writing style was a mess, but it was a blend of poetry and prose and you had to understand that it was coming from a first-person perspective of someone who was steeped in magical metaphors and used this linguistic(?) mix. In my opinion I think a lot of people didn't click that this was someone who's first language isn't English, though she uses both in thought and speech to represent her view of the world. I take that into account.
> 
> If you like things that have a mystical bent to them and haven't read it yet its worth checking out. There are also social/philosophical issues that come out which make me view America (being American) in a completely new way.
> 
> Next up: because my dissertation work is really almost killing me and I need something easy to jump into, I will re-read the Anne of Green Gables series ...still my favorite books 20 years later.



Oh man, that book sounds fascinating! Especially the bit regarding being an American, I'm always interested in another perspective. Mine's a bit skewed anyhow.  And, oh! _Anne of Green Gables_! One of my favorites. Though I never much liked that series beyond the first two books. She just got too perfect. Forever and always will I be in love with Gilbert Blythe, however.

I just finished reading _The Gargoyle_ by Andrew Davidson for the second time. The book is incredible, about existing, about lifetimes and the possibility of having more than one. It's a read worth devouring, every bit of it.

Next on the list is _Liesl and Po_, and advanced reader's copy I got from work about a girl and a ghost. And then one called _The Secret Language of Flowers_, another ARC.


----------



## deadly-spaghetti-o (Jul 31, 2011)

I've had the book 'The Choice' by Nicholas Sparks sitting around for awhile... gotta work on reading more.


----------



## idontspeakespn (Aug 1, 2011)

sweetfrancaise said:


> Oh man, that book sounds fascinating! Especially the bit regarding being an American, I'm always interested in another perspective. Mine's a bit skewed anyhow.  And, oh! _Anne of Green Gables_! One of my favorites. Though I never much liked that series beyond the first two books. She just got too perfect. Forever and always will I be in love with Gilbert Blythe, however.
> 
> I just finished reading _The Gargoyle_ by Andrew Davidson for the second time. The book is incredible, about existing, about lifetimes and the possibility of having more than one. It's a read worth devouring, every bit of it.
> 
> Next on the list is _Liesl and Po_, and advanced reader's copy I got from work about a girl and a ghost. And then one called _The Secret Language of Flowers_, another ARC.




LOL, Yes Gilbert will always have my heart  I think I've heard of the Secret Language of Flowers and heard it was really well written. Tell us how it turns out when you finish!


----------



## Kibeth (Aug 1, 2011)

I just got done reading the modern fairietales by Holly black- Tithe, Ironside and another one I can't quite remember. They were okay. Kinda too romantic. But a good trash read.

I read "Straight up and Dirty" by Stephanie Klein- She also wrote Moose.
Rosemary's baby- based off the movie.

aaand the old kingdom/ Abhorsen trilogy. Which is where I got my s/n.


----------



## Aust99 (Aug 1, 2011)

Bodsypants by Tina Fey


----------



## AuntHen (Aug 1, 2011)

sweetfrancaise said:


> Oh man, that book sounds fascinating! Especially the bit regarding being an American, I'm always interested in another perspective. Mine's a bit skewed anyhow.  And, oh! _Anne of Green Gables_! One of my favorites. Though I never much liked that series beyond the first two books. She just got too perfect. Forever and always will I be *in love with Gilbert Blythe*, however.
> 
> I just finished reading _The Gargoyle_ by Andrew Davidson for the second time. The book is incredible, about existing, about lifetimes and the possibility of having more than one. It's a read worth devouring, every bit of it.
> 
> Next on the list is _Liesl and Po_, and advanced reader's copy I got from work about a girl and a ghost. And then one called _The Secret Language of Flowers_, another ARC.



yes, Gilbert is amazing, almost as amazing as Frederick (I think that is his name) from Little Women


----------



## pdgujer148 (Aug 3, 2011)

I've been reading David Foster Wallace's "The Pale King". I think I'll take a break from it. 

Reading a novel that you know is unfinished, and suspect that the author would be appalled to see in print if he was living is kind of a drag. That isn't to say that the book isn't well written or entertaining. There are brilliant sentences on just about every page I've read. However, that just serves as a reminder of what was lost when Wallace committed suicide.

There has been a backlash against pomo in general and DFW in specific in the years since Infinite Jest was published. Jest became the book that dilettante a-holes conspicuously toted around in an attempt to appear smart (in my day it was DeLillo's Underworld). That's too bad, because despite having many flaws Jest was an honest (and very funny) attempt to describe a sickness in my generation. So while DFW endless footnotes, and rambling discursive prose come off as affectation for some, I always found it to be the result of a brilliant mind trying desperately to describe complex behaviors and systems as clearly as possible.

Infinite Jest wasn't has magnum opus and I think he knew it. It is anybody's guess whether a completed version of The Pale King would have vindicated Wallace and put an end to the debate as to whether he was a pretentious hack or a genuine genius. Judging from the direction he was taking with his shorts stories (Oblivion was stunning) I'm betting that given enough time Wallace would have produced an amazing book.

However that is conjecture--for all we know he could have pulled a Salinger and hoarded the manuscript until he died of natural causes. All that is left is this unfinished beautifully written artifact. While it is sad to read, I do appreciate having the words.


----------



## laurieinhou (Aug 7, 2011)

Fool Moon by Jim Butcher.


----------



## Mishty (Aug 7, 2011)

_The Bingo Queens of Paradise_ by June Park
_Prozac Nation_ by Elizabeth Wurtzel
_The Saint The Surfer and The CEO_ by Robin Sharma

I'm almost done with the first, it's witty, but kind of dreary.


----------



## CastingPearls (Aug 8, 2011)

The Hunger Games ~ Suzanne Collins

I don't know why it took me so long to read this book, because there are some books that (well, I don't know about anyone else) I care for; they leave an impression on me and this is no exception. This reminds me a bit of Lord of the Flies, The Running Man, Stephenie Meyer's lesser known novel, The Host, and also a short story in Robert McCammon's Blue World called Hell Come Knocking at Your Door only less boogyman and more....lottery...

As with anything that leaves a lasting impression on me, I do relate in some way to Katniss Everdeen, the main character and her sense of loss, love, sacrifice and determination. 

Although not finished yet, I already know this will be a favorite book.

I look forward to reading the other two in the trilogy.


----------



## sweetfrancaise (Aug 8, 2011)

fat9276 said:


> yes, Gilbert is amazing, almost as amazing as Frederick (I think that is his name) from Little Women



You're quite right. _Almost_ as amazing as the professor! (Who needs Laurie anyhow? Anyone who's happy with Amy has something wrong with him.)




CastingPearls said:


> The Hunger Games ~ Suzanne Collins...
> 
> As with anything that leaves a lasting impression on me, I do relate in some way to Katniss Everdeen, the main character and her sense of loss, love, sacrifice and determination.
> 
> ...



Oh man, you just wait until you read those last two books. The third had me in tears.


----------



## ataraxia (Aug 8, 2011)

Just finished The Other Lands by David Anthony Durham.

Just started The Fuller Memorandum by Charles Stross.


----------



## PamelaLois (Aug 8, 2011)

Just finished reading _*The Help*_. It was so good. It was supposed to last through my vacation, but I couldn't put it down and finished it in 2 days. I can't wait to see the movie, but I'm sure it won't be as good as the book, the movies never are. 

Just started *Private* by Patterson. I had to trek to the Wal-Mart to get another book to read by the pool. 

Let's just say that the Wal-Mart in Delavan Wisconsin was an interesting side trip from Lake Geneva. 

OK, interesting might be an understatement. 

Entertaining could be a better description.:doh: I should have brought my camera.....


----------



## MattB (Aug 9, 2011)

Just about to start "The Parapsychology Revolution". It's an anthology on the paranormal, and psychical research. 

Should be a hoot!


----------



## ChubbyBlackSista (Aug 9, 2011)

*What I'm reading now is Mischief by Douglas Clegg. I'm really into the terror books they seem more interesting than romance books right now. *


----------



## CarlaSixx (Aug 10, 2011)

I just recently bought_ Outliers_ by Malcolm Gladwell and I'm thinking I should've opted for the audiobook, maybe, lol. It was a decent price and perhaps I'll be able to get through it soon. A few pages in, it's not grabbing my attention.

I also got The _Tipping Point_ from the library. I was going to get_ Blink_, but the first seems more my style than the other two, to be honest.

I also got my first work of fiction in a long time  I got it and finished it in the same day. The book is called _The Man In The Picture _and it's by Susan Hill. She's also the author of _The Woman In Black_, which is a pretty well known piece of work. 

I really liked it. It's my kind of thriller/ghost story. Not gory, slow burning, intense, smart... Very good read  I'm glad I took a chance and picked it up. I have a thirst for more of the same genre, now.


----------



## LeoGibson (Aug 11, 2011)

I just finished Life by Keith Richards.It was a great read even if you aren't a fan of his or of the Rolling Stones.The clarity that he can remember the late 60's through the early 80's is a testament to a strong constitution.I was already a fan and had him as one of my guitar heroes.This only further solidified him in my mind.


----------



## ataraxia (Aug 12, 2011)

Just started Home Fires by Gene Wolfe.

Everyone should get to know Mr Wolfe. I think he's the best writer in the English language alive today, in fiction, non-fiction, whatever.


----------



## mejix (Aug 12, 2011)

I don't like being at the bottom of the page so I'll wait til we are in the next page.


----------



## MattB (Aug 12, 2011)

mejix said:


> I don't like being at the bottom of the page so I'll wait til we are in the next page.



Will this help??

(I guess not...)


----------



## mejix (Aug 13, 2011)

MattB said:


> Will this help??
> 
> (I guess not...)



Hmmm, lets try again.

Nope, still here. Thanks anyway.


----------



## HDANGEL15 (Aug 13, 2011)

LeoGibson said:


> I just finished Life by Keith Richards.It was a great read even if you aren't a fan of his or of the Rolling Stones.The clarity that he can remember the late 60's through the early 80's is a testament to a strong constitution.I was already a fan and had him as one of my guitar heroes.This only further solidified him in my mind.


*
I thought it was rather boring....although i read the entire thing *


----------



## sweetfrancaise (Aug 13, 2011)

So I finished _Liesl and Po_, but I shouldn't have given the book that much attention. Good plot, but terribly written. Reads like certain submissions from a person in my writer's group who uses soap operas for inspiration (bad guys cartoonishly bad, good guys so good they're boring). I don't even know if I'd like it if I was in the demographic it's aimed towards.

_The Language of Flowers_, however, is incredible. Not normally a book I find myself reading, as it's contemporary (I lean towards historical fiction) and I'm not too interested in it's subject. The book tells the story of 18-year-old Victoria, who grew up in the foster care system which effectively screwed up her ability to connect with people. And as it's told from her perspective, instead of judging her antisocial, misanthropic actions, you understand why she is the way she is. Really worth the read!


----------



## TexasTrouble (Aug 13, 2011)

I'm rereading _The Magicians_. I really liked it the first time I read it. It's about a young man who gets accepted into a school for magicians. A lot of people didn't like it because they expected it to be like Harry Potter, but it really focuses on what comes after being given all that power and the ennui of having everything you think you ever wanted. I hope to finish so I can start its sequel, _The Magician King_, on a flight next week.


----------



## mejix (Aug 13, 2011)

Finished last week* The New York Trilogy* by Paul Auster. Found it both exasperating and brilliant. 
Just finished a couple of minutes ago *The Picture of Dorian Gray* by Oscar Wilde. There was a brilliant article about in the New Yorker last week. Not really a novel but a kind of philosophical fairy tale. Loved it.







*


----------



## LeoGibson (Aug 13, 2011)

HDANGEL15 said:


> *
> I thought it was rather boring....although i read the entire thing *



I can see where it could be to alot of people.It did drag in some parts,but as an unashamed admirer of Keef,this book really helped me to understand where he was coming from on some band issues i.e. his squabbles with Mick aka.Brenda Jagger,the differences with Mick Taylor and why after all the money and accolades and years they still go out and write a new record and tour.

I also enjoyed alot of his more technical talk about writing riffs and songs and would have loved way more of that in the book,but that's just the geek in me:happy:


----------



## 1Agamemnon (Aug 13, 2011)

Anathem - GREAT book


----------



## CastingPearls (Aug 13, 2011)

Catching Fire (book 2 of the Hunger Games trilogy) by Suzanne Collins.


----------



## ataraxia (Aug 14, 2011)

1Agamemnon said:


> Anathem - GREAT book



Yeah, that really is a great book.


----------



## Edens_heel (Aug 14, 2011)

CastingPearls said:


> Catching Fire (book 2 of the Hunger Games trilogy) by Suzanne Collins.



Honestly, I would stop there. Book three was abysmal.


----------



## mejix (Sep 3, 2011)

Finished *Cloud Atlas* by David Mitchell earlier this week. First half amazing. Second half no so much. 

Just finished *The Periodic Table* by Primo Levi. Quirky. Beautiful.


----------



## sweetfrancaise (Sep 6, 2011)

So, just finished _Moral Disorder_ by one of my favorite authors, Margaret Atwood. It's not as heavy as many of her other books, but fascinating all the same as the book is a series of short stories circling around one character at different points in her life. I finished it in a few days & it left me with a sense of strange calm.

I'm reading _The Secret Life of Bees_ now simply because SO MANY people have told me how good it is and I refuse to read _The Help_. Working in a bookstore means I come to certain conclusions with books, and if a book has lasted on the bestsellers for more than a year, I probably won't read it. I made that mistake with _The Da Vinci Code_. Horrid.

Does anyone have any suggestions for late fifties/early sixties or civil-rights era fiction that doesn't necessarily take place in the South? It's research.


----------



## one2one (Sep 7, 2011)

The Love Goddess' Cooking School. I chose it for the title and am not disappointed. It's a lovely, easy last-beach-book-of-summer sort of thing.


----------



## Lastminute.Tom (Sep 8, 2011)

Mindfulness - a guide to peace in a frantic world
('s like Buddhism mixed with cognitive behavioural therapy ver' interestin' schtuff)

and literally just started reading two caravans from the same author that wrote a brief history of tractors in ukranian


----------



## booyahmanx (Sep 8, 2011)

One of my favourite books... Watership Down by Richard Adams


----------



## idontspeakespn (Sep 8, 2011)

I started re-reading _The Birth of Venus _. It's very historical, centering on the era of the Medici Rule in Florence. 

It's well told, historically accurate and graphic in some places. The best books always are.


----------



## Still a Skye fan (Sep 8, 2011)

I'm about a third of the way through Stephen King's "Under the Dome" and it's pretty damn good so far!

Yes, King misfires now and then but this is a hit with me!


Dennis


----------



## SuziQ (Sep 10, 2011)

I am into easy reads right now. Just finished Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett. 
The 4 Horsemen ride motorcycles. The head demon, Crowley, talks about the destruction of all intelligent life on earth with "nothing left but dust and fundamentalists." Good and evil careen toward the apocalypse but a mix-up at birth means the AntiChrist is raised by a common British family and he doesn't exactly follow the script -- or does he? Maybe even THAT was part of The Plan. 

I've also been reading some chic lit by Nancy Thayer. Just finished Heat Wave --about relationships, loving, losing them, healing, and finding love again on Nantucket. Her main characters are always women and reach within themselves when they face adversity -- taking risks, reinventing themselves, giving their hearts and making life even better than before.


----------



## CastingPearls (Sep 10, 2011)

Edens_heel said:


> Honestly, I would stop there. Book three was abysmal.


I read it anyway. It wasn't great BUT after some thought, it was still worth it because I can't do 2/3rd of a trilogy (I need closure LOL) and the last two or three paragraphs were what I was waiting and hoping for.


----------



## one2one (Sep 10, 2011)

Michael Hart, founder of the Gutenberg Project, passed away a few days ago. In his honor I intend to continue to read anything I want to, without having to pay for it, starting with his obituary. Found right here. I wish you all the freedom to do the same.


----------



## Edens_heel (Sep 10, 2011)

CastingPearls said:


> I read it anyway. It wasn't great BUT after some thought, it was still worth it because I can't do 2/3rd of a trilogy (I need closure LOL) and the last two or three paragraphs were what I was waiting and hoping for.



I was pretty pissed at the ending, because for me - especially when it's a trilogy - the ending is the most important part of any story. But everything that happened in the capitol, to me, fell completely flat. I couldn't even picture half of it because so much seemed random and unexplored. It bothered me enough that I doubt I'll bother with the films, because the story problems are too great. 

I've gotten to a point with dystopian fiction where I lose all patience with it if I can't connect point A (where we are now) with point B (the effed up world they live in). I was able to do that with Veronica Roth's DIVERGENT from earlier this year (awesome), but with the Hunger Games... I just can't get my head into a world where kids as sacrificial lambs for entertainment makes sense to a populace. Like, what would have to happen in our time and the years between to convince a once-logical and contemporary society that killing kids on TV works. Effective dystopian lit exists when those lines can be drawn - the skewing of public knowledge and opinion in things like Fahrenheit 451 and 1984 - but not when those through lines can't be found.

*end rant*


----------



## Green Eyed Fairy (Sep 10, 2011)

Dark Summer by Iris Johansen - not that great to be honest.


----------



## CastingPearls (Sep 10, 2011)

Edens_heel said:


> I was pretty pissed at the ending, because for me - especially when it's a trilogy - the ending is the most important part of any story. But everything that happened in the capitol, to me, fell completely flat. I couldn't even picture half of it because so much seemed random and unexplored. It bothered me enough that I doubt I'll bother with the films, because the story problems are too great.
> 
> I've gotten to a point with dystopian fiction where I lose all patience with it if I can't connect point A (where we are now) with point B (the effed up world they live in). I was able to do that with Veronica Roth's DIVERGENT from earlier this year (awesome), but with the Hunger Games... I just can't get my head into a world where kids as sacrificial lambs for entertainment makes sense to a populace. Like, what would have to happen in our time and the years between to convince a once-logical and contemporary society that killing kids on TV works. Effective dystopian lit exists when those lines can be drawn - the skewing of public knowledge and opinion in things like Fahrenheit 451 and 1984 - but not when those through lines can't be found.
> 
> *end rant*


I agree with everything you said re the capitol. I also just downloaded Divergent to my Kindle. Thanks for the tip.


----------



## Mishty (Sep 11, 2011)

Love Signs - Linda Goodman

It's astrology, but it's soooo romantic and right on the money. Plus it has little snippets of Peter Pan at the beginning of every match, that goes along with the two signs compatibility. Makes me take a second look at Hook. :wubu:


----------



## Edens_heel (Sep 11, 2011)

CastingPearls said:


> I agree with everything you said re the capitol. I also just downloaded Divergent to my Kindle. Thanks for the tip.



My pleasure! I hope you enjoy it.

And now that I know you like YA, I have another possible reader for my manuscript, mwahaha...


----------



## Edens_heel (Sep 11, 2011)

Reading through this year's Giller nominees (kind of essential, as we're publishing one of them). Right now working on Lynn Coady's The Antagonist. Loving the hell out of it - so much so that it's 11:30 and I'm about to put on some coffee so I can plow through the entirety of it tonight.


----------



## starr416 (Sep 11, 2011)

I am re-reading The Alchemist


----------



## mejix (Sep 11, 2011)

*The Remains of the Day* by Kazuo Ishiguro. So sad.


----------



## Green Eyed Fairy (Sep 11, 2011)

James Patterson & Andrew Gross- Judge and Jury


Is starting out pretty good so far  (especially after that last suck-fest book I just finished- why did I finish it? :doh


----------



## Hathor (Sep 11, 2011)

I just cracked open "Hurricanes in Paradise" by Denise Hildreth Jones on my Kindle. So far, so good. It seems kind of predictable currently, so I'm hoping as I read on I'll be surprised. 

Next on my list is Lewis Carrol's Alice in Wonderland as I've never read it. 

And the book I just finished is called "Hello Kitty Must Die" by Angela S. Choi. Super good book. Had me laughing the entire time I read it.


----------



## Micara (Sep 11, 2011)

Just finished "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children" by Ransom Riggs. I just got it in the mail on Friday and am already done. It's a wonderful fantasy/adventure story mixed with nostalgia and history, and the book itself contains actual creepy/cool photographs from the olden days that the author collects and then wrote a story around. I enjoyed it immensely!


----------



## ataraxia (Sep 11, 2011)

Two things at once right now:

Brandon Sanderson - Mistborn. As usual for Sanderson, the book looks lame based on the back cover and basic concept, but is actually excellent. Sanderson seems lined up to be TOR's next big-name money-making writer. He's the sort who writes Fantasy as if it were Science Fiction, with lots of strict rules about what magic is allowed to do, and an appendix at the back explaining the system.

Hartwell / Kramer - The Space Opera Renaissance. More of a textbook than a "good stuff" anthology. There are a few gems in here, particularly in the 80's, 90's, and 00's sections. I especially liked the two longest pieces, "Ms Midshipwoman Harrington" by David Weber, and "The Survivor" by Donald Kingsbury. (Maybe I should be reading more Baen...) I don't really recommend this anthology, though, unless you like reading introductory essays that explain SF as a function of writers' politics. (This is very much a Hartwell / Kramer thing to do - they talk that way in person, too.)

(Why two books at once? The anthology is too heavy to take to work and back on the bus.)


----------



## Edens_heel (Sep 12, 2011)

This: http://backlisted.blogspot.com/2011/09/review-antagonist-by-lynn-coady.html

Up next, I have no idea. Probably Half-Blood Blues, by Esi Edugyan.


----------



## HDANGEL15 (Sep 12, 2011)

*DHARMA PUNX by Noah Levine

I really enjoyed this, his travels and growth in sobriety; and explorations into spirituality and meditation. I could relate to it all, and dream about the rest.*


----------



## Carrie (Sep 14, 2011)

For anyone here on Goodreads (aka Facebook for book junkies like myself), I'm Carrie Kiddo there. I um... mostly read mysteries and thrillers, but will shamelessly use you as friends there to try to broaden my reading horizons.


----------



## mejix (Sep 15, 2011)

I'm Mejix there too. I don't understand Goodreads though. So much stuff.


----------



## CAMellie (Sep 15, 2011)

Finished A Storm of Swords and will be downloading A Feast for Crows on Friday. I've loved the hell out of the series so far, but a lot of people have warned me that book 4 is a pain to get through.


----------



## cinnamitch (Sep 15, 2011)

I Was There When It Happened-My Life With Johnny Cash by Marshall Grant


----------



## Edens_heel (Sep 18, 2011)

Think I need to post a warning to any fantasy lovers out there: avoid Edwawrd Lazellari's Awakenings. Just... no.


----------



## paperman921 (Sep 18, 2011)

I'm rotating between Grapes of Wrath and Zen Mind, Beginners Mind. Both are great reads and packed full of wisdom.


----------



## GlassDaemon (Sep 18, 2011)

I just finished "Mermaid: A Twist on the Classic Tale" by Carolyn Turgeon. It's pretty much the adult version of The Little Mermaid, like the Grimm Fairy Tale version but with a happier ending and more smexy stuff in it. 

I liked it, but anyone looking for a hardcore romance should avoid, this is more about the human girl and the mermaid's relationship and lives than their relationships with the human male. It was cute to me and extended the Grimm's Fairy Tale version into a full blown novel. Plus it was about a mermaid and I loves mermaids.


----------



## seavixen (Sep 18, 2011)

I just finished Soulless a couple of days ago, and it was terribly entertaining. Steampunk romance with supernatural creatures? Yes, please!

I'm currently rereading Crime & Punishment and Mansfield Park, then I'm seriously considering rereading Anna Karenina and possibly raiding my Heinlein or Christopher Moore collections for more rereading goodness. (Christopher Moore is freaking hilarious, and I love him.)

...

I reread a lot.


----------



## cherrybombXI (Sep 18, 2011)

I'm rereading The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins right now.
They may be YA novels but I'm a sucker for dystopian societies!


----------



## Jess87 (Sep 18, 2011)

The Moonstone - Wilkie Collins

I'm back on a detective novel kick. I read The Woman in White during the last cycle, so this one is only fitting.


----------



## pdgujer148 (Sep 19, 2011)

Jess87 said:


> The Moonstone - Wilkie Collins
> 
> I'm back on a detective novel kick. I read The Woman in White during the last cycle, so this one is only fitting.



Just for fun read "Drood" for a trippy counterpoint.


----------



## SerenityValkyrie (Sep 23, 2011)

Yakuza Moon by Shoko Tendo


----------



## CastingPearls (Sep 23, 2011)

Stoppard's Arcadia.


----------



## Gingembre (Sep 23, 2011)

Currently reading "The hospital by the river" - a true story of an Australian couple who set up a hospital for fistula patients in Ethiopia. It's inspirational, although I wish the couple weren't so religious...the thanking god for everything is getting on my nerves a touch.


----------



## pdgujer148 (Sep 24, 2011)

Just started Neal Stephenson's REA*M*D*E*. 150 pages in and so far it reads like Stephenson-Lite. However, after clawing my way through the Baroque Cycle and hitting my head against the frustrating (but also rewarding and awesome) "Anathem" a straightforward thriller from Stephenson is a welcome change of pace.


----------



## Shosh (Sep 24, 2011)

I am reading Serpico.

Serpico the NY cop turned whistleblower against police corruption.

Al Pacino starred in the film of the same name.


----------



## Green Eyed Fairy (Sep 29, 2011)

Patricia Cornwell- Predator


----------



## CastingPearls (Sep 29, 2011)

Matched - Ally Condie

Dystopian novel about a future where everything is decided for you and a girl who's been matched to be married, has found through an error in the system that the perfect society she thinks she's part of, is flawed and she begins to discover choices. (First in a trilogy)


----------



## toomuchtoomuch (Sep 30, 2011)

I just read the Old Man and the Sea <3 because I've never reead it before in high school but wow I loved it I thought the relationship between the old man and Manolin was sooo sweet!! <3


----------



## spiritangel (Sep 30, 2011)

I have been inhaling books since the tv went bust

I just re read blaze by di morrisy (about the cut throat glamour magazine industry)

and a book called watermelon and now onto Lucy Sullivans getting married by Marian Keys (its a giant double book)

I am rather excited as I have just unpacked a box of books from like eep 8 years ago and discovered some I cant wait to re read such as the very inspiring Ferret Tales by Richard Bach


----------



## KHayes666 (Sep 30, 2011)

48 Minutes by Bob Ryan and Terry Pluto


The aristocrats and geeks may turn their noses up at this but they never had to defend a pick and roll on a 7 foot center.


----------



## hrd (Oct 3, 2011)

_The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making_ - Catherynne M. Valente


----------



## spiritangel (Oct 3, 2011)

Rescue Ferrets at Sea Richard Bach  to be followed by Air Ferrets aloft


----------



## AmazingAmy (Oct 3, 2011)

I've got a handful waiting on the bookcase to be read, but none that really appeal to me right now. I need to find something new.


----------



## yoopergirl (Oct 5, 2011)

I just started "Naked" by David Sedaris...I haven't gotten very far into it yet, but I've heard his books are supposed to be very good...


----------



## yoopergirl (Oct 5, 2011)

GlassDaemon said:


> I just finished "Mermaid: A Twist on the Classic Tale" by Carolyn Turgeon. It's pretty much the adult version of The Little Mermaid, like the Grimm Fairy Tale version but with a happier ending and more smexy stuff in it.
> 
> I liked it, but anyone looking for a hardcore romance should avoid, this is more about the human girl and the mermaid's relationship and lives than their relationships with the human male. It was cute to me and extended the Grimm's Fairy Tale version into a full blown novel. Plus it was about a mermaid and I loves mermaids.



I haven't read back too far in the posts yet (although I intend to, so I can build up my "To Read List" based on people's recommendations), but have you read any of Gregory Maguire's books? Besides the "Wicked" series he's got "Mirror, Mirror" (Snow White), "Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister" (Cinderella), and "Matchless" (The Little Match Girl). I haven't read "Matchless, but thought the rest were quite good, and they might be up your alley.


----------



## fatgirlflyin (Oct 5, 2011)

Homeland: The Legend of Drizzit by R.A. Salvatore


----------



## Halie (Oct 5, 2011)

I'm just about to finish Michael Connolly - _The Black Echo_ and shall be starting Stephen King & Peter Straub's _The Talisman_, soon (for about the 5th time).


----------



## mejix (Oct 6, 2011)

Finished *One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich*. Don't read unless you really have to. 
Working on *The Sagas of Icelanders*. Enjoying it but will probably read it in installments.


----------



## retep (Oct 7, 2011)

yoopergirl said:


> I just started "Naked" by David Sedaris...I haven't gotten very far into it yet, but I've heard his books are supposed to be very good...


Me talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris is also pretty good.
I have just finished The Slap by Christos Thiolkis


----------



## Carrie (Oct 7, 2011)

"Room", by Emma Donoghue.


----------



## sweetfrancaise (Oct 8, 2011)

_Small Island_--fascinating fictional account of what Jamaicans underwent in England while fighting in WWII and living in the country afterwards. Excellent. Also read _Major Pettigrew's Last Stand_, which was great fun, and _The Outcast_ which was rather... difficult. Good, but tough. Probably not a re-read.


----------



## AuntHen (Oct 10, 2011)

The Help

...almost finished. It is great! I will wait to see the movie after I am done reading


----------



## CastingPearls (Oct 10, 2011)

Carrie said:


> "Room", by Emma Donoghue.


That book really got to me. Good choice!


----------



## one2one (Oct 11, 2011)

Joy for Beginners by Erica Bauermeister. Great title, huh? I'm loving it. Her writing is very beautiful, sensual and satisfying.


----------



## Carrie (Oct 13, 2011)

CastingPearls said:


> That book really got to me. Good choice!


It was very, very good ("Room"). 

Now on to "So Much Pretty", by Cara Hoffman.


----------



## Jess87 (Oct 14, 2011)

pdgujer148 said:


> Just for fun read "Drood" for a trippy counterpoint.



Thanks. That was so worth reading. The ending was a little less than stellar, but it was so good and yeah, definitely fun to have read right after The Moonstone. I didn't find Collins nearly as unlikable as I probably should have though.


----------



## KHayes666 (Oct 14, 2011)

polished off 9 books in the last week and a half. Working on "ON TOP OF THE WORLD" by Peter May currently


----------



## pdgujer148 (Oct 15, 2011)

Jess87 said:


> Thanks. That was so worth reading. The ending was a little less than stellar, but it was so good and yeah, definitely fun to have read right after The Moonstone. I didn't find Collins nearly as unlikable as I probably should have though.



Yea! Thanks for reading! I agree that the end is a letdown, but it is understandable given that Simmons had to eventually tie the narrative to verifiable history. 

I love Simmons' version of Collins; best unreliable narrator ever. Check the film Amadeus for additional reference. 

Memory fails me, but there is a point where he could have either (a) brutally killed a servant (b) acted as a passive observer, or (c) it did not happen at all, and all is the result of his drug-fucked imagination. Depends on the reading and the reader.

Clever, if twisted, writing!


----------



## The Orange Mage (Oct 15, 2011)

Started reading "A Wizard of Earthsea" yesterday.


----------



## CAMellie (Oct 15, 2011)

Moreta: Dragonlady of Pern by Anne McCaffrey


----------



## Hathor (Oct 16, 2011)

*finished:* "The Girl Next Door" by Jack Ketchum (disturbing, gut wrenching, tearjerker, and definitely not for the person with a weak stomach)

*reading now: * "French Quarter: Hot In The City, Book 1" by Lacey Alexander (basically it's literotica)

*next on list:* "The Kingdom of Childhood" by Rebecca Coleman (about a woman who has an affair with her 16 year old student)


----------



## CAMellie (Oct 16, 2011)

The Girl Who Couldn't Say No: Memoir of a Teenage Mom by Tracy Engelbrecht

I got this on my Kindle app as a free download and wasn't expecting too much...but I was very pleasantly surprised at how quickly I was drawn in. I laughed out loud quite often.


----------



## mejix (Oct 16, 2011)

*The Magic Mountain*.


----------



## CAMellie (Oct 17, 2011)

The Android Market had free book apps. I now have all the Harry Potter books and all of the Vampire Chronicle (Anne Rice) books. So happy!


----------



## KHayes666 (Oct 18, 2011)

Red and Me: My Coach, My Lifelong Friend by William F Russell


----------



## MattB (Oct 18, 2011)

"Mustaine" the biography of Dave Mustaine from Megadeth. I picked it up at an airport on the weekend and killed 100 pages on a short(ish) flight...:bow:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KU4xw7yj2D8


----------



## idontspeakespn (Oct 26, 2011)

Well, since school started back up my books have all been *super* light, fun pieces with 'violence' 'criminal' or 'victim' in the title. 

Actually partly sarcastic, partly for real. 

I've committed to reading at least one non-school related book this term, so it's Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. 

It's okay. I'm at the beginning and it is written in a very straight forward manner.

Not sure if I love it yet, as it's written as if you are a part of the espionage world, so the terminology is confusing at first. But I do like it.


----------



## KHayes666 (Oct 26, 2011)

Unfinished Business by Jack MaCallum.....My 23rd book in 21 days.


----------



## CastingPearls (Oct 26, 2011)

The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini


----------



## HottiMegan (Oct 26, 2011)

CAMellie said:


> The Android Market had free book apps. I now have all the Harry Potter books and all of the Vampire Chronicle (Anne Rice) books. So happy!



Where did you find E Harrys? I have been waiting for them for my nook. I have an android phone too. Were the books aps them selves or just on the aps? Now i must search teh market!!  


I am currently rereading Pride and Prejudice for the umpteenth time after watching Lost in Austen and Pride and Prejudice over the weekend. (the Colin Firth version)


----------



## Gingembre (Oct 26, 2011)

CastingPearls said:


> The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini



One of my favourites. I read it in a day and emerged from my room with marcara tear tracks all down my face!


----------



## AuntHen (Oct 26, 2011)

Sanditon by Jane Austen (it was found at her death bed, well, 11 chapters of it was)


----------



## Gingembre (Oct 26, 2011)

fat9276 said:


> Sanditon by Jane Austen (it was found at her death bed, well, 11 chapters of it was)



Oooh, how is it? I've been meaning to read it for ages but haven't managed to yet.


----------



## yoopergirl (Oct 28, 2011)

CastingPearls said:


> The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini



I read this for a book club a while back and loved it. I keep meaning to rent the movie, and then I forget.

I would also highly recommend "A Thousand Splendid Suns" by the same author, if you haven't read it yet.


----------



## CAMellie (Oct 28, 2011)

HottiMegan said:


> Where did you find E Harrys? I have been waiting for them for my nook. I have an android phone too. Were the books aps them selves or just on the aps? Now i must search teh market!!
> 
> 
> I am currently rereading Pride and Prejudice for the umpteenth time after watching Lost in Austen and Pride and Prejudice over the weekend. (the Colin Firth version)



I got the entire HP collection as a single free app in the android marketplace.


Currently reading 'vacation' by Matthew Costello


----------



## paperman921 (Oct 28, 2011)

Has anyone finished 1Q84 yet?


----------



## Edens_heel (Oct 29, 2011)

paperman921 said:


> Has anyone finished 1Q84 yet?



Nope. haven't even had a chance to start yet, and it's killing me because not only have I read everything by Murakami that I can get my hands on, but this is one helluva gorgeous book! Contemplating taking it with me on a flight, this morning, but it might be too much heft...


----------



## Edens_heel (Oct 29, 2011)

Just finished this: http://backlisted.blogspot.com/2011/10/review-beautiful-chaos-by-kami-garcia.html

For any YA lovers who want something of a higher quality and intellect than glittery effing vampires and bullshit child-sacrificing war games (can't believe how amazingly overrated HG is...), this is the best series currently going.


----------



## CAMellie (Oct 29, 2011)

Now reading Elizabeth I by Margaret George.

Lush, well-written, and engrossing. A very good read.


----------



## sweetfrancaise (Oct 29, 2011)

I just finished reading _Angelina's Bachelors_ by Brian O'Reilly, another ARC from work. What a waste of time that was. Trite, dull, characters with no dimension, and read like the author isn't aware of life and advances of the 21st century. 

On a brighter note, I also finished _Small Island_ which was FABULOUS. Really, I can't recommend it highly enough. The characters are beautifully illustrated, and the plot follows a piece of history I'm not familiar with, the emigration of Jamaicans to England after WWII. The British TV adaptation doesn't quite hit all the same notes, but I enjoyed it anyway, not least because two of my favorite actors, Ruth Wilson and Benedict Cumberbatch, costarred.

Next up is _The Kitchen House_. I've heard great things about it, and when a friend was reading it, her mood changed for three days due to the intensity of the story.


----------



## CastingPearls (Nov 2, 2011)

The New Dead (A zombie anthology) edited by Christopher Golden.

The very first story--a new twist on the resurrection of Lazarus. Nice. Very nice.


----------



## CAMellie (Nov 2, 2011)

A Feast for Crows - George R.R. Martin


----------



## Jess87 (Nov 6, 2011)

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

I really have no choice but to read the series again. I noticed a guy the other day and my first response was, "I bet that guy totally knows where his towel is." I avoided calling him a frood, but barely. It's undetermined if I'll go ahead and give the sixth book a try for as I've been quite good at avoiding its existence.


----------



## CAMellie (Nov 6, 2011)

A Dance With Dragons - George R.R. Martin


----------



## Micara (Nov 7, 2011)

I am finally well into "Matched" by Ally Condie on the masterful advice of Casting Pearls. I am hooked!


----------



## CAMellie (Nov 7, 2011)

What The Night Knows by Dean Koontz


----------



## Jeeshcristina (Nov 8, 2011)

Jess87 said:


> The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
> 
> I really have no choice but to read the series again. I noticed a guy the other day and my first response was, "I bet that guy totally knows where his towel is." I avoided calling him a frood, but barely. It's undetermined if I'll go ahead and give the sixth book a try for as I've been quite good at avoiding its existence.




Ahhh, love this series!!! So quirky and fun!


----------



## Jeeshcristina (Nov 8, 2011)

My Lobotomy by Howard Dully 

I love learning about medical practices of the past, as well as how we treated patients suffering from mental illness. This is a true story that has been confirmed with MRI scans and medical records. He was only 12 when he was lobotomized, and talks about how his life changed due the the procedure.
Pretty interesting read.


----------



## CastingPearls (Nov 8, 2011)

CAMellie said:


> What The Night Knows by Dean Koontz


I have it and it's one of the next to read. Reading Koontz is like eating candy; I know it will rot my teeth but I can't resist.

I also downloaded 1Q84 based on the recommendations here.


----------



## Edens_heel (Nov 8, 2011)

Half Blood Blues just took home the biggest literary prize in Canada - and if you haven't heard of it, you're severely missing out: http://backlisted.blogspot.com/2011/10/review-half-blood-blues-by-esi-edugyan.html


----------



## Your Plump Princess (Nov 22, 2011)

"*The Real Frank Zappa Book*" 

I'm so happy I heard about this book, I would have never knew it existed if I hadn't randomly found an interview Mr. Zappa did with Larry King back in '87 while searching for his songs on a music site! :wubu: Best random discovery EVER.


----------



## TwilightStarr (Nov 22, 2011)

Feast of Fools by Rachel Caine


----------



## yoopergirl (Nov 22, 2011)

I've been spending a lot of time in Dr.'s offices or sitting with my leg elevated lately, which has given me a chance to get some reading done.
I finally finished "Naked" - loved it, definitely planning to check out more of Sedaris's stuff. It's not very often that a book can actually make me laugh out loud, and he managed to do it a couple of times.
I also sped through "If You Ask Me (And of Course You Won't)", a memoir by Betty White. Short chapters & several photos made it a very quick, easy read. I *love* Betty White.
Currently working on "Goodbye Jumbo, Hello Cruel World" by Louie Anderson and "The Color Purple" by Alice Walker.


----------



## mejix (Nov 22, 2011)

Finished *The Magic Mountain*.

Just started *Joan Mitchell: Lady Painter*, a biography of Joan Mitchell who was a lady painter.


----------



## KHayes666 (Nov 27, 2011)

Sixkill.....Parker's farewell


----------



## Hozay J Garseeya (Nov 27, 2011)

I started reading "The electric Church." Sci-Fi isn't really my thing, but someone recommended it highly.


----------



## Green Eyed Fairy (Nov 27, 2011)

Just finished "Boundary Waters" by William Kent Krueger- was a pretty good read.


----------



## CastingPearls (Nov 27, 2011)

Classics Mutilated (CTRL-ALT-LIT)

Genre blending stories like, Jim Morrison meets Edgar Allen Poe, Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn meet Cthulhu, Billy the Kid vs Frankenstein, Anne-droid of Green Gables, etc.


----------



## pdgujer148 (Nov 28, 2011)

Just finishing Neal Stephenson's REAMDE. 

I started it like two months ago, but got sidetracked by a coworker that wanted to book club Nabokov's Ada, or Ador. That ended in tears.

Anyway, REAMDE is the most compulsively readable Stephenson has written in over a decade. It has all the stuff that Stephenson fans expect: a large cast of quirky characters, long info dumps covering everything from MMORPG interface design to musings on America's fascination with recombinant snack foods. The difference is that the pacing is insane. The first 200 pages slowly set everything up; the last 800 is an exhausting nonstop chase. This seems to be his bid a writing something accessible. I guess that's good or bad depending on what segment of his fan base you belong to. 

All I know is that I'm enjoying the hell out of it and would not mind if he drew the story out another 500 pages.


----------



## 1love_emily (Nov 29, 2011)

I just finished the Hunger Games.

Now I'm reading Catching Fire

and soon I'll be reading Mockingjay.

If you haven't read the Hunger Games trilogy... I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT. It's an easy read, its wonderfully written and it is SO ADDICTING.


----------



## HottiMegan (Nov 29, 2011)

I just read Definitely Not Mr. Darcy. I'm a sucker for anything that is remotely related to P&P. It was a fun romance novel so it was a nice day of reading. 

I just downloaded Death by Pantyhose. It's part of the Jaine Auesten mystery series. (not to be confused with anything by the Jane Austen) It's a funny series about a freelance write who always seems to find herself in the middle of solving a murder. They're funny, quick reads. 

After this one, I'll probably read a Sherlock Holmes mystery. I have the complete collection on my Nook and have been wanting to try one.


----------



## KevinMichaelJohnson (Nov 29, 2011)

As Nature Made Him: The Boy Who Was Raised As a Girl by John Colapinto. readin it for human sexuality class.


----------



## PamelaLois (Nov 29, 2011)

I've been addicted to the *Doc Ford* novels by *Randy Wayne White* since a visit to Captiva/Sanibel Islands a couple years ago. Great stories, great characters. If you like mystery/thriller/comedy type books, check his out. Read them in order, if you can, because there are overarching storylines. Each stands well on it's own, but if you are in on the backstory of the characters, the books are better. 

Currently I'm reading *Batfishing in the Rainforest*, a collection of his essays and articles written for Outdoor Magazine. He has had some interesting adventures as a travel writer.


----------



## CAMellie (Nov 29, 2011)

_Unholy Mourning_ by David Lippincott

It was printed in 1982, is campy and predictable, and has absolutely NO artistic merit...but it was my very first introduction to "sexy horror" stories when I was young so it's always been a huge fave.


----------



## AmazingAmy (Dec 1, 2011)

_The Night Circus_ by Erin Morgenstern


----------



## Jess87 (Dec 2, 2011)

HottiMegan said:


> I'm a sucker for anything that is remotely related to P&P.



Me too. Well, Austen related period, really. I'm actually currently reading a series by Michael Thomas Ford with Jane Austen as the main character. I was initially hesitant, because I'm just not that into the whole vampire-romance craze, but Austen, Lord Byron, and Charlotte Bronte as modern day vampires was too hard to resist. It's totally campy which I was really happy about. It has been a fun read so far, I'm about halfway into the first book.


----------



## prettyeyes77 (Dec 4, 2011)

I'm about to start "The Hunger Games" by "Suzanne Collins" My bestie says I have too, so I hope its good.


----------



## one2one (Dec 4, 2011)

The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman.


----------



## HottiMegan (Dec 4, 2011)

Jess87 said:


> Me too. Well, Austen related period, really. I'm actually currently reading a series by Michael Thomas Ford with Jane Austen as the main character. I was initially hesitant, because I'm just not that into the whole vampire-romance craze, but Austen, Lord Byron, and Charlotte Bronte as modern day vampires was too hard to resist. It's totally campy which I was really happy about. It has been a fun read so far, I'm about halfway into the first book.



ooh I might have to look for that! I liked Mr. Darcy, Vampire. That was a fun read. I also liked the Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. I haven't read Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters but my mom gave me a copy. 
I too love anything from that era. I recently discovered The Woman in White.. about 50 years post Austen but the manners and society was much the same.


----------



## Inhibited (Dec 5, 2011)

Stories I Only Tell My Friends ... Rob Lowe


----------



## Forgotten_Futures (Dec 5, 2011)

Book #5 of the Wheel of Time series. I forget its actual title...


----------



## Weirdo890 (Dec 9, 2011)

I have started reading the King James Bible. I'm reading it as a piece of literature, and see it how it influenced other works, such as _The Divine Comedy_ by Dante Alghieri or _Paradise Lost_ by John Milton.


----------



## CastingPearls (Dec 9, 2011)

Rules For Virgins ~ Amy Tan


----------



## tonynyc (Dec 9, 2011)

*Outliers**- Malcolm Gladwell*


----------



## b0nnie (Dec 10, 2011)

The Omen Machine by Terry Goodkind


----------



## penguin (Dec 10, 2011)

A Clash of Kings, by George R. R. Martin.


----------



## TexasTrouble (Dec 10, 2011)

penguin said:


> A Clash of Kings, by George R. R. Martin.



Ooh! I just finished this one. Can't wait to start #3, although, for some reason, I thought there were only going to be 5 books in the series and then I read something like seven today. I was hoping to plough through them.


----------



## penguin (Dec 10, 2011)

TexasTrouble said:


> Ooh! I just finished this one. Can't wait to start #3, although, for some reason, I thought there were only going to be 5 books in the series and then I read something like seven today. I was hoping to plough through them.



I've got the third one ready to go when I finish this one. My mother ran off with the first, and as soon as she was done with it, dad took it. I can see them all being passed around the family


----------



## Blackjack (Dec 10, 2011)

penguin said:


> A Clash of Kings, by George R. R. Martin.



Same here- almost done with it, too. Blasted through it pretty quickly considering its length.


----------



## penguin (Dec 10, 2011)

Blackjack said:


> Same here- almost done with it, too. Blasted through it pretty quickly considering its length.



I can't crochet and read at the same time, but I can crochet and watch Dr Who at the same time, so I've been doing that more than reading. Once I've caught up with the show I can dive back into the book properly again.


----------



## PamelaLois (Dec 10, 2011)

Weirdo890 said:


> I have started reading the King James Bible. I'm reading it as a piece of literature, and see it how it influenced other works, such as _The Divine Comedy_ by Dante Alghieri or _Paradise Lost_ by John Milton.


 
You might want to check out an interesting article in this month's National Geographic about the King James translation of the Bible.


----------



## CarlaSixx (Dec 25, 2011)

"Choose Them Wisely!" by Mike Dooley

An Art technique book about portrait drawing.

Trust Me, I'm Dr. Ozzy

The Long Hard Road Outta Hell - Marilyn Manson

:wubu:


----------



## CastingPearls (Dec 25, 2011)

Zombies The Recent Dead (an anthology)


----------



## Miskatonic (Dec 25, 2011)

I'm currently reading the Penguin History of the USA


----------



## DreamyInToronto (Dec 25, 2011)

I got three new books for Christmas and I am going to start with The Sisters Brothers by Patrick deWitt. WOO HOO!
I love reading!!!


----------



## SuzyQutsy (Dec 25, 2011)

I am currently reading three books. Strip Show, Performances of Gender and Desire, by Katherine Liepe-Levinson. Sex in history, Reay Tannahill. And The Land of Painted Caves, Jean Auel. I am about to start Women Who Run With The Wolves. (Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype) by Clarissa Pinkola Estes, Ph.D.. I am really looking forward to this one


----------



## spiritangel (Dec 25, 2011)

I am currently reading Inheritance by Christopher Paolini it is bitter sweet I always try and drag out reading the last book of pretty much any series (except hp and that is cause well I read the last 3 books in about 12 hrs each the day they came out I did not want to have to worry about spoilers)


----------



## Forgotten_Futures (Dec 29, 2011)

On to book 6 of Wheel of Time.


----------



## one2one (Dec 29, 2011)

SuzyQutsy said:


> I am about to start Women Who Run With The Wolves. (Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype) by Clarissa Pinkola Estes, Ph.D.. I am really looking forward to this one



She has the most amazing voice. I'm not usually a fan of audio books, but if you have a chance to listen to anything she narrates, I think you'd like it.


----------



## Edens_heel (Dec 31, 2011)

1Q84, by Haruki Murakami: http://backlisted.blogspot.com/2011/12/review-1q84-by-haruki-murakami.html


----------



## jones (Dec 31, 2011)

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline. Second time through.


----------



## ataraxia (Dec 31, 2011)

Dan Simmons' Hyperion, for the second time. This time I intend to continue on to Endymion and Rise of Endymion after Hyperion and Fall of Hyperion, instead of waiting so long that I forget it all. It's been about 12 years since that first time through, and it remains a towering work of SF.


----------



## Blackjack (Jan 3, 2012)

Just finished _Jurassic Park_ on Saturday morning... liked it, wasn't as fond of the bleakness of the ending, but absolutely worth the time spent reading it.

Not sure what I'm picking up next. I've got a few good options.


----------



## Magic8 (Jan 3, 2012)

I'm reading The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne right now and I'm feeling a surge of motivation to finish The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson after seeing the movie.


----------



## LovelyLiz (Jan 3, 2012)

Edens_heel said:


> 1Q84, by Haruki Murakami: http://backlisted.blogspot.com/2011/12/review-1q84-by-haruki-murakami.html



Me too. I'll wait to read your review until I finish. 

Pacing seems a bit slower than his other books, but I'm enjoying it.


----------



## CastingPearls (Jan 3, 2012)

Just finished The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers and just started 1Q84.


----------



## freakyfred (Jan 3, 2012)

Almost finished 'The Men Who Would Be King' by Nicole LaPorte.

Hollywood has more drama than the stuff they put on the big screen.


----------



## PamelaLois (Jan 4, 2012)

Just finished The Hunger Games trilogy. I loved it. Can't wait to see the movie in March


----------



## spiritangel (Jan 4, 2012)

ataraxia said:


> Dan Simmons' Hyperion, for the second time. This time I intend to continue on to Endymion and Rise of Endymion after Hyperion and Fall of Hyperion, instead of waiting so long that I forget it all. It's been about 12 years since that first time through, and it remains a towering work of SF.



I can not remember the name of the book but I loved his take on the dracula myth

and also I found his books far scarier than Stephen King when I was in my horror book phase oh so long ago

Still inheritance for me time seems to be vanishing into the ethers lately. That and reading it while watching fraggle rock is not helping as I cant remember the early episodes


----------



## mejix (Jan 4, 2012)

Still working on *Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention* by Manning Marable.


----------



## willowmoon (Jan 4, 2012)

"The Spiral Dance" by Starhawk. Been a while since I read it last (over 10 years ago), so I'm reading it again.


----------



## SuzyQutsy (Jan 4, 2012)

one2one said:


> She has the most amazing voice. I'm not usually a fan of audio books, but if you have a chance to listen to anything she narrates, I think you'd like it.



Hey thanks, I'll check it out


----------



## pdgujer148 (Jan 5, 2012)

spiritangel said:


> I can not remember the name of the book but I loved his take on the dracula myth



Carrion Comfort? The one where the vampires don't suck blood-they exert their will on others. I love the novel. Creepy as hell.

Another good vampire novel to check out is Anno Dracula by Kim Newman. Totally different kind of story. It throws Victorian history and literature into a blender and places Dracula as the King of a very different England.


----------



## paperman921 (Jan 6, 2012)

Dance, Dance, Dance by Haruki Murakami. All I can say is his stories are gripping, off the wall, and unpredictable. Definitely recommend this one.


----------



## LovelyLiz (Jan 6, 2012)

paperman921 said:


> Dance, Dance, Dance by Haruki Murakami. All I can say is his stories are gripping, off the wall, and unpredictable. Definitely recommend this one.



Yay! Another Murakami reader in the house. I really liked that one, too. _Kafka on the Shore_ is still probably my favorite...but it may just be that it holds a special place for me since it was the first novel of his that I read.


----------



## paperman921 (Jan 6, 2012)

mcbeth said:


> Yay! Another Murakami reader in the house. I really liked that one, too. _Kafka on the Shore_ is still probably my favorite...but it may just be that it holds a special place for me since it was the first novel of his that I read.



Ha! I was just in a local bookstore, and looked at Kafka on the Shore thinking I really need to get this...if I wasn't strapped for cash.Anyway, I really enjoyed Norwegian Wood and his running memoir, but honestly all his books sound good. Somehow the summary on the back always draw me in.


----------



## Surlysomething (Jan 6, 2012)

Bossypants


:wubu:


----------



## pdgujer148 (Jan 15, 2012)

So, I am a book away from being out of stuff to read at the gym. I've been eyeing "A Game of Thrones" because of all the good press for the HBO series and the hype surrounding the latest book.

Here's the thing. I generally hate fantasy novels. I can read stuff like "The Once and Future King". but I have a low tolerance for wizards, trolls, and elves.

From what I've seen and read A Game of Thrones seems grittier and more realistic then standard fantasy. Is this the case or have I been duped by hype and legions of neck beards?


----------



## ConnieLynn (Jan 16, 2012)

pdgujer148 said:


> So, I am a book away from being out of stuff to read at the gym. I've been eyeing "A Game of Thrones" because of all the good press for the HBO series and the hype surrounding the latest book.
> 
> Here's the thing. I generally hate fantasy novels. I can read stuff like "The Once and Future King". but I have a low tolerance for wizards, trolls, and elves.
> 
> From what I've seen and read A Game of Thrones seems grittier and more realistic then standard fantasy. Is this the case or have I been duped by hype and legions of neck beards?



The reason the HBO series is so good is because it truly follows the book. The books are great. Grim world, the characters have depth, not magic driven, and it's not one of those deals where you feel like you've read the same storylines in other books.


----------



## Blackjack (Jan 16, 2012)

pdgujer148 said:


> So, I am a book away from being out of stuff to read at the gym. I've been eyeing "A Game of Thrones" because of all the good press for the HBO series and the hype surrounding the latest book.
> 
> Here's the thing. I generally hate fantasy novels. I can read stuff like "The Once and Future King". but I have a low tolerance for wizards, trolls, and elves.
> 
> From what I've seen and read A Game of Thrones seems grittier and more realistic then standard fantasy. Is this the case or have I been duped by hype and legions of neck beards?



I've finished the second book and aside from dragons and ghouls I've yet to encounter any deeper fantasy creatures. There's a bit of sorcery, and a fair bit of prophecy and such, and some of it does play a major role, but it's done well and very grounded in the real politics and conflicts between the various regions and characters. The books are long, but well worth it, and I look forward to picking up the third after I've had a bit of a break; after damn near 2000 pages I need to step back before the next plunge.

And on that topic, I've picked up but haven't gotten anywhere yet with Stephen King's _Bag of Bones_. It hasn't hooked me yet, and I haven't been in as much of a reading mood lately. I also recently acquired _The Lost World_ (the sequel to _Jurassic Park_, I would've jumped in but I generally prefer to break in between) and just last week William Peter Blatty's _Legion_.


----------



## mejix (Jan 16, 2012)

A nonfiction book and a novel: *Zeitoun* and *Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love*


----------



## HDANGEL15 (Jan 16, 2012)

*LOVING THIS BOOK!!!

THE HUNGER GAMES

had no idea it was a TRILOGY.....I am reading via the library...so hoping
the 2nd book GETS IN FAST!!!!!!*


----------



## metabliss (Jan 16, 2012)

HDANGEL15 said:


> *LOVING THIS BOOK!!!
> 
> THE HUNGER GAMES
> 
> ...



I finished the first one a couples of weeks ago and I am currently reading Catching Fire-so far, so good!! :smitten:


----------



## Webmaster (Jan 16, 2012)

Just finished reading Stephen King's 11/22/1963. Excellent, all 860 pages of it.


----------



## Delightfully Peculiar (Jan 16, 2012)

Surlysomething said:


> Bossypants
> 
> 
> :wubu:



This is a fun book. I enjoy Tina Fey. :happy:


----------



## Delightfully Peculiar (Jan 16, 2012)

Finished The Hunger Games trilogy. Just borrowed Ready Player One by Ernest Cline, and I'm excited to get started.


----------



## TwilightStarr (Jan 17, 2012)

Carpe Corpus by Rachel Caine


----------



## Mathias (Jan 17, 2012)

Toys by James Patterson


----------



## penguin (Jan 17, 2012)

A Kingdom Besieged by Raymond E Feist. I've had it on the shelf for a few months but have only just got around to it recently. I'm still reading it, but it's annoying me at the moment. None of his books have bugged me before, but when I got to the part where Crydee was invaded AGAIN,  I seriously rolled my eyes and sighed.Poor Crydee, always under attack. I'll finish it, of course, because I love his books. I know he's nearing the end of them, so it's not surprising that something's finally bugging me about them.


----------



## Mishty (Jan 21, 2012)

_In the Country of the Young_ By Lisa Carey

I always start reading Irish books around this time, up next is probably some Frank McCourt or Joyce.


----------



## Scorsese86 (Jan 24, 2012)

_The Age of Reagan_
by Sean Wilentz


----------



## one2one (Jan 25, 2012)

I just scored an advance copy of Christopher Moore's _Sacre Bleu: A Comedy d'Art_. I am a happy, lucky girl.


----------



## sugar and spice (Jan 25, 2012)

I just finished reading To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee. It is one of my alltime favorite movies and I realized I had never read the book and I have to say the book is even better than the movie as is usually the case. Now I am on a quest to read the books that great movies were based on.


----------



## Lear (Jan 25, 2012)

Been reading Atlas Shrugged recently.
while it is a good book i still can't figure out why more than two dozen people recomended this to me.


----------



## CastingPearls (Jan 25, 2012)

Out of Africa - Isak Dinesen


Just finishing up 1Q84. Has anyone read Murakami's The Elephant Vanishes yet? Would like a review, please!


----------



## Durin (Jan 25, 2012)

Pathfinderlague of Shadows


Good fantasy read!


----------



## smithnwesson (Jan 25, 2012)

I'm working my way through  David Morrell's novels.

He's got a PhD in American Literature, but he writes some really violent and spooky shit. Plus he has a facination with knives, as do I.

- Jim


----------



## LovelyLiz (Jan 25, 2012)

CastingPearls said:


> Out of Africa - Isak Dinesen
> 
> 
> Just finishing up 1Q84. Has anyone read Murakami's The Elephant Vanishes yet? Would like a review, please!



I have about 300 pages to go... 

Elephant Vanishes is good, so is After the Quake (both short story collections). If you're in the mood for short stories I really like them - but overall I like Murakami's novels a lot more than his short stories. Have you already read all of those?


----------



## CastingPearls (Jan 25, 2012)

mcbeth said:


> I have about 300 pages to go...
> 
> Elephant Vanishes is good, so is After the Quake (both short story collections). If you're in the mood for short stories I really like them - but overall I like Murakami's novels a lot more than his short stories. Have you already read all of those?


Thanks! No---1Q84 was the first. What would you recommend as a second read?


----------



## LovelyLiz (Jan 25, 2012)

CastingPearls said:


> Thanks! No---1Q84 was the first. What would you recommend as a second read?



Well, did you like 1Q84? And, which aspects of it did you like the most? Some of his novels focus more on the fantastical stuff, some other stuff, some are longer some shorter. It depends what you like.

My favorites are The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle and Kafka on the Shore. I also like Hard Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World. Those have more of the fantastical elements (magical realism, if you will) that I really really love in his books. But I don't think there's been any of his novels I haven't liked (and I think I've read them all).


----------



## CastingPearls (Jan 25, 2012)

mcbeth said:


> Well, did you like 1Q84? And, which aspects of it did you like the most? Some of his novels focus more on the fantastical stuff, some other stuff, some are longer some shorter. It depends what you like.
> 
> My favorites are The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle and Kafka on the Shore. I also like Hard Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World. Those have more of the fantastical elements (magical realism, if you will) that I really really love in his books. But I don't think there's been any of his novels I haven't liked (and I think I've read them all).


I'll start with those you mentioned. I liked everything about it, honestly. I think he's a great writer. Thanks again.


----------



## willowmoon (Jan 28, 2012)

"The Mists of Avalon" by Marion Zimmer Bradley. I've read it before, but it was such a good read, so I'm reading it again. It basically retells the legend of King Arthur but it is told more from the perspective of the female characters instead, and there's more of an emphasis on the pagan aspect of it as well, which I liked.


----------



## smithnwesson (Jan 28, 2012)

Lear said:


> Been reading Atlas Shrugged recently.
> while it is a good book i still can't figure out why more than two dozen people recomended this to me.


I found it tedious and really heavy going. 

But, if Ayn Rand were around today, she would be astonished and completely fulfilled beyond of her wildest imaginations. 

- Jim


----------



## cinnamitch (Jan 28, 2012)

Just in Case: How to be Self-Sufficient when the Unexpected Happens -by Kathy Harrison


----------



## KHayes666 (Jan 29, 2012)

Kentucky Colonels of the American Basketball Association: The Real Story of a Team Left Behind by Gary P West with Lloyd "Pink" Gardner

Book number 47 in my research


----------



## HDANGEL15 (Jan 29, 2012)

*Lost December by Richard Paul Evans

real short FEEL GOOD BOOK...about values and gratitude; 
always subjects I LOVE...*


----------



## HottiMegan (Feb 1, 2012)

I just got The Simpsons and Philosophy from the library. I plan on reading it this afternoon  I haven't read much lately so i want to get back into it


----------



## Weirdo890 (Feb 1, 2012)

I've got two right now:

War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells

Big Big Love, Revised: A Sex and Relationships Guide for People of Size (and Those Who Love Them) by Hanne Blank


----------



## Jess87 (Feb 3, 2012)

Only the Super-Rich Can Save Us! - Ralph Nader

I wasn't anticipating the length of it. I suppose I should have since it's supposed to be a response to Atlas Shrugged. So far it has been amusing. I'm fond of juvenile alliterative names in books and he apparently had a hoard of them.


----------



## Lovelyone (Feb 3, 2012)

Don Quixote
and Pride and Prejudice.


----------



## BBWbonnie (Feb 4, 2012)

None

But I'm watching the anime 'Devil man' and reading the English subs.
Does that count?


----------



## yoopergirl (Feb 4, 2012)

I've got 3 going at the moment, although reading time is at a premium these days:

"Jane Eyre" (one from my "To Read" list as part of a challenge I'm working on)
"Bad Boy", a memoir by Walter Dean Myers
"The Help", because I wanted to read the book before I see the movie.


----------



## mejix (Feb 4, 2012)

*Seize the Day*. My first Bellow.


----------



## Weirdo890 (Feb 5, 2012)

Lovelyone said:


> Don Quixote
> and Pride and Prejudice.



How is Don Quixote? I've read a little bit of it, and I have enjoyed it. 

BTW, can anybody recommend a good, accurate World History Book?


----------



## Hozay J Garseeya (Feb 6, 2012)

I just finished reading "the Brain that changes itself" 

and am onto "A People's history of the united states: 1492-present" It's pretty fucking amazing.


----------



## Adamantoise (Feb 7, 2012)

The Life of Lee by Lee Evans-I've just finished Frankie Boyle's second book.


----------



## ataraxia (Feb 7, 2012)

Just finished the last of the Hyperion books by Dan Simmons. Starting "I Am A Strange Loop" by Douglas Hofstadter.


----------



## Lovelyone (Feb 10, 2012)

Weirdo890 said:


> How is Don Quixote? I've read a little bit of it, and I have enjoyed it.
> 
> BTW, can anybody recommend a good, accurate World History Book?



I find reading it taxing. For me it's too wordy and not enough to the point (like too much exuberance or something, I can't quite put my finger on it). I ADORE the story, but reading it is a chore for me. It's on my "list" and so I will continue on until I have finished with it.


----------



## mejix (Feb 10, 2012)

I enjoyed Don Quixote but it does take a while to get used to the language. 

Right now I'm reading *What is the What* by Dave Eggers.


----------



## AuntHen (Feb 11, 2012)

I am really *excited *about the books I have right now because it has been some time since I have found any books that have made me that way...

1st is a Newberry Winner in Young Adult/Children's Literature: *The Giver* by Lois Lowry

...so far it is *very *interesting and absorbing 

It has 2 books following it... a companion book called *Gathering Blue* (which also ties book one to book three) and then *The Messenger*.

After these I will be reading Hunger Games and it's sequel Catching Fire


----------



## Takeshi (Feb 21, 2012)

Ovid's Metamorphosis....practically the history of Classical Mythology!! :smitten:


----------



## Proner (Feb 22, 2012)

Grimm's tales, the child in me is back and want his stories before sleeping


----------



## Rojodi (Feb 22, 2012)

"Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter"


----------



## TwilightStarr (Feb 22, 2012)

Kiss Of Death - Rachel Caine


----------



## Green Eyed Fairy (Feb 22, 2012)

"Explosive Eighteen" by Janet Evanovich

Recently finished "The Scarpetta Factor" by Patricia Cornwell


----------



## CastingPearls (Feb 22, 2012)

Just bought Kathryn Harrison's Poison.

Am about to crack open Out of Africa

Almost done with 1Q84 (taking forever is because of distractions, not because of the content--it's an amazing book by an amazing writer whose other work I can't wait to dive into)


----------



## CastingPearls (Feb 22, 2012)

Green Eyed Fairy said:


> "Explosive Eighteen" by Janet Evanovich
> 
> Recently finished "The Scarpetta Factor" by Patricia Cornwell


Hey let me know how Eighteen is---Stephanie Plum is one of my favorite characters and I think I dropped off after Fourteen and have a lot of catching up to do.


----------



## rg770Ibanez (Feb 24, 2012)

Frankenstein series by Koontz


----------



## CastingPearls (Feb 24, 2012)

rg770Ibanez said:


> Frankenstein series by Koontz


That series is like candy to me. Have you seen the TV movie of the first one?


----------



## Micara (Feb 24, 2012)

I am finally getting around to reading the book my uncle Jim wrote- Manchester Bluff by JD Proffitt. It's a Civil War novel, and it's based around the small town that I grew up in. 

I am not a fan of US history or the Civil War, but so far it has really kept my interest! I am on Chapter 12! I'm so proud of myself because I am like the only family member who hasn't read it so far, and I am the biggest reader.


----------



## QuasimodoQT (Feb 24, 2012)

I read Cormac McCarthy's The Road last night. Amazing book. So matter-of-fact in tone, but with gorgeous bits of prose- like the sun circling the earth like a grieving mother with a lamp. Couldn't put it down.


----------



## Edens_heel (Feb 26, 2012)

Finished Mitchell's Cloud Atlas this morning. It's been a long time since I've read anything so overpraised, overblown, and bland beyond words. Just... terrible. Academic, but devoid of all character, emotion, and anything deeper than a basic thesis statement.


----------



## mejix (Feb 26, 2012)

Edens_heel said:


> Finished Mitchell's Cloud Atlas this morning. It's been a long time since I've read anything so overpraised, overblown, and bland beyond words. Just... terrible. Academic, but devoid of all character, emotion, and anything deeper than a basic thesis statement.



I really liked the first half. The second half was a huge disappointment.


----------



## mejix (Feb 26, 2012)

Just started *Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee*.


----------



## Deven (Feb 26, 2012)

mejix said:


> Just started *Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee*.



My mom talks about that book all the time. She is Oglala Lakota from the Badlands in South Dakota. I've never read the book myself.

I'm currently reading Blood Canticle by Anne Rice.


----------



## cinnamitch (Feb 26, 2012)

Just finished Into the Free by Julie Cantrell, now reading Rooftop Diva by D T Pollard


----------



## rg770Ibanez (Feb 26, 2012)

CastingPearls said:


> That series is like candy to me. Have you seen the TV movie of the first one?



I'm loving it so far. That's funny you mentioned that because I was thinking of how awesome it would be if they made a movie series out of these! But no sadly I haven't. Why did they only do the first book? Is it a new tv series or something?


----------



## CastingPearls (Feb 26, 2012)

rg770Ibanez said:


> I'm loving it so far. That's funny you mentioned that because I was thinking of how awesome it would be if they made a movie series out of these! But no sadly I haven't. Why did they only do the first book? Is it a new tv series or something?


Actually, Koontz was working with USA Network on the development of a TV series based on his ideas (not clear if it was limited to the Frankenstein series only) but stopped due to creative differences. He still allowed them to make the made-for-TV-movie as long as his name wasn't associated with it.


----------



## mejix (Feb 26, 2012)

DevenDoom said:


> My mom talks about that book all the time. She is Oglala Lakota from the Badlands in South Dakota. I've never read the book myself.



So far I am liking it a lot. Really sad though.


----------



## Forgotten_Futures (Feb 29, 2012)

"The Path of Daggers", Wheel of Time book 8.


----------



## rellis10 (Feb 29, 2012)

The Picture of Dorian Gray..... very slowly


----------



## Micara (Feb 29, 2012)

The Island of Lost Girls by Jennifer McMahon


----------



## CAMellie (Feb 29, 2012)

_Madame Bovary's Daughter_ by Linda Urbach


----------



## Green Eyed Fairy (Mar 3, 2012)

CastingPearls said:


> Hey let me know how Eighteen is---Stephanie Plum is one of my favorite characters and I think I dropped off after Fourteen and have a lot of catching up to do.



I found 17 very predictable - but 18 seems to get her back in the saddle. My bf is already reading it again after finishing it a few days ago. Kept hearing him chuckle while reading it.


----------



## willowmoon (Mar 4, 2012)

There's this book I've been reading about helium and I just can't put it down.

Sorry, I couldn't resist. 

In all truth though, I've been reading the book "Mike Nelson's Movie Megacheese." Absolutely hilarious reading, highly recommended!


----------



## KHayes666 (Mar 6, 2012)

willowmoon said:


> There's this book I've been reading about helium and I just can't put it down.
> 
> Sorry, I couldn't resist.
> 
> In all truth though, I've been reading the book "Mike Nelson's Movie Megacheese." Absolutely hilarious reading, highly recommended!



Mike Nelson from MST3K? If so I got dibbs when you're done


----------



## mimosa (Mar 6, 2012)

I buy TONS of used of books. I haven't read most of them yet. One of is : Good In Bed by Jennifer Weiner. So that's what I'm starting off with. I LOVE BOOKS!!!!!!!!:smitten::wubu:


----------



## spiritangel (Mar 7, 2012)

Currently reading Confessions of a City Girl picked it up for $1 figured if it was one I diddnt want to re read I could recycle the pages for flowers and such

so far I am hooked


----------



## CAMellie (Mar 7, 2012)

_Warm Bodies_ by Isaac Marion


----------



## Mishty (Mar 7, 2012)

_Me Talk Pretty One Day_ David Sedaris 

It._Never_.Gets.Old.


----------



## KHayes666 (Mar 9, 2012)

Pioneers of the Hardwood

my 51st book since October and hopefully my last


----------



## balletguy (Mar 9, 2012)

11/23/63 by Steve King..Pretty cool this guy goes back in time and tries to save JFK from beeing killed. Is over 1k pages im at about 760..so far its ok


----------



## Edens_heel (Mar 10, 2012)

KHayes666 said:


> Pioneers of the Hardwood
> 
> my 51st book since October and *hopefully my last*



Because the book is terrible? Or have you just given up on reading?


----------



## Blackjack (Mar 10, 2012)

Almost finished with _The Name of the Wind_. Loving it, but trying to burn through the last couple hundred pages because, unsurprisingly, I've got a taste again for Westeros and I'll be picking up _A Storm of Swords_ as soon as I'm done with this part of Kvothe's tale.


----------



## KHayes666 (Mar 10, 2012)

Edens_heel said:


> Because the book is terrible? Or have you just given up on reading?



I'm reading books of a specific genre as research for projects I'm writing on my own. Hopefully this will be my last book of research so I can start writing.


----------



## Aust99 (Mar 11, 2012)

mimosa said:


> I buy TONS of used of books. I haven't read most of them yet. One of is : Good In Bed by Jennifer Weiner. So that's what I'm starting off with. I LOVE BOOKS!!!!!!!!:smitten::wubu:



I loved that book.... there is a squeal to it called Certain Girls... I recommend them both. 



I am about to start The Hunger Games....


----------



## penguin (Mar 14, 2012)

Aust99 said:


> I am about to start The Hunger Games....



Given the hype about them, I should probably give it a go at some point.

I'm about halfway through A Crown Imperiled by Raymond E Feist. It's the second last book in the series, and it's so much better than the previous book (A Kingdom Besieged). That one was the first I found to drag, but this one has got the action and drama I love.


----------



## mejix (Mar 14, 2012)

Just started *Confederacy of Dunces*. It could be very good or very bad. We'll see.


----------



## CastingPearls (Mar 14, 2012)

This Perfect Day - Ira Levin


----------



## Fattitude1 (Mar 14, 2012)

The Brass Bell~ wood boating magazine
(does that count?)


----------



## TwilightStarr (Mar 14, 2012)

It Ain't All About the Cookin' by Paula Deen


----------



## pdesil071189 (Mar 14, 2012)

I am a multitasker I am currently reading 3 books...

1 Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
2 Debt of Honor by Tom Clancy
3 The Bourne Identity by Robert Ludlum


----------



## PandaGeek (Mar 15, 2012)

I'm rereading "The Son of Neptune" by Rick Riordan


----------



## mimosa (Mar 15, 2012)

Aust99 said:


> I loved that book.... there is a squeal to it called Certain Girls... I recommend them both.
> 
> 
> 
> I am about to start The Hunger Games....



Thanks for letting me know. I will check it out. Happy reading!:happy:

I have also started reading a book called The Sacred Romance. It has NOTHING to do with Eros love. It's a very refreshing spiritual book. Satisfying to my mind and heart.


----------



## Mishty (Mar 15, 2012)

The Little Giant of Aberdeen County - Tiffany Baker

I was up till two am Monday morning finishing this little gem I found in a discount store. 

It's so sweet,the main character has some kind of hormonal type illness and is extremely tall and obese from a very young age. Her journey was hard,horrible and often times extremely raw,but by the end I was crying like a baby and had very high hopes for Truly. I considered the book size positive,some might not see the bright side as I did though.

I liked it so much,I'm rereading it now hoping to create questions for my book group next week. :happy:


----------



## Micara (Mar 18, 2012)

I just finished "Fifty Shades of Grey" and I couldn't put it down. Read the whole thing in the car on the way to North Carolina from Illinois.


----------



## MaryClaire (Mar 24, 2012)

I read 50 Shades of Grey. In fact I read all 3 of the books in the series in 5 days (I also work full time..lol). WOW!! So good! I wish there was another one.


----------



## paperman921 (Mar 27, 2012)

Just started reading 1q84, so far I think it is murakami's best work. A extremely gripping novel.


----------



## HottiMegan (Mar 27, 2012)

I haven't been reading too much lately due to being busy nearly all waking hours. I packed my floor to ceiling bookshelf full of books last week and made a mental list of things to read once we're moved in. I am keeping my Nook unpacked and intend to read all the Sookie Stackhouse books in preparation for the new one coming the first week of May. It was sad seeing my empty bookshelf. I love all the books i have collected over the years.


----------



## AuntHen (Mar 27, 2012)

I finished The Hunger Games and am now reading it's sequel Catching Fire and then will finish off the trilogy with MockingJay.


My review so far is... pretty good, could use more description but then again it is geared more towards teens, so for juvenile literature it does the job.


----------



## MRdobolina (Mar 27, 2012)

edge - thomas blackthorne


----------



## Victoria08 (Mar 28, 2012)

Currently reading the '50 Shades' series. I'm on book 3 - Fifty Shades Freed. I actually read the series when it was a fan-fiction work in progress a few years ago, and I still love reading it today. It's interesting that the author has sold the movie rights....does anyone actually see this series being made into a movie? I'm not sure I'm sold on the idea, personally.


----------



## Aust99 (Mar 28, 2012)

fat9276 said:


> I finished The Hunger Games and am now reading it's sequel Catching Fire and then will finish off the trilogy with MockingJay.
> 
> 
> My review so far is... pretty good, could use more description but then again it is geared more towards teens, so for juvenile literature it does the job.



I'm reading catching fire at the moment... Took a few chapters to get into it but I'm over half way and hooked again.


----------



## Micara (Mar 28, 2012)

Just finished "On the Island" by Tracey Garvis-Graves and I loved it. Going back to Fifty Shades book 2 tomorrow.


----------



## PamelaLois (Mar 28, 2012)

Just finished *Micro* by Michael Crichton and Richard Preston. It was OK, while I was reading it, but now that I've finished and have been thinking about it, there's alot about the story that bothers me. The premise is a little far-fetched and the science suspect, in the way that Timeline took license with physics. Thinking about it now, the whole story seems ruined by one particular basic physics flaw. Material that is compacted still contains the original mass of the material. A 180 lb person shrunk down to 1/150th of their size by compression still retains all the atoms that were there originally, so that 1/2 inch tall person should still weigh 180lbs. Therefore the story and the actions of the characters are impossible. Ruined the whole book. Glad I got it from the library and didn't pay for it.


----------



## misspenguin (Mar 29, 2012)

77 Shadow Street by Dean Koontz


----------



## Mishty (Apr 2, 2012)

Got four hardback books for a buck a pop,probably gonna donate them to the jr high school since a few of them deal with body image and eating disorders.

Wintergirls - Laurie Halse Anderson
Almost done with this one about a teenaged girl fighting a battle with anorexia nervosa,seriously hoping it has a happy ending.

Looks - Madeleine George 
A big girl that has stopped being visible and a very thin girl scared of food.
It's cheesy,it's kind of like being in high school all over again.

Girls in Trucks - Katie Crouch
Typical Southern novel,one hundred pages spent explaining why we are the way we are. Started out kind of nice,kinda got dark there for a moment, ending left me lost. It has it's moments though. 

End the Fed - Ron Paul 
Starting this one tonight.....we'll see.


----------



## Adamantoise (Apr 4, 2012)

Hallowe'en Party by Agatha Christie.


----------



## mimosa (Apr 4, 2012)

I'm reading Captivating by John and Stasi Eldreadge, Like Water For Chocolate By by Laura Esquivel and The Secret by Rhonda Byrne.


----------



## mejix (Apr 4, 2012)

Just started *Black Swan Green* by David Mitchell last weekend.


----------



## CastingPearls (Apr 4, 2012)

Invisible Man - Ralph Ellison


----------



## HDANGEL15 (Apr 4, 2012)

fat9276 said:


> I finished The Hunger Games and am now reading it's sequel Catching Fire and then will finish off the trilogy with MockingJay.
> 
> 
> My review so far is... pretty good, could use more description but then again it is geared more towards teens, so for juvenile literature it does the job.



I am almost done with the last of the trilogy...I am burnt out and confess I am ready for something new!!!!!

Although I thought the movie was AMAZING!!!!


----------



## JerseyGirl07093 (Apr 10, 2012)

fat9276 said:


> I finished The Hunger Games and am now reading it's sequel Catching Fire and then will finish off the trilogy with MockingJay.
> 
> 
> My review so far is... pretty good, could use more description but then again it is geared more towards teens, so for juvenile literature it does the job.



My daughter borrowed the book from a friend so I could read it. Late last night I finally picked it up so I could "check it out". Well...I got so into it that I stayed up all night and into this morning reading it. I couldn't put it down, I wanted to know what happened next. Now I want to read the next book. I have to see if my daughter has a friend who has that one! 

I just got a whole bunch of books from http://www.paperbackswap.com/home.php so I have a lot to choose from. I know I've talked about this site before (probably in this thread) and it really is a good place to get books to read. Trade books with other members for just the cost of postage. I've been doing it for years and I highly recommend it for people who love to read.


----------



## JerseyGirl07093 (Apr 10, 2012)

JerseyGirl07093 said:


> My daughter borrowed the book from a friend so I could read it. Late last night I finally picked it up so I could "check it out". Well...I got so into it that I stayed up all night and into this morning reading it. I couldn't put it down, I wanted to know what happened next. Now I want to read the next book. I have to see if my daughter has a friend who has that one!
> 
> I just got a whole bunch of books from http://www.paperbackswap.com/home.php so I have a lot to choose from. I know I've talked about this site before (probably in this thread) and it really is a good place to get books to read. Trade books with other members for just the cost of postage. I've been doing it for years and I highly recommend it for people who love to read.



Good news/bad news.

Good news - My daughter talked to her friend who lent her the first Hunger Games book and he said he has the other two and he'll lend them to me to read. Yay!

Bad news - He can't find Catching Fire so he only gave me Mockingjay. I want to read them so bad but I can't read the third book before the second. I'm doing all in my power not to open that book and start reading it. Now I have to somehow get a hold of the second book. Boo!


----------



## Micara (Apr 11, 2012)

I finished the book "Divergent" by Veronica Roth and eagerly await it's sequel, coming out on May 1. 

I really liked that it took place in future Chicago. 

_In Beatrice Priors dystopian Chicago world, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtueCandor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really isshe cant have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself._


----------



## CastingPearls (Apr 13, 2012)

Koontz' From the Corner of His Eye

*tearjerker


----------



## PamelaLois (Apr 14, 2012)

JerseyGirl07093 said:


> Good news/bad news.
> 
> Good news - My daughter talked to her friend who lent her the first Hunger Games book and he said he has the other two and he'll lend them to me to read. Yay!
> 
> Bad news - He can't find Catching Fire so he only gave me Mockingjay. I want to read them so bad but I can't read the third book before the second. I'm doing all in my power not to open that book and start reading it. Now I have to somehow get a hold of the second book. Boo!


 
Don't read them out of order! Just go buy it, the paperback is pretty cheap


----------



## Blackjack (Apr 15, 2012)

Just went yesterday and got books to hopefully last me for most of the summer.


_The Hunger Games_- I wasn’t certain on this one, but figured I’d give it a shot anyway. I’m curious, and have heard almost nothing about it that isn’t positive.
_Sphere_ by Michael Crichton. My friend’s favorite book of his, came highly recommended. Saw the movie (dreadful) but thought that it would make for a good read and just doesn’t adapt well to film.
_IT_ by Stephen King. After standing in front of the shelf for half an hour I finally decided on this one. Will probably bring _Eyes of the Dragon_ as well which I bought years ago and haven’t read yet.
_A Feast for Crows_ because I’m more than 2/3 done with _A Storm of Swords_ and plan to finish it before Friday.


----------



## Green Eyed Fairy (Apr 15, 2012)

I just finished Level 26: Dark Origina by Anthony Zuiker about an hour ago- good read indeed.

And apparently he has gone on to write more and make it a series. 
http://www.level26.com/


Best part? I found it in a Dollar Tree store for $1- and it's a digi-novel so you can go to that website and see certain scenes from the book acted out. 

I'm interested in reading the other two now


----------



## balletguy (Apr 15, 2012)

Pianaple Grinade=Tim Dorsey

Look Tim up if u dont dont know him he is very funny and the books are awesome


----------



## Marlayna (Apr 17, 2012)

"The Sedona Method" - by Hale Dwoskin... Your Key to Lasting Happiness, Success, Peace and Emotional Well-being.

I mostly read non-fiction, and I can usually be found in Barnes and Noble at the self-help section. When I finish a book, I pass it on to someone who needs it.
It's cheaper than a shrink.


----------



## TwilightStarr (Apr 17, 2012)

Eat Pray Love - by Elizabeth Gilbert

I loved the movie and started reading the book once before but never finished it for some reason so I started reading it again today


----------



## danielson123 (Apr 18, 2012)

*Lucky Man*, Michael J. Fox's autobiography. On tape. Too fucking lazy to even read.


----------



## rockhound225 (Apr 18, 2012)

The Tao of Pooh (again) - Ben Hoff


----------



## CastingPearls (Apr 18, 2012)

Emotional Unavailability : Recognizing It, Understanding It, and Avoiding Its Trap - Bryn Collins


----------



## NoWayOut (Apr 21, 2012)

Last Dance, John Feinstein


----------



## AuntHen (Apr 21, 2012)

I just finished Mockingjay... it was fair to middlin'. I am glad to be done with it as the whole series was getting kind of boring.


----------



## Aust99 (Apr 22, 2012)

I agree B, By the third book I lost a lot of interest as the story wasn't as engaging/ characters less likeable... 

I'm reading nothing atm as its a new school term tomorrow and I need to do my planning...


----------



## HDANGEL15 (Apr 22, 2012)

HDANGEL15 said:


> I am almost done with the last of the trilogy...I am burnt out and confess I am ready for something new!!!!!





fat9276 said:


> I just finished Mockingjay... it was fair to middlin'. I am glad to be done with it as the whole series was getting kind of boring.





Aust99 said:


> I agree B, By the third book I lost a lot of interest as the story wasn't as engaging/ characters less likeable...


* 
well I am glad to know I am not alone in that ... 
but sorta sad too, that they died out like that  *


----------



## penguin (Apr 22, 2012)

CastingPearls said:


> Emotional Unavailability : Recognizing It, Understanding It, and Avoiding Its Trap - Bryn Collins



Sounds like something I need to read.

Currently reading Slammekin by Emma Donoghue.


----------



## CastingPearls (Apr 22, 2012)

penguin said:


> Sounds like something I need to read.
> 
> Currently reading Slammekin by Emma Donoghue.


Put it on your Amazon wishlist and give me the link. My treat. <3


----------



## ataraxia (Apr 22, 2012)

Right now, I'm reading the collected short fiction of C J Cherryh. I always loved her novels when I was a kid, but this isn't doing much for me now. Then again, I'm not getting much mileage out of fiction in general this year.

Before that, it was Oliver Sacks' Musicophilia. Sacks is great - I highly recommend this book and the very similar "The Man Who Mistook His Wife For a Hat" to anyone even vaguely interested in neurology and the (mis-)workings of the brain.


----------



## Isa (Apr 22, 2012)

Just started book two of the 50 shades trilogy. Not the best books I've ever read nor the worst. I will say, they are not as shocking as the media would lead you to believe. The series is nothing more than contemporary romance with some kink thrown in.


----------



## penguin (Apr 22, 2012)

CastingPearls said:


> Put it on your Amazon wishlist and give me the link. My treat. <3



Oh, you're a sweetheart. It's there


----------



## HDANGEL15 (Apr 23, 2012)

penguin said:


> Sounds like something I need to read.
> 
> Currently reading Slammekin by Emma Donoghue.



*She wrote ROOM..which was AMAZING....curious how this one is!!!*



Isa said:


> Just started book two of the 50 shades trilogy. Not the best books I've ever read nor the worst. I will say, they are not as shocking as the media would lead you to believe. The series is nothing more than contemporary romance with some kink thrown in.



*I was given 50 shades book 1 this weekend, and felt like a perv reading it....IC....I was expecting something much more 
*


----------



## Webmaster (Apr 27, 2012)

Finished reading "We need to talk about Kevin" by Lionel Shriver. Disturbing, excellent book presented as a woman writing letters to her husband about a life that led up to her teenage son doing Columbine-style mass murdering. I am usually not much for this type of thing, but Shriver's superior writing and the study of who a child is and what could have led to the way things turned out was riveting.


----------



## mejix (Apr 27, 2012)

Black Elk Speaks
Invisible Cities
Heartbreak Soup (Love & Rockets)


----------



## danielson123 (May 4, 2012)

Russell Jackson's "Victorian Theatre": An interesting look into the inner workings of the style of performance at that time.


----------



## CastingPearls (May 4, 2012)

Peace From Broken Pieces: How to Get Through What You're Going Through - Iyanla Vanzant


----------



## Mishty (May 5, 2012)

I'm still reading teen stuff,preparing my summer of tutoring and sponsoring.

Currently I'm reading a little angsty gem called Let's Get Lost,by Sarra Manning.

It's sweet,and kinda catchy. I'd recommend it for older girls,but it's a little graphic for young adults. I really like the love story entwined in Is's life. Atticus Smith. Groovy dude.


----------



## MaryClaire (May 5, 2012)

Broken by Megan Hart


----------



## AuntHen (May 5, 2012)

A Wrinkle In Time....... great writing, why did I not read this book long long ago!?!?


----------



## Lizzie (May 5, 2012)

The Hunger Games trilogy...for about the 4,532,982nd time. No, I'm not obsessed at all.


----------



## MaryClaire (May 5, 2012)

Cupcake...Mariah Jones

Very Sweet book!

Pun intended


----------



## smithnwesson (May 5, 2012)

David Baldacci The Innocent.

I just finished it and it was excellent. Read some of the reviews.


----------



## smithnwesson (May 5, 2012)

Duplicate post. Please delete. :doh:


----------



## pepsicola93 (May 7, 2012)

Fermat's Enigma by Simon Singh (It's a book about math. I know that sounds boring, but it wasn't. And I'm not just saying that as a math major...)

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

(And I know I'm wayyyyy late) The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins


----------



## fat hiker (May 7, 2012)

Margaritas and Murder


----------



## danielson123 (May 7, 2012)

pepsicola93 said:


> Fermat's Enigma by Simon Singh (It's a book about math. I know that sounds boring, but it wasn't. And I'm not just saying that as a math major...)



Read that during my senior year of HS. Great book. Try _Flatland_ by Abbot and _Innumeracy_ by John Allen Paulos if you haven't already.

Carlo d'Este's _Warlord_. Extensive Churchill biography focusing on his years at war.


----------



## MattB (May 7, 2012)

Peter Aykroyd- A History Of Ghosts


----------



## pepsicola93 (May 7, 2012)

danielson123 said:


> Read that during my senior year of HS. Great book. Try _Flatland_ by Abbot and _Innumeracy_ by John Allen Paulos if you haven't already.



Hmm, I haven't read either of those. I'll have to add them to my list of things to read over the summer, lol. Thanks for the recommendations


----------



## ataraxia (May 7, 2012)

pepsicola93 said:


> Fermat's Enigma by Simon Singh (It's a book about math. I know that sounds boring, but it wasn't. And I'm not just saying that as a math major...)



Simon Singh is a great writer. He can make most any boring-looking subject worth reading about.


----------



## JerseyGirl07093 (May 8, 2012)

JerseyGirl07093 said:


> Good news/bad news.
> 
> Good news - My daughter talked to her friend who lent her the first Hunger Games book and he said he has the other two and he'll lend them to me to read. Yay!
> 
> Bad news - He can't find Catching Fire so he only gave me Mockingjay. I want to read them so bad but I can't read the third book before the second. I'm doing all in my power not to open that book and start reading it. Now I have to somehow get a hold of the second book. Boo!



GOOD NEWS! My daughter's friend found Catching Fire and I started reading it this afternoon. I'll probably stay up tonight until I finish it. I'm as engrossed with this one as I was with the first. I can't believe a book has me feeling so emotional. More than once I had chills and I was feeling anxiety. I told my daughter that I couldn't believe how this book was making me feel and she looked at me (like I was being ridiculous) and said "Are you crying?!" I wasn't crying but my eyes were teary. I guess I'm just feeling extra emotional today. :blush:
I'm scared to see how this book ends, I can't imagine a good outcome. And nervous about reading the third book because I heard it's not as good as the first two. Either way, I'm loving the Hunger Games books. :bow:


----------



## Green Eyed Fairy (May 10, 2012)

Just finished an audiobook called The Quickie by James Patterson and some other guy 

I read a few years back and couldn't remember the ending so it was still good the second time around


----------



## SuperMishe (May 10, 2012)

Just finished Skin Tight by Carl Hiaasen and My Horisontal Life by Chelsea Handler. Just started Lucky You by Carl Hiaasen - love his writing.


----------



## Lamia (May 13, 2012)

Just finished "The Riddle Master of Hed" now on to book two "Heir of Sea and Fire" Patricia McKillip. Written in the late 70s very interesting fantasy universe she created.


----------



## JerseyGirl07093 (May 13, 2012)

Green Eyed Fairy said:


> Just finished an audiobook called The Quickie by James Patterson and some other guy
> 
> I read a few years back and couldn't remember the ending so it was still good the second time around



I love James Patterson. The Quickie was one of my favorites of his books that aren't part of a series like the Alex Cross books.

I finished the Hunger Games trilogy. I loved the books. The ending made me happy. We were talking about the movie the other day and I said how much I loved the books and wanted to see it. My son, kidding with me, said "Calm down you teenage girl!"


----------



## Green Eyed Fairy (May 13, 2012)

JerseyGirl07093 said:


> I love James Patterson. The Quickie was one of my favorites of his books that aren't part of a series like the Alex Cross books.
> 
> I finished the Hunger Games trilogy. I loved the books. The ending made me happy. We were talking about the movie the other day and I said how much I loved the books and wanted to see it. My son, kidding with me, said "Calm down you teenage girl!"



I went and saw the Hunger Games movie but haven't read the book yet- I found it to be an awful movie seeing children being killed. My boyfriend told me that I would probably like the books much better due to the author's message and main characters thoughts being made much clearer. I suspect the same myself.


----------



## Weirdo890 (May 18, 2012)

I just finished reading _The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn_ by Mark Twain. My first time reading it since high school, and it was a real treat. Mark Twain was a real master of poking fun and deflating all human foibles and frailties. He even manges to poke fun at other authors and their romantic notions of adventure and death. 

In essence, a must-read.


----------



## spiritangel (May 18, 2012)

Currently Immersed in the world of the Montglane Service

Reading The Fire Sequal to The Eight by Katherine Neville, the 8 was like the da vinci code but better (I couldnt get through the da vinci code I tried) and pre dates it as well

totally love Katherine Nevilles work it always sucks me in a grips me right to the very end


----------



## CastingPearls (May 18, 2012)

The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous Moll Flanders - Daniel Defoe


----------



## penguin (May 19, 2012)

I've just finished Emotional Unavailability: Recognizing It, Understanding It, and Avoiding Its Trap by Bryn Collins. It was really interesting and made me realise a few things.


----------



## BBWbonnie (May 23, 2012)

Book I WANT to be reading right now is 'Game of thrones' or maybe I should say booooks

I can't wait to get my hands on them and I know once I do I will become a hermit for days!


----------



## Micara (May 23, 2012)

Alice in Deadland


----------



## rellis10 (May 23, 2012)

I may have posted this before, but I started reading The Picture of Dorian Grey a while ago and only got through one chapter. I just started reading it again though and I'm really liking it.

Also I wanted to ask, does anyone have a Kindle or any other E-Reader? I've been tempted to get one recently and just wanted to know what everyone thought of them.


----------



## Micara (May 23, 2012)

rellis10 said:


> I may have posted this before, but I started reading The Picture of Dorian Grey a while ago and only got through one chapter. I just started reading it again though and I'm really liking it.
> 
> Also I wanted to ask, does anyone have a Kindle or any other E-Reader? I've been tempted to get one recently and just wanted to know what everyone thought of them.



I have a Kindle Fire and I absolutely love it. My daughter has a regular Kindle and it's nice too.

I have to add that Amazon's customer service is simply marvelous. My screen froze on my old Kindle and they sent me out a new one the very next day- before I had even returned mine! And one of the customer service reps called me personally at home and made sure that I had all of my stuff on it. And she told me how to get free books.


----------



## Tracyarts (May 23, 2012)

"The House of Silk - A Sherlock Holmes Novel" by Anthony Horowitz. I just started it, but am really enjoying it so far, and can tell that it'll be one of those books that I just zip through when I get time to just sit and relax and read. 

Tracy


----------



## PiscesGirl (May 23, 2012)

Re-reading Barbara Ehrenreich's "Nickle and Dimed."


----------



## KHayes666 (May 23, 2012)

Bad As I Wanna Be by Dennis Rodman. Part of me feels like I'm the Rodman of the community.


----------



## HDANGEL15 (May 24, 2012)

*THE WALK SERIES by Richard Paul Evans

1/ THE WALK

2/ MILES TO GO, the 2nd Journal

3/ROAD TO GRACE, the 3rd Jouranl

These each are very short, fast endearing reads. I find them absolutely uplifting and full of HOPE & Promise & totally inspirational. I couldn't wait for the 3rd Journal to be published and now finished the 3rd and found out a 4th is coming!!!! So loving these sweet reads, everything by this guy I just love!!!

If you are looking for something uplifting and spiritual, read any of his books
*


----------



## Mishty (May 24, 2012)

Okay. Fine....I'm gonna break down and do it:

I'm reading the Hunger Games.


----------



## EMH1701 (May 24, 2012)

I am in the middle of Game of Thrones, book 5, and intend to finish it this weekend.


----------



## SuperMishe (May 24, 2012)

rellis10 said:


> Also I wanted to ask, does anyone have a Kindle or any other E-Reader? I've been tempted to get one recently and just wanted to know what everyone thought of them.



I LOVE my Kindle Fire!! I highly recommend it. And some books that are purchased on Amazon for the kindle are shareable. I read the 2nd and 3rd Hunger Games books on loan from a friend. There are lots of free books as well. If something were to happen to my Kindle Fire tonight, I would immediately go to Best Buy and get another!!


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## mejix (May 25, 2012)

I'm in my graphic novel period. Right now it is *Footnotes from Gaza* by Joe Sacco.


----------



## danielson123 (May 25, 2012)

So somebody left Catching Fire laying around. Next thing I know, I'm halfway through it without hardly realizing what I'm doing. Damn Hunger Games.


----------



## yoopergirl (May 28, 2012)

Just wrapped up "Beloved" by Toni Morrison, currently working on "A Stolen Life" by Jaycee Dugard.


----------



## CastingPearls (May 28, 2012)

I don't know how I overlooked it before but, Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk.


----------



## pdgujer148 (May 28, 2012)

Bouncing between two books: "Anno Dracula: The Bloody Red Barron" and "Generation Xbox: How Video Games Invaded Hollywood".

I highly recommend the Anno Dracula series to anyone who enjoys cheeky alternative histories and loves Victorian/Edwardian Literature.


----------



## PamelaLois (May 28, 2012)

Reading "*Outbreak: Plagues That Changed History*" by Bryn Barnard. It charts the course of 6 different plague diseases including cholera, smallpox and bubonic plague, and how these diseases changed the course of human existence. Fascinating.


----------



## The Fat Man (May 31, 2012)

Just started book five of A Song of Ice and Fire. I blitzed my way through this series. The insane character paths GRRM takes you on... like for instance between books one and book five I went from Jamie Lannister being my least favorite character to easily one of my top three. So great.

Also graphic novels, obviously. I reread my Alan Moore collection now and again. Releases good chemicals in my brain.


----------



## ConnieLynn (May 31, 2012)

The Fat Man said:


> Just started *book five of A Song of Ice *and Fire. I blitzed my way through this series. The insane character paths GRRM takes you on... like for instance between books one and book five I went from Jamie Lannister being my least favorite character to easily one of my top three. So great.
> 
> Also graphic novels, obviously. I reread my Alan Moore collection now and again. Releases good chemicals in my brain.



Holding out for it in paperback (8/28/12) since I'm well over my book budget. All I really want to know is what Brienne cried out at the end of book 4.


----------



## ConnieLynn (May 31, 2012)

I drank the Kool-Aid and read Hunger Games the other night. Really didn't do much for me. I thought the concept was okay, but not much depth. 

I'm lucky to have about a dozen books on my night table right now. Just started The Color of Water by James McBride.


----------



## The Fat Man (May 31, 2012)

ConnieLynn said:


> Holding out for it in paperback (8/28/12) since I'm well over my book budget. All I really want to know is what Brienne cried out at the end of book 4.



Holy shit, seriously right?


----------



## Green Eyed Fairy (Jun 3, 2012)

ConnieLynn said:


> I drank the Kool-Aid and read Hunger Games the other night. Really didn't do much for me. I thought the concept was okay, but not much depth.
> 
> I'm lucky to have about a dozen books on my night table right now. Just started The Color of Water by James McBride.



I read the Color of Water years ago- I still remember it now. Good story.

Near the end, you will understand where the title comes from


----------



## CastingPearls (Jun 3, 2012)

Warm Bodies - Isaac Marion


----------



## Blackjack (Jun 3, 2012)

Currently juggling _IT_ by Stephen King and _Cosmos_ by Carl Sagan. The latter is for after the sun's gone down.


----------



## HDANGEL15 (Jun 3, 2012)

Blackjack said:


> Currently juggling _IT_ by Stephen King and _Cosmos_ by Carl Sagan. The latter is for after the sun's gone down.



*LOVE ME SOME OLD STEPHEN KING.......am just watching THE STAND (THE 6 HOUR made for tv version)....awesome stuff there*


----------



## KHayes666 (Jun 5, 2012)

Blackjack said:


> Currently juggling _IT_ by Stephen King and _Cosmos_ by Carl Sagan. The latter is for after the sun's gone down.



It is my favorite book of all time, hope you enjoyed it.


----------



## kaylaisamachine (Jun 8, 2012)

The Traveling Vampire Show by Richard Laymon. One of my all time favorites. Next I will be reading City Infernal by Edward Lee. At least I believe that is what it is called. haven't read any of his books, but I was told I would love him.


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## CastingPearls (Jun 9, 2012)

The Scourge - A.G.Henley (YA, zombies, dystopian)


Warm Bodies was also zombie/dystopian but was enjoyable and it had an unexpected really nice twist. I quite liked it.


----------



## ConnieLynn (Jun 9, 2012)

Just finished A Night Too Dark & Though Not Dead, both by Dana Stabenow. 

Next in the stack are Locked In & Coming Back, both by Marcia Muller.


----------



## instantkarma (Jun 9, 2012)

Never Have Your Dog Stuffed by Alan Alda. Then up next is a book for my child psych class.


----------



## PamelaLois (Jun 9, 2012)

Just finished The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest. I thought the whole series was fantastic. Highly recommended.


----------



## Micara (Jun 9, 2012)

On Kayla's recommendation, I am on Chapter 14 of The Traveling Vampire Show by Richard Laymon and cannot put it down!


----------



## mel (Jun 10, 2012)

50 shades of gray


----------



## BBW Betty (Jun 11, 2012)

mel said:


> 50 shades of gray



I just finished this one. I had not intended to read it, but so many women at work were buzzing about it, I just had to check it out. I couldn't put it down and finished all three books within a week. 

Now am back to my re-read of the Wheel of Time series. I am sooo impatient for the final book to come out in January.


----------



## TwilightStarr (Jun 11, 2012)

Currently reading Ghost Town by Rachel Caine 

Next my friend is going to loan me 50 Shades of Gray, not only do I have to read it because everyone won't shut up about it but it sounds hella good!


----------



## ItsJudy (Jun 12, 2012)

The handmaids tale by Margaret Atwood


----------



## minerva (Jun 13, 2012)

> The handmaids tale by Margaret Atwood



One of my favorite authors. It is just possible that I have read every one of her novels. I have read many, many of them, at any rate. 

I am reading two novels: the first of the <i>Rashi's Daughters, Book One: Joheveth</i> by Maggie Anton is a fairly easy, satisfying read, though sometimes I am dissatisfied by the workmanlike language. I like my prose studded with a bit of poetry or madness.

And: Mario Vargas Llosa, <i>The War of the End of the World</i>, an entirely different sort of historical novel. I probably need to finish the former so I can focus on the latter.


----------



## Admiral_Snackbar (Jun 15, 2012)

Masters of Doom, by David Kishner. Basically a biography of John Carmack and John Romero created id Software and the games Doom, Quake and Wolfenstein, forever changing the world of computer games.

I read it once a while back, reading it again to catch up on what I may have missed.


----------



## HottiMegan (Jun 15, 2012)

Pride and Prejudice for the umpteenth time.


----------



## Blackjack (Jun 15, 2012)

Finished _IT_. Holy fuck. I don't think that I've ever read a Stephen King novel longer than 400 pages long that was so great through to the end instead of faltering in the last third.

I've picked up and started reading a newer book, titled _Ready Player One_. It's written by Ernest Cline, who made the movie _Fanboys_ a few years back... and it's heavily-laden with references to just about everything 80's. It's part of the plot- in 2045, a multi-millionaire obsessed with that era dies and his fortune will go to whoever solves a series of riddles in the massive virtual world that he created- but it still feels more like forced name-dropping. It's not something that will ruin the book, as I expect it to taper off soon enough, and the story itself is holding me well enough 60 pages in, but Cline's insistence on focusing on the presence of Duran Duran and Indiana Jones and John Hughes and 80's sitcoms not just as a background but as part of the overall environment becomes annoying. Looking forward to busting through it, though, as it's pretty clear that all of these references are coming from someone who really loves the stuff and who's been immensely influenced by them.


----------



## PamelaLois (Jun 16, 2012)

Just now downloaded *Divergent* by Veronica Roth. I've been waiting forever for it to become available for the Kindle through my library, but I just can't wait anymore, so I pulled the trigger and purchased it. Only 1 chapter in and I am hooked.


----------



## KHayes666 (Jun 18, 2012)

Bob Cousy: The Last Loud Roar....number 61 of research


----------



## spiritangel (Jun 18, 2012)

The Cinderella Deal by Jenny Cruise (rather good)

and I finished the Debt of Bones by Terry Goodkind on the train to Sydney


----------



## needgoodname (Jun 18, 2012)

The Road to Gandolfo by Robert Ludlum. One of his few comedy books, generally he writes thrillers/action-esq (Jason Bourne books). Very funny. I read the sequel first and finally found this at the Goodwill.

and

Surrender to the Will of the Night by Glen Cook. Book 3, with 4 planned sometime in the future. Good author, I've read his Black Company series many times. Nice twist on fantasy including the begining of firearms/cannons and how it affects the world.

and

another Robert Ludlum book, when I don't have any other books from the library.


----------



## danielson123 (Jun 18, 2012)

Got about 95% of the way through Mockingjay before I had to leave it behind along with my old career. If anybody who's read it would like to PM me a brief summary of the last 50 or so pages, I'd be eternally grateful!


----------



## TwilightStarr (Jun 18, 2012)

50 Shades of Grey 

I've always been a pleasing person but never knew I would have an interested in being a submissive!


----------



## kaylaisamachine (Jun 19, 2012)

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series. I was at Barnes and Noble the other day, and they had all 5 books in one leather bound book with the silver edges and my step uncle had asked me if I had ever read them before and I told him no, and he said be right back. It was only 10 dollars, but he says it's hilarious so I'm excited to start reading them. So far so good.


----------



## willowmoon (Jun 21, 2012)

kaylaisamachine said:


> The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series. I was at Barnes and Noble the other day, and they had all 5 books in one leather bound book with the silver edges and my step uncle had asked me if I had ever read them before and I told him no, and he said be right back. It was only 10 dollars, but he says it's hilarious so I'm excited to start reading them. So far so good.



Definitely one of my favorite series of books ... I think you'll like it, especially if you dig British humor. Too bad the movie sucked.


----------



## Aust99 (Jun 21, 2012)

I'm contemplating getting an ereader. Thinking of a kindle. Any of you fellow bookworms use one?


----------



## ConnieLynn (Jun 21, 2012)

kaylaisamachine said:


> The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series. I was at Barnes and Noble the other day, and they had all 5 books in one leather bound book with the silver edges and my step uncle had asked me if I had ever read them before and I told him no, and he said be right back. It was only 10 dollars, but he says it's hilarious so I'm excited to start reading them. So far so good.



Once you've read it, you'll be part of a special society  Seriously, I can't tell you how many times I'm in a group of folks and someone will use an offhand quote from the books in conversation and you can immediately see who gets it and who doesn't.


----------



## kaylaisamachine (Jun 21, 2012)

ConnieLynn said:


> Once you've read it, you'll be part of a special society  Seriously, I can't tell you how many times I'm in a group of folks and someone will use an offhand quote from the books in conversation and you can immediately see who gets it and who doesn't.



That's exactly what my uncle was telling me! I can't wait. I've got a 5 hour flight back to California tonight so I know what I'm going to be doing hahah.


----------



## Tad (Jun 21, 2012)

needgoodname said:


> Surrender to the Will of the Night by Glen Cook. Book 3, with 4 planned sometime in the future. Good author, I've read his Black Company series many times. Nice twist on fantasy including the begining of firearms/cannons and how it affects the world.



I'm dying to see where he takes this series in the end. In some ways it is very matter of fact, in others entirely apocalyptic, and nothing so far really tells us if all those people doing their jobs will end up saving humanity or not.

I'm actually about to start re-reading some of the early Black Company books, which I've only read once.

I just finished reading Susanna Gregories latest Matthew Bartholomew book, Mystery in the Minster (historical mysteries, normally set in Cambridge shortly after the time of the Black Plague, but for this one they are in York). Liked most of it but the ending didn't really grab me.


----------



## rellis10 (Jun 21, 2012)

Just finished Dorian Grey and loved it, now I've moved on to The Hobbit... I'm determined to finish it before the first movie gets released.


----------



## Victoria08 (Jun 21, 2012)

Aust99 said:


> I'm contemplating getting an ereader. Thinking of a kindle. Any of you fellow bookworms use one?



I have a Kobo ereader and I am pretty obsessed with it. I was so against getting one because I love actual books so much....but then I got the kobo as a gift and I had to try it out - I haven't put it down since.


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## CastingPearls (Jun 21, 2012)

Aust99 said:


> I'm contemplating getting an ereader. Thinking of a kindle. Any of you fellow bookworms use one?


I have a Kindle DX. I love it. I hear a lot of great things about the Kindle Fire too. I was ambivalent about it at first because I felt as if I were betraying the printed word, but I read as many 'real' books and periodicals as I did before. I thought I had to choose but I didn't and haven't. Get one. You won't regret it and there are MANY free download groups all over the internet--dozens on Facebook alone.


----------



## Aust99 (Jun 21, 2012)

Victoria08 said:


> I have a Kobo ereader and I am pretty obsessed with it. I was so against getting one because I love actual books so much....but then I got the kobo as a gift and I had to try it out - I haven't put it down since.





CastingPearls said:


> I have a Kindle DX. I love it. I hear a lot of great things about the Kindle Fire too. I was ambivalent about it at first because I felt as if I were betraying the printed word, but I read as many 'real' books and periodicals as I did before. I thought I had to choose but I didn't and haven't. Get one. You won't regret it and there are MANY free download groups all over the internet--dozens on Facebook alone.


Thanks ladies.... You've convinced me!


----------



## EMH1701 (Jun 23, 2012)

Currently reading Mastering Sales: 19 Years at the Intersection of Procter & Gamble and Walmart as background research for my current paper.


----------



## TwilightStarr (Jun 23, 2012)

Fifty Shades Darker by EL James


----------



## Diana_Prince245 (Jun 23, 2012)

Interview with the Vampire. I own all of the Vampire Chronicles, but I haven't read them in years. Since I'm broke, I figure I'll reread them. So far, they're almost as good as I remember.


----------



## AuntHen (Jun 23, 2012)

Sanditon ~Jane Austen


----------



## BrokenCassette (Jun 23, 2012)

I've been reading David Sedaris' "When You Are Engulfed In Flames", and just finished "The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake", which I loved.


----------



## Tracyarts (Jun 26, 2012)

I've been completely sucked into the Janet Evanovitch "Stephanie Plum" mystery series. I'm currently up to book 3 and have book 4 ready and waiting.

Tracy


----------



## spiritangel (Jun 26, 2012)

Am about to start Neil Gaimons Neverwhere


----------



## Saoirse (Jun 26, 2012)

my friend let me borrow game of throwns. he's on the 2nd book and he loves them so i thought i'd give it a shot. its ok, but im having a hard time keeping all the characters straight.


----------



## TwilightStarr (Jun 28, 2012)

Fifty Shades Freed - EL James


----------



## SallyCarpenter (Jun 29, 2012)

I'm reading Hunger Games right now, it's pretty much enjoyable.





_______________
Typing test


----------



## KHayes666 (Jul 1, 2012)

Book 69 of my pointless research has brought me to:

Personal Foul by Tim Donaghy.

This is going to be very interesting as its about the disgraced referee who served jail time for betting on games. Its also interesting because he never had to "fix" games because they were already being "fixed" just in a different way which makes the NBA the most crooked organization in pro sports.

Case in point, Dick Bavetta hated blowouts so he would call fouls to keep the games close. Game 4 of the 1987 NBA Finals saw the Celtics go up 16 in the 3rd quarter against the Lakers....guess who was reffing that game? Final score...Lakers won by a point.


----------



## Blackjack (Jul 1, 2012)

Finished _The Wise Man's Fear_ last night.

Up next is a re-read of the _Harry Potter_ books.


----------



## CastingPearls (Jul 1, 2012)

Almost done with: Men Who Can't Love - Steven Carter & Julia Sokol 


Starting Game of Thrones next.


----------



## Webmaster (Jul 1, 2012)

I read that one, too. Donaghy never denied that he screwed up, but the insights he provided into the games and the dynamics behind the scenes were quite interesting. Knowing what he knew, anyone with a good handle on statistics could have successfully beat the spread most of the time. 



KHayes666 said:


> Book 69 of my pointless research has brought me to:
> 
> Personal Foul by Tim Donaghy.
> 
> ...


----------



## KHayes666 (Jul 1, 2012)

Webmaster said:


> I read that one, too. Donaghy never denied that he screwed up, but the insights he provided into the games and the dynamics behind the scenes were quite interesting. Knowing what he knew, anyone with a good handle on statistics could have successfully beat the spread most of the time.



The worst part is those referees, the REAL ones who fixed the games, are still employed like this whole thing never happened. Joe Crawford's personal vendetta against Tim Duncan, Dick Bavetta's love for the underdog and the ref who screwed the Phoenix Suns out of the 07 playoffs due to his ties to the latin community of San Antonio....were never punished for anything.

Since when did it become more of a crime to bet on games rather than fix them?

Book 70 of my research is unavailable right now so I'll probably finish the Tim Wakefield biography next.


----------



## cinnamitch (Jul 1, 2012)

The Homesteading Handbook: A Back to Basics Guide to Growing Your Own Food, Canning, Keeping Chickens, Generating Your Own Energy, Crafting, Herbal Medicine, and More (Back to Basics Guides)


----------



## Webmaster (Jul 2, 2012)

KHayes666 said:


> The worst part is those referees, the REAL ones who fixed the games, are still employed like this whole thing never happened. Joe Crawford's personal vendetta against Tim Duncan, Dick Bavetta's love for the underdog and the ref who screwed the Phoenix Suns out of the 07 playoffs due to his ties to the latin community of San Antonio....were never punished for anything.



And let's not forget the biggest screw job of them all, getting the Lakers past the marvelous Sacramento Kings in the 2002 conference finals.


----------



## AuntHen (Jul 2, 2012)

BrokenCassette said:


> I've been reading David Sedaris' "When You Are Engulfed In Flames", and just finished "*The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake", *which I loved.



I read the synopsis on this and want to check it out


----------



## rellis10 (Jul 2, 2012)

I'm trying to read The Hobbit, but I just can't get into it. To me it just seems a bit... heavy? I had this intimidating idea of Tolkein beforehand, like his reputation was that it would be hard to read and pay attention to. Maybe that's stopping me from getting into the book.


----------



## danielson123 (Jul 2, 2012)

rellis10 said:


> I'm trying to read The Hobbit, but I just can't get into it. To me it just seems a bit... heavy? I had this intimidating idea of Tolkein beforehand, like his reputation was that it would be hard to read and pay attention to. Maybe that's stopping me from getting into the book.



Tried reading it in 6th grade, hated every minute of it after they leave the Shire. Hopefully the movie will shed some light on the story for me, because right now I don't have a strong grasp on it at all.

Around the World with General Grant. Mid-sized Grant biography leaves me wanting more.


----------



## smithnwesson (Jul 2, 2012)

I just finished The Seven Wonders  by Steven Saylor. It was outstanding . This is the latest of his _Roma Subrosa_ series. 

They're detective novels set at the end of the Roman Republic and the beginning of the Empire and also wonderfully accurate historical novels. We've got a friend who teaches Classics in college. I asked her a while back if she had read any of his work. She rolled her eyes and said, "I would say so. I've assigned some of the series to my students to provide background to the Ancient World".

Highly recommended.

- Jim


----------



## KHayes666 (Jul 3, 2012)

Saw an article in the New York Times about the broadway production of "Billy Budd." I had to read that in high school and they even showed us the movie starring Robert Ryan as Claggart (oustanding in that role). Anyone else have to read that in high school?


----------



## largenlovely (Jul 4, 2012)

Conversations with a dead man by Doug Lucas


----------



## CastingPearls (Jul 4, 2012)

Okay, Game of Thrones has to wait. 

Master Han's Daughter - Tales from Depraved NeoTokyo ~ Midori


(this...THIS is a thing)


----------



## largenlovely (Jul 4, 2012)

Oh you will love Game of Thrones!!! I've read all five books twice...it's my favorite series of all time.



CastingPearls said:


> Okay, Game of Thrones has to wait.
> 
> Master Han's Daughter - Tales from Depraved NeoTokyo ~ Midori
> 
> ...


----------



## Green Eyed Fairy (Jul 10, 2012)

The Bone Vault by Linda Fairstein

Definitely learning a lot about the "underbelly" of museum acquisitions being based upon theft throughout history


----------



## Green Eyed Fairy (Jul 10, 2012)

Tracyarts said:


> I've been completely sucked into the Janet Evanovitch "Stephanie Plum" mystery series. I'm currently up to book 3 and have book 4 ready and waiting.
> 
> Tracy



I have read them all...including the "between the plums" books (they have Plum in the title and includes an different male character- but he interacts with Stephanie and Lula- and those books fall in between the order of the number books- so you should read them to keep up!)


----------



## cinnamitch (Jul 10, 2012)

Secret Lives of the First Ladies by Cormac O'Brien


----------



## Micara (Jul 13, 2012)

I just finished the first book in the Gone series by Michael Grant. I am now onto book 2- Hunger- and loving it!


----------



## JASmith (Sep 12, 2012)

The Mammoth Book of Chess


----------



## TwilightStarr (Sep 12, 2012)

Lover Unbound (Black Dagger Brotherhood) by J. R. Ward


----------



## CaAggieGirl (Sep 12, 2012)

Nobody's hero by Kallypso Maters :blush::wubu:


----------



## CastingPearls (Sep 12, 2012)

I'm Starved For You - A short story by Margaret Atwood


----------



## spiritangel (Sep 13, 2012)

Angels Unlimited Budding Star for any parent with tweenage girls highly recomend these books plus I am rather hooked on them they are pretty darn awesome.


----------



## vcrgrrl (Apr 4, 2013)

I just finished reading a book by an Indie author named Rose Wynters. It's a paranormal erotic romance (with a bbw heroine) called Rubenesque Rapture. I have to say it's definitely steamy, and it has been a great read! I couldn't put it down until it was finished. I recently got a Kindle, and I got it that way. I'm also looking forward to the last Sookie Stackhouse book.


----------



## TwilightStarr (Apr 4, 2013)

Lover Reborn (Black Dagger Brotherhood) by J. R. Ward


----------



## Lovelyone (Apr 6, 2013)

I wish I could be a determined reader. I start a book,get half-way through it and put it down without getting back to it before starting to do something else. 
I've gotten thoroughly through "Women, Food and God" by Geneen Roth one time and have on several occasions tried to read it again. I've started it again, let's hope I make it through without putting it down and forgetting that I was reading it.


----------



## TwilightStarr (Apr 28, 2013)

Lover at Last - JR Ward


----------



## Saoirse (May 6, 2013)

I'm just about done with The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls. Hop rap it's depressing, but totally capturing. I haven't been able to put it down.


----------



## spiritangel (May 7, 2013)

I just finished Which Witch, and am torn between the other other story in this book the secret of platform 13 or reading the first Artimis Fowl book thinking Artimis will win


----------



## 1love_emily (May 17, 2013)

I started "The Catcher In The Rye" by J.D Salinger last night.

So far I'm a little in love with Holden Caulfield.


----------



## Rojodi (May 17, 2013)

Inferno
Dan Brown


----------



## danielson123 (May 19, 2013)

Working my way through The Legacy of the Force series. I'm on Fury right now. These books suck, as far as Star Wars novels go.


----------



## TwilightStarr (May 19, 2013)

1love_emily said:


> I started "The Catcher In The Rye" by J.D Salinger last night.
> 
> So far I'm a little in love with Holden Caulfield.



Everybody should love Holden!


----------



## ConnieLynn (May 19, 2013)

Its Like This, Cat (Neville, Emily) and The Secret Garden. I've been revisiting old friends on my Kindle.

Also just finished V is for Vengeance (Grafton, Sue).

Just splurged and downloaded Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter books 11-15 (Hamilton, Laurell K.), along with some technical writing style guides. Wonder which I'll finish reading first?


----------



## MsugarNspice (May 20, 2013)

World War Z - Max Brooks

It's easy to read some and then put it down...especaially while waiting for tae kwon do class to finish up


----------



## dharmabean (May 25, 2013)

I have so many that I am reading right now. Since I have been reading and reviewing books for a long while, I decided to start a blog on it. I now have even more publishers and authors reaching out. Here's the books in queue:

http://hauntedbookcase.wordpress.com/%C2%B7-case-schedule-%C2%B7/


----------



## Saoirse (May 26, 2013)

dharmabean said:


> I have so many that I am reading right now. Since I have been reading and reviewing books for a long while, I decided to start a blog on it. I now have even more publishers and authors reaching out. Here's the books in queue:
> 
> http://hauntedbookcase.wordpress.com/%C2%B7-case-schedule-%C2%B7/



That's really cool! One of my friends just started a book blog. She reads nonstop, and even went to school and got a job in a library! Whatta nerd 

I just started Queen of the Damned by Ann Rice. I loved Interview, and luckily my boss is a huge Rice fan, so I'm gonna be raiding her bookcase all summer!


----------



## Donna (May 26, 2013)

I remember camping out to buy "The Vampire Lestat" and again when "The Queen of the Damned" was published. One of my most prized possessions is a signed copy of "Memnoch the Devil." 

I strongly recommend checking out Rice's books on the Mayfair Witches. There is some crossover in a few of the Vampire Chronicles, but the series also stands alone as really great reading. Rice's erotica "The Sleeping Beauty Trilogy", written under her pseudonym A. N. Roquelaure, is very hot. They were my introduction to erotic fiction.


----------



## Weirdo890 (May 28, 2013)

*The Ninth Configuration* by William Peter Blatty


----------



## Twilley (May 28, 2013)

When You Are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris


----------



## Webmaster (May 28, 2013)

"A Clash of Kings," the second (800+ page) book in the Game of Thrones series by George Martin.


----------



## Cobra Verde (May 28, 2013)

Spoiler: It's all Hodor's dream.


----------



## mimosa (Jun 6, 2013)

I am reading a book called Succulent Wild Woman by SARK I adore her books because of her creativity and all of her books are written in her own hand writing. Her tone in the book is very loving, sensitive and nurturing. 

http://www.amazon.com/Succulent-Wild-Woman-Sark/dp/068483376X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1370572025&sr=8-1&keywords=SARK


----------



## snuggletiger (Jun 7, 2013)

TwilightStarr said:


> Everybody should love Holden!



Please explain the book to me, because by Chapter 4 of Catcher in the Rye I was like "Why can't this be a fast exciting read like To Kill A Mockingbird?". What is it about the book I am missing?


----------



## Deven (Jun 7, 2013)

The Spy Who Came In From The Cold - John le Carré


----------



## Iannathedriveress (Jun 9, 2013)

Red Dragon by Thomas Harris


----------



## moore2me (Jun 10, 2013)

I am reading _Horton Hears A Who_.


----------



## fat hiker (Jun 10, 2013)

"Shop Class as Soulcraft", by Matthew B. Shepherd

He looks at the nature of work, both the 'knowledge worker' kind and the hands-on or trades kinds, and comes down in favour of the hands-on for a variety of reasons, including moral (hands-on teaches you morality and respect for others in ways that knowledge worker can't touch, in his opinon). An excellent read, especially if you're considering a change in careers.


----------



## Lovelyone (Jun 10, 2013)

A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court--Mark Twain


----------



## mimosa (Jun 10, 2013)

Love Poems by Pablo Neruda 

The poem "If You Never Forget Me" made me cry. :really sad:


----------



## snuggletiger (Jun 11, 2013)

Lovelyone said:


> A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court--Mark Twain



Twain Rep!!!! And not Train Wreck


----------



## Deven (Jun 11, 2013)

Frost Burned - Patricia Briggs


----------



## Diana_Prince245 (Jun 11, 2013)

How to Be a Woman by Caitlin Moran


----------



## CAMellie (Jun 23, 2013)

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card


----------



## ConnieLynn (Jun 23, 2013)

Laurell K. Hamilton's Incubus Dreams, which I'm having a hard time finishing because it's just one sex scene after another. Boring! Hoping the series gets back on track in the next book, since I already bought the next 3 books.

Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl's Beautiful Redemption, which is last (4th) book in series. Having a hard time finishing this one as well. I just don't care what happens to the characters.

And I recently read a short story on my Kindle that I loved! The Old Man & The Monkey by George Polley. If anyone wants it on loan, pm your email addie.

And I read a few BBW romantic/erotic short stories (research). Big Girls Do It Better is a freebie.


----------



## Weirdo890 (Jun 23, 2013)

City At World's End by Edmond Hamilton - A classic science-fiction novel. So far, so good.

The Ninth Configuration by William Peter Blatty

The Death of Ivan Ilyich and Other Stories by Leo Tolstoy


----------



## fat hiker (Jun 24, 2013)

CAMellie said:


> Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card



I read that for the first time a couple of months ago - what an amazing tale!


----------



## CAMellie (Jun 25, 2013)

fat hiker said:


> I read that for the first time a couple of months ago - what an amazing tale!



I enjoyed the book immensely!!


----------



## Iannathedriveress (Jun 26, 2013)

Soccernomics by Simon Kuper and Strfan Szymanski


----------



## CAMellie (Jun 27, 2013)

The Hunger Games...again


----------



## HottiMegan (Jun 28, 2013)

I just started The Princess Bride. I love the movie so much and when i found out that it was based on a book, i HAD to get it!


----------



## instantkarma (Jun 28, 2013)

Love Wins by Rob Bell...very, very interesting. His theology is very different from the mainstream in some ways. Anyone who shoots down the idea of hell is good in my book.


----------



## Webmaster (Jun 28, 2013)

"Big Brother" by Lionel Shriver, one of my favorite authors. Describes how her once svelte brother swelled to almost 400 pounds, and why and how, and what then happened. And she speaks from experience.


----------



## indy500tchr (Jun 29, 2013)

Just finished the Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy...now on to 12 Shades of Surrender, a compilation of short stories based off the Fifty Shades series. Oh how I love that my public library has free Kindle downloads that are so naughty!


----------



## Rojodi (Jun 29, 2013)

indy500tchr said:


> Just finished the Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy...now on to 12 Shades of Surrender, a compilation of short stories based off the Fifty Shades series. Oh how I love that my public library has free Kindle downloads that are so naughty!



I should check to see if my library does for my Nookie Thingie..then again, Barnes and Noble has many free erotic titles....


----------



## indy500tchr (Jun 30, 2013)

Rojodi said:


> I should check to see if my library does for my Nookie Thingie..then again, Barnes and Noble has many free erotic titles....



I think they do all types of ebooks. I just click on the one's available for the Kindle.


----------



## Rojodi (Jun 30, 2013)

indy500tchr said:


> I think they do all types of ebooks. I just click on the one's available for the Kindle.



Yes, mine does have "50 Shades" and the novella anthologies


----------



## BBWbonnie (Jul 1, 2013)

I'm reading wild swan by Jung Chang.
I am only a quarter of the way through and I seriously rate this book!
It's full of so much history and drama, truly an amazing read!


----------



## amidsttundra (Jul 1, 2013)

Just finished the Night's Dawn Trilogy by Peter F. Hamilton.

Just starting Stealing Light by Gary Gibson (new author to me).


----------



## Iannathedriveress (Jul 5, 2013)

The Silence Of The Lambs by Thomas Harris


----------



## Fuzzy (Jul 6, 2013)

Master and Commander, Patrick O'Brian, Book 1 (eBook) - One of the most difficult books I've attempted to read, but have still thoroughly enjoyed. 

The author goes into intimate detail about every sail and how its fastened, deployed, etc. There is a picture of a ship at the beginning, but since this is a ebook, going back and forth is nearly impossible. While I'll probably read most of the book in the 21 book series, I'm still baffled when sails are mentioned.  :doh:


----------



## thatpumpkin (Jul 7, 2013)

I just finished Prisoner of the Daleks. A Doctor Who novel I found in a second hand shop for real cheap!


----------



## snuggletiger (Jul 9, 2013)

Fuzzy said:


> Master and Commander, Patrick O'Brian, Book 1 (eBook) - One of the most difficult books I've attempted to read, but have still thoroughly enjoyed.
> 
> The author goes into intimate detail about every sail and how its fastened, deployed, etc. There is a picture of a ship at the beginning, but since this is a ebook, going back and forth is nearly impossible. While I'll probably read most of the book in the 21 book series, I'm still baffled when sails are mentioned.  :doh:



Don't read Moby Dick then .
I am reading "The Big Sleep" By Chandler.


----------



## cinnamitch (Jul 9, 2013)

Well I could bullshit you and say I just read War and Peace but since the grandkids were over here the other day, I would have to say Feel Better Toodee, followed by Don't Bite Your Friends. Yes they are Yo Gabba Gabba books. :blush:


----------



## Lovelyone (Jul 9, 2013)

I received the first four Game of Thrones books in the mail today along with some magnetic GoT bookmarks. I am excitedly reading them in order (no matter how badly I want to skip ahead!) Thank you friend!


----------



## Iannathedriveress (Jul 19, 2013)

Congo by Michael Crichton


----------



## wafflecone (Jul 20, 2013)

I picked up The Ocean at the End of the Lane today.


----------



## Webmaster (Jul 22, 2013)

Lovelyone said:


> I received the first four Game of Thrones books in the mail today along with some magnetic GoT bookmarks. I am excitedly reading them in order (no matter how badly I want to skip ahead!) Thank you friend!



If you watched Game of Thrones, you'll find that the TV series followed the books almost to the sentence and word. That, at times, makes the books a bit tedious to read, give that they are 850 pages per volume. I am about halfway through the second book and, honestly, find myself a bit frustrated that the books don't really provide any additional insight and refinement.


----------



## Webmaster (Jul 22, 2013)

And currently reading "Heart-shaped box" by Joe Hill, who is the son of Stephen King. The kid definitely has a knack. It's similar, though different, from his father's work. I don't think he has fully found his own style yet, but I am fairly certain we'll see a lot more of good stuff from "Joe Hill."


----------



## CPProp (Jul 23, 2013)

The latest version of “The Big Show” by Pierre Clostermann a free Frenchman pilot who became one of the RAF’s top scoring Aces during WW11. This version contains additional material that had been previously censored back in the 1950 and from what I've read so far with good reason.


----------



## Green Eyed Fairy (Jul 24, 2013)

The Mists of Avalon


----------



## HottiMegan (Jul 26, 2013)

I just got Under the Dome from the library. Not sure if i'll get 1100 pages read in 3 weeks. I'm also not a big fan of Stephen King's writing but i wanted to read the story since i like the show.


----------



## Archetypus (Jul 26, 2013)

The Ascendancy of the Scientific Dictatorship:an examination of epistemic autocracy from the 19th to 21st century.



Yeah, it's a doozy...


----------



## Lovelyone (Jul 27, 2013)

Webmaster said:


> If you watched Game of Thrones, you'll find that the TV series followed the books almost to the sentence and word. That, at times, makes the books a bit tedious to read, give that they are 850 pages per volume. I am about halfway through the second book and, honestly, find myself a bit frustrated that the books don't really provide any additional insight and refinement.



I wish that I would have read the books before I watched the whole first season in one night on x-finity during a free HBO weekend. I think what I like about the books is that there are little subtleties in the books that were passed over in the movies (probably due to time restraints). I am also a little frustrated about the books not providing the additional insight and refinement. I suppose that when I get to the last book in the series that will all come to light--as the Red Wedding (which is where the HBO series left off last season) was in the third book--yes, I peeked. I cannot wait to read the last book in this set, but I will just HAVE to.


----------



## Archetypus (Jul 27, 2013)

Lovelyone said:


> I wish that I would have read the books before I watched the whole first season in one night on x-finity during a free HBO weekend. I think what I like about the books is that there are little subtleties in the books that were passed over in the movies (probably due to time restraints). I am also a little frustrated about the books not providing the additional insight and refinement. I suppose that when I get to the last book in the series that will all come to light--as the Red Wedding (which is where the HBO series left off last season) was in the third book--yes, I peeked. I cannot wait to read the last book in this set, but I will just HAVE to.



Winter Is Coming, lovelyone...

http://youtu.be/25KABvPbq-U
http://youtu.be/sYjuj3ggaKA


----------



## missyj1978 (Jul 27, 2013)

City of bones, its kinda young but so far I like it.


----------



## Hozay J Garseeya (Jul 27, 2013)

Feel the fear - and do it anyway.


----------



## Fattitude1 (Jul 28, 2013)

It Amazed Even Us!~ Frank Cipolla


----------



## Saoirse (Jul 28, 2013)

Last night, I was finally getting sucked into Queen of the Damned, but today at work I stumbled upon a book called The Gypsies and now I cant put it down. Its about a young boy (the author, Jan Yoors and its a true account) that kinda-sorta-accidentally runs away with a group of Romani travellers and spends 10 years with them. Super interesting!!


----------



## dharmabean (Jul 28, 2013)

Just finished this one and I cannot promote it enough:

http://hauntedbookcase.wordpress.com/2013/07/28/book-case-18-a-madmans-song/

When newly divorced Leslie Bradford moves herself and her nine year old son, Cody, to the picturesque town of Millford Springs, she believes it to be the perfect place for a fresh start. But soon after after settling into their new home, Cody sees a dark shape lurking outside his bedroom and begins to suffer troubling visions. Within days a senseless and savage crime leave the small community stunned, and Leslie’s own worst fears are imagined after Cody mysteriously vanishes in the night. Along with Evan Reece, the town sheriff, Leslie soon uncovers a troubling secret from the town’s past involving the abduction of a young girl &#8211; a secret that may also hold the key to her own son”s whereabouts. But they will have to work fast to save not only Cody, but the the town itself. It seems the dead girl has come back… and so has her killer.


----------



## ConnieLynn (Aug 3, 2013)

Book one and Season one are a near perfect match. After that, the television show is no longer a match. Not surprising, since the books are so long, but I did feel like some of the best parts of the books got left out, and some of the cutting/combining of events was just odd. 



Webmaster said:


> If you watched Game of Thrones, you'll find that the TV series followed the books almost to the sentence and word. That, at times, makes the books a bit tedious to read, give that they are 850 pages per volume. I am about halfway through the second book and, honestly, find myself a bit frustrated that the books don't really provide any additional insight and refinement.





Lovelyone said:


> I wish that I would have read the books before I watched the whole first season in one night on x-finity during a free HBO weekend. I think what I like about the books is that there are little subtleties in the books that were passed over in the movies (probably due to time restraints). I am also a little frustrated about the books not providing the additional insight and refinement. I suppose that when I get to the last book in the series that will all come to light--as the Red Wedding (which is where the HBO series left off last season) was in the third book--yes, I peeked. I cannot wait to read the last book in this set, but I will just HAVE to.


----------



## DKnight00 (Aug 3, 2013)

ConnieLynn said:


> Book one and Season one are a near perfect match. After that, the television show is no longer a match. Not surprising, since the books are so long, but I did feel like some of the best parts of the books got left out, and some of the cutting/combining of events was just odd.



Not far into them at all yet myself, but just got the first 2 hardcovers. Only about 1/4th the way in the first book.


----------



## ConnieLynn (Aug 3, 2013)

I working through a back log of freebies on my Kindle. 

I read this while on vacation. Was a fast, fun read and perfect for the beach. It's still a freebie.

Trouble in Mudbug (Ghost-in-Law Mystery/Romance Series)

I'm currently reading this, which is beautifully written. I haven't finished yet, but already recommend it. If anyone wants it on loan, pm your email addie.

The Skin of Water


----------



## Iannathedriveress (Aug 3, 2013)

Hannibal by Thomas Harris


----------



## Rojodi (Aug 4, 2013)

HottiMegan said:


> I just got Under the Dome from the library. Not sure if i'll get 1100 pages read in 3 weeks. I'm also not a big fan of Stephen King's writing but i wanted to read the story since i like the show.



I lucked out, Barnes and Noble had it FREE for the Nook one day, well, for half a day a few months ago. Yeah, 1100 pages of King in 3 weeks is a ballbuster!


----------



## Blackjack (Aug 4, 2013)

Just finished my rereread of _Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire_. Now onto _Order of the Phoenix_. Once I'm done with the series- hopefully before September, but I'm going a bit slow this year- I've got _A Dance with Dragons_ lined up... though I might pick up a le Carre novel instead for some non-fantasy reading.


----------



## kaylaisamachine (Aug 12, 2013)

I've been reading a lot of books this summer that have now been made into movies (which is probably the worst idea, but whatever) and currently I am on Running with Scissors. Probably one of the silliest but intriguing books I've read in awhile. It's pretty short, so I'm almost done with it already, but it has been a fun read.


----------



## TwilightStarr (Aug 12, 2013)

Fifty Shades of Grey 

I've been missing my fictional literary boyfriend Christian Grey  And the first one was the best one of the series.


----------



## Ashley1985 (Aug 12, 2013)

_The Days of the French Revolution_ and _The Lost King of France_.


----------



## Archetypus (Aug 16, 2013)

TwilightStarr said:


> Fifty Shades of Grey
> 
> I've been missing my fictional literary boyfriend Christian Grey  And the first one was the best one of the series.



You might enjoy Anne Rice's "Sleeping Beauty" trilogy.







I am reading "The Divided Self" by RD Laing & "The Bone People" by Keri Hulme. Both are excellent...


----------



## HottiMegan (Aug 16, 2013)

I'm going to the library to return Under the Dome.. didn't get too far into it. I was a little busy with kids and stuff. Today i'm picking up the last Sookie Stackhouse book. I'm a little scared as i've read some horrible reviews of it.. I love the series so much.


----------



## snuggletiger (Aug 16, 2013)

The "Little Sister" by Raymond Chandler.


----------



## Amaranthine (Aug 16, 2013)

Today I read _Agap&#275; Agape_ (by William Gaddis,) as a bit of a break from Infinite Jest. A quick read, thought-provoking, and certainly not uplifting. Still enjoyable though, once you get past the somewhat confusing composition.

As for _Infinite Jest_ (by David Foster Wallace)...I find it utterly delightful. The crazy amount of endnotes is a nice change of pace, but does make it a quest to get through. People can call it pretentious all they want but I think Wallace has (well...had...) a really lovely way of getting ideas across. 

Next up, _The Corrections_ by Jonathan Franzen, and _The Recognitions,_ again, by Gaddis. For some reason, I feel like such a hipster asshole for liking postmodern fiction so much...


----------



## Cobra Verde (Aug 18, 2013)

*A Dance Without Dragons
*

Better than A Feast For Crows, if only by default. Didn't things used to happen in this series, or am I remembering the early books being more exciting than they actually were because of the TV series?


----------



## TwilightStarr (Aug 19, 2013)

Archetypus said:


> You might enjoy Anne Rice's "Sleeping Beauty" trilogy.



Someone just told me about these and it's already been added to my "read soon list", along with "Bared To You" by Sylvia Day.


----------



## Iannathedriveress (Aug 22, 2013)

Harry Potter and the Socere's Stone


----------



## The Dark Lady (Aug 26, 2013)

Been alternating between _Dogsong_ and _Red Dragon_. I like reading more than one book at a time and switching between them so the stylistic differences are even more drastic in comparison.


----------



## Surlysomething (Aug 26, 2013)

I just finished The Birth House by Ami Mckay.

I really enjoyed the peek into another part of Canadian life at the turn of the century. We're all so institutionalized in the way we think about many things, it's nice to look back and see how it was done when you lived without the creature comforts of modern times.


----------



## Green Eyed Fairy (Aug 31, 2013)

The Dark Tower by Stephen King

Finally.


----------



## LeoGibson (Aug 31, 2013)

*Curious George Takes A Job*

by Margaret Rey and H. A. Rey


----------



## Iannathedriveress (Aug 31, 2013)

The Dark Lady said:


> Been alternating between _Dogsong_ and _Red Dragon_. I like reading more than one book at a time and switching between them so the stylistic differences are even more drastic in comparison.



Red Dragon is one of my favorite novels. It what got me back into reading books.


----------



## geekgamer01 (Sep 1, 2013)

Green Eyed Fairy said:


> The Dark Tower by Stephen King
> 
> Finally.



Ah sweet. How far into the series are you?


----------



## geekgamer01 (Sep 1, 2013)

Just finished up Philip H Dick's, "The Man in the High Castle". Now rereading Plato's "Symposium" for class.


----------



## Green Eyed Fairy (Sep 1, 2013)

geekgamer01 said:


> Ah sweet. How far into the series are you?



Last book- finished the others several years ago. Hence 'finally'


----------



## MattB (Sep 1, 2013)

Might is Right by Ragnar Redbeard


----------



## KHayes666 (Sep 2, 2013)

Ball Four by Jim Bouton


----------



## Iannathedriveress (Sep 6, 2013)

A Day No Pigs Would Die by Robert Newton Peck


----------



## Mckee (Sep 6, 2013)

The Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick


----------



## Sasquatch! (Sep 7, 2013)

"Does anything eat wasps?" A collection of reader questions and expert answers from the New Scientist magazine.


----------



## KHayes666 (Sep 10, 2013)

HottiMegan said:


> I'm going to the library to return Under the Dome.. didn't get too far into it. I was a little busy with kids and stuff. Today i'm picking up the last Sookie Stackhouse book. I'm a little scared as i've read some horrible reviews of it.. I love the series so much.


\

*spoiler alert*





As with anything, television completely butchers Stephen King novels.

In the book, the main antagonists son murders two girls and then fondles their dead bodies later in the book......was that shown on television? I dont think so.

The book only gets darker and deeper so you'll save yourself some agony by returning it.


----------



## The Dark Lady (Sep 13, 2013)

Rereading _Where the Red Gern Grows_ for nostalgic purposes.


----------



## penguin (Sep 13, 2013)

I've just finished Magician's End by Raymond E Feist. It was the final book in his Riftwar Cycle, and I enjoyed it. It had good closure.


----------



## CastingPearls (Sep 14, 2013)

I just finished The Girl Next Door by Jack Ketchum. It was brutal and I was choking back tears and almost didn't finish it. A fictional story based loosely on real life events, it's about how a woman used her children and the neighborhood kids to torture her own nieces. 

Also finished King's Full Dark No Stars. I enjoy his short stories but this was a bit disappointing. Just....lacking.



Now I'm reading Princess: A True Story of Life Behind the Veil in Saudi Arabia, Jean Sasson. I'm fascinated with how oppressed women in other countries strive to survive and flourish, esp first person narratives.


----------



## Iannathedriveress (Sep 15, 2013)

The Lunatic Express by Carl Hoffman


----------



## Mckee (Sep 21, 2013)

Days of Infamy by Harry Turtledove


----------



## CastingPearls (Sep 21, 2013)

Angel - Mary E. Kingsley

Set in the 70's, about a little girl growing up in Appalachia.


----------



## Green Eyed Fairy (Sep 22, 2013)

CastingPearls said:


> Angel - Mary E. Kingsley
> 
> Set in the 70's, about a little girl growing up in Appalachia.



Put her there at age 5 fresh out of Jersey and it could be my memoir perhaps


----------



## Miskatonic (Sep 22, 2013)

I'm reading the Fellowship of the Ring which I've never read before. It's boring as hell. Sorry Tolkien fans.


----------



## Micara (Sep 23, 2013)

Covet by Tracey Garvis-Graves. Can't put it down, actually. I loved her first one, On The Island.


----------



## Iannathedriveress (Oct 2, 2013)

Politka by Tom Clancy


----------



## Iannathedriveress (Oct 9, 2013)

Thinner by Stephen King (Richard Bachmann)


----------



## love handles (Oct 9, 2013)

I always have a few books on the go at once. I am mainly into:
'I am a strange loop' by Douglas Hofstadter (about half way through)
'Middlesex' by Jeffrey Eugenides (nearly finished)
'Martian time slip' by Phillip K Dick (Just started) 
I am a book machine!


----------



## AuntHen (Oct 18, 2013)

*Pathfinder *by Orson Scott Card


I forgot how much I like his writing


----------



## Archetypus (Oct 19, 2013)

"Doctor Sleep" - King's follow up to The Shining. It was good. I guess. Could've been better. SK is kinda slipping. Oh well, I'll always have Drawing of the Three...


The Golden Bough: A history of Magic & Religion. S'good.


----------



## spookytwigg (Oct 19, 2013)

I currently have Beyond lies the wub by Phillip k Dick on the go, but today I finally round neuromancer by William Gibson and I've been trying to find it for ages. Luckily I'm between short stories so I can get straight onto it.


----------



## Iannathedriveress (Oct 21, 2013)

Patriot Games by Tom Clancy


----------



## Surlysomething (Oct 21, 2013)

The Glass Castle - Jeannette Walls


----------



## Rojodi (Oct 22, 2013)

_Best American Mystery Stories 2013_


----------



## JASmith (Oct 22, 2013)

The End of Faith, by Sam Harris.


----------



## Iannathedriveress (Nov 3, 2013)

Pastwatch: The Redemption of Christopher Colombus by Orson Scott Card


----------



## ConnieLynn (Nov 3, 2013)

Outlander - Gabaldon


----------



## spookytwigg (Nov 4, 2013)

Transmetropolitan 10 "one more time".


----------



## CastingPearls (Nov 4, 2013)

Parasite - Mira Grant


----------



## Iannathedriveress (Nov 18, 2013)

Disclousure by Michael Crichton


----------



## spookytwigg (Nov 19, 2013)

Between books at the moment so I'm on a comics binge. Just finished Watchmen and now I'm re reading planetary.


----------



## Archetypus (Nov 19, 2013)

I'm usually wrapped up in some scholarly claptrap about such and such's philosophical notions, so I really hate to admit this...

But the last SIX books I've read are Jim Butcher's "Dresden Files". It's like Harry Potter for adults. Black Magic, spooky creatures, sexy stuff. It's basically about a wizard who is a private investigator. It ain't not bad.


----------



## Mckee (Nov 19, 2013)

"The Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves, and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History" by Robert Edsel

Fascinating story


----------



## JASmith (Nov 19, 2013)

Letter to A Christian Nation, by Sam Harris


----------



## Blackjack (Nov 19, 2013)

Juggling *A Dance with Dragons* and my autographed copy of *The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao*.

...sorry, I can't help but boast wherever applicable that I met Junot Diaz and he signed my freaking book.


----------



## supersoup (Nov 19, 2013)

Archetypus said:


> I'm usually wrapped up in some scholarly claptrap about such and such's philosophical notions, so I really hate to admit this...
> 
> But the last SIX books I've read are Jim Butcher's "Dresden Files". It's like Harry Potter for adults. Black Magic, spooky creatures, sexy stuff. It's basically about a wizard who is a private investigator. It ain't not bad.



I LOOOOVE the Dresden Files!! I've read them all except for the last two, but I was engrossed in other books when they came out.


----------



## Webmaster (Nov 20, 2013)

"Becoming a Scuba Diver" by me. Finally finished and on Amazon.


----------



## Shosh (Nov 21, 2013)

Webmaster said:


> "Becoming a Scuba Diver" by me. Finally finished and on Amazon.



Congrats! How does it feel to be a published author?


----------



## Shosh (Nov 21, 2013)

I just love reading. I could read, read, read 

I have just started The Anniversary Man, by RJ Ellory.

I read another of his novels. The title escapes me right now.


----------



## Surlysomething (Nov 21, 2013)

Congratulations, how wonderful!






Webmaster said:


> "Becoming a Scuba Diver" by me. Finally finished and on Amazon.


----------



## Iannathedriveress (Nov 22, 2013)

Clear and Present Danger by Tom Clancy


----------



## Fuzzy (Nov 22, 2013)

Betrayal (Star Wars: Legacy of the Force, Book 1)

(its my personal opinion that this book will be the plot of Star Wars 7)


----------



## Weirdo890 (Nov 26, 2013)

Two science fiction classics:


*The Demolished Man* by Alfred Bester


*I, Robot* by Isaac Asimov


----------



## Mr Gosh (Nov 26, 2013)

Weirdo890 said:


> Two science fiction classics:
> 
> 
> *The Demolished Man* by Alfred Bester
> ...



Funnily enough, The Early Asimov Volume 1 by...... you guess. Dude, this is gonna look like I'm stalking you from my recent posts. ha ha.

Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov.

About The Border Terrier by Verité Reily Collins.


----------



## ConnieLynn (Nov 29, 2013)

A Dance with Dragons (Book Five) - George R.R. Martin

Just started. I've been waiting to buy/read this because the reviews have been so disappointing. However, Kindle price dropped to 2.99, so I grabbed it before the price goes back up.


----------



## JASmith (Nov 29, 2013)

The God Delusion, by Richard Dawkins


----------



## Durin (Dec 3, 2013)

Forge of Darkness- Steven Erickson
Stonewielder- Ian Esslemont
The Magic of Recluce- L.E. Moddisett


----------



## CPProp (Dec 10, 2013)

Bored of the Rings - Henry N Beard & Douglas C Kenney


----------



## HottiMegan (Dec 10, 2013)

Pride and Prejudice. I have a hankering for some romance. I don't know how many times i've read this book.


----------



## azerty (Dec 10, 2013)

Very good book, even though I red it in French


----------



## ConnieLynn (Dec 14, 2013)

Crooked Man - Tony Dunbar


----------



## Ms Charlotte BBW (Dec 14, 2013)

Bid Time Return by Richard Matheson ( my 2nd time reading it :happy: )


----------



## CastingPearls (Dec 20, 2013)

James Joyce' Ulysses

Just finished Dean Koontz' Innocence. Very 'Odd Thomas'-ish, but really enjoyed it. I can see him making it a series like the Odds.


----------



## HottiMegan (Dec 20, 2013)

The first book of the Maximum Ride series. I read most of the series before but didn't realize i missed two books so i'm going to reread the series and get the newest two or check 'em out of the library.


----------



## KHayes666 (Dec 22, 2013)

JFK in the Senate: Pathway to Presidency


----------



## BigCutieLaurel (Dec 22, 2013)

I'm re-reading the Hunger Games Trilogy right now. Such a good series!


----------



## Piink (Dec 22, 2013)

The Grave Maurice by Martha Grimes


----------



## Dmitra (Dec 23, 2013)

Fangasm - Supernatural Fangirls, by Katherine Larsen and Lynn S. Zubernis. :batting:


----------



## Iannathedriveress (Jan 3, 2014)

Hannibal Rising by Thomas Harris


----------



## CastingPearls (Jan 3, 2014)

Just finished Mitch Albom's The Time Keeper, a wishlist gift from a Dim's friend. 

Now reading The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton


----------



## spookytwigg (Jan 4, 2014)

I'm currently reading through Y:the last man by Brain K. Vaughn & Pia Guerra. I've bought the last few graphic novels in the series and I'm ready to get to the end.

I'm absolutely loving it so far. It may become my favourite comic series that wasn't written by Neil Gaiman.


----------



## Weirdo890 (Jan 8, 2014)

*The Demolished Man* by Alfred Bester

I am reading this (I didn't finish it the first time around) for my friend's graduate project. She chose to make her project about science-fiction. She will read various SF books (classic and modern) and interview a person who has also read the book in question. Well, she's going to interview me on this one. 

You can visit her project here.


----------



## HottiMegan (Jan 9, 2014)

I'm devouring the maximum ride series right now.


----------



## Webmaster (Jan 9, 2014)

Finished "Ship of Theseus" by V. M. Straka, but that's not really the author, only a fictional writer who even in the book the book is about may or may not actually exist, and the whole story is contemplated and argued not in the book, but in handwritten notes scribbled into the margins of a library book that passes back and forth between a Lit major and a disgraced grad student who then fall in love. And the book is full of inserts like paper napkins with scribbling on it, post cards, drafts of letters and all. Wild. Really wild. I haven't seen anything like it.


----------



## ataraxia (Jan 9, 2014)

Webmaster said:


> Finished "Ship of Theseus" by V. M. Straka, but that's not really the author, only a fictional writer who even in the book the book is about may or may not actually exist, and the whole story is contemplated and argued not in the book, but in handwritten notes scribbled into the margins of a library book that passes back and forth between a Lit major and a disgraced grad student who then fall in love. And the book is full of inserts like paper napkins with scribbling on it, post cards, drafts of letters and all. Wild. Really wild. I haven't seen anything like it.


This sort of thing is called "metafiction". Two of my favorite examples are Pale Fire by Vladimir Nabokov and House of Leaves by Mark Danielewski.

The second of those is also an example of "ergodic literature", which is literature that is deliberately physically difficult to read - text backwards, messy, struck through, mazes of footnotes, multiple columns of text that all extend across page boundaries, etc. Look at this:


----------



## Blackjack (Jan 9, 2014)

My sister just gave me *Ship of Theseus* as a birthday present. I can't wait to get into it.

*House of Leaves* is a really unique, horrifying experience. It's deliberately hard to read because of how the text is laid out in parts, and the book left me feeling strangely paranoid while reading it until I got to the end, but it's a hell of a ride and worth the effort.


----------



## Webmaster (Jan 9, 2014)

ataraxia said:


> This sort of thing is called "metafiction". Two of my favorite examples are Pale Fire by Vladimir Nabokov and House of Leaves by Mark Danielewski.
> 
> The second of those is also an example of "ergodic literature", which is literature that is deliberately physically difficult to read - text backwards, messy, struck through, mazes of footnotes, multiple columns of text that all extend across page boundaries, etc.



Interesting! I'll need to check that out. As is, here's what a typical page in the "Straka" book looked like, with the postcard being part of the book: 

View attachment 0011.jpg


----------



## CastingPearls (Jan 9, 2014)

Webmaster said:


> Finished "Ship of Theseus" by V. M. Straka, but that's not really the author, only a fictional writer who even in the book the book is about may or may not actually exist, and the whole story is contemplated and argued not in the book, but in handwritten notes scribbled into the margins of a library book that passes back and forth between a Lit major and a disgraced grad student who then fall in love. And the book is full of inserts like paper napkins with scribbling on it, post cards, drafts of letters and all. Wild. Really wild. I haven't seen anything like it.


I can't find this book anywhere and Amazon only has it in audiobook which completely defeats the purpose. *sigh*


----------



## Webmaster (Jan 9, 2014)

CastingPearls said:


> I can't find this book anywhere and Amazon only has it in audiobook which completely defeats the purpose. *sigh*



Check this: http://www.amazon.com/J.-J.-Abrams/e/B00EPGROHC/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1389308722&sr=8-1


----------



## CastingPearls (Jan 9, 2014)

Webmaster said:


> Check this: http://www.amazon.com/J.-J.-Abrams/e/B00EPGROHC/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1389308722&sr=8-1


Thank you!


----------



## ConnieLynn (Jan 10, 2014)

I saw an interview with one of the authors and thought the concept looked interesting. Glad to hear from someone actually reading it.




Webmaster said:


> Finished "Ship of Theseus" by V. M. Straka, but that's not really the author, only a fictional writer who even in the book the book is about may or may not actually exist, and the whole story is contemplated and argued not in the book, but in handwritten notes scribbled into the margins of a library book that passes back and forth between a Lit major and a disgraced grad student who then fall in love. And the book is full of inserts like paper napkins with scribbling on it, post cards, drafts of letters and all. Wild. Really wild. I haven't seen anything like it.


----------



## Amaranthine (Jan 14, 2014)

*2666* by Roberto Bolaño.

I'm only 1/4th through, but I'm delighted by how poetic the writing is. The plot seems to move rather slowly, but it seems full of quotable moments (at least, to me.) And because I don't really have anywhere else to quote it...

"Calm is the one thing that will never let us down. And Amalfitano said: everything else lets us down? And the voice: yes, that's right, it's hard to admit, I mean it's hard to have to admit it to you, but that's the honest-to-God truth...

So everything lets us down, including curiosity and honesty and what we love best. Yes, said the voice, but cheer up, it's fun in the end."


----------



## spookytwigg (Jan 15, 2014)

Currently most of the way through "the ocean at the end of the lane" by Neil Gaiman. Touching and creepy so far.


----------



## Iannathedriveress (Jan 15, 2014)

The Planet of the Apes by Pierre Boulle


----------



## hots_towel (Jan 16, 2014)

hooo boy. I can never just read 1 book (but I always finish what I start). i pick up one, and then i get interested in another. 

-Star Wars: Darth Bane (rule of two)
-The Saga of the Volsungs
-Return of the King
-Infantry Attacks (Erwin Rommel)
-On point (Vietnam war diary)
-The norse myths


----------



## Iannathedriveress (Jan 22, 2014)

Girls Aloud Dreams That Glitter Our Story


----------



## PunkyGurly74 (Jan 22, 2014)

Webmaster said:


> Finished "Ship of Theseus" by V. M. Straka, but that's not really the author, only a fictional writer who even in the book the book is about may or may not actually exist, and the whole story is contemplated and argued not in the book, but in handwritten notes scribbled into the margins of a library book that passes back and forth between a Lit major and a disgraced grad student who then fall in love. And the book is full of inserts like paper napkins with scribbling on it, post cards, drafts of letters and all. Wild. Really wild. I haven't seen anything like it.



I'm very late to the party here..but, the posts reminded me of the Griffin & Sabine trilogy by Nick Bantock (http://www.amazon.com/dp/0877017883/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20) a surreal correspondence between two people connected telepathically through these beautiful post cards and letters..(I know sounds out) they are thin books..but, I enjoyed them...


----------



## Iannathedriveress (Jan 31, 2014)

Jurassic Park by Michael Chricton


----------



## spookytwigg (Feb 1, 2014)

Good omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman

I've read it tonnes of times, but it's one of my favourites.


----------



## TwilightStarr (Feb 1, 2014)

Bared to You - Sylvia Day


----------



## Fuzzy (Feb 2, 2014)

Trying to finish "Master and Commander" - Patrick O'Brian ( which I may re-read now that I'm starting to understand the vocabulary about sails, ships, crewmen, etc.)


----------



## one2one (Feb 2, 2014)

The Best Seat in the House by Allen Rucker and Shotgun Lovesongs by Nickolas Butler


----------



## CastingPearls (Feb 3, 2014)

Winter's Bone - Daniel Woodrell


----------



## Tracyarts (Feb 5, 2014)

On the reading menu this week, a nostalgic and trashy little trip down memory lane with three novels that my friends and I were forbidden to read when we were pre-teens, but managed to sneak copies of them around anyway. 

Wifey, Valley of the Dolls, and Peyton Place. 

I had hoped that my local library would have Lace, Scruples, and Hollywood Wives too. But no. I'll have to keep my eyes open for them at the used bookstore and thrift shops. 

Tracy


----------



## Rojodi (Feb 8, 2014)

"Empire State" ~ Adam Christopher


----------



## ConnieLynn (Feb 10, 2014)

CastingPearls said:


> Winter's Bone - Daniel Woodrell



Rare case of both book and movie being unforgettable.


----------



## Iannathedriveress (Feb 13, 2014)

Thunderball by Ian Fleming


----------



## CastingPearls (Feb 13, 2014)

I Am Legend - Richard Matheson


----------



## Admiral_Snackbar (Feb 13, 2014)

Ernest Cline's *Ready Player One*. If you're a child of the 80s, it's basically porn. If you're not, try porn; you'll be bored as fuck otherwise because, Dearly Beloved, we are gathered here today to get through this thing called Economic Dystopian Fantasy. 

Cline takes hyper-nostalgia to a new level, imagining a future where a Bill Gatesian Howard Hughes leaves Easter Eggs in his world-addicted MMORPG to determine who will get his fortune. It has some high points, but it gets predictable very quickly to the point where I want the author to just screw Matthew Broderick in the time-traveling DeLorean and get it over with. I would expect it's better in the audiobook version, read by Wil Wheaton (think of Caligula where Wes Crusher is Malcolm McDowell's eponymous lead, the orgy participants are all wearing Swatches and there's no naked Helen Mirren ANYWHERE), but I read through it once already and once is enough.


----------



## Jigen (Feb 14, 2014)

Tolstoj, _Anna Karenina_.


----------



## ConnieLynn (Feb 14, 2014)

I'm reading lite this week, burned out on serious. 

Fannie Flagg - The All-Girl Filling Station's Last Reunion
Shannon Hill - Gone Crazy 
Tony Dunbar - Trick Question


----------



## Esther (Feb 15, 2014)

American Gods, by Neil Gaiman. It's one of the best books I've ever read.


----------



## spookytwigg (Feb 15, 2014)

Esther said:


> American Gods, by Neil Gaiman. It's one of the best books I've ever read.


One of my favourite (if not my very favourite) books ever. So unbelievably good.


----------



## Esther (Feb 15, 2014)

spookytwigg said:


> One of my favourite (if not my very favourite) books ever. So unbelievably good.



Unbelievable is the right word for it! I can't get over how much I love this book. I can't put it down! It's been a long time since a book really captivated me this way.

Did you hear it's in production to be a TV series?


----------



## spookytwigg (Feb 16, 2014)

Yep! Originally HBO were going to do it, but they've relinquished the rights so in not sure who has it now. I really hope who ever gets it treats it well.


----------



## Rojodi (Feb 16, 2014)

_American Gods_ always comes up for recommended reads for me, both on Barnes and Noble and Amazon websites. 

I think they're telling me something


----------



## Gingembre (Feb 16, 2014)

Morrissey's Autobiography. It's interesting, and I like it, but it's not an easy read!


----------



## Archetypus (Feb 25, 2014)

Two books I've read recently that I can highly recommend:

"100 Years of Solitude" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez.
A beautiful story told in the style of magical realism. It's about 7 generations of the Buendia family in the fictional Colombian city of Macondo. Brilliant prose & heartbreaking circumstances. Solitude & redemption being the major themes.

"A Confederacy of Dunces" by John K. Toole.
A somewhat surreal journey through 1960's New Orleans, following the misadventures of the protagonist, Ignatius Reilly. This might be the funniest thing I've ever read! I'm literally still laughing days after I've finished...


----------



## Fuzzy (Feb 26, 2014)

CastingPearls said:


> I Am Legend - Richard Matheson



I didn't know the book was a collection of short stories, the I am Legend story being the first, and sets the premise for the rest of the collection. What did you think of the other stories?


----------



## spookytwigg (Feb 26, 2014)

Raising steam by Terry Prattchet, I've had it since Christmas but haven't had enough concentration to read something new until now. So far I'm really glad I've got my focus back.


----------



## lille (Feb 26, 2014)

Scatter Shot by David Lovelace, it's a memoir.


----------



## dharmabean (Feb 26, 2014)

These are all for ARC (author review copies) or Publishers:

Stamps, Tramps and Vamps
The Dead Place
Blur
One of Us
Vigilance


----------



## Fuzzy (Feb 26, 2014)

Post Captain, Patrick O'Brian


----------



## Dr. Feelgood (Mar 1, 2014)

We're having an Oliver Sacks week at our house. I'm reading _Hallucinations_. My wife's reading _The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat_, which I read long ago and want to re-read when she finishes!


----------



## EMH1701 (Mar 1, 2014)

I'm reading God Emperor of Dune and about halfway through. I've never read the entire series.


----------



## ataraxia (Mar 1, 2014)

Dr. Feelgood said:


> We're having an Oliver Sacks week at our house. I'm reading _Hallucinations_. My wife's reading _The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat_, which I read long ago and want to re-read when she finishes!



Those are two of his best, in my opinion. I also highly recommend his Musicophilia if you haven't already read it.

Hallucinations pairs really well with any of the "wonders of science and rationality" writers - Dawkins, Deutsch, Sagan, etc. It goes a long way toward showing exactly how we could be mistaken about the various mystical or otherwise non-rational experiences that all of us have on occasion.


----------



## Highsteppa (Mar 2, 2014)

god Is Not Great - Christopher Hitchens


----------



## CastingPearls (Mar 2, 2014)

Psychopath Free ~ Peace


----------



## Aust99 (Mar 2, 2014)

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling


----------



## ataraxia (Mar 2, 2014)

Highsteppa said:


> god Is Not Great - Christopher Hitchens



Just read this one myself a few weeks ago. I decided I'd read "The Four Horsemen". So first I did The God Delusion, then Breaking the Spell, then this one, and now I'm in the middle of The End of Faith. All of these have been worth reading, with the first and the last being the best so far.


----------



## AuntHen (Mar 2, 2014)

*Mariana *by Susanna Kearsley



Her books are fiction, intertwined with historical facts. She is Canadian but bases most of her stories in the UK (Scotland and England).


----------



## Tracyarts (Mar 9, 2014)

I just finished "The Martian" by Andy Weir. Loved it!

I've got a copy of "Hollywood Wives" by Jackie Collins that I've been reading chapters here and there. 

I'm hoping to find something that looks interesting in the new addition shelf at the library Tuesday night.

Tracy


----------



## Amaranthine (Mar 9, 2014)

I just picked up: 

*Inherent Vice*, by Thomas Pynchon 

and 

*Breakfast of Champions*, by Kurt Vonnegut


from the library. Just started Inherent Vice, and it's really all I could have asked for. Pynchon's absurd, lewd humor and blatant satire works well for him.


----------



## AuntHen (Mar 19, 2014)

*The Orchard* by Jeffrey Stepakoff

I can already tell just a couple chapters in that I am going to really like this book.

Next will be...

*Olive Kitteridge* by Elizabeth Strout

I have high hopes for this one as it was a Pultizer Prize winner. We shall see...


----------



## MattB (Mar 19, 2014)

Reading "Ball Four" by Jim Bouton again for the first time in years just to cleanse the palate a bit before moving back into heavier reads.


----------



## snuggletiger (Mar 20, 2014)

Trying the Bible again 
This time Im at the Book of Exodus, hoping the larger print will help


----------



## Missamanda (Mar 20, 2014)

Picked up Horns by Joe Hill hoping to get it started tonight.


----------



## Jigen (Mar 29, 2014)

James C. Holt, _Robin Hood_


----------



## Chickidee (Mar 29, 2014)

A Storm of Swords - George RR Martin
Lord of the Rings - Tolkein


----------



## HottiMegan (Apr 1, 2014)

The veronica mars book. It came out last week, cant remember the exact title.


----------



## spiritangel (Apr 1, 2014)

Am about halfway through A Clash of Kings will def be avoiding GoT season 4 till I am past those books


----------



## ConnieLynn (Apr 1, 2014)

The Divergent series. Read books one and two in 2 days. Breaking with The Book Theif, then on to book three. Twelve Years a Slave after that. I have to read books before seeing movies


----------



## Post_Ironic (Apr 1, 2014)

_Dagny, or a Love Feast_~ Zurab Karumidze

A rather bizarre and phantasmagorical relating of the last days of that wild Norwegian dramatist, Dagny Juel. I'm only 50 pages in thus far, but what a magical book.


----------



## Post_Ironic (Apr 1, 2014)

Amaranthine said:


> I just picked up:
> 
> *Inherent Vice*, by Thomas Pynchon
> 
> ...



Pynchon is brilliant, alternating between the profound and the terribly crass, _Against the Day_ and _Gravity's Rainbow_ are my favourites of his. I hear that _Inherent Vice_ is being turned into a film by PTA. Joaquin Phoenix should be perfect as Doc.


----------



## Iannathedriveress (Apr 7, 2014)

The Invisible Man by H.G Wells


----------



## Jigen (Apr 21, 2014)

Jacques Le Goff, _Medieval Civilization_.


----------



## Extinctor100 (Apr 21, 2014)

_Tales of H.P. Lovecraft_ compiled by Joyce Carol Oates


----------



## dharmabean (Apr 21, 2014)

*Current Books I'm Reviewing:*

Policing the Paranormal

Not So Blind

Fear Alone

Night Scream

Sandman

Stamps, Vamps and Tramps


----------



## bmann0413 (Apr 22, 2014)

I'm getting around to reading Mockingjay right now. I'm a bit hesitant because Catching Fire kinda threw me for a loop.


----------



## HottiMegan (Apr 22, 2014)

I just finished My Boss is a Wanted Woman. I love a cheesy mystery.
Next up: Confessions of a Shopoholic I've had that sitting in my nook for years and haven't read it yet. (they used to do free book fridays, i don't know if they do that anymore.. I acquired a lot of books from that)


----------



## Mckee (Apr 24, 2014)

"Desolation Road" by Ian McDonald


----------



## hots_towel (Apr 24, 2014)

well i just finished "Wizard's first rule" and "A game of thrones" and I cant say for sure if I want the next one in either series (im almost positive I wont get a clash of kings)

Right now im reading "What it is like to go to War" by Karl Marlentes and its great! really something to chew on


----------



## AuntHen (Apr 25, 2014)

*The House on Tradd Street* by Karen White


----------



## The Dark Lady (Apr 25, 2014)

_The English "Loathly Lady" Tales: Boundaries, Traditions, Motifs_ -- Edited by S. Elizabeth Passmore and Susan Carter


----------



## Iannathedriveress (May 8, 2014)

The Lost World by Michael Crichton


----------



## The Dark Lady (May 9, 2014)

_Tuck Everlasting_ (and Related Readings) by Natalie Babbitt


----------



## Snow Angel (May 11, 2014)

I'm not reading one right now but plan to start reading The Help soon.


----------



## TwilightStarr (May 13, 2014)

The King by JR Ward


----------



## lille (May 13, 2014)

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot


----------



## Jigen (May 14, 2014)

J.K. Rowling, _Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone_


----------



## KHayes666 (May 19, 2014)

The One Day Contract - Rick Pitino

Then Russell Said to Bird - Donald Hubbard

Born Ready - Dave Ungrady

They Call Me Coach - John Wooden


----------



## spiritangel (May 20, 2014)

I am reading The Fairfield Curse then it will be back to A Song of Ice and Fire and reading book 3 part 2


----------



## DELIMAN092262 (May 23, 2014)

Culture of Corruption by Michelle Malkin


----------



## Iannathedriveress (May 26, 2014)

Car Guys vs Bean Counters by Bob Lutz


----------



## snuggletiger (May 27, 2014)

Pearl Harbor by Time Life Books


----------



## KHayes666 (May 29, 2014)

Driven From Within - Michael Jordan


----------



## Anjula (May 29, 2014)

Im currently reading the Warcraft and WoW series. I decided its time since I can play the game for days.

Also Im looking for some highly erotic romance, so if anyone has any sugestions please let me know. Everything Ive found so far is so stupidly shallow, females are always dull, empty, self concious, looking for love losers, and I wanna read about confident woman having tons of awesome sex and NOT looking for a prince to save her


----------



## Iannathedriveress (May 29, 2014)

The Cardinal of the Kremlin by Tom Clancy


----------



## Iannathedriveress (Jun 22, 2014)

Black Sunday by Thomas Harris


----------



## spiritangel (Jun 23, 2014)

Just started A Storm of Swords 2: Blood and Gold


I loved Wizards first rule and the other books in the series though I am woefully behind


if I had not run out of rep I would have repped for reading Harry Potter  love those books


----------



## CPProp (Jun 24, 2014)

Vulcan 607 by Roland White  story of the trials and tribulations of undertaking the longest bomb run by a British bomber, over 8,000miles.


----------



## lucca23v2 (Jun 24, 2014)

Your Logo is irrelevant (for work)
Gray Justice by Alan McDermont (finished)

Then I always have my Classics, Emma, Pride and Prejudice, The Prince, A Mid Summers Night Dream laying around to re-read.


----------



## Saisha (Jun 24, 2014)

The Oxford Companion To Ships & The Sea - I.C.B. Dear & Peter Kemp


----------



## DELIMAN092262 (Jul 10, 2014)

Rush Limbaugh, An Army of One by Zev Chaffets.


----------



## Iannathedriveress (Jul 26, 2014)

She's Not There: A Life In Two Genders by Jennifer Finney Boylan


----------



## rellis10 (Jul 26, 2014)

I just started reading The Three by Sarah Lotz. A promising start and I'm looking forward to getting into the real meat of this book very soon.


----------



## Dr. Feelgood (Jul 26, 2014)

_There is no God and He is Always with You_ by Brad Warner.


----------



## Saisha (Jul 26, 2014)

_Endurance_ - by Frank A. Worsley (captain of Endurance) and also _Hardanger Embroidery_ by Frederique Marfaing.


----------



## lille (Jul 27, 2014)

Just finished A Song of Ice and Fire. I may start Animal Madness


----------



## spookytwigg (Jul 28, 2014)

Currently reading Grailblazers by Tom Holt, so far it is pretty good.


----------



## Amaranthine (Jul 29, 2014)

Finished Jane Eyre. 

Started Albion - which traces the origins of English artistic and literary culture. 

Plan to read Wuthering Heights, to get my Byronic hero fix wubu

And slowly but surely getting through some reading on economics, programming, and [ostensibly] God.


----------



## DELIMAN092262 (Aug 10, 2014)

Just finished “Things that Matter” by Charles Krauthammer. A good read if you are into politics.

Just started “Blood Feud” by Edward Klein. Subtitled "The Clintons vs. the Obamas."


----------



## Rojodi (Aug 10, 2014)

"Faceoff" edited by David Baldacci


----------



## ConnieLynn (Aug 11, 2014)

Put aside: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. Everyone tells me it's wonderful, but I just can't get into it. I'll pick it back up later. 

Just finished: Explosive Eighteen by Janet Evanovich. They aren't as good as they used to be, but still a fun read when I need something light.

Currently reading: Bad Blood by Dana Stabenow. It's the 20th in what has been one of my favorite series, but this one just isn't doing it for me. I think she's burned out on the series.

Next: On the other hand, I have James Lee Burke's Light of the World waiting to be savored, and he just gets better and better.


----------



## spookytwigg (Aug 11, 2014)

Just started Falling Sideways by Tom Holt. It's started off strongly, just hoping I can keep my brain focused enough to keep enjoying it.


----------



## MsBrightside (Aug 11, 2014)

Amaranthine said:


> *Finished Jane Eyre.*
> 
> Started Albion - which traces the origins of English artistic and literary culture.
> 
> ...



My all-time favorite book! :wubu: I also really liked the 2006 BBC miniseries version of _Jane Eyre _with Toby Stephens and Ruth Wilson. The director added a hotness factor between Jane and Mr. Rochester that went beyond the original text, but I think it stayed true to the spirit of the book. If the feelings between them weren't so strong, it wouldn't have been such a temptation for Jane to stay and such a sacrifice for her to leave him.


----------



## Iannathedriveress (Aug 12, 2014)

Whipping Girl: A Transsexual Woman On Sexism and the Scapegoating On Femininity by Julia Serano


----------



## Deacone (Aug 12, 2014)

The Unapologetic Fat Girl's Guide to Exercise and Other Incendiary Acts by Hanne Blank


----------



## EMH1701 (Aug 16, 2014)

I'm about 2/3 of the way through re-reading Belgarath the Sorcerer, in-between doing homework. I haven't read it for years, so I got it in Kindle format.


----------



## one2one (Aug 16, 2014)

Cathedral of the Wild: An African Journey Home by Boyd Varty


----------



## DELIMAN092262 (Aug 16, 2014)

Just finished Blood Feud by Edward Klein. Good read especially if you are into politics.


----------



## spookytwigg (Aug 17, 2014)

Just got a load of new reads while in Nottingham, currently reading the first volume if Matt Fractions Hawkeye, it's really rather good.


----------



## Jigen (Aug 18, 2014)

Marc Bloch, _Feudal Society_


----------



## HottiMegan (Aug 18, 2014)

on a whim, i restarted the Hunger Games trilogy


----------



## Green Eyed Fairy (Aug 21, 2014)

HottiMegan said:


> on a whim, i restarted the Hunger Games trilogy




Everyone I know that's read them says they are good. I have started a new book last night on my e-reader called Hostile Witness- free Amazon download- pretty good so far.


----------



## Rojodi (Aug 21, 2014)

I downloaded "James Potter" books, written about the children of Harry, Ron, and Hermione.


----------



## Fuzzy (Aug 21, 2014)

The Reverse of the Medal (Book 11 of 20 in the Aubrey/Maturin series) by Patrick O'Brian. 

Wonderfully written historical fiction series set in the British Royal Navy before,during and after the Napoleonic Wars. See also "Master and Commander, The Far Side of the World"

I'm averaging three books a month.


----------



## Amaranthine (Aug 21, 2014)

I thought this might be worth mentioning: 

https://www.humblebundle.com/books

Maybe if you wanted something new to read, or were looking for some variety without spending too much. Plus it goes to a good cause


----------



## Iannathedriveress (Aug 30, 2014)

The Danish Girl by David Ebershoff


----------



## firefly (Aug 30, 2014)

Kerstin Giers Ruby Red Trilogy - thrilling so I keep on reading.


----------



## spookytwigg (Aug 31, 2014)

Crooked little vein by Warren Ellis 

So far it's a crazy filthy ride across America. So far it is very good.


----------



## Admiral_Snackbar (Sep 3, 2014)

Michel Faber's Under the Skin. I watched all the WTFery with the Euro arthouse wannabe film disguised as a sci-fi thriller and a completely non-erotic, naked Scarlett Johansson for 2 hours. So far the novel is much better, and I'm able to actually interpret all the backstory and satire that the movie lacks.


----------



## ConnieLynn (Sep 3, 2014)

Amazon finally has a unlimited e-book deal. $10 a month and the selection isn't bad. I'm trying it free for a month. 

I'm reading The Giver (all 4 books) by Lowry.

Then Winter's Tale by Helprin. I read it years ago, but want to revisit.


----------



## Archetypus (Sep 7, 2014)

Just finished "Lolita" by Nabakov. 

Also "Love In the Time of Cholera" by Marquez .

Both considered to be classics. You be the judge...



Starting "Christianity: the first 3,000 years" by MacCulloch.


----------



## Amaranthine (Sep 8, 2014)

I just finished Wuthering Heights. From things people had said in the past, I was really looking forward to it. I almost wish I had never read it. Sometimes books have this ability to shake my disposition, and never has a book managed to fill me with such hatred and contempt like that one. 

On the other hand, I've also been reading Pale Fire and that's divine. Nabokov's divine command of beautiful language and rhythm translates perfectly into verse. And there's no lack of his quirkiness in the prose.


----------



## Saisha (Sep 8, 2014)

Got in 2 new books today - The Real Cost of Fracking and A Mind For Numbers. Not sure which one I will start yet.


----------



## Blackjack_Jeeves (Sep 9, 2014)

Promised to read some Nicholas Sparks. In an effort to "cross-pollinate." The reverse effort was fruitful, now that I've spread the word on Terry Goodkind. Deciding on if I should jump into them "in order" of release, or just pick the better ones first. Or pick at random? ::shrug::


----------



## spookytwigg (Sep 9, 2014)

Just started the three stigmata of Palmer Eldritch by Philip K Dick, one of his popular ones that I still hadn't read yet.


----------



## Dr. Feelgood (Sep 9, 2014)

_Fat Chance_ by Robert Lustig, M.D. I've always been sure obesity is not caused by gluttony and sloth, but now I know why.


----------



## lille (Sep 9, 2014)

Amaranthine said:


> On the other hand, I've also been reading Pale Fire and that's divine. Nabokov's divine command of beautiful language and rhythm translates perfectly into verse. And there's no lack of his quirkiness in the prose.



I may have to check that out. I loved Lolita because of his writing style.e


----------



## CastingPearls (Sep 9, 2014)

The last of the Maddaddam trilogy by Margaret Atwood. (First and second were excellent.)


----------



## Ohio Lady (Sep 15, 2014)

East Side of The Mountains by David Guterson


----------



## littlefairywren (Sep 15, 2014)

Perfume: The Story of a Murderer by Patrick Süskind. I'm loving it.


----------



## Green Eyed Fairy (Sep 18, 2014)

Rizzoli & Isles: Last To Die by Tess Gerritsen


----------



## ed1980 (Sep 18, 2014)

Just finished the foundation series. I read it every five or ten years, never get tired of it.


----------



## spookytwigg (Sep 19, 2014)

Just read "Fortunately, the milk" by Neil Gaiman (and illustraited by Skottie Young) It's meant for kids but I don't care, I loved it (and it was a needed brain break after the Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch)

My next book to read is "Flowers for Algernon" by Daniel Keyes a book I've heard about several times and have been meaning to read for an age.


----------



## Jigen (Sep 22, 2014)

Carlo Ginzburg, _I Benandanti_


----------



## Iannathedriveress (Sep 25, 2014)

I'm Looking Through You by Jennifer Finney Boylan


----------



## Jigen (Sep 26, 2014)

Eric Hobsbawm, _Fractured Times_


----------



## Green Eyed Fairy (Sep 26, 2014)

Kathy Reichs- Break No Bones


----------



## Fuzzy (Sep 26, 2014)

The Nutmeg of Consolation (Book 14) by Patrick O'Brian


----------



## Amaranthine (Oct 7, 2014)

I just finished Pride and Prejudice. And I hate to be like every other girl who's ever read it, but... :wubu:

Maybe I'll finally finish Lost Illusions by Balzac (heh) but pretentious French society gets tiresome quickly...


----------



## spookytwigg (Oct 7, 2014)

So I finished flowers for Algernon... Sweet Christ that book is heart wrenching. 

Currently reading a wolverine graphic novel to try and sort my mood out again.


----------



## FluffyButterfly80 (Oct 7, 2014)

spookytwigg said:


> So I finished flowers for Algernon... Sweet Christ that book is heart wrenching.
> 
> Currently reading a wolverine graphic novel to try and sort my mood out again.



I have yet to read Flowers for Algernon. I've heard wonderful things. I'll remember to grab the tissues!


----------



## FluffyButterfly80 (Oct 7, 2014)

I have gotten out of the habit of reading over recent years.. i used to read 6+ books a month... i was obsessed with reading. I moved to Rhode Island and got into the habit ov books on CD's (because everywhere you drive- you are in the car at least a half an hour lol) and I went to massage school while working full time- so i never had time to physically read a non school book. I've gotten SO MANY books done by BOoks on CD... but once i got out of school and had time again, i was out of the habit of reading, thanks to my books on CD. I've been slowly trying to get back in to it.

I recently read "The Fault in our Stars" and I have had "The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak in process for months now! I'm gonna have to pick it up and get through it once and for all!

Next up: "Gone Girl"


----------



## Iannathedriveress (Oct 13, 2014)

Trans-Sister Radio by Chris Bohjalian


----------



## wrenchboy (Oct 13, 2014)

Hidden Order by Brad Thor. Similar to Tom Clancy but with a bit more action
I also read some of The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich when I get a wild hair up my ass. Facinating book about real history explaining how Hitler came into polotics and why the people voted for him without going into all the nasty things they did. VERY long book. So far I am about 3/4 of the way through after starting 7 years ago.


----------



## spookytwigg (Oct 14, 2014)

The left hand of darkness by Ursula K LeGuin, another sci fi classic I've been meaning to read for an age.


----------



## Jigen (Oct 14, 2014)

Carlo Lucarelli, Massimo Picozzi; _Serial Killer: Storia di un'ossessione omicida_


----------



## Deacone (Oct 15, 2014)

It doesn't probably count as reading an actual book, but I'm currently catching up with 600 odd pages of a webcomic called Go Get a Roomie! Which is absolutely astounding


----------



## fat hiker (Oct 15, 2014)

Capital in the 21st Century, by Piketty. A well written, surprisingly easy to read 'tome', and if you want to know where the economy is going and what we can do about it, a must-read. Just introductory chapter, on income distribution and inequality since the Industrial revolution started, plus how we ended up with such glorious times for the middle class in the 1950s and 1960s, is worth reading alone.


----------



## Green Eyed Fairy (Oct 18, 2014)

Tailspin by Catherine Coulter


----------



## Jigen (Oct 21, 2014)

Dino Buzzati, _Il Deserto dei Tartari_


----------



## shadowedmorning (Oct 21, 2014)

Tuesdays with Morrie


----------



## Admiral_Snackbar (Oct 26, 2014)

I'm twenty pages into House of Leaves and already I feel this townhome must be growing another room.


----------



## penguin (Oct 26, 2014)

_A Breath of Snow and Ashes_, the sixth book in the Outlander series. I've been devouring them and I'm hopelessly addicted. It's verra, verra hard to stop slipping Scottishness into my thoughts and speech. Whoops.


----------



## ataraxia (Oct 26, 2014)

Admiral_Snackbar said:


> I'm twenty pages into House of Leaves and already I feel this townhome must be growing another room.



For best effect, listen to the album "Haunted" by Poe while reading this book. The two of them are brother and sister, and the album has a bunch of references and tie-ins.


----------



## Jigen (Oct 27, 2014)

Jane Austen, _Pride and prejudice_ I never wanted to read it, but I must admit it's a really interesting and fun reading.


----------



## Blackjack (Oct 27, 2014)

The worst thing is getting to the last chapters of a book and having that panic preemptively of not knowing what to read next.

Currently finishing up _The Dosadi Experiment_.


----------



## one2one (Oct 28, 2014)

You're Not Lost if You Can Still See the Truck: The Further Adventures of America's Everyman Outdoorsman by Bill Heavey. It's very funny!


----------



## hots_towel (Oct 28, 2014)

closing in on the end of "The last wish" by Andrzej Sapkowski. Only the first book and Old Sap is already my second favorite fantasy author (second only to Tolkein of course). 

also somewhere in the middle of "Storm of steel." Junger really likes to recap the less important details and everyday life in the trenches, which is nice sometimes, but kinda dull the rest of the time


----------



## Jigen (Oct 31, 2014)

Erns Kantorowicz, _Frederick II_ I wonder if it's not too much of a challenge...


----------



## Iannathedriveress (Nov 1, 2014)

Redefining Realness: My Path To Womanhood, Identity, Love, & So Much More by Janet Mock


----------



## Amaranthine (Nov 4, 2014)

Just read _Steppenwolf_ by Hesse. An absolutely perfect book if you're feeling particularly alienated and disillusioned in/with the world. It's a magically philosophical, hedonistic romp that's strangely comforting. Like a hug in the middle of an orgy that you're not sure how you got into. 

Onto _Cat's Cradle_, Vonnegut.


----------



## penguin (Nov 4, 2014)

I'm up to _An Echo in the Bone_, the 7th Outlander book. As much as I love these books, if they could travel by ship and NOT get attacked, it'd be great. I'm kind of over that. As my mother warned me, it does get a bit rich with how many major historical events they stumble upon, but I can let that slide.


----------



## spookytwigg (Nov 4, 2014)

After a few challenging (but rewarding) classic sci fi books I've decided to go for something a little lighter. I'm just about to start Witch Week by Diana Wynne Jones.


----------



## Yakatori (Nov 4, 2014)

Just when I was starting to make real progress with my hipster-phobia, a niece is beginning to learn to read & really likes being read-to.

So, two I won't be recommending, _For the Love of Autumn_ by Patricia Polacco and _Arthur, It's only Rock 'N' Roll_ by Marc Brown.

The first one start out normally-enough. A young, idealistic teacher moves away from home for work. And loses her cat, that's been her crutch thus-far throughout her singledom. Enter some mustachioed hipster that said cat runs away-to. TL-DR, the End. 

Next, these bizarre, little anthropomorphized animal-children decide to start their own band, because that's pretty cool. But some of them don't really take it as seriously as some others; who, not so coincidentally (surprise!/spoiler-alert!) don't think selling-out/cashing-in is the right thing to. Enter the BackStreet Boys, because this book is like more than 10 years old since I took it out of the library. The End. 
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCbHWtfjAak[/ame]'


----------



## spiritangel (Nov 4, 2014)

The Glass Magician by Charlie M Holmberg 

loved the paper magician (first in the series) and am enjoying this one to so far it is a very different sort of magic story


----------



## Iannathedriveress (Nov 13, 2014)

Canary: The Courageous and Moving Story of a Transsexual by Canary Conn


----------



## stoneyman (Nov 14, 2014)

Think and Grow Rich

old book about having right attitude changes your world.
and it works.


----------



## DELIMAN092262 (Nov 14, 2014)

Finished The Liberty Amendments by Mark Levin. A good book if you care about constitutional government.

Just started a dated book Unhinged: Exposing Liberals Gone Wild by Michelle Malkin.


----------



## Amaranthine (Nov 15, 2014)

It might be nice if, occasionally, people allowed themselves to ramble about a book a little bit. If desired, of course. It's nice to get a perspective on what other people thought of something; a good way to get an idea of whether to read it. 

Anyway...

_Anthem_ - My first taste of Ayn Rand. The shortness of it made it acceptable, and I've been told I wouldn't like her other stuff. An interesting read, at least, in the same category as 1984 and other lightly politically themed dystopian novels. 

_The Phantom of the Opera_ - I've never seen the movie or the musical, but people always seemed to romanticize it. Jesus, it's creepy. Good mix of a character being both unsettling/threatening, yet pitiable at times. 

_Cat's Cradle_ - An absolute delight. Vonnegut, at his best, has the magical talent of tucking profound thoughts into very simple, accessible writing. 

_If on a winter's night a traveler_ - About half done. An odd book; it's done partially in 2nd person. Not something you'll typically come across. The rest of the book is partially told other novels, which you come across throughout the 2nd person narrative. Great voice throughout.


----------



## Green Eyed Fairy (Nov 17, 2014)

Amaranthine said:


> It might be nice if, occasionally, people allowed themselves to ramble about a book a little bit. If desired, of course. It's nice to get a perspective on what other people thought of something; a good way to get an idea of whether to read it.
> 
> Anyway...
> 
> ...




Lol, I tried to rep you but alas, I'm out of rep. It's nice to finally know that someone else besides myself has read Anthem.
Ayn Rand's We The Living is a good one, too.


----------



## balletguy (Nov 22, 2014)

Gone Girl...its freaking good.


----------



## EMH1701 (Nov 23, 2014)

Dragonfly in Amber. It's really good.


----------



## Rojodi (Nov 28, 2014)

Catching up on some pulp magazine pdfs until I Christmas, when I receive a tablet and a gift card from Barnes and Noble.


----------



## spookytwigg (Nov 29, 2014)

I'm currently re reading the long earth by Terry Pratchett and Stephen Baxter as I intend to get the third part after Christmas.


----------



## ataraxia (Nov 29, 2014)

Rojodi said:


> Catching up on some pulp magazine pdfs until I Christmas, when I receive a tablet and a gift card from Barnes and Noble.



And that makes me think of the Japanese word "tsundoku": http://www.openculture.com/2014/07/tsundoku-should-enter-the-english-language.html


----------



## lille (Nov 30, 2014)

Amaranthine said:


> _The Phantom of the Opera_ - I've never seen the movie or the musical, but people always seemed to romanticize it. Jesus, it's creepy. Good mix of a character being both unsettling/threatening, yet pitiable at times.



Do you like it? I have a copy but haven't read it yet. I have seen the movie and saw the show on Broadway, which I highly recommend if you ever get the chance. It does get highly romanticized, probably partly because the signing is fantastic, but yes, Erik is terrifying and pitiable at the same time which is part of why I loved the show.


----------



## Amaranthine (Nov 30, 2014)

lille said:


> Do you like it? I have a copy but haven't read it yet. I have seen the movie and saw the show on Broadway, which I highly recommend if you ever get the chance. It does get highly romanticized, probably partly because the signing is fantastic, but yes, Erik is terrifying and pitiable at the same time which is part of why I loved the show.



I'd like to see at least the movie. But your recommendation is definitely noted!

I thought it was a pretty quick read, but there's apparently different versions. The one that pops up on Google first is apparently 300 something pages; the one I read was around 190. 

It went a little slow at times, especially the beginning. But I certainly liked it overall - I felt like I had to power through the last quarter, at least, to know how it all played out. But since you probably already know that: the writing is very gothic and it makes the setting seem very rich. The author does well to impart a very dark/romantic feeling to it. It could be worth reading for that alone.


----------



## Iannathedriveress (Dec 5, 2014)

Christine Jorgensen: A Personal Autobiography


----------



## ODFFA (Dec 7, 2014)

Recently finished The Satanic Bible. I knew the bare outline of La Vey's philosophy, but actually reading the book was quite enlightening, and kind of uplifting. I absolutely adore his writing too.

Almost done with an Afrikaans autobiography I started a few days ago. It makes me feel less and less motivated to read anything in Afrikaans. The tone is just always so nausiatingly stilted. I dunno....

Now I'm a few pages into Tears In Rain by Rosa Montero. All I know about this one is that it's sci-fi. Very pleasant writing though, and I'm starting to get drawn in quite nicely. Which doesn't happen very easily with me, unfortunately.


----------



## wrenchboy (Dec 8, 2014)

Tom Clancy Command Authority. I think that it is one of his last books.


----------



## lille (Dec 9, 2014)

Understories by Tim Horvath. It's an interesting collection of short stories. Some are your traditional short story, there's one about a old man living in NH who was a professor in Germany before WWII and had to flee during Hitler's rise to power. Others are more sci-fi, there's one with a post apocalypse feel that's set in a city that was made entirely of restaurants. There's a story where the main character is a professor of umbrology, the study of shadows. He's got an interesting writing style and uses an eclectic vocabulary. I'm enjoying it. As a side note, he's also a really cool guy, I chatted with him and Joe King (Stephen King's son who writes as Joe Hill) in a bookstore last weekend for about half an hour. He teaches at an art school and previously worked in a psychiatric hospital. Very cool guy and a really different book.


----------



## Iannathedriveress (Dec 19, 2014)

Excluded: Making Feminist and Queer Movements More Inclusive by Julia Serano


----------



## fuelingfire (Dec 31, 2014)

I just finished Tom Clancy’s Patriot Games and loved it. So now I started Clear and Present Danger. Patriot Games was an instant page turner. Clear and Present Danger is starting off much slower.


----------



## veggieforever (Jan 1, 2015)

*I'm reading AND LOVING the 'Oh She Glows' recipe book. Yes, I am a gal who can read about food! lol The best part is the pictures because everything looks simply amazing! Made healthy, 5 ingredient, Vegan Rolo's (yes, healthy and plant based) a week or so ago and oh boy, I'm in love!! Try and make them yourself! I swear, you will not be disappointed.

http://ohsheglows.com/2012/10/17/homemade-rolo-knock-offs-vegan-gluten-free-5-ingredients/

Recipe books are my porn! lol 10/10!! :bow:*


----------



## Jigen (Jan 1, 2015)

First of all, happy new year my fellow bookworms.  I've recently started reading _Frecce dal Passato_, by Carlo Dalessi.


----------



## Rojodi (Jan 1, 2015)

I purchased some "Megapacks" for my new Nook - Time travel 1 and 2, Ghost Story, Horror, and Baseball. What can I say: I like short stories.


----------



## Deacone (Jan 1, 2015)

I'm reading The Hobbit!


----------



## spookytwigg (Jan 5, 2015)

I'm currently reading The Art of Asking by Amanda Palmer. It's half auto biography and half self help book, it's really good (but I may be biased because I'm a massive fan)


----------



## Iannathedriveress (Jan 5, 2015)

I'll Give You Something to Cry About by Jennifer Finney Boylan


----------



## MattB (Jan 5, 2015)

Started the complete works of H.P. Lovecraft on Kindle. Read it all before but it feels like aeons since then.


----------



## spookytwigg (Jan 6, 2015)

MattB said:


> Started the complete works of H.P. Lovecraft on Kindle. Read it all before but it feels like aeons since then.



I love the Lovecraft stuff. I'm currently running a game of Call of Cthulhu (the pen and paper RPG) with some of my friends.


----------



## penguin (Jan 6, 2015)

I've just finished _The Fiery Cross_, the fifth book in Diana Gabaldon's _Outlander_ series (again). Now I'm trying to decide whether to move onto the sixth book in the series, or onto Patrick Rothfuss's _The Slow Regard of Silent Things_. I haven't read that one before, so I should, but I want to complete the other series again.


----------



## penguin (Jan 6, 2015)

I was given _All My Friends Are Dead_ today, and as the blurb says its "the saddest funny book and the funniest sad book you'll ever read." It's cute and had me chortling and feeling sad for these characters.


----------



## Iannathedriveress (Jan 7, 2015)

Nevada by Imogen Binnie


----------



## SuperMishe (Jan 7, 2015)

I've just started Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker by Jennifer Chiaverini. I read all of her books (17) in the Elm Creek Quilts series and enjoyed them very much. This one seems like more of a non-fiction book about the civil war with some dress making thrown in.


----------



## Deacone (Jan 9, 2015)

Still reading The Hobbit, nearly finished. Will be moving onto The Girl in the Box series


----------



## Iannathedriveress (Jan 20, 2015)

The World According to Garp by John Irving


----------



## Jigen (Jan 27, 2015)

Benedetto Croce, _Teory and History of Historiography_. The hardest book I have ever red.


----------



## Sunshine_Fette (Jan 27, 2015)

A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
(i've never seen the show)


----------



## mermaid8 (Jan 28, 2015)

Reconstructing Amelia by Kimberly McCreight. 
If you liked gone girl the novel not the incomplete movie version you will probably like this book too.


----------



## wrenchboy (Jan 28, 2015)

American Sniper. 
I usually like to read the book first but did not get a chance. By the way the movie was absolutely amazing. More a drama than an action movie but it has both.


----------



## wrenchboy (Jan 28, 2015)

Is anyone familiar with the writing of Jimmy Buffet?
A guy was telling me about his novels and short stories. I like his music but I am not a parrot head.


----------



## Iannathedriveress (Jan 29, 2015)

Blue is the Warmest Color by Julie Maroh


----------



## spookytwigg (Jan 29, 2015)

Unnatural Creatures (a collection of short stories about mythical beasts) 

Also lots of comics, started All new X-factor. It's really good but I've already found out its been cancelled.


----------



## Deacone (Jan 30, 2015)

Alone (The Girl in the Box Book 1) by Robert J. Crane


----------



## lille (Jan 31, 2015)

spookytwigg said:


> Unnatural Creatures (a collection of short stories about mythical beasts)


That sounds like something I'd love. Who's it by?



I'm currently reading Damned by Chuck Palahniuk. I'm 80 pages in and I'm still not quite sure what to make of it and if I like it or not. It's a bizarre book.


----------



## spookytwigg (Feb 1, 2015)

lille said:


> That sounds like something I'd love. Who's it by?



Neil Gaiman picked the stories (and wrote one of them) but they're a mix of fantasy authors. Dianna wynne jones is one of the people. Lots that I don't know.


----------



## lille (Feb 1, 2015)

spookytwigg said:


> Neil Gaiman picked the stories (and wrote one of them) but they're a mix of fantasy authors. Dianna wynne jones is one of the people. Lots that I don't know.



Then I definitely have to check it out. I haven't read a ton of Gaiman but I've loved what I have read.


----------



## spookytwigg (Feb 1, 2015)

He's one of my very favourite authors.


----------



## lille (Feb 1, 2015)

spookytwigg said:


> He's one of my very favourite authors.



I've read a few of his short stories, Stardust, and Good Omens which he co-wrote with Terry Pratchett who I also adore. If you haven't read it I highly recommend it.


----------



## spookytwigg (Feb 1, 2015)

I love Good omens. It's how I ended up getting into him. I'm a massive Terry Pratchett fan too and have been reading his books since I was 9 (ish).


----------



## Iannathedriveress (Feb 3, 2015)

Breakfast on Pluto by Patrick McCabe


----------



## Tracyarts (Feb 4, 2015)

"Rama 2" - By Arthur C Clarke and Gentry Lee.


----------



## Adamantoise (Feb 5, 2015)

The QI Book of Quotations 'Advanced Banter' by John Lloyd and John Mitchinson.


----------



## ClashCityRocker (Feb 6, 2015)

On the Road by Kerouac...for the millionth time. started it on a cross-country train. seemed appropriate.


----------



## Iannathedriveress (Feb 9, 2015)

Mark 947: A Life Shaped by God, Gender and Force of Will by Calpernia Sarah Addams


----------



## Jigen (Feb 11, 2015)

Henri Pirenne, _Economic and social history of Medieval Europe_.


----------



## Deacone (Feb 11, 2015)

The Girl In the Box (Book 3) by Robert J. Crane


----------



## fat hiker (Feb 17, 2015)

The Bright Silver Star, by David Handler. 

A murder mystery, in which one of the victims, Donna, who is described as short and round, gets these great lines: "Me, I like a full-bodied man. A man whose ass is bigger than mine. That's all any woman wants."


----------



## MattB (Feb 17, 2015)

Just downloaded The Barrytown Trilogy by Roddy Doyle, which I plan to start reading in about 20 minutes or so.


----------



## Xyantha Reborn (Feb 20, 2015)

Just finished last Wheel of Time book. Given all the loose ends, the writer did a good job, and focused on closure....but it felt so all over the place, like flash forwards for hundreds of pages. At least i have personal "series" closure.

Reading El Darado...its interesting. Wouldnt be a normal pick, but enjoying it!


----------



## Iannathedriveress (Feb 20, 2015)

Stuck in the Middle with You: A Memoir of Parenting in Three Genders by Jennifer Finney Boylan


----------



## wrestlingguy (Feb 20, 2015)

Reading "Fat Kids" by Rebecca Jane Weinstein. Got it as a Christmas gift, but just getting around to reading it now.


----------



## southerngyrl (Feb 22, 2015)

spookytwigg said:


> He's one of my very favourite authors.


 
I noticed you said Neil Gaimon is one of your favorite authors. A friend recently made me read _American Gods_. He said he thought I would like the theme since I am always saying that anything can be a god in your life if you make it one. Anyway, I just thought the book was ok. Since I wasnt overly enthused with it, I havent read anything else by Gaimon. Would you say _American Gods _is a good overall representation of his work or is there something else by him you would recommend someone reading before giving up on Gaimon completely?


----------



## MattB (Feb 28, 2015)

MattB said:


> Just downloaded The Barrytown Trilogy by Roddy Doyle, which I plan to start reading in about 20 minutes or so.



Struggling to make it through. I'm reading The Snapper right now, but Doyle's style feels real choppy to me. If you've read the stories you'll know what I mean. 

Also, I now say "Jaysis" way too much. Albeit in an Ottawa accent.


----------



## Jigen (Mar 3, 2015)

Hannah Arendt, _Eichmann in Jerusalem: A report on the banality of Evil_.


----------



## Green Eyed Fairy (Mar 3, 2015)

Fatal Burn by Lisa Jackson


----------



## dharmabean (Mar 3, 2015)

Current book I'm reading for review on my review blog: 
Haunted Book Case

Girl on the Pier

Abandoned time and again by those he holds dear, Patrick Clement is forging a reputation as a forensic sculptor, helping to identify the unclaimed missing. But he can’t leave behind a remarkable summer night in 1993, spent alone on Brighton’s derelict West Pier with Black, a beautiful photography student. Patrick is haunted by the fact that no sooner did he get to know her than she disappeared from his life...

Who is this girl?&#8200;And where is Black, the one who got away? 

Decades on, while at work, Patrick is tasked with reconstructing the skull of an unidentified girl found on the pier in the 1970s &#8211; the pier he still thinks about. A crime he recalls from childhood, when his family life was in turmoil, Patrick works to discover the truth behind what has happened. 

Set in Brighton, The Girl on the Pier spans several decades, from the seventies to the present day. Inspired by literary novelists such as Ian McEwan, Anne Tyler and John Updike, Paul uses vivid images to make the reader feel as though they are right there in the story. The Girl on the Pier will appeal to lovers of psychological thrillers and suspense novels.


----------



## Jigen (Mar 5, 2015)

Thomas Harris, _Hannibal_


----------



## Jigen (Mar 9, 2015)

Giorgio Bassani, _The Garden of the Finzi-Continis_.


----------



## youareneverready (Mar 22, 2015)

101 Reykjavik by Hallgrimur Helgason


----------



## fat hiker (Mar 22, 2015)

Just finished _Midnight,_ by Kevin Egan. What a rip-roaring ride of a thriller!


----------



## ODFFA (Mar 23, 2015)

*The Time Traveler's Guide To Medieval England - Ian Mortimer* It's everything I hoped it would be. Wouldn't mind picking up his other books in the series.

*Andre Rieu: My Music, My Life - Marjorie Rieu* I just seriously admire this dude as a human being, so this book is turning out to be exactly what I hoped as well. And it's not too badly written, considering it's been translated from Dutch.


----------



## Rojodi (Mar 24, 2015)

"Writing Erotic Fiction" Judith Watts & Mirren Baxter


----------



## wrenchboy (Mar 24, 2015)

Bad Monkey by Carl Hiaasen Humorous without being an outright comedy. Party people expecially from Florida might enjoy it.


----------



## Surlysomething (Mar 26, 2015)

All Over But the Shoutin&#8242; - Rick Bragg


I love me some Southern writers.


----------



## Jigen (Apr 1, 2015)

Giovanni Boccaccio, _Decameron_, commented edition.


----------



## Tracyarts (Apr 4, 2015)

"Midnight Crossroad" by Charlaine Harris. I just picked it up tonight and have only made it a few pages in. It's the first book in a new series, we'll see how it goes!


----------



## Jigen (May 20, 2015)

Lewis Carrol's _Alice in Woneerland_, number 29 in BBC's books list.


----------



## Amaranthine (May 21, 2015)

_The Queen's Gambit -_ Walter Tevis 

Go read this ASAP; I really feel like I need to make at least one other person read this. Chess features heavily in the plot, but I had never played before reading (though it convinced me to learn) and still found it engrossing. It has a strong female character, plenty of development, and the sense of action is consistent.

_The Hustler_ - Walter Tevis

Reading this because it's by the same author. Similar themes and sense of action/development. Apparently the movie is supposed to be good, and seeing as it has Jackie Gleason in it, I'll probably actually watch it. 

_1Q84_ - Haruki Murakami

I enjoyed this book. Probably more so in the beginning than near the end, but it's about 1000 pages long...so it had a good amount of time before it started to drag. The plot was intriguing enough to keep me reading leisurely, but you have to have at least a decent appreciation for descriptions of the mundane to get through Murakami. And a tolerance of things that just won't make sense anywhere else.


----------



## Jigen (May 23, 2015)

Lewis Carroll's _Through the mirror and what Alice found there_.


----------



## Tad (May 25, 2015)

I’ve just, finally, finished “God’s War” by Kameron Hurley. Hurley does some interesting things in this book, and a lot of things that start off looking interesting but end up being good costuming for well-worn tropes, but ultimately I felt she wrote well, had some interesting ideas, but not a story I enjoyed much. I didn’t especially care for it because by the end I didn’t feel that either plot or character had completed a journey that I found worth the extreme abuse that the reader is dragged through via the characters. 

It is a science-fantasy world dominated by women (most of the men are sent to the front in a never-ending war, most of them never come home), bugs (which do everything from transmit messages to power vehicles), magicians (whose greatest powers are in controlling the bugs), and violence (lacking men, the women have to do everything from box to bounty-hunt, most of it in exceedingly brutal fashion). The main character is a bounty-hunter of sorts, and it turns that a desperate, violent, woman ends up boring me just as much as a desperate, violent, man. The jacket blurb suggests that she might be able to end the war, but the actual plot is far more sordid and less soaring than that would suggest (perhaps that was the point). I slogged through to the end hoping for redemption, but what the author gave seemed pretty weak to me—opportunities to do things differently, but no indication (in my reading) that the characters would actually do much differently. In some ways it reminded me of Tess of the d’Urbervilles, after all that misery….. the whole cycle might just start over again?

Having said that, there are a lot of reviewers who liked this book, and there is certainly good stuff in here, and at the least having a female dominated novel is different from much of science fiction, so if you like characters who win by being able to take more punishment than the other guy or worlds in which nobody even thinks much about right and wrong anymore, you may really like this book. It wasn’t for me, but I think there are people who will enjoy it.


----------



## MattB (May 27, 2015)

Infernalia by Michael Rose, and I have a book on its way in the mail on how to make your own negative ion-generator. Exciting!


----------



## Jigen (May 31, 2015)

Francis Fukuyama, _End of history and the last man_.


----------



## DELIMAN092262 (Jun 15, 2015)

[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]I just finished The Silencing by Kirsten Powers. She is a self-described liberal that in the past was involved in several campaigns by Democrats. She says the term liberal is about people that are open minded. She wrote this book about people she described as illiberal liberals. People that are not tolerant of any other viewpoint.[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]So for example these people assume that African-Americans and any other persons of color must support the Democratic Party. Otherwise, they are traitors to their race. [/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]I would recommend this book.[/FONT]


----------



## Jigen (Jun 17, 2015)

Just finished _The Shadow of the wind_, by Carlos Ruiz Zanon. Now I am starting Daniela Pizzagalli's _La signora di Milano_ (The Lady of Milan), Bianca Maria Visconti-Sforza's biography.


----------



## lucca23v2 (Jun 17, 2015)

She sins at midnight. It is and ebook. But it is a hilarious book!


----------



## Kellie Kay (Jun 17, 2015)

I'm currently reading Wool by Hugh Howey thanks to Ash recommending it. It's great!


----------



## MattB (Jun 19, 2015)

About to start "The Command To Look" by William Mortensen.


----------



## Rojodi (Jun 20, 2015)

"Ghost Ship" by Clive Cussler and Graham Brown

It was a "Father's Day" present from me to myself: saw it at the market and it "accidentally" fell into the cart.


----------



## Jigen (Jul 2, 2015)

_Love in the time of the cholera_, by Gabriel Garcia Marquez


----------



## dwesterny (Jul 12, 2015)

Almost done with The Joke by Milan Kundera. I might try Raymond Chandler next never read his stuff yet.


----------



## Luthien (Jul 13, 2015)

_Prudence (The Custard Protocol #1)_ by Gail Carriger. I love her books, they are fantastical steampunk Victorian mysteries with strong female characters, along with a few werewolves & vampires for good measure! Fun reads (and the protagonist of the Parasol Protectorate series is even pleasantly plump!)


----------



## dwesterny (Jul 13, 2015)

Decided to give Raymond Chandler a miss and am reading Watership Down by Richard Adams.


Yeah, it's about bunnies. Make somethin' of it!


----------



## Rojodi (Jul 20, 2015)

_Adirondack Mysteries and Other Mountain Tales Volume 2_
Compiled and edited by Dennis Webster


----------



## one2one (Jul 20, 2015)

God Help the Child by Toni Morrison


----------



## Jigen (Jul 22, 2015)

Miguel de Cervantes, _ The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha_.


----------



## Dr. Feelgood (Jul 22, 2015)

_Truman_ by David McCullough.


----------



## wrenchboy (Jul 28, 2015)

Working on Sacre Blu by Christopher Moore and the autobiography of Slash of Guns n Roses


----------



## dwesterny (Jul 28, 2015)

Dune by Frank Herbert (rereading)


----------



## Tracyarts (Jul 29, 2015)

dwesterny said:


> Dune by Frank Herbert (rereading)



I end up rereading that one every year or so. 

Right now I'm between books. I've been on a book buying binge lately so now I have to pick what to read.


----------



## Blackjack (Jul 29, 2015)

dwesterny said:


> Dune by Frank Herbert (rereading)



I'm about eight years overdue for a reread on this one, myself. It might not be a good idea to put off the stack of unread books I've got to blaze through it again, but...

In any case, I'm currently reading Joe Hill's _*20th Century Ghosts*_, which is a collection of short stories. So far, they're pretty damn good, and I've been jumping around so that "Pop Art", the one that the introduction author describes as his favorite, is the last one I read.


----------



## Rojodi (Jul 29, 2015)

Blackjack said:


> I'm about eight years overdue for a reread on this one, myself. It might not be a good idea to put off the stack of unread books I've got to blaze through it again, but...
> 
> In any case, I'm currently reading Joe Hill's _*20th Century Ghosts*_, which is a collection of short stories. So far, they're pretty damn good, and I've been jumping around so that "Pop Art", the one that the introduction author describes as his favorite, is the last one I read.



I believe everyone should read an anthology every two, three books. Good way to "cleanse the palate," so to speak.


----------



## dwesterny (Aug 9, 2015)

Rereading A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole. One of my favorites. FFAs should read this if they have not, actually everyone should.


----------



## Jigen (Aug 16, 2015)

I think I have broken my personal best. We des day I ended _Don Quixote_, thursday I ended George Orwell's _Animal Farm_, between friday and yesterday Hermann Hesse's _Siddharta_. Now I'm taking on _Elective Affinities_, by Wolfgang Goethe. I'm suprised my brain has not burned out already.


----------



## balletguy (Aug 18, 2015)

Big Trouble by DAVE Barry. Kind of like a goofy mystery I read it a few years ago, and just picked it back up at the library the other day


----------



## Amaranthine (Aug 19, 2015)

I just finished _Kitchen Confidential_ by Anthony Bourdain. Any Bourdain fan should read. It's both entertaining and provides insight into the culinary industry. You might want to read it if you eat out frequently. 

I also finished _The Man Who Fell to Earth_ by Walter Tevis. I think it might be one of his most popular books (also made into a movie) and I enjoyed it, but not as much as some of his others. The ending felt extremely abrupt to me. I had to look up the ending online to make sure my ebook hadn't just lopped a chunk off.

Now I'm partway through Vonnegut's _Deadeye Dick_ and want to fit in B.F Skinner's _Walden Two_ after, though I have doubt that a major psychologist could head into literature as smoothly as a major philosopher (at least the existentialists.)


----------



## dwesterny (Aug 26, 2015)

The Stranger by Albert Camus. 

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk


----------



## Jigen (Aug 28, 2015)

Starting _Zeno's Conscience_, by Italo Svevo.


----------



## dwesterny (Sep 4, 2015)

Hallucinations by Oliver Sacks (RIP)

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk


----------



## Xyantha Reborn (Sep 4, 2015)

Read the last of the Elizabeth Haydon books (Rhapsody trilogy plus three).

It really did feel like plus three at the end. My favourite characters weren't even the focus, and the tertiary characters added nothing to the books


----------



## dwesterny (Oct 8, 2015)

The Dharma Bums by Jack Kerouac


----------



## fat hiker (Oct 9, 2015)

Blue River, Black Sea by Andrew Eames. Amusing, if a little odd in places. There's a BHM he meets near the end, who hoists his belly onto a retaining wall while looking out over the Danube...


----------



## Jigen (Oct 12, 2015)

Italo Calvino, _The Baron in the trees_
Khaled Hosseini, _The kite runner_


----------



## Astarte (Oct 18, 2015)

Steve Erikson: Gardens of the Moon
GRRM: Dreamsongs (audio book)
James A. Robinson, Daron Acemo&#287;lu: Why Nations Fail (also audio book)
Astraterra (a roleplaying manual)
Elio Garcia, Linda Antonsson, George R. R. Martin: The World of Ice and Fire

I don't feel content if I don't have at least three books going at a time.


----------



## Jigen (Oct 19, 2015)

I am currently reading _Bleak House_, by Charles Dickens. I think this is going to be a tough one.


----------



## dwesterny (Oct 19, 2015)

Rereading The Brothers Karamazov, been probably 15 years since I read it and sections still stick in my mind.


----------



## Jigen (Nov 26, 2015)

As soon as I ended _Bleak House_, I have immediately started Roger Ascham's _Toxophilus. A school at shooting_. Archery is one of my many loves, and this is one of the most iconic books about this topic.


----------



## one2one (Nov 29, 2015)

Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J Ryan Stadal. One of the most original reads I've had in a long time.


----------



## swamptoad (Dec 1, 2015)

Complete Book of _Practical Proverbs and Wacky Wit_ [Vernon McLellan]


----------



## MattB (Dec 4, 2015)

A lovely tome called Militant Eroticism by Aden Ardennes.

Titillating.


----------



## KHayes666 (Dec 4, 2015)

Christine by Stephen King

I saw the movie first, now to see if the book is better like 99% of the time when it comes to his work.


----------



## Still a Skye fan (Dec 4, 2015)

Hmmm...I'm currently working on COLONEL ROOSEVELT by Edmund Morris.

Yes, I've always been a fan of Teddy and how many other presidents explored the Nile, went on African safaris where he shot lots of big and small critters, traveled Europe, launched a third political party, wrote 40 books, was shot by an assassin...survived the wound and STILL gave his speech?

Yes, Teddy was awesome...plus he visited my small upstate NY village in 1910!:happy:


----------



## LumpySmile (Jan 13, 2016)

Gulf to Rockies: The Heritage of the Fort Worth and Denver - Colorado and Southern Railways, 1861-1898 
by Richard C. Overton

One of the most meticulously researched, highly detailed, yet completely readable history books I've ever read, and I've read a LOT of railroad histories. 
Adventure, intrigue, and drama, all hidden in a dusty old ex-library book I got for Christmas and haven't been able to put down.


----------



## Still a Skye fan (Jan 14, 2016)

I recently finished RANT by Chuck Palahniuk, the guy who wrote FIGHT CLUB.

I loved FIGHT CLUB and thought RANT was remarkable...I plan on reading more by him.


DEnnis


----------



## pagan22 (Jan 16, 2016)

I'm often reading a lot of books at once, but the one I cracked open today is #11 in the young adult House of Night series. It's not written well and the character development sucks. I hate the heroine. Lol But the story itself is fresh and I'm enjoying that.


----------



## one2one (Jan 16, 2016)

i just finished The Coincidence of Coconut Cake by Amy Reichert.


----------



## NLapplegirl (Jan 19, 2016)

Reading The Golden Son by Shilpi Somaya Gowda


----------



## canadianbbw4u (Feb 5, 2016)

I will admit I am not a reader. I haven't finished a book in years and years. I always take one on holidays with me but I get distracted by watching people on the beach! 
I recently watched 50 Shades of Grey. I didn't really know what it was about haha!! I watched it and then I was hooked. I got the next book for Christmas and finished it in no time so I downloaded the last book on my Ipad and read it in a week. I knew deep down it was going to turn out the way it did. Now I like reading! I need another book to get into. 
Any suggestions? I am a sucker for a good love story. 

Has anyone read the 50 shades Christians side of the story? Is it worth it?


----------



## MsBrightside (Feb 5, 2016)

^Sorry, I can't help you with anything_ Fifty Shades_-related as I've never read it.

What I'm reading:

_The Return of the Native_ by Thomas Hardy (one of Tad's favorite authors ). I've enjoyed several of his other works, but this one not so much--the main characters are pretty unlikeable.

I did like the descriptions of the heath and would argue that it's practically a character in its own right. I was also intrigued by the occupation of reddleman, which is apparently a sort of peddler with red-dyed clothes and skin that used to travel around supplying farmers with red ochre to mark their sheep. 

However, the death of three of the characters was intrinsic to the plot, and I found myself wishing there had been a couple more fatalities, which isn't exactly a rousing recommendation.

Since I've made pretentious mention of a classic, I'll also admit to reading some lighter fare. Period romances aren't everyone's thing, but I like most of Carla Kelly's Regency novels. She even has a couple of heroes (such as Dr. Anthony Cook in _Libby's London Merchant_ and Henry Tewkesbury-Hampton, the Marquess of Grayson in _Miss Billings Treads the Boards_) that are carrying around a few extra pounds, which is not that common but kind of nice. Dr. Cook even beats out a rich, conventionally handsome duke to marry the heroine.  I also like _The Wedding Journey_,_ The Lady's Companion_, and _Mrs. Drew Plays Her Hand_.


----------



## one2one (Feb 17, 2016)

The Opposite of Loneliness: Essays and Stories by Marina Keegan.


----------



## ODFFA (Feb 18, 2016)

Into The Magic Shop by James R Doty.

I utterly devoured this book. It was the first thing I've ever pre-ordered, and it's what I've always searched for in a non-fiction / (auto)biography -- a kind of balance between... realism and intuitiveness? To me, this seems like the rarest of worldviews and to see it so splendidly elucidated in the life of Dr Doty was a gift of huge personal significance. I feel like too much more eloquence would be a major disservice to it, so all that's left to say is.... THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST FREAKIN BOOKS I'VE EVER READ IN MY FREAKIN LIFE OMG.


----------



## Jigen (Feb 25, 2016)

J. J. Norwich, _History of Venice_, in two volumes.


----------



## Jigen (Mar 15, 2016)

Just ended Luciano De Crescenzo, _History of philosophy - Greek, Medieval, Modern_ and started Luciano Mecucci, _An introduction to psychology_.


----------



## one2one (Mar 20, 2016)

We Should All be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichi.

Or you could catch the TED talk.
[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hg3umXU_qWc[/ame]


----------



## Still a Skye fan (Mar 28, 2016)

I'm currently reading TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD by Harper Lee for the first time since the end of high school/early college...we're talking about 30 years or so.

It's still a lovely book, a great read and I'd forgotten all about the extra characters (like Atticus' brother and sister, for instance) and incidents not seen in the movie.

Dennis


----------



## Pinkbelly (Apr 3, 2016)

The Art of Asking, by Amanda Palmer, which is proving to be delightful!


----------



## x0emnem0x (Apr 5, 2016)

The Weight of Silence


----------



## Rojodi (Apr 6, 2016)

We'll appreciate this more.


----------



## Jigen (Apr 7, 2016)

Federico Chabot, _Scritti sul Rinascimento_ (Writings on Renaissance)


----------



## Jigen (Apr 23, 2016)

Ernest Hemingway, _A Farewell to arms_


----------



## Green Eyed Fairy (Apr 24, 2016)

Hide by Lisa Gardner


----------



## one2one (Apr 29, 2016)

When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi.


----------



## FluffyButterfly80 (May 8, 2016)

Me Before You. (Movie version comes out in June... I always like to read the book before i see the movie!)


----------



## Abitdifferent (May 17, 2016)

Lunar Park by Brett Easton Ellis


----------



## Astarte (May 18, 2016)

Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman, Midnight Tides by Steven Erikson and TCP/IP-verkot by Kimmo Kaario. 

Also Kiinan keisarin lentävä hevonen (The flying horse of the emperor of China) by Irja Rane which is one of my childhood favourites and I'm now reading it to my daughter.


----------



## burnsharold (May 19, 2016)

one2one said:


> We Should All be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichi.



I watched just recently all her interviews and talk is youtube. Now I am probably gonna search for her book Americana.

But responding the topic:


----------



## Jigen (Jun 20, 2016)

Just ended "The Medieval Archer" By Jim Bradbury. Starting "La concezione materialistica della storia" By Antonio Labriola.


----------



## Rojodi (Jun 25, 2016)

What I want to read soon:


----------



## Crumbling (Jun 25, 2016)

The Three-Body Problem by Liu Cixin (translated by Ken Liu)



> 1967: Ye Wenjie witnesses Red Guards beat her father to death during China's Cultural Revolution. This singular event will shape not only the rest of her life but also the future of mankind.
> 
> Four decades later, Beijing police ask nanotech engineer Wang Miao to infiltrate a secretive cabal of scientists after a spate of inexplicable suicides. Wang's investigation will lead him to a mysterious online game and immerse him in a virtual world ruled by the intractable and unpredictable interaction of its three suns.
> 
> This is the Three-Body Problem and it is the key to everything: the key to the scientists' deaths, the key to a conspiracy that spans light-years and the key to the extinction-level threat humanity now faces.



The novel was nominated for a number of 'best novel' awards in 2014/15 and won the Hugo last year. It's been sitting in my 'to read' pile for a little while.

I'm really enjoying it.


----------



## ataraxia (Jun 25, 2016)

Crumbling said:


> The Three-Body Problem by Liu Cixin (translated by Ken Liu)
> 
> 
> 
> ...


It is quite a book. Reminds me of Greg Egan.


----------



## LumpySmile (Jul 2, 2016)

Saving The West by Peter R. Decker

Kind of depressing so far.....


----------



## Green Eyed Fairy (Jul 4, 2016)

I love the Alex Cross books written by James Patterson...just have read them periodically throughout the years and not in any particular order so I have decided to rectify that and start from the beginning....

James Patterson- Along Came a Spider


----------



## Still a Skye fan (Jul 5, 2016)

I'm almost done with SUPERGODS by Grant Morrison.

It's not really a comic book history title but more of an analysis of comic books. So far, it's pretty good and I like what he has to say.

Dennis


----------



## BradtW (Jul 6, 2016)

As long as comic books count as books I'm reading The Walking Dead


----------



## LumpySmile (Jul 31, 2016)

Steaming Up! The autobiography of Samuel Vauclain.

Long out of print, I've been wanting it for years. Finally got a copy for my birthday.


----------



## Still a Skye fan (Aug 3, 2016)

I'm currently reading THE GUNS OF THE SOUTH by Harry Turtledove. Yes, this is alternate earth history which features a faction of South Africans from the far future year of 2014 (the book was written in 1992) time traveling to 1864 and giving the Confederacy limitless quantities of AK-47s and ammunition.

So far it's a fun read, if a silly premise. The South winning the war isn't a new story idea but Turtledove is doing okay with it.


----------



## snuggletiger (Aug 17, 2016)

Reading "1944 the year that changed the world" by Jay Winik


----------



## x0emnem0x (Aug 20, 2016)

Trying to read through the first Wheel of Time book on Jons kindle (it's his favorite series ever) but I haven't been in much of a reading mood lately!


----------



## Angel (Sep 5, 2016)

Finished reading Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte last week. 
Started reading Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte.


----------



## LumpySmile (Sep 6, 2016)

Not so much READING it as looking at the photographs, but I'm currently enjoying the National Audubon Society's North American Birdfeeder Handbook. 

Had a Yellow Warbler in my tree the other day! Very pretty bird. Too bad he wasn't singing.


----------



## Yakatori (Sep 11, 2016)

_Moth Smoke_ - *Mohsin Hamid*​


----------



## fat hiker (Sep 12, 2016)

The Martian - the book the movie was based on.

I haven't seen the movie, but the book is a real page-turner - one of the best mixtures of suspense and adventure I have read in years! 

And it's good, solid, science-rich science fiction too!


----------



## Cicely Adam (Sep 14, 2016)

currently reading The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins


----------



## FreeThinker (Sep 21, 2016)

A magazine, if that counts:


_*Film Noir*
75 Years of the Greatest Crime Films_

A Life magazine (on magazine stands until November 18, 2016). 


Featured a piece on The Third Man, so I bought it. 

Includes items parallel/tangential to the genre. Not really in-depth, but a decent primer on the topic. Introduced me to many films I'll need to see ("Laura", in particular, looks interesting).


----------



## Still a Skye fan (Sep 21, 2016)

I found myself with a Ray Bradbury craving, so I pulled out my copy of THE MARTIAN CHRONICLES and I'm reading that again for the first time since at least high school.

I loved the book as a kid and it's still marvelous now.


----------



## Still a Skye fan (Sep 25, 2016)

I finished THE MARTIAN CHRONICLES today and I'm still in a Ray Bradbury mood...gotta check my Bradbury titles to see what jumps out at me.


----------



## DearPrudence (Sep 25, 2016)

Angel said:


> Finished reading Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte last week.
> Started reading Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte.



Very nice choices! A couple of my faves.


----------



## Leem (Sep 29, 2016)

I love Jane Eyre. I am currently reading The Immortal life of Henrietta Lacks.


----------



## socrates74 (Nov 22, 2016)

The 27th printing of 'The Koehler Method of Dog Training/ Certified Techniques by Movieland's Most experienced Dog training. (c1978,1962)...

--_---------
Watched enough Caesar Miliam, give this a try. It is a peculiar style of writing for a how-to book.


----------



## LumpySmile (Mar 16, 2017)

"Locomotive Catechism" by Robert Grimshaw


----------



## steeler man (Mar 16, 2017)

just finished The Wright Brothers and loved it.


----------



## LumpySmile (Mar 21, 2017)

"Pissing In The Snow and Other Ozark Folktales" by Vance Randolph


----------



## Still a Skye fan (Mar 23, 2017)

Hmmm...I'm currently re-reading some Sherlock Holmes tales by Arthur Conan Doyle.

I recently read a biography of Doyle and hadn't read any Holmes tales probably since 6th or 7th grade.

For a Victorian era writer, I happen to think Doyle was pretty good and re-reading the Holmes stories as an adult has been fun.


----------



## Rojodi (Mar 23, 2017)

Reading a free Harlequin Intrigue novel to get a feel on who they're written. It was suggested to me to read one or two and write my own with BBW characters.


----------



## Champaigne (Apr 10, 2017)

I just got an ARC for author Marian Tee's newest book "Savage, Broken, and Beautiful" and will be reding it today.


----------



## AuntHen (Aug 30, 2017)

Re-reading (for the umpteenth time) The Long Walk by Stephen King (aka Richard Bachman at the time of it's release).

This one is probably my favorite along with Lisey's Story. If people look past the horror genre, they will find he is an exceptional writer and soooo freaking funny! 

He is also responsible for me never sleeping with closet doors open since I was a teen. Don't ever read his short story about the boogeyman!


----------



## Blackjack (Aug 30, 2017)

fat9276 said:


> Re-reading (for the umpteenth time) The Long Walk by Stephen King (aka Richard Bachman at the time of it's release).
> 
> This one is probably my favorite along with Lisey's Story. If people look past the horror genre, they will find he is an exceptional writer and soooo freaking funny!
> 
> He is also responsible for me never sleeping with closet doors open since I was a teen. Don't ever read his short story about the boogeyman!



I read _The Long Walk _earlier this year. It's pretty bleak, definitely macabre, and lacks some of the polish of King's later works, but it's really fucking good.

I feel like he's more a master of the short story rather than the novel- he tends to lose the thread a bit in a lot of his longer works- but "1408", "The Raft", "The Jaunt", and quite a few other shorts pack one hell of a punch and end before he can spin off into weirdness that doesn't fit.


----------



## BigElectricKat (Aug 30, 2017)

I'm reading (rather slowly) *The 90-Day Screenplay: from concept to polish* By Alan Watt.


----------



## Still a Skye fan (Aug 30, 2017)

Let's see...

With the new "It" movie coming out soon, I'm currently re-reading the Stephen King book which I probably last read sometime in 1986-87? Yeah, it's been a while.

Anyway, for a book set partially in the "modern" era of 1986 and the past of 1958, I found myself slipping back into it immediately and it's still as great as I remembered it.

Yes, I was a misfit kid too and would've gotten along great with King's cast of kid "Losers".

Out of curiosity, I recently watched the 1990 "It" mini-series, which I don't think I've seen in probably 15-20 years and forgotten about its many flaws.

Okay, it's 1990 TV and obviously the special effects are limited and cheesy.

Tim Curry was as marvelous as Pennywise as I remembered him Except his English accent slips out a couple times.

The actors playing the kids and their adult counterparts were all fine. I'd forgotten that a very young Seth Green played young Richie Tozier. I also forgot about Richard Thomas with a ponytail (Oy!)

Plus I forgot how much I miss John Ritter

One little nit-picky thing: The girl playing young Beverly and Annette O'Toole as the adult Beverly weren't redheads. I mean, the scene where Ben Hanscom writes her the haiku about her red hair made no sense.

I remember watching this on TV and thinking it needed another two episodes to do King's layered tale justice. Over the course of its two episodes, the story is VERY choppy and needed to be fleshed out more.

Don't get me started on the adults' "showdown" with "It", which turns out to be a giant spider which looks like a bad Ray Harryhausen stop motion monster. Yes, they should've brought Ray out of retirement to do the monster.

So, "It", the book, is still great. "It", the 1990 TV mini-series, is ... Okay, at best, but it should've been lots better.


----------



## MattB (Aug 30, 2017)

I'll watch the 1990 version of 'IT' anytime it's on, solely for Tim Curry's performance. The flaws are massive, but Curry dominates.

I started reading "On The Road" by Kerouac for the first time in ages, but I'm not getting into it.


----------



## Yakatori (Aug 30, 2017)

_Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance_ -*Robert M. Pirsig*​
Dusted off an old, moldy copy sitting on shelf I haven't even looked at in a while. Old books, from another life, when I was still collecting them, taking them and passing them on among school friends. The inscription bringing back memories, of relations since past.


----------



## Cynthia (Aug 31, 2017)

_Buddhaland Brooklyn,_ by Richard Morais, is the story of sheltered Japanese priest who reluctantly travels to America to help New Yorkers build a temple. His experiences cause him to rethink his cultural biases and how he chooses to remember a painful childhood.

Found it for $1! I've been going on book treasure hunts at the dollar store lately. It's a great way to get out of the rut of going in a large bookstore and habitually heading for the same favorite sections. I never know what underappreciated gems might be on the few haphazardly organized shelves in a dollar store, and they're often works that I might not notice in a Barnes & Noble.


----------



## AuntHen (Aug 31, 2017)

Blackjack said:


> I read _The Long Walk _earlier this year. It's pretty bleak, definitely macabre, and lacks some of the polish of King's later works, but it's really fucking good.
> 
> I feel like he's more a master of the short story rather than the novel- he tends to lose the thread a bit in a lot of his longer works- but "1408", "The Raft", "The Jaunt", and quite a few other shorts pack one hell of a punch and end before he can spin off into weirdness that doesn't fit.



Yeah, he does tend to go off on weird tangents. My brother in law once said he couldn't end a novel to save his life haha. I also agree his short stories are better and so good. A lot of people do not even realize Shawshank Redemption is an adaptation from one of them (Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption).


----------



## Tad (Sep 1, 2017)

Just recently started "Ready Player One" by Ernest Cline. If you grew up in the 80s and especially if you grew up as a nerd in the 80s, you may enjoy this. In brief in a dystopian near future, the world's biggest treasure hunt is all based on having an encyclopedic knowledge of 80s pop culture and nerd culture. So far serious shout outs to the Dungeons and Dragons adventure "Tomb of Horrors," the arcade video game "Joust" and the movie "War Games," among tons of more casual references. 

Whether or not it is any good as a novel I'm not sure yet, but I'm having fun reading it for sure


----------



## Still a Skye fan (Sep 1, 2017)

Yakatori said:


> _Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance_ -*Robert M. Pirsig*​
> Dusted off an old, moldy copy sitting on shelf I haven't even looked at in a while. Old books, from another life, when I was still collecting them, taking them and passing them on among school friends. The inscription bringing back memories, of relations since past.



Good choice and a great book. I still have my copy from my college days.:happy:


----------



## FluffyButterfly80 (Sep 1, 2017)

I am also reading Steven Kings IT in light of the movie coming out! This is my first time reading it though I have seen the tv mini series [emoji5]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## Heavy_Cream (Sep 2, 2017)

"Love Letters To The Monkees".
Pretty funny!

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000C0OSHY/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Does anybody else here like to listen to The Monkees or watch their TV show?


----------



## BurgerMePlease (Oct 5, 2017)

I'm about halfway through Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy. It's not something I would normally read but thought I'd give it a shot.


----------



## Tad (Oct 10, 2017)

After skipping it for a couple of years, doing a day-by-day reading of Roger Zelazney's "A Night in the Lonesome October" again. We had a tradition going for a few years prior to that break. We are all enjoying doing it again. The book is narrated by Snuff, dog of Jack (probably 'the Ripper'), documenting their efforts to save the world. With appearances from most of the characters of Victorian gothic horror (plus 'The Great Detective'). One of my favorite pieces of writing anywhere.

And on my own I just finished the contemporary fantasy novel "Flex" which, IDK, had some interesting world building but the characters and plot just didn't live up to that in my opinion.


----------



## Still a Skye fan (Oct 10, 2017)

I'm almost done with "Sherlock Holmes vs Cthulhu: The Adventure of the Deadly Dimensions" by Lois Gresh.

Holmes & Watson battle a cult of Dagon worshippers! A crazy premise but it's a fun book.


----------



## Rojodi (Oct 10, 2017)

Still a Skye fan said:


> I'm almost done with "Sherlock Holmes vs Cthulhu: The Adventure of the Deadly Dimensions" by Lois Gresh.
> 
> Holmes & Watson battle a cult of Dagon worshippers! A crazy premise but it's a fun book.



I read "The Holmes-Dracula File" in high school, then when I returned to college. It's a different spin on the Holmes fiction.


----------



## Green Eyed Fairy (Oct 10, 2017)

Deserves to Die by Lisa Jackson


----------



## fat hiker (Apr 23, 2018)

Bethlehem Road, by Anne Perry. 

One could definitely fall in love with Victorian London, squalor, poverty, upper class and all, reading Anne Perry's Thomas and Charlotte Pitt series. Great plotting, great characters, and great atmosphere!


----------



## Still a Skye fan (Apr 24, 2018)

Let's see...I recently finished TARZAN FOREVER: THE LIFE OF EDGAR RICE BURROUGHS, CREATOR OF TARZAN by John Taliaferro

Personally, I've always enjoyed the John Carter of Mars books a bit more than the Tarzan ones, which were hit or miss with me. I never knew that much about ERB and, after reading the book, I thought he was a rather interesting guy...except for his views on race and eugenics (which would make Hitler smile). Hey, the guy's entitled to his opinion.

Burroughs was essentially a failure at everything he did to make a living until he decided to take a crack at writing for the pulps and his creation of a certain jungle lord allowed him to support his wife and kids.

It's a nicely researched and well written book about a complicated guy. 

I'm currently reading a small paperback called IT'S A MYSTERY: WHERE DID THEY GO? by Cheryl Pula

This is a collection of historical mysteries: Roanoke, Amelia Earhart, Flight 19, D.B. Cooper, etc...the research and writing is fine but the book could've used a tad more editing before it went to the printers. Still fun stuff though.


----------



## Orchid (May 14, 2018)

My eyesight is not what it used to be. I have blurry vision as a side effects from my RX prescription cardiac meds so reading a complete book like I used to enjoy is impossible. I am this month of May browsing my gardening books. Reading short little snippets with 3+ reading glasses.


----------



## Pattie Vincent (May 19, 2018)

The Hating Game, Sally Thorne


----------



## Rojodi (May 25, 2018)

"Bedtime Stories" Jean Johnson


----------



## Orchid (May 31, 2018)

Re-reading some parts The Book of Potpourri - Penny Black.


----------



## da3ley (Jun 5, 2018)

Columbine by Dave Cullen


----------



## justincarlgren12201993 (Jun 5, 2018)

the divine comedy by dante


----------



## wrenchboy (Jun 7, 2018)

Jihad Vietnam
True stories about a CIA interrogator who turns captured Vietcong into fighting for the Americans. 
Loaned to me by a friend whos father is mentioned in the book.


----------



## wrenchboy (Jun 7, 2018)

spookytwigg said:


> I love the Lovecraft stuff. I'm currently running a game of Call of Cthulhu (the pen and paper RPG) with some of my friends.


I recently played a super fun board game that Cthulhu was attacking a submarine full of drunk minions.


----------



## spookytwigg (Jun 13, 2018)

wrenchboy said:


> I recently played a super fun board game that Cthulhu was attacking a submarine full of drunk minions.


That sounds like a pretty awesome game. I've sadly not played that one.


----------



## BountifulBabs (Jun 17, 2018)

Just finished "The Big Four" by Agatha Christie.


----------



## Rojodi (Jun 17, 2018)

I purchased "The President Is Missing."
But I need to finished most of the pulp fiction anthology first, for research purposes.


----------



## DragonFly (Jun 19, 2018)

I just finished book 20 in the Kutherian Gambit series - I read them straight through, almost, read another book to get a breather from the series, but went right back to it. 21 is the end of that ARC of the series...... seriously my need to wrap things up and finsish something is causing me distress with this one.


----------



## Fuzzy (Jun 19, 2018)

At the beginning of the year, i started listening to audiobooks during my daily commute. 1 hour drive in, 1 hour drive out. So far I've "read" 22 books, mostly sci-fi. Currently, I'm listening to Count Zero (William Gibson, Sprawl #2)


----------



## DragonFly (Jun 20, 2018)

Fuzzy said:


> At the beginning of the year, i started listening to audiobooks during my daily commute. 1 hour drive in, 1 hour drive out. So far I've "read" 22 books, mostly sci-fi. Currently, I'm listening to Count Zero (William Gibson, Sprawl #2)


I was a huge WG fan back in the day have you done Mona Lisa Overdrive?


----------



## Fuzzy (Jun 21, 2018)

Not yet, but it's in the queue.


----------



## Railroad Man (Jun 21, 2018)

Anything by Stephen King, David Baldacci, John Sandford. Also Dean Koontz, although he seems to be on the way out.


----------



## kgknight (Jun 21, 2018)

Customs of the World: Using Cultural Intelligence to Adapt, Wherever You Are.
I love cultures all around the world. Its interesting to see the similarities and differences.


----------



## LifelongFA (Jun 21, 2018)

Fat Sex: The Naked Truth, by Rebecca Weinstein


----------



## Rojodi (Jun 23, 2018)

I was given "There There" by Tommy Orange by a Literature professor who knows of my Kanien'kehá:ka (Mohawk) ancestry.


----------



## LumpySmile (Jul 29, 2018)

'The Wire Devils' by Frank L. Packard


----------



## Sir Jeffrey (Aug 3, 2018)

My Life - It's A Long Story by Willie Nelson


----------



## DragonFly (Aug 3, 2018)

Sir Jeffrey said:


> My Life - It's A Long Story by Willie Nelson


Love Willie!


----------



## DragonFly (Aug 3, 2018)

Happy Dooms Day : A Novel 
By David Soskawski


----------



## Sir Jeffrey (Aug 4, 2018)

DragonFly said:


> Love Willie!



Have you ever been to one of his concerts? Absolutely the best. I've seen him a number of times. 

I remember seeing him about a month after the 9/11 incident. After about 15 minutes with his band he started singing America The Beautiful, just him and his guitar. Behind the stage where normally he has a flag of Texas, the US flag was unfurled. He went on with a few more patriotic songs without stopping and the whole crowd was on its feet. The guy is magic.


----------



## DragonFly (Aug 5, 2018)

Sir Jeffrey said:


> Have you ever been to one of his concerts? Absolutely the best. I've seen him a number of times.
> 
> I remember seeing him about a month after the 9/11 incident. After about 15 minutes with his band he started singing America The Beautiful, just him and his guitar. Behind the stage where normally he has a flag of Texas, the US flag was unfurled. He went on with a few more patriotic songs without stopping and the whole crowd was on its feet. The guy is magic.


Never seen him in concert, oh I wish I had. I will often tell Alexa “ shuffle Willie Nelson”. Poncho and Lefty was one of my father’s favorite songs and 7 Spanish angels makes me cry every time.


----------



## Lizzie_Jones (Sep 10, 2018)

Catcher In The Rye


----------



## Still a Skye fan (Sep 11, 2018)

Wow, I haven't read "Catcher in the Rye" since college, I ought to dig out my copy and give it a read to see what I think of it today.

I'm almost done with a book called "Blood Brothers" by Deanne Stillman. This is a short but interesting historical book about the odd friendship between Sitting Bull and Buffalo Bill Cody.

It caught my eye in a local bargain outlet store. I paid the staggering sum of 3 bucks for it and it's turned out to be quite enjoyable.


----------



## Lizzie_Jones (Sep 13, 2018)

Still a Skye fan said:


> Wow, I haven't read "Catcher in the Rye" since college, I ought to dig out my copy and give it a read to see what I think of it today.
> 
> I'm almost done with a book called "Blood Brothers" by Deanne Stillman. This is a short but interesting historical book about the odd friendship between Sitting Bull and Buffalo Bill Cody.
> 
> It caught my eye in a local bargain outlet store. I paid the staggering sum of 3 bucks for it and it's turned out to be quite enjoyable.



Nothing better then a used book when the price is right.


----------



## Still a Skye fan (Sep 21, 2018)

Now I'm about 200 pages into a thick book (700 pages!) from my local library called "Scarface and the Untouchable: Al Capone, Eliot Ness and the Battle for Chicago" by Max Allan Collins and A. Brad Schwartz. It's a dual biography of a very bad guy and a good, honest guy and the carnage created by Prohibition.
Both authors are marvelous writers and the whole thing has been engrossing right from the start.


----------



## Funtastic curves (Sep 22, 2018)

Out side of my studies which I am reading "Reading shop prints, part 1".


I'm about to read Stephen Hunter
'Point of Impact' my co-worker gave it to me. He said it's really good.


----------



## LumpySmile (Sep 22, 2018)

"Reading Shop Prints part 1"???? What are you studying?


----------



## Funtastic curves (Sep 22, 2018)

LumpySmile said:


> "Reading Shop Prints part 1"??? What are you studying?


I'm studying to be a journeyman


----------



## MattB (Sep 22, 2018)

I'm revisiting Night Shift by Stephen King, which was one of the first horror books I read when I was a small human.


----------



## LizzieJones (Sep 23, 2018)

I'm reading Geisha, A life by Mineko Iwasaki


----------



## Still a Skye fan (Sep 24, 2018)

MattB said:


> I'm revisiting Night Shift by Stephen King, which was one of the first horror books I read when I was a small human.



Good choice and a favorite King book of mine.


----------



## wrenchboy (Dec 31, 2018)

spookytwigg said:


> That sounds like a pretty awesome game. I've sadly not played that one.


Its called Red November


----------



## wrenchboy (Dec 31, 2018)

What Does This Button Do?
An autobiography by business owner, competitive fencer,master brewer,commercial airline pilot and singer of heavy metal group Iron Maiden


----------



## Still a Skye fan (Dec 31, 2018)

I'm currently reading two old but still very good books:

CASINO ROYALE by Ian Fleming (1953) - Yeah, the movies vary in quality but are usually fun. The Bond of the Fleming books is an interesting, very different guy and Fleming does a great job with James Bond's debut.

I'm also working on PET SEMATARY (1983) - I last read this way back in high school and had forgotten just how intense it was in places. Yeah, I plan to re-read more old Stephen King material in 2019. Great stuff.


----------



## Shotha (Dec 31, 2018)

I'm reading Fat Gay Men by Jason Whitesel. I'm not learning much that I didn't already know from it.


----------



## Orchid (Dec 31, 2018)

Non-stop containers -Flowering through the seasons - Graham Strong.One of my favorite gardening books very colorful. Nice to read in winter with lots of lovely pictures of flowers and plants.


----------



## LizzieJones (Jan 1, 2019)

The Stand by Stephen King.


----------



## LizzieJones (Feb 1, 2019)

LizzieJones said:


> The Stand by Stephen King.



I just finished it. Took a month but well worth reading.


----------



## LizzieJones (Feb 1, 2019)

Halfway through a biography on Charles Dickens. Hope to finish it soon.


----------



## BBW1972 (Feb 1, 2019)

Just finished: The Immortalists-Chloe Benjamin. Good Book


----------



## Still a Skye fan (Feb 1, 2019)

Hmm...I'm currently about halfway through PANDORA by Anne Rice. I haven't read her in years, so I pulled this off my shelf and it's actually rather good. This is the life/unlife story of the 2000 year old elder vampire Pandora, who appears in other Rice books. You can tell that Rice did her research in recreating life in ancient Rome. Plus it's a good read.


----------



## Jerry Thomas (Feb 2, 2019)

Maktub by Paulo Coelho. Each page contains a short reflection on life that he originally wrote as a daily column for a Brazilian newspaper. The book I have is in French (easy reading), but I'm sure it's available in English and other languages too. A nice read for times when you only have a few moments to spare.


----------



## Killexia (Apr 11, 2019)

I often read several at the same time. However, I am focusing on my first Thomas Hardy novel called "Far From The Madding Crowd". I'm reading it then plan to watch the movie with Terence Stamp and Julie Christie.


----------



## Killexia (Apr 11, 2019)

Jerry Thomas said:


> Maktub by Paulo Coelho. Each page contains a short reflection on life that he originally wrote as a daily column for a Brazilian newspaper. The book I have is in French (easy reading), but I'm sure it's available in English and other languages too. A nice read for times when you only have a few moments to spare.


I've only read his Alchemist book which I loved. I'll have to check this out too.


----------



## Shotha (Apr 11, 2019)

I'm reading Introduction to Sanskrit, Part 2, by Thomas Egenes.


----------



## Still a Skye fan (Apr 12, 2019)

I just started NOS4A2 by Joe Hill (Stephen King's son) at lunch time. I'm only 4-5 pages into it and it's already enjoyable.


----------



## Orchid (Apr 12, 2019)

Best loved garden plants - David Myers. Many lovely floral and plants pictures.


----------



## LizzieJones (Apr 12, 2019)

A couple of days ago I just finished reading IT by Stephen King. Took me 2 months to get through it. Over 1400 pages. I'm not sure what book I'm going to read next.


----------



## Still a Skye fan (Apr 13, 2019)

I enjoyed Stephen King's IT quite a bit in 1985 and I reread it shortly before the movie came out in 2017. I thought it still held up well...though, I'm getting a little tired waiting for the second new IT movie to come out.


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## jakemcduck (Apr 14, 2019)

I started collecting all the Forgotten Realms novels a few years ago. I have almost all of them. I finally completed Elaine Cunningham's Starlight & Shadow's trilogy and I'm on book two (Tangled Webs). I've been looking forward to reading this set for years!


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## LizzieJones (Apr 15, 2019)

Just started 11/22/63


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## BigElectricKat (Apr 15, 2019)

Jack Welch and the Four E's of Leadership


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## FleurBleu (Apr 15, 2019)

Game of Thrones, Book 1. The release of the last season got me excited.


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## Lindak665 (Apr 15, 2019)

Birthday Cake & Bodies by Agatha Frost


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## CalmBF (Apr 16, 2019)

Just started the First Law by Joe Abercrombie. I already like the book


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## RVGleason (Apr 16, 2019)

As a fan of the original Alvin & The Chipmunks, I’m currently reading and enjoying this book.


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## Gamecat (Apr 23, 2019)

I am reading the newest book of a dutch fantasy writer. It is from the "bloodlaw" series and this one is called 1000 nights (She tries to collect money to translate them in english). 
Most main characters are some kind of vampires. 
This book is about a popular character from the main series. A voluptous lady that is called "madame" because she is. And the book describes how she became a vampire.


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## Still a Skye fan (Apr 28, 2019)

I'm almost done with NOS4A2 by Joe Hill. So far, it's still pretty cool and I'm looking forward to the TV adaptation on AMC.

Not sure what I'll start next but, as a librarian, I can always find something to read.


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## SaraK8 (Apr 28, 2019)

I'm rereading this gem.


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## Orchid (May 3, 2019)

Encyclopedia Aromatherapy essential oils A to Z - Julia Lawless.


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## LumpySmile (May 6, 2019)

I just finished "Space" by James A. Michener. Someone gave it to me hoping I'd enjoy it, and I did, in parts. It was a slow starter but really picked up in the middle. The ending (After 800 pages, mind you) was so trite and cliched I just can't recommend the book.


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## Eric (May 7, 2019)

trying to get through The Dark Tower series. i'm halfway through Wizard & Glass and i'm hooked!


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## Adamantoise (May 7, 2019)

The Lord Of The Rings.


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## Volt01 (May 7, 2019)

im reading how to keep your volkswagen alive.


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## loonerman (Jul 7, 2019)

The Martian by Andy Weir


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## JR in Houston (Jul 7, 2019)

Dr. Feelgood said:


> _Jeeves in the Morning_ (UK title _Joy in the Morning_) by P.G. Wodehouse.



Wodehouse is the funniest ever, if you haven't read some of his stuff, you are missing out. 
I am reading Chernobyl right now, just finished Alice in Wonderland


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## HUGEisElegant (Jul 7, 2019)

Not reading anything right now, but I'm thinking of reading Bill Bryson's _A Walk in the Woods_ for about the 6th or 7th time. lol


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## Shotha (Jul 7, 2019)

I'm reading the _Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali._ It's only a short book but it will take me aeons to read, because I'm reading it in the original language.


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## wrenchboy (Jul 7, 2019)

SaraK8 said:


> I'm rereading this gem. View attachment 132291




I have read several of Christopher Moore's books. Very humorous. I live in Florida so I understand his writing a bit more than the casual reader.


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## wrenchboy (Jul 7, 2019)

Are We Having Any Fun Yet? 
A cookbook by Sammy Hagar (Van Halen rock singer)

Before you knock Sammy for just putting his name on a book and raking in the money think again. Sammy Hagar is a serious foodie that loves to cook. I have tried one of the recipes, first time making osso bucco and it was fabulous!
He doesn't just shell out recipes he tells stories about his wild and crazy life. Reading the recipes is fun too. He says things like gently place the meat in the pan. Dont splash! That shit hurts!


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## Still a Skye fan (Jul 8, 2019)

I'm halfway through "Born to Be Posthumous: The Eccentric Life and Mysterious Genius of Edward Gorey" by Mark Dery and it's actually quite interesting. I've been a fan of Gorey's for years and never knew much about the guy. Dery did an impressive bit of research and the whole book is quite engrossing.


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## fat hiker (Jul 8, 2019)

loonerman said:


> The Martian by Andy Weir


What a romp, what a terrific, nerdy-sciency-thriller that book is!


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## fat hiker (Jul 8, 2019)

HUGEisElegant said:


> Not reading anything right now, but I'm thinking of reading Bill Bryson's _A Walk in the Woods_ for about the 6th or 7th time. lol


Another truly terrific book!


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## HUGEisElegant (Jul 8, 2019)

fat hiker said:


> Another truly terrific book!



Yep!  I was actually set to hike the entire Appalachian Trail in 2012, but unfortunately I had to pull out at the last minute due to unforeseen circumstances. One day!


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## loonerman (Jul 9, 2019)

I’ve read The Life-Changing MANGA of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo three times now.


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