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skribleBRONZE Member
member
155 posts
Location: moston, manchester, England (UK)


Posted:
i love to read and discuss books. did a search couldnt find a book club so im starting one biggrin

what books have you read recently? were they any good? which books would you recommend?

i personally have just read Johnny Cash' autobiography and loved it. Beautifully written, poetic and at times moving. ubblove

this apple juice is a bit milky isnt it?!


PeleBRONZE Member
the henna lady
6,193 posts
Location: WNY, USA


Posted:
I got it!
I've not really been able to get into Good Omens.

It's a good book. I love the plot and the sarcasm is after my own heart *but* I finally figured out what's wrong.

It doesn't flow at all. It's hoppy and choppy and all the damn footnotes on nearly every page are just starting to annoy the hell out of me.

It's trying entirely too hard to be funny and there are some things that make it feel rather obvious that it's written by two people rather than one.

Not annoying enough for me to put it down but enough for me to read other things before it.

Anyone else run into this with other books (or this one)?

Pele
Higher, higher burning fire...making music like a choir
"Oooh look! A pub!" -exclaimed after recovering from a stupid fall
"And for the decadence of art, nothing beats a roaring fire." -TMK


astonSILVER Member
Unofficial Chairperson of Squirrel Defense League
4,061 posts
Location: South Africa


Posted:
Well, that, it can be argued, is where the author has actually failed you.

The whole point to to mae you suspend disbelief. Which is why authors still tend to use normal measures of distance and time instead of making up new ones. And why pants are still called pants (or trousers or pantaloons, but still normal words) and not jims.

Everytime an author uses an unfamiliar term, it knocks the reader out of his disbelief while the author explains it. If it happens often enough, it gets in the way.

Of course, certain genres are more resistant (SF and fantasy for instance) but even there, unless something is really odd, you do not think about it. I mean, who really cares how a phase blaster works? As long as you recognise the basic idea (it shoots things) you are probably not gong to question it.

City and people names can be slightly odd, but the things tend to be the same. There is a reason dragons are all fairly similar in fiction: the author need not waste time explaining what it is. Although calling it a slivvithak would make no difference, it breaks your suspension of disbelief, which is the main goal of an author, after telling a good story. Forget the "message" and "meaning". Authors are storytellers. Too many forget that and tr to write literature....

All that said, I liked Good Omens. Need to find more of the Swallows and Amazons series. Have not read them for years. Or Enid Blyton....

Currently reading a book on world mythology (just an overview of the myths in various places). Also reading The World of Psmith by PG Wodehouse. And Slowtrain to Arcturus by Dave Freer. The last one is well worth a read if you like space opera.

'We're all mad here. I'm mad, you're mad." [said the Cat.]
"How do you know I'm mad?" said Alice.
"You must be," said the Cat, "Or you wouldn't have come here."
- Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures In Wonderland


hamamelisBRONZE Member
nut.
756 posts
Location: Bouncing off the walls., England (UK)


Posted:
I've read pretty much all the Terry Pratchett books, and a fair bit of Neil Gaiman, but I admit I never really liked Good Omens either.. Just doesn't seem to ever get 'flowing' as much as either of them's individually written books.

Definitely need new reading matter though- I read a book every night/two nights at the most- I'm working in a second hand bookshop one day a week, and STILL have managed to run out..
Read a little Bujold which was apparently space opera, not wholly sure what defines the genre though.. so I can't say if I like it or not wink

THE MEEK WILL INHERIT THE EARTH!


If that's okay with you?


Mother_Natures_SonSILVER Member
Rampant whirler.
2,418 posts
Location: Geelong, Victoria, Australia!


Posted:
Originally Posted By: astonOf course, certain genres are more resistant (SF and fantasy for instance) but even there, unless something is really odd, you do not think about it. I mean, who really cares how a phase blaster works? As long as you recognise the basic idea (it shoots things) you are probably not gong to question it.

City and people names can be slightly odd, but the things tend to be the same. There is a reason dragons are all fairly similar in fiction: the author need not waste time explaining what it is. Although calling it a slivvithak would make no difference, it breaks your suspension of disbelief, which is the main goal of an author, after telling a good story. Forget the "message" and "meaning". Authors are storytellers. Too many forget that and tr to write literature....

I think the main point on Fantasy and SF in that one is that while they all might be awfully different from the real world they often follow very similar conventions. Elves, Dwarves, dragons as you say are all awfully similar. A description of each of the races tends to be a way to introduce a specific character as much as anything else and begin to create an aura of awe and wonder experienced by the more inexperienced members of the traveling party. (Usually one of the younger travelers)

On Feist. I really do enjoy his stories, he is a great storyteller, but he writes a book a year and there are a lot of grammatical and spelling errors in the first editions of his books. Its kinda disappointing given the number of editors he has, but all the same this isn't the reason I read his books.

hug


willworkforfoodjnrSILVER Member
Hunting robot foxes
1,046 posts
Location: Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England (UK)


Posted:
Haha MNS thats pretty much exactly what I was about to say about Feist's new book. Just finished it yesterday and there were errors on almost every page. To the point where it was getting in the way of the stories flow.

Hmm, what next???

Working hard to be a wandering hippie layabout. Ten years down, five to go!


Mother_Natures_SonSILVER Member
Rampant whirler.
2,418 posts
Location: Geelong, Victoria, Australia!


Posted:
Its the way all his books are on first release, really. Its a shame, really because the way that its all thatched together is quite clever, but when theres people putting their arms around other peoples "wastes" it does partially spoil the illusion.

I will however continue to buy the books as they are quite well done.

hug


astonSILVER Member
Unofficial Chairperson of Squirrel Defense League
4,061 posts
Location: South Africa


Posted:
PG Wodehouse is worth a read, if you remember the time and place he is writing from. The dialogue is amusing at least. Even if it does tend to affect my speech....

I suspect that whether you like them or not is fairly dependent on the individual....

'We're all mad here. I'm mad, you're mad." [said the Cat.]
"How do you know I'm mad?" said Alice.
"You must be," said the Cat, "Or you wouldn't have come here."
- Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures In Wonderland


RicheeBRONZE Member
HOP librarian
1,841 posts
Location: Prague, Czech. Republic


Posted:
Gene Brewer

-K-PAX
-On a beam of light

Psychologic, a bit sci-fi and real life story from psychiatric clinic
with 'Prot' one figure of personality distorted person.

-------------------------------------

Great reading, thoughtfull and funny too.

lightning,

:R

hug

POI THEO(R)IST


SeyeSILVER Member
Geek
1,261 posts
Location: Manchester, UK


Posted:
Everyone should be forced to read Bad Science by Ben Goldacre
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bad-Science-Ben-...1386&sr=8-1

If you've ever wante to know about the medical industry, alt medical industry or just the truth behind science stories in the news you'll love it.

I just hope that its message spreads far enough to really make a difference to the way that people read the news.

10beezlyBRONZE Member
Named 2008 MVP by Swisher Sweets
13 posts
Location: Central Cali, USA


Posted:
so many good books in here. some classics.

i just finished the new david sedaris "when you are engulfed in flames" and it was either my favorite or second fav from him, next to "me talk pretty one day".

for those of you that dont know, his novels are collections of semi-autobiographical essays written with a really dry sense of humor, and a really positive tone.

if you haven't read any of his work, i suggest starting with Me Talk Pretty One Day, as the essays sort of follow young david growing up.

eat well
stay fit
die anyway


astonSILVER Member
Unofficial Chairperson of Squirrel Defense League
4,061 posts
Location: South Africa


Posted:
Been rereading the books from my youth. Mostly because I do not have to concentrate on them....

Biggles, Swallows and Amazons, Secret Seven/Famous Five, Hardy Boys....
That sort of stuff....

'We're all mad here. I'm mad, you're mad." [said the Cat.]
"How do you know I'm mad?" said Alice.
"You must be," said the Cat, "Or you wouldn't have come here."
- Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures In Wonderland


willworkforfoodjnrSILVER Member
Hunting robot foxes
1,046 posts
Location: Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England (UK)


Posted:
I just started on The White Spider by Heinrich Harrer. Its his memories from the first accent of the Eiger's north face. Language is dated but already turning into a gripping read.

Working hard to be a wandering hippie layabout. Ten years down, five to go!


MynciBRONZE Member
Macaque of all trades
8,738 posts
Location: wombling free..., United Kingdom


Posted:
I'm currently reading ol' stephen Hawkings "A brief history of Time" A surprisiingly easy read, qarter of the way through and still nothing I don't understand. and flows particularly well also.

I've got the God delusion to read next *can't wait*

A couple of balls short of a full cascade... or maybe a few cards short of a deck... we'll see how this all fans out.


SeyeSILVER Member
Geek
1,261 posts
Location: Manchester, UK


Posted:
Originally Posted By: MynciI'm currently reading ol' stephen Hawkings "A brief history of Time" A surprisiingly easy read, qarter of the way through and still nothing I don't understand. and flows particularly well also.

I've got the God delusion to read next *can't wait*
Both are brilliant.

Brief History is a bit outdated now but is a brilliant introduction to Hawkings work.
The one to read afterwards (if you havent already) is Big Bang by Simon Singh.

God Delusion is a bit ranty at times but is generally brilliant. It puts forward so many theories about religion as a phenomenon. When you've read it let me know and I'll point you in the direction of some people who disagree with Dawkins and put the foundations of religion in other places.

MynciBRONZE Member
Macaque of all trades
8,738 posts
Location: wombling free..., United Kingdom


Posted:
laugh3 A bit out dated, it's over 20 years old I have read other works more recent and can see the ever so slight differences as I'm reading and the fact that some examples given are slightly older / less acurate than the more recent I've read.
I've seen Dawkins TV rant of the same name, it's not so much the foundations of religion that interest me, more the incongruences within the practice and dogma. To be fair I can see why he rants sometimes I want to do the same. I want to read the 2 together as I feel that it's good to be current on theory when I read Dawkins so I can spot anything not quite right.

A couple of balls short of a full cascade... or maybe a few cards short of a deck... we'll see how this all fans out.


Sambo_FluxGOLD Member
Introverted
833 posts
Location: Norf London, United Kingdom


Posted:
K, just finished The Dark Tower (all 7 of them) on the recommendation of various people earlier in this thread.

Wow. Just... Wow.

Finished book 7, and went straight back to book 1.

On the subject of Stephen Hawking, try "The Universe in a Nutshell", that's a great read. Also, on a science bent, "At Home in the Universe" by Stuart Kaufmann is great.

I find Dawkins a bit ranty too, but he makes a good point, and there is definitely a place for that.

My Mind is a Ship
Emotions become the Waves
Soul is the Ocean

If a quizz is quizzical, what is a test?


MynciBRONZE Member
Macaque of all trades
8,738 posts
Location: wombling free..., United Kingdom


Posted:
So far Dawkins hasn't seemed Ranty (may be because it's new revised paperback) For any Sword of truth (terry Goodkind) readers who didn't know the first book has been butchered in a TV serialisation laugh3

I wondered if anyone had read "the Trouble with Physics" by Lee Smolin the creator of the fecund Universe theory, I heard about it and was looking for comments.

A couple of balls short of a full cascade... or maybe a few cards short of a deck... we'll see how this all fans out.


Nell.woz.erePLATINUM Member
&*(%^&JHGBiguijuHGFHFGijgkfrpojknf5uyy&%798ij\;LLKKLF?l@~o{~l';U(*^&%uyfgj:@980hooH&*TgHUHK Jones.
18 posts
Location: Midlothian


Posted:
yes its AWESOME!!! Have been reading the Island too just recently, SO ahead of his time!

I highly recommend the Perennial Philosophy (by Aldous Huxley too), although it needs reading more than once to understand it...for me, the first time round was basically a translation process, dictionary in hand for all the big words lol.

It is basically an encyclopedia of God >>>(everything>>Advaita) and Enlightenment, but from the scriptural perspective rather than the "new age" connecting western spiritual philosophies to the east.

Heal the world by introducing someone to flow..


Nell.woz.erePLATINUM Member
&*(%^&JHGBiguijuHGFHFGijgkfrpojknf5uyy&%798ij\;LLKKLF?l@~o{~l';U(*^&%uyfgj:@980hooH&*TgHUHK Jones.
18 posts
Location: Midlothian


Posted:
Who loves the Dune books, by Frank Herbert and Son??? i LOVE Dune, i think Children of Dune is perhaps my favorite.

I havnt read any of his sons ones (thats if it was his son, someone from the Herbert Klan anyway)...i just dont think the same depth of the philosophical and spiritual concepts that were embedded in Frank's ones could be repeated...or could they? anyone got any comments?

edit: removed spoiler lol
EDITED_BY: nellpuss (1241864304)

Heal the world by introducing someone to flow..


astonSILVER Member
Unofficial Chairperson of Squirrel Defense League
4,061 posts
Location: South Africa


Posted:
The Preludes are not bad.

They do not have quite the same depth, but they tell a decent story, and the feel is similar. Have not read Dune 7, but we shall see....

'We're all mad here. I'm mad, you're mad." [said the Cat.]
"How do you know I'm mad?" said Alice.
"You must be," said the Cat, "Or you wouldn't have come here."
- Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures In Wonderland


zyonchaosjourneyman
77 posts
Location: Anglesey, Wales, UK soon to be Lincoln, England (s...


Posted:
OK, so im a geek currently reading all the Star Wars books,
all the ones that happen in between the films. It gives you more of a back story on Little Vader and obi wan.

Have enjoyed the first 3 books in the Inheritance Cylcle, although it really is just the Star Wars trilogy (original) with dragons instead of space. (young boy raised far far away on the edges of an empire by his uncle, who is subsequently murdered just as boy finds out he is destined for greatness yadayadya)

Stephenie Meyer's Twilight Novels were enjoyable as well. Watched the film first then read all 4 books in a weekend, for once the film did the book justice.

The Black Magician trilogy by Trudi Canavan was good, but when they spend the best part of two and a half books building up to a fight and finish said fight in about 20pages its wrong, other than that it was a good series.

Philip Pullmans Dark Materials trilogy was good aswell, film did dissapoint a lot. But its like the Harry Potter books thought they were great, films were crap.

Now to read this list you wouldnt think I was 27 would you. I havent read anything spectacular recently, I have read a lot of good books that have kept my head in the pages, but that is it.

I read Of Mice and Men at school and loved it, also went to the theatre with the school to see it. The girls out of my class were crying at the end as they hadnt expected that to happen wereas I had already read the book. I love Shakespeare, and where ever possible try and go and see it performed. The last one I saw was A Midsummer Nights Dream performed open air at Caernarfon Castle, awesome.

From Within Chaos Comes Order


Mr MajestikSILVER Member
coming to a country near you
4,696 posts
Location: home of the tiney toothy bear, Australia


Posted:
just finished american psycho and im feeling... reflective.

"but have you considered there is more to life than your eyelids?"

jointly owned by Fire_Spinning_Angel and Blu_Valley


Mr MajestikSILVER Member
coming to a country near you
4,696 posts
Location: home of the tiney toothy bear, Australia


Posted:
Originally Posted By: Pogo69Originally Posted By: Mr Majestiki read a book called "water for elephants" in two days a week ago. a lovely fictional book about a very old man in a nursinghome recalling his youth as an employee on a circus train.

just one of those books that you can power through and enjoy enough to go back and read any part again straight away.


that sounds fabulous... just added it to my "wish list"... smile

i've since reread that book twice more, i ended up buying it because i though my gfs family had lost it but it turned out it was in my gfs shelf in my bedroom cupboard haha!

Originally Posted By: Mr Majestik...presently i'm almost half way through 'Hells Angels' by Hunter S Thompson. my frist Thompson book and i have to say i love his style, have another of his books already to begin after i finish this one smile

i did read kingdom of fear straight after i finished hells angels, a different book in terms of where hunter was in his life and a great if jumpy story. im now thinking since i finished american psycho 20 odd minutes ago i'd like to get another thompson book to finish before i go home to *shudder* work!

"but have you considered there is more to life than your eyelids?"

jointly owned by Fire_Spinning_Angel and Blu_Valley


triptricianSILVER Member
UFO Spotting
350 posts
Location: Queensland, Australia


Posted:
One of my all time favourite series of books was "tomorrow when the war began" by John Marsden. Just one of those stories that you cant put down. A story about a group of country Australia kids go camping in a remote part of the bush on a long weekend, a very difficult place to get to and only the locals know about. While they are there the town they are from gets invaded by an army and the whole town is imprisoned at the showgrounds. The story continues from there....It is aimed at teenagers but so immersive that the re-read I did a couple years ago was just as good as the first time

would rather have a bottle-in-front-of-me than a frontal lobotomy

"The dangers of life are infinate and among them is safety"(geothe)


SpinnerofDetroitGOLD Member
All High Dude, Ruler of What You Want
2,280 posts
Location: Trenton, MI, USA


Posted:
Sorry to say is that I will not be partaking in this thread because reading infuriates me... I either get so mad about sitting there doing nothing or I get so bored I fall asleep holding the book. I have read one book that I can say I actually got into. It was The Theory of Everything and I read it in 7th grade.

The only luck is bad luck.

Shut up before I stall my poi up your ass grin


EpitomeOfNoviceGOLD Member
Putting the "FUN" in fundamental since 1981
787 posts
Location: Dover, Delaware USA


Posted:
It's okay SoD, I can only handle non-fiction as I don't find reading entertaining in the tradition usage of "entertainment"(gathering information that is useful or intriguing is entertaining to me on the other hand). Although those old "Reading is Fundamental" PSA have inspired me to make T-shirts some day that say "I put the FUN in Fundamental" and allow all who see it to interpret it in numerous ways. tongue2

If anyone enjoys non-fiction like I do every now and again, I highly recommend The Fundamentals Of Knowledge Vol. 1-3 and the Tao Te Ching.

Last good book I read though was Revolution: A Manifesto by Ron Paul, that man knows his constitution!
EDITED_BY: EpitomeOfNovice (1276138832)
EDIT_REASON: cause dyslexia sucks for typing almost as much as it does for reading ;P

~Rock on!~

"As the pattern gets more intricate and subtle, being swept along is no longer enough"-Waking Life

(All you RLers this is epitome_of_lame *waves hello*)


Rouge DragonBRONZE Member
Insert Champagne Here
13,215 posts
Location: without class distinction, Australia


Posted:
Originally Posted By: triptricianOne of my all time favourite series of books was "tomorrow when the war began" by John Marsden.

I've always wanted to read it, but I've never been a fan of reading and then waiting for the next instalment so I've only just started trying to buy the books all second hand now! Still missing 2 though so haven't started reading yet...

i would have changed ***** to phallus, and claire to petey Petey

Rougie: but that's what I'm doing here
Arnwyn: what letting me adjust myself in your room?..don't you dare quote that on HoP...


triptricianSILVER Member
UFO Spotting
350 posts
Location: Queensland, Australia


Posted:
I had the whole series at school but through a few house moves lost the majority so I have been looking for replacements as well. The best book store i have found for them are either QBD bookstores (might be a Queensland only store sorry Rouge) or Angus & Robertson. Unfortunately (as murphys' law would dictate)niether had the ones I was missing.

"Interesting side note in 2009 according to wikipedia: In June 2009, Screen Australia announced that it would fund the development of the feature film Tomorrow, When the War Began, written and directed by screenwriter Stuart Beattie (Australia, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl), and produced by Andrew Mason for Ambience Entertainment, reportedly to begin production in late 2009.[5][6][7] Raymond Terrace in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, was chosen as a major location for producing the film.[8] The film is expected to show in cinemas in September 2, 2010."(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tomorrow_series)

would rather have a bottle-in-front-of-me than a frontal lobotomy

"The dangers of life are infinate and among them is safety"(geothe)


Icarus FordeBRONZE Member
Just Icarus//Spinner//Pyro//Geek
261 posts
Location: New Zealand


Posted:
Tomorrow When The War Began was a brilliant book. Have you read the entire series, including The Ellie Chronicles?

I'd write a list of books that I've read, but it'd be thousands long. Fave authors include Matthew Reilly, Tom Clancy, Chris Ryan, Jodi Picoult, JK Rowling, Chistopher Paolini, Douglas Adams, Darren Shan... The list goes on. tongue2

Anything that sits still long enough, basically. tongue2

triptricianSILVER Member
UFO Spotting
350 posts
Location: Queensland, Australia


Posted:
havent read the ellie chronicles and to be honest hadnt heard of them until today when i wiki-ed the original series. Having said that once i hit uni reading for enjoyment became a thing of the past(its not that i didnt enjoy some of the books i was MADE to read). Now that i have more time it might be somethi0ng worth reading.

would rather have a bottle-in-front-of-me than a frontal lobotomy

"The dangers of life are infinate and among them is safety"(geothe)


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