174 replies to this topic

[Bimp]

Right, this is an effort to get away from the only book threads that seem to crop up; namely, the 'favourite books' ones that end up with everyone posting the same titles every time, and not a word more. With some exceptions, obviously. This thread is KIND OF like the 'what are you listening to at the moment' one, but hopefully the less transient nature of books should keep it from becoming the waste of space the other one is, as people might feel more justified in writing more than just the title and artist (author). We might even get some kind of discussion, who knows.

So, I've recently finished (the books finished so far of) The Kingkiller Chronicles Patrick Rothfuss. And man, it's bad. The writing is sloppy, the characterisation is lazy and two-dimensional as Kate Hudson's face, and I couldn't count the number of times a character said something 'easily' on my fingers if I had twenty hands. Equally irritating is Rothuss' apparent need to apply needless similes to just about anything. Nobody can just sit down in a chair. They have to sit down in a chair 'like a sunbeam settling on the face of a small child who is six and happens to have a graze on his knee from where he fell over two days ago' or something. Most irritating of all, it seems to have worked its way on to a number of 'best fantasy' lists, which I simply cannot understand. That said, it's not all bad. It's occasionally punctuated with clever pieces of dialogue (although Rothfuss seems to think himself far wittier than he is), and the second book is better written than the first. Perhaps he's more comfortable writing a more conventional fantasy story with ancient swords and shit. I don't know. The story itself, given a more talented writer, may even have been pretty entertaining. As it is, reading them was a chore and I was glad to have finished them, and gladder still that I didn't have to pay for them.

I've just started Ulysses for like the fourth time. The first three times I was around 15/16, and I couldn't get my head around the strange punctuation and stream-of-consciousness narration. I can get my head around it this time, and I'm enjoying it so far.

So what you reading EC?

[w0lfstar_l0ve]

I'm reading 'Bleak House' by Charles Dickens. I used to think I really disliked Dickens, but then read 'The Old Curiosity Shop' because it was on a school reading list. I loved it - the writing was extraordinary, in particular the descriptions.

[Forzare!]

I just finished Ghost Story, the latest installment in the Dresden Files series and I squee squee squeeeeeeeeeeee'd when Jim Butcher (The author) said there'd be at least another book in the series. YAY.

Other than that, i'm a bit busy to read right now.

[Algernon]

I’m always reading several books at a time, so I can switch between them as my mood dictates me. However, right now I’m busy re-reading my university study books and notes and other psychotherapy-related books and essays to freshen up some things in anticipation of tests I will have to take, as well as simply to prepare for my coming studies. That absorbs most of my reading. Apart from that, I’m reading the following:

-Jonah Lehrer – The Decisive Moment: ‘Since Plato, philosophers have described the decision-making process as either rational or emotional: we carefully deliberate or we ‘blink’ and go with our gut. But as scientists break open the mind’s black box with the latest tools of neuroscience, they’re discovering this is not how the mind works. Our best decisions are a finely tuned blend of both feeling and reason – and the precise mix depends on the situation. When buying a house, for example, it’s best to let our unconscious mull over the many variables. But when we’re picking stocks and shares, intuition often leads us astray. The trick is to determine when to lean on which part of the brain, and to do this, we need to think harder (and smarter) about how we think. In The Decisive Moment, Jonah Lehrer arms us with the tools we need, drawing on cutting-edge research by Daniel Kahneman, Colin Camerer and others, as well as the world’s most interesting ‘deciders’ – from airline pilots, world famous sportsmen and hedge fund investors to serial killers, politicians and poker players. He shows how the fluctuations of a few dopamine neurons saved a battleship during the Persian Gulf War, and how the fevered activity of a single brain region led to the sub-prime mortgage crisis. Lehrer’s goal is to answer two questions that are of interest to just about anyone, from CEOs to firefighters: How does the human mind make decisions? And how can we make those decisions better?’

It’s a reasonably enjoyable little book so far. But, in the end, it’s little more than pop-science with some small morsels of neurobiology strewn in here and there to spike interest a bit. It’s nicely written in easy, engaging language, although some of the author’s neurology, let alone some of his analogies and explanations, are iffy in points. Still, enjoyable little book that sheds some simple light on how the brain makes decisions. Nothing more, nothing less. Interesting as long as you don’t take it too seriously.

-Burr Cartwright Brundage – The Fifth Sun: I am obsessed by Aztec civilisation and mythology; have been for as long as I can remember. Although some of Brundage’s interpretations and information is outdated, he is my favourite author when it comes to anything Aztec-related. This particular book is a good overview of the Aztec Gods and Aztec mythology. The definitive book on Aztec mythology to start with. If you’re interested in that kind of stuff (and you should be), this is the book to read. For the history of the Aztec people, read Brundage’s Rain of Darts. Again: a bit outdated in places, but in my mind the best book on Aztec history nonetheless. I have read both of these books more times than I can remember. I am obsessed by the Aztecs and these books (amongst others, of course) fuel my love for them all that much more, no matter how many times I read them.

-Algernon Blackwood’s short stories: Algernon Blackwood is a sadly mostly forgotten writer of supernatural stories. They’re not truly ‘horror,’ but they do deal with the supernatural and the terror it inspires. His writing is superb. Beautiful, vivid, poetic, evocative yet never over the top or too Victorian – a pitfall that my favourite horror writer H.P. Lovecraft sometimes fell victim to. I read his stories to unwind before I go to sleep. Blackwood’s stories were all about creating a delicate atmosphere, sometimes ominous, sometimes stunningly beautiful. If you’re interested in supernatural or horror stories, check him out. I recommend you start with The Willows and The Wendigo.

Now, back to my study books.

I just finished Ghost Story, the latest installment in the Dresden Files series and I squee squee squeeeeeeeeeeee'd when Jim Butcher (The author) said there'd be at least another book in the series. YAY.

Other than that, i'm a bit busy to read right now.

... Too busy to read? GET OUT!

[Nereus]

A collection of short stories by Philip K. Dick entilted Minority Report. He's one of my favourite sci-fi writers.

[NewlyGeeking]

At the moment I am reading A Song of Fire and Ice BY George R.R. Martin, it's a rather interesting read


I haven't been able to sit down and just read in ages, cause my friends kept suggesting crap like "Marked" which is about vampires that have tattoos and this one girl is a slut but everyone is in love with her *coughs*

[Staton]

I actually most recently finished reading American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis. I had previously read Lunar Park by him and I found both to be quite good. He writes what I think must be the best dialogue I've ever read, simply because it's very "realistic" feeling, there aren't conversations that feel forced or that feel like the words wouldn't actually come out of someone's mouth. You also get a great introspective look into the main character's mind while this is happening, and in both Lunar Park and American Psycho, that happens to be one fucked up mind.

[Lavinia]

I've just finished re-reading 'Live Wire' by Harlan Coben. One of my favourite authors of the crime investigation and comedy genre, he's fantastic with the way he writes. He brings you completely close to the characters so you love them as your own, he's quite witty and engaging with the way he portrays his story. oh & also 'Sunshine' and 'Pegasus'by Robi McKinley; Yeah I know the former is a supernatural novel, it's nothing like Twilight or Anne Rice. It's surprisingly nice, quite soter in it's approach to the supernatural and very descriptive and emotional, something which is refreshing to see. The latter is quite emotional and spiritual, it's all about love and relationship/emotional ties.

I've been looking around for some new novels to read, mainly of the fantasy/adventure, comedy and spiritual genre, but so far haven't found much to capture my interest. I have however made a note to read 'The Sandman series' by Neil Gaiman and I plan on reading 'Lavinia' by Ursula K. Le Guin; both sound to be promising but I'll have to wait and see.

[O Brave New World]

In Our Time by Ernest Hemingway

Guns of August by Barbara Tuchman

[Azrael.]

'Songs of the Earth' by Elspeth Cooper.

& I'm re-reading 'The Lucifer Effect' by Phillip Zimbardo.

[Nyx.]

I just finished reading "Ender's Game" by Orson Scott Card. It was REALLY good. I think I'm going to start the next book in the series: "Speaker for the Dead".

[k00p]

Reading A dance with dragons by GRRM

[nimphia_rose]

i just finished reading The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins i really enjoyed it,the way that she set out everything first, and it was all explained well before it really got into the serious part. i also love the fact that this book didnt take so long to get into the excitement.
i came across this book when i was looking puzzled in our school library and and older guy came over and said "here, you will like this one" damn that boy was right i cant wait to get my hands on the next book to the trilogy

[FearOfForgetting]

I'm re-reading both The Hunger Games, and To Kill a Mockingbird. Hunger Games is one of my favorite series. Good characters, a nice plot, the worst possible thing happening at every turn. And To Kill a Mockingbird because its one of my favorite classics.

[Nereus]

Game Of Thrones by George R.R. Martin.

Gotten through about 20 pages already, and it's quite the enjoyable read so far.

[Phoenix]

I'm going to confess: I hated the third book in the hunger game series. You can't spend the entire series building up to this one point, then have the main character miss it.

I've been re-reading Harry Potter, but mostly, recently, I've been reading FanFics, so non-published stuff

[Loverboy]

I dont usually read anything, but Seven Deadly Sins by Corey Taylor is a great book

[Rellik San]

The God Delusion - Richard Dawkins

[finality]

The God Delusion - Richard Dawkins

I couldn't finish that, it was too repetitive and negative, and I didn't agree with his conviction that religious people are all essentially stupid.


I just read Digital Fortress by Dan brown, I really liked it, it was an enjoyable read.
I'm reading Weiberregiment, a German translation of Terry Pratchett's monstrous regiment, at the moment, but I don't think I'll finish it, I've already read it in English and I know the plot, I just got it while on holiday because I had very little else to do and learning German is fun, yay.

[Rellik San]

I couldn't finish that, it was too repetitive and negative, and I didn't agree with his conviction that religious people are all essentially stupid.

I'm actually coming at it from behind, I just read the Dawkins Delusion and as soon as they wheeled out the Hitler argument I stopped reading it, deciding instead to focus on the main text it attempts to refute. I like Dawkins works on Evolutionary Biology so I thought I'd try and get through it.

Although afterwards I have "Are you Dave Gormon" lined up.