|
Arnold of Soissons posted:"second person? like, 'you open the door and look for a chair,' second person? I must be really out of it, there must be some other second person he means, I'll look it up on amazon" It was a adjustment for me. That said it does come out of the second person. nate fisher fucked around with this message at 04:01 on May 5, 2011 |
#
?
May 5, 2011 03:55
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 30, 2024 01:42 |
|
|
Rising Tide: The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 and how it Changed America by John M. Barry. The first 125 pages or so about the architectural war over the Mississippi in the 1800s was dull, but it's picked up considerably now that it's hit the Klan of the 1920s and Greenville's war against it. He included a few lynching stories of that era. drat.
|
|
#
?
May 5, 2011 06:45
|
|
|
I started 'Live Free Or Die (Troy Rising)' by John Ringo. I wish someone would have warned me about it. It gets good reviews and actually is a pretty decent sci fi story. Except for the authors politics which seem to spontaneously explode into the plot whenever he wants. We learn pretty quickly that its okay for the main character to do things in a way that kills off large portions of the Earths population as long as they are liberal or black or Muslim. I actually thought that our hero(?) was going to figure out a way of gaining victory over the alien oppressors without them blowing the poo poo out of the planet, he did express an interest in doing it but then says 'hell, gently caress it thats too hard, we can get the aliens to kill of those drat communist pussies instead'. Anyway, if you can ignore the crazy right wing bullshit and rants, then you actually end up with a decent enough story. The other book I bought was 'Fuzzy Nation' by John Scalzi. Pretty good so far, funny, no crazy rear end rants or Fox news interviews at integral parts of the plot.
|
|
#
?
May 14, 2011 03:10
|
|
|
Bought: Prince of Thorns by Mark Lawrence Lucky Wander Boy by D.B. Weiss Started reading: The Ice Dragon by GRRM Snitch Jacket by Christopher Goffard The White Luck Warrior by R. Scott Bakker
|
|
#
?
May 14, 2011 07:29
|
|
|
Just gotten and have started Zero Hour by Andy McNab. After that, seeing as I'd have finished the Nick Stone series, I reckon I'll finally start Dune, which was given to me by my dad a little while ago, when he found it again, in the shed loft. Anyone think I should get excited for it? (Dune, that is) I've heard some bad things about the later books in the series, but not about the original, I don't think.
|
|
#
?
May 14, 2011 14:11
|
|
|
The first book in the series is pretty great. The rest of em though, get pretty odd. The original is worth a read, at the very least 
|
|
#
?
May 14, 2011 14:32
|
|
|
I think all of them that aren't written by his son are worth reading.
|
|
#
?
May 19, 2011 15:16
|
|
|
I ordered the Pevear/Volokhonsky translation of Dr. Zhivago. Very much looking forward to reading it, as my 20th century Russian history/literature knowledge is pretty scanty.
|
|
#
?
May 19, 2011 17:11
|
|
|
I started reading Boneshaker. So far I enjoy it immensely: Steampunk and Zombies! I also bought Metro 2033 but haven't started reading that one yet.
|
|
#
?
May 30, 2011 22:47
|
|
|
Finally started Dune, after finishing off Andy McNab's Nick Stone series. Not far in, but it's quite interesting so far. I'll definately keep a lookout for the other books in the series, that Frank Herbert (I think that was the name of the original author, right?) did!
|
|
#
?
May 31, 2011 00:56
|
|
|
I just started Startide Rising. Pretty interesting so far, looks like we'll get a lot more about the dolphins (which was only briefly touched on in Sundiver)...
|
|
#
?
May 31, 2011 05:37
|
|
|
Started The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo over the weekend, pretty interesting so far.
|
|
#
?
May 31, 2011 16:41
|
|
|
Simon Winchester is getting about 50 more pages in A Crack in the Edge of the World before I give up on him. Of the first 40 pages, two have been interesting and there have been way too many personal observations that have nothing to do with anything*. * Not to mention this on nearly every page. I like notations at the bottom, but I don't give a flying rat's rear end how Stockton got its name if it's totally irrelevant and uninteresting.
|
|
#
?
Jun 10, 2011 07:16
|
|
|
Picked up a few used books this morning: Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates, The Names by Don DeLillo and A House and It's Head by Ivy Compton-Burnett. I know Yates' book is supposed to be good and I usually like DeLillo, but I'm really intrigued by the last one. I think I'll read it first.
|
|
#
?
Jun 10, 2011 17:54
|
|
|
I just started Karen Russell's Swamplandia! today, and I'm already almost halfway. Tremendously well-written story about a girl and 98 alligators.
|
|
#
?
Jun 11, 2011 00:03
|
|
|
I just bought Kevin L Donihe's The Flappy Parts and Kirk Jones' Uncle Sam's Carnival of Copulating Inanimals.
|
|
#
?
Jun 11, 2011 01:57
|
|
|
I just got Heller's Closing Time and McCarthy's Blood Meridian in the mail today. Pretty excited about Blood Meridian. I just finished Heller's Catch 22 so I will probably put Closing Time at the bottom of the To Read pile.
|
|
#
?
Jun 11, 2011 02:50
|
|
|
Sand County Almanac, by Aldo Leopold. Really enjoying it so far. He's really got a way with words. If you're into nature writing, I suggest picking it up. gently caress Silent Spring.
|
|
#
?
Jun 11, 2011 06:03
|
|
|
Just started Badass: Birth of a Legend by Ben Thompson. His first one was good, but I like this one a lot better than the first.
|
|
#
?
Jun 11, 2011 16:02
|
|
|
I just began American Conspiracies by Jesse Ventura. I'm not one of those tinfoil hat types, I'm just trying to be more open minded. Anyone else read this? Help a goon out! Lots of books - horror, nonfiction, classics and more for sale.
|
|
#
?
Jun 11, 2011 18:01
|
|
|
escape artist posted:I just began American Conspiracies by Jesse Ventura. I'm not one of those tinfoil hat types, I'm just trying to be more open minded. I read it a couple of months ago. Parts of it were good, but it's mostly a collection of conspiracy theories everyone knows about (John Wilkes Booth, the foiled assassination of FDR) and some that are so out there they make very little sense. Plus he's a truther and the longest chapter in the book is all about how 9/11 WUS LIEZ!!! I wouldn't bother finishing it.
|
|
#
?
Jun 11, 2011 18:08
|
|
|
Popular Human posted:I read it a couple of months ago. Parts of it were good, but it's mostly a collection of conspiracy theories everyone knows about (John Wilkes Booth, the foiled assassination of FDR) and some that are so out there they make very little sense. Plus he's a truther and the longest chapter in the book is all about how 9/11 WUS LIEZ!!! I wouldn't bother finishing it. And, would you bother with his book "63 Documents The Government Doesn't Want You To Read"? Are there any books in the same vein that are more, legitimate, for lack of a better word? Perhaps with declassified documents... Northwood, MK Ultra, those kind of things fascinate me. Help a goon out! Lots of books - horror, nonfiction, classics and more for sale.
|
|
#
?
Jun 12, 2011 00:58
|
|
|
Just picked up a bunch of books from the library earlier this week. Right now, I've got The Crying of Lot 49, The Sirens of Titan, and One Hundred Years of Solitude. I'm interested in what I've read of Solitude, and I haven't really gotten to the others yet.
|
|
#
?
Jun 12, 2011 02:08
|
|
|
Popular Human posted:I read it a couple of months ago. Parts of it were good, but it's mostly a collection of conspiracy theories everyone knows about (John Wilkes Booth, the foiled assassination of FDR) and some that are so out there they make very little sense. Plus he's a truther and the longest chapter in the book is all about how 9/11 WUS LIEZ!!! I wouldn't bother finishing it. That reminds me of this other conspiracy theory book (whose name I unfortunately can't remember.) The premise of the book was to debunk commonly held conspiracy theories but when he got to the 9/11 chapter the author revealed himself to be a truther.
|
|
#
?
Jun 12, 2011 04:48
|
|
|
Pulling Teeth posted:Is anyone else as excited as me about Francis Fukuyama's new one The Origins of Political Order? I have it on order for my Kindle, and having read some reviews I am really looking forward to it. I have never read Fukuyama, outside of one article, but your post made me read some reviews of his new book. I think it looks interesting, and I will be checking it out of the library tonight. Anyways, "Watchmen" by Alan Moore: I have to read this for a class. I wasn't a fan of the film, so that put me off from reading this. However, the first few pages already have me hooked. It's already making it a pain to have to stop and take notes. "Brainiac" by Ken Jennings: After a few months of reading nothing but fiction, I figured this would be a fun, interesting read. Having read the first two chapters, it has already lived up to my expectations.
|
|
#
?
Jun 13, 2011 20:07
|
|
|
Twin Cinema posted:Anyways, I was just bought a copy of this today so I think I win. Also I feel dirty now.
|
|
#
?
Jun 13, 2011 21:41
|
|
|
I just picked up "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" from the Kindle store. So far it's drastically more detailed than the movie... I know movies cut out chunks, but it really feels like they missed out a poo poo load of important details! So far it's great though, and the translation is good and fairly flowing
|
|
#
?
Jun 13, 2011 22:32
|
|
|
Friends Are Evil posted:Just picked up a bunch of books from the library earlier this week. Right now, I've got The Crying of Lot 49, The Sirens of Titan, and One Hundred Years of Solitude. I'm interested in what I've read of Solitude, and I haven't really gotten to the others yet. I just finished "100 years of solitude" based on my wife's indication that everyone in peru has casual conversations about South American\portugese nobel prize winners. It made more sense to me after I read up on the history of columbia. It feels like there is a lot of imagery lost in the translation. Coming from a nerdy fantasy background, Magical Realism isn't as much a turn off for me as someone like my dad who primarily reads gritty crime novels. All in all, I enjoyed it, but it probably won't get a second read. In my quest to be socially acceptable for my upcoming trip to visit the inlaws, I have started Jose Saramago's Blindness. It's ok so far, but not really to my preferences. I'll finish it though.
|
|
#
?
Jun 13, 2011 23:41
|
|
|
Just stared DeLillo's Underworld and am really enjoying it so far, though I'm not even through the prologue yet. I know some people criticize DeLillo for his characters and say that his dialogue is wholly unrealistic and preachy, etc etc but I've come to the conclusion that DeLillo's strength is simply his use of language. His prose is at worst interesting and at best beautiful and I think reading it can be a real joy.
|
|
#
?
Jun 14, 2011 00:40
|
|
|
z0331 posted:Just stared DeLillo's Underworld and am really enjoying it so far, though I'm not even through the prologue yet. Not to scare you, but the common criticism is that 'Pafko at the Wall' is utterly gorgeous and essentially stand-alone, while the rest of the book starts to drag.
|
|
#
?
Jun 14, 2011 15:32
|
|
|
WoG posted:Not to scare you, but the common criticism is that 'Pafko at the Wall' is utterly gorgeous and essentially stand-alone, while the rest of the book starts to drag. That does kind of scare me because I'm almost done with Pafko (I'm going slowly). I have a feeling it will take me a long time to finish anyway so hopefully it maintains my interest.
|
|
#
?
Jun 14, 2011 23:37
|
|
|
Just got Tom Clancy's Against All Enemies. Hopefully it'll turn out well, and I'm gonna read it with cautious optimism.
|
|
#
?
Jun 15, 2011 05:40
|
|
|
Lots. Faulkner- I liked stream of consciousness styling and I enjoy writing about the south. I've read Intruder in the Dust and I liked it okay-- it was in highschool. I figure I'll appreciate the style more now. As I Lay Dying The Sound and the Fury Light in August Vonnegut- I read Slaughterhouse Five before and was intrigued by Vonnegut. Now I just want to understand. So I figure the best way to do that is read more! Breakfast of Champions Cat's Cradle Slaughterhouse Five Oh, yeah, I just ordered all of these.
|
|
#
?
Jun 15, 2011 06:05
|
|
|
z0331 posted:That does kind of scare me because I'm almost done with Pafko (I'm going slowly). Yeah, I loved that first part and the next 750 pages were a bit of a drag. White Noise is my DeLillo of choice.
|
|
#
?
Jun 16, 2011 01:47
|
|
|
I just started At Home by Bill Bryson, which is very loosely a sequel to the much goon-loved Short History of Nearly Everything, but instead it focuses on the history of domestic living: how the modern way of life, and the myriad inventions that fill our daily lives, came to be. It's actually quite interesting so far. The book is structured around a plan of a house, with each chapter focusing on a specific room: what we do in it, what we put in it, and so on. I also just got Leviathan Wakes by James SA Corey in the mail, and will begin that shortly 
|
|
#
?
Jun 17, 2011 08:46
|
|
|
Just finished Stupid Wars which was pretty entertaining bathroom reading. Piqued my interest in reading more about bizarre South American conflicts I had never heard of previously, like The War of the Triple Alliance and the Chaco War. Reading The Noonday Demon now.
|
|
#
?
Jun 19, 2011 15:05
|
|
|
I just got Man Walks Into A Room by Nicole Krauss. I thought Great House was pretty good and I absolutely loved History of Love so I'm pretty excited to start this one.
|
|
#
?
Jun 19, 2011 16:48
|
|
|
I just bought War and Peace Leo Tolstoy as I figured I will forever be shunned among the community of book nerds if I don't read it. I do hope I don't die before I finish.
|
|
#
?
Jun 19, 2011 19:42
|
|
|
Adonis Gunther posted:I just bought War and Peace Leo Tolstoy as I figured I will forever be shunned among the community of book nerds if I don't read it. I do hope I don't die before I finish. Minus the last 100 pages, it's actually a pretty enjoyable and (for me) quick read. Yeah, it takes forever, but the plot hums right along. Then the last 100 pages are Tolstoy barfing out his "free will" hypotheses.
|
|
#
?
Jun 19, 2011 20:46
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 30, 2024 01:42 |
|
|
Chamberk posted:Minus the last 100 pages, it's actually a pretty enjoyable and (for me) quick read. Yeah, it takes forever, but the plot hums right along. Then the last 100 pages are Tolstoy barfing out his "free will" hypotheses. A quick read? Please, teach me your ways. I have also recently purchased Malleus the second in a Warhammer 40k-themed trilogy by Dan Abnett. Hoping it's as good as the first.
|
|
#
?
Jun 19, 2011 22:15
|
|