The Book Thread (Official Thread)

[screamoutmyname]

holy shit, American Psycho is tough to read... i've tried picking it up and reading it casually a few different times now, and it's just very drawn out and fashion intensive... i loved Less than Zero and Rules of Attraction by Bret Easton Ellis, and the Informers was pretty decent, but American Psycho is just not doing it for me... wonderful movie, but slow book thus far... i hope it gets a little more interesting within the next few pages.

[ForlrnPerplxity]

Just finished One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.

Next up: The Boys of Summer by Roger Kahn

[ThemChains]

So, today I started reading Slaughterhouse-Five. I think it's an appropriate segue from Time Traveler's Wife, haha.

If you enjoy Slaughterhouse Five, read more Vonnegut. Breakfast of Champion's is sick.

[Fluke13]

just finished Less than Zero by Bret Easton Ellis

it was a quick read, and very good.

i think i might reread Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson while I wait for Lunar Park and The Rules of Attraction by Ellis to come in the mail

if anyone needs any recommendations, i've got plenty

[AShannon04]

holy shit, American Psycho is tough to read... i've tried picking it up and reading it casually a few different times now, and it's just very drawn out and fashion intensive... i loved Less than Zero and Rules of Attraction by Bret Easton Ellis, and the Informers was pretty decent, but American Psycho is just not doing it for me... wonderful movie, but slow book thus far... i hope it gets a little more interesting within the next few pages.

I got about 100 pages into the book and stopped. In my eyes, the story works much better as a movie, because in the book, the themes (which are supposed to get drilled into your head) are just super repetitive to the point of not being interesting/easy to read.

[screamoutmyname]

I got about 100 pages into the book and stopped. In my eyes, the story works much better as a movie, because in the book, the themes (which are supposed to get drilled into your head) are just super repetitive to the point of not being interesting/easy to read.

very, very true... it's much easier to convey that message of fashion in movie-form than by writing out each tedious detail in the novel.

a great movie, but a tough book to read for sure.

[screamoutmyname]

just finished Less than Zero by Bret Easton Ellis

it was a quick read, and very good.

i think i might reread Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson while I wait for Lunar Park and The Rules of Attraction by Ellis to come in the mail

if anyone needs any recommendations, i've got plenty

i started with rules of attraction then read less than zero... both were great and i'm not sure which i liked more, but if you like one, it's tough to dislike the other.

lunar park, however, i haven't read yet. you'll have to tell me how it was when you finish haha

[crazycrazy]

I just got the book The American Journey of Barack Obama to review this week, and I'm excited to sit down and really go through it. It's an awesome keepsake for sure.
If you want to try and win a copy (instead of buying one...though if you are an Obama fan, think about it!) then go here and enter:
www.shootingstarsmag.blogspot.com (http://www.shootingstarsmag.blogspot.com)

Anyone else going to read this one?? Or knew about it? It's from Life Magazine, by the way....

[Fluke13]

i started with rules of attraction then read less than zero... both were great and i'm not sure which i liked more, but if you like one, it's tough to dislike the other.

lunar park, however, i haven't read yet. you'll have to tell me how it was when you finish haha


will do

also...i read american psycho before less than zero.

i loved the movie and also loved the book....i agree that it is very repetitive and probably could have been shortened a great deal, but i still thought it was entertaining and engrossing

[screamoutmyname]

will do

also...i read american psycho before less than zero.

i loved the movie and also loved the book....i agree that it is very repetitive and probably could have been shortened a great deal, but i still thought it was entertaining and engrossing

haha thanks...

i haven't gotten to any of the good parts... they're still talking about stash and vanden at the dinner party.

[Schreiforme417]

I just finished reading Syrup by Maxx Barry and The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys by... I forget who.


both were great. Poignant and funny

[ThemChains]

My roommate doesn't really read books and he tried to tell me that One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest was undoubtedly a better movie than book, without having read the book.

[c_rob2700]

After re-reading Eragon & Eldest, i'm finally on to Brisingr.

i know it lacks originality but i still like them

[doyouhas?]

im about to start war and peace. hope its great because its going to take a hell of a long time to read.

[Poe-tryGirl]

I just finished Invisible Monsters by Chuck Palahnuik. I'm now on Diary by the same author.

[Poe-tryGirl]

im about to start war and peace. hope its great because its going to take a hell of a long time to read.
Ah, yes. That book is love.

[Easy\Lucky\Free]

I just finished Invisible Monsters by Chuck Palahnuik. I'm now on Diary by the same author.


i just started "Rant" by Palahnuik. I'm like 1/4 of the way through it-- it's not bad but man, Choke is definitely my handsdown favorite. and I get in weird moods when I read his books so I have to space it out...lol

[Poe-tryGirl]

i just started "Rant" by Palahnuik. I'm like 1/4 of the way through it-- it's not bad but man, Choke is definitely my handsdown favorite. and I get in weird moods when I read his books so I have to space it out...lol
I know right. He takes you wierd places. I just wrote a blog about it. I already finished Diary. I'm on Survivior now. He's so awesome. I haven't read Choke yet. I need to.

[coryatlarge]

i need some good recs.... i havent read anything in forever and i'm in desperate need of some good books. help?

[_jonas]

I've been struggling with "Sloosha's Crossin...'" in Cloud Atlas. Would it hurt to skip it for now and get back to it after finishing everything else? Would it hurt the overall structure of the novel to do this?

[chokemeout]

Finally finished Crime and Punishment... really good read, it's just about one major guilt trip.. but it took forever to get through.

Next read, when it gets here, is As I Lay Dying - Faulkner - any one read it, opinions?

In the mean time... Trainspotting - Welsh
anyone read Porno by Welsh... worth the read?

[Thomas Balkcom]

I am reading Kitchen Confidential and it's excellent so far.

[SockMonkeyRiot]

Reading Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson, next will either by The Executioner's Song by Norman Mailer or some more Stevenson

[Poe-tryGirl]

i need some good recs.... i havent read anything in forever and i'm in desperate need of some good books. help?
Um, anything Chuck Palahniuk, buddy.

[Thomas Balkcom]

Bret Easton Ellis is definitely one of those authors I need to get better acquainted with, I have only read American Psycho and I'd love to read some more.

[hienz429]

Bret Easton Ellis is definitely one of those authors I need to get better acquainted with, I have only read American Psycho and I'd love to read some more.

rules of attraction and less than zero are great, deff check those out

[TheBaroness]

The Savage Detectives is really good.

[_jonas]

I started up Gravity's Rainbow again and wow! I mean the last time I tried I wasn't too on cue with things.
Now I can be taken away by the majesty of Pynchon's writing while getting exactly, or pretty close, what's going on.

Oddly enough, I find that I've been using a similar cryptic writing these past years. Maybe why it's much easier to get.
Could someone answer my Sloosha's Crossin'?

[Thomas Balkcom]

rules of attraction and less than zero are great, deff check those out

Thank you for the recommendations, I will read those next.

[Thomas Balkcom]

I really want to read Waiter Rant next, I have been reading all the blog's archives and I am obsessed with it.

[doyouhas?]

I've been struggling with "Sloosha's Crossin...'" in Cloud Atlas. Would it hurt to skip it for now and get back to it after finishing everything else? Would it hurt the overall structure of the novel to do this?

its very important. its goes back through all the stories in the second half. some parts are hard to get through, the payoff is worth the effort.

[HelpMeSleep]

I read Twilight and actually really enjoyed it so I decided to read the next book, New Moon. I really hated it for awhile. I stopped reading it for at least a month, and finally backed it back up again yesterday. I was pretty addicted to it today and ended up finishing it and really enjoying it.

[stayillogical]

I read Twilight and actually really enjoyed it so I decided to read the next book, New Moon. I really hated it for awhile. I stopped reading it for at least a month, and finally backed it back up again yesterday. I was pretty addicted to it today and ended up finishing it and really enjoying it.

Hey yo, welcome to the club.

[HelpMeSleep]

Hey yo, welcome to the club.
yeah, my sister and a couple of my friends said the same thing.

[Poe-tryGirl]

I read Twilight and actually really enjoyed it so I decided to read the next book, New Moon. I really hated it for awhile. I stopped reading it for at least a month, and finally backed it back up again yesterday. I was pretty addicted to it today and ended up finishing it and really enjoying it.
Did you cry during New Moon?

[HelpMeSleep]

Did you cry during New Moon?
hmmm... I might have in the first half... which I read awhile ago. I didn't the last two days when I finished it. the beginning was very depressing though.

[Poe-tryGirl]

hmmm... I might have in the first half... which I read awhile ago. I didn't the last two days when I finished it. the beginning was very depressing though.
I did. As soon as Edward says he's leaving, I broke down. I got over it though. The beginning was very depressing, I agree. It's also the only book in which Stephenie Meyer thanks MCR in.

[doyouhas?]

I did. As soon as Edward says he's leaving, I broke down. I got over it though. The beginning was very depressing, I agree. It's also the only book in which Stephenie Meyer thanks MCR in.


she thanks MCR in one of her books? you people need to start reading some better books.

[Poe-tryGirl]

she thanks MCR in one of her books? you people need to start reading some better books.
Yep. She thanks all the bands that get her through her writer's block. Muse, MCR, Coldplay...

[TheBaroness]

she thanks MCR in one of her books? you people need to start reading some better books.

qft

[stayillogical]

MOVING ON...

I'm really enjoying Slaughterhouse-Five. Not what I expected, and it's better than what I had envisioned.

[ThemChains]

That book rules.

[WordsSoRadical]

Has anyone read the book Party of One: The Loners Manifesto?

I was given the book to read but I haven't started reading yet. I'm interested but not so much in the mood to read it yet.

[Machu505]

Just started Brave New World. Pretty strange so far.

[Jason Tate]

Just started Brave New World. Pretty strange so far.
Great book.

[Ratherbedead22]

MOVING ON...

I'm really enjoying Slaughterhouse-Five. Not what I expected, and it's better than what I had envisioned.

Vonnegut is amazing. i actually have so it goes tattooed on my wrist.

[stayillogical]

Vonnegut is amazing. i actually have so it goes tattooed on my wrist.

I have a friend with the tombstone picture tattooed on his arm. I haven't reached this part of the book yet, but I know it's coming. It's a great quote.

[TheBaroness]

finished The Savage Detectives, started As I Lay Dying and have nearly finished that...wondering what to read next. My queue is pretty long, but I have to find the right book for my current mood. Maybe I'll read some more Cormac McCarthy.

[Broden Terry]

I'm thinking of reading Intensity by Dean Koontz. Heard that it's really good so I can't wait to get stuck into it now that exams are over.

[doyouhas?]

Vonnegut is amazing. i actually have so it goes tattooed on my wrist.

i have a 'so it goes' tattoo also. well played.

[rckstr29]

I love Ray Bradbury, especially Dandeline Wine. It's the book that made me love summer all over again.

[ThemChains]

Vonnegut is amazing. i actually have so it goes tattooed on my wrist.

I was going to get So It Goes tattooed across my fingers, but out of order, unless I lock my fingers together.

[RunInTheFront]

I am going to borders in a little bit, planning on purchasing two more Vonnegut books. Since there is some Vonnegut discussion going on, any suggestions? I already have and read Slaughterhouse-Five, Breakfast of Champions and Cat's Craddle.

[ThemChains]

I am going to borders in a little bit, planning on purchasing two more Vonnegut books. Since there is some Vonnegut discussion going on, any suggestions? I already have and read Slaughterhouse-Five, Breakfast of Champions and Cat's Craddle.

That's all I've read, novel-wise. His short stories are really good. You could always get a collection.

[RunInTheFront]

That's all I've read, novel-wise. His short stories are really good. You could always get a collection.

I think one of his books is a collection of his short stories, I can't remember which one though. Vonnegut is soooo good though. I put off reading my homework just to read his stuff.

[RunInTheFront]

Phalaniuk is overrated.

[ThemChains]

Phalaniuk is overrated.

Truth.

[RunInTheFront]

Truth.

And I even spelled his name wrong, hence furthering my claim he is overrated; I can't even remember to spell is name right.

Also, Survivor was his only decent novel.

[_jonas]

I've been meaning to get on some Philip K. Dick. Where do I start?

[RunInTheFront]

I've been meaning to get on some Philip K. Dick. Where do I start?

Never heard of him actually. What kind of writing does he do?

[_jonas]

Plenty of opus' in the sci-fi realm.

His stories have been adapted into the mainstream through films such as A Scanner Darkly, Blade Runner, Total Recall, and A Minority Report.

He's been cited as one of the best of the 20th century.

[RunInTheFront]

Plenty of opus' in the sci-fi realm.

His stories have been adapted into the mainstream through films such as A Scanner Darkly, Blade Runner, Total Recall, and A Minority Report.

He's been cited as one of the best of the 20th century.

Sounds awesome. I will have to check him out then.

[AShannon04]

Just picked up Jonathan Foer's Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close and Ben Mezrich's Rigged from the library for the Thanksgiving break.

[Hanselton]

Just finished Snuff and Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk, about to start Diary and Invisible Monsters by him.
Also, Committed: A Rabble Rousers Memoir by Dan Mathews

[ThemChains]

Less Pahlaniuk, more good authors.

[OnLettingGo]

recently bought Layer Cake. probably gonna read it during thanksgiving break. the movie was fairly interesting so i figure the book will be worth the read.

[Rest_Easy]

I've been engrossed in Wilbur Smith's novels as of late. He has such epic trilogies where it's possible to stop at any one book but you just thirst for more.

Knocked off Cat's Cradle and the recent sedaris between the last smith and the one i'm on now (burning shore). The Vonnegut was interesting but not surprising since I enjoyed slaughterhouse five when I read that like ten years ago. The Sedaris was disappointing. Me Talk Pretty One Day at least held my interest and was a nice light book but this one jumped around too much in each story.

yep. I'll look through this thread to find ideas on what to check out next. good thread to have.

[Rest_Easy]

Oh I read Daisy Fay and the Miracle Man a few months ago and if anyone's interested in a lighthearted comedy then go for that. It made me laugh quite a number of times. I thought it'd be too girly (my girlfriend suggested it) but I actually really like it.

Falls under the categories: easy, light, comedic, fun

[Ashley_Reyn]

I've got a goal for myself in my senior year to read one book per week until June. And so far I'm doing fantastically. This week I'm reading Looking For Alaska, by John Green. He's an amazing author.

[ThemChains]

Everyone read The Farthest North.

[anamericangod]

I've got a goal for myself in my senior year to read one book per week until June. And so far I'm doing fantastically. This week I'm reading Looking For Alaska, by John Green. He's an amazing author.

I've actually read Looking For Alaska. The characters are really good, and it's a decent book, but I just really didn't like the big plot twist. You kinda saw it coming, but I wish the book had gone a different direction. He could have done so much more with the characters.

[AShannon04]

Currently reading Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. Beautiful book...

[TheBaroness]

Currently reading Demon Theory by Stephen Graham Jones

[AShannon04]

Finished Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close and liked it a lot. I love the way Foer writes. I just started Black Postcards and am breezing through it. Already about halfway done.

[TheBaroness]

need more time for books...stoked to get into 2666 soon

[B00sh]

Anyone here a fan of Brian Keene?

[pshh]

I just got assigned a fucking huge project on John Irving

[RunInTheFront]

I am about half way through Henry Miller's Tropic of Cancer, and it is such a good fucking book. I can see why it was banned until the 60's. Anyone else ever read it?

[12:46AM]

How do you guys find out what books are good and what books are shite? Like is there an APesque book site you visit or what? Obviously the classics are classics, but if I go to a bookstore looking for a new book, I have no clue what to get unless it's an author I already dig or a pulitzer prize winner or whatever.

[RunInTheFront]

How do you guys find out what books are good and what books are shite? Like is there an APesque book site you visit or what? Obviously the classics are classics, but if I go to a bookstore looking for a new book, I have no clue what to get unless it's an author I already dig or a pulitzer prize winner or whatever.

Word of mouth, friends, English classes, professors, etc... And every book has the potential to be amazing or be shitty, it just depends who you ask. In my opinion, most Pulitzer's today suck big time. I just got done reading The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, and hated it immensely. I have no idea how it won that award. So if you are on the fence about what to read, just try anything. If you have a certain genre or type of book you like, go for that first. Also, I could recommend some books to you if you want.

[odizzle_word]

Word of mouth, friends, English classes, professors, etc... And every book has the potential to be amazing or be shitty, it just depends who you ask. In my opinion, most Pulitzer's today suck big time. I just got done reading The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, and hated it immensely. I have no idea how it won that award. So if you are on the fence about what to read, just try anything. If you have a certain genre or type of book you like, go for that first. Also, I could recommend some books to you if you want.

You're the only person I know who feels this way. Everyone else I know who read it loved it, but they're also huge Junot Diaz fans.

[pshh]

How do you guys find out what books are good and what books are shite? Like is there an APesque book site you visit or what? Obviously the classics are classics, but if I go to a bookstore looking for a new book, I have no clue what to get unless it's an author I already dig or a pulitzer prize winner or whatever.

http://artofmanliness.com/2008/05/14/100-must-read-books-the-essential-mans-library/#more-183

this might help, i hope it does

[_jonas]

Were there any really superbly brilliant novels delivered this year?

[anamericangod]

Were there any really superbly brilliant novels delivered this year?

Bright Shiny Morning was really good.

[_jonas]

I've been thinking of either tackling 2666 or Netherland. Either worth it?

[RunInTheFront]

You're the only person I know who feels this way. Everyone else I know who read it loved it, but they're also huge Junot Diaz fans.

I HATED this book, and I hated his narration. Diaz came off as extremely pretentious and very "this is how a novel should be written and I am writing it this way" kind of way, if that makes sense. I cannot believe this book won the Pulitzer at all. I can think of at a lot more books that deserved the Pulitzer more than him.

[Until The Bombs]

Starting The Road soon if I can find where I put the damn book.

[Zeran]

I am about half way through Henry Miller's Tropic of Cancer, and it is such a good fucking book. I can see why it was banned until the 60's. Anyone else ever read it?

what is it about?

[stayillogical]

Starting The Road soon if I can find where I put the damn book.

I lost this. I even called the airport where I picked up my friend because it was the last time I remembered having it. Then 3 months later, my brother cleans his room and finds it. I was so close to buying it again. So, I'll start this again over winter break.

[stayillogical]

I read July's People for AP English and that one won a Pulitzer, I think. Anyways, I absolutely hated it.

[Until The Bombs]

I lost this. I even called the airport where I picked up my friend because it was the last time I remembered having it. Then 3 months later, my brother cleans his room and finds it. I was so close to buying it again. So, I'll start this again over winter break.

Good to hear you found it. Did you make it far into it before losing it?

I think I might have left it at the shore when I was visiting a few friends a couple weeks ago. If that's the case, I'm not pleased. Hopefully it's just hiding behind some other books or DVDs somewhere.

[odizzle_word]

I HATED this book, and I hated his narration. Diaz came off as extremely pretentious and very "this is how a novel should be written and I am writing it this way" kind of way, if that makes sense. I cannot believe this book won the Pulitzer at all. I can think of at a lot more books that deserved the Pulitzer more than him.

I can definitely see where you're coming from. Out of curiosity, what books do you think were more deserving of the Pulitzer? I need some books to read over winter break.

[itsamywhatnow]

I would recomend any ellen hopkins book to everybody. they are really good and well written.

[stayillogical]

Good to hear you found it. Did you make it far into it before losing it?

I think I might have left it at the shore when I was visiting a few friends a couple weeks ago. If that's the case, I'm not pleased. Hopefully it's just hiding behind some other books or DVDs somewhere.

I think I was only 30 or so pages in. But the book moves at a slow pace, so that was still as if I was on first page. I'll start from the beginning, no problem.

[drudo182]

I still haven't finished CELL. School and work suck me dry.

[RunInTheFront]

what is it about?

Honestly, I haven't figured it out yet. So far, Joe, the narrator, who is also Henry Miller because it's semi-autobiographical, is just fucking a lot of whores, as are his friends. Everyone calls a woman a cunt, and most of the time the characters are talking about having sex. If not that, then they are talking about being non-existent or loving Paris. It is a weird book, but it is written very well I think.

[Scott Irvine]

Currently reading Joseph Heller's Catch As Catch Can and Camus's The Plague.

[RunInTheFront]

I can definitely see where you're coming from. Out of curiosity, what books do you think were more deserving of the Pulitzer? I need some books to read over winter break.

Well, I guess I would say I am out of touch with "newer" literature, mainly because my school work has been limiting what I can and cannot read. The newest thing I've read that was really good was Douglas Coupland's Life After God, which was published in 1994. That book was good, but I liked his other book better, Shampoo Planet (1992).

Also, Zadie Smith's White Teeth (2000) was alright, but I usually just stick with modernist literature, or some postmodern stuff like Vonnegut. If you want to read something over break, go for any Vonnegut, such a good writer.

[Zeran]

Honestly, I haven't figured it out yet. So far, Joe, the narrator, who is also Henry Miller because it's semi-autobiographical, is just fucking a lot of whores, as are his friends. Everyone calls a woman a cunt, and most of the time the characters are talking about having sex. If not that, then they are talking about being non-existent or loving Paris. It is a weird book, but it is written very well I think.

delightful.

[TheBaroness]

I've been thinking of either tackling 2666 or Netherland. Either worth it?

I've read Netherland and that's worth reading. Quick read, too. Haven't got around to 2666 yet (been working full time/it's on my xmas list) but it's pretty much my most anticipated book in a long long time, and everything I've heard about it says it's definitely worth it!

[TheBaroness]

Were there any really superbly brilliant novels delivered this year?

Off the top of my head, some stuff from '08 I really loved:

The Sorrows of An American - Siri Hustvedt (best of '08 for me)
Crime - Irvine Welsh
The Secret Scripture - Sebastian Barry
The White Tiger - Aravind Adiga
Netherland - Joseph O'Neill
Trauma - Patrick McGrath

And I still have The Enchantress of Florence, The Gargoyle, The Northern Clemency and Death With Interruptions amongst others in my summer reading queue. Will post my thoughts on those when I get through them.

[jacinta.]

Starting The Road soon if I can find where I put the damn book.

I just started this today. Seems to be good, thus far.

[Fluke13]

I really wish people would stop reading The Road....what a terrible book.

[AShannon04]

I really wish people would stop reading The Road....what a terrible book.

Care to elaborate?

[humanafterall]

I'm reading Rant by Chuck Pahluniuk right now. Just like all his books, it's hilarious, and amazing.

[B00sh]

Brian Keene, anyone?

[Schreiforme417]

I'm currently reading David Foster Wallace's Considering the Lobster as well as a book about writing entitled Spunk and Bite I'm looking for some stuff to read over christmas... i've already read all palahniuk and vonnegut so those are out for the time being... ideas?

[laxcrs]

anyone read outliers?

[Ashley_Reyn]

I've actually read Looking For Alaska. The characters are really good, and it's a decent book, but I just really didn't like the big plot twist. You kinda saw it coming, but I wish the book had gone a different direction. He could have done so much more with the characters.

Well, if looking for alaska didn't get you going, he's got a couple other books, Paper Towns (just came out this year, by far my favorite) or An Abundance of Katherine's. (not my favorite of the three, but decent.)

Just a suggestion. He's a good author, met him a couple weeks ago.

[Foosimoo]

Has anyone read Wuthering Heights? We're reading it in English right now.

[12:46AM]

I really wish people would stop reading The Road....what a terrible book.
Absolutely loved this book. Pre-Op too. (pre-oprah)

[12:46AM]

http://artofmanliness.com/2008/05/14/100-must-read-books-the-essential-mans-library/#more-183

this might help, i hope it doesYeah, that's the thing. I know these books are good. Most of them are classics. I'm talking about recent books (this decade)

Word of mouth, friends, English classes, professors, etc... And every book has the potential to be amazing or be shitty, it just depends who you ask. In my opinion, most Pulitzer's today suck big time. I just got done reading The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, and hated it immensely. I have no idea how it won that award. So if you are on the fence about what to read, just try anything. If you have a certain genre or type of book you like, go for that first. Also, I could recommend some books to you if you want. Give 'er.

[Thomas Balkcom]

I'm currently reading David Foster Wallace's Considering the Lobster as well as a book about writing entitled Spunk and Bite I'm looking for some stuff to read over christmas... i've already read all palahniuk and vonnegut so those are out for the time being... ideas?

How is Considering the Lobster? I've been wanting to read that and I may do so after finals are over.

[Schreiforme417]

How is Considering the Lobster? I've been wanting to read that and I may do so after finals are over.

well, I consider myself pretty smart, but it makes me feel dumb, but accomplished after reading the essays in it. i like it.

[Schreiforme417]

Has anyone read Wuthering Heights? We're reading it in English right now.

hated it. then again i'm not a fan of most classical stuff

[RunInTheFront]

Yeah, that's the thing. I know these books are good. Most of them are classics. I'm talking about recent books (this decade)

Give 'er.

Well, my personal favorites I guess would be considered classic. Most of it is modernist or postmodernist stuff. If you haven't read anything by Kurt Vonnegut, get on that. Cat's Cradle and Breakfast of Champions are awesome books. As for newer stuff, Shampoo Planet or Life After God by Douglas Coupland are really good; White Teeth by Zadie Smith is good too. If you want to read the most ridiculous book ever, read Henry Miller's Tropic of Cancer. It is essentially plot-less and was banned in America until the 60's. Once you start reading it you will know why.

[pshh]

is John Irving any good?

[TheBaroness]

Has anyone read Wuthering Heights? We're reading it in English right now.

Yup. One of my faves (I'm a big fan of Romanticist lit/art)

[AShannon04]

Currently reading Neil Strauss' The Game. Basically, it's the book that inspired the VH1 reality show "The Pickup Artist". Part of me finds all this stuff totally repulsive and shameless, but I'm totally fascinated with the whole idea and culture of it. I have no interest in doing any of the things mentioned, but it's a great read so far, and I love Neil Strauss and his previous work.

[12:46AM]

Well, my personal favorites I guess would be considered classic. Most of it is modernist or postmodernist stuff. If you haven't read anything by Kurt Vonnegut, get on that. Cat's Cradle and Breakfast of Champions are awesome books. As for newer stuff, Shampoo Planet or Life After God by Douglas Coupland are really good; White Teeth by Zadie Smith is good too. If you want to read the most ridiculous book ever, read Henry Miller's Tropic of Cancer. It is essentially plot-less and was banned in America until the 60's. Once you start reading it you will know why.
I know it was in Seinfeld.

[stayillogical]

I know it was in Seinfeld.

Yep. That's all I know about it too. How many years did Jerry have that book? When I was a kid, my 1st grade class went on a trip to the library. I took out a book on the San Diego zoo and returned it 8 years later. So much time had passed, it was no longer in the system so I paid a 3 dollar late fee! Haha.

[stayillogical]

I asked a guy friend that reads a lot what he's working on now and he name dropped a bunch of things. One of them in particular stood out and sounds fascinating. Bill Bryson's Short History of Nearly Everything. Sounds awesome, has anyone else read this?

[TheBaroness]

I know it was in Seinfeld.

hahaha, that was a great episode

[Schreiforme417]

I asked a guy friend that reads a lot what he's working on now and he name dropped a bunch of things. One of them in particular stood out and sounds fascinating. Bill Bryson's Short History of Nearly Everything. Sounds awesome, has anyone else read this?

no but i've read other stuff by him, he's really good.

[AShannon04]

I asked a guy friend that reads a lot what he's working on now and he name dropped a bunch of things. One of them in particular stood out and sounds fascinating. Bill Bryson's Short History of Nearly Everything. Sounds awesome, has anyone else read this?

Yeah, I've read it. It's ok, kinda long and dry in parts, but if you enjoy history, then you'll probably love it.

[Poe-tryGirl]

Right now I'm reading The Tragedy of Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare and I just finished Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand.

[chokemeout]

Just finished The Dirty South - Alex Wheatle... good British novel about growing up in Brixton.. love, family, friends, drugs and death.. lacked a little towards the end though. anyone reccomend anything along the lines of Bukowski or Bret Easton Ellis?

[DarkBlueVenus]

So I got an early Christmas present. It was the Complete Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe. So this book has over a 1000 pages and I will read all the poems and the stories. But it's a long book to go through. Which I will.

But I was wondering if anyone has any suggestions/favorites of which poems and/or stories to read first?

[stayillogical]

So I got an early Christmas present. It was the Complete Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe. So this book has over a 1000 pages and I will read all the poems and the stories. But it's a long book to go through. Which I will.

But I was wondering if anyone has any suggestions/favorites of which poems and/or stories to read first?

The Black Cat is my favorite short story and Annabel Lee is my favorite poem of his. I have an old battered copy of his works that I've had since I was a kid. I love it.

[odizzle_word]

So I got an early Christmas present. It was the Complete Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe. So this book has over a 1000 pages and I will read all the poems and the stories. But it's a long book to go through. Which I will.

But I was wondering if anyone has any suggestions/favorites of which poems and/or stories to read first?

Is that the one with the black cover and red writing, cause I saw that too and was thinking about buying it.

[jacinta.]

So I got an early Christmas present. It was the Complete Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe. So this book has over a 1000 pages and I will read all the poems and the stories. But it's a long book to go through. Which I will.

But I was wondering if anyone has any suggestions/favorites of which poems and/or stories to read first?

The Cask of Amontillado is a great story. I like the poems, Annabel Lee and The Sleeper.

[shawnb213]

I'm sure this has been discussed before but I am currently reading The Time Traveler's Wife, and I absolutely love it. It's the first book in a long time that I have a hard time putting down. What would be some good other books to check out that are similar to it?

[harveymonster]

in the process of finishing Cats Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut. i've been reading Zodiac on and of for a month and i should really finnish that already

[DarkBlueVenus]

The Black Cat is my favorite short story and Annabel Lee is my favorite poem of his. I have an old battered copy of his works that I've had since I was a kid. I love it.

Thanks for the suggestions. Very good. The Black Cat is my favorite so far. Annabel Lee was very good. I can tell this book is gonna be with me for a very long time. I'm absolutely in love with it.

Is that the one with the black cover and red writing, cause I saw that too and was thinking about buying it.

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/The-Complete-Tales-and-Poems-of-Edgar-Allan-Poe/Edgar-Allan-Poe/e/9781435106345/?itm=2

That's the book I got but the letters are in gold. But yeah worth getting.

The Cask of Amontillado is a great story. I like the poems, Annabel Lee and The Sleeper.

Thanks for your suggestions. The Cask of Amontillado was a great read. Thanks for suggesting it. Annabel Lee and The Sleeper great poems as well.

[EndlessMike]

I asked a guy friend that reads a lot what he's working on now and he name dropped a bunch of things. One of them in particular stood out and sounds fascinating. Bill Bryson's Short History of Nearly Everything. Sounds awesome, has anyone else read this?

He's a great writer. A Walk In The Woods was one of the best books I read this year. This is actually on my Christmas list.

I'm trying to finish the His Dark Materials trilogy by Philip Pullman. I just started The Amber Spyglass. I like the first two, but they start so slow, it took me forever to get into them.

[Fluke13]

Care to elaborate?


sure...it was repetitive, boring, and altogether uninspired. this story has been written before...more times than i can count...and pretty much all of them have been a better representation of the end of the world premise. sparse, vague writing with no real description just to be artsy or edgy or new does not make a good book. i'd really like someone to tell me why it is such a great book other than that fat excuse for a cow Oprah had one of her staff recommend it to her....i'm not even sure Oprah can read. i'm not sure anything ever really happens in the book...they walk down a road and find food when it seems like they won't. oh! how surprising and suspenseful. are they going to find food or shelter? yup, they will...but only at the last second before they are about to starve to death. great story. rinse and repeat and you have about 200 pages of crap....the whole shelter thing near the end as well as the ending itself is a great example of a deus ex machina, which is a poor excuse for resolving any kind of conflict in a story.


on another note, I just finished rereading Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson...fun book...although I prefer Neuromancer by William Gibson....probably one of the best books I've ever read. now that is an ending.

[Fluke13]

one more thing....the road is also a great example of the trash literature that is popular in america.....most of america's favorite book is the davinci code because it's the only book they've ever read outside of what was required in school...the majority of the population is too busy reading US weekly or people or whatever is on the rack at walmart....or worse yet watching american idol to have a sense of what makes a good book. a book is not good because oprah said so, or because the other fat, dumb people you know think it's good....question everything, don't believe what you're told, establish your own tastes and style and don't listen to what other people say especially the media or whatever passes for our current cultural authority, because the chances are good that they dont have any idea what they're talking about....including myself...haha.

cheers.

[shawnb213]

one more thing....the road is also a great example of the trash literature that is popular in america.....most of america's favorite book is the davinci code because it's the only book they've ever read outside of what was required in school...the majority of the population is too busy reading US weekly or people or whatever is on the rack at walmart....or worse yet watching american idol to have a sense of what makes a good book. a book is not good because oprah said so, or because the other fat, dumb people you know think it's good....question everything, don't believe what you're told, establish your own tastes and style and don't listen to what other people say especially the media or whatever passes for our current cultural authority, because the chances are good that they dont have any idea what they're talking about....including myself...haha.

cheers.


I like how you think my friend.

[CubbyNick42]

I Am Legend is great. A faithful adaptation with solid direction would be an awards contender for sure.

[a speedo model]

Got this from Amazon, looks fucking amazing. Can't wait for a free weekend to read it. It's the 1957 pressing of The Picture of Dorian Gray. Love this book.

[odizzle_word]

Got this from Amazon, looks fucking amazing. Can't wait for a free weekend to read it. It's the 1957 pressing of The Picture of Dorian Gray. Love this book.

My favorite book, and that looks like an awesome edition. I'm jealous.

[TheBaroness]

one more thing....the road is also a great example of the trash literature that is popular in america.....most of america's favorite book is the davinci code because it's the only book they've ever read outside of what was required in school...the majority of the population is too busy reading US weekly or people or whatever is on the rack at walmart....or worse yet watching american idol to have a sense of what makes a good book. a book is not good because oprah said so, or because the other fat, dumb people you know think it's good....question everything, don't believe what you're told, establish your own tastes and style and don't listen to what other people say especially the media or whatever passes for our current cultural authority, because the chances are good that they dont have any idea what they're talking about....including myself...haha.

cheers.

you are a fucking idiot if you think Cormac McCarthy writes 'trash literature' or that the book was only popular because Oprah recommended it.

I wasn't a huge fan of The Road when I read it, but your critique of the book seems to have largely missed the point of what it's about (i.e. not 'suspense')

[doyouhas?]

one more thing....the road is also a great example of the trash literature that is popular in america.....most of america's favorite book is the davinci code because it's the only book they've ever read outside of what was required in school...the majority of the population is too busy reading US weekly or people or whatever is on the rack at walmart....or worse yet watching american idol to have a sense of what makes a good book. a book is not good because oprah said so, or because the other fat, dumb people you know think it's good....question everything, don't believe what you're told, establish your own tastes and style and don't listen to what other people say especially the media or whatever passes for our current cultural authority, because the chances are good that they dont have any idea what they're talking about....including myself...haha.

cheers.

i notice you have a chuck palaniuk book listed in your favorites. hmmm. might want to hide things like that before you start making defamatory comments about a highly respectable author like McCathy. not even a hundred posts in and already making an ass of yourself.

[anamericangod]

Hahahahahaha @ this Fluke kid.

[CubbyNick42]

anyone read outliers?
I'd very much like to. Even if Blink was a little iffy, The Tipping Point was awesome.

[doyouhas?]

Hahahahahaha @ this Fluke kid.


not a huge say anything fan, but thats a great avatar.

[laxcrs]

I'd very much like to. Even if Blink was a little iffy, The Tipping Point was awesome.

im actually behind haha my school gave us blink for free so thats the only one of his ive read so far

[anamericangod]

Fuck me for buying the piece of shit that is Chuck Klosterman's new book.

[Fluke13]

you are a fucking idiot if you think Cormac McCarthy writes 'trash literature' or that the book was only popular because Oprah recommended it.

I wasn't a huge fan of The Road when I read it, but your critique of the book seems to have largely missed the point of what it's about (i.e. not 'suspense')


then what exactly is the point? there still hasnt been anyone who's explained what makes this book so special.....is it because it's a wonderful story about the strength of the human spirit? bullshit.

I'm not saying mccarthy is a bad author...blood meredian is a great book....but good authors can write bad books.

[Fluke13]

i notice you have a chuck palaniuk book listed in your favorites. hmmm. might want to hide things like that before you start making defamatory comments about a highly respectable author like McCathy. not even a hundred posts in and already making an ass of yourself.


well you won't see Choke on Oprah's book club, which is the only Chuck book I have enjoyed other than Fight club....I agree that all of his books are getting old and formulaic and are basically just looking for shock value. i'm glad you resorted to personal attacks though...that's a great argument for why the road was good or why mccarthy is considered a great american author.

[doyouhas?]

well you won't see Choke on Oprah's book club, which is the only Chuck book I have enjoyed other than Fight club....I agree that all of his books are getting old and formulaic and are basically just looking for shock value. i'm glad you resorted to personal attacks though...that's a great argument for why the road was good or why mccarthy is considered a great american author.


McCarthy is a great author for lots of reasons. He has great prose and a very strong voice. I can definitely tell McCarthy's writing when I see it. And while, no, 'The Road' is not the most creative or original storyline, his take on it is a fresh breath. Never have a seen a post-Armageddon story told in such harrowing detail.


...and 'Choke' wasn't featured on Oprah, therefore, it's a good book? I guess Stephanie Meyer books are literary masterpieces. Do your research. Faulkner books have been featured on Oprah's Book Club, so has Faulkner, after being heralded as an a great American author for more than seventy years, suddenly become trite consumerism?

[odizzle_word]

then what exactly is the point? there still hasnt been anyone who's explained what makes this book so special.....is it because it's a wonderful story about the strength of the human spirit? bullshit.

I'm not saying mccarthy is a bad author...blood meredian is a great book....but good authors can write bad books.

I think what she was getting at is that while a lot may not "happen" in The Road, that does not necessarily make it a bad book. Not all books are plot/action driven.

For instance, ever read/see Beckett's "Waiting for Godot"? It's just two guys standing in the middle of the road and talking, yet it manages to be one of the most significant plays written in the 20th century. Sometimes it's not what happens, but how something happens and how the characters interpret their experiences that drives a story.

[SanePsychotic]

Fuck me for buying the piece of shit that is Chuck Klosterman's new book.

How bad is it?

[Fluke13]

McCarthy is a great author for lots of reasons. He has great prose and a very strong voice. I can definitely tell McCarthy's writing when I see it. And while, no, 'The Road' is not the most creative or original storyline, his take on it is a fresh breath. Never have a seen a post-Armageddon story told in such harrowing detail.


...and 'Choke' wasn't featured on Oprah, therefore, it's a good book? I guess Stephanie Meyer books are literary masterpieces. Do your research. Faulkner books have been featured on Oprah's Book Club, so has Faulkner, after being heralded as an a great American author for more than seventy years, suddenly become trite consumerism?


look dude, im not saying chuck is a great author or that choke is a good book because it wasn't on oprah, and you don't need to be getting all defensive about this. it's really just an opinion...and i'm trying to understand why so many people think it is ground breaking. i didn't know this was the mccarthy fan club.

and if you want to go with the whole strong voice argument, i could say the same thing about chuck....he does have a strong voice and i can tell his writing when i see it. i actually thought the road lacked detail and explanation...and i have read far more harrowing accounts of post armageddon, which is partly why i can't understand why people like the road.....just because an author like mccarthy has entered the genre does not make it golden

[Fluke13]

I think what she was getting at is that while a lot may not "happen" in The Road, that does not necessarily make it a bad book. Not all books are plot/action driven.

For instance, ever read/see Beckett's "Waiting for Godot"? It's just two guys standing in the middle of the road and talking, yet it manages to be one of the most significant plays written in the 20th century. Sometimes it's not what happens, but how something happens and how the characters interpret their experiences that drives a story.


good points

[anamericangod]

How bad is it?

Worthless with one of the worst endings I can ever remember reading in a book.

[SanePsychotic]

Worthless with one of the worst endings I can ever remember reading in a book.

Well that sucks since I just bought it on Amazon. M-(

[Fluke13]

and just because doyouhas? will probably ask....try.. On the beach, Alas Babylon, or Earth Abides for good post armageddon stories.

[seconds]

I was reading The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test for a while and a lot of other books from that generation. I like their writing styles and how raw it is, like Catcher in the Rye or On the Road, but I can't find anything that good. Help me out?

[TheBaroness]

and just because doyouhas? will probably ask....try.. On the beach, Alas Babylon, or Earth Abides for good post armageddon stories.

Again, you're missing the point of the book. It's not about telling a good 'post-armageddon' story, it's about what, if anything, is worth living for. Basically, it's a story about the bond between father and son. It's suspected that McCarthy wrote the novel as an allegory for his own relationship with his son (who's only around 10 years old, I think), and how it's that love between them which keeps McCarthy (a man in his 'twilight' years) want to keep living. And that's also why the book is adored by so many people, because so many can relate to that feeling.

[Fluke13]

well it's about time someone explained what the point was....thank you for the insight. i will say that the explanation does shed some light on the book, but i still think it could have been better and i would still point people in another direction if they asked for a recommendation...

[ThemChains]

My stack of books to read is really high, but I've read all of them at least once before...which should I read next?


The Satanic Verses
The Origin Of Species
Children's Hospital
On The Road
Necronomicon: The H.P. Lovecraft Collection

[anamericangod]

Well that sucks since I just bought it on Amazon. M-(

Have you read any of it yet? I'm curious as to what other people think of this book.

[odizzle_word]

My stack of books to read is really high, but I've read all of them at least once before...which should I read next?


The Satanic Verses
The Origin Of Species
Children's Hospital
On The Road
Necronomicon: The H.P. Lovecraft Collection

I've been debating buying either The Satanic Verses or Midnight's Children. I think you should read The Satanic Verses and then tell me how it is.

[ThemChains]

I've been debating buying either The Satanic Verses or Midnight's Children. I think you should read The Satanic Verses and then tell me how it is.

I've already read it once before. Get it.

[Un'Aria Ancora]

Finished: Alice In Wonderland - Much better than I expected
Started: Cloud Atlas - Incredible writing, but I think it's going to be a tough read for me.

[Anthony Lutz]

Since I've been off school for break, I've actually had more time to do things, and reading is something that I actually feel motivated to do. So what books would be good to read? Keep in mind that I haven't read many books, but I listen to a lot of music that makes a lot of literary references.

[kafe]

I read Lord of the Flies for the first time this summer, and really enjoyed it. But you might have read that in school. John Grishams books are good also (but I've only read The Testament and A Time to Kill)

[Swayback]

Freakonomics!

[B-Bones]

A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius or The Perks of Being a Wallflower.

[GetWellBoss]

The Perks of Being a Wallflower.

Great book.


I also recommend Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff by Michael Moore. It's fucking HILARIOUS. I actually got in trouble with my ex because I wouldn't stop reading(and pay attention to her) and I would laugh really hard and she wanted to know what was going on and I just kept telling her that I couldn't explain it, she would just have to read the book. Hahaha.

Ender's Game is also an AMAZING read.

[pshh]

The Bible

[Blakebear]

Great book.


I also recommend Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff by Michael Moore. It's fucking HILARIOUS. I actually got in trouble with my ex because I wouldn't stop reading(and pay attention to her) and I would laugh really hard and she wanted to know what was going on and I just kept telling her that I couldn't explain it, she would just have to read the book. Hahaha.

Ender's Game is also an AMAZING read.

Definitely been wanting to read Lamb for a while.

[GetWellBoss]

Definitely been wanting to read Lamb for a while.

Do it. You will NOT be disappointed. I don't know if you are religious or not, but I've heard both sides love that book. Just read it as fiction(because that's what it is). I also recommend reading the prologue where Michael Moore writes about why he wrote it.

[Protested Hero]

World War Z

[TJ Wells]

sherlock holmes is all i've been reading lately. shockingly engaging stuff.

[Ailite]

Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell
A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers

[ToastedHedgehog]

World War Z
Seconded.

[airik625]

World War Z

thirded

[JJJ]

I read Lord of the Flies for the first time this summer, and really enjoyed it. But you might have read that in school. John Grishams books are good also (but I've only read The Testament and A Time to Kill)

John Grisham books are amazing ! I've read almost every one. Definitely a good choice.


I really enjoyed The Average American Male, and The Great Gatsby is a great read too.

[kafe]

John Grisham books are amazing ! I've read almost every one. Definitely a good choice.

Oh I definitely haven't read all of his but I've read two and loved them, gonna read The Painted House next I think. His english is easy to understand too (I prefer to read in english but some book have a difficult language, since it's my 2nd language).

[GetWellBoss]

John Grisham books are amazing ! I've read almost every one. Definitely a good choice.


I really enjoyed The Average American Male, and The Great Gatsby is a great read too.

The Great Gatsby is a really good book. I've read it a few times now.

[wroteurname]

If you wanna read something that will drive you insane read Tim O'Brien's In The Lake of the Woods.

[Machu505]

The Great Gatsby
1984
Animal Farm
Brave New World

[MorningWillCome]

You Shall Know Our Velocity!

[JJJ]

Oh I definitely haven't read all of his but I've read two and loved them, gonna read The Painted House next I think. His english is easy to understand too (I prefer to read in english but some book have a difficult language, since it's my 2nd language).

Yea, I've read like every book except The Painted House and that one on football. He books are great, they flow well, very entertaining, I love them.

The Great Gatsby is a really good book. I've read it a few times now.

I need to read it again, it was the only required book in High School that I enjoyed reading

[doyouhas?]

any Kurt Vonnegut book. youll fall in love.


(like i did when i found a first edition, hardback copy of jailbird today!)

[Jimmy_Love]

Everything is Illuminated!!

[eMart]

The Cricket in Times Square

[Anthony Lutz]

A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius or The Perks of Being a Wallflower.

I've actually read The Perks of Being a Wallflower, such a good book!

[Anthony Lutz]

Thanks for all the recommendations btw; I think I'm going to read Chuck Palahniuk's "Survivor" though. My cousin said that it's a good book to start of his, and considers it his best.

[TheBaroness]

My stack of books to read is really high, but I've read all of them at least once before...which should I read next?


The Satanic Verses
The Origin Of Species
Children's Hospital
On The Road
Necronomicon: The H.P. Lovecraft Collection

I've tried to read this about three times now, but keep getting interrupted. Determined to get through it these holidays.

[B-Bones]

I've actually read The Perks of Being a Wallflower, such a good book!

Definitely check out A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius if you haven't read it because it's an amazing book.

Thanks for all the recommendations btw; I think I'm going to read Chuck Palahniuk's "Survivor" though. My cousin said that it's a good book to start of his, and considers it his best.

Ya I'd say Survivor is one of his better works. Snuff is also really good.

[josepablo32]

something from Jorge Luis Borges or Milan Kundera

[Cato11087]

I'm reading Kurt Vonnegut - Slaughterhouse 5, fucking great book and if your a LOST fan it makes it that much better.

[WakingTheMisery]

The Fuck-Up

[Anthony Lutz]

Definitely check out A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius if you haven't read it because it's an amazing book.



Ya I'd say Survivor is one of his better works. Snuff is also really good.

I'll definitely check out A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius too, thanks for the recs!

[Anthony Lutz]

I'm reading Kurt Vonnegut - Slaughterhouse 5, fucking great book and if your a LOST fan it makes it that much better.

Is there connections with LOST in it?

[Cato11087]

Is there connections with LOST in it?

What happens to Billy Pilgrim is pretty much the same thing that happens to Desmond, they both become unstuck in time. There's also a reference or two in the show about Slaughterhouse 5.


also, sweet avatar. Such a great show.

[Anthony Lutz]

The Bible

No!

[Jason Tate]

My favorite book this year:

Rock On: An Office Ballad (https://www.amazon.com/dp/1565125096?tag=absolutepunk-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=1565125096&adid=0Z8SDTRJPEV0C03R9EFF&)

[stayillogical]

I'm reading Kurt Vonnegut - Slaughterhouse 5, fucking great book and if your a LOST fan it makes it that much better.

:highfive:

So am I. I started it a month ago and got a good deal into it, but exams and finals put it on hold. I'll definitely finish it this week though, it's a quick read.

[stayillogical]

My favorite book this year:

Rock On: An Office Ballad (https://www.amazon.com/dp/1565125096?tag=absolutepunk-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=1565125096&adid=0Z8SDTRJPEV0C03R9EFF&)

Thank you for this. It sounds like a real winner. I'll definitely be picking it up on my next Border's trip.

[AShannon04]

My favorite book this year:

Rock On: An Office Ballad (https://www.amazon.com/dp/1565125096?tag=absolutepunk-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=1565125096&adid=0Z8SDTRJPEV0C03R9EFF&)

Great book. Really funny, and a quick read.

Currently reading The Driver (http://www.amazon.com/Driver-Dangerous-Pursuit-Outlaw-Racing/dp/0061374997/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1229870953&sr=8-1). Really liking it so far.

[Poe-tryGirl]

I'm just finished reading The Tragedy of Julius Caeser. It was pretty cool.

[Cato11087]

:highfive:

So am I. I started it a month ago and got a good deal into it, but exams and finals put it on hold. I'll definitely finish it this week though, it's a quick read.

It definitely is a quick and easy read, but the story is so engaging. I can't wait to check out more of Vonnegut's work.

[TheBaroness]

I'm currently reading the Phineas Poe trilogy by Will Christopher Baer. I have to say, it's pretty good. Much better than I was expecting.

[jusscali]

Alright I'm the need of some recs. I'm real particular with my choices even though they all end up being in the same general vein.

some personal favorites: apathy and other small victories, the fuck up, catcher in the rye, perks of being a wall flower, confederacy of dunces, all the way...

I like laugh out loud cynical books or things similar to the above. Any ideas?

[GetWellBoss]

I like laugh out loud cynical books or things similar to the above. Any ideas?

i said it earlier(like page 2 or 3 of this thread), but Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff is this. It's HILARIOUS. I highly recommend reading it. Especially if you like stuff like that.

[elocin]

Anyone in to Chick-Lit?!?

[Markus1186]

I was at Barnes and Noble today doing some Christmas shopping and I decided to pick up The Rules of Attraction. Really enjoyed the movie and ive been meaning to pick it up for a while.

[jusscali]

I was at Barnes and Noble today doing some Christmas shopping and I decided to pick up The Rules of Attraction. Really enjoyed the movie and ive been meaning to pick it up for a while.

Good Call!

[jusscali]

i said it earlier(like page 2 or 3 of this thread), but Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff is this. It's HILARIOUS. I highly recommend reading it. Especially if you like stuff like that.

Anything else in the same vein. I'll definitely check it out

[anamericangod]

Alright I'm the need of some recs. I'm real particular with my choices even though they all end up being in the same general vein.

some personal favorites: apathy and other small victories, the fuck up, catcher in the rye, perks of being a wall flower, confederacy of dunces, all the way...

I like laugh out loud cynical books or things similar to the above. Any ideas?

Prozac Nation is one of the most cynical books I've ever read. If you haven't read A Million Little Pieces, I'd recommend that as well.

[PaulsRightNut]

Koontz.

Apparently I've been reading them out of order.

Does it matter if I read Odd Thomas, Brother Odd, then Forever Odd? I'm pretty sure it won't make a difference.

[jusscali]

Prozac Nation is one of the most cynical books I've ever read. If you haven't read A Million Little Pieces, I'd recommend that as well.

Are they funny though?

[anamericangod]

Koontz.

Apparently I've been reading them out of order.

Does it matter if I read Odd Thomas, Brother Odd, then Forever Odd? I'm pretty sure it won't make a difference.

Yes it matters. Odd Thomas, the first book, is the best of them all. Probably one of my all time favorites to be honest. I mean, you wouldn't read Return of the King and then read The Fellowship of the Ring, would you? You definitely need to go in order. Tons of stuff won't make any sense.

Are they funny though?

Ohh, I thought you meant either or. There is some funny stuff in them but no, they aren't comedies.

[jusscali]

Yes it matters. Odd Thomas, the first book, is the best of them all. Probably one of my all time favorites to be honest. I mean, you wouldn't read Return of the King and then read The Fellowship of the Ring, would you? You definitely need to go in order. Tons of stuff won't make any sense.



Ohh, I thought you meant either or. There is some funny stuff in them but no, they aren't comedies.

Well regardless I really enjoyed Prozac Nation the movie so I'll check it out. The pieces book is a memoir correct? It's been reced before. Thanks for the help, if anything else comes to mind let me know

[anamericangod]

Well regardless I really enjoyed Prozac Nation the movie so I'll check it out. The pieces book is a memoir correct? It's been reced before. Thanks for the help, if anything else comes to mind let me know

If you liked the movie for Prozac Nation, you will probably love the book. I thought the movie was horrible in comparison. There's a lot more in the book. And yeah, Pieces is a memoir. So good.

[checkin'urpulse]

I am currently reading The Great Gatsby, going into the classics, its dencent

[samsara]

Reading Black Friday by James Patterson right now

[lindZ629]

I recently finished up On The Road, took me way too long to get through, but I really enjoyed it. My mom's forcing me to read the Twilight series, and I just finished the first book. They're incredibly easy to read, almost too easy, and the story is pretty dumb, but I won't deny that they're addicting. I plan on reading the next 3 before I go back to school, so I have about 2-3 weeks to get them done.

[PaulsRightNut]

Yes it matters. Odd Thomas, the first book, is the best of them all. Probably one of my all time favorites to be honest. I mean, you wouldn't read Return of the King and then read The Fellowship of the Ring, would you? You definitely need to go in order. Tons of stuff won't make any sense.



Ohh, I thought you meant either or. There is some funny stuff in them but no, they aren't comedies.

well I did read odd thomas first. Currently - I'm almost done with brother odd.

I was at the store to get what I thought was the third book Forever Odd, but then I realized its really the 2nd one.

[googirl8907]

I just started reading The Road by Cormac McCarthy.

[AShannon04]

Well regardless I really enjoyed Prozac Nation the movie so I'll check it out. The pieces book is a memoir correct? It's been reced before. Thanks for the help, if anything else comes to mind let me know

If you liked the movie for Prozac Nation, you will probably love the book. I thought the movie was horrible in comparison. There's a lot more in the book. And yeah, Pieces is a memoir. So good.

Despite all the controversy surrounding James Frey and A Million Little Pieces, it's a great book. I'd highly recommend it.

[IamTheINDUSTRY]

I just started reading The Road by Cormac McCarthy.

stick with it even if you get bored - you'll thank yourself.

[odizzle_word]

I just finished Paul Auster's The Book of Illusions. One of the best books I've read in a while and definitely my favorite Auster novel. Can't rec this enough.

[TheBaroness]

Anyone in to Chick-Lit?!?

Fuck no

[TEAMRAMROD]

read "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" a couple months ago. absolutely amazing

[AShannon04]

read "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" a couple months ago. absolutely amazing

I just finished that about 3 weeks ago. I started losing a bit of interest by the end, but it was a great book overall.

[TEAMRAMROD]

I just finished that about 3 weeks ago. I started losing a bit of interest by the end, but it was a great book overall.

yeah it might have dragged on a little too long, but i thought the last few pages really made up for it

[cantnokdahustle]

I'm trying to finish the His Dark Materials trilogy by Philip Pullman. I just started The Amber Spyglass. I like the first two, but they start so slow, it took me forever to get into them.

That is my wife's favorite set of books. The Book of Dust is probably still a couple years off, but one we're looking forward to reading. They are excellent books that should have received a proper adaptation to the screen.

Hopefully they don't fuck up the Preacher series. If you haven't read Preacher, I suggest you read it soon after His Dark Materials. It's kind of the depraved adult version of the Pullman's series.

p.s. Pullman's children stories are worth a quick read as well.

[AShannon04]

yeah it might have dragged on a little too long, but i thought the last few pages really made up for it

What happened at the end again? Haha, for some reason, I'm completely drawing a blank right now.

[TEAMRAMROD]

What happened at the end again? Haha, for some reason, I'm completely drawing a blank right now.

oskar is talking to himself and realizes that if he had just answered the phone when his dad had called on 9/11 then he could've avoided some of the mysteries surrounding his death and things like that. and the last couple pages are going chronologically backwards. a little hard for me to explain ha sorry

[AShannon04]

oskar is talking to himself and realizes that if he had just answered the phone when his dad had called on 9/11 then he could've avoided some of the mysteries surrounding his death and things like that. and the last couple pages are going chronologically backwards. a little hard for me to explain ha sorry

ah yes, I remember now. Haha, I think I was just looking forward to finishing the book and moving onto something else, that I wasn't reading as closely as I probably should have.

[TEAMRAMROD]

ah yes, I remember now. Haha, I think I was just looking forward to finishing the book and moving onto something else, that I wasn't reading as closely as I probably should have.

yeah, that's happened to me a few times. what are you currently reading?

[AShannon04]

yeah, that's happened to me a few times. what are you currently reading?

Right now I'm reading The Driver: My Dangerous Pursuit of Speed and Truth in the Outlaw Racing World by Alexander Roy, and am about halfway through. Next up is Silent Bob Speaks by Kevin Smith.

I'm usually more of a non-fiction guy, but I've got a couple other novels on my to-read list. What about you?

[TEAMRAMROD]

Right now I'm reading The Driver: My Dangerous Pursuit of Speed and Truth in the Outlaw Racing World by Alexander Roy, and am about halfway through. Next up is Silent Bob Speaks by Kevin Smith.

I'm usually more of a non-fiction guy, but I've got a couple other novels on my to-read list. What about you?

sounds good man. i'm in the middle of "Then We Came to the End" by Joshua Ferris, which isn't too bad. I've got "Lunar Park" by Bret Easton Ellis up next. My book list has got a shiteload amount of books to eventually get to.

[AShannon04]

sounds good man. i'm in the middle of "Then We Came to the End" by Joshua Ferris, which isn't too bad. I've got "Lunar Park" by Bret Easton Ellis up next. My book list has got a shiteload amount of books to eventually get to.

I've been meaning to check out more Bret Easton Ellis stuff. I could barely get through American Psycho, but I feel like that wasn't necessarily due to it being bad. The repetitiveness of everything, I think, works really well in the movie setting, but in book form, it was just really tough to slog through.

[TEAMRAMROD]

I've been meaning to check out more Bret Easton Ellis stuff. I could barely get through American Psycho, but I feel like that wasn't necessarily due to it being bad. The repetitiveness of everything, I think, works really well in the movie setting, but in book form, it was just really tough to slog through.

yeah Glamorama was a little repetitiveness in the beginning too, but then takes a totally different turn a little while into it. I guess that's just his style maybe?

[TheBaroness]

Read Peter Ackroyd's The Casebook of Victor Frankenstein today, it was good fun. I'm now (finally) starting 2666 - I've been as excited to read this book as a teenage girl is for the next Twilight installment - I look forward to a long read and a lot of wrist pain.

[stayillogical]

I have a $50 gift card to Border's to spend. Recommendations are most welcome. Please convince me what to read next. In the past, someone rec'd Time Traveler's Wife and I LOVED it.

[CubbyNick42]

Have you read The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao?

[stayillogical]

Have you read The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao?

Nope. Tell me more. Why would I like this?

[AShannon04]

I have a $50 gift card to Border's to spend. Recommendations are most welcome. Please convince me what to read next. In the past, someone rec'd Time Traveler's Wife and I LOVED it.

You should check out Extremely Loud and Incredible Close. It's about a kid who finds a key inside his dad's closet after he dies in 9/11, and the kid tries to figure out what it goes to, in an effort to try to understand his father and get closer to him. I absolutely love the way Foer wries.

[CubbyNick42]

It's been my go-to recommendation for about four months. Oscar's an overweight gaming nerd who wants very badly to fall in love. The story goes back and traces his family's immigration from the Dominican to the states, and then follows Oscar through his schooling and ham-fisted attempts at getting girls to like him. It's just tremendously endearing, and the author, Junot Diaz, has such a presence in his writing. You feel like the story's being told to you...it's never work to get through it. It's the best book I read this year.

[stayillogical]

I will def check these out today. Sound interesting. Thanks.

[bouttogetfancy]

You should check out Extremely Loud and Incredible Close. It's about a kid who finds a key inside his dad's closet after he dies in 9/11, and the kid tries to figure out what it goes to, in an effort to try to understand his father and get closer to him. I absolutely love the way Foer wries.
I second this recommendation and also Everything is Illuminated by him.

[stayillogical]

It's done. I spent my gift card and bought Oscar Wao, What is the What, and In Cold Blood. I'll keep the others in mind for my next trip.

[xashkox]

I'm currently reading God-Shaped Hole by Tiffanie Debartolo, a novel about a heartwrenching love story; andTransforming the Rape Culture by Emilie Buchwald, Pamela Fletcher, and Martha Roth, which is a collection of essay about doing exactly what the title says.

I read Rape Culture when I want to exercise my brain, and Debartolo when I want to give it rest.