The Book Thread (Official Thread)

[Love As Arson]

If On A Winter's Night by Italo Calvino

If on a Winter's Night a Traveler is a marvel of ingenuity, an experimental text that looks longingly back to the great age of narration--"when time no longer seemed stopped and did not yet seem to have exploded." Italo Calvino's novel is in one sense a comedy in which the two protagonists, the Reader and the Other Reader, ultimately end up married, having almost finished If on a Winter's Night a Traveler. In another, it is a tragedy, a reflection on the difficulties of writing and the solitary nature of reading. The Reader buys a fashionable new book, which opens with an exhortation: "Relax. Concentrate. Dispel every other thought. Let the world around you fade." Alas, after 30 or so pages, he discovers that his copy is corrupted, and consists of nothing but the first section, over and over. Returning to the bookshop, he discovers the volume, which he thought was by Calvino, is actually by the Polish writer Bazakbal. Given the choice between the two, he goes for the Pole, as does the Other Reader, Ludmilla. But this copy turns out to be by yet another writer, as does the next, and the next.

The real Calvino intersperses 10 different pastiches--stories of menace, spies, mystery, premonition--with explorations of how and why we read, make meanings, and get our bearings or fail to. Meanwhile the Reader and Ludmilla try to reach, and read, each other. If on a Winter's Night is dazzling, vertiginous, and deeply romantic. "What makes lovemaking and reading resemble each other most is that within both of them times and spaces open, different from measurable time and space."

[Broken Parachute]

"Welcome to the Monkey House" and "Slaughter-House Five" if you want Vonnegut.

[TK]

Edit:

Oops.

[SkyHeldUpByStar]

The Book Thief
Fieldwork
The Unthinkable Thoughts of Jacob Green

[Ailite]

Then We Came To The End by Joshua Ferris

[notoaststereo]

You Shall Know Our Velocity! or A Heartbreaking Work of a Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers

The Curious Incident of the Dog In The Nighttime by Mark Haddon

The Shining by Stephen King

[SecretHandshake]

'Cant get there from here' is a good book.

[goodarmcindy]

God Delusion - it will also lead to angry debate amongst the people you are sailing with which will help pass the time although it could make the atmosphere a bit frosty

It's also an interesting read regardless of your religious stance.

Also you should read Slaughterhouse-5 if you want to get into Vonnegut.

[WakingTheMisery]

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0553274325.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

[HolyCowBatman]

Okay, so they're both satire, but if you're up for a funny, light read:
Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Prachett
A Dirty Job by Christopher Moore
I recommend them to EVERYONE. They're absolutely hilarious.

[Shatter590]

i always rec the same books, but this time i have a few new additions:

American Gods
House of Leaves
anything by Murakami (Wind Up Bird Chronicle and Wild Sheep Chase)
Bernard Cornwell's Saxon Tales (begin with The Last Kingdom)
Guns, Germs and Steel

[WakingTheMisery]

Any Gaiman story is great.
Atlas Shrugged is awesome.
Ishmael is great.
The Rape of Nanking for the historical side.
Good pick with Wind Up Bird Chronicle as well.

[radiofriendly]

anything by Cormac McCarthy
The Adventures Of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon
I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell by Tucker Max(Oh dear god, if you haven't read this, nothing else matters. Funniest book I've ever read!)
Emperor Of The Aire by Ethan Canin
My wife is crazy about this Twilight series. Apparently this Stephanie Meyers chick is the 'next J.K. Rowling' or something. i haven't really had the desire to read it, but i guess it's huge right now.

[poppa Q]

i always rec the same books, but this time i have a few new additions:

American Gods
House of Leaves
anything by Murakami (Wind Up Bird Chronicle and Wild Sheep Chase)
Bernard Cornwell's Saxon Tales (begin with The Last Kingdom)
Guns, Germs and SteelI second these recommendations.

[Colorblind!]

Sideways
JPod
Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time.

[tomakebelieve]

My wife is crazy about this Twilight series. Apparently this Stephanie Meyers chick is the 'next J.K. Rowling' or something. i haven't really had the desire to read it, but i guess it's huge right now.

Twilight was a huge guilty pleasure for me, but here's the thing: Stephanie Meyer writes like a 14 year old, and the Twilight series is totally meant for high school-aged girls who don't read and watch too much MTV. I shouldn't even like it, but I do.

Anyways my book reccomendations are:

Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn
You Suck by Christopher Moore
Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris

And I just added these two books to my "grab the next time I am at the library" list. They look/sound promising:

Are you there, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea by Chelsea Handler
Mysterious Skin by Scott Heim

[x0sosahley]

I don't know about the fact the Twilight series is for high school girls who don't read much...I read a ton, and still love the seires, the books are addicting.
A Scott Heim book? I've been meaning to read Mysterious Skin, just haven't gotten around to it.
But in the case of recommendations, have you heard of Jodi Picoult? I love her books, I'd say you may want to read The Pact: A Love Story, and then Nineteen Minutes, because the two sort of relate to each other.

[Throwback]

The Illuminatus! Trilogy

[AShannon04]

Almost done with the Kevin Smith book I've been reading. Next up is one of the following:

Freakonomics
Musicophilia
A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius (read this a few years ago and absolutely loved it)

[sugarcoatedlies]

with the kid who was i think blue
not sure if it was blue, but he has weird color skin and his parents were like idk gypsies and then it turns out they were feeding him dye or poison or something to make him like that.



someone has to have read it
i remember reading it but i forgot and i wanted to reread it but i can't if i donno the name :(

[babyfang]

I didn't like the Twilight series. Edward was too perfect, they fell in love too quick and over nothing, and Jacob should have got the girl. I read all three hoping it would get good but it didn't. It was a big dissapointment.

I hear The Pact is really good. I never read it but many of my friends did.

[boykosaurus]

Just advertised this one in the politics forum
http://www.press.umich.edu/coverImages/0745322263.jpg

[Shatter590]

Im well aware that this is manga and not "serious literature" but...

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51ezg7%2BADrL._SS500_.jpg

Very dense story about morality, vigilantism, mind games and genius detective-vs- genius killer plotting. Despite the heavy plot, it is paced well with interesting characters.

[AShannon04]

Just finished reading Freakonomics. Really interesting, I skipped around and skipped a few chapters, but it was definitely entertaining. I got a library card a few days ago (I've been away at college for 4 years), so I got The Year of Living Biblically today, so I'm gonna start that tonight.

[waterxdamage]

I just recently finished The Great Gatsby for school, which was actually fairly good.
I'm sure I'd like it a lot more if I wasn't using it as a study for my research paper.
Margarita Dolce Vita - fantastic. It's translated from Italian, and it really is a great read.
Attempting to muddle through Catcher In The Rye right now, and I can see why the main character in the book King Dork has such a problem with it; I'm already sick of Holden.
The best book I've read all year by far is As Simple As Snow. Honestly, it blew my mind. It's Perks Of Being A Wallflower with a seedy, original plotline. Fantastic.

[adam289]

I just finished reading Heart of Darkness, it was pretty good.

[chokemeout]

Just finished The Count Of Monte Christo - 1000+pages and soooooooo good. Couldn't put it down.
Now reading Tales Of Ordinary Madness - Bukowski - The guy was a genius!

[lindZ629]

I just finished The Time Traveler's Wife...one of the best books I've read this year.

I'll be starting The Road within the next couple of days.

[hailthewarrior]

I just finished The Time Traveler's Wife...one of the best books I've read this year.

I'll be starting The Road within the next couple of days.

I'm reading this right now, and he did the one thing that pisses me off in literature (when they don't use "" and say who's talking) but it's good thus far.

The last thing I read was The Long Walk by Stephen King, which I loved. It was such an interesting take on American entertainment.

[lindZ629]

I'm reading this right now, and he did the one thing that pisses me off in literature (when they don't use "" and say who's talking) but it's good thus far.

The last thing I read was The Long Walk by Stephen King, which I loved. It was such an interesting take on American entertainment.
I always have to pay closer attention to who's saying what to whom and I think that just ruins the flow of the book for me. By the looks of it, it should be a fairly quick read.

[Killadelphia]

So, this is my first post here and this is what I've read lately.

Choke - Chuck Palahniuk
Lullaby - " "
I started to read Survivor, but moved onto a different book about baseball
The Fuck-Up
The Numbers Game

[hailthewarrior]

I always have to pay closer attention to who's saying what to whom and I think that just ruins the flow of the book for me. By the looks of it, it should be a fairly quick read.

Yeah, I read 50 pages in 20 minutes, it's a strange book.

[FayeQC]

Just finished reading Freakonomics. Really interesting, I skipped around and skipped a few chapters, but it was definitely entertaining. I got a library card a few days ago (I've been away at college for 4 years), so I got The Year of Living Biblically today, so I'm gonna start that tonight.

Freakonomics is so good, got it with it's audio cd.

I used the part about abortion in correlation with crime rate in a debate and it worked well :)

[Lueda Alia]

I am looking for classic books that you guys may have read in and before high school. I have missed out on a look of these books because I didn't grow up in North America, and I'd like to read some good stories. I don't care if you read these books in 5th or 8th grade. Anything works.

Thank you.

[buysoap]

Like Siddhartha?

http://powayusd.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/teachers/dmasur/Siddhartha/siddhartha%20book%20cover.jpg

[Mitch]

I am about halfway into The Autobiography of Malcolm X. Very, very good.

After I finish it, I'm reading Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison.

[reductiondesign]

I went to the bookstore last night to stock up for the summer:

William Gaddis - The Recognitions
Italo Calvino - If on a winter's night a traveler
Haruki Murakami - The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle
Vladimir Nabakov - Pale Fire
Jorge Luis Borges - Labyrinths
William Faulkner - The Sound and the Fury
Michael Chabon - The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay
Armistead Maupin - Tales of the City

So, where should I start?

[Skadrist]

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/5/57/Homage_catalonia.jpg/200px-Homage_catalonia.jpg

[Broken Parachute]

I am looking for classic books that you guys may have read in and before high school. I have missed out on a look of these books because I didn't grow up in North America, and I'd like to read some good stories. I don't care if you read these books in 5th or 8th grade. Anything works.

Thank you."The Giver" by Lois Lowry
"Flowers For Algernon" by Daniel Keyes

Two of my favorite grammar school books. Most kids read them in like 7th or 8th grade, but I think you can appreciate them even more when you're older.

[Jessooker]

"The Giver" by Lois Lowry
"Flowers For Algernon" by Daniel Keyes

Two of my favorite grammar school books. Most kids read them in like 7th or 8th grade, but I think you can appreciate them even more when you're older.


The Giver was my favorite.

[Love As Arson]

I went to the bookstore last night to stock up for the summer:

William Gaddis - The Recognitions
Italo Calvino - If on a winter's night a traveler
Haruki Murakami - The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle
Vladimir Nabakov - Pale Fire
Jorge Luis Borges - Labyrinths
William Faulkner - The Sound and the Fury
Michael Chabon - The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay
Armistead Maupin - Tales of the City

So, where should I start?
"If On A Winter's Night A Traveler..." has quickly become one of my favorite books and is definitely one of the best books I've read. I picked up Snuff by Palahniuk yesterday. I don't get much out of him as opposed to when I first read his books, and that may be because of the decline in quality, but I figured I may as well give it a shot. I also picked up Big Bang: The Origin Of The Universe" by Simon Signh.

[Nevuk]

I went to the bookstore last night to stock up for the summer:

William Gaddis - The Recognitions
Italo Calvino - If on a winter's night a traveler
Haruki Murakami - The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle
Vladimir Nabakov - Pale Fire
Jorge Luis Borges - Labyrinths
William Faulkner - The Sound and the Fury
Michael Chabon - The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay
Armistead Maupin - Tales of the City

So, where should I start?
I just noticed this thread existed.
Pale Fire is one of the worst books I've ever read. The poem is alright, but the story afterwords is at best, a failed experiment and at worst an author's attempt to see how annoying of a character he can write. If you want Nabokov, Invitation to a Beheading is superior in every way.


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/5/57/Homage_catalonia.jpg/200px-Homage_catalonia.jpg
Excellent book.
I'm currently reading :
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/22/MervynPeake_Gormenghast.jpg
Which the BBC series was apparently an atrocious adaptation of, although I've never seen it. As well, Gene Wolfe's Latro in the Mist and Simmons Hyperion, of which the former seems below the rest of his work.

[remyy]

I'm looking for books with an kind of post apocalyptic theme, any ideas on what I should get?

[SockMonkeyRiot]

I just finished Siddhartha Jonathan Livingston Seagull last month.

Now I'm on a Vonnegut kick and just read Slaughterhouse 5 and Cat's Cradle in 1 day

[reductiondesign]

I'm looking for books with an kind of post apocalyptic theme, any ideas on what I should get?

McCarthy's The Road.

[catscradle]

I went to the bookstore last night to stock up for the summer:

William Gaddis - The Recognitions
Italo Calvino - If on a winter's night a traveler
Haruki Murakami - The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle
Vladimir Nabakov - Pale Fire
Jorge Luis Borges - Labyrinths
William Faulkner - The Sound and the Fury
Michael Chabon - The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay
Armistead Maupin - Tales of the City

So, where should I start?
start with this. i absolutely adore Borges. I love how his stories are like little mental exercises, they really get th synapses in your brain firing. The conciseness and brevity of his stories make it so you never have to worry about getting bored while reading a story. I find it very appealing that the lack of length in his stories allows you to go back and constantly reread a story and pick up on little things that you may have missed before.

[AtlanticRadio]

I just finished The Raw Shark Texts by Stephen Hall. Very intense but quick read. Incredible premise.

[positive hearts]

The last thing of read was Brian K. Vaughan's Pride of Baghdad, which was amazing and one of my favorite graphic novels ever.

Now I'm going to get started on Anansi Boys, Neil Gaiman's follow up to American Gods.

[Nevuk]

I just picked up Alex Garland : The Tesseract
and KJ Bishop's The Etched City.

[TheBaroness]

lately have been reading Castle in the Forrest by Norman Mailer (ugh, not very good), and What I Loved, by Siri Hustvedt (one of the more underrated modern novelists)

[AShannon04]

currently reading Snuff by Chuck Palahniuk and A Walk In The Woods by Bill Bryson.

[Nevuk]

Just went to the library to take advantage of being unemployed and bored. Just not sure where to start, since I've got 9 fairly complex and varied authors.
Gene Wolfe - Urth of the New Sun
Jeff VanderMeer - Veniss Underground
China Mieville - Un Lun Dun
M. John Harrison - Viriconium cycle
M. John Harrison - Things that Never Happen
Brooks Hansen - The Chess Garden
Jeffrey Ford - The Fantasy Writer's Assistant and Other Stories
Iain M. Banks - Inversions
J.G. Ballard - Crash
I don't figure many people on AP have ever read some of these authors, but you never know. The Gormenghast trilogy was excellent, as was KJ Bishop's The Etched City (Probably the best debut I've read).

[dustyfloors]

Just picked up Haruki Murakami - The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle

[Shatter590]

Just picked up Haruki Murakami - The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle

that book will blow your mind, so read it slowly. or better yet, read it twice. or even better than those, read wild sheep chase first.

srsly, i read that book when i was 16 and it fucked my mind up for a month. ditto when i read it again at 17

[Shatter590]

I'm looking for books with an kind of post apocalyptic theme, any ideas on what I should get?

cats cradle
the andromeda strain
the stand
anything by HP lovecraft

[dustyfloors]

that book will blow your mind, so read it slowly. or better yet, read it twice. or even better than those, read wild sheep chase first.

srsly, i read that book when i was 16 and it fucked my mind up for a month. ditto when i read it again at 17
I'm only about 50-ish pages into it. I will follow your advice and also proceed with caution.

[alice+interiors]

Life of Pi, by Yann Martel.
excellent book, so far.

[CubbyNick42]

the stand
Outstanding. Add I Am Legend and The Road to that list as well.

[Shatter590]

Outstanding. Add I Am Legend and The Road to that list as well.

lol, forgot i am legend.

best vampire novel ever writtwen imo

[remyy]

cats cradle
the andromeda strain
the stand
anything by HP lovecraft

thanks, I will try to check into some of them!

[Kid B]

I know this has probably been said, but everybody needs to read the Bone series by Jeff Smith.

[Kid B]

that book will blow your mind, so read it slowly. or better yet, read it twice. or even better than those, read wild sheep chase first.

srsly, i read that book when i was 16 and it fucked my mind up for a month. ditto when i read it again at 17
What is it about? You're making me want to buy it.

[gonz]

I just finished Siddhartha Jonathan Livingston Seagull last month.

Now I'm on a Vonnegut kick and just read Slaughterhouse 5 and Cat's Cradle in 1 day
I read Cat's Cradle a few weeks ago and am gonna finish Slaughterhouse 5 tonight. In between those I read Fallen Angels by Myers and after S5 I'm finally going to get to Blindness by Saramago
lol, forgot i am legend.

best vampire novel ever writtwen imo
Why whoever did the screenplay for the movie chose to change up the ending is beyond me. The book ending is brilliant.

[Jumpoff]

Anyone have any recommendations for someone looking for books similiar to those written by Tolstoy and Dostoevsky? (I probably butchered the spelling of his name didn't I..)

[Skadrist]

http://weblogs.vpro.nl/ineuropa/files/2008/03/beevor.jpg

[SockMonkeyRiot]

Just finished "Sirens of The Titan," "Breakfast of Champions," and "Timequake" by Vonnegut.

My brother got me the complete works of William Shakespeare for my birthday so I'm going to start on that

[Mitch]

Almost finished The Autobiography of Malcolm X, and next I am either going to start Invisible Man or Black Like Me. Any suggestion as to which one I should read first?

[Dervela]

i've never read black like me.. but i really liked the invisible man. i thought it was a good read so i'd say go for that.

[Rawrr]

I have to read a tale of two cities this summer for honors english next year, and don't feel like reading it..
Any recs for it/understanding it better? What else besides spark notes and the Dont Fear ______ titles?

[Bob Payne]

Almost finished The Autobiography of Malcolm X, and next I am either going to start Invisible Man or Black Like Me. Any suggestion as to which one I should read first?

Just read invisible man because black like me is just awful.

[Jumpoff]

Just finished the first part of "The Idiot" by Dostoyevsky. Great book so far.. I plan on picking up The Faerie Queen by Spensar next time I head to a bookstore. Anyone know if it's worth it?

[CubbyNick42]

Almost finished The Autobiography of Malcolm X, and next I am either going to start Invisible Man or Black Like Me. Any suggestion as to which one I should read first?
Check out Native Son while you're at it. One of my favorites.

[ascitiesburn101]

Just finished One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and Into the Wild

Next on the list:

http://www.themillionsblog.com/images/DharmaBums.jpg

[_jonas]

This excellent game has been played with Bands, Movies, and Albums.

time for books.
The Fountainhead or Atlas Shrugged?

[DickfaceChillah]

Watchmen. Haha. Seriously, just read Watchmen over and over.

[_jonas]

Watchmen. Haha. Seriously, just read Watchmen over and over.
on the To Do List now.

[DickfaceChillah]

I promise you won't regret it if you are a comic fan. Or if you're not a comic fan.

[CstSnow]

I love graphic novels/comics and own the Watchmen, but I havent read it yet, each time I start too something else comes up that I really want to read right away and it gets put on the back burner I really need to sit down and actually read it haha.

[Mitch]

Just read invisible man because black like me is just awful.

Really? I have not heard anything negative about it until now. Hmm..It was mentioned in Malcolm X, that's what got me interested in it.

[entrepy]

I promise you won't regret it if you are a comic fan. Or if you're not a comic fan.

Aye Watchmen is great, so is Mark Miller's Wanted - it'll be interesting to see what the upcoming movie adaptation will be like.

Sorry this is a bit off topic, but I haven't read Atlas Shrugged so my vote wouldn't be fair.

[Adeniz19]

this thread failed

[JIMMYateEARTH]

this thread failed
agreed

[reductiondesign]

Ahahahaha, way to read the first post.

[_jonas]

I can fix this!
Give me some time!

alright The Fountainhead or Atlas Shrugged?

[DickfaceChillah]

Watchmen.

[DickfaceChillah]

Aye Watchmen is great, so is Mark Miller's Wanted - it'll be interesting to see what the upcoming movie adaptation will be like.

Sorry this is a bit off topic, but I haven't read Atlas Shrugged so my vote wouldn't be fair.

I haven't read Wanted yet. I want to, but our library system doesn't have it, and I am too broke to buy books. They're super expensive, especially graphic novels. I hear instead of villains, they are assassins. And is that fuck you with the keys from a keyboard and a tooth in the graphic novel? Cause that shit was corny.

[JIMMYateEARTH]

I can fix this!
Give me some time!

alright The Fountainhead or Atlas Shrugged?
its not gonna happen, if you want to talk about graphic novels go to the comic thread

I haven't read Wanted yet. I want to, but our library system doesn't have it, and I am too broke to buy books. They're super expensive, especially graphic novels. I hear instead of villains, they are assassins. And is that fuck you with the keys from a keyboard and a tooth in the graphic novel? Cause that shit was corny.

Wanted is a great book, the movie will in no way live up the book. No I don't remember the keyboard part being from the book. Also books aren't that expensive, most of them are under $20, only hardcovers are more than that

I think the similarities from the book and movie end once they get past their names and the main characters past.

[DickfaceChillah]

its not gonna happen, if you want to talk about graphic novels go to the comic thread



Wanted is a great book, the movie will in no way live up the book. No I don't remember the keyboard part being from the book. Also books aren't that expensive, most of them are under $20, only hardcovers are more than that

I think the similarities from the book and movie end once they get past their names and the main characters past.

That's expensive.

[Adeniz19]

yea books can get pretty expensive especially if they are in volumes.

[_jonas]

your best bet is Amazon.

[slenygoodbi]

ok uhm.

go ask alice or the perks of being a wallflower

[_jonas]

the perks of being a wallflower

The Bible or The God Delusion?

[entrepy]

the perks of being a wallflower

The Bible or The God Delusion?

Wow, interesting question. Despite being an atheist and loving The God Delusion, I'd probably have to say The Bible.

The moral code it promotes, and its massive impact on humanity will make it hard to beat (unless it's against Harry Potter). I doubt in a few hundred years people will still be talking about Dawkins (though I'd love it if they did a la that South park episode where he creates his own 'religion').

[_jonas]

Wow, interesting question. Despite being an atheist and loving The God Delusion, I'd probably have to say The Bible.

The moral code it promotes, and its massive impact on humanity will make it hard to beat (unless it's against Harry Potter). I doubt in a few hundred years people will still be talking about Dawkins (though I'd love it if they did a la that South park episode where he creates his own 'religion').
yeah, even the Bible has given off a more negative influence in today's culture, it's still an overwhelmingly more popular work. If The Delusion had that much gravity surrounding it, I'm sure it's affect would be for the better, especially if all those cliche' inmates in prison read it instead.

[Adeniz19]

I want to, but our library system doesn't have it, and I am too broke to buy books.

ummm how about a library? I hear they let you take books home for free.....

[WakingTheMisery]

Nice Boris avatar.

[JIMMYateEARTH]

That's expensive.
I'm gonna disagree

[AShannon04]

....

I'm an idiot.

[_jonas]

i really can't wait til this thread jumpstarts...

[AShannon04]

I think the problem with the thread idea is that people don't read nearly as many books or graphic novels as the amount of movies that the average person sees. As a result, it'll be rare that a person will have read both choices.

[DickfaceChillah]

Alright, in all seriousness,

Thus Spake Zarathustra or TTYL? Cause I got both and I can't decide.

[JIMMYateEARTH]

i really can't wait til this thread jumpstarts...

its not gonna happen

[Mitch]

Check out Native Son while you're at it. One of my favorites.

I looked it up after you posted and it sounds great. I'm going to Borders sometime tonight so I will be sure to pick it up. Thanks.

Just read invisible man because black like me is just awful.

Is it? I think it sounds like it could be very interesting. We'll see though, because I still plan on reading it.

[laxcrs]

I have to read a tale of two cities this summer for honors english next year, and don't feel like reading it..
Any recs for it/understanding it better? What else besides spark notes and the Dont Fear ______ titles?

somehow i enjoyed that book, i had it for honors english as well and it really wasn't as bad as i thought it would be. in the beginning i was just doing it because i had to and was taking it chapter by chapter but i liked it in the end. i think i used spark notes when i had to do some work with it for school though.

[Skadrist]

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41bjtoppCfL._SS500_.jpg


Known as the Underdogs in English.

[Mitch]

Alright, they did not have Native Son at Borders so I picked up only Black Like Me by John Howard Griffin and Roots by Alex Haley.

Considering The Autobiography of Malcolm X was incredible, I expect to love Roots.

[anamericangod]

I finished Bright Shiny Morning last night.

It is fucking awesome.

[thisischaos]

I read Sophie's World (Jostein Gaarder) just recently and it was by far, one of the most strange novels I've come across. It was slightly confusing, but I must say, it was really interesting to read and you learn a lot about philosophy through it.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jostein_Gaarder)

[wow apathy]

I read Sophie's World (Jostein Gaarder) just recently and it was by far, one of the most strange novels I've come across. It was slightly confusing, but I must say, it was really interesting to read and you learn a lot about philosophy through it.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jostein_Gaarder)

That's been sitting on my bookshelf for months now, maybe I'll read it next. I'm probably going to finish I Just Want My Pants Back by David Rosen tonight.

[lindZ629]

I'll be starting Killing Yourself to Live tomorrow.

[demora]

Just finished "Sirens of The Titan," "Breakfast of Champions," and "Timequake" by Vonnegut.


which did you like best?


i'm reading The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera and Going Crazy: An Inquiry Into Madness of Our Time by Otto Friedrich. Both are excellent.

[thisischaos]

That's been sitting on my bookshelf for months now, maybe I'll read it next. I'm probably going to finish I Just Want My Pants Back by David Rosen tonight.

My friend just recently told me to read that book. Do you like it any?

And aha, if you're into the whole "learning about the nature of why we are", I recommend Sophie's World for sure.

[SockMonkeyRiot]

which did you like best?

of those three probably Sirens of the Titan

[Chancetobe]

I'm re-reading Prep. I think it's a great character study book.

[Jessooker]

of those three probably Sirens of the Titan

my cousin made me buy that book, i haven't read it yet though.

[CubbyNick42]

Finally got around to The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. Great stuff.

[lindZ629]

Finally got around to The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. Great stuff.
I liked it, but it was so difficult to understand. I basically missed out on half the story for not knowing any Spanish.

[CubbyNick42]

I liked it, but it was so difficult to understand. I basically missed out on half the story for not knowing any Spanish.
It seemed like most of the Spanish was either used for emphasis or was decipherable through context clues. Nonetheless, I told my girlfriend (who's Mexican) that I want to read it with her someday to pick up everything I missed.

[lindZ629]

It seemed like most of the Spanish was either used for emphasis or was decipherable through context clues. Nonetheless, I told my girlfriend (who's Mexican) that I want to read it with her someday to pick up everything I missed.
Yeah I could pretty much get the jist of what was going on, but I still felt like I was missing out on a lot.

[laxcrs]

just finished the road and the last lecture and now reading next by michael crichton

[stayforawhile]

Rant by Chuck Palahniuk, amazing

[speakhandsforme]

Rant by Chuck Palahniuk, amazing
Isn't Rant kind of disturbing? I thought I'd heard something of that sort, but that kind of connotation can be tied to any given CP work.


I just ordered and am about to start the following books:

"No Exit" by Jean-Paul Sartre
"The Dead Father" by Donald Barthelme
"Screams From the Balcony" by Bukowski

[drudo182]

Finished The Notebook today and started up The Time Traveler's Wife.

[stayforawhile]

Isn't Rant kind of disturbing? I thought I'd heard something of that sort, but that kind of connotation can be tied to any given CP work.


I just ordered and am about to start the following books:

"No Exit" by Jean-Paul Sartre
"The Dead Father" by Donald Barthelme
"Screams From the Balcony" by Bukowski
Every thing that chuck writes is a little off color but I love it all the same.

[Un'Aria Ancora]

This month:
Ender's Game = Such a great read. I can't believe I've never read it before. Maybe my new favorite.
The Alchemist - Not bad. It's worth reading once.
The Old Man and the Sea - Fantastic.
Current:
The Hobbit - I'm having trouble getting into it, but i'm only on pg. 80.

[FayeQC]

This month:
Ender's Game = Such a great read. I can't believe I've never read it before. Maybe my new favorite.
The Alchemist - Not bad. It's worth reading once.
The Old Man and the Sea - Fantastic.
Current:
The Hobbit - I'm having trouble getting into it, but i'm only on pg. 80.

alchemist by Paulo Cohelo(sp?) ?

[Un'Aria Ancora]

alchemist by Paulo Cohelo(sp?) ?

That's the one.

[Un'Aria Ancora]

just finished the road and the last lecture and now reading next by michael crichton

How were the first two? They're on my to-read list.

[Nevuk]

My reading list is now massive thanks to some new books :
Jane Gaskell - Strange Evil
KJ Parker - Engineer's Trilogy
Mervyn Peake - Peake's Progress
Gene Wolfe - The Fifth Head of Cerberus
Iain Banks - Wasp Factory
Iain M. Banks - The State of the Art
And I've only managed to finish the first half of Viriconium and Veniss Underground so far. In the middle of Strange Evil and Ballard's Crash and The Engineer Trilogy at the moment.

[AShannon04]

I finished Bright Shiny Morning last night.

It is fucking awesome.

Really? I heard it was absolutely horrible. I think he's a great storyteller, so maybe I'll have to check it out.

I'm currently about halfway through Duma Key and am liking it a lot. I haven't read a Stephen King book in a couple years, but it's nice to check back in with him every once in a while.

[Zeran]

i've heard good things about iain m. banks. how is that book going?

[AShannon04]

Finished The Notebook today and started up The Time Traveler's Wife.

One of the best books I've ever read. I'm curious to see what you think of it.

[Zeran]

i'm also reading post captain by patrick o'brien (part of the aubrey-maturin series)

next in line is blood of the fold by terry goodkind

[laxcrs]

How were the first two? They're on my to-read list.

i liked the road alot, i plan on reading more of his stuff after reading that and the last lecture was alright but if you havent read tuesdays with morrie thats a much better read for the same type of book

[Nevuk]

i've heard good things about iain m. banks. how is that book going?
Hmm, I've not gotten around to it yet, its probably 6th or 7th on my list. I'm done with Strange Evil, next I'm probably doing Wasp Factory actually. Banks writes as both a scifi and transgressional fiction author, the difference is the M. So far its an excellent book, but I'm only on the 2nd or third chapter. It could be likened to a more personal take on what Ballard did. But on the M. Banks stuff.... this could get a bit long because he has written so much.

As far as his M. Banks goes, it varies wildly. Consider Phlebas (his debut) has wildly varying opinions, some think it is insanely good, some don't. I personally didn't care for it becuase only one of the characters I found sympathetic, and despite being the protagonist he wound up barely getting 1/3 of the book, it felt. Player of Games is much simpler and a great place to start, an excellent book if slightly preachy. Use of Weapons is probably his best work as M. Banks, its assuredly one of the best in the sci/fi genre, and shows how talented a writer he actually was. Highly experimental style, non-linear story, unreliable narrator, it basically has all the things that should make a book hard to read, but it was one of the clearest books I've ever read. A quote from it is in my sig, actually. Excession is a neat one if you have nothing better to read, it could use a bit more editing but has some great AI interaction (would make absolutely no sense without reading some of hte other culture novels however). Inversions is entertaining, easy to read, but it feels kind of like something he just wrote to occupy the time.

[reductiondesign]

Isn't Rant kind of disturbing? I thought I'd heard something of that sort, but that kind of connotation can be tied to any given CP work.


I just ordered and am about to start the following books:

"No Exit" by Jean-Paul Sartre
"The Dead Father" by Donald Barthelme
"Screams From the Balcony" by Bukowski

A wonderful play.

[Broken Parachute]

I just bought "I Hope They Serve Beer In Hell" by Tucker Max and "Stranger Than Fiction" by Chuck Palahniuk. I'm about 50 pages into the Tucker Max book and laughing hysterically.

[AShannon04]

Just finished Duma Key by Stephen King. I liked it a lot. Next on my list are a couple golf books:

The Majors by John Feinstein
Who's Your Caddy? by Rick Reilly

[Until The Bombs]

About to start on Post Office by Charles Bukowski then Alan Moore's The Watchmen.

[AlternateToLife]

I'm in the middle of my school reading list.

1984 by George Orwell is a damn good one.

[pshh]

i dig this list (http://artofmanliness.com/2008/05/14/100-must-read-books-the-essential-mans-library/#more-183) a lot

[hailthewarrior]

I'm currently reading Brave New World and the second chapter is confusing as hell, but I'm loving it.

[odizzle_word]

Just finished Flannery O'Connor's The Complete Stories. Loved it. She's become my favorite writer. Now I'm starting Dostoevsky's The Brothers Karamazov.

[Broken Parachute]

Is there anyone who doesn't like 1984? That's all anyone ever talks about.

I just finished reading "I Hope They Serve Beer In Hell." I waited way too long to read it. Amazing book.

[Zeran]

I'm currently reading Brave New World and the second chapter is confusing as hell, but I'm loving it.

excellent book, although if i recall correctly, a bit depressing.

[Zeran]

Is there anyone who doesn't like 1984? That's all anyone ever talks about.

I just finished reading "I Hope They Serve Beer In Hell." I waited way too long to read it. Amazing book.

who's this by?

[Zeran]

1984 by George Orwell is a damn good one.
sure is. too bad the movies never lived up to the novel.

[Zeran]

About to start on Post Office by Charles Bukowski then Alan Moore's The Watchmen.

the watchmen is fucking great. seriously. the end blew my mind.

[drudo182]

About done with The Time Traveler's Wife and I don't want to finish it because it's that amazing.

[Broken Parachute]

who's this by?Tucker Max.

http://yosoymilk.blogspot.com/2008/07/book-review-i-hope-they-serve-beer-in.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Hope_They_Serve_Beer_in_Hell

[Zeran]

aw yes. i read his story about trying anal on his website. hilarious. i should check out his other stuff if it's anything like that.

[Zeran]

i just finished post-captain by patrick o'brian and am now reading blood of the fold by terry goodkind. great books, both of them.

[AlternateToLife]

sure is. too bad the movies never lived up to the novel.

I never saw the movie. I don't think they could possibly live up to the book mostly because most of the plot takes place in his head.

[Until The Bombs]

the watchmen is fucking great. seriously. the end blew my mind.

Awesome. I'm looking forward to it. I've been aware of it for a long time, but it took Adrian's rec last week to get me to finally pick it up.

[AShannon04]

About done with The Time Traveler's Wife and I don't want to finish it because it's that amazing.

haha, I know, right? It's so awesome.

Currently reading John Feinstein's The Majors. I was on vacation all of last week and am now on a huge golf kick.

[CstSnow]

Im reading the Wind in the Willows for the first time since I was really little, and am getting so much more out of it. Im really getting a vibe that it is the book F.Scott Fitzgerald would have written if he wrote a book about animals haha.

[entrepy]

Is there anyone who doesn't like 1984? That's all anyone ever talks about.

I just finished reading "I Hope They Serve Beer In Hell." I waited way too long to read it. Amazing book.

Don't know about 'not liking it' per se, but most of the people I've spoke to (who have read it) tend to skip out the political manifesto in the middle of it.

[AlternateToLife]

Don't know about 'not liking it' per se, but most of the people I've spoke to (who have read it) tend to skip out the political manifesto in the middle of it.

It's taking a long time for me to get through it.

[AShannon04]

Has anyone read Oh, The Glory of It All by Sean Wilsey?

I bought it about a year ago, but due to my busy school schedule, had to stop after about 30 pages. I'm wondering whether I should try picking it up again.

[entrepy]

Just bought The Shadow of the Wind (Carlos Ruiz Zafon), The Enchantress of Florence (Salman Rushdie), and The Reluctant Fundamentalist (Mohsin Hamid). Looking forward to some summer reading.

[CellarGhosts]

I think I'm going to start re-reading The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien. I read it once and really enjoyed it.

[Mitch]

I need a book I will benefit from reading.

[xbrokendownx]

for any baseball fans, The Numbers Game by Alan Schwarz is really really interesting. its about the history of stats in baseball

[AShannon04]

Just picked up The Giver from the library yesterday. I remember absolutely loving it as a kid, so I'm really looking forward to reading it again.

[concernedparent]

The House of the Spirits is what I'm reading right now. It's gonna be a long read though, this book is long as hell, haha.

[concernedparent]

Read The Outsider/The Stranger by Albert Kamus if you haven't already. Just finished it the other day, I looooooved it.

[EchoPark]

Currently reading We Wish To Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed With Our Familys:Stories from Rwanda by Phillip Gourevitch.

After that going to start reading A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle. My wife has really gotten into this book.

[CstSnow]

Has anyone read Oh, The Glory of It All by Sean Wilsey?

I bought it about a year ago, but due to my busy school schedule, had to stop after about 30 pages. I'm wondering whether I should try picking it up again.

Its a quality book, definitely worth the read especially since you already have it.

[AShannon04]

Thanks. I'll put it in the huge stack of books I need to read, haha.

[Until The Bombs]

Just finished Post Office by Charles Bukowski, starting on The Watchmen by Alan Moore.

[musicfiend]

I just finished You Shall Know Our Velocity. I am looking for a book rec for my commute. Any suggestions??

[Mitch]

I started Anna Karenina today. Not yet far into it, but judging by where I'm at in the novel it seems very good.

[open mind]

finished siege of darkness the other day, started rant last night.

[Zeran]

I started Anna Karenina today. Not yet far into it, but judging by where I'm at in the novel it seems very good.

great. great novel.

[a speedo model]

I just finished You Shall Know Our Velocity. I am looking for a book rec for my commute. Any suggestions??
Love that book. Have you read the Raw Shark Text?

[FayeQC]

Reading Bram Stoker's Dracula finally.

[lindZ629]

So I think it's about time to stock up on more books. I have a few in mind, I just would like some opinions on them, which I should read first, which was good, which was bad, etc.

High Fidelity - Nick Hornby
How We Are Hungry - Dave Eggers
Ham on Rye - Charles Bukowski
American Gods - Neil Gaiman
Thank You For Smoking - Christopher Buckley
Fargo Rock City - Chuck Klosterman
Into Thin Air - Jon Krakauer

[AShannon04]

So I think it's about time to stock up on more books. I have a few in mind, I just would like some opinions on them, which I should read first, which was good, which was bad, etc.

High Fidelity - Nick Hornby
How We Are Hungry - Dave Eggers
Ham on Rye - Charles Bukowski
American Gods - Neil Gaiman
Thank You For Smoking - Christopher Buckley
Fargo Rock City - Chuck Klosterman
Into Thin Air - Jon Krakauer

I love Chuck K, but unless you're big into 80's metal, don't bother. I was pretty bored.

[BuriedAlive]

"A Tale of Two Cities" by Charles Dickens

[odizzle_word]

I just bought David Sedaris's When You Are Engulfed in Flames. I've only read a few of the essays so far, but they're pretty good.

[lindZ629]

I love Chuck K, but unless you're big into 80's metal, don't bother. I was pretty bored.
That's the only one I haven't read yet, so I figured I would give it a shot. Now I'm not so sure. I'm not really an 80's metal fan.

[AlternateToLife]

So I think it's about time to stock up on more books. I have a few in mind, I just would like some opinions on them, which I should read first, which was good, which was bad, etc.

High Fidelity - Nick Hornby
How We Are Hungry - Dave Eggers
Ham on Rye - Charles Bukowski
American Gods - Neil Gaiman
Thank You For Smoking - Christopher Buckley
Fargo Rock City - Chuck Klosterman
Into Thin Air - Jon Krakauer

Chuck Klosterman and Nick Hornby are two of my favorite authors. I haven't read Fargo Rock City though, so I can't recommend that book in particular.

[doyouhas?]

i finally started reading the catcher in the rye. im about half through. i havent been blown away like everyone else seems to have been but its good. i dont think its going to be my favorite book but a good read nonetheless.

[chokemeout]

The Rum Diary - Hunter S Thompson - Wasn't worth the £4. A quick, easy read but not the best book of his I've read
Charles Bukowski - The Flash Of Lightining Behind The Mountains - You can tell he was on his way out and had achieved some sort of popularity. Not his greatest stuff, still can't fault the guy though

Is Eggers any good?

[Neo Cassady]

i finally started reading the catcher in the rye. im about half through. i havent been blown away like everyone else seems to have been but its good. i dont think its going to be my favorite book but a good read nonetheless.

It gets better.

[doyouhas?]

It gets better.

i finished it today. it was very good, and youre right, it did get better. its still not the most amazing piece of literature ive ever read or even close, but i thoroughly enjoyed it.

[AShannon04]

The Rum Diary - Hunter S Thompson - Wasn't worth the £4. A quick, easy read but not the best book of his I've read
Charles Bukowski - The Flash Of Lightining Behind The Mountains - You can tell he was on his way out and had achieved some sort of popularity. Not his greatest stuff, still can't fault the guy though

Is Eggers any good?

I think he's great. A Heartbreaking Work... is one of my favorite books, and You Shall Know Our Velocity is really good too.

[odizzle_word]

Just finished David Sedaris's When You Are Engulfed In Flames. So far, it's my favorite out of all the books he's written. Now I'm onto Indecision by Benjamin Kunkel.

[SanePsychotic]

i finished it today. it was very good, and youre right, it did get better. its still not the most amazing piece of literature ive ever read or even close, but i thoroughly enjoyed it.

It's really one of those books that you have to read at a certain time and place in your life for it to be truly amazing. Like a disgruntled teenager or such. But it's still a solid book.

[doyouhas?]

has anyone read "Nickel And Dimed"? i thought about picking it up and wanted to see what some people thought.

[chokemeout]

Sons and Lovers - D.H.Lawrence
Really good read, and growing up in the midlands with a big family.. I was, oddly, able to relate

[AShannon04]

reading Watchmen right now. Going old-school and rereading The Giver after this.

[Killadelphia]

So, I'm reading Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs right now. It is hilarious.

[TheBaroness]

Just finished Trauma by Patrick McGrath. It was pretty good. Much more understated than his usual work.

[TheBaroness]

Just finished Trauma by Patrick McGrath. It was pretty good. Much more understated than his usual work.

[Until The Bombs]

Still reading Watchmen. Some more Palinuik and Burkowski on the way.

[AShannon04]

Still reading Watchmen. Some more Palinuik and Burkowski on the way.

How far into it are you? It's really getting good for me. I think I'm almost halfway through.

[Until The Bombs]

How far into it are you? It's really getting good for me. I think I'm almost halfway through.

A little past halfway. I like some storylines more than others, but I'm pleasantly suprised that it's still holding my interest. Definitely won't be the last graphic novel that I read.

[AShannon04]

A little past halfway. I like some storylines more than others, but I'm pleasantly suprised that it's still holding my interest. Definitely won't be the last graphic novel that I read.

For sure, same here. It's kinda cool to have this whole new world opened to me, haha.

[Until The Bombs]

For sure, same here. It's kinda cool to have this whole new world opened to me, haha.

Completely agree. I went in just hoping that I wouldn't hate it. The fact that I'm enjoying a new media, one with so much that I can delve into is great.

[AShannon04]

Completely agree. I went in just hoping that I wouldn't hate it. The fact that I'm enjoying a new media, one with so much that I can delve into is great.

Any idea what you're going to read next?

[Until The Bombs]

Any idea what you're going to read next?

As far as graphic novels I'm thinking one of the Batman ones, no clue which one in particular. But I've got a few other things to finish before I get to that. So really I'm just gonna see what people recommend from now until then.

[hydraulicheart]

Jodi Picoult is my favorite author to read, but James Frey's style is what inspires me. Has anyone read his new book - Bright Shiny Morning - yet?

[AShannon04]

Jodi Picoult is my favorite author to read, but James Frey's style is what inspires me. Has anyone read his new book - Bright Shiny Morning - yet?

I haven't read it, but I think I remember someone on here talking about it recently. AnAmericanGod maybe?


EDIT: OK found it:

I finished Bright Shiny Morning last night.

It is fucking awesome.

[anamericangod]

Jodi Picoult is my favorite author to read, but James Frey's style is what inspires me. Has anyone read his new book - Bright Shiny Morning - yet?

I haven't read it, but I think I remember someone on here talking about it recently. AnAmericanGod maybe?


EDIT: OK found it:

Frey is brilliant. I really enjoyed Bright Shiny Morning. While it isn't on the same level as A Million Little Pieces (it will probably be hard for me to find many books that are on that level) it is still a very good story in its own right. The characters are very believable, and the way the story is told really leaves you on edge wanting to know what is going to happen next.

A Million Little Pieces is one of my all time favorite books, probably my second favorite next to American Gods, so I am somewhat biased in my opinion of Bright Shiny Morning. If there's anything out there that compares to it in style and intensity, let me know, otherwise I'll probably just have to write it myself.

[TeachBirds2Fly]

Reading World War Z by Max Brooks at the moment it's really awesome, recommend it highly

[Oddpac87]

As far as graphic novels I'm thinking one of the Batman ones, no clue which one in particular. But I've got a few other things to finish before I get to that. So really I'm just gonna see what people recommend from now until then.

Hey guys, may I suggest "The Killing Joke". Its a really great book, also by Alan Moore. Its a Batman book focusing on the Joker. Truly a great read for someone just getting into graphic novels/comic books. Alan Moore also wrote V for Vendetta which is an amazing graphic novel that produced an equally amazing film. Also, Civil War was a great crossover by Marvel comics last year and the core series (8 issues, I think) is available as a trade paper back now.

[doyouhas?]

i bought the first sin city today, ive been meaning to read them forever. i still have a few books lined up to read, but hopefully ill read it soon. should be very entertaining.

[Adeniz19]

as far as DC goes, i pretty much agree with everything on this list that i have read

http://www.dccomics.com/sites/essential30/

[Until The Bombs]

Hey guys, may I suggest "The Killing Joke". Its a really great book, also by Alan Moore. Its a Batman book focusing on the Joker. Truly a great read for someone just getting into graphic novels/comic books. Alan Moore also wrote V for Vendetta which is an amazing graphic novel that produced an equally amazing film. Also, Civil War was a great crossover by Marvel comics last year and the core series (8 issues, I think) is available as a trade paper back now.

Awesome man. Thanks for the suggestion.

[doyouhas?]

I just finished 'Cats Cradle' by Vonnegut. absolutely amazing. very funny and sad at the same time. i have four books i could start on.

On The Road
Fahrenheit 451
I Hope They Serve Beer In Hell
Sin City(Volume 1)

any suggestions on which to take on first?

[AShannon04]

I just finished 'Cats Cradle' by Vonnegut. absolutely amazing. very funny and sad at the same time. i have four books i could start on.

On The Road
Fahrenheit 451
I Hope They Serve Beer In Hell
Sin City(Volume 1)

any suggestions on which to take on first?

I Hope They Serve Beer In Hell is great. Really short read too. If you get into it, you can probably finish it in a day or two.

[Neo Cassady]

I just finished 'Cats Cradle' by Vonnegut. absolutely amazing. very funny and sad at the same time. i have four books i could start on.

On The Road
Fahrenheit 451
I Hope They Serve Beer In Hell
Sin City(Volume 1)

any suggestions on which to take on first?

OTR is great, but it's not a quick read by any means. Go with that if you have the time, F451 otherwise.

[hienz429]

i bought "Dress Your Family In Courderoy And Denim " by David Sedaris today, its really good so far.

[TheBaroness]

Started Atomspheric Disturbances by Rivka Galchen. It's...weird, but good.

[open mind]

recently finished rant, and animal farm (again)......starting 1984.

[dichotomous]

a thread for every single movie and television show coming out . . . and a single thread for books.!!

[lindZ629]

It took me over a month to read Killing Yourself to Live. When I'm in the mood to read, I read. When I'm not, I won't read for weeks.

Today I'll probably start On The Road.

[AShannon04]

It took me over a month to read Killing Yourself to Live. When I'm in the mood to read, I read. When I'm not, I won't read for weeks.

Today I'll probably start On The Road.

Haha, I read that book in 2 days, but yeah, I'm the same way. I try to finish books quickly because I tend to forget things after a few days.

[dichotomous]

Today I'll probably start On The Road.

Be careful, that book spreads a vicious "roadtrip virus"

you will want to have a post-On The Road roadtrip.

[anamericangod]

Most people either find On The Road incredibly inspiring, or terribly boring.

[dichotomous]

Has anyone read Mutants: On Genetic Variety and the Human Body?

Somebody please say yes. It's one of the most amazing scientific books I've ever read and I want someone else to have read it.

[Oddpac87]

a thread for every single movie and television show coming out . . . and a single thread for books.!!

Seriously. I'd really love Entertainment to be broken into Movies/TV, Video Games, and Books, sub-forums.

[lindZ629]

Haha, I read that book in 2 days, but yeah, I'm the same way. I try to finish books quickly because I tend to forget things after a few days.
Same, I kept having to read the last page of the previous chapter to remember what happened. I really enjoyed the book, just wasn't in the mood to read.
Be careful, that book spreads a vicious "roadtrip virus"

you will want to have a post-On The Road roadtrip.
haha that should be fine, I hope to take a couple of mini roadtrips later on in the year anyway.

[Susan Sarandon]

About to read American Psycho. Stoked.

[Zeran]

About to read American Psycho. Stoked.

i want to read this so badly.

[Oddpac87]

My current list stands as:

Diary by Chuck Palahniuk (Reading now)
Rant by Chuck Palahniuk
e by Matthew Beaumont
Sellevision by Augusten Burroughs
Katzenjammer by Jackson Tippett McCrae
Clown Girl by Monica Drake

[Un'Aria Ancora]

Just finishing up Fear and Loathing. Crazy shit.
Finished Of Mice and Men earlier this week - so amazing.
And Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy last week - better than I thought it would be, much better than the movie.
Has anyone read Veronica Decides to Die?

[Foosimoo]

For my AP Psychology class we have to read one of the five books she listed for summer reading, and one of them is The Man Who Mistook His Wife For a Hat.

It's about all of these different psychological problems that people have and seems very interesting. I don't usually enjoy reading, but this may actually be entertaining.

[ForlrnPerplxity]

I've bought all of these books recently:

The Time Traveler's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger
Blindness - Jose Saramago
An American Tragedy - Theodore Dreiser
The Echoing Green - Joshua Prager
The Killer Angels - Michael Shaara
In Cold Blood - Truman Capote
The Numbers Game - Alan Schwarz
One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest - Ken Kesey

Has anybody read any of these?

[Jessooker]

I've bought all of these books recently:

The Time Traveler's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger
Blindness - Jose Saramago
An American Tragedy - Theodore Dreiser
The Echoing Green - Joshua Prager
The Killer Angels - Michael Shaara
In Cold Blood - Truman Capote
The Numbers Game - Alan Schwarz
One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest - Ken Kesey

Has anybody read any of these?


my favorite book.

and i have blindness but haven't read it yet.

[dichotomous]

Right now I'm working on Wind-up Bird Chronicle and then I plan to tackle Swann's Way and see if I feel like running the In Search of Lost Time course.

For my AP Psychology class we have to read one of the five books she listed for summer reading, and one of them is The Man Who Mistook His Wife For a Hat.

It's about all of these different psychological problems that people have and seems very interesting. I don't usually enjoy reading, but this may actually be entertaining.

Fantastic book. Not good for understanding psychoanalysis, but the interesting factor is through the roof and Oliver Sacks knows how to make the interesting even more so. You should read about his early career in psychology, he did some amazing stuff.

I've bought all of these books recently:

The Time Traveler's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger
Blindness - Jose Saramago
An American Tragedy - Theodore Dreiser
The Echoing Green - Joshua Prager
The Killer Angels - Michael Shaara
In Cold Blood - Truman Capote
The Numbers Game - Alan Schwarz
One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest - Ken Kesey

Has anybody read any of these?

Solid.

[Ryzenfall]

Just finished What is the What. Great read. Incredible undertaking... the backstory is very interesting, and the money goes to a good cause.

[stayillogical]

Today I bought 1984 and One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest (already read). I'm currently reading Choke. I literally have a pile of books that I've bought and are in my queue to read. That pile includes The Road, You Shall Know Our Velocity, Brave New World, 1984, and Slaughterhouse-Five. Haven't decided what's next.

[adam289]

I recently finished Wuthering Heights. I didn't think it was that great.

[radiogirl]

Oh my god how did I not know this thread existed? I must be in Heaven!

I just finished Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer. Up next -

Gossip of the Starlings
I Don't Know What I Want, But I Know It's Not This

[stayillogical]

Oh my god how did I not know this thread existed? I must be in Heaven!

I just finished Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer. Up next -

Gossip of the Starlings
I Don't Know What I Want, But I Know It's Not This

Too busy in the work thread, I suppose. :-d

[pshh]

I finished Brave New World, today, I have to read 1984 and Huck Finn in the next 2 weeks.

I loved Brave New World.

[Jumpoff]

I finished Brave New World, today, I have to read 1984 and Huck Finn in the next 2 weeks.

I loved Brave New World.

If you loved BNW you should love 1984, in my opinion at least.

Anyone have any good horror reccs aside from King's books?

I still need to finish Tolstoy's Karenina and Kerouac's Desolation Angels.

[Ailite]

Currently reading A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius for the 11th time

[stayillogical]

Currently reading A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius for the 11th time

I'm trying to remember, what was it that Toph said in the car to Dave and his friend which made him seem older? So many funny details and little anecdotes like that one, I will re-read this eventually.

[allhourcymbals]

I'm currently reading This Is Reggae Music, by Lloyd Bradley. Turning out to be awesome/extremely informative so far, to say the least haha.

[Ailite]

I'm trying to remember, what was it that Toph said in the car to Dave and his friend which made him seem older? So many funny details and little anecdotes like that one, I will re-read this eventually.
Haha, they're talking about the intern who's younger than they thought, Meredith and Dave, and Toph says, "Really, I thought he was our age?"

[stayillogical]

Haha, they're talking about the intern who's younger than they thought, Meredith and Dave, and Toph says, "Really, I thought he was our age?"

I LOL'd. Thanks.

[coryatlarge]

I just finished 'Cats Cradle' by Vonnegut. absolutely amazing. very funny and sad at the same time. i have four books i could start on.

On The Road
Fahrenheit 451
I Hope They Serve Beer In Hell
Sin City(Volume 1)

any suggestions on which to take on first?
on the road i really enjoyed and sin city it pretty good but after you start you wanna get the rest of the volumes
recently finished rant, and animal farm (again)......starting 1984.
animal farm and 1984 both excellent
Oh my god how did I not know this thread existed? I must be in Heaven!
haha me either...... i'm glad this got bumped

[radiogirl]

Too busy in the work thread, I suppose. :-d

Actually too busy at work to look at anything much but the work thread.



haha me either...... i'm glad this got bumped

Me too!!

[pshh]

How do people like Huck Finn, my first day of school back I have a 100 answer quote test on Cat's Cradle, 1984, Brave New World, and Huck Finn. I start school in about 3 weeks, I'm really considering to skip Huck Finn by all the "suck ass book" I hear.

[Ailite]

The Twilight books suck so much

[chokemeout]

Just started War and Peace...
If you've read it, what did you think?

[chokemeout]

If you loved BNW you should love 1984, in my opinion at least.

Anyone have any good horror reccs aside from King's books?

I still need to finish Tolstoy's Karenina and Kerouac's Desolation Angels.

I read Out - Natsuo Kirino and it gave me nightmares