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Community => General Discussion => Topic started by: DGMacphee on Tue 06/05/2003 15:30:49

Title: What are you reading?
Post by: DGMacphee on Tue 06/05/2003 15:30:49
Just wondering if anyone is reading (or has read) any good books of late?

As for me: I just finished Kinky Friedman's "Elvis, Jesus and Coca-Cola" and have just started on Arthur Golden's "Memoirs of a Geisha", which I think is damn good so far and I've only read three chapters.
Title: Re:What are you reading?
Post by: n3tgraph on Tue 06/05/2003 15:33:55
I'm currently reading some books from weiss & hickman
very good! :)
Title: Re:What are you reading?
Post by: Vel on Tue 06/05/2003 15:34:56
"Cannery row" - John Steinback
Title: Re:What are you reading?
Post by: veryweirdguy on Tue 06/05/2003 16:13:33
The last good book I read was "Popcorn" by Ben Elton, but a lot of you will probably have read it already.
Title: Re:What are you reading?
Post by: MillsJROSS on Tue 06/05/2003 16:44:54
I'm re-reading the Douglas Adams Hitchiker series. I bought the mini-series, and after seeing it, I had felt the urge to re-read the books. I'm almost done, and my next books are probably going to be one by Pratchett, and another from Brian Jacques (who writes novels aimed for children but I think they're still enjoyable, and his Redwall books are what got me hooked on reading). I also plan on reading Stupid White Men, but Micheal Moore. And then I'll probably read some sci-fi fantasy book my dad recomended the other day (which I unfortunaltly, don't know the name of it, and I'll have to wait until he is done with it). I kind of fell out of reading while at school. I started out strong with Sir Connan Doyle's books on Sherlock Holmes (which I have yet to complete the whole of his works, so you can put that on the list as well). And only ready 8 or so Pratchett novels from August to now, and Franny and Zooey by Salinger. That reminds me, I have to re-read Atlas Shrugged, by Rand. That should keep me busy for a while.

-MillsJROSS
Title: Re:What are you reading?
Post by: veryweirdguy on Tue 06/05/2003 16:49:14
I too love the Hitchiker series and anything by Terry Pratchett. Strangely, all of Douglas Adam's other books (that I've read) have been terrible (in my opinion).

But anyway, to anyone who hasn't read Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, DO IT!
Title: Re:What are you reading?
Post by: MillsJROSS on Tue 06/05/2003 17:00:04
I like the Dirk Gentry books, you just have to understand that their not the same as the Hitchiker series. I still think their funny, though. But by all means, anyone who hasn't read the series, it is a must. It's a humorous science fiction. Speaking of which, does anyone know where I can find the original radio broadcasts of Hitchiker?

-MillsJROSS
Title: Re:What are you reading?
Post by: Hobbes on Tue 06/05/2003 17:15:43
Just finished "Lords and Ladies" by Terry Pratchett.

Am now eagerly waiting for thursday when I can go and buy the next few books in the Discworld saga.

Man, that guy is funny! :)
Title: Re:What are you reading?
Post by: Vel on Tue 06/05/2003 17:24:46
Hot just funny, hobbes. The discworld novels have much, much more sense than it meets the eye.
Title: Re:What are you reading?
Post by: Barcik on Tue 06/05/2003 17:29:17
Finally got around to Asimov's "Foundation" series, and enjoying it!
Title: Re:What are you reading?
Post by: Trapezoid on Tue 06/05/2003 17:52:06
I'm not reading anything at the moment, but if I was, it would definately be a Terry Pratchett book. That crazy bastard has a bottomless pit of imagination.
Title: Re:What are you reading?
Post by: Hobbes on Tue 06/05/2003 19:38:10
Very true, Trapezoid!

And yes, Vel, I am aware of the many stuff Pratchett packs into his books. He's good, eh? :)

If you're seriously into reading some fantasy, I would recommend Guy Gavriel Kay. Very different from Pratchett, but really quite amazing.
Title: Re:What are you reading?
Post by: Nellie on Tue 06/05/2003 20:07:00
Just finished a Jeeves and Wooster book, currently re-reading Lord of the Rings.
Title: Re:What are you reading?
Post by: Harvester on Tue 06/05/2003 20:37:33
I've recently finished Dreamcatcher. Currently I'm reading an old sci-fi magazine from Yugoslavia (have read Jorge Luis Borges' The Library Of Babel today), Edgar Allan Poe's poetry and some book about art. I'll probably start to read Ivanhoe very soon.
Title: Re:What are you reading?
Post by: Andail on Tue 06/05/2003 21:08:19
I re-read "In the land of the last things" by Paul Auster, because I have nothing else to read at the moment and am too bored to go out and find anything
Title: Re:What are you reading?
Post by: Fuzzpilz on Tue 06/05/2003 21:19:34
I'm currently re-reading Peake's Gormenghast books because I haven't had much opportunity to buy new books lately, and also because they're worth it.
Title: Re:What are you reading?
Post by: Kal-El on Tue 06/05/2003 21:42:53
I'm currently reading Stephen King's The Shining. I'm a fan. I just finished 'Insomnia' and 'Bag of Bones', both excellent IMO.

Your pal, Daz.
Title: Re:What are you reading?
Post by: Esseb on Tue 06/05/2003 22:11:36
Operating System Concepts Sixth Edition by Abraham Silberschatz and Peter Baer Galvin.


..ok, seriously Type & Typography by Phil Baines & Andrew Haslam.

Yes, the second one I'm reading out of pure enjoyment.
Title: Re:What are you reading?
Post by: AGA on Tue 06/05/2003 22:26:54
I'm a big Pratchett fan too, but I've read them all before...

Recently though I've been reading Robert Rankin. Very amusing, good stories. I've gone through three or four in quick succession and I'm in the middle of another now.
Title: Re:What are you reading?
Post by: Las Naranjas on Tue 06/05/2003 22:29:35
I finished "Stand On Zanzibar" by Brunner a week ago, but it still has a large impact.

Now I'm reading "First And Last Men" by Stapledon.
Title: Re:What are you reading?
Post by: Matt Brown on Tue 06/05/2003 22:37:12
animal farm. its for school, but I like it
Title: Re:What are you reading?
Post by: Flippy_D on Tue 06/05/2003 22:46:15
Fuzz: I just finished Gormenghast for the sixth time. The language and strength of vocabulary is immense. I also have just got Titus Groan, the first in the trilogy.

AGA: Glad someone else has heard of Robert Rankin... I own no less than 8 of his books, including the Brentford Trilogy of five. Funny stuff.

Vel: True words, almost all of his books have connections with movies, plays, history, etc. Hundreds of referances.
Title: Re:What are you reading?
Post by: Adamski on Tue 06/05/2003 22:53:36
The Gormenghast books are rockin'
I'm currently re-reading the Book Of The New Sun, er, quadragy? Generally because they are more rockin' than anything else. In fact, if I were held at gunpoint and asked what my favourite books were, I'd probably say these.
Read them if you haven't, f00's!
Title: Re:What are you reading?
Post by: Nacho on Tue 06/05/2003 23:02:00
The Book I´m reading now is a Hitler´s biography by Ian Kershaw. I suppose there´s no need to make it clear, but, if someone has a doubt, my interest in that historycal character has nothing of admiration.

But I think that who doesn´t know the history is condemned to repeat it.

If I want to relax while reading, I read P.G. Woodehouse, a XXth  century English writer in the style of Tom Sharpe, and H.P. Lovecraft.
Title: Re:What are you reading?
Post by: scotch on Tue 06/05/2003 23:03:15
:( I haven't read a whole book in.. uh many years.
Title: Re:What are you reading?
Post by: Pesty on Tue 06/05/2003 23:19:30
I'm rereading the Xanth series, by Piers Anthony. I started at the end of January and I'm already on Swell Foop, which is #25 in the series. After this, I'll probably reread his Adept series, or maybe Spider Robinson's Callahan series again.
Title: Re:What are you reading?
Post by: Grundislav on Wed 07/05/2003 00:45:33
I just read "A Wrinkle in Time" by Madeline L'Engle last week, but since mid-March I've also read "The Stranger" by Camus, "The Little Prince" by some French author I won't begin to try and name, and "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire."  Quite a variety there, wouldn't you say?
Title: Re:What are you reading?
Post by: Matt Brown on Wed 07/05/2003 00:52:47
i loved wrinkle in time,
Title: Re:What are you reading?
Post by: Pesty on Wed 07/05/2003 01:05:59
Quote from: Grundislav on Wed 07/05/2003 00:45:33
I just read "A Wrinkle in Time" by Madeline L'Engle last week, but since mid-March I've also read "The Stranger" by Camus, "The Little Prince" by some French author I won't begin to try and name, and "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire."  Quite a variety there, wouldn't you say?

"The Little Prince" was written by Antoine De Saint-Exupéry.

Harry Potter books are very good indeed. Never read A Wrinkle in Time, but I've wanted to since I was very young and I saw my sister reading it.
Title: Re:What are you reading?
Post by: on Wed 07/05/2003 01:07:06
I just finished Terry Pratchett's "feet of clay", I'm reading Brian Caswell's "a cage of butterflies" and Aldous Huxley's "island" is next on my list. Then I plan to read Terry Pratchett's "thief of time", then " colour of magic" and finaly "equal rites". See, I have a plan for the future. I'll be finished in a week.
Title: Re:What are you reading?
Post by: DragonRose on Wed 07/05/2003 02:20:49
In school I'm reading "Tale of Two Cities", and I recently finished reading "Count of Monte Cristo" and "Les Miserables".  Not caring much for Tale of Two Cities, but the other two were wonderful.

For fun, I recently read "Flying Dutch" and "Faust Among Equals" by Tom Holt.  I'm not even slightly exagerating when I say these books got me laughing out loud. In public. Which was embarassing.  I'm talking belly laughs, here.

Pesty: Ooo! Xanth! The Xanth books are what really got me hooked on British Fantasy (yeah, I know Piers Anthony lives in the States, but he writes like a zany British writer).  If you like his stuff, you HAVE to read Tom Holt.  He's my current fave.
Title: Re:What are you reading?
Post by: on Wed 07/05/2003 02:23:49
Just Finished reading "psychology and Alchemy" by Carl Jung (leisure reading...I know I'm crazy) and am now re-reading "HandMaid's Tale" By margaret atwood.
Title: Re:What are you reading?
Post by: Quickstrike on Wed 07/05/2003 05:58:17
Quote from: Pestilence on Tue 06/05/2003 23:19:30
I'm rereading the Xanth series, by Piers Anthony. I started at the end of January and I'm already on Swell Foop, which is #25 in the series. After this, I'll probably reread his Adept series, or maybe Spider Robinson's Callahan series again.

I did up to 24 in 3/4 of a year, then I got bored of it.

Right now, I'm reading "The Theroy of Everything" by Steven Hawking.  Better than his first two.  The intro is the only thing that drags on, yet it's only 2 pages.
Title: Re:What are you reading?
Post by: Pesty on Wed 07/05/2003 06:30:05
Quote from: Dragonrose on Wed 07/05/2003 02:20:49
Pesty: Ooo! Xanth! The Xanth books are what really got me hooked on British Fantasy (yeah, I know Piers Anthony lives in the States, but he writes like a zany British writer).  If you like his stuff, you HAVE to read Tom Holt.  He's my current fave.

I love Tom Holt. Years ago my mom bought Flying Dutch, which we both loved but have since lost it. We are very sad about it still. His books are impossible to find, at least where I've lived. I'd give anything to find more.
Title: Re:What are you reading?
Post by: Ali on Wed 07/05/2003 10:21:19
I'm reading Cervante's Don Quixote, but I had to take a break from that to read Marlowe's Dr Faustus. Faustus is soooo good. It's a play, but it's still worth any of you reading. Here's a quote from the doctor:

"Divinity, adieu!
These metaphysics of magicians
And necromantic books are heavenly;
Lines, circles, letters and characters:
Ay these are those that Faustus most desires."

Just read them out loud, It's fabulous writing. (Although according to the play, saying that kind of stuff summons devils, so you might want to be careful).
Title: Re:What are you reading?
Post by: remixor on Wed 07/05/2003 11:26:41
I'll tack my name onto the list of Pratchett-enthusiasts.  I've read every Discworld book so far, I believe, unless he's come out with another one in the last few months (which wouldn't surprise me at all).  Those who enjoy Discworld should definitely read Good Omens, co-written with Neil Gaiman.  I personally think it's the best thing he's written, even if I don't know specifically which parts he wrote.  The humourous bits are pretty identifiable as Pratchett, but the story maintains an epic quality strangely untarnished (and indeed, enhanced) by the satirical medium.

As far as other material goes, I've been consumed with schoolwork, so I've not read as much as I should have recently.  However, I can recommend The Big U by Neil Stephenson.  It's a great satirical look at college life by the guy who wrote Cryptonomicon (which I have not read).  

I had to read Hamlet again for English R&C last semester, and all I can say is that the more I read that play the more I see in it.  If you've not read it, I highly recommend it; it's got so many layers and enough depth in the title character ALONE to justify the effort put into understanding Shakespeare's language.

I also recently read Kafka's Metamorphosis for the first time.  That's a really quick read, and I thought it was great.  Very black humour, rather depressing at times, but ultimately somewhat uplifting.  If you like off-kilter reading, this wouldn't be a bad choice.
Title: Re:What are you reading?
Post by: Hobbes on Wed 07/05/2003 11:40:36
Over here he recently published "Night Watch".

Don't know if that's a book you haven't read yet? About Vimes and the whole lot again. :)
Title: Re:What are you reading?
Post by: remixor on Wed 07/05/2003 11:43:51
No, I've not read that one yet.  Thanks for pointing it out :)  Vimes is my favorite discworld character (as I'm sure he is to others), so I'll look forward to it coming out in trade paperback over here.
Title: Re:What are you reading?
Post by: GarageGothic on Wed 07/05/2003 12:26:04
I just finished "The Black Dahlia" by James Ellroy and didn't really like it. It was contrived,  predictable at times and the characters were boring. I really have no interest in tough guy detective stories, but I read it as part of my research for my game as the novel is set in LA in the late 40's.

A few days ago I borrowed some Don DeLillo novels (The Weight and White Noise) at the library, because Chuck Palahniuk is one of my favorite authors, and he's been compared to DeLillo. But before those, I'm going to read Neil Gaimans children's book Coraline and his short story collection Smoke and Mirrors (both of which have been sitting on my shelf untouched far too long. Strange, as Gaiman is my favorite author of all time, and I've read everything else he's written. Maybe I've been afraid to finish them too fast). But I have to read them now, because Gaiman is coming to Denmark next week, and I'd hate to show up at the signing with a book that I haven't even read.

Edit: remixor, I'd like to add that Good Omens is a great book, even if you don't like Pratchett. And Terry Gilliam is probably going to make it into a movie.
Title: Re:What are you reading?
Post by: remixor on Wed 07/05/2003 12:37:18
Quote from: GarageGothic on Wed 07/05/2003 12:26:04

Edit: remixor, I'd like to add that Good Omens is a great book, even if you don't like Pratchett. And Terry Gilliam is probably going to make it into a movie.

Agreed; I should have mentioned it's a wonderful book for anything, fan of Pratchett or not.  As far as the film version goes, I've been following that project of Gilliam's for a few years now, and things don't look good.  He's had huge problems securing funding, as he's rather notorious in the film industry for always going over-budget.  He decided to do The Man Who Killed Don Quixote (which looked INCREDIBLE) first, but he ran into such severe problems with money, weather, actors, contracts, unions, eqipment, sickness, and just about every possible thing you could EVER conceive going wrong with a film that the project is on hold now, meaning Good Omens is going to be pushed back even further.  We'll see how it goes.  I can't think of a single other director who could possibly do a good job with Good Omens, but we've seen a lot of Bad Omens (har. har.) so far.  Cross your fingers.
Title: Re:What are you reading?
Post by: DGMacphee on Wed 07/05/2003 12:51:41
Quote from: GarageGothic on Wed 07/05/2003 12:26:04
I just finished "The Black Dahlia" by James Ellroy and didn't really like it. It was contrived,  predictable at times and the characters were boring. I really have no interest in tough guy detective stories, but I read it as part of my research for my game as the novel is set in LA in the late 40's.

I haven't read Black Dahlia, but I have read LA Confidential.

I liked it a lot, especially considering it traced the lives of three different detectives, instead of that one "tough guy" detective.

The movie was damn good too, and after reading the book I'm suprised that they even managed to convert it to film.

If they filmed it the way it was written, it would span several years and go for four or five hours.

It would also be 18+ rated.
Title: Re:What are you reading?
Post by: Dmitri on Wed 07/05/2003 14:41:38
Paradise lost - Milton; it's the most beautiful poem I've read yet (it's a good 300 pages long...)
Title: Re:What are you reading?
Post by: SSH on Wed 07/05/2003 15:01:55
Reading Dean Koontz's One door away from Heaven... good so far but not yet finished! Was reading Stephen Baxter's Evolution but it was too slow so gave up. I liked his Mammoth books, though.

Edit: oops, forgot that I read an excellent Ian Rankin short story collection in-between.
Title: Re:What are you reading?
Post by: Hobbes on Wed 07/05/2003 15:05:18
Quote from: GarageGothic on Wed 07/05/2003 12:26:04
I'm going to read Neil Gaimans children's book Coraline and his short story collection Smoke and Mirrors (both of which have been sitting on my shelf untouched far too long. Strange, as Gaiman is my favorite author of all time, and I've read everything else he's written.

I never actually read something by Gaiman (although I have heard his name a zillion times by listening to Tori Amos :) ). Recently got myself Coraline and finished it in one single evening. That book is coool! :)
Title: Re:What are you reading?
Post by: Adamski on Wed 07/05/2003 15:47:49
Ho ho ho, some of my friends are studying Paradise Lost for their A Level English course... they have a sort of unbalanced haterid of it now :)
Title: Re:What are you reading?
Post by: veryweirdguy on Wed 07/05/2003 18:06:50
Quote from: remixor on Wed 07/05/2003 11:26:41
Those who enjoy Discworld should definitely read Good Omens, co-written with Neil Gaiman.  I personally think it's the best thing he's written, even if I don't know specifically which parts he wrote.  The humourous bits are pretty identifiable as Pratchett, but the story maintains an epic quality strangely untarnished (and indeed, enhanced) by the satirical medium.
I agree. Good Omens is one of my favourite books too. I've read it twice in the past two years.
Title: Re:What are you reading?
Post by: Rincewind on Wed 07/05/2003 19:05:59
Yes, I am also a huge fan of Terry Pratchetts wonderful books, and have gone through almost all of the Discworld ones. (Not the most recent ones, The Last Hero and onwards - I'll wait until they are released in pocket size here in sweden... ;D )
I feel really honoured to have met the man at the Gothenburg Book-exhibition, where I got my copy of Good Omens and A Man At Arms signed... Joy! ::)

But besides Pratchett I read a lot of mystery/thriller novels and detective books, such as Agatha Cristie, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and of course the Occult Series by Dennis Wheatley... Hehe...

I am also deeply entertained by the swedish author Bo Baldersson, who has been writing and publishing books under that pseudonym since 1968. And still, noone knows who he really is for certain... His books are basically ordinary murder mysteries, but with an outstanding and extraordinary sense of humour. The main character - The City Council(Don't know how to translate this correctly, his name is just referred to by his title - In swedish: "Stadsrådet") was elected to this title just because he had shoes that were too big, and is more amused by drinking lemonade and solving murders than he is of national politics...
By his side is the old schoolteacher and his brother-in-law: Adjunkt Persson; who unwillingly gets to follow and write down his crazy investigations...
Currently reading "Stadsrådets Klipp" by the very same author.

Title: Re:What are you reading?
Post by: Jimi on Wed 07/05/2003 21:07:20
You will probably think I'm sad, but I am waiting for the new Harry Potter book to come out. Its the only sort of book that entertains me.
Title: Re:What are you reading?
Post by: Ben on Wed 07/05/2003 21:09:18
I just finished Slaughterhouse Five but Kurt Vonnegut. I like the black humor in it, and the way the story is told in a somewhat random order..

I bought Ender's Shadow and Shadow of the Hegemon by Orson Scott Card a few days ago, but haven't started reading them yet.
Title: Re:What are you reading?
Post by: Las Naranjas on Wed 07/05/2003 22:20:24
/me gives Ben the Vonnegut gangsta sign.
Title: Re:What are you reading?
Post by: Hobbes on Wed 07/05/2003 22:37:24
Actually, I think a lot of people are waiting for Harry Potter 5 to come out?

*looks around*

I think?

*can't wait*
Title: Re:What are you reading?
Post by: remixor on Thu 08/05/2003 01:20:03
Vonnegut rules.  I didn't mention him since I haven't read anything recently, but now that he's been mentioned, I have to throw in my support, too.

Ben: S-H5 is awesome, probably his best book :)  One of the most amazing things about it to me was when I realized the whole thing was actually told IN the style of the alien book he describes IN the book.  Then when you read it again with that in mind, it's even cooler.

Other than that one, I can personally vouch for Player Piano, Timequake, God Bless You Mr. Rosewater, Mother Night (another great one IMO), as well as God Bless You Dr. Kevorkian, which was a very short read in which Vonnegut has a series of near-death experinces and runs into many famous dead people such as Shakespeare, Newton, Hitler (who's brilliant apology to mankind is "I beg your pardon"), James Earl Ray, Mary Shelley.  This is a great one for an intro to Vonnegut, since it's so short.  I read the whole thing standing in the isle of a bookstore :P
Title: Re:What are you reading?
Post by: Evil on Thu 08/05/2003 02:53:56
AGS 101 :)... I am now reading Armageddon Summer which sucks so far... And Goodnight Mr. Tom sucked too... But I do plan on reading Phils book soon. I hope I can find it at the library (doubt it) because his book costs to much money! :p... Read Enders Game... Good book, gonna be a good movie... Damned Sean Connery...  >:(
Title: Re:What are you reading?
Post by: Las Naranjas on Thu 08/05/2003 06:25:47
And don't leave out the Sirens Of Titan remixor. It's also good for an introduction.
Title: Re:What are you reading?
Post by: Quickstrike on Thu 08/05/2003 06:57:22
Quote from: evil on Thu 08/05/2003 02:53:56... Read Enders Game... Good book, gonna be a good movie... Damned Sean Connery...  >:(

What?  What did Connery do?
Title: Re:What are you reading?
Post by: Trapezoid on Thu 08/05/2003 07:37:40
More ladies than any of us could ever hope for.
Title: Re:What are you reading?
Post by: BruisedWeasel on Thu 08/05/2003 07:57:21
I haven't read much of anything lately except new age stuff. Wicca type books mostly. I haven't been able to shake my childhood fascination with withcraft. I read one self help book called Van Goe Blues which was complete bullshit. I think I got it for christmas. It's supposed to offer advice for depressed existantial artist types. If found it dry and stupid.

I also read through The Big Book of Knitting, The Ultimate Cross-Stitch Reference (or whatever it is), a large book of Grimm's Fairytales, another large book of American folk tales, Sewing 101 (gonna make me an apron ;))..

I think the last fictional book I read was Phil's, which I enjoyed immensly. He did a very good job using 200+ pages to tell us a guy was a loser. ;) I also read The Golden Compass, The Silver Knife, and whatever that other book is fromt hat trilogy, I reread Mysts of Avalon, Winnie-ther-Poo, The Inkeeper's Song by Peter S. Beagle, and Magic Kingdom for Sale, Sold (about the only Terry Brooks book I enjoy).

I have yet to finish the gormengast trilogy. I'm still only halfway through the second book. It's very tough reading for me.

The only Gaiman thing I've read is Neverwhere. While I enjoyed the story, I found the writing atrocious. There were some very clumbsy sentances in there. I haven't read any Discworld. I once owned one of the novels, but I was still pretty young and didn't get into it.
Title: Re:What are you reading?
Post by: Pesty on Thu 08/05/2003 09:28:50
Quote from: Melia on Thu 08/05/2003 07:57:21
I haven't read much of anything lately except new age stuff. Wicca type books mostly. I haven't been able to shake my childhood fascination with withcraft. I read one self help book called Van Goe Blues which was complete bullshit. I think I got it for christmas. It's supposed to offer advice for depressed existantial artist types. If found it dry and stupid.

I also read through The Big Book of Knitting, The Ultimate Cross-Stitch Reference (or whatever it is), a large book of Grimm's Fairytales, another large book of American folk tales, Sewing 101 (gonna make me an apron ;))..

I think the last fictional book I read was Phil's, which I enjoyed immensly. He did a very good job using 200+ pages to tell us a guy was a loser. ;) I also read The Golden Compass, The Silver Knife, and whatever that other book is fromt hat trilogy, I reread Mysts of Avalon, Winnie-ther-Poo, The Inkeeper's Song by Peter S. Beagle, and Magic Kingdom for Sale, Sold (about the only Terry Brooks book I enjoy).

I have yet to finish the gormengast trilogy. I'm still only halfway through the second book. It's very tough reading for me.

The only Gaiman thing I've read is Neverwhere. While I enjoyed the story, I found the writing atrocious. There were some very clumbsy sentances in there. I haven't read any Discworld. I once owned one of the novels, but I was still pretty young and didn't get into it.

The third book in "His Dark Materials" was "The Amber Spyglass". A great trilogy indeed.

I am glad to know that I'm not the only one who knits or is interested in knitting, even though I have not done it in months.

Yay for Vonnegut. Everyone who loves his work should read "Bluebeard". It's probably my third favorite next to "Sirens of Titan" and "Cat's Cradle".
Title: Re:What are you reading?
Post by: BruisedWeasel on Thu 08/05/2003 09:41:39
I don't knit yet. I keep dropping stitches and my tension is horribly uneven. I prefer to crochet, as I only have one needle to worry about and I find it easier to pick up a fallen stitch. I do agree: it is neat to find someone with similar interests here. I hope to learn at least the basic skills in knitting so I can add nice accents to my crochet pieces.
Title: Re:What are you reading?
Post by: Eero on Thu 08/05/2003 17:34:16
Hmm, I haven't read anything but Pratchett books and computer manuals for a long time.
BTW, has anyone played the "Black Dahlia" adventure game?
Title: Re:What are you reading?
Post by: MrColossal on Thu 08/05/2003 17:43:44
sirens of titan is one of the saddest books i ever read

ham on rye is one of the best books i've read, i think

the last book i read was Timbuktu by Paul Auster and the last comic i read were the Tijuana Bibles http://tijuanabibles.org

i started reading Naked Lunch for class but then we moved on and i haven't picked it back up

then i read Zero Girl by Sam Keith, the guy who did The Maxx and Four Women, and it was terrible...

now i'm reading some terry pratchett novel that i got for easter break but i can't find it or remember the title

eric
Title: Re:What are you reading?
Post by: Matt Brown on Thu 08/05/2003 18:45:08
Quote from: evil on Thu 08/05/2003 02:53:56
AGS 101 :)... I am now reading Armageddon Summer which sucks so far... And Goodnight Mr. Tom sucked too... But I do plan on reading Phils book soon. I hope I can find it at the library (doubt it) because his book costs to much money! :p... Read Enders Game... Good book, gonna be a good movie... Damned Sean Connery...  >:(

I read armageddon summer a few years ago. It gets better...but still kinda creepy. I think I read it in 7th or 8th grade
Title: Re:What are you reading?
Post by: Ben on Thu 08/05/2003 21:13:33
Quote from: remixor on Thu 08/05/2003 01:20:03
Ben: S-H5 is awesome, probably his best book :)  One of the most amazing things about it to me was when I realized the whole thing was actually told IN the style of the alien book he describes IN the book.  Then when you read it again with that in mind, it's even cooler.

I realized that too. That's the one thing that makes slaughterhous five superior to all those boring chronoligical books.. It's interesting how you know exactly how the story is going to turn out, but you're still clueless as to what will happen next.

Of course, the only Vonnegut books I've read are Slaughterhouse Five and Cat's Cradle, which I've heard are the best ones. I'm trying to find more, but I don't know which ones to read..


On a completely unrelated note, I found a bunch of my old Calvin & Hobbes collections. Now I remember why I always loved that comic so much. It also makes me a little bit sad in that it reminds me how horrible most other comics are..
Title: Re:What are you reading?
Post by: Hobbes on Thu 08/05/2003 21:17:39
Calvin & Hobbes! They rule! :)

There's a really good website at http://www.reemst.com/calvin_and_hobbes (http://www.reemst.com/calvin_and_hobbes).

I recently found a new published book from 2001. It had all the sunday comics in it, with comments by Bill Watterson. Apparently there's an exposition about them going around the US.
Title: Re:What are you reading?
Post by: Flippy_D on Thu 08/05/2003 21:40:30
Garfield. Sinfest. Calvin&H.

A great trio.
Title: Re:What are you reading?
Post by: Adamski on Fri 09/05/2003 19:37:21
I've been meaning to read Slaughterhouse Five for a while now, hopefully i'll get round to it this weekend
Title: Re:What are you reading?
Post by: remixor on Fri 09/05/2003 21:27:20
Quote from: Flippy_D on Thu 08/05/2003 21:40:30
Garfield. Sinfest. Calvin&H.

A great trio.

I'm going to have to respectfully disagree and say that Garfield is the epitome of the concept "sell-out", which is exactly the opposite Bill Watterson has had from day 1 with Calvin and Hobbes.  Whereas Garfield now is a stagnant stream of recycled daily gags and can be found on greeting cards, windows, calendars, and medical products across the country, Calvin and Hobbes did not outstay its potential by a single day.  It was a perfect strip, and when Watterson had nothing left to express within the confines of the newspaper panel format, he went out in style.  He has also never (ever) manufactured a single piece of merchandise, or sold the license to another manufacturer.  If you ever see someone wearing Calvin and Hobbes paraphanelia or you see Calvin pissing on a Ford logo on the back of someone's Chevy truck, that is pirated merchandise.  I'm not saying Watterson's stance is right or wrong, but you can't fault his integrity--he could have made millions just by selling greeting cards, but never once did he compromise Calvin and Hobbes by putting the duo in anything other than the comic itself.  Garfield is as far as that as you could possibly imagine (I honestly can't think of a single thing Garfield isn't put on--it's probably on condoms), and even if you support that kind of gratuitous abuse of capitalism, it doesn't belong with Calvin and Hobbes.
As far as Sinfest goes, it's a good comic, but Tatsuya pretty much has run out of ideas at this point too, and seems to have about a half-dozen variations that he chooses from every day.  They're really cool ideas for the most part, and he's a great artist, but that strip has gotten rather formulaic and pretty much makes the same batch of philosophical points/questions on a strip-to-strip basis.  I still read it, but comparing to Calvin and Hobbes is, to me, preposterous.

Flippy: this is nothing against you, btw ;)  I just felt I had to say something about your trio there.  I don't mean you shouldn't read Garfield or Sinfest, but they don't belong in a "trio" with C+H.
Title: Re:What are you reading?
Post by: c.leksutin on Fri 09/05/2003 23:46:08
The last book I read was "Revelation Space" by Alastair Reynolds, which might be the single best piece of Science fiction I've ever read.

Before that I read "Fallen Dragon" Peter F. Hamliton, which can be a bit tricky to follow, but still a good read.


C.
Title: Re:What are you reading?
Post by: Hobbes on Sat 10/05/2003 15:19:35
Actually there have been 2 pieces of authorised merchandise in the Calvin & Hobbes franchise:

2 Calenders from '87 to '88 and '88 to '89.

But apart from that, I'm very very much in agreement with Remixor. :) All hail Bill. ;)
Title: Re:What are you reading?
Post by: Jimi on Sat 10/05/2003 15:23:17
Wow. And I thought your naickname had something to do with Chocolate Hobknobs all this time!
Title: Re:What are you reading?
Post by: Ali on Sat 10/05/2003 15:50:55
Quote from: Eero Ränik on Thu 08/05/2003 17:34:16
has anyone played the "Black Dahlia" adventure game?

I have. Jim Pearson is my idol. I hope one day I might be alive in the forties...

The guy who plays the english postal clerk in that game plays the bum in Twelve Monkeys, and that's a great film. Bet you didn't know that! (Bet you didn't care).
Title: Re:What are you reading?
Post by: Harvester on Sun 11/05/2003 00:21:00
Oops, I almost forgot: I'm on my second reading of the Bible. That book absolutely rules!
Title: Re:What are you reading?
Post by: Matt Brown on Sun 11/05/2003 01:11:25
Yeah, the bible and the book of mormon are also two of my favorite books
Title: Re:What are you reading?
Post by: Evil on Sun 11/05/2003 03:53:52
Quote from: Quickstrike on Thu 08/05/2003 06:57:22
Quote from: evil on Thu 08/05/2003 02:53:56... Read Enders Game... Good book, gonna be a good movie... Damned Sean Connery...  >:(

What?  What did Connery do?
He was supposed to be in it and didnt and got mad and sued... or something like that. Now the production is on hold...
Title: Re:What are you reading?
Post by: Punch on Mon 12/05/2003 04:12:06
I've recently got back into comics, or 'Graphic Novels' if you want to seem more mature. I've been reading Usagi Yojimbo, and I've just started 'Lucifer', which is based on an idea by Neil Gaiman. I've also had a brief look at 'Sandman' by Gaiman.

I've just finished the Dirk Gently books by Douglas Adams. Quality stuff.

For you Robert Rankin readers, can anyone tell me the title of this book? It's about some machine that lets them make movies with dead actors, and there's a time machine and the main character isn't a real person. And every time you watch the big movie created with the machine thing the ending's different. And Hitler was in the book. And it was all crazy and exceptionally hard to explain.

It was great. And confusing. And twisted. And I want a copy, but I can't remember the title.

- Punch