View Full Version : Books
Judas Iscariot
December 26th, 2007, 2:10 AM
Who here reads them? Anyone know about these fucking things? They can be pretty neat.
Myles
December 26th, 2007, 4:40 PM
I really wanna read bret harts biography...
currently reading the stand by stephen king :yes:
Alf
December 26th, 2007, 5:25 PM
I read like I breathe.
I'm currently reading The Book Thief and it is amazing.
It's about a little girl in Nazi germany and the story is told from the perspective of the grim reaper. Check it out.
speedracer
December 26th, 2007, 8:19 PM
Just received I Am America (And So Can You!) by Stephen Colbert for Xmas yesterday, can't wait to get started on it. Can anyone comment on this book? I'm sure it's hilarious, i'm just curious to hear people's reactions to it.
Clutch
December 26th, 2007, 8:31 PM
I really wanna read bret harts biography...
Got it for Xmas :yes: :heart:
HITMAN
Can't wait to read it :hyper:
thetony
December 27th, 2007, 2:41 AM
Just received I Am America (And So Can You!) by Stephen Colbert for Xmas yesterday, can't wait to get started on it. Can anyone comment on this book? I'm sure it's hilarious, i'm just curious to hear people's reactions to it.
bahahah that looks hilarious. I can't see myself reading that though..
I just finished reading a shockingly amazing book called 'Water for Elephants' which is about a young man who runs away to the circus on a train because his parents (who were his only family) died. I wasn't expecting much out of it, but I became really attatched to it. :eek:
Before that, I read "The Dirt" by Motley Crue which was simply bad-ass. There were so many hilarious stories about booze, drugs, women, etc. At one point, Nikki Sixx gets told by his banker that he's spending around 5 grand a day on heroin, and in x number of days his ass will be flat broke. Crazy stuff..
And now I am reading a dull book that I got for christmas called "Acid Row" which is about some social worker who does something bad. Or something along those lines. :confused:
The_Mike
December 27th, 2007, 3:23 AM
Just finished The Other Boleyn Girl a few days ago. It was a fun book, though I think the first person perspective was a slight problem. It read well, it's just that focusing on one character the entire time while so many interesting things were going on with other people left me kind of wanting to know more. It's being released as a film in February so that'll be interesting to see.
Now I'm onto a Star Wars book called Death Star. It's about the construction of the battle station and it's actually really good so far. I'm only a few chapters in but it's pretty immersive and well written, some good sci-fi stuff without being ridiculous with weird names and a bunch of jargon. The only problem so far is that every single chapter has introduced a brand new POV character, so I'm already trying to follow six or seven stories at once. I normally wouldn't mind that but every chapter starting something new and never having gone back to anyone yet is a little annoying but it's early days yet.
JP
December 27th, 2007, 3:33 AM
Books good.
New books for Christmas.
Review soon.
:yes:
RFF Champ
December 27th, 2007, 12:58 PM
I love reading, it's fantastic.
At the moment I am reading Rich Hall's "Things Snowball". A book of small stories and anecdotes, the sort of book I adore when I'm in a bit of a reading blip. This book is hilarious, his opinions on people who own swimming pools had me in stitches, I also got a few other good books that I can't wait to start.
Adamy
December 27th, 2007, 1:17 PM
I like books a lot. I just finished a treatise on postmodern narrative theory that was quite interesting. Is anyone here a fan of Brett Easton Ellis? His latest book (I think from like a year and a half ago) looks promising.
Simon
December 27th, 2007, 1:23 PM
I love reading, it's fantastic.
At the moment I am reading Rich Hall's "Things Snowball". A book of small stories and anecdotes, the sort of book I adore when I'm in a bit of a reading blip. This book is hilarious, his opinions on people who own swimming pools had me in stitches, I also got a few other good books that I can't wait to start.
I've got a book of his written as Otis Lee Crenshaw, it's fantastic.
Only got one new book for Christmas, a compilation of the writings and radio monologues of Linda Smith, a comedian who died last year of cancer. Very, very funny woman.
The Rosk
December 27th, 2007, 1:26 PM
currently reading the stand by stephen king :yes:
Well that's one thing we have in common. Try and be normal now.
Ringo
December 27th, 2007, 2:03 PM
The Stand is amazing and is one of my top 10 books ever next to the likes of GATSBY and ON THE ROAD.
RFF Champ
December 27th, 2007, 2:22 PM
I also got a book by Alan Alda and I just took a look at the first line and I now know that I will love it.
"My mother didn't try to stab my father until I was six"
Matty C
December 28th, 2007, 3:56 PM
Got it for Xmas :yes: :heart:
HITMAN
Can't wait to read it :hyper:
I read it back in November and it was good fun. The beginning and middle were particularly entertaining to me as it was a look into what things were like in professional wrestling during my initial years as a fan.
I started reading Imperial Life in the Emerald City but put it down before the Holiday season and haven’t got back into it yet. I’ll probably start reading it again next week.
Hulkamaniac
December 28th, 2007, 4:16 PM
Got Atonement for Christmas. Am rather enjoying it as it happens.
Alf
December 28th, 2007, 4:51 PM
I bought that for myself just before Chrimbo and I'll crack onto it when I finish The Book Thief.
Hulkamaniac
December 28th, 2007, 4:56 PM
Should've watched the film, you intolerable cunt.
The Rosk
December 28th, 2007, 4:56 PM
Easy Mik, there are some big boys here mate.
Alf
December 28th, 2007, 4:58 PM
Should've watched the film, you intolerable cunt.
WOAH!
I'll watch the film when I'm done with the book, that's just how I roll...
Hulkamaniac
December 28th, 2007, 5:07 PM
Should watch the film first, rare example of a superior film to book.
Ringo
December 28th, 2007, 6:22 PM
Are you going to do a Top 10/Best Films of the year thread, Mik? It's about the right time surely. I'd do it but I don't have anything interesting to say.
Pete Cash
December 28th, 2007, 6:35 PM
I like reading lots.
Right now I am reading The Brothers Karamazov by Dostoevsky, but I have a shitload of reading to catch up on. I mostly got books for Christmas.
I have a line up of The Stranger (Camus), The Motorcycle Diaries (what the film is based on-Che Guevara travels through South America) and quite a few others (like Bend Sisters)
Oh and I'm also going to try and give Snow by Orhan Pamuk another go. I didn't quite see what all the fuss was about first time I read it.
Ringo
December 28th, 2007, 6:39 PM
The Motorcycle Diaries (what the film is based on-Che Guevara travels through South America) and quite a few others (like Bend Sisters)
Good stuff. Excellent read. :yes:
The Rosk
December 28th, 2007, 7:20 PM
Stranger and Motorcycle should take you a day each.
Adamy
December 28th, 2007, 7:50 PM
The Stranger is a quick read but there's a lot to digest. I honestly prefer The Fall, but I'm an odd duck.
Hulkamaniac
December 28th, 2007, 8:59 PM
Are you going to do a Top 10/Best Films of the year thread, Mik? It's about the right time surely. I'd do it but I don't have anything interesting to say.
Doubtful. I've got other plans in the midst.
I like reading lots.
Right now I am reading The Brothers Karamazov by Dostoevsky, but I have a shitload of reading to catch up on. I mostly got books for Christmas.
Probably only pretending to read that to appear smart.
Pete Cash
December 29th, 2007, 4:51 AM
Dostoevsky is the writer of choice for those who pretend to read, but Crime and Punishment is the book that they use.
Even if someone is pretending to read Dostoevsky at least they aren't pretending to read Leo Tolstoy. An aristocratic anarchist you say. Although even Nabokov liked Tolstoy and he hated everyone so I think it is just perhaps me on that one.
The Stranger is a quick read but there's a lot to digest. I honestly prefer The Fall, but I'm an odd duck.
I prefer Sartre ;)
Canuck
December 29th, 2007, 8:41 AM
I've never really been one to read, but I think it's because I haven't really bothered to find anything i'm interested in. I usually only read for school, and am rarely into any of the books assigned. Lately though I've found that i've enjoyed reading as I've been told to read books like Schindlers list and The Hobbit. I've just got The Golden Compass for christmas and am pretty into it. I'll soon be done that though and have nothing really interesting to read. If someone could toss a couple of good books into a list for me with a brief description it'd be appreciated.
Alf
December 29th, 2007, 8:45 AM
No Country For Old Men
The Road
Both by Cormac McCarthy.
No Country For Old Men has just been released as a film, it's brilliant.
The Road is about an un-named man and his un-named son travelling south in the aftermath of some sort of apocalyptic event. They travel alone along the road south.... it is BLEAK and DESOLATE and bloody heartbreaking. I'd really reccomend it to anyone.
Canuck
December 29th, 2007, 8:48 AM
I have seen No Country for old men and did like it, so i'll most likely be looking into that. The Road sounds interesting enough. Cheers :yes:
Edit: Can I get a general review of the trainspotting books? Are they worth a read?
Ringo
December 29th, 2007, 8:53 AM
Supposedly Danny Huston and Guy Pearce are being lined up for 'The Road' film. They also starred in another immensely BLEAK but amazing film together, The Proposition. I imagine that's what inspired the casting folks to go with them. Viggo Mortensen too. I look forward to it.
Pete Cash
December 29th, 2007, 9:28 AM
Edit: Can I get a general review of the trainspotting books? Are they worth a read?
Trainspotting is alright, it is a good novel to get into more "serious" literature. Welsh is a bit of a twat, but a pretty decent writer. It can be hard to understand the dialect but no tricker than say, "A Clockwork Orange".
I've not read Porno so I can't really comment, but a girl I know quite well really enjoys Welsh so I hear about his work all the time. Like I said I enjoyed Trainspotting, and I think it is a pretty sound novel. Mark Renton is a likable character.
I steal cable
December 29th, 2007, 1:46 PM
I'm reading The Ladykiller at the moment. It's been sitting on our bookshelf for god knows how long collecting dust with a shit load of other great works. Well the other day I decided to just take a look at it, one of the tag lines on the backcover read,
'Move over Jackie Collins' :lol:
how could I say no?
It's actually quite entertaining.
Bad Collin
December 29th, 2007, 2:33 PM
I'm reading Fires of Heaven by Robert Jordan at the moment, it's book five of the wheel of time series which I am enjoying very much.
Sane
December 29th, 2007, 4:45 PM
Just ordered the Dark Tower 1-4 box set. And I have to say I can't wait till it gets here. Have only had the chance to read the first book,(multiple times)and loved it.
Plan on polishing these four off fairly quick, and moving on to finish the other 3.
Can't wait. :hyper:
Pete Cash
December 30th, 2007, 3:12 AM
You are in for a bit of a let down come the ending. King just phones it in.
Sane
December 30th, 2007, 4:21 AM
Now I am sad. :(
That really is lame, as the Gunslinger sets up for an truly epic series. Shucks.
Oh just seen the commercial for the new season of Reno, happy again :).
I'm way too fickle.
Alf
December 30th, 2007, 4:25 AM
You are in for a bit of a let down come the ending. King just phones it in.
I don't think he phones it in, he just realises what an unweildy beast he has created and can't really write to his own expectations.
I think the Dark Tower series is immense. Even the later titles which you consider phoned in are works of brilliance simply because by that point you are so invested in the characters that you need to find out what happens to them.
It's quite heartbreaking really, in the end. Also, a lot of people slate the ending, but I think it is tremendous.
Bad Collin
December 30th, 2007, 7:35 AM
I love the ending, I also think that despite a few underdeveloped plots, the Dark Tower is a fine book.
Even if the ending was shit the series would be worth reading, Wizard and Glass and Wolves of the Calla are fantastic books.
Alf
December 30th, 2007, 8:45 AM
Wolves was my least favourite on my first read but on my second read I decided I loved it. The tension is just immense.
My favourite thing about the whole series is how Roland keeps saying '...but he fought naked, and that's not easy for a man to do.'.
Love it.
Andy
January 2nd, 2008, 6:40 PM
Just ordered 'The Stand' and 'I Am Legend' after being told that the ending in the book is far better than the film.
They better be good, haven't read a really good book in a while.
Bad Collin
January 2nd, 2008, 6:56 PM
The Stand is awesome.
Ringo
January 2nd, 2008, 7:13 PM
I've read The Stand three times. A total of 4500 pages. It's amazing.
Hulkamaniac
January 2nd, 2008, 7:32 PM
I've read Lord of the Rings 5 times. Suck me off.
Zen
January 2nd, 2008, 7:43 PM
I've read LOTR 4 times, The silmarillion three times just to get it right, and Unfinished tales three times for the same reason.
The Hobbit 5 times.
Hulkamaniac
January 2nd, 2008, 7:53 PM
I've also read The Silmarillion 3 times. The third time I took notes and I'm re-reading as part of the thread that I created about it. I've read The Unfinished Tales a number of times (dont recall how many) The Books of Lost Tales a couple of times. Must've read The Hobbit about 5 times too. I've got all the History of Middle Earth books, but I'm just never sure if they are going to really be worth reading.
Ringo
January 2nd, 2008, 7:56 PM
Twice for me. :ashamed:
Have probably read The Silmarillion 6 or 7 times in it's entirety. Sometimes I'll just pick it up and start reading at a random page. I adore it.
Hulkamaniac
January 2nd, 2008, 9:08 PM
Yeah, I do that.
There are certain chapters I must've read hundreds of times. Its truly epic.
Pete Cash
January 3rd, 2008, 7:54 AM
i'd rather read the dictionary than lord of the rings.
Hulkamaniac
January 3rd, 2008, 8:58 AM
Dont read it then.
Pete Cash
January 3rd, 2008, 9:08 AM
I have, just thought I would break up the little love in with some of my trademark negativity.
Hulkamaniac
January 3rd, 2008, 9:32 AM
How joyous.
Pete Cash
January 3rd, 2008, 9:42 AM
Thought you would like it. Tolkien is a little too preachy for my tastes.
Hulkamaniac
January 3rd, 2008, 9:43 AM
I read Lolita the other day Pete. Then I burned it.
Load of shit.
Pete Cash
January 3rd, 2008, 9:50 AM
nabokov is the best. I just really enjoy the author notes in his books where he mocks other writers as if he is trolling them.
He really is the Pete Cash of authors
Alf
January 3rd, 2008, 2:52 PM
I've said it before and I'll say it again. Catch 22 is a massively over-rated peice of shit.
Miotch
January 3rd, 2008, 3:53 PM
Has anyone read "The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay" by Michael Chabon?
Got this for christmas and I'm already nearly 400 pages into the 650 page book. Fantastic read. Won the Pulitzer too. Highly recommended.
Alf
January 3rd, 2008, 4:42 PM
Can you give me a brief synopses?
Miotch
January 3rd, 2008, 4:47 PM
It's about two young jewish men (19 year old cousins when the book starts), in NYC during the time period just before the US enters WWII, who are part of the start of the medium known today as the comic book. They use the medium to bash Hitler and the Nazis from afar, as one of the cousins had fled Prauge to NY.
That's pretty brief, but it gives you an idea as to what the book is about. (at least what the first 390 pages are about)
It's been said that the inspiration for the book was actually the two jewish men that created Superman back in the day.
Zen
January 3rd, 2008, 5:06 PM
nabokov is the best. I just really enjoy the author notes in his books where he mocks other writers as if he is trolling them.
He really is the Pete Cash of authors
Evgeni Nabokov sucks.
Hulkamaniac
January 3rd, 2008, 7:06 PM
I've said it before and I'll say it again. Catch 22 is a massively over-rated peice of shit.
You're wrong. Its incredible. Why are you saying it again?
Canuck
January 3rd, 2008, 7:13 PM
Evgeni Nabokov sucks.
Not really.
Zen
January 3rd, 2008, 7:16 PM
So you beg to differ?
Pete Cash
January 3rd, 2008, 7:37 PM
Evgeni Nabokov sucks.
I had to look him up on wikipedia to even know who he is.
Pete Cash
January 3rd, 2008, 7:39 PM
You're wrong. Its incredible. Why are you saying it again?
I don't think it is overrated either, it is a genuinely funny book. Up there with cats cradle by Vonnegut in terms of making me laugh. That said I think a lot of Orwell is overrated. I quite like Animal Farm, but mostly because I like the comparative history.
Hulkamaniac
January 3rd, 2008, 7:44 PM
I much prefer 1982 to Animal Farm.
Bad Collin
January 3rd, 2008, 7:45 PM
You mean 1984? It's probably my favourite ever book, I also love Keep the aspidistra flying and Coming up for air.
Pete Cash
January 3rd, 2008, 7:46 PM
Well 1984 is a novel and animal farm is a book for children. I just like the history in Animal Farm.
There are better writers than Orwell but he was one of the authors that got me into "proper" fiction, so I will always have a place in my heart for him. Him and JG Ballard who i still think is great.
Hulkamaniac
January 3rd, 2008, 7:52 PM
I've got Empire of the Sun as the next book on my 'to read' list.
1982? Heh. Put my date of birth down by mistake.
Bad Collin
January 3rd, 2008, 8:03 PM
My dad bought three crates of books for £20 off Ebay a while ago, most of them are utter tat but he's selling the shit ones and keeping what he likes the look of. I got three books for my to read pile when I was back for Christmas.
Pete Cash
January 3rd, 2008, 8:03 PM
give us a run down of what he has.
Bad Collin
January 3rd, 2008, 8:16 PM
This is his eBay shop: http://stores.ebay.co.uk/clairvaux-books
Hulkamaniac
January 3rd, 2008, 8:48 PM
Load of shit those like.
Bad Collin
January 3rd, 2008, 9:14 PM
Yeah, like I said, he kept the good ones. The worst thing is that some were to shit for him even to sell. I was slightly outraged when he told me he was throwing them away though, I really hate to see books thrown out. I told him to give them to a charity shop at least.
Hulkamaniac
January 3rd, 2008, 9:19 PM
I hoard. I have never given a book or a DVD away, unless I already had copies.
Bad Collin
January 3rd, 2008, 9:21 PM
I keep them even if I have multiples, just in case I lose one. I would add CD's to the list as well, it makes it a bugger when I move house though.
Alf
January 5th, 2008, 7:29 AM
Yep, moving is a pain in the arse. Books are bloody heavy.
Pete Cash
January 5th, 2008, 8:25 AM
I hoard. I have never given a book or a DVD away, unless I already had copies.
Same, I cannot believe people can sell stuff like books and movies at garage sales and the like.
JP
January 5th, 2008, 8:53 AM
Same here, gonna need a much bigger house when I'm old.
Anyways, finished my first book from Christmas, the latest Discworld, Making Money.
Had high hopes, Going Postal was one of the much better efforts of recent books. Shame then, it was painfully average. :\
Pete Cash
January 5th, 2008, 9:01 AM
I loved going postal
JP
January 5th, 2008, 9:08 AM
Again, same here.
Really enjoyed the premise of the power of words and Moist was such a great character.
Making Money isn't bad, but after Going Postal I was just expecting a lot more.
The_Mike
January 5th, 2008, 10:13 PM
I liked Making Money myself, but I do agree Going Postal was better.
Adamy
January 6th, 2008, 2:00 AM
Has anyone read "The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay" by Michael Chabon?
Got this for christmas and I'm already nearly 400 pages into the 650 page book. Fantastic read. Won the Pulitzer too. Highly recommended.
I thought it was solid but unspectacular. Too quick of a read for my tastes; I'm more of a Borges guy, if you get what I'm saying. Interesting story though, and a fun piece of 1940's nostalgia.
Adamy
January 6th, 2008, 2:04 AM
I've said it before and I'll say it again. Catch 22 is a massively over-rated peice of shit.
It's funny, and well-constructed, and about all you can ask for from a satire.
However, I would agree that Catch-22 overrated in the sense that it's regarded as the best book Heller ever wrote (and by some as the only good book he ever wrote), because Something Happened is a masterpiece and superior to Catch-22 in virtually every aspect.
Adamy
January 6th, 2008, 2:05 AM
I read Lolita the other day Pete. Then I burned it.
Load of shit.
If you read Lolita in one day, you didn't really read it.
Hulkamaniac
January 6th, 2008, 10:26 AM
I didnt read it at all.
Adamy
January 8th, 2008, 1:13 AM
Well that's your problem right there then.
Hulkamaniac
January 8th, 2008, 11:00 AM
Cried at the end of Atonement yesterday. Think that the book ending was made more powerful because of having seen the film to be honest.
Have started reading The Fountainhead now on reccomendation from my flat-mate. Seems okay so far.
Pete Cash
January 9th, 2008, 4:53 AM
ugh
Atlas Shrugged- Ayn Rand. The only value this novel has is that if someone says that they enjoyed it you know they are a person you do not want to associate with. People who appreciate Rand are not only bad people who need to be executed, but also people who enjoy terrible literature. I am not sure which is worse.
By the time you trudge through this preachy, repetitive, trite, shit novel you will know who John Galt is, but really... by then you won't give a fuck. The only thing I can say about it is its not quite as poorly written and as lame as Fountainhead, but that is rather like saying a cat turd is less disgusting than a dogs.
Pete Cash
January 9th, 2008, 4:57 AM
Your flatmate must be a right cunt.
Hulkamaniac
January 9th, 2008, 11:25 AM
Nah mate, he's alright.
I partially think that he likes it cos he thinks that I'm like one of the characters and he's like the other.
The Rosk
January 23rd, 2008, 9:58 AM
The Stand is amazing and is one of my top 10 books ever next to the likes of GATSBY and ON THE ROAD.
Just finished The Stand. What a fucking brilliant work.
I'd recommend it to anyone. 750 odd pages of brilliance. I purposefully pretended to be sick at work in the toilet yesterday so I could finish the final three chapters.
Automaticchaos
January 23rd, 2008, 10:07 AM
Anyone here read "Into the Wild"
Just finished reading it not too long ago. Probably one of my favourite books I've ever read.
Alf
January 23rd, 2008, 10:43 AM
I finished Atonement a lil while ago.
Very good indeed. I didn't blub like Mik though but it was a very melloncollie ending.
Hulkamaniac
January 23rd, 2008, 4:11 PM
Monster.
Sane
January 23rd, 2008, 4:46 PM
The Stand is a beautiful piece of writing. Have to say one of if not Kings best.(It rivals it in utter awesomeness only.) I really want to read it again but gonna wait till I get a hold of his revised copy, supposedly bumps the total page count close to 1,000. Wow.
My Dark Tower boxset finally came in.(My mail man is a total douche bag.) Halfway through with the Gunslinger and can't wait to get started on the new ones. As I have heard and King himself says he really matures over the course of the series and the later books vastly improve.
Alf
January 23rd, 2008, 5:27 PM
Yes indeed. The Dark tower set is bloody amazing. Truly, truly epic.
kidrocker
January 23rd, 2008, 8:11 PM
The Stand is a beautiful piece of writing. Have to say one of if not Kings best.(It rivals it in utter awesomeness only.) I really want to read it again but gonna wait till I get a hold of his revised copy, supposedly bumps the total page count close to 1,000. Wow.
My Dark Tower boxset finally came in.(My mail man is a total douche bag.) Halfway through with the Gunslinger and can't wait to get started on the new ones. As I have heard and King himself says he really matures over the course of the series and the later books vastly improve.
True story, was about 400 pages into the revised copy, then last week I was biking home from the pub and it fell out of my backpack somewhere along the way.
Fuck am I ever choked about it... :(
Alf
February 3rd, 2008, 2:14 PM
I picked up The Stand today on all your lovely reccomendation. It best be good or you lot owe me 6.99
Ringo
February 3rd, 2008, 2:21 PM
It's amazing. You won't be disappointed. TRUST.
I'm churning my way through Cormac McCarthy and Don DeLillo at the moment. They are beasts.
RockOverBoston
February 4th, 2008, 4:30 PM
ugh
Atlas Shrugged- Ayn Rand. The only value this novel has is that if someone says that they enjoyed it you know they are a person you do not want to associate with. People who appreciate Rand are not only bad people who need to be executed, but also people who enjoy terrible literature. I am not sure which is worse.
By the time you trudge through this preachy, repetitive, trite, shit novel you will know who John Galt is, but really... by then you won't give a fuck. The only thing I can say about it is its not quite as poorly written and as lame as Fountainhead, but that is rather like saying a cat turd is less disgusting than a dogs.
Oh man, seconded to the very letter.
The Rosk
February 4th, 2008, 4:40 PM
It's fucking brilliant Alf. King's best work in my humble opinion.
kidrocker
February 5th, 2008, 2:44 AM
Larry Underwood is the coolest guy in town.
Beer-Belly
February 5th, 2008, 4:05 AM
ugh
Atlas Shrugged- Ayn Rand. The only value this novel has is that if someone says that they enjoyed it you know they are a person you do not want to associate with. People who appreciate Rand are not only bad people who need to be executed, but also people who enjoy terrible literature. I am not sure which is worse.
By the time you trudge through this preachy, repetitive, trite, shit novel you will know who John Galt is, but really... by then you won't give a fuck. The only thing I can say about it is its not quite as poorly written and as lame as Fountainhead, but that is rather like saying a cat turd is less disgusting than a dogs.
But you love things that are preachy and trite.
I bet Ellsworth Toohey made your cock hard. I've done a little research on Rand but find her writing to be fairly boring. Some of her core values are agreeable. Valuing individualism is something that rubs you the wrong way, I'm sure.
Sane
February 5th, 2008, 5:12 AM
Almost finished with the Dark Tower III and have to say it's my favorite one so far. Starts out strong and keeps rolling on and hasn't lost any steam yet. Can't wait to finish it.
Not really spoiling anything below but just to be safe...
The Stand is full of wonderful characters really. Larry is awesome. Stu and Fran are delightful. Randall Flagg is a evil cunt. And Trashcan man is an mental tweener.
I am now going to have to re-read this wonderful novel again, after all this talk about it.
Also :heart: Oy.
Pete Cash
February 5th, 2008, 7:22 AM
But you love things that are preachy and trite.
I bet Ellsworth Toohey made your cock hard. I've done a little research on Rand but find her writing to be fairly boring. Some of her core values are agreeable. Valuing individualism is something that rubs you the wrong way, I'm sure.
She is a terrible author in all ways. Nabokov and I would not have seen eye to eye, but I still love his work. I like the work of Martin Amis, Irvine Welsh, etc. I like heaps of authors who I disgaree with on a personal level. Do you think I just sit around reading Sartre, John Steinbeck and Sinclair Lewis or something.
Alf
February 5th, 2008, 7:25 AM
Almost finished with the Dark Tower III and have to say it's my favorite one so far. Starts out strong and keeps rolling on and hasn't lost any steam yet. Can't wait to finish it.
Not really spoiling anything below but just to be safe...
The Stand is full of wonderful characters really. Larry is awesome. Stu and Fran are delightful. Randall Flagg is a evil cunt. And Trashcan man is an mental tweener.
I am now going to have to re-read this wonderful novel again, after all this talk about it.
Also :heart: Oy.
II was my favourite but IV, V and VI were all equally brilliant too.
Oy is amazing. Love him.
Leemond
February 5th, 2008, 9:10 AM
I'm reading Fires of Heaven by Robert Jordan at the moment, it's book five of the wheel of time series which I am enjoying very much.
I hate to break it to you but Jordan died last year before he finished the last book in the series, book 12 I think.
Is an awesome series though, and it makes me a bit ashamed to say I feel very angry about never being able to read the ending as Jordan would have written it.
Pete Cash
February 5th, 2008, 9:33 AM
He died about six months ago, so I am fairly sure anyone who would care to know would know.
I mean its no great loss to the word of literature. I was into fantasy like a giant nerd until I read the wheel of time series up til book five and now I wouldn't touch the genre with an amazingly long pole.
Leemond
February 7th, 2008, 6:29 PM
He died about six months ago, so I am fairly sure anyone who would care to know would know.
I mean its no great loss to the word of literature. I was into fantasy like a giant nerd until I read the wheel of time series up til book five and now I wouldn't touch the genre with an amazingly long pole.
I'm well aware when he died, as I mentioned in my original post.
The dude I was telling made his post in December, and from it I assumed he was unaware of the death because he mentioned he is reading (and enjoying) the series, but did not offer any comment on it maybe never being finished.
Oh, and I too read much fantasy and think WoT is very good, as do thousands of others. I suppose however that opinions are like arseholes, everybody has one, and yours is old, battered, shitty and useless.
Pete Cash
February 9th, 2008, 7:32 PM
Rather like the genre of fantasy. Jordan was no great loss to the genre anyway, it was cliched rubbish. It even included the normal fantasy garbage of wolves. There is so much good stuff out there that I find it difficult to fathom how people need to read novels about dudes who can speak to wolves and women tugging on their braids.
Alf
February 14th, 2008, 11:08 AM
Loving The Stand. I'm about half way through...
I love the American use of the word fanny in it too. So far I've had Fran say that sitting on her bike seat had made her 'fanny feel like hamburger' and that she felt like she had 'callouses all over her fanny'.
Brilliant.
Organasm
February 14th, 2008, 2:10 PM
Dean Koontz's The Husband, I gave it a read because the concept sounded pretty interesting.
I don't read many books, but I can tell that this was just abysmal. If the writing was good I wouldn't need the characters' emotions explained to me after every bloody paragraph. Perhaps it was actually a satire on shitty clichéd kidknapping plots because the only joy I got out of this was pretending it was all a big joke, especially towards the end when all these yawnsome descriptions of New Mexico come flying in.
After reading it i found out they're making a movie too. Jesus H, I hope it bombs.
Pete Cash
February 16th, 2008, 3:36 AM
Loving The Stand. I'm about half way through...
I love the American use of the word fanny in it too. So far I've had Fran say that sitting on her bike seat had made her 'fanny feel like hamburger' and that she felt like she had 'callouses all over her fanny'.
Brilliant.
I like King as a bit of lighter reading, but I've never read the Stand and everyone is wanking off about it in this thread so I may have to buy it.
Plus if I don't like it I can write a pretentious review and get mega hate.
Alf
February 16th, 2008, 5:53 AM
I'm not King's biggest fan but this is such a good read so far.
Pete Cash
February 16th, 2008, 7:51 AM
The Gunslinger is probably my favourite "fantasy" novel.
cactusmaac
February 18th, 2008, 10:45 AM
Rather like the genre of fantasy. Jordan was no great loss to the genre anyway, it was cliched rubbish. It even included the normal fantasy garbage of wolves. There is so much good stuff out there that I find it difficult to fathom how people need to read novels about dudes who can speak to wolves and women tugging on their braids.
You should give George Martin's A Song Of Ice And Fire series a shot. It's fantasy for non-fantasy fans.
N.E.R.F.
February 18th, 2008, 10:54 AM
The Gunslinger is probably my favourite "fantasy" novel.
Re-reading the Dark Tower now, just finished The Drawing of the Three. God it's good.
Alf
February 18th, 2008, 12:07 PM
That's my favourite I think.
Just for Eddie's naked fighting. It's hard for a man to fight naked.
Got to say, I loved the whole Trashcan Man and The Kid stuff. It was brilliant.
N.E.R.F.
February 18th, 2008, 12:13 PM
Which one's the one with Roland's proper backstory? Wizard and Glass or Wolves or the Calla?
That one's the best anyway.
Ringo
February 18th, 2008, 12:15 PM
Got to say, I loved the whole Trashcan Man and The Kid stuff. It was brilliant.
One of my favourite parts as well.. :yes:
The Rosk
February 18th, 2008, 12:27 PM
There are some really fucking emotional parts in the Stand. In parts I was literally having to sit up because I was so excited and "FUCKING COME ON, HAVE SOME OF THAT, WE CAN shove our neck on to broken glass so we won't get tortured and let the good survivors die SO FUCK OFF YOU EVIL CUNTS"... very, very good book. I want to see what the TV mini-series is like now, but can't find it anywhere.
Wedge
February 18th, 2008, 12:31 PM
You should give George Martin's A Song Of Ice And Fire series a shot. It's fantasy for non-fantasy fans.
He'll jump all over the fact that even those books has wolves.
Thirteen
February 18th, 2008, 12:37 PM
I am a huge Stephen King fan, even having a moderate collection of his stuff: all of his books (-Duma Key, haven't picked it up yet), autographed copies, rare finds, etc. But I will also say this, I haven't really enjoyed much of his new stuff, since his accident. It just doesn't seem the same to me as his earlier stuff, and comes off kind of forced.
If you like the Dark Tower series, I highly suggest picking up Marvel Comics Dark Tower mini-series, as it is a great companion pieces, and one of the best written comics out there now.
And just curious if anyone has read Joe Hill's Heart Shaped Box. For those that don't know, Joe Hill is actually King's son. I thought it was pretty decent for a first book. Nothing on King's level, but it did have an interesting twist or two, and they definitely don't let you wait too long to get into the story, as everything is set-up in the first chapter, and it's pretty much a thrill ride from then on. If you've got some time, I would suggest it, although I wouldn't clear your schedule for it.
The Rosk
February 18th, 2008, 12:48 PM
I am a huge Stephen King fan, even having a moderate collection of his stuff: all of his books (-Duma Key, haven't picked it up yet), autographed copies, rare finds, etc. But I will also say this, I haven't really enjoyed much of his new stuff, since his accident. It just doesn't seem the same to me as his earlier stuff, and comes off kind of forced.
If you like the Dark Tower series, I highly suggest picking up Marvel Comics Dark Tower mini-series, as it is a great companion pieces, and one of the best written comics out there now.
And just curious if anyone has read Joe Hill's Heart Shaped Box. For those that don't know, Joe Hill is actually King's son. I thought it was pretty decent for a first book. Nothing on King's level, but it did have an interesting twist or two, and they definitely don't let you wait too long to get into the story, as everything is set-up in the first chapter, and it's pretty much a thrill ride from then on. If you've got some time, I would suggest it, although I wouldn't clear your schedule for it.
Cell was both enjoyable and samey at the same time. It was a story you couldn't help get involved in; but he did seem to go over trodden ground with the narrative. I actually read it before The Stand.
By the way, a quick look online shows that I am talking absolute shit about it being hard to find The Stand on DVD - it's an incredible £5.99 on Play. Not bad for a mini-series.
N.E.R.F.
February 18th, 2008, 1:09 PM
There are some really fucking emotional parts in the Stand. In parts I was literally having to sit up because I was so excited and "FUCKING COME ON, HAVE SOME OF THAT, WE CAN shove our neck on to broken glass so we won't get tortured and let the good survivors die SO FUCK OFF YOU EVIL CUNTS"... very, very good book. I want to see what the TV mini-series is like now, but can't find it anywhere.
I've had it a while. Gary Sinise is brilliant but it's more of a Pet Sematery/Night Shift style adaptation than a Misery/It/Dreamcatcher. Faithful to the story but it just looks a bit cheap.
If you love the book it's worth it, I'm sure you can get it on Amazon for around a fiver.
N.E.R.F.
February 18th, 2008, 1:10 PM
Or I could read the post right above. Get it from Play.
Wedge
February 18th, 2008, 3:25 PM
I've had it a while. Gary Sinise is brilliant but it's more of a Pet Sematery/Night Shift style adaptation than a Misery/It/Dreamcatcher. Faithful to the story but it just looks a bit cheap.
If you love the book it's worth it, I'm sure you can get it on Amazon for around a fiver.
Looks cheap because it was a made for TV mini series. Some of the casting choices are kinda weird, too, like Corin "Parker Lewis" Nemec as Harold (who is the exact opposite body type of Harold as described in the novel), but you're spot on about Sinise.
Hulkamaniac
February 19th, 2008, 6:25 AM
I've never read a single Stephen King book, ever.
Ringo
February 19th, 2008, 6:27 AM
There are some really fucking emotional parts in the Stand. In parts I was literally having to sit up because I was so excited and "FUCKING COME ON, HAVE SOME OF THAT, WE CAN shove our neck on to broken glass so we won't get tortured and let the good survivors die SO FUCK OFF YOU EVIL CUNTS"... very, very good book. I want to see what the TV mini-series is like now, but can't find it anywhere.
I've got it on VHS. It's pretty pants really, but worth the watch if you really enjoyed the book.
Oh, and GARY SINISE plays Stu, do that's another reason to give it a look.
-EDIT- NERF said pretty much the same thing. I should read the thread.
Pete Cash
February 19th, 2008, 7:12 AM
I will just break up the King circle jerk for a moment, but has anyone read this:
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Curious_Incident_of_the_Dog_in_the_Night-time) By Mark Haddon.
It is more aimed at young adults, but it is a lovely story. Funny and warm without feeling exploitive about the boys condition.
I saw it in, "1000 books you must read before you died" and I was like meh didn't really look like a book I would like and today I saw it at the library and I just finished reading it now a few hours later.
Well worth a read I think.
The Rosk
February 19th, 2008, 7:19 AM
I read that two books ago. Very enjoyable - it actually helped a hell of a lot of parents over here in understanding mild autism in their children. I have his second book ready and waiting to be read after I finish Northern Lights (g/f is forcing me to) and King's Nightmares and Dreamscapes.
This bird at work gave me The Fountainhead to read about fourteen months ago and I really need to get round to reading that properly after giving up about 100 pages in.
Hulkamaniac
February 19th, 2008, 7:23 AM
I'm reading it at the moment. Slowly because I've been very busy at work. Cant decide whether its fascinating or boring. Cash hates it.
Ringo
February 19th, 2008, 7:41 AM
I will just break up the King circle jerk for a moment, but has anyone read this:
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Curious_Incident_of_the_Dog_in_the_Night-time) By Mark Haddon.
It is more aimed at young adults, but it is a lovely story. Funny and warm without feeling exploitive about the boys condition.
I saw it in, "1000 books you must read before you died" and I was like meh didn't really look like a book I would like and today I saw it at the library and I just finished reading it now a few hours later.
Well worth a read I think.
Yeah, love it.
I believe they're making a film this year.
Alf
February 19th, 2008, 8:13 AM
LADS!
I'm going on holiday at the end of March and I'll need a few books to tide me over.
I'll pick up 'The Curious Incident...' got any more reccomendations?
The Rosk
February 19th, 2008, 8:15 AM
You read Life of Pi?
Ringo
February 19th, 2008, 8:24 AM
Don DeLillo - White Noise
Don DeLillo - Libra
Cormac McCarthy's Border Trilogy
Annie Proulx - Close Range: Wyoming Stories (Short stories including Brokeback, but I LIKE THEM)
Paul Auster - New York Trilogy
You've probably read some of that lot already since they're not exactly unknown, but if not DO!
Jordo
February 19th, 2008, 8:46 AM
So I bought Catch 22 and it may sit on my shelf next to Salem's Lot in my books that I can never fully get in to section.
Haven't had a book really pull me in since I read Catcher in the Rye. I need something new, possibly zombie related...
Alf
February 19th, 2008, 8:53 AM
I seriously dislike Catch 22.
Hulkamaniac
February 19th, 2008, 8:54 AM
You are both WRONG.
Ringo
February 19th, 2008, 8:58 AM
Catch is great, but CatchER is better.
Winkle van Tinkle
February 19th, 2008, 9:57 AM
WHY DON'T YOU JUST DO STUFF ON HOLIDAY RATHER THAN READ A FUCKING BOOK YOU FUCKING SATSUMA!!!!!
Alf
February 19th, 2008, 10:22 AM
I will, but I've got 2 x 14 hour flights, a far bit of travelling via train too. Plus I'm spending the majority of my time on the beach. I like reading on the beach.
I'm having a relaxing holiday.
Winkle van Tinkle
February 19th, 2008, 10:24 AM
sounds FUN :rolling my eyes:
Hulkamaniac
February 19th, 2008, 10:27 AM
Cuncha is just upset cos HE CANT READ.
Alf
February 19th, 2008, 10:35 AM
Cuncha is a boy with a short attention span. A real man can lay on a beach with a book and soak up some sun.
Hulkamaniac
February 19th, 2008, 10:41 AM
When I was in America, me, my girlfriend and her friends all went down to the beach. While they went water-skiing (which I couldnt because of my contact lenses) and all her jock mates were desperately trying to look impressive by flexing and playing sports, I sat on a chair for 6 hours with a crate of Guinness (they were all drinking Miller light) and read an entire book. When we left, I was absolutely sunburnt to a crisp, yet I never said a thing about it.
All their attempts to look cool and manly were ruined by me coming off as looking like an exceptional pinnacle of drinking, pain-tolerance and educational manliness.
Alf
February 19th, 2008, 10:43 AM
You are shining example to us all.
Hulkamaniac
February 19th, 2008, 10:44 AM
And yet I admire you so much Alf. I really do love you.
Winkle van Tinkle
February 19th, 2008, 10:48 AM
Listen man, you guys read books by Stephen King and Mik weeps at Atonement.
I'm a real burly man and read RUBICON: THE TRIUMPH AND TRAGEDY OF THE ROMAN REPUBLIC.
Rarrrgh!!
My books are too large to carry to the beach.
Hulkamaniac
February 19th, 2008, 11:01 AM
I weep at Atonement because I am all fucking man.
Winkle van Tinkle
February 19th, 2008, 11:09 AM
Well I chuckled at Nero fucking his own mum and sister, then killing them. That makes me a real strong big man.
Alf
February 19th, 2008, 11:27 AM
You seem to have gotten Alf and Nero mixed up there mate.
Hulkamaniac
February 19th, 2008, 11:27 AM
In Finding Nero?
Alf
February 19th, 2008, 11:40 AM
You seem to have gotten Alf and Nero mixed up there mate.
Ahaha talk about fucking up a BURN... I meant to put in Cuncha... fuck...
N.E.R.F.
February 20th, 2008, 12:25 AM
Not technically a book, but bought the Batman graphic novel "long Hallowe'en" today.
Will read after I finish the Dark Tower. So some time in April.
The Rosk
February 20th, 2008, 7:21 AM
I'm also going to read Grisham's A Time To Kill after Northern Lights, The Fountainhead and Nightmares and Dreamscapes. Fucking hell. I wish I'd have left Bischoff's book to the end.
Jay
February 20th, 2008, 7:29 AM
I picked up The Stand yesterday, so I'll be tucking into that when I get home. I've been looking for a new read for a couple of weeks, and since so many of you are raving about it in here, I thought I'd give it a go.
Hulkamaniac
February 20th, 2008, 10:14 AM
*
Winkle van Tinkle
February 20th, 2008, 10:20 AM
That sounds like Charlie and The Chocolate Factory.
Hulkamaniac
February 20th, 2008, 10:24 AM
I dont think that it is mate. I'm not sure that there is a magical chocolate factory in Siberia. I may be wrong.
Winkle van Tinkle
February 20th, 2008, 10:27 AM
It's actually a magical uranium factory, if i remember correctly.
You love WEEPING don't you?
Slare
February 20th, 2008, 10:29 AM
Anybody had the chance to read The Dice Man by Luke Rhineheart (not really, thats the main characters name)?
As far as I am aware its a really well known book, but I picked it up a few weeks ago and I just finished it. Pretty phenomenal book, written first person about a guy who decides to live his life by the roll of a dice and ends up going all over the place. Bit rapey, but brilliant.
Hulkamaniac
February 20th, 2008, 10:31 AM
It's actually a magical uranium factory, if i remember correctly.
You love WEEPING don't you?
I do as it happens mate. I'm so cold and distant with my emotions in real life that I like to get them out in the way of film or literature. I find it to be very healthy.
The Rosk
February 21st, 2008, 6:57 AM
I picked up The Stand yesterday, so I'll be tucking into that when I get home. I've been looking for a new read for a couple of weeks, and since so many of you are raving about it in here, I thought I'd give it a go.
It's brilliant.
Hulkamaniac
February 21st, 2008, 9:55 AM
The book my photography teacher friend loaned me is Random Acts of Heroic Love by Danny Scheinmann.
Winkle van Tinkle
February 21st, 2008, 9:56 AM
Go and fucking weep over that in the corner mate.
Hulkamaniac
February 21st, 2008, 10:00 AM
I cant wait to finish The Fountainhead so that I can start it and have a good cry mate, I really cant.
Annette
February 22nd, 2008, 9:47 AM
Got Atonement for Christmas. Am rather enjoying it as it happens.
We're reading this for my book club and I just can't get into it. A friend of mine said give it some time but I find it very hard to even get started. We're meeting on Tuesday so I need to read all damn weekend or I'm screwed.
Alf
February 22nd, 2008, 9:51 AM
It took me a while to get into it but it is well worth sticking with.
Hulkamaniac
February 22nd, 2008, 9:52 AM
Stick with it.
Pete Cash
February 22nd, 2008, 10:03 AM
Anybody had the chance to read The Dice Man by Luke Rhineheart (not really, thats the main characters name)?
As far as I am aware its a really well known book, but I picked it up a few weeks ago and I just finished it. Pretty phenomenal book, written first person about a guy who decides to live his life by the roll of a dice and ends up going all over the place. Bit rapey, but brilliant.
Not read it, but I have always intended to. It is pretty famous yeah, it has influenced a couple of songs and the like. I believe a song by the fall is based on the novel.
Anyway, yes Luke Rhineheart is a pseudonym. The authors real name is George Cockcroft and I think he actually believes in that dice nonsense. He has a 6 or 7 books out and they are all about dice. What a mental.
The book my photography teacher friend loaned me is Random Acts of Heroic Love by Danny Scheinmann.
I've not heard of it so I did some research on it and it sounds like the gayest thing ever.
Hulkamaniac
February 22nd, 2008, 10:10 AM
Sounds right up my alley then.
Annette
February 22nd, 2008, 10:25 AM
Alright, will do!
Winkle van Tinkle
February 22nd, 2008, 10:52 AM
Lads, has anyone here read Napper Goes For Goal?
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/4175KKTEQVL._AA240_.jpg
Napper McCann and the star players of Red Row Primary School start a football team. They imagine a glorious and successful season, but then they discover how hard it is to win matches.
I thoroughly recommend it to everyone.
Hulkamaniac
February 22nd, 2008, 11:13 AM
I did read it at school actually. I fucking loved it.
Cried like hell when he walked away from that lass and she never turned around once.
diolana
February 22nd, 2008, 3:45 PM
currently reading kindred by octavia e. butler. it's not something i personally would have bought, but a dear friend of mine gave it to me as a gift. the characters aren't really fleshed out, the dialogue is stilted and the storyline drags. it's okay.
thetony
February 22nd, 2008, 11:28 PM
Reading 1984 at the mo. Inspired by a short story I read in school by Orwell.
It's boring at sin.
Second City Saint
February 22nd, 2008, 11:31 PM
Reading 1984 at the mo. Inspired by a short story I read in school by Orwell.
It's boring at sin.i had to read it going into junior year. i felt the same way about it, but at the same time the ideas Orwell brought up were pretty damn good.
anyway, i finally finished slaughterhouse five (good stuff right there) and now i'm in the middle of ambrose's band of brothers.
Pete Cash
February 23rd, 2008, 3:44 AM
It wasn't exactly like Orwell was riding a wave of innovation in 1984. Dystopian style science fiction had been around for quite some time before him.
I like Orwell, but he is pretty average and 1984 is pretty boring at times. I quite like Animal Farm, it is fun to work through it and go hehe that pig is Vyacheslav Molotov.
Aussie_Outlaw
February 23rd, 2008, 4:03 AM
I prefer Fahrenheit 451 as far as Dystopian classics go. The plot of 1984 is pretty rubbish in itself and serves more as a trip around to show the world which was created.
Did you ever listen to the radio adaptation of BNW I gave you Petey?
Adamy
February 23rd, 2008, 4:05 AM
anyway, i finally finished slaughterhouse five (good stuff right there) and now i'm in the middle of ambrose's band of brothers.
As great as Vonnegut's novels are, the dude was an absolute master of the short story, and the medium allowed him to flesh out a lot of the ideas he would otherwise have attributed to Kilgore Trout. If you've never looked into them, I highly recommend the Bogambo Snuff Box collection.
Hulkamaniac
February 23rd, 2008, 7:03 AM
I found 1984 to be absolutely enthralling.
Ringo
February 23rd, 2008, 8:22 AM
Agreed. 1984 is pretty fucking boss really. The final 25% or so is fantastic.
Slare
February 23rd, 2008, 11:29 AM
I found 1984 to be absolutely enthralling.
Agreed. My favourite book without a doubt. People can say its slow or whatever all they want, but the slow parts need to be there to accentuate the last part of the book, and of course, to give a sense of the tense nature that Winston is living in.
The pace of the book makes you care a lot more about seemingly insignificant things like Smith catching the eye of Julia, or trying to write into his diary.
Then, as I said, the last potion of the book picks up immensely and is the most tense, uncomfortable (in a good way) read i've ever had.
Brave new world is up there too as far as the whole dystopia novel goes, but 1984 is boss.
thetony
February 23rd, 2008, 6:59 PM
I prefer Fahrenheit 451 as far as Dystopian classics go. The plot of 1984 is pretty rubbish in itself and serves more as a trip around to show the world which was created.
Did you ever listen to the radio adaptation of BNW I gave you Petey?
Fahrenheit 451 isn't much of a step up from 1984.
The idea that 'books should be illegal' is intriguing to me, but I think the author could have played around with it a bit more than he did. There were parts of the book that bored me, but the ending made it up for me, so that's good.
Plus, there's something about lethal sallamanders that I don't quite get.
Hulkamaniac
February 23rd, 2008, 7:20 PM
See I enjoyed 451 and Brave New World. But I didnt find either of them as comfortable to read as 1984. Maybe that was just purely to do with length though.
Second City Saint
February 23rd, 2008, 9:29 PM
As great as Vonnegut's novels are, the dude was an absolute master of the short story, and the medium allowed him to flesh out a lot of the ideas he would otherwise have attributed to Kilgore Trout. If you've never looked into them, I highly recommend the Bogambo Snuff Box collection.the only short story i read from him was Harrison Bergerone. Good stuff there.
Despite the fact that 1984 was a fairly disappointing book to me (given the hype), I absolutely loved Animal Farm. Oh, and Farenheit 451 is one of my 3 favorite books i've ever read.
Hulkamaniac
February 24th, 2008, 8:45 AM
I wasnt that keen on Animal Park. It was okay, but I never really felt an active enjoyment in it.
Caer
February 24th, 2008, 8:58 AM
Honestly, if you were speaking about Animal Farm, rather then Animal Park (I may be confused), then I'd like to know why the disappointment...
Hulkamaniac
February 24th, 2008, 10:01 AM
Yeah...obviously Animal Farm, must've gotten distracted. I just didnt find it all that engaging.
EdgeHead469
February 24th, 2008, 10:17 AM
What are some really good Mystery/Thriller books??? I am going out today to buy some new books. I am a huge fan of Harlan Coben if it helps you get a drift of what kind of stuff I like. Thanks!
Bagel
February 24th, 2008, 7:14 PM
I'm almost done reading Lunar Park (Bret Ellis). Probably one of the more entertaining books I've read in recent years. I haven't gotten to Glamorama yet or the Informers but since I've been through all his other stuff it should be on the list.
Mystery-thriller stuff? He doesn't have alot of books out but Boris Starling has three, I think. Found them at a used bookstore a couple years ago (storm and messiah) but recently found another hardcover, Vodka.
Alf
February 24th, 2008, 7:31 PM
I finished The Stand. Loved it.
I love how it doesn't all end happily ever after.
I was a little dis-appointed by the whole 'Hand of god' thing, although I do understand that it was nessecary.
I also didn't really like the way Flagg unravelled rather than being defeated... but the character of Flagg is ace... The Rosk, if you like Flagg then pick up the Dark Tower series as he figures rather heavily in it.
I was pretty gutted about Nick, Larry, Ralph and Glen dying... poor fellas. Larry is a great character and I wish he was used more. I would have liked to have his hit recognised by someone though just to see how he'd deal with it.
Trashy is brilliant. Love him.
Rosk, did you buy the TV series?
Adamy
February 24th, 2008, 10:22 PM
What are some really good Mystery/Thriller books??? I am going out today to buy some new books. I am a huge fan of Harlan Coben if it helps you get a drift of what kind of stuff I like. Thanks!
House Of Leaves by Mark Z Danielewski is kind of a thriller novel. Well, I guess it's really more of a horror novel. Anyway it's great.
Adamy
February 24th, 2008, 10:24 PM
I'm almost done reading Lunar Park (Bret Ellis). Probably one of the more entertaining books I've read in recent years. I haven't gotten to Glamorama yet or the Informers but since I've been through all his other stuff it should be on the list.
Glamorama is really weird. It starts off like exactly how you would expect a Bret Easton Ellis novel world, but then about 170 pages in it becomes a weird self-referential spy novel. I wouldn't really call it good, but it's definitely interesting.
The Rosk
February 25th, 2008, 6:24 AM
I finished The Stand. Loved it.
I love how it doesn't all end happily ever after.
I was a little dis-appointed by the whole 'Hand of god' thing, although I do understand that it was nessecary.
I also didn't really like the way Flagg unravelled rather than being defeated... but the character of Flagg is ace... The Rosk, if you like Flagg then pick up the Dark Tower series as he figures rather heavily in it.
I was pretty gutted about Nick, Larry, Ralph and Glen dying... poor fellas. Larry is a great character and I wish he was used more. I would have liked to have his hit recognised by someone though just to see how he'd deal with it.
Trashy is brilliant. Love him.
Rosk, did you buy the TV series?
Their deaths were heroic... and beautifully done. I fercucking loved the way the two women died in front of Flagg, almost taking their own personal "stand" against evil. People did hum his song but they just didn't make the connection that he was the singer.
I am tempted by the Dark Tower series. Seems like an awful lot of dedication, however.
Alf
February 25th, 2008, 6:26 AM
It's definately worth it.
Pete Cash
February 25th, 2008, 6:45 AM
I wasnt that keen on Animal Park. It was okay, but I never really felt an active enjoyment in it.
Well it is a children's book so it isn't a deep or exciting read. I just like working out all the real life parallels.
Hulkamaniac
February 25th, 2008, 4:57 PM
I still actively enjoy many children's books mate. Just not that one, it was just there.
Alf
March 19th, 2008, 11:42 AM
I picked up The Motorcycle Diaries, The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night, The Diceman (did someone here reccomend that?) and Into The Wild.
Good times.
I'm off to Thailand tomorrow to sit on a beach and read.
Better times.
I'll also have sex with a monkey whilst drinking an extravagant cocktail.
Winkle van Tinkle
March 19th, 2008, 11:44 AM
I'm off to Thailand tomorrow to sit and read.
FUCKING HELL MATE! YOU KNOW HOW TO FUCKING LIVE IT UP!!
Alf
March 19th, 2008, 11:46 AM
How about I live on the point of you peanuty head?
LOCONUT
March 19th, 2008, 2:19 PM
What are some really good Mystery/Thriller books??? I am going out today to buy some new books. I am a huge fan of Harlan Coben if it helps you get a drift of what kind of stuff I like. Thanks!
Coben is one of my favorite guilty pleasures.
Stephen J. Cannell is right up his alley. Read Cold Hit. I think Cannell also wrote and directed the A-team if I remember right...
TRO
March 19th, 2008, 2:22 PM
I picked up The Motorcycle Diaries, The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night, The Diceman (did someone here reccomend that?) and Into The Wild.
Good times.
I'm off to Thailand tomorrow to sit on a beach and read.
Better times.
I'll also have sex with a monkey whilst drinking an extravagant cocktail.
Holy shit that's a lot of good reads. Those are all quality, especially Into the Wild. Far and away my favorite Krakauer book.
Pete Cash
April 11th, 2008, 11:16 AM
god i hate ayn rand.
Craig T. Nelson
April 11th, 2008, 11:20 AM
i read my four stalin books for class and sex in the heartland for another class. im gonna pick up some non liberal arts books for over the summer for something different and mostly to stay sharp for the fall semester. i should read more
Pete Cash
April 11th, 2008, 11:30 AM
Read Nabokov and we can have brunch and discuss his witty jokes.
Craig T. Nelson
April 11th, 2008, 11:42 AM
http://youtube.com/watch?v=PBoncAdclb0
Pete Cash
April 11th, 2008, 11:45 AM
good god man
Alf
April 22nd, 2008, 4:36 AM
The Dice Man was one of the worst books I've ever read.
It's style reminded me of Catch 22, which as you all know I hated.
Parts of Dice Man were decent, but others was like a really shit monty python sketch (which is why I think I hated C22).
Awful. I couldn't wait to finish it.
Now I've started The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time, I'm about 100 pages in an it's already 5 times the book Dice Man was.
Hulkamaniac
April 27th, 2008, 9:46 AM
Well, I finished The Fountainhead, which I rather enjoyed.
Think that I might buy Slaughterhouse Five and move onto that tomorrow.
Hulkamaniac
May 6th, 2008, 5:10 PM
I started reading Lolita a little while ago. Its okay, but having recently read The Fountainhead I'm finding it a little difficult to get into. There just feels like there is no depth to the book. Nabokov writing isnt as fluent and interesting as Rand, sometimes its almost as if he's trying to sound intelligent just for the sake of it. Also, the lead character of Humbert Humbert is nowhere near as fascinating as Howard Roark. Overall its proving to be somewhat of a disappointment comparatively.
Alf
May 6th, 2008, 5:12 PM
Finished Curious Incident... very good, very short. Not sure what it's trying to say though...
I'm reading Into The Wild and it isn't grabbing me.
When I'm done with this I'm all out... anyone got any more reccomendations?
Hulkamaniac
May 6th, 2008, 5:14 PM
I'd read The Fountainhead if I were you mate.
Classic.
Alf
May 6th, 2008, 5:16 PM
OK, will do.
Are you going to pick up Atlas Shrugged?
Hulkamaniac
May 6th, 2008, 5:19 PM
Am I? Too right mate. I'm so on board with her philosophies on stuff. I'll probably read everything she's read.
Alf
May 6th, 2008, 5:24 PM
Her cookbook? It's radical.
Hulkamaniac
May 6th, 2008, 5:25 PM
Erm...everything she's wrote.
Alf
May 6th, 2008, 5:32 PM
That script she wrote for an episode of Dharma and Greg?
Hulkamaniac
May 6th, 2008, 5:34 PM
What?
I did love Jennifer Elman though, cant believe she's dead.
Alf
May 6th, 2008, 5:35 PM
What?
Hulkamaniac
May 6th, 2008, 5:39 PM
What mate?
Hlebsfall
May 6th, 2008, 5:39 PM
I've not delved into any deep reading for a while, think I'll have to stock up on a few classics and go hardcore.
The most I have mustered up recently is reading Goodfellas, which is interesting in that it is quite different to the film. Still has a number of the lines in it though, FUCK YOU PAY ME.
Before that, I read the biopic of Roberto Duran, Hands of Stone, which is a fantastic read even if you're not a fan of boxing. Really good retrospective of his career, which documents a real rags to riches story.
I also read the Ricky Hatton bio, that's a load of shit though, couple hundred pages of him going, 'I'm a real down to earth working class lad from Hattersley I am!' Boring.
Hlebsfall
May 6th, 2008, 5:40 PM
Oh, and Jenna Elfman isn't dead.
Hulkamaniac
May 6th, 2008, 5:41 PM
What?
Hlebsfall
May 6th, 2008, 5:50 PM
Elmore Leonard isn't dead.
cactusmaac
May 6th, 2008, 5:52 PM
I read Primary Colors by Joe Klein this weekend. It captured the tone and tenor of American campaigns very well. Not quite up there with What It Takes by Richard Ben Cramer and Bob Roberts by Tim Robbins, but definitely worth a read. I felt the main character was a passive bore and one of the women in the book was the literary equivalent of nails on a blackboard. That dragged down the overall mark.
The characterisation of the Clintons\Stantons did the best job I've seen in explaining them ; he's an extremely charismatic, friendly and likeable uber-policy wonk who is utterly unwilling to control his womanising. She's a former idealist who became convinced along the way that in order to set the world to rights, you have to obtain power by any means necessary. Obstacles must be smashed through and opponents vilified, denounced and put to flight.
After this, I began hoping Obama would pull off a victory. Hillary cf. her recent statements on Iran, OPEC, elitists etc. is just a little too psychotic for my tastes.
Hlebsfall
May 6th, 2008, 5:57 PM
Anyone got any ideas of some pretentious books I should get, just so I can impress women on the train?
I just want to sit there stroking my chin, laughing to myself knowingly every now and then, making gussets around me soak. I'm thinking maybe some Jean-Paul Sartre or Dostoyevsky.
Hulkamaniac
May 6th, 2008, 6:01 PM
You should try The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand mate. She bring in some really clever philosophy known as 'Objectivism', it really is exceptionally smart.
cactusmaac
May 6th, 2008, 6:08 PM
Philosophy won't impress them. If you read Sartre, they'll think you're having a premature mid-life crisis. Read Rand and they think you'll want to ship grannies on welfare to the knacker's yard.
Try A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khalid Hosseini. It's what all the girls seem to be reading these days.
Bad Collin
May 6th, 2008, 6:14 PM
Anyone got any ideas of some pretentious books I should get, just so I can impress women on the train?
I just want to sit there stroking my chin, laughing to myself knowingly every now and then, making gussets around me soak. I'm thinking maybe some Jean-Paul Sartre or Dostoyevsky.
I've almost finished 'The brothers Karamazov' by Dostoyevsky and I would recommend it.
Hulkamaniac
May 6th, 2008, 6:30 PM
In all seriousness, I'd recommend any Dostoyevsky book. They are all fucking hard work, but incredibly rewarding.
Pete Cash
May 7th, 2008, 11:13 AM
I started reading Lolita a little while ago. Its okay, but having recently read The Fountainhead I'm finding it a little difficult to get into. There just feels like there is no depth to the book. Nabokov writing isnt as fluent and interesting as Rand, sometimes its almost as if he's trying to sound intelligent just for the sake of it. Also, the lead character of Humbert Humbert is nowhere near as fascinating as Howard Roark. Overall its proving to be somewhat of a disappointment comparatively.
for a troll to work it has to be at least believable... thats just retarded.
EDIT
ahaha also nabokov trying to sound intelligent for the sake of it is the point of the novel. HH thinks hes smarter than he is. so i guess... nabokov wins ;) actually what I love about Lolita is how after reading it a few times and a bit of an understanding of the history of literature you can see HH story sort of collapse in a heap. You don't get that kind of skill from many writers.
This seriously would be like me comparing a great movie of all time like the godfather to the waterboy.
Pete Cash
May 7th, 2008, 11:27 AM
Anyone got any ideas of some pretentious books I should get, just so I can impress women on the train?
I just want to sit there stroking my chin, laughing to myself knowingly every now and then, making gussets around me soak. I'm thinking maybe some Jean-Paul Sartre or Dostoyevsky.
Pale Fire by Nabokov is a good choice. Firstly it isn't his most well known book so you won't look cliche (reading a book called lolita might look a bit dodgy on a train anyway) is one of the first examples of post-modern literature and is written by a person considered on of the best writers of the 20th century and he has a foreign last name. You cannot lose with that combo. Plus if a girl notices you reading it and says something you can always say this little zinger, "its a disgrace that Nabokov didn't win the nobel prize for literature. i cannot believe they passed over Nabokov, Graham Greene and Saul Bellow for Eyvind Johnson and Harry Martinson in 1974. I bet it sure helped those two that they happened to be on the judging panel *rolleyes* the nobel prize sure is a joke now days isn't it"
Also he uses a lot of dark humour in his work so you won't look like a giant spastic laughing as you would if you were reading Dusty. Dusty is depressing.
Sartre works well if you want to look like you are big on philosophy and/or marxism.
Pynchon might work even if his humour is ultra crude (but brilliant) he is very hard to read, but very rewarding. So at least it would look like you were up to a challange. Same with Joyce, if you wanted to go the irish pervert (you should read the sex letters he wrote to his wife, holy smokes!) I would go Ulysses even if it is the most cliche book to be reading, even more so than crime and punishment.
I wouldn't read anything older than the 20th century unless you wanted to look like a student. That includes Dostoyevsky, Tolstoy and Gogol. Nobody is falling for that shit on a train.
Pete Cash
May 7th, 2008, 11:31 AM
I would also throw some sarcastic quip in about Saul Bellow while I was doing that nobel prize comment. I would probably call him trite and unimaginative.
Philosophy won't impress them. If you read Sartre, they'll think you're having a premature mid-life crisis. Read Rand and they think you'll want to ship grannies on welfare to the knacker's yard.
Try A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khalid Hosseini. It's what all the girls seem to be reading these days.
Everyone on the train is going to be reading that shit. If he wants to stand out its pretty lame to be reading a book by the guy who wrote the Kite Runner.
EDIT
And Mik's suggestion on Rand is dumb for a few reasons outside of his attempts to troll me. Firstly she is a very bad writer and anyone who knows anything about writing knows that. Bloom said that she couldn't writer her way out of a paper bag for example. Secondly, anyone who knows anything about Rand knows that her politics are especially evil. Sure that might work with some people (middle aged business men) but its not going to attract the young female crowd.
They only real plus that she has as a pick up book so to speak would be that her books are fucking huge. Atlas Shrugged is one of the longest books ever written and the last third of that book is one guy just blabbering on. Its some 100,000 words longer than War and Peace. 645,000 words of garbage.
JoJo the rabid monkey
May 7th, 2008, 12:42 PM
I made it a goal to finish Ulysses before Bloomsday. I will be very proud of myself if I meet this.
Pete Cash
May 7th, 2008, 12:47 PM
Just read Lolita instead... its much better.
cactusmaac
May 7th, 2008, 1:59 PM
Secondly, anyone who knows anything about Rand knows that her politics are especially evil. Sure that might work with some people (middle aged business men)
No, middle-class white college students and pot-smoking computer programmers.
They only real plus that she has as a pick up book so to speak would be that her books are fucking huge. Atlas Shrugged is one of the longest books ever written and the last third of that book is one guy just blabbering on. Its some 100,000 words longer than War and Peace. 645,000 words of garbage.
Whitaker Chambers had the best take on Rand.
Out of a lifetime of reading, I can recall no other book in which a tone of overriding arrogance was so implacably sustained. Its shrillness is without reprieve. Its dogmatism is without appeal. In addition, the mind which finds this tone natural to it shares other characteristics of its type. 1) It consistently mistakes raw force for strength, and the rawer the force, the more reverent the posture of the mind before it. 2) It supposes itself to be the bringer of a final revelation. Therefore, resistance to the Message cannot be tolerated because disagreement can never be merely honest, prudent, or just humanly fallible. Dissent from revelation so final (because, the author would say, so reasonable) can only be willfully wicked. There are ways of dealing with such wickedness, and, in fact, right reason itself enjoins them.
From almost any page of Atlas Shrugged, a voice can be heard, from painful necessity, commanding: "To a gas chamber — go!"
http://www.nationalreview.com/flashback/flashback200501050715.asp
N.E.R.F.
May 7th, 2008, 2:01 PM
Just read Slam by Nick Hornby. Not as intellectual as some of the cunts mentioned above but it's quite a good read. Not as good as Fever Pitch but Hornby's extremely easy to pick up and read and I like his style.
cactusmaac
May 7th, 2008, 2:07 PM
Everyone on the train is going to be reading that shit. If he wants to stand out its pretty lame to be reading a book by the guy who wrote the Kite Runner.
It's a shallow world, Pete.
Hulkamaniac
May 7th, 2008, 2:39 PM
for a troll to work it has to be at least believable... thats just retarded.
EDIT
ahaha also nabokov trying to sound intelligent for the sake of it is the point of the novel. HH thinks hes smarter than he is. so i guess... nabokov wins ;) actually what I love about Lolita is how after reading it a few times and a bit of an understanding of the history of literature you can see HH story sort of collapse in a heap. You don't get that kind of skill from many writers.
This seriously would be like me comparing a great movie of all time like the godfather to the waterboy.
Ahahahaha, it was obviously pitched at the right level for you as even after submitting your post about not biting...you bit. Why do you feel the need to defend your book and justify your hatred of Rand when you KNOW that I'm taking the piss?
Firstly it isn't his most well known book so you won't look cliche (reading a book called lolita might look a bit dodgy on a train anyway)
Ahaha, this is something that I've already noticed. I've barely even started Lolita to be honest, I'm enjoying it so far, but am just too busy to get into it just yet. Hopefully after this week.
And Mik's suggestion on Rand is dumb for a few reasons outside of his attempts to troll me. Firstly she is a very bad writer and anyone who knows anything about writing knows that. Bloom said that she couldn't writer her way out of a paper bag for example. Secondly, anyone who knows anything about Rand knows that her politics are especially evil. Sure that might work with some people (middle aged business men) but its not going to attract the young female crowd.
They only real plus that she has as a pick up book so to speak would be that her books are fucking huge. Atlas Shrugged is one of the longest books ever written and the last third of that book is one guy just blabbering on. Its some 100,000 words longer than War and Peace. 645,000 words of garbage.
In fairness to Rand, I DID enjoy The Fountainhead. However, I found it an incredibly annoying novel at times too. I liked the story and the characters, I liked the way that they were developed and built, when she was allowing them to interact as part of a genuine narrative I liked the book, furthermore I will happily argue that Howard Roark WAS a very good character. With that said, when she was using the novel as a way of pushing her philosophy and views, it did become awfully self-indulgent and preachy and I disliked it. There were a couple of times when her characters went on long monologues that I actually skipped a few pages because I was so bored by it (something that I can never remember having done before) and sick of reading her over-bloated views contrived into dialogue. Overall, its probably best that The Fountainhead is likely to be the only book of hers that I'll ever read. If Atlas' Shrugged is what it sounds like it'd be, I'd probably hate it.
Pete Cash
May 7th, 2008, 9:30 PM
You would probably have to skip about a third of the novel. I am seriously not shitting you about how long John Galts speech goes for.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlas_Shrugged#Galt.27s_speech
John Galt's speech is the core of Atlas Shrugged. In it, Galt explains the philosophy of Objectivism. The speech encompasses metaphysical, epistemological, ethical, and political ideas.
The speech is very long, spanning 56 pages in one paperback edition (the only interruption occurs after the first paragraph), and appears in the chapter "This is John Galt Speaking" in the third section of the book.[5] Later in the book, the speech is referred to as being approximately three hours long.
If that isn't the worst thing in the history of literature than I would be suprised.
Hulkamaniac
June 19th, 2008, 6:42 PM
As a result of now getting the bus to work again, I've been reading quite a bit lately. Worked my way through Slaughterhouse 5, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. I now dont know whether to pick Lolita back up again, or to move onto The Road by Cormac McCarthy. I still think that Lolita might be a job for summer...when I cant be seen reading it by kids I teach who then get the right end of the stick.
Pete Cash
June 20th, 2008, 6:14 AM
Slaughterhouse five actually annoys me when I read it.
Alf
June 20th, 2008, 6:28 AM
I'm re-reading The Road.
Bleak.
Mik, you will love it. The descriptions of the world remind me of Sunderland :)
Hulkamaniac
June 20th, 2008, 7:03 AM
Slaughterhouse five actually annoys me when I read it.
It was okay, didnt love it, didnt mind it.
Curious Incident was the best out of the three.
Decided to pick up Lolita again.
Ringo
June 20th, 2008, 7:04 AM
Curious Incident is nice, but The Road is fucking buff.
My book review.
Alf
June 20th, 2008, 7:08 AM
Curious incident was 'nice' but that's about it. The Road chews it up.
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