what are you reading?

mamemeister · Post by **mamemeister** » Thu Jun 02, 2005 6:24 pm 0

Not a big book fan, just finished 'The Godfather' all about Arthur Thomson the infamous ganster who ruled Glasgow for 30 years.

Currently reading 'The Paul Ferris Conspiracy' who worked as an enforcer for Arthur Thomson.

Hmm, a pattern is beginning to form here

Junosix · Post by **Junosix** » Thu Jun 02, 2005 6:38 pm 0

Just read The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time by Mark Haddon, of which some lines had me pissing myself with laughter. Now reading How Would You Move Mount Fuji, all about Microsoft interviews.

justinhj · Post by **justinhj** » Thu Jun 02, 2005 6:52 pm 0

BlackJedi wrote:
20thCenturyBoy wrote:So...no-one reading Dan Brown then?
Don't get me started on Dan Bloody Brown. I have been known to rant for half an hour on The Da Vinci Code.

See, I like a bit of trash. I'm willing to read any old rubbish, no matter how badly written or how cliched - I'm renowned for getting enjoyment out of just about anything. I'm as unintellectual as someone who's read Sophocles in ancient Greek can be; I read a lot of kids' books for a start. But The Da Vinci Code was just too much for me - ideas recycled from The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail, cardboard characters, appalling dialogue, no pacing, a plot that relied almost entirely on coincidence, and an ending that made me physically cringe... I am at a complete loss how this book has done so well.

I even gave the bugger another chance and bought Digital Fortress. Big mistake. It's just as bad.

(No offence if anyone actually likes his books - I'm glad someone can enjoy them, no matter how incomprehensible I find it.)

I judge how much I like an author by how far I get through the book before I put it down. In the case of Nick Hornby, Douglas Coupland and Douglas Adams for example I usually finish their books in one sitting if I can.

Neil Stephenson's latest trilogy is just so immense it's taking me a long time to read, yet I read snow crash and the diamond age pretty quick.

I'm currently reading the second in that trilogy, a book on AI and lisp, googlewhacked and douglas adam's biography.

PaulEMoz · Post by **PaulEMoz** » Thu Jun 02, 2005 7:05 pm 0

Nothing.

Not really very clever of me, I'm just not in a reading phase at the moment. Although the new Preston-Child Pendergast novel comes out in a fortnight, so I'll be reading that as soon as.

Tetra Elemental · Post by **Tetra Elemental** » Thu Jun 02, 2005 7:06 pm 0

The non-fiction book I've got on the go at the moment is "The End Of Oil" by Paul Roberts.

Current novel is "The Stress Of Her Regard" by Tim Powers, a fantasy novel about a bloke who accidentally marries a life-sucking vampire. It features real historical characters, such as Byron, Shelley and Keats.

sam c · Post by **sam c** » Thu Jun 02, 2005 7:30 pm 0

SimSimSan wrote:Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell - I'd recommend every one of this books, very well written and structured. Gripping, interesting, thought-provoking, ah good stuff.

Oh good stuff, I just bought this to take with me on my hols next week, not read any of his other stuff but it had such a good write up I thought I'd give it a chance.

I'm currently reading Smokescreen by Robert Sabbag. It is uber fucking cool, about US pot smugglers in the 70's flying high grade ganja out of Columbia. Very well written and hilariously funny in places.

betamax · Post by **betamax** » Fri Jun 03, 2005 12:13 am 0

Njal wrote:
cyric100 wrote:Salmon Of Doubt
What's it like? I'm kind of apprehensive about reading it, with it being unfinished and everything.

It's a vitally important book. The unfinished bits will tug at your soul, but the insight into Adam's life and though processes more than makes up for that.

betamax · Post by **betamax** » Fri Jun 03, 2005 12:15 am 0

Junosix wrote:Just read The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time by Mark Haddon

Interesting story too. It's like the boy is a rock around which the stream of the adult world washes, never moving him.

Fil · Post by **Fil** » Fri Jun 03, 2005 12:32 am 0

I currently reading an old book about the crusades from the 1960's that I picked up from the local Oxfam bookshop.

I recommend the Gormenghast series, they're very heavy going in parts but very atmospheric. For a lighter Mervyn Peake read, try "Mr Pye" its a heartwarming piece of fluff which can't fail to satisfy.

ophion · Post by **ophion** » Fri Jun 03, 2005 1:58 am 0

Reading: Force Majeure for pleasure
Re-reading: Middlemarch for pedagogy

Darkflame · Post by **Darkflame** » Fri Jun 03, 2005 2:19 am 0

Just finnished Science Of Discworld 3: Darwins Watch.
Very good, they seem to share almost all my beliefs as well which is nice

(time travel non-paradoxs, and stepping on an-ant-only-changes-the future-if-its-the-right-ant ect :p)

Currently reading HellBlazer: Original Sins in between catching up on New Scientist issues. (got a subscription and for some reason I read 0.8 a week)

Saad · Post by **Saad** » Fri Jun 03, 2005 2:29 am 0

George Orwell, Homage to Catalonia.

After that I have "Goodbye Mr. Chips" to read as well.

Saad.

texluh1138 · Post by **texluh1138** » Fri Jun 03, 2005 5:45 am 0

Last Exit to Brooklyn

by Hubert Selby Jnr.

the2bears · Post by **the2bears** » Fri Jun 03, 2005 6:02 am 0

The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami... I like it, as I have all his other books. But for some reason I can't keep a decent pace with this. I'll read a 100 or so pages in a couple days, then a week goes by without touching it.

Good thing I can remember what happened when I open it up again. Be a bit of a pain to start over each week

Bill

5th Earth · Post by **5th Earth** » Fri Jun 03, 2005 6:53 am 0

"Schild's Ladder" by Greg Egan.

Awesome book. Make my brain hurt though.