Whatcha reading?

Post by **ilikecheese** » Sun Mar 17, 2013 5:04 pm

hellboy1975 said
Ah sorry, semantics is the key here. Â There are several biographies out there, but no autobiographies.

doh

Post by **ilikecheese** » Sun Mar 17, 2013 5:05 pm

crow011 said

James said
Currently reading Frankenstein for school, and I've been reading through Fight Club again in my free time. In German we are reading a coming-of-age story called Krabat, which is about an orphan who becomes a student of black magic.

Do you know how the story came about in the first place?

I wish I was part of an awesome circle of talented wankers.

EDIT: That came out wrong. I love "FRANKENSTEIN". But still, I would have loved to have been a part of that circle.

-some called it profundities class;

I called it good opium-

Busty McCracken · Post by **Busty McCracken** » Sun Mar 17, 2013 10:47 pm

Yeah I was pretty bloody hungover yesterday.. Plain & simply fucked up.. Was just an unofficial biography.

And Crow, that's a pretty bloody scathing review of Catcher, but 2 out of 3 wins so I'll be going that before Moby dick.. I'll report back when she's finished..

Post by **The Boss** » Sun Mar 17, 2013 11:21 pm

Busty McCracken said
Yeah I was pretty bloody hungover yesterday.. Plain & simply fucked up.. Was just an unofficial biography.

And Crow, that's a pretty bloody scathing review of Catcher, but 2 out of 3 wins so I'll be going that before Moby dick.. I'll report back when she's finished..

It's rare for me to hate a book. Even a lousy one still has SOME redeeming qualities.

Not "CATCHER IN THE RYE", though.

Busty McCracken · Post by **Busty McCracken** » Sun Mar 17, 2013 11:35 pm

Haha, am so intrigued right now.. 2 people call it a masterpiece & you say it's got no redeeming features.. To the library I shall go this week & find out for myself..Â

phox_ · Post by **phox_** » Mon Mar 18, 2013 1:54 am

Reading "The Diamond Age" by Stephenson right now.Â I liked "Cryptonomicon" and "Anathem" by him.Â Also, I'm on Goodreads.

Post by **ilikecheese** » Mon Mar 18, 2013 8:33 am

Post by **Kittaan** » Mon Mar 18, 2013 11:27 am

I have to throw my lot in with the + side of Catcher In The Rye. Â It's been decades since I read it, but I enjoyed it at the time (High School iirc). Â Probably worth revisiting, and interested to see where I'd fall now.

Just finished Anna Karenina, simply because my wife got a Kindle recently and I chose the first free book that looked remotely interesting to give it a whirl. Â I didn't think I'd get past a few pages, but it caught my interest so I stuck with it. Â Hadn't tried Tolstoy since War and Peace, which is quite dense and never finished it. Â Just snagged that for $.99 (quite a deal) and giving it another go. Â

I find it pretty striking how much of the subject matter in Karenina still resonates today having been written in the 1800's.

N.Y.H.C. · Post by **N.Y.H.C.** » Mon Mar 18, 2013 5:09 pm

finally dipping into my Christmas present.

gamebounty · Post by **gamebounty** » Mon Mar 25, 2013 8:52 am

VALIS by Philip K Dick. Holy shit this book is good. I'm on page 30 and it's already one of my favorite books.

N.Y.H.C. · Post by **N.Y.H.C.** » Mon Mar 25, 2013 11:45 am

gamebounty said
VALIS by Philip K Dick. Holy shit this book is good. I'm on page 30 and it's already one of my favorite books.

I read "the Unteleported Man" two winters ago, I was showing signs of schizophrenia by page 30. he was a mad man!! fantastically original writer though. I've never heard anyone utter the phrase "it's like a Philip K. Dick book" in my entire life.

Post by **UndKeineZwEier** » Tue Apr 09, 2013 5:25 pm

It's pretty fascinating.

Post by **ilikecheese** » Wed Apr 10, 2013 2:51 pm

UndKeineEier said

It's pretty fascinating.

I would totally check this out. Â

love me some Â potatoes

Hell, where would we be without them?

Post by **UndKeineZwEier** » Wed Apr 10, 2013 2:54 pm

I was already on Amazon so I decided to look it up.Â It was the first suggestion when I typed in The History...

Cheapest is $35.00 used.

There are several other Potato History books.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_ ... Caps%2C280

Post by **ilikecheese** » Wed Apr 10, 2013 2:55 pm

oh...and I'm gonna give another run at the art of war starting tonight. Â I've only picked at it in the past.

Post by **UndKeineZwEier** » Thu Apr 25, 2013 8:43 pm

Oral Sex, a Knife Fight and Then Sperm Still Impregnated Girl

trustinmeandfall · Post by **trustinmeandfall** » Thu Apr 25, 2013 9:26 pm

The Malazan Book of the Fallen - 10 book series

Post by **badkittygothgirl** » Fri Apr 26, 2013 3:01 am

thesheedspot · Post by **thesheedspot** » Fri Apr 26, 2013 7:29 am

V. - Thomas Pynchon

Also started the Great Gatsby (never read it)

I would highly recommend reading The Devil in The White City by Erik Larson.

phox_ · Post by **phox_** » Fri Apr 26, 2013 7:40 am

Trying to read The Diamond Age by Stephenson, but I just can't get into it.

Post by **The Boss** » Fri Apr 26, 2013 7:46 am

thesheedspot said
V. - Thomas Pynchon

Also started the Great Gatsby (never read it)

I would highly recommend reading The Devil in The White City by Erik Larson.

Wouldn't do "THE GREAT GATSBY" if I were you. Too many other GREAT books (in both meanings of the word). Read "MOBY DICK"?

I'm going to hit a Bukowski novel next after "FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS". Not sure which one.

After that, probably something weird. Would like to re-read Borges, but I don't want to cheat my short time on Earth re-reading something. Then again, I'm a firm believer in absurdism (making your own path and truth), so if it supplies me with "happiness", then why not?

Oh, and I'll just leave this here: http://listverse.com/2008/01/22/top-15- ... c-writers/

Carver isn't on it, so that's grounds for instant dismissal. Though there is still a lot of great stuff in that list.

What people don't understand when they talk about "alcoholic writers" (and what a cute term that is) is this - you must be in pain to write. Look at all of the greats. All of them. They may not have been alcoholics; but they were all fucked up. I can't name a single poet I adore who wasn't either a fucking drunk, or didn't really have access to it. Or, went a different route.

"THE GREAT GATSBY". Sure, Fitzgerald had what it took - but he didn't HAVE it, you know? Go with his buddy HEMINGWAY, if I were you. Both pathetic drunks, but only one of them had true balls and courage; both as a writer, and as a human being.

Aaaaaand this is why I'll never be a high school English teacher. You're welcome world. You win this round.

thesheedspot · Post by **thesheedspot** » Fri Apr 26, 2013 7:54 am

im not really that into the great gatsby, honestly. just wanted to read it bc its a "classic" and im sure ill see the movie at some point. (leo...SWOON)

if you want to read something weird read anything by pynchon. ive read all his books and my favorite is vineland, which is ironic since its critically his least well reviewed. then again, my least favorite of all his books is gravitys rainbow which is supposed to be his magnum opus.

Post by **badkittygothgirl** » Fri Apr 26, 2013 7:56 am

I gave up on Hemingway after reading Old Man and the Sea. Â

Post by **The Boss** » Fri Apr 26, 2013 8:06 am

thesheedspot said
im not really that into the great gatsby, honestly. just wanted to read it bc its a "classic" and im sure ill see the movie at some point. (leo...SWOON)

if you want to read something weird read anything by pynchon. ive read all his books and my favorite is vineland, which is ironic since its critically his least well reviewed. then again, my least favorite of all his books is gravitys rainbow which is supposed to be his magnum opus.

Ah, PYNCHON. Nice one. I've been overlooking him for years. Thanks for the solid heads-up.

With regard to your current book - don't read something because you feel you HAVE to. The "classics" are such, for several reasons - unfortunately, "readability" isn't necessarily one of them. It's not a mutually exclusive thing. "MOBY DICK", for example, is one of the hardest things most people will read. I, personally, loved it, because it was funny as all fuck, and I got to learn EVERY SINGLE THING ABOUT WHALES EVER. Most people I know don't finish it - then again, I hate hate hate SALINGER, so I guess all things are even.

Reading, no matter what it is, should be a pleasure. If you find yourself swamped, sift through for a little. Give it your all. If it STILL doesn't work, get out. It's not for you.

Don't be afraid to try something like "WUTHERING HEIGHTS" or "THE SECRET GARDEN". Both might seem to be bitch-books on paper, but there's a lot of entertainment in them. The former is one of my favourites of all time. Don't be afraid to hit the obvious, either - ORWELL, WELLS, HUXLEY, et al. Those guys are still way ahead of the curve.

I would recommend "LABYRINTHS" by LUIS BORGES to every single person on the planet. I kind of think to be a TOOL fan, you almost HAVE to read it. You might laugh, but once you do it, you'll realise why I said that.

Thanks again for PYNCHON.

Post by **The Boss** » Fri Apr 26, 2013 8:06 am

badkittygothgirl said
I gave up on Hemingway after reading Old Man and the Sea. Â

I want to say that you're dead to me, but I just can't.