Reading at the moment 2003

[Izaack]

I know I haven't been keeping up to date with what I'm reading, but that's because many of them have been a little obscure - either that, or I forget the author's name, so the post would make little sense.

But now I've finally started to read my first ever Stephen King novel - the shining. I've seen the film ages ago, and picked up the book last week. I'm not finished yet, so please don't spoil it for me, but I'm a little scared, and books don't usually scare me! I'm loving it - anyone have any suggestions for other good King books?

What are you all reading?

[Sido Corleone]

I tried a few stephen king stories, then decided they were really not that good and pretty much a waste of time. I am simulaniously reading Plato's Timiaios and Kritias, Nietzsche's Revaluating All Values and this weeks Donald Duck.

[Cogito]

Oh man, I've been lagging badly on my reading. I'm doing a few pages on the last book of LOTR.

But also got Ender's Game unfinished (just a chapter or two -- I've read Ender's Shadow, so I had kinda knew the plot outline, making it not so exciting, I guess.

Also gotten into a really good autobiography of a US soldier, called About Face, which is really excellent. The guy is a heavily decorated, blood & guts kinda dude, old soldier. But the book is truthful enough to describe real things, like how he tried to injure himself with a grenade, so he could get a "million dollar wound" and be sent home -- the guy is honest enough to say that it was pretty much just luck that stopped him from doing it. That kinda honestly is pretty rare, and makes for good reading.

Just read a few pages of a slightly amateurishly written (or perhaps it's just old) called Bad Boys, which are mostly interviews with criminals, and their tales.

I probably got more unfinished books laying around too. I'm easily distracted.

That's quite a selection you got there Sido. Donald Duck?

[Sido Corleone]

It's a good issue. I'm thinking of reinstating my membership.

[Film Hobbit]

Ah, I wish people would read Ender's Game BEFORE Ender's Shadow.

I'm not doing much reading lately. The only thing I'm reading right now is the latest issue of Total Movie magazine.

Total Movie USED to be a great movie mag... funny, tongue in cheek, smart enough not to ever take itself to seriously.

This issue is a huge departure from that. They are trying to APPEAR to be lighthearted and sarcastic... but this is some of the most PRETENTIOUS adn anal retentive movie reading I've ever done. Very sad, Total Movie has just gone from my favorite movie magazine to one of my most hated. Ugh.

[Valkary]

Just finished reading Michael Moore's "Stupid White Men"

[Film Hobbit]

How is it? Moore is sometimes interesting to listen to.

Loved the show he used to have, in particular the episode where he stood at the Canadien/American border handing out guns to Canadians as they entered the country.

[Valkary]

almost as interesting as the book is the story behind it's publication.

It deals primarily with his dissatsifaction with the current political state of affairs, but was finished in mid 2001.

Then, it was supposed to be published in (I belive) november of 2001, but 9-11 happened.

The book was 'put on hold' by the publishers. They felt that publishing a book critical of Bush and his friends was unpatriotic.

Eventually, the books taht had already been to press were scheduled for shredding and the book was not going to be released. Moore was told that there was 'no market' for this book and it would cost more to release it than the profits gained.

Moore told his story to a convention of Librarians and they went NUTS.

Moore's publisher calls him up and says 'WHAT DID YOU SAY TO THE LIBRARIANS!???'

The publisher decided it was better to lose money on the unpatriotic book than to have the Librarians pissed at you so they did a limited release,

That relesase sold out in 1 day.

Then they printed more.

THAT sold out.

Now it has spent several weeks at the top of the NY times best seller list.

As to the book itself, I agree with about 85% of what he has to say, and the skeletons he lets out of the closet about Bush and the Bush family are pretty amazing (all documented in the back of the book)

It's definitely worth a read, I had to read it a bit at a time though to aid digestion.

[Film Hobbit]

Who is frightened of LIBRARIANS??? Weird.

I don't really necessarily agree with anything he has to say, but that doesn't mean I can't enjoy hearing his viewpoints and the style in which he espouses them. Not many people can do that, be interesting, regardless of whether or not you agree with what their saying, but Moore does that well.

[Cogito]

Michael Moore's Roger and Me was simply ingenious. It was an utter milestone in movie making -- documentaries in particular, of course.

His follow-up was a real let-down, even thought it was impressive to see him battle the Nike CEO -- the bigshot obviously thought himself FAR too clever to be beaten by Moore, but sadly, he was halfway right. Moore never did manage to make a fool out of him. He did manage to make him look unsympathetic, but anyone could do that. This proved an important point: The success of Roger and Me relied on guerilla tactics. It required that Michael Moore was a complete unknown.

His TV nation series was superb -- although I only caught a few of the episodes. But that was the only good thing I caught him doing, since Roger and Me.

His book, Downsize THIS, was just tedious as all hell.

And some article I saw by him recently, where he went completely off the deep end, on racial issues, just put the nail in the coffin, as far as my opinion on this dude.

Having said that, I am extremely glad his latest book did get published in its original version. I accept, and completely understand that the climate following 9/11 was unique, but still -- it should not have been stopped. Hell, I dunno, it may all have been a nefarious method to drum up publicity about the book.

Still, if it was comparable to "Downsize THIS!" it is not a good read.

[Valkary]

Who's frightened of Librarians?

Book publishers.

Think about it, who wins in that PR war?

[Film Hobbit]

Why? Seriously, who goes to the library all that much anymore? How much power do library buying choices REALLY have over book publishers? Is that what they are afraid of? a library boycott?

Just curious. It's kinda cool to think Librarians actually have pull :)

Though... on a related issue, it is nice to see Librarians come out against censorship, I always picture the old librarian at my local library as being one of the first to burn Huck Finn or something, hehe.

[Abscynthe02]

I've got four books in circulation at the moment: Complete Idiot's Guide to Astronomy, Cry Wolf by Tami Hoag, Teach Yourself Gaelic, and Out of the Shadows: An Exploration of Dark Paganism and Magick. First time I've read more nonfiction than fiction before.

[I Am MikeyP]

re-reading 'theif of time' by terry pratchett.

I'll have some reading time soon though - 2 weeks working in Poland.

[filmnoir2]

reading two books currently:

"From the Corner of His Eye"--Dean Koontz
"The Big U"--Neal Stephenson

[TheReelCritic]

Why? Seriously, who goes to the library all that much anymore? How much power do library buying choices REALLY have over book publishers? Is that what they are afraid of? a library boycott?

Talk to my mother some time - she's a librarian. You'll find that a great deal of the power in the literary world lies in their hands...and nobody knows it.

[Film Hobbit]

I gotta think that the advent of the internet has been murder on libraries. I used to practially LIVE at the library in my home town. Then we got a computer.

[TheReelCritic]

I still live at the library.

[Film Hobbit]

The dumpster behind it does not count. :p

I've gotten in the bad habit of PURCHASING what I want to read. This habit began when I had read EVERY book of interest in the small town libarary near my house back home.

Went to the library here a couple of times... it sucks and they have nothing of note that I haven't already read.

It's not easy being literate.

[Christine the bean]

I'm currently reading a book about post mortum adventures of famous people (as in weird stories of corpses of famous people.) Probably the weirdest story I've come across so far is about what happened to Louis IIIIv's heart. It was embalmed, stolen from his tomb, sold and passed around before ending up with an eccentric scientist. This scientist considered most things organic to be meal-worthy, and one day ate Louis' heart for dinner. It was at least a couple of generations old by that point, I might add. Ick!

I'm also still reading LOTR.

[whoozyerdaddy]

Currently re-reading the Dark Tower series by King to prepare for the fifth installment that is supposed to come out this year.

[Marty Rotten]

POSITIVELY 4TH STREET by David Hajdu. It's a non fiction account of the early New York and Boston folk music scene, focusing primarily on Joan Baez, Bob Dylan and Richard and Mimi Farina (Mimi being Joan Baez's sister). It's pretty interesting.

[Christine the bean]

I just finished reading White Oleander by Janet Fitch, and although I recommend the book, I must add that it's a female-oriented book. Female having to deal with other females, and from a feminine persective. The film is out October 11. From who I know is casted, I'd have to say the physical side of the characters were well cast. <img src=http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/smile.gif ALT=":)">

I'm now reading Love Invents Us by Amy Bloom. It's about a girl, a boy, and a man that know each other, growing and meeting again later in life. So far it isn't too bad, but I'm still at the part of the girl... she was rather an ugly (and overweight) duckling until high school.

[I Am MikeyP]

Just saw that a new 'shadow' book has been released in hard back - anyone want to tell me if its worth the cs, or do I wait till paper back (or get my arse down to the library)

[ArcticEmpress]

i hear Shadow Puppets ranks somewhere between Ender's Shadow and Shadow of the Hedgemon. if that says anything to you. I'll ask my husband to reply. He's a bigger OSC fan than I.

what I'm reading now:
Sword of Shannara
The King's Peace
Magic of Recluce
Spell for a Chameleon
Lure of the Basilisk
Oathbound
The Moon is a Harsh Mistress

guess which genre i like.

[Christine the bean]

Love Invents Us was rather boring and I don't recommend it.

I'm now reading another BTVS novel. It's set in season five and is about Willow's drama class, which connects her in some mystical way to Spike and magical spells in Roman plays. Not far into it yet, but the part I'm at is a flashback of Spike during his human days as William and his thirst for theater watching.

[legna]

I am reading Stonehedge by Bernard Cornwell. It's actually VERY good. Less historical than I thought it was going to be.

[Film Hobbit]

I'm jumping in to Wheel of TIme Book #5, but as soon as I'm through I've got the latest New Jedi order book, "Traitor" waiting for me.

I'd sort of stopped reading the New Jedi Order series, but apparently this one FINALLY gets around to telling what the heck happend to Jacen Solo, so I couldn't resist.

[Marty Rotten]

FRAME UP By Andy Edmonds. The story of the rise and fall of silent film star Roscoe ("Fatty") Arbuckle, whose went from being the highest paid movie star of his day to a monsterous disgrace overnight due to being accused in a case of rape and murder at a San Francisco party. It's pretty intersting so far.

[err7]

Dragons of Winter Night by Tracy Hickman and Margaret Weis. And I am enjoying every word.

[drdoom2099]

I'm reading Return of the King.

[DominationCalifornication]

The Art of Zen and Motorcycle Maintence. Although I'll probably have to put it on the backburner for Crossroads of Twilight.

[err7]

Dom I had to read that for a college class. The most boring thing I ever read.

[drdoom2099]

I'm going to re-read Mostly Harmless.

[Fafhrd1]

I'm currently reading these books, all roughly at the same time:

1. <em>The Wheel of Time: Book 10: Crossroads of Twlilight</em> by Robert Jordan

2. <em>The Threatening Storm: The Case for Invading Iraq</em> by Kenneth Pollack

3. <em>Carnage and Culture: Landmark Battles in the Rise of Western Power</em> by Victor Davis Hanson

4. <em>The Silmarilion</em> by JRR Tolkien

Fafhrd

[masterthes]

I'm 80 pages short of finishing Lord of Chaos by Robert Jordan, with book 7 waiting in the wings.

[Arctic]

Robin Hobb's Liveship Trader series
Guy Gavriel Kay's Sailing to Sarantium
Andre Norton's Elvenblood
Holdstock's Mythago Wood

[Doom]

Reading American Gods by Neil Gaiman.

[Wiggum]

Kitchen Confidential - Anthony Bourdain
Kavalier & Clay - Michael Chabon
Black House - S. King & P. Straub (to those of you have read Dark Tower this is a must, and will assuage your appetite for Roland a little.)

Hey, its too damn cold to go outside in the upper midwest.:beer

[Ranthium]

I recently recieved an order of books which contained:

Crossrod of Twilight - Robert Jordan
Path of the Dead - Steven Brust
Golden Fool - Robin Hobb
Starman - Sara Duuglass

After these my wife is going to have me read the Philip Pullman's "His Dark Materials" Trilogy.

[masterthes]

And we are on to Book 9: Winter's Heart. So far, much better than Path of Daggers.

[Brian]

StarCraft#3: Speed Of Darkness by Tracy Hickman

and

Ripley's Believe It or Not! Encyclopedia Of The Bizarre by Julie Mooney

[Bebop]

Finishing up the Belgariad/Mallorean series by Eddings with Polgara the Sorceress..after that I have King's Everything's Eventual and Gaiman's American Gods patiently waiting to be read.
Izzack, if you are still looking for a good king book, I especially liked The Stand, Needful Things and It. Or you can try heading into the Dark Tower Series, except it's still not finished, so you'd be left hanging.

[Cogito]

In my brave attempt at dealing with my embarrassing and enormous stash of books bought in an ambitious mood, then left unread -- I've just finished The Epic of Gilgamesh, and am now nibbling my way through Beowulf.

[Arctic]

i really liked Beowulf. there was a movie made of it not too long ago that was decent in a Highlander sort of way.

i'm about to start Death of the Necromancer.

[Josh]

Well I've just started digging into the latest Dune book, Dune: House Corrino written by Frank Herbert's son with some help from Kevin J. Anderson.

I continue to be surprised by how well written these are. Granted, they aren't as good as the work of his father, but they are still quite decent.

[Arctic]

about halfway through Chamber of Secrets. i'm trying to finish it before renting the movie for my second viewing.

[masterthes]

I am almost halfway done with Tolkien's The Silmarilion.

[Josh]

Originally posted by Tripolie
StarCraft#3: Speed Of Darkness by Tracy Hickman

and

Ripley's Believe It or Not! Encyclopedia Of The Bizarre by Julie Mooney

Hey Trip, this StarCraft#3 is one of the books based on the game I take it? Are they any good? The game remains my all time favorite, and the story in it is pretty fantastic. I'm curious how it stacks up in novel form.

[Josh]

Currently Reading:

Simultaneously...

Cervantes' Don Quixote
and
Star Wars - The New Jedi Order: Destiny's Way


I'd nearly given up on the Star Wars books, they'd gotten so miserably depressing, 8-10 books of nothing but people losing and dying. Got annoying. But they've actually started winning again, it is somewhat interesting once more... though Destiny's Way seems to be BADLY dragging things out. :\

[MartyRotten]

Don Quixote! Great choice!

I'm currently reading CHELSEA HOTEL HORROR by Dee Dee Ramone. (I just finished LOBOTOMY: SUVIVING THE RAMONES by Dee Dee. He was a pretty good writer actually.)

[fafhrd]

What I'll probably be reading this summer:

Currently reading What Went Wrong? Western Impact and Middle Eastern Response by Bernard Lewis

I'll be reading:
-The Reality Dysfunction: Part 2 Expansion, by Peter F. Hamilton
-A Game of Thrones: Fire & Ice book 1, by George R.R. Martin
-Steel My Soldiers' Hearts by Col. David Hackworth and and Eilhys England
-Shadow of a Dark Queen: Serpentwar book 1 by Raymond E. Feist
-Vietnam: The Necessary War by Michael Lind
-Fighting for the Future by Ralph Peters
-How Far From Austerlitz? by Alistair Horne
-The Fall of Berlin, 1945 by Anthony Beevor
-A Blood-Dimmed Tide by Gerald Astor
-The Pacific War, 1931-1945 by Saburo Ienaga
-Hirohito and the Making of Modern Japan by Herbert Bix
-Field of Dishonor by David Weber
-The Silmarilion by J.R.R. Tolkien
-Dune by Frank Herbert (reread)
-On War by Carl von Clausewitz

I may also re-read The Wheel of Time if time permits.

Fafhrd

[Cogito]

Nice list you got there! I'm on the third Song & Ice book myself; A Storm of Swords. It's a little lenghty compared to the others, but still very good. Very interesting story turns.

[Josh]

Originally posted by MartyRotten
Don Quixote! Great choice!


I'm continually amazed by how funny Cervantes actually is :)

[masterthes]

Pet Sematary by Stephen King

[fafhrd]

Originally posted by Cogito
Nice list you got there! I'm on the third Song & Ice book myself; A Storm of Swords. It's a little lenghty compared to the others, but still very good. Very interesting story turns.

Thanks Cogs, although my list probably will change a thousand times over during the summer :)

I've already read the prolouge for A Game of Thrones and the writing seems really sharp.

Btw, if anyone wants a good read, go read Raymond E. Feist's Riftwar Saga. Good stuff!

Fafhrd

[Doom]

Carter Beats the Devil, forget who it's by though. Also reading To Kill a Mockingbird and Time Machine.

[Arctic]

Otherland by Tad Williams. i really like this one so far.
The Last Unicorn by Beagle
and still trying to work my way through Death of the Necromancer by Martha Wells. not a bad story, just hasn't really gripped me yet.

[masterthes]

Pet Sematary is done. On to Misery.

[legna]

How Few Remain by Harry Turtledove. Alternate history- COOL.

[Tick]

Legna, did you like Harry Mulisch his writing style?
If so, I really think you would want to read Siegfried.
It's the most interesting mix of historical facts with fiction, you'd love it as a historynut.
It tells the story of people who were employed at Adolf Hitlers mansion during the 1940's.

Very good stuff and it's only a thin book, nothing like some of his other work ;)

[crappertay]

Imajica by Clive Barker.


Alternate "dominions" inhabited by weirdy folk influenced by earth culture, androgynous assasins, dopplegangers, disturbing scenes, many characters introduced and dispatched in mere pages.

Weird. weird. weird.

[Arctic]

weird good or weird bad?

currently reading Ishmael, on the suggestion of a friend. interesting world view.

[crappertay]

Weird like A.I. done full-on Kubrick style instead of Spielberg, lol!

[Arctic]

weird. but sounds good to me :).


done with Ishmael. now starting either the Fool's Errand by Robin Hobb, or the second Otherland book by Tad Williams.

[Abscynthe]

Currently reading simultaneously:

Pillars of Creation by Terry Goodkind
The Tao of Physics. I've actually been trying to read this for awhile now; heavy reading, and since I don't have time to read except right before bed, it's a little hard to sink into metaphysics and then sleep.
A Game of Thrones. I picked the first two in the series since they came so highly recommended by several on this board, but haven't really gotten too far into it, though.

As soon as I can get it from my friend, I'll be reading the newest Harry Potter. I think I've read 4 books at one time before, but I can't remember when!

Bebop, a few months ago I finished Everything's Eventual. Decent, wasn't too impressed with a few of the stories (since it's been awhile since I read it and it's currently out on loan I don't remember which ones) but I really liked several of them. I've just about given up on Stephen King, though.

[Into]

I've just started reading Return of the King. I haven't even read TTT or FOTR before, but I've seen the films, and I'm too anxious for ROTK, plus I wanted to actually read the book. I was also thinking about starting a Stephen King novel, but I scratched that idea until I finish ROTK.

[Bordick]

I made the same mistake with Hannibal......I read the book first and was far too judgmental on the film......only until about a year and a half did I come to my senses

[Into]

Originally posted by Bordick
I made the same mistake with Hannibal......I read the book first and was far too judgmental on the film......only until about a year and a half did I come to my senses

I've already considered that, and I am going to make it a point to not be that judgemental on the film of ROTK. I loved the first two films, and I'm sure I'll love ROTK.

[Bordick]

I loved silence of the lambs, but subconsiously you'll point out all the missing and added things.....trust me....anybody who's read the book of a movie before it was a movie does it.

[Into]

I understand what you are saying, but what I'm saying is that I can go into the movie and forget that I even read the book..just start from where I left off on TTT.

Edit: It is VERY rare that I actually read novels, I might not even finish the book before the movie comes out anyway.

[Bordick]

put it this way, you've waited this long.....I mean c'mon what's another 5 months.....you're halfway there

[Into]

Uh, I already explained that. I wanted to read the book anyway.:)

[Bordick]

Whatever floats your boat cap'n

[Into]

Hopefully this will.

[Into]

I have stopped reading ROTK for fear that it will ruin the film for me (only for the fact that I don't know what happens at the end, etc) I'd like to go into the theater not knowing anything that happens in the movie, then read the books later. So, yeah.. I'm currently starting to read The Gunslinger by Stephen King. The Dark Tower series sounded appealing to me. It's good so far, but I hardly ever read, so I'm very, very, very slowly making my way through it.

[B1ade Runner]

I'm still reading Dune. Still...reading...Dune.

[Josh]

I'm currently reading Hyperion by Dan Simmons.

Last night I got to the story of the Wandering Jew... holy crap that was gut wrenching.

[Into]

I'm currently reading Stephen King's The Gunslinger. I love it so far.

[crappertay]

Just bought Chopper the first of a series of four books (so far) by Mark Brandon Read - it's a 'supposed' true-life account of his early years as Australia's most notorious killer.

It was made into a movie starring Eric "Hulk" Bana in the lead role in about 1997 but I've never seen it.

[Bordick]

Originally posted by crappertay
It was made into a movie starring Eric "Hulk" Bana in the lead role in about 1997 but I've never seen it.
That's the movie that won him the role of "The Hulk" ironically.

[masterthes]

Entering the world of Dean Koontz for the first time. Currently reading The Dark Half inspired Mr. Murder

[masterthes]

Now reading John Irving's A Prayer for Owen Meany Supposedly, I heard this was the influence for the movie Simon Birch.

[NotSoSecretAgent]

Reading Disco Bloodbath by James St. James.

[MRPween]

the hollow chocolate bunnies of the appocolipse.

[masterthes]

The DaVinci Code by Dan Brown

[masterthes]

Now on to Wicked: The Lives and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire.

[masterthes]

Wicked is done, on to Garp

[Arctic]

master, you read fast, you read much, and you make seemingly good selections. i'm impressed.

i on the otherhand am lamely rereading Life of Pi and imagining it as a movie. also i am trying to get through Atlas Shrugged, but it's slow going.

[GreenTShirt]

Just finished reading Mystic River by Dennis Lehane. Yes, it's the one the movie was made from. Excellent book.

Just started "Dry" by Augusten Burroughs, the follow up to his memoir "Running With Scissors" which was the story of how his crazy mother dropped him off to live with her equally crazy shrink in the 70's. Such a great story. "Dry" is about his alcoholism in his twenties.

I have eight books on the night stand all stacked up and waiting. Next is Strip City...can't hardly wait. :D

[Abscynthe]

Just received in the mail Naked Empire and Debt of Bones by Terry Goodkind, and Celtic Myths and Legends. On the way is The Elder Gods by David Eddings and the Shannara trilogy, all in hardback. The Shannara trilogy is for my dad, since I "stole" his books when I moved out. I joined the Science Fiction Book Club, so I get hardbacks at decent prices. I don't normally do hardbacks; they're big and bulky and the covers tend to get torn faster than paperbacks, but 5 books for a buck, I couldn't beat that.

[Arctic]

i'm a sfbc member too. it's a pretty good deal as long as you don't mind that the hardbacks are a bit smaller than usual. i guess that's where they cut costs. lately i find i wait till they offer free shipping to buy stuff...seems to be the best deal they offer, though they also do the buy one get all others at 50% quite frequently.

last ones i got from them were the Otherland books i think. i've been eyeing the Celtic Myths book too...you'll have to tell me how it is :).

[Josh]

Currently reading - Dune: Buttelerian Jihad

[Wiggum]

Hotel New Hampshire - John Irving, third book of his I've read. Brilliant author, a friend just turned me on to him about 6 months ago, lagging behind the rest of you.

Rereading It by King, an idiot friend of mine decided to finally read a lot of King's catalogue for the first time, now has me back on a King jag.

[Arctic]

hotel new hampshire is great! second only to owen meany and tied with garp by my estimation.

[masterthes]

Wow, well if it's ranked that high then I should probably check it out after I've finished reading Garp. And thank you Arctic. I try to read a book a week. I'm trying to enjoy the free time I have while it lasts before I get into a more full time job, because I know that then I won't have as muchg free time to read.

[Cogito]

Hah, Hobbit -- I'm currently reading DUNE. :)

[Brynn]

I'm reading the Archivist, by Martha Cooley. It's excellent. I think it's biggest appeal is the way it's written. It's just one of those books you want to read slowly.

[Matt]

re-reading Lord of the Rings for about the 5th time i think.

[Ranthium]

Brokedown Palace by Steven Brust.

It takes place in the same land as the Dragareon Novels, but on the "Human" side.