Author Topic: What book(s) are you reading? (Read 685237 times)

Cerveza mas fina · « **Reply #1200 on:** October 03, 2011, 07:27:05 AM »

People just eat and drink too fucking much.

Do we really need 500 books about that each year?

chronovore · « **Reply #1201 on:** October 03, 2011, 09:22:28 AM »

Stross and Doctorow's Jury Service and Appeals Court were both on Feedbooks, so I'm reading those on Stanza.app right now. The former was a commissioned piece for Scifi channel's website, back when they had a focus on, you know, sci-fi.

Cormacaroni · « **Reply #1202 on:** October 03, 2011, 10:06:01 AM »

Quote from: Premium Lager on October 03, 2011, 07:27:05 AM

People just eat and drink too fucking much.

Do we really need 500 books about that each year?

I don't, but it seems you do

MrAngryFace · « **Reply #1203 on:** October 03, 2011, 10:32:55 AM »

Taking a break from Warhammer 40k just so I don't look crazy. Reading through the Malazan books again. Only ever got to book six I think. Now that the series is essentially finished, ill also finish it up.

MrAngryFace · « **Reply #1204 on:** October 03, 2011, 10:38:23 AM »

I think for most people a diet that exercises moderation in all variety of food is fine. Not to discredit proven alternative diets but for some food is more than a means to and end, and people should be permitted to follow that approach responsibly, and without ridicule.

Cormacaroni · « **Reply #1205 on:** October 03, 2011, 07:17:14 PM »

There's nothing responsible about eating or preaching a diet that causes illness on the scale that the current Western diet does (which goes far beyond obesity). Like with cigarette smoking, if I see someone smoking in public, I'm not going to give them shit about it. But if the topic of smoking comes up on a message board, I'm gonna give my opinion on it because folks have a right to know, and their government sure is doing a shitty job of telling them.

Joe Molotov · « **Reply #1206 on:** October 04, 2011, 10:46:14 PM »

I've decided to devote all my reading time to works of esoterica, pseudoscience, revisionist history, and lunatic fringe conspiracies. It's the only thing that makes sense any more.

chronovore · « **Reply #1207 on:** October 08, 2011, 10:45:12 AM »

Atrocity Archives: Laundry vol.1; was reading on Stanza, remembered I have a dead tree version, and am enjoying the non-glossy, proper-formattedness of it.

Barry Egan · « **Reply #1208 on:** October 08, 2011, 12:23:29 PM »

So far it's JG Ballard's Crash set in a Children's Hospital...and I mean that in a very, very good way!

MrAngryFace · « **Reply #1209 on:** October 11, 2011, 09:53:36 PM »

just fucking eat normal- if you die you die. wtffff other shit goin down!

OTHER THAN THAT-

taking a break from WARRRRHAMMER 40k and re-reading the Malazan series.

Groogrux · « **Reply #1210 on:** October 16, 2011, 12:23:51 AM »

Quote from: andrwfields on September 30, 2011, 12:10:37 PM

Just started reading A Clash of Kings last week. Pretty good so far.

Finished it. Now moving on to A Storm of Swords

Phoenix Dark · « **Reply #1211 on:** October 16, 2011, 12:59:40 AM »

You won't be disappointed

Cormacaroni · « **Reply #1212 on:** October 16, 2011, 07:01:35 AM »

Richard Powers is one of those authors that I have to just concede defeat on. He's a brilliant individual and the ideas flow off the page. I just can't fight my way through it to save my life though.

Eric P · « **Reply #1213 on:** October 16, 2011, 09:00:46 AM »

just started Death in the City of Light, which is a non-fiction book about a serial killer in nazi occupied france.

Howard Alan Treesong · « **Reply #1214 on:** October 16, 2011, 02:19:55 PM »

Quote from: Cormacaroni on October 16, 2011, 07:01:35 AM

Richard Powers is one of those authors that I have to just concede defeat on. He's a brilliant individual and the ideas flow off the page. I just can't fight my way through it to save my life though.

Same .... I've managed to finish 1 of the 4 books of his I've tried...

Diunx · « **Reply #1215 on:** October 16, 2011, 02:31:46 PM »

Finished The Name of the Wind, really enjoyed it gonna star The Wise Man's Fear tomorrow

fomalhaut · « **Reply #1216 on:** October 18, 2011, 04:14:11 PM »

I just finished Canticle for Leibowitz and i have to say this is some of the finer literature i've read in a long, long time. And I just got off Last Temptation of Christ before that, too. It's post apocalyptic fiction but basically don't think of any of the tropes of the genre, it's a really smart and inquisitive novel that tells the story from a Mad Max level, to a new renaissance, to an advanced civilization. It focuses on the Leibowitz chapter of Monks in the Southwest, who preserve any and all science and knowledge of the old world, painstakingly copying each copy they find for preservation. It's a great POV because most of the politicking takes place out of the scene, and what does happen is quite grounded. I'll be revisiting this novel again, no doubt about it.

I'm now in Princess of Mars, it's pretty shallow pulp at best, and feels just absolutely dumb compared to Canticle, but it's pretty damn fun adventure i simply cannot deny that. If it was good enough to be a striking influence on Sagan, it's good enough for me.

MrAngryFace · « **Reply #1217 on:** October 18, 2011, 04:36:59 PM »

Im in AZ for a few days, not sure what i'll read on the plane- probably should be a real book so they dont ask me to turn off my book.

fomalhaut · « **Reply #1218 on:** October 18, 2011, 04:42:09 PM »

what're you up to in AZ? I've spent the vast majority of my life both in the desert and up north.

if its just reading to take your mind off being bored, I guess what i'm reading; Princess of Mars is pretty adequate. It aint deep, just fun pulp that i'd say is ideal for sitting on a plane bored material.

MrAngryFace · « **Reply #1219 on:** October 18, 2011, 05:08:35 PM »

THE IDEA OF TURNING OFF A BOOK PISSES ME OFF- but I spose ill just Nook it- need to finish re-reading deadhouse gates anyway; been all distracted with other crap lately

MrAngryFace · « **Reply #1220 on:** October 18, 2011, 05:09:22 PM »

Quote from: fomalhaut on October 18, 2011, 04:42:09 PM

what're you up to in AZ? I've spent the vast majority of my life both in the desert and up north.

if its just reading to take your mind off being bored, I guess what i'm reading; Princess of Mars is pretty adequate. It aint deep, just fun pulp that i'd say is ideal for sitting on a plane bored material.

Visiting family for a few days. I was born in AZ, lived there three different times so I have a lot of 'history' down there too.

fomalhaut · « **Reply #1221 on:** October 18, 2011, 05:11:53 PM »

oh no shit? I'm from Glendale and Goodyear and was living in Flagstaff. In Europe now though, thanks be to Malacath. Once I get my degree i'm hightailing right the fuck out of there though, not a fan of Arizona at all. If I was forced i'd stay in Flag, though.

you ever go to Bookmans? one of the better features of AZ, it's where i bought all my books and media before i got a nook and stopped playing videogames

MrAngryFace · « **Reply #1222 on:** October 18, 2011, 05:23:56 PM »

Business: Well an ex-girlfriend yeah but hopefully I wont run into her.

Fomal: Born in Tucson, also lived in Mesa twice. I may have been to Bookmans, the name sounds familiar, but its been so long I can't remember for sure. Not a huge fan of AZ- once I had a taste of Western Washington I never looked back.

fomalhaut · « **Reply #1223 on:** October 18, 2011, 05:52:40 PM »

Bookmans is actually native to Tuscon, it's its home but not in spirit, Flagstaff is more the community for "all that liberal crap" as my family likes to call it.

Probably the best used bookstore i've ever been to, check out Tuscons when you are there.

Yeah, AZ sucks. Luckily you're going there in the best time of the year!

Great Rumbler · « **Reply #1224 on:** October 18, 2011, 05:59:21 PM »

I went to the Bookman's in Flagstaff once, it was pretty awesome.

chronovore · « **Reply #1225 on:** October 18, 2011, 06:55:07 PM »

So, probably anyone who needs to know this already found out, but just in case:

iOS 5 kills Stanza.

My favorite reader doesn't work on the new version of the OS, and a brief spate of research shows that it's unlikely to get additional attention anymore, because the last of its devs have left Amazon. And Amazon is probably just a little invested in the Kindle family of solutions.

Apparently, this had been a problem since July 2010, where it was receiving no further support, but iOS 5 killed it outright.

In related news, I'm an idiot. The illicit collection of books from drinkmalk.com, most of which were in my dead tree library, were deleted when I tried to uninstall and reinstall the app to my iPod, because I didn't realize it would kill the books from my backup on the Mac.

...
$:-\$

Cormacaroni · « **Reply #1226 on:** October 19, 2011, 02:17:58 AM »

Quote from: Eric P on October 03, 2011, 07:17:08 AM

(Image removed from quote.)

the government's exasperation at why we have a nation of fatties is becoming funnier and funnier at this point.

Great review/counterpoint here:
http://blog.cholesterol-and-health.com/2011/10/wheat-belly-toll-of-hubris-on-human.html

I haven't read the book, but this and a few other things lead me to believe he's focusing on wheat to the point of monomania, leading to some really wacky conclusions. Although the general thrust that 'we should be eating far less of it / we do great without ANY of it' seems perfectly solid based on my other reading and own experiences...

fomalhaut · « **Reply #1227 on:** October 19, 2011, 02:54:15 AM »

Quote from: Great Rumbler on October 18, 2011, 05:59:21 PM

I went to the Bookman's in Flagstaff once, it was pretty awesome.

i can thank a better part of my education for it; did you know it collapsed in on itself last year? it was recently rebuilt: version 2.0, lol.

to stay more on topic i finished A Princess of Mars. in the end i was pretty excited by cool stuff that happened, then it ended, and it no more stayed in my brain than my memories of staring at white walls.

my deal is alternating between relatively 'heavy' or good literature and light stuff, so i'm thinking of tackling Jenseits Gut und Böse (Beyond Good and Evil) or Thus Sprach Zarathrustra in German, and if I can't brute through it, i'll go to my English version. never read Nietschze nor one word of Nihilist philosophy, so this'll be fun. Beyond Good and Evil was the last book a friend of mine read before he took his own life, so it'll be an even more introspective type of read more so than this type of reading usually permits.

Eric P · « **Reply #1228 on:** October 19, 2011, 08:21:52 AM »

Quote from: Cormacaroni on October 19, 2011, 02:17:58 AM

Quote from: Eric P on October 03, 2011, 07:17:08 AM
(Image removed from quote.)

the government's exasperation at why we have a nation of fatties is becoming funnier and funnier at this point.

Great review/counterpoint here:
http://blog.cholesterol-and-health.com/2011/10/wheat-belly-toll-of-hubris-on-human.html

I haven't read the book, but this and a few other things lead me to believe he's focusing on wheat to the point of monomania, leading to some really wacky conclusions. Although the general thrust that 'we should be eating far less of it / we do great without ANY of it' seems perfectly solid based on my other reading and own experiences...

yeah, and Love Hunt Eat also did a takedown as well.
by the end of the book, i was skeptical about a lot of his thoughts, but I was already firmly in the "no more grain" camp.

http://huntgatherlove.com/content/wheat-belly

Cormacaroni · « **Reply #1229 on:** October 19, 2011, 08:23:36 AM »

Skepticism is smart with this stuff. It's the price you pay for being on the bleeding edge!

Bebpo · « **Reply #1230 on:** November 06, 2011, 11:45:50 PM »

Finished reading Clash of Kings.

MAJOR SPOILERS for book #2 of Song of Ice & Fire

spoiler (click to show/hide)

Man, what a depressing book. It's like 1000 pages of non-stop bad shit happening to everyone. Reminds me of some manga out there where the author is evil and every chapter is just the worst possible outcomes happening to the good characters over and over. I SURE HOPE BOOK 3-5 HAS SOME "YAY POSITIVE SHIT!!" MOMENTS.

Pacing-wise I thought the book was solid for the first half, moving things along and building up the badass that is Stannis. Then when Stannis lands at Storms End out of nowhere the book goes to the OMG WTF 10/10 level and continues, climaxing at Renly's death out of nowhere scene. Then the book kind of loses momentum and is just a lot of ho-hum here is how battles are raging/lands changing hands. Then the final Stannis battle on King's Landing is kind of cool, but it's a bit drawn out (like 100 pages!) and I thought the conclusion of the battle with you just HEARING that Tywin shows up and takes out Stannis' army that's been built up the entire story was really unsatisfying. Wanted to see Stannis kick some ass and we never even see his army fight as their sitting waiting for boats to ferry them over. Then the final epilogue stuff is solid again and moving things into position for book 3.

Was good, but I thought the Stannis/Renly stuff was the best parts of the book, so it kind of peaked in the middle.

[close]

Mr. Gundam · « **Reply #1231 on:** November 06, 2011, 11:57:47 PM »

I need to start reading 1Q84. Jay Rubin is giving a talk at one of our local bookstores later this week. Should be fun.

Cormacaroni · « **Reply #1232 on:** November 07, 2011, 01:03:04 AM »

'Pretty good'? *splutter*

Cormacaroni · « **Reply #1233 on:** November 07, 2011, 03:03:17 AM »

English speakers use strange English all the time. Examples please!

I dunno, I've dedicated a fair portion of my life to learning Japanese and translation, and I think those two are pretty much the gold standard. There are always going to be awkward bits or different choices that you might find more appealing with languages as disparate as Japanese and English...but 'pretty good'? Show me a better-translated J->E modern literary novel.

Cormacaroni · « **Reply #1234 on:** November 07, 2011, 03:22:20 AM »

Here's the thing - I think Murakami actually IMPROVES in translation. His style in Japanese is so flat that it is just incredibly dull to read. This is of course partly for effect, but I really don't think he'd have achieved the same level of success outside Japan without being paired with some very gifted translators.

Cormacaroni · « **Reply #1235 on:** November 07, 2011, 04:18:24 AM »

Can't argue with that.

My wife (whose copy of Norwegian Wood I borrowed) tells me that it was the first time she remembers seeing regular modern conversational Japanese captured well on paper, which was seemingly quite a shock relative to the rather arch and formal literary style that had prevailed prior to that point (i.e. forms like 'wagahai' etc that are never used in normal speech). So that is part of the appeal - it is prosaic but novel, at the time. To western readers who read anything from say Hemingway on, it's nothing new at all...

Howard Alan Treesong · « **Reply #1236 on:** November 07, 2011, 12:18:19 PM »

Finished Lucky Wander Boy last night. It's Ready Player One if it was good instead of bad, written by a po-pomo Tim Rogers with a brutal editor.

It cuts to the truth of gaming geekdom - that it is a solitary, self-destructive hobby we endure for its rare moments of meaning and transcendent wonder - moments we can never share, or even fully explain, to anyone else. A life dedicated to videogames is monastic and self-flagellating, not some kumbaya shared cultural moment where we all hold hands around our Dukes of Hazzard lunch boxes.

Eric P · « **Reply #1237 on:** November 07, 2011, 12:28:26 PM »

Did you like The Kraken Wakes? Then you'll love this as it is basically the same characters with the same relationships in a different plot / world.

CajoleJuice · « **Reply #1238 on:** November 07, 2011, 03:30:35 PM »

Quote from: Howard Alan Treesong on November 07, 2011, 12:18:19 PM

Finished Lucky Wander Boy last night. It's Ready Player One if it was good instead of bad, written by a po-pomo Tim Rogers with a brutal editor.

It cuts to the truth of gaming geekdom - that it is a solitary, self-destructive hobby we endure for its rare moments of meaning and transcendent wonder - moments we can never share, or even fully explain, to anyone else. A life dedicated to videogames is monastic and self-flagellating, not some kumbaya shared cultural moment where we all hold hands around our Dukes of Hazzard lunch boxes.

Like getting a super-rare drop in Diablo?

Inspector Thatcher · « **Reply #1239 on:** November 07, 2011, 09:34:32 PM »

The Unbearable Lightness of Being, by Milan Kundera.

First impressions: Not since my undergrad have I had to read books with ten dollar words next to each other...and used properly.

recursivelyenumerable · « **Reply #1240 on:** November 07, 2011, 11:31:38 PM »

The Left Hand of Darkness, by Ursula le Guin
and
Artificial Intelligence: A Modern Approach by Stuart Russell & Peter Norvig

Madrun Badrun · « **Reply #1241 on:** November 08, 2011, 12:04:28 AM »

Quote from: recursivelyenumerable on November 07, 2011, 11:31:38 PM

Artificial Intelligence: A Modern Approach by Stuart Russell & Peter Norvig

Are you taking the online class?

Howard Alan Treesong · « **Reply #1242 on:** November 08, 2011, 12:32:35 AM »

Quote from: CajoleJuice on November 07, 2011, 03:30:35 PM

Quote from: Howard Alan Treesong on November 07, 2011, 12:18:19 PM
Finished Lucky Wander Boy last night. It's Ready Player One if it was good instead of bad, written by a po-pomo Tim Rogers with a brutal editor.

It cuts to the truth of gaming geekdom - that it is a solitary, self-destructive hobby we endure for its rare moments of meaning and transcendent wonder - moments we can never share, or even fully explain, to anyone else. A life dedicated to videogames is monastic and self-flagellating, not some kumbaya shared cultural moment where we all hold hands around our Dukes of Hazzard lunch boxes.

Like getting a super-rare drop in Diablo?

Yes!

But try explaining that to someone who doesn't game...

recursivelyenumerable · « **Reply #1243 on:** November 08, 2011, 12:34:02 AM »

Quote from: TheInfelicitousDandy on November 08, 2011, 12:04:28 AM

Quote from: recursivelyenumerable on November 07, 2011, 11:31:38 PM
Artificial Intelligence: A Modern Approach by Stuart Russell & Peter Norvig

Are you taking the online class?

Yes, and the machine learning class - in fact I'm just doing homework in another browser window right now. but I have fallen behind while busy with other stuff =(

Madrun Badrun · « **Reply #1244 on:** November 08, 2011, 10:23:47 AM »

How is the ML class?

Groogrux · « **Reply #1245 on:** November 10, 2011, 08:09:57 AM »

Finished a Storm of Swords. Now on to A Feast for Crows.

tiesto · « **Reply #1246 on:** November 10, 2011, 07:43:54 PM »

history of western RPGs, I'm still in the early Ultima era... not very well-written but shines light on a lot of obscure classic games. Great supplement to http://crpgaddict.blogspot.com

Eric P · « **Reply #1247 on:** November 11, 2011, 09:50:06 AM »

muckhole · « **Reply #1248 on:** November 11, 2011, 09:58:34 AM »

Finally started A Dance with Dragons....I have a sneaking suspicion that I'm going to need to go look online for some summaries from the last few books to refresh my memory.

Narag · « **Reply #1249 on:** November 11, 2011, 06:24:05 PM »

Currently reading A Dance With Dragons.

Phoenix Dark · « **Reply #1250 on:** November 11, 2011, 06:33:16 PM »

Will be interested to get your thoughts. I plan on re-reading it as soon as my brother gets done with my copy. What did you guys think of AFFC?

Narag · « **Reply #1251 on:** November 12, 2011, 12:55:58 AM »

spoiler (click to show/hide)

I really enjoyed AFFC. As I said in the other thread, I was initially put off by how it centered more around King's Landing but Jaime has grown to be one of my favorite characters and Cersei seeing Tyrion in every corner accompanied by no Tyrion chapters gave him an eerie ethereal quality

[close]

I've run into the weird editing/pacing issues you warned about in ADWD as well.

Also these new options frighten me.

Phoenix Dark · « **Reply #1252 on:** November 12, 2011, 02:12:27 AM »

I thought it was great, but it's definitely similar to AFFC in ways that will turn some people off. Still it has some truly amazing moments, and perhaps my favorite scene from the series since the third book

Narag · « **Reply #1253 on:** November 15, 2011, 06:32:30 AM »

Wrapped up ADWD.

spoiler (click to show/hide)

Overall I liked it but the book felt rough at times and the quality of the writing a step down from AFFC although I'm no great judge of such things. Pacing felt off at times and I think I read somewhere (probably GAF) that GRRM's past as a television writer was something that still shone through in these books. Something like the slavers taking the boat Jorah & Tyrion were on only to see them next at a slave auction had me thinking one could have just slapped a commercial between those events and called it a day.

There was a lot of repeated phrasing going on and with Theon, Jaime, Jon, and Tyrion I could understand it but Dany's big floppy rabbit ears just rubbed me the wrong way for whatever reason. Another little touch I greatly enjoyed was the naming of Theon's chapters. Pretty sure I said "Oh shit" to myself when the name finally returned to Theon. The epilogue was strangely satisfying as well given I had spent part of my afternoon complaining about the lack of Varys in the last two books too.

In conclusion, I'm no good at reviewing books.

[close]

Narag · « **Reply #1254 on:** November 15, 2011, 07:57:32 AM »

Quote from: AWESOM-O on November 15, 2011, 07:26:09 AM

As for me, I'm taking a break from Infinite Jest to read Hyperion by Dan Simmons. I have to say that I absolutely adore the opening paragraph. Also, this Shrike sounds like a scary piece of work.

You're in for a treat. I'd recommend Fall of Hyperion immediately after if you enjoy the first.

Eric P · « **Reply #1255 on:** November 15, 2011, 09:51:11 AM »

Prague Cemetery is really interesting. I'm loving the melding of fact and fiction.

Joe Molotov · « **Reply #1256 on:** November 15, 2011, 02:05:28 PM »

Quote from: Eric P on November 15, 2011, 09:51:11 AM

Prague Cemetery is really interesting. I'm loving the melding of fact and fiction.

How does it compare to Foucault's Pendulum? I loved that book.

Eric P · « **Reply #1257 on:** November 15, 2011, 02:23:37 PM »

not as good, but i'm only about a quarter of the way in right now.

it's about on par with baudolino

Momo · « **Reply #1258 on:** November 15, 2011, 04:38:43 PM »

Dune.

Series of forever (until the bastard son steps in)

tiesto · « **Reply #1259 on:** November 15, 2011, 10:59:46 PM »

Quote from: Howard Alan Treesong on November 08, 2011, 12:32:35 AM

Quote from: CajoleJuice on November 07, 2011, 03:30:35 PM
Quote from: Howard Alan Treesong on November 07, 2011, 12:18:19 PM
Finished Lucky Wander Boy last night. It's Ready Player One if it was good instead of bad, written by a po-pomo Tim Rogers with a brutal editor.

It cuts to the truth of gaming geekdom - that it is a solitary, self-destructive hobby we endure for its rare moments of meaning and transcendent wonder - moments we can never share, or even fully explain, to anyone else. A life dedicated to videogames is monastic and self-flagellating, not some kumbaya shared cultural moment where we all hold hands around our Dukes of Hazzard lunch boxes.

Like getting a super-rare drop in Diablo?

Yes!

But try explaining that to someone who doesn't game...

I got this book a while ago, instantly hooked me with the guy living in Poland and describing his hot (but emotionally distant) gf... loved the whole description of the actual "Lucky Wander Boy" game (reminded me of the urban legend of Polybius) and the Tim Rogers-esque writeup of classic arcade games, but at times it just got too overly postmodern and self-referential for my tastes. Still, a decent book concerning games, I wonder what some of my retro gaming lovers would think when they read it. And yeah I think I was actually originally pointed to this book by IC/Selectbutton people speaking of Rogers.

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Author Topic: What book(s) are you reading? (Read 685237 times)