Topic: What are you currently reading? (Read 485196 times)

Pilchard123 · « **Reply #750 on:** 07 Mar 2013, 15:41 »

Quote from: ankhtahr on 07 Mar 2013, 13:09

Afterwards I'll skip right to the latest novel "Snuff".

Which I still haven't read yet. I did, however, find out recently that Cheery Littlebottom's last name is Sh'rt'azs in Dwarfish.

Bluesummers · « **Reply #751 on:** 07 Mar 2013, 16:00 »

I am finally going to read "Casual Vacancy" by JK Rowling. I've put it off for far too long.

ankhtahr · « **Reply #752 on:** 07 Mar 2013, 21:26 »

Quote from: Pilchard123 on 07 Mar 2013, 15:41

I did, however, find out recently that Cheery Littlebottom's last name is Sh'rt'azs in Dwarfish.

heh, until a year ago I only had read the books in a German translation, so reading them in English was interesting. All these meaningful names were translated as well. Vimes was called "Mumm", Carrot was "Karotte" and Cheery Littlebottom was "Grinsi Kleinpo". Took some time getting used to it. As well as thinking of Treacle Mine Street as "Sirupminenstraße".

Anyway, it's a shame reading Pratchett in a translation, there are so many untranslatable puns.

BeoPuppy · « **Reply #753 on:** 14 Mar 2013, 00:15 »

chugging through dutch literature at stellar pace. I've been asked to sit in on the oral lit. exams at my girlfriend's school. It would be nice if I had something intelligent to contribute.

Anyway ... Komt een vrouw bij de dokter, Turks fruit, de uitvreter, kinderjaren, dagboek van Anne Frank, de aanslag, de kroongetuige, red ons Maria Montanelli, het diner, Eilandgasten, Kaas, Oeroeg ... and so, so much more ...

TheEvilDog · « **Reply #754 on:** 23 Mar 2013, 09:41 »

Just finished reading the Rats and about to start the Fog, both by James Herbert. Quite sad to hear that he passed away during the week as he was one of my favourite writers as a teenager.

Bluesummers · « **Reply #755 on:** 23 Mar 2013, 16:25 »

Finished "The Casual Vacancy"...wow. Boobs, gossip, drugs, murder, and politics. All by the mind who gave us Ron Weasley and his friend whose name I can't recall.

It really was a great read. ^o^

Masterpiece · « **Reply #756 on:** 23 Mar 2013, 17:43 »

Just read "A Streetcat named Bob" by James Bowen, is nothing special, but still kinda cute

celticgeek · « **Reply #757 on:** 24 Mar 2013, 21:49 »

I am reading The Romance Of Tristan & Iseult, as retold by Joseph Bedier, translated by Hillaire Belloc, and completed by Paul Rosenfeld.

SethDeAlba · « **Reply #758 on:** 24 Mar 2013, 22:04 »

Drawing down the moon by Margot Adler. T'is kinda dry.

Bluesummers · « **Reply #759 on:** 25 Mar 2013, 08:01 »

I have picked up a copy of The Holy Qur'an, and it will probably take me a while to get through. I thought it would be interesting to read biblical stories as told through an alternate viewpoint.

Is it cold in here? · « **Reply #760 on:** 01 Apr 2013, 12:03 »

"The Jewish Annotated New Testament": annotations by Jewish scholars. Heavy going and fine print, but fascinating.

Thrillho · « **Reply #761 on:** 01 Apr 2013, 12:35 »

I finally got back to writing on my literature blog.

http://geneticallymodifiedhughes.wordpress.com/2013/04/01/i-feel-like-i-just-paid-a-lot-of-money-for-a-dead-dago/

I reviewed Hannibal by Thomas Harris!

Bluesummers · « **Reply #762 on:** 01 Apr 2013, 20:30 »

Fell off the wagon again, and overdosing on manga. Now reading Hana-Kimi. I'm not usually one for shoujo, but I like this one.

Quote from: Is it cold in here? on 01 Apr 2013, 12:03

"The Jewish Annotated New Testament": annotations by Jewish scholars. Heavy going and fine print, but fascinating.

Is that seriously a real book? I HAVE to read that.

Blyss · « **Reply #763 on:** 02 Apr 2013, 11:06 »

About to start 'Heart of Darkness' by Joseph Conrad.

What? I've never read it.

Welu · « **Reply #764 on:** 02 Apr 2013, 13:42 »

Horror manga called Homunculus. It's... Intense?

Bluesummers · « **Reply #765 on:** 02 Apr 2013, 19:43 »

Quote from: Blyss on 02 Apr 2013, 11:06

About to start 'Heart of Darkness' by Joseph Conrad.

What? I've never read it.

It's....dark. No pun intended. It's quite psychologically morbid.

However, it's honestly the only required reading in school (other than 1984 and Brave New World, but those were my personal choice for assignments) that I actually read, cover to cover. Good luck.

mtmerrick · « **Reply #766 on:** 02 Apr 2013, 23:29 »

In the process of (yet again) re-reading Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy

one of my favorite books ever.

ackblom12 · « **Reply #767 on:** 03 Apr 2013, 06:41 »

So, this isn't exactly a proper thread for this news, but it's the closest I can think of without making a new thread for it.

Iain Banks diagnosed with terminal cancer. Has maybe as much as a year to live.

Quote

Fellow Scottish author, Ian Rankin, said the news of Banks' terminal cancer was "just awful".

He Tweeted: "Typical of Iain to propose marriage to his partner Adele with the words 'Will you do me the honour of becoming my widow?"

And a personal statement from Banks.

http://friends.banksophilia.com/

Quote

"A Personal Statement from Iain Banks April 3rd, 2013 in From the Author
I am officially Very Poorly.

After a couple of surgical procedures, I am gradually recovering from jaundice caused by a blocked bile duct, but that - it turns out - is the least of my problems.
I first thought something might be wrong when I developed a sore back in late January, but put this down to the fact I'd started writing at the beginning of the month and so was crouched over a keyboard all day. When it hadn't gone away by mid-February, I went to my GP, who spotted that I had jaundice. Blood tests, an ultrasound scan and then a CT scan revealed the full extent of the grisly truth by the start of March.

I have cancer. It started in my gall bladder, has infected both lobes of my liver and probably also my pancreas and some lymph nodes, plus one tumour is massed around a group of major blood vessels in the same volume, effectively ruling out any chance of surgery to remove the tumours either in the short or long term.

The bottom line, now, I'm afraid, is that as a late stage gall bladder cancer patient, I'm expected to live for 'several months' and it’s extremely unlikely I'll live beyond a year. So it looks like my latest novel, The Quarry, will be my last.

As a result, I've withdrawn from all planned public engagements and I've asked my partner Adele if she will do me the honour of becoming my widow (sorry - but we find ghoulish humour helps). By the time this goes out we'll be married and on a short honeymoon. We intend to spend however much quality time I have left seeing friends and relations and visiting places that have meant a lot to us. Meanwhile my heroic publishers are doing all they can to bring the publication date of my new novel forward by as much as four months, to give me a better chance of being around when it hits the shelves.

There is a possibility that it might be worth undergoing a course of chemotherapy to extend the amount of time available. However that is still something we're balancing the pros and cons of, and anyway it is out of the question until my jaundice has further and significantly, reduced. Lastly, I'd like to add that from my GP onwards, the professionalism of the medics involved - and the speed with which the resources of the NHS in Scotland have been deployed - has been exemplary, and the standard of care deeply impressive. We're all just sorry the outcome hasn't been more cheerful.

A website is being set up where friends, family and fans can leave messages for me and check on my progress. It should be up and running during this week and a link to it will be here on my official website as soon as it’s ready.

Iain Banks

Thrillho · « **Reply #768 on:** 03 Apr 2013, 10:48 »

Fuck, I heard about this and I had no idea it was that bad.

~~GarandMarine~~ · « **Reply #769 on:** 06 Apr 2013, 00:28 »

Currently on an Iaido prep course (self imposed) so I'm rereading the Hagakure, the Book of Five Rings, a book on the basic principles of Iaido and the courtesies involved (Iai: The Art of the Drawing the Sword), a general history text on Samurai culture and history, and finally when I'm not working through those, I'm studying from my actual text books for college, and some gunsmithing texts.

Oh and a bunch of travel blogs and guides to Japan for trip planning purposes. The sections on food are killing me. I'd kill for some takoyaki right now. T_T

BeoPuppy · « **Reply #770 on:** 08 Apr 2013, 04:37 »

Finished 50 shades ... !

Continuing Casual Vacancy.

Bluesummers · « **Reply #771 on:** 10 Apr 2013, 15:44 »

Quote from: BeoPuppy on 08 Apr 2013, 04:37

Continuing Casual Vacancy.

Just wait under Samantha shows Miles her Bankai.

Seriously though, it's an excellent read.

BeoPuppy · « **Reply #772 on:** 11 Apr 2013, 07:14 »

The woman can actually write different things. It's quite impressive, really.

Deathjester · « **Reply #773 on:** 12 Apr 2013, 17:11 »

I'm currently reading A Storm of Swords book 1 from A Song of Ice and Fire. because i have to finish them before i watch season 3 of Game of Thrones haha

Bluesummers · « **Reply #774 on:** 13 Apr 2013, 17:08 »

I am reading MANGA. All of my manga, because I haven't read it in sooooo long. I have about 300 volumes of various series to get through.

You can call me Mister Marigold.

LTK · « **Reply #775 on:** 15 Apr 2013, 10:57 »

I was about to buy the Kindle edition of "Feeling Pain and Being in Pain", a book about the dissociation between pain and suffering, when I thought of looking it up in the university library first. Turns out, the university's subscription to MIT CogNet lets me download the entire book for free. Score! So I'll be reading that when I get the chance.

They also had a featured title called "The Dream Drugstore", which is about altered states of consciousness, both drug-induced and sleep-induced. That's next on the list.

pwhodges · « **Reply #776 on:** 15 Apr 2013, 13:22 »

Quote from: Bluesummers on 13 Apr 2013, 17:08

I have about 300 volumes of various series to get through.

But you haven't told what manga! 300 volumes could be from 10 to 50 different series, depending on how long they are...

Lupercal · « **Reply #777 on:** 15 Apr 2013, 14:21 »

David Mitchell's Cloud Atlas. Didn't see the film, but I do for some reason love a good epistolary novel. And I love novels that are essentially several novellas/vignettes rolled into one. So this is going pretty good for me so far.

Bluesummers · « **Reply #778 on:** 15 Apr 2013, 20:09 »

Quote from: pwhodges on 15 Apr 2013, 13:22

Quote from: Bluesummers on 13 Apr 2013, 17:08
I have about 300 volumes of various series to get through.

But you haven't told what manga! 300 volumes could be from 10 to 50 different series, depending on how long they are...

I'll have to compose a directory...my wife and I are still going through them. I'll let y'all know. ^_^

Masterpiece · « **Reply #779 on:** 15 Apr 2013, 20:27 »

the perks of being a wallflower.

HappyHavoc · « **Reply #780 on:** 15 Apr 2013, 21:56 »

The Road

ankhtahr · « **Reply #781 on:** 16 Apr 2013, 11:54 »

Once again I'm reading Nineteen Eighty-Four. Have to do a presentation about it tomorrow. Still as frightening as it was when I first read it.

Is it cold in here? · « **Reply #782 on:** 16 Apr 2013, 19:49 »

You can mention in your presentation that North Korean refugees who read it tend to go "Wow! How could he have known so accurately how it works?".

Now reading "Ignition!", by John Clark, about the history of liquid rocket fuel development. He was a clear and vivid writer with an easy conversational style and fascinating subject material. Working with some of those materials was on the borderline between bravery and grounds for involuntary commitment.

ankhtahr · « **Reply #783 on:** 16 Apr 2013, 21:43 »

1984 was also rather accurate for the former GDR (eastern Germany). Everybody could have been a Stasi member, children have been trained from early on (even the uniform of the "spies" is somewhat similar to the uniform of the FDJ) and have been used to spy on their parents.

~~GarandMarine~~ · « **Reply #784 on:** 16 Apr 2013, 23:18 »

1984 was always creepy to me, whenever I finish it after a re-read "Shit that could happen" then I read Huxley's Brave New World... and I start to wonder if it HASN'T happened already.

Zingoleb · « **Reply #785 on:** 17 Apr 2013, 01:25 »

Huxley was the one who was proven right in the end, really.

Bluesummers · « **Reply #786 on:** 17 Apr 2013, 18:27 »

Indeed. I thoroughly enjoy the contrast between Orwell's and Huxley's views on society. ^^

Is it cold in here? · « **Reply #787 on:** 19 Apr 2013, 13:58 »

"The Beekeeper's Apprentice". Wow. The writing is charming and the characterization is spot-on.

EDIT: I'm about half-way through. it keeps getting better.

mtmerrick · « **Reply #788 on:** 21 Apr 2013, 16:26 »

Considering getting Mila 2.0
Anyone heard anything, good or bad, about it?

idontunderstand · « **Reply #789 on:** 28 Apr 2013, 05:38 »

Just finished the LOTR trilogy for I think the third time in my life. Still great. What stood out to me this time was all the kissing and holding hands going on between (as far as we know) heterosexual males. I remember reading something about stuff like this on wikipedia, with heterosexual men showing very tender signs of affection towards each other. There was some special term for it. Anyone?

Other than that I realize now how many parts I skipped when I read it as a kid because I thought they were boring, like most of the walk through Mordor in the final book. Now it stood out as a really great piece of work, if a bit melodramatic.

Excellent stuff, anyway.

LTK · « **Reply #790 on:** 28 Apr 2013, 08:29 »

Bromance?

Anyway, I finished Feeling Pain And Being in Pain. It was more philosophical than I expected, but it also made me reconsider what I thought I knew about pain and suffering. The fact that lobotomised patients appear to be unbothered by chronic pain made me think that internalising pain, and experiencing it as the worst feeling in the world, may require some higher cognitive function that a lobotomy removes. That would imply that animals with smaller and less developed brains may only experience pain as a mechanical rather than an emotional motivator, and that they are less capable of suffering as humans are.

But the other types of pain disorders, such as pain asymbolia, indicate that the aversiveness of pain is inextricably linked to its motivational component. It is apparently impossible to be not bothered by pain, and at the same time avoiding it. I'm not sure how the experience of lobotomised patients fits in here, but this does indicate that pain, in order to be of any use, has to hurt. Since virtually every animal that has muscles is able to move away from something that's hurting it, the capacity to feel pain and respond to it is ubiquitous among animals, which implies that they all hurt just as much. So it's possible that the pain that an earthworm feels when it is poked by a needle is identical to the pain felt by a human after the same action. That's hard to imagine, isn't it?

Welu · « **Reply #791 on:** 28 Apr 2013, 08:35 »

I thought I posted this already and maybe I did but I'm currently reading The Psychopath Test. I find the subject interesting but the voice, I think that's the right word, annoys me for some reason. I think it's got a bit of, "I hate myself but also think I'm better than everyone I encounter" to it. I don't think that makes any sense but it's the closest words I can get to why I think it bothers me.

Bluesummers · « **Reply #792 on:** 28 Apr 2013, 11:36 »

UGHH my head....I am currently reading Homestuck, and am the middle of Act 4 right now.

I swear to god, guys, people have had acid trips more understandable than this.

Pilchard123 · « **Reply #793 on:** 28 Apr 2013, 11:52 »

And then the archive binges. IT KEEPS HAPPENING.

mtmerrick · « **Reply #794 on:** 28 Apr 2013, 16:07 »

Quote from: Bluesummers on 28 Apr 2013, 11:36

UGHH my head....I am currently reading Homestuck, and am the middle of Act 4 right now.

I swear to god, guys, people have had acid trips more understandable than this.

i've been reading homestuck.

i'm here.

god i love it.

~~GarandMarine~~ · « **Reply #795 on:** 28 Apr 2013, 21:44 »

I just can't find the appeal of homestuck. Maybe it's hiding the couch cushions with the TV remote.

mtmerrick · « **Reply #796 on:** 28 Apr 2013, 22:13 »

The appeal is the blatant insanity.

~~GarandMarine~~ · « **Reply #797 on:** 29 Apr 2013, 21:46 »

Psh. Insanity. It's a web comic, try spending some time at a Veteran's Retirement home. I learned stuff about Korea and mental illness that would make the guy who wrote "Heart of Darkness" terror shit himself for months.

Thrillho · « **Reply #798 on:** 30 Apr 2013, 14:41 »

Marine - I mean this not to sound mean but as a genuine question from someone who's never known a military man; is your entire life being a marine, revolving round that?

mtmerrick · « **Reply #799 on:** 30 Apr 2013, 15:13 »

Completely different kind of insanity, garand. You're comparing a drug trip to a massacre, nikola tesla to Hitler here.

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Author Topic: What are you currently reading? (Read 485196 times)

TheEvilDog

ackblom12

Zingoleb