The book thread

[MattC]

I'm a big Stephen King fan, "IT" and "The Stand" are two of my favorite books.

I've recently been reading a fantasy/medieval-fiction series called "A Song of Fire and Ice" by Geroge R. R. Martin that's freaking amazing. Waiting for "A Feast for Crows" to come out in paperback so I can buy it.

 

[Agrippa]

Shelfari

http://www.shelfari.com/

is a great resource for discovering new books and 'networking' with fellow bibliophiles. You don't necessarily have to create an account, you can just browse through people's shelves... Ideally, though, you should sign up (it's free) and take advantage of all the 'features' create your own shelf which allows people to make recommendations to you and vice-versa, rate books, write reviews and join groups (somewhat akin to a book club).

 

[montreal_monk01]

Long time fan of Oscar Wilde

I've just recently re-read for an enumerous time, the following writings of Oscar Wilde:
-The Picture of Dorian Gray
-The Happy Prince
-Oscar Wilde (Paperback)
-Lord Arthur Savile's Crime and Other Stories
Since my very young age, this man fascinated me by his writings.
30 years later, he's still my favourite.

 

[naughtylady]

Thank you My_dingaling for reviving this thread. I have read the Game and it is very interesting... keep on sarging!

Agrippa>> great link! What are you reading now? What are some of your all time favs? What are you looking forward to reading next?

Monk>>> It seems many people are still enjoying the writings of Oscar Wilde...

As for the rest of you>>> keep it coming!


Ronnie,
Naughtylady

 

[Agrippa]

For those (many) of you who have read The DaVinci Code and enjoyed it, I can't praise Umberto Eco's Foucault's Pendulum enough. Eco's erudition is truly astounding! If it intimidates you then start with The Name of the Rose (also by Eco).

More recommendations to follow...

 

[z/m(Ret)]

For those (many) of you who have read The DaVinci Code and enjoyed it, I can't praise Umberto Eco's Foucault's Pendulum enough. Eco's erudition is truly astounding! If it intimidates you then start with The Name of the Rose (also by Eco).

More recommendations to follow...

Good choices, Consul. Both novels are uniquely filled with erudition.

By the way, welcome back.

 

[z/m(Ret)]

Fav. U.S. 20/21th Century novelists

Paul Auster, Thomas Pynchon, Don DeLillo...

 

[beautydigger]

What are you reading now?
I’m with the Band: Confessions of a Groupie by Pamela Des Barres

What have you just read?
Ironweed by William Kennedy Enjoyed reading a story that takes place in a familiar setting, Albany, NY.

What book is your all time favorite?
Animal Farm by George Orwell Because now, more than ever, we are all being manipulated by individuals in positions of power.

What book can you not wait to get your hands on?
Women: Theory and Practice by Bernard Chapin

 

[Rook01]

My favorite Author is David Gemmell
His most recent works are "Lord of the Silver Bow" and "Shield of Thunder".
Sadly he died last year. I guess, I will never know what happens in the Trilogy.

 

[Agrippa]

Thanks Ziggy!

Indeed Don DeLillo's White Noise was going to be one of my other recommendations. Beautifully written satire of American culture... considering it was written in the mid-eighties one might even say it was ahead of its time...

 

[Agrippa]

Haruki Murakami's Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World was also a fun read. This is the only book I've read by him, but many people have highly recommended his other books.

The plot is a bit difficult to describe without giving away too much of the pleasure of reading the book, but it is basically two stories happening concurrently (the chapters alternate between the two stories). One takes place in an apartment, laboratory and series of underground tunnels in Tokyo. The other takes place in a dreamy village surrounded by a high wall which prevents anyone from escaping.

The book has some sci-fi elements to it, but it's not quite accurate to simply call it that.

 

[Agrippa]

What book is your all time favorite?
Animal Farm by George Orwell Because now, more than ever, we are all being manipulated by individuals in positions of power.

As great as Animal Farm may have been, I'd say 1984 is better! If you haven't read it yet, you must!

Links to free online versions:
http://orwell.ru/library/novels/1984/english/
http://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks01/0100021.txt
http://www.netcharles.com/orwell/books/1984.htm

While looking for those links, I stumbled upon the fact that a third movie adaptation is due in 2009!

 

[RogerRabbit]

Eater of books

I read too much! So I've decided to chat instead lolll

Seriously, albeit being fench-speaking, most (but not all) of my readings are in English. I began reading english because the books were cheaper!!! I enjoyed it and even discovered some pearls.

For sci-fi amateurs, I surely recommend Dune. So far, I've read the first six books and it'a amazing. But a "must" is also the Trilogy of Mars (Red Mars, Green Mars, Blue Mars) by Kim Stanley Robinson. A great anticipation story who is not disconnected with our Terran problems. In fat, "Martians" reproduce them!

I cannot pass under silence the Lord of the Rings but also its connected novels lihe the Unfinished Stories and the Silmarillion.

I also read may historical novels and fantasy (George RR Martin is the best).

Currently, I'm reading scientific books about maths, the Big Bang and the Origins of Life.

Classics? Yes, many including a couple from Dostoyevsky, two more from Kafka, Hemigway, Greene and many more. But the classics, I prefer to read them in French.

RR

 

[Agrippa]

I'm sure someone, somewhere on the boards has invested the time to read Edward Gibbon's The History of the Decline andFall of the Roman Empire--johnhenrygalt perhaps?

Was it worth the trouble?

[Online version]

 

[Agrippa]

I do not share your love for Dan Brown, but if you liked Animal Farm and 1984, I recommend Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451.

t76

I don't want there to be any misunderstandings... I did not love, nor like, nor even enjoy Brown's The Da Vinci Code. I read it only to see what all the fuss was about... All I got out of the reading experience was concern for literacy! I was recommending Eco's books as something a step above Brown. [Edit: Actually, make that a flight of stairs above.]

I have read Fahrenheit 451 ages ago and enjoyed it a lot, but now can't even recall how it ends. Maybe it's time to re-read it...

 

[pussinboots]

Books, books, books

Yes, I am a big reader. Do I read things to make me smarter? Nope, I read for enjoyment. I prefer a mystery - preferably something medical or a police story. I also like suspence, a bit of horror too.

My favorite authors? Hard to say, that could change on a day to day basis. All depends on my moods.

I really like Greg Iles, Johanna Iris, John Saul, Robin Cook, Kathy Reichs, James Patterson, Sandra Brown (not the romance ones), Stephen King and Dean Koontz.

My favorite, definate repeat (lol) reads?

Envy - Sandra Brown
The Quickie - James Patterson
The Beach House - James Patterson
Anything by Stephen King or Dean Koontz
Anything by Kathy Reiches (gotta be the fact it's set in Montreal)
Anything by Greg Iles


About Dan Brown, I read Angels and Demons first and really enjoyed it. When I got around to reading DaVinci Code - I was somewhat upset with it, I didn't know what all the hype was about. I have to say I did enjoy the movie more then I enjoyed the book - which, like most avid bookworms, is a very rare thing indeed.

What am I reading now? Lisely's Story by Stephen King

What was I reading a few days ago? The Husband by Dean Koontz

Nothing more I enjoy then spending a few hours at Chapters, buy a few books, grab a latte and sit and read for an hour or two.

 

[beautydigger]

I'll admit that I did google Da Vinci's Last Supper and was impressed by what I didn't see the first time I saw that painting.
t76

Do you mean this display of fine liberal values?

http://www.folsomstreetfair.com/images/fsf_posters/FSF2007_poster_print_ns_800px.jpg

 

[rollingstone]

After I watched Lawrence of Arabia, I was keen on getting T.E. Lawrence's book "The Seven Pillars of Wisdom", which is essentially an autobiography. I wish I had read the reviews first, because its an extremely difficult read and the events are not chronological. I would suggest anyone curious about T. E. Lawrence to stick to the movie.

I liked 1984 and Farenheit 451. Though I preferred the latter because it is no where near as depressing as 1984. Orwell really had me believing that there was a secret organization, and that the story would end on message of hope. Its one thing to succumb to torture, but for it to alter your memory and make you truly think inside that your previous observations were wrong...it was too much. There was no comfort in knowing the truth, and that was depressing.

I like the works of Dan Brown, but they really leave nothing to the imagination. I enjoy reading between the lines and unravelling the symbolism and metaphors. He writes good thrillers, but without depth in my opinion.

 

[Agrippa]

Highly recommended Calvino - Invisible Cities

I'm currently (slowly) reading Italo Calvino's Invisible Cities. All there is to say about the 'plot' is that it is a fictional narrative of Marco Polo describing his voyages (specifically, the cities he's seen) to Kublai Khan...

Some of the themes addressed in the book (as per the chapter headings) are memory, desire, signs, eyes, death...

A perfect book to read before going to bed, it triggers memories and inspires dreams...

 

[Agrippa]

Richard Feynman bios

I've also always enjoyed reading biographies, though haven't read any in a long time. An autobiography that I would highly recommend is Richard P. Feynman's Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman and the 'sequel': What Do You Care What Other People Think?

Feynman is of course the highly respected physicist who (jointly) won the Nobel Prize in Physics (1965) for his contributions to quantum mechanics, though do not let his nerdy profession dissuade you from reading the book. Feynman is young at heart and his curiosity is what led him to become a physicist. His autobiographies take us through his antics at Los Alamos to his showmanship at the Challenger shuttle hearings passing through his adventures in Vegas and L.A. strip clubs...

Very entertaining!