Books/What are you reading?

[Dayviewer]

Not reading anything at the moment but will definatly get into some when my holidays start in a week.
I used to read TONS of Star Wars novels when i was a kid, the stories and characters in there were SO much better than all those lame spin-offs/games today, will probably re-read a few of them
Can anyone recommend some other good sci-fi novels or somethin btw?

[Nick]

I'm about to re-read Cat's Cradle by Vonnegut, love the guy.

That book is fantastic! I plan on reading all of Vonnegut's stuff eventually. My favorite so far has been Mother Night.

[gbruin]

Wow, a thread on literature devolving into Fletch and Macca talking female masturbation. Who'd ever have thought that could happen?

Ok, help me out. I'm not sure what book to read next: Duff McKagan's autobiography, a book that catalogs history's greatest atrocities, or March (a Civil War novel about the absent father from Little Women).

What do you think?

Come on now, Guns didn't go THAT mental did they?

I vote for Duff!

I'm about to re-read Cat's Cradle by Vonnegut, love the guy.

Hahahaha. The book of atrocities is not Duff's autobio, but a separate book titled The Great Big Book of Horrible Things. There were 3 books in that list, though now that I read it back it does look funny.

Nevertheless, Duff it is.

[Andy92]

Haven't read any novels too recently, but I enjoyed Till We Have Faces by C.S. Lewis when I read it a while ago. He basically retells the story of Psyche and Cupid in a modern way (although I don't recall the name Cupid actually being mentioned in it, could be wrong though). Was an entertaining read.

[Nick]

Proust is killing me. This first volume has almost 400 pages and he only splits it up into 4 chapters. I have to retrace my steps every time I pick up reading or find a good spot to stop. There's some amazing stuff in here but there's very little effort put in to make it easy to read.

[gbruin]

Proust is killing me. This first volume has almost 400 pages and he only splits it up into 4 chapters. I have to retrace my steps every time I pick up reading or find a good spot to stop. There's some amazing stuff in here but there's very little effort put in to make it easy to read.

Is it worth the work? You've got me thinking about it after all.

[Nick]

So far, absolutely. The back of the book describes the story as a "psychological portrait" and it certainly is. Between an almost lilting rhythm of beautiful writing there are interspersed these profound psychological and philosophical ideas that have made me think and rethink how myself and others work. Reading Proust feels like a puzzle, an unwrapping of dense, knotted strands of gorgeous imagery, awe striking thoughts, and deep characters. I start reading a page and wonder if it's worth the effort and then I wake up five or more pages later, practically gasping after slipping into the rhythm of this story. It's hard work but it's so worth it.

[gbruin]

So far, absolutely. The back of the book describes the story as a "psychological portrait" and it certainly is. Between an almost lilting rhythm of beautiful writing there are interspersed these profound psychological and philosophical ideas that have made me think and rethink how myself and others work. Reading Proust feels like a puzzle, an unwrapping of dense, knotted strands of gorgeous imagery, awe striking thoughts, and deep characters. I start reading a page and wonder if it's worth the effort and then I wake up five or more pages later, practically gasping after slipping into the rhythm of this story. It's hard work but it's so worth it.

Like reading your post. And I mean that as a sincere compliment. You mentioned you were an English major, right? Well, then, I'd best take your advice. I'll put Proust it line after the current not-as-deep material.

[Violent Corpse]

I'm about to re-read Cat's Cradle by Vonnegut, love the guy.

I've been searching for that book all over my city.

I can never find the books I want here. -_-

[itaughttremonti]

After seeing all the advanced reading goin on here...I was a little weary to post, but what the hey...Calico Joe - John Grisham . Went through a period where I stopped reading as much as I used to...but I'm getting back in. Found a few good suggestions in here.

[Nick]

So far, absolutely. The back of the book describes the story as a "psychological portrait" and it certainly is. Between an almost lilting rhythm of beautiful writing there are interspersed these profound psychological and philosophical ideas that have made me think and rethink how myself and others work. Reading Proust feels like a puzzle, an unwrapping of dense, knotted strands of gorgeous imagery, awe striking thoughts, and deep characters. I start reading a page and wonder if it's worth the effort and then I wake up five or more pages later, practically gasping after slipping into the rhythm of this story. It's hard work but it's so worth it.

Like reading your post. And I mean that as a sincere compliment. You mentioned you were an English major, right? Well, then, I'd best take your advice. I'll put Proust it line after the current not-as-deep material.

Thank you. Yes, I am and going into my junior year. I would suggest reading some lighter material alongside it if you're someone that enjoys reading two things at once. That's what I've been doing lately so I don't have to read something heavy like Proust if I'm just in the mood for something light. I actually have a similar system for new CDs too.

After seeing all the advanced reading goin on here...I was a little weary to post, but what the hey...Calico Joe - John Grisham . Went through a period where I stopped reading as much as I used to...but I'm getting back in. Found a few good suggestions in here.

Hey, try not to worry too much about your choice of reading material, man. You're already ahead of most of the population and to me, reading anything is a million times better than reading nothing. I'm not one of those snobby, asshole English majors (and I know plenty) that would turn their nose up at Grisham. Reading is just great in general.

[Macca]

Just read The Reapers by John Connolly and Terror's Reach by Tom Bale. Both very good. I read some of the "literary classics" when I did English Lit in 1st and 2nd year of uni and hated each and every one of them. I tend to stick to the more simple mainstream stuff after that.

[agny]

A friend gave me The Art of Racing in the Rain (book about dogs, family struggles, and race car driving - told by the dog) by Garth Stein a couple of years ago. I recently read his book How Evan Broke His Head and Other Secrets - about a struggling musician with epilepsy and a teenage son, but more broadly about how we write our own life story in our heads and how that affects our perception and choices. Some clever writing and some thought-provoking moments.

[Scarface]

I love books about WWII and the Holocaust. My favorites of those are Milkweed, Number The Stars, Letters From Rifka, Maus I and Maus II, and The Boy In The Striped Pajamas. Given my taste for that stuff, any suggestions? Also, recently I read my first Kurt Vonnegut novel, SH Five. It was a pretty entertaining read. I also read The Great Gatsby. It was pretty good, but in my opinion it wasn't anything AMAZING. When I get bored and don't feel like reading anything new, I always read The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Sadly (and embarrassingly), I haven't read The Hobbit...I got it from the library recently and have been reading it. I would like to read it several times before the movie comes out, so i have plenty of time. Tolkien's stuff is written beautifully. I plan on reading The Silmarillion, The Adventures of Tom Bombadil, and The tale of the Children of Hurin. Any suggestions from Tolkien?

[Timotheus]

The Silmarillion is an amazing piece of work. And the tale of the Children of Hurin is also amazing if you're a big Tolkien fan and are looking for more. The Hobbit is a must-read for a Tolkienfan very childish, but fun to read. Shouldn't take more than 3-4 days to read it if you put some time in it

[gbruin]

I love books about WWII and the Holocaust. My favorites of those are Milkweed, Number The Stars, Letters From Rifka, Maus I and Maus II, and The Boy In The Striped Pajamas. Given my taste for that stuff, any suggestions? Also, recently I read my first Kurt Vonnegut novel, SH Five. It was a pretty entertaining read. I also read The Great Gatsby. It was pretty good, but in my opinion it wasn't anything AMAZING. When I get bored and don't feel like reading anything new, I always read The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Sadly (and embarrassingly), I haven't read The Hobbit...I got it from the library recently and have been reading it. I would like to read it several times before the movie comes out, so i have plenty of time. Tolkien's stuff is written beautifully. I plan on reading The Silmarillion, The Adventures of Tom Bombadil, and The tale of the Children of Hurin. Any suggestions from Tolkien?

Read Night, by Elie Weisel

I agree with Timotheus above about The Simarillion and the Children of Hurin. Great stories. There are a ton of Tolkien works, many of which were not published initially or are incomplete (or were finished by his son). They are all pretty interesting and worth the read. Many of them are tangentially connected to LOTR. You can prob find a single volume that includes them all.

[Ashlee]

I've already commented on the series I'm reading now. I'm just bumping this to tell Andy that his banner is the prettiest thing I've beheld recently. Gracias.

[Andy92]

I've already commented on the series I'm reading now. I'm just bumping this to tell Andy that his banner is the prettiest thing I've beheld recently. Gracias.

Thanks Ashlee! Glad you like it.

[MylesKennedyIsGod]

About 250 pages into A Game of Thrones. Started reading it after seeing the praise for it on here and my uncle commenting on how good the HBO series is.

All I can say is WOW. If its this good and intriguing already, I have a feeling I'm in for a treat.

[itaughttremonti]

Started "the given day" -lehane....character develoPment is rich, waiting on the plot to kick in.