Whatcha Readin'?

[Bond]

I like to keep two (or more) books going at the same time. I just started reading this novel, apparently the "definitive novel about American politics," according to the Times:

http://www.achievement.org/library/bookcovers/AlltheKing_0.jpg

And to begin studying for the LSAT I'm reading this very dry but slightly interesting book:

http://imshopping.rediff.com/imgchkbooks/220-220/books/pixs/01/9780521713801.jpg

[Typhoid]

I'm currently re-reading all of George Carlin's books chronologically.
I just started the other day, so I'm still on Brain Droppings.

[Angrist]

I'm not reading much at the moment. I'm officially still in Die Unendliche Geschichte (The Neverending Story), great book, but it needs time, which I don't feel I have. I say feel, because I do have time for Pokémon and other stupid stuff.
Need to finish my MSc thesis.

A week ago I wondered if I ever finished The War of the Worlds or not. It certainly didn't leave much of an impression (other than being incredibly boring). *grabs the book and reads the ending*
Ah, I remember now. Yeah I did finish it.

[Teuthida]

Just finished

http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/furry/images/thumb/4/45/Lives-of-monster-dogs-bookcover.jpg/300px-Lives-of-monster-dogs-bookcover.jpg

and

http://img.infibeam.com/img/ca5b8dc8/786/1/9780679751786.jpg

Probably will read another Spalding Gray book next.

[BlueFire]

http://blogs.nlb.gov.sg/ask/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/billbryson_mothertongue.jpg

I have a large list of books I want to read in the summer time. Bryson's book is a pleasure to read, though.

[Fox 6]

Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut

[The Germanator]

http://www.hachettebookgroup.com/_images/ISBNCovers/Covers_Enlarged/9780446359405_388X586.jpg

Just started reading this. I'm very interested in the psychology aspects of this. So far it's just been a little background.

I also got a couple more psychology books at this used book store. 3 books for about $6, good deal.

[Zen]

<img src="http://www.zestuff.com/Image.ashx?i=1998"></img>
Nope.... not a comic book, Written by Brian Clevinger author of famous web comic 8-bit theatre, its a fun read.

[Swan]

Rereading through American Psycho. Have not had a chance to pick anything up new, and no idea what I should get.


Suggestions?

[Neo]

Crossroads of Twilight (Wheel of Time) and also The Complete Idiot's Guide: Middle East Conflict

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51TYCAHKE8L._SS500_.jpg

[thatmariolover]

Crossroads of Twilight (Wheel of Time) and also The Complete Idiot's Guide: Middle East Conflict

CoT can be a little heavy. Make it through it, the next book (Knife of Dreams) really picks up again.

[Dargogamer]

Heinlein's Stranger in a Strange Land

[Teuthida]

^ When I was reading that everyone would ask me if I grokked it. *sigh*

[Ric]

This book is about 3 inches thick. It's gonna take me a while ;)

http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/images/c1/c5624.jpg

[Teuthida]

^ I started that a couple years ago but lost interest. Waiting to forget the bits I read before I try it again.

Just began
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41TYG3VGDSL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click,TopRight,35,-76_AA240_SH20_OU01_.jpg

[Angrist]

I've read the original Dune and I loved it. I'm just afraid of reading the other books, because I hear they only get worse.

Ah yes, a picture of the book I'm reading:
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41J8DSG685L._SL500_AA240_.jpg

[BreakABone]

http://www.coverbrowser.com/image/bestsellers-2006/790-1.jpg

An interesting read so far.
I don't know what it is with me and picking books where I can't sympathize with the main character.

[Soviet Stinger]

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/8f/FrederickForsyth_TheDayOfTheJackal.jpg

[Bond]

Just finished reading this:

http://austinmccann.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/6a00c2251dba2a549d00cdf7e83dcf094f-500pi2.jpg

Which was wonderful.


Just started reading this:

http://weblogs.newsday.com/sports/football/bob_blog/threecupsoftea.jpg

[Angrist]

Officially I'm still reading this:

http://www.filmstreet.co.uk/uploads/images/Neverending_Story_DVD_1096.jpg

But I haven't touched it in months. Will pick it up when I have some real time.

[Teuthida]

I was reading

http://www.blacklooks.org/wp-content/uploads/things_fall_apart.jpg

but haven't touched it in about a month in favor of rereading old comics. :unsure:

[BreakABone]

The Night Angel Trilogy

Already finished first book
The Way of the Shadow
on the Second now.

[Swan]

Picked up Dune last week so am reading that now.


http://www.lisashea.com/hobbies/dune/images/bookcover.jpg

[Angrist]

Dune is awesome. I'm lending it to a good friend, she says she's enjoying it.

I never bothered with the sequels, because I hear they're only going downhill...

[Swan]

Yeah, I'm not that far in but I think it is awesome.

And I have heard bad things of the later Dune books.

http://aarm.mywowbb.com/~jratcliff//herbert.gif

[Vampyr]

I just started reading this novel, apparently the "definitive novel about American politics," according to the Times:


Did you finish this/like it? All the King's Men is one of my all time favorite books.

I'm reading a few of books right now:


Very interesting and complex horror novel:
http://ciccoricco.net/teaching/FinalProject07/Todd_House_of_leaves.jpg


No, I've never read The Hobbit before. I am rectifying this.
http://www.wicknet.org/library/middle/hobbit.gif


And finally, an excellent piece of non-fiction to boost my programming prowess:
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51Y6dxwLIGL._SL500_AA240_.jpg

[Angrist]

I've just read:

http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/images/n4/n24156.jpg

Excellent read. Not only does Michael Crichton tell a fascinating crime as a novel, he also adds many interesting details about the time/country of the robbery.

[BreakABone]

Finished the Night Angel trilogy, it was a fun read. Nice world.

Now semi-reading Zombie Survival Guide, and going to attempt to read 1984 with Simon.

[Fox 6]

American Psycho, pretty intense...

[BreakABone]

I read... Digital Fortress... which was a book by Dan Brown.

So you probably read the book if you read any of his work.

[Teuthida]

http://www.coverbrowser.com/image/bestselling-sci-fi-fantasy-2006/2228-1.jpg

Halfway through. Enjoying. Some really interesting future concepts like replacing money with Whuffie, a reputation based currency, and deadheading where you when you become bored with life (since everyone can live forever) you can kill yourself for a number of years to awaken when things are interesting for you again. Created under the Creative Commons license so perfectly legal to download...I hate reading books on the computer though. Have a hardcopy.

[BreakABone]

Started Ender's Game

So far so good

[Angrist]

Taal is zeg maar echt mijn ding. (Language is like really my thing.)

Lovely book about the weird things we say in Dutch language.
This morning I read something about a speech of Hilary Clinton. She said "No way, no how, no McCain." To us 'no way' sounds really immature, because it's one of those English expressions kids love to use all the time.
Others are: whatever, anyway, talk to the hand. Yes, we use those exact terms in Dutch language. A lot. Even older people. :)

[Bube]

I started A Clockwork Orange a few days ago, really liking it so far. And I'm slowly reading through The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. That's an ongoing project.

Next up is Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep.

[Dyne]

I just finished two amazing books. First was Tai Pan by James Clavell - it's taken me many years to finish it, but I finally finished it today. In three or so days, I burned through 400 pages.

The one I finished before that was a Brief History of the Vikings by Clements. Fascinating. I love Vikings.

Up next.. It could be anything. Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain, the last Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, or Gai Jin by James Clavell, or one of the multitude of books I was supposed to read in university (Name of the Rose, Nobrow, Kafka, Brecht, the list goes on.)

[BreakABone]

Killing Floor

Wanted a mystery novel and don't know how to pick em, but this seemed to be a series so started with first book.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_xRp87B-S5kQ/Rbwa5VXkhTI/AAAAAAAAABs/ZFcF00vCULs/s400/KillingFloor.jpg
Not the cover I have but eh

[magus113]

I need to get started on Dexter by Design by Jeff Lindsay. I was disappointed by the third book a lot but maybe this one will save it.

Last book I recently read though was House of Leaves by Mark Danielewski.
SUCH an odd book, but great. If you see it in a bookstore flip through it and you'll find out why.

[BlueFire]

Discourse on the Origin of Inequality
-Rousseau


Don't be too jealous.. haha

[Teuthida]

Last book I recently read though was House of Leaves by Mark Danielewski. SUCH an odd book, but great. If you see it in a bookstore flip through it and you'll find out why.

Whoa, looked at some pages online. I definitely need to check this book out.

[Vampyr]

Whoa, looked at some pages online. I definitely need to check this book out.

I also have that book...it's very good.

[The Germanator]

http://i456.photobucket.com/albums/qq290/mnarel/BorntoRunAHiddenTribeS11152_f.jpg

About to start reading this. It's about an Indian tribe in Mexico who run ultra-marathons, many times barefoot or just with a very thin sandal. It apparently dispels many myths about modern running shoes and running science. I've been running for a little while now, and I'm curious to see whether barefoot running might be the way to go.

[Angrist]

You should play barefoot on stage.

[Vampyr]

http://i456.photobucket.com/albums/qq290/mnarel/BorntoRunAHiddenTribeS11152_f.jpg

About to start reading this. It's about an Indian tribe in Mexico who run ultra-marathons, many times barefoot or just with a very thin sandal. It apparently dispels many myths about modern running shoes and running science. I've been running for a little while now, and I'm curious to see whether barefoot running might be the way to go.

Until you step on a nail and get tetanus.

[Teuthida]

I saw that guy on the Daily Show. Interesting stuff.

This blog (http://barefootted.com/) explores barefoot running. Been trying to find a cheap running shoe based off of the thin sandal or ones that mimic being barefoot, but the cheap part is hard.

Running with and without shoes and the difference it makes.
<object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/9itkEkcQ8WM&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/9itkEkcQ8WM&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object>

[The Germanator]

Until you step on a nail and get tetanus.

That's why you get those shots! Also, the guy says he "uses his eyes to see things on the ground." And I run in a nice area and in a loop around a state park. There really isn't much debris. I can't say I'm ready to do it yet, but the idea is intriguing.

[Zen]

you start running barefoot and your feet will look like this
http://www.scielo.br/img/revistas/abd/v79n1/19995f3.jpg
It'll be nature's way of giving you a "shoe".

[KillerGremlin]

you start running barefoot and your feet will look like this
http://www.scielo.br/img/revistas/abd/v79n1/19995f3.jpg
It'll be nature's way of giving you a "shoe".

It's natures way of getting people to stay the fuck away from you when you take your shoes and socks off! Talk about a social trade off...running barefoot.

[Angrist]

Ehm, feet start to smell as soon as you put socks and shoes around them. Or was that your point?

[BreakABone]

Probably asked this before, but how do you pick out books and stuff?

Just finished my current book, and not quite sure where to go now so looking for a way to pick out next few books.

[Vampyr]

I usually read things recommended by friends.

[KillerGremlin]

I poop in this bathroom on campus and it always has pleasant things written on it. They clean it up every few weeks, but my University has a bunch of comedians. The current thing is a bunch of dick drawings. But there is also written stuff....and some of it is funny.
Like Demitri Martin said:
I went into a bar with my friends, I had to go to the bathroom, so I went in there, I sat down....somebody had written on the stall:
"Metallica rules"
Under that it said:
"Metallica sucks"
Under that it said:
"You suck"
Under that it said:
"Fuck you."
I just though...man, a lot of people shit with pens. Why don't I have one? Cause Toy Story 2 was okay!

[Bube]

In the last few years, I've been trying to read whatever "modern classic" I hear about (if it interests me, of course). The Hitchhiker's Guide, Catch-22, Brave New World and stuff.

Or books I hear about here. The Gun Seller was great, for example :)

Also, I've been doing some reading on my iPod Touch, I read quite a few free ebooks, especially Lovecraft.

And I also read some sci-fi. I usually do some research on the internet before, then decide on a book. Or in the case of my current book, Do Android's Dream of Electric Sheep, it's because I love Blade Runner so much, I wanted to read the book :)

[Nighthawk]

it's because I fell asleep while watching Blade Runner, I wanted to read the book

fixed.

[Bube]

That was my 3rd watch, and anyways, I watched it once more after that time.

[Angrist]

Haha, that's why my brother's not on GT. :D

[Combine 017]

2 weeks ago for the first time in 3 years, I read a book.
Halo: The Fall of Reach.
Since I dont read books very often I dont know what the standards are for a "good" book but I liked it.
Then I picked up the next one titled "The Flood" and finished it last night, figure ill grab the next some time as well.
If anyone likes action Sci-fi then I'd suggest reading those books.
And if you like the Halo story these would add to it.

[Professor S]

I'd love to see a book written with the Bioshock universe as the base. It could explore the founding and building of Rapture and sow the seeds of it's destruction.

The first part of the story has already been written. It's Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand.

The end of the story is Bioshock.

But it needs a second act.

[Angrist]

Talking about fantasy books, guess who still hasn't finished the book he had almost ready 2 years ago?!? Yes, GRRM.

[Teuthida]

Probably asked this before, but how do you pick out books and stuff?

Just finished my current book, and not quite sure where to go now so looking for a way to pick out next few books.


http://whatshouldireadnext.com/search

[BreakABone]

Figured since such a huge fan would try out the Bond novels, and started with Casino Royale, and it makes you look at Bond in a different light.


Sure it is only the first book, but he isn't quite the character he is in most of the movies.

[BreakABone]

http://www.originalportraits.co.uk/DeadFlies/Images/LiveAndLetDie.jpg

If people wanna complain about movie/book conversions, I don't think they need look further than the Bond series.

As said before, Casino Royale is the first book, but is the 21st movie made.
Live and Let Die is the second book, but the 7th movie made.

So these things were out of wack from word one, and sure its Bond, but there are some elements that carry over and stuff.

[Acebot44]

http://i456.photobucket.com/albums/qq290/mnarel/BorntoRunAHiddenTribeS11152_f.jpg

About to start reading this. It's about an Indian tribe in Mexico who run ultra-marathons, many times barefoot or just with a very thin sandal. It apparently dispels many myths about modern running shoes and running science. I've been running for a little while now, and I'm curious to see whether barefoot running might be the way to go.

Sergey Brin seems to have found this (http://www.crunchgear.com/2009/11/19/this-season-crazy-monkey-shoes-are-the-new-hotness-at-the-chrome-os-event/) solution.

More on the KSO (http://www.vibramfivefingers.com/products/products_KSO_m.cfm).

Makes me kinda wanna try them out...

[Teuthida]

Those do look rather nice. Maybe if I ever get back into running.


And reading American Psycho. Might be the only time I ever read a book after seeing the movie instead of the other way around.

[The Germanator]

Sergey Brin seems to have found this (http://www.crunchgear.com/2009/11/19/this-season-crazy-monkey-shoes-are-the-new-hotness-at-the-chrome-os-event/) solution.

More on the KSO (http://www.vibramfivefingers.com/products/products_KSO_m.cfm).

Makes me kinda wanna try them out...

Yeah, I'm intrigued by those things. "Barefoot" Ted who is mentioned in the book wears them and it seems rather amazing. I finished the book, by the way. It's a really interesting read, especially since I started running a couple of years ago. It makes you wonder about modern shoe companies...

Today I picked up this in the studio.

http://bookcoverarchive.com/images/books/red_harvest.large.jpg

I have never actually read Hammet's work. I only know of his work from some of the great 50's Film Noir. It's roped me in already though, really good detective book.

[Szymon]

Just finished 1984
http://www.penguin.co.uk/static/cs/uk/0/penguin_sets/images/georgeorwell/poster_1984_lrg.jpg
WAR IS PEACE
IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH
FREEDOM IS SLAVERY

BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING

[Dyne]

Oh my lord. I don't even know where to begin since my last post.

I'll just say the basics. I just finished Redwall by Brian Jacques, and now I'm reading Gaijin by James Clavell. So good.

I probably go through 40 books a month right now. I'm not joking. I'm finishing everything I have and then moving on to a library. Nothing can stop me.

I love reading on my train.

[Bube]

40 books a month means 1.3 books a day. How is that possible? :D

[Angrist]

Well, I think 50-80 pages an hour is possible. So if an average book is 200 pages, it takes 3-4 hours per book. If you travel a lot, I guess you have more than that per day...

But I'm curious as well, how do you do that?

[Vampyr]

I'll just say the basics. I just finished Redwall by Brian Jacques

One of my favorite books of all time.

You need to read "The Legend of Luke"...it's another in the Redwall series, and probably my favorite.

[Bond]

Just finished this:

http://www.harpercollins.com/harperimages/isbn/large/0/9780061233500.jpg

Dr. Miller does a great job at reconciling religion and Darwinian evolution (you'll find the two concepts need not be at odds at all).


And currently reading this monster, which I doubt I'll finish before I go back to university:

http://scrapetv.com/News/News%20Pages/Technology/images/atlas-shrugged-cover.jpg

[Swan]

Just about finished this.
http://img2.timeinc.net/ew/dynamic/imgs/060713/16126__south_of_the_pumphouse_l.jpg
By one of my favorite musicians at it is turning out to be an enjoyable read though a bit short.

[The Germanator]

In the past few weeks I've read:

The Watchmen

Bottomless Belly Button: http://www.amazon.com/Bottomless-Belly-Button-Dash-Shaw/dp/1560979151/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1263061825&sr=1-1

Celine Dion's Let's Talk About Love: A Journey to the End of Taste (33 1/3)
http://www.amazon.com/Celine-Dions-Lets-Talk-About/dp/082642788X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1263061598&sr=1-1-spell

Neutral Milk Hotel's In the Aeroplane Over the Sea (33 1/3)
http://www.amazon.com/Neutral-Milk-Hotels-Aeroplane-Over/dp/082641690X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1263061656&sr=1-1

If you are a music fan, the 33 1/3 series is pretty great. Basically an author chooses an album he finds compelling and writes a short non-fiction book about it. The Celene Dion book is a really interesting look at taste and why certain things are popular.

A friend got me The Exorcist for Christmas, so I'll probably start reading that.

[Angrist]

I'm still in Die Unendliche Geschichte (The Neverending Story). I'm halfway through. Somehow it doesn't captivate me like it did in the beginning. One of the reasons could be that my German isn't that good, and I sometimes have trouble understanding the text.

[BreakABone]

http://cyrusfirst.com/guests/mcbooks/large_illustration/Moonraker.jpg

Finished reading this.
And it is NOTHING like the movie at all. :lol:

And started reading this,
http://monsterscifishow.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/percy-jackson.jpg

[Zen]

Somebody lent me this, about halfway through, dont see what's the big fuzz on this book.

<img src="http://i437.photobucket.com/albums/qq92/breejolie143/BD018The-Catcher-in-the-Rye-by-J-D-.jpg"></img>

[Vampyr]

Just finished reading Daemon and its sequel Freedom by Daniel Suarez:

http://www.kk.org/cooltools/daemon-freedom-cover-sm.jpg

Very good techno-thriller books, would recommend to anyone, especially if you're into technology. The books were written by a real software developer, so there aren't any of those "that's not how it works" moments.

Getting ready to read The Passage by Justin Cronin.

http://www.horror-mall.com/images/P/cronin_lg.jpg

[Typhoid]

I'm currently reading a book about the origins and evolution of the English language, to the current, and future progression.

Highly interesting book [stuff like this fascinates me].


Like for example, one of the main reasons English has so many words for one thing, and is therefore so hard for other people to learn, is because we've assimilated so many other languages and meshed them into our own to incorporate them over hundreds and hundreds of years. During the Renaissance 10,000-12,000 new words were created. Shakespeare created many of the phrases that we still use today [the only one I remember right now] like "I'm in a pickle." Pickle at the time being a relish-type of thing, therefore the statement making no absolute sense, but people would quote it constantly as people did with "Wazzap".

What fascinated me the most was the evolution of 'ebonics', and the explanation behind it. The slaves picked up 'pidgin' [not a real language, but a basic type of english to get a point across] from people who spoke English as a second language. Which is why things such as "is" and "are" are omitted from 'ebonic speech'. They served no purpose in pidgin English. And explains why "th" and "t" is pronounced like a hard "d" sound.

Also, if two people who speak pidgin English have a child, that child cannot speak Pidgin English, because it doesn't exist - that child now speaks Creole.


Fascinating.

[Vampyr]

That's one of my favorite things about English, just how mashed up and crazy it is. There's actually a movement out there to remove all the duplication and non-nonsensical parts, but I think that would kill the beauty of the language.

Also, I started reading The Passage last night. It is an awesome book, I'm about 100 pages in out of over 800, and the character development is superb. It's a vampire horror novel, but more along the lines of I am Legend than Dracula. It hasn't "jumped" yet, but supposedly the book covers hundreds of years of time. Very epic.

[Typhoid]

That's one of my favorite things about English, just how mashed up and crazy it is. There's actually a movement out there to remove all the duplication and non-nonsensical parts, but I think that would kill the beauty of the language.

I was talking to my dad about something to that effect [he gave me the book]. He said he was talking to a Chinese guy who said "English is so hard because you have so many duplicate words for things. Like small. You have so many ways to say it."

But then I made the point to my dad that there is only one way to say small - small. There are things like 'tiny' and 'miniscule', but those don't really mean small. It's a measurement scale that's signified in words. You wouldn't say "It was a tiny battleship", but you'd say "It was a small battleship", because 'tiny' would portray being palm-sized, while small would signify that it's smaller than normal, or large, while still being big in context of battleships.

Fascinating.

[Typhoid]

I just started reading The Gunslinger by Stephen King. It's the first book in The Dark Tower series.

I'm already almost done the book [granted it's only about 400 pages], but I'm really enjoying it so far.

[Dylflon]

I bought the Gunslinger and gave up on it because I didn't like the writing style even though I usually like Stephen King a lot.

Just finished reading Hater by David Moody

It was okay. Might read the sequel.

[Vampyr]

I just started reading The Gunslinger by Stephen King. It's the first book in The Dark Tower series.

I'm already almost done the book [granted it's only about 400 pages], but I'm really enjoying it so far.

One of my favorite book series ever.

I don't want to spoil anything, but have you gotten to the part where he moves through the town with Alice and the guy who plays Hey Jude? Probably my favorite part of the book.

[Angrist]

I'm reading Blindsight by Robin Cook. I'm at 1/3, so far it's good. Nothing scary or too suspicious though, so perhaps it's a bit slow.

I love reading when I have the time for it.

[Typhoid]

One of my favorite book series ever.

I don't want to spoil anything, but have you gotten to the part where he moves through the town with Alice and the guy who plays Hey Jude? Probably my favorite part of the book.

Just incase, I'll black it out.
I'm about 3/4-ish of the way through [I havent read any more yet]. He just took mescaline, and left the boy to go trip out at the alter.

If you're talking about the whole part where he destroys the town, and the story of the town - I really liked that.

[Vampyr]

Just incase, I'll black it out.
I'm about 3/4-ish of the way through [I havent read any more yet]. He just took mescaline, and left the boy to go trip out at the alter.

If you're talking about the whole part where he destroys the town, and the story of the town - I really liked that.

Yeah that's what I'm talking about. He destroys everyone in the town, then goes and has some hamburger. Not to mention he can reload a revolver with one hand. What a badass.

[Angrist]

I finished Robin Cook's Blindsight, which was ok (better than Mindbend, not as good as Terminal).

Now I'm reading Leviathan by some guy. His writing style isn't perfect, but the story is good so far. Huge firespitting monster, what's not to like?

[BreakABone]

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/719SBA98RVL._SS500_.gif

Just got this in the mail can't wait to get through it. :)