What Are You Reading?

iamanengine

Halfway through the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy series, so, so funny, really good read.

After that it will be on to The Hobbit and from there on I'll either read Catch 22, the LOTR trilogy or the A Song of Fire and Ice series! So much reading

Cherry Blossom Girl

Since real life is currently lacking in passion I have taken to reading some good old 19th century romance novels. First up is Jane Eyre and then I'm going to attempt Anna Karenina for the 3rd time.

I also found this cool website the other day: http://www.whatshouldireadnext.com/. You type in an author or book that you liked and it gives you reccommendations for other, similar books. I tried it with a few different books and authors and the results are pretty decent. Might be useful to some of you now that the summer holliers are finally upon us

HandsomeDivil

I've gone on a bit of a reading binge since I finished the LC. Started off with Less Than Zero by Bret Easton Ellis. I really enjoyed it but I'm not sure why.

There's not much of a plot, more of a stream of consciousness sort of thing. I kinda wish my life was like that though, filled with meaningless sex and drugs. :P

I then re-read Of Mice and Men. It's such a good book, I remember studying it for Junior Cert and falling in love with it. One of my favourite books ever.

Finally got around to reading 1984. I thought it was really good, it's scary how much of it is applicable to modern society.

I was left with a stark feeling of hopelessness but maybe that's what makes it so good, the fact that it's so true to life.

After this I read The House of Silk, which is Anthony Horowitz's take on a Sherlock Holmes novel. I was pleasantly surprised by this. If anything, it was almost too like Doyle's writing but yeah it was good.

I also read The Hunger Games. Was a bit disappointed to be honest. It's an interesting concept but I thought the writer could have explored it more.

There wasn't that much tension during the Games and we never really get the feeling that Katniss could die at any moment. I dunno, I thought it was all just a bit convenient, everything just seemed to work out for her in the end.

wnolan1992

I've decided that since I've kinda drifted from reading in the last few years, I'm going to try and jump start my interest by getting a few audiobooks to listen to while I'm "working" (i.e. sitting at a laptop pretending to work).

Starting with "Ilium" by Dan Simmons. I have absolutely no idea what it's about, but it was in the Top 100 Sci-Fi audiobooks collection and Ilium was the name of a planet in Mass Effect. What could possibly go wrong?

Precious flower

Finished The Stand by Stephen King - Finally!! I thought I'd never get to the end of it! I don't mean it was bad, but it was just one hell of a big book, enjoyed it though, felt the ended was maybe a bit rushed though. I've moved on to another Stephen King book now, Rose Madder. Enjoying it more than The Stand, it reminds me of The Shining which so far is my favourite Stephen King book.:)

tigerblob

Just started Second Glance by Jodi Picoult. It's alright so far, but I have crazy-high expectations because I recently read The Pact by her and it was amaaaazing so I'm expecting it to pick up.

Lawliet

HandsomeDivil wrote: »

I also read The Hunger Games. Was a bit disappointed to be honest. It's an interesting concept but I thought the writer could have explored it more.

There wasn't that much tension during the Games and we never really get the feeling that Katniss could die at any moment. I dunno, I thought it was all just a bit convenient, everything just seemed to work out for her in the end.

Worked out for her in the end? Did you read the same series I did?

After avoiding the series for years I finally caved an read the 'Girl with the Dragon Tattoo'. Dear god those Sweds drink a lot of coffee. I prefer the American film to the book tbh, the writer could talk for miles about nothing.

JamJamJamJam

I started reading Animal Farm yesterday. It's only 100ish pages, so for someone who's shite at reading, I thought it was something I might actually finish, and I will, which is an achievement to me :P

I'm only half way through, but it's really interesting

LoonyLovegood

Bought Tender is the Night and The Last Tycoon by F. Scott Fitzgerald today. Interesting enough, want to get properly stuck in though

Junco Partner

Recently finished With The Old Breed by Eugene B. Sledge and Helmet For My Pillow By Robert Leckie. Two WWII memoirs by marines in the Pacific Theater. HBO used them as the basic for The Pacific miniseries.
Two good reads, seems war came down to months of boredom and drudgery followed by periods of untold horror and savagery.

At the moment I've started the Foundation by Isaac Asimov.
Trying to work my way through all the sci-fi/dystopia classics but i'm finding it contains an awful lot of math. which historically I've struggled with.

JamJamJamJam

JamJamJamJam wrote: »

I started reading Animal Farm yesterday. It's only 100ish pages, so for someone who's shite at reading, I thought it was something I might actually finish, and I will, which is an achievement to me :P

I'm only half way through, but it's really interesting

Finished it just there. It would have had more impact on me if I'd known the history a little better.

Now, time to read Simone de Beauvoir's 'The Second Sex', and become a totally intolerable person 8-|

Cherry Blossom Girl

JamJamJamJam wrote: »

Finished it just there. It would have had more impact on me if I'd known the history a little better.

I love Animal Farm. I read my friend's copy of it under the desk in a succession of religion classes back in secondary school. :cool:

JamJamJamJam wrote: »

Now, time to read Simone de Beauvoir's 'The Second Sex', and become a totally intolerable person 8-|

Nowt wrong with feminism! I'd also recommend some Betty Friedan, Germaine Greer and Judith Butler if you're so inclined.

As for me, I'm currently about a quarter of the way through The Book Thief and really enjoying it. I've found it difficult to get interested in reading lately but this is actually holding my attention which is very good. My dog doesn't seem to share my feelings though; I was reading it outside on the grass yesterday and left it down to go inside and get some water. When I came back he had the whole front cover and half the back cover ripped off! Left two nice puncture holes in the title too :mad:

Davyhal

I started The Book Thief almost two months ago and read about two-thirds of it, but then stopped as I had left it at my parents' house by accident. I then decided to go back and finish some other books that I had started and not finished...

Finally finished "The Magician's Apprentice" by Trudi Canavan over the weekend after what seems like an eternity. My God, what a painful read. I read the High Lord triliogy back about 3 years ago or so and I really enjoyed it, so I thought I would enjoy the prequel too. I was wrong. It follows a few different characters and you expect their storylines to eventually all tie up together. No such luck. I am now doubting whether or not I should read the Traitor Trilogy, the sequel to the High Lord Trilogy,

In the meantime, I am going to finish the Book Thief.

Clandestine

JamJamJamJam wrote: »

Now, time to read Simone de Beauvoir's 'The Second Sex', and become a totally intolerable person 8-|

Read "The Second Sexism" if you get the chance, to see the other side of the story.

buttonteaser

ive just finished divergent and insurgent great books. its all about dystopian societies lately so it was a good read. im planning on reading under the dome soon and start game of thrones. love the hunger games trilogy too

Cherry Blossom Girl

Finally finished The Book Thief. I was geuinely sad to say goodbye to the characters which is something I haven't felt about a book in a long time.

If anyone's interested, AwesomeBooks are currently having an ahem.. awesome sale! They have hundreds of 3 book bundles (you can choose by author or category) for €8.14 and they have lots of bestsellers for only 3 yoyos. Free delivery too

Insect Overlord

Cherry Blossom Girl wrote: »

Finally finished The Book Thief. I was geuinely sad to say goodbye to the characters which is something I haven't felt about a book in a long time.

I really have to read that! I promised someone a few years ago that I'd read it. Woops...

Precious flower

Insect Overlord wrote: »

I really have to read that! I promised someone a few years ago that I'd read it. Woops...

:O :O *Demonic voice* Read that book!! :P Oh, it's SO good you won't regret it! I loved it! Reading Anna Karenina, I keep starting it, then walking away from it. I can't seem to get into it but it's a classic so I feel it's a must read! And have gone away from books (The Book Thief is a prime example) because I couldn't get into it, then came back to it and made myself read in further to the book and loved it. I always feel as well that once I've made a start at a book that I can't not finish it.

MissD93

is anyone reading the knife of never letting go, i'm getting a bit obsessed with it at at the moment

SChique00

Reading Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close since mid-August and making slow progress (due largely to the demands of sixth year) - that says nothing for how well-written and evocative the book is. Can be a little awkward in places due to the quirky protagonist and his unconventional narrative voice, but an engaging read thus far. Hoping to move onto "The Fault in Our Stars" afterward - has anyone here read it before?

LoonyLovegood

Oh TFIOS. It grabbed me, ripped out my heart, tore it up, sewed it back up in little pieces then shoved it back in.

SO GOOD

AllCaps

Can anyone here recommend me some good Mystery/Crime novels? Something similar in plot to the TV series 'Broadchurch' is what I'm after.

I'm reading A Game of Thrones at the moment, then I plan on reading A Clash of Kings and I feel like taking a break from fantasy after that.

Pigwidgeon

I just stayed up all night reading the kite runner at the start of a 6 day working week. I guess you could say it's good.

Whatsernamex33

Nineteen Minutes, by Jodi Picoult. It's fairly good so far.

YayForYuffie

I've started reading the Dresden Files, and I'm living that!

I was also in the process of trading The Fault In Our Stars until my sister cruelly took it away from me!


I probably shouldn't have taken it without asking.

Pigwidgeon

Right I've a request, I'm interested in general learning more about history seeing as I didn't do it in school or anything, but don't want the type of books you get in school.

Does anyone know of any books that are an interesting (and educational) read on history, the main things I'd like to learn about at the moment would be general Irish history and World war 2; I'll take it from there afterwards. I'm sure there's someone who is studying history and has come across a decent read

marko93

Pigwidgeon wrote: »

Right I've a request, I'm interested in general learning more about history seeing as I didn't do it in school or anything, but don't want the type of books you get in school.

Does anyone know of any books that are an interesting (and educational) read on history, the main things I'd like to learn about at the moment would be general Irish history and World war 2; I'll take it from there afterwards. I'm sure there's someone who is studying history and has come across a decent read

I'm reading this at the moment and very much enjoying it;

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Nazis-Warning-History-Laurence-Rees/dp/056349333X

G Eyed Joe

Mein Kampf By Adolf Hitler. Great book, altogether. On the Chapter entitled "Years of Studying and Suffering in Vienna" .

wnolan1992

G Eyed Joe wrote: »

Mein Kampf By Adolf Hitler. Great book, altogether. On the Chapter entitled "Years of Studying and Suffering in Vienna" .

I actually read the first few chapters of it once out of sheer curiosity. Good lord it's DULL. I didn't even get as far as the antisemitism.



I'm not sure if this is the sort of stuff that might interest you Pigwidgeon, but I got a book a few years ago called "Great Irish Speeches" (I think it was this one but I'm not sure because mine came with a CD that had recordings of some of the more modern stuff) and I thought it was a great read. You could probably get all the speeches online somewhere, they're definitely worth a read (particularly Ian Paisley, Gerry Adams, Haughey, Lynch and Emmett).

SarahBeep!

wnolan1992 wrote: »

I actually read the first few chapters of it once out of sheer curiosity. Good lord it's DULL. I didn't even get as far as the antisemitism.



I'm not sure if this is the sort of stuff that might interest you Pigwidgeon, but I got a book a few years ago called "Great Irish Speeches" (I think it was this one but I'm not sure because mine came with a CD that had recordings of some of the more modern stuff) and I thought it was a great read. You could probably get all the speeches online somewhere, they're definitely worth a read (particularly Ian Paisley, Gerry Adams, Haughey, Lynch and Emmett).

I have that, amazing stuff!