What Are You Reading?

rhapsody! · 24-12-2008 6:16pm

thusspakeblixa wrote: »

I always thought His Dark Materials was a bit mehhh personally.

Yay someone agrees

Btw whoever read Life of Pi, what exactly is it? I've seen it on the shelf somewhere and not sure whether it's the type of book I'd read.

Piste · 24-12-2008 11:39pm

It starts off with various musings on philosophy and religion until SUDDENLY STRANDED IN THE OCEAN WITH A TIGER! And then most of the rest of the book is about the boy in the boat with the tiger and him surviving.

It's very good

rhapsody! · 24-12-2008 11:41pm

Cool sounds confusing and twisted.
I like the sound of it :P
*grabs from shelf*

victoriaa · 28-12-2008 12:24am

Jack Kerouac-On the road.. I got through the first 10 pages and now I'm too lazy to continue.. But I promised myself I would finish it till the new year's eve.

rhapsody! · 28-12-2008 12:27am

Devil Bones by Kathy Reichs.

banjopaul · 28-12-2008 2:33am

I'm just finished Catch-22 by Joseph Heller, thought it was brilliant! I'm starting The Metamorphosis and Other Stories by Kafka now.

Seraphicblue · 28-12-2008 5:57am

I've just finished Neuromancer and Count Zero by William Gibson
excellent cyberpunk...he even predicts some slag that we use on the net nowadays

Tomorrow I start House of Chains by Steven Erikson (The Malazan Book of the Fallen)
Awaiting moar Neil Gaiman as soon as possible

Blue, who should be sleeping

thusspakeblixa · 28-12-2008 2:32pm

victoriaa wrote: »

Jack Kerouac-On the road.. I got through the first 10 pages and now I'm too lazy to continue.. But I promised myself I would finish it till the new year's eve.

Give it time. I know its a bit slow and long-winded, but it really grew on me. After a while I just couldn't put it down.

banjopaul wrote: »

I'm starting The Metamorphosis and Other Stories by Kafka now.

Brilliant, that Kafka lad.

KnifeWRENCH · 28-12-2008 6:57pm

Currently reading "Chaos" by James Gleick.
It's about Chaos Theory, which is a very interesting subject.

Insect Overlord · 29-12-2008 5:23pm

I'll be starting Angela's Ashes in a few days time, got through the first 3 chapters of Northern Lights very quickly last night.

Fad · 29-12-2008 7:36pm

Looking For Alaska-John Green.

Pleasant so far.

anonymous_joe · 29-12-2008 9:43pm

Jonathan Wilson's Inverting the Pyramid. Meant to be amazing.

cautioner · 29-12-2008 11:23pm

badabinbadaboom wrote: »

A short history of nearly everything-Bill Bryson.
Its heavy going at times but absolutely fascinating!

YES. I've read this at least 4 times in as many years. Mind blowing.

Couple on the go at the mo:

Mr. S and the Secrets of Andorra's Box - Ross 'O Carroll Kelly. Everything I'd expect so far. Brainless laugh.

Q&A - Forget Author. Only read one chapter but I have a feeling I'm going to be fairly engrossed in this one once I get into it.

Lined up: Animal Farm.

banjopaul · 30-12-2008 12:37am

cautioner wrote: »

Q&A - Forget Author.

Vikas Swarup, remembered that without googling too! Thats what working in a book shop does to ya!:D

cautioner wrote: »

Lined up: Animal Farm.

Good choice, I love Orwell, read 1984 too if you haven't already!

KnifeWRENCH · 30-12-2008 12:57am

I've read Nineteen Eighty Four and it was good but I was a little underwhelmed.
But then again since it has so much acclaim and hype my expectations may have been a bit too high.

giggsy664 · 30-12-2008 1:43am

At the moment, Playstation The official magazine January 09 Issue.

Or the subtitles of Call of Duty: World at War, Fallout 3 or speech bubbles in LittleBigPlanet

ohthebaby · 30-12-2008 1:34pm

Michael Collins, the autobiography by Tim Pat Coogan! Absolutely fascinating.

highlydebased · 30-12-2008 3:26pm

For some lighthearted humour, 'For Crying out loud' - Jeremy Clarkson

also reading The Key to Midnight by Dean Koontz, havnt picked it up in a few days though

Selphie · 30-12-2008 4:38pm

cautioner wrote: »

Mr. S and the Secrets of Andorra's Box - Ross 'O Carroll Kelly. Everything I'd expect so far. Brainless laugh.

Got this for Christmas..so funny. Back to loads of reading now that it's Christmas holidays... Moving onto Breaking Dawn of the twilight saga

I actually thought the Life of Pi was boring....the bit with the tiger in the boat just went on for, literally, the whole book. I kept waiting for the plot to continue only to discover..it didn't.

cautioner · 30-12-2008 6:30pm

Selphie wrote: »

Got this for Christmas..so funny. Back to loads of reading now that it's Christmas holidays... Moving onto Breaking Dawn of the twilight saga

I actually thought the Life of Pi was boring....the bit with the tiger in the boat just went on for, literally, the whole book. I kept waiting for the plot to continue only to discover..it didn't.

My sympathies...

Insect Overlord · 30-12-2008 10:34pm

cautioner wrote: »

Mr. S and the Secrets of Andorra's Box - Ross 'O Carroll Kelly. Everything I'd expect so far. Brainless laugh.

Ross O'Carroll-Kelly is, like, a ledge, and we are talking TOTALLY, roysh?!

I bought Dante's Inferno today. Really looking forward to reading it.

Stev_o · 30-12-2008 10:40pm

cautioner wrote: »

Mr. S and the Secrets of Andorra's Box - Ross 'O Carroll Kelly. Everything I'd expect so far. Brainless laugh.

Yeah got it aswell, was meaning to make a start on it last night but then i watched the first 4 episodes of The Wire last night and bloody hell its brilliant

Captain-America · 31-12-2008 12:52am

Reading Watchmen myself.

Kirnsy · 31-12-2008 1:03am

the broker - john grisham. quality author imo

Pyr0 · 31-12-2008 1:16am

Just starting " The Flight of the Einstein". Warhammer 40k novel

Piste · 31-12-2008 1:54am

Just bought "The Book of Dave" today, gonna start it tomorrow. I haven't read a novel in so long!

anonymous_joe · 31-12-2008 2:37am

That the Will Self one?

Piste · 31-12-2008 1:44pm

Yeah, it's pretty crazy to read so far, It's sort of written in futuristic cockney, but everything's spelled phonetically.

Crumble Froo · 31-12-2008 4:10pm

just finished "Surf's Up - A girl's guide to surfing". pretty good. takes the time to break **** down that guys'll never ask. also referred to 'the time of month' as 'shark week', which, a week after reading it, is still amusing me

lou91 · 31-12-2008 9:28pm

American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis.
The clothes descriptions keep reminding me of the Ross O Carroll Kelly books, which couldn't be more different to this. I'm realising how broad the term "comedy" is...

Aisling(",) · 31-12-2008 9:38pm

im just about to start the matchbreaker by chris manby

i feel enjoy reading fluff:P

MysticalSoul · 01-01-2009 5:29am

Kama Sutra by Deeprak Chopra. Is inspiring

marti101 · 03-01-2009 1:28am

The chinese menu

Fad · 03-01-2009 1:44am

Just finished Looking for Alaska..............Need more John Green

pq0n1ct4ve8zf5 · 03-01-2009 3:17am

If not now, when? by Primo Levi, and dipping in and out of a pretty hefty American short story anthology. College starts again on Monday though, so it'll be back to skimming through stuff a bit more academic than that (kind of

and kind of

) and reading heat magazine when my brain stops working.

Oh, and the Mighty Book of Boosh

Mushy · 03-01-2009 5:00pm

Just reading No One Knows!!!-The QotSA story by Joel McIvor. Ah tis all good as it is about something I really like.

Shacklebolt · 03-01-2009 5:13pm

RandomUserName! wrote: »

American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis.
The clothes descriptions keep reminding me of the Ross O Carroll Kelly books, which couldn't be more different to this. I'm realising how broad the term "comedy" is...

Paul Howard was referencing to American Psycho.

anonymous_joe · 03-01-2009 5:22pm

Shacklebolt wrote: »

Paul Howard was referencing to American Psycho.

Indeed. Tis meant to give you an insight into a shallow mind. :pac:

EmoMatt15 · 03-01-2009 7:55pm

The Liar by Stephen Fry
I like Stephen Fry but oh how this book hurts my head

adagio · 03-01-2009 8:25pm

evercloserunion wrote: »

I have a strong tendency to read half book and forget about it. Currently lying half-read around my house are Bram Stoker's Dracula, Dante's Inferno and Upton Sinclair's Oil!. I rarely find time to read these days because I figure if I have time to read, why not make it a textbook and ease the study load. Still, I am determined to finish Oil! over the Xmas hols and get started on Les Miserables next year.

Hey, what the hell are you doing sharing my life and eccentricities?
I too have a multitude of 1/2 read books.
Hemingway's 'Death in the Afternoon' = to repetitive and the device he uses to keep us entertained (the conversations w/the old lady) becomes boring. He has fallen between writing a book about bull fighting history and witty anecdotes. Disappointing.
Jamie Whyte's 'Bad Thoughts - a guide to clear thinking.' = well worth reading even if you disagree w/the observations. More rational and logical thought please!
David Attenborough's 'The First Eden.' = only a few pages in!!!
Rebecca West's 'Black Lamb and Grey Falcon - a journey through Yugoslavia.' = I read this book years ago and damn it's amazing. So I purchased it recently and starting again. Please read this book.
Finally - A.F Chalmers (second edition) 'What is this thing called Science.' = a discourse on the scientific methods and philosophy - so far it's interesting. I'm currently studying science w/the OU.
I would recommend a book by David A. Akaret 'The man who loved a Polar Bear.' = it's about a NY psychiatrist who at the end of his career is in a reflective mood and decides to visit some of his more extravagant patients to see if his work had any effect. A very light fascinating read.
Nerd for life.;):pac::pac::pac::pac::pac::pac:

pq0n1ct4ve8zf5 · 03-01-2009 8:58pm

EmoMatt15 wrote: »

The Liar by Stephen Fry
I like Stephen Fry but oh how this book hurts my head

It's really not his best work, have you read anything else by him?

Acacia · 03-01-2009 9:03pm

Currently reading Tracy Chevalier. I recommend all her books, and the film 'Girl With A Pearl Earring'- gorgeous.

I also recommend the novel 'Junk' by Melvin Burgess. That book kept me sane during my teens.

EmoMatt15 · 03-01-2009 9:04pm

No, I havent read much printed work of his except The Liar but I read his internet blogs and like his Podcasts!

The main reason I bought the book (apart from it being by Fry of course) is because I am...how shall we put it, of the same persuasion as the main character??
If that makes sense

Piste · 03-01-2009 9:35pm

Acacia wrote: »

Currently reading Tracy Chevalier. I recommend all her books, and the film 'Girl With A Pearl Earring'- gorgeous.

I also recommend the novel 'Junk' by Melvin Burgess. That book kept me sane during my teens.

Yeah Junk is really something people should read when they're 13/14. Also Go Ask Alice.

Actually most drug books are good when you're 13-15.

pq0n1ct4ve8zf5 · 03-01-2009 9:44pm

EmoMatt15 wrote: »

No, I havent read much printed work of his except The Liar but I read his internet blogs and like his Podcasts!

The main reason I bought the book (apart from it being by Fry of course) is because I am...how shall we put it, of the same persuasion as the main character??
If that makes sense

I've read a couple of his other books and was definitely disapointed by the liar, apart from that I'm only really familiar with his television work (which is brilliant, incase you've managed not to encounter it).

Not sure I picked up on the subtlety of the last bit lol....it tends to be a recurring theme of his though. Recurring theme of my life at the minute actually, people seem to have made a new year's resolution to come out or something

but that's not really relevant

EmoMatt15 · 03-01-2009 9:54pm

Yeh The Liar is a bit weird!!

Who hasnt encountered his TV work!!
from A Little Bit of Fry and Laurie and Whose Line is It Anyway back in the day to Fry in America and QI!!!

QI!!!!

Also anyone ever read The Zombie Survival Guide or World War Z by Max Brooks?
Zoooooombies

Piste · 03-01-2009 10:03pm

Hm Just yesterday my friend was going on about those books, saidn they were great. Apparently the zombie survival guide is written really seriously.

EmoMatt15 · 03-01-2009 10:08pm

The Survival Guide is the comedy one of the books...Has chapters about myths of zombies, the zombie disease etc
World War Z is the serious one. It takes place about 10 years after humanity turned the tables against the Zombies in a big war, and the book is made up of interviews from people who were caught up in the war, its very well written

World War Z is being made into a movie aswell!

cautioner · 04-01-2009 12:08am

EmoMatt15 wrote: »

The Survival Guide is the comedy one of the books...Has chapters about myths of zombies, the zombie disease etc
World War Z is the serious one. It takes place about 10 years after humanity turned the tables against the Zombies in a big war, and the book is made up of interviews from people who were caught up in the war, its very well written
World War Z is being made into a movie aswell!

Yeah, that's how they get you.
I honestly didn't understand how that book was labelled "comedy". It was so serious.

Finished Animal Farm; it would have been a better read if I was more politically aware. Didn't properly understand most of the allusions. Oh well, I got the gist, damn Commies...

pq0n1ct4ve8zf5 · 04-01-2009 12:13am

cautioner wrote: »

Finished Animal Farm; it would have been a better read if I was more politically aware. Didn't properly understand most of the allusions. Oh well, I got the gist, damn Commies...

I read that when I was about eight, thought the first person who told me it was an adult book and a metaphor for communism was pulling the piss. Went back and re-read it and by gum it is!

What Are You Reading?

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