What Are You Reading?

norwegianwood · 27-06-2010 11:37AM

'Hollywood's Dark Prince', it's about Walt Disney's life, I have to read it for my history project. It's actually somewhat interesting, Walt was a lot more fùcked up than i realised.....

pq0n1ct4ve8zf5 · 27-06-2010 06:11PM

Finished life of Pi, pretty good but a bit preachy for my tastes, still a brilliant story if nothing else (which is pretty much the point I guess :P)

I've since read Saturday by Ian Mc Ewan, flew through it. Could have been a brilliant short story instead of a very good novel though, his prose is much better than his plotting. But his prose is amazing so...

Reading Morgan's Passing by Anne Tyler now, not her best but readable enough. Going to crack into some non-fiction after that I think.

Monzo wrote: »

Finished it today and I'd have to say it's a strange book for the JC - there's even a caution at the start that the book is 'For mature readers'...

I dunno if I fall under the category of a mature reader or not but I thought it was alright. It was good in some parts but it dragged in others. I must have read another novel that ripped it off because I kept getting a vague sense of deja vú toward the end.

Mother of God are they STILL teaching that book?!

Bajingo wrote: »

I might give Pride and Prejudice a whirl after..I found it in my house and have nothing else to read so..

I'll save you a read: "you're a dick and I don't like you. Oh look your house is really big. Ok I love you, conveniently. Married. End" I hate that book! Go for the Brontes instead, I implore you!

EuropeanSon · 27-06-2010 06:29PM

*giggles* wrote: »

Thanks. I've been thinking about reading 1984. Any other ideas?

If you've got the whole summer, give War & Peace (by Tolstoy) a try. It's a massive, massive book, at about 1300 pages of small text, but it really is brilliant.

TheCardHolder · 27-06-2010 07:52PM

Getting into Bret Easton Mills for the summer.

Jackobyte · 28-06-2010 02:24AM

I started Catcher in the Rye last night. Not sure about it yet, but I definitely cannot understand why it was banned.

Jackobyte · 28-06-2010 02:32AM

EuropeanSon wrote: »

If you've got the whole summer, give War & Peace (by Tolstoy) a try. It's a massive, massive book, at about 1300 pages of small text, but it really is brilliant.

Is it just long or is it in complicated language/is the plot hard to follow?

I have heard mention of it before and its storyline sounds good and time isn't really a problem so would it be suitable for a 15/16 year old who is willing to try it?

EuropeanSon · 28-06-2010 09:28AM

Jackobyte wrote: »

Is it just long or is it in complicated language/is the plot hard to follow?

I have heard mention of it before and its storyline sounds good and time isn't really a problem so would it be suitable for a 15/16 year old who is willing to try it?

The plot(s) are quite difficult at times but I wouldn't say the the language is impossible to follow, and the characters are brilliant. Once you get into it, it's very hard to put down.

syncosised · 28-06-2010 10:19AM

EuropeanSon wrote: »

If you've got the whole summer, give War & Peace (by Tolstoy) a try. It's a massive, massive book, at about 1300 pages of small text, but it really is brilliant.

If only so you can say, "I believe it was Tolstoy who said ... ", just like in The IT Crowd! "I don't remember this conversation starting at all!"

seriousfizz · 28-06-2010 11:48AM

Finished reading Tarry Flynn. Delightful read

Jay P · 28-06-2010 01:09PM

I finally started reading Discworld last night! I'm only 50 pages, or so, in so far, but it's very entertaining and witty

bythewoods · 28-06-2010 01:25PM

I'm a ridiculous reader, I've decided. I swallow up books far too fast. I've gone through a lot a lot a lot this Summer already.

Started The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, finally- read it on a plane for 2 hours and on a bus home from Dublin and I'm already just about finished it. S'good though!

almostnever · 28-06-2010 10:06PM

I think I might finally be getting the Journals of Sylvia Plath soon. And her collected poems.

Woot!

annainez · 29-06-2010 11:40PM

At the moment I'm reading We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver.
It is good if you're into narrative and psychology I would say.
I like it, it's very well written but I would not say it's my favourite book!

I read Divorcing Jack by Colm Bateman and I loved it. It's witty, easy to read, and an interesting take on NI politics.

High Fidelity by Nick Hornby I loved. Again very easy to read (I probably sound like a dunce but I'm not I swear).

EuropeanSon · 29-06-2010 11:57PM

annainez wrote: »

At the moment I'm reading We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver.
It is good if you're into narrative and psychology I would say.
I like it, it's very well written but I would not say it's my favourite book!

I read Divorcing Jack by Colm Bateman and I loved it. It's witty, easy to read, and an interesting take on NI politics.

High Fidelity by Nick Hornby I loved. Again very easy to read (I probably sound like a dunce but I'm not I swear).

Nothing wrong with books that are easy to read. I usually prefer to read them, as I can get into them quicker (though the downside is that I finish them quickly). Reading is a form of entertainment after all, and shouldn't necessarily be a struggle.

War & Peace took me over a month to struggle through, and though I loved it, I'd hesitate before picking it up again, whereas easier books I could read again and again.

just-joe · 30-06-2010 12:48AM

*giggles* wrote: »

Thanks. I've been thinking about reading 1984. Any other ideas?

Harry Potter? Just kidding.

I haven't read War and Peace, but have read Crime and Punishment (also Dostoyevsky) and was really good. Also long, but very interesting.

Not a classic, but if you haven't read Sophie's World then its a really interesting book, and ya can learn something too. Was just staring at it on the shelf, think I might pick it up again soon.

Arcade Panda · 30-06-2010 01:02AM

just-joe wrote: »

Harry Potter? Just kidding.

I haven't read War and Peace, but have read Crime and Punishment (also Dostoyevsky) and was really good. Also long, but very interesting.

Not a classic, but if you haven't read Sophie's World then its a really interesting book, and ya can learn something too. Was just staring at it on the shelf, think I might pick it up again soon.

Have you ever read The Solitaire Mystery?

bythewoods · 30-06-2010 01:44AM

almostnever wrote: »

I think I might finally be getting the Journals of Sylvia Plath soon. And her collected poems. Woot!

I assume you've read the Bell Jar? It's such a wonderful book. One of my very favourites ever. I must re-read it soon.

For my 18th one of my friends bought me a book of Sylvia Plath poems, because I was obsessed with her when we did her in school. I still have it on my bedside locker for the occasional leaf-through.

What a wonderful lady.

annainez · 30-06-2010 07:15PM

EuropeanSon wrote: »

Nothing wrong with books that are easy to read. I usually prefer to read them, as I can get into them quicker (though the downside is that I finish them quickly). Reading is a form of entertainment after all, and shouldn't necessarily be a struggle.

War & Peace took me over a month to struggle through, and though I loved it, I'd hesitate before picking it up again, whereas easier books I could read again and again.

Ha thanks. I might give War & Peace a try, though I'm very impatient with books, I have a fifty page rule (if I don't find it interesting by fifty pages in I abandon ship!). Yeah if I find a book that's entertaining and easy to read I might read it two or three times. Value for money!

annainez · 30-06-2010 07:19PM

Veda Muscular Weaponry wrote: »

Finished life of Pi, pretty good but a bit preachy for my tastes, still a brilliant story if nothing else (which is pretty much the point I guess :P)

I really didn't like Life of Pi, it just irritated me, didn't even bother to finish it!

I read The Silent People by Walter Macken for the Comparative Study and I actually loved it. I expected it to be really boring but it is a lovely story, and it's quite difficult to put down! Brilliantly written, I really recommend it. Especially for those who are interested in history!

wayhey · 30-06-2010 07:30PM

Oh God you have to read Life of Pi! The ending is class!

I tried Sophie's Choice... but I hated it's like

Spoiler

So Sophie let me write you a letter. We shall explore the mysteries of the universe together... (copy/paste from Wikipedia kicks in) IN ANCIENT GREECE THERE WAS A GUY CALLED ARISTOTLE WHO PROPOSED THAT... Found it all a bit boring, couldn't understand all the praise. Might as well pick up Philosophy for Dummies.

just-joe · 01-07-2010 05:42PM

wayhey wrote: »

I tried Sophie's Choice... but I hated it's like

Hmm, the story wasn't amazingly exciting or anything but I did like it, and better to have the story and a bit of philosophy than just the philosophy!? No way I was gonna read philosophy at aged 17 or so (read the book a while ago), so back then I found it a really interesting read!

just-joe · 01-07-2010 05:47PM

Arcade Panda wrote: »

Have you ever read The Solitaire Mystery?

Yup I read it after I read Sophie's World, and remember that it was good but not as good as Sophie's World, and very weird! So if you're thinking, give it a shot I guess!

02-07-2010 02:13PM

"The man who loved only numbers" - a biography about Paul Erdos, one of the most fascinating ever to live.

Allison91 · 06-07-2010 05:07PM

The Magician's Apprentice pretty good so far, just want to finish and read The Black Magician Trilogy.

Ginja Ninja · 06-07-2010 05:09PM

Allison91 wrote: »

The Magician's Apprentice pretty good so far, just want to finish and read The Black Magician Trilogy.

it's a great read[the ending is a bit off pace IMO] but a great book,I always meant to read the rest of the trilogy.

Pygmalion · 06-07-2010 05:14PM

Allison91 wrote: »

The Magician's Apprentice pretty good so far, just want to finish and read The Black Magician Trilogy.

Great series, got me through a week in Cork *shudders*.

Extrasupervery · 06-07-2010 05:46PM

Pygmalion wrote: »

Great series, got me through a week in Cork *shudders*.

Oh really? Are there enough of them to get me through this shítty summer?

Ginja Ninja · 06-07-2010 05:48PM

Extrasupervery wrote: »

Oh really? Are there enough of them to get me through this shítty summer?

well it's a trilogy so no :P

Try reading the Discworld series there's like 30 novels in it,it's like harry potter[wizards,magic etc] except it's sarcastic and really witty take on the whole thing.

á la:Magic works,no one knows how,but it does and they like it that way.

jefreywithonef · 06-07-2010 06:18PM

just-joe wrote: »

I haven't read War and Peace, but have read Crime and Punishment (also Dostoyevsky) and was really good. Also long, but very interesting.

Tolstoy wrote War and Peace, not Dostoyevsky. But yeah Crime and Punishment and War and Peace are excellent. The latter especially, there are some long infuriatingly boring passages but it's one of the few books that have given me goosebumps whilst reading it.

Recently got through a bunch of Kafka and Gogol short stories and Nick Hornby's About A Boy (pretty good, amusing and engaging). Started reading Dostoyevsky's Notes From Underground the other day, bit difficult to read but it's short enough and seems like it'll be worth it in the end. After that I'm gonna hunt down David Foster Wallace's Infinite Jest and Jack Kerouac's On The Road. I've heard excellent things about both.

almostnever · 06-07-2010 07:27PM

bythewoods wrote: »

I assume you've read the Bell Jar? It's such a wonderful book. One of my very favourites ever. I must re-read it soon.

I adore The Bell Jar, it's one of the two or three books I've read this year that I would describe as being truly excellent.

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