Author Topic: What are you reading?  (Read 845565 times)

Zathras

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Reply #775 on: January 27, 2009, 02:01:43 AM
Thanks, stePH.  I'm going to print that up before I head to my used bookstore.  It'll probably be next week or so before I can go.  I might just have to go with what's on the shelves. 

I try to have some sort of guidelines before I go book shopping.  Otherwise I'll leave with 4 or 5 hundred dollars worth of books.  Ok, that's a bit of an exageration, but I can easily drop 2 C Notes.



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Reply #776 on: January 27, 2009, 03:40:30 AM
Thanks, stePH.  I'm going to print that up before I head to my used bookstore.  It'll probably be next week or so before I can go.  I might just have to go with what's on the shelves. 

I try to have some sort of guidelines before I go book shopping.  Otherwise I'll leave with 4 or 5 hundred dollars worth of books.  Ok, that's a bit of an exageration, but I can easily drop 2 C Notes.

Both Downbelow Station and Cyteen won Hugo awards, if that means anything to you.  (I think CJC's one other Hugo was for the short story "Cassandra".)

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Reply #777 on: January 27, 2009, 05:19:54 AM
My roommate and other friend read "Illusions" by Richard Bach (wrote Johnathan Livingston Seagull)

In elementary school, when most of my friends were Jewish, I knew a guy named Jonathan Levantson Siegel.  ;D

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Reply #778 on: January 27, 2009, 11:55:31 AM
reading for homework currently- Intro to western Civ and "Sociology in a changing world"   not bad stuff, but can't wait until I've got "free" time

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Reply #779 on: January 27, 2009, 04:59:13 PM
My roommate and other friend read "Illusions" by Richard Bach (wrote Johnathan Livingston Seagull)

In elementary school, when most of my friends were Jewish, I knew a guy named Jonathan Levantson Siegel.  ;D
o wow thats priceless

I'd like to hear my options, so I could weigh them, what do you say?
Five pounds?  Six pounds? Seven pounds?


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Reply #780 on: January 28, 2009, 01:02:37 AM
My roommate and other friend read "Illusions" by Richard Bach (wrote Johnathan Livingston Seagull)

In elementary school, when most of my friends were Jewish, I knew a guy named Jonathan Levantson Siegel.  ;D
o wow thats priceless

The part about my friends in elementary school is true.

The part about Siegel isn't.   ;D

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Reply #781 on: January 28, 2009, 01:20:45 PM
Finished "Equal Rites" (Pratchett) -- never been really satisfied with the way that one ended, as if it wrapped up WAY too fast.

Now on "Mort".
« Last Edit: February 02, 2009, 05:37:52 AM by Heradel »

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Russell Nash

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Reply #782 on: January 28, 2009, 01:56:18 PM
Finished "Equal Rites" (Pratchett) -- never been really satisfied with the way that one ended, as if it wrapped up WAY too fast.

Now on "Mort".

I really enjoy Pratchett's version of Death.  I love how he never quite gets it.



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Reply #783 on: January 28, 2009, 03:53:48 PM
I'm in the middle of M.R. James' "The Haunted Dolls' House and other stories which is splendidly wordy. Got to chose between The Shack or Chopin's Funeral next.

(re Discworld - is it a punishable offence to admit to getting bored with them  ??? )
« Last Edit: February 02, 2009, 05:36:05 AM by Heradel »

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Reply #784 on: January 28, 2009, 03:57:43 PM
(re Discworld - is it a punishable offence to admit to getting bored with them  ??? )

I couldn't stand "The Color of Magic" and have no desire to read any other Discworld books.
« Last Edit: February 02, 2009, 05:35:19 AM by Heradel »



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Reply #785 on: January 28, 2009, 06:27:37 PM
Finished "Equal Rites" (Pratchett) -- never been really satisfied with the way that one ended, as if it wrapped up WAY too fast.

Now on "Mort".

I really enjoy Pratchett's version of Death.  I love how he never quite gets it.

His Death is really quite human in a abnormal personalities way. He actually (minus the demi-god status) reminds me of a friend of a friend who is really quite smart but incredibly stupid at human relationships ("Well, I though we'd discuss that multi-page letter where you castigate me for my emotional short-sightedness and explain how it's hurt our friendship next time we got together, that's why I never acknowledged receiving it. — — — Oh, you thought that meant that I hated you and never wanted to talk to me again? Where did you get that impression?").

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Reply #786 on: January 28, 2009, 06:32:22 PM
I love Terry Pratchett's Death as well. To me he sort of summarises what the Discworld Universe is about... take all of the mystical forces, all of the accepted societal norms and throw them out of the window.



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Reply #787 on: January 28, 2009, 06:43:57 PM
I love Terry Pratchett's Death as well. To me he sort of summarises what the Discworld Universe is about... take all of the mystical forces, all of the accepted societal norms and throw them out of the window.

Reminds me of Dream in that sense as well, though Dream is actually capable of the change to human. Which isn't quite the right way to put it, since [spoiler spoiler spoiler] he has to be reborn for it to occur, but there's a fair amount of drift between those two authors. Which isn't surprising, considering Good Omens.
« Last Edit: February 02, 2009, 05:33:22 AM by Heradel »

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Reply #788 on: January 28, 2009, 06:58:09 PM
(re Discworld - is it a punishable offence to admit to getting bored with them  ??? )

I couldn't stand "The Color of Magic" and have no desire to read any other Discworld books.

Skip to Mort.  He really matured though out the series.



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Reply #789 on: January 28, 2009, 07:15:08 PM
Mort was probably the first excellent Terry Pratchett.

To Be Honest, I like the Sam Vimes books the best. I think he's an amazing character, and they have some good Pratchett philosophy in there. But I love the character he built up with Vimes.



Russell Nash

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Reply #790 on: January 28, 2009, 08:00:40 PM
What is really great about Pratchett was the number of great characters he has created.  He has this huge pool of well-defined personalities at his disposal.  He has a story based on Moist Lipwig and Vimes steps in for a few pages and brings Carrot, Detritus and Angua with him.  All folks we know really well.  He doesn't need to explain why any of them would do anything.  We already know. 



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Reply #791 on: January 28, 2009, 09:25:58 PM
What is really great about Pratchett was the number of great characters he has created.  He has this huge pool of well-defined personalities at his disposal.  He has a story based on Moist Lipwig and Vimes steps in for a few pages and brings Carrot, Detritus and Angua with him.  All folks we know really well.  He doesn't need to explain why any of them would do anything.  We already know. 

Small Gods it will suck when he can't write anymore.

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Reply #792 on: January 30, 2009, 04:21:14 PM
(re Discworld - is it a punishable offence to admit to getting bored with them  ??? )

No. No one likes everything.

I couldn't stand "The Color of Magic" and have no desire to read any other Discworld books.

I always recommend people start with "Moving Pictures" or "Men at Arms" -- Moving Pictures is where I started, and Men at Arms is just so hilariously good. I read it BEFORE I read Guards Guards and it still made sense, so that's a plus.

PS: now up to "Sourcery".
« Last Edit: February 02, 2009, 05:32:12 AM by Heradel »

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Reply #793 on: February 02, 2009, 05:00:44 AM
Finished Lullaby by Chuck Palahniuk...
not his best but still damn good!

started Cat's Cradle by Vonnegut
« Last Edit: February 02, 2009, 05:29:52 AM by Heradel »

I'd like to hear my options, so I could weigh them, what do you say?
Five pounds?  Six pounds? Seven pounds?


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Reply #794 on: February 02, 2009, 05:15:33 AM
Listened to The Graveyard Book today while I was taking advantage of the relatively warm day in Manhattan (slightly above freezing — Wooo!!1!). So I walked, with two camera and a iPod, and listened to it fairly nonstop. And it was good. Had to stop for a bit when I ran into the Chinese New Year and it got a bit too noisy. Good photos of that though.
« Last Edit: February 02, 2009, 05:27:57 AM by Heradel »

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Reply #795 on: February 02, 2009, 10:24:41 AM
started Cat's Cradle by Vonnegut
Oh, wow!  That was my first Vonnegut years ago, and I absolutely loved it.  Vonnegut is one of my favorites.  Have you read Welcome to the Monkey House yet?



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Reply #796 on: February 02, 2009, 12:04:45 PM
Pratchett, "Wyrd Sisters"
« Last Edit: February 03, 2009, 01:17:33 AM by Heradel »

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Reply #797 on: February 02, 2009, 06:35:35 PM
oh my! my books have been EPized!
havent read welcome to the monkey house yet, so far from him its been...
Slaughterhouse Five
Sirens of Titan
Breakfast of Champions
aaand...
i think thats it... yea thats it
Cats Cradle now.
« Last Edit: February 03, 2009, 01:19:00 AM by Heradel »

I'd like to hear my options, so I could weigh them, what do you say?
Five pounds?  Six pounds? Seven pounds?


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Reply #799 on: February 03, 2009, 01:14:04 AM
oh my! my books have been EPized!
havent read welcome to the monkey house yet, so far from him its been...
Slaughterhouse Five
Sirens of Titan
Breakfast of Champions
aaand...
i think thats it... yea thats it
Cats Cradle now.

All great books, IMHO.  I loved Sirens of Titan almost as much as Cat's Cradle.  ...Monkey House is my favorite from "the old days" but I've also enjoyed Hocus Pocus and Bagombo Snuffbox, which are more recent.

Edit:  EPized titles
« Last Edit: February 05, 2009, 09:07:57 PM by izzardfan »