What are you reading?

[Tips_of_Fingers]

Wow, that's pretty neat. I've been meaning to read A Scanner Darkly, it just hasn't shown up at the used bookstore yet. I read the first chapter on Amazon and it was great. I'll look into picking it up from my school's library once I'm finished with Woman in the Dunes (almost!).

Trust me, it's incredible. Look for Philip K Dick collections in this used bookstore of yours. I found one for £2 that had 5 stories in it including A Scanner Darkly. I bought it despite having read 3 of the stories already because...well...it was £2!!!

 

[Koroviev]

Wow, that's pretty neat. I've been meaning to read A Scanner Darkly, it just hasn't shown up at the used bookstore yet. I read the first chapter on Amazon and it was great. I'll look into picking it up from my school's library once I'm finished with Woman in the Dunes (almost!).

Trust me, it's incredible. Look for Philip K Dick collections in this used bookstore of yours. I found one for £2 that had 5 stories in it including A Scanner Darkly. I bought it despite having read 3 of the stories already because...well...it was £2!!!

I volunteer there, so I am able to check the stock room haha.

I know you didn't request any, but here are a couple more recommendations: Confessions of a Mask, the story of a homosexual young man growing up in polite post-war Japan, and Temple of the Golden Pavilion, the story of a disaffected Buddhist acolyte whose disturbed nature culminates in the burning of the Golden Temple. Both novels are fiction, although the latter is based on true events. You seem interested in international authors, so I figure it's pertinent to mention the works of Yukio Mishima, another one of my favorite authors.

 

[Taham]

Rereading Terry Pratchett's 'Jingo'. An excellent book which makes racists look like idiots, (which they are), while keeping an intriuging (not sure how you spell that) storyline. However, there is some humour which is best described as... British. A worthwhile read.

 

[Tips_of_Fingers]

I know you didn't request any, but here are a couple more recommendations: Confessions of a Mask, the story of a homosexual young man growing up in polite post-war Japan, and Temple of the Golden Pavilion, the story of a disaffected Buddhist acolyte whose disturbed nature culminates in the burning of the Golden Temple. Both novels are fiction, although the latter is based on true events. You seem interested in international authors, so I figure it's pertinent to mention the works of Yukio Mishima, another one of my favorite authors.

I'm interested in pretty much all books lol! Even if I dislike a novel, I can usually find some sort of redeeming feature to discuss (like the character of 'Septimus' in Mrs. Dalloway). It's only recently that I've got some form of interest in non-English authors. I studied English and American Literature at university and came across so many different kinds of books. I did a module called 'Globalization and contemporary fiction' which mainly dealt with Asian and Far Eastern authors...many of whom were living in American when they wrote the novels I studied.

I'm trying to broaden my horizons even further with non-English authors and figured that the likes of Dostoevsky and Kafka would be a good start...although I was interested in Kafka waaaaay before my interest in "international" authors, as you put it. I guess the first translated book I read was Don Quixote which, despite taking fucking forever, I thoroughly enjoyed and would recommend if you have some time on your hands.

 

[Chased]

My sister tried to get into Jonathon Strange and Mr. Norrell but found it rather difficult...or dull. I can't remember what her reasons were. I thought it sounded awesome. Opinions so far?

I'm very much enjoying it and I'm going to guess that she found it to be dull. The story is incredibly dry but I think it makes sequences of action that do happen all the more spectacular. Jonathon Strange and Mr. Norrell isn't presented in the traditional sense that works of the fantasy genre usually are. The setting is around the early 1800's and magic is found to be sparse and almost nonexistent. The great thing about this is that the story sounds almost plausible, as if all the events in the book actually took place and were just gradually forgotten over time.

 

[Koroviev]

I know you didn't request any, but here are a couple more recommendations: Confessions of a Mask, the story of a homosexual young man growing up in polite post-war Japan, and Temple of the Golden Pavilion, the story of a disaffected Buddhist acolyte whose disturbed nature culminates in the burning of the Golden Temple. Both novels are fiction, although the latter is based on true events. You seem interested in international authors, so I figure it's pertinent to mention the works of Yukio Mishima, another one of my favorite authors.

I'm interested in pretty much all books lol! Even if I dislike a novel, I can usually find some sort of redeeming feature to discuss (like the character of 'Septimus' in Mrs. Dalloway). It's only recently that I've got some form of interest in non-English authors. I studied English and American Literature at university and came across so many different kinds of books. I did a module called 'Globalization and contemporary fiction' which mainly dealt with Asian and Far Eastern authors...many of whom were living in American when they wrote the novels I studied.

I'm trying to broaden my horizons even further with non-English authors and figured that the likes of Dostoevsky and Kafka would be a good start...although I was interested in Kafka waaaaay before my interest in "international" authors, as you put it. I guess the first translated book I read was Don Quixote which, despite taking fucking forever, I thoroughly enjoyed and would recommend if you have some time on your hands.

Yukio Mishima and Jorge Luis Borges, an Argentinian author, both have some excellent short stories that can be read online. Mishima's "Patriotism" is a graphic depiction of ritual suicide. (It's worth noting that Mishima ultimately committed seppuku himself.) Borges only wrote short stories, but I can't complain: they are some of the most though-provoking stories you will ever encounter. "The Lottery of Babylon" and "The Garden of Forking Paths" are two I would certainly recommend.

I have a huge hardcover copy of Don Quixote that I picked up from the used book store a few years back...it's rather intimidating...

 

[Tips_of_Fingers]

[
Yukio Mishima and Jorge Luis Borges, an Argentinian author, both have some excellent short stories that can be read online. Mishima's "Patriotism" is a graphic depiction of ritual suicide. (It's worth noting that Mishima ultimately committed seppuku himself.) Borges only wrote short stories, but I can't complain: they are some of the most though-provoking stories you will ever encounter. "The Lottery of Babylon" and "The Garden of Forking Paths" are two I would certainly recommend.

I have a huge hardcover copy of Don Quixote that I picked up from the used book store a few years back...it's rather intimidating...

Oh yeah, I've come across Borges before! Oh and thanks for the other suggestions.

And yes, Don Quixote is huuuuuge! I assume you have the whole of it? Both part 1 and part 2? Part 1 is a bit of a chore but it's worth getting through for the sheer ingenuity of part 2. It;s difficult to explain the premise of part 2 but it's so, so worth it. I'd suggest some authors to you but I'm sure you'll have read them already though lol.

Oh, actually, with regards to the Wheel of Time, I highly recommend it for some light reading. Despite the size of the series and the size of its books, it's such an easy read and a compelling page-turner...just don't expect the greatest of prose. The middle of the series sees the prose take some terrible turns but by that point you're so engrossed in the plot and the fate of the characters that it doesn't matter. By the time you hit the books that were finished by Brandon Sanderson after Jordan's death, the quality of the prose picks up again and - with the inclusion of a different author - the style of the writing feels refreshingly new whilst staying familiar.

 

[luclin92]

ive just started reading mogworld by Yahtzee Croshaw. i think its genre is fantasy/comedy because its a pretty fun book to read and im almost halfway through the book.

 

[Dr Pussymagnet]

I'm reading Infinity Blade: The Awakening. It's kind of weird in the sense that I don't think it's written very well but I still think the Infinity Blade universe is pretty interesting, despite what little there is to be seen from the game.

 

[agent_orange420]

Koroviev:

agent_orange420:
about halfway through Star Wars: Survivors Quest. Not the best timothy Zahn written in a galaxy far far away, but by no means the worst star was book ive read.

after that, got big collection of Philip K. Dick books to devour, then the new hitchikers guide,, new bernard cornwell book about the vickings (another one just came out have to get that one as well!) hungers games to read and maybe twilight. if i can stomach it. and if no one tells anyone...

Have you read Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? Love that book.

androids is a excellent read, very different to blade runner, butr no in a bad way. loads of dicks short stories can be found online for free in the public domain. all worth a read

 

[JackandTom]

At the moment i'm reading "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" by Philip K. Dick. It's sci-fi and it's pretty awesome so far

Edit;

Koroviev:
Have you read Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? Love that book.

androids is a excellent read, very different to blade runner, butr no in a bad way. loads of dicks short stories can be found online for free in the public domain. all worth a read

Damn! I was ninja'd! Still, I agree that it's a great book.

 

[Trololo Punk]

Reading "Ghostmaker" by Dan Abnett. Second book of Gaunts Ghosts series. I bought the omnibus "The Founding" as well.

 

[Drenaje1]

I discovered The Adventures of Marco Polo gathering dust behind my dresser. It's something to occupy a bit of time when I have absolutely nothing else to do be doing, but mostly it's now just gathering dust in my backpack.

 

[SeeIn2D]

Currently the book I'm reading constantly is called Extra Lives: Why Video Games Matter. Obviously I recommend this book to anyone but especially anyone on this website. I'm also reading Dante's Inferno and The Road on and off.

 

[Enslave_All_Elves]

Red Mafiya - by some... dude with a face? Non-Fiction

It is a short history of the Russian Mob in the United States. The author received a death threat from the most feared Russian mobster just for writing it. Pretty easy but brutal and even spooky read. Dudes are nuckin futs.

 

[Chancie]

Water For Elephants by Sara Gruen

I saw the movie and liked it, and I'd been told the book is even better. So, it made me curious to read it. And it's really good so far!

 

[Spaghetti]

Two books:
"Tinker, Taylor, Soldier, Spy" by John LeCarre. I loved the movie, so I decided to give the book a spin, knowing that 9 times out of 10 the book is better. I'm 6 chapters in (which sounds like a lot, but it isn't) and I'm surprised how radically different from the movie it is.
+
"Fidel Castro - My Life" with Ignacio Ramonet. It's not really an biography, more like one long interview with Castro. It's clever because their's no bias from any formal author and Castro can't exactly spin everything in his favor. It's a pretty interesting read.

 

[i love headcrabs]

right now im reading private peaceful in my class

 

[V TheSystem V]

A Storm of Swords Part 1, Book 3 in George R R Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series. It's already started a lot better than A Clash of Kings, that book took about 300 pages to go anywhere! Was still good though.