Books: What are they?

[Stagnant]

Books, I haven't seen any threads about books... It's strange that I'm posting this because I HATE to read but after seeing a few books of interest I figured I post a thread to help me (as well as others) to get movativated and read!

Feel free to post a small description about books you are reading or that you intend to read. However, if you feel that you will give to much away please us spoiler tags.

So what are you reading?

 

[Stagnant]

I currently have my eye on two particular books... Lolita and Atlas Shrugged. I don't know how fast I can get to them due to college but I hope that I will soon be able to.

From the descriptions I've heard about Lolita it sounds like it is going to be a very thought provoking read. Apparently it is a 'classic', although that doesn't warrant interest from me.

My friend read, Atlas Shrugged, and it caught my eye, the title that is. I can't wrap my head entirely around the title so... I have to read it. I need to know the message of this book.

 

[Bam]

An ex of mine read Lolita and said it freaked her the fuck out. Basically about some chick who is raped/abused/molested by her father, but she likes it or something?!!?

On the other hand, I really really enjoyed Atlas Shrugged. It was DEFINITELY a thought-provoker to me.

 

[Hipmonlee]

I tried reading Lolita off a computer screen.. I found it doesnt quite work for bookreading..

I intend to give it another try some time. It just feels weird paying for something I have already acquired through the internet.

And as for Atlas Shrugged, well, I could rant about it, but unless someone specifically asks for me to do that, then I think I will stop at saying it is genuinely not a good book at all (sorry bam).

Have a nice day.

 

[Altmer]

I prefer books as books not e-readers. Reading books on a screen feels wrong

 

[Quaily]

It hurts your eyes too when you stare at a white screen for a few hours.

A book series I really liked was the amber series by roger zelazany.

 

[MrIndigo]

Lolita was about a man who becomes obsessed with a young girl (it was his neighbour or niece or something) and manipulates her into an abusive relationship, basically. It's quite complex and revealing, and it is quite a significant book in terms of literary history.


I just finished reading Terry Pratchett's latest, "Unseen Academicals". I have just started reading "And Another Thing", which is the latest addition to the Hitchhiker's Guide To the Galaxy series, this one by Eoin Colfer. After that, I'm going to start the Gene Wolfe "Book of the New Sun".

Books I have liked a lot in the past:
- Iain M Banks. His science fiction is, I feel, unparalleled and he is a master of the twist ending. My favourite novel of all time is "The Player of Games".
- Orson Scott Card's "Ender" and "Shadow" series are both enjoyable.
- Sergei Lukyanenko's "Night Watch" series are also good, enjoyable modern fantasy.

The best-written book I have ever read is Mark Z. Danielewski's "House of Leaves". It is MIND BLOWING, it is exceptionally well constructed. However, it is also a bit esoteric in style, and it takes a bit of effort to keep reading it. As a non-reader, you might not find it to your taste, but there's also the possiblity that you absolutely adore it because it's so distinct from all other books.

 

[Firestorm]

As far as e-books go, you guys should take a look at one of the new ones that started off with the Kindle. Really amazing. It's like there's no screen at all.

 

[Luduan]

I've had extensive dealings with Randroids in the past, and I will simply say this: Do yourself a favour and avoid Atlas Shrugged, please. Rand was a bad writer and a worse philosopher (e.g., her rantings on Kant, whom she admitted to having never read). See this for a brief introduction: http://www.slate.com/id/2233966/

I just finished reading The Road by Cormac McCarthy and it was quite a bit better than I expected, though not as good as Blood Meridian, which I doubt McCarthey could match if he tried. I'm currently reading Emma by Jane Austen and a book on media by Robert W. McChesney.

 

[Doctor Heartbreak]

lolita is one of the best books of the twentieth century

atlas shrugged is drivel and approximately four million pages long

 

[Drathmar]

I prefer books of a different Genre that what most seem to like here but I will post them anyway.

Fantasy Genre:
Malazan Book of the Fallen - Steven Erikson: Probably the best series I have read in a very very long time, all of the books are very easy to get into and lose yourself in, it is a fairly unique read as far as Fantasy novels go, one of the most original series I have ever read, with many twists and turns that keep it interesting. It can be very emotional at times as well, and I like that the Author does not shy from tragedy and heart-wrenching events, like a lot do in this Genre.

Symphony of Ages- Elizabeth Haydon: Another very good series in the Fantasy genre (though only the original 3 books.) This one is about a whore, who due to events, ends up far in the future after a catastrophic event that ended her world and becomes a hero there, along with two others. The reason I like this series is the characters are unique and deep, with many layers to them, and they are very real emotionally unlike many characters in the genre.

Hmm, that's it for now, I might post more later.

 

[tinfoilman]

I have just started reading "And Another Thing", which is the latest addition to the Hitchhiker's Guide To the Galaxy series, this one by Eoin Colfer.

Be prepared for too many Guide entries throughout the book!

Granted, I wasn't expecting him to perfectly pull off Douglas Adams' style of writing, but he falls back on Guide stories a little too much for my liking, and the dialogue for the characters (especially Zaphod) was a little bland and uninspired in my mind. Overall, though, I do recommend it, it was a great book.

 

[Guesty]

(Spoilers are in white since there don't seem to be spoiler tags in this forum)
I'm in the middle of reading Animal Farm for what must be like the 4th time.
It hasn't gotten less enjoyable despite reading it again, and it's quite a short read too! I think the OP will like it quite a lot (especially if s/her hasn't read it already) since it honestly doesn't take much motivation to read. The gradual erosion of the animals' freedoms using things like fear and relying on memories being untrustworthy is interesting to read.

Man, I should get a hold of 1984 from the library again.

 

[iKitsune]

We had a book thread already: http://www.smogon.com/forums/showthread.php?t=64440

Doctor Heartbreak your level of skill with analysis is inspirational and at the same time intimidating. Are you reading English literature? I hope you are because it puts me and other people i know my age to shame. I found your analysis/review of Moby Dick, which i haven't myself read to be brave, convincing (it seems highly plausible) and refreshing, obviously the style was not academic but its informality was appealing and it has encouraged me to get hold of some of the books you have mentioned. id love to hear some of your other more in detail opinions about other novels you like or dislike.

I've been doing a lot of poetry recently which i enjoy including: The Lyrical Ballads which is inconsistent but has some real gems and WW1 poetry Owen being my favourite, original i know. I also read both To The Lighthouse and Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolf, not so fond of this although i can see its appeal. I wonder if anyone else has read this and, if so, would they care to share their opinions.

 

[Luduan]

You should read Wallace Stevens. He is pretty much the best poet of the twentieth century in my opinion.

 

[MrIndigo]

Be prepared for too many Guide entries throughout the book!

Granted, I wasn't expecting him to perfectly pull off Douglas Adams' style of writing, but he falls back on Guide stories a little too much for my liking, and the dialogue for the characters (especially Zaphod) was a little bland and uninspired in my mind. Overall, though, I do recommend it, it was a great book.

So far, it seems to be more humorous storyline, less ironic satire; it was the satirical style that made Adams so great, I feel. It's readable, but not amazing.

 

[Mattimeo]

I love reading but I just can't get my lazy ass outside to a library.

I've always liked the Redwall series. I don't think there was a single one that I didn't love.
My user name is actually from one of them(Not my favourite). A bunch of books about animals although most of them aren't directly connected. 'Redwall' is about mice(along with some other creatures) fighting off a rat warlord from Redwall Abbey.

I like the Wheel of Time series although there were parts where I had to force myself to keep going.
Due to something that happened a long time ago the male side of magic is tainted so any male wizards eventually go insane. The seal keeping the big bad dude locked up is breaking, releasing his 12 or so disciples. Anywho, one boy is a reincarnation of the guy who sealed away the dark one and in the process tainted male magic.
It's been a long time since I've read them as the author died before the final book. :( Someone is taking over though and the first part should be out soon.

Started reading Terry ____'s(There's so many terrys in scifi) ... Sword of Truth series(? unsure on the series title, book one is Wizard's First Rule)
Tired of writing so, guy finds girl in trouble, helps her, finds out the world is going to shit, finds out he's special, saves world repeatedly. I'm only on the third book and despite my shit description the first two were pretty good.
Book1Spoiler: Chick cuts off a gay pedophile's balls and makes him eat them.

tl;dr - Redwall, Wheel of Time, Sword of Truth. All medieval scifis.

If you're into 1984 and those dystopian books WE by Yevgheny Ze..... was pretty good. Has a paragraph or two about having sex with a chair.

 

[dotKarma]

(Spoilers are in white since there don't seem to be spoiler tags in this forum)
I'm in the middle of reading Animal Farm for what must be like the 4th time.
It hasn't gotten less enjoyable despite reading it again, and it's quite a short read too! I think the OP will like it quite a lot (especially if s/her hasn't read it already) since it honestly doesn't take much motivation to read. The gradual erosion of the animals' freedoms using things like fear and relying on memories being untrustworthy is interesting to read.

I loved Animal Farm. I read it...3 years ago, I think, and it just blew me away.

 

[MrIndigo]

Be prepared for too many Guide entries throughout the book!

Granted, I wasn't expecting him to perfectly pull off Douglas Adams' style of writing, but he falls back on Guide stories a little too much for my liking, and the dialogue for the characters (especially Zaphod) was a little bland and uninspired in my mind. Overall, though, I do recommend it, it was a great book.

Finished it yesterday. I was a little disappointed; it relies on absurdity rather than irony and there's no real satire of the real world. I didn't find it was too Guide-dependant, at least no more or less so than the original; just that the stories were silly.

It felt a little bit like Colfer was writing to a child audience (e.g. silliness in the story, no sarcastic insight, every single name was a pun), like he did with most of his previous work, and I think that's what made it less appealing; it didn't have that cynical, intelligent edge that Adams had.

 

[Zach]

I read this short story called "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson. Its really great, interesting storyline, good for those without the patience to read full books (me), and it reflects on how 'phony' people are; and it comes with a twist as well.

link

 

[MrIndigo]

I read this short story called "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson. Its really great, interesting storyline, good for those without the patience to read full books (me), and it reflects on how 'phony' people are; and it comes with a twist as well.

link

http://www.theonion.com/content/news_briefs/watching_faces_of_students

 

[Chill Murray]

Ayn Rand's works (especially Atlas Shrugged) make excellent doorstops.

Lolita is definitely an interesting book. It's about a pedophile who marries a woman to get at her young (12ish) daughter, and when the mother dies he takes the girl on a cross country trip to have her all to himself (although the girl by no means is completely innocent, either). I wouldn't know how to describe it, but if you like books with asshole protagonists I would recommend it.

Anyway, I've just finished reading John Dies at the End. The book made me go "what." several times while reading it. There's all sorts of little twists and foreshadowing, and it's just generally insane, what with the stream of conciousness-type writing, the dick jokes, and the hurricane of puns (plus all sorts of "dude, that's just wrong" type humor; my sig is a line from a song that's sung in the book). I'd definitely recommend it to anyone over the age of 16 or so. It's entertained me more than any other book I've read.

 

[WECAMEASROMANS]

"Books were made to be burned, not to be read." I got this quote when I was reading a book. Lol.

 

[Doctor Heartbreak]

Doctor Heartbreak your level of skill with analysis is inspirational and at the same time intimidating. Are you reading English literature? I hope you are because it puts me and other people i know my age to shame. I found your analysis/review of Moby Dick, which i haven't myself read to be brave, convincing (it seems highly plausible) and refreshing, obviously the style was not academic but its informality was appealing and it has encouraged me to get hold of some of the books you have mentioned. id love to hear some of your other more in detail opinions about other novels you like or dislike.

oh i missed this. thanks for the kind words!

i'm not quite sure what you mean by "are you reading english literature?" - i don't study it at an institution, if that's what you're asking. but i do spend most of my time reading (probably more greek and roman lit than english these days)

as far as books i like, i'd probably be most useful talking about homer, ovid, dante, shakespeare, joyce, borges and nabokov. i guess i'm pretty knowledgeable about epic poetry, if anyone wants to talk about that

most of what i dislike is more recent. i notice a lot of people are saying they love animal farm in the various book threads floating around - i don't understand that at all. i don't care for john steinbeck, nor william golding, nor aleksandr solzhenitsyn nor really anyone who puts literature in the service of their particular brand of triteness. i could rant about the decline in all arts that took place in the late twentieth century and the resulting poverty of modern education, i suppose; that's always fun

(either way, i will surely be boring and pretentious)

 

[Stagnant]

Not really a book... but OH.. MY.. GOD. I just read The Yellow Wallpaper for a second time and it by far one of the greatest pieces of literature I have EVER read. A must read.