*What book are you reading ?

[Orangesanlemons]

Originally posted by sinisterdexter
i just got done with Phillip K. Dick's 'The Man In The High Castle'.... ever since reading 'do androids dream of electric sheep' in december I've been going through his whole catalogue - he's incredible!!! best sci-fi writer i've come across =D

I can't stand sci-fi in general, but a friend insisted that I read "A Scanner Darkly", so reluctantly I agreed.
It's a wonderful novel, and incredibly moving in places. The sci-fi trappings I could take or leave, but he invests the central themes of loss, paranoia and addiction with so much emotion that I barely noticed them.
The plot's basically about the control of troublesome sections of society through state-sponsered drugs.
At the end of the novel there's a long list of Dick's friends, and how many died or were disabled through their various addictions (more or less all of them). The pain really comes through on the page. There's a good unrequited love sub-plot, and several vast creative leaps.

I'd imagine that a fair few peeps here have already read his stuff, but if you haven't then I'd certainly recommend him, and A Scanner Darkly in particular.

Oh, and dick jokes gratefully accepted

 

[foo]

I am a happy bunny. Considering the last couple of weeks have been some of the worst I can remember for a long time this is a fucking good thing!

I am now reading 'The World According to Garp'

again.

I own it as a treasured possession that is actually unreadable it is so tatty. The last time I read it my 19 year old was a toddler.

The one time in my life I didn't read much was a period when I was in my teens - I was never in and was having a very 'lively' time. Then this book happened to me and I remember my friends hassling me to go out one night but I had to stay in to read my book. This, for me, was unheard of!

Anyway - Garp was the first fictional character I truly fell in love with. And his mother too. Irving portrays their 'faults' with as much affection as their attributes. They are whole people. Lovely singular individuals.

Unix bought a copy the other day because she'd read and loved The Fourth Hand and was looking for something else by John Irving.

So I now have her copy and opened it last night......and.... 'Garp bit Bonkie'

I am happy.

 

[J77]

The map that changed the world by Simon Winchester.

Can't really remember but it's pretty good, about the 'first' geologist William Smith and how he single-handedly walked Britain mapping out the geology and along the way disproving the established age of the earth of 4004 years (from Genesis).

I've only just starting reading it but it's good so far. Starts with him leaving a debtor's prison...

My second 18th century science book in a row. Will definitely have to read a novel next...

 

[Voley]

I read a John Irving book once.

'The Hotel New Hampshire'. Had a character in it that spent most of the book dressed up as a bear. Yes, a bear. And, what's more, no-one noticed until she took the head off.

Call me cynical but I found this just the teensy-weensiest bit implausible.

And then concuded that the book was a load of old toss.

 

[foo]

Well hello there mr traveller!

I agree about The Hotel New Hampshire actually. I couldn't get through it. Might give it another go though...

 

[Orangesanlemons]

Originally posted by NVP
I read a John Irving book once.

'The Hotel New Hampshire'. Had a character in it that spent most of the book dressed up as a bear. Yes, a bear. And, what's more, no-one noticed until she took the head off.

Call me cynical but I found this just the teensy-weensiest bit implausible.

And then concuded that the book was a load of old toss.

Nah, they were pretending not to notice. The bear's head would only come off when the bear was damn good and ready to take it off herself.

In the film version the bear is played by Nastajsa Kinski, if that's any help

 

[Voley]

Well it were still shite.

It must've been funny trying to pitch that movie.

Director: Great! We've got Nastassia Kinski in the movie.
Movie Exec: Great! Will she get her kit off?
Director: Errr, no, actually she's gonna spend most of the movie dressed as a bear.

 

[Orangesanlemons]

Director: Oh, and she snogs Jodie Foster.

Movie Exec: Aaaaand, ACTION!

 

[Orang Utan]

Just finished Irvine Welsh's Porno and Martin Amis' Koba The Dread.
Now reading Dickens' Pickwick Papers and on my in-shelf I have Paul Auster's latest, Arundhati (sp?) Roy's The God Of Small Things and some history book called 1633 or something (can't remember the exact year but it's a world history of a particular year in the 17th century).

I can't be bothered to give you a review at the moment cos it's a sunny day. I will when I am at work and getting paid to do this instead of paying to this like I am now.

 

[jms]

The Wasp Factory

friggin weird...

 

[diwc]

I've read three books in the past week (lots of transit time to work )

Choke & Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk.

Also, Enders Game by Orson Scott Card.

I really enjoyed all three.

 

[triad]

This is my first posting so I thought I'd choose the thread with 550 replies to start with!!!
I've just finished reading Big Sur by Jack Kerouac. Despite being quite dark and having dire warnings about it being unsuitable for sensitive people it is the only novel that ever had me in gales of laughter, if only because it was so twisted (i wonder what the neighbours were thinking?).
If anyone else has ever read this book I'd really appreciate hearing their feedback about it - no one else i know has read anything more than 5 years old recently. Alternatively, if you are prone to fits of depression READ IT! it could be the best/worst thing that happens to you.

 

[Voley]

Just started 'Run With The Hunted', an anthology of Charles Bukowski's.

It's wonderful: although I've read quite a bit of it before, I'm really enjoying it. The guy that's compiled it has done a good job, imo. The poems fit neatly with the prose and the stories have a vague sense of being in order.

I've been really, really pissed an awful lot lately, so I can relate to Bukowski quite a bit at the mo'.

Great book.

I've bought 'Crime And Punishment ' Dostoyevsky, too, on foo's recommendation. If it's no good I'll blame her.

 

[Roadkill]

Noam Chomsky - Pirates and Emperors, Old and New.

 

[foo]

Originally posted by NVP
I've bought 'Crime And Punishment ' Dostoyevsky, too, on foo's recommendation. If it's no good I'll blame her.

heh! I'm trying to picture you on a blazing hot beach with a pena colada in your hand coping with the trials and tribulations of Raskolnikov....

It's not the sunniest of tales J. You have been warned.

 

[chegrimandi]

foo

hey, finished crime n punishment last week - foo - I don't think it will be changing my life but fucking hell its a good read....real page turner and just amazing......that Raskolnikov....didn't have the sunniest of times did he, eh, eh......sort of identified myself a bit with him...sort of flawed genius type hehehe p ), anyway no seriously utter barnstormer........
anyway now moved onto 'Description of a struggle' - anthology of contemporary East European Prose - some are really good - some I don't really get as are quite allegorical and me history isn't up to scratch to interpret.......

 

[foo]

Nice one cheg. I think I was going a bit over the top when I said it changed the way I think. It did make me really question stuff though, and many issues highlighted in the telling of his story have remained with me.

Glad you got through it!

 

[foo]

Just finished The World According to Garp. (again).

A wonderfully funny, sad, thoughtful, insane, delightful, intelligent monster of a story.

One of my all time favourites, and this coming from a person who avoids listing favourites of anything.

 

[Voley]

Originally posted by foo
heh! I'm trying to picture you on a blazing hot beach with a pena colada in your hand coping with the trials and tribulations of Raskolnikov....

Replace 'pena colada' with 'penis' in the above sentence. That's how I misread it first time!

'Kin 'ell! I didn't think it was that kind of book.

Now what would Freud make of all that, eh?

 

[foo]

LOL!!

Are you enjoying the life and times of that cheerful chappie Raskolnikov then? And am I spelling his name right?

p.s give Garp a go J. Go on! Don't be put off by the Hotel New Hampshire. Gwaaaan. I dare ya!

 

[rubbershoes]

I’m halfway through Super-Cannes by JG Ballard. Like all his stuff that I’ve read it has a dark edge to it and is superbly written. Reading his books makes me realise why I could never be a writer.

 

[nuffsaid]

Well, I'm stalled on Amis's 'London Fields' for a couple of years now, also stalled on Philip K Dick's 'Valis', couple of months - because I found the delights of 'The Fermata' - fantastic, right out of my own head - which is a bit worrying.

 

[J77]

Read "The comfort of strangers - Ian McEwan" on the train today. Nervy shit. Reminded me of the old tales of the unexpected - when I was young enough to be scared by them. Must now read something nice quite rapidly.....

However, am about to start "Handmaiden's tale - Margaret Atwood"

Second thoughts, will read "Life of Pi"

 

[proud american]

I've just finished a book that my girl gave me when she finished it. I literrally just finished before I sat down. OOps, no pun intended. It's called "Fall on your knees" by Ann-Marie MacDonald. Man, I feel like I just ran a marathon. Let me give you my review:

What the....Holy Jeez...IyIyIyIyIy...Wow.Wow.Wow

This book is good. My girl gave it to me who got it from my mother and it's from the Oprah Book Club. This would usually mean three strikes against it as far as I am concerned. But man, this book is fantastic. Pick it up and then good luck putting it down. What a last couple of chapters.

 

[Cassius Belli]

Art And Propaganda by Toby Clark. Interesting.

 

[Voley]

Originally posted by foo
Are you enjoying the life and times of that cheerful chappie Raskolnikov then?

Not yet. I'll be wallowing in Bukowski's lovely drunken poetry for a day or two yet.

 

[fried_cheese]

I'm reading Notes of a Dirty Old Man by Charles Bukowski at the moment, for the second time. Its a fantastic book, surreal and amazingly written....I could say more but I think I woud get carried away

 

[chegrimandi]

When we Were Orphans....kazuo ishiguro.....

 

[Orang Utan]

Originally posted by chegrimandi
When we Were Orphans....kazuo ishiguro.....

Great book - though I found it so compelling I rushed through it and had to read it again to appreciate the subtleties, cos it's not just a detective novel - it has Big Ideas if you know what I mean.

 

[chegrimandi]

he's a cool writer....have you read The Unconsoled....its bizarre and brilliant.....