*What book are you reading ?

[Roadkill]

aurora, Reasons to be Cheerful is a great book, isn't it? I read the whole thing in an afternoon, it was so good.

Rollem, are you sure you wouldn't mind lending me the Dylan biog? That's really kind of you. Can you PM me about it?

I'm in a gap between proper novels at the moment. A friend gave me Catch 22 for my birthday and I've read the first few chapters. It looks really good but I'm not really in the mood for anything that heavy at the moment. So I'm indulging my craze for naval fiction at the moment, reading the few books in the Captain Ramage series I haven't read yet. Not nearly as good or as believable as the Hornblower series, but a good read all the same.

 

[2tone]

just finished 'the Consumer' by M.Gira (bloke out of SWANS) seriously fucked up writing indeed.

Just stepping into 'Manchester Slingback' by Nicholas Blincoe.

 

[Maggot]

Originally posted by mangakitten


Yeah, I am a fan of most of Coupland's stuff. I love the way all his characters are so, I dunno, nice to each other. But sometimes he gets a bit carried away with slightly silly plots, I think, when focusing on the characters would actually be enough (ie Girlfriend in a Coma).

I have to disagree Manga. I loved Girlfriend in a coma. Although the plot did become unreal towards the end it was still a great story. If you can't get away from reality in a book when can you?

Currently in early stages of Porno by Irvine Welsh looks like being another feast of dark and twisted events. Spud, Renton, Begbie and Sick Boy are back (although I didn't realise it was Sick Boy at first as he uses his real name).

 

[mangakitten]

Originally posted by Maggot
I have to disagree Manga. I loved Girlfriend in a coma. Although the plot did become unreal towards the end it was still a great story. If you can't get away from reality in a book when can you?

Generally speaking, I do totally agree with you - I can't stand gritty, so-called realistic stuff, cos yeah, you get enough of that from real life! But I think that books (films, tv shows, whatever) have to maintain a kind of reality within themselves - so even if it's not something that would happen in real life, it would be something that would happen with the confines that the book has set out for itself. See what I mean? And I thought Girlfriend in a Coma didn't do that - it just got daft. Plus, my other beef was that if he WAS gonna do that storyline, he could have done soooo much more with it... and the characters were cool enough not to actually have to bother with a device like that anyway. See what I mean?

But having said all that, I did enjoy it and will probably read it again at some point - I just think some of his other books (esp. Microserfs and Miss Wyoming) were better.

 

[onemonkey]

The Rights of Man - Thomas Paine

Just coming to the end of it.
Little bit dated (but as much as the passing of 200yrs could make you expect)
Not as 'revolutionary' as i thought it was going to be, but glad I read it. And would recommend anyone else to do the same (Part 1 at least)

 

[Red Alex]

I'm reading Berlin Noir by Phillip Kerr - quite cool.

Alex

 

[Fledgling]

Reading "The Severed Alliance" , a history of the Smiths by Johnny Rogan. Also recommend "Last of the Empires" by John Keep (it's about the USSR).

 

[farmerbarleymow]

The Rights of Man - Thomas Paine

Originally posted by onemonkey
Just coming to the end of it.
Little bit dated (but as much as the passing of 200yrs could make you expect)
Not as 'revolutionary' as i thought it was going to be, but glad I read it. And would recommend anyone else to do the same (Part 1 at least)

That reminded me. I always intended to read that. Just downloaded the electronic version, so will start reading it tonight.

Thanks.

So many books, so little time...

 

[noelgetshorter]

Just finished the new naomi Klein offering Fences and windows, a collection of her speeches and articles from the last 2 years. Just as inspirational as Nologo will make get up and throw a big rock at the nearest mcd's or bank, then you'll sit down again and realsie it did nothing but made you feel better about yourself.
Also one flew over the cuckoo's nest, contains two of the most brilliantly drawn characters in literature, RP McMurphy the hilarious brawling Irishman. Of cross the epitome of evil Miss ratched, there is not one shred of humanity in her. And cheif Bromden who can see the combine and how it trys to mold us and shape our lives, Kesey saw it as well but his bus was to quick for it.

 

[behemoth]

The Master and Margarita, by Mikhail Bulgakov.

Hence the name Behemoth. After studying literature for years, this is a real breath of fresh air. Never knew modernism could be so funny. How on earth did something like this get written at the height of Stalin's purges? Buy this book today.

 

[tomsk]

Originally posted by Dubversion
v disappointed by He Kills Copper

Well I read it the other week (not been around in a few days) and ditto that thought from Dub.

No depth,simplistic attempts at parallel narratives,and written visually as though ol' Jake-y Boy is fishing for an ITV two-part drama...

Still wasn't a complete waste of time.I now know to avoid the others.

 

[Soft as Shite]

"Schooling" by Heather McGowan

Anyone else read this book? I'm nearly finished and think it's a really well written book, but I'm just finding it hard to read as it's all stream of conciousness stylee. You have to work our who's point of view is being described, or who is speaking. She's not a fan of grammar and the sentences can run on and on.

I think it's amazing, but can't help feeling like I'm missing out on something and I'm just too thick to appreciate all the complexity. Would love to study it- there's nothing better than dissecting a book with other people. I'm sorry I never made the book group- was going through a bad patch and couldn't face it, plus a bit nervous of meeting new people. I love reading, but not sure I can articulate my thoughts very well.

 

[Rollem]

cotters and squatters: the hidden history of housing...

...by colin ward

a bit academic but intersting so far (have only read first chapter)

 

[deejay]

I try my best to read less then one book at a time but depends on the mood I am in. Lastnight I was making headways into David Icke's Robots Rebellion after reading another one of his books I wanted to read more. Pick on me if you like as I know Icke is considered a loon but I have an open mind and alot of what he says makes sense to me. The world and its people are fucked basically.

 

[foo]

Women - Charles Bukowski

fucking hell.

 

[DotCommunist]

Re Reading Dune Messiah, my favorite Dune book

The grandios vision, the decadance of religion. The way Herbet creates the character of a dissiluisone muad'dib, And turns him into a a martyr and a bigger hero than he ever was alive.
Herbet was a genius

And Tank Girl all of the laurie lees books are tres good.
I liked cider with rosie best, but the one about him travellimg as a vagabond with a guitar in spain is nearly as good

 

[J77]

Fallen Dragon - Peter F Hamilton.

Took a bit to get going, but now I'm addicted...

 

[Nina]

Just finsihed Lullaby by Palahnuik. Very Good. Read it in 6 hours. Short chapters rule

Now started Coupland Generation X.
Love It.

 

[zampano]

life after god

good! GOOD! but now read 'life after god' by douglas coupland - beautiful stuff, and then read 'infinite jest' by david foster wallace. there is so much good stuff out there, you just have to keep looking.

the way that 'generation x' has been hijacked as a catch-all byword for apathetic, bovine halfwits is a fucking scandal. most of the book is an optimistic, see-the-beauty-round-you-and-in-you marvel. i love it.

 

[zampano]

read 'infinite jest', please

sorry, i should've made my point clearer - you will never read a better, sadder, wiser, scarier, funnier book than infinite jest by david foster wallace - it is a mammoth work of fucking genius. dont be put off by the first fifty-or-so pages, hang in there and you will reap your reward. it's about teenage tennis(!), addiction, the selfishness of most love, disfiguration and the godlike Mario - "dont be sad".


read this book - implore! dont be put off by my idiot words, i do it no justice but i'm enthusiastic!!

 

[Roadkill]

I'm reading Anthony Seldon's biography of John Major. I'm not a big fan of Seldon, but this is a really well-researched and sympathetic biog.

Don't know why, but I find the Major years a really interesting bit of British political history. Maybe it's because it was during his government that I first became properly aware of politics, maybe it's because I've always thought that, disagree with his politics thought I might, Major always seemed like quite a decent man trying to do what he believed to be right while his own party ripped itself to pieces. Major's autobiography is really interesting too.

 

[Nina]

life after god

Originally posted by zampano
good! GOOD! but now read 'life after god' by douglas coupland - beautiful stuff, and then read 'infinite jest' by david foster wallace. there is so much good stuff out there, you just have to keep looking.

the way that 'generation x' has been hijacked as a catch-all byword for apathetic, bovine halfwits is a fucking scandal. most of the book is an optimistic, see-the-beauty-round-you-and-in-you marvel. i love it.

Right. I'm taking your advice. I haven't yet been disappointed by any suggestions on here, so thanks for the tip.

Just read Hitchhikers Guide to the galaxy and started another Will Self (seeing him do a live reading in 2 days) but can't get Coupland out of my head. I might have to read it again

 

[foo]

Going to snuggle up warm tonight and start reading Atonement.
I've been hearing great things about this book so I'm really quite excited.

 

[offmitits]

Just finsished reading money - will self. Thought it was a great book, my dad gave it to me to read and having read it I can see why he thought Id like it. Dragged on a little towards the end but most of it is very funny. Wierd thing is a lot of it really shouldnt be funny at all but some how it is.

 

[sleaterkinney]

Originally posted by foo
Going to snuggle up warm tonight and start reading Atonement.
I've been hearing great things about this book so I'm really quite excited.

I've got that!. Haven't started to read it yet though.

I'm reading The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen. Its very good indeed, a bit like copeland but with more substance and less nihilism

 

[Cerberus]

I reading shit loads for my Degree course at the moment,inc,

Rights of Man - Thomas Paine
On Liberty - John Stuart Mill

both of which are excellent reads,irrespective of whether you are studying or not.


When i get a break,i`m going to read "Homage to Catalonia" by George Orwell.

Anyone else read it?? what do you think of it?

 

[mangakitten]

I've just started 'From a Buick 8', the new stephen king book. King is my favourite writer, though I had started to doubt him as I didn't rate either 'Dreamcatcher' or 'Black House'. So far, though, this seems like a total return to form! Yay!

 

[slacker]

I've just properly got back into reading actually, after my A-level reading hangover...

recently I've finished "philosophy-a very short introduction" by Philip Nagel (I think). A top book which explains the central concepts of philosophy in understandable, entirely unarsey terms. Recommend it much. Also have finished "The Blind Assassin" by Margaret Atwood which was a good read, and "Tales of Mystery and Imagination" by Edgar Allan Poe, which was crazy as a very crazy thing.

Just started "the Van" by Roddy Doyle-very funny stuff, and "Philosophy in the new Century" by Anthony O'Hear, am gradually easing myself into more arsey stuff

 

[sonicdancer]

andy mcnab "liberation day" gutsy tense thriller. wicked so far.

 

[Furvert]

'the enemy is middle class' by a couple of mad old anarchists called andy and mark anderson.

have to say, it's annoying the hell out of me!