Now Reading

Gonna re-read Alasdair Gray's Lanark.

Also picking up V, Ulysses, and Darren Shan's new Zomb-B series for fun :> (Since I was a fan of Cirque Du Freak and The Demonata series)

Because books always come in two (p.s.: Didn't like Hyperion, I never engaged into half of the stories, but the other halfs were goddamn great! bought the second book, not sure I'll ever read it).

I'm reading Howard Zinn's Peoples History of the US. My history knowledge is almost nothing, due to a terrible education system. And especially US history as I wasn't raised here. So I'm catching up. This was probably a bad place to start as it assumes you know alot already.

Anyone got any history recommendations?

I read that last year. Consider the book as more of an oral history, towards the left and the social aspect of history, a lot more towards an alternative view to what happened in history shown through the eyes of the everyday man. You should counterpoint the book with a more traditional political and economic approach to US history after that. The real history is more somewhere in-between.

There is no such thing as "real history", it's all about points of views, ideology and methodology.

First there was something, then there was something.

Reading a book of Philip Larkin poems - just unbelievable, so heartbreaking and so beautiful

So I'm at page 400 of Heretics of Dune and wow, did this story took pace in the last hundred or so pages! The immense perspective of the Golden Path is totally creating this intense atmosphere and foreboding. That, and the vivid imagery that Herbert knows to sketch is just fan-freaking-tastic.

 

 

 

  On 11/24/2013 at 12:27 PM, Phoenix said:

the vivid imagery that Herbert knows to sketch is just fan-freaking-tastic.

Herbert has a knack for creating immersive environments with few words. At times I found myself ignoring the primary action, so absorbed was I in the world itself - even in 90% dialogue chapters, with only a scattering of references to how a place smelled, or how the light passed through a window.

  On 11/23/2013 at 12:42 PM, hoggy said:

Reading a book of Philip Larkin poems - just unbelievable, so heartbreaking and so beautiful

Ah Philip... Nice to see some poetry love.

I'm going to nab me the latest Penguin edition of Beowulf asap.

Currently dipping in and out of Hyperbole and Me. Considering Giles Cohen's "How to Eat Out" (bad restaurant experience last night made me curious) but I've heard he's considered a bit of a cunt.

Saying that, so is Philip Larkin.

  On 12/1/2013 at 7:43 PM, Sprillian said:

"How to Eat Out"

 

tee-hee

  On 12/1/2013 at 7:46 PM, Phoenix said:

 

  On 12/1/2013 at 7:43 PM, Sprillian said:

"How to Eat Out"

 

tee-hee

Sexy tips from Giles. Groce.

 

 

Edit: Meant Hyperbole and a Half not Me. Obviously not "dipping in and out" as much as I should be.

I read the new Malcolm Gladwell book David & Goliath. It's short. like a pamphlet maybe. or a fast read not sure. anyway nowhere near as interesting as Outliers which I stil think is his best. It starts ok but the last few chapters are long and the connection to david & goliath type situations was a little tenuous, despite being interesting stories about the people involved. It felt disconnected from the rest of the book, more like a collection than a real book in a way. It kinda felt like here is another example of someone who had a disadvantage and what it taught them became an advantage. and here's another.

 

Overall I think the premise is interesting but the examples weren't that good and the one idea struggled to sustain a whole short book.

This:

 

And this:

Nihilism and cynicism, that's a nice combo!

 

  On 12/4/2013 at 11:50 PM, goffer said:

This:

 

And this:

 

Finished Hugh Howey's Shift, interested to see how it all ties up in the last part, Dust. But until then I will read through the two short story collections from Alistair Reynolds. All happening in the Revelation Space universe.

  On 12/5/2013 at 10:26 PM, mokz said:

 

ordered that for my lil bro for xmas. Is it as good as I hope?

 

I'm submerged in PKD's abridged Exegesis once again for a term paper on editorial theory.

Also on the ordered and waiting to read tip, this opus shall be magnum:

 

I started reading Haruki Murakami´s 1Q84 trilogy.

  On 12/5/2013 at 10:32 PM, azatoth said:

Finished Hugh Howey's Shift, interested to see how it all ties up in the last part, Dust. But until then I will read through the two short story collections from Alistair Reynolds. All happening in the Revelation Space universe.

 

Thanks, it's great to know (having finished Wool last year) that reading the next book is worth it! :)

  On 12/7/2013 at 3:40 PM, wabby said:

Also on the ordered and waiting to read tip, this opus shall be magnum:

 

 

lol, how is this legal? Can you sell someone's elses art with a few modifications as your own art?

Because Jim Davis approved of the book, he even draw some additional panels.

  On 12/1/2013 at 7:43 PM, Sprillian said:

I'm going to nab me the latest Penguin edition of Beowulf asap.

 

I really like the Seamus Heaney translation. I've skimmed through some of the other ones and they're not as enjoyable. pain in the ass finding a decent copy of the Heaney translation round here.

  On 12/9/2013 at 4:08 AM, usagi said:

 

  On 12/1/2013 at 7:43 PM, Sprillian said:

I'm going to nab me the latest Penguin edition of Beowulf asap.

I really like the Seamus Heaney translation. I've skimmed through some of the other ones and they're not as enjoyable. pain in the ass finding a decent copy of the Heaney translation round here.

Where are you in the world? Faber have a nice edition of the Heaney edition - I can send you one if you like.

 

The Heaney translation is the best by far. Radio 4 were playing it recently, I suppose to posthumously reinforce praise for him, but the audio book doesn't seem to be available atm which is great shame - listening to it verges on a euphoric experience.