Unwashed Village
General Discussion => Unwashed Village => Topic started by: Thanatos on August 27, 2007, 07:00:33 PM
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Last things I read were a bunch of Orson Scott Card's Ender series and I, Lucifer a couple weeks ago, but it's been over a fortnight since I had anything new and I'm getting the shakes. Let's have some book recommendations!
For those into sci fi and fantasy I recommend anything by Jim Butcher. The Dresden Files if you like urban fantasy and The Codex Alera if you like swords and horses.
I haven't read anything else stellar lately. I'll think about it.
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Whatever you geeks suggest, I'll just wait for the movie *nods*
Seriously though, my list of recommendations wouldn't exactly be interesting to many (if any) of you.
The last fiction book I read was The Lord of the Rings trilogy shortly before the first movie was released. After that, everything I've read has been computer science related. I've read quite a lot of those though.
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I wonder if it's cliche to recommend Ender's Game yet.
Reading Xenocide now.
I recommend Ender's Game.
Terry Pratchett's Discworld series is hilarious.
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I don't understand all this reading stuff. Don't you guys have PCs?
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i have to read the first harry potter for class, so i'll recomend that.
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Books on tape is so last century.
Now... Blogs on Wav!
XD
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hmmm - all good books
The dresdan files are good books, but I wish he'd get an editor that was awake. So many mistakes that are very obvious - I am starting to think they are left in just to annoy me.
I do know a few books that would be a good read - though I am just running out the door now. I shall return and list a few of those.
We should also make a list of books one should NOT read. Just to save eachother the time. I've wasted a lot of time lately on books I never should have read. :'(
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Never read:
Alien: Ressurection.
Ugh. The movie was bad enough, but the book adaption? ARG! MY BRAIN!
Another nail in the coffin of "not reading books ever again" >.<
Thankfully, Pratchett keeps that final nail from going in.
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hmmm - all good books
We should also make a list of books one should NOT read. Just to save eachother the time. I've wasted a lot of time lately on books I never should have read. :'(
From what I know of horror films. Any books that allow you to open doorways into Hell are bad. So... don't read those books.
And from: A Horror Movie Survival Guide (http://nac.tamu.edu/x075bb/survival.html)
3. Never read a book of demon summoning aloud, even as a joke.
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Almost forgot, I read Interview with a Vampire and The Vampire Lestat by Ann Rice. Both are interesting reads - they're not terribly well-written (not bad either), but they have compelling characters. I consider Ann Rice's The Vampire Chronicles the best vampire books out there, as everything else seems to go overboard.
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chuck just reminded me of Katie MacAlister.
Romance but a good author.
Even Vamipres Get the Blues, about a girl who is half sun-elf falling in love with a vampire.
cliche but a good romance.
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anything by Iain M Banks (especially his Culture series)
The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera, awesome book
Lamb, the Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal by Christopher Moore. absolutely hilarious
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I don't really read fiction anymore. Like every other former nerd, I did the whole scifi / fantasy thing years ago. But I kinda got sick of it.
Latest book is "Almost a Miracle" by John Ferling, a fairly detailed account of the Revolutionary War. I read about 20 pages a night. Well-written book, and quite interesting.
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i just bought 'omnibus' by roald dahl. it's a collection of short stories that he wrote for the new yorker, playboy, etc. they're about 15 pages long and kinda twisted. but! they're great if you don't have much time to read novels. sometimes it's nice to sit and read intro-plot twist-conclusion in one sitting.
also, acdqueen, you're reading the FIRST harry potter for class? that's amazing. wasn't it like, 90 pages long? best class assignment ever!
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Reading TH White's "The Once and Future King." Wanted to see what all the fuss is about, and being an Arthurian legend buff, wanted to brush up on some modern (meaning early 20th century) versions.
Really good so far.
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All the books I've gotten lately have been somewhat of a disappointment so I can't really recommend them. Robin Hobb's latest stuff is boring. Feist's is meh. Jordan is well...dying. I haven't bothered with Terry Brooks in a while as if you've read his first three Shannara books you've basically read them all.
I've been thinking about going back and reading some really inspirational christian books I've read before. Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire was really good as was Wild at Heart. I've also considered getting stuff from Michael Crichton or Tom Clancy. I've enjoyed the movies based off of their books so I may as well get the books.
I don't like political books as I already read about politics on a daily basis and it depresses me so why on earth would I want to read a book about it? Bleh.
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One of my least favorite book about China is being made into a film.., what a surprise. Throw in a little blond, with some tits and ass, and a miserable attempt at a sex and the city + lost in translation, and you got it. ::) >:( :dead: :beadyeyes2: :sleeping:
Anyway, check out these books from my collection:
Edit to add, forgot to post names.
http://www.librarything.com/work/438047&book=1523596
1. Mr. China By Tim Clissold- reviews : I doubt I'll read a better business book this year. A cracking tale of a man trying to set up and invest in businesses in China, it reads sometimes like a drama, sometimes a soap opera, sometimes a comedy and sometimes a travelogue. It works on all these levels too. You can't help feel sorry for Clissold as he wrestles with business case situations that would be near impossible to control in the West never mind China, involving fraud, cheating, lying, shooting, rioting and cultural racism. The stress almost kills him, but underneath it all there is an affection for this country and all its foibles that allows him to forgive it and its people. He wants to help them to a better life, and believes capitalism is the answer. Money, however, seems to bring out the worst in many people whatever culture they're from, and millions are squandered in every chapter. One of the most amazing cultural depictions therefore, is that of Wall Street, dolling out hundreds of millions on the strength of a presentation or two. This is a sobering picture of what the capitalists are doing with your hard-earned money you put away for your retirement - gambling it on a fashionable whim with about as much information as you could pick up from an edition of Newsweek. I'd thoroughly recommend this book. ( 5 stars )
uryjm | Sep 4, 200
Now, this is how a memoir should be written, especially on a subject like China. He was charmed by the mystery of China, and moved there on a whim and a prayer. (Actually I felt that his Madam Butterfly reference is fairly correct, because that's almost how China is. )
He moved to Beijing around 1988/89, and tried to learn Mandarin. He ate cabbage Beijing style, and watched the slow transition of a country's rise from communist country to that of a quasi captialist one. As Clissold has said in the book, the Chinese are captialists in heart.
In less than 20 years, China has risen from a super poor country to a quasi economical super power. The burning passion from every Chinese to escape poverty, crime, governmental control, and their attempts at building a brighter future for themselves are all presentd here in this book.
This isn't a sucess story. In fact, this is a story about failures, but the more he "failed", the more he learned about China in a more fundamental way. The last chapter is especially touching. He decided to travel 1000 kms on his bike through some of the poorest regions of Northern China. And how he felt when he went to Pudon in Shanghai. In his own words, "I felt like I've been inside for too long, and when I came out, the sunlight was blinding me."
His parting wisdom is important to all that players effecting China - China will be China, and it will do things on its own pace, in its own way. You can't hope that China will change on your behalf, because it won't. All those people that said that China will eventually see light of reason and play the way everyone plays, well.., read this book.
HIGHLY recommend it. (5 stars )
Shiva | Mar 11, 2007
http://www.librarything.com/work/928813&book=20386642
2. The Cultural Code. By Clotaire Rapaille If you have ever traveled anywhere that has a remarkably different culture than yours, you'll start the appreciate what he is saying.
http://www.librarything.com/work/3394404&book=5442481
3. The long tail : why the future of business is selling less of more
by Chris Anderson
I should begin by stating that I'm not a fan of audiobooks. I've tried them on multiple occasions but I don't like the fact that I don't have a book in which to underline salient points or to thumb through later for reference. These are shortcomings that I have never gotten past. These deficiencies also make it difficult to write a well-supported review. With my bias on the table, here 'tis:
The Long Tail is a book that focuses on one of my favorite subjects - Internet commerce. In his book, Chris Anderson proposes the theory that the Internet has/will change the future of retailing (and TV, movies, communication, etc.) from a culture of "hits" to one of hyperindividualism. He states that there are several reasons for this but two of the primary reasons are the limitless "shelf space" of the Internet and the superior search/filtering tools of the web.
He explains that the graphing of sales for almost any type of good when delivered through a shelf-driven delivery system (i.e. store) will show a very tall spike on the far left for those items which are extremely popular (the "hits") and then that tail drops quickly. Given the limited amount of shelf space, retailers are also extremely selective about what goes on shelves. Therefore, once that spike ends, the tail is rather short. If an item doesn't move a minimum level of product, it gets pulled from the shelves. This is not the case on the web. There is limitless shelf space because hard drives and bandwidth are cheap. With that constraint removed, they carry in the range of 10 - 100x the number of products of their brick and mortar competitors.
However, there are studies that have shown that when people are given too many choices, they go into a sort of analysis paralysis buying less than they would with a well-defined and manageable selection set. Is that the case with the web? Actually, no. Anderson explains that consistently across multiple web retailers (Amazon, Rhapsody, etc.) around 98% of the offered products sell at least one unit each month.
Why are they not going into this analysis paralysis? Anderson posits that it's because of the superior recommendation functionality built into the fabric of the Internet. You have intelligent search capabilities, peer ratings, peer and expert recommendation lists, etc. All of these pop up with the simple typing of a few keywords. For example, while there may be 2000 different books on guitars on offer (daunting if you saw them on the shelves), you can search for a book on guitar music theory and the field is narrowed to 50 that are ranked in descending order by customer/peer ratings. You can then filter that further with a click or two. Wow. As you can imagine, the average retail employee can't be an expert on every topic so your results in a store may be hit or miss. On the web, you have a collective intelligence and excellent tools to help guide you.
On the web, since so many of these products sell at least a few units, it detracts from the highest selling products. Sure, the best sellers will still be best sellers but the sales spike is flattened somewhat and a very long tail stretches out the curve. Anderson explains that >25% of total sales of Amazon and other examples are in that tail of selling one or two units per month. Interesting.
These are the two real takeaways from The Long Tail. For these two points and the support of them, the book deserves five stars. It's a revolution that we're seeing through the Internet and it won't slow any time soon.
So why did I give it 3.5 stars? Unfortunately, Anderson continues on to get into more theoretical topics that he doesn't do as good a job of supporting. There's a lot of "I would argue that..." going on and his opinions on the future impact of the Internet. For example, he debates whether or not human culture will suffer as a result of people creating relationships and communities online rather than in person. Will people become less social and suffer as a result? I would suggest that this is the topic for another book. Anderson makes a mediocre argument for the topic and it seemed out of place with the rest of the text. There were other similar discussion points in the book that were incongruous with the core theme of The Long Tail.
Nonetheless, this is a very informative book that brings into focus some of the changes we're experiencing as a result of our friend the World Wide Web. I'd recommend it. ( )adamallen | Aug 4, 2007
4. http://www.librarything.com/work/36980 Perfume : the story of a murderer
by Patrick Suskind; German title: Das Parfum. Die Geschichte eines Mörders. I was curious about this book as it is such a hype. Naturally, I had a lot of expectation so I saved it for proper savouring during a recent mountain trip. I finished it in two days as it was an easy read.
The writer picks an unusual angle to tell his story: he explores the world through smell. The book, originally written in German, is a story of a young man, Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, who is born without a smell on its own (how that is even possible I am not sure) but instead is blessed with a keen sense of smell. He then works at a perfume house in Paris and then becomes obsessed with the quest to create various types of human smells. The obsession turns him into a killer.
Let me start, as always, with the good stuffs. The descriptions are amazing. How do you thoroughly describe smells? Even prolific wine writers must resort to nasty descriptions such as odors of manure and wet dog to describe their tastings due to lack of descriptive vocabularies. Through his creative narration, the writer evoke a powerful olfactory journey in his written world. He can even describe the smell of a doorknob!
Süskind also brings in an interesting notion that smell plays an important albeit stealthy role in us being accepted in our social pack. As Grenouille has no smell on his own, he becomes an outcast. I guess he is talking about pheromones and Grenouille's lack of it.
Reading the book, I did not imagine the brick-and-mortar Paris but the smell of Paris built on wisps in different thickness and colours to represent odors. It is extremely unique.
The story line, smooth and wonderful as it is, is a little strange. The tight pace unfortunately unravels to a looser thread and creates a plausible ending which is a pity. The immediate reaction when I finished was I didn't know what the fuss was all about. It is certainly unique, it is creatively written, it is engaging but something is missing and up to now, I really cannot pinpoint what that is.
I can wholeheartedly say that this book is recommended. However, like the delicate, wispy and fluid nature of smell, the goodness of the book keeps on coming in and out of my grasp. I cannot really say whether it's a good book or not. This is unsettling, just like the book. ( 3 1/2 stars)
vtn | Dec 24, 2006 |
5. Sophie's world : a novel about the history of philosophy http://www.librarything.com/work/26151&book=1526914
by Jostein Gaarder; Norwegian title: Sofies verden: Roman om filosofiens historie As I read Sophie's World, I was suddenly assaulted with visions of my characters plotting against me -- and in more dire ways than not co-operating when I wish to write about them.
Sophie's World is a book about philosophy. I never would have thought of a novel as a way to teach philosophy, but it works very well, for Gaarder (or would it be the major?) can make Sophie's life illustrate the very ideas she's studying, to the point that it can even descend into absurbist drama to illustrate Sartre's existentialism. (I'll be reading more about Sartre and Beauvoir, among others.) I've often wanted to study philosophy and didn't know whose writings to choose as a beginning -- and all the overviews I found were hopelessly dry -- until Gaarder's novel. Though he has by no means covered, or even mentioned, all the important philosophers, he's given me a place to begin.
More than a book on philosophy, Sophie's World is also a book about books...books within books...books that appear within themselves, until the reader starts to wonder if he himself might be fictional after all, just a figment of some author's imagination.
I can only say I hope my author is nicer to me than I'm being to my poor Jack.
(I'm off to hide under the bed now.) (5 stars )
regency_cate | Mar 10, 2007
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I enjoy Jonathan Carroll - the first book I read by him was The Wooden Sea
It's a book I'd recommend to anyone, odd - but that's what I enjoyed about it.
Life of Pi by Yann Martel was also a very beautiful book to read.
I like going to the cheap area of the bookstore - you know, the 2 dollar hard covers....and I grab a few at random without looking at what they are. Every so often, just by chance - they are good books. I found both of these books that way.
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Gotta recommend "The Big U" by Neil Stephenson, it works on a lot of levels and this crowd will appreciate it. Also "The Autocrat of the Breakfast Table."
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Gotta recommend "The Big U" by Neil Stephenson, it works on a lot of levels and this crowd will appreciate it. Also "The Autocrat of the Breakfast Table."
Oh, I have not read that one yet. I like Neil Stephenson. I shall go out and get that one. Thanks. =D
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The Areas of My Expertise by John Hodgman is a must read for any lover of fictitious truths.
Any book/almanac with an entire section on Hobo names is a winner.
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Since I am on a roll:
1. Women of the pleasure quarters : the secret history of the geisha by Lesley Downer http://www.librarything.com/work/6107
I might get flamed for saying this, but I perfer this book over the more popular "Memoirs of a Geisha". I believe it's the perspective that Downer offers that is more appealing to me. It's also more detailed and up to date than the others. The book actually elaborated on the history of the Geishas which most other books did not touch upon as much. Downer's perspective as a westerner and a outsider on various aspect of the Japanese(and not just Geisha) culture struck a chord with me. I can almost imagine myself doing the same thing or getting caught in the same feelings and ideas as she did in those situation.
Or maybe - I like it because she has done what I would have loved to do in my earlier years. A must read.
Edit: I've read some negative comments on the disrespectful or haughty attitude that Downer seems to exhibit towards the Geisha culture in the book. I laughed after reading those reviews. Is calling others of elitist a form of elitism in of itself? I don't know. But as a mixed blood who has traveled extensively around the world, I can tell you this - be prepare to offend and cheese off a lot of people no matter how much you had "studied" their culture in "advance". Even if you speak the language to a point, a culture shock is always right around the corner. Don't pretend you understand anything until you have walked in their shoes for 10,000 miles. An outsider, gaijin, or guilou will always be seen as disrespectful, boorish, haughty, and non-understanding by a culture that he/she doesn't belong to. The book, "Mr. China" comes to mind, since Tim's story is a living proof of this. In the end I secretly cheered for Tim's struggle and his eventual acceptance and understanding. (3 1/2 stars )Shiva | Jan 9, 2006
2. Mind wide open : your brain and the neuroscience of everyday life by Steven Johnson http://www.librarything.com/work/125&book=1523462
In ‘Mind wide open’ Stephen Johnson takes us on a personal journey – a journey through modern neuroscience via his very own brain. It is in this personal approach that this book succeeds: the real achievement of ‘Mind wide open’ book is that it is infinitely more accessible than even its most accessible popular science counterparts.
I found ‘Mind wide open’ to be intelligent and challenging, and was only slightly frustrated when I realised I was left with more questions than answers by the end of the final chapter. Everything about this book, which is well researched and very well written, is fascinating. ( 4 stars)
glaughlan | Jul 23, 2007
3. Emotional intelligence by Daniel Goleman http://www.librarything.com/work/2510 If you haven't read this book, go and do it!
(btw, some a** posted the entire review section from amazon, so it's going to be a bit long)
Reviewer: Elijah Chingosho (Nairobi, Kenya) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)
This is an inspirational and informative book on emotional intelligence; on our rational and emotional minds and why it is very important to our careers, our relationships and our destiny.
This insightful book examines emotional intelligence in an easy to follow and understand format which makes the book useful to a wide readership. The book pragmatically examines what emotional intelligence is all about and what it can achieve for individuals and organisations. The author methodically explains how the rational and emotional minds can effectively work productively together. As I go up the corporate ladder, it is critical to know how to manage my emotions so that I can relate better with others.
Dr Goleman is both a good writer and an original thinker. This is not just an academic book but also one that looks at the whole aspect of emotional intelligence to see how it "fits in" with all aspects of life. The book examines all the relevant issues and provides sound, sensible advice succinctly.
The book changed the way I look at life and relate with people. As an engineer, I used to believe in the power of logic and reasoning in all my dealings with people, be it at work, in the home and in relationships. I considered emotions as irrelevant or for those that are intellectually challenged. How wrong was I. Now that I am a bit more enlightened, from lessons learnt in this wonderful book, I am a better self. I realise that emotional issues affect the way people work, their motivation, satisfaction and productivity and affect the quality of relationships among spouses or friends. I am now a much happier and more effective manager and therefore recommend this book strongly to anyone who wants to live a happier and successful life.
Reviewer: Diane L. Schirf (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)
You know the feeling--your spouse says something that strikes you the wrong way, and involuntarily you tense up. You can almost feel your blood pressure rise. Without thinking, you respond emotionally, and soon what may have been intended as an innocuous comment has sparked a full-fledged marital battle that may leave as its aftermath lingering feelings of anger and resentment.
In Emotional Intelligence, Daniel Goleman describes the physiological processes that drive and are driven by emotion and their purpose, the ability of emotions to hijack rational thought and the short- and long-term physiological and psychological effects, and the personal and social benefits of teaching and learning how to manage the emotions.
In the opening chapters, Goleman discusses in simplified terms the complex interactions of the brain when emotion-causing stimuli are perceived, with the emotional mind reacting more quickly than the rational. For example, the sight of a snake may start the fight-or-flight response; the structures of the emotional brain prime the body to strike out at the snake or to flee from it. Then, after the body is tensed, the rational mind notices that it is a harmless garter snake. The efficiency of the brain circuitry, along with its emotional memory and associative abilities, helps to explain the power of the emotions. Citing research, Goleman suggests that the ability to recognize and manage emotions and emotional response, primarily learned from parents, family, friends, school, and the community, is a greater indicator of success in relationships, work, and society than intelligence tests. It is not necessarily how well you learn or what you know, but indeed how well you play with others.
Goleman covers a variety of topics: depression, mania, anxiety, PTSD, drug abuse, teenage pregnancy, relationship issues, abuse, and others. For example, a feeling of sadness can be transformed in the brain into a lingering mood and ultimately into a full-blown clinical depression. He shows how emotional intelligence can be used to control the brain's circuitry so that pathological conditions like depression, mania, and PTSD can be managed or at least controlled.
Citing an increase worldwide in indicators of emotional and social problems, Goleman focuses on children and the importance of pilot programs that teach such skills as empathy, assertiveness without aggression, self-awareness and self-control, conflict resolution, and so forth. He discusses several studies that show measurable, long-term benefits of such programs, and the negative results when children do not have the opportunity to learn these skills at home, at school, on the playground, or in the community.
Goleman does not always seem trustworthy. His description of the 1963 "Career Girl" murders, intended to illustrate an emotional hijacking, does not match other accounts in key areas. He also leaves out facts, such as that several knives were used, instead saying that the killer "slashed and stabbed them over and over with a kitchen knife." He does not mention the sexual assaults in "those few minutes of rage unleashed." The crime he depicts fits his picture of an emotional hijacking, but other accounts show it to have been a more deliberate crime of longer duration. In a section on empathy, he says that one-year-olds "still seem confused over what to do about [another child's tears]," citing an instance where a "one-year-old brought his own mother over to comfort the crying friend, ignoring the friend's mother, who was also in the room." There is no confusion here, but a logical, pre-verbal assumption: "My mother is comforting to me when I am upset; therefore, she will be comforting to you, too." This kind of thinking is not limited to one-year-olds; for example, how many times has a friend recommended an action movie or horror novel to you, saying that you will "love it," even though your known preference is historical romance or another completely different genre? Even adults assume that "what works for me will work for you."
Goleman also discusses school bullies and outcasts in detail. He places so much emphasis on the probability that their peers are reacting to their lack of emotional intelligence that he misses some important exceptions and nuances, such as children who are social outcasts for socioeconomic and racist reasons or because they are nonconformist individualists, in which cases it is the other children who display a lack of empathy and emotional intelligence. On the flip side, there are children (and adults) who are not empathetic or emotionally intelligent but who are well liked, even popular, for other reasons, tangible and intangible (e.g., socioeconomic status, influence, some mysterious force of personality or charisma). Many successful, popular people exhibit little emotional intelligence, which Goleman could have addressed. In addition, while Goleman cites a wealth of research supporting his arguments, he does not present any dissenting opinions, or whether any exist. This weakens his presentation.
Emotional Intelligence is an insightful, enlightening look at how awareness of the emotions and their physiology can help us to manage them when they affect our lives negatively or when they become pathological (e.g., depression). I found the book to be a practical guide to recognizing when I am reacting rather than listening to others or hearing them correctly. It has helped me to cope with colleagues who are lacking in emotional intelligence and to give them subtle guidance. While most of Emotional Intelligence is intuitive to a perceptive mind, the book serves as a guide and reminder that even a little emotional intelligence can make relationships, situations, and life more positive, more productive, and less stressful.
Have fun reading!
As for any Crichton's book, Sphere, The Rising Sun, Disclosure are some of my early favorites.
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: the secret history of the geisha by Lesley Downer
Mmmm...geisha (good movie btw)
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I just finished reading I am a Strange Loop by Douglas Hofstadter (a book I picked during the T.o UV Meet). Great book on what exactly one man thinks the structure of self-consciousness is. Great book and he included some dialogs for the GEB proselytes.
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i'm sure i've mentioned stealing buddah's dinner, by bich min nguyen.
she spoke here two hours ago and i recorded it, if anyone wants me to send it to them, though you'll have to help me find a site that lets me send larger files as i dont have winzip or anything on this comp.
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'http://www.yousendit.com/'
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'http://www.yousendit.com/'
Yous End It?
A Mafia assassination site?
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are you saying you want me to send it?
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not necessarily; I was just proving you a means of sending (up to 100mb free).
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Jack L. Chalker
I read his first trilogy (which consists of 5 books-. It's a trilogy though.) perhaps 7 or 8 years ago and recently ordered the other 5 books he wrote later. The overall title is The Well World. It's an amazing sci-fi/fantasy mix with some incredible visions of the universe, future etc. Definitely worth a read, I fucking love them.
Gonna order some of the other books he's written as soon as my paycheck hits the bank :)
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Star Wars: Allegiance by Timothy Zahn
It was a good back story for Mara Jade and a group of Stormtroopers who deserted the empire.
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i dont have winzip or anything on this comp.
Maybe it's time to get XP. The OS includes the ability to Zip.
Or are you one of the Mac users?
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daddy got me vista cuz by the time i graduate it will apparently be the new thing
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daddy got me vista cuz by the time i graduate it will apparently be the new thing
Oof! For a second, I thought that said "Daddy got me Visa" and no Daddy is that crazy.
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daddy got me vista cuz by the time i graduate it will apparently be the new thing
Did they remove the ability to zip files and folders from Vista? Seems kind of odd they'd take a nice feature that was introduced in XP and remove it.
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i didnt dl winzip? the ability is there. i just dont have the program?
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i didnt dl winzip? the ability is there. i just dont have the program?
I don't follow. In XP you did not need a COTS zip program. XP included the ability to create .zip archives and extract from them. My point is that it'd be unlikely for Vista to have removed this capability. So whether or not you have WinZip or another COTS zip program should be irrelevant.
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then i dont know what your talkinga bout and i dont want to play around with the computer to find out where it is. if you get vista in the near future and find it, please tell me. otherwise i'm not going to die without it.
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I'm reading (actually listening to) The Politically Incorrect Guide to Capitalism (http://www.amazon.com/Politically-Incorrect-Guide-Capitalism-Guides/dp/1596985046)
My next book that I will read and not listen with my ears is: Swim with the Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive: Outsell, Outmanage, Outmotivate, and Outnegotiate Your Competition (http://www.amazon.com/Sharks-Without-Being-Eaten-Alive/dp/006074281X/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/102-3936770-0026508?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1189721526&sr=1-1)
Then I will leaf though: The Best of Business Card Design 6 (http://www.amazon.com/Best-Business-Card-Design/dp/1592532330/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/102-3936770-0026508?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1189721614&sr=8-1)
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My next book that I will read and not listen with my ears is: Swim with the Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive: Outsell, Outmanage, Outmotivate, and Outnegotiate Your Competition (http://www.amazon.com/Sharks-Without-Being-Eaten-Alive/dp/006074281X/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/102-3936770-0026508?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1189721526&sr=1-1)
Harvey is really good. Likely one of the best business authors out there.
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My next book that I will read and not listen with my ears is: Swim with the Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive: Outsell, Outmanage, Outmotivate, and Outnegotiate Your Competition (http://www.amazon.com/Sharks-Without-Being-Eaten-Alive/dp/006074281X/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/102-3936770-0026508?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1189721526&sr=1-1)
Harvey is really good. Likely one of the best business authors out there.
Shoot. I just noticed he had an audio book. I would have purchased that one. I learn better via audio book. Oh well... looking forward to the book.
For someone like me (you know the type of business and mentality I have and had)... what books would you recommend for me... or anyone else who wants to be in business for themselves?
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Mackay is good.
Joe Girard (sp?) is good, too. His thing is he was a great car salesman. The books of his might seem a bit out of date with certain things (he mentions in one that he always kept cigs and a bottle of whiskey in his desk for a "toast" after he closed a prospect, which helped overcome buyer's remorse), but for every one of those, he offers ten pieces of good sales advice that don't go out of style, which every entrepreneur needs.
Tony Robbins is good in that "do the things you know you need to do" way.
Funny, a but a good book for entrepreneurs is by Derek Jeter of the Yankees. Called something like "the life you imagine", it's good stuff in regards to envisioning something and achieving it.
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Mackay is good.
Joe Girard (sp?) is good, too. His thing is he was a great car salesman. The books of his might seem a bit out of date with certain things (he mentions in one that he always kept cigs and a bottle of whiskey in his desk for a "toast" after he closed a prospect, which helped overcome buyer's remorse), but for every one of those, he offers ten pieces of good sales advice that don't go out of style, which every entrepreneur needs.
I felt the same about Napoleon Hill. He mentions how the people that will survive are the people who can make the transition from the established print medium of print to the up and coming medium of radio.
Of course if you just change print to TV and Radio to Internet then the advice becomes good.
You can of course just take the advice as: People who can change can make it and it's good regardless.
Thanks for the suggestions. =)
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Reading... The Politically Incorrect Guide to The Constitution.
Just finished: Swimming With the Sharks and Politically Incorrect Guide to Capitalism.
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Little Red Riding Hood Uncloaked, a look at the history of the tale
i jsut got back from a... its not quite a reading, but a visiting author. Luis Alberto Urrea who wrote Devil's Highway. the book was more interesting than i thought it would be, and he's got an amazing personality. he throws in the right humor at the right spots without taking away from the severity of the topic. there's a symposium tomorrow about immigration and his book is about 14 men who died trying to get into the states illegally, Urrea himself was born in tiajuana. i hope i spelled that right.
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there's a symposium tomorrow about immigration and his book is about 14 men who died trying to get into the states illegally, Urrea himself was born in tiajuana. i hope i spelled that right.
That reminds me... I need to get back to Cesar Millan's The Dog Whisper. The book started ok. He went into his history of dogs and gave a case for him being experienced in dogs. Then he went into this long story of him crossing the border, finding work, being illegal, etc. Interesting story for another time... I want to know more about dogs. At this point, I know more about how to cross the border than I do about training my Devil.
My cute Devil.
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This one's probably been mentioned in an earlier thread, but I'd have to say Max Brooks 'World War Z' is a quality read.
A book about zombies based in real life and researched with more effort than just simply the internet? Gasp! Oh, and the Audio Book is worth picking up for the cast alone.
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This one's probably been mentioned in an earlier thread, but I'd have to say Max Brooks 'World War Z' is a quality read.
A book about zombies based in real life and researched with more effort than just simply the internet? Gasp! Oh, and the Audio Book is worth picking up for the cast alone.
Oh! I've been wanting to read that. =)
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Yo Doom,
I'd recommend "Eat the Rich" by P.J. O'rourke based on your current reading list. Best treatise on economics I've read in a long time. And for everyone else definitely Neil Stephenson's "The Big U." One of the best lesbian gunplay scenes ever in that book.
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I'll look up Eat the Rich on Amazon. =)
Here's what I'm reading now.
THE DRACO TAVERN (http://www.sfreviews.net/dracotavern.html)
It's 'OK'. It's a collection of short (Very short) stories set in a Tavern for Alien Species.
After that... I'm reading this.
Fired Up!: How the Best of the Best Survived and Thrived After Getting the Boot (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0345471873/105-8803725-7286060)
No. I haven't been fired. Yet... =)
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i've just finished Richard Dawkin's 'The God Delusion', it was ok but about half way through he starts repeating himself and doesn't end the book well. i've heard 'the selfish gene' is a better one to read.
now i'm reading 'From Strength to Strength: Shaping a Black Practical Theology for the 21st Century' by Robert London Smith Jr (my brother in law). i've not gotten far enough through to comment yet but so far it's good thinking material and he's worked out his argument's well.
Brug: i'd recommend this if you're looking for a practical book since although he draws on his black background, his style of writing makes the theory easy to transfer to other backgrounds.
i'm running through Bill Bryson's 'A Short History of Everything' just now as well cause i've forgotten a lot of it already.
other than that, i've not had a chance to read anything else cept for the news
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Dalai Lama: Advice on Dying (and how to live a better life)
I'm not dying, nor is anyone else that I know. Seems like a interesting book.
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Reading: Everything I needed to learn... I learned from Star Trek.
It's... interesting. =)
I don't know if I would go: "What would Kirk do?" to solve a problem in my life.
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"Mr. Spock, the women on your planet are logical. That's the only planet in the galaxy that can make that claim."
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Dalai Lama: Advice on Dying (and how to live a better life)
I'm not dying, nor is anyone else that I know. Seems like a interesting book.
You mean the Book of the living and dying? http://www.librarything.com/work/6136/book/1548307
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The Selfish Gene is indeed a brilliant work. I have not yet read the God Delusion as I really don't need to hear any polemics about the issue.
The Upside of Down: Catastrophe, Creativity and the Renewal of Civilization is a great book that should be read by all.
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i'm running through Bill Bryson's 'A Short History of Everything' just now as well cause i've forgotten a lot of it already.
Not his best. The life and times of the Thunderbolt Kid is a recent book of his that I enjoyed. But I'm not sure how well it plays outside the US.
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Dalai Lama: Advice on Dying (and how to live a better life)
I'm not dying, nor is anyone else that I know. Seems like a interesting book.
You mean the Book of the living and dying? http://www.librarything.com/work/6136/book/1548307
This book: Advice on Dying: And Living a Better Life (http://www.amazon.com/Advice-Dying-Living-Better-Life/dp/0743463021/ref=sr_1_1/002-7526712-9638404?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1194541401&sr=8-1)
Once again... I'm not dying nor is anyone close to me that I know of. Just seems interesting.
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If one wants advice on dying, Novalis can give quite explicit direction.
Most philosophers wanted to live their philosophies, Novalis wanted to die his philosophy...
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Novalis wanted to die his philosophy...
Like mauve? Mauve would be nice.
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Mauve is so 1980s. Taupe is the "in" color for philosophy these days.
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Mauve is so 1980s. Taupe is the "in" color for philosophy these days.
I Kant agree with you; this is the Sarte of thing that can have a Schelling effect on us all.
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Dewey have to do this again? I could have sworn we'd Dunn this before, and you Locked me into it. I'm not sure if I can do it any Moore.
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Reading: Jimmy Carter Our Endangered Values.
I have to balance out: Ronald Reagan, In His Own Words.
=)
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I just finished reading:
You Suck: A Love Story (http://www.amazon.com/You-Suck-Story-Christopher-Moore/dp/0060590300/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1217186779&sr=8-1)
Half finished with:
Cesar's Way: The Natural, Everyday Guide to Understanding and Correcting Common Dog Problems (http://www.amazon.com/Cesars-Way-Everyday-Understanding-Correcting/dp/0307337979/ref=pd_bbs_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1217186820&sr=1-1)
I will begin reading this: It's about a wizard named Harry but not THAT wizard.
Storm Front (The Dresden Files, Book 1) (http://www.amazon.com/Storm-Front-Dresden-Files-Book/dp/0451457811/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1217186874&sr=1-2)
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TWILIGHTTTTT
yes i am a 13 year old girl. weeee
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TWILIGHTTTTT
yes i am a 13 year old girl. weeee
"Bella Swan is an awkward seventeen year old girl, who “makes the cowardly lion look like the terminator.”
Hmm... I may pass on this one.
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You Suck: A Love Story (http://www.amazon.com/You-Suck-Story-Christopher-Moore/dp/0060590300/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1217186779&sr=8-1)
Christopher Moore is awesomely funny.
I read a couple by Jeffrey Thomas lately (The Blue War and Deadstock) but I wouldn't exactly recommend them. They're both pretty derivitive sci-fi (the first section of Deadstock seemed horribly written). His setting of Punktown could be called a melange (french for total rip-off) of Call of Cthulhu, Raymond Chandler, Blade Runner (already itself a ripoff of Chandler's genre), the Vietnam War and horribly uninventive sci-fi/cyperpunk tropes (including the use of asnine 'swear-words').
So really, this is more of a recommendation to stay away from him, not to read him.
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I got a bunch of Tom Clancy books a while back because I really enjoy the movies that have been made from them. I also needed a change of pace from the standard fantasy/sci-fi stuff. I haven't been able to finish any of them because Clancy writes like an ADD kid. He jumps from one character's story to another and back again in a span of just a few pages. I find it a very distracting style of writing because I can't start to really get into any one character's story before he switches things up again.
Meh.
Anyway, I'm thinking of picking up Rocket Boys which is the book that October Sky was based off of.
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I got a few more books from Amazon a few days ago. The one I was most looking forward to turned out to be a real gem. Rocket Boys by Homer Hickam is the book that the movie October Sky was based off of. I highly recommend it and it's led to me wanting to read more of his books.
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I've been reading the Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anita_Blake:_Vampire_Hunter). It's another series of Urban Fantasy. She's a private eye who can raise the dead and she's got a werewolf and vampire lover!
I'm on book 5 right now. Unfortunately, I hear the novels get worse at the end.
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I just finished Soon I Will Be Invincible (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soon_I_Will_Be_Invincible).
The novel is told through two alternating first person narratives of the characters Dr. Impossible and Fatale. Dr. Impossible is a self-proclaimed supervillain of the mad genius variety, who suffers from "Malign Hypercognition Disorder" ("evil genius" syndrome).
Unfortunately, the Fatale POV chapters aren't as interesting as the Dr. Impossible ones. Loveshack should read it as a tutorial. Think of a supervillian having a mid life crisis. "Should I have done something else with my life?"
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After that, I'm getting started with the The Southern Vampire Mysteries (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Southern_Vampire_Mysteries).
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Speaking of vampires, I just finished part one of Guillermo del Toro's and Chuck Hogan's vampire trilogy: The Strain. (http://www.thestraintrilogy.com/)Didn't realize how refreshing it would be to read, for a change, a story about vampires that weren't romantic figures in any stretch of the word. :) The book had a sort of a CSI: Vampire/ Crossing Jordan/ Bones kind of feel to it, with the CDC trying to figure out just what the hell happened to a plane full of people.
I liked the way they took many of the familiar vampire cliches like the elderly vampire hunter professor, and gave it a different spin. Also, couldn't help but think that the shock rocker turned vampire might have been a bit of a poke at Anne Rice and her beloved Lestat. I lolled how one of the first things the creature did was to let all the stalking goth fans and the paparazzi inside the mansion... :evilgrin:
On the downside, though the characters don't, you basically know what is going on from early on, so the initial mysterious disease storyline with all the investigation maybe a bit dragged. But it was still quite fascinating stuff if you like that sort of thing. And when the shit hits the fan, it does so big time. People who have seen Blade 2 will propably recognize some of the ideas that del Toro evolves/recycles in here, however you want to put it. But once I got past all that, the book kept me reading until the end. Youtube seems to have a couple of filmed scenes as teasers (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTwJUbAZL0c).
The damnable thing is that part two doesn't come out until somewhere around next year.
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I haven't been here for months, and then two top thread are both mine.
Listen, guys.
You need to be drunk more.
I don't care if you're being drunk on wine, women, song, or art, but you need to loosen the fuck up and say some interesting shit. I know I'm incredible, but seriously, the top two threads are mind and I haven't posted for half a year? You're better than that!
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It was all a ploy to lure you to post.
Dance, my puppet!
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Now on topic.
I just finished the last book in Card's Shadow series, Shadow of the Giant. As I finished, I figured there'd be another sequel, since a few plot threads hadn't been wrapped up yet, particularly the missing child bit.
Sure enough, after looking around the intarwebs, there's going to be another Shadow book that will tie both the Shadow Series and the Lusitania Series together.
I've also been working my way through Discworld. I'm now reading Witches Abroad.
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i'm currently reading "food in history," it's kinda self explanitory
i just finished reading about the dancing plagues of way back when. it officially comes out in a month or two, somehow there was an advanced copy in the clearance section of my used book stores.
i have a feeling that i'll be starting to read alot of history books for fun. any suggestions?
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Reading the first of the Sookie Stackhouse Novels.
Starting on the second Dexter novel.
Just read Dead House from the Goosebumps series (nice light reading before bed - nothing like reading about dead dogs and humanoid zombies before shutting my eyes)
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I read The Gathering Storm by Jordan/Sanderson and it was really good. Sanderson did a good job in making the transition of authors barely noticeable. I had read before getting it that the one spot he seemed to struggle with was Mat and I have to agree that Mat didn't seem like himself in this book. Hopefully Sanderson will work on that and have him down by the next book. I highly recommend this one if you are a fan of the series. Even if you got burned out by Jordan's efforts in the last few books.
I read The Road by McCarthy that inspired the movie. Ugh, that thing was terrible. Avoid this one. Am I supposed to feel anything for these characters? I ask because I finished reading not caring at all about either one of them. I'm amazed that they came up with enough material to make a movie out of it. It's basically the same thing over and over.
1. Man and son wake up hungry and needing to find food while traveling.
2. They are starving, cold, tired, and often sick.
3. Man worries about his son. Son worries about his dad.
4. Son does something stupid to waste resources and is told it's not a big deal.
5. Others must be avoided at all times and treated with fear and suspicion when they can't be avoided. This implies that some action takes place regarding others but not so you'd notice.
I give this book a solid MEH.
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Jordan was a master writter, I doubt any author could entirely measure up to him. There were some things about sandersons book that I felt were a bit off but once I got into it, I really didn't care. I am satisfied with him finishing the series.
Stephen kings new book, Under the Dome was excelent. One of his best in my opinion.
Pirate Latitudes by Michael Crichton was also really really good. Not a very long book, compared to his others but a very fun read. Highly recommended.
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Now reading The Book of Basketball by Bill Simmons. Liking it a whole lot.
My wife is reading Under the Dome - she says it's good. I like King, so I'll probably queue that one up.
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Now reading The Book of Basketball by Bill Simmons. Liking it a whole lot.
My wife is reading Under the Dome - she says it's good. I like King, so I'll probably queue that one up.
I saw a few reviews on Under the Dome. Here's the gist.
"King is back!"
"I was ready to write King off... but this book redeems him."
"King's Best effort!"
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Just read Dead House from the Goosebumps series (nice light reading before bed - nothing like reading about dead dogs and humanoid zombies before shutting my eyes)
RL Stine is still writing those?
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Just read Dead House from the Goosebumps series (nice light reading before bed - nothing like reading about dead dogs and humanoid zombies before shutting my eyes)
RL Stine is still writing those?
Unsure. I just grabbed the first book in the series.
Wikipedia says... yeah. Goosebumps HorrorLand anyway. A spin off series. I didn't read further to see if he's still writing the other series.
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Lets see... I listen to audio books at work, and I go through one or two a week, it can get hard to remember them all...
Law of the Nines by Terry Goodkind... you should probably avoid this one unless you're a die hard fan of his. The blurb about the book doesn't mention it, but it is tied to the Sword of Truth series, except it's in our world. It's hard for me to say if it has spoilers of the other series in it, since I've read it too, but I don't think it does. If you haven't read the sword of truth books, I think you'll just be confused by this one a bit. Anyways, it's got all of the things I don't like about Goodkind in it, long winded characters, unnecessary repetition and explanations, it's like he thinks we're too dumb to remember what he wrote a few chapters back. And he never misses an opportunity to let us know exactly what his opinions are... cell phones are for idiots, modern art is dumb, and communism is the root of all evil. Goodkind is a good story teller, I suppose, but he's a terrible writer.
I saw some mentions of the Dresden Files, and I'll second them... or third them, whatever. The audio books are especially good. James Marsters is an excellent narrator, I love the way he yells "FUAGO!"
And I have to say this again if you missed it the first time. Read Pirate Latitudes by Michael Crichton. READ IT! This book is great, sea battles, sword fights, and a touch of Crichton sci fi. It's fast paced, and an incredibly fun read, I'm listening to it for the second time already. One of the best books I've read in a long time.
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I can't believe nobody, once, has mentioned Heinlein. He may have left us in 85 but some of his work is still trickleing out, "The Fantisies of R.H. Heinlein" has several previously unpublished shorts that fill in some of his "timeline". Also "Variable Star" which was an unfinished Heinlein manuscript until Spider Robinson completed it. (It is published with both authors credited) He truly kept the full Heinlein flavor.
Then there is Quafum (sp) by Alen Dean Foster which is not part of the "Pip & Flinx" series but if you are a fan you must read it to understand the final book in the series "Flinx Triumphant" (working, not final title it may change) but i lucky enough to have a signed ARC manuscript and I ain't tellin nuttin (i promised damn it but Ohhhhh so so so so so good)
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Finished Harry Potter 1. Almost done with Club Dead (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Club_Dead) from the Sookie Stackhouse Mysteries. Started A Matter for Men (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_War_Against_the_Chtorr) - Book 1 of The War Against the Chtorr.
Also reading another book on how to right gooder for the web.
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Anyone read the full Dark Tower series? Damn goo reading in my humble opinion.....
The comics are petty sweet to!
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Jordan was a master writter, I doubt any author could entirely measure up to him. There were some things about sandersons book that I felt were a bit off but once I got into it, I really didn't care. I am satisfied with him finishing the series.
Joran was a master writer. He was incompetent near the end of his life.
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Jordan was a master writter, I doubt any author could entirely measure up to him. There were some things about sandersons book that I felt were a bit off but once I got into it, I really didn't care. I am satisfied with him finishing the series.
Joran was a master writer. He was incompetent near the end of his life.
According to my girlfriend who's read practically the whole series (maybe not the very last ones), the problem with WoT was that Jordan originally conceived it as being only a few books, but due to the success of the early ones, his agent/publishing company/whoever else has a position of authority over an author pressured him into making the series longer and he acquiesced.
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Anyone read the full Dark Tower series? Damn goo reading in my humble opinion.....
The comics are petty sweet to!
I've read the full series. When King is on, he's an amazing storyteller (though, something about his writing style kind of rubs me the wrong way). When King isn't on, his books become drudgery.
Dark Tower achieved both, which is actually fitting, seeing as it is a foundation upon which many of his other books all tie together.
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Jordan originally conceived it as being only a few books, but due to the success of the early ones, his agent/publishing company/whoever else has a position of authority over an author pressured him into making the series longer and he acquiesced.
explains everything.
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Anyone read the full Dark Tower series? Damn goo reading in my humble opinion.....
The comics are petty sweet to!
I've read the full series. When King is on, he's an amazing storyteller (though, something about his writing style kind of rubs me the wrong way). When King isn't on, his books become drudgery.
Dark Tower achieved both, which is actually fitting, seeing as it is a foundation upon which many of his other books all tie together.
What would you consider to be good King books to read?
I'd like to read more good King. So far I haven't really read any mediocre king another I've heard your complaint from other readers.
Read Thinner and the Mist (Skeleton Crew) so far.
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Anyone read the full Dark Tower series? Damn goo reading in my humble opinion.....
The comics are petty sweet to!
I've read the full series. When King is on, he's an amazing storyteller (though, something about his writing style kind of rubs me the wrong way). When King isn't on, his books become drudgery.
Dark Tower achieved both, which is actually fitting, seeing as it is a foundation upon which many of his other books all tie together.
What would you consider to be good King books to read?
I'd like to read more good King. So far I haven't really read any mediocre king another I've heard your complaint from other readers.
Read Thinner and the Mist (Skeleton Crew) so far.
I enjoyed The Stand. Also the book of short stories Skeleton Crew has one of my favorite King stories in it called Survivor Type.
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I just read a couple of Evelyn Waugh books that were fantastic. Both Scoop and Handful of Dust we're funny, dark and downright nasty.
Aside from that, if you want to read a book about the transcendental conditions of possibility of experience, Husserl's Idea's Pertaining to a Pure Phenomenology and a Phenomenological Philosophy is the place for you.
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Just finished 2 great new books both by authors new to me
The Ruins (aparently is a movie also but i haven't seen or heard of it)
by Scott Smith Can't really say anything about it without ruining the plot
but is a very good read character come to life. Only thing i didn't like is he left alot of loose ends. (unless of course there is a 2nd book :D)
the second and best new book i have read in a long time (and surprisingly fitting for the village)
Patient Zero by Johathan Maberry. All i can say is if you like spy novels, terrorist plots and or zombies (yes flesh eating undead type zombies) With enough "science fact" pitched in to make it almost believable (this book gave me a few shivers) great plot, great characters.
I will be looking for other maberry books after this one. was a fantastic read.
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This is weird...
In the past couple of months, I'm having more instances of not being able to read before going to bed without having bad dreams.
Usually I read and then blissfully go to bed. Not anymore!
I read the Sookie Stackhouse mysteries and have nightmares about vampires.
Reading The War against the Chtorr, finds me running from alien centipede-like creatures.
Last night was the Dexter novem. The big bad in the dream killed people with a vehicle and would run into crowds complete with a slow motion shot.
Brrrrr...
Maybe I should read something more cheerful.
Maybe something like Watership Down? It's got bunnies in it!
(http://cdn3.ioffer.com/img/wantad/504/366/watership_downb.jpg)
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Ah I liked "The Stand", I need to re-read it one of these days, its been a long time...
While not entirely King, I GREATLY enjoyed both "The Talismen" and "Black House", I picked them up together and read them almost back to back. Awesome books aswell.
And I agree Hoopy, when he starts the drudging, he REALLY starts the drudging.... But the series as a whole is one of my favorites.
Anyone ever read "Neverwhere" or "Good omens"?
Also, My brother found a DVD copy of Watership down not long ago..... thinking back on the fact that was one of my favorite childhood movies, no wonder im messed up..... :laugh:
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Anyone ever read"Good omens"?
Good Omens is great! It's got the wonderful humor and comedic character development of Terry Pratchett mixed with the plot development of Neil Gaiman.
(And on a side note we used to have a poster by the name Malacola who was a huge Pratchett fan. Back in the old Gamestats board days his cookie title was "the angel that sauntered vaguely downwards"--which is a reference to Crowley from Good Omens, and he always singed off his posts with "The Turtle Moves" which is a reference to Pratchett's Small Gods.)
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You know who fucking sucks? Joe Abercrombie. I just wasted a ton of fucking time reading his Blade Itself trilogy and it made me tweak out. You know who is good but too much work? Alistair Reynolds. I'm trying to get into Revelation Space and he's a good writer, but he makes the reader work too hard.
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You know who else blows now? David Eddings. Kinda makes me sad since the belgariad and the mallorean were defining series of my discovering-that-books-are-awesome phase.
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yeah eddings crashed no doubt.
I love heinlein and foster for their "re readablity" you tend to catch little hints that you missed the 1st time through.
i rereading bear's "God's Forge" again now. looking forward to the 1st my check and some new books hehe
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Reading's for chumps, but have any of you seen Turtles Forever (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YixMJJzOCoA) yet? Seriously, it's awesome, especially if you grew up watching the 1980s cartoon or read the original comics.
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Reading's for chumps, but have any of you seen Turtles Forever (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YixMJJzOCoA) yet? Seriously, it's awesome, especially if you grew up watching the 1980s cartoon or read the original comics.
4 days ago.
"WHOOOO are you talking too? There's NOBODY THERE!"
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Reading's for chumps, but have any of you seen Turtles Forever (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YixMJJzOCoA) yet? Seriously, it's awesome, especially if you grew up watching the 1980s cartoon or read the original comics.
4 days ago.
"WHOOOO are you talking too? There's NOBODY THERE!"
Maybe it's because I'm watching this after being visited by the grim spectre of puberty, but 80s April seems a bit more... substantial in this than I remember her being on the original show. Also, I felt bad that I recognized every single character who walked by on the streets of New York in the 80s Turtleverse. I don't mean just Irma, I mean everyone.
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I am near the end of The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson. Not nearly as impressive as some of his other books.
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Just wondering...
How does everyone else here read books?
I usually split my reading of the moment into two books. Each book has to "feel" different. For example... I might read Dexter and then read Harry Potter during the same week. Then depending on what I'm in the mood for... I'll pick the book that corresponds to that mood.
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i read, but school tends to put a damper on anything worth spending my free time on.
i've been reading zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance for the past two months, not a big fan and dont have the time. on the up side of that. i've got a lit class that i'm very much enjoying where we're reading a bunch of short stories by a turn of the century female half chinese woman. (i go that far into the author's race because it's an asian american lit class and there really isnt much from asian writers before the whole pearl harbor thing)