BOOKS. whatcha readin...?

sad-clown · Post by **sad-clown** » Fri Nov 16, 2007 8:54 pm

Chuck's Diary is pretty impressive. Maybe not as good as Choke was, but if you give it enough time and pages it will grow on you. And yes, it's better than Fight Club.

I just finished Ian McEwan's Saturday. It was a nice reading, very actual and well written.

read dummy! · Post by **read dummy!** » Fri Nov 23, 2007 5:41 am

edith hamilton - mythology, timeless tales of gods and heros (greek and roman myths)

Sixteen Mythological Stories of Ifa (Ita Merindinlogun) - by chief fama. (yoruba myths)

folktales from india - a selection of oral tales from 22 languages - edited by A.K. Ramanujan

sun ra · Post by **sun ra** » Sun Dec 02, 2007 4:46 am

not finished yet, the beginning was so fucking boring..

slimebucato · Post by **slimebucato** » Sun Dec 02, 2007 12:11 pm

I am only 4 chapters in and I can already tell it is going to be epic and will probably have a great effect on my brain patterns

read dummy! · Post by **read dummy!** » Sun Dec 02, 2007 8:52 pm

nice cover

slimebucato · Post by **slimebucato** » Sun Dec 02, 2007 10:01 pm

Yeah

If you like Sci Fi or Fantasy at all you should pick it up. this one is the first two volumes put together, I'm gonna get the other one when I finish it. Kinda of a big read but I can tell it will be more than worth it.

Here's a summary if anyone is interested:

The Book of the New Sun is a novel in four parts written by science fiction and fantasy author Gene Wolfe. It chronicles the journey and ascent to power of Severian, a journeyman torturer who is exiled from the Seekers for Truth and Penitence (the guild of torturers) for committing the one unforgivable act: showing mercy to his victim by allowing her to commit suicide and thereby avoid further excruciation. Following the exile, he takes a journey that culminates in his rising to the position of Autarch, the one ruler of the free world. Severian, who claims that he has perfect memory, tells the story in first person; the books are presented by Wolfe as a translation of Severian's writings into contemporary English. The series takes place in the distant future, where the Sun has dimmed considerably and the Earth (referred to in the series as "Urth") is slowly cooling.

kato · Post by **kato** » Sun Dec 09, 2007 4:49 am

slimebucato wrote:Yeah

If you like Sci Fi or Fantasy at all you should pick it up. this one is the first two volumes put together, I'm gonna get the other one when I finish it. Kinda of a big read but I can tell it will be more than worth it.

Here's a summary if anyone is interested:

The Book of the New Sun is a novel in four parts written by science fiction and fantasy author Gene Wolfe. It chronicles the journey and ascent to power of Severian, a journeyman torturer who is exiled from the Seekers for Truth and Penitence (the guild of torturers) for committing the one unforgivable act: showing mercy to his victim by allowing her to commit suicide and thereby avoid further excruciation. Following the exile, he takes a journey that culminates in his rising to the position of Autarch, the one ruler of the free world. Severian, who claims that he has perfect memory, tells the story in first person; the books are presented by Wolfe as a translation of Severian's writings into contemporary English. The series takes place in the distant future, where the Sun has dimmed considerably and the Earth (referred to in the series as "Urth") is slowly cooling.

don't really like sci fi...but this looks dope...

Tariq's Dilemma · Post by **Tariq's Dilemma** » Sun Dec 09, 2007 5:26 pm

[quote="kato"][quote="slimebucato"]Yeah

If you like Sci Fi or Fantasy at all you should pick it up. this one is the first two volumes put together, I'm gonna get the other one when I finish it. Kinda of a big read but I can tell it will be more than worth it.

Here's a summary if anyone is interested:

[quote]The Book of the New Sun is a novel in four parts written by science fiction and fantasy author Gene Wolfe. It chronicles the journey and ascent to power of Severian, a journeyman torturer who is exiled from the Seekers for Truth and Penitence (the guild of torturers) for committing the one unforgivable act: showing mercy to his victim by allowing her to commit suicide and thereby avoid further excruciation. Following the exile, he takes a journey that culminates in his rising to the position of Autarch, the one ruler of the free world. Severian, who claims that he has perfect memory, tells the story in first person; the books are presented by Wolfe as a translation of Severian's writings into contemporary English. The series takes place in the distant future, where the Sun has dimmed considerably and the Earth (referred to in the series as "Urth") is slowly cooling.[/quote][/quote]

don't really sci fi...but this looks dope...[/quote]

procure uno · Post by **procure uno** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 6:47 pm

rereading "catcher in the rye" for the 20th time.

there's a good goddamn reason every american high schooler has to read this.

blastmaster · Post by **blastmaster** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 9:19 pm

I just finished Lies, Inc. It was pretty darn rad. PKD's "lesser" works are really fun reads.

slimebucato · Post by **slimebucato** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 10:20 pm

Tariq's Dilemma wrote:
kato wrote:
slimebucato wrote:Yeah

If you like Sci Fi or Fantasy at all you should pick it up. this one is the first two volumes put together, I'm gonna get the other one when I finish it. Kinda of a big read but I can tell it will be more than worth it.

Here's a summary if anyone is interested:

The Book of the New Sun is a novel in four parts written by science fiction and fantasy author Gene Wolfe. It chronicles the journey and ascent to power of Severian, a journeyman torturer who is exiled from the Seekers for Truth and Penitence (the guild of torturers) for committing the one unforgivable act: showing mercy to his victim by allowing her to commit suicide and thereby avoid further excruciation. Following the exile, he takes a journey that culminates in his rising to the position of Autarch, the one ruler of the free world. Severian, who claims that he has perfect memory, tells the story in first person; the books are presented by Wolfe as a translation of Severian's writings into contemporary English. The series takes place in the distant future, where the Sun has dimmed considerably and the Earth (referred to in the series as "Urth") is slowly cooling.

don't really sci fi...but this looks dope...

It is, just be advised that it is 850 or so pages if you want to read the whole thing straight through. You could also read it in 4 parts, each of which are 200+ pages each, or half and half.

Tariq's Dilemma · Post by **Tariq's Dilemma** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 12:41 am

slimebucato wrote:
Tariq's Dilemma wrote:
kato wrote:
slimebucato wrote:Yeah

If you like Sci Fi or Fantasy at all you should pick it up. this one is the first two volumes put together, I'm gonna get the other one when I finish it. Kinda of a big read but I can tell it will be more than worth it.

Here's a summary if anyone is interested:
The Book of the New Sun is a novel in four parts written by science fiction and fantasy author Gene Wolfe. It chronicles the journey and ascent to power of Severian, a journeyman torturer who is exiled from the Seekers for Truth and Penitence (the guild of torturers) for committing the one unforgivable act: showing mercy to his victim by allowing her to commit suicide and thereby avoid further excruciation. Following the exile, he takes a journey that culminates in his rising to the position of Autarch, the one ruler of the free world. Severian, who claims that he has perfect memory, tells the story in first person; the books are presented by Wolfe as a translation of Severian's writings into contemporary English. The series takes place in the distant future, where the Sun has dimmed considerably and the Earth (referred to in the series as "Urth") is slowly cooling.

don't really sci fi...but this looks dope...
It is, just be advised that it is 850 or so pages if you want to read the whole thing straight through. You could also read it in 4 parts, each of which are 200+ pages each, or half and half.

I read roots (no ice) doggy, I should be ok

I have been severely lacking in this thread.

Some shit I have recently read:

Executioner's Song - This is a 1000 page doozy by norman mailer about Gary Gilmore, a man who killed two guys in cold blood and go the death penalty in Utah. The book is so straight forward and flows so well. Mailer completely strips down his writing style and uses really basic vocabulary. I didn't even know it was non fiction until half way thru

Def. worth a read if you are a mailer fan. Creative non-fiction at its best.

Castle in the forest - another mailer book. It was his last book before he died (RIP

) and the first fiction novel he has written in 20 years. The story is told through the eyes of a devil, or an agent of the devil who was in charge of Adolf Hitler as a child. His job was to make sure that hitler turned out the way he did. Very good, brutal at times read. Between the incest and the hairy ol austrian sex scenes there is actually some really good shit on bee-keeping.

Armies of the Night - Last mailer book I read and considered one of his best. He won the pullitzer and the national book award for this, after being snubbed for all his other work. It is basically a memoir of a anti-vietnam rally at the pentagon. Mailer nails the attitude of the various sides of american culture pretty well. A very slow read as it is pretty densley written.

Mailer is the goat.

darkwingduck · Post by **darkwingduck** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 12:51 am

incredible photography book depicting a HUGE Hong Kong Ghetto that was destroyed in the 90s. There is no real words that can describe how massive it was.

slimebucato · Post by **slimebucato** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 2:45 am

^ Whoa.

EMCEE DARTH MALEK · Post by **EMCEE DARTH MALEK** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 2:53 am

darkwingduck wrote:

incredible photography book depicting a HUGE Hong Kong Ghetto that was destroyed in the 90s. There is no real words that can describe how massive it was.

There's this mall in hong kong called plaza hollywood. There used to be a big ass shanty town made mostly of corregated iron a couple hundred feet away. One day i drove by & it was gone, nothing left at all. How did they get rid of the ghetto in the book?

theaggravatedjew · Post by **theaggravatedjew** » Mon Dec 17, 2007 11:45 pm

running w/ scissors

Website · Post by **Random Sample** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 11:25 am

finished Dracula which is a pretty awesome book. And now I started to read this book on the morning commute today:

admiral · Post by **admiral** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 11:28 am

Tariq's Dilemma · Post by **Tariq's Dilemma** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 11:44 am

Random Sample wrote:finished Dracula which is a pretty awesome book. And now I started to read this book on the morning commute today:

Nice.

I read Kavalier and Klay. That book is so well written and all over the place, it is great.

I asked for the Yiddish Police Union Jawn for xmas, can't wait.

Never heard of this one, whats the deal with it?

Website · Post by **Random Sample** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 11:54 am

Tariq's Dilemma wrote:
Random Sample wrote:finished Dracula which is a pretty awesome book. And now I started to read this book on the morning commute today:

Nice.

I read Kavalier and Klay. That book is so well written and all over the place, it is great.

I asked for the Yiddish Police Union Jawn for xmas, can't wait.

Never heard of this one, whats the deal with it?

Yeah I am a Chabon fan. He went to the same University as me, so that is how I started reading his books. I have read Mysteries of Pittsburgh, and Kavalier and Klay too. I am a big fan of both. Mysteries of Pittsburgh is really good too. Kavalier and Klay maybe my favorite book I have ever read. I was a big comic reader when i was younger, so I was real into it. I also picked up Wonder Boys this weekend. I want to get the Yiddish policeman book too. I hear it is pretty good.

The final solution is very short novelette only a 120 pages. It is a detective story that was originally printed in the Paris Review in 2003. Here is a write up of the plot:

Adult/High SchoolגRoused out of retirement, a former detective, now a beekeeper, is identified only as "the old man." The story opens in the summer of 1944 when he sees a boy with a parrot on his shoulder walking along the train tracks. The boy is Linus Steinman, a refugee from Nazi Germany who lives with Mr. and Mrs. Panicker and their grown son in their boardinghouse. Though Linus doesn't speak, his parrot, Bruno, recites strings of numbers in German, as well as bits of poetry and snatches of songs. When a boarder is murdered and Bruno is kidnapped, the local police try to engage the beekeeper in helping them solve the crimes. He agrees to help, but only to find the bird. Thus begins his last case, his "final solution." The double meaning of the title gives subtle layers to the story and reveals the man's deep compassion for Linus. Chabon's writing can be both startlingly clear or laced with intricacies and detours. One chapter is told from the point of view of the parrot. Readers will enjoy the realistic characters and lush descriptions, and, best of all, trying to figure out the mysteries. Even the identity of "the old man" is a mystery until they figure out the clues for themselvesגthe tweed suit, the pipe, the beekeeping, and the sharp mind that can only belong to one famous sleuth.

It's basically a Sherlock Holmes story about a Nazi bird that holds a secret.

phil connors · Post by **phil connors** » Fri Dec 21, 2007 2:51 am

admiral wrote:

Good read. Did you ever see the Mel Gibson movie?

Just picked these up at the library.

admiral · Post by **admiral** » Fri Dec 21, 2007 9:37 am

phil connors wrote:
admiral wrote:
Good read. Did you ever see the Mel Gibson movie?

yeah, but i didn't know anything about this battle at the time. will definitely watch it again after reading this

varick pyr · Post by **varick pyr** » Mon Dec 24, 2007 5:20 am

just started...

procure uno · Post by **procure uno** » Thu Dec 27, 2007 2:54 am

the road by cormac mccarthy.

brutal and incredible. one of the most powerful books ive ever read. never been so intrigued by descriptive writing about something as mandane but vital to a character as searching through an abandoned farm house.

can not wait for the movie.

capable_keL · Post by **capable_keL** » Wed Jan 02, 2008 12:03 pm

this book is blowing my fucking mind

Comedy Quaddafi · Post by **Comedy Quaddafi** » Wed Jan 02, 2008 12:05 pm

^ I looked at that at a "mystic" bookshop in Copenhagen.

How/what is it?

Is it the same guy that invented semantics?

ALASKA · Post by **ALASKA** » Wed Jan 02, 2008 12:14 pm

jamrage wrote:Currently:

On Deck: ?

this book was great.

ALASKA · Post by **ALASKA** » Wed Jan 02, 2008 12:15 pm

RacquetballGangsta wrote:
ALASKA wrote:
RacquetballGangsta wrote:

funnest read ive had in a while...educates u a bit about eating out/cooking too. dude is a really really entertaining, sometimes eloquent writer.
that was a good book. i've eaten at his restaurant a few times. pretty killer.
man, i would love to go to his restaurant..pretty expensive or what?

do u watch his show on the travel channel? shit is DOPE

Its not that expensive. i dont know if he still owns it or works it, regardless its good. its on park and like 19th or someshit if i remember correctly.

i havent seen his show.

capable_keL · Post by **capable_keL** » Wed Jan 02, 2008 12:41 pm

Jimmy HiffHoffa wrote:^ I looked at that at a "mystic" bookshop in Copenhagen.

How/what is it?

Is it the same guy that invented semantics?

It is amazing, a tough read since Gurdjieff wrote it hundreds of years ago
i have no idea if he invented semantics

i am only 1/4 way thru it.

but imagine the devil and his young grandson sitting up in space and young grandson is asking the devil why the humans do the things they do, the devil trys to explain what is going on on earth

i grabbed this summation off a site from someone who read the whole thing sober

This Book is a guide to becoming a real man. Gurdjieff advised us to read, reread and then read this Book again many, many times. Read it aloud with others and read it to yourself. Even if you read it thirty, even fifty times, you will always find something you missed beforeגa sentence which gives with great precision the answer to a question you have had for years.ג

and

With Beelzebub's Tales to His Grandson, G. I. Gurdjieff intended to "destroy, mercilessly . . . the beliefs and views about everything existing in the world." This novel beautifully brings to life the visions of humanity for which Gurdjieff has become esteemed. Beelzebub, a man of worldly (and other-worldly) wisdom, shares with his grandson the anecdotes, personal philosophies, and lessons learned from his own life.The reader is given a detailed discussion of all matters physical, natural, and spiritual, from the creation of the cosmos to man's teleological purpose in the universe. This edition of Beelzebub's Tales to His Grandson--the first single-volume paperback to appear in English--restores the original, authoritative translation.

ALASKA · Post by **ALASKA** » Wed Jan 02, 2008 12:45 pm

books ive read over the last year or so that ive really enjoyed:

a must read for any sox fans or any halberstram fans

perhaps the best book i read in a while. the room often got dusty when i read it. About friendship, lose, tragedy and family

about a top secret barnstorming game between the stars of the negro leagues and the stars of the big leagues. really a fresh read.

a graphic novel or novella i dont know, there are like 12 books. about the last man alive after a virus wipes out all the males on the planet.

cause sometimes i like to nerd it up