Swing 51
Footballguy
Yeah this is on my list. Currently reading Worth Dying For, Jack Reacher book #15.
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Whatcha readin now? (book, books, reading, read) (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter shuke
- Start date
Hov34
Eephus's Great Great Great Love Child
I'm bumping this because the book has gotten that much better. I had to put it on hold because my nook wouldn't charge and now that I've fixed it I can't put this book down.
I have about 80 pages to go and it is so good.
shader
Footballguy
If any of you don't know, I highly recommend doing two things:
1. Download Overdrive
2. Go get an account at your local library.
You can check out probably 60% of books that you want to read...for free.
There is only one downside (and it can be significant). The check-out period is only one week. If you are the type to just knock out books in 1-2 days, this is no big deal, but it can be annoying if you have a busy schedule.
1. Download Overdrive
2. Go get an account at your local library.
You can check out probably 60% of books that you want to read...for free.
There is only one downside (and it can be significant). The check-out period is only one week. If you are the type to just knock out books in 1-2 days, this is no big deal, but it can be annoying if you have a busy schedule.
shader
Footballguy
It is annoying, but just find you 5-10 books you like and go on the waiting list. When it comes available, they will email you and the book will be checked out.
I just got the new Greg Iles book a few days ago, but it's frustrating because I don't have a prayer of finishing it inside of a week.
Ash
Footballguy
I read almost all of his work when I was younger, At the Mountains of Madness is probably my least favourite of his longer works.
The shorter stuff is better IMO, take a look at The Shadow over Innsmouth. It's about 50 or 60 pages from memory, and I think it's close to the best thing he wrote. If you don't like that, you can probably just call it done and move on.
If you do like that one, The Case of Charles Dexter Ward is around 100 pages I think but mostly a self contained story without a lot of the "mythos" references and my favorite of his novella type stories.
John Bender
Footballguy
I'm so disappointed with how Wool was after reading all the great reviews on Amazon and from well read fbgs.
It took everything I had to finish all 5 of the first books.
Great premise.,,very cool. But slow, plodding, way too descriptive, and I've heard enough about the stairs. It took 425 pages just to get to anything remotely exciting. Also, it's the furthest thing from science fiction...the most science fictiony it got was "IT" and "servers".
I wish I got it.
I'd give it 2 stars...and 3 stars if it was 250 pages as opposed to 500.
It took everything I had to finish all 5 of the first books.
Great premise.,,very cool. But slow, plodding, way too descriptive, and I've heard enough about the stairs. It took 425 pages just to get to anything remotely exciting. Also, it's the furthest thing from science fiction...the most science fictiony it got was "IT" and "servers".
I wish I got it.
I'd give it 2 stars...and 3 stars if it was 250 pages as opposed to 500.
Sand
Footballguy
Wow - I thought it was great.I'm so disappointed with how Wool was after reading all the great reviews on Amazon and from well read fbgs.
It took everything I had to finish all 5 of the first books.
Great premise.,,very cool. But slow, plodding, way too descriptive, and I've heard enough about the stairs. It took 425 pages just to get to anything remotely exciting. Also, it's the furthest thing from science fiction...the most science fictiony it got was "IT" and "servers".
I wish I got it.
I'd give it 2 stars...and 3 stars if it was 250 pages as opposed to 500.
facook
Footballguy
Me too. Sorry it didn't work for you JB. I loved it - and the sequels.Wow - I thought it was great.I'm so disappointed with how Wool was after reading all the great reviews on Amazon and from well read fbgs.
It took everything I had to finish all 5 of the first books.
Great premise.,,very cool. But slow, plodding, way too descriptive, and I've heard enough about the stairs. It took 425 pages just to get to anything remotely exciting. Also, it's the furthest thing from science fiction...the most science fictiony it got was "IT" and "servers".
I wish I got it.
I'd give it 2 stars...and 3 stars if it was 250 pages as opposed to 500.
John Bender
Footballguy
No problem! I realize it is my taste since it's panned pretty universally as being great. Especially from fellow FBGs, who I love to get recommendations from.
At least it's over
Looking for my next read now...never read Lolita or Ulysses and they are on my list.
Also debating Don Quixote. The problem is, I know all the plot lines. In preparation for a popular, now defunct quiz show many years ago, I read the cliff notes for almost every major famous work of literature
I know the plots and basic stories for all three, is there 1 of of the 3 anyone could recommend that is an awesome book even with knowing the whole story? Don Quixote sounds pretty cool. (East of Eden is my fav book if it helps w the reco)
At least it's over
Looking for my next read now...never read Lolita or Ulysses and they are on my list.
Also debating Don Quixote. The problem is, I know all the plot lines. In preparation for a popular, now defunct quiz show many years ago, I read the cliff notes for almost every major famous work of literature
I know the plots and basic stories for all three, is there 1 of of the 3 anyone could recommend that is an awesome book even with knowing the whole story? Don Quixote sounds pretty cool. (East of Eden is my fav book if it helps w the reco)
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facook
Footballguy
Weakest Link?No problem! I realize it my taste since its panned pretty universally as being great. Especially from fellow FBGs, who I love to get recommendations from.
At least it's over
Looking for my next read now...never read Lolita or Ulysses and they are on my list.
Also debating Don Quixote. The problem is, I know all the plot lines. In preparation for a popular, now defunct quiz show many years ago, I read the cliff notes for almost every major famous work of literature
I know the plots and basic stories for all three, is there 1 of of the 3 anyone could recommend that is an awesome book even with knowing the whole story? Don Quixote sounds pretty cool.
John Bender
Footballguy
Yep
jfranco77
Footballguy
Just Finished: "The Origin of Consciousness and the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind" by Julian Jaynes.
Mind Blown.
Why does ancient man (3000+ years ago) appear so different than modern man?
When we read the literature of ancient peoples (Greek Mythology, Ancient Near East (ANE) literature (Gilgamesh, Old Testament, etc...) they indicate they were talking directly to God. And this was a normal, daily occurrence. Moses is a great example. Prophets in general are great examples. Yet, to us in modern society we look at that as completely foreign. Anyone today claiming he speaks directly to God is usually considered insane.
What if ancient peoples actually heard voices in their own heads - much like schizophrenics today (or even more commonly: children with imaginary friends) - but since they didn't know what those voices were they attributed them to Gods. And hence, there was no free will or introspection (consciousness). God told you to do something and you did it. No questions asked. No thinking about it.
Its one of the most interesting books I have ever read. It explains God, Religions, Idols, Influence of language, deep effect of metaphor, writing, schizophrenia, reconstructed memory, changing focus of the bible over time, old vs new testament, development of poetry and music, and much much more.
Its either the most brilliant theory since Darwin or the craziest. Nevertheless, you will never think about these things in the same way again.
I'm not 100% sure he's right - but I think there is definitely something behind his viewpoint. It just makes so much sense as to why we are seemingly so different than Mankind 3000+ years earlier...
Daniel Dennett puts it best in his review of this work:
"Jaynes' idea is that for us to be the way we are now, there has to have been a revolution -- almost certainly not an organic revolution, but a software revolution -- in the organization of our information processing system, and that has to come after language. That, I think, is an absolutely wonderful idea, and if Jaynes is completely wrong in the details, that is a darn shame, but something like what he proposes has to be right; and we can start looking around for better modules to put in the place of the modules that he has already given us."
This is not a book you are going to fly through. It took me a few months digesting and thinking about it. But it is worth it. Keep an open mind and join me on the other side...
Mind Blown.
Why does ancient man (3000+ years ago) appear so different than modern man?
When we read the literature of ancient peoples (Greek Mythology, Ancient Near East (ANE) literature (Gilgamesh, Old Testament, etc...) they indicate they were talking directly to God. And this was a normal, daily occurrence. Moses is a great example. Prophets in general are great examples. Yet, to us in modern society we look at that as completely foreign. Anyone today claiming he speaks directly to God is usually considered insane.
What if ancient peoples actually heard voices in their own heads - much like schizophrenics today (or even more commonly: children with imaginary friends) - but since they didn't know what those voices were they attributed them to Gods. And hence, there was no free will or introspection (consciousness). God told you to do something and you did it. No questions asked. No thinking about it.
Its one of the most interesting books I have ever read. It explains God, Religions, Idols, Influence of language, deep effect of metaphor, writing, schizophrenia, reconstructed memory, changing focus of the bible over time, old vs new testament, development of poetry and music, and much much more.
Its either the most brilliant theory since Darwin or the craziest. Nevertheless, you will never think about these things in the same way again.
I'm not 100% sure he's right - but I think there is definitely something behind his viewpoint. It just makes so much sense as to why we are seemingly so different than Mankind 3000+ years earlier...
Daniel Dennett puts it best in his review of this work:
"Jaynes' idea is that for us to be the way we are now, there has to have been a revolution -- almost certainly not an organic revolution, but a software revolution -- in the organization of our information processing system, and that has to come after language. That, I think, is an absolutely wonderful idea, and if Jaynes is completely wrong in the details, that is a darn shame, but something like what he proposes has to be right; and we can start looking around for better modules to put in the place of the modules that he has already given us."
This is not a book you are going to fly through. It took me a few months digesting and thinking about it. But it is worth it. Keep an open mind and join me on the other side...
Don Quixote
Footballguy
Despite my username, if you know the entire plot, Ulysses is probably the best to read, since the reading experience is only tangentially connected to the plot. Joyce's writing is what carries Ulysses. Quixote is a fun read though.No problem! I realize it is my taste since it's panned pretty universally as being great. Especially from fellow FBGs, who I love to get recommendations from.
At least it's over
Looking for my next read now...never read Lolita or Ulysses and they are on my list.
Also debating Don Quixote. The problem is, I know all the plot lines. In preparation for a popular, now defunct quiz show many years ago, I read the cliff notes for almost every major famous work of literature
I know the plots and basic stories for all three, is there 1 of of the 3 anyone could recommend that is an awesome book even with knowing the whole story? Don Quixote sounds pretty cool. (East of Eden is my fav book if it helps w the reco)
I started, but didn't finish, Lolita. I guess I can't be the best judge, but that might give an impression of my take on it.
Brady Marino
Footballguy
I thought Wool plodded at times and I didn't like the storyline of the guy that ended up being the bad guy, but I thought it was a decent read.Me too. Sorry it didn't work for you JB. I loved it - and the sequels.Wow - I thought it was great.I'm so disappointed with how Wool was after reading all the great reviews on Amazon and from well read fbgs.
It took everything I had to finish all 5 of the first books.
Great premise.,,very cool. But slow, plodding, way too descriptive, and I've heard enough about the stairs. It took 425 pages just to get to anything remotely exciting. Also, it's the furthest thing from science fiction...the most science fictiony it got was "IT" and "servers".
I wish I got it.
I'd give it 2 stars...and 3 stars if it was 250 pages as opposed to 500.
Swing 51
Footballguy
lombardi
Footballguy
Haven't been in this thread for a while, read a few pages back and I have to dig in a bit, some great suggestions in here.
Finishing up Hyperion right now, so far it's really great. Interested to see how it's all wrapped up.
Also just finished Neuromancer, really liked that. My son and I play Android NetRunner (boardgame) and that lead me to read the book. It was pretty good.
More important than any of that, Neal Stephenson's new books is OUT!!! One of my absolute favorites, have read all of this books. New book, Seveneves, came out yesterday. I haven't bothered reading anything about it, just know that it's pretty big. I'm pretty excisted.
http://www.amazon.com/Seveneves-Novel-Neal-Stephenson-ebook/dp/B00LZWV8JO/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=8-1&qid=1432128370
Finishing up Hyperion right now, so far it's really great. Interested to see how it's all wrapped up.
Also just finished Neuromancer, really liked that. My son and I play Android NetRunner (boardgame) and that lead me to read the book. It was pretty good.
More important than any of that, Neal Stephenson's new books is OUT!!! One of my absolute favorites, have read all of this books. New book, Seveneves, came out yesterday. I haven't bothered reading anything about it, just know that it's pretty big. I'm pretty excisted.
http://www.amazon.com/Seveneves-Novel-Neal-Stephenson-ebook/dp/B00LZWV8JO/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=8-1&qid=1432128370
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shuke
Black Ice Skeptic
Least favorite thing I've read of his. Prose was incredible as usual, but just a story of this wandering brother and sister. I must have missed something.
Nick Vermeil
Footballguy
Has anyone read The Martian by Andy Weir? I'm about 100 pages in and it's pretty good so far.
FUBAR
Footballguy
Swing 51
Footballguy
I was suprised too; didn't think it was all that great, not bad tho. I'm also not a parent so that could have contributed to my opinion.
KarmaPolice
Footballguy
I read it before my son was born and before i was prepared for the writing style. Didn't enjoy it much. Read it a couple years ago again and loved it. I am sure for me it was a combo of the father/son thing and being more comfortable with the writing. Read it a couple times since too.
Socrates11
Footballguy
Ilov80s
Footballguy
I agree, it's realky overtated and I don't think it gets better as you go on. Everything is grey. Blood Meridian is much better.
shader
Footballguy
Just plowed through this monster.
Bottom line: The moon explodes and chaos ensues. (That's not a spoiler, the moon explodes in the first paragraph of the book)
Just under 900 pages of awesomeness. A disaster book, which I love, combined with Neal Stephenson? Um, yeah it was good.
I've been on a reading kick lately, and I have a set amount of time I've been reading each day. This is the first book in awhile that has made it difficult for me to put the book down.
shuke
Black Ice Skeptic
Yes, Blood Meridian is much better. The Road is just highly rated because it's a lot more accessible. I still think it's great, but I think as someone has said, maybe that is because I'm a father.
Ilov80s
Footballguy
Maybe. I'm not a father so I lack that perspective. Also, no doubt it is much more accessible than Blood. It just bored me. Walk, sleep, go into a house, repeat. Grey, grey, grey. It was pretty good, but the acclaim for it was disproportionate. If that was my first Cormac book, I'm not sure I would have sought out more.
Ilov80s
Footballguy
BUtterfield 8 was just great. O'Hara truely captures prohibition era New York better than anyone. He is every bit the writer Fitzgerald or Heningway were. Also, it sounds like the Elizabeth Taylor movie is one of the most massive debacles of adaptation in movie history. If you have any interest in the 20s/30s, New York, jazz, cocktails and speakeasies, it's a must read.
lombardi
Footballguy
I loved this book. It was like McGyver went to MIT and was shot into space. Really cool, really different. The voice it was written in was really enjoyable. One of my favorite reads this year.
lombardi
Footballguy
The Road is one of my favorite books of all time. I love Cormac and have read most of his books but this is my favorite. I know some people think it's Cormac McCarthy light, kind of like the Metallica Black album, created to appeal to the masses. That's not why I like it though. This was one of the most beautiful love stories between a father and his son I've ever read or watched. Maybe you have to have children or sons, but this book was a giant, beautiful heartache that really plumbs the essence of a father's love and his aspirations for his children NO MATTER WHAT. The dichotomy between that bright beautiful love and the harshest, darkest of worlds as its setting was absolutely amazing. I don't know how people could not love this book.
I also love economy of writing, saying as much as possible with as few words as possible and this book was a master class in economy. We don't need names, we don't need to know what caused this particular apocalypse, we don't need to know who anyone we meet on the road is, where they're going, or even what is really happening at the end. The stores shines through that dust and decay.
If you don't like this book then you're definitely not carrying the fire
lombardi
Footballguy
Can't wait to read this. I'm next in line on my overdrive account. Been waiting so long for new Neal Stephenson.
FUBAR
Footballguy
That's my thought right now. There are books I'll prefer to read, so might put this one on hold. But it's a quick read, so maybe I'll plow through it.
facook
Footballguy
My problem is I can't finish 900 pages in 3 weeks, so I can't do the library. Won't pay the $ for hardcover. So I have to wait a year for paperback. Of course saying that, Reamde was worth the wait.
Ilov80s
Footballguy
It's quick and easy, just plow through it.
Ilov80s
Footballguy
Dorian Gray is one of my all time favorites. What did you think? I was a little y see whelmed with Crying Lot though. There's a Pynchon theead here somewhere. Good luck finding it though.
Fariq
Footballguy
I liked it especially the last few chapters when James Vane was coming for him.
Ilov80s
Footballguy
Yeah, it takes a crazy turn. When I had read it, I didnt know much about it so the whole second half of the book was shocking and awesome.
Tom Servo
Nittany Beavers
After 30 years, I finally got around to re-reading Dune. I'll admit that my perceptions on the re-read were based on the David Lynch movie in 1984. It was an enjoyable read once I put aside what I remembered about the movie.
There is one question I've always had:
There is one question I've always had:
If you've finally convinced the emperor to marry his daughter Princess Irulan, how do you not try and hit this at least once? I get that Chani is your woman. But if you've got the Bene Geserit training to where you can control yourself and other people, you're telling me you can't control your baby batter to where you're shooting blanks? 
beer 30
Footballguy
Yes I think you have to crush it but all the higher ethereal plane stuff caused by the spice addictions might have warped Paul's ability or desire to pound sand if you know what I mean.After 30 years, I finally got around to re-reading Dune. I'll admit that my perceptions on the re-read were based on the David Lynch movie in 1984. It was an enjoyable read once I put aside what I remembered about the movie.
There is one question I've always had:
If you've finally convinced the emperor to marry his daughter Princess Irulan, how do you not try and hit this at least once? I get that Chani is your woman. But if you've got the Bene Geserit training to where you can control yourself and other people, you're telling me you can't control your baby batter to where you're shooting blanks?
Separate question, have you or anyone read the follow on books after Dune. I read them when I was going through my Dune phase in HS I think. Fascinating read
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KarmaPolice
Footballguy
Tom Servo
Nittany Beavers
After 30 years, I finally got around to re-reading Dune. I'll admit that my perceptions on the re-read were based on the David Lynch movie in 1984. It was an enjoyable read once I put aside what I remembered about the movie.
There is one question I've always had:
If you've finally convinced the emperor to marry his daughter Princess Irulan, how do you not try and hit this at least once? I get that Chani is your woman. But if you've got the Bene Geserit training to where you can control yourself and other people, you're telling me you can't control your baby batter to where you're shooting blanks?
Yes I think you have to crush it but all the higher ethereal plane stuff caused by the spice addictions might have warped Paul's ability or desire to pound sand if you know what I mean.
Seep rate question, have you or anyone read the follow on books after Dune. I read them when I was going through my Dune phase in HS I think. Fascinating read
Seep rate question, have you or anyone read the follow on books after Dune. I read them when I was going through my Dune phase in HS I think. Fascinating read
lombardi
Footballguy
Finished Hyperion last night, really great book. I had started and stopped it but was really glad I got back to it. Going to read the next one but not until after Seveneves.
I hope this series has a good payoff. Talk about character development, you really get invested and then.... The End.
I hope this series has a good payoff. Talk about character development, you really get invested and then.... The End.
oso diablo
Footballguy
just finishing FOJC. my favorite fiction read of the year so far.
favorite non-fiction of the year has been: A Capitalism For The People by Luigi Zingales, a business professor from U of Chicago
