books

[bono's stalker]

i posted this but made major typo's with the title thread. I was just interested to hear of any good books that others have read. Last year I read We need to tak about Kevin and The Time Traveller's wife and they both stood out as really good reads. Anyone got any books that they think others should read. Adrian Mole was also fab if only for the irony and general fab writing of Sue Townsend.

 

[BonosLil'Pal94]

I'm pretty sure everyone's probably read this, but To Kill A Mockingbird is my all-time favorite book, along with The Da Vinci Code. If you havent read those two, get goin!!

 

[Billy Rotten]

Since I'm getting married in August, I've been reading "Men Are From Mars - Women Are From Venus". It is helping unlock a few secrets to a successful relationship and understanding women just a tiny bit.

 

[Liesje]

I got some great books (so people have told me) for Christmas, but I'm trying to save them until my spring vacation in April....

Right now I'm just reading "Trace" by Patricia Cornwell. She's very popular and writes rec reading books of the crime/murder investigation genre. "Trace" is one of her latest books in an on-going series about a medical examiner from Virginia (fictional). They read really fast; it's a lot like watching CSI. I usually read on my lunch hour at work.

My favorite classic is "The Great Gatsby." My current favorite authors are Scott Turow, Philip Pullman, Patricia Cornwell, and some dead theologians that bore most people to insanity (Friedrich Schleiermacher, Jonathan Edwards, and Dietrich Bonhoeffer).

 

[Caroni]

"El tunel" Ernesto Sábato, very very good, if you can find a translation you will be

 

[Lancemc]

I'm currently "reading" Lisey's Story by Stephen King. Meaning I power read the first 250 pages in about 3 hours, and haven't touched the book in about 3 weeks. I'm so weird like that though. I'll eventually pick it up again and finish it in a day or two, and it's not because it's not a good book. On the contrary, so far it's been one of the best King books I've ever read.

 

[LikeNoOneBefore]

I'm currently reading "Hamlet," but my favorites are by Laurie R. King. She has a series based of Sherlock Holmes. I'm in love with it!

And To Kill A Mockingbird is AMAZING!!!

So is The Great Gatsby. That's a must-read.

 

[corianderstem]

Every time someone brave starts a thread about books, it ends up sinking off the first page in no time. Alas.

I'm in a reading slump right now, but last year I read 85 books.

Yes, I'm a homebody that loves to sit around, listen to music, and read.

 

[redhotswami]

reading is sexy!

 

[No spoken words]

I read ceaselessly....and while I do not have a count of how many books I devour, more than any of my other interests, be it film or music or sports or travel, I love reading. It helps tune out the noise of my life, and activates a part of my brain that otherwise lies dormant. I could sit here and list tons of books and authors, but, without knowing your tastes, it would just be a case of me listing stuff just to list it. I'll say that my favorite classic author is Steinbeck, and my favorite book of his is East of Eden.

And, I'll toss this out there....if anyone on here ever wants to talk books more in depth, please, feel free to PM me...I know tons of sports fanatics, and music fanatics, but, I rarely get to talk books with people besides a few friends and my Dad, who passed his love of books on to me. I won't hold my breath, but, maybe one or two of you will want to discuss titles or authors.

 

[Pearl]

I'm currently reading "The World is Flat" by Thomas Friedman. After that I'll be reading "Christ the Lord" by Anne Rice, and then "White Oleander" by Janet Fitch.

 

[No spoken words]

Well, screw it....am reading "Soldier of Sidon" by Gene Wolfe, who is in my opinion the smartest and best writer of speculative fiction out there. Before that, read Mission Song by John LeCarre....and up next is likely The Third Policeman by Flann O'Brien. Best book I've read in months was The Road by Cormac McCarthy, who is just a towering literary figure.

 

[Thora]

I love to read as well. My mom taught me at a very young age, and I've always loved books, and am passionate about reading. We lived in a pretty isolated area for a few years, so I would read anything I could get my hands on. I've read everything from the encyclopedia to the textbooks my dad had from his grad school days.

I'll read pretty much everything, but my favourites would have to be Jane Austen and anything to do with Russian history.

I'm currently reading Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky. It's fantastic so far, and I highly recommend it. I'm not sure what I'll pick up once I'm done with that, but we'll see.

 

[Zoobaby14]

At the moment im reading a book for school this year called looking for Alibrandi by Melina Marchetta

Its was also made into a movie both a very good

 

[impy13]

Anything by David Sedaris. Anything.


Especially Me Talk Pretty One Day and Naked.

 

[Vincent Vega]

Dietrich Bonhoeffer

That was such a great character. And he went through hell for his beliefs and principles.

I would recommend every book written by Bill Bryson
He writes really great travel guides and books such as "A Short History of Nearly Everything", half-scientifical books.

It's always great fun to read these books, and you learn so much about the countries he travels through, you won't learn that ever in a ordinary documentary.

 

[Salome]

I'm currently reading "The World is Flat" by Thomas Friedman.

excellent book that one
invaluable to understand the forces going on in economics the last couple of years and the next decade or so

 

[Salome]

reading my way through all the Harry Potters
started reading the 4th one a couple days ago

finished "the glass bead game" by Hermann Hesse a week or 2 ago

 

[No spoken words]

reading my way through all the Harry Potters
started reading the 4th one a couple days ago

finished "the glass bead game" by Hermann Hesse a week or 2 ago

Right after 9/11, like a lot of people here in the States, I was still in this kind of surreal state of being, and was having trouble rejoining my life, outside of returning to work. But, I wanted to keep things as normal as possible and reading was the place to start...but I didn't want to read anything too...challenging, or even dark or meditative...so I gave in and finally read the first Potter book....and it was the perfect tonic for how I was feeling at the time, so I immediately read the next 3....that's where I stopped, though, but I do own the 5th and intend to read it and eventually the series entire. So, while a few of the more high minded readers I know back home would rather be shot than read the Potter books, I'll always think of them fondly because they helped me through a tough time. Sorry to ramble!!!

I'll say again in here that if I had to name one non-classics author to read, I'd name Cormac McCarthy. This is if you're looking to read fiction, of course.

 

[Vincent Vega]

excellent book that one
invaluable to understand the forces going on in economics the last couple of years and the next decade or so

Sounds like I should read this book Thank you.

 

[GibsonGirl]

Read absolutely everything by Terry Pratchett.

 

[corianderstem]

Anything by David Sedaris. Anything.

My favorite is the piece from Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim where he talks about the versions of Santa Claus from other cultures. I laughed so hard, I cried. And I was on the bus home from work, so I was embarrassed to boot!

NSW, Steinbeck is a favorite of mine as well.

I alternate reading fluffy things like chick lit with books better defined as "literature."

One of the best books I read last year was Katharine Weber's Triangle, about the fictional last living survivor of the New York Triangle Shirtwaist fire. It was amazing.

In lighter fare, one of my favorite books from last year was But Enough About Me..., Jancee Dunn's memoir about being an MTV VJ and going on into rock journalism. Hilarious and chock full of amusing anecdotes, including a brief mention of Bono and his gigantic charisma.

 

[redhotswami]

Right after 9/11, like a lot of people here in the States, I was still in this kind of surreal state of being, and was having trouble rejoining my life, outside of returning to work. But, I wanted to keep things as normal as possible and reading was the place to start...but I didn't want to read anything too...challenging, or even dark or meditative...so I gave in and finally read the first Potter book....and it was the perfect tonic for how I was feeling at the time, so I immediately read the next 3....that's where I stopped, though, but I do own the 5th and intend to read it and eventually the series entire. So, while a few of the more high minded readers I know back home would rather be shot than read the Potter books, I'll always think of them fondly because they helped me through a tough time. Sorry to ramble!!!

I'll say again in here that if I had to name one non-classics author to read, I'd name Cormac McCarthy. This is if you're looking to read fiction, of course.

ironically enough, same for me here too. there's always some sort of profound passage towards the end that seems to make perfect sense to me at that time because of whatever circumstances i'm going through.

that being said, book 3 has got to be my favorite. remus is the best character in the entire series, hands down (IMHO).

 

[redhotswami]

i'm also a sucker for James Redfield. has anybody else read his stuff?

 

[No spoken words]

NSW, Steinbeck is a favorite of mine as well.

I alternate reading fluffy things like chick lit with books better defined as "literature."

Hard not to like Steinbeck.

I do the same thing...I like to bounce from genre to genre.....and, I don't want to just read the classics, or just read vacation type novels.....I want to read a little of everything in the realm of fiction. It's interesting to challenge myself now and then by attempting a Ulysses or Gravity's Rainbow, etc....but, I also find rewards in reading breezier fare. But, that's just me.

Mia, interesting that we hit those books at the same time. Nice.

Books are simply transcendent.

I'm glad this thread exists, even if it's not quite as popular as "IO: I pee in my pants" or something akin to that.

 

[Laura M]

I'm glad this thread exists, even if it's not quite as popular as "IO: I pee in my pants" or something akin to that.

i say I'm a fan of reading but with studying and being forced to read books (in another language) it's sucked all the enjoyment out of it for me. only another 12 weeks though.

redhot, i think the third hairy pothead book is great too. i think they're all fun to read but book 6 was tough for me to get through. i skipped massive chunks because it felt so repetitive or just setting the scene for the last book.

 

[redhotswami]

redhot, i think the third hairy pothead book is great too. i think they're all fun to read but book 6 was tough for me to get through. i skipped massive chunks because it felt so repetitive or just setting the scene for the last book.

agreed!! i was gettin annoyed with it while reading. then i was smacked in the face at the end. i appreciated all the backstory, but only after finishing the book. i think i actually yelled "oh come ON!" a few times. my roommates were concerned.

 

[Laura M]

agreed!! i was gettin annoyed with it while reading. then i was smacked in the face at the end. i appreciated all the backstory, but only after finishing the book. i think i actually yelled "oh come ON!" a few times. my roommates were concerned.

i love all the hype and going to the midnight opening with all the fans

i got the boyfriend the first four books for christmas, i warned him rowling likes to repeat a lot of info you already know. i think by book two or three he was already complaining about that.

 

[No spoken words]

I wonder if she does that knowing a large portion of her readers are children.

 

[Laura M]

I wonder if she does that knowing a large portion of her readers are children.

And a large portion are adults, too.

I find that younger cousins remember more about those books than us old ones do.