Just finished:
http://images.barnesandnoble.com/images/72400000/72407461.JPG
and
http://images.barnesandnoble.com/images/33600000/33604137.JPG
Just started:
http://images.barnesandnoble.com/images/47470000/47474330.JPG
and
http://images.barnesandnoble.com/images/68570000/68570989.JPG
I don't know, Runner's World calls it the best book written about running (it's a fictionalized account of real people whom identities are never revealed in real life) but I just don't see it yet, 61 pages into the 272-page book. I'm almost a quarter of the way in. I don't know why I keep reading, it's definitely pulling me in, but why, I don't know :lol:
xmiyux
11-05-10, 11:38 AM
Currently reading the Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest.
After that I will have to start looking for recommendations.
mhg83
11-05-10, 04:09 PM
Also reading book 3 of James Potter (Harry Potter's son) fanfic that is fantastic and over 300 pages a book.
I went to the official site and all they have is .pdf format. Do you have a link to a kindle format version?
Finished http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/4136ac3VibL._SL160_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-dp,TopRight,12,-18_SH30_OU01_AA160_.jpg and http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41CeS0f8VPL._SL160_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-dp,TopRight,12,-18_SH30_OU01_AA160_.jpg
I REALLY want to get into The Hunger Games and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (both of which I have on the Kindle) but I'm having trouble getting through the first few pages of each, and I know enough about each (what they're about) to know that I'll like them. Sigh :/
I've really been a slacker as a reader this year. Earlier, I started Devil May Care, the James Bond novel by Sebastian Faulks that was published in '08. I'm two chapters into it and I can easily tell how he was trying to emulate Ian Fleming's style, with the descriptions of specific locations and name-dropping brands, but it just feels inorganic so far. Hoping it feels more natural as it progresses.
Late last night, I finished Devil May Care. The literary James Bond is recognizable in the book, which was nice. Faulks also did a good job infusing a lot of travelogue-type settings and information, a la Fleming and I liked Scarlett. The villain's plot was so-so; it was fairly recycled, but placed in a sort of Da Vinci Code-type conspiracy trying to connect events from Vietnam to 9/11 (while staying entirely in the 1960s). Some of it was interesting and felt like a Bond novel and some of it felt entirely contrived like a Bond imitation.
On the whole, I'm placing it in the "Average" list for the year, but I'd nudge readers of Fleming's novels to take a gander. It's a decent enough coda to his series.
movieking
11-13-10, 05:20 AM
A book that Stephen King called the best mystery of the decade:
How are these? I've been wanting to pick up some more books on medicine. So far I've only read Atul Gawande's books and Frank Vertosick Jr's When The Air Hits Your Brain. I'd love some good recommendations :)
How are these? I've been wanting to pick up some more books on medicine. So far I've only read Atul Gawande's books and Frank Vertosick Jr's When The Air Hits Your Brain. I'd love some good recommendations :)
They were both pretty good. Both are focused on the author's story first (a Notre Dame grad who worked construction for a while before deciding to go to med school then supporting his growing family while doing his residency at the Mayo clinic) and medicine second.
I really want to read this too, and I plan on getting it for my Kindle, but anyone that wants to read the whole thing or sample Twain unfiltered, The Mark Twain Project has posted it online for free: Autobiography of Mark Twain, Volume 1 (http://www.marktwainproject.org/xtf/view?docId=works/MTDP10362.xml;style=work;brand=mtp)
It includes this wonderful "Web-only textual apparatus", which is a nifty system that gives further insight into what Twain is talking about, as well as a look at his writing process.
As for what I'm reading, I'm towards the end of The Illuminatus Trilogy, really enjoying it, just taking my time, started it back in September.
Sessa17
11-15-10, 04:33 PM
Just finished the first Mistborn book.
Now I'm starting (since goodreads sent me a free copy) . . . .
Also, let us know what you think of the book - it looks like something I would at least pick up and flip over for the blurb on the back.
MinLShaw
11-15-10, 07:52 PM
Found this at Half Price Books last Wednesday. Have wanted to read it since seeing the movie years ago, and thought it would be a nice thing to tide me over until my winter reading schedule.
Found this at Half Price Books last Wednesday. Have wanted to read it since seeing the movie years ago, and thought it would be a nice thing to tide me over until my winter reading schedule.
Please tell us how you liked it. I enjoyed reading it and seeing what was changed for the film. Hilarious, cringe-worthy (in a completely positive way) book.
Please tell us how you liked it. I enjoyed reading it and seeing what was changed for the film. Hilarious, cringe-worthy (in a completely positive way) book.
For me, the greatest appeal of finishing the novel will be going to the Blu-ray and listening to the commentary track by the author. It's rare that the author of the source material gets his or her own commentary track on a movie, and that rather excited me. I expect him to reference his novel throughout, though, so I figured I ought to read it first.
I made it 70-71 pages into it by the time I went to bed last night and laughed aloud several times at the strange phrasing. One thing I never thought I'd say is, "Thank God I've sat through a ton of Sex & the City" so I have some sense of recognition about all the fashion designers whose names are dropped in every sentence.
I understand it's reflective of Bateman's obsession with detail, but it was a chore to get through a couple of dinner scenes with page-long paragraphs detailing every article of clothing worn by each person. It's a very smart writing choice, and well done, but it's a bit like when I trudged through Bill Clinton's My Life, having to wade through the names of everyone whose hand he ever shook to get to the actual narrative.
One more thing: I enjoy keeping up with the music referenced in books, and then later working on a sort of soundtrack playlist. American Psycho is great for this!
kenbuzz
11-16-10, 02:10 PM
Just finished...
http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1175553726l/528362.jpg
(awful cover, decent book)
Good reads rules, they do it all the time. If you are active there & post your thoughts on what you read, a lot of authors & publishers offer free copies of their new books.
xmiyux
11-16-10, 06:17 PM
Good reads rules, they do it all the time. If you are active there & post your thoughts on what you read, a lot of authors & publishers offer free copies of their new books.
Interesting. That is really cool of them. I mostly use my Goodreads to track my current reads and wish list. That and so if someone asks if I have a certain cookbook they can just check and let me know if they want a recipe. :lol:
boredsilly
11-16-10, 06:33 PM
Interesting. That is really cool of them. I mostly use my Goodreads to track my current reads and wish list. That and so if someone asks if I have a certain cookbook they can just check and let me know if they want a recipe. :lol:
Yeah, I only scratch the surface of what Goodreads has to offer. I use it mainly to remember what I've read, and to capsulize my thoughts on books. But it is easily my favorite social media site, because it isn't annoying at all.
lattethunder
11-17-10, 12:09 PM
http://i53.tinypic.com/168ajxz.jpg
JOE29
11-17-10, 12:32 PM
I'm back on Conquistador which i'm about half way through. I just bought Bloody Mohawk yesterday and With Musket and Tomahawk two weeks ago. So one of those will be next. I'll decide after reading Conquistador.
Sessa17
11-17-10, 04:52 PM
Yeah, I only scratch the surface of what Goodreads has to offer. I use it mainly to remember what I've read, and to capsulize my thoughts on books. But it is easily my favorite social media site, because it isn't annoying at all.
If you read a lot, like I do, and not just bestsellers and books that are turned into movies, then goodreads is awesome, because you can get so many great recommendations on amazing books that you might not normally ever know about and they have a lot of active authors there that will email you or reply to you. I don't udpate it as much as I'd like, but I've been using it more frequently of late.
Cory02
11-17-10, 10:10 PM
After reading the praise for goodreads in this thread, I'm going to have to check it out.
rocketsauce
11-18-10, 09:58 AM
I just signed up for it too. Let me know if anyone wants to friend me on it.
A fair warning. I just finished the trilogy and almost gave up about a 1/4 of the way through the first book. It takes a long time to wind up imo but it turned out to be a killer series that I really enjoyed. I actually just finished the third book yesterday.
rocketsauce
11-18-10, 12:02 PM
A fair warning. I just finished the trilogy and almost gave up about a 1/4 of the way through the first book. It takes a long time to wind up imo but it turned out to be a killer series that I really enjoyed. I actually just finished the third book yesterday.
Cool thanks for the warning, I'll make sure to stick it out.
boredsilly
11-18-10, 02:27 PM
If you read a lot, like I do, and not just bestsellers and books that are turned into movies, then goodreads is awesome, because you can get so many great recommendations on amazing books that you might not normally ever know about and they have a lot of active authors there that will email you or reply to you. I don't udpate it as much as I'd like, but I've been using it more frequently of late.
I've noticed. I have you friended -wink-. It was actually your friends list that made me realize you could friend authors. I haven't done it yet, but I'm probably going to bite your style a bit, and friend some folks like Alex Robinson, who aren't just shilling on the site, but actively talk about what they like.
tarfrimmer
11-18-10, 02:32 PM
Finished Grave Peril (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0451458443/dvdtalk) by Jim Butcher
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51Syfc2Fw-L._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click,TopRight,35,-76_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0451458443/dvdtalk)
Started Citizen X (aka The Killer Department) (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B001KT400G/dvdtalk) by Robert Cullen
http://images.hollywood.com/site/the_girl_with_the_dragon_tattoo-large.jpg
Just finished that today, as I wanted to wait to see all the movies before I read the books (since typically, I find that if I read the books first I don't like the movies as much, but it doesn't work the other way around).
I also read these Zombie books in the last few days while I was on vacation:
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51NrgJQHGnL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click,TopRight,35,-76_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg
Not bad in spite of the author putting too much of his politics in it, and a pretty unrealistic main character. I read it on the Kindle now it's not available on Kindle and costs a lot more than the $3 or so I paid.
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51OpIMCJFEL._SL500_AA266_PIkin3,BottomRight,-16,34_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg
I thought this one was really good, pretty non-stop action and told from a different perspective (from the standpoint of the military side of things) than most zombie books.
Cory02
11-19-10, 10:11 PM
Just finished:
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41PLY0BmZ6L._SL500_AA266_PIkin3,BottomRight,-18,34_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg
Now reading:
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/511qRWn9qGL._SL500_AA266_PIkin3,BottomRight,-16,34_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg
Yep. There are three in the The Parasol Protectorate series.
Soulless
Changeless
Blameless
I've read the first chapter so far and have enjoyed the book so far. I got a late start reading last night so I didn't get to read as much as I wanted.
It's a shame it takes a movie to get people reading one of the best American novels ever.
Sessa17
11-24-10, 03:35 PM
It's a shame it takes a movie to get people reading one of the best American novels ever.
Its always the case here, I roll my eyes all the time in these threads. Although in fairness, True Grit is a far cry from "one of the best American novels ever".
rocketsauce
11-24-10, 03:36 PM
Shouldn't you just be glad that people are reading the book no matter how they came across it?
Geofferson
11-24-10, 03:51 PM
^ That's how I see it. Whatever gets people to read more, I'm all for it.
For the record, I've had True Grit sitting on my bookshelf unread for a few years now. Will likely be reading it within the next few weeks with the pending movie coming out.
tarfrimmer
11-24-10, 04:39 PM
Finished Citizen X (aka The Killer Department) (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B001KT400G/dvdtalk) by Robert Cullen
It's a shame it takes a movie to get people reading one of the best American novels ever.
Its always the case here, I roll my eyes all the time in these threads. Although in fairness, True Grit is a far cry from "one of the best American novels ever".
Ain't always the way? You mention reading a book that's been adapted to a movie and instead of a conversation about the book you get an I-Read-Books-Because-I'm-a-Well-Read-Person-Not-Because-of-a-Movie lecture. Hell, most of the stuff I read last year were selections I made because I'd seen and enjoyed the film adaptations. What difference does it make? Is it my fault that the movies were made? That I hadn't heard of the books before the movies? Seriously, there is very little advertisement for literature and innumerable books out there. Even dedicated bibliophiles can't be expected to have heard of, much less read, everything that's out there.
Sessa17
11-24-10, 06:08 PM
Shouldn't you just be glad that people are reading the book no matter how they came across it?
Given how few people read nowadays, you are right. And also, looking through this thread, I must say that there is a pretty good selection of books and people seem to be branching out more.
Just Finished
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41AulRAccZL._SL500_AA266_PIkin3,BottomRight,-17,34_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg
Now Reading
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61OTH70Uo-L._SL500_AA266_PIkin3,BottomRight,-16,34_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg
conscience
11-25-10, 11:50 AM
Hell, most of the stuff I read last year were selections I made because I'd seen and enjoyed the film adaptations. What difference does it make? Is it my fault that the movies were made? That I hadn't heard of the books before the movies? Seriously, there is very little advertisement for literature and innumerable books out there. Even dedicated bibliophiles can't be expected to have heard of, much less read, everything that's out there.
I agree. A lot of great books I never would have read had it not been for the announcement of a movie being made. I don't see the problem.
I'm currently readying Under the Skin and, again, I never would have known it existed had it not been for that announcement and it's a GREAT book so far. Books are far harder to pinpoint in regards to selection than movies are.
Jippy
11-25-10, 01:27 PM
Just finished "Fight Club" early this morning and started in on "Neon Angel: A Memoir of a Runaway".
I devoured that book in two days, which is rare for me. Grabbed me and never let go.
I put aside The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and Weekends at Bellevue (both which I am enjoying and will finish) and currently reading and greatly enjoying
Just finished:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v480/brovar/the_little_stranger.jpg
Now reading:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v480/brovar/Dennis-Lehane-Moonlight-Mile.jpg
Ginwen
11-27-10, 12:03 PM
It's a shame it takes a movie to get people reading one of the best American novels ever.
Weird way of looking at. If I think something is a great book, I don't care whether it's a movie, or a song, or some actor who says they like it, I'm just glad people are reading it. I've read plenty of books I love that I think about 3 other people in the world have read.
Just finished reading Decision Points. I wouldn't mind reading another political book - it was kind of interesting seeing his perspective on the major events etc. I may have to snag some other presidential memoirs to give them a read.
Finished Hunger Games and Prince of Thieves AKA The Town. Now working on-
http://img2.imagesbn.com/images/13780000/13781968.JPG
I haven't read it since high school and it's been fun revisiting it. And-
http://img2.imagesbn.com/images/83290000/83297608.JPG
After I get done with those I picked up over the weekend-
http://img2.imagesbn.com/images/88730000/88738769.JPG
And was told this was a must read-
http://img2.imagesbn.com/images/47210000/47210212.JPG
Excellent excellent book about courage, survival, and the human spirit. Couldn't put it down and can't recommend it enough.
Ok, it's on my wishlist now. I love good non-fiction.
MinLShaw
12-01-10, 04:43 AM
JUST finished and reviewed American Psycho. Now trying to decide what to read in early December. I plan on finishing the year with Alec Guinness's A Positively Final Appearance, as I've ended the last two years with each of his previous books.
iggystar
12-01-10, 04:55 AM
Ain't always the way? You mention reading a book that's been adapted to a movie and instead of a conversation about the book you get an I-Read-Books-Because-I'm-a-Well-Read-Person-Not-Because-of-a-Movie lecture. Hell, most of the stuff I read last year were selections I made because I'd seen and enjoyed the film adaptations. What difference does it make? Is it my fault that the movies were made? That I hadn't heard of the books before the movies? Seriously, there is very little advertisement for literature and innumerable books out there. Even dedicated bibliophiles can't be expected to have heard of, much less read, everything that's out there.
I totally agree.
Sometimes it's a book I never heard of, sometimes it's been on my radar and the movie coming out rekindles my interest. Also, I like to read the book first because of the inevitable movie changes and I don't want to sit there reading and comparing the entire time. I mean, the book is 99% of the time better, but it takes longer to read than watch a 2-hour movie.
I never thought I'd see a complaint about people reading.
Buy: