What are you reading? Part 8 [February]
 

I am just about to embark on Iain M. Banks' "Feersum Endjinn"!

From a review I was reading this seems another of his works that is told in "strands"; much like "The Bridge", which I read a couple of weeks ago, and "Walking on Glass" which I am 75% of the way through.

<A HREF="http://home.golden.net/~csp/reviews/feersumendjinn.htm" target="_Blank"><IMG SRC="http://www.iainbanks.net/jsf06.jpg" alt="click for more info" border=0></a>

Especially as a result of my recent reading, I have to say that I believe that Banks is thoroughly deserving of the good reputation he has. He exhibits plenty of wit in his work. And I like that.

I am currently balancing four books.

For school, I have to read <b>Mythology</b> by Edith Hamilton, and an outdated edition of Robert L. Heilbroner's <b>The Worldly Philosophers: The Lives, Times, and Ideas of the Great Economic Thinkers</b>.

Then, I am reading <b>The Brethren</b> by John Grisham, and <b>Lullaby</b> by Chuck Palahniuk.

The only one I'm really looking forward to, is "Lullaby".

Just finished Heat by Stuart Woods and Muzzy by Margo Pierce Dorksen. Dorksen's book was the winner at the short lived ipublish and I was curious to see how it was. It was actually a very good story and definitely not the average mystery.

I'm starting Death and the Dancing Footman by Ngaio Marsh. I was in the mood for something set in the 1930s.

Fool Moon by Jim Butcher

<img src="http://lookinside-images.amazon.com/Qffs+v35leqJrdHwyTPkFxDHyyKFZX6OLOSDfTLpeGNsxenJ50YcXTVFm57w74un">

Which is book 2 in the Harry Dreseden Series

RIse To Rebellion..so far so good

<u>The Quiet American</u> Graham Greene

Haven't read many books lately, too much school!

Elements of Screenwriting

How to Win Friends and Influence People

The Hobbit

The Secrets of the Samurai

The 48 Laws of Power

Just finished Childhood's End.

I'm currently in the middle of Shadow and Claw, Chapterhouse: Dune, and Les Miserables.

Next up are Sword and Citadel, The Name of the Rose and A Fire Upon the Deep.

And I'm at least a hundred pages into Anna Karenina, Russka, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, The Brothers Karamazov and Foundation, eventhough I haven't made any advances in any of them in months.

I'm in the middle of the latest installment in the Burke series:

Pain Management: A Burke Novel - Andrew Vachss

Sword of Shannara

How do you like it so far? I read this for the first time in eighth grade, then again as a senior in high school. (Both times unabridged.) I love how Hugo created such rich characters and then intertwined them so thoroughly. The many digressions (Waterloo, the Parisian sewers, etc.) drag on a bit at times, but they still have their merit. My goal for some point in the future is to read it in its original French, but I have a feeling that's still quite a ways off.

Meanwhile, having finished Return of the King, I'm now in the midst of Catch-22. Hilarious -- I'm getting strange glances on the bus to and from work as I giggle quietly to myself about flies in one's eyes and Washington Irving and bomb lines. But it's so circuitous that I'm getting a bit dizzy at times. ;)

I read the abridged Les Miserables some years ago and enjoyed it quite a bit. I agree about the wonderful characters.

I started Robert Crais' The Last Detective last night. It's off to a good start. It's nice to have Elvis Cole back!

A Third Face: My Life of Writing, Fighting, and Filmmaking by Samuel Fuller

The great writer/director Sam Fuller's autobiography, published 5 years after he died (finished by his family). This dude lived an amazing life!!!

Monster - Jonathan Kellerman

Lessons From a Lifetime of Writing - David Morrell

Nine - Jan Burke

Ernest Hemingway on Writing - edited by Larry Phillips

Night in the Lonesome October - Richard Laymon

The Barrens and Others - F. Paul Wilson

After those I will either jump into another Laymon or tear into some of the Stuart Woods' books I bought this weekend. :D

Just started <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0743216261/dvdtalk">It's How You Play the Game</a> by Jimmy Gleacher

<img src="http://lookinside-images.amazon.com/Qffs+v35lepDU0Pu5dFg9OXXKQnCdw6ySm3eFJIiO4OmBbJ+0M63s5a34yU/IEI3">

Read 120 pages in one sitting. Very easy read and well done.

Crossroads of Twilight--Robert Jordan

Book 10 of the Wheel of Time... boooooring... :(

Finishing up The Fellowship of the Ring and then its on to The Two Towers. Great series, hopefully they will really catch on one day, I'd love to see a movie version of the books....

I finished Night In the Lonesome October and have moved on to The Midinight Tour by Richard Laymon.

The guy is amazing. :)

I just picked up <i>The Zap Gun</i> by Philip K. Dick, so I'll start on that right away. Also bought a novella collection called <i>Worlds Enough and Time</i> by Dan Simmons. Oddly, this is the second book with that title I've read, the first being book 3 of the Worlds trilogy by Joe Haldeman.

Reading The Godfather right now, how are the rest of Puzo's books?

Love The Godfather! The rest of Puzo's books aren't in the same league, although they're still worth reading. You might try The Last Don and see what you think of that one.

Finished Grisham's The Brethren last night. Thought it was a good (not great) read.

Up next, Michael Connelly's Chasing the Dime.

I am reading Artemis Fowl and the Arctic Incident

Fiona

The fact that it's my second reading should indicate my affection. The first time was in early '98, shortly before the screen version with Liam Neeson and Geoffrey Rush. At the time, I had this idea that if I saw a film that was based on a novel, I should read the novel first. I've wisely abandoned this impossible task for all films adapted from a novel, but I try to still do it for classics. (War and Peace, Anna Karenina, Moby Dick, Don Quixote, David Copperfield, Rememberance of Things Past)

It's easy to understand why some would be a bit unwilling to read a thousand page novel, but most great works are as much about atmosphere as they are about plot and characters. Hugo is telling a tale that could only take place in early 19th century France: His themes might be timeless, (and thus could be just as significant in a shorter story) but in this instance, the winding historical and environmental descriptions are necessary to understand the minds and motivations of the characters.

Plus, since we spend so much time following these characters, we have more of ourselves invested in them, and the payoff feels greater than it would if the novel was shorter.

:thumbsup:
One of my goals is to read War and Peace in the original Russian. But I should probably read it in English first. (Along with all of the other above mentioned books.)