Books

[NAD]

Well you can't do all your reading on the Internet can you? What are/did/do you read/ing now/then/never?

I generally read political philosophy (I know, exciting ) but I've been getting more into literature lately, Poe, Shakespeare, etc.

I'm currently reading the Satanic Verses, Salman Rushdie is a rather infectious writer. I was expecting this book to be along the lines of the Satanic Bible, I had no idea it was a novel. Good stuff. Also reading a bit of Jung here and there, and Tolkien's Unfinished Tales is coming soon.

:hotjump:

 

[Nate The Great]

I'm currently reading Bret Easton Ellis' 'Glamorama'. I like the more literary type of stuff. Stephen King or the occasional epic fantasy are OK, but I really like getting into the cool modern fiction that is out there.

 

[haddsie]

I'm currently reading the Satanic Verses, Salman Rushdie is a rather infectious writer. I was expecting this book to be along the lines of the Satanic Bible, I had no idea it was a novel. Good stuff.

Salman Rushdie was recommended to me by a good friend purely because she said his use of language was just fantastic. (I haven't gotten around to it yet though.) Do you find his writing style to be contrived or impressive... or something else?

I'm just thinking about picking up something to read again now. It's been a long time having spent the last 1.5 years doing the new parenting thing (esp. with a child who wasn't a great sleeper up until about 3 months ago). Would love some recommended reading now!

 

[lizard]

I am currently in the middle of two books:

Still Life With Crows, by Lincoln Child and Douglas Preston
In Search of Gestapo Mueller

I read in all my spare time but nothing that could really be called literature. novels, military histories, archaeology...

 

[JayKeeley]

I read in all my spare time but nothing that could really be called literature. novels, military histories,

Have you read Andy McNab's Bravo Two Zero? It's an account of the SAS team that went in behind enemy lines to take out Saddam's power lines and Scud Missile launchers. Seriously brilliant reading.

 

[NAD]

Salman Rushdie was recommended to me by a good friend purely because she said his use of language was just fantastic. (I haven't gotten around to it yet though.) Do you find his writing style to be contrived or impressive... or something else?

His style is rather distinct, sort of hard to explain. Lots of tangents, run on sentences, and combined words. "Here we go, yaar baby, doesn't Gibreel know he cannot hidelearn from his fate of utmost importance this year without first knowing what where why he lives in this horrid desert?" That's my poor Rushdie impression. I'm about 125 pages in right now and it never gets tedious or strays so far that you get lost.

 

[lizard]

Have you read Andy McNab's Bravo Two Zero? It's an account of the SAS team that went in behind enemy lines to take out Saddam's power lines and Scud Missile launchers. Seriously brilliant reading.

you know, I've read his novels but not his nonfictions. thx I'll check it out.

 

[Black Winter Day]

read two books this week:

RABBIT REDUX by john updike
SIDDHARTHA by herman hesse

both fantastic, profound in their own ways

 

[En Vind Av Sorg]

Siddhartha is an excellent book. i read that about 2 years ago. Currently i am reading House Harkonnen from the Dune series. (im a bit of a science fiction fan as well). I read a lot of philisophica,l historical, and religous texts as well.

 

[lizard]

been slowly going back and reading some of the novels of the legendary japanese author shusaku endo. not every day reading for me but good for introspection.

 

[NAD]

The Satanic Verses is giving me strange dreams. Not bad, just strange.

 

[Black Winter Day]

I'm currently reading Bret Easton Ellis' 'Glamorama'. I like the more literary type of stuff. Stephen King or the occasional epic fantasy are OK, but I really like getting into the cool modern fiction that is out there.

hey, have you ever read any david foster wallace?

 

[Nate The Great]

I don't think so. Tell me about him.

I was an English/Creative Writing major in college, so I got into some pretty cool stuff. I'm always open to new authors . . . with true originality.

 

[Black Winter Day]

dfw = great new writer whose main characteristinc is being totally ORIGINAL. read one of his short story books (like "brief interviews with hideous men") and you will see what i mean. sometimes it borders on artsy/artless(?) intellectual jargon and ramblings, but if you are indeed a fan of originality and genius, he is the perfect writer.

he has a book of esays, 2 compilatons of short stories, and 2 novels out so far (the one he wrote in '96 INFINITE JEST hovers around 1000-1100 pages, for some reason i have yet to read it though)

but yeah, check out some of his stuff, like one of his short story books (i started with "brief interviews). you may "get it" and think it is genius like i did, or you will merely toss it away with a quizzical look on your face.

anywhay, highly recommended.



p.s. i am now reading STEPPENWOLF by herman hesse and WOW! it seems like it is speaking to ME, yet that is true of many of its readers. a universal, life-changing book! i rolled off 150 pages in two hours, unable to put it down. anyone reading this who hasn't been exposed to this eye-opener should definately head for the nearest barnes and noble NOW!

 

[lizard]

JayKeeley: I bought both of Andy McNabb's factual books this weekend, his writing style is exactly the same as in his novels so I'm well on my way into the first one.

also finished "Gimme Danger: the Life of Iggy Pop."

 

[bloodfiredeath]

I just finished I Am Legend by Richard Matheson, highly recommended.

 

[JayKeeley]

JayKeeley: I bought both of Andy McNabb's factual books this weekend, his writing style is exactly the same as in his novels so I'm well on my way into the first one.

Yes - easy reading written as commentary. Bravo Two Zero was made into a movie as well by the way, but stick with the book first.

I just finished I Am Legend by Richard Matheson, highly recommended.

Influenced many a movie script too, did it not?

 

[bloodfiredeath]

Influenced many a movie script too, did it not?

There are two movies that were based on I Am Legend, Last Man On Earth starring Vincent Price, and The Omega Man (released today on dvd )

I actually bought Last Man On Earth for 5 bucks at Best Buy, watched it last night after I was done with the book. It's ok, Price is cool, but the movie is kind of goofy and they change some important things. Still... it's worth seeing if you like the book.

The Omega Man, a great movie in it's own right, is a much looser interpretation of I Am Legend. Supposedly Matheson hated both.

As for it's influence, I hear that Romero is a big fan of the book.

 

[JayKeeley]

As for it's influence, I hear that Romero is a big fan of the book.

Right. And John Carpenter. I'm thinking Night of the Living Dead and Assault on Precinct 13 respectively.

 

[NAD]

Read The Dogs of Babel over the weekend, book about a guy who's wife dies and he has to teach his dog to talk because she was the only witness. Interesting read.

I needed a break from the Satanic Verses, but I read another 100 pages last night.