What book are you currently reading? - Page 11

Atticus · Mar 29, 2011, 06:00 AM

I have to admit that I've probably never even heard of Infinite Jest. Only now noticed that it's mentioned as some sort of classic. A quick glance through the Wikipedia article gives the impression that it's something like Pynchon, or even Joyce's Ulysses:

Quote:

participants were challenged to read and complete David Foster Wallace's novel Infinite Jest at a rate of about 75 pages a week from June 21 to September 22, 2009.

Just wondering here how laborious it is to read...

Brian Shanahan · Mar 29, 2011, 02:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aysee

Equal Rites, by Terry Pratchett. Believe it or not, I've only been introduced to the Discworld series of novels recently, and have gotten hooked.

Pratchett's work is simply amazing on so many different levels.

Better late than never. My personal favourites are The Night Watch, Guards! Guards!, Feet of Clay, and The Truth, if only for the line "The truth shall make ye Fred".

Earthling · Mar 29, 2011, 02:49 PM

Equal Rites was the first one I read and it's rather awesome, so good for you! Strong female characters are awesome and there's the loltastic (though maybe apocryphal) story that people apparently mistook "Terry" as a female author at times earlier on.

SuperJay · Mar 29, 2011, 05:36 PM

Have you guys read Good Omens? Pratchett with Neil Gaiman. I recommend the bejaysus out of it.

Plot summary for the uninitiated:

Spoiler:

Quote:

It is the coming of the End Times: the Apocalypse is near, and Final Judgment will soon descend upon the human race. This comes as a bit of bad news to the angel Aziraphale (who was the angel of the Garden of Eden) and the demon Crowley (who, when he was originally named Crawly, was the serpent who tempted Eve to eat the apple), respectively the representatives of God and Satan on Earth, as they have become used to living their cozy, comfortable lives and have, in a perverse way, taken a liking to humanity. As such, since they are good friends (despite ostensibly representing the polar opposites of Good and Evil), they decide to work together and keep an eye on the Antichrist, destined to be the son of a prominent American diplomat stationed in Britain, and thus ensure he grows up in a way that means he can never decide between Good and Evil, thereby postponing the end of the world.

Unfortunately, Warlock, the child everyone thinks is the Anti-Christ is, in fact, a perfectly normal eleven-year-old boy. Owing to a mix-up at birth, the real Anti-Christ is in fact Adam Young, a charismatic and slightly otherworldly eleven-year-old who, despite being the harbinger of the Apocalypse, has lived a perfectly normal life as the son of typical English parents and as a result has no idea of his true powers. As Adam blissfully and naively uses his powers, creating around him the world of Just William (because he thinks that is what an English child's life should be like), the race is on to find him—the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse assemble and the incredibly accurate (yet so highly specific as to be useless) prophecies of Agnes Nutter, seventeenth-century prophetess, are rapidly coming true.

Agnes Nutter was a witch in the 17th century and the only truly accurate prophet to have ever lived. She wrote a book called The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch, a collection of prophecies that did not sell very well because they were unspectacular, cryptic and, ironically enough, all true. She, in fact, decided to publish it only so that she could receive a free author's copy. There is only one copy of the book left, which belongs to her descendant Anathema Device. Agnes was burned at the stake by a mob (because that is what mobs did at that time); however, because she had foreseen her fiery end ("ye're tardy; I should have been aflame ten minutes since") and had packed 80 pounds of gunpowder and 40 pounds of roofing nails into her petticoats, everyone who participated in the burning was killed instantly.

Anathema teams up with Newton Pulsifer, the descendant of the man who initiated the burning of Agnes, to use the prophesies and find the Antichrist. Unfortunately, that is exactly what everyone else is trying to do, and time is running out.

_random_ · Mar 29, 2011, 11:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SuperJay

Have you guys read Good Omens? Pratchett with Neil Gaiman. I recommend the bejaysus out of it.

Plot summary for the uninitiated:

Working on it right now actually.

Plotinus · Mar 30, 2011, 03:03 AM

I still think Good Omens is the best thing that Pratchett has ever done. It is brilliant.

I re-read Equal Rites myself a couple of months ago. I previously hadn't thought much of the very early Discworld books (other than Mort, which I think is the funniest of them all), but I was surprised on re-reading it to find how good it was. At the moment I'm re-reading some of the early late-period ones (I think) - just finished The Fifth Elephant and am currently on The Truth - and they are very good indeed. I think it was around this time that the serious intent of Pratchett's work became more apparent, although it had always been there.

SuperJay · Mar 30, 2011, 09:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Plotinus

I still think Good Omens is the best thing that Pratchett has ever done. It is brilliant.

Agreed! Supposedly it's being adapted into a TV series (?) with Terry Jones screenwriting, but I can't find anything official to confirm. According to Wiki, Neil Gaiman announced this just a couple weeks ago on his website, but I can't find it right now.

Kyriakos · Mar 31, 2011, 09:45 AM

I started reading Hesse's "Klingsor's last summer".
I have the vague impression i must have read it before, more than a decade ago...Still on the first pages though.

Meteor Man · Apr 03, 2011, 05:25 PM

Finished "Red Storm Rising" by Tom Cancy, reading "Hunt for Red October" by Tom Clancy and going to start "Storming Intrepid" by Payne Harrison.

All three take place during the Cold War.

Whiskey_Lord · Apr 03, 2011, 11:50 PM

The Mirror and the Lamp - Meyer H. Abrams

I'm only on chapter four, but this is some great literary criticism. I wish I had discovered this book years ago.

Arakhor · Apr 04, 2011, 12:38 PM

I'm still juggling various novels from the Brother Cadfael, Marcus Didus Falco and Roman Mysteries series, as well as various historical novels I bought from my local Emmaus at 80p a go. I read far too slowly for all the books I own!

Owen Glyndwr · Apr 04, 2011, 01:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arakhor

I'm still juggling various novels from the Brother Cadfael, Marcus Didus Falco and Roman Mysteries series, as well as various historical novels I bought from my local Emmaus at 80p a go. I read far too slowly for all the books I own!

ooo. I love Cadfael!

Have you seen the tv show?

Arakhor · Apr 04, 2011, 01:32 PM

Of course, back when I was 16 or so, before the days of video players.

I even own them on ITV DVD.

Jouzou · Apr 11, 2011, 01:27 PM

I'm currently working on The Road by Cormac McCarthy (about a hundred pages in). I'm having mixed feelings; Reading about the protagonists' struggle in the crapsack world is mighty depressing, but at the same time it's really heartwarming how much the father cares about the boy. I'm rooting for the protagonists more than usually, but it's difficult to see how this story could have an even remotely happy ending.

Dendrow · Apr 11, 2011, 03:12 PM

It isn't out yet but it comes out later this month, its the first book of a series of 9 by an up and comming author named Ryan Tomasella. Drylor The First Artifact is the first book in the series and it follows a man named Von as he struggles to regain his memory and stop his brother from destroying everything.

The back of the book:

When a man wakes up inside a cage that is being carried through
an underground city, he has no idea where he is or what has
happened to him. As Von, a victim of amnesia, is taken to a jail
cell to await his fate amongst elves, humans, dwarfs, gnomes, and
halflings, he is told he is a member of the Royal Guard of Genisus.
It is not long before he is transported to the palace where he
meets an impatient king who eventually returns him to his jail
cell while deciding his destiny.

As Von’s memory slowly returns, he discovers that he is the only
one who can protect Drylor—a world that abandoned him—
from its greatest evil, his own brother. Through his journey to the
truth, Von meets an unlikely group of friends who are willing
to sacrifice everything to help him stop his brother Scarlet
from annihilating the only world they have ever known.

As Von’s past becomes clear and reveals his future, he soon
realizes the only way he can end his brother’s heartless
massacres is to find him and kill him.

For how long the information about this book has been out, it's developed quite a following on facebook already. It's something I would definitely recommend checking out.

Kyriakos · Apr 12, 2011, 11:42 AM

I bought a new edition of most of Poe's prose, titled Διηγήσεις (Diegeseis=narrations)

I probably have everything already, but i am collecting the editions of some authors, including Poe's

Also i re-read two excellent short stories, De Maupassant's "Muaron" and Hesse's "The end of Dr. Knelge".

Cutlass · Apr 12, 2011, 08:49 PM

Sizzling Sixteen by Janet Evonovich. She's entirely lost her touch

BuckeyeJim · Apr 14, 2011, 07:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jouzou

I'm currently working on The Road by Cormac McCarthy (about a hundred pages in). I'm having mixed feelings; Reading about the protagonists' struggle in the crapsack world is mighty depressing, but at the same time it's really heartwarming how much the father cares about the boy. I'm rooting for the protagonists more than usually, but it's difficult to see how this story could have an even remotely happy ending.

McCarthy is one of my favorites. I'd be interested in listening to your thoughts at the end of this one. From others as well.

Left · Apr 14, 2011, 08:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jouzou

I'm currently working on The Road by Cormac McCarthy (about a hundred pages in). I'm having mixed feelings; Reading about the protagonists' struggle in the crapsack world is mighty depressing, but at the same time it's really heartwarming how much the father cares about the boy. I'm rooting for the protagonists more than usually, but it's difficult to see how this story could have an even remotely happy ending.

Its the happiest story he ever wrote. Keep going.

Communisto · Apr 14, 2011, 09:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Left

Its the happiest story he ever wrote. Keep going.

For realzies

Mar 29, 2011, 02:49 PM	#203
Earthling Deity Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 6,545	Equal Rites was the first one I read and it's rather awesome, so good for you! Strong female characters are awesome and there's the loltastic (though maybe apocryphal) story that people apparently mistook "Terry" as a female author at times earlier on. __________________ "I hope you have not been leading a double life, pretending to be wicked and being really good all the time. That would be hypocrisy."

Mar 30, 2011, 03:03 AM	#206
Plotinus Philosopher Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: London Posts: 14,847	I still think Good Omens is the best thing that Pratchett has ever done. It is brilliant. I re-read Equal Rites myself a couple of months ago. I previously hadn't thought much of the very early Discworld books (other than Mort, which I think is the funniest of them all), but I was surprised on re-reading it to find how good it was. At the moment I'm re-reading some of the early late-period ones (I think) - just finished The Fifth Elephant and am currently on The Truth - and they are very good indeed. I think it was around this time that the serious intent of Pratchett's work became more apparent, although it had always been there. __________________ Try the Anglo-Saxon scenario... Or can you build an empire of Africa? A list of units. Sensible religion discussion. Please read: the truth about children brought up by gay couples.

Mar 31, 2011, 09:45 AM	#208
Kyriakos Writer Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Thessalonike, Greece Posts: 20,004	I started reading Hesse's "Klingsor's last summer". I have the vague impression i must have read it before, more than a decade ago...Still on the first pages though. __________________ βῆ δ᾿ ἀκέων παρὰ θῖνα πολυφλοίσϐοιο θαλάσσης· (he walked silently on the edge of the loudly heard wave-breaking sea) Iliad A:34 CivIII my graphics library 28x 1x Decade Award

Apr 03, 2011, 05:25 PM	#209
Meteor Man A Quantum Waffle Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: tunneling through your atoms Posts: 1,473	Finished "Red Storm Rising" by Tom Cancy, reading "Hunt for Red October" by Tom Clancy and going to start "Storming Intrepid" by Payne Harrison. All three take place during the Cold War. __________________ "In the beginning there was nothing, which exploded." -Terry Pratchett --- "Physics is to math what sex is to masturbation." -Richard Feynman --- "I was good at math. I was good at physics. Then a cat lived and died at the same time. God laughs at me."

Apr 04, 2011, 12:38 PM	#211
Arakhor Dremora Courtier Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: UK Posts: 9,528	I'm still juggling various novels from the Brother Cadfael, Marcus Didus Falco and Roman Mysteries series, as well as various historical novels I bought from my local Emmaus at 80p a go. I read far too slowly for all the books I own! __________________ Dum inter homines sumus, colamus humanitatem. ("As long as we are among humans, let us be humane.") ~ Lucius Annaeus Seneca "The church must be where there is need, and homosexuals have suffered innumerable discriminations. If the church doesn't free people from oppression, what purpose does it serve?" ~ Dr. Jacques Gaillot, Titular Bishop of Parthenia “What difference does it make to the dead, the orphans and the homeless, whether the mad destruction is wrought under the name of totalitarianism or the holy name of liberty or democracy?” ~ Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi

Apr 03, 2011, 11:50 PM	#210
Whiskey_Lord Deity Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 2,166	The Mirror and the Lamp - Meyer H. Abrams I'm only on chapter four, but this is some great literary criticism. I wish I had discovered this book years ago.

Apr 04, 2011, 01:32 PM	#213
Arakhor Dremora Courtier Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: UK Posts: 9,528	Of course, back when I was 16 or so, before the days of video players. I even own them on ITV DVD. __________________ Dum inter homines sumus, colamus humanitatem. ("As long as we are among humans, let us be humane.") ~ Lucius Annaeus Seneca "The church must be where there is need, and homosexuals have suffered innumerable discriminations. If the church doesn't free people from oppression, what purpose does it serve?" ~ Dr. Jacques Gaillot, Titular Bishop of Parthenia “What difference does it make to the dead, the orphans and the homeless, whether the mad destruction is wrought under the name of totalitarianism or the holy name of liberty or democracy?” ~ Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi

Apr 11, 2011, 01:27 PM	#214
Jouzou Warlord Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Beneath the North Star Posts: 212	I'm currently working on The Road by Cormac McCarthy (about a hundred pages in). I'm having mixed feelings; Reading about the protagonists' struggle in the crapsack world is mighty depressing, but at the same time it's really heartwarming how much the father cares about the boy. I'm rooting for the protagonists more than usually, but it's difficult to see how this story could have an even remotely happy ending. __________________ Spare the whip and spoil the citizens.

Apr 11, 2011, 03:12 PM	#215
Dendrow Chieftain Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 31	It isn't out yet but it comes out later this month, its the first book of a series of 9 by an up and comming author named Ryan Tomasella. Drylor The First Artifact is the first book in the series and it follows a man named Von as he struggles to regain his memory and stop his brother from destroying everything. The back of the book: When a man wakes up inside a cage that is being carried through an underground city, he has no idea where he is or what has happened to him. As Von, a victim of amnesia, is taken to a jail cell to await his fate amongst elves, humans, dwarfs, gnomes, and halflings, he is told he is a member of the Royal Guard of Genisus. It is not long before he is transported to the palace where he meets an impatient king who eventually returns him to his jail cell while deciding his destiny. As Von’s memory slowly returns, he discovers that he is the only one who can protect Drylor—a world that abandoned him— from its greatest evil, his own brother. Through his journey to the truth, Von meets an unlikely group of friends who are willing to sacrifice everything to help him stop his brother Scarlet from annihilating the only world they have ever known. As Von’s past becomes clear and reveals his future, he soon realizes the only way he can end his brother’s heartless massacres is to find him and kill him. For how long the information about this book has been out, it's developed quite a following on facebook already. It's something I would definitely recommend checking out.

Apr 12, 2011, 11:42 AM	#216
Kyriakos Writer Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Thessalonike, Greece Posts: 20,004	I bought a new edition of most of Poe's prose, titled Διηγήσεις (Diegeseis=narrations) I probably have everything already, but i am collecting the editions of some authors, including Poe's Also i re-read two excellent short stories, De Maupassant's "Muaron" and Hesse's "The end of Dr. Knelge". __________________ βῆ δ᾿ ἀκέων παρὰ θῖνα πολυφλοίσϐοιο θαλάσσης· (he walked silently on the edge of the loudly heard wave-breaking sea) Iliad A:34 CivIII my graphics library 28x 1x Decade Award

Apr 12, 2011, 08:49 PM	#217
Cutlass Ideas are Like Stars Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: US of A Posts: 32,135 Images: 6	Sizzling Sixteen by Janet Evonovich. She's entirely lost her touch __________________ Ideas Are Like Stars. Come visit us again! Learn the Basics of Money HERE More Money has been Lost Because of Four Words than at the Point of a Gun. Those words are "This Time is Different." Taking from the poor and giving to the rich is Why Nations Fail In American we call that Reaganomics.

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