The ITM Book Thread

[Chrysoula]

OK seems that I have a somewhat addiction to reading.. Pretty sad I know but doesnt matter what It is whether it be a magazine, novel or whatever I grab closest to me with words I am always reading something.. I know it sounds a bit uncool but yes cool people like myself read..Plus helps with my shocking insomnia

Guess really this thread is to see what books you guys can suggest for reading. I'm sure this threads probably been done before but for the addicts out there like me humour me and would love to read your suggestions

Ok so here are some of the ones that I think are worthy of a read and got my thumbs up

Glamourama (suggested to me by MCK)- Bret Easton Ellis

Middlesex - Jeffrey Eugenides

After the Quake and Norweigan Wood - Haruki Murakami

This japanese authors style is superb and definatly worth sussing out his entire collection I reckon

High Society- Ben Elton

They are just a few of the books I have enjoyed recently..

Tell me what you guys are reading at the moment and what ones you can suggest

Cheers
Chrys

8-)

[P00318]

ENDERS GAME by Orson Scott Card was a wikid book

[feeble]

Oh I LOVE these threads!

I work in a bookshop, so books are a major addiction... worse than crack, they are.

Here's some of the better things I've been reading lately:

Sarah- JT Leroy - a wild tripped out fairytale ride through the surreal world of truck stop hookers, seen through the innocent-yet-jaded eyes of a 12 year old transvestite babywhore. Sounds sordid? Its not... the author (who's apparently only about 19, and has lived through something similiar to the events of the book) is a fucking genuis with language, and there's no judgement or condemnation in this story- the pimps, the whores and the truckers are just doing what they do. Like Pretty Woman done by David Lynch. Brilliant.


First Love, Last Rites- Ian McEwan - the darkest and nastiest little collection of short stories I've ever laid eyes on. McEwan is brilliant at evoking the dark industrial depression of 1970's England, and showing the ways that boredom can lead to perversity and unbearable loneliness can lead to evil. Not the most cheery of books, but well worth reading if you like exploring the darker side of human nature.

My Life As A Fake- Peter Carey - I don't normally like Peter Carey, as I have an aversion to Australian white history, but I actually really enjoyed this one. Its all about poetry and fakery, and explores the murky line between truth and falsity, and self and representations of the self. It loses it a bit towards the end, but that's ok, the characterisation and the themes make it worthwhile. Plus its a damn pretty book.

Immortality- Milan Kundera - I love Milan Kundera. His books make me think, and give me the sense that I'm reading the thoughts of someone far wiser than I can ever hope to be. He searches for meaning in human nature through the way we relate. At times achingly sad, yet his sharp sense of humour and observance make this book, ultimately, hopeful. Go read The Unbearable Lightness of Being too if you're interested. You will thank me.


Slaughterhouse 5- Kurt Vonnegut - another of my fave authors. Mr Vonnegut, like Mr Kundera, is also searching for meaning in human existence, but he does it in quite a different way. Absurd, sublime and ridiculous, I'd rate this up with Catch 22 as one of the greatest anti-war novels ever written.

Vineland- Thomas Pynchon - if there could be said to be such a thing as a highbrow conspiracy thriller, this might be it. Pynchon rips open the seedy underbelly of modern America, the fade and fall of the hippie generation and the almost insane hypocricy of the American government. Crazy and funny and sharp.

Other recommendations and things I've had recommended to me:

If On a Winters Night a Traveller- Italo Calvino
Junky- William Burroughs
The Cement Garden- Ian McEwan
Fierce People- Dirk Wittenborn
Neuromancer- William Gibson

God, I'm such a lit geek :lol:

oops... forgot Period by Dennis Cooper. It's great too.

[Scratchy]

Porno Irvine Welsh..This is the sequel to Trainspotting. Set 10 yrs on, it follows all the regular characters such as Begbie, Renton, Sick-Boy, Spud. Main focus is around Sick-Boy trying to set up a home made porn movie.

[Evan]

Currently reading Norwegian Wood. Dance Dance Dance, also by Murakami, is another quality read....

[bubbles81]

Tully by Paulina Simmonson ( I think thats her sir name... :meh: )

Follows the life a girl by the name of Natalie from her youth to mid 30's.

She's faced with physical abuse, death, suicide, pregnancy, adultery, motherhood...the works.

Its not a sob story - more just a honest look at how one woman deals with the things life throws at her, be it right or wrong.

Definatley worth a look!

[boof]

favourite book would have to be "damage done" an autobiography of warren fellows in a indonisian jail

and latest two "ice station" & "the temple" mathew riely both great

[Optimus Rhyme]

Ive just started reading "Bunker 13" By Aniruddha Bahal..... It's early days yet but I definitely reccomend it... it utilises a 2nd person narrative really well, I usually dont like 2nd person but this book is great... it's a story about a weirdo, emotionless hard drug taking kinky sex loving reporter who is in India with the special forces army unit.....

[plantled]

Godel, Escher, Bach: An eternal golden braid - Douglas Hofstader

Won the pulitzer prize quite a while ago. Took Hofstader 14 years to write and was considered unable to be translated for many years because a lot of the wordplay was only thought to function within English. HEAVY GOING! But enjoyable nonetheless. Deals with concepts of formal logic, infinty and the like. Could be quite a while before I finish it and take it in. I'm really enjoying reading again, incidentally. It's been too long.

[Moonkissed]

valley of the dolls - jacqueline susann
cloudstreet - tim winton
white noise - delillo

its to early for me so when i mentally wake up ill put some more one

[loveit]

My most fav book would have to have been:

Pillers of the Earth - Ken Follett

I havn't read much of late as i have no time but i have just read the first 2 pages of 'Memories of a Geisha' by Arthur Golden and it already sounds intriging

[Beegie]

I'm about to finish the "My Dark Places" by crime noir god James Ellroy.

Ellroy is undoubtedly the greatest crime writer of the 20th century. If anyone wanted to get into his writing, the best place to start would be "American Tabloid"...

[Lady Lex]

Wow Feeble! I would just love to work in a bookstore all day. My dream job! (plus you get to see some real hotties in bookstore and the fact they're literate suggests some sort of cred!)

Anyway: Im really into anything by Aldous Huxley: "Doors of Perception" whilst not a sit back and go with it type of read it is certainly a mind opener. Ive loved Huxley since i was 17

I love Raymond E Fiest: "Magician" is the absolute best with regard to Fantasy
Loved Enders Game too: wonderful

I really enjoyed the works of Marquis De Sade - but i couldnt read through all of it (too upsetting for my gentle mind and overactive imagination)

Feeble: I really enjoyed First Love too... fabulous writing style and wonderful grammer.

I cant remember this exactly but there is a collection of short stories released by Emily/Charlotte Bronte - not very well known. Its absolutely hilarious: she talks about having 5 children and having to deal with them (set in the the last 1800s - i think?) as she has just left her husband and realised something is quite wrong when they start gnawing at each other. Pure hilarity from a gentle and unrouged perspective.

Im getting some great ideas myself from reading your posts.!

[ozcar]

finally finished "Kitchen Confidential" and as a part time waiter....what a tome! Bourdain writes with acid tongue and puts Jamie Oliver to shame...

Half way through "Stupid White Men" by Mike Moore..

all I can say is he is the guru....talk about stickin it to the US...and the forward published post 9-11...amazing!

:lol:

[dj_pulse]

Originally posted by P00318
ENDERS GAME by Orson Scott Card was a wikid book

Have you read the rest of the series? I'd recommend checking out Speaker For The Dead and Xenocide if you liked Ender's Game.. Quality reading..

[Squiz]

Im currently reading..

Stupid White Men by Mike Moore.

and

High Society by Ben Elton.

So far both of them have been a fantastic read... Definately worth a look :)

[Antwan]

Originally posted by Lady Lex

I really enjoyed the works of Marquis De Sade - but i couldnt read through all of it (too upsetting for my gentle mind and overactive imagination)


:-* :-* :-* :-* :-* :-*
Only read a small bit of this book it was a bit off.

Apart from that i'm reading A wizard of earthsea-Ursula Le Guin She's an excellent writer, i would also recomend The Disposesd by her;D

[Scratchy]

Originally posted by Squiz
Im currently reading..

Stupid White Men by Mike Moore.




Yeah good book, puts a lot of things into perspective. Enjoyed the "kill whitey" chapter :)

[Lady Lex]

Originally posted by Antwan

:-* :-* :-* :-* :-* :-*
Only read a small bit of this book it was a bit off.

Apart from that i'm reading A wizard of earthsea-Ursula Le Guin She's an excellent writer, i would also recomend The Disposesd by her;D

I was trying to disassociate myself from it - at parts I really couldnt handle it. Yeah.. it seems very strange to us but i read it purely to understand the mind of rich men during the 15th century with too much time on their hands and way too much intellect for their own good. Hes not really a sick fuck, he just has different sexual opinions to us but its all a matter of context: consider his station and the time he was born in: That actually makes it quite interesting.

hey! I loved Earthsea - if I think it is the one Im thinking of...

[feeble]

:lol:

Ah, 120 Days of Sodomy. What a strange mind the Marquis de Sade had... read this a while ago. Didn't necessarily like it (its not one of those books you can really like, unless you're an snm freak), but I think it gives some interesting insights into different sexualities and the idea of the libertine, and innocence and power corrupted beyond all imaginings... its a bit of a political statement too, taking the idea of libertinage, and the supremacy of man and literally sticking it to the church.

You're right though, he was a strange cat. I've read some of his other short stories though, and they are positively chaste, although very dark and tragic.

[littleblonde]

I just finished reading my book and was contemplating what to chew through next - thanks for the suggestions :D

[Sauce]

just finished, Lance Armstrong - Its not about the bike

now reading, Noam Chomsky - Understanding Power

[Vital]

I'm halfway through Crime and Punishment by Dostoevski, probably not to everyones tastes though.

[borrisGLOWSTICK]

Originally posted by Lady Lex


I love Raymond E Fiest: "Magician" is the absolute best with regard to Fantasy


i have just started to re-read this book :) did you find that some of raymond e fiests books were pretty bad? there is a couple that have been good Murder in lamut and the Kings buccaneer are my personal favourites

and the book i have just finished reading was

" Lord Minimus " its a biography ( of sorts ) of Jeffrey Hudson, who was born in the 1600's and stood at only 19 inches tall! in his life he was a royal page, acted in Inigo Jones's masques, he was the queens chosen diplomat at 11 and he followed her into exile after the civil war, killed an opponent in a duel (the man mocked his size) was captured and held as slave in north africa for 25 odd years and when he finaly got back to england was imprisoned for treason! its only 255 pages long but was quite a interesting read.

[silvaside]

wheel of time series - robert jordan

[goja]

Night Watch - Terry Pratchett

Has any read the Raymond E. Feist's Empire series?

[DarkenRahl]

I'm currently re-reading lord of the rings for the zillionth time. Havnee really read a book that moves me like this one. I always get so damn sad when Aragorn and co. are leaving Lothlorien.

Latest books I've read aren't really for everyone though as they are all war books about specific world war 2 campaigns or units. Pretty horrid stuff some of it. People being burnt to death trying to escape burning tanks. Piling oodles of mortar victims with most missing their heads and arms as they were hit right in their slit trenchs. Also interesting seeing how inefficient the allied armies were compared to the Germans. If the Germans had half the material the allies did there would have been no hope of the allies winning the war.
There are book nerds and book nerds...

In regards to Feist fans. I love all his books up until the serpent war saga ends. After that it's all very very poor. The thing that distresses me most is two of the books read like bad RPG computer games and the actions in both belittle the major events that occur in the riftwar and serpent war sagas making them somewhat insignificant in scope.

I loved the Mistress of the Empire series. They were excellent.

I rarely read out of my fantasy/war genres unless the book is recommended by a reliable source. :D

[Chrysoula]

Wow I wasnt expecting such positive feedback and suggestions from this thread.. wow was I wrong.. :) Good to see that there are so many others out there that read as well.. Alway like suggestions from others and took away a few myself from the ones you guys suggested...

Schindler's Ark was also a great book.. I cried when I was reading that book and again when I watched the movie Schindler's List.. Alot of the Holocust stuff interests me but nothing moved me as much as that book did..

:)

Happy reading and Feebs cool job babe!!

[w0rm]

Hooorrrrrrraaaay! A book thread! And I have been on a bit of a book rampage of late (more than usual - erk! Curse Amazon!) and have been attempting to complete my library of Australian-related books. As per usual I will make my pointless plea for anyone to suggest any other Oz-themed books for me to read, so far no one has managed to mention a single one! Do you lot not like reading about yourselves?

Anyway, last week I finished reading 'Cod - A Biography of the Fish that Changed the World' which was extremely interesting, but fairly random, though I imagine I will be able to stun everyone in the pub with my knowledge of the Icelandic cod wars.
As I try to read semi-thematically, I followed this with the absolutely excellent 'Gould's Book of Fish: A Novel in Twelve Fish'
by Richard Flanagan, about a convict who falls in love with a black girl in Tasmania in the 1850's. Cleverly written and I think it has won quite a few awards.
This week I have started on 'Anglo-Australian Attitudes'
by Michael Davie, which in 12 or so essays examines various facets of the often troubled relationship between our two countries, and I am just beginning 'The Floating Brothel' by Sian Rees, about the first ship of Female convicts to land in Australia.
This lot should keep me busy for a while, but I have another couple of Australian history books waiting in the wings!!

Oh, and for those libertines who suggested that they might not have had the stomach for De Sade, may I suggest the incredibly popular 'The Sexual Life of Catherine M.' by Catherine Millet, the sexual autobiography of a french Intellectual woman who embarked on two decades of swinging/s+m/orgies etc. You can see women reading it on the tube everywhere in London - the mind boggles!!!!:tripping:

[borrisGLOWSTICK]

Originally posted by goja

Has any read the Raymond E. Feist's Empire series?

yes! all three were fantastic! i would love feist and wurts to do a follow up to that series!

[Lady Lex]

Originally posted by borrisGLOWSTICK


i have just started to re-read this book :) did you find that some of raymond e fiests books were pretty bad? there is a couple that have been good Murder in lamut and the Kings buccaneer are my personal favourites

and the book i have just finished reading was

" Lord Minimus " its a biography ( of sorts ) of Jeffrey Hudson, who was born in the 1600's and stood at only 19 inches tall! in his life he was a royal page, acted in Inigo Jones's masques, he was the queens chosen diplomat at 11 and he followed her into exile after the civil war, killed an opponent in a duel (the man mocked his size) was captured and held as slave in north africa for 25 odd years and when he finaly got back to england was imprisoned for treason! its only 255 pages long but was quite a interesting read.

Yeah some books were not to my liking.. dont know why. "Darkness at Sethernon (?)" was brilliant, so was the Empire series; I sort of enjoyed 'Prince of the Blood' .. Others like Jimmy the Hand was just out and out shit (ohhhh no! He hasnt sold out like Dean Koontz has he?). The Lord Minimus sounds awesome.. I might check that out (*Thanks!). I have 3 copies of Magician becasue the first one is literally falling apart (remains on my bedsides table for when I wake up in the wee hrs of the morn). Another in my bookcase. The other is permanently in my car. I love this book so much I think Ive read it about 250 times? I just really enjoy Feists language and grammer - and concepts of course. I met him when he came to Brisbane.. very humble sort of fellow though I got the impression that he could be a bit of a drunkard - I might be wrong though. Very intelligent man.

Have you read the Death Gate cycle by Hickman and Wurts? OMG! What a series!

[Chrysoula]

w0rm- Cant say that I have really taken an interest in persuing books that are entirely Aussie, just read what I hear is good or something I stuble across...

At the moment being stuck here in the country and there being no book store (the closest one to actually purchase from is 300ks away) :( I have to make do with the Library. They do an alright kinda job, yet most of the books (ok ALL of the books) I have requested so far they have none and I am waiting for them to come in on an inter library loan.. It sucks and I am off to the big smoke tomorow so think I best go stock up!!

I will definatly have a thick list of good books to get through eventually when I get them, knowing my luck all 15 will rock up at the same time! bah I'm not getting any sleep as it is at the moment so I have plenty of spare time for reading!!

Thanks to everyone that posted, keep the suggestions coming.. You can never read too many books I say (geez that made me sound like a nerd:P)

Yes cool people read too you know! Maybe they can use that slogan come book week and us itmers can be the cover models ;)

Whoop's I'm highjacking my own thread :)

[borrisGLOWSTICK]

Originally posted by Lady Lex


Have you read the Death Gate cycle by Hickman and Wurts? OMG! What a series!

yes! this series has the prime postion on my second bookcase ( with all things Midkemia and Kelewan on the other top shelf ) i loved this series! hugh the hand and haplo were fantastic characters and xar as the bad good guy was also great. the series really picked up for me from "The hand of chaos" and "The seventh gate" finishing it of wonderfully

have you read the short story by feist that was published in the book "Legends"? it has 11 stories by various fantasy writers and is very good :)

[gerg]

riftwar saga was great went a bit downhill after that as a few have mentioned...

other favourites -
the axis trilogy - sara douglass
fantasy series by an australian author

necromancer series - brian lumley
vampire world series - briam lumley
best fantasy books I've read

[choplet]

Originally posted by loveit
My most fav book would have to have been:

Pillers of the Earth - Ken Follett

I havn't read much of late as i have no time but i have just read the first 2 pages of 'Memories of a Geisha' by Arthur Golden and it already sounds intriging

memoirs of a geisha is a really good book!

i just finished reading magician - feist and rules of attraction - bret easton ellis

both really good

catch 22 is a classic
and everyone should read diceman - luke rhinehart

[feeble]

Originally posted by w0rm


Oh, and for those libertines who suggested that they might not have had the stomach for De Sade, may I suggest the incredibly popular 'The Sexual Life of Catherine M.' by Catherine Millet, the sexual autobiography of a french Intellectual woman who embarked on two decades of swinging/s+m/orgies etc. You can see women reading it on the tube everywhere in London - the mind boggles!!!!:tripping:

HAHAHAHAHAHA yeah, a couple of my lit geek friends and I have started a book club. The Sexual Life of Catherine M. was my pick, I loved it. She's reclaimed the pleasure of being well and truly fucked without relinquishing any power. However, we're yet to discuss it, as one of the boys, who shall remain nameless, has yet to finish it, his excuse being that he is sexually deprived and can't handle reading about all that fucking. Personally I think its cos he keeps nipping off to wank after every chapter.

[DarkenRahl]

Originally posted by Lady Lex

Have you read the Death Gate cycle by Hickman and Wurts? OMG! What a series!

My best friend has recomended this as well. It's like his favourite series. I have to read it!! {:-(

[jdoodle]

Originally posted by silvaside
wheel of time series - robert jordan

read the first 7 and then got fecking sick of it, too long no point

Eddings belgariad and the malorean (sp???) the best fantasy series i have read

reading a bit of tom clancy at the moment, bear and the dragon to counter the study i am doing, recently read william gibsons latest (whose name I have forgotten, I am sure someone knows it) pretty good, his best is neuromancer though, most visual book i have ever read, best sci-fi, I am probably going to read Ian Banks's newest book next, the guy is awesome, so prolific but still maintains such a high standard.

[Muffin Slut]

One of my favourite books of all time - 'Perfume' by Patrick Suskind (with an umlat on the U). Such a good read! The way he describes the smell of a human being it makes you wonder how the human race still manages to procreate. He's also written a novella called 'The Pigeon' - fucking brilliant! It's about this obsessive compulsive freak whose entire life is destroyed when he wakes up one morning to find a pigeon outside his apartment. It's a shame there isn't more of his work available in English... perhaps I should brush up on my German....

Another all-time favourite - 'Cloudstreet' by Tim Winton. It contains the best line ever written: "He felt a turd shunting against his sphincter" Pure poetry I tell you!

More recently, I just read a bunch of Phillip K. Dick novels - got totally a-DICK-ted (sorry couldn't resist). Recommend 'Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?' - the novel that became 'Blade Runner'. 'A Scanner-Darkly' was another great one - not very SF though - just a great drug novel - funny yet sad. Dick is great - he's worth reading just for his titles.

Just started 'Exquisite Corpse' by Poppy Z. Brite - it's about an AIDS infected necrophile - true Brite style. She's amazing - also worth checking out are "Lost Souls" and "Drawing Blood" , and if you could get your hands on it - her selection of short stories "Swamp Foetus"

And Beegie - (I think it was you) - James Ellroy is cool. He was my favourite author when I was going through my crime phase a couple of years back. Loved 'Dark Places' and loved 'L.A.Confidential'.

Could just keep going on this thread hey?

[peacefulwarrior]

If there are just two books I would recommend everyone on earth read they would be...........

Ishmael, An adventure of the mind and spirit by Daniel Quinn. I simply can't put into words just how much this book will affect your view of the world and humanities place in it. I will just copy a quote that sums up what I mean better than I could..........

"From now on I will divide the books I have read into two categories-the ones I read before Ishmael and those read after" - Jim Britell, Whole Earth Review.

Seriously people, this book is not only a life changing experience it is also a fantastically fun read too. If you like it, you can continue on and read the next two in the trilogy which expand and broaden the ideas put forward in Ishmael.

The other book would be...........

Way of the Peaceful Warrior by Dan Millman. A truly inspirational book about living life the way it should be lived. Again a book that has the potential to change your life.

Now if you are still interested at this point, heres the rest of what I wanted to say! lol


Originally posted by DarkenRahl
The thing that distresses me most is two of the books read like bad RPG computer games and the actions in both belittle the major events that occur in the riftwar and serpent war sagas making them somewhat insignificant in scope.


This is exactly correct. In fact the first book after the Serpent war saga is "Krondor: The Betrayal" and it is in fact based on a RPG computer game. Not sure if the next two in that series are as well, but even if they are not, they are not very good.

Needless to say I love most of Feist's work though. I have read all his books except his most recent two. I've just not had the money to buy them! I also love David Eddings, though lately he has been a bit repetitive. I pretty much love all fantasy and most sci-fi type stuff.

Some of my faves wouuld be...........

Running with the demon series by Terry Brooks. Good V Evil battled out within one persons' soul in modern times.

Enders Series by Orson Scott Card. "ideas" sci fi at it's best

River God series by Wilbur Smith. Ancient Egyptian tale of war, espionage, love, betrayal and magic weaving fact with fiction.

The Ancient Future Trilogy by Traci Harding. Great sci-fi/fantasy crossover. However I think the continuation trilogy gets a bit off.

The Tomorrow series by John Marsden. Terrific young adults adventure war stories. The intial trilogy is fantastic. It then goes on to be a 7 book series but the next four just aren't as good, I think he just wanted to make more money.

I could go on and on and on here but I wont. I own over 500 books and have read well over a few thousand in my time. You pretty much wont find me without a book nearby. I love it and one day hope to own my own book store so I can be like a kindly old man sharing books with the world :-)

Qa'pla,
PeacefulWarrior

[DarkenRahl]

Originally posted by peacefulwarrior
"From now on I will divide the books I have read into two categories-the ones I read before Ishmael and those read after" - Jim Britell, Whole Earth Review.


I've seen a very similar comment about Lord of the Rings. Something along the lines of, "The literary world can be divided into two types of people. Those that have read lord of the rings and those who are going to"

In regards to sci-fi. I read a bit now and then when recommended and 2 that impressed me were "Vurt" and "Pollen" by Jeff Noon. These were more cyber punkish and really cool.

Another little known series would be "The Skystone" series. A 5 book series. I forget the author but its historical fantasy set at the end of the Roman Britain era. I have a great interest in this period and location so the book is especially interesting for me. Its an excellent read either way.

Dang the authors name is on the tip of my tongue, it might be Jack/Arthur Whyte maybe... :?

[w0rm]

Originally posted by DarkenRahl


I've seen a very similar comment about Lord of the Rings. Something along the lines of, "The literary world can be divided into two types of people. Those that have read lord of the rings and those who are going to"




What about those who never have, and never will? Fantasy novels shit me to tears.!

[Muffin Slut]

Originally posted by w0rm



What about those who never have, and never will? Fantasy novels shit me to tears.!

AH!!!!! BLASPHEMY!!!!

(Each to their own though bro - just hurts so much to see/hear it said).

[feelinveryweird]

best fantasy books ive ever read would have to be the duncton chronicles by william horwood. classic stuff!

last 2 books i read were ok but nothing special. kept me reading but didn't leave any lasting impression. i don't read nearly as much as i used to or would like to, so can't recommend anything recent unfortunately

[DarkenRahl]

Originally posted by w0rm



What about those who never have, and never will? Fantasy novels shit me to tears.!

I feel no guilt telling you how much I despise Australian history books. It's one topic I find really really boring. :D

[jdoodle]

I love aussie political histories, especially biographies, also anything on the labour party, I doubt there is much left in that genre I havent read

[DarkenRahl]

Originally posted by jdoodle
I love aussie political histories, especially biographies, also anything on the labour party, I doubt there is much left in that genre I havent read

Man w0rm. I didn't think you capable of the ol' 2 ITM login dodge...

:lol:

[w0rm]

:blush:

fully sprung!:p And I can see why you would find some of the books I read boring!


But look at it this way...one day, I will know a great deal about your beautiful country and be able to better understand your society, heritage and culture - whereas you will know about how to chop off a balrog's head with the mighty blade of mithras...

[Lady Lex]

Originally posted by jdoodle
Eddings belgariad and the malorean (sp???) the best fantasy series i have read

I find Eddings to be very good and grammatically correct (thats important to me) but I also find that his series' starts to repeat themselves. The Elenium was the best out... what a friggin series! (and the artwork on the covers were really good too) but after a few series, all the characters start blending into each other... Sparhawk and BelGareth seems to be the same person to me... (Though I do like Sparhawk better.. dont know why).

I started my fantasy life with Eddings, but if you move on to Hickman and Wiess and Wurts and Feist, I think you will be truly moved. The Death Gate Cycle in particular REALLY stands out. This series shits all over anything Eddings writes (and I really love Eddings)

Hey - did anyone read Faery Tale by Fiest... OMG How out there. Love it love it

I have just finished reading Boys from Brazil for the umpteenth time. The whole concept of this book just fascinates me: cloning and how circumstances can contribute toward the upbringing of that person.... wowowowo

[circular]

Originally posted by w0rm
Fantasy novels shit me to tears.!

word. I have no tolerance for fantasy novels.

as soon as elves, dragons and fake medieval-style settings make an appearance my eyes glaze over.

[Boeotian]

Just finished reading Nietzsche's Beyond Good and Evil (1886) and Thus Spake Zarathustra (1883-1892) for the umpteenth time. One of the most misunderstood, and misconstrued philosophers (In my opinion anyway).

Also finished reading selected writings and poetry of Goethe (Who some people think was one of the most intelligent persons to have ever lived) and Schopenhauer (who held that will is the fundamental reality to which all knowledge and reason are subject).

Also read fairly recently a biography on Dali (can't for the life of me remember the name of it, nor the author), but truly a fascinating person.

I havn't had any time to read anything other than those in the last weeks, damn university!

[DarkenRahl]

Originally posted by w0rm
:blush:

fully sprung!:p And I can see why you would find some of the books I read boring!


But look at it this way...one day, I will know a great deal about your beautiful country and be able to better understand your society, heritage and culture - whereas you will know about how to chop off a balrog's head with the mighty blade of mithras...

mithras!

Gandalf wields Glamdring, sister sword of Orcist which lies on Thorin's chest deep under the lonely mountain. ;D

In many years there will be few to equal my knowledge of the military aspects of ww2. :D And to a lesser degree the political side of things. (This is in a strictly itm environment :lol: ) It's one of the only things I've read about for the past 13 years.

I totally dig your dislike of fantasy.

[peacefulwarrior]

Originally posted by Lady Lex
Hey - did anyone read Faery Tale by Fiest... OMG How out there. Love it love it

I love that book!! It was THE book that started my love affair with all things fantasy, mythology, ancient history etc etc.

Originally posted by Lady Lex
I also find that his series' starts to repeat themselves. The Elenium was the best out... what a friggin series!

I agree. I love David Eddings as well but he does seem to only have the one main plot line after a while and just sort of changes the character names and places a bit. Notice how the Mallorean is basically the same series as the Belgariad. After a while all his books seem to follow the same well worn path. That's the main reason I haven't read his last couple.
The sword of shanara series by Terry Brooks is very similar in that regard. By the end of the fourth book I was hoping he would go out and pay someone else just to get a new idea!! The second series is better though I thought.

Qa'pla,
PeacefulWarrior

[DarkenRahl]

Originally posted by peacefulwarrior

The sword of shanara series by Terry Brooks is very similar in that regard. By the end of the fourth book I was hoping he would go out and pay someone else just to get a new idea!! The second series is better though I thought.

Qa'pla,
PeacefulWarrior

Don't get me started on terry brooks. I think I read the first sword of shannara book or some such. It just felt like D&D mixed with a bad attempt to emulate Tolkien.

Ugh.

:D

[soma]

Hrmmmm, nice thread, We've had a few of these in the Melbourne forum led by our own bookstore-clerk-cum-fanatic, Pinke.

I don't read nearly as often as I used to, but I still dig it when I do.

I have pretty defined tastes in literature I guess you could say, I'm definitely not a fan of fantasy novels! Or history novels for that matter, pretty sure I would fall asleep there *yawn*. My favourite novels are all ones which have challenged my world view in some way - subversive literature I guess you could call them. I also have a peculiar addiction to being disturbed, both in film and literature.


Survivor - Chuck Palahniuk
Fight Club - Chuck Palahniuk
Choke - Chuck Palahniuk (just finished)
Lullaby - Chuck Palahniuk (about to start)

(In fact anything by Palahniuk, the guy is so dark & twisted & brasenly sarcastic.... he's the king!)


American Psycho - Brett Easton Eliis

White Noise - Don Delillo

Naked Lunch - William S. Burroughs
Junky - William S. Burroughs

Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas - Hunter S. Thompson
(one of the funniest books you will ever read)

Requiem For A Dream - Hubert Selby Jnr
(the most depressing book I've ever read... but brilliant in every way)

Cocaine - Phil Strongman

The Wind Up Bird Chronicle - Murakami

Atomised - Michel Houellebecq

Brave New World - Aldous Huxley

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? - Phillip K. Dick

Gravity - Tess Gerritsen



And if you think there's too many books that have been made into movies there, well, there's a reason they were made into films!

Check 'em out.
Open to suggestions if you think anything would be up my alley too.

[Lady Lex]

Originally posted by soma
American Psycho - Brett Easton Eliis

Naked Lunch - William S. Burroughs

Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas - Hunter S. Thompson
(one of the funniest books you will ever read)
Brave New World - Aldous Huxley



Loved all these books: got really lost in Naked Lunch but when I reread it... the whole concept finally dawned upon me! Prefer the book much more than the movie though! (even if Peter Greenway did it justice)

Loved loved loved Fear and Loathing: actually, saw the movie 1st and read the book 2nd. To others out there, I recommend this course of action. The movie is wonderful but the book after the movie was like the cherry to top it off!

I found Brave New World changed my entire persepctive on life and even to this day, I am still influenced by that book. In fact, it started my love affair with Mr Huxley.... What an awe inspiring man! Such concepts.. especially during the 1920s!!!

Geez Soma... with such a name you wouldnt be a fan of Aldous yourself would you? Have you read 'Doors of Perception'?

[Sid Ferret]

I've noticed that not one person into fantasy has mentioned any books by david gemmel. I'm not usually a fan of fantasy but theres just something about gemmels stories and the way he writes. Try reading his Drenei or Rigante series. fantasy at its best.

[DarkenRahl]

Originally posted by Sid Ferret
I've noticed that not one person into fantasy has mentioned any books by david gemmel. I'm not usually a fan of fantasy but theres just something about gemmels stories and the way he writes. Try reading his Drenei or Rigante series. fantasy at its best.

Gemmel is indeed entertaining but its pulp fantasy.

Every book is the same wih the same. Bastard/Abandoned child grows up with amazing combat skills and fights the overwhelming odds/avenges parents death etc.

I love gemmel but it has no re-read value for me. I've read LoTR's to many times to count. Other fantasy series's I know I will re-read many many times but with Gemmel it will be a long time before I re-read any of them because of the pulp nature of his characters/plot etc.

I love borrowing Gemmel books but not purchasing them.

[soma]

Originally posted by Lady Lex
Loved all these books: got really lost in Naked Lunch but when I reread it... the whole concept finally dawned upon me! Prefer the book much more than the movie though! (even if Peter Greenway did it justice)

Just to be the anal-retentive movie buff that I am I'll correct you on the director of Naked Lunch - it was David Cronenberg. Although Greenaway is another auteur! Personally I thought Cronenberg's film was fantastic... I saw it before I read the book.... but once again he proved that he is one of the few directors out there (Gilliam being another) who can make a movie of considerably "unfilmable" texts. But as you say, it is a powerful and IMO pretty amusing read. Very unique and mind-jarring writing style.

Originally posted by Lady Lex
Loved loved loved Fear and Loathing: actually, saw the movie 1st and read the book 2nd. To others out there, I recommend this course of action. The movie is wonderful but the book after the movie was like the cherry to top it off!

Exactly the same 8-)

Originally posted by Lady Lex
I found Brave New World changed my entire persepctive on life and even to this day, I am still influenced by that book. In fact, it started my love affair with Mr Huxley.... What an awe inspiring man! Such concepts.. especially during the 1920s!!!

Geez Soma... with such a name you wouldnt be a fan of Aldous yourself would you? Have you read 'Doors of Perception'?

Again, same with me. I had to read this in secondary school and it was one of the few books I read during this period that made me sit up and actually question the world around me. Brave New World had a massive impact on me at that age and definitely shaped my world view and thought processes into what they are today. The guy was a phrophetic visionary to conjure up such madness in the 1920's! The amazing thing is that it is all beggining to come true in so many ways. I have my own analogy for "soma", check out the Michael Moore thread if interested.

As for the psudonymn, you got it, pretty much ripped it straight out of BNW - although it also happens to be one of my favourite record labels.

I haven't read any of Huxley's other works. Just never got around to it although I've always been keen to. Any you think are 'must-reads'? Doors Of Perception then?

Also, if you like those listed you can't go past Palahniuk. Seriously, he's the fucking king!! Dark, twisted, subversive, jaded and funny as hell. Every novel I pick up of his has been the bomb. XD

[rchinn]

My recent war path has been:

* CATHERINE M - really enjoyed the removed unembelished approach, concepts of inner space, power femmes, other pop philosophy

* BEE - GLAMOURAMA - fell in love with Victor Ward, had to manage one moment on the bus to work when i stubled across a very graphic few pages [please also see Man-kup thread in Lifestyle forum]

* DeLILLO - COSMOPOLIS - really getting into the neo-realists now, De Lillo's characters take on more of an introspective self-analysis and self-knowledge route, I missed BEE's name droping and brand references but I liked having a lead character that was smart and self aware

* BEE - LESS THAN ZERO - was not bad

Now i am reading DeLILLO - UNDERWORLD but making slower progress. Has anyone finished this yet?

[feeble]

Soma- go read Huxley's Eyeless In Gaza. I think it's better than BNW. The themes aren't quite so obviously spelt out, and the characters have a bit more soul... they aren't just stereotypes created to represent his point. You should also read Island, which is his Utopia to Brave New World's Dystopia. It was his last novel, and contains something almost approaching hope for the human race.

(Nice list by the way. Looks a bit like my bookshelf, although I have to admit I'm not quite so enamoured of Chuck P, something about his writing rubs me up the wrong way....)


rchinn- yeah I finished Underworld. I didn't like it that much to be honest, baseball as a metaphor for America? Pause while I choke on a gobbet of sickly national sentiment. On the other hand, Mr Easton Ellis is my hero, and Glamorama close to my favourite novel, if indeed I could be said to have such a thing. So cruel and clever and utterly disgusted by everything he sees around him. Read The Informers yet?

[rchinn]

feebs - no i havent read The Informers yet - although I may 'pause' reading Underworld and kick off on the Informed foot.

so totally there on the glamourama front - it is definately one of my favourites - many times when asked by friends "didnt i see you at..." their question gets met with "no, i wasnt there, your mistaken" and for about a month i was answering questions [at work, everywhere] with vague himbo responses like "cool babe" as wondering about what i thought of the new commes des garcons range. so totally more fun than the other recurring line between friends about "returning videotapes".

so maybe the glamourama thing explains my love for the 'hair direction' - you been back yet?

[kubikle-kittin]

classics: 'middlemarch', 'wuthering heights', 'paradise lost'

modern: anything by byatt, self, carey, winterson and *cringe* rand

raunch: the ever popular 'catherine m' ;) but can't beat 'the story of o'. there are some interesting biographies of the marquis that are better reads than his work imo

oh and i think i'm up to my 29th read of 'the lord of the rings' :P trying to squeeze in another round before the final flick comes out

very envious of you ppl working in bookshops - my dream job!

[discofunk]

Absolute favorite would have to be "JR" by William Gaddis. It's not for everyone though - 726 pages of post-modern writing, no chapters, all dialogue, no indication as to who is speaking other than through context, and it's been likened to being locked in a phone booth for 726 pages as 12 people simultaneously scream down the line at you, but for me it's the most breathtaking book I've ever read - a biting satire of modern America and the corruption of art and life through business and the noise of day to day life.

[soma]

feeble: Will do, thanks for the advice. Which one is better - Gaza/Island? Also sounds like Glamourama is one to grab a hold of.

Can't believe you're not into Palahniuk! Especially you being a fan of Ellis and Delillo. The guy appeals immensely to my jaded and sarcastic little mind. Out of interest, which of his novels have you read? Have you read Choke?

[MzRizk]

Helter Skelter: Vincent Bugliosi
Candide: Voltaire
The Greatest: Muhammad Ali
anything by Ovid....
:)

[feeble]

Soma- I've read all of them, apart from the latest, 'Diary'. Its not that I hate his writing, I think he's very talented, and I love American Weird Fiction generally. Just doesn't really do it for me for some reason.... I'm practically the only person I know who thinks this though, all my friends think that he's god. Comes down to personal opinion I 'spose.

[tathi]

Robert Heinlein - Stranger in a Strange Land: One of the most insightful books i have ever read

George Orwell - 1984: Brilliant

Frank Herbert - Dune: Coincidental satire

Death Gate Cycle - Pinnacle of contemporary fantasy

Wizards First Rule - I notice someones alias is DarkenRahl ;)

Magician: Fiest's work goes downhill from here

Belgariad / Mallorean: Read these when i was 11, have been a fantasy addict since :)

Ben Hecht - Fantazious MallarePrinted in limited edition of two thousand copies in 1922 and privately circulated, it was confiscated by the federal government as obscene An amazing book, very wierd, enjoyable nonetheless, maybe those who liked the Marquis De Sade should look into it
Boeotian
Just finished reading Nietzsche's Beyond Good and Evil (1886) and Thus Spake Zarathustra (1883-1892) for the umpteenth time. One of the most misunderstood, and misconstrued philosophers (In my opinion anyway). I agree, i read Human all to Human a couple of years ago, his other works are in the queue :P

[SPOKEYDOKEY]

soma, with what you've read of huxley so far, i know Island would be a good one to round off your view of his work, Island is, from what i understand, his last work, i'm unsure if this was by choice or death, however it is a fantastic read

i haven't read Eyeless though so can't say it's any better or worse :lol:

wOrm - try Leviathan, by John Birmingham, and even He Died With a Felafel In His Hand by same author, felafel is a contemporary look at now on the eastern side of OZ, while Leviathan is a great "Unauthorised biography of Sydney", which is well worth a read to see how and why we got to be the hustling, bustling economic metropolis that we are :p

as for my reading recently, hmmmm, let's see, of late i've been wearing out the carpet of the second hand book store in nth syders, here's a few;

The Joe Orton Diaries - a playwright from London, was murdered by his boyfriend in 1968, wrote a few comedy/farce/satires in the vein of the "Carry On.." movies, one of his plays Loot, is playing in syders at the moment i saw in the paper. the diary is of the last 6 or so months of his life, i've only just begun this, there's also his biography, made into a film with tim roth and gary oldman, it's called Prick Up Your Ears

Roald Dahl - Over To You, a book of 10 short stories from the authors time in the air force, just got this this morning but Dahl never disappoints me

Automated Alice, Jeff Noon, - a friend lent me first Vurt, now AA, this is written as a treacle, i mean, trequel to the Alice in Wonderland adventures...not sure if this is a self-indulgent writing exercise yet, almost finished, but for an exercise, Noon has done very well, the wordplay has brought forth many little giggles and smiles aside on the bus

Albert Camus - A Happy Death, this was published posthumously and is taken from a couple of manuscripts, it is a type of forerunner for The Outsider, an interesting read also, A Happy Death looks into the pursuit of happiness next to the actual feeling of happiness and which is more worthwhile through life, i've gotten into Camus in the last year and find him easy to read (except for the bloody Rebel) and brings over some interesting insights on everyday life

Homage to Catalonia - George Orwell, the author that wrote 1984 and Animal Farm volunteered to help a group fighting in the Spanish Civil War against the Fascists, this is a memoir to his experiences there. Not having any previous knowledge of the War in Spain, this is a good read to get a general idea, a war in which the reportage and propaganda were one and the same, Orwell comments a couple of times not to take his word as fact, that mistakes were made by most reports on the war and the spread of knowledge during the time was vague and misleading, beside that, most of what he notes are his experiences with war, the Spanish people and the country itself, if you can get the hang of the constant abbreviations then you're halfway there for a good read

there's more but i feel that's it for now ;D

[w0rm]

Thanks for the tip spokey! I've read 'felafel' but never heard of 'leviathan', I will go look for it! Oh, and by the way, you have the same taste in books as me!( Fantastically good, obviously!:p )

[SPOKEYDOKEY]

Originally posted by w0rm
But look at it this way...one day, I will know a great deal about your beautiful country and be able to better understand your society, heritage and culture - whereas you will know about how to chop off a balrog's head with the mighty blade of mithras...

:lol: while i don't equal your passion against fantasy, the sentiment is in the same direction, this is a fucking funny way of putting it

[Steph]

Anna Karenina really is the best novel ever written. Absolutely amazing work.

Also in the novel category:

The Third Eye by Lobsang Rampa
a novel of life as a Tibetan Monk pre the Chinese invasion (with a twist).

The Kiss & other stories by Anton Chekhov: The best of Realism.

The Little Prince by Antoine De Saint-Exupery: A look at adult behaviour through a children's book.

For informing yourself:


The New Rulers of the World by John Pilger: A must.

The Fatal Shore by Robert Hughes: A historical look at white Australian settlement, from the early 1700s on. Great, informative book. The research that went into this book!! 60 pages of notes and bibliography!!

For your spirit:

The Art of Happiness by His Holiness the Dalai Lama: nuff said.

The Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield: A good starting point for those new to metaphysics.

The Wisdom of Florence Scovel Shinn by the same: A four book set with some insightful lessons on Spirituality.

and for those of you ready for some answers (and not all are):

Kryon channelled by Lee Carroll: A series of books filled with practical messages about our existence. The why/who/how of living, for the advanced soul (you know who you are). I picked the first of these books up 12 months ago and had all I ever wondered and knew confirmed.

[w0rm]

Originally posted by Steph
The why/who/how of living, for the advanced soul (you know who you are).


I'd argue against this, and say that I think the truly 'advanced soul' would have life sorted, be happy with who they are, and be down the pub having fun with their mates rather than wading through a load of pretentious american pseudo-twaddle...;)

[jdoodle]

Originally posted by SPOKEYDOKEY




Automated Alice, Jeff Noon, - a friend lent me first Vurt, now AA, this is written as a treacle, i mean, trequel to the Alice in Wonderland adventures...not sure if this is a self-indulgent writing exercise yet, almost finished, but for an exercise, Noon has done very well, the wordplay has brought forth many little giggles and smiles aside on the bus





what colour feather are you taking spokes? aside from neoromancer, Vurt is the most visual book I have ever read, set in Manchester, it is well worth a look, espeically if you share the authors fondness for clubbing and all the extras that come with t:-*

[Steph]

Originally posted by w0rm
I'd argue against this
No arguments here champ :)
although I recommend they have it on hand for a bit of light reading post-pub.

[SPOKEYDOKEY]

:lol: vurt, i found...interesting, to quote dr spock, not brilliant, but very interesting, i do enjoy w.gibsons' books though, neuromancer is a given, but the one i really enjoyed was All Tomorrow's Parties, his second last one. he seemed to be closing off from a couple of his previous ones, even managed to refer to neuromancer again

and i must agree, a truly enlightened soul would always be found where the fun is

[DamoK]

There's a lot of stuff I don't agree with on here but a lot of stuff I do :)

I'll just add a couple that I enjoyed, not sure if i'm repeating:

Fools Die - Mario Puzo
Candide - Voltare
the Informers, American Psycho and Glamorama - Bret Easton Ellis
Survivor - Palahniuk
White Noise - De Lillo

i'll add more a bit later when I can think straight.

currently reading Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts. So far so good.

[peacefulwarrior]

Originally posted by Steph
Kryon channelled by Lee Carroll: A series of books filled with practical messages about our existence. The why/who/how of living, for the advanced soul (you know who you are).
Advanced soul? Is not the soul a perfect spark of the creator that dwells within and connects all things? How can one soul be advanced and another not, when it all comes from the same source and is in essence the same thing? The soul is, it is only our awareness of it that differs. The truly advanced soul realises that all things are one. Thus the whole concept of "advanced" is moot, for one must ask "advanced compared to what?" and as there is nothing to compare it to it can't be advanced of that thing. It would be comparable to comparing drops in the ocean and deciding which is more advanced. When in the ocean, the drops make up the whole and are one.

I do agree with your selection of books on things of spirit though. All great reads.

Well, except for Kryon which I can't comment on, having not read it. Having had some first hand experience with channelling though, I urge anyone interested in reading channelled works to do so with a discerning mind. Many channelled messages are very good and contain a very clear understanding of very high spiritual truths. Others, however, are not so good. Simply because an entity is non-coporeal in form does not mean it necessarily has any greater understanding of the truth than those souls manifesting in the physical. Some of the greatest works I have read were by the Buddha and Krishna, both of which manifested in the physical to pass on their wisdom and understanding.

Ok, here ends the thread hijack and apologies to anyone annoyed at my having done so.

Qa'pla,
PeacefulWarrior

[SPOKEYDOKEY]

Originally posted by peacefulwarrior

Advanced soul? Is not the soul a perfect spark of the creator that dwells within and connects all things? How can one soul be advanced and another not,

i'm aiming for the shrunken soul...all it requires is many many late nights doing foul and despicable deeds ;)

[feeble]

Spokes... ooh! Jeff Noon! I've read Needle In The Groove, was totally in awe of his ability to write an entire novel in lyrical form and make it work.... read any Rushkoff?

[Muffin Slut]

Now, judge me if you will - in fact, don't hold back - bring on the nastiness! I'm ashamed at myself for responding to this thread and not mentioning.....

HARRY POTTER!!!!!!!!

All five of them!

They fucking rock!!!

Give me an
H!
O!
G!
W!
A!
R!
T!
S!

What does it spell.....?

HOGWARTS!!!!!

[SPOKEYDOKEY]

another author to look out for is Linda Jaivin, she writes erotic fiction, best described by one critic writing, "one minute you're totally turned on, the next you're crying with laughter", i've not read better sex scenes...she remembers the most important part..the fun and funny that is involved,

check out her books, Eat Me, Rock'n'Roll Babes From Outer Space, Confessions of an S & M Virgin, Miles Walker You're Dead, and a non-fiction i've not read yet is The Monkey and the Dragon (about the Tianammen Square Massacre)

and the fictions are set mostly round syders so can be good visuals as you read

[Muffin Slut]

Ah yes.... I know of what you speak Spokey.... not bad.

[SPOKEYDOKEY]

Originally posted by Muffin Slut
Ah yes.... I know of what you speak Spokey.... not bad.

thank fuck someone does :lol:

[circular]

Originally posted by SPOKEYDOKEY
:lol: vurt, i found...interesting, to quote dr spock, not brilliant, but very interesting, i do enjoy w.gibsons' books though, neuromancer is a given, but the one i really enjoyed was All Tomorrow's Parties, his second last one. he seemed to be closing off from a couple of his previous ones, even managed to refer to neuromancer again

all tomorrows parties was ok, but I prefered idoru. I still think the sprawl trilogy is his best work. has anyone else read his latest, pattern recognition? it's set in the present..it's diferent to his usual stuff, not science fictional but it still retains cyberpunkish undertones.

I've read some of jeff noons stuff. he's definately got an interesting style...alot of his writing reads like poetry. but spokey dokey, agree that some of it leans towards the self indulgent side a bit.

[Steph]

Originally posted by peacefulwarrior

Advanced soul? Sorry, incorrect choice of words. For those with advanced awareness would be more accurate, as you correctly point out, and I think it would be right up your alley :)
No joining special groups, no worshipping the chanelled, just positive, helpful information, given in Love.
You'll eventually come across it.

[DarkenRahl]

Reading Colleen McCullough, "The Grass Crown" at the moment.

Right down my alley, Ancient Roman historical fiction. Am loving it. This is the second book in the series. The first one was awesome.

[w0rm]

Just wanted to tell you about this absolutely fucking amazing coffee table book I picked up this week, it's called

'100 Suns 1945-1962' by Michael Light

and is a collection of 100 previously classified photographs of atmospheric nuclear tests. I've always found this kind of stuff completely fascinating in a morbid way(I've even got a six foot square photo of an h-bomb detonation at bikini atoll above my bed;D), and these pictures are probably the most chillingly beautiful things you will ever see, thoroughly thought provoking and awe-inspiring!!!


"I am become death........the destroyer of worlds......."

[SPOKEYDOKEY]

i got "see spot run" the other day, a bleedin' marvel it is







also got "immortality" by milan kundera, so far it's been orright, he's fun to read, the way he'll ask, as a novellist, to do something in his book, then go right ahead and fukn do it anyway, but so far, if you enjoy kundera at all, this seems worth it

p.s. don't try and review a book at the end of a night shift, look above to see why :lol:

[MattD]

nice thread chrys :)

ive only recently decided to start reading non reference type books, and ive been on a bit of a political science bent (1984, BNW, Utopia...) but i finally managed to find the compendium of hitchhikers guide to the galaxy novels.. should be a nice change :)

i really enjoyed neuromancer, and william s burrough's junky too :)

Matt D

[SPOKEYDOKEY]

the hitchhiker stuff always gives me giggles, enjoy it

[Maurizio]

I'm sorta new to all this. I haven't really read anything outside of school but i was in the mood for something different and a friend recommended The Catcher In The Rye - J.D.Salinger so i read it and i loved it. I think this might have started an obsession but i don't mind it. :)

I'm 10 pages into 1984 - George Orwell and it's really... well it's very in depth. I'll see how it goes but i'm intruiged so far. And after this i'll have to start checking out some of the ones mentioned above. ;)

*Maurizio runs back to 1984*

[SPOKEYDOKEY]

sorta the way i got back into reading, after school there were all the ones like 1984, brave new world and such that i hadn't studied, so went and found them in 2nd hand book stores and really dug them, i haven't read 'Catcher' yet but will have to give it a shot sometime

the reading obsession is one of the healthier one can have ;D

[Evan]

I've been reading Norwegian Wood for about a month and a half now. 5 pages here, 5 pages there. Its a good book, but I dont think I'll be finished before christmas...

[Evan]

Originally posted by SPOKEYDOKEY
sorta the way i got back into reading, after school there were all the ones like 1984, brave new world and such that i hadn't studied, so went and found them in 2nd hand book stores and really dug them, i haven't read 'Catcher' yet but will have to give it a shot sometime

the reading obsession is one of the healthier one can have ;D

If I could bash any fictional character to death with a frozen fish, I'd bash Holden Caulfield.:|

[richw]

hmmm recent good reads (highlights of the last year):

- "People Watching" Desmond Morris - Awesome study of body language and human behaviour
- "Playing the Future" - Douglas Rushkoff - Describes the paradigm shifts emerging through contemporary youth culture
- "The Hidden Connections" - Fritjof Capra - Emergence, ecology and systemic view of life. Highlights how abstract concepts fundamental to cells and life are recapitulated at higher levels (think fractals and chaos)
- "Understanding Media" - Marshall McLuhan - Transformed my way of thinking about pretty much all interactions and communication
- "Culture Jam" - Kalle Lasn - Why did I just buy a coke?!?... :meh:

Hi Chrys! ;D

[SPOKEYDOKEY]

:lol: evan

richw, do you know about adbusters (http://www.adbusters.org/home/) magazine? sounds like you'd enjoy this one, it's a culture-spam type mag

[richw]

Yeah I sometimes pick up Adbusters.. although I havent seen "cool fascimo" around anywhere yet... must be here soon.

A new Australian, indie media magazine has recently started too; Spinach7 (http://spinach7.com/)

First issue was a good read.

[SPOKEYDOKEY]

so long as it's got pretty pictures i'm all for it :lol:

you may or may not like Tom Wolfe's 'Hooking Up', a look at life in the US and the world in the year 2000, looks at the emergence of the internet among other stuff, an interesting look, speaks a bit of Mcluhan which is what brought it to mind

[richw]

I completely forgot the most amazing book I read this year.

"More Brilliant than the Sun" - Kodwo Eshun - he describes the cybernetic vision of electronic music and its pioneers. Looking at Dub, techno jazz fission and jungle. Develops a new language that is daunting at first, but I believe this is truely the most insightful writing I have read about music. Next Level Shit!