books

#1

I think we should have a place where we can dump our pseudo-reviews and discuss the stuff we’ve been reading recently. I’ll begin.

I recently finished Year Zero by Rob Reid. It was so uneven in quality. At points it was humorous and entertaining, and at others it was groan-inducing and laborious. Rob Reid makes some excellent points about the state of the music industry and their litigiousness, but I think his problem here is he’s trying too hard to be Douglas Adams. If you want to see Reid at his best, check out his Ted talk here. 3/5

Changing themes a little bit, a friend recently lent me his copy of the Fabric of the Cosmos, authored by Brian Greene. Damn, this is a great book. Thought provoking and insightful from the very first paragraph, Greene really has a knack for making high-level material understandable, even for someone as dense as I am. I’m only about 3/4 of the way through the book, but it’s really engrossing. If you have even a fleeting interest in physics, and even if you don’t like to concern yourself with math and equations, give it a read. It’s given me plenty of insights into the world around me. 5/5

I also just finished up Cat’s Cradle for what was probably the third or fourth time. I fell in love with Vonnegut in high school and wanted to commit to reading his complete works (novels, at the very least) before the year’s up. 5/5

(ur turn)

#2

finished The Catcher in the Rye yesterday… Although Salinger is considered world literature and I had high expectations reading it (GITS SAC got me on this) it somehow turned out plain boring and I don’t really see the transition of the main character…
2-3/5

#3

I started reading Dragonflight a while, but I had a lot of trouble getting into it. Maybe I’ll get around to finishing it if and when I pick up a new charger for my Kindle fire, as my current one is broken.

#4

I’ve been thinking about picking this book named Barometer Rising, which is a Canadian Novel often included in high school curriculums. Any Canadian fellas read this yet? Would it be worth it?

#5

The only Canadian author I can think of reading at the moment is Douglas Coupland. He’s okay.
I’m more of a science reader. Just finished reading ‘A Brief History of Time’ again. Looking into reading a Michio Kaku book next.

#6

I am trying to start reading the Ace/Lancer Conan series, but I just don’t have the time to do it.

#7

If Canada, Margaret Atwood comes to mind. Oryx and Crake is a great book.

#8

Neuromancer anyone?

#9

Finished the Frankenstein series by Dean Koontz and started the Wheel of Time series.

#10

I started reading the Wheel of Time but got bored of it halfway through the fourth or fifth book.

It’s a fairly good series, really.

#11

Vonnegut is awesome! Read Slaughterhouse Five and Breakfast of Champions next. You will absolutely love those.
Note:Vonnegut has a cameo appearance as himself in the movie Back to School. Rodney Dangerfield hires him to write a paper about himself and Vonnegut appears at his door with the final product. Funny, but his instructor gave him a “C” on the paper!

Catcher in the Rye was the first book that I ever read completely through in one sitting. Couldn’t put it down. I was a teenager when I read it so, that was probably the reason that it had such an impact on me. The only reason I can think that you wouldn’t have enjoyed it is you are either too young or too old to empathize with the character. I’s considered a great piece of literature for a reason.

#12

Recently finished Degrees of Freedom by Simon Morden. Great book. I highly recommend the entire Petrovich trilogy- brilliant new age cyberpunk.

#13

I recently finished reading Poisonwood Bible and As I Lay Dying out of necessity (ie to pass literature class).

They’re not bad, but I believe I would have enjoyed them more if I wasn’t forced to read them.

#14

Slaughterhouse-Five was the first book of his I read. I’m working on Man Without a Country at the moment (I had no idea his essays would rival his fiction), and I’ll make sure to hit those two next.

#15

Neuromancer, excellent book. Well, the whole trilogy is great.

#16

it’s not really a book but i have been way into Grinch 2000 by busta rhymes (ft. jim carrey) lately

#17

My prodigal son returns

#18

Breakfast of Champions is my favorite Vonnegut book. Athough it’s probably his most well known, I think Slaughterhouse 5 is my least favorite of his that I’ve read.

Finished 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami not long ago and I’m about to start Anathem by Neal Stephenson. Digging the long novels right now I guess, both are 1000+ page beasts.

#19

I’m currently reading Dead Souls by Gogol. I had previously read his short stories and loved them, so I thought it was about time I checked out his longer novels.

I’m only 50 pages in, but so far so good.

#20

I just finished reading Das Schloss/The Castle for a school-thingy. It was … okay, I guess.

While I can’t say that the story itself was particularly enjoyable, or that I was entertained in the slightest, I did still somehow enjoy reading it, and I found it quite interesting.

It’s hard even trying to describe it considering the very unique style it has.

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