Roll the Bones 74 Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 listened to this on audiobook. Not for everyone, but I give it 4 stars. These were written by the guy that started Speptic Magazine. Pretty easy reads and vastly interesting about why and how we believe things. Fun and interesting.I also recently listened to The English Patient which i enjoyed.Michael Chabon is one of the all time great writers. Long book but excellent writing.Starting Infidel tonight which should be good as well. Link to post Share on other sites
Southern Buddhist 1 Posted January 18, 2011 Share Posted January 18, 2011 An unpublished dissertation on Middleton's sources. FML.[it's not that terrible, but it's not exactly pleasure reading, either.] Link to post Share on other sites
Roll the Bones 74 Posted January 18, 2011 Share Posted January 18, 2011 An unpublished dissertation on Middleton's sources. FML.[it's not that terrible, but it's not exactly pleasure reading, either.]I've was thinking about the book The Other this morning (from above) and I was thinking you'd probably like it. Lots of references to literary works and gnosticism, along with some interesting thoughts and it's well written. Mostly about a kid who removes himself from society and his friend that he left 440 million dollars to. Link to post Share on other sites
myenemy 0 Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 Can anyone recommend a good philosophy book? Something for someone who has never read any philosophy, a starter book. Thanks. Link to post Share on other sites
Dubey 1,035 Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 Just finished reading 'The girl with the Dragon tattoo".I liked it, but it didn't blow me away or anything. There was a lot of buildup, but the payoff was just ok. I think I'll finish this trilogy first, then move on to Fall of Giants by Follett. Link to post Share on other sites
Suited_Up 2 Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 Just finished reading 'The girl with the Dragon tattoo".I liked it, but it didn't blow me away or anything. There was a lot of buildup, but the payoff was just ok. I think I'll finish this trilogy first, then move on to Fall of Giants by Follett.Just started it. About 20% through, it's finally getting interesting at least. Slow start though. Link to post Share on other sites
SBriand 4 Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 Just finished reading 'The girl with the Dragon tattoo".I liked it, but it didn't blow me away or anything. There was a lot of buildup, but the payoff was just ok. I think I'll finish this trilogy first, then move on to Fall of Giants by Follett.I have to stop reading reviews on Amazon. I was going to get that book since it was $5 for kindle but so many of the reviews said the same thing over and over..."poor translation...too many cliche's...and more than half the book was nothing but exposition..."But my wife said that it was decent. Nothing great writing wise but interesting and a page turner. I NEVER KNOW WHAT TO DO!Game of Thrones started out really slow and boring but I am about 40% through and now can't put it down. Link to post Share on other sites
Dubey 1,035 Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 I have to stop reading reviews on Amazon. I was going to get that book since it was $5 for kindle but so many of the reviews said the same thing over and over..."poor translation...too many cliche's...and more than half the book was nothing but exposition..." But my wife said that it was decent. Nothing great writing wise but interesting and a page turner.I'd say this is mostly true. The first two chapters I couldn't get over how... strange... the writing seemed. Awkward wording and whatnot with the translation. It either got much better or I got used to it. He is a very detailed writer, and spends a lot of time building the groundwork of his story, I never found it boring though. I did find it to be a page turner throughout, especially in the last half. It is worth a read, anyway. Link to post Share on other sites
Southern Buddhist 1 Posted January 20, 2011 Share Posted January 20, 2011 Can anyone recommend a good philosophy book? Something for someone who has never read any philosophy, a starter book. Thanks. 50 Philosophy Ideas You Really Need to KnowI have a couple of books in this series (genetics and something else that I forget*), and they're excellent. Each idea is summed up in a well-written 3-4 page chapter. Intelligent, goes into just the right amount of depth, at the end you'll know a lot more for a minimum of effort.* Edit: psychology, to have a reminder in one handy place of the classes I took as an undergrad Link to post Share on other sites
ahosang 0 Posted January 20, 2011 Share Posted January 20, 2011 The Politics of Security - Michael Dillon Link to post Share on other sites
Suited_Up 2 Posted January 20, 2011 Share Posted January 20, 2011 I'd say this is mostly true. The first two chapters I couldn't get over how... strange... the writing seemed. Awkward wording and whatnot with the translation. It either got much better or I got used to it. He is a very detailed writer, and spends a lot of time building the groundwork of his story, I never found it boring though. I did find it to be a page turner throughout, especially in the last half. It is worth a read, anyway.Just finished, it was a page turner enough that I was up till 3:30 reading, up at 7 to take the gf to work, and finished this morning. So yeah, I agree with you. Gonna check out the movie in the next day or two. Link to post Share on other sites
SBriand 4 Posted January 20, 2011 Share Posted January 20, 2011 Cool I guess I will add that after I finish all these snow and ice or dragon or whatever books. Link to post Share on other sites
Balloon guy 158 Posted January 20, 2011 Share Posted January 20, 2011 The Big ShortProbably the most telling line was when he said that the internet caused the need for the Wall Street financial institutions to get involved with the whole Credit Default mess, because of the ability to trade online and cut out these middle men and how it affected their profits making them look into the bond markets and manipulating the ratings systems to make the massive amount of foolish bets they did. Link to post Share on other sites
Roll the Bones 74 Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 Can anyone recommend a good philosophy book? Something for someone who has never read any philosophy, a starter book. Thanks.This might be a little more complex but is excellent by Will Durant.http://www.amazon.com/Story-Philosophy-Opi...6273&sr=1-3The Big ShortProbably the most telling line was when he said that the internet caused the need for the Wall Street financial institutions to get involved with the whole Credit Default mess, because of the ability to trade online and cut out these middle men and how it affected their profits making them look into the bond markets and manipulating the ratings systems to make the massive amount of foolish bets they did.I've been meaning to read that for a while.Infidel is friggin' fantastic, btw. Link to post Share on other sites
SBriand 4 Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 Just finished Game of Thrones. That was pretty good. First 15% was slow. I was worried I might not get through it, then it just took off. Just started A Clash of Kings. Link to post Share on other sites
Graydon 0 Posted February 20, 2011 Share Posted February 20, 2011 Crooked Letter Crooked Letter....heard good things about it and started off like it could have been real good, but didn't see the greatness in the ending. But I'm pretty stupid. Link to post Share on other sites
frautotenkinder 1,025 Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 Lots of reading going on:A YA trilogy: Hunger Games, Catching Fire, and Mockingjay by Suzanne CollinsI liked them, but didn't love them. Because they're written for teen and tween age girls there are some tropes I'm super sick of--Awesome Girl doesn't know how awesomely beautiful or talented she is. Awesome girl is caught between two loving caring boys. One 15, the other 19. Both of these boys want to cuddle with her, and talk to Awesome Girl about her feelings.Things I liked: it's a apocolyptic game show story, with a Big Brother element thrown in. Awesome Girl has serious skills in the hunting and gathering department. I feel like I'd want to hang out with her after the shit goes down--that she has the know-how to keep me fed. I also liked how the characters were constantly dissembling their feelings, trying to hide them from the governmental overlords. I felt like this was a great commentary on the social lives of teens, and how important their social networking (both actual and virtual) is. Finally, I liked the darkness of the themes in the series: character death, starvation, and sexual slavery. This apocolypse is not to be reasoned with, only feared.Water For Elephants by Sara GruenHistorical romance, set in a Depression era circus. Eh. Link to post Share on other sites
Balloon guy 158 Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 The Big ShortI've been meaning to read that for a while.I feel much more able to lie about the democrats involvement now that I know the right terminology to use.But seriously, if anything it made me depressed because of the amounts of money being made in wall street without any regard to how much damage it can do can only lead to many many more incidents.I have such little hope for our future if something isn't done. I know enough to know that I could never know what needs to be done though.But in a moment of selfishness I took great pleasure in knowing that AIG went down over this because I had a 2 year lawsuit with them when they were clearly wrong but would never admit it over some WC issues. Link to post Share on other sites
LadyGrey 6 Posted February 23, 2011 Author Share Posted February 23, 2011 I'm reading The Verificationist by Donald Antrim. It is excellent. Recommend, especially to those who enjoy authors such as Vonnegut. Link to post Share on other sites
Graydon 0 Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 Also read the Hunger Games trilogy and enjoyed them. Just finishing "Full Dark, No Stars" by Steven King and have really been pulled in by the writing in the few stories so far....maybe I should read his other 500 novels he has out. Link to post Share on other sites
Piddle Duck 0 Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 Just finished Game of Thrones. That was pretty good. First 15% was slow. I was worried I might not get through it, then it just took off. Just started A Clash of Kings.20% now through book 4. Glad to hear book 5 will be coming out and I am excited about the HBO series starting next month. Link to post Share on other sites
frautotenkinder 1,025 Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 Citrus County by John BrandonTHis is another YA title. I read about it via the NYT book review and decided to check it out.Holy crap this book is dark. I'm no prude, but are teens and tweens really allowed to read stuff like this? The book is set in rural Florida, and follows the viewpoints of eighth graders Shelby (the new girl, with a little sister, and single parent father), Toby (the native, who has dreams of being the world's best petty criminal), and Mr. Hibma (their geography teacher, and general wastrel).There is major crime, sexual awakenings, child abuse, and one of the characters is a sociopath. The other two have tenuous holds on reality--and all of the book has such cynicism and lack of hope.It's a beautifully written book, with all of the characters feeling like real people. It was an uncomfortable read--and I think most of my discomfort generated from my understanding the characters' viewpoints. It's probably going to be one of the best, bleakest pieces of art I'm going to experience this year. Link to post Share on other sites
Graydon 0 Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 That's kinda how I felt after I read Bastard out of Carolina, but I know that was not YA. Your feelings of the book remind me of how I felt after reading Bastard. I'm going to check out Citrus County now for sure. Thanks. Link to post Share on other sites
Dubey 1,035 Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 finished the dragon tatoo trilogy. I really enjoyed it. The second two books are significantly better than the first, in my opinion.Reading Fear and loathing in Las vegas for the first time. It is about what I expected so far. I can't say I am truly 'enjoying' reading it. Link to post Share on other sites
LadyGrey 6 Posted March 23, 2011 Author Share Posted March 23, 2011 I have read The Living End by Stanley Elkin and White Noise by Don Delillo recently. Both were very good but especially the Delillo, really really great. Link to post Share on other sites
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