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[Jag]

Took a quick look at what's available on Kindle at what price, and good points of entry are:
Lucky You $7.99
Stormy Weather $7.99
Sick Puppy $7.99
The Edible Exile (short story) $1.99

Lucky you is a particular favorite, and Stormy Weather is rated one of his best.

Edible Exile is interesting because he originally wrote it in the 80's, lost it, and then rewrote it when he found it, but left the setting, so it's Florida 80's excess out the wazoo. Also a decent place to start to see if you like his style.

If you want the really good shit, he has a scathing book about Disney called Team Rodent: How Disney Devours the World, heavily informed by his ecological conservatism and by working as a journalist in Florida for decades.

Sounds good. I'll check out Lucky You first. Thanks.

 

[Funyarinpa]

Is "S." by J. J. Abrams worth the asking price?
(30$ with shipping)

Gave in and looked for it, couldn't find it for sale. TwT

 

[Number45]

Finished Swan Song. Not a great deal more to say right now other than that I liked it, although there are some characters that I would maybe have liked a little more closure on or information about.

Am I the only one who likes to read the wiki entry for the book I've just read while trying to formulate thoughts on something I've read? Not that it really helps, I struggle to organise my thoughts (particularly on sprawling books) and usually come out with a thumbs up or down. The Goodreads 5 star rating is about as detailed as I can manage (same with films and games to be honest).

Anyhoo, on to:

... which I've been meaning to read since it was mentioned at the end of one of the X-Men films.

Looks like I'm going to make my reading challenge difficult on myself again this year despite cutting the target in half.

 

[smisk]

Just started The Three Body Problem by Cixin Liu. I'm about a 100 pages in, it's a little weird so far and I still can't tell exactly where the plot is going, but I'm really enjoying it, and the translation seems to be well done from what I can tell.
It's cool to read something from such a different cultural perspective that I'm unfamiliar with. Been reading up a bit on the Cultural Revolution etc so I have a little context for what's going on.

 

[sparky2112]

Just started The Three Body Problem by Cixin Liu. I'm about a 100 pages in, it's a little weird so far and I still can't tell exactly where the plot is going, but I'm really enjoying it, and the translation seems to be well done from what I can tell.
It's cool to read something from such a different cultural perspective that I'm unfamiliar with. Been reading up a bit on the Cultural Revolution etc so I have a little context for what's going on.

Yeah, the sci-fi is a little slow to kick into gear, but the non-sci-fi aspects were good, so...

If I don't plow ahead with the slow-starting book 2, I'm gonna stall out...

 

[aidan]

Just started The Three Body Problem by Cixin Liu. I'm about a 100 pages in, it's a little weird so far and I still can't tell exactly where the plot is going, but I'm really enjoying it, and the translation seems to be well done from what I can tell.
It's cool to read something from such a different cultural perspective that I'm unfamiliar with. Been reading up a bit on the Cultural Revolution etc so I have a little context for what's going on.

I just finished this a week ago. I struggled with the beginning of the novel, too—but push through, it all comes together in a very satisfying (and unexpected) way.

 

[TwntyOneTwlv]

Just saw on r/books that Goodreads finally lets you track re-reads. This is huge news!

 

[Ravensmash]

Rather than just buying another book for the sake of it (although i did find an amazing book store near my commute), I've decided to read through my backlog.

Currently reading The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead.

What fantastic prose, really enjoying the read despite how harrowing it is.

Can anyone tell me how historically accurate it is?

 

[Sean C]

Liu Cixin continues to be more of a plot and idea writer than one who writes about characters, an issue I had observed in The Three-Body Problem, but he does a better job of bringing characterization and character development into his story with this second volume in the trilogy. But even had he not done that, it would still be worth reading, because the sheer scope of Liu's imagination in respect of plotting and the integration of hard and theoretical scientific concepts is unlike anything I've read in a long time (with the caveat, as I noted in my review of the first book, that I don't have anything remotely approaching the scientific background needed to assess the validity of the science in this, much of which treads into the realm of highly theoretical physics). Beyond the science, this also extends to ideas about human civilization on a macro level, as it reacts to phenomenal changes in worldview and circumstances over a very long period of time (there's a

Spoiler

time-jump in the middle where it sounds like the events skipped over could have accommodated a series of novels on its own, but it's the aftermath that interests the author

).

 

[Ryde3]

I'm finishing up The Republic of Thieves, the 3rd book in the Gentlemen's Bastard trilogy written by Scott Lynch.

Overall I've enjoyed the trilogy alot, each book tells it's own story but it's related - I would recommend if you're into fantasy.

I had previously just finished the Kingkiller books by Rothfuss and the a Song of Fire and Ice before that - would recommend them all.

 

[Sean C]

Can anyone tell me how historically accurate it is?

By the time you get to the literal underground railroad, not very.

 

[baddvision]

just started The New World of Mr Tompkins

 

[Mike M]

I tore through The Man in the High Castle today. It was probably one of the more accessible PKD novels I've read, though it still had many occurrences of it wandering into philosophizing on the nature of reality and mankind's interaction with it yadda yadda yadda.

I'm actually surprised at how many elements Amazon's production of the TV series lifted from the book, as usually PKD adaptations are really fast and loose with the source material in my experience.

Didn't think the ending was particularly satisfying, though. The reveal of origin of The Grasshopper Lies Heavy lost a lot of impact for me if only because how bizarre the conversation leading up to it is where Julia

Spoiler

starts going on what any normal person would probably perceive as the paranoid rantings of a crazy person, especially how she just casually drops the fact that she killed Joe. I get that Abendsen learned to stop worrying about being assassinated and consults the I Ching on occasion, but there's such a thing as too much chill.

I did really like the meta implications of it all, though.

Spoiler

The book acknowledging the fact that it itself is a work of fiction and that the actual truth is that Japan and Germany lost the war was cool, even if it was in a bit of a roundabout fashion.

 

[Max Armstrong]

Today I finished A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles:

What a great book. If you feel a bit down and need something to cheer you up, please give this book a try. I had a smile on my face from the first page to the last one. It's easily one of my favourite novel.

A small description from goodreads:

When, in 1922, he is deemed an unrepentant aristocrat by a Bolshevik tribunal, the count is sentenced to house arrest in the Metropol, a grand hotel across the street from the Kremlin. Rostov, an indomitable man of erudition and wit, has never worked a day in his life, and must now live in an attic room while some of the most tumultuous decades in Russian history are unfolding outside the hotel’s doors. Unexpectedly, his reduced circumstances provide him a doorway into a much larger world of emotional discovery.

 

[Sean C]

Today I finished A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles

If you haven't read his earlier Rules of Civility, I highly recommend that too.

 

[Max Armstrong]

If you haven't read his earlier Rules of Civility, I highly recommend that too.

I bought it as soon as I finished the other one, I'll get to it tomorrow, I can't wait!

 

[NarrowPath]

Having seen the movies but not read the books I'm working my way through the Harry Potter books on audible. Currently on Goblet of Fire, really enjoying Jim Dale's performance in these.

 

[Unducks]

Today I finished A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles:

What a great book. If you feel a bit down and need something to cheer you up, please give this book a try. I had a smile on my face from the first page to the last one. It's easily one of my favourite novel.

A small description from goodreads:

I LOVED this book. It's one of the most overlooked books of 2016. Loved the setting, tone, plot, characters - everything.

 

[DyslexicAlucard]

I finished Daniel Keyes' Flowers for Algernon in one sitting earlier this week.

I had zero expectations heading into it. I knew literally nothing about it, other than it's a notable book.

It's fantastic. Keyes does an amazing job getting the reader into the head of mentally disabled Charlie Gordon. It's a read I'd recommend to anyone, but especially those interested in mental illness and how the disabled are treated in society. While it was written and set in the late 1950s, it's still feels relevant today.

I think I'll move back to Haruki Murakami's 1Q84.

I put it down because it's pretty thick and I have a hardcover edition. But I've really been craving more Murakami lately -- he's tied for my favourite living author, alongside Guy Vanderhaeghe -- amd 1984 remains my favourite novel to this day, so I'll suffer through my wrist pains. XD

 

[Mike M]

I finished Daniel Keyes' Flowers for Algernon in one sitting earlier this week.



I had zero expectations heading into it. I knew literally nothing about it, other than it's a notable book.

It's fantastic. Keyes does an amazing job getting the reader into the head of mentally disabled Charlie Gordon. It's a read I'd recommend to anyone, but especially those interested in mental illness and how the disabled are treated in society. While it was written and set in the late 1950s, it's still feels relevant today.
er through my wrist pains. XD

Fantastic book. The third act is some of the most devastating stuff I've ever read.

 

[HollowCentral]

The Last Lecture by Jeffrey Zaslow and Randy Pausch

 

[MC_Hify]

Are graphic novels allowed? I'm a member of a graphic novel of the month club and I'd be happy to share what I am reading.

 

[TwntyOneTwlv]

I finished Daniel Keyes' Flowers for Algernon in one sitting earlier this week.



I had zero expectations heading into it. I knew literally nothing about it, other than it's a notable book.

It's fantastic. Keyes does an amazing job getting the reader into the head of mentally disabled Charlie Gordon. It's a read I'd recommend to anyone, but especially those interested in mental illness and how the disabled are treated in society. While it was written and set in the late 1950s, it's still feels relevant today.

My high school drama club put on a production of Flowers for Algernon my senior year. I haven't read the book, and I'm sure our stage version didn't do it justice, but the story will always be special for me. I played Professor Nemur, while the girl who would eventually become my wife played Dr. Strauss. I've got so many good memories from that show...

Anyway, I should probably read the book sometime!

 

[kevin1025]

Finished Swan Song. Not a great deal more to say right now other than that I liked it, although there are some characters that I would maybe have liked a little more closure on or information about.

Am I the only one who likes to read the wiki entry for the book I've just read while trying to formulate thoughts on something I've read? Not that it really helps, I struggle to organise my thoughts (particularly on sprawling books) and usually come out with a thumbs up or down. The Goodreads 5 star rating is about as detailed as I can manage (same with films and games to be honest).

I do that as well, on occasion, but usually when something was written too flowery and made someone's demise or a plot point a little too vague for me.

 

[LadyRiven]

I was reading "The Urban Monk" but I had to stop halfway through because there was too much hokey anti-science stuff mixed in, which is not very Buddhist at all. I'm big into mindfulness meditation, so I'm trying to work through some good books on Buddhism and mediation in general.

Fiction-wise, I've been reading Old Man's War by John Scalzi. It's funny because I've been following him on twitter for awhile now and I really enjoy his tweets, but I hadn't read any of his books. My boyfriend is big into sci-fi and recommended it to me. I'm really enjoying it so far.

 

[Peru]

Should I, for once, object to giving a short dictation exercise, just that the pupils might not have it to say they had missed their English lesson?

"In classe, Madame?" I asked.

"Yes, in classe: in the second division."

"Where there are sixty pupils," said I; for I knew the number, and with my usual base habit of cowardice, I shrank into my sloth like a snail into its shell, and alleged incapacity and impracticability as a pretext to escape action. If left to myself, I should infallibly have let this chance slip. Inadventurous, unstirred by impulses of practical ambition, I was capable of sitting twenty years teaching infants the hornbook, turning silk dresses and making children's frocks. Not that true contentment dignified this infatuated resignation: my work had neither charm for my taste, nor hold on my interest; but it seemed to me a great thing to be without heavy anxiety, and relieved from intimate trial: the negation of severe suffering was the nearest approach to happiness I expected to know. Besides, I seemed to hold two lives—the life of thought, and that of reality; and, provided the former was nourished with a sufficiency of the strange necromantic joys of fancy, the privileges of the latter might remain limited to daily bread, hourly work, and a roof of shelter.

Man. Yes, I'm re-reading Villette.

Just saw on r/books that Goodreads finally lets you track re-reads. This is huge news!

How timely.

I am also reading a new book

Very captivating so far. A person so iconic yet so hard to nail down with one sentence or a simple description. Full of contradictions and human nuances. More to say on this book later.

 

[You Know Nothing]

Today I finished A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles:

What a great book. If you feel a bit down and need something to cheer you up, please give this book a try. I had a smile on my face from the first page to the last one. It's easily one of my favourite novel.

A small description from goodreads:

I LOVED this book. It's one of the most overlooked books of 2016. Loved the setting, tone, plot, characters - everything.

Agreed. I read it toward the end of last year and really liked it. Definitely a highlight. It's rather reminiscent of All the Light We Cannot See but much less maudlin and on the nose. Just lighthearted with a great sense of humor and some sentimentality mixed in.

 

[Maklershed]

Still going through The Confederates. I'm really surprised at the level of research that has gone into this. Very good so far. Hoping my workplace closes due to snow today so I can get a bunch of reading in.

Are graphic novels allowed? I'm a member of a graphic novel of the month club and I'd be happy to share what I am reading.

Absolutely. Please do.

 

[Jag]

Finished Book 6 of the Expanse. Good and entertaining, but really more of the same (with a few minor twists). If you like the Expanse and James Holden and crew, you will enjoy it.

If you haven't read the Expanse, stop and do that now, then you can watch the show!

 

[JonnyKong]

I know this may seem like a rather daft question, but do any of you ever read two fiction books at the same time?

I'm thinking of starting to listen to an audiobook on my walks to work alongside the book I read at night when I'm in bed, but in my head this seems like a crazy idea to me and I'll end up getting the two books mixed up.

I'm over thinking things aren't I?

 

[aidan]

I know this may seem like a rather daft question, but do any of you ever read two fiction books at the same time?

I'm thinking of starting to listen to an audiobook on my walks to work alongside the book I read at night when I'm in bed, but in my head this seems like a crazy idea to me and I'll end up getting the two books mixed up.

I'm over thinking things aren't I?

I have one audiobook and one regular book on the go at most times. It's easy to keep them separated, and I actually prefer it to using Whispersync to read/listen to the same book.

 

[FlowersisBritish]

I know this may seem like a rather daft question, but do any of you ever read two fiction books at the same time?

I'm thinking of starting to listen to an audiobook on my walks to work alongside the book I read at night when I'm in bed, but in my head this seems like a crazy idea to me and I'll end up getting the two books mixed up.

I'm over thinking things aren't I?

I used to do the same when I walked and I never got them mixed up so I wouldn't worry too much about it.

 

[Funyarinpa]

I know this may seem like a rather daft question, but do any of you ever read two fiction books at the same time?

I'm thinking of starting to listen to an audiobook on my walks to work alongside the book I read at night when I'm in bed, but in my head this seems like a crazy idea to me and I'll end up getting the two books mixed up.

I'm over thinking things aren't I?

I think it's pretty easy to keep two fiction books read at the same time separate, as long as they aren't incredibly long or detailed sagas or anything.

But I prefer focusing on one fiction at a time.

 

[JonnyKong]

Right then, thank you for all of your replies, I'm gonna sign up to the Audible free trial and give an audiobook a try tomorrow.

On a separate note, I just finished,

Thought it was a very good read, although I did find the ending a bit rushed. There was a very satisfying pay off in the last scene at least. I think Noah is a very talented guy, he writes good books and good shows (Fargo). Bastard.


Next up I'm reading "Days Without End". I'm not sure what my audiobook is going to be yet.

 

[TTG]

I know this may seem like a rather daft question, but do any of you ever read two fiction books at the same time?

I'm thinking of starting to listen to an audiobook on my walks to work alongside the book I read at night when I'm in bed, but in my head this seems like a crazy idea to me and I'll end up getting the two books mixed up.

I'm over thinking things aren't I?

Yes, I do so fairly regularly. If I can only manage 20 or 30 pages at a time when reading something I'll look for a lighter complement. Similarly, if I book is mindless it's a good time to dig up something more dense from a to read list. The most books I've read at one time is 3, but it almost never happens and I don't think the 3 were ever all fiction.

 

[MrOogieBoogie]

Finished this tonight and really enjoyed it. Kovacs is a really cool character, and some of the sci-fi concepts are really interesting.

Now, I may be dumb, but my only issue with the novel was the convoluted plot, particularly in the second half. I had trouble following the minute details of the investigation and the connections between secondary and tertiary characters, even though I understood the "big picture" direction of the story. That's the only reason why the conclusion was perhaps not quite as effective as it could have been on me.

 

[Mumei]

Yes, I do so fairly regularly. If I can only manage 20 or 30 pages at a time when reading something I'll look for a lighter complement. Similarly, if I book is mindless it's a good time to dig up something more dense from a to read list. The most books I've read at one time is 3, but it almost never happens and I don't think the 3 were ever all fiction.

I do this all the time. I feel like I'm making no progress otherwise. :|

 

[Mumei]

Noo, I double-posted. :|

Just saw on r/books that Goodreads finally lets you track re-reads. This is huge news!

This is excellent news.

 

[Magus1234]

Starting Aeneid by Virgil. Read so much Greek lit I can finally start connecting the dots also can see how similar some of the stories are to Shakespeare's stories like Antigone and Electra to Macbeth or Hamlet really have a lot in common.

Man. Yes, I'm re-reading Villette.


.

I put that and Sentimental Education away because those are my favorite authors and didn't want to read them yet T.T I don't know what I'm waiting for, I should just get it done.

 

[Lunar FC]

Being getting more into reading the past few months. I've finished both The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and The Man in the High Castle in that time. Neither really blew me away, but were entertaining enough to finish.

Currently I'm reading..

..about a quarter of the way through it and am loving it!

 

[Zelenogorsk]

I know this may seem like a rather daft question, but do any of you ever read two fiction books at the same time?

I actually quite like being in the middle of multiple books at the same time. When I get tired with one I can just go read the other! But I find that they have to be different genres. Switching off between a sci-fi book and a fantasy book is a lot of fun.

 

[Number45]

So I knew The Once and Future King was about the Arthurian legend, but not that it was the basis for The Sword in The Stone (I assume). It's a nice change of pace and tone after Swan Song.

 

[Fuu]

I actually quite like being in the middle of multiple books at the same time. When I get tired with one I can just go read the other! But I find that they have to be different genres. Switching off between a sci-fi book and a fantasy book is a lot of fun.

That's how I've been doing it too, different genres and a mix of fiction/non-fiction. At this point I don't feel like it's any different from keeping up with different TV shows at the same time.

 

[wild wild rice]

Just ordered:

Lincoln in the Bardo, George Saunders
The Vegetarian, Han King
The Sellout, Paul Beatty
Transit, Rachel Cusk
The Quiet American, Graham Greene

I think I'm in for some good reading!

 

[sparky2112]

Just ordered:

Lincoln in the Bardo, George Saunders

Got the new The Atlantic last night with a lengthy review of this, and the title of the review made me think they're thoughts were mixed, so I immediately slammed the magazine shut and pretended to never have opened it. I shall keep it that way until I'm done with a read. It's been a while since a first novel has been this justifiably anticipated, I'd think...

 

[ant_]

Started reading 'Intellectuals and Society' by Thomas Sowell. Attempting to challenge my beliefs.

Also reading 'The Stuff of Thought's by Steven Pinker.

Steven Pinker is a genius.

 

[wild wild rice]

Got the new The Atlantic last night with a lengthy review of this, and the title of the review made me think they're thoughts were mixed, so I immediately slammed the magazine shut and pretended to never have opened it. I shall keep it that way until I'm done with a read. It's been a while since a first novel has been this justifiably anticipated, I'd think...

yeah I've heard mixed things without completely reading any reviews. This can be a good sign, though. What little I know about it points to it being fairly experimental. I just need Saunders right now and I love the concept. That'll be the first one I tackle from my list.

 

[Mifune]

I'm on a good reading roll...

The Orphan Master's Son - Adam Johnson
The Big Sleep - Raymond Chandler
The Day of the Locust - Nathanael West
The Father of All Things: A Marine, His Son, and the Legacy of Vietnam - Tom Bissell

And now I'm reading The Magicians and totally loving it. The Sympathizer is on-deck!

 

[wild wild rice]

I'm on a good reading roll...

The Orphan Master's Son - Adam Johnson
The Big Sleep - Raymond Chandler
The Day of the Locust - Nathanael West
The Father of All Things: A Marine, His Son, and the Legacy of Vietnam - Tom Bissell

And now I'm reading The Magicians and totally loving it. The Sympathizer is on-deck!

The Sympathizer is pretty great! It has an intensely energetic voice and covers a lot of ground. I'll certainly never think of Vietnam (the war, the people, the films, etc.) the same way again.

The same writer just put out a book of stories that I'm sure I'll get around to eventually.

 

[richardhawk]

Only a chapter into it but I was laughing pretty damn hard. Only 300 pages so I'm planning on picking up something else.

Finished this up last night. Second to last chapter is completely heart breaking and reminded me of Serial.

Starting this today. It was a toss up between it and The New Jim Crow, which I plan to hopefully read after.