I

ItAintEasyBeinCheesy

it's 4th of July in my asshole

• Jun 30, 2009

• #1

Didnt wanna bump the last thread cause its almost July anyways.

Still chugging through this, hasnt quite captured me but its still good.

And just got this, excited woot!

So whats GAF reading?

 

J

John Dunbar

correct about everything

• Jun 30, 2009

• #2

I always found Mishima's writing to be ridiculously beautiful, but the more I read his work the less surprised I am he killed himself.

 

S

Salazar

Member

• Jun 30, 2009

• #3

Best Served Cold - Joe Abercrombie.
Little, Big - John Crowley.

Looking forward to both. I just finished Abercrombie's trilogy on the train this afternoon (WTF etc...), and I picked up Crowley while waiting for that train to arrive. Pulp Fiction - SF, Fantasy, and Crime bookstore in Brisbane: goddamn awesome.

 

B

batbeg

Member

• Jun 30, 2009

• #4

I started reading Max Frei The Stranger, but it was shit. So very, very fucking terrible. Stay far away from this book.

I'm out of money, so am considering a reread of James Barclays' Cry of the Newborn, to preface a first-time read of Shout for the Dead which I bought but never read. Seems like a good series, though I really disliked the only other James Barlcay book I read.

Edit: Don't see how I missed it in the OP, but I loved the Lies of Locke Lamora, and Red Seas Under Red Skies last month. Wish the next book were out, because I'm a big fan of the series thus far.

 

F

fanboi

Banned

• Jun 30, 2009

• #5

trying to read:

If the bloody book store can send it to me....

EDIT: IT HAS ARRIVED YAY!

 

C

CiSTM

Banned

• Jun 30, 2009

• #6

Went back to Hunter.

After Hunter i think it is time for more Haruki Murakami or Tom Wolfe's The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test. Don't know yet.

 

M

MickD

Member

• Jun 30, 2009

• #7

 

D

Dagon

Member

• Jun 30, 2009

• #8

I'm reading Trigonometric Delights, by Eli Maor.

It's a fun trip through the history and application of trigonometry. Not everyone's kind of book, I'm sure, but if you enjoy mathematics and want to add more context to the formulas, it's an absorbing read. Plus you can get it free online.

 

A

Atrophis

Member

• Jun 30, 2009

• #9

About half way through. Pretty incredible stuff so far.

Have also ordered the Bluray of the film to watch when im done.

Next week i go on holiday and will be bringing this to keep me occupied:

 

K

Kola

Member

• Jun 30, 2009

• #10

Wouldn't recommend it. After the absolutely amazing "Crime and Punishment", a book whose contents still haunt me from time to time and which I consider to be one of the greatest books of all time I expected more of "The Idiot". Don't get me wrong, it's a good read, often a bit too slow, but nevertheless a good one. Why I still would not recommend it: Dostoevsky wrote so many good books, you can skip this one and still experience the AWESOMENESS of Dostoevsky by taking a look at other books he wrote (e.g. "The Brothers Karamasov).

 

D

Doytch

Member

• Jun 30, 2009

• #11

Just finished:

Pretty, pretty, pretty good. There were parts of it where I swear I thought it was real and an actual history book. Didn't scare me or anything, but I really, really liked it.

Coming today from Amazon:

Recommended by afternoon delight in last month's thread. A lot of people mentioned Cat's Cradle, and I'll be borrowing that from my sister the next time I see her.

Everyone's reading this, so I threw it in the cart also.

 

G

gdt

Member

• Jun 30, 2009

• #12

Just about wrapping up I, Robot. Heading into the entire 15 book FOUNDATION Universe, and I, Robot (or the Complete Robot) is the starting place.

 

C

Corum

Member

• Jun 30, 2009

• #13

I simply can't stop reading any of the books so far.

 

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thomaser

Member

• Jun 30, 2009

• #14

Finished Milan Kundera's "The Unbearable Lightness of Being" a few days ago. Beautiful.

Now, D. H. Lawrence's "Lady Chatterley's Lover". Totally scandalous when it came out in 1930 or so. The uncencored text was banned in the US until 1959 and in the UK until 1960. I guess the shock value has diminished since then, but the writing and use of language is still very highly regarded.

 

A

antispin

Member

• Jun 30, 2009

• #15

Just finished Dragon in Chains (boring for the most part but might pick up the second part), almost done with The Road (good read), will start with Anathem afterwards. Maybe read Stories of Your Life in parallel.

 

S

SlayrUK

Member

• Jun 30, 2009

• #16

Because i don't really read much, i need nice easy books

3rd in series - love them all. Very tomb raidery.

 

Y

Yo. Check It

Neo Member

• Jun 30, 2009

• #17

 

A

antispin

Member

• Jun 30, 2009

• #18

MickD said:

Click to expand...

Impressions? Love his poetry, haven't read his prose yet.

 

W

Wollan

Member

• Jun 30, 2009

• #19

About to finish it. God Emperor of Dune (previous book) was relatively slow moving but it conveyed a lot of ideas, very philosophical in writing. Heretics is more action filled but still contains all the personal intrigue one would want, I really like how they have been amping up the tension. Read for several hours in bed last night but had to cut it off eventually, I've just reached a part where a certain character has to escape captivity and I read (in the gaf Dune thread) that it's considered a pretty great moment in the book series. As soon as I get some time tonight.

 

B

besada

Banned

• Jun 30, 2009

• #20

Just finished Tyler Knox's Kockroach, where a roach wakes in a human body.

After that I read Second Contact by Mike Resnick.

I have three Lethem books in the queue, and Bolano's 2666.

 

R

reggieandTFE

Member

• Jun 30, 2009

• #21

I think Michael Chabon is my favorite writer around about now.

I'm about 2/3rds of the way through and although I'm sure a lot of his statistics are massaged, the basic gist that "successful" people owe more to luck than we admit (ie Bill Gates) seems legit.

 

U

ultron87

Member

• Jun 30, 2009

• #22

Still working through Olympos by Dan Simmons. I really really enjoyed Ilium, but this one just hasn't grabbed me yet.

I'm also reading a mess of comic collections including:

-Earth X
-Final Crisis
-Batman RIP
-JLA Deluxe Vol 1
-Powers Vol 4: Supergroup (Holy crap that was awesome)
-Annihilation Vol 1

I wonder when the last time there was a "What are you reading?" thread where someone in the thread wasn't reading either World War Z or The Road.

 

A

aidan

Hugo Award Winning Author and Editor

• Jun 30, 2009

• #23

Zafon's first novel, The Shadow of the Wind, is possibly my favourite of all time. This one is a damn worthy follow-up, though maybe not quite as good. Still, probably the best novel I've read this year.

 

B

Blackface

Banned

• Jun 30, 2009

• #24

 

P

Prince

Member

• Jun 30, 2009

• #25

Just finished:

Powerful and well written, a very personal account from the writer during the chaos in Indonesia (1997-1999).

Starting:

 

B

Bulla564

Banned

• Jun 30, 2009

• #26

Finally getting to it, I figured I'd read up on one of the (if not THE) main works in free market economics. As with everything I read, I like to understand the roots of behavior/ideas.

Deals with interpreting symbols in dreams, fairy tales, etc, as the language of the inner self. I was bored as hell during the chapter of Freud's dream theory, so hopefully it picks up later.

 

C

crowphoenix

Banned

• Jun 30, 2009

• #27

It's a fantastic read so far. Much harsher than the stuff I usually read, but it's fantastically written and the characters are gripping.

 

A

Alucard

Banned

• Jun 30, 2009

• #28

I am slightly enamored with this book right now. I have been at it for over four days now, and made a one hundred page dent in it last night. Over midway through, and I am very impressed with how Hobb is able to lay down such a personally affecting tale, grounding it in a believable reality, and still adding supernatural elements that somehow feel conceivable. All of the puppy and animal love has touched me too. I should have a mini-review in two days or so.

 

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BenjaminBirdie

Banned

• Jun 30, 2009

• #29

No one else is doing Infinite Summer reading David Foster Wallace's Infinite Jest?

Best summer ever, man.

 

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Tyrone Slothrop

Banned

• Jun 30, 2009

• #30

never could make it through Infinite Jest

 

B

BenjaminBirdie

Banned

• Jun 30, 2009

• #31

Tyrone Slothrop said:

never could make it through Infinite Jest

Click to expand...

Well, now's your chance!

 

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Undeux

Member

• Jun 30, 2009

• #32

Been speeding through the series - it was hard to stop once the second book got interesting.

Pretty interesting, and it makes me feel kind of dumb.

 

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BruceLeeRoy

Banned

• Jun 30, 2009

• #33

Just started about a week ago and can't put it down.

aidan said:

Zafon's first novel, The Shadow of the Wind, is possibly my favourite of all time. This one is a damn worthy follow-up, though maybe not quite as good. Still, probably the best novel I've read this year.

Click to expand...

I just read a couple reviews on Amazon on it and all I could gather is its a book about another book that some kid has to protect or something. Couldn't find anything really compelling in the synopsis but anyone that claims its their favorite book of all time makes me want to check it out.

What about the book was so great?

I tried to read this book but got bored out of my mind about halfway through.

 

C

Cafeman

Member

• Jun 30, 2009

• #34

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle: Sherlock Holmes. Finished A study in scarlet and The Sign of Four novels. Now reading the shorter stories, just finished The Red-Headed League and Scandel in Bohemia.

 

V

Vinci

Danish

• Jun 30, 2009

• #35

reggieandTFE said:

I think Michael Chabon is my favorite writer around about now.

Click to expand...

Chabon is amazing. The Yiddish Policemen's Union was my favorite book I read last year.

At the moment, I grabbed 2010 and will likely follow that with Elegant Universe - for probably the 20th time.

Seem to be doing this a lot: Going back and rereading things umpteen times, since I feel I'm learning more with each reading. Eventually I'll get around to reading World War Z, but haven't taken the dive yet.

 

M

Mash

Member

• Jun 30, 2009

• #36

(Awesome, some dull chapters but appreciative of them later in the novel when their necessity makes sense. About 3/4 through and have got Judas Unchained ready to read straight after.)

(rereading)

(rereading)

 

T

TheOrangeKid007

Member

• Jun 30, 2009

• #37

Lio is by far the best comic strip out there and really, in my opinion, has picked up the torch left by Calvin and Hobbes and the Far Side

but I am also currently reading...

Awesome piece of American Literature and if you like the outdoors at all you should really pick this up. Nessmuk (his pen name) was a pretty interesting guy.

 

S

Sickboy007

Member

• Jun 30, 2009

• #38

I just started it, i'm a little disappointed because so far it doesn't seem to engage me as far as the other books of Murakami i read (the last one was The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle which i loved).

My first Pynchon book. I have yet to start it but i already regret having bought the italian version because the original is written in 18th century english and reading a translation, no matter how well done it is, kinda defeats the purpose.

 

M

Mifune

Mehmber

• Jun 30, 2009

• #39

BenjaminBirdie said:

No one else is doing Infinite Summer reading David Foster Wallace's Infinite Jest?

Best summer ever, man.

Click to expand...

My local B&N is sold out (I've got a gift card) and every fucking branch of the L.A. Public Library has it checked out.

Infinite Summer is a big hit, it seems.

I have a copy reserved at the Burbank B&N. We'll see when that's available for pick-up. I'm already a week-plus behind.

In the meantime, I'm reading this ol' classic:

 

B

Borgnine

MBA in pussy licensing and rights management

• Jun 30, 2009

• #40

 

Hari Seldon

Member

• Jun 30, 2009

• #41

Almost done with it actually. Very good.

 

M

Mash

Member

• Jun 30, 2009

• #42

Hari Seldon said:

Almost done with it actually. Very good.

Click to expand...

High 5.

 

Y

ymmv

Banned

• Jun 30, 2009

• #43

About 150 pages in and it's still slow going. It's an SF detective about two murders on an artificial space station run by extraterrestrial AI. The premise is interesting but the book really has to pick up because I still don't care about the characters and I have to force myself to keep reading.

 

T

TheOrangeKid007

Member

• Jun 30, 2009

• #44

gdt5016 said:

Just about wrapping up I, Robot. Heading into the entire 15 book FOUNDATION Universe, and I, Robot (or the Complete Robot) is the starting place.

Click to expand...

I have only ever read the Foundation Trilogy, which I liked. Are they worth continuing?

 

K

kurahadol

Member

• Jun 30, 2009

• #45

Just starting to read more now that I'm jobless during these summer months:

I just finished this yesterday:

Awesome book, made me just want to forget everything and hit the road :lol

Now I'm reading this:

Not sure what my obsession with road books are right now heh. It's a bit of a weird read compared to the one I just finished but I'm enjoying it so far.

 

Y

YYZ

Junior Member

• Jun 30, 2009

• #46

fanboi said:

trying to read:

If the bloody book store can send it to me....

EDIT: IT HAS ARRIVED YAY!

Click to expand...

reading the same thing, yay!

 

G

gdt

Member

• Jun 30, 2009

• #47

TheOrangeKid007 said:

I have only ever read the Foundation Trilogy, which I liked. Are they worth continuing?

Click to expand...

I'd count the whole thing as my favorites series ever, so yeah, go for it.

 

F

FnordChan

Member

• Jun 30, 2009

• #48

BenjaminBirdie said:

No one else is doing Infinite Summer reading David Foster Wallace's Infinite Jest?

Click to expand...

I'm on page 157. I'm digging it so far but, man, is that a lot of book to lug around. I generally try to focus on one book at a time, but I'll probably start on a side book just so I have something I can actually fit into a pocket.

FnordChan

 

Z

Zyzyxxz

Member

• Jun 30, 2009

• #49

This book has inspired me to pursue my dreams which have been held back by my fear of "what if it doesn't turn out that well".

 

H

hermeez

Member

• Jun 30, 2009

• #50

I'm currently about halfway through The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss and greatly enjoying it. Will probably pick up World War Z when I finish.