Support NeoGAF

Maklershed · Sep 1, 2015

Maklershed · Sep 1, 2015

Q: What is ths post? What do you mean book of the month?

A: Just a fun idea to spotlight one particular book in a month upon which GAF readers can focus their attention. This won't be like a regular book club where goals or set or discussion is necessary (but it's encouraged). If you even choose to read the book, read at your own leisure, share your thoughts if you like. Have fun.

This month's book ...

Ghettoside: A True Story of Murder in America, by Jill Leovy

Ghettoside: A True Story of Murder in America by Jill Leovy

aidan · Sep 1, 2015

Started Ancillary Mercy by Ann Leckie this morning. Two pages in, it's all about Seivarden making tea. Good stuff. I'm a huge fan of the first two books (I'm one of those people who like the second book over the first), so I'm excited to see where Leckie takes things. Hard to think she can wrap everything up in one book.

Freeza Under The Shower · Sep 1, 2015

continuing Black Swan by Nassim Nicholas Taleb.

Beaniedude · Sep 1, 2015

I just finshed Dirk Gentley 2. It was a fun ride, the ending was a bit eh but I enjoyed it.

I am currently reading Murder in Mississippi, a true crime novel by John Safran. I just started it and the prose isn't that great but because I always listen to his podcast I can hear his mannerisms through his writing. And plus, it's John Safran.

Mr-Joker · Sep 1, 2015

Well in August I finished reading The Cuckoo Calling, I quite enjoyed it and looking into getting into the series.

Currently I am reading Fullmetal Alchemist.

kswiston · Sep 1, 2015

I might join you guys in this book of the month a bit later if impressions are positive. Sounds like an interesting read.

I am about 100 pages into Cibola Burn (book 4 of the Expanse series).

Jintor · Sep 1, 2015

Last thread someone recommended Fluent Forever. I lightly mocked them out of frustration with my own language learning then said what the hell and bought it.

It's quite good. I won't know how much it helps for a month or two but it seems like it should work fine, and more importantly, there's a bunch of ideas in here I hadn't thought about and it's very easy to read.

Piecake · Sep 1, 2015

Jintor said:
Last thread someone recommended Fluent Forever. I lightly mocked them out of frustration with my own language learning then said what the hell and bought it.

It's quite good. I won't know how much it helps for a month or two but it seems like it should work fine, and more importantly, there's a bunch of ideas in here I hadn't thought about and it's very easy to read.

That was me. And no worries. I definitely know that language learning is very difficult and frustraiting, and basically all of the 'get fluent in 30 days!" books are total scams. Like you though, I really won't know if this is working for a few months since I just started doing it.

What I liked about this book is that it had some solid science behind it. Plus, I do agree with him that creating and using an anki deck is pretty fun. Lot better than rote memorization. That right there is a win in my book, because damn, nothing kills motivation quicker than a dull task.

fakefaker · Sep 1, 2015

The Ice Cream Queen of Orchard Street by Susan Jane Gilman. It's got a chick lit cover but the book is an enthralling new-immigrant-to-america rags to riches story from 1913 to modern times. Sad that I'm almost done since it's been so good.

Mumei · Sep 1, 2015

Maklershed said:
This month's book ...

Ghettoside: A True Story of Murder in America, by Jill Leovy

Ghettoside: A True Story of Murder in America by Jill Leovy

What a great idea! I bet Cyan will totally, definitely participate.

Edit: Incidentally, Books on the Nightstand picked the audiobook as their audiobook of the week back in early July. Michael talks a bit about the book, what it is about, and the audiobook at 2:30.

Jintor · Sep 1, 2015

Piecake said:
That was me. And no worries. I definitely know that language learning is very difficult and frustraiting, and basically all of the 'get fluent in 30 days!" books are total scams. Like you though, I really won't know if this is working for a few months since I just started doing it.

What I liked about this book is that it had some solid science behind it. Plus, I do agree with him that creating and using an anki deck is pretty fun. Lot better than rote memorization. That right there is a win in my book, because damn, nothing kills motivation quicker than a dull task.

Thanks for the recommend.

I've been reviewing my own SRS system and I realised probably the main problem is I'm spending too much time translating and not nearly enough time thinking in Japanese... gets pretty tiring though, lol.

Piecake · Sep 1, 2015

Jintor said:
Thanks for the recommend.

I've been reviewing my own SRS system and I realised probably the main problem is I'm spending too much time translating and not nearly enough time thinking in Japanese... gets pretty tiring though, lol.

Yea, even though it has only been about a week, I do feel that associating words to images and memories works a hell of a lot better than associating new words to the English word. I mean, I don't have to study a word all that much for it to stick. Before, when it was all rote and translations it took a long time to get new words down, and even then I wasn't sure if I would recognize it the next time I saw it, never mind trying to write the damn thing.

Jintor · Sep 1, 2015

I'm glad I already did like the 2200 joyuu kanji though, makes everything a bit easier lol

Team Alucard · Sep 1, 2015

I read Interview many years ago, and it's still one of my favorite fantasy novels, but I never bothered with the rest of the series because I didn't care much for Lestat.

I remember reading the first few pages of this where he awakens in the 1980's, buys a Harley Davidson motorcycle and joins a rock band, and I rolled my eyes and put the book down.

Decided to give it another chance. Only about 100 pages in right now.

Hanzou · Sep 1, 2015

Good choice on the book of the month, Just signed it out from my library's overdrive section.

MrOogieBoogie · Sep 1, 2015

Very light read. Passively enjoyable, but not sure how eager I am to read the rest of the series. We'll see (60% done).

besada · Sep 1, 2015

My calendar says it's still August, dammit. Quit rushing.

Book of the month looks interesting, I'll see if I can pick it up.

MrOogieBoogie said:
Very light read. Passively enjoyable, but not sure how eager I am to read the rest of the series. We'll see (60% done).

One of the only thing I really like by Card. The first three books are great, but things get a little nutty after that and he seems to lose the plot. I love the names, the folklore, the alternate history. All good.

Sadsic · Sep 1, 2015

I don't read that much but I have been listening to audiobooks on my drive to work over the past few weeks. I listened to American Gods and finished it a few days ago. I thought it was decent, but the main character is a complete cliche. I think it'll translate much better as a TV show than as a book ultimately.

I have an audible account, is there anything you guys could recommend me to read next? I've mostly read nonfiction like Guns Germs and Steel, Freakonomics, The Tipping Point, etc. lately, but would also be interested in some fiction.

Cyan · Sep 1, 2015

aidan said:
Sorcerer to the Crown by Zen Cho comes out tomorrow! Buy it. Read it. Love it!

Finally.

Mumei · Sep 1, 2015

Sadsic said:
I don't read that much but I have been listening to audiobooks on my drive to work over the past few weeks. I listened to American Gods and finished it a few days ago. I thought it was decent, but the main character is a complete cliche. I think it'll translate much better as a TV show than as a book ultimately.

I have an audible account, is there anything you guys could recommend me to read next? I've mostly read nonfiction like Guns Germs and Steel, Freakonomics, The Tipping Point, etc. lately, but would also be interested in some fiction.

You should listen to the audiobook for this month's book of the month.

If it is on Audible ofc

kswiston · Sep 1, 2015

Sadsic said:
I don't read that much but I have been listening to audiobooks on my drive to work over the past few weeks. I listened to American Gods and finished it a few days ago. I thought it was decent, but the main character is a complete cliche. I think it'll translate much better as a TV show than as a book ultimately.

I have an audible account, is there anything you guys could recommend me to read next? I've mostly read nonfiction like Guns Germs and Steel, Freakonomics, The Tipping Point, etc. lately, but would also be interested in some fiction.

What sort of fiction do you like?

besada · Sep 1, 2015

aidan said:
Started Ancillary Mercy by Ann Leckie this morning. Two pages in, it's all about Seivarden making tea. Good stuff.

Boo! Boo on you! Mods, ban this cruel fellow!

nailbombxx · Sep 1, 2015

Just began reading The Baron in the Trees by Italo Calvino.

It's about a 12 year old 18th century Baron who is tired of all the rules of high class life, his strict parents and sadistic sister. One day, after he is expected to eat snails for dinner, he storms off up into a tree in their garden, never to come down again. It is about his extraordinary life in the trees.

Cade · Sep 1, 2015

besada said:
Boo! Boo on you! Mods, ban this cruel fellow!

So glad we agree. Please let your justice be swift

Mumei · Sep 1, 2015

nailbombxx said:
Just began reading The Baron in the Trees by Italo Calvino.

It's about a 12 year old 18th century Baron who is tired of all the rules of high class life, his strict parents and sadistic sister. One day, after he is expected to eat snails for dinner, he storms off up into a tree in their garden, never to come down again. It is about his extraordinary life in the trees.

Great book. It didn't quite grab me the way If on a winter's night a traveler or Invisible Cities did, but still one of his better books, I thought.

Nymerio · Sep 1, 2015

Still making my way through Cryoburn.

aidan said:
Started Ancillary Mercy by Ann Leckie this morning. Two pages in, it's all about Seivarden making tea. Good stuff.

Can't wait for this. I loved the first two books.

jtb · Sep 1, 2015

Switch Back 9 · Sep 1, 2015

Still making my way through this:

I'm enjoying a bit more now that I'm getting into things, but I still don't see what the big deal is. Seems like pretty standard fantasy to me. I'm interested enough to finish, but at about halfway through I really hoped it would have grabbed me by now.

I really like

Kaladin's

chapters, but the whole

Dalinar/Adolin/Sadeas

stuff is boooooring.

The

flashback/seizure

scenes are kind of interesting though.

alundra311 · Sep 1, 2015

It's been years since I last read a book cover to cover, so I started a "one book a month" challenge last August and recently finished Good Omens. It was an enjoyable read even though I had to consult a dictionary every now and then (lol).

Will now be reading The Graveyard Book for September.

Also, I envy you guys for your in-depth reviews/discussions/analysis. How does one go about learning to review/analyze books/movies?

Atraveller · Sep 1, 2015

Switch Back 9 said:
Still making my way through this:

I'm enjoying a bit more now that I'm getting into things, but I still don't see what the big deal is. Seems like pretty standard fantasy to me. I'm interested enough to finish, but at about halfway through I really hoped it would have grabbed me by now.

I really like

Kaladin's

chapters, but the whole

Dalinar/Adolin/Sadeas

stuff is boooooring.

The

flashback/seizure

scenes are kind of interesting though.

It starts building momentum towards the end, and then the second book follows right after the end of first one and keeps going. I'm currently on Words of Radiance, I'm loving it.

I like Brandon Sanderson, he is pretty good at writing exciting action. But he just can't seem to stop himself from doing "1 step forward 2 steps back" with character progression, it really gets on my nerves sometimes.

linkboy · Sep 1, 2015

I just finished Three Body Problem.

I'm thinking starting Ancillary Justice, it looks fantastic.

PassiveObserver · Sep 1, 2015

nailbombxx said:
Just began reading The Baron in the Trees by Italo Calvino.

It's about a 12 year old 18th century Baron who is tired of all the rules of high class life, his strict parents and sadistic sister. One day, after he is expected to eat snails for dinner, he storms off up into a tree in their garden, never to come down again. It is about his extraordinary life in the trees.

That synopsis sound charming as hell. I couldn't get through Invisible Cities (I know) but I'll be sure to keep this one in mind when I reach for Calvino.

jtb said:

Don't tell me anything, just tell me how it stacks up to The Corrections and Freedom.

Osahi · Sep 1, 2015

I finished Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter, my light summer read I really liked.

Now I'm at the end of Space Dumplins, the new graphic novel by Craig Thompson. It's more of a comic though, and allthough I liked it at the start, it starts to wear thin fast. I'm no really digging the story all that much, nor the universe. It's cool he tries something new, but maybe he should stick to more serious drama like Blankets and Habibi...

After this I'll go on with The Portuguese, A Brief History by Barry Hatton. I am a few chapters in, and I dig it a lot. Really good non-fiction with personal anekdotes framing broad strokes of Portuguese history. As a Portugal fan like me, a must read.

After that? No idea. I have so much unread books on the shelf I have stress of choosing. I'll probably read some translated Portuguese (The Siege of Lisbon by Saramago? Fado Alexandrino by Lobo Antunes? The Piano Cimetary by I've forgotton who) or read 100 Years of Solitude which I finallt bought in dutch translation after wanting to read it for years. I also have A Farewell to Arms and For Whom the Bell Tolls by Hemmingway on the shelf, also a 'want to read for so long it isn't serious anymore', and loads of other stuff to pick from.

choices, choices, choices

Koriandrr · Sep 1, 2015

I have 100 pages left from the 3rd book of the Strain series.
Read 1000 pages in 2 days. That's how absorbed I was in it. But then again, I get easily absorbed... I really like the books.
Although I'd also like to see the story from a different perspective. The character development is pretty great, I had characters I hated at first, then loved, then hated again, they really grow on you.

(apart from Zack, I always hated that kid)

I saw the 3rd book had some really bad reviews and I can see why, but I personally enjoyed it, with all its

religious

bits.

...now off to the comic book!

BronzeWolf · Sep 1, 2015

Currently I am reading nothing, but yesterday I finished

Gave it a 4/5 (Great Rating).

It goes deeper into each "character's" life (quoting because they are real people) much more deeper than the movie does, which is exactly what I was looking for. Very well written and it goes on a lot further than the movies does. It's also not that much of a torture-a-ton as the movie was, but it sure is heavy at points, even as it gets a little bit repetitive. There is only so many times that you can write "In [x camp] Louie was wasting away" without losing its descriptive value

Saad · Sep 1, 2015

Please recommend me short story collections. I never read any, and I don't have a specific genre in mind, so feel free to suggest anything.

Osahi · Sep 1, 2015

Saad said:
Please recommend me short story collections. I never read any, and I don't have a specific genre in mind, so feel free to suggest anything.

The Murakami ones are very good. He has a surrealistic/magic reality style with lots of weird stuff happening, but it still feels 'real' in a sense. Great characters, great prose.

A good starting point is After the Quake, which has six stories centered around the same theme (the kobe earthquake from the 90ies). The Elephant Vanishes is a great collection too. I even think i prefer his short stories over his novels.

Raymond Carter and Roald Dahl are classics. I really loved Dahls shorts collection (which aren't children stories). From Carter I read one a long time ago. Can't remember which. Appartment or something?

Number45 · Sep 1, 2015

Currently reading:

51VZMIZiXOL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-v3-big,TopRight,0,-55_SX324_SY324_PIkin4,BottomRight,1,22_AA346_SH20_OU02_.jpg

Only about a quarter of the way through, but I'm struggling to get to grips with the style of writing. I may need to read it again at some point, or perhaps start over when I feel I'm in sync with it.

glaurung · Sep 1, 2015

Dan Abnett's Xenos.

It's the first novel of the Eisenhorn trilogy. Mind you, they reprinted this just this year. I tried to get my hands on an Eisenhorn omnibus, but those damn things go for so much money now, I gave it up. Instead, waited a couple of months and now I have all three novels on my shelf. It is a truly great science fiction series, even when you don't care about the Warhammer 40K backdrop.

sparky2112 · Sep 1, 2015

Osahi said:
The Murakami ones are very good. He has a surrealistic/magic reality style with lots of weird stuff happening, but it still feels 'real' in a sense. Great characters, great prose.

A good starting point is After the Quake, which has six stories centered around the same theme (the kobe earthquake from the 90ies). The Elephant Vanishes is a great collection too. I even think i prefer his short stories over his novels.

Raymond Carter and Roald Dahl are classics. I really loved Dahls shorts collection (which aren't children stories). From Carter I read one a long time ago. Can't remember which. Appartment or something?

George Saunders
Wells Tower
Jim Sheppard
The Best American Short Stories (annual, always a good bet)
Kelly Link

RoH · Sep 1, 2015

aidan said:
Started Ancillary Mercy by Ann Leckie this morning. Two pages in, it's all about Seivarden making tea. Good stuff. I'm a huge fan of the first two books (I'm one of those people who like the second book over the first), so I'm excited to see where Leckie takes things. Hard to think she can wrap everything up in one book.

Thanks ! I'm a fan of the series and look forward to this book.

karmaforgotme · Sep 1, 2015

Saad said:
Please recommend me short story collections. I never read any, and I don't have a specific genre in mind, so feel free to suggest anything.

Here are some random ones, there are better collections, but these are the first to come to mind.

Knockemstiff - Donald Ray Pollack
The Outlaw Album: Stories - Daniel Woodrell
The Things They Carried - Tim O'Brien (short stories, but they are all connected)
Collected Stories - Roald Dahl
Love and Longing in Bombay: Stories - Vikram Chandra
The Books of Blood Vol 1-3 - Clive Barker
Night Shift - Stephen King
The Best American Noir of the Century - edited by James Ellroy
Revelations - edited by Douglas Winter

Dedication Through Light · Sep 1, 2015

Starting the month with a huge backlog is saddening.

sparky2112 · Sep 1, 2015

Dedication Through Light said:
Starting the month with a huge backlog is saddening.

If your reading backlog isn't 200+ books, you're doing it wrong.

Deleted member 125677 · Sep 1, 2015

lol

I was placing an order for the new Franzen novel and McCarthy's Bloodline Meridian. To push the order above the free delivery limit, I quickly added The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman (it was among the suggestions - "those who bought ... also bought ..." etc.) to the order and quickly checked out. I've been meaning to read Tristram Shandy for quite some time.

Alas, it was not meant to be.

Turns out I added The Life and Opinions of the Tomcat Murr

together with a fragmentary Biography of Kapellmeister Johannes Kreisler on Random Sheets of Waste Paper

by the Prussian romanticist and satirist E.T.A Hoffmann instead.

sparky2112 · Sep 1, 2015

Roboleon said:
lol

I was placing an order for the new Franzen novel and McCarthy's Bloodline Meridian. To push the order above the free delivery limit, I quickly added The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman (it was among the suggestions - "those who bought ... also bought ..." etc.) to the order and quickly checked out. I've been meaning to read Tristram Shandy for quite some time.

Boy oh boy, I tried to give Shandy a go, but it was stupidly rough going. I REALLY want to read it, as Sterne was obviously waaaaaaay ahead of his time, but still....

The Steve Coogan movie is GREAT, by the way. It's one of the novels that is supposedly unfilmable, and of course the production eventually breaks down and hilarity ensues. Well worth checking out.

kinoki · Sep 1, 2015

sparky2112 said:
If your reading backlog isn't 200+ books, you're doing it wrong.

I have about 50+ in fiction and 100 non-fiction. Modest by any means.

sparky2112 · Sep 1, 2015

kinoki said:
I have about 50+ in fiction and 100 non-fiction. Modest by any means.

Every now and then, one of my kids will say, 'Why do you have all these books? You'll never have time to read them all.'

To which I respond, 'That's not the point!'

No one understands me...

Maklershed · Sep 1, 2015

I know its only September but I'd like to get some suggestions for horror books for the 'Book of the Month' for October. Any recs? I think it'd be cool to keep a list of the runners up handy for people who would want to read those as well.

karmaforgotme said:
Here are some random ones, there are better collections, but these are the first to come to mind.

Knockemstiff - Donald Ray Pollack
The Outlaw Album: Stories - Daniel Woodrell

I definitely have to get these.

Support NeoGAF

What are you reading? (September 2015)

Member

Member

Hugo Award Winning Author and Editor

Member

Member

Banned

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Banned

Member

BioShock Infinite is like playing some homeless guy's vivid imagination

Banned

Member

Banned

Member

Member

Banned

Member

Member

Member

Member

Banned

a lot of my threads involve me fucking up somehow. Perhaps I'm a moron?

Member

Banned

Member

Member

Member

Member

Banned

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Deleted member 125677

Unconfirmed Member

Member

Illness is the doctor to whom we pay most heed; to kindness, to knowledge, we make promise only; pain we obey.

Member

Member

Similar threads