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So you gotta tell me, what'd you think of "The Stranger"?
I had mixed feelings when I read it. It was interesting on a basic plot-and-characters level but the whole existentialist philosophy, well, I guess I find it unconvincing.

You know, part of the reason I'm reading all this stuff is that I'm trying to figure out what I think of existentialism myself. There are passages in these books that I completely agree with, and other passages that just baffle me because they seem so illogical. Like, for example, the main idea in existentialism is that because there is no higher power, nothing in the world inherently "means" anything, and we must imbue them with our own meaning in order to live. Me, I find that intriguing, and even a little exciting, because it opens up so many possibilities and so many different ways of creating "meaning," of leading a life that actually matters to you instead of being confined to other people's ideas of what matters. But somehow, these philosophers manage to inject SO MUCH ANGST into it, lol. It's like, they ignore all the positive aspects of philosophical freedom, they're all just like "God is dead and objects have no essence only naked existence and God isn't handing me the meaning of life on a silver platter wah wah wah wah wah." SHUT UP, SARTRE.

This is especially bothering me in Nausea, where the whole premise is basically there's an author who gets all angsty because he comes to realize that nothing in the world has meaning beyond the fact of its own existence. I kind of want to slap him, lol. Stop complaining! Go create your own meaning! That's what life is all about!

I also think Meursault (the main dude in The Stranger) has serious social and moral problems that go well beyond any philosophical statement the author is trying to make. But that's just my take.

My thoughts on the angsty existentialist authours... If they've got so much time to actually write books on how nothing has any meaning other than its own exsistance, then they have too much free time on their hands.  Having to work hard to earn a living gives meaning to nearly everything.  At face value, I can understand some of the existential arguments, but I cant help but feel that the the arguments themselves are a product of an aristocratic society who never learned the value of things because they never had to strive to get them.

I would like to read some of these writings myself, but I think I'd only feel bitter towards the authors afterwards.

What does a meal mean when you're starving?  It could mean life itself    I actually think this would be an excelent topic for the debate club forum. What say you?

I'm reading Lolita for an assignment.

Hey what coincidence. I started "Lolita" today.
It just kills me that English is Nabokov's second (or third?) language. When will I be able to write like that???

Oh, I know. It makes me feel absolutely dreadful in comparison. But I have a theory. If I continue reading books as good as Lolita, my writing will improve.

Hopefully that will work x3

Oh, it will! I say this in complete seriousness: Reading good books will improve your writing.

Even reading bad books will

Reading "The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak. So far it is a really good read, never come across anything like it.

Finished Barchester Towers, now taking a break from 19th cent lit.

Now reading Eragon. Awesome so far. :p

BTW, I know its OLD so plz no spoilies.

Currently reading "G.I. Joe: Above and Beyond", the prequel novel to this summer's blockbuster movie "G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra".

Yo, Joe!

That is good to know, Kobuk.  And knowing is half the battle.

On topic, I recently picked up a cool book called Moon Called, by Patricia Briggs. The main character is a shapeshifter, her neighbor is a werewolf, and she is fixing a van belonging to a local vampire. Needless to say, I'm enjoying it so far.

I just started reading another book of H.P. Lovecraft stories. It is a library book, and inside the front cover, somebody has written the letters "H.P. LOVECRAFT" in what appears to be blood.

Is this creepy y/n?

[T F Stone Captain U.S.S. DEFIANTOne Photon Torpedo Can Ruin Your Whole Day THINK ABOUT IT]

I'm rearing "Full Circle" by Kirsten Beyer...

I just started reading another book of H.P. Lovecraft stories. It is a library book, and inside the front cover, somebody has written the letters "H.P. LOVECRAFT" in what appears to be blood.

Is this creepy y/n?

I vote yes. I'm reading Eragon and I am finding Saphira (The Dragon) hawt. Is that creepy?
lol

Picked the book just because it has a dragon in it but love it so far...

I'm reading Eragon and I am finding Saphira (The Dragon) hawt. Is that creepy?

Are you seriously asking a bunch of furries if we think it's creepy to have the hots for a talking dragon?

Finished Barchester Towers, now taking a break from 19th cent lit.

Now reading Eragon. Awesome so far. :p

BTW, I know its OLD so plz no spoilies.

I'm already waiting for the last book:p(I have all three book's on my bookcase and I have read them all).And I hope you like gore and some extreme violence(By the way DON'T watch the the movie).

Finishing up The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson,
Then I'm on to Great Gatsby...

Also sporadically reading Only Revolutions by Mark Z. Danielewski and Free Culture by Lawrence Lessig...

I have a habit of reading multiple books at once >__<

Well... I'm reading Stephen King's Misery.  It's much better than the movie (which was awesome, too). 

Dies the Fire (and its sequels) by S.M. Stirling

Well, I have not finished Lolita yet. I got distracted reading Diary of a Madman and other stories by he-who-is-quickly-becoming-my-favorite-author, Nicolai Gogol. Maybe I'll give Dead Souls another shot. Reading these two authors side-by-side, it's easy to see how Nabokov was influenced by Gogol. Both of their prose styles are loose, almost stream-of-conscious, but also very colorful. And both of them write totally whacked-out characters who fixate on the most trivial things.

Wheel of Time series. Book one. What a fantastic story it is. Much too complex to tell in words. JUST READ IT. xD

lol Same here Guilleum. I'm on the fourth book of the Wheel of Time Series. Robert Jordan really had outdone himself.

The Death and Life of Great American Cities, by Jane Jacobs. Having just moved to a Great American City^TM, I'm starting to get really interested in city planning and urban studies and stuff again. And dude, this book is so fascinating. It's far more interesting than any book with a chapter called "The Uses of Sidewalks" has any right to be.

lol Same here Guilleum. I'm on the fourth book of the Wheel of Time Series. Robert Jordan really had outdone himself.

This. I actually just finished the fourth book last night, and when school starts in again, I'll be borrowing the next three installments from a friend.

Currently reading Leonard Nimoy's I Am Spock.

The Death and Life of Great American Cities, by Jane Jacobs. Having just moved to a Great American City^TM, I'm starting to get really interested in city planning and urban studies and stuff again. And dude, this book is so fascinating. It's far more interesting than any book with a chapter called "The Uses of Sidewalks" has any right to be.

That is probly the best chapter name.  Ever. 

Currently reading Leonard Nimoy's I Am Spock.

Excellent book.

Currently reading The Omnivore's Dillemma.

Currently Reading A Long Way Gone Very chilling.

My birthday is coming up, and I'm probably going to get 3 or so computer technical manuals, so I'll be absorbing myself in those soon.

The complete works of Lewis Carroll (or Charles Dodgson if you prefer). Good stuff.

Finished up H.M.S. Surprise, moving on to The Mauritius Command now.

Also finally got the last few issues of 100 Bullets, so I've read all of that series now. Excellent stuff, possibly my favorite graphic novel series ever. For those who are interested in modern crime/noir stuff (fictional, that is), check it out. You won't be disappointed.