Author Topic: What are you reading right now? (Read 47011 times)

Arbutus · « **on:** November 30, 2008, 03:20:04 am »

Like the "What are you listening to right now?" thread, except hopefully slower and more contemplative so people have a chance to discuss their answers.

So! What are you reading? What books, textbooks, short stories, poetry collections, graphic novels, particularly fascinating articles, etc. do you have your nose buried in at the moment? If it's leisure reading, it'd be cool if you told us all why you sought these books out and how you're liking them so far. Feel free to have discussions, respond to other furs' posts, and make recommendations if there are books you think we'll really like.

Okay! Someone else go first!

(PS: "this thread" is not a correct answer

)

Bloodtooth · « **Reply #1 on:** November 30, 2008, 07:05:44 am »

White Line Fever - Lemmy Kilmister

Brilliant, funny, well written book by Motorhead's founder. Very good indeed, full of wonderful little bits you will remember forever, and a good tale of life in Rock n Roll.

Kay Alett · « **Reply #2 on:** November 30, 2008, 07:21:54 am »

Quote from: Arbutus on November 30, 2008, 03:20:04 am

(PS: "this thread" is not a correct answer )

Another thread.

Okay okay Seriously. I'm re-re-re-reading the few volumes of a manga called 'Yubisaki Milk Tea' that I have.

Edward Vulpes · « **Reply #3 on:** November 30, 2008, 07:39:28 am »

Re-reading Volume 1 of the in-print compilation of Orson Scott Card's Intergalactic Medicine Show web magazine. Really quite an impressive anthology.

Azreal Oreo · « **Reply #4 on:** November 30, 2008, 08:53:43 am »

Unfortunately, lately I haven't found anything that I consider interesting to read. Last thing I read was the "Rhapsody" trilogy set of fantasy novels. I forget the author, but those were really good books. That was.... 3-4 years ago. Also good is the Wayfarer Redemption series of fantasy novels by Sara Douglass. Those would have to be my favorite.

Other than that, their's the occassional Dog Fancy and Game Informer magazines, and my Dungeons and Dragons books.

Feathertail · « **Reply #5 on:** November 30, 2008, 09:17:06 am »

Right now I'm re-reading The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ. ^.^

I've also been reading Ying Chang Competine's Revolution is not a Dinner Party, YA fiction about China's Cultural Revolution. And online I've been reading about Nova Scotia thanks to this silly website: http://www.pomegranatephone.com/

Edward Vulpes · « **Reply #6 on:** November 30, 2008, 11:50:36 am »

Quote from: Tachyon on November 30, 2008, 09:17:06 am

Right now I'm re-reading The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ. ^.^

I've also been reading Ying Chang Competine's Revolution is not a Dinner Party, YA fiction about China's Cultural Revolution. And online I've been reading about Nova Scotia thanks to this silly website: http://www.pomegranatephone.com/

Not to derail this entirely, but what is it about naming portable communications devices after foods? Blackberry, Chocolate, Pomegranate... I'm sure there are more.

I've also been reading: waaaaaay too many chemical papers.

Tristan Thilorn · « **Reply #7 on:** November 30, 2008, 12:11:16 pm »

Mossflower and Mattimeo (both from the wonderful Redwall series by Brian Jacques

)

Kris · « **Reply #8 on:** November 30, 2008, 12:15:35 pm »

Arbutus · « **Reply #9 on:** November 30, 2008, 01:20:58 pm »

Haha, I admit that I was totally taken in by that Pomegranate site until I got to the "Coffee Brewer" function.

Me? I haven't been reading as many books as I used to, mostly because I got a subscription to The Economist, which is the most amazing publication ever created by man (bar none!) but which also slaps me with ~100-150 pages of reading per week. But I'm trying to work through a few in my spare time:

-Ficciones, by Jorge Luis Borges. It's a collection of philosophical and surreal short stories that require a lot of thought to work your way through. The story I'm currently reading is about an infinite library in which every book contains a different random ordering of letters. Every book ever written is in there somewhere, but so is every slightly incorrect permutation of every book ever written, along with a whole lot of gibberish. All the information you could ever want is within its walls, but it's all totally useless, because with such a glut of information, who can know what's wrong and what's right?
-The Sun Also Rises, by Ernest Hemingway. A classic I never got around to reading. I despised Hemingway's writing style in high school, but I've been trying to get into him again because I've noticed my own writing trending towards his "less is more" philosophy.
-Imagined Communities, by Benedict Anderson. I sort of stalled out on this book in August, but I fully intend to finish it soon. It's more or less the founding text of modern nationalism studies; it argues that the nations that people identify with, the nations people live and fight and die for, are nothing more than arbitrarily-defined communities held together by common consent.

Timberwuff · « **Reply #10 on:** November 30, 2008, 01:36:43 pm »

Quote from: Arbutus on November 30, 2008, 01:20:58 pm

-Ficciones, by Jorge Luis Borges. It's a collection of philosophical and surreal short stories that require a lot of thought to work your way through. The story I'm currently reading is about an infinite library in which every book contains a different random ordering of letters. Every book ever written is in there somewhere, but so is every slightly incorrect permutation of every book ever written, along with a whole lot of gibberish. All the information you could ever want is within its walls, but it's all totally useless, because with such a glut of information, who can know what's wrong and what's right?

Ooooh, that one sounds really interesting! I might take that up this coming break.

As for right now, due to my English class, I'm reading Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? and it's pretty good, I'm not completely into absolute futuristic stories, but this one works very well! A few weeks ago I was reading The Alchemist and it proved to be an extremely amazing book.

Essentially, for those two books we've read and discussed in my English class, the meanings behind and inside of them relate to my life in so many different, odd, and intriguing ways that I couldn't believe this was truly happening. Call me crazy, but I honestly felt as though this were a sign showing me not really how to live my life, but what to look forward to in the future, and how far away it should be about. It helped answer a lot of personal questions. There were times in class where I thought I was in some sort of fantasy because the discussion and meanings could relate to my life so well!

Anyway, I'm also looking forward to re-reading Myst Reader. Which is a compilation of the three books based off of the game Myst.

Baako · « **Reply #11 on:** November 30, 2008, 01:40:28 pm »

Horus Rising by Dan Abnett

It's a Warhammer 40k novel, I love the WH40K lore and reading novels based around that lore is pretty groovy

RedneckFur · « **Reply #12 on:** November 30, 2008, 02:02:14 pm »

"Black Light", by Stephen Hunter. Its the sequel to "Point of Impact", the novel that the movie "Shooter" was based on. I'm also reading Stephen King's "Cell" and Larry Niven's "Lucifer's Hammer"

I like post-apolyptic literature alot, provided its based in reality. No zombie stories for me

I'm also a fan of good Sci-Fi. if you want to recomend something to me, feel free.

Feathertail · « **Reply #13 on:** November 30, 2008, 02:42:07 pm »

Quote from: Edward Vulpes on November 30, 2008, 11:50:36 am

Not to derail this entirely, but what is it about naming portable communications devices after foods? Blackberry, Chocolate, Pomegranate... I'm sure there are more.

The "Pomegranate" is a spoof, created as a marketing device by the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. It includes such must-have features as an electric razor and a coffeemaker. ^.^

Quote from: Arbutus on November 30, 2008, 01:20:58 pm

I despised Hemingway's writing style in high school, but I've been trying to get into him again because I've noticed my own writing trending towards his "less is more" philosophy.

Less is more? I had a friend who called him "Run-On Sentence Hemingway." Of course, I haven't read him myself ...

Quote from: Arbutus on November 30, 2008, 01:20:58 pm

-Imagined Communities, by Benedict Anderson. I sort of stalled out on this book in August, but I fully intend to finish it soon. It's more or less the founding text of modern nationalism studies; it argues that the nations that people identify with, the nations people live and fight and die for, are nothing more than arbitrarily-defined communities held together by common consent.

Which helps explain why I'm now "recreationally" reading about Canadian culture and immigration procedures!

promagnum · « **Reply #14 on:** November 30, 2008, 03:11:08 pm »

Quote from: Bloodtooth on November 30, 2008, 07:05:44 am

White Line Fever - Lemmy Kilmister

Brilliant, funny, well written book by Motorhead's founder. Very good indeed, full of wonderful little bits you will remember forever, and a good tale of life in Rock n Roll.

That's also a song title. A beautiful song btw. about a trucker and his life in it.

Sskessa · « **Reply #15 on:** November 30, 2008, 03:34:41 pm »

Quote

Quote from: Arbutus on November 30, 2008, 01:20:58 pm
I despised Hemingway's writing style in high school, but I've been trying to get into him again because I've noticed my own writing trending towards his "less is more" philosophy.

Less is more? I had a friend who called him "Run-On Sentence Hemingway." Of course, I haven't read him myself ...

Yeah, I also don't know what you're talking about, Arbutus. Hemmingway is verbose as hell.

For my the class I'm in right now, we read 4-8 short stories a week. It's pretty grueling. Somehow, though, I've found the time to read for recreation. Right now it's "Pnin" by Vladimir Nabokov. What can I say it's about? A Russian professor living in America. There's no description that makes it sound interesting, but it really is.

Next on my list is "Venus in Furs." I've already read the graphic novel version =^_^=

Arbutus · « **Reply #16 on:** November 30, 2008, 04:06:25 pm »

Quote from: Sskessa on November 30, 2008, 03:34:41 pm

Yeah, I also don't know what you're talking about, Arbutus. Hemmingway is verbose as hell.

"He left home at the age of 17 to become a journalist. His first job was a reporter for the Kansas City Star, where it is said he adopted a main tenet of his literary style from the publication's style guide: 'Use short sentences. Use short first paragraphs. Use vigorous English. Be positive, not negative.' "

http://www.literarytraveler.com/authors/hemingway_ernest.aspx

Alsek · « **Reply #17 on:** November 30, 2008, 04:08:42 pm »

I'm reading, "The Art of War,"..... Again....

Hayaikawa · « **Reply #18 on:** November 30, 2008, 04:20:19 pm »

I'm reading the book of rive rings. It's a very good book on Japanese samurai mindset and fighting philosophy.

Esquire · « **Reply #19 on:** November 30, 2008, 05:14:52 pm »

The words "Trans-Atlantic" Right before I get hit by a train.

Relaxing Dragon · « **Reply #20 on:** November 30, 2008, 05:17:01 pm »

Quote from: RedneckFur on November 30, 2008, 02:02:14 pm

"Black Light", by Stephen Hunter. Its the sequel to "Point of Impact", the novel that the movie "Shooter" was based on. I'm also reading Stephen King's "Cell" and Larry Niven's "Lucifer's Hammer"

Good choice, I like that one (liked the first one a bit more, though). I really need to get started on reading the third book of the Swagger series, I keep putting it off.

Right now I'm thumbing through Eleanor Roosevelt: A Personal and Public Life, looking for quotes to use in my essay on said book.

Ratchet · « **Reply #21 on:** November 30, 2008, 08:29:41 pm »

I'm reading a few books a the moment, firstly "Lost souls" by Neil White which is a crime novel, i'm almost finished it though, and i have finally managed to track down a copy of "The Architect of sleep" by Steven Boyett (£2 from ebay

) so I've just started that, I should really wait until i finish one novel before starting another but i always seem to have two on the go at once

I'm also reading a couple of non fiction books, firstly teach yourself UNIX which is a computing textbook, plus a few engineering textbooks i need for college.

Bloodtooth · « **Reply #22 on:** November 30, 2008, 10:08:10 pm »

Quote from: promagnum on November 30, 2008, 03:11:08 pm

Quote from: Bloodtooth on November 30, 2008, 07:05:44 am
White Line Fever - Lemmy Kilmister

Brilliant, funny, well written book by Motorhead's founder. Very good indeed, full of wonderful little bits you will remember forever, and a good tale of life in Rock n Roll.

That's also a song title. A beautiful song btw. about a trucker and his life in it.

Merle Haggard isn't it? Also a song on Motorheads first album of the same name, different song though. (I kinda expected a cover, tbh). And a film.

Life as a trucker is also part of another song I love, Born to Run.

Alexandre · « **Reply #23 on:** December 01, 2008, 05:04:59 pm »

Alright. Here's the list:

A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court and Pudd'nhead Wilson by Mark Twain. I was supposed to have read them earlier this semester, but I got a bit behind (though I have read bits of each). I've been reading several of his short stories as well, and, though they are very political, Twain's writing is hilarious (if you can read it, check out "The Story of the Good Little Boy"). All of his books are fantastic.

I'm also reading several articles about Twain for the same class. I think I've read more things about his writing than what he actually wrote.

The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner. Technically I've been reading this book for fun since last spring, but I lost it on a plane. I recently bought it (again), and I'll read it over Christmas break. It's extremely hard to understand, but I love Faulkner's convoluted use of language. The story is depressing, but it really grips me; I can't wait to find out what happens.

And that's basically what I'm reading.

Arbutus · « **Reply #24 on:** December 01, 2008, 05:57:01 pm »

Quote from: Alexandre on December 01, 2008, 05:04:59 pm

The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner. Technically I've been reading this book for fun since last spring, but I lost it on a plane. I recently bought it (again), and I'll read it over Christmas break. It's extremely hard to understand, but I love Faulkner's convoluted use of language. The story is depressing, but it really grips me; I can't wait to find out what happens.

Rock on! Faulkner is one of my favorite authors ever, and that's my favorite book by him.

Good thing you lost the book the first time around, lol, because I feel like you need to read anything by Faulkner twice in order to get the most out of it; he likes just dropping you into the middle of incredibly complex and emotional situations in which nobody says anything straight out, and his writing style can be very hard to comprehend at first. So the first time around, you start out unsure how to even read the book and you're mystified as to who all these characters are and how they're related to each other and why they all hate everyone else, until some point close to the end where it all clicks and you're like whoa.