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Whats everyone reading?

Started by Paul faplad Finch, 30 March, 2009, 10:04:36 PM

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Dandontdare

Quote from: The Cosh on 16 July, 2009, 12:16:11 AM
Quote from: TordelBack on 15 July, 2009, 01:20:52 PM
Re-reading Name of the Rose, and frankly I'm not finding it the mind-bending experience I did all those years ago.  Is it me, or is Umberto Eco just a little bit full of stomm?  

When I read this first, I saw it as an eye-opening exercise in semiotics and hermeneutics, with a clever and colourful narrative and setting to pull the reader along.  Now it feels like a Sherlock Holmes Elseworlds[/i.
Can it be both and can he be full of stomm and still good? I haven't read if for a while, but I've always thought it manages to integrate the two sides in a way that nothing else of his that I've read (not that much, tbh) has. Foucault's Pendulum is tedious pish though: sort of like Illuminatus without the jokes.

I loved the Name of the Rose (and after reading it I understood the film second time around!), but I totally agree with Cosh about Foucoult's Pendulum. I took this when I was travelling in South America last year as I thought it's size-to-density ratio made it good value, especially for the 11 hour flights. Read about 40 pages and then actually preferred the in-flight action/romcom starring Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey - yes, it was THAT shit. Maybe it's his fascination with cracking this devilish new Ultimate Code - a password protected Word Processor file - ooooh, spooky! Doesn't have the same thrill as a lost text by Aristotle, or even the crappy DaVinci code!

I ended up reading a Terry Pratchett and the last 2 Harry Potters, plus Hotel Honolulu by Paul Theroux, during the rest of the trip, all borrowed from the on-truck library or various hostels.

TordelBack

QuoteRecently finished Anathem by Neal Stevenson - top banana as per usual.

Easily the best book I've read in the past 12 months.

Roger Godpleton

Re-read 1602 recently and I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. I quite like Gaiman when he writes about human beings before he piles on the twee crap.
He's only trying to be what following how his dreams make you wanna be, man!

TheEdge

"Save Trees, Eat Beavers"
"Animal Rights: Animals have the right to be tasty"

Paul faplad Finch

Screen Burn and Dawn Of The Dumb. Pure genius. Ashamed to say that I'd never heard of Charlie Brooker before seeing these dirt cheap next to the tills in HMV. Never laughed so much in a long time.

Spooky thing is I was buying, amongst a big pile of other stuff that was in the sale, Dead Set. Totally oblivious. None the wiser till I got home. 

Also reading the various Torchwood novels. CoE reminded me that I hadn't bought any in a while so off I trundled to Waterstones and bloody hell there are millions of the buggers. How often are they releasing them? Anyway, bought the lot and know what I'm reading for the foreseeable future.
It doesn't mean that round my way
Pessimism is Realism - Optimism is Insanity
The Impossible Quest
Musings Of A Nobody
Stuff I've Read

Colin YNWA

Quote from: faplad on 20 July, 2009, 11:22:23 PM
Screen Burn and Dawn Of The Dumb. Pure genius. Ashamed to say that I'd never heard of Charlie Brooker before seeing these dirt cheap next to the tills in HMV. Never laughed so much in a long time. 

If you get the chance check out 'Screenwipe' on BBC4 or he has a new quiz tonight on Channel 4 I think. The fella's genius.

Speaking of which started re-reading Ann Nocenti's Daredevil run this weekend. I know when it comes to DD people always talk about Miller and Jansen's run or the Bendis one, both fine fine efforts BUT for me the Nocenti run will always be the best its simply brillant.

Kerrin

Hey Faplad, Charlie Brooker usualy writes a column for the Guardian on Mondays, it's in section 2 of the paper, or online I guess. Not this Monday though, the workshy fop is on another holiday. Next Monday though.

OpusAndBill

Quote from: Colin_YNWA on 21 July, 2009, 08:34:27 AM
Quote from: faplad on 20 July, 2009, 11:22:23 PM
Speaking of which started re-reading Ann Nocenti's Daredevil run this weekend. I know when it comes to DD people always talk about Miller and Jansen's run or the Bendis one, both fine fine efforts BUT for me the Nocenti run will always be the best its simply brillant.

Totally agree. It went downhill rapidly after she left.
Boasting the efficacy of Oliver Wendell Jones' Hair Tonic.

radiator

Currently about halfway through The Demolished man by Alfred Bester, which I'm enjoying but it hasn't grabbed me like The Stars My Destination did.

Also working my way through Shakara: The Avenger to refresh my memory for the new series, and just today got Wilt, the final 100 Bullets volume - can't wait to get started on that one!

Kerrin

Quote from: radiator on 21 July, 2009, 07:44:11 PMand just today got Wilt, the final 100 Bullets volume - can't wait to get started on that one!

YEE-HA! I was thinking this wasn't out till the 28th of August, canceled the Amazon order and got one on eBay. Cheers for the heads up Radiator. Come on postie, hurry UP! Two to three working days, cuh, IwannitNOW!

Roger Godpleton

Started reading The Question. Good but a bit dated.
He's only trying to be what following how his dreams make you wanna be, man!

Comrade Aleksandr

The History of Modern China: 1850-2009.
My Dad bought it for me since I'm studying Mao's China at college.
Really didn't enjoy it a t first, but after making myself read a chapter a day of it for the past few weeks, have really gotten into it!
I'm at the mid 1970s at the moment. Chairman Mao, the 'Great Helmsman' has finally, finally,finally died!
Deng Xiaoping is slowly rising up through the Parties ranks again after being discredited and purged durring the cataclysmic Cultural Revolution.
I'm also not far off finishing Cities in Flight by James Blish.
As soon as I hve finished it, I'm going to start on Valis by Philip K. Dick.
When I finish the China book I intend to finish Thus Spoke Zarathustra by Friedrich Nietzsche.
And try and get hold of Endymion omnibus by Dan Simmons.
Anyone here read Hyperion/Fall of Hyperion by Dan Simmons?
What are you looking at?

Richmond Clements

QuoteAnd try and get hold of Endymion omnibus by Dan Simmons.
Anyone here read Hyperion/Fall of Hyperion by Dan Simmons?

Indeed I have! They're all stone cold classics.
Rise of Endymion is a bit overlong, I think, but more then worth it in the end... for a reason I cannot discuss because of spoilers.

TordelBack

I enjoyed Hyperion a lot, but for some reason could never get into Fall of Hyperion, so went no further.  Have to give it another try  someday.

Kerrin

I've read the collected editions of 'Hyperion' and 'Endymion', they're both good though I preferred 'Hyperion'.