Whats everyone reading?

[Davek]

It did say The Sun picked the story up on Wikipedia.  I dont think it is naive to presume The Sun would cover the story in anything but a professional and balanced way     

[Dark Jimbo]

You're a better man than I am, Gunga Din. 

[I, Cosh]

Surprised there was apparent controversy on its release - dont think it does anything to glorify Hitler 

See, you've naively (but reasonably) assumed that the folks causing the hue and cry had actually read it. Which, of course, they hadn't. 'Hitler? In a comic? On a slow news day?! The world must be alerted!'

Was it this or Skin which was canned because of Pat Kane's objections? That man really is a titanic cunt and the smooth blandness of his music is more offensive than Frankie Boyle in a Klan hood.

[Gonk]

"The Picture of Dorian Gray" , Oscar Wilde's famous novel of the portrait in the attic that grows old as the foppish Dorian lives a double life : experimenting with every vice in the world available to him, whilst maintaining a respectable outer image to Victorian society.
          When it was first published it was viewed as degenerate and corrupting to the mind of gentle readers everywhere. A modern day reader would soon recognise Dorian's double personality as being pretty much an authentic mode of living and would have no qualms about his hedonism and lack of responsibility; they might be a bit nonplussed at his good manners though. Especially after he's murdered, wondering why, perhaps, he isn't boasting about his nocturnal activities to his friends on a social network.

[Tiplodocus]

WORLD WAR Z

It's not brilliant by any stretch of the imagination (I actually groaned out load at the "twist" reveal in the tale of the air force pilot fighting her way back to saftey) and Brooks has a knack of incorrectly focusing on bits that aren't as interesting as some of the background nuggets  but it is a very quick and easy read.

And I do like the optimism of it all - [spoiler]that the world doesn't completely go to hell in a hand basket.[/spoiler]

I think this would have mad for a great short telly series rather than a two hour film. You know, each episode (or half episode) could focus on a slightly different aspect of the war.

[Spikes]

Currently reaquainting myself with Quatermass by Nigel Kneale, which is perhaps my all time favourite read, and one that captures my imagination everytime.
Just superb, and not a word wasted, helped no doubt, by this story having the longest gestation period of all the Quatermass serials. I usually read it straight through, or at most, in a couple of sittings.
A real shame he didnt choose to branch out from being a television and film writer to write more novels, (the only other book he wrote was a collection of short stories - Tomato Kane, which unfortunately i havent had chance to read).

[bigjobs67]

Currently reaquainting myself with Quatermass by Nigel Kneale, which is perhaps my all time favourite read, and one that captures my imagination everytime.
Just superb, and not a word wasted, helped no doubt, by this story having the longest gestation period of all the Quatermass serials. I usually read it straight through, or at most, in a couple of sittings.
A real shame he didnt choose to branch out from being a television and film writer to write more novels, (the only other book he wrote was a collection of short stories - Tomato Kane, which unfortunately i havent had chance to read).

Will give that a go. Loved the films and TV series.

[Spikes]

A copy or three are always on E-bay - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Quatermass-Nigel-Kneale-Paperback-1979-/250997614561 and can usually still be found in most 2nd hand book shops as well, so tracking one down shouldnt be a problem if your interested. Enjoy

[bigjobs67]

Cheers Jack. I'm all over that.

[Judo]

I got a beautiful mint 1st ed copy of Arthur C Clarke's Fountains of Paradise which im looking forward to re-reading as I love his work .
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fountains_of_paradise

In comics, I am reading Lemire's Sweet Tooth - kinda black whole meets mad max.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweet_Tooth_(Vertigo)

x x

[Emperor]

Picked up Starblazer #71 in a secondhand book shop* - forgettable story but lovely Mick McMahon art.

* I always keep an eye open for some of the Grant Morrison/John Smith issues and anything from an art droid - I had a dozen or more but either binned them or misplaced them,

[O Lucky Stevie!]

I got a beautiful mint 1st ed copy of Arthur C Clarke's Fountains of Paradise which im looking forward to re-reading as I love his work .
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fountains_of_paradise

Nice one! Possibly Stevie's fave Clarke after Rendezvous with Rama.

Meanwhile Cavor & the narrator have just been captured by the Selenites in HG Well's The First Men in the Moon. Cracking stuff.

[bigjobs67]

Finished "The Sisters Brothers" by Patrick DeWitt not so long ago and absolutely loved it. Well worth checkin out. I'm now re-reading "The Perfect Fool" by Stewart Lee. Also good.

[Gonk]

AMERIKA, Franz Kafka wrote this novel with ideas he took from travel journals and memoirs; he rarely travelled and never left Europe.

Kafka readers are quick to emphasise the difference of this novel's mood in relation to The Trial and The Castle, reading into it an optimistic streak of Kafka's personality altogether lacking in earlier writings. Critcs of Kafka like to interpret the novel's character K as reflecting Kafka's feelings of a sense of isolation and existential angst, hopelessness and absurdity in Prague. They point to the fact of him writing in the confines of a mixed German, Czech, Jewish, Austrian culture and explain his physical ill health and mental instability as inspiration for his writing.

Many critics have looked upon his works as describing the quest for God by a solitary individual.

[bigjobs67]

Ooooh! Get you Fonk.