Just getting to the end of Going Postal by Pratchett.

I think he's losing it guys...

Had a day off. Read Yvgenie by C.J.Cherryh. Russian mythology and wizardry. I find I like her work a fair bit.

This Alien Shore is also quite a good book. It's by C.S.Friedman.

I just finished reading a set of books by Kelley Armstrong she is quite cool and extremely funny (her last book completely sends up the Anne Rice vampires.) Utterly wonderful trashy reads

Ahh, yes!!

Love these books! I think Elena has real potential if she would just tap it a little better.

I just finished reading Shrodingers Cat by John Gribbin, it's kinda like a super cracked out Hitch Hikers Guide.... but a really good read....

Hmmmm. I like weird reads... I'll have to look for this one...

Just finished "P.S. I Love You" by Cecilia Ahern (yes Bertie Ahern's daughter). It's very moving and made me cry more than once. I am buying a book called "All Under Heaven" by Rayne Kruger about Chinese history (non-fiction) this weekend, assuming the publication date hasn't changed and I also have "The Mask of Ra" by Paul Doherty to start.

I want a good book to take on a 8 hour plane journey. Any recommendations?

Silly bit of info but aparently Kelley Armstrongs first book is supposed to be being made into a movie starring Angelina Jolie. Not sure whether i'll like it but I will have to go take a butchers

I've just dug out a copy of 'Cold Comfort Farm', which I bought at the end of last year and have not read yet. Just started reading it now. Anyone read it, and what do they think of it?

I like to have more than one book going at a time, because I read in different places and so like to have a different book for each. i.e. my 'main' book is the one I read whilst in bed, just prior to falling asleep; I also have a book which I read in the bath; and also a book which I'll read in the living room, whilst other people are watching television. Are the rest of you one-book-only readers, or several-books-at-a-time readers?

I'm usually a several-books-at-a-time person but if a book is particularly gripping I tend to focus all my energy on that and I don't start any others. I guess that is a good way of getting an idea of which books I enjoyed the most

I was reading fellowship of the ring but gave up half way through

Try again
Or read The Hobbit.

The hobbit? I don't know about that - isn't that just as long?

The Hobbit is much shorter. For a start, it's only one book as opposed to the three of The Lord of the Rings. And it's less heavy-going as well. Even though Tolkien described most of his books as being for children, simply because they originated from the tales he told his own offspring, I would say that The Hobbit is more of a children's book than most of his other literature.

But even so, I know a lot of people that find The Hobbit heavy-going. Though I personally don't see why.

Anyway, The Hobbit is far less engulfed in history and backstory, and thus is much easier to get through. It's also lighter (in terms of humour) than Lord of the Rings, and it's very enjoyable too. I read it when I was ickle, and it has remained a firm favourite.

Buy it.
Read it.
Come back here and thank me.

The Hobbit- FAR too many dwarf songs. I cracked under the pressure of it and it ended up in the corner of my bedroom whree it stayed for many months. Tolkein is fine as long as you can cope with many hours being spent on describing the colour of the elven lord's armchair! No offence to anyone who loves the books but I just can't deal with that ammount of detail!

I'm partially reading Clockwork Orange but not getting too far. Too busy lately to get imersed in a good book.

With all due respect to Hobbes and Amazon.com - Buy the Hobbit at a used bookstore. You can usually still find a copy as they keep reprinting it and you'll save money towards more finds for the bookshelf.

Still only reading textbooks and Matazone.

Yeah, I second that... I've got two copies that were published in the early seventies...

Just finished reading 'War of the Worlds' by H.G.Wells. Wonderful science Fiction, and adventure. Also a caution against relying too much on technology... Holds up wonderfully, even in our times.

Well, yes - I was merely pointing him in the right direction I have two versions of The Hobbit. One is a brand new one with all the commercial trimmings, the other is an old one which isn't quite a first-edition-paperback, but is close. And has a nice Tolkien drawing on the front.

That the sketch of the dragon one? 'cos if it is, snap! I personally found The Hobbit no easier or harder to read than LOTR, apart from LOTR being much longer.

I'm reading "Star Trek Deep Space Nine Millennium" and it's answered a few questions I had.

It's mostly a burning town (Esgaroth?), but with a dragon in the sky.

If you like War of the worlds you should check out the time machine. Vrey cool and very socially aware.

My clockwork orange reader (sorry it's too late in the evening for me to remember names) If you do finish it you really should try reading some other novels in the same vein. They are all so very cool. My faves include:
Brave New World
1984 (although both are a tad frustrating)
We (translated into english from Russian- Superb book that I don't ever miss the chance of ranting on about- Yvgeny Zamyatin)
The Handmaids Tale- Equally superb and very thought provoking when you get to the end notes
Do androids dream of electric sheep (Commonly know as Balde Runner- not really the same story but its what BR was based on)
The children of Men (PD James of all people!)

Hope this is of some use to people. Sorry for blathering!

Like Flanimals, these are not exactly books for reading but I have been flicking through these two books regularly the last few days and someone in the 'Start A Rumour About Mata' thread in 'Daft' reminded me of them.

Return of the Bunny Suicides

The Book of Bunny Suicides

Ohhh - I have the book of bunny suicides!! It's great!!

I wish I had it but I lent my copy to someone at school and never got it back... (they've left the school now- they probably lost my book and were too scared to tell me )

Anyone interested in any of the Man Booker prize nominees? I've just ordered The Electric Michaelangelo. I liked the sound of it. The others aren't too dull either. I expected Booker Prize stuff to be really heavy but obviously not. Just thought I'd get a bit of "kullcher" like

Pixie Goth,

I've never really gone for adult books that have been nominated for prizes, becuase they always seem to disapoint.



I saw a poster up of 'Return of the Bunny Suicides' in a club I went to last night. I assumed it was a band, but now I know otherwise, I'm curious to know why the poster was up in there?

I'll edit this when I get back home...


edit:

I finnished High Society by Ben Elton the other day. I really enjoy Ben Elton's books, because I find them funny, topical, and turn pagery (is it even a word?). High Society is about how pretty much everyone in this country either takes drugs, or knows someone who does. I find Elton's books east to suspend my disbelief in, as they are quite close to what I hold to be true, just funnier and a little less likely.

Anyone else like Ben Elton? Any particular book?- Oh, he has a new one out, anyone read it?

So have you read every single adult book that's been nominated for a prize then? Seriously, which ones disappointed you?

Just went out and purloined me a few books at blessed Bluewater (I love that place). I'm therefore reading the following books at the moment:

Going Postal - Pratchett
America - Alistair Cooke
The Line of Beauty - Alan Hollinghurst - It won the Booker Prize last week. The fact that it contains luridly-described gay sex scenes had absolutely no bearing on my decision to purchase it. At all.
The Idiot - Dostoyevsky - pretty dull so far. I'm forty pages in and all Dostoyevsky can find to say is how innocent Prince Myshkin is and how hierarchical Russian society is. I wish he'd stop ramming those two messages down my throat.
Rubicon - can't remember who wrote it yet, but it's looking pretty good. It's about the last sixty years of the Roman Empire (hurray! Everyone loves looming disaster!) and it got a rave review from my History teacher, so I'm going to try and get it read this holiday.

More acuratly I mean: I never hunt out nominated, or awarded books.

Not everyone, but some of the ones I remember starting are:
White Teeth by Zadie Smith
Life of Pie by Yann Martel
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon

There are some other from a few years back, which I don't rember the titles of.

Actually, I like to Kill a Mocking bird, which I think won summit.

The Electric Michaelangelo, wassit about? What nominated, and awarded books would you recommend Pixie Goth?



Snuggs/ Hobbes, what are the Bunnie Suicide books about?

A superb book! Start it again, and read it all I tells ye.



They are in the same kind of vein as the '101 Uses of a Dead Cat' books that were around a few years ago. Basically, they are just a collection of pictures featuring bunnies attempting suicide in amusing ways. Some of them are inspired, some of them are expected, all of them are twisted.

But very funny.

Can't help you there as (I think) this is the first nominee I've read. I could be wrong but I don't remember seeing any. Like I said I'm broadening my horizons and getting some culture I might try the other nominees and the winner too

The synopsis is as follows (from publishers web site Faber & Faber);

"Opening on the windswept front of Morecambe Bay, on the remote north-west coast of England, The Electric Michelangelo is a novel of love, loss and the art of tattooing.

In the uniquely sensuous and lyrical prose that has already become her trademark, Sarah Hall's remarkable new novel tells the story of Cy Parks, from his childhood years spent in a seaside guest house for consumptives with his mother, Reeda, to his apprenticeship as a tattoo-artist with Eliot Riley - a scraper with a reputation as a Bolshevik and a drinker to boot.

His skills acquired and a thirst for experience burning within him, Cy departs for America and the riotous world of the Coney Island boardwalk, where he sets up his own business as 'The Electric Michelangelo'. In this carnival environment of roller-coasters and freak-shows, while the crest of the Edwardian amusement industry wave is breaking, Cy becomes enamoured with Grace, a mysterious East European immigrant and circus performer who commissions him to cover her body entirely with tattooed eyes.

Hugely atmospheric, exotic, and familiar, The Electric Michelangelo is a love story and an exquisitely rendered portrait of seaside resorts on opposite sides of the Atlantic by one of the most uniquely talented novelists of her generation."

I'll let you all know what it's like. I bought it to read on the plane to NY

Oh, have fun with the culturalisationing, and New York, and probably both at the same time. But you could choose just the one at a time, as you may be a bit overwhelmed with both, but I guess they go hand in hand,

Is that a real word??

I will. Enjoy both. At the same time. I like both at the same time

I've just picked up Eats, Shites & Leaves - Crap English and how to use it. Should be a giggle.

Also, Return of the Bunny Suicides because I like all my books to be very deep and meaningful.

I'm reading The Naughtiest Girl in the School by Enid Blyton.

Right... first things first:

• Yes, I am male
• Yes, I am 21

So why, you may ask, am I reading this book?

I don't know. I've actually read it a few times and, despite it being clearly not aimed at me as a reader, it is probably the only Enid Blyton book that I actually like. I hated The Famous Five, and that enchanted tree thing, and wasn't there one with a magical chair? The only time I liked The Famous Five was in adventure books based on the series, or the old Commodore 64 adventure game. Aside from that, Enid Blyton is probably one of my least favourite children's authors (which seems to go against popular opinion). But, for some odd reason, I have liked this book since I first picked it up when I was little. The book has no cover left, and is now in three bits as it is fairly old, which just goes to show how much it has been read.

So... for one reason or another... I enjoy this book, and I can read it usually in one sitting on a boring day. So there! Ha!

And... umm... I'm also reading a book with guns and sex and women in it. Yeah.
*macho growl*

Shouldn't that be "Eats Shoots and Leaves"?

Nope.

Brick Lane, by Monica...something. But it's very good.
Oh, and more Tom Holt. Seriously, go pick some up. Brilliant if you like Discworld at all.

Didn't Brick Lane come really close to winning the Booker Prize last year? I've also heard lots of good things about it. And I think it's Monica Ali.

Much agreed. I found that book to be interesting and unique, and very good all around.

I've been trying to muddle my way through The Tale of Genji. For those of you who gripe about Tolkien, Genji is over a thousand pages and translated from Japanese. It's the first novel ever written. Actually, despite the searing dedication to masochism it takes to read, the cultural aspects are extremely interesting. It's a shame we're all so euro- and ameri- centric that excerpts aren't taught in schools.

Yep, it is Monica Ali, and yes, it did, it's all on the cover and reviews etc. Brilliant perspective on the life of young brides moved to England.

I'm actually thinking of finding this Tale of Genji now...and reading it...must...wait till after...exams...revision first...*finding it hard not to spend time reading*

At the moment, im reading the "Ana Frank's diary", and really enjoying it. Ive just finish Oscar Wilde's "Portrait of Dorian Grey".... really like it, love Oscar Wilde...
Erinea
----
wings to fly and broken dreams to destroy them...

Ive just finished the Erotic poems by ovid, I really enjoyed reading it.
But at the moment im reading Ovid`s Metamorphoses and i`d recommend it to anyone who loves satire.

Has anyone read the romance of the 3 kingdoms?
Its supposed to be quite good

Just recently, I picked up "The Long Dark Tea Time of the Soul" and "Jurassic Park." I'm currently reading the former. Yay!

I was able to finish my second book this semester: The Antichrist by Friedrich Nietzsche.

I am now reading a book about Norse Mythology, a book called The Muslim Discovery of Europe, and Osiris and the Egyptian Ressurection.

Rereading:-

The Promise of Sleep
By William C Dement and Christopher Vaughan
ISBN 0 333 77621 6

I was driving a lot.
This book made me realise that the slow blink is not the first sign of tiredness.
It is the last warning you get before tiredness kills you, or kills some other poor sod who is in your way.


Misty Rain.