What book are you reading at moment?

[Bydlo]

Im reading Atlas Struggled the first volume. Its ok, but I was expecting something better.

[Igor]

Ayn Rand is exceptionally boring.

Now I'm reading The Naughty Child of biosphere (it's russian book about ethology).

[[deleted user]]

I'm reading The First Total War: Napoleon's Europe And The Birth Of Modern Warfare. Think of it as a really long essay on Revolutionary France and the politics around it.

It's in the new breed of historical books which links military history to the rest of history and shows its importance. After the 1940s or so, military history was generally ignored and politics was seen as more important.

Essentially, if this is to be viewed as an essay (with craploads of contextual info), it (a) defines what total war and its characteristics are, (b) looks at the philosophical climate of the Enlightenment on warfare, how it changed in this period, (c) links events in the war, the public's reaction and all that all together, (I'm at this part) and (may have skipped some steps), (d) shows how the Revolutionary Wars and later Napoleonic Wars constitute the first Total War, which is commonly held to be the Great War.

It's an opinion, and an interesting one. It has also taught me several things about that exceptionally interesting period of history. I'm reading War and Peace as well which also ties into the time period and is truly a masterpiece in every sense of the word. Highly recommended. I wish I could read it in its original Russian/French form. ;_; I've read up to the end of Book Two Part Two, it is absolutely amazing.
(view spoiler)[I can't wait until someone hands in the rest of the tale to my local second-hand bookshop so I can pay like £2 for it! :DDD:DDDD Feels bydlo man (hide spoiler)]

[Aerzo]

I'm reading Noam Chomsky's Manufacturing Consent. It's a little boring, mostly because it overloads the reader with monotonous facts.

[IO]

A Fraction of the Whole, Novel by Steve Toltz. It's interesting, life of a introvert who lost his childhood while in coma and we follow him as he regains his marbles while the world loses theirs. Thick read though.

[Berndel]

Science of Logic by Hegel

I already almost finished the introduction.

[Igor]

Highly recommended.

We studied it in a course of Russian literature. It was a compulsory study so I didn't like it at all (read it like when I was 14, what the hell could I understand?). Now I want to reread it.

[Kokoro]

Botchan by Natsume Soseki.

I read about 1/3 so far, so can't really say that much yet. The protagonist seems to be a quite interesting (and maybe Bernd'ish) person. Quite sarcastic.

Anyway, I never disliked a book by Soseki so far.

[[deleted user]]

Igor wrote:
We studied it in a course of Russian literature. It was a compulsory study so I didn't like it at all (read it like when I was 14, what the hell could I understand?). Now I want to reread it"

It's probably because you were forced to read it. I'm surprised that you'd go through such a sprawling book at such an early age... education in Russia must be quite hard, or maybe it's just too easy in Britain (which is often said by teachers, mind you).

My dad once read me Treasure Island as a bedtime story and I really disliked it as I couldn't quite get it, but years later, when I was like 8 I picked it up off the bookshelf, read it and really enjoyed it.

It's the first time I willingly read a book that my parents didn't get for me for instance, I think. It gives you a new perspective on things that way. But I may also be enjoying War and Peace so much because I like a little romance and I absolutely love history. It may not be for everyone, but I think everyone should have a crack at it. :)

[Igor]

education in Russia must be quite hard, or maybe it's just too easy in Britain

I don't think so. Nowadays many school teachers won't force reading this epic book. Pupils now only read kinda shortened version of it.
Also, I've heard all harsh stories about english modern (well, not that old story) school education (like Pink Floyd songs etc.)

On a side note. I really like the books of Hemingway, Remarque and other writers of the lost generation. I read all their books (I mean Hemingway and remarque of course) and many other. So if someone would like to read something of that period I could give you a good advice on these books.

[J]

Aside from chemistry textbooks, I just finished "Envy" by Kathryn Harrison (not great, but I'd recommend it) and I'm currently getting into "Bullfighting" by Roddy Doyle.

[Bernd]

Currently reading Last Chance to See
So far a good reading. Well, it's Douglas Adams. You can't make much wrong with his books...

[Bydlo]

Currently reading The Hobbit and O Capote E Outras Histórias (short stories by Gogol: The Overcoat, The Nose, A Madman's Diary, Viy and Christmas Eve).

[Victoria]

I just bought The System of the World, but haven't read it yet.

[Jack]

Everyone should read Riddley Walker, Expanded Edition for it is a perfect take on what is going to happen when shit hits the fan. The detail behind the words, character names and places are so well crafted, the story sends you to different places (in your mind of course)

[Muutant]

I'm reading a collection of short stories by Jack London.

[[deleted user]]

Muutant wrote: "I'm reading a collection of short stories by Jack London."

Jack London

ISHIUSDHGOUISNFAKLAJDASIFN

That story from the point of view of this wolf was one of the best I read as a child, easily up there with 80 Days Around the World. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. I can't remember the name of it though. ;_;

[Muutant]

Admiral Cockroach wrote: "Muutant wrote: "I'm reading a collection of short stories by Jack London."

Jack London

ISHIUSDHGOUISNFAKLAJDASIFN

That story from the point of view of this wolf was o..."

You're talking about White Fang. Great novel.

I always try to read something of his during the winter.

[[deleted user]]

Muutant wrote:"You're talking about White Fang. Great novel."

DURR! Never mind me, I just click on the author link and it seems I was actually talking about The Call of the Wild. It was a wolf-like dog, or something like that. All I can remember is that I felt an innumerable amount of feels both throughout and after the experience.

[Eduardo]

Currently reading A Prayer for Owen Meany for my English Language class, it's a slow read but I do like it a lot.

[Icelandball]

I'm currently reading Frederick the Great by Nancy Mitford. It's decent read, but there's definitely something about it that irks me.

It's possibly her insistence on talking about his gayness/relationship with his father and not, er, the battles or something.

I don't know.

[Bernd]

I'm reading Walter Moers' Das Labyrinth der Träumenden Bücher (Zamonien, #6).

It seems to be quite like The City of Dreaming Books (Dreaming Books, #1) until now.

Too bad it's a brand new book, so only avaiable in german atm.


But actually it'S just a filler, until Snuff comes out.

[Bellis]

Aw, the labyrinth was quite disappointing after the city, it's just a rehash (view spoiler)[and only the first part of two books, because Moers couldn't be arsed to throw out the useless baggage. I hope he makes up for it in the next part, because it would be sad otherwise. Or it's an elaborate postmodern joke. (hide spoiler)]

[Fouche]

Admiral Cockroach wrote: "I'm reading The First Total War: Napoleon's Europe And The Birth Of Modern Warfare. Think of it as a really long essay on Revolutionary France and the politics around it.

It's in t..."

War and Peace is Tolstoy trying to cleanse the Russian soul for failing so hard since Peter and then Catherine. He is one of the first modern proponents of historicism, and likes to pretend what Napoleon accomplished could have been done by any other general out of revolutionary France, such as Hoche or Bernadotte. He romanticizes both the Russian serfs and the gentry, which is hypocritical. He mentions nothing of the horrors of partisan warfare, and is generally a dick. I thought the book would be wonderful when I read it, and ended up quite disappointed. I will check out the total war book, as I've seen it mentioned before.

[Mexiball]

Im reading a technical book, so it doesnt count( CCTV: Networking and Digital Technology ) .... well, just colaborating.

[Nikolas]

Finishing up Childhood's End by Arthur C. Clarke

[Bernd]

Bernd wrote: "I'm reading Walter Moers' Das Labyrinth der Träumenden Bücher (Zamonien, #6).

It seems to be quite like The City of Dreaming Books (Dreaming Books, #1) ..."

Ah! This book is a troll book. The storyline follows the first book, you probably had lots Déjà-vu expieriences, and the 2nd part retells Die Stadt der träumenden Bücher with puppets(!). It's his worst book ever. All this humour and the new ideas I loved in the Moers books don't exist. I hope, that the 3rd book will be much much better.