What are you reading right now? Showing 1,901-1,950 of 2,326

[Tracy]

Who would wanna be such a control freak?

[donna]

I just started

[Jennifer]

I just started The Name of the Rose....with both feet first. I already had to check and see what time "Laudes" was...twice. I will not dissuaded.

[Marc]

Jennifer, I loved The Name of the Rose, but I seem to recall the first 100 pages being a bit of a hurdle (and Eco describing it in an interview as being set up that way to reward the deserving reader). Hope you enjoy it!

[Jennifer]

Marc wrote: "Jennifer, I loved The Name of the Rose, but I seem to recall the first 100 pages being a bit of a hurdle (and Eco describing it in an interview as being set up that way to reward the deserving read..."

Boy....almost done with the first day....I feel like if I can get through that...then I will be ok. But its been a challenge.

[Ruby , Mistress of Chaos]

Good one you, Jennifer. I tried Eco once. Not a fan!

I'm reading Annihilation, which is very different so far to Vandermeer's other books. It's seems a bit more mainstream, and I don't really buy the female POV, but it's a nice gentle read though. Exactly what I need right now!

[Marc]

The Name of the Rose really does just pick up and become a delight after the first 100 pages!

Just finished Scary, No Scary (very quick & very enjoyable read discovered thanks to this group!), working on some short stories (Almost No Memory), and trying to decide what novel to start next: The Ocean at the End of the Lane, Confessions of a Crap Artist, or one of the three David Mitchell novels I've got sitting on the shelf... Decisions, decisions, decisions.

[Jennifer]

Marc wrote: "The Name of the Rose really does just pick up and become a delight after the first 100 pages!

Just finished Scary, No Scary (very quick & very enjoyable read discovere..."

I made it past those 100 pages...The First Day. And I have to agree so far...

[Greta]

Decided I while back that it was high time to read science,so sat down to read "Quantum Einstein, Bohr and the great debate about the nature of reality". The reading went fine at first, with me marveling at just how little I knew- and then...I found myself rereading paragraphs up till 3 times and then getting a pounding headache.
I blamed my sunburn and the nearby thunderstorm. Definitely the weather.
Put the aforementioned book aside and started "Who's in charge? Free Will and the Science of the Brain". No headaches so far.

[Guy]

Just finished Ham on Rye by Charles Bukowski. I really enjoyed it. This is my review - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Next up is Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut.

[Cora]

[book:Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption|8664353
So far, really good. This was recommended by a lady in my book club. She said it was one of those books everyone should read.

[Whitney]

Just read Locke & Key, Vol. 1: Welcome to Lovecraft. I don't read a huge number of graphic novels, but this one was quite good. Joe Hill seems to really enjoy scenes of people getting the crap beat out of them, which I could do with less of.

I'm also working through The Hastur Cycle, as a continued 'King in Yellow' read. Which has led me back to Lovecraft as well. Most the stories are very good (one dog so far), and it's fun having them all together to see the progression of the shared mythology.

Also recently finished All That Is. I think Salter is the last of the manly WWII generation of writers. I appreciated the style, but not really my thing.

[Sally]

I just finished A Memory of Light, the final book in a series I've been reading for YEARS. There aren't enough superlatives to describe how much I loved this book - I get teary just thinking about it! 5★ for sure - it deserves many more than just five. I feel quite bereft now that I have no more Wheel of Time books to read, but so very glad and privileged to have read them.

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Richard]

Child 44 - my word it's good. Great writing and momentum and such a feeling if dread

[Whitney]

Richard wrote: "Child 44 - my word it's good. Great writing and momentum and such a feeling if dread"

Ooooo, that's on my tbr list. Moving it up!

[Jan]

just finished Perdido Street Station really liked it and requested The Scar from the library.

[Ruby , Mistress of Chaos]

I'm still going with Annihilation, although i've had very little time to read this fortnight. Hit a genuinely creepy bit at about 2am this morning though. Brrrrr.

[Jennifer]

I have finished The Name of the Rose. I did post a review. Now onto something less ponderous. I have a book I promised to read Farmers and Cannibals.

[Whitney]

Mark wrote: "Finished Under the Skin, on to Norwegian by Night. And listening to Theft of Swords."

How did you like Under the Skin? I'm looking forward to the movie.

I finished The Hastur Cycle, as part of continuing True Detective hangover reads. First half was great, second half was a serious slog as the stories turned into familiar "Lovecraftian" messes by second rate writers.

Now reading Invisible by Paul Auster, a writer I've neglected up to now.

[Ruby , Mistress of Chaos]

Whitney wrote: "Now reading Invisible by Paul Auster, a writer I've neglected up to now. ..."

I've had In the Country of Last Things sitting on my shelf for years now. Let me know how you go with him.

[Jan]

Just finished The Scar LOVED it. Requested Iron Council from library. Hope I get it soon.

[Sally]

I've just fallen madly in love with a book called The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss!

Here is my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[PinkPanthress]

I'm reading 11/22/63 -by- Stephen King.

[Tracy]

Nesrin wrote: "I'm reading 11/22/63 -by- Stephen King."

Oh! That was a good one!

[Jennifer]

I just finished Turn Coat, one of my favorites of that series thus far. I have been challenged by another group to read Mistborn: The Final Empire, so I have to start that soon, (people are gaga over this author, so I thought I should check him out). But I am actually thinking I am going to read The Tooth Fairy. My first two encounters with this author have been great. Hope I am not setting myself up. I have decided to read his older novels.

[Som]

shush....

[PinkPanthress]

Tracy wrote: "Nesrin wrote: "I'm reading 11/22/63 -by- Stephen King."

Oh! That was a good one!"

So true, I have a hard time putting it away!

[Whitney]

Finished Zone One, which was great. A zombie apocalypse novel and also a deconstruction of zombie apocalypse novels.

Gave up on The Benefactor. Maybe shouldn't have gone with her first novel as my first choice for Susan Sontag. Completely failed to engage me on any level.

Also finished Invisible a few days ago. Really good, very easy prose style but many layers underneath.

[Ruby , Mistress of Chaos]

I'm so glad you enjoyed Zone One. I really loved that book.

[Jennifer]

Whitney wrote: "Finished Zone One, which was great. A zombie apocalypse novel and also a deconstruction of zombie apocalypse novels.

Gave up on The Benefactor. Maybe shouldn't have g..."

I think Zone Oneis seriously under rated.

[Jennifer]

Just finished The Tooth Fairy. So far 3 for 3 by this author. Love everything I have read by him.

[Olivia "So many books--so little time.""]

Right now I'm reading Neuromancer by William Gibson. So far it's not been one of my favorites.

[Jennifer]

on a binge this weekend, well my weekend. Reading Apocalypse Z: The Beginning of the End, I might want to read his other books. We shall see. But he has not forgotten his cat. Our pets are always forgotten. So he has big brownie points already.

[CD]

Two on the goodreads list at the moment:

A Ticket to Ride by Paula McLain
One Perfect Day by Lauraine Snelling.

The first is by an author who as I've said previously 'can flat out write!' and I have had this book of hers sitting (unexplicably!) on the not-yet-read stack for way longer than I ever intended! And I am enjoying this coming of age story from the era and geography of when and where I hail from.


The second is a real-world book club selection that has a personal connection for one of our members.

[Ruby , Mistress of Chaos]

CD wrote: "The second is a real-world book club selection that has a personal connection for one of our members. ."

Are you implying that we are not "real"? ;)

[Jennifer]

Real-world. Maybe CD should real Phillip K Dick. And maybe the real-world...would be questionable. I have finished Apocalypse Z: The Beginning of the End, I enjoyed it. As I said, the whole cat arch of the story sold me. Now I am thinking how to bug out with 3 cats... I have been challenged in a ....surreal world book club to read Mistborn: The Final Empire, downloaded and the reading has begun.

[CD]

Jennifer wrote: "Real-world. Maybe CD should real Phillip K Dick. And maybe the real-world...would be questionable. I have finished Apocalypse Z: The Beginning of the End, I enjoyed it. As I said, t..."

I think I long ago dispensed with the real. After the exposition on the real by Morpheus in The Matrix, well, that rabbit hole was never the same and if there was light at the end of the tunnel...?

As a long time devotee of Rev. Dodgson, I never had to Go Ask Alice but while wandering about in the halls of Xanadu I passed through the Doors of Perception and discovered 'you're all melting!'.

Now we return you to our regularly scheduled programming on Channel 3 . . .

[Guy]

I'm reading Pnin by Vladimir Nabokov and In Cold Blood by Truman Capote.

[Jennifer]

CD wrote: "Jennifer wrote: "Real-world. Maybe CD should real Phillip K Dick. And maybe the real-world...would be questionable. I have finished Apocalypse Z: The Beginning of the End, I enjoyed..."

I love the programming on Channel 3. :)

[Tracy]

I'm on the last 50 pages of INFINITE JEST...where's my prize?

[Leo]

Tracy wrote: "I'm on the last 50 pages of INFINITE JEST...where's my prize?"

*ta-da!* life is terrible! ;)

(I am still here BTW!!!)

Reading My Struggle: Book One- not too heavy reading which is nice, and fairly engaging for a bildungsroman (but the obligatory first time touching himself is in there- woohoo! I should make a bildungschecklist...) I've been advised to stick with it, and given that I zealously bought the Norwegian version upon arrival in Stavanger, probably worth me getting through it! (+ will justify my purchase of Karl Ove Meowsgård the cat in future, hopefully followed by Kon-Kiti and Magnus Clawsen)

Then I have a whole bunch of books on Tarkovsky I'm excited to start, such as Zona: A Book About a Film About a Journey to a Room (comes Colson Whitehead approved!)

Then I wanna read all the books that are preventing me from seeing the film, like Under the Skin and A Scanner Darkly...

[Whitney]

I've added My Struggle to by list, but waiting until I'm ready for an immersive experience. I love Tarkovsky, and Stalker in particular. Let us know how Zona is!

Finally, all those who insist on reading the book first, look long and hard at your reasoning. It seems to come down to a petulant desire to pick holes in a film based on the source material in most cases. Just watch the damn movie! If watching a movie ruins a book for you, I guarantee the book wasn't worth reading in the first place.

[Whitney]

Ah,the spoiler thing. Yep, that may explain the preference for a lot of people. I'm personally not a believer in 'spoilers', with a few exceptions. If a book can be ruined by hearing a single sentence or brief explanation, it's probably not a book I'd find worth my time.

[Leo]

Good advice Whitney! Really good advice... I totally forgot that they say if you've spoilered yourself, it can be a good thing because you're able to focus on different things in the story- so it might be like skipping to a second read! Although my motivation for reading the book first is that I want to know the story that the original author had in mind, so that that's the one that sticks in my head :) I'll let you know about Zona- fellow Tarkovsky fan- yay! :D

[Ruby , Mistress of Chaos]

On behalf of the spoiler brigade - boooooo! I much prefer going into a book or film the first time with no expectations at all (or at least as close to it as I can get). That way, you're getting the experience the author intended - the shock and surprise and all that good old-fashioned, visceral, what-the-fuck?! That's a big part of my enjoyment of any story no matter what the format. I'm less of a purist than I used to be about film adaptations, but I still say, if you've got a perfect story - why fuck with it? I always question the motives of film-makers who want to adapt great stories, or worse still create remakes of great films - I'm looking at YOU Spike Lee...

Yep. Ruby's back. Now with 20% more swearing.

[Whitney]

Hey - I don't think of myself as a member of the spoiler brigade! I respect that other people DO care about spoilers. I hate those assholes who take delight in ruining things for other people. I'm just saying that I'm not a believer in spoilers affecting my appreciation of things. Many of my favorite books I've enjoyed more on the second read than on the first.

Re: books into films. A perfect story is a crap reason to make a film from a book. Books do 'stories' better, which I think is the main reason people always say that the book is better - they judge both on the basis of story alone. They're two different mediums, and I think reading the book first gives people blinders to the merits of the film as film, rather than as a completely different medium. You don't hear a lot of people saying that Billy Budd the book is better than Billy Budd the ballet.

On the other hand, seeing something in a book that may be turned into something amazing in the medium of film is a good reason to make a film based on a book. This is why I think literal adaptations of books are usually the worst films (with an exception for John Huston). Tarkovsky came up in another thread. His films have minimal relation to the source material. You don't find many people comparing them to the original books in terms of 'which is better'.

[Whitney]

P.S. Welcome back, Ruby!

[Marc]

My biggest problem with seeing a movie first is that the actors' voices and images are then in my head when I read the book instead of my imagination slowly crafting the characters. Whereas, if I read the book first, I get that enjoyment plus getting to see how the film interprets it later.

Sometimes it works either way... A few movies I've seen first whose books I also enjoyed: The Shining, A Clockwork Orange, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, and Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (aka, Blade Runner).

[Sally]

I finished The Lost Sisterhood recently, it was my first ever ARC from NetGalley :-)

Here is my review:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Jennifer]

There are two new tv series coming out. The Strain and the The Last ship. Both are books that I feel I need to read asap before the series. But...realistically don;t think it will happen. BUT I will end up watching the series and reading the books.

Someone mentioned visioning the cast of the movie/show etc instead of creating your own images. I do agree, that can be challenging. But I can say GOT has done an excellent job casting for those books.