That's a good one, I often reccomend it to my film friends but they never get started on it, I suppose it does require a little bit of dedication and time to devote if you want to be able to keep up with the constant sequels that are being released. It does have it's high and lows though, and it's frustrating and its wise characters. Some though just seem to have little point to the whole storyline.
What Are You Reading?
- Thread starter Jack Lynt
- Start date
That's a good one, I often reccomend it to my film friends but they never get started on it, I suppose it does require a little bit of dedication and time to devote if you want to be able to keep up with the constant sequels that are being released. It does have it's high and lows though, and it's frustrating and its wise characters. Some though just seem to have little point to the whole storyline.
I just started reading The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami.
Oh, man. I've recently told myself that I should try Ulysses too. But that is not good news.
In my opinion, there's no point reading Ulysses at anything other than an academic level. The book is unbelievably dense - primarily with linguistic and allegorical devices - that mean that what you need is an annotated version that footnotes all of Joyce's references.
Even then, it's thousands of pages describing a single day in a man's life, followed through in almost unbearable detail. One of the least enjoyable things I've ever read.
My recommendation would be to read A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, which is much much more palatable, and if you enjoy that then maybe move on to Ulysses.
Solid analysis, Nick. I've always preferred Finnegans Wake, but even still it's far from my favorite novel.
MiniJamesW, you'll have to share your thoughts when you're done...I love that book! Not my favorite Murakami (Hard-Boiled Wonderland and The End Of The World will always hold that spot), but way up on the list. And makes you want to sit at the bottom of a well!
I'm absolutely failing to connect with Iain M. Banks' Inversions. I'm enjoying it well enough, just not focused on it enough to be excited about reading it. Maybe if I had read some of the other Culture novels first. Dunno. The Wasp Factory I couldn't put down. This is mildly amusing at best.
MiniJamesW, you'll have to share your thoughts when you're done...I love that book! Not my favorite Murakami (Hard-Boiled Wonderland and The End Of The World will always hold that spot), but way up on the list. And makes you want to sit at the bottom of a well!
I'm absolutely failing to connect with Iain M. Banks' Inversions. I'm enjoying it well enough, just not focused on it enough to be excited about reading it. Maybe if I had read some of the other Culture novels first. Dunno. The Wasp Factory I couldn't put down. This is mildly amusing at best.
Will do! So far I am loving Murakami's work, I've read Norwegian Wood and 1Q84 and I think they are both incredible. I also read Hear The Wind Sing which I think is a pretty good debut even though its not on par with his other books.
Oh ouuuuuuch.
Okay, thanks very much for the advice. Sounds like your saving me from a fair amount of pain. I'll go that route then. =)
IDK what goes on this thread. but thats ok.
most recently i've read a book called 'Shut up and Shoot' by Anthony Artis. Most people know him for his similar book that is focused toward shutting up and making a documentary.
There is a lot of information missing here as it focuses purely on the existential. However, what it does provide is great. Very handy guide for a free lance video business
mostly it just filled in one or two holes in my education. i already knew most of the stuff but still enjoyed the book anyway and did learn a little
most recently i've read a book called 'Shut up and Shoot' by Anthony Artis. Most people know him for his similar book that is focused toward shutting up and making a documentary.
There is a lot of information missing here as it focuses purely on the existential. However, what it does provide is great. Very handy guide for a free lance video business
mostly it just filled in one or two holes in my education. i already knew most of the stuff but still enjoyed the book anyway and did learn a little
Good one.
The Uses of Enchantment ...
http://www.amazon.com/The-Uses-Enchantment-Meaning-Importance/dp/0307739635
http://www.amazon.com/The-Uses-Enchantment-Meaning-Importance/dp/0307739635
I think the book you are referring to is Concrete Island (and indeed, a great book). Sort of a thematic trilogy with High Rise and Crash. I'd also recommend The Atrocity Exhibition, though maybe not as a first book (it was the one I read first, but it might be good to get a handle on his style first). And if you like Ballard, I'd recommend Kobo Abe. A bit more surreal, but with the same sort of detatched narrative characters. The Woman In The Dunes and The Face of Another are good places to start with him.
The Last Days of Socrates
Great book. Got a bit wordy and occasionally slow, but an interesting read.
The Wayward Bus
Unsentimental and often times brutal. While I felt the book became somewhat unfocused at times, it is one of the best by Steinbeck. The quick changes in tone and subject matter are very amusing.
Great book. Got a bit wordy and occasionally slow, but an interesting read.
The Wayward Bus
Unsentimental and often times brutal. While I felt the book became somewhat unfocused at times, it is one of the best by Steinbeck. The quick changes in tone and subject matter are very amusing.
Gears of War: Aspho Fields
This isn't a book that I am currently reading but I have read it recently, about two months or so ago. It acts as a prequel to the events depicted in the first Gears of War video game and gives you insight into what Marcus Fenix, Dominic Santiago and Anya Stroud were like before you first meet them in the game.
I enjoyed this book because it has a story that has emotional scenes that would be good to see in a Gears of War movie if it ever gets into production. A mixture of what happens in this book combined with the events in the first game would give the movie adaptation some depth and scenes that aren't just all action and special effects but relating to these characters on a human level.
This isn't a book that I am currently reading but I have read it recently, about two months or so ago. It acts as a prequel to the events depicted in the first Gears of War video game and gives you insight into what Marcus Fenix, Dominic Santiago and Anya Stroud were like before you first meet them in the game.
I enjoyed this book because it has a story that has emotional scenes that would be good to see in a Gears of War movie if it ever gets into production. A mixture of what happens in this book combined with the events in the first game would give the movie adaptation some depth and scenes that aren't just all action and special effects but relating to these characters on a human level.
Finally reading the Dune books. I'm currently reading the second one, Dune Messiah. For some reason, all these years, I had it in my head that I wouldn't care for them or like his writing. I was so wrong. The books aren't stuffy or stilted or politically strident, at all. He's an excellent writer. I like his style. Too bad I waited so long to discover them for myself. Oh well, it's nice to find them now.
Right now I'm reading Gravity's Rainbow and Free Culture