What Are You Reading?

[pandaphantasm]

I kind of suck at reading so it's rare for me to pick up a book (which I am a little ashamed of). However, I went through some of the more recent pages of this thread and it seems that a lot of the banter here has created a backlog of really accessible quick reviews for a gang of stuff, some of which I am now very interested in reading (and will at some time!). I was hoping I'd run into something like this, really appreciate the posts!

As for me, school has me reading a bunch of stuff right now. I have this course where I'm supposed to analyze the contact between various cultures in 3 different novels, and so far I've read Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini, both of which I quite liked. The third one is going to be A Night of Many Dreams by Gail Tsukiyama I believe.

Also, my friend loaned me a copy of Robert Aickman's The Wine-Dark Sea, which is a collection of spooky/strange short stories, and I've been meaning to get back to that. I really like what I've read so far, and would love some recommendations of similar stuff!

[NYN]

I read Ubik & A Scanner Darkly recently. Enjoyed the former far more. I've still not been able to emerse myself in Dick's writing style,

Ubik's the one with the spray can, yeah? Enticed enough to make that my next Dick.

About the broken immersion, is it plain that the presented ideas are not matched with a luster language that fuels your immagination? As in the vision/conveyance ratio is lacking. I can say that, as of yet, Dick steered clear off my list of cardinal sins in writing. And I'm a stickler with recorded thoughts written on a page. Alas, he mused, reading my mind ought to be such a horrible bore. Say it out loud. Even if you get a kick in the head for it.

Picked up Huxley's Brave New World and Nightshift by Stephen King.
Ol' Hux' writing packs quite a punch in commentary for it's age. And the short story collection is me trying to get a roundabout way to King. So hit/miss ratio isn't as steep. From the titles I remember a lot of adapted cheap Tv. Some in and not too disappointing. I loathe horror that is tacky.

[GaijinPunch]

Not sure what it is about Dick... in Ubik's case, it only took a few chapters for me to get into it. Something else happened with A Scanner Darkly... probably because I found the world far less believable even though it's probably the most rooted in current times by his standards. Perhaps the detail to which he described the drugs and their users felt like the draconian Just Say No moms of the 80s. I realize there are junkies in the world, but the book seems to only feature either a total junkie that has destroyed his life, or a cop.

Brave New World is on my list but decided I needed something light for a bit.

[Steamflogger Boss]

Lies of Locke Lamora.

I very much recommend it.

[soprano1]

Lies of Locke Lamora.

I very much recommend it.

Thanks for reminding me that the fourth book is taking LONG to be published.

[Steamflogger Boss]

Lies of Locke Lamora.

I very much recommend it.

Thanks for reminding me that the fourth book is taking LONG to be published.

Yeah what's the deal with this, does he have it written?

Butcher is killllin me with Peace Talks.

[rapoon]

Speaking of Lovecraft, just finished listening to "The Shadow Over Innsmouth", narrated by Richard Coyle from BBC Radio 4. Brilliantly done, just like his reading of "At The Mountains Of Madness".
You can freely download the first from here: https://archive.org/download/BBCRadio4T ... rInnsmouth
The second can be bought or freely streamed here: http://store.ladbrokeradio.com/album/at ... of-madness

Not bad, but Wayne June's reading of 'At The Mountains of Madness' trumps just about everything else I've heard. In his slow, methodical approach he manages to stretch the story out to 5 hours. June for the creepy stories, Gordon Gould for everything else. Regarding "Nyarlathotep", only recording I've heard is what's on LibriVox, but it's pretty bad (granted I haven't looked elsewhere).

Speaking of Lovecraft and reading, I picked up all three hardback copies of Alan Moore's 'Providence', and 'Neonomicon'. Highly recommended.

Anyone read the Jordan's 'Wheel of Time' series? I have the first two books here, and I'm undecided if I want to start on this series due to it's colossal size.

[soprano1]

Regarding "Nyarlathotep", only recording I've heard is what's on LibriVox, but it's pretty bad (granted I haven't looked elsewhere).

I didn't expect a reply after three months, ha ha ha.
Thanks anyway.

[NYN]

Half through Night Shift I'm pleased so far.
The stories, to my sentiment, are well told, meaning that I tend to forget that my eyes follow lines on paper and just move through imagination without cease.

Except one bummer.

Battleground is both in premise and execution a pair of dragging feet. Live action lethal toy soldiers sounds promising, yet when they're out of the box I felt compelled to keeping count as to how many got killed in combat. Yes, that entertaining. Perhaps I could've got more out of it if I went digging for the humor, I dunno. There's a punchline at the end. Crickets.

Trucks is my treat. Over the top pork-chop express. Simple fear to fine effect. Someone's gonna pump and you know it. Maybe silly but so am I.

The Boogeyman is a pissing contest 'tween a father and a closet monster for who is the greater creep. The ending is...blunt? I mean maybe there was a time and place in lit where this was considered powerful and it's just my watch that's cracked.

Sometimes They Come Back is just enough in details. No explanation is given for the bullying and near the end a pentagram is drawn. Pointedly.

[soprano1]

A General History of the Robberies and Murders of the most notorious Pyrates (1724)
Loving this book, very interesting facts and nice narrative.

[lilmanjs]

One of those Timmy Failure books. I know they are made for kids, but I got one for my niece for an xmas gift, and it actually is quite funny.

[Obiwanshinobi]

Regarding certain exchange of sentences had above, I have to say that of all Philip K. Dick novels I've read, A Scanner Darkly was the only one that - I felt - seemed to serve a purpose any other than someone's being a novelist*. It is a lamentation.

*) The only other work by him I liked was Second Variety, pretty exhaustive as (short) it was, so maybe not unlike Ray Bradbury, Dick was more of a natural born short story writer, not much of a novelist by talent?

I realize there are junkies in the world, but the book seems to only feature either a total junkie that has destroyed his life, or a cop.

People who develop any human bonding only with (fellow) addicts do exist. In such a state of mind, you don't feel needed outside of your circle of miserables, which (the circle, the feeling, the lot) is mourned for in the book. The only other such candid threnody I recall ever seeing was Nil by Mouth (written & directed by Gary Oldman) - and it also appears to be a very tough sell to most people.

Finally did I read Los pasos perdidos by Alejo Carpentier, but I've much more mixed feelings about it than I have time to elaborate on it at the moment.

[NYN]

Duly finished my reads some time ago.

Although Huxley's tale is a horrorshow and I must've gone pale several times throughout, I can't help but find some bits hilarious. The satire is hefty ( Our Ford ) and resonates with the present ( "Remember, history is bunk!" ). And maybe it's just me but a society where families are deprecated, Mother and Father considered sordid words, let's me beam with glee. Blame my upbringing...

The rest of King's nightly stories didn't disappoint. 'cept The Ledge. Like Battleground it's a one-trick pony show. Literally the last story impressed me the most. The Woman in the Room. No ghouls. No ghosts. No goblins. No knights. Just a man who contemplates to end the suffering of his mother without going to jail for it. Effortlessly rendered. A peek in the vita unearths the inspiration.

After that I tackled Doctor Sleep. Figured to do it before it gets the inevitable movie-treatment (Will it follow Kubrick or not?). Didn't find it that spooky or I'm just not afraid of no ghosts. Overall I find it hopeful in the sense that someone finds his niche against inclinations.

In the middle of Leonard Gardner's Fat City. I'm aware that a movie by John Huston is based on it, which would warrant a watch. If I can find it.

[scrilla4rella]

Been reading Robert Shiller's Irrational Exuberance. I think it's aged quite well despite being mainly about the dotcom boom. I also picked up Grant Morrison's Doom Patrol Omnibus during a recent ebay sale.
-
Lately, the promise of quality reading time, after putting my kid to bed, has been really helping me get through the work day

[NYN]

I also picked up Grant Morrison's Doom Patrol Omnibus during a recent ebay sale.

So no distinction 'tween books and the funny books here, right? Fine with me.
Yeah, I read it around last year. A pleasure, really. I can't say why but there's a spot for Robotman Cliff Steele in my general chest area where a lotta folks store their sentiments. If you haven't check out the ( new ) Young Animal D00M PATROL, written by Gerad Way. Real fun.

[Randorama]

Been reading Robert Shiller's Irrational Exuberance. I think it's aged quite well despite being mainly about the dotcom boom. I also picked up Grant Morrison's Doom Patrol Omnibus during a recent ebay sale.
-
Lately, the promise of quality reading time, after putting my kid to bed, has been really helping me get through the work day

Morrison's Doom Patrol is one of his best works. I feel that he was trying to create each issue as literally exploding with ideas, while also keeping a very high narrative pace. I even have published some work on his comics, but I would say that his good output roughly corresponds to the Vertigo one until Seaguy and We3. The Filth and The Invisibles are brilliant, but the first one more than the second one.

[scrilla4rella]

So no distinction 'tween books and the funny books here, right? Fine with me.
Yeah, I read it around last year. A pleasure, really. I can't say why but there's a spot for Robotman Cliff Steele in my general chest area where a lotta folks store their sentiments. If you haven't check out the ( new ) Young Animal D00M PATROL, written by Gerad Way. Real fun.

Yes, this run looks excellent. Frank Quitely's cover of JLA/Doom Patrol Special #1 for the Milk Wars story really caught my attention. I'm planning to start picking of the trades of this.

Morrison's Doom Patrol is one of his best works. I feel that he was trying to create each issue as literally exploding with ideas, while also keeping a very high narrative pace. I even have published some work on his comics, but I would say that his good output roughly corresponds to the Vertigo one until Seaguy and We3. The Filth and The Invisibles are brilliant, but the first one more than the second one.

It really is that great. About 8 years ago I was reading random trades of this run (and the Invisibles) at the Oakland Public library. I liked it but thought that some of the ideas weren't very focused or well executed, especially compared to Morrison's latter work. Well I feel completely different after my second reading. I really notice of the care and though that was put into this book. It's probably my favorite Morrison at this point.

This experience has made me want to reread the Invisibles which I wasn't that impressed with when I first read those crusty TPBs. I think I just wasn't giving them the focus that they deserved. I'll also have to check out the Filth soon as well.

[Randorama]

Well, growing older, I found The Invisibles to be a bit too pretentious/chic/derivative.

It is often but not always well-written (Morrison did write some issues while going around the world and being extremely late with deadlines), and the whole Gnostic plot cum end-of-the-millennium themes may feel outdated.
Instead, The filth is a witty dark (very dark!) comedy with a strong British flavour (let's say that the main character is a British civil servant actually working for the Outer Church, or something like that).

I feel that Morrison became really lazy and conservative in writing, as he grew old and popular. His early work (Doom Patrol, Animal Man) as a young lad desperately trying to infuse a literary bend into superhero "stuff" was literally flowing with energy and commitment to the craft. I cannot recall with precision, but i believe that the New Yorker or some other magazine had a long and detailed article discussing how superhero comics lost a chance at cultural renovation by not following Morrison's innovations in this series. Unsurprisingly, I have never developed an interest in this genre outside these few titles...

[NYN]

Started The Wild Boys. First contact with Burroughs. Interested to know where it will take me.

[Axelay]

Do you have a picture of the of the leather bound Moby dick ? Please show it I love seeing different editions. I work in a book store so me being in this thread is dangerous .
I got half way through Moby dick and then decided to come back and read it with a old dictionary !

I'll show you my edition then! I like the cover and the old fashioned feel. I'm dont want to read all over again just now, but lately I feel compeled to the story, so I'll try to watch the Gregory Peck film. Anyway, from the collection, I'm also showing the book I'm currently reading! (I think I've already mentioned my love for Kafka on this thread)

That edition of moby dick is glossy man Very nice .
Enjoy lovecraft and that nice Kafka tome

I just recently read Innsmouth and Cthulu
Great stuff love craft was ahead of his time and a thrifty bastard.
The Selected Letters of Lovecraft is a hilarious and depressing read I would highly recommend it to any fans.

[NYN]

Anyone of the mob here up to read Room to Dream?
Since the man hisself participated by writing his part of the bio this gonna get interesting enough. Or so I'd hope.
Tackle that one next.

[KaizaCorp]

Just finished American Gods. Now back to Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (the one I stopped reading when first reading the series in my youth)

[Obiwanshinobi]

Iliad (a poetic - XXth Century style - translation, which does not necessarily bode well, but this one's worked out). Little new seems left to be said of it; I am most intrigued by the realism of ubiquitous death scenes (almost as if the narrator himself had witnessed it aplenty so the poem was primarily his way of getting it out of the system).

[NYN]

Getting a kick out reading Room to Dream. Such joy.

First McKenna does the journalistic treatment, about the peroids of time with quotes and dates and discreption and whathaveyou. Then, based on that, Lynch gives his take on it. And he writes same as he speaks, dropping f-bombs and the splendor of life. I'm almost past Dune, pre-Blue Velvet. If Mel Brooks wouldn't already be the man, he would be after the anecdote by Lynch: after a private screening of Eraserhead Brooks walked up to Lynch, who chose to wait outside, embraced him and said "You madman, I love you!".

In anticipation of that I picked a box set of films, too. Some known, some unknown to me. And it contains the shorts done by him prior to his first film. Neat indeed.

[rapoon]

Read Man in the High Castle, and A Scanner Darkly for the first time last week.

Man in the High Castle bears little resemblance to the series of the same name which is interesting since one of his daughters is one of the producers for the show. It's bizarre they decided to run with the
alternate reality narrative (the grasshopper lies heavy) when it's little more than a footnote in the book (characters traveling between realities or depictions of characters in alternate realities).

A Scanner Darkly - Watched the film then read the book. The film has gotta be one of the most faithful adaptations to ever exist. Other than making Charles and Jerry one character (Charles), the omission of
Donna and Bob/Fred's rambling(s), and other minor details, it's identical to the book. Linklater even squeezed in some jokes that only someone who'd read the book would pick up on (e.g. "If i knew it was harmless, I would have killed it myself").

[Dongolopticon]

I'm giving shmups.system11.org a good read atm.

[GaijinPunch]

Getting a kick out reading Room to Dream. Such joy.

First McKenna does the journalistic treatment, about the peroids of time with quotes and dates and discreption and whathaveyou. Then, based on that, Lynch gives his take on it. And he writes same as he speaks, dropping f-bombs and the splendor of life. I'm almost past Dune, pre-Blue Velvet. If Mel Brooks wouldn't already be the man, he would be after the anecdote by Lynch: after a private screening of Eraserhead Brooks walked up to Lynch, who chose to wait outside, embraced him and said "You madman, I love you!".

In anticipation of that I picked a box set of films, too. Some known, some unknown to me. And it contains the shorts done by him prior to his first film. Neat indeed.

Cheers for the heads up. Will get to this at some point. seems a bit pricey for a paperback though.

A Scanner Darkly - Watched the film then read the book. The film has gotta be one of the most faithful adaptations to ever exist. Other than making Charles and Jerry one character (Charles), the omission of
Donna and Bob/Fred's rambling(s), and other minor details, it's identical to the book. Linklater even squeezed in some jokes that only someone who'd read the book would pick up on (e.g. "If i knew it was harmless, I would have killed it myself").

Read the book but have never seen the movie. Had mixed feelings. Definitely didn't not like it. I found Ubik to be more entertaining though. Can't say I'm a huge fan of Dick, but I've only read a few.

I tried the Man in the High Castle TV show and couldn't get through episode 1.

[Stevens]

Pale Blue Dot

[NYN]

Finished Room to Dream.

Started Ubik. Reading my third Dick in under a year, I notice the abscence of false pretense. Say, any build-up to a big reveal mid story, some twisted twist to turn brain and stomach. No. Chapter 1 offers the half-lifers. Consulting the dead, hey, right on. Who wouldn't. In other heads and hands this would be the prestige. The main man/woman would talk long distance, following breadcrumbs to the man behind the curtain. And the reveal is...Yikes! He's dead and wrapped in plastic!

[rapoon]

Finished Room to Dream.

Started Ubik. Reading my third Dick in under a year, I notice the abscence of false pretense. Say, any build-up to a big reveal mid story, some twisted twist to turn brain and stomach. No. Chapter 1 offers the half-lifers. Consulting the dead, hey, right on. Who wouldn't. In other heads and hands this would be the prestige. The main man/woman would talk long distance, following breadcrumbs to the man behind the curtain. And the reveal is...Yikes! He's dead and wrapped in plastic!

I enjoyed the inordinate amount of time that PKD spent on describing the characters garb:

"He wore fuchsia pedal pushers pink yak fur slippers, a snakeskin sleeveless blouse, and a ribbon in his waist-length dyed white hair."

"Green felt knickers, gray golf socks, badger-hide open-midriff blouse and imitation patent leatherpumps"

loaded with these, amphetamine pill dispensaries, tranquilizing chewing gum... I'm guessing that Ubik was written during his Amphetamine period.