Rolling "Books Recently Read" Thread - Page 14

RopeyLopey · 08-25-2009, 03:51 PM

Invasion of the Sea - Jules Verne

interesting idea of flooding Sahara' chotts, otherwise not his best

now reading: The Adventures of Captain Hatteras - Jules Verne

mxzombie · 08-25-2009, 05:24 PM

recently read:

aleksandr solzhenitsyn - one day in the life of ivan denisovich
B, not exactly uplifting but definitely an important and compelling book

orwell - 1984
B+, for some reason i had tried to read this twice in high school and always lost interest early on, but this time i enjoyed it quite a bit although the ending was pretty depressing

arika okrent - in the land of invented languages
B-, pretty interesting look at the history of invented languages and the people who invent and use them. nice, quick read on a subject i find pretty interesting, written by a linguist too so it has a bit of depth to it.

paul theroux - the old patagonian express
A-, memoir of the author's trip by train from boston to patagonia. really insightful observations of the cities, people, and cultures he encounters along the way along with plenty of musings about train travel. good book.

william gibson - neuromancer
C+, i get that this is a sci-fi essential, but i found it hard to understand and had to read a plot summary once i finished just so that i could get an idea of the whole picture. as i understand it, this book is referenced a lot in other books and was pretty influential but i guess i just didn't really get it.

and currently reading:
tom robbins - jitterbug perfume
about halfway through this, and i'm enjoying its humor and philosophical bits.

RopeyLopey · 08-25-2009, 06:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mxzombie

paul theroux - the old patagonian express
A-, memoir of the author's trip by train from boston to patagonia. really insightful observations of the cities, people, and cultures he encounters along the way along with plenty of musings about train travel. good book.

he got by train from Boston all the way to Patagonia? Impossible. Where did he board the train?

Trotskilicious · 08-25-2009, 06:40 PM

oh dood i read that book too it's fucking awesome

he got on board the train in boston and switched trains often, what's so goddamn impossible about that. also it's from the mid 70s.

if you liked that you should pick up hotel honolulu which is a really fun novel by theroux.

RopeyLopey · 08-25-2009, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trotskilicious

oh dood i read that book too it's fucking awesome

he got on board the train in boston and switched trains often, what's so goddamn impossible about that. also it's from the mid 70s.

if you liked that you should pick up hotel honolulu which is a really fun novel by theroux.

there are no rails between Panama and Colombia

ravenguy2000 · 08-25-2009, 06:56 PM

I finished this recently -

and I'm now doing these -

Trotskilicious · 08-25-2009, 07:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RopeyLopey

there are no rails between Panama and Colombia

THE BOOK WAS WRITTEN IN THE MID 70S

course i remember him flying over two countries because they were in the midst of insurrection, but still, you're a real POS know it all.

RopeyLopey · 08-25-2009, 07:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trotskilicious

THE BOOK WAS WRITTEN IN THE MID 70S

course i remember him flying over two countries because they were in the midst of insurrection, but still, you're a real POS know it all.

what does the fact that the book was written in 70s have to do with that there are no rails between Panama and Colombia? The rails were not there then, they are not there now. Also, what does POS mean?

Trotskilicious · 08-25-2009, 07:55 PM

piece of shit

maybe he took a boat, i don't remember. also, they could have existed then.

i remember him going through panama and columbia though. maybe you should read it.

RopeyLopey · 08-25-2009, 08:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trotskilicious

piece of shit

maybe he took a boat, i don't remember. also, they could have existed then.

i remember him going through panama and columbia though. maybe you should read it.

thanks for clarification. I just got the book from library - thank you.

it is Colombia, not columbia.

mxzombie · 08-25-2009, 08:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RopeyLopey

there are no rails between Panama and Colombia

he flew when he couldn't take the train. he had to fly over guatemala because of political unrest, and also from colon to colombia and a couple of other places.

D. · 08-25-2009, 08:29 PM

i have a little over 100 pages to go in this:

but i'm gonna break from ol' Remarque after that and go for a short read with:

Trotskilicious · 08-25-2009, 08:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RopeyLopey

it is Colombia, not columbia.

kia pos

RopeyLopey · 08-26-2009, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trotskilicious

kia pos

kia pos? what's that now?

The book is pretty good so far I must say -I read a couple of chapters last night. He doesn't seem to say very nice things about Texas, though. I wonder why.

mxzombie · 08-26-2009, 11:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RopeyLopey

kia pos? what's that now?

The book is pretty good so far I must say -I read a couple of chapters last night. He doesn't seem to say very nice things about Texas, though. I wonder why.

wait until you see what he thinks of central america...can't say it's so inaccurate though! glad you're enjoying it!

Trotskilicious · 08-26-2009, 03:04 PM

well he meets up with some famous author, whose name i forget, in argentina who defends texas, especially san antonio

the reason why he said texas sucks is because he was in fort worth.

RopeyLopey · 08-26-2009, 03:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trotskilicious

well he meets up with some famous author, whose name i forget, in argentina who defends texas, especially san antonio

the reason why he said texas sucks is because he was in fort worth.

I already read the chapter with Borges, too.

waltermcphilp · 08-26-2009, 03:34 PM

the closest thing to a book i have been reading lately is the comic series 100 Bullets. so far i am on issue 70 of 100. really amazing stuff - quality writing and fabulous illustration. highly recommended.

Mo · 08-27-2009, 05:53 AM

Just ordered

David Cross - I Drink For A Reason
Chuck Palahniuk - Fight Club

Needed some books for my vacation.

slunken · 08-27-2009, 09:08 AM

can't stop reading this

i found out they made a movie about the title story too. i bet it's not any good.

pale blue eyes · 08-27-2009, 02:59 PM

Cormac McCarthy's The Road - B
I picked this up at Target for something quick to read on an airplane. I wasn't crazy about his style but it was a pretty good read. There isn't a lot of detail in this book, though I do not mean that in a bad way. It's subtle but effective. I am usually pretty anal about style but I enjoyed this nonetheless.

Tara French's The Likeness - A-
I liked her first novel better but I think this one was better written. One of the main plot points is a bit hard to believe but once you get past that it's really enjoyable.

mxzombie · 08-27-2009, 03:41 PM

tom robbins - jitterbug perfume
B-, the story was fun and interesting, but the philosophizing got to be a bit much toward the end and i found myself itching for the book to end. he seemed to go out of his way to write off-the-wall stuff and it was just a little ridiculous sometimes.

now reading: the design of everyday things

Dogfighter28 · 08-27-2009, 04:08 PM

So Blood Meridian was pretty much the most sadistic, epic thing I've ever encountered

can't wait for the movie

gonna try to read As I Lay Dying

waltermcphilp · 08-27-2009, 04:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mo

Just ordered

Chuck Palahniuk - Fight Club[/i]

good book. compared to the movie it feels a little sloppy. there are some interesting plot changes though.

Trotskilicious · 08-27-2009, 04:14 PM

crap book, you can read it in a day

slunken · 08-27-2009, 07:03 PM

that

Trotskilicious · 03:38 AM

Very good. A tremendously pessimistic outlook on the future of Africa, set in a country not unlike Mobutu's Zaire. A

A pretty good historical novel about the last year of Simon Bolivar's life. Parts of it really drag though and part of me says that's kind of the point because the General himself is kind of aimless and hopeless throughout the draggy bits. There's also way too many names that pop up and then disappear and then reappear again which drives me fucking nuts. Still, definitely some cool stuff here. B

This book is so monstrously good this is the second time reading it. I really think this is probably my favorite novel ever. It's got everything I love in fiction, fights, robberies, stealing, wide ranging criminal activity, gun play, Bushrangers, etc. It's a tremendous joy to read, experimental with its prose but not to the point of being altogether untranslatable. I really cannot praise this book any higher, definite a must read for anyone who thinks 19th century outlaws are totally cool. Seriously how bad ass is it to take out a bunch of adjectival traps in a suit of adjectival home-made effing armor? Those b_____ds deserve it. A+

D. · 10-10-2009, 12:36 PM

I loved Bernhard's Concrete!!!

I've had Hemingway's True at First Light for a while and I've only gotten to like one chapter. I haven't been in the mood to read for a while. Hopefully I snap out of it.

neopryn · 10-10-2009, 02:07 PM

i'm about a quarter of the way through Anna Karenina. so far it's VERY good.

Mo · 10-11-2009, 06:13 PM

Barack Obama - The Audacity of Hope
Good enough, but I guess it's way more "inspiring" if you are US American and/or black.

Henning Mankell - Den Vita Lejoninnan
Just like any other Wallander novel. I enjoyed it.

10-10-2009, 03:22 AM	#417
Trotskilicious Banned Location: I believe in the transcendental qualities of friendship. Posts: 39,602	Very good. A tremendously pessimistic outlook on the future of Africa, set in a country not unlike Mobutu's Zaire. A A pretty good historical novel about the last year of Simon Bolivar's life. Parts of it really drag though and part of me says that's kind of the point because the General himself is kind of aimless and hopeless throughout the draggy bits. There's also way too many names that pop up and then disappear and then reappear again which drives me fucking nuts. Still, definitely some cool stuff here. B This book is so monstrously good this is the second time reading it. I really think this is probably my favorite novel ever. It's got everything I love in fiction, fights, robberies, stealing, wide ranging criminal activity, gun play, Bushrangers, etc. It's a tremendous joy to read, experimental with its prose but not to the point of being altogether untranslatable. I really cannot praise this book any higher, definite a must read for anyone who thinks 19th century outlaws are totally cool. Seriously how bad ass is it to take out a bunch of adjectival traps in a suit of adjectival home-made effing armor? Those b_____ds deserve it. A+ Last edited by Trotskilicious : 10-10-2009 at 03:38 AM.

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08-25-2009, 03:51 PM	#391
RopeyLopey Braindead Posts: 15,483	Invasion of the Sea - Jules Verne interesting idea of flooding Sahara' chotts, otherwise not his best now reading: The Adventures of Captain Hatteras - Jules Verne

08-25-2009, 05:24 PM	#392
mxzombie Braindead Location: i like traffic lights, but only when they're green. Posts: 15,578	recently read: aleksandr solzhenitsyn - one day in the life of ivan denisovich B, not exactly uplifting but definitely an important and compelling book orwell - 1984 B+, for some reason i had tried to read this twice in high school and always lost interest early on, but this time i enjoyed it quite a bit although the ending was pretty depressing arika okrent - in the land of invented languages B-, pretty interesting look at the history of invented languages and the people who invent and use them. nice, quick read on a subject i find pretty interesting, written by a linguist too so it has a bit of depth to it. paul theroux - the old patagonian express A-, memoir of the author's trip by train from boston to patagonia. really insightful observations of the cities, people, and cultures he encounters along the way along with plenty of musings about train travel. good book. william gibson - neuromancer C+, i get that this is a sci-fi essential, but i found it hard to understand and had to read a plot summary once i finished just so that i could get an idea of the whole picture. as i understand it, this book is referenced a lot in other books and was pretty influential but i guess i just didn't really get it. and currently reading: tom robbins - jitterbug perfume about halfway through this, and i'm enjoying its humor and philosophical bits.

08-25-2009, 06:40 PM	#394
Trotskilicious Banned Location: I believe in the transcendental qualities of friendship. Posts: 39,602	oh dood i read that book too it's fucking awesome he got on board the train in boston and switched trains often, what's so goddamn impossible about that. also it's from the mid 70s. if you liked that you should pick up hotel honolulu which is a really fun novel by theroux.

08-25-2009, 06:56 PM	#396
ravenguy2000 NO FATS Location: NO FEMS Posts: 29,008	I finished this recently - and I'm now doing these -

08-25-2009, 07:55 PM	#399
Trotskilicious Banned Location: I believe in the transcendental qualities of friendship. Posts: 39,602	piece of shit maybe he took a boat, i don't remember. also, they could have existed then. i remember him going through panama and columbia though. maybe you should read it.

08-25-2009, 08:29 PM	#402
D. Consume my pants. Location: Missouri Posts: 36,063	i have a little over 100 pages to go in this: but i'm gonna break from ol' Remarque after that and go for a short read with:

08-26-2009, 03:04 PM	#406
Trotskilicious Banned Location: I believe in the transcendental qualities of friendship. Posts: 39,602	well he meets up with some famous author, whose name i forget, in argentina who defends texas, especially san antonio the reason why he said texas sucks is because he was in fort worth.

08-26-2009, 03:34 PM	#408
waltermcphilp Socialphobic Location: I DO C-C-C-COCAINE Posts: 11,142	the closest thing to a book i have been reading lately is the comic series 100 Bullets. so far i am on issue 70 of 100. really amazing stuff - quality writing and fabulous illustration. highly recommended.

08-27-2009, 05:53 AM	#409
Mo Immortal Posts: 20,988	Just ordered David Cross - I Drink For A Reason Chuck Palahniuk - Fight Club Needed some books for my vacation.

08-27-2009, 09:08 AM	#410
slunken Virgo Posts: 39,745	can't stop reading this i found out they made a movie about the title story too. i bet it's not any good.

08-27-2009, 02:59 PM	#411
pale blue eyes NOPE. Location: :/ Posts: 15,110	Cormac McCarthy's The Road - B I picked this up at Target for something quick to read on an airplane. I wasn't crazy about his style but it was a pretty good read. There isn't a lot of detail in this book, though I do not mean that in a bad way. It's subtle but effective. I am usually pretty anal about style but I enjoyed this nonetheless. Tara French's The Likeness - A- I liked her first novel better but I think this one was better written. One of the main plot points is a bit hard to believe but once you get past that it's really enjoyable.

08-27-2009, 03:41 PM	#412
mxzombie Braindead Location: i like traffic lights, but only when they're green. Posts: 15,578	tom robbins - jitterbug perfume B-, the story was fun and interesting, but the philosophizing got to be a bit much toward the end and i found myself itching for the book to end. he seemed to go out of his way to write off-the-wall stuff and it was just a little ridiculous sometimes. now reading: the design of everyday things

08-27-2009, 04:08 PM	#413
Dogfighter28 ILL KILL UR DOG Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 11,358	So Blood Meridian was pretty much the most sadistic, epic thing I've ever encountered can't wait for the movie gonna try to read As I Lay Dying

08-27-2009, 04:14 PM	#415
Trotskilicious Banned Location: I believe in the transcendental qualities of friendship. Posts: 39,602	crap book, you can read it in a day

08-27-2009, 07:03 PM	#416
slunken Virgo Posts: 39,745	that

10-10-2009, 12:36 PM	#418
D. Consume my pants. Location: Missouri Posts: 36,063	I loved Bernhard's Concrete!!! I've had Hemingway's True at First Light for a while and I've only gotten to like one chapter. I haven't been in the mood to read for a while. Hopefully I snap out of it.

10-10-2009, 02:07 PM	#419
neopryn let's see your penis! Location: i had a few beers, but i'm cool to drive Posts: 31,862	i'm about a quarter of the way through Anna Karenina. so far it's VERY good.

10-11-2009, 06:13 PM	#420
Mo Immortal Posts: 20,988	Barack Obama - The Audacity of Hope Good enough, but I guess it's way more "inspiring" if you are US American and/or black. Henning Mankell - Den Vita Lejoninnan Just like any other Wallander novel. I enjoyed it.