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  • EADD Moderators: Pissed_and_messed | Shinji Ikari

What are you currently reading? v2

Hi Chatative! :) Have to read "The Terror" by Dan Simmons? It's based on the true story of Lord Franklin's expedition to find the North West passage. The story of what happened to Lord Franklin and his men has always been shrouded in mystery, I've always been fascinated by the story. Out of 128 crew members, no one survived, but many frightening stories have emerged...

Anyway, Dan Simmons puts his own spin on the story, it's pretty scary stuff. I just thought I'd share coz I thought it might be something you would be interested in. Although, you may have already read it. Here is a link to the book:

(Ouphs, hang on till I find a link, my phone is acting up....)

Here it is :

http://www.amazon.com/Terror-Dan-Si...113790&sr=1-1&keywords=the+terror+dan+simmons
 
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Just about to read hyperion after avoiding it for years (dunno why) -

don't know if i mentioned it in this thread but Ramez Naam's books Nexus and the follow up Crux are excellent sf/thriller books - set in near future their about nano/brain augmentation technology (used to connect brains together in telepathic raves among other things), and explores the various political/social issues quite well i thought (and is a gripping read).

Recently did Charles Stross' Atrocity Archives (another i'd avoided for years) - quite good yarn about a secret bit of british intelligence that deals with magical arts (like summoning demons) which actually work when run with certain computer programming - sort of like Lovecraft meets John Le Carre, with a dollop of computer nerd chucked in (and quite funny in places).

For non-fiction, if your interested in politics/foreign affairs, William Blum's books are pretty damn good overview of american foreign policy efforts over the last half century. 'Rogue State' became famous when osama bin laden recommended it one time (and Hugo Chavez i believe) - it's an excellent breakdown of modern american empire (same sort of topics as chomsky, but maybe a bit more readable and history-focussed).

Also, more focussed on british foreign policy, Mark Curtis' books Web of Deciet, Unpeople and Secret Affairs are well worth reading. Web of Deceit and Unpeople are historical overviews of british actions overseas (a useful table in the back of unpeople lists deaths resulting from our actions which puts hitler to shame really (sorry godwin)). Secret affairs is more focussed on our and american influence on the growth of radical islam - we're basically responsible for starting/nurturing most of it due to them being on the same side as us regarding democracy in the middle east; also useful context for why MI6 let 'islamic' terrorists/nutters live unhassled in london for years (cos they were doing stuff for us at the time in bosnia or checnya etc - there was a 'covenant' that they wouldn't do anything in the UK and we'd leave them to it - that changed on 7/7)
 
Yeah, not keeping too bad.

I've just started reading "Tinder" by Sally Gardner. An actual hrdback book, for once! I gave it to my Partner-in-Crime™ for Christmas, having read a newspaper review which suggested it might be the perfect present for her -- she loves the adult fairy tale genre, and her totum animal is the wolf (mine is the antelope). She enjoyed it immensely and has now lent it to me .....

Not read enough of it yet to write any kind of a review, though ..... I'm still on single-digit numbered pages .....
 
*dharmabum* said:
Funnily enough I've just started reading A History of Reading by the same author. I'm not far in but it's been really enjoyable so far. What are your thoughts on The Library at Night? (I've got a copy on its way to me atm!)
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Haha, nice coincidence! Will have to get that one when me loan comes in. I'm enjoying The Library at Night so far. It's hard to explain, but it just captures everything that fascinates me about libraries, particularly the kind of labyrinthine aspect to them. Not too far in myself either cos of uni work but it's great to read at, well, night. Will comment more as I get further

gannetsarewe said:
I am re reading The Name of the Rose best book about libraries I ever read.
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Yeah? Will have to give that a look too. As is plainly obvious, I have a thing for libraries. What's it about specifically, or just library-ish in general?

SandyFrank said:
Did you read the one about Jack the Ripper by Cornwell? I know a lot tried to debunk it, but I still found it a good, historical yet trashy read! Hiya, btw! <3
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No, in fact I never knew she wrote one. will have a look for it. I dunno what it is about her writing that appeals to me but I've got most of her books ha. Will see if that one's in the library. Not actually read much or know much about The Ripper. Also hi! <3
 
bummer said:
Terry Pratchett stuff a.t.m, and a book about growing cacti.
Not read any fiction for a while so its nice to read stuff thats light and undemanding.

There is a certain smugness / sameyness to pratchett stuff but its still kinda loveable
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Shut up
 
Currently reading 'Screwed' by Ronnie Thompson. It's about the time he spent working as a prison officer and some of the situatons and prisoners he had to deal with. One chapter is about when a jailed musician who he is a fan of is sent to his prison.He doesn't name the muso but from what he says about him it appears that he could be talking about Pete Docherty.
It's not a bad book and i think i have also watched the film based on the book.
 
snolly said:
Yeah? Will have to give that a look too. As is plainly obvious, I have a thing for libraries. What's it about specifically, or just library-ish in general?



<3
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It is an historical novel set in the early 14th century about a Franciscan monk who is on a diplomatic mission on behalf of the Holy Roman Emperor to engage with representatives of the Papal court at Avignon. The story is narrated by the novice monk who accompanies him and is set down 70 years after the events he describes. The novel is set in an unnamed Benedictine monastery in Italy possessed of the finest library then extant in Christendom. On arrival the protagonist, Scottish leading man Sean Conner........sorry English Friar, William of Baskerville is called upon by the Abbot (having already displayed uncommon acuity), to investigate the mysterious death of one the library scribes. The library in question is a labyrinth forbidden to all but the librarian and his assistant and is protected by hashish fumes ( among other things) which further disorientate intruders already confused by the labyrinth . The library is the main character to the story and the work which may on the surface seem like Brother Cadfel with date stamps defies categorisation but can safely be called for the sake of brevity, a dazzling tour de force.
The original is in Italian is by noted semiotician Umberto Eco and there are on the first reading some difficult passages but as you become familiar with the arcane political, philosophical and religious disputes of the period it becomes easier on re-readings. It is my joint favourite novel of the second half of the last century alongside another post- modernist book; John Barth’s the Sot Weed Factor, which I think is an influence here.
Don’t let post modernism put you off either of those books, I hate it too but if you like libraries you will love the Name of the Rose.
 
^i want to read in the name of the rose now (thanks gannets') - but just started Charles Stross - The Bloodline Feud
 
'game of thrones' is taking the u.s. by storm on tv these days. has anybody here read the books?

i am eagerly awaiting the release of book 6...

alasdair
 
"Flow, My Tears. The Policeman Said", by the man like Billip K Dick. I had a spate of reading loads of his stuff a few years ago and I hadn't heard of this one until I saw it in a second hand bookshop recently. No new territory (p.a.r.a.n.o.i.a), but it's like catching up with an old friend. He really churned them out for a few years, for some reason or other =D
 
alasdairm said:
'game of thrones' is taking the u.s. by storm on tv these days. has anybody here read the books?

i am eagerly awaiting the release of book 6...

alasdair
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i read book one, but as i'd already seen the first two seasons on telly found it a bit of a drag (as the shows did seem to get most of it) - it's a shame cos i'd have loved it if i'd read it first. i've got the first three, but i don't know if i'll be able to hold off watching the show before getting round to reading more and getting ahead. Did you read it before seeing it? and where is book six in relation to the show?
 
^ i had read all 5 books before the hbo series started. so far:

season 1 = book 1 (a game of thrones)
season 2 = book 2 (a clash of kings)
seasons 3 & 4 = book 3 (a storm of swords)

alasdair
 
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