Currently reading thread...

ngaio · 09-04-09 04:17:58

(As a sister thread to the "Currently listening" one... Of course, if this has already been done, I'll feel like a bit of a twit!)

What are you reading right now and would you recommend it?

I'm currently reading Atomised by Michel Houellebecq... digging it so far. Quite gritty. Woo!

Last edited by ngaio (09-04-09 04:19:27)

Liquid · 09-04-09 04:45:51

Great idea, Ngaio!

Just finished 3 Joe Haldeman books... The Accidental Time Machine, Marsbound and The Forever War. If you like science fiction with a realness to it, and some alternate possible futures, these are great.

Currently reading Brsinger by Christopher Paolini, the 3rd book in the Inheritance Trilogy that includes Eragon and Eldest. Great fantasy story.

hyperballad · 09-04-09 05:17:07

Great idea!

I just finished Princesses and Pornstars by Emily Maguire.

Its a softer introduction style book on a particular brand of feminism (hers) I'd definitely recommend others reading it, even though there were bits I didn't agree with, the opinions discussed weren't agressive and it was quite conversational and engaging.

Have just started Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer. Insofar its very good... Will keep you posted

ngaio · 09-04-09 06:16:06

Liquid, not actually heard of that writer before but will look into them at some point because I likes me some Sci-Fi.

Hyperballad, sounds interesting, sort of thing I'd certainly be interested in. As for Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close... that book is absolutely AWESOME. I read it cover to cover in one night. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did, haha!

nihpuad · 09-04-09 19:54:19

ngaio wrote:

Liquid, not actually heard of that writer before but will look into them at some point because I likes me some Sci-Fi.

ngaio, Joe Haldeman effin' rocks; one of my favorites. You should start with The Forever War, one of his earliest works and still one of his best... one of only a handful of SF novels to win both the Hugo and Nebula awards. But you should also read Robert Heinlein's Starship Troopers at the same time (it's nothing like the movie; no worries): Haldeman is an anti-war Vietnam vet, and his novel was initially seen as a critique of, or perhaps a response to, Heinlein's, because they both cover the same basic ground -- interstellar war fought by Marine-like infantry troops using powered fighting suits -- but from different generational perspectives (Heinlein was a 1930s U.S. Navy vet who is widely, if somewhat simplistically, regarded as militaristic). Despite the presumption that he was firing back at ST, Haldeman himself has always professed great admiration for Heinlein's work, and says TFW is an homage rather than a critique. Reading the two works together, or one-after-the-other, would be way cool.

Also read The Forever Peace which, despite the title, isn't a sequel to TFW, but which is very cool and, apropos of the general theme of this site, touches on sexuality in a couple of interesting ways. You might also like the Worlds triology (Worlds, Worlds Apart, and Worlds Enough and Time), which follows a female resident of an orbital space colony who first travels to Earth for advanced studies, then returns to a post-nuclear-holocaust Earth, and eventually becomes an interstellar colonist.

Heck, read anything of Haldeman's (he also writes great short stories, and has even won awards for his SF poetry)... but be forewarned: He can be really brutal to his characters, putting them through both gruesome physical trials and heartbreaking personal/emotional setbacks. It's a tough ride, but well worth it.

Last edited by nihpuad (09-04-09 19:54:52)

nihpuad · 09-04-09 20:01:13

I'm currently listening to the audiobook of American Prometheus, a biography of J. Robert Oppenheimer; for my bathtub reading, I'm working my way through John Gribbins' The Scientists, a history of science from the Renaissance through the 20th century, told through the lives of key scientists. I'm also about halfway through Jared Diamond's Guns, Germs, and Steel, which I've listened to in audio twice before, but am only just now reading in hardcopy.

And, of course, since there's a new Harry Potter movie coming out this summer, it's about time to start re-(re-re-)reading the HP books from the beginning, to "pre-game" for the movie.

aven frey · 10-04-09 05:34:47

I'm reading my graphic design contextual studies reader (and that's about all at the moment) which as caused me to revisit John Bergers 'Way's of Seeing'. I think the most accessible art theory ever. Highly recommended.

hyperballad · 14-04-09 01:35:29

Finished Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer over the long weekend.

There were bits that made me cry, parts where I laughed out loud and on the whole found this book incredibly poignant. Used a topic (9/11) that would have been difficult to explore, but it was done so well.

Highly recommend it.

Am rereading the Ill-made Mute now. By Cecilia Dart-Thornton, I think all of the books are called the Bitterbynde Trilogy. I've read them before and love them so much. I guess they're a fantasy/adventure genre... not a huge fantasy gal but really enjoy stuff by this author.

ngaio · 14-04-09 07:30:49

Nihpaud, fantastic! Thanks so much for the recommendations! As for the Harry Potter books... I loved 'em (well, liked the first two, loved the series from book three onwards) so have been unable to bring myself to watch the movie. I had the same experience with the Watchmen movie - I LOVE Alan Moore, particularly Watchmen, so could just not bring myself to see the film.

Bobby, I've been meaning to read Ways of Seeing for freaking EVER. You've just inspired me to get off my butt and get around to it!

Hyperballad, sounds like your experience of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close pretty much matches mine. Awesome book indeed!

I've not had a chance to finish my current book yet as I've been away in Sydney for a short break. I don't like to have more than one book going at a time otherwise I find the stories mush together in my brain when I reflect upon them.

nihpuad · 15-04-09 08:13:30

ngaio wrote:

As for the Harry Potter books... I loved 'em (well, liked the first two, loved the series from book three onwards) so have been unable to bring myself to watch the movie.

I actually saw the first HP movie before I read any of the books, but then immediately read all of the books (all that were out at the time, that is), and since then have tried to re-read all the (current) books again just before each new book or movie came out. Partly this is because I have a bad memory for plot details, and want to make sure I have all the predicate information fresh in my head when each new bit comes out... and partly it's because my daughter is the Biggest.Harry.Potter.Geek.Evarrrrr, and I try vainly to keep up with her. Because I've seen all the movies, and have those actors' voices in my head, I've never listened to the HP audiobooks, which I've heard are really wonderful.

BTW, I finished the Oppenheimer book and am now on to an audio compilation of Richard Feynman's letters. I'm not blind or anything; I like audiobooks because I spend a lot of time in the car (where I can listen), but don't have a lot of time to actually read except when I'm in the bathtub. (Yeah, yeah, I know: Real men don't take baths. But I've got a nice jetted tub, and I'm secure enough in my manliness to use it! )

ngaio · 16-04-09 02:36:45

Haha, that's awesome about trying to keep uo with your daughter on the Harry Potter front! Onya!

As for reading in the bath... that is one of my absolute favourite things to do in the world. Ever. I don't think manliness or anything as such comes into it. It's all about awesomeness and warmness!

hyperballad · 16-04-09 04:06:32

There is nothing greater in this world than a long hot soak in the bath plus a good book plus a spliff. I so very seldom get to indulge in this but when I do boy oh boy is it divine!

I'm reluctant to do the Harry Potter thing... I can't really articulate why either... I just feel a whole lot of distaste at the whole merchandising of the books/movies.

ngaio · 16-04-09 05:07:37

Hells to the yeah!

And I know how you feel about the Harry Potter books because I sort of feel the same (and until I read the third book, I thought they were a tad overrated) But the way I see it, any book that encourages kids to read in a way that competes with computer games and TV is awesome. Also, what I love about the HP series is that it sort of grows up as each book goes on... things are not always black and white and some pretty dark stuff happens. JK Rowling doesn't patronise kids and I like that.

That being said, there's a million other awesome books out there so it's not like you HAVE to read 'em!

Last edited by ngaio (16-04-09 05:08:00)

blissed · 16-04-09 11:24:44

There's something about the Harry Potter books tho because 1 and 2 are the only fiction books I've ever read till the end.

.

Folly · 17-04-09 07:03:45

Hyperballad, I LOVED Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer. One of my favourite reads within the last 12 months. Everything Is Illuminated was quirky but just didn't match up.

I just finished Anaïs Nin's Delta of Venus. I read it because I was reminded of it by someone's confession on Agony, and also because it is in the Penguin classics paperback collection for only 10 bucks at Borders. I really enjoyed the references to vajayjays as a woman's sex. That was hot. Some twisted things in there including incest and children, but something about the datedness of her language made everything in her erotic world captivating. Good stuff. Got to get onto some more erotic classics.

Last edited by Folly (17-04-09 07:05:11)

ngaio · 17-04-09 07:40:57

Haha, for some reason I always HATE it when a vagina is called a woman's "sex" but each to their own of course!

Anyway, welcome to the forums Folly

Folly · 17-04-09 07:47:10

yeah i think that if someone wrote it in modern erotica its very cringeworthy, but in that time frame, and french setting it works.

I've been here for a while, don't worry.

ngaio · 17-04-09 07:53:24

Oh yeah? I've just not seen you around I suppose!

hyperballad · 17-04-09 08:22:57

Folly! Read the Fermata by Nicholson Baker.

The outdoor Mrs Robinson style sex scene is pretty freaking awesome. I genuinely love this book...

Some of its really interesting, other bits are down right hilarious and although it really only has a handful of actual sex scenes it in its one very entertaining read.

nihpuad · 18-04-09 01:33:04

nihpuad wrote:

BTW, I finished the Oppenheimer book and am now on to an audio compilation of Richard Feynman's letters.

Finished the Feynman letters, and have now started listening to a biography of Timothy Leary. I'm doing a bunch of lawn-and-garden work, which means long stretches listening to the iPod while I toil.

Feynman, BTW, was an artist (and bongo drummer) in addition to being a Nobel-Prize-winning physicist, and I just discovered that his art is online. He liked to do nudes:

...and sketch dancers in strip clubs:

blissed · 18-04-09 02:11:26

First time I've heard of Richard Feynman, the ideas very often outlive the personalities so discovering the people behind those ideas can be interesting. I like the top drawing and one below it. I tend to read the net at the moment and I know this is a book thread but if your interested in the currency of ideas regardless of the medium, I found a nice little video that explains the atom and why matter is just a common sense illusion. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kypne21A … r_embedded

And scaling up, this should be interesting over the next 6 to 10 years too. It's rate of expansion is getting faster so I put my money on the universe being a white hole.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rg3uNrI … r_embedded

I have to say tho I’m with Richard Dawkins on the religion part of this :)

.

blissed · 18-04-09 18:49:23

Actually I've discovered the smallest particle, it's called the bonzoolie.

.

ngaio · 20-04-09 05:31:00

nihpuad wrote:

I'm doing a bunch of lawn-and-garden work, which means long stretches listening to the iPod while I toil.

I grew up in on a small farmlet and am now living in an apartment without a garden... God I miss having a one. Though admitedly, I never had to do much of the gardening myself! These days I really crave space to grow my own... stuff!

nihpuad · 21-04-09 03:16:16

ngaio wrote:

I grew up in on a small farmlet and am now living in an apartment without a garden... God I miss having a one. Though admitedly, I never had to do much of the gardening myself! These days I really crave space to grow my own... stuff!

Do you have a terrace or deck, or even a fire escape landing? You can always grow fresh herbs in a container, and I've seen several different hanging gadgets advertised to grow tomatoes... upside down, no less: The plants grow out the bottom of a hanging container of soil, and you don't need to stake them up. Dunno how well they work, but it's worth a look.

ngaio · 21-04-09 03:25:22

nihpuad wrote:

Do you have a terrace or deck, or even a fire escape landing? You can always grow fresh herbs in a container, and I've seen several different hanging gadgets advertised to grow tomatoes... upside down, no less: The plants grow out the bottom of a hanging container of soil, and you don't need to stake them up. Dunno how well they work, but it's worth a look.

We have a small terrace but it doesn't get get very good sunlight... I'm thinking of trying my luck with some herbs anyway but I don't see tomatoes growing well on it at all... Any suggestions for good things to grow on a low lighting terrace?

#1 09-04-09 04:17:58

Currently reading thread...

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