What Book Are You Currently Reading? - Page 207

PsYkOoOoO · 11-02-2012, 09:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Justin

Put down The Brothers K for now, on to something a little lighter.

Cloud Atlas: A Novel by David Mitchell

I've never read The Brothers K but, I wouldn't call Cloud Atlas a light read at all.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JBond

I've never read it...I'm running out of time, aren't I?

That depends on your reading speed, really. You have a little more than a month left. I'm pretty sure you can catch up on it.

Justin · 11-02-2012, 10:11 PM

Yeah, it isn't as light as I had anticipated. But nevertheless, it's a substantially lighter read than The Brothers K, which is a chore.

Brock Landers · 11-02-2012, 10:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Justin

YBut nevertheless, it's a substantially lighter read than The Brothers K, which is a chore.

I still have nightmares from reading The Brothers Karamazov. Not sure how far you made it to in the book, but the scene where the three brothers, the father, and that wiser old man have a sit-down is a complete and total bore, not to mention it goes on for about 50 pages and feels like a thousand. Crime & Punishment and The Idiot are the better ones to check out if you want to read Dostoyevsky.

Justin · 11-02-2012, 10:50 PM

Well I've read Crime & Punishment, loved it, same with The Idiot. The Brothers Karamazov is just....so overdone. I know the scene that you're talking about and yeah, it does go on and on. All of the name calling and arguing was pretty funny though. It was also far more melodramatic than the other two novels.

Ramplate · 11-03-2012, 08:13 AM

Crime & Punishment was more interesting than I thought it would be - that was a good one for me too.
Brothers - got no idea what that one's about and probably won't try it or the other one.
I have a feeling they'd be over my head

Brock Landers · 11-03-2012, 01:42 PM

No, dude, you really should check out EVERYTHING by Fyodor Dostoyevsky, including "The Brothers K" and "The Idiot" -- ESPECIALLY "The Idiot." He's one of the greatest writers of all-time and, in my very humble opinion, he crushes that other big Russian writer (what was his name again? I believe it's Tolstoy, but I'm not sure...) any day of the week. Do it for the classic literature, Ram. I know you're a sucker for classic literature, just like myself.

**JBond** · 11-03-2012, 02:05 PM

I tried Dickens once and hated it, but I should probably try some other authors some time.

Brock Landers · 11-03-2012, 02:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JBond

I tried Dickens once and hated it, but I should probably try some other authors some time.

Dickens is always hit-or-miss for me -- I read David Copperfield and I felt like gouging my own eyes out with a rusty spoon, but Bleak House is fantastic, and I actually really dug A Tale of Two Cities (my A.P./Honors English teacher in high schoolmade us read it, and I remember being the one kid in class who was pretty positive about it). Though, to be fair to the other kids in the class, I had already discovered/read both Ulysses and Gravity's Rainbow, so Dickens was a nice, calm, walk in the park for me.

Ramplate · 11-03-2012, 02:23 PM

I hated Great Expectations - I didn't even read it in high school - I just played multiple guess with the test on it. I don't give a crap about Pip.

The next familiar titles I have on my wish list are Black Like Me by John Howard Griffin, When Worlds Collide and After Worlds Collide by Philip Wylie, Edwin Balmer, Dracula by Bram Stoker - I listened to that one years ago but I'd like a copy of it.

The rest of my list currently has a lot of History and True Crime.

Brock Landers · 11-03-2012, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ramplate

The next familiar titles I have on my wish list are Black Like Me by John Howard Griffin

Great, great book. Enjoy it. I read it when I was a sophomore in high school and I ended up reading it three times that semester. Powerful stuff and shaped my world-view pretty profoundly the first time I stormed through it.

Ramplate · 11-03-2012, 03:10 PM

It's one I've always wanted to read since I heard of it.

MovieBuff801 · 11-05-2012, 04:36 PM

Finished Perks, and now I'm gonna try and brave Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell.

morpheus1987 · 11-08-2012, 09:25 AM

I am starting the Morningstar Strain series by Z.A. Recht

PsYkOoOoO · 11-11-2012, 10:01 AM

Just finished The Stand by Stephen King. Some spoilers below. If you are interested in the book, don't continue.

Spoiler!!! Click to Read!:

Justin · 11-11-2012, 10:15 AM

"The Picture of Dorian Gray" by Oscar Wilde

flottanna · 11-11-2012, 02:15 PM

PsYkOoOoO · 11-11-2012, 08:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Justin

"The Picture of Dorian Gray" by Oscar Wilde

Is this your first time reading the book? I'd love to hear your thoughts on it. I tackled it for the first time recently as well.

Anyway, I am moving on to Contact by Carl Sagan.

Justin · 11-11-2012, 08:19 PM

Yes, it's my first time. I haven't gotten too far into it though, so I'll let you know.

Ramplate · 11-12-2012, 09:31 AM

That's one I've thought about adding to my want list (DG)

Justin · 11-18-2012, 08:08 PM

You should. It's great so far.

PsYkOoOoO · 11-18-2012, 11:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Justin

You should. It's great so far.

I actually stopped reading A Picture of Dorian Grey halfway through. Oscar Wilde is a great writer, yes, but the story was going nowhere. It felt like Wilde was using the book as a platform to tell the world of his views on love, lust, nature, art and everything else. That's fine if the story is moving forward but, by the halfway point, I couldn't take it any longer. Maybe I was expecting the actual plot (the picture of himself growing older) to be more pronounced. I hated the female character as well. Sounded like an airhead.

I've recently finished Contact by Carl Sagan. What an amazing book! It really set my mind thinking about... life and the universe, as broad as that may sound. Definitely a step up from the movie.

I've gone on to read American Gods by Neil Gaiman. This is the last time I am giving Gaiman a chance, because I've never liked anything that he's written. It does seem like this book is displaying his usual lack of characterization, though.

Justin · 11-18-2012, 11:53 PM

I see what you mean about Wilde. He's not really a great storyteller.

Enjoy Gaiman, I love him. And yeah, Contact is a superb book.

**JBond** · 11-19-2012, 12:06 AM

I still have to read Contact.

American Gods was interesting, but I wouldn't say Gaiman is one of my favorites, either.

PsYkOoOoO · 11-19-2012, 01:02 AM

Would you say that Gaiman is over-rated? I certainly feel that he is. Everybody loves him.

**JBond** · 11-19-2012, 01:24 AM

I wouldn't say that. I'm sure the people who love him have their reasons. Who are we to say he's overrated?

11-02-2012, 10:50 PM	#5154
Justin Executive Producer Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 11,920	Well I've read Crime & Punishment, loved it, same with The Idiot. The Brothers Karamazov is just....so overdone. I know the scene that you're talking about and yeah, it does go on and on. All of the name calling and arguing was pretty funny though. It was also far more melodramatic than the other two novels. Last edited by Justin; 11-03-2012 at 01:04 AM.

11-03-2012, 08:13 AM	#5155
Ramplate Muwahahaha!...Hamster. Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 25,788	Crime & Punishment was more interesting than I thought it would be - that was a good one for me too. Brothers - got no idea what that one's about and probably won't try it or the other one. I have a feeling they'd be over my head __________________ "When I said 'nuke the Chinese' I meant put the take out in the microwave!" "We're not spies, mate. I don't even speak Russian." "What?" "I don't...Am I speaking Russian? How come I'm speaking Russian?"

11-03-2012, 01:42 PM	#5156
Brock Landers Ninja + Poet Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Oregon Posts: 27,020	No, dude, you really should check out EVERYTHING by Fyodor Dostoyevsky, including "The Brothers K" and "The Idiot" -- ESPECIALLY "The Idiot." He's one of the greatest writers of all-time and, in my very humble opinion, he crushes that other big Russian writer (what was his name again? I believe it's Tolstoy, but I'm not sure...) any day of the week. Do it for the classic literature, Ram. I know you're a sucker for classic literature, just like myself. __________________ YOU'VE GOT THE TOUCH. YOU'VE GOT THE POWER. This will explain everything.

11-03-2012, 02:05 PM	#5157
JBond Beyond Join Date: May 2000 Location: Sol Posts: 67,676	I tried Dickens once and hated it, but I should probably try some other authors some time. __________________ The due date for Round 137 of the CS Film Club is Monday, July 1st, 2013. 59 out of 64 Hugo Award winners completed. "Die Hard 5 makes Die Hard 4 look like Die Hard 1" - Doomsday

11-03-2012, 02:23 PM	#5159
Ramplate Muwahahaha!...Hamster. Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 25,788	I hated Great Expectations - I didn't even read it in high school - I just played multiple guess with the test on it. I don't give a crap about Pip. The next familiar titles I have on my wish list are Black Like Me by John Howard Griffin, When Worlds Collide and After Worlds Collide by Philip Wylie, Edwin Balmer, Dracula by Bram Stoker - I listened to that one years ago but I'd like a copy of it. The rest of my list currently has a lot of History and True Crime. __________________ "When I said 'nuke the Chinese' I meant put the take out in the microwave!" "We're not spies, mate. I don't even speak Russian." "What?" "I don't...Am I speaking Russian? How come I'm speaking Russian?"

11-02-2012, 10:11 PM	#5152
Justin Executive Producer Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 11,920	Yeah, it isn't as light as I had anticipated. But nevertheless, it's a substantially lighter read than The Brothers K, which is a chore.

11-03-2012, 03:10 PM	#5161
Ramplate Muwahahaha!...Hamster. Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 25,788	It's one I've always wanted to read since I heard of it. __________________ "When I said 'nuke the Chinese' I meant put the take out in the microwave!" "We're not spies, mate. I don't even speak Russian." "What?" "I don't...Am I speaking Russian? How come I'm speaking Russian?"

11-05-2012, 04:36 PM	#5162
MovieBuff801 Fringe Division Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Walter's Lab Posts: 10,928	Finished Perks, and now I'm gonna try and brave Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell. __________________ AFI Top 100 Movies (1998) Seen: 68 out of 100

11-08-2012, 09:25 AM	#5163
morpheus1987 I like turtles Join Date: May 2003 Location: The Dark Side of that's no Moon Posts: 6,421	I am starting the Morningstar Strain series by Z.A. Recht __________________ “You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life.” - Winston Churchill

11-11-2012, 10:01 AM	#5164
PsYkOoOoO Exceptionally Normal Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Singapore. Posts: 22,482	Just finished The Stand by Stephen King. Some spoilers below. If you are interested in the book, don't continue. Spoiler!!! Click to Read!: I have to say, what an anti-climatic end to the book! The story completely went downhill after Harold died. The only saving grace is King's characterisation. They were near-perfect, each and every one of them. The antagonist (Randall Flagg) was probably a thousand times more interesting than the protagonist (Mother Abigail), who couldn't stop whining about how old she was. Worse, she never had a concrete plan to do much of anything. I don't regret reading this book, because I made it through all 1400 pages of it. But the unedited version feels like it was running on a creative surge that lasted for about 1000 pages before it crashed and burned. The added chapter by King at the end of the book also complete destroyed the POINT of certain characters' sacrifice. All and all, I was disappointed by the last 300-400 pages, but it was still, overall, an overwhelming experience. He really shouldn't have killed Harold. __________________ W.

11-11-2012, 10:15 AM	#5165
Justin Executive Producer Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 11,920	"The Picture of Dorian Gray" by Oscar Wilde Last edited by Justin; 11-11-2012 at 06:59 PM.

11-11-2012, 02:15 PM	#5166
flottanna Executive Producer Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: New Jersey Posts: 350

11-11-2012, 08:19 PM	#5168
Justin Executive Producer Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 11,920	Yes, it's my first time. I haven't gotten too far into it though, so I'll let you know.

11-12-2012, 09:31 AM	#5169
Ramplate Muwahahaha!...Hamster. Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 25,788	That's one I've thought about adding to my want list (DG) __________________ "When I said 'nuke the Chinese' I meant put the take out in the microwave!" "We're not spies, mate. I don't even speak Russian." "What?" "I don't...Am I speaking Russian? How come I'm speaking Russian?"

11-18-2012, 08:08 PM	#5170
Justin Executive Producer Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 11,920	You should. It's great so far. __________________ "I don't mean to sound bitter, cold, or cruel, but I am, so that's how it comes out." - Bill Hicks

11-18-2012, 11:53 PM	#5172
Justin Executive Producer Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 11,920	I see what you mean about Wilde. He's not really a great storyteller. Enjoy Gaiman, I love him. And yeah, Contact is a superb book. __________________ "I don't mean to sound bitter, cold, or cruel, but I am, so that's how it comes out." - Bill Hicks

11-19-2012, 12:06 AM	#5173
JBond Beyond Join Date: May 2000 Location: Sol Posts: 67,676	I still have to read Contact. American Gods was interesting, but I wouldn't say Gaiman is one of my favorites, either. __________________ The due date for Round 137 of the CS Film Club is Monday, July 1st, 2013. 59 out of 64 Hugo Award winners completed. "Die Hard 5 makes Die Hard 4 look like Die Hard 1" - Doomsday

11-19-2012, 01:02 AM	#5174
PsYkOoOoO Exceptionally Normal Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Singapore. Posts: 22,482	Would you say that Gaiman is over-rated? I certainly feel that he is. Everybody loves him. __________________ W.

11-19-2012, 01:24 AM	#5175
JBond Beyond Join Date: May 2000 Location: Sol Posts: 67,676	I wouldn't say that. I'm sure the people who love him have their reasons. Who are we to say he's overrated? __________________ The due date for Round 137 of the CS Film Club is Monday, July 1st, 2013. 59 out of 64 Hugo Award winners completed. "Die Hard 5 makes Die Hard 4 look like Die Hard 1" - Doomsday