What Book Are You Currently Reading?

[Justin]

Book debt?

My problem is that I acquire too many at a time from the library.

[PsYkOoOoO]

Originally Posted by Justin

Book debt?

My problem is that I acquire too many at a time from the library.

I have too many books sitting on my table, waiting for me to read them. Right now, I think I have about five books unread.

[JBond]

Me too, 4 or 5. Some big ones, too. And here I am re-reading Ender's Game.

[Justin]

Originally Posted by PsYkOoOoO

I have too many books sitting on my table, waiting for me to read them. Right now, I think I have about five books unread.

That used to happen to me far too often. I only check out one book at a time because of it.

[PsYkOoOoO]

Originally Posted by Justin

That used to happen to me far too often. I only check out one book at a time because of it.

Haha, well the difference is that I like to buy/own my books, so I don't have the problem of returning books I have yet to read. I believe JBond is the same when it comes to books too.

[JBond]

Oh yes. I have many "rules" regarding my books.

[PsYkOoOoO]

Like what?

[JBond]

In no particular order:

1. If I lend it to you, it better come back in the same condition or better.
2. NO movie posters on the cover.
3. If I read it, I must own it so I can put it on the shelf as a trophy. Not for others to see to brag, but for me.
4. If I start a book, I'm finishing it. (Sometimes I break this rule. Rarely.)

[PsYkOoOoO]

Originally Posted by JBond

In no particular order:

1. If I lend it to you, it better come back in the same condition or better.
2. NO movie posters on the cover.
3. If I read it, I must own it so I can put it on the shelf as a trophy. Not for others to see to brag, but for me.
4. If I start a book, I'm finishing it. (Sometimes I break this rule. Rarely.)

I usually try to enforce rule number 2, and I succeed most of the time. But recently, I read Contact by Carl Sagan, and the only copies that I could find, both at bookstores and online, were the editions with the movie poster. I had to buy it, despite the fact that Matthew McConaughey is on the cover. So if that happens to you, what do you do? Not read the book? Read it only when you find the version without the movie poster, even though it may be out of print of years before you find it?

I do not reinforce rule number 4 at all. If I don't like it, I don't finish it. But I usually do, since I tend to nit-pick what I read.

Also, a friend of mine wanted to borrow A Song of Ice and Fire recently. I had to decline because, for some reason, I didn't want to lend her a series that'd take months (at her speed) to finish. It's a personal quirk.

[JBond]

I have trouble recommeded htings, especially long books/series, because they might not like them. It's a self-esteem issue, I guess.

I can't think of specifics at the moment, but there were likely times I didn't buy a book in the bookstore because of movie posters and then found it online instead. Usually it's not a problem because I'm buying older books. The only thing I can think of is "I, Robot" which has Will Smith on the cover. I managed to find a different version in the same bookstore, I think.

[JBond]

Oh yeah, and I've finished "Ender's Game." Man, this movie could get 70% of this book right and it'd still be a masterpiece.

Not sure what, or if, I'm reading next.

[PsYkOoOoO]

Originally Posted by JBond

I have trouble recommeded htings, especially long books/series, because they might not like them. It's a self-esteem issue, I guess.

I can't think of specifics at the moment, but there were likely times I didn't buy a book in the bookstore because of movie posters and then found it online instead. Usually it's not a problem because I'm buying older books. The only thing I can think of is "I, Robot" which has Will Smith on the cover. I managed to find a different version in the same bookstore, I think.

I really want to get I, Robot, but I can only find either the Will Smith one or this ugly red one with an ugly robot on the cover.

[Justin]

Number 2 is a rule to live by. For some reason I can't stand seeing movie posters replacing the original cover of a book.

[JBond]

I think I have the ugly red copy of "I, Robot"...you're not going to find much more.

[PsYkOoOoO]

One of the problems that I have encountered is the fact that science fiction and fantasy have really bad cover designs. They are not all ugly, of course, but the most easily available editions are almost always ugly. Just go look at Hyperion. I don't know, cover designs are important to me.

[Justin]

Seriously....some of the science-fiction and fantasy covers that you see at bookstores are horrible. Most of them that I've seen are just exercises in excess. Classy minimalism is outdated, I guess.

[PsYkOoOoO]

I do like the Phoenix Fiction collection of Philip K. Dick books. Here's an example.



Unfortunately, the version I own is this:

[Justin]

Yikes.

[JBond]

I'd avoid buying a book published by Baen if I could.

Type "baen book covers" into google images

http://www.google.com/imghp?hl=en&tab=wi

[PsYkOoOoO]

Originally Posted by JBond

I'd avoid buying a book published by Baen if I could.

Type "baen book covers" into google images

http://www.google.com/imghp?hl=en&tab=wi

Someone needs to be fired from the art department.

I recently got myself the Everyman's Library edition of The Foundation Trilogy. Although the dust jacket sucks (Isaac Asimov's face is on it), the book cover itself looks like that:



I also especially love the designs by Folio Society, although they don't publish science fiction and fantasy books exclusively.

[JBond]

I have the normal Mass Market books for Foundation, but my dad is currently reading them with a single hardcover copy that's pretty cool:

[PsYkOoOoO]

Looks like a children's book. Hahaha. It's nice though. I believe the mass market edition you have are the red, green and yellow versions?

[JBond]

Those are the ones. Same with all seven Foundation books. My Empire books are pretty cool, though. They were recently published.

[PsYkOoOoO]

That's not bad. Do you have the habit of buying different editions of the same book, assuming that you really like it?

[JBond]

Not really. That reminds me.

Rule #5: Unless impossible, books of the same series MUST be of the same publishing set.