What book are you reading now, or what was the last book you read? [Archive] - Page 4

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Fenix

08-18-2007, 04:57 PM

Finished Seize The Day by Saul Bellow

Reading

A History of New Zealand
Closing Time By Heller
My Name is Red by Orhan Pamuk
Gravity's Rainbow by Pynchon

I hope that 'A history of NZ' is written by Michael King! If so, it's a good one. I never really liked NZ history until then. Good reading for when I was in Poland.

Bloody Pulp

08-22-2007, 10:10 PM

Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows.

That's right, bitches. I've read all of the Harry Potter books and I just purchased all of the currently released DVDs off the ebay.

Surprisingly good books.

Mad Processor

08-23-2007, 04:53 AM

Just got myself Robert E. Howards "The complete chronicles of Conan", all the novels into one big book. Looking forward to reading that!

I read a lot during my vacation. I finished William Gibsons "Neuromancer" (I'm getting the entire Sprawl trilogy) and I read a lot from the above mentioned book. Howard knows how to write good fantasy, and Conan is, well, Conan. I was very pleasantly surprised with the novel "The Hour of the Dragon" which I found extremely exiting and the best part of the book so far.

I'm jumping a little bit between fantasy and science fiction at the moment. I've read some non-fiction books, but I read many every day at work, so fiction it is these days.

ikari47

08-23-2007, 05:31 AM

I read a lot during my vacation. I finished William Gibsons "Neuromancer" (I'm getting the entire Sprawl trilogy) and I read a lot from the above mentioned book. Howard knows how to write good fantasy, and Conan is, well, Conan. I was very pleasantly surprised with the novel "The Hour of the Dragon" which I found extremely exiting and the best part of the book so far.

I'm jumping a little bit between fantasy and science fiction at the moment. I've read some non-fiction books, but I read many every day at work, so fiction it is these days.

Neuromancer and Count Zero were like, my favorite novels towards the end of elementary and all of middle school. Gibson's a genius. :)

(now all I have to do is reread them so I can finally read and fully appreciate Mona Lisa Overdrive...)

I'm currently reading this mangled book from my school library called "The Media Studies Reader," which is like a book full of essays from a bunch of media theorists and junk. Pretty incomprehensible, and not at all as enjoyable as the Sprawl Trilogy.:(

ventrue

08-24-2007, 03:23 AM

The Swarm - Frank Schatzing
Sandworms Of Dune - Brian Herbert & Kevin J. Anderson

Nuke

08-24-2007, 04:21 AM

Let me know how those are, I always see 2-3 of those laying around, but never the first one and was curious if I should try to find it.
The Death Gate Cycle is an above average fantasy series, not the best but still worth reading. The story gets more interesting the futher you read into it, and the characters are fascinating and well developed and change throughout the story.

adamn

08-24-2007, 04:26 AM

"End Time Delusions" by some guy.

Bloody Pulp

09-13-2007, 08:16 PM

Just ordered all 13 of Lemony Snicket's A Series Of Unfortunate Events books.

DCBooks

09-13-2007, 08:24 PM

Takeover: The Return of the Imperial Presidency and the Subversion of American Democracy by Charlie Savage

It's pretty dry, but it clears up the myth that Cheney is Darth Vader.

Cheney is clearly the emporer and Bush is Jar Jar. I'm sure by the end Rove will be revealed as Vader.

Chivo

09-13-2007, 08:37 PM

Early collection of Richard Bachman novels. Rage is still an all time classic.

Alfuh

09-13-2007, 08:40 PM

machinemg

09-13-2007, 08:46 PM

Lolita is one of my favorite novels. I've read Pale Fire by Nabokov (hard to get through) and also his collection of essays on Literature. How does Prin stack up in comparison? I really love the prose in Lolita.

Right now I'm reading "A Primate's Memoir" by Robert Sapolsky. Pretty good read so far.

I like Pnin alot, but Pale Fire is by far my favorite Nabokov. I don't know how many times I've read it. His comedic timing and wit is impeccable and his ability to build such great characters with detailed and quirky minutia is just remarkable and it always makes for an engrossing story. As beautiful as Lolita is, I was more taken by the prose in Pale Fire. The insanity of his lead character allows him to go completely off the map into fantasy land and he stretches into post-modernism - he creates an imaginary country, an imaginary language, etc. It's just a true creative masterpiece. And the opening poem isn't half bad either.

DCBooks

09-13-2007, 08:48 PM

Early collection of Richard Bachman novels. Rage is still an all time classic.

I love The Long Walk.

Chivo

09-13-2007, 08:50 PM

I love The Long Walk.

I thought of that story on every single ruck march I did.

Great for motivation.

Fedorable

09-24-2007, 12:47 AM

64-E

chuck

09-24-2007, 09:17 AM

Naked Lunch by Burroughs

Dak

09-24-2007, 12:08 PM

Just finished "Resurrection Inc." by Kevin J. Anderson. It's about Satanists in the future, people being re-animated after death and a society controlled by the police. Very intense.

Zeffryn

09-24-2007, 03:19 PM

Lolita is one of my favorite novels. I've read Pale Fire by Nabokov (hard to get through) and also his collection of essays on Literature. How does Prin stack up in comparison? I really love the prose in Lolita.

Right now I'm reading "A Primate's Memoir" by Robert Sapolsky. Pretty good read so far.

Ooh, I get to name drop. I know Robert Sapolsky. He and my dad are really good friends.

--

I just got a ton of new novels, so I'm taking a break from non-fiction. I just finished "She's Come Undone" and now I've started on "A Million Little Pieces" (that memoir from James Frey which was supposed to be true, but ended up being mostly an exaggeration) It's interesting and rather difficult to get into.

I would recommend "Shes Come Undone" to the women of the board. It follows a girl through her dysfunctional life, and is so hard to put down. I've read it 3 times now and it's still just as good.

Zeffryn

09-24-2007, 03:21 PM

Finished: The Prince - Machiavelli - tremendous amounts of information in here. I will return to certain chapters after the novel I'm reading and will then go on to The Discourses.

Currently: The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini

I love The Prince. I read it when I was a child. My parents made me read the classics. It was always a book that I liked, but didn't understand it until I was older and read it again in highschool. I've read it several times since.

SonofaCrowBar

09-30-2007, 08:32 AM

"Guns, Germs, and Steel" - by Jared Diamond. Not yet halfway through, I keep it in a drawer in the bathroom, so only like 5 minutes a day gets read.

Fighting_Irish1

10-01-2007, 07:49 AM

"Guns, Germs, and Steel" - by Jared Diamond. Not yet halfway through, I keep it in a drawer in the bathroom, so only like 5 minutes a day gets read.

I read his book "The Third Chimpanzee" last year good read he does have a tendency to dwell on his own experiances however and has a very big ornathogical bent.

Last book - Steven Hawkings - A breif history of Time - Good read and one of those science book you feel like you just need to read some time in your life. Some very intresting ideas however the information is nearly 30 years out of date it is very lucidly presented and with handy Diagrams.

Currently Reading - Genisis

Gutsy

10-01-2007, 03:14 PM

Just finished:

Lovely Bones --- Basically, it's about a girl who's in heaven and is able to watch people on earth. She spends much of her time watching her family cope with the loss, other people in the small town she lived in, and the person who killed her.

I really did enjoy this read. Especially happy with the way the book ended(and I wasn't lookin forward to the end since I was worried that it'd be lame/predictable).

Starting:

Every Dead Thing --- I think DCBOOKS recommended it in this thread, so I picked it up.
Freakonomics --- Pretty sure the first time I heard about this book was on the Daily Show or Colbert Report, but this thread reminded me about it.
Harry Potter and the Half blood Prince --- Been sitting on my bookshelf for a friggin long time, caught some of The Order movie on TV, which sparked my interest in reading this.

Bert McGirt

10-01-2007, 04:59 PM

out in a week. Dark Mission: Secret History of NASA.
the book is about reveal all of NASA dirty little secrets with proof.
one example: we think Venus is inhabitable because of the composition of the planet when really Venus is green and beautiful like a forest on earth. Mars looks all red w/an orange sky, when it really looks like Arizona with a blue sky. i cant wait

SonofaCrowBar

10-01-2007, 06:00 PM

I read his book "The Third Chimpanzee" last year good read he does have a tendency to dwell on his own experiances however and has a very big ornathogical bent.

Last book - Steven Hawkings - A breif history of Time - Good read and one of those science book you feel like you just need to read some time in your life. Some very intresting ideas however the information is nearly 30 years out of date it is very lucidly presented and with handy Diagrams.

Currently Reading - Genisis

I heard Diamond has a great book on Rome, also.

Mad Processor

10-10-2007, 06:34 AM

I completed "Count Zero", fantastic book. I'm looking for Mona Lisa Overdrive now, which doesn't appear to be in stock for most bookstores around here. Doesn't matter, I've decided to move away from sci-fi a little bit. I've just started on "Silverthorn", the third book in Feist's Riftwar saga. The previous two books were good overall, but I'm not totally engrossed in the universe he's created yet.

I'm also starting on Richard Dawkins' "The God Delusion". Looking forward to that one.

ventrue

10-18-2007, 10:54 AM

Inferno - Troy Denning
Dreamland Retribution - Dale Brown

chuck

10-18-2007, 09:36 PM

Finished:

Hangover Square by Patrick Hamilton. - excellent story of drink and schizophrenia.
History of the Roman Empire - knowledge is good.
The Naked Lunch - by Burroughs - weird in parts, some excellent observations on society and cultures.

Reading Now:

Finally gonna finish Moby Dick
Germinal by Emile Zola
A history of Japan since 1945.

Bert McGirt

10-18-2007, 10:46 PM

ahhh. I finally got my hands on Dark Mission: The Secret History of NASA. Sucks though, because its my friends copy. I get mine in a week. The book is very good so far but I only read the 1st chapter. Im pissed, I should've hadokened my friend and stole his copy

Fedorable

10-18-2007, 11:04 PM

HogRock

10-19-2007, 05:00 AM

Just finished:
Pride and Prejudice... It was surprisingly entertaining, but still a huge chick book.

Now reading:
Anti Gravity by Steve Mirsky

Mad Processor

10-19-2007, 05:23 AM

I love how Hawkings isn't really that highly regarded in the Physics community, but most people think he is the smartest man alive.

His situation is the same as with Richard Dawkins (I'm reading "The God Delusion" right now, love it). Both are educated within their field, but over the years have concentrated more on telling the stories to the general public rather than publishing peer-reviewed articles. That's why their regard in the community goes down, because their contribution to the scientific community itself suffers when they try to tell a story to the general populace. I think it's kind of funny that they receive such criticism, because taking an advanced subject and translating it into concepts the average person can understand is a very, very difficult task, and not many professors are able to tell something in a way people can understand it. The general populace would probably get a headache after reading a peer-reviewed article, let alone an entire journal. Dawkins and Hawkings (what's with the W's?) take those advanced scientific articles and present their main factoids and points, often by using more illustrative concepts.

I would say noone in the scientific community disputes that Hawkings is a brilliantly smart man, nor do any biologists dispute that Dawkins knows his stuff. They are more concerned about the two being constantly referred to as scientists when their active contribution to scientific enhancement is minimal at this stage.

chuck

10-19-2007, 07:50 AM

I love how Hawkings isn't really that highly regarded in the Physics community, but most people think he is the smartest man alive.

well as every comedian knows, its how you tell them.

Hawkings is highly regarded. he just got proud and stubborn and refused to admit when his ground breaking theory wasnt right, he did later.

GNP

10-19-2007, 07:02 PM

Girls by Nic Kelman, real good stuff.

Fedorable

10-20-2007, 01:34 AM

well as every comedian knows, its how you tell them.

Hawkings is highly regarded. he just got proud and stubborn and refused to admit when his ground breaking theory wasnt right, he did later.

everyone knows he is brilliant, but my observatation was just how it is common knowledge (court of public opinion, etc) it seems to put this guy on his own pedistal when there are also other people that deserve to be up there. He might be the Randy Couture of his field, but he's not the Fedor Emelienko.

HogRock

10-20-2007, 04:13 AM

His situation is the same as with Richard Dawkins (I'm reading "The God Delusion" right now, love it). Both are educated within their field, but over the years have concentrated more on telling the stories to the general public rather than publishing peer-reviewed articles. That's why their regard in the community goes down, because their contribution to the scientific community itself suffers when they try to tell a story to the general populace. I think it's kind of funny that they receive such criticism, because taking an advanced subject and translating it into concepts the average person can understand is a very, very difficult task, and not many professors are able to tell something in a way people can understand it. The general populace would probably get a headache after reading a peer-reviewed article, let alone an entire journal. Dawkins and Hawkings (what's with the W's?) take those advanced scientific articles and present their main factoids and points, often by using more illustrative concepts.

I would say noone in the scientific community disputes that Hawkings is a brilliantly smart man, nor do any biologists dispute that Dawkins knows his stuff. They are more concerned about the two being constantly referred to as scientists when their active contribution to scientific enhancement is minimal at this stage.
I agree. I've read Hawkins Brief History and Theory of Everything and Dawkings God Delusion and Selfish Gene and they are great books that are more or less on point. What sets those apart from other science books like you said are the ease in which the layman can understand them. Science jargon is rough if you have no experience in the field, but anyone can pick those up and understand whats going on. Carl Sagan was the master at that. All of his books make astrophysics seem attainable. Neil deGrasse Tyson is also very good at this and he's considered to be one of the top of his field now.

MilkChan

10-20-2007, 06:14 AM

"white bears and other unwanted thoughts" by daniel m. wegner

for my social psychology class.

FRANKIE

10-20-2007, 06:47 AM

I agree. I've read Hawkins Brief History and Theory of Everything and Dawkings God Delusion and Selfish Gene and they are great books that are more or less on point. What sets those apart from other science books like you said are the ease in which the layman can understand them. Science jargon is rough if you have no experience in the field, but anyone can pick those up and understand whats going on. Carl Sagan was the master at that. All of his books make astrophysics seem attainable. Neil deGrasse Tyson is also very good at this and he's considered to be one of the top of his field now.
Gould is another one.

As for what I'm reading now, Winter's Bone by Daniel Woodrell. Country Noir in the Ozarks with one of my favorite opening sentences ever.

Mad Processor

10-20-2007, 07:45 AM

Perhaps I´ve said it before, but Ray Feists books .. they just don´t sit all that well with me. I´m reading Silverthorn, and I have that and another one left of the riftwar saga (I don´t like leaving a story unfulfilled, so I read the sagas), but they just aren´t THAT good. They are well written, and at times very good, but the first two book, and now the third, just don´t captivate me like some other authors do. I´m not expecting the next Lord of the Rings (I don´t think there will ever be a book that captivates me more than that), but when I think more about wanting to finish Gibson´s Sprawl trilogy, than the saga I´m reading right now it tells me something.

Anyone else read Feist and can give some input on what they thought of the books?

Fighting_Irish1

10-20-2007, 06:03 PM

Good points MAD.

Just Finished Genisis - 20 years out of date, gave credence to Gia hypothesis and was all over the place, okay read.

Currently Reading - Plague Wars - Sensationalist drivel with a huge western slant.

Reading Next - Something good hopefully probably some Daniel Dennet.

dragomort

10-20-2007, 06:15 PM

Perhaps I?ve said it before, but Ray Feists books .. they just don?t sit all that well with me. I?m reading Silverthorn, and I have that and another one left of the riftwar saga (I don?t like leaving a story unfulfilled, so I read the sagas), but they just aren?t THAT good. They are well written, and at times very good, but the first two book, and now the third, just don?t captivate me like some other authors do. I?m not expecting the next Lord of the Rings (I don?t think there will ever be a book that captivates me more than that), but when I think more about wanting to finish Gibson?s Sprawl trilogy, than the saga I?m reading right now it tells me something.

Anyone else read Feist and can give some input on what they thought of the books?
It's been a while, but I read several of them a while back. I think the problem with him is that he doesn't contain his stories well enough. He's trying to make a large story arc and the individual books suffer from the lack of individual attention. They all end up feeling like half a story and thus don't really connect you much even to the over-arcing story. He's got talent and they can be fun reads if you've got a lot of related ones in a row, but his lack of progression made looking forward to his work pointless for me.

chuck

11-09-2007, 06:09 PM

just finished ' Aquariums of Pyongyang'. Brilliant book about a man's 10 years in the gulags of North Korea.

Reading now

Germinal by Zola - excellent so far
the Wild Duck by Ibsen - again very good. the first of the modern dramatists.

Then

The Poor Mouth by Flann O'Brien
The Waves by Virginia Woolf.

Jonga

11-09-2007, 09:36 PM

Just finished "Wizard & Glass" (The Dark Tower IV), probably start "Wolves of the Calla" (...the 5th one) ..when i get it. In the mean time, i'll probably read "Flight of the Hawk" again. It's a biography on the boxer Aaron Pryor.

Bishop

11-09-2007, 09:37 PM

Bloody Pulp

11-20-2007, 06:54 AM

Finished I Am Legend. Good read.

chuck

11-21-2007, 05:06 PM

Finished

Germinal by Zola - excellent story of mining and man's struggle in the mid 19th century

the Wild Duck by Ibsen - again very good. the first of the modern dramatists.

The Poor Mouth by Flann O'Brien - surreal, cute, heartbreaking, funny, creative etc etc.

READ FLANN O'BRIEN!!!! - The Third Policeman is also a great book.

Reading now

Moby Dick - Melville
Histories - Herodotus

Vanilla Gorilla

11-22-2007, 11:17 PM

Ive been reading alot lately.

I read "into the Wild" by John Krakauer. Amazing book, really really interesting read.

I read 30 days of night, the official novalization of the film, and it sucked shit.

Then I read Forever Odd by Dean Koontz. Good, but not as good as The first of the 3 Odd Thomas books.

Im just about to start reading Brother Odd, the final installment of the above.

Vanilla Gorilla

11-22-2007, 11:19 PM

reading "the Mist" by Stephen King. A friend of mine told me that it has a pretty "unfair" ending, so I want to know once I finish it if they will change it for the theatrical version, which they usually do

I liked the mist. I actually read it about a month ago when I picked up Skeleton Crew. Im going to go see it in the theathers, since 1408 is so different in book form then in the movie.

If you're reading it out of the skeleton crew there is another story in there, I don't remember what its called, but its about one of those stuffed monkeys that have symbols attached to its hands. That story freaked me right out. I definitely suggest reading it. I think it was right after the mist if I remember correctly.

Bishop

11-22-2007, 11:34 PM

"Meg: Primal Waters" by Steve Alten

Finished "Meg" a few months back and couldn't find any other Alten books at B&N or other bookstores besides "the Loch". I was too into the megalodon trilogy, so I finally found "Primal Waters", which is the 3rd and last book in the trilogy. I will still read "The Trench" once I find it or order it, which is part 2 by the way.

"Primal Waters" takes place 18 years after part 2 where Jonas Taylor, the stories hero, is in his early 60's and broke. He's out of the limelight until he is approached to host this show called "Daredevils", which is a reality tv show that pits 2 teams of adrenaline junkies against one another in daring stunts. This season, they are set to be filmed out in the pacific.....dun-dun-dun! You know where this takes us.

Also in the story, Alten predicts that Pat Burrell will be MLB's all time leading HR king passing the then record holder: Barry Bonds

very good book that I finished flying to Houston and flying back....so, a little over 6 hours total

I think I'm going to re-read either "Phantoms", "Shadowfires", or "Darkfall" by Dean Koontz when I fly back out on monday. Phantoms, wow, very scary book which the movie does not do justice.

Skick

11-28-2007, 12:43 AM

Just Finished I Hope They Serve Beer In Hell by Tucker Max. One of the funniest things i've ever read. I suspect that he embellishes some of his supposedly true stories but it's still funny none the less.

I'm reading American Psycho right now. Finally picked it up after being a fan of the movie for years. So far I like how it's going. My only problem with the book is how Patrick meticulously describes everyone's outfits and his appliances, it's hilarious how he does this, but starts to become an annoyance and makes it difficult to get into the book.

Vanilla Gorilla

11-29-2007, 03:38 PM

For fans of Dean Koontz

I just read on his website that yet another "Odd Thomas" book will be added to the series in 2008. The fourth instalment in the series will be called "Odd hours" and he will also be releasing a graphic novel for Odd Thomas also.

Here's a quick sample...

http://oddthomas.deankoontz.com/art/odd_art.jpg

That being said Im currently reading "Brother Odd" and have about 50 pages left. It's so good, that I'm actually thinking of taking off this afternoon from work and going home to finish it.

chuck

11-29-2007, 03:48 PM

Reading now

Moby Dick - Melville
Histories - Herodotus

actually just finishing Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami. I find him hit and miss but this is pretty good.

Needed an easy read and so picked up Peace Kills by PJ O'Rourke. complete waste of time. while he has some nice pertinent observations, his sheer arrogance and lacks of interest in other cultures while showing us how knowledge he is about ancient cultures is seriously off-putting. and given the fact that he writes on current affairs, his book has aged soooooo badly and his witty remarks now look crass, ignorant and woefully inaccurate.

GNP

11-29-2007, 03:56 PM

I just re-read I Am Legend. I am having a hard time with Will Smith being Neville.

dy-no-mite3000

11-29-2007, 04:09 PM

The Good Book.

Vanilla Gorilla

11-30-2007, 12:54 PM

I just started no country for old men last night, Im 39 pages into it, and I have never, in my entire life, seen the word "and" printed in a book so many times, with no commas....its strange for me to read.

It's honestly like this:

"Moss stood up and got his coat and put it on. He walked out the door and turned to turn off the light and grabbed his coat and hat and shoes and he stopped to put them on. He took 5 steps and again turned around and looked at his house and lawn and closed the gate and locked it and made sure it was locked and then turned around and started to walk again."

Fighting_Irish1

11-30-2007, 02:02 PM

Just Started the Blind Watchmaker by Richard Dawkins - Its excellent.

Zeffryn

11-30-2007, 03:19 PM

Future Men -- a parenting book. It's littered with biblical references, which is rather annoying...but other than that it is top notch.

Fedorable

12-02-2007, 03:26 AM

A Thousand Nights and One Night translated by Richard F. Burton
The Satanic Verses by Salman Rushdie

Bird

12-02-2007, 04:12 AM

How to Survive A Robot Uprising

fightguy

12-02-2007, 06:34 AM

I'm in the middle of reading both of these. Excellent books for anyone wanting to get into homebrewing. How to Brew is widely considered to bethe best book written on homebrewing, and Brewing Classic Styles has so many awesome recipes that it's ridiculous.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51%2Bb4EkitOL._SS500_.jpg

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/510JBcbuvWL._SS500_.jpg

Lord Prawn

12-02-2007, 10:48 AM

Fritjof Capra, Uncommon Wisdom

chuck

12-11-2007, 05:48 PM

Just finished:The Lady in the Lake - Raymond Chandler - awesome quick read. brilliant laconic character. truly memorable 'airport' reading

Kafka on the Shore - Haruki Murakami - good, quirky read.

Reading now

A history of Latin America
The Waves - by Virginia Woolf
The Castle - Kafka

Next

A cultural history of Fear - Joanna Bourke
The Age of Turbulence - Alan Greenspan

Vanilla Gorilla

12-11-2007, 05:52 PM

I just started Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay. It's the book that Dexter the series on HBO was based on. So far I'm 100 pages deep, and it's exactly like the first few episodes of season 1. It's funny too, cause they don't describe the charaters physical apperence at all....and it doesn't matter, I just picture them as they are on screen.

Skick

12-12-2007, 12:10 AM

Almost done with American Psycho and i'm halfway through Einstein's Dreams.

pants

12-12-2007, 12:24 AM

fear and loathing in las vegas, i am trying to get my hands on the film just to see the difference.

blackthorne

12-12-2007, 04:33 PM

(Because I'm in the Christmas spirit)
The Battle for Christmas- Stephen Nissenbaum.

Very cool book. It's thick on reporting historical events, both large and small, so it's a bit dense, but a very good read. It's interesting how the Puritans of Massachusetts officially declared the celebration of Christmas illegal in the 1600's because of how it was typically celebrated, and that the majority of slave rebellions and gettaways were performed at or around Christmas time.

Randjob

12-12-2007, 06:47 PM

Dearly Devoted Dexter - Jeff Lindsay

Halfway through this one, so far so good. If you like the show because of the witty dialogue and dark humor, you'll find that in the books

Gutsy

01-10-2008, 10:31 PM

"Rich Dad Poor Dad" By Robert Kiyosaki(sp?) : A friend's been pushing me to read this thing for over a year now, so I finally decided to get it from a library to see what's so great about it. Main reason I took so long to get it, is cause I saw some youtube vids of the author and he sounds kinda fishy.

Anywho, the books' ok. Has some good things in there, but it is nothing mindblowing. Essentially the book's: If you want to become wealthy, spend all your money on assets that will make you more money. --- But your house isn't an asset, since it costs you money to maintain and live in. But rental property, bonds, stocks, mutual funds, businesses, etc are. Yeah I know "Wow!"

WrestlerV

01-11-2008, 02:05 AM

The main books I'm reading right now are The Shinning and No Country For Old Men. So far, both these books are incredible.

Z A C H E R

01-11-2008, 02:07 AM

The Slash book, good fucking read.

WrestlerV

01-11-2008, 02:11 AM

fear and loathing in las vegas, i am trying to get my hands on the film just to see the difference.

Both are great, but there are some slight differences between the film and novel. Some of the scenes in the film were not in the novel and the endings are different. I liked both, though... There are some other books by Dr. Gonzo that are pretty cool. There are books on his artwork and photography with comments, poems, and writings that he made.

Mad Processor

01-11-2008, 06:25 AM

I'm finishing up "The God Delusion" right now and I'm moving on to "Mythical Man Month". I'm really looking forward to that one, it's got many good reviews and everyone who's read it has loved it. It's a book on software engineering and sofware projects btw.

Fighting_Irish1

01-11-2008, 11:22 AM

Finished - The blind Watchmaker by Richard Dawkings - Clear and lucid account of evolutionary theory presented in such a way as can be understood by the layman. Great use of metaphor and a good analysis to show how evolution arrives at the seemingly impossible via cumulative selection. Discusses at length some issues in (then) modern theory. Thrilling read and recommended highly.

Finished - The world according to Clarkson by Jeremy Clarkson - A humorous and witty read.

Reading - the thunderbolt Kid by Bill Bryson

Reading - A walk through the woods by Bill Bryson

Next - Dawkings God by Alister McGrath.

chuck

01-11-2008, 11:39 AM

Didnt quite finish Greenspan's the Age of Turbulence. Ran out of time and cant carry it with me. too big. but its very strong in the first hafl as he writes about the various Presidents and economic crisises he encountered, everyone from Nixon to Bush2.

will be reading...

7 Years in Tibet - Heinrich Herrer.
The Naked and The Dead - Norman Mailer
Dawn of the Dumb - Charlie Brooker

SonofaCrowBar

01-11-2008, 06:02 PM

Dearly Devoted Dexter - Jeff Lindsay

Halfway through this one, so far so good. If you like the show because of the witty dialogue and dark humor, you'll find that in the books

I hear that's a good one - is it the one they are making a series out of now?

Anyways, I've been doing a little fiction lately, this was my sampling to see what I liked:

Robert Heinlein - "Farnham's Freehold"
Balducci (sp?) - "Camel Club"

And I'm about halfway through an old Clive Cussler book. Next, I go back to the academics, I just bought:

"Visions", by Michio Kaku and "Collapse", by Jared Diamond.

Reading is fun.

Mad Processor

01-31-2008, 06:35 AM

I´ve finally begun reading "The Mythical Man Month", a legendary book on software development. I´ve been wanting to read it for some time. Hopefully, it´s as good as people are saying.

Skean

01-31-2008, 08:34 PM

I'm reading Lone Survivor by Marcus Luttrell. He was a Navy Seal sent to Afghanistan in 2005. He was on a mission with 3 other Seals when they were attacked by somewhere between 100-200 Taliban fighters. One of his buddies ran into the middle of an open field to call in their position and situation, alerting their base that they needed help. Only Marcus survived the attack.

Ut4syJ_pmRU
2FPLCKdI_fs

Fedorable

02-10-2008, 04:48 AM

moby dick, i wouldn't want to share a bed with a cannibal either. (only on the 4th chapter)

Deaths Head

02-11-2008, 01:40 AM

Big Block Chevy Engine Buildups(How to Build Horsepower for Maximum Street and Racing Performance)

Mechanical Engineering Gear Drive Systems Design and Application

Z A C H E R

02-11-2008, 01:46 AM

Read the Liddell book, seemed aimed at the casual UFC fan, and not as good as Hughes book IMO.

Bert McGirt

02-11-2008, 01:47 AM

Astral Dynamics by Robert Bruce. More like an instructional book than a reading book but I aint complaining.

chuck

02-11-2008, 01:53 AM

FInished 7 years in TIbet - great travel read

now reading

The Turn of the Screw by Henry James
All the Kings Men by Robert Penn Warren

Ebeneezer

02-11-2008, 02:50 AM

Universe by Skudder Klyce

Tapout2GJJ

02-11-2008, 04:36 AM

fight- Everything you needed to know about ass-kicking but were afraid to ask because you would get your ass kicked.

Good, fun read.

Vanilla Gorilla

02-13-2008, 03:20 PM

Im reading Made in America, by Matt Hughes. Ive got about 50pgs left, then Im going to read Liddle's book.

I've side barred Koontz newest called Sieze the night, which Im about 130 pgs into till Ive finished the above two books

Feniin

02-13-2008, 04:03 PM

Just finished "Darkly Dreaming Dexter" and "Dearly Devoted Dexter" by Jeff Lindsay. Going to pick up "Dexter in the Dark" when I get a couple extra bucks. I enjoyed both books a great deal.

Mad Processor

02-13-2008, 04:08 PM

In addition to Mythical Man Month, I'm getting my fantasy fix from Raymond E. Feist and the book Silverthorn. I'm enjoying it, and think it's even better than the two magician books.

Next up is Gibson's "Mona Lisa Overdrive".

jiddu

02-13-2008, 09:09 PM

Lenin - A revolutionary life

got this cause its newer and the library was closing, should've gotten the bigger book causes this one reads more like an essay than a biography

p.s. I'm not really a commie, just wanted to get that out there

chuck

02-14-2008, 06:33 AM

The Turn of the Screw by Henry James

very good in its own short way. abit like Dyno. in a way

just bought All the Presidents Men by Woodward and Bernstein. should be a classic

chuck

02-27-2008, 03:44 AM

very good in its own short way. abit like Dyno. in a way

just bought All the Presidents Men by Woodward and Bernstein. should be a classic

finished the above. very informative and a real maze of stories wot web it all together.
also read The Outsider by Camus again

reading

The World is Flat by Thomas Freidman
Choke by Chuck Palahniuk
The Long Goodbye by Raymond Chandler
and selected chapters from The Age of Turbulence by Alan Greenspan

Mad Processor

02-29-2008, 10:10 PM

I've just started "A Darkness at Sethanon" after finishing "Mona Lisa Overdrive". My fantasy/fiction is set for a while. Anybody got recommendations for a non-fiction book. I'm especially looking for books about detailing the middle east and the troubles down there.

WrestlerV

03-09-2008, 06:25 PM

Choke by Chuck Palahniuk

They're coming out with the movie in 2008. The director is Clark Gregg.

I just finished Norman MacLean's No Country For Old Men. The book was a bit slow at times, but was very descriptive, and generally built up anticipation well. There were some really good parts, a lot more themes than the movie, and kept me entertained.

Currently, I'm reading Fight Club, from Chuck Palahniuk. I've read it before and it's 100 times better than the movie. Very easy to read.

Another book I'm reading is Slaughter House-Five, from Kurt Vonnegut. If anybody is looking to read some great books, Vonnegut always comes through. He is actually an inspiration for many writers, including Palahniuk.

"Vonnegut is George Orwell, Dr. Caligari and Flash Gordon compounded into one writer... A zany but moral mad scientist"

Necrocide

03-09-2008, 11:49 PM

100 People That Are Screwing Up America.

Great read. Fun, informative, frightening, and accurate.

pants

03-10-2008, 12:30 AM

I am reading 'Blindness' By Jose Saramago

basically it puts us in a imaginary scenario where a new form of contagious of blindness where instead of black, the sufferer will suddenly go blind and all they see is white. It deals with how fragile the structure of our society is etc, very interesting.

http://www.thebizbox.com/images/emoticons/thumbsup.gif http://www.thebizbox.com/images/emoticons/thumbsup.gif http://www.thebizbox.com/images/emoticons/thumbsup.gif http://www.thebizbox.com/images/emoticons/thumbsup.gif http://www.thebizbox.com/images/emoticons/thumbsup.gif

Z A C H E R

03-10-2008, 12:31 AM

Lisey's story, stephen King

SonofaCrowBar

03-10-2008, 12:56 AM

I've been on a Louis L'Amour kick lately. I've read:

1. Education of a Wandering Man (Sorta Autobiography)
2. First three of the Sackett series.

I've been reading them to my kids at night. I'm ol' school like that, so we all gather in the living room and before bed we read a couple of chapters. I'm content while doing it, like I'm doing something right as a parent.

chuck

03-10-2008, 06:52 AM

Deaths Head

03-14-2008, 01:44 AM

Welding Metallurgy and Weldability of Stainless Steels.

chuck

03-16-2008, 02:37 AM

got a whole load

Bitter Flowers, Sweet Flowers - essays about East Timor and its fight for independence.
The Fatal Shore - Robert Hughes - history of the colonization of Australia
Do Androids dream of electric sheep? Phillip K Dick - the basis of the Bladerunner film

a few others too.

MilkChan

03-22-2008, 12:43 AM

"sarah: a sexual biography" - Dr. Paul Abramson

"the first man-made man" - pagan kennedy

"a house divided: suspicions of mother-daughter incest" - Dr. paul abramson

"with pleasure" - dr. paul abramson

i had to read these books for my human sexuality class.. and yes, paul abramson was my professor.

OB Juan

03-22-2008, 12:49 AM

"a house divided: suspicions of mother-daughter incest" - Dr. paul abramson

Hot.

MilkChan

03-22-2008, 12:55 AM

Hot.

spoiler alert!!

http://newsroom.ucla.edu/portal/ucla/artwork/3/9/5/2/1/39521/Paul_R._Abramson_photo_credit_Ann_Purdy_-prv.jpg

the mom was found not guilty and paul abramson fucking proved that she didn't do it. (he's an expert witness)

WrestlerV

03-25-2008, 03:31 AM

I just finished reading Slaughter House Five, by Kurt Vonnegut. It was probably one of the best books I have ever read and the most entertaining. I couldn't put it down.

I'm going to read fight club next. I haven't read it since I was in high-school. After that, I'm going to read Timequake, by Kurt Vonnegut. Supposedly, this is his last book and he wrote and he had revised it many, many times. I'm looking forward to it.

chuck

03-25-2008, 07:26 AM

I'm going to read Timequake, by Kurt Vonnegut. Supposedly, this is his last book and he wrote and he had revised it many, many times. I'm looking forward to it.

just picked it up. we'll compare notes later.

Deaths Head

03-27-2008, 01:18 AM

Assault Pistols, Rifles And Submachine Guns

I love guns so this book is quite intriguing, gives the breakdown of all kinds of modern firearms.

Next up will be Ducati Motorcycles book Superbike Supersport Monster. I plan on buying one when I get my taxes back shortly.

tak

03-28-2008, 10:32 PM

I just finished Norman MacLean's No Country For Old Men.

:confused: no country for old men was written by cormac mccarthy.

anywho, that just so happens to be what i'm reading right now. so far i'm really liking it. it also makes me appreciate the movie all the more, because it's one of the few times that a movie adapts a book so closely. in fact, for the few differences i noticed between the book and the movie, i actually felt the changes made by the movie made it even better.

Bird

03-30-2008, 06:54 PM

http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p303/mnbvc_07/19.jpg

chuck

04-16-2008, 07:52 AM

Reading:

Timequake by Vonnegut
the Fatal Shore by Robert Hughes
The Road by Cormac McCarthy
a book for those with Rusty Spanish.

a lot of info books as I prepare to start travelling again.

chuck

04-24-2008, 01:35 AM

Timequake - Kurt Vonnegut

By his design, his last book. The story itself isn't much, mainly focussed on on time travelling back 10 years and seeing your life again. But the story isn't important. Vonnegut rew-rote the chapters here many times and you can understand why. he wanted this to be his last book and he had much to say. It's mainly a book of recollection, nostalgia, jokes and laments over his life, work, friends and family. there are some pertinent remarks here over how soceity has changed but mostly its the wisdom and turn of phrase that stands out.

worth a read but don't expect a story.

J@ckson

04-24-2008, 05:01 AM

Just finished Duma Key-Stephen King

chuck

04-28-2008, 04:05 AM

Just picked up

A Shameful Act: The Armenian Genocide (need to know more about this)

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea - Jules Verne (Bird brought it up on some thread and I realised I hadn't read it.)

NutzOnUrFace

04-28-2008, 05:16 AM

What are the best Vonnegut books? Thanks in advance.

chuck

04-28-2008, 05:45 AM

What are the best Vonnegut books? Thanks in advance.

Breakfast of Champions
Slaughterhouse Five

PickleDick

05-03-2008, 04:24 PM

I just read the Matt Hughes book, you can really tell that hes a bit of a dickhead.. And his story abouthis brother & a couple other pulling the car over and being like "how religious are you? Is that enough, can you be more?" or whatever the fuck they say is the dumbest shit ever.

I bought a set of 4books off of ebay, that one, a bruce lee one, Mike Tyson, and Ken Motherfucking Shamrock.

PickleDick

05-03-2008, 04:26 PM

oh yeah, and after hughes finds god he brings it up like 97times in the last three chapters..

There isn't too much worse than a religious person who wants everyone to know about it.

chuck

05-09-2008, 02:07 AM

The Road – Cormac McCarthy

Bleak, post apocalyptic tale from the writer of No Country for Old Men of a father and son travelling across country to the ocean or nowhere in particular, trying to find food and avoid the ‘bad guys, while trying to keep their spirits up. Strangely very readable and positive.

TSOM

05-10-2008, 05:19 AM

Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut...I've always loved his work, and have read lots of his books but I had overlooked CC for a long time...great read.

I am now reading Quantum by Jim Al-Khalili

Skick

05-10-2008, 03:16 PM

Finished Vagabonding by Rolf Potts and i'm still working on Musashi.

Skick

05-10-2008, 03:19 PM

Also read A Briefer History Of Time by Hawking. I had trouble understanding most of the concepts within the book as i've never taken a physics class in my life. but the ideas that I did understand blew me away.

dragomort

05-10-2008, 03:44 PM

Does anyone read books not about metaphysics or Pulitzer prize awarded books on social inequity etc? I enjoy them, but I can't imagine not branching out a bit more into my comfort fluff of sci-fi / fantasy books. Just read American Gods by Neil Gaiman, very good one. Currently reading the original Dune by Frank Herbert on my lunch breaks and it's pretty well sucked me in. I've put quite a few of the recommended books on here to my wishlist for purchasing somewhat soon as well.

chuck

05-16-2008, 02:37 AM

Just Finished

Pop - Truth and Power at the Coca-Cola Company

While the story of the company's troubles in the late 1990s is slight and weak, the historical review and breakdown of business practices makes you wonder why they haven't been investigated for monolpolistic practices.

A Shameful Act; The Armenian Genocide

incredibly researched yet too many papers have been destroyed. Most interesting parts were Ataurk's attitude to the massacres and why the genocide wasn't investigated further at the time. The reason is the same as ever; politically inconvenient to the Great Powers and the need to work in the new political parameters.

Finishing

20,000 Leagues under the sea - Jules Verne

About to pick up

The Blind Watchmaker - Richard Dawkins
A year in the merde - Stephen Clarke
Tropic of Cancer - Henry Miller

ilostmydog

05-16-2008, 08:17 PM

The Ten-Cent Plague: The Great Comic Book Scare and How It Changed America by David Hajdu

A book about the beginning of comic strips, comic books, and all the way up to the late 50's where the industry nearly died due to regulation and sensationalist journalism. Really well-researched and an interesting read to any interested in comics. I could describe it in more depth, but I won't. However, I will add that you can draw a lot of parallels to what was (falsely) being attributed to comic books (juvenile delinquency, violence, murders) and what current critics are still staying about new forms of media such as video games and the internet.

blackthorne

05-16-2008, 11:35 PM

Moral Minds; The Nature of Right and Wrong by Marc D. Hauser.

Biology and behavior fascinates the shit out of me, and theories about a universal moral instinct are no different. I bought the book along time ago but I only read the first 5 pages or something. Do our emotions, and intuitions model our moral judgments, or do our moral judgments model our emotions, and intuitions? That question is at the heart of this book, which is a great read so far. It helps that it's pop science written truly for the layman. I hate it when scientists write a book for publication that doesn't in some way cater to the casual reader (looking at you David Sloan Wilson)- that's what journals are for douche!

J. Walter Weatherman

05-17-2008, 12:07 AM

I only read one book. The book. The Bible.

Bird

05-17-2008, 04:49 PM

chuck

05-19-2008, 05:58 AM

"The Rise of the Merchant Class In Tokugawa Japan 1600-1868" by Charles David Sheldon

Great chapters about the political tension between the merchant class and the Samurai and how both were affected by the unification of a peace time Japan.

I haven't read this but I've read quite a bit about the subject. Pretty fascinating period. And yes, the tensions that arise between state control, commerce and foreign intervention marked the end of feudal Japan and the rise of interest groups fighting over the future of Japan. And we all know how that went.

WrestlerV

05-23-2008, 10:49 PM

I just finished reading Kurt Vonnegut's last novel, Timequake. Timequake is a semi-autographical, semi-fiction novel, depicting many different stories and interesting situations from his life. The novel was written many times before it was published, and holds many different themes and expressions of Vonnegut's ideologies. War, family, friends, writing, and the philosophies of life are a few of Vonnegut's themes. The tone throughout the novel is very entertaining, informative, and hilarious. One will feel nostalgic after reading some of the chapters in the novel. I had to read some of the chapters over, because they were very detailed and well thought out. Timequake is a great novel for any Vonnegut fan to read.

I just started reading The Book of Five Rings, written by the samurai warrior, Miyamoto Musashi. It talks about his life, his philosophy, the philosphies of that era, and military strategy. It is compared to Sun Tzu's Art of War.

Another novel I am reading is another Kurt Vonnegut classic, Breakfast of Champions.

Anton Chigurh

05-24-2008, 12:08 AM

I finished Dawkins' 'The God Delusion' last week and I'll wrap-up 'Voices from the Plain of Jars: Life Under an Air War' (a collection of essays from Laotian peasants whose lives were destroyed by the little-known air-only bombing campaign against civilian-only targets in the Plain of Jars) later today. Tonight I'll start something new--probably Haruki Murakami's 'Underground,' which chronicles the 1995 Tokyo sarin attack--while on an airplane to New Jersey.

'The God Delusion' (as advertised) is fantastic, and a good compliment to Sam Harris' 'End of Faith.' If someone can read both of those and maintain any religious conviction, they are either (A) boldfaced idiots who just didn't understand the books or (B) lying to themselves (hey, what's religion for, otherwise?). Maybe its easier for me to say having been an atheist all my life.

'Voices from the Plain of Jars' is a shockingly personal view of the effects of war on a nearly Utopian society (Xieng Khouang under the nationalist Pathet Lao). The essays detail people's lives both before and after the war. The common theme is that life before the air-war was beautiful. Children and adults loved their lives and lived in harmony with nature; men and women were equal in all respects of society (in many cases women were even favored as teachers, doctors, etc.); society was balanced in that everyone had their own land and the equipment (here, oxen, buffalo, etc.) to farm for themselves, and nobody paid taxes despite the Pathet Lao's unmatched social reform programs; etc. After the bombing started, there are tragic stories of loved ones killed indiscriminately, villages destroyed for no reason, families separated and sent to Vientiane camps in poverty, and an overwhelming desire by every writer to return to the villages of their births. Very sad, moving book, that probably most Americans wouldn't appreciate because it wasn't happening to other Americans.

Doktor Sharpness

05-27-2008, 05:51 PM

Have read Monster Nation on the blackberry, and started into Monster Island (Island is actually the first in the series, but when I saw that Nation was a prequal, I decided to read it first). Decent throw away zombie novels with some parts that were really crafted well.

Finished World War Z months ago, but picked up the audiobook for Suzy for mother's day, and we listen to it in the truck whenever we're driving around. Great book... Not really about zombies, it's more using a mockumentary set in the aftermath of a zombie apocalypse to tell a story full of political messages and human nature. It's providing a break from The Three Kingdoms, which Suzy had been reading to us whenever we went out up until her two hospital stays (she had to have her gall bladder out, and incompetence lead to complications).

Also burned through American Psycho again, since I had it in my bathroom.

TrickyNicky

05-28-2008, 02:38 AM

World War Z is just awesome. It's easily the best Zombie related book out there. You should also check out Day by Day Armageddon, even though it is an incomplete story.

I've burned through all three of the Joe Pitt novels by Charlie Huston, starting with Already Dead. Some may recognize him as the writer who relaunched Moon Knight a year ago. I sorta liked Moon Knight, and took a chance. What you end up with is a quality crime-noir with a twist on Vampires. They aren't very long and are very dependent upon the first person and dialogue, both of which are top notch.

I just started The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss. I bought it on a whim after I read a sample chapter. 80 pages in, it is well written but just happens to start out as a slow burner.

( o Y o )

05-28-2008, 03:47 AM

Tonight I'll start something new--probably Haruki Murakami's 'Underground,' which chronicles the 1995 Tokyo sarin attack--while on an airplane to New Jersey.

I really had some trouble enjoying this. Not sure what I was expecting out of it but whatever it was, this book failed to deliver it.

'The God Delusion' (if it is the one I am thinking of) was brilliant. Highly recommended.

Doktor Sharpness

05-28-2008, 01:22 PM

blackthorne

05-28-2008, 05:44 PM

'The God Delusion' (if it is the one I am thinking of) was brilliant. Highly recommended.

So Sam Harris has The End of Faith.
Daniel Dennett has Breaking the Spell.
And Christopher Hitchens has God is not Great.

Of those four I like Dennett's the most. I'm not sure why he doesn't recieve as much love (maybe because his book isn't as entertaining, and its sometimes unnecessarily long winded).

HogRock

05-28-2008, 06:10 PM

So Sam Harris has The End of Faith.
Daniel Dennett has Breaking the Spell.
And Christopher Hitchens has God is not Great.

Of those four I like Dennett's the most. I'm not sure why he doesn't recieve as much love (maybe because his book isn't as entertaining, and its sometimes unnecessarily long winded).

Ugh, if you haven't already, don't read Sam Harris. His book is terrible and he just steals ideas from everyone else on the subject. His prose is the least likable.

HogRock

05-28-2008, 06:11 PM

Another novel I am reading is another Kurt Vonnegut classic, Breakfast of Champions.

Haven't read that one yet. Just finished Cat's Cradle yesterday and it was awesome. Picked up "Soon I Will Be Invincible" and starting that today.

WrestlerV

05-28-2008, 06:41 PM

Haven't read that one yet. Just finished Cat's Cradle yesterday and it was awesome. Picked up "Soon I Will Be Invincible" and starting that today.

Nice. I was actually going to read Cat's Cradle after Breakfast of Champions. I've heard, from many Vonnegut fans, that it was one of his best novels... I was also watching one of his interviews on youtube, and he said it was one of the three best novels he had written (behind Slaughter-House Five and another novel, I forget).

I want to read, A Man Without A Country, too. It's supposed to be very good.

GNP

05-28-2008, 09:25 PM

I just finished this book called Vamped that I bought for a quarter at a book sale. I thought it was going to have some intense vampire action or maybe a vamp lesbian chapter, but instead is was about love, family, morals and parenting.

WrestlerV

06-06-2008, 06:44 PM

I just finished Kurt Vonnegut's, Breakfast of Champions, in three days. The book was so entertaining, that I couldn't put it down. The book is set in a fictional environment, but that is where Vonnegut derives many of his universal themes and philosophies from. The book is essentially about a normal-looking, well-to-do Pontiac dealer, named Dwayne Hoover. As the novel continues, his mind slowly loses rationality and he becomes insane. In the process of him becoming insane, he crosses paths with Kilgore Trout, an old unsuccessful science fiction writer. He takes Trout's science fiction writings for absolute truth, which only fuels his insanity. The book is very well done and captures the reader's attention. It has to deal with a lot of issues plauging people on a daily basis: sex, religion, society, war, art, and life in general. Entertaining novel!

I also read Vonnegut's, A Man Without A country. This is a collection of short essays, published in 2005. It is a very in-depth and intellectual reading on many issues our country faces as an entirety. It has a wide range of topics varying from humor, modern technology, sexes, sex, violence, the American society, life, politics, and a humanistic perspective. This is a great collection of short essays for anyone to read.

chuck

06-07-2008, 12:07 AM

Finished

7 wonders of the Industrial World - wanted a fact book for a while. interesting information. the seven were The Great Eastern, The Brooklyn Bridge, The London Sewer system, The Bell Lighthouse, the Hoover Dam, The Trans Pacific Railway and Panama Canal.

Now Reading

Shame by Salman Rushdie
The Blind Watchmaker by Richard Dawkins

DCBooks

06-07-2008, 12:24 AM

Just finished The Reapers by John Connolly. I picked up Odd Hours by Dean Koontz. I'll start it Monday on the train ride home.

Anton Chigurh

06-07-2008, 09:32 PM

I really had some trouble enjoying this. Not sure what I was expecting out of it but whatever it was, this book failed to deliver it.

'The God Delusion' (if it is the one I am thinking of) was brilliant. Highly recommended.

I really enjoyed it, particularly the interviews with the Aum members (who, scarily, I identified with far more than anyone else in the book). I thought they had very realistic outlooks on the world (for the most part--the Aum girl was pretty crazy/stupid, though), whereas the ordinary citizens were all worker bees, arriving at their menial jobs 2 hours early every day to waste their lives away for someone else's gain. Obviously this does not justify a sarin gas attack, but it made the Aum members--who desired something more out of life than utilitarian servitude--much more identifiable to me.

PS. I am not thinking of gassing anyone. :o

Now reading: Michio Kaku's 'Hyperspace,' which I nearly finished years ago, but for some reason never did. I started over, since it had been a while. What an entertaining book; I really enjoy his literary sincerity and the homage he pays to the physicists who paved the way for his ideas.

Anton Chigurh

06-09-2008, 01:02 AM

Ugh, if you haven't already, don't read Sam Harris. His book is terrible and he just steals ideas from everyone else on the subject. His prose is the least likable.

I enjoyed End of Faith, particularly the chapters on the Inquisitions and legalization of drugs. I won't pretend that either are his original ideas (the former being a historic account), but both were good reads, nonetheless.

Have you read 'God Is Not Great,' and would you recommend it?

adamn

06-10-2008, 01:57 AM

Just picked it up.

A Skeptics Search For God

"1,456 hours of Sunday school and church turned Ralph Munchester into a hard-core atheist. Then he was challenged to honestly investigate the Bible and the facts of modern science. He was stunned. Fact after fact-from biology, history, archaeology, physics lined up with biblical account"

blackthorne

06-17-2008, 03:15 AM

I enjoyed End of Faith, particularly the chapters on the Inquisitions and legalization of drugs. I won't pretend that either are his original ideas (the former being a historic account), but both were good reads, nonetheless.

Have you read 'God Is Not Great,' and would you recommend it?

If you've read Dawkins and Harris you've basically read Hitchens, but Hitchens' book has a light political touch that the others don't have so it's not a waste of time; he makes an especially good counterargument to the criticisms about "death in the name of atheism/Stalin, Mao, bla bla bla". If I had to choose though I'd just buy Kenneth Miller's new book on evolution/intelligent design.

I haven't read it but Finding Darwin's God was especially good. Then again that book shoots itself in the foot in the 2nd half (you spend the entire book criticizing ID'ers of putting god in the gaps of evolutionary theory and then make your own case for God by putting him in the gaps of quantum indeterminancy? What??).

Oliver Klosov

06-21-2008, 08:48 PM

The Toughest Man Alive (The True and Incredible Story of a Sadistic Bastard) by "Judo" Gene LeBell

very interesting so far, I've learned that his mother was a big player in promoting boxing and wrestling in L.A. in the 40's - unheard of for a woman at that time.

pants

06-21-2008, 09:06 PM

Nausea by Sartre, I wanted to read it just to see how does a philosophical 'novel' works, it's written as a diary and talks about the character's journey and struggles of existing.

Ebeneezer

06-21-2008, 09:25 PM

I just finished Ring Of Hell and World War Z.

Two of the most enjoyable reads I've had this year

Necron Eloheim

06-22-2008, 12:16 AM

Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki. Very good read.

Necrocide

06-22-2008, 05:53 PM

Survivor by Chuck Palahniuk. Pretty good stuff, it reads quick, got about 50 pages left and I started it on Wednesday. The only thing that bothers me are the occasional grammatical errors which seem very strange. I keep wondering if Chuck put them in there that way or if they're typos.

Marshal G.K. Zhukov

06-22-2008, 06:40 PM

John Mosier's The Blitzkrieg Myth great read for any WWII history enthusiast. The shittieness of German armor and tactics as well as the total uselessness of strategic bombing pre- 1944 has been commentated on for awhile now but its nice to get a whole study on the topic. Probably the most interesting thing for me was the competency and bravery of the French army despite their civilian government's total panic. Also the British totally smearing the French, the Belgians, and the Dutch for giving up and capitulating when THEY cut and run before engaging the Germans was pretty enraging.

His thesis is controversial and his research is dubious but he does provoke a good conversation about the war.

HogRock

06-22-2008, 07:10 PM

Dewey's Diva

06-22-2008, 08:36 PM

Anton Chigurh

06-24-2008, 07:43 AM

Finished: Michio Kaku's 'Hyperspace'

Currently reading: Jared Diamond's 'Guns, Germs, and Steel' as well as the complete canon of W.B. Yeats' work (I'll take my time with that one).

Pleeb

06-25-2008, 05:26 AM

Hands of Stone - Christian Giudice bio of Duran, some history on other Panamian notables and rise and fall of Duran's career. Heady reading.

SonofaCrowBar

06-30-2008, 04:40 AM

Finished: Michio Kaku's 'Hyperspace'

Currently reading: Jared Diamond's 'Guns, Germs, and Steel' as well as the complete canon of W.B. Yeats' work (I'll take my time with that one).

Anton. I knew it. We're kindred spirits. We're like twins.:o

I read most of Diamond's book, but got bogged down about 2/3s in. It's in a bottom drawer in the bathroom, so I'm still getting through maybe a page or so every two days.

But I recently got Michio Kaku's book "Visions". Haven't started it yet. My dad suggested Kaku. Are you a singulatarian? Do you think Kaku is religious in his scientific faith?

**********************

Right now I'm reading "The Archimedes Codex", by Netz and Noel.

WrestlerV

06-30-2008, 05:05 AM

Novels, I have just finished: God bless you, Dr. Kevorkian... Book of Five Rings...

Novels I am currently reading: Fates Worse than Death, The Art of War...

SonofaCrowBar

07-02-2008, 10:10 PM

S.R.

07-02-2008, 10:14 PM

http://media.npr.org/programs/wesun/summer2006/homeland200.jpg

It's fun, it's just a little too cutesy. The Vonnegut influence is there but he's so bad at it. I'd recommend it for the couple days before the real book you're looking for is arriving.

fightguy

07-03-2008, 03:19 AM

Dead By Sunset - Ann Rule

Excellent book!

Z A C H E R

07-03-2008, 03:43 AM

Duma Key by Stephen King

chuck

07-11-2008, 03:38 AM

The Blindwatcher Maker by Richard Dawkins

For those that have read The God Delusion, this is the science book written 20 years earlier where Dawkins writes passionately about the adaptive complexity and slow, gradual natural selection that makes Darwinism the accepted theory amongst scientists. It's biologically intense but generally written through metaphor and analogy to highlight his various points. His biology is obviously sound and his arguments conclusive. Only in the final chapter does he address different theories of evolution and he gives creationism sparse account. And that's what he should do. I didn't like The God Delusion for the simple reason that Dawkins is too smart and useful a man to get involved in that kind of debate. I appreciate he was arguing for atheism and rightly so and I guess it's sad that he feels the need to get pulled into a philosophical debate which is harming kids but this is his rightful place. The dude knows his stuff and lets us understand in plain language.

Shame - Salman Rushdie

Rushdie is one of the top guys out there. This follow-up to Midnight's Children shows it plainly. A story about the dynasties of Pakistan but in reality, a parable on the malicious use of shame in Islam to control people especially women. Rushide has an imagination like few others and its highlighted in the creative ways the various characters are killed from ancient elevator death traps to strangulation by a crazed four year old, turned Satanic avenger. It's imaginative, following and damn funny. If you haven't read Rushdie, you haven't read great, modern literature.

GNP

07-11-2008, 05:13 PM

I am reading Youth in Revolt now, but I have order Final Watch and can't wait to read it when it arrives.

Zeffryn

07-11-2008, 05:20 PM

I can't seem to stay focused on much of anything lately, so I'm having a difficult time getting into deeper books.

Since I still feel the need to read, I've opted for lighter novels.

I just finished Certain Girls by Jennifer Weiner. She is definitely one of my favorite "Chick-Lit" authors.

PickleDick

07-11-2008, 05:24 PM

Im reading IRON MIKE, a book about Mike Tyson.. Its pretty good.. Its all written by like 12different ppl who knew Mike Tyson. A++ so far.

uberfighter

07-11-2008, 05:30 PM

shamed to say i've been hooked on warhammer novels the last month or so. chaos marine are so freaking cool to read about.

MyAssIsFartsy

07-12-2008, 01:08 AM

With the kids (family reading):

Just finished "Lightning Thief", by Rick Riordan. Kids really liked it.

Now we're about six chapter into "Ride the River", the 5th book in the Sacketts series by Louis L'Amour.

Books every kid should read at some point:

The Folk of the Faraway Tree
A Wrinkle in Time (and other Madeleine L'Engle books)
The Chronicles of Narnia

MyAssIsFartsy

07-12-2008, 01:09 AM

I'm reading The Man in the High Tower at the moment, and one of the Vampire Chronicles by E.E. Knight.

MyAssIsFartsy

07-12-2008, 01:15 AM

I just started reading The Book of Five Rings, written by the samurai warrior, Miyamoto Musashi. It talks about his life, his philosophy, the philosphies of that era, and military strategy. It is compared to Sun Tzu's Art of War.

Another novel I am reading is another Kurt Vonnegut classic, Breakfast of Champions.

I read both of those. I had trouble getting into Breakfast, but I think it was because I had just read Welcome to the Monkey House and Sirens of Titan, and was getting a little burned out. I imagine Vonnegut is especially good for you to read, at any rate.

The Book of Five Rings works well, but I read Musashi and was pretty disappointed. 900+ pages is a daunting translation task though, so I don't really have the right to criticize it much, other than to say I'm sure there's room for improvement.

SlickFord

07-12-2008, 02:41 AM

Rumor of War
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/511GW5BT9YL.jpg

SlickFord

07-12-2008, 02:44 AM

It was a great book, As far as war stories go its a great book based on the authors real life experiences with some wild twists that honestly shocked me and made me ask myself some serious questions about my morals under fire. It is a must read for people who love War movies and just brutal self exploration.

http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll102/PHiLaVaNiLa/reading-rainbow.gif

WrestlerV

07-21-2008, 12:06 AM

Aha! After a long period of reading and analyzing, I have just finished Kurt Vonnegut's Fates Worse Than Death. This novel is a collection of Vonnegut's (and other famous literary greats) essays, interviews, speeches, and recently organized writings - with Vonnegut's parenthetically blunt commentaries. He also uses many examples from his previously written novels (Palm Sunday and Slaughter-House Five). There are many subjects widely ranging from western imperialism, Culture, American society, Religion, ...to the most basic and complex aspects of life's issues. Please, my friends, instead of Transcendental Meditation; let's read some Vonnegut.

WrestlerV

07-21-2008, 12:21 AM

I read both of those. I had trouble getting into Breakfast, but I think it was because I had just read Welcome to the Monkey House and Sirens of Titan, and was getting a little burned out. I imagine Vonnegut is especially good for you to read, at any rate.

The Book of Five Rings works well, but I read Musashi and was pretty disappointed. 900+ pages is a daunting translation task though, so I don't really have the right to criticize it much, other than to say I'm sure there's room for improvement.

I enjoyed The Book of Five Rings. There was definitely some hints of greatness in the texts, but some of the translation was boring. The philosophies involving historical actuality was astounding. The novel can become very inspiring to anyone who reads it.

Vonnegut is my favorite American author. I've read at least, seven of his novels, this year - not including other short works of his. He was a remarkable writer and person, and has led me to discover other great authors, as well.

Mia

07-21-2008, 01:34 AM

Illuminata - Marianne Williamson

chuck

07-22-2008, 03:23 PM

All the Kings Men - Robert Penn Warren

Pultizer Prize winning book. very well written and in a real distinctive style.

GNP

07-22-2008, 04:30 PM

Final Watch has been delayed, so I am reading Revolting Youth, book 4 of the CD Payne series.

Grr

07-24-2008, 01:41 AM

The Alchemist. anyone who has ever questioned their job, their path, their goals, their purpose; read this book.

SlickFord

07-24-2008, 02:05 AM

I am looking to pick up that book Shattered Glass, about Steve Glass the jerk who fabricated a bunch of articles for a few magazines and was brought down by Forbes. It just looks like a good read after seeing the preview for the movie based on the book.

Bird

07-24-2008, 05:17 AM

Coracoes Sujos {Dirty Hearts}
http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s240/johnglaze1/coracoes.jpg

A book by Fernando Morais about the Shindo Renmei, the Japanese immigrants secret society in Sao Paolo. Dirty Hearts is what they called the Japanese who didn't agree with their hardcore nationalism resulting in a death sentence. Extremely loyal to the Emperor they refused to believe the war was lost.They forged a lot of American magazines like Time and Life, where you could see MacArthur surrendering himself to the emperor. Saying the Japanese fleet would come to Brasil to take them to colonize Australia and also goes into detail about how imperative it was for the government to eliminate them.

Mia

07-24-2008, 05:42 AM

It was recommended to me to read the book "American Son"
The autobiography of Oscar DeLahoya.

Ebeneezer

07-24-2008, 02:58 PM

I'm a few chapters in to Ham On Rye by Bukowski

Spydermonkey

07-24-2008, 03:11 PM

An Anthropologist on Mars, about various neurological disorders and actual case studies, focuses primarily on autistic savants.

WrestlerV

07-25-2008, 05:16 AM

tak

07-25-2008, 04:36 PM

Finished: Michio Kaku's 'Hyperspace'

Currently reading: Jared Diamond's 'Guns, Germs, and Steel' as well as the complete canon of W.B. Yeats' work (I'll take my time with that one).

i've been meaning to read guns, germs and steel. i read diamond's "collapse: how societies choose to fail or succeed" a couple years ago and found it very interesting.

i just finished up "rant" by palahniuk and now i'm reading "this is your brain on music" by daniel levitin. both are really good.

uberfighter

07-25-2008, 05:57 PM

i'm reading up on the blood angels. james swallow is quite a good writer.

i said "swallow"

Spydermonkey

07-26-2008, 02:13 PM

i said "swallow"

*snickers, guffaws*

WrestlerV

07-31-2008, 07:29 AM

I'm currently reading, Isaac Asimov: It's a Good Life. It's an autobiography about a really great writer and I'm enjoying it so far. I'm almost finished, The Art of War, as well.

I've been looking forward to reading The Young Lions, but I can't find it in my library.

I'm almost finished It's a Good Life. I couldn't sleep, so I read about 150 pages of pure entertainment. The book starts off at a casual pace, but rapidly becomes comical and informative.

I just bought one of his popular Science-Fiction novels: Foundations. It's not entirely a novel, but composed of Foundations short stories. The volumes are in precise order and I can't wait to read it.

I still want to buy or find at the library: Cat's Cradle (Vonnegut), The Young Lions (Irwin Shaw), Choke (Palahniuk... I found this in the book store, but it was too expensive), Nightfall and The Ugly Little Boy (Asimov).

chuck

08-08-2008, 10:04 PM

Just finished Empire by Niall Ferguson

Stanford Prof talks up imperialism and colonialism as while not the best, a natural and important part of a part state development. fair point. Also points out the British Empire was lost winning the first world war, not the second.

Started

Murakami's Wild Sheep Chase

read 25% of the book in 2 hours. very easy read. building up as a detective story but Murakami style. so far, its the best that I have read of his.

MMANut

08-09-2008, 10:12 AM

Becoming the Natural, Generation Kill, and What Happened, in that order.

Spydermonkey

08-09-2008, 12:57 PM

Back to glorious crime fiction, Tin Roof Blowdown by James Lee Burke. A very grim post katrina crime novel set in and around New Orleans as all of his novels are.

WrestlerV

08-11-2008, 11:54 PM

I have finished Isaac Asimov: It's a Good Life and Kurt Vonnegut's Deadeye Dick.

As I have said in previous posts, Isaac Asimov's autobiographical book is definitely worth a read. There is much to be learned, through his own personal experiences and achievements. I found it amazing, not because of his vast accomplishments, but because the book covered every aspect of his life, until he could no longer physically write (which was only a few months before his death). His philosophies during his lifetime had evolved throughout the book.

Kurt Vonnegut's Deadeye Dick was also entertaining. It wasn't nearly as good as his other works of literature, but I'm glad I read it. It's written through the perspective of an asexual murderer and playwright - describing his life, through his family and members of community. It is a very interesting narrative from a troubled man, which reaches into the reader's mind, through a unique view of morality. The same morality of the main character's life is in unison to a neutron bomb. The setting is mostly in fictional Midland City, Ohio. The characters (Dwayne Hoover for example) and setting (Midland City) are also referenced in Vonnegut's two other novels: Breakfast of Champions and God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater. I have read all three novels. The plots of all three novels fit into each other, like a puzzle.

I am currently reading: A Clockwork Orange (mainly), The Art of War (sometimes), and Foundations (sometimes).

Oliver Klosov

08-12-2008, 12:36 AM

Tapout2GJJ

08-12-2008, 12:53 AM

I am re-re-re-re-re-reading Richard Marcinko's Rogue Warrior. It is a brilliant book written in a no bullshit manner. For anyone who hates the PC world we live in, it's a great book.

WrestlerV

08-13-2008, 08:52 PM

I have just finished No Excuses. It's a very inspiring story, written in the first person narrative, by Kyle Maynard. Kyle was born with a rare disorder, known as Congenital amputation. He has no arms or legs, but still manages to accomplish more tasks than most people. He is an accomplished wrestler and student. He was only nineteen when he wrote the book.

The novel describes his views about life, religion, about his disability, and about his family and friends. It shows that people, with the right determination, work ethic, and confidence - can succeed at anything.

The back of the book also has his workout routines and frequently asked questions. I was surprised how easy it was to read. It's an incredibly motivational book, for anybody to discover.

S.R.

08-13-2008, 09:23 PM

I remember Breen interviewing Kyle Maynard. I found him very inspirational with his go-getter attitude despite the odds he faced.

I'll have to keep an eye out for No Excuses.

Don

08-13-2008, 10:36 PM

I dunno if it counts as a book, but I'm about to order the 300 frank miller graphic novel and maybe frank sinatra's biography.

ashrael

08-14-2008, 02:50 AM

Just finished "The Man in the High Tower" by Philip K. Dick. It was interested and I now because of it I want to read "The Rise and Fall of the 3rd Reich".

SonofaCrowBar

08-14-2008, 09:31 PM

I have just finished No Excuses. It's a very inspiring story, written in the first person narrative, by Kyle Maynard.

These are some gems here. I'm glad we have this thread.:D

Spydermonkey

08-15-2008, 02:53 PM

Bringing Down the House

it is the book they based the movie "21" on. about the MIT students who turned card counters to destroy the black jack tables in vegas. they characters were all of Asian descent, unlike the movie.

Was it also good unlike the movie? I fuckin hated that over hyped shit, even Spacey sucked in that movie, I do want to fuck the chubby faced asian girl, but I can't stand the asian dude in the movie who seems to be popping up in every other movie these days and looks like a queer asian gerbil.

Oliver Klosov

08-15-2008, 03:04 PM

Was it also good unlike the movie? I fuckin hated that over hyped shit, even Spacey sucked in that movie, I do want to fuck the chubby faced asian girl, but I can't stand the asian dude in the movie who seems to be popping up in every other movie these days and looks like a queer asian gerbil.

i haven't seen the movie, but I really enjoyed the book. a friend of mine has seen the movie and read the book and said he thought the book was 10 times better.

Lappari

08-15-2008, 04:39 PM

"My war - Killing time in Iraq" by Colby Buzzell.

I've read 3/4 of it. It's a sharp and sincere book to read. It's also pretty fucking funny.

When I was half way through, it became a little boring but now I got into it again.

He got the call again and goes back to Iraq so I might start to read his blog.

fightguy

08-15-2008, 05:16 PM

Smoke, Mirrors, and Murder by Ann Rule

fightguy

08-15-2008, 05:21 PM

S.R.

08-15-2008, 05:23 PM

I would just like to say I am very happy that I found a board where there are MMA fans who read.

Most MMA fans seem to take to books the way a vampire takes to garlic and sunlight.

Oliver Klosov

08-15-2008, 05:23 PM

WTF?!?!?

J5R75GGUovg

yeah, but how good is he at boxing?

seriously though. 95% of submission attacks are eliminated.

WrestlerV

08-15-2008, 05:28 PM

yeah, but how good is he at boxing?

seriously though. 95% of submission attacks are eliminated.

Haha, did you see him go for an armbar? That was awesome.

WrestlerV

08-15-2008, 05:29 PM

I would just like to say I am very happy that I found a board where there are MMA fans who read.

Most MMA fans seem to take to books the way a vampire takes to garlic and sunlight.

Actually, my mom still reads me bedtime stories and posts what I say on here. It's a twenty four hour job, but she has time off to make me food.

KD=KO

08-15-2008, 05:43 PM

I just got finished reading Shadow & Claw, the first book of the new sun.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41dnB5ANyiL._SL500_AA240_.jpg

Great fucking book, if you're a big fan of sci-fi books, this is probably the best one you'll ever read. It's heralded as the best written sci-fi work since the Lord of the Rings, but having read those i think this one is even better. It follows a journeyman of the guild of torturers, and ... that's all i really feel like describing at this moment.

GNP

08-15-2008, 05:44 PM

I am once again trying to make sense out of If on a Winter's Night a Traveller by Italo Calvino .

TrickyNicky

08-15-2008, 06:25 PM

KD=KO

08-15-2008, 07:53 PM

The wording is definitely difficult, and sometimes he uses slang unique to his world without explaining what it means beforehand, but if you can get through all that it's a very worthwhile read. You should try picking it up again

WrestlerV

08-18-2008, 03:23 AM

I have just finished reading A Clockwork Orange, written by Anthony Burgess. I read the British version, rather than the film adapted American version, because there is one extra chapter. This novella is filled with hypocrisy, irony, and a sense of twisted morality. It is set in the distant future and is being told through the experiences of first person narration. The person describing the events that took place is from the perspectives of Alex – the protagonist. He explains what happens to him through his own thoughts and actions. The reader is being explained through Alex’s unique slang vocabulary, called Nadsat. It is difficult to understand the language at first, but it’s easy to learn. It is a popular language of a youth sub-culture. It is said by doctors, that the language that he speaks is a form of subliminal propaganda – that is penetrated into a person’s mind, from a very young age.

Alex’s mentality constantly evolves throughout the novella. He starts out as a young, reckless teenager, who is intelligent and comes from a loving family. He has a great taste for classical music and should be stereotypical mold for a model citizen. Although, he has no outside reason to become a morally bad person, he still chooses to be, out of free will. He loves ultra-violence and power and rape and money. He loves this aspect of his life as much as he loves Mozart or Beethoven. He feels empowered from destroying lives and gaining a twisted feeling of invincibility. Through his acts, he tests a vast group of people’s own morals and standards, pushing their limits, and destroying their lives. He feels like a teenager – Invincible to the world, with no real sense to what he’s doing, or the retaliation of his actions.

Through a chaotic series of events, his own chaos of ethics finally caught up to him. His greed for absolute power and violence had corrupted his core being. His own friends, who he thought to have controlled with such absolute power, betrayed him. They had become the very monsters he was, through his own creation of influence and actions of disgust. They created an elaborate plan to have him arrested for murder. Through his own arrest for murder and prison sentence, the viewer is shown a hypocritical state of mentality from the police and government and prisoners and religion and gangs. The people that are seen as protectors of society are often the most violent. Each group has their own set of ethics, which are upheld through their own justification of what is morally right and wrong. This is just like Alex’s own set of morality, clashing with a very different circumstantial set of ethics. The systems of living are upheld through the chaos of improper judgments, just as Alex was, and everyone else follows.

Alex takes a liking to religion in prison, which seems like a great trait, but his own twisted perspective enjoys the pain and suffering of the bible – rather than its teachings. The preacher actually believes he’s becoming a better person from reading the bible; this same preacher, who ironically destroys himself with alcoholism and cigarettes. A new idea of the government brainwashing criminals to not break the law and force them to become model citizens is suggested through a prison system experiment. Alex is to become a guinea pig for these tests, because he had been close to the minister. The minister does not believe these tests are Christian-like, because they destroy God’s idea of free will; although, the minister is trying to brainwash the criminals with forced Christian literature and preaching. The tests are rather inhumane and cruel, but Alex wants to do it, only because it will end his prison sentence early.

Alex is brainwashed (The Ludovico Technique) to be a model citizen, through the government’s own design of right and wrong. He forcefully witnesses horrific pictures of inhumane torture, violence, and sex - burning into his memory, like a lit cigarette. He was given hypodermic shots to induce intense nausea when he’s watching these images – to justify a false set of pain, by association. He loses his humanity and self, which causes him to act from fear and pain, rather than free will. The brainwashing does not change his inner being, but only controls his violent nature. Underneath the surface, he is still the evil teenager who murdered and raped, but he is being controlled through sickness by association.

During this time, classical music was being played during these tests. It is not evil music, but is associated with evil, forcing Alex to feel intense pain by listening to it. His solace had now become his enemy. The government does not care about morality – only obedience. They had destroyed something pure and good, to fill their own desires. The organized government is trying to play God, with no sense of ethics. They are deciding what is right and what is wrong. Alex is used as a political statement.

When Alex is released, after a series of humiliating and excruciating inhumane tests, his life is changed dramatically. All the morally wrong things he did, before he was sent to prison, had finally caught up to him. He had lost everything: his home, his family, his friends, his money, and his worldly possessions. He can’t listen to his favorite music, he can’t read literature, he can’t even think of anything dangerous. He is defenseless against a violent world of hatred.

The only thing he CAN read is government propaganda from a magazine. The magazine boasted about Alex’s brainwashing, in the newspaper, to give another reason for their inhumane process of controlling the country in strict chaos. Another example of this is the newspaper bragging about cleaning up crime. This is done through violence and intimidation of the government and police. Ironically, the past ‘droog’ and ex-enemy of Alex had joined forces in the police force. These same police officers, who uphold the law, under its and their moral codes, had once been members of gangs. These gangs specialized in sodomy, violence, and burglary. Police officers violently hurt Alex, when he was convicted of a crime, and beat him half to death, when he was released. They left him in the country, in the middle of winter, to die. Some police morality!

Alex’s actions of the past almost killed him in the future. He is taken in by a writer: The same writer who Alex beat up and raped his wife, leading to her death and the man’s madness, a few years earlier. This same writer wrote A Clockwork Orange, which is what Alex had become. Alex had become a mindless machine of brainwashed propaganda. The writer took care of Alex, but only to fulfill his own selfish needs. He was involved with greedy politicians, with their own certain values, to use Alex as a weapon against the government. Once again, Alex is clashing with another set of morality – which, in turn, is just as hypocritical as the organized government.

The writer realizes who Alex is and what he had done in the past, through Alex’s thoughtless clues of vocabulary and memories. Alex had never realized the ripple effect of his previous and careless torment. The victims of Alex had gone insane from his past experiences. The writer locked Alex in a room and forced him to listen to classical music, which makes him deathly ill. He wants to kill himself through this nausea of fake morality, so he jumps out of the window, making the greedy politicians happy. If Alex had died, they would be happier. It is because nobody cares about Alex. They only care about their own agenda of using Alex against the government.

Alex awoke in a hospital, seriously injured, but recovering. The brainwashing that was forced upon him is no longer there. The politicians had made the mistakes of the government more present; forcing doctor’s to do brain surgery on Alex, without him knowing. Alex is supposedly cured, but he is just where he started. He had free will and his maturity had grown, but at what cost?

When he left the hospital, he was given a job from the government. He had to sign a paper, with no idea what it was pertaining to. It was probably so he won’t take legal actions. He was even confronted by his parents, who had previously shunned him, but they learned of his mistreatment. They had blamed themselves as failures for Alex’s character. They were incredibly lenient on Alex’s future behavior, because they were ridden with guilt. This lenient behavior might have led to Alex’s previous character development.

Alex quickly returned to his old ways of Ultra-Violence and rape and everything else – but nothing felt the same. He had changed. Even though he was the leader of a new set of droogs, he was tired of hurting people. He was tired of liquor. He was tired of that old life. Alex had expanded in knowledge and experience, forcing him to mature, and take on a new set of ethics. He wasn’t the young child he used to be. He had learned about responsibility for his actions. He realized what the hard earned dollar is, through his government job, and he no longer wants to do childish things. He wants to try something new. He wants to find a girlfriend, like his old friend Pete had done. He stopped being his old self-centered self, and moved towards adulthood. It is ironical, because his new droogs were following the same path of his past youth. All youth must follow through their own paths of mistakes and morals before reaching adulthood.

Alex adapted and changed through many sets of ethics, contributed from the highest and lowest sources of society. Alex was the same person, but his experiences had changed his actions, by association. This is very ironic to the brainwashing of Alex – not just through the Ludovico Technique, but through society as a whole. It affected his vocabulary, actions, thoughts, and feelings. This book describes the irony of people and the mistakes we make. It contributes to the failures and hypocrisies of organized government, religion, gangs, parenthood, and so on: which can be very similar in nature.

I can’t cover every aspect of this novella, because there are so many, but everything relates to one another. It’s a perfect story, with a great philosophy. Anthony Burgess is not proud of this book being famous, when he has a lot of better works, but everybody should read this. Great novella.

dragomort

08-18-2008, 04:17 AM

yeah, but how good is he at boxing?

seriously though. 95% of submission attacks are eliminated.

Luckily he can still train under Sherk, Arona and Monson. *hair* :eek:

The wording is definitely difficult, and sometimes he uses slang unique to his world without explaining what it means beforehand, but if you can get through all that it's a very worthwhile read. You should try picking it up again

I read a series by him a while ago that was like that. Cool story, but hard as shit to get into because of his style and random ideas that seem to jump into the story. I kept seeing that one though and wondering if it'd be better. You've renewed my hope, now someone else needs to confirm that it delivers and I need to catch up on all the other books I bought recently to get some more free reading time.

Don

08-18-2008, 12:05 PM

i ordered some frank miller graphic novels today; 300 and ronin.

uberfighter

08-20-2008, 04:19 PM

while on vacation i read

1. stupid black men by larry elder. a wonderful yet saddening look at race in america.
2. horus rising in the horus heresy series. warhamer history at its best. this might be the most gripping series yet.
3. storm of iron--a must read if you like chaos space marines. one of the most gripping books i've ever read. brilliant suspense.
4. batman begins and the dark knight. it was nice to get some background info for the films.
5. batman--no mans land. an ok read despite the overly comic-bookness of the story.
6. dark angels--starts pretty slowly, but is a monument of great story telling. i would be so bold as to call this book literature.
7. the soul drinkers omnibus---this book starts off dropping you in the meat grinder. i'm only 80 pages in, but the pacing and intrigue are top notch.

Oliver Klosov

08-20-2008, 04:28 PM

while on vacation i read

1. stupid black men by larry elder. a wonderful yet saddening look at race in america.

because you weren't enough of a racism before.

SonofaCrowBar

08-20-2008, 07:13 PM

Reading "The China Study" by Campbell & Campbell. Awesome book on nutrition, but I still gotta do some cross referencing.

Right in the first few chapters there are some excellent mouse and rat studies, and they are later correlated with a broader number of diseases and connected to human data.

Rumbin

08-20-2008, 09:29 PM

Just finished Coutures book in about a day and a half. Fun read, MMA fans should check it out. Really shows how much of a normal guy he is

uberfighter

08-21-2008, 01:54 PM

because you weren't enough of a racism before.

it's written by a black man, and his name isn't tom. can you believe it?

Ebeneezer

08-21-2008, 02:28 PM

I just finished reading "The Borstal Boy" By Brendan Behan.

WrestlerV

08-26-2008, 09:59 PM

1.) I'm reading Kurt Vonnegut's Hocus Pocus. I'm half-way through and it's incredible. It's my second favorite book of his, behind Slaughterhouse-Five.

2.) I'm reading the fifth edition of Psychology, written by Stephen F. Davis and Joseph J. Palladino. It's a requirement for class, but very interesting. I'm learning about the different stages of intelligence, scientific evaluation, scatter plots, researching data, determining character traits of bias, cognition, motivation and emotion, individual differences, and adjustment patterns. I've only read chapter one... but the entire chapter is sixty pages!

3.) I'm reading Payback Literature (an introduction to poetry, fiction, drama, and writing).

chuck

08-27-2008, 12:13 PM

The Wild Sheep Chase - Haruki Murakami

A quirky detective novel, builds nicely with very Kafka methodology and ultimately left me somewhat unsatisfied. Its an easy read though and a good introduction to Murakami if you haven't read him before.

Bird

08-31-2008, 05:11 AM

A great book about the loyalty of the Samurai to their lord even after death.
http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s240/johnglaze1/47RoninIII.jpg

WrestlerV

08-31-2008, 05:28 AM

I'm reading Hocus Pocus, by Kurt Vonnegut, and just bought The Young Lions, by Irwin Shaw. I'm drunk, so I don't feel like describing anything, you bastards.

chuck

09-15-2008, 01:29 PM

Zeffryn

09-15-2008, 03:28 PM

The Omnivore's Dilemma. Awesome.

WrestlerV

09-15-2008, 03:39 PM

Forgetting about all the tedious school-books I have to read:

Books, I had just finished: Hocus Pocus, Welcome To The Monkey House.

Books, I am still reading: The Young Lions, Armageddon in Retrospect, Foundations.

Books, I have, but haven't started yet: Galapagos, Bagombo Snuff Box, The Eden Express.

I've been reading many short-stories and essays, as well. Some of my favorites were from Kurt Vonnegut Junior, George Orwell, Einstein, Poe, and so on.

pants

09-15-2008, 07:12 PM

fury by salman rushdie

chuck

09-15-2008, 07:17 PM

fury by salman rushdie

read Shame recently and have read three others including Midnights and the Satanic Verses. The guy is awesome. Just about to start Shamilar the Clown.

Bloody Pulp

09-15-2008, 08:38 PM

Book Title That Will Make Me Seem Smart by Chester Obscurewritington III.

chuck

10-04-2008, 07:23 PM

Just picked up

A biography of Joseph Conrad
Shalimar the Clown by Rushdie
Treasure Island by Stevenson

still trying to finish the Exceutuoner Song by Mailer about Gary Gilmore.

along with my studying, this is gonna be an intense few months.

Further to the above

just picked up

The Age of Fallibility - George Soros
The Undercover Economist - Tim Harford
The Crystal Frontier - Carlos Fuentes

Rauger

10-07-2008, 09:14 PM

Finished the Selfish Gene a week or two ago, very awesome read. Id recommend it even to people who dont find science very interesting. Genetics are pretty intense, and richard dawkins has a very appealing writing style so it keeps you entertained and not drowned in scientific vocabulary.

I just picked up Coming to Life, another book on general biology/genetics by a nobel laureate. Its pretty good so far.

WrestlerV

10-08-2008, 02:40 AM

I'm reading Invisible Man, by Ralph Ellison. This classic novel holds many themes of social and intellectual issues facing the identity of an African American male, in the 20th century until present time. Marxism, black nationalism, and policies of famous leaders and men are included in this book (Booker T. Washington). It is being told in the first person, by a self-proclaimed socially invisible man. Many of the events in the story actually happened to the author. It's a very good book; one of the best I've ever read.

pants

10-08-2008, 11:43 PM

Schopenhauer - essays and aphorisms, he is probably one of the easiest philosophers to understand purely for the fact that he writes in a understandable form of language (even if it's translated), I am not too keen on someone like Derrida, who writes in such complex words and grammar that he could get away with not having much actual content.

Fedorable

10-09-2008, 03:03 AM

a portrait of an artist as a young man. should take a few days before bed.

pants

10-12-2008, 07:22 PM

due to being hung over and waking up at early hours followed by a semi long car journey I have read half of 'The picture of Dorian Gray' today'.

WrestlerV

10-22-2008, 12:16 AM

Books, I had finished in the last few weeks:

Armageddon in Retrospect - Kurt Vonnegut Jr.

http://images.barnesandnoble.com/images/25850000/25856361.JPG

Invisible Man - Ralph Waldo Ellison

http://www.popartuk.com/g/l/lg86383-6+invisible-man-ranph-ellison-poster.jpg

Book Of Five Rings - Miyamoto Musashi

http://books.hanshi.com/Rings.jpg

I'm reading:

The Eden Express - Mark Vonnegut (Foreward by Kurt Vonnegut Junior)

http://www.sevenstories.com/Resources/Titles/58322100645080/Images/58322100645080M.gif

I want to read:

The Screwtape Letters - C. S. Lewis

http://janamills.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2006/03/the-screwtape-letters-csl.jpg

fightguy

10-22-2008, 01:54 AM

Small Sacrifices by Ann Rule (featuring my dad)

https://www.novelaction.com/system/data/bookimages/6068/Rule.jpg

adamn

10-22-2008, 02:04 AM

I'm going to pick up "American Way Of War" the writer was on Jon Stewart last night and I found it really interesting. It's about how or government is going broke trying to provide a false sense of security and funding for this is coming from war, which the U.S. always seems to be in, in one form or another.

kinda suckered me into reading it, and I'm not one to read much. I've probably only read 2-3 books int he past 2 years.

chuck

10-25-2008, 05:21 PM

Anyone read a great book on the Rat Pack? Need one for my sister for Xmas.

Just picked up

Where have all the leaders gone? by Lee Iacocca

and some law books!

CROKICK

10-28-2008, 01:49 AM

WrestlerV

10-28-2008, 01:55 AM

Just read Slaughterhouse five. Awesome book. Vonnegut is a new favorite of mine. Started working on Breakfast of Champions. Recently read No country for old men, Border trilogy, The Road and Blood Meridian all by Cormac Mccarthy and all awesome especially The Road and Blood Meridian which are two of the best books Ive ever read.

Reps for reading Kurt Vonnegut Junior.

He is my favorite author and Slaughterhouse-Five is one of my favorite books.

You should read Cat's Cradle. I read it again, after a few years, and finished it in a day. It's mesmerizing. I liked all his works, but my four favorites were Slaughterhouse-Five, Cat's Cradle, Breakfast of Champions, and Hocus Pocus.

No Country For Old Men was a really good read and helped me understand the film more. I felt disappointed, because I saw the film before reading the book.

TrickyNicky

10-28-2008, 03:09 AM

Caught Stealing, Six Bad Things, and A Dangerous Man. A trilogy by Charlie Huston. Very fun and extrememly enjoyable. I've said it before but he has a knack for dialogue that just makes his books flow and read easy. Highly recommended.

dragomort

10-28-2008, 03:15 AM

ilostmydog

10-28-2008, 03:45 AM

How to Lose Friends and Alienate People by Toby Young

Rogue Economics: Capitalism's New Reality by Loretta Napoleoni

Ebeneezer

10-28-2008, 01:06 PM

I've just started The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler

CROKICK

10-28-2008, 03:00 PM

Reps for reading Kurt Vonnegut Junior.

He is my favorite author and Slaughterhouse-Five is one of my favorite books.

You should read Cat's Cradle. I read it again, after a few years, and finished it in a day. It's mesmerizing. I liked all his works, but my four favorites were Slaughterhouse-Five, Cat's Cradle, Breakfast of Champions, and Hocus Pocus.

No Country For Old Men was a really good read and helped me understand the film more. I felt disappointed, because I saw the film before reading the book.
Im going to get Cats Cradle and Hocus Pocus today. Vonneguts style is just right up my alley, I cant believe Ive waited this long ot read him. I guess reading every Stephen King work out there takes up some time. I saw No country for old men first before reading it too. It made me appreciate the book and film alot doing it in that order so Im not too upset. Im working on Breakfast of Champions and Already Dead as we speakboth are very good. I might pick up a few more Huston books while Im getting the Vonnegut today.

chuck

10-28-2008, 03:18 PM

What was clear about the film of No Country For Old Men is how clearly it was a book and therefore how great a book it was.

WrestlerV

10-28-2008, 06:11 PM

I'm currently reading Art of War during lunch breaks and The Necronomicon (collection of Lovecraft stories) on any other free time available. I feel spoiled and know that the next books I grab won't come close to that which I'm reading now so I'll make them last a while - having no free time helps for once!

The Art of War was a good book, but I liked Book of Five Rings so much more. Probably, because it was more about the strategies of life, in relation to the warrior, rather than military strategies and tactics. I enjoyed Sun Tzu's philosophies, because it can pertain to other aspects of Eastern and Western influences; example: business philosophy and executions.

Im going to get Cats Cradle and Hocus Pocus today. Vonneguts style is just right up my alley, I cant believe Ive waited this long ot read him. I guess reading every Stephen King work out there takes up some time. I saw No country for old men first before reading it too. It made me appreciate the book and film alot doing it in that order so Im not too upset. Im working on Breakfast of Champions and Already Dead as we speakboth are very good. I might pick up a few more Huston books while Im getting the Vonnegut today.

Breakfast of Champions is excellent; Vonnegut used such a unique style that I've never read before. You will see more of it as you read the second half of the book. The ending is crazy. As you read more of Vonnegut's works (short stories and books), many locations and characters reappear. A lot of his works are connected in some way, which helps one to understand in different ways.

chuck

11-15-2008, 05:45 PM

The Age of Fallibility; Consequences of the War on Terror - George Soros

Apart from the philosophical framework at the start, the contemporary analysis is excellent and the predictive message has come very truth. He talks of the mess Bush has brought with his faux war on terror and its disastrous consequences. Soros made a fortune in exchange rate markets in the 1990s and the way he almost in passing, highlights the bubble in house pricing, the false methodology in the credit markets and coming fall makes you wonder why more people don't take note. The reason is political; Soros is a critic of Bush and an honest man in the markets. The markets didn't want any kind of shadow drawn over their sun.

The Undercover Economist - Tim Harford

Direct and simple explanatory economic book, using modern examples to explain the way markets work, how proper taxation can be productive and how smartly China grew and is deeply integrated in the modern world. The book backs markets unreservedly. Harford has no reservation about his own value and I wonder what this economic journalist would make of the present calamities.

In sum, it's quite revealing the differences between a thinking man who fled the Nazis and made his money and a mildly smug Oxford-educated BBC journalist.

John O'Brien

11-15-2008, 06:02 PM

Buntús Cainte (1-3). It's an Irish language course.

WrestlerV

11-15-2008, 06:46 PM

I'm reading Bruce Lee's Commentaries on The Martial Way. I bought this book in 9th grade and read it a few times. I haven't read it in a few years, though. It's very refreshing to read it again and absorb Bruce Lee's notes on Martial Art, fighting, and life. The introduction is very enjoyable and displayed information I never knew.

I'm also reading The Anatomy of Satire, by Gilbert Highet. This book analyzes satirical works, from novels to poetry to short stories. It's very fun to read, because I love satire and this book contains important and underrated works from satirical geniuses.

I just finished Galapagos, by Kurt Vonnegut. I couldn't get into this book. It was definitely not his best work. I barely finished it.