RE: What are you reading? (Full Version)

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HipPoindexter -> RE: What are you reading? (1/11/2014 8:46:47 AM)

The Cermonies is by Klein. I haven't read that, and I also haven't read Ligotti's Lovecraftiest work, Songs of a Dead Dreamer, which came out a couple of years after The Ceremonies. Ligotti wears his love of Lovecraft on his sleeve but in his works that I've read his actual influences are dudes like Borges, Burorughs and Kafka--you know, dudes who could write.

I do wanna reada both The Ceremonies and Songs of a Dead Dreamer because I've always felt like Lovecraft was onto something, if only he'd been a totally different guy.

I've also never read any Herbert. Do you have any recommendations for a starting point?
quote:

ORIGINAL: Moonhead


quote:

ORIGINAL: HipPoindexter

It finally dawned on me what a phenom Clive Barker must have been a couple of decades ago to have caught Campbell's eye at such a tender age.

This has nothing to do with impersonating either Campbell or King, but have you read any Thomas Ligotti? He's probably my current favorite American writer of weird fiction. Savage black comedy combined with genuinely creepy stories. He's what Lovecraft might have been if Lovecraft had had a sense of humor and also had been able to write engagingly.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Moonhead

Well, King has been known to use pseudonyms before now.
[:D]
I think most American horror writers need to be able to do a decent King impersonation: it's like all the guys we have on this side of the pond who've based their careers on impersonating Ramsey Campbell.



It's easy to overlook now just what a breath of fresh air The Books Of Blood were when they first appeared. The fact that Barker's approach was completely different to Campbell and the other two big UK horror writers of the mid '80s (the criminally underrated James Herbert and the deeply pants Shaun Hutson) probably didn't hurt any either.

Is Ligotti the guy who does rather Lovecrafty stuff like The Ceremonies, or am i thinking of somebody else?




Moonhead -> RE: What are you reading? (1/11/2014 8:55:41 AM)

Thanks for clearing that up for me.
It depends what you're after for Herbert. His earliest books are very much in the British disaster novel tradition, and based more on SF tropes than the supernatural, but there are a lot of people who much prefer the supernatural ones. If I was to suggest one of each, The Fog and The Dark might be a good If you enjoy those, there's plenty more to dig into.



MalcolmNathaniel -> RE: What are you reading? (1/11/2014 9:37:09 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: TieMeInKnottss


quote:

ORIGINAL: MsMJAY


quote:

ORIGINAL: windchymes

I'm a little bit embarrassed, but since I never was one to jump on a bandwagon the first time it came around.....I spent the fall months reading the entire Harry Potter series. I never had before and never saw a movie. I loved them! [&o]

Right now I'm reading a biography of Patsy Cline, because I might be getting the chance to play her in a local theatre production in the coming year [:)]


I have never read any of the Harry Potter books. I want to go through the whole series too.


I was almost embarrassed to admit what I am reading but since you mentioned Harry Potter, I don't feel so bad[:)]

I read "Percy Jackson-The Lightening Thief" a few years ago with my oldest. For some reason, I picked it up again on my own and then read "Sea of Monsters" which I finished yesterday. Today, I started on "Percy Jackson-Curse of the Titans"


I've read through the HP series 2 or 3 times.



AthenaSurrenders -> RE: What are you reading? (1/11/2014 9:40:19 AM)

No shame in reading children's literature. Some of the best fiction out there is written for a younger audience. I did my dissertation on children's literature. I love it. I have hundreds of children's books and not for my daughter who's years too young for most of them.



windchymes -> RE: What are you reading? (1/11/2014 9:48:50 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: TieMeInKnottss


quote:

ORIGINAL: MsMJAY


quote:

ORIGINAL: windchymes

I'm a little bit embarrassed, but since I never was one to jump on a bandwagon the first time it came around.....I spent the fall months reading the entire Harry Potter series. I never had before and never saw a movie. I loved them! [&o]

Right now I'm reading a biography of Patsy Cline, because I might be getting the chance to play her in a local theatre production in the coming year [:)]


I have never read any of the Harry Potter books. I want to go through the whole series too.


I was almost embarrassed to admit what I am reading but since you mentioned Harry Potter, I don't feel so bad[:)]




MsMJAY, you should, it really was a great read!

TieMe...don't be dissing Harry now! LOL Every time I finished one book, I couldn't wait to get the next one. And then I'd watch the movie to see the characters in "real life". A co-worker buddy of mine recommended them, he was surprised that I hadn't ever, and he kept poking his head around the corner saying, "You really should read them!" I took the dare not expecting much, but I was sucked in almost right away.

I read a LOT of books of different genres, so I don't feel too embarrassed, because I've paid my dues, lol [;)]




MisterP61 -> RE: What are you reading? (1/11/2014 9:50:25 AM)

Currently book 10, Crossroads of Twilight, of The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan



windchymes -> RE: What are you reading? (1/11/2014 9:51:34 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: MalcolmNathaniel


I've read through the HP series 2 or 3 times.


So what's your Petronus? Mine is a really badass flamingo. [:D]



AthenaSurrenders -> RE: What are you reading? (1/11/2014 9:57:12 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: MisterP61

Currently book 10, Crossroads of Twilight, of The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan


My husband has read the Wheel of Time series dozens of times, he loves it.
Have you read them all before? If so, how did you think Brandon Sanderson did?



MalcolmNathaniel -> RE: What are you reading? (1/11/2014 10:04:56 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: AthenaSurrenders

No shame in reading children's literature. Some of the best fiction out there is written for a younger audience. I did my dissertation on children's literature. I love it. I have hundreds of children's books and not for my daughter who's years too young for most of them.


For children's literature you simply can't beat Lewis Carrol. Don't just stop at "Alice in Wonderland" and "Through the Looking Glass." Everything he wrote is delightful. He even made algebra fun.



MisterP61 -> RE: What are you reading? (1/11/2014 10:07:04 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: AthenaSurrenders


quote:

ORIGINAL: MisterP61

Currently book 10, Crossroads of Twilight, of The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan


My husband has read the Wheel of Time series dozens of times, he loves it.
Have you read them all before? If so, how did you think Brandon Sanderson did?

I have read all except the last one, which being in Alaska, was not out the same time the rest of the world got it, I did not get it until just before Christmas (but hey, at least is was a hard back). So no spoilers please. I think Sanderson did a pretty decent job, but you can definitely tell his influence (where he filled in some of the missing parts). Not disappointed by any means, but you can tell. Was such a shame when Jordan died, but I have to admit I was glad when it was announced that Sanderson would finish the series for him.



AthenaSurrenders -> RE: What are you reading? (1/11/2014 10:20:21 AM)

Don't worry, I don't know enough about it to give you any spoilers. Hope the final book was worth the wait.



kalikshama -> RE: What are you reading? (1/11/2014 10:27:27 AM)

quote:

The New Jim Crow is on my bookshelf. I bought it a month ago but haven't gotten around to it yet.


Mom got this for our UU discussion group. I'll have to borrow it when she's done.

http://www.uua.org/multiculturalism/208702.shtml

The New Jim Crow was selected as the 2012-2013 Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) Common Read. A Common Read invites Unitarian Universalists to read and discuss the same book in their congregations and communities. The UUA New Jim Crow discussion guide (PDF, 19 pages) is available to help UU groups reflect on the book and consider together what steps they are called to take, as people of faith, in response to Alexander’s call for awareness and action.




kalikshama -> RE: What are you reading? (1/11/2014 10:36:52 AM)

quote:

Wife No 19 by Ann Eliza Young


A few years ago, I read The 19th Wife: A Novel, which has two narratives - Ann Eliza Young and a modern day story of a young man who was thrown out of his fundamentalist sect.

I'm not opposed to polygamy in general, but where do you draw the line to prevent abusive situations such as historically and the not long ago Warren Jeffs case?

ETA - I'm going to take this question to the thread in P&R: Courts address morality 'marriage' laws...finally

From The New Yorker

This ambitious third novel tells two parallel stories of polygamy. The first recounts Brigham Young's expulsion of one of his wives, Ann Eliza, from the Mormon Church; the second is a modern-day murder mystery set in a polygamous compound in Utah. Unfolding through an impressive variety of narrative forms—Wikipedia entries, academic research papers, newspaper opinion pieces—the stories include fascinating historical details. We are told, for instance, of Brigham Young's ban on dramas that romanticized monogamous love at his community theatre; as one of Young's followers says, "I ain't sitting through no play where a man makes such a cussed fuss over one woman." Ebershoff demonstrates abundant virtuosity, as he convincingly inhabits the voices of both a nineteenth-century Mormon wife and a contemporary gay youth excommunicated from the church, while also managing to say something about the mysterious power of faith.



dcnovice -> RE: What are you reading? (1/11/2014 11:13:11 AM)

The Queen Mother: The Official Biography by William Shawcross

A fascinating look at a fascinating lady. The one drawback is that the book--a thousand or so pages--is a bit hefty to lift!



Kana -> RE: What are you reading? (1/11/2014 11:24:39 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: AthenaSurrenders


quote:

ORIGINAL: MisterP61

Currently book 10, Crossroads of Twilight, of The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan


My husband has read the Wheel of Time series dozens of times, he loves it.
Have you read them all before? If so, how did you think Brandon Sanderson did?

Just re-read the series in a week.
Love Jordan's books (You're in luck MP-The next book in your re-read, Knife of Dreams, might be my favorite in the series)

As for Sanderson....eeehhhhhh,dreck.
I don't like him much at all, if for nothing else than he's a poor writer. The fact that he's a Prof just kills me-the man is an awful technician. His stuff and Jordan's can often be discerned by close reading (Sanderson uses "gots" "lots" and contractions, all to my mind the hallmarks of a lazy writer) He also uses hyperbole, dreadfully needs an editor to cut his sentences down, and all too often, treats the characters with something that smacks of contempt.

And don't even get me started on how badly he fucks up Matrim Cauthon, who was one of the great characters in fantasy fiction. Not to mention Tuon...

In reading the blended books,Jordan wrote most of the Egwene stuff in TGS, Mat in the Tower Of Genjai, the Verin reveal scene, the majority of the prologues and the final scene. He did some plot outlines,but also was a free form writer so there were many gaps.
Perrin's arc is almost all Sanderson, for good and for ill. So are many of the Rand scenes-Sanderson wanted to make him softer, humanize him,an idea Harriet (Jordan's wife and Editor) was 100% on board with

They're good books, don't get me wrong-the series is worth reading.But they would have been hellaciously better had Jordan lived to complete them IMHO



HipPoindexter -> RE: What are you reading? (1/11/2014 12:29:48 PM)

Excellent. Alexander is smart and lucid and presents a compelling case. It's an important book.
quote:

ORIGINAL: kalikshama

quote:

The New Jim Crow is on my bookshelf. I bought it a month ago but haven't gotten around to it yet.


Mom got this for our UU discussion group. I'll have to borrow it when she's done.

http://www.uua.org/multiculturalism/208702.shtml

The New Jim Crow was selected as the 2012-2013 Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) Common Read. A Common Read invites Unitarian Universalists to read and discuss the same book in their congregations and communities. The UUA New Jim Crow discussion guide (PDF, 19 pages) is available to help UU groups reflect on the book and consider together what steps they are called to take, as people of faith, in response to Alexander’s call for awareness and action.






shiftyw -> RE: What are you reading? (1/11/2014 12:44:52 PM)

I'm in the midst of Water Salt Flour Yeast- a book about artisan bread making, but half is recipes that I don't think really counts as reading.
I'm also rereading Harry Potter- it makes me feel like I'm in 5th grade again.

I have a bunch in my Kindle that need to be read, HP was so much more fun than...like...20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.



DesFIP -> RE: What are you reading? (1/11/2014 5:36:16 PM)

Mr. P: you don't need to wait for a hard copy. Get an e reader or get the app for your computer and phone and read them wherever you are.

And I'm reading junk because they're free. I have an objection to spending $25 for a book. I wait till the paperback has been issued and buy the kindle version for $7 instead of $12. E reader prices tend to run about half that of the print version.

However I did pre-order Dark Wolf by Christine Feehan. I had forgotten about that and was thrilled to turn it on the other day and have it download.



LorraineCA -> RE: What are you reading? (1/11/2014 5:54:39 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: HipPoindexter

Excellent. Alexander is smart and lucid and presents a compelling case. It's an important book.
quote:

ORIGINAL: kalikshama

quote:

The New Jim Crow is on my bookshelf. I bought it a month ago but haven't gotten around to it yet.


Mom got this for our UU discussion group. I'll have to borrow it when she's done.

http://www.uua.org/multiculturalism/208702.shtml

The New Jim Crow was selected as the 2012-2013 Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) Common Read. A Common Read invites Unitarian Universalists to read and discuss the same book in their congregations and communities. The UUA New Jim Crow discussion guide (PDF, 19 pages) is available to help UU groups reflect on the book and consider together what steps they are called to take, as people of faith, in response to Alexander’s call for awareness and action.






HipPoindexter, I wish everyone would read this book. I wish everyone would be more aware of what is going on in society and take action. It's so sad that few do.



youthinkso121 -> RE: What are you reading? (1/11/2014 6:09:48 PM)

Thanks MP I read those while with my ex,. could not for the life of me recall author and id read upto book 13 ish



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