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Post by chicojuarz on Dec 23, 2007 18:25:51 GMT -5
So, has anyone read any good books lately? Its been far to long since I've made a serious bookstore run and I'd love to hear what all you crazy 'roosters are filling your minds with.
My recent reads are:
Said the Shotgun to the Head by Saul Williams - It was a good very fast read. The writing style is essentially just like his slam or rap. Not great in my opinion but it'd be good for fans.
Burning in Water Drowning in Flame collected poems by Charles Bukowski - This was a great collection of poems. Some of them are just absolutely brilliant. His style is so straight forward its amazing the pictures that he can paint with so few words.
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon - I'm still reading this but so far it has been a really engaging novel. Its really fun to see how he weaves comic style story lines into to such a Steinbeck style novel.
right now i'm reading fast food nation. before i started it the last really good book i read was a dirty job by christopher moore (though his best is lamb, by far). one really good book i think everyone should read is childhood's end by arthur c. clarke. it's an easy read (and technically it is sci-fi), but it really challenges the reader's perception of life and religion in subtle ways. i think i'm better for having read it. the same goes for the mystery of the crystal skulls by chris morton and ceri louise thomas.
by the way, i think i got all these authors' names correct, but i don't have any of them in front of me so they could be slightly wrong. just look for them on amazon or something.
Post by poopzilla33 on Dec 23, 2007 18:58:36 GMT -5
im reading five weeks in a balloon by jules verne right now, but i juts finished a fantastic book
HUNGER BY KNUT HAMSUN
The novel's first person protagonist, an unnamed vagrant with intellectual leanings, probably in his late twenties, wanders the streets of Norway's capital in a pursuit of nourishment. In four episodes he meets a number of more or less mysterious persons, the most notable being Ylajali, a young woman with whom he has a semi-sexual encounter. Overwhelmed by hunger, he scrounges for meals, while his social, physical and mental state are in constant decline. However, he has no antagonistic feelings towards 'society' as such, rather he blames his fate on 'God' or a divine world order. He vows not to succumb to this order and remains 'a foreigner in life', haunted by 'nervousness, by irrational details'. He also plays strange pranks on strangers he meets in the streets. A major artistic and financial triumph for him is when he is able to sell a text to a newspaper, but despite this he finds writing increasingly difficult. At one point in the story, he asks to spend a night in a prison cell, fooling the police into believing that he is a well-to-do journalist who has lost the keys to his apartment; in the morning he can't bring himself to reveal his poverty, even to partake in the free breakfast they provide the homeless. Finally, when his existence is at an absolute ebb, he signs on to the crew of a ship leaving the city.
Post by trippindaisy on Dec 23, 2007 21:55:12 GMT -5
I just finished the Kite Runner. It was pretty good but certainly not the best book I have ever read. Here is my list of books I have read, and books I am currently reading:
I thought "The Road" was very good (But not the best book I've ever read, sorry Becs.) I liked the darkness and vagaries about the book more than the story itself. I'd recommend it.
The best book I've read lately is "World War Z" by Max Brooks (Mel Brooks' son.) It's a pseudo-historical documentary of the zombie wars. For non-fiction, I'm currently reading "The Heart ia a Little to the Left" by William Sloan Coffin. It is a compilation of some of his sermons, commencement speeches, etc. dealing with the role of religion in society.
I know there must be more as I read a book or more a week but nothing comes to mind. I'll post more as they do. BTW anything by Neil Gaiman is usually worth a read.
Post by chicojuarz on Dec 24, 2007 10:11:56 GMT -5
I've definitly been interested in anansi boys. I read Neverwhere a while ago and have American Gods at home as one of my soon to read books.
I have to wonder about the Mel Brooks dad thing. I can only say that listen to the commentary on Spaceballs and you'll hear a very non-entertaining side of Mel Brooks.
right now i'm reading fast food nation. before i started it the last really good book i read was a dirty job by christopher moore (though his best is lamb, by far). one really good book i think everyone should read is childhood's end by arthur c. clarke. it's an easy read (and technically it is sci-fi), but it really challenges the reader's perception of life and religion in subtle ways. i think i'm better for having read it. the same goes for the mystery of the crystal skulls by chris morton and ceri louise thomas.
by the way, i think i got all these authors' names correct, but i don't have any of them in front of me so they could be slightly wrong. just look for them on amazon or something.
Fast Food Nation is a FRIGGIN" AWESOME BOOK. The movie was interesting but did not do it justice. I DID like the way the movie took the case study approach, so as to avoid being overly documentarian !
I'd second the recommendation of this book for sure !!!!
Post by chicojuarz on Dec 24, 2007 14:35:57 GMT -5
Have you read She's Come Undone? Also by Wally Lamb and amazing. I've got I Know This Much is True but havent started that one since I just read She's Come Undone.
i know i mentioned it before, but i can't stress enough what a good book "lamb" by christopher moore is. it's the story of christ's life, as told by his best pal biff. it's obviously comedic, but i didn't anticipate how well researched and heartfelt it would be. i guess i thought it'd be a bit antagonistic in its satire, but it really isn't meant to be a dig at christians. it rather humanizes the image of christ that many of us were raised with. i'd recommend it to any person of any faith & education level (except young children).
and moore's just one of those writers - you read one of his books, you'll end up reading every one of them...and if you're like me, you'll probably start emailing him (and he'll probably reply)
Any one of those that you really loved? I've never read any.
I really really LOVED Veil of Roses BUT - I think the reason I enjoyed it so much was because it is about an Iranian girl in the United States trying to find an Iranian husband who is a citizen so she can stay here.
I lived in Iran for 2 years so the book really hit home for me because I lived in the same culture the main character was tring to escape
I read that a couple of times when I was younger. It made a fairly long-lasting impression on me, but I was quite a different person then. I imagine it would be very different to read it now.
I read that a couple of times when I was younger. It made a fairly long-lasting impression on me, but I was quite a different person then. I imagine it would be very different to read it now.
Funny you say that - because when I read it the first time - I had NO clue and now - being older and more worldly-wise - it was a vastly different book
I too read Go Ask Alice when young, and then again in college and it was a completely different experience in college. I should read it again now...
I recently finished Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. I know, she was on Oprah and the book is sold at every grocery store in suburbia but it WAS a very good book and made me think and it changed my life. Fo realz!
Now I am reading The Last American Man, also by Elizabeth Gilbert. I heard about it (think Into the Wild but more extreme - a modern day Daniel Boone) and got it for my husband for Christmas.
Of course, he already read it so I figured then I would. Not the best written book, but a fascinating story!
Post by spookymonster on Dec 27, 2007 15:52:35 GMT -5
Currently reading "Diamond Age" by Neal Stephenson. Neal's books revolve around technology and its impact on societies past, present, and future. This novel's fairly heavy on the science (primarily nanotechnology and artificial intelligence), so it's not for the faint of heart. Still, some of the ideas he throws around are pretty awesome.
