So... what are you reading right now?

[Pavlos]

Inspired by the "What are you listening to right now?" thread, let's see what people are up to in the world of letters. Anything and everything welcome, from interesting essays by Orwell to epic poems by Milton to Glamour magazine.

I'm making my way through Dickens' Nicholas Nickleby at the moment with an edition which uses font so small that it makes your eyes bleed as much as the brain does as Dickens' sentences, not distastefully but rather untastefully with a dash of that power which few men are instilled with in Barsetshire Street, wind on for great length, as they make it clear that their creator, educated by the people and most certainly a man of the people, despite his flaws, was paid by the word.

[Astor]

Originally Posted by Pavlos

Inspired by the "What are you listening to right now?" thread, let's see what people are up to in the world of letters.

Great Idea! I've tried reading Dickens, but i've never been able to get very far into any of the ones i've tried so far.

I'm currently reading Man of Honour, by Iain Gale (hardback, with LARGE print). It's about a young Lieutenant in The War of the Spanish Succession who is given a mission by the Duke of Marlborough that, if unsuccessful, could destroy both him and his army.

I'm not sure if I like it to be honest. It's fairly wooden, and while reasonably accurate, some errors are unforgivable for a writer of military fiction (it references the Land Pattern Musket, for instance, which wasn't invented until the 1720s, and this set before the Battle of Blenheim, in 1704).

Other than that, it's a reasonable read. But I think i'll stick to Cornwell in future.

[Mav]

I just read a christmas card from my landlord because I was looking for the free movie tickets that come with it...

[jonathan7]

Kierkegaard - 'Fear and Trembling' been enjoying it greatly, gonna start on Pride and Prejudice after I finish the Scandinavians beautiful work

[Pho3nix]

At the moment I'm re-reading The God Delusion.

I just finished 'Into the wild' by Jon Krakauer, awesome book, I have to say.

[TriggerGod]

I'm working on Ender's Game. from what I've read, I want to read the sequels.

[EnderWiggin]

Originally Posted by TriggerGod

I'm working on Ender's Game. from what I've read, I want to read the sequels.

Damn straight, there are 9 other books and a collection of short stories. Get on it.


I'm not reading much, as I've been a bit busy lately... at the end of January I finished my second read through of the new book, Ender in Exile and then I read the Phelps book, No Limits.

_EW_

[Bob Lion54]

I'm reading "The Sword of Truth" series by Terry Goodkind. The books were recommended to me by Jae who is reading them now because of Jimbo, AKA THE Point Man.

Currently, I'm on the second book of the series, "Stone of Tears." They're pretty good, but I'm still at an early point in the series.

I'm also reading "The Noble Dead Saga," by Barb and J.C. Hendee, having just read the latest of the series and waiting for January of 2010 for the next one. They are awesome books and I recommend them to anyone who is a fan of dark fantasy and Vampires.

[Canderis]

Im reading "White Fang". We need to read a classic for school, but a 50 year old book isn't classic enough for the teacher so i had to go to 1800's and read this.

[The Doctor]

Anyone here read Ken Follett's The Pillars of the Earth? Hands down the best book I've ever read, easy. I highly recommend it to all of you.

It takes place in the 11th century, and tells the story of the construction of a Cathedral in the small, backwater village of Kingsbridge. The story is told from the points of view of three different people: Tom Builder, a talented but empoverished stonemason who dreams of building a cathedral; Philip of Kingsbridge, a Welsh monk who's lived his life in monasterial care and has a desperate passion to reform the Church; and Lady Aliena, the daughter of a disgraced Earl who swore an oath to her dying father to restore the family honour.

It has a more recent sequel, World Without End, which is equally as awesome. It takes place during the beginning on the Hundred Years War, as well as the first waves of the Black Death.

EDIT: Beat you to it, Adavardes.

[Adavardes]

I'm currently reading World Without End, by Ken Follet, which is a sequel to the book Pillars of the Earth. A relatively unknown book series for most, which really is a crime, as the plots are complex, the characters dynamic, dimensional, and realistic, and the immersion superior to any book I've read thus far, and I've read a LOT of books.

EDIT: DOC, GET OUTTA MAH HEAD

[jawathehutt]

1984, its the 2nd time Ive had to read it for school, 4th overall, Im mostly just skimming it since Im also reading a few other books
Demon in the Closet: a book mostly about smallpox, also partially about biological warfare, its probably one of the scariest books I've ever read
Also reading Brave New World, very slowly, its pretty good although since I dont have to finish it until may I'm reading it pretty slowly.

[PastramiX]

The Millennium, by Upton Sinclair. It was one of his more obscure and unnoticed novels that he wrote after the tragedy which ended his experimental utopia, Helicon Hall. It's essentially a satire of caste systems, social evolution, and extreme capitalism. It's a nice read, albeit short and not to thought-provoking, but it's still nice.

Originally Posted by jawathehutt

1984

Ah yes, a most excellent novel. I recommend reading Animal Farm, another novel by Orwell, which was essentially a satire of WWII-era political figures and ideals.

[GeneralPloKoon]

Doctor Who:Shining Darkness.

[Jae Onasi]

Stone of Tears by Terry Goodkind. I'm also reading a textbook on creative writing for the college course I'm taking this semester.

[Sabretooth]

Bertrand Russell's History of Western Philosophy and Kurt Vonnegut's Cat's Cradle. Enjoying both so far.

[Litofsky]

Originally Posted by Sabretooth

Bertrand Russell's History of Western Philosophy

Though I'm not far in, this is a most excellent book.

[Da_man]

Lemme see:

Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain.

and

1984 George Orwell.

[Agent_Katarn00]

Warriors By:James Harpur
I like reading about the old ages and Joan of Ark stuff like that.Also like D&D.

[Miltiades]

At the moment, I'm reading Kafka's The Trial. Next on my list is Dante's Divine Comedy.

[jonathan7]

Originally Posted by Sabretooth

Bertrand Russell's History of Western Philosophy and Kurt Vonnegut's Cat's Cradle. Enjoying both so far.

Funnily enough I just gave that too an Indian friend of mine, in the north Was a mission getting it to him!

Originally Posted by Litofsky

Though I'm not far in, this is a most excellent book.

It's a brilliant book

[mur'phon]

The Ghost by Ibsen, yeah I know, it's not technically a book, but it's still a better read than most. For once, homework is fun.

The Prince by Machiavelli, really enjoying it so far, especially the fact that despite being so old, his style is very readable

[Sabretooth]

Originally Posted by jonathan7

Funnily enough I just gave that too an Indian friend of mine, in the north Was a mission getting it to him!

It's a brilliant book

Well, I did start reading it on your recommendation.

[LordOfTheFish]

Shadowmancer, by G.P. Taylor. Those of you in the UK mite be more familiar with it.

Also "the Book Thief" whos author escapes me.

[Sabretooth]

Originally Posted by LordOfTheFish

Also "the Book Thief" whos author escapes me.

A certain Markus Zusak, my wiki says. How is it that you have come to read a book without knowledge of its author, this technique I find most intriguing.

[Ctrl Alt Del]

I'm doing a brief stop with reading fiction right now. So I'm currently taking a look on "To read like a writer", by Francine Prose. I cant believe it took me so long to start reading that.

But since no will is made of steel, I'm also re-reading "As memórias póstumas de Brás Cubas", by Machado de Assis, a classic of brazillian literature. And oh so funny.

[jawathehutt]

Originally Posted by Sabretooth

How is it that you have come to read a book without knowledge of its author, this technique I find most intriguing.

I do that all the time, I've even forgotten book titles, I've always just assumed its somehow related to my inability to remember names

[GeneralPloKoon]

Originally Posted by Sabretooth

How is it that you have come to read a book without knowledge of its author, this technique I find most intriguing.

Happens to me all the time, and it annoys the crap outta me when it happens!

[zelda 41]

I'm reading 'American Gods' by Neil Gaiman. My brother recomended it to me.
I'm not very into it yet. Although, I might do some reading later tonight.

[Pavlos]

Originally Posted by Astor Kaine

Great Idea! I've tried reading Dickens, but i've never been able to get very far into any of the ones i've tried so far.

If you can adjust to his self-taught style he's very readable. It is said that if you took away the name headers in a Shakespeare play, you could still tell who was speaking simply by the style, the same is probably true of Dickens. Every character speaks with their own, easily-identifiable voice or dialect.

If you want to get into Dickens then some of his shorter works, or so-called "sketches by Boz", might be your best bet. They're all written pre-Pickwick but even at age 21 you can see his judgemental, arrogant, and delightfully descriptive style flowing through. I'd recommend the 1835 sketch of Newgate prison. It essentially explains the gallows-haunted world of Oliver Twist.

[Rev7]

Eh, I am reading The Day of Islam by Paul Williams. I'm only in the first chapter though....

I am also reading To Kill a Mocking Bird in my Language Arts class. I will probably have to write at least two essays on it...

[Darth Avlectus]

Rereading
The Shaolin Way: 10 modern secrets of survival from a Shaolin Kung Fu grandmaster
By Steve DeMasco

--it is time I took my life a little more seriously--to be about my life. Furthermore I am learning to center my focus and attention.

Maybe now I'll get things done.
(Maybe a mod idea or 2 or 3 brought to life?) LOLZ

[CommanderQ]

I am currently reading two of Tom Clancy's books, Debt of Honor, and Red Rabbit. Both are amazing with the information they contain and the plot that keeps me absolutley captivated with it. I think I'm a fan

Originally Posted by Rev7

Eh, I am reading The Day of Islam by Paul Williams. I'm only in the first chapter though....

I am also reading To Kill a Mocking Bird in my Language Arts class. I will probably have to write at least two essays on it...

Those are excellent books indeed, Rev! To Kill a Mockingbird is probably one of the classics

[Jeff]

To Kill a Mockingbird was probably my favorite book I had to read in high school, and is still one of my favorites.

As for what I am currently reading, going slowly through Watchmen anticipating the movie. Liking it very much.

[Rogue Nine]

TKAM was boring as poo. Watership Down is where it's at, yo.

As for what I'm reading right now, getting to know the American Jurisprudence law encyclopedias pretty well. x.X

[miro42]

Originally Posted by zelda 41

I'm reading 'American Gods' by Neil Gaiman. My brother recomended it to me.
I'm not very into it yet. Although, I might do some reading later tonight.

Keep at it. American Gods is one of my favorite books of all time.
Then check out Anansi Boys also by Gaiman. It's along the same lines with old gods in the modern world.

Originally Posted by TriggerGod

I'm working on Ender's Game. from what I've read, I want to read the sequels.

Just be warned that while the other books are just as good they are a completely different feeling story. However the Bean series is a more spiritual sequel than the actual sequels are. So make sure you read them all!

Oh, and I'm reading the Belgariad by David Eddings.

[Aash Li]

Right now?

Some magic the gathering novel Agents of Artifice or something like that. Its an ok story, not the best. And the sloppy editing isnt helping it any.

In my pile of to-be-read:

Fairy Tail 4 and 5 (manga)
God's Demon (Wayne Barlowe)
Inferno (Larry Niven and jerry Pournelle)
Escape From Hell (see above)

I love Neil Gaiman's books. Read Stardust and Neverwhere; two of my favourites from him. Though I liked the movie version of Stardust better than I did the comic form (never read the novel form).

[Lantzen]

Just finished Darkly Dreaming Dexter and are about to start on Dearly Devoted Dexter by Jeff Lindsay.

[JediMaster12]

Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse Five for the second time and for the umpteenth time To kill a Mockingird. Just for fun I am reading the Jedi Apprentice series.

[Alkonium]

Right now? Forgotten Realms: The Last Mythal Book I: Forsaken House by Richard Baker. Before that, Watchmen by Alan Moore. Before that, Books I-VII of The Legend of Drizzt by R. A. Salvatore. Six more to go on that one.