Apart from Everyone Poops. I've already got that.
Books The BOOK thread
- Thread starter Livvie
- Start date
Well there's certainly nothing wrong with The Road or No Country for Old Men. Good books. If you wanted to follow up and read up on the Comanches, "The Empire of the Summer Moon" is pretty good. Not at all a comprehensive history of the Comanche, but a good (perhaps a bit sensationalist) read about them during the same time period as Blood Meridian, and focuses on their last war chief and his white mother. Interesting stuff. The savagery and scant, stark beauty of Blood Meridian reminded me of "The Painted Bird". Completely different time and place of course.
Anyhoo, just a couple of ideas.
Loved the book and thoroughly enjoyed the film. Clough was some man before the drink took full hold.
Thanks! Much appreciated, I am fascinated by that time period and the way of living after reading Blood Meridian, so that might be a good shout.
Just did a search on this thread for Catch 22 and I saw that most people - if not all, liked it. I stopped reading it 4-6 chapters in. Sure enough, it felt refreshing at the beginning, but does it really go anywhere? I felt like clicking through random threads at the caf for a giggle. Maybe it wont feel that monotonous if I read a few pages once a week. I bought Murakami's A Wild Sheep Chase a couple of nights back, just to sooth my joy of reading. Looks promising so far.
Has anyone read Carlos Ruiz Zafón's The Prisoner of Heaven? I loved the two books before it and don't really want to start this if it is that bad that it shatters what Shadow of the Wind and Angels Game built up.
Has anyone read Carlos Ruiz Zafón's The Prisoner of Heaven? I loved the two books before it and don't really want to start this if it is that bad that it shatters what Shadow of the Wind and Angels Game built up.
Why Stephen King Spends 'Months and Even Years' Writing Opening Sentences:
http://m.theatlantic.com/entertainm...-even-years-writing-opening-sentences/278043/
http://m.theatlantic.com/entertainm...-even-years-writing-opening-sentences/278043/
That was interesting, thanks for the link
No probs, mate. 
Just started Cosa Nostra, a History of the Sicilian Mafia.
Only read the intro and a couple of chapters, but very good so far.
Can't remember the author and can't be arsed to go and get the book.
Only read the intro and a couple of chapters, but very good so far.
Can't remember the author and can't be arsed to go and get the book.
Not as difficult or as poncey as the title suggests. Contains some amazing ideas...
Just started 'The Name of the Wind'. Read it's first 50 pages and it started to became really interesting.
Just finished The Stone Roses War and Peace by Simon Spence.Fantastic read and very interesting.
BEST
BOOK
EVAAAAAA
Just finished the book. Not the best book ever, but really a great book. Neither the story or the writing is nowhere near as good as ASOIAF (who is though) but still it is a very good and enjoyable reading. Kvothe is essentially a more likable Harry Potter on steroids and really I am loving it. Arrogant, proud, wise, powerful but very good at heart. The pinnacle of the book IMO is his relation with his girlfriend who isn't his girlfriend. The dialogues there are really cool. The ending was dramatic and I wasn't expecting that at all.
Tomorrow will start reading the sequel. Hopefully as good as the first one.
PS: The dragon wasn't a dragon though.
Finished The Wise Man's Fear, second book on The Kingkiller Chronicles by Patrick Rothfuss.
While I don't think that the book is the same quality as it's predecessor (The Name of The Wind) it is still a very good book and an enjoyable reading (for the most part). I hated the parts of the book when Kvothe was chasing the bandits, but I liked the other parts. Didn't felt that well about how Kvothe was treated in the end by Maer Alveron but that's life and in the end Kvothe still got a lot of money. The most enjoyable parts of the book - undoubtedly for me - were the parts when he was with Denna. One of the most deep and complex relationships I have ever seen, anywhere. I liked also his dialogues with Devi, the parts when he was at the university but also the new parts like when he was at Heart and into Fae Relm were enjoyable, but still the part with Denna were by far the best in the book.
Now waiting for Rothfuss to finish the third book. I don't know how he will set all the things in a single novel (killing a king, kidnapping a princess, talking with God, ruining the world, learning a language in a single day, becoming the most powerful wizard in Earth etc) and also I hope that there is a conclusion in the main story and finally we understand why Kvothe became Kote and I would also love to see a conclusion to other things that I don't expect to be in his chronicles, especially his relationship with Denna (Bast apparently knows her) and the ultimate fight against Chandrian (which seems that haven't happened to this point). I guess that The Door's of Stone will finish the chronicles but we will see at-least another book with Kvothe in present. Finishing this entirely only by telling the story, and leaving Kvothe just continue working as an ordinary innkeeper wouldn't be right and will make me hate Rothfuss with a passion.
And I almost forgot, Elodin is amazing. And liked how Kvothe got totally destroyed in fights by woman, be it in mind fight against Devi or in actual fight against Vashet or Carceret.
While I don't think that the book is the same quality as it's predecessor (The Name of The Wind) it is still a very good book and an enjoyable reading (for the most part). I hated the parts of the book when Kvothe was chasing the bandits, but I liked the other parts. Didn't felt that well about how Kvothe was treated in the end by Maer Alveron but that's life and in the end Kvothe still got a lot of money. The most enjoyable parts of the book - undoubtedly for me - were the parts when he was with Denna. One of the most deep and complex relationships I have ever seen, anywhere. I liked also his dialogues with Devi, the parts when he was at the university but also the new parts like when he was at Heart and into Fae Relm were enjoyable, but still the part with Denna were by far the best in the book.
Now waiting for Rothfuss to finish the third book. I don't know how he will set all the things in a single novel (killing a king, kidnapping a princess, talking with God, ruining the world, learning a language in a single day, becoming the most powerful wizard in Earth etc) and also I hope that there is a conclusion in the main story and finally we understand why Kvothe became Kote and I would also love to see a conclusion to other things that I don't expect to be in his chronicles, especially his relationship with Denna (Bast apparently knows her) and the ultimate fight against Chandrian (which seems that haven't happened to this point). I guess that The Door's of Stone will finish the chronicles but we will see at-least another book with Kvothe in present. Finishing this entirely only by telling the story, and leaving Kvothe just continue working as an ordinary innkeeper wouldn't be right and will make me hate Rothfuss with a passion.
And I almost forgot, Elodin is amazing. And liked how Kvothe got totally destroyed in fights by woman, be it in mind fight against Devi or in actual fight against Vashet or Carceret.
Lee Child stoned on cannabis while writing Jack Reacher novels http://litreactor.com/news/smoke-weed-every-day-lee-child-writes-stoned
I started reading it the 11th. I've been reading slowly to enjoy it. So far, it's fantastic.
Yeah, the first book is really awesome. I went full retard in those 2 books, read both of them in six days
Yeah, the first book is really awesome. I went full retard in those 2 books, read both of them in six days
https://www.redcafe.net/threads/fantasy-reads.373168/
Come and talk in the fantasy thread.
Later, other-book-genre bitches.
Bought new Jack Reacher book today. It's alright, but not as good as previous ones in my opinion so far. Haven't finished it yet, so time for that to change
I read the Hard Way recently which was alright on holidays. Also picked up a book on Imperial Colonialism from 1500 - 1800 which really was as great read I thnk it was by a Goleman but not sure. Currently reading the book of general ignorance which feels like I'm watching a huge episode of QI and I feel like an idiot but enjoyable still.
You sure give it another shot at some point I think mate, its absolutely terrific.
Not sure about it going anywhere really, there are plenty of things that happen - tonnes in fact, but there isn't a clear 'story' if that makes sense. The book jumps forward and back in time as well if I remember rightly, so that also prevents there being a clear narrative. But regardless that isn't the aim of the book and it loses nothing for that approach.
Within all the jokes and bizarre events there are some really clever points as well.
I think you're right. Planning to read a few pages only once and again to keep me from getting tired of it
Finally got around to finishing James Ellroy's Underworld USA trilogy with 'Blood's a Rover'.
Overall, fantastic series. I liked The 'Cold Six Thousand' more than most, so I'd say it just slightly edges 'Blood's a Rover' for second behind 'American Tabloid' - easily and unsurprisingly the best of the three. Ellroy created some great characters and the arcs of some characters (Ward Littel, Wayne Tedrow in particular) were fantastic to to watch unfold.
Going for a non-fiction book my girlfriend got me next, 'Dirty Wars: The World is a Battlefield". Only just started but it seems like some pretty heavy shit.
Overall, fantastic series. I liked The 'Cold Six Thousand' more than most, so I'd say it just slightly edges 'Blood's a Rover' for second behind 'American Tabloid' - easily and unsurprisingly the best of the three. Ellroy created some great characters and the arcs of some characters (Ward Littel, Wayne Tedrow in particular) were fantastic to to watch unfold.
Going for a non-fiction book my girlfriend got me next, 'Dirty Wars: The World is a Battlefield". Only just started but it seems like some pretty heavy shit.
Stick to it mate, that's about all I can say. I can understand if it seems bordering on delirious in the beginning with all the to-ing and fro-ing, but it's a brilliant brilliant book with an inherent truth which stays with you, and some hauntingly brilliant passages and chapters.
Give it another go.
Anybody able to recommend any books on the Founding of America?
Yeah the events leading up to the revolutionary war and the aftermath.
Founding Brothers by Joseph Ellis is one I read years ago. I'll look at the books I have from a university course on the period. I know one of them is Unruly Americans by Woody Holton.
Much appreciated! Thank you.
Books I have about the American Revolution period(that doesn't mean I've read all of them):
1776 by David McCullough
Forced Fathers by Woody Holton
Unruly Americans by Woody Holton
Affairs of Honor by Joanne Freeman
Benjamin Franklin's Autobiography doesn't touch so much on it but is worth reading.
I may have more in storage, but these are on my bookshelf. For primary sources, The Federalist Papers, Common Sense, etc. Gordon S. Wood is a prominent author/historian on the period.
1776 by David McCullough
Forced Fathers by Woody Holton
Unruly Americans by Woody Holton
Affairs of Honor by Joanne Freeman
Benjamin Franklin's Autobiography doesn't touch so much on it but is worth reading.
I may have more in storage, but these are on my bookshelf. For primary sources, The Federalist Papers, Common Sense, etc. Gordon S. Wood is a prominent author/historian on the period.
I have a Harvard Classic edition of that. It's amazing.
I got a shelf full of Harvard Classic books. I got them at a goodwill at 75 cents a pop. I'll never read some of them, but it was worth the money.
Currently reading "Out of Poverty" by Paul Pollack. It's for a class; I don't have an opinion on it yet.
Cheers all, I shall have a look.
New Stephen King interview, in which he discusses his Shining sequel Doctor Sleep (amongst other things):
http://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/sep/21/stephen-king-shining-sequel-interview
http://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/sep/21/stephen-king-shining-sequel-interview
Reading Fergies 'Managing my life' in preparation of his upcoming book...
The Death of Ivan Ilyich - feck me that was a bit of a downer. Good though.
I just finished Inferno by Dan Brown. Bit of a meh on my part. Didn't think it was great.
Shit, people talking about The Name of the Wind. The main character in that is the ultimate Gary Sue - he's perfect at literally everything. I started reading it but gave up because it was just too tedious. The author's writing style is good, which probably means most people give him a pass, but his characters aren't compelling in any way.
I never quite know what to make of King's Horror books - on the one hand, I sometimes feel like his writing is the work of an eternal thirteen-year-old (and meant for a similar readership); on the other, he's often very good. Any views?