What Did You Read Today?

[Skummy]

I just finished reading "Flowers For Algernon", and fuck. I enjoyed the whole thing, but didn't really get emotionally invested, and then the last couple of pages just hit me so fucking hard. The last line, in particular, just broke me...can't remember the last time a book has made me cry, and in public too. Absolutely heartbreaking, and really kind of brought up a psychological whatsit in me that I've kept hidden for quite a while.

[Benjamin]

Quick Request: Can somebody point me to some great mafia books? Preferably fiction, but non-fiction is okay too. I don't really care if it's Italian Mob, Yakuza, Triad or whatever.

Did you ever read The Godfather? That's one of the few mafia books I have read, and the others I'm drawing a blank on.

If you know the Godfather movies, you should read the Godfather's Revenge. It's about what happens between the second and third movies. Bloody brilliant, IMO.

Reading Game Of Thrones now. Decided I'm gonna' read it day by day, following the episodes, so for example, Day 1 of reading ends where the ending of the first episode ends, etc. etc. I like the fact that I know more about the character's thoughts, why they do things a certain way, that kind of thing. Like someone in the GOT TV show thread said, I'm treating it more like an insider's guide / director's commentary sort of thing.

Also, after TKz suggested it in the movie thread, I started reading the manga version of Battle Royale. It's good in parts, but I'm fucking hating the parts where they slow shit up, and as I'm reading it online, it's a bitch to have two or three slides in a row about absolutely nothing but guys slobbering / some Japanese version of Bieber. Is the book filled with Japanese characters as well? Because I'm having trouble remembering most of their names unless they show me their faces in the manga already. Also, is the movie really THAT good? It's pretty troublesome trying to find it as it is, where did you guys find it? Local video rental store? Online? Is there a way just get a download of the movie?

[Skummy]

The movie's great, but it's not really as good as it's hyped up to be, in my opinion. Takeshi Kitano is magnificent in it, though.

I should think you'd be able to find a decent download of the movie somewhere, though. I know there's never been an official US release, though, so might be hard for you to track down a copy on DVD (you are in the US, right? As I've never had any trouble finding it in the UK).

I've never been a big manga fan, so never got into that version, and there is a lot of filler. As for the novel,b eing a Japanese book, all the character names are Japanese, and most people do seem to have a lot of difficulty keeping track of it all and remembering who's who - I know I struggled with it due to that.

[Vamp]

Next Up: I'm not sure actually. Either Clash of Kings, Stardust or Sandman: The Kindly Ones.

I like Stardust. I wasn't too fond of the film, it was alright just nothing special, but the book is pretty good.

[Benjamin]

Okay, I fucking hate manga. I also hate TKz for recommending it and me for taking it (though technically the advice wasn't for me). It's a bitch to read, especially online, and the only reason I'm still plowing through it is to see what happens at the end, and to see who kills who.

Oh, I'm talking about the Battle Royale manga. Downloading the movie now, but can't find a decent English version of the book.

[Timmoru Suzuki]

I'm reading A Game of Thrones. It'll take me fucking AGES to read, but it's not feeling like a slog at all so far; I'm really enjoying it, the writing is so effortless and having chapters done from a particular characters POV helps you get into individual characters a lot; and also leads for generally shorter, snappier chapters - which also means you end up thinking 'Go on then, just one more chapter,' when reading.

[Skummy]

I read Waiting For Godot on my lunchbreak. I'm a fucking world of fun.

[Liam]

Currently reading Sirens, which is that EMT guys blog about life as an EMT. Interesting enough at the moment, the kinda thing I enjoy reading for light relief.

Game Of Thrones, Catch 22 (not read since I was young) and The Leopard are my next group of books that I will get through.

Read Alex's Adventures In Numberland, which was an interesting look at the less boring facets of mathematics. Can't wholeheartedly recommend, but it is fascinating in places.

[Mr. X]

Finally got through reading The Gunslinger. I'll say at times King's writing just seems to ramble on, but generally I really liked the book and how 300 pages into a series I still know fuck all about what is going on. Now I'm onto The Drawing of the Three, which hopefully I can get through at a quicker pace otherwise I'll never get through the entire series.

[fr34k]

A Clash of Kings was much more enjoyable than A Game of Thrones, if only for the reason that I did not know what was going to happen. It's a fucking great series and I'm looking forward to continue reading it. A Clash of Kings definitely had me on the edge during several moments while I just continued reading and reading.

Stardust was pretty neat, although Gaiman's "worst" book I've read so far. It's still good and miles ahead of other authors, but just not up to his usual standard of greatness.

I think that's it since the last time, not reading that much at the moment. Next up: A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again by David Foster Wallace, as well as comics and continuing the A Song of Ice and Fire series.

[KONGO]

Just picked up The Conquering Sword of Conan while shedding a tear for Borders. I'll probably get into it when I finish rereading 1984.

[AnnIQ Edison]

At the moment I'm reading a book called "Faking It: The Quest for Authenticity in Popular Music". My interest in the topic came up through Uni where I have thoroughly enjoyed my music subjects based on Popular Music (duh). It's quite interesting to see a different perspective on artists such as Kurt Cobain and Elvis and who *their* influences were instead of always seeing them as the "starting point" to influence future bands as most places will reference them as.

While I'm here (since I can't find a "General Book thread"), I've heard that Catch 22 is a book that people should read. Now, I don't know much about the actual story except that it has something to do with war and that's what concerns me. I don't really like books that are about war and peace and the struggles etc. Should I still look into it or is that the crux of the story?

[fr34k]

While I'm here (since I can't find a "General Book thread"), I've heard that Catch 22 is a book that people should read. Now, I don't know much about the actual story except that it has something to do with war and that's what concerns me. I don't really like books that are about war and peace and the struggles etc. Should I still look into it or is that the crux of the story?

You should still look into it, it's one of the funniest books ever.

[Skummy]

Yeah, Catch 22 is right near the top of my "must read" list. The war is a back-drop, rather than the central point - it's more about bureaucracy and the general absurdity of human nature than it is about war at all. One of the funniest, most intelligent books I've ever read.

[Liam]

Third in, but yeah, Catch 22 is a must read. Really good book. I re-bought it recently as I haven't checked it out in years, looking forward to it.

[AnnIQ Edison]

Ah sweet. Good to know there's humour in it and that the war isn't the main focal point. I'll definitely look into now.

[therockbox]

Just finished Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy. Not an easy book to read, had a couple of false starts before I got into it, and it's not the sort of thing you can read before you go to bed. I'm going to stick with McCarthy for the time being, probably tackling the Border Trilogy next, with his style of writing (lack of punctuation, especially speech marks) as I've found I have to be in a certain 'mode' to read McCarthy.

[Meacon Keaton]

Started reading House of Leaves today at lunch. I did a topic search and saw TheRaySays was reading it a while back. Any of you fools still around read it?

[Bigal]

Just finished Stewart Lee's "How I Escaped My Certain Fate", which is basically annotated printings of three of his one-man shows. I loved it, but I can't imagine anybody who doesn't do stand-up finding it terribly interesting.

Started "Nixonland" today, which is a book about the U.S. from 1964-1972. Only about 50 pages in, but it's really well written so far, and I'm very much enjoying it.

[Liam]

Just finished Stewart Lee's "How I Escaped My Certain Fate", which is basically annotated printings of three of his one-man shows. I loved it, but I can't imagine anybody who doesn't do stand-up finding it terribly interesting.

Read it, loved it. Need to get it back off my mate, actually.

Finished off 'A Clash of Kings', now reading Chris Kamara's autobiography (meh, I picked it up on the cheap). Got a fair list building up, with the next two 'Song of Fire and Ice' books bought, 'American Psycho', 'The Understudy' by David Nicholls, re-reading 'Catch 22' and then 'The Leopard' by Jo Nesbo.