Ye Ol Written Word

I am currently reading "A scanner darkly" by Philip k Dick
mmmm strange book

Also on the go "Do Androids dream of Electric Sheep" also by Philip K Dick.

Excellent Book


Robert

 

OK - i'm reading the Paradox of cause and other essays by John William Miller - or at least i have just started it.

I too have various things on the go simultaneously, dependent on time, location and mood. I have a pile of handy oft referred to books in a pile too - such as The Waste Books by Georg Christoph Lichtenberg to pass odd idling minutes here and there.

My last completed book was Babbit by Sinclair Lewis - a rare venture into fiction for me. It passed the time adequatley but i dare say i will not be making a repeat visit between its bland and predictable covers.

Nearly finished the Rebel by Camus for the second time.

I'm psyching myself up for the next venture which is The Sociology of Philosophies: A Global Theory of Intellectual Change.
I was going to take this tome on holiday, as it would probably take me a couple of weeks solid - but my next jaunt will be on honeymoon, so i don't think it will be entirely suitable for such an occasion.

Recently acquired Rough Guides to World Music are also filling in time whilst the kettle is boiling or the oven is on.

I've started to look into audio books as well - as time just seems to disappear these days with the ritualistic Tescos run and parking on motorways and visiting relatives and blah di blah. Hence i don't seem to get as much time these days for reading as i would like - i probably spend more time stuck in the car. There doesn't appear to be all that much available really in the audio format, but i am still looking - it would be ideal for trips in the car on my own, where it wouldn't bore anyone else to death.

What's your all time favourite book then - or is that as tricky as asking for your favourite album?

And do you read just to fill in the gaps betwen other stuff - like going to work on the train - or is it something which you 'make' time for?

This disjointed mind numbing message has now run its course.....

 

I'm reading 'Dilbert: The Joy Of Work' by Scott Adams.

Recommended for anyone suffering from corporate moronicity.

I've read, i think, all the Discworld novels. They are brilliant!

And if you like Terry Pratchett, you're probably the kind of person who would like Robert Rankin, particularly the earlier ones.

Chris

 

Hi

I've been reading

Young, Gifted & Black: The story of Trojan Records.

Mod. A very British Phenomenon.

I have a pile of books to get through.


SCIDB

 

I have real problems these days with reading due to eye strain from monitor use, but guess what - yup, I'm reading Harry Potter as well - but behind - still working through "Goblet of fire" and have "Order of the pheonix" ready to rock.

When I get into a book I'll usually go right through it in one go, but had busy weekends so am reduced to reading on the train - and at 20 minutes each journey that's not a lot of time...

If any of you have kids, get hold of "The last of the really great wangdoodles" by Julie Edwards - they'll love it. It's obscure as hell to find but it's worth it

I have a Rowen Atkinson, The Beatles in their own words, and a couple of other books waiting in the wings, and keep dipping into that stupid "Men are from Mars..." book - so far only finished one chapter...

 

A big thumbs up to any of the Ian Banks books, I'm not too sure about the Ian M Banks geezer.

I'm currently reading Shakey Neil Young's Biography by Jimmy McDonough.

 

Guys,

Did you know Complicity is out on DVD, I wish the BBC would release The Crow Road

Andy.

 

Looks like we have lot of SciFi readers here.

For an author as well read as Iain Banks seems to be it's mightly hard to find his books in the USA.

GrahamN: Also read all Banks' books, except Canal Dreams, which I discovered on my shelf a few days ago, and am currently 1/4 way through. Pretty slow going so far, but like you say, all will probably be revealed in the last few pages. How's his new one?

I just finished "The Da Vinci Code" by Dan Brown. This is a tremedously good read, full of little (and huge) factoids, and alternative views on popular history. And a fun storyline too. Well worth reading.

Also just finished Manifold Origin by Stephen Baxter -- recomended; and Idoru by William Gibson -- bit of a let down, very dull!

On a more serious note, I'm on Enterprise Architecture Planning by Spewak and UML weekend Crash Course -- no comments yet.

~ ~ Dave

 

sgt rock,
i saw this on video when it came out. it's an ok but not fantastic adaption. definately read the book first stuff.

i'm still about a 20th of the way through the illuminati trilogy by robert anton wilson if anyone has written a stranger book i'd like to know.
cheers


julian

 

Ju - had slightly mixed feelings about Complicity. Loved the "appropriate" means of death - particularly the editor being 'spiked' on his own railings - but found the computer geekery a bit tedious.

When I heard that the Crow Road was being televised I was worried how it would come out. In the end I thought it pretty good - but the pictures the book conjures up are so much better (in particular the uncertainty over the timeshifts, until you realise what's going on).

Nepherim - only 30 pages into "Dead Air" yet, so a bit early to tell (although I'd been reduced to tears at the corresponding point, by the exploding grandmother, in The Crow Road). All we've had so far is a party of drug-fuelled meeja and publicity types dropping fruit (apples, progressing to a melon, and dead TVs) 100 ft off the appartment balcony, and the Twin Towers collapsing - so a bit ordinary so far. Hope it's not like "The Business" which edged too much into the realms of airport 'thrillers' for my tastes. Keep you posted.

 

I haven't come across anything stranger. This book will mess with your mind :JOEL:
I must read it again some time to see if it does makes sense after all

Chris

 

Sounds a good un!

I'm about 40 pages or so into this "Round Ireland with a fridge" book now and it's kept true to its front cover claim so far!

"Not just brilliantly written, but far too hilarious to read alone in a public place"

 

You could also try his "Playing the Moldovans at Tennis", which is about.....playing the Moldovan football team at tennis. I heard it serialised on the radio a year or two back and hooted! Again, originated from a bet (with Arthur Smith) that he could beat the entire team. IIRC the loser was to stand naked in Brixton High Street and sing the Moldovan National Anthem.

 

There's a bit in the back of this one about Playing the Moldovans at Tennis. Infact, I think it's the entire (all 11 pages of it), first chapter! If it's half as good as this it's got to be worth a go!

 

Came to the end of "Round Ireland with a fridge" and enjoyed it very much. Highly reccomended! Aswell as a very huMOrous account of his travels, also offers an insight into human nature with the fridge seeming to open endless doors and possibilities!

Aswell as this and the "Playing the MOldovans at tennis" book, I believe he also has one about trying to get a NO#1 hit!

I'm currently about a third of the way through Andrey Kurkov's "Death and the Penguin"

A Russian short story writer with a pet penguin is currently working for a newspaper writing Obituaries. He's writing them for the *known* people of Russia while they're alive, in his unique way, so that his paper will have the edge if/when they die. One of them has died and it all seems to be going a bit weird. There's something not right with this penguin either! Hmmm!!!

 

Quality - a book thread. Who'd a thunk it ?

Ian Banks, the bloke may be from Fife but he's a great writer.
I met him at a signing session @ Waterstones in Edinburgh (Princess Street). He's soooooooooooooo Scottish and sooooooooooooo Ginger !
You have been warned.

"Complicity" I found was a big disappointment but as mentioned, the railing bit is just pure class. My favourites are "The Bridge" (a very popular stage version has been done), "Walking on Glass" (Very twisted) and "The Wasp Factory" which as Graham mentioned, probably is his 'Lord of the Flies'. Excellent.

At present it's "Watchmen" by Allan Moore (Graphic Novel of the highest order and one of the best books i've ever read.
And "Uriel's Machine" by ???????
It's about the existence of intelligent humans, mathematics and science waaaaaaaay back (5000bc apporx) and how their connection with the stories in the bible and folklore/legends. Incredible stuff and highly recommended.

 

mo,
take a look at tony hawks' (the guy who wrote round ireland with a fridge) web site. the way he deals with confused teenagers thinking he is skateboarding legend tony hawk is hillarious.

http://www.tony-hawks.com/skate.html

voodoo,
if you like watchmen i';d recommend, ronin and batman the dark knight returns too.

cheers


julian

 

Finished "Dead Air" a couple of weeks ago - and I have to say it was pretty undistinguished. Not too dissimilar from a standard airport thriller - bit of drugs, bit of sex, bit of violence and some very convenient coincidences to get the plot out of difficult cul-de-sacs.

After this and "The Business", which was similarly formulaic (yuppies meet Bhuddist monastery and think life may be better outside rat-race) it could be that Banks is losing it.

Still he's had a damned good run!

 

Currently : Dreamcatcher - Stephen King
Previously : Abarat - Clive Barker

Been off the written matter for a while.. looking forward to getting back in to it.

GTM

 

recently finished white line fever,lemmys autobiography,not bad, but seems to be a constant winge about record companys.much prefered moon the loon