Lownotes
They all float down here.   SSHOLE |
Posts: 186 Registered: 4/23/2005 Offline
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2/10/2007 at 16:28 |
What were the last six books you read, and what were they about? I'd like to buy some books I normally wouldn't consider, this seems a reasonable way to do that.
ME FIRST
"Freakonomics" - It was about applying statistical analysis and number crunching to odd subjects - like comparing the hierarchy of a crack drug ring to the business model of McDonald's.
The Culture of Fear" - It was about how Americans are constantly told crime is everywhere and everything outside the home is dangerous, when statistically most crimes are as rare as lightning deaths. Also, it points a cold finger at the laziness of American media who don't dig deeper and fact check.
"Work and Other Sins" - This is a book of stories about blue collar workers by New York Times journalist Charlie LeDuff.
"Population: 485" - This is a memoir of an EMT and volunteer fireman who left Wisconsin, became educated, then moved back to a small town to write about the people while working car wrecks and emergencies.
"Stein on Writing" - This is basically a how-to guide for people interested in breaking into contemporary fiction markets. It's actually rather depressing because it promotes the use of formulas.
"The Beach" - The book that became a DiCaprio film, it explores the old theme within a Generation X context - if a group of disillusioned people left society behind and tried to build utopia, what would happen? The difference here are the reasons to leave it behind are selfish and pompous - mostly boredom.
On 2007-02-11 at 10:52:55, Lownotes pooped back and forth... forever
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ghostrider
liberal exit  SSHOLEPosts: 2502 Registered: 7/29/2004 Offline
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2/10/2007 at 17:16 |
I reread Guns, Germs and Steel recently, always good to read.
Nancy Drew and the Lilac Mystery is a sweet read too.
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middle_age_man
Mostly Harmless  SSHOLEPosts: 427 Registered: 1/11/2005 Offline
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2/10/2007 at 17:26 |
Chuck Klosterman IV
Last of the Amazons By Steven Pressfield
I read the first three books of The Saga of Seven Suns by Kevin J. Anderson and just starting the fourth. It was recommended to me and I was reluctant to pick it up because I perceived him as a mass producing sci-pap writer. I’m glad I gave it a chance it’s a good story with each chapter told from the perspective of one character.
Hidden Empire
A Forest of Stars
Horizon Storms
Birds Without Wings By Louis De Bernieres – A story about the Armenian Genocide.
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" Honesty may be the best policy, but it's important to remember that apparently, by elimination, dishonesty is the second-best policy."
George Carlin |
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mcgarpat
DARTH MENSES  Posts: 413 Registered: 7/10/2005 Offline
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2/10/2007 at 17:31 |
Angels and Demons - Dan brown. Illuminati and the church do battle
House of Medici - awesome thriller
Cabinet of Curiosities - great murder mystery
Still Life with Crows - great murder mystery
Brimstone - Part One of the Diogenes Trilogy -Devil on earth
Star Fleet. book one
great reads
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nurgleming
a wet brain fart  SSHOLEPosts: 178 Registered: 10/18/2006 Offline
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2/10/2007 at 17:32 |
the cell-stephen king
full gunslinger series- king again
hunters of dune - frank herbert
the full ender saga and enders shadow series-orson scott card
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nothing on the Internet is so serious it can't be laughed at, and that nothing is so laughable as people who think otherwise |
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JohnLenin
Putting the semen in amusement  SSHOLEPosts: 1103 Registered: 7/8/2005 Offline
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2/10/2007 at 18:13 |
Cujo
Pet Semetary
Life after Death
The Cell
Lewis Black's Autobiography (can't remember the title)
I, Robot
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ghostrider
liberal exit SSHOLEPosts: 2502 Registered: 7/29/2004 Offline
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2/10/2007 at 18:16 |
I think he gravitites toward non-fiction, guys.
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LSD? Heck no, those were Opal Thompson's dinner rolls. |
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vasudeva
Bad Taste in your Mouth  SSHOLEPosts: 4540 Registered: 3/8/2002 Offline
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2/10/2007 at 18:19 |
Lownotes: "Freakonomics"
Been wanting to read that one a lot.
Currently reading: Code: The Hidden Language of Computer Hardware and Software, nifty little A-Z treatise on computer science that covers a wide range of topics along the way like basic electrical theory, Morse code, and the history of the telegraph.
Currently reading: 1632, a Kahuna recommendation: a 6-mile circle of a modern-day West Virginian town gets transported wholesale into 1632 Germany by way of an alien race meddling with the fabric of space-time. Quickly gets into the social implications of culture clash in a surprisingly well-considered way.
Just finished: Olympos, sequel to Ilium, which I must have mentioned now like 90 times. A bizarre mix of sci-fi, Shakespeare-debating little cyborg robot fuckers from outer space, Greek gods, Trojan war, and post-utopian humanity living like Eloi. This sounds like the usual overly-ambitious mind-unblowing plot puree of a sophomoric dipshit, but is in fact wondrous.
Books are currently taking me so long to finish, due to projectus interruptus, that I can't remember further back, so I'll remember into the future and tell you what's sitting in the next-to-read pile on my desk.
Quicksilver (The Baroque Cycle, Vol. 1). Cryptonomicon rocked off my face; have much anticipation for this series.
A Feast for Crows (A Song of Ice and Fire). First three were genre-crushing.
A buddy just lent me The Truth (with jokes) last week. Not sure how I feel about Al Franken, but the book supposedly lays bare the science behind the Rovian dirty tricks, which I'm into. Also goes over the culture of fear stuff mentioned in original post.
EDIT: CROSS-POLLINATION, HUMP IT.
On 2007-02-10 at 12:20:05, vasudeva pooped back and forth... forever
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government_death_robot
DARTH MENSES  Posts: 943 Registered: 4/23/2004 Offline
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2/11/2007 at 03:28 |
Invisible Monsters - sex changes and stuff.
Fight Club - punching people.
Siddhartha - still reading this one.
And I can't remeber the other 3; they're too far in the past.
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bwned. |
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LORDKAHUNA
Don't make me fuk your moustache  SSHOLEPosts: 1669 Registered: 8/5/2003 Offline
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2/11/2007 at 03:29 |
Rereading Legend for the gazillionth time, it's just fucking awesome.
Just finished a compendium containing The Burrowers Beneath, The Transition of Titus Crow and The Clock of Dreams by Brian Lumley (cool Lovecraft essence stuff).
Last week I read Island in the Sea of Time, and finished The Peshawar Lancers (fucking boring read). Sometimes Stirling is good, sometimes he is shit (and a faggot).
The newest Deathlands book sits atop my shitter, this has been 21 year addiction with no signs of stopping.
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jwalker
Token Discordian  SSHOLEPosts: 957 Registered: 8/6/2005 Offline
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2/11/2007 at 03:50 |
Imperial Life in the Emerald City: I cannot recommend this one highly enough. It offers a unique point of view from inside the Green Zone, from Washington Post reporter Rajiv Chandrasekaran, who was there interviewing people from shortly after "mission accomplished". Each chapter outlines one amazing blunder after another, sourced from personal encounters and interviews with CPA officials and Iraqis alike. I knew things were messed up there, but after reading this it was obvious things were a hundred times worse. Plus the author is a talented writer, and it reads as easily as any novel.
Unites States vs. George W. Bush et al: Former federal prosecutor Elizabeth de la Vega is speaking on C-SPAN2 books as I write this. Her fictional account of a grand jury hearing illustrates the legal aspects of fraud, in laying out the case against Bushco. FBI agents and other fictional persons are among the witnesses being questioned, however all material presented is non-fictional. An interesting and informative read.
The Monkey Wrench Gang: Edwrd Abbey at his best. A story of well-intentioned and lovably mischievous ecoterrorists take on the US government and money hungry industries to protect the desert of the american south-west they love and respect. This novel expresses Abbey's contempt of the flooding of Glen Canyon (now known as Lake Powell), and is chock full of adventure, suspense, and humor.
al Quran (translated by Ahmed Ali): As long as we're in WWIII, I figured it couldn't hurt to get a glimpse of the holy book of Islam. Does it really say that they're forbidden to draw pictures of people? Is it any more violent than the Christian bible? Is there any content beyond what it borrowed from Judaism and Christianity? Why does it speak to the reader in the first person plural? No, no, not much, and I don't know. The chapters are mostly pretty short, and there is a certain poetic atmosphere, though the author points out that much of that is necessarily lost in translation.
The Book of Mormon: I could not get even halfway through this drivel. Just horrible - don't bother.
I, Crowley: A fictional and satirical autobiography of Aleister Crowley, by Snoo Wilson. The author has definitely done his homework, and is familiar with both Crowley's very weird life and his equally weird sense of humor. You have to be familiar with Crowley's writing to appreciate this, but those who fall into this category will bust a gut reading it.
The Complete Calvin and Hobbes: Every C&H ever, with an introduction by the author, Bill Watterson. Over a year after I got this, I'm still reading it. A reminder what it's like to be young - discover your inner child and go nuts.
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mundhra
dread pirate neckbeard  SSHOLEPosts: 1671 Registered: 3/25/2002 Offline
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2/11/2007 at 04:34 |
i'm probably omitting something. sadly, i don't go through books very quickly anymore.
futureshocks, a sci-fi anthology of short stories that deal with the future, near or far. i thought it was definitely above average. there were a few stories that stuck with me, especially the story about faster than light travel and the ultimate price humanity will pay for the ability to see the universe.
cryptonomicon - story about codebreaking in wwII and the modern day. stephenson rocks all sektorz.
world war z, an oral history of the zombie outbreak that nearly wiped out humanity. i haven't read the zombie survival guide, but i thought this was done pretty well.
the beast that shouted love at the heart of the world, a harlan ellison short story collection. i remember only reading the first story last time i picked it up, so i thought i'd give it another go. just starting it, so it's still up in the air.
i guess i also read monster island fairly recently, too.
that's all i can remember. i've been eyeing the following for a reread sometime soon: sun tzu's the art of war or a gothic treasury of the supernatural (castle of otranto, frankenstein, jekyll and hyde, picture of dorian gray, dracula, and the turn of the screw). then again, i have 141 books in my amazon wishlist. i guess i should probably start buying some... highest on my list are the plague by albert camus, after many a summer dies the swan by aldous huxley, the inheritors by william golding, earth abides by george r stewart, and millennium by john varley.
recently, i've been checking out some trades.
On 2007-02-10 at 22:55:54, mundhra pooped back and forth... forever
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Amero and New World Order: the libertarian version of the rapture. |
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Mofo
dont give a shit  SSHOLEPosts: 439 Registered: 2/8/2004 Online
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2/11/2007 at 05:37 |
I dont think I actually finished any of this books:
The Brothers Karamazov - Dostoevsky - about the murder of a father, touches on just about every issue known to man, really long
All the King's Men - Robert Penn Warren - fictional version of Huey Long
Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad - basis for apocalypse now
Winesburg, Ohio - Sherwood Anderson - no fucking idea
Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead - Tom Stoppard - existentialist play, pretty funny
On 2007-02-10 at 23:39:14, Mofo pooped back and forth... forever |
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ragoo
We are not amused.  SSHOLEPosts: 677 Registered: 9/4/2004 Offline
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2/11/2007 at 06:34 |
I decided to re-read the original Frank Herbert Dune series several months ago. Wow. I missed a whole fuking lot when I first read them in high school! I'm about to start "Heretics of Dune" now. Imaginative, politically adept, and happily distracting stuff. Rightly called the best sci-fi series ever.
Read The End of Faith by Sam Harris. An important, eminently readable exploration of the pain and suffering brought about by modern belief in the Iron Age myths of Christianity, Judaism and Islam. Harris is a persuasive, thoughtful author, though I don't agree with all of his conclusions, and am left to wonder at his seemingly easy embrace of Eastern mysticism, particularly Hindusim and the belief in reincarnation.
Currently reading Why Darwin Matters: The Case Against Intelligent Design, by Michael Shermer. A lucid, elegant and common-sense approbation of the theory of evolution through natural selection. Drawing on research from more than a hundred years of scientific testing, this book synthesizes the vast evidence for the truth of evolution against the supernatural and wholly evidence-deprived Creationist model of natural development.
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dent
Slipping it into the wrong hole any chance I get  SSHOLEPosts: 884 Registered: 10/20/2004 Online
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2/11/2007 at 08:32 |
Crap, I need to find some new authors/books.
The last few books I've read recently was Da Vinci Code, Velocity (Koontz), and The Taking (Koontz). I'm getting tired of pop-fiction.
Although as I have stated in nearly every thread about books, I feel obligated to read anything that Koontz writes, even though it's a crap-shoot with his novels.
Freakonomics could be my next purchase.
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"You must have weak asslips. I like to sculpt mine on the way out, like table legs under a lathe" - Vasudeva |
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azron123
I can break you with my mind. Watch, I'll do it.  SSHOLEPosts: 1505 Registered: 3/6/2003 Offline
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2/11/2007 at 12:37 |
In the past few months I've read and/or reread ecerything I could get my hands on by Terry Pratchett (DiscWorld) and David Gemmell (Legend). Survivor by Chuck Palahniuk.
I've got 4 books on chaos theory that I'm sort of reading in parallel.
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If you give a man a fire you keep him warm for one night.
If you set him on fire you keep him warm for the rest of his life. |
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Wrecker
Misanthrope  SSHOLEPosts: 463 Registered: 1/25/2006 Online
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2/11/2007 at 15:49 |
Mount Dragon - Lincoln Child and Douglas Preston
Cabinet of Curiosities - Lincoln Child and Douglas Preston
My Tank is Fight - Zack Parsons
The Life and Times of Albert Einstein
Do web novels count? If so:
Frostbite
13 Bullets
Monster Planet
Monster Nation
Monster Island
(All by David Wellington)
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< nuevoSock_> "me and the phone cable plugged to her labia were shaking hands
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Mofo
dont give a shit SSHOLEPosts: 439 Registered: 2/8/2004 Online
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2/11/2007 at 17:03 |
My Tank is Fight - Zack Parsons
Is that actually any good? |
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vasudeva
Bad Taste in your Mouth SSHOLEPosts: 4540 Registered: 3/8/2002 Offline
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2/11/2007 at 18:06 |
Haha, toldja. "Here, this tastes like shit, try it!"
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slippedhole> I am on to you and your evil intentions. I am the true protector of this website and am willing to do battle with you. |
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shitbox
my balls your chin, get used to that idea  SSHOLEPosts: 958 Registered: 1/9/2005 Offline
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2/11/2007 at 18:26 |
Currently reading Fast Food Nation-Eric Schlosser, amazing thus far.
Just finished-Grisham's Street Lawyer
beofore that it was NEXT-Michael Chrichtion
then it was some Patricia Cornwell book.
Prior to that some forgettable Jame Patterson book about flying genetically engineered children. :/
GDR, Siddhartha is a great book to read many times.
This the best one of the best books I've read from a historical standpoint. A must read for any American or person interested in knowing the truth of our countries discovery and its foundation.
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"Kill him! Kill the fuckin' indian! What am I watching here two fuckin' fags!?"
Rodney Dangerfield as Ed Wilson
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middle_age_man
Mostly Harmless SSHOLEPosts: 427 Registered: 1/11/2005 Offline
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2/11/2007 at 18:49 |
shitbox:
GDR, Siddhartha is a great book to read many times.
Narcissus and Goldmund is in my opinion Hesse's finest work. It's one of the books everyone should read before they're twenty.
On 2007-02-11 at 12:51:03, middle_age_man pooped back and forth... forever
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" Honesty may be the best policy, but it's important to remember that apparently, by elimination, dishonesty is the second-best policy."
George Carlin |
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LORDKAHUNA
Don't make me fuk your moustache SSHOLEPosts: 1669 Registered: 8/5/2003 Offline
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2/11/2007 at 20:56 |
Wrecker: Mount Dragon - Lincoln Child and Douglas Preston
Cabinet of Curiosities - Lincoln Child and Douglas Preston
My Tank is Fight - Zack Parsons
The Life and Times of Albert Einstein
Do web novels count? If so:
Frostbite
13 Bullets
Monster Planet
Monster Nation
Monster Island
(All by David Wellington)
Agent Pendegrast is a fucking awesome character, and those serialized novels are fun too.
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nurgleming
a wet brain fart SSHOLEPosts: 178 Registered: 10/18/2006 Offline
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2/12/2007 at 00:37 |
I decided to re-read the original Frank Herbert Dune series several months ago. Wow. I missed a whole fuking lot when I first read them in high school! I'm about to start "Heretics of Dune" now. Imaginative, politically adept, and happily distracting stuff. Rightly called the best sci-fi series ever.
if you like the dune series, i urge the fuck out of anyone to read orson scott cards "ender" saga, from child prodigy xenocidal generals to pre-teen on pre-teen murder, and a truck load of political shit thrown in from xenophobia to genetic engineering and tampering,its trez cool.
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nothing on the Internet is so serious it can't be laughed at, and that nothing is so laughable as people who think otherwise |
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LOki
Refusenik  SSHOLEPosts: 485 Registered: 3/8/2002 Offline
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2/12/2007 at 02:15 |
Light reading only these days:
Harry Harrison's DeathWorld Trilogy, and Stainless Steel Rat series.
Asprin's Phule series.
I also ripped through the Dune books again...without a doubt the best SF ever.
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LORDKAHUNA
Don't make me fuk your moustache SSHOLEPosts: 1669 Registered: 8/5/2003 Offline
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2/12/2007 at 02:49 |
LOki: Harry Harrison's DeathWorld Trilogy
I recently stole this from Vas, and liked it alot.
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the rice I had yesterday came out practically verbatim |
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Mofo
dont give a shit SSHOLEPosts: 439 Registered: 2/8/2004 Online
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2/12/2007 at 04:36 |
if you like the dune series, i urge the fuck out of anyone to read orson scott cards "ender" saga, from child prodigy xenocidal generals to pre-teen on pre-teen murder, and a truck load of political shit thrown in from xenophobia to genetic engineering and tampering,its trez cool.
Whatever it had that drew me in was gone after the third or fourth one.
Howard Zinn may be famous, but his work is too flawed for me to recognize him as a historical Jesus, so to speak. A People's History is just American history with a socialist view. More so, its mostly him finding the poorest of poor immigrants and using their hardships to claim rich White people are in for them.
I may try A Song of Ice and Fire. Is it worth it?
On 2007-02-11 at 23:52:01, Mofo pooped back and forth... forever |
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Wrecker
Misanthrope SSHOLEPosts: 463 Registered: 1/25/2006 Online
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2/12/2007 at 11:12 |
Mofo: My Tank is Fight - Zack Parsons
Is that actually any good?
It was interesting. It lays out the tecnical specifications on a bunch of whacked out wonder weapons based on existing documentation, then for each it describes the hypothetical deployment of said weapons had they actually been completed and used. The book follows that up with a fictional depiction of the weapons use in combat.
For me, the factual information completely overshadowed the often cheesy fictional portion. Not sure if I would have bought it for myself. I received it as a gift.
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< nuevoSock_> "me and the phone cable plugged to her labia were shaking hands
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vasudeva
Bad Taste in your Mouth SSHOLEPosts: 4540 Registered: 3/8/2002 Offline
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2/12/2007 at 13:54 |
Mofo: I may try A Song of Ice and Fire. Is it worth it?
Would that I could replace this page with a giant blinking YES. Alas.
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slippedhole> I am on to you and your evil intentions. I am the true protector of this website and am willing to do battle with you. |
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Steel
If you want to keep your tongue, don't lick me in the Winter!  SSHOLEPosts: 512 Registered: 10/14/2004 Offline
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2/12/2007 at 14:32 |
The two Frankenstein Books by Dean Koontz.
The Cell - Stephen King
Legend - Gemmill
Odd Thomas - Koontz as well. |
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magicchex
Fuckin' your bitches and stealin' your cars since 1985.  SSHOLEPosts: 512 Registered: 1/5/2005 Offline
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2/13/2007 at 17:31 |
jwalker: The Book of Mormon: I could not get even halfway through this drivel. Just horrible - don't bother.
SRSLY?!? THANKS!
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