Hi there. I'm always looking for new and interesting stuff to read, so I thougth I could open this thread to see what you guys have recently read. So the idea is to post the last book you have finished with a short comment on it (don't mind if it is subjetive or not). I know there is a bunch of readers over here, so don't dissapoint me! :bleh:
Anyway, lets start:

"The Vatican Cellar" (Les caves du Vatican) by André Gide. This book is quite a weird novel because it doesn't focus in plot development nor in action, but in the characters feelings, decisions and psychological reactions. Although it is well written I didn't quite enjoy it because in my opinion it has much of a raising and not an ending at all.

I started working seven months ago and from then, I slowed down (nearly stopped) my reading rate :crybaby: due to the lack of spare time :wallbash:

At the moment I'm trying to finish "The Confessions" by Saint Augustine (is it spelled right?), which is very interesting, but only if you're into christian religion, elswhere is better find something else to read.

The last book i finished was "Heart of Darkness" by Conrad: that's absolutely worth to buy and keep forever among the masterpieces, cause it's written so well :ok: . Almost everyone could say you the same!

Heart Of Darkness is a brilliant, brilliant book!

"The horror, the horror..." gets me every time :)

I just finished Lady Chatterly's Lover by D. H. Lawrence and I absolutely loved it. It's one of the most beautiful pieces of writting I've ever read. It deals with ideals, love, sex and progress. The creepy thing is that even though it was written almost 100 years ago it is still very relevent today. I enjoyed it so much that I'm going to read Son's and Lovers next...

I've just finished reading "War and Peace". It was a long read, but not nearly as difficult as people make it out to be. It is an epic book and well worth a read. It places the stories of 'ordinary' people through their ups and downs, against the backdrop of the Napoleonic War. At times the book reads more like a (rather biased) historical account of the battles and strategies adopted by the sides.

Next up: Bleak House

I just started to read Terry Pratchetts Wyrd. However, I seldom have time to read, so I probably have finished the book on summer.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Stroggy @ Feb 12 2007, 09:22 AM) [snapback]278905[/snapback]</div>Ah, yes. Bleak House is fun - and I suppose it'll be of particular interest to a lawyer.:P

I last read Mundus et Infans, a 15th century(ish) play - not bad, but I've read better medieval plays. Unless you're into medieval drama I wouldn't really recommend it. If you want to give it a go, start with Mankind, Wisdom or The Castle of Perseverance (which is quite long, but a brilliant play). Whatever you do, though, don't start with Everyman. Everyman is not at all typical of medieval drama and will give you a wrong impression of what it's like; it's more fun than that - honest.;)

Marin Preda - Cel mai iubit dintre pamanteni(the most beloved of all humans...or something like that :P) for school(final exams). it's a great book about the communist period here in romania.
and i also started reading Mircea Cartarescu - Nostalgia and Emil Cioran's "Pe culmile tacerii"(philosophic essays)
btw..i don't read much :P

I already do not buy a book too much time! :wallbash:

drawn band like uncle scrooge :blink:

I go the bookstore, already come back :brain:

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(A. J. Raffles @ Feb 12 2007, 06:26 PM) [snapback]278950[/snapback]</div>I had to read Elckerlijc (the play which either translated Everyman, or the play on which Everyman is based) last year and translate sections into modern Dutch, which is no easy task as 15th century Dutch is a mixture of Dutch, German and Latin.

As for Bleak House, I've always wanted to read Dickens, and Bleak House seemed like a book I could connect with. It's very easy to visualise the book as I live a block away from Gray's Inn and pretty much every other inn, Fleet street is a 15 minutes walk from my apartment and every little street in between has at least a few shops selling special gowns (wigs, too) and practitioners' books. Moreover, I live around the corner of the Charles Dickens Museum in Doughty lane which is also the only surviving London home of Dickens (from 1837 until 1839) (according to the website).

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Stroggy @ Feb 12 2007, 07:16 PM) [snapback]278972[/snapback]</div>Indeed.:rolleyes: I tried to read another late medieval Dutch play earlier this term (Mariken van Nieumeghen, if that rings a bell) because apparently it differs quite a bit from the English version - even more so than Elckerlijc does from Everyman, and it would have been interesting for me because I was looking at dramatic issues. But I failed miserably, of course.:(

It's been a few years since I read Bleak House, but I remember it was one of my favourite Dickens novels. Not a very "typical" Dickens novel, if there is such a thing (for example he plays with narrative modes a bit, which he doesn't usually do), but nicely structured and overall a good read in my opinion.

Hmm, this thread his growing quickly. Thanks for sharing your comments guys :ok:

Quinto, I think that "The Confessions" must be an interesting book to read even if you are not into christianism. If I am not mistaken, Saint Augustine's philosophy is a basic pillar of european knowledge during the Middle-Ages, so it is worth knowing some of his works (I'm not into christian religion, but I studied in a school called "Saint Augustine", by the way).

About "Hearth of Darkness", I have to agree with you and Lulu_Jane. Brilliant book, and brilliant film also. I've read some other Conrad's books, but they weren't so rich and deep.

I'm eager to read "War and Peace", as I've enjoyed almost every novel by a russian writer until now, but I'll have to wait a while (maybe summer). The edition I have in my house is too heavy to carry to the subway.

EDIT: Could you say who is the author of the books you name, please (as long as they are not anonymus, that is)? If not, the translation thing sometimes makes it difficult to identify them.

Well, it seems us though us Abandonians are a very cultured bunch... or we are all lying :D

Anyways, today I just started reading The 120 Days Of Soddom by (who else?) The Maquis De Sade... so far I'm not offended...

I'm currently reading All for Love, which is NOT what it sounds like but in fact a seventeenth-century rewriting of Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra by John Dryden (and frankly, so far it sucks, like most things by Dryden...).

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tito @ Feb 12 2007, 11:33 PM) [snapback]278993[/snapback]</div>You could buy one of the special versions which cuts the book up into 4 books (the book itself is divided into 4 books). That would make it easier to carry around, but - as it is probably a bit on the expensive side - not the kind of thingyou want to carry around with you. You never know when the Rare Book Thief will strike.


<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Lulu_Jane @ Feb 13 2007, 08:51 AM) [snapback]279027[/snapback]</div>I've always felt quite naughty when I picked that book up in the library. Supposedly the first few parts are alright. But after that the entire novel falls to bits. De Sade was afraid they were going to execute him, so a large part of the book is written in note-form to himself. Thus you end up with a list of perverted activities which tend to get quite boring.

"Going Postal" by Terry Pratchett.

And now finishing "Thud!", also by Pratchett.

I love the way he blends good story with lethal dose of humour.

Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell
what an effort!

Ooooh, I really enjoyed that book STFM! It kind of felt like a light dickensian fairy-tale. It was hands down the best book that I've ever bought at an airport whilst waiting for my flight ever :)

(airport bookshops are black holes of nothingness)

I'm reading Terry Pratchett's "Sourcery". Pretty good so far. I really like his style of writing.

By the way, could someone tell the books in which Death plays a bigger role? I've read Reaper man, Soul music, Hogfather and Mort.

Unfortunately, that's pretty much it.

I seem to recall Death playing a rather large side-role in "Thief of Time", but I'm not entirely sure (it's been quite some time since I read the book, or any Pratchett book for that matter).

Another one: "The Colossus of Maroussi" by Henry Miller. It describes his travel to Greece mixing it with his personal thoughts about the world, people, philosophy and whatever crosses his path. Very interesting.

Terry Pratchett is so funny. Besides, he is a very good writer. The problem is that when I start one of his books, it hooks me and I can't stop reading 'til I finish it, and that can be a problem if I'm in the middle of an examination or something.

If you enjoy Terry Pratchett's books you should also try the Wilt saga by Tom Sharpe. It is so hilarious.

I just finished Dreamcatcher, Cell and 'Salem's Lot all by Stephen King. They are all of good standard horror stock, with Dreamcatcher being exceptionally gruesome in some sections.

Not really a large role, IMO. His granddaughter has a bit more of a part there.

I recently read 'The Catcher in the Rye' by J.D. Salinger. It's totally brilliant actually, dunno why I never read that before.

Right now I've just started reading 'Neuromancer' by William Gibson.

"The Catcher in the Rye" was, in my opinion, technically perfect, but I found the main character so unpleasant...

Neuromancer is a must-read book, definitely.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tito @ Feb 12 2007, 11:33 PM) [snapback]278993[/snapback]</div>Well, I think that The Confessions is only about religion, but with just a bit of "sillogistic" reasoning, so someone could say that is philosophic... that's just MY opinion, so I could be wrong. There are others books by him which are only philosophic (don't remember the names :P )

I love all the books (I've read) by Conrad and I find all them rich and deep at the same level...

I read just one book by Pratchett (Sorcery): it was funny indeed, but I think that the italian translation is awfull :tai:

The last book I read not long ago was one by Iori Fujiwara called "Te No Hira No Yami", which means translated something like "Darkness On A Palm". It's just a thriller that appears on a first glance to be simply written but it has something about it that's very captivating and holds the attention until the end.
I would very recommend it to everyone who's interested in Japanese literature :)

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Quintopotere @ Feb 15 2007, 07:08 PM) [snapback]279413[/snapback]</div>You can't translate Pratchett, in fact Pratchett is the reason I switched from reading in Dutch (translation) to English. I haven't read a Dutch novel since (safe when I had to for school, and the stuff they had me read for school was so terrible I never wanted to touch a Dutch book again).

From quite some years on I rarely read novels, so just to throw something not narrative into discussion I'll say the last book I read was Road to Serfdom, by Friedrich A. Hayek. (Well I actually read Epitoma rei militaris by Flavius Vegetius Renatus after that, but its interest is more limited. Both were a birthday present.) Road to Serfdom is not a long book and very interesting in my opinion, but if you want some non-narrative long reading, and are or could be interested in anthropology even as a dilettante, and don't mid about early XXth century fogey english or actually enjoy it, I'll always recommend The Golden Bough by Sir James G. Frazer.

As for narrative, I enjoyed things like Moby Dick and Shakespeare's works. His plays are not only good artistically, they're full of a deep understanding of human nature, at least so it seems to me. I also enjoy historic novels if they're good, I've read all novels by Robert Graves and my favourites are I, Claudius, The Story of Marie Powell: Wife to Mr. Milton, The Golden Fleece, The Islands of Unwisdom.

Well apparently a lot of people here like Terry Pratchett. Well I've almost finished his new one Wintersmith, following a trip to see him at the state library live. :w00t: He's just as funny in person and extremely nice; He stayed there signing every book that people placed in front of him, which was fortunate for me as I managed to get myself pushed to the back the line. :angry: I wouldn't say it's his best so far, but it's still a great read. I was going to buy Where's my Cow while I was there, but I ran out of money :( . But the fun doesn't end there; I've got The Last Hero to read after that. :) After that I think I might take up Tito's suggestion and try this Wilt saga.

I tend to read a pretty big range of both fiction and non-fiction and certainly Terry Pratchett is a favourite but he doesn't write enough books to keep me going :)

i've just finished Tom Holt's ' You don't have to be crazy to work here but it helps ' and before that 'Wintersmith' and 'wee free men'

I'm also quite big into psychology and real life stuff so i'm just starting Tory Haden's latest ' twilight children '

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(#BlakhOle# @ Feb 18 2007, 02:25 AM) [snapback]279789[/snapback]</div>Have in mind that it is not set in a fatasy world, in case you didn't know. It is about an English teacher of philosophy, and weird situations and characters that move around him. But I'm sure you'll enjoy it anyway.

Right now I've started reading "The Illiad" by Homero. Lets have a look at the origins of European literature.

:kosta:

Aaaaah.. good ol' Terry...

I'm one of them lazy guys who prefere to listen to audio-books instead.
Got 36 Audio-books with Terry Pratchett alone.
You gotta love the local libary that orders them from all over the country, just for me :)
(Amazingly, they only charge 0.50 € / book I want them to take home).
After they've recived it, i pick it up, rip it down to mp3, and return the CD's so other ppl can enjoy them.
After that, i load them (a few at the time) onto one of my phones, and listens to a part whenever i want to :)
Even more amazingly, the libary knows that i'm doing this, and said it was OK, since afterall, I gave more ppl a chanse of listening to books, and i only use it as i would have used the CD's.

Right NOW, i'm listening to "A hat full of sky" by Mr. T. P. :)

Also, slightly offtopic, there is a MOVIE (not the animated mini-series) of "Hogfather.
It was surprisingly good, and faar from the low-budget production i expected when i found it at the local video-rental. I recomend it strongly if you like T. P. at all.

Last book i read, BESIDES from any of the discworld-books, must have been The Hitchhickers Guide to the Galaxy.. for the 3:e tme or so.. It's a good solid book (got the combined volume with all 5 parts).

Yeah I read about Hogfather, looks good. Channel 2 (most likely the one to show it down under) probably won't secure the rights for about, oooh, say... about 3 years from now? And probably only show it sometime during the middle of Winter (which, by the way, is NOT Christmas in Australia).
Our local library still refuses to accept the 21st Century (well actually 20th Century I guess) method of reading, namely the humble audiotape. But still, I find reading leaves more room for the imagination to develop. Speaking of which, it's about time I read hogfather again... :santa:

Ahem, that's ABC to you Mr. BlakhOle.

Nonetheless, you're right about who and when would be showing it.

Incidentally, I finshed as much of The 120 Days of Soddom as I could stomach. I quite enjoyed the narrative sections, but when it spirals down into what is basically a shopping list of how to shame and torture people I just stopped.

I've just started reading Faster by James Glick, non-fiction phillisophical musings on the nature of time, and how it has sped up monstorously in the last 150 years. Very good so far...

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Lulu_Jane @ Feb 19 2007, 07:07 PM) [snapback]279909[/snapback]</div>Bleh :bleh: Says who? I watch it, I think I can call it whatever I like. ^_^ Besides, I thought it would be less confusing to my overseas counterparts here to include the word Channel, and Channel ABC just... doesn't work. Australian Broadcasting Commitee maybe, but not Channel ABC.

Anyways, have you read about a Good Omens Movie? Well at the moment the idea is still in limbo (has been for some time now), but director Terry Gilliam (even better! :kosta: ) says he still wants to make it, as well as Pratchett. Unfortunately, I still hold doubts that even the Hollywood magic can live up to the high standards of Good Omens, so a movie in comparison could be a disaster. Still, if Terry (Pratchett) reckons it can be done, then I'm all for it. :ok:

I think after his horrific experience with hollywood during his making of The Brothers Grimm (and his bad experiences in general, y'know "they" made him re-make the ending of Brazil?!) Terry Gilliam probably doesn't want that must to do with Hollywood anymore...

The pairing of Terry Prattchet and Terry Gilliam (my hero!) would be AWESOME though...

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Lulu_Jane @ Feb 20 2007, 12:56 PM) [snapback]280126[/snapback]</div>Mmmm. Terry Prattchet and Terry Gilliam. Sounds intereting... Indeed... :drool:

I just finished the Years of Rice and Salt, by Kim Stanley Robinson. Amazing piece of alternate history, based on the East dominating history after Europe was wiped out by the plague. Some bits are a bit implausible, but it's a good read.

I am a big fan of the vast majority of Terry Pratchett's Discworld novels, and I have read all, but one, of them several times. In fact, since October, I reread all of Samuel Vimes' (mis)adventures.

I choose to believe that someone at the printers rewrote the ending of Monstrous Regiment, and that it is not really a Terry Pratchett Discworld novel. The ending left me so flat that I would have to be paid a considerable sum to ever pick up that book again (and paid even more to read it).

If you liked Good Omens, I can highly recommend Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman.

I'd never really heard of Neil Gaimen before Good Omens; I should probably check out some of his work, shouldn't I?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(#BlakhOle# @ Feb 21 2007, 05:46 AM) [snapback]280294[/snapback]</div>He wrote the stories for the Sandman comics. I have the beginning and end of the series as graphic novels, and have read all of the bits in between. If I could afford to collect comics, I would get the whole set.

At last! I finished "Illiad", and it hasn't dissapointed me. It's true that there are many characters and that makes the action a bit difficult to follow, but it sets a milestone for all epic poems to come, and even modern fantasy literature owes a lot to them.

I've always loved epic poems, and I'm trying to read at least all the great european ones. For now I've read "Poema de Mio Cid", ""La Chanson de Roland", "Das Nibelungenlied" and some of King Arthur's cycle. After that I'm planning on going for "Os Lusiadas". Do you feel I'm missing something? I don't know much about the ones of central and east Europe.

For a change of pace, I turned to reading fanfiction. Bubblegum Zone is a fairly interesting and well-written story (stories?), and as a result I've been reading long past midnight for several days now.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tito @ Mar 2 2007, 05:21 PM) [snapback]281636[/snapback]</div>Good fantasy literature pertains to the epic genre, look at the Silmarillion for a very clear and loyal to tradition example. The poems you mention are from the Middle Ages, but epic literature has always existed, at least until Modernity killed or marginalized it. You've got older epic poems, all the way towards the ancient religions, and you also have more recent ones, in Spanish the Araucania comes to my mind, or the Finnish Romanticist nationalist Kalevala written in the XIXth century.

I myself haven't read many, only the Illiad and the Odissey I think, but some time I get enough time and I get into narrative, I'll consider it. How did you like the ones you've read so far?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Japofran @ Mar 2 2007, 06:30 PM) [snapback]281650[/snapback]</div>I'm surprised you weren't forced to read "Cantar de Mio Cid" at school. :blink: I had to, and I think I was the only person in my class (along with the teacher) that actually enjoyed it. If you want a recommendation, I would say "La Chanson de Roland", as it is both short and intense. It got me hooked for a whole night, from start to end. Also, "Das Nibelungenlied" is very interesting, but its first half is weaker. Than the other.

I studied "Araucania" in a subject called South American Literature, but haven't read it, as the style used in that period and zone (Chile) isn't quite my type. "Kalevala" was also in my mind, but I think it is a compilation of poems much older than the XIX century. And if sometimes I can get a copy of it, I'll also try the summerian "Gigamesch Poem", just to see how do middle-asian cultures deal with mitology.

About the Fanfiction thing, I feel unable of reading large pieces of text directly in my computer. After a while I get tired and my eyes hurt, so I guess I won't be trying it in a while.

Pd: Talking about "Illiad", right now I'm listening to the song "Achilles Last Stand", from Led Zeppelin.

For a good epic poem, I really recommend The Fearie Queen, by Edward Spenser. It's a brilliant satire and comment on the court of the English queen Elizabeth the First, and her court, thinly disguised as fantasy.

It's great fun :)

I've just remembered a delicious little book (really short) called "Tales from King Arthur", by Andrew Lang (ed.), edited by Wordsworth, Classics collection. It's a compilation of legends. Few are heavy going, just the hero performing ever harder but stupid exploits just to prove that he's the h3R0z. But most are very good, with this charming flavour, compelling and dramatic, especially at the end with the death of Arthur and whatnot. By the way although the book is quite short it covers the whole time span of the Arturic cycle.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Lulu_Jane @ Mar 3 2007, 06:13 AM) [snapback]281697[/snapback]</div>Never heared about that one. But for what you say it shows similarities with "Gulliver's Travels" by Jonathan Swift, that great critic of english societiy disguished as a children's tale. I'll have to try the one you mentioned.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Japofran @ Mar 3 2007, 08:32 PM) [snapback]281757[/snapback]</div>Yeah, knight books are great fun, although usually quite silly. I read some of them before starting "Don Quijote", just to know something about the genre that book so critisizes, and I ended loving them even more than "Don Quijote" itself.

I just finished Stephen King's epic Dark Tower series a couple of weeks ago. What a monster! The ending nearly burned me alive it was so hot. Roland Of Gilead is one of the best characters in any book, EVAR.

I've just finished reading 1984 by George Orwell. What an unpleasantly sad book... and the end was so unsatisfying.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Abi79 @ Mar 5 2007, 11:19 AM) [snapback]281923[/snapback]</div>How can there be an end? The enemies of freedom want to wear down Oceania by thousands of years of gnawing, insidious corruption, remember.

Question: will America's intervention to bring peace by deposing Saddam Hussein's regime bring an end to 6000 years of war between Shi'ites and Sunnis in the Gulf, or will it make the situation worse? Answers on a postcard (with embedded iris scan). Don't worry about the chopper outside your window - a terrorist could be someone you've known for decades, or your own mother. It could even be you, if you've been corrupted by Goldstein's book or have unwittingly associated with a thought criminal. Big Brother Is Watching You to protect you even against yourself.

I thought the book had quite a positive message: watch Big Brother.

1984 is a great book, anyway the best part is the description of the fictional world and even the appendix on neolanguage. The story itself is okay I guess but the interesting part is the world it takes place in.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(crazedloon @ Mar 5 2007, 02:13 PM) [snapback]281935[/snapback]</div>How can there be an end? The enemies of freedom want to wear down Oceania by thousands of years of gnawing, insidious corruption, remember.

Question: will America's intervention to bring peace by deposing Saddam Hussein's regime bring an end to 6000 years of war between Shi'ites and Sunnis in the Gulf, or will it make the situation worse? Answers on a postcard (with embedded iris scan). Don't worry about the chopper outside your window - a terrorist could be someone you've known for decades, or your own mother. It could even be you, if you've been corrupted by Goldstein's book or have unwittingly associated with a thought criminal. Big Brother Is Watching You to protect you even against yourself.

I thought the book had quite a positive message: watch Big Brother. [/b][/quote]
Very well put. I never thought of it this way. I'm always dissapointed of the ending of some movies, and the book's ending made me think nothing actually happened. Still, I liked the part where he said he won a fight with himself, since he now loved the Big Brother.

Terry Pratchett's The Light Fantastic. I started it yesterday when it arrived - I had finished The Color Of Magic the day before.


Loving it! :D

http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/6...urchill1nr.jpg

It's slow going, though. The author was a member of parliament for many years and writes (heavily) from that perspective. Admittedly, nearly the whole of Churchill's life was immersed with the British political system, but the hundreds of details which arise from the author's proximity to governmental process are sometimes a chore to work through.

Right now I'm reading the newest Dune book, it has been years since I've read the previous books, so sometimes it feels like you don't know what the hell is going on, but mostly it's explained nicely in the book itself.

The author probably knew he should've written it much faster :P

Unfortunately I just got Final Fantasy XII, which is both a blessing and a curse :rolleyes: . I don't think I'll be doing too much reading for a while yet...

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Henning @ Mar 7 2007, 07:50 PM) [snapback]282345[/snapback]</div>I just finished that. Great book, but the later books get even better.

Finished reading Bubblegum Zone. The whole thing was pretty darn huge - and written so well I've been reading until early morning hours for several nights in a row.

I've got a huge pile of various fanfiction just waiting to be read... so that's what I'm going to do for next few days.

The Return of the Shoutbox by Abandonia

Another one: "The magician" by W. Somerset Maugham. Intended to be a kind of light reading before going into more serious stuff, but I ended discovering a romantic and quite boring (for its style) novel. Very different from other books I've read from the same writer, specially the short tales ones, which are great.

Alright. I put "Churchill" on the back-burner for a while.


Just finished reading through...

http://img368.imageshack.us/img368/8733/watchmends2.jpg

Am currently skimming through a history of the Greek philosophers.

Will start afterwards on...

http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/6...3508130sq0.jpg

I have been reading Gullivers Travels by Johnathan Swift, if you want something with plotholes read it, I cant see how this gunge ever got published let alone be considered a classic!

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(BlindMonk @ Mar 14 2007, 12:28 PM) [snapback]283489[/snapback]</div>Funny you should say that, I'm currently in the middle of a book on philosophers, from Monists to Modern times.

Incidentally, Tito reminded me of another book called Magician, by Raymond E. Feist, which I've only just finished reading. It's quite good, and there's sequels too, but I haven't been able to find the time to go to the library, let alone read it. The only problem I have is the name of the unfortunate protagonist, Pug, who thankfully changes it, or really has it changed for him, later on.

Mmmm, Watchmen, so good memories... I hope they don't make a film of it, they would probably screw it completely.

About your comment, Dillon, I think it is a bit radical. It is quite an old book, so you can't compare it with modern ones in terms of plot. The structure of this book follows that of children tales, with a sharp satire hidden behind it, and that is what can make it an interesting novel (I wouldn't say classic, as I find that concept quite silly).

Old novels were nothing like modern ones. In a novel you expect a plot from the beginning to the end, but old novels have nothing to do with that. The only constant is the characters if any and each episode is mostly an independent story. The good thing is that if you get bored and stop reading it for several months you won't need to remember almost anything when you continue with it.

Back in the days of old you didn't really have much else to do in a sunday afternoon i bet, so you can spend it by reading a 500 page novel right?

Yes plus they were usually sold in instalments

I just finished reading "The Life and Times of Gertrude Bell," written by Janet Wallach. Surprisingly enough it's a biography of my new hero, Gertude Bell.

She is one of the most awesome woman ever to have walked the earth in my opinion.

Ok, first things first....

1) I am a girl
2) I love history
3) Sometimes I like soppy love stories...

So... I do like historical novels with hints of fiction best... Lately, I have just finished the entire Tudor series by Philippa Gregory... I would also recommend the trilogy the Cole Family by Noah Gordon. These comprises of 3 books:

The Physician
Shaman
Dr Cole

Aside from this trilogy, he also has another incredible book called "The Last Jew" . More info on all books here: http://www.noahgordonbooks.com/novels.htm


I also like other stuff that is a bit darker, such as "Let the right one in" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Let_The_Right_One_In) or lighter stuff such as Harry Potter (the entire series) and The Twilight series, or just autobiographies, such as Slash's...

... I like a lot of different stuff, I guess...

just finished reading "The Sea of Trolls" (really great, my favourite part about the magicks in the story however is that the kid isn't ub3r :D ) and just started reading "Zachary's Gold" but am only 4 chapters in ;)

Time and Again (1951) by Clifford D. Simak. Not as impressive as Way Station (1963) or City (1952/1981).

House of Leaves was garbage and had some pretty thin characters, I think Danielewski was just performing fellatio on himself and his ability to move text around on the page in funny shapes.

Makes me want to read VALIS again to wash myself clean.

I'm reading Virginia Woolf's The Waves because I'm one of those retards who can read a book if it has nearly no plot at all because I love good prose.

I have reread once more "62/Modelo para armar" (62: A Model Kit), by Julio Cortazar. It's a great book and I think it's amongst the best novels from this author.

Just finished reading "Small Favor", the tenth book in The Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher.
Fun stuff, really. :D

Waiting to get my hot lil hands on Pratchett's Nation. Pigggy: every tried the more hard-to-find stuff by LM Montgomery? The Emily series and the Chronicles of Avonlea. They show the true class of her talent, and I love the sheer emotive loveliness of it. Her other stuff is a bit contrived, though. I never liked Anne of Green Gables. Have you read any good sci fi lately? I recommend early Cherryh. Sunfall was mindbending. Also short stories by Ursula K. Le Guin. Especially the Fisherman of the Inland Sea. I'll try virginia woolf, because i found her a bit too depressing originally. I prefer c.s. Lewis's Surprised by Joy. Still haven't ploughed through the children of hurin, either. But i'll make a note to avoid house of leaves... I'll try the dresden files tomorrow.

Does any of you read or have read argentinian authors? I'm just curious

I've read Montgomery, but only Anne of Green Gables and I wasn't a fan because it was obviously catered for children, I see how kids could enjoy it, but honestly I was a bit too old for it. I haven't read anything beyond that though, and apparently the later books continue on in age so they might be more suitable reading.

As for Le Guin, I appreciate the fact that she doesn't riddle her work with sci-fi tropes and a liberal application of predictable plots, but after reading a lot of her short stories and one or two of her books I didn't consider her to have the lasting ability or talent of someone like Philip K. **** or Ellison, **** for his ability to write indepth characters and manipulate a plot like no one else, and Ellison for his pure writing ability and manipulation of words.

Virginia Woolf is difficult to read and understand initially, she's a writer much like Faulkner or Joyce that requires acclimation, her stuff really isn't pick up and read, but unlike a lot of readers will recommend, it's not necessary really take her books along slowly because they carry themselves with the way the story is told. Reading Ulysses isn't really reading Ulysses if your first time through you're stopping to check annotations every three seconds for example.

EDIT: What a stupid filter.

I have recently read The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis. Twas a thought-provoking book.