What are you reading? -

Wings of Fire · #**871** 01-29-2011, 05:14 AM

It's one of his weaker books, read Thus Spoke Zarathustra, The Birth of Tragedy or Beyond Good and Evil.

Gosh I remember my Nietzsche phase.

Leto · #**872** 01-30-2011, 11:05 PM

Don't we all, darling.

dis at the moment, pretty heavy readins i do declare.

metroixer · #**873** 02-02-2011, 01:22 PM

I kinda want to re-read Catch-22. I read it last winter but it was for a research paper, I liked it but I don't think I was able enjoy it that much because it felt like I was doing work instead of reading for the sake of reading.

Phylum · #**874** 02-02-2011, 09:45 PM

Catch-22 is fucking brilliance on paper.

I would talk about how much I love it, but it would end up being a really long fucking post. I also want to re-read it soon.

***Nate*** · #**875** 02-02-2011, 10:51 PM

The first time I read it, I thought it was brilliant. The second time I read it (older, maturer), I thought it was brilliant but depressing. So depressing.

MA · #**876** 02-14-2011, 11:07 AM

I Have No Mouth, And I Must Scream. i read it online. its a sci fi short story, and i thought it was fucking brilliant. yeah, Harlan Ellison is a cantankerous old bastard, but it didn't come out in his writing style. to be honest, i haven't been able to sit down and read something for quite a while due to my concentration, but i think i might have a look at some of the other stuff he's written.

i sort of stumbled across it, anyway. i was looking up shit about the Terminator universe, and came across a bunch of links to books, films and TV shows that could have helped James Cameron with the Terminator concept. I Have No Mouth was among them and i happened to look it up. i'm glad i did.

Disgruntled Intern · #**877** 02-15-2011, 10:29 AM

Lots of comics lately. Scud: The Disposable Assassin (the whole shebang), Chimichanga, and currently, Chew. I like Chew. Chew makes me laugh more than anything else has in a while.

Alf Shall Rise · #**878** 02-16-2011, 04:19 PM

I started reading American Psycho a few days ago, I haven't read much though because I'm a slow reader. I haven't much to say about it yet, but judging it by what others said, I'm expecting it to be good.

STM · #**879** 02-24-2011, 04:03 AM

Has anyone ever read a George Orwell novel with a happy ending? I read Burmese Days last night and the poor guy, only goes and blows his bloody head off I mean that was depressing at 2 o'clock in the morning, whelp onto the Clergyman's Daughter now, should be a good read.

Wings of Fire · #**880** 02-24-2011, 07:14 AM

1984 has a good ending in the same way Pocahontas has a bad ending. As in, it's there, you just have to know where to look.

STM · #**881** 02-24-2011, 07:19 AM

Well, to be free of knowledge of a greater existence could be construed as better, to live life shallow and imbued with a sense of dull monotony yet safety, albeit waiting for eventual termination. Perhaps? I disagree, however it is a far superior ending to any 'happy ending'.

Wings of Fire · #**882** 02-24-2011, 07:37 AM

I was talking more about the clues dotted around the book, and in particular the part about the terminology of IngSoc that alludes to it not lasting all that long into the future.

But yeah, 1984 confirmed to have one of the most developed endings ever.

STM · #**883** 02-25-2011, 03:49 AM

Really? I never got that, I thought Orwell meant to symbolise that such a corrupt and sprawling mass would never end, it would merely stagnate as more and more officials join the Inner Sanctum, allowing old ones to be terminated.

Wings of Fire · #**884** 02-25-2011, 05:46 AM

Read the afterword on doublespeak and that, notice what tense Orwell uses.

Strike Witch · #**885** 02-25-2011, 05:51 AM

Been reading The World God Only Knows.

Shit be tight.

STM · #**886** 02-25-2011, 05:57 AM

I have but I'll re-read it, I'm interested in your viewpoint since it brings hopefulness into the novel. Thanks for pointing this out for me WoF.

EDIT: Ok, I read it, and I believe you are wrong, the story was written in the past tense ans since there is no frame story, he writes the essay in the same tense for sake of ease. INGSOC, I suppose, in retrospect could not fall, since it controls the past, it can control the future. Also it is obvious the Proles are to stupid to rebel.

MeechMunchie · #**887** 04-10-2011, 12:02 PM

I picked up The Road this afternoon and read it in one sitting.

I love weekends.

OddjobAbe · #**888** 04-10-2011, 02:48 PM

I'm reading a comedy by Barry Pain - The Eliza Stories. I think that it's very funny. It's supposed to be a sort of diary of the lead character's, so what you've got is a collection of little stories. I find it quite difficult to stop reading it when I start, but I need to limit myself so that I don't progress through it too quickly.

CrissCross · #**889** 04-11-2011, 12:40 AM

i read this epic story called prisoner from birth

i definitely reccomend it

enchilado · #**890** 04-11-2011, 02:30 AM

American Born Chinese, a graphic novel by Gene Luen Yang. It was actually ages ago that I read it, but it's really, really good.

Phylum · #**891** 06-03-2011, 03:34 AM

I started The Colour of Magic today. I'm really enjoying it so far. I want to keep reading it, which is good because I have to write a piece of work about it that is due in 2 weeks.

MeechMunchie · #**892** 06-04-2011, 01:43 PM

I want to go to your school.

Phylum · #**893** 06-04-2011, 04:46 PM

We have to read a novel of our own choice and do a piece of work around it. I don't think any schools are awesome enough make reading Discworld mandatory.

metroixer · #**894** 06-05-2011, 06:27 AM

I'm reading stranger in a strange land right now. I find it pretty standard fare in terms of the whole "abandoned alien learns about human culture" thing goes. But I'm not too far in, the alien has some pretty cool powers so far Just make things disappear if it wanted them to! and I like Harshaw's character.

Also the cover claims it's supposed to be one of the best science fiction novels ever written so I suppose it was one of the first of its kind regarding the whole alien getting into human culture thing.

STM · #**895** 06-05-2011, 07:39 AM

We had to read Lord of the Flies and Inspector Calls when we were doing our English GCSE (that sounds so weird past-tense after three years). LotF is fantastic but Inspector Calls I find less enjoyment reading, although the black and white film is good.

OddjobAbe · #**896** 06-05-2011, 12:48 PM

Inspector Calls was incredible, but you have to see it as a play (although the film you're talking about with Alastair Sim is good, but I felt something was missing in that because of some of the alterations the film makers made). Of course it's not as entertaining to read in literature form, because the visual element (which is essential to a play) is missing. Priestly really conveyed an important point well with that play.

STM · #**897** 06-05-2011, 12:51 PM

Indeed, I have a friend whose very right wing who insists it's a load of bollocks. But we really do have to help everyone if we are to function as a successful community.

OddjobAbe · #**898** 06-05-2011, 01:00 PM

I once knew a person who considered herself as what I call a dithering pussyfooter (in terms of political beliefs). Fundamentally, her reason for disliking An Inspector Calls was the fact that Goole "wasn't very kind to the family". She got on my nerves more than the lunatic right-wing people I've known.

That play had a real effect on me when I was an adolescent, especially since I had been developing my own ideas about socialism. I loved the way Priestly rips into the bourgeoisie and the whole idea of the class system.

STM · #**899** 06-05-2011, 01:04 PM

I do to, I am firmly a socialist and I believe capitalism will not work now or ever unless it reforms. How could a country survive without the benefit system, and if it wasn't for free NHS care, I would have had a 'retarded' arm since the age of three due to an accident, thank god I don't live in America where my family wouldn't have been able to pay the insurance.

MeechMunchie · #**900** 06-06-2011, 10:12 AM

:

We have to read a novel of our own choice and do a piece of work around it. I don't think any schools are awesome enough make reading Discworld mandatory.

I would have been thankful for that. I can only remember two pieces of work I've had where I got to choose the subject: A two minute speech on anything for English GCSE (I chose superheroes) and a Russian GCSE speech on 'My Favourite TV Programme' (I picked Father Ted/Otyets Ted/Omemc Meg).