just finished "snuff" by terry pratchett. i forgot how great the discworld series is, strated reading them about 20 odd years ago. might read them all again and buy the missing ones.
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just finished "snuff" by terry pratchett. i forgot how great the discworld series is, strated reading them about 20 odd years ago. might read them all again and buy the missing ones.
For reason i can't understand i've never read anything from Pratchett. Maybe i should get myself corrected and try one. Is there any cronological etc order i should start from or does anything go without me missing anything?Quote:
Originally Posted by edhewitt
I'm reading the Bible from beginning to end. I just finished The Book of Psalms and I will begin The Book of Proverbs tonight.
I am also reading "The Westminster Confession of Faith For Study Classes" by G.I. Williamson. Highly recommend it.
Yes and no, each bookin the series stands alone, BUT the characters do tend to flow between books so it is better to read them in order, though saying that i have missed a few of the recent ones, but Sam vimes has been in them for ages so I kind of knew what he was about. Now I am in my thirties I Recon I will get a lot more out of them. A lot of social commentary but very funny.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sailor
The first book is called "the colour of magic"
Just finishing, "West with the Night", Beryl Markham. Markham was a female bush pilot and Big Game Scout, Horse Trainer, Aviation Adventurer and one hell of a writer. It is her autobiography and snapshot of Africa and aviation in the early 1900. She was an excellent writer of the smooth flowing style of writers of the early 1900 that paints an ethereal pictorial of another time. It appears to be the only book she wrote but was well received in it’s time.
Ernest Hemmingway said of this book in a letter to a friend.
“Did you read Beryl Markham's book, "West with the Night"? I knew her fairly well in Africa and never would have suspected that she could and would put pen to paper except to write in her flyer's log book. As it is, she has written so well, and marvelously well, that I was completely ashamed of myself as a writer. I felt that I was simply a carpenter with words, picking up whatever was furnished on the job and some times making an okay pig pen. But this girl who is, to my knowledge, very unpleasant,... can write rings around all of us who consider ourselves as writers. The only parts of it that I know about personally, on account of having been there at the time and heard the other people's stories, are absolutely true. So, you have to take as truth the early stuff about when she was a child which is absolutely superb. She omits some very fantastic stuff which I know about which would destroy much of the character of the heroine; but what is that anyhow in writing? I wish you would get it and read it because it is really a bloody, wonderful book.”
An excellent read for sure. thank you for the memory!Quote:
Originally Posted by Euclid440
~Richard
World War Z. I haven't seen the movie (although I am curious about it now) but when I saw the book in an airport bookshop on the weekend after having listened to three distinct groups of friends/colleagues talking about it over the last couple of months, I figured what the heck. It's actually a very interesting read and not at all what I had expected.
And just before that (I know I'm not reading it "now" but it's too good not to mention!) was Sylvain Tesson's "Consolations of the Forest". Tesson is a French travel writer who spent five months living alone on the shores of Lake Baikal. Highly recommended for anyone who loves the outdoors, dogs, and books. :)
Woe To Live On by Daniel Woodrell
Just finished The Great Train Robbery by Michael Crichton. Heard about it, and it exceeded my expectations. I'm going to go through some older classics that I just never read. Next is Animal Farm.
George Orwell's "Coming up for air" is one of my all time favorites.
'Around the World in 80 Days' by Jules Vern. Nothing like the classics!
Mick
My wife and I have been reading aloud to one another once a week since we were dating.Classics for the most part. Currently we are just finishing up Sommerset Maughm's "Of Human Bondage".
Rob
Such a beautiful piece of a little known America. I LOVE THIS BOOK!Quote:
Originally Posted by WW243
I love a writer that introduces me to characters that seem as if they are people I have known. Whats really great is that I am quite familiar with the history and it is all local history here. A very realistic characters and circumstances, some of it borrowed quite literally from real incidents.
It hasn't been recent, but Ken Follet's Pillars of the Earth pleasantly surprising. I found it (and World War Z) on deployment. Both we great reads, though couldn't be further from each other as far as content, both were able to keep me enthralled. Steve Berry's Cotton Malone series is pretty good. Not masterworks, but definately entertaining. I just finished a collection of short Sherlock Holmes tales, definately worth your time. Finding myself bending more towards classics lately, though we did have some required reading that made a big impact on me, mostly due to my ability to relate, and as I was reading it, I realized I actually knew one of the guys in the book, but it was called Blackhearts: One Platoon's Descent into Madness in Iraq's Triangle of Death. Unfortunately it is an extremely accurate depiction of what can happen in the hell we call war. All good options, just depends on what you're looking for.
Prior to 'Around the World in 80 Days', I read a book by W.H Hudson titled 'A Shepherds Life' written around 1910 or there abouts. It is essentially a series of talks with an old Shepherd about his life and stories from his fathers era, but it is very well written and full of interesting bits of little known everyday life of the ordinary people that is lacking in far too many books of this style. Many of those focus on the life of well known or well off folk that really doesn't click with everyday living.
I read the book in it's original format, but it is available as a free ebook from Amazon (which I downloaded as well...And I don't even own a Kindle reader! :))
Mick
While the 1st lady got hooked into TV, Walkind Dead or something, i kept her company and spent few nice moments by reading 'Tales of ordinary madness' by Charles Bukowski. Excellent (if you're up to this kind of literature). My other quickie favorites are maybe 'Spoon river anthology' and 'Letters to Yesenin' by Jim Harrison.
Revisiting A Confederacy of Dunces. Having lived there makes it even funnier. You know exactly what the little nuances mean.
After having read this book many times I am starting to think Ignatius really was crazy JMO.
Just finished a re-read,freedoms forge,a must read IMO.
All about how the great industrialists took over the feeble attempts of the U.S Govt to Ramp up for WW2
Transformed the auto makers into tank builders,Planes, guns,munitions,ships,great read.
I have only a few times reread a book and refuse to watch a movie twice. I feel that if the author/director didn't get their point across the first time they failed and it isn't worth my time to try to understand them.
"The Liberator" by Alex Kershaw"
"One WWII Soldier's Odyssey From The Beaches Of Sicily To The Gates Of Dachau".
I really appreciate this book and will never forget it. On one level it is the age old brutal existence of ground combat soldiers
and the day to day mayhem of their existence. It pays tribute to the men of the 145th Infantry (Thunderbirds) and their personal 500 day fight through hell.
Bob
I would disagree, the first viewing of a film gives you an overview of what is happening, whereas subsequent viewings will reveal the more subtle things. I think this is because you are not trying to concentrate on what is going on so much you can see different things, I was just thinking this morning that I would like to watch Donnie darko again, it took me a few watches to really understand the point of the movie, though that was 7 or more years ago.Quote:
Originally Posted by 32t
The Second Oldest Profession (An Informal History of Moonshining in America)
And I disagree with you! A true artist will let you see the first time through!Quote:
Originally Posted by edhewitt
[silly post #4]
I will be reading The Joy Luck Club for my summer reading assignment this year..... Anyone else read it? Is it any good?
noQuote:
Originally Posted by parkerskouson
[silly post #5]
I disagree with you disagreeing with me disagreeing with you infinity squared. So thereQuote:
Originally Posted by 32t
Nor have, and nor do I. Though if you have to read it it probably doesn't matter how bad or otherwise it is.Quote:
Originally Posted by 32t
To me a reread is like visiting with old friends. You do it for enjoyment and relaxation and nothing more.Quote:
Originally Posted by 32t
I like Kipling just for the prose. OTOH, Evan Wright's Generation Kill is just so exciting even if you know what is going to happen. JMO.
+1 on Kipling. Ever read Puck of Pooks Hill? It sketches the history of England through several fictional historical characters. I think it was intended for children so it has a bit of a fantasy theme.
West with the Night is a great read! Thank you for putting it on the list.
I often think that children's books offer the best reading, because they really appeal to a vivid imagination. By children's books I don't mean Dr Suess so much (though I find them amusing too), rather books like the 'Spiderwick Chronicles' and 'Rangers Apprentice', 'Harry Potter' and the likes.Quote:
Originally Posted by Leatherstockiings
Right now I'm reading a children's book called 'Kidnapped' by Robert Louis Stevenson.
Mick
Yes, I recently read the Mr gum series of books to my daughter, I really enjoyed them, and would possibly reread them for my own pleasure.
This is more what should read next, I am just finishing "the chase" by Clive cussler, a literary masterpiece Iknow, but i rather enjoy these sorts of books, fast reads, you don't have to concentrate overhard, they fit in your pocket when you go to the toilet at work.
Anyway my options next are:
Brilliant creatures by Clive James.
Death lands -red holocaust by James axler
Cattle duffers of the outback by Frances m Boyle
The sonnets by William Shakespeare.
Leaning towards either the first or the last, unless there is anything else good in the camp shop tonight when I drop off "the chase". We have a flying doctors book exchange, so all sorts of stuff comes in, though I bought the sonnets in the post office, it was marked down to $2.
Quote:
Originally Posted by edhewitt
Just another classic example of rich mining magnates with a fishes backside if you ask me! :p
Mick
Cheers mick, helpful as usual then.Quote:
Originally Posted by R
I like to do my bit for philanthropy, if any of my grounds or house staff were ever injured in the bush I would want the RFDS to be available to them, rehiring is a real nuisance. I on the other hand would just call on one of my private aircraft to come and get me.
And I like to support the post office, they deliver my caviar and pate de fois gras.
If you keep being horrid to me I too shall eat worms, so I had best get the gardener to put some.pate and caviar in the wormery, I don't think I should be able to eat dirt flavoured worms.
Well, on a completely different note from the classics. I just finished "American Gods" and "The Ocean at the End of the Lane" by Neil Gaiman. The man is a master story teller.
Planning on starting to work through the Wheel of Time series next. I only got to book 6 before, they are all out (all 14 of them) and I am really looking forward to finishing out the story.
"Fearless" by Eric Blehm. This is the story of Seal Team 6 member Adam Brown as recounted by his fellow Seals and his
wife and children.
I think we would be hard put to find a Soldier with Adam's courage and love of life.
"The Third Bullet", by Stephen Hunter (a Bob Lee Swagger novel). An interesting "what-if?" take on the assassination of JFK (11/22/1963, 50th anniversary this fall).
Ended up choosing "beautiful people" by Clive James. I am about 25% of threat through, I am enjoying the book thus far.
At the moment I'm about half-way into "Through the Language Glass" by Guy Deutscher. It examines how language and culture affects the way one looks at/perceives the world. Fascinating stuff. :)