OT: What are you reading (not for school!)?

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Also, if you like fantasy AND hi-fi (teehee), you should check out Guy Gavriel Kay
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Naomi Novik does a good job of blending hi-fi and fantasy as well in her Temeraire series. Dragons + the Napoleonic War sounds like an odd combination but she pulls it off well. It's not real groundbreaking writing but still, a good series IMO.
 
HopefulAg said:
Naomi Novik does a good job of blending hi-fi and fantasy as well in her Temeraire series. Dragons + the Napoleonic War sounds like an odd combination but she pulls it off well. It's not real groundbreaking writing but still, a good series IMO.
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Oooh I haven't read that. I'll have to see if I can find them.
 
So on the basis of this thread I've read a few of the suggested books:

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
This was good. I read it in 2 days..it's a very easy read (I think it's a kids book?) and I enjoyed the story but I kinda figured out the end before the end (again, probably because it's a kid's book).

The Color of Magic by Terry Pratchett
Ok, so I wanted to try a Terry Pratchett book and so I got the first one of the Discworld series (only $5 at Barnes and Noble) figuring I'd start at the beginning even though people said you could start anywhere. I dunno. I'm not completely done with the story (have about 50 pg left). It's interesting but it doesn't pull me in the way Ender's Game did or other books I've read recently. I'm not sure that I'm sold on his writing style and the idea, but since this is a relatively short book I'll try another one before I give Terry Pratchett the ol' heave ho. I did get Hogfather out of the library, so maybe I'll try that one next.
 
I love Terry Pratchett books, but not all of them, and I, too, thought Color of Magic very weak. If that was the first one I read I don't think I would've read any more ever. Aren't there like 36 Discworld books? Nobody can write that many and have them all be winners.

Give Hogfather a shot; although his subplots are often weak, I don't care! because the humor and the odd turn of phrase are just so enjoyable.

Here are two of my favorite Hogfather quotes:

"Real children don't go hoppity-skip unless they are on drugs."

"Getting an education was a bit like a communicable sexual disease. It made you unsuitable for a lot of jobs and then you had the urge to pass it on."


After reading that, I'd put up with a lot of extraneous bad writing. 😀
 
I'm reading The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins. One of the smartest, yet most readable, scientific writers. So good at being able to explain his findings in a language that we can all follow and understand. Of course, for me he's preaching to the choir. But I recommend it for anyone who wonders if there is a god.
 
GellaBella said:
I'm not sure that I'm sold on his writing style and the idea, but since this is a relatively short book I'll try another one before I give Terry Pratchett the ol' heave ho. I did get Hogfather out of the library, so maybe I'll try that one next.
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Yeah, definitely try Hogfather. I'm also going to throw out Going Postal as a suggestion. Colour of Magic was the first, as you say, and I just think it suffers from the mythology of Discworld not being quite in place yet.
 
This thread has me really weighing buying a Kindle. My Amazon wish list has become ridiculously long.....
 
Before you shell out for the Kindle, try some free smart-phone apps like Aldiko or Ambling Book Player.
 
You're probably better off with the Kindle or whatever that other one is now. I thought I'd have the same problem, but now that the newer phones are all screen, it's much more comfortable to read.
 
I can read comfortably on my iPhone. I do get eyestrain after awhile from it being backlit, but size-wise I don't have a problem.

EDIT: Stanza is an amazing app if you want to read books on your iPhone 🙂
 
Yeah, I can't read on anything with a backlit-screen like the iphone or ipad - I figure if I'm getting a device to READ on, that's the only d**n thing I want it to do. I have a 1st gen classic Nook (the Barnes and Noble version), and my boyfriend has a Kindle. We both absolutely adore our devices. Never thought I'd want one, and I still have 5 massive bookshelves overflowing with books..but I love my Nook. And let me tell you how incredibly nice it was to have while I was overseas for nearly 2 weeks!
 
Can't you reverse the screen? It's easier for me to flip to a dark background & white letters, and then adjust the brightness if I have to - it doesn't tire my eyes as much.
 
My husband and I have a kindle and a nook (the kindle is tecnically mine, the nook is his) AWESOME. Love them! Still buy the really good books that I want on my shelf but love the fact that I can carry an entire library with me in my purse!

I don't like reading on back lit phones/ipad... blegh (which is also why I don't understand the Nook color - the whole thing is backlit! stupid.)
 
heylodeb said:
My husband and I have a kindle and a nook (the kindle is tecnically mine, the nook is his) AWESOME. Love them! Still buy the really good books that I want on my shelf but love the fact that I can carry an entire library with me in my purse!

I don't like reading on back lit phones/ipad... blegh (which is also why I don't understand the Nook color - the whole thing is backlit! stupid.)
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I think the Nook color is B&N's answer to the ipad - they're trying to keep their foot in the door and not go down the tubes like Borders. It honestly makes sense in that respect, although I agree, I can't read on those. It's a nice toy, but not for me.

Angelus, I don't know if you can flip the screen like that - can you? Are you talking about on the Ipad/Iphone? I think that would hurt my eyes but I've never tried it.
 
I started re-reading the Harry Potter series after the last movie came out. So far I'm only on the second book 'cause I've been lazy.

And I don't usually like reading on screen like for the nooks and ipads. I just love having the actual book, and the smell <3
 
Whyevernot55 said:
Angelus, I don't know if you can flip the screen like that - can you? Are you talking about on the Ipad/Iphone?
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No, I was talking about on the Android phone. Reading "on-line" of any sort was something I really had to get used to; I like the feel of a "real" book, but I've adapted.🙄 I still get eyestrain faster than in reading a paper book, but can read for longer now. Since I like to read a lot of the old books, like Dickens and Anthony Trollope, they're all free, so I use it for those. And the Book Reader ones for having someone else read those to me like a bedtime story, I guess.:laugh: I listened to Peter Pan that way; I'd never read it! It's not nearly as cutesy as the movies and cartoons make it; it's both funnier and much sadder (and a much better story!).
 
I'm still in my post-potter depression, so re-read all of the books this summer. Almost done Deathly Hallows and can already feel a new wave of depression coming on. 🙄

I love all books, but Fantasy/Sci-Fi is my thing and teen fiction is my guilty pleasure. Just starting the Sookie Stackhouse series, which have been put on hold for the summer, aka The Post-Potter Depression Season.

Huge fan of the Hunger Games... love love love those books. Really enjoyed Percy Jackson, the Shiver/Linger/Forever trilogy, the Mortal instruments, etc.

Some animal-related books that I enjoyed last spring were The Blessings of the Animals, Inside of a Dog, Water for elephants.

I like reading articles on my iphone, but I find it's too small for reading novels. Might try out a Kobo soon, though. Less wasted paper!
 
AspireInspire said:
I'm still in my post-potter depression, so re-read all of the books this summer. Almost done Deathly Hallows and can already feel a new wave of depression coming on. 🙄

I love all books, but Fantasy/Sci-Fi is my thing and teen fiction is my guilty pleasure. Just starting the Sookie Stackhouse series, which have been put on hold for the summer, aka The Post-Potter Depression Season.

Huge fan of the Hunger Games... love love love those books. Really enjoyed Percy Jackson, the Shiver/Linger/Forever trilogy, the Mortal instruments, etc.

Some animal-related books that I enjoyed last spring were The Blessings of the Animals, Inside of a Dog, Water for elephants.

I like reading articles on my iphone, but I find it's too small for reading novels. Might try out a Kobo soon, though. Less wasted paper!
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Wow, we have a lot of the same tastes. We need to start a book club!

I also suffer from Post-Potter Depression. At least we'll have Pottermore...
 
AspireInspire said:
Some animal-related books that I enjoyed last spring were The Blessings of the Animals, Inside of a Dog, Water for elephants.
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I wanted to read Inside of a Dog! They had it at my school's bookstore but I'm too cheap to buy brand new books now, haha. I have a mountain of books sitting on my amazon wishlist and most of them involve dogs (Oogy, The Art of Racing in the Rain, Saving Cinnamon)... sometimes I feel like an oddball 😛

How is Water for Elephants? I saw the movie ads though I never got to see it, but it looks interesting.
 
lareinesoleil said:
Wow, we have a lot of the same tastes. We need to start a book club!

I also suffer from Post-Potter Depression. At least we'll have Pottermore...
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Thank god for Pottermore, haha. I can't wait to get my welcome email!!

jenibenii said:
I wanted to read Inside of a Dog! They had it at my school's bookstore but I'm too cheap to buy brand new books now, haha. I have a mountain of books sitting on my amazon wishlist and most of them involve dogs (Oogy, The Art of Racing in the Rain, Saving Cinnamon)... sometimes I feel like an oddball 😛

How is Water for Elephants? I saw the movie ads though I never got to see it, but it looks interesting.
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Inside of a dog was super interesting. The author talks a lot of our natural inclination to anthropomorphize dogs and how we have to set that aside to really understand them. I really recommend it to all dog lovers! I think I paid about 10$ for it at Walmart.

Water for Elephants was really good. It helped me understand how cruel circuses were, especially in those days when there was so much traveling and the care of the animals was not the number one priority. The story is set during the Depression and it's pretty sad but everything is well written and it's very eye-opening !
The movie was also very good!! I was initially not going to see it because Robert Pattinson is kind of... awkward... But he was actually really good and played a perfect Jacob! The rest of the cast was perfect and they really did a great job. Seriously in my top 10 of books adapted into movies.
 
AspireInspire said:
Inside of a dog was super interesting. The author talks a lot of our natural inclination to anthropomorphize dogs and how we have to set that aside to really understand them. I really recommend it to all dog lovers! I think I paid about 10$ for it at Walmart.

Water for Elephants was really good. It helped me understand how cruel circuses were, especially in those days when there was so much traveling and the care of the animals was not the number one priority. The story is set during the Depression and it's pretty sad but everything is well written and it's very eye-opening !
The movie was also very good!! I was initially not going to see it because Robert Pattinson is kind of... awkward... But he was actually really good and played a perfect Jacob! The rest of the cast was perfect and they really did a great job. Seriously in my top 10 of books adapted into movies.
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It does sound really good. I'll have to read and watch the movie since they both got your seal of approval :]
 
I love the books being recommended here! loved Water for Elephants, Inside of a Dog, The Hot Zone, pretty much all Stephen King books and Tell me where it hurts. I'm definitely taking notes of these other books you guys are recommending, I hope I'll have time to do some reading this semester (highly doubt it 🙁).

Right now I'm reading Bonk:the curious coupling of science and sex, by Mary Roach. If you've read Stiff (despite the title not about the same subject :laugh:) you'll like this one to. and if you haven't read either of them I highly recommend them both, they are VERY interesting and Mrs. Roach has an excellent sense of humor which makes the books go really fast

For those of you Hot Zone fans I recommend The Cobra Event i think it's actually fiction but good nonetheless 🙂. Also if you liked Tell me where it hurts Dr. Trout wrote two other books Ever by my side and Love is the best medicine. I haven't read either but they are on my To-Do list!
 
I've been on a huge travel writing kick lately. Just finished The Best American Travel Writing 2009 anthology, recently started The Best American Travel Writing 2010 anthology, and have an anthology of food-related travel writing that's next in line.

This is clearly also related to my absolute love of magazine writing... been reading a lot of anthologies lately, but not many real full books.

I also just bought a huge stack of used Pony Club manuals and hunter judging guides (including George Morris) from Amazon. So that's next into the distraction pile...
 
Just finished Unbearable Lightness. Amazing, amazing book. I loved it. I recommend it to anyone who is a memoir addict like myself =)
 
I'm an unbearably slow reader, so I've got two going at the same time because I just can't wait to get through one to start another!

So I'm reading The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot (best last name ever) which I highly recommend to anyone! You don't have to have a science background to understand the science side and the book is so well written. It's probably the best non-fiction piece I've read in a long time. Anyone with an interest in Bioethics and science history will love this book. I heard about it on NPR a couple of months ago. Oh, also anyone who has ever worked with HeLa cells should be required to read this first.

The second is Edgar Sawtelle. It's good so far. It's a novel about a family that breeds and raises dogs. The main character is a boy who is mute. I unfortunately read the book insert and it gave away a great deal of the book, so don't do what I did if you decide to read it!

All of your book recommendations are giving me all the more reason to scour the closeout sale at Borders....
 
CorporateFatCat said:
All of your book recommendations are giving me all the more reason to scour the closeout sale at Borders....
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I'm going through my second one of these (first at school, now at home) and it's still so sad/exciting. Like, where am I going to buy books in the future (love browsing so much more than ordering online), but also, so many cheap books!! I feel conflicted every time I go in and find something that sounds exciting that's also really cheap. (Also, bargain books 40% off? Amazing. Basically $1 new books.)
 
Just finished Tina Fey's Bossypants and Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn trilogy. I've been saving Dance of Dragons for once we were completely moved in - so I wouldn't be distracted. I just started that last night - loving it so far.

Best investment - iPad - I thought I would have trouble reading on it with the backlit screen, but it is awesome, I get no eye fatigue. And I can turn on my music when I want.
 
Another person to vouch for The Immortal Life of Henriette Lacks. It was a wonderful book (although I'm breaking the rules, it was required for our orientation 😀). But it had great science history and to watch the development of science and ethics is moving. It also puts a good perspective on what is going on in science research today. I've been recommending it to everyone 👍👍👍

Other books I have read this summer:
Clive Cussler Crescent Dawn - His Dirk Pitt series is nicely action packed
James Herriott All Things Wise and Wonderful - slowly working my way through these, makes me wish i was a vet back then: working on a patient, then sitting down and getting sloshed with the farmer over home-made wine. :laugh:

Other books I have read before that I also want to suggest:
The Hobbit
The Lord of the Rings 1,2, and 3.
The Silmarillion
All by JRR Tolkien. This is if you like to get caught up with a world within the pages. The silmarillion is really a history of "middle earth" so it can be dry unless you are into history.
 
SouthJerseyBell said:
James Herriott All Things Wise and Wonderful - slowly working my way through these, makes me wish i was a vet back then: working on a patient, then sitting down and getting sloshed with the farmer over home-made wine. :laugh:
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Oh my gosh, yes, totally agree and second this rec! I recently finished Every Living Thing and even though the chapters can be sometimes somewhat predictable (as in, "I thought X wasn't going to work/happen/etc. and guess what? It did!"), but I love them! So engaging and the vignette style works amazingly with my attention span for books. It's almost like a collection of (really) short stories. I still have (I think) 3 of his I haven't read and I'm keeping a look-out for them at the Borders closing or the library.
 
Finished reading the 4th and 5th George RR Martin books and am increasingly disappointed. It has turned into an utter soap opera, and I can just see how the writing is completely geared towards TV now. Cast of 100s, no real focus, just stretching things out as long as possible, adding new story lines out of nowhere, and no closure of anything EVER.

I liked the first 3 books much better. There seemed to be a point. It is just a rambling mess now.
 
"The Hunger Games" trilogy. DO IT.

Read the first two in two days. Now have the third staring at me as I pretend to study. They're freaking awesome! Plus, movies are coming out soon, so you gotta read the books first!
 
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