OT: The Good Book: What are you reading right now?

[Prometheus1]

Favourite Steinbeck people? I haven't read him since the school classics..any recommendations?

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

I do that all the time. I have read Asimov's Foundation series at least 3 times, Rendezvous with Rama twice, I read the Darwin biography I mentioned in an earlier post twice, first in Sweden, then later when I moved to the US after being around religious people in Virginia for 3 years I needed some "fresh air", I found the Southern Baptists very hypocritical. I felt very stupid when I went to a dinner and they were saying prayers, I just stared at the food. I have nothing against religious people, live and let live. I have problems when they try to save me or knocking on the door (Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormons).

Anyway, back on track. If I really like a book the chance of me re-reading it is pretty good.

I read all the Odyssey's and always wanted to read the rendezvous series.

 

[Per Sjoblom]

Favourite Steinbeck people? I haven't read him since the school classics..any recommendations?

Cannery Row, the Pearl which is a novella that I read in high school and later as an adult (one of my favorites), Grapes of Wrath, Of Mice and Men.

 

[Clearedwaivers]

I'd recommend Galapagos too. It was my first ever Vonnegut book and I was really amazed by his writing. In hindsight, it might not be as good as his other works, and the writing style is a looot more different than his other works, but it's still Vonnegut at his best imo.

Thank you. I will check it out.

 

[groovejuice]

I do that all the time. I have read Asimov's Foundation series at least 3 times, Rendezvous with Rama twice, I read the Darwin biography I mentioned in an earlier post twice, first in Sweden, then later when I moved to the US after being around religious people in Virginia for 3 years I needed some "fresh air", I found the Southern Baptists very hypocritical. I felt very stupid when I went to a dinner and they were saying prayers, I just stared at the food. I have nothing against religious people, live and let live. I have problems when they try to save me or knocking on the door (Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormons).

Anyway, back on track. If I really like a book the chance of me re-reading it is pretty good.

Curiously I've also read those Asimov and Clarke offerings multiple times.

 

[Tighthead]

That is the beauty with rereading a great book or rewatching a brilliant film after a time. You'll rediscover the genius and pick up nuances and subtleties previously overlooked.

My favourite novel is My Antonia by Willa Cather and each re-read has been fantastic.

 

[Per Sjoblom]

Curiously I've also read those Asimov and Clarke offerings multiple times.

Great minds and perhaps also great chefs think alike!



Tonight I am making chicken filets with lime and sweet Thai chili, served with Laplander mashed potatoes which is almond potatoes from up north (similar to fingerling potatoes but shaped as almonds), creme fraiche, loads of Irish or Danish butter, I can't stand American butter, no taste , chives and parsley and further served with ice cold Perry Cider imported from Sweden. I can speak like the Swedish chef on the Muppet show.


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[Runner77]

My favourite novel is My Antonia by Willa Cather and each re-read has been fantastic.

Just noticed it's a free ebook: My Antonia, by Willa Cather

 

[Saxon]

Nerds..

 

[Tighthead]

Just noticed it's a free ebook: My Antonia, by Willa Cather

In my opinion it’s the Great American Novel.

 

[Ozmodiar]

Anyone ever read Chuck Palahniuk's old books? Not the recent ones as he now caters to teen girls... but the old ones like Rant, Lullaby, Choke and and and Fight Club?? Really good dark satire if anyone is into that.

The most recent that i tried to read was Pygmy. Couldn't get into it, for obvious reasons.

I liked Survivor and Lullaby the most. (didn't read Fight Club)

 

[Ozmodiar]

Nerds..

Thanks for the suggestion, but I'll pass.

 

[Pompeius Magnus]

Favourite Steinbeck people? I haven't read him since the school classics..any recommendations?

I'm partial to East of Eden personally, Steinbeck himself considered it his very best work. It's kind of intricate though, lots of names and minor characters to keep in mind, a bit like The Brothers Karamazov . You either involve yourself all the way into these types of books or you just avoid them altogether.

 

[Per Sjoblom]

I'm partial to East of Eden personally, Steinbeck himself considered it his best very work. It's kind of intricate though, lots of names and minor characters to keep in mind, a bit like The Brothers Karamazov . You either involve yourself all the way into these types of books or you just avoid them altogether.

While it is not a favorite of mind it is a decent book in my opinion. Maybe it was because it was filmed with James Dean and I saw the movie before I read it I wasn't enthralled? The strongest memory I have from it is when the dad wets a sugar cube with whiskey giving it to one of the toddler boys to stop from screaming while dad played poker, or something like that.

 

[MarkovsKnee]

Just finished up It..not crazy about the last few hundred pages..

Just Started Mists of Avalon..so far, so good

Wow. Mists of Avalon. I read that 30 years ago during a teenaged King Arthur phase. Interesting perspective. Good book.

 

[MarkovsKnee]

Favourite Steinbeck people? I haven't read him since the school classics..any recommendations?

Of Mice & Men is short, easy read & powerful.

The Winter of our Discontent I really liked. It's an interesting book. If you enjoy books about moral decay & how easy it is to get pulled down into that abyss or the openness & easeness of American political corruption, then you'll enjoy it.

Generally not listed as one of his "great" classical books, but it's also the one that greatly criticizes modern American political corruption & governess in general. Still topical despite being written almost 50 years ago.

The hero can be frustrating & in the end I was conflicted about him because you're not sure of his motives/actions but ultimately it ends perfectly considering all things.

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

The most recent that i tried to read was Pygmy. Couldn't get into it, for obvious reasons.

I liked Survivor and Lullaby the most. (didn't read Fight Club)

Pygmy was hard to read, but there were some funny bits. Not his best work. Come to think of it, looking back on those CP books which I read 10 to 20 years ago, only Survivor, FC, Lullaby and Rant were really good. The latter two, imo were his best.

I stopped at Damned/doomed, just horrible. Snuff & Choke were funny, but not great. Invisible Monsters wasnt bad, quite rythmic, but still not my cup'o'tea. Haunted and Diary, I hated.

Rant is my favorite. It's overly fantastical and I usually hate a plot device which is based on a simple play of semantics, but that story is one of the most unique pieces of literature I've ever read. I love dystopias and time travel sci-fi's. And mixing this up with a sorta fight club-ish underground car smashing community was such a strange but highly entertaining mix.

Lullaby's social commentary and the main subject of power and corruption was really great. One of my all-time favorite novels.

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

Any fans of Doug Adams?

Hitchhikers's Guide?

 

[MarkovsKnee]

Any fans of Doug Adams?

Hitchhikers's Guide?

I've read the first book. It's in the same vein as Catch-22 but I found it easier to read. Haven't read the other 2 books of the series.

I didn't like the movie even though I like all the actors in it.

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

I've read the first book. It's in the same vein as Catch-22 but I found it easier to read. Haven't read the other 2 books of the series.

I didn't like the movie even though I like all the actors in it.

There are 6 books. The last one I finished was the 4th, So long and thanks for all the fish. The 2nd one I recommend, almost as good as the first one. After that, it gets a bit repetitive.

 

[MarkovsKnee]

There are 6 books. The last one I finished was the 4th, So long and thanks for all the fish. The 2nd one I recommend, almost as good as the first one. After that, it gets a bit repetitive.

6! I thought there was only 3. I bought the first 3 books, but only got through the first one completely, which I enjoyed a lot.

The second one I started but never finished. I don't remember why. Never read the 3rd. They were on the top shelf of my bedroom closet for the longest time.

I should dig them out. It's been awhile, like early 90s. I read them during my university years.

Have you read Catch-22?

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

6! I thought there was only 3. I bought the first 3 books, but only got through the first one completely, which I enjoyed a lot.

The second one I started but never finished. I don't remember why. Never read the 3rd. They were on the top shelf of my bedroom closet for the longest time.

I should dig them out. It's been awhile, like early 90s. I read them during my university years.

Have you read Catch-22?

Have meant to for a long time. Just never got around to it.

 

[Per Sjoblom]

Wow. Mists of Avalon. I read that 30 years ago during a teenaged King Arthur phase. Interesting perspective. Good book.

Hmm, I have seen it among books that I get recommendations for on the Kindle, but I never looked at it because I thought it was romance novel, do I feel stupid!
So you recommend it?

 

[MarkovsKnee]

Hmm, I have seen it among books that I get recommendations for on the Kindle, but I never looked at it because I thought it was romance novel, do I feel stupid!
So you recommend it?

Romance? No, it's the Arthurian Legend but it looks at it from the women's characters point of view.

There's romance/relationship intrigue in it & a ton of sex, but ultimately it's a fantasy book with war, death, political & religious intrigue. Part of the storyline is the loss of the religion of paganism (represented by Morgaine) to Christianity (represented by Athur's Kingdom) which pits the 2 against each other.

King Arthur is part of the storyline, but
it is Morgaine who is the complex hero/heroine in this book. She is not the evil sorcerous that she is normally written as within the Arthurian Legend. She's complex. Merlin has a small but significant part.

If you like fantasy/Athurian Legends I don't see why you wouldn't like this book.

It is written from the female perspective though & it's really long, but it's not a difficult read.

 

[Per Sjoblom]

Romance? No, it's the Arthurian Legend but it looks at it from the women's characters point of view.

There's romance/relationship intrigue in it & a ton of sex, but ultimately it's a fantasy book with war, death, political & religious intrigue. Part of the storyline is the loss of the religion of paganism (represented by Morgaine) to Christianity (represented by Athur's Kingdom) which pits the 2 against each other.

King Arthur is part of the storyline, but
it is Morgaine who is the complex hero/heroine in this book. She is not the evil sorcerous that she is normally written as within the Arthurian Legend. She's complex. Merlin has a small but significant part.

If you like fantasy/Athurian Legends I don't see why you wouldn't like this book.

It is written from the female perspective though & it's really long, but it's not a difficult read.

Thanks for that, sounds like something I might like.