Sinfest

Dennis J. Squidbunny · Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2008 3:21 am Post subject:

Just finished Sombrero Fallout by Richard Brautigan, started on The Hunting Of The Snark by Lewis Carroll which has an INSANE amount of annotations which is intriguiding yet frustrating.

Also as usual am armed with Beckett's short works (because I like to be depressed and confused) Ovid's Metamorphoses (because I like when people turn into other things) and Borges' Book Of Imaginary Beings (because I like stories).
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a hatless man
The Human Cannonball Academy

Funkentelechy · Joined: 08 Oct 2006 Posts: 1822

Body of Secrets by James Bamford, about the National Security Agency. I can't recommend this book enough. Your mind will b e b l o w n . . . . !!

Lasairfiona · Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2008 8:31 am Post subject:

I have been reading a lot during this trip. I have finished two books so far which is pretty impressive considering my state of mind (I keep having to reread passages). They were good books. I have been updating a _lot_ on goodreads so that is where I have been posting reviews. Here are some thoughts:

I finished Spin by Robert Charles Wilson. It won the Hugo in '06. Very much worth reading. The idea is that somehow the earth is encased in a membrane that blocks out the stars. Scientists sent out satellites (they can get through the membrane) and they come crashing back down moments later. Turns out the satellites have weeks worth of data. The universe outside is moving through time normally while earth has been slowed down _drastically_. Millions of years drastically. The book follows three people who must deal with this Spin. One is a scientist who is determined to find out how, why, and what can be done while the other two try to deal with it as best they know how. Sometimes the characters are a bit 2D but not enough to detract from the book. It opened my mind.

I just finished The Demolished Man by Alfred Bester. It won the first Hugo award ever (I am on a Hugo/Nebula kick). Wow, just wow. I am actually going to have to ramp down my writing expectations slowly after this book since I only have more popcorn like books left with me to read and The Demolished Man was fucking epic (and only just under 250 pages. Amazing). Go read it.

See, long enough for here but not half as long as on goodreads. Love that site. I am so much more organized now and I love writing reviews.

I will ramp down by starting Neverwhere by Gaiman. It can't be as good but it won't be bad as far as I can tell. Then I'll get to Newton's Cannon, the beginning of a series by Greg Keyes. I really like Keyes but his writing isn't as good as his ideas (not like PKDick but nowhere near Bester).
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Before God created Las he pondered on all the aspects a woman might have, he considered which ones would look good super-inflated and which ones to leave alone.
After much deliberation he gave her a giant comfort zone. - Michael

Kilgore · Joined: 09 Jul 2006 Posts: 2607 Location: Portland, Or

I am currently reading Grendel, and also Conan short stories. I really love old pulp.
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"Whatever afflicts thee, their asses I shall kick"

-Slick

mouse · Joined: 10 Jul 2006 Posts: 11734 Location: under the bed

Azmoten · Joined: 10 Jul 2006 Posts: 2195 Location: St. Louis

Arc Tempest · Joined: 28 Jan 2007 Posts: 3523 Location: Oregon

One word... Sue.
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"And I apologize for my repeated graphic descriptions of horrific trucking accidents."

- John Bailey, Professor of Wildland Fire Ecology

kame · Joined: 11 Jul 2006 Posts: 2489 Location: Alba Nuadh

A boy thus named?

Him · Joined: 10 Jul 2006 Posts: 2944 Location: Strange planet

Berthold Brecht On Theatre
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CuteKat · Joined: 06 Aug 2007 Posts: 534 Location: Las Vegas, NV

Personality Theory. Oh, and Abnormal Psychology. Oh yeah...

Spanky · Joined: 09 Jul 2006 Posts: 842 Location: Rockville, MD

MsFrisby · Posted: Fri Feb 15, 2008 9:48 pm Post subject:

Thinner Than Thou by Kit Reed. One generation forward future fiction, so far, sometimes scarily prophetic in how things could go down.
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A person's character is their destiny.

Celaeno · Joined: 09 Jul 2006 Posts: 2714 Location: Kzoo

The Ladies of Grace Adieu - Susanna Clarke

Valp · Posted: Sun Feb 17, 2008 11:33 pm Post subject:

Just finished reading World War Z by Max Brooks. Being a fan of the zombie genre I had a very good time reading it. Loved the part of the Chinese nuclear submarine. I wonder if the planned movie will live up to the expectations.

Next up will be probably to buy Brooks' Zombie Survival Guide for some good laughs (and ideas ..you know, just in case)
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If I can kill it, I can cook it

Tesceract · Joined: 23 Jan 2008 Posts: 659

In English class: Finished reading The Great Gatsby, about to start on The Grapes of Wrath. (I don't think any of the books this year actually end happily.)

Also reading The Three Musketeers sporadically.