• Welcome! The TrekBBS is the number one place to chat about Star Trek with like-minded fans.
    If you are not already a member then please register an account and join in the discussion!

What are you reading?

Ooo, a recommendation. CJ Sansom has a series of novels about Matthew Shardlake, a lawyer in the time of Henry VIII, it's really really good, historical mysteries. Not only am I going to reread them shortly, the new one, Heartstone, is just in at the library,. This is A Good Thing.

I like them because the path to the bad guy isn't clear and keeps you guessing.

Thanks for the rec! I didn't know I'm hankering for a good ole historical mystery. Sounds good.
 
I've got two books on the go at the moment: Manifold: Time by Stephen Baxter and Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris. I'm a little surprised that I'm enjoying the latter as much as I am, as the vampire romance subgenre isn't really my thing - I generally prefer hard SF (hence the Baxter novel). However, I had a recent need to do some research into that particular subgenre, and picked it up last weekend. I've read about 90 pages so far, and as I said, I'm enjoying it.
 
Agree about Unseen Academicals and Nation. The problem with UA is it has about three characters too many that belonged in a different story. That said, you should really get I shall Wear Midnight, the new Tiffany Aching/Discworld novel, it's much better than UA, really.
Noted, with thanks.
 
Next on the to-be-read pile: Jung's Map of the Soul, by Murray Stein.

It's a fairly good synthesis of many of Jung's concepts..

However, I find reading summaries of Jung to be quite dry compared to reading the man himself. The thing you have to remember about Jung is that he was an intuitive genius. His own writing reflects that; if you also have an intuitive mind, you find yourself getting immersed in the flow of his work, and it is the flow, the pattern, of his thinking that does more to explain the concepts than the actual words he uses. Often, he backtracks and ends up in intellectual cul-de-sacs, but if you can stick with him, there's a real "drama" to his writing.

When someone else tries to explain his concepts, especially if they are more concrete in their thinking, it can easily become very dull, and list-like. Stein's book explains most of the concepts quite adequately... but without the vivid inspiration and drama you can read between the lines in Jung's own writing. It's more understandable, for a lot of readers, as a result... but not as engaging. I prefer reading Jung directly.

Which you prefer probably reflects how you prefer to process information (Jung would probably argue that it's a function of whether you are rational or irrational in temperament. ;) ). If you haven't already, read Jung's autobiography (Memories, Dreams, Reflections) to get an idea of his own writing style, and so whether you want to try reading his work in his own words.
 
Just finished Sacajawea by Anna Lee Waldo. Am starting Follow the River by James Alexander Thom. This is my second reading of each, which is a rarity for me. The last time was about 15 years ago.
 
Next on the to-be-read pile: Jung's Map of the Soul, by Murray Stein.

It's a fairly good synthesis of many of Jung's concepts..

However, I find reading summaries of Jung to be quite dry compared to reading the man himself. The thing you have to remember about Jung is that he was an intuitive genius. His own writing reflects that; if you also have an intuitive mind, you find yourself getting immersed in the flow of his work, and it is the flow, the pattern, of his thinking that does more to explain the concepts than the actual words he uses. Often, he backtracks and ends up in intellectual cul-de-sacs, but if you can stick with him, there's a real "drama" to his writing.

When someone else tries to explain his concepts, especially if they are more concrete in their thinking, it can easily become very dull, and list-like. Stein's book explains most of the concepts quite adequately... but without the vivid inspiration and drama you can read between the lines in Jung's own writing. It's more understandable, for a lot of readers, as a result... but not as engaging. I prefer reading Jung directly.

Which you prefer probably reflects how you prefer to process information (Jung would probably argue that it's a function of whether you are rational or irrational in temperament. ;) ). If you haven't already, read Jung's autobiography (Memories, Dreams, Reflections) to get an idea of his own writing style, and so whether you want to try reading his work in his own words.

Thanks, Holdfast!

I do have an intuitive mind, and I read quite a bit of Jung, including Memories, Dreams, Reflections, years ago. But it's too challenging for me right now -- w/ PTSD, I can't concentrate worth a damn (well, unless we're talking about the event that triggered the PTSD, and then I can't stop concentrating ;) :().

So I'm thinking of the Stein book as sort of a refresher course. I'll let you know what I think of it.
 
Before they were Beatles. It covers the time from John Lennon forming the Quarrymen, to the first trip ti Hamburg. So far it's great. I've read dozens of books on the Beatles but am learning a lot of info I'd never heard before. Most of this stuff is merely footnotes in other peoples books.
 
^ I don't necessarily know how accurate it is, but there's a relatively recent film called Nowhere Boy that covers that same sort of time period in Lennon's life, ending with him headed for the airport to leave for Hamburg.
 
A Mighty Fortress by David Weber. Next on my plate is Consider Phlebas by Iain M. Banks.
 
Deep into Terry Goodkind.. Faith of the fallen.

The sword of truth books, part 6. Loving the books so far.
 
Currently I'm reading Roadside Crosses by Jeffery Deaver and Persuader by Lee Child. I just finished Suspense by Parnell Hall, One for the Money by Janet Evanovich, and an old dimestore read I found in an antique store called A Puzzle for Fools by Patrick Quentin (circa 1936).
 
^ I don't necessarily know how accurate it is, but there's a relatively recent film called Nowhere Boy that covers that same sort of time period in Lennon's life, ending with him headed for the airport to leave for Hamburg.
I'm looking forward to seeing it, but I don't think it's available on DVD yet.
 
Got myself a new Stephen King book! Full dark no stars. Even got it in english, he is one of the autors that I prefer to read in the original versoin.
 
If you are not already a member then please register an account and join in the discussion!

Sign up / Register


Back
Top