What are you reading?

[Owain Taggart]

Right now I'm about two thirds into Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, which is thus far totally delightful. At almost 1000 pages, I'm surprised at how fast a read it's turning out to be.

Have you seen the BBC miniseries? I'm working through that now.

Oh god no! Watch a film adaptation before reading the book? I would NEVER!




I'll probably watch it after, though!

Yeah, see with me, this is something I'd rather be watching than read. I'd wanted to read it, but never got around to it, so just gave up to watching it

So far, it's not too bad, though a little dry at times.

 

[thestrangequark]

^Oh, I'd greatly encourage reading it: the book is never dry. It's written in a sot of Dickensian pastiche, including archaic spellings, and other humorous word play, and the footnotes are such a fun, funny, and integral part of the world-building that I can't imagine how it could be adapted without losing what makes it special.

 

[Saga]

The Wright Brothers by David McCullough

 

[Tim Walker]

In Defense of Dolphins by Thomas I. White. Book about cognition in dolphins. The author suggests that we are sharing the planet with "nonhuman persons", and therefore there are moral issues involved.

 

[kirk55555]

The New Hugo Winners Volume II - short story "24 Views of Mt. Fuji, by Hokusai" by Roger Zelazny. I've never heard of Zelazny before, but this story proves that anything, regardless of quality or readability, can win a hugo award. Its writing style is almost incomprehensible, in a way I can't even really describe. Hopefully the other short stories in this book are actually readable

 

[Starkers]

The New Hugo Winners Volume II - short story "24 Views of Mt. Fuji, by Hokusai" by Roger Zelazny. I've never heard of Zelazny before, but this story proves that anything, regardless of quality or readability, can win a hugo award. Its writing style is almost incomprehensible, in a way I can't even really describe. Hopefully the other short stories in this book are actually readable

Interestingly I’ve just started reading the Nebula Awards Showcase 2011, not so far into it now but at least one story has jumped out at me now as being quite poor, it’s not well written and the ‘story’ itself is barely worthy of the name, it meanders around then skips forward a few years and ends. I realise different people have different tastes, but usually I can see what other people would have seen in a story, even if I didn’t particularly like it myself.

 

[RJDiogenes]

Zelazny's a little surreal. I seem to remember liking that story. It came out back in the 80s, I think.

So it seems that Jack McDevitt has written another Alex Benedict novel without me noticing. I guess I really have been busy lately. That will be next on my list.

 

[Owain Taggart]

The Wright Brothers by David McCullough

How is it? I've heard a lot about it and I'm considering getting it.

 

[auntiehill]

^Heard about that on The Daily Show. Sounds very interesting.

Right now, I'm reading "A Dirty Job," by Christopher Moore.

 

[C. Cole-Chakotay]

I started The Last Jihad by Joel C. Rosenberg in the wee hours of this morning. I'm enjoying it so far.

 

[Velocity]

Naming Jack the Ripper by Russell Edwards
New crime scene evidence
A stunning forensic Breakthrough
The killer revealed

 

[Miss Chicken]

I have just finished Cat Daddy by Jackson Galaxy, narrated by Jackson Galaxy.

Jackson who has a reality show 'My Cat From Hell' tells about his life of alcohol, drug and food addiction as well as telling about his cat Benny's many problems.

 

[Skellington]

Half A King by Joe Abercrombie on eBook. Also just bought it on audiobook at a reduced price to listen to on a journey. Great stuff, clever and fast-moving.

Prior to that, The Martian by Andy Weir. Superlative book - funny, grounded and erudite. I hope Ridley Scott, Matt Damon et al do it justice in the cineplexes.

 

[Kirby]

Reading Zero Hour by Clive Cussler. Meh...

 

[Miss Chicken]

I am listening to Flowers for Algenon by Daniel Keyes, narrated by Jeff Woodman on my phone while I do my daily 10,000 steps.

At night I am listening to Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton, narrated by Scott Brick.

 

[Owain Taggart]

Finished up Leviathan Wakes, and while good, it didn't really wow me. A much better space opera in my mind is Encounter with Tiber, and that one is self-contained.

Now reading Path of the Dragon by Daniel Abraham. Funny thing is, I didn't even know I had it. As I was nearing the end of Leviathan Wakes, I thought there was still about half a book left as my Kindle was saying 50%, and I thought Leviathan Wakes was climaxing to a second part. But the other 50% ended up an extra book that I didn't even know I was buying with the other one.

 

[kirk55555]

The Anvil of the World by Kage Baker. This is a fun fantasy book. Some standard stuff (like how the two main races are basically light and dark elves who dislike each other, with a few demons and hybrids mixed in) but its entertaining and well written.

 

[Smellincoffee]

Happy City

 

[Miss Chicken]

A few years ago I worked on the Tasmanian Execution Database and thereby learned a little bit about the best known Tasmanian hangman, Solomon Blay. I remembering telling the project manager, Brian Rieusset, that someone should write a book about Blay.

Yesterday I was browsing a bookstore when I came across Solomon's Noose: The True Story of Her Majesty's Hangman of Hobart by Steve Harris. It will be interesting to see how many of the people's whose records I transcribed are mentioned.

I looked at the bibliography at the back of the book and Brian Rieusset is mentioned as a source.

I will begin reading this book tomorrow.

 

[C. Cole-Chakotay]

The Ezekiel Option (Political Thrillers Series #3) by Joel C. Rosenberg. I usually read a couple of hours before bed.