What are you reading?

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

Me? Feel bad? Never. Years ago, when I first was introduced to the realm of slash fiction by a dear friend, who would animatedly talk about her love of doujinshi anywhere, I asked her (in the middle of a conversation about gay erotica in the middle of a crowded cafe) if she was never embarrassed about it. She said, "The way I see it, you can either be ashamed or unabashed, and I will never be ashamed!" Wise words!

Other than being sensitive to people's discomfort I'm not embarrassed about anything. I've somehow managed to develop a reputation for brash and/or weirdness which I'm not particularly, and it all stems from liking what I like and not caring whether it's deemed worthy by others.

 

[sidious618]

I just finished This Side of Paradise by F. Scott Fitzgerald and am rereading Yellow by Janni Visman. Not sure what I'll head to next.

 

[thestrangequark]

I just finished This Side of Paradise by F. Scott Fitzgerald and am rereading Yellow by Janni Visman. Not sure what I'll head to next.

I'd suggest High Fidelity. I found it an awesome contrast to This Side of Paradise. They're actually very similar novels in many ways, each capturing the pop-culture of their respective eras and weaving them into their stories beautifully.

 

[Gil T.Azell]

Star Trek Enterprise; The Romulan War; Beneath the Raptor's Wing,.

The Clapton Bio.

 

[auntiehill]

I read a few hundred papers today about poetry in the Middle Ages. GAH. My brain is fried.

 

[Enterprise is Great]

Kill Shot by Vince Flynn

 

[cooleddie74]

Currently reading a volume on the nation's Presidents. It's a fairly recent book that includes Barack Obama so with the exception of events like the 2010 midterms and the killing of bin Laden it's pretty current and up to speed.

 

[Amaris]

Well, I haven't seen the movie since I was a teen either, maybe I would be more attuned to the subtlety these days.

Well, I own it so it's usually fresh in my memory (I just watched it this past week).

I thought it was a great book too, even if Dawkins ultimately failed to convince me of his argument. I went into the book already a strong atheist, so there was no need to convince me there was no god (to use Dawkins' own terminology, I would have ranked myself a 6 a priori atheist -- I don't think one can rank oneself a 7 while maintaining intellectual honesty), I don't agree with his ultimate assertion that god necessarily lies in the realm of TAP agnosticism. Some types of gods and aspects of gods certainly do (like intercessory prayer, which can be scientifically tested and has proved to be useless), but I think that a god by the definition of many believers lies in the realm of PAP agnosticism.

I can understand that, and yes, some of Dawkins' arguments I find too simplistic, eschewing religious context out of hand without weighing it against itself. Still, in my case, I was already over the agnostic line, Dawkins' book just gave me a more firm landing when I made the jump.

Me? Feel bad? Never. Years ago, when I first was introduced to the realm of slash fiction by a dear friend, who would animatedly talk about her love of doujinshi anywhere, I asked her (in the middle of a conversation about gay erotica in the middle of a crowded cafe) if she was never embarrassed about it. She said, "The way I see it, you can either be ashamed or unabashed, and I will never be ashamed!" Wise words!

I'm not embarrassed about liking erotica, I'm embarrassed by reading erotica with such terrible writing! Nothing pulls you out of the moment like a misused homophone.

Firstly, I like your friend. Secondly, I agree about poorly written erotica. Hell, poorly written anything gets my goat. I'm usually quite lax in standards, but for the love of all that is holy, at least spell pussy correctly. I say this from personal experience, from whence I got a headache reading a particularly bad fiction.

I'll look into it, thanks!

You're welcome!

 

[Snowlilly]

Thank you for all those recommendations, I will definitely look some of thos up. I also plan on continuing my Game of Thrones series as I just finished the first book. Also plan on getting the sequel to The Passage which I really enjoyed reading and look forward to.

 

[lurok]

I just finished This Side of Paradise by F. Scott Fitzgerald and am rereading Yellow by Janni Visman. Not sure what I'll head to next.

I'd suggest High Fidelity. I found it an awesome contrast to This Side of Paradise. They're actually very similar novels in many ways, each capturing the pop-culture of their respective eras and weaving them into their stories beautifully.

Seconded And I love, love, love my tech but can't get used to kindle. I need the sensual, visceral feel of a book in my hands.

 

[RandyS]

^I honestly can't tell if you're being sarcastic or not.

I wasn't. I use a wheelchair part time and can't drive. I only get out when my girlfriend or friends aren't working.

 

[thestrangequark]

^I honestly can't tell if you're being sarcastic or not.

I wasn't. I use a wheelchair part time and can't drive. I only get out when my girlfriend or friends aren't working.

Oh, the layers of misinterpretation! I thought you might be being sarcastic, because taking out of the context of the previous post it did sound like a stupid question. The funny thing is that by "venture out" I meant I don't venture out of misc much -- I've never read the Trek Lit thread.

 

[Gary7]

Currently reading a volume on the nation's Presidents. It's a fairly recent book that includes Barack Obama so with the exception of events like the 2010 midterms and the killing of bin Laden it's pretty current and up to speed.

When you're done with that, start reading Gore Vidal's books. He has written quite a number of historical novels that are highly respected. He died recently and as a consequence I finally came to know more about him. I plan to start with his 1973 novel on Aaron Burr soon.

 

[cooleddie74]

I read his Lincoln book a long time ago. Excellent. Never picked up his Aaron Burr one, though. Thanks for the recommendation. Given his recent death I've been thinking a little more about Vidal than I usually do so now might be a pretty good time to start reading Burr.

 

[Tora Ziyal]

I recently picked up a couple old Trek novels at my favorite used bookstore. Mindshadow (J.M. Dillard) turned out to be so dull that I put it down after 75 pages. The Tears of the Singers (Melinda Snodgrass) was corny but fun.

 

[RandyS]

^I honestly can't tell if you're being sarcastic or not.

I wasn't. I use a wheelchair part time and can't drive. I only get out when my girlfriend or friends aren't working.

Oh, the layers of misinterpretation! I thought you might be being sarcastic, because taking out of the context of the previous post it did sound like a stupid question. The funny thing is that by "venture out" I meant I don't venture out of misc much -- I've never read the Trek Lit thread.

Oh. Right. I guess I should have realized that.

And for what it's worth, I recommend spending more time there. It's more enjoyable that this forum. Less arguing. No much, but a little.

 

[TorontoTrekker]

I just finished Changes, by Jim Butcher - it's the second-last Dresden Files book to date. (I just picked up the most recent, Ghost Story, last weekend.) I'm currently reading Building Harlequin's Moon, by Larry Niven and Brenda Cooper.

I have about 50 or so books I've bought over the last year and haven't read yet, so I have no idea what I'm going to move on to next, though I also bought Search Engine Optimization Secrets last weekend - I may pack that to read on the trip to and from Dragon*Con, when I want a break from fiction.

 

[Hugh Mann]

I just finished reading "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer, about a climbing expedition on Mount Everest in which several people died. It's a decent read, though quite slow in places, and the first death doesn't occur until more than halfway through the book. I'm about to start reading "The Sentimentalists" by Johanna Skibsrud.

 

[cooleddie74]

If anyone hasn't read it yet, I heartily recommend the Pulitzer Prize-winning tome on Harry Truman by David McCullough(Truman). I imagine many of you have already read this over the course of the last few years or so, but it's arguably the best bio of an American President that's been written in the last quarter-century and a must-read for anybody who likes political biographies. Even if you've already completed it it's worth repeated readings.

 

[thestrangequark]

I wasn't. I use a wheelchair part time and can't drive. I only get out when my girlfriend or friends aren't working.

Oh, the layers of misinterpretation! I thought you might be being sarcastic, because taking out of the context of the previous post it did sound like a stupid question. The funny thing is that by "venture out" I meant I don't venture out of misc much -- I've never read the Trek Lit thread.

Oh. Right. I guess I should have realized that.

And for what it's worth, I recommend spending more time there. It's more enjoyable that this forum. Less arguing. No much, but a little.

But what if I like the arguing?