Books: What are you reading tonight? - Page 508 - The Lounge Discussion and Review on Literature, Arts, Culture

Dominic · 04-01-2012, 03:47 PM

Just ordered In Cold blood and a book about the making of and influence of the Capote book. Also ordered the Baroque Cycle and Reamde by Stephenson.

rapidacid · 04-01-2012, 07:48 PM

Page 943 out of 1150 for Storm of Swords ... 200 pages to go is the homestretch right?

Enrique · 04-01-2012, 07:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RussellinToronto

I thought Stephenson's fondness for having his characters make funny quips (or intelligent observations, for that matter) while in the midst of death-threatening situations was one of the weaknesses of the book--one of the things that took me out of the intensity of the action narrative.

(Though often they were witty.)

Sometimes they took me out, sometimes they didn't. The intelligent observations are usually not spoken aloud, so those didn't take me out of the book.

An example of a scene that I didn't like was

Spoiler:

Abdullah is surprised to see Csongor. He says something like "If it would be anyone else I would have shot you already, but since it is you, I am curious..." It seems crazy to point out this long sentence in the middle of an epic gun fight.
However, the next line was pretty funny, when Abdullah wishes he could hear the story but doesn't have the time, so he shoots Csongor (or tries to).

RussellinToronto · 04-01-2012, 08:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Enrique

Sometimes they took me out, sometimes they didn't. The intelligent observations are usually not spoken aloud, so those didn't take me out of the book.

I know I sound a bit grumpy, given that I really did enjoy reading the book. Just not as much as the other Stephenson I've read. I think the moment where I most felt the author nod was in the scene on the plane where Zula is being attacked.

Spoiler:

She thinks Khalid's threatening her with a gun is "ridiculous" because "If he pulled the trigger, the plane would depressurize. She wondered if he understood this. But she had to assume he really was that stupid. Once the bullet had gone through her head, she would not be able to enjoy the satisfaction of watching these men lose consciousness from lack of oxygen."

And then, a couple of pages later, when Zula gets the gun away from him, she "pointed the weapon at the center of Khalid's torso and fired three rounds".

meltdowncity · 04-01-2012, 09:01 PM

Looking for a good novel to read over vacation, preferably one thats not to daunting of a task to read, but still relatively profound, no stephan king like recommends please.

brianr · 04-01-2012, 09:24 PM

A Prayer for Owen Meany

meltdowncity · 04-01-2012, 10:27 PM

that one looks intriguing, does anyone here have any thoughts about ' 100 years of solitude' ?

SoloAJ · 04-01-2012, 11:56 PM

I liked Love in the Time of Cholera farrrr more. I found 100 Years to be a slog.

BustoRhymes · 04-02-2012, 12:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by meltdowncity

Looking for a good novel to read over vacation, preferably one thats not to daunting of a task to read, but still relatively profound, no stephan king like recommends please.

Are you looking for something within a particular genre?

If you want something deep:

The Thirteenth Tale

Revolutionary Road

The Road

If you want something fun and light:

Replay

True Grit

ToTheInternet · 04-02-2012, 12:53 AM

True Grit is amazing. Read that.

kokiri · 04-02-2012, 03:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SoloAJ

I liked Love in the Time of Cholera farrrr more. I found 100 Years to be a slog.

Iirc, I'd have preferred it to be about 80 years of solitude, although I did like it.

meltdowncity · 04-02-2012, 08:01 AM

Thanks busto and others, been meaning to read 'The Road' for a while I'll go with that first then possibly 'True Grit' although I've seen (and loved) the movie, does that matter?

9:15 · 04-02-2012, 09:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SoloAJ

I liked Love in the Time of Cholera farrrr more. I found 100 Years to be a slog.

Solo,

Can I ask which one you read first? Because I had the opposite opinion. I read 100 years first and just found Cholera derivitive. It could be whichever one you read first you enjoy more.

diebitter · 04-02-2012, 09:34 AM

I just read the short story 'The Man who would be King' by Kipling. I'll be damned how John Huston managed to capture the spirit of this story in the movie.

Good short story, btw. Here's a link to it on Gutenberg if anyone wants to try it (it's in the public domain):

http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/8147

SoloAJ · 04-02-2012, 09:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 9:15

Solo,

Can I ask which one you read first? Because I had the opposite opinion. I read 100 years first and just found Cholera derivitive. It could be whichever one you read first you enjoy more.

Read 100 Years first. I just found it too long, and I didn't like the magical realism stuff that was in the novel. I almost didnt' read Love Cholera because of how much I disliked 100 Years.

I don't really remember the specifics at this point as to why I didn't like 100 Years, but I know that I liked Love much more. Maybe someday I'll revisit 100 Years.