Thank you. I enjoy reading and posting to this list, but I never want to seem to come on strong.

I'm now more or less retired so I'm intent on catching up on all the pleasure-reading I have too long postponed. In particular, I'm trying to become well-read in contemporary American and British (even, for that matter, non-English language) fiction. And also to allow my self to read where my whimsy takes me.

I'm currently 65 pp. into Infinite Jest, but moving rather slowly forward. (Partly true because I read on the go a lot and it's too big to carry--and not available on Kindle in Canada.)

I'm about the same amount into the book I'm currently reading on my Kindle, which is Steven Heighton's Afterlands, a fascinating fictional retelling of the Polaris expedition (one of the earliest attempts to reach the North Pole).

Souls in the Great Machine - Sean McMullen 8/10
Book one of a odd but wonderful Aussie Sci-fi trilogly. I am currently rereading all 3 after 5 years or so. Not sure why it never went big in the rest of the scifi world. It has its flaws, but is a unique story 2000 years after the fall of industrial civilization. Odd and flawed characters that actually grow. It tries to do to much, but is great anyway.

Put aside your pride and prejudice.

If Bret Easton Elllis just kept writing sequels to LTZ I think I could read them forever. Maybe that says a lot about how ****ty a person I am, but I just enjoy the **** outta hearing about these deranged lives.

Hearts in Atlantis - SK

Halfway though the 2nd story... yawn.

this site has some awesome "better book titles"





http://betterbooktitles.com/archive

oh man i lold

WTF?! 2nd story is one of my favorites of any story I've ever read!

SnotBoggy,

I don't know you, but I want to say that I always look forward to your posts in the Books thread.

Thanks, I try, but even I think my posts suck compared to many ITT.

hahaha

actually i liked the end of the first one... i guess this one is just slow taking off....just doesnt seem like a King story yet. Theres not much King i dont like so im sure it will get better. I like the format of this book though.

Damn, the college kids getting essentially getting sucked into a gambling ring? I found it riveting, and it hit a little close to home. I hope you end up liking it. As you know, I despise most of King, but the first two stories in Hearts in Atlantis are among my favorites of any.

Its a well written and entertaining story... im just waiting for the little twist of horror.

Hey did you ever get that Zombie book published from a while back? I'd love to read it.

I finished a draft and then put it to bed while I refine my craft through short stories. I recently took it back out and was a little astonished both at how bad and how good it was. I have two more short stories and a novella to write before I get back to the novel. Once I finish revising it I would be happy to send you a copy.

my god the thought of even putting pen to paper for my own joy is frightening to me. writing 10 solid pages would feel like 1000 to me.

It's very brave of you to face your fear and post on this forum, Boogy.

I will take this moment to say that I am never making a "reading plan" again. I can't stick to it and always end up reading what I feel like reading at the time. I can however stick to a general idea of reading classical literature. For instance I own dostoevsky novels but haven't read them. Which isn't a big suprise I am a compulsive book buyer- I own thousands of books but have read maybe 400 books in my lifetime. So i'm taking this opportunity to read the brothers karamzov seeing as how it is reccomended by I don't no, everyone in the history of the literate universe. Great first 100 pages.

fwiw I have written a dozen or so 20 pages worth of a novel but have never actually written a complete manuscript.

im just about finished with "the quants" based on a recommendation itt. its an entertaining read although i wish it were a bit more technical (since its my area of study)


also the opening chapter about the poker night and saying that clonie gowen was there with "the face of a fashion model and the body of a playboy pinup" is just lol

edit: also i just finished IJ - god damn that was a good book. i read it in epub format and my heart dropped when it ended. im not sure why but i really really like the way it ended

The second story is the one about the guy at college who gets addicted to playing Hearts right? If so, thats one of my favorite short stories of all time, but I can completely understand people hating it....nothing happens, throughout the entire thing. I just identify with that desperate procrastination and powerlessness.

Ha, didnt read this before I posted, happy to see I'm not alone.

Finally something we can agree on

Edit: haha just saw your post!

Solo,

I'm reading The Hunger Games. My oh my is this first book good.

It's just top notch entertainment. The movie has the potential to be pretty awesome even if they don't go the gory route (which they're not).

Definitely the best of the series, I think. The whole series is worth reading though, for sure.

Hmmmm I see what could be very interesting or outright terrible. Audible.com has a new version of Macbeth, rewritten as a novel specifically for the audiobook format, performed by Alan Cumming. This seems a little backwards to rewrite something already meant to be performed into something meant to be read, but the sample was excellent, and I admit, I find some novels make excellent audiobooks.