Finished the novel last night. Wow. The first half was kind of lame. But action definitely picked up at the end.

Not sure if I mentioned this already: I'm reading Obama's first book, "Dreams from my father."

It's fairly interesting, particularly the sections about his days as a community organizer (which I'm in the midst of now). He comes across as very thoughtful when ruminating about race.

The book is also well-written.

Give us an update and some detail when you finish it? I've found myself really liking true-life sea adventure stories a lot.

My 7 year old son is obssessed with Star Wars. Would he be able to read these novels? (His reading age is 9)

Due to all the recommendations in this thread, I picked up Snow Crash (Stephenson) and I enjoy it thusfar.

Just finished reading Nine Kinds of Naked, a fiction book by Tony Vigorito. Had never heard of this book or author, but it had a colorful cover, was on clearance, and I'm a easy sell and enjoy >90% of everything I read, so I picked it up. This book falls into the 10%. On the very slim chance that any of you are tempted to read it I'd say dont bother. Its an attempt to combine anti-establishment rebellion with karmic new-ageism and it ends up just being boring and drawn-out. Not nearly enough levity to move along the obnoxious, preachy plot, and then nothing ever really HAPPENS. yes, we get it, there is no time but this time, all is synchronicity, blah blah but for christsakes someone do something to someone, or at least someone say something insightful or clever!

Reading Bonfire of the Vanities now, somehow I've managed to get to 25 years old without ever reading this so i figured I should remedy that.

I think 7 (or 9) is a little too young to be reading these. For one, the books are fairly violent. For another, one used to Star Wars books where the good guys wins, may be surprised that the bad guys are winning all the time here (that's actually what worries me most about the third novel, is it going to have the traditional good guys wins ending? I really hope not.) So it's pretty dark subject matter.

But another thing is that the Star Wars series has a bunch of books at slightly easier levels. I know, my 7-year old daughter is obsessed with Star Wars also.

The words aren't that difficult and are probably within your son's vocabulary level. But there are also a bunch of made up words that may confuse a younger child.

In its favor, though, is that, unlike most Star Wars books I've read that follow many multiple storylines, the first Bane book deals almost exclusively with Bane, which may actually make it fairly easy for a 7-year old to follow.

But all in all, I don't think a 7 year old is ready for it.

I found a 2008 Almanac at the 99.99 cent only store last night. It is full of really amazing geographical information. I can't wait to compare this one to the 2009 edition, with the NGP statistics.

I'm studying, "how to pass exams"

the power of now after finishiing a new earth.

exkhart tolle has given the world a great gift everybody pick it up

Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio

Much is made in this book's introduction of this book's extreme subtlety and complexity in Chinese, its irony and sophisticated layerings of meanings. Unfortunately, unless you have read this work in its original old academic Chinese, you will probably feel a bit wistful that this very entertaining work did not up the ante in English by introducing many of those wonderful, sharp-witted and poetic linguistic layers, choosing instead to be simply straightforward instead and dispensing with annotation and footnote. It is impossible to guess what is lost, but from what we are told, the loss seems considerable. What a shame; this book is rich enough that not having a deeper understanding of its artistry really does feel genuinely unfortunate.

But this loss is not one that undermines the sheer fun and inventiveness of the stories. For the most part plainly and directly told, at least in English, one nevertheless finds an occasional demurely elliptical slyness with reference to the sexual matters that come up in these stories. And further gaps in understanding may come up for the Westerner without a basic understanding of Chinese culture. One can only guess at what one is missing, but it is impossible not to enjoy what one is given.

Stories shift from quick quarter-page splashes of narrative little more than anecdote to more developed stories of a half dozen or more pages, but most are short. The variety of imagination displayed is refreshing and makes one look forward to each new story even when it appears it might bear similarities to an earlier one. One always enjoys seeing the author's imagination put through its paces. There is something wistful in the style; something refined, something a little sad. One senses that the author knew all too much about the disappointments of failed scholars, or ones of disappointingly moderate success, perhaps even regardless of talent and intellect, who came upon hard times instead of great position in their lives, and those men people many of these tales. These stories are in no way bitter or cynical; rather, they simply feel like ones that could not be told at the beginning of a life.

For those who enjoy learning about Asian culture in general, or Asian ghost or horror stories, or have become curious about the Asian fantastical imagination from seeing the boom in Asian horror cinema, you will enjoy yourself here if you do not expect horror so much as folk tale. Think of this book as more of a collection of national folk tales, like an Asian Hans Christian Anderson or Brothers Grimm or Italo Calvino. You will then be transported; you will be entertained; you will find metaphors here and there either subtly woven in or flogged about at you in a way so broad and schoolmarmish you can't help but smile and wonder where an irony is hiding and creeping beneath the surface. If you are like me, you'll enjoy the diversion into an ancient culture's fears and fantasies, quietly but well and flavorfully told, and when you've reached the end of the book, having gone through so many stories, wonder where you will find more like them.

Missing Links by my favorite author, Rick Reilly

Great for any regular golfer

Thanks, that's very helpful. What SW books should he start with?

Finally got round to reading Cloud Atlas. I might write a proper review later but suffice to say it's awesome.

One of my favourites of the last few years. He's my favourite young British writer.

Blarg, I would suggest reading Qiu Xialong. He tells the story of Chinese and really lets you in on the politics, the beauty of it's culture, and has excellent stories to book.

The story of Chinese? You mean of the Chinese language? Or of China? You remember any particular titles?

Death of a Red Heroine is an excellent book. It is a title of fiction, but it takes place in the aftermath of the Cultural Revolution, and he paints a beutiful picture of the culture, and describes the thoughts and practices, along with a bunch of Confuscionism. He wrote two or three sequels that I haven't gotten around to reading yet, but I know the first book is well worth the read.

For example there was one passage, were a woman slips, and a guy grabs he to keep her from hitting the floor. There is an uncomfortable silence, because they would traditionally say that touch would require them to get married immediately. From the first page, he builds up the anxiety of living under a big-brother society, if you will call it that.

These books are "mysteries" but I think that is an odd way to call the books.

Thanks for the recommendations. I'll do some Amazon browsing.

I'm 26 and I've never heard of it.

hmmm.....i just checked this out on Amazon....sounds interesting.

Well its supposed to be essentially "The Book of the 90's" and representative of our generation, or maybe the generation above us. Its decent so far, but I'm only 100 pages in.

well, it's more about the 80s and the rich wall street types in New York. Think of it as American Psycho without the chainsaw.

Haha, well put!

"Bonfire of the Vanities" is the perfect novel of the 80's but is not limited to that.
I love the way Tom Wolfe does internal monologue.