For me it's "Blackwood Farm" by Anne Rice - it's the latest in the Vampire Chronicles

So far it's good, she is starting to blend the Mayfair family into the Vampire Chronicles so am interested in which direction that will go
Some of her writing over the last few years has been sort of whiny with the notable exception of "Merrick"


Before that it was "From a Buick 8" by Stephen King - as King gets older he writes more about people/life/observations and less about things (that go bump in the night) even though the books contain the things that go bump in the night the focus has seemed to turn to the characters and their development and relationships and through that gives looks at life and growth

"From a Buick 8" is OK , it's got ups and downs but King does create characters you can care about in the story and takes a twist in the plot - King is now working on the next books in the Dark Tower series - very much looking forward to see what happens to Roland, Eddie, Susanne and Jake

before that reread "Brave New World" - that book plays on so many levels and I can get many different things out of it - but I still want my Soma

Return of the King... I have to make sure I've read the books before I see the movies.

After that, I'm reading Ender's Game, cause I've never gotten around to it and always meant to.

I am currently reading "The Murder Book" by Johnathan Kellerman
he is probabily my favorite author, although I also follow Patricia Cornwell, Douglas Adams, John Douglas, Ben Elton, John Grisham and Stephan J Cannell.


I have only read 1 of Anne Rices, (the name of which escapes me) for me though I found it to be very slow moving, so have not attempted another
:-(

Stephen King has always been a gifted author ( I am not a horror fan, however his skills as a story teller are undeniable )

Ender's Game is a great book, you should enjoy it.

I read Weaveworld by Clive Barker, Stupid White Men by Michael Moore, and prior to those I can't quite recall. I've been meaning to pick up some older stuff to change the pace a bit, mostly I read literary fiction and science fiction slash fantasy. Brain candy since my serious stuff comes in the form of 3 magazine subscriptions to news/science publications.

I read some of Iain Bank's science fiction not long ago, which wasn't bad. I do like his regular fiction better. I have an ex girlfriend from high school who is in the NY publishing industry and when I move to Jersey she will undoubtedly be my source for fresh new writing. I go to the book store these days and I'm totally lost.

C.

Right now my bed book is A Fine Balance, my dock/deck book is Mr Maybe, and my car book is Empire Falls

I've recently finished The Lonely Bones, Stolen Lives, Fall on Your Knees, Ava's Man, Midwives, 2 of the Cherry Holler books :) , Good in Bed (not what you're thinking, hehehe), The Corrections, The Nanny Diaries, House of Sand and Fog, Seabiscuit, Nickel and Dimed. and several others I can't remember right now. Thankfully I get frequent flyer miles on my credit card purchases at Amazon, Borders and Barnes and Noble :rokk: Needless to say, I'll read the back of the cereal box if there's nothing else around. But I don't like reading "help" books - non-fiction has to be about someone or something specific.

I have Atonement, Black and Blue, Fast Food Nation, and a Virtuous Woman waiting to be read :bdance:

I am reading Dust to Dust a mystery by Tami Hoag . :) I am crazy about a good mystery book. I bought Dean Koontz's new " One Door Away from Heaven" the other day .

I'm reading a book about William Penn. I found it in an antique book store and it's dated 1868. Gives a very interesting historical perspective of what life was like in the 1800's.

Harry Potter and The Goblet Of Fire

It's almost time for my 2-3 times a year re-reading of "The Greatest Salesman In The World" by Og Mandino

i don't read books. I like magazines and newspapers. Books are such a commitment.

Ulfie sounds like you have a good book.

I just finished reading SLANDER by my girl Ann Coulter... she is such a smooth writer! I like PD and Todd could even agree with some of her points.

I am starting Inside Delta Force, written by one of the founding members.

BEfore Slander I read, The Savage Ware of Peace, by Max Boot - about small conflicts the United States got in around the world and how it helped create us into the super power we are. Mostly in 3rd world places like latin Americam Philipeans, even some in China before and after boxer rebellion. IT was a great book to read about some BRAVE GREAT AMERICANS!

Yeah, I am a nerd! hahaha

Peaches, i agree about the 'help' and 'real' books .... it takes a pretty good writer to get me interested in something *real* LOL

I have just finished another john grisham book, the firm, and a book called four fires, by an australian author Bryce Courtney. I also read a danielle stele (sp?) book recently that was amazing and i can't think of the name. it was about a japanese girl who went to america to study during WW2 and ended up in a prison camp ... really well written

I don't like reading books that are too complicated very often - i like my reading time to be relaxing, and would prefer to sit with a jackie collins sordid tale of hollywood lives over almost anything. Reading is something i wish I had more time for.

American Psycho. I started reading this book about a month ago and it is very good. Then I picked up some new XBox games and so there it sits.

Ulfie - anything interesting to share?

Peaches - with ya on the cereal box. As a kid, I used to take books and go in the closet and sit in a cardboard box reading them. I miss my Hardy Boys. I read fiction (Stephen King, Dean Koontz)
until 18 and then nonfiction almost exclusively from the age of 18 to 32. Then this year I picked up some fiction - Hemingway, Nabokov, "Homo Faber". Remember how much more diifficult it was to find a good book back before Amazon.com and HUGE chains line B&N? I remember hunt and peck in those little WaldenBooks chains.

Amanda is reading "The Stand" right now - one my favorites.

Peaches! We read the same books :) I loved Fall on Your Knees.

I just read The Secret History by Donna Tartt, it was good. Im currently reading the book about the history of SNL. Good stuff!

Colin, did you ever read Confederacy of Dunces?
I just picked up Rules of Attraction but havent read it yet :)


I cant get enough of the Rokker dude.


:rokk:

I bought it. Still on the shelf. It's taken years to warm up to fiction again. I'll read it after American Psycho which'll be awhile as XBox Live is being shipped to my house as we speak.

hehehe..
I agree CJ, I like Jackie Collins when I don't want to have to think about what I am reading.

Speaking of Australian Authors, has anybody read any of Robert Barrett's
infamous 'Les Norton' books. They are entertaining, with typical Australian humour and language.

"The First Man in Rome"

I love Roman culture...

"A Goomba's Guide To Life"

Steven Schirripa from "Sopranos"

Rereading Seamus Heaney's "Beowulf" - again... before that was Umberto Eco's "Foucalt's Pendulum" - again... I'm bad about reading things two and three times...

No comment on Ann Coulter's 'research' :awinky:

Check out Russell Banks's Cloudsplitter if you're looking for a literary take on some interesting American history.

I'm more of a sucker for natural nonfiction; if you want a real feel for this great country of ours (geographically at least) pick up John McPhee's short stories to whet your appetite. His full length fiction is equally enjoyable.

I can suggest great literary fiction all day long, but I won't snob everyone to death.

C.

Interesting diversity in the reading materials chosen here

Good books I'll read 3, 4 even 5 or more times

After reading the first time reading a book again allows new thoughts and insights - is like visiting an old friend - and taking an adventure all in one

hey Vick..i've read most of the Anne Rice books...i stopped a few years a go though...

i just finished Bagombo Snuff Box by Kurt Vonnegut, and i'm pretty sure i've gotten all his books now as well.

i'm looking for a good author...

I read American Psycho, Colin some time ago, currently having changed into a dark bkue Ralph Lauren trouser, I'm deciding whether the linen Armani formless jacket or my blue Geeves and Hawkes blaxer combines better,I am reading Golf Digest ;) :D

Hasn't everyone read "Confederacy of Dunces" ? ;)

Nice.

Seems like we have at least somewhat similar taste in books. I've read just about all of Clive Barker's books... though I never finished Weaveworld for some reason. I also recently finished Stupid White Men (great book), which was followed by Crashing the Party by Ralph Nader.

My favorite author is probably Frank Herbert.

As for Ann Coulter, I refuse to read anything she writes. She's a bigot, a liar, and a hypocrite, so why would I trust anything she writes? I'm sure it's an interesting book, though.



Last edited by Danny_C at Nov 21 2002, 10:22 AM

Yep I'm a huge William Gibson fan actually, amusingly enough he is not a big computer person. I read Dune 2 or 3 times, which is a record for me. I don't read as fast as some people, so 1 time through is usually enough for me to experience a book.

But...Ann Coulter has all those FOOTNOTES! She must be a fountain of factual info. *cough cough*

C.

Gibson and Sterling are my fave cyberpunk authors, Herbert (5 times!) was a big influence for me as well! I read a LOT when I was a kid - mom said get out of your room and stop reading all the damn time, so I'd ride my bike to the Library and stay there till they closed! I had read the ENTIRE SF section of my local public library by the 8th grade. :rokk:

Everyone who is a rebellious geek capitalist at heart should read Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson. Get to the end, then ICQ me and we'll talk about implementing his main character's grand plan. :ph34r:

C.

Hey Cal....is it me? or is there a large similarity betweeen dune...and what is going on right now in our world? with the middle east and all that....the spice being oil...

Not sure Phoenix, the feudalism in the book stood out the most for me, I'm not sure who would represent Paul either, maybe Ralph Nader? Ha ha. In all seriousness I have seen a few pre-9/11 books/movies that reminded me of what's going on now. The Siege with Denzel Washington was extremely eerie when watched again, after the attacks. A few others that gave me a little deja vu, can't think of them now.

C.

I got two going at once: "Three Magic Words" - a metaphysical one and "Morgawr" by Terry Brooks for entertainment.

I think its you Phoenix - the book has a whole "messianic" tone that the current mideast crisis lacks... thankfully... :ph34r:

I'm about to crack open Kapra's "The Tao of Physics".....

A book I highly recomend to anyone here is George Soros' "Alchemy Of Finance"

I've also been thinking of picking up 1984 again ;)))
Anyone else think that George Orwell was about 20 years early? ;)



Last edited by SykkBoy at Nov 21 2002, 03:24 PM

Someone must be a liberal.... :agrin:

stop all yer high falutin ways, you're giving pornographers a bad name!

I toast you with Victory Gin B)



Please give proof, I would like to see it

Hehehe - I was going through Amazon's best seller list for my birthday/Christmas wish list, and #14 is a Michael Crichton book that's not even out yet :D I love his books, but WOW! The only book I've ordered before publication was the last Harry Potter Book :rokk:

That was my pool book over the summer - I probably stayed out a lot longer than I should most days just because I was so involved in it!

I'll check out these too :)

I gave away 100's of books when I moved. I usually try to pass them around my friends as I just don't have the room for them. My brother and SIL travel by car a lot and LOVE the book CD's. I haven't tried one yet - probably because I like music in the car, and I THINK what I like most about reading is the reading......

Geez you guys...now you've got me wanting to just crawl into bed with my book....hehe

Thanks to Torone I grabbed it and read it. I had seen the movie and also seen an episode of Xena with Beowolf in it....does that count? hehe I did find the book rather dry though...that old engish is killer when you're not in the right mood. :unsure:

Geez, I thought it said 'Necronomicon' there for a minute...rotfl....gee, this room is getting cold.... :ph34r:

Most definitely :(

As for me, I am in the middle of Narcissus in Chains by Laurell K. Hamilton...I'm quite enjoying it. Great for sci-fi/erotica fans....

I'm also a big fan of metaphysical fiction. One of my favorite books is The Celestine Prophecies trilogy. I haven't picked up the third book yet though...

Another all time favorite fiction book of mine is 'The Fifth Sacred Thing' by Starhawk. (yes, that wierd Dianic witch lady....lol) Her non-fiction is dry, very leftist and fanatically feminist.....however The Fifth Sacred Thing was awesome. The book deals with characters who are affected by a huge global/elemental/political change....a very entertaining and thought provoking book.

Oh! And I almost forgot....Clan of the Cave Bear....anyone read it? I started...got half way through and haven't picked it up since....





Last edited by gigi at Nov 22 2002, 12:59 AM

I had a hard time with Beowulf in HS but dug it - thankfully Heaney's translation is MUCH better - he's prolly my fave contemporary poet.

LOL! careful Gigi, the Outer Gods are watching! :blink:

Back before the PC Police got into education (and of course being at a private school where we had chapel with wine communion every Wednesday :rokk: ) my 9th grade English teach bought us Mead to taste while reading Beowulf. I think that's the ONLY way most us made it through that book. Maybe I'd like it more now, but back then it was nothing but pure torture :angry:

Throw in "alcholic" and you have eliminated 75% of writes ;)

Did he say writes or whites?

Knowin da pikey as I do, I'd say he's 3 sheets to the wind already - I think he meant "writers"... :awinky:

I'm reading "Five Simples Steps to Emotional Healing" by Glorida Arenson

It's a book about Meridian Therapy. It's interesting and I've been rtying it. If you're looking for a great way to curb stress try it.

I'm also reading "The Yoga of Power: tantra, shakti and the secret way" by Julus Evola - this book I read and re-read jumping around chapters.

Just go t a copy of:

"The Haunted House" by Hugo First :nyanya: :moon: :awinky:

Just finished "Blackwood Farm"

is one of the best book in the Vampire Chronicles
Very good story, rich writing, not too whiny and a few surprises ......

Yikes! LOL....I gather you've read HP Lovecraft's version of Necronomicon?

I had no idea the history of that work...but I found a good page which details the history and ideas behind the book:

http://www.digital-brilliance.com/necron/necron.htm

Very interesting stuff...and of course Aleister Crowley had to have his dirty little hands involved at some point...hahaha. :P

DV, I read that sort of stuff too.....try some of Shakti Gawain's books...she's quite good. :)

Off to see what 'Crytonomicon' is all about....hehehe

Gigi - I read a LOT of Lovecraft in HS - even did a Biography/Term Paper for Lit class in 11th grade on him - I got an A because the teacher had NEVER heard of him and couldn't dispute my sources! :awinky: Of course, Lovecraft made it all up....

or did he? :unsure:

i've got "crypto" around somewhere - been meaning to read it as Stevenson is really good! :o

I have a biography on him 'H.P Lovecraft' by L. Sprague De Camp...haven't picked it up yet though....

As for him making it up....according to that article his version contains many similiarities to the 'original'.

"The Necronomicon was written in Damascus in 730 A.D. by Abdul Alhazred."

Apparently Crowley had come across a translation and reiterated some information to a female friend who eventually married Lovecraft. It is surmised that Lovecraft might have never even seen the translations and just wrote the book based on his wife's conversations with him.

"It is easy to imagine a situation where Sonia and Lovecraft are laughing and talking in a firelit room about a new story, and Sonia introduces some ideas based on what Crowley had told her; she wouldn't even have to mention Crowley, just enough of the ideas to spark Lovecraft's imagination. There is no evidence that Lovecraft ever saw the Necronomicon, or even knew that the book existed; his Necronomicon is remarkably close to the spirit of the original, but the details are pure invention, as one would expect. There is no Yog-Sothoth or Azathoth or Nyarlathotep in the original, but there is an Aiwaz... "


Problem is, there are no known copies of the original left. Many of them disappeared during WWII...

http://www.digital-brilliance.com/necron/n...ecron.htm#Found

I love a good mystery.... :rokk:

Being a liberal is something to be proud of. There aren't many of us left, especially since the Democrats became mock Republicans.

As for proof of my Anne Coulter comments...

Hypocrisy example (one of many): Her biggest argument against liberals is that they can't hold a debate, but resort to name calling instead. Yet every time I've seen her debate a liberal (for instance, Donahue), she says, "you 'liberals'", like that's a bad word, and avoids debating the issues. Every time, I see the liberals sticking straight to the topic, while she keeps resorting to "liberals are wimps" and "liberals are stupid".

Lying example: I guess I don't have proof here, but I tend to believe David Brock (and the people who have supported his claims) over Anne Coulter.

Bigotry example: Well, she believes women shouldn't vote or run for office. I'd say that's a BIG example. She says women aren't "fit" to make those kinds of decisions, because women like to spend money, and men like to save it... which means, left to their devices, women would spend the countries money and never save anything.

Does she really believe that about women? If so that's completely insane. How someone who believes men should control her actions and decisions has the gaul to call someone ELSE brainwashed is beyond me.

C.