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What are reading right now?
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| evie dee |
Posted on November 28 2008 01:59 AM
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Member
Location: Detroit, Michigan
Posts: 570
Joined: 2007-12-01
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I know that many of us like to read, so I thought we should share what we're reading right now.
I'm currently reading Back on Blossom Street by Debbie Macomber. It turns out that my Aunt Pattie is reading the same book.
I'm thinking of joining a book club, too. |
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| justfoundout |
Posted on November 28 2008 02:41 AM
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Member
Location: Texas USA
Posts: 6097
Joined: 2008-05-25
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11/27/08
I know that this isn't what you had in mind when you asked that question, but I can't help myself. All day I've been reading the ABA (American Bar Association) rules for a college to get their approved standing on their Paralegal degree program. I'm doing research in preparation for writing a request to the College to let me replace my math credits with something else,... and that "something else" has to fall within the ABA guidelines. I've been doing this since about 9am and I worked on it until about 8pm -- 11 hours!. I'll try to have something more interesting to talk about next time. This was a good idea for a Thread, Evie Dee. - jus'
Edited by justfoundout on November 28 2008 02:42 AM |
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| reverend blamo |
Posted on November 28 2008 03:06 AM
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Member
Location: Island of Misfit Toys
Posts: 620
Joined: 2007-10-25
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I just finished reading my signed copy of Sid Narged's "Goin' Down" ( I met him at a party were he gave me both his books) I think I will start "The Victors" by Stephen Ambrose...yes it is about WWII...I am such a nerd. 
"I used to be disgusted, now I try to be amused..."
Elvis Costello |
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| CheshireKat |
Posted on November 28 2008 07:42 AM
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Member
Location: United States
Posts: 1860
Joined: 2008-11-14
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Right now I'm reading the novel "Falling Leaves" by Adeline Yen Mah. It's a really beautiful, heartbreaking novel about an unwanted Chinese daughter who is hated and abused by her step-mother. Really, really good book.
I'm also about half-way through "The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle" by Haruki Murakami. It's... well, I couldn't even begin to summarize what that book is about, but it's pretty incredible. I read "A Wild Sheep Chase" by Murakami and fell in love with his writing, so now I'm trying to read as much of his work as I can!
I'm wondering, who are some people's favorite authors?
"The hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings." - Eric Hoffer |
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| evie dee |
Posted on November 28 2008 05:37 PM
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Member
Location: Detroit, Michigan
Posts: 570
Joined: 2007-12-01
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justfoundout wrote:
11/27/08
I know that this isn't what you had in mind when you asked that question, but I can't help myself. All day I've been reading the ABA (American Bar Association) rules for a college to get their approved standing on their Paralegal degree program. I'm doing research in preparation for writing a request to the College to let me replace my math credits with something else,... and that "something else" has to fall within the ABA guidelines. I've been doing this since about 9am and I worked on it until about 8pm -- 11 hours!. I'll try to have something more interesting to talk about next time. This was a good idea for a Thread, Evie Dee. - jus'
Thanks! |
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| twistedxkiss |
Posted on November 29 2008 12:29 AM
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Member
Location: Michigan
Posts: 555
Joined: 2008-09-19
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I am reluctantly reading the Twilight series. I enjoyed the movie and am now suffering through what I consider to be mediocre writing so I can find out what will happen in the next movie. |
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| reverend blamo |
Posted on November 29 2008 01:14 AM
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Member
Location: Island of Misfit Toys
Posts: 620
Joined: 2007-10-25
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Kat, I rarely read fiction but find Irvine Welsh to be one of the few execptions. He falls into the category of something I want everyone to know about. His writing is not for everyone, the language is rough, the situations real and he writes in a heavy Scottish accent, one kinda learns it as it progresses. His book "Trainspotting" became a great movie.
I also find Rick Atkinson and the late Stephen Ambrose to be amazingly good historical writers. They both bring military history to a very personal level.
"I used to be disgusted, now I try to be amused..."
Elvis Costello |
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| MonkeyFeathers |
Posted on November 29 2008 06:57 AM
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Member
Location: Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Posts: 39
Joined: 2008-11-07
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I'm so glad that evie dee started this thread! I could talk about books forever!
I just finished "My Thirteenth Winter" by Samantha Abeel. I'm currently reading "The Alchemyst" by Michael Scott, and plan to reread "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott. =]
Most of my friends don't get why I like to read. They think it's tedious. I don't think they've found their perfect book yet, but one reason I think I read so much is to escape reality. After a hard day at school, or at work, or wherever you might be, reading a book and escaping reality is just the most relaxing thing. 
~MonkeyFeathers |
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| reverend blamo |
Posted on November 29 2008 01:23 PM
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Member
Location: Island of Misfit Toys
Posts: 620
Joined: 2007-10-25
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Ever talk to someone, a coworker perhaps, and they say something like "I don't read" ? Or find that some has NO books? I find that sort of odd.
If I ask a date what she reads and she has no answer, that could mean the first date could be the last date (but I can make exceptions based on looks alone)
"I used to be disgusted, now I try to be amused..."
Elvis Costello |
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| CheshireKat |
Posted on November 29 2008 01:38 PM
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Member
Location: United States
Posts: 1860
Joined: 2008-11-14
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reverend blamo wrote:
Ever talk to someone, a coworker perhaps, and they say something like "I don't read" ? Or find that some has NO books? I find that sort of odd.
If I ask a date what she reads and she has no answer, that could mean the first date could be the last date (but I can make exceptions based on looks alone)
I always find that kind of peculiar too. I have a friend who I have known since we were 8 years old (she's still one of my best friends, too) and my entire life that I've known them, they've only ever had 3 books in their house - two cookbooks, and a Holy Bible. And all three had a thick layer of dust on the top, because all the recipes her mom uses come out of her internal memory so she doesn't need them.
I am totally with you on the "deal breaker" of being with someone who doesn't read. My last significant other wasn't a reader at all (actually he wasn't much of anything but a drinker/partier) and after the experience I had with him, I think I am bumping "Must be literate" right up to the very top of the list of requirements! Not to say he didn't have redeeming qualities... his intelligence just wasn't one of them. And in the end, it was too big of a gap for me to handle.
"The hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings." - Eric Hoffer |
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| AnimalHugger |
Posted on November 29 2008 02:30 PM
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Member
Location: United States
Posts: 191
Joined: 2008-05-24
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MonkeyFeathers wrote:
I'm so glad that evie dee started this thread! I could talk about books forever!
I just finished "My Thirteenth Winter" by Samantha Abeel. I'm currently reading "The Alchemyst" by Michael Scott, and plan to reread "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott. =]
Most of my friends don't get why I like to read. They think it's tedious. I don't think they've found their perfect book yet, but one reason I think I read so much is to escape reality. After a hard day at school, or at work, or wherever you might be, reading a book and escaping reality is just the most relaxing thing.
~MonkeyFeathers
MonkeyFeathers, I've read ALL of those books!
If you like the Alchemyst series (which, in my opinon, are okay; I've read all the ones published so far - SCATTY IS AWESOME!) then you would also like the Artemis Fowl series. It's a rather long series, but highly entertaining (an easy read).
As for my favorite authors - I have many! I really like Eloise Jarvis McGraw (author of Mara, Daughter of the Nile and Moccasin Trail), Richard Adams (WATERSHIP DOWN), and I like James Herriot. I love his animal stories. And I have to say that I LOVE L.A. Meyer's series, called Bloody Jack. Those books are SO funny that you might just pee in your pants!!!! (Although for sticklers of great writing, his is not exactly the best grammatically speaking)
Any Eragon fans out there? I'm anxiously awaiting the last book!
And yes, as you can see, people who don't read shock me. I love talking about/discussing books (this only scratches the surface!). It is a prequisite in a relationship for someone to enjoy reading. I, too, find it relaxing and exciting, rather than a chore.
Does anyone write books? I've tried to write a book since I learned to pick up a pencil. None of them are any good, of course, but nonetheless....I have three stories going on right now. Any budding authors out there?
I'm NOT stupid!!!!! |
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| CheshireKat |
Posted on November 29 2008 02:36 PM
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Member
Location: United States
Posts: 1860
Joined: 2008-11-14
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AnimalHugger wrote:
Does anyone write books? I've tried to write a book since I learned to pick up a pencil. None of them are any good, of course, but nonetheless....I have three stories going on right now. Any budding authors out there?
Yes! I am working on a novel currently, about 90ish manuscript pages into it. It's been my pet project for the past year and a half; something I pick up when I'm not in class, reading for class, writing for class, or working. But when I'm in class, I think about my novel. When I'm at work, I think about my novel. The characters are real, they are people I know inside me - I know that sounds a little schizophrenic, lol, but it's true. And I can't wait to finish their story.
I also write short stories, prose, poems, etc. Some of my work is posted on fictionpress.com/~kelisabeth if you ever want to check it out. I also write fanfic, mostly as practice in different styles of writing, character and plot development, etc. That and it's just fun.
"The hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings." - Eric Hoffer |
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| Norah |
Posted on November 29 2008 04:39 PM
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Member
Location: the Netherlands
Posts: 25
Joined: 2008-09-29
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I'm currently reading Perdido Street Station by China Miéville. I like to read fantasy and sci-fi (or mixes of the two) most, but I like reading in general and if there is no choice available I'll just read anything that's in my vicinity. I also never read any book just once. I reread everything every now and then. I also really like horror, but have stopped reading it since it wasn't really helping my anxiety issues .
Some people never become really avid readers (my dad only occasionally reads a book), but others start reading a lot more once they find a genre they really like, or it just starts later (I always liked reading, but both my brothers never liked it until they were about 20, then they suddenly started reading a lot too).
I'd like to write a book (I have ideas for about 3 books), and I think I'm capable of writing fiction (and so do other people), but I need some help with research and contacting people who might know things I will need, to write what I want to write (like knowledge of certain things from specific historical periods and specific areas of the world). So, until now my writing hasn't really gone anywhere, but I'll be receiving assistance from an agency soon to go places outside the house, and while most of that will go into me doing sports (finally), some of it could be spent on me going to the library or even visiting people. So maybe I could start actually writing soon, get something together to see if any publishers would be interested.
-Norah- |
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| justfoundout |
Posted on November 29 2008 06:45 PM
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Member
Location: Texas USA
Posts: 6097
Joined: 2008-05-25
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11/29/08
I'd like to really congratulate Monkeyfeathers and AnimalHugger for their taste in reading and for honing their special comprehension skills. When I was in Junior High, I remember the pride I felt when it was recommended by the school (the dean? my teachers? I don't remember through what channel it came.) that I read the Classics. I'd never heard of books being called by this designation before, but I took that advice and went to the school library and told my story to the librarian. She promptly returned with several books for me to choose from. As I recall, Little Women was one of the first that I read at that time. This opened new worlds of thought for me, gave me some sense of history, and allowed me to 'visit' other families which had healthy relationships among their members. You two are doing the right thing. - jus' |
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| MonkeyFeathers |
Posted on November 29 2008 07:56 PM
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Member
Location: Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Posts: 39
Joined: 2008-11-07
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AnimalHugger wrote:
MonkeyFeathers, I've read ALL of those books!
If you like the Alchemyst series (which, in my opinon, are okay; I've read all the ones published so far - SCATTY IS AWESOME!) then you would also like the Artemis Fowl series. It's a rather long series, but highly entertaining (an easy read).
Any Eragon fans out there? I'm anxiously awaiting the last book!
And yes, as you can see, people who don't read shock me. I love talking about/discussing books (this only scratches the surface!). It is a prequisite in a relationship for someone to enjoy reading. I, too, find it relaxing and exciting, rather than a chore.
Does anyone write books? I've tried to write a book since I learned to pick up a pencil. None of them are any good, of course, but nonetheless....I have three stories going on right now. Any budding authors out there?
I'm enjoying "The Alchemyst" and agree that Scatty is awesome! =] Do you know how many books are in "The Alchemyst" series?
I am IN LOVE with the "Eragon" series! Although I haven't read the latest one. I don't really write much but it's easier and more enjoyable for me than it is my sister.
Justfoundout- Thanks! I haven't read THAT many classic books but I enjoy them.
~MonkeyFeathers =] |
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| reverend blamo |
Posted on November 29 2008 10:16 PM
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Member
Location: Island of Misfit Toys
Posts: 620
Joined: 2007-10-25
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On the note of literacy....I had a decal bought at a car show on the passenger side of my car that read "Capable of evading high speed persuit" (yes, it was spelled that way) My date asked "What's evading mean?" "It's what I am going to do with you soon." I told her.
I wonder if a lot of guys evaded her.
"I used to be disgusted, now I try to be amused..."
Elvis Costello |
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| CheshireKat |
Posted on November 30 2008 01:34 AM
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Member
Location: United States
Posts: 1860
Joined: 2008-11-14
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justfoundout wrote:
11/29/08
I'd like to really congratulate Monkeyfeathers and AnimalHugger for their taste in reading and for honing their special comprehension skills. When I was in Junior High, I remember the pride I felt when it was recommended by the school (the dean? my teachers? I don't remember through what channel it came.) that I read the Classics. I'd never heard of books being called by this designation before, but I took that advice and went to the school library and told my story to the librarian. She promptly returned with several books for me to choose from. As I recall, Little Women was one of the first that I read at that time. This opened new worlds of thought for me, gave me some sense of history, and allowed me to 'visit' other families which had healthy relationships among their members. You two are doing the right thing. - jus'
Classics are really great books, for people who have the skills to comprehend them. If you can get through the sometimes incredibly dry jargon, Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad is an incredible story, really intense.
I was never introduced to classic literature until my high school AP classes - I have always been a voracious reader, but most of the books I read came out of my classroom libraries, which were books intended for people at a normal reading level (that is, the shelves in 6th grade classrooms had books cut out for 6th graders). I still enjoyed the books simply for the storytelling and character, but they were way below my "speed" as a reader. My 8th grade English teacher started bringing me books off of her own personal bookshelf so I would have access to something on my level, and she's the one who really got me into more "adult" literature. Now I'll read anything with pages.
"The hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings." - Eric Hoffer |
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| justfoundout |
Posted on November 30 2008 03:26 AM
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Member
Location: Texas USA
Posts: 6097
Joined: 2008-05-25
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11/29/08
I found something online that's pretty amazing. It's a list of Literature Classic Books in full text and FREE. I recommend "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" and "Little Women", because I enjoyed reading these. Also, although this was not the book that I read, "Moby Dick" was one of the books read by some members of my Senior High School class. As I recall, it's a sad book. Here's the link. Enjoy. - jus'
http://pd.sparkno...
Also, there is a complete online Bible at:
http://www.watcht... Just click below the heading - Read the Bible Online, on the words New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures
Edited by justfoundout on November 30 2008 03:32 AM |
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| CheshireKat |
Posted on November 30 2008 04:20 AM
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Member
Location: United States
Posts: 1860
Joined: 2008-11-14
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Thanks Jus, that's awesome! I'll have to go down to my mom's office and do some printing... reading on the screen hurts my eyes if I stare at it for too long, and I can waste as much paper as I want at the office. 
By the way, I saw Cyrano de Bergerac on the list... I don't know if it was just me but I HATED that book, so I don't recommend anyone pick it up and read it. It might have had something to do with the horrific teacher I had during that part of the course, but something about that entire book just rubbed me the wrong way. x)
Some of my personal favorites from that list: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (read it several times, love it), The Call of the Wild, Common Sense, Great Expectations, Heart of Darkness (I had to read it 3 times before I came to enjoy it, but once I did, I loved it), Huckleberry Finn, The Jungle (crazy stuff, kind of makes you think twice about sausage), The Secret Garden, A Tale of Two Cities, and White Fang. Frankenstein was okay, and I only ever read about half of The Odyssey.
"The hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings." - Eric Hoffer |
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| justfoundout |
Posted on November 30 2008 04:40 AM
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Member
Location: Texas USA
Posts: 6097
Joined: 2008-05-25
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11/29/08
Your welcome! Glad it wasn't something that had everyone saying, "Oh, that? You mean you didn't know that that was there?"
I had to read the Odyssey (I think it was) in my Junior year in High School, and I complained to the teacher, in front of the class, that we shouldn't have had to read it because it was so immoral. Poor teacher, having to defend it. And I thought that I might have ostracized myself from my classmates, but as it turned out, one girl who was rather popular and who I considered 'smart' quietly agreed with me as class was letting out. Looking back, I see that it was probably all they had to prepare us for college classes on ancient history, etc. Thanks for your recommendations, Kat. - jus' |
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