Topic: What are you reading when [or not] listening to ? (Read 4456 times)

zevele10 · « **on:** September 08, 2003, 12:57:08 pm »

Here ,i'am reading 3 books:

-Salman Rusdie " Les Versets Sataniques '[The Satanic Verses]

-James Ellroy "The Six Thousand"

- Simone De Beauvoir "'A Transatlantic Love Affair: Letters To Nelson Algren "

Mike Noe · « **Reply #1 on:** September 08, 2003, 01:15:14 pm »

FWIW, IMO, I'm in the middle two rather interesting reads right now:

The Edgar Cayce Companion compiled by B. Ernest Frejer

Wild at Heart by John Eldredge

Shelly · « **Reply #2 on:** September 08, 2003, 01:15:39 pm »

Listening to: 'The Da Vinci Code' by 'Dan Brown' on Media Center 9.1

It would be a real page turner if I was reading it - what's the equivalent when I'm listening to it?

Nikolay · « **Reply #3 on:** September 08, 2003, 01:26:27 pm »

I just finished "In Heaven As On Earth" by Scott Peck and "The Penitent" by Isaac Singer. Now, I'm reading "God Against the Gods" by Allen Drury.

lee269 · « **Reply #4 on:** September 08, 2003, 01:31:46 pm »

Found an interesting book on an empty seat next to me on the train today - 'Round Ireland with a Fridge', by someone or other...

crowfan · « **Reply #5 on:** September 08, 2003, 02:02:09 pm »

I. by Stephen Dixon. Great read if you're into experimental stuff.

Next up: a re-read of one of my favorites of all time, "A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius" by Dave Eggers. This is one of the greatest ever. And of course, re-read "Return of the King" before the movie :-)

crow

Jaguu · « **Reply #6 on:** September 08, 2003, 02:42:47 pm »

"The Life Divine" by Sri Aurobindo. My constant companion for the last 20 or so years - about 2500 pages on the true nature of man and how he will evolve in the milleniums to come. No science fiction but pure philosophy. Reading no more than 7-12 pages a week.

rocketsauce · « **Reply #7 on:** September 08, 2003, 02:56:26 pm »

The Illuminatus! Trilogy (The Eye In The Pyramid, The Golden Apple, Leviathan) by Robert Shea & Robert Anton Wilson

Generally, most of the books I read are either SciFi/Cyberpunk (a recent favorite was Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson) or historical fiction (favorites are River God by Wilbur Smith, or The First Man In Rome series by Colleen McCullough).

Rob

aussie1 · « **Reply #8 on:** September 08, 2003, 04:23:03 pm »

I'm reading Rushdie's Satonic Verses too.

Also reading:

Doctor Faustus by Thomas Mann

God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy

crowfan · « **Reply #9 on:** September 08, 2003, 07:08:36 pm »

rocketsauce,

you ever read "The Pillars of the Earth" by Ken Follet? Great read!! (historical fiction)

crow

rocketsauce · « **Reply #10 on:** September 08, 2003, 07:52:45 pm »

Quote

...you ever read "The Pillars of the Earth" by Ken Follet?

Yeah! I read it about a year or so ago. I loved it.

Rob

modelmaker · « **Reply #11 on:** September 08, 2003, 07:56:19 pm »

rocketsauce: I have been reading Illuminatus as well!
scifi's my bag.

rocketsauce · « **Reply #12 on:** September 08, 2003, 08:17:07 pm »

I just started and am only about 50 pages in to it. It definitely takes some concentration. I think it's going to turn out to be a very interesting and entertaining read.

I used to read SciFi almost exclusively, but lately I tend to read historical fiction more. I think it's harder to find really good SciFi...or at least it takes a little effort to keep abreast of the genre, and I haven't been very diligent about that lately.

Rob

lee269 · « **Reply #13 on:** September 09, 2003, 09:06:28 am »

I tend to read in serial rather than parallel. Last two:

Slaughterhouse 5 - Kurt Vonnegut
The Sheep Look Up - John Brunner

Both classics in my opinion. Currently:

The Astrological Diary of God - Bo Fowler (a bit of a Vonnegut pastiche, not sure yet if Id recommend it)

I too lapsed from scifi for a while, but Iain M Banks' Culture novels sparked my interest again.

sapnho · « **Reply #14 on:** September 09, 2003, 12:09:17 pm »

The latest Harry Potter, what else?

Mastiff · « **Reply #15 on:** September 09, 2003, 01:31:37 pm »

Call me lowbrow, but I prefer audio video custom installation magazines and computer magazines, plus Marvel and DC. I read some Vonnegut about 20 years ago and hated it. Boooooring. Just like Cath 22, 1984 and most other classics. Just not my style. But I look forward to finish Lord of the Rings when I have seen the movie - I do it the other way around. I first saw the first movie and read that book, same thing happened after the second. Same thing will happen after Return of the King. Good thing our genius friend from New Zealand had the good sense to remove some of the stuff that seems like it was written on drugs - especially that Tom Boombadil bull!

(Putting on my flame proof suit now...)

bjsolem · « **Reply #16 on:** September 10, 2003, 11:46:55 am »

A short history of nearly everything, by Bill Bryson

Basically an intro to the history of science and important scientific discoveries.

More entertaining than the description sounds, but a bit drawn out in parts. I know that's an odd criticism considering the title.

Next up is: Lies! And the lying liars that tell them, by Al Franken.

Doof · « **Reply #17 on:** September 10, 2003, 12:19:05 pm »

I'm currently reading (this should all be a real big suprise):

Deep Descent: Adventure and Death Diving the Andrea Doria by Kevin F. McMurray.

Before that was:

Beyond the Deep: The Deadly Descent Into the World's Most Treacherous Cave by William Stone

The Cave Divers by Robert Burgess

Doing It Right: The Fundamentals of Better Diving by Jarrod Jablonski

The Last Dive: A Father and Son's Fatal Descent into the Ocean's Depths by Bernie Chowdhury

At some point, I really have to get back and finish the Lord of the Rings trilogy. I got half way through The Two Towers and then I gave up...

JimH · « **Reply #18 on:** September 10, 2003, 04:03:31 pm »

Girl with a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier
About the 17th century Dutch painter Vermeer, told from the point of view of his young maid. Excellent.

Last Night's Fun by Ciaran Carson
Irish music, pubs, and poetry told by a musician/poet. Fun to read and intricately written. Nice language.

The Pianist by Wladyslaw Szpilman
The story of a pianist and survivor of the Warsaw Ghetto. Incredible story.

All in paperback, all about 1/2 inch thick -- my favorite size for a book because I can still breathe when I fall asleep with it on my face.

KingSparta · « **Reply #19 on:** September 10, 2003, 04:10:46 pm »

Book: Instruction Manual By Customer Service (2003)

Currently On The Best Sellers List

modelmaker · « **Reply #20 on:** September 10, 2003, 04:27:08 pm »

DOOF: I'll bet your computer is submersible

JimH : They made a movie of "the Pianist", but you probably don't get out much. I liked the movie even better than the book.

JimH · « **Reply #21 on:** September 10, 2003, 04:54:05 pm »

Quote

They made a movie of "the Pianist", but you probably don't get out much.

You have a dry wit and a keen sense for understatement.

Doof · « **Reply #22 on:** September 10, 2003, 05:32:46 pm »

Quote

DOOF: I'll bet your computer is submersible

hehe... well, I DO have a dive computer... I haven't gone so far as to try and make this one submersible, though.

Although I have had thoughts about building an underwater housing for a gameboy or something for those long decompression stops...

nameless · « **Reply #23 on:** September 10, 2003, 06:59:43 pm »

JimH: I recently saw the movie The Pianist. (I know, I know, readers love to say that "The book was much better!") Excellent movie, and indeed, an incredible story. Unbelievable what some people have gone through. And here, I complain about having to floss!

As for me, I like "the idea" of reading, but I hate "actually" reading. Probably because I am a very slow reader; it's just plain drudgery for me. But I am in the middle of Bruce Schneier's Beyond Fear: Thinking Sensibly About Security in an Uncertain World
.

Shelly · « **Reply #24 on:** September 10, 2003, 07:46:45 pm »

Quote

As for me, I like "the idea" of reading, but I hate "actually" reading. Probably because I am a very slow reader; it's just plain drudgery for me.

I've recently become quite addicted to audio books on CDs, which of course I listen to with MC. They have many advantages, including being able to multitask - pay bills, answer email, cook, clean, drive, etc while "reading." I also keep a book on my Nomad Jukebox 3 and on my PDA so I can "read" while exercising, shopping, or waiting in doctor's offices. The biggest advantage is being able to read in bed with the lights out till I fall asleep. Besides drowning out my husband's snoring, I don't have Jim's potential problem of falling asleep with a heavy book on my face

nameless · « **Reply #25 on:** September 12, 2003, 09:58:19 am »

That's a good idea. I know I couldn't multitask while listening to a book (nor do I think anyone really could, if it were any technical subject). I listened to Sammy "The Bull" Gravano's book on tape while taking a road trip to Cincinnati some years ago; it was... ummm... interesting.

Listening while exercising is something I just might try--especially since they say that listening to music via headphones is a bad idea, since your hearing is twice as susceptible to damage while exercising than it normally is.

crowfan · « **Reply #26 on:** September 12, 2003, 10:25:59 am »

Ok, I'm going wayyyy OT with this one, but...

Do any of you reading (or audiobook) fans know of a message board/forum for book discussions? I am out of grad school (MA English) for 2 years now and I'm getting the itch to talk about this stuff with people again. I can't imagine it would be as active as our own Interact forum here, but I would love to find a place online where people talk about books. The only ones I was able to find haven't been posted to in like 2 years.

Thanks!

crow

NanjingGuy · « **Reply #27 on:** September 15, 2003, 06:07:33 am »

You all make me very jealous.

I am in a part of China where there are no books in English. Except for a few textbooks.

But, I still have a few David Drake and Harry Turtledove sci-fi paperbacks. Even those get old after about the 20th read though...

Wobbley · « **Reply #28 on:** September 15, 2003, 06:28:41 am »

- On The Road by Jack Kerouac
- A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson (just finished it - good read)
- The Seducer's Diary by Soren Kierkegaard
- Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris (a must read for those that love a "A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius" by Dave Eggers)
- Naked by David Sedaris
- Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry into Values by Robert M. Pirsig (a re-read of a most excellent book)
- The Chomsky Reader by Noam Chomsky

Wobbley

INTERACT FORUM

Author Topic: What are you reading when [or not] listening to ? (Read 4456 times)

zevele10

nameless

nameless

NanjingGuy