I realized tonight that I was regarding my phone suspiciously because I'm reading a sci-fi book where quantum computer-based AI's commit acts of terrorism.
And yes, this is the sci-fi book I'm reading at Barnes and Noble because it's too expensive to buy and it's not at the library.
DREW OF THE RUSHES Roaring Meh-Teh Defeating the Porpoise member is offline
Joined: Jan 2010 Gender: Male Posts: 5,469 Location: East Bay
Re: Let's Talk Books, Fuckers! « Reply #286 on Aug 20, 2012, 10:12pm »
I just finished Italo Calvino's t-zero, which was particularly trippy to read while listening to the new AC. Calvino is the Italian Borges, but more in love with math., and even more verbose if you can imagine it.
I'm also reading Howard Zinn's A People's History of the United States. I have trouble getting through more than an hour or so at a time without getting so mad and sad that I have to pick up something else. Fucking Andrew Jackson, man, what a psychotic piece of shit.
And I'm also in the middle of Maile Meloy's first collection of short stories, Half in Love. I am 100% in love with Maile Meloy, even though HG hates her.
On the sci-fi/fantasy front, I just finished the fucking 14th novel in the Malazan Empire series, and I read an awesomely bloated hard sci-fi book called 2312. I'm two or three stories into my first H.P. Lovecraft journey. And I'm still listening to the Dark Tower books, slowly - I'm halfway through Wizard and Glass.
Re: Let's Talk Books, Fuckers! « Reply #287 on Aug 20, 2012, 10:20pm »
Power through Wizard and Glass, dude. I know it's a serious change of pace, but it is the definition of a slow burn. And from there on out that shit is like a roller coaster.
I just saw a story saying that HBO and Warner Bros. both have now turned down the rights to the film adaptation of The Dark Tower... which would make me sad, if it weren't for the fact that they want Russell Fucking Crowe to play Roland, and the screenplay that's being passed around was written by Akiva Goldsman (Batman & Robin, The Da Vinci Code, I, Robot... so yeah, basically the worst screenwriter in the entire world -- litereally).
I was tearing through those 33 1/3 books until finals week hit; I read Fear of Music, Chocolate and Cheese, Swordfishtrombones and was working on Kid A but then I couldn't do it because it's written by a former Pitchfork writer. Like, I already know what Pitchfork think of Kid A, thanks.
Calvino is my next conquest, in fact. Jonathan Lethem -- my literary god, we've been over this -- is apeshit for him. If that's his influence, then I gotta see what it's about. Although his other main influence is P.K. Dick, and I think that Dick is a fucking windbag.
I NEED YOU TO COME SO THAT YOU CAN TELL HORNED GRAMMA THAT I'M A POST WHALE PINOCCHIO.
DREW OF THE RUSHES Roaring Meh-Teh Defeating the Porpoise member is offline
Joined: Jan 2010 Gender: Male Posts: 5,469 Location: East Bay
Re: Let's Talk Books, Fuckers! « Reply #288 on Aug 20, 2012, 10:30pm »
I've actually read the Dark Tower books, a long time ago, when I was probably 14-15. I forgot that this was the flashback book, and it dragged me down for a bit, but I'm plugging through it. It's still good, just a little teenage angsty, which is the point I guess.
I have only read Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? and several short stories, but I've always meant to tackle Philip K. Dick. In general I'm a fan of writers who go crazy later in their lives.
Re: Let's Talk Books, Fuckers! « Reply #289 on Aug 20, 2012, 10:37pm »
I read a couple of Dick's books and they all bled together in my mind. His whole philosophy could be boiled down into a two hour conversation with some drunk dude who uses the phrases 'police state' and 'corporate America' a whole bunch.
On the sci-fi/fantasy front, I just finished the fucking 14th novel in the Malazan Empire series,
What're ya'll reading?
I tried with those Malazan empire books, but man, could just not do it. For me it felt like he kept introducing more and more characters without focusing on the characters that I actually felt a connection with. (Haha, an yet I enjoy ASOIAF so much?) I also kind of resented the foreward, where he preemptively thanks the reader for being smart enough to stick with the books even though they're incredibly hard to get through, which I suppose means I just wasn't smart enough, not bored? Um...sorry if you enjoyed 'em drew.
Right now I'm listening to Wil Wheaton read me "Ready Player One" which is geek heaven.
On the phone I just finished Mindy Kahling's book, which is similar to Bossypants by Tina Fey in that its half bio/half humorous essays, only Mindy's seems a little fluffier. Very good ferry/train/bus/car ride material though. Now I believe I'm going to alternate between finishing up the Dune series and reading the rest of the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency books. I'm a sucker for novels set in Africa, some kind of trying to find my roots deal.
And in physical books I'm re-reading the Memory, Thorn & Sorrow trilogy by Tad Williams (for the bazillionth time). My physical books are always the same 'cause I only have one goddamn bookshelf full. But at least they're books I love.
DREW OF THE RUSHES Roaring Meh-Teh Defeating the Porpoise member is offline
Joined: Jan 2010 Gender: Male Posts: 5,469 Location: East Bay
Re: Let's Talk Books, Fuckers! « Reply #291 on Aug 20, 2012, 10:43pm »
That's hard to argue with. And all of his protagonists are a grizzled cop or former cop who blurs the line between hero and villain, and is a victim of the system he currently or formerly upholds.
That's hard to argue with. And all of his protagonists are a grizzled cop or former cop who blurs the line between hero and villain, and is a victim of the system he currently or formerly upholds.
Bingo.
I've come to the conclusion that there is nothing P.K. Dick has to offer that Lethem didn't do a million times better in Gun, With Occasional Music, Amnesia Moon, Girl in Landscape and As She Climbed Across the Table.
Just fell into the goodreads black hole of time-wasting. I don't know if any of y'all are on it, but it's already given me so many ideas for books to try and find. I love that you click "I really liked this book" and it gives you twenty more books like it! Plus, I can't believe how many books I've read and totally forgotten about.
I highly reccomend reading Life of Pi by Yann Martel before the movie comes out this Fall. I read this book about 7 years ago and it was lovely, incredibly imaginative. This line has always stuck with me, “I have nothing to say of my working life, only that a tie is a noose, and inverted though it is, it will hang a man nonetheless if he's not careful.” -- Yann Martel
I'm stoked that they got Ang Lee to direct cause that shit looks like it's going to be beautiful.
I have a copy of the new Michael Chabon novel on it's way from Amazon. Half of his books I just love, and half didn't really do much for me. It's gonna be hard for it to measure up to The Yiddish Policemen's Union, but I'm excited to read it just the same.
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