The Syndicate

I just started Anna Karenina yesterday and am liking Tolstoy thus far.

Finished Infinite Jest not too long ago and it totally blew my mind.

I never read Infinite Jest, but i will say that Anna Karenina is the most accessible Tolstoy. It is really the most accessible srs bsns Russian novel except perhaps the Brothers Karamazov. Anna K is a bit less harsh on women then Madame Bovary, with a somewhat similar plot. I would never in a zillion years call it "feminist" , but it is more balanced that way than many 19th century novels.

I just reread Larry Nivens Footfall ( I <3 Sci Fi) and am about to start Stephen Kings Dreamcatcher. I lost touch with King around the time he wrote that book about the giant alien ship buried in someones yard in Maine, but I was told I might like this. So i will try it.

My favorite King is honestly The Running Man and The Long Walk, both of which he wrote as Richard Bachman. His tone in those books I find to be a lot more human and interesting than many of his other works.

am still busy with wheel of time

Almost halfway through The Wind Through The Keyhole.

I love The Dark Tower series, and this is a great addition so far. I love stories from Roland's youth.....I guess that's why I liked Wizard and Glass more than most people.

I almost picked that up the other day sawyer. I keep forgetting then remembering that he wrote it. Also - did you read the Kennedy book? What did you think of it if you did?

I'm still reading Hitchhikers Guide to the Galexy - I'm on like book 3 now, but I honestly just haven't been reading a lot lately.

I am currently reading:

Romance of the Three Kingdoms
The First Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever

I have the first four books of the Game of Thrones series I plan on starting soon.

I also have The Gunslinger on my nightstand (along with many other books), but I've been reluctant to start it. Stephen King was the author who broke me into becoming an avid reader, but the allusions to the Dark Tower series in his other books (Insomnia, The Stand, et. al) put me off.

Epignosis wrote:I am currently reading:

Romance of the Three Kingdoms
The First Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever

I have the first four books of the Game of Thrones series I plan on starting soon.

I also have The Gunslinger on my nightstand (along with many other books), but I've been reluctant to start it. Stephen King was the author who broke me into becoming an avid reader, but the allusions to the Dark Tower series in his other books (Insomnia, The Stand, et. al) put me off.

What put you off exactly? I personally love the Dark Tower world/stories, but they are definitely not for everyone.

reywaS wrote:

Epignosis wrote:I am currently reading:

Romance of the Three Kingdoms
The First Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever

I have the first four books of the Game of Thrones series I plan on starting soon.

I also have The Gunslinger on my nightstand (along with many other books), but I've been reluctant to start it. Stephen King was the author who broke me into becoming an avid reader, but the allusions to the Dark Tower series in his other books (Insomnia, The Stand, et. al) put me off.

What put you off exactly? I personally love the Dark Tower world/stories, but they are definitely not for everyone.

Have you ever read Insomnia? Strange book, one King admitted that he tried to "plot" too hard. But it mentions ka-tet, a crimson king, and gunslinger, if I recall correctly, and none of the references in the context of the novel made any sense. Also, King likes recurring characters, and Randall Flagg and his various namesakes appear all throughout King's novels.

All those things put together just seems like it would be a mess, I suppose.

Then again, The Gunslinger is a short book. It wouldn't kill me to just knock it out and see if I'm missing anything.

Epi - the only issue I have with the gunslinger is that it was wrote early in his career, and at some points suffers a bit from slowness. For me the *most* interesting thing about reading the dark tower books is that as the books span his career you really get a sense of him changing as a writer from book to book. I haven't read insomnia as I've heard it's a wonderful cure for the disease it gets its title from. That said, yes he does like recurring characters, places etc, but it's no more confusing I think than when he mentions little asides to other things and events in other books (I'm thinking of the tommyknockers nod to the events happening in It.)

Wazzipi wrote:am still busy with wheel of time

I started the first one and it took me forever to finish it. I doubt I will continue on in the series, it just didn't do it for me.

I have literally just started David Copperfield. I love Dickens.

bea wrote:Epi - the only issue I have with the gunslinger is that it was wrote early in his career, and at some points suffers a bit from slowness. For me the *most* interesting thing about reading the dark tower books is that as the books span his career you really get a sense of him changing as a writer from book to book. I haven't read insomnia as I've heard it's a wonderful cure for the disease it gets its title from. That said, yes he does like recurring characters, places etc, but it's no more confusing I think than when he mentions little asides to other things and events in other books (I'm thinking of the tommyknockers nod to the events happening in It.)

This. Definitely. If anyone is going to give The Dark Tower a try, you should commit to reading the first TWO novels before deciding whether or not you like it. I've talked to several fans of The Dark Tower that actually disliked The Gunslinger quite a bit....but then fell in love with the series in book two. Personally, I liked The Gunslinger. It's short, so even if you hate it you can breeze through it in an a couple of days. I read it in an afternoon. The second novel, The Drawing of the Three, is where the series really takes off. Books two and three are my favorites...though I liked all the books in their own ways.

And Epignosis....I wouldn't let what you've experienced via other novels put you off of trying the Dark Tower.

For Christmas I got

Ubik and Valis (by Philip K Dick)
Ulysses (Joyce)
Beyond Good and Evil (Nietzche)
Walden (Thoreau)

should keep me busy a while

Steve Jobs by Walter Issacson.

I got so many books for Christmas today. Too many, in fact. Started reading The Sunset Limited tonight.

I did not get books for christmas.

I got kitchen stuffs.

I do like being able to make nummyness.

Moscow-Petushki by Венеди́кт Ерофе́ев, hilarious so far. Also Transcendental Magic by Eliphas Levi. But I really should be writing instead of reading. .*Ö*(((

The Truth wrote:I just started Anna Karenina yesterday and am liking Tolstoy thus far.

Finished Infinite Jest not too long ago and it totally blew my mind.

Have you considered reading Dostoyevsky? He's my favorite author at the moment; it's almost like he's what I've been looking for my entire literary life. My favorite is The Brothers Karamazov, and I just got The Idiot for Christmas. If your tastes are anything like mine, read him now.

If you like David Foster Wallace, you really should check out Thomas Pynchon. Pynchon inspired DFW, which is why I read him in the first place. Personally, I much prefer Pynchon.

I'm not currently reading anything (the last book I read was David Copperfield for my English class,) but I got Ulysses and Of Human Bondage for Christmas-two books I've been wanting to read for years but never got around to. I'm indecisive which one to read first, or whether I should just read The Idiot.

The Brothers Karamazov is a masterpiece of Russian literature.

May I recommend a shorter, lesser known Russian masterpiece? Fathers and Sons by Ivan Turganev. It really resonated with me in a visceral way. You can read it in an afternoon.

Epignosis wrote:May I recommend a shorter, lesser known Russian masterpiece? Fathers and Sons by Ivan Turganev. It really resonated with me in a visceral way. You can read it in an afternoon.

I've heard about it, but haven't read it. I'll take your word for it.

Epignosis wrote:The Brothers Karamazov is a masterpiece of Russian literature.

ture

I'm starting A Song of Ice and Fire today. I've thumbed through the Appendix and looked at all the names. How in the world does he keep up with all these people?

Guess I'll manage it a chapter a day.

Not to spoil anything, but I read the first few chapters and already four people are dead. Good Lord.

I love ASOIAF

axxon n wrote:

The Truth wrote:I just started Anna Karenina yesterday and am liking Tolstoy thus far.

Finished Infinite Jest not too long ago and it totally blew my mind.

Have you considered reading Dostoyevsky? He's my favorite author at the moment; it's almost like he's what I've been looking for my entire literary life. My favorite is The Brothers Karamazov, and I just got The Idiot for Christmas. If your tastes are anything like mine, read him now.

If you like David Foster Wallace, you really should check out Thomas Pynchon. Pynchon inspired DFW, which is why I read him in the first place. Personally, I much prefer Pynchon.

I'm not currently reading anything (the last book I read was David Copperfield for my English class,) but I got Ulysses and Of Human Bondage for Christmas-two books I've been wanting to read for years but never got around to. I'm indecisive which one to read first, or whether I should just read The Idiot.

I've read Notes from Underground and have Demons as well as Crime & Punishment in my to-read pile. NfU was an absolutely masterpiece.

I'm definitely looking forward to reading some Pynchon as well.

I need a new audiobook for my commute. Any suggestions?

I'm reading The Great Gatsby (only reason I bring it up), it's great if you haven't read it already.

Sein und Zeit. My brain hurts.

The Truth wrote:I'm reading The Great Gatsby (only reason I bring it up), it's great if you haven't read it already.

thanks. I did read it, but its been quite some time.

I know I just started The Game of Thrones, and that I'm reading a lot of "epic" works, but I just read the first 35 pages of Dracula over tea at work today.

1984

Two Minute Hate sounds fun.

I'm reading Dracula. Good book so far.

^ Dracula was a fun read! The epitome of the vampire mythology, no doubt.

1884 and Dracula are great reads.

I read - like *ages ago* a book that I thought was called "The Memiors of Renfield" But when I tried to google search it all I came up with was "The book of Renfield: A Gospel of Dracula" By Tim Lewis.

I looked at the first couple pages on amazon though and I don't think it's the same book The one I remember had all sorts of mentions in the beginning about how the rest of the story needed to be told to the Harker's child. I should have kept lists back then...

I just read The Crown of Embers by Rae Carson. I had read the previous two books, Shadow Cats, and The Girl of Fire and Thorns and finally read this one. They were a random find and I have really enjoyed them.

so it's a cycle series then? what about? I am a sucker for those kinds of books -but I usually prefer the series to be finished....

It's not finished yet. It's about a girl who is the bearer of what the books call a godstone, which is basically a jewel she was born with embedded in her navel, bearers come once every hundred years and have a divine purpose. The series is really interesting because it is basically this girl finding her way through what others want her to do as a bearer and queen, and what she feels she should and wants to do. She is married off to a king, thereby becoming queen and being thrust into the middle of civil unrest and outright war. I have found it fairly interesting personally. The only thing I struggled with at the beginning of the first book I read and this last one (because I forgot) is the author wrote it in the first person, this is always harder for me to get into at first when things are written in the first person for some reason.

Becker Professional Education: CPA Exam Review - Regulation

It's just as exciting as it sounds.

lol MP, good luck with that. FWIW, I was an accounting major in college and switched tracks to graphic design. I don't regret it

Right now I'm reading a board game manual, but I'm not sure that counts as literature. I'm also in the middle of re-reading my favorite book, Poison Study by Maria Snyder

blindfaeth wrote:lol MP, good luck with that. FWIW, I was an accounting major in college and switched tracks to graphic design. I don't regret it

Right now I'm reading a board game manual, but I'm not sure that counts as literature. I'm also in the middle of re-reading my favorite book, Poison Study by Maria Snyder

Thanks, lol. I'm taking Regulation first, then BEC, FAR, and Auditing (at least that's the plan). The goal is to have it all done by the end of the year at the latest, or if possible by August or October. Unfortunately, it leaves me with little time for other reading for the duration.

Accounting to graphic design? I wasn't aware you were originally in accounting. What made you decide to switch to something so drastically different? Lol.

MovingPictures07 wrote:

blindfaeth wrote:lol MP, good luck with that. FWIW, I was an accounting major in college and switched tracks to graphic design. I don't regret it

Right now I'm reading a board game manual, but I'm not sure that counts as literature. I'm also in the middle of re-reading my favorite book, Poison Study by Maria Snyder

Thanks, lol. I'm taking Regulation first, then BEC, FAR, and Auditing (at least that's the plan). The goal is to have it all done by the end of the year at the latest, or if possible by August or October. Unfortunately, it leaves me with little time for other reading for the duration.

Accounting to graphic design? I wasn't aware you were originally in accounting. What made you decide to switch to something so drastically different? Lol.

Oh dear, I'm not sure. I've always been a really artistic person, unfortunately, I can't really draw, but you don't need a steady hand to do graphic design, the program can draw a straight line for you :P

I remember I sincerely enjoyed accounting my first semester but it became quickly apparent to me that I would not want to do it the rest of my life, I enjoy variety in my day-to-day.

blindfaeth wrote:

MovingPictures07 wrote:

blindfaeth wrote:lol MP, good luck with that. FWIW, I was an accounting major in college and switched tracks to graphic design. I don't regret it

Right now I'm reading a board game manual, but I'm not sure that counts as literature. I'm also in the middle of re-reading my favorite book, Poison Study by Maria Snyder

Thanks, lol. I'm taking Regulation first, then BEC, FAR, and Auditing (at least that's the plan). The goal is to have it all done by the end of the year at the latest, or if possible by August or October. Unfortunately, it leaves me with little time for other reading for the duration.

Accounting to graphic design? I wasn't aware you were originally in accounting. What made you decide to switch to something so drastically different? Lol.

Oh dear, I'm not sure. I've always been a really artistic person, unfortunately, I can't really draw, but you don't need a steady hand to do graphic design, the program can draw a straight line for you :P

I remember I sincerely enjoyed accounting my first semester but it became quickly apparent to me that I would not want to do it the rest of my life, I enjoy variety in my day-to-day.

That's understandable. I had the same realization when I visited a university for its Engineering program. It was neat and all, but I realized it wasn't right for me. I loved Accounting from my very first semester, somehow.

Just started book 1 of Wheel of Time!

@ daisy - that's odd to me that you don't enjoy books in the first person so much as books in the third person. I know most writers make the decision to write in the first person because a) they are telling THAT character's story and b) because it does tend to draw in the wider audience. People tend to like things that are written in "I" and "me" because they can replace their own selves in "I" and "me." I'd love to hear more about what it is about books written that way that make it more difficult for you to enjoy. Even if it's a soley personal thing.

as for what I be reading. - well - nothing right now. That said - I have to get the oil changed on my car tomorrow and that means a long wait with a bookstore close by. And a hankerin' to read. I've cut off all obligations to internet times (IE - I'm not playing any mafia games) - so - yea- free time - books - awesome!!!!

oh - and for my Russian Lit friends - my favorite Russian Lit book - is "The Master and Margarita." Really - it's a stunning novel. And those of you that like Russian Lit will adore it. Trust me.

Vompatti wrote:Also Transcendental Magic by Eliphas Levi.

I'm reading that too! It's very good, and it's nice to have the annotations by Waite to point out when Levi is making up nonsense (which he does with alarming frequency)

bea wrote:@ daisy - that's odd to me that you don't enjoy books in the first person so much as books in the third person. I know most writers make the decision to write in the first person because a) they are telling THAT character's story and b) because it does tend to draw in the wider audience. People tend to like things that are written in "I" and "me" because they can replace their own selves in "I" and "me." I'd love to hear more about what it is about books written that way that make it more difficult for you to enjoy. Even if it's a soley personal thing.

I find this odd, becasue I also dislike first person narrative, it seems limiting. I tend to dislike things written in the "I" because it is making presumptions about my viewpoint; I tend to automatically disagree with first person protagonists becasue i am curmudgeony that way.

Taste is so very personal.

S~V~S wrote:

bea wrote:@ daisy - that's odd to me that you don't enjoy books in the first person so much as books in the third person. I know most writers make the decision to write in the first person because a) they are telling THAT character's story and b) because it does tend to draw in the wider audience. People tend to like things that are written in "I" and "me" because they can replace their own selves in "I" and "me." I'd love to hear more about what it is about books written that way that make it more difficult for you to enjoy. Even if it's a soley personal thing.

I find this odd, becasue I also dislike first person narrative, it seems limiting. I tend to dislike things written in the "I" because it is making presumptions about my viewpoint; I tend to automatically disagree with first person protagonists becasue i am curmudgeony that way.

Taste is so very personal.

It seems you two are not alone, because I tend to write a lot of short stories in first person (the influence of Poe and Lovecraft, I think) and a lot of magazines I submit to say they don't like it. I do think the first person is harder to sustain over a whole novel, though.

Just realized I never answer Bea's question! It is hard to put my finger on the why. I think perhaps because I feel like the author is forcing a connection on me perhaps, or that by writing in the first person I feel like I should be putting myself as the reader into that character's shoes, but I don't even know them yet. I much prefer third person narrative, though obviously it is not make or break for me, it just runs a greater risk of losing my interest because it takes me longer to get into the first person narrative.

Spacedaisy wrote:Just realized I never answer Bea's question! It is hard to put my finger on the why. I think perhaps because I feel like the author is forcing a connection on me perhaps, or that by writing in the first person I feel like I should be putting myself as the reader into that character's shoes, but I don't even know them yet. I much prefer third person narrative, though obviously it is not make or break for me, it just runs a greater risk of losing my interest because it takes me longer to get into the first person narrative.

How do you feel about a 2nd person narrative?