955 replies to this topic

[Luke Skywalker]

I think one of the best ways to learn a language is reading books so i read: 'Il nome della Rosa'

Great reading.

I also bought 'La Battlaglia di Midway' (aka Midway) and im reading it now (well, taking a break for studies ) Nice and familiar cover art hehe. Or course, using sometimes Williams' music as companion.

Amazingly, i found in Italy (in english) a book called 'The Making of JAWS'. Unfortunately no mention to Williams, since it deals with the shooting in Martha's(?) Vineyard. Well at least it just cost 1 €.

And of course i also bought a bird guide in italian . Very handy when i was in the Alps with the class, because unfortunately, most people dont know the latin names... that is why they were done.

[QuestionMarkMan]

In the middle of Michael Chabon's The Yiddish Policeman's Union at the moment

[John Crichton]

Has anyone other than me gotten The Children of Hurin? I thought it was excellently put together, though there wasn't really anything new there for those of us that have read the Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales.

Currently I'm wrapping up The Pythons Autobiography by The Pythons.

[Elmo Lewis]

Amazingly, i found in Italy (in english) a book called 'The Making of JAWS'. Unfortunately no mention to Williams, since it deals with the shooting in Martha's(?) Vineyard. Well at least it just cost 1 €.

Who's the author?

[Morlock]

In the middle of Michael Chabon's The Yiddish Policeman's Union at the moment

Is it as...unfortunate as it's title?

Morlock- currently reading Neil Gaiman's American Gods, which will be followed by Anansi Boys and Stardust

[Luke Skywalker]

Amazingly, i found in Italy (in english) a book called 'The Making of JAWS'. Unfortunately no mention to Williams, since it deals with the shooting in Martha's(?) Vineyard. Well at least it just cost 1 €.

Who's the author?

Edith Blake

[Mr. Breathmask]

I was going to finally start Angela's Ashes, but Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows will probably push its way in in a few weeks. I actually don't have that much time to read right now anyway.

[QuestionMarkMan]

In the middle of Michael Chabon's The Yiddish Policeman's Union at the moment

Is it as...unfortunate as it's title?

Morlock- currently reading Neil Gaiman's American Gods, which will be followed by Anansi Boys and Stardust

It's a delightful read so far

[Morlock]

Nu, how was it in the end?

At long last, I finished reading American Gods a few days ago. Loved it. It took me a couple of hundred pages or so to get into, but once I was in, i was enthralled. Neil Gaiman has a tremendous gift for story. Before going on to Anansi Boys, I decided to get Stardust out of the way (concidering that could take me a while to read a serious book). I must admit, the story didn't really draw me in until the ending. But I loved the ending. Can't wait for the movie, I'm intrigued by the Robert DeNiro role, which in the movie is named Captain Shakespeare, but was only in the book very briefly, and none of his clips from the trailer are in the book. Still, very much looking forward to the film.
I think I'll wait with the next one, get Potter out of the way.

[Luke Skywalker]

Outbound Flight by Timothy Zahn.

Nice and entertainig 'Prequel', and entertaining. Shame we already knew the outcome...

I would like a sequel that tells how Thrawn meet the emperor. And what he thinks about him being Sidious hehe. And i would like to know if he 'used' the emperor to obtain ships and a command rank.. because he doesnt seem to be a bad person in this book, and even dislikes Tyranny. Maybe he was convinced by the Empire.... if not why he wanted to re-create the empire in the 1st trilogy or why he created an Empire of the Hand in the unkown regions and not other ruling method...

I think i got my answer from the author himself:

Q:I was surprised by Thrawn's character in Outbound Flight. He seems too smart and basically decent to become the servant of Palpatine that he later becomes.

TZ: Ah, but is he really Palpatine’s servant? My sense has always been that he was manipulating Palpatine just as much as Palpatine is manipulating him. After all, he only came to the Empire so that he could gain command rank, collect all the military hardware Palpatine was willing to give him, and then get himself kicked back out to the Unknown Regions where he could start his long-term preparations for the coming war against the Yuuzhan Vong.

Not that Palpatine was fooled, of course. I’m sure he knew perfectly well what was going on and figured he was getting as much out of the deal as Thrawn was. Possibly a little more.

[Richard Penna]

Bill Bryson's The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid

A bit less laugh out loud than his other books, but this seems way more factual and has a really nice nostalgic feeling. Hope to finish it in time for Potter

[JWfangirl1992]

I was going to finally start Angela's Ashes, but Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows will probably push its way in in a few weeks.

I read the first 100 pages of Angela's for a History Book report and I'm sorry to say I haven't gotten a chance to finish that and Les Miserables which I have been reading since Christmas. Right now I'm reading Ghosts of Yesterday (the Transformers prequel) and I just finished the last two harry potter books and The Great Gatsby.

[Maglorfin]

Reading Stephen King's Cell (superb!), but will also put it aside for a while for HP & TDH.

[Marian Schedenig]

Finished Potter. Now I have to figure out what to read next.

[robthehand]

Hmm... some book called Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Wasn't bad at all.

I'm planning on reading all seven again soon, but not right yet. I want to read something else first, maybe Arthur C. Clarke's 2001 "quadrilogy" (I've read the first two, but not the others - how are they?).

[Marian Schedenig]

Only read the first one so far. I've also been thinking of reading the others...

[John Crichton]

Well, after finishing that Harry Potter thingy....I'm reading it again. Slower.

After that, hmmm, I've got the still-unfinished (after two goes over several years) Battle Cry of Freedom staring me in the face...

[Red Rabbit]

I just finished reading The Catcher in the Rye for school. I don't fully understand it, but it nevertheless left quite and impression on me.

[John Crichton]

I hated that book. I couldn't even finish it, even with a grade riding on it.

[Mr. Breathmask]

Hmm... some book called Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Wasn't bad at all.

I'm planning on reading all seven again soon, but not right yet. I want to read something else first, maybe Arthur C. Clarke's 2001 "quadrilogy" (I've read the first two, but not the others - how are they?).

They're alright. But unmemorable.

[Stefancos]

I just finished reading The Catcher in the Rye for school. I don't fully understand it, but it nevertheless left quite and impression on me.

The book of choice for lone assasins, is that what you want for your future?

[Vaderbait1]

Just read World War I by SLA Marshall. It was an amazing experience. World War I is easily the most senseless, destructive war in history. And today's world situations stem more from World War I than World War II even. Amazing.

Alos, the day after that I read the first Harry Potter book, out of curiosity. (It's been such a phenomenon for so many years I figured I might as well see what the fuss is about.) It was good, so I'm reading the second one now.

[Ray Barnsbury]

I'm glad you've embarked on the journey so many of us have enjoyed!

Ray Barnnsbury

[Red Rabbit]

I just finished reading The Catcher in the Rye for school. I don't fully understand it, but it nevertheless left quite and impression on me.

The book of choice for lone assasins, is that what you want for your future?

No.

[Elmo Lewis]

Why not?

Fame and respect not enough for you?

[AI]

In the middle of Michael Chabon's The Yiddish Policeman's Union at the moment

Good! It's nice to see someone who is actually reading some real literature, instead of just Potter.

Chabon is one of my favorite writers.

[Marian Schedenig]

I just started Twelfth Night, or What You Will.

[Luke Skywalker]

I finished 'El maestro de Esgrima' (Swordmaster?)

And middle through 'La piel del tambor' (Drum's skin?)

Both by Arturo Perez-Reverte.

Great books, entertaining and intriging

[Red Rabbit]

Why not?

Fame and respect not enough for you?

I'd rather not kill anyone.

[Drax]

IBM and the Holocaust by Edwin Black. Interesting indeed.

[Drax]

Captain Quirk: The Unauthorized Biography of William Shatner by Dennis William Hauck. Poor Willy's mad! He seems to really believe aliens are trying to channel him!

[Miguel Andrade]

Herman Hesse's Sidartha. It was a very special gift, and being a small book, i jsut read it in a heartbeep...
And I'm finishing another book I was offered, that one being a biography on a film composer with an atitude problem...

[Beowulf]

It seems as if i'm in the same quandary as some posters here.

I'm currently in the middle of "Catch 22" which i'm reading again for the first time since High School - however, as soon as I get back home, I plan on reading my sister's copy of Harry Potter (no i'm not telling anyone i'm going to read it). Obviously, I will not be done with Catch 22 by monday, so it looks like I will have to stop mid-way to read HP and then start back up again once i'm done.

But judging by the last few books in the series, I'll be done with it in a few quick days of addictive non-stop reading marathon sessions, so I can pick up Catch 22 after that! I'm actually looking forward to reading the conclusion of Mr. Potter's adventures, no matter how much like a 12 year old schoolgirl it makes me sound.

[Maglorfin]

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. I'm doing the "HP reading marathon" and I've only just started, so ca. 3.600 pages to go yet.

[Richard Penna]

I'm still looking for post-Potter reading, perhaps I could finally start reading LotR.

Meanwhile I'm re-reading Nancy Cartwright: My Life as a 10-Year-Old Boy which my brother, an equal Simpsons freak bought for my birthday a few years back.

[QuestionMarkMan]

finished Chabon's The Yiddish Policeman's Union

some fantastic writing in there!

[Morlock]

I never got through The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay. Lost interest halfway through.

Just made my first real foray into the world of Kurt Vonnegut, with Cat's Cradle. Loved it. I am definitely a Bokononist.
And, for the fun of it, read Kafka's The Penal Colony. I can honestly say I am not quite sure what to make of it, even though I have an idea.
Oh, and I finally finished Neil Gaiman's Anansi Boys, which was a perfectly charming light read. I was intending on giving Gaiman a rest....but I think I'll wait till after I finish Neverwhere.

[QuestionMarkMan]

I never got through The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay. Lost interest halfway through.

[Morlock]

Too weird.

[Elmo Lewis]

I never got through The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay. Lost interest halfway through.

I know. Impossible, isn't he?