What's The Last Book You Read?

[crocodile 7,988]

Because it's the first volume of three it's hard to say yet. A lot of it depends on how all the pieces fit together. But so far I liked Black Dossier more.

Karol

[crocodile 7,988]

Finished Century. It's a bit of a letdown. Alan Moore seems to be doing great with the cultural references dating back to mid-XX century. But this last 2009 chapter is not that good. Seems a bit anti-climactic and out of touch. I liked some of the bits, the concept itself is fine and I get it. But as a whole it's a rare misstep for Moore.

Karol

[JoeinAR 1,949]

currently reading Joyland by Stephen King. I believe if I hadn't found a stopping point last night I would have read it from beginning to end in one sitting.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Finished Hemingway's Islands In The Stream. Possibly my favorite.

[Marian Schedenig 8,176]

I'm reading Fiasko by Stanisław Lem. It... feels weird and alienating, but then again that's Lem's thing sometimes. He can also be hilarious.

I read that a few months ago. My first Lem, and not an easy read, partly because I suspect the translation to have had too much of a style of its own. Still intriguing.

After that I finished The Hunchback of Notre Dame and was going to continue with Les miserables, until I found out that my 600 pages version had been truncated by about a thousand from the original 1600.

So instead I'm currently reading A Song of Ice and Fire. 160 pages into A Clash of Kings at this point, and haven't continued watching the TV series since the beginning of May. I'm terribly afraid of spoilers now.

[Brónach 1,301]

I'm reading Fiasko by Stanisław Lem. It... feels weird and alienating, but then again that's Lem's thing sometimes. He can also be hilarious.

I read that a few months ago. My first Lem, and not an easy read, partly because I suspect the translation to have had too much of a style of its own. Still intriguing.

Try The Star Diaries. It was my first Lem and one of my favourite books ever.

[Joe Brausam 214]

I'm reading Fiasko by Stanisław Lem. It... feels weird and alienating, but then again that's Lem's thing sometimes. He can also be hilarious.

I read that a few months ago. My first Lem, and not an easy read, partly because I suspect the translation to have had too much of a style of its own. Still intriguing.

After that I finished The Hunchback of Notre Dame and was going to continue with Les miserables, until I found out that my 600 pages version had been truncated by about a thousand from the original 1600.

So instead I'm currently reading A Song of Ice and Fire. 160 pages into A Clash of Kings at this point, and haven't continued watching the TV series since the beginning of May. I'm terribly afraid of spoilers now.

Abridged Les Miserablés isn't a bad deal. The full version has a lot of historical information (30 pages on the battle of Waterloo just to introduce a character?) and that sort of stuff that can be trimmed without you really losing anything important.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Something like that speaks volumes about the quality of a book though. I prefer to read and analyze/judge a book in its intended form.

[Incanus 5,713]

Light summer fare: Agatha Christie's The ABC Murders.

[Ren 75]

LOVE AGATHA CHRISTIE. Especially abc murders. And dumb witness and and then there were none and orient express and.....,

[Incanus 5,713]

LOVE AGATHA CHRISTIE. Especially abc murders. And dumb witness and and then there were none and orient express and.....,

Christie's approach in The ABC Murders is quite modern, hinting at the fractured personality of the prime suspect very much the way modern TV shows sometimes portray serial killers. Although the final revelation is wonderfully imaginative and convoluted, Christie really leaves clues along the way for the reader to find if he/she is careful. The film adaptation is very faithful to the novel and is definitely among the best in the whole series.

I have read most of the Christie novels but I intend to leave the Elephants Can Remember, The Labours of Hercules, Dead Man's Folly, The Big Four and The Curtain after I have seen the final season of the show on TV.

[Jay 37,319]

Marcy is reading Elephants Can Remember now before she watches the episode. I'm tried telling her she's doing it backwards, especially after she was so annoyed by the Under The Dome pilot

[Ren 75]

Lol I must have sooooo many agatha Christie books but I don't actually think I've ready those ones.

[Incanus 5,713]

Actually I have read the Big Four and Labours of Hercules but it was nigh 20 years ago so I can't remember anything about them, which is of course a good thing so the last season won't be spoiled.

[Jay 37,319]

You know Elephants Can Remember has already aired, right?

[Incanus 5,713]

You know Elephants Can Remember has already aired, right?

But of course! I have already watched it so now I can read the novel.

[Jay 37,319]

Nice.

I've currently returned to reading The Hobbit (I read the first 6 chapters before AUJ came out - of course I had read the book before as a kid). After that I will probably read Casino Royale.

I'm still trying to decide if I want to read the Game of Thrones books now, or wait until after the entire show is done. I certainly would only read the first 2 books now and now read 3 until Season 4 is done if I did start. But what if I start and love them so much I can't put them down!? Ah!

Luckily I have hobbits and James Bonds to distract me until then.

[Incanus 5,713]

Nice.

I've currently returned to reading The Hobbit (I read the first 6 chapters before AUJ came out - of course I had read the book before as a kid). After that I will probably read Casino Royale.

I'm still trying to decide if I want to read the Game of Thrones books now, or wait until after the entire show is done. I certainly would only read the first 2 books now and now read 3 until Season 4 is done if I did start. But what if I start and love them so much I can't put them down!? Ah!

Luckily I have hobbits and James Bonds to distract me until then.

I will probably continue reading the History of the Hobbit part 2 by John Rateliff now. It is a bit laborious to read, when he has millions of footnotes and even footnotes on his chapter notes but there is some fascinating discussion going on about all the facets of the Tolkien's writing process, truly and well researched. But you can't exactly take the book up and read it for pure enjoyment like a novel. More of a scholarly work like the History of Middle-Earth series.

[Jay 37,319]

Sounds interesting. I'm reading The Hobbit on my tablet, I bought the version Illustrated by John Howe for the Kindle App (so it has all his drawings as JPGs, and I can even zoom in on them). But I also bought the hardcover "Annotated Edition" of The Hobbit, and will have to check that out sometime. Right now I am quite enjoying reading on a tablet, though - more than I thought I would. I wish there was a way to buy physical books and get a free automatic digital version like there is if you buy a CD on Amazon (Auto-Rip). It's nice having the (legal) option.

[alicebrallice 134]

But I also bought the hardcover "Annotated Edition" of The Hobbit, and will have to check that out sometime.

I have it as well, but I haven't really checked it out yet. it's on my summer reading list!

[Incanus 5,713]

But I also bought the hardcover "Annotated Edition" of The Hobbit, and will have to check that out sometime.

I have it as well, but I haven't really checked it out yet. it's on my summer reading list!

Based on the commentary in The History of the Hobbit and quite a few references to it, the Annotated Hobbit must be a very interesting read as well.

[Marian Schedenig 8,176]

Abridged Les Miserablés isn't a bad deal. The full version has a lot of historical information (30 pages on the battle of Waterloo just to introduce a character?) and that sort of stuff that can be trimmed without you really losing anything important.

Hunchback was one of the most tedious reads I've known (whoever complained about Tolkien writing full paragraphs only about landscapes hasn't read Hugo writing entire chapters only about church facades), so I'm sure abridged Miserables would be an easier read than the full thing. Still, I'm not likely to read it twice, so I'd rather tackle the real deal someday.

I'm still trying to decide if I want to read the Game of Thrones books now, or wait until after the entire show is done. I certainly would only read the first 2 books now and now read 3 until Season 4 is done if I did start. But what if I start and love them so much I can't put them down!? Ah!

I'm the opposite. I'm nearing the end of book 2 and have put the TV series on hold (stopped watching after 3x04 or something like that) until I'm done with book 3. So far I've managed to stay spoiler free.

Based on the commentary in The History of the Hobbit and quite a few references to it, the Annotated Hobbit must be a very interesting read as well.

Absolutely!

[Wojo 2,453]

Wouldn't the full intended version of Les Miserables be in French? Sure, if you can read that language and like to read books outside school in their native languages, go for it. Otherwise, even the unabridged translation is a compromise.

[Marian Schedenig 8,176]

Of course it is. But one is a compromise I have to make (I don't know French). That I'm at the mercy of a translator is something I can't (with reasonable time and effort) change. Though I have learned that sometimes it's important to sometimes do research before picking the "right" translation, too.

[Brónach 1,301]

Though I have learned that sometimes it's important to sometimes do research before picking the "right" translation, too.

I do this too.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Goldfinger and Thunderball.

I accidentally skipped For Your Eyes Only, so I'm reading that one now.

I know it would never happen but I would absolutely love faithful film adaptations of the Fleming novels.

[Incanus 5,713]

I just finished A Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin, which delves into the leadership and political skills of Abraham Lincoln and on which the film Lincoln is partially based on (in very small part though I realize now having read the work). A fascinating study with a lot of primary source material taken from the diaries and reports and notes of the contemporaries of the president telling many sides to this story. The examination is built around the idea of mirroring Lincoln's life with the eminent individuals around him, specifically the 3 other competitors for 1860 Republican presidential candicacy, who all later became members of his cabinet and Kearns Goodwin very effectively depicts and illustrates Lincoln's political acumen and skill in conjunction with these men and many others. A very well written, sharply perceptive and wonderfully insightful political biography of Lincoln that brings the times and events vividly to life in its narrative style without sacrificing certain scholarly exactness and critical point of view. I came from reading this with a whole new level of respect for Mr. Lincoln as a person and as a politician.

This was also a very interesting work as it opens up the entire American Civil War era to the reader and charts its story through the whole struggle (focusing naturally on Lincoln's administration), which for a reader not well versed in this period of American history, like me, was an eye opening read in many respects. Highly recommended.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

The Garden Of Eden by Ernest Hemingway

At times gorgeous and heartbreaking in Hemingway's usual affluent style, but it doesn't hold too well as a complete narrative, no doubt because of its posthumous publication. This one probably wasn't quite finished and the final part doesn't feel wholly conclusive. Only one more novel of his to read.

Currently on Fitzgerald's Tender Is The Night and I'm not a huge fan. Sort of a pretentious bourgeoisie version of Gatsby.

[Faleel 5,340]

The History of the Lord of the Rings Book I: The Return of the Shadow.

very interesting, loved the almost "over the shoulder" approach of teh presentation of the material, having one of the Hobbits captured by Black Riders during the journey to Weathertop would have been interesting, could have added tension, though it may have ended up killing the tension.

[Jay 37,319]

The last book I read was The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

I actually read the first 6 chapters prior to seeing AUJ, then didn't come back to it for a while until recently.

It's such a good tale, but I am still surprised by how many major events are glossed over quickly, with few details and no dialogue given for some major events. Still, a very fun read!

[Incanus 5,713]

The last book I read was The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

I actually read the first 6 chapters prior to seeing AUJ, then didn't come back to it for a while until recently.

It's such a good tale, but I am still surprised by how many major events are glossed over quickly, with few details and no dialogue given for some major events. Still, a very fun read!

Well it is a children's book where such density is not even a requirement, not even for a meticulous man like Tolkien. It has really retained its charm through the years I find. There is a unique spirit of adventure and wonderful imagination that resides in this novel in all its aspects.

[Brónach 1,301]

Contact by Carl Sagan

[Jay 37,319]

Love that book!

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Finished Tender Is The Night, finally. One of the worst books I've read; it fits perfectly on that plane of overrated meandering that The Potrait Of Dorian Gray sits on. Fitzgerald's overwrought style-over-substance pales in comparison to his fantastic The Great Gatsby. The book is so much of a bore and a chore to read through that it put me off reading in general. Now that it's done I can go back to flying through my line-up.

Breaktfast At Tiffany's by Truman Capote

Wonderful novella, with crisp dialogue. Actually detracts from the near identical film. Holly Golightly is such an excellently realized character that Hepburn didn't have to do much to bring her to life.

[Dixon Hill 4,233]

I've been digging into my collection of H.P. Lovecraft. I find myself going to that part of my bookshelf frequently anyway, but even more so now that it's more seasonally appropriate. Certainly not everyone's cup of tea but I find him indispensable since my father introduced me almost a decade ago. Real shame there's been no good adaptations done for the big screen. If only Prometheus hadn't been made and del Toro followed through with his plans for At The Mountains Of Madness.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

I need to read more of Del Toro's vampire series

[Brónach 1,301]

and del Toro followed through with his plans for At The Mountains Of Madness.

That's one of my favourite books.

[Dixon Hill 4,233]

and del Toro followed through with his plans for At The Mountains Of Madness.

That's one of my favourite books.

It's some of his most compelling, atmospheric work.

[Brónach 1,301]

Also, the main character is a geologist and it has

giant blind penguins.

[Naïve Old Fart 9,507]

"Great Expectations". It wasn't all that I'd hoped for. In fact, it gave me the pip.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Thats an old joke!

[Naïve Old Fart 9,507]

It wasn't meant to be a joke.

Alright, it was.

[Faleel 5,340]

[Dixon Hill 4,233]

I've been delving into some of Conan Doyle's non-Holmesian writings. I have a very old volume that my father gave to me recently, and I've started in on it with The White Company.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

So, any good books?

[Koray Savas 2,251]

I finally forced myself to start reading McCarthy's Blood Meridian again, which I had purchased years ago but could never get through the first couple chapters. Ended up stopping around a quarter of the way in though, need to pick it back up.

[Dixon Hill 4,233]

In addition to the Conan Doyle, I think tonight I'll continue my latest Lovecraft binge, and maybe some Verne.

[nightscape94 965]

The Trial by Kafka

Carrie by Stephen King

I tend to read books back to back like that, and usually it's classical literature followed up by popular fiction (King, Koontz, etc). I see it as rewarding myself for a job well done.

[Faleel 5,340]

The Silmarillion.

[Brónach 1,301]

Reading Lobas de mar by Zoé Valdés, a pirate novel on Anne Bonny and Mary Read.

Looking forward to several books including Les fourmis trilogy by Bernard Werber, Obabakoak by Bernardo Atxaga and rereading The War of the Salamanders or whatever its titled in English by Karel Čapek.