What are you reading right now?

[AnOminous]

Nevertheless, I think this is a book I want to like more than I do. I want to be sucked into and feel the passion, but I simply don't. Some moments are brilliant:

I agree on that. I found it fascinating as an intellectual exercise to read because it isn't easy and has a good deal of depth to it, but aside from a few scattered passages, didn't really find it emotionally approachable. I read it with Isaac Asimov's obsessively annotated edition explaining every allusion and references to things nobody today would know, which made it a lot easier to understand moving forward.

He did this to all of Shakespeare too.

 

[Hazel Motes]

I agree on that. I found it fascinating as an intellectual exercise to read because it isn't easy and has a good deal of depth to it, but aside from a few scattered passages, didn't really find it emotionally approachable. I read it with Isaac Asimov's obsessively annotated edition explaining every allusion and references to things nobody today would know, which made it a lot easier to understand moving forward.

He did this to all of Shakespeare too.

I'll have to look into Asimov's book. I am using a Norton Critical Edition which gives a lot of background and notes to reference, but I'd rather finish it (I've been reading it outloud) before looking at notes. Some books require a bit more than reading.

 

[AnOminous]

I'll have to look into Asimov's book. I am using a Norton Critical Edition which gives a lot of background and notes to reference, but I'd rather finish it (I've been reading it outloud) before looking at notes. Some books require a bit more than reading.

I like Norton Critical Editions to some extent, but I wouldn't go too nuts about liking or not liking any particular work. Some of them are shit.

 

[Syaoran Li]

Just completed my annual re-read of Dracula, and I recently started re-reading Stephen King's The Gunslinger after buying an old copy of it at Goodwill along with "The Fourth K" by Mario Puzo.

 

[Sergeant Major Buzzkill]

Almost through with Malcolm X's autobiography. It took me a bit to finish it because I was preoccupied with other bullshit in my life.

 

[Jonah Hill poster]

I found out about Christopher Hitchens back in 2017, and I’m looking forward to reading these two after five years. If I recall, Hitch-22 was the first book that introduced me to him.

 

[The Gagh Whisperer]

Just finished Inhibitor Phase (latest in Alastair Reynolds' Revelation Space books).

They all have their flaws, but this cold brutal space-opera world he's been building keeps drawing me in.

In terms of spaceships as characters, Nostalgia for Infinity is under-appreciated.

 

[Zaryiu2]

Will Durant Story of Civilization 6: The Reformation, Over a pleasant read overall but his hate of nationalism can be quite jarring when it shows up and his use of terms relating to capitalism, ZZcommunism and socialism in eras where those terms were not used (he used those terms even in his section on Ancient China and The Roman Empire for example) doesn't make much sense imo

 

[Blobby's Murder Knife]

Jackson Crawford's translation of the Hávamál - The Wanderer's Hávamál. I have liked his YT videos on the occasions I have watched, but first time reading his work. It is quite nice and very informative.

 

[Jewthulhu]

Finished Notes From Underground. It legitimately made me feel like shit. Probably my new favorite book.

 

[Coffee Druid]

I wanted a historical series to read that wasn't romance or fantasy. Just good old fiction set in the past. I picked up the first book in the Sharpe Series by Bernard Cornwell on a whim, Sharpe's Tiger. So far so good. Starts with the main character as a British soldier in 1700s India.

I also realized the same author wrote the Last Kingdom books that the TV show was based on. I don't remember liking the show (only saw a few episodes though) but maybe I'll give the books a try one day.

 

[AnOminous]

Finished Notes From Underground. It legitimately made me feel like shit. Probably my new favorite book.

If you enjoy being made to feel like shit by Russian authors, I suggest the short story "The Overcoat" by Nikolai Gogol.

 

[DarkSydeHyde]

Just finished "The Terminal Man". Quick and easy read. Nothing ground breaking, but solid. I was surprised about description of what today is known as AI. With few touches this book could be released today and noone would know that originally this book has been written in the 70s.

Some faggot got really butthurt so as next, I guess, I'm reading "Ender's Game" And probably I'll go with next volume or Lem's "Solaris". This name highlights for some time in my head.

 

[Mega Black]

I recently read the graphic novel Okko, since I haven't really found any books to scratch my autistic itch for wandering samurai action I had to settle for picture books like a child. It was okay, not the best I've read, but I'll probably acquire the rest of the series through entirely legal but still free means down the road. Art is nice, action isn't great, but it was fun to plow through in an afternoon.

 

[Slime Tube]

The Odyssey. Fancied trying some classic literature.

 

[AnOminous]

The Odyssey. Fancied trying some classic literature.

It's a good choice to read first imo even though it is set after the Iliad. The Iliad is for some reason somewhat denser and less accessible. At least to me.

 

[Gilgamesh]

What the Buddha Taught - a interesting little book meant for introducing Buddhism to someone, written by a monk and scholar from East Asia. It's from the 50s/60s, but clears up a lot of misconceptions the west had at the time about Buddhism. It's good, and if you want to know more about Buddhism or eastern philosophy in general, I recommend this.

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas - a classic I'm finally getting around to finishing. It's a pretty fun read, and I'll probably look at more of Hunter S. Thompson's work after this.

The Lord of The Rings - got a super fancy hardcover edition of this as a birthday gift, and excited to dive into it. I loved The Hobbit and I'm sure I'll love this one too.

The Odyssey. Fancied trying some classic literature.

Classical lit is a sphere of literature filled with important themes that are still relevant today. It's strange to see how alike and different ancient people were compared to us. I recommend The Epic of Gilgamesh next, specifically Stephen Mitchell's translation.

 

[Pomniman]

On the trashier side of things, I've been on something of a James Ellroy kick lately. Currently finishing up American Tabloid, which happens to involve a good number of the same real-life bit players as the other JFK adjacent book I read not too long ago (Libra by Don DeLillo). The contrast between DeLillo's more sensitive approach to the period and Ellroy's tendency to revel in all the petty backbiting, sleaze, and gore is amusing to me.

 

[Gilgamesh]

I agree on that. I found it fascinating as an intellectual exercise to read because it isn't easy and has a good deal of depth to it, but aside from a few scattered passages, didn't really find it emotionally approachable. I read it with Isaac Asimov's obsessively annotated edition explaining every allusion and references to things nobody today would know, which made it a lot easier to understand moving forward.

He did this to all of Shakespeare too.

Asimov had a crazy output as an author. I think he published around 700 books? While best known for his sci-fi, his commentaries and histories are great as well. His series chronicling the Romans was a inspiration for big sci-fi franchises like Star Wars and Warhammer 40k (along with his Foundation trilogy, which are the best books i've ever read)

 

[Argos]

The Woman in White.

I finished Mickey Spillane's The Erection Set a few days ago, and now I want to read more of him. ABEbooks is gonna love me this month.