Books you're currently reading

[DriftingCrow]

I am currently reading Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance but am also about to add (I sometimes read 2 books at once) Preston and Child's Two Graves.

I *heart* Pendergast 

[ataraxiamachine]

Come On All You Ghosts, poetry collection by Matthew Zapruder.

A few times a year my best friend and I are able to go back and meet up in the little college bar where we hung out to smoke/write/drink four dollar pitchers and plan our future fame and glory   When we got together this past February she had this book in her purse, and I fell in love with Zapruder.  Gorgeous stuff, can't wait for his new collection next year.

As far as my current reading goes: All I can say is that I'm absolutely NOT reading Wallace's The Pale King, as that was bought to be started after I finish this round of revisions on my new rough draft...and I would never, ever break my word on something like that...

(Seriously loving it, though.)

Officially,  I'm re-reading Hemingway.

-Jake

[Jamie D]

This weekend I have been re-reading Restoration: Congress, Term Limits, and the Recovery of Deliberative Democracy, by George F. Will.  In fact, he signed my copy at Vroman's Bookstore in Pasadena, CA, in 1992.

A review on Amazon.com:

In this book George Will has proven himself to be one of the great political thinkers of our times. His wisdom ... is still vitally relevant to today and tomorrow and to the future of the American Republic as when he wrote it....

Many of us have had a nagging feeling that something was causing our nation to slowly slide into the hands of unconstitutional, unpatriotic, unethical, immoral, greedy, power hungry, elitist who pretend to care about "WE the People." But really care only about padding their own nest, enriching themselves and their families with material and monetary things, and to ensure their political longevity.

They seek only to acquire unwarranted influence and with it manipulate the mob and sheepish unenlightened among us for their deviant personal near-treasonous self-gratification.

Communism, socialism, mob rule democracy (dispised by our founders) or life-term representative incumbancy, it makes no difference to them, as long as they are on the top of the social aristocracy, and the rest of us are on the bottom. Nepotism and narcissism runs rampant in their ranks and this shows each and every day whether they are conducting business in the House or Senate, or during elections and reelection campaigns....

George will brings all these tactics, the senseless selfish unprofessional conduct, the sickening behavior in direct violation of their sacred charges and honor to light. He highlights their failure to respect their sworn oaths and their duty.

He explains how and why our political process, our political representatives and our judiciaries have failed us.

The devils ... of our destruction ... are incumbency, redistricting, subsidies, excessive pay for public service and a retirement system that breeds contempt for the constitution....

This is a great book, one of the best I have ever read and Mr. Will would get my vote as the man who could help us heal our nations. A must read for one who can stomach the truth of just how bad things have gotten in Washington...

Word count: 329

[LWhite]

I've got a few sitting in the 'mid-read' pile.

House of Leaves is the one I'm currently working through. Delightfully meta, and the way the anomaly weaves through the book, narrator and characters is just brilliant. It is too bad that the author's other books did the same thing - Avante Garde only works if you keep moving forward.

The Trial is also partway through as the less beefy 'on the train' book. Joseph K.'s plight mirrors Kafka's own life and mentality brilliantly.

Metro 2033, Discipline and Punish, The Lion and the Unicorn: Socialism and the English Genius and Ulysses are next in line, all for various reasons. I like to mix my fiction and literature as much as possible.

EDIT: Also worth adding in is my use of Finnegan's Wake to aid my vocal training. It's hard enough to read normally, but using proper voice and intonation is equally important. It also helps develop an unintelligible Irish accent.

[vegie271]

Been rereading some classics,  To Kill a MockingBird Right now

[Ltl89]

I am reading Dune though I am kinda thinking lol, what have I gotten into??? It's not exactly what I wanted but I was looking for something audiobook format to listen to while I do loooong walks on the treadmill.

Next I think I will read Interview With the Vampire, I have seen the movies now I want to read the books... I know probably the wrong way around but I'm happy to have seen Tom Cruise's Lestat 

I've always wanted to read those two (well dune more of a series).  I should get to them one day.

Well, I recently finished "The Silmarillion" by Tolkien.  I've read it before, but never followed all the nuances.  It's very detailed and reads more like a historical work at times than a piece of fiction. 

Next on my list is the following:
"The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism" by Max Weber
"Thinking, Fast and Slow" by Daniel Kahneman

[DriftingCrow]

Next I think I will read Interview With the Vampire, I have seen the movies now I want to read the books... I know probably the wrong way around but I'm happy to have seen Tom Cruise's Lestat 

The book is better than the movie 

[Joanna Dark]

"Half Life" by Shelley Jackson. It's set in a parallel future and it about a woman named Nora who longs for love and adventure. But she is just one problem: she is a conjoined twin, a twofer, with another head (one that has been asleep for 13 years). So she sets out to find a secret medical society that will get rid of her unwanted asleep sister, Blanche, and cut the problem offf once and for all.

It's a really good book but can be hard to follow at times but I highly recommend it. Here's a preview from Google Books:

http://books.google.com/books/about/Half_Life.html?id=2sV2faWGmWkC

EDIT: There are pretty striking parallels in the novel to trans idenitity: Nora seeks a surgical solution to her problem but the thing is surgery is illegal and highly frowned upon, it's about discovering and becoming oneself, and it is about the shackles that communities put on us. (There is nothing so pathetic as a protest.) (The half-life of Uranium 238: 769 million years. The half life of myself: 30.)

But most of all it's about doing what is ever necessary to be happy and to have a "half life" i.e. maybe you can't have a full life as 30 years are taken from you but you can have a half life.

I identify with the novel completely. But then again I am 30.

Jean-Paul Sartre "Existentialism and Humanism"
Albert Camus "The Rebel"

Sartre and Camus hated each other so it is ironic you're reading both. I read his short stories last year. The Stranger is one of my fave books too. (And he fired the gun into the Arab and each shot was like knocking four times on the door to unhappiness).

Next I think I will read Interview With the Vampire, I have seen the movies now I want to read the books... I know probably the wrong way around but I'm happy to have seen Tom Cruise's Lestat 

You won't be dissapointed. I can't recommend these books highly enough. They are awesome. All Anne Rice's vampire books are the bomb. I liked "The Vampire Lestat" the best. "Queen of the Damned" was also great and so was "The Vampire Armand."

[Ltl89]

Sartre and Camus hated each other so it is ironic you're reading both. I read his short stories last year. The Stranger is one of my fave books too. (And he fired the gun into the Arab and each shot was like knocking four times on the door to unhappiness).

I'd say hate is a strong word.  The main contention was over Soviet communism.  Camus was an anti totalitarian, so he would often speak out against Sartre's beloved regime.  Also, Camus kind of put down Sartre for his minimal involvement in the French resistance during World War two.  Other than that, they didn't seem to hate each other.  While they differed with one another and would speak out, they appeared to have respect for each other's work.  However, this is all to the best of my knowledge.  You may be aware of some additional info I was unaware of. 

And thank you for mentioning "The Stranger".  It's a classic.  I love the conversation between the protagonist and the priest at the end.

[Joanna Dark]

Well this article says it is their views on the USA: http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/07/14/sartre-and-camus-in-new-york/

But yeah I think and thought it was communism too that separated them.

[vegie271]

The book is better than the movie 

The book is ALWAYS better than the movie!, they have to cut stuff out, the author is the originator! the creator. the real story is there.

[Joanna Dark]

The book is ALWAYS better than the movie!, they have to cut stuff out, the author is the originator! the creator. the real story is there.

I think the series True Blood is actually better then the Sookie Stackhouse Novels. Or should I say Sookeh lol

[CalmRage]

I finished "Thud!" by Terry Pratchett (which BTW features transsexual dwarfs) two weeks ago. Now i have spent my money on music and have to wait for more money. My favorite author, probably. Has his own witty style. Shame he has Alzheimers.

[Shodan]

I'm reading John Dies at the End, which is a lie. He dies at the beginning.

[CalmRage]

I'm reading John Dies at the End. Which is a lie. He dies at the beginning.

Doesn't the writer write for Cracked!?

[Shodan]

Doesn't the writer write for Cracked!?

Ayup. I've watched the movie, and it was pretty awesome. I'm reading the book and it's even more awesomer.

[CalmRage]

Ayup. I've watched the movie, and it was pretty awesome. I'm reading the book and it's even more awesomer.

I'm an avid Cracked reader. Can you tell me what the writer's name is? And didn't he write You Might Be A Zombie?

[Shodan]

His nom de plume is David Wong.

[Anna++]

I finished "Thud!" by Terry Pratchett (which BTW features transsexual dwarfs) two weeks ago. Now i have spent my money on music and have to wait for more money. My favorite author, probably. Has his own witty style. Shame he has Alzheimers.

I don't remember any MTFs in Discworld

Other FTM themed books:  Equal Rites - about a girl that can use Wizard magic, and Monstrous Regiment - about a girl that wants to join the army.

[Sammy]

Monstrous Regiment was an absolute blast . Otherwise, The Thief of Time has been my most favoured one and the most serious of Pratchett's books, because there is a very deep philosophy and other treasures hidden inside