What are you reading? - Page 2

**Jocasta** · 11-10-2007, 05:44 AM

Too much football but I enjoyed the style. I'm not rushing to read more.

**MissyO** · 11-18-2007, 02:04 PM

"The Master and Margarita" by Mikhail Bulgakov Its a pretty bloody interesting work.

Ophelia · 11-18-2007, 02:45 PM

Nothing. I'm about to start on the Murakami book I checked out, but first I gotta watch a lil football on the tele.

SilverSpoon · 11-19-2007, 11:05 AM

The Golden Compass.

**MissyO** · 11-19-2007, 02:11 PM

^That looks fairly interesting. How're you enjoying it?

**Jocasta** · 11-19-2007, 04:47 PM

I took your advice and went for, For Whom the Bell Tolls.

Half way and I'm gripped, mostly by the characters.

Cat · 11-19-2007, 07:20 PM

M. Butterfly by David Henry Hwang (such an unfortunate name...) for school. It's not too interesting, really. I will probably never read it again.

SilverSpoon · 11-19-2007, 08:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MissyO

^That looks fairly interesting. How're you enjoying it?

It's my third time reading it, so I guess I'm enjoying it quite a bit.

Quote:

M. Butterfly by David Henry Hwang (such an unfortunate name...)

I just discovered there was a composer by the name of Engelbert Humperdinck. Now THAT is an unfortunate name.

**MissyO** · 11-20-2007, 05:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jocasta

I took your advice and went for, For Whom the Bell Tolls.

Half way and I'm gripped, mostly by the characters.

Glad to hear you're enjoying it! I got the feeling you'd love that one best of all of Hem's works that I've read and can vouch for.

Ophelia · 11-20-2007, 03:17 PM

I've got a bunch checked out from the library, 2 Murakami's and Snow's by Hemingway that Missy suggested - but today I went for a little contemporary fiction, Which Brings Me To You by Steve Almond and Julia Baggot.

It's a story told through letters back and forth. Both of these writers are sharp and funny so I think I will enjoy it.

Lowlander. · 11-23-2007, 08:56 AM

Right now I'm reading Life of a Good-for-nothing by Joseph von Eichendorff (available in English), a romantic book written in the 19th century. It's about a guy who stops working and who begins to travel because he wants to see the world. Yet I'm not quite sure if it's *really* romantic... or if it takes the mickey out of romantic books... The hidden irony makes it a very interesting read.

Quote:

I always meant to read Paradise Lost too.

I have thought about it too, but I was deterred because it's bulky (and very religious AFAIK).

Quote:

I also read two books at the moment.
1. "The Situation Is Hopeless, but Not Serious (The Pursuit of Unhappiness)" by Austrian Ph.D Paul Watzlawick. Awesome stuff.

Sounds interesting. What's it about, and is it available in English?

It is available in English. I can recommend it to everyone. It's a marvellous psychology book (written for laymen, not for experts!), it's ironic and funny. And doesn't take a long time to read (only 130 pages). It shows how millions of people make themselves unhappy with unnecessary negative thoughts every day.

SilverSpoon · 11-23-2007, 10:20 PM

The Life of Musorgsky by Caryl Emerson.

Ophelia · 11-26-2007, 10:41 AM

I ditched on my Steve Almond book, after about halfway the letters became annoying and I wanted action. I have to pick another to start on today. yay!

**Jocasta** · 11-26-2007, 10:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MissyO

Glad to hear you're enjoying it! I got the feeling you'd love that one best of all of Hem's works that I've read and can vouch for.

I did love it, not quite the style I was expecting but my eyes are still stinging despite being sure what would happen.

**MissyO** · 11-26-2007, 05:42 PM

^ I completely get that. I remember the first time I read A Farewell to Arms, having heard all about the myth of Hem, it shocked me. Not at all what you expect from the legend of Hem if you've never read his works before.

**Jocasta** · 12-05-2007, 09:43 AM

I'm not sure what I was expecting but certainly not a straight forward literal story and with such a sweet, romantic love story. That's not to knock it, I still loved it, the characters more than anything.
So what do you, anyone, reckon is harder; to create great characters or write a great story?

Ophelia · 12-05-2007, 09:48 AM

I know if the characters are not built up well enough, then I can't get into the story, so I need one usually to appreciate the other. Thats a perfect way to describe it, it was straight forward, literal and very romantic. One thing about Farewell to Arms though, if he would have told her she was a "fine girl" one more time...

**MissyO** · 12-06-2007, 07:55 AM

Characters would be my bet. Its bloody hard to create a well rounded character.

And I have decided to read A Farewell to Arms for the 65,000 time after I finish the Master and Margarita. I'm needing a well loved comfort book.

SilverSpoon · 12-13-2007, 12:43 AM

The Subtle Knife

Captain Beefheart · 12-13-2007, 03:58 AM

I went over Blood Meridian over the weekend after hearing Ridley Scott was involved in taking it up into motion cinema.

It's one of those books that depresses me to an extent no other piece of literature ever has or probably ever will. It took me a couple of days to get over the devastation of reading it. Staggeringly brilliant and one of my all-time favorite anythings. But damn if it's not horrifically soul coarsening.

The judge is an amazing character, and there are some beautifully written scenes. The volcano/homemade gunpowder part sticks out in my mind.

11-10-2007, 05:44 AM	#21 (permalink)
Jocasta Josh&Hart&Nett. Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 21,213 My Profile	Too much football but I enjoyed the style. I'm not rushing to read more.

11-18-2007, 02:04 PM	#22 (permalink)
MissyO Perennially Disgruntled Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Sydney Posts: 4,398 My Profile	"The Master and Margarita" by Mikhail Bulgakov Its a pretty bloody interesting work.

11-18-2007, 02:45 PM	#23 (permalink)
Ophelia Josh's Loin Warmer Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Joshtopia Posts: 7,538 My Profile	Nothing. I'm about to start on the Murakami book I checked out, but first I gotta watch a lil football on the tele.

11-19-2007, 11:05 AM	#24 (permalink)
SilverSpoon Kamen Rider Kiva Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: www.canofnothing.com Posts: 7,573	The Golden Compass.

11-19-2007, 02:11 PM	#25 (permalink)
MissyO Perennially Disgruntled Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Sydney Posts: 4,398 My Profile	^That looks fairly interesting. How're you enjoying it?

11-19-2007, 04:47 PM	#26 (permalink)
Jocasta Josh&Hart&Nett. Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 21,213 My Profile	I took your advice and went for, For Whom the Bell Tolls. Half way and I'm gripped, mostly by the characters.

11-19-2007, 07:20 PM	#27 (permalink)
Cat Bloomin' crazy Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Norway Posts: 2,007 My Profile	M. Butterfly by David Henry Hwang (such an unfortunate name...) for school. It's not too interesting, really. I will probably never read it again.

11-20-2007, 03:17 PM	#30 (permalink)
Ophelia Josh's Loin Warmer Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Joshtopia Posts: 7,538 My Profile	I've got a bunch checked out from the library, 2 Murakami's and Snow's by Hemingway that Missy suggested - but today I went for a little contemporary fiction, Which Brings Me To You by Steve Almond and Julia Baggot. It's a story told through letters back and forth. Both of these writers are sharp and funny so I think I will enjoy it.

11-23-2007, 10:20 PM	#32 (permalink)
SilverSpoon Kamen Rider Kiva Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: www.canofnothing.com Posts: 7,573	The Life of Musorgsky by Caryl Emerson.

11-26-2007, 10:41 AM	#33 (permalink)
Ophelia Josh's Loin Warmer Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Joshtopia Posts: 7,538 My Profile	I ditched on my Steve Almond book, after about halfway the letters became annoying and I wanted action. I have to pick another to start on today. yay!

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)

11-26-2007, 05:42 PM	#35 (permalink)
MissyO Perennially Disgruntled Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Sydney Posts: 4,398 My Profile	^ I completely get that. I remember the first time I read A Farewell to Arms, having heard all about the myth of Hem, it shocked me. Not at all what you expect from the legend of Hem if you've never read his works before.

12-05-2007, 09:43 AM	#36 (permalink)
Jocasta Josh&Hart&Nett. Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 21,213 My Profile	I'm not sure what I was expecting but certainly not a straight forward literal story and with such a sweet, romantic love story. That's not to knock it, I still loved it, the characters more than anything. So what do you, anyone, reckon is harder; to create great characters or write a great story?

12-05-2007, 09:48 AM	#37 (permalink)
Ophelia Josh's Loin Warmer Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Joshtopia Posts: 7,538 My Profile	I know if the characters are not built up well enough, then I can't get into the story, so I need one usually to appreciate the other. Thats a perfect way to describe it, it was straight forward, literal and very romantic. One thing about Farewell to Arms though, if he would have told her she was a "fine girl" one more time...

12-06-2007, 07:55 AM	#38 (permalink)
MissyO Perennially Disgruntled Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Sydney Posts: 4,398 My Profile	Characters would be my bet. Its bloody hard to create a well rounded character. And I have decided to read A Farewell to Arms for the 65,000 time after I finish the Master and Margarita. I'm needing a well loved comfort book.

12-13-2007, 12:43 AM	#39 (permalink)
SilverSpoon Kamen Rider Kiva Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: www.canofnothing.com Posts: 7,573	The Subtle Knife

12-13-2007, 03:58 AM	#40 (permalink)
Captain Beefheart Mu nótahu Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: In a West End town, a dead end world Posts: 4,314 My Profile	I went over Blood Meridian over the weekend after hearing Ridley Scott was involved in taking it up into motion cinema. It's one of those books that depresses me to an extent no other piece of literature ever has or probably ever will. It took me a couple of days to get over the devastation of reading it. Staggeringly brilliant and one of my all-time favorite anythings. But damn if it's not horrifically soul coarsening. The judge is an amazing character, and there are some beautifully written scenes. The volcano/homemade gunpowder part sticks out in my mind.