What book are you reading?

PearlJamaholic

skippybrew wrote:

I'm reading the last of the Dark Tower (Stephen King) books right now... Not sure how I feel about the direction he took it. I'm about halfway through. We'll see.

im also reading this. only about 200 pages in. well soon i will find out if the series was worth it.

it seems so much of the series could have easily been better, but maybe the ending will pay off. but my general feeling with king is the journey is better than the destination. ive read very few king books that when the ending came i was impressed. they usually leave me feeling flat, like ok....so thats the ending??? and im pretty much expecting this one to do the same, which will make this series a disappointment cause in this case some of journey was less exciting than average. like the wolves of calla i really feel that was over drawn, that book could have been half the size and told the same story. oddly the idea of the story was one of my favorites of the series, one of the few actually moments that capture the fantasy/western angle that got me interested in the series to begin with.

Byrnzie

craigb wrote:

Coming Up For Air - George Orwell

I love Orwell's essays.

g under p

Getting ready to start....



by Erich Von Daniken

Byrnzie

gleemonex wrote:

Just finished Zeitoun by Dave Eggers. It's about a Syrian-American in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina who floats around the city in a canoe helping people before being falsely arrested and imprisoned. I found it to be more heartbreaking and staggering than Eggers' work of genius.

This looks good. I'll get the paperback edition when it comes out in June.

Good article here on Eggers and 'Zeitoun': http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2010/ma ... ne-katrina

rrivers

PearlJamaholic wrote:

skippybrew wrote:

I'm reading the last of the Dark Tower (Stephen King) books right now... Not sure how I feel about the direction he took it. I'm about halfway through. We'll see.

im also reading this. only about 200 pages in. well soon i will find out if the series was worth it.

it seems so much of the series could have easily been better, but maybe the ending will pay off. but my general feeling with king is the journey is better than the destination. ive read very few king books that when the ending came i was impressed. they usually leave me feeling flat, like ok....so thats the ending??? and im pretty much expecting this one to do the same, which will make this series a disappointment cause in this case some of journey was less exciting than average. like the wolves of calla i really feel that was over drawn, that book could have been half the size and told the same story. oddly the idea of the story was one of my favorites of the series, one of the few actually moments that capture the fantasy/western angle that got me interested in the series to begin with.

I agree with you. The series had some awesome moments, but I was disappointed in the ending (as I imagine you will be).

You are right about Wolves of the Calla. I thought it was a great idea, but it just went on too long. He could have had the big fight in the middle and then told more of the story moving past the town. It was kind of a microchism of the entire series: a great idea that just didn't come through. (A kind of knight moving through a "world that has moved on") It was perfect for King's imagination. Having himself as a character was really when things went off the rails for me. There was a lot to like in it, don't get me wrong.

You are right about King and endings. His short story endings seem to be a lot better for the most part. It seems like he always blows up something at the end (usually a town). Off the top of my head, "Pet Sematary" was one I liked.

skippybrew

rrivers wrote:

PearlJamaholic wrote:

skippybrew wrote:

I'm reading the last of the Dark Tower (Stephen King) books right now... Not sure how I feel about the direction he took it. I'm about halfway through. We'll see.

im also reading this. only about 200 pages in. well soon i will find out if the series was worth it.

it seems so much of the series could have easily been better, but maybe the ending will pay off. but my general feeling with king is the journey is better than the destination. ive read very few king books that when the ending came i was impressed. they usually leave me feeling flat, like ok....so thats the ending??? and im pretty much expecting this one to do the same, which will make this series a disappointment cause in this case some of journey was less exciting than average. like the wolves of calla i really feel that was over drawn, that book could have been half the size and told the same story. oddly the idea of the story was one of my favorites of the series, one of the few actually moments that capture the fantasy/western angle that got me interested in the series to begin with.

I agree with you. The series had some awesome moments, but I was disappointed in the ending (as I imagine you will be).

You are right about Wolves of the Calla. I thought it was a great idea, but it just went on too long. He could have had the big fight in the middle and then told more of the story moving past the town. It was kind of a microchism of the entire series: a great idea that just didn't come through. (A kind of knight moving through a "world that has moved on") It was perfect for King's imagination. Having himself as a character was really when things went off the rails for me. There was a lot to like in it, don't get me wrong.

You are right about King and endings. His short story endings seem to be a lot better for the most part. It seems like he always blows up something at the end (usually a town). Off the top of my head, "Pet Sematary" was one I liked.

Okay, got like 100 pages left (and notice I'm on here instead of racing to finish it...) and I'm fully prepared to be underwhelmed. I agree about his choice to write himself in (I didn't want to give too much away). I get the feeling that this whole saga is more for himself than any of his audience - which I can respect on an artistic level - but I've invested so much time it feels like a cop out.

I also fully agree about his endings. He's a brilliant story teller and has some really good ideas but he doesn't know how finish one. "The Stand" comes to mind (spoiler alert): it's epic, masterfully written, lots of good characters and development, there are battles lost and won, people fight and overcome! Legends are made! And then... poof... The hand of god comes down and basically kills everyone. If I remember right the line is "It even looked like a hand!" Come on, Steve. Really?

Oh well. I'll still read what he writes if for no other reason than because he seems to believe in it. And all in all he spins a pretty good yarn.

rrivers

skippybrew wrote:

skippybrew wrote:

with.

I agree with you. The series had some awesome moments, but I was disappointed in the ending (as I imagine you will be).

You are right about Wolves of the Calla. I thought it was a great idea, but it just went on too long. He could have had the big fight in the middle and then told more of the story moving past the town. It was kind of a microchism of the entire series: a great idea that just didn't come through. (A kind of knight moving through a "world that has moved on") It was perfect for King's imagination. Having himself as a character was really when things went off the rails for me. There was a lot to like in it, don't get me wrong.

You are right about King and endings. His short story endings seem to be a lot better for the most part. It seems like he always blows up something at the end (usually a town). Off the top of my head, "Pet Sematary" was one I liked.

Okay, got like 100 pages left (and notice I'm on here instead of racing to finish it...) and I'm fully prepared to be underwhelmed. I agree about his choice to write himself in (I didn't want to give too much away). I get the feeling that this whole saga is more for himself than any of his audience - which I can respect on an artistic level - but I've invested so much time it feels like a cop out.

I also fully agree about his endings. He's a brilliant story teller and has some really good ideas but he doesn't know how finish one. "The Stand" comes to mind (spoiler alert): it's epic, masterfully written, lots of good characters and development, there are battles lost and won, people fight and overcome! Legends are made! And then... poof... The hand of god comes down and basically kills everyone. If I remember right the line is "It even looked like a hand!" Come on, Steve. Really?

Oh well. I'll still read what he writes if for no other reason than because he seems to believe in it. And all in all he spins a pretty good yarn.[/quote]

You're right on skippy. I am usually let down by his endings (actually by the endings of most books I read actually). But his stories are more about the journey. I've read that he doesn't outline most of his books and just writes them. That might be why his endings usually fall short.

You summed up my feelings about the Dark Tower. On one hand I feel like he has the right to do what he wants to with his story. On the other hand, I followed the story from the early 90s to the end and would have liked a better ending.

Still reading the Tommyknockers and enjoying it much more than I remember the first time.

oona left

"Moneyball" by Michel Lewis (I know, late to the party again).

Jeff Murray

Finished Suspect by Michael Robotham and I am now starting the next book in the series Lost. I like the fact that each book has a different lead character, but all are involved. After Lost I have two more in the series to go until I am up to date.

Suspect was a good read, plenty of plot twists and kept me entertained for the limited time I read, usually 5-10 pages a night as I go to bed. So if you are looking for a crime drama series to get into I would recommend this one.

LBC

Skin by Mo Hayder.

Sian-of-the-dead

I just finished The DaVinci Code - incredible. I really didn't want it to end :(

I'm about to start I Am Legend by Richard Matheson

skippybrew

Sian-of-the-dead wrote:

I'm about to start I Am Legend by Richard Matheson

Great book. Classic. It makes the movie seem downright feelgood by comparison (and they butchered it).

peacegirl

I'm with the Band: Confessions of a Groupie by Pamela Des Barres

I've had this book for about 10yrs...have started it a few times but never finished it...this time I am!

rrivers

skippybrew wrote:

Sian-of-the-dead wrote:

I'm about to start I Am Legend by Richard Matheson

Great book. Classic. It makes the movie seem downright feelgood by comparison (and they butchered it).

Yeah the book is way better.

lovebuzz

Band of Brothers by Stephen E. Ambrose... just as good as the HBO series it inspired.

theoceansmademe

Byrnzie wrote:

Country Driving: A Journey Through China from Farm to Factory
Peter Hessler

seems interesting will check my local library

theoceansmademe

smarchee wrote:

reading Into Thin Air by John Krakauer now

one of my all-time favorites.

if you haven't yet read his book on Pat Tillman--just as good as Thin Air

PearlJamaholic

rrivers wrote:

skippybrew wrote:

Sian-of-the-dead wrote:

I'm about to start I Am Legend by Richard Matheson

Great book. Classic. It makes the movie seem downright feelgood by comparison (and they butchered it).

Yeah the book is way better.

probably my favorite vampire story. every time someone says they saw the movie and it sucked, i tell them read the book. the movie really should have been called i am savior.

what did the movie really have in common with the book anyways??? main character's name is the only thing i can think of right now.

armyreserve

Beryl: A Pig's Tale

tybird

The Decline and Fall of the Ottoman Empire by Alan Palmer