What are you reading right now?

[Cheese]

me and HHF seem to be on the same wavelength...LOL...I read so much at work I rarely read for enjoyment anymore.

I have a couple of specifications on Floor warming cables to get through this morning.
Ugh.

[Flames89]

Just read "A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius" -> great book. Best "writing" I have read in a while.

Now reading "Quicksilver" by Neil Stephenson (wrote "Crytonomicon"). It isgood but a LOT of effort. Huge. Crytonomicon was definetily more engaging - however, Quicksilver is amazing in the knowledge contained in the pages.

[TimSJ]

couple of books on the go right now

1. Rex Murphy - Points of View
2 Freemasons - Inside the worlds oldest secret society
3. Motorcycle Diaries.

All intersting reads

[Frank the Tank]

I'm about a third of the way through the DaVinci Code right now. Awesome stuff. Love all the art and historical references and having been in Paris, its neat to read about all these places I've been to.

Finished "The Fountainhead" by Ayn Rand a while ago. Interesting book, but definitely not for everyone.

Just re-read "The Hobbit" and, like the Lord of the Rings trilogy, loved it to death.

[Flame Of Liberty]

Originally posted by Agamemnon+May 29 2005, 05:06 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Agamemnon @ May 29 2005, 05:06 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>

Hey Pagal, have you read Angels and Demons? It's kind of the prequel to Da Vinci Code. I'm just finishing it up right now, and I have Da Vinci Code lined up next.

It's almost too bad you read Angels and Demons first.

I found both novels to be _very_ similar in they're storylines. The Da Vinci code touches on some cooler stuff, more 'realistic' than Angels and Demons.

But I found them to be very much the same book, and was glad I read Da Vinci first.

You don't have to have read one to get anything out of the other. Good books. [/b][/quote]
Weird, very weird but I have to agree with this mister.

Browns books are great for entertainment. It is not the deepest form of art, but it is a great read nonetheless.

Currently I am reading Hitchhikers Guide to Galaxy, and I gotta say I am not enjoying it very much. Maybe my expectations were way too high.

[Rubber Ducky]

I just finished The Godfather: Part I, by Mario Puzo (I think that's his name). Can't wait to jump into The Godfather: Part II.

As for The Da Vinci Code, I really enjoyed reading it too. Pure entertainment. But I was perusing a messageboard where people where taking Brown's word as gospel and challenging the religious community.

Hilarious. Dudes and dudettes, it's just a book... :P

[Flames Draft Watcher]

The Count of Monte Cristo

[flamingchina]

The count of Monte Cristo is definetly my favorite Dumas book.
Possibly my favorite book pre-1900.
(funny how some of these books are now considered classic. A lot of them were released serialized to newspapers.)

[MrMastodonFarm]

Band of Brothers : E Company, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne from Normandy to Hitler's Eagle's Nest by Stephen Ambrose

[Frank the Tank]

Originally posted by MrMastodonFarm@May 30 2005, 01:04 PM
Band of Brothers : E Company, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne from Normandy to Hitler's Eagle's Nest by Stephen Ambrose

Oh that sounds VERY cool. I'm going to go find that right after work!

[Buff]

I'm reading Calgary Puck right now!

Ok, seriously.

I just finished reading Hitchikers guide to the Galaxy. I tried to read The Restaurant at the end of the universe, but couldn't get into it so I quit.

I am about to start reading my Star Wars Novels again. I will read Cloak of Deception by James Luceno.

I mostly read Star Wars novels, but I also enjoy reading autobiographies and biographies.

[ah123]

"The in-between world of Vikram Lal" by M.G. Vasanji

Great story set around the end of colonial rule in Kenya. I really like Vasanji's story telling (Uhuru Street and Book of Secrets are other very good books by him)...If you're interested in East Africa during and immediately after colonial rule, he is definitely worth checking out

[Cain]

Originally posted by Jagger+May 28 2005, 10:10 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Jagger @ May 28 2005, 10:10 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-Cain@May 28 2005, 02:29 PM
I love sci-fi (not the crap like starwars and halo/starcraft stuff...that shouldn't be anywhere near the sci-fi scection) but have never read one of its best known series. It is pretty decent...not amazing, but a fun read.

I'm a big fan of the Niven/Pournelle books like "Lucifer's Hammer", "Mote in God's eye" and "Footfall" I must have read those books at least six times each. Have you read any of them?

I was reading the latest Dean Koontz novel "The Taking" but it started to get way too weird for my liking right now so I've put it aside for a bit. Probably going to start the latest Douglas Preston novel "The Codex" for some light relief! I quite like the Preston/Child books so will give this one a go. [/b][/quote]
I haven't read any of those! They are worth checking out? I am almost done the Foundation series, so I am on the lookout for more good sci-fi! (Fantasy is alright too)

[nieuwy-89]

Originally posted by BlackEleven+May 29 2005, 11:11 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (BlackEleven @ May 29 2005, 11:11 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-Dominicwasalreadytaken@May 29 2005, 02:17 AM
Read the HHG 'trilogy' and 1984 in the last month-ish.

1984 is such a great book. I couldn't believe the ending. I don't think he could've finished it any better.

1984 has been my favourite book for years. Excellent book. Read any other of Orwell's books? [/b][/quote]
It's been a while since I read them, but when I went through a breif socialist phase of my life it was largely fuelled by Orwell. 'Burmese Days' , 'Down and Out in Paris and London' and of course 'Animal Farm' and '1984' are all favourites. His essays are great too - particularly the ones re-counting his experiences in the Spanish Civil War.

Oh, and I outgrew that socialist phase by Grade 12. :P

[Agamemnon]

Anyone give War and Peace a shot?

It's long... and pretty boring... but really cool w/in the context of history.

My paper-back copy was so big it split down the spine into two books, so I just read the first half, and then the second. It turned out to be easier to carry that way

[Cain]

Originally posted by kn+May 29 2005, 05:34 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (kn @ May 29 2005, 05:34 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-Cain@May 28 2005, 03:29 PM
I am reading the Foundation series by Isaac Asimov right now...about 4 books in I believe.

I love sci-fi (not the crap like starwars and halo/starcraft stuff...that shouldn't be anywhere near the sci-fi scection) but have never read one of its best known series. It is pretty decent...not amazing, but a fun read.

The Foundation Trilogy won a special Hugo Award (beating out LOTR) as the best science fiction/fantasy trilogy ever written.

Don't forget about Prelude to Foundation, Foundation's Edge, Foundation and Empire and Forward the Foundation, four books beyond the original trilogy.

(How I wish this series would be made into a movie trilogy...) [/b][/quote]
Yea, I am making sure I read all of the books, from the beginning to end of the story, so not the order that they were written...Good stuff!

A movie trilogy based on the series would be pretty amazing I think...Tough to do some of the effects though I'd imagine.

[Cain]

Originally posted by HOZ@May 29 2005, 05:47 AM

An impossibility. Too long! Too complex.

What is amazing is the guy thought that all up in the 40's. Well before popular-science really caught up!

All of the early sci-fi remains the best to this day in my opinion...Hard to find authors the caliber of Asimov, Heinlein, Clarke etc.

[automaton 3]

Originally posted by octothorp+May 28 2005, 07:01 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (octothorp @ May 28 2005, 07:01 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteBegin-kipperiggy@May 28 2005, 04:28 PM
I've just started reading "Life of Pi" which I've heard nothing but good things about.# Can anyone here on CP tell me anything about it?

Well, if you've just started reading it, I'm not sure what you need to know about it. I guess the advice I'd offer is that even though the first third of the book is kinda philosophical and slow compared to the last two parts, it really is key to understanding the main point of the book, although it won't become evident in what way until you've finished the book--at least, as far as my own understanding of it.

edit: forgot to add my own current readings: two books, Ice Fields, by Edmontonian Thomas Wharton, and Popular Music From Vittula, by Swedish author Mikael Niemi. Both are great books, and somehow they really go well together.[/b][/quote]
The Life of Pi is a very interesting book - I agree with your thoughts - starts out pretty slow but it all comes together in the end. Excellent story all round.

I regards to Clancy, I agree with the poster above that Without Remorse is one of his finest. The Sum of All Fears is also pretty good - I've read it multiple times. The Jack Ryan line is pretty good, but the last 2 Clancy books haven't really done much for me - I actually had some trouble getting through Red Rabbit.

I am also belatedly reading The Da Vinci Code - I read the "prequel" book (Angels and Demons) by Brown before this and the story-line seems to be fairly similar. Not overly impressed so far - the historical and geographical references are interesting though.

[ernie]

Just finished the first two book of The Prince of Nothing series (book 1: The darkness that comes before; book 2: the warrior prophet, book 3: not released) by canadian Scott Bakker. It isn't your typical fantasy series. A lot of detail and often can be like reading a history. The Darkness That Comes Before sets up most of the background. The Warrior Prophet is all action.

Also recently finished Tad Williams Otherland series which I thought was awesome.

Not sure what to read next. I may re-visit Martin's Song of Fire and Ice series as Feast for Crows is listed to be out in August. Jordan has his new Wheel of Time out in October supposedly but I refuse to re-read that series until he finishes the damn thing.

[KootenayFlamesFan]

Originally posted by Frank the Tank+May 30 2005, 10:15 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Frank the Tank @ May 30 2005, 10:15 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-MrMastodonFarm@May 30 2005, 01:04 PM
Band of Brothers : E Company, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne from Normandy to Hitler's Eagle's Nest by Stephen Ambrose

Oh that sounds VERY cool. I'm going to go find that right after work! [/b][/quote]
I love reading stuff written by Stephen Ambrose.

If you like that, you may also like Donald R. Burgett. Written in first-person. I've got 'Seven Roads To Hell', and 'Currahee!'. You can buy them on paperback for 10 bucks.

And if you like the Band Of Brothers book, check out the mini-series of the same name. One of the best mini-series of the past decade, maybe longer.