Quote :

"^ You may have read it, but The Spy Who Came in from the Cold is another good one by Le Carre. It's shorter and a little less complex but I liked the characters more."

Definitely a good one, and the novel that made Le Carre well-known. Re: Tinker Tailor, I thought it was great on its own, but there may not be much backstory on the characters as many of them were introduced in a previous novel, The Looking Glass War. Haven't read that one but need to.

If you like Le Carre's work also definitely check out The Constant Gardener.

5/11/2012 11:10:06 AM

On my Kindle.

GRRM better hurry or I will catch up to him.

5/11/2012 6:01:59 PM

Read it on holiday last week. Very funny and throughly enjoyable.

6/2/2012 12:01:52 PM

just read:

thought it was pretty dumb. i was semi-eager on the subject matter but the level of belief suspension required was just too high. i enjoyed similar stories in Reamde, but they were way better done IMO.

now on:


really good and unusual so far. the flashy styles, footnotes and appendices make for tedious reading though.

6/2/2012 6:59:24 PM

For the first two chapters, I thought "this is how JK Rowling wishes she could write." Young adult novel with exceptionally good writing. But now I'm thinking it's more of an adult novel with young-adult writing.
Starts off with a typical Alice in Wonderland, kid falling through the rabbit hole into a fantasy world. The world seems to be a mishmash of the books and fairy tales on his bookcase in his bedroom. The first half is a lot of backwards fairy tales. Snow White is a fat bitch who kind of keeps the dwarves as slaves, Hansel and Gretel ran away from home because their dad is a dick, etc.
Childish plot, but a lot of blood and beheadings and creepy stuff.

I'd still recommend it, though. It's fun and fairly quick.

6/2/2012 8:53:12 PM

6/2/2012 9:58:52 PM

Finishing up American Gods (Neil Gaiman) and about to start Breakfast of Champions

6/4/2012 9:29:26 AM

Quote :

"GRRM better hurry or I will catch up to him."

well unless you read very slowly you've probably already caught up to him (or will catch up to him soon)

6/4/2012 9:32:13 AM

Book series whose authors need to hurry the hell up because I want to read the newest additions now:

Kingkiller Chronicles
Game of Thrones
The Heroes of Olympus
Felix Castor

6/4/2012 9:40:26 AM

Quote :

"Breakfast of Champions"

One of my favorites

6/4/2012 9:41:14 AM

[Edited on June 7, 2012 at 11:35 AM. Reason : .]

6/7/2012 11:34:11 AM

I have a confession to make.

6/7/2012 12:16:24 PM

^ me too

6/8/2012 7:46:23 AM

6/8/2012 9:52:16 AM

Great detail so far, and this is the abridgement (still weighs in at 750+ pages of small text). The seven-volume original must be ridiculous.

6/8/2012 11:10:00 AM

I'm diving back into the Dresden Files.


I just finished Charlene Harris's newest book. It had a much better story than the last two in the series. The ending left me ready for the next book, but that shouldn't be out until May 2013.


[Edited on June 8, 2012 at 11:21 AM. Reason : image]

6/8/2012 11:21:04 AM

6/8/2012 12:42:32 PM

couldn't put it down... loved it

6/11/2012 11:31:19 AM

^ The movie followed that book about as well as any movie based on a book that I've seen. Which could be good or bad depending on what reasons you're reading the book for.

6/11/2012 11:52:49 AM

^ yeah, i actually saw the movie a while back and totally agree. i'm kind of glad i saw the movie first in this case though b/c the sheriff's perspective you get in the book makes it better (i would have felt like i was missing out during the movie if i saw it after reading the book)

also finished the benjamin weaver books recently and really enjoyed them - they were all much more enjoyable than the coffee trader (not necessarily better, but more enjoyable). i read them in order and thought they got better as i went

[Edited on June 11, 2012 at 12:17 PM. Reason : s]

6/11/2012 12:15:56 PM

I just got a Kindle for my birthday and already had Amazon Prime. What are some good books from the Kindle Lending Library catalog?

6/11/2012 11:33:01 PM

Catching Fire. I am a little behind the trend.

6/13/2012 2:56:36 PM

Just finished The Hunger Games. Wasn't exactly blown away by it. Sure, it's exciting, but it's certainly not worth the hullaballoo, in my opinion.


Moving onto When You Are Engulfed in Flames:

6/13/2012 7:05:59 PM

Kafka short stories, just read "The Judgement" last night, didn't really get it.

6/15/2012 12:17:29 PM

Finally starting Game of Thrones. Wondering if I can get through the whole series over the summer. Flying through this one so far, so I can see it happening.

6/15/2012 12:32:06 PM

^^Bullet: the father is a total dick to his son, and he doubts every endevour that the son undertakes. He doubts the existence of his friend who he says to be writing to. Most people believe that the friend exists, but that his job and even his fiance do not. The son wants to elicit affection from his father by convincing him that he is successful (which, again, he may or may not be). The father, bitter from age and disillusioned from the death of his wife, has no love for his son. The son, realizing that he will never be able to "drown himself in affection," he instead drowns himself... in water.

Are you reading Kafka Collected Stories, the edition with the ink pen on the front?



EDIT: Erh, on topic, just started reading Haruki Murakami's "1Q84"

[Edited on June 15, 2012 at 4:47 PM. Reason : f]

6/15/2012 4:46:45 PM

Would you guys recommend some books for me, a ESL guy? Start from popular novels or classics? I only read through few books except textbooks in English in my entire life.

6/15/2012 5:20:35 PM

^Enders Game by Orson Scott Card is a short novel with a fairly simple writing style that I think is a must read.

6/15/2012 8:23:42 PM

^^^seems like something like that can be kept in PM

6/15/2012 10:47:16 PM

I wouldn't consider Kafka to be a spoiler of any kind and discussing what someone liked or disliked about a book or a plot they had trouble with is always helpful.

That being said, just got done with


not quite as good as the previous book, but it should set up his next one with Mab and Demonreach. The two redeeming parts were the after effects of his actions in the previous book and seeing Mort's true powers.



Will be reading

next. I really enjoyed Fool and his other books so this should be a fun read.


I also need to finish the Fate of the Jedi series.

6/15/2012 11:50:56 PM

6/16/2012 4:00:15 AM

anyone interested in Literature should follow @NormsBookClub on twitter

it's a Norm MacDonald led book club

Norm worships Tolstoy, hates Orwell/Vonnegut, doesn't mind telling people that they're dumb, that the quality of a novel is objective, and that Jesus Christ was the son of God

6/16/2012 4:46:42 AM

"carrying around a 50 Shades book is a classy way of saying 'i like to have my b-hole fingered.'" Courtesy of comic Rob Delaney.

6/16/2012 10:12:15 AM

^^That sounds incredibly obnoxious, even without hearing whatever basis he could have for hating Kurt Vonnegut.

6/16/2012 11:51:52 PM

if you have some personal stake in the opinion others have on author's you like, then yeah, he can come across as obnoxious

but if you appreciate playful, sincere discourse led by someone who's incredibly informed, then @NormsBookClub is great

6/17/2012 12:58:17 PM

Quote :

"Are you reading Kafka Collected Stories, the edition with the ink pen on the front?"

it's "The Metamorphosis and Other Stories", it has 4 other stories. I read the metamorphosis a couple times (required in high school, and again several years later), and liked it, and decided to read some more Kafka a decade later. I've recently read "the J...udgement" and "In the Penal Colony". They're interesting and quick, but not as good as aforementioned, I really haven't been impressed yet. But thanks for the analysis of "the judgement", it was helpful.

Quote :

"Would you guys recommend some books for me, a ESL guy? Start from popular novels or classics?"

Presuming that you're serious, I can't imagine reading a book in another language.
...but for easy-reading American "classics" off the top of my head, I'd suggest:
-Hemingway, Ernest - Old Man and the Sea" if you want a really short one, or "For Whom the Bell Tolls" if you want a Spanish war novel (as written by an American)
-Steinbeck, JOhn - "Cannery Row" if you want a short one, or "Grapes of Wrath" if you want a classic American novel from the Great Depression
-Orwell, George - "Animal Farm" is an easy read, if you're looking for political satire

6/17/2012 11:24:14 PM

i love how Bullet is the one answering shoot's question

6/18/2012 12:47:01 AM

I know this thread is about "current" reading material, but I did just finish reading Ghost in the Wires: My Adventures as the World's Most Wanted Hacker.


I really enjoyed it! First book I've read in a long time.

6/18/2012 5:00:41 AM

^^^ My language partner suggested me Animal Farm before. I'll read again.
How about those English novels, like Jane Eyre?

6/18/2012 9:39:42 AM

Books like Jane Eyre, or Pride and Prejudice are good and they aren't difficult. However, they might include some phrases that are antiquated and difficult to understand for an ESL reader. I think, as a whole, they'll be a great place to start.

6/18/2012 9:59:36 AM

Your ID is also antiquated.

[Edited on June 18, 2012 at 10:01 AM. Reason : grammar]

6/18/2012 10:01:16 AM

6/23/2012 1:25:10 PM

I got this for my birthday



It is so good. It's extremely well written, and really gives an incredible view of the shit storm WW2 felt like to normal, every day people who had to struggle through it. If you're a WWII history buff, I definitely suggest finding a copy to read, and not to rush through it. I'm really enjoying going slow and absorbing it.

7/17/2012 11:41:47 AM

Anyone read the Wool series?

http://www.amazon.com/Wool-Omnibus-Edition-ebook/dp/B0071XO8RA



Heard good things.

7/17/2012 12:01:13 PM

^ actually just heard about the series yesterday - was interested in giving it a shot, especially for that price

7/17/2012 12:07:09 PM

just finished reading:

7/17/2012 12:33:13 PM

7/25/2012 10:52:39 AM

^ Just finished Player Piano. Typical Vonnegut. That is to say, I rather enjoyed it.


Now:



It's long. That's about all I have so far. (good translation, though.)

7/26/2012 10:14:37 PM

7/30/2012 2:47:48 PM

Read this. Great summer book.

[Edited on August 6, 2012 at 8:44 PM. Reason : .]

8/6/2012 8:42:48 PM