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29 May 2005, 13:37
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#1
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Love's Sweet Exile
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Living on a Stair (Now Sword-less)
Posts: 2,371
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Books
This thread contains a number of points, which are semi-related.
Firstly, books whose precis doesn't contain a plot-summary. When books are expensive (as they generally are) I like to have at least some idea of what the story is going to be about, yet so many 'popular fiction' books don't have any details. If I want to read review comments, I will look somewhere other than the back of the book thank you very much.
If books are £3 though, and I have a train journey ahead of me, then I'm less fussy. And so I bought such a book from fopp yesterday. After stealing £27 for CDs from me on friday, the same branch got another £3 of my money for 'What a Carve Up' by Jonathan Coe. And I'm impressed with it.
It begins very strangely, describing a scene in 1940s England, followed by a trip to the cinema in the 60s. Most of the story is then set in the 80s, but with plenty of flashbacks to various points in the last 70 years or so, telling a series of interlinked stories (surrounding one aristocratic family), which I assume are going to come together.
The writing is good, and the structure while chaotic, is actually easy to follow. The characters aren't the most realistic, there are too many exaggerated characteristics, but they are all the same believable, and despite the episodic structure, they are described in sufficient detail.
In summary then, I would reccomend this book.
On a related note, 'The Rule of Four' isn't bad either. It's relying heavily on the success of the Da Vinci Code, and is itself no great work, but it's a good read, and despite (or due to?) the much more obscure references (renaissance literature mainly, rather than the more well-known illuminati/templars/etc.) it's a lot less pretentious, and not as repetitive.
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--SYMM--
Ba Ba Ti Ki Di Do
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29 May 2005, 13:41
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#2
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Banned
Join Date: Jun 2002
Posts: 2,635
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Re: Books
I just read 'The right brain: a new understanding'
It talked about the unconscious, non-verbal powers of the right brain, and how the creative process must use both sides, but most people only use the left side. It was enjoyable.
I'm now reading 'Why Europe will run the 21st centry' which is also interesting.
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29 May 2005, 13:47
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#3
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The Twilight of the Gods
Join Date: Jan 2001
Posts: 23,481
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Re: Books
Read "Carter Beats the Devil".
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29 May 2005, 13:52
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#4
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Bored
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Nottm ->Shef ->Croydon ->Manc ->Durham ->Sheffield
Posts: 6,506
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Re: Books
I'm reading "a short history of nearly everything" which I really like
not sure what i'll read next.
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29 May 2005, 14:06
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#5
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mmm lambs
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: London
Posts: 1,906
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Re: Books
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ste
I'm reading "a short history of nearly everything" which I really like
not sure what i'll read next.
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I didn't enjoy that book or "Mother Tongue: The English Language" as much as his others. "Notes from a Small Island" is my favourite book by Bryson.
I am currently reading "Life, the universe and everything" though I picked a bad time to start reading this series as I stopped in the middle in order to revise for my exams which is really annoying.
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I drink therefore I am
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29 May 2005, 14:21
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#6
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The Twilight of the Gods
Join Date: Jan 2001
Posts: 23,481
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Re: Books
I'm currently reading Hunter S Thompson's F&L On The Campaign Trail '72, by the way.
Puts forward a tale about early 70's society that we don't hear often enough nowadays - the myths of the disco golden age have taken over.
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29 May 2005, 14:57
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#7
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Heh, Leeds !
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: In The Redfern
Posts: 3,790
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Re: Books
I'm reading 'The Unknown Soldier' by Gerald Seymour.
It's to his usual standard (make of that what you will)
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The George Harrison of BlueTuba
Yes, I know he is dead !
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29 May 2005, 14:59
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#8
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Made of Twigs
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 5,459
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Re: Books
Quote:
Originally Posted by midge5
I didn't enjoy that book .
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Me neither. I did not get far at all with it.
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If I hadn't seen such riches, I could live with being poor - James
It's hard to be humble when you're as great as I am - Muhammad Ali
So **** y'all, all of y'all; if y'all don't like me, blow me! - Dr. Dre
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29 May 2005, 15:37
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#9
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Next goal wins!
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: London
Posts: 5,406
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Re: Books
has anyone read any haruki murakami? My housemate got me one of his books for my birthday and its the strangest contemporary fiction i think ive ever read, despite being linear (ish) , its just... weird.
but very good and very involving, also fairly long, i'd reccomend them.
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bastard bastard bastard bastard
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29 May 2005, 16:04
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#10
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Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: London
Posts: 3,347
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Re: Books
When I finish last exam on tuesday I shall start reading tom sawyer.
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The 20th century has been characterised by three developments of great political importance. The growth of democracy; the growth of corporate power; and the growth of corporate propaganda as a means of protecting corporate power against democracy.
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29 May 2005, 16:48
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#11
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cynic
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Bishop Auckland Co. Durham
Posts: 8,809
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Re: Books
murakami is very strange indeed
to be fair, if you are looking for a book but don't know what, you casn always pop into a library and ask one of the staff to reccomend you something, we get it all the time, and generally the customers are satisfied with what we reccomend
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lazy
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29 May 2005, 16:58
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#12
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Love's Sweet Exile
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Living on a Stair (Now Sword-less)
Posts: 2,371
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Re: Books
But that means talking to real people!
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--SYMM--
Ba Ba Ti Ki Di Do
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29 May 2005, 17:30
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#13
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First Disciple of Aldur
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: The Vale of Aldur
Posts: 1,470
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Re: Books
I am currently 3/4 of the way through A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin. After that I've got Chainfire by Terry Goodkind to read.
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Yeah.
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29 May 2005, 17:48
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#14
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cynic
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Bishop Auckland Co. Durham
Posts: 8,809
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Re: Books
i havent looked at chainfire yet i must admit, the series is wearing on me slightly and i simply havent the time to read them properly as i think i would have to re-read the series from the start to make sense of it again
currently i am actually reading the last book in harry turtledoves colonisation series, an alternate history (his speciality) based on an earth where aliens invaded half way throught the second world war. The last book has just been released and i have high hopes that the series will end well (i would tell you the title but its upstairs and i cant be bothered to go get it or google it :/)
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lazy
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29 May 2005, 19:25
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#15
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PA Team
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 7,449
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Re: Books
I reread the whole series (ish, I skipped soul of fire, I think). Chainfire is ok, and apparently it's the first of the 3 books that's finishing the series. I love the way that all the magic happens to be made up to suit the situation, and then suddenly Richard has a second of clarity, understands the magic "magically", saves the day, then spouts large amounts of monologue on social / moral / etc behavour and judgement. It makes me wish I actually paid more attention to the deep parts of philosophy; my mind tends to go to sleep half way through reading them
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r8-10 RaH r10.5-12 MISTU
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29 May 2005, 19:31
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#16
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PA Team
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 7,449
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Re: Books
naa, I was summarizing the series. But yes, in Chainfire something new and wierd happens, almost everyone (apart from Nicci) disagrees with Richard about it, and ... well you can guess the rest
(Ramond Feist is far better, and he has more books out than Eddings now (I think). He also seems to throw them out compared to people like Jordan... 18 month waits for his books )
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r8-10 RaH r10.5-12 MISTU
Last edited by Appocomaster; 29 May 2005 at 19:37.
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29 May 2005, 21:14
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#17
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Server Manager
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 549
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Re: Books
I'm reading Neal Stephenson's Baroque Cycle at the moment. I got a book voucher a while ago and saw a book on sale, so bought it. It was 900pages long, and highly enjoyable - and I was delighted to find that it was the first in a trilogy! It's set in the 1600s (though the third book has just about hit 1700), and follows several people, from persons in the Royal Society (like the friends of Isaac Newton) and arguments about science, to the courts of King Louis XIV, as well as a the adventures of a vagabond. It's a pretty massive read, but I've loved every minute of it so far.
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29 May 2005, 23:03
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#18
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Evul Critter
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: York
Posts: 255
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Re: Books
£3 is pretty good for a book....
i was robbed buying a book with 100pages for £10....!! (Andrey Kurkov - a matter of death and life)
haruki murakami books are pretty weird... I'm currently reading Sputnik Sweetheard which is rather odd, but very cool.
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Critters own....
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30 May 2005, 01:59
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#19
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so f*cking zen
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Hitting Bottom
Posts: 8,499
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Re: Books
I read this book yesterday (it was ok)
I have this and this to read today and tomorrow.
I'm well smart i am.
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On a long enough timeline, the survival rate for everyone drops to zero.
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30 May 2005, 02:07
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#20
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so f*cking zen
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Hitting Bottom
Posts: 8,499
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Re: Books
BTW I've been trying to read Eagles and Angels for a ****in age.
The review says:
Juli Zeh's novel offers a dense, thoughtful analysis of a viciously capitalist Europe seemingly on the brink of collapse into corruption, anarchy and violence, through the mind of a man integral to this world, helplessly revelling in the chaos he has wrought. One emerges from reading this novel breathless, as if from a switchback ride, horrified but wanting more.
Rankin says:
"boring boring boring"
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On a long enough timeline, the survival rate for everyone drops to zero.
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30 May 2005, 12:09
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#21
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cynic
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Bishop Auckland Co. Durham
Posts: 8,809
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Re: Books
actually, thinking about it, if you have a HMV nearby this is on offer for £2 at the moment, and i thoroughly reccomend it
also this is a bloody good book if you can get hold of a copy... although i didnt realise that it was going for that much nowadays... im tempted to *ahem* 'aquire' the copy that is at my work.
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lazy
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30 May 2005, 13:18
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#22
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Banned
Join Date: Jun 2002
Posts: 2,635
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Re: Books
Actually i'm rereading through k&r's c book, and book on data structures and algorithms, and other various language things.
I forgot how unpleasant programming can actually be.
I'll be reading about XPCOM soon as well, yeah!
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