What Do you Read

Dr.Strangefate said:
Reading Vonnegut's Galapagos, and Nick Hornby's High Fidelity.

:D

Hoorah for working in a bookstore!
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*knocks a book out of Strangefates hands*

Book Worm!!!!

Oh no! I committed a cyber hate crime. Damn it, why couldn't I have learned from Cartman's mistakes?
 
For Summer Reading I have to read Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, by Frederick Douglass, plus a book of my own choice, plus a book off a list. I chose Maus/Maus II off the list since I already own them, but have never really read them all the way through. ('Cuz I was too young.)

So this morning I went to the book store (where EVERYTHING is 20% off!!!) and found the Douglass book priced at $7.99, not including the discount. I only had enough to buy one massmarket paperback besides that, so I was going to get Superman Returns because the X-Men 3 novelization had never shipped to them. I went to the Superman Returns books, and what do you know, the X-Men 3 book was right there next to them. So after about a minute of thinking, I picked X3.

Then at the cash register, the woman said there was a cheaper version of the Frederick Douglass book than this 7.99 one. I found it, and - can you believe it - it was only ONE dollar! (Minus 20%, eighty cents!) So I went to get that one, then I realized I had enough money now for the Superman Returns book.

In the end, I got the three books, with still a lot of change left over!
 
God, I hated summer reading lists. Truth be hold I probably would have been better off if I had actually read some of what was being suggested.

DJF, I'm not trying play the "Jew" card, but I've got to read a book called "The Chosen." It about two jewish kids in Brooklyn during WWII. I was wondering if you'd read it. If not you might find it interesting.

I looked it up on amazon and it's said it's on a lot of high school reading lists, but I'm reading it for college. Apparently everything I read in High School, I read wrong which means I have to reread high school literature but analyze it with a college mind.

It's by a writer my prof says was a rather well known Jewish author, Chaim Potok.
 
ProjectX2 said:
Damn, I want to read that. I heard it's "so manly even it sentences don't have periods", but what is it actually about? More of his crazy and hilarious rants?
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Pretty much. The first chapter is A is for *** Kicking, he talks about the different types of ****-punches, how to properly dropkick someone, and punching/elbowing in the face. Each chapter comes complete with its own illustrations and diagrams.:D

Other chapters:
N is for Chuck Norris
H is for Hot Sauce
L is for Lumberjacks
J is for Beef Jerky 8)
 
MaxwellSmart said:
God, I hated summer reading lists. Truth be hold I probably would have been better off if I had actually read some of what was being suggested.

DJF, I'm not trying play the "Jew" card, but I've got to read a book called "The Chosen." It about two jewish kids in Brooklyn during WWII. I was wondering if you'd read it. If not you might find it interesting.

I looked it up on amazon and it's said it's on a lot of high school reading lists, but I'm reading it for college. Apparently everything I read in High School, I read wrong which means I have to reread high school literature but analyze it with a college mind.

It's by a writer my prof says was a rather well known Jewish author, Chaim Potok.
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I did not read The Chosen, but I did see the film when our Hebrew School teachers forced it upon us. I'm not entirely sure, but I think the book is fairly short, but I'm probably just getting that mixed up with the Elie Wiesel books (Night, Dawn, etc.).


What I do know is that Chaim Potok is the punchline to one of my favorite semi-recent Simpsons episodes.

Anyone know it?
 
ultimatedjf said:
For Summer Reading I have to read Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, by Frederick Douglass, plus a book of my own choice, plus a book off a list. I chose Maus/Maus II off the list since I already own them, but have never really read them all the way through. ('Cuz I was too young.)

So this morning I went to the book store (where EVERYTHING is 20% off!!!) and found the Douglass book priced at $7.99, not including the discount. I only had enough to buy one massmarket paperback besides that, so I was going to get Superman Returns because the X-Men 3 novelization had never shipped to them. I went to the Superman Returns books, and what do you know, the X-Men 3 book was right there next to them. So after about a minute of thinking, I picked X3.

Then at the cash register, the woman said there was a cheaper version of the Frederick Douglass book than this 7.99 one. I found it, and - can you believe it - it was only ONE dollar! (Minus 20%, eighty cents!) So I went to get that one, then I realized I had enough money now for the Superman Returns book.

In the end, I got the three books, with still a lot of change left over!
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My summer reading is Beowulf and Frankenstein, both of which I'm actually looking forward to.
MaxwellSmart said:
DJF, I'm not trying play the "Jew" card, but I've got to read a book called "The Chosen." It about two jewish kids in Brooklyn during WWII. I was wondering if you'd read it. If not you might find it interesting.

I looked it up on amazon and it's said it's on a lot of high school reading lists, but I'm reading it for college. Apparently everything I read in High School, I read wrong which means I have to reread high school literature but analyze it with a college mind.

It's by a writer my prof says was a rather well known Jewish author, Chaim Potok.
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I had to read it freshman year. It's a little boring, but it's decent. It's about two Jewish boys, one is Hasidic and one is not. They sort of learn how to be friends despite their cultural differences.
djf again said:
I did not read The Chosen, but I did see the film when our Hebrew School teachers forced it upon us. I'm not entirely sure, but I think the book is fairly short, but I'm probably just getting that mixed up with the Elie Wiesel books (Night, Dawn, etc.).


What I do know is that Chaim Potok is the punchline to one of my favorite semi-recent Simpsons episodes.

Anyone know it?
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Actually, I remember it being pretty long. I probably still have it somewhere in my room (I know my sister has a bigger hardcover version of it and all it's sequels from when she had to read it).

And I forgot the joke. Doesn't someone say "Chaim Potok" and someone else says "bless you"? Something like that.
 
The concept of summer reading lists always confused me. I understand what they're trying to achieve. I just can't understand why kids actually read the crap they're told to read over the summer.
 
moonmaster said:
And I forgot the joke. Doesn't someone say "Chaim Potok" and someone else says "bless you"? Something like that.
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I was thinking of when Krusty walked the Jewish Walk of Fame and was stunned to see he didn't have a star on it. He looked down and said something like, "Who the hell is this? Chaim Potok?"

But my favorite line from that episode is when he finds out he's not Jewish till he has his Bar Mitzvah: "I always thought I was a self-hating Jew; Now I see I'm just a plain anti-semite."
 
MaxwellSmart said:
The concept of summer reading lists always confused me. I understand what they're trying to achieve. I just can't understand why kids actually read the crap they're told to read over the summer.
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Some people enjoy reading? I never had a problem completing the summer reading lists, but then again I devour books. Hell I read so much I've tested into the top 92% nationwide for reading skills and comprehension. That puts me in what, the top 35% worldwide? 30%?
 
Ultimate Houde said:
I was always in the upper 90's on reading and comprehension.
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Ever wonder what its like to be in some peoples heads when they read? I can't fathom it.

E-v-e-r. W-o-n-d-e-r-. W-h-a-t.

Going that slow would kill me.
 
Baxter said:
Ever wonder what its like to be in some peoples heads when they read? I can't fathom it.

E-v-e-r. W-o-n-d-e-r-. W-h-a-t.

Going that slow would kill me.
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Hehe. I lent 1602 to a friend around October last year. He's up to issue 5 I think.

I usually read through something in a week. Although I have read the extended version of Stephen Kings The Stand (one of the only books by him I like enough to own), which clocked in at 1400 pages in about 5 days.

Right now, I'm working through Dance Dance Dance by Haruki Murakami. After that, I've also got by the same author (my favourite), Norwegian Wood and Sputnik Sweetheart to read, A Long Way Down by Nick Hornby, Consider Phlebas by Iain M Banks and about half of Edgar Allen Poes remaining shorts and poems. Phew.

Dance Dance Dance is fantastic though, one of Murakamis best. The main mystery in it is completely riveting and the narrator (previously the narrator of A Wild Sheep Chase) is a genuinely interesting character to read; intelligent, funny, but stuck 'shoveling snow' as he puts it. A literary joy.
 
Ultimate Houde said:
Is that book in English?

(I only ask because I know your from Amsterdam...damn you)
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Yup. All of Murakamis work has been translated from his native Japanese, rather succesfully as well, by a couple of university professor fellows.

I'd recommend you don't start with Dance Dance Dance though, it's something of a follow up to a previous novel (and I believe the middle part of a loosely tied together trilogy).

If you wanna give him a try, buy The Elephant Vanishes. It's a collection of short stories of his, that'll really help you get into his stlye and tone. He tends to be a bit of a love him or hate him author; something of an acquired taste. His books are often spiritual, symbolic character studies, that on the outside at least, simply follow the mundane yet surreal lifestyle of some middle aged Tokyo-ite, embarking on a journey of sorts. But when delved into a little further, there's an enigmatic beauty behind everything, and usually something to open your eyes or learn from.

The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle is possibly one of the greatest books I've ever read, and nothing really happens in it. But nothing happens beautifully.
 
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I am currently reading "I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell"

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HANDS DOWN---THE FUNNIEST BOOK I'VE READ.......EVER!!!!

For those of you who got a chance to read my b-day thread...this guy's stories put MWoF, DIB, me....hell anyone else's stories to shame.

These stories are DEBAUCHERIFIC!!!!! I've literally been served disciplinary paperwork because I've started laughing outloud so hard. It has had me in tears!!! I've almost passed out because I was laughing so hard I couldn't breathe!!! Have you ever laughed so hard that you had no choice but to get up and leave the room to regain your composure? Well that's the case with almost every paragraph. Hell...I'm laughing so hard that its taking me forever to write this simple post.

This is 1 of 3 books this guy has written. His webiste Tucker Max is completely awesome (while there....be sure to visit some of the other sites affiliated with him. Tard Blog is hilarious.......but o so wrong!!!!).
 
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I HIGHLY recommend Otherland: City of Golden Shadow, by Tad Williams. It takes place in the near future, and it's about a group of people who, for one reason or another, get involved with the Otherland Network and the Grail Brotherhood. The Otherland Network is basically the combination of a vast series of virtual worlds, run by some of the world's richest and most powerful men. The characters are all fascinating and three-dimensional, and the writing is fantastic. I'm currently reading the third book, Mountain of Black Glass.
 
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