On the Reading of Books
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| Author | Topic: On the Reading of Books |
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Infiltrator
Member # 78
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written Thursday, December 4 2003 16:27
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I love fantasy and sometimes read sci-fi. I think that 'classic' novels are pretty much just novels written by people a lon time ago. I like Dickens, but I like some modern-day others just as much and more. Also, I think some classic books don't deserve to be classic. Like Great Expectations. IMHO, I thought it was boring, depressing, and without a grain of happiness, all the way to the end. Not the book for a depressed person to read! My favorite authors include Raymond Feist, Robert Jordan, Timothy Zahn, TOLKIEN, and Terry Brooks. -------------------- If you own a mobile home and 14 trucks that aren't, you might be a redneck... Posts: 659 | Registered: Thursday, October 4 2001 07:00 |
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Guardian
Member # 3521
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written Thursday, December 4 2003 20:00
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ARGH, I just accidentally deleted a rather long post. I suppose there's nothing for it but to retype a shorter version. The number of avid readers we seem to have around here is rather impressive. I myself am not much of a reader nowadays, but I was once a powerhouse, before school took a lot of the fun out of it for me. Of the serial novels that I have read, my favorites include Redwall (Good man, Slith), The Chronicles of Narnia, Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot mysteries, and, in my early years, the Oz and Dr. Dolittle series. My favorite stand-alone novels include Killer Angels, Watership Down, The Wind in the Willows, The Little Prince, A Tale of Two Cities, and A Separate Peace. I've never been able to get into stream-of-consciousness novels, or novels with very odd changes of points of view. Thus, The Sound and The Fury, Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man, Wide Sargasso Sea, and To the Lighthouse are among my least favorite of the books I've been forced to read. In terms of the Classics, I've found that, while some appeal to me, the vast majority strike me as being rather overrated or entirely worthless. Although some novels carrying the "Classic" seal are among my favorites (such as the aforementioned A Tale of Two Cities), many others have drawn from me a far less appreciative response. These include Pride and Prejudice and The Scarlet Letter, among others. Keep 'em coming, folks. It's good to see that books haven't been entirely displaced in modern times by TV, movies, and video games. [ Thursday, December 04, 2003 20:01: Message edited by: Stughalf ] -------------------- "Let a man find himself, in distinction from others, on top of two wheels with a chain- at least in a poor country like Russia- and his vanity begins to swell out like his tires. In America it takes an automobile to produce this effect."- Leon Trotsky Posts: 1798 | Registered: Sunday, October 5 2003 07:00 |
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Babelicious
Member # 3149
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written Thursday, December 4 2003 20:07
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I loved Portrait Of An Artist. Probably Joyce's best work. I assume you never tried to read Finnegans Wake. Lowly, longly, a wail went forth. Pure Yawn lay low. On the mead of the hillock lay, heartsoul dormant mid shadowed land-shape, brief wallet to his side, and arm loose, by his staff of citron briar, tradition stick-pass-on. His dream monologue was over, of cause, but his drama parapolylogic had yet to be, affact. Most distressfully (but, my dear, how successfully!) to wail he did, his locks of a lucan tinge, quickrich, ripely rippling, unfilleted, those lashbetasselled lids on the verge of closing time, whiles ouze of his sidewiseopen mouth the breath of him, evenso languishing as the princeliest treble treacle or lichee chewchow purse could buy. Yawn in a semiswoon lay awailing and (hooh!) what helpings of honeyful swoothead (phew!), which ear-piercing dulcitude! As were you suppose to go and push with your bluntblank pin in hand upinto his fleshasplush cushionettes of some chubby boybold love of an angel. Hwoah! Posts: 999 | Registered: Friday, June 27 2003 07:00 |
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Lifecrafter
Member # 3320
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written Thursday, December 4 2003 20:55
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I am going through a Sherlock Holmes phase right now where I will only read Sherlock Holmes stories. I consider Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories to be classics and I enjoy them very much. I will eventually move onto some other type of books someday. But for now, I revolve only around Sherlock Holmes stories. I like mysteries in general, but not Fantasy stories nearly as much for some reason, despite my ability to create such things in RPs. My lack of interest in fantasy stories explains why The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, The Matrix, and many of the other fantasy movies and books do not on my favorites lists anywhere. I'm just a stone-cold mystery person. [ Friday, December 05, 2003 06:39: Message edited by: Sherlock Holmes - MSW ] -------------------- Mrs. Peacock: "Everything all right?" Colonel Mustard: "Yep. Two Corpses. Everything's fine." "Keep your wits about you, the game is afoot!!" - Sherlock Holmes Posts: 935 | Registered: Friday, August 8 2003 07:00 |
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Babelicious
Member # 3149
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written Thursday, December 4 2003 21:00
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I'm sorry, but books on tape are not books. Posts: 999 | Registered: Friday, June 27 2003 07:00 |
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...b10010b...
Member # 869
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written Thursday, December 4 2003 21:15
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Djur, do Joyce's books actually consist of anything other than the author talking to himself? I prefer books that try to say something in particular to me, the reader, even if it's something I can't agree with. At the very least, I'd like to read something which entertains me, which the passage you quoted doesn't. *shrug* De gustibus non disputandum est. [ Thursday, December 04, 2003 21:17: Message edited by: Full Metal Jagot ] -------------------- I believe there are 15 747 724 136 275 002 577 105 653 961 181 555 468 044 717 914 527 116 709 366 231 425 076 185 631 031 296 protons in the universe, and the same number of electrons. -- Sir Arthur Eddington Posts: 9973 | Registered: Saturday, March 30 2002 08:00 |
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Lifecrafter
Member # 3320
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written Thursday, December 4 2003 21:21
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I wasn't referring to books on tape. I was referring to books. I do both, but right now I am more into reading books than listening to the stories. "Watson, bring me my hunting crop. I have someone to beat some sense into." -------------------- Mrs. Peacock: "Everything all right?" Colonel Mustard: "Yep. Two Corpses. Everything's fine." "Keep your wits about you, the game is afoot!!" - Sherlock Holmes Posts: 935 | Registered: Friday, August 8 2003 07:00 |
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Lifecrafter
Member # 3310
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written Thursday, December 4 2003 21:37
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How come most people here that likes fantasy states that J.R.Tolkien is their number one choice? I personally find Tolkiens books a little boring and hard-to-read. He has got some good ideas but I feel he doesn't use them. Many fantasy-authors are overrated. If you like fantasy you should go for some of the more original ones, like Ursula LeQuinns "Earthsea" or some of Robin Hobbs's books. They actually add something more to the reading experience than just hack n' slash. When I was younger, I thought David Eddings was the best writer in the world. I'm still ashamed of myself. He's books are naught but big piles of klichés. Posts: 756 | Registered: Monday, August 4 2003 07:00 |
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Cartographer
Member # 1851
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written Thursday, December 4 2003 22:06
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Fantasy, fantasy, fantasy. And agreed with Ironweed about Eddings. And about Tolkien. It seems like everytime I hear someone say 'I love fantasy books, I love Tolkien', I get the feeling they're pathetic for not coming up with anything better. You like Tolkien? Big deal, so does hundreds of other people. Loud and clear. It's just annoying. Doesn't stop me from reading their works, naturally. It isn't about the writer, it's the story. And so, I liked Hobbit better than LOTR. Currently I'm actually reading something else than fantasy. It's a book by ... Chun Shu, called Beijing Baby? I'm reading it in Finnish, so naturally the name is also in Finnish. I'm only semi-certain it's translated like that into English. Could be something else.. -------------------- Ah! My Homepage - In Finnish and English Geneforge - The Maps My Elfwood Gallery - Stories I've written in english The WALL - Forums in Finnish Waiting for medication. I could really use some. Posts: 1308 | Registered: Sunday, September 8 2002 07:00 |
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Lifecrafter
Member # 3320
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written Thursday, December 4 2003 22:34
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Sorry about my reaction. I just now discovered that during my spell check copying and pasting, the first two sentences were cut out. I just added them back to my first post under this topic. Thought I would let you know. -------------------- Mrs. Peacock: "Everything all right?" Colonel Mustard: "Yep. Two Corpses. Everything's fine." "Keep your wits about you, the game is afoot!!" - Sherlock Holmes Posts: 935 | Registered: Friday, August 8 2003 07:00 |
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Shock Trooper
Member # 3377
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written Friday, December 5 2003 00:49
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Blame it on the movies. If it hadn't been for them, I could still enjoy my favourite lotr characters without having to share them with a million fangirls who haven't the faintest idea about Tolkien Elves except that they look like Orlando Bloom. David Eddings is childrens' fantasy, just a (small) step up from Disney fairy tales. They all have cliches. Where he went wrong was using the same formula for every world he created, then publishing that formula in the Riven Codex. My favourite childrens' book authors are Brian Caswell and John Marsden. Both Australian, so I doubt most of you have ever read their books, but both authors whom I would still read now and probably again in ten years. -------------------- From many a wondrous grot and secret cell Unnumbered and enormous polypi Winnow with giant fins the slumbering green. Posts: 356 | Registered: Saturday, August 23 2003 07:00 |
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Shock Trooper
Member # 3238
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written Friday, December 5 2003 01:13
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Yep, I, too, am a fantasy fan. However, I, on the other hand, hate Tolkien. I never did find any of his books interesting, and to say the least, I grew tired the first few chapters and quit. The thing is, I'm the light humor fantasy type of guy. I like series like Redwall, Dealing with Dragons (and most of Patrica C. Wrede), The Prydian Chronicles (Lloyd Alexander; Main charater is Taran...), The Last Dragonlord, The Cat Who... series, and things like that. Yes, some of the books are very... well, cliche, but I don't mind. Also, a very different book would have to be I Am The Cheese, by Robert Cormier. Classics... Actually, I enjoy many classics. I don't know if The Catcher in the Rye would be one, but its still very good. Shakespearian works are very enjoyable, and some things that can't come to my mind right now. Gee, I did finish reading a small play called A Streetcar Name Desire... I enjoyed it, but I don't know if it would be a classic. Yes, call me an idiot if you must. -------------------- "Friendship is two things: Trust, and sharing. I personally see it as a business opportunity." -Random Quote Posts: 203 | Registered: Friday, July 18 2003 07:00 |
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Triad Mage
Member # 7
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written Friday, December 5 2003 02:05
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With Tolkien, I really loved the Silmarillion and the HoME, but LotR and the Hobbit weren't that interesting to me. -------------------- "At times discretion should be thrown aside, and with the foolish we should play the fool." - Menander ==== Drakefyre's Demesne - Vahnatai Did Do It desperance.net - We're Everywhere The Arena - God Will Sort The Dead ==== You can take my Mac when you pry my cold, dead fingers off the mouse! Posts: 9436 | Registered: Wednesday, September 19 2001 07:00 |
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Fire! Fire! Fire! Fire!
Member # 919
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written Friday, December 5 2003 05:04
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Hmm, opposite for me. I'm not as interested in history when it's not the real history of this world... I, personally, was amazed by LOTR the second time I read it (the first I was too young, the third I already know what's going to happen). Tolkien was an amazing man, in my opinion, but I agree, he certainly could have made his books a little more exciting. I also like The Thief, by Megan Whalen Turner, as long as we're on the subject of light humor fantasy =] I dislike horror and mystery books, though - horor because I see no point in making myself scared and paranoid, and mystery because I always think that the characters are either complete idiots, or unrealistically and impossibly brillant. Oh well. -------------------- And though the musicians would die, the music would live on in the imaginations of all who heard it. -The Last Pendragon TEH CONSPIRACY IZ ALL Les forum de la chance. In case of emergency, break glass. Posts: 3351 | Registered: Saturday, April 6 2002 08:00 |
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Shaper
Member # 517
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written Friday, December 5 2003 06:00
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There are two reasons to like horror. Firstly, a general state of sick-mindedness that revels in blood, gore, and murder. This is more common than you may think. Secondly, the fact that proper, suspense-horror authors can scare you witless just through the atmosphere they create and without putting a single action scene in the book. That's why I like the horror I do like-because I like to read clever books, and well-written horror is some of the cleverest literature around. In the order of Ian Banks, who is also an extremely clever author, and makes everything in the book actually work towards creating the right atmosphere. And it works, too, which is why he's so good to read. Not that I'd recommend him, mind you. Anyone who reads Wasp Factory and really likes it needs their head examined. But I defy you to put it down two-thirds of the way through and not come back to it. -E- -------------------- Let them eat cake! Polaris Boards: The System is Up. Perennially. Posts: 2314 | Registered: Tuesday, January 15 2002 08:00 |
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Guardian
Member # 3521
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written Friday, December 5 2003 07:36
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quote:Originally written by Sir David: I always think that the characters are either complete idiots, or unrealistically and impossibly brillant. Oh well.Are these "impossibly brilliant" characters in mysteries any more unrealistic than the musclebound he-men that inhabit so many fantasy novels? I think not. Few people reading either mystery or fantasy novels are looking for realism in the stories. Fantasy readers delight in the manner in which some novels break the boundaries of reality and describe wondrous lands, creatures and adventures wholly impossible in the real world. In much the same way, mystery readers live for the ways in which many writers let their imaginations and intellects run free, breaking the boundaries of realism in the interests of constructing puzzles of fantastic complexity and depth. And no puzzle is much fun without an ingenious solution, thus the need for the frighteningly and impossibly intelligent detective. The shame involved in being outsmarted by a little Belgian with oiled moustaches is also a fine incentive to improve one's mind. -------------------- "Let a man find himself, in distinction from others, on top of two wheels with a chain- at least in a poor country like Russia- and his vanity begins to swell out like his tires. In America it takes an automobile to produce this effect."- Leon Trotsky Posts: 1798 | Registered: Sunday, October 5 2003 07:00 |
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This Side Towards Enemy
Member # 3098
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written Friday, December 5 2003 08:41
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I will read anything, although I read rather less fantasy than I used to because 90% of it is twaddle. I include the really popular stuff in that category. Tolkien could write a decent tale when he didn't swamp you in invented history and there are some good exponents of of comic fantsay (they seem to be brighter than writers of normal fantasy) but there are few other good mainstream authors and Anne Macaffrey should be forbidden from writing, as should whoever wrote Dragonlance. Also Robert Jordan is on his way to the 9th circle. CLassic literature is a mixed bag. You cannot shove the combined works of a millenium, more if you include Greek and Roman authors, into one category. You can say that Shakespeare was merely a hack playwright of middling talent and Dickens seeems to be inspiring me to ignore my social conscience, if not to an English teacher. -------------------- Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned I'll tell you my story, man Though I wish I'd never been born I'm loose at the seams, I've broken my dreams And my hand it shakes the pen Come on, come on now baby, Let the good times roll again Posts: 961 | Registered: Thursday, June 12 2003 07:00 |
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Infiltrator
Member # 3040
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written Friday, December 5 2003 12:19
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I forgot to mention last post... I also read math books. Anyone read Raymond Smullyan? Ian Stewart? Entertaining as well as enlightening. Very fun. Also... quote:Originally posted by Distantly Bemused: there are few other good mainstream authorsBesides who? You neglected to actually mention any of the "exponents of of comic fantsay", and I hardly think that they are very mainstream. Also, have you actually read the 90 percent you say is twaddle? And if not, how do you know? -------------------- who? Posts: 508 | Registered: Thursday, May 29 2003 07:00 |
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Warrior
Member # 37
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written Friday, December 5 2003 12:19
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Number 3098, you are hereby charged with Blasphemy, and are hereby sentenced to be sacrificed to the Great Lord of the Dark. Er, yeah. And all that whatnot. As I see it, Robert Jordan, Elizabeth Haydon and Terry Brooks are the greatest writers of modern times. I've read each of their entire booklists at least once, and most of their books I've read at least thrice. A few series, I've read at least six times. -------------------- Will the real God please stand up? Posts: 179 | Registered: Wednesday, October 3 2001 07:00 |
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Cartographer
Member # 1851
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written Friday, December 5 2003 12:28
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*slaps herself on the forehead* Robert Jordan! That's the one I forgot. I hate the Wheel of Time. It sucks. Allow me to tell you why I think this. 1. It's too long. By the time next part comes out, I have forgotten everything that happened in the book before it. It's annoying to read when you have no idea what's happening. 2. The characters piss me off. Rand is a loser. All, and I mean ALL the women are manipulative meanies (or the b-word. You choose). The other guys are losers as well. They got no spirit. And why on earth is there no nice ladies in here? Does the writer have some sort of female problems in his life, or what? It's annoying. Also, this is just my opinion. [ Friday, December 05, 2003 12:29: Message edited by: Destiny: ready to die young ] -------------------- Ah! My Homepage - In Finnish and English Geneforge - The Maps My Elfwood Gallery - Stories I've written in english The WALL - Forums in Finnish Waiting for medication. I could really use some. Posts: 1308 | Registered: Sunday, September 8 2002 07:00 |
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Fire! Fire! Fire! Fire!
Member # 919
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written Friday, December 5 2003 18:59
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Stughalf: If they're that good at creating atmoshpere, I'd rather they put it to (my idea of) good use. And I still prefer unrealism when it's supposed to be unreal, as in fantasy; the best mystery novels, in my opinion, are the ones that are the most realistic. Most of them are not realistic. Also, I agree about fantasy; I walk through the fantasy aisles at Borders sometime, and I just have to laugh. I would go to considerable lengths not to be caught dead with some of those books. Tolkien I like though, maybe because of my interest in real history... maybe it goes both ways. -------------------- And though the musicians would die, the music would live on in the imaginations of all who heard it. -The Last Pendragon TEH CONSPIRACY IZ ALL Les forum de la chance. In case of emergency, break glass. Posts: 3351 | Registered: Saturday, April 6 2002 08:00 |
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Infiltrator
Member # 65
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written Friday, December 5 2003 19:41
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quote:Originally written by premonition: My favourite childrens' book authors are Brian Caswell and John Marsden. Both Australian, so I doubt most of you have ever read their books, but both authors whom I would still read now and probably again in ten years.I have read John Marsden's books and I have to agree. My favourite book was the one called "Letters from the inside" or something like that. -------------------- ...a sadist is only someone that is terribly nice to a masochist... Want to find out how nasty you really are? visit:www.thespark.com now! Also look at my site here This is also a good site Posts: 650 | Registered: Thursday, October 4 2001 07:00 |
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
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written Friday, December 5 2003 23:21
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quote:Originally written by Sir David: I would go to considerable lengths not to be caught dead with some of those books.So would I, but I read them anyway. I have no pride, although I will at least take good literature over really bad fantasy. I've even read tabloids in moments of desperation. It's an interesting experience, although not one I'd care to repeat frequently. —Alorael, who likes fantasy in large part because he is fascinated with the world-building process. Robert Jordan, for all his complicated and moribund plots, created a detailed world. Tolkien created a world with a few adaptations that was quickly imitated by too many others. Robin Hobb's worlds aren't exactly filled with wizards, but they're very, very different. And so on. Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00 |
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Apprentice
Member # 3660
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written Friday, December 5 2003 23:46
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Jumping into scifi, george orwell, anyone read the DUNE series? im still working on it, but i gotta say, its the most interesting thing ive read. there are a lot of areas in it that just make you stop and think about what it is that controls everyones lives...but anyways, good series, i havent read his other books. -------------------- Malfunction: Error message: youre a dink Posts: 47 | Registered: Thursday, November 6 2003 08:00 |
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Triad Mage
Member # 7
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written Saturday, December 6 2003 02:55
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The beginning of the Dune series was good. Then it degenerated into something with no plot and a lot of commentary. I like the prelude books, though. I think Elizabeth Haydon is good too. -------------------- "At times discretion should be thrown aside, and with the foolish we should play the fool." - Menander ==== Drakefyre's Demesne - Vahnatai Did Do It desperance.net - We're Everywhere The Arena - God Will Sort The Dead ==== You can take my Mac when you pry my cold, dead fingers off the mouse! Posts: 9436 | Registered: Wednesday, September 19 2001 07:00 |