Sulphur on 5/1/2013 at 18:01
That's a bit too meta, don't you think, dema
:erg:
demagogue on 6/1/2013 at 04:21
Quote Posted by Sulphur
That's a bit too meta, don't you think, dema
:erg:
Heh, nothing is too meta for a philosophy book.
Reminds me when I was a philosophy major we used to have a t-shirt for our dep't that was something like:
No question too obscure.
No answer too pedantic.
Second only to my favorite from another year with a Che-style mug shot of Frege under a "WWFD" (What Would Frege Do) caption.
Edit: Unless you mean the post itself has a variety of meanings. Not sure what they all are, but it'd be cute if it did.
Scots Taffer on 6/1/2013 at 08:47
I'm reading a fascinating book called The Wave about the science behind rogue waves (and associated topics such as sea levels, climate change) and the madmen who tow-surf monster surf (and the obvious issues around their psychology and physical limitations). It's awesome.
st.patrick on 6/1/2013 at 09:10
I've just read The Long Earth by Terry Pratchett and Stephen Baxter. It feels more like Baxter's book with a handful of Pratchett's characters, quips and dialogs thrown in, but they are incorporated well and don't disrupt the general dynamic. It's very much centre-heavy, with several seemingly disjointed stories in the beginning, most of the narrative progress in the middle and quite an abrupt and slightly disappointing ending - that is, until I've realized there's another book coming.
I just hope Pratchett will be able to keep up for the course of this book (and, ideally, another one or two Discworld novels, as Snuff was pretty much one of the best 'Sam Vimes' pieces, probably straight after Thud!). I mean, Reading Nation felt like watching the author struggle with the limitations imposed by his illness and losing it about three quarters through.
I'm keeping my fingers crossed for The Long Earth, Part 2 because if Baxter provides the same measure of solid research and narrative flow, while Pratchett kicks in a handful of slapstick and funny quips, it'll be an amazing hard sci-fi 'trilogy in two parts'.
SubJeff on 6/1/2013 at 10:34
I'm lost in a sea of what to read now.
I'm simultaneously attempting The God Delusion, The Singularity is Near, The Forever War, Non-Stop and whatever Flashman is next. Oh, and a Unity guidebook.
The Wave sounds great Scots. Gaaaaaaahahhhhahah to many books too many games
Mr.Duck on 6/1/2013 at 21:49
Todo Belascoarán (All Belascoarán) by Paco Taibo II. Compilation of Mexican detective/noir novels that are also strong social and leftist commentary. Awesome stuff even if the not-so-subtle leftist rhetoric makes you roll your eyes at times. Plus, the main character's half Irish, half Basque, and full 100% Mexican, w00t!
Wyrd Sisters by Terry Pratchet. Got to love us some good ol'Discworld fun, eh? Took a bit of a break from my reading of all his Discworld books in order of publication. Time to get back in the saddle with this one.
Thinking of starting up The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler and maybe follow with The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood.
Need to get my reading rhythm again, baby.
Volitions Advocate on 7/1/2013 at 08:27
I recently finished reading Red Dragon, Silence of the Lambs, and Hannibal. Turns out I like the darker detective fiction. So after that I read Steig Larsson's Millennium series (dragon tattoo novels) which makes me feels even more than I used to that I wish I had a good reason to learn the Swedish language, im a big Kent fan and despite being an English speaker, I cant stand their English recordings. Anyway, I dont know where to go.next. Wheel of time? Worth it?
Phone typing sucks.
demagogue on 7/1/2013 at 08:30
House of Leaves? It's dark mystery... sort of, but maybe too experimental. It's broken up post-modern style so not exactly mainstream. There's also Umberto Eco's stuff, Foucault's Pendulum & Name of the Rose, or the Illluminati series.
june gloom on 7/1/2013 at 22:15
House of Leaves is basically a Lovecraft story about reading a Lovecraft story.
It sounds dumb when I put it that way, but it's one of my favourite books in the world. And Mark Z. Danielewski does something essential -- he pulls the reader into the medium of the book. It's more than just a stack of papers with words on them -- the text will sometimes reflect that of what's going on in the story. For example, a chapter that does a lot of discussing of mazes and labyrinths is similarly labyrinthine, the text warping itself and readable threads jumping around, and you have to pay close attention to follow, or you're going to get lost.