Is anyone reading anything particularly good at the moment? Or in the recent past? Or have any books to recommend? I usually have several books going at a time, which I dip in and out of, although i don't read nearly as much as I used to. At the moment I'm rereading [i]One Red Paperclip[/i], by Kyle MacDonald. Its about a guy in Canada who played a game called 'bigger and better.' He started with one red paperclip, which he traded for a pen (bigger or better then the paperclip). This was traded for something else, and so on. He ended up travelling all over Canada, and possibly part of the USA to make trades. His goal was to get a house in a year, and he did it. Its a great, lighthearted, optimistic and happy book for the extremely bleak weather we're undergoing here.
Anyway, is anyone else reading anything good?
Lisser · Member since
I recently read, "The Shack." I loved it, amazing book. I also read "My Sister's Keeper." Loved that too!
john bodega · Member since
I've been reading Lobsang Rampa. [/QUOTE] [/QUOTE]The guy was a COMPLETE fraud but it made for interesting reading.[/QUOTE]
Yara · Member since
[QUOTE]
[b]catqueen wrote: [/b]
Is anyone reading anything particularly good at the moment? Or in the recent past? Or have any books to recommend? I usually have several books going at a time, which I dip in and out of, although i don't read nearly as much as I used to. At the moment I'm rereading [i]One Red Paperclip[/i], by Kyle MacDonald. Its about a guy in Canada who played a game called 'bigger and better.' He started with one red paperclip, which he traded for a pen (bigger or better then the paperclip). This was traded for something else, and so on. He ended up travelling all over Canada, and possibly part of the USA to make trades. His goal was to get a house in a year, and he did it. Its a great, lighthearted, optimistic and happy book for the extremely bleak weather we're undergoing here.
Anyway, is anyone else reading anything good?[/QUOTE]
My mother always enjoyed reading Gógol’s books but never had his complete works in their original languages. She’s from Ukraine and she can’t barely speak Portuguese or English to this day - giving books to my mom as a gift is a nightmare because Brazil is not a very good market for books in Russian, Ukrainian and Hebrew.
Anyway, I was recently in New York and managed to buy all the books by this author - some very good editions for a ridiculously low price. The Strand saved me. She was thrilled to have the chance to read again the works of one of her favorite authors in the original language. I read some tales in the plane back home and I enjoyed them a lot. I had only read his masterpiece - ?Dead Souls?. A book I thoroughly enjoyed, and I usually hate reading novels or books on humanities. The book must be seriously good if even I liked it so much.
So we’ve been getting together in weekends to slowly and carefully read Gógol’s ¨Tarás Bulba¨. It’s a fascinating novel in all regards - the writing is incredibly beautiful and the plots and sub-plots are all very compelling and exciting. It’s a story about a Cossack family. It begins this way but gradually becomes something ¨ larger than life¨ as it deals with feelings and issues which transcend the very particular setting in which the novel takes place.
It’s a tale about family ties and community duties, often in contradiction; about the limits of tolerance in a specific historical moment and the clash between many different ethnic groups; about fear of the unknown and, above all, though, about love in its most absorbing and inebriating expression.
It’s an old book. Worse: it’s a book from the 19th Century telling a story which is supposed to happen in the 17th Century! You can probably buy it for U$ 5. But it is surprisingly worth reading.
At least for this math-geek here, it proved to be surprisingly good. : )))
dragon-fly · Member since
To Yara:
Very interesting what you wrote! So you have Slav roots? I always thought that your name sounded familiar. It's very close theme for me. We are proud of our culture. You can ask me to send the books for your mother. I'm gladly agree, if you want. I can find anything on Ukrainian or Russian. Let me know.
PauloPanucci · Member since
i'm wating for the "Brian May: the definitive biography" arrive ... i asked it at the internet...
but everbody here said that the book is very boring and fake.... and no GOOD ):
its_a_hard_life 26994 · Member since
I mainly read musician biography/autobiography books.
Currently in the middle of Slash's autobiography.
It's epic.
[img=/images/smiley/msn/wink_smile.gif][/img]
«¤~Mrš. BÃD GÛŸ~¤» · Member since
Not reading any novels right now, but I enjoy reading the magazine Woman's World!
Yara · Member since
[QUOTE]
[b]dragon-fly wrote: [/b]
To Yara:
Very interesting what you wrote! So you have Slav roots? I always thought that your name sounded familiar. It's very close theme for me. We are proud of our culture. You can ask me to send the books for your mother. I'm gladly agree, if you want. I can find anything on Ukrainian or Russian. Let me know. [/QUOTE]
Oh, this is sweet. So nice of you. Thanks a million. :- ) Now my mother has plenty of things to read - I made sure I bought every single book by the authors she enjoys most - but when she finishes reading these, I let you know! Your message was so beautiful and sweet. Thank you.
Saint Jiub · Member since
I recently read 'Dragon Age: The Stolen Throne' by David Gaider, and it was surprisingly very good for a game related book (Dragon Age: Origins). I am looking forward to David Gaider's second book, "Dragon Age:The Calling", when it comes out in mid-October (and of course early November when the "Dragon Age: Origins" game is released).
Both of these books provide a good feel for the the culture, history, and politics of the "game world" (as well as an intriguing story). This swords & sorcery game (Dragon Age: Origins) looks like it will have 80 hours of gameplay content with excellent character development and immersion. It definitely will not just be the usual "hack & slash" game that is unfortunately typical of the electronic gaming industry.
I got to play the game for a short while at a gaming convention, and I am really psyched about this game (nd the second book as well).
The Fairy King · Member since
Just finished "Too Close To Home" by Linwood Barclay.
If you like thrillers, this is a must read.
PauloPanucci · Member since
[QUOTE]
[b]its_a_hard_life wrote: [/b]
I mainly read musician biography/autobiography books.
I read anything Stephen King or true crime. Some of my favorites from King are: The Green Mile (number one pick), 'Salem's Lot (just finished reading it again), Misery, The Stand The Shining and Gerald's Game For true crime books....I love John Douglas (he's a genius). I suggest reading his book The Anatomy of Motive. The Murderer Next Door: Why the Human Mind is Designed to Kill was also very, very interesting book. I don't remember the author but I'm going to have to read that again. Perhaps tomorrow.
My Melancholy Blues · Member since
[QUOTE]
[b]Yara wrote: [/b]
[QUOTE]
[b]catqueen wrote: [/b]
Is anyone reading anything particularly good at the moment? Or in the recent past? Or have any books to recommend? I usually have several books going at a time, which I dip in and out of, although i don't read nearly as much as I used to. At the moment I'm rereading [i]One Red Paperclip[/i], by Kyle MacDonald. Its about a guy in Canada who played a game called 'bigger and better.' He started with one red paperclip, which he traded for a pen (bigger or better then the paperclip). This was traded for something else, and so on. He ended up travelling all over Canada, and possibly part of the USA to make trades. His goal was to get a house in a year, and he did it. Its a great, lighthearted, optimistic and happy book for the extremely bleak weather we're undergoing here.
Anyway, is anyone else reading anything good?
[/QUOTE]
My mother always enjoyed reading Gógol’s books but never had his complete works in their original languages. She’s from Ukraine and she can’t barely speak Portuguese or English to this day - giving books to my mom as a gift is a nightmare because Brazil is not a very good market for books in Russian, Ukrainian and Hebrew.
Anyway, I was recently in New York and managed to buy all the books by this author - some very good editions for a ridiculously low price. The Strand saved me. She was thrilled to have the chance to read again the works of one of her favorite authors in the original language. I read some tales in the plane back home and I enjoyed them a lot. I had only read his masterpiece - ?Dead Souls?. A book I thoroughly enjoyed, and I usually hate reading novels or books on humanities. The book must be seriously good if even I liked it so much.
So we’ve been getting together in weekends to slowly and carefully read Gógol’s ¨Tarás Bulba¨. It’s a fascinating novel in all regards - the writing is incredibly beautiful and the plots and sub-plots are all very compelling and exciting. It’s a story about a Cossack family. It begins this way but gradually becomes something ¨ larger than life¨ as it deals with feelings and issues which transcend the very particular setting in which the novel takes place.
It’s a tale about family ties and community duties, often in contradiction; about the limits of tolerance in a specific historical moment and the clash between many different ethnic groups; about fear of the unknown and, above all, though, about love in its most absorbing and inebriating expression.
It’s an old book. Worse: it’s a book from the 19th Century telling a story which is supposed to happen in the 17th Century! You can probably buy it for U$ 5. But it is surprisingly worth reading.
At least for this math-geek here, it proved to be surprisingly good. : )))
[/QUOTE]
I feel it's a kind of coincidence.
Since Sep 1st I've been reading Gogol's "Dead Souls" for the second time.
Several years ago I was into Russian novels and I also read some Gogol's: "The Nose", "The Overcoat", and "Dead Souls". As to "¨Tarás Bulba", in my childhood I heard about the story.
(I'm Japanese, so all Russian books I've read so far are Japanese translations of them, though)
