The Book Thread

[Erik Erna]

Well,

I figured since we have a now playing thread and a movie thread, why not a book thread to talk about what we're reading or what we like.

I just found out that five of the forty-seven books of the Isfolket series by Margit Sandemo (which Mr. V got his name from) have been printed in English in the UK. I'm thinking I may import some of these and see how good they are, why not right?

Right now, I'm reading "The Great Shark Hunt" by Hunter S. Thompson; my favorite author. My favorite books are by him, Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas, Curse Of Lono, and Fear And Loathing On The Campaign Trail '72.

I'm also obsessed with George Orwell, 1984 is one of the most frightening and captivating books I have ever laid my hands on.

What about you guys?

[Elvina]

sadly, i almost don't read books anymore... the only time i have for reading, is in bed before i fall asleep, and it usually means not more than 2-3 pages. That makes it like 2 books a year... So last year i've only read Narn i Chîn Húrin by JRR Tolkien and Bernard Werber's NOUS, LES DIEUX (not in French of course). The first one was obviously awesome and the latter is full of very nice aphorisms and wisdoms at times but the overal story was quite boring. So i kinda don't feel like reading the next part at all...

I have lots of books lying around here which i get for presents and such, so i really need to start reading them I guess my next one is going to be Kierkegaard's Either/Or which i have for ages now but still haven't gotten around to reading it...

[Agah]

The only book I've read recently is "På vegne av venner" (On behalf of friends) by a famous Norwegian humorist named Kristopher Schau. Although Schau is one of the funniest guys in Norway the book is pretty depressive. It's about one winter when Schau decided to go to funerals for people who had no friends and no family, because he meant that no one should be alone in their last minutes on earth. I was expecting to get depressive from reading it, but it didn't really have much impact on me.

I think I'll buy Voguesville by Cornelius Jakhelln next.

[lefay82]

Originally Posted by Erik Erna

Well,



I just found out that five of the forty-seven books of the Isfolket series by Margit Sandemo (which Mr. V got his name from) have been printed in English in the UK. I'm thinking I may import some of these and see how good they are, why not right?

yeah i knew that and i have to decide myself to order them somewhere on line, because even if i can find english books in big bookstores, i wasn't able to find these ones...

in the last one year i've read almost everything i was able to find about nordic mythology, sagas, poems, critical essays....now i've decided to have a little pause from this and start with the celtic argument...
i'm reading the mabinogion (nearly ended, the problem is always to find some free time), which is a collection of old welsh tales....
next in line the book that comes together with this in the sleeve, the saga of cu chulainn.

in the old times i used to read also 3 books together
i think that after the saga i'll read tolkien's new book the legend of sigurd and gudrun, the rewriting of the old volsunga saga/nibelungenlied (i don't know still to which version of the legend the book is more similar)

[Defiance]

Ah bollocks Erik, you beat me in creating this thread!

Haha anyhow, I'm reading right now lots of Lone Wolf and Cub (best samurai manga EVER, and if they tell you it's not they're wrong).

Also some Oscar Wilde (probably 'me' —get it?— favourite author) and some books on translation.

Oh and Smithsonian January issue .

[Azzor1911]

Stephen King: The Dark Tower V - Wolves of the Calla

I read parts 1-4 last summer/autumn and decided to take a break, even though the story is absolutely fantastic. I'm already a couple hundred pages into this one and it has exceeded my expectations, which were of course very high to begin with.

[Erik Erna]

Originally Posted by Defiance

Also some Oscar Wilde (probably 'me' —get it?— favourite author)

Oscar Wilde is a weeeeeeird fucker, but some of his quotations are captivating.

In fact, one of my favorite quotes from anyone was Wilde: "Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth".

[NovembersDirge]

D&D 4th Edition.

NERD! :P

[Allfader]

Originally Posted by Defiance

Haha anyhow, I'm reading right now lots of Lone Wolf and Cub (best samurai manga EVER, and if they tell you it's not they're wrong).

Better than Vagabond?

[Defiance]

Originally Posted by Erik Erna

Oscar Wilde is a weeeeeeird fucker, but some of his quotations are captivating.

In fact, one of my favorite quotes from anyone was Wilde: "Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth".

Ah yeah, I love that one . I also like:

hen one is in town one amuses oneself. When one is in the country one amuses other people. It is excessively boring.

ALGERNON And who are the people you amuse?

JACK [Airily.] Oh, neighbours, neighbours.

ALGERNON Got nice neighbours in your part of Shropshire?

JACK Perfectly horrid! Never speak to one of them.

ALGERNON How immensely you must amuse them!

Ah hahaha this really makes me laugh every time, I read those lines in one of my literature classes and just started laughing. BY myself, since apparently no one else get it. Well, 'British' humour is indeed hard to get for some people.

Originally Posted by Allfader

Better than Vagabond?

Certainly .

[Erik Erna]

Originally Posted by Defiance

Ah yeah, I love that one . I also like:

hen one is in town one amuses oneself. When one is in the country one amuses other people. It is excessively boring.

ALGERNON And who are the people you amuse?

JACK [Airily.] Oh, neighbours, neighbours.

ALGERNON Got nice neighbours in your part of Shropshire?

JACK Perfectly horrid! Never speak to one of them.

ALGERNON How immensely you must amuse them!

Ah hahaha this really makes me laugh every time, I read those lines in one of my literature classes and just started laughing. BY myself, since apparently no one else get it. Well, 'British' humour is indeed hard to get for some people.

I love British humour, Monty Python and Eddie Izzard are two of my favorite exports. Anything you would REALLY recommend by Oscar?

[Defiance]

Originally Posted by Erik Erna

I love British humour, Monty Python and Eddie Izzard are two of my favorite exports. Anything you would REALLY recommend by Oscar?

Well 'The Importance of Being Earnest' is brilliant. And yes, British humour is excellent. I don't like Mr Bean (or however you write it) though.

[Erik Erna]

Originally Posted by Defiance

Well 'The Importance of Being Earnest' is brilliant. And yes, British humour is excellent. I don't like Mr Bean (or however you write it) though.

He is brilliant at mime, but I wouldn't say that is really British humour though.

On a side note, pretty much finished with "Hell's Angels" by Hunter S. Thompson. He spent a year with them, and the book is actually quite good.

[Defiance]

Originally Posted by Erik Erna

He is brilliant at mime, but I wouldn't say that is really British humour though.

On a side note, pretty much finished with "Hell's Angels" by Hunter S. Thompson. He spent a year with them, and the book is actually quite good.

Well he was Irish hehe . It does have a hint, but it's certainly not 'pure' British humour.

I've been wanting to read 'Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas' for some time, maybe Ill buy it at an airport in the U.S.

[Erik Erna]

Originally Posted by Defiance

Well he was Irish hehe . It does have a hint, but it's certainly not 'pure' British humour.

I've been wanting to read 'Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas' for some time, maybe Ill buy it at an airport in the U.S.

If you've seen the movie, you've read the book. However, there are subtitles in the book, that are not in the movie. Not to mention, I truly believe this is a book everyone should own.

I wish Curse Of Lono was still in print, it is to Hawaii what Fear And Loathing was to Las Vegas.

[Defiance]

Originally Posted by Erik Erna

If you've seen the movie, you've read the book. However, there are subtitles in the book, that are not in the movie. Not to mention, I truly believe this is a book everyone should own.

I wish Curse Of Lono was still in print, it is to Hawaii what Fear And Loathing was to Las Vegas.

I didn't know there was a movie until you mentioned it. And your signature looks much better now hehe .

[Erik Erna]

Originally Posted by Defiance

I didn't know there was a movie until you mentioned it. And your signature looks much better now hehe .

Thanks, I got bored and fixed it. It always looked too bulky to me, so I made that.

The movie stars Johnny Depp as Hunter and is directed by Terry Gilliam.

[Defiance]

^ Sounds great!

I'm reading 'Lord of the Flies' by William Golding. I;m totally hooked.

In academic stuff, 'Theories of Translation: An Anthology of Essays from Dryden to Derrida'. Brilliant book, I recommend it to everyone. Even if you're just getting into translation or if your interest is minimal, this is a great book to start with.

[Allfader]

I ended LOTR again. I read them all at least once per year.

Yesterday I found some used books from Dostoyevski and I'm going to buy the next:

Notes from Underworld
Poor Folk
White Nights.

It's really hard to find his books here. Past week I went to far North and saw The Gambler, but nothing more, besides the typical Crime and Punishment.

Now I'm reading Fernando Pessoa's Book of Disquietude (or Disquiet), a pseudo diary. I've read it before but not entirely. It's really moving and interesting. The way the emotions are expressed is incredible, I've seen myself several times on his words. If you can find it, read it.

[Alteredmindeath]

I want to buy Ozzy's new autobiography.

[Erik Erna]

Originally Posted by Alteredmindeath

I want to buy Ozzy's new autobiography.

Is that ghost written, or self written?

That would be my determining factor in reading it or not.

[Vampyrian]

I can't imagine Ozzy being capable of actually sitting down and writing a book by himself. As long as he's authorized it, what's the difference?:S

[Erik Erna]

Originally Posted by Vampyrian

I can't imagine Ozzy being capable of actually sitting down and writing a book by himself. As long as he's authorized it, what's the difference?:S

Story telling, you can really tell. For example, Ric Flair's book you can totally tell he didn't write it. While reading you're just like: "This...isn't him telling the story".

Though, if the Ozzy book was written how he talks these days, it would be funny as all fuck.

[Alteredmindeath]

Ozzy has a problem reading and writing, he is dyslexic as well as his family. He sat down with the author to write the book with him here is some more info on the book.

http://www.play.com/Books/Books/4-/1...y/Product.html

[Muffin]

Currently reading "Inversions" by Iain M. Banks