What are you reading?
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C.L Castle
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I'm currently reading Hyperion by Dan Simmons. I've tried it a few months ago and reached about 25% on my Kindle when another book made stars twinkle before my eyes. So this time I'll be finishing the series. 
I'm currently reading Unruly by David Mitchell, a history of England's king's and queens (up to the end of the Tudors). It's quite amusing.
Finally finished Orbital by Samantha Harvey. It was decent, but the profundity felt so forced by the end of it. I'm going to get The King in Yellow by Robert Chambers finished this weekend, and then I'll be tackling the Iliad and the Odyssey as my next books read. It's been a long time since I've read them, and I got two translations I'm pretty stoked about.
Just read Flesh today, by David Szalay.
Written plainly, dispassionately. Some will ask what was the point, but it paints a life. There's been so much talk about the sex in it, but neither the amount nor the sex itself nor the writing about it seems in any way remarkable — which is just fine. I don't know, is it a new thing for a Booker Prize to go to a book that has sex, or that treats it the way it treats eating, i.e., acknowledges that it takes place and sometimes it's noteworthy, other times forgettable?
The book is not UNdeserving, but neither is it any kind of tour de force, unless perhaps in maintaining a consistently placid tone.
I'm curious to read something else by Szalay — not hypermotivated, but curious.
Written plainly, dispassionately. Some will ask what was the point, but it paints a life. There's been so much talk about the sex in it, but neither the amount nor the sex itself nor the writing about it seems in any way remarkable — which is just fine. I don't know, is it a new thing for a Booker Prize to go to a book that has sex, or that treats it the way it treats eating, i.e., acknowledges that it takes place and sometimes it's noteworthy, other times forgettable?
The book is not UNdeserving, but neither is it any kind of tour de force, unless perhaps in maintaining a consistently placid tone.
I'm curious to read something else by Szalay — not hypermotivated, but curious.
Yuletide looms yet again, so I'm reading Terry Pratchett's Hogfather for the however manieth time. It's the one and only Christmas tradition I have for myself. Still finding new things and nuances, little crooks and crevices that I somehow missed on every other occasion. It's gotta be in my top 10 of Discworld books, possibly even top 5. Always a delight.
I've been going to bookstores relatively often lately, which in my historically quite bookstore-less existence simple means that there have been five or six occasions this year where I went to one and brought something home with me. Last time I picked up, in addition to Morning Star, being the third Red Rising book, the Tao Te Ching by one Lao Tzu, as well as Miyamoto Musashi's The Book of Five Rings. Neither of those were very much on my radar, though I've been aware of them, I just make a point of sometimes branching out in new directions so that my reading life doesn't become just one gigantic rut. Currently I'm trying to create calm evenings for myself, going to bed early and reading a few passages of the Tao. I should spend more calm days and evenings reading, because I know it brings me joy and peace, but I don't wanna force it either.
I've been going to bookstores relatively often lately, which in my historically quite bookstore-less existence simple means that there have been five or six occasions this year where I went to one and brought something home with me. Last time I picked up, in addition to Morning Star, being the third Red Rising book, the Tao Te Ching by one Lao Tzu, as well as Miyamoto Musashi's The Book of Five Rings. Neither of those were very much on my radar, though I've been aware of them, I just make a point of sometimes branching out in new directions so that my reading life doesn't become just one gigantic rut. Currently I'm trying to create calm evenings for myself, going to bed early and reading a few passages of the Tao. I should spend more calm days and evenings reading, because I know it brings me joy and peace, but I don't wanna force it either.
Got started on The Odyssey, translated by Emily Wilson
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I never reported back, but I did finally finish The Blind Assassin... I think it was over half way through before it started to feel interesting. Once she is old enough and gets married, and the relationship dynamics that come through get complex and tragic... without spoiling, let's just say I enjoyed the latter part of the book a lot more, and it reframes some parts at the beginning that felt a bit opaque initially. Took a long time getting there though.
Just finished a relatively quick read-through of The Female Brain, by Dr. Louann Brisendine, a teaching neuropsychiatrist. I found it shortly after a male cousin sent me a joke meme of an exaggeratedly huge book about understanding women. My wife was not especially amused by the meme, and said it wasn't necessarily always a funny topic.
Anyway, there's a lot in The Female Brain about different areas of each gender's respective brains, the proportions of each, and effects and affects of various hormones and such. One of the takeaways is that most of the differences between the two gender minds seem to rely largely on nature, not nurture. And a lot about reactions to threats and anger and processing both and how each is not always understanding how the other is seeing things. There is an interesting discussion about how women tend to mirror the reactions of other people, and to process that mirroring in a way that men rarely do -- the result being that men are often spooked by how much their partners seem to read the men's minds. Reminded me of a quotation I read long ago by someone whose name I have forgotten: "Women's intuition is really men's transparency."
I think it's a helpful read, and it's good to understand that we often come from different spaces, but I also suspect that the real need for effective communication between any two people is, as always, listening and acceptance regardless of gender.
Edit: Some later reading about the book suggests that it was not universally well-received, some researchers saying it either went too far or not far enough in some of the analysis. But I think the core story was useful. It certainly has copious references and footnotes.
Anyway, there's a lot in The Female Brain about different areas of each gender's respective brains, the proportions of each, and effects and affects of various hormones and such. One of the takeaways is that most of the differences between the two gender minds seem to rely largely on nature, not nurture. And a lot about reactions to threats and anger and processing both and how each is not always understanding how the other is seeing things. There is an interesting discussion about how women tend to mirror the reactions of other people, and to process that mirroring in a way that men rarely do -- the result being that men are often spooked by how much their partners seem to read the men's minds. Reminded me of a quotation I read long ago by someone whose name I have forgotten: "Women's intuition is really men's transparency."
I think it's a helpful read, and it's good to understand that we often come from different spaces, but I also suspect that the real need for effective communication between any two people is, as always, listening and acceptance regardless of gender.
Edit: Some later reading about the book suggests that it was not universally well-received, some researchers saying it either went too far or not far enough in some of the analysis. But I think the core story was useful. It certainly has copious references and footnotes.
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Brought a smaller book with me to work today: the Rigor of Angels by William Eggington
Read it! Read Hyperion. Read Fall of Hyperion. Don't be so bothered about Endymion and Rise of Endymion as - although they're very, very good - they're not in the same superlative class as their predecessors. Two of my favourite works of SF, leaning as they do on previous masterworks of the English canon. I have to confess that although I'm increasingly of the view that Dan Simmons himself isn't my cup of tea, it is very much worth reading everything he writes. The Terror was magnificent. Song of Kali is a rare book that gave me nightmares. Summer of Night took the It template and reinvented it spectacularly. Even when he falls short it's worth reading to see how it falls short: see Abominable for details, as many will enjoy it, and it put me on to all kinds of Everest literature.I'm currently reading Hyperion by Dan Simmons. I've tried it a few months ago and reached about 25% on my Kindle when another book made stars twinkle before my eyes. So this time I'll be finishing the series.
I’m reading The Legend of Deathwalker by David Gemmell. Heroic fantasy, larger than life action, romantic — my cup of tea. I’m also reading a nonfiction title: Common Ground: A Turbulent Decade in the Lives of Three American Families by J. Anthony Lukas.
My daughter and I recently finished Old Yeller, and we’re currently underway with Little House on the Prairie.
My daughter and I recently finished Old Yeller, and we’re currently underway with Little House on the Prairie.
C.L Castle
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Ah! I'll still try and finish the series though. I typically like that. But I'll see how I feel when I get there. After his I've got C.J Cherryh's Foreigner series lined up. =)
The City and the Stars by Arthur C. Clarke. Technically a re-read but it's probably been...40 years since I read it? I remember tiny fragments.
I'm re-reading some of my favorite escapist literature, currently Elizabeth Peters' River in the Sky. When I finish it, I'm going to do my annual reading of A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett. Tomorrow night is the annual reading of A Child's Christmas in Wales by Dylan Thomas. It could only be better if there was a fire in the woodstove, but it's too warm for that today.
Just got new single vision computer glasses. Amazing how much more comfortable it is to read with these than with my progressive bifocals. I'm not constantly looking for the right position in which to hold my head. Now I just have to remember not to look in the distance while these are propped on my nose.
Just got new single vision computer glasses. Amazing how much more comfortable it is to read with these than with my progressive bifocals. I'm not constantly looking for the right position in which to hold my head. Now I just have to remember not to look in the distance while these are propped on my nose.
Almost done Daughters' War, then I've finished reading Christopher Buehlman's books.
I don't think I can pick a favourite. Between Two Fires (finally pushed me to get a Kindle, as this is not on the Kobo platform) is probably his most iconic story, but the first one of his I read, The Blacktongue Thief still might be my own pick. Ironically, its prequel Daughters' War is my least favourite due it frankly lacking the complexity of his other stories, though I still love its language, characters, set dressing.
He runs a right ship when it comes to narrative and prose, which can be uncommon for yesterday and today's fantasy authors.
I also finished Interesting Times and started Maskerade. Really good. What else am I going to say? Masterclass in humour, let alone all the other stuff.
I'm trying to get through Huxley's Point Counterpoint, though I can't help but shake the feeling it's just a less concise yet more modern-feeling, and I suppose more fully encompassing the human condition with its criticisms, than Crome Yellow. This guy wasn't a huge fan of the social elite. Hell, I'm not sure he was a fan of himself.
I don't think I can pick a favourite. Between Two Fires (finally pushed me to get a Kindle, as this is not on the Kobo platform) is probably his most iconic story, but the first one of his I read, The Blacktongue Thief still might be my own pick. Ironically, its prequel Daughters' War is my least favourite due it frankly lacking the complexity of his other stories, though I still love its language, characters, set dressing.
He runs a right ship when it comes to narrative and prose, which can be uncommon for yesterday and today's fantasy authors.
I also finished Interesting Times and started Maskerade. Really good. What else am I going to say? Masterclass in humour, let alone all the other stuff.
I'm trying to get through Huxley's Point Counterpoint, though I can't help but shake the feeling it's just a less concise yet more modern-feeling, and I suppose more fully encompassing the human condition with its criticisms, than Crome Yellow. This guy wasn't a huge fan of the social elite. Hell, I'm not sure he was a fan of himself.
Interesting Times is excellent, although it helps if you read the Rincewind books in order. (Then you understand where he's being summoned from).
Also, The Agatean Empire is somehow a blend of China (e.g. the Great Wall, the Forbidden City) and Japan (samurai, ninja, sumo wrestlers, feuding families, Noh theatre etc.) which weakens the satire a little.Having said all that, I just love this book.
Genghiz Cohen and the Silver Horde are so much fun! 
The scenes where Mr. Saveloy tries to teach them about civilization are hysterically funny. Unfortunately, Rincewind's constant running away is a little tiresome, but his stratagem for trying to win the battle is very clever. I also like the scene where he discovers the legendary "Red Army" of magical clay warriors. =========
Maskerade is also wonderful, especially if you like opera and musical theatre. (I've done theatre and live music for almost 20 years). Any scene with Granny or Death is great, but the scene with Granny and Death is a standout.
Also, I won't go into specifics, but the luncheon scenes later on are hilarious. Oh, yes -- and the villain is . . . . . . . (Thought I'd spoil you, right?)
Terry's at the top of his game here. Enjoy!
For the past month or so I've been easing my way back through Hilary Mantel's Thomas Cromwell trilogy. I can't call them the Wolf Hall books; only the first is called that and the running theme is Cromwell, even if the third book is a very different book, in its way, than the first two. Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies form a natural duology of meandering, glorious prose somewhat lacking in direct focus while being concerned with Henry's Great Matter and the rise of both Anne Boleyn and Cromwell himself, right up until the last couple of hundred pages when the second book suddenly becomes razor-sharp and deadly as a French headsman's blade. Between them, they're two of the best novels I think I've ever read. The subject matter of The Mirror and the Light is, inevitably, less focused for much of its length, dealing with the fallout of Anne's execution and Cromwell's subsequent career. I never enjoyed it as much, but hearing it on audiobook is still compelling and glorious. The standard of writing is superlative at all times, and despite its near-39-hour length it doesn't drag.