what are you reading?

[MichaelZodiac]

I personally love The Secret History. In a moment of "I don't know what to read anymore" when I was 15, my sis gave me that book in English. Not only did I love the story, the characters, etc, its main contribution was I learned my English was good enough to read books in original version, not translated and butchered.

I bought a collection of Lovecraft stories since the copy I borrowed from a friend went missing in the abyss 

[JuliaJ]

Music speaking, I'm workin' on Vince Neil's book and Duff McKagen's book. I'm a sucker for all the debauchery stories. Love 'em

[Dunedin]

I picked up an HP Lovecraft anthology recently so I've made a start on that. Can't believe it's taken me until my 42nd year to get round to reading his work.

Of course, to Azathoth that's not even the blink of an eyelid.

[black]

 

[gritty_fingers]

I'm reading "Economics for Dummies"

Since I am looking for work, I have been paying more attention to the business sections of the news websites. I wanted to understand more and get a clearer understanding of which way this country is going.

[MadJohnShaft]

I'm thinking of bailing on The Secret History at 25%, it's okay but I'm not hooked.



I looked in those best SF lists and there are three books I haven't read mentioned. I should read the PK Dick (Ubik) - I read many of his books but that was 30 years ago.

Old Man's War, Ubik, Hyperion

Shit if I bailed on giant The Secret History I probably won't even bother trying to read really long The Luminaries.

[berrugal]

Ubik is great. And I hear the movie is coming, so, better read it unpolluted.

[justJon]

My daughter brought them home, so I spent the last 4 days reading the Hunger Games trilogy. Surprisingly engaging!

[Dunedin]

I read the Hyperion Cantos a few years ago, prepare to be amazed.

I'm not going to say what I'm reading just now because I don't want any spoilers. Suffice to say that 130 pages into a 200 page novel, shit done get fucked up. I should finish it this evening, then I'll tell you what book it was.

[MadJohnShaft]

Illusions by Richard Bach?

[Dunedin]

It was Legends of a Suicide by David Vann. Have you read it Shaft?

The UK edition (including the cover blurb) makes the book seem weirder than it actually is. Thats all I'll say for now in case you havent read it.

I'm now moving on to some political reading; "Chavs,The Demonisation of the Working Class"

[MadJohnShaft]

Ubik was great, loved it.

I'm going to read The Old Mans War or The Forever War next.

[Pure Rock Casey]

The Forever War is fantastic, I've read it a number of times

[MadJohnShaft]

I'm reading Forever War and The Secret History simultaneously and it's confusing the hell out of me

[giantchris]

The Forever War is a classic.  Crazy thing about it is it doesn't feel dated at all when you read it especially when you consider how long ago it was written thats nuts.  A good one that people don't often mention too is Heinlein's The Moon is a Harsh Mistress which is a pretty unusual book.  Some other really good ones that you don't see mentioned often are Zelazny's Lord of Light, Steakley's Armor, and Hintz' Liege-Killer (although I never read the other 2 books in that series).  Only problem with sci-fi is I've been reading it for so long I feel like I'm approaching the end of new books until people write more.  At least for the good ones.

[berrugal]

Hey Giantchris please do share your list of good ones.  3rd floor at the university library is DEVOTED to sci-fi, I can get pretty much everything that's not so obscure. There are comics, books and films... all sci-fi all the time. I even got scared.

As for me, I illegally downloaded "Bike Snob" by Christopher Koelle, it's about the current trend in bycicles, it tries a bit too much to do jokes and be funny, but it's funny overall and a light, entertaining read.

Update on this bike book: I'm really liking it, I usually do not read non-fiction and it's a surprise, it's deeper than I thought in the first place too, some segments have a "modern philosophy essay" ring to them

[giantchris]

Hey Giantchris please do share your list of good ones.  3rd floor at the university library is DEVOTED to sci-fi, I can get pretty much everything that's not so obscure. There are comics, books and films... all sci-fi all the time. I even got scared.

As for me, I illegally downloaded "Bike Snob" by Christopher Koelle, it's about the current trend in bycicles, it tries a bit too much to do jokes and be funny, but it's funny overall and a light, entertaining read.

Update on this bike book: I'm really liking it, I usually do not read non-fiction and it's a surprise, it's deeper than I thought in the first place too, some segments have a "modern philosophy essay" ring to them

Ok I'll throw down a couple more good ones off the top of my head.  

A really exceptional author that you don't see mentioned much is Paul Linebarger/Cordwainer Smith who had a fascinating real-life being in military intelligence during WW2.  He even wrote a classic reference book on psychological warfare in the late 40s.  His short stories and the novel Nostrilla are pretty damn good.

But on to a random list of good sci-fi

Ira Levin's This Perfect Day
Walter Miller's A Canticle for Leibowitz
Samuel Miller's Babel-17
Barry Hughart's The Chronicles of Master Li and Number Ten Ox
Vernor Vinge's A Fire Upon the Deep & A Deepness in the Sky
David Brin's The Postman (please ignore the movie)
Kurt Vonnegut's Cat's Cradle
Ursula Le Guin's The Left Hand of Darkness
John W. Campbell Jr's Who Goes There?  (The movie The Thing is based off this)
Tim Powers' The Anubis Gates
L. Ron Hubbard's Battlefield Earth
Harry Turtledove's Worldwar series
Hugh Howey's Wool/Shift
Asimov's Foundation Series

Here's the obvious ones that everybody should read -

George Orwell's 1984
Heinlein's A Stranger in a Strange Land
William Gibson's Neuromancer
Frank Herbert's Dune
Asimov's I, Robot
Phillip K Dick's Ubik, A Scanner Darkly
Ray Bradbury's The Martian Chronicles, Fahrenheit 451
Aldous Huxley's Brave New World
Heinlein's Starship Troopers
Dan Simmons' Hyperion Series
Joseph Heller's Catch 22
Orson Scott Card's Ender's Game

Books I should have read already but keep putting off that I know are really good because people have told me so over the years.

Larry Niven's Ringworld
John Scalzi's Old Man's War
Edgar Rice Burrough's books
Any Lovecraft books
Gregory Benford's In the Ocean of Night

I haven't read much modern sci-fi mostly because nothing has really interested me from reading reviews.  I did buy The Rho Agenda which is pretty newish but haven't read it yet.  I HAVE read a ton of obscure and good modern fantasy though but that is a seperate list.

[berrugal]

Thanks!

I see classics here... (read some but not many)  I'm going to check out several names... I read most of LeGuin though, but no or just one (a door through summer? by Heinlein and i think I might like Heinlein.
Got to chek also this Wool MJS wrote about before too. But I'm very fond of "life is a simulation", time travel, paranoid kind of stuff K Dick style, probably your list is a lot wider.

I think I read many Asimov's as a child, but I can't remember, and I don't like it because anytime I pick up one of his books sooner or later I have the feeling I already read that.

Anyways I won't be reading  much before summer so I'll come back later when in need of ideas.

[berrugal]

Just remembered one of the authors I'd liked most in sci fi (was also a sr.com recommendation), Greg Egan - Permutation City ... I'd like some more stuff in this vein !

[ez]

Half way (I think..) through Danielewski's House Of Leaves.

If Doctor Sleep comes out in paperback before I finish this then that's it for this book. It's a nice story with an admittedly pretty awesome, albeit slightly gimmicky presentation, but I think I've had enough of it at this point.


I liked The Secret History, but I think you need to be in your late teens or early twenties to enjoy it.

[giantchris]

Thanks!

I see classics here... (read some but not many)  I'm going to check out several names... I read most of LeGuin though, but no or just one (a door through summer? by Heinlein and i think I might like Heinlein.
Got to chek also this Wool MJS wrote about before too. But I'm very fond of "life is a simulation", time travel, paranoid kind of stuff K Dick style, probably your list is a lot wider.

I think I read many Asimov's as a child, but I can't remember, and I don't like it because anytime I pick up one of his books sooner or later I have the feeling I already read that.

Anyways I won't be reading  much before summer so I'll come back later when in need of ideas.

I bought Wool based off of MJS' thread and its totally worth it.  It's one of the best book series I've ever read from start to finish.  Asimov is good but more because his concepts were so out there but personally I like Heinlein overall his work is consistently good throughout his entire career. 

I'll check out that Egan guy you mentioned as well.

[MadJohnShaft]

I was worried WOOL would be wonky but it got such good reviews.  I didn't read the prequel yet.


Walter Miller's A Canticle for Leibowitz - yes

How about Day of the Triffids?



I read all of the Heinlein when I was in college - all of the Harlan Ellison too. I must have 25 of his books back when I was scouring church rummage sales as a full time hobby.

[Instant Dan]

Halfway through Dean Wareham's autobiography. Not bad, scary how self-aware he was with some of the decisions he made.

[MadJohnShaft]

I read most of giantchris's items, guess I will try  Hyperion next.

[Dunedin]

Giantchris,  you must read Ringworld and it's sequel Ringworld Engineers if you can find copies anywhere.

I've just started World War Z, I think I'm going to have problems putting it down.