Tell me about...

KingMob · Post by **KingMob** » Mon Feb 06, 2006 6:43 am

...the last book you read?

I recently finished reading Kung Fu High School by Ryan Gattis, and it's been rumbling around in my head for the last day or so.
I was wondering what other people had been reading and what they thought of said...stuff.

Anyone who starts a Dawkins vs the Bible 'discussion' gets a drunken monkey frostbite dragon punch to the voonerables.

Professor Smooth · Post by **Professor Smooth** » Mon Feb 06, 2006 7:37 am

I've just finished Eisner/Miller. It is a discussion of all things "comic book" between the late Will Eisner and current comic book legend Frank Miller. While I found the book to be fascinating and more enjoyable than I thought, if you're not a comic book fan (and, I dare say, a fairly hardcore one) this book is definately not for you.

One of the many highlights was when Will Eisner's wife complained that whenever Eisner and Stan Lee got together, they would try to out-do one another. Miller suggests that he should do the same thing he does when comparing stories with Neil Gaiman: ask him what he's drawing right now.

If that didn't make any sense to you this is probably not a book you'll enjoy. Mob, if you haven't read it yet, go buy it!

Obfleur · Post by **Obfleur** » Mon Feb 06, 2006 8:19 am

Braindroppings, by George Carlin.
Not nearly as good as Napalm and Silly Putty, but still enjoyable.

Professor Smooth · Post by **Professor Smooth** » Mon Feb 06, 2006 8:48 am

Obfleur wrote:Braindroppings, by George Carlin.
Not nearly as good as Napalm and Silly Putty, but still enjoyable.

I liked Brain Droppings a bit more. For some reason, I just couldn't get into "When will Jesus bring the Pork Chops." Carlin = the man!

Brendocon · Post by **Brendocon** » Mon Feb 06, 2006 9:09 am

I really wish I had the time/disposition to sit down and actually read a book nowadays.

As such, my reading stints are few and far between. I'm currently dipping back in and out of Mark Radcliffe's autobiography ("Showbusiness - The Life of a Rock & Roll Nobody"), which is still comic gold all these years later.

Last book I got all the way through was the novelisation of Serenity. Which was quite disappointing in that "I've already seen the movie... this really doesn't capture it" kinda way. Flat. The flattest bit is probably Mal's big impassioned speech... which kinda loses all resonance when reduced to a block of text without the slightest bit of descriptive narrative to indicate tone/expression/reaction/whatever.

Poo.

Scraplet · Post by **Scraplet** » Mon Feb 06, 2006 1:04 pm

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time.

Wow. The best read in ages. A mystery novel written in first-person narrative. The narrator is a 15 year-old boy with Asbergers Syndrome who finds his neighbours dog killed with a garden fork and tries to find out what happened.

If you ever wanted a truely empathic insight into the autistic mind, then read this book. And even if you don't, its a bloody good read.

Metal Vendetta · Post by **Metal Vendetta** » Mon Feb 06, 2006 1:14 pm

Past few weeks I've finished...

The Fountain at the Centre of the World, by Robert Newman. Brilliant, captivating view of the 21st Century world shown through the adventures of the members of a family raised on very opposite sides of the world. Great reading.

A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers. Meh, it starts well but rapidly disappears up his own arse and doesn't come back out for 400-odd mind-numbing pages of waffle.

Batman: The Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller et al. Sheer genius. You know it already.

Chasing Dogma by Silent Bob and his mates. Good fun, though the third act was largely recycled into Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back which was a little annoying, and it screws up the continuity.

The Ancestor's Tale by Richard Dawkins (sorry!) Sheer genius. Though maybe not as exciting as Batman.

I've also been reading the Bible and the Koran but that's more to dip in and out of rather than read in one go. Next up is A Million Little Pieces and Papillion (sp?) for book club.

Yaya · Post by **Yaya** » Mon Feb 06, 2006 4:53 pm

Metal Vendetta wrote: I've also been reading the Bible and the Koran but that's more to dip in and out of rather than read in one go. .

While you're at it, since you seem to be of the scientific inclination, I recommend reading The Bible, The Quran, and Science. It is a book that looks at the scientific verses of these books and compares them to what has been discovered thus far.

The last book I read was Your Guide to Persoanal Finance, because I don't know **** about money and investing.

I also read The Lone Drow by R.A.Salvatore.

Hound · Post by **Hound** » Mon Feb 06, 2006 5:09 pm

I don't really read books, but the last one I managed was 'The curious incident of the dog in the night-time' by Mark Haddon.

To quote the back:

The curious incident of the dog in the night-time is a murder mystery novel like no other. The detective, and narrator, is Christopher Boone. Christopher is fifteen and has Asperger's Syndrome. He knows a very great deal about maths and verylittle about human beings. He loves lists, patterns and the truth. He hates the colours yellow and brown, and being touched. He has never gone futher than the end of the road on his own, but when he finds a neighbour's dog murdered he sets out on a terrifying journey which will turn his whole world upside down...

It's the most wonderful book I have ever read. Very easy to pick up and very hard to put down.

Metal Vendetta · Post by **Metal Vendetta** » Mon Feb 06, 2006 5:12 pm

I also liked TCIOTDITNT - read it for book club a couple of years back.

Oh, and I forgot to mention the PHP and MySQL Bible that I got from the library. It's better than the regular Bible in that, while the story isn't quite as good, it does offer better advice about setting up websites

Brendocon · Post by **Brendocon** » Mon Feb 06, 2006 8:04 pm

Metal Vendetta wrote:Oh, and I forgot to mention the PHP and MySQL Bible that I got from the library. It's better than the regular Bible in that, while the story isn't quite as good, it does offer better advice about setting up websites

Insert your own "relative merits of factual accuracy" joke here.

Metal Vendetta · Post by **Metal Vendetta** » Mon Feb 06, 2006 8:08 pm

Brendocon wrote:Insert your own "relative merits of factual accuracy" joke here.

Neither the Bible nor the Koran mention php at all

Post by **Denyer** » Mon Feb 06, 2006 8:22 pm

Therefore it doesn't exist!

All that stuff about Nazarene Server and Retraining: When Carpentry Fails notwithstanding.

saysadie · Post by **saysadie** » Mon Feb 06, 2006 9:53 pm

I last read When Will Jesus Bring The Pork Chops?. I thought it kicked ass... was easy enough to read at work in between things. Am currently going through a bunch of old college writing/short story/ "essential reading" type textbooks from about three years ago. I count dipping in and out of the dictionary, too.

Eline · Post by **Eline** » Tue Feb 07, 2006 8:05 am

I am currently reading The Dragonlance chronicles by Tracy Weiss and Margaret Hickman (or the other way around?)

It's a novel based on the AD&D games, it's pure fantasy with elves and dragons. And it's also one of the best fantasy books I have ever read!

Very good character development, interesting plot and story lines, etc and just really enjoyable to read. I have read it twice already, but every few years like to read it again.

Before this, I have read the latest Harry Potter, which was quite a good one as well. Quite a strong beginning.

I'd like to read a bit more 'literature' books, but at the moment am too tired to read anything difficult.

KingMob · Post by **KingMob** » Tue Feb 07, 2006 9:32 am

Smooth - I will indeed have to check that book out. It sounds right up my alley. I've been halfheartedly trying to find a copy of Comic Writers on Comic Writing, which is an oldish (5 or so years I think) book of in-depth interviews with the dozen best comic writers evah. I own the sister-book, Comic Artists yadda yadda, and it is excellent. I'd recommend them if you haven't already read them.

-I keep meaning to read Radcliffe's auto and keep forgetting.

Are there any good novelisations? I'm sure there must be (some bloody obvious) ones, but none are jumping to mind right now. I think the best one I've read was Platoon; that was written by a Vietnam vet who worked and cameod in the actual film and has been the 'advisor' on practically every other Vietnam movie.

-I will have to add The Curious Incident... to my reading list. Been tempted before, the comments here make me very interested. Thankyou.

-We just pulled all our copies of Million Little Pieces. Not sure if that was to do with the author revealing he made a load of it up? Or am I thinking of a different guy?

-Kung Fu High School was very good, if not exactly providing of a lot of thoughtmeat. It's not a dumb book at all, and several parts of it are written rather entrancingly, but it is one of those books where the point of it all is simple and it's crafted about as simply. The writing and subject matter elevate it to something quite visceral, though. Been in my head.
It's basically Fight Club meets Battle Royale, in a hugely deprived and corrupt American inner-city school. First person, with a female character.
Worth checking out.

Halfway through The Forever War, something I've been wanting to read for ages. Great so far.

Batman · Post by **Batman** » Tue Feb 07, 2006 11:46 am

Metal Vendetta wrote:Though maybe not as exciting as Batman.

Nothing is.

Superman · Post by **Superman** » Tue Feb 07, 2006 11:52 am

Batman wrote:
Metal Vendetta wrote:Though maybe not as exciting as Batman.
Nothing is.

I beg to differ.

Metal Vendetta · Post by **Metal Vendetta** » Tue Feb 07, 2006 11:54 am

Superman wrote:
Batman wrote:
Metal Vendetta wrote:Though maybe not as exciting as Batman.
Nothing is.
I beg to differ.

You're just saying that 'cause Batman handed you your ass in the last chapter.

Batman · Post by **Batman** » Tue Feb 07, 2006 11:57 am

I'm Batman. I'm a thousand times more awesome and exciting than you.

I can breathe in space. And not by being an alien.

I'm dark and brooding, yet human and vulnerable. As such, my life has an element of suspence, rather than only being in danger via a convenient plot device.

I'm Batman.

Obfleur · Post by **Obfleur** » Tue Feb 07, 2006 12:21 pm

http://batman.ugo.com/images/galleries/ ... urns_3.jpg

Post by **Denyer** » Tue Feb 07, 2006 6:21 pm

KingMob wrote:I've been halfheartedly trying to find a copy of Comic Writers on Comic Writing, which is an oldish (5 or so years I think) book of in-depth interviews with the dozen best comic writers evah.

If it's the one I'm thinking of, there's a volume two as well (or one advertised inside it.)

Nice to see some love for Dragonlance. The "core" books (Chronicles, Legends) are some of the most enjoyable fantasy I've read. I rather like things being fitted into a game rules context for the everyday stuff -- it doesn't matter that characters rarely stick to specifics, it just means that it's a little easier to get started in a TSR world. There are some great Forgotten Realms novels as well (mostly stuff by Ed Greenwood) and one or two decent Ravenloft books (although it's a very patchy series in general...)

Re-read Jingo (Pratchett) recently... didn't spot the quote I was told was in there, though it may have been because I tend to skim. Also re-read American Gods, and the bits I liked less didn't seem as long.

For frequent re-reads, I'd recommend The Liar (Stephen Fry), Salmon of Doubt (Douglas Adams), Fear and Loathing (Hunter S. Thompson) and Neuromancer (William Gibson). I enjoy reading them for the qualities of the language, and can enjoy dipping in for a few pages without having to sit down and read them as full books. The same with a lot of comics.

Speaking of Dawkins, I will track down a copy of The Blind Watchmaker eventually.

Optimus Prime Rib · Post by **Optimus Prime Rib** » Tue Feb 07, 2006 8:29 pm

Reading the Hunter Trilogy by Salvatore. Love me some Drizzt. And I am excited to see him revert to primal instinct.

Muhammed · Post by **Muhammed** » Tue Feb 07, 2006 8:30 pm

I read a funny lil commic strip from Denmark the other day, oh I did laugh, and then want to kill all non-muslims!
Derka!

Flying Spaghetti Monster · Post by **Flying Spaghetti Monster** » Tue Feb 07, 2006 8:51 pm

This book has our meatiest approval, for young or old:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/140521161X/

Obfleur · Post by **Obfleur** » Tue Feb 07, 2006 8:53 pm

Pirates. At night.
Genious.

Buddha · Post by **Buddha** » Tue Feb 07, 2006 9:33 pm

I just finished reading League of Extraordinary Gentlemen by that bearded Alan Moore fellow. Quite a nice tale, I thought. I'll be moving on to another reading of Lord of the Rings, next.

Amnesia · Post by **Amnesia** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 1:03 pm

Northern Lights by Philip Pullman, now reading the second part of the trilogy, The Subtle Knife. I like it a lot, it's very fast-paced and gripping.

Metal Vendetta · Post by **Metal Vendetta** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 1:41 pm

Amnesia wrote:Northern Lights by Philip Pullman, now reading the second part of the trilogy, The Subtle Knife. I like it a lot, it's very fast-paced and gripping.

Awesome trilogy

Eline · Post by **Eline** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 3:16 pm

Amnesia wrote:Northern Lights by Philip Pullman, now reading the second part of the trilogy, The Subtle Knife. I like it a lot, it's very fast-paced and gripping.

That's a great book! Read it last year or so when it was recommended by someone here.