My a book a week challenge!! =P

eZe^

I'm going to try this challenge, and although I'll inevitably fail as I don't read even a quarter as much as I did as a kid, I want to fail in a blaze of glory.. :D


Books I've read in the past month;

Moab is my Washpot
The Catcher in the Rye
Short stories by Nobel prize Laureates
DMT : The Spirit Molecule

My plan is to re-read all my favourite books, then read "classics" that for some reason or another I never got around to reading. And finally, read any recommendations you guys have from some of the books that have been mentioned here. You'll notice that I just love reading in general, so I don't favour any particular style of book, although at the moment I love a good travel story where I can escape into the beauty of another country and culture.

Future reading titles;
Do Androids dream of Electric Sheep
Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters and Seymour: an Introduction
The Beach
Catch 22
Magus
Homage to Catalonia
1984
Good Omens
Barring Some Unforeseen Accident
Quantum Reality
House of Leaves




Ok, so today I'm gonna start with Do Androids Dream of Electric Sleep by Philip K Dick, the book that inspired the movie Blade Runner. It's probably my favourite Sci Fi book, along with Ubik, also by Dick.

eZe^

I put Philip K Dick on hold yesterday because a crisp shiny copy of The Beach greeted me and I could not resist. Couldn't put it down, finished it a few minutes ago. Absolutely great book, a perfect mix of travel and exploration, but it actually has that engulfing story too, it's not just a descriptive travel log.

Obviously people are going to make connections between that and the movie, I had seen the movie first, and in a way I'm kind of glad. There was clearly glaring omissions, and things added for the sake of it being 'hollywood', but it was nice to have a real representation of what the paradise was like in my head, it kind of added to the experience. The book is much much superior, but I think I appreciate the movie a little more because of that. Great book, I'd recommend it to anyone.

Back to Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep me thinks.... Probably have that read by Fridayish...

líreacán

Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters and Seymour: an Introduction

Just a quick thought from me, a fellow 50 challenger on this book. I read it shortly before I started the challenge, having liked Catcher a lot and Franny and Zoey even more. The first part of the book is an interesting story alright, although not a patch on the other two, but Seymour: An Introduction I just found rather bland and boring...

Having read a few reviews etc on the net of this volume, it seems that it is not highly rated among critics at all, and that many use it as an example of why Salinger is not the genius he was made out to be due to Catcher.

Don't let it stop you from reading it though, and I;d love to hear your thoughts on it afterwards, but you know what they say, forewarned is forearmed.

eZe^

líreacán wrote: »

forewarned is forearmed.

Love it... Only read that line a few hours ago in the beach. I will indeed give my thoughts, and having absolutely LOVE catcher I'm disappointed that you say tis, but I just got sidetracked once again. Found my old copy of Life of Pi, and that's exactly what I need right now, a little bit of escaping while the weather and pressure of exams looms densely in the air.

turgon

How about For Esme With Love and Squalor?? Only read the first 3 stories (most famous "a perfect day for bannanafish"). Salinger's grasp of human emotion seems to be pretty in tune, even though he rarely, if ever, resorts to sensationalism.

líreacán

eZe^ wrote: »

Love it... Only read that line a few hours ago in the beach. I will indeed give my thoughts, and having absolutely LOVE catcher I'm disappointed that you say tis, but I just got sidetracked once again. Found my old copy of Life of Pi, and that's exactly what I need right now, a little bit of escaping while the weather and pressure of exams looms densely in the air.

Life of Pi, brilliant book. I definitely take the "animal story" over the "human story" any day!!

eZe^

líreacán wrote: »

Life of Pi, brilliant book. I definitely take the "animal story" over the "human story" any day!!

Absolutely, the animal story is what made the book great really. And if it helps a sea survivor to believe it was all the act of animals as opposed to humans acting on animal instincts then all the better.


Finished it yesterday, I forgot how much I truly love it really. It's great how it toys with you by seeming it may be a true story up until the island portion. Another good book to escape into while leaving all the exam stress and stuff behind.

Now I'm reading Off The Map by Kika and Hib, it's about two anarchist girls who are squatting around various countries in central Europe. The travel descriptions are beautiful, and the life of a squatter is really well portrayed. However, I hate the semblances of anarchism that get ranted about for long periods in the book, bla bla bla feminism, bla bla bla corporate enterprises are ruining the world. The moaning of the two women detracts from the experience really, I wish it wasn't included... :pac:

líreacán

Maybe you should spoiler tag some of that previous post to prevent ppl who haven't read it yet reading it?

If its too late to edit, maybe ask a mod??

Or just leave it and tough luck!!!