What is currently on your Night Stand/ What are you reading?

bob k. mando · Post by **bob k. mando** » Wed Mar 17, 2004 1:24 pm

And I'm reading through Machiavelli's The Prince.

translations are heavily dependent on the skill of the translator but i thought the version i read was excellent.

mrdude · Post by **mrdude** » Wed Mar 17, 2004 1:43 pm

I am now reading interview with the vampire by Anne rice. Hurray!

Post by **Darb** » Wed Mar 17, 2004 1:51 pm

Aunflin mentioned:

Also reading The Worm Ouroboras by E.R. Eddison, which is actually quite good, though the language is a tad archaic

Archaic and surreal

p.s. Still waitin for you to get started on H.P. Lovecraft's "At The Mountains of Madness". Watching you read that will be like watching someone pouring nitric acid into a flask of glycerine

MidasKnight · Post by **MidasKnight** » Wed Mar 17, 2004 2:07 pm

Brad_H wrote:
Aunflin mentioned:

Also reading The Worm Ouroboras by E.R. Eddison, which is actually quite good, though the language is a tad archaic
Archaic and surreal

p.s. Still waitin for you to get started on H.P. Lovecraft's "At The Mountains of Madness". Watching you read that will be like watching someone pouring nitric acid into a flask of glycerine

Dammit, there's another on my To Read list now.

Post by **Darb** » Wed Mar 17, 2004 2:35 pm

Trust a chemical engineer to pick up on that crack

Lovecraft is a nearly perfect match for Aunflin's writing style.

I enjoy lovecraft immensely, but I sometimes have a hard time with his protagonists, who always seem to be somewhat helpless, reckless and having a sub-optimal grasp on sanity & reality ... which is opposite of myself

jweb · Post by **jweb** » Wed Mar 17, 2004 2:42 pm

Brad_H wrote:Trust a chemical engineer to pick up on that crack

Gee, Brad. First nitroglycerine, now crack. You must have one really dangerous and illegal garage lab.

Aunflin · Post by **Aunflin** » Wed Mar 17, 2004 2:47 pm

I'll get to Lovecraft here in a while, Brad. I browsed his books and found them intriguing. I just haven't got around to it...if I could sleep but one hour a day and function, then maybe I could read all the books I want to read. But alas! that is not the case.

Aunflin · Post by **Aunflin** » Wed Mar 17, 2004 2:52 pm

bob k. mando wrote:And I'm reading through Machiavelli's The Prince.

translations are heavily dependent on the skill of the translator but i thought the version i read was excellent.

I know what you mean, BKM. Myself, I'm always leary of translations. Always afraid the translator went out and got an ego and changed things to suite themselves...or even mis-translated.

So, I carefully browse through books, read the blurbs and all that. I think my copy of The Prince is pretty good...I trusted the blurbs by scholars and I think I made a wise choice.

mrdude · Post by **mrdude** » Wed Mar 17, 2004 3:05 pm

MidasKnight wrote:
Dammit, there's another on my To Read list now.

Heh currently my list is 199 books long and growing every time somone speaks. Me and my love for spreadsheets.

Post by **KiltanneN** » Fri Mar 19, 2004 6:30 am

Just finished Lord Fouls Bane by Stephen Donaldson.

Will now read The Illearth War [of course]

Followed by The Power That Preserves

I will probably then go straight into: The Second Chronicles Of Thomas Covenant

Very Dark. BUT, IMHO, VERY well written. Donaldson seems to me to be pretty erudite, I do remember a discussion which was probably not on this board about how "wordy" he was. One of the people chatting about him as an author felt that he was just trying to show of his own grasp of language - I personally feel that a book which teaches you new words and language constructs [which are still valid English] has a lot of value.

I will try and post up a review and rating today... [let's see how badly R/L mistreats me @ wrk

]

kilt

MidasKnight · Post by **MidasKnight** » Fri Mar 19, 2004 7:27 am

Dontcha just hate T.C.?

Great series though.

I'd put a few other books between Power That Preserves and The Wounded Land if I were you.

Post by **Darb** » Fri Mar 19, 2004 10:24 am

Kilty: I didnt find Donaldson to be overly wordy or perspicacious. Such claims are usually relative, and usually (but not always) reflect more on the reader's own laziness regarding their own poor vocabulary rather than the author's.

felonius · Post by **felonius** » Sat Mar 20, 2004 1:13 pm

Hello all

I'm new. I discovered this forum recently - may I say that it has made for very enjoyable reading.

Presently:
The Crime Studio by Steve Aylett
Kilter: 55 Fictions by John Gould
Pricksongs & Descants by Robert Coover

IGGy · Post by **IGGy** » Sat Mar 20, 2004 2:07 pm

I just discovered this site, and this is my first post. I've been looking for a forum like this for a long time, and I finally found one that fits my idea of what an online community for readers should be. Plus, it runs on phpBB, which I love!

Anyway, back on track...

Lately, I've become addicted to Anita Shreve's books. It started with Fortune's Rocks, which I read almost entirely in one sitting. Since then, I've read All He Ever Wanted, The Pilot's Wife, and The Weight of Water. I'm just starting The Last Time They Met.

I'm also reading Full Catastrophe Living, by Jon Kabat-Zinn, which is non-fiction and is about mindfulness meditation.

I'm looking forward to reading and participating in this forum!

Aunflin · Post by **Aunflin** » Sat Mar 20, 2004 2:56 pm

I bid thee welcome, Felonius and IGGy. Hope you enjoy this sight as much as I do.

See ya 'round.

bob k. mando · Post by **bob k. mando** » Sat Mar 20, 2004 5:35 pm

[bob blinks]

day-um, i'm starting to feel surrounded what with alla these citizens of the british commonwealth showing up.

[bob starts looking for a wall to put his back against and tries out his new battle cry "never again Scottish Man Dress"]

IGGy · Post by **IGGy** » Sat Mar 20, 2004 10:56 pm

It's an invasion! Albeit an unintentional one.

<-- This little guy is hilarious!

mrdude · Post by **mrdude** » Sun Mar 21, 2004 12:18 am

Yay New Members!

britz · Post by **britz** » Mon Mar 22, 2004 1:46 am

OK guys, i know i left this a little late but i am finally beginning magic of recluce, love it so far.

MidasKnight · Post by **MidasKnight** » Mon Mar 22, 2004 10:51 am

Better late than never.

britz · Post by **britz** » Mon Mar 22, 2004 11:43 pm

Boy, do i feel sheepish!

bob k. mando · Post by **bob k. mando** » Tue Mar 23, 2004 12:15 am

[bob pops into the room, stage left]

sheep? where are they hiding? i like sheep. ARRROOOOOOOO!

[bob runs off in full cry, stage right]

Bernie · Post by **Bernie** » Tue Mar 23, 2004 12:55 am

okay, i just started a new book(shock horror) and it was written by a guy who wrote it when he was 15 (he's now 19) and its good so far

BUT the only thing is the similarities to LOTR names e.g eragon-aragorn, helgrind-helmsdeep, furnost-fanghorn (forest), isenstar-isenguard. i think theres more but thats all i can find

Title: Eragon
Author: Christopher Paolini

It said in the back of the book that's he's visited schools in America so it must be able to be bought in america

mrdude · Post by **mrdude** » Tue Mar 23, 2004 1:30 am

Ok so I have finished interview with the vampire. Here is my review on it. I am now starting The Discovery of Heaven by Harry Mulisch. I have no idea what it is about but Audrey (my wife) suggested it so here I go.

Superenigmatix · Post by **Superenigmatix** » Tue Mar 23, 2004 5:44 am

I must remember to tip off NZ customs when BKM books his 'walking' tour of the East Cape of New Zealand.