I'm reading "The Last Resort".
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I'm reading "The Last Resort".
I'm reading Neal Stephenson's Baroque Cycle (currently in the last book of Quicksilver) and listening to the last book of Margaret Atwood's trilogy, variously named after each volume, but it's worth starting with Oryx and Crake whether you intend to follow the series or not. Stephenson's series is a sort of dark comedy take on the early days of the scientific revolution, whereas Atwood presents a biting satire of our present culture gradually giving way to an imagined biotech apocalypse. Both are laudable, but Atwood should probably be required reading for humans living in our present age.
Oh, nice! I'd been meaning to read the Baroque Cycle, but I have too many books already. Maybe in a year or two. At the moment I'm reading The Diamond Age (also Stephenson), as well as The Merchants Of Souls by John Barnes. Ostensibly it's a tale about the effects of globalization on an intergalactic scale, but after reading six of his other novelsSpoiler for Spoilers!:
That isn't necessarily a bad thing, though. Barnes is one of my favorite authors at the moment.
Atwood sounds like heavy stuff. The only novel of hers I've read was The Handmaiden's Tale, and it was really depressing. I have the movie adaptation lying around on my DVD player but can't bring myself to watch it. Is that trilogy as much of a downer as THM was?
I would not say Oryx & Crake is all that "heavy." It has many dark elements for sure, but it also doesn't take itself too seriously. It's in a similar vein to the movie Idiocracy. I've never read or been inclined to read The Handmaid's Tale. The only other Atwood novel I've read was Surfacing, for a class years ago, and it left me skeptical about reading more of her work.
Then again, the same thing happened to me with Stephenson and Snow Crash--everything after the first three chapters of that book was such a disappointment, I didn't touch his stuff for ten years. The next thing I read of his was Anathem, which immediately became one of my two or three favorite novels, and my pick for the best science fiction novel to date (to the extent that "best" means anything). I'll probably try to read all of his work. So far it's just Anathem, Cryptonomicon, Reamde, Snow Crash, and two-and-a-half of the three books comprising Quicksilver.
Just finished Desesperation by Stephen King. Felt like a like a blend of It and Doctor Sleep, with a helping of depression on top.
Just picked up Sidewalk Oracles by Robert Moss. Looking to get some more insight into everyday messages
I just finished reading The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman. I really enjoyed the short, easy, fun, sad, and entertaining read. In the first two pages I already had tears. It was a great story, with inspired writing. Although I was left wanting more, the story had good ending and left me pondering. It even inspired my own pen.
Just picked up the 4 Hour Body.
I am reading the users' posts in this forum.
i am legend
I started reading In The Heart Of The Sea: The Tragedy Of The Whaleship Essex by Nathaniel Philbrick.
Giving the book On A Pale Horse by Piers Anthony a try. The first page hooked me. Hopefully I will not give up and read this until the end of it.
Three of a Human Kind- by Mike Sunnafrank. Interesting read, involving shadow government and spiritual influences. Considering current political and spiritual strife, I thought I would take a second gander. I enjoyed it, again- it made me ponder current influences. Plus, the author is a relative who had a great influence on me- philosophically and spiritually.
Giving the eye of the world a try again. And just now realizing the beginning of the book sparked an old lucid dream of mine. Maybe i just have to use my imagination more by reading more to start lucid dreaming again! :)
Ray Kurzweil's "The Singularity is Near".
It describes Kurzweil's prediction for the future, particulary what will happen after humanity will develop a self-sufficient, conscious AI. Things he describe...I am both excited and terrified, even repulsed by those ideas, which he presents as inevitable. They all sound reasonable and the book is both easy to read and informative. And surely it is a must-read for any science or science-fiction fan :) Perhaps for philosophers as well.
I am reading Spice and Wolf, the entire series. It is a light novel so each book is fairly short but taken as a collection you get some serious reading in.
infinite jest, and slooowly making it through.
Theory of Film: The Redemption of Physical Reality
Idk, it seems a bit one sided. Maybe if you're bored, but don't expect an epiphany.
Giving the book Necroscope by Brian Lumley a try again. I read it a long time ago. Hoping I can get into this series of books. :)
The Jungle Book
I finally got around to reading my copy of Lucid Dreaming: New Perspectives on Consciousness in Sleep. Well, Volume 2, anyway; I'll slog through Vol. 1 which is centered around the science of LD'ing, some day.
Vol. 2, which is a collection of academic papers/essays about the cultural and creative aspects of LD'ing, was very good, but not, frankly, as expansive as I had hoped: aside from some interesting historical references, there was really nothing particularly new revealed to me. Still, I guess that's not what these books are for, but rather are meant to collect a comprehensive survey of LD'ing. And, except for talking about the really advanced stuff, which I suppose wanders too far into esoterica for these scientists, they did a great job. If you can come up with the scratch to buy a set (usually around $130), it really is a must-have for any complete lucid dreaming bookshelf (from a quick scan of it, I'm sure Vol. 1 is the same, BTW).
UBIK, by Philip K. Dick
Notes from Underground, by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
Oblivion (short stories) by David Foster Wallace. One of the best american writers of this or any generation in my estimation. I recently finished his Magnum Opus, Infinite Jest. A work of the highest literary genius and skill, sad, hilarious, dark, beautiful, expansive, complex.
The Perennial Philosophy, by Aldous Huxley. A great work and synthesis of philosophy, religion, and mysticism, both east and west.
Beyond Good and Evil, by Friedrich Nietzsche
Decided I'm going to finish a book again. Started reading Sixty-One Nails by Mike Shevdon again.
I'm reading ETWOLD for the first time and it is pretty great, lots and lots of really useful information and tips.
I'm also reading The Name of the Wind, a fantasy novel.