ThunderPeel2001

Books, books, books...

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I remember reading The Running Man as a teenager and enjoying it... :getmecoat

I remember watching The Running Man as a teenager and enjoying it... :getmecoat

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I remember watching The Running Man as a teenager and enjoying it... :getmecoat

I remember playing The Running Man as a teenager and enjoying it... :getmecoat

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Yesterday I finally made my 2010 plan of books-to-read. Pictures included.

Not included in the picture are only Dylan's Chronicles and Hitchhiker's Guides for regular Douglas maratons.

post-2356-13375603186675_thumb.jpg

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Haha, that's awesome. I'm doing something along the same lines, and with a somewhat similar reading list (for example, I'm reading Agatha Christie's The ABC Murders - started today, 100 pages to go - and have a few novels of Arthur C. Clarke to work through). What are those red ones, though? And what Hemingway book is that?

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The red books is a collection of works by Ivan Cankar, probably our best writer and the yellow books on the right are from a collection of 100 best books in 20th century(the Hemingway book is ''A farewell to arms'').

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I respect that you've done this, but I couldn't imagine planning out all the books I'm going to read for the year. I have to read whatever I'm in the mood for at the exact moment I choose a new book. I can't just make myself read something because I put it on a list. Same with movies.

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I respect that you've done this, but I couldn't imagine planning out all the books I'm going to read for the year. I have to read whatever I'm in the mood for at the exact moment I choose a new book. I can't just make myself read something because I put it on a list. Same with movies.

My methodology is both similar and different. I always have a certain list of books I want to read before the year is over, but I choose based on my mood. So, right now, I have Miami Blues (noir/crime), A Spot of Bother (slice of life/drama), The City and the Stars (sci-fi), The Briar King (fantasy), The Girl Next Door (horror/crime) and Girls Fall Down (no idea) on my list (among others). I'm reading Dark of the Moon. When that's done, I'll feel like reading something, but whatever that something is, I'll pick it from the list. I usually leave the ones I know will be good towards the end, so that when I feel like reading fantasy and only have noir to choose from, I at least make sure it's noir so awesome I just have to read it. It drives those dragons right out of my head. This has paid off on several occasions. Slaughterhouse-Five, Perfume and The Big Sleep are among my favorite books, and I read all three when I'd been itching for something different.

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I feel bad for posting here since I only listen to audiobooks and I rarely read physical ones, but... What would you suggest for someone who likes Sherlock Holmes? Would I like Poirot?

And as a fan of Pratchett and Douglas Adams, is there anybody similar in their level of humor?:erm:

I have some Audible credits to burn...;(

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I haven't read any Sherlock Homes books, so I don't know if this post is worth anything, but I would still recommend you to read/listen at least one Hercule Poirot novel to see how you like them. I think I listened to pretty much all of them (a couple of times) when I was a kid. Quality entertainment.

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I feel bad for posting here since I only listen to audiobooks and I rarely read physical ones, but... What would you suggest for someone who likes Sherlock Holmes? Would I like Poirot?

They're different. (I've read ten of the Poirot books and all the Holmes ones.)

The major difference is that Poirot looks at mystery as a jigsaw puzzle he needs to solve - he's completely detached. Agatha Christie is a bit more light-hearted than Conan Doyle, even if her humor sometimes falls flat. Holmes has all the world to suspect, and has to track people down; Christie likes the "whodunit" locked room mystery that has 5-10 suspects. The biggest fault with Christie, though, is that her characters are all based on literary archetypes, and not real humans. You know the drill: someone will do anything, absolutely anything, for love; a girl will find her heart beating for the dashing rouge. It's rarely affected the main plot directly, though it's offered a couple of red herrings - unfair ones, perhaps.

On the other hand, a lot of the mysteries are pretty good, and I can recommend The Mysterious Affair at Styles (free), The Murder at the Links, Peril at End House (which I solved before Poirot did, hehe), and most especially The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (though do read that last). The best thing I can say is that her books are fun enough to be read in one sitting. I'm also fond of the classical English gentlemanly attitude which seeps through them, so extra points for that.

And as a fan of Pratchett and Douglas Adams, is there anybody similar in their level of humor?

The Princess Bride is great. It's both a satire and excellent example of swashbuckling high adventure. I was surprised by how good it was.

Edited by Kroms

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While we are at it, which Sherlock Holmes book should I begin with? Preferably something detectivy. Are the novels significantly different from the short stories? Better or worse? And so forth.

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And as a fan of Pratchett and Douglas Adams, is there anybody similar in their level of humor?:erm:

I don't know if any are on Audible, but Harry Harrison's "Stainless Steel Rat" books are pretty fun. They have a humorous, pulpy sci-fi setting that I enjoyed a lot.

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While we are at it, which Sherlock Holmes book should I begin with? Preferably something detectivy. Are the novels significantly different from the short stories? Better or worse? And so forth.

A Study in Scarlet is the first adventure, and shows how Watson and Holmes meet and become lodgers. It's not the most interesting detective novel - half of it is Watson getting to know and used to Holmes (which I thought was awesome, but you seem to be looking for a straight detective novel); it's worth reading. I remember liking it a lot.

The second novel is The Sign of the Four. I remember thinking that one was excellent.

Otherwise, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (the first...twelve short stories, I think) is where it becomes a detective series.

I'd suggest starting with Scarlet and then reading the short stories. They're not that different, except that the novels are larger, more convoluted mysteries. Most of the stories are good, maybe with one or two duds. I hope you like them.

You can read the entire series on Gutenberg, by the way. They go like this: A Study in Scarlet (novel), The Sign of the Four (novel), The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (short stories), The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes (short stories), The Hound of the Baskervilles (short stories), The Return of Sherlock Holmes (short stories), The Valley of Fear (novel), His Last Bow (short stories), and The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes (short stories).

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The Hound of the Baskervilles is NOT short-stories, as Kroms just wrote, but actually the third book. It's also easily the most readable and enjoyable (IMO), even though Holmes doesn't feature in it very often. I would probably suggest starting there, as I doubt you need the introduction to the characters that A Study in Scarlet provides. (Even if Watson is actually a fully rounded character in that one.)

A word to the wise: The short stories get lamer as they go on, but even the best ones aren't filled with things you could "figure out"... you're just along for the ride. Also, get used to Watson

.

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Thanks guys!

Got tired of waiting for an answer after 10 minutes or so and downloaded The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes audiobook on Gutenberg. I think I'll check that out first and then probably continue with Study in Scarlet if I still feel like it. The lack of Holmes in The Hound of Baskervilles makes it less interesting for me.

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The Hound of the Baskervilles is NOT short-stories, as Kroms just wrote, but actually the third book. It's also easily the most readable and enjoyable (IMO), even though Holmes doesn't feature in it very often. I would probably suggest starting there, as I doubt you need the introduction to the characters that A Study in Scarlet provides. (Even if Watson is actually a fully rounded character in that one.)

A word to the wise: The short stories get lamer as they go on, but even the best ones aren't filled with things you could "figure out"... you're just along for the ride. Also, get used to Watson

.

Yeah, typo. My bad. Baskervilles is possibly the best one, but it's not the most accessible (that would go to the short stories or Sign of the Four). I do recommend starting with Scarlet. Your call.

Do the later stories get lame? I remember disliking some of them, including the "The Lion's Mane," but there were some genuinely good ones...I haven't read these in eight years. I should re-read.

--------

Anyways, does anyone know any good novels that explore deep philosophical or scientific questions? I remember watching the first six episodes of Ergo Proxy (one of two anime I liked), and I found its blend of cyberpunk and police procedural interesting, but lacking in the philosophical themes I expected it to have. I never bothered finishing it.

Someone mentioned Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, and someone else mentioned The New York Trilogy. Got any other suggestions? I'd appreciate them!

Edited by Kroms

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I don't know if any are on Audible, but Harry Harrison's "Stainless Steel Rat" books are pretty fun. They have a humorous, pulpy sci-fi setting that I enjoyed a lot.

Oh man, I read the hell out of those books as a kid. :tup::tup::tup:

When it comes to funny writers PG Wodehouse shits on pretty much everyone, but if you're looking for something similar to Adams or Pratchett I'd recommend Robert Rankin's The Hollow Chocolate Bunnies of the Apocalypse. As a stand alone book it's a lot easier to get into than his other works (which are part of an ongoing series).

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I just wrote an essay about Ode on a Grecian Urn by John Keats. It's not literature but it's still damn good reading, especially if you care enough to invest yourself.

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Anyways, does anyone know any good novels that explore deep philosophical or scientific questions? I remember watching the first six episodes of Ergo Proxy (one of two anime I liked), and I found its blend of cyberpunk and police procedural interesting, but lacking in the philosophical themes I expected it to have. I never bothered finishing it.

Someone mentioned Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, and someone else mentioned The New York Trilogy. Got any other suggestions? I'd appreciate them!

Everything Ghost in the Shell. If that counts. :D

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Oh man, I read the hell out of those books as a kid. :tup::tup::tup:

When it comes to funny writers PG Wodehouse shits on pretty much everyone, but if you're looking for something similar to Adams or Pratchett I'd recommend Robert Rankin's The Hollow Chocolate Bunnies of the Apocalypse. As a stand alone book it's a lot easier to get into than his other works (which are part of an ongoing series).

There's one author I can think of as funny as Wodehouse, and that is Evelyn Waugh. I kind of resent that Brideshead Revisited is his most famous work, because it's elegiac and weirdly paced and wholly unrepresentative of his best work. But Scoop! and The Loved One are about as witty, bitter, cutting, and painfully satirical as anything written. Ever.

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Currently reading more of Lee Child's Jack Reacher series. I think there are about 16 of them and I'm on my 8th. I highly recommend Persuader if you are looking for a good fast mystery about a guy who beats the pulp out of some bad guys. Also, I recently enjoyed The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss. Great fantasy, only have to wait for the next two parts of the trilogy now. Next on my list is The Warded Man.

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Also, I recently enjoyed The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss. Great fantasy, only have to wait for the next two parts of the trilogy now.

Coincidentally, I ordered Name of the Wind yesterday. Heard a lot of good things about it, so I'm looking forward to it. :D

I just finished 'The Design of Everyday Things' by Donald A. Norman. It was funny, because for a book about good design, the layout was horrible. I often lost track of where I needed to start reading again when the text was broken up by pictures or other things. :mock:

Some good insights, though.

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