AR Book Club

[Spark Of Spirit]

I've been digging into Phantastes by George MacDonald, this is definitely going to be one of my all time favorites when I'm done.

After reading The Faults in Our Stars, I've come to the conclusion that I don't care for YA novels, and I REALLY don't care for the current fixation on them.

If you've read The Outsiders you really don't need the rest. And yes, that includes Rye.

[Dr. Insomniac]

After reading The Faults in Our Stars, I've come to the conclusion that I don't care for YA novels, and I REALLY don't care for the current fixation on them.

If you've read The Outsiders you really don't need the rest. And yes, that includes Rye.

Nation. The Book Thief. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian. An Abundance of Katherines. The Tiffany Aching Series.

[Spark Of Spirit]

Yes, yes, there are other worthy entries in the genre. I just wanted an excuse to throw a jab at Holden Caufield.

[Dr. Insomniac]

Yes, yes, there are other worthy entries in the genre. I just wanted an excuse to throw a jab at Holden Caufield.

John Lennon's fangirls beat you to that several decades ago.

[Karamazova]

After reading The Faults in Our Stars, I've come to the conclusion that I don't care for YA novels, and I REALLY don't care for the current fixation on them.

If you've read The Outsiders you really don't need the rest. And yes, that includes Rye.

Nation. The Book Thief. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian. An Abundance of Katherines. The Tiffany Aching Series.

The Book Thief is one of my favourite books ever.

[Pharass]

Hmm, I've got The Book Thief sitting on my shelf, but haven't read it yet. Perhaps I should make it my next priority.

Currently reading Children of Men by P.D. James, I liked the movie a lot, so I decided to check out it's source. So far, the novel is very good; for the moment it's mostly focusing on the main character's childhood and his relation with his cousin, the dictator of England. The future presented by James is interesting and I look forward to see more of it. She does a great job at depicting the hopelessness and growing resignation of a humanity on the verge of extinction.

[Avaitor]

While at Barnes & Noble, I skimmed Valerie Harper and Sissy Spacek's autobiographies. Both looked pretty good from what I can tell, but I'll wait for them to go paperback.

Which reminds me, I still need to read Mustaine's book.

[Pharass]

Currently reading Long Time Coming by Robert Goddard, I picked it up at the local bookshop's sale on a whim, having never heard about the before. However, a blurb on the inside of the cover compared him to Le Carr?, so I decided to give it a try. So far, it's an intriguing mystery-story that reminds me of something Eric Ambler (The Mask of Dimitrios etc) could have written and that's definitely a compliment.

[Avaitor]

"There are two novels that can change a bookish fourteen-year old's life: The Lord of the Rings and [Ayn Rand's] Atlas Shrugged. One is a childish fantasy that often engenders a lifelong obsession with its unbelievable heroes, leading to an emotionally stunted, socially crippled adulthood, unable to deal with the real world. The other, of course, involves orcs."

This is the best quote ever.

[Spark Of Spirit]

Beautiful.

[Avaitor]

What's funny is that I just found out that my uncle has a copy of Atlas Shrugged in his office.

Like he's fucking Bert Cooper.

[Avaitor]

Passover starts on Monday, and my mom said that I can have a book or two as a gift (yes, we do Passover gifts). Since my sister got some masacra for her gift, and the paperbacks for ASOIAF are about $8 each, I think that's worth two or three of them.

Now I can read beyond A Game of Thrones!

Edit: or just one book. Damn cheap $10 mascara!

[Pharass]

Currently reading Startide Rising by David Brin, it's a science-fiction novel with some really interesting ideas and concept. For example, in the book's universe, more advanced races can basically uplift other species; enhancing their intelligence and so-on. However, the species that do get uplifted also falls in debt to their benefactors, having to work as a servant/slave-race until their debt is paid. Humanity is among the species that were uplifted and by the time of novel, we've also done this with some animals on Earth, namely chimpanzees and dolphins. Oh, and the story concerned a spaceship from Earth crash landing on an undisovered planet and discovering artifacts that may belong to the oldest race in the universe is well-told and interesting with fleshed-out characters.  If you enjoy science-fiction, I'd recommend it.

[Dr. Insomniac]

Been reading a handful of Richard Wright's short stories lately, such as Down by the Riverside and Big Boy Leaves Home. They're truly brutal works, and something I would never recommend to the lighthearted. And yet, something truly human shines in those tales.

[Avaitor]

I got A Clash of Kings yesterday (as in Monday), and I'm already about halfway in. Does that show you how much I like these books?

I am annoyed at how little Daenerys has showed up so far, though. Only two chapters, while Tyrion by comparison must have had least half a dozen by this point. At least it's all very well-written thus far.