Reading - Page 3

On February 02 2013 17:43 dnagardi wrote: ok good blog post i read A LOT when i was in high school because i was travelling 4 hours/day for 5 years to home and school and had to kill time. I read everything the teachers gave me and lots of stuff on my own. Had my sci-fi, fantasy, romantic, russian realist, classic, philosophical periods. about some of the books from that reddit list: 1984: very good read Slaughterhouse 5: dont remember much from it, but somehow i do know vonnegut was an epic man Brave New World: okay read, kinda like 1984 Harry Potter Series: loved it when was young, would never read it again The Foundation Saga: very good read, love asimov and his novels, huge legacy Catch-22: very good read, one of my fav books, its not for everyone, gotta have a satiric humor Crime and Punishment: often boring, okay read, some good thoughts Animal Farm: very good read and short The Lord of the Rings: okay read, kinda boring A Brief History of Time: good read, sometimes with hard math, somtimes boring The Art of War: good read since we are rts players Odyssey: written in a fucking retarded ancient style, very bad read even tho the story is epic A Song of Ice and Fire: good read, easily readable The Brothers Karamazov: good read, thought provoking often, sometimes boring The Old Man and the Sea: very good read, short the book im about to finish now is Sofie's world. I think its kind of a must read. its about the history of philosophy from socrates to nietsche written in an easily readable style (story is young girl gets educated by philosopher) thats my 2 cents if someone read these please answer: hitchikers guide rank1? is it really that good? and snow crash?

Snow crash is ok, it starts by building up a world and s promise of an epic story to come... Then it just kinda falls a little flat - common when someone has too many good ideas.

Quarantine is another book that i kinda felt promised more but is still really good.

Hitchhikers guide is amazing, cant say w hether #1 or not but def up there

If you love GRRM, try Joe Abercrombie. He's the only comparable fantasy author imo.

if you love GRRM read malazan book of the fallen. read book 2 first since book 1 is very hard to read.

On February 02 2013 23:37 Stroggoz wrote: if you love GRRM read malazan book of the fallen. read book 2 first since book 1 is very hard to read.

Im reading the first book, im at 250 pages more less, and i think is great, but yes it is hard. i dont know if it is because its in spanish and some of the translations just sucks, for example the character names, sometimes i get confused and i don't know if he just wrote the name of a character or if it was something else with the same word/name.

In fantasy/epic things, Game of Thrones, Malazan, couple of books of Dragonlance, Wheel of Time, and Brandon Sanderson books, are usually top recomendations.

On February 02 2013 23:37 Stroggoz wrote: if you love GRRM read malazan book of the fallen. read book 2 first since book 1 is very hard to read.

Wasn't expecting someone to recommend this series but yes, malazan book of the fallen is amazing.

can't read it while distracted though, it's the type of series to get lost in and kill huge chunks of your day without realizing. some really cool characters in there as well. can't really recommend going with book 2 first, though, since it'll ruin a few really awesome characters along with the mood of the first book. just take your time and enjoy it...it took me a few months to read gardens of the moon but it's still probably my favorite single book of all time

On February 02 2013 21:58 defenestrate wrote: If you love GRRM, try Joe Abercrombie. He's the only comparable fantasy author imo.

Also highly recommend, one of the best out there imo.

Stream of consciousness recommendations based on OP in 3... 2... 1...

If you like Fooled by Randomness (which almost everyone does):

"Black Swan"
"Antifragile" - Taleb

"Liar's Poker"
"Moneyball"
x
y
z

aka take a hike down Michael Lewis Rd.

"Signal and noise: ..." -Nate Silver

You've likely heard of this book. If not check it out.

Other Opening Suggestions for Daut (and likely a lot of LP'ers):

Hunter S. Thompson - "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" is probably the best start re: Hunter.

I feel like everyone should take a stroll through some Hemingway at some point. Start with a collection of short stories. "The Short Life of Francis Macomber," "The Snows of Kilamandjaro," "The Radio, The Gambler, and The Nun"... whatever you like. If you like that read "The Sun Also Rises" and "The Old Man and the Sea" and go from there.

I feel bad putting Dyostoevsky all the way down here. Give "Notes from the Underground" a go. If you like that and feel like tackling some more, next logical step is "Crime and Punishment." You can just read em all at that point in order but at least make sure to read "The Idiot."

"Fight Club" - Chuck Palahniuk

Just a really rockin' book. I had seen the movie a bunch of times but if you like the movie you gotta read the raw, original, untranslated words.

Would like to keep this post focused, short, and sweet so I will leave it at that for now.

Actually, I have a question:

For any that have read Faulkner, Tolstoy, Nabokov. Where should one start?

Anything by Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchet is always great, one of my favorites is the Farseer trilogy by Robin Hobb, which is like a slower, gayer Game of Thrones (judging by the show, I didnt read the books) Ive read it many times and there are still parts that make me sob like a little bitch.

Predictably Irrational.
Book about statistics and numbers and how people do things that don't make sense at a predictable rate (and stuff like that). Lots of case studies, well written.

Reminiscences of a Stock Operator.
Biography of an early 1900s stock operator and how he got Into trading and just a bunch of cool stories about market manipulation and getting rich and going busto multiple times. Lot of material you can relate to poke playing as a career. Liked this book a lot.

Market Wizards.
Haven't read this one yet but I think it's similar to the reminiscences book except its in the 80s and multiple people's stories.

Ender's Game is probably the only book I've read multiple times as a kid.

Didnt read the sequell as for some reason I thought its not that good, but gonna give it another try

Thinking Fast and Slow
Daniel Kahneman

If you're interested in more info on the psychological biases Taleb discusses in Fooled By Randomness, TF&S is basically a compendium and summarization of the empirical psychological research he's referring to.

On February 02 2013 18:54 Twisted wrote: Fwiw the Jurassic park books are vastly different from the movies. I like them better as well and the JP movies are a huge guilty pleasure for me so that should say something.

what hipster

One of my favourite books is Dark Fields by Alan Glynn. It's what the movie Limitless is based on.

I'm currently reading Neuromancer. This is what the movie Blade Runner is based on and other movies and books.

1227 QI Facts. This book costs 20 cents. It's based on a UK show where they discuss "interesting facts". There are a lot of interesting things in there and it's a relaxing and quick read. Not bad to mix things up.

I'm not a big comic book reader, but I've recently started reading the Sandman comics (written by Neil Geiman) and they are quite good and nice to mix things up with. You can also get them on Kindle.

Can't think of anything else right now that hasn't already been mentioned here or that I think should be read. Only recently got into reading (fiction in particular, I've always read non-fiction), it's quite amazing.

edit: While I'm at it I might add a list of what I'm currently reading:

Benjamin Franklin: An American Life
Neuromancer
Steve Jobs: The Exclusive Biography
Letters from a Stoic: Epistulae Morales Ad Lucilium

I usually try and read one non-fiction book and one fiction book. This is because I like to read fiction before I sleep so that I can relax my mind, but I also like to read non-fiction to "broaden my horizon". The biographies can be dry at times, which is why I read other stuff in between like Letters from a Stoic or Thinking Fast and Slow.

“The books we need are the kind that act upon us like a misfortune, that makes us suffer like the death of someone we love more than ourselves, that make us feel as though we were on the verge of suicide, or lost in a forest remote from all human habitation—a book should serve as the ax for the frozen sea within us.”
-- Franz Kafka in a letter to Oskar Polllack

Kinda good. Not really a kafka fan though. Does he ever provide any insight in his life what he felt are good examples for him of what he is talking about?

I have never read a book that comes remotely close to the experiences he is explaining but it sounds like something I should try.

Maybe you have some suggestions?

You probably knew already but I'm a Kant, Dostoevsky, Nietzsche, Sartre fan.

You can look at his influences or even who he influenced to get a general idea. Of course he was a big Dostoevsky fan and Dostoevsky is one of those writers who can really shake you up and can destroy you. I think he is the absolute greatest writer there was. If Dostoevsky and Nietzsche didn't manage to destroy you, then I think the surest bet would be Emil Cioran, who was strongly influenced by both of them, but never ended up believing in anything unlike them. Leopardi and Unanumo are worth looking into. Many French authors, like Blanchot and Bataille also. But I would start with Cioran, who shook me up the most out of anyone. "A Short History of Decay" is his masterpiece, but it's a very difficult read. "The Trouble with Being Born" is easier.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Trouble-Bei...;keywords=the+trouble+with+being+born

Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience (Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi)

I consider it my "How to live" book

On February 04 2013 06:42 2c0ntent wrote: Thinking Fast and Slow Daniel Kahneman If you're interested in more info on the psychological biases Taleb discusses in Fooled By Randomness, TF&S is basically a compendium and summarization of the empirical psychological research he's referring to.

+1 to TF&S

As for Tolstoy, I'd recommend Ana Karenina. It's been a while since I read it, but it's a nice read. I also read his biography and his thoughts on religion or something like that which are good if you end up liking him much. I'd also recommend Cormac Mccarthy. The Road was mentioned earlier. I haven't read it yet. I've been reading Blood Meridian and I really like his style. If I'm not mistaken, No Country for Old Men was based from his writings.

On February 07 2013 01:25 Loco wrote: You can look at his influences or even who he influenced to get a general idea. Of course he was a big Dostoevsky fan and Dostoevsky is one of those writers who can really shake you up and can destroy you. I think he is the absolute greatest writer there was. If Dostoevsky and Nietzsche didn't manage to destroy you, then I think the surest bet would be Emil Cioran, who was strongly influenced by both of them, but never ended up believing in anything unlike them. Leopardi and Unanumo are worth looking into. Many French authors, like Blanchot and Bataille also. But I would start with Cioran, who shook me up the most out of anyone. "A Short History of Decay" is his masterpiece, but it's a very difficult read. "The Trouble with Being Born" is easier. http://www.amazon.com/The-Trouble-Bei...;keywords=the+trouble+with+being+born

Interesting. Anytime I read D and/or N it generally inspires me/energizes me rather than destroys me. Never had the experience Kafka or you describe. I'm typically either in awe of their insanely amazing writing + insights into life, existence, humanity, human psychology, human beings, + myself and/or completely lost in transcendental euphoria.

I'll def check Emil Cioran out. Love the titles.

Actually, thinking about it now I have experienced what you guys are talking about.

Seinfeld's balloon joke:

Beneath the surface, Seinfeld says, much of his act concerns “the pointlessness of life itself. I’ve got jokes where I’m saying your life sucks, your possessions are garbage, you’re not important.” Larry David, to whom Seinfeld remains close, told me, “Jerry doesn’t get enough credit for his misanthropy — it’s why we get along so well.” In a new bit, Seinfeld likens a man to a balloon. At the outset of a romantic relationship, the balloon is buoyant and beautiful and “the woman holds on tight” for fear he’ll fly away. Flash forward, and the balloon’s doddering around, off in a corner somewhere, low to the floor, pathetically unable to “even lift up its own string.” It’s as elegantly crushing a joke about human decay and dashed hopes as has been told.

(NYT Article "Jerry Seinfeld Intends to Die Standing Up". Good Read.)

Because of your blog, this week I read Ender's Game and have almost finished Speaker for the Dead. I prefer Ender's Game because in brief summary I think I enjoy how Ender deals with the various people in his life who pose a problem. I did feel it was a bit rushed towards the end though when, without giving too much away, he has to travel to another place. How the brother's storyline in relation to Ender is wrapped up was kind of anti climactic as well. Minor quibbles for a great book though.

Thanks for writing the blog.