Unofficial What are you Reading Thread?

[Triple Zero]

Anansi Boys is cool. I liked American Gods better, but this one has a bit more humour in it. It's set in the same "universe" btw.

[Kai]

Just finished Darwin and the Barnacle - Rebecca Scott. Excellent biographical account of Darwin's early interest in marine invertebrates and the 10 years before publication of On the Origin of Species, which he spent writing four books on all barnacles, fossil and extant, just so he could place one strange species he found on a beach in Chile. His works on barnacles would be in use still today, even if hadn't gone on to publish his research on transmutation/descent with modification.

I'm /still/ in the process of reading Iliad for the second time. I read little bits and pieces here and there, mostly out loud. That story was designed to be spoken, and it's really epic listening to myself read it. Once I'm done with that I'll go back and read Odyssey again, then on to the TaNaKh, which I've been both anticipating and dreading simultaneously. And if I actually ever get through that, it's on to Aeschylus's plays, which are already sitting on my shelf, gathering dust.

On my bedside, I've got The Best American Science Writing 2009, the first volume/half of On the Descent of Man, the aformentioned Darwin and the Barnacle, the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (which makes for much more interesting reading than I thought, albeit slow), and multiple books on speciation, insect wing morphology and mult-level selection theory.

[Kai]

And I agree with what the above people have said about WoT. The political maneuvering is well done, yet the characters have ended up so one dimensional, as has the plot. Not to mention, the ridiculous gender portrayals.

[Disco Pickle]

Anansi Boys is cool. I liked American Gods better, but this one has a bit more humour in it. It's set in the same "universe" btw.

wasn't aware of that, but makes me want to read American Gods again.

[Triple Zero]

Well, I think the only thing that shows it, is that Mr Anansi himself makes a short appearance. I think it was somewhere near the end when all the gods gather at that place.

[Epimetheus]

Finally got around to the Illuminatus! Trilogy. Started today.

[Juana]

"Blood and Rage" by Michael Burleigh.

[Bella]

Anansi Boys is cool. I liked American Gods better, but this one has a bit more humour in it. It's set in the same "universe" btw.

That's how I felt about Anansi Boys, too. It was great fun and had a lot of humor, but American Gods is a tough act to follow.

[Eater of Clowns]

I'll agree with the consensus here about Anansi Boys and American Gods, with two points.

1.  Following Gaiman's description of the raven woman in Anansi Boys, I have never been able to look at a bird's eyes the same way.  He is deadly accurate about them being wild, hungry, crazed, and merciless, and I see it in every god damn bird I encounter now.

2.  Neither of them had as powerfully disaffecting an ending as Neverwhere.

[Don Coyote]

I'll agree with the consensus here about Anansi Boys and American Gods, with two points.

1.  Following Gaiman's description of the raven woman in Anansi Boys, I have never been able to look at a bird's eyes the same way.  He is deadly accurate about them being wild, hungry, crazed, and merciless, and I see it in every god damn bird I encounter now.

2.  Neither of them had as powerfully disaffecting an ending as Neverwhere.

Have you ever looked into the eyes of a raven? It's a life changing experience.

[Telarus]

I'll agree with the consensus here about Anansi Boys and American Gods, with two points.

1.  Following Gaiman's description of the raven woman in Anansi Boys, I have never been able to look at a bird's eyes the same way.  He is deadly accurate about them being wild, hungry, crazed, and merciless, and I see it in every god damn bird I encounter now.

2.  Neither of them had as powerfully disaffecting an ending as Neverwhere.

Have you ever looked into the eyes of a raven? It's a life changing experience.

[Placid Dingo]

Just finished Darwin and the Barnacle - Rebecca Scott. Excellent biographical account of Darwin's early interest in marine invertebrates and the 10 years before publication of On the Origin of Species, which he spent writing four books on all barnacles, fossil and extant, just so he could place one strange species he found on a beach in Chile. His works on barnacles would be in use still today, even if hadn't gone on to publish his research on transmutation/descent with modification.

I'm /still/ in the process of reading Iliad for the second time. I read little bits and pieces here and there, mostly out loud. That story was designed to be spoken, and it's really epic listening to myself read it. Once I'm done with that I'll go back and read Odyssey again, then on to the TaNaKh, which I've been both anticipating and dreading simultaneously. And if I actually ever get through that, it's on to Aeschylus's plays, which are already sitting on my shelf, gathering dust.

On my bedside, I've got The Best American Science Writing 2009, the first volume/half of On the Descent of Man, the aformentioned Darwin and the Barnacle, the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (which makes for much more interesting reading than I thought, albeit slow), and multiple books on speciation, insect wing morphology and mult-level selection theory.

I read Illiad and liked some of it, but it felt a bit repetitious for personal reading.

Currently reading the Oddessy though, and love it. It's very funny in places too.

[Kai]

Just finished Darwin and the Barnacle - Rebecca Scott. Excellent biographical account of Darwin's early interest in marine invertebrates and the 10 years before publication of On the Origin of Species, which he spent writing four books on all barnacles, fossil and extant, just so he could place one strange species he found on a beach in Chile. His works on barnacles would be in use still today, even if hadn't gone on to publish his research on transmutation/descent with modification.

I'm /still/ in the process of reading Iliad for the second time. I read little bits and pieces here and there, mostly out loud. That story was designed to be spoken, and it's really epic listening to myself read it. Once I'm done with that I'll go back and read Odyssey again, then on to the TaNaKh, which I've been both anticipating and dreading simultaneously. And if I actually ever get through that, it's on to Aeschylus's plays, which are already sitting on my shelf, gathering dust.

On my bedside, I've got The Best American Science Writing 2009, the first volume/half of On the Descent of Man, the aformentioned Darwin and the Barnacle, the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (which makes for much more interesting reading than I thought, albeit slow), and multiple books on speciation, insect wing morphology and mult-level selection theory.

I read Illiad and liked some of it, but it felt a bit repetitious for personal reading.

Currently reading the Oddessy though, and love it. It's very funny in places too.

Iliad at this point is definitely one of my favorite books of all time. Odyssey is shorter, but I don't think quite as excellent reading. Both demand being read out loud, though.

I went to a party last night and in addition to aquiring a beautiful cognac glass, the host was giving away part of her library. So I now have Godel Escher Bach and Kuhn's The Structure of Scientific Revolutions added to the stack.

[Eater of Clowns]

The Walking Dead series.

[Cain]

Just finished Darwin and the Barnacle - Rebecca Scott. Excellent biographical account of Darwin's early interest in marine invertebrates and the 10 years before publication of On the Origin of Species, which he spent writing four books on all barnacles, fossil and extant, just so he could place one strange species he found on a beach in Chile. His works on barnacles would be in use still today, even if hadn't gone on to publish his research on transmutation/descent with modification.

I'm /still/ in the process of reading Iliad for the second time. I read little bits and pieces here and there, mostly out loud. That story was designed to be spoken, and it's really epic listening to myself read it. Once I'm done with that I'll go back and read Odyssey again, then on to the TaNaKh, which I've been both anticipating and dreading simultaneously. And if I actually ever get through that, it's on to Aeschylus's plays, which are already sitting on my shelf, gathering dust.

On my bedside, I've got The Best American Science Writing 2009, the first volume/half of On the Descent of Man, the aformentioned Darwin and the Barnacle, the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (which makes for much more interesting reading than I thought, albeit slow), and multiple books on speciation, insect wing morphology and mult-level selection theory.

I read Illiad and liked some of it, but it felt a bit repetitious for personal reading.

Currently reading the Oddessy though, and love it. It's very funny in places too.

Iliad at this point is definitely one of my favorite books of all time. Odyssey is shorter, but I don't think quite as excellent reading. Both demand being read out loud, though.

I went to a party last night and in addition to aquiring a beautiful cognac glass, the host was giving away part of her library. So I now have Godel Escher Bach and Kuhn's The Structure of Scientific Revolutions added to the stack.

GEB's on my immediate reading list as well, once I'm done with The Rise and the Fall of the Third Reich by Shirer.  Again.  But taking notes this time.