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Unofficial What are you Reading Thread?

Started by Thurnez Isa, December 03, 2006, 04:11:35 PM

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LMNO

Quote from: -Kel- on November 28, 2009, 11:04:08 PM
I finally got around to reading American Psycho and I hate it!!! hate hate hate. And i usually love Bret Easton Eillis. But this sucks. The book would be great if he didn't repeat over and over what each character Bateman interacts with clothing, clothing fabric, color, designer, blah blah blah over and over. I know he's driving to hammer in the whole "this is all surface, i only care about surface, Bateman is nothing but a shell and therefor only sees the shells of other people." BUT FOR FUCKS SAKE, THE READER GETS THE POINT!!!  Get on with the violence and other humor pointing out things like that. I don't need it every bloody time. ugh. It has taken me three months to read this damn thing and im only half way threw it. When he's not going on and on about...."Libby is blond and wearing black grosgrain high-heeled evening shoes with exaggerated pointed toes and red stain bows by Yves Saint Laurent. daisy is....." there is actually some good writing, good black humor, and great violence. The book has now become a bathroom reader as it is the only time i can stand to open the stupid thing.  :argh!:

</RANT>


Are you kidding?  If the book didn't have that, it wouldn't be half as creepy as it is.

fomenter

"the road" by cormac mccarthy  good post apocalyptic story, the movie is about to be released
"So she says to me, do you wanna be a BAD boy? And I say YEAH baby YEAH! Surf's up space ponies! I'm makin' gravy... Without the lumps. HAAA-ha-ha-ha!"


hmroogp

Cain

The Post-human Dada Guide: Tzara and Lenin Play Chess by Andrei Codrescu

QuoteThis is a guide for instructing posthumans in living a Dada life. It is not advisable, nor was it ever, to lead a Dada life. It is and it was always foolish and self-destructive to lead a Dada life because a Dada life will include by defnition pranks, buffoonery, masking, deranged senses, intoxication, sabotage, taboo breaking, playing childish and/or dangerous games, waking up dead gods, and not taking education seriously.

On the other hand, the accidental production of novel objects results occasionally from the practice of Dada. During times of crisis like wars and plagues, some of these objects can be truly novel because they sabotage prevailing sentiments. At other times, Dada objects are merely interesting, by virtue of an added layer of irony, an extra punch line, or a new twist to an already-consecrated object. In such times Dada objects amuse everybody, and since these objects are (mostly) made collectively, they are a strong community bond. Amusement (of oneself and others)and the making of art communities are the goals of Dada. Dada is a priori against everything, including goals and itself, but this creative negation is very amusing and is meant to be shared.

For one whole century, Dada has delighted in uncovering and using contradictions, paradoxes, and negations, the most important of which are: 1. most people read signs, Dadas make signs, and 2. most people are scared of scary faces, Dada makes scary faces. No one should go Dada before 1. considering whether one would rather be a. amused or b. grim; one must weigh in the balance childishness and seriousness; both a and b have a history; both affect everyone in the world; both are possible at any moment, but the difference is that being childlike (a) is pleasing to creatures lighter than air (with or without wings), angels, St. Francis, and Candide, while being serious (b) is a weight, like the cross, and heavy as a lead ball (see hugo, ball) and iron chains; and 2. understanding that art is life and vice-versa and Dada is against both, except on the road to ecstasy when it stops for exceptions. It is the thesis of this book that posthumans lining the road to the future (which looks as if it exists, after all, even though Dada is against it) need the solace offered by the primal raw energy of Dada and its inhuman sources.

Rococo Modem Basilisk

Quote from: Cain on December 05, 2009, 01:23:36 PM
The Post-human Dada Guide: Tzara and Lenin Play Chess by Andrei Codrescu

QuoteThis is a guide for instructing posthumans in living a Dada life. It is not advisable, nor was it ever, to lead a Dada life. It is and it was always foolish and self-destructive to lead a Dada life because a Dada life will include by defnition pranks, buffoonery, masking, deranged senses, intoxication, sabotage, taboo breaking, playing childish and/or dangerous games, waking up dead gods, and not taking education seriously.

On the other hand, the accidental production of novel objects results occasionally from the practice of Dada. During times of crisis like wars and plagues, some of these objects can be truly novel because they sabotage prevailing sentiments. At other times, Dada objects are merely interesting, by virtue of an added layer of irony, an extra punch line, or a new twist to an already-consecrated object. In such times Dada objects amuse everybody, and since these objects are (mostly) made collectively, they are a strong community bond. Amusement (of oneself and others)and the making of art communities are the goals of Dada. Dada is a priori against everything, including goals and itself, but this creative negation is very amusing and is meant to be shared.

For one whole century, Dada has delighted in uncovering and using contradictions, paradoxes, and negations, the most important of which are: 1. most people read signs, Dadas make signs, and 2. most people are scared of scary faces, Dada makes scary faces. No one should go Dada before 1. considering whether one would rather be a. amused or b. grim; one must weigh in the balance childishness and seriousness; both a and b have a history; both affect everyone in the world; both are possible at any moment, but the difference is that being childlike (a) is pleasing to creatures lighter than air (with or without wings), angels, St. Francis, and Candide, while being serious (b) is a weight, like the cross, and heavy as a lead ball (see hugo, ball) and iron chains; and 2. understanding that art is life and vice-versa and Dada is against both, except on the road to ecstasy when it stops for exceptions. It is the thesis of this book that posthumans lining the road to the future (which looks as if it exists, after all, even though Dada is against it) need the solace offered by the primal raw energy of Dada and its inhuman sources.

I don't suppose you could score me a PDF of that?


I am not "full of hate" as if I were some passive container. I am a generator of hate, and my rage is a renewable resource, like sunshine.

Cain

http://ifile.it/g4z3swb

Found it on Gigapedia, registering gives you full access to the site.

Rococo Modem Basilisk



I am not "full of hate" as if I were some passive container. I am a generator of hate, and my rage is a renewable resource, like sunshine.

Cainad (dec.)

The Professor and The Madman

So apparently a large portion of the Oxford English Dictionary was written by a criminally insane American Civil War veteran staying in a British asylum. :lulz:

Dimocritus

Ughh... Trying to read "House of Leaves" but, while it may be interesting at points, there are some seriously tedious "foot-notes" by the "author" that make it really difficult to motivate myself to keep going. I think I may just put it down for a while and start reading the Decameron...
HOUSE OF GABCab ~ "caecus plumbum caecus"

Cainad (dec.)

Quote from: dimo on December 06, 2009, 08:34:49 PM
Ughh... Trying to read "House of Leaves" but, while it may be interesting at points, there are some seriously tedious "foot-notes" by the "author" that make it really difficult to motivate myself to keep going. I think I may just put it down for a while and start reading the Decameron...

Skip the ones that are lists of irrelevant names and places. The footnotes written by the guy compiling Zampano's notes are half the story (the weaker half, in retrospect, but half nonetheless).

Iason Ouabache

Making Up the Mind, How the Brain Creates our Mental World by Chris Frith. Interesting read so far and looks pretty short. He sorta reminds me of Oliver Sacks in a roundabout way.
You cannot fathom the immensity of the fuck i do not give.
    \
┌( ಠ_ಠ)┘┌( ಠ_ಠ)┘┌( ಠ_ಠ)┘┌( ಠ_ಠ)┘

Dimocritus

#1210
Quote from: Cainad on December 06, 2009, 08:41:47 PM
Quote from: dimo on December 06, 2009, 08:34:49 PM
Ughh... Trying to read "House of Leaves" but, while it may be interesting at points, there are some seriously tedious "foot-notes" by the "author" that make it really difficult to motivate myself to keep going. I think I may just put it down for a while and start reading the Decameron...

Skip the ones that are lists of irrelevant names and places. The footnotes written by the guy compiling Zampano's notes are half the story (the weaker half, in retrospect, but half nonetheless).

Yeah, I've ignored the (literally) pages of names. I really enjoy Zampano's notes, but fuckin' Johnny Truant is a predictable, self absorbed prick that thinks I should give a fuck about his stupid psychological shortcomings. I have a feeling that the Johnny Truant character is based off the actual author, which also kinda' makes me want to not read it.

Anyhow, Just read a short story called "At the Rialto" by Connie Willis. I thought it was really good and I think a lot of folk here would get a kick out of it.
HOUSE OF GABCab ~ "caecus plumbum caecus"

LMNO

Well, I finished "Anathem", and I'd recommed it to any of the math/philosophy geeks out there.


I suppose I need to start reading stuff like "Pregnancy for Dummies".

Richter

"Crooked little Vein" by Warren Ellis - A horromirth a minute
Dan Abnett's "Ravenor" trilogy of books - Scifi pulp, fewer casualties and different quality of badass characterization then his Eisenhorn books.

Quote from: dimo on December 10, 2009, 02:14:51 PM
Quote from: Cainad on December 06, 2009, 08:41:47 PM
Quote from: dimo on December 06, 2009, 08:34:49 PM
Ughh... Trying to read "House of Leaves" but, while it may be interesting at points, there are some seriously tedious "foot-notes" by the "author" that make it really difficult to motivate myself to keep going. I think I may just put it down for a while and start reading the Decameron...

Skip the ones that are lists of irrelevant names and places. The footnotes written by the guy compiling Zampano's notes are half the story (the weaker half, in retrospect, but half nonetheless).

Yeah, I've ignored the (literally) pages of names. I really enjoy Zampano's notes, but fuckin' Johnny Truant is a predictable, self absorbed prick that thinks I should give a fuck about his stupid psychological shortcomings. I have a feeling that the Johnny Truant character is based off the actual author, which also kinda' makes me want to not read it.

Anyhow, Just read a short story called "At the Realto" by Connie Willis. I thought it was really good and I think a lot of folk here would get a kick out of it.

I read that a few years ago.  Certainly was something.
Quote from: Eater of Clowns on May 22, 2015, 03:00:53 AM
Anyone ever think about how Richter inhabits the same reality as you and just scream and scream and scream, but in a good way?   :lulz:

Friendly Neighborhood Mentat

Cain

Vassilis Fouskas - Zones of Conflict - good realist overview of US grand strategy in Eurasia.  I'm going to post some extracts in AD.

Freeky

I started reading Transmetropolitan about 12 hours ago.


I'm about to start Vol. 6.