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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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whatnotery

Quote from: Demon Sheep on March 11, 2010, 01:05:10 AM
Neil Gaiman's American Gods for the umpteenth time.

that was a hell of a book! I should prolly read it again.

Cain

American Gods is Gaiman's best novel as far as I'm concerned.

I'm still on my Malazan Book of the Fallen binge, which isn't hard when each book averages out at about 700 A4 pages, and its a nine book series (tenth still to be published).  Now up to book six, The Bonehunters.  I think I've more or less figured out which side everyone falls on in the up and coming war now, but where Amannas and Laseen are going to fall once its over should be amusing, assuming they don't try and assassinate each other beforehand.  Also, Erickson really REALLY loves the obsfucating stupidity trope.  He's used it in every book so far, and usually with his most entertaining characters (Krupp, Iskaral Pust, Tehol, Bugg and those two ghosts who keep stalking Apsalar for no apparent reason).

Pariah

Quote from: t.x. helot on February 22, 2010, 07:38:01 PM
I'm in part 4 of 5 of Robert Bolano's 2666. It's great (kind of hard to describe), but a very slow read, and sometimes emotionally grueling (part 4 is loosely based on the hundreds of (still unsolved) murders that have taken place in Cuidad Juarez of female factory workers). All the parts fit together, but just barely. Still, worth checking out.

Based off this suggestion bought the book.

So far just finished the 1st part but the writing is great.
Play safe! Ski only in a clockwise direction! Let's all have fun together!

Rococo Modem Basilisk

Finally got around to reading Cryptonomicon.


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.

Juana

Quote from: whatnotery on March 11, 2010, 01:10:15 AM
Quote from: Demon Sheep on March 11, 2010, 01:05:10 AM
Neil Gaiman's American Gods for the umpteenth time.

that was a hell of a book! I should prolly read it again.
Definitely one of my favorites. I liked it a lot better than Neverwhere, though Anasi Boys comes in a close second.
"I dispose of obsolete meat machines.  Not because I hate them (I do) and not because they deserve it (they do), but because they are in the way and those older ones don't meet emissions codes.  They emit too much.  You don't like them and I don't like them, so spare me the hysteria."

Brotep

Currently reading Dan Ariely's Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions.

So far it's alright. Like much of the current generation of books on social psychology etc. aimed at a general audience, the ideas are interesting, but some things are dumbed down too much.

I'm always looking for reading material that is richer than lab write-ups but doesn't shy away from the technical details. If anyone has any recommendations, I'd love to hear them.

Cain

I've got that book, but haven't had the time to read it fully yet.  It came across pretty much as you describe, however, a bit Malcolm Gladwell-ish.  At least on my brief reading.

I'm now reading No-One Would Listen by Harry Markopolos.  This is about the guy who warned the SEC repeatedly that Madoff was running a scam, only to be ignored and dismissed.  He put in an appearance on the Daily Show about a week back, and he seemed very happy to have been vindicated.  The book is a bit over the place, but it's early days yet.  He mercifully stays away from the complex financial jargon and concentrates on telling the story, as well as describing the culture of Wall Street in general.

Triple Zero

Quote from: Enki v. 2.0 on March 11, 2010, 11:39:19 AM
Finally got around to reading Cryptonomicon.

It's very good. It got Alan Turing flirting with the main character's grandfather and such!
Ex-Soviet Bloc Sexual Attack Swede of Tomorrow™
e-prime disclaimer: let it seem fairly unclear I understand the apparent subjectivity of the above statements. maybe.

INFORMATION SO POWERFUL, YOU ACTUALLY NEED LESS.

Rococo Modem Basilisk

Quote from: Triple Zero on March 17, 2010, 03:48:10 PM
Quote from: Enki v. 2.0 on March 11, 2010, 11:39:19 AM
Finally got around to reading Cryptonomicon.

It's very good. It got Alan Turing flirting with the main character's grandfather and such!

Yes. And Turing's Nazi ex-boyfriend angle is making the reading intense.


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.

Jasper

My copy of "Phantoms in the Brain: Probing the Mysteries of the Human Mind" is in the mail.  I can't wait! 

Triple Zero

Quote from: Enki v. 2.0 on March 17, 2010, 04:15:41 PM
Quote from: Triple Zero on March 17, 2010, 03:48:10 PM
Quote from: Enki v. 2.0 on March 11, 2010, 11:39:19 AM
Finally got around to reading Cryptonomicon.

It's very good. It got Alan Turing flirting with the main character's grandfather and such!

Yes. And Turing's Nazi ex-boyfriend angle is making the reading intense.

And I suppose you already knew what the Perl script did before you even opened the book right?

if not I won't spoil it for you, I had the misfortune of not getting the big reveal because of reading too much crypto/security blogs :)
Ex-Soviet Bloc Sexual Attack Swede of Tomorrow™
e-prime disclaimer: let it seem fairly unclear I understand the apparent subjectivity of the above statements. maybe.

INFORMATION SO POWERFUL, YOU ACTUALLY NEED LESS.

Rococo Modem Basilisk

Quote from: Triple Zero on March 20, 2010, 12:06:15 PM
Quote from: Enki v. 2.0 on March 17, 2010, 04:15:41 PM
Quote from: Triple Zero on March 17, 2010, 03:48:10 PM
Quote from: Enki v. 2.0 on March 11, 2010, 11:39:19 AM
Finally got around to reading Cryptonomicon.

It's very good. It got Alan Turing flirting with the main character's grandfather and such!

Yes. And Turing's Nazi ex-boyfriend angle is making the reading intense.

And I suppose you already knew what the Perl script did before you even opened the book right?

if not I won't spoil it for you, I had the misfortune of not getting the big reveal because of reading too much crypto/security blogs :)

Nope. I can't parse the perl, either. It's not something lame like rot13, is it?


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.

Juana

Oneupsmenship: a Guide to Creative Intimidation by Steven Potter
"I dispose of obsolete meat machines.  Not because I hate them (I do) and not because they deserve it (they do), but because they are in the way and those older ones don't meet emissions codes.  They emit too much.  You don't like them and I don't like them, so spare me the hysteria."

Rococo Modem Basilisk

I just finished reading the complete archives of Girl Genius. Does that count?


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.

Triple Zero

Quote from: Enki v. 2.0 on March 20, 2010, 02:50:11 PM
Nope. I can't parse the perl, either. It's not something lame like rot13, is it?

I couldn't really parse the Perl as well, I'm not that well-versed in Perl. But yeah, it's pretty cool. No obfuscated rot13 or anything like that :) Lemme know what you think when you get to the reveal.
Ex-Soviet Bloc Sexual Attack Swede of Tomorrow™
e-prime disclaimer: let it seem fairly unclear I understand the apparent subjectivity of the above statements. maybe.

INFORMATION SO POWERFUL, YOU ACTUALLY NEED LESS.