Unofficial What are you Reading Thread?

[LMNO]

They're kind of companion books, so expect some repetition.

[Cuddlefish]

They're RAW books, so expect some repetition.

Fixxor'd?

But seriously, I'm expecting it. Cram gave me a heads up.

But, curious, LMNO, what did you think of "Quantum Psychology?"

[LMNO]

I liked it.  Then again, I preferred the non-fiction style where you could really break down the concepts and learn what he was talking about.  Though I killed that idol a while back, those two books did help shape my outlook, and heavily influenced my BIP contributions.

My favorite RAW fictions have been Masks of the Illuminati (Joyce, Einstein, and Crowley, oh my!) and the first two of the historical illuminati trilogy (Earth Will Shake and Widow's Son).

[Cuddlefish]

I liked it.  Then again, I preferred the non-fiction style where you could really break down the concepts and learn what he was talking about.  Though I killed that idol a while back, those two books did help shape my outlook, and heavily influenced my BIP contributions.

My favorite RAW fictions have been Masks of the Illuminati (Joyce, Einstein, and Crowley, oh my!) and the first two of the historical illuminati trilogy (Earth Will Shake and Widow's Son).

I generally prefer non-fiction, as well. However, every once in a while, someone will bang out a fiction peice that, for me, illustrates the concepts of thier other works in a way that is superior (IMO) to the non-fiction book covering the same/similar subject matter. F'rinstance, "Thus Spoke Zarathustra" spoke to me louder than any other single Nietzsche volume.

I think, if done correctly, "didactic fiction" can be a better place to begin and continue understanding certain concepts and, to coin a phrase, "reality tunnels." I think the human tendancy (imprinted or not) to be receptive to verse and "fairy-tale" presentation really makes "didactic fiction" (when done correctly) a better learning tool than, say, a text-book, simply because, as people, we are already geared towards interperting analogy and metaphor to find the "deeper meaning." Sure, I s'pose a didactic fiction presentation leaves room for, we'll say, "creative" interpertaion, but the people that are going to be more "creative" in thier interpertation are going to be that way, fiction or not.

[Epimetheus]

I liked it.  Then again, I preferred the non-fiction style where you could really break down the concepts and learn what he was talking about.  Though I killed that idol a while back, those two books did help shape my outlook, and heavily influenced my BIP contributions.

My favorite RAW fictions have been Masks of the Illuminati (Joyce, Einstein, and Crowley, oh my!) and the first two of the historical illuminati trilogy (Earth Will Shake and Widow's Son).

I might try those...I'm in Illuminatus!, almost finished, but I haven't picked it up in a couple weeks. It's not exciting enough, frankly. Did you feel that way about it too?

[LMNO]

There were parts of it where I was just turning the pages, waiting to get to something interesting.

In fact, whenever I re-read it, those sections get larger...

"Masks" is a detective story, which gives the readers clues as to the solution, if they're paying attention, and the "historical"s, especially "Widow's Son" (all three of which can be read independently of each other) is a breezy clever descent into mindfuckery, similar to I3! but with less gimmickery.  Because of Quantum.

[Triple Zero]

I should order those two LMNO recommended, haven't come across them anywhere in a bookstore yet.

[Eater of Clowns]

Started A Game of Thrones yesterday.

I loved them all but Feast for Crows.  Storm of Swords is the best one so far IMO.

Waiting for that damn HBO series to come out now.

Same.  According to HBO, it should premiere April 17th

So that has some of the best characterization I've ever read.  The best way I could describe how well fleshed out each role is that I feel like I could gossip about them.

AND I'm really psyched to see that Peter Dinklage is playing Tyrion Lannister.  While I was reading it I was thinking he'd be good for it (forgetting, actually, that they were intending to even make that series), then found out on IMDB he would be.  Sean Bean is also a good choice for Eddard Stark, and the girl they chose for Daenarys is gorgeous (she is not 14, as in the book).

Anyway, I'll be reading the Preacher series while I wait for the my hold on the next book to come into the library.

[Jasper]

Singularity Sky starts out really good.  Just cracked it open today. 

And when I say good, I mean "rain of cell phones from aliens" good.

[Reeducation]

Reading I, Lucifer by Glen Duncan.
On page 80 or something. I like it so far.

[Cain]

Finished Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn trilogy, which was my breaktime reading at working.

Quite a twisty writer, is Sanderson.  The series is deceptively simple at first, but as time goes on...he either planned this down to the last detail before he committed pen to paper, or he is hellishly good at seeing his own inconsistencies in his writing and then formulating plausible explanations.

And I've started Iain M Banks' Culture series.  Too early to say what I think so far.  Reading it by recommendation from Less Wrong, and because I haven't read any sci-fi in ages.

[Placid Dingo]

Reading I, Lucifer by Glen Duncan.
On page 80 or something. I like it so far.

Enjoyed that.

Recently hammered through 'Work Hard. Be Nice.' Fantastic, energising read.

[Reeducation]

Just read the I Lucifer. It was good! So good, in fact, that I'm going to get more books from the author (Weathercock, Death of an Ordinary Man and Love Remains).

Now reading Phantoms in the Brain by V. S. Ramachandran.

[Jenne]

The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff.  Just finished it, actually.  I thoroughly recommend it.  Awesome STORY that was based on real-life historical shit, and plus you learn a shit-ton of stuff about LDS, the "Firsts" that are still inhabiting the compounds even to this day, and how it all started way back with Joe Smith his damned self.  I DL'd on my Kindle along with Charley's book around Christmastime and just got to reading.

[Disco Pickle]

finished The Colour of Magic

funny, but not laugh out loud funny.  continuing on to The Light Fantastic to decide if I want to invest more time or money into this series.