NOW READING

  • Thread starter Thread starter Anonymous
  • Start date Start date
I'm still reading all the stuff I've said before, but since I've been having a bit of a hard time lately, I'm keeping my mental health up by re-reading Wheel of Time from the first book, reading Sanderson (10 % in the first book of Stormlight) and a bit of Tad Williams on the side, not doing much progress in anything else.

Also, I've been listening to the Bible in a Year podcast since the beginning of the year, so I'm on day 171 or so, technically having read almost half of the Bible this year (I already have done so, especially during the biblical studies at the uni, but it's actually fun to listen to it and in English to boot; it's a rather novel experience).
 
I am currently working on completing my home library, so since the beginning of the year I have been completing & reading the missing books from the Discworld series and related books written by Terry Pratchett. I love his books and since his death in 2015 I was afraid to reach for the last book, The Shepherd's Crown because I would feel like the whole universe had somehow ended. When reading his books I always felt like I was on an adventure and the endings always made me feel good and wanted to have something worth waiting for.

Last week I finally read it.

I am glad it was published even though Pratchett did not finish it. I am sad that not everything was developed and there were some gaps and the style was very different from the previous books but still - it was worth it. Now I have a separate shelf at home dedicated to his books :-)
 
I usually read several books at once, recently I've been in a phase of reading about topics loosely (or not) related to my work.

I finished 'Chaos Machine' about the influence of social media on our brains (or so the cover claimed). It turned out to be an interesting set of stories about the influence of YouTube and Meta on several communities. Judging by the title, I expected something more related to psychology and neurology. The book is not bad, but I think I have an aversion to certain phrases that the author uses with pleasure. Whenever he talks about those responsible, he emphasizes that they were white men. I don't understand what race has to do with it, reading every few sentences / pages 'of course, the white men responsible for the product did not understand the consequences' is slightly tiring. At the same time, when black people were mentioned - it was always with a capital letter. I don't know - is this some custom that has not reached my country? Not to mention the very selective approach to moral assessment of the situation. White men made bad decisions in their ignorance and did it intentionally for profit while a Black, determined student created a social media hate spiral against a janitor (who she mistook for another employee) that resulted in his firing (without cause) out of a deeply felt sense of justice. Not my cup of tea.

The second book is 'Outrage Machine' - same subject but much better written, there are specific examples of behaviors and psychological patterns behind them. The book often refers to the mechanisms behind the social network algorithm and the element of psychology/culture it uses. Interesting, if difficult in places, read. Quite useful, I'll leave it on my desk.

I also read 'Pyramids' by Terry Pratchett - quite interesting but not his best book although the time loop is one of the better ones I've read.

On the shelf are 'Active Measures' (I'm currently reading it. is about a history of disinfromation and propaganda), "This is not propaganda" and "How to win an information war". I'm starting my vacation so I'll have time to read them. :-)
 
Magnus said:
View attachment 39453
Started it about a decade ago in a hotel where they had it.
Now I have it too.
Clever, repulsive, ugly, hilarious, sad as fuck, silly, beautiful, unique.
Click to expand...
Your description makes me want to read this. Although I bought 3 books just because they won the Booker prize. I only finished one of them and that was a fucking chore. Maybe I'm not cut out for Booker level literature. Or maybe those clowns at Booker are fuckin dweebs. Maybe this one will be 4th Time Lucky.
 
At a flea market I found the first 4 books of the 'Witch World' series and the first 6 volumes of the 'Guardians of the Flame' series for the staggering sum of 5 euros for all of them. I've been reading them since yesterday and I'm already hooked.
 
Cat Milk Supreme said:
Your description makes me want to read this. Although I bought 3 books just because they won the Booker prize. I only finished one of them and that was a fucking chore. Maybe I'm not cut out for Booker level literature. Or maybe those clowns at Booker are fuckin dweebs. Maybe this one will be 4th Time Lucky.
Click to expand...
Ah but Flanagan got the prize for an entirely different book, no worries. Now they're putting this on each and every book by him apparently, making people think it's that book that got it.
____no5 said:
This!
Click to expand...

I must warn you that there's quite a few very negative reviews online, complaining that it's gross (true), brutal (true), going nowhere (er, depends on what you expect), boring (don't get this one, reviewers must have some serious issues <is that PC enough btw?>), and not about fish really, which is absolutely true, like another book that is yet isn't about whales. This one is funnier though.
 
Magnus said:
I must warn you that there's quite a few very negative reviews online, complaining that it's gross (true), brutal (true), going nowhere (er, depends on what you expect), boring (don't get this one, reviewers must have some serious issues <is that PC enough btw?>), and not about fish really, which is absolutely true, like another book that is yet isn't about whales. This one is funnier though.
Click to expand...

Thanks for that, but while I don't know the reviewers, I know you for a 3+ years and I trust you way better.
And even if I didn't like the book, there's a "lineage" and a story in these very posts, that would make the reading worthy! ;)
 
It was years ago, but I read the first book. Definitely more creepy than similar children's/teen fantasy fiction at the time, and quite nicely written too.

I was nervous around black ponies for years!
 
Brigantium said:
It was years ago, but I read the first book. Definitely more creepy than similar children's/teen fantasy fiction at the time, and quite nicely written too.

I was nervous around black ponies for years!
Click to expand...
The first book in the sequence - "Over Sea, Under Stone" - I thought read rather like Enid Blyton but with a slightly supernatural edge. I just read that one in three days - a record for me, even with all day every day at my disposal.

Book 2, which gives its name to the sequence, is most definitely darker though - and entirely up my street. I really got into this type of creepy fantasy via the works of Alan Garner - I expect I'll have to revisit him next.
 
You know, I wonder if it's actually Alan Garner's books I'm thinking of. I'm pretty sure I read the first Dark is Rising one too though
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top