The Book/Reading Thread!

[sceptomaniac]

I haven't had much time to read this year...I'm usually quite prolific...

But I'm about half way through Dr. Zhivago and even though the translation is really dodgy in some parts it's a really enjoyable read.

[Worldslaziestbusker]

Evan Wright - Generation Kill: Well written and unpleasant on many levels. Reminded me of Spike Milligans memoirs because there was lots of humour and camaraderie interspersed with frenetic activity and horror.

[Worldslaziestbusker]

Originally Posted by The Irreverent Mr Black

Ripping yarns, schadenfreude,

That reminds me:
Laura Lee - Schadenfreude Baby: Presented as humour but not very funny. Most stories just sad, and some that fail to qualify as examples of schadenfreude altogether.

[Darwinsbulldog]

I was killing time at Mudrock university yesterday in the bookshop. A perverse urge came over me to buy Mary Midgley's "Evolution as a Religion". But as I am on a limited budget sanity prevailed and I got Bertrand Russel's "Human Knowledge" instead. A pity really, I should buy more comics.

[AUSloth]

The Purple Economy - Max Wallace in combination with The Case of the Pope and Missionary Position back around new year is driving my atheism to anti-theism. Better stay away from Hitchens for a bit, two of his just surfacing in my well of books.

[wolty]

Godless- Dan Barker.
Hadn't read it before and want to get some GAC speaker reading in. Having read Dawkins, Hitchens and Harris before I grabbed this off Annies kindle.

I liked it. He comes across as a really nice guy and it is worth reading for his own personal journey, his ideas about faith and ethics and morals.

I had of course seen the last GAC DVD where his talk is one of my favorites. Looking forward to seeing him IRL.

[two dogs]

Bugger, I've been neglecting to update this thread. Since my last update, I've read:

Letters to Christian Leaders
Jake Farr-Wharton

It was enjoyable anti-Christian rant, similar to CJ Werleman's God Hates You, Hate Him Back. For some reason, both Australian authors consistently use infer, when they mean imply?

The Information
James Gleick
Mother Tongue
Bill Bryson

It was quite interesting to read these at the same time, as there was a degree of overlap, despite the quite different themes of the books.

The Enemy
Christopher Hitchens

This was an essay, rather than a book.

I'm currently reading:

Nomad
Ayaan Hirsi Ali

and

Divinity of Doubt
Vincent Bugliosi

[Praxis]

Finally finished Keef's biog "Life" and really enjoyed it. Very honest. He appears to be quite a humble guy, not much affected by his enormous fame and wealth, very down-to-earth. A most interesting read.

Then I read "Sure of You", supposedly the last in the Tales of the City series by Armistead Maupin. I've read the "Tales" over the years and always loved them. It's been a long time since I read one and I picked up Sure of You at the Borders firesale. There's something about diving into a book full of well-known and beloved characters and I really felt that something reading this. I'm going to hunt out "Michael Tolliver Lives" next, which supposedly isn't part of the series, but really, how could it not be?

Anyone familiar with the Tales will know what I mean and the names Michael, Mary-Anne and Mrs Madrigal, along with Barbary Lane, will surely make you smile. I absolutely loved it

Last night I started Spirit House by the brilliant Mark Dapin. I loved King of the Cross so much and hope I enjoy this one as much. I only read the first two chapters though, and the first chapter contained a very graphic description of a beating of an Australian by Japanese soldiers on the Thai-Burma railway. Very hard to read. But the stage had to be set for the character.

[c2105026]

Books I have read this year; well....not really into reading.....but I have gone through the man in the white suit (Top Gear Stig's autobiography), russell brands 'My booky Wook' and.....I read lots of academic psychobabble dribble several hours a week for my primary teaching uni course and usually don't feel like reading anymore. Today I commenced re-reading God Delusion; need to recommit myself to the Rational Life (some bad habits getting away from me)......

[Worldslaziestbusker]

George Orwell - Homage to Catalonia: Beatifully written account of terrible events. Finished just six months after his wounding, it carries such tremendous optimism about the fight against European fascism, in spite of the betrayals and hardships he witnessed among the parties that made up the government troops, that I found myself wishing against history that the disillusionment that led to his writing 1984 would never occur.

Funny the way my brain works with historical documents, sometimes. I can't read, or even re-read, accounts of Scott's polar journey without hoping that at least Bowers and Wilson will survive this time. Derrrrrrr.