Reading

[Serpent Eye]

Reading is my biggest passion in life. I'm an aspiring writer, and just like someone posted earlier, reading is pretty like research. The first step to being a great writer is being an avid reader!

 

 

 

Being a fantasy fiction writer, the majority of my books are teen and adult fantasty fiction. I do have quite a number of fiction books, and have just recently started branching out into reading non-fiction.

 

 

 

My favorite authors include J. K. Rowling, Tamora Pierce, Cate Tiernan, and the late Michael Crichton -- I own and have read every book published by these authors (with the exception of three books by Cate Tiernan, and three non-fiction books by Michael Crichton -- but trust me, I'm hunting for them!)

 

 

 

(Some of) My favorite books include:

 

 

 

• [*:283snxgu]Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling
   
  [*:283snxgu]Protector of the Small series by Tamora Pierce
   
  [*:283snxgu]Circle of Magic and The Circle Opens series by Tamora Pierce
   
  [*:283snxgu]Jurassic Park and The Lost World by Michael Crichton
   
  [*:283snxgu]Sweep series by Cate Tiernan (series is titled Wicca in the U.K.)
   
  [*:283snxgu]The First Law trilogy by Joe Abercrombie
   
  [*:283snxgu]The Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice
   
  [*:283snxgu]The Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke
   
  [*:283snxgu]Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon
   
  [*:283snxgu]Fullmetal Alchemist manga series by Hiromu Arakawa
   
  [*:283snxgu]The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley

 

 

 

I won't list any more :lol:

 

 

 

If you find any of these books interesting, you can check out my complete library at: http://www.librarything.com/catalog/jta_8888

 

 

 

I only have 364 books to look through :thumbsup:

[Housepig]

I'm reading Steppenwolf by Herman Hesse at the moment. I'm only about 70 pages in, but I already consider it beyond fascinating. I felt a genuine, physical pleasure while reading it and for about an hour afterwards; I can't recall that happening for a very long time.

[1_man_army]

I've been meaning to read The Inferno for so long and I'm a huge fan of the Vintage classic covers as well.

 

 

 

The Inferno is incredibly difficult to read. You'll be in for a lot of research, owing to the (probably) thousands of allusions in the text. It's extremely rewarding of course, but it takes a long time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The book just got delivered. The version I have has a lot of explanations of certain allusions at the bottom of the page so you can figure it all out as you read. Obviously I don't think it'll be a complete list but it might help. It's like Dante for the lazy.

[dusqi]

I read around 4 or 5 books a week. I want to be a writer, so it's just like research for me. Lately I've been doing a lot of re-reading.

 

 

 

I am interested in what you do to keep track of what you've read, since you're taking it more "professional" than most people. Specifically, do you write your thoughts about books you've read afterwards, do you write anything as you go through? Or do you just read?

[Lateralus]

I read around 4 or 5 books a week. I want to be a writer, so it's just like research for me. Lately I've been doing a lot of re-reading.

 

 

 

I am interested in what you do to keep track of what you've read, since you're taking it more "professional" than most people. Specifically, do you write your thoughts about books you've read afterwards, do you write anything as you go through? Or do you just read?

 

 

 

I make notes periodically (maybe every few chapters or so, or as long as it takes for the 'point' of the book to become apparent), noting important thematic or plot points. After I finish a book I write my thoughts about themes, characters, symbols and the like. If the book is especially short or obvious then I might not bother.

[Nom]

Finished the final Pendragon book today.

 

 

 

I'll wait to pass a more critical judgment until my mind has gotten past thinking "That was [bleep]ing epic."

[revanlives]

Finished Anna Karenina today. It was great. ;)

[AceSpitball]

Currently reading some of Ayn Rand's books. I finished Anthem and the Fountainhead, and now I'm just starting Atlas Shrugged.

[Stephen9o3]

[book cover]

 

 

 

I hate to judge a book by its cover... But my god, who designed that? It's absolutely disgusting. The tag line is idiotic, too.

 

 

 

Well I do judge books by their covers, and this one takes the cake at the height of the printed crapola.

 

 

 

Stephen9o3, don't buy it, much less read it.

 

 

 

For no reason other than you spite you two, and because the book actually received good reviews, I went out and bought this book. I don't have tons of time to read, so it'll probably take me a couple weeks to get through it. I'll report back when I'm done. :)

[l0rd]

[hide=Finished Today][/hide]

 

 

 

[hide=Finished Yesterday][/hide]

 

 

 

Both famous and amazing books, I recommend Les Misérables especially

[PoorLepRecon]

Today I finished Lord of the Flies. Quite an interesting book and well worth my time. I also read 1984 about a month ago, and it has become one of my favorite books.

[tripsis]

This week I finished:

 

 

 

• [*:244okzz9]The Tapestry: The Second Siege by Henry H. Neff
   
  
  • This is the second book in the series. It was okay. I felt like some parts went too quickly. There was this whole portion which was really important, completely changed the main character's entire past and occurred over a span of weeks or even months.. yet it was explained in like one or two paragraphs. Maybe it will be explained in a later book, but it still frustrated me.

 

[*:244okzz9]The Lost World by Michael Crichton

 

• Not as good as Jurassic Park, but I still enjoyed it. I find that the beginnings of both of these books are pretty slow/boring though. The slowness is probably more realistic, but also very mundane. But I really love the ideas that are presented in both books. They give me a lot to think about and make for an interesting read.

 

[*:244okzz9]Angels & Demons by Dan Brown

 

• I loved this book. I read it after The Da Vinci Code, which I believe was written after Angels & Demons. The only thing that bugged me is how similarly set up they are. The idea that Robert is awoke in the middle of the night by a mysterious phone call regarding a murder, which is linked to a religious group of some kind. That phone call leads him to go on a series of "quests" with a woman. The details of the novels are different and they're both equally captivating (in my opinion), but the similarities of the overall setup bothered me a bit.

 

 

 

Right now I'm reading The Companions Quartet, Book Four: The Chimera's Curse by Julia Golding.

[andylax38]

Currently reading some of Ayn Rand's books. I finished Anthem and the Fountainhead, and now I'm just starting Atlas Shrugged.

 

 

 

Was wondering when someone was going to mention the Fountainhead, currently the best book I've ever read. It is pretty tough to read, took me a couple weeks to get through it the first time but the ending is definitely worth it. Bought a copy after I finished it for the first time and have read it 3 or 4 times since, great book. Been meaning to read some of her other stuff what did you think of Anthem?

[Sam]

Animal Farm, by George Orwell.

 

 

 

When I first saw it, I though WTF, A BOOK ABOUT ANIMALS LIVING ON A FARM.

 

 

 

Then I discovered the true message of it 8-)

[Lateralus]

I find Ayn Rand boring and unreadable, and her philosophy is disgusting. Everyone seems to love Atlas Shrugged, and I have no idea why.

 

 

 

It's been nice and sunny this week, so I've been sitting in the garden reading and drinking beer. Polished off Hunger by Knut Hamsen and The Plague by Camus. Both were fantastic, The Plague especially so. I think Camus really hits the nail on the head with this one; it's an excellent summation of his world view, which is one I find myself agreeing with more and more.

 

 

 

Currently I'm reading Ask the Dust by John Fante.

[ElkNight]

Finished the final Pendragon book today.

 

 

 

I'll wait to pass a more critical judgment until my mind has gotten past thinking "That was [bleep] epic."

 

It came out? I should probably get it.

[xSxqPowerx]

HOLY [bleep] PENDRAGON IS OUT??!?

 

!@!@! Need to get to a bookstore... don't have a car... parents aren't home...@!@!@

 

AHHHHH

[eias]

I like reading,i read everyday,but i haven't been reading since i got sick,can't stand sitting :(

 

Books i read lately:

 

Love in the time of cholera

 

1984

 

The reader

 

The prophet

 

 

 

Currently reading Pride and Prejudice,GOD it's boring -.-

[stevepole]

I like reading,i read everyday,but i haven't been reading since i got sick,can't stand sitting :(

 

Books i read lately:

 

Love in the time of cholera

 

1984

 

The reader

 

The prophet

 

 

 

Currently reading Pride and Prejudice,GOD it's boring -.-

 

 

 

Get Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. I haven't read it but it is getting good reviews. Its a mash up of the original Pride and Prejudice with a touch of zombies.

[assassin_696]

In a slightly perverse twist of logic, I'm trying to spend more time reading each night even though my exams are looming. I don't really get much work done after 10 so I'm just going to bed earlier and reading more.

 

 

 

I finished The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable by Nassim Nicholas Taleb earlier in the week. I really rate him as a thinker, he's probably one of the few people who not only understands the reasons behind the financial crisis now but saw them coming well before as well. It's an excellent philosophical read with a lot to say about life in our world today.

 

 

 

I've started The American Presidency: A Very Short Introduction by Charles O. Jones now, it's short but dense with facts. American politics fascinates me.

[eias]

I like reading,i read everyday,but i haven't been reading since i got sick,can't stand sitting :(

 

Books i read lately:

 

Love in the time of cholera

 

1984

 

The reader

 

The prophet

 

 

 

Currently reading Pride and Prejudice,GOD it's boring -.-

 

 

 

Get Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. I haven't read it but it is getting good reviews. Its a mash up of the original Pride and Prejudice with a touch of zombies.

 

For a minute i thought you were joking,but turns out you aren't!

 

Who knows?maybe i'll get it :P

[mistywerty]

EVERYONE seems to have read nineteen-eighty-four. Brave New World is much better written and is a better interpretation of the future...

[Kiriyama]

EVERYONE seems to have read nineteen-eighty-four. Brave New World is much better written and is a better interpretation of the future...

 

 

 

I haven't read 1984.

 

 

 

Brave New World, I have read though. I reccomend everyone who has, or is going to read 1984 to read Brave New World.

[Wongtong]

Why do so many people like Pendragon? :lol:

[ElkNight]

Why do so many people like Pendragon? :lol:

 

No. The real question is why do so many people like Twilight?