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What are you reading at the moment?

The title says it all - tell us which book(s) you're currently reading, and what you think so far.

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Tonya Wynn on November 2, 2010 at 10:50am

Just finished Silas marner by George Eliot. A professor on the Modern Scholar CD series highly recommended her. She writes beautifully and understands human nature well, but I don't feel changed or inspired really. That professor said she had an IQ of 180+. I'll read more of her, but like that WOW feeling that is hard to find, and I didn't find (moral of story) in her.

Permalink Reply by Just Human on November 11, 2010 at 9:58pm

Finished "The Host" and I'm now reading "Philosophy in the Bedroom" by: Marquis de Sade. This truly is 18th century porn in written form. Of course it does have some philosophy mixed in throughout the story. I'm convinced that Marquis de Sade (Donatien-Alphonse-Francois de Sade) was a complete anarchistic, sadistic, hedonistic, atheist. Incidentally the word sadist was derived from Sade's last name. I gather from his anti-religious philosophy that he was not just an atheist but an anti-theist. He believed that religion shouldn't just be abandonned but utterly destroyed. If you are open-minded about sexuallity then you may enjoy this book but be warned; it is full of extreme sexual debauchery.

Permalink Reply by Ian Mason on November 17, 2010 at 1:42pm

Will Self's "The Book of Dave". The jottings of a misanthropic London cab driver, Dave, turn up several hundred years later and become the gospel of a new religion, Davinanity. It might be hard going for some of you bu' I cn unnerstan' i' wivvaht much bovver, carn I?

Alternating chapters between Dave's life and the future just over 500 years A.D. (After Dave) when most of southern England har been covered by rising sea-levels and the priesthood is clamping down on heresy.

The best new book I've read in a long time.

Permalink Reply by Richard Healy on November 17, 2010 at 1:46pm

A Primate's Memoir by Robert Sapolsky (Neurologist, Baboon expert and genius) - its interesting, witty and it's got science in it. MY kind of book!

Permalink Reply by Donegal on November 21, 2010 at 2:49pm

I recently started rereading Tolkien and I'm in the middle of The Two Towers at the moment. I'm hoping to go on after I finish LOTR to read The Silmarillion and the other Middle Earth stories.

In terms of more serious reading, I'm starting the painful task of reading the Bible (mostly so I can tell the next religious person who suggests it to me to suck it).

Permalink Reply by AletheaT on December 12, 2010 at 2:06pm

I love Tolkien. Just recently finished listening to the audiobooks about a week ago. I'm fortunate to have a job where I can listen to my mp3 player. I finished 20000 Leagues Under the Seas on friday, I forgot how wonderful that book was.

I'm now interested in listening to a huge list of classics, I found a great amazon list here, and she made a part 2 which I will investigate once I make my way through the first one. I'm thinking we need to compile a list here in the book club of all the most important classics of western lit. This literature is the backbone of our culture and has helped me understand the world we live in, I think such a list would be a great addition to the book club.

Permalink Reply by hp on December 13, 2010 at 9:52pm

I am currently reading "Guns, Germs and Steel" by Jared Diamond. If you have the time there is a three part video about it here.

Permalink Reply by Randy Reed on December 14, 2010 at 2:22pm

Ohh, I just finished the Poisonwood Bible and it was fantastic. You'll love it. I am also reading A Voyage Long and Strange which is about the discovery of America and alot of it pertains to the Christian influence and treatment of the American Indians. It's written in a way that is insightful, yet often vary amusing.

Permalink Reply by Donegal on January 11, 2011 at 6:07am

I just finished reading Waterfall Dance (by Andrew Quinn) a few days ago and I'm about to finish Wuthering Heights (Emily Brontë). Not sure what I'll pick up after that.

Permalink Reply by Kelly Baker on January 16, 2011 at 10:05pm

I just finished Dan Barker's Godless, and am still reading The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle. I also have several previews on my kindle, and, well...I have sort of literary ADD at the moment.

Permalink Reply by AletheaT on January 17, 2011 at 10:41pm

I've been reading all of Michelle Moran's books. The Heretic Queen, Nefertiti, and Cleopatra's Daughter. The heretic queen was especially good.:D I'm almost finished with Cleo's daughter which contains grim descriptions of the roman games, what a different world we live in!

Permalink Reply by Giga Gnome on January 19, 2011 at 6:08am

I am currently reading "Anvil of the Stars" by Greg Bear. I enjoyed "Forge of God" a lot more. must admit I am struggling to get into Anvil and I'm already more than half way into it. Will see where it takes me. Next in line is "Parenting Beyond Belief" by Dale McGowan (thanx for the recommendation on here) and then I'll return to Isaac Asimov again ( been trying to re-read a lot of his books, Just finished robots1 through 4)

Looking forward to finding more good suggestions on here