Well then,
in honour of Vipros' thread down der below, what are we all reading at the moment?

Extra points for obscure highbrow propa litretur n stuff.

Minus points for Hairy Pooer.
(Land of Green Ginger It's dreamy weather, Wed 8 Jul 2009, 11:18, 59 replies, latest was 16 years ago)

I just finished re-reading
American Gods by Neil Gaiman.
It's very rare that I re-read anything.

I'm currently reading a book about parasitic worms.
( Cawl, Wed 8 Jul 2009, 11:26, Reply)

I liked Anansi Boys
but am generally put off by anything suggesting fantasy. Is Gaiman worth a punt?
(Land of Green Ginger It's dreamy weather, Wed 8 Jul 2009, 11:27, Reply)

Yeah.
I'd recommend American Gods, it's epic and dangerously engaging. I'm not a big fan of fantasy, but I really like his style.
( Cawl, Wed 8 Jul 2009, 11:35, Reply)

^^this
could well be submitted to pseuds corner. 'epic and dangerously engaging', eh?
(Land of Green Ginger It's dreamy weather, Wed 8 Jul 2009, 11:37, Reply)

What the hell is "pseuds corner"?
Is this a good thing, or not?
( Cawl, Wed 8 Jul 2009, 11:42, Reply)

It's in Private Eye

(Land of Green Ginger It's dreamy weather, Wed 8 Jul 2009, 11:52, Reply)

*shrugs*

( Cawl, Wed 8 Jul 2009, 11:55, Reply)

*shrugs back*

(Land of Green Ginger It's dreamy weather, Wed 8 Jul 2009, 11:56, Reply)

If you haven't yet read "House of Leaves" by Mark Z. Danielewski,
you have got to do so. It's probably right up your street. It's one of the best books I've ever read. It requires a certain twisted mind.
( crackhouseceilidhband Fuck off back to Mumsnet, Wed 8 Jul 2009, 11:37, Reply)

Ok,
It's on my brain-list now.
( Cawl, Wed 8 Jul 2009, 11:41, Reply)

I just looked up a review
of this book, looks really interesting. b3ta is yet again expanding my limited intellectual horizons.
(MichaelS wasn't picked again, Wed 8 Jul 2009, 11:41, Reply)

I've
Just finished Gaiman's Neverwheres, now I'm reading the Laurell K. Hamilton books again.
(Herr Doktor Lemminge Is bored, so cheer me up!, Wed 8 Jul 2009, 11:30, Reply)

Vampire porn
Shame on you.
( The Light in Chains don't touch the Pope's boner, Wed 8 Jul 2009, 12:25, Reply)

about 4 different books, as usual.
Robert Olen Butler's "Countrymen of Bones" (about an archaeologist and a nuclear scientist and the New Mexico test site).

Chun's "Core Python Programming" (it arrived this morning).

Ayn Rand's "Anthem" (dystopian novel).

Nabokov's "Bend Sinister" (thinking man against unthinking tyrant state, very funny).

Plus a heap of trashy crime novels which I get through like junk food. If they involve gruesome forensics, so much the better.
( crackhouseceilidhband Fuck off back to Mumsnet, Wed 8 Jul 2009, 11:31, Reply)

I'm reading
John Le Carre - A Most Wanted Man

Charles Dickens - Martin Chuzzlewit

Herman Melville - Moby Dick

Carl Hiassen - Stormy Weather.

I should really try finishing some before starting any more.
(Bazongaloid, Wed 8 Jul 2009, 11:33, Reply)

Dickens.
I hate Dickens.

I like dick but I hate Dickens. Go figure.
( crackhouseceilidhband Fuck off back to Mumsnet, Wed 8 Jul 2009, 11:35, Reply)

What are the chances eh?

(Bazongaloid, Wed 8 Jul 2009, 11:37, Reply)

I read moby dick a few weeks ago
would've been better if he'd got on with the story more. I've never known someone digress to such an extent!
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Wed 8 Jul 2009, 12:29, Reply)

Studs Terkel - Working
Bit of a picker-upper as it's huge and is not a story, just a series of interviews with people about how they feel about their jobs in 1970's America.

It covers the entire spectrum from hookers to high-flyers, street-cleaners to stars, cab drivers to criminals.

Shamefully, I only heard of the guy after he died last year so got his book immediately.

Dont know if qualfiies as obscure but Amazon took ages to get it as it was supposedly out of print.

rafter
baz

ps - Gaiman is outstanding - you'll find no shortage of his fans on here.
(bazmorningstar efil4nat3b, Wed 8 Jul 2009, 11:35, Reply)

Just finished reading
The Twilight Watch. Russian magic series.

Currently ordering books for my holidays. Highlights include three non-fiction books on viruses, bio-terrorism and viral genetic engineering (cos I are well cool, innit),
The sequel to the brilliant Lies Of Locke Lamora, and The Stand by Stephen King.
(Applebite Uh! A cow!, Wed 8 Jul 2009, 11:35, Reply)

Oh FFS.
STOP LIKING STUFF I LIKE.

You know "Final Watch" is out now?
I need to get it still.
( Cawl, Wed 8 Jul 2009, 11:39, Reply)

Same here
Have ordered it off Amazon. The other three are amzing.

And I like stuff about viruses - but 'The Stand' is a bit....slow
(massively_optimistic that's terrific!, Wed 8 Jul 2009, 11:42, Reply)

I liked The Stand.
But the end is shit.
( Cawl, Wed 8 Jul 2009, 11:43, Reply)

All of Stephen Kings endings are shit


Edit - WOOOO CONTROVERSIAL
(Bazongaloid, Wed 8 Jul 2009, 11:45, Reply)

Pretty much true.
I love the current Hollywood trend of "shit... Need an ending... Fuck... ALIENS! ALIENS DID IT!"
( Cawl, Wed 8 Jul 2009, 11:50, Reply)

Indy IV
Biggest disappointment ever.

Surprisingly, the second biggest, X-Files: I want to believe featured NO ALIENS.
(Applebite Uh! A cow!, Wed 8 Jul 2009, 11:57, Reply)

All of his books are
pretty much the same, he just changes a few names and places but the basic story is usally the same, very boring after reading four or five of the same thing under different names.
(MichaelS wasn't picked again, Wed 8 Jul 2009, 11:59, Reply)

Ahaha!
We're the same person, admit it.

Question is, which on of us is real, which is the puppet?

Me too! Have you seen the films?
(Applebite Uh! A cow!, Wed 8 Jul 2009, 11:45, Reply)

I'm the original.
I'm a minor internet celebrity.
I get fanmail AND hatemail.

Er... Films.
Yes.
First one is awesome.
Second one is a steaming heap of shit.
( Cawl, Wed 8 Jul 2009, 11:47, Reply)

But,
I'm a REAL GIRL

Have to agree there. Rumour has it the rights to the third have been bought by an American company. So will probably be even shitter.
(Applebite Uh! A cow!, Wed 8 Jul 2009, 11:50, Reply)

If you were a REAL GIRL
Then Ed'd've gazzed you cock-pics.

Did you watch the Russian version of Night Watch? The subtitles were so cool!
( Cawl, Wed 8 Jul 2009, 11:56, Reply)

Damn.
Got me there.
Its true. I'm actually Kaol.

Not in the cinema, no. So I haven't seen the original subtitles. But I have them both on DVD.
(Applebite Uh! A cow!, Wed 8 Jul 2009, 11:58, Reply)

Watch it.
It's worth it.
( Cawl, Wed 8 Jul 2009, 11:59, Reply)

I will try and find it.

(Applebite Uh! A cow!, Wed 8 Jul 2009, 12:01, Reply)

You better do.

( Cawl, Wed 8 Jul 2009, 12:05, Reply)

I saw the TV series of 'The Stand' with Gary Sinus
quite liked it at the time. But after re-watching it rcently....
(massively_optimistic that's terrific!, Wed 8 Jul 2009, 11:48, Reply)

J E Gordon
"The New Science of Strong Materials
-or-
Why You Don't Fall Through The Floor"

Not fiction, I realise, but a surprisingly interesting read.
(LongJohnBaldry, Wed 8 Jul 2009, 11:36, Reply)

I very rarely read fiction for it is, almost without exception, completely unentertaining
I've got an anklesworth of python textbooks to read and a few thousand pages of postgreSQL documentation to get through as well.
( Captain V, Wed 8 Jul 2009, 11:39, Reply)

you wouldn't say fiction is unentertaining
if you read "House of Leaves".

Edit: AND it features in an xccd so it must be good. FACT.
( crackhouseceilidhband Fuck off back to Mumsnet, Wed 8 Jul 2009, 11:42, Reply)

That sounds like it has an excellent format
When I have time for such things I must read it as it seems to have the potential to be one of the few pieces of fiction writing I actually enjoy.
( Captain V, Wed 8 Jul 2009, 11:46, Reply)

It's a huge book
but much of that is appendices and footnotes, and it's impossible to put down once you start reading. I need to get my copy back off Amoss and then I can lend it to you.
( crackhouseceilidhband Fuck off back to Mumsnet, Wed 8 Jul 2009, 11:47, Reply)

My own contribution
is The Zombie Survival Guide by Max Brooks, The Little Sister by Raymond Chandler in shiny new hardback of the orginal print to commemorate the anniversary of his death, and 20,000 Streets Under the Sky by Patrick Hamilton.
(Land of Green Ginger It's dreamy weather, Wed 8 Jul 2009, 11:39, Reply)

Ah, World War Z is all of teh woo
might have to read the survival guide
(massively_optimistic that's terrific!, Wed 8 Jul 2009, 11:44, Reply)

It's a book which genuinely gets you thinking
about how to survive a zombie holocaust. Scarily straight-laced, it actually works brilliantly but does get a little repetitive.
(Land of Green Ginger It's dreamy weather, Wed 8 Jul 2009, 11:56, Reply)

Nothing really interesting to most people:
For fun "The Year of Living Biblically" which I picked up in an airport, actually pretty funny, and a couple of stupid English murder mysteries (I know, they have no redeeming value but I'm addicted).

I am also slowly working my way through the "Federalist Papers" that was basically written by Alexander Hamilton to explain what the US constitution was intended to be, good to read before arguing with insane right wing fanatic christian maniacs who try to quote the constitution but have never read it.

Another fun one is "Remediation Hydraulics" by Payne, et al which is a great book for anyone involved in the science of cleaning up polluted groundwater.
(MichaelS wasn't picked again, Wed 8 Jul 2009, 11:39, Reply)

I just finished Is it me or is everything shit?
by Alan McArthur and Steve Lowe. Great book for grumpy bastards like me
Also Rabbitlopedia by Meg Brown and Virginia Richardson which I will recommend to all rabbit owners.
( fuck shit up the best you never had, Wed 8 Jul 2009, 11:43, Reply)

I can imagine that book being full
of the factually incorrect rantings of Daily Mailesque proportions
(Bazongaloid, Wed 8 Jul 2009, 11:46, Reply)

It's a steaming pile of wank
Not everything is shit, but that book definitely is.
(Land of Green Ginger It's dreamy weather, Wed 8 Jul 2009, 11:54, Reply)

totally agree
it's like to annoying tossers sat down and decided to write a book full of their oh-so-witty observations. it makes clarkson's books look good.
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Wed 8 Jul 2009, 12:30, Reply)

Good book!
The second one is shite however.
(lei, Wed 8 Jul 2009, 13:11, Reply)

'The Magus'
makes for a top summer read. Especially if you're spending your holidays on a Greek island with seductive twins...
(massively_optimistic that's terrific!, Wed 8 Jul 2009, 11:47, Reply)

It's been a while...
The last fiction book I read was "The Portrait Of Dorian Gray" by Oscar Wilde. His ability to paint a picture in the mind is the best I've ever seen.

I recently re-read an autobiography - Have a Nice Day: A Tale of Blood and Sweatsocks - by Mick Foley (ex wrestler). It's still a fascinating read for me!
( Agnostic Antichrist Baltimora, Wed 8 Jul 2009, 11:47, Reply)

Foley was King.
The Rocks' book was a good read too.

Also, Forrest Griffin of TUF1 and former UFC LH champ fame has written a book that's getting rave reviews.
(bazmorningstar efil4nat3b, Wed 8 Jul 2009, 11:49, Reply)

Also...
A few years back I read the Kurt Angle one, that was really good.

Detailed the death of his Dad, his Olympic training, breaking his neck, winning the medal, having his trainer murdered, etc.

Really moving book.
( Agnostic Antichrist Baltimora, Wed 8 Jul 2009, 11:58, Reply)

I am reading Charles Stross's entire back catalogue, because he is fucking brilliant.
Today it is Halting State.
(wellgroomedwookiee is a filthy-minded hobgoblin, Wed 8 Jul 2009, 11:54, Reply)

Not technically reading, but...
I generally listen to audiobooks on my walk into work, downloaded for free from www.librivox.org (basically an audiobook version of Project Gutenberg, a load of volunteers trying to get all public domain books into mp3 format). Because it's restricted to public domain stuff, it's kind of forced me to read (well, have read to me) a load of the classics that I wouldn't go near normally cause I'm too busy reading sci-fi and fantasy.

In the past month or so I've got through Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, The Railway Children (YES IT COUNTS AS A CLASSIC) and Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions, and I'm looking forward to really getting into Moby Dick. As it were.
(Concrete Cow, Wed 8 Jul 2009, 12:01, Reply)

1633 by Eric Flint at work
And The Lord of Castle Black by Steven Brust at home. Brust is brilliant.
( The Light in Chains don't touch the Pope's boner, Wed 8 Jul 2009, 12:30, Reply)

Pride & Predjudice & Zombies
Not sure if this counts as high or low brow but it is enjoyable.
(MyFakeName, Wed 8 Jul 2009, 18:27, Reply)

bit late but hohum
Zima Blue by Alastair Reynolds (is a short story anthology so just dip in and read one story then put it back for a few days)
The handmaids tale by Margaret Atwood (am a bit bored of it to be honest)
Accidentally picked up Titus Groan by Mervyn Peake and am roaring through that.
Just finished Best served cold by Joe Abercrombie and its even better than the first law trilogy
(Halfy By light alone, Wed 8 Jul 2009, 19:47, Reply)