BOOK THREAD
I'm going through a phase of reading layman's science books. I recently finished The Greatest Show on Earth by Richard Dawkins, which was hard work but a nice insightful account of the history of evolutionary theory and the mechanics of natural selection. I've currently got my teeth right into Eating the Sun by Oliver Morton which is a fascinating history of the discoveries of how plants function and turn sunlight into energy, how they run the planet and how imbalance in ecosystems could be catastrophic for the planet. On order from Amazon is Parasite Rex by Carl Zimmer which is about the amazing parasites which inhabit our world. What're you reading?
( Noeli overtheshoulderboulderholderthingstraplatchboobs, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 10:09, 113 replies, latest was 16 years ago)

Ian Kershaw's 'Hitler'
and Michael Wood's 'Conquistadors'.

Both excellent.
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 10:11, Reply)

Monty, you should check out some other Michael Woods books if you haven't already.
They're all pretty damn good. (No, I'm not giving you specific reccomendation. I'm not your Amazon page, you fucking big baby.)
(Spleep Shit, or get off the internet., Wed 21 Apr 2010, 11:12, Reply)

the Millenium Trilogy. Stig Larsson
I've give up trying to educate myself. It's a lost cause now.
(porkylips looks better as the sun goes down., Wed 21 Apr 2010, 10:11, Reply)

Just finished that myself
and enjoyed it a lot. It was a bit wordy, but good all the same.
( K2k6 has a proper job these days, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 10:29, Reply)

He doesn't insult the readers' intelligence like some crime writers.

(porkylips looks better as the sun goes down., Wed 21 Apr 2010, 10:41, Reply)

I don't like too many words in a book.

(Spleep Shit, or get off the internet., Wed 21 Apr 2010, 11:11, Reply)

The Mammoth book of Science Fiction
Some of the stories are crap, but some are very good.
(Aberracion Life's getting very complicated, but a lot of fun., Wed 21 Apr 2010, 10:12, Reply)

How many are about mammoths?

(PsychoChomp, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 10:17, Reply)

This is not your most successful post.

( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 10:18, Reply)

No, this is
b3ta.com/questions/anon/post615785#post615796
(PsychoChomp, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 10:20, Reply)

It's a tossup for me
between that one (which should have won some kind of award) and the one kicking off the whole mouseover shit, which has a great deal more mileage in it that has as yet been exploited.
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 10:25, Reply)

there's even the possibility of multiple mouseovers
in the same post. how exciting
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 10:32, Reply)

I hate mouseovers
they make me paranoid.

*dons foil hat and darty eyes*
( Kitty v1.0 desperately naive, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 10:37, Reply)

Great
I've been trying to think of an idea for a book.
(Aberracion Life's getting very complicated, but a lot of fun., Wed 21 Apr 2010, 10:30, Reply)

Science mammoths.
With ray-guns.
(Spleep Shit, or get off the internet., Wed 21 Apr 2010, 11:21, Reply)

Just finished ' Meat'.
A story set in the future about a town in the middle of a vast wasteland. They have very little veg etc and so mainly eat cattle which are humans called the chosen. It's very gruesome but done well. Next I'm starting Asimov's book of Robots.
( girlinthehole, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 10:13, Reply)

I've always fancied Asimov's books
but never got round to buying them. Let me know how you get on and I might get a few in.
( Noeli overtheshoulderboulderholderthingstraplatchboobs, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 10:14, Reply)

I read all his stuff when I was a teenager.
They're a lot more hard core science based stories which are hard for me to get through but still worth it.
( girlinthehole, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 10:17, Reply)

I find that Asimov's Foundation series are far superior to the Robot stuff

( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 10:30, Reply)

Noted.

( Noeli overtheshoulderboulderholderthingstraplatchboobs, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 10:31, Reply)

on the otherhand...
the Robot stuff had Susan Calvin
( Amberl was stripey and dominated Europe, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 10:54, Reply)

Me too, by far
But I love the 3 rules and all the incongruences (?) and impossibilities on robots' actions. It was always fun to see how many times he could contradict himself and still make you believe that last explanation was the right one.
(Aberracion Life's getting very complicated, but a lot of fun., Wed 21 Apr 2010, 10:32, Reply)

I'm not keen on series of books.
I'm not good with long term commitment.
( girlinthehole, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 10:35, Reply)

you are missing out on some superb works though

( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 10:40, Reply)

But that's the best about the Fundation
You can read each book (and in fact each chapter) as a completely finished story. But you won't. It'll hook you.
(Aberracion Life's getting very complicated, but a lot of fun., Wed 21 Apr 2010, 10:42, Reply)

I probably read it when I was a teenager but I don't remember.

( girlinthehole, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 10:51, Reply)

Agreed.

( Larry Vest One day at a time, sweet Jesus, FFS., Wed 21 Apr 2010, 10:44, Reply)

I've got a giant Asimov collection type book
Can't remember the name, and it's good, but short stories don't really do it for me.. A good distraction but not particularly amazing. Probably more groundbreaking at the time of writing, I guess the stuff has been parodied and re-hashed (I-robot) so much that everything was kind of familiar and predictable..
( whenanimalsattackhumans clad in global hypercolour, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 10:34, Reply)

Have you mentioned this to Kaol?
*fears*
(wellgroomedwookiee is a filthy-minded hobgoblin, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 10:23, Reply)

Meat sounds like my kind of book
Must stick on the old Amazon Mastercard..
( whenanimalsattackhumans clad in global hypercolour, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 10:24, Reply)

www.amazon.co.uk/Meat-Joseph-DLacey/dp/1905636156/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1271841963&sr=1-2
( girlinthehole, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 10:26, Reply)

I wonder if that's Chris D'Lacey's brother?
I have a set of his books from when I was a kid - still love them.

EDIT: Nope - not from what wikipedia says.
(Poppet some assembly required., Wed 21 Apr 2010, 10:31, Reply)

I wish someone would finish my meat :((

( broadsword, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 10:41, Reply)

Philip K Dick short stories, Volume 4
Always brilliant.
(Cancer Joy was short lived, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 10:16, Reply)

I've heard you're a huge fan of Dick.

( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 10:18, Reply)

*snigger*

( girlinthehole, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 10:18, Reply)

Philip K, of course, I love his lexical discharge
Meaty bangstick, not a chance.
(Cancer Joy was short lived, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 10:22, Reply)

I like his stories
Not the way he writes, though.

His are the only books that I think are better told as a film.
(Aberracion Life's getting very complicated, but a lot of fun., Wed 21 Apr 2010, 10:33, Reply)

Try John Brunner.
His fiction will really twist your brain.
(porkylips looks better as the sun goes down., Wed 21 Apr 2010, 10:35, Reply)

Better Stanislaw Lem
Star Diaries is impressive. You never know exactly what's going on.
(Aberracion Life's getting very complicated, but a lot of fun., Wed 21 Apr 2010, 10:37, Reply)

I get enough of that IRL.

( girlinthehole, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 10:38, Reply)

I know what you mean
but i really like the plain, down to earth way he conducts his stories. No frippery or convolutions. The idea's he can have in just one short story, can easily eclipse another writers entire output.

I really liked Blade Runner, then I read Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep and was blown away by it. The whole story revolved around Dekkard wanting to own a pet, a sheep, a robot one of course as real ones were impossible to get a hold of. The dreariness of it all was superb.
(Cancer Joy was short lived, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 11:01, Reply)

Some of his short stories are really weird
like the Golden Man
( Amberl was stripey and dominated Europe, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 11:12, Reply)

That is true
The book gives so much importance to animals and how humans need and want them. The whole story starts and moves because of this.

I read the book first and then watched the film, and during the begining I thought they had really nothing to do with each other.
(Aberracion Life's getting very complicated, but a lot of fun., Wed 21 Apr 2010, 11:22, Reply)

Breaking Dawn
Still pretty enjoyable I feel.
( Agnostic Antichrist Baltimora, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 10:20, Reply)

DawnWind
(LongJohnBaldry, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 10:29, Reply)

That's always enjoyable

( Agnostic Antichrist Baltimora, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 10:30, Reply)

One of life's great pleasures
Until everyone else on the train/bus/lifeboat stares at you in disgusted accusation...
(LongJohnBaldry, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 10:32, Reply)

Speaking of crows
news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8631486.stm
( Noeli overtheshoulderboulderholderthingstraplatchboobs, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 10:42, Reply)

Haha! Does that count as a mindpiss?
I've linked to the same story further down this thread! BECAUSE A CROW WOULD KNOW!
(LongJohnBaldry, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 10:44, Reply)

Slightly yeah.

( Noeli overtheshoulderboulderholderthingstraplatchboobs, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 10:45, Reply)

Currently reading Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
which is a hilarious romp in my opinion, and next on my list is whatever I pick up off the bookshelf.
(Poppet some assembly required., Wed 21 Apr 2010, 10:23, Reply)

I really want to read that
apparently they're making the film now, can't wait.
( Kitty v1.0 desperately naive, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 10:47, Reply)

They're making Dawn of the Dreadfuls
which is a prequel - and also brilliant, and then P&P&Z I think.
(Poppet some assembly required., Wed 21 Apr 2010, 11:00, Reply)

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
was really quite fun, but Sense and Sensibility and Sea-Monsters was pretty boring. Not by the same person and they really missed the whole point
( Amberl was stripey and dominated Europe, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 11:12, Reply)

True World War I Stories
They were compiled in the early 30's and it's just been re-issued. Harrowing stuff, I cant imagine being given very little training and then being sent to the front. Most were injured in their first attack (probably why they survived the war).
( Colonel Dracula Two manky hookers and a racist dwarf, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 10:24, Reply)

This is precisely what happened to my great-grandfather
who went 'over the top' armed with nothing but a swagger-cane and was promptly shot to ribbons, but was treated and survived because he was such an early casualty.
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 10:27, Reply)

Surely he'd taken his own sidearm?
A Colt or Browning perhaps? On a lanyard like your mittens?
(porkylips looks better as the sun goes down., Wed 21 Apr 2010, 10:30, Reply)

contrary to popular belief
being armed with a revolver is not much more use than a cane when running into the face of entrenched germans with machine guns and rifles
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 10:33, Reply)

"Dont forget your stick sir!"
Blackadder goes forth
( Colonel Dracula Two manky hookers and a racist dwarf, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 10:36, Reply)

"...clearly, Field Marshall Haig is about to make another gargantuan effort to move his drinks cabinet six inches closer to Berlin"
It does seem to sum up the bleakly ineffective approach to that war very well, in a rather depressing way.
(LongJohnBaldry, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 10:38, Reply)

I think officers were issued with a Webley in WW1

( Colonel Dracula Two manky hookers and a racist dwarf, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 11:02, Reply)

Yowzers
My great grandfather served for a few years in WW1, I have loads of photos and 2 medals. He had bits of shrapnel in his legs for the rest of his life (apparently they would rise to the surface and he could pick them out).
( Colonel Dracula Two manky hookers and a racist dwarf, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 10:36, Reply)

I, Lucifer by Glenn Duncan
Lucifer gets offered a deal by God, live your life as a sinless human and get back into heaven. Lucifer takes a one month trial period, behaves like Monty, writes a book and film detailing the creation and such, and his fall from heaven.
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 10:31, Reply)

The album by The Real Tuesday Weld, supposedly based on the same,
is also worth a listen.
(LongJohnBaldry, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 10:33, Reply)

I noticed that the book has a soundtrack
I'll check it out
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 10:34, Reply)

I was gonna read some Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
then I realised

the trouble with Solzhenitsyn
his books have got no tits in

i like tits
( broadsword, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 10:40, Reply)

THE FOLLOWING IS ONLY RELEVANT FOR THREE REASONS:
1. It involves reading
2. Noel mentioned The Greatest Show on Earth
3. It is of interest to me and excites me

Further evidence - as if 'twere needed - that A CROW WOULD KNOW.
(LongJohnBaldry, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 10:41, Reply)

That'll teach me not to read through a thread.
I for one welcome our new corvid overlords.
( Noeli overtheshoulderboulderholderthingstraplatchboobs, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 10:43, Reply)

Yup.
Interesting though, isn't it?
(LongJohnBaldry, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 10:44, Reply)

Very.
Evidence that some 'lower' animals have the ability to plan ahead and are a lot less reactive than we thought.
( Noeli overtheshoulderboulderholderthingstraplatchboobs, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 10:47, Reply)

I suppose it shouldn't be surprising
as people have historically always seen crows as being a bit crafty and suspicious. Though it is surprising that they are quite as clever as they are, and very interesting to see how some species of crow have evolved a slightly greater intelligence depending on their habitat...

BEHOLD AS THE CROWS MASTER TOOLS AND PLOT THEIR DOMINATION OF THE PLANET.
(LongJohnBaldry, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 10:53, Reply)

pppf
bloody crows
(bamboozled Can hear you getting fatter, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 11:35, Reply)

Stone the crows! That's something to ponder on.

( Larry Vest One day at a time, sweet Jesus, FFS., Wed 21 Apr 2010, 10:53, Reply)

that really is interesting
*adds crows to list of animal minions*

I was watching a programme on tv yesterday (I will not name it due to possible repercussions) and at one point one thick girl turns to another and said "so, did you know dolphins are just gay sharks?"
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 10:59, Reply)

*Glees*

(porkylips looks better as the sun goes down., Wed 21 Apr 2010, 11:13, Reply)

why watch bad tv?

( Amberl was stripey and dominated Europe, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 11:16, Reply)

it's reasonably entertaining
the mrs likes it, and I don't object. I tend to read most of the time as well.
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 11:22, Reply)

to be 100% fair
considering I watched Snog, Marry, Avoid to escape revision I am in no position to judge
( Amberl was stripey and dominated Europe, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 11:36, Reply)

That show is fucking ace
and because kiddo loves it I am assured she won't turn into one of those fucking attention-seeking idiots.
( Noeli overtheshoulderboulderholderthingstraplatchboobs, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 11:48, Reply)

Have you read any Arthur Koestler?
Bit old school, but very readable.

I've finaly got my mitts on two books Amberl suggested. Italo Calvino's 'If on a Winter's Night a Traveller', which I have yet to start, and Haruki Murakami's 'Hard Boiled Wonderland and The End of the WOrld', which was great fun. A bit like Raymond Chandler meets Richard Brautigan, a bit Alice, and a bit of Japanese angst.
( Larry Vest One day at a time, sweet Jesus, FFS., Wed 21 Apr 2010, 10:41, Reply)

I'm glad you enjoyed it :)
Hardboiled Wonderland and the End of the World is a great book, and I really think you'll enjoy the twistiness of 'If On a Winter's Night a Traveller'
( Amberl was stripey and dominated Europe, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 10:47, Reply)

I have a few other HM on order - seems harder to get hold of than you'd think for such an author.
I'm having to read both authors in translation, alas. I always wonder if I'm being short changed by the translator - how good is the Murakami translation?
( Larry Vest One day at a time, sweet Jesus, FFS., Wed 21 Apr 2010, 10:54, Reply)

Well I've never read the original
but Murakami speaks/reads English so I'd assume he's given it a look through, plus he licences his translations rigorously (there are very few)
( Amberl was stripey and dominated Europe, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 11:08, Reply)

Currently "The City of Dreaming Books" by Walter Moers, after having read everything else he's done.
And d'you know what? It's utter gash. I'm only reading it because I'm 100 pages in and feel like I'm committed to the fucker.
( Devil_In_Tights the *real* DiT!, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 10:42, Reply)

Reread
Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets by David Simon which was very interesting, though crime books/police books aren't my usual fare. It was non-fiction which was even better.

A lot of history books as well but that's for exams, with a copy of Julian May's 'The Many-Coloured Land' for fiction
( Amberl was stripey and dominated Europe, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 10:46, Reply)

QOTW/Off Topic

( Davros' Granddad a voice of calm reason in a world of spastics., Wed 21 Apr 2010, 10:48, Reply)

Badum-tish!

( Noeli overtheshoulderboulderholderthingstraplatchboobs, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 10:50, Reply)

Someone had to do it.
At the moment I'm dipping in and out of The Spy Who Loved Me. So far, not the best Bond book I've ever read.
( Davros' Granddad a voice of calm reason in a world of spastics., Wed 21 Apr 2010, 11:01, Reply)

I've never tried any of the books
Are they any good? I guess I always saw them as cliched and formulaic like the films.
( Noeli overtheshoulderboulderholderthingstraplatchboobs, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 11:22, Reply)

They are actually.
And mostly very different from the flicks (the Spy Who Loved Me being a particular case in point, along with You Only Live Twice). I got a nice retro-cover set from the Book People for about £8.
( Davros' Granddad a voice of calm reason in a world of spastics., Wed 21 Apr 2010, 11:28, Reply)

Well, I took that as read.

( Larry Vest One day at a time, sweet Jesus, FFS., Wed 21 Apr 2010, 11:00, Reply)

Oh and I read
Renegade's Magic, which is the final book in Robin Hobb's Soldier Son trilogy
( Amberl was stripey and dominated Europe, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 10:53, Reply)

I'm making a start on the final Liveship Traders book
and have the Soldier Son stuff to look forward to on holiday. I got Gateway by Frederik Pohl as well on your recommendation :-)
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 11:01, Reply)

Mrs Monkey got me into the Assasins and Live Ship books
which I thought were pretty good. She's recommended the new series she's started as well continuing the dragon stories so they're in the pile for me to work towards.
(Pirate Monkey is not the goddamn Batman, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 11:06, Reply)

I thoroughly enjoyed the Assassins ones and the liveship stuff
definitely among the better fantasy authors around.
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 11:13, Reply)

Nice
enjoy Gateway as well, it's quite a clever little book, and I believe the first book to contain made-up computer code
( Amberl was stripey and dominated Europe, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 11:10, Reply)

I'm looking forward to it
the concept seems really good
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 11:13, Reply)

just don't laugh too much
at the pyschiatrist bits, for me it's actually the only bit of the book that dates it- the concentration on Freud
( Amberl was stripey and dominated Europe, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 11:14, Reply)

Amberl - we part company here.
I picked up some of Hobb's stuff (at your recommendation) and put it down sharpish. That Hobbity sort of stuff with ludicrous names and dragons and goblins (probably) just ain't for me.
( Larry Vest One day at a time, sweet Jesus, FFS., Wed 21 Apr 2010, 12:37, Reply)

Which ones did you read?

( Amberl was stripey and dominated Europe, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 12:49, Reply)

Has anyone read Solo by Robert Mason?
Shite film, rather entertaining book.
(porkylips looks better as the sun goes down., Wed 21 Apr 2010, 10:57, Reply)

I'm reading as well
The Northern Lights out loud to practice my English pronunciation.

Los Batautos so my bf can practice his Spanish.
(Aberracion Life's getting very complicated, but a lot of fun., Wed 21 Apr 2010, 11:01, Reply)

I'm going to be catching the train to work instead of driving soon
meaning I'm going to have about 3 extra hours a day reading time.

In preparation for this, I've got a whole stack of books including the Gormenghast trilogy, Strangers by Taichi Yamada, Audition by Ryu Murakami and a few Sci Fi bits picked up cheaply from The Works.

I'm quite looking forward to it as I haven't had time to read anything deeper that a few comics and mangas for a few months now.
(Pirate Monkey is not the goddamn Batman, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 11:03, Reply)

Gormenghast is amazing
really worth the read
( Amberl was stripey and dominated Europe, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 11:10, Reply)

They adapted it for tv over 10 years ago
I dont think its ever been repeated
( Colonel Dracula Two manky hookers and a racist dwarf, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 11:18, Reply)

Have that on DVD
Jonathan-Rhys-Meyer and all. Good but not as good as the book, and far too colourful
( Amberl was stripey and dominated Europe, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 11:21, Reply)

Yes, yes, indeedy.
One of my favourites. And the illustrations too.
I could drone on for hours about Peake's work.
( Larry Vest One day at a time, sweet Jesus, FFS., Wed 21 Apr 2010, 12:33, Reply)

Erm.........might I suggest.
www.amazon.co.uk/Praise-Older-Women-Recollections-Classics/dp/0141192062/ref=sr_1_53?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1271844942&sr=1-53
( girlinthehole, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 11:16, Reply)

Vested interest by any chance?
*snigger*
(porkylips looks better as the sun goes down., Wed 21 Apr 2010, 11:26, Reply)

You may like to try
"Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors: A Search for Who We Are" by Carl Sagan and Ann Druyan. Not too heavy at all and quite fun in the later chapters when you begin to see and recognise various traits in those around you.

Also, as pop science goes "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson is suprisingly quite a fun read.
( RadG Drinking Mojitos in the sun, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 11:45, Reply)

if science is your thing
i can heartily recommend Michio Kaku's Physics of the Impossible. Awesome stuff. His Hyperspace is good too but a lot more hardcore...
(beanojam isn't really Ricardo Flange, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 12:44, Reply)

Peter V Brett
I've just finished The Desert Spear by Peter V Brett which is very good. Now have to wait for about a year till the next one comes out.
(The Ginger Penguin la la la la la la, Wed 21 Apr 2010, 14:56, Reply)