What Books Are You Currently Reading?

[lil_sunshine]

Originally Posted by lil_sunshine

The Naked Soul of Iceberg Slim by Robert Beck

I finished this book awhile ago & I liked it. I'm currently reading "Trick Baby" by Iceberg Slim.

[DSTRen13]

Originally Posted by Drolefille

Now reading: Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

LOVED this book.

I just started reading Amy Tan's Saving Fish From Drowning. I've heard bad reviews, but I figure I'll give it a shot - I've loved everything else Amy Tan has ever written!

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by DSTRen13

LOVED this book.

I just started reading Amy Tan's Saving Fish From Drowning. I've heard bad reviews, but I figure I'll give it a shot - I've loved everything else Amy Tan has ever written!

I really liked it too, I was listening to the audiobook and the conversational style of the narrator really worked well there.

I have Saving Fish From Drowning on my "waiting to read" shelf, but I've been giving my library books precedence. Let me know what you think!

[pshsx1]

I decided to finally read 1984 by George Orwell.

I'm not very far in but it keeps me engaged really well. I just need to stop reading it while I'm laying in bed, under the blankets, with the TV on.

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by pshsx1

I decided to finally read 1984 by George Orwell.

I'm not very far in but it keeps me engaged really well. I just need to stop reading it while I'm laying in bed, under the blankets, with the TV on.

If you enjoy it, and dystopian lit in general I can make a few other recommendations!

[ThetaPrincess24]

Originally Posted by pshsx1

I decided to finally read 1984 by George Orwell.

I'm not very far in but it keeps me engaged really well. I just need to stop reading it while I'm laying in bed, under the blankets, with the TV on.

I have that one on my list to read but havent bought it yet. Let me know how you like it!!

[ThetaPrincess24]

Originally Posted by Drolefille

If you enjoy it, and dystopian lit in general I can make a few other recommendations!

I'm interested in your recommendations! You can PM them to me if you want.

[Drolefille]

I'm in the middle of Divided Kingdom right now and really enjoying it.

Dystopian fiction seems big right now, particularly in the YA books - which are well written too!

Suggestions with short descriptions, they're probably better than I make them sound

Unwind - You know the line parents use about how they should let you abort teenagers because no one would be against that? It's sort of a ridiculous premise but utterly believable as written.

The Hunger Games and Catching Fire - Post-apocalyptic society set in what used to be the US, kids from 12-18 fight to the death in the arena for the entertainment of (not quite) all who watch.

Handmaid's Tale - Classic, post apocalyptic society that has adopted some of the most conservative and restrictive precepts of religion. Told by a woman who doesn't even have her own name any more.

Oryx and Crake - Depressing, science could kill us all too. But well written if you like Atwood.

The Giver - also classic, a world where everything's the same (2 sequels)

The Gate to Women's Country - Not quite a dystopia, but still post-apoc. The women live in the city, the warriors live outside the city. Any man who wishes, may live in the city and learn but he has to leave the warriors forever. I love this book a lot.

The Children of Men - I'll be honest, I liked the movie better I think, but the book is quite good too. The birth rate drops, slowly, to zero.

The City of Ember - YA, and pretty entertaining. The movie didn't interest me so no idea if it's any good, but the book is fun. They've lived underground for a very long time and don't know of any other world. But everything's slowly breaking down.

The Forest of Hands and Teeth - Imagine living in a city surrounded by a fence. And on the other side the dead walk. (I didn't much like the ending, I haven't read the sequel and hold out hope that it's better.)

Canticle for Leibowitz - Post nuclear war, follows a group of monks over about a thousand years, they're the keepers of all the knowledge mankind has lost or is trying to lose.

Jennifer Government: You are who you work for.

Dawn (and series): We tried to blow ourselves up and the aliens have saved us. But their help comes with a price. Not necessarily dystopian, but post-apoc. Also I love Octavia Butler and I think I've read everything she ever wrote. Maybe.

And just because I enjoy it:
World War Z: Oral History of the Zombie War - I recommend against reading this at dark, at night. Because all of a sudden it's a bit ... too quiet. And you don't want to make noise and attract any attention because you're sure that if you do, you'll hear the moan of the zombie horde.

[IrishLake]

The dystopian genre depresses me because even thought I know it's fiction, it COULD be true, someday.

I just finished The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown. It sucked. Very predictable. The DaVinci Code was his fluke, because I wasn't impressed by his other books either... love DVC though.

I have all 5 Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy books, and just started the first one. I'm liking it.

Huh. I wonder if Hitchhiker qualifies as dystopian. Guess I'm a hypocrite if it does! Ha!

[pshsx1]

Originally Posted by Drolefille

And just because I enjoy it:
World War Z: Oral History of the Zombie War - I recommend against reading this at dark, at night. Because all of a sudden it's a bit ... too quiet. And you don't want to make noise and attract any attention because you're sure that if you do, you'll hear the moan of the zombie horde.

This book is totally on my buy list. I just finished The Zombie Survival Guide by the same author and it kept me VERY entertained.

Honestly, I have been in "omg, a zombie outbreak could start any second" mindset since I read it. Even when the History Channel mentioned the Donner Party, I perked up. I'm ready for any zombie outbreaks... Class 1, 2, 3, or even 4... bring it on!!!!! :P

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by IrishLake

The dystopian genre depresses me because even thought I know it's fiction, it COULD be true, someday.

I just finished The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown. It sucked. Very predictable. The DaVinci Code was his fluke, because I wasn't impressed by his other books either... love DVC though.

I have all 5 Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy books, and just started the first one. I'm liking it.

Huh. I wonder if Hitchhiker qualifies as dystopian. Guess I'm a hypocrite if it does! Ha!

Hitchhiker does not count, it's absurdist and awesome I hate Dan Brown I think he's a bad writer. But I also hate him for pretending htat he really did "research" and the stuff he writes is like totally "true" and stuff. Most of his stuff is the equivalent of "Pledged" if not worse.

Originally Posted by pshsx1

This book is totally on my buy list. I just finished The Zombie Survival Guide by the same author and it kept me VERY entertained.

Honestly, I have been in "omg, a zombie outbreak could start any second" mindset since I read it. Even when the History Channel mentioned the Donner Party, I perked up. I'm ready for any zombie outbreaks... Class 1, 2, 3, or even 4... bring it on!!!!! :P

The whole thing's awesome, but WWZ is even better because it's written after the war. The one that really happened, and could happen again. So it already happened. The audiobook is performed by a full cast but abridged so it was like "YAY... boo"

[pshsx1]

Originally Posted by IrishLake

The dystopian genre depresses me because even thought I know it's fiction, it COULD be true, someday.

lol I really do feel sad the further I read through 1984. I think my mind is in the same place as yours! I think it might be the reason I can only read a few subsections per sittig.

Originally Posted by Drolefille

The whole thing's awesome, but WWZ is even better because it's written after the war. The one that really happened, and could happen again. So it already happened. The audiobook is performed by a full cast but abridged so it was like "YAY... boo"

Can't wait to get it!!!

I also want to get Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Killer (or Hunter... don't remember) and Pride and Prejudice and Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. I have a friend who loves the P&Ps. But I think those might be for next summer.

So then I'll just head to the store and pick up whatever catches my eye.

Also, I happened to walk through Wal Mart's book section yesterday when I went to grab some thumbtacks and it disappointed me terribly. Basically, it was romance novels, magazines, coloring books, cooking books, vampire stories, and the Twilight series in every medium imaginable.

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by pshsx1

lol I really do feel sad the further I read through 1984. I think my mind is in the same place as yours! I think it might be the reason I can only read a few subsections per sittig.

Can't wait to get it!!!

I also want to get Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Killer (or Hunter... don't remember) and Pride and Prejudice and Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. I have a friend who loves the P&Ps. But I think those might be for next summer.

So then I'll just head to the store and pick up whatever catches my eye.

Also, I happened to walk through Wal Mart's book section yesterday when I went to grab some thumbtacks and it disappointed me terribly. Basically, it was romance novels, magazines, coloring books, cooking books, vampire stories, and the Twilight series in every medium imaginable.

I don't like Jane Austen, so PPZ was the first time I made it through one of her (sort of) books. Even then, I have no idea what they spent all their time doing when the zombies weren't involved. You might read PPZ first and then go back to P&P and see what was 'really' going on.

Abe Lincoln's on my list, the guy did a ton of research and I'm hoping it's good!

Also, Walmart is fail as far as books go, you forgot to mention all of the bibles/Christian books and novels.

If you want a semi-decent teen vampire series, House of the Night is ok, at least at first and is a different take on the vampire thing without sparkles.

I've heard Vampire Diaries is decent, and the first Blue Bloods book was ok. I have a ton of audiobooks on mp3 so if anyone's ever interested let me know and I'll see what I can do

[pshsx1]

I think I'll stay away from the vampire stuff for now (other than Abe Lincoln). I was torn between using my gift cars for two books (Zombie and 1984) or just one (Abe).

lol maybe we also need a "Books I Want to Read" thread :P

And on that note, I also want to reread Into the Wild and Into Thin Air by John Krakauer (spell check). I can't remember which one made me angry... so I figure I need to just reread both of them!

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by pshsx1

I think I'll stay away from the vampire stuff for now (other than Abe Lincoln). I was torn between using my gift cars for two books (Zombie and 1984) or just one (Abe).

lol maybe we also need a "Books I Want to Read" thread :P

And on that note, I also want to reread Into the Wild and Into Thin Air by John Krakauer (spell check). I can't remember which one made me angry... so I figure I need to just reread both of them!

Do you use Goodreads? I find it incredibly useful for keeping track of what I want to read/have read/am reading and getting recommendations for new books