Books 2nd Edition, Foreword by m0r1arty Options

[widowspider]

Reading Ulysses.
This book is the hardest thing... It just really makes no sense to me. It's not the references that are bugging me, it's the fact that the book just does not make sense.. It's so scattered! I don't get it. I know the basic plot, but I can't follow it. I feel utterly stupid reading this book.

Joyce is extremely hard to read, because of his style of consciousness writing. Have you read any of his 'easier' works before? If not, you might find that a way to get into how he writes - I'd definitely recommend A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man or Dubliners, his short stories.

[Hobbes]

Dubliners, his short stories.

Read this regardless if you haven't before, it's one of the best books ever written. Portrait of the Artist gets a bit boggy in places and meanders a lot, but Dubliners' stories are so meticulously crafted it never feels OTT. Definitely worth reading if you like Joyce or not.

[jem]

Joyce is extremely hard to read, because of his style of consciousness writing. Have you read any of his 'easier' works before? If not, you might find that a way to get into how he writes - I'd definitely recommend A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man or Dubliners, his short stories.

Read this regardless if you haven't before, it's one of the best books ever written. Portrait of the Artist gets a bit boggy in places and meanders a lot, but Dubliners' stories are so meticulously crafted it never feels OTT. Definitely worth reading if you like Joyce or not.

I think I may actually put Ulysses on hold, it was a bit better (more enjoyable) reading it last night and this morning, but I could still only get about 5 pages in before my eyes started to glaze. I think that this will probably be my new Crime & Punishment. I tried reading that when I was 10 and failed enormously (I was 10, what was I expecting?). However, I've been rereading it each year and with each reading I am understanding it more and more. The last time I read it I was actually reading it for enjoyment and not as some odd punishment to myself.

I am going to the library on my lunch hour though and they do have a copy of Dubliners in.... I think I might borrow it.

[monkeyman]

Can anyone recommend an interesting accessible book about Da Vinci. And one on Greek Mythology. One with pictures would be nice.

[Serafina_Pekkala]

This is a good biography about Da Vinci. If you want his complete works rather than commentary on his life - try this. Both reasonably priced and available at your local library probably.

And one on Greek Mythology. One with pictures would be nice.

I don't know about pictures but The Greek Myths by Robert Graves is the classic of all classics. He puts together stories from various sources (Homer, Herodatus, Apollonius Rhodius) into narrative form. Highly recommended.

There is also this volume by Jean Pierre Vernant - I haven't read it but I've heard very good things.

[monkeyman]

Cheers . Think I'll pick some of them up after I get paid.

[Igmeister]

Just finished Rise of the Iron Moon by Stephen Hunt. It's the third part of his Jackelian series of novels set in a world that is very much based upon a steam punk Victorian Britain. Found it a big improvement over the second book in the series 'The Kingdom Beneath the Waves', which I found a good read, but lacking the pacing and likeable characters of the first part of the series 'The Court of The Air'. Rise... is undoubtedly helped by the return of the main protagonists from the first book and a story that dives straight in offering plenty of twists and turns, before building up to a fantastic climax.

Have just started Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, not sure how much further I'll get as the joke is rapidly wearing thin.

[jem]

Have just started Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, not sure how much further I'll get as the joke is rapidly wearing thin.

I got that as a birthday/Christmas present. Even though I know it was meant to be sweet, a little unreasonable part me is a bit miffed about receiving such a horrible book. Burn it, it would make better kindling then reading material.

I finished Dubliners on Sunday. Quite good. Thanks for the recommendation!

This post has been edited by jem: Apr 22 2010, 06:07 PM

[monkeyman]

I still think a proper zombie film set in that period would be awesome.

[maian]

They've put the film version into production, so we'll get a chance to see it soon enough.

[Igmeister]

I got that as a birthday/Christmas present. Even though I know it was meant to be sweet, a little unreasonable part me is a bit miffed about receiving such a horrible book. Burn it, it would make better kindling then reading material.

I finished Dubliners on Sunday. Quite good. Thanks for the recommendation!

I've given up on it, couldn't get into it and found it seriously unfunny. Started on Ark by Stephen Baxter instead.

[jem]

I still think a proper zombie film set in that period would be awesome.

I agree, as a concept it is very interesting, however the execution of the concept into a book is the most painful thing I've ever read. It's garbage. It's one of those things that was only created to make money. Given the right treatment the book could have been really good. But it just wound up being cheesy cliche, and not even good cheesy cliche, frustrating crappy cheesy cliche. Maybe it's just because I adore the original Austen books. Those might be mindless drivel but they are fun! Plus Northanger Abbey is hilarious!

[curtinparloe]

Engrossed in "The Suspicions Of Mr Whicher" by Kate Summerscale. It's fascinating.

[maian]

Before work this morning I finally finished Great Expectations, which I'd be reading in increments for the better part of a month. I thought it was great, though I think my love of David Lean's incredibly pacy film version did make some of the slower sections seem more of a slog than they might otherwise have been. I also thought that my habit of reading bits at a time, usually during quiet periods of work, doesn't do any favours to Dickens' prose, which is very rich and seems to be best read in long, unbroken bursts, rather than in brief snatches here and there.

[mcraigclark]

Before work this morning I finally finished Great Expectations, which I'd be reading in increments for the better part of a month. I thought it was great, though I think my love of David Lean's incredibly pacy film version did make some of the slower sections seem more of a slog than they might otherwise have been. I also thought that my habit of reading bits at a time, usually during quiet periods of work, doesn't do any favours to Dickens' prose, which is very rich and seems to be best read in long, unbroken bursts, rather than in brief snatches here and there.

Great Expectations is the reason I hated Dickens for a decade. I came to my senses, but I still can't stand that one.