That's more like it.

[swervedriver]

Currently reading 'We need to talk about Kevin' by Lionel Shriver. Quite gripping thusfar, although sometimes it's a little hard to follow due to too many big words in one sentence. Me not understand dem.

I heard an interview with her about that book on the radio once and they did an abridged serialisation. Pretty heavy stuff but it didn't raise much in the way of chuckles..

Probably not the right subject matter to do a fun-ified abridged version of anyway. That reminds me, I need to check up on Yugioh.

Sylvia Plath- The Bell Jar

It'll make you want to put your head in an extremely hot oven.

You have to remember he's gay, which prevents him from sticking any part of himself in a "hot oven".

He's reading Sylvia Plath, it would be difficult to overlook.

Sylvia Plath- The Bell Jar

It'll make you want to put your head in an extremely hot oven.

You have to remember he's gay, which prevents him from sticking any part of himself in a "hot oven".

He's reading Sylvia Plath, it would be difficult to overlook.

He's lucky he doesn't have a gag reflex. Confessional poetry makes me want to vomit.

Maybe I was wrong in Random Thoughts. THIS page should go down in forum history.

City at the End of Time by Greg Bear if you dig scifi.

[Octillus]

I saw some earlier Vonnegut recommendations, and while of course Cat's Cradle (my favorite book of all time) and Slaughterhouse-Five (the best book of all time) are great recommendations I have to throw a couple you may not have read into the ring, because, er, well I have a Vonnegut tattoo.

So I'm going to give an earlier era Vonnegut book:

The Sirens of Titan (1959). Doesn't exactly have anything that revolutionizes the narrative structure, but you can see a fresh Vonnegut on the cusp of greatness with a very solid plot and a very heavy Sci-Fi theme. I definitely picture 1950's science fiction aesthetic as I read this one.

And now a later era book:

Galapagos (1985). This is a seasoned Vonnegut, and while your mind will not be blown it has some really clever little ways of playing with the reader. For example, (and this is stated pretty much at the very beginning so not a spoiler) every character who is about to die has their name published with an asterisk. Brilliant novel.


And yes there are other great books and shorts he had written, but those are two that are among my top 5 of his books and they never make it on anyone's lists.

So I'm going to give an earlier era Vonnegut book:

The Sirens of Titan (1959). Doesn't exactly have anything that revolutionizes the narrative structure, but you can see a fresh Vonnegut on the cusp of greatness with a very solid plot and a very heavy Sci-Fi theme. I definitely picture 1950's science fiction aesthetic as I read this one.

And now a later era book:

Galapagos (1985). This is a seasoned Vonnegut, and while your mind will not be blown it has some really clever little ways of playing with the reader. For example, (and this is stated pretty much at the very beginning so not a spoiler) every character who is about to die has their name published with an asterisk. Brilliant novel.

Funny thing, I've read these few weeks back together with "Hocus Pocus" and handful of his early short stories (which suck a bit, by the way - they're not Vonnegutish at all). That spoilerific thing looks like a sort of his trademark, which is bit annoying and hard to get used to . But well I like him, even though reading three of his books in a row isn't the most uplifting experience.

[Octillus]

Sirens was when he found his voice. His first novel wasn't exactly that special and clearly an amateur effort.

Trust me it works in Galapagos due to the style of narration.

If you're into non-fiction I'd say Bill Buford - Among the Thugs

It's about a journalist who follows Soccer hooligans around Europe from match to match. He writes about the crowd mentality, and it is absolutely insane what these people do. Buford writes really well, and at times the story will make you cringe and feel dirty, as if you're a part of the acts. Amazing read!

Musicophilia by Oliver Sacks

It's basically a study of music and how it affects the brain. Pretty interesting stuff. It is told from a factual point of view, but somehow never gets boring.

Musicophilia by Oliver Sacks

It's basically a study of music and how it affects the brain. Pretty interesting stuff. It is told from a factual point of view, but somehow never gets boring.

Yeah, that book was mentioned a few pages back, looks like an interesting read.

Musicophilia by Oliver Sacks

It's basically a study of music and how it affects the brain. Pretty interesting stuff. It is told from a factual point of view, but somehow never gets boring.

Yeah, that book was mentioned a few pages back, looks like an interesting read.

Crap. Sorry.

Has anyone else read Frank Herbert's Dune series, or is that just me?

Been reading them since I was 8 or 9, and everytime I go back with new ideas, more just seem to pour from the pages. It's quite cool- don't let the film put you off.

And the Oliver Sacks and Dan Levitin books are pretty interesting (only halfway through Musicophilia, but seems pretty good so far)

Yes, Dune is awesome. Couldn't get through the whole series though.