Page: 1 2 3
TexasMadness
Administrator
Global user (premium)
Registered: 03-2007
Location: Austin, Texas
Posts: 2518
|
|
Reply | Quote
|
|
Books in 2009
New thread for me!
Life of Pi by Yann Martel
Very interesting book. It's hard to really talk about it without giving away the surprise I felt as the story unraveled. Most likely the cover illustration will give some things away but I listened to the audio book so I never saw the cover until after I finished it.
Anyway, it's the memoirs of an Indian man who lived through a trying adventure. He grew up in a zoo in India but during a cross Pacific voyage, he became the victim of a long trial at sea.
Most of the people I've talked to that thought the book was "too weird" belong in a class of folks that like to do and read "safe" things. I don't know how else to describe them. I guess they just lack a sense of adventure. And therefore didn't like the book. The people I've talked to that loved the book have all been a bit eccentric in their own ways. I've found that discovery to be almost as fascinating as the book!
|
|
1/13/2009, 4:27 pm
|
Send Email to TexasMadness
Send PM to TexasMadness
|
pookshollow
Registered user
Global user
Registered: 04-2005
Location: SW Ontario
Posts: 242
|
|
Reply | Quote
|
|
Re: Books in 2009
I've seen it - haven't read it yet. I'll have to try and get it from the library.
I'm currently in the middle of Christopher Plummer's autobiography "In Spite of Myself". We saw him perform in "Caesar and Cleopatra" at Stratford in November. My first time going there (Ontario!) and I was absolutely floored. Wish I could afford to go more often. It was something to see him, at 79 years of age, leaping about on stage!
I'm also reading "Portrait of a Killer" by Patricia Cornwell, about Jack the Ripper. Very interesting.
Both of these books are way out of my usual type of reading BTW 
---
Half Caper Farm
Saanens, Boers, Nigerian Dwarfs
Harlequin and Lionhead Rabbits
|
|
1/14/2009, 3:04 am
|
Send Email to pookshollow
Send PM to pookshollow
|
TexasMadness
Administrator
Global user (premium)
Registered: 03-2007
Location: Austin, Texas
Posts: 2518
|
|
Reply | Quote
|
|
Re: Books in 2009
State of Fear by Michael Crichton
First, this book took me FOREVER to read! I started it right after finishing Life of Pi so it took me two months to finish! Usually, I read about 2 books a month. This was a long one, but not that long. I'm not so sure what the deal was. Anyway...
Crichton was a known opponent to the political side of the Global Warming issue. Meaning, he thinks the science shouldn't be politicized to the point where there is no science and it's all been manipulated. He believes that Global Warming is ridiculously overstated and will be seen as one of the big silly blunders of the early 21st century. Read more in a speech he gave here: Aliens Cause Global Warming. Ok, on to the book.
The book is really just a platform to convey Crichton's opinion. Granted, most books are simply a way for an author to express something. That's exactly what fiction is about. But usually you don't see such a transparent attempt from the author to simply give a single message. That's not to say it wasn't entertaining, it just felt a little like getting hit over the head again and again with the same information.
The whole book was like a children's show. There's the older wiser man Kenner who knows that Global Warming isn't real. Everyone else is like a kid who has only listened to the news and is sure it is real. Over and over something happens and he explains to them in detail that it's all a farce. But they still don't believe him! Then something else happens - more explanation - more incredulity from the other characters. FINALLY, they start to see it towards the end of the book. By this time, the reader is extremely annoyed every time the characters go back to saying "but I heard on the news...".
But the book did bring up really good points about politics and science. I've seen it myself in my own line of work. Every one knows about drug studies performed by the drug company that later come out to have been misrepresented so they can get it on the market. Science is not all about fact.
If you are interested in the environment and politics, read the book and see for yourself. I have yet to do a lot of fact checking on it but I've read some things are not true (it is fiction after all). But it's still a good perspective.
And now to read something a little quicker and lighter...
Last edited by TexasMadness, 3/12/2009, 4:29 pm
|
|
3/12/2009, 4:28 pm
|
Send Email to TexasMadness
Send PM to TexasMadness
|
TexasMadness
Administrator
Global user (premium)
Registered: 03-2007
Location: Austin, Texas
Posts: 2518
|
|
Reply | Quote
|
|
Re: Books in 2009
A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole
Wow. Just wow. This book was written in the early 60s but the author was unable to get the book published. His life spiraled downward and he committed suicide in 1969. His mother found an old copy of the manuscript and later had it published in 1980. Toole won the Pulitzer the next year.
The book is just incredible. It takes place in the early 60s in New Orleans and centers around Ignacius Reilly - an obese, intelligent, delusion man living with his mother. He despises modern culture and is none too quiet about it. He finds himself in one bizarre situation after another - most of which are truly created by his own actions. It's a brilliant and hilarious read. I listened to the audio version and the narrator did an excellent job of all the voices and accents that are so unique to the area.
Great book - give it a shot!
|
|
3/30/2009, 5:39 pm
|
Send Email to TexasMadness
Send PM to TexasMadness
|
TexasMadness
Administrator
Global user (premium)
Registered: 03-2007
Location: Austin, Texas
Posts: 2518
|
|
Reply | Quote
|
|
Re: Books in 2009
The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket
Interesting children's book. Like many of the other books, this was an audio one. The reason I picked it is because it was read by a full cast which usually makes things much more entertaining (for instance, the audio version of the Redwall series are just excellent). The book is the first in a series called a Series of Unfortunate Events - a movie came out a few years ago of the same name and encompasses the first three books in the series.
I think the audio version (which is less than 3 hours long) would be great for a long car ride with kids. Or if you need a quick read with an odd sense of humor. The book has been described as neo-gothic because of it's dark themes (orphaned children go to live with their evil relative who is after their inheritance).
|
|
4/3/2009, 3:06 pm
|
Send Email to TexasMadness
Send PM to TexasMadness
|
MagiCat
Registered user
Global user
Registered: 10-2004
Posts: 411
|
|
Reply | Quote
|
|
Re: Books in 2009
I read this! (The Bad Beginning) I liked it. You are right for sure -- odd sense of humor. I saw the movie and laughed and laughed. (Saw the movie after the book). The kids in the movie are wonderful, especially the biting baby.
|
|
4/3/2009, 9:37 pm
|
Send Email to MagiCat
Send PM to MagiCat
|
TexasMadness
Administrator
Global user (premium)
Registered: 03-2007
Location: Austin, Texas
Posts: 2518
|
|
Reply | Quote
|
|
Re: Books in 2009
The movie was really great! I saw the movie first and was pleasantly surprised on reading the book that the movie really managed to capture the book both in factually (i.e. following the story) and spiritually (i.e. convening the same feel). Did you read the others in the series?
|
|
4/3/2009, 9:45 pm
|
Send Email to TexasMadness
Send PM to TexasMadness
|
MagiCat
Registered user
Global user
Registered: 10-2004
Posts: 411
|
|
Reply | Quote
|
|
Re: Books in 2009
No - not yet.
|
|
4/4/2009, 1:24 am
|
Send Email to MagiCat
Send PM to MagiCat
|
TexasMadness
Administrator
Global user (premium)
Registered: 03-2007
Location: Austin, Texas
Posts: 2518
|
|
Reply | Quote
|
|
Re: Books in 2009
The Story of My Life by Farah Ahmedi
Good Morning America held a contest of "the story of my life". The received thousands of essays in response and chose three finalists. The American public voted and chose Farah's story.
Farah is an Afghan girl whose life changed dramatically when she stepped on a landmine. Practically her whole life fell apart during the following years. It's an incredible tale, and unfortunately, probably not terribly rare.
This is an incredible read for anyone interested in what happens to everyday people in other parts of the world.
Last edited by TexasMadness, 4/9/2009, 2:54 am
|
|
4/9/2009, 2:53 am
|
Send Email to TexasMadness
Send PM to TexasMadness
|
TexasMadness
Administrator
Global user (premium)
Registered: 03-2007
Location: Austin, Texas
Posts: 2518
|
|
Reply | Quote
|
|
Re: Books in 2009
Hot, Flat and Crowded - Why We Need a Green Revolution - And How it Can Renew America by Thomas Friedman
Well, I noticed that my reading list wasn't getting much longer...seemed like I was reading things, but couldn't put my finger on it. AH! That terribly long boring book that I never finished! That's what took up all my time the last 2 months. Ahem.
This book is the bigger brother of The World is Flat which I read last year (second post on this page). I think if I had not read the first one, the second one would have been much more interesting. But there was a lot of repetition of material, or at least "tone", if that makes sense.
Anyway, it has a brilliant message, just maybe a little beating-a-dead-horse at times. I have to admit that I never got to the part where he proposes a plan to get us out of the "Energy-Climate Era" but I might return to it one day when I'm feeling a bit more scholarly! 
Last edited by TexasMadness, 6/9/2009, 8:53 pm
|
|
6/9/2009, 8:53 pm
|
Send Email to TexasMadness
Send PM to TexasMadness
|
Add a reply
Page: 1 2 3
Link to us
- Blogs
- Hall of Honour
- Chat
|
You are not logged in (login)
Board's time is: 11/29/2009, 10:41 pm
|
|
|
