Whatcha reading?

Yes, boys and girls, it’s that time once again.

I just started Yann Martel’s Life of Pi – the novel about the boy adrift in a boat with a tiger. We haven’t gotten to the boat yet, but I’m already enthralled. What a wonderful writer! (And not in a “Look Ma, I’m writing!,” which drives me batshit.)

And you?

I just finished Kazuo Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go. Incredibly well written, creepy, page-turner. The last thing I expected from Ishiguro was a page-turner - he’s a great writer, but his stuff tends to be a bit more on the High-Falootin’ Literary Fiction end than “OMG I can’t put this down!” end. This one, I blew through in a day or two. Really great read.

I’ve been on a Niven kick lately.

So I’m reading The Mote in God’s Eye at home and The first Man Kzin War book at work.

I’m finishing the last volume of Harry Turtledov’e WorldWar series, which I’m loving. I’m surprised I missed it when it came out. His Colonization series is apparemtly a sequel to this, but before I read that I’m reading a history of New York City told in maps that’s filled with wonderful little details I never read in other histories of New York. I’m also going to read Shadows over Baker Street, a collection of H.P. Lovecraft/Sherlock Holmes crossovers.

A new biography of Charlotte Charke, an 18th-century London actress notorious for her cross-dreesing both onstage and off.

Mostly kiddie stuff, some recommended from folks here, and some business / work things. I do have Freakonomics by Leavitt requested from the local library.

I just finished the sixth Lemony Snicket book and I am about a fourth of the way through House of Sand and Fog by Andre Dubus III. After that, I have Terry Pratchett’s The Last Hero and Audrey Niffenegger’s The Time Traveler’s Wife which has been mentioned on the boards.

I’m reading Bel Canto a story about a birthday party that gets taken hostage by some revolutionaries. I read a bunch of it yesterday while sitting in Jury Duty. It was very apt:)

The Children of the Lamp for pleasure and on Sundays when I read things a little more serious I am reading: On Intelligence. I have a bunch in the queue, but I’m not sure what I’ll read next.

Well, I’m currently trying to read Swing Shift a book about the All Girl Bands of the 40s but it’s proving hard to plow through and I’m not sure if I’ll finish.

I just finished The Da Vinci Code and before that Native Tongue by Carl Hiasson. Both very entertaining. I hear The Da Vinci Code is being made into a movie. That ought to be good. I found myself casting the characters as I read.

Fray by Joss Whedon of Buffy fame. It’s a graphic novel about another vampire slayer a future where the rich are richer, the poor are poorer, and there are flying cars. I’ve only just started it but so far, it rocks like a bastard.

Just started To Say Nothing of the Dog, by Connie Willis. I’m about to play in a role-playing game in a Victorian setting, and that’s where most of the action is supposed to take place. So far it’s eeriliy similar to the beginning The Doomsday Book. Time travel, mass confusion, one of the main characters is ill and delirious and thus not a reliable narrator. . . I’m a little leery. But I was dubious at the beginning of Doomsday, too, though, and it definitely won me over by the end.

On deck (as in, already checked out from the library): Canticle for Liebowitz. I can’t hardly wait. :slight_smile:

And Through A Distant Mirror: The Calamitous 14th Century is still on my nightstand. I read a few pages now and then, but lately I’ve been just crashing into bed with no energy for reading.

Well, I just last night finished The Brentford Triangle, and this morning I essayed a start on *East of Ealing * (books #2 & #3 of the Brentford Trilogy by Robert Rankin). I also got the one-volume Keith Laumer collection Imperium yesterday, and have started that. Next in the queue are *Woad To Wuin * by Peter David and about 50 others. Thank Og for summer vacation! :smiley:

Well, I just last night finished The Brentford Triangle, and this morning I essayed a start on **East of Ealing ** (books #2 & #3 of the Brentford Trilogy by Robert Rankin). I also got the one-volume Keith Laumer collection Imperium yesterday, and have started that. Next in the queue are Woad To Wuin by Peter David and about 50 others. Thank Og for summer vacation! :smiley:

Re-reading my Robin Hobb books at the moment. Just polished off the Farseer trilogy and am starting on the Liveship Traders.

I finished Life of Pi a few weeks ago, made Mr Biscuithead read it 'cause I just HAD to talk to someone about it. He finished last night - it was late so we had a quick chat.

I’d very much be into talking more about it with a more literary group - there’s several layers there I’d like to delve deeper into.

Right now I’m reading Dune - want to do the whole series. I picked it up when I was grade 8 and promptly put it back on the shelf. The political intrigues bored me to tears. Reading it now, 20-some years later, I’m loving it. Can’t put it down.

In the past month I finished The Innocents by Harlan Coben, Blind Alley by Iris Johansen, no saints, no saviors my years with the Allman Brothers Band by Willie Perkins, Nothing’s Sacred by Lewis Black, Inside Out by Nick Mason, Drama City by George Pelecanos, Practical Demonkeeping and Bloodsucking Fiends by Christopher Moore (as recommended on this very site) and Ringworld’s Children by Larry Niven. In my car are copies of Best of Jack Williamson and Leo Laporte’s 2004 Technology Almanac. I’m almost finished with **Love All The People ** a collection of writings by the late Bill Hicks, satirist extraordinaire. Just started Countdown by Iris Johansen. Next up are On Bullshit by Harry G. Frankfurt (audioCD) and Island of the Sequined Love Nun by Christopher Moore. No, I haven’t been working. Why do you ask?

Give me a week or so, and I’ll be in. Unless there is a thread already – try searching for “Martell,” since the title words are too short to be useful.

Reading Last Call by Tim Powers. Interesting book, but it’s slow going because I’m obsessively watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer season 2 (for the first time) at the moment and it’s eating my time like you wouldn’t believe.

After that I’ve got Bryson’s Short History of Nearly Everything, Pompeii, Sagan’s Demon-Haunted World, Haunting of Hill House, Barker’s Great and Secret Show and several other novels lined up. Yeah, no shortage of things to read any time soon.

Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, which is a pretty cool follow-up to re-reading Books 1-5 of the Harry Potter series.

My between book for several months has been Mary, Queen of Scots and the Murder of Lord Darnley. Slow going.