# Perpetual, What are you reading thread? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 12, 2002, 8:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perpetual-what-are-you-reading-thread/97807 "2002-03-12T08:32:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![mblackwell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5fc32e/32.png) [@mblackwell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mblackwell)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2002, 8:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perpetual-what-are-you-reading-thread/97807/41 "2002-03-13T08:50:21Z")
Just finished _The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents_, by Terry Pratchett. It is supposed to be a childrens book, but it is quite entertaining and funny. I am now starting _Speaker for the Dead_, by Orson Scott Card. I found out about both authors on the SDMB and/or Unaboard. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2002, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perpetual-what-are-you-reading-thread/97807/42 "2002-03-13T15:05:47Z")
Thank you, **Lamar**. I was beginning to lose faith! ---
**Author:** ![unwashed\_brain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/a9adbd/32.png) [@unwashed\_brain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/unwashed_brain)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2002, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perpetual-what-are-you-reading-thread/97807/43 "2002-03-13T16:02:31Z")
I’m 2/3rds through **The Fifth Head of Cerberus** by Gene Wolfe. Reserving judgment until I see how he ties everything together in the 3rd story. ---
**Author:** ![scout1222](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/34f0e0/32.png) [@scout1222](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scout1222)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2002, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perpetual-what-are-you-reading-thread/97807/44 "2002-03-13T16:13:29Z")
In re: _Fast Food Nation_: I can’t say I was exactly surprised at how much research goes into hooking kids in at an early age. I guess, though, that I didn’t realize that there are actual focus groups and studies that are done. They’re very methodical about getting and keeping customers, that’s for sure. What boggled my mind the most was the section about the Meatpackers. I read _The Jungle_, and was able to dismiss things as “the way it used to be, things have changed”. These stories were current, and disgusted me to the point that I (briefly) considered boycotting meat. (Then reality set in…) In re: _Confederacy of Dunces_: I also read this because it came up in one of the other book threads. I ended up enjoying okay, but initially I was just COMPLETELY IRRITATED by Ignatius and his crap. By the end, though, it was just absurd, and I actually chuckled when he’d piss & moan about his “valve”. I expected more from the book. So I’m glad that I’m not the only one feeling a little disappointed. ---
**Author:** ![CzechHistory411](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/94ad74/32.png) [@CzechHistory411](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CzechHistory411)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2002, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perpetual-what-are-you-reading-thread/97807/45 "2002-03-13T16:14:20Z")
For what it’s worth, _“Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman!”_ between chapters of Joseph Campbell’s _The Hero with a Thousand Faces_. –CH ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2002, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perpetual-what-are-you-reading-thread/97807/46 "2002-03-13T17:39:30Z")
Hi **Czech**! I read _Surely You’re Joking Mr. Feynman,_ not long ago and I’d be interested in hearing your assessment of Feynman after reading it. I’ll withhold mine until then. 😉 And I can’t let criticism of _A Confederacy of Dunces_ pass me by without comment. It’s _supposed_ to be irritating and exasperating! The whole thing is over the top. I will admit, though, that it’s one of those books that suffer from too much hype. When I first read it I was merely told it was ‘good,’ so I really didn’t have any precooked expectations. It’s better experienced as one of those books that sneak up on you. Oh, **Dinsdale** here’s a recommdation for you which contains a small shot of the Big Easy: _Addie Pray_ by Joe David Brown. It’s one of my favorite books of all time. Very light. You can read it in a couple sittings. I’m putting _Fast Food Nation_ on my list. I think it’s been there before, but I forgot about it. And being vegetarian already, perhaps it won’t disgust me _too_ much. I just hope Taco Bell doesn’t get skewered (ohpleaseohpleaseohplease) Welcome to the boards, **hannahw**! There’s some of us who can’t let a book thread pass by without verbose comment. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2002, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perpetual-what-are-you-reading-thread/97807/47 "2002-03-13T18:51:44Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Dinsdale \* > \*\*You ever check out the prices Crews’ books go for on ebay and other book sites? Where did you steal your copy? Outta sight! Gotta figure if it is in any kind of condition at all you could get at least a couple of hundred for it - not that you would want to sell it. \*\* Sell it? Sell it? If I SOLD it, I wouldn’t be able to READ it. Not being able to go partying with Oyster Boy whenever I wanted to wouldn’t be WORTH a couple of hundred. FWIW, I like KNOCKOUT ARTIST even more than FEAST OF SNAKES, even though most people consider the latter to be Crews’ finest moment. Oh, and I got my copy at a book stall at a Bouchercon (the World Mystery Convention) two or three years ago. I couldn’t believe it, either. Incidentally, Leiber’s THE BIG TIME is absolutely amazing. I’d forgotten what a terrific writer this guy is. I thought of him when I was replying to **Gaudere’s** “Recommend me a Sword-and-Sorcery Book” thread, and I noticed that this one was in print…it’s a time travel fantasy about two warring factions who blip back and forth over a billion-year continuum and do things like poison Churchill and kidnap Einstein as a baby, all to further their own global agendas in something called the Change Wars, where history is constantly altering itself as they monkey with world events. At the moment the book’s taking place, the South has won the Civil War and the Third Reich extends from St. Petersburg to Kansas City. The crew of heroes includes a Wilfrid Owen-ish British World War One poet-soldier, a Roman Centurion, a Mississippi riverboat gambler, a Cretean warrior woman, an Elizabethan actor who hung out with Shakespeare, and a Nazi commandant. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2002, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perpetual-what-are-you-reading-thread/97807/48 "2002-03-13T19:09:07Z")
Once again, I am led to wonder if I’m the only Doper who reads pop fiction/mystery crap … I just finished (a week or so ago) _Word of Honor_ by Nelson Demille. I just picked up _The Hearing_ by John Lescroart. ---
**Author:** ![TroubleAgain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e480ec/32.png) [@TroubleAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroubleAgain)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2002, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perpetual-what-are-you-reading-thread/97807/49 "2002-03-13T19:31:22Z")
Not currently reading anything, although I have a book called “The Hour of the Manatee” sitting there that I’ve read a little bit of and then set aside. I just finished a light mystery story called “If I’d Killed Him When I Met Him” that was kind of entertaining. But I’m waiting…in the next day or so, Pratchet’s “The Unadulterated Cat” will show up at my door via UPS…Woo-hoo, can’t wait! ---
**Author:** ![Politzania](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3ab097/32.png) [@Politzania](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Politzania)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2002, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perpetual-what-are-you-reading-thread/97807/50 "2002-03-13T19:32:23Z")
Just finished [Good Omens - by Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0441003257/qid=1016047153/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_67_1/103-4872591-1481410) – not sure how to classify it other than pre-apocalyptic humour & veddy British in places. It’s (probably) going in the Book Swap. Am about 1/4 thru [Carter Beats the Devil - Glen David Gold](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0786867345/qid=1016047277/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_71_1/103-4872591-1481410). I caught bits & pieces of it on [Radio Reader (NPR program)](http://fistook.com/DESTELL.HTML) . It traces the life of Charles carter, a magician at the turn of the century. It’s due back at the library on the 22nd - so I better get a move on! ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2002, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perpetual-what-are-you-reading-thread/97807/51 "2002-03-13T20:21:10Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by Jack Batty_ > Once again, I am led to wonder if I’m the only Doper who reads pop fiction/mystery crap … Oh Jack!! See, I read crap, too! 😉 > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ellen \* > > Next up is a Patricia Cornwell that I’m not overly excited about. The last one I read was way too mired in FBI politics and the poor niece’s difficulties. I really liked _The Body Farm_ and keep waiting for her to recapture what I liked about that book. ---
**Author:** ![Legomancer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/779978/32.png) [@Legomancer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Legomancer)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2002, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perpetual-what-are-you-reading-thread/97807/52 "2002-03-13T20:26:24Z")
The Golden Compass by Phillip Pullman. It’s the first book of the “His Dark Materials” trilogy which is a trilogy because there’s no such thing as a single Fantasy or Sci-Fi book anymore. It’s pretty cool. ---
**Author:** ![jinty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/dbc845/32.png) [@jinty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jinty)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2002, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perpetual-what-are-you-reading-thread/97807/53 "2002-03-14T13:58:40Z")
Just finished **Down by the river where the dead men go** by George Pelecanos. Contemporary hard-boiled detective novel set in Washington DC, very enjoyable. When I went to pay for it in a city centre bookshop, the clerk looked at the cover and said “Pelecanos? I’m impressed!” which cheered me up. (Of course, he might do that with all his customers…“Tom Clancy? I’m impressed!” “Barbara Cartland? Wow!” etc ;)) Currently half-way through Correlli Barnett’s **The Swordbearers** about supreme command in the First World War. Although Barnett is a bit of a controversial author, I reckon his judgements are pretty sound. At the moment, he’s being sympathetic to Jellicoe for the way he handled his fleet in the battle of Jutland. And just started Sebastian Faulks’ **Birdsong** , coincidentally also about the First World War. So far it’s a love story set in 1910, though I suspect this might be “scene-setting”. ---
**Author:** ![Lisa\_Ann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bc79bd/32.png) [@Lisa\_Ann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lisa_Ann)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2002, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perpetual-what-are-you-reading-thread/97807/54 "2002-03-14T19:26:22Z")
**Jack Batty** - I _love_ mystery! However, I discriminate by mostly reading female authors. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2002, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perpetual-what-are-you-reading-thread/97807/55 "2002-03-14T21:29:27Z")
**Uke** - man, Oyster Boy would be a great username! I think KO Artist ends about as pleasantly as anything I’ve read by Crews. I love it when Eugene says they’ve got nothing, and Jaques holds up his fists and says, “We’ve got these!” You expect them to hop in the truck and drive off a bridge. When I posted 2 days ago, a 1st edition of The Gypsy’s Curse had just gone up on ebay starting at - $8. It is now up to $50 with 4 days to go. How high do you think it will go? I bet it cracks $350. ---
**Author:** ![CzechHistory411](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/94ad74/32.png) [@CzechHistory411](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CzechHistory411)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2002, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perpetual-what-are-you-reading-thread/97807/56 "2002-03-15T04:39:45Z")
> [@](#): > > _Ellen Cherry spake thusly…_ > > I read _Surely You’re Joking Mr. Feynman_, not long ago and I’d be interested in hearing your assessment of Feynman after reading it. I’ll withhold mine until then. This was my third encounter with Feynman. The first was _Six Easy Pieces & Six Not-So-Easy Pieces_, which had its moments but was generally rather ho-hum. My second Feynman experience was with the audio tape of his lectures on classical physics. _Hearing_ Feynman lecture is so much different than reading his lectures. You begin to understand why he was so good at what he loved doing, i.e. explaining how things work. So the third encounter was _“Surely You’re Joking…”_. My comments? Hmmm… [ul] [li]Feynman was obviously a whore.[/li][li]Damn him for being good at everything he tried.[/li][li]I admire him nonetheless.[/li][/ul] – CH ---
**Author:** ![Wisest\_Novel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wisest_novel/32/13329_2.png) [@Wisest\_Novel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wisest_Novel)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2002, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perpetual-what-are-you-reading-thread/97807/57 "2002-03-15T06:45:01Z")
I dare you… **dare you** …to read the opening chapter of Joe R. Lansdale’s _Bad Chili_ (c. 1997) without cackling your whatzit off into tiny shards. I know, I never heard of him, either, but trust the Novel on this. It stays good after that, too: the dialogue is better’n most, his descriptive eye is razor-sharp and brutally real, and the plot moves faster than a barefoot gringo on the boardwalk in August. I’ve read some more of his work since, and although he’s a regional (east Texas, not my fav part of the world-or TX) writer, he appears to have both real talent and considerable reach, getting into several genres well, including detective and horror fiction. If you’re interested, check out [his site](http://www.joerlansdale.com/todaysfeature.html). ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2002, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perpetual-what-are-you-reading-thread/97807/58 "2002-03-15T16:24:04Z")
I agree with you CzechHistory! I thoroughly enjoyed him until it became obvious how great he thought he was. I’ve just read the one book. ---
**Author:** ![Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2002, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perpetual-what-are-you-reading-thread/97807/59 "2002-03-15T19:42:44Z")
Right now I’m reading a book called ‘Cruddy’ by Lynda Barry-- you know, the woman who draws Ernie Pook’s Comeek that appears in lots of free weeklies. It’s hideously creepy, absolutely thrilling, and obeys the first maxim of reading-- you want to know what happens next. ---
**Author:** ![Geek\_Mecha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecae2f/32.png) [@Geek\_Mecha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Geek_Mecha)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2002, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perpetual-what-are-you-reading-thread/97807/60 "2002-03-16T00:27:05Z")
I’m also reading _Fast Food Nation_ by Eric Schlosser. I started it just yesterday. And I’m 80% done with _Good Omens_. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perpetual-what-are-you-reading-thread/97807.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perpetual-what-are-you-reading-thread/97807.md?page=4)