# What are you reading now? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 15, 2005, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-reading-now/290187 "2005-02-15T14:06:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![FilmGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@FilmGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FilmGeek)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2005, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-reading-now/290187/41 "2005-02-15T21:44:45Z")
I’m half way through Jonathan Strange… the audiobook. I like it, but I’ve got not clue one where it’s going. I love the footnotes. I’m re-reading the first five Harry Potter books. Started Book 5 last night. Good work reading. Then is Jane Eyre for the first time. ---
**Author:** ![Ichini\_Sanshigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/d9b06d/32.png) [@Ichini\_Sanshigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ichini_Sanshigo)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2005, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-reading-now/290187/42 "2005-02-15T21:50:01Z")
I’m almost done with **The Time Traveler’s Wife** by Audrey Niffenegger (for some reason I always want to say “Niffenbauer”). After that, I plan to do terrible things with Neil Gaiman’s **Neverwhere**. I keep hearing good things about this Gaiman fellow, and I saw the book in the library like, right in front of my face, so I decided to give it a shot. **The Time Traveler’s Wife** is shaping up to be really really good, by the way. ---
**Author:** ![Nightwatch\_Trailer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9dc877/32.png) [@Nightwatch\_Trailer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nightwatch_Trailer)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2005, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-reading-now/290187/43 "2005-02-15T22:02:41Z")
> [@Necros](#): > > I’ve been reading “Battle Royale” by Kousun Takumi. In Japanese. I guess I can’t reccommend that to you, though. 😉 I’ve read the English version and I found the writing rather awkward - is that just a result of the translation or is it choppy in the original Japanese? ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2005, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-reading-now/290187/44 "2005-02-15T22:11:47Z")
**i, robot** and **Foundation** simultaneously. ---
**Author:** ![ITR\_champion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c67d28/32.png) [@ITR\_champion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ITR_champion)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2005, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-reading-now/290187/45 "2005-02-15T22:16:47Z")
_The Sword of the Lictor_, volume three in **The Book of the New Sun** by Gene Wolfe. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2005, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-reading-now/290187/46 "2005-02-15T22:36:03Z")
I always seem to read three or four books at once. One in the car, one at home, one in the can, etc. Currently, the list includes \*\*A Salty Piece of Land \*\* - Jimmy Buffett, **Ruled, Britannia** - Harry Turtledove, and \*\*Hot and Sweaty Rex \*\* - Eric Garcia. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2005, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-reading-now/290187/47 "2005-02-15T22:44:05Z")
I’m currently reading (or rather, re-reading) Catch-22 by Joseph Heller. I cracked open The Big Sleep the other day, and have The Cry of The Owl (Highsmith) sitting on the bedstand, though I’ve read it at least half a dozen times before. Lessee, I have a copy of The Effects of Nuclear Weapons out on loan (a reference), I’ve been thumbing through Vol. 2 of The Feynman Lectures along with my college E&M text. I started The Spanish Civil War by Hugh Thomas a few weeks ago but haven’t really gotten into it, and I have A Homage To Catalonia, which I’ll reread following so as to get (hopefully) a better understanding of what Orwell was complaining about. I’ve got a Shakespeare play (“Othello”) always running in case I’m in that mood, and I just finished Stephenson’s Cryptonomicon, which as I reported in a different thread, I found very disappointing. I gave up on The Sportswriter by Richard Ford–I just couldn’t maintain interest in it, and the character and the style of Ford’s writing both irritated me–and up next is a collection of Graham Greene, some out of print Arthur Conan Doyle, and some James M. Cain, as well as a text on neurobiology. Oh, and I keep meaning to read A Canticle for Leibowitz, but I never get around to ordering it. 'Nuff for you? 🙂 Stranger ---
**Author:** ![YellowTail](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/b5ac83/32.png) [@YellowTail](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YellowTail)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2005, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-reading-now/290187/48 "2005-02-15T23:23:02Z")
> [@Judith Prietht](#): > > I’m finishing up Isabelle Allende’s **The Stories of Eva Luna** , which is turning out to be a very welcome grab bag gift. It’s my first exposure to Allende, and it’s making me want to read some more of her work. > > On deck is Jared Diamond’s **Collapse** , already mentioned by a number of people upthread. I saw him speak here in Chicago several weeks ago and he was incredible. If he comes to your fair city on the book tour, I highly recommend making the effort to see him. I’m finishing up Allende’s _Daughter of Fortune_. Even though it’s kind of a “chick book” it moves along at a good pace. She’s a wonderful writer. ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2005, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-reading-now/290187/49 "2005-02-15T23:34:10Z")
I picked up a whole lot of classic titles quite cheaply in the post-Christmas sales. At the moment I’m reading \*\*The Good Earth \*\* by Pearl Buck. I’m also reading **The Sacrifice of praise: an Introduction to the Meaning and use of the Divine Office** by Vilma Little. I’ve wanted to read it for a long time and I’ve finally managed to procure a copy. But university starts again soon, so I’ll be back to reading law textbooks and case judgements. ---
**Author:** ![look\_hergo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85e7bf/32.png) [@look\_hergo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/look_hergo)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2005, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-reading-now/290187/50 "2005-02-15T23:41:15Z")
I’m also reading **Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell**. I read it aloud to my husband every night, and we’re about 26 chapters in. We both agree it’s pleasant reading, but doesn’t seem to be getting to any particular point yet. He is getting restless, I am still hoping for glory, and so we read on. I just finished \*\*The Dante Club \*\* on audiocassette the other day. That was terrific, and I had to run out right away and pick up \*\*The Divine Comedy \*\* so I could re-read it – I find I enjoy masterpieces of literature much more when I read them freelance, rather than for university credit. ---
**Author:** ![Kaspar\_Hauser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b3f665/32.png) [@Kaspar\_Hauser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaspar_Hauser)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2005, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-reading-now/290187/51 "2005-02-16T01:35:23Z")
_The Zero Game_ by Brad Meltzer. It’s OK. I’m looking forward to reading _Caesar’s Women_ next. I’ve been reading the Master of Rome series but I take a breather between books and read some shorter fare. ---
**Author:** ![lizardling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f4b2a3/32.png) [@lizardling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lizardling)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2005, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-reading-now/290187/52 "2005-02-16T01:51:22Z")
Reading **Dragon Blood** by Patricia Briggs. We shall see if it’s good. I haven’t had the yen to sit down and read more than a chapter together yet, though. ---
**Author:** ![Landshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/77aa72/32.png) [@Landshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Landshark)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2005, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-reading-now/290187/53 "2005-02-16T02:15:38Z")
> [@Stuffy](#): > > I don’t have a book in the hole yet but I’ll be heading to the book store tommorrow, so I’ll be following this thread closely. Speaking of which, **Landshark** can you give me a synopsis on that Hamilton? Is it a new series? I loved Nightdawn Trilogy. Sure. _Pandora’s Star_ is part one of what I think is going to be a 2 part series. The setting is a human Commonwealth of worlds that has had very limited contact with aliens. The economy is driven by a network of artificial wormholes that allows for instantaneous travel between worlds (which is mostly done by trains!) The story gets rolling when an astronomer who is observing a very distant star sees the light from it being completely cut off. The Commonwealth decides this has to be investigated and builds it’s first faster-than-light ship to do so. (The ship’s FTL drive is based on the artificial wormhole technology.) Things start getting wild after the ship arrives at it’s destination. Getting any further into what happens will just ruin the surprises for you. ---
**Author:** ![Stuffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f17d59/32.png) [@Stuffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stuffy)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2005, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-reading-now/290187/54 "2005-02-16T02:36:12Z")
> [@Landshark](#): > > Sure. _Pandora’s Star_ is part one of what I think is going to be a 2 part series. The setting is a human Commonwealth of worlds that has had very limited contact with aliens. The economy is driven by a network of artificial wormholes that allows for instantaneous travel between worlds (which is mostly done by trains!) > > The story gets rolling when an astronomer who is observing a very distant star sees the light from it being completely cut off. The Commonwealth decides this has to be investigated and builds it’s first faster-than-light ship to do so. (The ship’s FTL drive is based on the artificial wormhole technology.) Things start getting wild after the ship arrives at it’s destination. > > Getting any further into what happens will just ruin the surprises for you. Sounds great, it’s on the list. ---
**Author:** ![Jet\_Jaguar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jet_jaguar/32/3562_2.png) [@Jet\_Jaguar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jet_Jaguar)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2005, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-reading-now/290187/55 "2005-02-16T05:06:43Z")
I’m working the 4th (and last) volume of an unabridged translation of _Romance of the Three Kingdoms_, a 2400-page Chinese epic. Part history and part legend, the book tells the story of the fall of the Han dynasty and the turbulent Three Kingdoms era of civil war that followed. The book spans more than 100 years of Chinese history and is a staple of classic Chinese literature, and I find it fascinating. If you’ve ever played the Dynasty Warriors video games then you know some of the characters, they were taken from _Three Kingdoms_. ---
**Author:** ![Walker\_in\_Eternity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/46a35a/32.png) [@Walker\_in\_Eternity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walker_in_Eternity)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2005, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-reading-now/290187/56 "2005-02-16T12:30:58Z")
Currently reading “The Algebraist” by Iain M. Banks, only a few chapters in, but enjoying it immensely. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Hakuna\_Matata](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a88e4f/32.png) [@Hakuna\_Matata](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hakuna_Matata)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2005, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-reading-now/290187/57 "2005-02-16T12:46:13Z")
Reading “A Prayer for Owen Meany” by John Irving. Good book so far. But I like John Irving quite a bit. Also just finished “Kite Runner” by Khaled Hosseini–excellent book as well. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2005, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-reading-now/290187/58 "2005-02-16T12:53:01Z")
Well, I sat up last night and finished Hypocrite in a Pouffy White Dress, and I was very happy with it. It was very funny and interesting. I liked the first half of the book (tales of her school life, the time she met Mick Jagger, etc.) more than the second half (visiting Auschwitz, working on Capital Hill) but it was all really interesting and enjoyable. I’m getting it from the library as an audiobook for my mom. I want you to read it too…that’s Susan Jane Gilman…go get it now, go, go… ---
**Author:** ![Necros](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/necros/32/11086_2.png) [@Necros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Necros)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2005, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-reading-now/290187/59 "2005-02-16T18:26:05Z")
> [@Nightwatch Trailer](#): > > I’ve read the English version and I found the writing rather awkward - is that just a result of the translation or is it choppy in the original Japanese? I think the way the English version turned out is partly because of the translation, but mostly because of the extremely casual way that the book is written. It stars middle-school students, as you know, and it’s written that way. So, I’d say the style is an issue with the Japanese, but the final result in English is due to the difficulty the translator had in getting that style across. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2005, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-reading-now/290187/60 "2005-02-16T19:45:41Z")
I’m finishing Clinton McKinzie’s _Crossing the Line_. _Jonathan Strange_ is awfully popular right now. I’m reading it, too. Also _Rhapsody_ by Elizabeth Haydon, and _America_. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-reading-now/290187.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-reading-now/290187.md?page=4)