Author Topic: Books and Literature (Read 77154 times)

Tengukami · « **Reply #150 on:** February 23, 2010, 06:38:50 AM »

The song 'Killing an Arab' by The Cure is based on The Stranger. If your teacher seems like an aging goth, include that factoid in your report.

And yeah, it's a great book. Glad to see they're still teaching it.

Fetch()tirade · « **Reply #151 on:** February 24, 2010, 02:14:57 AM »

Death of a Salesman. It makes me wonder what I'll be like when I'm sixty.

Jam-Kiske · « **Reply #152 on:** February 27, 2010, 04:12:28 AM »

Went to the library and checked out Dexter in the Dark for like the 50th time.
I think I'll be able to finish it before the library makes me give it back this time...

Menreiki · « **Reply #153 on:** March 08, 2010, 06:43:21 PM »

Reading 'And Then There Were None'. How original I know.

I like reading a lot from Agatha Christie and Stephen King. My favorite from Agatha Christie is Death on The Nile, and Salem's Lot from Stephen King.

Any recommendations for horror and mystery novels? Something similar to these two authors would be great.

Fightest · « **Reply #154 on:** March 11, 2010, 09:25:31 AM »

Am slowly reading through Catcher in the Rye. Can't help but hear the protagonist's voice as that of Alex from Kubrick's rendition of A Clockwork Orange.

Heh,

Thought what I'd do was, my brothers, I'd become one of those gluhonemoys. That would be real horosho.

Tengukami · « **Reply #155 on:** March 11, 2010, 09:39:44 AM »

That's definitely far closer to the mark than the teenage hero Holden is normally depicted as.

Jam-Kiske · « **Reply #156 on:** March 11, 2010, 08:19:23 PM »

That book is so fucking awesome.

Also finally finished Dexter in the Dark... it was okay. For sure the worst of the series though cuz of its weirdness.
Need to return it and think of what to read now.

Helion · « **Reply #157 on:** March 11, 2010, 08:24:57 PM »

I'll be a discordant voice in the choir and say I hated The Catcher in the Rye. It didn't catch my interest at first and going on I just couldn't help not giving a crap.

Tengukami · « **Reply #158 on:** March 11, 2010, 09:54:29 PM »

Holden Caulfield is a self-centered prick from start to finish. Everyone sucks, everyone's beneath him, he couldn't give a toss about what anyone else thinks or feels, the whole world owes him. In other words, he's a convincing young man. That's what Salinger was trying to do. That Holden ended up lauded as some kind of symbolic teenage antihero of the ages shows that Catcher in the Rye is almost as misunderstood a book as Lolita.

Toasty · « **Reply #159 on:** March 14, 2010, 09:43:55 AM »

Reading the Alexandria Quartet by Lawrence Durrell while furiously continuing to read through various textbooks.

sammy t coleridge · « **Reply #160 on:** March 14, 2010, 02:30:27 PM »

Quote from: Tengu-天照-kami on March 11, 2010, 09:54:29 PM

Holden Caulfield is a self-centered prick from start to finish. Everyone sucks, everyone's beneath him, he couldn't give a toss about what anyone else thinks or feels, the whole world owes him. In other words, he's a convincing young man. That's what Salinger was trying to do. That Holden ended up lauded as some kind of symbolic teenage antihero of the ages shows that Catcher in the Rye is almost as misunderstood a book as Lolita.

Lolita misunderstood as in "Lolita is NOTHING BUT PORRRN!" or "HH/Lolita was manipulating Lolita/HH, not the other way around!"

Tengukami · « **Reply #161 on:** March 14, 2010, 02:50:19 PM »

Lolita is misunderstood in that the prevailing notion that Lolita seduces Humbert Humbert - probably created by the 1962 version of the movie - has become so strong that we use the term "lolita" today to refer to a young seductress. Never mind the fact that Nabakov himself said it's the story of a delusional man. Never mind that Humbert Humbert realizes at the end of the story that

Spoiler:

. No, everyone thinks it's the story of a tween girl who seduces a middle-aged man.

sammy t coleridge · « **Reply #162 on:** March 14, 2010, 03:17:10 PM »

Quote from: Tengu-天照-kami on March 14, 2010, 02:50:19 PM

Lolita is misunderstood in that the prevailing notion that Lolita seduces Humbert Humbert - probably created by the 1962 version of the movie - has become so strong that we use the term "lolita" today to refer to a young seductress. Never mind the fact that Nabakov himself said it's the story of a delusional man. Never mind that Humbert Humbert realizes at the end of the story that
Spoiler:
he ruined Lolita's childhood
. No, everyone thinks it's the story of a tween girl who seduces a middle-aged man.

Or the fact that the book was written from Humbert's perspective, thus putting his bias on the events?

Anyways, I don't see how else it could be interpreted as "tween girl seduces innocuous pedophile." May you please explain your perspective? When I read it through, I thought Lolita was manipulative and took control of HH's feelings for her personal gain.

Tengukami · « **Reply #163 on:** March 14, 2010, 03:30:50 PM »

Quote from: Pseudolus on March 14, 2010, 03:17:10 PM

Anyways, I don't see how else it could be interpreted as "tween girl seduces innocuous pedophile." May you please explain your perspective? When I read it through, I thought Lolita was manipulative and took control of HH's feelings for her personal gain.

Like I said, it's a meme about the book because of the connotations of the word "lolita". Most people with this idea about the book's plot either haven't read it, or have, with their perspective colored by the pre-existing meme.

Yamachanadu · « **Reply #164 on:** March 15, 2010, 08:17:33 PM »

@ Chapter 4 or 5 of Monte Cristo (In french of course), Damn, Dumas sure knew how to write.

HakureiSM · « **Reply #165 on:** March 18, 2010, 02:57:16 AM »

From start to finish I got the idea (still pretty clear) that the commom notion of Lolita as the young seductress was really off.

Aoshi-shi · « **Reply #166 on:** March 31, 2010, 01:44:31 AM »

Best plot ever.

All jokes aside, I'm trying to persuade my English teacher into letting me borrow The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian over trimester break.

Yamachanadu · « **Reply #167 on:** April 03, 2010, 07:03:31 AM »

Finished count of mont? cristo, forever gay for Alexandre Dumas now.

Fightest · « **Reply #168 on:** April 04, 2010, 10:42:02 AM »

Just finished Catcher in the Rye. I disagree with the upthread comment of Caulfield being a self-centred prick in the sense that he has no centre whatsoever. He would not be facing the issues that he does if he were so convinced of his own superiority. Instead, he has no sense of scale and an atrophied sense of empathy due to his self-imposed isolation. All he has to live for are his memories of people that are no longer around him, which has forced him inwards.

Now, this will be a simplistic interpretation, but actual human contact with the people that he has not labeled as "phoneys" (not labeled so most likely due to his cynical take on humanity not having yet developed by then) actually kick-started his sense of empathy again, gave him a buoy of sorts, where before he was ready to drown, what with becoming a deaf-mute.

Hence, I can indeed see Caulfield as an illustration of disillusionment and loss of sense of self, with the hint of such a mindset having the potential to become a self-destructive spiral. With the context of the War and the crap that society went through during much of the 20th century, this becomes a poignant allegory for its time, though I reckon some parts are still relevant today.

Aoshi-shi · « **Reply #169 on:** April 04, 2010, 04:58:52 PM »

I'm halfway through Nightwatch by Sergei Lukyanenko, although I've seemed to have misplaced it. (It's been missing for a while.)
It's a good read, if you're into horror or fantasy literature.

But, does anyone recommend the sequels following it?

Fightest · « **Reply #170 on:** April 04, 2010, 09:54:47 PM »

Quote from: Aoshi on April 04, 2010, 04:58:52 PM

I'm halfway through Nightwatch by Sergei Lukyanenko, although I've seemed to have misplaced it. (It's been missing for a while.)
It's a good read, if you're into horror or fantasy literature.

But, does anyone recommend the sequels following it?

If you don't mind a certain degree of power creep, then they're great, though Day Watch goes of on a tangent that was less interesting to me in the middle. The flavour remains strong throughout, so if that's what drew you in, you should be set.

?lice Bl?ckb?rn · « **Reply #171 on:** April 06, 2010, 07:32:43 AM »

Quote from: Fightest on April 04, 2010, 09:54:47 PM

If you don't mind a certain degree of power creep, then they're great, though Day Watch goes of on a tangent that was less interesting to me in the middle. The flavour remains strong throughout, so if that's what drew you in, you should be set.

Funny, if you're referring to Рогоза, I personally found that subplot really interesting (despite it introducing a plot hole big enough to fly the international space station through).

But yeah, if you enjoyed Nightwatch, you'll likely enjoy the latter. There is a bit of power creep as mentioned, but they're still fantastic. Also the plot of Twilight Watch is basically Vampires: now IN SPACE (okay, not really, but still

), which is all kinds of awesome.

Fightest · « **Reply #172 on:** April 06, 2010, 07:45:54 AM »

And Last Watch is Vampires: IN SCOTLAND, which is either more awesome as it sounds, or exactly as awesome than it sounds, depending on who you are. Also totally worth it.

Quote from: Alice Blackbarn on April 06, 2010, 07:32:43 AM

if you're referring to Рогоза

Not sure. It was the one with the werewolf or witch (I think) woman and the beach and something about this little kid who nearly drowns and this guy whom I think the woman falls in love with and it's all a jumble in my mind, since I haven't read the thing in years.

?lice Bl?ckb?rn · « **Reply #173 on:** April 06, 2010, 12:53:43 PM »

Quote from: Fightest on April 06, 2010, 07:45:54 AM

Not sure. It was the one with the werewolf or witch (I think) woman and the beach and something about this little kid who nearly drowns and this guy whom I think the woman falls in love with and it's all a jumble in my mind, since I haven't read the thing in years.

OH. Oh that one. That's actually the first plotline in Day Watch, not the middle one, and yeah it's kind of bad. Didn't like it either, it's vaguely plot-relevant but not really at the same time. Meh.

Incidentally, did you read anything else by Lukyanenko? I'm a huge fan of Labyrinth of Reflections and Spectrum (sadly both still untranslated).

Fightest · « **Reply #174 on:** April 06, 2010, 02:25:46 PM »

Quote from: Alice Blackbarn on April 06, 2010, 12:53:43 PM

OH. Oh that one. That's actually the first plotline in Day Watch, not the middle one, and yeah it's kind of bad. Didn't like it either, it's vaguely plot-relevant but not really at the same time. Meh.

Incidentally, did you read anything else by Lukyanenko? I'm a huge fan of Labyrinth of Reflections and Spectrum (sadly both still untranslated).

Ah, well, my bad. I should reread the series, not like that's a bad thing, rare hit-or-miss storylines notwithstanding. And no, haven't read his other stuff - never seen it, honestly, otherwise I mighta grabbed a copy.

Wylfred · « **Reply #175 on:** April 12, 2010, 08:52:08 PM »

I'd recommend Flowers for Algernon; it's really a good book about a mentally disabled person who becomes a genius and learns that the world isn't all it's cracked up to be. But he writes down progress reports anyways so that other people of his like can be helped. It's mostly science fiction though.

CarefreeCat · « **Reply #176 on:** April 13, 2010, 11:42:40 PM »

Just finished "And Then There Were None." Now I'm reading "The A.B.C Murders." The only reason I got into Agatha Christie was because of U.N. Owen was Her?.

Wylfred · « **Reply #177 on:** April 16, 2010, 10:25:49 PM »

Just finished The Comforts of Madness. I must say I have a very different outlook on insanity now.

ghost333 · « **Reply #178 on:** April 17, 2010, 12:28:33 AM »

i just started Vampire Academy it seems ok for now i wonder how it will do later..

sammy t coleridge · « **Reply #179 on:** April 17, 2010, 05:21:57 PM »

Quote from: Erio_Mondial(Wylru) on April 12, 2010, 08:52:08 PM

I'd recommend Flowers for Algernon; it's really a good book about a mentally disabled person who becomes a genius and learns that the world isn't all it's cracked up to be. But he writes down progress reports anyways so that other people of his like can be helped. It's mostly science fiction though.

This, so fucking much.

Just finished Neil Gaiman's Sandman series. Also reading Gravity's Rainbow, but making no progress at all.

Author Topic: Books and Literature (Read 77154 times)

Toasty