POPULAR: What Did You Read Today?

[Beth Pavell]

We've started re-reading Holes, which we're both very fond of. We'll get through it in no time, I expect. cx

"If only, if only, the woodpecker sighed"

I've been working my way through Milk of Paradise: A History of Opium, Lucy Inglis. Much better than I was expecting. A lot of these specialised histories seem to be written by non-historians, and thus are prone to meander or contain a lot of filler. Milk of Paradise doesn't stick rigidly with opium, but only to provide proper context for the use of opium and opiates.

Also recently started re-reading A Clash of Kings, George R.R. Martin, because I can't find my copy of A Game of Thrones

 

[Felly]

I picked Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by JK Rowling back up again. I've had Harry Potter on my mind a lot lately, and I feel like it's just gonna drive me more to write the fic I've had stirring in my mind for years (and I might just start it after I finish the other stories I'm working on already), or at least get it more fleshed out and on paper.

 

[Beth Pavell]

Still working through Milk of Paradise: A History of Opium, Lucy Inglis. Also now about halfway through Fire and Blood: A History of the Targaryen Kings from Aegon the Conqueror to Aegon III, Archamaester Glyndayn George R.R. Martin

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

The Memory Police, by Yoko Ogawa.

Living with censorship and fascism on an island where "disappearances" fade from memory, leaving less and less of the culture and the people there. Miserably beautiful.

 

[UselessBytes]

Inkheart, by Cornelia Funke. I would say that this is my xth time reading it, but I've genuinely lost count.

someone get me another book

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

I read that one more than a decade ago. Maybe I should give it a reread sometime.

 

[Beth Pavell]

Couple of entries for the Summer competition, and finished Milk of Paradise: A History of Opium. Not bad by any means, though felt kinda rushed towards the end when bringing the history up to date in the modern era

 

[Juliko]

Finished re-reading A Forest World by Felix Salten (It's soooo good!...but why do all the deer characters have to be so insufferable?!), and I'm gonna start on Rachel Roberts' Avalon: Web of Magic series soon. Been wanting to read it for a while, and I have the first four books already.

Inkheart, by Cornelia Funke. I would say that this is my xth time reading it, but I've genuinely lost count.

someone get me another book

I'm not familiar with your tastes, but if you want, I'd be happy to recommend you some books to read if you'd like.

 

[kintsugi]

Read and re-read the one-shot entries so I wouldn't get wrecked by judging later in the week. Highly recommend; it's a fun bunch.

also read a paper on the propagation of turbulent flow in perforated pipes, but that's... much less fun.

 

[UselessBytes]

Does reading the requirements for TESOL certification count?

That aside, started reading a Holocaust Memoir, In My Hands.

 

[Beth Pavell]

Ghost Stories Written by Women, an anthology that so far is failing to entertain. Also Ship: 5,000 Years of Maritime Adventure, Brian Lavery

 

[Felly]

Still reading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows; I'm on chapter 12 at the time of posting this. Haven't had too much time to do a whole lot of reading lately, but I'm gonna start trying to break a habit I have of only reading while I'm on League of Legends loading screens with the hopes that maybe I'll get a lot more reading done.

Also picked up Homestuck at the recommendation of a couple friends since they were talking about classpecting stuff. Apparently the web comic doesn't get too into it since it's supposed to be left up to speculation, but I figured I'd at least give it a chance. It's not terribly interesting, and I'm only on page 950 but I'm gonna at least finish it eventually so I can say I did and at least get some backstory as to how all of this classpecting stuff came about. In my head, it sounds like it'd all be fascinating to write a story about, but I'll wait on that until I've finished reading everything.

 

[Juliko]

Just started up The Rise of Kyoshi, the recent Avatar novel by F. C. Yee.

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

@Juliko I really want to read the Avatar stuff. Let me know what you make of it!

We recently finished Pan's Labyrinth, which I thought was an excellent adaptation to be honest. Really lovely illustrations too. Really sad.

I've started on How To Be Right, a book by radio presenter James O'Brien about talking to callers who don't have a fucking clue what they're talking about. He basically uses the Socratic method of asking questions to draw out underlying assumptions. It's really interesting how that goes sometimes. Turns out asking people to explain thier opinions often makes them angry and confused because they've never been challenged to think about their opinions. I also really appreciate that he consistently takes the rational, ethical perspective on a given issue himself, but is pretty humble about his own right-ness: he doesn't hide that his perspective evolves, and sometimes he doesn't know the answers.

 

[UselessBytes]

Started Born A Crime. I also want to start this one sci-fi novel my friend recommended to me, but I can't get him to respond and I can't remember the name for the life of me!

 

[Juliko]

Finished Rise of Kyoshi today. The first part of it, that is. ITS SO FRICKIN GOOOOOOD!!!! It really builds on the Avatar lore, all of the characters are interesting and three-dimensional (save for a select few), the prose is magnificent, and it's just all around awesome! Avatar fans, read this! It's amazing!

 

[Beth Pavell]

Good Omens, Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaimann

 

[dig]

The Ghost, by Robert Harris.

Political thriller.

 

[Beth Pavell]

Oh boy, er, Nelson's Navy: The Ships, Men, and Organisation 1793-1815, Brian Lavery, The Stories of Slang, Jonathon Green, and something else I can't remember

 

[dig]

1Q84, by Haruki Murakami.

Not very far into it, definitely enjoying it though.