Books!

chris63 wrote:Why New Zealand Serves As The Magical Backdrop To ‘The Shannara Chronicles’

Because That Is Where They Filmed 'The Lord Of The Rings'

No kidding.
Derpy magazine.

Just scoffing breakfast & noticed Blue that, one of the books in your post above Im starting to read now, surprised me !

Been reading the debut novel by Andy Weir- The Martian- it reminds me very much of classic late 60's and 70's hard core scifi- but its also a very engaging read.
The premise is simple the first manned mission to mars goes wrong, leaving one crem-member behind dead- only he isn't, and he has to try to survive for as long as possible using only the resources left behind.
I'm only about a third of the way through but I am enjoying it and those with a scientific mind I am sure will appreciate the hard science underlining the whole thing.

There is also I discovered an audio book of it on youtube (but I've only listened to the first 15 minutes or so as I want to finish reading it myself first)

does anyone know anything about Edward Said? I have to do some work on orientalism but I wonder if he has been debunked these days.

No I'm afraid I do not know who that person is.


On another note, I was sitting at my computer and, glancing over at my bookshelf, spotted a very clean and new-looking copy of Robyn Davidson's Tracks, a book which I had only read once back in 2007 or so for an english class. I picked it up and started reading it just now, and I am happy to report that I have changed enough since my first reading that I think I'm going to discover a whole new set of meanings in the book. My english teacher was very happy with the books story of self-discovery or at the very least unburdening of onesself, but I had never really understood what all of that was about.
Now, fortunately, I'm seeing what she meant, and it's quite an enjoyable read so far.

http://the-ice-castle.tumblr.com/post/127965525882/rest-in-fucking-pieces-mr-darcy

That video is having one hell of a time loading for me for some reason.

I see it now, well played!  

I always found that scene far more satisfying than the newer version, as Darcy is so very full of himself at the time. In the new one the director wussed out and had his Darcy actor sort of let slip the "inferiority of your birth" line. But here we have a true clashing of personalities. And, as always, the ridiculousness of our modern culture is pervasively applicable.

Colin Firth is the only truly satisfying Mr Darcy. a true 18th gentleman wouldn't blubber like that first chap.

Anyone read The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón? It sounds kind of interesting.

"Do you realize that all great literature is all about what a bummer it is to be a human being? Isn’t it such a relief to have somebody say that?"
— Kurt Vonnegut

‘Luck is my middle name’, said Rincewind, indistinctly. ‘Mind you, my first name is Bad.’ (”The Last Continent”)

As a natural follow up.. of sorts, I've kind of started going through the Terry Pratchett series. Which is harder than it sounds considering it has about 6 main storylines, and 8 sets of main characters.. if not more. It's a bit of a conundrum to figure out. They are real funny though, and while the single books themselves might be a bit up and down in quality they always feature Terry's unique take on the world. Reminds me a lot of the Goon Show, actually.

Anyway, enjoy.

All of Terry Pratchetts books are worthy of anyones time for reading Ive loved them all, the only one I havnt read is "Wee free men" I dont know why ? Ive just forgotten I think ?

They're amazing. And it's almost aerie how they continue the Python, Goon Show, British comedy tradition. I don't think he gets anywhere near enough credit for that, being a writer and not a comedian.

I'm on Equal Rites now. I think the Wizard one's are the one's I've enjoyed the most so far, (Unseen Academicals was great) although I haven't revisited any of the Watch one's yet as I've read all those before. (They are usually my favourites.)

This is old news, and I think I may have posted about it before:

http://variety.com/2015/digital/news/stephen-king-112263-hulu-director-cast-james-franco-1201467467/



Although as a Brit some of the cultural references were lost on me, I loved this book (compared to The Stand, the only other King I've read, the ending was much better), it's quite episodic so would work very well as a miniseries, Franco's a surprising (but good) choice.

And it's almost aerie how they continue the Python, Goon Show, British comedy tradition. I don't think he gets anywhere near enough credit for that, being a writer and not a comedian.- Blue

And very much in the tradition of Douglas Adams too and even Tom Stoppard and further back there are influences of Wodehouse too in the character humour and descriptions. Pratchett is very much in that long line of British satire and humour.

I always recommend reading them in order of publication.

My favs are the "Watch" stories with Vimes, Nobby Nobbs, Captain Carrott et al. What a name Fred Colon is I thank gawd that we had Terry Pratchett, his books are divine

I love the Watch books too. But I will always have a soft spot for anything with Rincewind in it too, being the first main character he wrote for in Discworld.

But the Watch books are a good example of how the world of Discworld moves rather rapidly through its ages compared to our world- in the first Watch book its pretty much Dungeons and Dragons setting for a city, its all dank alleyways, cobbled streets and of course a dragon. By the later Watch books Ankh-Morpork is more a Victorian city, with a thriving press and the Clacks.
Over the course of Vimes later life the city goes from a medieval fantasy parody to a Victorian fantasy parody.

Couldn't agree more.

What's actually quite fun about the later books is getting to see Vimes from a lot of different perspectives outside the Watch. He always comes across as a real hard ass.

Ive got a book called "where's my cow?" & its a small story book about "He man" Vimes going home to read his little boy a bedtime story, its quite sweet, shows the soft "i dont know what to do with kids" side of him

Yeah, I think I've read that one. He's a man of many parts, His Grace, The Duke of Ankh, His Excellency, The Ambassador of Ankh-Morpork, Commander Sir Samuel Vimes.

Its the bedtime story Vimes reads to his kid every night- cant remember offhand which of the Watch stories it is, but it features in one as Vimes has to get home every day at the exact same time to read the book to his son (might be THUD).

“Well, the news has got around. The Duchess of Keepsake has invited us to a ball, Sir Henry and Lady Withering have invited us to a ball, and Lord and Lady Hangfinger have invited us to... yes, a ball."
"Well, that's a lot of..."
"Don't you dare, Sam.”
― Terry Pratchett, Snuff

*snort*