No.1192037[View All]
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I've been feeling nostalgic, and I was hoping to dip in and chat for a day or two.
This is a typical icebreaker thread. I might not check in for a little while, because it's pretty late here, but I've got the day off tomorrow.
Post your top 5 books, and maybe a reason why they're in your top 5. And if you'd like, just stop in and say hi.
1. Okay wow this is actually a hard decision. I'm gonna put here: The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents. My all time favorite children's book. Dark, gritty, uplifting and intelligent. I cried, I yelled in disbelief, I felt sad when it was over. A group of newly sapient rats have to deal with the realities of a world in which they can suddenly plan ahead and foresse consequences. Where death used to mean very little, even losing a single member of the group becomes a cause for concern. Pratchett explores themes of anger, grief and the meaning of life from the beautiful lens of rat society. Which is very cute, but also so sad.
2. Happiness by Matthieu Ricard - A lovely look at what makes humans happy, with practical guides to try and increase happiness. No single book has contributed more to my wellbeing.
3. With each and Every Breath by Thanissaro Bhikkhu - A really interesting collection of buddhist meditation techniques and explanations for how they work. Both this book and Happiness are written from a relatively western perspective. I use these techniques all the time when stretching or meditating.
4. A Closed and Common Orbit by Becky Chambers. A fun and queer science fiction novel about an artificial ship intelligence that is transplanted against her will into a body and has to adjust to life on the surface of a planet, instead of life in a ship's computer. A heartrending tale that tackles themes of neurodivergence and queer love. I find it to be unbelievably poignant and accessible. It shocked me when what I thought was a frivolous and lighthearted book spoke to such a deep part of me.
5. I thought I had to include one book that wasn't frivolous, so I'm going to say The Sage Handbook of Counselling Psychology. Contributed to by my favorite professor at Uni, Mr. Colin Feltham. It's a handy guide that I use all the time. It's very well written, and gives a good overview of the various types of therapy that can be found in modern psychotherapy and pschology practices.
Bonus - what I'm reading right now.
Right now I'm reading Life and Death, the genderswapped version of the first twilight book by stephanie Meyers, and Unsouled, a progression fantasy book in the Cradle series (by Will Wight) (does anyone know what progression fantasy is? I just learned of this the other week).
Super curious how many people I know are still around, and would be up for a chat. Also to see what any of you have been reading, or what you like.
No.1202404
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I've been slowly working my way through Revolt of the Masses by José Ortega y Gasset. I haven't finished it yet so I can't pass judgement, but the perspectives and ideas are interesting enough.
No.1202516
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I bought 'It' by Stephen King, but first I'll continue with the fourth Prydain book. I have to wrap up that series.
>>1202404Are you ready to revolt just yet?
No.1202523
>>1202521>>1202521There are a few segments in it that still stick with me, and it still is quite a different experience tjan watcjing either movie version.
I'm sure youre also already aware lf this, but be mindful of a particular scene close to the end. Its quite an i famous one.
No.1202525
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>>1202523Oh yeah, I heard about it. I guess King had snorted some cocaine again when he wrote it.
No.1202534
>>1202525>>1202525Theres a good chance. But I wouldn't know.
I am also in the camp that (as I remember it) didnt find it very graphic, definitely not written to be titilating, and intended more symbolically than it comes across. Plus I keep fiction and reality very bery seperate in general.
Aint saying I am a staunch defender or I want it in movies - I dont. Just saying that as far as I recall, there is a bit of an anthill and mountain thing going on.
No.1202541
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>>1202534It definitely should never make it to any movies.
No.1202817
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Finally done with the last Prydain book. I'm glad the 4th and 5th clearly improved over the previous ones. Taran Wanderer (the 4th) was my favorite.
I guess it's time for "It" next.
No.1203225
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Wrapped up "It". A very good book indeed, it was well worth reading.
Really don't know what to read next though...
No.1203243
>>1203225>>1203225Whatcha in the mood for? Not that I go through enough novels to have propwr suggestions.
Lately, I am listening to Richard Mathesons "Hell House" for some clasic horror. It's a dang good one too, definiteæt cery upsetting.
No.1203245
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>>1203243I consider getting Shirley Jackson's "The Haunting of Hill House"; I saw it at the book store last week.
That sounds quite similar to your "Hell House" book.
I always want to read Treasure Island at some point.
No.1203246
>>1203245>>1203245They're both pivotal Haunted House stories, at least. Might as well add Amityville Horror to that list then. Though be aware that book is, quite deliberately, basically a series of exaggerated (or made up) anecdotes that the writer tries to fit into a coherent timeline.
Hell House is interesting. Every character already believes in ghostly activity in some shape or form unlike most of these stories.
It gets criticized nowadays for a lot of sexual violence, and I can see why one would have that as a Kneejerk reaction, but it seems to me it's a theme, and not just for titilation. I see a lot od "Unregulated lust VS repressed desire" in it.
No.1203248
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>>1203246I recall the first Amity Horror movie, and afterwards read up on it. It's all just a bunch of bahooey. So I won't bother with the book.
No.1203251
>>1203248>>1203248Well yeah. That was never a question.
It's still an interesting approach to writing a book - taking all the anecdotes and trying to put them in a timeline with added events to give it some coherence.
Amityville Horror is not GREAT per se, book or movie, but haunted house stories would not look quite the same today without it.
No.1203252
>>1203251I guess so.
I mean, collecting such stories and stuff and putting them into a time-line can be enjoyable if you do it in games.
No.1203532
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Readying Treasure Island... a proper classic. Got a pretty old copy off Ebay, no book store seems to have it.
No.1203681
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I'm done with the Haunting of Hill House now as well.
I'm kinda out of new books now.
No.1203682
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>>1203681Time to read old books, instead.
No.1203683
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>>1203682But I've read most of them only five years ago or so.
No.1203698
>>1203681Oh I started that one a bit ago. Ive only made it to the point everyone arrives at rhe house though.
Those first few chapters with Elinor exploring the countryside went a wee bit long.
No.1203699
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>>1203698I kinda rushed through it.
All in all it didn't have that much in common with the movie with Owen Wilson.
No.1204312
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I've returned with a whole bunch of new books to read... Wizard of Oz, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Agatha Christie's 'Mysterious Affair at Styles', and a book on local soccer clubs.
No.1204484
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>>1204312Wizard of Oz has a lot of differences to the 1939 movie!
No.1204491
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>>1204487That's true for Alice (with characters like Humpdy Dumpty only appearing the 2nd book). With Oz they just changed several things, including some characters, and in particular left quite a few things out - like the Tin Man slaughtering animals left and right.
No.1204498
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>>1204494They were "evil" animals I guess, but he sure liked decapitating them. While the Scarecrow is more into twisting necks.
No.1205675
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Anyone doing some reading? I've been a bit lazy lately.
No.1205709
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>>1205685I've been reading a large fantasy novel for the RPG I'm playing every other Sunday.
I think about getting the original Quartermaine novel.
No.1212440
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Anyone been doing any reading?
I bought some new books, but I've been too occoupied to actually open them yet.
No.1212443
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>>1212441What's that about?
No.1212444
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>>1212440I made a start with Frieren: Beyond Journey's End.
A comfy local bookshop has more of the volumes in stock too, so this'll keep me busy a while.
No.1212445
>>1212443It's a fairly classic ghost story. Mom, dad, little girl. There is a ghost in the house. Only the little girl can see her and calls her "Other Mommy".
The twist is the story is narrated from the perspective of said little girl, who is so young that she actually is not always entirely sure if she remembers a time where "Other Mommy" WASN'T around, or if she was always as "scary" as she is being lately.
No.1212451
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>>1212444Is that manga?
>>1212445Hmm, that does sound interesting! A pretty recent novel, isn't it?
No.1212452
>>1212451>>12124512024, yeah. But just got a movie.
It's pretty interesting - since the pov character is so young, ahe doesn't always actually registwer things that would set off alarms in an adult horror reader, or question slightly strange things. Which leaves events that could have been "cliche" in a lack lf a better word still pretty surprising - but she's also old and smart enough to know ehen adults are pandering to her and not taking what she is saying, thinking or feeling all that seriously. She also sometime just completely mishears or misunderstands things, meaning you cant 100% trust whah she is narrating, not because she is deliberately being sneaky with it, nut because she genuinely sees things differently. It's pretty interesting in places.
No.1212454
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>>1212452So, what's better in your opinion, the movie or the book?
No.1212471
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>>1212468I checked and the book store didn't have it.
No.1212493
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>>1212492I want a book though; I want to lie down, sip whiskey, and read a book!
Well, I can always just order it.
No.1212499
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>>1212496I'd find it hard to focus on anything else while listening to be honest.
