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Author Topic: Since we're talking books....  (Read 4737 times)

Offline bartzbrau

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Re: Since we're talking books....
« Reply #15 on: August 04, 2010, 12:55:34 pm »
Lightweight, for beach or travel, is Clive Cussler.

I saw the Wooster & Jeeves series before picking up the books.  The books were even funnier, thanks to all that "internal dialogue".

Offline nicneufeld

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Re: Since we're talking books....
« Reply #16 on: August 04, 2010, 01:24:02 pm »
One area where the Granada TV series ups the books, though, is the songs.  Hugh Laurie being actually not a bad singer and pianist (his songs on his sketch comedy show in the 80s were quite funny)...one funny one was "Nagasaki", particularly when he went somberly out of time/swing for the "Back in Nagasaki where the fellas chew tobaccy and the women wicky wacky, woo" part.  And "47 Ginger-Headed Sailors" has been stuck in my head for half a decade now.

Offline Pawtucket Patriot

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Re: Since we're talking books....
« Reply #17 on: August 04, 2010, 01:34:07 pm »
Thinking about starting to read the Lonesome Dove series. I've got a lot of time to read given that my commute every day is about an hour each way (by bus). Already this summer I've read 100 Years of Solitude by Marquez, Kitchen Confidential and Medium Raw by Anthony Bourdain, Night Soldiers by Alan Furst, and the Lord Of The Rings trilogy (again).  
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Offline bartzbrau

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Re: Since we're talking books....
« Reply #18 on: August 04, 2010, 01:42:01 pm »
Larry McMurtry did some good work with Lonesome Dove.  

Stephen King has some good work out.  I particularly liked "Duma Key" and "The Stand".  Did not care for his Dark Tower series, and still think that the ending was the worst that I've ever read...especially after slogging through six or seven books to get there.  
« Last Edit: August 04, 2010, 03:14:38 pm by bartzbrau »

Offline weazletoe

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Re: Since we're talking books....
« Reply #19 on: August 04, 2010, 02:00:10 pm »
READ LONESOME DOVE SERIES!!!!  Best series ever. End of story.

  If you want to read it order, read Comanche Moon, Lonesome Dove, Dead Man's Walk, and Streets of Lorado. Do it. NOW!
 

    I have spoken.
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Offline yugamrap

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Re: Since we're talking books....
« Reply #20 on: August 04, 2010, 02:05:36 pm »
For light, fun reading Carl Hiaasen is a good choice.  I especially enjoyed "Sick Puppy." http://www.carlhiaasen.com/books.html  

Anything by Douglas Adams is a good read.  http://www.douglasadams.com/creations/  The Hitchhikers' series is a classic, but my personal Adams favorite is "The Long Dark Teatime of the Soul"

If you've got some time for a larger novel, and enjoy expository fiction, try some Mark Helprin.  http://www.markhelprin.com/index.cfm?page=search&nsr=y&scid=4&cid=1  I think his masterpiece is "Winter's Tale,"  but I think "Memoir from Antproof Case"  is probably a better choice as a "first taste" of his style - it's a little easier to get into.
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Offline nicneufeld

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Re: Since we're talking books....
« Reply #21 on: August 04, 2010, 02:26:24 pm »
my personal Adams favorite is "The Long Dark Teatime of the Soul"

I'm very close to agreeing with you.  "Don't pickitup, pickitup, pickitup..."

Offline tygo

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Re: Since we're talking books....
« Reply #22 on: August 04, 2010, 08:07:30 pm »

Stephen King has some good work out.  

Have you read The Long Walk?  Old school King.
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Offline narcout

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Re: Since we're talking books....
« Reply #23 on: August 04, 2010, 08:43:37 pm »
Did not care for his Dark Tower series, and still think that the ending was the worst that I've ever read...especially after slogging through six or seven books to get there.  

Man, I thought the dark tower series was unbelievable.

If you've got some time for a larger novel, and enjoy expository fiction, try some Mark Helprin.  http://www.markhelprin.com/index.cfm?page=search&nsr=y&scid=4&cid=1  I think his masterpiece is "Winter's Tale,"  but I think "Memoir from Antproof Case"  is probably a better choice as a "first taste" of his style - it's a little easier to get into.

I read Winter's Tale last year, I still can't figure out if I liked it or not.
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Offline tygo

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Re: Since we're talking books....
« Reply #24 on: August 04, 2010, 09:27:19 pm »
Did not care for his Dark Tower series, and still think that the ending was the worst that I've ever read...especially after slogging through six or seven books to get there.  

Man, I thought the dark tower series was unbelievable.

I agree.  I go back to those books again and again.  I mean, how would you expect it to end?  "And they lived happily ever after"?
Clint
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Offline bartzbrau

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Re: Since we're talking books....
« Reply #25 on: August 04, 2010, 09:58:18 pm »
Well....let's see.  First, you have the big, bad villain, the Crimson King.  Apparently, although he's supposed to be superpowerful and evil, he somehow locks himself out of the dark tower on some upstairs balcony.  And when Roland comes along, the King's weapon of choice?  Harry Potter "sneetches." (I kid you not.  Good thing he had a boxful when he locked himself out of the Tower!) Oooooooooooooooooooo.  And what is the best that he can scream at Roland?  "EEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!", like some girlyman.  Disappointment #1.

#2.  Stephen King HIMSELF tells you, right in the damn book, in the middle of the story, that you won't like the ending, and something to the effect that you might as well stop reading NOW.  Never a good sign.  If only I'd listened.

#3.  Roland's trip up the Tower.  In other King works, the Tower is supposed to be more mystical.  In "Insomnia", King alludes to the Tower as having different levels of existence/reality.  When Roland goes up the Tower...wow, scenes from Roland's past...that we've already seen.  Bo-ring.

#4.  The "Bobby Wakes Up From The (Season Long) Dream" episode of Dallas (the old TV show).  Roland finally reaches the top of the Tower, and the big climax is....he goes right back to the very beginning of the story, in order to live it all over again.


Now, granted, I'm not Stephen King.  And I know writing's hard work.  But come on.  This is the end to the build up of 7 books?  I gave every damn one of them away.

Offline tygo

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Re: Since we're talking books....
« Reply #26 on: August 04, 2010, 10:03:42 pm »
It's just one of those things where every reader is going to take something different from it.  I know a lot of folks were not happy with the ending.
Clint
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Offline Pawtucket Patriot

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Re: Since we're talking books....
« Reply #27 on: August 05, 2010, 06:04:49 am »
Picked up Lonesome Dove last night.   8)
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Offline weazletoe

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Re: Since we're talking books....
« Reply #28 on: August 05, 2010, 02:49:30 pm »
NICE!
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Offline novabrew

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Re: Since we're talking books....
« Reply #29 on: August 07, 2010, 10:25:15 pm »
Just finished Stephen King's "The Dome".  Awesome book.  Anything by Herman Wouk is good.