I’ve recently discovered a passion for reading, and I’m currently reading this bad boy. I grew up in new age ideology, I lived this stuff deliberately for about 12 years; and have since moved on to much better things. This book is very thorough and insightful!
Awesome book, awesome yoyo
Finishing Under the Volcano by Malcolm Lowry. If someone wanted to read Ulysses but wanted to start on something less daunting but still similar, I’d recommend this book. I’d recommend it regardless, actually. More tragic than Ulysses, but like Ulysses it really gets inside a person’s thoughts. The juxtapositions of everyday beauty and tragedy resonate far beyond the book’s pages.
Anything by Philip K. ■■■■.
His last name is blocked, but here is wiki.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_K._■■■■
My wife really enjoys Philip K. err… Member 
. I should really get around to reading some of his stuff.
It usually takes me some time to finish a book; I usually read as I go to bed and I usually only make it half a chapter to a chapter before my Kindle falls onto my face lol. Been “reading” a lot more thanks to audiobooks, though.
Most recently I’ve finished Oathbringer (Stormlight Archives series) by Brandon Sanderson and Bull**** Jobs by David Graeber. Working through Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett on Audible. I don’t usually like books with dialogue in audiobook form but Martin Jarvis does a remarkable job narrating.
Favorite books include:
Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson
American Gods by Neil Gaiman
Starship Troopers by Robert Heinlein
The Hobbit and the LotR trilogy by Tolkein (though he seriously needed an editor; GTFO Tom Bombadil)
A Bridge Too Far & The Last Battle by Cornelius Ryan
I’m on Goodreads if anyone wants a reading buddy haha. nonja121@gmail.com
Edit: oh I’ve replied on this thread in the past!
Finish the first Mistborn trilogy finally. Working 60s so I have slowed a bit on reading. They were really good though. Decided to start The Stormlight Archives before I venture further into the Mistborn series. Really enjoying it so far.
With Philip K, some books you have to read and be fine with not understanding for awhile.
Starship Troopers is on my “next to read” shelf.
I enjoy 40k for audiobooks.
I started reading Jack Reacher “The Enemy”
I should really listen to the 40K books. I spend a lot of my days listening to lore videos on YouTube and I don’t even play lolol.
Gloria in excelsis Terra!
Books? Pages? The museum won’t let you touch the exhibits. 
You all must be older than I thought.
I like to think I’m not too old yet…
I don’t see what the issue is, books are a great way to entertain yourself.
Brodini, I understand the aversion to marvel and dc, and there are a lot of people who are into comics for superficial, childlike reasons, but there’s a lot of incredible graphic novels out there, particularly by the publisher Image. Some straight up incredible stuff that touches on some heavy themes and ideas and is in no way similar to the typical Marvel and DC trash.
To be fair though Marvel and DC occasionally have a series or two worth checking out, but that’s more based on the talent that’s working on them than the character involved. I call it “getting your Marvel/DC money” whenever a highly talented and respected writer or illustrator does a series with them, because it definitely pays more.
I’ll also add since a lot of fantasy was mentioned in other posts in here that while I am a huge fan of some of the better fantasy stuff like Sanderson and Jordan, i think it’s important to recognize the difference between something that’s read for enjoyment as opposed to something that’s read to broaden your understanding of the human condition and our place in this world.
Classic sci-fi (not the modern stuff that is just fantasy in space) can be great for this in terms of considering how technology and/or human constructs impact our existence, and well regarded literary fiction doesn’t just exist to make high schoolers complain about being forced to read. These books are well regarded for a reason.
And again, not trying to dump on books that are there as mostly entertainment, I’ve read a lot of Stephen King and a lot of fantasy in general (there’s A LOT of terrible fantasy though). I just see a lot of people on the Internet trash more serious fiction because they feel offended that their favorite fantasy author that writes with emphasis on magic systems and world building isn’t as well regarded as Hemingway. Different types of fiction exist for different reasons.
John Le Carre fan recently.
I know I’ve read that one, but have no idea which one it is.
Not too far in yet, but I think it’s a prequel. He’s a major in the military and is inspecting the death of a general who died in a roadside motel or something
Ah, yeah. That was a pretty good one. I really like the vagrant life he lives in most of the books, but it’s nice for a change.
[quote=Durfee]
I’ll also add since a lot of fantasy was mentioned in other posts in here that while I am a huge fan of some of the better fantasy stuff like Sanderson and Jordan, i think it’s important to recognize the difference between something that’s read for enjoyment as opposed to something that’s read to broaden your understanding of the human condition and our place in this world. [/quote]
I honestly view reading from these two positions. Some stuff exists to expand your horizons and open your eyes to concepts and thoughts that you previously never contemplated. These are usually the books that stick with you and can even change the way you feel about things. And other stuff exists for straight up escapist entertainment. Though I still think that even escapist fiction can offer more food for thought than it is typically given credit for.
[quote=“Durfee, post:132, topic:41776, full:true”]
Classic sci-fi (not the modern stuff that is just fantasy in space) can be great for this in terms of considering how technology and/or human constructs impact our existence, and well regarded literary fiction doesn’t just exist to make high schoolers complain about being forced to read. These books are well regarded for a reason. [/quote]
I would have loved it if my teachers assigned old school sci-fi as required reading. But no, we get stuff like To Kill a Mockingbird and Of Mice and Men. I bet I would have enjoyed these books if I read them now, but as a teen I found them stuffy, preachy, and boring as all hell. I think in trying to force “classic” literature down kid’s throats, the education industry is killing a lot of enthusiasm for reading. I get that these stories have important life lessons in them, but if the result is to stymie one’s enthusiasm for reading, it is more counterproductive than it is helpful. I honestly can’t think of a single “required reading” book from high school that was so important that I would want to force it on some kid who just barely has the concentration to read.
Hemingway is overrated. Im also not trying to dump on classics, but I think the point people are trying to make is that a lot of classic lit approval is drenched in pretension among more academic circles, and easy readers not filled with glorious word-play and fantastic prose are frowned upon as low-brow. What you are seeing is just the backlash from people who think that fantasy books have more significance than they are given credit for.
edit: not sure what happened to quote formatting, but i can’t be bother to fix it. Sorry, maybe later.
I agree and I think there’s a middle ground to be found, where people who enjoy literary fiction can acknowledge the value of books written purely for entertainment with some genuine insight often mixed in, and people who love popular fiction recognizing the value of literary fiction even if they don’t find it interesting.
There’s something to be said for “readability.” Having a book that’s well paced and engaging for its entirety even if it’s not particularly insightful is still an accomplishment.
Reading East of Eden right now, and it’s very good…
As mentioned before in this thread, if you like fantasy the Mistborn series by Brandon Sanderson is quite good. I couldn’t put it down.
