The Book Corner

Tom · Post by **Tom** » Thu Jun 27, 2002 6:01 am

Welcome...

Have you ever been to electric ladyland… doh. No I mean

Have you ever read a book that was so good that you thought ‘people ought to know about this’?

If you have why not post a little bit about here in your friendly caf / bookshop where there is always a bit of Jimmy Hendrix playing in the background.

Apart from serving coffee we also take full advantage of the resent liberalisation in the banned substances legislation.

So this is the place to discuss books and try to impress that slightly Goth girl/guy sulking in the corner.

edit:
Ohh and ummm... if you want to recomend a book maybe try and say why its such a good book rather than just a list of your favourites. We did the list thing a while ago.

Azmodan · Post by **Azmodan** » Thu Jun 27, 2002 6:05 am

yup.....

germaine (something)
The female eunuk!.

that is a cool book! if you are into feminist reading

CM · Post by CM » Thu Jun 27, 2002 6:09 am

Right now i am reading translations of peotry by Rumi (an islamic poet from like the 13th or 14th century) Damn good too.

Love his poem about drunks and the police.
I will post it later on.
It is like 4 lines.
But damn good.

Kameleon · Post by **Kameleon** » Thu Jun 27, 2002 6:09 am

*taps foot to a bit of Voodoo Chile (slight return)*

One book that I think everyone should read is called Ender's Game by a guy called Orson Scott Card. It's a sci-fi novel, but it's so much more than that - it's the story of a gifted child told from his perspective, and is just so right. There's not much more I can say until I find someone who's read it, but Card is a genius storyteller and the book is pretty much impossible to put down. It doesn't read so much like a sci-fi novel either, more as a true story, although it isn't. He has used his experiences to great effect in creating a masterpiece.

Kameleon · Post by **Kameleon** » Thu Jun 27, 2002 6:11 am

Germaine Greer? *shudder* the "if you are into feminist reading" is a rather necessary condition to include, I think

Azmodan · Post by **Azmodan** » Thu Jun 27, 2002 6:18 am

Originally posted by Kameleon
Germaine Greer? *shudder* the "if you are into feminist reading" is a rather necessary condition to include, I think

i happen to like feminist readings!.*L*
but i know, she is not too keen on men!...

Enders game?! is that any good??
i bought it for AGES ago on a fleamarket, but never read it, it is just gathering dust on my bookshelf!

Kameleon · Post by **Kameleon** » Thu Jun 27, 2002 6:24 am

Originally posted by Azmodan
i happen to like feminist readings!.*L*
but i know, she is not too keen on men!...

Why am I not surprised...

Originally posted by Azmodan
Enders game?! is that any good??
i bought it for AGES ago on a fleamarket, but never read it, it is just gathering dust on my bookshelf!

Well, I love it. I can see how some people might not understand it, but you can't deny that it's a great story. I think that if you have it, you should definitely read it.

Azmodan · Post by **Azmodan** » Thu Jun 27, 2002 6:26 am

i'll read it someday, insted of just throwing it away!.

do any of you read Dan Simmons?!.....i absolutely ADORE his books!

Ode to a Grasshopper · Thu Jun 27, 2002 6:47 am

@Azmo-That figures, Ms "I can handle him, he's only an male".

Tch tch, you shouldn't underestimate half the human race that way, it gives them an advantage over you.

Some people are more than they seem to be...

Germaine Greer is definitely feminist reading, she's Australian and as a result the feminist movement in Australia is particularly active (and, regrettably, often overly hostile to any males simply because they're male.

. Of course the chauvinists are no better

).

I would recommend John Irving's The World According to Garp. I haven't seen the movie but the book is brilliant IMO, I suspect Fable in particular would enjoy it.

Azmodan · Post by **Azmodan** » Thu Jun 27, 2002 6:51 am

Originally posted by Ode to a Grasshopper
@Azmo-That figures, Ms "I can handle him, he's only an male". Tch tch, you shouldn't underestimate half the human race that way, it gives them an advantage over you.
Some people are more than they seem to be...

Germaine Greer is definitely feminist reading, she's Australian and as a result the feminist movement in Australia is particularly active (and, regrettably, often overly hostile to any males simply because they're male. . Of course the chauvinists are no better ).

well...... i do not agree with beeing hostile towards men, just because they are men. But beeing female, i think she has a lot of good thing to offer too, things to keep in mind!... actually mostly naggin on other women!. (i happen to like men)

As far as Heinerich goes..... belive me, i can handle him. i am an Amazon for gods sake! *L*

Ode to a Grasshopper · Thu Jun 27, 2002 7:04 am

Originally posted by Azmodan

well...... i do not agree with beeing hostile towards men, just because they are men. But beeing female, i think she has a lot of good thing to offer too, things to keep in mind!... actually mostly naggin on other women!. (i happen to like men)

As far as Heinerich goes..... belive me, i can handle him. i am an Amazon for gods sake! *L*

Most people do have something to offer, sweetie. The key word here, and one that more or less defeats the purpose of the great 'gender war', is people.

Not knowing him at all I'll take your word for it

. Just remember that not all males are necessarily such easy victims, some may surprise you if you don't.

Amazon though you be, by your own admission I am a dancer in a ring of fire.

Your kid looks pretty cute, BTW.

Love the black nailpolish on her toes.

Azmodan · Post by **Azmodan** » Thu Jun 27, 2002 7:13 am

*lol* @ Ode.

well Heinerich is a friend of min in RL. that is why i can talk to him like i do!

Eh. about this feminist thing. i do not belive in a gender war. but i belive that both men and women should stand together in the class war instead!. facts are that women still are underpaid for the samne job as a man does, just because she is a woman. and the disturbing trend in plastic surgery (on women), anorexia and so on.... all of that is these womens twisted efford to look god in mens eyes....
I belive that men have simular issues, but not in that broad exstend.
What i like about "the female eunuk" is that it makes you wonder (as a woman) why you do the things you do.... do you do them for your self, or do you do it just to attract the other sex!?

....and thanks for the kind words of my kid.... i think it's the best pic!....like "im watching you, and i am punk spawn" *lol*

edit: do you like your title?! or would you rather have another one?!

Tom · Post by **Tom** » Thu Jun 27, 2002 7:21 am

Originally posted by Ode to a Grasshopper

I would recommend John Irving's The World According to Garp. I haven't seen the movie but the book is brilliant IMO, I suspect Fable in particular would enjoy it.

Azmodan

germaine (something)
The female eunuk!.

that is a cool book! if you are into feminist reading

Maybe say why you think its so good!?

Tom · Post by **Tom** » Thu Jun 27, 2002 7:28 am

Some books are unique - either because of the charecters, the descriptions or the work that have been put into crafting the world of the book.

It stands to reason that there are not a lot of ‘unique’ books floating around out there (maybe less than 200? ) but I think that the Gormenghast Triology by Mervyn Peake is one of those unique books.

The story is set in a huge old city/castle and it follows a number of characters over maybe twenty years. Ghormenghast (the name of the castle) have stood for hundreds of years and much of the life in Gormenghast is directed by age old rituals which have no real meaning. One of the main protagonists in the story is Stearpike a young man that siglemindely pursues power. He is strong, brave and ingenious but have no moral features. Almost all the other characters are in or around the ruling family ‘the groan’ family and are all pretty flawed persons who are both interesting and bizare. Most notable is Titus Groan (the sole male heir) who slowly takes over as the main protagonist from steerpike.

I think it is a magnificent piece of art - hugely imaginative with fantastic characters and a setting that is both beautiful and Kafkaesq.
Its a brick of a book that is hard to read and demand a lot of the reader but is well worth it. None the less all is not well because it is a flawed master piece. Of the three books ‘Titus Groan’, ‘Gormenghast’ and ‘Titus Alone’ the two first books are in my opinion masterpieces but the third book is not in nearly in the same league. I believe the author had a breakdown after writing the two first books which my explain why the third book is so different. I think that the third book is confused and without real direction.

Despite its minor flaw anybody who does not read this book will miss out.

I hope someone else here have read it.

Ode to a Grasshopper · Thu Jun 27, 2002 7:50 am

Originally posted by Azmodan
*lol* @ Ode.
Eh. about this feminist thing. i do not belive in a gender war. but i belive that both men and women should stand together in the class war instead!. facts are that women still are underpaid for the samne job as a man does, just because she is a woman. and the disturbing trend in plastic surgery (on women), anorexia and so on.... all of that is these womens twisted efford to look god in mens eyes....
I belive that men have simular issues, but not in that broad exstend.
What i like about "the female eunuk" is that it makes you wonder (as a woman) why you do the things you do.... do you do them for your self, or do you do it just to attract the other sex!?

....and thanks for the kind words of my kid.... i think it's the best pic!....like "im watching you, and i am punk spawn" *lol*

edit: do you like your title?! or would you rather have another one?!

'Tis but the truth.

Normally I'd just say generalise away, and make things that much easier for atypical males, but I like you so it's only fair to let you know.

I know, and I couldn't agree more that women should be paid the same wages as men for doing the same job, and likewise job applicants themselves should be judged exclusively on their merits and qualifications, and not by their race or gender. I believe that the self-image problems that are so prevalent today (especially among women) are issues that society as a whole should be trying to deal with. The truly worrying thing is that surveys (and being surveys they are not necessarily reliable) have often shown that men often aren't so worried about those 'things you do' as women seem to think, and on the whole (in Australia at least) it seems to be more women who think it's important to look like supermodels.

So there's all this general resentment building up over something that neither sex really wants.
The title is awesome, it captures the aspects of Jim Morrison that I admire perfectly.

@Tom-I will justify why this is my favorite book when I can think more clearly.

RandomThug · Post by **RandomThug** » Thu Jun 27, 2002 9:03 am

I want you to choke me as hard as you can

Palkanuik or something is his last name, author of such books:

Fight Club, Choke, The Survivor, Invisible Monsters.... read them all... that and of course check out any mad invasion of the mind written by the doc...

doc being Hunter S. Thompson.

Delacroix · Post by **Delacroix** » Thu Jun 27, 2002 9:17 am

For those with the emotional-side dominant, especially for lovers(with or without partner) I recomend:

Roland BARTHES - Fragments d'un discours amour eux;

Also,

Lawrence STERNE - A Sentimental Journey

This last I finish yesterday, and it is very nice and funny "travel" through the ways of feelings, Yorick, an English Gentleman in France.
But undoubtly my favorite is Barthes, everyone must read. Very elucidative.

Azmodan · Post by **Azmodan** » Thu Jun 27, 2002 10:58 am

well "the female Eunuk" is a political book, and i think i have been around it's issues very well.

But if i really have to curl up with a good book. i Love
Dan Simmons: Summer of nights

I think it's one of the best horror storries ever written. pure fiction, and a little rip off on "Stephen King's :IT" but it dosnt matter....

Weasel · Post by **Weasel** » Thu Jun 27, 2002 10:58 am

Originally posted by Azmodan

do any of you read Dan Simmons?!.....i absolutely ADORE his books!

I have read some of his work. Hyperion and Fall of Hyperion. I have another one, but can't place a name on it at the moment. Something close to The Song of Kail.

Azmodan · Post by **Azmodan** » Thu Jun 27, 2002 11:16 am

Originally posted by Weasel

I have read some of his work. Hyperion and Fall of Hyperion. I have another one, but can't place a name on it at the moment. Something close to The Song of Kail.

yes it is called "the song of Kali" that is a good book too!.
but "Summer of nights" are better