Reading any good books? II - Page 2

***Valandil*** · 10-10-2015, 08:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Attalus

Only if you disallow Fenimore Cooper's "Leatherstocking Tales." But, admittedly, they are a totally different ethos than The Virginian and Zane Grey.
:
:
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Yes - I consider "Western" to be from what is now about the western US, with "Leatherstocking Tales" (all of which I read some years back) to be more "Frontier". If that makes sense to others. Have only read one Zane Grey book, and that was way long ago!!!

nasuada · 05-05-2010, 10:01 AM

I'm reading a book called the Shadow of the King.
It takes place in Anglo-Saxon England, and it is very good so far.

katya · 05-29-2010, 10:34 AM

I'm re-reading The Crystal Cave by Mary Stewart. It was my favorite book in 6th or 7th grade, or whenever I read it. It's about the childhood of Merlin, and the later books are about Arthur.

GrayMouser · 05-31-2010, 08:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by katya

I'm re-reading The Crystal Cave by Mary Stewart. It was my favorite book in 6th or 7th grade, or whenever I read it. It's about the childhood of Merlin, and the later books are about Arthur.

Yea, that and "The Hollow Hills" are great.

The last two go pretty well downhill though.

katya · 05-31-2010, 08:55 PM

That's too bad. I was thinking maybe this time I'll read the others (the first time I started The Hollow Hills but didn't finish it). Who knows, maybe I'll like them better than you did though.

Things sure have changed since I read The Crystal Cave the last time. I remember spending literally hours on my WebTV trying to figure out what the sign against the evil eye was all about. Now it's all right there on wikipedia. I kind of miss being young and caring so much about things like that, though. Not the internet, things in books.

GrayMouser · 06-02-2010, 12:53 AM

Well, your mileage may differ- #3, The Last Enchantment, is okay- just a big step down from the first two.

I remember watching the latest King Arthur movie and wondering why someone didn't make a movie of these two. Hollywood suits, I guess:

"Hey, that Gladiator was a big hit- what's some other old stuff we can do?"

First you start with a story....

EllethValatari · 05-29-2010, 11:04 AM

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard
The Writing Life by Annie Dillard
The Christian Imagination Leeland Ryken

And always on my desk: On Faerie Stories by J.R.R. Tolkien

***Rían*** · 07-19-2010, 04:41 AM

Dostoyevsky is well worth reading, although his works are certainly not chirpy and light-hearted! But I think that the subjects for the wall murals were not a great choice ...

***Valandil*** · 10-12-2010, 01:29 PM

Just finished up a re-read of LOTR, and while starting into the appendices, picked up some Dickens books. Have gone about 5-6 chapters into Little Dorrit. Also picked up Bleak House and Tale of Two Cities.

EllethValatari · 10-12-2010, 08:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Valandil

Just finished up a re-read of LOTR, and while starting into the appendices, picked up some Dickens books. Have gone about 5-6 chapters into Little Dorrit. Also picked up Bleak House and Tale of Two Cities.

I also loved A Tale of Two Cities! It is pretty descriptive, but it's very well written and has a captivating plot. A very enjoyable way to study the French Revolution!

***Valandil*** · 11-16-2010, 01:52 AM

I liked Little Dorrit. After it, I quickly read The Good Shepherd by CS Forester. He wrote the Horatio Hornblower series. This one is about a WW2 destroyer captain, fending off German U-boats while escorting a convoy.

I've just started Tale of Two Cities.

Pitchike12 · 12-02-2010, 03:24 AM

Yes I did, I'm reading right now is "The Fellowship of the Ring"*...(I'm reading it again.)

***Rían*** · 10-12-2010, 07:33 PM

I wasn't wild about Little Dorrit, but I LOVE LOVE LOVE Bleak House and Tale of Two Cities. BH starts a bit slow, but just remember that Dickens was often paid by the word, and feel free to skip over some of his long, descriptive sections that must have happened because of unexpected bills

the insane one · 01-07-2011, 04:00 PM

After finishing my tolkien collection, including History of Middle Earth, I started reading books from an American author called Brendan Dubois. Some of his stuff is old but he is still writing new books. A very good bit of light reading

Pitchike12 · 01-09-2011, 05:24 PM

I'm reading "The Hobbit" right now. After that I will read "The Voyage of the Dawn Threader by C.S. Lewis".

Fool_of_a_Took · 02-12-2011, 09:55 PM

I am a huge fan of John Irving, especially "A Prayer for Owen Meany" and his latest (I believe), "Last Night in Twisted River"

Fantastic author, two incredible books that I could read over and over again.

katya · 02-21-2011, 01:54 AM

I just finished Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother which was interesting and got me to write a "tiger daughter" list of things to do everyday (like brush my teeth, I know, high standards I have for myself).

Then I read The Winter of our Disconnect about a family that goes "screen-free" for 6 months which was kind of interesting, kind of interesting also because the family reminded me of my own family. Might try to cut down on my aimless internet surfing that I find so very spiritually draining.

Read a chapter and a half of a book called "War is a Force that Gives us Meaning", which is interesting but not a very enjoyable read in a way (the writing itself). Interesting ideas though.

Before that I finished "Nausea" by Jean-Paul Sartre, which I liked quite a bit. But I was totally having an existential crisis which I'm largely "over" now.

I've been reading at a pace of more than a book a week. I have an insatiable thirst for knowledge all of the sudden. (Last couple years have been about 25 books a year.) Been leaning heavily toward non-fiction.

barrelrider110 · 02-22-2011, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fool_of_a_Took

I am a huge fan of John Irving, especially "A Prayer for Owen Meany" and his latest (I believe), "Last Night in Twisted River"

Fantastic author, two incredible books that I could read over and over again.

Yes, agree with you Fool_of_a_Took, "Owen Meany" was by far Irving's best. I even thought Owen had a lot in common with Frodo; diminutive in size but fastidious in purpose to fulfill his destiny.

My recent favorite read was "The Life of Pi" by Yann Martel. It's a book about survival and spirituality, humorous and sad, that can be read and interpreted on many levels. It's great book to discuss. Also, like JRRT, Martel shows a deep appreciation for the natural world:

"I am not one given to projecting human traits and emotions onto animals, but many a time during that month in Brazil, looking up at sloths in repose, I felt I was in the presence of upside-down yogis deep in meditation or hermits deep in prayer, wise beings whose intense imaginative lives were beyond the reach of my scientific probing."

GrayMouser · 02-23-2011, 10:58 AM

Being turned into a movie by Ang Lee, currently being filmed here in Taiwan

barrelrider110 · 02-23-2011, 01:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GrayMouser

Being turned into a movie by Ang Lee, currently being filmed here in Taiwan

The story would make a good movie, but much of his spiritual journeys would be lost. I found that theme the most compelling.

05-05-2010, 10:01 AM	#2
nasuada Enting Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: the two rivers Posts: 57	I'm reading a book called the Shadow of the King. It takes place in Anglo-Saxon England, and it is very good so far. __________________ Once a King or Queen of Narnia always a King or Queen. -Aslan the road rise up to meet you, may the wind be always at your back, may the sun shine warm upon your face and the rain fall soft upon your fields, and until we meet again may God hold you in the palm of his hands. An Irish Blessing~ “If to be feelingly alive to the sufferings of my fellow-creatures is to be a fanatic, I am one of the most incurable fanatics ever permitted to be at large.” ~ William Wilberforce

06-02-2010, 12:53 AM	#6
GrayMouser Elf Lord Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Ilha Formosa Posts: 2,068	Well, your mileage may differ- #3, The Last Enchantment, is okay- just a big step down from the first two. I remember watching the latest King Arthur movie and wondering why someone didn't make a movie of these two. Hollywood suits, I guess: "Hey, that Gladiator was a big hit- what's some other old stuff we can do?" First you start with a story.... __________________ Glendower: I can call spirits from the vasty deep. Hotspur: Why, so can I, or so can any man; But will they come when you do call for them? "I like pigs. Dogs look up to us, cats look down on us, but pigs treat us as equals."- Winston Churchill

05-29-2010, 11:04 AM	#7
EllethValatari Elven Warrior Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: United States Posts: 401	Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard The Writing Life by Annie Dillard The Christian Imagination Leeland Ryken And always on my desk: On Faerie Stories by J.R.R. Tolkien __________________ Elleth Valatari "We have come from God, and inevitably the myths woven by us, though they contain error, will also reflect a splintered fragment of the true light, the eternal truth that is with God. Our myths may be misguided, but they steer however shakily towards the true harbour, while materialistic 'progress' leads only to a yawning abyss and the Iron Crown of the power of evil." — J.R.R. Tolkien

07-19-2010, 04:41 AM	#8
*Rían* Half-Elven Princess of Rabbit Trails and Harp-Wielding Administrator (beware the Rubber Chicken of Doom!) Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Not where I want to be ... Posts: 15,254	Dostoyevsky is well worth reading, although his works are certainly not chirpy and light-hearted! But I think that the subjects for the wall murals were not a great choice ... __________________ . I should be doing the laundry, but this is MUCH more fun! Ñá ë?* óú éä ïöü Öñ É Þ ð ß ® ç å ™ æ ♪ ?* "How lovely are Thy dwelling places, O Lord of hosts! ... For a day in Thy courts is better than a thousand outside." (from Psalm 84) * * * God rocks! Entmoot : Veni, vidi, velcro - I came, I saw, I got hooked! Ego numquam pronunciare mendacium, sed ego sum homo indomitus! Run the earth and watch the sky ... Auta i lómë! Aurë entuluva!

10-12-2010, 01:29 PM	#9
*Valandil* High King at Annuminas Administrator Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Wyoming - USA Posts: 10,752	Just finished up a re-read of LOTR, and while starting into the appendices, picked up some Dickens books. Have gone about 5-6 chapters into Little Dorrit. Also picked up Bleak House and Tale of Two Cities. __________________ My Fanfic: Letters of Firiel Tales of Nolduryon Visitors Come to Court Ñ á ë ?* ó ú é ä ï ö Ö ñ É Þ ð ß ® ™ [Xurl=Xhttp://entmoot.tolkientrail.com/showthread.php?s=&postid=ABCXYZ#postABCXYZ]text[/Xurl] Splitting Threads is SUCH Hard Work!!

05-29-2010, 10:34 AM	#3
katya Elven Maiden Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 3,309	I'm re-reading The Crystal Cave by Mary Stewart. It was my favorite book in 6th or 7th grade, or whenever I read it. It's about the childhood of Merlin, and the later books are about Arthur.

05-31-2010, 08:55 PM	#5
katya Elven Maiden Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 3,309	That's too bad. I was thinking maybe this time I'll read the others (the first time I started The Hollow Hills but didn't finish it). Who knows, maybe I'll like them better than you did though. Things sure have changed since I read The Crystal Cave the last time. I remember spending literally hours on my WebTV trying to figure out what the sign against the evil eye was all about. Now it's all right there on wikipedia. I kind of miss being young and caring so much about things like that, though. Not the internet, things in books.

11-16-2010, 01:52 AM	#11
*Valandil* High King at Annuminas Administrator Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Wyoming - USA Posts: 10,752	I liked Little Dorrit. After it, I quickly read The Good Shepherd by CS Forester. He wrote the Horatio Hornblower series. This one is about a WW2 destroyer captain, fending off German U-boats while escorting a convoy. I've just started Tale of Two Cities. __________________ My Fanfic: Letters of Firiel Tales of Nolduryon Visitors Come to Court Ñ á ë ?* ó ú é ä ï ö Ö ñ É Þ ð ß ® ™ [Xurl=Xhttp://entmoot.tolkientrail.com/showthread.php?s=&postid=ABCXYZ#postABCXYZ]text[/Xurl] Splitting Threads is SUCH Hard Work!!

12-02-2010, 03:24 AM	#12
Pitchike12 Enting Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: In the land of Mordor Posts: 56	Yes I did, I'm reading right now is "The Fellowship of the Ring"*...(I'm reading it again.) __________________ Three Rings for the Elven-kings under the sky, Seven for the Dwarf-lords in their halls of stone, Nine for Mortal Men doomed to die, One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie. One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie. -Gandalf

10-12-2010, 07:33 PM	#13
*Rían* Half-Elven Princess of Rabbit Trails and Harp-Wielding Administrator (beware the Rubber Chicken of Doom!) Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Not where I want to be ... Posts: 15,254	I wasn't wild about Little Dorrit, but I LOVE LOVE LOVE Bleak House and Tale of Two Cities. BH starts a bit slow, but just remember that Dickens was often paid by the word, and feel free to skip over some of his long, descriptive sections that must have happened because of unexpected bills __________________ . I should be doing the laundry, but this is MUCH more fun! Ñá ë?* óú éä ïöü Öñ É Þ ð ß ® ç å ™ æ ♪ ?* "How lovely are Thy dwelling places, O Lord of hosts! ... For a day in Thy courts is better than a thousand outside." (from Psalm 84) * * * God rocks! Entmoot : Veni, vidi, velcro - I came, I saw, I got hooked! Ego numquam pronunciare mendacium, sed ego sum homo indomitus! Run the earth and watch the sky ... Auta i lómë! Aurë entuluva! Last edited by Rían : 10-21-2010 at 01:01 AM.

01-07-2011, 04:00 PM	#14
the insane one Sapling Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: England Posts: 11	After finishing my tolkien collection, including History of Middle Earth, I started reading books from an American author called Brendan Dubois. Some of his stuff is old but he is still writing new books. A very good bit of light reading __________________ "I liked white better," i said. "White!" he sneered "It serves as the begining. White cloth may be dyed. The white page may be overwritten; and the white light may be broken." "in which case is is no longer white" siad I. "And he that breaks something to find out what it is has left the path of wisdom."

01-09-2011, 05:24 PM	#15
Pitchike12 Enting Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: In the land of Mordor Posts: 56	I'm reading "The Hobbit" right now. After that I will read "The Voyage of the Dawn Threader by C.S. Lewis". __________________ Three Rings for the Elven-kings under the sky, Seven for the Dwarf-lords in their halls of stone, Nine for Mortal Men doomed to die, One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie. One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie. -Gandalf

02-12-2011, 09:55 PM	#16
Fool_of_a_Took Hobbit Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Hobbiton, New Jersey Posts: 35	I am a huge fan of John Irving, especially "A Prayer for Owen Meany" and his latest (I believe), "Last Night in Twisted River" Fantastic author, two incredible books that I could read over and over again. __________________ "Fool of a Took! Throw yourself down next time, rid us of your nuisance!" "We're flat broke, but hey, we do it in style."

02-21-2011, 01:54 AM	#17
katya Elven Maiden Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 3,309	I just finished Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother which was interesting and got me to write a "tiger daughter" list of things to do everyday (like brush my teeth, I know, high standards I have for myself). Then I read The Winter of our Disconnect about a family that goes "screen-free" for 6 months which was kind of interesting, kind of interesting also because the family reminded me of my own family. Might try to cut down on my aimless internet surfing that I find so very spiritually draining. Read a chapter and a half of a book called "War is a Force that Gives us Meaning", which is interesting but not a very enjoyable read in a way (the writing itself). Interesting ideas though. Before that I finished "Nausea" by Jean-Paul Sartre, which I liked quite a bit. But I was totally having an existential crisis which I'm largely "over" now. I've been reading at a pace of more than a book a week. I have an insatiable thirst for knowledge all of the sudden. (Last couple years have been about 25 books a year.) Been leaning heavily toward non-fiction. __________________ ~~eat until you can't anymore, play until you drop, sleep the day away, laugh, cry, yell, just live live live!~~

02-23-2011, 10:58 AM	#19
GrayMouser Elf Lord Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Ilha Formosa Posts: 2,068	Being turned into a movie by Ang Lee, currently being filmed here in Taiwan __________________ Glendower: I can call spirits from the vasty deep. Hotspur: Why, so can I, or so can any man; But will they come when you do call for them? "I like pigs. Dogs look up to us, cats look down on us, but pigs treat us as equals."- Winston Churchill

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