Puzzlebrains

I've worked out from conversations that puzzlers do tend to be readers as well. This thread works well on the other forum I visit, so I thought I'd start it up here.

It's a chance to tell everyone what current book(s) are keeping you company when you're not posting on here or sitting solving puzzles. You can reccomend it, warn people off it, or just tell people. (I've had a couple of good 'recommendations' over on DVP during PM conversations).

I don't know about anyone else, but I quite often have 2 or 3 books on the go at the same time: one by the bed, one in the car (for the 'pick me up at..' requests that never quite work right), and usually one at work as well. [Working in a variety of libraries is terrible for me as I'm always seeing new books I want to read ]

I have a word processing file on the works computer called BookList, and I add all the things I'm looking to read (then use the library system to see which of our 20+ branch libraries has them)

So - my current reading:

Just finished The 39 Clues (which I grabbed from the library shelf thanks to katsmom) - now I want to sign up for the website and play the game

Snakehead - the latest Anthony Horowitz 'Alex Rider' book - Good action, and easy reading.

The Way of the Shadows - Brent Weeks - this is the first of a trilogy that my mate bought me the set of for Christmas. Plots, Magic Users, and a couple assassin anti-heros. Very powerful characters and good action.


Anyone else?

My recent reading (since Christmas):

The Folklore of Discworld: a look at the folklore of the Disk and how it has parallels with that of Roundworld (Earth).

A Swim-on Part in the Goldfish Bowl: Carol Thatcher's memoirs. (Perhaps this inspired me with the Pisces puzzle! )

One Flew Into the Cuckoo's Egg: Bill Oddie's autobiography. Comic and tragic in equal measure, and often at the same time.

I generally don't do "social networking" sites (like Facebook or MySpace) because they are too generalised - places like this, where you know that everyone has at least something in common are often far more enjoyable.

However, I do like to use a fantastic site: Goodreads. It's basically just the equivalent of something like IMDB* but for books instead of films. It invites you to rate and review the books you've read, but also to stick them on personlised "shelves" (e.g. fiction, or crime, or even "historical crime") as well as shared community features.

www.goodreads.com

(*IMDB- the Internet Movie Data Base. One of my key reference checking sites for certain puzzles!)

Sounds like you've been listening in on my talks at work when I tell beginners about the Internet and I 'describe' the forms of Social Networking. I usually end up starting DVP off and introducing my visitors to threads like Stations and GAME3.

At the end of the month I'll need to start bringing them on here to show them how friendships can be formed around a common interest (but far less likely to amount to anything on a 'hanging around' site like Facebook).

Don't worry - I never show them any of the really crazy bits


.................. thinking about it - it's just as well I type this, as it's made me realize that unlike DVP where anyone could look through the threads (but not post), here you need a login even to see the threads. So if anyone wants me NOT to show people around, then give me shout.

The decision not to have "guest" logins here was not taken lightly. I am still considering how best to approach this issue, since I'd like people to be able to browse the forums without a full log-in. But I am nervous about inadvertently breaking the system for the regular users!

Just finished
Dear Fatty (by Dawn French) tears and laughter here with her sort of autobiography.

Just started
The Bad Twin (Gary Troupe) again as I didn't understand it the first time and rewatching Lost from the beginning I thought it may help (but NO).

Scurra wrote:I'd like people to be able to browse the forums without a full log-in.

Great - that means that my 'Guided Tours' are OK

I'm currently reading Shirley by Charlotte Bronte. This is a major breakthrough. I've read and love all her other books, and I've been trying on and off for the last ten years to get into it, and I've finally got past chapter five and got to the good bit! Hurray!!!

I've only read Shirley once. Did like it, but you are right, rather hard going at times. Worth reading though.

I'm currently reading Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell. Oh, and Dr Spock...

Chuck Dr Spock out

Read Jonathan Strange last year and loved it, kept it to read again at some point in the future

I've not tried Shirley yet. Maybe I should give it a go. I enjoyed Jane Eyre when I did it for O level. (Only a year or two ago )

I'm currently reading "Watching the English" by Kate Fox which my daughter gave me for Christmas. It is by turns amusing and cringeworthy as she attempts to define "Englishness". She also comes up with observations about how we react to queue jumpers (muttering, glaring etc but rarely actually accosting the queue jumper) and how when someone bumps into us we almost invariably apologise to them!! It's very readable anthropology.

Shows how much (little) I know - I had to google "Jonathan Strange" to find out that Mr Norrell is NOT a second book

Sorry ladies - I've never been one for the 'Classics' (romantic or otherwise). I'm with Mark Twain on this one "A classic is a book that everyone wants to have read, but no one wants to read."

Well, it's your loss

But I do think that books that have survived for several centuries and are still read and enjoyed must have something going for them! I still can't entirely get over the fact that it was my mother (Wulfruna) who gave me Jane Eyre to read when I was a teenager. Giving a teenaged boy Charlotte Brontë?! She was right though. It's still one of the best books I've ever read.

Sadly, my current reading is somewhat more low-brow: Air Apparent (yes, that's the 31st Xanth book!)

Classics are, in some cases, overrated - and the term "classic" used far too soon in their life, really should just be called "popular" or "award-winning" (which aren't necessarily the same thing). On the other hand, the term "classic" really can apply to those which are an outstanding representation of their class.
Which reminds me, part way through reading Treasure Island to Monkey at odd intervals.

LOL at Scurra. Since I was always reading (at school) I was thought of as a swot - but I never got above 'low brow'. If I ever ended up on 'Desert Island Disks' I'd be looking to swap those complete works of the Bard for the complete history of Xanth,

After saying that, low-brow doesn't necessarily mean stupid or easy. Ian Flemming's James Bond books were not the easiest read as a 12-13-14 year old, and I think I came out OK English-wise apart from my dodgy spelling.

Since I was such a big reader, I was 'pushed' into that hell known as English Literature in my last years at school. I can't remember how I did it, but I got myself transferred out within 2 months. When I was asked if I liked Kipling I told them "I don't know - I've never Kippled"



[Classic - as in OLD - jokes are a different matter, but the Eng.Lit story is true]

I'm very glad to hear it!!
Another late bird I see...

LAT wrote:I've not tried Shirley yet. Maybe I should give it a go. I enjoyed Jane Eyre when I did it for O level. (Only a year or two ago )

If I were you, I'd try Vilette or The Professor first. I found them much easier to get into - evidenced by the fact that the covers are now falling off these books. I went on to a new copy of Jane Eyre years ago. And yes, if I like a book, I do keep reading it over and over. Must have read Jane Eyre 30 times at least!

I may not be into Jane Eyre but:

MBH on DVP wrote:I was trying to teach Jayne Austin to use the Word Processor last week

Now that is quite a claim to fame!