Currently Reading: Intellectual

[Victoria]

This is an intellectual version of all the existing "Currently _____" threads.
In this particular thread, you're going to have to explain what it is you're reading, why you're reading it, and what you think of it as you go along.

When you finish your book, also explain your post thoughts about said book and also everyone only gets one post per book so that way it will look nice and neat. I don't want to see any one-line posts in here with just the Book name and author. If I do, you will be deemed the title of "Dee Dee Dee."

Just kidding. But seriously though, this is intellectual for a reason.

The "format" goes something like this:

Currently Reading: Book 2 of Indigo; Inferno by Louise Cooper

I started reading this book soon after I finished reading the first book, seeing as I have all eight books of the series. The plot and premise of the story easily draws you in with its dramatic and action packed adventures. The main character goes through so much turmoil. It also goes without saying that she has a very bad temper.

Oh! I almost forgot. The reason why I'm even reading this series is because it has been recommended to me by a very dear friend and long time member of TFF. Alisha aka Indigo.

Edit: I completed this book on Tuesday, and thought it was particularly anti-climactic at the end. The demon died pretty easily, but the main characters got beat up real bad, though. All in all, though, the book was very good.

I have yet to begin reading the third book, Infanta. I will soon enough.

[Psiko]

Currently Reading: The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman

Obviously, being book 3/3 in that trilogy I'm reading it because I read the first two.

Not good enough? Poo.

Fine, I'm reading this particular trilogy because my younger sister, who is tow years younger than me, recommended this trilogy. Not only that, she also let me borrow it from her. I had them in my car for about two months before deciding to read it. Actually, it was because they were in my car that I started reading them, because I was away from home, bored, and needed something to do. So I started reading, and have enjoyed it since. Not only are these good books, but they are making a movie trilogy, with the first set to come out this coming December! w00t! I'm reading a trilogy BEFORE it starts hitting theaters! Go me!

EDIT: Finished the book last week. I must say I enjoyed the trilogy. Not quite the ending I was expecting, but a very good ending. Lots of surprises along the way. Read these books!

[DragonHeart]

Currently reading: Storms of Destiny by A. C. Crispin
Volume I of The Exiles of Boq'urain
Page 103/547

As you can see, I'm just barely getting into the story. It's still in the introducing characters and getting everyone to one place stage of the plot, but so far I'm really enjoying it. The characters are a very interesting group of people, and the little bit of villainy that's been revealed is horrifying, yet fascinating.

The main reason why I picked up this particular book is because of the Absolute Write forums, of which this author is a member. She mainly writes science fiction; this is her first fantasy, and so far I like her style. I'll definitely be looking for the next chapter of this series.

As of right now my favorite character is Jezzil, but I can't say anything about him without spoiling something from the plot.

~DragonHeart~

[MiwaMiwa]

Currently Reading: Lolita by Vladmir Nabokov
For about the fifth time.
The reason being is that it is my favorite book of all time. It has a bad reputation, as people like to deem it full of incest and child exploitation, and what have you, which it is. But the beauty in the book is trying to dechipher why exactly the protagonist has such a longing for 7-10 year olds. It's unbelievably psychological, if you didn't figure that out for yourself already, and it's a classic. All of Nabokov's novels deal with similar comtroversial topics, and they are all amazing. He is a Russian author (again, if you didn't figure that out already.), so yes the books are translated, but they are very well done. The writing is amazing, the subject matter is intriguing, and all in all, Nabokov is my favorite author of all time.

[Govinda]

I am currently reading The Soul of Man Under Socialism and Selected Critical Prose by Oscar Wilde, and also Rome b Emilé Zola.

The latter I found in a charity shop for fifty pence; I've read some more of Zola's work, and he, along with Guy de Maupassant, represents the best in late 19th Century French literature. What they wrote then was far above anything else being produced at the time; and still today, Zola remains the master of in-politics, and de Maupassant the God of the short story. I have only read a few pages of Rome; I'm concentrating more on Wilde for the moment.

The Soul of Man Under Socialism and Selected Critical Prose was given to me by my mother for Christmas this year. It's wonderful. Wilde was a true commentator on the mode and implication of artistic aesthetics; colour especially seems to have been something of great interest to him. His wit is also immense; such a clever, clever man; it's hard to describe his subtlety, his charm, his strength and his overwhelming intelligence. Everyone should read Oscar Wilde. I've read a lot of his short stories too; the classics, The Happy Prince and The Remarkable Rocket, are among my favourites.

[Helter Skelter]

I'm currently reading Bob Dylan's Chronicles. Taking into consideration that he once stated he'd never write an autobiography, it's an interesting read so far. I'm about halfway through it, and his memoirs of the early 60s and early 70s are spectacularly detailed.

I didn't know much about Dylan to begin with, but I'd already owned several of his albums for a while. It's written in such down-to-earth, simple language, yet manages to portray any scenario in a straightforward poetic form. I wrote on another forum that it's almost like one long, chronological poem.

It leaps straight from the early 60s to the early 70s, and the next chapter to the mid-80s, so I suppose it's just a few selected memoirs of his 4-decade career. Describing his whole life in such detail as in Chronicles would take a hell of a lot of paper. It's also filling me in on a lot of music of the mid-20th century.

I'm enjoying it so far.

[Jin]

Currently readings: The Phantom Of The Opera by Gaston Leroux

Now, I haven't been under a rock for 20 years, so obviously I've heard of the title prior to now, but I never actually did watch any of the movies or musicals. I'm glad that I'm starting with the book because movies always get it wrong. I received this as a "I'm seeing you for the first time" present from my girlfriend and am currently reading it because she recommended it as "the best love story ever". Frankly, I have to completely agree with her; I love it. I finally understand what all the fuss is about as it really is a fantastic story. Raoul's such a fool.

[Taco-Calamitous]

I'm currently reading Wild at Heart by John Eldredge. In my group of friends, several people have already read it, and they strongly suggested that I should read it myself. It's a heavily Christian-themed book, about the heart of men in today's society, and I'm a little more than halfway through it now.

The basic concept is that men are meant to be dangerous. That doesn't mean we are meant to be dangerous in a bad way, however. An analogy he uses in the book is that of a gun; it could be used to either harm or protect. He also uses the analogy of a lion being kept in a small cage in a zoo in the city that he lives in, and how it seems incredibly sad, and has lost its luster in life to be kept there. Basically, many men are living similar to these lions; society wants us to act in a more feminine manner than we are meant to live.

He has also been discussing the wound, how every man has one, and how it often times is inflicted on us by our father. Our father, he says, is who we ask the question to: whether we are men or not. If our father says no, or something more damaging, or is not even present to lead us there, then we may have no way to tell whether we are a man or not. The wound is usually something that you're afraid of confronting, so he suggests you confront that wound head on. He also suggests that you invite the Lord there to help you heal that wound.

This book has been a bit inspiring to me. I do not know that I am doing it proper justice with my description of it; it might best be approached by reading it yourself, if you are curious. Even if you are not Christian, I think many of these messages can be utilized in your life. I'm only halfway through, so maybe I'll edit this post and add my final thoughts to it later. Anyhoo...

Wuv, Yer Mom

[Angantyr]

120 Days of Sodom by Marquis de Sade

I recently attained the e-book as it was suggested through ToroMor as being one of the most disgusting books ever, so much so it had been banned in many countries for a very long time and thus I decided to look at it.

From what I read (being the introduction) it was not exactly something I would get into but interesting never the less. Basically it has started by introducing the story of which is set in France and has these four rich men who luster in acts of Sodomy and Rape in the most vile ways. Each of these men have their own traits, normally willing to kill to get anything they want.

I have not really read anything in over a year from when I was reading Thus Spake Zarathustra when events happened interupting it. I dunno if I will read this book or not, as it is kind of one of those things you do not like yet that is kind of why it interests you. I highly suggest it however if vile acts tickle your fancy.

[Psiko]

Previously read: The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown. This book lasted all of three days, so I never got the chance to put it in here as my currently reading. I must say, despite some negative reviews I'd seen from members at a writing forum, I enjoyed this book a lot. Enough that I couldn't put it down once I got into it. I still have not seen the movie, which I intend to change as soon as I get around to renting it. Highly recommend this to anyone!

Currently reading: The Two Jungle Books by Rudyard Kipling. Did you know that The Jungle Book is really a bunch of short stories published back in the late 1800's? Or that he published two collections of said short stories involving Mowgli and his adventures in the jungle? Or that these short stories are nothing like the Disney movie? Or that, as always, these stories are 100 times better than the movie version? I've decided this at the 1/3 point in the book. And, of course, the one I have is a complete compilation of the two books in one volume. Bravo, Kipling. You write very entertaining stories!

[Georg Prime]

@Psiko, Amber Spyglass was great I thought. That whole series is one of my favorites, It's been so long since I've read them but I can't wait for the movies to come out! And I really enjoyed the Da Vinci Code, if you like Dan Brown you should read some his other novels. Angels and Demons in particular, since it is also a story revolving around Robert Langdon.

Previously read: Laurel Canyon: The Inside Story of Rock & Roll's Legendary Neighborhood by: Michael Walker. This was a really good and interesting read for me because I've always been fascinated with the 60's, not only the music, but the whole culture as well. The book traces the canyon's humble beginnings when bands like the Byrds called it home, to the Charles Manson murders later on, and when cocaine, disco, punk, and glam took over the hippie folk rock beginnings and greed and corruption sank in. The canyon made LA the music center of the US at the time, and it was home to many of rock's greats including Frank Zappa, Jim Morrison, Brian Wilson, John Mayall, The Eagles, The Byrds, and Joni Mitchell (many of which provided some good interviews and incites). Not only did I learn a lot about some of my favorite bands, but it really gave a great incite to what a magical time that era was.
Now Reading: The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test by: Tom Wolfe. A book by famous american author Tom Wolfe, once again this caters to my taste in literature. Most of my reading is either science fiction/fantasy, books about drugs, the counterculture, or I love reading books about my favorite musicians. This book tells the story of Ken Kesey and his band of Merry Pranksters as they drive all around the country in an old painted school bus experimenting with LSD and other psychedelic drugs. A really good read if you are into book about drugs and hippies. Not too far into it as of now though.

after this, I want to continue reading all of Huxley's books, I have Island and Brave New World under my belt but i hope to read Crome Yellow soon.

[DragonHeart]

Oath of Gold, Book Three of the Deed of Paksenarrion by Elizabeth Moon

I have the three in one volume and I've been reading the monster straight through. Currently page 843/1024.

This is an amazing trilogy. It's been a very long time since I was so compelled to read. Part of the reason why I haven't been active here is cause I'm staying up till 2 a.m. just to read this. Anyone who likes fantasy needs to buy this trilogy. (That includes you, bro. )

Basically, it's a look at how paladins might actually function. There are similiarities to the Final Fantasy version, but far more realistic. The premise is the same, though. Warriors who use the power of light to defeat evil. Not quite so simple in the books, of course.

Anyways, it follows Paksenarrion, Paks for short, a young woman who runs away from home to join a mercenary company. It is well described and extremely compelling, possibly because it feels real. At first the story seems straightforward but as time passes it turns out to be complex and highly emotional. It's not just the 'bad guys' who die, after all. People die, get maimed, are captured and tortured by the enemy. It was actually a bit upsetting because just when I start to like a character, really connect with them...they die. Well, not all of them, obviously.

Anyways, it's a great change from the more popular fantasy I've been reading, as it's down to earth and still has a lot of probability to it. Highly recommended.

~DragonHeart~

[Sir Kenneth]

Currently I'm changing between Mein Kampf by Adolf Hitler and How Black was our Sabbath? by Graham Wright and David Tangye.
How Black was our Sabbath? is a really great and funny Black Sabbath bio written by former Sabbath roadies and personal assistants to Bill Ward and Ozzy Osbourne, so there's some hilarious stuff from their private life as well.

Especially from Ozzy's assistant David Tangye

[Psiko]

Wow, I've got a bit to update here:

Lord of the Flies I read in two days about a week ago. Great book, I started reading it in the middle of reading The Two Jungle Books and ended up choosing to finish that book before continuing the one I had been reading. I don't do that very often. I'm sure many of you have already read it, but I had not. If you haven't, for whatever reason, I urge you to do so as soon as possible.

Bridge to Terabithia is the book I read today, in about two hours. Seriously, wonderful book. I had tears at several moments in the book. After reading that, I don't want to see the movie. Hollywood butchers so many great books, I will not let myself see that one ruined.

And, finally, I'm currently 76 pages into Aeneid. This is one my sister recommended me to read and, while the reading itself isn't keeping my attention all the time, it is quite interesting. I hate stories like that, which do not draw you in. But I think that I will be glad that I'm choosing to continue to trudge through it rather than just give up. I'll let you all know how it goes when completed.

[TheBlob]

Currently reading: A Calculus of Angels
Book 2 of the Age of Unreason
Page 23/429

I just started reading this book last night, because I finished the previous book in the series, "Newton's Cannon". It's an alternate history book where Sir Isaac Newton discovered a metal known as Philosopher's Mercury, a necessary ingredient for Alchemical devices. The first book was full of political intrigue, and cataclysmic events. I haven't got much into the second yet, but I have high hopes.

[TheBlob]

Currently reading: The Gunslinger by Stephen King
Book 1 of The Dark Tower
Page 30/304

I'm still reading A Calculus of Angels by J. Gregory Keyes, but I just recently got the first five books in the Dark Tower series by Stephen King, so I decided to start reading them as well. It's good so far, but more fantasy then the other Stephen King novels I have read before.

[DragonHeart]

Airframe by Michael Crichton
Page: n/a

I'm going to start reading this as soon as I'm done typing up this post. I've read it several times and enjoyed it (obviously), so I'll post the blurb from the back cover.

Three passengers are dead. Fifty-six are injured. The interior cabin virtually destroyed. But the pilot manages to land the plane...

At a moment when the issue of safety and death in the skies is paramount in the public mind, a lethal midair disaster aboard a commercial twin-jet airliner bound from Hong Kong to Denver triggers a pressured and frantic investigation.

AIRFRAME is nonstop reading: the extraordinary mixture of super suspense and authentic information on a subject of compelling interest that has been a Crichton landmark since The Andromeda Strain.

Yes, it is a bit dated. This was published in 1996, well before 9/11. If anything I think that actually increases the strength of the story, as he gives you a taste of what terror in the skies actually feels like.

Update: Well, read and finished. It took about four hours, including all interuptions of varying reasons and lengths. Still a great read, even knowing what happens.

~DragonHeart~

[U2Girl1966]

Currently reading - Cell by Stephen King. I'm about half way through. It's typical King, but still good.

Leave it to King to find something to go wrong, very VERY wrong, with something that just about everyone has these days - a cell phone. Without giving anything away, the cliffnotes version is that one day, just after 3pm, anyone who is using a cell phone turns into a zombie sort of being. The books is about what happens to those few people who were not using their phones and what they do to survive.

[DragonHeart]

Legend by David Gemmell

From the back cover:

Druss, Captain of the Ax, is the stuff of legends. Tales of his battles are told throughout the land, and the stories expand with each telling. But Druss himself grows older, until finally, the warrior turns his back on glory and retreats to his mountain lair. There he awaits his old enemy: death.

But far below, the barbarian Nadir hordes are on the march. All that stands between them and the Drenai people is a mighty six-walled fortress, Dros Delnoch--a great citadel that seems destined to fall. If it does, the Nadir will sweep inexorably across the land, killing all who oppose them.

Reluctantly Druss agrees to come down from his mountaintop to lead this last, hopeless fight. Lost causes mean nothing to him--he has fought such battles a thousand times in a thousand lands. And he is a hero to inspire a new generation of warriors. He is Druss the Legend.

I'll update with my opinion later, it just came in today and I intend to start it as soon as this post is done. I tend to read books in one sitting.

~DragonHeart~

[Shadow Of Darkness]

Im reading:The Power of Unconscious
page 19 (hehe) /270
Its a great book, its about how to use the unconscious which is very useful.
and many other useful things

[DragonHeart]

Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield
Page 123/440

At Thermopylae, a rocky mountain pass in northern Greece, the feared and admired Spartan soldiers stood three hundred strong. Theirs was a suicide mission, to hold the pass against the invading millions of the mighty Persian army. Day after bloody day they withstood the terrible onslaught, buying time for the Greeks to rally their forces. Born into a cult of spiritual courage, physical endurance, and unmatched battle skill, the Spartans would be remembered for the greatest military stand in history--one that would not end until the rocks were awash with blood, leaving only one gravely injured Spartan squire to tell the tale...

This novel is definitely not for the squemish or the faint of heart. It's bloody, it's coarse, it's violent. It's also a damned good read, even only 1/4 of the way in.

I recommend this to anyone who likes the following: the movie 300, history, war, warriors, strength, courage, or a good book. It is all of these, sans the movie which is based on a graphic novel of the same event.

~DragonHeart~

[U2Girl1966]

While Danielle Steel has written her share of trashy, silly, fluffy stuff over the past 20ish years, there is one book that stands out.

"His Bright Light. The story of Nick Trainia". Nick was her second (of nine) children. He killed himself about 10 years ago at the age of 19 and this book, written (from what I can tell) shortly after his death, tells his story from her point of view.

While I don't have kids by choice, this book was very moving, sad and bittersweet to read.

[DragonHeart]

His Majesty's Dragon by Naomi Novik
Page: N/A (Finished it yesterday)

Aerial combat brings a thrilling new dimension to the Napoleonic Wars as valiant warriors rise to Britain's defense by taking to the skies...not aboard aircraft but atop the mighty backs of fighting dragons.

When HMS Reliant captures a French frigate and seizes its precious cargo, an unhatched dragon egg, fate sweeps Capt. Will Laurence from his seafaring life into an uncertain future--and an unexpected kinship with a most extraordinary creature. Thrust into the rarefied world of the Aerial Corps as master of the dragon Temeraire, he will face a crash course in the daring tactics of airborne battle. For as France's own dragon-borne forces rally to breach British soil in Bonaparte's boldest gambit, Laurence and Temeraire must soar into their own baptism of fire.

Now these are dragons. Easily one of the best novels involving dragons I've ever read. So much so that I immediately ordered the next two books of the series and am seriously considering preordering #4, which won't be out for a few months yet. Very highly recommended to anyone who likes dragons and alternate histories.

~DragonHeart~

[Dori]

Les Miserables (abridged version) by Victor Hugo
Page 170/829

I'm reading this book because I thought Hugo wrote The Hunchbcak of Notre-Dame so wonderfully that I would be a fool not to give this book a try. Unfortunately, it's the abridged version which usually I disklike reading.

So far, I am nearly through the the first part titled "Fantine". It is quite the depressing story, and perhaps a future canidate for my favorite book (which the Hunchback so far holds). I'm sure most people have heard of this book and know something about it so I will leave out the details of my reading. If you haven't, I challenge you to read it. The abridged version is probably better for people who aren't used to the classics (or the sheer length of the book!).

[DragonHeart]

Spirit Gate by Kate Elliot
Page: 1/445 (Hardcover)

From the dust jacket:

When Mai is approached by Captain Anji at her family's fruit stand in her village marketplace, she feels fear, for he is one of the invaders, and she knows that if he wanted, he could take her from her family, never to be heard from again.

What she can't possibly know is that she is about to take the first step into a life beyond her wildest imagination, on a journey through lands terrible and fierce, with people strange and wonderful, to a land rumored to harbor unspeakable violence and cruelty.

One of her uncles had left their town and never returned. Now, as she sets off with Anji and his soldiers, her uncle Shai journeys with them to discover their lost kinsman's fate. But the world has turned upside down: The immortal Guardians have abandoned the world; their mortal agents of justice, Eagle Reeves, seem no longer to hold the respect of people throughout the lands of the North; and the villages and towns of the Hundred are in peril of civil war.

Captain Anji and his disciplined troops ride a trade route east to discover what fearsome shadow has seized the land and so terrified its people. Their gates are entwined with those of a reeve who has already tasted the bitterness of loss and with merchants and slaves both sacred and profane, who must transcend the paths they thought to tread if they are to see the light beyond the shadow that blights the land.

Whew, that's a lot of run-on sentences. Whoever wrote that synopsis must have huge lungs. Anyways, the giant eagles more or less made my decision for this book. Never read any of Kate Elliot's previous work, though she's written more than a dozen novels. I'll probably be posting a review of this book on my blog when I'm done, if anyone's interested. (I have a review of His Majesty's Dragon posted there already.)

~DragonHeart~

[VidenTheColdOne]

Currently Reading: Ender's Game By Orson Scott Card

I began reading it because i had been reading a book about writing fantasy/fiction that wa written by Card, and he mentioned parts from Ender's Game, which sounded really interesting, so i asked my friend if he had it, and he did, so i began reading it.

It's pretty good so far, i'm only like 5 chapters in but so far its very mysterious, and i can't wait to see what happens in Ender's future.


EDIT: I finished reading it today, and it was pretty good. I really like Card's writing style, and i will have to pick up more of his books in the future. I found out that Ender's Game is the first in a series, so i will look into the rest now.

[GrimmJaw]

Currently Reading: Shadow of the Giant by Orson Scott Card

I've been reading alot of books by OSC, and this was the last one in the Ender's Shadow Series. It was quite good. Card is a magnificent writer of Sci-Fi. I love how he fleshes out each character, from Peter to Achilles from Dink to Petra, everyone is very well created. It's a great read, should you come upon the series.

[Momo Mastermind]

I'm currently reading Dolores Claiborne by Stephen King for the second time.

I absolutely love this story. It has such mundane dull settings, and the narration is done completely by the main character, Dolores, but the stories of her life range for the sheer amazing to the deeply disturbing, but they're always painful memories. The book has no chapters or dividing features, it's writting in one large blob of dialogue, and it is done wonderfully. Here's a quote from the story that I love:

Spoiler: "What I felt inside was pure rage. It was like I had an eye inside, one I never knew about before that day, and all I could see with it was Joe's long, horsey face, with his lips always cracked and his dentures always kind of yellow and his cheeks always chapped and red high up on the cheekbones. I saw his face pretty near all the time after that, that eye wouldn't close even when my other two did and I was asleep, and I began to know it wouldn't close until he was dead. It was like bein in love, only inside out."

The level of personality he pours into her is amazing, King has done a wonderful job at breaking away from his usual horrir-fest and diving into the life of a lonely woman with amazing stories to tell.

If anyone reads this, please send me a PM and tell me how you like it

305 pages long.

[Momo Mastermind]

Currently reading: Swan Song by Robert R. McCammon

I can feel this post becomming a long one, as do so many of mine.

I'm only on page 30 of this book so far, and while many people will most definately feel that I have no standing on which way I can rate this novel from the shortness of my reading in this story, I believe I do... I will debate you on this, I will fight you. I will gather my followers and have an epic battle of this issue.... right, moving on;

This book is about the end of the world. The end of our world is only the beginning of this story. Many people have compared this to Stephen King's The Stand, which just so happens to be my favorite author. I have never read The Stand, but I have seen the movie... which I know is much worse than the book, but still. Just from being on page 30 I have been introduced to two amazingly deep characters which have the potential to become extremely powerful heroes. It's funny though, because the characters are a bag lady named Sister Creep who preaches in the streets of NY to all of the "sinners" and a large black wrestler named Black Frankenstein...

Anyway, the story involves the incarnation of evil refered to the man with the scarlet eye, or the man of many faces. The people ban together and blah blah blah. From what I have read on Amazon, there are mutated animal monsters and such in here, and also as I have read, it is much like The Stand, only the good is sweeter and the evil is more sadistic. Mwahahaha. I shall attempt to update this entry when I can to top off the finished product, but everything is so chaotic, so I really don't know when I'll even be able to finish this novel. I completely urge anyone who likes horror/apocolypse stories/or action to indulge yourself in this world that McCammon has woven.

[[PS: I would like to thank all of you for throwing that party for me on Thursday, I have NEVER had anyone do something like that for me before, and I just wanted to show my gratitude... okay, now I'm tearing up a little. I have to stop.]]

[Govinda]

I've been reading a lot lately. My most recent read was Oh Pure and Radiant Heart by Lydia Millet.

This book is a marvel. It's completely excellent. It begins with the three phsyicists mainly responsible for the atom bomb - Robert Oppenheimer, Enrico Fermi and Leo Szilard - being thrown into 2003 directly after the first nuclear test shot in 1945.

They crash into the lives of a quiet married couple, Ann and Ben, a librarian and a gardener respectively. On the human side of things, the book itself deals with how the scientists cope with losing everything they once loved, and how they affect the marriage of Ann and Ben. On the other side it deals superbly with nuclear issues, Evangelical Christianity and its dangers, the effect of the media and the state of the world, and that's just for starters.

It's an immense book. Millet writes with flair, humour, gravity and compassion. Rarely do you find a writer who can blend scientfic fact with scientific fiction, and fling in some religion and thoughts on love and still make the whole thing work beautifully.

I'm now reading Eva Luna by Isabel Allende. It's basically the life story of a woman named Eva Luna, and from what I can gather at this point (50 pages in) her Austrian love interest.

Only Allende could tell a simple story free from metaphor and make it so enthralling. That woman can make vocabulary sing; make a sentence luscious and full with some perfect words. I can't do her justice here. Just read some Allende.

I also tried in earnest to read The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. I don't know if the translation I have is crap, but I couldn't even get halfway through the book. The story begins with the words 'The boy's name was Santiago' and then refers to him exclusively as the 'the boy' from then on in. I gave up when I came across a sentence involving The Boy getting to know his camel better and thus not caring about being lost and having no money. I swear to God.

Also recently read A Long Way Down by Nick Hornby (wonderful book about suicide and personality), and re-read One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Marqúez, The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende, and a bit of Pulp by Bukowksi just for fun. I plan to read On Green Dolphin Street by Sebastian Faulks next (Deity bless my vault of stolen Red Cross books!).