Reading material
So.
These two books came in the mail for me today. I only ordered one of them, but guess which one I decided to read first?
Anyway, I have to start studying for exams again, which is why I purchased that horrible blue book (just looking at it makes me nauseous) in the hope that a new textbook with shiny smooth pages would induce higher levels of motivation for self-directed learning.
I can't believe I will have to dedicate my precious reading time to Mr Kalra's Essential Notes.
Actually, thinking back over what I've read over the past year, I've probably only read three truly excellent books:
The Time Traveller's Wife by Audrey Niffeneger
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
American Gods by Neil Gaiman
I've also read a couple of good books:
The Photograph by Penelope Lively
Birds Without Wings by Louis de Bernieres
The Algebraist by Iain M. Banks
The Earthsea Quartet by Ursula le Guin
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J K Rowling
The Language of Baklava by Diana Abu-Jaber
Smoke and Mirrors by Neil Gaiman
The No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith
Then I read some books because I felt that I ought to but were a torture to finish because I lost interest halfway through (sounds pretentious, huh?):
The Motorcycle Diaries by 'Che' Guevera
Vanity Fair by William Thackeray
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K Dick
The 2 1/2 Pillars of Wisdom by Alexander McCall Smith
I've also gone through some books that made me feel like I should rip out my eyes - not because they are badly written but because I either felt really sick whilst reading them or because I felt irritated with myself for reading them:
The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
Red Rabbit by Tom Clancy
A Maiden's Grave by Jeffery Deaver
The Coffin Dancer by Jeffery Deaver
I think I should never EVER read a book where the author's name is printed in a larger type than the title of the book.
These two books came in the mail for me today. I only ordered one of them, but guess which one I decided to read first?
Anyway, I have to start studying for exams again, which is why I purchased that horrible blue book (just looking at it makes me nauseous) in the hope that a new textbook with shiny smooth pages would induce higher levels of motivation for self-directed learning.
I can't believe I will have to dedicate my precious reading time to Mr Kalra's Essential Notes.
Actually, thinking back over what I've read over the past year, I've probably only read three truly excellent books:
The Time Traveller's Wife by Audrey Niffeneger
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
American Gods by Neil Gaiman
I've also read a couple of good books:
The Photograph by Penelope Lively
Birds Without Wings by Louis de Bernieres
The Algebraist by Iain M. Banks
The Earthsea Quartet by Ursula le Guin
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J K Rowling
The Language of Baklava by Diana Abu-Jaber
Smoke and Mirrors by Neil Gaiman
The No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith
Then I read some books because I felt that I ought to but were a torture to finish because I lost interest halfway through (sounds pretentious, huh?):
The Motorcycle Diaries by 'Che' Guevera
Vanity Fair by William Thackeray
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K Dick
The 2 1/2 Pillars of Wisdom by Alexander McCall Smith
I've also gone through some books that made me feel like I should rip out my eyes - not because they are badly written but because I either felt really sick whilst reading them or because I felt irritated with myself for reading them:
The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
Red Rabbit by Tom Clancy
A Maiden's Grave by Jeffery Deaver
The Coffin Dancer by Jeffery Deaver
I think I should never EVER read a book where the author's name is printed in a larger type than the title of the book.
I guess 19 books in one year is pretty good going, considering that I tend to reread books that I really enjoy several times. But I guess the luxury of snuggling up in a chair with a good book is one I'll have to put off for a while.
It's terrible. I should be able to kick back and schmooze during my spare time after work. I mean, look how happy my feet look in this picture on the left! Happy and relaxed! Reading a fun book! By a pool! In the sun!
I guess my R&R time for this year will no longer be 'Read and Relax' but 'Revise and Revise'.
Now if you'll excuse me, Mr Kalra awaits my attention.
posted by tscd at 8:10 pm
3 Comments:
Excellent choice of books you've got there.
(too bad you didn't like the Phillip K Dick: the man's a genius ... in all ways, including the irritating way. May I recommend some of his more accessible novels - The Man in the High Tower is much easier to read than Electric Sheep)
You didn't like The Lovely Bones? It's one of my favourites! Haven't tried Birds Without Wings, though I greatly enjoyed his Captain Corelli's Mandolin.
wahj: Yes, I really really wanted to like Phillip K Dick too - his ideas are intriguing and the guy is obviously a visionary.
I want to be a Sci-Fi elitist-geek!
But I couldn't get into the story for some reason...plus I had to reread the first chapter 4 times in order to understand what was going on.
tym: I didn't like The Lovely Bones because the subject matter just made me very upset and it gave me nightmares...but I think Alice Sebold is a good writer - her descriptions are very vivid. The book now sits on a very high shelf and I still shiver when I look at it.
Birds Without Wings is a good read, but it doesn't come close to Captain Corelli's Mandolin (which is a Work of Genius).
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