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Reading Minds: The CoastGab Book Club

Started by PhantasticSanShiSan, October 23, 2008, 12:06:30 AM

Lt.Uhura

Quote from: NightsAtSea on July 24, 2015, 10:31:20 PM
Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel (2014). This is one of the better books I've ever read; it's a speculative fiction novel that takes place before/during/after a pandemic that kills 99% of the human population. It's beautifully written. And I promise my opinion is not at all skewed by how profoundly refreshing it was to read an apocalyptic novel that wasn't about zombies!

Thanks for the tip NightsAtSea, will check this out.

*****
Attention BellGab Science Fiction readers:

For years I've searched for SciFi book I read in the 60s that I'd love to find and read again.  I remember few details, but the story was essentially about a dystopian society where racism was taken to the nth degree.  Xenophobia was rampant, and race wars eliminated a good portion of the population.  Eventually there was one race, but fear and paranoia persisted to include people with different colored eyes, freckles, etc.  It was very well-written as I remember, deep and insightful.  Any ideas??


NightsAtSea

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins (2015)

The six books traveling with me on August vacation:

Dr. Sleep by Stephen King (2013)

N0S4a2 by Joe Hill (2013)

Finders Keepers by Stephen King (2015)

Tiger Shrimp Tango by Tim Dorsey (2014)

Shark Skin Suite by Time Dorsey (2015)

O Lost: A Story of the Buried Life  by Thomas Wolfe (1929/2000)



Six of One, half dozen the other.

B.C.N.U.

NightsAtSea

Quote from: Camazotz Automat on July 31, 2015, 10:58:43 AM
Dr. Sleep by Stephen King (2013)

I read that last year and really enjoyed it! I hope you do as well. It's pretty different from The Shining but I felt like that was a good thing; you can't replicate a story like that and it was better that King didn't try. 

zeebo

Quote from: Lt.Uhura on July 29, 2015, 02:34:18 PM
...For years I've searched for SciFi book I read in the 60s that I'd love to find and read again.  I remember few details, but the story was essentially about a dystopian society where racism was taken to the nth degree.  Xenophobia was rampant....

This sounds vaguely familiar.  Like maybe I never read it but I might have read a back-cover blurb about it or such.  Sorry I can't help you I know the feeling of trying to find an old book/story obscured by time. 

Jackstar

http://nypost.com/2015/08/01/iran-publishes-book-on-how-to-outwit-us-and-destroy-israel/





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Ahh we are still the "Great Satan" I see. Glad things never change.

zeebo

Quote from: Camazotz Automat on July 31, 2015, 10:58:43 AM
The six books traveling with me on August vacation:

Dr. Sleep by Stephen King (2013)

N0S4a2 by Joe Hill (2013)

Finders Keepers by Stephen King (2015)

...

Cam just wondering, with these first 3 books, are you getting any sleep on your vacation?   ???

NightsAtSea

All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven (2015)

MABUSE

Quote from: Jackstar on August 01, 2015, 06:12:02 PM
http://nypost.com/2015/08/01/iran-publishes-book-on-how-to-outwit-us-and-destroy-israel/





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Ironically using Western Devil Tools like the computer and printing press...and they say irony is dead!
**M**

NightsAtSea

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by JK Rowling
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by JK Rowling
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by JK Rowing
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by JK Rowling
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by JK Rowling
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by JK Rowling
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by JK Rowling

My annual August HP readings.  ::)

NightsAtSea

The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins (2015)

whoozit

I saw the Hyperion series by Dan Simmons mentioned a while back.  Another great book of his is The Terror.  It is a fictionalized account of Sir John Franklin's ill-fated 1845 expedition to find the Northwest Passage.  It contains an explanation that shows why Mr. Simmons can write effectively in several different genres. There is one bizarre scene that I still visualize as shot by Stanley Kubrick. Check it out.

zeebo

Quote from: whoozit on August 10, 2015, 06:50:31 AM
I saw the Hyperion series by Dan Simmons mentioned a while back.  Another great book of his is The Terror....

I've been meaning to read some of his other horror genre novels e.g. Song of Kali, Summer of Night, but I haven't gotten up the courage yet.

zeebo

Quote from: NightsAtSea on August 07, 2015, 10:04:20 PM
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by JK Rowling
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by JK Rowling
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by JK Rowing
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by JK Rowling
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by JK Rowling
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by JK Rowling
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by JK Rowling

My annual August HP readings.  ::)

I stalled out after book 4.  That one had some cool stuff in it but the last hundred pages dragged for me and then I kinda lost interest.  However it may just be me, as I never seem able to finish series anymore, e.g. stalled out on Game of Thrones after book 3.  And I didn't even make it past book 1 of Dark Tower which is heresy around here.  Would love to find a good sci-fi/fantasy series I could really get into for the long haul.

inuk2600

The Martian by Andy Weir is a great hard science fiction read. The only plot hole is the force of the windstorm at the beginning. Could the wind be that strong on mars?

BobGrau

Quote from: zeebo on August 10, 2015, 01:58:57 PM
I stalled out after book 4.  That one had some cool stuff in it but the last hundred pages dragged for me and then I kinda lost interest.  However it may just be me, as I never seem able to finish series anymore, e.g. stalled out on Game of Thrones after book 3.  And I didn't even make it past book 1 of Dark Tower which is heresy around here.  Would love to find a good sci-fi/fantasy series I could really get into for the long haul.

Book 1 of the Dark Tower is the least engaging of the lot, unfortunately. I recommend people start with Book 2. Although, I myself ended up reading it in this order: 4, 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 6.

zeebo

Quote from: BobGrau on August 20, 2015, 05:09:15 AM
Book 1 of the Dark Tower is the least engaging of the lot, unfortunately. I recommend people start with Book 2. Although, I myself ended up reading it in this order: 4, 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 6.

Thanks yeah I may try book 2 before giving up.  It's always hard to give a series another try when you start off on the wrong foot ... e.g. everyone raves about Iain Banks's Culture series, but I hated Consider Phlebas so bad I can't bring myself to pick up another book.

zeebo

Just finished Ernest Cline's Armada.  I had high expectations after his first novel, which I really enjoyed - it was such an original, fun, compelling story.  Alas his second book did not deliver, being a rather unnecessary retread of that movie The Last Starfighter.  Hopefully he'll regroup and survive his sophmore slump. 

In the meantime I still recommend Ready Player One if you're into nerdy stuff like videogames, virtual reality, hacking, etc. - especially if you have any nostalgia for 1980's pop culture.

Quote from: zeebo on August 21, 2015, 03:49:41 PM
Just finished Ernest Cline's Armada.  I had high expectations after his first novel, which I really enjoyed - it was such an original, fun, compelling story.  Alas his second book did not deliver, being a rather unnecessary retread of that movie The Last Starfighter.  Hopefully he'll regroup and survive his sophmore slump. 

In the meantime I still recommend Ready Player One if you're into nerdy stuff like videogames, virtual reality, hacking, etc. - especially if you have any nostalgia for 1980's pop culture.

I hope this means you'll join the after party at OSOM tonight.

zeebo

Quote from: Georgie For President 2216 on August 21, 2015, 03:57:16 PM
I hope this means you'll join the after party at OSOM tonight.

Yep enough bookwormin' for me this week, time for some Fri. nite wildness.

BobGrau

Quote from: zeebo on August 21, 2015, 03:39:01 PM
Thanks yeah I may try book 2 before giving up.  It's always hard to give a series another try when you start off on the wrong foot ... e.g. everyone raves about Iain Banks's Culture series, but I hated Consider Phlebas so bad I can't bring myself to pick up another book.

Good God son, what are you doing with your life. My advice re Iain M Banks is shut down your computer, go read Excession and then cry for what should have been continued.


EDIT: I know what you mean about Consider Phlebas though.

whoozit

Just finished The Abominable by Dan Simmons.  Ostensibly it's a story about mountaineering and an attempt to climb Everest in between the World Wars.  That part was great, he obviously does a lot of research.  There is a plot gimmick that I'm still not sure I liked. It's not much of a secret if you read the back cover. The plot was a bit slow but I enjoy the way Dan tells a story.  I feel it was worth the time to read but it is not one of his best efforts.

NightsAtSea

Selfish, Shallow, and Self-Absorbed: Sixteen Writers on Their Decision Not To Have Kids edited by Meghan Daum (2015)

Very interesting read.



Just picked up some books 4 for $1 at the thrift store:
2 books by John Keel - Mothman Prophecies and something about UFOs.
A Howard Cosell book.
Picked up a Darryl Stingley book that reminded me of 49ers fan PaperBoy and his deep dislike of the Raiders. It's yours if you want it in a few weeks PB.


Rix Gins

The Death Ship by B. Traven.  1934 - Alfred A. Knopf.  Anyone who has worked a job requiring hard labor, or who likes stories about ships, will feel a kinship with this book.  I have read it numerous times and would be reading it again now but I am currently re-reading my collection of books that deal with World War One.  Thought it would be a good idea to do so, especially in view of the fact that WWI was going on exactly 100 years ago to the day.

aldousburbank

I am currently twisted up by concurrently reading three books which have simultaneously captivated my attention-
Zealot, the life and times of Jesus of Nazareth, by Reza Aslan
Roadshow, landscape with drums, by Neil Peart
Too Much To Dream, a psychedelic American boyhood, by Peter Bebergal

Juan

Be careful with that Neal Peart book. You don't want to be mind controlled.

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