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The Book Thread
Started by Gigolo-Aunt




721 posts in this topic
Neave
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03-30-2018, 08:55 PM -
Read some really good ones recently: Invisible Cities by Italo Calvino and Autumn by Karl Ove Knausgaard.

Both are pretty similar in that they're more collections of existential observations rather than linear plots. Calvino's is written in the guise of Marco Polo to Kublai Khan, where he describes all the mystical cities he's discovered on his travels. The point is, he's describing Venice every time, but makes the multiple layers of human interaction that create and sustain the city, and civilisation more broadly, seem like different cities altogether.

The image in my particular favourite story has stuck with me since I first read it. He describes a city in which all the residents denote their relationships with one another by tying different coloured strings between their houses/buildings: so, say, a romantic relationship would be a red string, work a grey, familial blue, financial yellow, etc. When the city becomes too overburdened with the strings, the residents just up-sticks a bit higher up the hill, look down on their tangled knot of old strings and start again.

Quite Good

I'm just going to post photos of the Knausgaard story that's stuck with me the most. Only finished the book tonight, and this was one of the last ones:

[Image: IMG_20180330_213555.jpg]

[Image: IMG_20180330_213736.jpg]

Piggy

Autumn is part of the Seasons Quartet, so I think I'll be stocking up. Next up is either Why I Write by George Orwell or Homo Deus by Yuval Noah Harari. Will probably go with Orwell on the basis of it being a good 350 pages shorter Sound
The Comedian
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07-24-2018, 10:56 AM -
Finished The Plantagenets by Dan Jones on holiday.

[Image: 61iu1GwrRNL._SX324_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg]

Absolutely superb book IMO, it could go into more detail obviously but the subject rolls along nicely. Jones really knows how to end a chapter too.

9/10
Poor Playercey
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07-24-2018, 11:08 AM -
Just read The Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving a Fuck. Good philosophy imo. Pretty good

Have never wanted to quit my job more than right now. Woy Not Sure
(08-02-2018, 09:04 AM)Mags Wrote: A resposta é Sim.

Walter Sobchak
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07-24-2018, 11:47 AM -
I just read an article on medium called "How quitting my job for my start up dream ruined my life."

Might be worth thinking about Acey.
Poor Playercey
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07-24-2018, 12:00 PM -
Won’t be an issue when you and Mags are instructing me from day one. Levein
(08-02-2018, 09:04 AM)Mags Wrote: A resposta é Sim.

The Comedian
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07-24-2018, 12:27 PM -
Now onto this btw...

[Image: 51JmLQAy0AL._SX325_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg]

jjay
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07-24-2018, 01:20 PM -
No voter, Brexit fan, Crusades enthusiast. Becoming a bit of a cliché there mate. Monty Ooh
This post was last modified: 07-24-2018, 01:21 PM by Poor Playercey.
(08-02-2018, 09:04 AM)Mags Wrote: A resposta é Sim.

The Comedian
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07-24-2018, 07:44 PM -
(07-24-2018, 01:20 PM)Acey Wrote: No voter, Brexit fan, Crusades enthusiast. Becoming a bit of a cliché there mate. Monty Ooh

It's a fascinating historical period around the same time and featuring some of the same people from the earlier book I read, AC.

Tony Can't Hear You
This post was last modified: 07-24-2018, 07:45 PM by The Comedian.
Shuto Makino
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07-24-2018, 08:47 PM -
No voter, Brexit fan, can read and does so for pleasure. Not a cliché. Smug
(08-21-2017, 01:25 PM)i8hibsh Wrote: I AM A LONER BY CHOICE
I AM SINGLE BY CHOICE
I HAVE NO KIDS BY CHOICE

Walter Sobchak
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10-19-2018, 08:29 AM -
Did anyone else grow up reading Asterix?

Quote:She first began translating Asterix in 1969, coming up with some of its best jokes and puns. In her version, Obelix’s small dog Idéfix became Dogmatix, and the druid Panoramix became Getafix. The Oxford Guide to Literature in English Translation describes her work on Asterix as ingenious and superbly recreated, displaying “the art of the translator at its best”.


Anthea Bell: 'It's all about finding the tone of voice in the original. You have to be quite free'

her translations of the famous French bande dessinée are widely attested to be a thrillingly witty recreation of the original, complete with pinpoint accurate punning.”

https://twitter.com/OliverKamm/status/10...5818840065
Chris Benoit
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10-19-2018, 08:57 AM -
Every other Saturday we’d go to the library and get Asterix and Tintin books, loved them
pondlife
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10-19-2018, 09:15 AM -
The British Library have an interesting exhibit starting today by the looks of it. For any of you who may be in London over the next wee bit.

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2018/o...exhibition

Quite Good
Zizou
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11-24-2018, 10:31 AM -
[Image: 41m3cBg73zL._SX324_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg]

Anyone read this? I'm half way through, it looks at the positive mindset industry and how that doesn't equal happiness and explores negative thinking leading to happiness (or rather being content). Very interesting stuff about the stoic mindset.

A great read in these social media times. You go on instagram straight after it and cringe at the bullshit. Laugh
Hung S.J.
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11-24-2018, 10:56 AM -
(11-24-2018, 10:31 AM)Alan Partridge Wrote: [Image: 41m3cBg73zL._SX324_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg]

Anyone read this? I'm half way through, it looks at the positive mindset industry and how that doesn't equal happiness and explores negative thinking leading to happiness (or rather being content). Very interesting stuff about the stoic mindset.

A great read in these social media times. You go on instagram straight after it and cringe at the bullshit. Laugh

I haven't read it. Though I've heard terms like the tyranny of positivity. The pressure to think positive etc... Asking you to deny any thinking that isn't positive. I assume it touches on stuff like that?

The whole quest to be perennially happy is surely self-defeating because you're going to end up dissapointed.
This post was last modified: 11-24-2018, 10:57 AM by Hung S.J..
Zizou
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01-15-2019, 12:28 PM -
Started listening to audio books. Didn’t think I’d enjoy them but they are pretty good for getting through things quickly that you may not have the motivation to read. Another great fad jjay

Anyone listen to them? Take it you can get them for free from somewhere? Woy Not Sure
Poor Playercey
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01-15-2019, 12:37 PM -
Audiobooks are pretty big business m8 Warnock

Get a free trial from audible, then cancel. Sound
(08-02-2018, 09:04 AM)Mags Wrote: A resposta é Sim.

pondlife
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01-15-2019, 12:48 PM -
^^ pro! Laugh
Zizou
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01-15-2019, 12:52 PM -
(01-15-2019, 12:37 PM)Acey Ikpeazu Wrote: Audiobooks are pretty big business m8 Warnock

Get a free trial from audible, then cancel. Sound

Did that and forgot to cancel Beardy

I don’t understand having to pay a monthly sub and then another fee for the book Monty Ha
Poor Playercey
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01-15-2019, 01:01 PM -
The sub gets you one audiobook a month, doesn’t it? You have to pay for any books on top of that. Fair play if you’re getting through more than one audiobook a month, on top of podcasts etc. Quite Good
(08-02-2018, 09:04 AM)Mags Wrote: A resposta é Sim.

Morph
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01-15-2019, 01:25 PM -
(01-15-2019, 12:52 PM)Alan Partridge Wrote: Did that and forgot to cancel  Beardy

I don’t understand having to pay a monthly sub and then another fee for the book  Monty Ha

Aye I've forgotten to cancel mine too, will need to do it.

It's a good collection of books but I agree about the pricing, it's a joke.
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