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-- HabsWorld Official Book Thread --


Doktor Kosmos

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Do we have a book thread here? We should. I know we are all sports fans here, but that sort of people read books too. Don't worry, Gretzky's autobiography counts as a book. ;)

Have you read anything lately that you think is worth recommending? This is where you let the (Habs)world know.

Not too long ago I read a marvelous book called Hard-boiled Wonderland and the End of the World, written by Japanese author Haruki Murakami. It's one of the best books I've read in years! I don't think I have ever read a book that that I have understood so little of and yet been so strongly compelled to keep reading. Wouldn't life be a lot more wonderful if there weren't annoying trivial distractions like food, sleep and job interviews? This is the kind of book you wish you didn't have to put down, and, unlike Dan "Cliffhanger" Brown, Murakami grips your attention in a very good, genuine way, not in the "artificial" way that Brown does (if you know what I mean, no you probably don't, but oh well...). It took time to put the pieces in the puzzle together. But it was worth every second!

The copy that I read is in English, in fact I don't think Murakami has been published in Swedish yet. It took a while before I really got into it (thank you very much, language barrier) but that obstacle is now overcome and the words just flow before me. Aside from a short part in which the protagonist discusses complex calculations with some sort of professor (a part that I don't think was hard to follow because of the language but rather because of the intellectual content), the language feels so easy to understand that I often almost get an urge to start translating this work into Swedish, and I am a little surprised how few words it is that I don't know.

The disposition of the book is interesting. There are two separate plots going on at the same time. At first it seemed like the two had nothing to do with each other, but gradually I understood that this is not so. I'm certain this is not a mistake made by the writer but done deliberately. More and more connections between the two seemingly separate stories pop up.

Reading this book will excite you, it will confuse you and it will frighten you, and if you give it an honest chance, you will not regret it!

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Another book I've read recently is Nick Hornby's A Long Way Down. I liked it a lot, it was a very long time since I read a whole book all in one day. There was a part in the middle that was a bit too much, but all in all it was a great book.

It's New Year's Eve in London, England, and four different people accidentally meet on the roof of a 15-story building. They are all there for the same reason, to jump off the building, independently from each other, but the meeting ruins is it. Instead they agree to look after each other and from that point on, their life revolves around the four as a group. A weird ride follows. A very bumpy ride.

Martin is a former national television breakfast-TV host who's lost everything because he slept with an underage girl. Maureen is a Catholic woman who has a 19-year-old son who is handicapped and she spends virtually all her time either looking after her son or in church. JJ is an American whose band just split up and he also broke up with his girlfriend. Jess is a messed up 18-year-old who is the daughter of an MP. Something is eating away at her, something that has something to do with the mysterious disappearance of her older sister Jen. The only thing these four have in common is their intention to end it all, but never the less they are drawn to each other.

It is a very interesting and captivating book to read. Sometimes the plot seem a bit far out and far fetched, but if you just let yourself get caught up in it, in the moment, it's hard to put the book down (obviously it was for me anyway).

It was the first ever Hornby book I've read. I'll admit one reason why I haven't read any of his other books is partly because I suspect that all the hype surrounding those books might have made my expectations too high, and I fear the books may not live up to the hype. But now I might just have to re-define that view.

Edited by Doktor Kosmos
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Two Girls, Fat and Thin - Mary Gaitskill

One of my all-time favourite books, it's a heavy read about two sexually/mentally/physically-abused women who come together and form a (unhealthy) relationship. There are also flashbacks on their past/childhood. All in all, a great read and I highly recommend it, although it's not for the squeamish.

A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martins

Probably my favourite fantasy series, I can't say enough about it. Instead of your typical high fantasy series with clear divisions between good and evil, this is a very dark and gritty series. Very few (if any) characters are portrayed as strictly good or evil, but instead fall in the middle as there is a redeeming quality for each damning quality and vice versa. Also, it's low-magic, so don't expect wizards running around casting fireball.

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The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom

I read it after Mike Komisarek recommended it a couple of weeks ago in La Presse. A book well worth reading.

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Despite the fact that I was an avid RPG'er in my teens, I haven't read a lot of fantasy books. It's mostly just Tolkien and David Eddings.

I have always liked Isaac Aimov though, and in the last year or so I have read some of his books (the Foundation trilogy) and re-read one (The End of Eternity). Earlier this year I bought the rest of the Foundation books (one of which I bought in London, England). I leaning towards making my next read one of those books.

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Aside from the fairly obvious Harry Potter/Dan Brown stuff, I like the weird sci-fi/fantasy stuff. Like comic/video game based stuff. X-Men novels, Resident Evil novels, Halo novels, Magic novels (like the card game, Magic:The Gathering). I've read the entire Hitchhikers series too..well almost, I bought a 4 in 1 book, I think I've read two and a half. I plan on finishing it tonight while I wait for the Wii.

I further establish myself as an uber nerd at HW with this post. =P

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Aside from the fairly obvious Harry Potter/Dan Brown stuff, I like the weird sci-fi/fantasy stuff. Like comic/video game based stuff. X-Men novels, Resident Evil novels, Halo novels, Magic novels (like the card game, Magic:The Gathering). I've read the entire Hitchhikers series too..well almost, I bought a 4 in 1 book, I think I've read two and a half. I plan on finishing it tonight while I wait for the Wii.

I further establish myself as an uber nerd at HW with this post. =P

your only a ubber nerd if you have Warhammer figurines...i do...go ahead throw your stones...

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I can beat that when Halo 3 is out. I'll actually have Master Chief's helmet, it comes with the Legendary version pre-order.

Ooooooh yeah.

helmet...thats all you got?? do you knwo what warhammer is???? (oh they also got books but never red them)

Edited by habs_in_the_blood
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Of course I know what Warhammer is, it's not that nerdy.

Atleast not to me.

back to the topic i just red that O.J Simpson is releasing a book titled "if i did it"

any of you interested in buying it? i am not interested in giving my money to a murderer....

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Ooh! The Hitch-hiker's Guide to the Galaxy. One of the funniest books I've ever read.

I've read four books by Dan Brown, and while I do like them (Angels & Demons was the best IMO) I have certain objections towards him. One thing is that I think the books are very formulaic. If you've read one you have really read them all. Same basic plot, same basic set of characters etc.

The thing I dislike the most though is the cliffhangers. Why does every single chapter (or so it seems) end with a cliffhanger? Cliffhangers can work really well at strategic points in a story, but Brown drives me mad with his style. As far as suspense goes, I think Brown has a lot to work on. You get exhausted because all the cliffhangers drive the progression of the story up and up and up all the time, there are never any parts where you are brought down again (If you know what I mean). It's like a roller coaster that doesn't go up and down but only up, up, up.

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Lord of the rings...

and stephen kings the dark tower 4 books...

and lets not forget the Potter series

That pretty much sums it up for me. I challenge you to find someone who knows more about the Potter books than me. Though I actually like Lord of the Rings more - I actually read The Silmarillion which is a book with a lot of backstory to the books, and explains the history of Middle-Earth.

The only Stephen King book I've read is It but I loved it and now I'm reading the uncut version of The Stand, so I guess I'm starting to get into him.

I'm trying to think of some of my other favourite books but none are coming to mind. I liked the DaVinci Code, I guess.

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I have only read Nineteen Eighty-four, but if the others are as great as it was, you're in for a treat! It's one of my favourite books, B)

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I've read Animal Farm

Read a couple chapters of 1984 then had to concentrate on my studies so I'll get back to it when I finish everything.

Catalonia is a first hand account of the Franco Wars in Spain, Orwell signed up to fight against Franco.

Wigan Pier is about the poor in Northern England/Scotland

Burmese Days is based on Orwell's time in the Imperial guard in Burma

Down and Out in Paris and London is about the poor and them getting left behind by the rich

Aspidistra Flying is basically a comedy about a guy whose rich but decides to be poor.

Damn tuberculosis he left us too soon considering his last book he finished in a hospital. 1984.

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Two Girls, Fat and Thin - Mary Gaitskill

One of my all-time favourite books, it's a heavy read about two sexually/mentally/physically-abused women who come together and form a (unhealthy) relationship. There are also flashbacks on their past/childhood. All in all, a great read and I highly recommend it, although it's not for the squeamish.

Sounds like Michel Tremblay stuff... You should get your hands on some of his translated novels or plays, you might like it!

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Right now, I'm reading a bunch of books by LARRY NIVEN. It's science fiction. I've been a science fiction/fantasy amateur since my teen years. For many years, I got away from it.

I started back into SF with his books NEUTRON STAR and now, I'm reading THE MOTE IN GOD'S EYE (not religious at all, by the way...). Later, I'll get into RINGWORLD. I read this stuff back in the 70's. I enjoyed it then and it's kind of ok now...

I'll tell you about what I enjoy a lot later...

GO :hlogo: GO!

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