Supergrunch Posted June 14, 2013 Posted June 14, 2013 That book's great, but doesn't contain much actual physics (it's mostly biographical).
Dannyboy-the-Dane Posted June 14, 2013 Posted June 14, 2013 @Dannyboy\-the\-Dane If you've read The Grand Design, I wouldn't recommend it. It covers some interesting points, but it is outdated. If you haven't read The Grand Design, you should first read A Brief History of Time as a kind of 'introduction'. It is a good read, but I wish I hadn't read The Grand Design before Ah, that's too bad; I was considering reading that because I loved The Grand Design so much.
Jim Posted June 14, 2013 Posted June 14, 2013 Just finished reading The Night Circus. Very well written, and a very fun read. Very easy to read too, helped by the double line spacing and massive font :P It's a very short book really, to call it 500 pages is a serious stretch. It'd be closer to 200 pages of a normal book. Still very hard to put down, I knocked it over in just over a week. I wouldn't call it the greatest book I've ever read, not by a long shot.. but it is very captivating and definitely worth the read. Cheers for the recommendation
drahkon Posted June 20, 2013 Posted June 20, 2013 That book's great, but doesn't contain much actual physics (it's mostly biographical). Yeah, so far it's really good. Half-way through. Feynman was such an amazing guy. "And Von Neumann gave me an interesting idea: that you don't have to be responsible for the world that you're in. So I have developed a very powerful sense of social irresponsibility as a result of Von Neumann's advice. It's made me a very happy man ever since."
jayseven Posted June 20, 2013 Author Posted June 20, 2013 @dan\-likes\-trees his Sci-Fi comes in two forms; the 'culture' series (all in the same universe, and generally speaking each book is standalone, with no recurring characters) and the other sci-fi, of which there are few books. Culture novels; Consider Phlebas Player of Games Use of Weapons Excession Inversions Look to Windward Matter Surface Detail The Hydrogen Sonata I can say fairly comfortably that you can skip Consider Phlebas and start from Player of Games, which is short and a good introduction to the Culture's ways. Use of Weapons was drafted 20 years before it was published and you can read how much of a baby it was to Banks. Excession posed a fantastic situation to the Culture. As the books progress chronologically you experience more to do with immortality and morality, with the reality of the physical world and the surreality of the technological abilities available to the different sentiences. Matter, Surface Detail and The Hydrogen Sonata all increase in complexity but are all just astoundingly interesting to read. Feersum Endjinn and The Algebraist are fantastical sci-fi non-culture books he wrote that you can consider reading too... but honestly I say start with Player of Games then Use of Weapons. If you start reading them then I'll re-read them at the same time, in teh same order!
drahkon Posted June 26, 2013 Posted June 26, 2013 (edited) Almost done with "Surely you're joking, Mr. Feynman" Great read. Sadly I forgot the book at home and cannot finish it until Friday. Currently reading The Jigsaw Man by Paul Britton. So far so good. Britton pretty much describes his work and how forensic psychology came to be more popular with investigations. Sometimes it seems that he really wants the reader to know how good he is at what he does, though. Feels odd. Still, it's very interesting. When I'm done with Feynman's book I might juggle The Jigsaw Man and one of these that I just ordered (see the What have you bought thread :p ): For the Love of Physics by Walter Lewin How to teach Quantum Physics to your dog by Chad Orzel Thirty years that shook Physics - The Story of Quantum Physics by George Gamow A Short Story of nearly Everything by Bill Bryson Edited June 26, 2013 by drahkon
Oxigen_Waste Posted June 26, 2013 Posted June 26, 2013 Finally read Snow Crash. Quite happy with it. Might just be the best cyberpunk novel ever. Either SC or Neuromancer, anyway, very close call.
flameboy Posted June 26, 2013 Posted June 26, 2013 Just finished rereading Coming up for Air by George Orwell I implore everyone to read it. Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 2
Jim Posted July 8, 2013 Posted July 8, 2013 My girlfriend read The Night Circus after I did, and she loved it too. Great recommendation guys Annnd I just finished book #2 of the wheel of time. Really getting into it
bob Posted July 8, 2013 Posted July 8, 2013 @dan\-likes\-trees his Sci-Fi comes in two forms; the 'culture' series (all in the same universe, and generally speaking each book is standalone, with no recurring characters) and the other sci-fi, of which there are few books. Culture novels; Consider Phlebas Player of Games Use of Weapons Excession Inversions Look to Windward Matter Surface Detail The Hydrogen Sonata I can say fairly comfortably that you can skip Consider Phlebas and start from Player of Games, which is short and a good introduction to the Culture's ways. Use of Weapons was drafted 20 years before it was published and you can read how much of a baby it was to Banks. Excession posed a fantastic situation to the Culture. As the books progress chronologically you experience more to do with immortality and morality, with the reality of the physical world and the surreality of the technological abilities available to the different sentiences. Matter, Surface Detail and The Hydrogen Sonata all increase in complexity but are all just astoundingly interesting to read. Feersum Endjinn and The Algebraist are fantastical sci-fi non-culture books he wrote that you can consider reading too... but honestly I say start with Player of Games then Use of Weapons. If you start reading them then I'll re-read them at the same time, in teh same order! I borrowed Consider Phlebas off my dad when i recognised it from one of your posts. Not read it yet, i've still got the last books of the Liveship trilogy by Robin Hobb to get through (which is pretty good i think, although a tad slow). Annnd I just finished book #2 of the wheel of time. Really getting into it That reminds me, i do want to re-read the final book of that at some point. I've forgotten most of what happens in it after i read it on launch day.
dan-likes-trees Posted July 8, 2013 Posted July 8, 2013 @dan\-likes\-trees his Sci-Fi comes in two forms; the 'culture' series (all in the same universe, and generally speaking each book is standalone, with no recurring characters) and the other sci-fi, of which there are few books. Culture novels; Consider Phlebas Player of Games Use of Weapons Excession Inversions Look to Windward Matter Surface Detail The Hydrogen Sonata I can say fairly comfortably that you can skip Consider Phlebas and start from Player of Games, which is short and a good introduction to the Culture's ways. Use of Weapons was drafted 20 years before it was published and you can read how much of a baby it was to Banks. Excession posed a fantastic situation to the Culture. As the books progress chronologically you experience more to do with immortality and morality, with the reality of the physical world and the surreality of the technological abilities available to the different sentiences. Matter, Surface Detail and The Hydrogen Sonata all increase in complexity but are all just astoundingly interesting to read. Feersum Endjinn and The Algebraist are fantastical sci-fi non-culture books he wrote that you can consider reading too... but honestly I say start with Player of Games then Use of Weapons. If you start reading them then I'll re-read them at the same time, in teh same order! Cheers Jay, that post was exactly what I was after. Will pick up Player of Games or Use of Weapons when I get a chance and get going on it. Will probs just stick with the one for now - I'm not so good at binge-reading on one author (though might swallow my words if they turn out to be addictive!). Just finished Game of Thrones 3.B. Loved it, though in my estimation the show is so good that not much is lost from just watching it. Got Feast for Crows lined up but I'll probably leave it a bit given that it's an absolute hunk of a tome, can't be bothered to start it..
dwarf Posted July 24, 2013 Posted July 24, 2013 (edited) Grunch has sung his praises for Ghostwritten a few times on here so I downloaded that on the Kindle a while back, but due to some account glitch I wasn't able to actually read it. Being very keen to try a David Mitchell novel though I sought out one of his other works from the library and came back with The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet. It took me a long time to get through it but by Jove is it an extraordinary piece of writing. I struggle to understand its richness in history and detail. It deals in suspicion, paranoia and corruption extremely well, everything is very vivid and real, yet it also pivots on the mystical and the transcendent. Novelists like Mitchell are superheroes. Eager to dip into Ghostwritten now. Edited July 24, 2013 by dwarf
jayseven Posted July 24, 2013 Author Posted July 24, 2013 I actually really, really enjoyed TTAoJdZ... (I don't know what the cool kids are calling it) I never finished Black Swan Green, and I've not found his newest book (I know I have google but I cba to search for it, but waterstones didn't have it), but he's just so... modest in his writing. I used to love China Mievelle but my dad read Perdido Street Station and made me realise that the guy just loved reading his own words. The need to express his wide vocab meant the story itself failed. I've recently purchased a few books - some I've owned/read and others that were recommended. Infinite Jest was heavily recommended by Dan Dare, even though it took him half a year to read (non-stop! It's a big tome of a book), and The 100 year Old Man Who Climbed Out Of A Window. Girlfriend In Aer Coma, by Douglas Coupland (shorty recommended it to me like 5 years ago and I read it back then but want to read again), 100 Years of Solitude (one of my fave books; want a(nother) copy to lend to folk) and Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts. I was actually given this book to read by a family friend, who got it off his girlfriend who is an editor for books. He insinuated that she edited this book, but I don't think that's the case, I think she was just in the first 'circle' of people to read the book. What I'm basically saying is that I read this book 4 years ago so nyer I'm cool (even though the book is nearly 10 years old, but it's only in the last 2 years it's become a charity shop/waterstones regular featured book). Again, one of my favourite books and I've probably mentioned it several times in this thread, and probably if I did a search I'd find that I actually read it 18 months ago and not 4 years ago BUT WHATEVER MAN. I have to write a list of my 10 favourite books for a friend, who is an insomniac, to read. I have like 4 books on the list but after that I find I'm basically trying to name books that sound cool, rather than books that had a great impact on me. Need more thought on that.
Retro_Link Posted July 24, 2013 Posted July 24, 2013 I'm just nearing the end of Ghostwritten. About 60 pages left. It's been quite a good read, I think I've definitely enjoyed the second half of the book more than the first half. The chapter I've just finished, Clear Island, was fantastic! the previous one, London, was good too. I've not enjoyed it as much as Cloud Atlus, it doesn't have quite the same wonder and the links between stories in Ghostwritten aren't quite as fun to discover. However, having read Cloud Atlus first I did enjoy finding a few unexpected nods to it within this book! I think it's a book that could do with a second read at some stage as I'm finding a few things later in the book that I perhaps didn't give enough attention first time through. Worth a read though!
Ashley Posted August 5, 2013 Posted August 5, 2013 Pledged to make my way through a load of books I've started, but never finished, before I move (so that I can get rid of them). Anyway, started with this: I found it really enjoyable and informative. Interesting mixture of descriptions of the films and reviews, all with the sense of humour Merton is known for. He talks about going to (and hosting) screenings of some of these films with live orchestras and I really want to go to some of those. In fact, contemplating this. Anyway, was mildly amused that the last chapter (focused on Talkies) pretty much went through the stars previously discussed and said "they made x talkies, their last film was in y and they died on z". A nice wrap-up. Up next, Lord of the Flies!
Ashley Posted August 9, 2013 Posted August 9, 2013 Finished off Lord of the Flies and The Road. Both excellent books (well duh). I liked the prosaic style of the latter, although at first I was oddly weary. Umm yeah...short reviews. Now I feel I should move onto something a bit lighter. Been an intense week!
dwarf Posted August 25, 2013 Posted August 25, 2013 Yeah, Ghostwritten is unbelievable. I'm on part 1 again. It's completely transformed my idea of what a novel can be. It feels like I've had an epiphany, although I have no clue as to what that epiphany really is. I understand so much and so little. Blargh.
Oxigen_Waste Posted August 25, 2013 Posted August 25, 2013 Goddamnit, I had forgotten just how great Stranger in a Strange Land is! Currently reading it a second time, and goddamn. Top 5 sci-fi ever, no doubt. Heinlein is such a great author. Both this and The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress should be mandatory reading for any sci-fi fan!
dwarf Posted August 25, 2013 Posted August 25, 2013 Goddamnit, I had forgotten just how great Stranger in a Strange Land is! It is now on my Kindle, sir.
jayseven Posted August 26, 2013 Author Posted August 26, 2013 Lent a friend Ghostwritten and she's just messaged me saying she can't get into it. Is it wrong that I have immediately and drastically reduced my perception of her ability to appreciate books?
dwarf Posted August 27, 2013 Posted August 27, 2013 Lent a friend Ghostwritten and she's just messaged me saying she can't get into it. Is it wrong that I have immediately and drastically reduced my perception of her as a human? I'd say so.
drahkon Posted September 1, 2013 Posted September 1, 2013 Can anybody recommend a book about chess? I like to read about strategies and play styles, even though I don't play chess. Sounds weird. Well, it is weird. Just need a good book for beginners.
dwarf Posted September 1, 2013 Posted September 1, 2013 @Daft once recommended me a Chess book on Tumblr but I didn't ever get round to acquiring it.
Retro_Link Posted September 1, 2013 Posted September 1, 2013 Cloud Atlas > Ghostwritten I can't say I enjoyed Ghostwritted as a whole, the second half was considerably better than the first in my opinion. Tbf the opening chapter of the book is very different, even in terms of the rest of the book it's quite unique and not that representative. I'm currently halfway through Metro 2033 and enjoying it.
dwarf Posted September 1, 2013 Posted September 1, 2013 I've started Number9Dream (Stranger in a Strange Land is on hold)
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