The Good Books Thread/ATARnotes Book Club!

[Art Vandelay]

Just read Shelley's Frankenstein for the first time - the beauty of the writing style blows me away.

Also, reading Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes series and I'm amazed at how accessible the language and the story is for a modern audience.

2 of my favourites!

Reading Norwegian Wood by Murakami - really liking it so far!

[Lolly]

Has anybody read Sophie's World by Joseph Gaardner? I finished it last week.

Also, I'm a quarter through Paper Towns by John Green

And I gave a copy of The Fault in our Stars to a friend for her birthday and she bawled her eyes out and I accidentally gave her a spoiler and that's bad and I should feel bad. Muhahahahaha.

[MonsieurHulot]

Has anybody read Sophie's World by Joseph Gaardner? I finished it last week.

Also, I'm a quarter through Paper Towns by John Green

And I gave a copy of The Fault in our Stars to a friend for her birthday and she bawled her eyes out and I accidentally gave her a spoiler and that's bad and I should feel bad. Muhahahahaha.

I read Sophie's World a little while ago; how did you find it?

[Lolly]

Enlightening.

 Long.

 I mentioned Hegel and Kierkegaard in my context piece after reading it. XD

But the ending..... wuuuuutttttt  XD

[Russ]

I think we ought to help the less fortunate, in-fact, i can probably prove that ethically too.

What? Of course you can't.

[slothpomba]

What? Of course you can't.

"Prove" and "Ought" in a philosophy sense, not in a scientific sense or anything like that. Also meaning why we "should".

Start here - http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/original-position/

If anyone is actually going to click that (which i doubt), actually read the whole thing, it's all important, rather than skipping to the criticism section or reading a paragraph.

Also, reading Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes series and I'm amazed at how accessible the language and the story is for a modern audience.

Which edition do you use? Does it have notes?

It's definitely mostly accessible but there are some outdated language or concepts that would probably be helped to be explained. I know you already got yours but for those looking at buying, try get one with footnotes, don't try save a few bucks, it'll make it so much better.

[alondouek]

Which edition do you use? Does it have notes?

It's definitely mostly accessible but there are some outdated language or concepts that would probably be helped to be explained. I know you already got yours but for those looking at buying, try get one with footnotes, don't try save a few bucks, it'll make it so much better.

I use the Penguin Classics edition, it has a really in-depth section in the back to explain certain concepts in the book, as well as broader English society during Doyle's time. I got it off bookdepository for about $8.

I read The Hound of the Baskervilles, and it's so damn good. Not too many books really get me caught up in the suspense, but Doyle's atmospheric descriptions, which kind of have a hint of totality to them, really draw you into the story.

Has anyone here read any Edgar Allan Poe? On a whim last week, I read 'The Fall of the House of Usher' and 'Murders in the Rue Morgue', and they were magnificent in their storytelling, especially the former. Highly, highly recommended.

[ferrsal]

I recommend Alexandre Dumas' books, especially Count of Monte Cristo and The Three Musketeers. Very interesting and adventurous classics

Also Dan Brown's stuff is undeniably cool

[monkeywantsabanana]

Has anybody read Sophie's World by Joseph Gaardner? I finished it last week.

I read Sophie's World a little while ago; how did you find it?

I read half way then stopped. It started to sound like I was reading a philosophy textbook. I found it pretty bland and dry. Should I keep reading? :-S

[Russ]

"Prove" and "Ought" in a philosophy sense, not in a scientific sense or anything like that. Also meaning why we "should".

That's different to demonstrating a moral imperative though.

[Lolly]

I read half way then stopped. It started to sound like I was reading a philosophy textbook. I found it pretty bland and dry. Should I keep reading? :-S

If you're interested in philosophy - yes.
I felt like I actually knew very little about the general history of philosophy before I read it, so I'm glad I have more knowledge now

If you're not too intrigued though, don't bother.

The author ironically refers to himself later on and admits that it's meant to be a philosophical textbook for young people and it's really only in the guise of a fictional novel. XD   

HOWEVER there IS an extremely mindboggling plot twist about three quarters of the way through the book so....if you want to wait out for that....

[JellyDonut]

I read half way then stopped. It started to sound like I was reading a philosophy textbook. I found it pretty bland and dry. Should I keep reading? :-S

You'd probably get more from an actual philosophy textbook. Actually, I've got a signed copy of the book around the house

/bragging

[VivaTequila]

Currently reading The Existentialist Revolt, it's pretty interesting but incredibly wanky. The author is very pretentious, but if you like existentialism and you don't mind wanky literature, then it's a pretty stimulating read.

[alondouek]

Shame that this thread's slowed down...

Currently reading Dracula and the Art of War; they're both incredibly engaging in very different ways. Stoker's narrative style is immersing (as I found out reading Dracula fervently throughout the night last Friday night , while Sun Tzu's simplistic, logical reasoning and pseudo-mnemonic, almost lyrical statements really inspire.

Also recently reread Conan Doyle's 'Hound of the Baskervilles', and I'm astounded as to how well it's written. Very engaging stuff.

What have others been reading recently? Surely I'm not the only one who finds the time for a good book

[brenden]

I read Sun Tzu after seeing Paul Robinson read it on Neighbours when I was eleven or twelve. I promptly read the book in order to formulate an effective strategy to dealing with bullies. Good ol' War.