What are you reading?

[howardbemyname]

Welcome aboard! Read the rules and stay awhile.

It is, however, the first time I've ever heard the term used, and presumably, your father and his cronies would not use the term in any kind of technical sense, right? The name of the cuisine and craftsmanship is still Pennsylvania Dutch, right?

As the PA Germans have become more & more assimilated, it's reached the point where many today are no longer aware that they are , in fact, of German decent rather than Dutch. I think the reason my dad & others preferred "German" was to attempt to correct this misconception.

Colloquially, though, most of the actual PA Dutch (& the tourist industry) are likely to use "Dutch" (or, "Deitsch", which is how the PA Dutch dialect renders "Deustch" or "Dutch".)


Thanks for the welcome.

To get back on topic, I'm in the middle of reading Thomas Pynchon's most recent novel, "Against the Day", set during the first decade of the 20th Century, though employing lots of (deliberately) fictional or anachronistic technology.

I'm a little more than halway through its 1000+ pages, & I love it.

Though I'll have to wait until I'm done to give it a definitive rating, I think it compares favorably to Pynchon's masterpiece "Gravity's Rainbow", one of my favorite books.

[Gillianren]

I'm still reading the Chaucer (it's very good, but I can't read much of it at a time, because I am, as I said, reading it in Middle English), but I'm interspersing it with things in my own language. Currently, I'm reading Napoleon's Buttons: How 17 Molecules Changed History, by Penny Le Couteur and Jay Burreson. It was in a library display about small but important things--there was also a book there about the history of the zipper, for instance.

[HenrikOlsen]

I'm currently making my way through Chaucer. The fun part of this is that I'm reading it in the original.

Forgot to ask before but your recent post reminded me.
Did the book mention which "original" they printed?
As I understand it, for the Canterbury Tales there are at least 7 versions, copied from different manuscripts and with variations in which tales are included and what order they are in. I'm assuming something similar is likely for his other works as well.

Incidentally, for those curious about what this Middle English Gillian's talking about is, Project Gutenberg has both Troilus and Criseyde and The Canterbury Tales

[Gillianren]

Forgot to ask before but your recent post reminded me.
Did the book mention which "original" they printed?
As I understand it, for the Canterbury Tales there are at least 7 versions, copied from different manuscripts and with variations in which tales are included and what order they are in. I'm assuming something similar is likely for his other works as well.

The introductory note in the copy I'm reading goes into detail on the subject, but I skipped that bit, I'm afraid. What I meant was the original Middle English, with no value judgement on which bits they used intended. It's just intended to be "as distinct from Modern English," which is enough of a separate language that, while I can get probably 95% of it or better, there are some words that even lengthy struggle and attempts to say it out loud do not clear up for me. And the translation that comes with the book is no help, since they've probably just completely rewritten the sentence so that it doesn't really resemble what Chaucer wrote in any version.

[The Supreme Canuck]

Finished A Short History of Progress yesterday. It's actually very similar to Jared Diamond's Collapse and covers a lot of the same ground, though is very much more condensed. It does make a few stand up points of its own, though. If you like Collapse, I'd recommend it.

Now I'm back on to more Asimov; Prelude to Foundation, a prequel to Foundation, which I've already read. Seldon help me, but it's compelling - even if I already know where the story is going, in broad strokes and to a certain probability.

[Tinaa]

I have been reading a series by John Ringo, Into the Looking Glass. I just finished Vorpal Blade the third in the series. I'm waiting on the next book, Claws that Catch. Not sure why I like it but it is a super fun read. The US creates a space ship from a submarine and they blast off from underwater in the ocean. The space marines, a super genius geek and a few other characters fight the bad aliens and make friends with good ones. Of course, this is all after boson gates are opened to other worlds from a mysterious explosion at a university in Florida. Be prepared to suspend your beliefs and hang on for a ride.

[Disinfo Agent]

Now I'm back on to more Asimov; Prelude to Foundation, a prequel to Foundation, which I've already read. Seldon help me, but it's compelling - even if I already know where the story is going, in broad strokes and to a certain probability.

Asimov's greater maturity when he wrote that one and the other later Foundation books made them enjoyable, even though they didn't add much to the overall plot of the saga.

[mike alexander]

Just for fun, "The Book of Vice", by Peter Sagal.

[Buttercup]

Angels & Demons by Dan Brown (I'm not terribly impressed thus far, sad to say).

And this little gem which I saw at Barnes & Noble two days ago:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pride_a...ce_and_Zombies

Yep, Jane Austen's classic novel -- rebooted. It's very amusing/entertaining.

[geonuc]

Just for fun, "The Book of Vice", by Peter Sagal.

Of NPR's Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me fame?

[Gillianren]

Angels & Demons by Dan Brown (I'm not terribly impressed thus far, sad to say).

You're surprised by this?

And this little gem which I saw at Barnes & Noble two days ago:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pride_a...ce_and_Zombies

Yep, Jane Austen's classic novel -- rebooted. It's very amusing/entertaining.

Good to know--I'm on the hold list for it and have been ever since I saw it at Borders a couple of months ago. (The library didn't have it in yet when I first went on the list.) To be fair, I haven't read Pride and Prejudice yet, but I think I'll get the gist.

[Fazor]

I probably said it already (I talk too much, and don't pay attention to myself) but I liked 'The DaVinci Code'; it wasn't the greatest, most groundbreaking, or most masterfully spun story I've ever encountered. But it wasn't bad.

. . .Although, my judgement could have been clouded by the 104 degree fever I had for three days, combined with the boredom of being so physically ill I couldn't get out of bed. I mean, I was so bored that I even found AI and Coyote Ugly (The only two movies that were already next to the VCR) to be remotely entertaining.

[geonuc]

I read Da Vinci Code and liked it well enough, but I also read trashy vampire novels.

[Buttercup]

You're surprised by this?

Yes, because I very much enjoyed The Da Vinci Code.

Good to know--I'm on the hold list for it and have been ever since I saw it at Borders a couple of months ago. (The library didn't have it in yet when I first went on the list.) To be fair, I haven't read Pride and Prejudice yet, but I think I'll get the jist.

First saw it Monday, Barnes & Noble window display. Decided to purchase it last evening -- all copies were gone! A lot of people around here are not readers, so I would have been seriously stunned if it'd sold out overnight at that B & N! Turns out they'd moved the stack to an aisle display.

I've not yet read the original/real Pride and Prejudice either.

This "version" is a hoot!

[SeanF]

...but I think I'll get the jist.

Gist.

Okay, where do I sign up for my "I corrected Gillian's English" t-shirt?

[Paul Beardsley]

Gist.

Okay, where do I sign up for my "I corrected Gillian's English" t-shirt?

Just checking with the judges... and yes, they're allowing it! Well done SeanF, and commiserations to Gillian.

[Buttercup]

I'm also reading The Lost Realms by Zecharia Sitchin (I cannot recommend him enough!).

[Gillianren]

Gist.

Okay, where do I sign up for my "I corrected Gillian's English" t-shirt?

Wow. That one's not even on this page. It's so far back I won't even go back and correct it! (And, yes, I put a little acknowledgement in the "last edited" line about who corrected me. I can't afford to give out T-shirts.) And the funny thing is that I thought about double-checking the spelling of the word and didn't.

[SeanF]

Wow. That one's not even on this page.

? It's the third post on this page, #461. My post where I pointed it out is #465.

Not that it's a big deal, but it's not like I was perusing old posts looking for mistakes!



This time.

And the funny thing is that I thought about double-checking the spelling of the word and didn't.

Been there, done that.

[HenrikOlsen]

? It's the third post on this page, #461. My post where I pointed it out is #465.

You have different page lengths set.

[HenrikOlsen]

The introductory note in the copy I'm reading goes into detail on the subject, but I skipped that bit, I'm afraid. What I meant was the original Middle English, with no value judgement on which bits they used intended. It's just intended to be "as distinct from Modern English," which is enough of a separate language that, while I can get probably 95% of it or better, there are some words that even lengthy struggle and attempts to say it out loud do not clear up for me. And the translation that comes with the book is no help, since they've probably just completely rewritten the sentence so that it doesn't really resemble what Chaucer wrote in any version.

Found this site which might help Middle English Dictionary.

[Gillianren]

? It's the third post on this page, #461. My post where I pointed it out is #465.

Not that it's a big deal, but it's not like I was perusing old posts looking for mistakes!

Yeah, you're right. I assumed it was in one of my posts about The Canterbury Tales and completely missed Pride and Prejudice, as, to someone who reads Shakespeare for pleasure, Pride and Prejudice isn't exactly difficult.

[tdvance]

Nearly finished the newest Alastair Reynolds: House of Suns--in addition to being a Niven fan, he must be a Douglas Adams fan (it's a serious story--but still, an important plot element is very reminiscent of an important part of the plot of Life, the Universe, and Everything).

[KaiYeves]

Random question: Does anybody else here sometimes find part of their brain doing an MST3K-style commentary while they read?

For instance, a few years back, there was a commercial for a group of action figures that were feudal knights and the narration went something like "Sir something- the leader! Sir something else- the wise! Sir another something else- the swift! And Sir some other name- the joker!"

When I read Jay Barbree's Live From Cape Canaveral, and the names of the first Mercury astronauts were being listed, something in my head started paraphrasing the commercial with their names in it instead of the names of the knights. (By a remarkable coincidence, the last name on the list was Gus Grissom, so I was able to end with "-the joker!")

[A.DIM]

...
To get back on topic, I'm in the middle of reading Thomas Pynchon's most recent novel, "Against the Day", set during the first decade of the 20th Century, though employing lots of (deliberately) fictional or anachronistic technology.

I'm a little more than halway through its 1000+ pages, & I love it.

Though I'll have to wait until I'm done to give it a definitive rating, I think it compares favorably to Pynchon's masterpiece "Gravity's Rainbow", one of my favorite books.

my emphasis

I'm ashamed to say I never finished this book. From what I recall it was terrific reading.
It's been on my shelves for 15yrs or so, probably getting crusty.

Thanks for the reminder!

[A.DIM]

I'm also reading The Lost Realms by Zecharia Sitchin (I cannot recommend him enough!).

And so who was the "plumed serpent?"

[howardbemyname]

A.DIM, I highly recommend that you do dig out Gravity's Rinbow & try again.

It's on my short list of candidates for "the great American novel" (whatever that means .)

Of course, it is a long book. If you have anything resembling a real life, it might be difficult to budget the time; but if you can, you'll be glad you did.

[A.DIM]

A.DIM, I highly recommend that you do dig out Gravity's Rinbow & try again.

It's on my short list of candidates for "the great American novel" (whatever that means .)

Of course, it is a long book. If you have anything resembling a real life, it might be difficult to budget the time; but if you can, you'll be glad you did.

Thanks again, Howard!
I can see it from here, amongst many others waiting to be cracked open again or for the first time...

Heck, I've yet to finish The World Without Us and Great Topics of the World, two books I remarked on here some months ago.

[howardbemyname]

Heck, I've yet to finish The World Without Us and Great Topics of the World, two books I remarked on here some months ago.

I have the same problem.

So many books; so little time!

[The Supreme Canuck]

Asimov's greater maturity when he wrote that one and the other later Foundation books made them enjoyable, even though they didn't add much to the overall plot of the saga.

I do like the way that he linked the Foundation universe to the Robots universe in this one - I haven't read them all and was a little confused as to how he'd do it. I wasn't disappointed. Once I finally have all the books, I intend to sit down and read them through, start to finish. I like the idea of working my way through so much history in such a broad fictional world. Kind of like reading Tolkien's Legendarium start to finish, but bigger.