Van Basten II Posted December 31, 2008 Report Posted December 31, 2008 Not much reading but more looking at http://www.taschen.com/pages/en/catalogue/...jazz_covers.htm Quote
BillF Posted December 31, 2008 Report Posted December 31, 2008 Haven't read it for years, but I recall thinking that Blish's "A Case of Conscience" was very good. I also read A Case of Conscience a few months ago, but its theological slant wasn't my cup of tea, leaving Cities in Flight as the preferred read. Quote
A Lark Ascending Posted December 31, 2008 Report Posted December 31, 2008 With Sweden left littered with corpses I thought I move somewhere else Nordic. If anything this one, set in Iceland, is even more gloomy! Quote
Serioza Posted December 31, 2008 Report Posted December 31, 2008 The Razor's Edge by W. Somerset Maugham Quote
Jazzmoose Posted January 1, 2009 Report Posted January 1, 2009 Haven't read it for years, but I recall thinking that Blish's "A Case of Conscience" was very good. I also read A Case of Conscience a few months ago, but its theological slant wasn't my cup of tea, leaving Cities in Flight as the preferred read. I read A Case of Conscience years ago and remember liking it. So, finally convinced, I started on the Cities in Flight books (I have the four old Avon paperbacks) today. Quote
ejp626 Posted January 1, 2009 Report Posted January 1, 2009 Haven't read it for years, but I recall thinking that Blish's "A Case of Conscience" was very good. I also read A Case of Conscience a few months ago, but its theological slant wasn't my cup of tea, leaving Cities in Flight as the preferred read. I read A Case of Conscience years ago and remember liking it. So, finally convinced, I started on the Cities in Flight books (I have the four old Avon paperbacks) today. That's funny. I hated A Case of Conscience, specifically because of the conceit that an entire planet of non-religious reptilian aliens essentially existed solely to "test" the faith of a Catholic priest. Might as well call it St. Anthony in Space. I probably mentioned that I am boycotting G.K. Chesterton for similar reasons. Quote
Jazzmoose Posted January 1, 2009 Report Posted January 1, 2009 I also recall that much of it was a bit of a chore to get through, accomplished mainly because I was also a dutiful young SF fan. (That's also the only way I got through Asimov's Foundation Trilogy, which was still, THANK GOD, a trilogy back then.) Wow. I've read the Foundation Trilogy many times. I guess you're not much on the "hard SF" stuff, eh? Speaking of which, has anyone here read Hal Clement's A Mission of Gravity? It was a real struggle for me to read, and I have hopes that I'll never get the urge again, but in spite of that, I think it's one of the true classics of the field. Quote
poetrylover3 Posted January 1, 2009 Report Posted January 1, 2009 I've just opened it and so far the writing is superb. Based on a true story about the murder of an outlaw/entrepreneur by his neighbors in early 20th Century Florida the author creates a powerful sense of immediacy that I look for-and envy- in the finest writing. It appears to offer a bargain in the transaction between author and audience-I have the sense that I'll be more than compensated for any investment of time and attention on my part. This is my favorite anthology of 19th Century American poetry-especially as it has introduced me to poets who were previously either totally unknown to me or mere names. There are also poems by authors I thought I "knew" that are now a permanent point of reference such as Whittier's immensely powerful Civil War meditation "What The Birds Said". The Library of America editions of American poetry are unsurpassed in their scope and depth and it will take more than a lifetime of reading to enjoy all the benefits of these pages. Wishing everyone a blessed New Year. Peace, Blue Trane Quote
jazzbo Posted January 1, 2009 Report Posted January 1, 2009 I'm continuing a Chandler binge, this time "Playback". . . . Quote
Jazzmoose Posted January 1, 2009 Report Posted January 1, 2009 That's one I actually have on my shelf; how is it? Quote
BruceH Posted January 2, 2009 Report Posted January 2, 2009 I also recall that much of it was a bit of a chore to get through, accomplished mainly because I was also a dutiful young SF fan. (That's also the only way I got through Asimov's Foundation Trilogy, which was still, THANK GOD, a trilogy back then.) Wow. I've read the Foundation Trilogy many times. I guess you're not much on the "hard SF" stuff, eh? Speaking of which, has anyone here read Hal Clement's A Mission of Gravity? It was a real struggle for me to read, and I have hopes that I'll never get the urge again, but in spite of that, I think it's one of the true classics of the field. Actually, back when I was a loyal young sf fan (the 1970's) hard sf was probably my favorite. And I didn't really consider the Foundation Trilogy to be all that "hard." ("Psychohistory" sounded pretty squishy to me.) I also read Clement's Mission of Gravity and loved it, but as I only read it once, and that was in 8th grade, it's hard to say how I'd like it now. Definitely a classic of its kind, though. Quote
Jazzmoose Posted January 2, 2009 Report Posted January 2, 2009 Actually, back when I was a loyal young sf fan (the 1970's) hard sf was probably my favorite. And I didn't really consider the Foundation Trilogy to be all that "hard." ("Psychohistory" sounded pretty squishy to me.) Yeah, you're right. I guess I was thinking more of Blish after reading a bit of the first 'Cities in Flight' book. Quote
Niko Posted January 2, 2009 Report Posted January 2, 2009 That's one I actually have on my shelf; how is it? guess the two strongest are big sleep and lady in the lake but then if i'd say if you like/dislike one of them you'll like/dislike them all (besides i recall my dad saying he stopped reading this type of novel (the chandlers, then the ross mcdonalds...) because every few hours you've finished one and need another one; and i can only second that, they tend to be pretty fast reading, trying playback won't cost you much time) Quote
jazzbo Posted January 2, 2009 Report Posted January 2, 2009 That's one I actually have on my shelf; how is it? It's certainly not his best. Some plot devices I didn't ever think he'd use, Marlowe is more a stereotypical private eye than ever before. . . but it's still Chandler. It still has some magic. But almost any other Chandler novel would be a better choice. Quote
BruceH Posted January 2, 2009 Report Posted January 2, 2009 I guess I was thinking more of Blish after reading a bit of the first 'Cities in Flight' book. Speaking of Blish, I've long prefered his short stuff to his novels. (I know I've said this a lot, but it seems to be true of a lot of writers, particularly in the SF field.) Quote
BillF Posted January 9, 2009 Report Posted January 9, 2009 Philip K Dick, Paycheck (short story collection) Quote
jazzbo Posted January 12, 2009 Report Posted January 12, 2009 Good story that one, mediocre movie. Started today: Gnosticism and Christianity in Roman and Coptic Egypt (Studies in Antiquity and Christianity) by Birger A. Pearson Quote
Kalo Posted January 12, 2009 Report Posted January 12, 2009 I also recall that much of it was a bit of a chore to get through, accomplished mainly because I was also a dutiful young SF fan. (That's also the only way I got through Asimov's Foundation Trilogy, which was still, THANK GOD, a trilogy back then.) Wow. I've read the Foundation Trilogy many times. I guess you're not much on the "hard SF" stuff, eh? Speaking of which, has anyone here read Hal Clement's A Mission of Gravity? It was a real struggle for me to read, and I have hopes that I'll never get the urge again, but in spite of that, I think it's one of the true classics of the field. Actually, back when I was a loyal young sf fan (the 1970's) hard sf was probably my favorite. And I didn't really consider the Foundation Trilogy to be all that "hard." ("Psychohistory" sounded pretty squishy to me.) I also read Clement's Mission of Gravity and loved it, but as I only read it once, and that was in 8th grade, it's hard to say how I'd like it now. Definitely a classic of its kind, though. 8th grade seems about right as a definition of the "Golden Age of Science Fiction." Quote
Kalo Posted January 12, 2009 Report Posted January 12, 2009 Philip K Dick, Paycheck (short story collection) I loves me some Dick. (Wait, that didn't come out quite right...) Quote
BruceH Posted January 12, 2009 Report Posted January 12, 2009 Philip K Dick, Paycheck (short story collection) I loves me some Dick. (Wait, that didn't come out quite right...) Heh. Quote
A Lark Ascending Posted January 12, 2009 Report Posted January 12, 2009 The most recent of the Aurelio Zen series. Like his earlier 'Cosi Fan Tutti' this is more like a comic opera than a chilling thriller. Completely implausible and enormous fun - I'd not be at all surprised to find the plot is taken from an opera somewhere. Then a detective from Norway - got through 300 pages of this at the weekend, it gripped me so: Anyone know any detective series from Finland or Denmark? Quote
Niko Posted January 13, 2009 Report Posted January 13, 2009 finally checking out the guy in my avatar Georges Rodenbach- Bruges La Morte Quote
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