41 replies to this topic

[Smiter]

Right now, I'm reading two books:

1421 - by Gavin Menzies

This is a thesis about how the Chinese may have been the first to discover the world. This book paints an epic and romantic picture of the lost dynasty in Chinese history, and raises some very interesting evidence and questions. For example, the Magellan Strait in South America was apparently mapped long before Ferdinand Magellan himself "discovered" it. It's a controversial book which has divided experts.

Personally, it seems clear to me that the Chinese did sail the Far East, Middle East, and Africa, but I still have questions about the rest, especially the Americas... I'm not sure if I'll finish this book, it's very interesting but can be a little tenuous in its links.

On the Edge: My Story - by Richard Hammond (with Mindy Hammond co-authoring)

Two years ago, Richard Hammond - one of the presenters on the BBC's popular Top Gear show - was involved in a serious and life-threatening high-speed crash involving a jet car. He suffered serious brain damage and was comatose for days, with many thinking he wouldn't make it.

This book is a really touching story, with events told from both Richard's and his wife Mindy's points of view. It really fleshes out the pain, guilt, worry, relief, determination, and elation etc. they feel. I was very moved at parts, and I've nearly finished this book!

So, tell us about what you're reading and what you think so far.

[Pite]

Hucklemerry Finn- By Mark Twain.One of the biggest pains in reading I had recently. C'mon English is my thrid language and Mark Twain isn't helping.

The Ultimate Hitchhikers Guide to the Uniwerse (Five books based on the Saga)- By Douglas Adams (Currently at "The Restaurant at the end of the uniwerse"). Funnies thing I've read since Jeremy Clarkson's Felietons.

[Dormin]

Dungons and Dragons Players Handbook 4th edition: Yeah yeah im a D&D geek sue me, and yeah I bought the fourth edition, which actully is quite decent.

Also rereading the dragonlance books, Raistlin majere is STILL one of my favorite characters!

[Sakura~Kitsune]

The Secret Garden - by Frances Hodgson Burnett

I'm certain that many have read this story before:

Mary Lennox is a young child who seems to need magic in her life. Her parents have died in a faraway land by a disease unknown to her, and she has been taken to a strange and mysterioud mansion to live with her distant uncle. A man in which she had never heard of before her journey to London began. Due to her personal, young Mary has no friends and clearly no happiness...until she finds the key. The key to a secret garden that has been locked away for ten full years. Upon discovery, Mary discovers that miracles can happen... and that magic is truly real.

And I am getting ready to read: Journey to the Center of the Earth - by Jules Verne

Edited by Sakura~Kitsune, 01 July 2008 - 11:23 PM.

[AyaMoto74]

The Secret Garden - by Frances Hodgson Burnett

I'm certain that many have read this story before:

Mary Lennox is a young child who seems to need magic in her life. Her parents have died in a faraway land by a disease unknown to her, and she has been taken to a strange and mysterioud mansion to live with her distant uncle. A man in which she had never heard of before her journey to London began. Due to her personal, young Mary has no friends and clearly no happiness...until she finds the key. The key to a secret garden that has been locked away for ten full years. Upon discovery, Mary discovers that miracles can happen... and that magic is truly real.

And I am getting ready to read: Journey to the Center of the Earth - by Jules Verne

I read The Secret Garden!! Wow, this plus the fact that the movie is on demand brung back alot of memories!! I haven't read this in so long, since I was 11-13 years old (I forgot)

Right now I'm reading -

Alice in Wonderland - by Lewis Carroll:

Okay, sue me! XD I've been really interested in Alice in Wonderland lately, watching all kinds of anime to manga spin-offs, so I finally decided to read it for the first time I'm on chapter 6 so far and it's really good, really cute, it makes me wonder why this wasn't mandatory for reading in elementary school even though I'm a young adult myself, I really recommend this to anybody and everybody for sweet, young reading

[FullmetalNinja25]

Harry Potter 7, I put off reading it for nearly a year.

[Tensho]

I'm currently re-reading the Wheel of Time series by the late Robert Jordan. It's an incredibly complex work and so intricately detailed. It's also not for the faint hearted. Each book is more than 300,000 words and there are eleven of them out so far, with a twelfth to come next year. It's an old favourite.

[Smiter]

Long Way Down - by Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman.

This is the book of the BBC TV series of the same name, chronicling a 15,000 mile motorbike journey all the way from John O'Groats on the very tip of Scotland, to Cape Town on the very bottom of Africa. The series really shows the sheer variety and colour of the various African nations on their route, and the vital work done by charities in the area. Friendships also strain under the sheer psychological and physical demands placed upon the riders and their crew during their epic journey.

[Dash]

A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah

The story chronicles the author's own life as a child soldier in Sierra Leone. Writing in a very matter-of-fact style (maybe too matter-of-fact sometimes), the author describes his efforts to avoid getting pulled into the civil war in Sierra Leone and his actions when he is eventually "recruited" to join the army. It does a great job of taking you through the journey he took, from being forced to fight in a war that robbed him of his innocence, to his ultimate rehabilitation.

[Illjwamh]

I'm currently re-reading the Wheel of Time series by the late Robert Jordan. It's an incredibly complex work and so intricately detailed. It's also not for the faint hearted. Each book is more than 300,000 words and there are eleven of them out so far, with a twelfth to come next year. It's an old favourite.

That's me, too. I'm on Crown of Swords right now, where things slow to a crawl for the next 3 and a half books, but where things you've been waiting for forever actually start to happen. It's a paradox.

[Dark]

'Secrets of a Summer Night'


.....
for the 30th time.
ha.
Lisa Kleypas is the romance god.

Edited by Darkofthenight, 13 July 2008 - 12:00 AM.

[Sakura~Kitsune]

So Far from the Bamboo Grove - by Yoko Kawashima Watkins

Nothing but a simple memoir (175 pages, to be exact) taking place around the ending of World War II.

Though Japanese, eleven year old Yoko has lived with her family in northern Korea near the boarder with China all of her life. But when the Second World War comes to an end, Japanese on the Korean peninsula are suddenly in terrible danger; the Korean people want control of their homeland and they wish to punish the Japanese, who have occupied their nation for many years. Yoko, her mother, and sister are forced to flee from their house with it's peaceful bamboo grove. Their journey is terrifying --- and also remarkable. It's a true story of courage and survival. In my opinion, to people who ever think of reading this, they will be riveted. All in all, it's admirably tol and absorbing... plus it's a side to World War II that I've always wished to see.

This and Journey to the Centre of the Earth, are the two books in which I have to read for my summer homework. And I'm happy to say I'm almost done with both~

Edited by Sakura~Kitsune, 15 July 2008 - 11:00 PM.

[FullmetalNinja25]

Batman: No Man's Land.

[Pite]

The Ugly American.

And

Ender's Game.

[Tsunade]

Princess in Waiting by Meg Cabot - Fourth book in the Princess Diaries.

AND OMG IT"S F^&*ING GOOD!!!! <3 the movies ruined it's awesomeness.

Basic outline: Mia Thermopolis has to deal with Princess lessons with her crazy/evil grandmother for the good of her country that she will eventually run, her mom's pregnancy, her step father, her REAL father, her friends AND keep dates with her boyfriend.

Ah teenaged Drama how I love the~

Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden.

I'm reading it for the SECOND TIME. <333333 Watch the movie... it's a water downed version of the totally awesome book.

I've been reading a lot of teen novels so when I came to this book again, I was all like OMG SMALL PRINT LITTLE WHITE SPACE!!!! And then I started to read it.

It's simply captivating!

Basic outline: A Japanese's Geisha tells the story about her life.

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

I originally started this for an assignment and did the report on reading half of it. XDDD But it's OMG GOOD! I fecking hate books about the World Wars. This is amazing!

Plot Outline: Narrator follows the life of a young girl living in Nazi Germany. (Totally didn't due the book justice. XDD)

The Narrator = PURE WIN!

Death makes me laugh~

Edited by Tsunade, 15 July 2008 - 07:12 AM.

[SakuNaruLover]

-Shakugan no SHANA light novels
-Zero no tsukaima light novels

[Pite]

The Complete Idiot's Guide to American History by Axelrod Ph.D I need to use that book to do my research on my 20 page paper...

[saske&sakura]

my secret admirer


its about this girl who goes to a new school and she gets these mesages and gifts and someone is also trying to kill her while her parents are out of town

[alucard]

666 satan by Seishi Kishimoto

[AyaMoto74]

The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins

What can I say? If any of you visit Stephenie Meyer's website, then you obviously know why I picked this up. Now I don't want to imitate her, but let me tell you. This book is amazing. I'm only on chapter 10 right now (got it yesterday), but the only reason why I haven't continued is because of some lovely game demos and daydreaming.

Now let me tell you some unspoileriffic things about the book:

Katniss, along with her mother and her sister Primrose, lives in District 12. The U.S. is divided into Districts after a huge rebellion, which all Districts are owned by a place called The Capitol. Simple enough, eh? Well, in order to punish the Districts because of something that District 13 did, the Capitol started a live TV show called 'The Hunger Games.' For poor districts, like District 12, this is their time to earn money, food, anything, to keep their District alive. The Hunger Games is the only time of the year where District 12 and others have electricity, because they are forced to watch as two Tributes (a boy and a girl between the ages of 13 and 18) from each of the 12 districts, which means 24 teenagers, fight to the death for these rewards.

Cruel, isn't it? Well here's where it gets crueler : Prim, Katniss' sister who's barely 13, is chosen.

So, Katniss volunteers in her place!

Now I hope that inspired you enough to read it. You don't get to the games itself until about chapter 12ish (I can tell by how it's going right now) but it's a very easy read -big font-sized words on small pages - and even better, it's a SERIES. How do I know this? Hehe, the librarian told me (though I'm sure I will be buying this anyway).

New book inspired TV series of survival, here you come!

-Kara