h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I've got several going, right now:

The Critique of Pure Reason -- Immanuel Kant
The Writer's Journey -- Chistopher Vogler
Conciousness Explained -- Daniel Dennett
The Problems of Philosophy -- Bertrand Russell
The Classical Style -- Charles Rosen
The Philosopher's Toolkit -- Julian Baggini, Peter Fosl

how do you do that, i.e. read several books without finishing one first? Or are they more 'reference' type books?

Makes a change from Pratchett/Narnia/Tolkein/Rowling

I mislaid my copy of 'The Ancestor's Tale' so I started reading 'How the Mind Works' by Steven Pinker. I think I'll stick with it now, even though 'The Ancestor's Tale' turned up yesterday.

Just finished Saturday by Ian McEwan. It describes the events of one day in the life of a fictional London neurosurgeon but links into contemporary world events and the wider framework of his life. I found it interesting and disturbing and read it in almost one go.

ah, Jemstone -have you read the Narnia books before?
In case you havn't I'd be interested to hear what you think about readng the books in chronological order (if you're starting with The Magician's Nephew, I assume that's what you're doing)

I'm still reading Die Verwandlung - lovely language.
I'm also reading some more of the Louis L'Amour Sackett books. I have just finished Mojave Crossing. Got to love those cowboys!

It's ok to have 3 or 4 books on the go at the same time but probably a bit confusing until you get the hang of it. After 50 pages I decide if I'm going to continue with a book or not. I reject about 50% of books I start. Some people watch 3 or 4 soaps on the tele - now that's sad.

Edward, I haven't read Raymond Carver. Please tell me why I should!

Yes, when I was a lot younger, I could do that, skim through books, Sartre, Russell, Nitzche, all that, but now I'm in my fifties and I find it a pain in the ass just to read the back of the Kellogg's All Bran Cornflake box.

>> The Critique of Pure Reason -- Immanuel Kant <<

I'd just like to point out that Immanuel Kant was a real piss who was very rarely stable.

RF

or ?

That's a Monty Python quote, Shirps, from the Philosophers Song as performed by the two Bruce's.

Makes a change from Pratchett/Narnia/Tolkein/Rowling>winkeye>

I'm sure the rest of us are sorry for not living up to your rigourous intellectual snobbery. For someone who said they didn't want to sound like one you doing a very fine job of it.

Ah! I have an awful memory, which I why I read one book all the way through

Now, now - everyone can sound like a snob or whatever on here - we don't see all the facial expressions

Oh, I'm such a tease!

I aspire to be as intellectual as Edward one day, but I doubt I'll live that long!

I'm now tempted to read The Da Vinci Code, just to spite everyone.

Ahem, I persuaded my husband to read DVC (sounds like an illness )& he has just finished it - I have never known him to read a book so quickly - he was reading it at every spare moment. His verdict (like mine): written to keep you interested & a very good tale.

I then gave him the newspaper cutting (The Times, Saturday 27 August 2005 Books section) about Henry Lincoln (a former Z cars scriptwriter!) who actually had made all the historical discoveries that inspired the book, his comments: "the book has nothing to do with the facts ... it's a potboiler, but a good one". His own book: "The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail" he reckons is now out of date being 20 years old (published now by Arrow).

So, enjoy it Edward

zips muzzle

Currently reading See Delphi and Die, by Lindsey Davis - another ancient Roman Falco mystery.

One problem is that I'm addicted to bookshops. Today I bought Paulo Coelho's "The Zahir", having just read "The Alchemist", so my other book on the go, Bukowski's "Ham on Rye" will be playing 2nd fiddle for a while I suspect.

Sorry, but didn't you think the alchemist was just so fantastic? I know it sounds cliche, but it did change the way I percieve life. What's the zahir like? I've seen it but not bought/borrowed it yet.

At the moment I'm reading Lord Byron's 'Don Juan'.

Blub-blub

Although it's fiction The Alchemist confirmed things for me.
I've only read the first few pages The Zahir so can't yet comment.

Lord Byron, phew that's heavy.