any science fiction fans got a series of books to recommend?
Pretty basic, but have you read the "Foundation"-series? Recently re-read "Foundation and Earth." Good stuff.
i've not read it. i've been reading science fiction science fiction since i was in my teens--now in early my thirties--but never got into the idea reading a series until a few years ago. also, i've yet to get around to azimov--i know, i know. i might have to start working on the foundation series.
any science fiction fans got a series of books to recommend?
Pretty basic, but have you read the "Foundation"-series? Recently re-read "Foundation and Earth." Good stuff.
i've not read it. i've been reading science fiction science fiction since i was in my teens--now in early my thirties--but never got into the idea reading a series until a few years ago. also, i've yet to get around to azimov--i know, i know. i might have to start working on the foundation series.
It's worth it.
If you liked "Dune" chances are you'll enjoy K S Robinson's "Mars" trilogy (Red, Blue, Green). Read in my teens (yeah, big dork sci-fi loving teenager over here as well), but didn't like it as much. Reread it a few years ago and immediately understood why it won all those awards.
Now perhaps YOU (or anyone for that matter) will recommend some books to me? I've got a meter-high pile to read through, but always looking for recommendations along the lines of (preferably) sixties/seventies stuff, trashy, "counter-cultural" whatever.
Read "Tiger Tiger" oka "The Stars my Destination" by Alfred Bester recently and found it to be one of the best sci-fi novels I've ever read. Any other works of his I should get my hands on?
any science fiction fans got a series of books to recommend?
Pretty basic, but have you read the "Foundation"-series? Recently re-read "Foundation and Earth." Good stuff.
i've not read it. i've been reading science fiction science fiction since i was in my teens--now in early my thirties--but never got into the idea reading a series until a few years ago. also, i've yet to get around to azimov--i know, i know. i might have to start working on the foundation series.
It's worth it.
If you liked "Dune" chances are you'll enjoy K S Robinson's "Mars" trilogy (Red, Blue, Green). Read in my teens (yeah, big dork sci-fi loving teenager over here as well), but didn't like it as much. Reread it a few years ago and immediately understood why it won all those awards.
Now perhaps YOU (or anyone for that matter) will recommend some books to me? I've got a meter-high pile to read through, but always looking for recommendations along the lines of (preferably) sixties/seventies stuff, trashy, "counter-cultural" whatever.
Read "Tiger Tiger" oka "The Stars my Destination" by Alfred Bester recently and found it to be one of the best sci-fi novels I've ever read. Any other works of his I should get my hands on?
as far as alfred bester goes, "the demolished man" is worth picking up. very much a head of it's time, and reads like a sci-fi novel written in the 60s/70s, if not the 80s.
as far as 60s/70s stuff goes:
norman spinrad--bug jack barron
norman spinrad--the iron dream
brian aldiss--barefoot in the head
joanna russ--the female man
p.j. farmer--jesus on mars
john wyndham--trouble with lichen
with the exception of the wyndham book (1960) the are all late-60s/70s novels that are very much of their time and address subjects like religion, drug use/abuse, feminism, war, media, politics, post-60s hangover, the conservatism of "golden age" sf/fantasy through a distinctly 60s/70s lens.
When I took my econometrics intro class last year, I accidentally made a beta every time I had to write the capital letter B for a few months! Wonder if I'll be doing that again.
I like the cover art.
My boss at a former internship bought us copies of this. Some interesting concepts, but it sounds like a broken record in how repetitive the authors are about their "nudge" idea.
My boss at a former internship bought us copies of this. Some interesting concepts, but it sounds like a broken record in how repetitive the authors are about their "nudge" idea.
Did you make it through the whole thing? i've never been able to get through anything like this, let alone pick them up unless forced. i have a lot of beef w/ books of this kind and anything remotely related to self-help. i dont know why, im just weary about other philosophies.
reminds me of the time i flipped out on this lady instructing this EQ class i was obliged to take for job where i currently work. sorta donnie darko'ish scenario i guess, except i pulled her aside to tell her how full of shit she was instead of doing it publically. her ultimate message was that life does not need to have emotional ups and downs or affect you in any wild way. which in effect is veritably saying any kind of artistic pursuit is futile, if you buy into the idea that art is in some way conveying emotions felt or perceived. the entire presentation made me rather hostile, but by her logic/system i was actually feeling fear. of what i dont know, ridiculous bullshit i guess.
but since i'll probably never read it - whats a synopsis of this nudge idea and how/why would someone employ/accept it?
My boss at a former internship bought us copies of this. Some interesting concepts, but it sounds like a broken record in how repetitive the authors are about their "nudge" idea.
Did you make it through the whole thing? i've never been able to get through anything like this, let alone pick them up unless forced. i have a lot of beef w/ books of this kind and anything remotely related to self-help. i dont know why, im just weary about other philosophies.
reminds me of the time i flipped out on this lady instructing this EQ class i was obliged to take at the job i currently work. sorta donnie darko'ish except i pulled her aside to tell her how full of shit she was. her ultimate message was that life does not need to have emotional ups and downs or affect you in any wild way. which in effect is veritably saying any kind of artistic pursuit is futile, if you buy into the idea that art is in some way conveying emotions felt or perceived.
No, I didn't get through all of it, though I did read a sizable chunk. It's been one of those books that I've kept on my shelf (I have 2 copies for some reason) with the intent to peruse through the rest of it when I "have the time." I consider it a work in progress.
I felt like I got the gist of the book in the first 50 pages. It was too repetitive and wasn't moving quickly enough for me, which is a shame because some of the real-life examples they used were pretty interesting. The subtitle is misleading, since it's not exactly a self-help book; I would put it into the category of books that Freakonomics is in. It's about "libertarian paternalism" and human decision making. "Nudges," such as putting the healthy food at the front of the cafeteria lunch line and the desserts in the back, are used to subtly guide the choices we make. We still have the choice to eat cake all day, but we're more likely to pick up salad if it's the first thing we see. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nudge_(book)
I gave up. I tried, but I was re-reading so much of it, I just lost the plot.
She wrote The Piano Teacher, so I need to find that and see if it's written in the same gibberish. If it is, Haneke is about 1000 times smarter than I originally thought.
My boss at a former internship bought us copies of this. Some interesting concepts, but it sounds like a broken record in how repetitive the authors are about their "nudge" idea.
Did you make it through the whole thing? i've never been able to get through anything like this, let alone pick them up unless forced. i have a lot of beef w/ books of this kind and anything remotely related to self-help. i dont know why, im just weary about other philosophies.
reminds me of the time i flipped out on this lady instructing this EQ class i was obliged to take at the job i currently work. sorta donnie darko'ish except i pulled her aside to tell her how full of shit she was. her ultimate message was that life does not need to have emotional ups and downs or affect you in any wild way. which in effect is veritably saying any kind of artistic pursuit is futile, if you buy into the idea that art is in some way conveying emotions felt or perceived.
No, I didn't get through all of it, though I did read a sizable chunk. It's been one of those books that I've kept on my shelf (I have 2 copies for some reason) with the intent to peruse through the rest of it when I "have the time." I consider it a work in progress.
I felt like I got the gist of the book in the first 50 pages. It was too repetitive and wasn't moving quickly enough for me, which is a shame because some of the real-life examples they used were pretty interesting. The subtitle is misleading, since it's not exactly a self-help book; I would put it into the category of books that Freakonomics is in. It's about "libertarian paternalism" and human decision making. "Nudges," such as putting the healthy food at the front of the cafeteria lunch line and the desserts in the back, are used to subtly guide the choices we make. We still have the choice to eat cake all day, but we're more likely to pick up salad if it's the first thing we see. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nudge_(book)
PS What's an EQ class?
ahhhhhh, makes much more sense now. I see what you mean. it sounds a lot more palatable now too, but i here you on repitition of message. maybe i'll make it one of those books you read when you visit a book store but dont want to buy something.
EQ Class is basically an "emotional intelligence" training class. its upposed to help you work better with coworkers depending upon their individual needs and wats, or in other words, compromising a bit of your dominant personality and curtailng your dealings with others in a way that is easier for them to accept allowing for a more harmonius workplace. same can apply to other social situations too.
the problem isnt so much the idea outlined above as the content therein though. one example was when you're in a car and someone cuts you off, your normal reaction is anger, however that is actually fear of the unkown and there is no reason to be afraid (or angry) because they cut you off and did not in fact cause you to get into an accident. its one part stoicism, other parts of other things i cant really label.
anyway, the big point was this emotional state of stagnation wherein your graph of feelings would be a straight line parallel to the x-axis.
I gave up. I tried, but I was re-reading so much of it, I just lost the plot.
She wrote The Piano Teacher, so I need to find that and see if it's written in the same gibberish. If it is, Haneke is about 1000 times smarter than I originally thought.
difficult to read sort of like a david foster wallace book? i found myself in constant need of a dictionary with him and his style was very clunky, reminded me of Hegel say, or any other german philosopher in that every sentence must take up at least 1 whole page lest your peers mock you sort of endeavor.
I gave up. I tried, but I was re-reading so much of it, I just lost the plot.
She wrote The Piano Teacher, so I need to find that and see if it's written in the same gibberish. If it is, Haneke is about 1000 times smarter than I originally thought.
difficult to read sort of like a david foster wallace book? i found myself in constant need of a dictionary with him and his style was very clunky, reminded me of Hegel say, or any other german philosopher in that every sentence must take up at least 1 whole page lest your peers mock you sort of endeavor.
Never read anything by Wallace.
There are puncutation marks, but it is very stream of consciousness/interior voice type writing. There are non-sequiters that refer to things, people, events yet unknown and I am just not being pulled in enough to wait around and find out. I can't find an excerpt unfortunately.
I gave up. I tried, but I was re-reading so much of it, I just lost the plot.
She wrote The Piano Teacher, so I need to find that and see if it's written in the same gibberish. If it is, Haneke is about 1000 times smarter than I originally thought.
difficult to read sort of like a david foster wallace book? i found myself in constant need of a dictionary with him and his style was very clunky, reminded me of Hegel say, or any other german philosopher in that every sentence must take up at least 1 whole page lest your peers mock you sort of endeavor.
Never read anything by Wallace.
There are puncutation marks, but it is very stream of consciousness/interior voice type writing. There are non-sequiters that refer to things, people, events yet unknown and I am just not being pulled in enough to wait around and find out. I can't find an exerpt unfortunately.
yeah i dont know if i'd be able to get through that either. my first reaction is "sounds pretentious." but im curious. i'll probably have to find a copy and thumb thruogh it sometime.
I know right? But it's not really. More like getting in the head of a somewhat mean, bitter person in their senior years who can't stick to one thought.
Yea, give it a try and let me know if you can make any sense of it.
yeah - amazon write up says it will attract fans of pynchon. not sure if you ever tried reading his stuff but its mind fuckery through and through. i didnt have the patience at the time to finish anything of his, but im willing to give this stuff a try and/or return to it at a later date.
i wonder if the difficulty is raised due to the fact it was written in english, although i could very easily underestimate the ability of the author to write in her non-native tongue. kind of like conrad i guess, so probably is a non-issue really.
HarveyCanal"a distraction from my main thesis." 13,234 Posts
I wondered if it was a language thing, too but it's not difficult to grasp in that way.
I did not even think of him when reading this - he is not as difficult imo.
Anyway - back to Agatha Christie for me.
Comments
Pretty basic, but have you read the "Foundation"-series? Recently re-read "Foundation and Earth." Good stuff.
i've not read it. i've been reading science fiction science fiction since i was in my teens--now in early my thirties--but never got into the idea reading a series until a few years ago. also, i've yet to get around to azimov--i know, i know. i might have to start working on the foundation series.
It's worth it.
If you liked "Dune" chances are you'll enjoy K S Robinson's "Mars" trilogy (Red, Blue, Green). Read in my teens (yeah, big dork sci-fi loving teenager over here as well), but didn't like it as much. Reread it a few years ago and immediately understood why it won all those awards.
Now perhaps YOU (or anyone for that matter) will recommend some books to me? I've got a meter-high pile to read through, but always looking for recommendations along the lines of (preferably) sixties/seventies stuff, trashy, "counter-cultural" whatever.
Read "Tiger Tiger" oka "The Stars my Destination" by Alfred Bester recently and found it to be one of the best sci-fi novels I've ever read. Any other works of his I should get my hands on?
as far as alfred bester goes, "the demolished man" is worth picking up. very much a head of it's time, and reads like a sci-fi novel written in the 60s/70s, if not the 80s.
as far as 60s/70s stuff goes:
norman spinrad--bug jack barron
norman spinrad--the iron dream
brian aldiss--barefoot in the head
joanna russ--the female man
p.j. farmer--jesus on mars
john wyndham--trouble with lichen
with the exception of the wyndham book (1960) the are all late-60s/70s novels that are very much of their time and address subjects like religion, drug use/abuse, feminism, war, media, politics, post-60s hangover, the conservatism of "golden age" sf/fantasy through a distinctly 60s/70s lens.
http://waxidermy.com/bbs/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=29979
I highly recommend Fortress of Solitude or either of his short story collections (Men & Cartoons or The Wall of the Sky, The Wall of the Eye)
When I took my econometrics intro class last year, I accidentally made a beta every time I had to write the capital letter B for a few months! Wonder if I'll be doing that again.
I like the cover art.
My boss at a former internship bought us copies of this. Some interesting concepts, but it sounds like a broken record in how repetitive the authors are about their "nudge" idea.
Did you make it through the whole thing? i've never been able to get through anything like this, let alone pick them up unless forced. i have a lot of beef w/ books of this kind and anything remotely related to self-help. i dont know why, im just weary about other philosophies.
reminds me of the time i flipped out on this lady instructing this EQ class i was obliged to take for job where i currently work. sorta donnie darko'ish scenario i guess, except i pulled her aside to tell her how full of shit she was instead of doing it publically. her ultimate message was that life does not need to have emotional ups and downs or affect you in any wild way. which in effect is veritably saying any kind of artistic pursuit is futile, if you buy into the idea that art is in some way conveying emotions felt or perceived. the entire presentation made me rather hostile, but by her logic/system i was actually feeling fear. of what i dont know, ridiculous bullshit i guess.
but since i'll probably never read it - whats a synopsis of this nudge idea and how/why would someone employ/accept it?
No, I didn't get through all of it, though I did read a sizable chunk. It's been one of those books that I've kept on my shelf (I have 2 copies for some reason) with the intent to peruse through the rest of it when I "have the time." I consider it a work in progress.
I felt like I got the gist of the book in the first 50 pages. It was too repetitive and wasn't moving quickly enough for me, which is a shame because some of the real-life examples they used were pretty interesting. The subtitle is misleading, since it's not exactly a self-help book; I would put it into the category of books that Freakonomics is in. It's about "libertarian paternalism" and human decision making. "Nudges," such as putting the healthy food at the front of the cafeteria lunch line and the desserts in the back, are used to subtly guide the choices we make. We still have the choice to eat cake all day, but we're more likely to pick up salad if it's the first thing we see. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nudge_(book)
PS What's an EQ class?
She wrote The Piano Teacher, so I need to find that and see if it's written in the same gibberish. If it is, Haneke is about 1000 times smarter than I originally thought.
My mom wanted me to read Ted Kennedy's autobio, published just after he died. True Compass.
I am here to tell you it makes James Brown and Chuck Berry's autobios seem soulsearching and honest and humble.
ahhhhhh, makes much more sense now. I see what you mean. it sounds a lot more palatable now too, but i here you on repitition of message. maybe i'll make it one of those books you read when you visit a book store but dont want to buy something.
EQ Class is basically an "emotional intelligence" training class. its upposed to help you work better with coworkers depending upon their individual needs and wats, or in other words, compromising a bit of your dominant personality and curtailng your dealings with others in a way that is easier for them to accept allowing for a more harmonius workplace. same can apply to other social situations too.
the problem isnt so much the idea outlined above as the content therein though. one example was when you're in a car and someone cuts you off, your normal reaction is anger, however that is actually fear of the unkown and there is no reason to be afraid (or angry) because they cut you off and did not in fact cause you to get into an accident. its one part stoicism, other parts of other things i cant really label.
anyway, the big point was this emotional state of stagnation wherein your graph of feelings would be a straight line parallel to the x-axis.
difficult to read sort of like a david foster wallace book? i found myself in constant need of a dictionary with him and his style was very clunky, reminded me of Hegel say, or any other german philosopher in that every sentence must take up at least 1 whole page lest your peers mock you sort of endeavor.
Never read anything by Wallace.
There are puncutation marks, but it is very stream of consciousness/interior voice type writing. There are non-sequiters that refer to things, people, events yet unknown and I am just not being pulled in enough to wait around and find out. I can't find an excerpt unfortunately.
And Joy Williams, always.
yeah i dont know if i'd be able to get through that either. my first reaction is "sounds pretentious." but im curious. i'll probably have to find a copy and thumb thruogh it sometime.
Yea, give it a try and let me know if you can make any sense of it.
i wonder if the difficulty is raised due to the fact it was written in english, although i could very easily underestimate the ability of the author to write in her non-native tongue. kind of like conrad i guess, so probably is a non-issue really.
I'm a few years late, but I'm very glad I found it.
I did not even think of him when reading this - he is not as difficult imo.
Anyway - back to Agatha Christie for me.