Book Talk

[King Simba]

I don't read books that often but here's a summary for a book that I've had for a while and previously read:

Deadly Creatures by Steve Pollock.

Come face to face with some of natures most dangerous animals in Collins Trailblazers Deadly Creatures. Discover how hungry tigers stalk, poisonous spiders spin, cobras swallow and much, much more.

Special see-through acetate pages, wheels, tabs, flaps and windows make this exciting book truly interactive.

Since I haven't read it in a while, I can't really give you a proper review or summary of the book. However, it did contain the information as stated above.

[Dare]

The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova
""For all his attention to my historical education, my father had neglected to tell me this: history's terrible moments were real. I understand now, decades later, that he could never have told me. Only history itself can convince you of such a truth."

I'm only up to chapter 22....this sucker is 656 pages, but thus far it's great. I have three words for you - Vlad the Impaler. Not ringing a bell? Try "Dracula".
Yes, this is a fiction book but it does discuss a very real historical figure...sort of.
It's kind of hard for me to describe it, since I don't know where to begin. If you want a serious review, check out Amazon.com or something. All I can say is the suspense is killing me. It's definately worth reading if you have the time/attention span.

[Sombolia]

I'd reccomend the Bartimaeus Trilogy, by Jonathan Stroud. I've only the read the first one, but it was really good.

I'm not good at descriptions, so I'll let it speak for itself: http://www.bartimaeustrilogy.com/

[Aurelian]

I am really into si-fi. The series that I really fell in love with is "The Dragon Riders of Pern" by Anne McCaffery. It is way to complex to explain, but is is the on goiing stories of a primitive soociety(Seemingly in the days of dinosaurs or at least early midevil) run by dragonriders, or people chosen to be the companions and riders of the great dragons that protect the world.

If you like anthro si-fi humor, check out "The Chanur Legacy" series, by C.J. Cherrie. It is sort of like Star Wars, only with a race of anthro-felines known as Hani. Funny thing is, the females run the race, and the males are treated like dirt.

Finally, one of my favorite series of all time is "Acorna the Unicorn Girl", also by Anne McCaffery. This one is about a alien girl that is half human and half unicorn, and her journey through life, from being found and addopted by astroid miners to finding her people.

If you like sentimental and touching stories, my all time favorite book is "Where the Red Fern Grows" by Wilson Rawls. This book comes out of Si-Fi and into stories of life. It tells of the companion ship betwenn two hound dogs, their teenage ownner, and eachother. It takes place in a very country setting, with lots of hunting and tracking (all for food, of course. These people were poor.)

[Katse]

Since some of my favorite books were already mentioned, I'll say Waking Walt. It goes along with the urban legend of Walt Disney being cryogenetically frozen and what happens when he is awaken. It's a very good book if you like learning about Walt. There's a TLK sighting in there, too!

[lion_roog]

Hmm...if you like baseball, I would suggest "Cobb" by Al Stump. It tells the story of possibly the meanest sports star in the history of modern sports, from when he grew up in Georgia to his legendary feats on the field to his little attended funeral. The "Georgia Peach" entered baseball with no friends, and he left the game with no more than three friends. His take no prisoners attitude on and off the field bought him enemies wherever he went, whether it be entire cities such as Phillidephia or most of his teammates on his own team. Despite all of his confrontations both on and off the field, Ty Cobb went on to become the greatest player baseball has ever known, and the most despised players professional sports has ever known.

[Sombolia]

Originally posted by Roquivo
I am really into si-fi. The series that I really fell in love with is "The Dragon Riders of Pern" by Anne McCaffery. It is way to complex to explain, but is is the on goiing stories of a primitive soociety(Seemingly in the days of dinosaurs or at least early midevil) run by dragonriders, or people chosen to be the companions and riders of the great dragons that protect the world.

If you like anthro si-fi humor, check out "The Chanur Legacy" series, by C.J. Cherrie. It is sort of like Star Wars, only with a race of anthro-felines known as Hani. Funny thing is, the females run the race, and the males are treated like dirt.

Finally, one of my favorite series of all time is "Acorna the Unicorn Girl", also by Anne McCaffery. This one is about a alien girl that is half human and half unicorn, and her journey through life, from being found and addopted by astroid miners to finding her people.

I've herd of the Dragon Riders of Pern before.. I might have to check it out, what with your reccomendation and all. And the others too, of course.. they sound really interesting. I <3 sci-fi. xP (and no, that love isn't rescricted to SW, because it's not even really sci-fi.. um..thought I'd say that.)

[LionKingxx]

Harry and Potter and the Blood Prince is really good book

don't want to spoil any one else if not read it yet

[Juniper]

Originally posted by TakaTiger
The Art Of Being A Lion! the only book i own!

That is a great book, especially the photography


I think 1984 has to be my favorite, not really because it's that great of writing (though it is), but because it speaks a lot about society, where it's been, and where it could go given the wrong circumstances. I usually enjoy the classics, like the Crucible, To Kill a Mockingbird, Moby Dick, etc... but I also like Michael Crichton boooks.

I think that that everyone on Earth should read the Bible and every other major religion's texts, as that would help promote an understanding of eachother's culture and would drastically reduce religious ignorance. (ie., "The Bible says that *insert racial, sexist, or other discriminatory comment here*" "No it doesn't, I've read the Bible, and you're an idiot.")

The World is Flat and The Art of pi (ya know, that mathematical term "pi") are also great books that everyone should look into. The World is Flat talks about the future of the world (and it's happy for the most part) in the field of everything from the possibility that Open-Source projects may be the new Microsoft to the fact that countries such as China and India are catching up with the World (which isn't so bad, if you read about it).

The Art of pi is very... strange, but humorous. For part of the book, a zookeeper/animal transport person has to abandon a ship and a tiger manages to make it into the life raft, so now the guy's a castaway stuck with a 450 pound tiger in a life raft.

[Another Tomato]

I guess I'll recommend some of my favourites:

Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes
Probably my favourite book, Don Quixote follows the (mis)adventures of an insane man who thinks he's a knight, and his simple (yet witty) squire. Although it's definitely not for everyone: some people might be put off by the sheer length (900something pages), or by the fact that it is much more of a series of connected episodes rather than a tightly constructed plot. But the charming characters and comical situations are enough to bring a smile to my face. I recommend the Edith Grossman translation.

The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoeyvsky
If you're in a philosophical or intellectual mood, then this might interest you. It is the story of three brothers and the plights they go through in the middle of a family crisis. Along the way, there is much religious and philosophical speculation. It should be noted though that this book is very dense material and features paragraphs that can go on for pages and (towards the end) speeches that last for chapters. So if you decide to read this novel, be prepared to tackle a behemoth. I recommend the Pevar and Volokhonsky translation.

A Prayer For Owen Meany by John Irving

A charming story that is both humorous and tragic. It centers on the life of a dwarfish boy named Owen Meany and his best friend, John Wheelright. When Owen inadvertantly kills John's mother in a freak accident at a baseball game, he becomes convinced that he is God's instrument. Thus begins a long tale.

The Castle by Franz Kafka

The surreal story of a man known only as K. and his battle with an authority in order to gain entrance to 'The Castle'.

Any collection of short stories by Edgar Allan Poe is worth checking into if you like stories about madness and mystery.

The Elements Of Style by William Strunk Jr and E.B. White
A nonfiction rererence book. If you're planning on getting into a career in which writing plays an important part, this is the book to read. Rather than tell you how to write a good essay, or story (those books are mostly bogus), this one focuses purely on how to make your writing style neat, clean and polished. Refer to it when you're writing an essay, short story, novel, or anything else written in prose, and you'll see a great improvement that both you and your reader can appreciate.

That's all for now. I'll probably post a few more books later.

[Lucy Lioness]

Originally posted by LionKingxx
Harry and Potter and the Blood Prince is really good book

don't want to spoil any one else if not read it yet

Disappointing for the Harry-Hermoine Shippers though!

Sorry, I couldn't resist.

[unregistered user]

:Spolier alert:


Psycology for dummies. It ends with me becomeing a psycologist.

[la_reina]

We all hope so

[Sombolia]

Originally posted by Lucy Lioness
Disappointing for the Harry-Hermoine Shippers though!

Sorry, I couldn't resist.

THE HARMONY IS SUNK!! WOOHOO!! *dances little jig of anti H/Hr ness*

But as for a certain pink haired SOMEBODY and a certain werewolf SOMEBODY.. ;_;

*ahem*

Have any of you ever read Dogsbody? It looks interesting, if you can get over the fact that the main character's name is Sirius, can turn into a dog, and is framed for a crime he didn't commit o_______o

[Mizani]

The last book I read was called "Cry of the Icemark"

Its a really good book, and I reccomend it to anyone who's willing to sit down and bury yourself in a good fantasy novel.
I give it a 9 & 1/2 out of 10

[Kijana]

Lions Share: The Story of a Serengeti Pride by Jeannette Hanby and David Bygott. Written and illustrated by a couple who did lion research in the early 70s. It tells the story of the Semetu Pride from the lions' point of view. A wonderful read which I found informative and I also enjoyed the black and white drawings that went along with it depicting the various lions in the story and life on the plains. However, the book is out of print so either check your area libraries or go browsing used book stores.

The Lions of Savuti: Hunting with the Moon by Dereck and Beverly Joubert. An illustrated book put out by the National Geographic Society, it concerns the lions of the Savuti, located northeast of the Okavango Delta in northern Botswana.

The works of Charles de Lint, a Canadian author. Many of his novels and stories have a weaving of Celtic and Native American motifs with spirits, faery, and the like. A good number of his works take place in the fictional North American city of Newford and his characters are ordinary, everyday people that we can relate to. Here's an excerpt from the inside jacket to one of his short story volumes.

The city of Newford could be any contemporary North American city...except that magic lurks in its music, in its art, in the shadows of its grittiest streets, where mythic beings walk disguised. And its people are like you and me, each looking for a bit of magic to shape their lives and transform their fate.

The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran, a Lebonese-American poet, philosopher, artist. I highly recommend his works with their beautiful words. This is his most famous work. Here's an excerpt...

And a man said, "Speak to us of Self-Knowledge."
And he answered, saying: Your hearts know in silence the secrets of the days and the nights. But your ears thirst for the sound of your heart's knowledge. You would know in words that which you have always known in thought. You would touch with your fingers the naked body of your dreams.

And it is well you should. The hidden well-spring of your soul must needs rise and run murmuring to the sea; And the treasure of your infinite depths would be revealed to your eyes. But let there be no scales to weigh your unknown treasure; And seek not the depths of your knowledge with staff or sounding line. For self is a sea boundless and measureless.

Say not, "I have found the truth," but rather, "I have found a truth." Say not, "I have found the path of the soul." Say rather, "I have met the soul walking upon my path." For the soul walks upon all paths. The soul walks not upon a line, neither does it grow like a reed. The soul unfolds itself, like a lotus of countless petals.

[soulImbibe]

I recently finished the HitchHiker's Guide to the Galaxy series and I'd recommend them to anybody that likes humorous sci-fi. It does get a little tedious during the middle but the great wit found throughout is worth the effort.

If you're into math and science, the two books I've read by Brian Greene are very good: "The Elegant Universe" and "The Fabric of the Cosmos." I'm actually still reading Fabric but based upon what I've gotten through so far it is excellent.

Although not a book, the Zig Zag story at www.zzstudios.com is well-worth a read for any furry fans here. It's very long so it will take you a while to get through the whole thing. Also, if anyone is familiar with the Sabrina comic there is a story that accompanies that at www.furnation.com/chrisfoxx/. These series are both ongoing but do not get updated very frequently.

I'm about to start The Da Vinci Code to see what all the fuss was about. Regarding the TLK reference, I cheated and looked it up. Technically it's incorrect because he said the "S-E-X" freeze frame was from the DVD. However, the version released on DVD was the cleaned IMAX movie without the mysterious word.

[Alli]

I'm currently being forced to read, "Flowers For Algernon." It's so i can enter honors english.

It's about this man who's been mentally retarded all his life and has recently been attending a school to help him learn to read and write. He was chosen for a special surgery to help him be able to learn faster and soon he becomes a genius and the rest just goes on about his life. I haven't reached the end though. Anybody read it?

[soulImbibe]

I had to read Flowers for Algernon a while back in high school.

www.sparknotes.com

[Alli]

That is a really helpful site, thanks!