I keep seeing these books prominently displayed at Barnes and Noble. I have been meaning to see what they are all about. The KYR recommendation has sealed the deal for me.

Jimmy Corrigan: The Smartest Kid on Earth - 10/10

Oh my god. I feel like as a whole, this is literally the best thing I have ever looked at/read/whatever in my entire life.

Felt like crying @ how good it was about 50-100 times during reading it.

Jesus. Was just like "beautiful." Every page was drawn/designed so incredibly. "Breathtaking."

Seemed like it was written/drawn by some guy who had completely lost his mind making this.

Went and read like 15 interviews with the creator, Chris Ware. Feel like I am "in love" with him.

This was amazing.

It becomes much more epic in scope. I read those books when I was a teenager as they came out, I've read them again since, and I think they're brilliant. They do go to town on the blasphemy, attacking the concept of God moreso than the church itself really.

Last book I read was Dance Dance Dance by Haruki Murakami, borrowed from someone who highly recommended it. I loved it. It's about an unnamed guy who dreams that a girl he loved is calling him, and he must go back to a seedy old hotel to find her, only the hotel has been replaced by a super big Western modern luxury hotel with the same name. The story then follows as he almost passively tries to figure out where this girl may have gone, encountering various characters along the way. Strange, funny book. I've since learned it's like a loose continuation of an earlier trilogy of books. I'm going to get some more Murakami books after this 9/10

Reading One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gael Garcia Marquez now. It's very strange indeed.

God Bless You Mr. Rosewater 8/10

Finally finished this. Pretty atypical Vonnegut... pretty funny and a decent story. Not one of his best but still very good. Punchline after punchline.

For Whom the Bell Tolls -10/10

I liked this more than The Sun Also Rises and that is the only other non-short story Hemingway I have read.

I should hopefully finish Crime and Punishment and Divine Comedy this week, with two eight-hour train trips on Thursday and Saturday. Then i'll be reading William Thackeray's Vanity Fair.

Just bought this today. Hoping it will be a good read

Brets book a 7/10. Some boring parts brought it down a bit but very readable towards the end.

Jericho's book a 9/10. Good read, definitely seemed like he had a hand in the writing more than they let on. Had Jericho humor throughout.

Steig Larsson - The Girl Who Played With Fire - 10/10.

Book 2 of the Millenium Trilogy and even better than the first. Could not put this book down.

Now reading Book 3 - The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest.

The No Complaining Rule by Jon Gordon 0/10

Easily the most gods-awful piece of shit I ever read, and I only did so because Work forced me to. Compared to this, that pile of shit in book form called Battlefield Earth is a 9.5/10. I need to read the Hitchhiker's Trilogy again just to get the sour taste out of my brain.

Dante - The Divine Comedy 7.5/10

Definitely a book that I will read again at some point. But to appreciate it more, a number of classical works need to be read first.

Oliver Twist - 7/10 - I don't really like Dickens but I hadn't read a Dickens novel in a few years so I thought I'd try again. I felt better about it than I did others but he's still not one of my favorites. Maybe in another few years.

Stieg Larsson - Men Who Hate Women

7.5/10 - Pretty cool.

EDIT: Uhm, apparently it was also released under the title The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.

Been reading some short stories by Irvine Welsh that have been pretty good. Particularly enjoyed one entitled "Eurotrash"

Not done with the whole book yet though sirs

Been reading Anne Rice's Interview With The Vampire

not one usually for vampire books but I recently watched the movie adaptation so I was interested in the book

definitely much better then the movie

I'll give it a 7/10

The second book, The Vampire Lestat, is far better.

Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell

Seems like every great contemporary novelist is from the UK. I loved this-- 6 stories connected in various ways, each story has it's own unique style... it starts with a Mellville inspired story set in the 19th century and moves all the way to a distant, post-apocalyptic future. 10/10

Day By Day Armageddon: Beyond Exile - 9/10

Another great work of art from JL Bourne. Having read his entire DBD Armageddon (first book) in an entire work day, I was eager to read the 2nd one. While he does go just a bit fast with the story, it's understandable and is written so that you never want to put it down. The only reason for not being 10/10 is that I know that there's another book coming by the ending, and that I'm not looking forward to another couple years wait.

Cloud Atlas is a brilliant book. You should check out Mitchell's other books if you haven't already. Ghostwritten is similar in scope and style, with several interweaving stories. number9dream and Black Swan Green are somewhat different but still brilliant.

Reading "Pillars of the Earth" right now. It's about a thousand pages long, and I'm at 300. This is a great book up to now. If it keeps up the pace for the remaining 700, this could be one of the best book I've ever read.

Someone recommended that to me. The Kapoutman nod seals the deal.

Just reread the Dark Tower series. Like some people say it is more enjoyable the second time around.

Thinking about rereading House of the Scorpion as it has been a while since I read it, and I noticed it collecting dust at the bottom of my bookshelf yesterday. Open for suggestion though for something new. Keep in mind that I live in a small town with a not so well stocked library.

Just about to finish Under the Dome. Have really enjoyed it

Every time I go to the bookstore, I stare longingly at Under the Dome and never pick it up. The epic scale of it makes me think it'll be like the second coming of The Stand. Was kind of waiting for it to come out in paperback because I'm a cheap bastard.

Reread The Stars My Destination by Alfred Bester. 9/10.

I've ordered the Absolute editions of Sandman by Neil Gaiman to read next.

I'm on the second book. I absolutely love surreal stuff like this, that blurs different genres. Does it stay consistently good, throughout most of it?

There is another series of books similar to The Dark Tower, called The Dungeon. VERRRRRY obscure, but the first two books are fantastic. Problem is that each book is written by a different author, and it goes downhill fast because of it. Didn't even bother reading the 5th and 6th books.

Chris Jericho's Auto Biography - 6/10. Kind of dragged at times.

I gave The Green Mile a shot today, and I read 50 pages and 30 of them, to me, were just filler and BS. There were times where I skipped an entire chapter because there was nothing to further the plot. Maybe I don't like reading or I was reading it at work, but it did not interest me. I'ma go watch the movie sometime. If I read the book again from the start I might have to electrocute myself.

Yeah it stays consistently good for the most part. They get increasingly better up until the very last book, which tends to drag at certain points. But within the story it is understandable why King wrote it that way. The ending always gets mixed reviews. I found it bitter sweet myself, but probably more sweet than bitter.

Have you read Hearts In Atlantis or Insomnia? I would recommend reading through both of those before you get to far into the series.

I've just picked up a book of three novels in one type deal of his at the library. It includes the Shining, Salems Lot, and Carrie. Never read any of these three, but I've seen the movies at one point or the other.

Hithcock by Francois Truffaut - A series of interviews between Alfred Hitchcock and Francois Truffault, interesting seeing Hitchcock earnest and sensitive, I was expecting him to be a prick to Truffault the way John Ford was to Bondonovich. Seeing as i'm a huge Hithcock fan I enjoyed this book.

Fyodor Dostoyevsky - Crime and Punishment 9/10

daniel defoe - robinson crusoe 8.5/10

really loved it, the ending didn't do much for me though. it's pretty awesome that a book that is almost 300 years old can still be that amazing to me though. i suppose the fact it's about a guy stranded without the technology of the day helps keep it fairly timeless though.

Eye of the World - Book 1 of the Wheel of Time Series

5/5

It was everything I want from a book. 500+ pages, well written, interesting characters, good pacing, action...

I'm almost sad I didn't read this 10 years ago when I saw the books at the library.

My dad reads that series. I haven't, but when I get through my backlog I might give them a try.

I've been rereading the Harry Potter series and watching the movies afterwards. Just finished Chamber of Secrets(9/10) which is definitely one of my favorites of the series, and the movie is really great.

Also read through Michael Crichton's Timeline(7/10). Not my favorite Crichton novel at all(Prey), but was overall enjoyable.

Wish the assholes who use my library would return their books on time. Have been waiting pick up a copy of Under the Dome for 2 months now. :rant:

Blood Meridian - Cormac McCarthy - 8/10

Very good, but is the kind of book that should be read multiple times in order to really take it all in due to the writing style.

I've been going through novels like crazy this last month or so. Just went and picked up World War Z and Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban. Plus I'm still working my way through The Shining. Go me!

The Regulators by Stephen King (writing as Richard Bachman)

Read this one after reading Desperation...
good story, but not as good as aforementioned book.
8/10

currently reading 'under the dome'....good so far.

just finished an amazing memoir called Borrowed Time by Paul Monette that came out during the height of the AIDS epidemic in the late 80's

details what it was like living with AIDS in those scary times circa 1985 thru 1986 when eventually Monette's partner Roger Horwitz dies from it

I give it a 9/10

The Good Earth - Pearl S. Buck - 9/10

is it written like his other books? Or is there something different in it?

Reading "Amerika" by Franz Kafka right now. It is pretty good. Will get black to you when I have completed

It' similar to his other books in that punctuation is different and he will cover a lot in a few sentences. There was just a lot going on and I had to go back a few times to figure out who was talking or who somebody was.

"Theories and Conspiracies of The Rich: The 8 New Rules of Money" ~ Robert Kiyosaki.

9.5 / 10.

Very useful and shocking information that will help anyone that is interested.

They made me read that in Middle School. :| I would probably have given it negative numbers had I just read it.

oh I see. I can't decide if I like or hate the punctuation in his books.

I never had to read it in school but I would imagine I wouldn't have been into it at all at that age. I have reread a lot of books I was assigned and found them to be much more enjoyable now. I don't know if that means I had bad teachers or just wasn't "ready" for them.

Currently reading the Andy Warhol Diaries

they show a daily account of his private life from 1976 til his death in 1987

Warhol was quite the interesting individual and I woulda loved partying at Studio 54 with him, Halston and Capote

8/10

Has Mickey Rourke got an autobiog? If so, is it any good?

just finished Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin

one of the best books I've read this year and is really short so it's a quick read

Baldwin's descriptions of Paris are amazing

9/10

No Country for Old Men - Cormac McCarthy 10/10

The movie is very close to the source so read this if you like Cormac McCarthy or liked the movie. We get a bit more insight into Chigurgh and a lot more into Sheriff Bell.

Best American nonrequired reading

just finished Schindler's List by Thomas Keneally

the book that inspired the movie

was a pretty good book

8/10

basically a book version of the movie but with more details and information

Islands in the Stream by Ernest Hemingway - 7/10 - Supposed to be his comeback novel but he killed himself before it was published. It was okay. Not my favorite Hemingway at all but a fairly quick read.

Under the Dome by Stephen King. Finally got through that beast, and enjoyed it from cover to cover. As I thought it might be, this was reminiscent of The Stand in its scale. I'm not sure if this is quite as good as The Stand, but it's close. Definitely a "return to form" for Stephen King even though it's not exactly horror (more like a thriller/suspense king of thing).

Anyway, highly recommended. :)

WOT: Lord of Chaos 5/5

Forgot about this

Amerika by Franz Kafka - 6/10. I liked it a lot at first and started to fucking hate it at the end

Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse - 8/10. Good, not great.

A Coney Island of The Mind - 10/10

Finally something incredible again

:-\ I love Siddhartha. What didn't you like about it? Also, have you read any of Hesse's other works? "Narcissus and Goldmund" is amazing.

The Art of War by Sun Tzu: 9/10

I've heard so much about this book from tons of cultural references and what not, but when I saw it in B&N a couple weeks ago for $5 I had to pick it up. It's pretty awesome. Very simply put but ingenious. I've been trying to apply his teachings to my every day life in terms of dealing with confrontations and relationships with people, and I've actually found some of them to be very effective in a positive way.

My only complaint is that it might be TOO simply put. I thought that his methods and ideas would be delved into a bit deeper - each chapter is only 4-5 pages long.

ham on rye - charles bukowski
9/10

after hearing all about bukowski for years but not making the effort to read any, i picked this up at borders last night. read the whole thing in 4 hours. his writing style is so succint but packed with more truth than most people could hope to write with. sure, it's a bit bleak, but i'm looking forward to reading more. probably moving to factotum next.

It's not that I didn't like it, but I can't just be throwing down 9's and 10's to everything. Have to "Fucking Love" something to give it a 9 or a 10. 8 is for things that are really good but I don't put them in my upper echelon.

Also, WeX, read Post Office. Factotum is pretty good too. Women is up there for me too. Pretty much all of Bukowski's books are the same exact thing though. I'd recommend checking out his poetry too, if you get a chance.

You still need to take up my suggestion of I Have The Right To Destroy Myself, Peter

factotum - charles bukowski
7/10

it's ok. it just felt like reading a different version of ham on rye that focused on work exclusively. i can relate to a lot of what's being talked about, but it just didn't engage me the same way as ham on rye. gonna give post office a shot after i'm done reading a farewell to arms.

Keep forgetting about this unit

Need to purchase it. MAYBE someone should buy it for me off of my Amazon Wish List :kiss::kiss::kiss::kiss::kiss::kiss::wave::rofl:

Harper Lee - To kill a mocking bird 10/10

A fantastic book. It is one of those that after you've read a chapter you feel compelled to read another chapter and so on. Well, I did anyway.

Morrison / Quitely -Absolute All-Star Superman - 10/10

Read this when it came out as a series, and my brother is such a fan of Morrison and Quitely that I decided to buy this as his Christmas present.

Brilliant stuff. Great story and art, that, especially in this format, is absolutely magnificent.

And that issue with Pa Kent! Jesus. Great stuff.

Basketball Diaries-Jim Carroll

8-10

In Fifty Year We'll All Be Chicks- Adam Carolla

I've been listening to the guy on radio and podcasts forever but this is really all of his best material in a neat manageable package. Some really brilliant stuff in here. Started reading it again last night.

Also reading Patton Oswalt's book right now. Let you know when I finish.

Reading "American Gods" by Neil Gaiman. Very interesting so far.

Also finished the first novel in the "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" series. Awesome book.

James Patterson "Cross Fire" 5/5 another excellent book in the Alex Cross series. I can't wait till the next one which I believe will be a crossover book.

American Gods was an amazing read. One of the best book I have ever read. 10/10

The Sirens Of Titan - Kurt Vonnegut: 10/10

I love Kurt Vonnegut and very much enjoyed this.

FANTASTIC read, loved it myself.

"Catching Fire" by Richard Wrangham - 8/10

Really interesting book on how the advent of cooking was a key catalyst in the evolution of humans from apes.

Cat's Cradle - Kurt Vonnegut: 10/10 - really making me question my philosophy on life

Choke - Chuck Palahniuk: 9/10 - Enjoy Palahniuk a lot, also a bit disturbed at how much I identify with the main character

Rant - Chuck Palahniuk: 9/10 - a bit confusing, but I really like the oral history format.

Arrowsmith - Sinclair Lewis - 8/10

Not finished yet, but currently reading Jericho's new book. Very interesting and entertaining read so far. Especially since it seemed he couldnt do anything right his few months in the company.

Jesus' Son - Denis Johnson: 10/10 - switches between funny and depressing seamlessly. i had to finish it as soon as i started reading.

Frank Herbert - Dune 8/10

just finished Backing Hitler by Robert Gellatelly

Haven't read nonfiction for awhile but decided to read this the other day

it was an alright book but it seemed like no one edited it and proof read it

but it was interesting as it talked about exactly what the german people knew about what was going on and what they were doing at the concentration camps

I give it a 6/10

reading atlas shrugged. damn. not done yet. but damn. woman knows how to spin a yarn.

Jailbird - Kurt Vonnegut: 10/10

probably just going to rate all of his books 10/10 spectacular

currently I've been reading an interesting biography on Cary Grant by Marc Eliot

it's been really good so far as I am about halfway finished with it

Dean Koontz - Strangers. 8/10

Dan Brown - The Lost Symbol. 7/10

I enjoy Dan Brown's books, but as usually I expected a retarded ending and he hasn't disappointed me.

Herman Hesse - Rosshalde: 5/10

This book pissed me off

Mark Twain - The Adventures of Tom Sawyer 7/10

I liked it. But it does not touch Huck Finn.

Just read V for Vendetta, I thousand times better than that shitty film.
Also just bought Neil Gaimans American Gods anybody read it?

Not his best work, by any means. "Peter Camenzind", "Steppenwolf" and "Narcissus and Goldmund" are all considerably better. I still haven't made it through "The Glass Bead Game" yet. Incredibly complicated.

http://www.davidsheff.com/images/51w..._aa240__1_.jpg

"Tweak" by Nic Sheff
6/10

Found his writing style to be extremely simplistic, but I guess that's what I should've expected from a drug addicted fiend, and it also suits the material of the book as well. Some of the stories were interesting, mostly the first section when he's on the streets and living for nothing but his next shot of heroin/coke. But nothing amazing here.

http://bloggingexperiment.com/wp-con...art-of-war.jpg
"The Art of War" by Sun Tzu
8/10

Enlightening. Even though I'll never be commanding giant armies into battle, this book can help you learn how to deal with every day situations and difficult people with ease and with a higher percentage of a victorious outcome.

http://bookcoverarchive.com/images/b...ries.large.jpg
"Metamorphosis & Other Stories" by Franz Kafka
7/10

What the fuck is all I can say about Kafka's work. It's like his stories don't make any sense, but at the same time you feel like he's written them so that they do make sense in the way that they DON'T make any sense at all... mind fuckers, to be sure, and leave you wondering what the hell you just read and what it really meant to the man who wrote it. Good stuff.


About to start Alexandre Dumas' "The Three Musketeers" tonight.

John Steinbeck - Of Mice and Men 10/10

Infinite Jest - David Foster Wallace, tackled this monster and I feel pretty good about it. It's funny, sad, sprawling and difficult, but definitely worth the time.

Alexandre Dumas - "The Three Musketeers": 7/10

I can see why it's a classic. About mid-way through the book I started wanting to really finish it and find out what happens next. I like all the characters, even if the three musketeers all seem a lot alike to me. Sucked that D'Artagnan didn't get his girl in the end, but pretty sweet that they chopped off that bitches head.

Snuff - Chuck Palahniuk: 8/10 would be a 9, but the ending kind of confused me.

American Gods - Neil Gaiman: 10/10, really enjoyed it

felt like an idiot for not understanding Low Key-Lyesmith

Mother Night - Kurt Vonnegut: 10/10

usual Kurt Vonnegut grade

Evelyn Waugh - Brideshead Revisited 9/10
F. Scott Fitzgerald - The Great Gatsby 8/10

George Orwell - Animal Farm 8/10

Simple but effective.

I'm off to rock the Shakespeare now with A Midsummer Night's Dream and MacBeth, before attempting Joyce's Ullysses for a second time.

The Alchemist - 9/10

Wonderful wonderful parable.