What Are You Reading Now?

[bluegoose]

Thanks (and I mean that) to SB, BP and JL, I finally picked up a copy of The Nix and have been immensely entertained. I have about 100 pages to go and I'm already sad it's nearing a very uncertain conclusion. The main story is interesting and very well-written, but it's the many side characters and stories that enrich the experience. Before turning off the light last night, I read what seemed like a multipage sentence about pwnage's effort to finally give up Elfcraft (a WoW-like computer game) and it was deeply touching. Between pwnage, Periwinkle, Laura, Bishop, Charlie Brown, and a few others, not to mention the primary narrative, I'm having a great time. Thanks for the rec.

Hard to overstate how much I loved this novel. You are right, it is character driven. Funny you should mention that about pwnage. I had the same reaction: repulsed at first, but eventually became sympathetic. Ditto for Laura Pottsdam. Ditto for Sam's mother ("How could you abandon your son?!"). Ultimately, I think this is one of the central themes of the book. I enjoyed this passage near the end:

I just finished The Nix this weekend. I haven't enjoyed a novel that much in a long time. It was amazing how seamlessly the author was able to link all of the different characters and stories.

I agree with your sympathies for all of the initially unlovable characters. With the exception of Laura Pottsdam. As much as I tried, I couldn't generate the same sympathy for her that I did for the other characters. Granted she had a tough start with her mother's coddling parenting style, but she really didn't have many, if any, redeeming characteristics that I could appreciate.

[Scott R Nelson]

Also, what in the hell were you doing reading an LDS romance novel?!?! Its not like you're watching tv with your wife and sometimes need to cave on a show she likes.

I was on a cruise ship, expecting to pick up something interesting from their library and they had nothing at all that I wanted to read. So my wife had just finished the book and I decided to try it. I think I've learned my lesson...

[old_gregg]

Next up: Thomas Pynchon, Gravity's Rainbow. Wish me luck.

don’t get bogged down—important to keep pushing through this one

[falafel]

I just finished The Nix this weekend. I haven't enjoyed a novel that much in a long time. It was amazing how seamlessly the author was able to link all of the different characters and stories.

I agree with your sympathies for all of the initially unlovable characters. With the exception of Laura Pottsdam. As much as I tried, I couldn't generate the same sympathy for her that I did for the other characters. Granted she had a tough start with her mother's coddling parenting style, but she really didn't have many, if any, redeeming characteristics that I could appreciate.

I just finished it on Friday! I agree with all the other comments on this novel in this thread - it is easily the best book I have read in five, maybe ten years. I did a combo-read: book and audio book. The narrator was really really good.

[SteelBlue]

Next up: Thomas Pynchon, Gravity's Rainbow. Wish me luck.

This one is coming very soon for me too. It'll probably be my first read in January.

[Northwestcoug]

You can watch previous year's sessions on youtube.

Oh that's interesting. I'll have to check it out.

[SteelBlue]

National Book Award winners will be announced today at 4:20 PST. There are links to the ceremony if you search National Book Award on Facebook or twitter. For fiction I’m still going with Jesmyn Ward.

[Donuthole]

So, on Walter Sobchak's recommendation back in June, I ordered The Swerve and The Nix. I'm pretty sure I ordered them in the same Amazon transaction in July, because I wanted to have something to read for my upcoming travels. At any rate, the gist of Walter's recommendation was that The Swerve is the best book he's read in a long, long time, and that The Nix isn't half bad either. So I picked them both up, and decided to read The Swerve first. After all, it was the better book, according to WS, and I had also just finished a fiction novel, so I was due for a non-fiction book (I try to alternate between fiction and non-fiction as much as possible).

After about 3 months of trying to plug through The Swerve, I found myself pretty much avoiding it at all costs. If I wasn't falling asleep after just a couple pages I was finding facebook/netflix/amazon prime/ESPN more interesting. As of last week, I was still just 2/3 the way through the book. And I was hating it. Meanwhile, everybody on here is raving about this awesome, amazing, un-put-downable book sitting on my nightstand. 3 nights ago I gave in and shelved The Swerve. I picked up the Nix and have been looking for spare minutes to read it all week. I'm about 150 pages from the end, and I can't wait to finish it tonight. Not sure i'll be going back to finish The Swerve, though.

[Jeff Lebowski]

So, on Walter Sobchak's recommendation back in June, I ordered The Swerve and The Nix. I'm pretty sure I ordered them in the same Amazon transaction in July, because I wanted to have something to read for my upcoming travels. At any rate, the gist of Walter's recommendation was that The Swerve is the best book he's read in a long, long time, and that The Nix isn't half bad either. So I picked them both up, and decided to read The Swerve first. After all, it was the better book, according to WS, and I had also just finished a fiction novel, so I was due for a non-fiction book (I try to alternate between fiction and non-fiction as much as possible).

After about 3 months of trying to plug through The Swerve, I found myself pretty much avoiding it at all costs. If I wasn't falling asleep after just a couple pages I was finding facebook/netflix/amazon prime/ESPN more interesting. As of last week, I was still just 2/3 the way through the book. And I was hating it. Meanwhile, everybody on here is raving about this awesome, amazing, un-put-downable book sitting on my nightstand. 3 nights ago I gave in and shelved The Swerve. I picked up the Nix and have been looking for spare minutes to read it all week. I'm about 150 pages from the end, and I can't wait to finish it tonight. Not sure i'll be going back to finish The Swerve, though.

Good to know. Deleted the Swerve from my queue.

[Art Vandelay]

So, on Walter Sobchak's recommendation back in June, I ordered The Swerve and The Nix. I'm pretty sure I ordered them in the same Amazon transaction in July, because I wanted to have something to read for my upcoming travels. At any rate, the gist of Walter's recommendation was that The Swerve is the best book he's read in a long, long time, and that The Nix isn't half bad either. So I picked them both up, and decided to read The Swerve first. After all, it was the better book, according to WS, and I had also just finished a fiction novel, so I was due for a non-fiction book (I try to alternate between fiction and non-fiction as much as possible).

After about 3 months of trying to plug through The Swerve, I found myself pretty much avoiding it at all costs. If I wasn't falling asleep after just a couple pages I was finding facebook/netflix/amazon prime/ESPN more interesting. As of last week, I was still just 2/3 the way through the book. And I was hating it. Meanwhile, everybody on here is raving about this awesome, amazing, un-put-downable book sitting on my nightstand. 3 nights ago I gave in and shelved The Swerve. I picked up the Nix and have been looking for spare minutes to read it all week. I'm about 150 pages from the end, and I can't wait to finish it tonight. Not sure i'll be going back to finish The Swerve, though.

As a general rule, whatever Walter loves, choose the opposite. He was bragging about how much he loves black licorice on another social forum, for heaven's sake.

[Donuthole]

As a general rule, whatever Walter loves, choose the opposite. He was bragging about how much he loves black licorice on another social forum, for heaven's sake.

I love black licorice. But not Good n' Plentys. And not Twizzlers. And not that weird Aussie crap that everybody seems to think is awesome but really isn't. Give me some Red Vines brand black licorice, or, preferably, some Haribo licorice wheels.

[BigPiney]

As a general rule, whatever Walter loves, choose the opposite. He was bragging about how much he loves black licorice on another social forum, for heaven's sake.

They guy says "Cheers", that says it all.

[falafel]

Black licorice (or "licorice", as its correctly called) is delicious in all its forms.

SE only please.

[Flystripper]

I too love black licorice. Like really love it and have to agree that good and plenty and twizzlers are meh. I like Kookaburra but it isn't the best black licorice. I also prefer the black licorice laces and Haribo wheels are a great choice.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Love me some black licorice.


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