What are you reading right now? -

[shameful existence]

Finishing The White Sniper: Simo Häyhä (Tapio Saarelainen). Obviously written by a fan, but not a bad biography of a man who was well used to cold weather and only annoyed by the invading Russians. Gives an impression of an accidental hero, who wanted to farm, breed dogs and hunt, but happened to be too good at taking down Soviets. There's some ongoing anti-Russian sentiment even in Häyhä's 1990s opinions, which I guess is understandable.

 

[horrorfan89]

Max Brooks the zombie survival guide.


Even 20 years after it was first published (god I still remember buying it brand new at borders remember them?) and it's still a page turner. Plus I love the little jabs at popular zombie movies like dawn (he says to avoid shopping malls at all costs) return (zombies cannot run or rise from the grave)


Damn Shane the other Brooks zombie novel world war Z was such a trash fire no thanks to Brad Pitt demanding a reshoot for a traditional "Hollywood ending "


EDIT: not to mention Max Brooks was based against china almost 20 years before it was even a thing. There's a lot of anti Chinese sentiment in the og version of the zombie survival guide that i hope new editions aren't "edited." Like even before the rise of communist china, there's a passage on how ancient china held book burnings to protect against "dangerous thought." Like i thought Michael Crichton was a pretty based and ahead of his time author but now i think we can add Max Brooks to that list too

 

[macguyver16]

I just finished the first Terry Pratchett book, loved it

Which one should I read next? I've seen the animated versions of Soul Music and the Wyrd Sisters, and the Hogfather special

 

[Fucktwat The Clown]

There is one book I want to read called “I have no mouth, and I must scream”.
It’s about a supercomputer that wiped all but 5 humans off the planet, who are made immortal by AM(the Allied Mastercomputer) so it could torture them.

 

[AnOminous]

There is one book I want to read called “I have no mouth, and I must scream”.
It’s about a supercomputer that wiped all but 5 humans off the planet, who are made immortal by AM(the Allied Mastercomputer) so it could torture them.

That's a short story, but it has been published in a short story collection of the same name.

Also just because.

 

[LurkNoMore]

Horus Rising by Dan Abnett

As far as sci-fi shoot'em up goes its pretty decent. Of course thats probably true with all warhammer books.

 

[shameful existence]

Got my hands on a somewhat rare book on the Faust mythos. It's not in English, but the illustrations are share-worthy.

Spoiler

 

[Chan Fan]

Starting Heretics of Dune by Frank Herbert today

 

[JJLiautaud]

Last Book I read was Governor by David Weber, its a prequel to In Fury Born book which I really quite enjoyed. I liked Governor, but I wish if David Weber was going to write another book in the Fury-verse it would be about Ally Tisiphone and the good ship Megaera investigate weird shit and shoot it that would be a cool series.
As for what's next I'm probably going to read Japanese Destroyer Captain by Hara or very maybe The Anabasis by Xenophon
Edit note: fixed some grammar stuff

 

[Duncan Hills Coffee]

Currently re-reading The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. What's standing out to me is that, now that I've read plenty of classic sci-fi like Vonnegut, I'm understanding just what makes the book so special. It isn't just a funny story, it feels like it could have been a legitimate science fiction book if Adams were so inclined. The narration style isn't really that far removed from the likes of Vonnegut, and is only somewhat more comedic.

I've always loved Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, but I feel as though now that I know the context surrounding it, I actually get it.

 

[Syaoran Li]

The Vampire Lestat by Anne Rice

 

[shameful existence]

Roger Scruton's "Beauty."

Have you enjoyed it? I bought it, but can't force myself into it, because Roger Scruton, RIP, feels too much like a man holding on to the last thing of the old world semi-allowed to hold on to. Like a man bargaining with invading barbarians to at least preserve the church in his village. It makes me depressed.

 

[Boston Brand]

I just finished the first Terry Pratchett book, loved it
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Which one should I read next? I've seen the animated versions of Soul Music and the Wyrd Sisters, and the Hogfather special

I adore MORT and GUARDS GUARDS personally.

 

[polayent]

Just finished Valerie and Her Week of Wonders by Vitezslav Nezval. I tried to watch the movie a few months ago, but I fell asleep part way through. I might try to watch it again now.

 

[Yidhra]

Started The Thirst for Annihilation: Georges Bataille and Virulent Nihilism by Nick Land today, it is quite interesting to say the least.

 

[TiredAndInked]

Kadrey’s Sandman Slim. It’s got a lot of Dresden feels, but a bit more violent.

 

[Duncan Hills Coffee]

I started up Masters of Doom. As a zoomer, looking at the early days of computer programming is absolutely fascinating. This was when programming anything was more of a fly-by-night venture and the only people interested in it were the kind of nerds and autists who wanted to push it to its limits. The way id Software came together almost entirely by chance and ended up creating some of the most influential PC games is mind-boggling. It's the kind of success story that could have only ever happened at that moment in time.

Really cool shit.

 

[shameful existence]

Two "China in Africa" things.

The Next Factory of the World: How Chinese Investment Is Reshaping Africa (Irene Yuan Sun). A very "woman wrote it" book - an easy read, a lot of personal anecdotes, wandering structure. The author, who was born in China, lived in America and now works in education in Africa, sees manufacturing jobs as a way of speeding up the progress of African countries and making up for bad African schools temporarily. She relies on the flying geese model, which explains the catching-up of poorer economies through moving the industry from advanced to 3rd world countries. An optimistic view of China's presence in Africa; only issues such as personal racism of some Chinese people towards blacks are mentioned. Not an economics book, feels a bit shallow.


China's Second Continent: How a Million Migrants Are Building a New Empire in Africa (Howard French). Shares some characteristics of the previous title (anecdotal, not a macroeconomics book), but has great insights and to me was very entertaining. The author seems to be a well travelled journo, interviewing Chinese expats and African politicians. While the Chinese businessmen he talks to differ in some perspectives, their pragmatism seems to be the overwhelming feature. Highlights some of the bigger issues with China's colonial ambitions.

The signs symbolized an undeclared global contest underway over soft power. The Americans were constantly hectoring Africans about their behavior and values. Protecting oneself against AIDS, limiting family size, sleeping under mosquito nets. Chinese messaging focused on big tangible things fairly shouted: this stadium, this hospital, this railroad, this airport has been built by people eager to walk hand in hand with you toward economic development.

 

[Mr. ShadowCreek]

My mom has had them for years and I've never read them until now but I started reading the Little House books. I actually like them. It really gets you into the book and see how people lived back then. T first read "The First Four Years" Not knowing it was last in the series. I then read "On The Banks of Plum Creek" and "Little House In The Big Woods." Now I'm reading "Little House on the Prairie." I've only seen the show a few times so I'm not sure how similar the show and books are.

 

[macguyver16]

I adore MORT and GUARDS GUARDS personally.

I just finished MORT today. Absolutely loved it. Thanks for the recommendation!