Massassi Forums Logo

This is the static archive of the Massassi Forums. The forums are closed indefinitely. Thanks for all the memories!

You can also download Super Old Archived Message Boards from when Massassi first started.

"View" counts are as of the day the forums were archived, and will no longer increase.

ForumsDiscussion Forum → Books!
12
Books!
2013-08-09, 4:45 AM #1
Sorry, don't know how to play this video :(
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DyIHOTx7zxM
Tell us what you're currently reading & what you've recently read.


  • 'C++ Primer Plus', Prata, Stephen
  • 'French for Dummies', Various
  • 'Guns, Germs & Steel: The Fates of Human Societies', Diamond, Jared
  • 'Gordon Ramsay's Ultimate Cookery Course', Ramsay, Gordon
  • 'A Clockwork Orange', Burgess, Anthony
  • 'The Signal & The Noise: Why Most Predictions Fail But Some Don't', Silver, Nate
  • 'Second Foundation', Asimov, Isaac
  • 'Setting the Table: The Transforming Power of Hospitality in Business', Meyer, Danny
  • 'The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined', Pinker, Steven
  • 'Foundation & Empire', Asimov, Isaac
  • 'Manufacturing Consent: The Political Economy of the Mass Media', Chomsky, Noam & Herman, Edward
  • 'Fahrenheit 451', Bradbury, Ray
  • 'Outliers: The Story of Success', Gladwell, Malcolm
  • 'Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions', Abbott, Edwin Abbott
  • 'Mortality', Hitchens, Christopher
  • '1492: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus', Mann, Charles C.
  • 'The God Argument', Grayling, A.C.
  • 'Letters to A Young Contrarian', Hitchens, Christopher
  • 'Lying', Harris, Sam
  • 'Free Will', Harris, Sam
  • 'End This Depression Now!', Krugman, Paul
  • 'Foundation', Asimov, Isaac
  • 'A Universe from Nothing: Why There is Something Rather than Nothing', Krauss, Lawrence M.
  • 'How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, & the Hidden Power of Character', Tough, Paul

Note: I often rotate back & forth between fiction & non-fiction.
? :)
2013-08-09, 5:09 AM #2
The Bride Stripped Bare, Nikki Gemmell.
The Gentleman in the Parlour: A Record of a Journey From Rangoon to Haiphong, W. Somerset Maugham.
幻術
2013-08-09, 10:21 AM #3
.
2013-08-09, 3:06 PM #4
This Is How You Die: Stories of the Inscrutable, Infallible, Inescapable Machine of Death

Finished up Ender's Game again a month or two ago, read the second book of the prequel trilogy thats been/being released, Earth Afire, and just random other Battletech books.
Holy soap opera Batman. - FGR
DARWIN WILL PREVENT THE DOWNFALL OF OUR RACE. - Rob
Free Jin!
2013-08-09, 5:20 PM #5
I'm reading The Big U right now. Just finished Old Man's War and Caliban's War. Up next I've got Abbadon's Gate, Code of the Lifemaker and The Long Earth. Yeah, I read a lot of scifi.
And when the moment is right, I'm gonna fly a kite.
2013-08-09, 5:33 PM #6
Old Man's War is probably my favorite Scalzi book.

And I just got my copy of This is How You Die in the mail last week. Excitement, since I loved the first one hard.

Currently actually just finished The Sad Tale of the Brothers Grossbarts which is probably the most vulgar book I've ever read. Not that I didn't enjoy it.
Also just finished (again), the Gormenghast trilogy.

Reading now:
A Universe From Nothing
Shriek: An Afterward
Charles Jessold: Considered as a Murderer
The Tell-Tale Brain: A Neuroscientist's Quest for What Makes Us Human
Queen and Country volume 2
Also, I can kill you with my brain.
2013-08-10, 12:00 AM #7
Originally posted by Reid:
How is it so far?

I'm enjoying it as much as one can given the depressing nature of the subject matter. It's honestly a bit less dry than I had imagined. I would recommend getting a recent copy in order to take advantage of the relatively new introduction by the authors.
? :)
2013-08-10, 12:03 AM #8
Originally posted by Dormouse:
A Universe From Nothing

I read this recently as well & really enjoyed it. It was quite accessible to those of us that have little understanding of physics.
? :)
2013-08-10, 12:31 AM #9
.
2013-08-10, 12:36 AM #10
Originally posted by Reid:
Is the 2002 republish the newest? Is that what you're reading?

There was a new introduction in 2002 (by Chomsky & Herman) & a new afterword in 2008 (by Herman alone). I haven't read the afterword yet so I can't comment on its quality.
? :)
2013-08-10, 1:07 AM #11
.
2013-08-10, 5:29 AM #12
Reading this article on Amazon's acquisition of Goodreads, I was shocked to see that almost half of Americans don't read a single book in a year. So, my goal has been to read 16 books this year and I'm on track:

http://www.goodreads.com/user_challenges/951951

I'm currently reading "The New Digital Age" by Eric Schmidt and Jared Cohen.

Next on my list:
- The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon (I like nonfiction adventure tales)
- Changing How The World Does Business: FedEx's Incredible Journey to Success -- The Inside Story (I was intrigued when I read on Quora that, when FedEx was almost bankrupt as a startup, the founder literally went to Vegas with the remaining cash and won big time jut to make payroll)
Cordially,
Lord Tiberius Grismath
1473 for '1337' posts.
2013-08-10, 7:17 AM #13
I'm currently reading A Feast for Crows by George R.R. Martin.
>>untie shoes
2013-08-10, 7:29 AM #14
This summer, I have read:

Breakfast of Champions, by Kurt Vonnegut
Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley
A Clockwork Orange, by Anthony Burgess

Trying to read Catch-22, and I'm enjoying it, but for some reason I'm having difficulties sitting down and actually committing to this book.
I had a blog. It sucked.
2013-08-10, 10:51 AM #15
.
2013-08-10, 11:08 AM #16
After ~15ish years we're all still here. we must have similar interests.
My girlfriend paid a lot of money for that tv; I want to watch ALL OF IT. - JM
2013-08-10, 5:44 PM #17
Yikes. Guys, I just talked with my cousin, a teacher, and she says she averages two books a *week* during the summer and 60-70 a year! I don't feel as good about my 16 book goal...
Cordially,
Lord Tiberius Grismath
1473 for '1337' posts.
2013-08-10, 7:07 PM #18
I'm currently reading "The Wolf's Tooth: Keystone Predators, Trophic Cascades and Biodiversity" by Cristina Eisenberg. So far it's mainly a recap of work done in the 50s on the impacts of predator removal interspersed with anecdotes from surveying in wolf country. She's got a nature writer's style while first and foremost being a scientist - I quite like it.

My goodreads is here: http://www.goodreads.com/user_challenges/622620

Originally posted by Grismath:
Yikes. Guys, I just talked with my cousin, a teacher, and she says she averages two books a *week* during the summer and 60-70 a year! I don't feel as good about my 16 book goal...

I started tracking my reading a few years ago in order to make a habit out of it. Before I was probably reading half a dozen books a year and I've slowly crawled up since then. I managed 37 last year and I'm on track for about 40 books this year. As you make time for it more often you end up reading a lot more. Also, a lot of the people I know reading >52 books a year read quite a lot of pulpy short novels - Star Wars novels, YA stuff, erotic lit, Discworld, Dresden Files etc.
2013-08-10, 7:56 PM #19
Originally posted by Reid:
Is anyone else finding it a little odd that many Massassians read, and seem to have similar interests?


Uh, no. Why the hell would it be odd that a bunch of nerds who congregated on a website due to a similar interest would read and have similar interests?
>>untie shoes
2013-08-10, 9:02 PM #20
This thread prompted me to think about books as a medium, and how with the same content, consuming the content via reading would seem to be more worthy than playing via a game or watching as a video. I understand, of course, that the unspoken assumption is that the material read is something that provokes thought, if for no other reason than it takes more effort to interpret (reading as a skill and the necessary faculties for imagination).

With that said, the last book I read was Ender's Game a few months ago, and I have a few I should pick up on and haven't yet, including one I admit I picked up solely for the title: Apocalypse Cow.
The Plothole: a home for amateur, inclusive, collaborative stories
http://forums.theplothole.net
2013-08-11, 12:25 AM #21
Originally posted by Grismath:
Changing How The World Does Business: FedEx's Incredible Journey to Success -- The Inside Story (I was intrigued when I read on Quora that, when FedEx was almost bankrupt as a startup, the founder literally went to Vegas with the remaining cash and won big time jut to make payroll)

I've got this on my long list of things to read as well. I believe that I first learned about it via Bill Gates' recommended book list.

Originally posted by Antony:
I'm currently reading A Feast for Crows by George R.R. Martin.

I was introduced to 'A Song of Ice & Fire' years ago by Massassians & still think it's one of my favorite fantasy series'.

Originally posted by Zloc_Vergo:
This summer, I have read: Breakfast of Champions, by Kurt Vonnegut, Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley, A Clockwork Orange, by Anthony Burgess. Trying to read Catch-22, and I'm enjoying it, but for some reason I'm having difficulties sitting down and actually committing to this book.

I really enjoyed 'Brave New World' & have all of those other books on my long list. I've included Modern Library's '100 best novels' & have made some decent headway. 'Ulysses' (#1) is probably going to be last because it's a damn difficult read (tried once for a week on my metro commute & kept falling asleep).

Originally posted by Reid:
Is anyone else finding it a little odd that many Massassians read, and seem to have similar interests?

I can't speak for anyone else & at the risk of appearing a bit impressionable, some of what I've read over the years was actually very much "shaped" by Massassi. This is how I became interested in atheism, biology, physics, etc. Sadly, these weren't things that were introduced to me in the cult-like atmoshphere that I was raised in.

Originally posted by Grismath:
Yikes. Guys, I just talked with my cousin, a teacher, and she says she averages two books a *week* during the summer and 60-70 a year! I don't feel as good about my 16 book goal...

My sister-in-law averages a book every 1-2 days, year-round. When I first met her, she was working customer service for a national furniture chain & apparently it wasn't so busy that she couldn't spend her entire days reading.

I'm currently reading 150-200 pages per day (leisure) & at least a chapter a day of my flavor-of-the-month programming book (currently: 'Beginning C++ Game Programming', Dawson, Michael) & French book ('French for Dummies', misc.). However, I tend to go through a few months each year where I won't read anything at all & will knock out seasons of a television show (e.g. I knocked out every generation/season of Star Trek last year).
? :)
2013-08-11, 7:36 AM #22
Originally posted by Mentat:
I was introduced to 'A Song of Ice & Fire' years ago by Massassians & still think it's one of my favorite fantasy series'.


I'm actually starting to think that GRRM is kind of like George Lucas in the fact that he has a really great idea for an overall world, and has the concept of a great story and what needs to happen in it, but is pretty awful at the actual writing aspect of anything other than the "badass" moments. A lot of the more personal scenes in the series, and the sex scenes in particular, are really cringeworthy.

EDIT: Having said that, I still love the series.
>>untie shoes
2013-08-13, 3:11 AM #23
'Foundation & Empire', Asimov, Isaac
? :)
2013-08-22, 5:25 AM #24
'The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined', Pinker, Steven
? :)
2013-08-22, 5:53 AM #25
(Re)reading the Full Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. ;) Doyle really was a brilliant writer. :)
幻術
2013-08-22, 8:57 AM #26
Need to read more. All I have time for these days is WSJ, The Economist, and the HBR. I keep "The Back of the Napkin" in my laptop bag but haven't really gone into it yet.
2013-08-22, 9:06 AM #27
Originally posted by ragna:
Need to read more. All I have time for these days is WSJ, The Economist, and the HBR. I keep "The Back of the Napkin" in my laptop bag but haven't really gone into it yet.

g2k you're throwing yourself head-first into the echo chamber
2013-08-22, 9:08 AM #28
I am currently reading the most difficult, boring, and intellectual book, written by an author who we all pass off as being a controversial or obscure academic but is actually very popular among ordinary people.
2013-08-22, 9:46 AM #29
Originally posted by Jon`C:
I am currently reading the most difficult, boring, and intellectual book, written by an author who we all pass off as being a controversial or obscure academic but is actually very popular among ordinary people.


I think that might be on my wishlist actually...
Also, I can kill you with my brain.
2013-08-22, 2:05 PM #30
Originally posted by Jon`C:
g2k you're throwing yourself head-first into the echo chamber


[http://i.imgur.com/QQadiTO.gif]
2013-08-22, 4:02 PM #31
How dare you. That indian is sacred around these parts.
>>untie shoes
2013-08-22, 7:21 PM #32
I recently finished reading Orange is the New Black and re-read a bunch of Michael Crichton books (A Case of Need, Timeline, Sphere, The Great Train Robbery.) I'm now re-reading the Dragonlance Chronicles Trilogy. The writing in the Dragonlance books can be painful at times, but I love them nonetheless.
"Ford, you're turning into a penguin. Stop it."
2013-08-22, 7:50 PM #33
Originally posted by roxima:
I recently finished reading Orange is the New Black and re-read a bunch of Michael Crichton books (A Case of Need, Timeline, Sphere, The Great Train Robbery.) I'm now re-reading the Dragonlance Chronicles Trilogy. The writing in the Dragonlance books can be painful at times, but I love them nonetheless.


Have you read the Chaos Gate series by Hickman and Weis? They're one of my embarrassing vices. I read them back in high school for the first time and picked up a set from ebay last year on a whim. They've aged surprisingly well.
Also, I can kill you with my brain.
2013-08-23, 12:53 AM #34
.
2013-08-23, 12:57 AM #35
.
2013-08-23, 6:34 PM #36
Originally posted by Dormouse:
Have you read the Chaos Gate series by Hickman and Weis? They're one of my embarrassing vices. I read them back in high school for the first time and picked up a set from ebay last year on a whim. They've aged surprisingly well.


I never strayed beyond their Dragonlance books but I might have to check them out. I love their characters, but there is only so much "resplendent armor" and "sardonic smiles" I can take!
"Ford, you're turning into a penguin. Stop it."
2013-09-10, 1:10 AM #37
  • 'Setting the Table: The Transforming Power of Hospitality in Business', Meyer, Danny
  • 'French for Dummies', Various
  • 'C++ Primer Plus', Prata, Stephen
? :)
2013-09-10, 2:06 AM #38
Originally posted by Mentat:
  • 'C++ Primer Plus', Prata, Stephen


Is it any good? I've been looking for a new beginner book to recommend.
2013-09-10, 3:30 AM #39
Originally posted by Jon`C:
Is it any good? I've been looking for a new beginner book to recommend.


It's not as thorough as something like 'The C Programming Language' but it's quite good so far. As a relative beginner, I'd certainly recommend it. I've read other C/C++ books in the past & while I grasp the basic concepts & am already familiar with much of the syntax, it's the first book that didn't make me facepalm when reading about various topics.

I grabbed it because I wanted to review the very little that I learned in college (with the hope of expanding upon that) & based my decision on the following list.

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/388242/the-definitive-c-book-guide-and-list

I've read there & other places that 'Accelerated C++' is also quite good if the person you're recommending it to is in a hurry.
? :)
2013-09-10, 5:35 AM #40
Finished "This is how you die" on vacation last week and, while there were some stories that really stood out, I think I preferred "Machine of Death" more overall.

Cyberabad Days: Ian McDonald (collection of shorts set in the same period as River of Gods)
Myths of Origin: Four Short Novels, Catharine M Valente.

I started attempting to read Lancelot and the Wolf but the writing is kind of terribad so I took a break.
Also, I can kill you with my brain.
12

↑ Up to the top!