AnimeSuki Forums

Circular Logic · 2006-01-20, 16:47

Introduction to MFC Programming

The Emperor's New Mind - Roger Penrose

primalmx · 2006-01-20, 20:33

Outisde of textbooks for school....

Der fremde Gast... eine psycholigische Spannugsroman von Charlotte Link..

weee

~prime

Muir Woods · 2006-01-21, 23:55

I sense that this thread is asking more of what are we reading for pleasure. So that excludes most of my readings assigned by educational institutes. I read those textbooks not because I want to, because I have to. I suppose I could list those school readings as it technically isn't against the broad thread description, but I won't.

Magazines:
PCGamer, Computer Gaming World (CGW), and Fingerstyle Guitar. These three magazines form the basic staple of my readings. Coming monthly (except Fingerstyle Guitar, which comes bi-monthly), these magazines ensure I'll always have something to read should I exhaust in other written discourse. The gaming magazines, although usually a month behind the edge of information of the internet, serves at the very least a printed record of the PC gaming realm. The cool thing about the Fingerstyle Guitar magazine is that every issue comes with a CD filled with fingerstyle instrumentals of various fingerstylists (from fledging new professionals like Simon Fox, to old masters like Alex de Grassi) and the tablatures to each tune! With fingerstyle being quite unpopular and criminally under-appreciated in the world of music, this magazine is my primary source where I discover new fingerstylists and music.

Books/Novels: Wrong About Japan - Peter Carey. Technically, I'm not reading this right now, as I finished it just recently. I'm still searching for a next book/novel to tackle. Anyways, quick review of this book: Peter Carey and his son are anime fans, and they decide to visit Japan to see its culture viewed through the filter of anime. They discover that much of their inferences and ideas of Japan were misconceptions, hence the title, "Wrong About Japan". It's a good, but not great, book, and serves as a chronicle of experiences in visiting Japan from a foreigner's perspective. I like Carey's style of writing, and it's filled with interesting observations and thoughts, including a quirky encounter with the great Mr. Miyazaki. I've learned a few things about Japan from this book, so I'd say, give it a shot.

Scholarly Discourse:
Generalizing About Genres: New Conceptions of an Old Concept - Amy J. Devitt. Our (the general population) concept of genre is having distinct definitions for each classification or category. For example, we use the genre title "harem" strictly describes the shows that have one guy and many girls surrounding him. This article argues, however, that the general idea of genre is much too rigid and unflexible, and proposes a new more fluid form of the idea "genre", and explores its potential beneficial implications. The idea I gathered from this article is that the genre defines the situation and the situation defines the genre. They are related to each other, and not seperate, so it's always evolving. Her findings I will quote "In sum, genre is a dynamic response to and construction of recurring situation, one that changes historically and in different social groups, that adapts and grows as the social context changes." It's rather interesting, and I'll give this article another read.

Cartoons From Another Planet: Japanese Animation as Cross-Cultural Communication - Shinobu Prince. I'm sure all of us have our own ideas of the influence of anime on us, the North American culture, and what we can infer through anime about the Japanese culture. This article delves deeper into the topic, and touches on a lot of familiar topics that we know. I search for these kinds of articles and I mention it here because it might interest us as anime fans. Next topic: Otakus anyone?

Note: I've provided the full text for the two articles because it is difficult for the general population to obtain these articles legally. In uploading it for public downloads, I'm already commiting a crime, so please use these articles for educational purposes only.

LynnieS · 2006-01-22, 00:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roughy

I dont really read alot of books, other than the Elfen Lied Alpha fanfiction.

though a while ago i did buy a book just cause i liked its cover xD, its called, Pandoras Star, dunno who wrote it. I'm only about 100pages into it.

It's by Peter F. Hamilton who also wrote the Neutronium Alchemist series, which I recommend but is very long; its length means that it does, IMHO, a very good job at character and plot development, but does get a bit bogged down at places.

Back onto topic: I just finished "Citizen of the Galaxy" by Robert Heinlein. I consider it to be a classic - short and well-done overall.

mit7059 · 2006-01-29, 00:57

Dune- wow, classic awsome science fiction

Blowback- Chalmers Johnson- wanna know why Japan hates the United States? Read this book, it also explains why the rest of the world hates us.

It also basically predicted 9/11 (published in 2000)

A Protrait of the Artist as a Young Man- reading for school AVOID AT ALL COSTS! AWFUL AWFUL PIECE OF CRAP! DESTROY! DESTROY!

Aristophanes · 2006-01-29, 02:34

The Wind Up Bird Chronicles - By Haruka Murakami. Great modern reading.

Lady Yanami · 2006-01-29, 10:50

Well I just finsihed Clive Barker's Hellbound Heart--the book the first Hellraiser movie was based on. This would be the 2nd time I've read that book lol. But now I'm reading a book called Switch by R.L. Stine. Normally I don't read his books, cause they're very predictable and kinda just..meh. But this particular story, although still predictable, is a good story. I have only one other book of his that I'll be starting today, cause I'm almost done with switched (which I started yesterday afternoon.) The other book is called The Cheater. Again predictable. But that's ok, I'm trying to read all my shorter books before taking on the Dark Tower series.

Catgirls · 2006-02-07, 16:18

This isn't about a book I'm reading, but I stumbled across these helpful Speed-Reading Techniques. If you have a moment, you might want to check out this link:

- Speed-Reading Techniques

Thought there was some interesting info. tucked in there. I'd say I'm a medium speed reader (just fast enough for subtitles).

Illuyankas · 2006-02-07, 16:49

I read a lot of books, and am currently going through a fantasy phase; I just re-read the whole of the Malazan Book of The Fallen series so far, Gardens Of The Moon, Deadhous Gates, Memories Of Ice, House Of Chains and Midnight Tides, for when Book 6, The Bonehunters, is released on the 27th (Book 4's nearly out in America). The whole series is highly recommended, though some people find the first one a little overwhelming, but they get much better later on. My personal favourite series.

I've also read Knife Of Dreams by Robert Jordan, Book 11 in the Wheel of Time series (One more book to go! It might be finished before I die!), not so bad; A Feast For Crows, by George R. R. Martin, latest in the A Song Of Ice And Fire series, a bit boring and missing some favourite POV's but has it's moments and adds to the expectation for the next one, A Dance Of Dragons; Terry Pratchett's Thud!, probably the most serious book of his I've read ever, but worth it (oh, and surprise, it's another Sam Vimes one); and some more which I can't remember the names of, but were probably James Barclay books due to the boringness and cliches, though he can write a decent chapter or two.

I also read a couple of sci-fi recently, like Ian M. Banks' Excession, Stephen Baxter's Ring (now THERE'S a mindf*ck) and Arthur C. Clarke and Stephen Baxter's The Light Of Other Days, an extension of a short story based on being able to see the past, with some nice ideas in, which I felt were pretty good.

Sorry if it's all a bit short on detail, but I do read a LOT of books, and I didn't want to write an essay.

Kupo! · 2006-02-07, 17:00

To Kill A Mockingbird (school)

lavielove · 2006-02-07, 17:32

"Buying a Fishing Rod for my Grandfather" by Gao Xingjian.

Sonhex · 2006-02-07, 18:05

Useful Idiots by Jan Mark. A children's book with lots of swearing and horseflies.

Ending · 2006-02-07, 18:13

Currently studing bits and pieces from "Exploring Corporate Strategy." Got a research paper to do... Before that, though, I read Salvatore's "Paths of Darkness", which was a bit of a disappointment in the end. You could notice that the author was forcing his own ethics on characters he created to be completely the opposite. Likewise he kinda failed to make a natural continuum to Wulfgar's lament.

Aristophanes · 2006-02-07, 18:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by lavielove

"Buying a Fishing Rod for my Grandfather" by Gao Xingjian.

Best book, ever.

AnimePlus · 2006-02-07, 19:16

I have been reading The Seville Communion, it's about a priest named Quart that works for the Vatican in a real organization that works very much like CIA but in the name of God. It's a very interesting group and you get to really see into the 'politics' involved in the Vatican.
It's written by ARTURO PEREZ-REVERTE. I just got done reading some things by Vonnegut so it's a nice deviation.

uzumaki · 2006-02-07, 21:54

Half way through Anna Karenina after finishing The Brothers Karamazov. (Before that I ate Catch-22)
Beat that.
A lady asked me if I was reading them for school and I said no, and she gave me the weirdest stare.
They're all really, really good books, and I think you should all, at least once in your life (if you haven't already) pick them up.

Lady Yanami · 2006-02-07, 22:47

Well I finished those R.L. Stein books and they weren't too bad. I went and bought Cell by Stephen King, as well as the last Dark Tower book. I read through all of Cell and The 1st Dark Tower book. I'm currently working on the
2nd book now. So I have read 4 books within about a week radius.

Diodati · 2006-02-08, 00:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by urumaki

Half way through Anna Karenina after finishing The Brothers Karamazov. (Before that I ate Catch-22)
Beat that.
A lady asked me if I was reading them for school and I said no, and she gave me the weirdest stare.
They're all really, really good books, and I think you should all, at least once in your life (if you haven't already) pick them up.

Yeah it's quite strange how some of the classics have such a 'stigma' with them. I guess the 'compulsory-for-education' side of things is enough to put people off for life. It depends on the person a bit I guess - once you get past a certain age you can appreciate them in the light they deserve - there are though some books I believe shouldn't be studied at school.

I'm admittedly not the biggest fan of Tolstoy, but I've not met someone who wouldn't bow down to the greatness that is Dostoevsky.

I''have'' to read a lot of books for my major, but out of those recently, then JM Coetzee's Foe was very good - I doubt anyone would be able to look at Robinson Crusoe the same way again.
And the other would be Tristram Shandy (The Life & Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman), which is probably amongst my top 5 novels of all time. Just the greatest p*ss-take out of the conventions of the novel, probably in english literature. With the 20th century turn into 'deconstruction' (via modernism and structuralism) - well I have to admire Sterne doing it all 200 years before anyone put an official tag on it. It's not for everyone, but it was definitely for me.

Lady Yanami · 2006-02-09, 15:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by uzumaki

Half way through Anna Karenina after finishing The Brothers Karamazov. (Before that I ate Catch-22)
Beat that.
A lady asked me if I was reading them for school and I said no, and she gave me the weirdest stare.
They're all really, really good books, and I think you should all, at least once in your life (if you haven't already) pick them up.

A lot of people will look at others funny when you tell them that you're not reading for school because a lot of people just don't read anymore. TV has become the number 1 entertainment holder these days. Which is really sad, actually. Anyways, something that surprised me was when I went and saw The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe....there was a lil boy, maybe 8 or so, who was going on and on about how he liked the book and such and couldn't stop talking about the book. I was impressed that such a lil guy loved to read. I think that is something that needs to be brought back more, is th elove of reading. Ok, enough of my rant.

I'll have to check out Anna Karenina. I'll probably just buy that and Wuthering Heights.

Roopoo · 2006-02-10, 01:35

Quote by Lady Yanami

A lot of people will look at others funny when you tell them that you're not reading for school because a lot of people just don't read anymore

I agree. I find it embarassing to say I read a lot. People think Im a nerd but I enjoy the fact that I can conjure up my own images of the characters in the book. Sometimes I find I dont want to do anything else but read until ive finished. Then when I have finished Im disappointed because its over. Anyway, I like reading scary books,

I like thrillers and Kathy Reichs is one of my favourite authors. She is a forensic scientist in real life and so she knows what she is talking about. Can really recommend Monday mourning.

2006-01-21, 23:55	Link #23
Muir Woods Disheartened and Retired Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: 加拿大 Age: 37	I sense that this thread is asking more of what are we reading for pleasure. So that excludes most of my readings assigned by educational institutes. I read those textbooks not because I want to, because I have to. I suppose I could list those school readings as it technically isn't against the broad thread description, but I won't. Magazines: PCGamer, Computer Gaming World (CGW), and Fingerstyle Guitar. These three magazines form the basic staple of my readings. Coming monthly (except Fingerstyle Guitar, which comes bi-monthly), these magazines ensure I'll always have something to read should I exhaust in other written discourse. The gaming magazines, although usually a month behind the edge of information of the internet, serves at the very least a printed record of the PC gaming realm. The cool thing about the Fingerstyle Guitar magazine is that every issue comes with a CD filled with fingerstyle instrumentals of various fingerstylists (from fledging new professionals like Simon Fox, to old masters like Alex de Grassi) and the tablatures to each tune! With fingerstyle being quite unpopular and criminally under-appreciated in the world of music, this magazine is my primary source where I discover new fingerstylists and music. Books/Novels: Wrong About Japan - Peter Carey. Technically, I'm not reading this right now, as I finished it just recently. I'm still searching for a next book/novel to tackle. Anyways, quick review of this book: Peter Carey and his son are anime fans, and they decide to visit Japan to see its culture viewed through the filter of anime. They discover that much of their inferences and ideas of Japan were misconceptions, hence the title, "Wrong About Japan". It's a good, but not great, book, and serves as a chronicle of experiences in visiting Japan from a foreigner's perspective. I like Carey's style of writing, and it's filled with interesting observations and thoughts, including a quirky encounter with the great Mr. Miyazaki. I've learned a few things about Japan from this book, so I'd say, give it a shot. Scholarly Discourse: Generalizing About Genres: New Conceptions of an Old Concept - Amy J. Devitt. Our (the general population) concept of genre is having distinct definitions for each classification or category. For example, we use the genre title "harem" strictly describes the shows that have one guy and many girls surrounding him. This article argues, however, that the general idea of genre is much too rigid and unflexible, and proposes a new more fluid form of the idea "genre", and explores its potential beneficial implications. The idea I gathered from this article is that the genre defines the situation and the situation defines the genre. They are related to each other, and not seperate, so it's always evolving. Her findings I will quote "In sum, genre is a dynamic response to and construction of recurring situation, one that changes historically and in different social groups, that adapts and grows as the social context changes." It's rather interesting, and I'll give this article another read. Cartoons From Another Planet: Japanese Animation as Cross-Cultural Communication - Shinobu Prince. I'm sure all of us have our own ideas of the influence of anime on us, the North American culture, and what we can infer through anime about the Japanese culture. This article delves deeper into the topic, and touches on a lot of familiar topics that we know. I search for these kinds of articles and I mention it here because it might interest us as anime fans. Next topic: Otakus anyone? Note: I've provided the full text for the two articles because it is difficult for the general population to obtain these articles legally. In uploading it for public downloads, I'm already commiting a crime, so please use these articles for educational purposes only. Last edited by Muir Woods; 2006-01-22 at 00:17.

2006-01-29, 00:57	Link #25
mit7059 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Austin, TX Age: 34	Dune- wow, classic awsome science fiction Blowback- Chalmers Johnson- wanna know why Japan hates the United States? Read this book, it also explains why the rest of the world hates us. It also basically predicted 9/11 (published in 2000) A Protrait of the Artist as a Young Man- reading for school AVOID AT ALL COSTS! AWFUL AWFUL PIECE OF CRAP! DESTROY! DESTROY! __________________ *If you can't dazzle them with brilliance baffle them with bullshit ~Coach Davids* More of a manga reader now than an anime watcher. Currently reading list here

2006-01-20, 16:47	Link #21
Circular Logic 土は幻に Fansubber Join Date: Dec 2005	Introduction to MFC Programming The Emperor's New Mind - Roger Penrose

2006-01-20, 20:33	Link #22
primalmx ThE aUStRoPoLaDiAn Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Toronto.. er... it changes every now and then Age: 37	Outisde of textbooks for school.... Der fremde Gast... eine psycholigische Spannugsroman von Charlotte Link.. weee ~prime

2006-01-29, 02:34	Link #26
Aristophanes I have returned Join Date: Dec 2005	The Wind Up Bird Chronicles - By Haruka Murakami. Great modern reading.

2006-01-29, 10:50	Link #27
Lady Yanami There's always a catch... Join Date: May 2004 Location: Coven Hollow Age: 46	Well I just finsihed Clive Barker's Hellbound Heart--the book the first Hellraiser movie was based on. This would be the 2nd time I've read that book lol. But now I'm reading a book called Switch by R.L. Stine. Normally I don't read his books, cause they're very predictable and kinda just..meh. But this particular story, although still predictable, is a good story. I have only one other book of his that I'll be starting today, cause I'm almost done with switched (which I started yesterday afternoon.) The other book is called The Cheater. Again predictable. But that's ok, I'm trying to read all my shorter books before taking on the Dark Tower series.

2006-02-07, 16:18	Link #28
Catgirls I am mowing clowns Join Date: Dec 2005	This isn't about a book I'm reading, but I stumbled across these helpful Speed-Reading Techniques. If you have a moment, you might want to check out this link: - Speed-Reading Techniques Thought there was some interesting info. tucked in there. I'd say I'm a medium speed reader (just fast enough for subtitles).

2006-02-07, 16:49	Link #29
Illuyankas I need another drink. Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Beer. Boobs. Wait... boobs again.	I read a lot of books, and am currently going through a fantasy phase; I just re-read the whole of the Malazan Book of The Fallen series so far, Gardens Of The Moon, Deadhous Gates, Memories Of Ice, House Of Chains and Midnight Tides, for when Book 6, The Bonehunters, is released on the 27th (Book 4's nearly out in America). The whole series is highly recommended, though some people find the first one a little overwhelming, but they get much better later on. My personal favourite series. I've also read Knife Of Dreams by Robert Jordan, Book 11 in the Wheel of Time series (One more book to go! It might be finished before I die!), not so bad; A Feast For Crows, by George R. R. Martin, latest in the A Song Of Ice And Fire series, a bit boring and missing some favourite POV's but has it's moments and adds to the expectation for the next one, A Dance Of Dragons; Terry Pratchett's Thud!, probably the most serious book of his I've read ever, but worth it (oh, and surprise, it's another Sam Vimes one); and some more which I can't remember the names of, but were probably James Barclay books due to the boringness and cliches, though he can write a decent chapter or two. I also read a couple of sci-fi recently, like Ian M. Banks' Excession, Stephen Baxter's Ring (now THERE'S a mindf*ck) and Arthur C. Clarke and Stephen Baxter's The Light Of Other Days, an extension of a short story based on being able to see the past, with some nice ideas in, which I felt were pretty good. Sorry if it's all a bit short on detail, but I do read a LOT of books, and I didn't want to write an essay.

2006-02-07, 17:00	Link #30
Kupo! Shane-kun Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Age: 33	To Kill A Mockingbird (school)

2006-02-07, 17:32	Link #31
lavielove ... Join Date: Dec 2005	"Buying a Fishing Rod for my Grandfather" by Gao Xingjian.

2006-02-07, 18:05	Link #32
Sonhex Not dead. Yet. Graphic Designer Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: UK	Useful Idiots by Jan Mark. A children's book with lots of swearing and horseflies.

2006-02-07, 18:13	Link #33
Ending Senior Member Join Date: May 2004	Currently studing bits and pieces from "Exploring Corporate Strategy." Got a research paper to do... Before that, though, I read Salvatore's "Paths of Darkness", which was a bit of a disappointment in the end. You could notice that the author was forcing his own ethics on characters he created to be completely the opposite. Likewise he kinda failed to make a natural continuum to Wulfgar's lament.

2006-02-07, 19:16	Link #35
AnimePlus Banned Join Date: Jan 2006 Age: 36	I have been reading The Seville Communion, it's about a priest named Quart that works for the Vatican in a real organization that works very much like CIA but in the name of God. It's a very interesting group and you get to really see into the 'politics' involved in the Vatican. It's written by ARTURO PEREZ-REVERTE. I just got done reading some things by Vonnegut so it's a nice deviation.

2006-02-07, 21:54	Link #36
uzumaki Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2004	Half way through Anna Karenina after finishing The Brothers Karamazov. (Before that I ate Catch-22) Beat that. A lady asked me if I was reading them for school and I said no, and she gave me the weirdest stare. They're all really, really good books, and I think you should all, at least once in your life (if you haven't already) pick them up.

2006-02-07, 22:47	Link #37
Lady Yanami There's always a catch... Join Date: May 2004 Location: Coven Hollow Age: 46	Well I finished those R.L. Stein books and they weren't too bad. I went and bought Cell by Stephen King, as well as the last Dark Tower book. I read through all of Cell and The 1st Dark Tower book. I'm currently working on the 2nd book now. So I have read 4 books within about a week radius.

2006-02-10, 01:35	Link #40
Roopoo Roo Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Sydney Age: 38	Quote by Lady Yanami A lot of people will look at others funny when you tell them that you're not reading for school because a lot of people just don't read anymore I agree. I find it embarassing to say I read a lot. People think Im a nerd but I enjoy the fact that I can conjure up my own images of the characters in the book. Sometimes I find I dont want to do anything else but read until ive finished. Then when I have finished Im disappointed because its over. Anyway, I like reading scary books, I like thrillers and Kathy Reichs is one of my favourite authors. She is a forensic scientist in real life and so she knows what she is talking about. Can really recommend Monday mourning.