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[Strife26]

Not a terrible description, but it came out as a bit more than two pages. I figure that I'll write until I run out of space and call it good. My English teach is nice like that.

EDIT:  We were told to do the first 100 pages if we couldn't do the whole novel. Guess what, my copy has the

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Kremlin explosion

on page 100 on the dot.

Also, I need to buy a new copy of the book. The inside cover is starting to come off now as well.

[Aqizzar]

And from now on, chose real books to write about.

And no, John Grisham doesn't count either.  God I hate crap American writing.

If you want good American writing, go with Three Men In A Boat or something.

[Strife26]

Hey! Clancy is not crap American writting. Be nice to my favorite book Aqizzar. Bloody texas liberal hippie elf . . .

[Aqizzar]

How many non-Clancy novels have you read of your own volition?

[Strife26]

Scads. I like Orson Scott Card too. Errrr, that doesn't help my case, does it?

I really liked the Redwall serries? I still break out some of them to wierd people who know literature out.

"Yesterday you were reading Ender's Game, then The Zombie Survival Guide, now friggin Lord Brocktree? Are you insane?"

"Yes."

I read many different novels. Usually scifi, military fiction, or fantasy. I don't enjoy books without major conflicts (I don't read soap operas. I don't give a damn that Joey, black athlete killed his friend in a drunk driving accident).

[inaluct]

Strife, go read something by Mark Twain. He was one badass motherfucker. Did you know that he actually took on John D. Rockefeller on a speeding steamboat? It was crazy shit. Rockefeller had his goons try to machine gun Twain, but they couldn't hit him because he was too fucking fast.

Mark Twain ended up pulling Rockefeller's bionic gun arm off and bisecting him with his power cane. Awesome.

If you want to learn about more awesome shit in American history, look up when Thomas Nast fought Boss Tweed along the rooftops of New York. Totally insane.

Also, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court has knights and machine guns and landmines and lassos.

[Aqizzar]

Alright Strife, fair enough.  I just like to see people reading non-cut-and-dry morality books.  In that sense, Redwall doesn't help your case either.  But hey, my selection isn't terribly wider.  I would recommend the X-Wing novel series, it was great.

I do read non-military/scifi books though, because there are good ones.  High Fidelity, The Virgin Suicides, Changing Places, A Long Way Gone - human nature type stuff.

[Strife26]

Read part of Hucleberry Finn earlier this year for english. Like I tend to do, I misplaced the book and forgot about it. Then spark noted the last half of the book before the test.

I also read Monte Cristo. Although, this might need a new thread . . .

[umiman]

Monte Cristo is American? Isn't the author French?

[Strife26]

No Dumas (or was is Damas?) was a Frenchie. I was reading it for school (European History actually). I was realy enjoying it, but it fell apart halfway through (library copy printed in '62!) so I lost interest and spark noted it shortly before the paper is due.

I'm usually the person in class who nearly finishes the book in the first week, but then looses interest or the book and never finishes it.

I'm done with the RSR summary.

[umiman]

Alexandre Dumas.

Back when I was in high school, I would never touch the assigned novels (in Malay or English) because they would be completely and totally boring... as well as censored. I usually just read the summary and threw BS in when required to discuss it in an exam or assignment. I've never gotten less than an A- in either subject. My school's country's education system sucks.


If the Malaysian government reads this, I will never be allowed to return back to my country.

[mainiac]

I think you are being a little harsh, Aqi.  It's natural for pulp novels to dominate the market.  There's still gems to be found.  And a couple of recent plays with the ironic names "Doubt" and "Proof" are good enough to prove the worth of the decade solely on their merits alone.  Admittedly, we don't seem to have all that many powerful novels these days.  But I think that's because the powerful themes of the moment don't lend themselves to novel.  The best form for the moment is non-fiction and that field is rich.  And hey, he might think I'm going to hell, but you can't deny the Orson Scott Cards work was fantastic before a point about 10 years back.  But really, look a little deeper then Grisham and Clancy if you want pleasure reading that still shows talent.  And remember, Isaac Asimov was of the opinion that Grishams work was good for science fiction writing because it created interest in the field.  Pulp literature doesn't mean good literature doesn't exist.

And of course the rich body of work that represents older american literature is fantastic.  If you are complaining that you can't find anything good to read that an american wrote, you are clearly insane.

[Anfold]

Pulp novels are meant for when you're on the toilet.  If you read a lot and expose yourself to some really good literature I guarantee you crap like Grisham and his ilk follow a set formula, like pop music or fast food.  Sure its good until you realize that you are being marketed crap quality products when people a hundred years ago were creating stuff that absolutely trounces stuff being made today. 
Not that there aren't good writers out there right now if you know where to look. 

Also, has anybody noticed that some authors get worse as they age? Especially ones that get really popular like Stephen King and his Dark Tower series? (fuck the wheel chair bound crazy ass demon fucking token black woman.) Or Orsen Scott Card, who was decent before he tried to be philosophical.

On topic, I'm having trouble finding a good english article on why Iceland's economy fell as fast as it did.

[mainiac]

On topic, I'm having trouble finding a good english article on why Iceland's economy fell as fast as it did.

In a nutshell:
They had 15 billion dollars in loans in a 12 billion dollar economy.  The government had to nationalize all 4 big banks and write down a 4 billion dollar loss.  This huge hit puts their government in a "liquidity crises" as no one is too confident about their ability to pay everything off.  Even the remaining loans the government holds don't all look too hot.  They're desperately looking for loans from anyone and anyone to make their government more secure.  Their currency has lost 1/3 it's value due to the governments shaky image.

[Anfold]

That's great, are you a journalist? If not, I'm going to need an actual source.

Eh, way more confrontational than I meant it to sound.