BigWords
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Posts posted by BigWords
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Welcome to the BCF.
I approve of big words.
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I've read (and liked) most of the books, but you should probably weigh in the factor that I'm a big Wold Newton geek. The references PJ Farmer et al have woven in referencing back to Jane Austen's work only pays off is you have at least a vague understanding of the references themselves.
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I have multiples of a few Stephen King books, but that includes both US and UK 1st editions amongst the actual error purchases. There are paperbacks I've bought that weren't intentional though - for some reason I keep buying the Twilight Zone novels, even though I probably have all of them by now. And Michael Moorcock books, but only because they have all been re-released at least three times with different covers. I remember the books I have by their covers, so when I see a cover I don't recognize I buy it. Idiot that I am, right?
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Howl's Moving Castle, Bladerunner and The Neverending Story are all completely different from the books they're based on but to me they're all the better for it.
The first Neverending Story I can accept, but the sequels (and the awful cartoon series) dragged that film down by association. It's hard to watch, knowing that the producers intended the title to be taken literally once the cash started rolling in.
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Whoever does the research on the show is a genius. Every reference to an obscure comic-book or film is dead-on, and I have yet to argue with the television about which issue an event happened in. Even the "sciency stuff" (apparently) holds up, but without 'phoning up several friends to check their equations I wouldn't know for sure.
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Doyle died.
That was planned from the very start. There was talk of an 'out' (
where the character could be written back into the show without demeaning his sacrifice
) but the actor died before things could be put in place for that to happen.
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Welcome to the BCF.
As a journalist, you'll probably get a kick out of the Philip Dryden books by Jim Kelly.
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Troy. I didn't mean to start watching it, but now that it is on I'm obsessed with Eric Bana's ears. They grow larger with every passing scene.
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When they say they buy any car, how can they know someone isn't going to build a car and try and sell it to them. The basic construction of early models isn't exactly rocket science, and technically it would still be a car. They should be more specific - which is a gripe I could level at most adverts these days.
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Glad to have you here - even if your username brought back memories of Crazy Frog.
Yes, I hate Crazy Frog.
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Welcome to the BCF James.
I have a bottle of the clear stuff in the freezer for when I get fifteen minutes to myself.
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Hi Scott.
This is actually the first forum I've ever joined, and I'll admit that it took me a while to figure out how to work this thing.I keep forgetting that some people have never lived online for any length of time. Don't worry, it doesn't take much to work out how forums work.
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Welcome to the BCF.
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Welcome to the forum Ethan.
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Hi Ray. Japanese is a lot harder than I thought it would be, but watching Japanese films is a good way to hear the language in context. It doesn't make learning any easier, but it does make it a bit more fun.
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There are plenty of the old Target (or Star) paperbacks from the golden age of Who still available in second hand bookshops, and from reading them in bulk as a teenager I remember them being quite good. Much better than some of the early Star Wars tie-ins, but not quite as good as the Virgin Doctor Who books.
I like tie-ins for the most part (save for Charmed, which vacillated between moronic and vapid, rarely capturing character or place) so have no problem with reading books based on television shows or films. There are a stack of Sabrina YA paperbacks in my TBR pile for a project I'm working on at the moment.
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The holy trinity: Hammett, Chandler and Jim Thompson. I think Thompson was the first I read of the three, completely spoiling myself. I had picked up the Holmes stories when I was still at school, but they seemed too mild compared with my usual tastes. If someone is going to fight crime, or commit a crime, the stakes have to be high. "Cosy" mysteries don't ring true to me, so there is nothing I really gain from reading them. I can appreciate the craft, acknowledge the skill of the author and see the tangled plot as a work of art, but the immersion in the world of the characters isn't as strong nor as lasting as a main character who faces death and brutal beatings every so often.
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Atwood is a brilliant SF writer, though she tends to dismiss the genre. I like her books, but can't stand her interviews.
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Any of the Monty Python books are laugh-out-loud funny in parts (though I've never found one which can maintain the comedy level throughout), and Nicholson Baker's books have me grinning from ear to ear (warning: some of his output is sexual in nature, so if you're easily shocked then it may not be for you). Oh, and there is an excellent Bill Hicks biography with heavy doses of his stand-up material reprinted. Highly recommended.
ETA: Liar by Stephen Fry. Anything at all by Julie Burchill (love her or loathe her, she has the ability to write some genuinely comedic lines).
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If you like those Left Behind books then you'll surely love the work of David Britton. Not to everyone's taste, but I loved that book (the one I can't mention by name for fear of getting banned). Also look for Clive Barker's Books Of Blood.
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Normally I would be reading at least three books (two non-fiction) at any one time, but lately I've been trying to find the time just to catch an hour of sleep during the night. I really need to get back to normal working conditions.
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Anyone reading anything by Ambrose Bierce in public is automatically cool in my book. I would also add that an easy way to impress me is to read Ayn Rand... Smiling all the while... In public. Go on, I dare ya.
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I've read most (though not all) of the books which have been endlessly hyped over the last decade, but not because of the media dominance. It is entirely irrelevant if obviously biased commentary by a television presenter (pointing fingers at no one in particular) or magazine article dictates that the work is superior. I really don't care. All that matters is the book itself. I've also, on balance, read some incredibly obscure works, which have had little or no exposure whatsoever.
It does seem that people get caught up in the whole 'so and so is reading it, so I had better read it' nonsense, and that is as bad as buying a DVD because the film is flavor of the month. Fads pass, but taste (and style) remains a near-constant. Don't get suckered in by people in the public spotlight who take on the role of book advisors or promoters, because most of them haven't got the basic reading done beforehand to evaluate quality in comparison to timeless novels.
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From the CNN link:
"There is nothing special about me. I have never wanted special attention. I was only willing to do what was asked of me and what seemed necessary at the time."How many people these days would be so humble about such brave actions?
The BBC has the story as well.
Where do you get your books?
in General Book Discussions
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I started by using the local charity shops and second-hand bookshops when I was in my teens (c'mon, try and think of anywhere else you could pick up tried and tested classics for as little as 20p - there's still p&p on the net to take into account), and I still spend time in a bookshop not far from me. Okay, so it helps that I'm picking up a few hours work here and there for them - their computer set-up and book database is woefully out of date and needs some major surgery. If something is mentioned which I know is way out of my budget I head for the library (