vinay87

Quite a lot. I started reading Dracula, then jumped to Fanshawe, then to Hard Times, before starting, and finishing, Still Me.

hmn.... Pulp fiction? Thrillers? I've not touched one of either in over a decade. Wow saying that makes me feel old. I don't always look for deep meanings in books that I read, but I've observed that most thrillers and pulp fiction books aren't rereadable. And since I buy all the books that I want to read, I don't want to keep books or read books that I'm never going to want to read a second time with me. I have less shelf space as it is. Rather, I have none.

I've never really given that much thought. But yes, I did predict the ending of the Harry Potter books and that ruined the last book a lot for me. And my reader insists that my book's greatest plus point is that she can't predict what happens. I guess that to some people that matters a lot.

If you're the avid Superman fan that I am, then you'd have no doubt watched the Chris Reeve Superman movies several times already. Brandon Routh was a filler, a bad imitation of the one man who personified the Man of Steel for everyone who has grown up thinking he is Superman. From the way he has portrayed the clumsy Clark Kent, to the way he is intimidating as Superman, Chris Reeve proves that he isn't just any other action hero. His autobiography, which details his life, career and the way he had to live with his paralysis for the last ten years of his life, shows us that nothing is impossible. In his own words, the accident showed him that true heroes are not larger than life. They just brave the things that come at them in their lives, showing both courage and willpower to stay the way they are, no matter what comes their way. A fascinating read for fans and a must-read for people suffering depression or disability of any kind. I must say that while I began reading this, I was looking at the eye of a hurricane and wondering if I'd survive. In a way, the book has given me courage and has reminded me that we can do anything. To remember, we just need to look up in the sky.

Dialogue. If people speak unnaturally, then the book is just too hard to understand/enjoy. And rereadability. A book doesn't need to be Harry Potter simple to be rereadable. I enjoy reading passages out of Les Mis and A Journey to the centre of the earth whenever I feel like it.

I'd recommend reading GRR Martin's books at the last. A reading order for a fantasy novice would be: 1. The Hobbit and LOTR 2. Harry Potter 3. The Chronicles of Narnia 4. Terry Brooks 5. David Eddings 6. Philip Pullman 7. Ursula K LeGain Then move on to the biggies. Feist, Jordan, Martin, Donaldson, Williams and Hobb.

Still reading Still Me. It's beautiful.

The orange one in the first image is my favourite one but it's really worn out now. So the white one in the second one's the one I use the most now. I made them all out of wedding invitations and gift cards.

"A few months after the accident I had an idea for a short film about a quadriplegic who lives in a dream" - Still Me by Christopher Reeve

I recommend reading Terry Brooks's Shannara books if "Classical" fantasy is what you're looking for. It's a bit cliched for someone who's been in the area but since you're new to it, it'll set you in just fine. Start with "The Sword of Shannara" by Terry Brooks. And I second reading David Eddings's books as well, but first either read the Shannara books or the Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit. I think Tolkien's work might put you off the genre for a bit because of the hugeness of it all, and the language itself isn't that comfortable. How old are you by the way? Some fantasy books require a lot more maturity. But for a beginner, Brooks and Tolkien are the way to go. Especially if Rowling's the only fantasy writer you've tried. And would Redwall fans say that the books are slightly fantastic as well? But if it's Elves, Dwarfs, Dragons and the like that you're looking for, start with The Hobbit. Read LOTR and then slide right into Brooks. I swear, the next twelve years of your life will be fraught with the genre. I'm just getting out of it.

I went to the bookshop today and bought 10 books! 1. Faust - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe 2. Hard Times - Charles Dickens 3. Sherlock Holmes: The Complete Novels And Short Stories Volume 1 and 2 - Arthur Conan Doyle 5. The Complete Novels And Selected Stories - Nathaniel Hawthorne 6. Villette - Charlotte Bronte 7. Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens 8. Selected Works Of Chaucer - Geoffrey Chaucer 9. Dracula - Bram Stoker 10. Still Me - Christopher Reeve I'm going to start Still Me tonight! I love the Superman movies of Christopher Reeve and I've always wanted to know more about the man behind the cape and the man who fought spinal disability to the death. I'm sure I'll love this book.

hmn... I think I've lost my Tolkien craze. I used to be a big fan of Agatha Christie but I just stopped reading detective fiction. Same goes for Alistair MacLean, Hammond Innes and some others I can't remember. As for hating a writer completely, it's Samit Basu. I LOVED his first two books of the Gameworld trilogy and loathed his last one. Sad...

I'm going to start reading Fyodor Doestovsky's "The Idiot" now.

@ Frenkas: You listed Sun Tzu's Art of War. You win 10000 points for awesomeness. Have you read Miyamoto Musashi's The Book of Five Rings? Or Niccolo Machiavelli's "Notes On The Art of War"? If not, you surely must. They're brilliant. And Kautilya's Arthashastra.

Yeah! Just last night I watched "How To Train Your Dragon" and wondered if there was a book, and would you know it, there was!. Though, after I watched "The Man From Earth" several times in a single week, I wondered if there was a book. There sadly isn't. I wish there was, maybe I should write it.

I like the original English, but for no particular reason. I make sure to change my word processor's default language to English(UK) every time I reinstall my OS. But I have to admit that it does look like American English will be come the norm soon. I once debated with a person in college that the words "centre" and "center" are the exact same thing. He persisted that "centre" meant the centre of a circle and "center" was used when talking about a location. And the fact that Google Chrome's highlighting centre as a wrong spelling makes me wonder just how long we have till American English becomes the norm. It's not a matter of "will it happen", rather "when will it happen?".

Yeah, I may be 23 but I'm still a Superman fan at heart.

yep I do that. a lot. Dear me.

The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan (14 books, 12 done and 2 on the way) The Shannara books by Terry Brooks (Several small trilogies) A Song of Ice And Fire by George R R Martin (Four books done, 3 more on the way, Author seems to be taking his time. Yet sadly worth the wait. The 'person of dubious parentage'.)

Hmn, since I've a biblomaniac I keep all sorts of books. But I don't think I've come across a book that's that boring either. Sure I hated the Dragon Prince books, but still, I'm sure someone would find them wonderful.

haha yeah James, I think we'd prolly be immortal. Sigh, I pity my poor, poor disrespected and untouched tbr. I need to read. More. And often.

There's a short story I absolutely must recommend then! "The Kabuliwallah" It roughly translates into "The man from Kabul". You have to read it! It's one of my favourite short stories of all time.

I'm currently reading A Journey To The Centre Of The Earth[/i} by jules Verne. I've read a comic version of it as a kid though. Brilliant story and I can't wait to see it unfold in words.

Yep, I got a wonderful illustrated version which is just beautiful to look at. But I started off with A journey to the centre of the earth. I'm looking forward to reading Pinocchio though.

Anyone read stuff written by Rabindranath Tagore?