Angury

Great to see so much interest. I've noticed that Psychology books in particular tend to make it to the Bestsellers List for Non-Fiction more often than any other medical genre (except perhaps Neuroscience). Ah yes, I used to frequent that forum quite often, but stopped after a while because I found some of the posts on there quite sad. I will definitely have another look though - do they have a section for literature etc? And how interesting that you're a mental health nurse! Do you enjoy it? I am currently studying medicine, and am hoping to specialise in Forensic Psychiatry. My Psychiatry placement was one of my most enjoyable placements I have to say. Ah yes, I've heard quite a lot about Daniel Dennett. I've got the same book, but as with yourself, I have yet to read it. I've watched a couple of his lectures and debates online, and have to admit some of his topics go over my head which is why I haven't delved into any of his works yet. He does seem to be quite popular though. How did you find studying Psychology at University? Did you study any of the 'old-school' Psychiatrists such as Jung and Freud? Here in the UK you can study Psychology at school, but recently they have changed the curriculum, so that instead of studying Freud and psychoanalysis, it is almost purely biological, which I think is a big pity but also reflects the changes in our society (again, also a big pity in my opinion).

I began reading some books on Psychology & Psychiatry a year ago with a general interest in mental health, and since then my bookshelf has grown enormously. I started off with some very modern books, such as 'Cracked: Why Psychiatry is doing more harm than good' by James Davies, and then gradually began to focus on more classical authors such as Jung and RD Laing. I have found Laing to be particularly interesting, and my copy of his book 'The Divided Self' is filled with notes and sentences underlined. More recently, I just finished a book by Carl Jung this evening called 'Analytical Psychology' which covers his five lectures at the Tavistock Clinic, London in 1935, followed by some lively discussions. Admittedly not as enticing as Laing's work, I still found his lectures to be filled with insights that I hope to take with me far after I have turned the last page. I also recently obtained a copy of Freud's 'Interpretation of Dreams', but have as yet left it unopened as I have heard so many friends talk about his work being 'dreary' and 'difficult to follow.' I do plan to delve into his work at some point though, particularly when you think about the impact such theories have had on modern day Psychology. I was hoping that by creating this thread, I would be able to start a discussion about Psychology, Psychiatry and Mental Health in general, and hopefully exchange some ideas and works that we have found particularly interesting. Does anyone else have an interest in this area?

I have started to read more non-fiction over the past few years. Particularly books around mental health including Psychiatry, Psychology and Anthropology.. More recently I've started to delve into books about Philosophy which I've found have given me a lot to think about and really changed my perspective on a lot of things. I've never read a biography or autobiography though, but I recently bought the Autobiography of Bertrand Russell, so I look forward to seeing how I react to such styles of writing. Have you found these books on writing helpful?

I am curious to hear other people's thoughts on this novel. From its description, I didn't think this book would appeal to me, but I decided to give it a go. I wrongly assumed it was just another love story, but it is so so much more than that. It is a tale of what happens when we allow our fantasies to go too far; when we dwell so long within our steepled palaces inside our minds, that the whole world not only continues to pass us by, but often takes advantage of our delusions along the way. I think this novel has a lesson for us all, and for me personally, it really highlighted the lost art of staying in the moment and accepting your blessings. It is so much easier to live in a world of fantasy, yet so much more rewarding to breathe in reality.

Hey Simon! How exciting, I'm from Cardiff as well. Do you visit the Buddhist Centre in Cardiff out of interest? Anyway, happy to see you here - it's always great to see budding authors lurking around. Hope you have a great time across these forums and I look forward to hearing more from you.

I used to be a huge advocate for eBooks, both due to my extensive reading lists as well as my status as a student, which meant that I would be constantly moving across the country and dragging a cartload of books behind me. With my Kindle, this was no longer an issue. I could buy as many books as I liked, without the worry of how I would carry them. As someone who travels extensively, a Kindle was a life-changer. However, my difficulty with my Kindle came in its very ability to carry so many different kinds of books. As soon as I became bored of one book, I would instantly switch to another. I used to do this so often, that I would rarely manage to finish a whole book, so impulsive was my personality. So I once again returned to the paper novel. And so far, it has been a release. I have managed to finish so many novels that have been withering on my to-read shelf. Not only that, but in an odd way, I am able to truly immerse myself into a paper novel in a way that I cannot do with a Kindle. I'm not sure why - perhaps a Kindle just takes some getting used to. There is something about having the feel and texture of a paper book within your palms that cannot be described (at least by me). Plus, as an eager book collector, I am no longer satisfied with an eBook, but require a physical copy (preferably with a nicely illustrated cover) to relish upon my bookshelf - especially if it is a book I adore. Having said all that, I don't think I could ever turn against my Kindle. It is my saviour during my travels. To quote the infamous Stephen Fry, 'Books are no more threatened by Kindle than stairs by elevators.' I agree with this (and a lot of other very interesting points that you raised).

Very interesting, thanks for posting your review. I completely forgot about this conversation about love, and actually miss it. I feel like I've developed different opinions on the topic since I last posted a year ago. Oh, how we mature.

Oh, yes I have 'No Exit and Three Other Plays' as well. Great to hear some positive reviews, I will definitely give his plays a go. Yes, I have read Camus as well - I believe I wrote a review on here a while back about his work. I loved The Stranger, his simplistic writing style makes it so easy to follow, and yet the ideas they contain can be so profound. For some reason however, I seemed to be more drawn towards Sartre than Camus, I'm not sure why - I suspect it may be due to the style more than anything else. You have just reminded me of the Camus books I have on my to-read list though!

I'm going to be a bit controversial and say that I think it's a sweet idea. It's a nice way of remembering Pratchett and linking both the sciences and the humanities together, as well as acknowledging the influence of the Discworld series on our lives.

I have always had an interest in philosophy, but have been very apprehensive about picking up a book because of the reputation it has garnered of being difficult to understand. This is what I love about Sartre's work. It is written so simply, that you can follow his line of thought and go away questioning yourself and the world around you. In particular, it was his novel Nausea that really made me stop and think. I am now thinking about reading some of his plays, especially his most famous No Exit. Are there any Sartre fans out there, and if so, which of his works would you say you enjoyed most?

I am a big fan of antique bookshelves: http://static.admagazine.ru/resize_cache_imm/iblock/22e/ff92/610x809_Quality97_650x863_Quality97_ZPRGXXLIB04.jpg http://static.squarespace.com/static/50269d2fc4aaa8accee4c061/51310515e4b01ea6767b95a5/5131052ae4b01ea6767bb3c8/1340159579006/antique-leather-books.jpg/1000w https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/99/e2/5f/99e25f0fcd7dd9efc490d501dbb4e3f3.jpg https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/af/05/68/af0568adc0220da0c47f74b41e4f7553.jpg Someday when I get my own house, I plan to have a beautiful library filled with wooden bookshelves, a fireplace and a cosy armchair.

How do you decide which book to read next out of your pile? My TBR list is getting so big now that I am beginning to have this problem.

This wasn't a book I was planning to read, given its popularity through the infamous Hollywood adaptions - I assumed it was just a generic horror story and therefore never even thought about it. But a friend of mine encouraged me to read it, saying it was so much more. Man, what a story. I don't even know where to begin. I have to echo the thoughts of a previous comment - I cannot believe how young Shelley was when she wrote this masterpiece. Although it takes a while to get going, I found the writing so exquisite that it felt like a gift picking up the novel and reading just a few sentences. The chapter where the creature describes his plight, as he tried to integrate with humanity really struck me. After finishing that chapter I had to put the book down and just breathe. On the other hand, as a scientist I found the story to contain a lot of heavy meaning and warning that are still relevant today. In particular, this idea of having an almost obsession with the life sciences, believing that they will bring us the answer to all of our problems can be a very dangerous path to tread. I believe this novel conveys a strong life lesson that no matter how far our quest for knowledge may take us, we must always take into account the responsibility of our findings. I find it interesting that the subtitle of this novel is 'The Modern Prometheus' - Prometheus being the Greek God who brought knowledge to humanity and was subsequently punished through eternal torment. In the same way, Frankensteins' quest to learn more and more about the human body, and to ultimately create a human, leads to his eventual downfall. I have always believed that stories can be a sort of seat belt for the sciences, reminding it of its morals and its servitude to society, and not just for the mere obsessions of the mad scientist and his greed. I would like to hope that this novel still sends out those ripples in this modern age of technology.

I was unable to find a current thread about this novel, so felt I should start one having just finished this book today. This is a book that has popped up time and again every time I have searched for a new book to read. However, it was only after Marquez's death in 2014 that I decided to add this book to my ever-widening to-read list. I have heard the novel's genre described as 'magic realism' of which I am not too familiar, and was therefore a little apprehensive about beginning this book. However, it seems to have received rave reviews, so I decided to start it a few days ago. It was certainly an enjoyable read, and a step outside of my comfort zone. I'm not sure whether it is a book that will stay with me, but I can see why it has captured so many peoples imaginations. In a way, it shows humanity in its most raw form - it strips away the layers of etiquette, culture and society that I guess I am so used to in other novels. It is pure in its illustrations of human emotion and relationships, and I guess for me that's what made it stand out.

I just finished reading this book today - my first book of 2016, and what a book to begin the new year with. I was gripped from the first few pages. Tolstoy's characters are so well created, with incredible depth and perception. The novel has it all: romance, philosophy, religion, politics and society. Yet these concepts are so beautifully intertwined with the characters lives, that after finishing the novel you feel like you have been through a tremendous journey yourself. Having finished, and so enjoyed this novel, I am seriously considering giving War and Peace a go - something that I never dared touch for fear of it going over my head. It would be great to hear if someone has read both novels, and what their opinion has been of each.

I am currently half way through Anna Karenina. I wasn't actually expecting to enjoy it that much - it was just a novel that someone had kindly bought for me - but I've been hooked. I'm aiming to finish it by the end of the weekend before I am back at uni.

I've read two of Dosteovskys novels now - Crime and Punishment & The Brothers Karamazov. I have to go against general opinion and say that I found it difficult to enjoy these novels. The writing was nothing out of the ordinary, and I felt like I didn't get much out of the stories. I feel like I'm really missing something, given the reputation of all of these works - perhaps these are novels I need to come back to when I have had a bit more 'life experience.' I feel like this describes his books best - they feel more like essays about philosophy and psychology than they do a story. And of course I love novels to have these types of nuggets stored inside them - but I'd rather have to go digging for them inside a well-written and in-depth story arc. I'd love to hear more peoples views on his work, as I feel quite bad having a negative view of such a prolific writer.

Has anyone read this beautifully written novel? I'd love to hear other peoples' opinions on it. Personally, I couldn't put it down - I finished it all in one sitting. Despite being so melodramatic, I feel it really captures the moment when one becomes so consumed by a desire, that everything else just becomes dull in comparison. There are so many enchanting passages woven throughout the story, I would really recommend this to anyone who has been considering giving it a go - it's only about a hundred pages long, and I can almost guarantee that it will capture your attention. Has anyone read anything else by Goethe? After becoming encapsulated within his writing, I feel like I must read everything he has ever written.

This has started happening to me over the past year. As I have started buying more books through bookshops rather than on my kindle, I have become more attuned to their presence and how relaxing they can appear. I'm so tempted to try and find the collected works of all the authors I love - unfortunately I've discovered that a lot of these collected works are rather expensive! My dream is to have a library in my own house someday which is teeming with ancient books and collected works - I want to be able to step into my library and be transported across time. I don't think I ever appreciated the beauty of a book sitting on a shelf until I noticed some of the gorgeous illustrations portrayed on the front covers of a lot of classics.

I have a feeling there are many people on this thread who would despise me if they saw the state of my books! For those of you who use bookmarks - don't you find that they keep falling out? I have bought the zipper bookmark shown in the OP, but it is so frustrating when I open a novel and cannot find the page I left at as the bookmark has already fallen out! And even when the bookmark somehow manages to snuggle safely within the pages, I cannot remember which page exactly I left off at, never mind the sentence or paragraph! Dog-earing pages is the only way forward I feel! I do think these two ideas are fantastic though.

"The lawyer for the author Harper Lee, Tonja B. Carter, received notice on Friday that an investigation by Alabama officials into whether Ms. Lee, 88, and confined to an assisted living facility, was manipulated into publishing a second novel has been closed and no evidence of abuse or neglect had been found." http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/04/03/alabama-officials-find-harper-lee-in-control-of-decision-to-publish-second-novel/?smid=tw-share&_r=1 "One of the most enduring criticisms of Mockingbird has been that it is too simplistic – particularly the character of Atticus. In a 2006 essay in the New Yorker, Thomas Mallon described him, with some justification, as “a plaster saint”. So there is an amusing irony that some fans of the book are so outraged at this suggestion of shades to the character. Truly, an author cannot win." http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/jul/13/critics-harper-lee-go-set-a-watchman-to-kill-a-mockingbird The hatred towards Atticus's character being portrayed as more "human" i.e. a man with faults, is getting a bit frustrating, which is why I've quoted the above paragraph from The Guardian article. Atticus Finch is my all-time literary hero. Having finished reading Go Set a Watchman, my perspective on Atticus hasn't changed. I will always look up to Atticus. What this book has helped me realise is that Atticus had problems of his own. And more than anything, this helped me to connect with him on a much greater scale. Not only was he this perfect, non-judgemental, empathic, almost god-like character, he was also a man. I think this novel is a wonderful opportunity to delve inside a writers mind, observing the cogs as they weave out characters and storylines fresh from the imagination. How often do we get such an insight into an authors mind? I feel like people are expecting too much from this novel. To Kill A Mockingbird is one of my all-time favourite novels - I understand that you don't want to let go of this idealistic world in which a lawyer is near-perfect, condoning his inferiors for being too hypocritical. But I really don't think this new novel takes away from that heroism. What it does is help you to gain a different perspective on Scout's childhood, her adolescent years, and how her family has grown along with the changes in society. It helps you to place her position within history - she appears to me to be a young woman, doing her best to understand the changes that are happening all around her. I almost feel a close connection with Scout, perhaps as I am very close to her in age and am going through the same feelings myself. I'm sure we've all come across that bridge in our lives when the realisation dawns on us that our parents aren't perfect. And slowly we begin to create our own picture of the world around us, building new beliefs based not only upon our parent's lessons, but our own personal experiences. I believe this novel portrays this transformation in a beautiful way. The writing is just as exquisite as it was in the classic. I refuse to believe that this novel takes away from the magic of To Kill A Mockingbird. If anything, it sprinkles hope onto the story - it is now Scout's turn to 'change the world.' She is a young woman in a big wide world, filled with prejudice and hatred, and yet her open mind gives us all hope that the world isn't as horrific we think. I agree with a number of reviews, the plot is a bit haphazard - but then this was a book that was never supposed to be published. I think we should be grateful to be given such a rare insight into the world of Atticus Finch and his daughter. I know many people don't want their all-time favourite classic to be ruined, but personally I found this novel to be a breath of fresh air. For those of you who have read the book, what did you think?

I'm a bit surprised to hear so many people are reluctant to read the novel (including a lot of my friends). I've heard some of the rumours, particularly relating to I will be reading this book as soon as it is released tomorrow, and don't think I'll be putting it down until I'm done.

I am incredibly excited for this. I've ordered the book on my kindle so I can get it straight away when it's released, plus I've set a reminder on my phone for the date. I'm planning on devouring the book the minute it's released. To Kill A Mockingbird is one of my favourite books, and I was thrilled when I found out about Go Set A Watchman. I'm a bit worried that my expectations are so high that I may end up being disappointed in the actual novel (as has happened in the past), but I'm going to just try and enjoy it. I haven't read the first chapter because I want to read it all in one go. I think I'd just end up becoming frustrated having to wait another few days for the novels release after reading some of it beforehand.

I read Of Mice and Men by Steinbeck at school and this experience unfortunately dissuaded me from reading any more of Steinbeck's work for a long time. I decided to try The Grapes of Wrath a month ago after coming across it again and again in 'Must read lists' all across the internet. And I'm glad I did. This book really stuck with me from the beginning. Unlike a lot of my favourite novels which take some time to get into, you are completely engrossed in Steinbeck's story from the start. The way the fictional story is interwoven with short chapters drawn on the history of the Great Depression through an objective lens really brings home the fact that for some people, this was the reality. I truly felt like I was one of the Joads, fighting through their struggles alongside them. The feeling of hope that illuminated the first few chapters really had you hooked - you wanted the Joads to reach their destination of wealth and prosperity, as unlikely as you knew it to be. My heart really went out to all those countless immigrants looking for a better life. My mind often comes back to this novel when I read the news and hear more stories of immigrants trying desperately to enter the UK, often risking life and limb to reach the 'green grass' of Great Britain. It makes me wonder how far we have really come from The Grapes of Wrath. This is definitely a story that has stayed with me - it's not something I can read again, but it touched my heart in a way that very few stories have done. I'd love to hear other people's thoughts on this fantastic piece of work, and how you think it translates to modern life.

Great to hear I've managed to convince you both. Regardless of your favourite genres, I think this book will stand out to you guys. If you have faced any hardships in your life - basically if you've lived - then I think this book will really touch you. It's been described as a classic that has been forgotten in the modern age, and I absolutely agree with this.