[How many books do you read at once?]

I almost always have two or three books on the go at one time, particularly when one is super huge; it's nice to read something a little snappy inbetween bouts of Bleak House.

[Looking for Writers Like Cormac McCarthy]

Oh I second Annie Proulx! I'm not a huge McCarthy fan (I disliked The Road), but I really like Proulx, definitely a recommendation.

 

Cheers,

Alyson

[Good Sci Fi]

I'd suggest Asimov's Foundation series as well, excellent space opera.

[Science Fiction or Speculative Fiction?]

Oh that sounds interesting, definitely seems more speculative than sci-fi; I may have to read this.

 

Honestly, authors weighing in about their books post facto has always bothered me a tad; criticism/interpretation is so subjective that I've always thought an author's opinion on their own book is just another voice in the crowd, no better than any other reviewer.

 

Cheers,

Alyson

[1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die]

why thank you! But, I'm curious... what's your organisation?

 

Lol, not an organization like a business or anything, organization as in my organizational habits.

[1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die]

I adore your spreadsheets; they've been a godsend for my organization!

[Science Fiction or Speculative Fiction?]

I think it's a popular misconception that the term science fiction applies just to stories about space ships and ray guns. In fact, the space ship stories probably more readily fit into yet another sub-genre, that of 'space opera'. Point the people who believe these things towards The Time Machine or The Day of the Triffids, or modern books like Cowl or The Windup Girl. That'll learn 'em

 

This is exactly my issue with Atwood's position - it assumes things about science fiction that are incredibly limiting, and you are entirely right about space operas. In terms of the pulpy science fiction classics, a great majority of them are space operas.

 

I haven't read The Man in the High Castle. Can someone let me in on the details; how's it an example of speculative fiction that isn't science fiction?

 

Thanks guys, great thread so far!

 

Cheers,

Alyson

[Science Fiction or Speculative Fiction?]

Does everyone out there consider these genres seperate, the same, overlapping with some differences, or something else altogether?

 

I was recently discussing The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood with some friends and the inevitable conversation of genre came up. If you haven't read it, or are unfamiliar with Atwood, she has long claimed that while The Handmaid's Tale (and two of her other works, Oryx and Crake and The Year of the Flood) have elements of science fiction, ultimately they're speculative fiction because they don't involve classic science fiction tropes (e.g. aliens, space ships, ray guns). I myself see it as only a difference in semantics, and I've always skeptically thought that for an author typically considered very literary, like Atwood, publishing a work labelled as science fiction may seem like a down grade, so language like speculative fiction is adopted to make it a little more literary. Just my two cents though.

 

What does everyone think?

 

Cheers,

Alyson

[1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die - challenge]

Hi everyone,

 

I've been working my through the list as well; so glad to have more people doing the same!

 

Cheers,

Alyson

[Looking for a book about Survival]

The Road by McCarthy, dystopian like The Hunger Games, but still has a huge sci-fi element.

[What do you stubbornly refuse to read, and why?]

Twilight; it hurts to read about sparkling vampires.

[Dystopian novels]

The Handmaid's Tale, by Margaret Atwood. A favourite of mine....it's just brilliant.

 

A favorite of mine too! I absolutely adore this book. I posted some thoughts on it here if you're interested in discussing it further.

 

As to other dystopian recommendations, I'd suggest Battle Royale if you enjoyed The Hunger Games. Also, Bladerunner, The Running Man, and Fahrenheit 451.

 

Cheers,

Alyson

[Looking for suggestions on a sad book .......]

Hi there,

 

A few suggestions:

 

- My Sister's Keeper, Jodi Picoult

- Flowers for Algernon, Daniel Keyes

- Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck

 

Cheers,

Alyson

[Sci-Fi suggestions]

You've certainly got lots of suggestions, but I'll throw a few out there for good measure:

 

- Margaret Atwood's The Year of the Flood and Oryx and Crake

- Peter Watts' Blindsight

- Alan Moore's Watchmen

 

Cheers,

Alyson

[How Many in your TBR Pile]

I lost count ages ago.

 

Cheers,

Alyson

[1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die]

Hi everyone,

 

I'm super new here and was so happy to find this thread! I've been (slowly) working my way through the list, and while I've found a few similarly-minded blogs to follow, for the most part its just been me and a lot of books.

 

How's everyone been faring with it? I've been blogging about it here. Anyone do the same?

 

Cheers,

Alyson

[reading the same paragraph about 5 times before it sinks in]

The first time I read A Clockwork Orange I had to read certain paragraphs over and over, all that nadsat was pretty intense for a first-time reader.

 

Cheers,

Alyson

[Howdy from Canada]

Hi everyone,

 

I'm Alyson - avid reader, writer, and blogger. I'm currently a graduate student and my undergraduate focused on Middle English literature. I read a lot, all sorts of genres, and currently I'm working my way through the odious 1001 books list - anyone doing the same?

 

Cheers,

Alyson