September 2019: Reading Thread

[Stephen Palmer]

Still reading Discoveries (voyages of Captain Cook) which is a really excellent book.

 

[tobl]

I couldn't read it. Got about 4 or 5 chapters in... yawn... yawn again...

good grief... are you serious? it's one of the best books ever written

 

[Elckerlyc]

Just for curiosity, I was at our local "Dutch" bakery this morning and bought some luscious hand made "Stroopwafels" on an impulse and about fell over when I realized I had paid $8 (7.34 Euros) for 6 wafels about 9 cm in diameter. Would that seem ridiculous in the Netherlands?

I am very sorry to inform you that yes, that would seem ridiculous. I should add though that the 'stroopwafels' that I would usually buy are not of the luscious handmade type. For 10 'stroopwafels', of regular size (10 cm) and factory baked, I would pay €1.75 - €2.00. Perhaps the double for the handmade version.
About your wafels, it would depend whether this was import or handbaked by your local bakery. If it was import it probably would be packaged in a tin can (with Delft blue print on it.)
Of course, once you're addicted you gladly pay the double.

 

[Elckerlyc]

good grief... are you serious? it's one of the best books ever written

I wouldn't say 'the best', but apart from that I am equally shocked. (would have included a smiley here, if there was one that said SHOCKED)
OK, it does take a few chapters to get going, but after - say - 5 chapters I was hooked.

 

[Vince W]

good grief... are you serious? it's one of the best books ever written

I'm with Stephen on this. Perfect somnambulist fodder.

 

[Parson]

I am very sorry to inform you that yes, that would seem ridiculous. I should add though that the 'stroopwafels' that I would usually buy are not of the luscious handmade type. For 10 'stroopwafels', of regular size (10 cm) and factory baked, I would pay €1.75 - €2.00. Perhaps the double for the handmade version.
About your wafels, it would depend whether this was import or handbaked by your local bakery. If it was import it probably would be packaged in a tin can (with Delft blue print on it.)
Of course, once you're addicted you gladly pay the double.

Sigh! I thought so. Our 'Stroopwafels' are made at our local bakery. They also bake Rusks and botercake on site. Plus import other things Dutch and very much which is very American. --- The bakery was started by Dutch immigrants in the 1940's and is now a very considerable concern. I would guess they employ around 100 people. But today the primary baker is a Mexican immigrant. Today I saw a Mexican pastry on offer. So, the more things stay the same the more they change.

Thanks!

And I might just buy some more of those ridiculously priced, but ridiculously good stroopwafels.

 

[tinkerdan]

I have read this and she does it well::

Finally, to make characters autistic, just to portrait them as geniusses, but then leave that trait aside, except the occasional sign of being challenged with socializing, is poor execution. Elizabeth Moon did this way better.

::I think in part because she has a son with autism.

Elizabeth Moon:

Website of Elizabeth Moon, writer, photographer, naturalist.

www.elizabethmoon.com

I just recently finished reading By the light of the Moon by Dean Koontz; he also has an autistic character. Three of the main characters have had their lives changed by an experimental drug that gives them specific powers. I think that the autistic character was used to introduce the weirdest and unlikely power based on differences in how they process information. And then, later, when a critical decision concerning moral issues had to be made he was used as a means of getting around the fact that the other two characters were too morally impaired to do what was necessary.

Overall it worked for me, once again making a hero of them though not necessarily a genius(just thinking outside the box).

 

[Elckerlyc]

And I might just buy some more of those ridiculously priced, but ridiculously good stroopwafels.

That's what I'm saying. Addiction lurks just around the corner.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

I couldn't read it. Got about 4 or 5 chapters in... yawn... yawn again...

I got much further than that. I was about halfway through before I concluded it was not for me. I could see why so many readers found it so entertaining but ... nope, not for me.

 

[tobl]

I wouldn't say 'the best', but apart from that I am equally shocked. (would have included a smiley here, if there was one that said SHOCKED)
OK, it does take a few chapters to get going, but after - say - 5 chapters I was hooked.

and i didn'tsaid the best, butone of the best. actually for my personal taste it is in second place.
for me the best written book ever is the count of monte cristo by alexandre dumas

 

[vanye]

for me the best written book ever is the count of monte cristo by alexandre dumas

I always found that one a bit unwieldly around the middle. Nonetheless, a brilliant book which I have read many times. Personally, I prefer The Three Musketeers, though, for the lighter tone and the more human characters. Even if I find the count off.

 

[tobl]

Even if I find the count off.

i'm sorry, what does that mean?
as for the muskateers is quite funny, aldo i always find funny they change the beloved of d'artagnan from wife of the inkeeper to daughter in the movies... our hero can't be pouching in a married couple lolo
by the way, do you know that apparently d'artagnan was a real person?

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

for me the best written book ever is the count of monte cristo by alexandre dumas

I have to agree that The Count of Monte Cristo it is an amazing book. One of my very favorites, and I pick up new nuances of characterization every time I read it.

I love The Three Musketeers, too. The plot is everything one could ask for in an adventure story, particularly when one is growing up. But I find the "Count" and his hunger for revenge after bitter wrongs--even the cruel way he uses perfectly innocent people as pawns--more sympathetic than the vainglory of the Musketeers.

 

[tobl]

I have to agree that The Count of Monte Cristo it is an amazing book. One of my very favorites, and I pick up new nuances of characterization every time I read it.

I love The Three Musketeers, too. The plot is everything one could ask for in an adventure story, particularly when one is growing up. But I find the "Count" and his hunger for revenge after bitter wrongs--even the cruel way he uses perfectly innocent people as pawns--more sympathetic than the vainglory of the Musketeers.

i only remember him using a perfectly inocent person, and that was the thelegraph man... and even he got paid enough to cover the fact that he might be fired. no other innocent comes to mind

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

The way he helps Valentine's stepmother poison her, until, oops, he discovers the girl—in addition to being the perfectly innocent daughter and granddaughter of people he wants to hurt—is the beloved of someone he wants to help, so he sneaks in at the last minute after she has lain dying for days and saves her instead? Having young Albert kidnapped by a bandit in Rome so that (after the youth has spent days in fear for his life) he can come in and rescue him, thus worming his way into the family? Pretty heartless, it seems to me, but of course we have seen the circumstances which have made him so, and in dramatic terms we can only feel fulfilled if he gains his revenge, whatever the cost. In real life, we would never excuse such tactics, but Dumas uses great skill in making us forget that while we are enmeshed in his story.

(And even when benevolently inclined to his old employer Morrel, and to Morrel's son Max, Dantes lets each of them come to the brink of suicide just so that he can perform his good deeds to dramatic effect. All very Shakespearian, but not very humane.)

The Musketeers, on the other hand, don't really care about the morality of anything they do. Their great deed recovering the diamond studs is done to cover up the Queen's infidelity to the King they are supposed to serve. But for them it is all about a chance to show their daring and resourcefulness. They do have values they are willing to die for—courage, personal honor—but in many ways they are less humane even than the Count.

 

[Galactic Bus Driver]

I got much further than that. I was about halfway through before I concluded it was not for me. I could see why so many readers found it so entertaining but ... nope, not for me.

I find I'm getting fed up with his antics, putting everything ahead of actually finishing his trilogy. The longer he takes, the less likely I am to bother with finishing it.

Looking at you too, Scott Lynch!

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

I find I'm getting fed up with his antics, putting everything ahead of actually finishing his trilogy. The longer he takes, the less likely I am to bother with finishing it.

Looking at you too, Scott Lynch!

In all fairness to Rothfuss, Lynch, and anyone else who hasn't finished a series in anything like a timely fashion, writers can get badly blocked on the story they are trying to write, and the greater the pressure is to finish, they worse the block becomes. So the choice becomes: doing nothing in the hope that the block will dissolve and you'll be ready to start writing immediately, or keeping busy with other things so you don't feel so useless, your life so pointless. It may look like the writer is allowing themselves to become distracted by more attractive things to do, but sometimes there simply isn't anything there to get distracted from.

 

[vanye]

i'm sorry, what does that mean?

Sorry, typing on the phone makes me lazy. I mean that there’s four of them, not three.

 

[vanye]

(...) in many ways they are less humane even than the Count.

Humane, maybe, although to my mind it‘s a close race. But more human? That’s the musketeers hands down

 

[tobl]

The way he helps Valentine's stepmother poison her, until, oops, he discovers the girl—in addition to being the perfectly innocent daughter and granddaughter of people he wants to hurt—is the beloved of someone he wants to help, so he sneaks in at the last minute after she has lain dying for days and saves her instead? Having young Albert kidnapped by a bandit in Rome so that (after the youth has spent days in fear for his life) he can come in and rescue him, thus worming his way into the family? Pretty heartless, it seems to me, but of course we have seen the circumstances which have made him so, and in dramatic terms we can only feel fulfilled if he gains his revenge, whatever the cost. In real life, we would never excuse such tactics, but Dumas uses great skill in making us forget that while we are enmeshed in his story.

(And even when benevolently inclined to his old employer Morrel, and to Morrel's son Max, Dantes lets each of them come to the brink of suicide just so that he can perform his good deeds to dramatic effect. All very Shakespearian, but not very humane.)

The Musketeers, on the other hand, don't really care about the morality of anything they do. Their great deed recovering the diamond studs is done to cover up the Queen's infidelity to the King they are supposed to serve. But for them it is all about a chance to show their daring and resourcefulness. They do have values they are willing to die for—courage, personal honor—but in many ways they are less humane even than the Count.

actually he doesn't help poison. at must he just doesn´t interfere until he has a reason to save her life. not the same.
second, albert doesn´t spend days but mere hours, and he was sleeping and having sex dreams , so hardly in fear for his life. actually the bandit is quite surprised by his plume. and has for the morrel family, first remember that the value of honor has different at that so he acted accordingto the values of thetimes. besides he needed the time to made buil a new ship. as for the muskateers it's a case of beter death than desonohour