What Are You Reading?

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skimom2

Just moseyin' through...
Oct 9, 2013
15,683
92,168
USA
I read "Moby Dick" at the end of 6th grade over the Summer break. This is a book even SK admitted he just couldn't get into.
I guess they wanted to toughen us up for Jr. High School. What do I remember after 57 years? "Call me Ishmael". Another great beginning. :)

Houdini in Omaha

Made it through (because I had to), but remember nothing. I've not attempted War and Peace, though I did enjoy Tolstoy's Anna Karenina.
 

skimom2

Just moseyin' through...
Oct 9, 2013
15,683
92,168
USA
Finishing Murakami's IQ84 and reading Think Like a Freak (by the guys who wrote Freakonomics and SuperFreakonomics). Then I have a scad of Jonathan Maberry's books to read--I think the library has four or five waiting for me. Spaced out between more 'thinky' books, they're great fun.
 

Mr Nobody

Well-Known Member
Jul 9, 2008
3,306
9,050
Walsall, England
The book didn't bother me too much, but the movie? Nope. Creeps me out WAY too much.

I heard a lot about both book and movie. Not read the book, but the movie? I thought demons and the like were supposed to be evil? "Your mother [performs certain sexual acts] in Hell"?
I was sitting there thinking 'That's evil? Is this "demon" 12 or something?'
And puking. Yeah, evil...'cept I've done worse after a night out when I've had one over the eight and way too much whisky.

But I digress: my current reads are a couple of re-reads. Duma Key and Just After Sunset. (I'm limbering up for October and nice, long Hallowe'en reads.)
 

carrie's younger brother

Well-Known Member
Mar 8, 2012
5,428
25,651
NJ
I heard a lot about both book and movie. Not read the book, but the movie? I thought demons and the like were supposed to be evil? "Your mother [performs certain sexual acts] in Hell"?
I was sitting there thinking 'That's evil? Is this "demon" 12 or something?'
And puking. Yeah, evil...'cept I've done worse after a night out when I've had one over the eight and way too much whisky.

But I digress: my current reads are a couple of re-reads. Duma Key and Just After Sunset. (I'm limbering up for October and nice, long Hallowe'en reads.)
"I thought demons and the like were supposed to be evil? "Your mother [performs certain sexual acts] in Hell"? I was sitting there thinking 'That's evil? Is this "demon" 12 or something?'"

Well, in a way, yes. The demon had possessed Regan, who is about that age. It was using her as a catalyst. Think about it: a 12 year old would say something like that if she wanted to get attention and was trying to be "evil." It's supposed to be a bit corny. Especially when compared to other scenes.

For example: The part where she is repeatedly jabbing herself in the crotch with the crucifix, on the other hand, is decidedly horrific and shocking, in my opinion.
 

kingricefan

All-being, keeper of Space, Time & Dimension.
Jul 11, 2006
30,011
127,446
Spokane, WA
I heard a lot about both book and movie. Not read the book, but the movie? I thought demons and the like were supposed to be evil? "Your mother [performs certain sexual acts] in Hell"?
I was sitting there thinking 'That's evil? Is this "demon" 12 or something?'
And puking. Yeah, evil...'cept I've done worse after a night out when I've had one over the eight and way too much whisky.

But I digress: my current reads are a couple of re-reads. Duma Key and Just After Sunset. (I'm limbering up for October and nice, long Hallowe'en reads.)

"I thought demons and the like were supposed to be evil? "Your mother [performs certain sexual acts] in Hell"? I was sitting there thinking 'That's evil? Is this "demon" 12 or something?'"

Well, in a way, yes. The demon had possessed Regan, who is about that age. It was using her as a catalyst. Think about it: a 12 year old would say something like that if she wanted to get attention and was trying to be "evil." It's supposed to be a bit corny. Especially when compared to other scenes.

For example: The part where she is repeatedly jabbing herself in the crotch with the crucifix, on the other hand, is decidedly horrific and shocking, in my opinion.
Perhaps it's more of not what she was saying but to whom she was saying it? I think at that point the demon was trying to get under Father Karras' skin by invoking something nasty about his dead Mother, about whom Karras felt immense guilt for how she died. This demon was toying with Karras to weaken him.
 

AchtungBaby

Well-Known Member
Dec 5, 2011
3,856
15,540
Finished The Other night before last....liked it a lot....now I'm onto a reread of Frankenstein.

Like most, I'm reading spooky/horror books during the end of September/month of October. I've already crossed three off the list--here's what's left:

Dracula
Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde
The Haunting of Hill House
Something Wicked This Way Comes
Needful Things
Pet Sematary
'Salem's Lot

And maybe some Straub if I have time....
 

The Nameless

M-O-O-N - That spells Nameless
Jul 10, 2011
2,080
8,261
42
The Darkside of the Moon (England really)
I have started Firestarter. I started it a couple of months ago while in a "what to read next" phase, and read a few chapters. Now I have started it again, after another little period of indecisiveness - I eventually figured "what captivates me most about SK's work?", and near the top of the list is "his ability to write troubled/vulnerable kids", it's what captivated me most in IT, Dr Sleep, ...Tom Gordon, Langoliers etc. So, I've gone back to basics, looking forward to getting to know little Charlie.
 

Mr Larry Underwood

Well-Known Member
Aug 8, 2014
208
811
Portugal
I have started Firestarter. I started it a couple of months ago while in a "what to read next" phase, and read a few chapters. Now I have started it again, after another little period of indecisiveness - I eventually figured "what captivates me most about SK's work?", and near the top of the list is "his ability to write troubled/vulnerable kids", it's what captivated me most in IT, Dr Sleep, ...Tom Gordon, Langoliers etc. So, I've gone back to basics, looking forward to getting to know little Charlie.

I read Firestarter back in August. One of his best works. The prose is very good, and the storytelling flows very nicely. It might have been to big, but the ending surely makes up for it. Go for it
 

EMARX

Well-Known Member
Feb 27, 2009
2,970
15,757
Finishing Murakami's IQ84 and reading Think Like a Freak (by the guys who wrote Freakonomics and SuperFreakonomics). Then I have a scad of Jonathan Maberry's books to read--I think the library has four or five waiting for me. Spaced out between more 'thinky' books, they're great fun.
IQ84 had me from the first word. I do prefer his longer works as he tends to exercise his surrealistic muscles.
 

carrie's younger brother

Well-Known Member
Mar 8, 2012
5,428
25,651
NJ
Finished The Other night before last....liked it a lot....now I'm onto a reread of Frankenstein.

Like most, I'm reading spooky/horror books during the end of September/month of October. I've already crossed three off the list--here's what's left:

Dracula
Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde
The Haunting of Hill House
Something Wicked This Way Comes
Needful Things
Pet Sematary
'Salem's Lot

And maybe some Straub if I have time....
A fine list!
 

morgan

Well-Known Member
Jul 11, 2010
29,353
104,579
North Dakota
I have started Firestarter. I started it a couple of months ago while in a "what to read next" phase, and read a few chapters. Now I have started it again, after another little period of indecisiveness - I eventually figured "what captivates me most about SK's work?", and near the top of the list is "his ability to write troubled/vulnerable kids", it's what captivated me most in IT, Dr Sleep, ...Tom Gordon, Langoliers etc. So, I've gone back to basics, looking forward to getting to know little Charlie.
I just started a reread of Firestarter as well! :smile:
 
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