1355 replies to this topic

[B Jenkins]

Rereading Bram Stoker's Dracula because Halloween is just around the corner and October through December are my favorite months of the year.

I perceive the novel as the antecedent to the modern horror novel. The first four chapters are so descriptively rich and evocative, and carries me along til the final chapter. Bram Stoker was way ahead of his time by providing his gothic tale with a strong heroine, Mina Murray/Mina Harker.

It does dip into the melodrama at moments especially during the middle parts where the story resolves around our heros and heroines while the Dracula content becomes quite scarce most of the time but it is completely forgiveable in contrast to the brilliant images of horror and suspense. I find Dracula the character itself possessing sympathetic, tragic, and monstrous qualities all wrapped up in one.

Bram Stoker created one of horror's most memorable characters that has since created a new genre and a pop culture rage. Though I believe the mushy and lovey-dovey teenaged Twilight has Bram Stoker turning over in his grave.

Edited by Ambush Bug, 20 October 2012 - 11:37 PM.

[regi]

I finished a newly published book last week- Life After Death by Damien Echols, and I'm currently reading an older book- The Last Brother by Joe McGinniss.

Edited by regi, 25 October 2012 - 01:51 PM.

[Talion]

Just started rereading 'Decision at Thunder Rift' on ebook on my Tablet.

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[Taun]

Still trying to work my way through "Tent Number Eight" by Glyod McCoy - about the Oklahoma Girl Scout Murders in 1977 (we have a thread about this in the True Crime section...)

Not the greatest book ever written, and I'm not a fan of the writers style or 'tone' but the case is immensely interesting...

I've got about 50 pages left - but little time right now... Next I will be reading "Someone Cry For the Children" by Micheal and Dick Wilkerson - about the same crime...

Edited by Taun, 25 October 2012 - 02:01 PM.

[sarah_444]

Just started reading The Stand (Stephen King) last night. I read it years and years ago so I thought it was a good time to read it again. Also reading Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt for the first time and resisting the urge to watch the movie before I'm done.

[Hazzard]

I just read DANDY by Jan Guillou.

It sucked so hard I had to flush it down the toilett the second I was done with it.

A Norwegian homo in the early 20th century gaying it up in the UK.

Never read anything even close to this crappy!!


STAY AWAY.

[Ninhursag]

I'm reading "The Holy Blood And The Holy Grail" .. I know, I know what you are all going to say

I've read it for the first time when I was 17 and thought it was brilliant .. Well, it's been 10 years since then .. So I was curious to see how has my knowledge expanded and how have my opinions changed about the subjects discussed in there since ..

So I'll say it's kind of a verification reading

Edited by Ninhursag, 27 October 2012 - 05:24 PM.

[regi]

sarah_444, on 25 October 2012 - 02:03 PM, said:

Also reading Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt for the first time and resisting the urge to watch the movie before I'm done.

I have that book and for some reason (a  l o n g  time ago) I started to read it, but put it down and never picked it up again. I've never seen the movie.
How is/was it for you, and have you since seen the movie?

I've just started A Wilderness of Error by Errol Morris, and it's gonna take a lot of time and focus to get through it, and quite frankly, I'm not sure I'm up to it right now.

[freetoroam]

I have numerous books at home, but at this moment I am in a hotel because I have been evacuated from the marina I live on, because of the floods. I have all my belongings on my boat, bar my laptop and a few clothes, but while rummaging about for the hairdryer, i found a gideon bible in the drawer, I have just read the bit about Noah......and the bit were this god guy says "never again will there be a flood to destroy the Earth"
what have the bible followers got to say about that!?

[sarah_444]

regi, on 25 November 2012 - 04:05 PM, said:

I have that book and for some reason (a  l o n g  time ago) I started to read it, but put it down and never picked it up again. I've never seen the movie.
How is/was it for you, and have you since seen the movie?

I've just started A Wilderness of Error by Errol Morris, and it's gonna take a lot of time and focus to get through it, and quite frankly, I'm not sure I'm up to it right now.

I still haven't made it past the second chapter. It seems good but I'm having a hard time focusing on it for some reason. And no, still haven't seen the movie yet either.

[B Jenkins]

The Contested Plains: Indians, Goldseekers, and the Rush to Colorado by Elliot West

Mmmm... deliciously brisk and enlightening. I want to own a library of history books.

[B Jenkins]

The last book was a great read though I was abit overwhelmed with the details. Pages of details sometimes were a chore to read and impossible to absorb without multiple readings through otherwise a excellent presentation on how the Colorado gold rush changed the whole face of American history.

Jedediah Smith And The Opening Of The West by Dale L Morgan

The best most recommended biography on this legendary mountain man and explorer written to date and a great jump-on point for those interested in the topic of mountain men and the fur trade. Prose-wise, this book feels like a sleek muscle car compared to my last book, the setting, the time, the moment, and the man jumps vividly off the pages.

[regi]

sarah_444, on 26 November 2012 - 02:57 AM, said:

I still haven't made it past the second chapter. It seems good but I'm having a hard time focusing on it for some reason. And no, still haven't seen the movie yet either.

I vote you go ahead and see the movie!
Yeah, I can't just pick up any book at any time and read it through. I have to be genuinely interested but also, ready to focus, and mainly just in the mood for whatever it happens to be.

[sarah_444]

regi, on 30 November 2012 - 03:08 AM, said:

I vote you go ahead and see the movie!
Yeah, I can't just pick up any book at any time and read it through. I have to be genuinely interested but also, ready to focus, and mainly just in the mood for whatever it happens to be.

You are right - watching the movie will probably give me a better idea whether or not it'll be worth my time anyway. Usually I would be against watching the movie first (because I've never seen a movie that's better than the book) but in this case it may be necessary to spark some interest. Maybe I'll just go peek at the trailer...

[G Donnelly]

Sean Slater: The Survivor
Don't be confused by the hockey mask and title.
This isn't Jason Voorhees autobiography.