What are you reading at the moment

[Russoguru]

Actually Stan... funny story, Olivia was actually born in Cambridge, England, and it wasn't until a few years later that her family moved to Australia. 

[Johnny Unusual]

Reading a book of interviews with cartoonist Chester Brown.  Interesting overall, though I think I take issue with his view of mental illness.  I appreciate that he wants to destigmatize it, but mental illness DOES exist.

[Jesse412]

A Clockwork Orange
by Anthony Burgess



I was a huge fan of the Stanley Kubrick film as a teenager but never got around to picking up the novel until now.  The weird thing about the book is that it's narrated in that weird sort of cockney that Malcolm McDowell uses in the movie.  Being familiar with the film I didn't have a tough time following it.  An additional note is that this version of the book includes the final chapter than was for whatever reasons omitted from the original American release and therefore the movie adaptation as well.  For anyone unfamiliar with the story it's set in a dystopian future, that doesn't seem to far from the present, where the government has developed a way to brainwash or condition the criminal element into behaving as they deem good.  Here the mere thought of violence and other socially unacceptable behaviors makes the protagonist extremely ill.  There's a lot of social and political commentary here that features some pretty disturbing situations to examine the importance of choice and freewill in a moral society.  Despite the way language is used I found this an interesting read and comparable with some of the other dystopian stories I've enjoyed.

[Russoguru]

I just got Olivia Newton-Johns new book/memoir "Don't stop believin'". I'm only through chapter 1 but so far I am really enjoying this book. If you're a lifelong fan of Olivia like I am the book is a must. Even if you're not I'm sure it would be a great read for anybody else.

[CJones]

I've sung the praises of the anime many times, but I've never actually read the books. I decided it was time to rectify that. I feel I should make it clear, these are not manga. They're full fledged novels. The translation is quite good, if a bit on the dry side. I only just started it, but considering the show is hands down the best space opera ever made, and the remake (currently airing on Crunchyroll) is shaping up to be very good as well, I have high hopes. I've only read the prologue so far, but already it does a great job of explaining how humanity ended up in the situation they're in at the start of the story proper.

[Jesse412]

The Enemy
by Lee Child



Book eight is the second Jack Reacher novel to be written in the first person, like the last book which featured flashbacks this story takes place entirely in Reacher's past. Specifically starting the night of New Years Eve 1989 and the following days. Once again we are getting a peak into Jack's analytical mind while seeing him work a case as a Military Police officer. When a General is found dead in a hotel room and his briefcase containing sensitive information goes missing it leads to a series of murders and a conspiracy unravels. We get a more in depth look at characters from Reacher's past particularly his brother Joe and their ailing mother. I feel like Child is making commentary on the political infighting inside of the military between different branches of the army during a time where downsizing would soon occur with the inevitable fall of the Berlin wall. There is also a really touching reveal about his mother that I don't think anyone would expect. Other than that it's more of the same action packed 'whodunit' where Reacher solves the case, gets the girl, and kills the bad guy.

[wihogfan]

Loved Pandora's Star. Then read the sequel. Pandora's Star was actually the second book in the series, but put off reading that one and started the 4th book in the series which takes place a couple of thousand years after the third. Not liking it as much as the other 2, but giving it a chance.

Finsished the 4th and 5th book in the series and half way through the 6th. Books 2 & 3 were sci-fi (again, I skipped book 1) where as books 4, 5, and 6 kind of tell 2 different stories- 1 story line is sci-fi while the other storyline is more fantasy. Generally don't enjoy fantasy, but have liked both storylines enough to continue reading despite not liking 4, 5, and 6 as much as I liked books 2 & 3.

Despite being somewhat frustrated with Peter Hamilton's plot development (he brings up a lot of interesting ideas that go in directions that are unexpected but I don't necessarily like), I've continued reading his work.
After finishing his Commonwealth books and skipping the first, I went back and read the first book. It was indeed skippable as it didn't add anything to the series that followed.
Then read "Fallen Dragon" which I enjoyed.
Now reading his "Night's Dawn" trilogy. Liking/hating it just as much as the Commonwealth books (well written, but takes some unexpected turns and some of the turns are kind of dumb).

[Iron Curtain]

The Secret History of Mac Gaming

[stansimpson]

Springfield Confidential: Jokes, Secrets, and Outright Lies From a Lifetime Writing For The Simpsons
by Mike Reiss



This book is hilarious. It's a must-read for any Simpsons fan. I'm listening to the audiobook. And the impressions and jokes and more add an extra layer of entertainment. I thought it was going to be dry or at least a little funny. It's hands-down the quality I expect from the best of a Simpsons episode. I'm constantly laughing and learning about incredible behind-the-scenes details. He does not hold back either. He talks about ghost writing celebrity children's books only for the money and talks about the hilariously inept TV execs who have tried to meddle with the shows he's worked on. It's a bit of a tell-all. I think my favorite chapter is the one where he talks about all the celebrities who have done The Simpsons with funny anecdotes and why they chose them.

If you like The Simpsons, you owe it to yourself to read/listen to this.