Moose Posted April 20, 2012 Report Share Posted April 20, 2012 I just finished Petroleum Economics: Issues and Strategies of Oil and Natural Gas Production by Rognvaldur Hannesson. It is a short, concise book on exactly what it say in the title, written in plain english, with a sprinkle of technical jargon. I actually found it to be quite out of date, despite only being written ~15 years ago, but it did teach me a couple of things I didn't already know. I chose it out of a list of recommended books because it was short and the text was large. I'm really professional. I get no pleasure from reading these days. One in every eight books I read actually grabs my attention and I only ever finish them because I feel like I have to. Which leads me to the point of this post. I want to get back into reading like I was a few years ago, but I keep picking massive, arduous books that take ages and I leave them for a few weeks and forget what was happening. List a few great short books I can read and enjoy that won't take me long to read. I just want to finish a fucking book, for once, and hope that it gets me back into the swing of things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lemonade Posted April 20, 2012 Report Share Posted April 20, 2012 I'm reading "The Jungle Book" by Rudyard Kipling. It has significantly less dancing bears than the movie did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidm Posted April 20, 2012 Report Share Posted April 20, 2012 I just finished Petroleum Economics: Issues and Strategies of Oil and Natural Gas Production by Rognvaldur Hannesson. It is a short, concise book on exactly what it say in the title, written in plain english, with a sprinkle of technical jargon. I actually found it to be quite out of date, despite only being written ~15 years ago, but it did teach me a couple of things I didn't already know. I chose it out of a list of recommended books because it was short and the text was large. I'm really professional.I get no pleasure from reading these days. One in every eight books I read actually grabs my attention and I only ever finish them because I feel like I have to. Which leads me to the point of this post. I want to get back into reading like I was a few years ago, but I keep picking massive, arduous books that take ages and I leave them for a few weeks and forget what was happening. List a few great short books I can read and enjoy that won't take me long to read. I just want to finish a fucking book, for once, and hope that it gets me back into the swing of things.I finished An American Dream by Norman Mailer last night and it was very, very enjoyable. 230 pages or so. The first half is a bit slow, but the build up makes it worth it for the finale! Anything by Philip K. Dick is worth a read as well, I started another of his books last night as well. I'd recommend The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch or A Scanner Darkly as good places to begin with him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moose Posted April 20, 2012 Report Share Posted April 20, 2012 I'll check them out. It seems a bit of a cop-out, requesting short books, but I honestly need something to get the morale up. If I actually manage to finish a book it might stop my attitude of not reading for fear of not finishing the book! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TelecasterSam Posted April 20, 2012 Report Share Posted April 20, 2012 In process of re-reading, after many years, (on my Kindle) ..... Bram Stoker's Dracula Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanClews Posted April 20, 2012 Report Share Posted April 20, 2012 I really enjoyed The Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovich, its quite a short book - and really interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaki Posted April 20, 2012 Report Share Posted April 20, 2012 I just finished Petroleum Economics: Issues and Strategies of Oil and Natural Gas Production by Rognvaldur Hannesson. It is a short, concise book on exactly what it say in the title, written in plain english, with a sprinkle of technical jargon. I actually found it to be quite out of date, despite only being written ~15 years ago, but it did teach me a couple of things I didn't already know. I chose it out of a list of recommended books because it was short and the text was large. I'm really professional.I get no pleasure from reading these days. One in every eight books I read actually grabs my attention and I only ever finish them because I feel like I have to. Which leads me to the point of this post. I want to get back into reading like I was a few years ago, but I keep picking massive, arduous books that take ages and I leave them for a few weeks and forget what was happening. List a few great short books I can read and enjoy that won't take me long to read. I just want to finish a fucking book, for once, and hope that it gets me back into the swing of things.Come round to my library some time and I'll sort you oot (although my favourites are all out on loan at the moment). You could take that petroleum economics one round for me..IN CASE I RUN OUT OF BOG ROLL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Gold Posted April 21, 2012 Report Share Posted April 21, 2012 I'll check them out. It seems a bit of a cop-out, requesting short books, but I honestly need something to get the morale up. If I actually manage to finish a book it might stop my attitude of not reading for fear of not finishing the book!It's a bit hip, but maybe try Timbuktu by Paul Auster. I can be a bit absent minded with finishing books, but I totally horsed through it. Really enjoyable and fast paced. Good shout by davidm on Philip K Dick too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alkaline Posted April 21, 2012 Report Share Posted April 21, 2012 I think i'm going to give the Bourne books by Robert Ludlum a crack, either those or the Frankenstein series by Dean Koontz.I've just finished the Bas Lag trilogy by China Mieville which has been a great read. Each of the books were good in a standalone way but all were linked in interesting ways as well. Thoroughly recommend them to steam-punk/sci-fi/fantasy enthusiasts. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidm Posted April 21, 2012 Report Share Posted April 21, 2012 I've just finished the Bas Lag trilogy by China Mieville which has been a great read. Each of the books were good in a standalone way but all were linked in interesting ways as well. Thoroughly recommend them to steam-punk/sci-fi/fantasy enthusiasts.have you read anything else by him? would you recommend starting with that trilogy? he's an author that's intrigued me for a while, but i've been trying to restrict my book-buying until i get through books that i already own which i haven't started yet!finished Philip K Dick's "Flow, My Tears, The Policeman Said" today. it has now, quite easily, become my favourite of his works - the most gripping book i've read in months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alkaline Posted April 21, 2012 Report Share Posted April 21, 2012 have you read anything else by him? would you recommend starting with that trilogy? he's an author that's intrigued me for a while, but i've been trying to restrict my book-buying until i get through books that i already own which i haven't started yet!finished Philip K Dick's "Flow, My Tears, The Policeman Said" today. it has now, quite easily, become my favourite of his works - the most gripping book i've read in months.Not yet, i've got a bunch of his standalone books on my kindle though. I would definitely recommend giving the trilogy a shot to start with as it flows really well and his writing style in it is pretty enveloping. I'd always heard good things but was initially put off with the political aspects of his writing, but glad i gave it a go. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidm Posted April 21, 2012 Report Share Posted April 21, 2012 Not yet, i've got a bunch of his standalone books on my kindle though. I would definitely recommend giving the trilogy a shot to start with as it flows really well and his writing style in it is pretty enveloping. I'd always heard good things but was initially put off with the political aspects of his writing, but glad i gave it a go.cool, the trilogy has been put on my list of books to buy. funnily enough the political aspects of his writing are one of the things that make me even more interested in him, ha. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaaakkkeee Posted April 22, 2012 Report Share Posted April 22, 2012 The mrs just bought me Skagboys. The Trainspotting prequel. It's hooring big. Glue was thick. But this thing is tall and wide too. Looking forward to bunging the Walking Dead one out the window and getting stuck in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spoonie Posted April 22, 2012 Report Share Posted April 22, 2012 Started that on Friday too. Fucking ludicrous weight of a book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Posted April 23, 2012 Report Share Posted April 23, 2012 I just finished Petroleum Economics: Issues and Strategies of Oil and Natural Gas Production by Rognvaldur Hannesson. It is a short, concise book on exactly what it say in the title, written in plain english, with a sprinkle of technical jargon. I actually found it to be quite out of date, despite only being written ~15 years ago, but it did teach me a couple of things I didn't already know. I chose it out of a list of recommended books because it was short and the text was large. I'm really professional.I get no pleasure from reading these days. One in every eight books I read actually grabs my attention and I only ever finish them because I feel like I have to. Which leads me to the point of this post. I want to get back into reading like I was a few years ago, but I keep picking massive, arduous books that take ages and I leave them for a few weeks and forget what was happening. List a few great short books I can read and enjoy that won't take me long to read. I just want to finish a fucking book, for once, and hope that it gets me back into the swing of things.Have you got a kindle? I'm not sure why but getting one of those was enough to pull me out of the same reading rut you're in. I've finished more books this year already than I've read in the last 3 years combined I think.Currently addicted to the Game of Thrones books. Keep saying I'm going to take a break and read something else but then I finish one of them and the kindle reminds me about the next one with a link to buy it instantly and I just "oh, ok then" and away I go again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Easy Wishes Posted April 23, 2012 Report Share Posted April 23, 2012 Agreed re: the Kindle. It's incredible and has increased my read-time ten-fold. Hy-phen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moose Posted April 23, 2012 Report Share Posted April 23, 2012 Thanks for the recommendations, I'll get on the case later this week. My pal has a kindle, so I might borrow it off him for a wee while to see fit like, ken? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spoonie Posted May 1, 2012 Report Share Posted May 1, 2012 Started that on Friday too. Fucking ludicrous weight of a book.Finished Skagboys last night. It's an excellent read and really build the characters backgrounds but I think it was strung out a bit beyond what was needed. There also seemed to be a fair bit of shoe-horning in references to future events towards the end of the book which strung it out a bit. The factory section seemed wholly unlikely too. Prior to that tho, it was superb and the section at the rehab clinic was excellent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flights Posted May 1, 2012 Report Share Posted May 1, 2012 Gutted I missed out on all the Philip K Dick love!"Flow, My Tears, The Policeman Said" is one of my favourites!You should pick up Armageddon in Retrospect by Kurt Vonnegut if you're still looking for short reads. It's a collection of short stories and essays. It's incredible. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaaakkkeee Posted May 1, 2012 Report Share Posted May 1, 2012 Finished Skagboys last night. It's an excellent read and really build the characters backgrounds but I think it was strung out a bit beyond what was needed. There also seemed to be a fair bit of shoe-horning in references to future events towards the end of the book which strung it out a bit. The factory section seemed wholly unlikely too. Prior to that tho, it was superb and the section at the rehab clinic was excellent.haven't even started yet. Aye, Glue seemed strung out at points too. But it was worth it in the end. I look forward to reading this though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spoonie Posted May 1, 2012 Report Share Posted May 1, 2012 It's absolutely brilliant for about the first 490 pages and so you'll definitely enjoy it if you're a fan. I live right in the middle of the area that they do so it's interesting to hear about all of the places Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lemonade Posted May 1, 2012 Report Share Posted May 1, 2012 Just rounding out the Jungle Book, never realised it was a bunch of short stories and not just one novel. After that I need to get fired into the increasing pile of books that I've started but haven't finished, including:A Portrait Of The Artist Of A Young Man - James JoyceThe Thing On The Doorstep - HP LovecraftFight Club - Chuck PalahniukGrunge Is Dead: The Oral History Of Seattle Rock Music - Greg PratoThe Invention of Murder: How the Victorians Revelled in Death and Detection and Created Modern Crime - Judith FlandersHaunted Dublin - Dave Walsh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diesel Posted May 3, 2012 Report Share Posted May 3, 2012 Do audiobooks count?If so, I'm listening to Stephen King's "The Dark Tower" series on my iPod and am currently on book 3 - The Wastelands. Top stuff.Conventional book-wise, it's "Not Fade Away" by Jim Dodge, which is s great read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stroopy121 Posted May 3, 2012 Report Share Posted May 3, 2012 After a hiatus from leisure-reading for a while I'm back into We Need to Talk About Kevin. Just found out that it's not the story of the kid in Home Alone, as told by his mum. Gutted.xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diesel Posted May 3, 2012 Report Share Posted May 3, 2012 After a hiatus from leisure-reading for a while I'm back into We Need to Talk About Kevin. Just found out that it's not the story of the kid in Home Alone, as told by his mum. Gutted.xxI don't recall THAT Kevin going on the rampage! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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