American Psycho is one of my favorites. I'd love to hear the theory for re-reading. I've had many interesting convos about this book as well

This is a truly awesome book. Stunning. Like you got thwacked in the forehead by a stack of copies. That damn good.

My own current read is The Prince - Machiavelli

Yesterday I finished Kildar by John Ringo. I liked his alien invasion series, so when I saw this and read the sample chapters, I picked it up from the library.

It's not a bad book, but it is essentially a soldier's wet dream. The basic plot goes like this.

Ex-Seal who retires a multi-millionaire is cruising through Eastern Europe and comes upon a valley with gorgeous women and great beer. He buys some real estate and becomes the de jure lord of the valley.

While fighting Chechen rebels, he rescues teenage virgins from kidnappers. Since by local custom they cannot be returned to their homes, he takes them as concubines, in addition to the gorgeous local prostitutes he has hired and the 15-year-old girl who is actively trying to seduce him.

Parts of this book read like a Penthouse forum, with blow by blow (literally) descriptions of sex and light bondage. "Dear Penthouse, I never would have guessed when I went driving through Georgia (the country not the state) that I would have a story for you."

This is the second of a series. I never read the first book. The tactical descriptions seem authentic, but the overall plot seems too contrived.

Sounds like hairy chested men's adventure novels haven't changed all that much. I favored They Call Me the Mercenary and The Survivalist, myself.

Yes, but it wasn't what I expected. His other series didn't have the explicit sex scenes.

Maybe the guy needs to get laid.

Moving on to Plato's Republic. I am plodding through the introduction(s).

Why is it that translators of "classics" feel the need to let you know exactly how erudite they are, and make passing, and often unclear, references to at least a half-dozen other works by the author you're about to read (that would have been better handled as footnotes to the main text, since they allude to passages in the text you're holding in your hot little hands)?

The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, by Thomas Kuhn. Very cool book.

Thud! by Terry Pratchett.

Wolf - I liked Angels & Demons, but it didn't "wow" me. It would make a fun movie though.

I think it would actually make a better movie than The DaVinci Code.

You have no idea how relieved I am to hear you say that. I just always read those things and thought, "well, brianna, you are one dumb chick 'coz you did NOT understand anything that guy just said." :lol:

It's not you. They make no fucking sense. Actually, I'm having a bit of a hard time with some of the arguments in the early parts of The Republic. If you accept the assumptions and conclusions, you're all right, but I got stuck on the whole just/unjust thing ... I'm now on book four(?), well, anyway, the part where Socrates is editing all the literature and stories about the gods because he doesn't want people thinking in unjust/incorrect ways in the perfect city.

This is actually quite fascinating, in a 1984 kind of utopia kind of way.

Sounds like an ideal model for justifying an invasion of Iraq....

chuck is twisted. i like that. heard he lives in portland. . . and loves it.

you're right wolf, this book has me by the throat.

Ripples in the pond. You never know what repercussions your actions have.

Over in the Bull and Duck IOTD, the second picture reminded me of the scene where the T-Rex chases the jeep from the first Jurassic park movie. While looking for a picture to illustrate the likeness, I found a web page on the differences between the movie and the book. It's been a while since I read the book, so that was enough of a tweak to cause me to go back and re-read it.

My thanks to SeanAhern or Kagen4o4 whoever really submitted the pic.