I'm the sort who tends to have several volumes of fiction on the go at once. Currently reading:
Charles Bukowski-Ham on Rye
Angela Carter-Burning Your Boats (collected short stories)
Cara Hoffman-The Wedding and Other Stories
James Joyce-Dubliners
Thomas Pynchon-V
One thing that's struck me since I started reading a lot is that a fair number of people are intimidated by it.

I think the way it was written encouraged me to read it faster than I would normally. Usually I read very slowly, because I like to go back and revisit certain passages that stood out to me. And I like to get a feel for how each particular author writes, and what distinctive marks in their writing I can find. I don't do that on purpose, really, it's just something that happens when I get distracted from the story. That's why I get uncomfortable when people watch me read, because it looks like I'm staring at the same sentence for a longer time than it usually takes a person to finish one page. I just enjoy picking apart sentences and their construction. I also get a kick out of reading aloud to anyone who will listen, which probably dates back to elementary school and being ahead of the other kids in that area. When one of my brothers, who is 14, plays games on this computer, he lets me read to him out of this Film Encyclopedia that I have. It works out perfectly, because he hates being left alone, even when doing an activity meant for solitary enjoyment. Like, uh, Solitaire. And things.

I'm kind of slow. I reread sentences a lot because I have trouble focusing. I have to understand every word I read before I move on, and my thoughts tend to wander when I read. And whenever someone is watching me I can't concentrate at all and it looks like I read slow. I'll keep reading, but not consciously. Then I have to start over.

I hate reading out loud, though. I sound like I'm illiterate.

That's me, too. I'll be your shoulder to cry on, and then I'll cry all over you, and so on and so forth, because that's how I roll.

I'm like you two, I'm a slow reader. Sometimes it'll take me months to get halfway through a book, and then I get so bored with the pace in which I read, that I move on to another book. I put it down to having a short attention span. I often re-read sentences or paragraphs so that I know how every word fits, otherwise I sub-consciously believe I'm missing out. I also like to indentify with how the writer... well... writes.

Currently reading Kingdom of fear by Hunter S. Thompson. This guy RULES.
Thank you.

Yes, more Thompson love. This guy does rule.
I haven't read Kingdom of Fear, though. Is it part of the Gonzo papers collection?
I really like reading his letters. I have both the collections. It's great because you can always look for a pick-me-up in his letters; whether it's him bitching at the NRA, or just writing hate mail to some magazine, or writing to his family.

Yeah it is. They make it out to be an auto biog when really it's just a collection of memoirs from him. I'm up to a bit where he was trying to run for Sheriff. He reads like one hell of a pissed off guy.

It's kinda shit that he killed himself sure he was pissed of with Bush but he could of done something. I read an interview with his wife(?) in the observer paper after Hunter had died wish I'd kept it cos I remember being a good interview.

Ever read Wise Children? One of my favorite books of all time. Died before her time. She's not too popular in the US, but I hope that there's some sort of revival that ensures her place on the bookshelves for a while.

Wise Children. When I read it I hated but the secind time I loved it. The humour in it is so English.

Thanks for the tips. I've finished Beautiful Losers now (I've been reading it at work, and it's pretty short!) and I have to say it's been very enjoyable indeed.

I'm just starting Political Characters of Shakepeare, by John Palmer. He begins by making the excellent point that Shakespeare, although he was required by subject matter to make use of many political characters, was not neccessarily an admirer of politicians:

Get thee glass eyes,
And, like a scurvy politician, seem
To see the things thou dost not

the hiss of the city.

:]

A Clockwork Orange

Beginning Scarlet Letter today as part of the required school reading, which is a list comprised of :The Scarlet Letter, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, The Giver, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and The Red Badge of Courage; choose three. It makes me wonder how those books could be required reading (mainly TLTWATW and the Giver, one of which I read in 4th grade, the other I had read to me in 5th).
I'm not one for reading Mark Twain. Tom Sawyer was a pain. Not yet sure of the other two I'll read..

rereading - the minotaur takes a cigarette break - stephen sherrill

Has anyone read hustler lately? It no longer has relevant and timely news articles, focussing mainly on racist humour and loads of misogyny! Can You believe it?!?!?

omfg!

Noooooooooooo not the Scarlet Letter;). Huck Finn rules though.


"All right, then, I'll GO to hell!"

Yeah, Huck Finn is nothing like Tom Sawyer.