GoldenEye: Source Forums
Debriefing => Off-Topic Lounge => Topic started by: Sam Colt on January 06, 2012, 05:46:06 pm
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At the begging of 2011 I set off on a little pet project inspired by the "Read 100 books in a year challenge." I set my goal at 50 ;-) . It quickly became clear that I would not make 50 books, so I revised it to over 30, and I accomplished that mission. I think that 2011 was the year of fantasy for me, and 2012 will likely be a mixed year of fantasy and sci-fi (I'm doing it again this year, about to finish my first book!).
This was really fun, and it's satisfying seeing how much I read. This year my only real goal is to read 10 non-fiction books, including "The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich" by William L. Shirer and "Undaunted Courage" by Stephen E. Ambrose, which is about the Louis and Clarke expedition.
Anyways, without further adieu, here's a list of the books I read in 2011. Tell me what you think. I'm hoping this inspires y'all to read more.
The Name of the Wind – Patrick Rothfuss 662 pp
A Clash of Kings – George RR Martin 969 pp
A Storm of Swords – George RR Martin 1128 pp
The Wise Mans's Fear – Patrick Rothfuss 1008 pp
The Hobbit – J.R.R. Tolkien 317 pp
Bacchae – Euripides 56 pp
The Fellowship of the Ring – J.R.R. Tolkien 413 pp
The Two Towers – J.R.R. Tolkein 338 pp
The Return of the King – J.R.R. Tolkein 293 pp
Warcraft: The Well of Eternity – Richard A. Knaak 370 pp
The Man in the High Castle – Philip K. Dick 257 pp
The Andromeda Strain – Michael Crichton 358 pp
2001: A Space Odyssey – Arthur C. Clarke 295 pp
2010: odyssey two – Arthur C. Clarke 330 pp
3001: The Final Odyssey – Arthur C. Clarke 247 pp
Warcraft: The Demon Soul 367 pp
A Feast For Crows – George RR Martin 976 pp
The Bridge Over The River Kwai – Pierre Boulle 150 pp
The Wave – Susan Casey 388 pp
The Robots of Dawn – Isaac Asimov 435 pp
Cats Cradle – Kurt Vonnegut Jr 181 pp
The Zombie Survival Guide – Max Brooks 247 pp
A Dance With Dragons – George RR Martin 957 pp
The Eye of the World – Robert Jordan 782 pp
The Great Hunt – Robert Jordan 681 pp
The Dragon Reborn – Robert Jordan 662 pp
Warcraft: The Sundering – Richard A Knaak 371 pp
The Shadow Rising – Robert Jordan 968 pp
The Fires of Heaven – Robert Jordan 951 pp
Dinotopia – James Gurney 150 pp
Diamonds Are Forever – Ian Flemming 229 pp
Watchmen – Alan Moore, Dave Gibbons ~ 300 pp
Mistborn – Brandon Sanderson 643 pp
The Well of Ascension – Brandon Sanderson 761 pp
TOTAL: 34 Books TOTAL: 17,240 pp
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I think you should definitely up the goal of non-fiction or at least branch out from sci-fi/fantasy, but it's impressive none-the-less.
I can only bring 13 to the table:
The Last Wish
Blood of Elves
Pattern Recognition
Best Laid Plans
American Gods
Dante's Inferno and Paradiso (still working through Paradise)
We
Looking Backwards
Battlestar Galactica and Philosophy
Lies of Locke Lamora
Foucault's Pendulum
Bushworld
Room
Thankfully Jon Hodgman released his latest book, so I have some more satire to read though
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I didn't read any.
But I'm pretty sure I read the equivalent in forum posts and wikipedia articles.
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I'll definitely be reading more non-fiction books this year. There's isnt much more fantasy for me to read this year, except continuing the Wheel of Time series and my sci-fi interest in somewhat contained.
You should read more Mangley (and EVERYONE), a good book is better than all other forms of entertainment imo.
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I think I only read three books in 2011: The Name of the Rose, A Farewell to Arms and Love in the Time of Cholera. I had these lying around; old editions from my mother.
I'm not counting such classics I was forced to read, like An Introduction to the Finite Element Method, Fluid Mechanics, Mechanical Vibrations, etc.
I vow to read more regular books this year, though. I've been lagging on that a bit. I already have Nineteen Eighty-Four, The Quiet American and One Hundred Years of Solitude lined up. I've started the last two.
It's quite an amazing count you have there, Sam. Gabbo's one is nice too :). I have to get my hands on Foucault's Pendulum. The Name of the Rose was a masterpiece and I suppose that one might be pretty good too.
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I don't realy like reading for 'fun'. I read the following this year:
School books:
-Operating Systems | Internals and Design Principles (sixth edition) - William Stallings;
-K&R (2nd edition) - [if you don't know who wrote it than shame on you];
-Pragmatisch Modelering met UML (2.3 spec) - Sander Hoogendoorn.
Other:
-God Wants You Dead - Sean Hastlings and Paul Rosenberg; (free download at [size=78%]http://www.scribd.com/doc/2532766/God-Wants-You-Dead (http://www.scribd.com/doc/2532766/God-Wants-You-Dead)[/size])
-Wij Zijn Ons Brein (translates to: We Are Our Brain) - Dick Swaab.
I intend to read the following for next year (still on the shelf):
-The C++ Programming Language - Bjarne Stroustrup;
-The OpenGL Programming Guide (sixth edition) ("The OpenGL Redbook") - [a lot of guys].
I believe that reading for fun is a waste of time, but so is gaming, so oh well :-X
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Only one:
(http://ak.buy.com/PI/0/350/203516951.jpg)
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Assholes Finish First is the best novel ever
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Who wants to try one of my funnel cakes?
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_rvWdFzZHlSg/SSgqnBGFyKI/AAAAAAAABlo/hFlWbB2mhi0/s400/natural_harvest_front_cover.jpg)
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Assholes Finish First is the best novel ever
I liked I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell better, but the Harlem story is the best fucking thing ever. Next to the hotel lobby shit story xD
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1. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling
2. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling
3. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
4. Love, Greg and Lauren by Greg Manning
5. Evelyn by Evelyn Doyle
6. Double Wedding by Patricia Scanlan
7. After Eleanor by Alison Haynes
8. Tommo & Hawk by Bryce Courtenay
9. Hard Landing by Stephen Leather
10. Hot Blood by Stephen Leather
11. Dark Angels by Grace Monroe
12. Live Fire by Stephen Leather
13. The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga
14. Addition by Toni Jordan
15. The Five Greatest Warriors by Matthew Reiley
16. The Cleft by Doris Lessing
17. The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown
18. CSI: Skin Deep by Jerome Priesler
19. Fall Girl by Toni Jordan
20. Fortune Cookie by Bryce Courtenay
21. Spiral by Paul McEuen
22. Worth Dying For by Lee Child
23. Solomon's Song by Bryce Courtenay
24. Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden
http://spectrum-forum.niceboard.org/t1425-books-i-have-read-in-2011
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I only read books 3/4 of the way through, then I get bored. Here it goes anyway:
1. Dead or Alive by Tom Clancy
2. Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain
3. Foundation by Issac Asimov
4. Common Sense* by Thomas Paine
5. Speaker for the Dead* by Orson Scott Card
6. Ready Player One* by Ernest Cline
*I finished it
For some reason reading on the kindle makes me want to finish a book so much more than in paper.
Ready Player One was by far my favorite book of the bunch. It is awesome, and all of you should read it NOW.
I am currently starting the New Year with Old Man's War by John Scalzi, then moving onto The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
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How was Foundation? I've heard that it's more or less the seminal work of science fiction.
Also Emilia, it's good to see someone else reading so much.
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Foundation is boring as shit. I was not impressed. Reminded me of the crap I had to read for Morals and Ethics class a long time ago by Socrates, and shit.
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I read a lot of books this past year, but I don't remember the titles - didn't think to keep track of 'em.
Currently working my way through the Paolini Inheritance Cycle.
Good lists everyone!
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I get all my books secondhand from fetes, because they sell them so cheap. I have a lot of books to read this year, but seeing as it is my final year at university, that may be hard!
I posted this link up on the Spectrum forum. For anyone else who loves books as much as I do, check out: http://bookshelfporn.com/
It is just a collection of photographs of people's bookshelves (no porn here)
When I eventually move out, I want to have a room in my house just for a library :)
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That's too bad KM, I heard it was awesome. Mind blowing in fact. I wasn't a huge fan of The Robots of Dawn either though. As for the Kindle, I just got one for Christmas and I'm about to embark on my first book with it (The Satanic Verses). I'm hoping it works out well, I have too many books and need to stop collecting, but I don't know how well I'll transition from paper to plastic.
Ah yes Emilia, library porn, so easy on the eyes. My favorite is the Yale Rare books and Manuscripts collection. http://gilygily.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/yale-rare-book-library.jpg?9d7bd4 (http://gilygily.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/yale-rare-book-library.jpg?9d7bd4)
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The Bourne Identity - Robert Ludlum
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(http://snarkerati.com/movie-news/files/2010/10/matt-damon.jpg)
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I only read books 3/4 of the way through, then I get bored. Here it goes anyway:
1. Dead or Alive by Tom Clancy
2. Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain
3. Foundation by Issac Asimov
4. Common Sense* by Thomas Paine
5. Speaker for the Dead* by Orson Scott Card
6. Ready Player One* by Ernest Cline
*I finished it
For some reason reading on the kindle makes me want to finish a book so much more than in paper.
Ready Player One was by far my favorite book of the bunch. It is awesome, and all of you should read it NOW.
I am currently starting the New Year with Old Man's War by John Scalzi, then moving onto The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
im suprised i dont see any android/coding books.
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im suprised i dont see any android/coding books.
coding flows through KM like an otherworldly force. No books required
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I read a python and android book as well. Educational / manuals I do not consider "books"
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Killermonkey doesnt read coding books. Coding books read killermonkey!
Yea hes that good!!
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@KM; Have you read the Alphabet of Manliness? You'd love that one if you like Assholes Finnish First.
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My first book I have read of the year is Matthew Reiley's newwie, "Scarecrow and the Army of Thieves"
If you like a fast paced action book, you should read his stuff :)