480f27e4$1@news.povray.org...

> The difficulty is finding books which are actually enjoyable to read. 
> Don't get me wrong, I do *enjoy* reading good fiction. The difficulty is 
> finding it.

So difficult that you couldn't find a single fiction book to read in the 
past 3 years? Is that even possible?
Do you mean that you've already exausted a couple of millenia of world 
literature and can't find anything left to read, or that you have literary 
tastes so bizarre (Haskell-themed BDSM?) that books that suit you just don't 
exist?

G.

Post a reply to this message

On Wed, 23 Apr 2008 17:25:25 +0200, "Gilles Tran"
<gil### [at] agroparistechfr> wrote:

>or that you have literary 
>tastes so bizarre (Haskell-themed BDSM?) that books that suit you just don't 
>exist?

Argg! My world view has just been enlarged. :)
-- 

Regards
     Stephen

Post a reply to this message

And lo on Wed, 23 Apr 2008 15:57:58 +0100, Stephen <mcavoysAT@aolDOTcom>  
did spake, saying:

> On Wed, 23 Apr 2008 15:30:40 +0100, "Phil Cook"
> <phi### [at] nospamrocainfreeservecouk> wrote:
>
>> And lo on Wed, 23 Apr 2008 13:12:20 +0100, Invisible <voi### [at] devnull> did
>> spake, saying:
>>
>>> The difficulty is finding books which are actually enjoyable to read.
>>> Don't get me wrong, I do *enjoy* reading good fiction. The difficulty  
>>> is finding it.
>>
>> Out of pure curiosity have you had chance to glance at any of the titles
>> or authors that everyone here has suggested at one time or another?
>
> I don't think that there is any point. I've met lots of people who
> don't read fiction and if you've not picked up the habit by your
> twenties then I don't think that there is much chance that you ever
> will.

I just can't imagine not reading fiction; it's just my default state of  
being.

> Me I read the back of the cereal packet at breakfast. Over and
> over :)

Well they do sometimes put quizes on the back, or mazes; mazes are fun ;-)

Personally I avoid reading cereal packets. It's an odd quirk but at that  
time in the morning I really don't want to know what makes up the contents  
of my breakfast; or for that matter which irrating personality is  
endorsing it and telling me what I should be eating with it, how I should  
be eating it, and what I should be doing before and after eating it and  
basically making me feel bad about just dumping it in a bowl with some  
milk before conveying it from bowl to mouth with a spoon in an feeble  
attempt to gain consciousness prior to the coffee hit.

-- 
Phil Cook

--
I once tried to be apathetic, but I just couldn't be bothered
http://flipc.blogspot.com

Post a reply to this message

"Invisible" <voi### [at] devnull> wrote in message
news:480f27e4$1@news.povray.org...
> Gail Shaw wrote:
>
> > Geesh...
>
> Interesting.

To give you an idea, if I'm not swamped with deadlines, I usually get
through 2 or 3 books a week. Those are 500-800 page books.
For a week holiday I'll often pack 6 to 8 books, and finish all of them

> > Go visit your local library sometime. Besides being a great way to spend
> > some time, reading books increase your vocabulary and your general
> > knowledge.
>
> The difficulty is finding books which are actually enjoyable to read.
> Don't get me wrong, I do *enjoy* reading good fiction. The difficulty is
> finding it.

If you're going to a library, ask a librarian. They're more likely than
anyone to know a good book in a specific genre that the library has.
You could also ask here, if you trust our opinions. What kind of fiction do
you enjoy?

Besides, if you're just borrowing the books, what do you lose by taking
something you're not sure of? Perhaps an hour of your time.

> > You might even make a couple acquaintances at the library
>
> I've heard this gem before. However, given that talking is strictly
> prohibited, I fail to comprehend how this one works...

It's not prohibited in any library I've been in. Making loud noises is
prohibited, but a soft conversation with another patron on the merits of a
particular book isn't a problem.

Post a reply to this message

And lo on Wed, 23 Apr 2008 16:28:55 +0100, Stephen <mcavoysAT@aolDOTcom>
  

did spake, saying:

> On Wed, 23 Apr 2008 17:25:25 +0200, "Gilles Tran"
> <gil### [at] agroparistechfr> wrote:
>
>> or that you have literary
>> tastes so bizarre (Haskell-themed BDSM?) that books that suit you jus
t  

>> don't exist?

lash = do putStrLn "You've been a naughty boy haven't you?"
           grovel <- readLn
           if grovel == yes
               then putStrLn "So you need to be whipped"
               else putStrLn "Liar! You need to be whipped"

> Argg! My world view has just been enlarged. :)

Oo I've got a ton of spam with just that subject heading.

-- 

Phil Cook

--
I once tried to be apathetic, but I just couldn't be bothered
http://flipc.blogspot.com

Post a reply to this message

Phil Cook wrote:
> I just can't imagine not reading fiction; it's just my default state of 
> being.

Hey, I read nothing but non-fiction until fifth grade, whereupon the 
teacher forced the issue by requiring a book report on a fiction book. :-)

-- 
   Darren New / San Diego, CA, USA (PST)
     "That's pretty. Where's that?"
          "It's the Age of Channelwood."
     "We should go there on vacation some time."

Post a reply to this message

And lo on Wed, 23 Apr 2008 17:14:27 +0100, Darren New <dne### [at] sanrrcom>  
did spake, saying:

> Phil Cook wrote:
>> I just can't imagine not reading fiction; it's just my default state of  
>> being.
>
> Hey, I read nothing but non-fiction until fifth grade, whereupon the  
> teacher forced the issue by requiring a book report on a fiction book.  
> :-)

It wan't meant disparagingly, simply an Error Does Not Compute for my OS  
:-)

-- 
Phil Cook

--
I once tried to be apathetic, but I just couldn't be bothered
http://flipc.blogspot.com

Post a reply to this message

On Wed, 23 Apr 2008 16:54:56 +0100, "Phil Cook"
<phi### [at] nospamrocainfreeservecouk> wrote:

>
>I just can't imagine not reading fiction; it's just my default state of  
>being.
>
My Rule of Life #3 (After the heavy stuff); Always have a book,
especially if using a computer :) 

>> Me I read the back of the cereal packet at breakfast. Over and
>> over :)
>
>Well they do sometimes put quizes on the back, or mazes; mazes are fun ;-)
>
>Personally I avoid reading cereal packets. It's an odd quirk but at that  
>time in the morning I really don't want to know what makes up the contents  
>of my breakfast; or for that matter which irrating personality is  
>endorsing it and telling me what I should be eating with it, how I should  
>be eating it, and what I should be doing before and after eating it and  
>basically making me feel bad about just dumping it in a bowl with some  
>milk before conveying it from bowl to mouth with a spoon in an feeble  
>attempt to gain consciousness prior to the coffee hit.

It was a figure of speech, Phil :)
-- 

Regards
     Stephen

Post a reply to this message

On Wed, 23 Apr 2008 17:02:46 +0100, "Phil Cook"
<phi### [at] nospamrocainfreeservecouk> wrote:

>
>lash = do putStrLn "You've been a naughty boy haven't you?"
>           grovel <- readLn
>           if grovel == yes
>               then putStrLn "So you need to be whipped"
>               else putStrLn "Liar! You need to be whipped"
>

See You Jimmie. You a perv or sumthing? :)

>> Argg! My world view has just been enlarged. :)
>
>Oo I've got a ton of spam with just that subject heading.

LOL I am a simple soul at heart ;)
-- 

Regards
     Stephen

Post a reply to this message

Phil Cook wrote:
> And lo on Wed, 23 Apr 2008 17:14:27 +0100, Darren New <dne### [at] sanrrcom> 
> did spake, saying:
> 
>> Phil Cook wrote:
>>> I just can't imagine not reading fiction; it's just my default state 
>>> of being.
>>
>> Hey, I read nothing but non-fiction until fifth grade, whereupon the 
>> teacher forced the issue by requiring a book report on a fiction book. 
>> :-)
> 
> It wan't meant disparagingly, simply an Error Does Not Compute for my OS 
> :-)

I took no offense. :-) I read lots of fiction now. :)

The first fiction book I read was about a family captured by the giant 
AI that is built into Phobos by the now-extinct Martians. I wish I could 
remember the name - "Phobos is missing" or something like that...

-- 
   Darren New / San Diego, CA, USA (PST)
     "That's pretty. Where's that?"
          "It's the Age of Channelwood."
     "We should go there on vacation some time."

Post a reply to this message