I'm reading The Old Man and the Sea right now

Rosalind wrote:

Mantooth901 wrote:

I love fantasy books and cant wait for the next Eragon series book. Till then Im reading Harry Potter

Warning: The last Harry Potter book sucked monkey nuts.

Well it helps finish gaps in the plot doesnt it, or was it just going on with COMPLETE BS

son_ov_hades wrote:

I'm reading Sacred Language, Ordinary People by Niloofar Haeri, a book I'm sure no one but Mostafa would be interested in . It's about Egyptian Arabic and how the language is important to the diffusion of Egyptian culture and Islam.

Hmm, I dont get though it though why Egyptian Arabic ? hell, what is Egyptian Arabic lol ? the arabic we use here is very common, or did he mean in old times in Egypt ?

On topic, anyone familiar with a book called The Monk Who Sold His Car?

Mostafa wrote:

son_ov_hades wrote:

I'm reading Sacred Language, Ordinary People by Niloofar Haeri, a book I'm sure no one but Mostafa would be interested in . It's about Egyptian Arabic and how the language is important to the diffusion of Egyptian culture and Islam.

Hmm, I dont get though it though why Egyptian Arabic ? hell, what is Egyptian Arabic lol ? the arabic we use here is very common, or did he mean in old times in Egypt ?

On topic, anyone familiar with a book called The Monk Who Sold His Car?

The Egyptian dialect of Arabic. Seeing as I don't speak Arabic I'm not that familiar with the differences, but Egyptian Arabic has influences from Coptic that are not really found in dialects spoken in say the Gulf or Mauritania. I don't know how familiar you are with linguistics, but "Egyptian Arabic" would be similar to saying "American English".
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egyptian_Arabic

son_ov_hades wrote:

Mostafa wrote:

son_ov_hades wrote:

I'm reading Sacred Language, Ordinary People by Niloofar Haeri, a book I'm sure no one but Mostafa would be interested in . It's about Egyptian Arabic and how the language is important to the diffusion of Egyptian culture and Islam.

Hmm, I dont get though it though why Egyptian Arabic ? hell, what is Egyptian Arabic lol ? the arabic we use here is very common, or did he mean in old times in Egypt ?

On topic, anyone familiar with a book called The Monk Who Sold His Car?

The Egyptian dialect of Arabic. Seeing as I don't speak Arabic I'm not that familiar with the differences, but Egyptian Arabic has influences from Coptic that are not really found in dialects spoken in say the Gulf or Mauritania. I don't know how familiar you are with linguistics, but "Egyptian Arabic" would be similar to saying "American English".
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egyptian_Arabic

Yeah. As I've said, it's more of common Arabic, but not with a great difference with Arabic, gulf countries and North African Countries Like Morocco, Tunisia and Algeirs, all of these speak different Arabic Accent, I dont understand what most Gulf people say lol. And oh, I'am not that good with linguistics, it took me time to figure out what that word meant. XD

Mantooth901 wrote:

Rosalind wrote:

Mantooth901 wrote:

I love fantasy books and cant wait for the next Eragon series book. Till then Im reading Harry Potter

Warning: The last Harry Potter book sucked monkey nuts.

Well it helps finish gaps in the plot doesnt it, or was it just going on with COMPLETE BS

Sort of. It doesn't so much end in a conclusive way as it does spend a page going "these two get married, these do this, she does that and he does that." The main plot issues are resolved but all the little side-stories disappear.

Rosalind wrote:

Mantooth901 wrote:

I love fantasy books and cant wait for the next Eragon series book. Till then Im reading Harry Potter

Warning: The last Harry Potter book sucked monkey nuts.

It wasn't that bad. The whole Snape scene still almost makes me cry. xD

I finally read To Kill a Mockingbird and it is certainly one of the greatest. I also read two contemporary spiritual books:

The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle
Soul Cravings by Erwin McManus

Total waste of my time. They're just repetition of what's been said so many times before. And the second one is a call to Christianity disguised as "road to spirituality" and "self discovery". Bullshit. I've read a couple (but not too many) of books on psychology, religion and spirituality. I was disappointed by all of them. All contemporaries seem to do is: repeat shit, make shit up and argue it, try to prove Freud wrong, and make references to pop culture. If you're thinking of writing, please do not include Oprah or Kurt Cobain in your book. Many of these authors also have no idea what they're talking about. The Lord Richard Dawkins Almighty writes:

"Much of what people do is done in the name of God. Irishmen
blow each other up in his name. Arabs blow themselves up in his
name."

I was appalled at his ignorance. Terrorism is a reaction to specific events, it is not encouraged by any religion, Islam or Catholicism. If he had only done some research. People blow themselves up because they're crazy, not because of God. And when was the last time you heard about an Irish suicide terrorist? And forget about Lebanon where more than half of them are Christian? What about Syria? Jordan? Arabia is not one country made up of Muslim terrorists. Most of them are in Pakistan/Afghanistan anyway, and that's certainly not in Arabia. You can't generalize and stereotype a whole ethnic group and expect to be taken seriously.

Quote :

I finally read To Kill a Mockingbird and it is certainly one of the greatest.

My sister told me it was the most horrifically boring thing she's ever encountered. And as an ex-English. Lit student, she's pretty well read

Quote :

They're just repetition of what's been said so many times before...All contemporaries seem to do is: repeat shit, make shit up and argue it, try to prove Freud wrong, and make references to pop culture.

Welcome to the world of Science. When everything's a theory, all you can do is take other peoples theories and put your own thoughts into it.

Quote :

it is not encouraged by any religion, Islam or Catholicism.

Agreed. They still do it in the name of their religion, idiots who believe they are doing "God's Will." Its one of those cases where you'd think they'd actually read the book they'd end their lives for. It is because of their belief that they commit these atrocities, but that doesn't make that belief "correct," as you'd put it.

Quote :

And when was the last time you heard about an Irish suicide terrorist?

England in the 1990s suffered a number of terrorist acts - including suicide bombers - by the IRA during the Irish Civil war. Amazing its been forgotten just 20 years later for the new threat. Link

Huh, so there were such people as Irish terrorists. It still annoyed me when he started the book with "Irishmen blow each other up", when it's just the IRA wanting to unite Ireland, from what I'm reading. Sure most Irish are Catholic, but what do these particular events have to do with God? Maybe angering the readers was intentional, but the author still comes off as misinformed.

I had to read To Kill a Mockingbird in my 9th grade English class--wasn't terrible, but it wasn't great either, IMO.

Right now I'm reading A Terrible Revenge: The Ethnic Cleansing of Eastern European Germans, about the wanton murder and rape carried out by advancing Red Army against ethnic Germans in the closing months of World War Two, as well as the forced expulsion of ~15 million ethnic Germans from their homes in lands on the eastern side of the Iron Curtain (excluding East Germany itself), many of these German minority communities having existed for several centuries (such as in East Prussia and Transylvania).

Ahmedeus wrote:

Huh, so there were such people as Irish terrorists. It still annoyed me when he started the book with "Irishmen blow each other up", when it's just the IRA wanting to unite Ireland, from what I'm reading. Sure most Irish are Catholic, but what do these particular events have to do with God? Maybe angering the readers was intentional, but the author still comes off as misinformed.

Well theres definitely a Catholic vs Protestant issue there. Im not well versed in it myself, but there is still hostile attitudes between the north and south of Ireland. Dawkins comes up with some absolutely incredible ways of putting his views in a simplistic manner (though many quotes are his very blunt over simplified analogies), but you have to bear in mind that he is a biologist (geneticist I believe) first, and atheist second. I'd recommend 'The God Delusion' if that interests you, he really is an interesting man. Not necessarily some genius, but very good at articulating his thoughts.

I agree, he's actually pretty intelligent. Some of his theories and explanations were great (so was the response to them, but that's another thing, the whole thing enjoyable). I can see why he's kind of an Atheist celebrity.

Mantooth901 wrote:

I love fantasy books and cant wait for the next Eragon series book. Till then Im reading Harry Potter

Wait... there's another one after Brisingr? I'm having enough trouble getting through this series already.

Moar Wheel of Time plox.

I've been reading the malazan book of the fallen series by Steven Erikson, currently on Toll the Hounds which is the eighth in the series, the next book, Dust of Dreams, recently came out so I've got that lined up next. It's a great series, but the fans created a rivalry between this series and The Song of Ice and Fire series by George RR. Martin, those were decent book IMO. The scope of them isn't nearly as epic as The Malazan Book of The Fallen but good.

To Kill A Mockingbird was not my cup of tea, I feel if I wasn't reading it for school and not over examining it, that I would have liked it more.

truewalrus wrote:

Mantooth901 wrote:

I love fantasy books and cant wait for the next Eragon series book. Till then Im reading Harry Potter

Wait... there's another one after Brisingr? I'm having enough trouble getting through this series already.

Moar Wheel of Time plox.

ahaha I read Eragon, and then I tried to read Eldest, but I just couldn't

I didn't like Southern novels before To Kill a Mockingbird , (I left Huckleberry Finn half-way, it was unbearable). I liked Mockingbird because it told a great story in a great way, and I like stories about childhood and racial tension. It had LOTS of drama too.

Ironically, school ruins literature for many. It's no fun reading when you have to analyze and take apart the book. Sometimes you just have to sit back and read.

Ahmedeus wrote:

Huh, so there were such people as Irish terrorists. It still annoyed me when he started the book with "Irishmen blow each other up", when it's just the IRA wanting to unite Ireland, from what I'm reading. Sure most Irish are Catholic, but what do these particular events have to do with God? Maybe angering the readers was intentional, but the author still comes off as misinformed.

The situation in Northern Ireland is actually pretty similar to that of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Both conflicts are essentially about who controls the land, but the opposing sides are of different religions as well. The protestants are pro-Uk, meaning they want(ed) to remain part of that country rather than become independent. It's not a coincidence that the UK is a protestant country and independent Ireland is Catholic. The Catholics fought for independence from the UK, and later to join the Republic of Ireland. I don't see it as a holy war, but rather a conflict about territory that has a strong religious influence. So yes, Irishmen did blow each other up over religion but politics was the more important issue.

Next books I'm planing to read are The Silmarillion by tolkien and The Spook's Mistake by Joseph Delaney (part of The Wardstone Chronicles, easily read and the takes place in a sort of medival time infested with witches, very quick to read).

Some of the best (again easily read. Read more when I was younger, because I had the time) is The Edge Chronicles written by Paul Stewart, but I find it sad, because it always ends with someone dying or ending in a waste land like place and getting tormented by ghosts and demons.

Heard good things about The Wheel of Time, but i can't be bothered to start...

Ahmedeus wrote:

Ironically, school ruins literature for many. It's no fun reading when you have to analyze and take apart the book. Sometimes you just have to sit back and read.

True shit right there.

bleghman wrote:

truewalrus wrote:

Mantooth901 wrote:

I love fantasy books and cant wait for the next Eragon series book. Till then Im reading Harry Potter

Wait... there's another one after Brisingr? I'm having enough trouble getting through this series already.

Moar Wheel of Time plox.

ahaha I read Eragon, and then I tried to read Eldest, but I just couldn't

It's seriously not very good. The story and characters are all stolen. Eragon is the perfect hero (no character flaws = no interesting story). Yet... it's still as popular as it is, and for whatever reason, I'm still reading it, even though it sometimes feels like work getting through some of the chapters. But still, I guess something went right somewhere.

Peter wrote:

Heard good things about The Wheel of Time, but i can't be bothered to start...

It is indeed, quite long, and since the last 3 books are being written by a different author (Robert Jordan died), it might just fall apart. I would wait until all 3 of them are out and you here good things about them before starting it.

I remember Paranoia Agent I watched recently had a guy who believed he was a Holy Warrior, sent to find and destroy the evil 'Goa' with his blade of truth and flight boots he quested on to save the world. Of course he was really a kid with a baseball bat and inline skates, taking the advice of a crazy homeless man and hitting people around the back of the head. Oh how I laughed.

OT, but it felt appropriate. Oh, and for anyone interested in watching it, I haven't given much away.

Rosalind wrote:

I remember Paranoia Agent I watched recently had a guy who believed he was a Holy Warrior, sent to find and destroy the evil 'Goa' with his blade of truth and flight boots he quested on to save the world. Of course he was really a kid with a baseball bat and inline skates, taking the advice of a crazy homeless man and hitting people around the back of the head. Oh how I laughed.

OT, but it felt appropriate. Oh, and for anyone interested in watching it, I haven't given much away.

I laughed just reading that

Has anyone in here read God and the State by Mikhail Bakunin? I have to read it for my US Gov. class and it's interesting but every time I start to read it I fall asleep.

Ziegenbartami wrote:

I had to read To Kill a Mockingbird in my 9th grade English class--wasn't terrible, but it wasn't great either, IMO.

Right now I'm reading A Terrible Revenge: The Ethnic Cleansing of Eastern European Germans, about the wanton murder and rape carried out by advancing Red Army against ethnic Germans in the closing months of World War Two, as well as the forced expulsion of ~15 million ethnic Germans from their homes in lands on the eastern side of the Iron Curtain (excluding East Germany itself), many of these German minority communities having existed for several centuries (such as in East Prussia and Transylvania).

Sounds interesting. I saw a documentary where they said more than 10 000 women, or something like that, were raped by Red Army soldiers when went into Berlin. From elderly women to little girls were raped. Apparently the Russians entered Berlin and just started going on a raping spree. It`s very sad.

On topic: for the last 2-3 months I`ve basically only been reading German short stories to improve my language skills. But when I finish the book I`m currently reading, Deutsche Kurzgeschichten, I plan to read either Plato's Republic, Goethe's Faust or I`ll just go scavange in my father's bookcase for a nice story

And for good books I heartily reccomend The Lord of the Flies and One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich.

Christoff Odendaal wrote:

Sounds interesting. I saw a documentary where they said more than 10 000 women, or something like that, were raped by Red Army soldiers when went into Berlin. From elderly women to little girls were raped. Apparently the Russians entered Berlin and just started going on a raping spree. It`s very sad.

I wouldn't doubt it--it's estimated that at least 2 million German women were raped by the advancing Red Army during the war. Some of the eyewitness accounts in that book are simply heartbreaking.

Christoff Odendaal wrote:

On topic: for the last 2-3 months I`ve basically only been reading German short stories to improve my language skills. But when I finish the book I`m currently reading, Deutsche Kurzgeschichten, I plan to read either Plato's Republic, Goethe's Faust or I`ll just go scavange in my father's bookcase for a nice story

Will you be reading Faust in English or German? Because even I found it hard to read in German