What are you reading right now/have you read lately?

Might also suggest Never Let Me Go, also by Ishiguro.

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Thanks! Added to the list :blush:

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Dark Academia, Peter Fleming

Sobering read from those who’ve spent their lives developing a University-based career in research and teaching.

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My friend used to have a tote bag with the following: Never judge a book by its movie :joy:

Speaking of fantasy/sci-fi stuff, anyone else here a fan of China Miéville? I thought the Bas-Lag trilogy (particularly Perdido Street Station) was a work of pure genius. Great writer and great concepts.

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An old friend of mine worked on the art team on Scanner Darkly—he worked on the “scramble suit” scenes and also designed the Substance D pill with the little skull. From his telling it was a pretty fascinating, if stressful, process. They shot the film on digital cameras and used a proprietary interpolated rotoscoping software (the same one that was used in Waking Life) that tends to give everything that swimming art feel. I think the approach was perfect for the subject matter— I loved the film too. Also watched it once with headphones on and developed a new appreciation for the sound design.

Back on topic: I also recently read the Southern Reach trilogy (Annihilation, Authority, and Acceptance). Annihilation is a case where I regret ever even seeing the film. The book is something else entirely. And so much better.

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  1. I’ll need to try that, I was thinking it’s about time to re-watch
  2. I’d made a mental not to look these up and forgotten, thanks!
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agree with you despite PKD being my fave style of scifi ( read him in the 90s…seemed more relevant for my state of mind. I was curious about the future before post 2000 jaded my pov.) His books and stories translate better on the screen. His writing does get very involved within his mind( sate of mind) I get lost trying to thread pieces together ( eg. Radio Abymuth…smthinglikethat). Indeed Blade runner > Do androids dream of …

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I have been meaning to read something having heard great things…didn’t know where to start…any suggestions for a first time reader?

I started with Perdido Street Station. It’s 900-odd pages but I guarantee that after everything goes totally batshit crazy around 200-300 pages in, you won’t be doing anything else but reading.

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Excellent choice. I have read and reread it. Recently reread Jack Vance’s The Dying Earth. Credited by Wolfe himself as an influence around the Book of the new sun.

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Awesome! Just added it to my reading list.

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I’ve read most of Jacobsen’s books, and yet, for some reason this is by far the most unnerving so far (and most of her books are rather unnerving to some extent).

I just finished reading a literature review book of recent motivation research. A lot surprisingly focused on the visualization aspect of goal creation and action initiation (mental simulations effectively stimulating real outcomes). Reading both books back to back was not a good idea. :sweat_smile:

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I’ve been slowly working my way through Cosey’s “Art Sex Music” for the last month. It’s been a super interesting read on a lot of levels.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MY7QWOP/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1

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Radio Free Albemuth retells the basic story of Valis with a bit more clarity. That may or may not be useful to you, given the way you are reading it. Valis I think is more personal, RFA more a straight storytelling. It’s good, at any rate. Three Stigmata of Timothy Archer also goes way into Gnosticism, but I was never able to make any sense of that book.

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Robert Dilts rocks.

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My recollection was that it’s more like 600 pages in and it’s a bit of a slog to get there, but totally once it shifts gears it’s a phenomenal ride.

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Cool. Will need to check out Jack Vance then.
Have you seen this folio society edition? Mighty expensive, but looks beautiful (not that it would be worth it for me. Books end up getting so battered by being carried around etc.)

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Dying Earth is also the single biggest influence for D&D, Tolkien be damned.

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Friedrich Nietzsche, Twilight of the Idols and The Anti-Christ.

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Have you stared into the abyss lately

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