What are you currently reading?

Reading the Divine Comedy, Lord of the Rings, and the Thousand & One Nights. Decided to tackle all three doorstoppers at once because why not. They're close enough (linear narrative, fantastical) that I won't get confused like I usually do when I try to read a lot at once.
 
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consonant

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i've been occasionally reading "The Future of the Internet and How To Stop It" by Jonathan Zittrain. i was expecting it to be really opinionated look on the future of the internet, which it might be later, but so far in the first few chapters it gives a nice retrospective of the internet, explains how the internet works, how companies have tried to control it, and how they've succeeded and failed in the past doing so.

although i've always heard about how the internet used to work I've never gotten this deep of a look into it especially when it comes to the business side of things that happened then, so i think it's a good read for me. It also kind of discusses internet issues we face today with companies which sometimes makes me forget it was written in 2008.

its explanations of computer networking also interest me enough to consider studying them myself.
 
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cynthiune

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I'm currently reading South, Ernest Shackleton's book on his 1914-1917 expedition to Antarctica. It is difficult to put in to words just how remarkable Shackleton and his crew were. I don't think there is anyone currently alive today who could achieve what they managed over 100 years ago. It is one of the single greatest stories of courage, determination, and survival, and it really makes me think about humans today. In so many ways we've progressed, but in a lot of other ways it seems like we have descended in to another dark age. I find it very hard to properly explain what this book has made me feel about how humanity has progressed in the last 100 years. I'd love to know what Shackleton would think of us today.
 

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estella

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I'm currently reading South, Ernest Shackleton's book on his 1914-1917 expedition to Antarctica. It is difficult to put in to words just how remarkable Shackleton and his crew were. I don't think there is anyone currently alive today who could achieve what they managed over 100 years ago. It is one of the single greatest stories of courage, determination, and survival, and it really makes me think about humans today. In so many ways we've progressed, but in a lot of other ways it seems like we have descended in to another dark age. I find it very hard to properly explain what this book has made me feel about how humanity has progressed in the last 100 years. I'd love to know what Shackleton would think of us today.
The Endurance was a book that was written recently about Shackleton's trip, it was very popular and I know someone who recommended it highly to me.

I'm reading Great Expectations right now by Charles Dickens. I was in a gloomy mood about the world, and I wanted some of the wit and humor that he brings even in the midst of the bleakest settings. It's been really great so far, and it's made me enjoy reading again (I can struggle with attention span, because I get easily sucked into the computer instead). After GE, I'm going to read Bleak House, which hopefully won't be TOO bleak.

Charles Dickens scandalized everyone by divorcing his 40 yr old wife and marrying an 18 yr old actress, at the height of his fame... a thoroughly modern man.
 
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Kolph

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I'm currently reading South, Ernest Shackleton's book on his 1914-1917 expedition to Antarctica. It is difficult to put in to words just how remarkable Shackleton and his crew were. I don't think there is anyone currently alive today who could achieve what they managed over 100 years ago. It is one of the single greatest stories of courage, determination, and survival, and it really makes me think about humans today. In so many ways we've progressed, but in a lot of other ways it seems like we have descended in to another dark age. I find it very hard to properly explain what this book has made me feel about how humanity has progressed in the last 100 years. I'd love to know what Shackleton would think of us today.
OK this book sounds fucking cool, what edition would you recommend?
 
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Chao Tse-Tung

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I've been reading both Historia Discoridia, which is a complete history of the Erisian movement, as well as re-reading Roadside Picnic, as is my new-yearly tradition, as it speaks to me. Been looking to read some Lovecraft or something after these, though, I feel like mental instability is the sign of the times.
 
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Minusfourty

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I'm reading The Resurrectionist: The Lost Work of Dr. Spencer Black on and off. Unfortunately it's very rare that a book holds my interest, but when it does I'll usually go though it in a day or two.
 
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TRXTR

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Current stack is thus:
  1. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
  2. 1984 by George Orwell
  3. Starship Troopers by Robert A. Heinlein
  4. Neuromancer by William Gibson
I'm reading them in order of year written, partly to try and see any trends in the depiction of the future from the perspectives of prominent scifi authors over time, also to inform my own writing as a hopeful. I think these will be a real trip for me..
 
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I'm currently reading "Every Heart A Doorway" by Seanan McGuire, about a boarding school for kids who get whisked away to magical/otherworldly places and are sent there so they can get back to being a normal functioning teenager again. I'm on chapter 3, and its pretty good so far, this one is the first in a series.
 
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Still a Youth

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I'm currently reading "Every Heart A Doorway" by Seanan McGuire, about a boarding school for kids who get whisked away to magical/otherworldly places and are sent there so they can get back to being a normal functioning teenager again. I'm on chapter 3, and its pretty good so far, this one is the first in a series.
i need to be whisked away
 
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Talon

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I'm reading a book called Holy Blood, Holy Grail. It explores the possibility that the historical Jesus was never crucified and instead sired children with Mary Magdalene. I don't think I believe it but it's also just as plausable as anything presented in the Bible, at least in my opinion.
 
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Kolph

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Talon said:
I'm reading a book called Holy Blood, Holy Grail. It explores the possibility that the historical Jesus was never crucified and instead sired children with Mary Magdalene. I don't think I believe it but it's also just as plausable as anything presented in the Bible, at least in my opinion.
Jesus acquired the mommy gf?
 
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Novem_IX

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I just finished the Glass Bees by Ernst Junger and now I've started his book Eumeswil.
I'm also halfway through Carroll Quigley's Tragedy and Hope and I've almost finished Iranian Leviathan by Dr. Jason Reza Jorjani.
Current stack is thus:

I'm reading them in order of year written, partly to try and see any trends in the depiction of the future from the perspectives of prominent scifi authors over time, also to inform my own writing as a hopeful. I think these will be a real trip for me..
Nice stack! I recommend you add Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson, it's where the term "Metaverse" comes from.
 
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TRXTR

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Nice stack! I recommend you add Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson, it's where the term "Metaverse" comes from.
Oh cool, yeah my buddy is about to start reading that, I'll let him get his run in first, he'll absorb those Hiro Protagonist vibes well methinks.

My copy of Thomas More's Utopia came in yesterday as well, so that actually is taking first slot before I give a proper start at Brave New World; and at that, I've already started up More's satirical critique of early 16th century life and those that ruled unjustly. Get right to the source, yeah, the seed that gave utopia it's memetic legs and also later invertedly created the idea of a dystopia.
 
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bigdestroyer

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Currently, I'm reading Dreamcatcher (Stephen King). Not bad but not the best of the author at all. Film is shitty but I'm enjoying the book
 
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Still a Youth

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Current stack is thus:

I'm reading them in order of year written, partly to try and see any trends in the depiction of the future from the perspectives of prominent scifi authors over time, also to inform my own writing as a hopeful. I think these will be a real trip for me..
I'd also like to suggest The Iron Heel by Jack London, and We by Yevgeny Zamyatin, if you feel like adding to the list
 
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