Forums/Thoughts on Books
What books do you like? :)
Lottie Lodge
posted this on June 04, 2010 13:31
The forum was looking so empty, that I thought it might be fun to get to know about your book tastes...!
What do you like to read?
I seem to oscillate between silly fantasy stuff and thriller type things - escapism, I guess. At the moment I'm on a silly one - "Mr Darcy, Vampyre" by Amanda Grange! It's a sequel to Pride and Prejudice, and it's basically about how Mr Darcy's whole family are vampires and he's trying to find a way to break it to Elizabeth. It's all told in first person, from Lizzy's point of view, and it's all so obvious that I'm inclined to shout at the book: "Lizzy, he's got blood on his mouth and your attackers have mysteriously disappeared! Get a clue!" Heheheheh!
Comments
Thanks for firing up the conversation Lottie!
What a brilliant, fun idea for a novel - "My Darcy, Vampyre"! If, for no other reason than it sounds like an incredibly creative story, I think I must find myself a copy and escape for a day to read it. I am looking forward to your final thoughts when you are finished with it and hope Lizzy get's a clue :)
I probably enjoy too many different types of genre to be able to be as specific as you, but for escapism I love a good thriller or adventure. I am currently reading "Time to Think" by Nancy Kline (so not really escaping), which is a well constructed and obviously experience-led guide to listening properly. Some very useful lessons and very simply written for quick reading. It is a pity more people haven't read it as I am sure the world would be a much happier place if it was compulsory reading ;)
I will look up Time to Think, it sounds really interesting. I am instantly attracted to books when people describe them as being compulsory reading for a happier world! It sounds a bit like Non-violent Communication, which is a strange name, but it talks about the techniques you can learn to communicate really effectively; it helps you to have good discussion and caring communication that takes everyone's feelings into account, getting right to the heart of the matter, instead of arguing and shouting and not really listening to each other. I've not read it all the way through, but a couple of people have told me it should be compulsory!
You'll be pleased to know I just remembered that I have a couple of books that have been sitting around not doing anything, they've been there so long they've become invisible, so I'm going to register them here on BFB right now and leave them at the end of my road. :) And I will keep you updated on Mr Darcy, Vampyre!
Which reminds me, I wonder if there's a place here for a trade forum or a bookring forum? Over on BC, bookrings are common and a lot of fun - a popular book will get a lot of attention and people wanting to read it, so an organiser with a copy of the book assembles a public list of people who want to read it. Each person reads the book, then posts it to the next person on the list. It can take a while, but as long as it doesn't get lost in the post, everyone on the list can read it for the cost of postage. Could work? And a trade forum would be for people saying "Hey, anyone have a copy of Thingy: A Novel by So and So McName? I can offer these in return..."
And, Andrew - would you mind me sharing the forum link with some of the people on GoodReads who've joined BFB? You mentioned that you were keeping the forums hidden for now, but the GoodReads lot do love a good natter! ;) We've got a post over on GoodReads promoting BFB, me and Chucklesthescot!
It is indeed a very interesting read and sounds similar to Non-violent Communication with perhaps a slightly different perspective for the objective of the lessons. She essentially believes that by having a good listening partner, we can really help each other to discover answers to our own questions in a far more meaningful and personal way, and that the way that we currently communicate creates blocks that inhibit that process. The obviousness of the lessons smack one in the face and begs the question why we don't do this naturally!
Good thoughts on the trade / bookring forum. This is also something we want to build more intrinsically into the site rather than using the forums so that we can help protect members from receiving spam (both physical and electronic). I may come back to you (if you are ok with me doing so) with a few questions on the model we are adopting for this as soon as this next version is released and I can focus on this feature as a priority. I feel it would be best if we had user input in making this work as well as possible and I think you are perfectly positioned to help us achieve that.
By all means, please do share the forum with your friends. It isn't that we have deliberately hidden them right now - just that our first release didn't put as much store by the forum feature as it should have so they aren't as obvious to members yet.
Fab, I have shared the link. :) I'm sure that will help get the forums going for the future update. I think the offer of free release packs for good stories will help lure people over!
This Nancy Kline sounds like she knows her stuff, and I will definitely put this on my wishlist. Which reminds me - wishlists! Lots of book sites have wishlists, and that could well help with a trade situation, they'd go quite nicely together.
"Good thoughts on the trade / bookring forum. This is also something we want to build more intrinsically into the site rather than using the forums so that we can help protect members from receiving spam (both physical and electronic)." - Fab. It runs quite happily just on private messages over on BookCrossing, but I'm really curious to see how it would work built-in to the site! I am totally okay with being outspoken and opinionated when it comes to new models, all the best sites have really great user input and I do love this site already. I really should maybe consider registering those books now. ;)
I'm one of the people popping over from GoodReads. Is there an introduction forum here? I find that they've often been helpful for getting people chatting on other forums I've been a part of.
My favourite books are Science Fiction / Fantasy and Historical Fiction, but I enjoy most genres apart from chick-lit and horror. My favourite authors are Terry Practchett, Ursula Le Guin and Christian Jacques.
Hi Abigail! Thanks for stopping by. :)
I love Terry Pratchett too! Me and my friends just watched the Sky movie of Going Postal, and we agreed it was our favourite TV adaptation so far. Richard Coyle was awesome! Have you seen it? I think I have some Ursula Le Guin on my TBR somewhere, and if I don't, I should.
The introductions forum is a good idea. I'll start a thread for now and maybe Andrew can get an introduction forum going as and when.
I recorded the Going Postal movie and I'm currently watching it a section at a time (i.e. from one set of adverts to the next). Its rather long, so I can't afford the time at the moment to sit down and watch it all at once. I'm loving it so far, but there's a long way to go.
It is long, isn't it? We made a night of it, we had dinner and then started watching it at 7pm and had a break between "episodes" - it was 11pm when everyone left! It's great, but epic. :) Everyone was really well cast, and even though Vetinari is meant to NOT be blond we let him off because aside from that he was amazing!
I thought I'd answered this thread ages ago.. oh well.
I love thrillers, detectives and mysteries. Of thrillers, Robert Ludlum has to be my favorite, and The Sigma Protocol my favorite of his books. I love his older books, especially when all the spyging stuff happens around the cold war.
Of detectives, Faye Kellerman's Peter Decker, Andrea Camilleri's Salvo Montalbano (in original), and Michael Connelly's Harry Bosch are among my favorites. I like any of those genres books to have a lot of action, tension, and things to happen that one doesn't predict. And how could one not love Mma Ramotswe too? I'm always searching for new detectives that fit my fancy, and recently I'm rediscovering Agatha Christie too. I read all her books by the time I was 12...
The books with random bits of interesting knowledge are another category I fancy. I read recently "That's Not In My American History Book", and I've got already 5 friends asking for that book next.
Old fashioned fairytales - 1001 nights, Grimm, and ethnic tales - are always enjoyable too. I don't think I'll ever grow too old for those. And old fashioned/vintage mysteries or thrillers, spy stories... my recent discovery. And I guess the 'random' category is quite large, as anything else I enjoy I'd usually classify in that category :)