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Post by Super Sonic on May 18, 2010 15:11:41 GMT
Finally finished the Divine Comedy, only took ten months. <__<
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Post by Super Sonic on May 25, 2010 7:40:35 GMT
I'm reading a book on how to play jazz, written in 1962 by an absurdly out-of-touch Englishman, who refers to "that Duke Ellington fellow" and such. It's pretty hilarious actually.
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Pitt
Script Hume
Ungrateful Sonic Saxophonist
If Lando dies, I'll destroy your planet!
Posts: 7,007
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Post by Pitt on May 26, 2010 16:01:34 GMT
Probably one of those chaps who'd refer to the Benny Goodman Orchestra as a "popular modern beat combo" or something like that, then?
What type of jazz, by the way? Is it one of those books that subscribes to the "all jazz is swing" attitude or does it acknowledge the existence of bebop and post-bop styles?
I can't imagine how you could explain to somebody how to play bebop beyond "be very, very good".
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Post by Badly-Drawn Manchild on May 26, 2010 16:21:50 GMT
The Historian. In my hunt for a decent Dracula sequel after the woefully abysmal Dracula: The Un-Dead, my sister recommended this to me.
So far, it reads to me like some kind of Dan Brown novel, which is not a good sign.
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Post by Super Sonic on May 26, 2010 18:27:15 GMT
Probably one of those chaps who'd refer to the Benny Goodman Orchestra as a "popular modern beat combo" or something like that, then? What type of jazz, by the way? Is it one of those books that subscribes to the "all jazz is swing" attitude or does it acknowledge the existence of bebop and post-bop styles? I can't imagine how you could explain to somebody how to play bebop beyond "be very, very good". I haven't got that far into it in all honesty. It's been about negro slaves for the last 30 pages. I can see some music theory coming up ahead though! |
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Post by The Shad on May 26, 2010 18:37:54 GMT
Egeria's Travels.
Its a diary about a woman who goes to Israel for [censored]s and giggles around the late fourth century.
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Pitt
Script Hume
Ungrateful Sonic Saxophonist
If Lando dies, I'll destroy your planet!
Posts: 7,007
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Post by Pitt on May 31, 2010 22:20:07 GMT
I haven't got that far into it in all honesty. It's been about negro slaves for the last 30 pages. I can see some music theory coming up ahead though! It's simple enough: 1930s: Syncopation! Syncopation! Syncopation! 1940s: Overtones! Harmony! [censored]ing semiquavers! 1950s: ANYTHING GOES! |
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Post by Super Sonic on May 31, 2010 22:31:37 GMT
You missed out commercialised jazz.  |
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Pitt
Script Hume
Ungrateful Sonic Saxophonist
If Lando dies, I'll destroy your planet!
Posts: 7,007
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Post by Pitt on May 31, 2010 23:02:16 GMT
Jazz was commercialised in the 1930s. It was the stuff that topped the charts. As for modern commercialised jazz, I imagine that's the like of Kenny G, isn't it? Gordon Goodwin maybe? Wyton Marsalis?
I like hard bop best, myself. Can't beat a bit of Horace Silver or Blue Train-era John Coltrane.
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Post by Super Sonic on May 31, 2010 23:46:05 GMT
To be honest I'm not au fait with the chronology of jazz, nor do I know much about those who were involved in its development. But I was referring to the commercialised styles of big band and swing, the jazz orchestras.
I finished the book, didn't really glean much from it. Moved onto a book about Scotland's history.
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Post by Lost Mercenary on Jun 11, 2010 21:41:45 GMT
Reading through The Dark Tower: Wizard and Glass
Finally, Roland's backstory is revealed. AND IT IS GLORIOUS!!! Only on the 4th book of the series and this is probably my favourite read ever.
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Post by Samface on Jun 12, 2010 15:13:49 GMT
Heh, Wizard and Glass is my least favourite of the series. Roland's backstory is kind of interesting but it goes on for far too long. (And then they did it again in comic form. Wut?) At least there's that loco Wizard of Oz bonkersness at the end of the book. |
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Post by Beeth on Jun 12, 2010 16:26:16 GMT
I'm currently on with the Orcs trilogy by Stan Nicholls. Copy of it turned up in the shop, I'm reading it during lunch periods. About 11 chapters into the first of the series atm.
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lordgazza
Big Time Boomer
"What part of stay away from the apple tree did you not get?!"
Posts: 222
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Post by lordgazza on Jun 12, 2010 22:45:54 GMT
Currently reading "The Blade Itself" by Joe Abercrombie its brilliant so far and listening to some very good Warhammer 40k Audio Books.
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mark00275
Big Time Boomer
Learner driver on the rampage!
Posts: 433
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Post by mark00275 on Jun 18, 2010 9:41:54 GMT
I went a bit mad on book shopping in London recently and bought: The temple goers by Aatish Taseer, The snow garden by Christopher Rice, Murder in the garden district by Greg Harren and Now and then by William Corlett. Now I just have to read 3 of them, got through 1 already ;D
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Pitt
Script Hume
Ungrateful Sonic Saxophonist
If Lando dies, I'll destroy your planet!
Posts: 7,007
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Post by Pitt on Jun 18, 2010 21:05:00 GMT
For some reason I decided to re-read Macbeth.
Must be all the Gargoyles.
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Post by Mark on Jun 18, 2010 21:19:08 GMT
Killing Floor, by lee Child.
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Post by Heart the Wolf on Jun 18, 2010 22:15:02 GMT
Has to be 'Warriors, The Power of Three, Outcast' By Erin Hunter- It's a great seires of books.
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Post by Beeth on Jun 23, 2010 0:09:54 GMT
I've just finished the the first book in the Orcs trilogy today, a bloody good read. I'm on with the second now. Also found the author's website, which has a few pieces of artwork depicting the main characters. Quite good, always nice to put names to faces. Also found that there's another trilogy after this, followed possibly by a graphic novel later on. I'm really getting into this series now, can't wait.  |
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Pitt
Script Hume
Ungrateful Sonic Saxophonist
If Lando dies, I'll destroy your planet!
Posts: 7,007
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Post by Pitt on Jun 23, 2010 15:04:23 GMT
The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes. It's quite good.
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lordgazza
Big Time Boomer
"What part of stay away from the apple tree did you not get?!"
Posts: 222
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Post by lordgazza on Jun 24, 2010 0:04:08 GMT
The Dresden Files: Turncoat By Jim Butcher.
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Post by Th Dngn Shkr on Jun 24, 2010 8:59:42 GMT
Given up sleep for a week. Using Harry Potter, Lovecraft, Nietzsche and Dimitri Glukhovsky to keep me awake.
Reading the Harry Potter series again.
Mngd t rd frst thr bks n n dy.
Currently on Goblet of Fire, got up to Quidditch World Cup before me breakfast.
Gd s fr. Frgttn s mch stff.
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Post by The Shad on Jun 24, 2010 11:34:38 GMT
Beowulf. Again.
Gets better everytime.
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Post by Woodster on Jun 30, 2010 21:04:47 GMT
Jim Butcher's The Dresden Files series. Just starting Dead Beat.
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Post by Baron Canier on Jun 30, 2010 21:20:52 GMT
I keep hearing mixed reviews about that one... been differing for a while but I think I'd like to check it out... would you sort of recommend or definitely recommend? World War Z is certainly worth a read. The majority of zombie-related media entries are quite sub-par, with the gems becoming much more renowned as a result. This is one of those gems. Sure, Brooks essentially just pastes a zombie scenario over the "war veteran interview" template, but it's done remarkably well. It's a great book; there's great, uplifting moments and chilling (sometimes even depressing) moments in equal measure. Worth grabbing it if you like anything that groans and wants to eat your flesh. I've not actually heard "mixed reviews" of any sort, since anyone I've spoken to whose read the thing seems to love it. Even one of my Creative Writing teachers approves and he doesn't even like zombies. |
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