Just finished Through the Looking Glass.  The movie has nothing on how truely weird that book is.

I'm almost done "The Varieties of Scientific Experience" by Carl Sagan, sad to think this is the last book, too bad! But I'm finding it really interesting! I never really read full books though because I hardly have the time so I have a bunch of short stories books I read, preferrably Raymond Carver!

I recommend LEAPER by Geoffrey Wood. The story is centered around James, a recently divorced man who suddenly finds himself burdened with the power of teleportation. The characters are very believable and the dialogue is witty, especially the exchanges between the main character has with his ex-wife.

The book is written in a style that is very easy to read and it has such a fast flow that you'll be disappointed when you finally reach the last page. This is his debut novel, and an extremely good one. I rarely sit down and read a book in one sitting, but this one is one of those that truly can't be put down!

I don't know if many of you have read much Christian fiction, but this book doesn't read like a Sunday School lesson. It's wriiten for a much wider audience. It does have a Christian theme, but I won't spoil it for those of you who might pick up a copy, but the theme and moral of the story is presented in such a way that it isn't preachy.

If you like the television show Heroes, then you'll love this book. It really is a 10!!  

I just got finished reading 'Angels and Demons' and 'The Da Vinci Code', both by Dan Brown.

I heard they were releasing the film version for 'Angels and Demons' sometime in '09, so I thought I'd check it out.  I haven't seen 'The Da Vinci Code', yet, so my reading experience wasn't soured at all.

To be honest, I like 'Angels and Demons' a lot better than I did 'The Da Vinci Code'.  'Da Vinci Code' is still good and I enjoyed it, but 'Angels and Demons' has a much better paced and exciting storyline.  I also thought that the characterization in 'Angels and Demons' was much better, too.

I've always liked Angels & Demons better as well.
Looks like it'll be a better movie too.

Anyway, onto the books:

"Stiff" by Mary Roach
Disgusting, kinda disturbing and absolutely hilarious.
Every person on the planet must read this book immediately.

"The Lovely Bones" by Alice Sebold
A great modern novel. It's absolutely heartbreaking and funny at the same time while still being engaging on a philosophical and theological level. Highly recommended. Can't wait for the movie.

I started reading "The Stand" by Stephen King a few days back.
Pretty standard for King so far, but I haven't read much of it yet.

So you liked 'Digital Fortress' better than 'Angels & Demons', huh?  I was wondering which one of Brown's I should read next.  Thanks, Pia, for making it a lot easier to decide now.  And just curious, but after reading his novels, do you get in a really intense mood to go to a museum?  After reading each book, I find myself at the Butler Art Museum the next day.

'Stiff' sounds kind of intriguing, too.  I've never read anything by Mary Roach, but disgusting, disturbing and hilarious?  In my eyes, you can't beat those adjectives.  Now I know the next two things I'll be reading.

Quoted from chism "Stiff" by Mary Roach Disgusting, kinda disturbing and absolutely hilarious.

I will second this comment -- read this a while back and it is very entertaining.

This is a non-fiction book about dead bodies.  Everything you could possibly want to know about dead bodies.  It is fascinating and well-researched and the author has a very readable style for a pseudo-science topic.

Another book of hers, "Spook" -- about the search for the soul and ghosts and whatever -- is also good.  I liked "Stiff" a little better, though.

I'm currently working my way through Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, very enjoyable. I'm then going for Brave New World by Aldous Huxley on recommendation from a friend.
Also tempted by Stranger in a Strange Land.

Also the poster who mentioned Weaveworld has got me thinking, it's been on my shelf for years.

A little concerned by the amount of people reading Dan Brown

I've been reading The Lord of the Rings to my children at night. We're almost halfway through the Two Towers after starting with The Hobbit some months ago.

My wife and I switch off between books. Before Lord of the Rings, we read the entire Narnia series, and before that was all 13 books of The Series of Unfortunate Events. My wife has read the Little House on the Prairie series to them and now she's doing Harry Potter in between the LOTR books. They are some well read to children.

Just finished 'Azincourt' by Bernard Cornwell. Historical fiction about the battle of

Agincourt in the 15th century between England and France. Awesome battle scenes, all

factual.

Just finished And Then We Came To THe End by Joshua Ferris.  If you've ever worked at a pointless job in a dreay office with a bunch of other depressives who hate their job, this is the book for you!  Hilarious.

Now I'm reading The Great Upheavel by Jay Winik, about the 1780's and the ummm, upheavel that happened around the world.

Just got finished reading 'Jesus' Son', by Denis Johnson.  Very interesting.  Some of the stories, especially early on, lag.  But later on, there are really some priceless gems.  I also just read his novel 'The Sun at Noon', and I can't say that I recommend that one very much.  So he's going to be very touch and go for me from now on.

Now I'm reading 'Just After Sunset' by Stephen King.  It's been forever since I've read him, so I thought I'd sink my teeth in again.  I'm only four stories into it right now and there's only one that I'm disappointed with.  It's not a bad story, I was just extremely disappointed in it.

I'm also reading 'Speaking With Your Hands, Listening With Your Eyes'.  It's a non-fiction tutorial on learning sign language.  I know, not interesting, but if you are ever interested in learning, this book is the best I've come across.

Did you read Tree of Smoke?  That was great!

Charles Baudelaire's "Flowers of Evil", poems translated by William Aggeler

"The deafening street roared on. Full, slim, and grand
In mourning and majestic grief, passed down
A woman, lifting with a stately hand
And swaying the black borders of her gown;

Noble and swift, her leg with statues matching;
I drank, convulsed, out of her pensive eye,
A livid sky where hurricanes were hatching,
Sweetness that charms, and joy that makes one die.

A lighting-flash — then darkness! Fleeting chance
Whose look was my rebirth — a single glance!
Through endless time shall I not meet with you?

Far off! too late! or never! — I not knowing
Who you may be, nor you where I am going —
You, whom I might have loved, who know it too!"

No, just 'Jesus' Son' and 'The Sun at Noon' for right now.  I'm waiting for 'Tree of Smoke' to show up at one of the local libraries to check it out because I want to read it.

Actually, off-subject, I just checked out the April 6 issue of 'The New Yorker' and read the short story 'Visitation' by Brad Watson.  I'm not a big fan of the fiction in 'New Yorker'...  the stories rarely hold my attention for more than two paragraphs, but this story was pretty amazing and interesting the whole way through, I thought.  I'm definately going to check out more on Brad Watson and his book 'Last Days of the Dog-Men'.  Have you read or heard anything about it?