Login

Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.

March 29, 2024, 05:31:04 am

Author Topic: The Good Books Thread/ATARnotes Book Club!  (Read 170167 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Calebark

  • biscuits of disappointment
  • National Moderator
  • ATAR Notes Superstar
  • *****
  • Posts: 2670
  • Respect: +2741
Re: The Good Books Thread/ATARnotes Book Club!
« Reply #585 on: September 15, 2017, 11:04:56 pm »
+3
Stephen king =). I love love love his books :D
YOu may know some of these books, from the TV series and movies that have used his work for material.

(Image removed from quote.)

(Image removed from quote.)

(Image removed from quote.)

(Image removed from quote.)

I'm starting The Dark Tower series on the weekend! One of my favourite bands made a song titled 'The Gunslinger', and whenever they make a song about a book, it's always a book I enjoy, so high expectations
🐢A turtle has flippers and a tortoise has clubs🐢

LifeisaConstantStruggle

  • Forum Obsessive
  • ***
  • Posts: 324
  • Respect: +104
Re: The Good Books Thread/ATARnotes Book Club!
« Reply #586 on: September 15, 2017, 11:31:00 pm »
+4
Stephen king =). I love love love his books :D
YOu may know some of these books, from the TV series and movies that have used his work for material.


Joyland by him was actually a fantastic read! I'm actually surprised that it's quite an underrepresented and underrated book, probably cuz it doesn't really fit Stephen King's usual style of storytelling, but that guy's versatile as fuck he's amazing. King's characterisations are actually close to perfect imo, his writing gives a frightening sense of humanity, his characters and their subtle changes (Devin Jones, specifically) seem so well planned out.
2018-2020: Bachelor of Actuarial Science (+ Econometrics), Monash
2021: Bachelor of Commerce (Honours), Econometrics & Financial Mathematics, Monash
2022-2023: Work and some soul-searching

elysepopplewell

  • HSC Lecturer
  • Honorary Moderator
  • ATAR Notes Legend
  • *******
  • Posts: 3236
  • "Hey little fighter, soon it will be brighter."
  • Respect: +970
Re: The Good Books Thread/ATARnotes Book Club!
« Reply #587 on: September 17, 2017, 03:50:30 pm »
+8

EDIT: Just wondering, to what extent do people take ratings and reviews into account when considering whether to read a book?

If they've won a prize, or have been listed for one, I take that pretty seriously. I don't even know what the criteria is for many of these prizes, but knowing a book was nominated for the Man Booker puts it in my sights! I go onto Goodreads to look at reviews sometimes but I don't take the reviews very seriously. I'm far more inclined to take the review of someone on this forum and take it into consideration, then a person on Goodreads. Simply - the people on this forum are alike to me in a lot of ways so I trust their judgement as to what interests them, or disinterests, what they struggled with, and what they liked. People reviewing on goodreads are likely to come from every outpost of the world, which is super cool, except it doesn't guide me in choosing a book. The same way as when a friend recommends a book to me, I'll happily take on their recommendation because it's for me, I guess. And if my friend enjoyed it, and I'm in some ways similar to my friend, perhaps I will too.

As I say this, I'm reading Cloudstreet on the recommendation of Brenden nearly two years ago (and several times since lol). And I'm also reading "Fighting Hislam" by Susan Carland for an assignment (but also for pleasure). The goodreads reviews, in my opinion, don't truly reflect the nature of this book so far. It's more academic than what I first imagined, and to me it seems like the people reviewing it online aren't interested in the academics behind it, whereas for me, it's the reason I'm reading it. So, viewpoint is everything. :)
Not sure how to navigate around ATAR Notes? Check out this video!

zofromuxo

  • Forum Leader
  • ****
  • Posts: 549
  • Everything you want is on the other side of Fear
  • Respect: +203
Re: The Good Books Thread/ATARnotes Book Club!
« Reply #588 on: November 07, 2017, 08:41:27 am »
+1
Turtles All The Way Down - John Green
You know a book is a good when you finished it in 3 days.
This book is actually something that I wouldn't blanket recommend to people despite it being an excellent book.
Why?
Mental Health & Mental Illness.
As someone who suffers with mental illness and will for their whole life, I find this book extrememly confronting and at times scary That hospital and hand santiser scene with all those thoughts..... Oh and spirals. That just circle and trap you with no way out

In summary, this is an excellent book to read in terms on how mental illness is really like.
It isn't nice, rainbow and sunshine. It is scary and confronting and the worst part is in some cases, you can't express how much pain it causes you to those who care about you.
Oh and also the characters are great. But the thing that stood out was Aza's struggles with her mental illness.


Don't read this if you mental health is in the bin or you suffer from anxiety really easily. This book can and dare I say will trigger off those nasty things => No like seriously, please don't read this if you aren't 100% yourself. This book really can do a number on you. I mean that 100%.

I'll write a better summary of the book at a later date, but right now I'm going to go off and process what I have just read.
Jack of all trades, master of none.
Hence why i'm in all these different threads and boards.

heids

  • Supreme Stalker
  • Honorary Moderator
  • ATAR Notes Superstar
  • *******
  • Posts: 2429
  • Respect: +1632
Re: The Good Books Thread/ATARnotes Book Club!
« Reply #589 on: November 07, 2017, 04:12:19 pm »
+3
Mental Health & Mental Illness.
As someone who suffers with mental illness and will for their whole life, I find this book extrememly confronting and at times scary That hospital and hand santiser scene with all those thoughts..... Oh and spirals. That just circle and trap you with no way out

In summary, this is an excellent book to read in terms on how mental illness is really like.
It isn't nice, rainbow and sunshine. It is scary and confronting and the worst part is in some cases, you can't express how much pain it causes you to those who care about you.
Oh and also the characters are great. But the thing that stood out was Aza's struggles with her mental illness.


Don't read this if you mental health is in the bin or you suffer from anxiety really easily. This book can and dare I say will trigger off those nasty things => No like seriously, please don't read this if you aren't 100% yourself. This book really can do a number on you. I mean that 100%.

Quite honestly, as someone whose mental health has long been in the bin, I far prefer reading dark/deep/confronting stuff than happy and light stuff haha.  Probably because of my experience, I don't actually find almost anything confronting or triggering anymore (images of self-harm cuts and food/weight discussion excepted).  The most violent depiction of mental illness, the most intense discussion of suicide, seem as normal to me as breathing lol.  I'm talking about things that aren't personal to me - obviously if someone says they hate me, that'll trigger me haha

The darker you paint it, the more likely I am to read it haha, I genuinely find myself uplifted in some weird way from dark shit. ::)
VCE (2014): HHD, Bio, English, T&T, Methods

Uni (2021-24): Bachelor of Nursing @ Monash Clayton

Work: PCA in residential aged care

zofromuxo

  • Forum Leader
  • ****
  • Posts: 549
  • Everything you want is on the other side of Fear
  • Respect: +203
Re: The Good Books Thread/ATARnotes Book Club!
« Reply #590 on: November 07, 2017, 04:20:28 pm »
+1
Quite honestly, as someone whose mental health has long been in the bin, I far prefer reading dark/deep/confronting stuff than happy and light stuff haha.  Probably because of my experience, I don't actually find almost anything confronting or triggering anymore (images of self-harm cuts and food/weight discussion excepted).  The most violent depiction of mental illness, the most intense discussion of suicide, seem as normal to me as breathing lol.  I'm talking about things that aren't personal to me - obviously if someone says they hate me, that'll trigger me haha

The darker you paint it, the more likely I am to read it haha, I genuinely find myself uplifted in some weird way from dark shit. ::)
Fair enough. I guess I didn't expect it to be about mental health though :).
Jack of all trades, master of none.
Hence why i'm in all these different threads and boards.

peterpiper

  • Forum Obsessive
  • ***
  • Posts: 287
  • ppp
  • Respect: +257
Re: The Good Books Thread/ATARnotes Book Club!
« Reply #591 on: November 09, 2017, 09:41:55 pm »
+2
I'm reading (or re-reading because I'm stressed as balls) Alison Bechdel's Are you my mother? a follow up to her Fun Home -  a memoir on her relationship with her queer dad - and it's really good. You get a good dose of Winnicott and Freud, rambling (very relatable) and a bit of an honest account of lesbian relationships and distant/unhappy parents. Oh and yeah, I also like how there are pictures at every page and every turn. It helps relieve stress in stressful times when words feel more threatening than the graphs you have to draw out in your methods exam.

I've also been reading at a very slow pace through another history book on something like 'history in 100 objects' or something lol (I can't even remember the title)....Will update on this. Soon after I finish everything.
2017: VCE COMPLETED

sweetiepi

  • National Moderator
  • ATAR Notes Legend
  • *****
  • Posts: 4767
  • "A Bit of Chaos" (she/they)
  • Respect: +3589
Re: The Good Books Thread/ATARnotes Book Club!
« Reply #592 on: November 09, 2017, 10:02:53 pm »
+4
So Milk and Honey came in the mail today!

Also my long af list of my ever growing pile of books to read after I finish my exams
All that I am- Anna Funder (currently reading)
Speak- Laurie Halse Anderson (currently reading)
Poison Study- Maria V. Snyder
Noughts and Crosses- Malorie Blackman
Delirium- Lauren Oliver
The Wonder- Emma Donoghue
The Namesake- Jhumpa Lahiri
The Handmaid's Tale- Margaret Atwood
Agent Nomad- Skye Melki-Wegner
A Court of Wings and Ruin- Sarah J. Maas (half-finished)
The Da Vinci Code- Dan Brown
Oliver Twist- Charles Dickens
Turtles all the Way Down- John Green
Crash Landing- Robert Muchamore
Mindwalker- AJ Steiger
Knife Edge- Malorie Blackman
Hate List- Jennifer Brown
November 9- Colleen Hoover
Stasiland- Anna Funder
Shatter Me- Tahereh Mafi
Pretty Girls- Karin Slaughter
Red Rising- Pierce Brown
The Hate U Give- Angie Thomas
13 Reasons Why- Jay Asher
Dark Matter- Blake Crouc
Milk and Honey- Rupi Kaur
Bourne Identity- Jason Bourne
2017-2019: Bachelor of Pharmaceutical Science (Formulation Science)
2020: Bachelor of Pharmaceutical Science (Honours) Read my uni journey here!

tashhhaaa

  • Victorian
  • Forum Leader
  • ****
  • Posts: 899
  • Respect: +152
Re: The Good Books Thread/ATARnotes Book Club!
« Reply #593 on: November 10, 2017, 03:27:23 pm »
+3
if you guys could recommend one book to someone who doesn't read much/would only read something if it's interesting, what would you recommend?

K888

  • VIC MVP - 2017
  • National Moderator
  • ATAR Notes Legend
  • *****
  • Posts: 3705
  • Respect: +2877
Re: The Good Books Thread/ATARnotes Book Club!
« Reply #594 on: November 10, 2017, 04:21:01 pm »
+2
if you guys could recommend one book to someone who doesn't read much/would only read something if it's interesting, what would you recommend?
Hard question to answer, do you know what sort of novel you think you'd find interesting, or at least the sort that you wouldn't find interesting?



I bought the Handmaid's Tale yesterday. 100 pages in, really liking it! Hadn't read in months so I think this is going to help get me back into the swing of things.

tashhhaaa

  • Victorian
  • Forum Leader
  • ****
  • Posts: 899
  • Respect: +152
Re: The Good Books Thread/ATARnotes Book Club!
« Reply #595 on: November 10, 2017, 04:59:27 pm »
+3
Hard question to answer, do you know what sort of novel you think you'd find interesting, or at least the sort that you wouldn't find interesting?



I bought the Handmaid's Tale yesterday. 100 pages in, really liking it! Hadn't read in months so I think this is going to help get me back into the swing of things.

Open to reading whatever probably not some fluffy romance tho

K888

  • VIC MVP - 2017
  • National Moderator
  • ATAR Notes Legend
  • *****
  • Posts: 3705
  • Respect: +2877
Re: The Good Books Thread/ATARnotes Book Club!
« Reply #596 on: November 10, 2017, 05:34:33 pm »
+5
Open to reading whatever probably not some fluffy romance tho
Right, well, varied recommendations here:

- When Breath Becomes Air - not fiction, but by far the best book I've read this year!
- Looking for Alaska
- I've started the Handmaid's Tale, which I'd recommend!
- If you like action, Gone (this one's a bit gory as well), Assassin's Creed or Ranger's Apprentice
- If you want magic stuff and action, Skulduggery Pleasant
- The Chronicles of Narnia - maybe a bit long, but really good for reliving some fond childhood memories

tashhhaaa

  • Victorian
  • Forum Leader
  • ****
  • Posts: 899
  • Respect: +152
Re: The Good Books Thread/ATARnotes Book Club!
« Reply #597 on: November 10, 2017, 06:12:17 pm »
+2
Right, well, varied recommendations here:

- When Breath Becomes Air - not fiction, but by far the best book I've read this year!
- Looking for Alaska
- I've started the Handmaid's Tale, which I'd recommend!
- If you like action, Gone (this one's a bit gory as well), Assassin's Creed or Ranger's Apprentice
- If you want magic stuff and action, Skulduggery Pleasant
- The Chronicles of Narnia - maybe a bit long, but really good for reliving some fond childhood memories

thank you! :)
I've actually read Narnia, should probably revisit though

lovelyperson

  • Trendsetter
  • **
  • Posts: 136
  • Respect: +31
Re: The Good Books Thread/ATARnotes Book Club!
« Reply #598 on: November 10, 2017, 06:23:49 pm »
0
Hello peoples! Currently looking for some recommendations - exams are almost over and I desperately need something to kill the 1 month worth of free time that I'm going to have! Generally, I like non-fiction, particularly those like When Breath Becomes Air, but fiction will also do provided that it isn't too unrealistic (such as philosophical fiction stuff, like Infinite Jest for those who've read it).
« Last Edit: November 10, 2017, 08:53:09 pm by remi »

elysepopplewell

  • HSC Lecturer
  • Honorary Moderator
  • ATAR Notes Legend
  • *******
  • Posts: 3236
  • "Hey little fighter, soon it will be brighter."
  • Respect: +970
Re: The Good Books Thread/ATARnotes Book Club!
« Reply #599 on: November 10, 2017, 06:27:05 pm »
+1
Hello peoples! Currently looking for some recommendations - exams are almost over and I desperately need something to kill the 1 month worth of free time that I'm going to have! Generally, I like non-fiction, particularly those like When Breath Becomes Air, but non-fiction will also do provided that it isn't too unrealistic (such as philosophical fiction stuff, like Infinite Jest for those who've read it).

Do you recommend When Breath Becomes Air? I've heard a little about it, and would be keen to here who you recommend it for?

By the sounds of things, you'd dislike the Alchemist which consistently comes up in the best books ever lists but I don't rate it too highly. If you like romantic non-fiction, you might like de Botton's Essays in Love.
Not sure how to navigate around ATAR Notes? Check out this video!