Planetarion Forums

14 Jan 2003, 01:25

I really, really like the book "American Psycho" so at the endorsement of my friend who also likes the book i have started to read "Bonfire of The Vanities".

Now what i want to know is this:

"Does anyone else who has read the book find it slow and difficult going?"

I'm only managing about 100 pages a week (ive had the book for 3 weeks or so) just because i cant bring myself to read the thing for any length of time.

In short because i can't "not finish a book" the situation is driving me up the wall :(

pablissimo · 14 Jan 2003, 01:28

I do that thing where you keep moving your eyes and turning the pages but you're in fact staring into space, and when you take a break after a while you realise you haven't actually taken in any of the words on the page.

As such, I avoid reading anything that isn't comedy any more.

Snurx · 14 Jan 2003, 01:32

If you cant read it, i suggest laying it down for a few weeks. Read some other things, then go back.
It has only happened to me once, and i felt horrible.

But i managed to read it more easily after a few weeks pause.
Not finishing a book is not

!

14 Jan 2003, 01:35

The thing is i can't really afford to buy any more books atm.

I have also read most of the books i own several times each.

I also don't like using Libraries so i need to percivere if i wanna read anything atm.

pablissimo · 14 Jan 2003, 01:36

Stupid a question as it may sound, ever tried writing one?

Snurx · 14 Jan 2003, 01:37

Hmm.
There exists books online? Also, you must have a friend or two, rigth? maybe they have something to "borrow" away?
Or, you could just "steal this book".

14 Jan 2003, 01:38

Quote:

Originally posted by pablissimo
Stupid a question as it may sound, ever tried writing one?

I've been writing for years now.

I am currently working on a story atm.

It's a bit hardcore tho so i have to leave it alone for awhile.

pablissimo · 14 Jan 2003, 01:40

Do comedy. In fact, do a screenplay.

I'm not messing. Make it as funny as The High Life though, or I'll cut you.

Snurx · 14 Jan 2003, 01:41

Quote:

Originally posted by Iniluki
I wanna start writing stories. Hence the bad butchery of the LOTR i've been posting. I write down all the idea's I get in a little blue book! Incase one of them is actually really good!

The Ring Piece was really good.

14 Jan 2003, 01:44

Quote:

Originally posted by Iniluki
I write down all the idea's I get in a little blue book! Incase one of them is actually really good!

That's what i do too.

Admitiddly i don't write my ideas in a blue book and it doesn't belong to you either but in essence i do exactly the same thing.

I've got like 6 or 7 (rather large) notebooks full of my words now.

pablissimo · 14 Jan 2003, 01:45

Are at least some of those words not pornographic in nature?

Even if they aren't, you can still write for Mills & Boon.

14 Jan 2003, 01:49

Quote:

Originally posted by pablissimo
Are at least some of those words not pornographic in nature?

A few are.

I started off writing Sci-fi and Fantasy.

I decided that was Gay tho and as such have changed my "genre".

pablissimo · 14 Jan 2003, 01:50

Excellent choice.

I went all Douglas Adam's stylee but got bored after a couple of chapters so binned it away to **** and gave up.

All I need is an idea.

BuddhistPunk · 14 Jan 2003, 01:52

I read it a few years ago, and I dont remember it being that bad, but I dont remember it being that good.

The movie (based on the book) is good though

14 Jan 2003, 01:52

Quote:

Originally posted by Iniluki
Ive not been doing it as long as you mines only got a few ideas for stories in it. And a detailed description about the start of one I thought would be good, but I couldn't decide what was going to happen, or how it was going to end!

You don't normally start off with a fully developed story idea in your head.

You're doing the correct thing.

Write down your ideas and in my experience the ones with "legs" will be able to be developed by you.

Another thing i find is that you need to "test" how good a story idea is by leaving it for a couple of weeks during which time you don't read it or even try to think about it.

After that time if you look at it again and it still looks like a good idea you continue working on it.

Unfortunately that dont happen too often :(

14 Jan 2003, 01:54

Quote:

Originally posted by Iniluki
Either of you two (pab and dace) read any Tom Holt books?

Sorry but no.

Are they any good?

What they about/like?

pablissimo · 14 Jan 2003, 01:55

Quote:

Originally posted by Iniluki
Either of you two (pab and dace) read any Tom Holt books? Well my book was going to be kind of like that styleeey.

Fantasy mixed in with real life, but not taken to an extreme like Cliver Barker in Weaveworld or Imagica.

Know the name but can't say I've read anything by him. I'd have been going for something really really daft, I have an idea in my head that I haven't had time to do anything with yet, but I might in future.

Can't imagine me writing anything other than comedy though.

Says Bobby Davro.

Snurx · 14 Jan 2003, 02:05

It actually sounded kinda fun..

14 Jan 2003, 02:15

Quote:

Originally posted by Snurx
It actually sounded kinda fun..:D

That line appears with worrying frequency in my "Personal Anecdotes".

14 Jan 2003, 02:24

Quote:

Originally posted by Iniluki
You didn't put your willy in the blender again did you?

If i say "No" then it still sounds like i did it at least once :(

Snurx · 14 Jan 2003, 02:29

You two are a perfect match!

SYMM · 14 Jan 2003, 04:06

Quote:

Originally posted by Dace
<snip> [/b]

Its a while since i read it, and i was quie young (14/15) at the time, and basically the book was strange. Not in terms of the story, thats pretty straightforward, just in the way the book progresses...or like you say appears not to progress.
Many times I was close to giving up, as nothing "important" seemed to be happening, but i persevered and finished it, and enjoyed it..though i'm not entirely sure why.
I'd say carry on, there must be something in there that made me like it.

Nofutcha · 14 Jan 2003, 05:29

i read one book by Tom Wolfe, numerous times "the Eletric kool aid acid test" and its one of the best books i have read. I also read the start of another, but rl got complicated and i didnt get to finish it in time to take it back.

Henry Miller is the hardest writer to read, i read tropic of Cancer, and broke out into a sweat after just a few pages.

Currently reading Irvine Welsh - Porno, i never read trainspotting but read acid house, which i didnt overly enjoy. But so far Porno is ace, and even tho it is a sequal, i am enjoying it with no prior knowledge. (nver watched the trainspotting movie either).

Gayle29uk · 14 Jan 2003, 08:22

Quote:

Originally posted by Snurx
Not finishing a book is not !

Sophie's Choice did it for me

I hate the idea of giving up an a book but there really was no other option with that one.

Gayle29uk · 14 Jan 2003, 08:27

Quote:

Originally posted by Nofutcha
Henry Miller is the hardest writer to read, i read tropic of Cancer, and broke out into a sweat after just a few pages.

Capricorn is a touch easier to read but still has the same dogged refusal to allow any trace of a plot anywhere near

. It's not as hard hitting as Cancer but still good.

Nofutcha · 14 Jan 2003, 08:30

Quote:

Originally posted by Gayle28uk
Capricorn is a touch easier to read but still has the same dogged refusal to allow any trace of a plot anywhere near . It's not as hard hitting as Cancer but still good.

yes im told that, i also read another one of his callllledddddd................ummmmmm, ok im notoriously bad with names. One word, black soft cover, about him and his wife and he quits his job and gets all excited. Was an easier read, but still a marathon

Gayle29uk · 14 Jan 2003, 08:34

Quote:

Originally posted by Nofutcha
yes im told that, i also read another one of his callllledddddd................ummmmmm, ok im notoriously bad with names. One word, black soft cover, about him and his wife and he quits his job and gets all excited. Was an easier read, but still a marathon

That would be Sexus.

Nofutcha · 14 Jan 2003, 08:38

Quote:

Originally posted by Gayle28uk
Sexus.

i wanna see a pic first *boom boom*

yeah it was that one, sorry for the rude joke

acropolis · 14 Jan 2003, 18:34

Quote:

Originally posted by Dace
I really, really like the book "American Psycho" so at the endorsement of my friend who also likes the book i have started to read "Bonfire of The Vanities".

Now what i want to know is this:

"Does anyone else who has read the book find it slow and difficult going?"

I'm only managing about 100 pages a week (ive had the book for 3 weeks or so) just because i cant bring myself to read the thing for any length of time.

In short because i can't "not finish a book" the situation is driving me up the wall

It was decent.

The ending wasn't that great though I didn't think.

Best parts:
The English guy (he's always entertaining)
When they meet the Sharpton-type harlem minister

And on the whole, it created a number of important 'references',
eg, no one had ever heard of sternocleidomastoids until they read this.

Marilyn Manson · 14 Jan 2003, 19:33

The film of American Psycho is much better than the book.

roadrunner_0 · 14 Jan 2003, 19:48

Quote:

Originally posted by Dace
If i say "No" then it still sounds like i did it at least once

read some tom holt, he is funny.

Also GO TO YOUR LOCAL LIBRARY FS!

ppl like you are going to end up costing me my job :/