Well I guess I'll start this off with what books are we reading?

At a forum I'm a mod at we have something like this started with over 40 pages of books everyone reads and their thoughts on it.

So, to start off I'm reading.... The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux.

It's one of my favorite books... and of course I'm a huge fan of the musical and movie.

This book is move of a love story, it's about finding love and letting it go. Along with other things too...

So what are you reading?

That's a great one! I just finished "Coraline" by Neil Gaiman. Very creepy!

For pleasure, I just finished "To Say Nothing Of The Dog", by Connie Willis, which was amazing. It's a sci-fi novel with no science in it at all I'm about to start "The Know-It-All" by A.J. Jacobs, which I expect to be hilarious. I read his "The Year of Living Biblically" a few months ago and I loved it.

For art, I've got "The Watercolorist's Essential Notebook", by Gordon MacKenzie. Nothing special there.

For work, I'm rereading "jQuery in Action", by my friend Bear Bibeault. A gem.

I saw a review of the Year of Living Biblically. It takes some kind of courage to do what he did and for a whole year too!

I am reading "Dumas Key", Steven King. It includes art and the art world, so a bit of double bonus. Of course it has the freaky king plot going on. Very enjoyable.

I just finished reading Swallowing Darkness by Laurell K. Hamilton. It's a fantasy, and the 7th part of the Meredith Gentry novels. This is an adult novel with some rather blunt, downright dirty "romance" scenes. It includes some political intrigue with various magical beings, both beautiful and horrific.
She repeats herself a lot, which I find quite irritating, but the imagery she creates in a reader's mind makes it well worth reading. It would be wise to start with the first book: A Kiss of Shadows.

Ken Follet--Pillars of the Earth...the best book i just finished reading a while back..

Of Course i also loved the phantom of the opera and one of my favs is GONE WITH THE WIND...i adore that book and the sequel was pretty well written too..

oh and we cant forget Clan of the Cave Bear..that was a wonderful series written by Jean Aurel.sorry i dont think the name is spelled correctly

The Walking Drum by none other than Louis Lamour..of course he is known for his wonderful westerns but this book is not a western but it is an adventure

I'm reading a book I bought in London, its called "Sting and I", and was written by James Berryman and it's about his life as Sting's best mate. Just to klii time, its tels hilarious episodes about them when they where in school.

I loved to read D'Vinci code, I read the portuguese version.

I'm definitely a "fluff" book reader - my husband and I are reading all the Xanth novels (again). I think there's 32 or 33? I'm on #5, so long ways to go.

Just finished reading "Vision and Art: The Biology of Seeing"
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Vision-Art-Biology.../dp/0810995549/

At the moment I'm reading a book of David Eddings, The hidden city. That is part 3 of a fantasy series. For a course I am following I'm reading a book about karma.
I love the clan of the cavebear, am still waiting for the last part in this series. And Xanth, yes. I have nearly all the books from Piers Anthony and I keep rereading them.
Nice topic.

Trees

Now I'm reading Edgar Allan Poe "Poetry and Tales".
Not really what I expected but there are some interesting things.

Hi, my latest read is The Reckoning by Sharon Penman, This is the 3rd book in a trilogy about the English French and Welsh Kings ( Princes in the case of Wales) of the 11th century. No, I am not a swot, I normally read Geoffrey Deaver or Dan Brown type books but Sharon Penman (and American authoress) has a great talent for combining accurate historical facts with beautifully crafted fiction that brings to life this time in British history. The others in the trilogy are Here Be Dragons and Falls The Shadow. I highly recommend these books if you have the slightest interest in early European history.
Sharon Penman is a class act.

Regards John

Hi John,

I'm a big fan of SKP. Her "Sunne in Splendor" is my fave!

Does she live up to this write up? Sounds pretty interesting.

Product Description
We recognize the artistry of Mona Lisa's elusive smile, but is there an underlying science? In this groundbreaking study, Harvard neurobiologist Margaret Livingstone explains how vision works. She tells us how great painters fool the brain: why Mona Lisa's smile seems so mysterious, Monet's "Poppy Field" appears to sway in the breeze, Mondrian's "Broadway Boogie Woogie" blinks like the lights of Times Square, and Warhol's "Electric Chair" pulses with current. Drawing on history and her own cutting-edge discoveries, Livingstone offers intriguing insights, from explanations of common optical illusions to speculations on the correlation of learning disabilities with artistic skill.

About the Author
Margaret Livingstone is Professor of Neurobiology at Harvard Medical School. She has published numerous scholarly articles about vision and her discoveries have been reported in The New York Times, The Boston Globe and National Geographic, among other mainstream periodicals. David Hubel, Professor of Neurobiology at Harvard Medical School, shared the 1981 Nobel Prize for Medicine.

Same here - loved "When Christ and All His Saints Slept" the most, but really enjoyed her others too. She really brings history to life!

Yes, it does - and does so in a way which is very readable considering she delves into some complex areas. The book is also very well-illustrated, and discusses lots of specific examples in art. I think there are lots of things she touches on where the ideas could be directly exploited by artists who understand them well.

phew! I looked it up at the Canadian Amazon $249.00!!!
I am sure yours said under twenty.
Then I found out it comes in paper back for under $20 here.
I wonder how they are so far apart.
Anyways it sounds very interesting, I'll have to check it out.

I'm re-reading a book titled, "Winning Every Time" by Lis Wiehl. The tag line is "How to Use the Skills of a Lawyer in the Trials of Your Live." I first checked it out of our local public library and liked it so well I purchased it in PDF format.

I highly recommend the book because I believe that almost everyone wants a win/win results when there is a conflict. Basically I think this is what the book teaches. And I think that if we approach a conflict with the attitude that the people involved want to do the right thing then everyone will be inspired to do the right thing for everyone concerned.

Although the book teaches some very good advice it is difficult for me to learn to apply these principles when there is need for them. So, I will continue to re-read the book until I can remember the advice when I need it. I guess the book would be easier to apply if I had been to law school instead of the "school of hard knocks".

I did use the principles taught in the book to resolve a small conflict I had with our local post office. I gathered my "evidence", then politely appealed to their sense of right, or duty, and when they denied fault I explained to them that I would consider the item "lost" and reorder. My show "evidence" plus my show of respect, evidently motivated them to do a more thorough search and they found the missing item.

Bobby

Bobby, I'm definitely putting that book on my list of reading! Sounds like something I could use! I'm also reading "Eat, Pray, Love" by Elizabeth Gilbert. It's very good - but (to me) more understandable in small bites, so I read a chapter and let it absorb for a week or so.

I'm a nibblier too. It seems to me that the best books are the ones slow to digest.

Same here. But, I'm not one to turn down lighter reading either, and nibbling turns to gobbling when I get hold of one of Elizabeth Peters' novels. I can usually take one of those with a couple of bags of Cheetos and finish both at the same time! It's ok though - I stop in the middle for an ice cream break.

When I read it is generally something historic; person, place or event. I also do a lot of listening to books on cd or MP3 these days. Just now I'm listening to Angels and Demons. Also listening to and learning German language. I listen on my commute and also at the gym when I'm on the elliptical, bike or treadmill. It's awesome!

I love historical novels. factual or fictional ...the best ones are a mixture of both.

I absolutely loved this -- maybe you will too? Historical fiction/fantasy/mystery.

Rusty, I to am listening to Angels and Demons on my ipod at the moment. I read the book about 2 years ago and really enjoyed, but then I enjoy all Dan Browns Books. My wife is an avid bookworm and as well as a house full of books subscribes to an online audio book club. So I have lots to choose from. I listen to them mostly in the car on my journey to the office (2 hour ish journey) or on the train when I have to go to London (not to often thankfully). I usually have one proper book and an audio book on the go at any one time.


John

that sounds like a really good book and you posted in time too.I have a book order with alibris i just added this book to it. thanks for the tip..i went to amazon and they let you read a few pages, it sounds good already

Thanks again

I'm reading Dan Brown's Angels and Demons for the second time around. I read it in the summer 2005, upon returning from a college trip that went to Rome. The book is so enjoyably well done, and having just been to many of the sites from the plot, including the Santa Maria de Vittoria (BEAUTIFUL,) made the book that much better

I'm rereading now so that it's fresh in my mind when the movie comes out on the 15th of May. The book is a great read- even better than DaVinci Code, if you ask me.

hi i love stephen king the endings are never what you expect.the funny thing is although i love horror books .i can not watch horror films they scare me to much.by the way the last stepen king book i read was the cell .ithad all the great elements and kept you guessin right to the end from paula

The last Stephen King book i read was "The Stand". It scared me so bad I haven't read any of his books since! I gave it to my stepdaughter - she's a total germ-o-phobe now.

that is a good book though.but i know what you mean after reading it when i got a cold.i kept thinking of the story in the stand

I have just finished reading This Charming Man by Marian Keyes. At first I thought it was just going to be another 'chick lit' and it is. However it treats a serious subject- domestic violence. The dénouement is unrealistic but apart from that it is a good read.

Just wanted to say woot to ncgirl about the Xanth books, I've read several and enjoyed them all haha.

Right now I'm going through Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series. I'm on The Dragon Reborn right now. The series is epic haha, each book is around 800 pages and there are like twelve of them or something.

I'm also reading The Questions of Jesus, where the writer, I'm afraid I don't remember his name, takes all of the questions that Jesus asks in the Bible and goes into detail on all of them.

Very slowly I'm reading C S Lewis' Out of Silent Planet books, I'm not that far through the first one, Prelandra I think it is, as he tends to take a slower, meandering route in the book. Where some parts can have action, there is quite a lot of description, and it's not a terribly long work.

I'm also reading a collection of Killraven comics. The story is based on the concepts in H G Wells The War of the Worlds. Where after the aliens were shown that mother nature is boss, they go back to mars and research chemical and nucular warfare and return, and win. They capture humans to be servants and gladiators, Killraven, one such gladiator, broke out from his training compound and began to collect others who had escaped into a group of rebles called the Freemen. That's about where you come in.

Hello everyone! I am also a great fan of Dan Brown and read almost all of his books. But now I´m actually into afterlife stories...
At the moment I´m reading "Destiny of Souls", from Michael Newton, Ph.D.. It´s a collection of case studies of life between lives. But I must say that I prefer the books of Dr. Brian Weiss, about the same issues. They are all very interesting and refreshing...
Regards to all!

Click to view attachment

Because I do not read so many books I thought to show you what my ***** reads!!

Regards,
Cees

I'm now reading Hermann Hesse's "Steppenwolf" and "Klingsor's Last Summer".

I am actually waiting to see this movie. I just heard of Neil Gaiman recently when I saw "The Graveyard Book" somewhere online. I guess the books are aimed at teens, but they seem like good reading.

I read this recently as I am a huge King fan. Quite enjoyable.

I am currently reading "Edgar Sawtelle" by David Wroblewski. Something that is outside my realm of interest as I love Stephen King books mostly (especially "The Dark Tower" series - which I have read 3 times!!!). Also, to fill boredom at work, I am on my 2nd Clive Cussler book, "Treasure of Kahn". Another author that I never saw myself getting into, but a chance purchase one day peaked my interest. Kirk

Currently reading "The Organic Chemistry of Museum Objects" by Mills & White (I have a background in biochemistry, so this may be a bit heavy going for most people, but if you are seriously interested in the materials science underlying art, then I highly recommend it - the authors are from the UK's National Gallery).

Also, newly published - "Alla Prima, A Contemporary Guide to Traditional Direct Painting" by Al Gury (not to be confused with "Alla Prima , Everything I Know about Painting" by Richard Schmid - highly recommended, get it in softback from his own website, at www.richardschmid.com ) - the Gury book looks to be a pretty good general overview, particularly if your tastes run more to the contemporary.


Dave

Arphot, I'm totally with you for the Dark Tower saga. What an epic !
Right now, I'm re-reading The Watchmen by Dave Gibbons, as the movie is just out and I want to refresh my memory before going to see it. The best graphic novel there is, IMHO.

well now that i am done sniffing it, caressing it, scanning it, admiring the sheer weight of information, I am able to settle in and actually READ
Drawing from Line to Life by Mike Sibley. This book is amazing and i hope to be able to learn and apply much from it

I've just finished 'And Then They Were None',by Agatha Christie. Her stories have always been interesting to me and her specific way of writing - it is not just being a detectiv story.
Tomorrow I'm starting 'Hotel' by Arthur Hailey and I'm not pretty sure that i'm going to be interested but we'll see. Has anybody read that?

I haven't read an Authur Hailey book in ages.
His were some of the first adult books I ever read, I loved them and read all I could find.

has any read and if so would anyone recommend 'perspective without pain' ?
I have read and tried lots of lessons, but they are all very hard for me, i am sooo thick in this area, perhaps this book will be the magic read

Hello everyone!

Just want to make sure all of your already checked Greeneyes topic in the General Discussion Forum, about free downloads of Andrew Loomis drawing and painting books!

Here´s the link: http://www.drawspace.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=9153

Enjoy!

Best regards,
Sonia.

About a Boy - Nick Hornsby

I'm currently reading "My Sister's Keeper" by Jodi Picoult. It's quite interesting so far

I have a tendency to read non-fiction a lot. When I do read fiction it is usually about forensic cases, authors like Patricia Cornwell, Kathy Reichs. I am in the middle of "The Other Great Depression", Richard Lewis' (the comedian) autobiography. I usually have several books going at one time, I am reading "Dead Even" by Brad Meltzer, A tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens, The Five People you Meet in Heaven, The Hundred Year Lie, The Psychic in You.

I recently finished these art related books: 1000 Artist Journal Pages, An Illustrated Life, Journal Revolution, Drawing from Within, How to Keep a Sketchbook Journal, Watercolor Painting for Dummies, The New Creative Artist, Visual Chronicles, Kaleidoscope, and I am working through the exercise in Keys to Drawing.
I go back and forth with Drawing in Pen and Ink, and Sketching your Favorite subjects in Pen and Ink
I read a lot of books about psychiatry, psychology, and brain science, multiple personality, and other various mental health conditions.

In the past, I read some wonderful books, one I really enjoyed but she has not written anything else yet "The Thirteen Tale". I loved Memoir of a Geisha, and Jeffrey Archer's A Prisoner by Birth, Merle's Door, Deceived, Beyond Bad, Escape, Prior Bad Acts, Gang Leader for a Day, Switching Time, The Innocent Man, Three Cups of Tea, 1984, Zodiac, TinRoof Blowdown, Up From Orchard Street, The Devil in the White City, The Road, The Elephant and the Dragon, Because They Hate, Child 44, Island at the Center of the World, The Adventure of English.

Living in Florida, I am a huge fan of Carl Hiaasen, Skinny Dip was very good. So was Double Whammy, both Hiaasen's
I have about 10 books in the queue, Infidel, The Post-American World, Honeymoon in Tehren, Beautiful Boy, The Center Can Not Hold, Better, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Brass Verdict, Because You Loved Me, Native Tongue, Brain Rules.

Whew, So I guess you can see what I do in my "spare" time. Many of these are audio books, I used to listen while waiting in doctor's waiting rooms, but lately I use that time sketching in my sketchbook journal.

I have that book, and I have browsed through it, but have not gone through it to learn and do exercises yet. It is a very good book, in my opinion, but I have so many technique books I am using right now, and I don't have the time to give "Prospective..." its proper attention. Have you ever used "Half.com"? It is part of eBay and I have gotten some great art books for reasonable prices. I maintain a wish list there and when I have a few cents to rub together, I buy from them. I have found them much cheaper than say...Amazon. If you do decide to shop there, mention that I recommended you, I think I get a $5 credit, which I will be happy to give you.