Don't people read anymore?

[Reality,,its here.Accept it.]

...Michael Crichton say that Global Warming is just a theory and it isnt happening.

:shock:
maybe Bush commissioned him to write that book...

I think Michael Crichton should go back to practising medicine:). Environment isnt his field of expertise.

[Lucifer]

Just finished reading The Dream Merchants (again). Why don't they write such books anymore?



I was just wondering, and it is just a theory of mine here. The authors of the pre70's or pre 60s era gave so much stress on characterisation.



For example, if you pick up any book of Harold Robbins, say The Carpetbaggers, you can exactly say what kind of a person Jonas Cord is. You can say what his hobbies are, what he has for breakfast, hell even how long he would spend in the bathroom.



Flashback to this day. I read The Da Vinci Code and Angels and Demons recently. Both are by Dan Brown and both have Robert Langdon (a Harvard Prof) as the protagonist. But, I still cannot figure out Langdon's character. I would never be able to attribute anything more to him than what I would attribute to a typical Harvard Prof.



Make no mistake. I am in no way implying that Dan Brown is anywhere near Robbins' league, but I do consider that this trend signifies a decline in literature. What say?

[Der Schakal]

Just finished Disclosure.Aitraaz was nothing like the book.The book rocked.

[Lucifer]

Just finished Disclosure.Aitraaz was nothing like the book.The book rocked.

No offence, but isn't the comparison asinine? Would you compare The Godfather with Dharmatma?

[Der Schakal]

Just finished Disclosure.Aitraaz was nothing like the book.The book rocked.

No offence, but isn't the comparison asinine? Would you compare The Godfather with Dharmatma?

Good point.



I am re-reading Fist of God.Forgot how awesome Fredrick Forsyth books are.

[ycr007]

Just finished Disclosure.Aitraaz was nothing like the book.The book rocked.

No offence, but isn't the comparison asinine? Would you compare The Godfather with Dharmatma?

Good point.

I am re-reading Fist of God.Forgot how awesome Fredrick Forsyth books are.

Freddie's books are way too costly here in India..

I sometimes manage to catch cheap stripped edition...but till date haven't finished one.

[Der Schakal]

Just finished Disclosure.Aitraaz was nothing like the book.The book rocked.

No offence, but isn't the comparison asinine? Would you compare The Godfather with Dharmatma?

Good point.

I am re-reading Fist of God.Forgot how awesome Fredrick Forsyth books are.

Freddie's books are way too costly here in India..
I sometimes manage to catch cheap stripped edition...but till date haven't finished one.

Arnt they the same price as any other book?

[ycr007]

Just finished Disclosure.Aitraaz was nothing like the book.The book rocked.

No offence, but isn't the comparison asinine? Would you compare The Godfather with Dharmatma?

Good point.

I am re-reading Fist of God.Forgot how awesome Fredrick Forsyth books are.

Freddie's books are way too costly here in India..
I sometimes manage to catch cheap stripped edition...but till date haven't finished one.

Arnt they the same price as any other book?

Nope...they are about twice as costly as a cheap Novel...Almost all Top Author's Novels are costly in India...

[CtrlAltDel]

...I was just wondering, and it is just a theory of mine here. The authors of the pre70's or pre 60s era gave so much stress on characterisation......
.......but I do consider that this trend signifies a decline in literature. What say?

yes u r right...most of the novels today are more like screenplay of a 90 minute movie...maybe the authors have film deals in mind b4 writing a book. most of the outputs of authors these days (other than a few honorable exceptions) cant even be compared to the pulp fiction specialized by James Hadley Chase...

[Scorpion's Sting]

Flashback to this day. I read The Da Vinci Code and Angels and Demons recently. Both are by Dan Brown and both have Robert Langdon (a Harvard Prof) as the protagonist. But, I still cannot figure out Langdon's character. I would never be able to attribute anything more to him than what I would attribute to a typical Harvard Prof.

I rather enjoy his non-descriptive style of writing, it gives the book a sort of "pace". However, I would still not minf re-reading Atlas Shrugged. What I'm saying is that every author has his/her own style of writing and some people may enjoy it while others may not appreciate it.

[Habitual Perfectionist]

Just finished reading Manchester Blue by a new author, Eddy Shah. Good pacy read and it was a good mix of drama and the thriller genres. It seems the author is a media tycoon in England and has just tried his hand at writing. Want to read his other books too (there are two more he's written).

[Lucifer]

I rather enjoy his non-descriptive style of writing, it gives the book a sort of "pace". However, I would still not minf re-reading Atlas Shrugged. What I'm saying is that every author has his/her own style of writing and some people may enjoy it while others may not appreciate it.

Agreed.



But, would you be able to re-read a Dan Brown or a Tom Clancy? And, that is why I feel that characterisation is important. You love Atlas Shrugged because all the characters in it are so powerful. A book has lasting appeal only when the characters in it are larger than life. Who wants to read about a normal everyday guy? Junta needs to read about people they can only dream to be like.

[mark]

Since i came to India i've read pretty much the best books i've ever read, Catch 22, Something Happened, One flew over the Cukoos Nest, Brave New World, Dune.



dyin to get my hands on Hunter S Thompson, Hells Angels, and Tom Wolfe, The Electric Kool Aid Acid Test.



if anyone knows where i can get hem give me a shout.

[Habitual Perfectionist]

Since i came to India i've read pretty much the best books i've ever read, Catch 22, Something Happened, One flew over the Cukoos Nest, Brave New World, Dune.

dyin to get my hands on Hunter S Thompson, Hells Angels, and Tom Wolfe, The Electric Kool Aid Acid Test.

if anyone knows where i can get hem give me a shout.

the stretch from Flora Fountain to Churchgate in Mumbai is where you can lay your hands on any book. Dunno if you would be here till feb, but I'm going to Mumbai in Feb and can pick these up for you if you want.

[mark]

Since i came to India i've read pretty much the best books i've ever read, Catch 22, Something Happened, One flew over the Cukoos Nest, Brave New World, Dune.

dyin to get my hands on Hunter S Thompson, Hells Angels, and Tom Wolfe, The Electric Kool Aid Acid Test.

if anyone knows where i can get hem give me a shout.

the stretch from Flora Fountain to Churchgate in Mumbai is where you can lay your hands on any book. Dunno if you would be here till feb, but I'm going to Mumbai in Feb and can pick these up for you if you want.

man, haven't you heard? i'm here till 2006 at least. way things are going that might stretch till 2007

[CtrlAltDel]

Since i came to India i've read pretty much the best books i've ever read, Catch 22, Something Happened, One flew over the Cukoos Nest, Brave New World, Dune.

dyin to get my hands on Hunter S Thompson, Hells Angels, and Tom Wolfe, The Electric Kool Aid Acid Test.

if anyone knows where i can get hem give me a shout.

the stretch from Flora Fountain to Churchgate in Mumbai is where you can lay your hands on any book. Dunno if you would be here till feb, but I'm going to Mumbai in Feb and can pick these up for you if you want.

man, haven't you heard? i'm here till 2006 at least. way things are going that might stretch till 2007

in Hyderabad, u can try the Best Books (used/pirated books) at Ladkikapul. u'd be surprised looking at their collection. if they dont have a copy, u can place an order with them.

[Lucifer]

if they dont have a copy, u can place an order with them.

Really? You think they would be able to get a book for me called "And Quiet Flows the Don"? It is by an author called Mikhail Sholokov. He got the Noble for the book. It is too damn good. Read it if you can get a hold of it.

[azazel]

picked up The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty the other day from Odyssey.. gotto start reading again..

[CtrlAltDel]

if they dont have a copy, u can place an order with them.

Really? You think they would be able to get a book for me called "And Quiet Flows the Don"? It is by an author called Mikhail Sholokov.

why dont u try them? they claim they can get any book if u give them the details like name n author. that book sounds interesting...i'll read it if i get my hands on it.

[ycr007]

if they dont have a copy, u can place an order with them.

Really? You think they would be able to get a book for me called "And Quiet Flows the Don"? It is by an author called Mikhail Sholokov.

why dont u try them? they claim they can get any book if u give them the details like name n author. that book sounds interesting...i'll read it if i get my hands on it.

What about Online Book Shops???

[Lucifer]

What about Online Book Shops???

You know what it costs online? USD 45 plus shipping! I am not AV Birla, you know.

[ycr007]

What about Online Book Shops???

You know what it costs online? USD 45 plus shipping! I am not AV Birla, you know.

Well,I did't think it would be that much..

Since Indian Sites sell most bestsellers for around 500/- incl P&H,I thot

sites like Amazon & eBay would have lesser prices (Atleast in USD),But

I was wrong!!

[Scorpion's Sting]

And, that is why I feel that characterisation is important. You love Atlas Shrugged because all the characters in it are so powerful. A book has lasting appeal only when the characters in it are larger than life. Who wants to read about a normal everyday guy? Junta needs to read about people they can only dream to be like.

If you feel that the character has to be larger than life then you should read Joseph Heller's Something Happened. I agree that a second-time read of a Tom Clancy or a Dan Brown won't be as interesting as a re-read of some of the classics but I won't go as far as to call it a deterioration of literature, in fact, I would rather term it as a progress, people are now looking down lanes they didn't even think of before.

[Lucifer]

... people are now looking down lanes they didn't even think of before.

I don't quite agree. This style of writing is not new. There have been loads of authors in the past who have done what Dan Brown or Tom Clancy are doing. Some of them have been quite popular as well - Leon Uris, Robert Ludlum, etc. These guys wrote brilliant books in their time, some of which make an interesting read even today. But, save for a few works, you would not really be able to point out a great character.



The point I am trying to make is that there have always been authors who have given more importance to the story than to the characters, but there were authors, too, who gave imprtance to both. Today, I really doubt if we have any author who can write a character as powerful as the likes of Don Corleone, Jonas Cord, Johnny Edge, etc.

[The Scorpion's Sting]

Today, I really doubt if we have any author who can write a character as powerful as the likes of Don Corleone, Jonas Cord, Johnny Edge, etc.

I conccur.