What are you reading?

[Highlander]

Highlander, when it comes to ASOIAF who are some of your favorites?
I like Dany, Tyrion, Barristan and Jon Snow.

Favourite characters are Arya, Jon, and Tyrion. Favourite storyline is Daenerys', althought not necessarily my favourite character. Bran's storyline is also getting intersting. Even getting to like Jaime Lannister after reading from his point of view. I think that's another thing that makes this series stand out - there are no real clear cut goodies and baddies, just different points of view.
Worst major character is probably Catelyn, can't stand her. Which major character (one that gets chapters named after them) do you dislike the most?

[robbypark]

The character I dislike the most is Cersei, hands down. What a bitch she is. I also dislike Littlefinger quite a lot.

I also like Jaimie as a character. He's really starting to make a 360 turn. I was a also a huge fan of the Mongol warriors and Khal Drogo, as well a big fan of Strong Belwas and Ser Davos. At the beginning I was a Stark man all the way but then of course the situation with Ned as well as "The Red Wedding" took place.

Another thing I love about Martin is how he intertwines all these different races and ethnicities into his books. You have the Western/European peoples covered in stories of the Seven Kingdoms and you have the Asian and Arab races covered in Dany's POV. I'm still befuddled as to who the Dornishman are. Are they Asian or Hispanic? All they say about the people of Dorne is that they're shorter, have dark hair and dark eyes.

[dwarfofdoom]

I'm struggling (and I mean STRUGGLING) with Ulysses by James Joyce. With the exception of my legal textbooks I've never felt so stupid whilst reading. Even Shakespear is easier to read.

I'm going to start on Louise Cooper's Our Lady of Snow (picked it up for 20p) once I've finished Ulysses (which at the rate I'm going will be sometime next year).

I'd recomend The Axe by Donald E. Westlake, anything by Pratchett. If you like Pratchett, try Robert Rankin (if you not easily offended that is).

I like the Hap Colins and Leonard books by Joe R. Lansdale, The Void Trilogy (a little diasppointing but overall very enjoyable). Anything by Elmore Leonard and the Iceberg Slim books too.

I love Graphic novels too, so I'll put down some recomendations for those too:
Watchmen by Alan Moore
V for Vendetta by Alan Moore
Goodbye Chunky Rice
Blankets (great book)
Usagi Yojimbo by Stan Sakai
Akira
Bone by Jeff Smith (this needs to be a cartoon series)
Calvin and Hobbes

[Highlander]

Another thing I love about Martin is how he intertwines all these different races and ethnicities into his books. You have the Western/European peoples covered in stories of the Seven Kingdoms and you have the Asian and Arab races covered in Dany's POV. I'm still befuddled as to who the Dornishman are. Are they Asian or Hispanic? All they say about the people of Dorne is that they're shorter, have dark hair and dark eyes.

They might be Italians? He always talks about Dornish wine which is meant to be really good stuff.

The idea of the Wall, George Martin got from Hadrian's Wall in North England which was built by the Roman Emperor Hadrian ~ AD 130 (this was before Scotland and England existed as countries) to mark the most nothern part of the Roman Empire (the Romans never conquered Scotland). The land beyond Hadrian's Wall was occupied by the Picts, who were eventually ousted by the Scots (a race from Ireland). So Martin's Wildlings are akin to the Picts which the Romans were unable to culture/tame.
Anyway, because of this I always imagine The Sunset Islands as being like Britain and Dany's storyline as taking place in Europe and the Middle East and Asia. I can't really remember too much about the details of the books since I read them so long ago, except how good they were.

[Cbear]

I'd recomend The Axe by Donald E. Westlake, anything by Pratchett. If you like Pratchett, try Robert Rankin (if you not easily offended that is).

I like the Hap Colins and Leonard books by Joe R. Lansdale, The Void Trilogy (a little diasppointing but overall very enjoyable). Anything by Elmore Leonard and the Iceberg Slim books too.

Donald Westlakes does some funny, smart novels featuring a character named Dortmunder, but I prefer the dark, noir novels he writes under the nom de plume, Richard Stark featuring Parker.

The Hap and Leonard books by Lansdale are good. I'd also recommend Dead in the West (sorta like Outlaw Josey Wales meets Dawn of Dead). Riders of the Purple rage is short stories and includes Bubba ho Tep as well as Godzillas 12 Step Program (great stuff). Zeppelins West is a surreal horror-comedy book about Buffalo Bills disembodied head leading his wild west show to Japan where they are attacked by Samurai (includes Cap Nemo, Frankenstein, the Tin Man and other characters in a totally bent way).

[ACIDBATHBELFORT]

Loot, I find psychology extremely interesting. Especially, psychoanalysis. To try and tap into someones head. I had thought about getting into forensic psychology, but I have to admit I dont think I could handle it.

[Loot]

Loot, I find psychology extremely interesting. Especially, psychoanalysis. To try and tap into someones head. I had thought about getting into forensic psychology, but I have to admit I dont think I could handle it.

I find it very interesting (which is why I am going to do it for a living and I see clients now. I find it to be very interesting and rewarding work).

When people think Psychoanalysis, they usually think of Freud. Most of Freud's early ideas have been shunned today, but they are the basis for many widely accepted theories and practices that are still used in what is known as Psychodynamic theory, as well as psychoanalysis. If you are interested in this type of thing, pick up:

Psychoanalytic Diagnosis by Nancy McWilliams
This is one of the first psychoanalytic texts I have come across that is actually readable. I can read it once and understand it, instead of reading two pages and going back to figure out WTF is going on. She also writes a few other books that are great as well.

After reading that, I would recommend

Cognitive Therapy: Basics and Beyond by Judith Beck

This book does a good job of explaining Cognitive Theory, which is probably the most frequently used theory in practice today (most people are eclectic)

Anyway, those two books would give you a great idea of what goes on both in theory and in therapy. They are both readable and interesting, and they both are organized in a way that explains theory and then practice.

I know that might be a bit much, but I figured "What the hell" maybe you will pick one up.....

[tripwire]

Wow Loot! I got bored just reading that, I can't imagine reading those books<Grin> Just kidding of course.

[ACIDBATHBELFORT]

Thanks loot, Im gonna try and check at least one out in time. I have a book on samurai coming in. But I wouldnt mine checking out the Psychoanalytic Diganosis book. Freud was a coke headed, pervert. His premise was good. Just his reasoning(oedipus complex, etc) is a little wacked out.

[Loot]

Freud gets more credit than people realize. People have moved away from his more outrageous ideas, but in general his influence on psychology is far greater than pop culture tends to realize....With the oedipus complex, it is more symbolic these days than actual, but when you understand the underlying theory the symbolis makes perfect sense.

I would start with McWIlliams if I had to choose one.