The Book Thread! What are you reading?

[erilaz]

I just read The Avengers #5: The Afrit Affair, a tie-in novel based on the wonderful 1960s British TV series, not the Marvel superheroes. I was amused by the fact that the book's villain was a proponent of an artificial international language called Omnilingua: "The first and only truly democratic and unbiased world language. It is made up of elements of over two hundred little-known dialects, spoken by over half the world's population." ("And thus equally incomprehensible to all," quips Steed.)

[DSQueenie]

^
I've never seen The Avengers but I heard it's one of the few BBC shows that's print is still in great condition unlike it's contemporary Doctor Who. Would you say it's worth a watch?

I'm reading "The Revenge of History: The Battle For The 21st Century" which is not just a response to the book "The End of History and the Last Man" but is a collection of essays about the 21st century's major events so far and about how it's major world powers have rose and fell. It's pretty interesting and I like political books that pick a side and fight for it rather than stand in the middle. That way you can read both sides really make your own mind up. After reading "12 Years a Slave" I'm gonna read TEoHatL to see the other side.

[erilaz]

^
I've never seen The Avengers but I heard it's one of the few BBC shows that's print is still in great condition unlike it's contemporary Doctor Who. Would you say it's worth a watch?

It's actually not a BBC show; it was produced by ABC Television and broadcast on ITV (Channel 3). I love the show, its mix of espionage and sci-fi, and its witty humour. You should at the very least see the two series starring Diana Rigg as Emma Peel (Series 4 & 5, 1965–67). Those are the classic episodes.

Don't waste your time with the 1998 film version starring Ralph Fiennes and Uma Thurman, though. That was a train wreck.

[TotallyUncool]

I agree -- the Emma Peel episodes are definitely the ones worth watching!

[DSQueenie]

Iol I always get BBC and ITV shows mixed up - especially when they are older. xD Thank for the recommendation I'll definitely give those episodes a watch after I finish my current series.

[Mirai]

^just remember that Downton Abbey airs on ITV

I'm currently making my through A Game of Thrones

[koregaboku]

I read the Percy Jackson series

Wasn't that bad. Lol.

[erilaz]

I just finished The Ocean at the End of the Lane, another wonderful, magical novel by Neil Gaiman.

My friend Grace got thanked in the acknowledgments. Yay!

[erilaz]

Just finished: Language: Its Nature, Development and Origin (1922) by Otto Jespersen. Somewhat antiquated in places, but still interesting. I especially enjoyed Jespersen's occasional references to Ido, which he strongly supported as an international auxiliary language at the time.

Just started: The Lexicographer's Dilemma: The Evolution of "Proper" English, from Shakespeare to South Park (2009) by Jack Lynch

[DSQueenie]

Just finished the Darcy: A Gentleman series. It's a published P&P fiction that is well written in a technical sense, if unnecessary. It's pretty bad story wise but not unreadable.