books

[dakegra]

so, Neal Stephenson has a new book out next week, Anathem. It looks pretty interesting, but I'm wary - his recent Baroque Cycle nearly finished me off - I got halfway through Quicksilver before mi brane started leaking out of one ear. That said, I loved Cryptonomicon, and Snow Crash is just ace. I watched a bit of Neal reading from Anathem last night (can't remember which site, probably io9.com). Some authors should *not* be allowed to read their own stuff out loud. :-) There are a couple of exceptions which spring to mind: Jasper Fforde and Neil Gaiman are both wonderful speakers. Dave Gorman is also damn good at the book reading thing. So, dear reader. Which authors do you like to hear read their own work? And, for bonus points, will *you* be buying Anathem? as ever, it's on my amazon wishlist, if you're feeling flush. :-)

Comments

[maviscruet.livejournal.com]

All ready brought it...... (in that it's pre-ordered). And for the record I think the Baroque cycle is perhaps his best book - I've read it about 4 times and for once - the ending does not suck.....

[dakegra.livejournal.com]

maybe I need to try it again - I suspect I got distracted by something shiny midway through Quicksilver...

[maviscruet.livejournal.com]

It's long, and in places slow, but worth it.

[huskyteer.livejournal.com]

Garrison Keillor, of course - who else could read Lake Wobegon? Bill Bryson is very good at reading his own stuff too.

[kniblet.livejournal.com]

David Sedaris. I could listen to him for hours.

[sloopjonb.livejournal.com]

Seconded. The late Sir John Betjeman was also brilliant at reading his own stuff. Of living authors ... hmmm ... Stephen Fry, but his books do tend to be annoying.

[sloopjonb.livejournal.com]

I read the Cryptonomicon, and at the end I thought ... what was the point of all that, then? And some bits of it were just gratuitously silly.

[oed-1.livejournal.com]

I can not wait for Anthem. Really excited for seeing something from him.

The first time I read Quicksilver it took me 2 years...just could not get into it. Then I read the 2nd in the series, and it was very good. Finished off the trilogy then went back to Quicksilver...2nd time was MUCh better. It is really the setup for the next 2, so it is kinda slow and hard to get into. If you can get through it to read the others, I think you will appreciate it after it is all done.