Dan Brown, Angels and Demons

We meet with the Oncologist and Neurosurgeon this week and all looks good. They did an MRI to make sure the tumor is still stable and it is. As long as lauren does not get sick everything will go as planned. They are not sure how long the actual surgery to remove the tumor will take so they have the OR booked for the Day. They expect her to be in the PICU for at least a week and then step-down for another week if everything goes well. It will take a week to get the biopsy back of what they remove, if there does happen to be cancer cells they will start chemo in about a month after the surgery. We are hoping this is not the case and they are not expecting it since the 2 large biopsy's they have done have not been cancer.

Please continue to pray for no sickness between now and the surgery and that she will not get any infections in the OR or while in the hospital. Also pray that they do not have to take her carotid artery as this could be catastrophic. The artery as well as the trigeminal nerve are in the area in which the tumor is located and they have no way to tell if it's involved or not until they are physically in there. The incision will be rather large but their goal is to keep it in the hair line so not to scare her pretty face. They will also have to remove a part of her skull in order to reach and remove the tumor. They will have to remove part of her periostium to put in place of the tumor and may have to lay down synthetic mesh work where the bone has been eroded to make sure the brain does not herniate. That's pretty much it in a rather large nutshell. It's quite a lot for a 5 month old to go through so please keep up the prayers.

Que mistério se esconde por trás do sorriso de Mona Lisa? Durante séculos, a igreja conseguiu manter a verdade oculta... até agora. Antes de morrer assassinado, Jacques Saunière, o último grande mestre de uma sociedade secreta que remonta ao tempo da fundação dos Templários, transmite a sua neta Sofia uma chave misteriosa. Saunière e seus antecessores, entre os quais se encontravam homens como Isaac Newton e Leonardo da Vinci, conservaram durante séculos um conhecimento que pôde mudar completamente a história da humanidade. Agora Sofia, com a ajuda do expert em simbologia Robert Langdon, parte em busca deste segredo, em uma carreira trepidante que os levam de uma chave a outra, decifrando mensagens ocultas nos mais famosos quadros do genial pintor e nas paredes das antigas catedrais. Um quebra-cabeças que poderá ser solucionado, já que não estão sozinhos no jogo: uma poderosa e influente organização católica está disposta a utilizar todos os meios para evitar que o segredo seja divulgado. Um apaixonante jogo de chaves escondidas, revelações surpreendentes, enigmas complicados, verdades, mentiras, realidades históricas, mitos, símbolos, ritos, mistérios e suposições em uma trama cheia de reviravoltas inesperadas narrada com um ritmo incessante que conduz o leitor ao segredo mais cuidadosamente guardado desde o inicio da nossa era.

Um assassinato dentro do Museu do Louvre, em Paris, traz à tona uma sinistra conspiração para revelar um segredo que foi protegido por uma sociedade secreta desde os tempos de Jesus Cristo. A vítima é o respeitado curador do museu, Jacques Saunière, um dos líderes dessa antiga fraternidade, o Priorado de Sião, que já teve como membros Leonardo da Vinci, Victor Hugo e Isaac Newton.

Momentos antes de morrer, Saunière deixa uma mensagem cifrada que apenas a criptógrafa Sophie Neveu e Robert Langdon, um simbologista, podem desvendar. Eles viram suspeitos e em detetives enquanto tentam decifrar um intricado quebra-cabeças que pode lhes revelar um segredo milenar que envolve a Igreja Católica.

Apenas alguns passos à frente das autoridades e do perigoso assassino, Sophie e Robert vão à procura de pistas ocultas nas obras de Da Vinci e se debruçam sobre alguns dos maiores mistérios da cultura ocidental - da natureza do sorriso da Mona Lisa ao significado do Santo Graal. Mesclando os ingredientes de um envolvente suspense com informações sobre obras de arte, documentos e rituais secretos, Dan Brown consagrou-se como um dos autores mais brilhantes da atualidade.

Um código instigante oculto nas obras de Leonardo da Vinci. Uma corrida desesperada através de catedrais e castelos da Europa. Uma verdade espantosa escondida durante séculos e por fim desvendada.

Em Paris a trabalho, Robert Langdon, um simbologista de Harvard, recebe um telefonema urgente tarde da noite. O curador do Louvre foi encontrado assassinado dentro do museu com uma misteriosa mensagem cifrada ao lado do corpo.

À medida que Langdon e uma talentosa criptógrafa francesa, Sophie Neveu, vão decifrando uma por uma as estranhas charadas que se apresentam, surpreendem-se ao descobrir pistas ocultas nas obras de Da Vinci - visíveis a todos porém engenhosamente disfarçadas pelo pintor.

A trama está armada quando Langdon se depara com um dado estarrecedor: o curador morto estava ligado ao Priorado de Sião - uma sociedade secreta verdadeira que já teve como membros Sir Isaac Newton, Botticelli, Victor Hugo e Da Vinci, entre outros.

Langdon percebe que estão no encalço de um espantoso segredo histórico que, ao longo dos séculos, se mostrou ao mesmo tempo esclarecedor e perigoso. Em uma corrida frenética através de Paris e Londres, Langdon e Sophie vêem-se medindo forças com um oponente poderoso e desconhecido que parece prever cada um de seus passos. A menos que decifrem o complicado quebra-cabeças, os segredos do Priorado - e uma antiga verdade altamente perturbadora - estarão perdidos para sempre.

Rompendo com o padrão das histórias de suspense tradicionais, O Código Da Vinci é ao mesmo tempo dinâmico, inteligente e entremeado de detalhes e pesquisas notáveis. Das primeiras páginas à imprevisível conclusão, o celebrado autor Dan Brown revela-se um mestre do gênero.

I would ask that all who read this to continue to pray for Lauren and spread the word for others to lift her up to God as well. Prayer never hurts.

Dan Brown, Angels and Demons

The previous five items on this list (commandments one might call them) were some of the finest and greatest traditions, actions, statements and beliefs ever offered up to the table of humanity by America. What follows is the second half of the list- the yin to the previous list's yang- the six to the previous list's nine. Indeed. America is the land of the free. Home of some of the greatest things that will never go out of style.

6. The Golden Girls- Now I'm a pretty modest guy, but when I'm flipping through the channels and I come across (no pun intended) the Lifetime network and they're airing a rerun of The Golden Girls I drop everything I am doing, drop trout and urinate forcibly and uncontrollably on my television. Why? Because I gots to mark my territory. Beatrice Arthur, Betty White, Rue McClanahan and Estelle Getty were and in the eyes of me, are the finest working women in Television. They represent the best part of American life- the part that comes after selling your soul for a profession that grants you anonymity and a decent retirement package so that you can live out our last, and arguably worst years with those who annoy you. I can't wait to retire.

7. College Theses- If you didn't write one then you're probably a dumb ass and went to a second rate school like Vanderbilt or Brown. Nothing beats the feeling you get when you complete an essay that no one will read about a topic nobody gives a fuck about. Goddamn, it feels like yesterday when I turned my 101 page thesis (complete with 33 page bibliography) concerning the role of religion, specifically Christianity, in early 20th century American film, stage theater and literature juxtaposed with British history and theology. Hahaha. Hahaha. It gives me long winded laughs now that I have completed it, free of spelling errors of course. Yes. Yes indeed. Time well spent good sir. Jolly good indeed. Thank god for adderall.

8. Crystal Pepsi- I know what you're thinking; Crystal Pepsi went out of style in 1993 with Charlie Sheen and how much he shouldn't have taken that role in Major League 2 because it is what killed his career. Well you're wrong about both of those things, Charlie Sheen made a comeback and saved the film Major League 2 with his incredible acting ability. So goes Charlie Sheen, so goes Crystal Pepsi. We haven't seen it in 15 years, but I've got a feeling it's due.

9. Rudy Giuliani having Tourette Syndrome- I know we've tried to keep this website apolitical, but I had to say it. I want Rudy Giuliani to make a come back. I want him to campaign against John McCain and Barack Obama and I want him to crush both of them. I want Rudy Giuliani to be my president. Why? Because he can't control the things he says. Here is an actual transcript from a town hall meeting:

Citizen: Rudy, what is the phone number you call when your house is on fire?

Rudy: In that event I always call nine eleven.

Citizen: Good call sir. Also, what kind of car do you drive?

Rudy: I drive a Porsche nine eleven.

[googlevideo=http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6264789807296631344&q=rudy+giuliani+9%2F11&ei=lil8SJLtDpHCrgKBt4yTCw&hl=en]

10. The Sequel to the Da Vinci Code (Inside sources peg the title to be either Da Vinci Code 2: Cruise Control or The Last Supper 2: Die Harder)- Dan Brown is Jesus. Oops. I've already given it away. Yes, in the highly anticipated sequel to the textbook "The Da Vinci Code" Dan Brown admits that he himself is the blood and body of God. But this should be no big surprise to anyone who watches E! News on a nightly basis. Paparazzi snapped this photograph of Dan Brown exiting from his Lord powered Limo about 2 weeks ago. Proof is proof.

So there you have it, America. Ten things that define our nation in, not only this generation, but generations of the past and those to come.  No pun intended.

questa volta brainbuster.radiobox affronterà in 4 puntate il mistero. un mistero noto a molti, forse non a tutti: il mistero di Rennes-Le-Chateau e la catena di enigmi e voci che esso si trascina dietro da oltre un secolo. intrighi, templari, spionaggio, crittografia, religione, politica, avidità, ricatti e tesori, un vero e proprio "mito fondatore" che è tuttora gravido di sviluppi, spettacolistici e non, dalla semplice curiosità erudita fino a veri esercizi di dietrologia e parastoria, o a successi letterari e a una ricca "industria dell'occulto".

nel corso di quattro puntate di cui questa è la prima, cercheremo di descrivere i filoni e i temi relativi a questa vicenda iniziata nel sud della Francia, a una trentina di chilometri dalla bella città di Carcasonne e cominciata con il restauro di una sconosciuta parrocchia di campagna, ad opera di un modesto curato francese. almeno stando alle apparenze.

Don't worry about trying to hear the question at the beginning of the clip; he rehashes it.

I've listed them here along with AOL's comments, then posted some of my suggestions and comments below.  It's not that I believe I am as smart or as literate as AOL's marketing team, I just possess a different sensibility about the books I think are important.

AOL's list:

1. Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell - Published in 1936, Gone with the Wind sold 50,000 copies on its first day, and two million after a year. Even though it is 1,037 pages long, readers all over the world snatched up the book. In 1937 it was awarded the Pulitzer Prize. Mitchell prided herself on the historical accuracy of her work. Gone with the Wind is a sweeping account of how the Civil War tore apart an entire way of life, and Scarlett O'Hara is one of the most enduring characters in American fiction.

2. Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkein - Lord of the Rings is regarded by many to be the most important and influential work of fantasy of the 20th century. It generated the fantasy novel industry practically single-handedly, inspiring a multitude of novels concerning elves and dwarves on quests to conquer ultimate evil despite overwhelming odds. Although intended to be published as a single volume, its division into a trilogy created the iconic format for epic fantasy literature.

3. Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling - Follow Harry Potter from his first days at Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry, through his many adventures with Hermione and Ron, to his confrontations with rival Draco Malfoy and the dreaded Professor Snape. From a dangerous descent into the Chamber of Secrets to the Triwizard Tournament to the return of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, each adventure is more riveting and exhilarating than its predecessor.

4. The Stand by Stephen King - In 1978, Stephen King published The Stand , the novel that is now considered to be one of his finest works. It depicts his apocalyptic vision of a world blasted by plague and embroiled in an elemental struggle between good and evil. It is a gripping work with the scope and moral complexity of a true epic. Those reading The Stand for the first time will discover a triumphant and eerily plausible work of the imagination that takes on the issues that will determine our survival.

5. The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown - The elderly curator of the Louvre has been murdered. Near the body, police have found a baffling cipher. While working to solve the enigmatic riddle, Robert Langdon is stunned to discover it leads to a trail of clues hidden in the works of Da Vinci -- clues visible for all to see -- yet ingeniously disguised by the painter. The Da Vinci Code heralds the arrival of a new breed of lightning-paced, intelligent thriller...utterly unpredictable right up to its stunning conclusion.

6. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee - To Kill a Mockingbird is about the crisis of human behavior and conscience arising from the racism and prejudice that exist in the small Southern town during the Depression. Scout Finch tells the story of her father's defense of Tom Robinson, a young black man who is being tried for the rape of a white woman. Harper Lee's only novel, awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 1961, is a much-beloved tale of growing up, as well as an exploration of heroism confronted with bigotry.

7. Angels and Demons by Dan Brown - When a canister of anti-matter is stolen from a Swiss research facility, Robert Langdon is called in to investigate. A Harvard professor, Langdon is an expert on the ancient, quasi-scientific, and widely feared organization know as the Illuminati, who may or may not be wrapped up in the mystery. Angels and Demons preceeds The Da Vinci Code.

8. Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand - Rand's 1200-page novel Atlas Shrugged is a hymn of praise to the concept of rugged individualism, personified in John Galt. This polemic for Rand's philosophy of "rational self-interest" has been a steady seller since it was published in 1957.

9. Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger - J. D. Salinger's famous and enduring chronicle of Holden Caulfield's journey from innocence to experience is the quintessential coming-of-age novel. Salinger's 1951 novel Catcher in the Rye was a bestseller and became an immediate cult favorite, but it has also, over the years, been subject to criticism and even censorship because of its liberal use of profanity, its frank conversations about sex, and its generally irreverent view of the adult world.

10. The Holy Bible - The most popular and best-selling book of all time is the Holy Bible . No book has had more influence on the world. Its pages tell the story of the creation, fall, and redeption of mankind and the coming of Jesus Christ in the Gospels. The Bible contains epic stories of history, heroism, and hope.

My list:

1. The Bible - Tenth on AOL's list?  That seems like an AOL nod to the religious right after listing Harry Potter and The Da Vinci Code.  Since "no book has had more influence on the world," shouldn't it be listed first?  Whatever.

2. A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving - I'm a broken record when advocating for this book.  There is no character in literature more compelling than Owen Meany.  How can you go wrong with a book that begins, "I AM DOOMED to remember a boy with a wrecked voice - not because of his voice, or because he was the instrument of my mother's death, but because he is the reason I believe in God; I am a Christian because of Owen Meany."

3. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee - AOL's description doesn't do it justice, but mine likely wouldn't either.  Just read the book.

4. Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkein - Good choice.  I'd suggest The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis for those who would rather stay above ground.  Tolkein and Lewis were friends and engaged in a friendly competition of storytelling, so I don't see why their books can't stand alongside each other on a shelf (or in our hands).

5. Watchers by Dean Koontz - Although The Stand is a good one, I tend to prefer Koontz over King - although King is a GREAT writer.  Just my preference, I'm willing to be friends with King fans (I liked IT, the Green Mile, and Shawshank Redemption).  Watchers gave rise to Fear Nothing and Seize the Night (with Chris Snow and friends) and caused me to want to befriend a dog named Einstein.  I also give a HUGE nod to the Odd Thomas series by Koontz.

6. Great Expectations by Charles Dickens - How could Dickens be left from the list?  Great Expectations is richly descriptive about life in Victorian England.  A historical treat about the illusions of life.  A nod also to A Tale of Two Cities and Oliver Twist.  Just read something by Dickens at least once in your lifetime, even if it is the ever popular A Christmas Carol.

7. What's So Great About Christianity? by Dinesh D'Souza - An interesting read for Christians and Atheists alike.  It is a reluctant look at Christianity with equal skepticism toward atheism.  A fascinating read.

8. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury - A frightening look at a society we seem determined to emulate.  A nod also to The Abolition of Man by C.S. Lewis.

9. The Lord of the Flies by William Golding - Although I enjoyed The Catcher in the Rye, I prefer Ralph, Piggy, and the Savages and their loss of innocence while developing their own sense of self and society.

10. Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe - An excellent look at the colonization of Africa through the eyes of a tribal chief.

11. Life of Pi by Yann Martel.  An amazing tale of courage... with a twist.

I realize I have listed 11 rather than 10 and that a couple of these are not on my personal top 10, but these are the books that (I think) are more than a guilty pleasure.

I have nothing against Harry Potter, Dan Brown, or Ayn Rand (I realize I'm wandering between a fictional character and a couple of authors), I've just never read them and so don't feel comfortable suggesting them to anyone else.  They are on my TBR list, I just haven't made it to them yet - I have found other material more compelling at the moment.  Perhaps after reading them I'll add them to a must read list.

Antes de decifrar 'O Código Da Vinci', Robert Langdon, o famoso professor de simbologia de Harvard, vive sua primeira aventura em 'Anjos e Demônios', quando tenta impedir que uma antiga sociedade secreta destrua a Cidade do Vaticano. Às vésperas do conclave que vai eleger o novo Papa, Langdon é chamado às pressas para analisar um misterioso símbolo marcado a fogo no peito de um físico assassinado em um grande centro de pesquisas na Suíça. Ele descobre indícios de algo inimaginável - a assinatura macabra no corpo da vítima - um ambigrama que pode ser lido tanto de cabeça para cima quanto de cabeça para baixo - é dos Illuminati, uma poderosa fraternidade considerada extinta há quatrocentos anos. A antiga sociedade ressurgiu disposta a levar a cabo a lendária vingança contra a Igreja Católica, seu inimigo mais odiado. De posse de uma nova arma devastadora, roubada do centro de pesquisas, ela ameaça explodir a Cidade do Vaticano e matar os quatro cardeais mais cotados para a sucessão papal. Correndo contra o tempo, Langdon voa para Roma junto com Vittoria Vetra, uma bela cientista italiana. Numa caçada frenética por criptas, igrejas e catedrais, os dois desvendam enigmas e seguem uma trilha que pode levar ao covil dos Illuminati - um refúgio secreto onde está a única esperança de salvação da Igreja nesta guerra entre ciência e religião. Em 'Anjos e Demônios', Dan Brown demonstra novamente sua extraordinária habilidade de entremear suspense com fascinantes informações sobre ciência, religião e história da arte, despertando a curiosidade dos leitores para os significados ocultos deixados em monumentos e documentos históricos.

Note:: She was quite shy at first but that changed rather quickly.

Later that afternoon came the poop heard around the world which you can view in the previous post. I was at work so I missed that excitement.

The evening of the fourth was spent with our friends Jim & Sylvia Greenlee, Jim is the pastor of the church I am currently serving at. A great time was had by all despite the fireworks getting rained out and God displaying some of his own. I wish I would have brought my camera but at the urging of my wife I left it home.

Saturday was our 5th Anniversary and I took Rebecca to one of our favorite places called "The Melting Pot" it's rather expensive so we don't go often but the food and experience is great, It's a fondue restaurant and dinner took about 2 hours. We had a private romantic booth with a curtain that is drawn closed, it made for great intimate conversation, something we don't get to often with all the changes and stuff we are going through in our lives right now.

Sunday was good too... please note, never take two maximum strength Benadryl before you play any type of solo. I was wiped. I did totally bail on the last note of the solo and laughed about it too. It was one of those moments when I was like "I hit it every time in rehearsal why not now?" Church was good never the less.

My wife and I rocked it out on Guitar Hero III when I got home. She is getting much better.

E como se trata de gostos, cada um tem o seu. Então, a Dani pode amar a Anne Rice - o que é muito natural - e eu não gostar. E, neste caso, não gostar não se prende ao tipo de livro, em si, ou ao fato de ser um best-seller, livros que são "fabricados" para o sucesso.

Não tenho preconceito contra eles, não. E para comprovar, vou listar alguns autores que li e que gosto: Michael Crichton - que não é nenhuma maravilha no texto -, Robert Ludlum, o do Bourne, Frederick Forsyth, que tem um livro antológico, O Chacal, John Le Carré, o elegante inglês que cunhou o termo Guerra Fria, Noah Gordon e O Físico, Jack Higgins, com divertidas aventuras - inverossimeis, sim, como Azriel -, e por fim o polêmico Dan Brown com o seu Código Da Vinci. De qualquer forma, acho que eles escrevem melhor do que a Anne Rice.

Olhando-se a questão do lado da literatura, o livro de Anne Rice nãp e diferente de muitos outros, mas vende, e vende muito. E se isso ocorre é porque tem público, gente que gosta, e que se envolve com a história contada. Neste caso, entendo que os livros não são feitos para reflexão, mas para diversão. E se conseguem este intento, então sua leitura é válida.

Podemos criticar o livro, deixando claro que não gostamos, aliás, o que já fiz. Isso, no entanto, não desmerece sua indicação e sua esclha. Ao listar os livros, a Dani colocou a responsabilidade pela escolha nos integrantes do clube. E fomos nós que escolhemos O Servo dos Ossos. Havia, acho eu, uma expectativa diferente

Um dos aspectos, que já ressaltei, é o conflito entre ciência e religião. Mas há, também, um outro aspecto a se considerar, que é a própria religião. Nós, humanos, sempre buscamos uma explicação. E quando não a achamos colocamô-la nas mãos de uma entidade superior, dizendo que ela rege nossas vidas. Foi assim desde que descemos das árvores e não é diferente agora.

Ao longo dos tempos, os deuses foram se transformando em deuses pessoais, como Marduc, e nós os encarregamos de resolver nossos problemas, pelo menos aqueles que, por meios humanos, não conseguimos resolver. Neste diapasão, nada melhor do que um espírito poderoso ao nosso serviço. Comandando-o, seremos capazes de resolver as coisas que, de outra forma, não conseguriíamos, seja pela impossibilidade física, seja pelo constrangimeno ético e moral.

Acho que o que atrai no livro é exatamente esse envolvimento com o misterioso, com o sobrenatural, com a possibilidade de, ao invés de se curvar ao divino, colocá-lo ao seu serviço. Se não diretamente com Marduc, pelo menos com um espírito que, nascido com uma intenção malévola, não é nem moral, nem ético, já que realiza ações que, por estas óticas, são condenáveis, mas atende aos humanos, permitindo-lhes que tenham - pelo menos de forma aparente - um controle maior do sobrenatural.

A lição, no meu entender, é bastante clara: impotentes diante do mundo, recorremos ao alto, vendo nos deuses a solução dos nossos problemas. E por os termos tornado pessoais, queremos que eles resolvam questões específicas. E não importa, no final, se são verdadeiramente deuses ou espíritos, desde que estejam a nosso serviço.

Dan Brown (Exeter, 22 de Junho de 1964) é um dos escritores mais famosos do mundo atualmente, tendo seus livros traduzidos e vendidos em grande escala em diversos lugares do globo. Seu maior sucesso foi o polêmico best-seller O Código Da Vinci, mas seus outros três livros também tiveram uma grande tiragem. Entre seus grandes feitos, está o de conseguir colocar seus quatro primeiros livros simultaneamente na lista de mais vendidos do The New York Times. Atualmente, encontra-se desenvolvendo um novo projeto, um livro ainda sem prazo para lançamento, The Solomon Key (A chave de Salomão,em tradução livre).

• Obras - Clique para baixar •

• Fortaleza Digital

Ensei Tankado, um ex-funcionário da Agência de Segurança Nacional (NSA) que jura vingar-se dos Estados Unidos, desenvolve um algoritmo de encriptação inquebrável, algo considerado impossível, que caso seja publicamente utilizado inutilizará o computador superpotente da NSA, Transltr, na decodificação de mensagens. A este algoritmo dá o nome de Fortaleza Digital.

Tankado conta com a ajuda de North Dakota, pessoa responsável por tornar o Fortaleza Digital público caso Tankado morra sem cumprir seu objetivo. Tankado sofre uma morte misteriosa, supostamente causada por um ataque cardiaco. Antes de morrer, Tankado tenta chamar a atenção das muitas pessoas que passavam ao seu redor numa praça publica da Espanha para o anel que trazia na sua mão esquerda, anel esse que teria gravado o código de desencriptação do Fortaleza Digital.

Trevor Strathmore, vice-director da NSA, convida David Becker para ir a Espanha em busca do anel e juntamente com a criptóloga Susan Fletcher, noiva de Becker, tenta evitar a disseminação do Fortaleza Digital. Sem saber em quem confiar, Susan e David, separados, tentam encontrar a solução para evitar o que poderia ser o maior desastre da História da Segurança de Informações norte-americana.

• Anjos e Demônios

Antes de decifrar O Código da Vinci, Robert Langdon, o famoso professor de simbologia de Harvard, vive sua primeira aventura em Anjos e Demônios, quando tenta impedir que uma antiga sociedade secreta destrua a Cidade do Vaticano. Às vésperas do conclave que vai eleger o novo Papa, Robert Langdon é chamado às pressas para analisar um misterioso símbolo marcado a fogo no peito de um físico assassinado em um grande centro de pesquisas na Suiça. Ele descobre indícios de algo inimaginável: a assinatura marcada no corpo da vítima - um ambigrama, uma palavra que pode ser lida tanto de cabeça para cima quanto de cabeça para baixo - é dos Illuminati, uma poderosa fraternidade considerada extinta há 400 anos. A antiga sociedade ressurgiu disposta a levar a cabo a lendária vingança contra a Igreja Católica, seu inimigo mais odiado. De posse de uma nova arma devastadora, roubada do centro de pesquisas, ela ameaça explodir a Cidade do Vaticano e matar os quatro cardeais mais cotados para a sucessão papal. Correndo contra o tempo, Langdon voa para Roma junto com Vittoria Vetra, uma bela cientista italiana. Numa caçada frenética por criptas, igrejas e catedrais os dois desvendam enigmas e seguem uma trilha que pode levar ao covil dos Illuminati - um refúgio secreto onde está a única esperança de salvação da Igreja nesta guerra entre ciência e religião.

• Ponto de Impacto

Rachel Sexton responsável pela informação que chegava a Casa Branca por parte da National Reconnaissance Office. Tem a particularidade de ser, também, filha do senador Sexton, principal oponente à reeleição do Presidente americano em exercício e um grande opositor da NASA. Para sua surpresa, é chamada à Casa Branca e despachada para o Ártico, onde lhe é anunciada uma descoberta absolutamente extraordinária. Rachel depara-se com uma equipe da NASA que acabara de descobrir um meteorito enterrado no gelo, onde foram encontrados fósseis de animais com 190 milhões de anos. Só que as peças do "quebra-cabeça" começam a não bater certo e, um a um, os membros da equipe científica vão sendo assassinados. Os próximos alvos são ela e Michael Tolland, um cientista com fama de estrela de televisão, escalado para anunciar a descoberta ao povo americano. Na busca da verdade, descobrem mentira atrás de mentira, até perceberem o que é que está em jogo.

• O Código Da Vinci

Além de alguns elementos narrativos próprios do gênero, como longas escapadas por ruas movimentadas e carros em alta velocidade, 'O Código Da Vinci' causou polêmica ao questionar a divindade de Jesus Cristo. Tal questionamento não é novidade, tendo o autor reavivado essa problemática na trama romanesca.

A maior parte do livro desenrola-se a partir do assassinato de Jacques Saunière, curador do museu do Louvre. Robert Langdon, Sophie Neveu e Leigh Teabing vivem várias aventuras ao tentar desvendar códigos que dêem resposta aos enigmas que Jacques Saunière deixou antes de morrer.

A trama do livro envolve desde grandes organizações católicas conservadoras como a Opus Dei, até a sociedade secreta conhecida como Priorado de Sião, que, de acordo com documentos encontrados na Biblioteca Nacional de Paris, possuía inúmeros membros famosos como Sir Isaac Newton, Botticelli, Victor Hugo e Leonardo da Vinci. Tem que se ter em conta que, apesar dos documentos apresentados serem considerados como verdadeiros em diversos livros que têm vindo a conquistar o mercado editorial nos últimos anos, existem especialistas que argumentam não passarem de falsificações.

Dan Brown diz partir de fatos reais na introdução, vários componentes da sua obra de ficção, como a existência do Priorado de Sião, as acusações que faz a respeito da Opus Dei, ou as descrições de obras de arte que incluiu no livro.

--x--

Estava faltando no blog as obras desse grande autor que é o Dan Brown. Eu gosto muito dos livros dele e da forma como ele escreve. Além de entreter os seus leitores, ele nos enche de cultura e informação em cada página. FANTÁSTICO!

Link Útil:

Biografia de Dan Brown - Wikipedia

Oleh: Hanafi Mohan

Mungkin aku termasuk seorang yang terlambat membaca Novel “The Da Vinci Code” karya Dan Brown, karena novel ini untuk pertama kalinya terbit pada tahun 2003 (edisi Bahasa Inggris). Kemudian terbit di Indonesia (edisi Bahasa Indonesia) pada tahun 2004 dan 2005. Kini sudah tahun 2008. Jadi boleh dikatakan, bahwa aku adalah orang yang terlambat membaca Novel yang menarik ini. Namun bagiku, tak ada kata terlambat untuk membagi apa yang kumengerti dari isi novel yang kubaca itu. Karena bagiku, mungkin saja setiap orang memiliki pandangan yang berbeda setelah membaca isi novel tersebut, tak terkecuali aku.

Kini, aku sudah menyelesaikan membaca Novel “The Da Vinci Code”. Ketika dalam proses membacanya, aku selalu membuat perkiraan-perkiraan (persangkaan-persangkaan), bagaikan seorang detektif. Dan ternyata, persangkaan-persangkaanku itu begitu banyak yang meleset. Di akhir novel, aku baru bisa tersenyum dan menarik napas lega, setelah sebelumnya begitu banyak ketegangan-ketegangan di dalam novel ini.

Agar lebih menarik, bacalah novel ini secara berurutan dari awal sampai akhir. Buatlah suatu catatan mengenai persangkaan-persangkaan kita, yang mana persangkaan-persangkaan kita itu biasanya akan runtuh ketika kita membaca halaman-halaman selanjutnya. Catatlah temuan baru itu. Dan kemungkinan, persangkaan-persangkaan kita berdasarkan temuan-temuan baru itu juga akan runtuh ketika kita membaca halaman-halaman selanjutnya. Catat terus perkembangan novel. Jangan lupa juga untuk mencatat hal-hal yang menurut kita menarik, seperti teka-teki, sandi, kode, dan simbol yang terpecahkan, yang teka-teki, sandi, kode, dan simbol itu saling berkaitan dan memiliki banyak arti. Catat juga hal-hal lainnya yang kita anggap menarik, seperti fakta sejarah dan mengenai doktrin-doktrin agama. Pada novel ini mengenai doktrin Kristen.

Bagi pembaca yang beragama selain Kristen, novel ini juga menarik untuk kita baca, agar kita bisa kembali menyelami keyakinan agama kita selama ini, yang ternyata begitu banyak metafora-metafora yang metafora-metafora itu sudah kita anggap sebagai suatu kebenaran itu sendiri, yang dapat dikatakan bahwa metafora-metafora itu sudah menjadi doktrin dan dogma yang sangat sulit untuk digugat.

Di halaman-halaman akhir novel, betapa aku terkejut. Ternyata Kapten Bezu Fache tak lain adalah seorang Polisi yang profesional dalam menjalankan tugasnya (karena persangkaanku sebelumnya, bahwa Kapten Bezu Fache termasuk ke dalam komplotan pembunuhan ini, yaitu yang menurut perkiraanku adalah Komplotan Opus Dei). Karena berkatnyalah kemudian, kasus pembunuhan yang misterius ini dapat terungkap, yaitu dengan tertangkapnya Sir Leigh Teabing (Guru), dan sekaligus Prof. Langdon dan Sophie Neveu dapat diselamatkan.

Uskup Aringarosa tak lain hanyalah seorang Uskup di Opus Dei (Pemimpin tertinggi di Opus Dei) yang sedang menghadapi kesulitan, dan dia tidak mengenal sama sekali “Guru”. Tawaran dari “Guru” diterimanya, karena ia ingin keluar dari kesulitan tersebut. Tapi akhirnya dia dapat menyadari, bahwa ia tak lebih telah ditipu oleh “Guru”. Dan ternyata Silas, anak didiknya itu, tak lebih hanya seorang mantan penjahat, yang dengan menjalankan tugas misterius itu dia berharap bisa menebus dosanya. Akhirnya, Silas (menurutku) sepertinya kembali menjadi orang baik (di akhir cerita, sepertinya Silas mati, karena tertembak oleh Polisi). Dan juga Opus Dei tidak terlibat dalam kasus ini, karena Uskup Aringarosa hanya dijebak oleh Sir Leigh Teabing (Guru).

Dan terakhir, Langdon dan Sophie Neveu setelah memecahkan keberadaan Holy Grail, yang mana Holy Grail itu sepertinya hanya perumpamaan. Karena Holy Grail memang tak ada di tempat yang sesuai dengan petunjuk sandi Sauniere. Yang ada adalah kemudian, Sophie Neveu dapat bertemu dengan Neneknya dan adik laki-lakinya, yang selama ini dia ketahui dari kakeknya (Sauniere) bahwa Nenek dan adik laki-lakinya itu juga menjadi korban kecelakaan mobil bersama-sama dengan kedua orang tuanya.

Yang membuat aku bingung, kejadian di novel ini hanya berlangsung semalaman, dilanjutkan dengan pagi hingga sore hari kemudian (mungkin hanya berkisar sekitar kurang-lebih 20 jam, atau mungkin bisa pendek dari itu), yaitu dari terbunuhnya Sauniere pada jam 10.46 malam di Paris, hingga tertangkapnya Guru (Sir Leigh Teabing) di London (di Novel, waktu tertangkapnya tak dijelaskan, namun sekilas dapat diperkirakan mungkin sore hari besoknya).

Kronologi singkatnya secara berurutan:
Dari pukul 10 malam hingga sekitar 6 pagi di Paris.
1) 10.46 malam (Museum Louvre-Paris): Sauniere terbunuh.
2) 12.32 dinihari (Hotel Ritz-Paris): Langdon masih berada di Hotel Ritz-Paris.
3) Kemudian Langdon sudah berada di Museum Louvre (jamnya tidak disebutkan).
4) Langdon dan Sophie Neveu ke Stasiun Kereta Api (tak disebutkan jamnya)
5) Langdon dan Sophie Neveu berada di Bank Penyimpanan Zurich-Cabang Paris.
6) Tengah malam (jamnya tak disebutkan): berada di Puri Villette milik Leigh Teabing-Paris.
7) Melakukan penerbangan dari Paris ke London (jamnya tak disebutkan).

6.30 pagi hingga Sore di London
1) 6.30 : mendarat di London
2) 7.30 berada di Gereja Kuil-London
3) berada di Perpustakaan King’s College (pagi-waktu jelasnya tak dituliskan).
4) Biara Westminster-London (waktunya tak dituliskan)
5) Tertangkapnya Guru (Sir Leigh Teabing), mungkin sekitar sore hari.

Yang membuat aneh lagi, latar tempatnya pun berpindah-pindah, bahkan dari Paris hingga ke London (tempat dengan jarak yang mungkin tak dapat dikatakan dekat). Dengan cerita yang sungguh mencekam itu, mungkinkah hanya dalam waktu yang pendek itu (sekitar kurang lebih 20 jam) semua itu terjadi? Entahlah. Tapi yg pasti, novel ini begitu menarik, dan layak untuk dibaca.

Jika pada komentar dikatakan bahwa Novel “The Da Vinci Code” ini sudah menggoyang iman Kristiani. Maka bagiku, setelah aku menyelesaikan membaca novel tersebut, memang benar komentar itu. Bahkan aku ingin menambahkan, bahwa novel tersebut, jika dibaca dengan teliti dan tidak hanya literal, oleh siapa saja, oleh penganut agama apa saja, maka novel tersebut sepertinya juga akan menggoyang iman siapa saja pada agama apa saja. Contohnya aku kini (aku beragama “Islam”), semakin mempertanyakan doktrin-doktrin dan dogma-dogma yang dipegang dan diyakini oleh umat Islam selama ini yang sekilas seperti cerita kartun. Seperti yang umat Islam yakini selama ini pada cerita Adam dan Hawa sebagai manusia pertama yang tadinya hidup di Syurga, yang kemudian dibuang ke bumi karena telah melakukan dosa. Pada cerita Nabi Muhammad menerima wahyu (yang merupakan keyakinan umat Islam selama ini), yang dikatakan bahwa Nabi Muhammad berhadap-hadapan dengan Malaikat Jibril bagaikan dua orang yang sedang berdialog. Pada cerita lainnya yang diyakini umat Islam juga disebutkan, bahwa suatu waktu ketika Nabi Muhammad menerima wahyu, Beliau melihat Malaikat Jibril sebagai perantara penyampai wahyu tersebut terlihat sangat besar sekali dengan sayapnya yang menutupi langit. Dan yang paling kontroversial dari keyakinan umat Islam selama ini adalah cerita mengenai Isra’ Mi’raj, yaitu peristiwa ketika Nabi Muhammad melakukan perjalanan dalam semalam (mungkin hanya dalam beberapa jam) dari Masjidil Haram (Mekah-Arab Saudi) ke Masjidil Aqsa (Yerusalem-Palestina), kemudian dilanjutkan dari Masjidil Aqsa ke “Sidratul Muntaha” yang terletak di atas “langit ke tujuh”, kemudian bertemu dengan Tuhan (juga dikatakan bertemu dengan Nabi-nabi sebelumnya, seperti Nabi Isa, Nabi Musa, dan Nabi Ibrahim). Sungguh perjalanan yang misterius, supranatural, suprahuman, dan cenderung tak masuk akal. Tidakkah hal-hal seperti ini banyak sekali dalam agama-agama (termasuk Islam), yaitu cerita-cerita yang tak masuk akal, dan kita hingga kini terus dengan setia (terpaksa ataupun tidak terpaksa) untuk mempercayai bahwa peristiwa tersebut memang terjadi secara “nyata”.

Aku kira para komentator itu (Amirah Latifah, Sidnan Al-Faruqi, Ain Muhammadi, dan Adian Husaini – komentar mereka dimuat oleh Majalah Insani, April 2005) tidak hanya harus melihat Novel “The Da Vinci Code” itu dalam kaitannya dengan iman Kristiani, namun alangkah lebih baiknya mereka juga menyadari, bahwa di dalam agama Islam juga banyak doktrin-doktrin dan dogma-dogma yang juga harus kita pertanyakan, seperti halnya Dan Brown yang sudah berani mempertanyakan mengenai doktrin-doktrin Kristiani tersebut. Sehingga kita sebagai umat Islam tidaklah akan terus-menerus mengatakan bahwa Agama Islam-lah yang paling bersih dan paling benar, sedangkan agama lain itu kotor dan salah.

Aku rasa, Dan Brown tidak hanya menembak sasarannya kepada umat Kristen. Namun karena ia penganut Kristen, maka sasaran yang sangat dia pahami untuk dituju adalah umat Kristen. Tapi walaupun begitu, aku yakin, sebagai sastrawan, Dan Brown tetap menyelipkan pesan-pesan universal yang itu bisa dimengerti oleh umat agama apa saja. Yaitu bahwa kontroversi mengenai ajaran agama tersebut bukan hanya menimpa agama Kristen, namun juga menimpa agama-agama lainnya (Islam misalkan). Dan hal itu bisa secara jelas kita baca dalam Novel “The Da Vinci Code” ini. Namun, karena yang kita lihat melulu selalu kesalahan pada agama lain (apalagi novel ini membahas mengenai doktrin Kristen), maka kita lupa, bahwa di dalam agama kita (Islam)-pun sebenarnya banyak sekali ajaran, keyakinan, dan dan doktrin yang kontroversi. Namun, karena kita sudah terlanjur membenci agama Kristen, maka semakin menjadi-jadilah kita mengatakan bahwa Kristen adalah agama yang sesat. Padahal saya tetap yakin (dan jika pembaca mau membaca secara teliti lagi dan tidak hanya literal), bahwa Novel “The Da Vinci Code” ini juga tak sedikit menyelipkan pesan, bahwa agama apapun di dunia ini pasti memiliki doktrin dan dogma yang mungkin hampir serupa dengan yang terjadi pada masyarakat Kristen, yang jika ada yang menentang doktrin dan dogma tersebut (atau yang memiliki ajaran atau keyakinan yang berbeda dengan mayoritas umat), maka dia akan dianggap sesat dan kafir. Tidakkah selama ini kita sebagai Umat Islam juga mengalami hal tersebut?

Di Novel tersebut dituliskan, bahwa Uskup Aringarosa dan Silas adalah penganut Kristen yang fanatik, yang di dalam novel diceritakan dapat dengan mudah dimanfaatkan dan diperalat oleh Guru (Sir Leigh Teabing). Jika Silas adalah orang yang baru mengenal Agama Kristen, maka Uskup Aringarosa adalah orang yang sudah lama mengenal Agama Kristen, apalagi ia adalah seorang Uskup dan Pemimpin tertinggi Opus Dei. Bukankah di Islam sendiri begitu banyak orang-orang seperti ini? Yaitu yang kelihatannya sangat taat dan fanatik terhadap keyakinan yang ia imani, dan kemudian para penganut Islam yang fanatik ini akan sangat mudah dimanfaatkan dan diperalat oleh orang-orang (ataupun lembaga) yang memiliki kepentingan tersembunyi. Dan anehnya, para penganut Islam yang fanatik ini tidak sadar bahwa ia diperalat dan dimanfaatkan. Yang mereka tahu, bahwa apa yang mereka lakukan selama ini adalah demi membela “agama” (membela “Tuhan”).

Ciputat, Sabtu-19 Januari 2008 Pukul 18.22 WIB

Hanafi Mohan
Sang Pencari

]]> http://callcenterguy.wordpress.com/?p=323 Sat, 12 Jul 2008 03:03:04 +0000 Callcenterguy http://callcenterguy.wordpress.com/?p=323 Have you ever flown on a broomstick while chasing a flying ball the size of a walnut? Or witness an albino monk, murder the curator of the Louvre? Went below the 20,000 leagues under the sea and watch Capt. Nemo guide the Nautilus under an iceberg? I have! :D In my imagination. :D That's why I love books so much. It gave me adventures, well beyond that I can imagine. I remember the first book that I had ever read. It was a story of amateur detectives, "The Hardy Boys". A friend of my mom gave us a complete set of Hardy Boys books when I was in high school. She was recommending the books to me and told me that she rather see me read books than watch T.V. all day. I at first declined, I mean who would want to stare at pages with no pictures in them. I was a kid, so T.V. and comic books rule in my world.

Then one day it was raining hard on a Saturday morning, there were no cable T.V. back then so your a slave of the local channels and watch whatever whats on at that time. So there I was bored, restless, bored, disappointed at the weather and did I mention bored? I went to my room and so the Hardy Boys Collection neatly stacked in one corner of our room like soldiers waiting to dispersed. I decided to try one since I don't have anything to do, and besides "How bad can it be? I thought. I can always take a nap, if it's really boring. It wasn't the book was "Hardy boys and the Tower Treasure" book 1 of the set. Before long I finished the book and read the next book in the series. I spent my weekends and some free time in school reading the Hardy Boys until I finished all the books in the series. I was starting on the Nancy Drew set a day after I read the last Hardy story. After the Hardy's and Nancy Drew, I started reading some of my Reader's Digest magazines. I can't believe that I got hook on it too. That was the first time in my life that I wasn't reading fiction. Reader's Digest has everything in it, both fiction and Non-fiction. I was so immersed on reading that there are times that I forget to eat dinner, because the book got my attention.

Today, I still collect books, I actually have the complete works of John Grisham and J.k. Rowling, I completed Dan Brown last year. My recent project is to complete and read all the works of Michael Crichton. I even started on some biographies of some well known Americans like Jim Lovell of the Apollo 8 and 13, Marcia Clark the prosecute on the O.J. Simpson case and many more.

I'm trying my best to teach my son the value of books and I'm happy to say the he likes reading books too.... from time to time. And my only wish is that he gets the chance to see the things that I had seen through my imaginations because of book.

Gehört ihr noch zu der Kategorie Bücherwurm oder hat die Multimedia-Welt euch fest im Griff?

Nunja, in meiner Kindheit und Jugend war ich auf jeden Fall eine echte Leseratte! Die Jungendbücherabteilung der örtlichen Leihbücherei habe ich fast komplett abgegrast, vor allem "Die drei ???" und die diversen Enid Blyton-Reihen ("Fünf Freunde", "Geheimnis um ...", "Rätsel um ...", "... der Abenteuer", etc.) hatten es mir angetan. Auch sehr interessant waren die Sachbücher aus der "Was ist was?"-Reihe von Tessloff. Und als Teenager war ich dann ziemlich begeistert von den Fantasy-Romanen von Wolfgang und Heike Hohlbein.

Mittlerweile ist mein Lesekonsum aufgrund zunehmender Konkurrenz durch alternative Medien (Film, TV, Internet und Musik) bei gleichzeitig weitaus weniger Freizeit bedauerlicherweise stark zurückgegangen. Zum Lesen komme ich eigentlich nur noch morgens und abends in der Bahn, auf dem Weg zur Arbeit bzw. nach Hause (jeweils eine knappe Stunde Fahrt, allerdings unterbrochen durch 2-mal Umsteigen). Dort lese ich aber meistens nur diverse Computer-, Entertainment- oder Sportmagazine (PC Welt, GameStar, SFT, Eishockey-Magazin, SportBILD Fußball-Sonderhefte ...) - man will ja schließlich auf dem Laufenden bleiben, was seine Hobbies angeht. Oder ich treffe einen von zahlreichen Bekannten, mit dem ich mich dann unterhalte und komme überhaupt nicht zum Lesen!

Zuhause sitze ich dann - zugegeben - die meiste Zeit vor der Mattscheibe (TV oder PC) denn das regelmäßige Lesen diverser Blogs, Filmrätsel, das Coachen eines virtuellen Eishockey-Teams, die Recherche nach neuer Musik, etc. benötigt ja auch einiges an Zeit, ganz abgesehen von einer weiteren Leidenschaft, den Computerspielen, die in letzter Zeit leider auch viel zu kurz kommt.

Man kann also durchaus behaupten, dass mich die Multimedia-Welt fest im Griff hat. Ein handfestes Indiz dafür ist auch die Tatsache, dass ich jeweils bei weitem mehr DVDs und CDs im Regal stehen habe als Bücher ...

Darf es also ein spannender Roman sein oder eher die abendliche Fernsehserie?

Wie der vorangegangene Abschnitt bereits vermuten lässt, tendiere ich hier fast ausschließlich zum Fernsehen. Mein TV-Konsum beschränkt sich überwiegend auf Spielfilme oder Serien, in beiden Fällen bevorzugt aus US-amerikanischer Produktion. Oder Konzerte - aber die laufen leider meistens irgendwann mitten in der Nacht ... mit diversen Soaps oder Reality-TV kann man mich hingegen jagen!

Herkömmliche Bücher, Ebooks oder Hörbücher?

Also wenn schon Buch, dann bitte richtig! Ein komplettes Buch möchte ich wirklich nicht am PC lesen (müssen) und hören tue ich dann doch lieber Musik bzw. lese das Buch lieber selbst.

Hardcover oder Taschenbuch?

Die genannten Hohlbeins stehen allesamt als schöne Hardcover (immer noch) im Regal, mittlerweile bin ich aber fast ausschließlich auf Taschenbücher umgestiegen, weil sie einfach günstiger, sowie leichter und kompakter sind. Wenn nur die unschönen Knicke im Buchrücken der Paperbacks nicht wären, die sich selbst bei vorsichtigem Lesen kaum vermeiden lassen ... ja, auf solche Äußerlichkeiten lege ich durchaus Wert! Ebenfalls wichtig ist für mich, dass eine Reihe zusammengehörender Bücher durchgehend einheitlich im Regal steht - also entweder als Hardcover oder als Paperback, nicht gemischt - und wenn möglich auch im selben Design.

Bestseller oder Klassiker?

Tendentiell eher Bestseller, würde ich sagen, wobei ich die Klassiker nicht komplett ausschließen möchte, bzw. es auch darauf ankommt, wie man Klassiker definiert? J.R.R. Tolkiens "The Lord of the Rings", den ich sehr mag, dürfte ja wohl auch in diese Kategorie fallen, gleichwohl er natürlich auch ein Bestseller ist! Und z.B. die diversen deutschen oder griechischen Heldensagen haben es mir auch schon immer angetan. An den im Motto referenzierten Shakespeare habe ich mich bisher in gedruckter Form ehrlich gesagt noch nicht herangewagt. Allerdings an diverse Verfilmungen seiner Werke, die sich zumeist ja auch an das Original-Versmaß halten. Und die wussten durchaus zu gefallen ...

Sachliteratur oder Belletristik?

Eindeutig Belletristik! Fantasy, Science-Fiction und Krimis/Thriller waren schon immer meine bevorzugten Genres.

Seht ihr im guten, alten Schmöker eine Zukunft oder werden Bücher kommenden Generationen bald gänzlich fremd sein?

Eine schwierige Frage. Ich denke, dass Bücher an sich immer eine wichtige Rolle spielen werden, die Frage ist nur: in welcher Form? Die Bedeutung von Ebooks könnte in Zukunft zunehmen, wenn es wirklich komfortable und kompakte, portable Geräte zur Anzeige von elektronischem Content gibt. Doch selbst ausgehend von der derzeitigen Innovationsgeschwindigkeit in der Unterhaltungselektronik dürfte es noch lange Zeit dauern, bis solche Geräte sich endgültig durchgesetzt haben und flächendeckend verfügbar sind oder gar irgendwann die Ebooks Ihre gebundenen Vorläufer vollkommen verdrängt haben ...

Habt ihr literarische Vorbilder, Lieblingsautoren- oder -romanfiguren?

Einer meiner Lieblingsautoren ist Terry Pratchett mit seinen "Discworld"-Romanen. Der Mann hat einfach einen unglaublichen Wortwitz, der natürlich vor allem im englischen Original zur Geltung kommt. Die skurrilen Charaktere, sowie die Verbindung typischer Fantasy-Clichés mit Themen der modernen Gesellschaft machen den besonderen Reiz der Scheibenwelt aus.

Ebenfalls gerne lese ich Tom Clancys Romane aus dem Jack Ryan-Universum. Auch wenn Clancys Detailverliebtheit manchmal in Form von seitenlangen technischen Beschreibungen den Leser auf eine harte Probe stellen kann, erzählt er doch stets spannende Geschichten. Und auch die zahlreichen Nebencharaktere, die wiederholt in den unterschiedlichen Romanen auftreten, wachsen einem mit der Zeit ebenso an's Herz wie Hauptprotagonist Jack Ryan, der im Laufe der Reihe vom einfachen CIA-Analysten bis (eher widerwillig) zum Präsident der USA aufsteigt.

Und was ist das letzte Buch, welches ihr gelesen habt bzw. was lest ihr zur Zeit?

Das letzte Buch dürfte Dan Browns "The Da Vinci Code" gewesen sein (womit wir dann auch wieder den Bogen zum offiziellen Titel der Blogparade gespannt hätten), das ich kurz vor dem Kinostart der Verfilmung mit Tom Hanks & Co. angefangen habe zu lesen. Das wäre dann also etwa 2 Jahre her! Wobei ich eigentlich nie verstanden habe, wieso man nicht zuerst "Angels & Demons", Robert Langdons erstes Abenteur, verfilmt hat. Das habe ich nämlich schon früher gelesen ...

Oder war es doch eher Pratchetts "Jingo"? Ich weiß es nicht mehr genau, jedenfalls ist es schon viel zu lange her!

Im Moment lese ich gerade kein Buch, aber ich habe bereits den Entschluß gefasst, demnächst endlich mal wieder die Scheibenwelt zu besuchen, genauergesagt den "Last Continent" ...

for the record, this was officially the best summer ever... may was one hell of a roller coaster ride and i loved all the twists, turns and loops :D ( the past 11 days ) june was a week in awesome andamans, a week in sultry yet oh-so-homely calcutta... and after cal, it was two glorious weeks at home... july, well, i'm still at home and rest latter half will, alas, be at insti...

what i did at home : read and read :D - digital fortress, deception point - both by dan brown, the devil and miss prym - paulo coelho, the cracking codebook - simon singh and halfway through 'the adventures of feluda' - satyajit ray...

dan brown,well, here's the gist of the four books : one world disasterous situation... a maiden and her faithful scientist... one high class dude who wants to save the maiden because of senti reasons... and lethal killing troupe who are ruthless and have no idea who their employer is :D

paulo coelho is what ma calls too intellectual... you need to see as he 'sees'... his writings are vague yet i find them enjoyable... kind brings in a deeper aspect to your soul if you want to understand his writing, that is...

the cracking codebook - the history of cryptology, the evolution of 'unbreakable' ciphers... lost fame and recognition and wit at its very best... a MUST read for anyone who enjoyed dan brown and also others, even otherwise :)

feluda - a bengali detective, class apart - satyajit ray's works of art come to life through his words :) ( though i'm reading the version translated to english cuz i ain't that fluent in bangla )

and... i met up with a lot of friends with whom i didn't think i'd ever meet up... painted bathroom tiles :) and kitchen tiles :) ceramic painting - the latest obsession for me :D

and ofcourse, conversations at 6pm :D

sums up the summer of 2008 :) was simply awesome :)