Author Topic: Fave Books / Currently Reading  (Read 945989 times)

schep22

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #960 on: September 18, 2009, 11:52:41 AM »
After Patton Oswalt's Italo Calvino reference during his last appearance on the show, I asked for a recommendation. He suggested Invisible Cities which I'm just about done with (it's a very fast read). Strange and wonderful stuff (I recommend the William Weaver translation). Similar in some ways to Jorge Borges who I like very much.

I actually just picked up some Borges (Ficciones) at a used book sale.  For some reason, I'm intimidated by it.  Is this a good place to start with him?  Is my apprehension warranted at all?

By the way, I'm currently reading The Braindead Megaphone by George Saunders.  I'd read Pastoralia prior to this, but this is a collection of his non-fiction.  I'm pretty early on in it, but it's very readable and enjoyable so far.

I read the big SNL oral history (Live From New York) before that.  Enjoyable, but it could have been trimmed to about 50 pages.  ("Lorne was distant.  We stayed up late working on the show.  Chevy Chase was an ass.  The show sucks now/is better than it's ever been.")

jbissell

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #961 on: September 18, 2009, 12:08:07 PM »
The one to prepare for is Blood Meridian. It was so unpleasant that I'm not sure whether or not I liked it.

I've been slowly reading it for a while now and that's a pretty accurate representation of my feelings as well.

buffcoat

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #962 on: September 18, 2009, 12:09:52 PM »
After Patton Oswalt's Italo Calvino reference during his last appearance on the show, I asked for a recommendation. He suggested Invisible Cities which I'm just about done with (it's a very fast read). Strange and wonderful stuff (I recommend the William Weaver translation). Similar in some ways to Jorge Borges who I like very much.

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B_Buster

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #963 on: September 18, 2009, 12:19:15 PM »
I actually just picked up some Borges (Ficciones) at a used book sale.  For some reason, I'm intimidated by it.  Is this a good place to start with him?  Is my apprehension warranted at all?

That's a good place to start, but it doesn't contain my favorite story, The Aleph. Because his stuff is so unusual and unique, I wouldn't call him an easy writer, but once you get a taste for the strange worlds he creates, you'll want to read it all.
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fonpr

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #964 on: September 18, 2009, 12:23:51 PM »
Similar in some ways to Jorge Borges who whom I like very much.


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Pastor Josh

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #965 on: September 18, 2009, 12:39:13 PM »
I've only read Borges' collected stories, so I don't remember what's in Ficciones.  If it has "Pierre Menard, Author of the Quixote" then you're in for a treat.  He's pretty accessible, no matter where you start.

The Braindead Megaphone!  I've been trying to remember the name of that book for a while now.  Thanks.
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Steve of Bloomington

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #966 on: September 18, 2009, 02:14:40 PM »
Borges is one of those I-hear-him-mentioned-everywhere-but-have-yet-to-read-him guys.

AllisonLeGnome

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #967 on: September 18, 2009, 10:58:53 PM »
By the way, I'm currently reading The Braindead Megaphone by George Saunders.  I'd read Pastoralia prior to this, but this is a collection of his non-fiction.  I'm pretty early on in it, but it's very readable and enjoyable so far.

The Braindead Megaphone is great! I haven't actually read any other of his books- I should get on that. Recommendations, anyone?

yesno

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #968 on: September 18, 2009, 11:00:59 PM »
No excuse not to read Borges.  He's written a small handful of easily readable short stories.  Some essays, some poems.  Read that mofo.

Steve of Bloomington

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #969 on: September 18, 2009, 11:18:48 PM »
No excuse not to read Borges.  He's written a small handful of easily readable short stories.  Some essays, some poems.  Read that mofo.

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screamdracula

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #970 on: September 19, 2009, 12:21:48 AM »
--I'm reading Easy Riders Raging Bulls by Peter Biskind. The number of JAW DROPPING moments are uncountable.

--Vikram Chandra's Sacred Games. If you're a fan of The Wire, this book is a bit like The Wire in Mumbai. Insanely good.

--I went on a crime novel jag recently:
By Dennis Lehane: A Drink Before the War, Prayers for Rain. (Seamus award winner!)
By James Lee Burke: Just read one. They're all the same.
By Castle Freeman Jr.: Go With Me. A brief, weird, violent fantasy. Read it in an hour and think about it forever.
Best in Show: Friends of Eddie Coyle. George V. Higgins. He makes it hard to read ANY other crime novelists.

Note: I expected to like The Mad Ones by Tom Folsom and Seriously Funny by Gerald Nachman and thought they were over stylized.

JustNicole

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #971 on: September 19, 2009, 12:38:53 PM »
I'm reading Malcolm Gladwell right now.  I just finished "Outliers" and "The Tipping Point" before that.  Reading "Blink" right now.  Pretty much my favorite author right now.
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dave from knoxville

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #972 on: September 20, 2009, 06:54:50 AM »
By the way, I'm currently reading The Braindead Megaphone by George Saunders.  I'd read Pastoralia prior to this, but this is a collection of his non-fiction.  I'm pretty early on in it, but it's very readable and enjoyable so far.

The Braindead Megaphone is great! I haven't actually read any other of his books- I should get on that. Recommendations, anyone?

Oh boy, I love his short fiction. I would start with Civilwarland in Bad Decline, but Pastoralia is great too. Here's my obligatory annual nod to Jesse Thorpe for introducing me to Saunders via the Soil of Young America.

Steve of Bloomington

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #973 on: September 20, 2009, 01:03:37 PM »
The new(ish) issue of n+1.

DoodleJump!

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #974 on: September 20, 2009, 06:13:21 PM »
I'm reading Malcolm Gladwell right now.  I just finished "Outliers" and "The Tipping Point" before that.  Reading "Blink" right now.  Pretty much my favorite author right now.
I LOVED Tipping Point and Blink. Haven't read Outliers yet. Blink changed the way I thought about people, I guess I mean to say it made me rethink my first impressions.

I am reading THIS, which has an awesome cover-


back cover-


I've never read any Dorothy Parker, I honestly only picked this one because I thought the cover was awesome.
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