Author Topic: Fave Books / Currently Reading  (Read 947192 times)

Bryan

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #1005 on: September 24, 2009, 04:07:42 PM »
I just finished Jennifer 8. Lee's "The Fortune Cookie Chronicles: Adventures In The World Of Chinese Food." I'd recommend it for anyone curious about how Chinese cuisine changed when it came to America. I like her writing style, and there's plenty of fun tidbits (the D.C. boardinghouse where John Wilkes Booth and his accomplices planned Abraham Lincoln's assassination is now a Chinese restaurant called Wok n Roll).

I had dismissed her purely on the basis of her middle name. It's a very annoying affectation. Glad to hear it's interesting.

Spoony

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #1006 on: September 24, 2009, 05:49:56 PM »
In an effort to catch up withe the rest of you well-read humps, I've started reading a collection of Lovecraft stories.

I'm very much enthralled with the Brooklyn of yesteryear. All overgrown swamps and graveyards. If he were a alive now he would re-write "The Lurking Fear" to be about coke withdrawl the day before a job interview at The Strand Bookstore.


Christina

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #1007 on: September 24, 2009, 06:05:30 PM »
In an effort to catch up withe the rest of you well-read humps, I've started reading a collection of Lovecraft stories.

I'm very much enthralled with the Brooklyn of yesteryear. All overgrown swamps and graveyards. If he were a alive now he would re-write "The Lurking Fear" to be about coke withdrawl the day before a job interview at The Strand Bookstore.



And "The Horror at Red Hook" would be that new IKEA. <cue rimshot>
Remember how he couldn't stop his leg?

Shaggy 2 Grote

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #1008 on: September 25, 2009, 09:27:15 AM »
I finally got an NY library card because, for the first time, I'm doing research for a project where I don't actually want to own the books (in this case, commercially successful "realistic" plays).  The first one was Neil LaBute's Fat Pig, which was offensive to me not because it's sexist or fattist or whatever but because it's shockingly fucking incompetent and moronic.  The second was Adam Rapp's Red Light Winter, which (aside from being deeply misogynistic, whereas Fat Pig just pretends to be) was actually a pretty good read.
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JonFromMaplewood

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #1009 on: September 27, 2009, 08:10:13 PM »
I'm thinking of reading James Ellroy's latest, "Blood's A Rover."  I have enjoyed the four other books of his that I've read, but man does James Ellroy bug me in real life.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCSGrwqIszk[/youtube]

In a Q&A about the book on the Facebook Ellroy fan page, he refers to the "Beethovian greatness" of the book. He also says, "Meticulousness, diligence, profoundly rigorous work habits all contributed to the greatness of this novel. During the odd moments that my super-human resolve faltered, I stared at the numerous portraits of Beethoven that adorn my pad."
"I'm riding the silence like John Cage up in this piece." -Tom Scharpling

Steve of Bloomington

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #1010 on: September 27, 2009, 10:22:54 PM »
I acquired 2 collections of Borges' stories. So far, so good.

thom

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #1011 on: September 27, 2009, 11:05:27 PM »
I acquired 2 collections of Borges' stories. So far, so good.
Library of Babel FOR THE WIN!
His short stories are a great example of how good writing can excuse a tired premise. I'd imagine a fair share of his sci-fi concepts were fresh at the time but now it's all been done and it's still a good read. Hey! Good job Borges!

masterofsparks

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #1012 on: September 28, 2009, 06:31:02 AM »
I'm thinking of reading James Ellroy's latest, "Blood's A Rover."  I have enjoyed the four other books of his that I've read, but man does James Ellroy bug me in real life.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCSGrwqIszk[/youtube]

In a Q&A about the book on the Facebook Ellroy fan page, he refers to the "Beethovian greatness" of the book. He also says, "Meticulousness, diligence, profoundly rigorous work habits all contributed to the greatness of this novel. During the odd moments that my super-human resolve faltered, I stared at the numerous portraits of Beethoven that adorn my pad."

I know what you mean, but it's pretty clearly an affectation. It's part of a strutting, attitudinizing public persona. I think so, anyway. Anyway, I don't let it bother me any more than when Jerry Lee Lewis or Little Richard or Cassius Clay (you probably know him as Muhammad Ali) calls himself "the greatest."

I'm about 100 pages into Blood's a Rover. If you like the others you've read (especially if American Tabloid or The Cold Six Thousand are part of that list), I'd say check it out.
I'll probably go into the wee hours.

buffcoat

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #1013 on: September 28, 2009, 10:19:40 AM »
I'm reading Dan Brown's "The Lost Symbol" so you don't have to.


So far it's exactly the same as the other two.  Which is to say, entertaining but incredibly, specifically formulaic.  

The first chapter is a 3rd person omniscient description of mysterious, nameless, physical freak who is intent on serving a dark purpose and bringing down something powerful.  I must say I'm surprised by that twist.


Another thing: am I the only one who assumes that Dan Brown writes the novels using "Dan Brown" as the main character and then does a find-and-replace with Robert Langdon?  Somebody do a search for "Dna Brwon."
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Pat K

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #1014 on: September 28, 2009, 11:04:00 AM »
I know this is the books thread, but just sayin': If anybody out there has never heard any of the music Dan Brown made before he became the most important novelist of the century, it's essential. "976-Love", from his smash hit CD "Angels and Demons", is absolutely sidesplitting.
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dave from knoxville

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #1015 on: September 28, 2009, 12:22:04 PM »
Just finished Midnight Pleasures, a collection of Robert Bloch short stories. I was kind of surprised at how unimaginative and formulaic it was; all of the characters spoke in a sort of a broad pre-Mad-Men 50's style, but then there would be the occasional reference to Ronald Reagan or Michael Jackson. Those references were the only real surprise in the book.

orator

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #1016 on: September 28, 2009, 02:22:35 PM »
Reading A Farewell To Arms by Hemingway, about two-thirds through. I'm enjoying it, but some of the writing feels goofy and some of the dialogue, especially between the protagonist and the love interest, is cheesy.

Probably going into Cormac McCarthy's All The Pretty Horses after this, or maybe The Sun Also Rises.
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JonFromMaplewood

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #1017 on: September 28, 2009, 05:00:48 PM »
I'm thinking of reading James Ellroy's latest, "Blood's A Rover."  I have enjoyed the four other books of his that I've read, but man does James Ellroy bug me in real life.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCSGrwqIszk[/youtube]

In a Q&A about the book on the Facebook Ellroy fan page, he refers to the "Beethovian greatness" of the book. He also says, "Meticulousness, diligence, profoundly rigorous work habits all contributed to the greatness of this novel. During the odd moments that my super-human resolve faltered, I stared at the numerous portraits of Beethoven that adorn my pad."

I know what you mean, but it's pretty clearly an affectation. It's part of a strutting, attitudinizing public persona. I think so, anyway. Anyway, I don't let it bother me any more than when Jerry Lee Lewis or Little Richard or Cassius Clay (you probably know him as Muhammad Ali) calls himself "the greatest."

I'm about 100 pages into Blood's a Rover. If you like the others you've read (especially if American Tabloid or The Cold Six Thousand are part of that list), I'd say check it out.

Thanks MOS.  I've read The Black Dahlia, The Big Nowhere, L.A. Confidential, and American Tabloid.  In other words, I've started but not finished two of his multi-book series.

You're probably right about Ellroy's public persona.
"I'm riding the silence like John Cage up in this piece." -Tom Scharpling

Christina

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #1018 on: September 28, 2009, 05:32:36 PM »

Thanks MOS.  I've read The Black Dahlia, The Big Nowhere, L.A. Confidential, and American Tabloid.  In other words, I've started but not finished two of his multi-book series.

You're probably right about Ellroy's public persona.

Yah me too - I read him early on but never got around to the series ... and RE his persona, did anyone read My Dark Places? From what I remember it's pretty much his explanation for why he is the way he is.
Remember how he couldn't stop his leg?

masterofsparks

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #1019 on: September 28, 2009, 10:08:20 PM »

Thanks MOS.  I've read The Black Dahlia, The Big Nowhere, L.A. Confidential, and American Tabloid.  In other words, I've started but not finished two of his multi-book series.

You're probably right about Ellroy's public persona.

Yah me too - I read him early on but never got around to the series ... and RE his persona, did anyone read My Dark Places? From what I remember it's pretty much his explanation for why he is the way he is.

Yeah, I read My Dark Places. Pretty, uh, dark. His writing has REALLY changed since his early stuff and style sometimes threatens to overtake content (and often does in The Cold Six Thousand) but I'm pretty onboard with it anyway. American Tabloid is my favorite, but I'm not done with Blood's a Rover yet.
I'll probably go into the wee hours.