Author Topic: Fave Books / Currently Reading  (Read 947476 times)

Pidgeon

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #1470 on: January 12, 2011, 09:57:02 PM »
I'm going to try to read the Shahnameh, the massive epic poem of medieval Persia. I don't know why, but I find the culture of Iran completely fascinating.

Christina

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #1471 on: January 12, 2011, 11:44:11 PM »
I just finished David Rakoff's latest book and really enjoyed it. I have a stack to choose from, but I think Patton is going to be next.

I lurve David Rakoff - I have his new one but haven't gotten to it yet. Goddamn, he's funny.
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Shaggy 2 Grote

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #1472 on: January 13, 2011, 11:13:01 AM »
I just read Douglas Wolk's 33 1/3 book on James Brown's Live At The Apollo and dug it -- he connects the actual show to the Cuban Missile Crisis in a very novel way.  Now about two-thirds of the way through Tom McCarthy's C and enjoying it quite a bit.  It seems like it actually does what Jonathan Franzen claims to want to do: it takes the big, sprawling, postmodern novel and makes it legible and relatively easy to follow (it's also just over 300 pages).  Franzen, by contrast, is just introducing contemporary themes and events to a 19th-century-style novel (I don't hate Franzen, I just don't think he's as interesting or exciting as people seem to think he is).
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JonFromMaplewood

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #1473 on: February 16, 2011, 09:29:55 AM »
I just read Douglas Wolk's 33 1/3 book on James Brown's Live At The Apollo and dug it -- he connects the actual show to the Cuban Missile Crisis in a very novel way.  Now about two-thirds of the way through Tom McCarthy's C and enjoying it quite a bit.  It seems like it actually does what Jonathan Franzen claims to want to do: it takes the big, sprawling, postmodern novel and makes it legible and relatively easy to follow (it's also just over 300 pages).  Franzen, by contrast, is just introducing contemporary themes and events to a 19th-century-style novel (I don't hate Franzen, I just don't think he's as interesting or exciting as people seem to think he is).

Strange connections to your post about Franzen and the letter C.  I recently finished The Corrections and The Lost City of Z. : )

I am happy that I read The Corrections so many years after the noise it caused. I thought it was fantastic, if not a little mean.  But my wife just finished Freedom and said it was nowhere near as good.

Anyhoozle, now trying to choose what to read next: The Tiger by John Vaillant or A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin....not what you'd call similar books.

"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 #1474 on: February 16, 2011, 09:40:10 AM »
Oof, I've got the new Franzen to read for my lil book group. I've been kinda putting it off, not only because I have to read a ton of stuff for yoga school, but I just ... sometimes Important Books really wear me out.
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JonFromMaplewood

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #1475 on: February 16, 2011, 10:05:59 AM »
Oof, I've got the new Franzen to read for my lil book group. I've been kinda putting it off, not only because I have to read a ton of stuff for yoga school, but I just ... sometimes Important Books really wear me out.

I remember you (On the FOT board? Twitter? Somewhere) being thoroughly annoyed by Franzen's misogyny.  I have to agree. That is one element of The Corrections that really bothered me. However, it seems that he pretty much hates all of his characters. 

What redeemed it for me was that, in small, dark ways, the father and mother are made out to be heroes despite their day-to-day miserable qualities.
"I'm riding the silence like John Cage up in this piece." -Tom Scharpling

dudep

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #1476 on: February 16, 2011, 12:04:25 PM »
AC, if it makes you feel any better, the Important Parts make themselves pretty obvious.

Pro tip: just read it for the story.  You'll know to get out your highlighter when you see a paragraph that includes the word "free" (or "coal," or "Iraq").

buffcoat

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #1477 on: February 16, 2011, 02:40:07 PM »
I liked The Corrections, but it was a slog.

I'm reading "The Road" and "The Law & Order Episode Guide: Complete through 1999" and "Departures" magazine, American Express' magazine for rich people and people who are pretty well off and want to read about the crazy stuff that the really rich people buy and do so they can admire and scorn their profligacy.

I really don't appreciate your sarcastic, anti-comedy tone, Bro!

JonFromMaplewood

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #1478 on: February 16, 2011, 03:04:49 PM »

I'm reading "The Road" and "The Law & Order Episode Guide: Complete through 1999" and "Departures" magazine, American Express' magazine for rich people and people who are pretty well off and want to read about the crazy stuff that the really rich people buy and do so they can admire and scorn their profligacy.


The Road makes you never want to have children.  Oops. I meant Departures Magazine does that.
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B_Buster

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #1479 on: February 16, 2011, 03:13:02 PM »
I'm reading J. G. Ballard's short story collection, The Terminal Beach, and loving it. He's one of my favorite writers, but I've never read any of his short stories before. "The Drowned Giant" is one of the best stories I've ever read. After this I'll be moving onto The Complete Stories of J. G. Ballard which should keep me busy for a while.
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Steve of Bloomington

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #1480 on: February 16, 2011, 03:38:06 PM »
I just finished 'The Hunger Games'. It involves an oppressive capital/government that requires each of 12 districts who tried to rebel many years ago to send 2 children (ages 14-18) to compete in a Survivor-like reality show, only the kids eliminate the other contestants by killing them (although sometimes hunger or other natural forces do that job).

I liked it, but will probably take a break before going back to the trilogy.

buffcoat

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #1481 on: February 16, 2011, 04:02:49 PM »

I'm reading "The Road" and "The Law & Order Episode Guide: Complete through 1999" and "Departures" magazine, American Express' magazine for rich people and people who are pretty well off and want to read about the crazy stuff that the really rich people buy and do so they can admire and scorn their profligacy.


The Road makes you never want to have children.  Oops. I meant Departures Magazine does that.

The Departures people know what to do with children, Jon from M.  Nanny till they're old enough for boarding school, then see em on ski holidays for cute pics!
I really don't appreciate your sarcastic, anti-comedy tone, Bro!

JonFromMaplewood

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #1482 on: February 16, 2011, 04:16:14 PM »
Nanny till they're old enough for boarding school, then see em on ski holidays for cute pics!

I would love if Cormack McCarthy wrote about this in his minimalist prose.  I think that would be too scary even for him.

"The boy wore a sleeveless fleece and sipped a beer. The fresh powder on the mountain looked inviting from the porch of his lift-side chalet."
"I'm riding the silence like John Cage up in this piece." -Tom Scharpling

Chris L

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #1483 on: February 16, 2011, 06:24:44 PM »
Less than 100 pages to go with Brothers Karamazov.  If you people knew how long I've been reading it you'd bludgeon me to death (naturally).

Rick in Salt Lake

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #1484 on: February 16, 2011, 07:54:27 PM »
I'm reading J. G. Ballard's short story collection, The Terminal Beach, and loving it. He's one of my favorite writers...

Isn't "Crash" a great book?
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