Author Topic: Fave Books / Currently Reading  (Read 947318 times)

tenspeed

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #495 on: October 06, 2008, 01:39:27 PM »
I just finished Portnoy's Complaint by Philip Roth.  It's now in my top 5 list of "1st person, Self-Deprecating Novels."

Any other suggestions for this category?

So far I have:

-Various Charles Bukowskis
-Lolita
-A Confederacy of Dunces, even though it's not 1st person
-P.G Wodehouse

Anything I'm missing?







jbissell

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #496 on: October 06, 2008, 01:42:46 PM »
Thinking of tackling Jonathan Lethem's The Fortress of Solitude after that, even though I didn't much care for the only other book I've read by him,  Amnesia Moon. Does anybody know if this one is as good as it's supposed to be?

I enjoyed most of it, there were parts of it that actually reminded me a lot of David Gordon Green's George Washington (if it were set in Brooklyn).  I'm split on the other Lethem I've read. Motherless Brooklyn was pretty good (although it's been many years since I read it and I don't remember much about it now) but I absolutely hated You Don't Love Me Yet.

iAmBaronVonTito

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #497 on: October 06, 2008, 01:46:47 PM »
i just finished:

SHOTS IN THE DARK




That looks pretty great. I think that cover photo might also be in Luc Sante's Evidence, which holds a permanent place on my coffee table (...OF HORRORS!).

now that ive finished it, im going to keep it in the bathroom for guests.

Bryan

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #498 on: October 06, 2008, 02:21:25 PM »
Thinking of tackling Jonathan Lethem's The Fortress of Solitude after that, even though I didn't much care for the only other book I've read by him,  Amnesia Moon. Does anybody know if this one is as good as it's supposed to be?

I enjoyed most of it, there were parts of it that actually reminded me a lot of David Gordon Green's George Washington (if it were set in Brooklyn).  I'm split on the other Lethem I've read. Motherless Brooklyn was pretty good (although it's been many years since I read it and I don't remember much about it now) but I absolutely hated You Don't Love Me Yet.

I also liked Motherless Brooklyn. The Fortress of Solitude didn't do too much for me. Like The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay (another fat book that incorporates comic book myths and was shooting for "great book" status) I actually think that my own comic book fandom interfered with my appreciation of it. In all, I think that I liked Fortress a little more than Kavalier and Clay, but wouldn't wholeheartedly recommend it.

I just finished Portnoy's Complaint by Philip Roth.  It's now in my top 5 list of "1st person, Self-Deprecating Novels."

Any other suggestions for this category?

Wonder Boys. (I'm pretty sure it's first person). Portnoy's Complaint is really great, isn't it? There are a few lines that still rattle around in my head, ten years after reading them.

daveB from Oakland

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #499 on: October 06, 2008, 02:45:40 PM »
Motherless Brooklyn is one of my faves. Ed Norton, for years now, has talked about turning it into a movie, probably with him in the lead role. But the project keeps getting shelved or put aside. I imagine many Lethem fans would prefer that the movie never happens, but I'd be curious to see what Norton does with it.
"He didn't sound like a human when I was talking to him ... he sounded like a shape ... what's that shape of that building ... you know, where the Army lives?" -- Bryce, 11/24/2009

tenspeed

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #500 on: October 06, 2008, 02:56:32 PM »


I also liked Motherless Brooklyn. The Fortress of Solitude didn't do too much for me. Like The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay (another fat book that incorporates comic book myths and was shooting for "great book" status) I actually think that my own comic book fandom interfered with my appreciation of it. In all, I think that I liked Fortress a little more than Kavalier and Clay, but wouldn't wholeheartedly recommend it.

I adored Kavalier and Clay.  With all the Iron Man and Incredible Hulk hootenanny, I wish the Coen Brothers would skip  Yiddish Policeman's Union and make Kavalier and Clay instead.   Not to trash comic books characters* in any way, but with all the war-time posturing (pardon the colloquial cliche) that Hollywood has done with Iron Man, the Hulk and Batman, I'd appreciate a Chabon/Coen collaboration. 



*I meant movie-comic book characters. I don't know enough about current comics.

Steve of Bloomington

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #501 on: October 06, 2008, 10:01:16 PM »
I just finished Portnoy's Complaint by Philip Roth.  It's now in my top 5 list of "1st person, Self-Deprecating Novels."

Any other suggestions for this category?

So far I have:

-Various Charles Bukowskis
-Lolita
-A Confederacy of Dunces, even though it's not 1st person
-P.G Wodehouse

Anything I'm missing?








'Success' by Martin Amis as an alternating first-person, self deprecating novel?

Jack from Arkansas

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #502 on: October 06, 2008, 11:17:09 PM »
Spartina by John Casey is a perfect book.

JonFromMaplewood

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #503 on: October 06, 2008, 11:31:18 PM »
What's wrong with me? Am I the only person who didn't like Motherless Brooklyn? I had high hopes for it, but I kept hearing the author's voice coming through the main character...hip references from a character who was not supposed to be hip in the least.  If you are going to write in the voice of a character very different from you, you need to go all the way.

Anyway, I am reading "The Reluctant Fundamentalist" by Mohsin Hamid right now and it is superb.  But would someone please ask publishers to stop putting those "Questions for Discussion" at the end of more popular books?  If you actually need those for your reading group, then your reading group should consider becoming a lobotomy support group.

Sorry. I'm cranky tonight because I have to work.
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Sarah

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #504 on: October 07, 2008, 07:07:51 AM »
I just finished Portnoy's Complaint by Philip Roth.  It's now in my top 5 list of "1st person, Self-Deprecating Novels."

Any other suggestions for this category?

So far I have:

-Various Charles Bukowskis
-Lolita
-A Confederacy of Dunces, even though it's not 1st person
-P.G Wodehouse

Anything I'm missing?








A lot of Kingsley Amis.

David Lodge, Small World

Satchmo Mask

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #505 on: October 07, 2008, 07:25:33 AM »
TOPICAL! I just started "You Don't Love Me Yet". I don't know. It's pretty okay so far. I got Tom Robbins'd out recently (probably because he's not that great) and this isn't helping.
"I LOVE HONEY BUNCHES AND OATS,BUT THE LAST THREE TIMES I WAS EATING IT,T EXSPIRIENCED SEVERE ABDOMINAL PAIN AND ACID REFLEX PROBLEMS.SO THIS CEREAL IS OF MY GROCERY LIST" - Monika54

samir

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #506 on: October 07, 2008, 08:20:01 AM »
New Sarah Vowell is out today, in case anyone else is a fan.
"Son, there's a thin line between crazed and rabid"


Bryan

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #507 on: October 07, 2008, 09:34:09 AM »
I just finished Portnoy's Complaint by Philip Roth.  It's now in my top 5 list of "1st person, Self-Deprecating Novels."

Any other suggestions for this category?


Wake Up, Sir! by Jonathan Ames. Hilarious Wodehouse pastiche about alcoholism-induced misadventures.  Also, depending on your criteria, Myra Breckenridge by Gore Vidal.

dave from knoxville

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #508 on: October 07, 2008, 10:05:49 AM »
I am reading Rendezvous with Rama. I am a dork.

tenspeed

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #509 on: October 07, 2008, 10:08:49 AM »
Thanks Sarah, Steve, Jack and Bryan for your suggestions!  These are going on the short list!

It's funny that you mentioned Kingsley Amis, Martin Amis and Jonathan Ames. I remember going to the bookstore with a tip that I would like their books, but once I got there I was terribly confused which Amis or Ames I was supposed to purchase.  


Wonder Boys. (I'm pretty sure it's first person). Portnoy's Complaint is really great, isn't it? There are a few lines that still rattle around in my head, ten years after reading them.

I think Wonder Boys is next on my list.  Unfortunately, I had already seen the movie before Chabon was even on my radar.  I usually don't read books when I have already seen the movie, for fear that I've been tainted.  For some reason I can't get over seeing the protagonist as a Hollywood celeb.  But I think enough time has passed for me to give it a try.  Thanks again!