Book Thread

i read proust in french once and i fucking loathed it. precious writing taken way too far imho

just finished the count of monte cristo anyway, and even though it was clumsy in parts, it generally just got better as it went along and some parts are utter genius

Yep, still reading and enjoying this kind of crap.

I'm boarding a plane and bout to finally start The Good Soldier Švejk. Anybody have a suggestion for accompanying headphone music? Even if I don't have it on my criminally under stocked iPod, I will purchase it when I land in Atlanta for my layover.

Currently reading this uniquely enjoyable Czech novel. I am quite enjoying Kundera's slightly odd narrative style, with his narrator unsure of facts, making assumptions, and looking into the philosophical qualities of the characters he is describing as though they are his observational experiments. Deep without being heavy handed and totally worth reading based on the first third at least.

Also bought Svejk, that is coming up next.

Basically finished with the Kundera, I really enjoyed this book a lot and can see myself coming back to it often as it is an easy read with weighty themes. If this book were a post, I'd be giving it a pizza.

How far into that Proust did you get?

Like, page 80.

Reading Steppenwolf and really loving it. Definitely won't be the last Hesse novel I read.

A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, The Portrait of Dorian Grey and a book about Polish history are coming up next.

I really really like Kundera… It's been a long time since I've read his stuff, but it left a lasting positive impression. "Deep themes without being heavy handed" was a solid description.

I read about 200 pages of Svejk but honestly, it wasn't really doing it for me. I'm going to shelf it and come back to it after the holidays, when the comedy of it might find a better audience in me.

Currently reading "A Tale for the Time Being" which was a Booker Man finalist, though I'm not that familiar with this literary award.

The Man Booker Prize?

this is really fascinating

reuben wrote:The Man Booker Prize?

Hey, that's the one. Not sure why it came out backwards when I wrote it...

I would read a Booker Man award winner.

certainly some pretty interesting literary passages and illustrations in this one



i can forward the e-book if anyone else is interested

I'd be interested in that passage.

in the interest of keeping the smut between those that have smut in their hearts, the spoiler tag

Spoiler:

if anyone has any recommended readings on human sexuality, i would be interested.

Isn't that Kundera novel the inspiration behind the Deafheaven album?

jasperness wrote:in the interest of keeping the smut between those that have smut in their hearts, the spoiler tag

Spoiler:

if anyone has any recommended readings on human sexuality, i would be interested.

More like jASSper am I right?

Finished up with "A Tale For The Time Being" which was somewhat underwhelming. I wouldn't call it a bad book but with the waves of enthusiasm it seems to have received I expected something better. Felt like it could be sold in the Young Adult novel section at certain points of the story.

Got a nice 1Q84 3-volume box set for my birthday so starting that next.

Hey what are the best Delillo books to start with?

White Noise is both everything he ever accomplished at once and very easy to approach. You'll have trouble finding a lighter read in the pantheon of greatest books ever written.

I read White Noise a few months ago. It was good but I don't feel any urge to read any of his other books.

Nick. Read Falling Man.

Soma wrote:I read White Noise a few months ago. It was good but I don't feel any urge to read any of his other books.

I agree with this - in practice, at the very least. I've started Underworld a few times, only never to make it past the first 1/8th. I feel similarly about Lethem and Motherless Brooklyn in relation to the cinemascopic Fortress of Solitude or meander-y Chronic City.

But White Noise is a gem. I'd recommend it wholeheartedly. Modern, fits somewhere between Pynchon and Vonnegut in terms of style. Starts off great and has a helluva middle.