Just finished Paul Austers New York Trilogy. Fun read. All three stories kept my interest and I like the variations on the classic detective story.
Books The BOOK thread
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Nice. I finished that recently as well and found it to be quite awesome. The way the third story ties everything together is really cool although I'm not even sure I've figured it all out. That 2nd chapter of City of Glass with Peter Stillman is pretty amazing as a standalone monologue as well. I'm trying to find a suitable next read, leaning towards something else post-modern but after starting 3 books, I haven't found one catch on.
What are you reading next?
Yeah that Stillman monologue in City of Glass was fantastic. I was a little disappointed with how the story ended though - the decison to become homeless didn't seem to make much sense (to me anyway). But three very interesting stories nonetheless.
Next book is Your Face Tomorrow Vol 3 by Marias. Very excited to get started, I know you are a huge fan of the series. Need to order in a few more books soon though as for once I've almost caught up with my to-read pile!
Just finished The power of Geography by Tim Marshall. Great read. I think a lot of the stuff he talks about should be a part of the discourse more often, especially regarding never ending wars in some areas, the rise (and fall) of super powers etc.
Finished Never Let me Go. This was a thoroughly depressing read, but one which I enjoyed immensely. Not sure which I found more depressing, the cloning or the passiveness with which this was accepted. I often think about the futility of life and I suppose this book brings that home. But a wonderful, wonderful read.
Going to be reading The Sense of an Ending next by Julian Barnes, and then I'd like to read some horror. Are there any good ones out there? Is The Exorcist a good read? Or Stephen King maybe?
Going to be reading The Sense of an Ending next by Julian Barnes, and then I'd like to read some horror. Are there any good ones out there? Is The Exorcist a good read? Or Stephen King maybe?
Made me laugh when....
you said "I like Tommy - I hope things go well for him" on the previous page. Not really a things-go-well-for-people kinda book. 
I really liked that book
Proud of you, son.
I also love the book's excruciatingly painful tone and how it reminded me of the futility of existing.
Just read Consumed, David Cronenberg's novel. It's pretty odd and extreme in parts, as you'd probably expect.
It's largely focused on the relationships between body horror, sex and technology, like many of his films. Softer themes around how love and sex changes as your partner's mind and body ages and deteriorates thrown in too.
I wasn't so enamoured with the conspiracy plot line, but found the book strangely compelling for the most part.
It's largely focused on the relationships between body horror, sex and technology, like many of his films. Softer themes around how love and sex changes as your partner's mind and body ages and deteriorates thrown in too.
I wasn't so enamoured with the conspiracy plot line, but found the book strangely compelling for the most part.
Just read Race and Class in the Ruins of Empire by Akala (some nice light reading).
Holy cow what an eye-opening book! He basically breaks down any possible argument for people who still argue that institutional racism doesn’t exist (across the world but focussed on the UK’). Looking at example such ass the BBC showing eugenics-based videos about Black superiority in sport, the ideas of ‘Black on Black crime’ whilst ignoring things like ‘white on white crime’ among many others just made me completely re-evaluate any lingering thoughts I had about my levels of privilege as a white man.
Perfect example he gave was Linford Christie and his famed ‘lunchbox’ - looking at the genesis of the story about that, linking it to his Olympic success, showing how the media diverted its attention from the success of a Black athlete, to promoting a racial stereotype about the size of his junk. He then makes you as the simple question: would we have ever had the term ‘Linford’s Lunchbox’ if he’d only ever won Olympic silver, and not gold?
A great but difficult read!
Holy cow what an eye-opening book! He basically breaks down any possible argument for people who still argue that institutional racism doesn’t exist (across the world but focussed on the UK’). Looking at example such ass the BBC showing eugenics-based videos about Black superiority in sport, the ideas of ‘Black on Black crime’ whilst ignoring things like ‘white on white crime’ among many others just made me completely re-evaluate any lingering thoughts I had about my levels of privilege as a white man.
Perfect example he gave was Linford Christie and his famed ‘lunchbox’ - looking at the genesis of the story about that, linking it to his Olympic success, showing how the media diverted its attention from the success of a Black athlete, to promoting a racial stereotype about the size of his junk. He then makes you as the simple question: would we have ever had the term ‘Linford’s Lunchbox’ if he’d only ever won Olympic silver, and not gold?
A great but difficult read!
Stephen King fan boi review.
Billy summers is essentially a hitman "one last job" thriller. The story is pretty unoriginal, but King just makes me care about the characters like no other author can. The villains are also three dimensional despite being at the same time quite clichéd. I hope he keeps writing non horror for many more years as I can't get enough of it.
Billy summers is essentially a hitman "one last job" thriller. The story is pretty unoriginal, but King just makes me care about the characters like no other author can. The villains are also three dimensional despite being at the same time quite clichéd. I hope he keeps writing non horror for many more years as I can't get enough of it.
Uranium Wars by Amir Aczel
Top-notch book about the chain reaction (ha) of scientists involved in the development of the nuclear bomb. No math no equations; at two hundred pages, short and sweet.
Top-notch book about the chain reaction (ha) of scientists involved in the development of the nuclear bomb. No math no equations; at two hundred pages, short and sweet.
Just finished I'm thinking of ending things. Thought the ending was a bit disappointing. Should make a good film though.
Agreed. The author should have taken their own advice.
I've started going through the classics for the last few years and recently I just finished Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolf and I have come to the conclusion that Woolf was a genius. I have never read anything like it. What control she has over the English language, how she almost writes in melody, absolutely amazing.
Mrs Dalloway is fantastic. I love the part where it just scrolls through the random thoughts of the different people in the street when she's out shopping. It's rare to read something so original. I struggled with The Waves and found Orlando so and so, but Mrs Dalloway is a true classic.
Haven't read The Waves yet, Orlando I found ok as well. To The Lighthouse is next on my list, hopefully I'll like it.
Jaap Stam - Head to Head is my toilet book atm
Smallish easy to hold paperback book. Nice and snug whilst im sat on the bog...
Smallish easy to hold paperback book. Nice and snug whilst im sat on the bog...
Less us know how the Lighthouse is after the other two were diminishing returns after Mrs Dalloway.
Has any of you read Noughts & Crosses? My niece and I often recommend books for each other and this is one that she texted me about this week. It's a series of 7 books, the last of which was released just the other day and it's got a TV series on the BBC too. The premise of the book looks interesting.
I have no idea what to read next as I've had some clunkers recently and I will not leave a book unfinished.
The last book I really loved was Tim Winton's "The Shepherd's Hut" and I have ordered Louise Erdrich's "The Night Watchman", but I'm not overly excited by it, just hopeful. I'm scrolling through this thread in the hope something jumps out.
The last book I really loved was Tim Winton's "The Shepherd's Hut" and I have ordered Louise Erdrich's "The Night Watchman", but I'm not overly excited by it, just hopeful. I'm scrolling through this thread in the hope something jumps out.
Just finished Commonwealth by Ann Patchett and started XO from the 33 1/3 series (the one where each book tells the story of one particular album in detail). I also just finished Illmatic in that series which was great.
I decided on "Never Let Me Go." My first Ishiguro and I cannot remember too much about the film (even though I saw it).
Read three books published in the last month or so. All great books but maybe not Top 10 all-time level
Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead
Never Saw Me Coming by Vera Kurian
My Heart Is A Chainsaw by Stephen Graham Jones
Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead
Never Saw Me Coming by Vera Kurian
My Heart Is A Chainsaw by Stephen Graham Jones
I finally read Blood Meridian. I had no expectations going into it - had never read anything by McCarthy and knew nothing about him, and knew nothing about the history of the era or the geography. I finished it not really knowing how I felt about it except that I knew I’d need to read it again. Spent the next day doing some basic historical reading on the time and place, and promptly picked it up again and read it all again in two days. Pretty sure I’ll read it again before this year is out. And to be honest, I’m still not quite sure what to make of it, only I know I’ve never read anything else quite like it.
Have you done that before with a book? It's epic, horrible, gripping and the Judge is a great character, even though he is leading the slaughter of god knows how many innocents. I need to read it again too at some point, it's easily my favourite McCarthy and he has written several really good books. The ending leaves questions too, without wanting to give away any spoilers.
No never done that before. Can’t stop thinking about it, whatever else it is, it’s fecking embedded in my consciousness for the moment.
I read the first few pages of Blood Miridian at least 3 times at this stage, but whatever it is about the style I just can't read more. I should really just push on some time
Do you mean about the Judge being the actual narrator of the novel?
It was the other year I read it and my memory sucks, but yeah doesn't it drift in and out of being the kid's narrative, but basically the kid is pretty monosyllabic with little character or backstop and the judge is so dominant? Seem to remember it suddenly turning a bit weird at the end where they were all paranoid the other gang members wanted to kill them. Then the judge seems increasingly supernatural almost.
Yes, it starts with the kid and definitely seems like it's his story, but there are sections where the kid doesn't appear which hints at The Judge actually being the voice of the narrator. This really makes sense if you break down both the actions and the notion that seems to elevate the Judge to almost supernatural as you mention. I know how the novel deconstructs the traditional "cowboys vs indians" mythology but there is also a strong tarot symbolism element running throughout which I am not as versed in. I'm sure some Cormac scholar has written papers on it though.
It's my favourite book (Blood Meridian). I couldn't quite comprehend what I read when I first read it. Tis a work of art.
See now it’s this kind of thing why I know I’ll be reading it again soon.
Ah, my knowledge of that is limited to a few scenes in Live and Let Die, so pretty much zero.
One chapter left of DUNE... I'm putting it off as I don't want it to end.
The immediate sequels are still pretty good. You have at least 2 good books to go
Yeah, it really has tons of things packed into it at a more subtle level. When I talk with other fans there is always some observation I didn't notice myself.
Oh really? I thought they were considered vastly inferior to the original, but if that's not the case I'll definitely check them out.
Dune Messiah and Children of Dune are worth reading if you really like the first one IMO. God Emperor of Dune starts to get weird and downhill but for a fan is still probably worth it to a degree. After that its really bad.
I'll put these ones on the list, thanks.