Last Book You Read And Rate It
Rin-Tin-Tin by Susan Orlean (I even started a thread on it yesterday)
5/5
“Geek Love” by Katherine Dunn
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
Grade: A
B.D. Garga, From Raj to Swaraj (8/10)
Witold Gombrowicz
Ferdydurke
5/5
Essential.
I don’t think about books in terms of numerical ratings the way I think about films, so instead I’ll use verbal ratings.
Classic
Great
Good
Decent
Meh
Anna Karenina: Classic. That’s an easy one, and it’s remarkable how well a lot of Tolstoy’s observations have uncanny resemblance to modern society. It calls out all the hypocrisies of society, and at the end, gives a prescription for peace of mind amidst corruption.
Gilead: Great. I’m actually only 80% of the way through this one, but it’s a beautiful narrative that takes the form of letters a 77 year old dying preacher is writing for his young daughter, and it has a really thorough analysis of the kind of Christian doctrine I find more consistent with what I’ve read of the Gospels than most Christians seem to practice.
What should I read next? Books I’ve already bought are:
Don Delillo – Libra
David Foster Wallace – Infinite Jest
Roberto Bolano – Nazi Literature In The Americas
Philip Roth – Portnoy’s Complaint
Steve Erickson – Amnesiascope
Philip K Dick – Ubik
Vladimir Nabokov – Lolita
Gene Wolfe – Book of the Short Sun
Jirin — I’m going to say Book of the Short Sun, just because I have been wanting to reread the series.
I’m about to start Reamde, but I tend to read slowly, so I don’t know how long it will take me
@ Jirin
My vote is in for Lolita. I’ve read five of his novels now, and while I would say he’s written better narratives, Lolita is still a must for its sheer lyrical beauty alone. Also, I know it’s not on your list, but since you mentioned Roberto Bolano I have to recommend his novel The Savage Detectives, if you haven’t read that one already. I finished it somewhat recently and was absolutely captivated throughout. He’s a masterful storyteller.
I just finished reading “Franny and Zooey” by J.D Salinger. Although beautifully written, I can’t find it in myself to sympathize with those characters of his. Maybe it’s because the Glass family specifically irritates me, or maybe it’s just Salinger writing himself into the characters, brings out the worst in himself.
Otherwise, I’m currently reading “Steppenwolf” by Hermann Hesse, and am extremely fascinated thus far. His character studies and psychoanalysis of the protagonist traces back to his studies of C.G Jung and interweaves those character traits into the novel. A great read thus far.
I just finished reading :
I rate it 9 out of 10.
Jane Eyre, 6/10
All Color Funnies #33 – 4/5
Richie Rich #25 – 7/10
Archie # 67 – 3 1/2 /4
Little Lulu #73 – 10/10 – AWWWsome!
I know you are joking but I if you weren’t I would envy you.
I would take those comics over all others.
Yeah, I’ve read Savage Detectives, as well as 2666. Both are ‘classic’ level, IMO.
The only reason not to read Lolita next is that I just read another older novel about sexual morays. Maybe I’ll pick another of the newer novels first, then do Lolita next.
Jason Zinoman’s “Shock Value” about the rise of the new horror in the 1970s.
It’s a pretty good read if you want to find out more about Craven, DePalma, Hooper, Carpenter and Dan O’Bannon.
Not worth a hardcover purchase. Wait for the paperback or take it out of the library.
Just read:
Abe Mark Nornes’ Forest of Pressure: Ogawa Shinsuke and Postwar Japanese Documentary
Incredibly informative and thought provoking. I don’t agree with many of Nornes’ conclusions, but only in a generalized sense as I don’t have enough knowledge of Ogawa or Japanese documentary on the whole to comment fully on it.
Reading:
Natsumi Soseki’s I Am a Cat
Incredibly witty and wonderful so far.
Next:
Camus’ The Stranger
Roth’s American Pastoral
Reading: The teachings of Shams Al- Tabrazi…good so far..
I just finished “Christ In Concrete” by Pietro di Donato. It was written in the late ’30’s.
Very poetic and filled with beauty and sadness. It is about the impoverished Italian Immigrant settlement in the Lower East Side. I loved the book.
I understand there was a British film made of it entitled “Give Us This Day.” It was directed, in 1949, by the American Edward Dmytryk. I think it got mixed reviews. I don’t know if it is available on DVD.
Fidel and Gabo:
poorly cited (distractingly so) and poorly analyzed, particularly in regards to Marquez’s works, strange since the authors seem to hold him in high esteem, at least much higher than Mr Castro.
am donating this to the library
2/5
Peter Bart- The Gross 5.75/10. Some very interesting information about the Film Industry and the 98 Blockbusters, but more of an extremely long article than a book, Fatal Subtraction and the brilliant Final Cut are far better.
The Woodcutter by Reginald Hill 5/5 fab fast paced and compelling.
Battle Royale: The Novel (Koushun Takami) 4/5
Lady Blue Eyes by Barbara Sinatra
The sheer variety and amount of luminaries she knew even before Frank was incredible. She does not delve enough into personal affairs (doesn’t have to be sex life per say). I could not get a read on what kind of life she had with Zeppo Marx (her first husband) or the challenges of a young woman living with older suitors. The book is more about glimpses of events than the people who inhabit them.
2/5
I found the actual finishing of DFW’s Infinite Jest was more enjoyable than the novel as a whole. Having to have 2 bookmarks and the constant flipping back-and-forth got annoying but all in all it was a great book. I don’t see myself ever reading it again.
Some personal favorites that are newer and very quick/entertaining reads are The Pleasure of My Company by Steve Martin or Crooked Little Vein by Warren Ellis.
The last books i read was Manalive and The Man Who was Thursday by G.K. Chesterton. I read them both in one day last weekend as they are both short and i would highly recommend them Manalive was very fun, whimsical, silly, and philosophical. 4/5. The Man Who was Thursday was just a fun sci-fi/anarchic noir type book. It reminded me of if Gaiman and Dick wrote a book together (even though that’s anachronistic as it came out in 1908). 4/5 for that one, as well.
Neil Gaiman and Philip K. Dick*
Quase Nós, Sofia Sá da Bandeira.
3,5/5
Margaret Atwood’s Surfacing
5/5
The Chicken Chronicles by Alice Walker
Starts off very warmly, about her life around chickens as a child and the event that led to her wanting to raise chickens as an adult, but once she starts writing letters to the chickens it becomes to earnest in its attempts at empathy that it is hard not to mock.
2/5
Blindness by Jose Saramango
I read this while I was on holiday expecting a light sci-fi fables of sorts, was absolutley blown away, so powerful and disturbing but also life affirming, it actually read like a horror novel. The premise is so simple but fasicnating. I am looking for other books by him, can anyone reccomend anything?
A masterpiece.
Saloniste
This is a special request since this topic is more about books than movies. I’ve always admired your refined taste and I want to read something new.