Eeeeeeeeeeeeets March already and I am reading...

I finished Kiss Me, Judas. It was entertaining, but it didn't blow my mind.

Not sure what to pick up next. Maybe a James Ellroy, but I dunno.

Read The Thin Man Alecia! I got Matt reading it right now. I think you will like it.

I'm sad you didn't think Kiss Me, Judas was amazing though.

I agree with her. Good, but didn't blow my mind away or anything. It was probably too built up for me.

I don't know how many times I heard it was a "near-perfect book" but it was more than a few.

I wouldn't say that to everybody. But I think I know what kinds of books she likes. It seemed, to me at least, that she would have really like KMJ.

Don't get me wrong, I really liked it, but I just didn't think it was terribly special. I totally suck at critiquing and reviewing, though, so I never even attempt it. Mostly I just love a good story. I just know that while I'll read it again on down the road (as I do with all books I own), I didn't find it particularly memorable. Doesn't mean I didn't like it, just means that it didn't make me feel anything one way or another.

Did you like the part in Kiss Me Judas where the ending has absolutely nothing to do with anything at all, and proves to be the novel's undoing if you weren't already convinced it was only a decent read at best? And then he goes on to write Penny Dreadful, which has an interesting premise but that's about it and in fact is a totally terrible book?

I've never heard someone here say KMJ was near perfect. Personally I liked it apart from the ending. Penny Dreadfull was good and Hells Half Acre was easily the best.

Go over to The Velvet. It's practically their Bible, but y'know...those are the hardcore fans, so it makes sense.

I'm reading an illustrated novel by Brom called The Devil's Rose and it's amazing. I'm so happy I took a chance on this book.

Though KMJ is Noir, and it's got mystery and plot, I think it's less about those things and more about character than anything else. The way Baer writes. The words dance off the page, singing, like poetry. It's all about the prose, baby.

Which one?

in b4: "The only James Ellroy there is huhuhuh." Shut up.

Give me your address, I always keep an extra copy to give away.

Better make that two. I just read the synopsis and decided I need to read this book. I'd never even heard of it.

The postcard thread.

But know that if you send me something, I will be sending something to you in return.

The Devils Rose by Brom was absolutely fantastic. Next up for me is The Night Season by Chelsea Cain.

Alexanderplatz Berlin:
The Story of Franz Biberkopf

"This book reports the story of Franz Biberkopf, an erstwhile cement- and transport-worker in Berlin. He has just been discharged from prison where he has been doing time because of former incidents, and is now back in Berlin, determined to lead a decent life.

And, at first, he succeeds. But then, though economically things go rather well with him, he gets involved in a regular combat with something that comes from the outside, with something unaccountable, that looks like fate.

Three times this thing crashes against our man, disturbing his scheme of life. It rushes at him with cheating and fraud. The man is able to scramble up again; he is still firm on his feet. It drives and beats him with foul play. He finds it a bit hard to get up. They almost count him out.

Finally it torpedoes him with huge and monstrous savagery.

Thus our good man, who has held his own till the end, is laid low. He gives the game up for lost; he does not know how to go on and appears to be done for.

But, before he puts a definite end to himself, his eyes are forcibly opened in a way which I do not describe here. He is most distinctly given to understand how it all came about. To wit, through himself, that's obvious, through his scheme of life, which looked like nothing on earth, but now suddenly looks entirely different, not simple and almost self-evident, but prideful and impudent, cowardly withal, and full of weakness.

This awful thing which was his life acquires a meaning. Franz Biberkopf has been given a radical cure. At last we see our man back on Alexanderplatz, greatly changed and battered, but nevertheless, bent straight again.

To listen to this, and to meditate on it, will be of benefit to many who, like Franz Biberkopf, live in a human skin, and, like this Franz Biberkopf, ask more of life than a piece of bread and butter."

-Doblin
(i don't know how to umlaut, but the O should be umlauted)

It has been mentioned many times round these parts but I just finish Columbine.

The Black Dahlia. This is going to be my first James Ellroy (and I really hope it's better than the Brian De Palma movie).

What movie? No such thing ever happened.

Right here. The one with Josh Hartnett.

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What are y'all even talking about? The only Josh Hartnett movie ever is Lucky Number Slevin.

I bought this not long ago. Haven't started it yet. But I think I'll hit it up after I finish The Thin Man, which'll likely be tonight. Got a fair chunk of reading done on night shift last night.

This is my first Ellroy and I've been meaning to read him for so long and I can hardly say I'm a fan of noir without having read him, can I?

The Black Dahlia book is definitely far superior to the movie.

You can say that again.

Reading the wikipedia article about the Black Dahlia murder is far superior to that movie... that being said, the book is fantastic.

book is in my top ten

Uncle toms cabin.

Still haven't finished the Black Dahlia. It's one of those books by my bed that i read every now and then. Right now i'm reading "Pimp" by Iceberg Slim, which is good.

I got the Kindle app for my iPhone to test the waters a bit before I commit to purchasing a Kindle. And, I'm pretty cut. I kind of already feel like I've missed out by not getting into this earlier. Damn me for being stubborn and adoring archaic formats. Of course, digital books will never replace my tangible collection. Never. I just love the way books look on the shelf, and fill a room, not to mention how they feel and age and all that good stuff.

So, I downloaded a few things. Some free classics. Bought Stay God. And San Francisco Noir, from the Akashic Noir series. And bought that Hocking bitches 99 cent book, read the first page and wished i could return it and get my buck back. Can't believe that chick is rich. The writing is horrendous.

So, I'm reading the SF Noir book at the moment.

And I'll probably ask for a Kindle for my birthday. Whatever.

I pretty much thought the book was amazing. So well written and researched.

THE MOTEL LIFE --- willy vlautin

Wetlands - Charlotte Roche

Very readable, and not the typical A-to-B sort of journalistic piece. Really blows away a lot of the mythology, which I loved.

Oh, and I got started on A Storm of Swords yesterday too.

YES!

I love this book.

somewhere i have an ARC of TRADE MISSION, too.

Room was magnificent. Donaghue said no to me for an interview due to her being busy, but loved the book so much im being selfish and begging her.

Just started American Psycho. Enjoying it, but not very far in.

Started reading The Maltese Falcon. It's ok so far. But it's not as good as The Thin Man.

I'm reading Three Bedrooms in Manhattan by Georges Simenon, the only decent thing to come out of Liege.

I will hold my opinions back until I finish it then.

I just really liked the dialogues, back and forth, in The Thin Man. It felt so quick and real to me.

Yeah, I just finished The Thin Man, which was my first Hammett novel. I've read a number of his shorts. I'm gonna hit up Red Harvest next. Just start from the beginning. I only read THe Thin Man first because Pete regards it so highly and has recommended I read it for a good 6-8 months now. And it was good. Brilliant. I'm loving Hammett's voice. And I agree with Pete, the dialogue-heavy prose doesn't ever weaken. It's lightning fast and smooth and smart-mouthed. Really dig it.

Awesome!

Haha! Yes, yet another spot-on rec from you, Pete. We seem to have very similar tastes.