It's Smurftember and I'm reading...
You're a day early there Brandon. Unless you're in Australia or something.
BTW - What do you think of House of Leaves so far?
BTW - What do you think of House of Leaves so far?
I post early for the benefit of our Australian friends 
I'm finding some parts of the book very cumbersome, others quite enjoyable, but I'll have to finish before I can make a fully formed opinion.
Yeah there are definitely some challenging parts in the book that just frustrate the hell out of you. MZD is trying to make you feel like the characters feel. So if you keep that in mind, it gives those parts a point and makes them less frustrating - at least in my opinion.
I also remember reading something about how the footnotes are actually a pacing device of sorts, although I can't remember where now.
I wouldn't mind reading an article or two about the book. When I read the book, I picked it up not knowing much about it. I was kind of obsessed with it while I was reading it - over-thinking everything.
Seems to me our Australian friends will be okay with it if the thread starts on the first of the month. I kind of liked the idea that a different person was making the thread every month, but you make that hard when you keep making it a full day early.
"I'm glad I live in the GPS era. In a different century, I would've set off to visit the other side of the village and wandered off into the mountains and been eaten by a carnivorous plant. Or discovered the Americas."
-LaJessica
Currently reading Norway's Foreign Relations by Olav Riste and Globalization: A Very Short Introduction by Manfred B. Steger.
Geez. Fine, I'll stop. Didn't realize this was an issue.
Its not an issue, I'm simply stating my opinion.
"I'm glad I live in the GPS era. In a different century, I would've set off to visit the other side of the village and wandered off into the mountains and been eaten by a carnivorous plant. Or discovered the Americas."
-LaJessica
It's cool. I post very little as is so whatevs.
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo By Steig Larsson.
Thought I'd finally give this a go. 100 pages in and hmm, it's a bit slow to get going.
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Latest update - What The Eyes Behold by Mike Frounfelter.
". . . fuck, yeah!" (sorry, couldn't resist)
I'm on Max Barry Machine Man right now, though I didn't care for the first bit, so I haven't been eager to pick it back up in a while, which is not helped by also having Frank Bill's Crimes in Southern Indiana right there staring at me with temptation. Before that was The Last Werewolf, which I loved both because of and in spite of its attempts at literary/genre crossover. Many criticisms, but ultimately applauded the effort.
I can't believe it is Smurftember already.
I feel more like I do now than I did before.
ray bradbury --- we'll always have paris
www.triplebeard.com
http://darkroomreview.blogspot.com
“...There are so many ways of being despicable it quite makes one's head spin. But the way to be really despicable is to be contemptuous of other people's pain. You ought to have some apprehension that the man you see before you was once even younger than you are now and arrived at his present wretchedness by imperceptible degrees.”
-James Baldwin
Thought I'd finally give this a go. 100 pages in and hmm, it's a bit slow to get going.
It has an extremely slow start, but you should keep reading, I thought it was worth it anyway.
Warmed & Bound, and a whole bunch of science fiction and horror anthologies. I loooove me some short stories.
Thought I'd finally give this a go. 100 pages in and hmm, it's a bit slow to get going.
It has an extremely slow start, but you should keep reading, I thought it was worth it anyway.
even when it speeds up, it's like the kiddie coaster at the fair. lots of needless repeating, stereotypical characters, and genre staple crap, including sex with just about everyone who smiles at the narrator. i say just about because he never sleeps with the gay guy, whats his name? Cristoph? but pretty much everyone else.
www.triplebeard.com
http://darkroomreview.blogspot.com
“...There are so many ways of being despicable it quite makes one's head spin. But the way to be really despicable is to be contemptuous of other people's pain. You ought to have some apprehension that the man you see before you was once even younger than you are now and arrived at his present wretchedness by imperceptible degrees.”
-James Baldwin
I know you don't like that book (or the writer), that's fine.
Now I'm reading Miles from Nowhere by Nami Mun.
Is chuck being negative? No way.
"I'm glad I live in the GPS era. In a different century, I would've set off to visit the other side of the village and wandered off into the mountains and been eaten by a carnivorous plant. Or discovered the Americas."
-LaJessica
Just read The Magician's Nephew and now its onto The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
"I'm glad I live in the GPS era. In a different century, I would've set off to visit the other side of the village and wandered off into the mountains and been eaten by a carnivorous plant. Or discovered the Americas."
-LaJessica
Those books made my childhood.
I wish I had read them as a child, but I'm enjoying them now. That one took me all of two hours to read. I believe Prince Caspian is next.
"I'm glad I live in the GPS era. In a different century, I would've set off to visit the other side of the village and wandered off into the mountains and been eaten by a carnivorous plant. Or discovered the Americas."
-LaJessica
Middlesex by Jeffrey Eygenides
The Rainbow by D. H. Lawrence
The Absolutist by John Boyne.
I got books for my birthday, hooray!
Yay Imke!
Still reading A Clockwork Orange and that chinese seamstress book but I just starded Bad Influences by Ed Brubaker. I feel like I should have brushed up on the first Incognito series because I'm getting that and one of the Sleeper series mixed up 
love, love, LOVE this book.
And I was wrong about which book was next, I'm on The Horse and His Boy
"I'm glad I live in the GPS era. In a different century, I would've set off to visit the other side of the village and wandered off into the mountains and been eaten by a carnivorous plant. Or discovered the Americas."
-LaJessica
love, love, LOVE this book.
It's very enjoyable so far - at the 100-page mark. Eugenides has a new book coming out later this year which should be very good if it's anywhere near the quality of his previous work.
Thought I'd finally give this a go. 100 pages in and hmm, it's a bit slow to get going.
It has an extremely slow start, but you should keep reading, I thought it was worth it anyway.
even when it speeds up, it's like the kiddie coaster at the fair. lots of needless repeating, stereotypical characters, and genre staple crap, including sex with just about everyone who smiles at the narrator. i say just about because he never sleeps with the gay guy, whats his name? Cristoph? but pretty much everyone else.
I agree with Atomos...red herrings galore in this one
Thought I'd finally give this a go. 100 pages in and hmm, it's a bit slow to get going.
It has an extremely slow start, but you should keep reading, I thought it was worth it anyway.
even when it speeds up, it's like the kiddie coaster at the fair. lots of needless repeating, stereotypical characters, and genre staple crap, including sex with just about everyone who smiles at the narrator. i say just about because he never sleeps with the gay guy, whats his name? Cristoph? but pretty much everyone else.
I agree with Atomos...red herrings galore in this one
thank god! i thought i was alone. im so tired of hearing people rave about this book. especially women.
www.triplebeard.com
http://darkroomreview.blogspot.com
“...There are so many ways of being despicable it quite makes one's head spin. But the way to be really despicable is to be contemptuous of other people's pain. You ought to have some apprehension that the man you see before you was once even younger than you are now and arrived at his present wretchedness by imperceptible degrees.”
-James Baldwin
love, love, LOVE this book.
It's very enjoyable so far - at the 100-page mark. Eugenides has a new book coming out later this year which should be very good if it's anywhere near the quality of his previous work.
Oh now I'm stoked! Why hasn't Brandon told me this? He's a huge Eugenides fan.
love, love, LOVE this book.
It's very enjoyable so far - at the 100-page mark. Eugenides has a new book coming out later this year which should be very good if it's anywhere near the quality of his previous work.
Oh now I'm stoked! Why hasn't Brandon told me this? He's a huge Eugenides fan.
I'm excited! Its rare that I get to get excited about a new book coming out. Comes along with reading things mostly written by dead people.
Tonight when I get home it will be onto Prince Caspian
"I'm glad I live in the GPS era. In a different century, I would've set off to visit the other side of the village and wandered off into the mountains and been eaten by a carnivorous plant. Or discovered the Americas."
-LaJessica
I've read the first two books in the Millenium series. I found the first book hard to get into at first, but ended up enjoying it. I like them.
I'm reading Bulibasha by Witi Ihimaera, my favourite NZ author.
Why does it bother you so much? It's not a masterpiece, but that doesn't mean you can't enjoy reading it. I'm so tired of people feeling like they're above it. Especially men.
EDIT_
Sarah, the second book is my favorite of the series.
Lunar Park by Ellis.
Why does it bother you so much? It's not a masterpiece, but that doesn't mean you can't enjoy reading it. I'm so tired of people feeling like they're above it. Especially men.
EDIT_
Sarah, the second book is my favorite of the series.
All that really matters is how you feel about it. Reading is, for the most part, an intimate experience. A personal one between what an author has written (not even between the author and reader) that has nothing to do with what has or hasn't been said about a particular work.
It is human that not everyone likes the same things. Embrace that.
...end of preach.
I feel more like I do now than I did before.
Warmed and Bound : duh...
Jesus, Interrupted : Bart Ehrman
Rules of Attraction : B.E. Ellis
Yes, I'm finally reading Ellis. I swore I never would, reason only knows why. But about a month ago someone handed me LTZ and AP for free.
Less Than Zero was spellbinding, American Psycho was beautiful and tense, but a little less disturbing and more disgusting, if that makes sense. So far I'm not sure about Rules of Attraction, I don't have a good bead on where it's going, but I'm enjoying it regardless.
Up next:
The Informers : B.E. Ellis
Forged ; Bart Ehrman
The Blind Watchmaker : Richard Dawkins
That's all for now.
Lots of people have told me to pick up this Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. But this crowd seems split. Should I just borrow a copy from someone I know? I sort hate buying a book if I won't read it again.
| adj | facebook | an american atheist| warmed and bound |
i'd mail you mine, but i know from once mailing my girlfriend a copy of dermaphoria, its cheaper for you to buy it.
also, dont you have a library card?
www.triplebeard.com
http://darkroomreview.blogspot.com
“...There are so many ways of being despicable it quite makes one's head spin. But the way to be really despicable is to be contemptuous of other people's pain. You ought to have some apprehension that the man you see before you was once even younger than you are now and arrived at his present wretchedness by imperceptible degrees.”
-James Baldwin
The Spiritual Foundations of Aikido (William Gleason)
also, dont you have a library card?
Kindle for the win. From what I remember it was pretty cheap.
"I'm glad I live in the GPS era. In a different century, I would've set off to visit the other side of the village and wandered off into the mountains and been eaten by a carnivorous plant. Or discovered the Americas."
-LaJessica
also, dont you have a library card?
No. What is this ... library ... card of which you speak?
But seriously, I'm so bad a getting to things when I intend to that if I were to rely on a library, they'd name an entire wing after me based on the income they get from late fees.
Which would be sort of cool, I guess.
But no, I really can't trust myself with rented materials. That's why Netflix is so awesome for me. No late fees, and I can stream things whenever I want. The downside is I might have a DVD for a couple months before I remember to watch it.
| adj | facebook | an american atheist| warmed and bound |
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
"I'm glad I live in the GPS era. In a different century, I would've set off to visit the other side of the village and wandered off into the mountains and been eaten by a carnivorous plant. Or discovered the Americas."
-LaJessica
Southern Gods by John Hornor Jacobs
Train Dreams by Denis Johnson
The Cold Kiss by John Rector
Before I Go To Sleep by SJ Watson
Warmed and Bound
Visit me at Solarcide—A Writer’s Hideout: http://solarcide.com/fiction/nathan-pettigrew/
Southern Gods by John Hornor Jacobs
Train Dreams by Denis Johnson
The Cold Kiss by John Rector
Before I Go To Sleep by SJ Watson
Warmed and Bound
Denis Johnson has a new one out too?!
This is crazy. How are these things slipping my me lately? lol
Yes and no, apparently. The hardcover's new in August 2011, and it's marketed as a new release from him, but turns out, the actual story itself is a reprint from an obscure anthology -think 2003 or 2004. Either way, I hadn't read it yet and he's up there among my very favorite writers, so yeah, gives me a good way to pass the time. Good release between actual new novels, too.
John Rector has a brand new one coming out this fall as well if you like him at all -his books are all more genre/noir, though, vs. literary like Johnson. That's why I'm catching up on The Cold Kiss -read The Grove last year and enjoyed that.
Visit me at Solarcide—A Writer’s Hideout: http://solarcide.com/fiction/nathan-pettigrew/
Never read anything by John Rector (or even heard of him for that matter).
What do you suggest?
And, yeah, Denis Johnson is probably in my top 5.
I've been on a historical fiction kick and recently read:
'Pillars of the Earth' and 'World Without End' by Ken Follett.
That was followed by 'Sarum' and 'The Forest' by Edward Rutherfurd. I'm debating whether to read 'London' or 'New York' by him next. Or maybe I'll revisit Mary Renault.
What do you suggest?
And, yeah, Denis Johnson is probably in my top 5.
Me too. My top 3 are Junot Diaz, Denis Johnson, and Joey Goebel. John Rector, while I like him, he's flat out genre/crime or genre/noir vs. literary or anything super dark or funny. I mean there's dark stuff to his stories of course since it's all crime based, but it's not like reading Donald Ray Pollock or anything. Just pleasure reading for story (and very interesting ones at that) vs. an admiration for what a writer can do with language. But I guess I'd recommend The Grove. That's the one that got me reading and buying his books. Satisfying and realistic ending that's not so bleak.
Visit me at Solarcide—A Writer’s Hideout: http://solarcide.com/fiction/nathan-pettigrew/
Amerika.