Author Topic: books to read  (Read 431242 times)

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kilgore.

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Re: books to read
« Reply #1530 on: January 01, 2013, 12:16:00 AM »
Just read my first book for 2013 in a couple of hours - Post Office by Charles Bukowski. Engaged enough interest to follow up on more of his works. But where to go from here?
i'm guessing you're in high school. just go, grab it all.

trust.
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Generik

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Re: books to read
« Reply #1531 on: January 01, 2013, 12:02:11 PM »


Just finished this book the other day and it got me stoked to eat some mushrooms, so I got truffles last night and watched fireworks with Satan then blacked out and woke up with a big ass gash in my head.
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Tha J-train

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Re: books to read
« Reply #1532 on: January 01, 2013, 12:28:55 PM »
Reading a book called How much is enough? Money and the good life

by a father son economist/philosopher team Robert and Edward Skidelsky.

Completely engrossing.  I'd also recommend shop class as soul craft, reefer madness, confessions of an economic hit man (read with a grain of salt), and the quest (if you can handle economics).  Next on my list is soul of a tree by george nakashima.

oyolar

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Re: books to read
« Reply #1533 on: January 01, 2013, 01:24:35 PM »
Finished my two Georges Bataille related books and started The Outsourced Self by Arlie Russell Hochschild last night. I'm kind of nervous because she seems to be walking a fine line between academic and pop sociology. Hopefully it turns out alright.

kellen

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Re: books to read
« Reply #1534 on: January 01, 2013, 02:12:09 PM »
just finished these:





gonna start this tonight:


oyolar

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Re: books to read
« Reply #1535 on: January 01, 2013, 02:28:13 PM »
Expand Quote
Finished my two Georges Bataille related books and started The Outsourced Self by Arlie Russell Hochschild last night. I'm kind of nervous because she seems to be walking a fine line between academic and pop sociology. Hopefully it turns out alright.
[close]

Georges Bataille is excellent. 

Just picked up Cormac McCarthy's Child of God and Jim Thompson's The Killer Inside Me.

If you like Bataille, you should read the biography by Michel Surya that I've been mentioning. It's long but provides amazing insight into his works, not only the inspiration behind them but also an analysis and explanation of them.

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Re: books to read
« Reply #1536 on: January 01, 2013, 03:23:57 PM »
MAUS  :o

oyolar

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Re: books to read
« Reply #1537 on: January 03, 2013, 09:53:21 PM »
Already finished that Hochschild book. It was not as academic/analytical as I had hoped. A quick and interesting read and it definitely gave me some things to think about, but still.

Starting Speak, Memory by Nabokov tomorrow. I'm trying to read at least a chapter of a book a day this year for one of my resolutions.

kilgore.

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Re: books to read
« Reply #1538 on: January 03, 2013, 10:25:30 PM »


No holds barred, til labias say "free us"
then its straight to your kids' school, wine coolers in the Prius

Lenny the Fatface

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Re: books to read
« Reply #1539 on: January 04, 2013, 06:58:50 AM »
I currently reading this on the iPad.




And yes, this book pretty much panders to the "tongue in cheek, 20 something, middle class, college educated, black interests but only has white friends/ white interests but only has black friends, think the boondocks in funnier than it really is, cool twitter profile picture having" type of black folk that you might have already assumed.

chockfullofthat

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Re: books to read
« Reply #1540 on: January 07, 2013, 06:51:00 AM »
There's been more talk on Instagram and Facebook about a Slap Book Club....? 

I have too many classics to cover still, I got into reading quite late.  This thread is gold though and I'm always interested to get more recomendations so if a book club is going to make this thread more active, get to it.

chockfullofthat

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Re: books to read
« Reply #1541 on: January 08, 2013, 07:36:33 AM »
Speaking of which, I was thinking about picking up Ulysses soon and wanted to hear some thoughts about getting the annotated book by Gifford as well or should I try to get through it without it?

ChronicBluntSlider

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Re: books to read
« Reply #1542 on: January 08, 2013, 08:59:00 AM »


Awesome book. Usually not into historical fiction, but have been reading some stuff about the Roman Empire, and this was really interesting. Caligula was such a psychopath. Starting Midnight's Children by Rushdie today.

As for the book club, Crying of Lot 49 was chosen and hardly anybody read it. Maybe pick a similarly short, but easier read of a book for the next one.

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Re: books to read
« Reply #1543 on: January 08, 2013, 09:28:47 AM »
Currently finishing up this novel: 



It is the sequel to this novel, but you don't need to read them in order:



I am really enjoying it, so I thought I would post it.  It is scary, funny, and intelligently written all at the same time.  I am going to get John Dies at the End when it comes into my public Lib.  Super excited to read it.  Nonetheless, I would recommend This Book is Full of Spiders to anyone.  Couldn't put it down once I started.  Def check it out.

Also, with regard to this thread, I read some of the funnies posted and I thoroughly enjoyed the following:  What's Not to Love By Jonathan Ames,  Kasher in the Rye By Moshe Kasher,  and Not Taco Bell Material by Adam Corolla.  If anyone is looking for some fucking hilarious, yet intelligent reads; these are the ones.  Simply amazing. 
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oyolar

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Re: books to read
« Reply #1544 on: January 08, 2013, 09:32:56 AM »
Speaking of which, I was thinking about picking up Ulysses soon and wanted to hear some thoughts about getting the annotated book by Gifford as well or should I try to get through it without it?

I've read Ulysses three times now and the Gifford annotations are really helpful. It is entirely possible to get through it without the annotations (I did for my first two times), but the annotations provide a lot of historical, geographical, and linguistic context (i.e. slang and the occasional translation). It provides little to no analytical work, so you still have to do all of that, but it will increase your comprehension of the text making analysis easier. I'd definitely recommend it. It's super thorough so what I did when I used it was just glance at it whenever I came across a confusing plot point or term.

One thing to be aware of is that the Gifford annotations are numbered for a specific printing of the book since Ulysses has a really odd publication history. I used the annotations while reading the hardcover "Modern Library" edition and I'm of the ilk strongly advising you to stay away from the Gabler edition (and supposedly there's a "Reader's Edition" of Ulysses that's just horrendous EDIT: Found out why. It was edited by Danis Rose and you should avoid any editions of Joyce that he has had a hand in). Gabler was released by the Joyce Estate after his edition came out and hundreds of errors were described line-by-line by critics. I honestly don't know why people still have it in circulation.

Sorry for all of the info. I just really like Joyce. Feel free to PM me once you start if you want to talk about it although it's been about 2 years since the last time I read it.

As for the book club, I was actually going to resuggest The Crying of Lot 49 since it's on my personal list and didn't work out too well last time.
« Last Edit: January 08, 2013, 09:46:51 AM by oyolar »

chockfullofthat

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Re: books to read
« Reply #1545 on: January 08, 2013, 09:46:55 AM »
Expand Quote
Speaking of which, I was thinking about picking up Ulysses soon and wanted to hear some thoughts about getting the annotated book by Gifford as well or should I try to get through it without it?
[close]

I've read Ulysses three times now and the Gifford annotations are really helpful. It is entirely possible to get through it without the annotations (I did for my first two times), but the annotations provide a lot of historical, geographical, and linguistic context (i.e. slang and the occasional translation). It provides little to no analytical work, so you still have to do all of that, but it will increase your comprehension of the text making analysis easier. I'd definitely recommend it. It's super thorough so what I did when I used it was just glance at it whenever I came across a confusing plot point or term.

One thing to be aware of is that the Gifford annotations are numbered for a specific printing of the book since Ulysses has a really odd publication history. I used the annotations while reading the hardcover "Modern Library" edition and I'm of the ilk strongly advising you to stay away from the Gabler edition (and supposedly there's a "Reader's Edition" of Ulysses that's just horrendous EDIT: Found out why. It was edited by Danis Rose and you should avoid any editions of Joyce that he has had a hand in). Gabler was released by the Joyce Estate after his edition came out and hundreds of errors were described line-by-line by critics. I honestly don't know why people still have it in circulation.

Sorry for all of the info. I just really like Joyce. Feel free to PM me once you start if you want to talk about it although it's been about 2 years since the last time I read it.

As fr the book club, I was actually going to resuggest The Crying of Lot 49 since it's on my personal list and didn't work out too well last time.

Thanks.

dolphinstyle.

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Re: books to read
« Reply #1546 on: January 08, 2013, 01:20:17 PM »
there's a little slap pals book club on goodreads.com
kilgore initiated it, I think
however, nothing has happened on there yet, although it was formed like a year ago
http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/64583-slap-pals
maybe more will join and get it actually started?
Look, I'm an individual within us, partaking in this business

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Re: books to read
« Reply #1548 on: January 10, 2013, 03:01:55 PM »
Just finished this:



And it was fucking amazing.  Literally one of the most disturbing and dark books I have ever read.  It resonated with me like a parasite infecting a human host.  I still can't stop thinking about it.  It was dark, witty, and interesting all at once.  Fucking phenomenal.  Also, the author, Gillian Flynn, is pretty fucking hot.  Which makes it even more interesting.  I don't know why, it just does.  Read it and you will udnerstand.  If you like dark literature, then I recommend you read this.   ;D
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cringe.

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Re: books to read
« Reply #1549 on: January 31, 2013, 05:36:22 PM »
been on a bit of a binge since christmas, been getting into short story cycles especially

so good, one of my favourite books ive read probably. if you've read/liked in our time by hemingway you should read this... or read it anyway. really awesome series of interconnecting stories/vignettes about people in this town and their hopes, unrealised desires, etc


one of my fav steinbeck books ive read, quite unlike a lot of his other stuff too, formally cool again. similar concept to winesburg ohio except is around the pastures of heaven, a valley in cali. thematically similar too. some really great stories in here that have stuck in my memory


collection of short stories, vignettes, prose poems, poems that concentrate on black people and the north south usa difference. really vivid imagery and feeling, really formally unlike anything ive read


just started this too, again a short story cycle focussing on isolation/decay in lives of ppl in fishing villages along the maine coast



so awesome, joyce is just a serously good writer. if anyone is interested i would say it would be really cool to read dubliners, then portrait, then ulysses in that order because you'll notice lots of interesting continuities, thematic linkages and stylistic/formal/experimental changes through them


had to read this for uni and its a damn long book but its damn good, probably best victorian novel ive read. george eliot was just a super intelligent perceptive badass, damn


also read Ethan Frome the other week cos id never actually read any Wharton and i thought it was a rad lil novellla, pretty sad/intense

oyolar

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Re: books to read
« Reply #1550 on: January 31, 2013, 06:46:17 PM »
Catching up on the Slap book club and on my last chapter of The Crying of Lot 49.  Definitely a lot quicker and easier than Gravity's Rainbow.

Ollie Ringwald

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Re: books to read
« Reply #1551 on: January 31, 2013, 07:31:29 PM »
I'm about a quarter of the way through Infinite Jest, so far I think it is just ok.

Beer Keg Peg Leg

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Re: books to read
« Reply #1552 on: January 31, 2013, 11:59:19 PM »


Half-way through this tome. It's the 5th or 6th murakami book i've read in the last year. super dank metaphysical scifi shit.

Thrillho

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Re: books to read
« Reply #1553 on: February 01, 2013, 01:01:16 AM »


I read this when I was 15, and stopped talking to people at school for about a year.

crackrazor

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Re: books to read
« Reply #1554 on: February 01, 2013, 05:42:14 AM »
Anyone read this?


chockfullofthat

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Re: books to read
« Reply #1555 on: February 01, 2013, 06:09:27 AM »


Half-way through this tome. It's the 5th or 6th murakami book i've read in the last year. super dank metaphysical scifi shit.

I just read Kafka on the Shore.  I thought it was pretty good.  A little longer than it it needed to be maybe and I'm a little confused about the deeper meaning of the book.  I know it was basically just a retelling of Oedipus like 1Q84 is to 1984.   I'm not sure which Murakami I'd try next.  Norweigan Wood or The Wind-up Bird Chronicle probably.

Merked

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Re: books to read
« Reply #1556 on: February 01, 2013, 07:00:08 AM »
Expand Quote
Just finished this:



And it was fucking amazing.  Literally one of the most disturbing and dark books I have ever read.  It resonated with me like a parasite infecting a human host.  I still can't stop thinking about it.  It was dark, witty, and interesting all at once.  Fucking phenomenal.  Also, the author, Gillian Flynn, is pretty fucking hot.  Which makes it even more interesting.  I don't know why, it just does.  Read it and you will udnerstand.  If you like dark literature, then I recommend you read this.   ;D
[close]

I read that a couple years ago and read her other one, Dark Places as well.  She's a good author and knows her way around a thriller/mystery, but I just don't get the people going overboard on them being extremely dark and disturbing.  Those are some pretty weighted terms and, quite frankly, they don't belong attached to her work.  They're dark and they have some pretty fucked up characters and there are some cool twists, but they still read like light summer reading to me.  Don't get me wrong, I dug 'em, and I'll read Gone Girl after my wife is done with it with her book club, but they're still pretty tame.  If anything, I am more into HOW she writes.  She's very visual and she can bounce back and forth between time (the way she handles flashbacks in Dark Places is great).  I will say that she rachets up the tension expertly.  

If you're into dark and disturbing, like shit that will start invading how you think, give American Psycho or Exquisite Corpse a try.  Those are legitimately both.

I hear ya Hate.  The thing with Sharp Objects was it got under my skin for some reason.  I am waiting for her other two books to get into the Library.  Hyped to read them.  I tried to get exquisite corpse, but couldn't find it anywhere, which pissed me off.  I was never into American Psycho, but I may give it a shot.  

I just read Hell House, which was quite the good read.  And, I am currently reading House of Leaves, but they both arent really as intimidating as Sharp Objects.  I acutally consider House of Leaves to be a love novel rather than a horror.  Marketing I guess.  They are both amazing, but I was really looking for some sketchy, twisted literature because that is the only genre that I have really yet to explore.

If you have any recommendations please let me know via this thread or PM.   ;D
« Last Edit: February 01, 2013, 07:03:07 AM by Merked »
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ChronicBluntSlider

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Re: books to read
« Reply #1557 on: February 01, 2013, 10:38:47 AM »
Hell House, in my opinion, is the best haunted house story ever written.  Definitely check out anything by Richard Matheson as I Am Legend and Stir Of Echoes are both excellent.  Exquisite Corpse might be hard to track down.  Poppy Z. Brite basically takes the story of Jeffrey Dahmer, turns him into two people (one being a cannibal, the other a necrophile) and well....  that's all I should say.  Bret Easton Ellis can turn people off with his style, but he writes some gnarly shit.

It's been mentioned a million times in this thread, but anything by Cormac McCarthy is excellent. Blood Meridian being my, and many others', favorite.  The violence and misanthropy combined with what I would imagine is a pretty accurate depiction of life in the mid 19th century is pretty excellent.

I'll think about it, I'm sure I can track down some other books that can creep under skin and stay with you for awhile.

I read that never having seen the movie, and never really reading much horror, but I was pretty blown away by it. The ending's great. I'll have to check out Stir of Echoes.

Merked

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Re: books to read
« Reply #1558 on: February 01, 2013, 10:55:04 AM »
Hell House, in my opinion, is the best haunted house story ever written.  Definitely check out anything by Richard Matheson as I Am Legend and Stir Of Echoes are both excellent.  Exquisite Corpse might be hard to track down.  Poppy Z. Brite basically takes the story of Jeffrey Dahmer, turns him into two people (one being a cannibal, the other a necrophile) and well....  that's all I should say.  Bret Easton Ellis can turn people off with his style, but he writes some gnarly shit.

It's been mentioned a million times in this thread, but anything by Cormac McCarthy is excellent. Blood Meridian being my, and many others', favorite.  The violence and misanthropy combined with what I would imagine is a pretty accurate depiction of life in the mid 19th century is pretty excellent.

I'll think about it, I'm sure I can track down some other books that can creep under skin and stay with you for awhile.

For real man, before I read Hell House, I was like "Pshhh, haunted house... This is going to be weak."  Then I was blown away.  It is by far the best haunting novel I have ever read.  Thanks for the recommendations though.  Imma check out more Matheson and Blood Meridan.  Also, is that I am Legend the same as the Will Smith movie?  Let me rephrase that; was the movie based off Matheson's novel?
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oyolar

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Re: books to read
« Reply #1559 on: February 01, 2013, 12:08:06 PM »
House of Leaves is more unsettling than horrorific.  I think that was just the only term they could use to describe it's content, although I don't think that Danielewski has ever described it as a horror story and definitely does not shy away from it having a focus on love.  Although it's not a romance love story, but rather a love story where people's lives are falling apart.  I'm not sure how far you are into it, but once you start getting into the really odd layouts, it does become darker and creepier.  I really liked it.  I've never really had a book that the action of reading it so expertly mirrored how the author describes reading it should be, if you know what I mean.

For dark stuff, read Bataille's fiction.  You think that it's really only gross at first but it sits with you for a while and you're not sure why it's dark and unsettling.  At least that's how it is for me.