Author Topic: books to read  (Read 431310 times)

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SneakySecrets

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Re: books to read
« Reply #3600 on: January 08, 2022, 12:39:45 PM »
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Anyone got some good recommends for books on medieval history?
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I haven't read any yet, but I plan on diving into some Dan Jones after this coming semester.

I’ll look into it, thanks homie.
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MichaelJacksonsGhost

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Re: books to read
« Reply #3601 on: January 08, 2022, 05:21:46 PM »
Just finished Brave New World for the first time.  Really impressive that he could write that in the early 1930’s, and how accurately his predictions seems to be unfolding.. but god damn things didn’t really pick up much until the end did they?

I just picked up reading again after deleting all my social media.  Maybe BNW wasn’t the best choice to start with.  I also read Ten Arguments For Deleting Your Social Media by Jaron Lanier.  Definitely an eye opener about how profoundly it’s fucking up society, but lacked the positivity I was hoping for in regards to the benefits of quitting.  The author’s a Silicon Valley guy/writer, but captivating prose isn’t his strong suit, was a bit of a struggle to get through.

Brave New World Revisited might be worth checking out. Huxley wrote it maybe 20 years after brave new world—it’s essentially 100 pages of him saying, “look how right I was.” It’s been a while since I read it, but I remember it being at least a little interesting.

A buddy recently gave me a copy of Roland Barthes empire of signs. I was a little wary to get into it, having only dabbled in Derrida and Foucault, other post-structuralists, both of whom I found pretty damn hard to crack open. But this Barthes book was fun. He touches on a lot of ideas about language and meaning (or the absence of meaning), but ties them into pretty interesting observations about Japan, their food, entertainment etc. in a way that ensures the philosophy is never too daunting. it reads mostly like a heady travelogue, with a handful of seriously poetic lines.



MichaelJacksonsGhost

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Re: books to read
« Reply #3602 on: January 08, 2022, 05:28:26 PM »
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Currently reading, "The Bandini Quartet."  I'ts Fante's four Bandini books put in to one 700 page monstor.  Very good.
[close]

I'm going through the Quartet as well (individually). Mostly because of Bukowski always quoting him as the author that inspired him. I do enjoy these post-depression American era books. Does anyone have any other authors of a similar nature?
[close]

Different in tone than Fante, but I'd recommend Nathanael West's Miss Lonelyhearts and Day of the Locust, both of which are set in LA around the depression era. Really, really good.

Also, Steinbeck, of course (who I mentioned above). I'm a low-key evangelist for Cannery Row, which is "set during the Great Depression in Monterey, California, on a street lined with sardine canneries that is known as Cannery Row. The story revolves around the people living there: Lee Chong, the local grocer; Doc, a marine biologist; and Mack, the leader of a group of derelict people" (Wiki). It's a charming, sad, and beautiful book.

Not necessarily related to the depression, but Raymond Carver’s stories have a similar style to bukowski and Fante. I’d also seriously recommend Carson McCuller’s The Heart is a Lonely Hunter. Really just an astounding cast of characters. Bukowski talks about her a lot, too. He’s got a poem about her alcoholism, IIRC.

Also, Iron Weed by William Kennedy for a straightforward depiction of a bum wino at the turn of the 19th century.

I’ll add Denis Johnson, Flannery O’Connor, and Murakami to the list of Fante/Bukowski like writers. Murakami might seem strange, but every one of his books I’ve read I’ve thought to myself, this is like a Japanese bukowski.
« Last Edit: January 08, 2022, 06:03:19 PM by MichaelJacksonsGhost »

Jagr

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Re: books to read
« Reply #3603 on: January 08, 2022, 06:28:48 PM »
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Currently reading, "The Bandini Quartet."  I'ts Fante's four Bandini books put in to one 700 page monstor.  Very good.
[close]

I'm going through the Quartet as well (individually). Mostly because of Bukowski always quoting him as the author that inspired him. I do enjoy these post-depression American era books. Does anyone have any other authors of a similar nature?
[close]

Different in tone than Fante, but I'd recommend Nathanael West's Miss Lonelyhearts and Day of the Locust, both of which are set in LA around the depression era. Really, really good.

Also, Steinbeck, of course (who I mentioned above). I'm a low-key evangelist for Cannery Row, which is "set during the Great Depression in Monterey, California, on a street lined with sardine canneries that is known as Cannery Row. The story revolves around the people living there: Lee Chong, the local grocer; Doc, a marine biologist; and Mack, the leader of a group of derelict people" (Wiki). It's a charming, sad, and beautiful book.
[close]

Not necessarily related to the depression, but Raymond Carver’s stories have a similar style to bukowski and Fante. I’d also seriously recommend Carson McCuller’s The Heart is a Lonely Hunter. Really just an astounding cast of characters. Bukowski talks about her a lot, too. He’s got a poem about her alcoholism, IIRC.

Also, Iron Weed by William Kennedy for a straightforward depiction of a bum wino at the turn of the 19th century.

I’ll add Denis Johnson, Flannery O’Connor, and Murakami to the list of Fante/Bukowski like writers. Murakami might seem strange, but every one of his books I’ve read I’ve thought to myself, this is like a Japanese bukowski.

Carson McCullers is one of my favorite writers. And I agree The Heart is a Lonely Hunter is a wonderful book. Seemed like an amazing woman as well.

Clone1984

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Re: books to read
« Reply #3604 on: January 08, 2022, 08:42:49 PM »
Brave New World was awesome.

I just read Slaughterhouse-Five for the first time in english class. I'd recommend it to anyone especially if they are in some sort of recovery. Though it has its tedium I really in the end am grateful to have read it.

RoaryMcTwang

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Re: books to read
« Reply #3605 on: January 08, 2022, 10:24:20 PM »
People talk about Bukowski nonstop here so now I’m curious. What would be a good place to start with him? Cheers

Frank Sobotka

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Re: books to read
« Reply #3606 on: January 09, 2022, 11:37:26 AM »
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Currently reading, "The Bandini Quartet."  I'ts Fante's four Bandini books put in to one 700 page monstor.  Very good.
[close]

I'm going through the Quartet as well (individually). Mostly because of Bukowski always quoting him as the author that inspired him. I do enjoy these post-depression American era books. Does anyone have any other authors of a similar nature?
[close]

Different in tone than Fante, but I'd recommend Nathanael West's Miss Lonelyhearts and Day of the Locust, both of which are set in LA around the depression era. Really, really good.

Also, Steinbeck, of course (who I mentioned above). I'm a low-key evangelist for Cannery Row, which is "set during the Great Depression in Monterey, California, on a street lined with sardine canneries that is known as Cannery Row. The story revolves around the people living there: Lee Chong, the local grocer; Doc, a marine biologist; and Mack, the leader of a group of derelict people" (Wiki). It's a charming, sad, and beautiful book.

Currently reading The Grapes of Wrath, not very far into it but I can already tell it's going to be emotive (I get attached to characters in a book far more than films & TV).

I do want to get around to Cannery Row, though. I've got a couple of other novels in my to-read pile for now, mind (Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandell, and Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead).

Peter Zagreus

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Re: books to read
« Reply #3607 on: January 09, 2022, 12:16:15 PM »
People talk about Bukowski nonstop here so now I’m curious. What would be a good place to start with him? Cheers

I went through a big Bukowski phase in my early 20s (which is probably pretty typical), and based on that distant memory I'd say that Post Office or Ham on Rye would be the best ones to start with. Maybe Women if you're feeling saucy.

*Edit: the aforementioned are novels; if you want to read his poetry, you might as well start anywhere, imo.

** Edit 2: I got an anthology with a bunch of Borges essays, and they are too good. Borges was a treasure.

Coastal Fever

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Re: books to read
« Reply #3608 on: January 09, 2022, 01:21:59 PM »
Currently reading The Grapes of Wrath, not very far into it but I can already tell it's going to be emotive (I get attached to characters in a book far more than films & TV).

Probably the best, most emotionally gripping book I’ve read.  The Winter Of Our Discontent was also great, and I just bought a copy of In Dubious Battle which I look forward to starting.  I’ve seen people say that East Of Eden is even better than Grapes Of Wrath so I need to track that one down as well.

Grabbed a copy of Jack London’s Call of The Wild + White Fang, and just finished Call Of The Wild in a couple days, it was only 80 pages though.  I’m just hooked on dusty old hardcovers for some reason.

RoaryMcTwang

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Re: books to read
« Reply #3609 on: January 10, 2022, 01:05:14 AM »
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People talk about Bukowski nonstop here so now I’m curious. What would be a good place to start with him? Cheers
[close]

I went through a big Bukowski phase in my early 20s (which is probably pretty typical), and based on that distant memory I'd say that Post Office or Ham on Rye would be the best ones to start with. Maybe Women if you're feeling saucy.

*Edit: the aforementioned are novels; if you want to read his poetry, you might as well start anywhere, imo.

** Edit 2: I got an anthology with a bunch of Borges essays, and they are too good. Borges was a treasure.

Thanks! I think Bukowski is one of these authors who is absolutely massive in the US but hasn't really got much credit abroad (or maybe I've just had a rather sheltered childhood/youth). I've had a big Henry Miller  phase a few years back  (they seem to be vaguely similar in terms of notoriety?), but Bukowksi has sort of passed me by til now. Will look at these two novels first, I generally prefer prose to poetry.

MichaelJacksonsGhost

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Re: books to read
« Reply #3610 on: January 10, 2022, 05:48:53 AM »
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People talk about Bukowski nonstop here so now I’m curious. What would be a good place to start with him? Cheers
[close]

I went through a big Bukowski phase in my early 20s (which is probably pretty typical), and based on that distant memory I'd say that Post Office or Ham on Rye would be the best ones to start with. Maybe Women if you're feeling saucy.

*Edit: the aforementioned are novels; if you want to read his poetry, you might as well start anywhere, imo.

** Edit 2: I got an anthology with a bunch of Borges essays, and they are too good. Borges was a treasure.
[close]

Thanks! I think Bukowski is one of these authors who is absolutely massive in the US but hasn't really got much credit abroad (or maybe I've just had a rather sheltered childhood/youth). I've had a big Henry Miller  phase a few years back  (they seem to be vaguely similar in terms of notoriety?), but Bukowksi has sort of passed me by til now. Will look at these two novels first, I generally prefer prose to poetry.

I’d recommend Factotum, too. I thought that was the best of his novels. Also the short story collection Hot Water Music is worth checking out. I feel like Bukowski works well in the shorter form.

Peter Zagreus

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Re: books to read
« Reply #3611 on: January 10, 2022, 10:49:24 AM »
Of course, @RoaryMcTwang! I hope you enjoy his work. Bukowski, like Miller, is frank and explicit re: sexuality, but his prose is much simpler, like Hemingway (whom he often cites an as influence).

@MichaelJacksonsGhost makes a great point, too. I totally forgot about Bukowski's short stories, but I think I'd have to agree he's better, or at least more interesting in that format. Most of his novels are loosely autobiographical, and that could get a bit tiring if you don't happen to identify/sympathize with the adventures/exploits of "Henry Chinaski." In the short stories, he's forced to invent characters and put them in intriguing scenarios (this is basically what all short stories do, I guess), and that takes the work into unique territory, if I remember correctly.

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Re: books to read
« Reply #3612 on: January 11, 2022, 11:11:05 AM »
"Manufacturing Consent" and "Capitalist Realism" are both good. "What is to be done" and  "Mutual Aid" will blow your hair back, hard to beleive these two books were written in the late 19th, early 20th century.

SneakySecrets

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Re: books to read
« Reply #3613 on: January 11, 2022, 11:22:20 AM »
"Manufacturing Consent”

Sounds like my honeymoon!
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svenfuck cowboy

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Re: books to read
« Reply #3614 on: January 26, 2022, 11:01:40 AM »
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People talk about Bukowski nonstop here so now I’m curious. What would be a good place to start with him? Cheers
[close]

I went through a big Bukowski phase in my early 20s (which is probably pretty typical), and based on that distant memory I'd say that Post Office or Ham on Rye would be the best ones to start with. Maybe Women if you're feeling saucy.

*Edit: the aforementioned are novels; if you want to read his poetry, you might as well start anywhere, imo.

** Edit 2: I got an anthology with a bunch of Borges essays, and they are too good. Borges was a treasure.
[close]

Thanks! I think Bukowski is one of these authors who is absolutely massive in the US but hasn't really got much credit abroad (or maybe I've just had a rather sheltered childhood/youth). I've had a big Henry Miller  phase a few years back  (they seem to be vaguely similar in terms of notoriety?), but Bukowksi has sort of passed me by til now. Will look at these two novels first, I generally prefer prose to poetry.
i rly like a lot of bukowski but also really hate some of his stuff. 'woman' is a shitfest but also highlights a lot of the issues with him as a person. he hates everything (especially women) just as much as he hates himself.

personally im a much bigger fan of his poetry but to each their own. not an author you necessarily want to respect, but appreciate from a literary perspective. very raw.

i vouch for 'play the piano drunk like a percussion instrument until your fingers bleed a little bit' if you're down w poetry, some of my favourite poetry of all time in that book

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Re: books to read
« Reply #3615 on: January 30, 2022, 02:39:42 PM »
Then We Came To The End, by Joshua Ferris.
First picked it up because I was bored as shit in hospital, and it was one of the only books there that seemed to pull me in. I would describe it as about bleak and vapid office life.
Having never had an office job myself I can't speak for the accuracy or relatability of it, but it was entertaining for me at least.
y’all not fuckin with what i’m fuckin with

nicotinewheel

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Re: books to read
« Reply #3616 on: January 30, 2022, 02:47:45 PM »
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Currently reading, "The Bandini Quartet."  I'ts Fante's four Bandini books put in to one 700 page monstor.  Very good.
[close]

I'm going through the Quartet as well (individually). Mostly because of Bukowski always quoting him as the author that inspired him. I do enjoy these post-depression American era books. Does anyone have any other authors of a similar nature?
[close]

Different in tone than Fante, but I'd recommend Nathanael West's Miss Lonelyhearts and Day of the Locust, both of which are set in LA around the depression era. Really, really good.

Also, Steinbeck, of course (who I mentioned above). I'm a low-key evangelist for Cannery Row, which is "set during the Great Depression in Monterey, California, on a street lined with sardine canneries that is known as Cannery Row. The story revolves around the people living there: Lee Chong, the local grocer; Doc, a marine biologist; and Mack, the leader of a group of derelict people" (Wiki). It's a charming, sad, and beautiful book.
[close]

Not necessarily related to the depression, but Raymond Carver’s stories have a similar style to bukowski and Fante. I’d also seriously recommend Carson McCuller’s The Heart is a Lonely Hunter. Really just an astounding cast of characters. Bukowski talks about her a lot, too. He’s got a poem about her alcoholism, IIRC.

Also, Iron Weed by William Kennedy for a straightforward depiction of a bum wino at the turn of the 19th century.

I’ll add Denis Johnson, Flannery O’Connor, and Murakami to the list of Fante/Bukowski like writers. Murakami might seem strange, but every one of his books I’ve read I’ve thought to myself, this is like a Japanese bukowski.
[close]

Carson McCullers is one of my favorite writers. And I agree The Heart is a Lonely Hunter is a wonderful book. Seemed like an amazing woman as well.
Funny I just re-read The Ballad of the Sad Cafe, should revisit The Heart too. One of my favorite authors.

Not sure how similar they are but I somehow group Ballad of the Sad Cafe with Leonard Gardner's Fat City. Maybe a similar economy of language, or possibly I just read them around the same time. Highly recommend that one as well.

Jagr

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Re: books to read
« Reply #3617 on: January 30, 2022, 08:41:50 PM »
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Currently reading, "The Bandini Quartet."  I'ts Fante's four Bandini books put in to one 700 page monstor.  Very good.
[close]

I'm going through the Quartet as well (individually). Mostly because of Bukowski always quoting him as the author that inspired him. I do enjoy these post-depression American era books. Does anyone have any other authors of a similar nature?
[close]

Different in tone than Fante, but I'd recommend Nathanael West's Miss Lonelyhearts and Day of the Locust, both of which are set in LA around the depression era. Really, really good.

Also, Steinbeck, of course (who I mentioned above). I'm a low-key evangelist for Cannery Row, which is "set during the Great Depression in Monterey, California, on a street lined with sardine canneries that is known as Cannery Row. The story revolves around the people living there: Lee Chong, the local grocer; Doc, a marine biologist; and Mack, the leader of a group of derelict people" (Wiki). It's a charming, sad, and beautiful book.
[close]

Not necessarily related to the depression, but Raymond Carver’s stories have a similar style to bukowski and Fante. I’d also seriously recommend Carson McCuller’s The Heart is a Lonely Hunter. Really just an astounding cast of characters. Bukowski talks about her a lot, too. He’s got a poem about her alcoholism, IIRC.

Also, Iron Weed by William Kennedy for a straightforward depiction of a bum wino at the turn of the 19th century.

I’ll add Denis Johnson, Flannery O’Connor, and Murakami to the list of Fante/Bukowski like writers. Murakami might seem strange, but every one of his books I’ve read I’ve thought to myself, this is like a Japanese bukowski.
[close]

Carson McCullers is one of my favorite writers. And I agree The Heart is a Lonely Hunter is a wonderful book. Seemed like an amazing woman as well.
[close]
Funny I just re-read The Ballad of the Sad Cafe, should revisit The Heart too. One of my favorite authors.

Not sure how similar they are but I somehow group Ballad of the Sad Cafe with Leonard Gardner's Fat City. Maybe a similar economy of language, or possibly I just read them around the same time. Highly recommend that one as well.

Fat City is great. The best boxing novel? Have you seen the film? Staring young Jeff Bridges, directed by John Huston.

Frank and Fred

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Re: books to read
« Reply #3618 on: January 31, 2022, 08:17:34 AM »
Just finished Dave Eggars' "The Circle' and moving straight on to 'The Every.' Highly recommended Dystopian satires of Social media, tech giants, the Metaverse and so on.

Huell Howser

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Re: books to read
« Reply #3619 on: January 31, 2022, 11:29:10 AM »
Just finished Brave New World for the first time.  Really impressive that he could write that in the early 1930’s, and how accurately his predictions seems to be unfolding.. but god damn things didn’t really pick up much until the end did they?

I just picked this up from the library to essentially 're-read' it because it was assigned reading in one of my highschool english classes but of course at the time I didn't give it the real attention it probably deserves. hoping to get into it

it's also one of my goals to read more this year. I have been slacking the last few years. Trying to get in at least a book a month

For January I just read slaughterhouse five for the first time(basic, I know). Enjoyed it and finished it super quick

My friend gave me this book to read(a memoir about traveling and surfing in the 60s/70s):


only about 10 pages in so far but I am digging it

also another random thought(can't remember if I got the idea from slap or not) but I decided I am not going to force myself to read a book if I don't get into it in the first 30 pages. I think this a huge point of failure for me in not actively reading


Frank and Fred

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Re: books to read
« Reply #3620 on: January 31, 2022, 11:38:59 AM »
That's a good read @Huell Howser The dude experienced surfing like none of us ever will. The days of feral surf exploration and discovering new waves are long gone. I really liked his accounts of surfing OB SF the best though.

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Re: books to read
« Reply #3621 on: January 31, 2022, 02:12:21 PM »
I've just picked up Stefan Zweig's collected works again. Reading The Love of Erika Ewald atm. It's alright, but I don't remember his writing being this flowery.
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Huell Howser

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Re: books to read
« Reply #3622 on: January 31, 2022, 02:15:46 PM »
That's a good read @Huell Howser The dude experienced surfing like none of us ever will. The days of feral surf exploration and discovering new waves are long gone. I really liked his accounts of surfing OB SF the best though.

sweet, glad to hear you dug it. I am already excited to dive deeper into it. My friend said a similar thing about the ocean beach stuff from the book

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Re: books to read
« Reply #3623 on: January 31, 2022, 02:44:50 PM »
Steinbeck, bukowiski, murakami, barbarian days, huxley... mm mmm mmm some choice reading going on. I'm finishing up a semester in Grad school, so there isn't too much enjoyment based reading happening right now, but this thread has me thinking.

I don't feel that chuck Bukowski and Murakami are particularly similar. Bukowski does the ground level of living from a male perspective very well. I suppose in that light, Murakami does this also. Perhaps reflective of Japanese culture, Murakami is far, far cleaner than Bukowski, but Murakami may be more adventurous the writer as his words are often akin to reading from a lucid dream. @RoaryMcTwang I too prefer Bukowski's poetry. I've had a fascination with old post office buildings in the US since I went on a field trip to a depression era WPA post office building at 6 years old, so Post Office was something I found enjoyable and think of whenever I enter a post office. Regarding Murakami, I'll tell everyone that The Windup Bird Chronicle is the book to read if you want to take multiple journeys within a book. The last time I dug into Murakami was driving through 70mph winds in Nebraska and Wyoming. Weather was so cold icicles were growing horizontally against the side of my car as I trudged across I80. I listened to What I Talk About When I Talk About Running and Norwegian Wood that day. Those were good audio books.

Cannery Row is exceptional and incredibly relevant today. Like woody Guthrie sang "California is the garden of Eden, a paradise to live in and see, but believe it or not, you won't find it so hot, if you ain't go the dough re me." Some things rarely change.

Kesey is perhaps best known for One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest and his bus Further, but Sometimes A Great Notion is a great American novel. What stands out most for me in this one is how well both male and female characters are written. Both voices are heard and also feel believable. Perhaps it's a relatively relatable or realistic feeling book due to where I live and how I've lived, but it's dank and damp. wet and cold. green with moss. black with fungus. brown with barrels of felled trees.
If you plant ice, you’re gonna harvest wind

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Re: books to read
« Reply #3624 on: January 31, 2022, 03:20:48 PM »
Did the audiobook for Barbarian Days and it felt long as an audiobook, but it’s really cool.

That’s a good goal. Giving up on reading books when you’re not feeling a book is a good strategy. I’ve just recently started trying to get into that mindset last year and dropped out of like five books completely because I wasn’t feeling them (I eventually went back and finished one even though my opinion didn’t change after I finished it) and it was way better than tryin to force my way through them. 30-50 pages worked for me but if it’s a longer book, I’d recommend even giving 75-100 unless you absolutely can’t stand it.

nicotinewheel

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Re: books to read
« Reply #3625 on: January 31, 2022, 06:20:57 PM »
Fat City is great. The best boxing novel? Have you seen the film? Staring young Jeff Bridges, directed by John Huston.
Yes & yes, the movie is so good, absolutely of the rare ones where both the book and movie are excellent.




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Re: books to read
« Reply #3626 on: March 01, 2022, 09:20:41 AM »
Did the audiobook for Barbarian Days and it felt long as an audiobook, but it’s really cool.

That’s a good goal. Giving up on reading books when you’re not feeling a book is a good strategy. I’ve just recently started trying to get into that mindset last year and dropped out of like five books completely because I wasn’t feeling them (I eventually went back and finished one even though my opinion didn’t change after I finished it) and it was way better than tryin to force my way through them. 30-50 pages worked for me but if it’s a longer book, I’d recommend even giving 75-100 unless you absolutely can’t stand it.

just finished Barbarian Days yesterday(sticking to my goal of reading a book a month this year. finished on last day of Feb haha). That was the best book I have read in a long time, I loved it all the way through and didn't want it to end. I would recommend this book to anyone whether they surf or not. I might have to listen to the audio book in the future just for the hell of it!

For March I'll be reading Haruki Murakami's Norwegian wood. It's my girlfriend's favorite book. I got about halfway through another book by Murakami 'Kafka on the shore' a few years back because it was one of the only books in english i could find at the local bookstore while living overseas. I would love to start that one up again for this month but its over 500 pages and Barbarian days was around 450 which was a lot to get through on limited time for me



nicotinewheel

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Re: books to read
« Reply #3627 on: March 01, 2022, 02:18:53 PM »
Recently finished The Prankster and The Conspiracy:The Story of Kerry Thornley by Adam Gorightly.
Lots to digest if you have any interest in 60s counterculture and JFK assassination lore.


nicotinewheel

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Re: books to read
« Reply #3628 on: March 01, 2022, 02:24:37 PM »
For March I'll be reading Haruki Murakami's Norwegian wood. It's my girlfriend's favorite book. I got about halfway through another book by Murakami 'Kafka on the shore' a few years back because it was one of the only books in english i could find at the local bookstore while living overseas. I would love to start that one up again for this month but its over 500 pages and Barbarian days was around 450 which was a lot to get through on limited time for me
Norwegian Wood might be my favorite from Murakami also, On the shore is great-but Norwegian Wood embodies that bittersweet feeling Murakami creates near perfectly.

in love w/ fs shuvs

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Re: books to read
« Reply #3629 on: March 01, 2022, 06:18:11 PM »
autobiographies/biographies. recently read the kurt cobain one and this one on this guy who helped figure out the helical structure of DNA.