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1) Crash by J.G. Ballard
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The best Chuck Palahniuk novel I've ever read.
For real, though, I was disturbed, which is what the book wanted from me, I guess, but I wasn't stirred by the complexity suggested in Ballard's doom-saying and Baudrillard's endorsements. I know this is a non-criticism but "it hasn't aged well": the intermingling of sex and violence, love and hate, birth and death in human sexuality, and that human sexuality as brokered by technology, is a less fascinating issue nowadays than breaking ideology and the simulacra with perverse, violent, "real" actions, which acts of breaking (no pun intended, also avoiding "penetration" pun here) exist only at the fringe of Crash, and so it suffers. My first Ballard, and a good friend of mine adores him, so this is a little disappointing.
Meditations in an Emergency by Frank O'Hara
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O'Hara writes the best opening lines to his poems, literally races from the start into directions you don't expect but want, and finishes in a calm, inspiring place. He's a dandy without the ersatz sophistication, confessional and overflowing and unscannable without the politics that make Ginsburg so embarrassing and Whitman so solely American. So, cosmopolitan, urbane, witty, satisfying poetry. And when I read O'Hara, I don't want to analyze him, perform surgery and pick apart the pleasure in the poem until it's an emptied carcass; I want to write poetry. That's the best praise I can offer.
Thinking with Type, 2nd edition, by Ellen Lupton
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My bathroom reading. Finished it recently after I dunno how long. If you just watched Helvetica and want to know more about typography and the technical aspects that jog the designers in the film, this is the book for you. Some good tips in there about document and web design along with helpful if light dollops of history and theory.
2) The Iliad by Homer, trans. E.V. Rieu
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I still don't know if it's pro- or anti-war, although this is the great debate that surrounds The Iliad, right? Still in the battle scenes with Achilles lurking and fuming at the sidelines.
The Sonnets by Jorge Luis Borges
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Starting to become fascinated with sonnets and while Borges offers neither cycles nor a unique perspective on the form, his approach is typically him, in a way that I really like, which assessment he would like a lot as well. His perspective on translation and celebration of its inherent "recreation" is heartwarming, really, and his "Wine Sonnet" and "Poem Written in a Copy of Beowulf" are titanic.
New Introductory Lectures on Psycho-Analysis by Sigmund Freud
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Current bathroom reading.
3) Dunno yet.
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Going on a book splurge during this summer holiday.
Finished reading:
![[image loading]](http://fastcache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/8/2010/06/dune-illustrated.gif)
Recommended.
![[image loading]](http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1297311431l/1215032.jpg)
The first book is better. I felt that after the success of the first book his editors gave him much more leeway which results in a slightly draggy story. Could be better with tighter pacing.
![[image loading]](http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0007149522.jpg)
Not too bad a biography. Deft weaving by the author to collectively tie all the subjects together. I find it rather a bit too Brit-centric. I wanted to know more regarding the other rivals in science.
Currently Reading:
![[image loading]](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_N6APHtFPWNc/S6ynQ7DbdmI/AAAAAAAABok/FmzsLUi46Ds/s1600/how.jpg)
Slow, ponderous yet entirely fascinating. I admit I will be taking my time to digest this book.
![[image loading]](http://ebid.s3.amazonaws.com/upload_big/3/3/7/1306138465-32198-0.jpg)
Hard to comment. Will withhold opinion until done.
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The Last Werewolf by Glen Duncan
Intelligent, sexy, action packed. If a 200 yr old werewolf really existed, this book would be his diary. I don't know how to review this book w/o sounding pompous. I was an English major--grad. years ago--and I read 15-20 novels, as well as 2-3 story collections, and numerous books of poetry each year: I find 2-3 books each year that really strike a deep, resounding chord--this book was one of them.
Also, try The Death Bird Chronicles by Harlan Elison. God is dead, mankind invented him, killed him, and invented new gods; some of the old gods still survive. The fantastical stories are told in vivid detail, with careful psychology and incredible confidence.
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Just finished:
![[image loading]](http://blog.deiricmccann.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/The-Social-Animal-by-David-Brooks.jpg)
Outstanding book about life, from birth to death, as understood through new social science and neurological breakthroughs over the past few decades. Told in a conversational style, very read-able, almost novel-like. If you've ever enjoyed a Malcolm Gladwell book, this is a perfect summer pick-up.
Starting:
![[image loading]](http://www.elizabethgilbert.com/images/LAMcover-new.jpg)
I've laughed out loud, turned to silent contemplation for 20 minutes, and grinned involuntarily thinking "damn, this is so baller" multiple times while reading this book on the subway over the past two days. Amazing and an NBA finalist; solid pick-up.
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Last Read:
![[image loading]](http://www.yuricareport.com/Images/webMachMansfieldHBFC0226500438.jpg)
The Prince - Ended up being a good history lesson. It still feels strangely modern in the way it describes how some governments works.
Also I tried to start LotR but it was just torture for me, managed about 120 pages or so, I was reading maybe 3 or 4 pages a sitting because I would get so bored. I agree with what people said about it a few pages back. If I ever want to revisit LotR, I will just rewatch the movies from now on.
Reading Now:
![[image loading]](http://www.digitaljournal.com/img/1/5/1/7/7/5/i/6/0/6/o/The-Greatest-Show-on-Earth.jpg)
The Greatest Show on Earth - Only read a little bit of the first chapter so far, but looking forward to reading more. I read The God Delusion awhile back and liked it. Curious about his other books now :S
Reading Next:
Just ordered this off Amazon. I have heard so much about the series over the years, and now with the series on HBO. I figure it's about time I see what all the fuss is about.
![[image loading]](http://www.ztringali.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/gameof.jpg)
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For anyone who enjoys Frank Herbert's Dune, I recommend to you his Destination : Void series.
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On July 13 2011 17:54 Rintrah wrote:Show nested quote +
I'm thinking Portrait of the Artist As a Young Man as a possibility, haven't read Joyce before at all.
This is such a great book. Some would suggest reading Dubliners as an entry point to Joyce, but I say just read "The Dead" (the last story in Dubliners) first. Get it from Gutenberg.
Finished:
"The Dead" by James Joyce
I must have been really tired or something when I read the end (like a week or two ago) cause I can't seem to remember the climactic realization part at all. I liked it well enough for it to recommend the rest of Dubliners to me though and I definitely must revisit the ending of this story.
I didn't get into Portrait of the Artist though, I became more compelled to go into Pride and Prejudice next instead.
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
This is the second of Austen's novels I've read (Emma was the first) and it seems like a trend that they are absolute page-turners for me to a degree almost unmatched by anything else (I read this one in 2 or 3 days, which I barely ever do). I give her tons of credit for the ability to fill them so full of entertainment, provoke so much attachment to the characters while also being sophisticated in their view of people and society. Elizabeth Bennet has to be one of the most relatable (how do people feel about that word?) characters I've read. There is some ingenious bewitchment, I feel like, in the + Show Spoiler +somewhat crowd-pleasing/fluffy endings which help create a sense of charm
Anyway, everyone should read Pride and Prejudice, it'll be deceptively enjoyable even if it seems like it's not your type of thing as long as you let your mind enter the context of that era and class.
Now Reading/Next:
Haven't decided what to read next. Wuthering Heights is next in the anthology I read P&P in and I have some interest in it. Usually I don't read multiple things in a row by the same author but I have Austen's Persuasion in front of me too. Also there's Dubliners and Portrait of the Artist, and also Demons by Dostoevsky which I read halfway through slowly a little while ago when I wasn't in the reading mood I'm in now and should finish.
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1) Le Petit Prince (French version)
2) Casino Royale
3) One flew over a Cuckoo's Nest
Just finished the Steig Larsson trilogy.
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I've recently finished Thus Spoke Zarathustra and am almost done with Beyond Good and Evil.
Nietzsche is a real eye opener.
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Just finished:
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/YCIzA.jpg)
currently reading:
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/3K1mK.jpg)
Dunno what i'll read next
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Just finished
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/O8U9W.jpg)
Now reading
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/vHrLt.jpg)
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I'd advise The Selfish Gene, out of the Dawkins books I've read it's been the most interesting.
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![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/FVU4n.jpg)
An 8-year old book on java programming, which I borrowed from a friend a couple weeks back. Hopefully the basics I learn here are still relevant, even though I imagine a lot has been improved since then.
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just wanted to say , regarding the Lotr comments, it's true that the first part is a bit boring, but it gets more exciting and deep, the further the story progresses
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James Patterson - The Post card Killers
Out of love for alex cross I will read anything that patterson writes..but he has lost his touch ;(
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Really loved What I talk about when I talk about Running, and a good few others in this thread, enough that I'm bookmarking it for recommendations! Currently reading A Storm of Swords by George RR Martin and also The Magic Toyshop by Angela Carter, Enjoying both!
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On July 19 2011 03:45 Mereel wrote:![[image loading]](http://www.sf-fan.de/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/a-dance-with-dragons_240.jpg) what else^^
Yeah. I'm guilty of that too. I'm also re-reading the Feast, and I can confidently say that Dance is a much better book.
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EPT![[image loading]](http://5magazine.files.wordpress.com/2010/08/2.jpg)
![[image loading]](http://images.indiebound.com/523/134/9780802134523.jpg)
![[image loading]](http://austinallen.net/wp-content/uploads/thinking_with_type.jpeg)
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![[image loading]](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/6/62/Silence3.png/392px-Silence3.png)
![[image loading]](http://thefuturebuzz.com/pics/power.jpg)
![[image loading]](http://thusread.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/impact.jpg)
