What Book Did You Read Last Night??? (7 Viewers)

[magicbastarder]

am going through a rereading phase at the moment, recently reread two graham swift books, and am on my second jon mcgregor reread, so many ways to begin. highly, highly recommended.

 

[hermie]

i finished "lean on pete" by willy vlautin today. a story about a teenager who after him and his father move to portland, he get's a job working at the horse track Portland Meadows (as described in the book "it's pro but barely just"). He then set out to find his aunt, Margy with one of his trainers horses, Lean on Pete. (this is described on the cover)

It's about the need to belong, the need for someone to be there for you. Overall, a tale of deprivation. Enjoy would not be the word as at times it does get depressing but overall a very good book.

I've been trying to remember this title for ages. It was universally lauded on The View a while ago on one of the rare occasions it actually had a really good panel. Will get around to this at some stage, nice one.

 

[hermie]

excellent. excellent excellent excellent. so many brilliant ideas. the only Dick book i'd attempted before was The Man In The High Castle and i didn't like it much but this is fantastic. the idea of the animals as status sounds silly when you haven't read the book but is such a brilliant idea

I've read some of his stuff and yes he has great ideas. But also some hare-brained ones. And these concepts are generally surrounded by stock characters and bad dialogue. You find this with Do Androids at all? Also this would be the rarest of rare occasions where I'd be worried that the book might spoil the film in my head as opposed to the other way around.

 

[David Kronenbourg]

I've read some of his stuff and yes he has great ideas. But also some hare-brained ones. And these concepts are generally surrounded by stock characters and bad dialogue. You find this with Do Androids at all? Also this would be the rarest of rare occasions where I'd be worried that the book might spoil the film in my head as opposed to the other way around.

as a matter of fact yeah i thought some of the dialogue and characters were weak, but the concept more than made up for it.

 

[magicbastarder]

i read it recently, and there was one particular plot twist which broke any suspension of disbelief i had.
great ideas, though, but needed tighter editing.

 

[7 - No tomorrow]

I just started reading this last night

Chad Harbach - The Art Of Fielding

It's a lovely read with funny dialogue.

After reading the Hunger Games, it's nice to have a book that is mostly male characters.

 

[hermie]

i read it recently, and there was one particular plot twist which broke any suspension of disbelief i had.
great ideas, though, but needed tighter editing.

Yeah I have found that with him too. He often goes that one step too far. Also he was so prolific. A bit more quality control and he'd be a lot more highly thought of I'd wager. Although perhaps the thin plots and characterization are part of the appeal for film directors.

 

[magicbastarder]

the main bit if found too hard to swallow was

Spoiler

when deckard was arrested and taken to a cop station he'd never heard of, with a police force operating, seemingly in complete mutual ignorance of the other police force operating in the city

.

 

[rettucs]

was given a copy of this at christmas. I'm actually quite excited about reading it.

 

[David Kronenbourg]

the less said about the plot of this book the better. i can however say that it is pretty fucking ace

 

[Kermit McDermott]

Started Retromania by Simon Reynolds.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011/may/29/retromania-simon-reynolds-review

 

[Scientician 0.8]

Started Retromania by Simon Reynolds.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011/may/29/retromania-simon-reynolds-review

I'm finding it a slog. I think it might be a load of cobblers.

 

[7 - No tomorrow]

the less said about the plot of this book the better. i can however say that it is pretty fucking ace

I might pick that up so.

 

[Kermit McDermott]

I'm finding it a slog. I think it might be a load of cobblers.

I'm only a few pages in....we'll see.

 

[Jim Daniels]

Finished The Sisters Brothers. Top class!

Have now started The Marriage Plot.
Lots of very long sentences!

 

[David Kronenbourg]

I might pick that up so.

it's sci-fi/horror so maybe not to everyone's tastes. just thought i'd let you know

 

[jonah]

Right guys, best 3 books published in the last... ten years? Personal favourites is all, I'm making an amazon shopping list and need some inspiration.

 

[Denny Oubidoux]

Am I to understand that you've already done your shopping? Tough question, even though I don't think I've read too many published in the last 10 years. Hmmm...

Europe Central by William Vollmann
The Plot Against America (or maybe Indignation) by Philip Roth
The Wizard Knight by Gene Wolfe.

I'm sure there must be others that would knock these off the top spot but I cant think of them. The Time Of Light by Gunnar Kopperud was 2001 I think.

 

[jonah]

I have but I wouldn't mind getting some more. Ordered seven in the end. Its kind of depressing in a way how cheap books are on amazon.

I've not read any of those actually, but ordered Europe Central! Cheers for the rec Shaney-bot.

 

[Denny Oubidoux]

What else did you get?