The Guardian books you must read before you die thread (with a bit Marylin horn thrown in) (2 Viewers)

[7 - No tomorrow]

amazon link

Joyce's Book of the Dark: Finnegans Wake

 

[hugh]

I've ventured a 100 pages into Destiny's Rainbow at least two dozen times.

Next time why don't you just start a hundred pages in? It's not like it will make much difference ....

 

[Mormon Nailer]

I've read it three times and listened to the audiobook once.

The only person in the world who's read that that crap three times is David Norris!
He does it as a public service...so we don't have to.

 

[jonah]

If y'all had to recommend just one books on that list as a must-read what would it be?

 

[washingcattle]

If y'all had to recommend just one books on that list as a must-read what would it be?

White Noise by Don Delillo.

 

[David Kronenbourg]

Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy. I'm pretty sure that was on the list...

 

[Lili Marlene]

I need to read Blood Meridian again. I found it hard to get past the fucking horror of it all the first time.

 

[therealjohnny]

The closest I've come to reading Joyce

Finnegan's Wake features largely throughout

It also has possibly the worst, most tortuous pun I've ever seen in print


On the subject of the cyclical nature of life and the resilience of his family the protagonist says something like" Much like the song, we Fin(end) and begin Egan(again)"

ugh

 

[David Kronenbourg]

I need to read Blood Meridian again. I found it hard to get past the fucking horror of it all the first time.

First time I found it a struggle, second time it all fell into place for me

 

[7 - No tomorrow]

If y'all had to recommend just one books on that list as a must-read what would it be?

For me, A Confederacy Of Dunces, A Tale Of Two Cities or Bonfire Of The Vanities.

 

[Denny Oubidoux]

Remembrance of Things Past by Marcel Proust (although I read a translation called In Search Of Lost Time which I'd rather recommend...). The first two thirds are the best thing ever.

Otherwise either of the Sebald ones or Oscar and Lucinda by Peter Carey

 

[Hector Grey]

The closest I've come to reading Joyce

Finnegan's Wake features largely throughout

It also has possibly the worst, most tortuous pun I've ever seen in print


On the subject of the cyclical nature of life and the resilience of his family the protagonist says something like" Much like the song, we Fin(end) and begin Egan(again)"

ugh

Christ, I remember that.

 

[therealjohnny]

We are old

 

[7 - No tomorrow]

We are old

We are at peak creativity!

Which also means that each succeeding year will suck just a bit more.

 

[therealjohnny]

I'm slightly off peak. But that's the most positive graph I've seen today.

 

[Cormcolash]

If y'all had to recommend just one books on that list as a must-read what would it be?

Jack Vance, The Dying Earth