What Book Did You Read Last Night??? (4 Viewers)

[Lili Marlene]

I cringe anytime I hear there's gonna be a film adaptation of a book I like.

 

[nooleen]

tonight i'm starting this



the last 10 or so books i've read have been margaret atwood, donna tartt and annie proulx - i need something light-hearted to soothe my nerves after all the bleak americana/canadiana

 

[Jim Daniels]

tonight i'm starting this



the last 10 or so books i've read have been margaret atwood, donna tartt and annie proulx - i need something light-hearted to soothe my nerves after all the bleak americana/canadiana

We used to have BBC 4 on a lot in our house when I was a kid for some reason. Used to love the Shipping forecast, with its west westerlies, nines, risings, fallings, slowlys etc, in that rich BBC 4 voice. Comforting.

 

[Jim Daniels]

I cringe anytime I hear there's gonna be a film adaptation of a book I like.

I recoil in horror first, and then cringe after seeing them.

Honourable exception: Shawshank,

 

[тхеодоре кацзынски]

Just finished 'Crime and Punishment', tough going from the start and a world away from the high society portrayed in 'The Gambler', instead, we are in St. Petersburg and more particularly its slums/tenements. The main character is a seemingly disturbed individual who spends his time brooding over the action needed to become a great man and, resolving that the great may murder to achieve their greatness decides to do so himself. This takes place early in the story and from then on the punishment takes centre stage. Here though the punishment is visited upon everyone whom the young man knows, the main story providing a centre-piece for the various other stories to be set upon.
The story wavers briefly in the final third with a chapter that could really have been shortened, however it soon picks up again and, in spite of the general misery of the story, the end of it sees the hero seek and gain redemption.
An excellent work deserving of its status.

 

[Lili Marlene]

Just finished 'Crime and Punishment', tough going from the start and a world away from the high society portrayed in 'The Gambler', instead, we are in St. Petersburg and more particularly its slums/tenements. The main character is a seemingly disturbed individual who spends his time brooding over the action needed to become a great man and, resolving that the great may murder to achieve their greatness decides to do so himself. This takes place early in the story and from then on the punishment takes centre stage. Here though the punishment is visited upon everyone whom the young man knows, the main story providing a centre-piece for the various other stories to be set upon.
The story wavers briefly in the final third with a chapter that could really have been shortened, however it soon picks up again and, in spite of the general misery of the story, the end of it sees the hero seek and gain redemption.
An excellent work deserving of its status.

I read that when i was about 17. My main memory is that it's Crime (20 pages) and Punishment (550 pages)


Anyway started the Bros K by him the other day so i'll let you know how this goes.

 

[тхеодоре кацзынски]

I read that when i was about 17. My main memory is that it's Crime (20 pages) and Punishment (550 pages)


Anyway started the Bros K by him the other day so i'll let you know how this goes.

Your memory serves you well, the deed is committed early on.
Was going to start that (The Brothers K) next but decided to give Dostoyevsky a break for a while, just got 'Lolita' (Nabokov) and 'My Childhood' (Gorky) from the library instead. Unsure which to start with as yet.

 

[washingcattle]

Finished The Savage Detectives. It's brilliant. 50 characters charting 20 odd years and 4 continents, it's pretty typical ambitious Belano stuff. The writing is excellent if a little too academic at times and then bizarrely melodramatic at other times. I guess the later is just how Latin Americans write. It's sure as fuck how they make movies.

I loved it mainly because above all the writing is simple and effective and the whole format of the novel is very clever.

Definitely worth a look.

Now I'm flying through Ham On Rye by Charles Bukowski. It sadder and funnier than anything else I've read by him.

Spoiler

I was on a tube when I read the part where he asks his teacher to fuck him. I was laughing like a loon. On the tube that makes people uncomfortable.[\SPOILER]

 

[David Kronenbourg]

I found The Savage Detectives far more difficult than 2666. So many narrators to keep track of. Read this by him recently. Very good.

Pity we won’t ever get anything new by Bolano again. One of the best writers I’ve ever read.

 

[David Kronenbourg]

Flying through this. Simultaneously cringing at the cheesiness and enjoying being propelled along by the ludicrous plot. It’s good fun.

 

[Jim Daniels]

Michael Chabon: The Yiddish Policeman's Union.

Just about 60 pages in, but pretty good so far. Thought the writing was a bit clunky at first, but that seems to be the style. Its quite film noir-ish and world weary, but quite amusing too. I think I remember @Bernie Lomax giving out about Chabon around here sometime. But I'll carry on...

 

[hugh]

I found The Savage Detectives far more difficult than 2666. So many narrators to keep track of. Read this by him recently. Very good.

Pity we won’t ever get anything new by Bolano again. One of the best writers I’ve ever read.

There are tons of new Bolano books popping up all the time but they often seem like half-hearted offshoots of the main novels ... I.e. Characters from Savage Detectives or 2666 ... Like these were unfinished sketches for the others. That Nazi Literature one is an exception though ... brilliant in its own right. He's easily the most exciting fiction writer I have discovered in the last five years or so and I discovered him through this thread so thank you Thumped. Sometimes you're all right ...

 

[rettucs]

I discovered him through this thread so thank you Thumped. Sometimes you're all right ...

185 pages to find one author!

 

[Jim Daniels]

Flying through this. Simultaneously cringing at the cheesiness and enjoying being propelled along by the ludicrous plot. It’s good fun.

Bought this one yesterday and depending how I get on, I might pick up Night Film at some stage.

 

[David Kronenbourg]

Bought this one yesterday and depending how I get on, I might pick up Night Film at some stage.

Let me know how it goes. I'm enjoying Night Film despite it containing such exchanges as this:

"It's obvious Morgan fell in love with Ashley", Nora said
"Can you blame him?", I asked. "He is married to It. I'm referencing the Stephen King book".

here's a review which sums it up really
Night Film by Marisha Pessl – review | Books | The Guardian

 

[Jim Daniels]

Let me know how it goes. I'm enjoying Night Film despite it containing such exchanges as this:

"It's obvious Morgan fell in love with Ashley", Nora said
"Can you blame him?", I asked. "He is married to It. I'm referencing the Stephen King book".

here's a review which sums it up really
Night Film by Marisha Pessl – review | Books | The Guardian

That review by your man is a bit mean-spirited. Some books are not about the quality of the prose and shouldn't really be judged on that basis. Now, a badly written and boring book is another matter...

That exchange you posted is actually quite amusing in its own way...

 

[David Kronenbourg]

That review by your man is a bit mean-spirited. Some books are not about the quality of the prose and shouldn't really be judged on that basis. Now, a badly written and boring book is another matter...

That exchange you posted is actually quite amusing in its own way...

yeah the review is a bit sneery. it's silly as hell but it's good fun. it clips along at a nice pace and is a welcome break from all the heavy stuff i've been reading of late.

 

[Cornu Ammonis]

Finished recently:

Currently reading:

 

[David Kronenbourg]

The new Philip Marlowe novel written by John Banville under the Benjamin Black pseudonym. Wonderful stuff. He gets the voice of Marlowe absolutely spot on.

 

[David Kronenbourg]

The Black Eyed Blonde was class. I hope Banville continues the with the Marlowe books.

Just started Childhood's End. First Arthur C Clarke book I've read. Enjoying it so far.