What Book Did You Read Last Night??? (8 Viewers)

[Jim Daniels]

i think i read one on the list (H is for hawk by helen mcdonald)
i did get patrick dewitt's new one last week in dublin so that is a second one to read

it is one of these things when i see a long list of books, i go through it and count how many i've read or have in my shelf to be read. it is the same with the impac prize long list

The Patrick deWitt one is great!

 

[nooleen]

i started reading this today as a non-taxing read for a plane/bus journey

it's fucking awful

i'm still going to finish it though

 

[nooleen]

and it should say 'from ireland's worst published authors', not 'best-loved'

 

[rettucs]

reading this

not far into it. Its terribly American.

hugely underwhelming and greatly disappointing book. Very much, memoir-by-numbers, fare. Awful. You could sense from reading it that she had no more interest in writing it.

Put in a bit about riding groupies there, Carrie. 'We didn't really sleep with groupies in Sleater-Kinney. I wish I could say we did, but we didn't'

Riveting stuff.

 

[rettucs]

holiday reading

Really enjoyed it. At this stage King seems to rehash a lot of ideas from previous books, but still very enjoyable all the same.

Plus, theres a scene in it thats set in Offaly. Quite appropriate for a horror story, I think you'll agree.

 

[rettucs]

Reading this now

most of you nerds have probably read it already

 

[Jim Daniels]

Reading this now

most of you nerds have probably read it already

I keep meaning to read it and forget almost immediately. Let us know how you get on

 

[rettucs]

I keep meaning to read it and forget almost immediately. Let us know how you get on

will do. I had it on my kindle, unknowingly. Read about one-fifth of it in about an hour last night so should be quick getting through the rest of it. Its grand really.

PS: I've never seen Blade Runner.

 

[David Kronenbourg]

it's grand. quite different to the film.

 

[Jim Daniels]

Reading The Wallcreeper by Nell Zink

A short tale of marriage, infidelity and bird-watching! Kept seeing her name in interesting places, so I just upped and bought it.

Pretty good so far.

 

[Lili Marlene]

I started reading THE BOOK OF THE SEASON

It is easy to read and entertaining and pretty flimsy tbh

Finally finished this.

TERRIBLE.


Well, ok, it was alright. I liked some of the characters, some. The writing did the job but was very MFA "I am a writer" kind of stuff. greatbigmeh

Although being that the film/tv rights were sold years ago I'd say it'll make a decent tv show.

Fucking weight off my back though, Jesus.

 

[Cornu Ammonis]

Finally finished this.

TERRIBLE.


Well, ok, it was alright. I liked some of the characters, some. The writing did the job but was very MFA "I am a writer" kind of stuff. greatbigmeh

Although being that the film/tv rights were sold years ago I'd say it'll make a decent tv show.

Fucking weight off my back though, Jesus.

MFA?

 

[Lili Marlene]

MFA?

Master of Fine Arts

It's a (fairly clichéd at this point but still valid imho) common criticism of a lot of prestige writers in recent years that they all write the same because they've all been taught the same and all attend the same or very similar writing workshops. All individuality is thrown out and replaced with pure lyrical dexterity, like music by soulless session musicians, as described here:

Letters · LRB 6 December 2012

... the first sentences of so many stories in the Best American series follow the same formula. Start with the words ‘when’ or ‘after’; mention the first name of a character; dangle a pronoun with no antecedent; drop one heavy symbol or allusion; and use vaguely abstract phrasing to lay out a fairly banal situation. Here’s the first sentence of Maile Meloy’s story ‘Demeter’, about splitting child custody, in the 19 November issue of the New Yorker: ‘When they divided up the year, Demeter chose, for her own, the months when the days start getting longer.’ It’s odd that so many students told ‘find your voice’ so often find the same one.

I've been meaning to start a collection of stories that fit this description.

 

[nooleen]

add some wacky glasses and you have a wes anderson film

 

[David Kronenbourg]

What youse planning to read over Christmas? I’m bringing Canada by Richard Ford and Wilf at Heart by Barry Gifford home with me.

 

[Lili Marlene]

eh, probably Lord of the Rings tbh

 

[IFF]

enjoy "Canada". I thought it was very good (maybe next time my brother is looking for books from me, I think I'll give him that one)

I'm currently reading "the vagrants" by yiyun li, i have lanterne rouge by max leonard also planning, then i need to think what else

 

[IFF]

i feel so stupid, it's "kinder than solitude" by yiyun li i am reading.

 

[pete]

i'm hoping someone gets me this for the christmas

Amazon product ASIN 1782117490
chances = slim

 

[rettucs]

Reading this now

most of you nerds have probably read it already

This book is great. Its taking me longer to read it than I expected it would. Mostly because I've been sick and my brain doesn't work too well at the moment. But its really enjoyable. Makes me want to watch Blade Runner.