books, books, books

This is for all non-EC or peripheral-EC topics. We all know how much we love talking about 'The Man' but sometimes we have other interests.
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noiseradio
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Post by noiseradio »

Well, if he was naked, I'll read it...
"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy."
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miss buenos aires
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Post by miss buenos aires »

taz-isn't Graham Greene so good? Love him.

I just read The Awakening, by Kate Chopin, which I thought I'd read already, but I'd been mixing it up with something else for years and years. Now I'm reading Down and Out in Paris and London, by George Orwell, and Mémoires d'une jeune fille rangée, Simone de Beauvoir's first autobiographical work (it's for my commute--French books are the best, because they take so much longer to get through).
Last edited by miss buenos aires on Thu Nov 20, 2003 2:46 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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El Vez
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Post by El Vez »

miss buenos aires wrote:taz-isn't Graham Greene so good? Love him.
.
The Power & The Glory is an astonishing book.
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noiseradio
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Post by noiseradio »

Favorite Orwell book?

Mine is a cliche, but I genuinely think 1984 is in my top 10 favorite books.
"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy."
--William Shakespeare
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mood swung
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Post by mood swung »

our local library shut down for a few weeks for rehab. found Magambo Snuff Box when they reopened.
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so lacklustre
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Post by so lacklustre »

Just finished: Native Tongue by Carl Hiaasen (standard Hiaasen by still great)

Just started: The Rotters Club by Jonathan Coe (highly recommended by Blue Chair - it better be good buddy!)
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Post by BlueChair »

so lack! I'm glad you're giving The Rotter's Club a go. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Apparently there is a sequel coming out.

I've been so busy with essays and whatnot lately, that I'm still working on Trainspotting. I've also been reading an African-Canadian novel called Moon Honey by Suzette Mayr.

In related news, Martin Amis is doing a reading here in Toronto tomorrow night. I wonder if RedShoes will want to go.
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Post by bobster »

Amis is a good writer (I've heard audio books of his short stories), but he's kind of on the pretentious side and way prickly in that superior way that befits a good pal of Christopher Hitchens. (Someday I'll tell you all the story of what happened when M. Amis attended a screening of "4 Weddings and a Funeral" with Salman Rushdie.)

Take that, Elfslut!
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Post by Gillibeanz »

'A star called Henry' by Roddy Doyle
COME ON YOU SPURS!!
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Post by mood swung »

I just finished Who's Who In Hell. I approached this book with incredible dread, thinking it would be all literary and dull. That might be true for the first fifty pages, but I'm re-reading them just in case. This book surprised me. I can't remember when I've been so emotionally engaged in a book. I laughed, I cried and I really didn't like any of the main characters.
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pip_52
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Post by pip_52 »

I also just finished reading Who's Who In Hell and was quite surprised with the effect the ending had on me.

Just started reading No Sleep Till Canvey Island which is so far pretty entertaining . . .
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Post by LessThanZero »

Philosophy and Seinfeld. :D
Loving this board since before When I Was Cruel.
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El Vez
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Post by El Vez »

The First Time I Got Paid For It..... which is a collection of memoirs by various Hollywood scribes writing about their first professional writing gig.
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BlueChair
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Post by BlueChair »

El Vez wrote:The First Time I Got Paid For It..... which is a collection of memoirs by various Hollywood scribes writing about their first professional writing gig.
Hey bobster, are you in that one? :D
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Post by so lacklustre »

Blue - Just finished The Rotter's Club. Agree that it is a good book, although I felt slightly deflated at the end because it leaves you hanging and waiting for the sequel. Thought that the essence of the seventies was captured beautifully, and I enjoyed the different formats used for some of the chapters.

Incidentally, I was just reading the weekend supplement and they had one these articles where everyone and their dog names their favourite books of the year. Jonathan Coe was there and one of his two picks was Overtaken by Alexei Sayle, which is probably my favourite of the year.

If you enjoyed The Rotter's Club you might also like A Prayer For Owen Meany by John Irving, another growing up book that is beautifully observed and very funny/sad. If you haven't tried any Nick Hornby I would also recommend him, I think you would particularly enjoy Hi Fidelity (different in many ways from the film, but both were enjoyable).
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Post by mood swung »

So Lack, I also just finished Divorcing Jack which I liked, but I think I like Of Wee Sweetie... better.
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so lacklustre
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Post by so lacklustre »

Yeah, Of Wee Sweetie is just about my favourite Bateman, but Divorcing Jack was the book that made it for him and was also made into a half decent film (no doubt bobster or the foyles could expand on this if they bother to visit this thread). He (Bateman) seems to have been churning books out over the last couple of years and I am struggling to keep up let alone back track the ones that I've missed.
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miss buenos aires
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Post by miss buenos aires »

At home, I'm reading Five-Finger Discount: A Crooked Family History, by Helene Stapinski. It's a history of Jersey City (where I live and where I grew up) told through the author's family history. Sort of how the incredibly corrupt politics of JC were reflected in the criminal exploits and tragedies of the author's family. It's really good, and of course it's even better when you're like, "I know that ice cream shop! I know that movie theater! I knew that corrupt judge! I remember that rash of arsons!"

On the train, I'm reading Illusions Perdues, by Balzac. Trying to keep my hand in.
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El Vez
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Post by El Vez »

miss buenos aires wrote:At home, I'm reading Five-Finger Discount: A Crooked Family History, by Helene Stapinski. It's a history of Jersey City (where I live and where I grew up) told through the author's family history. Sort of how the incredibly corrupt politics of JC were reflected in the criminal exploits and tragedies of the author's family. It's really good, and of course it's even better when you're like, "I know that ice cream shop! I know that movie theater! I knew that corrupt judge! I remember that rash of arsons!"
That sounds a lot like an article I read by Erin Shea in last month's Bust magazine. She talked about how she began shoplifting from her local mall at the same time her mother was stealing thousands upon thousands of dollars from her employer. Very, very interesting story.
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Post by BlueChair »

so lacklustre wrote:Blue - Just finished The Rotter's Club. Agree that it is a good book, although I felt slightly deflated at the end because it leaves you hanging and waiting for the sequel. Thought that the essence of the seventies was captured beautifully, and I enjoyed the different formats used for some of the chapters.

If you enjoyed The Rotter's Club you might also like A Prayer For Owen Meany by John Irving, another growing up book that is beautifully observed and very funny/sad. If you haven't tried any Nick Hornby I would also recommend him, I think you would particularly enjoy Hi Fidelity (different in many ways from the film, but both were enjoyable).
so lack,

Glad you enjoyed Rotter's Club. I agree about the ending, but doesn't it make you want to read the sequel? I know I will be picking it up when it gets released. I will definitely check out the John Irving novel. I've read High Fidelity, and thoroughly enjoyed it.
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taz
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Post by taz »

Most anything by John Irving is pretty good in my opinion Blue...definitely high on my list.
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El Vez
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Post by El Vez »

-The Hours by Michael Cunningham
-Living History by Hillary Rodham Clinton

I bought these for my girlfriend and they now sit wrapped (badly, I might add!) under our tiny Xmas tree.
bobster
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Post by bobster »

BlueChair wrote:
El Vez wrote:The First Time I Got Paid For It..... which is a collection of memoirs by various Hollywood scribes writing about their first professional writing gig.
Hey bobster, are you in that one? :D
I wish I were eligible.... :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:
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El Vez
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Post by El Vez »

My girlfriend and I really suck at waiting till Xmas Eve to start exchanging gifts. Tonight she gave me a copy of Charles Bukowski's Post Office.
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mood swung
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Post by mood swung »

El Vez wrote:
-The Hours by Michael Cunningham
-Living History by Hillary Rodham Clinton

I bought these for my girlfriend and they now sit wrapped (badly, I might add!) under our tiny Xmas tree.
now that's not right! that's half the fun of a new book, being the first one to crack the spine! Santa is watching you, buddy.
Like me, the "g" is silent.
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