What Are You Reading?
- Thread starter HenryChinaski
- Start date
Finished the Murukami book and it was a yawn. Reading Sabbath's Theater by Philip Roth at the moment.
Johannes
Founding member
Considered the first "Beat novel" ever, even before "On the Road", if I understand it correctly. Kerouac, Ginsberg, Cassady, Burroughs are all in there, under different aliases.
Find it only mildly interesting, so far. Also not too well written. Everybody running around looking for marihuana all the time and screwing each other, horrible. This youth in search of "kicks", the world will end very soon.
Johannes
Founding member
First of Bolaño I've ever read and rather disappointing so far.
All about writers talking about writing to other writers who talk about writing, running around, writing each other letters about writing, teaching creative writing.
Reminds me of Bukowskis "THE POET" bit where all the poet ever writes about is THE POET!
Only a couple of stories in yet, maybe some good ones coming. I hope so.
What I like is that everybody seems very lonely in this book. Otherwise I don't get it, no humor, nor irony, seems terribly flat. Such a big name, Bolaño, and such dry stuff. Maybe I don't get something you should get, maybe the German translation?
Any Bolaño fans around here?
I'm a huge fan of 2666, and I liked the Savage Detectives. His short stories can feel tedious and repetitive, though. He was also a fairly prolific poet, which I haven't read much of.
Black Swan
Abord the Yorikke!
I bought 2666, they sent me the skating rink instead by Bolano. Then, they sent me the right book free, which was nice. I started the skating rink twice and couldn't get into it. I'll try again.
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Re-reading Moby Dick.
Johannes
Founding member
Read this one as a teenager once, didn't understand much then. Now rereading. Some very powerful passages in this book. Sometimes an almost unbearable loneliness. Reminds me a lot of Kafka in many ways, also the lifes were somewhat similar.
Pessoa was a little anonymous clerk all his life who published one book during his lifetime and was virtually unknown to everybody. He left a huge wooden trunk of unpublished work after his death, over 25.000 pages. The Book of Disquiet comes out of this trunk.
That sounds good.
Our 13 year old dog Joe has liver cancer and is on his way out, so I've been spending a lot of time in the house trying to make him as comfortable as possible. It helps that I'm currently unemployed.
So, I have a bunch of books on the go...
I may give up on The Master, but I'm enjoying the others.
So, I have a bunch of books on the go...
I may give up on The Master, but I'm enjoying the others.
Tried 'Dubliners' by Joyce (finally after wanting to read it for years), the stories are hit & miss but when the hits do occur, they are a little interesting.
I saw the film adaptation of this and felt it was a letdown. I thought the story idea a good one, except for the Shining aspect of it.
Didn't Mailer stab his wife?
Sorry to hear about your dog. Saw the cover of a book with Chet Baker on it. I love his music on this album.
PhillyDave
“The essential doesn't change.” Beckett
After Visiting Friends, Michael Hainey's memoir about the mysterious death of his father, famed Chicago newspaperman of the 60's. Michael was 6 and his father's heatrattack occured neither near his home, nor his work and in the middle of the night. The descrepancies in the different obits haunted Michael and sent him on a lifelong journey requiring all his investigative skills as a journalist and deputy editor of GQ. Good stuff.
PhillyDave
“The essential doesn't change.” Beckett
Just finished The Grifters by Jim Thompson. a classic. It's been so long since I've seen the movie that I forgot the ending. I'm now about to finish an awesome collection of letters by Cunningham/McCreesh sunlight at midnight, darkness at noon. That McCreesh guy's pretty good, whoever he is. ;)
@PhillyDave Did not know that Hosh had a letters collection out - definitely want to check that out!
Did Steve Richmond know Jim Morrison? In the Howard Sounes biography of Bukowski, Sounes mentioned some connection.
According to the Wikis : One of his proposed prose books was about his relationship with Jim Morrison (Richmond's style influenced the poetry written by the front man of The Doors), but the publisher backed out.
Yes, does seem to be some connection.
Yes, does seem to be some connection.
bospress.net
www.bospress.net
Morrison hung out at Steve Richmond's bookstore. They were friends. Remember, Jim Morrison saw himself as a poet first.
The poet and musician D.R. Wagner know Morrison too and read with him. I would direct you to my book by D.R., but it just sold out. Great poet, great guy.
Bill
The poet and musician D.R. Wagner know Morrison too and read with him. I would direct you to my book by D.R., but it just sold out. Great poet, great guy.
Bill
I saw the film adaptation of this and felt it was a letdown. I thought the story idea a good one, except for the Shining aspect of it.
The film left me cold, with the exception of the ending, which was a nice touch.
