I'm reading The Zimmermann Telegram by Barbara Tuchman and if you've never read her - wow, she is a great writer. The Guns of August (about WWI) is amazing.
And this is from my self-promoting blog about reading and books - The Right Stuff, Killer Angels, and Son of the Morning Star. All excellent reads.
brianlux
Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 40,926
Bohumil Hrabal, Too Loud a Solitude.
Hrabal's last book written while in hospital. It is said he wrote this book to stay alive. Later fell to his death while feeding pigeons at his 5th floor hospital window.
Finishing Hrabal's thin little novel left me rapturously devastated. It impaled itself on my cerebral cortex. An amazing book.
“The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
I'm having a really tough time getting into it and I usually love King. Someone tell me it gets better...
I really enjoyed it. If you're talking about the very beginning, yeah ... it covers some ground that's not necessarily relevant ... just helps fill in some gaps in Danny's history. But the pieces do start coming together and I found it to be a really good novel.
Shows: 6.27.08 Hartford, CT/5.15.10 Hartford, CT/6.18.2011 Hartford, CT (EV Solo)/10.19.13 Brooklyn/10.25.13 Hartford
"Becoming a Bruce fan is like hitting puberty as a musical fan. It's inevitable." - dcfaithful
I just finished Heart of Darkness. I enjoyed it, but feel it's one of those books you have to read a couple times. There's a lot to chew on!
Now I've started this:
one of my fev movies..but man..i dropped the book after of 60-70 pages??..very tired and difficult to read..
I totally get that about the difficulty. All the nonsense words are a bit weird and hard to follow. But I've found there's a nice little flow, and you get used to what's being said. I'm only about 20 pages in or so, but I'm really enjoying it.
And, apparently, the book has a different ending than the movie. Looking forward to finding out!
I just finished Heart of Darkness. I enjoyed it, but feel it's one of those books you have to read a couple times. There's a lot to chew on!
Now I've started this:
one of my fev movies..but man..i dropped the book after of 60-70 pages??..very tired and difficult to read..
I totally get that about the difficulty. All the nonsense words are a bit weird and hard to follow. But I've found there's a nice little flow, and you get used to what's being said. I'm only about 20 pages in or so, but I'm really enjoying it.
And, apparently, the book has a different ending than the movie. Looking forward to finding out!
Yes, misanthropic and cynical bastard that he was, Kubrick left out the last chapter from his film adaptation.
Still a great film and a great book (knowing Russian helped me a lot with the language; Burgess was something of a linguist, I believe). The Wanting Seed is also a great read.
I just finished Heart of Darkness. I enjoyed it, but feel it's one of those books you have to read a couple times. There's a lot to chew on!
Now I've started this:
one of my fev movies..but man..i dropped the book after of 60-70 pages??..very tired and difficult to read..
I totally get that about the difficulty. All the nonsense words are a bit weird and hard to follow. But I've found there's a nice little flow, and you get used to what's being said. I'm only about 20 pages in or so, but I'm really enjoying it.
And, apparently, the book has a different ending than the movie. Looking forward to finding out!
Yes, misanthropic and cynical bastard that he was, Kubrick left out the last chapter from his film adaptation.
Still a great film and a great book (knowing Russian helped me a lot with the language; Burgess was something of a linguist, I believe). The Wanting Seed is also a great read.
i think Kubrick had some issues with books adaptations..(2001: A Space Odyssey,A Clockwork Orange,The Shining)
Athens 2006. Dusseldorf 2007. Berlin 2009. Venice 2010. Amsterdam 1 2012. Amsterdam 1+2 2014. Buenos Aires 2015. Prague Krakow Berlin 2018. Berlin 2022 EV, Taormina 1+2 2017.
I wish i was the souvenir you kept your house key on..
I read an interview with Anthony Burgess several years ago. He said that the version of A Clockwork Orange that was published in the U.S. omitted the final chapter. Kubrick didn't realize that and used the American version of the novel for the movie. So Burgess thought the movie was horrible. There wasn't anything he could do about it because he had sold the rights years before and had no involvement in the making of the film.
And yes, Burgess was very much a linguist. He was an expert on James Joyce, which says a lot about his facility with language.
I read an interview with Anthony Burgess several years ago. He said that the version of A Clockwork Orange that was published in the U.S. omitted the final chapter. Kubrick didn't realize that and used the American version of the novel for the movie. So Burgess thought the movie was horrible. There wasn't anything he could do about it because he had sold the rights years before and had no involvement in the making of the film.
And yes, Burgess was very much a linguist. He was an expert on James Joyce, which says a lot about his facility with language.
The version of the book I have has an introduction from the author, and Burgess says as much. Apparently the American publishers thought ending the book without the last chapter was more suited to American tastes or some such nonsense.
I just finished Heart of Darkness. I enjoyed it, but feel it's one of those books you have to read a couple times. There's a lot to chew on!
Now I've started this:
one of my fev movies..but man..i dropped the book after of 60-70 pages??..very tired and difficult to read..
I totally get that about the difficulty. All the nonsense words are a bit weird and hard to follow. But I've found there's a nice little flow, and you get used to what's being said. I'm only about 20 pages in or so, but I'm really enjoying it.
And, apparently, the book has a different ending than the movie. Looking forward to finding out!
Yes, misanthropic and cynical bastard that he was, Kubrick left out the last chapter from his film adaptation.
Still a great film and a great book (knowing Russian helped me a lot with the language; Burgess was something of a linguist, I believe). The Wanting Seed is also a great read.
i think Kubrick had some issues with books adaptations..(2001: A Space Odyssey,A Clockwork Orange,The Shining)
Yeah, I've never quite understood that about him ... all the changes. Granted Clockwork Orange wasn't entirely his fault, but still ... I guess he felt the need to express his own interpretations on these works? I dunno.
Finished up Mr. Know it All last night....I really enjoyed it. It was a perfect balance of random little facts (which I like) and questioning what does it mean to be intelligent? Can you become a "smarter" person by reading the encyclopedia from A-Z? I have to admit, I consider myself a voracious reader, but reading the entire encyclopedia (33,000 pages) is a daunting task.
I think I'm going to read this next....
Show #13 was a lucky one for me....
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F Me In The Brain
this knows everybody from other commets Posts: 30,795
I love the idea of reading the encyclopedia from front to back (I used to randomly pick a 'Letter" from the shelf sometimes as a kid and open to a page and read.....) but the issue is that I would not retain. I frequently need to go back to the start of a series and re-read books so that I can remember all of the plot turns when the newest book is released.
I love the idea of reading the encyclopedia from front to back (I used to randomly pick a 'Letter" from the shelf sometimes as a kid and open to a page and read.....) but the issue is that I would not retain. I frequently need to go back to the start of a series and re-read books so that I can remember all of the plot turns when the newest book is released.
Yeah..this is the problem the author experienced...especially since the encyclopedia contains so much information that's hard to string together...it probably helped that he was taking notes for the book...but he admitted that sometimes the encyclopedia was so dense that it took a lot of effort to read each and every word. It's still a cool idea...but it takes quite a bit of reading endurance and time...
Just finished this one..., "...Mountains..." that is. Meh. i really like Hosseini's prose, but i didn't get very much from this particular story. To me it seemed more like a collection of short stories. I had a lot of unanswered questions about some of the characters and i was generally unmoved.
I liked it....surprised I was able to keep track of the characters
:-O
If I had known then what I know now...
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Vegas 93, Vegas 98, Vegas 00 (10 year show), Vegas 03, Vegas 06
VIC 07
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Vancouver 11
Missoula 12
Portland 13, Spokane 13
St. Paul 14, Denver 14
I just finished Heart of Darkness. I enjoyed it, but feel it's one of those books you have to read a couple times. There's a lot to chew on!
Now I've started this:
I finished this up over the weekend, and quite enjoyed it. Once I got used to the rhythm of the book's language, it was easy to follow. I can't believe the original American version cut out the last chapter -- totally changes everything about this book! Crazy. Going to have to watch the movie now ... it's been ages, and I don't think I've ever seen the picture the whole way through.
Now I'm reading this:
I've always been interested in this idea ... what if there are dimensions that exist but we simply do not have the capacity to see them? It's pretty good so far, and gets the brain thinking.
I just finished Heart of Darkness. I enjoyed it, but feel it's one of those books you have to read a couple times. There's a lot to chew on!
Now I've started this:
I finished this up over the weekend, and quite enjoyed it. Once I got used to the rhythm of the book's language, it was easy to follow. I can't believe the original American version cut out the last chapter -- totally changes everything about this book! Crazy. Going to have to watch the movie now ... it's been ages, and I don't think I've ever seen the picture the whole way through.
Now I'm reading this:
I've always been interested in this idea ... what if there are dimensions that exist but we simply do not have the capacity to see them? It's pretty good so far, and gets the brain thinking.
crazy book..you gonna love it..
Athens 2006. Dusseldorf 2007. Berlin 2009. Venice 2010. Amsterdam 1 2012. Amsterdam 1+2 2014. Buenos Aires 2015. Prague Krakow Berlin 2018. Berlin 2022 EV, Taormina 1+2 2017.
I wish i was the souvenir you kept your house key on..
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F Me In The Brain
this knows everybody from other commets Posts: 30,795
Read the Short Story lead in, Fire Watch, last night, and thought it was awesome. Excited to start with this first book in a celebrated series tonight:
Well I finished the Hunger Games trilogy. They are really fucking bad books actually, lol! I DO think that the premise is great, so understand why movies were made, but the books are just so badly written, and melodramatic, and Katniss is probably the most unlikeable protagonist of all time in the books (Peeta is a good character though I guess). I actually had some people say the books were BETTER than the movies. Say what??? I totally disagree! Sure, a lot of details are left out of the movies so far, but these are really shitty books, so I actually appreciate that the movies left out detail, lol. Like the movies fine. And like the basic story line of the books.... but the main character is an idiot, and the focus of these books are super teenie-bopper in a very inappropriate setting. I know these books are supposed to be for teens or something, but christ, Katniss Everdeen is just the worst female character for young women to be reading about. Her priorities are all fucked up. Anyway, I think my opinion of the people I know who told me these are really good books has changed, lol. :P
With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. ~ Desiderata
Haven't read Hunger Games trilogy but just last night heard some people talking about the disappointing female character as a role model for teen readers....
Has anyone read "The Revised Fundamentals of Caregiving" by Jonathan Evison? I highly recommend. Seattle-area writer, and this story reminded me of Michael Chabon ("Mysteries of Pittsburgh", "Manhood for Amateurs", "Wonder Boys" etc.). One of the best novels I've read in years, quirky and smart but kind of heart-warming too. After I read it I saw that it got this review from LA Weekly: "Smart and bittersweet and attuned to the absurdity of life - Evison's book is the literary version of a good grunge song." No wonder I loved it.
About halfway through Ken Follett's Fall of Giants. It follows 5 interconnected families through the first half of the 20th century. Fall of Giants primarily focuses on WWI. I am really enjoying it because Follett does a pretty good job researching history to make the fiction coincide nicely with the reality.
Are we getting something out of this all-encompassing trip?
Seems my preconceptions are what should have been burned...
Finished up the Happiness Project and while I can say I'm the happiest I've ever been, it was still a beneficial book to read. Even if you're at good point in your life, this book is a helpful reminder not to take things for granted, try to keep a positive outlook, reduce clutter in your life (this one I'm still working on) and refrain from procrastinating (ok..I'm not the best at that either). I like that the author points out that everyone's "happiness project" is different. Be true to yourself.
Only about 15-20 pages into this...but I'm pretty sure I'm really going to like it
I've always been interested in this idea ... what if there are dimensions that exist but we simply do not have the capacity to see them? It's pretty good so far, and gets the brain thinking.
crazy book..you gonna love it..
I did indeed love it!
It's crazy to think such conversations about higher dimensions were being had 150 years ago. Love how Abbott used this logic exercise as a social commentary, too. Very good, without too much math (which is always a good thing!)
Now I'm on to read this:
This is one of those "I should have read it earlier but never did, and now I'm embarrassed by that fact, especially considering I was an English major" books. I've gotten through a forward on the book going over some of what I can expect in the book (riddles! commentary! realism! more!), but I've barely begun the actual book. Looking forward to it, and I hope i can get into enough that it doesn't slow my reading down ...
About halfway through Ken Follett's Fall of Giants. It follows 5 interconnected families through the first half of the 20th century. Fall of Giants primarily focuses on WWI. I am really enjoying it because Follett does a pretty good job researching history to make the fiction coincide nicely with the reality.
You will like the follow up as well if you like this, I loved these 2 and look forward to the 3rd.
Shows: 6.27.08 Hartford, CT/5.15.10 Hartford, CT/6.18.2011 Hartford, CT (EV Solo)/10.19.13 Brooklyn/10.25.13 Hartford
"Becoming a Bruce fan is like hitting puberty as a musical fan. It's inevitable." - dcfaithful
Comments
I'm having a really tough time getting into it and I usually love King. Someone tell me it gets better...
And this is from my self-promoting blog about reading and books - The Right Stuff, Killer Angels, and Son of the Morning Star. All excellent reads.
http://mybookclubforone.blogspot.com/
Hrabal's last book written while in hospital. It is said he wrote this book to stay alive. Later fell to his death while feeding pigeons at his 5th floor hospital window.
Finishing Hrabal's thin little novel left me rapturously devastated. It impaled itself on my cerebral cortex. An amazing book.
"Let's check Idaho."
I've also never seen the movie. :-S
"Becoming a Bruce fan is like hitting puberty as a musical fan. It's inevitable." - dcfaithful
Now I've started this:
"Let's check Idaho."
Prague Krakow Berlin 2018. Berlin 2022
EV, Taormina 1+2 2017.
I wish i was the souvenir you kept your house key on..
And, apparently, the book has a different ending than the movie. Looking forward to finding out!
"Let's check Idaho."
Still a great film and a great book (knowing Russian helped me a lot with the language; Burgess was something of a linguist, I believe). The Wanting Seed is also a great read.
Prague Krakow Berlin 2018. Berlin 2022
EV, Taormina 1+2 2017.
I wish i was the souvenir you kept your house key on..
And yes, Burgess was very much a linguist. He was an expert on James Joyce, which says a lot about his facility with language.
"Let's check Idaho."
"Let's check Idaho."
I think I'm going to read this next....
:-O
Vegas 93, Vegas 98, Vegas 00 (10 year show), Vegas 03, Vegas 06
VIC 07
EV LA1 08
Seattle1 09, Seattle2 09, Salt Lake 09, LA4 09
Columbus 10
EV LA 11
Vancouver 11
Missoula 12
Portland 13, Spokane 13
St. Paul 14, Denver 14
Vegas 93, Vegas 98, Vegas 00 (10 year show), Vegas 03, Vegas 06
VIC 07
EV LA1 08
Seattle1 09, Seattle2 09, Salt Lake 09, LA4 09
Columbus 10
EV LA 11
Vancouver 11
Missoula 12
Portland 13, Spokane 13
St. Paul 14, Denver 14
Now I'm reading this:
I've always been interested in this idea ... what if there are dimensions that exist but we simply do not have the capacity to see them? It's pretty good so far, and gets the brain thinking.
"Let's check Idaho."
Prague Krakow Berlin 2018. Berlin 2022
EV, Taormina 1+2 2017.
I wish i was the souvenir you kept your house key on..
http://www.cmtedge.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/johnny_cash_the_life2-540x340.jpg
2012 Missoula (9/30) 2013 Chicago (7/19) Pittsburgh (10/11) Buffalo (10/12) Baltimore (10/27) Dallas (11/15)
2014 Austin (10/12) Memphis (10/14) St. Paul (10/19) Milwaukee (10/20) Denver (10/22)
2016 Ft. Lauderdale (4/8) Miami (4/9) Hampton (4/18) Philly (4/28,4/29) NY (5/1,5/2) 2018 Seattle (8/10) Missoula (8/13) 2022 Nashville (9/16)
E.V. - 2008 Berkeley (4/8) 2012 Austin (11/9,11/12)
Temple of the Dog - 2016 Upper Darby
They are really fucking bad books actually, lol! I DO think that the premise is great, so understand why movies were made, but the books are just so badly written, and melodramatic, and Katniss is probably the most unlikeable protagonist of all time in the books (Peeta is a good character though I guess). I actually had some people say the books were BETTER than the movies. Say what??? I totally disagree! Sure, a lot of details are left out of the movies so far, but these are really shitty books, so I actually appreciate that the movies left out detail, lol. Like the movies fine. And like the basic story line of the books.... but the main character is an idiot, and the focus of these books are super teenie-bopper in a very inappropriate setting. I know these books are supposed to be for teens or something, but christ, Katniss Everdeen is just the worst female character for young women to be reading about. Her priorities are all fucked up. Anyway, I think my opinion of the people I know who told me these are really good books has changed, lol. :P
Has anyone read "The Revised Fundamentals of Caregiving" by Jonathan Evison? I highly recommend.
Seattle-area writer, and this story reminded me of Michael Chabon ("Mysteries of Pittsburgh", "Manhood for Amateurs", "Wonder Boys" etc.). One of the best novels I've read in years, quirky and smart but kind of heart-warming too. After I read it I saw that it got this review from LA Weekly:
"Smart and bittersweet and attuned to the absurdity of life - Evison's book is the literary version of a good grunge song."
No wonder I loved it.
Seems my preconceptions are what should have been burned...
I AM MINE
Only about 15-20 pages into this...but I'm pretty sure I'm really going to like it
I did indeed love it!
It's crazy to think such conversations about higher dimensions were being had 150 years ago. Love how Abbott used this logic exercise as a social commentary, too. Very good, without too much math (which is always a good thing!)
Now I'm on to read this:
This is one of those "I should have read it earlier but never did, and now I'm embarrassed by that fact, especially considering I was an English major" books. I've gotten through a forward on the book going over some of what I can expect in the book (riddles! commentary! realism! more!), but I've barely begun the actual book. Looking forward to it, and I hope i can get into enough that it doesn't slow my reading down ...
"Let's check Idaho."
great book and great movie..a vision for humanity..
Prague Krakow Berlin 2018. Berlin 2022
EV, Taormina 1+2 2017.
I wish i was the souvenir you kept your house key on..
Children's Lit
Last book for my English Restoration class
"Becoming a Bruce fan is like hitting puberty as a musical fan. It's inevitable." - dcfaithful