Now reading...

[tkeith]

Richie Havens' autobiography THEY CAN'T HIDE US ANYMORE

[jazzbo]

Raymond Chandler, The Lady in the Lake. I just had to read another Chandler, good traveling reading.

[jlhoots]

I''m really digging Chabon's Yiddish Policemen's Union. It's got the world-weary tropes of the noir detective stories cross-fertilized with Jewish angst. It kind of goes right up to the edge of parody and skates back. What I'm feeling is if Samuel (I can't go on; I can't go on; I'll go on) Beckett was writing detective fiction and then for some reason made everyone in the story Jewish. Since it is set in Alaska, it is perfect reading in this weather.

On the basis of this, I went ahead and got Kavalier & Clay, though I believe it has a very different feel, probably a lot more "shiny" and optimistic, as everyone (except minorities*) was in the Eisenhower years. Chabon is quite a writer, so I'll be interested how this one turns out.

* Yes I am aware that the frission in this book comes from whether Jews are considered full Americans during the 50s.

They're both excellent IMHO.

Kavalier & Clay won the Pulitzer.

[Matthew]

Raymond Chandler: Stories and Early Novels: Pulp Stories / The Big Sleep / Farewell, My Lovely / The High Window (Library of America). I think this is my favorite LoA book. Chandler's early stories and novels are very good, and the quality of writing is original and has aged very well. Very enjoyable read.

Edited December 24, 2008 by Matthew

[BillF]

Raymond Chandler: Stories and Early Novels: Pulp Stories / The Big Sleep / Farewell, My Lovely / The High Window (Library of America). I think this is my favorite LoA book. Chandler's early stories and novels are very good, and the quality of writing is original and has aged very well. Very enjoyable read.

Looks good!

[Jazzmoose]

The Dimensioneers by Doris Piserchia. It's okay. I dunno if I'd recommend it. Look, I just felt like making a post, and I wasn't watching anything or listening to music, and I had the book with me at the computer (dial-up will do that to you), so there it is.

An update, after finishing the book...

I retract my nonrecommendation; it's a much better book overall than I expected. However, keep in mind that I think the perfect audience for this book would be a girl in her early teens. Since I am not now, nor have I ever been, a girl in my early teens, this recommendation may be a bit off...

[Jazzmoose]

I''m really digging Chabon's Yiddish Policemen's Union. It's got the world-weary tropes of the noir detective stories cross-fertilized with Jewish angst. It kind of goes right up to the edge of parody and skates back. What I'm feeling is if Samuel (I can't go on; I can't go on; I'll go on) Beckett was writing detective fiction and then for some reason made everyone in the story Jewish. Since it is set in Alaska, it is perfect reading in this weather.

This one's on my 'must read' list, though it isn't on my shelf yet....

[Jazzmoose]

Confession time: I've never read anything by Chandler...

[ejp626]

Confession time: I've never read anything by Chandler...

I think you're going to want to read at least a couple Chandler and Hammett novels before Yiddish Policemen's Union.

I read most of them a while ago. Then they came out with the Library of America sets (which do a better job with the novels than the short stories). I can't recall right now which of these I have in LoA, maybe just the Hammett novels.

[jazzbo]

Mark, Try either "The Big Sleep," "Farewell my Lovely" or "The Long Goodbye." You'll dig. What a writer!

[Serioza]

[jlhoots]

Lara Vapnyar: Memoirs Of A Muse

[BillF]

James Blish, Cities in Flight.

[jazzbo]

A. E. Van Vogt, "The Voyage of the Space Beagle". . . possibly one of the inspirations for "Alien."

After a slow start I ditched this for the Chandler. . . after the Chandler I resumed it and am enjoying it.

[BruceH]

Just re-read Charles Drazin's In Search of the Third Man. A good book to read if you've just re-watched The Third Man for the millionth time. The chapter on the differences between the original British cut and the American cut of the film is particularly fascinating, especially if, like Drazin, you've long felt that the American cut is clearly inferior.

[Jazzmoose]

Confession time: I've never read anything by Chandler...

I think you're going to want to read at least a couple Chandler and Hammett novels before Yiddish Policemen's Union.

I read most of them a while ago. Then they came out with the Library of America sets (which do a better job with the novels than the short stories). I can't recall right now which of these I have in LoA, maybe just the Hammett novels.

I said "Chandler", not every hardboiled writer in America. I've read all of Hammett's novels multiple times. Same for Cain. I just overlooked Chandler for some reason.

[Jazzmoose]

Mark, Try either "The Big Sleep," "Farewell my Lovely" or "The Long Goodbye." You'll dig. What a writer!

I know I will; I have no idea why I've put it off. Well, I did get this book store gift certificate for Christmas...maybe I'll get off my butt.

[Jazzmoose]

James Blish, Cities in Flight.

How is it? This one's sitting on my shelf waiting (along with a stack of other Blish) for me to get the urge.

[jazzbo]

Mark, Try either "The Big Sleep," "Farewell my Lovely" or "The Long Goodbye." You'll dig. What a writer!

I know I will; I have no idea why I've put it off. Well, I did get this book store gift certificate for Christmas...maybe I'll get off my butt.

Well, Vintage/Black Lizard just put all the Chandlers out in nice new trade paperbacks. . . I picked up one, then I picked up two others, now I picked up five more with Xmas dollars; I have only one more to get which wasn't on the shelf (The Little Sister).

I think my two favorites are "The Long Goodbye" and "Farewell My Lovely" but almost all the novels ALL awesome.

[BruceH]

James Blish, Cities in Flight.

How is it? This one's sitting on my shelf waiting (along with a stack of other Blish) for me to get the urge.

I always kind of liked Titan's Daughter.

The Cities In Flight tetralogy is one of those sf series that you read once, and ONLY once.

[Kalo]

James Blish, Cities in Flight.

How is it? This one's sitting on my shelf waiting (along with a stack of other Blish) for me to get the urge.

I always kind of liked Titan's Daughter.

The Cities In Flight tetralogy is one of those sf series that you read once, and ONLY once.

I vaguely recall reading Cities In Flight in the '70s as a dutiful young SF fan. And I recall almost nothing else about the four books except that, A: There were cities in them and, B: They were flying (On planets through space. Under domes?). Not sure it was worth the time.

[Jazzmoose]

I vaguely recall reading Cities In Flight in the '70s as a dutiful young SF fan. And I recall almost nothing else about the four books except that, A: There were cities in them and, B: They were flying (On planets through space. Under domes?). Not sure it was worth the time.

You know, when you put it like that, I think I remember reading them as well...

[BillF]

James Blish, Cities in Flight.

How is it? This one's sitting on my shelf waiting (along with a stack of other Blish) for me to get the urge.

Very readable. Have started, as the introduction recommended, with the second of the four novellas that make up the volume. I like this format: 100-150 pages. (Don't be put off by the fact that the volume looks like it's a 650 page novel!)

He writes with such confidence, which I suppose was possible in SF then (1950s). In comparison, something like Margaret Attwood's recent Oryx and Crake seems so tentative.

[BruceH]

James Blish, Cities in Flight.

How is it? This one's sitting on my shelf waiting (along with a stack of other Blish) for me to get the urge.

I always kind of liked Titan's Daughter.

The Cities In Flight tetralogy is one of those sf series that you read once, and ONLY once.

I vaguely recall reading Cities In Flight in the '70s as a dutiful young SF fan. And I recall almost nothing else about the four books except that, A: There were cities in them and, B: They were flying (On planets through space. Under domes?). Not sure it was worth the time.

I recall that much of the stories involved the the island of Manhattan, which had been uprooted through the use of some sort of paragravity space-drive, and was making it's way through the galaxy. I also recall that much of it was a bit of a chore to get through, accomplished mainly because I was also a dutiful young SF fan. (That's also the only way I got through Asimov's Foundation Trilogy, which was still, THANK GOD, a trilogy back then.)

[Larry Kart]

Haven't read it for years, but I recall thinking that Blish's "A Case of Conscience" was very good.

I'm reading Balzac's "Beatrix" -- my second Balzac in a row, after "The Gondreville Mystery." My first two Balzacs also. Was drawn to these lesser known books because I had reason to feel confident about the translations, believing that with Balzac this was especially crucial. I think I was right on both counts. Balzac is amazing/overwhelming -- semi-insane too, but that's part of the deal; he's unlike any other novelist I know.

Here's the IMO very compelling opening of "Beatrix" (1957, Elek Press) trans. by Rosamund and Simon Harcourt-Smith, which I think shows the nature of that British publisher's house style with Balzac translations (they did about six or so, by various hands) -- among other things, retain the knobby, gritty stuff at all costs; ironed-out Balzac is pointless:

"Even to this day you find towns in France, and particularly in Brittany, standing completely aloof from the stream of social progress which is a peculiar characteristic of the nineteenth century. Lacking swift and regular communications with Paris, barely linked by abominable roads with the seat of the sub-prefecture of with the principal town of the district from which they draw their life-blood, these town observe the progress of our civilization as if it were a peep-show, gaping at it without necessarily applauding, and because it apparently inspires in them fright or derision, they cling to the ancient customs which are part of their being."

It's almost a novel in itself.