BruceH Posted February 8, 2009 Report Share Posted February 8, 2009 The Penguin Science Fiction Omnibus Classic stories from 1941-62 by Asimov, Pohl, Sheckley, Simak, Blish, Clarke, Aldiss, Ballard, etc. Are you re-visiting the science fiction of your youth, or just getting into it for the first time? That's not meant to be a snarky question as I myself have been revisiting the sf of my youth, off and on, for the last decade or more. I first read these in the seventies, when I was in my thirties. Does that count as "youth"? Maybe, maybe... I'd say anything that's 30 years or more ago probably does. I noticed that you recently read some classic Poul Anderson and James Blish (Cities In Flight) and I couldn't keep silent any longer. Back in the seventies, did you ever check out The Science Fiction Hall of Fame short story collection, or the giant Science Fiction Argosy anthology edited by Damon Knight? I hadn't heard of either of those, but have just bought a used copy of Science Fiction Hall of Fame on Amazon. Thanks for the tip! American publications have always been far less evident here than British ones, and that goes for SF authors, too. In my "real" youth, i.e. teenage years, I read Wells, Wyndham and some Clarke, and later Ballard when he came along. I didn't read any American SF until my thirties. I didn't get on to PKD until a few years ago and have read several of his recently, as well as lots of other American writing from the "classic era", as you have noticed! Funny, the British authors you mention were all available here in the States when I was growing up, and I read them all, especially Clarke. I liked his non-fiction too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teasing the Korean Posted February 16, 2009 Report Share Posted February 16, 2009 The Big Sleep, Raymond Chandler. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T.D. Posted February 16, 2009 Report Share Posted February 16, 2009 (edited) Have been reading some new (to me) fiction authors: David Liss: The Coffee Trader and A Conspiracy of Paper are very enjoyable, I'd categorize them as "historical financial thrillers." Well-written and seemingly well-researched. Ross Thomas: Can't believe I never read any of his novels before. Rather Chandleresque, "satirical thrillers" with a sense of humor and heavy doses of international travel, politics, rogue military and intelligence officers, conniving and double-crossing. Complex plots and an enviably clear writing style. Edited February 16, 2009 by T.D. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazzbo Posted February 16, 2009 Report Share Posted February 16, 2009 The Big Sleep, Raymond Chandler. I wonder how many times I've read that! At least five times. A novel that is in my psyche somewhere by now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WorldB3 Posted February 17, 2009 Report Share Posted February 17, 2009 (edited) I am only up to the 65 Newport Jazz Festival but its already one of the best books I have ever read on music. His story on the 64 Blues tour in Europe was something, his take on the current condition of Blues at the end of the chapter was spot on. I should finish this in the next day to two as I can't put it down. Up next: Edited February 17, 2009 by WorldB3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niko Posted February 17, 2009 Report Share Posted February 17, 2009 Ross Thomas: Can't believe I never read any of his novels before. Rather Chandleresque, "satirical thrillers" with a sense of humor and heavy doses of international travel, politics, rogue military and intelligence officers, conniving and double-crossing. Complex plots and an enviably clear writing style. never got around to checking out more than the one i'v read (missionary stew) but he is indead a pretty good alternative to chandler (or maybe ambler?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T.D. Posted February 17, 2009 Report Share Posted February 17, 2009 Ross Thomas: Can't believe I never read any of his novels before. Rather Chandleresque, "satirical thrillers" with a sense of humor and heavy doses of international travel, politics, rogue military and intelligence officers, conniving and double-crossing. Complex plots and an enviably clear writing style. never got around to checking out more than the one i'v read (missionary stew) but he is indead a pretty good alternative to chandler (or maybe ambler?) Missionary Stew is one of the three I've read. Also The Fools in Town are On Our Side (which is really wild, best of the three) and Ah, Treachery. Not so sure about Ambler comparison, as the novels' geographical and time scope is usually wider, and the protagonists considerably less naive/innocent. Thomas also reminds me a bit of Richard Condon (Manchurian Candidate, Winter Kills, Prizzi's Honor), with the satire, cynicism and Cold War setting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fasstrack Posted February 18, 2009 Report Share Posted February 18, 2009 Lyndon Johnson: Flawed Giant Robert Dallek. Vol. 2: 1961-73 So far very terse and informative and reads very well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul secor Posted February 18, 2009 Report Share Posted February 18, 2009 Just finishing Anne Fadiman's At Large and at Small - a book of entertaining essays. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sal Posted February 18, 2009 Report Share Posted February 18, 2009 Reading "To Kill A Mockingbird" for the first time. Enjoying it so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BruceH Posted February 18, 2009 Report Share Posted February 18, 2009 Just finishing Anne Fadiman's At Large and at Small - a book of entertaining essays. I'd like to read that myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sal Posted February 21, 2009 Report Share Posted February 21, 2009 "Practical Demonkeeping" by Christopher Moore Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghost of miles Posted February 21, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2009 Simon Callow, ORSON WELLES V. 2: HELLO AMERICANS (1941-1947) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medjuck Posted February 21, 2009 Report Share Posted February 21, 2009 The Big Sleep, Raymond Chandler. I wonder how many times I've read that! At least five times. A novel that is in my psyche somewhere by now. Ditto! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sal Posted February 27, 2009 Report Share Posted February 27, 2009 I've read 100 pages of "Brave New World" since starting it last night. So far, fantastic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niko Posted February 27, 2009 Report Share Posted February 27, 2009 I've read 100 pages of "Brave New World" since starting it last night. So far, fantastic. funny, a friend of mine also started that one last night (because it was something like the inspiration to one michel houellebecq novl, Les particules élémentaires... thought i should check out that one maybe...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poetrylover3 Posted February 27, 2009 Report Share Posted February 27, 2009 The Oxford Book of Adventure Stories How My Heart Sings-A biography of Bill Evans Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazzbo Posted February 27, 2009 Report Share Posted February 27, 2009 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul secor Posted February 28, 2009 Report Share Posted February 28, 2009 (edited) Just finished reading Sebastian Faulks' novel, Engleby. Edited February 28, 2009 by paul secor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Van Basten II Posted February 28, 2009 Report Share Posted February 28, 2009 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poetrylover3 Posted March 1, 2009 Report Share Posted March 1, 2009 How is this? I enjoyed A Natural History of the Senses a great deal. BTW-Is it true that a third volume A Natural History of The Census is underway? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazzbo Posted March 1, 2009 Report Share Posted March 1, 2009 I'm enjoying it. Not deep, but a very pleasant read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BruceH Posted March 1, 2009 Report Share Posted March 1, 2009 Another nice thing about this is you don't have to worry too much about it being turned into a movie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul secor Posted March 3, 2009 Report Share Posted March 3, 2009 Just finished James Hanley's The Ocean. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejp626 Posted March 5, 2009 Report Share Posted March 5, 2009 I am about 1/3 of the way through Bolano's The Savage Detectives. He's losing me in the middle section where it is a bunch of interviews, presumably conducted by a detective trying to track the past activities/movements of the poet Ulisses Lima, following him from Mexico to Paris to Spain to Israel. It's not that the interviews are not interesting, but this novel in the form of interview has been done before. It's hardly as revolutionary as some of Bolano's fans make it out to be (not at all sure Bolano ever made such claims about the work). For instance, this is almost precisely the set-up of Jack Fuller's The Best of Jackson Payne (which we've discussed a bit on the board). Honestly, I found Fuller's book a bit more engaging. I'm also reading through the works of Ivan Vladislavic, a South African writer (this is partly for entertainment and partly for a project looking at the history and literature of Johannesburg). My local research library has almost all his works: Missing Persons The Folly Propaganda by Monuments The Restless Supermarket and Portrait with Keys with the exception of The Exploded View, which they don't have. (Just trying to make MG jealous.) I know it's a bit early to tell, but I think The Restless Supermarket is truly a masterpiece, but a nearly completely unknown one. I'll write more about it later after I am far enough in. What I did realize early on is that this was a book I wanted to own, but it is very hard to come by in the States (some of his other works are a bit easier and Portrait with Keys is going to get a Stateside publisher so it will be easy). After significant digging, I came across kalahari.net where you can buy directly from South Africa (shipping the first item is a beast, but if you order 3 or more items, it isn't so bad). Assuming the books actually get to me, I'll post more thoughts -- and let MG know if I would recommend ordering through them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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