Now reading...

[mellowT]

I'm reading early John Grisham from the public library. Last week it was A Time to Kill. This week is The Rainmaker:

[Norm]

Fast Food Nation, Eric Schlosser

For my next book, I'm probably going to go with something by Michael Pollan to continue with the theme. Can't decide between The Omnivore's Dilemma or In Defense of Food.

[jlhoots]

Muriel Barbery: The Elegance Of The Hedgehog

[BillF]

A second reading of A B Spellman, Four Lives in the Bebop Business

[spinlps]

The Song Is You - Arthur Phillips

[paul secor]

The Song Is You - Arthur Phillips

Got that one from the library and just started reading it. Hope it amounts to more than Prague did.

[ejp626]

Muriel Barbery: The Elegance Of The Hedgehog

Let us know how this is. It's one I'm definitely thinking of picking up (in about a year when there are scads of remaindered copies ).

I finished Kirn's Up in the Air. Not a deep book by any means, but pretty entertaining. A bit of a twist at the end which doesn't feel total gratuitous. I imagine that's in the movie version, but it will be a while until I find out.

I gave up on Jeter's Noir. It was ok for what it was (sf written as noir), but I am really trying to clear out a lot of books out of my house, and have started dropping books that aren't grabbing me, particularly if they are long (this is nearly 500 pages). Jeter was actually the guy called on to write sequels set in the Blade Runner universe (the film far more than Dick's vision).

So I started this instead.

A Way of Life, Like Any Other by Darcy O'Brien

It is a lightly fictionalized story of a boy growing up in Hollywood with movie star parents, who are fading and unstable (are there any other kind).

This is how the first paragraph ends: "Oh what a world it was! Was there ever so pampered an ass as mine?"

The voice is detached, ironic, jaded, etc. As I've gotten deeper into it, it reminds me of Jim Carroll's Basketball Diaries. If you liked that, you will probably like this.

[jazzbo]

Yeah, Jeter's "Noir" is hard to take. I set it aside a few years ago and haven't picked it back up. I WANT to like Jeter but really don't.

Jeter was a friend of Dick's in his final years. He's actually a character in Valis (Kevin).

I'm 115 pages into Kelly's biography of Monk. It started off slow but picked up about thirty pages in.

Edited October 14, 2009 by jazzbo

[BillF]

John le Carré, The Looking Glass War

[jlhoots]

Let us know how this is. It's one I'm definitely thinking of picking up (in about a year when there are scads of remaindered copies ).

Strange title, never heard of the author, not very impressive cover.

Therefore it far exceeded my expectations, & I endorse it highly.

Compelling writing IMHO.

I'm happy a friend suggested that I read it.

[ejp626]

Let us know how this is. It's one I'm definitely thinking of picking up (in about a year when there are scads of remaindered copies ).

Strange title, never heard of the author, not very impressive cover.

Therefore it far exceeded my expectations, & I endorse it highly.

Compelling writing IMHO.

I'm happy a friend suggested that I read it.

There's already a sequel of sorts called The Gourmet. BTW, the UK cover is nicer. I don't know how much more I would pay for that, but between the two, that's the one I would opt for.

Edited October 15, 2009 by ejp626

[Norm]

I probably haven't read a work of fiction in nearly 5 years. I've just begun Ha Jin's Waiting. I've also heard that his bigger work, War Trash, is quite good. Anybody familiar with the work of this author?

[jlhoots]

Let us know how this is. It's one I'm definitely thinking of picking up (in about a year when there are scads of remaindered copies ).

Strange title, never heard of the author, not very impressive cover.

Therefore it far exceeded my expectations, & I endorse it highly.

Compelling writing IMHO.

I'm happy a friend suggested that I read it.

There's already a sequel of sorts called The Gourmet. BTW, the UK cover is nicer. I don't know how much more I would pay for that, but between the two, that's the one I would opt for.

I wouldn't pay more for the cover either, but that one sure is better.

I purchased a fairly inexpensive paperback version via Amazon.

Edited October 15, 2009 by jlhoots

[paul secor]

I probably haven't read a work of fiction in nearly 5 years. I've just begun Ha Jin's Waiting. I've also heard that his bigger work, War Trash, is quite good. Anybody familiar with the work of this author?

My wife read one of his books and loved it - can't remember the title and she's out right now so I can't ask her. She's been after me to read it, but I'm wary because we usually have very different tastes in our reading.

[Elissa]

Just started The Elegance of the Hedgehog today, but I prefer the American the cover - the girl in moccasins - and quite like the title. That's what makes prize fights, right?

A couple sweet quotes so far:

"I think lucidity gives your success a bitter taste, whereas mediocrity still leaves hope for something."

"What is an aristocrat? A woman who is never sullied by vulgarity, although she may be surrounded by it,"

[jlhoots]

Just started The Elegance of the Hedgehog today, but I prefer the American the cover - the girl in moccasins - and quite like the title. That's what makes prize fights, right?

A couple sweet quotes so far:

"I think lucidity gives your success a bitter taste, whereas mediocrity still leaves hope for something."

"What is an aristocrat? A woman who is never sullied by vulgarity, although she may be surrounded by it,"

No prize fight here.

The writing was great.

[jlhoots]

Junot Diaz: Drown

[aparxa]

Looking through Pannonica's 3 wishes.

Starting Hemingways's Farewell to arms.

[ejp626]

O'Brien's A Way of Life was good. I particularly liked the details of how the narrator started acting like a heel during late adolescence, often even knowing he was out of line but seemingly helpless to stop himself in time. I can relate to that. A very fast read

Anyway, I am starting this, which is going to be a bigger investment of time, but has been entertaining so far:

I wonder how it will compare with Davies' Deptford Trilogy, which also features a magician.

This is the opening of chapter 2:

Immediately after his mother left, Charles became his father's shadow. On long Sunday afternoons, Mr. Carter could barely walk from his bookshelves to the ledgers on his desk without becoming entangled with his eldest child.

I can relate to this as well. It isn't quite as extreme with my son, but he does pretty much follow me from room to room unless I use extreme diversionary tactics (playing TMBG videos seems to work).

Edited October 20, 2009 by ejp626

[sal]

"Notes from the Underground" - Fyodor Dostoevsky

[BillF]

John le Carré, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

[jazzbo]

[jlhoots]

David Ebershoff: The 19th Wife

[spinlps]

Just finished The Song Is You by Arthur Phillips. Now working on Nick Hornby's latest: Juliet, Naked.

Just received these two as gifts and have been leafing through them. The Taschen should come with napkins or wipes... anything to wipe away the inevitable drool.

[sal]

I'm reading Dan Brown's "Angels & Demons". I've read nothing but intense books and "literature" this year, and just need a break. This one seems to be fitting the bill: light reading, entertaining story, and doesn't really require thought.