*What book are you reading? (part 2)

[Dirty Martini]

I finished At Lady Molly's and Casanova's Chinese Restaurant by Anthony Powell. One more and I'm halfway through this bastard cycle. Very entertaining, fucking annoying, but I can't stop reading it. The population of interwar London in these books is about 30, all of them rich bohemians or just plain rich, with just enough waitresses to keep them fed.

Now it's The Legend of the Holy Drinker by Joseph Roth.

 

[Obnoxiousness]

I'm still reading David Copperfield... and loving it. Thinking of reading Bleak House next, although I'll have to see what books I get for Christmas, or what gems I can find in the charity shop.

 

[starfish]

http://www.urban75.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=72931

Over 5 & a half years later ive finally decided to read The Chrysalids.

 

[sojourner]

I just ordered two more. I shall spend the first part of next year on an Elmore Leonard jag.

I love his writing. It's kind of poetic, kind of gritty, and sort of dub somehow. When you get past the sheer joy of his abuse of language there are some really sharp ideas there too.

I like his handy hint to aspiring writers: Try to leave out the part that readers tend to skip



I am still ploughing through Dead Man's Walk by Larry McMurtry, which is not as good as Lonesome Dove, but is still interesting enough to keep me going back to it.

Think it might be an Elmore Leonard next though - Swag

 

[ericjarvis]

Elmore Leonard - Unknown Man #89

 

[Dirty Martini]

This thread is making me want to revisit Elmore Leonard.

In the meantime, I finished The Legend of the Holy Drinker, which is slight but great and so obviously the last book before Roth succumbed to drink and despair.

Now it's Joy in the Morning, more Jeeves. Need something like that after all the recent heavy German stuff.

 

[Annierak]

Just started 'Shakey: Neil Young's Biography' by Jimmy McDonough

 

[sojourner]

Just started 'Shakey: Neil Young's Biography' by Jimmy McDonough

top book that - I lent my copy to Laurence the other week

 

[DotCommunist]

Gene Wolfes 'Calde of the Long Sun' which I found in a hitherto forgotten book-stash in the attic. So good I missed gremlins. Real nostalgia read

 

[5t3IIa]

the 39 Steps, 20p from charity shop.

 

[Annierak]

top book that - I lent my copy to Laurence the other week

Loving it so far. I had a bit of a book buying binge in fopp a few weeks ago, great place for bargains

 

[krtek a houby]

Read Benjamin Zephaniah's "Face" over the weekend. Not as good as "Refugee Boy" but better than "Gangsta Rap".

Reading Theodore Sturgeon's "More than Human" now. Kinda X-Men feel to it but it was written in the 50s...

 

[Dillinger4]

2666 - Roberto Bolano

What did you think?

 

[Fictionist]

What did you think?

Still reading it. It is in need of some serious editing!!

 

[Bakunin]

Gangland - Howard Blum.

The story of the rise and fall of John Gotti, known as the 'Teflon Don' because no cases seemed to stick, and the work of the FBI's 'C-16' Squad led by Bruce Mouw that finally brought him (and much of New York's Gambino 'Family') down.

An excellent read, IMHO.

Next up is George Orwell's 'Homage To Catalonia.'

 

[chooch]

This thread is making me want to revisit Elmore Leonard.

Should be done.

In the meantime, I finished The Legend of the Holy Drinker, which is slight but great and so obviously the last book before Roth succumbed to drink and despair.

Aye. Reckon it was all he had left. Reads very differently from when he still had command of the fancy stuff, but still great.

Almost bought some Stefan Zweig in town the other day? You read any?

I reading Emanuel Litvinoff Journey Through a Small Planet, fictionalised somethings about the Jewish East End. I appear to be a sucker for any newish London-based Penguin Modern Classic with rain-stained bricks, men with hats or a fog-bound tram on the cover...

 

[ericjarvis]

Len Deighton - Horse Under Water

 

[tastebud]

I reread Rebecca by Daphne DuMaurier this festive period - had totally forgotten how great it is

 

[idioteque]

The Road - Cormac McCarthy

How are you finding it?

I think it was the best book I read this year. Loved it.

 

[ShiftyBagLady]

I'm reading She Came To Stay by Simone De Beauvoir.
I am already enjoying it and I know that I'll read it too quickly and feel sad when it's finished.

 

[Greebo]

"French Revolutions" by Tim Moore
"Love Me" by Garrison Keillor
and the German translation of "Briget Jones's Diary" ("Schokolade zum Fruehstueck")

 

[chooch]

Have skipped through John Christopher The Death of Grass with some good cheer, and now trying some David Malouf short stories, before moving on to a Russell Hoban thing.

 

[sojourner]

Finally got round to finishing Dead Man's Walk, and it had a fucking ace ending. Love how Larry McMurtry spins a yarn

Just started And the Ass saw the Angel, by Nick Cave. Wow He's not exactly afeared of upsetting anyone of a delicate disposition is he?

 

[sojourner]

I'm reading She Came To Stay by Simone De Beauvoir.
I am already enjoying it and I know that I'll read it too quickly and feel sad when it's finished.

That's not one I've read by her. She is one of my gods though, is Simone.

 

[ShiftyBagLady]

That's not one I've read by her. She is one of my gods though, is Simone.

Simone and Doris?
What excellent taste you have

 

[chooch]

Just started And the Ass saw the Angel, by Nick Cave. Wow He's not exactly afeared of upsetting anyone of a delicate disposition is he?

Quite hard work that, but there's some great language in it. Laid on the page in great creosote gloops.

 

[sojourner]

Simone and Doris?
What excellent taste you have

No no m'dear, what fine taste you have

 

[sojourner]

there's some great language in it. Laid on the page in great creosote gloops.

That's very well articulated It really is thick dark molasses in text. Hugely atmospheric, almost like being surrounded by it

Well impressed

 

[heinous seamus]

Ray Bradbury - The Golden Apples of the Sun

 

[Paulie Tandoori]

memoirs of a geezer - jah wobble. what a great christmas pressie