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*What book are you reading? (part 2)

Podarunek Cezara - a translation of Caesar's Gift (one of the Asterix books). Sometimes I take my own advice.
 
Orang Utan said:
My mum seems to have become obsessed with Tove Jansson and all of her writings. Unlike most writers, she seems to have actually led a good wholesome life and all who knew her loved her. Which leads me to ask two questions.
Where do I start with her? The Moomins or her grown up stuff? Never read a word of hers.
Also, who else is that well-loved as a writer? Many great (male) writers are almost celebrated for being bastards.
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My sis got my mam this Tove Jansson memoir for crimbo
http://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/nov/12/tove-jansson-memoir-rare-family-photo-moomins

colbhoy said:
Just started Laidlaw by William McIlvanney.

Also dipping into Ring Around the Bases, Complete Short Story Collection by Ring Lardner.
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Tee hee.
 
Just finished Gillian Smith's Gone Girl, a thriller 'that everyone's talking about' - not anyone I know!
Patricia Highsmith does it better.
 
Traditionally, my sister buys Booker shorlisted books for Christmas so i am currently reading Harvest by Jim Crace.

I also just read Asterix & the Pechts, in Scots.
 
Stoner - John Williams.

I had to abandon this at the 20% mark. I just found it so dull, perhaps that's the point.
It's only the second book i have abandoned since i started reading again, the other book being Morrissey - Autobiography.
 
Dexter Deadwood said:
Stoner - John Williams.

I had to abandon this at the 20% mark. I just found it so dull, perhaps that's the point.
It's only the second book i have abandoned since i started reading again, the other book being Morrissey - Autobiography.
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I managed to get to the end, but I see where you're coming from. The first half was good, all about Manchester back in those days (though I reckon he deserved every slap he got off 13 year old Collyhurst perries - If you can't walk with ease on the streets where you were raised then it's your own fault for being a pussy), but the second half was a bit boring. Far too much music-biz bullshit - It reminded me of the most boring book ever - Kevin Sampson's Powder. Everyone who Moz slagged off though, I agreed with him.
 
A Feast For Crows - George R R Martin.

A much earlier return to Westeros than i had anticipated.
Given my recent poor choices i know i will be at home with this.
 
Spilt Milk by Chico Buarque

A story narrated by a dying 100 year old aristocrat who, having lost his riches, finds himself in a public hospital in Rio. The dying man is a plot device whose life is an allegory of Brazil’s history or rather its transformation over the last 100 years.
 
Just finished The Etymologicon by Mark Forsyth. Essentially does what it says on the tin and explores the meanings and origins behind words and phrases in a way that each chapter is a continuation from the previous that links everything together.

Thoroughly enjoyable although I do question some of his findings but definitely recommend it for a light read.
 
You do know that Knausgaard deliberately called the book [in the original norwegian] "Min Kamp"- which is the well-known norwegian title of Hitler's "Mein Kampf"- just as a cynical, calculated strategy to get more attention about the novel? Which comes across as an extremely cuntish thing to do, IMO. But it obviously worked, because when the reviewers got over the shock that "oh, how dare he call his book the same as Hitler's book? How distasteful!" they sadly saw that he had actual writing skills, this fact tended to be conveniently forgotten and swept under the carpet, then as by unspoken rule never discussed again in public after the book became a runaway bestseller.

This is a bit problematic, since the fact kept on being noticed by others (famously, german translators refused to translate the title correctly into german- as they must've then called his book "Mein Kampf" again, something absolutely unthinkable because of the german post-war heritage. Yet also here they quickly avoided debating the author's choice and just quietly chose another title for the translation without being to vocal about it. A lost opportunity to confront him about it.) I'd like to hear what the families and/or survivors of the Holocaust/nazi persecutions would have to say about his "arty" use of Hitlers title just as a media stunt? I'm sure they're happy to hear that not a penny from his bestseller raking in the cash is donated to one of their funds. What a cunt... :(

(Coincidentally, the german county of Bavaria- which own the copyright for Hitler's original book- have just retracted their original bid to republish the book this year, as they deem the contents "too hate-filled and dangerous", and the mayor decided by veto to scrap the plans... A mistake I think, the best way is to make stuff like that available for everyone as historical evidence so people can read and find out for themselves how rubbish it is, not to keep it exclusive and hidden and risk cultish mystery around it)
little_legs said:
I am half way through My Struggle vol. 1 by Karl Ove Knausgaard. When I started it, I thought it was a memoir about the struggles, relationships and infatuations of a young man. But, my goodness, it’s about so much more. Now that I am about to finish vol. 1, I can’t help thinking that maybe it’s about how we interpret memories, how we store them, how smells and sounds trigger memories and emotions. Or maybe it’s about how we construct memories, or how we think about things we think we remember, or how we choose to recount memories.

The funny thing is that Knausgaard does not tell you anything particularly shocking about his life, he also has a peculiar style (maybe it’s the Scandinavian style I am unfamiliar with), he digresses a bit, and he clearly could not have remembered everything he wrote about. But that’s ok because it’s a fascinating account of human existence and bewilderment with life in general. I've never read anything like it, it’s incredible.

Also, well done to Don Bartlett who translated the book.
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maya

The title of the book is explicit, for sure. I am sure he pissed off a lot of people and he deserves being derided for having chosen it. Personally, when I started reading Knausgaard's My Struggle, I didn't give the title much of a thought. Mainly because I've never read the other My Struggle, so I don't know if there are any parallels between Hitler's and Knausgaard's writing. But also probably because I am ignorant to care about the effect the other My Struggle has/had on people, so I'll be honest that I did not take issue with the title and Knausgaard's decision to use it.

For what it's worth, IMO the title he chose won't be swept under the carpet and he'll have to live with most people knowing that he chose it after Hitler's book. Having read book 1, I think he willfully chose it out of shame and desperation to be someone worthy of attention, two human qualities that form the basis of book 1. He struggles with the fact that he was virtually a nuisance to his father (ditto his mother). Later on he struggles with finding his voice as a writer. He talks openly about his inability to express himself without offending people. He admits that he can only be courageous when he writes and utterly useless when he interacts with people. So I think he is aware of his shameless desperation to be noticed/cared for, which I guess is only human. I mean we all want attention, some of us are just better at hiding it than others.

I've downloaded book 2 and I can't wait to read it. I know there are 6 books in total, and in book 6 he writes about Hitler. I am not sure if my opinion of Knausgaard will shift in time, and I really hope he is not an apologist for the bastards of this world and he isn't a monster who can write well.
 
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I got some books for Christmas and I'm reading Harvest by Jim Crace. I like what I've read so far. It is a bit odd having a book again. It's not so long since I started downloading e-books but it's surprising how quickly you get used to then. Now I have to deal with pages and use a physical bookmark (an old envelope, usually) to keep my place, go find a dictionary if I'm unsure of a word.
 
Dexter Deadwood said:
Stoner - John Williams.

I had to abandon this at the 20% mark. I just found it so dull, perhaps that's the point.
It's only the second book i have abandoned since i started reading again, the other book being Morrissey - Autobiography.
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I'm about 1/3 through Stoner. It is quite dull. I can only presume the point was to try to write an interesting history of an ordinary/dull man's life by the power of good writing. It sort of works, in that I sort of want to know what happens to him, but tbh really I could put it down now and never think of it again. Its more of interest to other writers I reckon, an exercise in how to make the banal readable is a serious challenge and could only be done by a skilled writer, but that doesn't necessarily make it a good read beyond that challenge. I'm going to continue, but I really doubt I'll be recommending it to anyone.
 
Finished 'Stalin Ate My Homework' by Alexei Sayle over crimbo - really enjoyed it.

Now on 'Why be happy when you could be normal' by Jeanette Winterson. Has made me well up several times so far.

I'm waiting for Pullman's Grimm tales to come into the library, but also the fella bought me Ray Bradbury's 'Golden Apples of the Sun' for my birthday and I can't WAIT to read that! :cool:
 
Finished Tom Jones, which I liked, there are some funny moments and I like the phrasing even though it's really bloody long...
Moving on to Good Morning Midnight which is a re-read for me and one of my favourite books :cool:
 
rubbershoes said:
Roots by Alex Haley

I was about ten when it was on TV and I didn't see it.

It's not a bundle of laughs
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I bought the DVD last year and we watched it - quite well done, you're welcome to it if you want it, I was going to stick it on the recycle forum but never got round to it.
 
Before They Are Hanged by Joe Abercrombie.

It's fantasy. If you like that TV show on HBO where everyone dies horribly ever week at the end of a rich noble's sword you'll love this. Someone better film this guy's stuff it's fucking awesome sauce.
 
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