*What book are you reading ?

[D]

Haruki Murakami

First I was blown away by 100% Perfect Girl on an April Morning, then I read Bakery Attack and was awestruck. Today I read The Kangaroos and I think I'm in love.

 

[Orang Utan]

You must be reading some odd translations of Murakami - I've never heard of those - or maybe they're short stories?

 

[tastebud]

You must be reading some odd translations of Murakami - I've never heard of those - or maybe they're short stories?

The Elephant Vanishes IS short stories numb nuts.

 

[dolly's gal]

i'm currently reading wicked women by fay weldon. old skool but quite good.

and my new book from amazon has just arrived!! shawnie, by ed trewavas. written by a social worker about a family (based on his experiences but not actually a particular family) on an estate in knowle west, bristol. sounds fucking harsh but am well looking forward to reading it!

 

[Orang Utan]

The Elephant Vanishes IS short stories numb nuts.

I knew that - just not the names of the stories! is that where they're from then?

 

[exosculate]

i'm currently reading wicked women by fay weldon. old skool but quite good.

and my new book from amazon has just arrived!! shawnie, by ed trewavas. written by a social worker about a family (based on his experiences but not actually a particular family) on an estate in knowle west, bristol. sounds fucking harsh but am well looking forward to reading it!

That sounds good.

 

[Philbc03]

I'm now reading Martin Amis's 'Money: A Suicide Note' (v good so far) and the collection of Trotsky, Hansen, and Novack articles in 'The Transitional Program for Socialist Revolution'.

 

[mrkikiet]

Never Let Me Go - Ishiguro. slightly disconcerting, but very good.

 

[fudgefactorfive]

Never Let Me Go - Ishiguro. slightly disconcerting, but very good.

Likesay, finished that last week - been pondering on it ever since - decided it's an excellent slice of a made-up person's headspace, and loved the way he conveys that these children are stunted, unfinished, bonsai people - but I think the whole set-up is utterly unrealistic, it's a Britain occupied by about a hundred people. Anyone recommend more of his? Been told I should read Remains of the Day, which I'm quite up for, not having seen the film.

Just finished Birthday Stories, a collection of short stories on the loose theme of birthdays (given to me on my birthday ) selected by Haruki Murakami. Nice read, I don't go for short stories much and this kind of book reminded me of why I should. The ones that stood out for me were by Russel Banks, Denis Johnson, Daniel Lyons, Lynda Sexson, Raymond Carver. There's one by Murakami himself, it's very "him", not sure what to make of him generally. Hard Boiled Wonderland was excellent and spacily imaginative, and I've read two others that to be honest have left no lasting impression except for a vague sense of how odd he thinks Japanese women are.

 

[tastebud]

except for a vague sense of how odd he thinks Japanese women are.

One thing that forms a prominent part of my love for Murakami is his female perspective on a lot of things. I can't think of examples right now, but I often fall in love with the women in his books, so he must be doing something right. It's not *that* common for a male author to get this right, but he does. Well. May Kasahara being a prime example.

 

[Hollis]

I'm now reading Martin Amis's 'Money: A Suicide Note' (v good so far) and the collection of Trotsky, Hansen, and Novack articles in 'The Transitional Program for Socialist Revolution'.

Money's excellent! Probably his best.

 

[tastebud]

Money's excellent! Probably his best.

Fucking awful book. I literally threw it at my ex boyfriend's wall.

 

[Hollis]

Pah! One of the greats of 1980s literature.. ohhh yes

 

[Orang Utan]

I hated it too - couldn't finish it

 

[Hollis]

Unbelievable!

 

[Orang Utan]

I liked all his other books too.
Apart from The Information.

 

[wiskey]

Today i started 'We need to talk about Kevin' by Lionel Shriver.
enjoying it so far.

i've just finished it. right up until 10 pages before the end i thought it was mediocre and then it redeemed itself. i really didnt like the letters format and spent the first 3 chapters trying to get into her writing style. I also found myself skipping bits because she used far too many words in places.

overall i struggled through bits of it whilst other bits were gripping.

dont think i'll bother with any others she has written.

wiskers

 

[Hollis]

I liked all his other books too.
Apart from The Information.

Very strange.. its generally considered to be his best book.

 

[RubyToogood]

I am now re-reading The Land of Green Ginger by Noel Langley, which is class. I hadn't realised he was one of the scriptwriters on The Wizard of Oz.

 

[milesy]

irvine welsh - "ecstacy"

and after that i will be starting ben richards' new one "confidence", although i'm a bit put of reading it in public off by the awful cover, it looks like it's trying to say "this is chick-lit, but mature, intelligent chick-lit" when it's nothing of the sort. well, i hope it's not.

i may have to get a copy of big juggs or razzle to hide it in.

 

[kyser_soze]

Just finished re-reading 'American Tabloid' and decided to jump straight into a re-ru of 'The Cold Six Thousand'

Been AGES since I read any Ellroy and I'd forgotten how brilliant his writing is.

 

[girasol]

I'm reading Lemony Snicket's 'The Bad Beginning' with my son, seems all I have time to read these days are children's books

I was really hoping my son choose to read that before Harry Potter (and he did!!!), as it seems a lot more interesting... If I do like it (I really loved the film) I'll end up buying all 12 books.

 

[sojourner]

I'm reading Lemony Snicket's 'The Bad Beginning' with my son, seems all I have time to read these days are children's books

I was really hoping my son choose to read that before Harry Potter (and he did!!!), as it seems a lot more interesting... If I do like it (I really loved the film) I'll end up buying all 12 books.

I tried Lemony Snicket as my daughter was so into it, but it was not for me. Pullman = genius kids writing, LS = average kids writing with some good ideas.

I started and finished The Woman Who Walked into Doors last night, by Roddy Doyle...I really liked the style of narrative, written from the perspective of a woman who doesn't think she has any intelligence, hence the short choppy sentence structure. And she just throws out little screamingly aching facts about her life. The bit where she's killing time until she can find the key and have a drink had my hair stood on end.

Not sure what's next...I got a monster pile of books from the local charity shop a while back and can't remember everything I got.

 

[Nikkormat]

Currently reading Hugh Trevor-Roper's The Last Days of Hitler.

Not too heavy going, although the 60 page introduction was a little daunting.

 

[Orang Utan]

Just finished re-reading 'American Tabloid' and decided to jump straight into a re-ru of 'The Cold Six Thousand'

Been AGES since I read any Ellroy and I'd forgotten how brilliant his writing is.

He sure is a great writer.
Cold Six Thousand though. Hard to read. Couldn't finish. Or begin. Sentences too short. Fiendishly unparseable.

 

[chooch]

irvine welsh - "ecstasy"

You finding it god-awful?

 

[Dubversion]

You finding it god-awful?

It is, isn't it? utter shit. I think he's one of the most appallingly over-rated writers I've ever come across. Just dire. And Ecstasy is probably the worst.

 

[milesy]

he's far from the best writer in the world, and a lot of his stuff is so obvious and cliched, but i'm enjoying it. agree he's very over-rated though. and it's all very 90s...

 

[Orang Utan]

I liked his first two but yes, he's a cockend

 

[northernhord]

Niall Griffiths - Stump (again) top Welsh writer a little in the style of Mr Welsh but a lot darker and funnier I reckon