What are you reading?

[Faust]

Started reading it before I went to Rome two weeks ago, but only was able to get through the first quarter before I got there! Still reading, very enriching. Hughes is obviously incredibly erudite, though you could see his age showing in the book with the loops of repetition he tends to fall in. It's strange that his editor did not pick up on it.

[Czx]

Finished Tropic of Cancer recently. I really enjoyed it all the way through, quite beautiful at times but also capable of brining out an honest laughter.
Currently reading Shogun, Naked Lunch and some books for my courses out of which Medival Music by Richard Hopping is definitely worth recommending if anyone is interested in the music of those times (which is, on the contrary to popular beliefes, very enriching and quite beautiful at times).

I'm on a weird trip as of late that leads me to devouring anything good I can find that concentrates on Asia or Africa. Maybe someone can recommend me something in that vein? Just don't point me towards anything on Russia, got enough of it through the last few years so let's skip this particular region of Asia.

[kamsky]

I'm on a weird trip as of late that leads me to devouring anything good I can find that concentrates on Asia or Africa. Maybe someone can recommend me something in that vein?

You might try Kenzaburo Oe or Yasunari Kawabata. Japanese writers; I do not speak the language, but have found their works in translation to be amazing.

Not at all concentrating on Africa, but rather told from the point of view of someone who has left it behind (specifically, Nigeria), Teju Cole's 2011 novel "Open City" is stellar.

Nayomi Munaweera's "Island of a Thousand Mirrors" is also one of the better recent works of fiction I've come across; takes place during the 25-year Sri Lankan civil war.

It's not clear to me that this is what you mean by "concentrat[ing] on Asia or Africa" but these authors might be worth considering.

[en0rm]

reading Shantaram for the second time...

[Czx]

You might try Kenzaburo Oe or Yasunari Kawabata. Japanese writers; I do not speak the language, but have found their works in translation to be amazing.

Not at all concentrating on Africa, but rather told from the point of view of someone who has left it behind (specifically, Nigeria), Teju Cole's 2011 novel "Open City" is stellar.

Nayomi Munaweera's "Island of a Thousand Mirrors" is also one of the better recent works of fiction I've come across; takes place during the 25-year Sri Lankan civil war.

It's not clear to me that this is what you mean by "concentrat[ing] on Asia or Africa" but these authors might be worth considering.

Thank you, I'll add those to my list.
I'am not sure what I mean by that statement either. I think I'am looking for some kind of cultural statements. Books that do not have to be about the region per se but that can give you an insight into the culture, nature and matters of said regions. One of those or all at once. A thing that "placed in" just wasn't enough for.

This means that I will very glad grab any kind of ficiton just as well as biographies, auto- or not, historical books etc. Just nothing really scientific and academic in it's nature (and/or purpose) as I got enough of reading of that kind to do daily on other subjects.

[galia]

You should read "Black Magic" by Paul Morand. I don't remember the storylines (I read it a long time ago) but I vividly remember some atmospheres and descriptions. plus Paul Morand is a great writer and it's about african and black american culture if I remember correctly.

[Faust]

You might try Kenzaburo Oe or Yasunari Kawabata. Japanese writers; I do not speak the language, but have found their works in translation to be amazing.

Not at all concentrating on Africa, but rather told from the point of view of someone who has left it behind (specifically, Nigeria), Teju Cole's 2011 novel "Open City" is stellar.

Nayomi Munaweera's "Island of a Thousand Mirrors" is also one of the better recent works of fiction I've come across; takes place during the 25-year Sri Lankan civil war.

It's not clear to me that this is what you mean by "concentrat[ing] on Asia or Africa" but these authors might be worth considering.

If you want another good book on that subject, Anil's Ghost by Michael Ondaatje is amazing.

Czx, I think 90 per cent of Russians would raise their brows if they heard anyone refer to Russia as an Asian country. Russians think of themselves solely as Europeans.

[Czx]

@Faust - noted. I would imagine so, I do not think of Russia as a part of Asia myself but then some people do. To me it is a being by itself, with it's own continent.

@Galia - thank you, that seems very interesting. I think I can remember my mother being rather fond of him so I may even have it lying around the parents house.

[Fuuma]

If you want another good book on that subject, Anil's Ghost by Michael Ondaatje is amazing.

Czx, I think 90 per cent of Russians would raise their brows if they heard anyone refer to Russia as an Asian country. Russians think of themselves solely as Europeans.

Eurasian or basically their own block for many, no? Read Aleksandr Dugin for a very extreme viewpoint on that.

[Faust]

Eurasian or basically their own block for many, no? Read Aleksandr Dugin for a very extreme viewpoint on that.

Not really. Not since Peter the Great. In a way, yes, there is a strand of Russian pride, but this is result of deep insecurity in front of and longing to be like the Western Europe.

[mrbeuys]

Great read. Here's the title story.

[Ahimsa]

I need a depressing love story like The Sorrows of Young Werther. I have a penchant for these sort of things.

[Czx]

Malina by Ingeborg Bachmann if you haven't read it already.
And if you want depressing on another level there is always Pessoa's The Book of Disquiet which is peak in depressive writing on Mt. Everest scale. At least to me.

[Faust]

I need a depressing love story like The Sorrows of Young Werther. I have a penchant for these sort of things.

The Red and the Black by Stendahl. I would not recommend Malina during a full semester at FIT - it's a difficult book.

[Faust]

Great read. Here's the title story.

I taught that at Parsons :)