What are you reading?

[trentk]

Still working through this but mind blowing so far

I haven't watched these b/c I've already studied topology and geometry at a more advanced level, but, scanning these videos, they look like a good supplement to Sha Xin Wei:
edit: see also John Milnor on Differential Topology:

[Senpai]

First time reading essays, Sedaris's "Let's Explore Diabetes With Owls" has been a pretty easy way to dive into the genre. Not very serious stuff, great light reading that's admittedly pretty humorous. Not sure what to try out next, thinking about "Consider the Lobster" as it seems pretty wide read, hopefully meaning it won't be too over my head.

[Faust]

Sedaris is certainly witty, though I am not sure how such ultimately meaningless material can garner such acclaim as he has. Not knocking, as I enjoy it myself. I always read his essays in the New Yorker.

Consider the Lobster is excellent, but The Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again is a better collection.

[Senpai]

Thanks for the recommendation, I'll definitely check that out as well. I agree on the Sedaris, I'd describe it as light pleasant reading.

[kamsky]

Just finished "Ulysses" for the first time; three month endeavor, but worth it, highly rewarding. Followed with relatively much lighter "Negra espalda del tiempo" by J. Marías.

Break from fiction, reading Max Hastings' "Catastrophe 1914: Europe Goes to War." (He apparently has a penchant for ponderous titles, but so far seems fairly well written.)

[bukka]

Just finished "Ulysses" for the first time; three month endeavor, but worth it, highly rewarding. Followed with relatively much lighter "Negra espalda del tiempo" by J. Marías.

Read "Corazón tan blanco" a few months ago. Great novel and great author. I really liked the structure of the novel, really well-thought imho.

[kamsky]

Read "Corazón tan blanco" a few months ago. Great novel and great author. I really liked the structure of the novel, really well-thought imho.

He's pretty amazing; "Negra espalda.." is a continuation, of sorts (maybe "arises from" might be more apt), of "Todas las almas" and is a tongue-in-cheek refutation of claims that the latter is a roman à clef, biographic work. The reader might be on shaky ground throughout if coming to it with certain expectations, but it makes for a wonderful read. Recommend both, or if you're inclined to devote that much time to him, "Tu rostro mañana."

[Faust]

Gave up on a Bellow novel for the first time in my life. I wonder if it's the book or my attention span going to shit.

Picked up House of Meetings by Martin Amis. Excellent thus far. It always impresses me when a non-Russian can get inside our fucked up psyche.

[d'avant-garde]

currently: Jack Kerouac on The Road - The Original Scrolls

[profondo nero]

Classic Ragnar..

[Crowzer]

[Faust]

Hmmm, apparently David Cronenberg has written a novel.

[kamsky]

Finished reading Phillippe Claudel's "J'abandonne" a couple days ago. Quick read. I enjoyed the structure he gave to the book (the word "cinematic" comes to mind, but that might be facile); a narrative flashback whereby a short but indeterminate amount of the main character's recollections and impressions of his recent past is described, which periodically returns to his present moment. The actual time that has elapsed from the beginning to the end is short, a matter of hours, but the temporal textures vary, interweave and influence each other in appealing ways.

Otherwise, the novel did not seem to add up to me. Unless I'm tone-deaf and really missing something, seems to offer a fallacious, unitary view of French society that is, to my mind, highly problematic and more than a little pernicious.

Anyone else familiar (with this or any of his other texts or films)? If so, any refutations, criticisms, thoughts w/r/t the above-mentioned would be appreciated.

[pilgrim]

http://www.amazon.com/Culture-Map-Br...rds=1610392507



The Culture Map: Breaking Through the Invisible Boundaries of Global Business

http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/141707/erin-meyer/the-culture-map-breaking-through-the-invisible-boundaries-of-glo

"The rapid growth of cross-border business, education, and travel has brought people of different cultural backgrounds closer together than ever before -- and has thereby increased the likelihood of miscommunication and misunderstanding. Meyer boldly attempts to characterize the diverse cultural practices of Asians, Europeans, and North and South Americans in eight areas: communication, performance evaluation, persuasion, leadership and hierarchy, decision-making, trust building, dealing with disagreements, and scheduling. The book abounds with well-chosen anecdotes to illustrate the misunderstandings that can arise from clashing cultural assumptions, making this enlightening book a pleasure to read."

[bukka]

Finished reading Phillippe Claudel's "J'abandonne" a couple days ago. Quick read. I enjoyed the structure he gave to the book (the word "cinematic" comes to mind, but that might be facile); a narrative flashback whereby a short but indeterminate amount of the main character's recollections and impressions of his recent past is described, which periodically returns to his present moment. The actual time that has elapsed from the beginning to the end is short, a matter of hours, but the temporal textures vary, interweave and influence each other in appealing ways.

Otherwise, the novel did not seem to add up to me. Unless I'm tone-deaf and really missing something, seems to offer a fallacious, unitary view of French society that is, to my mind, highly problematic and more than a little pernicious.

Anyone else familiar (with this or any of his other texts or films)? If so, any refutations, criticisms, thoughts w/r/t the above-mentioned would be appreciated.

I read Claudel a while ago and it bored me to death. Do you read it in French or in English?