What are you reading?

[munch]

haha, I was actually hoping to fill my empty bookshelf while I'm at it. it looks so sad. well, I guess borrowing books is the best option.

thanks for the recommendations everyone! if you have any more it is appreciated too

[Faust]

You are welcome, munch. I don't know how it is in Sweden, but most of the books I recommended can be gotten for a buck used in the US.

Somber, The Things They Carried is hands down the best war short story I have ever read. The rest of the volume is very good, but that story is a little masterpiece.

More

On self-realization

The Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach

[Faust]

Dostoïevsky will teach you all you need to know about life

I am currently reading Maïakovski's letters to Lili Brik. It's too cute ! there are even little drawings of dogs ! Too bad Maïakovski was a bolshie, but I still have a sort of crush on him (but I have a crush on most russian poets, I'm a silly girl like that. Ossip Mandelstam is my No1 crush and the man was truly ugly)

What's missing from Dostoyevsky (and I haven't read a lot of it) is the idea of manhood, or at least its part that has to do with human excellence. I can't get over that. That's probably why I hate Crime and Punishment. Of course he was a whiny bitch in real life. An incredibly talented whiny bitch.

[galia]

I guess I know nothing of manhood anyway

Also, re-reading my last post, I'm ashamed at how much I sound lne a silly giddy girl. Embarassing...

[theta]

What's missing from Dostoyevsky (and I haven't read a lot of it) is the idea of manhood, or at least its part that has to do with human excellence. I can't get over that. That's probably why I hate Crime and Punishment. Of course he was a whiny bitch in real life. An incredibly talented whiny bitch.

this might be the case with crime and punishment, but there are other dostoevksy characters (like kirillov in demons/the possessed) who certainly embody some idea of 'manhood'.

right now i'm reading the hunting sketches by turgenev.

[genevieveryoko]

I tried to challenge myself to read Ferdydurke once! It was absurd and unfortunately I wasn't able to finish it before I had to return to the library.

[Faust]

I tried to challenge myself to read Ferdydurke once! It was absurd and unfortunately I wasn't able to finish it before I had to return to the library.

I got a book for you.

[genevieveryoko]

You actually went there Faust! Thanks, I think will read that one day. I don't really think she's good or evil, but I do think her ideas are relevant. I think it's interesting that she started out writing screenplays. It makes me want to think about propaganda and Vivienne Westwood.

[Faust]

How could I not!

[Fade to Black]

am having a blast going through Gonzo, the oral account compilation biography of hunter...now I wanna go check out his Hell's Angels.

[galia]

Hells Angels is really fun to read, lots of funny anecdotes

My favourite hunter is still Fear & Loathing on the campaign trail and the series of articles about his own election campaign. the muhammad ali one was cool too. and the derby one as well

ok I like almost everything the guy wrote

[Fade to Black]

i've only read his only two novels - Vegas and Rum Diary..this biography is making me now want to read everything he ever wrote as a journalist. the muhammad ali episode is hilarious - dont know if its the same one you mention, but apparently he was smoking dope in a hotel swimming pool during the actual fight thinking he can fuck off the article with his singular imagination and wit, and a similar series of journalistic assignments that either never came to fruition or went about a process of filling in the blanks while higher than James Brown and Marvin Gaye combined.

theres so many books mentioned in this thread that i've heard about everywhere but local bookstores have nothing to do with them. How hard it is to track down even a copy of A rebours in Hong Kong...can never bother with ordering anything online. will have to wait until i'm in a more literary country.

[galia]

that reminds me I have to buy A Rebours

[MikeN]

Just picked up Richard Dawkins' The Greatest Show on Earth. Looking forward to dive into it, and am going to see him speak on Wednesday.

[marco-von]

started reading first couple of pages of 'a thousand splendid suns by khaled hosseini, been told by the old dutch its as good if not better than the kite runner so looking forward to getting stuck into it and shedding a tear or two.