the books we read

[whyteand82nd]

The Secret History by Donna Tartt. Its my summer reading for AP senior Lit. I'm actually really enjoying it.

Has anybody else read it?

[weeniebeenie]

Has anyone read Shakey the Neil Young biography? I'm assuming that some of you have cause of the amount of Neil fans on this board (the more the merrier). It took my a while to read cause it's so big but I loved every bit of it.

[pawpaw]

Has anyone read Cormac McCarthy's THE BORDER Trilogy? If so, what did ya'll think of it? No spoilers, though! I think that might be my next book, after World War Z...

I've also got John Adams sitting on my desk, waiting to be read, but I'm not sure I'm up to a 600 page biography right this second.

I read All The Pretty Horses and Cities On The Plain...I think those are two of the three. They're both good books, I'd definitely recommend them. If you like McCarthy, at some point you have to get into Blood Meridian. It's really a great piece of writing.

[pawpaw]

I probably won't be able to start getting into them for a couple more weeks, but I've got a few new ones that I'm excited to read:

The Enchantress of Florence - Salman Rushdie

Boonville - Robert Mailer Anderson

I think they're both going to be fun...I'll let y'all know!

Quoting myself...is that allowed? Just an update actually. Reading time's been pretty slim since I started my new job...

Boonville is a really good book. Fun, and FUNNY. I'd never heard of the author, but he's sharp, and a good story teller. If you like counter culture immersed fiction like Tom Robbins, try this one out. It's a quick, fun read.

Enchantress of Florence. I just started it this week, but it's awesome. Rushdie is one of my favorites. I was excited about this one just from the blurbs and reviews I'd read, and it hasn't dissapointed. Highly recommended.

Not sure what's next...

[MarkW]

Just finished Rome Burning, the follow-up to Romanitas.  Sort of like Fatherland, but with Romans.  I liked it.

[Angry Ewok]

Has anyone here read Atlas Shrugged and would you recommend it? Recommendations of the greatest Hemingway novel? Best Vonnegut novel?

[Penny Lane]

Has anyone here read Atlas Shrugged and would you recommend it? Recommendations of the greatest Hemingway novel? Best Vonnegut novel?

i LOVED fountainhead but only got 3/4 of the way through atlas shrugged--some people say i should have stuck w/it--seems like you tear through books pretty fast, though--i would recommend trying it.
for hemingway--i've only read for whom the bell tolls, the sun also rises, farewell to arms--vonnegut-i loved hocus pocus and slaughterhouse--i haven't read anything else

[Penny Lane]

i finally got my copy of Klosterman's Killing Yourself to Live last night--i'm halfway through-couldn't put it down- just as good as sex, drugs and cocoa puffs (not as many lists, i think?)

parts i've loved so far:

analysis comparing the pot smokers/credence clearwater group to the coked up/interpol followers

the opening part (because i forgot klosterman was from around the same area i grew up) talking about ohio and midwestern girls in NYC (i relate to the overpriced haircuts lol)

going to the Greatwhite concert site where the people died and meeting those people, that was so touching--especially the analysis of concert goers v. these people who would frequent the Station

[Angry Ewok]

Oh, and where do ya'll buy used books?!

[Crispy]

Has anyone here read Atlas Shrugged and would you recommend it? Recommendations of the greatest Hemingway novel? Best Vonnegut novel?

Vonnegut - I think Galapagos is less highly regarded than his better-known works, but I liked it a lot. It uses the same sort of time travel device as Slaughterhouse-Five, and adds some interesting speculation about human evolution in the future.

[Jenny]

i think best vonnegut: breakfast of champions/cats cradle

[red]

I wrapped up God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater this afternoon and quite enjoyed it.  Finished Cat's Cradle earlier this week and I think it's my favourite of the Vonnegut novels I've read so far.  

I borrowed Tom Robbins' Fierce Invalids Home from Hot Climates from my friend's father, and am going to start that in mere moments.  I read Jitterbug Perfume a few weeks ago and I thought it was a masterpiece, so I'm excited to delve into his other works.

[The DARK]

For Vonnegut, I would go with Sirens of Titan. It's one of those books that you need to read multiple times to get the true meaning of, but it's really amazing once you take it all in. It's got elements of all his later books, but less jumbled.

[Angry Ewok]

I just finished reading John Adams... this book is just incredible - the man was beyond incredible. I'll blame it on the lack of sleep and turmoil at work and elsewhere, but I cried twice tonight while reading this book... the first whimper came when reading of John's grief with the loss of his wife (my greatest fear is facing the loneliness of outliving all of my friends, particularly my wife, or any of my children), and the real tears came upon reading John Adams' last words.

I didn't know anything about John Adams' death, and I didn't know his last words, so when I read this passage I was just reduced to tears. After 600 pages, much of it John's personal letters, you feel like you "know" the guy.

[Penny Lane]

i finished Killing Yourself to Live; i love the last chapter on the KISS releases and the women in his life...a nice 3 day read...but it lost a little steam at the end.

[Penny Lane]

one of my co-workers gave me "do they serve beer in hell" (Tucker Max) on friday---she was so appalled she couldn't get past chapter 2--i read the whole thing yesterday--it was completely offensive, repulsive, yet it was pretty funny. Anyone ever heard of him or that website? i just learned about him.  oh it's not great literature--some of you probably know what i mean.

[red]

one of my co-workers gave me "do they serve beer in hell" (Tucker Max) on friday---she was so appalled she couldn't get past chapter 2--i read the whole thing yesterday--it was completely offensive, repulsive, yet it was pretty funny. Anyone ever heard of him or that website? i just learned about him.  oh it's not great literature--some of you probably know what i mean.

Two people I work with (a guy and girl) were reading it at work a few weeks ago and they forced me read a few stories; I felt like a terrible person afterwards.   :-/

[Penny Lane]

one of my co-workers gave me "do they serve beer in hell" (Tucker Max) on friday---she was so appalled she couldn't get past chapter 2--i read the whole thing yesterday--it was completely offensive, repulsive, yet it was pretty funny. Anyone ever heard of him or that website? i just learned about him.  oh it's not great literature--some of you probably know what i mean.

Two people I work with (a guy and girl) were reading it at work a few weeks ago and they forced me read a few stories; I felt like a terrible person afterwords.   :-/

i know! i couldn't put it down, though. i was laughing out loud on the train and hoping the people next to me were NOT reading over my shoulder. he is very vile---so are the stories

[Crispy]

I borrowed Tom Robbins' Fierce Invalids Home from Hot Climates from my friend's father, and am going to start that in mere moments.  I read Jitterbug Perfume a few weeks ago and I thought it was a masterpiece, so I'm excited to delve into his other works.

I'm big fan of Robbins - his use of simile and metaphor is unbelievable, I find myself re-reading entire paragraphs to get it all. Fierce Invalids in outstanding!

[Angry Ewok]

I'm reading Atlas Shrugged. See you next year.