Author Topic: Books  (Read 164504 times)

hutch

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Re: Books
« Reply #270 on: October 07, 2016, 12:00:23 pm »
I was not impressed with the Carlin book on the Boss.... it was too much an official unofficial bio.

Julian, Forum COGNOSCENTI

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Re: Books
« Reply #271 on: October 07, 2016, 12:16:15 pm »


8 out of 10.  Great writing.  Almost all character development with the plot a conscious afterthought.  Some find it pretentious, but I get the sense it is a purposeful pretension that speaks to the characters.
This is on my To Read shelf in GoodReads. Your positive review will bump it up in my reading order.
LVMH

K8teebug

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Re: Books
« Reply #272 on: October 07, 2016, 12:22:32 pm »
david lynch

catching the big fish




read it, bitch

That means it's been 10 years since I saw him at AFI Silver? Ugh.

City on Fire...not pretentious at all? I was worried I would feel how I felt about Infinite Jest.

walkie,talkie

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Re: Books
« Reply #273 on: October 07, 2016, 01:19:09 pm »
Infinite Jest might stand alone as the most controversial book of all time. Controversial, in that no one can figure out whether it sucks or not.

Julian, Forum COGNOSCENTI

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Re: Books
« Reply #274 on: October 07, 2016, 01:24:32 pm »
Infinite Jest might stand alone as the most controversial book of all time. Controversial, in that no one can figure out whether it sucks or not.
Its near-universal acclaim would disagree. Where is this Infinite Jest sucks movement you're citing?
LVMH

ggw

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Re: Books
« Reply #275 on: October 07, 2016, 01:35:39 pm »
City on Fire...not pretentious at all?

I wouldn't call it "pretentious" but I would call it "ambitious," arguably overly so.  It's long and some parts drag.  Some characters could use a little more color.  Some of the intersecting plot lines are a little too neat.  Some of the symbolism comes up a little ambiguous.  Does it live up to its hype as the next Great American Novel?  Certainly not.  But wherever it comes up a little short it does so trying.  Wherever the plot drags or the coincidence strains credulity the writing more than compensates.  It was probably the easiest 900+ page book I've read.

K8teebug

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Re: Books
« Reply #276 on: October 10, 2016, 09:31:14 am »
Infinite Jest might stand alone as the most controversial book of all time. Controversial, in that no one can figure out whether it sucks or not.

I understood what it was trying to do, it was just way too pretentious for me.

Thanks for the City on Fire review. I'll attempt it this winter.

Bagley

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Re: Books
« Reply #277 on: October 28, 2016, 11:14:58 am »

Julian, Forum COGNOSCENTI

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Re: Books
« Reply #278 on: October 28, 2016, 11:16:50 am »
A well deserved Man Booker winner

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/26/business/media/paul-beatty-wins-man-booker-prize-with-the-sellout.html
I'm halfway through this and its uproarious. It's The Director: The Book. I told him that the other day.

Glad to see the Man Booker finally giving it to an American. I would like to see this become the de facto "best English language work of fiction" award over the Pulitzer.
LVMH

Bagley

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Re: Books
« Reply #279 on: October 28, 2016, 12:04:55 pm »
A well deserved Man Booker winner

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/26/business/media/paul-beatty-wins-man-booker-prize-with-the-sellout.html

I should be read side-by-side with Ta Nehisi Coates'  Between the World and Me

Julian, Forum COGNOSCENTI

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Re: Books
« Reply #280 on: October 28, 2016, 12:15:47 pm »
A well deserved Man Booker winner

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/26/business/media/paul-beatty-wins-man-booker-prize-with-the-sellout.html

I should be read side-by-side with Ta Nehisi Coates'  Between the World and Me
See, I disliked that a lot. The satire Beatty uses makes it a lot more palletable, imho.
LVMH

Bagley

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Re: Books
« Reply #281 on: October 28, 2016, 12:48:14 pm »
Wow!  I'd describe it as a beautifully wrought prose poem along the lines of a James Baldwin.

Seth Hurwitz

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Re: Books
« Reply #282 on: October 28, 2016, 06:52:21 pm »
reading The Man Without Qualities by Robert Musil

Patti Smith talked about him in her book

did anybody here go that thing?

walkie,talkie

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Re: Books
« Reply #283 on: October 28, 2016, 07:01:46 pm »
one of my friends came up with an interesting idea on face,book

"Wanted - Participants for a book-loving social experiment. Comment if you want to participate and I?ll send you details. What do you have to do? Buy your favorite book and send it to a stranger (I?ll send you a name and address.) You will only be sending one book to one person. The number of books you will receive depends on how many participants there are. The books that will show up on your door are the other people?s much loved stories.  Who wants in?"

I thought it was a cool, idea.

hutch

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Re: Books
« Reply #284 on: November 28, 2016, 10:27:56 pm »
I'm reading William Boyd's latest.. Sweet Caress...


I find Boyd to be an absolutely masterful novelist.... love him but the entire time I read his books I'm dreading finishing them.. there are only so many Boyd novels...