I finished Siddhartha last night, pretty cool book. Then I read the first page in Finnegans Wake. :zombie: That book will take me eons to read, and if I ever finish it, I'm sure I'll know less about it than when I first started.
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Black Winter Day
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I'm going to buy Steppenwolf with my next CD order. Might make it to page 2 in Finnegans Wake by the time they show up.
Have you read any Coelho? I read the Alchemist years ago, Hesse was an obviously heavy influence on him.
Have you read any Coelho? I read the Alchemist years ago, Hesse was an obviously heavy influence on him.
Black Winter Day
Member
never heard of him. should i read some? or is that a stupid question considering hesse is my god?
No you should, it's good stuff. Simple and direct writing, he was part of the whole Beatnik movement I guess.
EDIT: Amazon.com has the first 20 pages of the Alchemist in their LOOK INSIDE!!! thingy if you're interested.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/0062502182/ref=sib_dp_pt/104-5515197-6358316#reader-link
EDIT: Amazon.com has the first 20 pages of the Alchemist in their LOOK INSIDE!!! thingy if you're interested.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/0062502182/ref=sib_dp_pt/104-5515197-6358316#reader-link
Black Winter Day
Member
Will Smith brought me literacy. Saw a preview for the new I, Robot movie so figured it was a good time to read that book. It frickin' RULES. Now by day I listen to The Alan Parsons Project and by night I read Asimov.
I read Nabokov's The Gift a few weeks ago and enjoyed it- just not as much as his later books. Finals have hit hard these last two weeks, hell ive written a god damn book in the last 2 weeks.
Black Winter Day
Member
Nabokov's great. I've always wanted to read "Pale Fire".
"Walden", which I'm reading now, is one of the most poignant things I've ever read. At times it seems Thoreau is speaking to me alone, but like he says, wise men feel and recognize that their feelings are universal and write them down. Got a big book of Emerson as well, I want to get into that soon.
I also need to read the new King as soon as it comes out.
"Walden", which I'm reading now, is one of the most poignant things I've ever read. At times it seems Thoreau is speaking to me alone, but like he says, wise men feel and recognize that their feelings are universal and write them down. Got a big book of Emerson as well, I want to get into that soon.
I also need to read the new King as soon as it comes out.
I very much enjoyed Civil Disobedience, but Walden, well it was good, but I dont know it didnt strike a huge nerve with me.
Yeah Pale FIre is excellent, Pnin is quite good as well. The gift is one of his russian novels, and thus is lenghty and demanding. He has such a gift for language, and his books are not merely vehicles for showing off this acumen like Joyce
Yeah Pale FIre is excellent, Pnin is quite good as well. The gift is one of his russian novels, and thus is lenghty and demanding. He has such a gift for language, and his books are not merely vehicles for showing off this acumen like Joyce
Black Winter Day
Member
Yeah, thanks for reminding me about Nabokov, speed. I haven't read anything by him in a year... I reckon I'll take Pale Fire next.
I wouldnt mind a recommendation from you blackwinter day, seeing you have fine taste.
Also, Im looking for a long book for a ten hour plane trip. I was thinking Proust- always wanted to read him, but I dont know where to begin. So anyone out there that has read this frenchman, please help.
Also, Im looking for a long book for a ten hour plane trip. I was thinking Proust- always wanted to read him, but I dont know where to begin. So anyone out there that has read this frenchman, please help.
Black Winter Day
Member
heh, thanks. i seem to remember discussing philosophers with you a few years ago. on the nevermore board, maybe? anyway, i'm glad you made your way to this forum. 
as for Proust... i take it you can start with the first volume of "In Search of Lost Time"? i've never read any of him, but i've always heard vehement reccomendations.
as for any personal reccomendations... i've always been a massive follower of Herman Hesse. it seems like i'm always the one pimping "Steppenwolf" as the best thing since female breasts, but no one seems to read it!
you can't go wrong with anything he's ever written (then again, if you've already read him, then you already know this!)
Kerouac, Kesey, Burroughs and such have always spoken a great deal to me. same thing with more modern writers ini the vein David Foster Wallace. Henry Miller is another favorite of mine (although for some reason i have yet so finish Tropic of Capricorn). Kurt Vonnegut, Joseph Heller, J.D. Salinger, William Faulkner, all those... but of course those are obvious.
as you can tell, i'm a pretty big fan of 20th century "literature" and even allow for some slip-ups to read King, Matheson or Rice.
chances are, if it is considered a literary "classic", i've probably read it.
as for Proust... i take it you can start with the first volume of "In Search of Lost Time"? i've never read any of him, but i've always heard vehement reccomendations.
as for any personal reccomendations... i've always been a massive follower of Herman Hesse. it seems like i'm always the one pimping "Steppenwolf" as the best thing since female breasts, but no one seems to read it!
you can't go wrong with anything he's ever written (then again, if you've already read him, then you already know this!)Kerouac, Kesey, Burroughs and such have always spoken a great deal to me. same thing with more modern writers ini the vein David Foster Wallace. Henry Miller is another favorite of mine (although for some reason i have yet so finish Tropic of Capricorn). Kurt Vonnegut, Joseph Heller, J.D. Salinger, William Faulkner, all those... but of course those are obvious.
as you can tell, i'm a pretty big fan of 20th century "literature" and even allow for some slip-ups to read King, Matheson or Rice.
chances are, if it is considered a literary "classic", i've probably read it.
Ha Ive read everyone of Hesses books. I love his prose most of all, his writing is so seamless- except for the Glass Bead Game. However, I do agree with a friend of mines assessment that his writings are merely personal musings on the subjects we all have tackled in our life, and that his early books are pale reflections of Nietszchiean philosophy, which he gradually fell away from. I wish he developed other characters like he did his protagonists.
Personal fave of his is Steppenwolf, with a nod to Siddharta. I really love beneath the wheel as well, its one of his early books about, well- himself. Yet it holds special meaning to me, as I very much relate to the gifted youth, and sort of did the same thing in my life by just saying fuck it and dropping out of law school.
Anyway if you wish to discuss Hesse, im ready anytime.
Im a fan of the early half of the 20th century, not the later half, I love Gide, Camus, Nabokov, Conrad, but I despise Hemingway, dislike Vonnegut, could care less for Kerouac and Steinbeck, and well the list goes on.
Personal fave of his is Steppenwolf, with a nod to Siddharta. I really love beneath the wheel as well, its one of his early books about, well- himself. Yet it holds special meaning to me, as I very much relate to the gifted youth, and sort of did the same thing in my life by just saying fuck it and dropping out of law school.
Anyway if you wish to discuss Hesse, im ready anytime.
Im a fan of the early half of the 20th century, not the later half, I love Gide, Camus, Nabokov, Conrad, but I despise Hemingway, dislike Vonnegut, could care less for Kerouac and Steinbeck, and well the list goes on.
Krilons Resa
Jerry's married?!
I don't read much fiction other than Selby Jr. I'm currently getting into Brimelow's Alien Nation.
Bloodstained- perhaps you need to read something other than science fiction? I am not trying to tell you what to do or anything, just suggesting that you may read more if you read something of some relevance or importance to life. sorry if i am sounding like a book snob- haha- I really cant stand to go into bookstores with all those pencil necked yuppies- i am sounding like one.
Krilons Resa
Jerry's married?!
Dude, I said I do not read much fiction. lol
Alien Nation is book about the immigration problem in USA.
Most of my library is philosophy texts.
Alien Nation is book about the immigration problem in USA.
Most of my library is philosophy texts.
Forgive me. I am a fool. And now I remember the guy that wrote alien nation was on book tv on cspan.
So, what philosophy would you recommend?
So, what philosophy would you recommend?
Krilons Resa
Jerry's married?!
Nietzsche, Camus, and some Dostoevsky (sp?).
The Marquis De Sade writings are quite entertaining to say the least as well.
The Marquis De Sade writings are quite entertaining to say the least as well.
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