The Books/Reading Thread

[Cronopio]

So for those of you interested in weird fiction and True Detective, Penguin Classics is re-printing Thomas Ligotti's first two collections of short stories in one book: Songs of a Dead Dreamer and Grimscribe. It's available for pre-order right now through Amazon for only $12, which is huge considering what I've paid for previous editions of both. What's especially significant about this is Ligotti is only one of SEVEN living authors out of the over 600 authors printed/published by Penguin Classics (the others being Paul Auster, William Gass, S.E. Hinton, Ngugi wa Thiongo, Thomas Pynchon, and WIlliam Trevor). Plus the fact that he's considered a "genre" author makes it an even bigger deal. I highly recommend you guys jump on this

That's a top quality book series. Have the collections as part of The Nightmare Factory, but that omnibus omits two stories from SOADD, so I'm probably going to get this. Very nice cover artwork too.

 

[unknown]

Yeah it's supposed to be the complete versions of SoaDD and Grimscribe. Hopefully they'll do Noctuary and Teatro Grottesco, but I guess that's asking for too much

 

[Anom@nder Rake]

i actually started to read Ligotti when you recommended him to me a few years ago. the subterranean press issues have great covers.

http://i.imgur.com/iOo9IIs.jpg

 

[unknown]

They do. Aeron Alfrey is a beast and a somewhat regular contributor on the Ligotti message board. Fuck you, Ray. The one I'm missing is Grimscribe Oh well

 

[viewerfromnihil]

I'm currently reading Maudemarie Clark and Alan J. Swensen's translation of Nietzsche's On the Genealogy of Morality and it blows Kaufmann's translation out of the water. It's definitely worth a read for anyone already familiar with the work. As well, I think it's a great introduction to Nietzschean thought for any interested party who has not yet picked up one of his works.

 

[Cronopio]

Yeah it's supposed to be the complete versions of SoaDD and Grimscribe. Hopefully they'll do Noctuary and Teatro Grottesco, but I guess that's asking for too much

Well, Teatro Grottesco is still available in mass market paperback from Virgin Books, I believe. But yeah, Noctuary. And The Agonizing Resurrection of Victor Frankenstein and Other Gothic Tales. Problem with Subterranean Press editions (and other small presses) is that, while beautiful as the books are, they're hella expensive too.

 

[unknown]

yeah. I missed out on The Agonizing Resurrection when it came out, and now I've seen it go for upwards of $400 on eBay

 

[Einherjar86]

Just read this to get into the mood (finished in about two days - quick read):

Probably start V. next.

 

[unknown]

I remember I picked up V. a couple of years ago and read the first 70 or so pages and couldn't get into it. Might have to give it another shot though...

 

[viewerfromnihil]

I can't wait for the summer to delve into these:

 

[SentinelSlain]

I've read two of those. The Stranger and The Master and Margarita. I'd say The Stranger is one of the coolest books I've ever read. It's similar to but an easier read than Nausea.

 

[tagradh]

You could read The Stranger in one sitting. Why wait until summer?

I read this over the past week.

Not read much history in a while. Good book. None of the irritating partisan bullshit that so often plagues books on topics like this.

 

[Einherjar86]

I can't wait for the summer to delve into these:

White Noise is so good. I'll probably re-read that this summer.

 

[The Ozzman]

I need to re-read that. I read it when I was like 16 and didn't really understand it at the time. Libra is my favorite from him. Underworld was crap when I read it. I didn't finish. I'm going to try again, but the reviews on goodreads indicate that it'll probably still be crap.

 

[Einherjar86]

I've noticed that people either love DeLillo's work, or they can't stand it. I take this as the sign of an innovative writer; his style and subject matter are either absorbing or alienating. I haven't read Underworld so I can't comment; but I've read four DeLillo novels now, and I love all of them (The Names, White Noise, Falling Man, and Point Omega).

 

[viewerfromnihil]

I've read two of those. The Stranger and The Master and Margarita. I'd say The Stranger is one of the coolest books I've ever read. It's similar to but an easier read than Nausea.

How did you like The Master and Margarita? I've been looking forward to reading it more than the other works of fiction I'll be picking up this summer.

You could read The Stranger in one sitting. Why wait until summer?

I'm a little too busy because I work full-time along with full-time classes. I could probably squeeze it in at some point before the summer begins, and may do so, but I'm not sure. Also, I'm thinking about reading it in sequence with The Plague and The Myth of Sisyphus, which would take some more time to get through.

White Noise is so good. I'll probably re-read that this summer.

I'm looking forward to it! It's been on my reading list for a while, so I'm glad to finally have it in my possession.

 

[SentinelSlain]

Master and Margarita feels like it translates weirdly sometimes, maybe culturally as much as linguistically. I can't really remember all of it. I read it about 12 years ago, when I was about that age.

 

[Einherjar86]

So far I like this, although it's rambling at times. But it's basically a detective story.

 

[Master_Yoda77]

White Noise actually didn't suck as much as I expected. Foucault does though. Why does everyone ride his cock so much?

 

[unknown]

all hail Discipline & Punish. My students eat it up. When we read "On Panopticism" and discuss Facebook, the NSA, and watch "The Lives of Others," I pretty much have to force them not to buy tin foil