The Books/Reading Thread
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TageRyche
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- May 13, 2007
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You can check out my review of the new Michael Connelly novel Dark Sacred Night, which was printed in the new issue of Mystery Scene magazine, via this link.
The Ozzman
Melted by feels
Finished this. I probably won't read another Hemingway work the rest of my life because I wasn't impressed with this one although the ending was pretty heavy
Einherjar86
Active Member
Finished this. I probably won't read another Hemingway work the rest of my life because I wasn't impressed with this one although the ending was pretty heavy
I've never been a huge fan of Hemingway, although I completely understand the importance. For what it's worth, For Whom the Bell Tolls is probably more up your alley.
I'm still chugging through Bolaño's 2666, almost 350 pages in. Not a quick read, but still very good. Been enjoying this on the side:
CiG
Approximately Infinite Universe
The Ozzman
Melted by feels
Einherjar86
Active Member
This question deserves a complex answer that I'm not equipped to give (as I'm not a Hemingway scholar); but I can give a simpler answer that I give to students when I teach Hemingway in a survey course of modernist and/or American lit.
I usually say that Hemingway is notable and his work is important for two reasons: one is his lifestyle, which affected those around him and made him something of a tidal wave in his contemporary literary community (I'd also say that later writers like Burroughs, the Beats, Hunter S. Thompson, etc. modeled their lifestyles on Hemingway's).
The second (and more important) reason is his writing style, which has been hugely influential on later writers. Basically, it was a show-don't-tell approach; Hemingway believed that a story should be told as directly as possible and in as few words as possible. He shied away from the experimentalists of his day (the Joyces, Faulkners, Steins, Woolfs, etc.), even if he still respected them. His style has also had ripple effects throughout later generations. For instance, I don't think creative nonfiction (i.e. Capote, Thompson, Mailer, etc.) would look the way it does if it weren't for Hemingway; and I also credit his style with influencing major postwar writers like Updike, Roth, and Bellow, not to mention swathes of realist writers since WWII. Most mainstream fiction published today is indebted, to some degree, to Hemingway's style.
Yeah I do, especially now that I'm out of coursework and basically just doing research and teaching. Obviously research dictates what I read to an extent, but I also choose the projects I work on; so in a way I pick the books.
I've had more time lately since I finished my dissertation. Bolaño's 2666 is just taking me a while because it's almost 1000 pages long.
The Ozzman
Melted by feels
CiG
Approximately Infinite Universe
Yeah I do, especially now that I'm out of coursework and basically just doing research and teaching. Obviously research dictates what I read to an extent, but I also choose the projects I work on; so in a way I pick the books.
I've had more time lately since I finished my dissertation. Bolaño's 2666 is just taking me a while because it's almost 1000 pages long.
1000 pages is pretty damn epic. Do you read fast generally speaking?
Einherjar86
Active Member
No, I actually read pretty slowly. Not ideal when I was prepping for comprehensive exams, but ultimately it's not a huge deal; I just need to budget more time for reading. When it's reading for work, I usually write while I'm reading, which helps me remember certain passages/pages.
And it makes no difference when I'm reading for pleasure, as long as I'm enjoying the novel.
Speaking of reading while writing, I jotted down some thoughts on Bolaño's novel, even though I'm not finished yet (in case anyone's interested): https://experimentalitymusings.blogspot.com/2018/12/no-one-pays-attention-to-these-killings.html
And it makes no difference when I'm reading for pleasure, as long as I'm enjoying the novel.
Speaking of reading while writing, I jotted down some thoughts on Bolaño's novel, even though I'm not finished yet (in case anyone's interested
): https://experimentalitymusings.blogspot.com/2018/12/no-one-pays-attention-to-these-killings.html
dwellerINTHEdark
Curator of the mausoleum
CiG
Approximately Infinite Universe
dwellerINTHEdark
Curator of the mausoleum
My buddy lent me this a little while ago, really captivating and reads quickly too.
The Ozzman
Melted by feels
Finished this late last night. New personal record for books finished in a calendar year with 8.
EternalMetal
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- Mar 31, 2004
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I just got gifted the First Law Trilogy by Joe Abercrombie for Christmas and was wondering if anyone here has read it? Im relatively easy to please when it comes to fantasy, especially since ive been soaking up the Wheel of Time for the past 6 months and am kind of glad that it dragged on as long as it did (at least now than im into the Sanderson books and shit is finally getting to the point).
The Ozzman
Melted by feels
Just the first book? I still need to continue past the first book in the series.
Also: Started this based on Jocko Podcast recommendations:
EternalMetal
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- Mar 31, 2004
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Nope, im on book 13 now. As much as I have enjoyed the series thus far, I can understand a lot of the criticism it gets. Entire books could be filled with political infighting of little consequence and ridiculous levels of haughty Aes Sedai posturing. Characters could also spend significant amounts of time in annoying moods that can be frustrating. Most book snobs would probably call it a shit series, but I enjoy it so I dont care. I admit that I may have dropped the series midway (where the plot slows to a crawl) if it werent for hearing that the series gets redemption in the end via Brandon Sanderson. Honestly the series is hard to recommend, but ill have to hold judgment about the series as a whole until I finish it.
The Ozzman
Melted by feels
Others here stopped caring after about book 6 or so. I'll get to at least the 3rd one before deciding to continue further. 10+ books in a series is a lot. Are they as captivating as TEOTW was?
no country for old wainds
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- Nov 23, 2002
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i have yeah. it's not exactly a high priority read in my book, but it's readable and easy to enjoy. it's a good gateway into the fantasy of the last 20 years if you aren't too acquainted; a quintessential 'grimdark', cynical, gritty and gleefully bloody, influenced as much by comic books and action/western movies as by classic fantasy literature. the worldbuilding is its biggest weakness, i never got into that side of it and zoned out whenever it got too heavy on the lore, plus i didn't like jezal's whole arc much. everything involving logan and glokta is a lot of fun though.
EternalMetal
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Id say the next two are, but after a while the plot just slows down. I just feel like a lot of the books could have been edited down to about half the size and still said the same thing. Things pick back up a bit by the 10th book and so far im really liking how Sanderson is handling the rest of the series. To be completely honest, I dont see you sticking with the series until the end.
By comparison, what would you consider a high priority read? And yea, im relatively new to the genre. My reading preferences have always leaned more towards sci-fi, but im gravitating towards fantasy as of late.
