Author Topic: Fave Books / Currently Reading  (Read 947356 times)

masterofsparks

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #1095 on: November 06, 2009, 08:15:50 AM »
Now reading SABBATH'S THEATER by Philip Roth. Like the other Roths that I've read from the same period, the prose is utterly mesmerizing. I'm not sure where the story is going yet, but I'm enjoying the writing so much that I kinda don't care.

That is one of his few novels I've still never gotten around to. I kind of overdosed on his stuff about ten years ago and haven't loved some of his more recent work, but the mid-career stuff is his best, I think, so I really ought to go back and check that one off my list. Of all his books I think 'American Pastoral' and 'The Counterlife' are my favorites. And 'Portnoy's Complaint', of course. It's as endlessly funny to me as the first Pee Wee movie.

AMERICAN PASTORAL is my favorite of the ones I've read. I really liked THE HUMAN STAIN as well. The one from this period that didn't do much for me is OPERATION SHYLOCK.
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Shaggy 2 Grote

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #1096 on: November 06, 2009, 03:28:41 PM »
I'm reading I Can't Go On, I'll Go On a career-spanning, 700+ page Samuel Beckett reader.  I'm looking forward to hearing from all the other FOT who are also currently reading this.
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Bryan

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #1097 on: November 06, 2009, 03:58:35 PM »
Now reading SABBATH'S THEATER by Philip Roth. Like the other Roths that I've read from the same period, the prose is utterly mesmerizing. I'm not sure where the story is going yet, but I'm enjoying the writing so much that I kinda don't care.

That is one of his few novels I've still never gotten around to. I kind of overdosed on his stuff about ten years ago and haven't loved some of his more recent work, but the mid-career stuff is his best, I think, so I really ought to go back and check that one off my list. Of all his books I think 'American Pastoral' and 'The Counterlife' are my favorites. And 'Portnoy's Complaint', of course. It's as endlessly funny to me as the first Pee Wee movie.

AMERICAN PASTORAL is my favorite of the ones I've read. I really liked THE HUMAN STAIN as well. The one from this period that didn't do much for me is OPERATION SHYLOCK.

I agree with crumbum, but I'd throw Operation Shylock onto my "best" list. Maybe it's just because it was the first one I read by him, but it made me an instant fan. I checked out after "The Dying Animal".

I just heard a lengthy interview with Roth on CBC Radio's Writers & Company. It's a good listen. There's a flash player here and podcast here.

crumbum

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #1098 on: November 06, 2009, 08:02:46 PM »
I just heard a lengthy interview with Roth on CBC Radio's Writers & Company. It's a good listen. There's a flash player here and podcast here.

I just downloaded this about two minutes ago. Pretty exciting -- Eleanor Wachtel is one of the best interviewers around and Roth can be an entertaining grump.

Chris L

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #1099 on: November 06, 2009, 10:13:57 PM »
Now reading SABBATH'S THEATER by Philip Roth. Like the other Roths that I've read from the same period, the prose is utterly mesmerizing. I'm not sure where the story is going yet, but I'm enjoying the writing so much that I kinda don't care.

LOVED Sabbath's Theater.  Amazing prose. 

AlizaEss

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #1100 on: November 09, 2009, 02:24:36 PM »
I'm reading I Can't Go On, I'll Go On a career-spanning, 700+ page Samuel Beckett reader.  I'm looking forward to hearing from all the other FOT who are also currently reading this.

Had to read his book "Molloy" for school a few years ago. The plot loop that folded back in on itself was amazing. Don't want to give too much away, but I did enjoy it.

Shaggy 2 Grote

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #1101 on: November 09, 2009, 04:43:54 PM »
That's on my list too.  I do love Beckett. 

There's a lot of unreadable -- not Beckett-unreadable, but just plain unreadable -- stuff in the first third of this, mostly juvenalia, but I'm a completist so I read it anyway.
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Pastor Josh

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #1102 on: November 09, 2009, 05:08:50 PM »
I'm reading I Can't Go On, I'll Go On a career-spanning, 700+ page Samuel Beckett reader.  I'm looking forward to hearing from all the other FOT who are also currently reading this.

I carried that with me everywhere in high school.  I haven't read Beckett in so long.  I need to get that back out.
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Joe Rogaine

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #1103 on: November 11, 2009, 09:01:11 PM »
The Gorch chapter is especially great.







Matt

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #1104 on: November 11, 2009, 10:21:28 PM »
Currently reading:


Up next: ATOMIC OBSESSION: NUCLEAR ALARMISM FROM HIROSHIMA TO AL QAEDA by John Mueller.

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oncegompedtwiceshy

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #1105 on: November 12, 2009, 05:56:51 PM »
James Ellroy seems like a creep but I'm reading the final part of the Underworld series right now. Blood's a Rover. Its actually tough for me to get into this one although I had no problems with the others. It may have more to do with the fact that I watched/read some of his recent interviews than it does with the quality of the writing.


masterofsparks

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #1106 on: November 12, 2009, 06:52:46 PM »
James Ellroy seems like a creep but I'm reading the final part of the Underworld series right now. Blood's a Rover. Its actually tough for me to get into this one although I had no problems with the others. It may have more to do with the fact that I watched/read some of his recent interviews than it does with the quality of the writing.



I liked Blood's a Rover a lot. Ellroy does seem like a creep in interviews, but keep in mind he was the same creep when he wrote the other books. Plus it's hard to know when he's been serious in his interviews/public appearances. Someone called in recently reporting that they'd seen him at a book reading where he was saying things like "Rodney King deserved that beating" and kinds of other inflammatory shit, but I've read interviews where he was asked about his apparent political conservatism and he says something like "I just say that shit to fuck with people."
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oncegompedtwiceshy

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #1107 on: November 12, 2009, 07:20:46 PM »
James Ellroy seems like a creep but I'm reading the final part of the Underworld series right now. Blood's a Rover. Its actually tough for me to get into this one although I had no problems with the others. It may have more to do with the fact that I watched/read some of his recent interviews than it does with the quality of the writing.



I liked Blood's a Rover a lot. Ellroy does seem like a creep in interviews, but keep in mind he was the same creep when he wrote the other books. Plus it's hard to know when he's been serious in his interviews/public appearances. Someone called in recently reporting that they'd seen him at a book reading where he was saying things like "Rodney King deserved that beating" and kinds of other inflammatory shit, but I've read interviews where he was asked about his apparent political conservatism and he says something like "I just say that shit to fuck with people."

Yeah Im going to stick with it. I've also read that he's just trying to fuck with people, I guess that some of the sentiments expressed coupled with some of the less savory characters in the books can put a bad taste in mouth so to speak

Reeleyes

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #1108 on: November 12, 2009, 11:16:01 PM »
About to start Stephen Colbert's book. Has anyone read it?
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B_Buster

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #1109 on: November 13, 2009, 12:37:28 AM »
That's on my list too.  I do love Beckett. 

There's a lot of unreadable -- not Beckett-unreadable, but just plain unreadable -- stuff in the first third of this, mostly juvenalia, but I'm a completist so I read it anyway.

I've read a lot of Beckett, too. My favorite is Murphy. My least favorite is Watt (which I believe was written when he was on the verge of a nervous breakdown and it shows).
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