What Are You Reading, Again?

[Red Door]

Lies And the Lying Liars Who Tell Them-Al Franken
You know who I hate?
Ann Coulter.

 

[Rambuchan]

You're thinking of Finnegan's wake, which is like something written in a dream state, with puns and multilayered meanings in multiple languages. Absolutely brilliant, unreadable and insane

Ah yes, that's the one. I never did get through that one back in the day. Sound like you succeeded(?)

 

[jonatas]

Ah yes, that's the one. I never did get through that one back in the day. Sound like you succeeded(?)

Finnegan's Wake is literary High Modernism at its most abstract. No one went farther in that direction. You're not supposed to read it, but rather "look" at it. I tried to a long while ago. I like how he writes from some strange level of conciousness, like a dream state. I can see where he was going with that. I just don't know if we can call it literature But that's fine with me.

 

[Radagaisus]

Yesterday I started Summer for the Gods by Adward J. Larson. So far it is really a great great book, and much thoughtfull as well. Oh, and yesterday I also finished Irvine welsh's Trainspotting. also a wonderful book.

 

[cgannon64]

Thus Spake Zarthustra.. Let me summarize: Hi, I'm Neitzche! I hate everyone!

 

[cgannon64]

Never read a single sentence from him. Is he good? What is Ulysses about?

It's just about the day in the lives of some people in Dublin.

The plot is really really good, and the characters are amazing, and there are some really poignant parts. Sadly, most of the great stuff is buried under a pile of literary trickery, and references most of us wouldn't understand.

Isn't this the one that he wrote in a 'new language' all of his own? I read "Portrait of an Artist" back in high school and enjoyed it but never got through Ulysses. How did you find the language? (If that's the one I'm thinking of and not some other)

He is right, you are thinking of Finnegan's Wake, which no power on earth could get me to read.

Ulysses seems like Finnegan's Wake-lite. Imagine if you take a real novel, with a real plot and a real point, and throw alot of sand in the reader's eye before you hand him the book.

 

[RedFusion]

This week I am reading L.A. Confidential by James Ellroy and next week will be His Excellency: George Washington by Joseph Ellis.

 

[MjM]

Just finished Louis L'Amour's The Walking Drum Great book , a break from his Westerns and into a not well written period of history , the 12th Century.

 

[slip79]

Pompeii: the living city by Alex Butterworth & Ray Laurence. Jus started it, but good so far.

 

[mrtn]

I'm rereading the Narnia books; I've read the six first the last weeks.

 

[IroquoisPlisken]

I'm reading Catch 22 for school.

 

[willemvanoranje]

The Alchemist - Paulo Coelho

 

[Rambuchan]

It's just about the day in the lives of some people in Dublin.

The plot is really really good, and the characters are amazing, and there are some really poignant parts. Sadly, most of the great stuff is buried under a pile of literary trickery, and references most of us wouldn't understand.

He is right, you are thinking of Finnegan's Wake, which no power on earth could get me to read.

Ulysses seems like Finnegan's Wake-lite. Imagine if you take a real novel, with a real plot and a real point, and throw alot of sand in the reader's eye before you hand him the book.

A nice turn of phrase at the end there!

'Thus Spake' is still worth reading though. It's quite an important work amongst his others and also to set Nietzche into context with others in the philosophical landscape.

@ jonatas: Thanks for the info!

 

[The Condor]

I'm reading Catch 22 for school.

That is such an awesome book! I read it in 7th grade. I loved Milo Mindbender (I think that is it).

Also, I am re-reading Catcher in the Rye.

And Bwahahaha! I have 666posts!

 

[Rambuchan]

Get away Satan!

 

[cgannon64]

'Thus Spake' is still worth reading though. It's quite an important work amongst his others and also to set Nietzche into context with others in the philosophical landscape.

My copy contains a few other works by Nietzche - and I'll admit, I've skipped to Beyond Good and Evil. Thus Spake Zarathustra is just slogging, very little entertaining bits - except for his ridiculous language throughout - and the philosophy is too buried.

I'm enjoying the straight-up philosophy now, though...even though it sounds like crap.

 

[Rambuchan]

The problem I had with Nietzche is his lack of (or at best shakey) alternative he offered, especiallly wrt morality. And if it's entertainment you're looking for, you're clearly looking in the wrong place Anyways, good to hear you're reading him at least!

 

[cgannon64]

I'll be posting a thread about my impresions so far, but there are two things I strongly and immediately object to:

There being different moralities for different classes,
and the "Will to Power" being everything.

 

[Rambuchan]

Don't get me started on the Will To Power! I look forward to catching that thread you open in the morning (GMT that is).

 

[Ansar]

Charlie Bone and the castle of mirrors- Jenny Nimmo.