What Are You Reading, Again?

[Red Door]

The Odyssey-Homer (Robert Fagles translation)

 

[Bigfoot]

I am currently reading the Jean Christophe series by Romaine Rolland.

Collapse - Jared Diamond

I was intrigued by this one, having read Guns, Germs and Steel. Let me know if you find it worthwhile.

 

[Fifty]

-Hunger by Knut Hamsun
-Mysteries by Knut Hamsun
-Pan by Knut Hamsun
-A bunch of articles about Knut Hamsun
-A couple books about Knut Hamsun

Who wants to guess what author I'm doing a report on!?!!??!?!!?

 

[Pasi Nurminen]

Squadron Airborne by Elleston Trevor.

Actually I'm not reading it anymore, I finished it in a day. Good read.

 

[Eli]

I decided to try Stephen King, after his Misery scared the bejeezus out of me when I was 15 . I chose The Stand. The unabridged version. This book is never going to end.

 

[Bartleby]

I'm having yet another stab at wading through Camus' L' Homme Revolté (in translation). I've tried roughly every year for 12 years, this time I've got further than ever before.

 

[Turner]

I decided to try Stephen King, after his Misery scared the bejeezus out of me when I was 15 . I chose The Stand. The unabridged version. This book is never going to end.

I enjoyed Dreamcatcher and From A Buick 8.

 

[thetrooper]

-Hunger by Knut Hamsun
-Mysteries by Knut Hamsun
-Pan by Knut Hamsun
-A bunch of articles about Knut Hamsun
-A couple books about Knut Hamsun

Hunger, Mysteries and Pan are excellent books.

I prefer the trilogy about August though...

I am reading The Rule of Four by Ian Caldwell and Dustin Thomason.

 

[Heretic_Cata]

Gerard Klein - "Histoires comme si"

 

[Fifty]

Hunger, Mysteries and Pan are excellent books.

I prefer the trilogy about August though...

Well those ones above are the ones I'm going to be reading first. Then if I have time I'm going to try and read some of his other work. I particularly am interested in his writings on the USA. Unfortunately, my college's library doesn't have a copy of that one! However, I can get it through a library loan service, which I do plan on doing.

My edition of Pan is very interesting because it's about the dustiest old copy I've ever seen... It's from about 1920! The reason this is interesting is because the introduction isn't crowded with commentary on Hamsun's relation to Hitler. Very cool.

I am reading The Rule of Four by Ian Caldwell and Dustin Thomason.

I read that last summer and it's pretty good! entertaining! Sometimes it bugged me a bit, but overall very good.

 

[thetrooper]

My edition of Pan is very interesting because it's about the dustiest old copy I've ever seen... It's from about 1920! The reason this is interesting is because the introduction isn't crowded with commentary on Hamsun's relation to Hitler. Very cool.

Yeah, I can't think of any connection between the literary work called 'Pan' and nazism.

There is no doubt, however, that there was a connection between Hamsun and nazism. But AFAIK that's totally irrelevant for the books.

I do remember a jew from the 'August' trilogy called Pabst, portrayed as a greedy scrounger, that's about it. IIRC those books were written ca 1930-35.

 

[Fifty]

There is no doubt, however, that there was a connection between Hamsun and nazism. But AFAIK that's totally irrelevant for the books.

I agree completely. Unfortunately, the people who write introductions (of English versions at least) always have to have at least a couple pages in that intro about Hamsun as a nazi sympathizer

 

[thetrooper]

I agree completely. Unfortunately, the people who write introductions (of English versions at least) always have to have at least a couple pages in that intro about Hamsun as a nazi sympathizer

That belongs in a biography. This is really sad.

Speaking of biographies:

I don't know if these are translated yet, but if you are really interested in Hamsun: Ingar Sletten Kolloen, Svermeren 2003 and Erobreren 2004.

Svermer ~ dreamer, Erobrer ~ conqueror.

 

[Eli]

Finished The Stand and started with the second book in the Commonwealth Saga by Peter Hamilton. The first one was really good.

 

[MattJek]

I just finished reading "Promised Land" by Wladyslaw Reymont. Its a novel about capitalists in late 19th century central Europe. It was writen in 1898

 

[Richard Cribb]

Yeah, I can't think of any connection between the literary work called 'Pan' and nazism.

I can.

There is no doubt, however, that there was a connection between Hamsun and nazism. But AFAIK that's totally irrelevant for the books.

1. Hamsun was a Nazi. Period.
2. There is a clear connection between his works and his life. Period.
3. It is highly relevant.Period
Because: The only way we can preserve Hamsun as a great writer is to realize he was a great Nazi.

I agree completely. Unfortunately, the people who write introductions (of English versions at least) always have to have at least a couple pages in that intro about Hamsun as a nazi sympathizer

I recommend you to give it a second thought. Unfortunately most relevant material is in Norwegian (Brynildsen, Larsen, Heiberg,Langdal, Dingstad, Linneberg, Haugan), and unfortunately there is a clear numerical superiority of Hamsun apologets. But at least Leo Löwenthal should be possible to find as well as Walter Baumgartner.If available Peter Kierkegaards study "Hamsun as modernist" (originally written in Danish) should not be missed.

That belongs in a biography. This is really sad.

Why? Biographical introductions are quite common in novels, and in this case it is relevant information.

Speaking of biographies:

I don't know if these are translated yet, but if you are really interested in Hamsun: Ingar Sletten Kolloen, Svermeren 2003 and Erobreren 2004.

Svermer ~ dreamer, Erobrer ~ conqueror.

I am sorry, but I just can agree on this.
Despite the self-promotion, Kolloen has done some really sloppy work, neglecting recent findings by other Hamsun experts that debunks certain myths about his childhood, for instance.
If I should recommend one work about Hamsun, it had to be the one by Jørgen Haugan: "The fall of the sungod". I doubt it will be found in a non-Scandinavian language, though.
Anyway, it suppose a further discussion about this is more appropriate through PMs, alternatively I would love to open a thread about it, but I fear little public interest.

I just finished reading "Promised Land" by Wladyslaw Reymont. Its a novel about capitalists in late 19th century central Europe. It was writen in 1898

Excellent choice.


And to get on topic; for the moment I reread Anton Chekhov's short stories. I had almost forgotten how good he is.

 

[Erik Mesoy]

The Deathstalker series - Deathstalker, Deathstalker Rebellion, Deathstalker War, Deathstalker Honor. Yes, I'm missing the fifth book, and I don't like it.

They're pretty much pulp science fiction with a lot of the funny.

 

[Babbler]

I got to stop taking books from the libraries.

But I won't.

The Ancestor's Tale: It good, not as good as The Blind Watchmaker.

The Life and Death of Planet Earth: Good, if a little depressing (yes, it going happen many million years from now, but still...)

Mapping Mars

A Short History of Planet Earth

Weather

As I said, I should stop taking so many books from the library

 

[oagersnap]

im about to start on The Restaurant at the End of the Universe - Douglas Adams

 

[Sidhe]

I got to stop taking books from the libraries.

But I won't.

The Ancestor's Tale: It good, not as good as The Blind Watchmaker.

The Life and Death of Planet Earth: Good, if a little depressing (yes, it going happen many million years from now, but still...)

Mapping Mars

A Short History of Planet Earth

Weather

As I said, I should stop taking so many books from the library

Ah thanks that's one book I need to read the blind watchmaker it tends to blow Intelligent Design Theory out of the water and I've been told to read it several times.

I'm reading The Last Guardian again by David gemell at the same time as ColdHeart Canyon by Clive Barker, I just finished the Siddartha it's a fantastic insight into Indian religion, mostly Budhism, I heartily recommend it, it was written by a German, I never new the Germans had such profound insight into Eastern religion, but then he did get therapy from Carl Jung.

Next on my list is a book on ethics about pluarlism, I'm fascinated by the whole ethical thing since I started reading about ethics on this forum, although I have read a few things on ethics before. Anyway I bought it but it's taking it's time to get here though! Must be out of stock