Which Book Are You Reading Now? Volume XII

[Borachio]

Pesanteur et Grace Simone Weil.

Hailed as a good introduction to her work, I'd hate to think what a bad introduction might be like.

This is impenetrable stuff, imo. Luckily it isn't a long book.

Apparently, she was one of the few people who could argue Trotsky to a standstill.

China Mieville..

Oh. I didn't know he was into history. I read a "sci-fi" novel of his once (actually I may have read two).

His writing was seriously weird. I couldn't make out what he was trying to do.

Some kind of Wild West gothic cyber punk thingy.

 

[Traitorfish]

If it's any help, in this one he only uses "moldywarpe" like three times.

 

[SS-18 ICBM]

Construire in capitale - Ottawa - Making a capital is a bilingual book containing historical articles edited by Jeff Keshen and Nicole St-Onge. Focuses on early history, ethnic groups, and the modernization of the city. I understood about half the content of the French articles.

 

[JollyRoger]

 

[Lillefix]

Nice cover. I have to say. I just read Just my type, and I'm beginning to appreciate fonts more.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Just-My-Ty...8&qid=1501003401&sr=8-2&keywords=just+my+type

 

[JohannaK]

I love that cover, what is it?

 

[Lillefix]

I love that cover, what is it?

It took me some seconds, but it must be Dune.
DU
NE

 

[yung.carl.jung]

The Nuttcracker, by E.T.A. Hoffmann. I already knew the plot (no, it isn't the same as the eponymous classical music composition, which was adapted from a different version written decades later by someone else), but i generally liked it, since i like ETA Hoffmann. That said, this was not as hardcore as his other stories, such as The Sandman, Counselor Krespel or Elixirs of the Devil

Still, it did have a seven-headed mouse.

Sandman is one of my favorite German novels I think. What did you think of the Kubrick adaption? I liked it, but I feel like I have to watch it again... and again..

Kubrick himself was a huge conspiracy fan and has countless messages for "decyphering" in his movies. I wonder if he is one of those "the Jews did it!" people, or if his own personal rabbit hole goes even deeper (which I hope, antisemitism is by far the most boring of conspiracies).

 

[Kyriakos]

Sandman is one of my favorite German novels I think. What did you think of the Kubrick adaption? I liked it, but I feel like I have to watch it again... and again..

Kubrick himself was a huge conspiracy fan and has countless messages for "decyphering" in his movies. I wonder if he is one of those "the Jews did it!" people, or if his own personal rabbit hole goes even deeper (which I hope, antisemitism is by far the most boring of conspiracies).

I haven't seen it. I will look for it

 

[JohannaK]

Kubrick? Adapting The Sandman? Now I haven't watched all of Kubrick, but I'm pretty sure he never did one. Not one that is explicitly so, anyway. What would it be, Eyes Wide Shut?

 

[Kyriakos]

I tried to find it too. I am not that familiar with Eyes Wide Shut, but it doesn't seem to be tied to Sandman at all :/

Maybe it was some very early film by Kubrick?

 

[yung.carl.jung]

How is Eyes Wide Shut not tied to sandman? It is quite literally a modern adaption of it. I remember we even watched it in class in HS because our teacher thought it was That relevant.

 

[Kyriakos]

How is Eyes Wide Shut not tied to sandman? It is quite literally a modern adaption of it. I remember we even watched it in class in HS because our teacher thought it was That relevant.

I haven't seen the movie, but in the Sandman doesn't the protagonist die? Or is Cruz playing Lothar instead? And in that case... Clara didn't have an affair with Lothar (iirc, and not in the start anyway )

 

[yung.carl.jung]

the plot is changed in many, many ways (imo the plot is not tat important for Sandman, it's more about the psychological themes), yet the general themes are still the same for both movie and book. however some scenes were adapted 1:1 straight from the book with little "artistic freedom"

one could however debate whether or not Sandman was simply an inspiration, or whether EWS is an adaption of the book. maybe the former is more accurate

 

[JollyRoger]

I love that cover, what is it?

Dune from the Penguin Galaxy Series. I think it is the best cover of the six.

 

[Borachio]

Hmm. Says here that Eyes Wide Shut was based on the novel Dream Story by Schnitzler.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eyes_Wide_Shut

 

[Kyriakos]

So, is there any current british author who is considered to be a serious writer and writes psychological fiction?
I tried to have a look at that (iirc scottish) author on whose novel the movie Spider (with Ralph Fiennes) was based on, but i can't say i entirely liked what i saw. Granted, i only fully read one of his short stories, which was actually very good - until the final page, when it managed to be remembered as awful and dissuade me from reading more of his works!
I mean... one of his phrases there was

Spoiler :

"Oh phallocratic fallacy"! Ehm, really? :/ Oh cacophonic pleonasm

That said, he did use a few memorable terms, such as "thanatoptic".

 

[yung.carl.jung]

Hmm. Says here that Eyes Wide Shut was based on the novel Dream Story by Schnitzler.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eyes_Wide_Shut

youre actually 100% spot on, we read those two in the same year and I got them mixed up! thanks for the heads up

 

[Borachio]

So, is there any current british author who is considered to be a serious writer and writes psychological fiction?
I tried to have a look at that (iirc scottish) author on whose novel the movie Spider (with Ralph Fiennes) was based on, but i can't say i entirely liked what i saw. Granted, i only fully read one of his short stories, which was actually very good - until the final page, when it managed to be remembered as awful and dissuade me from reading more of his works!
I mean... one of his phrases there was

Spoiler :

"Oh phallocratic fallacy"! Ehm, really? :/ Oh cacophonic pleonasm

That said, he did use a few memorable terms, such as "thanatoptic".

You mean Patrick McGrath?

 

[Kyriakos]

You mean Patrick McGrath?

Yes.