What are you reading?

[Dr. Old Bill]

I've decided that I'm going to read some more Flannery O'Connor over the break, as well as Auden's The Dyer's Hand. I was quite captivated by "A Good Man is Hard to Find" when I read it this past summer, and I figure that since I'll have a couple of long flights in the next two weeks, short stories might be perfect.

 

As for the Auden, it's just something I want to read, given how much I love the man's poetry as well as his non-fiction insights. The Dyer's Hand is basically a book about poetry, and while I've dipped into it a few times to pull out pertinent quotes for papers etc., I haven't read it straight through.

[bhr]

I'm working through my course readings for my PW Pedagogy course, and mixing in some "pleasure" reading by going through my professors' publications. I bought about 20 of the the $5>used books at Amazon, and am giving myself a crash course in theory. Foucault, Henry Jenkins, Selfe and Hawisher, ect.

[fauxlita]

I'm reading In the Heart of the Sea right now. It's awesome and should be required for anyone interested in studying Melville. 

[oldmangandhi]

I have been reading Dostoevsky's The Brothers Karamazov. And it is incredible to say the least. I just finished reading Crime and Punishment and after that I knew that I needed more Dostoevsky. He's my crack.

I would highly highly recommend reading the chapter entitles "The Grand Inquisitor" from Karamazov. Its some powerful stuff.

[jhefflol]

I'm currently reading a book called Jessica on my Macbook Kindle app. It's absolutely terrible, but apparently it was highly recommended by the "editors" from Amazon. And it shares my name. And it was only 99 cents. I needed a new book to read while I was sick and by the time the meds wore off and I realized how terribly it was written, I've almost finished it. Now I'm too curious about how the book ends (apparently its a trilogy? I want to see how that happens) and refuse to stop reading. I'll probably finish it within the hour, honestly. But the foreshadowing in the book is the biggest annoyance. I feel like its comparable to Blues Clues or Dora the Explorer where the main character is oblivious to his/her surroundings but the next element in the plot is painfully obvious to the audience. 

 

I'm looking forward to finishing this book so I can start again on Beowulf to get ahead for next semester.

Edited December 29, 2014 by jhefflol

[ToldAgain]

I just read a pretty uplifting article from The American Scholar while waiting for a plane yesterday. For anybody suffering from waiting-it-out blues, read "What I Have Taught and Learned" by William Chace. I almost cheered and threw an imaginary mortar board into the air multiple times.

[echo449]

I rotate between one theory, one novel, and one book of poetry so: Currently working through Fred Jameson's last book (Antinomies of Realism) because of that Verso sale for my theory; Jonathan Lethem's Chronic City for my novel; and Robert Creeley's Selected Poems etc.. 

[fancypants09]

Finished Murakami's Strange Library today in about half an hour after having bought it yesterday. I'm a die-hard Murakami fan, but I wasn't so impressed with this one. Maybe I'm missing the bigger picture here, but I didn't understand how the illustration and the non-traditional binding and type of the book related to the story. 

 

Getting started on The Goldfinch today. I've heard mixed reviews about it, but curious to see how it reads. 

[1Q84]

Finished Murakami's Strange Library today in about half an hour after having bought it yesterday. I'm a die-hard Murakami fan, but I wasn't so impressed with this one. Maybe I'm missing the bigger picture here, but I didn't understand how the illustration and the non-traditional binding and type of the book related to the story. 

 

Getting started on The Goldfinch today. I've heard mixed reviews about it, but curious to see how it reads. 

 

Haven't had a chance to read Strange Library. Maybe I'll skip it, then.

 

Goldfinch is great except for the "third act." Really displeasing to me, especially because I liked the middle section so much. I saw you picked up The Luminaries as well; that was one big (800 page) bellyflop, in my opinion.

[fancypants09]

Haven't had a chance to read Strange Library. Maybe I'll skip it, then.

 

Goldfinch is great except for the "third act." Really displeasing to me, especially because I liked the middle section so much. I saw you picked up The Luminaries as well; that was one big (800 page) bellyflop, in my opinion.

 

Looking forward! Will definitely let you know what I think of The Goldfinch once I finish.

 

I'd say definitely skip on buying The Strange Library---it may be worth borrowing it from the local library (or even just reading it while you're there---it goes by really quickly; took me about half an hour from start to finish). 

 

I love Murakami's short, non-fictional essays, several volumes of which are available in Korean translation though I've not seen any in English, which is really a shame. Perhaps a motivator for me to improve my Japanese skills to do the translations myself sometime in the future?  

[1Q84]

I love Murakami's short, non-fictional essays, several volumes of which are available in Korean translation though I've not seen any in English, which is really a shame. Perhaps a motivator for me to improve my Japanese skills to do the translations myself sometime in the future?

 

Or work with him as a translator! Wouldn't that be neat? One of my friends is friends with Jay Rubin, who does many of Murakami's translations. I almost got to meet both of them at one point but scheduling didn't work out

 

I'm currently reading "The Circle" by Dave Eggers because it was my school's "common book" this past year and I figured I should be in the loop for discussions of it. They encouraged us to be able to apply it in the freshman comp classes that we're teaching as well, so I guess better now than never.

 

On a positive sidenote, after the heavy theory readings I've been doing all semester long, reading some light contemporary fiction is like running a hot knife through butter, to mix a metaphor.

[Dr. Old Bill]

Managed to read some Flannery O'Connor on the plane last week, and quite enjoyed a few stories ("Everything That Rises Must Converge" in particular...). Got back home from Vancouver a couple of days ago, and my wife and I made a semi-impromptu drive up to Buffalo today to visit my in-laws (who are fantastic). I brought A Defense of Poetry, as well as a copy of Piers the Ploughman and Dr. Jekyll... as possible reading candidates. Though I aim to raid their attic, which is full of boxes of good books too...so we'll see!

 

I'm so glad I married into a highly literate family...

[smg]

Theory: Latour, Reassembling the Social. (ed) Lotringer and Marazzi, Autonomia.

 

Fiction: I finished Moby Dick yesterday and tonight or tomorrow I'm going to crack open The 42nd Parallel.

[fancypants09]

Or work with him as a translator! Wouldn't that be neat? One of my friends is friends with Jay Rubin, who does many of Murakami's translations. I almost got to meet both of them at one point but scheduling didn't work out

 

 

That would be amazing to work with Murakami! Hashtag lifegoals indeed. 

 

Adding to missed encounters with Murakami...he was actually in residence at my undergraduate alma mater during my senior year, in my own department for crying out loud, and I did not go to a single talk or reading. Granted, I was writing my senior thesis at that time and my interests were history and poli sci...I only began reading Murakami post-graduation and have regretted passing up such amazing opportunities. I am such. an. idiot...arghhhhhh!

[jhefflol]

Managed to read some Flannery O'Connor on the plane last week, and quite enjoyed a few stories ("Everything That Rises Must Converge" in particular...). Got back home from Vancouver a couple of days ago, and my wife and I made a semi-impromptu drive up to Buffalo today to visit my in-laws (who are fantastic). I brought A Defense of Poetry, as well as a copy of Piers the Ploughman and Dr. Jekyll... as possible reading candidates. Though I aim to raid their attic, which is full of boxes of good books too...so we'll see!

 

I'm so glad I married into a highly literate family...

 

 

Good ol' Flannery is definitely one of my favorites. I think about "A Good Man is Hard to Find" at least once a week. Dr. Jekyll was creepier and more enjoyable than I had expected! 

 

 

I just started Z by Therese Anne Fowler. And by started, I mean I'm half way through. Highly recommended for anyone who likes Fitzgerald (so everyone). The writing is amazing.

[HesseBunuel90]

I just finished Oscar Hijuelos' The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love. It was an incredible read, full of passion, sensuality, vivid characters, and a superb sense of time and place. I just started reading Studs Terkel's Working; it is the third book of his I have read, and it once again proves what an essential and singular chronicler of American life he was. 

[Dr. Old Bill]

Good ol' Flannery is definitely one of my favorites. I think about "A Good Man is Hard to Find" at least once a week.

 

Oh yeah. "A Good Man is Hard to Find" was my first entree into O'Connor, and I think about it often as well.

 

An addendum to my earlier post: turns out my parents-in-law bought me The Lyric Theory Reader for Christmas. It's been on my Amazon wish list for nearly half a year. Edited by two POIs at programs I applied to no less. What a gift! I've already poked my nose into that, so Piers and Dr. Jekyll might have to wait.

[perdita]

Oh yeah. "A Good Man is Hard to Find" was my first entree into O'Connor, and I think about it often as well.

 

An addendum to my earlier post: turns out my parents-in-law bought me The Lyric Theory Reader for Christmas. It's been on my Amazon wish list for nearly half a year. Edited by two POIs at programs I applied to no less. What a gift! I've already poked my nose into that, so Piers and Dr. Jekyll might have to wait.

 

You have awesome in-laws! What do you think about the selection so far? One of the things VJ said was that they (she and Yopie Prins) tried to make an argument out of the anthology. It's refreshing given that they acknowledge how anthologies aren't really "neutral" after all. Certainly reflects their "New Lyric Studies" practice.

 

I am reading Claudia Rankine's Citizen, which just came out. Big fan of contemporary poetry, and of Rankine in particular.

[AsKingfishersCatchFire.]

I have been working my way through Walt Whitman's The Complete Poems ("Death-Bed Edition) and Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice (not my favorite, but still is quality). Also, my reading has been centered on finishing Thoreau's A Week and hopefully starting the Harry Potter books (just for kicks, should have read them as an adolescent) and beginning Moby Dick. Yay, books!    

[jhefflol]

I'm in the middle of Night Watch by Sarah Waters and its a bit too complicated of a plot for the usual trashy novels I like to read for pleasure. I'm at a standstill with it, hoping to get over the rut and actually enjoy it because the author is a very good writer.

[smg]

Transmission by Hari Kunzru.  I'm diggin it. 

[ProfLorax]

Ooooh trashy novels! What are your faves, jhefflol? I'm looking for more late night breastfeeding reading material, and the Discovery of Witches is not cutting it (I'm so over possessive, jealous, controlling male love interests). I'll Give You the Sun was my last pleasure read that I just loved; I love really well-written YA fiction, the kind I can just fall into instantly.

[rising_star]

I really enjoyed This Is Where I Leave You, though you may not want to read about family drama while breastfeeding. 

[jhefflol]

Ooooh trashy novels! What are your faves, jhefflol? I'm looking for more late night breastfeeding reading material, and the Discovery of Witches is not cutting it (I'm so over possessive, jealous, controlling male love interests). I'll Give You the Sun was my last pleasure read that I just loved; I love really well-written YA fiction, the kind I can just fall into instantly.

The Flappers Series is by far my favorite YA trash series I have read to date. It's about some debs in the 1920s who get involved with speakeasies, the mob, interracial marriages, etc...the usual. And it's relatively feminist considering the content. I'll look through my bookshelf when I'm fully awake to see if I can spot anything else. YA lit is my favorite for pleasure reading!

[NMLogan]

I just went a bit crazy when Verso was having a sale a few weeks ago, so I have a lot of material!  I really recommend Utopia or Bust, by Benjamin Kunkel, especially the introduction.  I should say that I'm in the middle of a lull in my gap year, so I have lot of time at the moment.  

 

I just finished The Passion of Michel Foucault (Miller), This Changes Everything (Klein), and a whoooooole boatload of South African fiction, because I just got home from a few months working there.  Richard Rive was the most notable obsession this time around.  I loved all three of his books, Emergency, Emergency Continued, and Buckingham Palace District Six .  Boyhood by JM Coetzee was extremely beautiful.  I also tend to read a lot of South African legal history when I'm there, and this time it was a lot of Steve Biko, Neville Alexander, and a wonderful thinker named Premesh Lalu.  

 

I've got Simone Weil's The Need for Roots next to me, and I'm also trying to tackle Anti-Oedipus (Deleuze and Guattari), but so far it's extreeeeemely hard.  For fiction, once I finish the books I brought home from my trip, I really want to finally read The Brothers Karamozov.  

 

I love this thread!

Edited January 20, 2015 by NMLogan