nicnic Posted August 27, 2007 Share Posted August 27, 2007 What I've read since starting this thread... At the Same Time - Susan Sontag That's all so far. Up next 'Special' by Bella Bathurst Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicnic Posted August 28, 2007 Author Share Posted August 28, 2007 I finished the Susan Sontag book, it was excellent. The first part, which was essays on various books and authors inspired me to find out more about them and I've added such books to my Amazon wish list. I know a good book when I end up Googling various stuff about it when it is finished. I loved the portion which contained essays on 9/11 and the subsequent 'war on terror'. I agree with many of her views. I've decided to read something again, some short stories it's The Girl in the Flammable skirt by Aimee Bender. If I remember correctly they're slightly twisted and unsual and just what I'm in the mood for. After that, maybe the book on Gender philosophy my boyfriend gave me, or a book on Literary Theory... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicnic Posted September 3, 2007 Author Share Posted September 3, 2007 I finished 'The Girl in the Flammable Skirt'. I do love some of the stories, some stand out such as the one entitled 'Healer' and the first story in the book. They are surreal in places, and are almost set in a world slightly different to our own. Not a word seems wasted, which I believe is essential in a good short story. A few of the stories did have me thinking 'hmm what was that all about?' but I really did love it overall. I've added another book by this writer to my Amazon wishlist, if only to remind me I want it! I decided to read some more fiction after all. I've started The Womens' Room by Marilyn French. According to the blurb it's a classic work of feminist fiction. I am loving it so far. Occasionally it seems dated but simply because the issues encountered by the women are perhaps less prominent in the here and now. However, some, such as rape are still, unfortunately, of the moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicnic Posted September 17, 2007 Author Share Posted September 17, 2007 I have finished The Womens' Room and rather enjoyed it. I did prefer the early portions of the book and found the relationship between the couple rather compelling and the lead character's subsequent escape from her unhappy marriage the most interesting part. The feminist messages are very strongly portrayed and in some ways, at the expense of the story itself. However, the author was writing with an agenda and perhaps the only reason some of the issues seem 'overblown' is that to me, now, in 2007 they are not a big deal. Women are no longer seen, in Western society at least, as just wives and mothers. It is a book very much of it's time, and as such, is worth a read. I've now started on Blood by Janice Galloway it's another short story collection. Janice Galloway wrote a book called 'The trick is to keep breathing', which was excellent and written in a very unusual style. Flicking through this book, it seems to be similar and it is excellent to see someone playing with style. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicnic Posted October 24, 2007 Author Share Posted October 24, 2007 I've been very naughty and not recording the books I've been reading, whoops! Anyway, as a wee update and an incentive to keep this reading list - my current read is Schopenhauer: A Very Short Introduction byt Christopher Janaway So far, so good, I am understanding most of it. I got a set of these 'short introduction' books back in September and only just getting around to reading them. Sometimes it is challenging, but that is what I am looking for. I do get fed up of reading books that make my mind stagnate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicnic Posted January 1, 2008 Author Share Posted January 1, 2008 Determined to keep this up to date this year. Currently reading Bertrand Russell's History of Philosophy. My boyfriend gave me it to read after I bought it for him. It is surprisingly easy to read and understand, very interesting too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicnic Posted January 4, 2008 Author Share Posted January 4, 2008 As I was feeling the need for a bit of 'light relief' during my Bertrand Russell reading, I decided to dig into some Poppy Z. Brite again. I chose to read Wormwood, a collection of short stories. I forgot how impressive a writer she is, it is intelligent horror fiction and I enjoyed it greatly. It is always good to see her characters Steve and Ghost reappear and I absolutely love the descriptions of New Orleans. It really makes me want to visit there! I'm still on with the Russell book and decided to skip a few chapters, which is increasing my enjoyment of it. I am only reading the bits that interest me. Most of the stuff about Catholic philosophy did not really appeal, so I am reading about philosophy from the renaissance onwards. Still only two-thirds through the book though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicnic Posted January 8, 2008 Author Share Posted January 8, 2008 Am still reading the Bertrand Russell, not much more to go though. Perhaps a quarter left and although most is very interesting, I will probably end up skipping a few of the chapters. Whilst on with that, I've been reading 'The Emperor of Scent' by Chandler Burr. I had attempted it before and it had been sitting on my bookshelf for a while, this time, however, I didn't give up on it and am really glad I didn't. It is part of a genre that is considered 'faction'. A fiction book based on factual events, in this case a scientist who studies scent and perfume. It is a story of his struggle to get the theory recognised. Although there is quite a lot of science in the book, you don't need too much of a scientists brain to work it out. It is, at heart, a thriller in the way it is written. Comes highly recommended! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicnic Posted January 12, 2008 Author Share Posted January 12, 2008 I've finally finished 'History of Western Philosophy', but admittedly I did skip the parts of it I found uninteresting. It is a brilliant book and without a doubt a massive undertaking for the writer. Overall, I enjoyed this and am pleased that I read it. For me, it isn't a book to introduce one to philosophy - there are others that are more theoretical and have more of the good stuff to get your teeth into. However, for anyone who is rather interested in learning a bit more about the aspects of philosophy that are most well know, it is an excellent book. I have started reading Angela Carter's 'The Magic Toyshop'. I have read this before and remember semi-enjoying it. I know that Carter is an excellent writer but at times, although she is good, I don't find her books that likeable. I think that to fully appreciate the book, you need to look deeper into the imagery and psychology behind the novel and as much as I'd like to, I just don't have the time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicnic Posted January 14, 2008 Author Share Posted January 14, 2008 Have now finished The Magic Toyshop. It was okay, didn't blow me away which I remembered from last time. I think it is a good book, but not necessarily likeable. I would recommend Angela Carter to people wanting to read a modern female fiction writer, but she has written better books than this. It would be an excellent book to study as I see a lot of imagery and deeper meaning to it, but as a reading book, not the best. My Mum has given me a book to read and usually I dislike whatever she gives to me. However, this one isn't too bad. It's A Faint Cold Fear by Karin Slaughter. Normally, I would avoid generic crime fiction like the plague, I rarely enjoy it but after reading the first chapter I started getting quite into the story. For me to enjoy a crime novel I have to like the characters and the style has to be suitably engaging. As much as it makes me feel rather like a book snob I hate novels that patronise. This one hasn't so far, which is always hopeful! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madcow Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 I 'discovered' Karin Slaughter last year and I love her books. Hope you continue to enjoy A Faint Cold Fear nicnic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicnic Posted January 17, 2008 Author Share Posted January 17, 2008 I finished A Faint Cold Fear - Karin Slaughter last night and I can't say that I was that impressed. It did start well and really grabbed me, but somewhere in the middle I got a bit bored and lost. I found the characters a little one-dimensional. However, I do believe it was a well written crime thriller. As I've said before, I'm not always a big fan of the crime genre. I liked the ending though, she does put some twists in. Next up is another book that my boyfriend Ryan let me borrow Women in the Metropolis - Gender and Modernity in Weimar Culture. It's not something I know a huge amount about, but am always interested in a bit of gender history and this looks quite fascinating so far. I've read a bit and unlike some 'academic' books I'm finding it quite easy to concentrate on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicnic Posted January 21, 2008 Author Share Posted January 21, 2008 I finished Women in the Metropolis - Gender and Modernity in Weimar Culture on Sunday. Very interesting and has inspired me to read more gender history books from now on. My favourite chapters were on the Art, Dance etc of the society. I could relate to that more than some of the more theoretical chapters. I'm now reading something I have read before Buddha Da - Anne Donovan. I do remember enjoying it a lot. It takes a while to get into as it is written in Scottish dialect, but once you're engaged in it, you tend to forget about this and just get into the story. The characters are so believable and the story is engaging. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicnic Posted January 26, 2008 Author Share Posted January 26, 2008 Forgot to keep up with this. I finished Buddha Da ages ago, it's quite a nice quick read actually. I do love this book, like I said, the characters are drawn so well. I won't say too much, in case you want to read it but I feel that the ending is wrapped up much too 'neatly'. Otherwise, it is excellent. I'm now about halfway through Nietzsche - A Very Short Introduction. I feel pretty good about this book, as this philosopher is one that I understand rather well and seem to 'get'. The OUP short introduction books are excellent for increasing your understanding of a somewhat unfamiliar subject. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicnic Posted January 27, 2008 Author Share Posted January 27, 2008 I've now finished Nietzsche - A Very Short Introduction. In my opinion, it was a bit too short, brief and didn't go into near enough detail as I wanted. However, it has served it's purpose in that it has inspired me to read a bit more about and of this philosopher. I've found Nietzsche much more accessible than some philosophers and some of his ideas certainly 'fit' with what I feel about my life and the world. Have now moved onto something I've been dying to get my teeth into! Jpod - Douglas Coupland. Coupland books are usually excellent, but I've found a few of his later ones have been lacking in something. I already love Jpod and am finding the characters rather easier to relate to than those in most books. There are some things you just won't get if you're not mildly geeky and often you'll find the odd page of random numbers. If you can deal with this, you might like Coupland. But lets wait and see if it lives up to the promises. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Icecream Posted January 27, 2008 Share Posted January 27, 2008 I studied Nietzsche in uni. I can't remember much about him now, but he did have some very interesting ideas. You have inspired me to look him up again, along with my two favourite theologians, Von Balthasar and De Chardin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angerball Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 I read JPod a few years ago, and wasn't all that taken by it. I much more preferred Microserfs, which IMO is the best Coupland book out there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicnic Posted February 2, 2008 Author Share Posted February 2, 2008 I read JPod a few years ago, and wasn't all that taken by it. I much more preferred Microserfs, which IMO is the best Coupland book out there. angerball, you were correct. I finished Jpod a few days ago and I wasn't as impressed with it as I initially thought. I felt, in some ways, that it was too geeky and a tiny, tiny tad pretentious. I liked it, but not as much as other Coupland books. My favourite is Girlfriend in a Coma and that is unlikely to change. I'm now reading Short Cuts which is a short story book by Raymond Carver. You may remember the Robert Altman film of the same name, the film is based on these stories. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angerball Posted February 3, 2008 Share Posted February 3, 2008 I have Girlfriend In A Coma, but haven't got around to reading it yet (story of my life ). One of these days I shall get to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicnic Posted February 4, 2008 Author Share Posted February 4, 2008 I finished Short Cuts rather a while ago, I did enjoy it but it is not my favourite Carver by any means. I still love the story 'A small, good thing' but it isn't the best of his collections. It has, however spurred me onto reading another Raymond Carver collection - What We Talk about When We Talk about Love. If I recall correctly, this one is my favourite. At the time of reading it, however, I had a mad thing for a friend of mine and his favourite writer happened to be Carver...so who knows what influence that had! In between the two books, I've read a book on Modernism that my boyfriend loaned me. It is another one of those excellent introductions to a subject. I wasn't that familiar with the term or what it meant, but it is much clearer to me now. Of particular interest was the part about Modernist writers. Unfortunately, it made me want to read lots of them, but as I'm rather short on the pennies front at the moment, I'll have to keep my book habit under control! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicnic Posted February 6, 2008 Author Share Posted February 6, 2008 I finished the Carver book yesterday. What We Talk about When We Talk about Love is rather good, some of the stories are better than others. There are some that linger in my memory and others that are instantly forgettable. He is an excellent short story writer though. I've moved on to Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolf. I tried reading To the Lighthouse at some point and didn't enjoy it much, but on reading the synopsis of this it seems quite intriguing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ii Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 Oh, Mrs Dalloway is such a brilliant book! I did find it hard to read in short clips, so make sure you can focus on it for a bit longer at times (so no reading at traffic lights, for example). But it has such a beautiful flow in it. And after you've read it, do watch the movie The Hours, which will give you a totally new feel for the book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicnic Posted February 11, 2008 Author Share Posted February 11, 2008 Oh, Mrs Dalloway is such a brilliant book! I did find it hard to read in short clips, so make sure you can focus on it for a bit longer at times (so no reading at traffic lights, for example). But it has such a beautiful flow in it. And after you've read it, do watch the movie The Hours, which will give you a totally new feel for the book. I've now finished Mrs Dalloway and as ii correctly pointed out, it is something that you need to read when you have a decent amount of time to put aside. I wasn't entirely used to the style it was written in and it does indeed have a beautiful flow to it. Once my brain adapted to the modernist style of writing, I started to love it. There is, in many ways, too much to take in at once and I do feel I will need to read it for a second time in order to fully appreciate it. I particularly felt in tune with it whilst sitting in a busy rail station and reading about London. You can certainly get lost in this book I've now halfway through The Sinner -Tess Gerritsen. It isn't my usual sort of book, but I borrowed it from my Mum after she said it was particularly good. It is very good for a crime book. It is well written for the genre it is in and I do like the main character rather a lot. The subject matter of it interests me quite a lot too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Posted February 11, 2008 Share Posted February 11, 2008 I'm glad to see a few people reading books by Tess Gerritsen, as she'll be our Featured Author during March. I look forward to lots of questions for her! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louiseog Posted February 11, 2008 Share Posted February 11, 2008 Oh Wow, she is my heroine, am up to Mephisto Club Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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