What are you reading right now?

adidasss · 01-26-2022, 08:44 AM

Yeah, I can see how that can be the case. Maybe I'll give it a try...

adidasss · 02-05-2022, 09:34 AM

Finished reading Matrix by Lauren Groff set in 12th century England and revolving around a very ungainly lesbian nun who turns the fortunes of a poor monastery she was sent to after being banished from the court for being too ugly. Competently written and a breeze to get through but I imagine it won't stick around in my mind too long. Not sure what message, if any, it was trying to impart but it was fun to spend time in this feminist fantasy for a while. I might check out her other books.

Now onto Crying in H-mart, a memoir by Michelle Zauner, a.k.a. Japanese Breakfast, the musician turned bestselling author, who is actually not affiliated with Japan but is rather half-Korean, about the loss of her Korean mother to cancer and their complicated relationship. She studied creative writing so it's not so surprising she's a skilled writer.

**Marie Monday** · 02-20-2022, 07:32 AM

I just finished Virginia Woolf's The Waves. The best Woolf I've read so far, it's incredible. She writes about people's inner lives in a very unique way. Like, of the mayor writers who are masters at describing complex inner life, Joyce does it by transcribing the flow of thoughts directly, Proust stretches language and vocabulary to its limits of descriptive power, Tolstoy attaches the inner life to outward situations and objects like comets or oak trees for illustration, but Virginia Woolf does does something less obvious. It's neither an outer or inner monologue, nor detached description. I guess instead of a literal transcription, it's a translation of inner life into poetry. (Not that Joyce isn't poetic, but his approach is more direct) Anyway it's beautiful

jadis · 02-21-2022, 03:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marie Monday

I just finished Virginia Woolf's The Waves. The best Woolf I've read so far, it's incredible. She writes about people's inner lives in a very unique way. Like, of the mayor writers who are masters at describing complex inner life, Joyce does it by transcribing the flow of thoughts directly, Proust stretches language and vocabulary to its limits of descriptive power, Tolstoy attaches the inner life to outward situations and objects like comets or oak trees for illustration, but Virginia Woolf does does something less obvious. It's neither an outer or inner monologue, nor detached description. I guess instead of a literal transcription, it's a translation of inner life into poetry. (Not that Joyce isn't poetic, but his approach is more direct) Anyway it's beautiful

Really want to read it now, I'm a big fan of the three guys you mention.

This has nothing to do with anything, but "waves" reminds me of this iconic interview by an Irish legend

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJY7JSHA3SY

ando here · 02-21-2022, 12:38 PM

Arden edition of Shakes' The Merry Wives of Windsor. Study group fun.

ando here · 02-21-2022, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marie Monday

I just finished Virginia Woolf's The Waves. The best Woolf I've read so far, it's incredible. She writes about people's inner lives in a very unique way. Like, of the mayor writers who are masters at describing complex inner life, Joyce does it by transcribing the flow of thoughts directly, Proust stretches language and vocabulary to its limits of descriptive power, Tolstoy attaches the inner life to outward situations and objects like comets or oak trees for illustration, but Virginia Woolf does does something less obvious. It's neither an outer or inner monologue, nor detached description. I guess instead of a literal transcription, it's a translation of inner life into poetry. (Not that Joyce isn't poetic, but his approach is more direct) Anyway it's beautiful

well put.

**Exo** · 02-21-2022, 02:16 PM

I'm 2/3 of the way through Sphere by Michael Crichton. I saw the flawed movie when I was a kid and the book is very similar. I hear the ending is different. I'm enjoying it a lot. Somebody dropped off vintage sci fi hardcovers at the shop last week so I've been swiping some of them. Andromeda Strain is next. I never read these.

rostasi · 02-21-2022, 03:38 PM

I loved Crichton as a child. The Andromeda Strain movie was so
engrossing for me at the time, that I even called Crichton in '71
to tell him so. I even made a pathetic attempt, at the age of 12,
to write a novel that was supposed to be a variation called
The Antilla Strategem which, instead of a virus from "outer space,"
it was from "below the sea." It had lines like
"Oh my God, histoplasmosis? You've got to be kidding me!"

In high school, for a book report in '75, I created a half-hour
multimedia event based on The Terminal Man that included
readings from the text, sampled and composed music,
and an elaborate multi-projector slideshow to tell
the story in a "Cliff Notes" audio style.

As I got older, it became clearer that he was a mess of a person -
a complete and utter pathetic disappointment that made me,
later, be ashamed that I'd ever had interest in his work.

The Batlord · 02-21-2022, 03:54 PM

Eaters of the Dead is a banger.

**Exo** · 02-22-2022, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rostasi

As I got older, it became clearer that he was a mess of a person -
a complete and utter pathetic disappointment that made me,
later, be ashamed that I'd ever had interest in his work.

Because of the criticism of climate change?

01-26-2022, 08:44 AM	#7311 (permalink)
adidasss Slavic gay sauce Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Abu Dhabi Posts: 7,945	Yeah, I can see how that can be the case. Maybe I'll give it a try... __________________ “Think of what a paradise this world would be if men were kind and wise.” - Kurt Vonnegut, Cat's Cradle. Last.fm

02-05-2022, 09:34 AM	#7312 (permalink)
adidasss Slavic gay sauce Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Abu Dhabi Posts: 7,945	Finished reading Matrix by Lauren Groff set in 12th century England and revolving around a very ungainly lesbian nun who turns the fortunes of a poor monastery she was sent to after being banished from the court for being too ugly. Competently written and a breeze to get through but I imagine it won't stick around in my mind too long. Not sure what message, if any, it was trying to impart but it was fun to spend time in this feminist fantasy for a while. I might check out her other books. Now onto Crying in H-mart, a memoir by Michelle Zauner, a.k.a. Japanese Breakfast, the musician turned bestselling author, who is actually not affiliated with Japan but is rather half-Korean, about the loss of her Korean mother to cancer and their complicated relationship. She studied creative writing so it's not so surprising she's a skilled writer. __________________ “Think of what a paradise this world would be if men were kind and wise.” - Kurt Vonnegut, Cat's Cradle. Last.fm

02-21-2022, 12:38 PM	#7315 (permalink)
ando here Music Addict Join Date: Sep 2020 Location: NY, NY Posts: 1,802	Arden edition of Shakes' The Merry Wives of Windsor. Study group fun. __________________ "A musician plays music. Other people name it." - Artie Shaw

02-21-2022, 02:16 PM	#7317 (permalink)
Exo All day jazz and biscuits Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: NJ Posts: 7,354	I'm 2/3 of the way through Sphere by Michael Crichton. I saw the flawed movie when I was a kid and the book is very similar. I hear the ending is different. I'm enjoying it a lot. Somebody dropped off vintage sci fi hardcovers at the shop last week so I've been swiping some of them. Andromeda Strain is next. I never read these. __________________ LastFM SUPREME POO BAH MODERATOR EXTRAORDINAIRE

02-21-2022, 03:38 PM	#7318 (permalink)
rostasi . Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 4,008	I loved Crichton as a child. The Andromeda Strain movie was so engrossing for me at the time, that I even called Crichton in '71 to tell him so. I even made a pathetic attempt, at the age of 12, to write a novel that was supposed to be a variation called The Antilla Strategem which, instead of a virus from "outer space," it was from "below the sea." It had lines like "Oh my God, histoplasmosis? You've got to be kidding me!" In high school, for a book report in '75, I created a half-hour multimedia event based on The Terminal Man that included readings from the text, sampled and composed music, and an elaborate multi-projector slideshow to tell the story in a "Cliff Notes" audio style. As I got older, it became clearer that he was a mess of a person - a complete and utter pathetic disappointment that made me, later, be ashamed that I'd ever had interest in his work.