1.The last Policeman, Ben H Winters---Fantastic read in my opinion. Went in not knowing what to expect, finished it dying for the second book to be out. Still waiting on that.
2.The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams---Read all 5 books, as a sort of challenge to myself to actually finish a series that I start for once. Hilarious books, the third (Life, the Universe and Everything) was my favorite, personally.
3.The Hobbit, J.R.R Tolkien---Yes, like everyone else, I read the Hobbit in anticipation of the movie.
4.Watchers, Dean Koontz---I've always been a bit of a Koontz fan, and this book did nothing to change that. Not his most pulse-pounding work, but by far the most emotional that I've read.
5.Watership Down---This is my current project, and it's got me hooked so far. Definitely not just a story about bunnies. I'll update when I've finished it.
The 2013 Book Challenge
Re: The 2013 Book Challenge
James Dillbeck
People call me J-Dill. Tables do not call me J-Dill.
People call me J-Dill. Tables do not call me J-Dill.
Re: The 2013 Book Challenge
Congratulations Jeremy!
1. A Life of Picasso: 1907-1917 by John Richardson 500pg
2. A Life of Picasso: 1917-1932 by John Richardson 592pg
3. Vertigo by W.G. Sebald 263pg
4. Train Dreams by Denis Johnson 116pg
5. Pastoralia by George Saunders 188pg
6. Campo Santo by W.G. Sebald 221pg
7. The Success and Failure of Picasso by John Berger 210pg
8. CivilWarLand in Bad Decline by George Saunders 179pg
9. Austerlitz by W.G. Sebald 298pg
10. Quick Studies: The Best of Lingua Franca edited by Alexander Star 512pg
11. The Man of Feeling by Javier Marias 182pg
I read this based on a recommendation from some guest on Michael Silverblatt's radio program Bookworm. It's published by New Directions which puts out some really amazing stuff so I figured I'd give it a go. Didn't really do much for me and I don't really have much to say about it.
1. A Life of Picasso: 1907-1917 by John Richardson 500pg
2. A Life of Picasso: 1917-1932 by John Richardson 592pg
3. Vertigo by W.G. Sebald 263pg
4. Train Dreams by Denis Johnson 116pg
5. Pastoralia by George Saunders 188pg
6. Campo Santo by W.G. Sebald 221pg
7. The Success and Failure of Picasso by John Berger 210pg
8. CivilWarLand in Bad Decline by George Saunders 179pg
9. Austerlitz by W.G. Sebald 298pg
10. Quick Studies: The Best of Lingua Franca edited by Alexander Star 512pg
11. The Man of Feeling by Javier Marias 182pg
I read this based on a recommendation from some guest on Michael Silverblatt's radio program Bookworm. It's published by New Directions which puts out some really amazing stuff so I figured I'd give it a go. Didn't really do much for me and I don't really have much to say about it.
Danny P.
Re: The 2013 Book Challenge
1) The Rich and the Rest of Us: A Poverty Manifesto by Tavis Smiley and Cornel West 203 pg.
2) Harvest of Empire: A History of Latinos in America by Juan Gonzalez 346 pg.
3) Whole Self/Whole World: Quality of Life in the 21st Century by Eric Gerinke 119 pg.
4) Democracy Matters: Winning the Fight Against Imperialism by Cornel West 219 pg.
Mixed feelings, but mostly good. Concerns American Imperialism and democratic tradition, what it is and what it should be. Though it's all solid stuff, Cornel West when writing by himself is a little too academic in my opinion. It feels like he's quoting other philosophers more than talking himself sometimes, which kind of bothers me. Also, just like Race Matters, which I read over the summer, I felt that he uses some difficult words and language, which I believe is a problem because being the renowned activist and public figure he is, his books should read easier to the lay-person. He can be a little difficult to read and/or commit to.
Having said that, I definitely do suggest this and plan on reading more West in the near future.
Edit:
One thing I really did like about this book was that it pretty much takes back the term 'democrats'. West continually uses refers to democrats (small d) as advocates of democracy, yet in no way related to the Democratic (big D) Party. It was definitely refreshing to read it in that light as opposed to the misguided phrasing of Democrats, as the Democratic Party in no way represents the kind of democracy West and other democrats desire.
2) Harvest of Empire: A History of Latinos in America by Juan Gonzalez 346 pg.
3) Whole Self/Whole World: Quality of Life in the 21st Century by Eric Gerinke 119 pg.
4) Democracy Matters: Winning the Fight Against Imperialism by Cornel West 219 pg.
Mixed feelings, but mostly good. Concerns American Imperialism and democratic tradition, what it is and what it should be. Though it's all solid stuff, Cornel West when writing by himself is a little too academic in my opinion. It feels like he's quoting other philosophers more than talking himself sometimes, which kind of bothers me. Also, just like Race Matters, which I read over the summer, I felt that he uses some difficult words and language, which I believe is a problem because being the renowned activist and public figure he is, his books should read easier to the lay-person. He can be a little difficult to read and/or commit to.
Having said that, I definitely do suggest this and plan on reading more West in the near future.
Edit:
One thing I really did like about this book was that it pretty much takes back the term 'democrats'. West continually uses refers to democrats (small d) as advocates of democracy, yet in no way related to the Democratic (big D) Party. It was definitely refreshing to read it in that light as opposed to the misguided phrasing of Democrats, as the Democratic Party in no way represents the kind of democracy West and other democrats desire.
Last edited by Pasquar on 27 Feb 2013 16:05, edited 1 time in total.
Nick Pasquarello
Shred on
Shred on
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bigdirtyfoot
- Sloppy
- Posts: 3142
- Joined: 22 Apr 2002 12:30
- Location: NC
Re: The 2013 Book Challenge
Jeremy: Congrats man! Great news. And as far as what you mentioned about reading Gibson's books, I have had the same experience. Makes it an interesting challenge though.
3. Count Zero, William Gibson, 308 pg.
I enjoyed this one - the second book in Gibson's "Sprawl Trilogy," although it took me a while to work through. Mostly due to personal life getting in the way. The plot is interesting because it is three separate plot lines and sets of characters that are interwoven throughout the book, meeting each other in the end. I found all of the characters to be believable and either likable or hatable. I'm looking forward to reading more of Gibson's works soon.
3. Count Zero, William Gibson, 308 pg.
I enjoyed this one - the second book in Gibson's "Sprawl Trilogy," although it took me a while to work through. Mostly due to personal life getting in the way. The plot is interesting because it is three separate plot lines and sets of characters that are interwoven throughout the book, meeting each other in the end. I found all of the characters to be believable and either likable or hatable. I'm looking forward to reading more of Gibson's works soon.
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Zac Miley
- Post Master General
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- Joined: 04 Jun 2006 12:11
- Location: Kansas City, MO
- Contact:
Re: The 2013 Book Challenge
1. A Dialogue on Personal Identity and Immortality, John Perry
2. Steppenwolf, Herman Hesse
3. The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald
4. A Farewell to Arms, Ernest Hemingway
5. The Unbearable Lightness of Being, Milan Kundera
6. The Fold/Leibniz and the Baroque, Gilles Deleuze
7. Diaries 1914-1923, Franz Kafka
Kafka is incredible. There's something odd about reading diaries, however. Also, not sure if everyone is aware - but all of Kafka's work is published posthumously by Max Brod, one of his best friends, against Kafka's wishes. He ordered him to burn all of his manuscripts when he died. Luckily (and unethically), he didn't.
Deleuze might be one of the most difficult and pointless things I've ever read. Lots of over-intellectualized postmodernism.
2. Steppenwolf, Herman Hesse
3. The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald
4. A Farewell to Arms, Ernest Hemingway
5. The Unbearable Lightness of Being, Milan Kundera
6. The Fold/Leibniz and the Baroque, Gilles Deleuze
7. Diaries 1914-1923, Franz Kafka
Kafka is incredible. There's something odd about reading diaries, however. Also, not sure if everyone is aware - but all of Kafka's work is published posthumously by Max Brod, one of his best friends, against Kafka's wishes. He ordered him to burn all of his manuscripts when he died. Luckily (and unethically), he didn't.
Deleuze might be one of the most difficult and pointless things I've ever read. Lots of over-intellectualized postmodernism.
Jay (8:06:01 PM): Bu-bu-buu-buug--Looks up, and the feeling goes away like a sneeze-bu-buuuh-BULLLSHITTT
Jay (8:06:14 PM): *wipes bellybutton*
Jay (8:06:14 PM): *wipes bellybutton*
Re: The 2013 Book Challenge
Thanks Danny, Dave. It's very exciting 
1. The Neighbourhood Project: Using Evolution to Improve My City, One Block at a Time by David Sloan Wilson - 390pp.
2. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen - 272pp [ebook - google]
3. The Harvard Medical School Guide to Healthy Eating During Pregnancy by W. Allan Walker - 241pp [ebook pdf]
4. You Are Not a Gadget: A Manifesto by Jaron Lanier - 192pp
I'm not really even sure what this book is supposed to be about. I found it confusing and unconvincing. It's largely about technology, why current technology is bad for humanity, but also towards the end, why virtual reality will change our lives. I think. I certainly agreed with Lanier on a few ideas, and found aspects of it interesting. I was especially interested in the discussion of smells and how they're represented in our neurology, and why it's so difficult to come up with digital representation of that (because we effectively have an individual receptor for each kind of smell, and different smells are discrete, rather than continuums). I also found the idea that technology is driving neoteny in humanity a fascinating idea (and think it could be true). On the other hand, I was far from convinced that Lanier actually knows what "neoteny" is, and there were definitely a number of times where he clearly used the word incorrectly. The theme of the book really is that his ideas for how technology should develop in the 1980s were amazing, and he's amazing, and everybody else, and reality, got it wrong, and now we're paying the price. At one point he talks about an early virtual reality experience, and then says how somebody in the room said; "I think this is probably the most interesting room in the world," and how 30 years later he still thinks that was true. I think it's a bitter book about sour grapes, and not really worth reading, despite the few interesting concepts.
1. The Neighbourhood Project: Using Evolution to Improve My City, One Block at a Time by David Sloan Wilson - 390pp.
2. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen - 272pp [ebook - google]
3. The Harvard Medical School Guide to Healthy Eating During Pregnancy by W. Allan Walker - 241pp [ebook pdf]
4. You Are Not a Gadget: A Manifesto by Jaron Lanier - 192pp
I'm not really even sure what this book is supposed to be about. I found it confusing and unconvincing. It's largely about technology, why current technology is bad for humanity, but also towards the end, why virtual reality will change our lives. I think. I certainly agreed with Lanier on a few ideas, and found aspects of it interesting. I was especially interested in the discussion of smells and how they're represented in our neurology, and why it's so difficult to come up with digital representation of that (because we effectively have an individual receptor for each kind of smell, and different smells are discrete, rather than continuums). I also found the idea that technology is driving neoteny in humanity a fascinating idea (and think it could be true). On the other hand, I was far from convinced that Lanier actually knows what "neoteny" is, and there were definitely a number of times where he clearly used the word incorrectly. The theme of the book really is that his ideas for how technology should develop in the 1980s were amazing, and he's amazing, and everybody else, and reality, got it wrong, and now we're paying the price. At one point he talks about an early virtual reality experience, and then says how somebody in the room said; "I think this is probably the most interesting room in the world," and how 30 years later he still thinks that was true. I think it's a bitter book about sour grapes, and not really worth reading, despite the few interesting concepts.
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Outsider
- Ayatollah of Rock n' Rollah
- Posts: 1373
- Joined: 21 May 2003 21:30
- Location: Bridgewater, New Jersey
Re: The 2013 Book Challenge
Hey Jer,
Good review. I thought the bit about the neorology of smelling was interesting --- I think I'd heard this before, but its still interesting to be reminded of it. It is a surprising revelation, really, to think... the visual perception of a color is, of course, on a continuum, and different sounds are NOT discrete, they're on a continuum too (two continuums, I suppose, in both frequency and amplitude), and I imagine that that there might be a few discrete KINDS of touch-sense(like the difference between the sensation of touching something hot or cold vs. the sensation of surface textures), but that those various sensations are also on a continuum (touching something hot or cold is clearly on a continuum, but, it would seem, a difference continuum that touching something smooth or rough, wet or dry, etc...), but that odors are all so unique --- how could one even conceive of the small of mint and coffee and cinnamon and amonia be on a continuum? Just something interesting to think about today... Thanks. Also, I didn't know much about Neoteny until now. I was familiar with the concept, but didn't know the correct word for the idea. It reminds me of the old Star Trek episode "The Trouble with Tribbles" --- McCoy says something to like "as near as I can tell, they're BORN PREGNANT".
My own readings lately have been slow-going --- I started a big and difficult book and realized that I just didn't have the patience for it at this time --- I'll try it again much later. I picked-up another book that I'd always been curious about, but after many days I've only just now finished the introduction... it was educational, but I hope the rest of the book is better than the intro (technically, the book itself is NOT written by the author of the introduction, though I'm afraid that the author of the introduction's TRANSLATION will make the actual book itself much worse that an good translation might...)
Happily, I did just finish a BOOK-ON-TAPE (CD, or course, but I'm still kind of wedded to the old phrase "books on tape").
Does that count? I think I'll list it here under a different heading (letters instead of numbers), because I didn't actually READ it, but I think I'll be borrowing more "books on tape" from my library soon --- they're good for the occasional long drive, and my plans for this Spring include several long drives to nearby Jams and Tournaments
A. A Voyage Long And Strange: Rediscovering the New World --- Tony Horwitz
Basically, a few lessons on history and a bit of a travel-log too, as the author explores his own large gap in the history of the exploration and settlement of North America and the Carribean Islands. The notion is that most Americans know a little bit about Christopher Columbus, and they've all heard of The Pilgrims at Plymouth Rock, but don't really know much about the hundreds of years in-between (and also, the Vikings who preceded Columbus by about half a Millenium), but WHY are Columbus and Plymouth Rock so prominent in basic "American History" but not much else? So, he tells the storys and visits the areas in question, speaking to locals to find out what they know about the historic events that happened where they live now, and how they feel about that history, and, just, what those people and places are like today. The stories of the various characters like Cortez, Coronado, and DeSoto were fairly interesting, and the reading of the text was a little flat, but over-all I feel a little less ignorant about that history now, and WHY some of that history is taught and why some of it is mostly left-out of the lessons. I pulled that "book" off the shelf almost at random, and it was a decent choice.
Good review. I thought the bit about the neorology of smelling was interesting --- I think I'd heard this before, but its still interesting to be reminded of it. It is a surprising revelation, really, to think... the visual perception of a color is, of course, on a continuum, and different sounds are NOT discrete, they're on a continuum too (two continuums, I suppose, in both frequency and amplitude), and I imagine that that there might be a few discrete KINDS of touch-sense(like the difference between the sensation of touching something hot or cold vs. the sensation of surface textures), but that those various sensations are also on a continuum (touching something hot or cold is clearly on a continuum, but, it would seem, a difference continuum that touching something smooth or rough, wet or dry, etc...), but that odors are all so unique --- how could one even conceive of the small of mint and coffee and cinnamon and amonia be on a continuum? Just something interesting to think about today... Thanks. Also, I didn't know much about Neoteny until now. I was familiar with the concept, but didn't know the correct word for the idea. It reminds me of the old Star Trek episode "The Trouble with Tribbles" --- McCoy says something to like "as near as I can tell, they're BORN PREGNANT".
My own readings lately have been slow-going --- I started a big and difficult book and realized that I just didn't have the patience for it at this time --- I'll try it again much later. I picked-up another book that I'd always been curious about, but after many days I've only just now finished the introduction... it was educational, but I hope the rest of the book is better than the intro (technically, the book itself is NOT written by the author of the introduction, though I'm afraid that the author of the introduction's TRANSLATION will make the actual book itself much worse that an good translation might...)
Happily, I did just finish a BOOK-ON-TAPE (CD, or course, but I'm still kind of wedded to the old phrase "books on tape").
Does that count? I think I'll list it here under a different heading (letters instead of numbers), because I didn't actually READ it, but I think I'll be borrowing more "books on tape" from my library soon --- they're good for the occasional long drive, and my plans for this Spring include several long drives to nearby Jams and Tournaments
A. A Voyage Long And Strange: Rediscovering the New World --- Tony Horwitz
Basically, a few lessons on history and a bit of a travel-log too, as the author explores his own large gap in the history of the exploration and settlement of North America and the Carribean Islands. The notion is that most Americans know a little bit about Christopher Columbus, and they've all heard of The Pilgrims at Plymouth Rock, but don't really know much about the hundreds of years in-between (and also, the Vikings who preceded Columbus by about half a Millenium), but WHY are Columbus and Plymouth Rock so prominent in basic "American History" but not much else? So, he tells the storys and visits the areas in question, speaking to locals to find out what they know about the historic events that happened where they live now, and how they feel about that history, and, just, what those people and places are like today. The stories of the various characters like Cortez, Coronado, and DeSoto were fairly interesting, and the reading of the text was a little flat, but over-all I feel a little less ignorant about that history now, and WHY some of that history is taught and why some of it is mostly left-out of the lessons. I pulled that "book" off the shelf almost at random, and it was a decent choice.
"The time has come to convert the unbelievers..."
Jonathan Schneider --- sometimes showers with his Lavers on (to clean them)
The Ministry of Silly Walks
NYFA
BAP
Jonathan Schneider --- sometimes showers with his Lavers on (to clean them)
The Ministry of Silly Walks
NYFA
BAP
Re: The 2013 Book Challenge
Thanks Jon! I've considered listening to some audiobooks lately, since my job is a little mundane, but I've been mainly listening to lectures on youtube instead 
1. The Neighbourhood Project: Using Evolution to Improve My City, One Block at a Time by David Sloan Wilson - 390pp.
2. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen - 272pp [ebook - google]
3. The Harvard Medical School Guide to Healthy Eating During Pregnancy by W. Allan Walker - 241pp [ebook pdf]
4. You Are Not a Gadget: A Manifesto by Jaron Lanier - 192pp
5. The Colour of Magic by Terry Pratchett - 288pp [ebook - google]
I've read this (and most of Discworld) before, but I think I read this particular one in 1998 and haven't read it again since. I was just browsing google books late at night, saw it and decided to reread it. I find with a lot of Terry Pratchett books, they have a large amount of obscure cultural references, and rereading them years later often reveals things that you missed last time. This was the case here, and I found this an enjoyable read. I think Discworld books definitely get better over time, before reaching a plateau at about book 15 (or perhaps Small Gods, which I think is 13), but the earlier ones are still fun, if a bit loose.
1. The Neighbourhood Project: Using Evolution to Improve My City, One Block at a Time by David Sloan Wilson - 390pp.
2. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen - 272pp [ebook - google]
3. The Harvard Medical School Guide to Healthy Eating During Pregnancy by W. Allan Walker - 241pp [ebook pdf]
4. You Are Not a Gadget: A Manifesto by Jaron Lanier - 192pp
5. The Colour of Magic by Terry Pratchett - 288pp [ebook - google]
I've read this (and most of Discworld) before, but I think I read this particular one in 1998 and haven't read it again since. I was just browsing google books late at night, saw it and decided to reread it. I find with a lot of Terry Pratchett books, they have a large amount of obscure cultural references, and rereading them years later often reveals things that you missed last time. This was the case here, and I found this an enjoyable read. I think Discworld books definitely get better over time, before reaching a plateau at about book 15 (or perhaps Small Gods, which I think is 13), but the earlier ones are still fun, if a bit loose.
Re: The 2013 Book Challenge
1. A Life of Picasso: 1907-1917 by John Richardson 500pg
2. A Life of Picasso: 1917-1932 by John Richardson 592pg
3. Vertigo by W.G. Sebald 263pg
4. Train Dreams by Denis Johnson 116pg
5. Pastoralia by George Saunders 188pg
6. Campo Santo by W.G. Sebald 221pg
7. The Success and Failure of Picasso by John Berger 210pg
8. CivilWarLand in Bad Decline by George Saunders 179pg
9. Austerlitz by W.G. Sebald 298pg
10. Quick Studies: The Best of Lingua Franca edited by Alexander Star 512pg
11. The Man of Feeling by Javier Marias 182pg
12. How Fiction Works by James Wood 265pg
Also heard of this through Michael Silverblatt's Bookworm radio program. Overall very good. I well written overview about how fiction is constructed by a pretty good book reviewer. I frequently read (and agree with) Wood in the New Yorker so I figured the book was worth a go. And it was.
Jeremy, I tried to read You Are Not a Gadget a year or so ago and gave up about halfway through. "I'm not really even sure what this book is supposed to be about," is exactly how I felt about it. I really just think it was poorly written and poorly edited and very jumbled up. Maybe there were some interesting ideas in there? But who knows.
2. A Life of Picasso: 1917-1932 by John Richardson 592pg
3. Vertigo by W.G. Sebald 263pg
4. Train Dreams by Denis Johnson 116pg
5. Pastoralia by George Saunders 188pg
6. Campo Santo by W.G. Sebald 221pg
7. The Success and Failure of Picasso by John Berger 210pg
8. CivilWarLand in Bad Decline by George Saunders 179pg
9. Austerlitz by W.G. Sebald 298pg
10. Quick Studies: The Best of Lingua Franca edited by Alexander Star 512pg
11. The Man of Feeling by Javier Marias 182pg
12. How Fiction Works by James Wood 265pg
Also heard of this through Michael Silverblatt's Bookworm radio program. Overall very good. I well written overview about how fiction is constructed by a pretty good book reviewer. I frequently read (and agree with) Wood in the New Yorker so I figured the book was worth a go. And it was.
Jeremy, I tried to read You Are Not a Gadget a year or so ago and gave up about halfway through. "I'm not really even sure what this book is supposed to be about," is exactly how I felt about it. I really just think it was poorly written and poorly edited and very jumbled up. Maybe there were some interesting ideas in there? But who knows.
Danny P.
Re: The 2013 Book Challenge
1. A Life of Picasso: 1907-1917 by John Richardson 500pg
2. A Life of Picasso: 1917-1932 by John Richardson 592pg
3. Vertigo by W.G. Sebald 263pg
4. Train Dreams by Denis Johnson 116pg
5. Pastoralia by George Saunders 188pg
6. Campo Santo by W.G. Sebald 221pg
7. The Success and Failure of Picasso by John Berger 210pg
8. CivilWarLand in Bad Decline by George Saunders 179pg
9. Austerlitz by W.G. Sebald 298pg
10. Quick Studies: The Best of Lingua Franca edited by Alexander Star 512pg
11. The Man of Feeling by Javier Marias 182pg
12. How Fiction Works by James Wood 265pg
13. Leaving the Atocha Station by Ben Lerner 181pg
A reread from last year.
Enjoyed it even more this year.
2. A Life of Picasso: 1917-1932 by John Richardson 592pg
3. Vertigo by W.G. Sebald 263pg
4. Train Dreams by Denis Johnson 116pg
5. Pastoralia by George Saunders 188pg
6. Campo Santo by W.G. Sebald 221pg
7. The Success and Failure of Picasso by John Berger 210pg
8. CivilWarLand in Bad Decline by George Saunders 179pg
9. Austerlitz by W.G. Sebald 298pg
10. Quick Studies: The Best of Lingua Franca edited by Alexander Star 512pg
11. The Man of Feeling by Javier Marias 182pg
12. How Fiction Works by James Wood 265pg
13. Leaving the Atocha Station by Ben Lerner 181pg
A reread from last year.
Enjoyed it even more this year.
Danny P.
Re: The 2013 Book Challenge
1) The Rich and the Rest of Us: A Poverty Manifesto by Tavis Smiley and Cornel West 203 pg.
2) Harvest of Empire: A History of Latinos in America by Juan Gonzalez 346 pg.
3) Whole Self/Whole World: Quality of Life in the 21st Century by Eric Gerinke 119 pg.
4) Democracy Matters: Winning the Fight Against Imperialism by Cornel West 219 pg.
5) Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs: A Low Culture Manifesto by Chuck Klosterman 245 pg.
This was a very unlikely read for me. It felt like reality TV in that it was self-indulgent and based on American pop-culture for the most part. That is not to say that I didn't enjoy the book. He definitely has a way with words and his trains of thought are very amusing to follow. I just thought of this as a break from what I usually read. It was nice though felt a little bit like a waste of time.
2) Harvest of Empire: A History of Latinos in America by Juan Gonzalez 346 pg.
3) Whole Self/Whole World: Quality of Life in the 21st Century by Eric Gerinke 119 pg.
4) Democracy Matters: Winning the Fight Against Imperialism by Cornel West 219 pg.
5) Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs: A Low Culture Manifesto by Chuck Klosterman 245 pg.
This was a very unlikely read for me. It felt like reality TV in that it was self-indulgent and based on American pop-culture for the most part. That is not to say that I didn't enjoy the book. He definitely has a way with words and his trains of thought are very amusing to follow. I just thought of this as a break from what I usually read. It was nice though felt a little bit like a waste of time.
Nick Pasquarello
Shred on
Shred on
-
bigdirtyfoot
- Sloppy
- Posts: 3142
- Joined: 22 Apr 2002 12:30
- Location: NC
Re: The 2013 Book Challenge
4. Mona Lisa Overdrive, William Gibson, 308 pg.
This is the final book in Gibson's "Sprawl Trilogy," taking place fifteen years after "Neuromancer" and eight years after "Count Zero." As with the other books in the trilogy, it features three interconnected plot lines and sets of characters that join up near the end. "Mona Lisa Overdrive" includes characters from its two predecessors and nicely ties up the trilogy, while leaving a lot up to interpretation.
By the time I read this book, I felt familiar with Gibson's prose. His style can be a bit thick and self-referential, although this proves to be a good thing if the reader sticks with it. Rather than being spoon-fed the events of the book, every once and a while things made sense and I experienced an "aha" moment. It can be a bit like learning a foreign language - the rewarding feeling of understanding a section, although fleeting, makes up for the confusion during the rest of the book. I am quite amazed at Gibson's ability to create a unique world like the Sprawl, which contains so many interesting characters and thrilling events. I can't wait to read the rest of his work, and would suggest this trilogy for any science fiction fan.
I don't believe that these books need to be read in order, although it does help from a timeline perspective. Things that happen in the first book could help readers understand the events and characters' actions that occur in the second two books. But each book stands on its own and would be a great introduction to Gibson.
This is the final book in Gibson's "Sprawl Trilogy," taking place fifteen years after "Neuromancer" and eight years after "Count Zero." As with the other books in the trilogy, it features three interconnected plot lines and sets of characters that join up near the end. "Mona Lisa Overdrive" includes characters from its two predecessors and nicely ties up the trilogy, while leaving a lot up to interpretation.
By the time I read this book, I felt familiar with Gibson's prose. His style can be a bit thick and self-referential, although this proves to be a good thing if the reader sticks with it. Rather than being spoon-fed the events of the book, every once and a while things made sense and I experienced an "aha" moment. It can be a bit like learning a foreign language - the rewarding feeling of understanding a section, although fleeting, makes up for the confusion during the rest of the book. I am quite amazed at Gibson's ability to create a unique world like the Sprawl, which contains so many interesting characters and thrilling events. I can't wait to read the rest of his work, and would suggest this trilogy for any science fiction fan.
I don't believe that these books need to be read in order, although it does help from a timeline perspective. Things that happen in the first book could help readers understand the events and characters' actions that occur in the second two books. But each book stands on its own and would be a great introduction to Gibson.
-
bigdirtyfoot
- Sloppy
- Posts: 3142
- Joined: 22 Apr 2002 12:30
- Location: NC
Re: The 2013 Book Challenge
5. Lysergic, Krystle Cole, 190 pg.
Without going into Krystle Cole's background too much (I would suggest watching the Underground LSD Palace YouTube video for more on her unique life experiences), "Lysergic" is a book about her involvement with LSD manufacturers for the Brotherhood of Eternal Love back in the late '90s and early 2000s. Cole grew up in Kansas with very little and met Todd Skinner, one of the involved chemists, at a strip club where she was temporarily employed. Cole had no experience with psychedelics when Skinner insisted she try MDMA, which turned out to be a life-changing journey for her and led her onto a psychedelic path. In "Lysergic" she sheds light on many of her personal experiences with a wide array of psychedelic compounds and explains the many complicated and confusing legal cases that this group of people were involved in. The second half of the book is a collection of letters Skinner sent to her following his arrest but before he was given a life sentence for kidnapping and assault with a deadly weapon.
I found Cole's explanation of telepathic experiences to be very moving and aligned with my own experiences. The variety of psychedelic compounds that she and Skinner took is quite amazing to me - Skinner's list fills four pages! Cole's writing style left a lot to be desired, as the book is riddled with spelling and grammatical mistakes. However, once I got into the flow of the book I found it to be a unique tale and enjoyed it. I would suggest this book to anyone interested in Krystle Cole's story.
Without going into Krystle Cole's background too much (I would suggest watching the Underground LSD Palace YouTube video for more on her unique life experiences), "Lysergic" is a book about her involvement with LSD manufacturers for the Brotherhood of Eternal Love back in the late '90s and early 2000s. Cole grew up in Kansas with very little and met Todd Skinner, one of the involved chemists, at a strip club where she was temporarily employed. Cole had no experience with psychedelics when Skinner insisted she try MDMA, which turned out to be a life-changing journey for her and led her onto a psychedelic path. In "Lysergic" she sheds light on many of her personal experiences with a wide array of psychedelic compounds and explains the many complicated and confusing legal cases that this group of people were involved in. The second half of the book is a collection of letters Skinner sent to her following his arrest but before he was given a life sentence for kidnapping and assault with a deadly weapon.
I found Cole's explanation of telepathic experiences to be very moving and aligned with my own experiences. The variety of psychedelic compounds that she and Skinner took is quite amazing to me - Skinner's list fills four pages! Cole's writing style left a lot to be desired, as the book is riddled with spelling and grammatical mistakes. However, once I got into the flow of the book I found it to be a unique tale and enjoyed it. I would suggest this book to anyone interested in Krystle Cole's story.
Re: The 2013 Book Challenge
1) The Rich and the Rest of Us: A Poverty Manifesto by Tavis Smiley and Cornel West 203 pg.
2) Harvest of Empire: A History of Latinos in America by Juan Gonzalez 346 pg.
3) Whole Self/Whole World: Quality of Life in the 21st Century by Eric Gerinke 119 pg.
4) Democracy Matters: Winning the Fight Against Imperialism by Cornel West 219 pg.
5) Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs: A Low Culture Manifesto by Chuck Klosterman 245 pg.
5) The Future of Life by Edward O. Wilson 189 pg.
E.O Wilson is great. He is a biologist and conservationist with a very long history. He discusses many things in this book including but not limited to overpopulation, biodiversity, species extinction, the human-nature connection, and (most importantly) that a sustainable future is possible and that (potentially) we and the rest of the earth are not doomed. This definitely isn't a light read for someone who doesn't have at least a basic understanding of biology as he uses some technical terms throughout, which I understood but could potentially confuse others. He does provide a glossary in the back just in case though.
The last 20 or so pages were a little difficult for me as they were basically just naming conservation NGOs and steps being taken to preserve biodiversity. I do like that he ended (literally, last page) with an ode to activists. He understands that opposition has to come from outside the political sphere and that it is essential. He definitely felt this only up to a certain point, however, arguing that it shouldn't go to the lengths of property destruction, etc. I'm definitely not an all-out advocate for groups like the Earth Liberation Front (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth_Liberation_Front) or anything, but I disagreed that civil disobedience alone will lead the way. IMO there may have to be more serious measures taken, especially considering how far we have come and how far we need to go (the book was written in 2001 and a lot of the problems observed are far from being remedied).
2) Harvest of Empire: A History of Latinos in America by Juan Gonzalez 346 pg.
3) Whole Self/Whole World: Quality of Life in the 21st Century by Eric Gerinke 119 pg.
4) Democracy Matters: Winning the Fight Against Imperialism by Cornel West 219 pg.
5) Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs: A Low Culture Manifesto by Chuck Klosterman 245 pg.
5) The Future of Life by Edward O. Wilson 189 pg.
E.O Wilson is great. He is a biologist and conservationist with a very long history. He discusses many things in this book including but not limited to overpopulation, biodiversity, species extinction, the human-nature connection, and (most importantly) that a sustainable future is possible and that (potentially) we and the rest of the earth are not doomed. This definitely isn't a light read for someone who doesn't have at least a basic understanding of biology as he uses some technical terms throughout, which I understood but could potentially confuse others. He does provide a glossary in the back just in case though.
The last 20 or so pages were a little difficult for me as they were basically just naming conservation NGOs and steps being taken to preserve biodiversity. I do like that he ended (literally, last page) with an ode to activists. He understands that opposition has to come from outside the political sphere and that it is essential. He definitely felt this only up to a certain point, however, arguing that it shouldn't go to the lengths of property destruction, etc. I'm definitely not an all-out advocate for groups like the Earth Liberation Front (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth_Liberation_Front) or anything, but I disagreed that civil disobedience alone will lead the way. IMO there may have to be more serious measures taken, especially considering how far we have come and how far we need to go (the book was written in 2001 and a lot of the problems observed are far from being remedied).
Nick Pasquarello
Shred on
Shred on
-
Zac Miley
- Post Master General
- Posts: 5953
- Joined: 04 Jun 2006 12:11
- Location: Kansas City, MO
- Contact:
Re: The 2013 Book Challenge
1. A Dialogue on Personal Identity and Immortality, John Perry
2. Steppenwolf, Herman Hesse
3. The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald
4. A Farewell to Arms, Ernest Hemingway
5. The Unbearable Lightness of Being, Milan Kundera
6. The Fold/Leibniz and the Baroque, Gilles Deleuze
7. Diaries 1914-1923, Franz Kafka
8. Tao Te Ching, Lao-tzu
2. Steppenwolf, Herman Hesse
3. The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald
4. A Farewell to Arms, Ernest Hemingway
5. The Unbearable Lightness of Being, Milan Kundera
6. The Fold/Leibniz and the Baroque, Gilles Deleuze
7. Diaries 1914-1923, Franz Kafka
8. Tao Te Ching, Lao-tzu
Jay (8:06:01 PM): Bu-bu-buu-buug--Looks up, and the feeling goes away like a sneeze-bu-buuuh-BULLLSHITTT
Jay (8:06:14 PM): *wipes bellybutton*
Jay (8:06:14 PM): *wipes bellybutton*
-
Outsider
- Ayatollah of Rock n' Rollah
- Posts: 1373
- Joined: 21 May 2003 21:30
- Location: Bridgewater, New Jersey
Re: The 2013 Book Challenge
1. The Man in the White Sharkskin Suit - by - Lucette Lagnado
2. The Great Gatsby - by - F. Scott Fitzgerald
3. Rescuing Da Vinci - by - Robert M. Edsel
Was lent this book by a very attractive woman that I work with. We share an interest in art... but more-so, any book that she lends to me I am compelled to read because, you know, I've got a crush on her and I want any excuse to talk to her more about the book she lent me... (this one is the second book in THAT series -- on the bright side, they've both been really good, interesting and informative, and I never would have read them otherwise... It occurs to me that I'd get so much more reading done if more beautiful women were to say to me "here, read this.")
So, its a very nice coffee-table book full of photos, and some very interesting historical episodes. Basically, During the Second World War, art in many forms was a very valuable commodity for a variety of reasons. Hitler and Herman Goering, in particular, were eager collectors of art, again for several reasons. So, with Europe basically packed FULL of valuable and important art (and architecture, and the various adornments of some buildings, like statuary and stained-glass windows), alot of art got moved around alot just prior to, and during, and just after, the war. Art was moved before the war, when invasions seemed imminent, to prevent artwork from being damaged in the conflict, and to keep the work out of the hands of the invaders (the Mona Lisa was moved, in secret, all over France for years...). Some art was ENTOMBED in brick and sand and wood, etc., when it couldn't be moved (like Da Vinci's "Last Supper" -- its a fresco, painted onto a wall -- ya can't move the whole wall, so, build a wooden scaffold in front of the wall, fill it with sandbags, and hope no big bombs score a direct hit...) Some major works, while not technically immobile, are pretty much just to damn big and valuable to try moving, like Michaelangelo's David, so, they just built a cylindrical domed brick building right around it and several others like it... Pretty cool photos.
More than a million works of art were "confiscated" and moved around. Many train-loads hauled huge hoards of objects, many of which were stashed in mines. After the war, these caches were searched out and moved to new locations to be inventoried and returned to rightful owners. The US Army had a special corp of art history professors cum officers who's job it was to catalog, research, and arrange transportation of these vast troves of art. Say what you will about the morality of the Nazis and the Americans, but the massive scale of the looting and theft by the Nazis as a conquering army was pretty-much unprecedented in its scale, almost everywhere they went they tried to scrape those places bare of their art and cultural heritage either for the sake of greed or simply in an effort to annihilate the culture of their enemies (that whole "scorched-earth" thing... those guys were assholes!), and the Americans (and British) made a completely unprecedented effort to right the wrongs of the Nazis. I mean, probably never before had a conquering army (the Allies -- mostly the USA) collected such huge spoils of war and given them back. Sure there would have been an outcry if they hadn't, but, I mean, the scale of the give-back, the effort that they USA went to to quickly collect and return such massive amounts of booty... surely nothing like that had ever been done before. Its worth noting that the Russians got their hands on alot of that stuff too, and kept it for themselves -- at least for many decades. Perhaps its understandable, considering how much they suffered -- 25 million Russians dead, and so much of their culture deliberately destroyed by the Nazis... they wanted something in return. I don't really blame them. On the other hand, the Soviet leadership never really seemed like the type of people who were likely to play fairly with anybody that they had a big advantage over unless it offered some kind of political/propaganda gain.
Anyway, an interesting book artistically, historically, etc. Photos of type-written orders signed by General Eisenhower and General Omar Bradley instructing their subordinate to try to protect historically/artistically valuable building and objects when at all possible were interesting to actually SEE, rather then just read about. Interesting to think, on the other hand, that the Nazis stole, packaged-up, moved, and hid away in mines big stained-glass windows from old cathedrals all over Europe. Presumably, they stole these windows for their artistic/historic/cultural value because they made some damn-good spoils of war... On the other hand, six-hundred year old stained-glass windows must be pretty fragile -- I figure that that THEFT of those object and their storage in mines may have been the very thing that SAVED them from otherwise being destroyed by the fighting. Churches were sometimes major targets even for the Americans because they made great look-outs for German artillery directors and snipers.
And then there's the fire-bombing of Dresden... not really covered in this book at all except for one interesting photo. So, that's another topic...
Apparently George Clooney and maybe Mark Wahlberg have a movie in the works called "The Monuments Men" about this very topic -- "Monuments Men" was also a nick-name for that special army corp of art experts.
2. The Great Gatsby - by - F. Scott Fitzgerald
3. Rescuing Da Vinci - by - Robert M. Edsel
Was lent this book by a very attractive woman that I work with. We share an interest in art... but more-so, any book that she lends to me I am compelled to read because, you know, I've got a crush on her and I want any excuse to talk to her more about the book she lent me... (this one is the second book in THAT series -- on the bright side, they've both been really good, interesting and informative, and I never would have read them otherwise... It occurs to me that I'd get so much more reading done if more beautiful women were to say to me "here, read this.")
So, its a very nice coffee-table book full of photos, and some very interesting historical episodes. Basically, During the Second World War, art in many forms was a very valuable commodity for a variety of reasons. Hitler and Herman Goering, in particular, were eager collectors of art, again for several reasons. So, with Europe basically packed FULL of valuable and important art (and architecture, and the various adornments of some buildings, like statuary and stained-glass windows), alot of art got moved around alot just prior to, and during, and just after, the war. Art was moved before the war, when invasions seemed imminent, to prevent artwork from being damaged in the conflict, and to keep the work out of the hands of the invaders (the Mona Lisa was moved, in secret, all over France for years...). Some art was ENTOMBED in brick and sand and wood, etc., when it couldn't be moved (like Da Vinci's "Last Supper" -- its a fresco, painted onto a wall -- ya can't move the whole wall, so, build a wooden scaffold in front of the wall, fill it with sandbags, and hope no big bombs score a direct hit...) Some major works, while not technically immobile, are pretty much just to damn big and valuable to try moving, like Michaelangelo's David, so, they just built a cylindrical domed brick building right around it and several others like it... Pretty cool photos.
More than a million works of art were "confiscated" and moved around. Many train-loads hauled huge hoards of objects, many of which were stashed in mines. After the war, these caches were searched out and moved to new locations to be inventoried and returned to rightful owners. The US Army had a special corp of art history professors cum officers who's job it was to catalog, research, and arrange transportation of these vast troves of art. Say what you will about the morality of the Nazis and the Americans, but the massive scale of the looting and theft by the Nazis as a conquering army was pretty-much unprecedented in its scale, almost everywhere they went they tried to scrape those places bare of their art and cultural heritage either for the sake of greed or simply in an effort to annihilate the culture of their enemies (that whole "scorched-earth" thing... those guys were assholes!), and the Americans (and British) made a completely unprecedented effort to right the wrongs of the Nazis. I mean, probably never before had a conquering army (the Allies -- mostly the USA) collected such huge spoils of war and given them back. Sure there would have been an outcry if they hadn't, but, I mean, the scale of the give-back, the effort that they USA went to to quickly collect and return such massive amounts of booty... surely nothing like that had ever been done before. Its worth noting that the Russians got their hands on alot of that stuff too, and kept it for themselves -- at least for many decades. Perhaps its understandable, considering how much they suffered -- 25 million Russians dead, and so much of their culture deliberately destroyed by the Nazis... they wanted something in return. I don't really blame them. On the other hand, the Soviet leadership never really seemed like the type of people who were likely to play fairly with anybody that they had a big advantage over unless it offered some kind of political/propaganda gain.
Anyway, an interesting book artistically, historically, etc. Photos of type-written orders signed by General Eisenhower and General Omar Bradley instructing their subordinate to try to protect historically/artistically valuable building and objects when at all possible were interesting to actually SEE, rather then just read about. Interesting to think, on the other hand, that the Nazis stole, packaged-up, moved, and hid away in mines big stained-glass windows from old cathedrals all over Europe. Presumably, they stole these windows for their artistic/historic/cultural value because they made some damn-good spoils of war... On the other hand, six-hundred year old stained-glass windows must be pretty fragile -- I figure that that THEFT of those object and their storage in mines may have been the very thing that SAVED them from otherwise being destroyed by the fighting. Churches were sometimes major targets even for the Americans because they made great look-outs for German artillery directors and snipers.
And then there's the fire-bombing of Dresden... not really covered in this book at all except for one interesting photo. So, that's another topic...
Apparently George Clooney and maybe Mark Wahlberg have a movie in the works called "The Monuments Men" about this very topic -- "Monuments Men" was also a nick-name for that special army corp of art experts.
"The time has come to convert the unbelievers..."
Jonathan Schneider --- sometimes showers with his Lavers on (to clean them)
The Ministry of Silly Walks
NYFA
BAP
Jonathan Schneider --- sometimes showers with his Lavers on (to clean them)
The Ministry of Silly Walks
NYFA
BAP
-
Zac Miley
- Post Master General
- Posts: 5953
- Joined: 04 Jun 2006 12:11
- Location: Kansas City, MO
- Contact:
Re: The 2013 Book Challenge
Relevant documentary for you, Jon, called 'The Rape of Europa'.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0997088/
edit: and good luck with the lady.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0997088/
edit: and good luck with the lady.
Jay (8:06:01 PM): Bu-bu-buu-buug--Looks up, and the feeling goes away like a sneeze-bu-buuuh-BULLLSHITTT
Jay (8:06:14 PM): *wipes bellybutton*
Jay (8:06:14 PM): *wipes bellybutton*
Re: The 2013 Book Challenge
1. A Life of Picasso: 1907-1917 by John Richardson 500pg
2. A Life of Picasso: 1917-1932 by John Richardson 592pg
3. Vertigo by W.G. Sebald 263pg
4. Train Dreams by Denis Johnson 116pg
5. Pastoralia by George Saunders 188pg
6. Campo Santo by W.G. Sebald 221pg
7. The Success and Failure of Picasso by John Berger 210pg
8. CivilWarLand in Bad Decline by George Saunders 179pg
9. Austerlitz by W.G. Sebald 298pg
10. Quick Studies: The Best of Lingua Franca edited by Alexander Star 512pg
11. The Man of Feeling by Javier Marias 182pg
12. How Fiction Works by James Wood 265pg
13. Leaving the Atocha Station by Ben Lerner 181pg
14. The Unknown Matisse: The Early Years 1869-1908 by Hilary Spurling 480pg
15. Gargoyles by Thomas Bernhard 208pg
16. On the Natural History of Destruction by W.G. Sebald 202pg
17. The Code of the Woosters by P.G. Wodehouse 286pg
18. At the Mind’s Limits by Jean Amery 111pg
Spring break reading.
2. A Life of Picasso: 1917-1932 by John Richardson 592pg
3. Vertigo by W.G. Sebald 263pg
4. Train Dreams by Denis Johnson 116pg
5. Pastoralia by George Saunders 188pg
6. Campo Santo by W.G. Sebald 221pg
7. The Success and Failure of Picasso by John Berger 210pg
8. CivilWarLand in Bad Decline by George Saunders 179pg
9. Austerlitz by W.G. Sebald 298pg
10. Quick Studies: The Best of Lingua Franca edited by Alexander Star 512pg
11. The Man of Feeling by Javier Marias 182pg
12. How Fiction Works by James Wood 265pg
13. Leaving the Atocha Station by Ben Lerner 181pg
14. The Unknown Matisse: The Early Years 1869-1908 by Hilary Spurling 480pg
15. Gargoyles by Thomas Bernhard 208pg
16. On the Natural History of Destruction by W.G. Sebald 202pg
17. The Code of the Woosters by P.G. Wodehouse 286pg
18. At the Mind’s Limits by Jean Amery 111pg
Spring break reading.
Danny P.
Re: The 2013 Book Challenge
1. The Neighbourhood Project: Using Evolution to Improve My City, One Block at a Time by David Sloan Wilson - 390pp.
2. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen - 272pp [ebook - google]
3. The Harvard Medical School Guide to Healthy Eating During Pregnancy by W. Allan Walker - 241pp [ebook pdf]
4. You Are Not a Gadget: A Manifesto by Jaron Lanier - 192pp
5. The Colour of Magic by Terry Pratchett - 288pp [ebook - google]
6. Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens - 437pp
Another book in my literature quest. Like P&P I found this much easier to read than I was expecting, and feel silly now for having neglected Dickens until now. I think I started reading a couple of books (this and Tale of Two Cities) when I was younger, but didn't get very far. Anyway I thoroughly enjoyed this. I had a reasonable idea of the plot from having seen the silent film and the one with Alec Guinness, although there was a large section of the plot that I didn't remember (because I don't think they're in the movies). The book is very funny, which was a surprise, and the atmosphere is incredible, especially Oliver's early experience in the slums of London. I think this was the best description of the disgusting underbelly of a city that I've read, at least in fiction (Mike Davis' Planet of Slums might be better, but some of the horror comes from knowing it's true). I did find Oliver a bit annoying in his purity. In fact he came across as a little stupid, and also it was a bit hard to believe that somebody could grow up in such squalor while being so opposed to theft for the sake of survival (in fact Oliver repeatedly says he'd rather die than steal trinkets from the rich). Given his eventual lineage, it did feel a little like a comment was being made about the heritability of good and evil (although, without giving too much away, obviously the conclusion demonstrates otherwise). I thought Nancy was the real hero of the book. Anyway a really fun read, and highly recommended.
2. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen - 272pp [ebook - google]
3. The Harvard Medical School Guide to Healthy Eating During Pregnancy by W. Allan Walker - 241pp [ebook pdf]
4. You Are Not a Gadget: A Manifesto by Jaron Lanier - 192pp
5. The Colour of Magic by Terry Pratchett - 288pp [ebook - google]
6. Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens - 437pp
Another book in my literature quest. Like P&P I found this much easier to read than I was expecting, and feel silly now for having neglected Dickens until now. I think I started reading a couple of books (this and Tale of Two Cities) when I was younger, but didn't get very far. Anyway I thoroughly enjoyed this. I had a reasonable idea of the plot from having seen the silent film and the one with Alec Guinness, although there was a large section of the plot that I didn't remember (because I don't think they're in the movies). The book is very funny, which was a surprise, and the atmosphere is incredible, especially Oliver's early experience in the slums of London. I think this was the best description of the disgusting underbelly of a city that I've read, at least in fiction (Mike Davis' Planet of Slums might be better, but some of the horror comes from knowing it's true). I did find Oliver a bit annoying in his purity. In fact he came across as a little stupid, and also it was a bit hard to believe that somebody could grow up in such squalor while being so opposed to theft for the sake of survival (in fact Oliver repeatedly says he'd rather die than steal trinkets from the rich). Given his eventual lineage, it did feel a little like a comment was being made about the heritability of good and evil (although, without giving too much away, obviously the conclusion demonstrates otherwise). I thought Nancy was the real hero of the book. Anyway a really fun read, and highly recommended.
-
bigdirtyfoot
- Sloppy
- Posts: 3142
- Joined: 22 Apr 2002 12:30
- Location: NC
Re: The 2013 Book Challenge
6. Gonzo Papers, Vol. 2: Generation of Swine - Tales of Shame and Degradation in the '80s, Hunter S. Thompson, 313 pg.
This book includes various selections from HST's work during the '80s. Politics, violence, gambling, tom foolery, sporting events, etc. The usual HST stuff. Although it was better than a lot of what is out there, when compared to the rest of his books it seemed to fall short. Maybe that's because the '80s didn't provide much that was worth writing about. Having been born in the mid-eighties, I can't really say. However, I just didn't like this one as much as his other books. I definitely wouldn't recommend this to a Thompson-newbie, but for the completist, it's definitely worth a read.
This book includes various selections from HST's work during the '80s. Politics, violence, gambling, tom foolery, sporting events, etc. The usual HST stuff. Although it was better than a lot of what is out there, when compared to the rest of his books it seemed to fall short. Maybe that's because the '80s didn't provide much that was worth writing about. Having been born in the mid-eighties, I can't really say. However, I just didn't like this one as much as his other books. I definitely wouldn't recommend this to a Thompson-newbie, but for the completist, it's definitely worth a read.