Books

[mclaincausey]

The problem with Joyce is that, not only do you have to be educated in the classics (and I’ve forgotten a lot of that stuff), there is so much contextual reference to the time and place in which he was writing that it is very difficult to understand exactly what he means. Especially considering how there are so many layers of meaning and as you mention the nonlinear storytelling.

It’s a struggle at least for me. I wish it weren’t because he’s a beautiful writer.

[rfr1970]

@setandsetting , your advice seems reasonable. Thank you

[rfr1970]

@mclaincausey, that’s true… languages, history, politics, sociology,... nuances

[Matt]

@SKT tell me about it.

[setandsetting]

@mclaincausey said in Books:

The problem with Joyce is that, not only do you have to be educated in the classics (and I’ve forgotten a lot of that stuff), there is so much contextual reference to the time and place in which he was writing that it is very difficult to understand exactly what he means. Especially considering how there are so many layers of meaning and as you mention the nonlinear storytelling.

It’s a struggle at least for me. I wish it weren’t because he’s a beautiful writer.

Not to mention that he's making puns that require knowing multiple languages to understand.

[steelworker]

I liked Dubliners. As Mclain points out a classical education aids in reading but jokes about Irish politics of the time are over everybodys head today. If I'd tried reading Finnegan first I wouldn't have read a word of Dubliners

[rfr1970]

@steelworker Dubliners is a good read, wonderful stories.

[calxwinters]

Currently on a dark/gothic western kick, and just wrapped up McCarthy’s (RIP), Blood Meridian. Absolute masterpiece.

[tody]

Again, Deutsche Bahn is letting me down on a train ride back from Munich.
Reading the latest Stephen King novel, Fairy Tale. It starts very promising. I liked the one before, Billy Summers, a lot.
Also, CJ Tudor from the UK is an author I came to like a lot.

[SKT]

@tody ha, me too! About halfway through. I’m enjoying it so far.

[Tago Mago]

[tody]

@Tago-Mago Quite an exquisite patio table

[Nik]

Summer is a great opportunity to read fiction and get away from the usual work-related reading material of theatre, critical theory, and philosophy. I just finished Sophie Berrebi’s ‘The Sharing Economy’, Sean Thor Conroe’s ‘Fuccboi’ and Allison Rumfitt’s ‘Tell Me I’m Worthless’. ‘Fuccboi’ was fun and got better as the book went on even if I found the language a little cloying. Rumfitt’s book was a tough read. Super scary and violent, but felt daring and meaningful too. Berrebi’s book was my favourite of the bunch for its excavation of the self through desire and the art as context framing, but maybe that made it more familiar to the kind of academic stuff I’m used to. All of them recommended.

[doubletee]

Just finished up the first 2 Slough House books and then The Colorado Kid by Stephen King. All very enjoyable

[Tago Mago]

@tody it’s all we can afford right now . Gotta save up for the party

[SKT]

@Matt read The Ballad of Black Tom and enjoyed it. Anything else like that you might recommend?

@tody How did you end up liking Fairytale?

Just finished Caste and it was intense. I learned a lot.

[steelworker]

@doubletee liked the Herron books. There's an excellent series on Apple tv, Slow Horses with Gary Oldman in the Jackson Lamb role. Highly recommend. Season 3 out soon.

[tody]

@SKT Haven't finished it yet See my post in Random Rants, I had too much trouble going on in the last months to find the time to read.

[Giles]

@Tago-Mago said in Books:

I bought the book on the back of this post...,.

[goosehd]

@Giles Please tell me that a senior member of the forum such as yourself, hasn't just quoted a picture 8 7 posts up...

Edit: 7 posts up