Books
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Reading “The Dawn of Everything “ by Davids Graeber and Wengrow and can’t put it down. Makes you question a lot of our conventional wisdom around how humans can and have organize societies and calls into question the inevitability of our style of civilization.
This is a task that Ishmael by Daniel Quinn also excels at, though the former is much more evidence-based.
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Currently reading Cormac McCarthy's "The Road"
This has slid under my radar though I had read other works from him. The writing style is a bit boring after a few books...
Grim and dark. Have to take it in small doses because the writing does convey the doom and misery of the plot very well. -
I liked the westerns, didn't read The Road because it was doomy and miserable
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Have fun, @Giles
Re: Cormac, that's interesting — I've read Blood Meridian and The Road. I found the former to be really one of the most disturbing books I've ever read, and kind of woefully difficult to read; he was definitely going for a Faulknerian tone, and I didn't particularly enjoy the effort. The Road's definitely more grim, but I felt like there was an actual bit of hope in it, vs the scorched earth POV of Blood Meridian. Plus I liked the way his writing got much more economical in his older age.
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I love The Road and No Country for Old Men. I tried to read Blood Meridian years ago and the style seemed “indulgent”. I much prefer the more spare and propulsive style he uses in his later works as well. Regarding The Road, I read it when it was first published and then again years later after I became a father and it was even more powerful. I agree that there is hope in that dark story. Anyone read his two most recent books? @popvulture
@mclaincausey I had The Dawn of Everything checked out and didn’t get around to it. Is it along the lines of Sapiens(which I loved)?
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@SKT I haven't read any of his other than those two — I'll fully admit that it's not my usual zone when it comes to modern fiction. Definitely more of a George Saunders / Lorrie Moore / Jennifer Egan / Sam Lipsyte sort o' guy. I guess those writers are all pretty distinct but probably unified by dark-leaning humor. Always up for new recs!
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Which reminds me: I need to get this. I really loved his first book, The Nix.
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@popvulture I don’t have much for you regarding recommendations (though you should read No Country for Old Men it’s fantastic). After we had kids around 10 years ago I lost the will and brainpower to read anything other than Curious George and Richard Scarry. I’ve just really started reading more again since Covid probably. Been wanting to read Lincoln in the Bardo. Will check out the other authors you mentioned.
One other thing about McCarthy and Faulkner. I had to read Faulkner’s Absalom, Absalom! in college and hated it with such a burning passion that it pretty much killed my desire to read “dense” prose. I figure that’s why i never could get into Blood Meridian.
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@Giles he's a original
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@popvulture I felt like the hope in “The Road” felt tacked on and wasn’t necessary. Even as one holding that view, “Blood Meridian” is a bit too vile for me.
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@SKT yes it’s along those lines and he challenges Sapiens and other works along the way.
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I love Cormac McCarthy, but The Road felt overwritten and derivative to me. Not a popular opinion, I know, but I’ve read extensively in dystopian fiction and it just didn’t do it for me. Again, happy to be in the minority and I know lots of people who stare at me like I’ve gone mad when I share my opinion.
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Just finished a really good thriller.... The Island by Adrian McKinty
Next up: The Crossing. Cormac McCarthy. I can already taste the sand.
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This Miles Davis biographical graphic novel came with prints that I’ll probably frame up in a triptych and some vinyl. Just beautiful.
A shame that photo upload isn’t working.
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As I have a cat and love woolly jumpers, I need to learn how to darn woolly jumpers. This book isn’t about that, but came up in my searches and looked interesting. Not my kind of book usually, the notes on repairing denim just looked very cool, and the book is very nicely made. Only arrived this weekend, but I think I’ll enjoy looking through it.
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@TelemarkTumalo The Crossing is my favourite book… very underrated compared to his others!
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Just finished James Bridle's 'Ways of Being' about non-human forms of intelligence including animals and AI, making ar argument for solidarity and the building of things like wildlife corridors using gps data to encourage biodiversity. One startling story was about an old trial in the 16th C (I think) where a pig was found guilty of murder but her piglets were let off because of their age.
