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What's the best book with a love story at its center that came out this decade? Preferably one that includes the initial meeting of the characters
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Apr 19, 2016 16:05
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Ras Het posted:im reading Andrzej Stasiuk's travel book of all the greatest shitholes of Southeastern Europe Actually this reminds me, anyone got decent travel lit recommendations for me? I'm going on a big trip relatively soon and I'm really lame and like to read stuff about people traveling while I'm traveling
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Apr 19, 2016 16:07
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DoctorG0nzo posted:I don't think pop culture references are automatically terrible. Was it a bit clunky? Yeah. But, whatever. Is that the only part of the passage you had issue with? I think that's the only part that's really toeing the line of "bad", I'd call the rest mediocre and relatively entertaining. Its adorable you think our issue with the passage is a puritan revulsion to sex. Homie, we read Peter Nadas in here. This ain't poo poo. Also, its not bad because its a pop culture reference, its bad because its a pop culture reference that wholly replaces meaningful descriptive language in a way that is entirely inorganic. Its also tonally jarring. A literary description of an orgasm should evoke orgasm. It should build and climax. This is clunky and overwrought. There is no empathy in the reader. Also toe knuckle is an ugly word
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Apr 19, 2016 16:07
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DoctorG0nzo posted:Actually this reminds me, anyone got decent travel lit recommendations for me? I'm going on a big trip relatively soon and I'm really lame and like to read stuff about people traveling while I'm traveling Bill Bryson's Travels in a Sunburned Land and Walk in the Woods are both good, but shallow and hilarious. Not sure if you're looking for something more impactful
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Apr 19, 2016 16:10
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Mel Mudkiper posted:Its adorable you think our issue with the passage is a puritan revulsion to sex. Homie, we read Peter Nadas in here. This ain't poo poo. Sorry for assuming. I've gotten used to talking to people with an attitude that sex in literature is automatically in "eww bad writing" territory. Your issues with it do make a lot of sense. I'd argue that the empathy being invoked in this case is more in terms of the protagonist being an awkward weirdo who's stumbled into sex, which the writing reflects. A more serious, "orgasmic" buildup wouldn't make sense and would be inconsistent with the book's tone. I definitely see why Stephenson's not for everyone, particularly in a "real literature" thread - it's very goofy and nerdy and sometimes obnoxious. Definitely a guilty pleasure, but I'm a fan nonetheless
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Apr 19, 2016 16:10
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DoctorG0nzo posted:Definitely a guilty pleasure, but I'm a fan nonetheless your opinion is bad and wrong sorry
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Apr 19, 2016 16:13
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Mel Mudkiper posted:your opinion is bad and wrong sorry Ugh yeah baby tell me I'm filth
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Apr 19, 2016 16:15
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blue squares posted:Bill Bryson's Travels in a Sunburned Land and Walk in the Woods are both good, but shallow and hilarious. Not sure if you're looking for something more impactful Shallow and hilarious is fine, I'm the guy defending Neal Stephenson after all, but if there are any impactful recommendations I'm certainly down for those as well
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Apr 19, 2016 16:16
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My issue is mostly with the phrase "toe knuckle" tbqh
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Apr 19, 2016 16:16
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DoctorG0nzo posted:Actually this reminds me, anyone got decent travel lit recommendations for me? I'm going on a big trip relatively soon and I'm really lame and like to read stuff about people traveling while I'm traveling America by Baudrillard and that other Laurence Sterne one that isn't Tristram Shandy
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Apr 19, 2016 16:16
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DoctorG0nzo posted:Shallow and hilarious is fine, I'm the guy defending Neal Stephenson after all, but if there are any impactful recommendations I'm certainly down for those as well where are you travelling? I usually like to read about the places and cultures I'm travelling in when I travel
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Apr 19, 2016 16:18
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DoctorG0nzo posted:Shallow and hilarious is fine, I'm the guy defending Neal Stephenson after all, but if there are any impactful recommendations I'm certainly down for those as well Oh wait did you mean books about journeys or books you'll find in the Travel section of your bookstore?
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Apr 19, 2016 16:19
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corn in the fridge posted:where are you travelling? I usually like to read about the places and cultures I'm travelling in when I travel The UK, starting in Ireland, hitting Scotland and England too. First time out of the US. And I mean books about travelling, not travel guides. Like road novels.
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Apr 19, 2016 16:22
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DoctorG0nzo posted:The UK, starting in Ireland, hitting Scotland and England too. First time out of the US. oh i live in the uk and i honestly can't think of anything interesting or intrinsic to the isles although im sure there must be loads. Watching the English by Kate Fox is a cute little sociological look at what makes the English English if you're up for some non fiction
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Apr 19, 2016 16:38
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While in Ireland read Flann O'Brien and while in th UK don't read anything because no one has written anything good on this stupid island for like 200 years.
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Apr 19, 2016 16:50
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corn in the fridge posted:a cute little sociological look at what makes the English English repression and empire?
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Apr 19, 2016 16:54
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I've been thinking about checking out O'Brien. His stuff is supposed to be pretty dense but if I read and mostly got Ulysses will I be fine? Also, what's a good spot to start with him? I've only heard much about At Swim-Two-Birds. Haven't heard about Watching the English, but I'll check that out, thanks
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Apr 19, 2016 17:42
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watching the english si good, bryson's books are good, paul theroux is good, when he's not annoying, coling thubron is good, naipaul's among the blievers should be good if terribly cranky, but if you've read theroux, that shouldn't bother you. the best travel book i've read though, is Ma Jian's Red Dust: A Path Through China: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/92325.Red_Dust
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Apr 19, 2016 18:46
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Ras Het posted:im reading Andrzej Stasiuk's travel book of all the greatest shitholes of Southeastern Europe do you like it? it's been on my radar for a while, and southeastern europe should be worse than northeastern europe, and i'm all for feeling smug for once.
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Apr 19, 2016 18:47
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For travelling in England read The Rings of Saturn by Sebald and in general read Chatwin for example In Patagonia.
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Apr 19, 2016 18:52
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Tree Goat posted:like the famous “jump into hyperspace” scene from Star Wars. Man thanks to the post this was responding to I thought all you guys were talking about Galapagos by Vonnegut and I was like "Wow he must have gotten awful with age  "
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Apr 19, 2016 18:53
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Also I'm reading scifi and fantasy now because I have a fever and even that is difficult to follow, but I had to read that Stephenson quote three or four times to understand what the hell he's talking about
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Apr 19, 2016 18:53
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true.spoon posted:For travelling in England read The Rings of Saturn by Sebald and in general read Chatwin for example In Patagonia. Good suggestions as well!
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Apr 19, 2016 18:53
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DoctorG0nzo posted:I've been thinking about checking out O'Brien. His stuff is supposed to be pretty dense but if I read and mostly got Ulysses will I be fine? Also, what's a good spot to start with him? I've only heard much about At Swim-Two-Birds. I would describe O'Brien's stuff as anything but "dense," certainly nowhere near the level of Ulysses, even though people tend to draw a lot of comparisons between him and Joyce. At Swim-Two-Birds is a genuinely fun and hilarious read. A bit tougher than, oh, Three Men in a Boat or anything by Oscar Wilde, but nevertheless a page-turner that happens to conceal some jaw-dropping depths. The Third Policeman is bleaker but, again, awfully funny.
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Apr 19, 2016 19:51
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Back to the topic of Greek translation, can anyone weigh in on Fitts and Fitzgerald's translation of the Oedipus Cycle?
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Apr 19, 2016 20:15
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Beyond sane knolls posted:Back to the topic of Greek translation, can anyone weigh in on Fitts and Fitzgerald's translation of the Oedipus Cycle? Dunno about others but Fagles' is fantastic Burning Rain posted:do you like it? it's been on my radar for a while, and southeastern europe should be worse than northeastern europe, and i'm all for feeling smug for once. I like it yeah - I'm not entirely sure what the point of the whole thing, this sort of mental mapping of Eastern Europe seems pretty banal, but its pretty funny when he goes to Slovenia and is like "this feels and looks like Europe. Not a broken down Lada in sight. I do not belong here". I guess it's some kind of humanistic vision of unity in misery
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Apr 19, 2016 21:07
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Mel Mudkiper posted:I personally think the best yearly award is the National Book Award followed by the Pulitzer. The NBA seems to hit "it" a lot more than the Pulitzter. Ok, so what's good literature to pick up which was released this year?
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Apr 19, 2016 21:11
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DoctorG0nzo posted:Certainly not good but not offensively bad either I am completely non-sarcastically eager to find out what your definition of offensively bad is e: but yeah read Sebald and Chatwin dont call ireland part of the UK if you plan on keeping your teeth long-term chernobyl kinsman fucked around with this message at 21:26 on Apr 19, 2016 |
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Apr 19, 2016 21:21
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End Of Worlds posted:I am completely non-sarcastically eager to find out what your definition of offensively bad is To me the bottom of the barrel garbage, offensively bad poo poo is either poo poo with a really transparent agenda or just really insufferable poo poo like Ernest Cline, whoever the gently caress did Fifty Shades (low hanging fruit I know), a lot of hack fantasy poo poo (gently caress Piers Anthony tbh) Compared to that I think Neal Stephenson is solidly entertaining. I think it helps that I have the context for that passage, it's totally in-character and the pop culture references are usually minimal in the book (that part's actually pretty uncharacteristic imo) Also, thanks for all the recommendations, people. Added em all to goodreads and most look up my alley.
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Apr 19, 2016 21:25
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beergod posted:Ok, so what's good literature to pick up which was released this year? All the Followed by Gabriel Urza In the Language of Miracles by Rajia Hassib Aquarium by David Vann A Reunion of Ghosts by Judith Claire Mitchell I am Radar by Reif Larsen Black River by SM Hulse Man Tiger by Eka Kurniawan DoctorG0nzo posted:To me the bottom of the barrel garbage, offensively bad poo poo is either poo poo with a really transparent agenda or just really insufferable poo poo like Ernest Cline, whoever the gently caress did Fifty Shades (low hanging fruit I know), a lot of hack fantasy poo poo (gently caress Piers Anthony tbh) Xanth hater discovered Shame the Xanth hater
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Apr 19, 2016 21:40
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Mel Mudkiper posted:
I give Xanth slight credit for being a parody. Slight. It's better than dreck by like, R.A. Salvatore or Goodkind
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Apr 19, 2016 21:54
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DoctorG0nzo posted:I give Xanth slight credit for being a parody. Slight. It's better than dreck by like, R.A. Salvatore or Goodkind Ha I tricked you into giving faint praise to Piers Anthony get owned scrub
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Apr 19, 2016 21:55
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Mel Mudkiper posted:Ha I tricked you into giving faint praise to Piers Anthony get owned scrub you bastard 
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Apr 19, 2016 22:00
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There's a thread you guys might want to check out.
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Apr 19, 2016 22:04
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Is that the place to talk about Margaret Atwood?
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Apr 19, 2016 22:54
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Cloks posted:Is that the place to talk about Margaret Atwood? I'm not biting. The line between literature and not-literature is debatable, but I think we can all agree that it's somewhere north of "hell, least it ain't Piers Anthony!"
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Apr 19, 2016 23:28
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DoctorG0nzo posted:I've been thinking about checking out O'Brien. His stuff is supposed to be pretty dense but if I read and mostly got Ulysses will I be fine? Also, what's a good spot to start with him? I've only heard much about At Swim-Two-Birds. Third Policeman, immediately.
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Apr 20, 2016 00:43
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At Swim-Two-Birds is a masterpiece and Third Policeman is not as good but still really good. It does have a bit where a policeman is talking about how riding a bicycle with no seat causes damage to your organs and the narrator asks "which organs?" and the policeman says "both of them".
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Apr 20, 2016 00:53
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If Third Policeman is "good starting point but not the masterpiece" that's perfect. Starting with an author's best/most popular novel can be a bummer if you delve into the rest and it just doesn't live up.
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Apr 20, 2016 01:01
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DoctorG0nzo posted:Certainly not good but not offensively bad either. People are reacting like it's at the level of some poo poo from like, Ready Player One or something. I'd say it (the passage, and the book as a whole) actually had similar weaknesses to that but was executed at least competently instead of being a dribbling mess It is offensively bad if you have the slightest semblance of taste, like wow there's a star wars reference and some stupid clumsy phrasing about about semen. I want poetically beautiful descriptions of sex, fucker. CestMoi posted:While in Ireland read Flann O'Brien and while in th UK don't read anything because no one has written anything good on this stupid island for like 200 years. Sounds like you need to read noted Hitler supporter and general cool guy Wyndham Lewis
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Apr 20, 2016 03:57
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