Indulge me with book recommendations.

[seeformiles]

"The Troublesome Offspring of Cardinal Guzman" - Louis De Berniere

A surreal little novel I quite enjoyed.

 

[eme]

This thread has reminded of a book called "Pandora's Handbag" by the late Elizabeth Young, which is a collection of her essays/reviews/writings. It's certainly the only lit crit work I've ever bothered to read, but it's splendid and was an introduction to loads of fabulous fiction for me (e.g. T. Coraghessan Boyle, Flannery O'Connor...), I'd highly recommend it to anyone as a great book in itself, and as a springboard to more

Spurred me on to get on and read that, ta - it's been on my shelf for ages

 

[Pieface]

I don't understand how I can be constantly reading good books and yet read threads like this that make me feel dull and poorly read.

I know what you mean but threads like this make me happy too because Urban's got a good range of people bang into their books. There are a million authors out there and I always find them by word of mouth recommendations, rather than going into a bookshop and choosing them on the basis of those cruddy blurbs on the back. Conversations and enthusing are the right way to find new literature imo

 

[Biddlybee]

Ahem, I have suggested we read him at BG TWICE. Your reaction both times was your trademarked contemptuous sneer. His books are all so different and often can't be summarised well enough to attract a cynic such as yourself :-P

Oh but that was probly cos you suggested it OU
Anyway, I don't sneer, I simply express strong disapproval when the situation calls for it

I've got Divided Kingdom on the shelf at home... might suggest it tonight at bookgroup... but didn't you take back your recommendation of that particular book OU?

Just started reading No Country for Old Men though, so might suggest that

 

[Orang Utan]

Yeah, I was slightly disappointed by it, but it was still an interesting read. Death Of A Murderer and The Book Of Revelation are brilliant though, and I plan on reading his others. The Insult is supposed to be brilliant

 

[Pieface]

I've got Divided Kingdom on the shelf at home... might suggest it tonight at bookgroup... but didn't you take back your recommendation of that particular book OU?

Just started reading No Country for Old Men though, so might suggest that

this is a good post - as I am going to read No Country before the film comes out - I'll go with that. Will you take my vote into account, B - I'm not going to be able to be there.

(cheers for the pin board btw - we now have a home for all of our amazing badges )

 

[Biddlybee]

this is a good post - as I am going to read No Country before the film comes out - I'll go with that. Will you take my vote into account, B - I'm not going to be able to be there.

(cheers for the pin board btw - we now have a home for all of our amazing badges )

That's my plan too, finish it before I see the film
No worries - glad it got to you.

 

[Pieface]

I will of course promise to come to that BG. I just can't be faffed with discussing Northern Lights

 

[Biddlybee]

fair enough

 

[ViolentPanda]

Anything by E. Annie Proulx, but particularly "The Old Ace in the Hole".

Fantasy-wise, I'm fond of Lian Hearn's "Tales of the Otori" sequence, which take place akin to a medieval Japan in terms of culture, but with a very small minority of people having telepathy-based abilities.

I'm also a big fan of Andrey Kurkov, and recommend his "Death and the Penguin" to friends so often I expect they think he pays me commission.

 

[ViolentPanda]

I adore the author John Irving and suggest reading any of his books, though a fave of mine is 'A Prayer for Owen Meaney'.

Same here, although "The Cider House Rules" is almost as good IMO.

 

[ViolentPanda]

I don't understand how I can be constantly reading good books and yet read threads like this that make me feel dull and poorly read.

Probably because however well-read we are, there's always gems that we haven't yet discovered.
And you know what? I really don't mind fellow Urbanites making me feel poorly-read if the end result is that I get clued in on another good author!

 

[sojourner]

Anything by E. Annie Proulx, but particularly "The Old Ace in the Hole".

Seconded, but I was only allowed to do 'drunk and gay' so couldn't say owt

I want my AP books back from a mate who's got nearly all of them, and then moved down south

 

[Pieface]

Have read much Irving. Probably enough tbh - Owen Meany was my favourite. I loved the way he spoke at top volume constantly

 

[ViolentPanda]

Seconded, but I was only allowed to do 'drunk and gay' so couldn't say owt

I want my AP books back from a mate who's got nearly all of them, and then moved down south

One of my "rules for living" is that if I lend a mate a book or books and they do something like that, they're no longer a mate, they're relegated to that lowest form of life; the book-thief.

Unless they've got some kind of organic neurological condition that makes them VERY absent-minded, that is.

 

[ViolentPanda]

Have read much Irving. Probably enough tbh - Owen Meany was my favourite. I loved the way he spoke at top volume constantly

I could empathise with his reaction to nuns, though.
I got in a very heated argument with an English Lit postgrad about Owen Meany, he reckoned the novel was all about predestination, and I reckoned it was about free will. That was a fun afternoon!

 

[D]

recs

Old-school drunk and gay: Sarah Schulman's Girls, Visions, and Everything

Old-school trashy, drunk, and gay: Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City (if you haven't already)

Non-fiction on MY list: The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan and The Shock Doctrine by Naomi Klein

 

[sojourner]

One of my "rules for living" is that if I lend a mate a book or books and they do something like that, they're no longer a mate, they're relegated to that lowest form of life; the book-thief.

Unless they've got some kind of organic neurological condition that makes them VERY absent-minded, that is.

Ah, but she's very lovely indeed, so I can't hate her for it, just get very angry and stamp my feet on my own

 

[Dillinger4]

PM sent PieEye!

 

[May Kasahara]

One of my "rules for living" is that if I lend a mate a book or books and they do something like that, they're no longer a mate, they're relegated to that lowest form of life; the book-thief.

Unless they've got some kind of organic neurological condition that makes them VERY absent-minded, that is.

This is why I never lend my books out anymore (except to my best mate) - because I am so absent minded that I forget who I've lent them to, and then never get them back

(((my copy of The Haunting Of Hill House)))

 

[moonsi til]

For a hilarious memoir, try Confessions of a Failed Southern Lady by Florence King - I've owned and lost at least three copies of this wonderful book which tells the story of Ms King's upbringing in the South amid an oddball family, her sexual adventures and general life stuff. There is both gayness and drunkenness too

LOL...this sounds ace. I shall be book buying myself soon for 2 week beach/book reading holiday at end of Jan. Adding this one to my list !

 

[May Kasahara]

It's brilliant, I reckon it would be perfect holiday reading

*makes mental note to buy fourth copy*

 

[Orang Utan]

I've lent loads of books out and not got them back - doesn't bother me at all

 

[sojourner]

I've lent loads of books out and not got them back - doesn't bother me at all

but it's ALL of my Annie Proulx, apart from one

 

[Orang Utan]

Well I'd only be bothered if I was likely to reread a book, which is almost never

 

[Dillinger4]

I have my own 'canon', out of which I never lend, only recommend.

 

[Pieface]

I tend to give away or buy other people copies of books I adore. Several friends have copies of the virgin suicides from me. I stopped giving Oscar and Lucinda to folk as it freaked them out - it's massive.

Cheers for the pm Dilly

 

[izz]

I'd just like to add my opinion of SW - I think she's utter fucking crap. Can't write for toffee, the stories are JUST about bearable. Turgid fucking shite. The only books I've ever given away, as it happens

Just for a bit of balance, like

i read the night watch the other day - have you read it soj ? i'd say it was a bit better than her other efforts for its subject matter if nothing else, flirts with the F word* nicely. don't know if it would stand up to a re-read though.







Feminism

 

[Dillinger4]

I tend to give away or buy other people copies of books I adore. Several friends have copies of the virgin suicides from me. I stopped giving Oscar and Lucinda to folk as it freaked them out - it's massive.

Cheers for the pm Dilly

I will stop spamming you with recommendations!

I should have just posted them here really, haha.

 

[Dillinger4]

Sojourner - Have you ever read Margaret Drabble?