Now Reading

[austrya]

Carson Ellis illustrated the first Mysterious Benedict Societ book.

 

The one Jay is reading says it's illustrated by Diana Sudyka, but I thought it really looked like Carson Ellis too. Inside the book it says that it's illustrated by Carson Ellis - 1st ed. But also lists Sudyka. So does that mean that Carson Ellis did the illustrations for the first edition? All of the illustrations inside the book look like they are done by her too.

 

When we bought the first book, we happened to be walking through the book store and I saw the book on the shelf in the kid's section. I grabbed it because I knew right away that it was Carson Ellis because I love her work. So we figured if she did the illustrations for it, it must be cool, so we bought it.

[jimmyjimmy]

How is Thunderstruck? It's on my 'to read' list.

It's not as captivating as "Devil in the White City" but I do find myself pulling for Marconi in the race to establish his place as the father of modern wireless communication against characters like Tesla, Lodge, etc.

If your a fan of Larson's habit of incorporating related trivia associated with the various subjects within his work, you'll like this one too.

[Three dollars and 63 cents]

I finished Chuck Klosterman's Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs last night. The first few essays were a little slow, but after I got into it, I read most of it in a day. I'm really interested in pop culture and cultural studies, especially the intersection between serious criticism and what Klosterman dubs as "low culture," and I definitely think there are a few essays in here I'd use as assigned reading in a class. This book was a bit more serious than IV, but I was really impressed by some of the realizations he reaches by the end of some of the essays.

 

Next up for me is Rob Sheffield's Love Is a Mix Tape and Colson Whitehead's Colossus of New York. Both are relatively short, so I don't think they'll take me long. I don't know why I've been on such a nonfiction kick this year. I usually read more novels and poetry, but I guess maybe it's because most of my writing projects right now are nonfiction.

[poppydawn]

a friend and I are doing a little "book club" kinda thing and this is our first pick - mine just arrived today. It looks crazy!

 

 

Too bad I started a new book last night or I'd hurry up and crash your book club. This looks good.

 

 

I finished Chuck Klosterman's Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs last night. The first few essays were a little slow, but after I got into it, I read most of it in a day. I'm really interested in pop culture and cultural studies, especially the intersection between serious criticism and what Klosterman dubs as "low culture," and I definitely think there are a few essays in here I'd use as assigned reading in a class. This book was a bit more serious than IV, but I was really impressed by some of the realizations he reaches by the end of some of the essays.

 

Tell me again why you're not teaching at Bowling Green State University in Ohio, where they have English and American Popular Culture departments?

 

Next up for me is Rob Sheffield's Love Is a Mix Tape

 

I've professed my adoration of this book and Sheffield's writing before, but let me do it again. Love him!

 

I'm reading

 

Pollack's writing is immaculate and wonderful to read, but I'm having a lot of trouble with some of the subject matter. Ever since I birthed that kid, I've had a really difficult time reading or watching anything violent, even if the violence isn't gratuitous, and especially if it involves kids. Every portion of this book has made me feel downright nauseous, and yet it's so well-written I can't stop reading it.

 

As for "The Abstinence Teacher", it was good but definitely not up to par with "Little Children". When I was three pages from the end I was thinking, "Oh, this ending's going to suck." But it didn't. That was the one really great thing about the book - the last line. And I don't mean that in a snarky I'm-glad-that's-over way. I thought it was just a perfect, clean way to sum up where the characters were at that point.

[Sir Stewart]

As for "The Abstinence Teacher", it was good but definitely not up to par with "Little Children". When I was three pages from the end I was thinking, "Oh, this ending's going to suck." But it didn't. That was the one really great thing about the book - the last line. And I don't mean that in a snarky I'm-glad-that's-over way. I thought it was just a perfect, clean way to sum up where the characters were at that point.

 

Insteresting - I didn't care for the ending. It just seemed like he stopped writing.

[Three dollars and 63 cents]

Tell me again why you're not teaching at Bowling Green State University in Ohio, where they have English and American Popular Culture departments?

 

I'd be thrilled to teach there--they're home to one of my favorite literary journals, The Mid-American Review. Honestly, with the way the job market is these days, I'll be thrilled to get a tenure track job anywhere.

[mpolak21]

 

 

I always have to read this every couple months, I even got this signed by Mr. Eggers in Pittsburgh, he drew me a floating ball of flesh, good times.

 

--Mike

[poppydawn]

Insteresting - I didn't care for the ending. It just seemed like he stopped writing.

 

Oh, I hated the ending in general. It was just that last line that I loved. A few pages before it ended, I had that thought that it was going to be one of those endings where the author just stops writing, and I generally hate those. This was one of the only times where I've seen that happen and the writer stopped at just the right line. The lead-up to it was pretty sloppy, though.

 

I'd be thrilled to teach there--they're home to one of my favorite literary journals, The Mid-American Review. Honestly, with the way the job market is these days, I'll be thrilled to get a tenure track job anywhere.

 

My friend Kristina (Lady Lemon on Interference) got her BA in English from Bowling Green with a minor in pop culture. I would have loved to have taken the classes she was in. Both programs looked very interesting.

 

Keeping my fingers crossed for you on your job search!

[awatt]

[Preferred B]

Whew. I typically flit in and out of this thread every few weeks, but I just sat down and went through everything I've missed since December. My "to read" list is now dauntingly long ... and my habit of grazing at the New Books shelves of libraries doesn't help. But thanks to everyone for the recommendations!

 

I just finished this book:

 

 

Some of the stories were much better than others, but it was a very quick and overall enjoyable read.

 

I had a few other books waiting for me, but they were accidentally returned to the library. I'm visiting family this weekend and the local libraries are closed for the holiday, which forced me to seize temporary control of the book my mom is reading:

 

 

I anticipate finishing by tomorrow afternoon. Category: light, enjoyable.

 

In addition, I've been reading this on and off for months now:

 

 

It's a really neat book, all about American songwriters responsible for most of the songs we see as "standards" today. Sheed's work is engaging, but something about the way he writes - almost a free-associative flavor - makes it difficult for me to keep my mind on the book for extended periods of time. I'm learning a lot, though, so I am determined to finish it. (I'm trying for a few chapters per week.)

 

Now that I'm caught up on this thread, I think I need to visit a book store today.

[Spawn's dad]

Just finished

 

 

 

now:

 

 

next:

 

 

[VenusStopsTrain2]

Stayed up late finishing the 5th book..when I had intended on only reading a chapter and going to sleep!

[gogo]

Just finished

 

 

This looks interesting. What did you think of it?

[Three dollars and 63 cents]

I read Rob Sheffield's Love Is A Mix Tape on Friday and loved it. It's the best book I've read in a long time. It's not that artistically written, but there's such a genuine, honest style to it, and I could really relate to his idea of certain songs capturing certain times in our lives. It was poignant without being sentimental, and I was sorry to finish it so quickly.

 

I'm now reading

 

 

I'm a few essays into it, and so far I'm enjoying the style.

[Spawn's dad]

This looks interesting. What did you think of it?

 

 

a very easy and entertaining read. It's long on self deprecating humor with some genuine

insights into the nature of happy places.

[VenusStopsTrain2]

I'm having a lazy day between having to be at work...for work and tonight for a meeting..boooo

 

so I finished Hot Six, read and am now reading

Luckily I went to the library before St Louis and got 5 of the books in the series at one time

[gogo]

a very easy and entertaining read. It's long on self deprecating humor with some genuine insights into the nature of happy places.

I could do with a bit of that! Thanks.

[Wilco LP #7]

Joyce's Dubliners. Just finished Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea, Faulkner's As I Lay Dying.

[Lammycat]

Joyce's Dubliners. Just finished Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea, Faulkner's As I Lay Dying.

The last two were both great reads, imo. Dubliners, as excellent of a piece of writing it is, has been trouble for me and I have yet to finish it after several attempts since 9th grade in 1981.

[gogo]

I have yet to finish it after several attempts since 9th grade in 1981.

So does that mean you've never read "The Dead"?

[Lammycat]

So does that mean you've never read "The Dead"?

Oops, I was thinking of Ulysses. That's the one that's been a bastard for me. I've read Finnegans Wake, A Portrait of the Artist...., and Dubliners. Haven't read The Dead, either.

[gogo]

Oops, I was thinking of Ulysses. That's the one that's been a bastard for me. I've read Finnegans Wake, A Portrait of An Artist...., and Dubliners. Haven't read The Dead, either.

No, "The Dead" is the last story in Dubliners. So sound like you're good on that one.

 

I give you credit for finishing Finnegans Wake. Ulysses is much more readable, isn't it?

[Lammycat]

No, "The Dead" is the last story in Dubliners. So sound like you're good on that one.

 

I give you credit for finishing Finnegans Wake. Ulysses is much more readable, isn't it?

It's been awhile since I've read any Joyce, honestly. Finnegan's Wake was a very difficult read but I got through it and had the benefit of a very small English class to help analyze it with in college.

 

A Portrait... was a clean read and probably the most memorable of his books (for me).

 

Ulysses is like Finnegan's Wake with the stream of consciousness writing style but for whatever reason totally confuses me. There's too much going on in it for me to keep track.

[Reni]

 

I am reading this for a class I am in right now......interesting cognitive/behavioral approach to addressing issues of addiction. I haven't finished it yet, so I can't give it a thumbs up or down, but so far find it interesting and a quick read.

[gogo]

It's been awhile since I've read any Joyce, honestly.

Well, now you've gotten me all worked up, and I need to track down my copy of Dubliners.