What are you reading?

[Sapphire]

We started talking about literature a little bit before the first Woman thread died (RIP), so I thought we might have a literary discussion thread.

Open to all manner of bookish discourse, of course.

[StrikerCW]

Halfway through the Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas. Think I might put it aside for Count of Monte Cristo with the BS book club if it will come to the library soon enough!

[SirManchester]

I'm caught up in reading all sorts of books for class, from Du Bois' "the souls of black folk" to Zora Hurston's "mules and men" to jacques ellul's "propaganda: the formation of men's attitudes". Behind and totally stressed out

[Sapphire]

as long as we're on topic. you haven't lived until you've read Samuel Selvon. I'm not old enough obviously, but his depiction of Trinidad in the time of WWII in "A Brighter Sun" is spot on according to my Dad and most older people I speak to. I've found the contrasts between Cariblit, Britlit and Amerlit so refreshing that I've begun to compile a list of African authors to read when next I've got the time and the library resources.
I've only read short stories by Selvon (and his nonfiction writings justifying the existence of Caribbean literature as an entity separate from British lit). Have to check "Brighter Sun"; I was thinking that he's more famous for novels about life in England, so I'd not explored his writing so much.

Are you going to read African lit as a separate discipline, like a fourth to compliment carib, brit and amer ; or are you going to trace writers of African/descent influence within those 3 traditions?? I think either would be a really interesting reading project. BTW, one of my favorite African novels is by Tsitsi Dangarembga -- "Nervous Conditions". It's a classic coming of age in a colonial school novel; she gives a very interesting perspective on family life in Rhodesia/Zimbabwe, and it's very well written (and sad, geez it's sad :(). Recommend it highly.

[listen_up_fergie]

I've been stuck on the 12th page of Amitav Ghosh's "The Glass Palace" for about eight months now.

[Toon³]

A General History of the Robberies and Murders of the most notorious Pirates - Captain Charles Johnson.

It be about Pirates mateys. The bit aboot the lesbian pirates be my favourite part. avast!

[Uniteder]

charles dickens
Tale of two cities

I hate english classes :mad: :D

[tscboys]

Just finished Macbeth, and im on the 15th page or so of The Da Vinci Code..

[MtP07]

I am reading bigsoccer. ;)

[Howard Zinn]

http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/0312408110.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg


This one is taking longer to read than I initially expected, what with all of the parts I've had to reread, but I'm enjoying the hell out of it and should be finished today.

[Stud83]

Umberto Eco. Foucault Pendulum.
Absolutely superb book. Already planning to get The Name of the Rose after I finish this one. Recommend it to everyone who liked Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code or Angels and Demons. The text is pretty challenging (you may have to do some research if you are really into it), but it's well worth it.

Saph, knowing your Italian connections, I wonder what your take on Eco is?

[gildarkevin]

Right now, I'm reading a book called "Planet Simpson" by Chris Turner. I originally picked it up thinking that it would be a sociological study of how the Simpsons both reflect and impact the culture of my generation. The author tries to do that somewhat but, in reality, he ends up just summarizing various episodes and quoting the show a lot. There's some interesting reflections on society in there but I'm still pretty disappointed. I'm also, unfortunately, completely unable to put a book down or walk out on a movie once it's started.

[MtP07]

I've been reading this...

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0316803529.01._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_AA240_SH20_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

[Achtung]

Recently finished Confessions of an Economic Hit Man (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1576753018/sr=8-2/qid=1140450234/ref=pd_bbs_2/103-9463285-1627831?%5Fencoding=UTF8). Bit of a nasty look at the 20th century influences of government-sponsored foreign policy consulting companies and how one could argue that they're responsible for a good number of the problems in the world.

Started a couple of days ago on The Long Ball (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0009YAXF4/qid=1140450364/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/103-9463285-1627831?s=books&v=glance&n=283155), about the 1975 baseball season, one of the greatest World Series which took place at the end of the year, and the advent of free agency and end of the "old boys" era of the game.

[Rakim_22]

http://www.cs.princeton.edu/~aahobor/Lucy-Day/Images/Covers-50/The-Once-and-Future-King.jpg

[johno]

I've only read short stories by Selvon (and his nonfiction writings justifying the existence of Caribbean literature as an entity separate from British lit). Have to check "Brighter Sun"; I was thinking that he's more famous for novels about life in England, so I'd not explored his writing so much.

Are you going to read African lit as a separate discipline, like a fourth to compliment carib, brit and amer ; or are you going to trace writers of African/descent influence within those 3 traditions?? I think either would be a really interesting reading project. BTW, one of my favorite African novels is by Tsitsi Dangarembga -- "Nervous Conditions". It's a classic coming of age in a colonial school novel; she gives a very interesting perspective on family life in Rhodesia/Zimbabwe, and it's very well written (and sad, geez it's sad :(). Recommend it highly.

I wanted to read it as a seperate discipline but it would be interesting to draw the links that can be followed in the writings of people with the same background. That's actually the kind of stuff I REALLY enjoy when I'm in a class setting, but can almost never do on my own.

I'm a somewhat sad case. I HATE non-fiction but I'll read a work of fiction even if its hard work if I think its a book that I "need" to read to enlighten myself.

I've just finished reading "Kilo Class" a very unrealistic submarine warfare book which was entertaining none the less. I've started on a John Le Carre novel "Tinker Tailor/Soldier Spy."

My next extensive project (I'm still compiling a list of African Novels/Novelists, and thanx for the recommendation) is going to be Jeffrey Archer. I'd been told by my aunts and my great uncle that he's a top notch author and I read one of his books last year and I was VERY VERY impressed so I'm going to go down to the library and check out all of his books and see if I can do them in a month or two.

[Achtung]

My next extensive project (I'm still compiling a list of African Novels/Novelists, and thanx for the recommendation) is going to be Jeffrey Archer. I'd been told by my aunts and my great uncle that he's a top notch author and I read one of his books last year and I was VERY VERY impressed so I'm going to go down to the library and check out all of his books and see if I can do them in a month or two.

My old roommate read some of his stuff, and said he was really good, despite his um, problems... (http://www.guardian.co.uk/archer/article/0,2763,524186,00.html)

[johno]

I'd heard about that... its funny. I'm beginning to think Achtung had 30 roommates in college, he's got an old roommate story for alot of things :D

[Howard Zinn]

http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/0312408110.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg


This one is taking longer to read than I initially expected, what with all of the parts I've had to reread, but I'm enjoying the hell out of it and should be finished today.


Just finished!!! :D


Now I just have to figure out what it all means. :p

[Achtung]

I'd heard about that... its funny. I'm beginning to think Achtung had 30 roommates in college, he's got an old roommate story for alot of things :D

LOL... oddly enough, I only had three different roommates, but they were all colorful in their own way. Various degrees of insane though... ;)