Books: Book(s) you are Currently Reading

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Jack Straw

Moving much too slow.
Sponsor
Jul 19, 2010
24,221
25,486
New York
What is this about? Heard of it but never picked it up.

There was only one catch and that was Catch-22, which specified that a concern for one's own safety in the face of dangers that were real and immediate was the process of a rational mind. Orr was crazy and could be grounded. All he had to do was ask; and as soon as he did, he would no longer be crazy and would have to fly more missions. Orr would be crazy to fly more missions and sane if he didn't, but if he was sane, he had to fly them. If he flew them, he was crazy and didn't have to; but if he didn't want to, he was sane and had to. Yossarian was moved very deeply by the absolute simplicity of this clause of Catch-22 and let out a respectful whistle.

"That's some catch, that Catch-22," he observed.
"It's the best there is," Doc Daneeka agreed.

It's a classic. Sort of a darker version of MASH, set in WWII.
 

Spring in Fialta

A malign star kept him
Apr 1, 2007
25,087
14,270
Montreal, QC
Yeah, we could do both back to back as well. The Little Prince can easily be read in a single setting, so it shouldn't take long for people to be through with it.
 

LarKing

Registered User
Sep 2, 2012
11,738
4,557
Michigan
There was only one catch and that was Catch-22, which specified that a concern for one's own safety in the face of dangers that were real and immediate was the process of a rational mind. Orr was crazy and could be grounded. All he had to do was ask; and as soon as he did, he would no longer be crazy and would have to fly more missions. Orr would be crazy to fly more missions and sane if he didn't, but if he was sane, he had to fly them. If he flew them, he was crazy and didn't have to; but if he didn't want to, he was sane and had to. Yossarian was moved very deeply by the absolute simplicity of this clause of Catch-22 and let out a respectful whistle.

"That's some catch, that Catch-22," he observed.
"It's the best there is," Doc Daneeka agreed.

It's a classic. Sort of a darker version of MASH, set in WWII.

Interesting. Thanks for the info.
 

kihei

McEnroe: The older I get, the better I used to be.
Jun 14, 2006
42,537
10,135
Toronto
Just starting last year's Booker Prize winner Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders, a novel with a structure that sounds intriguing.
 
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GB

Registered User
Mar 6, 2002
5,027
147
UK
D_Q_NP_574211-MLM20522303100_122015-Q.jpg
 

TheMule93

On a mule rides the swindler
May 26, 2015
12,466
6,512
Ontario
Best convergence of the series IMO. Hood was so awesome.

Wasn't crazy about the Tiste Andii storyline, but it ended okay.

I agree. Everything involving nimander/clip + the rest as well as the characters in black coral (seerdomin, redeemer, etc) was pretty boring to me. I did enjoy the book a lot, though. The convergence as you said was pretty intense. Toll the Hounds was pretty heavy on the philosophy, and from what ive read so are the final two books. I actually enjoy that kind of stuff quite a lot, gets me thinking. Looking forward to the rest of the series, plus all of the other books in the malazan universe, and then a reread of the main series.
 

The Macho King

Back* to Back** World Champion
Jun 22, 2011
48,609
28,846
I agree. Everything involving nimander/clip + the rest as well as the characters in black coral (seerdomin, redeemer, etc) was pretty boring to me. I did enjoy the book a lot, though. The convergence as you said was pretty intense. Toll the Hounds was pretty heavy on the philosophy, and from what ive read so are the final two books. I actually enjoy that kind of stuff quite a lot, gets me thinking. Looking forward to the rest of the series, plus all of the other books in the malazan universe, and then a reread of the main series.
Yeah - I thought the book dragged until the final act, but man did it finish strong.

The other Malazan books are somewhat inconsistent. Esselmont is a... mediocre writer at best. The Tiste trilogy was okay - I read the first two, but honestly reading them kind of reduced my enjoyment of the main series. I don't need to know Anomander Rake's backstory - in fact I'd prefer not to know it, honestly.
 

Thucydides

Registered User
Dec 24, 2009
8,153
845
Have any of you guys read The Brothers Karamazov ? I’m about halfway through , and at times feel like giving up. I will finish it , but does it get better toward the end? So far it seems like there’s a thin story, followed by dozens of pages of deep religious rambling .

I do like the character development though. That’s what is keeping me going . Haha
 
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The Macho King

Back* to Back** World Champion
Jun 22, 2011
48,609
28,846
Have any of you guys read The Brothers Karamazov ? I’m about halfway through , and at times feel like giving up. I will finish it , but does it get better toward the end? So far it seems like there’s a thin story, followed by dozens of pages of deep religious rambling .

I do like the character development though. That’s what is keeping me going . Haha
Soo... the philosophical "ramblings" and the character development are pretty much the point. If those aren't gelling with you, it probably just isn't for you.

There was only one catch and that was Catch-22, which specified that a concern for one's own safety in the face of dangers that were real and immediate was the process of a rational mind. Orr was crazy and could be grounded. All he had to do was ask; and as soon as he did, he would no longer be crazy and would have to fly more missions. Orr would be crazy to fly more missions and sane if he didn't, but if he was sane, he had to fly them. If he flew them, he was crazy and didn't have to; but if he didn't want to, he was sane and had to. Yossarian was moved very deeply by the absolute simplicity of this clause of Catch-22 and let out a respectful whistle.

"That's some catch, that Catch-22," he observed.
"It's the best there is," Doc Daneeka agreed.

It's a classic. Sort of a darker version of MASH, set in WWII.
Where are the Snowdens of yesteryear?
 

kihei

McEnroe: The older I get, the better I used to be.
Jun 14, 2006
42,537
10,135
Toronto
Warlight, by Michael Ondaatje. I'm not a huge Ondaatje fan (with The English Patient, I far preferred the movie to the novel). But he is an important figure in Canadian literature, and I want to keep up with what's going on.
 

Babe Ruth

Proud member of the precariat working class.
Feb 2, 2016
1,401
603
Thanks for posting this..
I picked it up a couple days ago (I'm about 50 pages in).
I like that the author is giving a lot of different (but concise) background, before he goes in to his extinction theory. He's given info on some important paleontology discoveries, brief history of dinosaur predecessors, etc.
 
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Thucydides

Registered User
Dec 24, 2009
8,153
845
Thanks for posting this..
I picked it up a couple days ago (I'm about 50 pages in).
I like that the author is giving a lot of different (but concise) background, before he goes in to his extinction theory. He's given info on some important paleontology discoveries, brief history of dinosaur predecessors, etc.

No problem . Highly enjoyable book. :)
 

eco's bones

Registered User
Jul 21, 2005
25,988
12,223
Elmira NY
My translation of Roberto Arlt's The Flamethrowers comes out today at Riverboat Books. Link below:


Welcome

The Flamethrowers is the second half of a novel originally published in 1931. The first half The Seven Madmen has been available in English since 1984 and has been translated twice--the first time for Godine by Naomi Lindstrom and the second time for Serpent's Tail--a British publisher that does noir and crime fiction. That translation was by Nicholas Caistor and that book came with an intro by Julio Cortazar. That translation is currently in print with NYRB. Some look at it as a precursor of what would become magic realism but while there are elements of that I also see some resemblance to Céline and also to the hard boiled crime fiction of the 50's and 60's. There is a very contemporary feeling to it and Arlt influenced many Latin American writers like Cortazar and Onetti and Sabato. Roberto Bolano once in fact said of Arlt that he was 'Jesus Christ'. Anyway Riverboat is also putting out Lindstrom's translation of the Seven Madmen so for the first time ever the entire work is complete in english.
 

CanadianPensFan1

Registered User
Jun 13, 2014
7,051
2,049
Canada
I'm going through the James Rollins books now. Pretty decent so far

Just finished the cotton Malone series by Steve berry. Liked them very much.
 

GB

Registered User
Mar 6, 2002
5,027
147
UK
Very curious to see what you think of it. It's on my list, too.

I liked it, as I do generally like all of his fiction. I've got it at 4* now but it may come down after a while, it's right on the cusp. Murakami can often write terribly shallow female characters and that's really on display in this collection.

The last story seemed weak too, by his standards, but it's well worth your time.

I've just finished
17262161._UY450_SS450_.jpg

and am starting
1540-1.jpg
 
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kihei

McEnroe: The older I get, the better I used to be.
Jun 14, 2006
42,537
10,135
Toronto
Fever Dream, by Samanta Schweblen. Another former Booker Award finalist, Fever Dream appears to be a first person narrative about a dying woman's feverish hallucinations. Short, but not a quick read.
 

LarKing

Registered User
Sep 2, 2012
11,738
4,557
Michigan
awaken-the-giant-within-9780671791544_hr.jpg


Pretty good so far but just started.

Also just bought:

51PbGLKV%2BOL._SX324_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg


So I can read faster haha. Curious as to others’ thoughts on speed reading. It seems to have a negative rep but I’m gonna give it a shot regardless.
 

jacobhockey13

used to watch hockey, then joined HF Boards
Apr 17, 2014
3,108
98
on the bench
My translation of Roberto Arlt's The Flamethrowers comes out today at Riverboat Books. Link below:


Welcome

The Flamethrowers is the second half of a novel originally published in 1931. The first half The Seven Madmen has been available in English since 1984 and has been translated twice--the first time for Godine by Naomi Lindstrom and the second time for Serpent's Tail--a British publisher that does noir and crime fiction. That translation was by Nicholas Caistor and that book came with an intro by Julio Cortazar. That translation is currently in print with NYRB. Some look at it as a precursor of what would become magic realism but while there are elements of that I also see some resemblance to Céline and also to the hard boiled crime fiction of the 50's and 60's. There is a very contemporary feeling to it and Arlt influenced many Latin American writers like Cortazar and Onetti and Sabato. Roberto Bolano once in fact said of Arlt that he was 'Jesus Christ'. Anyway Riverboat is also putting out Lindstrom's translation of the Seven Madmen so for the first time ever the entire work is complete in english.

Felicidades, this is such a funny coincidence because I added this book to my reading list today as I was intrigued by Arlt.
 
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