What are you reading?

[Rhyta]

12 hours ago, Principled Man said:

My Effin' Life

Me too

[NoahLutz]

The Picture of Dorian Gray was a big disappointment.  Wilde’s writing is often brilliant, but he uses a common Faustian trope and doesn’t develop it enough.  The characters are all hatable, ignorant, rich dandies, and while that is largely the point, it gets boring to hear obviously untrue epigrams passed off as wisdom for a complete (if short) novel. 

[Chicken hawk]

I will be reading : "My Effin Life " after i finish  Stephen Kings  "HOLLY".  (2023)

[NoahLutz]

8 hours ago, Rhyta said:

Me too

My Effin’ Life is a long read, and I’m trying to decide whether to read a book for me (My Effin’ Life) or a book for my brain (East of Eden) next.  I could also read a short book next, but my last couple have been quite short already.  

[Rhyta]

13 hours ago, NoahLutz said:

My Effin’ Life is a long read, and I’m trying to decide whether to read a book for me (My Effin’ Life) or a book for my brain (East of Eden) next.  I could also read a short book next, but my last couple have been quite short already.  

I usually read several books at a time, one print one audio.  Sometimes I need to switch back and forth but not always.  However, after the chapter on Geddy's family and their horrible time in the concentration camps, I am going to need a break.

[NoahLutz]

On 11/18/2023 at 3:35 PM, Rhyta said:

I usually read several books at a time, one print one audio.  Sometimes I need to switch back and forth but not always.  However, after the chapter on Geddy's family and their horrible time in the concentration camps, I am going to need a break.

I’ve been using audiobooks more and more myself.  I sometimes have separated books (one print, one audio like you), but sometimes I jump between reading a book and listening to it.  Moby Dick was like that for me.  The cetology chapters were tedious, and I’m not sure I would have gotten through them without the audio.  But the ending is so beautifully written and exhilarating, I wanted to see the printed word as I finished the book.  

 

Edited November 20, 2023 by NoahLutz

[NoahLutz]

On a related note I started listening to Plato’s dialogues today.  It looks like I keep pushing off the next big book (but not of bass).  

[Rhyta]

On 11/18/2023 at 4:22 AM, NoahLutz said:

On a related note I started listening to Plato’s dialogues today.  It looks like I keep pushing off the next big book (but not of bass).  

You are ambitious, that sounds like a lot of work.  I heard a story on NPR how a group of people decided to read Finnegan's Wake and it took them years to finish it.  https://www.npr.org/2023/11/17/1213890392/this-book-club-finally-finished-finnegans-wake-it-only-took-them-28-years

I have been trying to read Little Women and Picture of Dorian Grey off and on for about 5 years now and haven't been able to finish either

 

Went back to The Way of the Bear so I can finish it.  Enjoy the Navajo culture and characters in these mysteries.

[NoahLutz]

27 minutes ago, Rhyta said:

You are ambitious, that sounds like a lot of work.  I heard a story on NPR how a group of people decided to read Finnegan's Wake and it took them years to finish it.  https://www.npr.org/2023/11/17/1213890392/this-book-club-finally-finished-finnegans-wake-it-only-took-them-28-years

I have been trying to read Little Women and Picture of Dorian Grey off and on for about 5 years now and haven't been able to finish either

 

Went back to The Way of the Bear so I can finish it.  Enjoy the Navajo culture and characters in these mysteries.

I go on fits and spurts.  I can go months without reading anything, but then start devouring a few books a week.  As my body breaks down and my interests move away from things involving screens, books are becoming a more frequent part of my recreation.  But Plato’s dialogues aren’t much work: they are immediately understandable and accessible, unlike some concepts in The Republic or virtually anything by Aristotle.  

 

I’m a bit of a completionist, so I can understand wanting to finish a book you started.  However, I would recommend just ditching Dorian Gray.  Once the conceit of the novel is introduced, there is almost nothing that happens from a narrative standpoint that is interesting, and almost nothing to make you think.  You can just skip to the last 5 pages of the book, read the Wikipedia entry, and save yourself 5 hours.  

 

James Joyce is almost the opposite.  For Ulysses I had to read the Cliff’s Notes (are those still a thing?) for every chapter before reading the text because it was so dense and obscure that I had no idea what was happening without the study guide.  However, unlike Dorian Gray, Ulysses could spur on philosophical, epistemological, aesthetic, and moral conversations.  But for me, all that would have been inaccessible without both a study guide and some people to talk to about it.  

But all this is in the category of “one for the brain”.  There are few joys like being sucked into a “one for me” book and being carried away by it.  Enjoy The Way of the Bear and wherever that may take you.  

[Sun & Moon]

On 11/17/2023 at 11:32 AM, Rhyta said:

Me too

Same here. On the very day My Effin' Life was published the commercial audio book service that I've occasionally used happened to offer me one month/20 hours of listening time for 0,10 €! So I can enjoy Geddy reading his memoir for no money at all. Quite a timing! I've only listened one hour to the section where Geddy describes the aftermaths of passing of his father. Not an easy read, but quite interesting so far.

[Sun & Moon]

19 hours ago, NoahLutz said:

I go on fits and spurts.  I can go months without reading anything, but then start devouring a few books a week.  As my body breaks down and my interests move away from things involving screens, books are becoming a more frequent part of my recreation.  But Plato’s dialogues aren’t much work: they are immediately understandable and accessible, unlike some concepts in The Republic or virtually anything by Aristotle.  

 

I’m a bit of a completionist, so I can understand wanting to finish a book you started.  However, I would recommend just ditching Dorian Gray.  Once the conceit of the novel is introduced, there is almost nothing that happens from a narrative standpoint that is interesting, and almost nothing to make you think.  You can just skip to the last 5 pages of the book, read the Wikipedia entry, and save yourself 5 hours.  

 

James Joyce is almost the opposite.  For Ulysses I had to read the Cliff’s Notes (are those still a thing?) for every chapter before reading the text because it was so dense and obscure that I had no idea what was happening without the study guide.  However, unlike Dorian Gray, Ulysses could spur on philosophical, epistemological, aesthetic, and moral conversations.  But for me, all that would have been inaccessible without both a study guide and some people to talk to about it.  

But all this is in the category of “one for the brain”.  There are few joys like being sucked into a “one for me” book and being carried away by it.  Enjoy The Way of the Bear and wherever that may take you.  

I remember reading The Picture of Dorian Gray maybe 15 years ago, and what I recall of it was some kind of a stagnated emotion and perplexion.

 

A very ambitious and skilled newer (2012) translation of Ulysses to Finnish has been on my reading list for many years now. As is another massive and tricky one day novel, a Finnish classic Alastalon salissa by Volter Kilpi (1933). It is probably THE book that most often is being left aside after a while because it is such a peculiar (but highly praised) book. My father can, however, boast of really have read that masterpiece. But he is a man with a lot of patience and curiosity.

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alastalon_salissa

Edited November 20, 2023 by Sun & Moon

[NoahLutz]

I ended up starting Owen Barfield's Poetic Diction.  I think I understand about 20% of the book so far.  Barfield seems about 10 times smarter than I am, which makes it hard for me to understand him, and he is a poor writer, which makes it even harder for me to understand him.  This one is going to go slowly.  

[NoahLutz]

SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome

 

It is an odd book as it jumps around a lot through history, and jumps around by topic.  This means that you have to have a core knowledge already to follow the book, which is fine for me.  But it also treads a lot of well-known areas, which means that I already know much of what the author is telling me.  I'm certainly learning new things, and I'm also getting new perspectives on things I knew, which is great.  But the author a lot of times just says that she doesn't really know the answer to a question she poses or offers a revisionist analysis without much foundation.  Still, if you know the basics of Ancient Rome and want to learn more, this book has been largely entertaining and often informative.  It's a long book and I'm about half way through, so we'll see how it goes from here.  

 

Needless to say, I took a break from Poetic Diction (about 60% in)...I'm researching a bit of philology and poetry so I can understand a little bit more of what I'm reading.  

[Rhyta]

On 11/20/2023 at 2:20 PM, Sun & Moon said:

Same here. On the very day My Effin' Life was published the commercial audio book service that I've occasionally used happened to offer me one month/20 hours of listening time for 0,10 €! So I can enjoy Geddy reading his memoir for no money at all. Quite a timing! I've only listened one hour to the section where Geddy describes the aftermaths of passing of his father. Not an easy read, but quite interesting so far.

Chapter 3 is the hardest, listening to all his family went through was so sad and emotional.  Grateful they survived.  I have made it to the part just after Neil joined the band.  Taking a break and finishing the Way of the Bear.

[NoahLutz]

For those of you who use Audible, there is an insane sale going on right now.  Most audible books are on sale for between $2.50 and $7.50, with my average book price being about $4 (I got 25 books at between 86-50% off for $103).  The sale seems to be going on for the next 3 days, so you have time.  But I'm stocking up now.  

Edited November 28, 2023 by NoahLutz
Revert my edit; the site says 85%, but I have gotten 86% off on at least 10 books

[NoahLutz]

55 minutes ago, NoahLutz said:

For those of you who use Audible, there is an insane sale going on right now.  Most audible books are on sale for between $2.50 and $7.50, with my average book price being about $4 (I got 25 books at between 86-50% off for $103).  The sale seems to be going on for the next 3 days, so you have time.  But I'm stocking up now.  

I wish I waited to buy this My Effin' Life, as it is 50% off ($12.60) now.  

[Rhyta]

2 hours ago, NoahLutz said:

I wish I waited to buy this My Effin' Life, as it is 50% off ($12.60) now.  

I got mine from Libro.fm for $14 which is pretty good.  Left Audible a year ago, don't like how they changed formats and other things.  But you can sign up then cancel after you get some good deals I guess.

[grep]

Just wrapped up the Geddybook.  Now I'm back to Heinlein's "The Number of The Beast".

[BigMontanaSKY]

An instruction manual for a vacuum cleaner...............

[NoahLutz]

6 hours ago, grep said:

Just wrapped up the Geddybook.  Now I'm back to Heinlein's "The Number of The Beast".

I never heard of this book so I looked it up.  I saw this: "Sue K. Hurwitz wrote in her review for the School Library Journal that it is "a catalog of Heinlein's sins as an author; it is sophomoric, sexist, militantly right wing, and excessively verbose" and commentary that the book's ending was "a devastating parody of SF conventions—will have genre addicts rolling on the floor. It's garbage, but right from the top of the heap.""  Maybe I'll try it.  

[grep]

17 hours ago, NoahLutz said:

I never heard of this book so I looked it up.  I saw this: "Sue K. Hurwitz wrote in her review for the School Library Journal that it is "a catalog of Heinlein's sins as an author; it is sophomoric, sexist, militantly right wing, and excessively verbose" and commentary that the book's ending was "a devastating parody of SF conventions—will have genre addicts rolling on the floor. It's garbage, but right from the top of the heap.""  Maybe I'll try it.  

 

It's a product of a different time.  Not everyone can like everything, nor should they.

Having said that, I am struggling a little to get through it.  It's funny, the earlier draft of it is called Pursuit of the Pankera.  He didn't like it and didn't want it published. Which it ultimately was a couple of years ago after his death.  IMO it's the better of the 2 books. Still his style, but more concise.

https://www.amazon.com/Pursuit-Pankera-Parallel-Novel-Universes-ebook/dp/B082838YYY

Heinlein himself is pretty legendary. But again, from a different time.

Edited November 30, 2023 by grep

[Rhyta]

On 11/29/2023 at 6:37 PM, NoahLutz said:

I never heard of this book so I looked it up.  I saw this: "Sue K. Hurwitz wrote in her review for the School Library Journal that it is "a catalog of Heinlein's sins as an author; it is sophomoric, sexist, militantly right wing, and excessively verbose" and commentary that the book's ending was "a devastating parody of SF conventions—will have genre addicts rolling on the floor. It's garbage, but right from the top of the heap.""  Maybe I'll try it.  

Maybe you will grok it

[grep]

3 hours ago, Rhyta said:

Maybe you will grok it

In it's fullness.

[NoahLutz]

How to Tell a Joke by Cicero with a modern and funny translation.

[NoahLutz]

13 hours ago, NoahLutz said:

How to Tell a Joke by Cicero with a modern and funny translation.

It was short and funny (and free on Audible).  Now I'm on the similarly short and free (but decidedly unfunny) How to Be a Friend by Cicero.  

 

Just in the few weeks I've turned into an Audible junkie.  Listening to Geddy (and Alex and Cliff) on his memoir cemented it for me.  The bad news is that I'm not listening to as much music now and I'm often buying an ebook or real book version to read along to the spoken word.