Books - What are you reading?

On a brighter note, I bought four books today:

Richard Gross: Psychology - the science of mind and behaviour - sixth edition.
Living in the End Times: Slovoj Zizek - The most dangerous philosopher in the West.
On Bullshit - Harry G. Frankfurt.
Freedom For Sale - How we made money and Lost our Liberty - John Kampfner.

. . . oh yeah, it's going to be a P - A - R - T - Y in my mind this week.

Watch out for that Zizek: he's dangerous!

On a self publicising note, china Mieville named a character after my writing pseudonym in king rat, and I amazed him with this fact when I turned up with a frien at a book signing at forbidden planet in London. Went for a coffee with him after, very cool bloke.
Over the last couple of years haven't been reading much, been on the bike too much and realised that I did most of my reading on the tube, no tube no reading as I've got out of the habit of reading at home. But since I'm on my travels, with planes and buses and trains, books despite their inherent weight penalties have come back into my life.
Recently finished johnathon strange and mr norrell, which was really quite enjoyable, though the blindness of strange which leads to all the drama is a bit quixotic, just wanted to shout at the author to fix up and sort her character out.
Finished that and am ploughig through strong motion by jonathan frantzen which I'm assuming was written before the corrections, which I've decided not to read ever as it's another family dynasty book and they just get on my very last nerve. But to the point of this post frantzen has created a lead character in this book who to my mind is so deeply unlikeable I'm wondering how I'm still reading it.
Anyway if you want a good book and I'm hoping they haven't been posted already Paul Beatty - whiteboy shuffle, fucking excellent if I could write something so poignant, funny and just damn on the money I'd stop writing straight after. And johnathon lethem - motherless Brooklyn which has a tourettes afflicted lead character and the author has such a canny grasp of language and a love of it that following the lead characters torturous verbal journey from tomato to motherfucker is a joy.

On a self publicising note, china Mieville named a character after my writing pseudonym in king rat.

Sounds cool, but not sure what all that means, can you explain in simple terms ?

Watch out for that Zizek: he's dangerous!

He's already given me a paper cut.

well, they are not really among his best novels are they?

Haha
There's a few playwrights that snuck onto that list.

Zizek also is a bit smelly.

In case you were wondering.

I've read more Ibsen than I've seen, so I'm fine with playwrights being included.

But that's just how I feel about it. So there.

Yes! 26 on the first list. Some books appear twice on it though, and i haven't read them...

Just rekindled my love affair with autobiographies.
Currently reading The Heroin Diaries by Nikki Sixx.
Its quite disturbing. Glad I am not hooked on speedballs.

Joe Parkin 'A Dog in a Hat'. Interesting but not as involving as I had hoped.

Just Started on Three Men in a boat
Inspired after a Lee Valley Ride
;-)

Best book ever.
Fact.

Just rekindled my love affair with autobiographies.
Currently reading The Heroin Diaries by Nikki Sixx.
Its quite disturbing. Glad I am not hooked on screwballs.

I don't know what that means.

Also 10/100 on the Time list

Has anyone read The Satanic Verses?
I picked up a great condition hardback copy today for next to nothing.
I don't think I was followed home.

Has anyone read The Satanic Verses?
I picked up a great condition hardback copy today for next to nothing.
I don't think I was followed home.

no i haven't, but i do have a copy of this.

bit wishy-washy.

I also have a copy of that. Just a drawn out way of saying indulgence over abstinence and to be selfish as fuck. Rubbish book. Especially that weird shit in the back, enochian keys (sp?) or something like that.

If you are a fan of Ellis (as I am) you might want to stay away from this one:

I was adviced to give it a miss but didn't listen. Now I partly wish I hadn't read it. It's not total shite, just a bit ... meh... which is a long fall from his earlier heights.

Has anyone read The Satanic Verses?
I picked up a great condition hardback copy today for next to nothing.
I don't think I was followed home.

It's beautiful. I don't know enough about Islam to be able to pick out the bits that were particularly offensive to god-botherers but the book as a whole, the characters, the character development, the setting, the writing, the atmosphere is unlike anything I've read from the last century. One of those books you can read with someone, reading out a sentence and talking about it for five minutes, then reading another sentence. Incredibly rich book. Take your time over it, it's so rewarding.

Is it hard going?

'First Course In Turbulence' - Dean Young - Challenging free associative surrealist poetry. If your into contemporary poetry Young is the man....for me at least.

'The Best of Saki' - Saki - Collection of satirical shorts. Good laugh.

'Slap Boxing With Jesus' - Victor Lavelle - Collection of shorts. Hyped. Was not into it. Too much thoughtless pussy humor for me.

Re reading the 'Salteaters' - Toni Cade Bambara. You just have to dive in. Those who don't like non linear narrative, stay away.

Haha Zizek The Elvis of Cultural Theory! He is interesting but I think he should take Lacan's cock out of his mouth...for just a second. What do you think? :)

If you are a fan of Ellis (as I am) you might want to stay away from this one:

I was adviced to give it a miss but didn't listen. Now I partly wish I hadn't read it. It's not total shite, just a bit ... meh... which is a long fall from his earlier heights.

Really? I got that at the weekend, and to be honest, apart from the Less than Zero sequel, wasn't expecting great things from it. I've not really enjoyed his writing since Glamorama, but I like the fact that he's become a self parody.

I also bought David Byrne's Bicycle Diaries, about four years after it was published. But as Corny points out - no bus commute means no normal reading time, and having a book on me at all times is something I need to remind myself to do.

Reading The Sicilian by Mario Puzo, same author as the Godfather, not got too far into it yet but got a goooooooood feeling about it.

Halfway through Money, christ almighty this is one funny book.
However vile John Self is, I still find myself feeling sorry for him.