The Book Thread

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billy.pilgrim
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Re: The Book Thread

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Definitely save his last book for your last read - A Man Without a Country - a bunch of short writings about life and the lil bush administration.

"The arts are not a way to make a living. They are a very human way of making life more bearable. Practicing an art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow, for heaven's sake. Sing in the shower. Dance to the radio. Tell stories. Write a poem to a friend, even a lousy poem. Do it as well as you possible can. You will get an enormous reward. You will have created something."

Too bad he isn't here for this farce.

And don't forget his short stories.
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Whack9
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Re: The Book Thread

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I've been reading through Vonnegut's bibliography starting with Siren's of Titan. I skipped Piano Player and Slaughterhouse 5. Gonna save those for last. Next up - Blue beard.

Breakfast of Champions was a wild ride. Dead-eye dick was another standout, especially how it ended. Not what I was expecting.

For me, Vonnegut's take a place along with Steinbeck. It's gonna be a bummer when there's no more Vonnegut to read.
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billy.pilgrim
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Re: The Book Thread

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JTA wrote:
Wed May 09, 2018 8:50 pm
billy.pilgrim wrote:
Sun Feb 18, 2018 6:45 am
Has anyone read River of Grass by Marjory Stoneman Douglas.

Really amazing how Florida was a frontier not so long ago.
Billy pilgrim, what's the best Kurt Vonnegut book aside from Slaughter house five? Been thinking about delving into Sirens of Titan.

https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by- ... books.html


A list for Julian
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O Really
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Re: The Book Thread

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Vrede too
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Re: The Book Thread

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O Really wrote:
Sun Nov 11, 2018 9:13 pm
Gift for billy.p and whack9:

https://www.wonkette.com/here-is-your-b ... -armistice
Thanks. It was a deliberate choice during the Cold War 1950s to change the focus of the day from the peacemakers to the warriors.
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billy.pilgrim
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Re: The Book Thread

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Vrede too wrote:
Sun Nov 11, 2018 9:22 pm
O Really wrote:
Sun Nov 11, 2018 9:13 pm
Gift for billy.p and whack9:

https://www.wonkette.com/here-is-your-b ... -armistice
Thanks. It was a deliberate choice during the Cold War 1950s to change the focus of the day from the peacemakers to the warriors.

Thanks
Trump: “We had the safest border in the history of our country - or at least recorded history. I guess maybe a thousand years ago it was even better.”

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Whack9
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Re: The Book Thread

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Got any fans of Hemingway?

First book I read by him was The Old man and the Sea.

Currently reading The Sun Also Rises. Not too sure I like his style of prose. It feels really dry and bland. He writes in short sentences. Like this. And he does not like to use contractions. Which is alright. Sometimes, perhaps. Maybe it'll grow on me.

Maybe.
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Vrede too
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Re: The Book Thread

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Whack9 wrote:
Sun Feb 17, 2019 7:34 pm
Got any fans of Hemingway?

First book I read by him was The Old man and the Sea.

Currently reading The Sun Also Rises. Not too sure I like his style of prose. It feels really dry and bland. He writes in short sentences. Like this. And he does not like to use contractions. Which is alright. Sometimes, perhaps. Maybe it'll grow on me.

Maybe.
My favorite is For Whom the Bell Tolls.

Funny, it is (get it?) his style of prose that I especially like, especially dialogue. Different strokes . . .
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Whack9
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Re: The Book Thread

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Vrede too wrote:
Sun Feb 17, 2019 7:46 pm
Whack9 wrote:
Sun Feb 17, 2019 7:34 pm
Got any fans of Hemingway?

First book I read by him was The Old man and the Sea.

Currently reading The Sun Also Rises. Not too sure I like his style of prose. It feels really dry and bland. He writes in short sentences. Like this. And he does not like to use contractions. Which is alright. Sometimes, perhaps. Maybe it'll grow on me.

Maybe.
My favorite is For Whom the Bell Tolls.

Funny, it is (get it?) his style of prose that I especially like, especially dialogue. Different strokes . . .
I think the Sun Also Rises was his first novel, so maybe it's better in his other works. I didn't mind the dialogue in The Old Man and the Sea. I'm willing to try For Whom the Bell Tolls next.
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Vrede too
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Re: The Book Thread

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Whack9 wrote:
Sun Feb 17, 2019 7:57 pm
I think the Sun Also Rises was his first novel, so maybe it's better in his other works. I didn't mind the dialogue in The Old Man and the Sea. I'm willing to try For Whom the Bell Tolls next.
I never read The Sun Also Rises, not into bullfights.
Always be yourself! Unless you can be a goat, then always be a goat.
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Vrede too
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Re: The Book Thread

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Whack9 wrote:
Sun Feb 17, 2019 7:34 pm
Got any fans of Hemingway?

First book I read by him was The Old man and the Sea.

Currently reading The Sun Also Rises. Not too sure I like his style of prose. It feels really dry and bland. He writes in short sentences. Like this. And he does not like to use contractions. Which is alright. Sometimes, perhaps. Maybe it'll grow on me.

Maybe.
Like the style or not, this briefly describes how he arrived at it. I guess, I never had the benefit of studying him in school.
Ernest Hemingway: Writing style
Always be yourself! Unless you can be a goat, then always be a goat.
-- the interweb, paraphrased
1312. ETTD.

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Whack9
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Re: The Book Thread

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I finished up The Sun Also Rises.

Still not too impressed. I guess I just didn't "get" it.

Basically the story follows a bunch of privileged expats on a drinking binge stiffing one another and fighting and getting caught up in love triangles. The male characters all have the hots for Brett, who likes to sleep around with a bunch of different men. They all go to a bullfight in Spain and party some more. Brett and a young bullfighter bang, bullfighter gets his ass beat by another main character she had a relationship with. Other characters fight. Brett's fiance fights. More drinking. More tension. The other main character, Jake, had his man-hood blown off in WWI, loves Brett, who also loves Jake, but she likes to get down widdit so their relationship will never work.

I kind of get the jist of this being about a bunch of "lost" souls and decadence, but I think I was turned off by the dialogue.

Anyway, I started reading For Whom The Bell Tolls and so far it's much better. The dialogue is in the same style but it's written much better. Hemingway probably refined his style by the time he wrote this book so it's interesting seeing his progression.
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Vrede too
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Re: The Book Thread

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Always be yourself! Unless you can be a goat, then always be a goat.
-- the interweb, paraphrased
1312. ETTD.

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neoplacebo
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Re: The Book Thread

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Heh, pretty cool. I'm currently reading "America: The Farewell Tour" by Chris Hedges. I wish every Trump fan would read it. It's basically a treatise on all the factors that are contributing to the decline of our society and why they get no attention but instead continue apace under the radar.

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Whack9
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Re: The Book Thread

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Just finished reading Desert Solitaire by Edward Abbey.

I really enjoy this guy's writing. The book is basically a bunch of stories about his time in the Utah desert working as a park ranger. Except more interesting than that.

I write shit book reviews when I'm sober so I'll just leave it at that for now. Take my word, it's a really enjoyable read.
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Re: The Book Thread

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Whack9 wrote:
Tue May 28, 2019 8:50 pm
Just finished reading Desert Solitaire by Edward Abbey.

I really enjoy this guy's writing. The book is basically a bunch of stories about his time in the Utah desert working as a park ranger. Except more interesting than that.

I write shit book reviews when I'm sober so I'll just leave it at that for now. Take my word, it's a really enjoyable read.
It's my first and favorite of his books, all of which I liked, a green nonsectarian spiritual wilderness journey.

The Monkey Wrench Gang is his best known, a great romp, and inspired a radical eco-warrior/saboteur movement, one that I may or may not have participated in. ;)
Always be yourself! Unless you can be a goat, then always be a goat.
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Whack9
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Re: The Book Thread

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I picked up his "Best of" book, which contains a bunch of his writings and snippets from his books. Compiled by the man himself. Read a couple of chapters. So far so good. I enjoyed the excerpt from his book about applachia where he talks about the Gatlinburg/Sylva NC area.
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billy.pilgrim
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Re: The Book Thread

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Whack9 wrote:
Wed May 29, 2019 10:56 am
I picked up his "Best of" book, which contains a bunch of his writings and snippets from his books. Compiled by the man himself. Read a couple of chapters. So far so good. I enjoyed the excerpt from his book about applachia where he talks about the Gatlinburg/Sylva NC area.
My x was born in Sylva. I hadn't thought about her in months. Oh well.
Trump: “We had the safest border in the history of our country - or at least recorded history. I guess maybe a thousand years ago it was even better.”

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Re: The Book Thread

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billy.pilgrim wrote:
Wed May 29, 2019 1:05 pm
Whack9 wrote:
Wed May 29, 2019 10:56 am
I picked up his "Best of" book, which contains a bunch of his writings and snippets from his books. Compiled by the man himself. Read a couple of chapters. So far so good. I enjoyed the excerpt from his book about applachia where he talks about the Gatlinburg/Sylva NC area.
My x was born in Sylva. I hadn't thought about her in months. Oh well.
:D Whack9 and Edward Abbey suck.
Always be yourself! Unless you can be a goat, then always be a goat.
-- the interweb, paraphrased
1312. ETTD.

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Whack9
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Re: The Book Thread

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billy.pilgrim wrote:
Wed May 29, 2019 1:05 pm
Whack9 wrote:
Wed May 29, 2019 10:56 am
I picked up his "Best of" book, which contains a bunch of his writings and snippets from his books. Compiled by the man himself. Read a couple of chapters. So far so good. I enjoyed the excerpt from his book about applachia where he talks about the Gatlinburg/Sylva NC area.
My x was born in Sylva. I hadn't thought about her in months. Oh well.
I have an ex in Sylva as well. Maybe we've been wronged by the same woman?
I paid my fees to hip-hop college, sucka!

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