The Book Thread

[JTA]

East of Eden is really good. I think the next Steinbeck book I'm gonna read is "To an Unknown God". I dig the guys descriptions of nature and farms and what not.

Why don't you like Faulkner?

Also, another really good author on par with Steinbeck, imo, is Cormac McCarthy. Real good writer.

[JTA]

On the topic of American authors, what's the scoop on Hemingway?

[Vrede too]

On the topic of American authors, what's the scoop on Hemingway?

One of my favorites. Great storyteller, but also found myself blown away by his amazing skill with putting words together, especially dialogue. For Whom the Bell Tolls sparked a lifelong interest in the Spanish Civil War and the International Brigades. I was able to pursue this a little bit in Barcelona.

[billy.pilgrim]

Steinbeck's Grapes of Wrath. What an amazing book.

Zola's Germinal


Do you read Faulkner?

I haven't read anything by Faulkner yet. What should I start with?

As I Lay Dying

Also, of the three short stories usually bundled together, I enjoyed Spotted Horses and (I may be wrong on this title, but it's the one about the rived flooding) Old Man.

The other one, The Bear is more acclaimed. Hard to believe they aren't still using it in high schools.

One of my favourite sentences in all of literature is from Intruder in the Dust.

Mostly I suggest reading in the order written to get the recurring characters and themes.

[billy.pilgrim]

East of Eden is really good. I think the next Steinbeck book I'm gonna read is "To an Unknown God". I dig the guys descriptions of nature and farms and what not.

Why don't you like Faulkner?

Also, another really good author on par with Steinbeck, imo, is Cormac McCarthy. Real good writer.

I read everything he wrote. My second favourite sentence in literature is from - one of the border trilogy books, I don't remember which one. I may get back to you on this.

Have you read the ones that take place in Appalachia?

[billy.pilgrim]

On the topic of American authors, what's the scoop on Hemingway?

One of my favorites. Great storyteller, but also found myself blown away by his amazing skill with putting words together, especially dialogue. For Whom the Bell Tolls sparked a lifelong interest in the Spanish Civil War and the International Brigades. I was able to pursue this a little bit in Barcelona.

Similar reaction here. Islands in the Stream was my first and I guess is still my favourite

[JTA]

East of Eden is really good. I think the next Steinbeck book I'm gonna read is "To an Unknown God". I dig the guys descriptions of nature and farms and what not.

Why don't you like Faulkner?

Also, another really good author on par with Steinbeck, imo, is Cormac McCarthy. Real good writer.

I read everything he wrote. My second favourite sentence in literature is from - one of the border trilogy books, I don't remember which one. I may get back to you on this.

Have you read the ones that take place in Appalachia?

I haven't, but I think I'd be interested in them as the setting intrigues me. I've only read blood meridian and a like half of The Crossing. I should read the border trilogy in order, sometime.

[billy.pilgrim]

East of Eden is really good. I think the next Steinbeck book I'm gonna read is "To an Unknown God". I dig the guys descriptions of nature and farms and what not.

Why don't you like Faulkner?

Also, another really good author on par with Steinbeck, imo, is Cormac McCarthy. Real good writer.

I read everything he wrote. My second favourite sentence in literature is from - one of the border trilogy books, I don't remember which one. I may get back to you on this.

Have you read the ones that take place in Appalachia?

I haven't, but I think I'd be interested in them as the setting intrigues me. I've only read blood meridian and a like half of The Crossing. I should read the border trilogy in order, sometime.

Yeah, probably so.

These early works may not have the scope and grandness of the border trilogy, but I liked all. All are short reads except for Suttree. Suttree ain't a page turner, but amazing characters.

I forgot which, but one of the first three is real weird.
Orchard Keeper, Outer Dark, Child of God, Suttree



Speaking of characters, who has read Confederacy of Dunces

[billy.pilgrim]

Has anyone read River of Grass by Marjory Stoneman Douglas.

Really amazing how Florida was a frontier not so long ago.

[JTA]

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.

[Vrede too]

Billy pilgrim, what's the best Kurt Vonnegut book aside from Slaughter house five? Been thinking about delving into Sirens of Titan.

It's been too many decades for me to advise, but The Sirens of Titan and Cat's Cradle, along with Slaughterhouse-Five, were nominated for Hugo Awards.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurt_Vonn ... bliography

[billy.pilgrim]

Billy pilgrim, what's the best Kurt Vonnegut book aside from Slaughter house five? Been thinking about delving into Sirens of Titan.

It's been too many decades for me to advise, but The Sirens of Titan and Cat's Cradle, along with Slaughterhouse-Five, were nominated for Hugo Awards.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurt_Vonn ... bliography

I agree and would add Breakfast of Champions and Slapstick.

B of C and Slaughter house would be a good place to start. Kilgore is in both.


"Life is no way to treat an animal.", Kilgore Trout

and his only poem

When the tupelo
Goes poop-a-lo
I'll come back to youp-a-lo

As I write this, I'm thinking slaughter house would be the best place to start.

"So it goes"

[Vrede too]

If I was newly hooked on Vonnegut, which it sounds like you may be from Slaughterhouse-Five, or The Children's Crusade: A Duty-Dance with Death, I might read his books more or less in the order that he wrote them, both to see his progression as an author and because he includes a lot of self-referential 'Easter Eggs'. I somewhat did this by virtue of discovering him as a teen and lapping up each new book as soon as it came out in paperback. I don't remember not liking any of his works.

Hmmm, maybe I should go back and read his books in the order that he wrote them.

[billy.pilgrim]

If I was newly hooked on Vonnegut, which it sounds like you may be from Slaughterhouse-Five, or The Children's Crusade: A Duty-Dance with Death, I might read his books more or less in the order that he wrote them, both to see his progression as an author and because he includes a lot of self-referential 'Easter Eggs'. I somewhat did this by virtue of discovering him as a teen and lapping up each new book as soon as it came out in paperback. I don't remember not liking any of his works.

Hmmm, maybe I should go back and read his books in the order that he wrote them.

I did about 15 years ago. You are right that it may be best, but then, the same is mostly true for any author - Faulkner comes to mind as someone who should only be read in order. And then again, starting with a book like SH5 may cause someone to go back and read everything, where starting with the first might not spark interest.

So it goes

If you read him in order, be sure to include the short stories.

[billy.pilgrim]

RIP Tom Wolfe

[Vrede too]

RIP Tom Wolfe

It sure says something about America that we produced both the Merry Pranksters and the Mercury Seven astronauts, and then also the author that wrote both The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test and The Right Stuff.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Wolfe

[JTA]

Well fellas I just finished reading Sirens of Titan by Vonnegut. Wow man what a ride. At first I was a little iffy, but once you get used to his style everything flows well. Dudes got a very unique writing style that I dig. It's very entertaining. Can't wait to check out some more of his stuff. Can't decide if I wanna try out Breakfast of Champions or Cats Cradle.

As for other other readings, I've been on a Vietnam War binge lately. Tim O Brien's "The things they carried" was incredibly good. If you're looking for realism then this book isn't for you. It delves into the nature of story telling, dealing with death and mortality, and making sense of the chaos in life. I highly recommend it. Also, an earlier work of his "Going after cacciato" is alright. It centers around a new recruits experiences in Vietnam as he and his platoon chase down a deserter that decides to walk from Vietnam to Paris for the peace talks. Fiction, obviously.

Been thinking of reading Matterhorn next. Can't decide between that or more Vonnegut.

[billy.pilgrim]

Well fellas I just finished reading Sirens of Titan by Vonnegut. Wow man what a ride. At first I was a little iffy, but once you get used to his style everything flows well. Dudes got a very unique writing style that I dig. It's very entertaining. Can't wait to check out some more of his stuff. Can't decide if I wanna try out Breakfast of Champions or Cats Cradle.

As for other other readings, I've been on a Vietnam War binge lately. Tim O Brien's "The things they carried" was incredibly good. If you're looking for realism then this book isn't for you. It delves into the nature of story telling, dealing with death and mortality, and making sense of the chaos in life. I highly recommend it. Also, an earlier work of his "Going after cacciato" is alright. It centers around a new recruits experiences in Vietnam as he and his platoon chase down a deserter that decides to walk from Vietnam to Paris for the peace talks. Fiction, obviously.

Been thinking of reading Matterhorn next. Can't decide between that or more Vonnegut.

I don't read as much anymore, but for most of my life I would read 5 or 6 at once. Sort of like changing channels. Try both at once.

BC is hard to beat, but then you would miss Papa and may never learn about foma.

Have you read SH5?

[JTA]

Well fellas I just finished reading Sirens of Titan by Vonnegut. Wow man what a ride. At first I was a little iffy, but once you get used to his style everything flows well. Dudes got a very unique writing style that I dig. It's very entertaining. Can't wait to check out some more of his stuff. Can't decide if I wanna try out Breakfast of Champions or Cats Cradle.

As for other other readings, I've been on a Vietnam War binge lately. Tim O Brien's "The things they carried" was incredibly good. If you're looking for realism then this book isn't for you. It delves into the nature of story telling, dealing with death and mortality, and making sense of the chaos in life. I highly recommend it. Also, an earlier work of his "Going after cacciato" is alright. It centers around a new recruits experiences in Vietnam as he and his platoon chase down a deserter that decides to walk from Vietnam to Paris for the peace talks. Fiction, obviously.

Been thinking of reading Matterhorn next. Can't decide between that or more Vonnegut.

I don't read as much anymore, but for most of my life I would read 5 or 6 at once. Sort of like changing channels. Try both at once.

BC is hard to beat, but then you would miss Papa and may never learn about foma.

Have you read SH5?

I read SH5 a long time ago, but I didn't know enough about Vonnegut and his style to "get" it. I'll probably go back and read it though. I decided to just go through his stuff chronologically. Right now I'm reading Mother Night.

[JTA]

Mother Night was really good. Much different than Vonneguts other stuff as it has a more serious tone, I think. But good nonetheless. Lol @ the black Nazi and the Catholic priest in alliance and friendship with the American Nazi dentist who detests black folk and Catholics amongst others, as well as the black Nazi who has it out for Caucasians despite being friends with a Nazi who hates black folks. Sounds mightily familiar to our "values voters" falling head over heels in love with a thrice divorced serial philanderer that's paid off porn stars he's banged behind his wife's back.