Read Any Good Books Lately?

You mentioned David Halberstam. He's great. Ken Follett is another one. I'd read all of their books.
 
I read a huge and somewhat odd variety of books, and more nonfiction than fiction. A few recent ones I've really liked for different reasons

A Walk to Remember - Nelson Mandela
The Kybalion - The Three Initiates
Illuminatus Trilogy - Robert Anton Wilson
The War of Art - Steven Pressfield
The Windup Girl - Paolo Bacigalupi
 
for the past year or so,

- I have read a lot of Murakami books. Wind-up bird chronicle was my latest one which I thought it was ok...
His books are good to read in the beginning, but to me, after awhile it just goes kind of flat...

-A lot of American classics!! (read them during high school, but reading at my age has opened my eyes)
ANIMAL FARM, THE GREAT GATSBY, CATCHER IN THE RYE, THE PLAGUE. Sorry for all caps, i just get excited about american classics...

-Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged (fan of ayn rand stuff)

-Most recently, The Road.

- and now, "the social animal"
 
wtapswtaps said:
-A lot of American classics!! (read them during high school, but reading at my age has opened my eyes)
ANIMAL FARM, THE GREAT GATSBY, CATCHER IN THE RYE, THE PLAGUE. Sorry for all caps, i just get excited about american classics...
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I'm not sure what qualifies something as American classics, but I think both Orwell and Camus didn't even set foot on America once. I think the Plague has even been published in French originally. Doesn't take away anything from books though.

When I was younger I liked to read Kafka. Not always an easy read, but I think the metamorphosis or the judgement have been good to start.
 
I used to read a lot of works of Amy Yamada.
When she was younger, she was dating with the black military boy at Yokota base who got arrested later. Every single her novels inspired mainly teenage girls in 90's.
However, I specially like "After school keynotes" Unlike her other sensual, erotic, passionate novels, this is about one high school girl and her dairy school life. Very pure 8 short stories.
 
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This isnt anything recent ive read but i always recommend the book Musashi, by Eiji Yoshikawa. It follows the journey of the ronin Miyamoto Musashi, and his journey to become the greatest sword wielder. I enjoyed it when i was a kid, and i still enjoy the novel.
 
Sinapse said:
The Windup Girl - Paolo Bacigalupi
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I heard about this one. One of the storylines sound great. (Perfect looking robotic sex slave girl is finally free or something.) but it seemed quite difficult to read.
 
User#8628 said:
I heard about this one. One of the storylines sound great. (Perfect looking robotic sex slave girl is finally free or something.) but it seemed quite difficult to read.
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I didn't find it difficult to read in the least.. I think you'd enjoy it :)
 
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Just finished reading Amrita, by Banana Yoshimoto. Previously, I stated that I was not sure whether I liked her novels or not. Well, I’ve decided to like them.

Well, not exactly decided, I’d describe it as a seduction, a slow and feminine seduction.

Earlier, I called her style a version of stream of consciousness mixed with stream of consciousness dialogue. Now that I’ve read two of her novels, I’d have to say that it’s more of emotional stream of consciousness.

Both my bachelor’s degree and one master’s degree focused on literature, for some reason called English, when, in truth, the literature was not limited to English literature. My favorite classes focused on literary analysis, literary theory, and literary criticism-all which are deeply related.

In one of those classes the professor noted that the narrative structure of most Western Literature followed closely the pattern of the male orgasm. You can visual that pattern in this graphic:
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That got me thinking. Could a woman’s writing be different? Would it, instead, duplicate a woman’s orgasm/orgasms? If so, not having the ability to experience a female orgasm, would I enjoy/relate to reading such a novel? As I read novels by women, all of them pretty much followed the traditional narrative organization.

Aristotle, in his Poetics, in my opinion, is responsible for influencing the vast majority of novelists, including women.

The Poetics notes that major conflict, almost always a physical one, known as external conflict, sets the stage for theme, the primary issue or message. There is often a reversal of fortunes for the protagonist. The main character goes on a journey that enables him to successfully face and solve the major conflict. All very manly man stuff.

I find no substantial external conflict in either of the two Banana Yoshimoto novels I’ve read, yet both contain powerful positive emotional and psychological growth. Their strength lies not in overcoming the physical, but rather in examining raw and unfiltered emotion. Is that plot structure one that mimics a female orgasm?

Just wondering…

I’m now about a third of the way through her novel, Kitchen. I’ll update my Banana Yoshimoto mini-thread when I finish.

Oh, by the way, currently on the main page under Most Likes Past 7 Days, my avatar is facing the magnificent dual triangles of the lovely User#8628

alice.jpg
rasta-homer.jpg



Am I in heaven?
 
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hardharry said:
Humor me guys, its my first thread. Looking to expand my library and am seeking some recomendations.

So what's the best book you've read lately and what's your favorite book of all time?

For me its hard to choose just one, so here are some of my favs in no particular order

Lord of light - Roger Zelazny
Dune - Frank Herbert
Foundation -Issac Asimov
It - Stephen King
A Dangerous Energy - John Withborn
Freedom from Fear - David Kennedy
The Longest Winter - David Halberstam
Embracing Defeat - John Dower
Augustus -Adrian Goldsworthy
The Road - Cormac Mcarthy
The Big Short - Michael Lewis
Too big to fail - Andrew Ross Sorkin
Lords of Finance - Liaquat Ahamed
Corlaine - Neil Gaiman
The Song of Ice and Fire Series - GRRMartin
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does penthouse letters count
 
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hardharry said:
Humor me guys, its my first thread. Looking to expand my library and am seeking some recomendations.

So what's the best book you've read lately and what's your favorite book of all time?

For me its hard to choose just one, so here are some of my favs in no particular order

Lord of light - Roger Zelazny
Dune - Frank Herbert
Foundation -Issac Asimov
It - Stephen King
A Dangerous Energy - John Withborn
Freedom from Fear - David Kennedy
The Longest Winter - David Halberstam
Embracing Defeat - John Dower
Augustus -Adrian Goldsworthy
The Road - Cormac Mcarthy
The Big Short - Michael Lewis
Too big to fail - Andrew Ross Sorkin
Lords of Finance - Liaquat Ahamed
Corlaine - Neil Gaiman
The Song of Ice and Fire Series - GRRMartin
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if you like si/fi go for blade runner. if you like comedy go hitch hikers guide the galaxy,the best books of all are by r e fiest ,soooooo good
 
Finished Kitchen , by Banana Yoshimoto. I much preferred Amrita.

Just started Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami discussed by the lovelies Alice and Anna and wtapswtaps. No, I was not inspired by their commentary, having picked it up at the same time as the Banana books.

Hmmm... haven't gotten to the sukebe parts yet.

So far it's an adjustment switching from such a female style to a male.

Onward, forward!

Oh just noticed, at this point on the Most Likes - Past 7 Days section, I have the same fantastic view of User#8628, and I'm on top of Anna Summer:
alice.jpg
roots.jpg

.................................................
anna.jpg


OMG!!!
 
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User#8628 said:
Anyone here reads Ryu Murakami? I only read one of his books, piercing, and it was a bit too sick and aggressive to me. (And i'm used to some, like Kirino who writes about a few women cutting up a dead body to hide it.)
Still not sure if i should read the rest, especially if they might contain more actual action than piercing.

As for the other Murakami; i read some of his older books but its too much unsolved mysteries for my taste.
Also he comes off sukebe, same with Ryu. But especially Norwegian Wood is full of sukebe stuff. Is it just a difference between male and female authors? Kirino also writes a lot about sex, but definitely from another perspective.
My favorite Haruki Murakami book is Sputnik Sweetheart. It was the first one i read and not too mysterious and i liked the lesbian relationship.

I read a book, cant remember the author but it was a Japanese woman. The book was called "autofiction". I still think about it even though it was a while ago i read it. I think it gives some real perspective about young women's lifes.
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Hi Alice,

Just finished Norwegian Wood and am ready to comment. Before I do so, please elaborate on sukebe for me. I have a bit of understanding of the term and have it looked up, as well, but your observation intrigues me-in a positive way, don't worry.
 
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roots reggae said:
Hi Alice,

Just finished Norwegian Wood and am ready to comment. Before I do so, please elaborate on sukebe for me. I have a bit of understanding of the term and have it looked up, as well, but your observation intrigues me-in a positive way, don't worry.
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I'd say, where "hentai" means someone who likes "strange" perverted sex, "sukebe" is a more innocent term for someone who's really enjoys sex.
It just means someone who's into sex and who enjoys it a lot and wants it many i think. So almost everyone! ;)
Not sure though.
I'd say in norwegian wood is displays because he describes a lot of sex scenes that sounds like an old man's fantasies, and there is a highly sexed female character called Midori who confesses to the main character that she loves blowjobs and sometimes goes to the sex cinema.
 
Hentai is an English word too according to Oxford dictionary meaning anime and manga porn. Most Japanese people I talk too don't know that haha.

As for books...

I love Shogun, Battle Royale and anything with Star Wars in the title :)
 
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The Gate by Francois Bizot (non-fiction).
He was a French ethnologist who was captured by the Khmer Rouge, near Angkor Wat in the early 70's and eventually released. Because of the relationships he established during his captivity, he became the go-between between the KR and the people holed up in the French embassy when Phnom Penh fell in 1975. One of the best books I've read in a long time.
 
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