Last night I picked up a copy of Paris Spleen by Charles Baudelaire. Reading it, it's hard to believe it was written between 1855 and 1867. There's a modernity and madness to his style and vocabulary that seems much more characteristic of the works of the Surrealist and Dadaist writers who came decades after his death. I also love what he does with prose - it's the sort of thing that makes me question again our obsession with long books and the feeling that fiction has to be something with a triple-digit page count.

"Which one of us, in his moments of ambition, has not dreamed of the miracle of a poetic prose, musical, without rhythm and without rhyme, supple enough and rugged enough to adapt itself to the lyrical impuses of the soul, the undulations of reverie, the jibes of conscience?"

A worthy read for sure.

Hemingway - The Old Man and the Sea
lately, since I am in grad school, I go to the used bookstores around town and find books between 75-125 pages. Small paperbacks. Small vacations from theory. Great adventures condensed.

Last night I picked up a copy of Paris Spleen by Charles Baudelaire. Reading it, it's hard to believe it was written between 1855 and 1867. There's a modernity and madness to his style and vocabulary that seems much more characteristic of the works of the Surrealist and Dadaist writers who came decades after his death. I also love what he does with prose - it's the sort of thing that makes me question again our obsession with long books and the feeling that fiction has to be something with a triple-digit page count.

"Which one of us, in his moments of ambition, has not dreamed of the miracle of a poetic prose, musical, without rhythm and without rhyme, supple enough and rugged enough to adapt itself to the lyrical impuses of the soul, the undulations of reverie, the jibes of conscience?"

A worthy read for sure.


Those are prose poems, no? He wrote a lot of prose poems.

Can't say I'm terribly fond of that term (seems like there should be a better one), but yes.

Can't say I'm terribly fond of that term (seems like there should be a better one), but yes.

They are a nice form, though, no?

I have been reading lots of John Ashbery lately. He's fascinating if you like to wander around in the labyrinths of your imagination. Also writes some good prose poems. Oddly enough Stephen Malkmus ripped him off quite a bit for Pavement lyrics and maybe even some of his solo stuff. But you know what they say, all good writers know how to steal well.

T.A.Z.

not sure if I'm getting it, tho

']Hemingway - The Old Man and the Sea

Probably right up there in my top all time 4 or 5 favourite books.
Marty

UNIX for Dummies Quick Reference. I have a job interview Wednesday, they're under the impression I have some UNIX experience (I guess I might have put it on my resume.);)

The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan. I like it so far, even though it seems to only be catering to white middle class women.

The rock garden :Nikos Kazantzakis

Neil Peart (Rush drummer) ghost rider for the second time. Awesome book if you've ever lost someone close to you or like motorcycles. Stephen King's Dark Tower part 6.

Just So Stories by Kipling.

will strachan, the first world war

elaine tyler may, homeward bound (cold war)

iris chang, rape of nanking

The Campmor catalog they just sent me. That counts, right?

Just finished Chuck Palahniuk's Fugitives and Refugees.

Re-reading Dave Eggers' A Heartbreaking Work Of Staggering Genius.

and you're from pahlinuk's hometown. was fugitives any good? which previous pahlinuk novel does it most remind you of

is tom robbins worth reading? i have jitterbug perfume and the book with the girl who goes to the new age conference at home, on my "to read" list

egger's magazine is interesting

I just returned from Moab, UT. Had to re-read Desert Solitaire by Edward Abbey as soon as I got home. I always love to read this masterpiece.

American Political Thought
By Kenneth Dolbeare

thats an awesome collection, loved it!

The Campmor catalog they just sent me. That counts, right?

they double-printed part of mine, got to read it twice!

LeConkie,

Read Virtual Light then read All tomorrow's parties (which wraps up Idoru and the
others), Gibson is an awesome writer.
Obviously he influenced me, hence the username!

Marty
virtual light is my favorite, idoru is okay

I didn't finish all tomorows parties <---- have you noticed there are literally 5 diff books with the exact same hardcover design, cheap ass publisher!

wow, sorry for puking all over this thread --I was bored this morning

iris chang, rape of nanking

My dad read that book. I picked it up with the idea that I might read it, but I flipped through the pictures in the middle and decided I could wait. It definitely helps explain why some of the Chinese won't have anything to do with the Japanese though.

My dad read that book. I picked it up with the idea that I might read it, but I flipped through the pictures in the middle and decided I could wait. It definitely helps explain why some of the Chinese won't have anything to do with the Japanese though.

Yeah, I saw a documentary on the History channel that included that particular nastiness. Damn...just damn. Don't know if I could handle the book....

more of a periodical: The Comics Journal, vol. 5 2005

excellent read for enthusiasts of illustration/comix/etc..

The Social Contract ~ Rousseau

the immortal class - travis hugh culley

The Social Contract ~ Rousseau

I've been reading bits of that for class and it's really interesting. It's interesting to see how a lot of his writing has been harangued around into so many meanings and interpretations by later thinkers and used to justify so many other doctrines of political thought.

if you're reading rousseau, you might wanna check out other social contract essays by Locke, Hobbes, Smith, etc

good stuff

[QUOTE=Ziggurat]if you're reading rousseau, you might wanna check out other social contract essays by Locke, Hobbes, Smith, etc

good stuff[/QUOTE

I've been reading some of those guys. Locke is pretty cool, Hobbes is interesting, but seems so outdated.

On a non-social contract tangent I've also been reading some Kant and Hume which were pretty nice.

I'm about to have part of a book written on me. "Skin" (http://www.ineradicablestain.com/skin.html) is a novel that is to be written in ink on human skin, and I volunteered. Finally got my word sent to me today.

I'm about to have part of a book written on me. "Skin" (http://www.ineradicablestain.com/skin.html) is a novel that is to be written in ink on human skin, and I volunteered. Finally got my word sent to me today.

That hardly sounds pretentious at all.


I'm reading 'Titan' by Stephen Baxter. Awesome read. Now I've gotta find the rest of his work.

That hardly sounds pretentious at all.



: )


The Secret History by Donna Tarrt

: )
So you don't like me. Big freakin' deal. Let's all watch the stone-throwing, gentlemen.

: )


The Secret History by Donna Tarrt

One of my very favorites; I've read that one several times.

I'm currently reading The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon, a mystery tale written in the first person as a 15-year-old autistic boy. So far it's terrific!

The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini

3/16/05 EDIT - I'm not gonna read this, don't have time for it.

So you don't like me. Big freakin' deal. Let's all watch the stone-throwing, gentlemen.


So dramatic!

Can't you take a little ribbing?

So dramatic!

Can't you take a little ribbing?
Sorry about that. To make a long story short, yesterday wasn't my day.

Oh, and I just got finished reading "Render Unto Caesar" by Maureen F. McHugh. This is the ONLY post-apocalyptic bicycle messenger story I know of. I wish it would become a genre, though.

I'm about to have part of a book written on me. "Skin" (http://www.ineradicablestain.com/skin.html) is a novel that is to be written in ink on human skin, and I volunteered. Finally got my word sent to me today.

What word did you end up with?

give

The Republic ~ Plato

what liberal media ~ eric alterman

civil defense begins at home: militarization meets everyday life in the fifties ~Laura McEnaney

south beach diet ~arthur agatson
(don't ask, winter-caused fatness, gRRRR!)

Still working on and really enjoying The Secret History by Donna Tartt. A really good read.

"I can't go on, I'll go on..." —S. Beckett


skitbraviking, have you read "Murphy"? Damn, I found that a difficult book on a number of levels

skitbraviking, have you read "Murphy"? Damn, I found that a difficult book on a number of levels


Yup. Can't say that it I got it all, but it does seem worth re-reading. It's decepticaly simple, I think. The story line cruises along but if you only follow that, you're lost.

I'm reading 'Titan' by Stephen Baxter. Awesome read. Now I've gotta find the rest of his work.

I remember reading "Titan" by John Varley. Interesting sci-fi; I enjoyed the whole trilogy.

Right now I'm reading "The Shelters of Stone" by Jean Auel (Clan of the Cave Bear). I have enjoyed the previous four books in this series, but have had difficulty getting into this particular book. I bought it when it first came out three years ago and am only to pg. 162.

Joseph Roth - the Radetzky March
great novel

Jupiter's Travels, by Ted Simon. It's about a guy who made an epic 50,000 mile motorcycle trip around the world in the early 70's, was supposed to be a two year trip, but took more than four years. Not just your average hack travelogue, the guy can write, has a great eye for detail. Started this book because my job interview 2 weeks ago didn't pan out, was a disaster in fact, so I'm looking for some inspiration, got no job and my "worker reeducation" program is over, I could take what's left of the money I "invested" in 2000 (down 75% from what I put in) and have an adventure. Perfect time for it. Inertia is a hard thing to overcome, though, bodies in motion, bodies at rest and all, ya know? I'll see if I can even drag my a** out and do the pacific coast highway tour first ("bypassing Las Vegas completely" ("Lost In America" fans, anyone?) "We can drop out of society, and still have our nest egg, just like they did in "Easy Rider. We need to touch Indians!") Some of you may have done something similar by bicycle.

I'm about to re-read some things before bed in Tristan Tzara's Seven Dada Manifestos and Lampisteries. This is one of those amazing little paperback books that only exist in low-profile used bookstores where shut-in art freaks sell their babies when the rent comes due. Dada manifestos are like drinking too much gin and trying to yell at someone in Greek, even though you don't speak Greek. I love this book.

The First Discourse ~ Rousseau