What are you reading?

[fauxpaxfauxreal]

I'm currently reading a compilation of Pynchon's short stories called Slow Learner.
Much easier on the brain than his massive novels.

Didn't realize he wrote any short stories.  All I've read is Gravity's Rainbow.  What are his short stories like?  Seems like he'd almost have to have a completely different style to write something short.

I couldn't make it past page 70 of Gravity's Rainbow.  Yet, I've read "Infinite Jest" four times.  Generation Gap'd?

[hesthemamba]

Finishing up The Essential Dalai Lama; His Important Teachings as soon as i can so i can start The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch which is going to be epic

[phuzzyfish12]

just borrowed The Lost Symbol from the buddy lets see how it really is.

Just picked this up also, hope I'm not disappointed.

[shoreline99]

[fauxpaxfauxreal]

Does he actually get to deliver the papers?

[shoreline99]

Shhh! Don't ruin the end for me...

[fauxpaxfauxreal]

Hey man, I was just basing that on the front cover...

[sprobeck]

As God Commands by Niccolo Ammaniti.  Good so far!

[gah]

Finishing up The Essential Dalai Lama; His Important Teachings as soon as i can so i can start The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch which is going to be epic

don't get too excited about the pausch book.

/just saying.

just borrowed The Lost Symbol from the buddy lets see how it really is.

Just picked this up also, hope I'm not disappointed.

me too, altho the person i borrowed it from said it took awhile to get into.  :|

[birdman]

I'm currently reading a compilation of Pynchon's short stories called Slow Learner.
Much easier on the brain than his massive novels.

Didn't realize he wrote any short stories.  All I've read is Gravity's Rainbow.  What are his short stories like?  Seems like he'd almost have to have a completely different style to write something short.

This compilation is made up of his early works, pre-GR. The density is still present but its easier to take in small bites. He takes many of the same themes he includes in his longer works and displays them individually in the  short stories. Does that make sense?

[thechad]

I just finished Tom Robbin's Another Roadside Attraction and just started Helter Skelter.

[fauxpaxfauxreal]

I just finished Tom Robbin's Another Roadside Attraction and just started Helter Skelter.

How'd you enjoy Another Roadside Attraction?

[thechad]

I just finished Tom Robbin's Another Roadside Attraction and just started Helter Skelter.

How'd you enjoy Another Roadside Attraction?

I liked it, I had pretty much called the Corpse thing about a third of the way through and at times the writing style that he used seemed a little pretentious, but it was a good book and would recommend it to people.  The next book of his that I'm going to read is Still Life... but I've got a few others things to get through first.

[Bobafett]

i just started "The things they Carried" by tim o'brien.  never read any of his stuff, but so far i like the writing style a whole lot.  Its about Vietnam, which ususally does nothing for me, but again, the style of storytelling is really solid.

that's one of my favorite books.  He's a brilliant writer.  Let me know what you think once you finish it.

I finished it a few weeks ago and have been too busy to stop bythe paug for a chat about a book, but it is now one of the best books i have read in several years.  Amazing how the story gets the full circle aproach like a conversation with a old southern gentleman.  kinda rambles around the point, but when you get to the light, its a lot brighter because of the journey.  He is def. a great writer.  do you have any suggestions of other works of his.

Also, has anyone with interest in the SW and native american culture read The Ancient Child or House made of Dawn by N. Scott Momaday?  I highly recommend them, particularly THE Ancient Child.  Mindbendin style of writing that border on free form poetry at times.  lots of metaphysical self evaluation going on.

[sophist]

I just finished Tom Robbin's Another Roadside Attraction and just started Helter Skelter.

I just bought that.  How was it?

and I just started this tonight (read the first two chapters):


and last night I read this in one sitting:


Very interesting.  I didn't know anything about Kafka going into it, and I walked away with a profound sense that Kafka was expounding upon the woes of psychological and economic slavery.  I can understand why the book is praised so highly and a must read for any literary buff.