What are you reading?

[D.o.S.]

Right, exactly. I think House of Leaves is a lot of people's "proper" introduction to experimental literature (it isn't, but they're typically not paying attention to how out there Faulkner or Gertrude Stein were, for example), but the only reason to read it is to get the idea that there's more than one way to read a book. The writing is droll, the characters are uninteresting, the concept is self-absorbed, etc.

[futuresailors]

House of Leaves is what you read at starbucks to show off how literate you are.

[Neanderthal Head]

House of Leaves is what you read at starbucks to show off how literate you are.

Is that what people at Starbucks are reading?

Name an absorbing 'experimental' novel from the past 10 years. Honest question. I'm not a big reader of novels.

Tell you what is fucking great, but also really dark - James Ellroy's 'Underground USA' trilogy, starting with American Tabloid. Read that at fucking Starbucks, see what happens!

[D.o.S.]

I think that really depends on what you qualify as 'experimental', but in general I agree with futuresailors.

[Neanderthal Head]

Danielewzki's new one is great for reading at Caribou Coffee!

[D.o.S.]

It misses your cutoff by a year (although it is newer than house of leaves), but a lot of people dug The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, and I would certainly qualify that as absorbing.

[Neanderthal Head]

It misses your cutoff by a year (although it is newer than house of leaves), but a lot of people dug The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, and I would certainly qualify that as absorbing.

'The Familiar' is May 2105.

[D.o.S.]

It misses your cutoff by a year (although it is newer than house of leaves), but a lot of people dug The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, and I would certainly qualify that as absorbing.

'The Familiar' is May 2105.

If I'm still alive I'll be sure to check it out.

[Neanderthal Head]

Ha, told you it was experimental!

[Chankgeez]

And I agree about Moby Dick being amazing. It's funny,
moving, and the portrait of ecological devastation is still
relevant.

Ecological devastation?

I thought it's about revenge, which's always relevant, right?

(Oh, and love Scanner. I thought Linklater did a great job with that too.)

[SPACERITUAL]

I only read books with swords and laser guns.

[Jwar]

Clive Barker

Dude have you read the scarlet gospels??? I keep wanting to get it but everyone is like OOOOH NOOO DONT DO THAT IT WILL RUIN YOUR LIFE WITH SHITTINESS

i just got that wrath james white but i haven't read it.

Currently Reading:

Book 7 of wheel of time
some jane austen
The new michael moorcock
the new will gibson
book one of sword of truth by terry goodkind

Just got my copy of Scarlet Gospels! I've heard a lot of mixed reviews. One of which said it was overly homosexual based. I mean duh. Clive is gay. LOL.

I've got a few on my plate before I settle into it. The Hellbound Heart will be re-read first.

Right now I'm reading The Coyote by Michael McBride.

Man I've been a slow reader these days. I used to be able to crush a book in like a day or two. Now it takes me a month, sometimes two.

I attribute that to being sleepy a lot and being old. lol

[Seance]

I only read books with swords and laser guns.

I only read books with my eyes.

If I go blind I might start using my fingers. But swords and laser guns
sound like a fun way to read too!

[Seance]

And I agree about Moby Dick being amazing. It's funny,
moving, and the portrait of ecological devastation is still
relevant.

Ecological devastation?

I thought it's about revenge, which's always relevant, right?

(Oh, and love Scanner. I thought Linklater did a great job with that too.)

The "revenge" and the ecological devastation are locked in a death embrace. They stem from the
same poison root and result in the same end-point. The whole economy at that time ran on oils
from whale blubber, and the struggle to kill the whales is ultimately self-destructive (figuratively and literally).
The great hunger consumes the thing and finally consumes the self.

And the description of that HUGE and incredibly OLD whale (not the white whale) that they chase and chase
and finally kill, but they can't secure it and it just sinks to the bottom of the ocean... very devastating.

And I thought there was a wry sense of humor sprinkled throughout.


(Oh, and I too loved Scanner the book and Scanner the movie. Linklater is the perfect person to make that
movie. He has a gift for capturing wandering conversations, and questioning reality. What else do you need?)

[GuitarSlim101]

After sitting on my shelf for 8 years and a handful of false starts, I'm digging back into Sartre's Being and Nothingness. It's only kicking my ass a little bit this time, so I have high hopes that I'll finish it.

I will follow it up with a healthy dose of Bukowski.