The Book Club

What are you reading right now? What have you read lately that particularly impressed you? Recommend a book to your fellow NOOliners. Adventure, romance, essays, theatre, poetry, comics? Everything goes, just explain why you recommend it and who might want to read it.:)

Right now I am reading "Open World: The Truth about globalisation" by Philippe Legrain. A positive view of the so called globalisation. Quite easy to read, full of real world examples, it reads like an extended magazine article: controversial, long on the facts and not unnecesarily dwelling on the theory, a mistake often made by the pro-globalisation establishment which "gives the impression of caring more about dogma than it does about people"

I want to recommend also any of the Kurt Wallander books by the swedish author Henning Mankell. Dark, bleak crime stories beautifully written and full of verve and passion. If you like Ian Rankin you'll love Mankell.

Damascas Gate by Robert Stone

American journalist in Israel researching a story on religious fanatics uncovers a plot by American Christains, hardcore Israelis, and people that believe the second comi9ng is near to blow up the mosque on the ruins of the Temple (prerequisite for Christ's return).

Not a religious book but gives you a lot of knowlege of the region and the religious that intersect over there. Stone's greatest novel.

I haven't really read anything on my own - try doing that when you're taling 2 English courses, in which you read 10 books and critical essays in each. But, I re-read Albert Camus's "The Stranger," or "L'Etranger" in French, and no matter how many times I read that book, I don't think I'll grow tired of it.

I recommend anything by Dean Koontz. In the supernatural genre he beats Stephen King handsdown

Originally posted by Grigori I'm too fooking lazy to read...but the last thing I read was e-males, written by none other than El Jarvo!!!

but ... was it any good ?

The Unbearable lightness of being, by Milan Kundera

The best book I've read in a long time was "One Hundred Years of Solitude" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Then I re-read one of my very all-time favorite books, "The Sorrows of Young Werther" by Goethe not long ago. Then I read "Naked Lunch" by William S. Burroughs, which was very unlike the Cronenberg movie and rather rambling, though it had some great fragments. I also read a number of film-related books recently, including a book of screenplays by Werner Herzog, Herzog's travel notebook "Of Walking in Ice," a Cinema Theory book, Hitchcock on Hitchcock, the book of the film "El Topo" by Alejandro Jodorowsky, and the Arrabal play "Fando y Lis." Then I just finished "Confessions of an English Opium Eater" by De Quincey, and last night I started on "The Monk" by Antonin Artaud. But seriously...I don't read that much.

Originally posted by Mike Garrity The Unbearable lightness of being, by Milan Kundera

Gosh, I wonder why you read that..... Did Ms. Binoche's character come off as well in the source material as she did in Kaufman's movie?

A lot of good stuff mentioned so far, the Damascus Gate really sounds like something I'd enjoy. Love 100 Years Of Solitude, haven't read Artaud though.

Due to recommendations from some women, I'm just about to finish Memoirs Of A Geisha, which I've liked a lot even though it's a novel, I prefer non-fiction for the most part; as Tom in the movie Metropolitan says, "I can never really forget the fact that this stuff didn't really happen", which is why a very recent book on the Sudan by one of its last ambassadors, Don Petterson, is next on the list.

BTW my kids will hate me at first but then come to realize that i was right. I will make them take all the Lit courses they can get in school. I was a fool and took just enough to get by. This is something I regret, feeling poorly read most of what I have read is WWII related.

Right now, I'm dividing my time between a re-read of Joe Queenan's True Believers, about sports fans of less-than-stellar teams, and Me Talk Pretty One Day, by David Sedaris. Both are pretty good.

The best book I've read lately, though, would probably be Paper Lion by George Plimpton or the Python's autobiography. I highly recommend those two

Originally posted by His Holiness, The Pope The best book I've read in a long time was "One Hundred Years of Solitude" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Then I re-read one of my very all-time favorite books, "The Sorrows of Young Werther" by Goethe not long ago. Then I read "Naked Lunch" by William S. Burroughs, which was very unlike the Cronenberg movie and rather rambling, though it had some great fragments. I also read a number of film-related books recently, including a book of screenplays by Werner Herzog, Herzog's travel notebook "Of Walking in Ice," a Cinema Theory book, Hitchcock on Hitchcock, the book of the film "El Topo" by Alejandro Jodorowsky, and the Arrabal play "Fando y Lis." Then I just finished "Confessions of an English Opium Eater" by De Quincey, and last night I started on "The Monk" by Antonin Artaud. But seriously...I don't read that much.

I attempted reading Naked Lunch a few years ago, but it kept putting me to sleep. Maybe one of these days, I'll try reading it again.

I recommend Celine's novel Journey to the End of the Night

just finished Blackwood Farm by Anne Rice, another one of her vampire novels....and now im ready to start on Wolves of the Calla that Mom got me for Christmas.

Pope

I have of course seen Kaufmans film with Binoche in it, however I am a firm believer that books reign supreme over films.

They leave more to the imagination.

Mike

Originally posted by His Holiness, The Pope The best book I've read in a long time was "One Hundred Years of Solitude" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Then I re-read one of my very all-time favorite books, "The Sorrows of Young Werther" by Goethe not long ago. Then I read "Naked Lunch" by William S. Burroughs, which was very unlike the Cronenberg movie and rather rambling, though it had some great fragments. I also read a number of film-related books recently, including a book of screenplays by Werner Herzog, Herzog's travel notebook "Of Walking in Ice," a Cinema Theory book, Hitchcock on Hitchcock, the book of the film "El Topo" by Alejandro Jodorowsky, and the Arrabal play "Fando y Lis." Then I just finished "Confessions of an English Opium Eater" by De Quincey, and last night I started on "The Monk" by Antonin Artaud. But seriously...I don't read that much.

David, i can't believe that all the books you have listed i have read, my favourite is "one hundred years of solitude" the ending just killed me. At the moment i'm reading "dude, where's my country" by michael moore (brilliant stuff) and yesterday i finished reading kurt cobain's journals (depressing but fascinating at the same time). How did you come across De Quincey's "confessions of an english opium eater? I must have first read that book 15 years ago, i still find it heartbreaking, especially when he meets that girl on the streets.

For Christmas my best mate got me a book about the Fall by Mick Middles (that's the Manchester group, not Monsieur Camus' novel, existentialists). I finished it today on train back to York and it's rather good (Mark E Smith is an old bastard, he really is).

I'm also reading (no sniggering at the back there) Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen, but to be honest it's a bit dull so far (74 pages in). Hmmm.

David Sedaris is one of the funniest people on Earth. I played the Santaland Diaries for my mother during Christmas. But "You Can't Kill The Roster" has to be his funniest. The Mike Tyson fantasy is a close second with Glenn's Homophobic Quarterly in third place.

Originally posted by Mike Garrity PopeI have of course seen Kaufmans film with Binoche in it, however I am a firm believer that books reign supreme over films.They leave more to the imagination.Mike

so you would rather read a text about Binoche's naked body than watch a film of her naked

Originally posted by His Holiness, The Pope The best book I've read in a long time was "One Hundred Years of Solitude" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Then I re-read one of my very all-time favorite books, "The Sorrows of Young Werther" by Goethe not long ago. Then I read "Naked Lunch" by William S. Burroughs, which was very unlike the Cronenberg movie and rather rambling, though it had some great fragments. I also read a number of film-related books recently, including a book of screenplays by Werner Herzog, Herzog's travel notebook "Of Walking in Ice," a Cinema Theory book, Hitchcock on Hitchcock, the book of the film "El Topo" by Alejandro Jodorowsky, and the Arrabal play "Fando y Lis." Then I just finished "Confessions of an English Opium Eater" by De Quincey, and last night I started on "The Monk" by Antonin Artaud. But seriously...I don't read that much.

Wow, never thought Arrabal were known in America!

Very impressive list for someone over whose shoulders falls the full weight of the Catholic Church (Davidian Branch, I guess) Never read De Quincey's but hear much praise for it.

I recommend a high dosage of Paul Auster, Philip Roth, and Irvine Welsh. That should get you through the winter alright!

Originally posted by death of art I'm also reading (no sniggering at the back there) Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen, but to be honest it's a bit dull so far (74 pages in). Hmmm.

I tried reading that years ago. Put it down at some point, intending to continue the next day, and never did get back to it.

Usually law school keeps me too busy to read for pleasure, but while I was buying a book as a Christmas present for my best friend, I noticed a book in the discount section, "Trieste and the Meaning of Nowhere"; I picked it up for myself (because I was in Trieste last year at this time), and have been having an enjoyable read so far.

The Little Friend - ok, but Donna does like her descriptive prose

Clubland - Kevin Sampson - great, but you have to read Outlaws first

Ajax, Barcelona, Cruyff - well written book chronicling the life & times of Johann

last two months i have read 31 songs - nick hornby - not bad, no mention of new order but quite entertaining a paul auster book about a silent comedian, the name of which escapes me, but was very good - only read mr vertigo of his before but will look out for more - there's a new one in the new year i understand ricky - ricky tomlinson - very moving autobiog - more interesting than most diary - chuck pahulniak (sp?) not as good as his others but still some great touches. what a carve up - johnathan coe - very good historical epic different, plot lines, nicely echoed stuff going on with the whole iraq situation in places. stretch 29 - daniel someone or other - ok book, nice twists, doesnt do what you'd expect for a comedic novel slabrat - thomas heller (think its thomas - its joseph hellers son) novel about office politics, kept me amused & just started the sexual life of catherine m.

next up frank skinners autobiog.