I decided to return to a series I have not read in over 30 years: The Chronicles Of Thomas Covenant. Aside from that one unforgivable act, I will admit to feeling a lot more empathy towards the main character as I did as an idealistic teen, and later young man (this is my third go around with this series). I am also enjoying Donaldson's idiosyncratic writing style a lot more when I can concentrate more on the prose and less on just following the story line. I love re-reading old favorites!
Last edited by Yves; 11-29-2019 at 03:07 PM.
"Corn Flakes pissed in. You ranted. Mission accomplished. Thread closed."
-Cozy 3:16-
I have myself on the "hold" list at the Boston Public Library. I suppose before the movie one could just grab it off the shelf, now I'm 15th in line.Originally Posted by SteveSly
By the way, Steve, I read that Gianni Russo book on your recommendation a while ago. Loved it, but I, too, wonder how much of it is really true. How he even found the time to do all that stuff, flying here and there on some big shot's orders, amazes me.
Lou
Looking forward to my day in court.
The further I get into Sheehan's book, the more it reminds me of Russo's. Both guys place themselves at many places in mob history that seem to be just a bit too much to be true, but who knows I guess. Both books are entertaining reads and even if just half of them are true, give interesting insights into "the life".
It's a trip. Vonnegut's minimalist style reveals such depth that it reminds me of the way David Gilmore slays me with a guitar note or two.
The Stake by Richard Laymon (1947-2001)
Published 1990
A Comfort Zone is not a Life Sentence
Love me some Richard Laymon. I've had a bunch of his books in my "to be read" pile for a number of years. The first Laymon book I read was Midnight Lair. If I remember correctly, the mayhem began on the second page.
Lou
Looking forward to my day in court.
Yeah, Laymon doesn't waste mayhem time. That said, Laymon dialed down the mayhem in Stake, because Stake is a fiction/autobiographical novel. Laymon stumbled on a corpse in a western ghost town. So he added a stake in the corpse's chest. Instant vampire novel. I wonder what Laymon's wife thought about the pseudo-fictional, horror author protagonist's voyeurism addiction?
Afterage Yvonne Navarro (1957-)
Published 1993
Time for my annual CHristmas reading. THis year is Fulton SHeen's Life of Christ.
Cobra handling and cocaine use are a bad mix.
So who thinks the recent news/announcement from George RR Martin ... that he will have the next book published and available by summer 2020 ... is real and true and will happen? Or is it more likely that he will get hit by lightening and Branden Sanderson will finish the series?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A gentleman is defined as someone who knows how to play the accordion, and doesn't.
A source that is based in New Mexico told me a while ago that the problem with George's book isn't that he writes slow, it's that he's got 1600 pages of book and keeps nitpicking at it. Maybe he's finally gotten himself to the place where he's ready to let the beast go out into the world.
He has said repeatedly that if he dies, the series dies. But I suspect that Ty Franck and Daniel Abraham would be the more likely candidates for filling in the blanks. Ty worked as GRRM's assistant for years and both of them write far grittier than Sanderson.
I don't like country music, but I don't mean to denigrate those who do. And for the people who like country music, denigrate means 'put down.'- Bob Newhart
Haruki Murakami: Killing Commandatore
The Ice Man: Confessions of a Mafia Contract Killer by Philip Carlo. About Richard Kuklinski, an unfeeling serial killer who also killed for the mob. I first heard about this guy on one of those Mafia's Greatest Hits or something like that shows on the Reelz channel. Supposedly Kuklinski has some inside info on the Jimmy Hoffa killing. Haven't got to that part yet. Got interested in this after seeing The Irishman on Netflix.
Lou
Looking forward to my day in court.
I have read that one. Like some of the other Mafia connected books we have discussed here, the Kuklinski book has detractors who dispute some of the facts. That being said, like the other ones we have discussed, if even 75% of it is true, it is still facinating stuff.
The little prince.My youngest nephew likes to hear me read to him the story of the little prince.
"The Little Prince" always reminds me of Annette Peacock's Survival in which she quotes the prince, while it also ends with a Christmas-song:
Here - upon a now
Much below
Reaches
To touch above
And all exists by
Devolution or catastrophe
Personally
What in me - unknown
Seaks to be
And struggle - naturally
Strenghtens me
(The meaning between the conscious and identity
And the - it remains to be seen - destiny.)
"I exist, therefore, I am becoming !"
Science
(Which is discovering - that wich already exists
And acting as a catalyst
To control the quality and quantity of life,)
Is a competitive sport between governments !
Each one afraid to stop
The economy might - suffer
Or drop
If we don't keep up with the other
Anyway man
We can have catastrophe on the installment plan
"Your generation won’t have to pay the price
For our generation's mistakes."
(And that's how it goes.)
"That’s the breaks
It's no skin of my nose."
Still genetic engineering
Is not at all
Endearing to me!
While calculating the promise
Remember this
(The real of the matter)
To shatter tradition makes us feel free
And danger
Is nourishment for the brave
But tradition Is:
A static defense, against a
Chaotic community
And what would we save
By destroying ?
"Would we
Ever be
Happier than we are
Here - upon a now?"
Difference is not equal to inequality
Inequality is not even a reality - only a power play!
Don't resist
Don't believe it, and it won't exist
(That don't mean it'll disappear
But it won't, corrupt you personally, with fear.)
"Any resolution must come from the - personal revolution !"
True values is our age
Compete upon a stage
Of - not better, but more
Than before
And hey (sons of science)
Technology’s a groove
But the faster that we move
The more we risk to lose
By the - anyone’s hand of unforseen consequence...
The last
Of the natural peoples, are said
To be living in the past
Theirn innocense is no bastion
Against the modern dangers, and innevitable exploitation
Innocense is no protection
They cannot, comprehend
The impending
Future
"An age of the individual is over !"
All leaders
Are
Opportunists
Or
Idealists
Drawn by the cry
Of a multitude I
And all systems exists
Because of
Supply
And demand
On the other hand
Cause and effect
Is perhaps the only - definitive - perfection
A dedication to change. A dedication to survival !
Will I leave up to my ideals ?
The question reveals
The answer. But you gotta try !
How much too fast or too slow
Are we going ?
Only too late will we know
What great work, is the real of the matter ?
To awaken from the self-imposed sleep !
It was childs-play
To look ahead
Some-star away
"The Little Prince" once said
"Mine is a very small planet !"
Here - upon a now
Somewhere
Accidentaly balanced precariously
-Within hypothesized somehows-
Is a greenandblue microdot
Still in orbit
As the plot thickens
The urban planners continue to paint
Geometric-greyness everywhere
A good artist will know when to stop!
Potential management
Devoid of peripheral vision
Continue to inspire discontent
Not to mention
The brilliant
Designers
Actively inventing
Attracting toys, and
More efficient ways
In order to do (as yet)
-Any undetermined amount of us in-
The ineffectual dreamers
Are still waiting for
The Messiah Scientist, or
Some Essential Miracle !
But
So far
This is all there is
There is no
Place left to go
In our little time !
(Holy infant so
Tenderandmild.)
HOLY INFANT SO TENDER AND MILD
SLEEP IN HEAVENLY PEACE
SLEEP IN HEAVENLY PEACE
Bill Gates always puts out a year-end recommended reading list, and it's always interesting.
The Way of All Flesh by Samuel Butler (1835-1902)
Published 1903
Really enjoyed this one. His best work in a while I think.
I feel the same about the novel I am currently reading: Salman Rushdie - Quichotte. Certainly more enjoyable then his last couple. He is still one of my favorite writers ever.
Your top 3 Salman Rushdie novels?
Currently reading "Talking To Strangers" from Malcomb Gladwell.
I haven't read a lot of Rushdie, but the one before last (The Golden House) really blew me away.
Cobra handling and cocaine use are a bad mix.
1. Midnights Children
2. The Ground beneath her feet
3. The Moor's last Sigh
4. Shalimar the Clown
5. The Satanic Verses
Midnights children is probably my favorite novel ever by anyone. Maybe the first part- that is situated in Kashmir- is a bit hard to get through but after that; total bliss.
Last edited by thedunno; 12-19-2019 at 02:28 AM.
Recently started reading Andrew Yang's book The War on Normal People.. We've all heard about "automation" for years.. and obviously many have been affected by it and depending on how much you believe.. many more will be affected by it.. a very worthwhile topic that needs to be discussed..
Midnight's Children is the only one I read from Rushdie. I liked it quite a lot, but it was a strange time reading it in the public room as it was the same period he got the fatwa after the publication of The Satanic Verses.
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks