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Looking for some summer reading - contemporary fiction, any recommendations? I did a few searches and read a few of Odin's reviews - thanks btw - but didn't find any concise lists.
I have The River Why by Duncan on hold at the biblioteca, but looking for something in the meantime. Thanks for any suggestions.
If anyone else is looking for a good read - if you aren't familiar with Paul Auster give him a try, particularly Music of Chance.
Anything by Mark Helprin, but "Freddy and Fredericka" is a hoot, "Pacific" is a great collection of short stories, 'Perfection' among the best evah and then there's "A Winter's Tale", but the latter is set in Industrial Age NYC/NY.
A soldier of the great war is another good one by Helprin
Well if you haven't read any of Steve Martin's books: start there. :D
Otherwise, I just finished off Aldous Huxley's Island which was fantastic and Jack London's The Sea Wolf, which again…was fantastic.
Anything by Jonathan Lethem, though Motherless Brooklyn and Fortress of Solitude are my favorites.
... is an awesome book. I really liked As She Climbed Across the Table, too, but it's so short- I think I read it in three hours.Quote:
Originally Posted by stump832
Have you read Michael Chabon's Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Klay? It's really, really good- come to think of it, it's a lot like Fortress of Solitude. You should read both of those and then write a sweet paper or something.
I'm gonna put that on my reading list, provided the paper is optional.Quote:
Originally Posted by Steven S. Dallas
yeah they don't give out pulitzers for nothin :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Steven S. Dallas
Chabon's Wonder Boys was pretty good as well
You could probably find lots of good recommendations here:
http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/s...ad.php?t=87456
secondedQuote:
Originally Posted by Steven S. Dallas
It is, but you should probably get some practice in now, Dartmouth guy. Ooh, look at me, I go to Dartmouth! I'm going to Blitz my friends so we don't wear the same Patagonia jacket to the Skiway! I drive an Land Rover and have a black Lab, even though I'm from Darien!Quote:
Originally Posted by stump832
Anything by Haruki Murakami.
The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro. The premise--an English butler pondering his life of service--sounds uninspiring, but it's a fantastic novel.
I also liked The Music of Chance, although I was a little let down by the ending. You might like Ian McEwan. His novels read a lot like Auster's. Try Atonement.
Oh, and not to cast aspersions on SSD's literary tastes, but I found The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay too long and a little maudlin (although I appreciate the comic book era historical backdrop). IMHO, its Pulitzer is comparable to Braveheart's Academy Award.
No, I agree that it's a little sappy. But then again, I also thought Braveheart kicked ass, in much the same way- not an all-time-great, but definitely enjoyable.
Did stump Tuck and run or something?Quote:
Originally Posted by Steven S. Dallas
Middlesex by Eugenides. It was good even before Oprah recommended it. Also East of Eden by Steinbeck.
Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson is a hoot.
The Virgin Suicides is also pretty good by Eugenidies. White Teeth by Zadie Smith is worth a look too. The Corrections, if you haven't read it, almost anything by TC Boyle. Don Delillo might also interest you.Quote:
Originally Posted by bdmrad
I agree with Zadie Smith and Murakami. And if you like Murakami, check out David Mitchell's Ghostwritten and Number Nine Dream.
Oh, yeah, Middlesex is really good.
colour me middle of the road on Middlesex.
Cryptonomicon is fun, the Diamond Age is better.
Whatevs SSD - the family moved the compound from Darien to Ogden like, last month.
I've also been enjoying Don DeLillo (Underworld) and Phillip Roth (American Pastoral) lately.
I'll try Diamond Age. I also recommend Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy - great portrayal of evil.
Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius- Dave Eggers
Harry Potter.
Great book for the first 120 pages or so. It gets a little whinny and self-indulgent after that though. Worth a try though.Quote:
Originally Posted by BeanDip4All