ThunderPeel2001

Books, books, books...

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^Speaking of Stephenson, I have Cryptonomicon sitting on my to-read list, waiting for some hapless person to devour in its' gazillion pages.

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I read Bolano's "Antwerp" today. It's a novella, each chapter being a page or so long. I read it in one sitting, which I think improved the experience. It's very abstract; each chapter is basically a vignette, with some recurring characters and (at best) the hint of a plot. It also feels like the chapters are out of order. I believe it is the first complete work he ever wrote, and it's very interesting in that it contains most of the themes he explored through the rest of his career: literature, crimes, violence, detectives, and so on. There are some narrative threads, but I have no real idea what it was about. Still, as an aesthetic experience it's pretty amazing. 

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I read Bolano's "Antwerp" today. It's a novella, each chapter being a page or so long. I read it in one sitting, which I think improved the experience. It's very abstract; each chapter is basically a vignette, with some recurring characters and (at best) the hint of a plot. It also feels like the chapters are out of order. I believe it is the first complete work he ever wrote, and it's very interesting in that it contains most of the themes he explored through the rest of his career: literature, crimes, violence, detectives, and so on. There are some narrative threads, but I have no real idea what it was about. Still, as an aesthetic experience it's pretty amazing. 

 

I keep meaning to pick up 2666, but honestly, I'm feel extremely intimidated about reading it. But this sounds a little bit more digestible, so maybe I'll start here first before diving into the deep end.

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They're pretty different. 2666 is much "easier" in the sense that parts of it are conventionally novelistic, whereas Antwerp is far more fractured and barely a novel at all--it honestly feels more like a book of poetry to me. I would start with Nazi Literature in the Americas, which is a collection of fictional biographies and a very easy read. If you like that, then try Savage Detectives. 2666 is really great though. 

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I'm a third of the way through Wolf Hall, and I will say this: I am glad there is a character sheet, because I would be lost as hell. My knowledge of the era and its events are okay, but not particularly thorough, so I'm constantly flipping back to the beginning of the book to work out who knows who and how.

 

Also, I am totally loving it. If you are like me and like to write down interesting quotes, this novel is tricky. The author's strength is that each wonderful passage is written with the purpose to enrich our understanding of a particular character or scene. No sweeping statements about life, existence, time or death. No narratorial interjection. Just wonderful, direct prose that illuminate a character's personality relentlessly. Therefore, it's really hard to just copy a chunk out onto a blog or whiteboard or whatever, because every line is so tied to the reader's knowledge of the characters and plot of the novel.

 

Also, I just bought a really wonderful edition of Moby Dick, so I am going to read that again very soon.

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I've been saving a lot of my observations for the inevitable episode thread, but I feel the same way. Just about the only one I could lift wholesale was Wolsey's advice about knowing what people wear under their clothes. Luckily, its my favorite quote.

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Why on earth would you feel intimidated about reading a novel? What's so scary about it? 

 

It's kind of silly, for sure, but I just don't like feeling intellectually bested. Failing to finish a challenging book is a reminder that maybe you're not as smart as you think you are, and that's a feeling that I absolutely despise.

 

All vanity is ridiculous and my vanity happens to be about my reading ability. Again, super silly, but it's a real fear that I have when facing books that have a difficult reputation like 2666 does.

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Why on earth would you feel intimidated about reading a novel? What's so scary about it? 

 

I certainly felt intimidated by Gravity's Rainbow while reading it. :[

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So many great authors can reward your intelligence by forcing you to make the final little connection that gives it meaning.  With Pynchon, you're grasping for connections that may not become obvious until the end.  With some more out-there authors, you're grasping for connections that might never be clear outside the author's own head.  (This is why I'm reluctant to open Naked Lunch.)  I envy anyone who can feel good about themselves during this process.

 

I just got a Goodreads notification about Julian Barns's new book, which sounds fascinating.

 

Part history, part fiction, part memoir, Levels of Life is a powerfully personal and unforgettable book, and an immediate classic on the subject of grief.
Levels of Life opens in the nineteenth century with balloonists, photographers, and Sarah Bernhardt, whose adventures lead seamlessly into an entirely personal account of the author's own great loss. 

 

It's a very short read, but not, by any account, a very light one.

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:manny:  [referring to making balloon animals] Can you teach me to do that?

 

Clown: Well, uh, since you're a beginner, why don't you practice the first step?

 

:manny: Which is?

 

Clown: Blow.

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It's kind of silly, for sure, but I just don't like feeling intellectually bested. Failing to finish a challenging book is a reminder that maybe you're not as smart as you think you are, and that's a feeling that I absolutely despise.

 

All vanity is ridiculous and my vanity happens to be about my reading ability. Again, super silly, but it's a real fear that I have when facing books that have a difficult reputation like 2666 does.

 

I find being intellectually bested incredibly stimulating. It's a reminder that there are other, better ways to think. That's something worth striving for.

 

The other thing to keep in mind is that books are not necessarily rooted in intelligence; many good or great books need some experience, whether in feeling in certain ways or failing or succeeding at certain goals, to really resonate. I've found that reading great books early in life results in a bizarre state where life itself becomes justification as to why these books are great.

 

Just kick back. Take it a page at a time. Enjoy yourself. At the end of the day, it's just a book.

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Reading Gravity's Rainbow is an experience of humility. 

 

Hoo boy. I felt a minor sense of accomplishment at the idea that I was following at least the surface narrative (more or less), but the entire Counterforce section spun my mind out. 

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After trying, and failing, to read "River of Gods" a sci-fier that starts out sort of interesting, but quickly gets out of hand with a mishmash of ideas that seem to have come from nowhere, many of which don't seem relevant to the story, and only add to the fact that there's also a giant mishmash of perspective characters that are being tied together in increasingly preposterous ways.

 

And then, or rather before, trying to read "Dragon Wing" because, well I'd read someone liked it years ago and had it saved on Amazon as something to buy, and so I bought it. Most of the characters therein got fairly boring rather quickly.

 

But now I've hit on the right book, River of Stars. It's just over the borderline of a historical fiction novel of ancient China, to the point of having most of it directly inspired by 12th century China, but instead of actual China is placed in a separate world so the author doesn't have to be as accurate or adhere to history as much, and so can just let the story do it's own thing. Never the less it feels like reading a nicely researched, perspectivist historical fiction novel, which is what counts I think.

 

And so far I'm really enjoying it. The author does a great job of showing how deluded people can be come in their own views of the world and yet remain in power, how a country can be ruined by people that think they're doing the right thing in their own minds, there's plenty of jumps in time and characters and etc. and yet it all manages to feel extremely cohesive, you never feel like you're jumping halfway across a continent to a completely different character that may or may not at some point do something that matters to the other characters (Ala Game of Thrones or etc.). Instead it all feels like one solid, cohesive story all throughout. I hope it continues this strongly, but in the beginning it's quite promising.

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Can anyone here recommend a good book to learn about Native American mythology? Preferably one that puts it into the context of the history of that particular tribe or subculture or whatever.

 

I know there's a LOT OF IT and a LOT OF DIFFERENT TRIBES and A LOT and that's kind of why I'm asking for recommendations. I have no idea where to start. I don't really have any preferences, either. I could go with southwestern Native Americans or even Hawaiian natives.

 

I've just become inexplicably interested in learning about this stuff within the past few weeks, but, like I said, have no idea where to start.

 

Oh, also, I'd prefer one that I can read via my Nook, buuut at the same time I also want to see the art that goes along with the culture/mythology, so I'd probably be entirely willing to go with a real book. As long as it's not one of those weirdly tall books that are awkward to carry in any capacity.

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Can anyone here recommend a good book to learn about Native American mythology? Preferably one that puts it into the context of the history of that particular tribe or subculture or whatever.

 

I know there's a LOT OF IT and a LOT OF DIFFERENT TRIBES and A LOT and that's kind of why I'm asking for recommendations. I have no idea where to start. I don't really have any preferences, either. I could go with southwestern Native Americans or even Hawaiian natives.

 

I've just become inexplicably interested in learning about this stuff within the past few weeks, but, like I said, have no idea where to start.

 

Oh, also, I'd prefer one that I can read via my Nook, buuut at the same time I also want to see the art that goes along with the culture/mythology, so I'd probably be entirely willing to go with a real book. As long as it's not one of those weirdly tall books that are awkward to carry in any capacity.

 

Empire of the Summer Moon might be worth checking out, although it sounds like the focus is less on mythology and more on the history of the Comanches in general. Still, I remember it got a lot of good reviews a year or two ago when it came out.

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I'm okay with history, too, although I'd prefer an emphasis on mythology. I'll check it out. Thanks!

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My dad, who's big into Western stuff, liked Bury Me at Wounded Knee a lot, but it's an oldie that's also really heavy on history. Useless quasi-advice!

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One Good Story, That One by Thomas King is an awesome collection of short stories focusing on Aboriginals, although in a Canadian context. There's a mix of mythology and more modern day stuff and it doesn't focus too much on a single group (although King is of Cherokee descent, so I think it's probably tinted that way). But in any case, it's just an awesome collection of stories.

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One Good Story, That One by Thomas King is an awesome collection of short stories focusing on Aboriginals, although in a Canadian context. There's a mix of mythology and more modern day stuff and it doesn't focus too much on a single group (although King is of Cherokee descent, so I think it's probably tinted that way). But in any case, it's just an awesome collection of stories.

This is a cool book, and many of Thomas Kings other stories and novels are modern takes on First Nations myths. It is not a traditional collection of First Nations myths though. 

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His wife's name was Sara, so that'd be my first guess. (Unrelated: Based on my completely biased opinion Sarah > Sara)

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