Books / Literature
- Thread starter Hovis!
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Anyone who's a graphic novel fan (I'm guessing that's most people around here!) and interested in current affairs may want to check out avery unusual book by Joe Sacco called Safe Area Gorazde. Basically it's Sacco's experiences in wartime Yugoslavia as a journalist, told in the form of a comic book. He has a distinctive artistic style but what really interests me is how he explains the politics in a pretty unbiased way, as well as portraying his personal experiences. It's occasionally funny, inevitably occasionally shocking but a great read. The fact that everything Sacco writes and draws actually happened makes it all the more compelling.
Polished off another Murakami book - this time A Wild Sheep Chase - curious little tale, pretty much as it says on the tin, although the actually nature of the sheep in question and the reason for chasing it are what make it intriguing.
After revealing in Norwegian wood and being thoroughly entertained with the short stories in Elephant Vanishes I find myself pondering how much I actually rate this one; it was enjoyable enough, just questioning whether it was any more than a pleasant diversion for the period of time it took to read it.
As way of contrast also read The Divide by Nicholas Evans.
As the cover proudly proclaims: "Author of The Horse Whisperer" (you know, that film with Robert Redford from a while back - the book benefits from not having the irritating whining of a young Scarlett Johansson incidentally). I've read and enjoyed that and his other two books - not sure if my taste has changed over the years but I found The Divide a little so-so, more pleasant-diversion again perhaps.
It plays out much like a typical American film as you read it (as have his other books) which isn't necessarily such a bad thing, it’s written well enough and is entertaining enough if you're in the right mood for it, just that it gets a bit pappy in places, dashes of cheese, maybe some corn there in the mix - not wanting to trivialise what is actually a reasonably serious drama with splashes of thriller - just the american style isn't it?
There's some satisfaction to be had in completing it – the kind of book you might buy in the airport to read on a plane journey I reckon.
If nothing else reading this here made it interesting comparing between American/western and Japanese/eastern story-telling styles (including anime and manga in this). As far as I been able to make out so far, books/films of the former tending to have happy and/or more conclusive endings, in contrast to the later that more often than not have not-so-happy and/or leave things hanging somewhat.
Back now to my assault on the books of Murakami with The Wind-up Bird Chronicle…
After revealing in Norwegian wood and being thoroughly entertained with the short stories in Elephant Vanishes I find myself pondering how much I actually rate this one; it was enjoyable enough, just questioning whether it was any more than a pleasant diversion for the period of time it took to read it.
As way of contrast also read The Divide by Nicholas Evans.
As the cover proudly proclaims: "Author of The Horse Whisperer" (you know, that film with Robert Redford from a while back - the book benefits from not having the irritating whining of a young Scarlett Johansson incidentally). I've read and enjoyed that and his other two books - not sure if my taste has changed over the years but I found The Divide a little so-so, more pleasant-diversion again perhaps.
It plays out much like a typical American film as you read it (as have his other books) which isn't necessarily such a bad thing, it’s written well enough and is entertaining enough if you're in the right mood for it, just that it gets a bit pappy in places, dashes of cheese, maybe some corn there in the mix - not wanting to trivialise what is actually a reasonably serious drama with splashes of thriller - just the american style isn't it?
There's some satisfaction to be had in completing it – the kind of book you might buy in the airport to read on a plane journey I reckon.
If nothing else reading this here made it interesting comparing between American/western and Japanese/eastern story-telling styles (including anime and manga in this). As far as I been able to make out so far, books/films of the former tending to have happy and/or more conclusive endings, in contrast to the later that more often than not have not-so-happy and/or leave things hanging somewhat.
Back now to my assault on the books of Murakami with The Wind-up Bird Chronicle…
Charter_Mage
Pokémon Master
Just started reading the Magicians Guild
sonia_leong
Dandy Guy, in Space
I've had a small but steady addiction to Alexander McCall-Smith's series of the No.1 Ladies Detective Agency. I've read the first 3 books, but I really need to get the rest of the series, and probably everything else this man has written XD
It's not girly, nor manly. It has puzzles and mysteries, but still a lot ofheart, charm and good old hunches. The quirkyness of the Botswana setting and the attitude of the characters really are brought to life. In many ways, the main character, Mma Ramotswe, the first lady detective in Botswana, reminds me of my mum - chubby, big hearted, and knows what's best for you! XD It's probably the only set of books I've read which keep me smiling throughout the whole time I'm reading them, they're just so damn enjoyable.
Recommend.
It's not girly, nor manly. It has puzzles and mysteries, but still a lot ofheart, charm and good old hunches. The quirkyness of the Botswana setting and the attitude of the characters really are brought to life. In many ways, the main character, Mma Ramotswe, the first lady detective in Botswana, reminds me of my mum - chubby, big hearted, and knows what's best for you! XD It's probably the only set of books I've read which keep me smiling throughout the whole time I'm reading them, they're just so damn enjoyable.
Recommend.
slideyfoot
Completely Average High School Student
I'm reading various Robert Lowell material for my next chapter - just polished off Ian Hamilton's excellent 1982 biography, most of the way through Collected Letters, and will move on to Collected Prose after that. Also re-reading Lowell's Collected Poems, which is always a pleasure. 
My Neil Gaiman phase continues with American Gods (it's the last of his written novels that I've yet to finish reading). It's widely believed to be his best to date and no wonder: fantasy, social commentary, horror and humour all rolled into one. It's a very startling and interesting take on the nature of the 'soul' of America. Most excellent.
I have now started reading a new series of books.
After watching the Sky1 series the Dresdan Files, I really got into the story and characters about wizards and vampires being real and the world having many faces we never see.
Anyway I went and bought the books today and I am amzed such depth and the story has quite a few stories in it and some hints to dresdans path that nerver comes out in the series like the line
Sure some guys have trouble with there first girlfriends but most don't end up killing them (talking about himself)
After watching the Sky1 series the Dresdan Files, I really got into the story and characters about wizards and vampires being real and the world having many faces we never see.
Anyway I went and bought the books today and I am amzed such depth and the story has quite a few stories in it and some hints to dresdans path that nerver comes out in the series like the line
Sure some guys have trouble with there first girlfriends but most don't end up killing them (talking about himself)