Since the computer with my music on, is broke, i can’t post some music stuff, although i have lots of brand new stuff to offer to you. But right now, let’s talk about books.
This holiday, two weeks US, i’ve been reading a lot of books. I tend to read a lot, even if i do a lot of stuff, i always find the time to go sit in a corner and read. This is what i have been absorbing.
Nick Hornby – Housekeeping Vs. The Dirt
This book fo essays by Nick Hornby, who first got published in the magazine The Believer, is a very entertaining read for people who love to read. Every month, he writes about the books that he bought and read that month. it’s an interesting insight in the life of a reader instead of that of a writer. I’m planning to keep track of that now as well. It’s easy plagiarism, but imitation is necessary.
Andrey Kurkov – Death & The Penguin
Oddly enough, Nick Hornby mentioned this book in one of his essays. I happened to have it with me, so I started writing this absurd tale of a writer who writes obituaries for people who aren’t dead yet and who has a pet penguin, which he got from the zoo, because they could no longer feed the animals. It’s a heartwarming tale.
Oscar Wilde- The Picture of Dorian Gray
I’m planning to read more classics. AFter reading ‘Dorian Gray’, you suddenly realize why these books will be there forever. The writing is superb, stunning. The wittiness is great and the tale is one of all times. I sometimes was a bit annoyed by the the depiction of women, but that’s because i’m a big woman lover. And I wouldn’t let a personal issue like that influence my opinion. Wonderful. The next Classic on the List is a big one, Don Quichote.
How to Dress for every occassion by the Pope
A McSweeneys book, one of the many i bought during their garage sale. A funny style guide written by the pope. You should read it yourself. Also funny are the “Baby Be Of Use” books, like “Baby Fix My Car”, “Baby Do my Banking” and “Baby Make Me My Breakfast”. As soon as I have kids, i’ll learn them all that.
Stephen Levitt, Stephen J. Dubner – Freakonomics
I normally don’t read non-fiction. If i have one non-fiction book a year, it’s a lot. BUt this accidentally crossed my path, and so took advantage of that. Enjoyable read, and it’s helps me to strenghten me in my beliefs that the one thing we are all trying to do – understanding the world and reality, and by doing that trying to predict our future and determine our own happiness – is impossible. Reality is so complex and doesn’t follow the rules. One guy told me the book was propaganda. That was funny too, cause he tried to create his own reality by denying another existing one.
Read, but not finished yet:
Donald Barthelme – Flying to America
I’m not finished with this one, but it was a bit disappointing this far. Maybe it’s because i’m not a native speaker and don’t get to see all the nuances and language complexities, but though i’m a big fan of the absurd, these stories seem to lead to nowhere. Too bad, cause I was very anxious to read his stuff after reading articles about him, thinking he’d be my kind of writer. It’s postmodern for the sake of being postmodern, and that doesn’t really appeal to me. If someone can tell me if his forty or sixty stories volumes are the same, i’m glad to hear that.
Walter Abish – How German it Is
I started reading this, but didn’t finish it, because it just couldn’t keep my attention. It’s a story about german guilt, and though i’ve studied English-German in college, it isn’t really fascinating. Maybe because the whole issue of this German guilt seems to have disappeared for the most. I guess i’ll start reading it somewhere further in the next couple of days, just because i think there’s this big ending where it all comes together, but still…disappointing. He’ll end up on my bookmooch-list i think (where i got it in the first place).
Gabriel Garcia Marquez- collected Stories
HAdn’t read him in a while (since i was nineteen, which is six years ago). I’ve only read 5 stories thus far, and because they are in chronological order, the first stories are very much alike. You can see a young existentialist Marquez imitating Borges & Kafka, but with a certain subtleness. IT’s exciting to witness the evolution while reading his story, and i can’t wait till I get to the stories where he finds his own voice.
That’s it.
I’ll try to keep an update on what i read from now..maybe once a month or so. As soon as i got internet on my music computer, i’ll let you know some new bands who are eagerly waiting for you attention.
An Inside Out Sock 