Talking of anniversary editions with extra content, I'm half way through The Stand, a true epic. I hear Mathew McConaughey is playing Randall Flagg in an upcoming movie too. Should be good the way he's acting lately.
Just finished Robert Knott's latest Cole & Hitch novel, "The Bridge". These are the only Robert Parker necrobiblia books I'm enjoying. Knott gets the characters and the pacing of Parker, without trying to clone his writing.
Today I will finish "The Empty Throne", the latest in Bernard Cornwell's Saxon Chronicles. As usual, it's great.
Just read Cormac McCarthy's no country for Old Men. Going to hit Blood Meridian next.
e L nny
I read "Blood Meridian" once for a US Lit. class during my undergrads. I liked it to a certain point but it was extremely dry. The only book I truly like by McCarthy is "The Road." His other books do not suit my taste in literature.
I am currently reading Torquato Tasso's "Jerusalem Delivered" - an Epic Poem that discusses the First Crusade of Jerusalem. If you are interested in history or classical literature, I highly recommend it. Think of it as a precursor to "Paradise Lost."
Getting through Daredevil and 3 and a half series of Breaking Bad has really taken its toll on my book reading. I have 300 pages left of The Stand that I started two months ago!!
I'm now several chapters into Joe Hill's Heart Shaped Box. I've read a lot of horror books in my time, but this is the first book to genuinely give me the creeps. It's a ghost story that is genuinely making me feel a little uncomfortable when reading. Great writing from Hill.
Finished off Pillars of the Earth a couple of weeks ago, and it was a page turner. There were some scenes that seemed a bit too graphic, but the way the fiction played into the non-fiction was terrific!
Just finished "The Friends of Eddie Coyle" by George V. Higgins.
A worn copy of it was featured in the last episode of Justified, and I learned that it was the book that inspired Elmore Leonard to switch from westerns to crime novels.
It's a helluva book, especially in the context of 1970, when it was published.
Just finished "The Friends of Eddie Coyle" by George V. Higgins.
A worn copy of it was featured in the last episode of Justified, and I learned that it was the book that inspired Elmore Leonard to switch from westerns to crime novels.
It's a helluva book, especially in the context of 1970, when it was published.
That's one of those films I've always planned to watch, but just never got around to it. I've even DVR'd it a couple times off TCM, only for it to delete before I get to it. I wasn't aware it was originally a book, but I'm not surprised to hear that was the case.
I've wondered before why Leonard made such an abrupt switch. I'd just assumed westerns weren't selling as well anymore. He's one of those writers on my short list of candidates to do a complete chronological reading of. He'd make for a nice change of pace after Edgar Allen Poe, H.P. Lovecraft, and Mark Twain, who are the other three I've done that with.
Finished with Joe Hill's Heart Shaped Box. Very enjoyable. Great ghost story.
Just picked up Ready Player One. One chapter down, all the pop culture references I grew up with, this is right up my alley. @ShaneKelly how're you finding it?
Finished with Joe Hill's Heart Shaped Box. Very enjoyable. Great ghost story.
Just picked up Ready Player One. One chapter down, all the pop culture references I grew up with, this is right up my alley. @ShaneKelly how're you finding it?
Oh, just wait. He goes down the rabbit hole with references. Good book.
Finished with Joe Hill's Heart Shaped Box. Very enjoyable. Great ghost story.
Just picked up Ready Player One. One chapter down, all the pop culture references I grew up with, this is right up my alley. @ShaneKelly how're you finding it?
Oh, just wait. He goes down the rabbit hole with references. Good book.
Just finished it. Couldn't put the thing down. Loved it.
Recently, I've pulled some books off of my sons shelf and read the first 3 volumes of James Owens' Imaginarium Geographica. The fantastical adventurers of a trio from Oxford - John, Jack and Charles, and their adventures after being made caretakers of the atlas of all mythological and fantastical lands. I won't spoil the conceit of the series, but the first couple are pretty entertaining, The third was a bit ponderous. The fourth is on the shelf so I'll likely give it a go.
Meanwhile, I've decided to reread/read Stephen King's Darktower series. I haven't ventured down that path since Wastelands came out in 1991. I've already burned through the Gunslinger and the Drawing of Three and enjoyed both as much as I did back then. I don't recall being terribly satisfied by Wastelands last time around, but I'm assuming not having to wait 6 years to read Wizard and Glass will improve my enjoyment.
What's worse, good story with terrible prose, or bad story with great prose. I've read a few books recently where the prose was magnificent which made each sentence a joy to read, but didn't really add up to anything, and a couple of books where the prose was a slog but I kept with it because the narrative had hooked me. Neither was really a fufilling experience, but I can't really decide which was worse.
My gut reaction is great prose and bad story. Although the overall piece is poor, you can enjoy reading it in the moment. A good story with poor prose sounds like a wiki entry.
What's worse, good story with terrible prose, or bad story with great prose. I've read a few books recently where the prose was magnificent which made each sentence a joy to read, but didn't really add up to anything, and a couple of books where the prose was a slog but I kept with it because the narrative had hooked me. Neither was really a fufilling experience, but I can't really decide which was worse.
This is like bad art/good story or good art/bad story comics debate
Recently, I've pulled some books off of my sons shelf and read the first 3 volumes of James Owens' Imaginarium Geographica. The fantastical adventurers of a trio from Oxford - John, Jack and Charles, and their adventures after being made caretakers of the atlas of all mythological and fantastical lands. I won't spoil the conceit of the series, but the first couple are pretty entertaining, The third was a bit ponderous. The fourth is on the shelf so I'll likely give it a go.
Meanwhile, I've decided to reread/read Stephen King's Darktower series. I haven't ventured down that path since Wastelands came out in 1991. I've already burned through the Gunslinger and the Drawing of Three and enjoyed both as much as I did back then. I don't recall being terribly satisfied by Wastelands last time around, but I'm assuming not having to wait 6 years to read Wizard and Glass will improve my enjoyment.
Wrapped up Wizard and Glass. I quite enjoyed it, long though it was. Between work and summer activities, it took a bit longer than planned. Time to play catch up on comics and then on to the Wolves of Calla!
Comments
Today I will finish "The Empty Throne", the latest in Bernard Cornwell's Saxon Chronicles. As usual, it's great.
e
L nny
I am currently reading Torquato Tasso's "Jerusalem Delivered" - an Epic Poem that discusses the First Crusade of Jerusalem. If you are interested in history or classical literature, I highly recommend it. Think of it as a precursor to "Paradise Lost."
Now I'm reading Skin Games by Jim Butcher which is also excellent.
m.youtube.com/watch?v=r1ywB8132jc
I'm now several chapters into Joe Hill's Heart Shaped Box. I've read a lot of horror books in my time, but this is the first book to genuinely give me the creeps. It's a ghost story that is genuinely making me feel a little uncomfortable when reading. Great writing from Hill.
A worn copy of it was featured in the last episode of Justified, and I learned that it was the book that inspired Elmore Leonard to switch from westerns to crime novels.
It's a helluva book, especially in the context of 1970, when it was published.
I've wondered before why Leonard made such an abrupt switch. I'd just assumed westerns weren't selling as well anymore. He's one of those writers on my short list of candidates to do a complete chronological reading of. He'd make for a nice change of pace after Edgar Allen Poe, H.P. Lovecraft, and Mark Twain, who are the other three I've done that with.
knopfdoubleday.com/2011/11/21/mark-z-danielewskis-the-familiar-coming-in-27-volumes-from-pantheon/
Just picked up Ready Player One. One chapter down, all the pop culture references I grew up with, this is right up my alley. @ShaneKelly how're you finding it?
Meanwhile, I've decided to reread/read Stephen King's Darktower series. I haven't ventured down that path since Wastelands came out in 1991. I've already burned through the Gunslinger and the Drawing of Three and enjoyed both as much as I did back then. I don't recall being terribly satisfied by Wastelands last time around, but I'm assuming not having to wait 6 years to read Wizard and Glass will improve my enjoyment.
A good story with poor prose sounds like a wiki entry.