Spoilers What Book Are You Reading?

[Scepticalscribe]

I enjoyed that one.

When I started reading it, I thought that it was simply yet another tiresome, tedious, self-indulgent, male coming of age story (and I have read far too many of those to find the subject remotely interesting any longer).

However, I persevered, not least because of the many positive reviews (including yours) and am finding it both more subtle, nuanced, layered, and thought-provoking than I had initially assumed, and a lot less sexist in its assumptions.

I'm also quite mindful that it was (first) published in the mid 1980s, and thus, carries some of the literary, or cultural, attitudes and assumptions of that era.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Finished Norwegian Wood - the suicide count is quite extraordinary, especially the suicide count for some of the female characters - last night, and am now back reading (am almost finished) Cory Doctorow's brilliant book.

 

[VisceralRealist]

^I'm glad you enjoyed Norwegian Wood, even if it's not without its flaws. It's a nice introduction to Murakami and one of his novels that tends to have appeal beyond the "Murakami fan" because it's more grounded, and doesn't indulge in the surrealism that many of his other works do.

I haven't had much time to read for pleasure lately, steeped as I am in my final weeks of undergrad (and spending much of that time on my undergrad thesis, which I'm writing about Chilean and Argentinian literature and its relation to the political upheaval of the Cold War), but I did recently start a novel that I've been wanting to read for a while, that is, Doctor Faustus by Thomas Mann.

It's written as a biography of a fictional German composer who makes a Faustian bargain for creative greatness and frequently digresses into discussions of philosophy, theology, history, and other topics (it also serves as an allegory for Germany's embrace of Naziism). I admit that it's dense and a bit difficult. Even as someone who studies literature, this is a challenging read, but I'm enjoying it so far, and not rushing it.

Once I have some time off, I hope to do more reading. I recently picked up The Garden of the Finzi-Continis by Giorgio Bassani, about the lives of a Jewish family in Italy during the rise of Mussolini, so that will likely be what I read next.

 

[pachyderm]

^I'm glad you enjoyed Norwegian Wood, even if it's not without its flaws. It's a nice introduction to Murakami and one of his novels that tends to have appeal beyond the "Murakami fan" because it's more grounded, and doesn't indulge in the surrealism that many of his other works do.

I haven't had much time to read for pleasure lately, steeped as I am in my final weeks of undergrad (and spending much of that time on my undergrad thesis, which I'm writing about Chilean and Argentinian literature and its relation to the political upheaval of the Cold War), but I did recently start a novel that I've been wanting to read for a while, that is, Doctor Faustus by Thomas Mann.

It's written as a biography of a fictional German composer who makes a Faustian bargain for creative greatness and frequently digresses into discussions of philosophy, theology, history, and other topics (it also serves as an allegory for Germany's embrace of Naziism). I admit that it's dense and a bit difficult. Even as someone who studies literature, this is a challenging read, but I'm enjoying it so far, and not rushing it.

Once I have some time off, I hope to do more reading. I recently picked up The Garden of the Finzi-Continis by Giorgio Bassani, about the lives of a Jewish family in Italy during the rise of Mussolini, so that will likely be what I read next.

The Wind Up Bird Chronicle is my favorite of his.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

^I'm glad you enjoyed Norwegian Wood, even if it's not without its flaws. It's a nice introduction to Murakami and one of his novels that tends to have appeal beyond the "Murakami fan" because it's more grounded, and doesn't indulge in the surrealism that many of his other works do.

I haven't had much time to read for pleasure lately, steeped as I am in my final weeks of undergrad (and spending much of that time on my undergrad thesis, which I'm writing about Chilean and Argentinian literature and its relation to the political upheaval of the Cold War), but I did recently start a novel that I've been wanting to read for a while, that is, Doctor Faustus by Thomas Mann.

It's written as a biography of a fictional German composer who makes a Faustian bargain for creative greatness and frequently digresses into discussions of philosophy, theology, history, and other topics (it also serves as an allegory for Germany's embrace of Naziism). I admit that it's dense and a bit difficult. Even as someone who studies literature, this is a challenging read, but I'm enjoying it so far, and not rushing it.

Once I have some time off, I hope to do more reading. I recently picked up The Garden of the Finzi-Continis by Giorgio Bassani, about the lives of a Jewish family in Italy during the rise of Mussolini, so that will likely be what I read next.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

^I'm glad you enjoyed Norwegian Wood, even if it's not without its flaws. It's a nice introduction to Murakami and one of his novels that tends to have appeal beyond the "Murakami fan" because it's more grounded, and doesn't indulge in the surrealism that many of his other works do.

I haven't had much time to read for pleasure lately, steeped as I am in my final weeks of undergrad (and spending much of that time on my undergrad thesis, which I'm writing about Chilean and Argentinian literature and its relation to the political upheaval of the Cold War), but I did recently start a novel that I've been wanting to read for a while, that is, Doctor Faustus by Thomas Mann.

It's written as a biography of a fictional German composer who makes a Faustian bargain for creative greatness and frequently digresses into discussions of philosophy, theology, history, and other topics (it also serves as an allegory for Germany's embrace of Naziism). I admit that it's dense and a bit difficult. Even as someone who studies literature, this is a challenging read, but I'm enjoying it so far, and not rushing it.

Once I have some time off, I hope to do more reading. I recently picked up The Garden of the Finzi-Continis by Giorgio Bassani, about the lives of a Jewish family in Italy during the rise of Mussolini, so that will likely be what I read next.

If you like Thomas Mann, might I (strongly) recommend Buddenbrooks, which I think an excellent and powerful and exceptionally well written work?

 

[VisceralRealist]

If you like Thomas Mann, might I (strongly) recommend Buddenbrooks, which I think an excellent and powerful and exceptionally well written work?

I have a brand new copy of Buddenbrooks on my bookshelf, so maybe I will get to it next. I read The Magic Mountain a couple years ago, and I loved it (along with Death in Venice and a few other of his short stories).

 

[Scepticalscribe]

I have a brand new copy of Buddenbrooks on my bookshelf, so maybe I will get to it next. I read The Magic Mountain a couple years ago, and I loved it (along with Death in Venice and a few other of his short stories).

I have read all of the works you mention, and think that Buddenbrooks is the best of the lot. I loved it.

My sister-in-law, who is German (and who gave us a copy of Buddenbrooks as a Christmas gift almost thirty years ago) thinks that it is a superb example of a (modern) German classic, and I agree with her.

 

[boppin]

Barbarians Led By Bill Gates: Microsoft From The Inside by Jennifer Edstrom and Marlin Eller (German translation)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbarians_Led_by_Bill_Gates

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marlin_Eller

 

[boppin]

Plain old.

User manual for Microsoft Windows for Workgroups and MS DOS 6.2

Might help to explain why DOS 6.0 didn't work on the old IBM PC my father owned.

 

[boppin]

IBM DOS 5 User Manual

Especially about writing batch programs. Gives you a feeling about how program works. Anyone remember BAT2EXE?

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Currently absorbed by - and deeply immersed in - "The Prize: The Epic Quest for Oil, Money and Power" by Daniel Yergin, which I picked up in the library yesterday, where it awaited me.

 

[Bodhitree]

I just recently picked up a digital copy of “The Brothers Karamazov” by Fyodor Dostoyevsky, and I’m finding it rather tedious, with all the long descriptions of people’s circumstances and histories at the beginning. I’m only 17 pages in but am wondering whether it will reward perseverance.

 

[pachyderm]

I just recently picked up a digital copy of “The Brothers Karamazov” by Fyodor Dostoyevsky, and I’m finding it rather tedious, with all the long descriptions of people’s circumstances and histories at the beginning. I’m only 17 pages in but am wondering whether it will reward perseverance.

Well, It's a classic so.... maybe?

I've done that quite often, start one you think you're going to love and then ... meh!

 

[Bodhitree]

Well, It's a classic so.... maybe?

I've done that quite often, atqrt one you think you're going to love and then ... meh!

I used to read quite widely, but haven’t really delved into the classics since my high school days when I took English Literature classes. I have fond memories of some classics like Jules Verne and Alexandre Dumas and Charles Dickens, but never got into the Russians.

For a long time I read only sci-fi and fantasy for entertainment, authors like Iain M. Banks and Terry Pratchett. So I thought I would dip my toe back into reading a few more classics.

 

[pachyderm]

I used to read quite widely, but haven’t really delved into the classics since my high school days when I took English Literature classes. I have fond memories of some classics like Jules Verne and Alexandre Dumas and Charles Dickens, but never got into the Russians.

For a long time I read only sci-fi and fantasy for entertainment, authors like Iain M. Banks and Terry Pratchett. So I thought I would dip my toe back into reading a few more classics.

The Russians are definitely more of a challenge. I'm going to check my "Goodreads" page to see whom I've read. It won't be many.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

I just recently picked up a digital copy of “The Brothers Karamazov” by Fyodor Dostoyevsky, and I’m finding it rather tedious, with all the long descriptions of people’s circumstances and histories at the beginning. I’m only 17 pages in but am wondering whether it will reward perseverance.

If you want to try the Russians, - by which I mean, readable Russians, accessible Russian authors - might I suggest that you look at Ivan Turgenev, (Fathers and Sons is especially good), Anton Chekhov (his short stories are both very good and very accessible - while Ward No 6 is a haunting masterpiece to my mind), and Mikhail Bulgakov (The Master and Margarita, and Heart of a Dog are both brilliant).

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Currently absorbed by - and deeply immersed in - "The Prize: The Epic Quest for Oil, Money and Power" by Daniel Yergin, which I picked up in the library yesterday, where it awaited me.

This is a superb, incredibly detailed, extraordinarily interesting, exceptionally researched and very well written work, and is a book I recommend highly.

 

[MacMorrison]

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Called into the library today to collect two books by Cory Doctorow that awaited me.

 

[KaliYoni]

I just recently picked up a digital copy of “The Brothers Karamazov” by Fyodor Dostoyevsky, and I’m finding it rather tedious

I've done that quite often, start one you think you're going to love and then ... meh!

Just want to add that the translation of a work not originally written in one's native language can make a big difference in making a book "readable". Translators all have their own goals, styles, and aesthetics, as well as parameters imposed by publishers and (if still living, hah) authors, that can make two translations of a work appreciably different from each other.

Personally, I often find recent translations to be more enjoyable than the decades—and sometime centuries!—old translations of classic books available at free-book sites like gutenberg.org. Sometimes it's word selection, other times it's ambiance. So if I start feeling like the free version of a book is a slog to read, I might buy or borrow from the library a modern edition.

And here's a very interesting book about the art of translation, written by a first-rate translator and accomplished author, if anybody wants to delve deeper:

Essays Two

A collection of essays on translation, foreign languages, Proust, and one French city, from the master short-fiction writer and acclaimed translator Lydia Da...

us.macmillan.com

 

[AL2TEACH]

Can download from:

Jefferson's second revolution : the election crisis of 1800 and the triumph of republicanism : Dunn, Susan, 1945- : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

372 p. : 24 cm

archive.org

I love history so for me this is an exciting read because of the way she writes, lol. Anyway, it's not a detailed boring read and some say it's fairly light.
Synopsis from Amazon:
The election of 1800 was a revolution in the modern sense of a radical new beginning, but it was also a revolution in the sense of a return to the point of origin, to the principles of 1776. Federalist incumbent John Adams, and the elitism he represented, faced Republican Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson defeated Adams but, through a quirk in Electoral College balloting, tied with his own running mate, Aaron Burr. A constitutional crisis ensued. Congress was supposed to resolve the tie, but would the Federalists hand over power peacefully to their political enemies, to Jefferson and his Republicans? For weeks on end, nothing was less certain. The Federalists delayed and plotted, while Republicans threatened to take up arms.
In a way no previous historian has done, Susan Dunn illuminates the many facets of this watershed moment in American history: she captures its great drama, gives us fresh, ï¬ nely drawn portraits of the founding fathers, and brilliantly parses the enduring signiï¬ cance of the crisis. The year 1800 marked the end of Federalist elitism, pointed the way to peaceful power shifts, cleared a place for statesà rights in the political landscape, and set the stage for the Civil War.

Editorial Reviews​

From​

Some of our partisan pundits claim the next presidential election will be the most important since the Civil War, while others bemoan the "unprecedented" decline of civility in our political dialogue. Dunn, a scholar of eighteenth-century American history, has provided a valuable reminder of an election in which the stakes were truly enormous and the political vituperation was far more poisonous than the relatively moderate attacks heard today. The Federalists, led by incumbent president John Adams and Alexander Hamilton, were committed to a strong central government and the promotion of manufacturing, and they were suspicious of unrestrained democracy. The Democratic-Republicans, led by Thomas Jefferson, favored states' rights, agrarian interests, and a more open democratic political system. Dunn writes beautifully, and she captures the drama of events and the intensity of emotions on both sides while offering well-drawn portraits of the key players, although she probably oversimplifies the differences in the parties. Nevertheless, this is an excellent work that effectively explains this critical contest that shaped the history of the new republic. Jay Freeman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Just want to add that the translation of a work not originally written in one's native language can make a big difference in making a book "readable". Translators all have their own goals, styles, and aesthetics, as well as parameters imposed by publishers and (if still living, hah) authors, that can make two translations of a work appreciably different from each other.

Personally, I often find recent translations to be more enjoyable than the decades—and sometime centuries!—old translations of classic books available at free-book sites like gutenberg.org. Sometimes it's word selection, other times it's ambiance. So if I start feeling like the free version of a book is a slog to read, I might buy or borrow from the library a modern edition.

And here's a very interesting book about the art of translation, written by a first-rate translator and accomplished author, if anybody wants to delve deeper:

Essays Two

A collection of essays on translation, foreign languages, Proust, and one French city, from the master short-fiction writer and acclaimed translator Lydia Da...

us.macmillan.com

Some excellent - and thought-provoking points - in this post.

Candidly, I hadn't considered the possible impact of more modern translations of ancient works, and, you are, of course, quite right and absolutely spot on reading your post, I realise that I have enjoyed reading more modern (or recent) translations of ancient works, (such as Boccaccio, Dante, or some of the ancient Greek or Latin writers).

 

[obeygiant]

"Where the Red Fern Grows" and "A Wrinkle in Time"

 

[Scepticalscribe]

"The Internet Con: How to Seize the Means of Computation" - Cory Doctorow.