Books

[Pedrito]

Aside from Tolkien, I have read a bunch of Nietzsche's books recently, with great help from Black Shepherd. I won't even try to give my thoughts or opinions on this master, other than to say we could all do with a bit of Nietzsche in our lives. I find my jaw dropping and the words 'fuck' coming from my mouth regularly as I read through him.

Anyway, that's not really the point of this post. I just read this excerpt from The Gay Science and it's all about poetry and music and rhythm...I thought some of you would enjoy it..very cool.

http://www.lexido.com/EBOOK_TEXTS/THE_GAY_SCIENCE_SECOND_BOOK_.aspx?S=84

[O Drighes]

Thanks for the link, it is a brilliant wee read.

Was following this thread in silence as I hadn't been an avid reader on the past few months and also wanted to catch up with some reading in my own language for pleasure sake, but catching up quickly now and bought "The Plague" by Camus after reading "The Outsider" (short book, brilliant theme:  refusing to pretend while living in society)

Another French book I often recommend is "Journey to the end of the night." One of the most compelling books I've ever read, just don't know what the English translation did to it though as I often avoid reading latin language books in English.

Currently finishing something totally different called "Dying for Ideas - the dangerous lives of the philosophers" by Costica Bradatan, a book on philosophy taken to the flesh and not lived only on paper. Totally recommend this one!

Notes taken on "How to lose a country", sounds interesting.

[John Kimble]

Yeah, I read Catch-22 in my teens and remember it being a bit of a slog in places, probably because I wasn't expecting it to essentially have no story-line. I bought myself a copy a few years ago with the intention of going through it again with an adult eye, but haven't taken the time yet.

Same as myself, read or should I say, tried to read this in my late teens and found it to be an absolute chore. Although I'd imagine my attention span has decreased since if anything, so maybe not.

[Pedrito]

Thanks for the link, it is a brilliant wee read.

Was following this thread in silence as I hadn't been an avid reader on the past few months and also wanted to catch up with some reading in my own language for pleasure sake, but catching up quickly now and bought "The Plague" by Camus after reading "The Outsider" (short book, brilliant theme:  refusing to pretend while living in society)

Another French book I often recommend is "Journey to the end of the night." One of the most compelling books I've ever read, just don't know what the English translation did to it though as I often avoid reading latin language books in English.

Currently finishing something totally different called "Dying for Ideas - the dangerous lives of the philosophers" by Costica Bradatan, a book on philosophy taken to the flesh and not lived only on paper. Totally recommend this one!

Notes taken on "How to lose a country", sounds interesting.

Became obsessed with Gabriel García Marquez from reading him in Spanish. The English versions left me cold. That said, I've read ither translated authors and loved them. That Journey book sounds v interesting, will check it out. This Camus guy getting repeated mentions here too. Sounds like I need to investigate

[StoutAndAle]

Just came across this book website today - https://thebookshop.ie/ - based in Tipperary. Secondhand and rarities.

It's a bit hit and miss (like any used bookshop, I guess) but there's a lot of good stuff on there (and a lot of tat). The average price of a book is about €2 (not including the rare books obviously). Camus' "The Outsider" is there for two quid for instance, as is Bukowski's "Post Office".

I got ten books including two new(ish) releases for €21 which included the shipping because the order was over €20.

I'll follow up when I receive the books as to their condition etc.

[StoutAndAle]

Just a quick follow up on my last post about that book website.

Can't really fault this place - ordered late Tuesday afternoon.  The books arrived this morning via GLS couriers, all in very good condition - some of them as good as new.

[blessed1]

has anyone head of Kealen Patrick Burke?
Hes an Irish author and he writes some deadly twilight zone type horror stories.
I read 3 of this books so far and they are all really good.
Most of them are quite short (70 to 80 pages).
Check out Sour Candy. Unreal story.

[Scáthach]

Clearly there are some avid readers here, to any of whom I would wholeheartedly recommend Jerusalem by Alan Moore. It's an absolute stunner. If you enjoyed his From Hell graphic novel or Joyce's Ulysses it's well worth the commitment. It is longer than the Bible (old and new testicles) and counts as one of the ten longest books in English. It is worth the effort. Where Joyce has Dublin almost as a main character, Moore has his home town of Northampton featured intimately. Seriously, I feel like I could give a walking tour of the place and I've never been. One tip though if you do decide to bite the bullet and read it, get the 3 volume slipcase edition, as the one vol Ed is a monster to lug around.

[Eoin McLove]

I really like Alan Moore and find him an interesting character.  I've no interest in graphic novels but I'd be very curious to read this.

[Scáthach]

Jerusalem is a proper novel, a very lengthy one! I have no interest in Batman or Superman either but From Hell is full of actual literary merit. If you have never read it, go get it now. It's a (Fictionalised) account of the Jack the ripper murder with amazing, stark black and white art. Jerusalem continues some of it's themes, like eternalism, and the plight of the poor / working class. Jerusalem expands on this, to include musings on Cromwell and the civil war, the history of money and finance, art and inspiration, madness and psycho-geography. Amazing.

[Eoin McLove]

Jerusalem sounds like the one for me.

[Weltenfeind]

Byron from Bal Sagoth has written a sword and sorcery style book  based on Caylen-Tor, a recurring character from the bands lyrics. Sounds like it could be good read.
https://dmrbooks.com/the-chronicles-of-caylentor

[blessed1]

Byron from Bal Sagoth has written a sword and sorcery style book  based on Caylen-Tor, a recurring character from the bands lyrics. Sounds like it could be good read.
https://dmrbooks.com/the-chronicles-of-caylentor

i just saw that pop up on the dmr page on facebook. must check it out.
that lad needs to sort it out and get bal-sagoth back together. his spoken vocals and lyrics are fuckin class!

[Eoin McLove]

Picked up Machines Like Me,  the new Ian McEwan, today.  I had no idea he had a new one out so it was a very pleasant surprise.  Nutshell was such a fantastic read and this one is shaping up nicely too. I felt he went a little off the boil prior to Nutshell with Solar and Sweet Tooth being merely good,  and The Children Act being merely very good (which is not really good enough by his standards) but it feels like he has tapped into some new wellspring of creativity. 

[Eoin McLove]

That was a winner.  Very enjoyable and pertinent in many ways as a mirror to our times.  Lots of messy questions posed  and no simple answers given.  McEwan at his finest,  basically.

I picked up Lanny by Max Porter. I know nothing about it or its author,  I simply couldn't resist the cover.  This can be a hit or miss approach to book buying.  You miss and you end up with a pretty sleeve wrapping up a literature turd on your shelf- not too bad,  you hit and you discover a new writer and a whole new world to dive into- a massive win! On balance it's a winning formula.

Edit: 36 pages in and it's already a hands down winner.  This guy knows how to write! There are wonderful characters beginning to emerge and a poetic thread running throughout. It is kaleidoscopic in style without being a disjointed mess, quite the opposite in fact, all elements so far appear woven into a larger tapestry. Instantly hooked.