LT's reading log..

el_tiddlero

So having browsed through the multitudes of lists in here i though i'd start my own.
To give this first post some meat i'll list what i've read from Christmas..

FINISHED

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Confessor - Terry Goodkind ---> this is the final book in the Sword of Truth series, had been waiting on it a while so it was nice to get to the end of it. The book itself was a little disappointing, but then again, i had massive expectations - the lesson, expect less and you won't be disappointed.

100 Bullets, collected editions 1-4, Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso ----> Graphic novels with a genius premise and gorgeous art, and no mean amount of ethical and moral dilemmas. Had been looking forward to reading these, and seen as there's at least another 8 collected volumes to get, i could be at them a while. Well worth a read even if you're hardcore text only. This series really shows the progress that GN's are making as proper literature..

The Yiddish Policeman's Union - Michael Chabon ----> borrowed from a housemate before he even had a chance to open it.. and well worth it.. I've never really read too many noir/detective books, but i may well start. This was a cracking read with some really out-there concepts in it and the combined hoplessness and intelligence of the main character has you rooting for him from the get-go..

The Nation - Terry Pratchett

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> I've been reading Pratchett for 15 years or so now, and tbh i found the last few discworld books quite weak. sure they had their moments, but they seemed to be missing something. In this book however, freed from the bounds of the disc, Pratchett really hits his mark. In future years, this may be considered his best work. It's a beautiful read, and i can't recommend it highly enough - especially for people who think that TP is just discworld - no better way to change their minds.

Men Without Women - Ernest Hemmingway

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> Short stories about tough men, just like papa liked em. Classic hemmingway really, and not much more to say than that. He's just got that instinct for the killer line, especially when it's the last one, which makes you go back and re-evaluate what you've just read. I wouldn't give this to someone who'd never read anything by him, but for someone who's already done For Whom The Bell Tolls, Fiest, Farewell to Arms etc, it's perfect.
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IN PROGRESS

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Palestine - Joe Sacco

Wake Up, A life of a buddha - Jack Kerouac

Don Quixote - Cervantes

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ON THE SHOPPING LIST

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The Brazilian People - GUSTAVO LINS RIBEIRO

The Road To Wigan Pier - George Orwell

Guerilla Warfare - Che Guevarra

The Beautiful and The Damned - F. Scott Fitzgerald

el_tiddlero

FINISHED

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Palestine - Joe Sacco ---> This is a cool graphic novel about a reporter hanging out in gaza/palestine/israel in the early nineties. I was reading it as all that recent kerfuffle was going on so it was a handy guide to who was who. It's a pretty bleak book in terms of the events depicted/described, although there is a lot of humour in it too, most of it quite macabre. An interesting snapshot of life for the palestinian people, the book is quite one-sided and there's not much effort to provide balance in terms of the Israeli outlook. That's ok though, everyone likes an underdog right?

Books Vs Cigarettes - George Orwell ---> Another collection of Orwell's essays from the Penguin Great Ideas series. He just seems to able to write on any topic whatsoever and make outrageously compelling arguments. There's a nice story of his time in boarding school at the end of this collection that reminded me of Roald Dahl's Boy a little.

100 Bullets, collected editions 5-8, Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso ---->
More magic from the American and the Argentine. The complexity of these stories is immense and it just seems to get better and better. There's bundles of questions that need answering, but the payoffs are getting closer and some of the scenes, especially in book 8, are up there with the best things i've ever read in terms of ethical dilemmas and tragedy.

Gentlemen of the Road - Michael Chabon ---> Enjoyed the Yid Policemen so much i thought i'd give another Chabon a go. This is a lighthearted adventure with swords and an eastern backdrop (kazhakstan i think?). He originally wanted to call it Jews With Swords and that about sums it up. A good fun book and Chabon continues to teach me new words - he has a better thesaurus than I.

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IN PROGRESS

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Wake Up, A life of a buddha - Jack Kerouac
(i'm struggling with this one - i find one has to be in a certain mood to get into kerouac)


Don Quixote - Cervantes
(this is a monster, 700 pages, i'm reading just a chapter a day and it's really tickling me at the minute. I don't know that i expected it to be this funny)

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RECENTLY PURCHASED

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The Road to Wigan Pier/A Clergyman's Daughter/Coming Up For Air - Orwell (to round out the collection)

The Beautiful and The Damned - F. Scott Fitzgerald

Guerilla Warfare - Che Guevarra

The Art of War - Sun Tze (gotta know about regular war before i find out about guerilla war right?)

A message to the opressed peoples of europe (sic) - Trotsky (more penguin great ideas).