recent reading #7

[adelaidesean]

This takes me back to the end of October and covers books I read while I was writing two of my own.  One was a kids' book, hence the old favourites listed here, the other intended to be, um, more thrilling than introspective, hence the thrillers.  I am what I eat, at least where books are concerned (were it literally true, I'd currently be made of chocolate, wine and vegetables) so I try to read only things that make me write both on-topic and better.  The classics were mostly read on planes.

• Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, annotated by David M Shapard (finally!)
• The Winner by David Baldacci (contained sex scenes that literally made me laugh out loud)
• The Black Russian by Lenny Bartulin (the finest crime writer in Australia, hands down)
• Pilot Light by “Williams Ashbless” (Tim Powers and James P. Blaylock) (huh?)
• Servant of the Underworld by Aliette do Bodard (wonderful)
• The Haunted Hotel by Wilkie Collins (deliciously OTT)
• The Dark is Rising, The Grey King, and Silver on the Tree by Susan Cooper (they age not)
• Rain Fall by Barry Eisler (how could a Japanese hit man not be fun?)
• The Owl Service by Alan Garner (I’d forgotten how creepy this is)
• The Gigantic Robot by Tim Gauld (great title, great art, and surprising depth for so few words)
• Even by Andrew Grant (not a patch on his awesome brother, alas)
• The Bus Driver Who Wanted to be God by Etgar Keret (strange and surprising)
• Masonic Myth: Unlocking the truth about the symbols, the secret rites, and the history of Freemasonry by Jay Kinney (everything I ever wanted to know, and then some)
• The Breach by Patrick Lee (“spicy death sauce” indeed--recommended!)
• Valnir’s Bane by Nathan Long (fun, fast, violent--exactly the right thing at exactly the right time)
• Professor Stewart’s Hoard of Mathematical Treasures by Ian Stewart (I’m glad he didn’d keep them to himself)
• Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld (very, very kewl)
• The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde (hilarious, except for the boring bits)

Comments

[stephen-dedman.livejournal.com]

Boring bits in The Picture of Dorian Gray? Surely you jest.

[seanwilliams.livejournal.com]

Just the endless lists of Dorian's decadent exploits. Everything else was marvellous.

Etgar Keret

[iangolledge.wordpress.com (from livejournal.com)]

"One Last Story and That's It" - essential for every aspiring writer's reading list.

"Pipes" has such a great ending.

Someone to come back to every now and again.

Re: Etgar Keret

[seanwilliams.livejournal.com]

Absolutely! Utterly unusual and (usually) lacking the slightest trace of pretension. Never outstays his welcome.

[derekcfpegritz.livejournal.com]

Is that...an It Conquered The World icon? Why, I think it is! Gods, I love that stupid movie.

If you like Wilkie Collins, by the way, be certain to read Dan Simmons' brilliant Drood, in which Collins is the narrator. It's just brilliant.

[seanwilliams.livejournal.com]

I discovered "It..." thanks to Frank Zappa's "Cheepnis" into on "Roxy & Elsewhere". Love it, and this icon because it looks like man and monster putting aside their differences and having a bit of a snooze, perhaps between takes. Or perhaps something more intimate. :-)

Thanks for the tip re DROOD. I used to be a big fan of Simmons. This sounds right up my alley...

[derekcfpegritz.livejournal.com]

I have such a passion for cheesy 1950s B&W monster movies. Someday, I hope to write, direct, star, and score one of my own: Invasion From Beyond The Screen! Have you ever seen It Challenged The World? One of my alltime favourites. So is The Giant Claw--because nothing is as cool as a gigantic space buzzard made...OF ANTIMATTER.

A note about Drood: it is a deliberately uneven, very slow-paced novel. There are really, really boring sections that will have you questioning, "Why is this even in here?" Roll with it. It's all worth it in the end!

[ladnews.livejournal.com]

Note the icon. Hopped back to this account just I could use it. :-)

I'm very impatient when it comes to boring bits in books but I will persist if you tell me too. Will go order it now...

[derekcfpegritz.livejournal.com]

I'm actually watching The Giant Claw in a separate window as I write this. Heh.

The thing about Drood is that the "slower" bits contain details that, at the time, seem pointless--but, at the end, everything comes together quite nicely.

[derekcfpegritz.livejournal.com]

Sorry, The Monster That Challenged The World.

And it's online! (http://www.fancast.com/movies/The-Monster-That-Challenged-the-World/140452/872994935/The-Monster-That-Challenged-The-World/videos)

[murasaki-1966.livejournal.com]

So, what did you think of the Austen?

[seanwilliams.livejournal.com]

Absolutely loved it. Of course. I'm looking forward to reading Sense and Sensibility now.