R.N7
Such tagline. Wow!
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Yo caf, recommend me some great non-fiction books.
Any topic?Yo caf, recommend me some great non-fiction books.
History, philosophy and whatnot.Any topic?
How I Escaped My Certain Fate by Stewart Lee - a breakdown of his stand-up shows with some memoir thrown in.History, philosophy and whatnot.
Yo caf, recommend me some great non-fiction books.
I like travel writing, here’s a list I posted in this thread a while back - https://www.redcafe.net/threads/the-book-thread.155497/page-74#post-17282291History, philosophy and whatnot.
Finished this last week - as I say it's a weird, unique book in many respects but I thought it was fecking brilliant and probably stands as one of my favourites. Mann's approach to our perception of time etc is fascinating even if it's often presented in a way that seems obvious once you've read it but remains insightful all the same. There's a lot of overwrought philosophical discussions at times but then you're often unsure if it's supposed to be a genuine dialogue or Mann taking the piss out of these intellectuals who've essentially disconnected themselves from a world around them that's gradually falling apart. I'd recommend reading it when you know you've got some time to spare, because it's probably best read in longer stretches where you can allow yourself to become lost in the setting.That's a book on my shelf that I've opened and read the first few pages a few times but never carried on with it. Be interested to know if you end up enjoying it.
Sound great, thanks!Finished this last week - as I say it's a weird, unique book in many respects but I thought it was fecking brilliant and probably stands as one of my favourites. Mann's approach to our perception of time etc is fascinating even if it's often presented in a way that seems obvious once you've read it but remains insightful all the same. There's a lot of overwrought philosophical discussions at times but then you're often unsure if it's supposed to be a genuine dialogue or Mann taking the piss out of these intellectuals who've essentially disconnected themselves from a world around them that's gradually falling apart. I'd recommend reading it when you know you've got some time to spare, because it's probably best read in longer stretches where you can allow yourself to become lost in the setting.
Just be aware of the translation you get, mine had one of the novel's most important dialogues left entirely in French deliberately.Sound great, thanks!
I'm reading The Magic Mountain right now and it prolongs tension beautifully. I just can't see the suspense be alive for all or most of the book. There are two translations. The first one is unreadable. The modern one is better, much so.Just be aware of the translation you get, mine had one of the novel's most important dialogues left entirely in French deliberately.
How far in are you? I think the translator of the one I read had genuine thematic reasons for leaving it in French as opposed to it just being an oversight - obviously not too helpful when you're trying to understand what's being said and it's a massive climactic scene.I'm reading The Magic Mountain right now and it prolongs tension beautifully. I just can't see the suspense be alive for all or most of the book. There are two translations. The first one is unreadable. The modern one is better, much so.
I've read 4 chapters. I can understand French, but also I can understand the frustration of those who can't.How far in are you? I think the translator of the one I read had genuine thematic reasons for leaving it in French as opposed to it just being an oversight - obviously not too helpful when you're trying to understand what's being said and it's a massive climactic scene.
Oh the Alchemist is dire. But you seem to like eclectic books, so who am I to judge?I read Remains of the Day a week or two ago and loved it. Really enjoyable and quite sad at the end.
Also read The Alchemist after seeing it recommended as a similar read to Siddhartha. Didn't enjoy it nearly as much as Siddhartha, which I loved.
Probably around 3/5. Will start on Steppenwolf now.
Yeah even 3/5 is a bit generous I think. I kinda liked the part before him joining the caravan, but after that I found myself rolling my eyes everything so often.Oh the Alchemist is dire. But you seem to like eclectic books, so who am I to judge?
Of course I meant it as a compliment. Now, pardon me while I go read my Harry Potter books.Yeah even 3/5 is a bit generous I think. I kinda liked the part before him joining the caravan, but after that I found myself rolling my eyes everything so often.
Didn't realise I had eclectic taste but I'll take it as a compliment, whether you meant it like that or not.
I assume you've read the book?What's so bad about The Alchemist anyway?
Gravity's Rainbow is a very difficult read, which has deterred me from reading it. It has never ever been voted as a book to be read in any of the Goodreads groups I've been in. My favorite genres are mysteries worth their salt and easy looking non-fiction.Working through a list of Penguin books I got recommended by e-mail. Tried to read Gravity's Rainbow, 100 pages in felt it was tumescent shit and gave up. Started Cloud Atlas now, much better.
It's one I want to get round to at some point but I've heard some people who've read books like Infinite Jest despite Gravity's Rainbow as too much, which is hardly reassuring since IJ's a mindfeck in its own right even if I love it.Gravity's Rainbow is a very difficult read, which has deterred me from reading it. It has never ever been voted as a book to be read in any of the Goodreads groups I've been in. My favorite genres are mysteries worth their salt and easy looking non-fiction.
IJ seems to be the less doughty of the two, but my to be read pile is not composed of books like that. It's been a while since someone mentioned GR or IJ in a discussion. I will stick to the side my bread is buttered.It's one I want to get round to at some point but I've heard some people who've read books like Infinite Jest despite Gravity's Rainbow as too much, which is hardly reassuring since IJ's a mindfeck in its own right even if I love it.
No, that's why I'm asking. It has a reputation as some kind of new age hippy bullshit but I don't know anything about it really.I assume you've read the book?
Working through a list of Penguin books I got recommended by e-mail. Tried to read Gravity's Rainbow, 100 pages in felt it was tumescent shit and gave up. Started Cloud Atlas now, much better.
Grav's Rainbow is a brilliant novel in the 'war is madness' stakes but I agree it's fundamentally difficult novel to 'enjoy'. tumescent is absolutely the right word.Gravity's Rainbow is a very difficult read, which has deterred me from reading it. It has never ever been voted as a book to be read in any of the Goodreads groups I've been in. My favorite genres are mysteries worth their salt and easy looking non-fiction.
Yeah when I researched gravity's rainbow I found people recommending starting with Inherent Vice if I wanted to read Pynchon. I'm borrowing from the public library so no harm done.Grav's Rainbow is a brilliant novel in the 'war is madness' stakes but I agree it's fundamentally difficult novel to 'enjoy'. tumescent is absolutely the right word.
Some guy tried to buy it when I worked at Waterstones and I implored him not to. He wasn't having any of it and left with a copy of V instead which I was sure he probably wouldn't enjoy either. My tester was to ask if he enjoyed postmodern literature. He was like, 'what's that mean bro?'. I was like, duuuuude.
If you're new to Pynchon then absolutely start with The Crying of Lot 49. If you don't like that then you won't like his other books (except maybe Inherent Vice).
See, I did like TCOL49, but I do suspect my patience would've started wearing thin if it wasn't for the fact it's incredibly short. An equivalent novel six or seven times the length would've been a struggle.Grav's Rainbow is a brilliant novel in the 'war is madness' stakes but I agree it's fundamentally difficult novel to 'enjoy'. tumescent is absolutely the right word.
Some guy tried to buy it when I worked at Waterstones and I implored him not to. He wasn't having any of it and left with a copy of V instead which I was sure he probably wouldn't enjoy either. My tester was to ask if he enjoyed postmodern literature. He was like, 'what's that mean bro?'. I was like, duuuuude.
If you're new to Pynchon then absolutely start with The Crying of Lot 49. If you don't like that then you won't like his other books (except maybe Inherent Vice).
There are many better books out there. Maybe you'll like it. Who knows? It has a lot of lessons that sound like cliches, though.No, that's why I'm asking. It has a reputation as some kind of new age hippy bullshit but I don't know anything about it really.