tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486641877026778105.post7551265009384607692..comments2024-03-29T09:14:53.583+00:00Comments on All That Is Solid ...: 1,000 Books: How Many Have You Read?Philhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06298147857234479278noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486641877026778105.post-58654653460936690032019-12-28T18:41:50.876+00:002019-12-28T18:41:50.876+00:00Patricia Dunker - Hallucinating Foucault was so go...Patricia Dunker - Hallucinating Foucault was so good I went out and bought as many of her others as I could find. It's a kind of gay 90s Bonjour Tristesse (an astonishing debut for 17-year-old Francoise Sagan which I read when I was the same age as when she wrote it). It's short, as well, if you don't feel like a long read. <br /><br />It's missing Woman on the edge of time, by Marge Piercey and In the Eye of the Sun by Ahdaf Soueif. Would happily sacrifice some of the repeat authors for a wider selection. Krissnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486641877026778105.post-65420989663693541002019-12-27T17:53:42.578+00:002019-12-27T17:53:42.578+00:00No way I would recommend Heinlein, very much an au...No way I would recommend Heinlein, very much an author of his time and has not aged well. Hyperion by Dan Simmons is a far superior SF novel.<br />Mary Doria Russell's The Sparrow should be on any list as a thought provoking blend of SF and religion.<br /><br />And fantasy is almost completely ignored. Off the top of my head there are<br />China Mieville, Perdido Street Station<br />Joe Abercrombie, The blade itself<br />Stephen Donaldson, First Chronicles of Thomas Covenant<br />Scott Lynch, Lies of Locke Lamora<br />GRR Martin, Game of Thrones<br />Mary Gentle, Ash- a secret historyWelsh Iannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486641877026778105.post-27572844606117055072019-12-26T11:06:54.927+00:002019-12-26T11:06:54.927+00:0062...why no Periodic Table by Primo Levi?62...why no Periodic Table by Primo Levi?WillORNGhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03759801640058517521noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486641877026778105.post-48367627230845345272019-12-26T11:05:12.462+00:002019-12-26T11:05:12.462+00:001. @SimonB - you'll only turn into Jonathan Fr...1. @SimonB - you'll only turn into Jonathan Freedland if you read and agree with everything he says, and Freedland is hardly the most compelling writer. Personally, I can't believe (assuming we both read the Guardian over most of the 2010s) either of us exposed ourselves to that much Giles Fraser.<br /><br />2. Re: this list, probably about 6. That the flabby, outdated but thoroughly-canonised <i>Neuromancer</i> is on this list and the vastly superior <i>Snow Crash</i> isn't tells me that bothering with the other 994 or so is strictly optional and discretionary.Lidl_Janusnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486641877026778105.post-8541681541562670072019-12-26T10:58:38.951+00:002019-12-26T10:58:38.951+00:00I know it's a long list already but I'd ad...I know it's a long list already but I'd add:<br /><br />Star of the Sea by Joseph O'Connor<br />Disaffected by James Kelman<br />Sophie's World by Jostein GaarderDialectician1noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486641877026778105.post-35481482867383363442019-12-25T21:12:39.327+00:002019-12-25T21:12:39.327+00:00I guess this is a xmas eve "little bit of fun...I guess this is a xmas eve "little bit of fun" but I'm sure you'd agree both lists are absurd. They both contain many authors I'd put on my personal list of authors-life-is-too-short-to-read (I'm 67, a life-long reader and still reading strong, although more internet/mags than books these days - just taken out a 3 year tribune sub and monthly novara media sub). <br /><br />As an example - you've read lucky jim, which is worth reading once (parts are very very funny, thanks to P. larkin), the rest of Amis's output is pretty worthless. I've read it all, over many decades, trust me, its shite. <br /><br />Two recent acquisitions (and revelations) are Eric Hobsbawm's 3 volumes and "Marx's Kapital for beginners" - David Smith & Phil Evans. An owen hatherley recommendation - not to me personally, but I lurk in his twitter feed. I'm late to leftist lit, as you will gather; but now I'm retired, and have time to read and reflect, I'm wallowing in it. <br /><br />This blog has been a major crash course for me in condensed political science. I'll be buying your book on the Tory party as soon as it comes out - if you had a patreon, I'd happily contribute.<br /><br />Happy Xmas and don't let the bastards get you down!mikenottshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07757304843116688101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486641877026778105.post-36282259654476053842019-12-25T07:46:26.739+00:002019-12-25T07:46:26.739+00:00The.city & the city China mieville. A wizard ...The.city & the city China mieville. A wizard of earthsea leguin...<br />Jennyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00377904046439554309noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486641877026778105.post-75446444942518574152019-12-24T18:51:52.469+00:002019-12-24T18:51:52.469+00:00My name is Dan "compelling backstory" Ja...My name is Dan "compelling backstory" Jarvis and I can confirm that I have not read *any* of the books. But I do want to be Labour leader.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486641877026778105.post-24490399697893253262019-12-24T18:43:07.561+00:002019-12-24T18:43:07.561+00:00Ony 33 though I hope to get this addressed.
Jekyl...Ony 33 though I hope to get this addressed.<br /><br />Jekyll & Hyde and Justified Sinner go with me on my yearly trips to Edinburgh along with James Boswell's diary of his life in that city, and others.<br /><br />I'd urge a reading of Arnold Bennett as he is not only the bard of our city, but as Sathnam Sanghera and many other can tell you, is of worldwide application. I am far better at dealing with my granddad's dementia because Bennett, in a masterpiece of imagine & empathy, created Darius Clayhanger who went the same way. My advice is to waste no time in seeking him out!<br />asquithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14246701347539264295noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486641877026778105.post-35055281802722180962019-12-24T17:23:20.636+00:002019-12-24T17:23:20.636+00:00Oh dear! Only 55 - which surprises me because I di...Oh dear! Only 55 - which surprises me because I didn't read a lot of novels until recently. What about non-fiction? Tasker Dunhamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17634612033217902946noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486641877026778105.post-35889686443868795052019-12-24T17:04:13.489+00:002019-12-24T17:04:13.489+00:00A mere 112, although not by any means a subset of ...A mere 112, although not by any means a subset of yours. I <b>strongly</b> recommend <i>What A Carve-Up!</i>.Philhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07009879034507926661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486641877026778105.post-82967588597218185792019-12-24T16:49:19.207+00:002019-12-24T16:49:19.207+00:00Allegedly. The Guardian is now so despised in my h...Allegedly. The Guardian is now so despised in my household I’m inclined to reject all of those titles. The risk of becoming Jonathan Freedland is just too great.<br /><br />Also, they missed Biochemistry by Lehninger, which has been formative for so many people. They’ll know what I mean.SimonBnoreply@blogger.com