Beach reading for intellectuals

[Ken B]

And speaking of non-fiction, one of the most intellectually stimulating books in my list is a good world atlas.

+1
I especially like the Penguin Atlas of Ancient History.

PS, ever been to Constanta Andrei? I ask as an Ovidian.

[jochanaan]

...Any thoughts on Umberto Eco or Henry Miller?...

The Name of the Rose, definitely!  Haven't read anything else by him--yet.

Glanced at a Miller book the other day in the library.  Looked interesting.  He has the rep of being very, shall we say, juicy...!

But I have read Anaïs Nin's House of Incest.  Fascinating, very stream-of-consciousness.  (Of course I read it because of Edgard Varèse's Nocturnal. )

[kishnevi]

Perhaps we can think of Eco as Dan Brown for intelligent readers.

That said, the only book of his I have read is Name of the Rose.

But if we speak of Eco, should we not also speak of Italo Calvino?

[Ken B]

Perhaps we can think of Eco as Dan Brown for intelligent readers.

That said, the only book of his I have read is Name of the Rose.

But if we speak of Eco, should we not also speak of Italo Calvino?

In the room the women come and go   
Talking of Eco and Calvino

[Wakefield]

But I have read Anaïs Nin's House of Incest.  Fascinating, very stream-of-consciousness.  (Of course I read it because of Edgard Varèse's Nocturnal. )

Apparently, Anaïs' father was in a panic when he knew his daughter had written a book under this title.

[Moonfish]

What about John Fowles' "The Magus"? Great summer reading if you are going to a Greek island....

[asin] 0440351626[/asin]

[Florestan]

PS, ever been to Constanta Andrei? I ask as an Ovidian.

Yep, many times. It's the entry gate to the Romanian Black Sea seaside. It's the second largest city, nice and pleasant during summer but extremely windy and cold during winter. Anyway, there is no trace of Ovid, other than a modern statue. 

More information here

[Florestan]

Rose and attempts at Foucault, Baudolino.

I see. As I said, I found them extremely captivating, but then again to each his own.

Overrated and dullish, that would be Orhan Pamuk for me. Except Snow, which I really liked, his novels are a giant bore.

[Drasko]

I see. As I said, I found them extremely captivating, but then again to each his own.

Overrated and dullish, that would be Orhan Pamuk for me. Except Snow, which I really liked, his novels are a giant bore.

Agreed. Ok, Baudolino is bit rambling mostly just skin deep, but it is picaresque novel after all.
Rose and Foucault (and Island) are anything but dull. Haven't read his last two.

Of Pamuk read only 'My Name is Red' and barely finished it, all his trouble to capture the period sounded so precious and tiresome. Never tried anything else of his after.

[bwv 1080]

WG Sebald - Rings of Saturn (a nice depressing seaside walk)

[XB-70 Valkyrie]

Thanks for all the suggestions--I will certainly follow up on many of them later. I n case anyone is interested, I settled on Kerouac's short novel Big Sur. I had intended to get On the Road or Dharma Bums, but this one was just calling to me. I also bought Kerouac's Scattered Poems.

I am off from teaching (am a lecturer in Biological Sciences at our local state school) for the summer. My whole summer seems to be going by very slowly--in a good way. It seems a long meditation on the piano, and German--both of which I am working on. On Friday I sat under a large, wildly branching old oak tree and pondered it for quite a while... (Sorry I didn't get up at 4am, run two marathons, cram some "kale" down my throat, and start 15 new companies before noon, but I guess I'm a slacker    )

[Florestan]

It seems a long meditation on the piano, and German--both of which I am working on.

Piano and German --- then all you need is some good editions of Goethe's and Schubert's works.

Grau, teurer Freund, ist alle Theorie.
Und grün des Lebens goldner Baum. 

Yet, beware --- it is the Devil who so speaks. 

[XB-70 Valkyrie]

For poetry,  did you ever try Wallace Stevens?

Strange happening today--my wife and I decided to attack a large pile of stuff in one of our closets to free up some room. Mind you, we have not looked at some of this stuff in two decades (some boxes have been moved a couple times and never really inspected). Among reams of books, out pops Wallace Stevens--The Collected Poems. Neither my wife nor I remember having bought it, but I saved it based on your recommendation. Will take on the trip with the Kerouac books...

[Ken B]

Will take on the trip with the Kerouac books...

A road trip? Can't beat that.

[jochanaan]

Apparently, Anaïs' father was in a panic when he knew his daughter had written a book under this title.

LOL