What are you currently reading?

[Beorn]

.[asin]0857866206[/asin]

[Brian]

Hey Dave, I'm listening my way through Art Blakey albums right now! Had Mosaic on about an hour ago.

[Beorn]

Hey Dave, I'm listening my way through Art Blakey albums right now! Had Mosaic on about an hour ago.

What are your findings?

[Drasko]

Hm...

It's really good. Some of the finest drawing I've seen in years, and even better, very cinematic, way of composing pages. I read all three stories (it's a three stories integral) in one sitting, stories are ok, relatively simple but atmospheric, Sam Spade kind of stuff. I think it would be worth your time.

I'm in the mood for comic books this summer, after long time. And again reading huge amount the same time: random re-reading of Corto Maltese, 8th book of Lieutenant Blueberry, 1st of Torpedo, 2nd of Modesty Blaise, 1/3 through Regis Loisel's Peter Pan, 2nd volume of Yslaire's Sambre, occasional page of Liberty Meadows, Fearless Dawn, The Bellybuttons ... 

[Beorn]

It's really good. Some of the finest drawing I've seen in years, and even better, very cinematic, way of composing pages. I read all three stories (it's a three stories integral) in one sitting, stories are ok, relatively simple but atmospheric, Sam Spade kind of stuff. I think it would be worth your time.

I'm in the mood for comic books this summer, after long time. And again reading huge amount the same time: random re-reading of Corto Maltese, 8th book of Lieutenant Blueberry, 1st of Torpedo, 2nd of Modesty Blaise, 1/3 through Regis Loisel's Peter Pan, 2nd volume of Yslaire's Sambre, occasional page of Liberty Meadows, Fearless Dawn, The Bellybuttons ...

I'll check it out on your recommendation. Thanks much!

[Brian]

What are your findings?

The "Holiday for Skins" albums are an acquired taste (lots of African drumming and chanting), but the Blakey+Messengers albums I've heard, Roots & Herbs, A Night in Tunisia, Mosaic, and the self-titled CBS outing, are all fantastic. If a friend of mine were to turn off the stereo during a Blakey solo, they would no longer be a friend. The numerous fake endings at the end of their recording of "Night in Tunisia" are pretty annoying-hilarious.

[Drasko]

Any opinions on Anatole France? I'm really in the mood for some fin de siecle French writing (that isn't Zola). I have on hand France's Histoire Contemporaine, but it is rather large thing and I've never read him before.

[kishnevi]

Any opinions on Anatole France? I'm really in the mood for some fin de siecle French writing (that isn't Zola). I have on hand France's Histoire Contemporaine, but it is rather large thing and I've never read him before.

I've read Penguin Island.  Fell rather flat for me, but I suspect that if I had more knowledge of that era in French history, I'd have gotten more references and enjoyed it more.  Also, as I think of it,  I don't particularly enjoy much of anything written during that time period even among British and American writers,  other than the Sherlock Holmes stories and late Mark Twain.  It's rather as if there is a big gap between (to stick to French references)  Hugo and Proust.....So on those grounds,  I would suspect you'll like him more than I did.

BTW,  am I correct in remembering that Anatole France was the author of the story on which Massenet's Thais was based?

[Beorn]

Downloaded last night.
[asin]1556522754[/asin]

[Drasko]

I've read Penguin Island.  Fell rather flat for me, but I suspect that if I had more knowledge of that era in French history, I'd have gotten more references and enjoyed it more.  Also, as I think of it,  I don't particularly enjoy much of anything written during that time period even among British and American writers,  other than the Sherlock Holmes stories and late Mark Twain.  It's rather as if there is a big gap between (to stick to French references)  Hugo and Proust.....So on those grounds,  I would suspect you'll like him more than I did.

BTW,  am I correct in remembering that Anatole France was the author of the story on which Massenet's Thais was based?

Yes, exactly that was the period I was interested in: between Flaubert and Proust (maybe even bit after Proust). Penguin Island is kind of fable/satire, right? I'm looking for something with more conventional narrative, some middle/upper class melodrama from that, turn of the century, period. I was also considering Romain Rolland, Daudet, Martin du Gard, thought I'd skip on Gide and Zola this time. Well, anyhow, I'll give Histoire Contemporaine a shot, if it proves dull drop it and move on. 

Yes, France wrote Thais, the novel, libretto based on his novel wrote somebody else.

[Florestan]

Any opinions on Anatole France? I'm really in the mood for some fin de siecle French writing (that isn't Zola). I have on hand France's Histoire Contemporaine, but it is rather large thing and I've never read him before.

Go for it without hesitation. It's a page turner. Penguins' Island is also quite good.

[Wakefield]

I didn't read War and Peace and at this point of my life I believe it's difficult to do it, so this could be a good alternative. 

You should redress this ASAP. 

It's a great suggestion, I know; but there are so many books piled on my nightstand that currently it's near impossible to read it.   

BTW, these days I'm totally absorbed by Cornelius Castoriadis' book Lo que hace a Grecia – 1. De Homero a Heráclito. Seminarios 1982-1983; transcriptions of his lectures at the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales. It's a great book, perfect combination of intelligent creativity, amazing erudition and clear exposition... Impossible to predict, coming from an author of his intellectual tradition, so different of my own. 

[Florestan]

It's a great suggestion, I know; but there are so many books piled on my nightstand that currently it's near impossible to read it.   

No, it's not. Just begin to read it and all of a sudden all that pile would look insignificant... 

[Wakefield]

Go for it without hesitation. It's a page turner. Penguins' Island is also quite good.

Today it's almost impossible to believe that, when he died in 1924, he was one of the most famous writers in the world.

Sic transit gloria mundi.

[Wakefield]

No, it's not. Just begin to read it and all of a sudden all that pile would look insignificant... 

When I was - I don't exactly recall it - 12 or 13 y.o., I prayed my mother to purchase what it would be my first personal collection of books. It was a weekly collection - from a magazine named Ercilla - of great books of the universal literature. The first delivery included volumes first and forty: The Iliad (not a bad decision at all) and El Aleph by Jorge Luis Borges. The second volume was The Odyssey and the next four volumes were War and Peace. Therefore, that book has been waiting for me during 30 years... Then, who knows, maybe I will take your suggestion soon.     

[Drasko]

Go for it without hesitation. It's a page turner. Penguins' Island is also quite good.

Started last night. It is an easy read, at least at the beginning.

there are so many books piled on my nightstand that currently it's near impossible to read it.   

Same. Actually multiple piles. 

BTW, these days I'm totally absorbed by Cornelius Castoriadis' book Lo que hace a Grecia – 1. De Homero a Heráclito. Seminarios 1982-1983; transcriptions of his lectures at the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales. It's a great book, perfect combination of intelligent creativity, amazing erudition and clear exposition... Impossible to predict, coming from an author of his intellectual tradition, so different of my own.

You got my interest. I see La Montée de l'insignifiance is the only book of his readily available in Serbian translation. Another one for the pile, I guess.

some comics:

[Corey]

Any opinions on Anatole France? I'm really in the mood for some fin de siecle French writing (that isn't Zola). I have on hand France's Histoire Contemporaine, but it is rather large thing and I've never read him before.

Have you read Huysmans's "La-bas"? I think you'd like it.

[Florestan]

Today it's almost impossible to believe that, when he died in 1924, he was one of the most famous writers in the world.

Sic transit gloria mundi.

In 1924 they still had good taste... 

[Parsifal]

Just finished Game of Thrones, by Martin.  He's no Tolkein and the book is not particularly "literary" but it is a story that draws you in.  Perhaps a case where the TV show is better than the book.

[Daverz]

Just finished Game of Thrones, by Martin.  He's no Tolkein and the book is not particularly "literary" but it is a story that draws you in.  Perhaps a case where the TV show is better than the book.

I wouldn't go that far.

The first 3 books are excellent, but some of Martin's flaws as a writer start to become more apparent in the 4th, and 5th book was a slog.  I get very annoyed by Martin's inability to move the story forward, and his insistence on continuously adding new characters I don't give a crap about.  That said, I hope he is able to finish the series.