What are you currently reading?

[Papy Oli]

Finished H.G. Wells - The Island of Dr Moreau. A great read.

A couple of short stories as well:

Washington Irving - Rip Van Winkle
D.H. Lawrence - Odour of Chrysanthemums

The second Lawrence's story that really hit the mark after The Prussian Soldier. One to pursue further

[Henk]

Finished H.G. Wells - The Island of Dr Moreau. A great read.

A couple of short stories as well:

Washington Irving - Rip Van Winkle
D.H. Lawrence - Odour of Chrysanthemums

The second Lawrence's story that really hit the mark after The Prussian Soldier. One to pursue further

Lawrence is a fine writer indeed. Deleuze was idolate of him. Still have to finish 'Women in Love'.

[Mandryka]

Emile Zola was highly regarded in the USSR and was frequently published. It seems that he fought against something or condemned something. I definitely read him when I was a teenager, but I don't remember anything, probably for the best.

He supported Dreyfus.

[Henk]

Maybe I should change my mind on Zola, whose work I have not read. But the book by Balzac 'Lost illusions' is enough for me. I read on Wikipedia about Balzac. Remarkable character, very ambitious and I think still relevant problematics he treats.

[vers la flamme]

I would just say to anyone with prejudices about what Zola is like to read Germinal, because it completely shattered my (very loaded) expectations, and was not at all what I thought it would be. What a book.

@Mandryka I have not read Houellebecq, but am interested in The Elementary Particles and Submission. I have loaded expectations for him too, he seems to represent everything that annoys me about the French

[JBS]

Emile Zola was highly regarded in the USSR and was frequently published. It seems that he fought against something or condemned something. I definitely read him when I was a teenager, but I don't remember anything, probably for the best.

The comparison with Houellebecq is interesting, I think I know what you mean.

J'accuse is perhaps the most famous op-ed in history.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/J'Accuse...!

[Mandryka]

I would just say to anyone with prejudices about what Zola is like to read Germinal, because it completely shattered my (very loaded) expectations, and was not at all what I thought it would be. What a book.

@Mandryka I have not read Houellebecq, but am interested in The Elementary Particles and Submission. I have loaded expectations for him too, he seems to represent everything that annoys me about the French

The one to read is Extension du domaine de la lutte- which seems to have been translated as "Whatever" - which is actually a better title. Submission verges on Islamophobia. Elementary Particles has some good things in it. But basically for me it's all downhill after  Extension du domaine de la lutte. The great thing about Houellebecq is that he's brilliant at characterising male  losers, people whose lives are a total void. And he uses social commentary to make his characters seem plausible,  real (like Zola.)

I went off him a bit a couple of years ago when I leaned that he likes the high life - he's a socialite. I want to read hermits!

There's a good film of Germinal with Depardieu. I like the bit where they cut the grocer's dick off most,

[AnotherSpin]

He supported Dreyfus.

Is it a praise or complain?

[AnotherSpin]

J'accuse is perhaps the most famous op-ed in history.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/J'Accuse...!

Oh, yes.

[Henk]

I would just say to anyone with prejudices about what Zola is like to read Germinal, because it completely shattered my (very loaded) expectations, and was not at all what I thought it would be.

I have no time for it unfortunately and already much on my list.

[vers la flamme]

The one to read is Extension du domaine de la lutte- which seems to have been translated as "Whatever" - which is actually a better title. Submission verges on Islamophobia. Elementary Particles has some good things in it. But basically for me it's all downhill after  Extension du domaine de la lutte. The great thing about Houellebecq is that he's brilliant at characterising male  losers, people whose lives are a total void. And he uses social commentary to make his characters seem plausible,  real (like Zola.)

I went off him a bit a couple of years ago when I leaned that he likes the high life - he's a socialite. I want to read hermits!

There's a good film of Germinal with Depardieu. I like the bit where they cut the grocer's dick off most,

That was a jarring moment in the book! I will check out Extension du domaine de la lutte.

I have no time for it unfortunately and already much on my list.

In that case I can only suggest to keep whatever prejudices you have about any writers, it'll keep your list shorter

[SimonNZ]

Starting:



Possibly/potentially topical.

[NumberSix]

I always have a number of books going at once because I get distracted or just want variety.

One of my current books-in-progress is the first volume of Shelby Foote's Civil War trilogy. It really does read more like a novel than an academic history book.

He was a lovely writer, though I wish it had more maps in it.

[Ganondorf]

Hmmm, you have me curious! I have always been scared of Zola because of an impression that his work must be bleak, depressing, dry.

Zola is one of my favorite writers. My main gripe with him is his extreme sexism toward women and on Germinal Etienne thinks in one chapter some outrageously dated things about women. I know that it was written in The 19th century but I have still not met any other writer who is quite so unashamed about this as Zola. That is not to say he lacks complex female characters. Inattentive reader might regard Lorilleaux from l'assommoir as mere monster of selfishness but Zola actually defended her from critics, saying that while Lorilleaux couple may be miserly and malicious, they are honest and most definitely not idle. When considering Zola's female supporting characters I also have to mention baroness Sandorff from L'argent as a masterful study how a gambling problem can lead into a downward spiral even the most high-minded individuals.

Zola's strengths are immense: complex characters, beautiful, hypnotically poetic prose, great action scenes, especially the crowd ones.

[Ganondorf]

One of my favorite "funny" parts in l'assommoir is when Coupeau and his drinking buddies try to lure one of their friends from work to drink by informing that his wife is sick. When he comes out, he is grinning when he sees his drinking buddies because he guessed full well beforehand that it was just an excuse invented by his friends in order to go drinking. Yes, I know, alcoholism is a serious issue but that part is just hilarious. It helps that that part doesn't involve any domestic abuse.

[vers la flamme]

Zola is one of my favorite writers. My main gripe with him is his extreme sexism toward women and on Germinal Etienne thinks in one chapter some outrageously dated things about women. I know that it was written in The 19th century but I have still not met any other writer who is quite so unashamed about this as Zola. That is not to say he lacks complex female characters. Inattentive reader might regard Lorilleaux from l'assommoir as mere monster of selfishness but Zola actually defended her from critics, saying that while Lorilleaux couple may be miserly and malicious, they are honest and most definitely not idle. When considering Zola's female supporting characters I also have to mention baroness Sandorff from L'argent as a masterful study how a gambling problem can lead into a downward spiral even the most high-minded individuals.

Zola's strengths are immense: complex characters, beautiful, hypnotically poetic prose, great action scenes, especially the crowd ones.

I can't fault anything here except that Étienne's egregious sexism definitely spans more than one chapter (though I believe I may know the one you're referring to, early in the book when he meets Catherine Maheu), and to say that the views of the character don't necessarily reflect the views of the author. (But of course, it's entirely possible that they do - I haven't read any of Zola's personal correspondence.)

[DavidW]

I would just say to anyone with prejudices about what Zola is like to read Germinal, because it completely shattered my (very loaded) expectations, and was not at all what I thought it would be. What a book.

This post and many in the movies thread make me sad for my poor memory.  I read Germinal.  I've watched so many of the movies posted on the other thread.  But so long ago, I don't remember anything.

[Ganondorf]

I've been contemplating reading Cormac McCarthy. What works should I start with? Is he a good writer (reading some other sites it seems his work is much revered). I first heard about McCarthy in Noah Caldwell-Gervais' excellent Red Dead retrospective. I assume Cormac is not related to Senator Joseph McCarthy?

[NumberSix]

I've been contemplating reading Cormac McCarthy. What works should I start with? Is he a good writer (reading some other sites it seems his work is much revered). I first heard about McCarthy in Noah Caldwell-Gervais' excellent Red Dead retrospective. I assume Cormac is not related to Senator Joseph McCarthy?

I can't speak to his other books, but I have read The Road. He has a reputation for being challenging, but I found it to be quite accessible. Very dark subject matter, and absolutely gorgeous poetic language.

[Mandryka]

I've been contemplating reading Cormac McCarthy. What works should I start with? Is he a good writer (reading some other sites it seems his work is much revered). I first heard about McCarthy in Noah Caldwell-Gervais' excellent Red Dead retrospective. I assume Cormac is not related to Senator Joseph McCarthy?

The really special one is Blood Meridian. There's a fair amount of discussion about it here, a whole thread on McCarthy. Blood Meridian is Homeric, in the sense that it's visceral, physical, like the Iliad. It is also ambitious, with an enigmatic quasi mystical ending- arguably it overreaches itself.