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Post by Kevin2 on Jun 23, 2006 23:17:38 GMT
I have the impression no one here reads, but anyway...
I just finished Sputnik Sweetheart by Haruki Murakami. Here's the opening paragraph:
In the spring of her twenty-second year, Sumire fell in love for the first time in her life. An intense love, a veritable tornado sweeping across the plains - flattening everything in its path, tossing things up in the air, ripping them to shreds, crushing them to bits. The tornado's intensity doesn't abate for a second as it blasts across the ocean, laying waste to Angkor Wat, incinerating an indian jungle, tigers and all, transforming itself into a Persian desert sandstorm, burying an exotic fortress city under a sea of sand. In short, a love of truly monumental proportions. The person she fell in love with happened to be seventeen years older than Sumire. And was married. And, I should add, was a woman. This is where it all began, and where it all wound up. Almost.
There are a lot of big ideas in this book - highly recommended.
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Post by Xanadu on Jun 24, 2006 19:36:08 GMT
I have the impression no one here reads, but anyway... That's a strange thing to say. Actually many of us read quite a bit. I recently finished two critical essays on the Powell & Pressburger films The Black Narcissus and The Red Shoes. The last fiction I read was James Hilton's Random Harvest. I usually read a fiction and a non-fiction concurrently. I find the choice of my next read a very personal experience, and I always have several on hand to suit my feeling at the moment. Now I'm considering John Galsworthy's A Man of Property from The Forsyte Saga, Sir Walter Scott's Waverley (of which I have the most gorgeous late 19th century embossed copy with a lovely inscription, which I will not be reading... just a paperback ), or du Maurier's The House On The Strand. I have a weakness for classics and drama. I also like to have wonderful old copies of the books I've read of plan to. I haven't chosen a new non-fiction yet. Although I rarely have much time to read, I enjoy it terribly. Your book sounds interesting, Kevan... very passionate. Thanks for suggesting it. What brought you to it? Why did it move you? Was it better than you expected? Maybe we can include a reading corner somewhere on the forum in the arts section. Most of the time, I'm more fascinated by why someone chooses to spend hours of their precious free time reading a certain story than reading that book myself. I believe it speaks about their inner character... at least for me it does.
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Post by Kevin2 on Jun 25, 2006 6:43:14 GMT
I have the impression no one here reads, but anyway... That's a strange thing to say. Well, originally I said it to vaguely insult everyone but then I thought that perhaps it might just be true since this forum has been around now for over four years and yet, according to my little search anyway, does not currently have a significant book-reading thread. A friend suggested it to me. This gave us something else to talk about. I enjoyed it more than I thought I would because while I expected it to feature interesting characters, implausible situations and to concern itself chiefly with introspection regarding the happenings and mindsets of... heh "beautiful losers," I didn't expect that when finished I would be thinking that I could have written it. If, that is, I could write. There is an arts section? What? ehh... I don't follow the above comment. EDIT: oh wait, now I understand.
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mizzshy
Reaching Out
"Oh darling, Make it go, Make it go away..."
Posts: 214
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Post by mizzshy on Jun 25, 2006 9:18:37 GMT
Meh, I'm reading the Vampire Diaries series by L. J. Smith. Anyone heard of her???
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Max
Reaching Out
You and I and Rosabel believe
Posts: 152
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Post by Max on Jun 25, 2006 20:35:10 GMT
In the spring of her twenty-second year, Sumire fell in love for the first time in her life. An intense love, a veritable tornado sweeping across the plains - flattening everything in its path, tossing things up in the air, ripping them to shreds, crushing them to bits. The tornado's intensity doesn't abate for a second as it blasts across the ocean, laying waste to Angkor Wat, incinerating an indian jungle, tigers and all, transforming itself into a Persian desert sandstorm, burying an exotic fortress city under a sea of sand. In short, a love of truly monumental proportions. The person she fell in love with happened to be seventeen years older than Sumire. And was married. And, I should add, was a woman. This is where it all began, and where it all wound up. Almost.This book sounds really interesting. I've heard great things about Murakami's novels - I've been recommended 'Kafka on the shore' a couple of times, but I've never got round to reading it. At the moment, I'm reading 'American Gods' by Neil Gaiman. I'm not that far into yet, but I'm really enjoying it so far.
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Post by Kevin2 on Jun 26, 2006 0:07:21 GMT
This book sounds really interesting. I've heard great things about Murakami's novels - I've been recommended 'Kafka on the shore' a couple of times, but I've never got round to reading it. Ahh I also have Kafka though I have yet to start reading it. I just now realized that the last two novel I've read, Sputnik and Stanilslaw Lem's Solaris are both works that have been translated into English from their original languages. What is the book about?
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Max
Reaching Out
You and I and Rosabel believe
Posts: 152
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Post by Max on Jun 26, 2006 8:19:40 GMT
'American Gods' is about a man called Shadow who is released from prison to meet a man called 'Mr Wednesday' (who is actually Odin, king of the Norse gods) who proposes a job for him. Neil Gaiman is an awesome writer - If nothing else, you have to read his 'Sandman' graphic novels. They are incredible!
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Post by Adey on Jun 26, 2006 13:25:46 GMT
I used to be a voracious reader - 3 books a week was not unusual. Many's the time I promised myself "just to the end of the chapter.." and not put the book down 'till dawn. 2 quick hours sleep then off to work. Crazy..
Much less of a reader nowadays - more into periodicals, technical magazines etc. Can still devour a book when it bites me though. Learning to drive in my 20s and buying a car didn't help, means I lost all that 'on the bus' reading time..
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Post by Al Truest on Jun 26, 2006 19:57:55 GMT
I have the impression no one here reads, but anyway... Oh, like that doesn't come across as condescending. ::Ha Ha:: 'Sounds like someone I know. Actually it does sound intriguing. I admit that reading a book is a luxury I find less and less practical. I read a lot about architectural theory, history and trends along with other career related journals. Music, art and writing have now filled the void of time once reserved for a slower pace and reflective mood afforded by reading for pleasure.
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Post by Kevin2 on Jun 26, 2006 20:48:16 GMT
I have the impression no one here reads, but anyway... Oh, like that doesn't come across as condescending. ::Ha Ha:: I'm totally innocent, you know.
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Post by Al Truest on Jun 26, 2006 23:37:01 GMT
Oh yeah...'almost forgot. K.D.Lang covers 2 Cohen songs and 2 Siberry tunes. "Bird on a Wire" and "Hallelujah" and "The Valley" and "Love is Everything"..respectively. Edit- This is apparently on the wrong thread. Just pretend it is on the "Most Ubique Voice" thread...'cos I'm too tired to move it or repost.
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Post by Xanadu on Jun 27, 2006 17:52:16 GMT
I used to be a voracious reader - 3 books a week was not unusual. Many's the time I promised myself " just to the end of the chapter.." and not put the book down 'till dawn. 2 quick hours sleep then off to work. Crazy.. Yeah, I could do that for a while too... Much less of a reader nowadays - more into periodicals, technical magazines etc. Can still devour a book when it bites me though. Learning to drive in my 20s and buying a car didn't help, means I lost all that 'on the bus' reading time.. Really, I could never do that... I'd lose my lunch. I rarely read magazines or periodicals... they just don't keep my interest. Now give me a long saga or a critical essay and I'm all about it. I love historical pieces with a very distinct narrative voice, if you follow. If the piece doesn't sound right to me and ring true, I can't lose myself in it. Hey Adey, you read that book by John Carder Bush pretty quickly if I recall? And Kevan, I guess you provoked a reaction. Maybe you should start your own discussion thread? I have the same trouble as you Al. That's why I'm always spread to thin by not letting go of some interests.
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Post by Xanadu on Jun 27, 2006 18:00:59 GMT
I didn't expect that when finished I would be thinking that I could have written it. If, that is, I could write. Isn't that an amazing and unexpected? The thrill of being touched across space and time by a shared emotional experience? That's why I became so particular. Since I have very little time, I want that each time I pick up a story. I often need a little space after finishing a book like you did to digest it all and mourn the end my relationship with the characters. I always fear the next book won't be the same.
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Post by Kevin2 on Jan 11, 2007 9:40:40 GMT
I read another book. This latest one is called The Plague Dogs and is written by Richard Adams who is best known for his children's story Watership Down.
I enjoyed the book and (on the off chance that someone here might actually read it I'll add now that there will be spoilers here) was surprised by the ending for I was convinced it would be an unfortunate one for the dogs but it instead ended quite nicely for the two "plague dogs" who became so characterized by a very busy reporter who covered the exploits of the dogs after they escaped from an animal research facility.
There are some moments where I found too many coincidences present, and too much shark jumping, but my main kibble with the book is how communication among the dogs and their fox companion is handled: Which is that they simply "talk". There is no explanation of how exactly they are communicating but rather since they are anthropomorphic characters from the beginning it follows logically that they can talk.
The most convincing dialogue they have is when one of the dogs relate an Earth creation tale to the other dog which is naive, and shrewd enough, to pass for a human fable: Man was given dominion over the world and was charged with protecting and caring for all the creatures placed on it. Well, according to this tale, we didn't do such a good job with it and thus all animals were given (by the creator, the Star Dog) the option of becoming feral or choosing to remain with humans. Of all the creatures only two decided to remain: dogs and cats.
Well anyway, despite the spots where I didn't maintain my suspension of disbelief it is a book I'm glad I read.
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mizzshy
Reaching Out
"Oh darling, Make it go, Make it go away..."
Posts: 214
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Post by mizzshy on Jan 23, 2007 18:08:34 GMT
Let's see, I just read The Ruby In The Smoke by Philip Pullman, and now I'm reading Villette by Charlotte Bronte.
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