Got a bit into the “classics” stuff you normally read in high school, at least in germany. So i read two MAx Frisch books, Stiller and his famous homo faber.
Both are quite good, and deal with perception of personality, and identity. Questions like, what make up your identity and how are others perceiving you or your image. He also deals with the identity of switzerland and its people, especially after the war, where they were neutral but also accepted money from the nazis. He or at least his figures are somewhat in doubt about this role. And they all seem to dislike the germans, something that is said about swiss people in general, well but name a country where germans are popular right?
Any way both are good reads, dealing with stuff that i found before in the Albert Camus novel the stranger. But both books are not as drastic as Camus and a bit easier to read.
Additionaly i finished a book gven to me by my boss: http://www.amazon.com/New-Guinea-Tapeworms-Jewish-Grandmothers/dp/0393304264/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1264594653&sr=8-1-catcorr
It is abput tropical disease and parasites in special. Interesting read and should not be too hard even for a non-specialist. Explains why some diseases that could be treated are such a burden on tropical countries, and how behaviour influences how a population is infected. Namegiving jewish grandmothers were infected with parasites found in raw fish, because of a speciality: fish balls where they checked if they were done by tasting them, thus ingesting raw fish with still living parasites. Its stories like this and they are interesting and a bit terrifying as well.
Also looking forward to be reading hunter s thompson rum diary soon. I gave it as a gift to a friend of mine and now borrow it, a tactic i often use, i am a cheap bastard i know
Finished Asimov’s Prelude to Foundation and just started the first Foundation book. Been interested in sci-fi lately again, it’s been almost 10 years I read any sci-fi novels.
[quote=“django live, post:245, topic:1204”]any body round here read comic books :-[/quote]Just ask how many of us, there’s few of us who makes them too. Some of my favorites: Tintin, Corto Maltese, Ken Parker, Hernandez brothers, Manara, Tardi, Alan Moore’s stuff etc.
[quote=“Stanton, post:247, topic:1204”]Ken Parker ?[/quote]Italian western comic, kinda intellectual western compared to standard pocket size comics like Tex Willer for example.
Unfortunately, not very known series, I dunno if it’s ever been translated to english.
[quote=“django live, post:248, topic:1204”]mr. antonio which comics do you make?
i really would like to know![/quote]Weird humor, parodies. Kinda underground stuff.
That’s great. I’ld advise reading Hammett’s The Maltese Falcon first, as it establishes his style the best. Books like Red Harvest or The Glass Key are pretty bleak and hard to take. Very tough stuff indeed. They are still excellent.
I, too, advise reading the above Hammett novels; but, I don’t find RED HARVEST or THE GLASS KEY to be much more bleak than any other Hammett tales (apart from THE THIIN MAN).
In fact, I would probably recommend your reading RED HARVEST first as it is quite like a Spaghetti Western (it was, after all the basis for Kurosawa’s YOJIMBO which of course led to FISTFUL OF DOLLARS…).
FAREWELL, MY LOVELY is classic Chandler. Hope you are enjoying, or have enjoyed, it!
I really enjoy Spillane too and I can see what you mean. A few too many Mike Hammer novels and you’ll be knocking back the bourbon and getting yourself in trouble!
Funny you should choose Farewell My Lovely, I’m reading that one myself right now.
Just finished Susan Compo’s biography of Warren Oates. A good read overall, with copious quotes from Oates himself and almost universally warm testimony from friends, family and colleagues. Perhaps the author could have distanced herself a little more from the subject, but it’s without doubt a treasure trove for Oates fans.
Among many surprising nuggets, it is reported that Oates had to turn down a three-picture deal with Sergio Leone in 1968 because he - Oates - had too many other commitments.
Finished Bruce Campbell’s If Chins Could Kill and heartily recommend it. Very interesting read for anyone interested in independent film making and its Hollywood mutant cousin.
Following that up with a change of pace as I revisit some Jim Thompson pulp. This one is A Hell of a Woman and you just know it’s going to turn out bad for everyone. I like Thompson’s stories. His characters are so unredeemable.
I’ve just ordered this from amazon, i’ve always been intrigued by Journey to the west, i didn’t even realise there was an English translation, this is an abridged version but it’s still quite long, the original is spread over quite a few volumes, i’ve been told it’s a bit heavy and only really advisable if your doing some sore of scholarship on it, the one i’m getting is supposed to be a lot tighter and more enjoyable.
