I just started A Confederacy of Dunces and 30 pages in, I can tell I'm going to love it
So what is everyone reading? A new book or re-visiting an old one? Something amazing or are you struggling to finish it?
I'm on my second attempt with Confederacy of Dunces, this time in audio-book. The loser dude who lives with mommy is so incredibly unlikeable, I didn't get it before, and I'm not getting it this time. My BFF loves this book and so, it seems, do many of you. I'd like to get through it, please tell me it gets better. Please!!!
Sadly, As a lover of the book, I'd say it's not an acquired taste. It's all about the genius in stupidity, (and the high-brow, coffee-shop diatribes). But, I find real joy in perfectly written stupidity...in that it takes a real genius to fictionalize complete obsurdity. That's what you just may not vibe with.
I agree with shockwaverider. I had heard about the book for years and finally read it a few months ago. Ignatius was so unlikable, I didn't find the book all that funny.
@APaleBlueDot Thanks - that's very helpful. I find stupidity annoying, especially willful stupidity. It is amusing in small doses. When I read the book (vs. listened to it), I enjoyed it at first, but it didn't hold my attention for long and became a chore to read. Listening to it was worse. I realized just now that he reminds me of one of my therapy clients from my internship in counseling...
I had the same experience at first. I kept getting bogged down in the first chapter. Then one day I was lying on the beach reading Jitterbug Perfume by Tom Robbins and a college professor from New Orleans asked me how I enjoyed it and started talking about another N.O. book, A Confederacy of Dunces. So on my 3rd attempt, I fell in love with the book. And my daughter heard me laughing so much that she read it and loved it, and my (now ex) boyfriend did too. Maybe it takes a certain kind of crazy to appreciate it.
Finshed A Confederacy of Dunces a while back and had the same reaction you did - knew from the first pages I would enjoy the story.
Just finished Bad Blood (about the Theranos fiasco); The Alienist and started Atonement while also reading Grant's Memoirs before I read Chernow's book on Grant. Also enjoying the Cadfael series of books when I want a quick read.
@Hastur was recommended by another member here. I enjoyed it very much, but am leary about reading the next in the series (Angel of Darkness) as I fear much of what made the first book so enjoyable is diminished or missing in the next.
The Next Tsunami. It's about how they discovered that the Pacific Northwest is prone to devastating tsunamis. As I live a block from the ocean (but thankfully out of the tsunami zone) it's both fascinating and terrifying.
Thee reason Iām no longer in Oregonā¦ Iād been looking into āsunami setbacksā at various properties at āthe beach,ā my father & brother live at the Oregon coast.. An informed local suggested I look into what will generate that sunami. I did
@Remi ...if you can handle the wind and rain.. Iād not have left my beloved Oregon if it werenāt for that impending subduction zone disaster. Though, if I still had my family's homestead ..Iād have ridden out hell & highwater. Geologic timeās a bitch when it coincides with our flickers in time. Enjoy it for me ~
Iām currently reading The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie. Iām also listening to Island if the Sequined Love Nun by Christopher Moore. His books are hilarious and certainly help me keep my sanity with all the jack wagons on the road.
Loved Moore's Lamb. A fundamentally theistic perspective, but it was far more human than the original claptrap of gospels that the story was loosely based on.
@KenChang have you read Fool and Serpent of Venice? Absolutely hysterical! And the audiobooks are great. They are both read by Euan Morton who does a stellar job. I laugh so hard I start snorting! (āDie you badger shagging spunk monkey!&rdquo.
I have listened to Fool and Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove at least three times each. Just good olā raunchy slap your knee funny. Lamb is great also. Moore just possesses the twisted, fast paced and warped sense of humor I love.
@Psmintexas No, I have not. But sounds like I have to check out the audiobook versions! Thanks!
I am in the middle of re-reading Astrophysics for People in a Hurry, by ; Dr. Neil DeGrasse Tyson.
Although I do have a bit of a Physics background, I pale in comparison to the majors of that field.
Neil Puts forth some complex ideas into laymens terms, and still make it interesting.
He seems to do that a lot, especially when he hosted Cosmos.
Any way, it's a good read. I highly recomend it.
@Hastur Yeah, I read about that a bit back ago.
Next to GOT, that is my most anticipated show to watch.
I still love that they still have Ann Druyan as an exeutive producer, as well as a writer.
I can't wait.
The Baroque Cycle by Neal Stephenson, 400 pages in, almost 800 to go.
I love Neal Stephenson, but really had to force myself through all those books.
@jerry99 I am half way through, but I have been reading this for a month.
Gettin kinda lazy ā¦ so if I can find it in audiobook form, I will. At the moment, itās āGod Is Not Greatā by (and read by) Christopher Hitchens - as recommended by one of us! Itās deep, disturbing, and delicious ~
That book is my atheist bible. Hitchens was so intelligent.
The novel Circe, by Madeline Miller. I just read Song of Achilles and absolutely loved it. I'm tempted to read it again. Circe is just as good!
I've read A Confederacy of Dunces 3 times over the last 30 years. It tok me several tries to finally read Frankenstein because it was frequently boring. Tried numerous times to read Foucault's Pendulum before finally giving up. You need a PhD to read that book.
A book everyone should read is To Wish Upon a Star available on Amazon. Simply terrific.
I am reading three books.
I am pairing the first one with bourbon, the second with coffee, and the third with scotch.
Dan Simmons is great. I picked up The Fifth Heart by Dan Simmons in the bargain books at Barnes & Noble a while back. I love anything with Sherlock Holmes. Mr. Simmons did an excellent job of introducing the fiction of Holmes with the accuracy of U.S. history. It was a wonderful read.
I just got done reading a scholarly collection of Viking mythology, it was pretty cool
Right now I'm reading Pirate (Tides Of Fortune Book 1)
A point of view from a seventeen year old pirate. He grows up quickly to become a leader. Very good read.
I'm reading "Religion for Atheists", I heard a talk given by the author and he made some good points, so I got the book.
Albert Einstein by Walter isaacson. Really loving it. Hope someday I get davinci.
I'm curently reading The Spaceship Next Door by Gene Doucette.
I am rereading a wonderful, hilarious book:
Before that, I also savored from my home library, books I love:
2. "Crow Lake" by Mary Lawson.
3. "Rise and Shine" by Anna Quindlen.
This month's book club selection:
Iām reading a book about young women raised in purity culture (aka no sexual anything before marriage) [amazon.com]