#1935

Been getting back into fiction with a vengeance the past couple months. Some highlights were Vineland, by Thomas Pynchon—ninjas, computers, Reaganomics and aging hippies!—The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton, which is structured through star charts for the date the chapter takes place on; some characters correspond to Zodiac signs and others to planets, which I thought was very clever and didn’t ever feel forced, which is impressive, and The Mysterious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, which people have been telling me to read for years.

4 Likes
#1936

Thank you! I picked up a copy of Man and His Symbols from the library on your recommendation.

#1937

I’m stoked to dig into this:

3 Likes
#1938

Finishing this one. Really good.
I’m into short stories right now (Raymond Carver, Joy Williams, Richard Ford).
Any good suggestions?

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#1939

Now, this:

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One of those books that isn’t really about anything because it’s about everything. . .

7 Likes
#1940

sebald was truly one of the greatest. nothing quite compares. austerliz is my favourite of his, followed by rings of saturn and the emigrants. can also recommend this literary blog, written by a huge sebald fan focusing mainly on free form essays and fiction with embedded photography.

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#1941

Agree and thank for the link - looks very interesting.

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#1942

Let us know how it is!

#1943

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Fun-sized city design stories

#1944

Good podcast, too. The raccoon prof garbage can one is very interesting.

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#1945

Annie Proulx, Amy Hempel, Lydia Davis, Alice Munro.
Each quite different from one another and none very much like the writers you mention.
Or at least I don’t think so.
Also have been enjoying ‘Cleanness’ by Garth Greenwell recently.

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#1946

Stanisław Lem‘s The Star Diaries

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#1947

Clarice Lispector is a short story genius. Also Breece Pancake.

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#1948

Just finished Last Days by Brian Evenson. Not for the faint of heart or weak of stomach, but nice to bring you into a spooky mood. A detective novel about a cult that believes mutilation will bring them closer to God. If anyone has any other strong lit horror recs, let me know!

4 Likes
#1949

Prescient short story form sci fi from 1909.

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#1950

Love Brian Evenson. @takeout check out Ligotti or Laird Barron (Swift to Chase or Occultations are my faves) for good contemporary horror.

This just showed up, very excited

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6 Likes
#1951

Babel-17 by Samuel Delaney. A bright and complex examination of language and meaning in a nice sci-fi romp. He’s really a great writer and this is an easy way to experience his complex style. I really enoyed it and it may even get me to retry Dhalgren-

Also just finished Infomocracy by Malka Older from recommendation here I breezed through it and loved the pacing A+

6 Likes
#1953

My first go at RA Wilson. Wary of the libertarian bent…but so far exceeding expectations!

2 Likes
#1954

Just finished Necroscope by Brian Linley and am now starting Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy.

#1956

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50997978-culture-warlords

I just finished Culture Warlords by Talia Lavin. It’s a good introduction to online far right political organizing/political harassment for the uninitiated or a disturbing walk to down memory lane for anyone who travels in twitter antifascist circles. I recommend it either way.