2013 50 Book Challenge - Page 23

Originally Posted by ConcreteFiction 

Hey guys, I'd like in on this if you'll take a latecomer. Good way to track my reading, which I mean to ratchet up this year after severely lagging last year (Probably 20-25, when I usually end up more on the 50-end), and love reading the responses from last year.
So far I have read:
1) Backslider by Levi Peterson - Probably not well-known outside of Mormon intellectual circles, where it is noted as probably the best Mormon fiction around, in that it details faith in an honest way, warts and all. Really a great book about a 20-year old named Frank in rural south central Utah during the mid-20th century who constantly backslides into drinking, masturbating, cursing and sex while having inner turmoil and trying to come to grips with his faith and at peace with God. A very good book, especially for someone who grew up in Utah, in the faith. Many of the scenes were familiar to me in the sense that they were the stories I heard from my Grandpa who grew up in rural Utah much in the same way.
2) The Wind-Up Bird Chronicles by Haruki Murakami - This was a gift years ago from a co-worker that I finally got around to reading. Now that I finished, don't know what took so long. My first encounter with Murakami and his fascination with U.S. culture -- the plot has strong, twisted echoes of Raymond Chandler. Basically, a guy whose wife leaves him abruptly and without saying why. He tries to track her down and meets many characters and obstacles along the way while confronting a blurring line between dream and reality. Fantastic and highly recommended. Music and fashion play a big part in the story, setting the scene, informing us of characters rather than in an ironic, brand-name dropping way to beat us over the head that consumerism rules our lives, as is more common nowadays.

Welcome. We are the intellectuals of the sartorial set.
3) The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach A big story last year, almost more around the hype of the book than the book itself (Harbach received something like 500 grand for this first novel after a bidding war. A very good book, a meditation on people having singular passion, others being adrift from purpose and trying to find it again. Part campus novel, part a sort of dysfunctional family book, with some great writing about baseball in between. Thoroughly enjoyed it and look forward to more from Harbach.
I suppose I'm behind for the year so far, but WInd-Up was lengthy and I'm 550 or so pages into an 800 page non-fiction right now. After that, I plan on catching up on some of the backlog DeLillo and Cormac McCarthy I've been wanting to read, along with finally cracking The Pale King, which I've been holding off on because it grieves me to know it will be the last David Foster Wallace I'll get to read. Also on the list of probably's -- the old Gravity's Rainbow, which I've started twice before, really enjoyed, but gotten to bogged down into looking up all the early 20th century references Pynchon drops. This time around, I'll just read to enjoy it because damn, Pynchon can drop my jaw with creativity and wit.

Originally Posted by clockwise 

Steve B, you are making great progress towards the 1001. Did you make a conscious decision to exclusivly pick books from that list from now on? And you are on track to make the 50 by midsummer. A true intellectual.
ConcreteFiction, Windup Bird is a great book. I am currently reading Murakami's latest 1Q84, which is close to 1,000 pages. For anyone who has yet to discover this remarkable and entertaining author, I recommend his earlier stuff rather than the latest, which is considerably more light-weight.
I am parallel reading 4 books now, one for each mood. Still confident of making the 50.

Originally Posted by Steve B. 

14. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd 1926 Agatha Christie
My Dad has always been a big Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers fan, but I've never read any of their books. But this one is on the vaunted 1001, so I figured what the hell.
I couldn't put it down. Many twists and turns, great fleshing out of characters. The denouement comes way out of left field! HIGHLY recommend it.

Originally Posted by Steve B. 

I have Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy queued up on my desk. It's kinda long- has anyone read it? Is it any good?
Murakami is on the list several times, so I'll be certain to read at least 1 this year. Which one in particular do you recommend?

Originally Posted by clockwise 

I tried Hitchhiker's Guide many years ago but got bored and gave it up at around 1/3 of the book. I am one of those who was also bored by the Tolkien trilogy, I guess it comes down to taste. I have learnt that not all cult classics are for me. I may however try Hitchhiker once more, it could (should?) be better than I remember it, especially if I combine it with good beer.
In my 2006 edition of 1001 (there is a more recent edition with changes / updates), there are four Murakami books. My personal favorite of these four is The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle (1995) but both Sputnik Sweetheart (1999) and the short story collection After the Quake (1999-2000) are superb. I didn't like the more recent Kafka on the Shore (2002) as much and found it less original and almost had the sense that Murakami was plagiarizing himself. The newest one which I am reading now, 1Q84 (2009), is an even faster paced and cliched Murakami which could have been written by a team of competent Japanese-American ghost writers. Nevertheless entertaining.
All Murakami books are good. One of the most popular is Norwegian Wood (1987) which I personally found to be average if judging by Murakami standard. Short story collection The Elephant Vanishes (1980-91) captures in my opinion the essence of Murakami and I loved A Wild Sheep Chase (1982), Hard-boiled Wonderland and the End of the World (1985), Dance Dance Dance (1988) and South of the Border, West of the Sun (1992).
Also very good but completely different in style is Underground (1997-98), a non-fictional account of the Tokyo subway gas attack in which Murakami interviews victims.
It seems to me that the master has fallen a bit out of form after year 2000 but everything from the 80s and 90s is great!!

Originally Posted by Steve B. 

Thank you. I think that's the one I queued up on my Amazon cart. I'll have to check.
Have you noticed how many more people are participating this year? Hope it keeps up.
One thing I've noticed about the list is multiple entries from the same author. For instance, there's nothing there for Cormac McCarthy or Houellebecq, but 7 for Coetzee and 4 for Dashiell Hammett and 3 for LeCarre.

Originally Posted by Steve B. 

Thank you. I think that's the one I queued up on my Amazon cart. I'll have to check.
Have you noticed how many more people are participating this year? Hope it keeps up.
One thing I've noticed about the list is multiple entries from the same author. For instance, there's nothing there for Cormac McCarthy or Houellebecq, but 7 for Coetzee and 4 for Dashiell Hammett and 3 for LeCarre.

Originally Posted by Thomas 

I loved Wild Sheep Chase and Hard-Boiled Wonderland. Dance Dance Dance was good but I read it and passed it along. Norwegian Wood I started but abandoned, doubt I'll finish it. I read his running memoir and that too left me cold, waiting to pass that one along.