What are you reading?

[am55]

The best French-language blogger and I think a contender for best overall blogger, the Chouan des Villes, went quiet a while back. 3 days ago he emerged from silence with a new book which naturally I had to purchase.

The first 5th of it is really rather excellent and I recommend it to French speakers, particularly if you liked the blog. As usual it is a mix of literature (Balzac, Baudelaire, the usual suspects), politics (monarchist - but you knew this from the name) and philosophy (a Brummelian understated dandyism) as well as observations on classic menswear with a European bend. One does not have to agree with the author to enjoy his writing.

@Chouan I do not know why a former Royal Marine Commando would pick that username but presumably this may be of interest.

edit - as an update I am disappointed at the amount of material that is recycled from the blog (such as the encounter with the shirtless poet). I even suspect most of the book is a barely edited, ordered version of the blog, without most of the photos. I can understand why he'd do this - freezing the material in time, whilst the blog will eventually die - but after a years-long silence, it is still a bit of a downer.

 

[Joffrey]

My sister is moving to France and so I thought I'd buy her the following as a birthday/sendoff (same weekend) gift:

 

[FlyingMonkey]

Steve Erickson's Zeroville, a fascinating and weird novel about Hollywood, cinema and punk, amongst other things. I was recommended to read Erickson by a friend, and I need to read more of him now.

 

[MyOtherLife]

Losing The Signal: The Spectacular Rise and Fall of BlackBerry

 

[edinatlanta]

Just finished Lord of the Rings...indices and every song.... I'll read slimarillion before years end.

 

[EricBlackmann]

Just started Proust's In Search of Lost Time. I want to complete it this summer, but given its length I might skip some of the volumes. But, I am enjoying it so far. I've been reading a lot concerning memory and nostalgia.

 

[noob in 89]

Nice. Are you reading the Lydia Davis translation? I’d only read the older, popular version of Swann’s Way (still pretty good, but a bit stilted and Anglo, IIRC), but got much farther into the series with the updated version. Probably the best story in the universe.

 

[SirWilliam]

Radical Chic & Mau-Mauing the Flak Catchers By Tom Wolfe

 

[Joffrey]

Been reading this for a little longer than expected 'cause a vacation got in the way

 

[EricBlackmann]

Nice. Are you reading the Lydia Davis translation? I’d only read the older, popular version of Swann’s Way (still pretty good, but a bit stilted and Anglo, IIRC), but got much farther into the series with the updated version. Probably the best story in the universe.

I'm reading the translation by Moncrieff & Kilmartin and revised by Enright. If I'm honest, I haven't put a great deal of thought into the translation, this was just the first copy of Swann's Way that came up when I searched for a pdf.
Do you think I would irrevocably harm my reading of the book if I skipped or read the summary of a few of the volumes? Im usually not one to do so, but I have other texts I would like to get to.

 

[noob in 89]

Hmm, I’m not really sure, as I’ve only read the first three. I’d guess the experience has little to do with the actual plot; you’d be missing out on some great writing for sure. If you were to skip volumes, I’d at least try to google a list of the most compelling passages and read those along with the summaries, so you wouldn’t be missing out...

 

[kdarylle]

I just started reading the Citizen Soldiers by Stephen E. Ambrose.

 

[Shoeluv]

Brandon Sanderson - The Way of Kings
Really enjoying it so far, but I just hate that I'm once again starting another epic fantasy series where I have no idea when the next book is going to come out.

I thought it was a trilogy. I read the first one then waited to read the second and now that I have book 3, I will reread the first and finish the series. Except I just read the Wikipedia insert on this series and it is a planned 10 book series, but really 2 5 book series with the second series a sequel.

 

[Shoeluv]

Radical Chic & Mau-Mauing the Flak Catchers By Tom Wolfe

After Tom Wolfe's death, I planned to go back and read his works. I think I have The Bonfire of the Vanities around

 

[Joffrey]

The only book that he's written that I've read is The Right Stuff. Loved it.