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2cwc790411
Keeping this journal was a lot of fun and quite rewarding in 2009, even if I couldn't give it all the attention I would have liked to (and won't be able to in 2010; another busy year), so I couldn't resist doing it again! (My journal in 2009 was called "Christopher's 2009 reading" as I missed that bit that says "please use your LT user name in the title").
In my last post of my 2009 journal, I mentioned my favorites from 2009: "My favorite books of 2009 were Seth's A Suitable Boy, Geoff Dyer's But Beautiful and Bolano's 2666. I really liked Stanley Crouch's essays on jazz in Considering Genius and India After Gandhi was a very readable history of post-Independence India."
One of my best surprises at the end of the year was reading David Foster Wallace's essay collections Consider the Lobster and A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again on my flight to and from Mumbai. I bought Consider the Lobster on a whim and really enjoyed it and couldn't resist the impulse to read his other collection on the flight back. I guess I avoided reading him for so long as there's such a 'cult' around him and his work that I was turned off, or something. Anyways, just curious, anyone start with his non-fiction and then get into his fiction? How do they compare?
Otherwise, like kidzdoc, I'm excited to read Robin Kelley's Thelonious Monk: The Life and Times of an American Original (although I'm always discouraged when people are referred to as "American Originals") and perhaps the recent Jonathan Lethem book Chronic City as well as far as recent books go.
I picked up quite a few books in Mumbai as English books are quite cheap there, at least compared to Japan, mainly on things connected to India like Naipaul's non-fiction as well as his recent biography.
Thus my plan would seem to be: dive into Infinite Jest if I can find it and then read more about India. I'd also like to more or less read the rest of what's published by Vikram Seth particularly his travel essay From Heaven Lake: Travels Through Sinkiang and Tibet.
In my last post of my 2009 journal, I mentioned my favorites from 2009: "My favorite books of 2009 were Seth's A Suitable Boy, Geoff Dyer's But Beautiful and Bolano's 2666. I really liked Stanley Crouch's essays on jazz in Considering Genius and India After Gandhi was a very readable history of post-Independence India."
One of my best surprises at the end of the year was reading David Foster Wallace's essay collections Consider the Lobster and A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again on my flight to and from Mumbai. I bought Consider the Lobster on a whim and really enjoyed it and couldn't resist the impulse to read his other collection on the flight back. I guess I avoided reading him for so long as there's such a 'cult' around him and his work that I was turned off, or something. Anyways, just curious, anyone start with his non-fiction and then get into his fiction? How do they compare?
Otherwise, like kidzdoc, I'm excited to read Robin Kelley's Thelonious Monk: The Life and Times of an American Original (although I'm always discouraged when people are referred to as "American Originals") and perhaps the recent Jonathan Lethem book Chronic City as well as far as recent books go.
I picked up quite a few books in Mumbai as English books are quite cheap there, at least compared to Japan, mainly on things connected to India like Naipaul's non-fiction as well as his recent biography.
Thus my plan would seem to be: dive into Infinite Jest if I can find it and then read more about India. I'd also like to more or less read the rest of what's published by Vikram Seth particularly his travel essay From Heaven Lake: Travels Through Sinkiang and Tibet.
3cwc790411
Three more books I intend to read in the early part of the year: Salman Rushdie's book on Nicaragua The Jaguar Smile as a colleague lent it to me, Patrick Hamilton's Hangover Square as an English friend has been praising it for months and Edmund Gosse's Father and Son. I first heard about this in an essay by Paul Theroux a few years back, and I tend to like books he recommends. I'm also going home in March, seeing my father, and thought it somehow made sense to read it before seeing him.
4kidzdoc
Christopher, I just finished the Thelonious Monk biography this morning, which I thought was great. I'm curious to get your take on it.
I think I have all of the rest of your 2009 favorites already, except for But Beautiful, which I've added to my wish list. I can hear Billie Holiday's aching rendition of that song from Lady in Satin now.
I'll look forward to your review of The Jaguar Smile, in particular.
I think I have all of the rest of your 2009 favorites already, except for But Beautiful, which I've added to my wish list. I can hear Billie Holiday's aching rendition of that song from Lady in Satin now.
I'll look forward to your review of The Jaguar Smile, in particular.
5cwc790411
kidzdoc: I'm excited about the Monk book, but won't have the chance to read it until March or April, unfortunately. I heard Robin Kelley on Fresh Air and it was an interesting interview.
But Beautiful caught me off guard; you should definitely read it for some great fictional portraits of people like Mingus, Duke, etc.
Are you familiar with The Jaguar Smile? Seems like an unusual entry in Rushdie's catalog.
But Beautiful caught me off guard; you should definitely read it for some great fictional portraits of people like Mingus, Duke, etc.
Are you familiar with The Jaguar Smile? Seems like an unusual entry in Rushdie's catalog.
6Talbin
cwc - I see you may be reading Infinite Jest. I'm not sure if you're familiar with Le Salon Litteraire du Peuple pour le Peuple, but they will be hosting a group read of IJ starting in March. I'm still debating over joining the read myself, but I thought I'd throw it out there.
7kidzdoc
Christopher: I'm now pretty sure that I read The Jaguar Smile a couple of years ago, based on its subject. The fact that I can't remember much about it, other that it is set in Nicaragua and that it reads like a travelogue and a political commentary, probably indicates how (not) memorable a book it was for me.
8cwc790411
@7 kidzdoc: thanks for the heads up. I've had consistently mediocre experiences with Rushdie ever since reading Midnight's Children, so I gave it back to my friend.
@6 Talbin: thanks for the heads up! Part of my plan was based on the idea that Infinite Jest would be available at my library, since it's always sitting alone on the bookshelf with very little attention. What happens when I want to read it? It's checked out! Another time, definitely.
As many of you might know, I spent a couple of weeks in Mumbai at the end of 2009/beginning of 2010. Half the time staying with a local friend in the suburbs of Navi Mumbai, the other half with a friend passing through in the thick of it in Colaba. Both places great, full of energy, excitement chaos and no lack of danger for people who don't look both ways when crossing the street. An unexpected pleasure was the number of cheap English books available, and I came back with quite a few. Otherwise: energy, excitement, friendliness, delicious food and I'd love to go back!
Some photos: http://bit.ly/mumbaiphotos
Finally, I recently read the bleak and depressing Hangover Square as a colleague/friend/aspiring writer swears by it. It's a dark book full of crushed hopes, failed dreams and cynicism. No lack of booze, I might add. However, the black humor in it made me laugh and Hamilton writes well of being in a pub alone with a beer and one's thoughts on a weekday afternoon. A quick, enjoyable read, but not for the easily depressed?
@6 Talbin: thanks for the heads up! Part of my plan was based on the idea that Infinite Jest would be available at my library, since it's always sitting alone on the bookshelf with very little attention. What happens when I want to read it? It's checked out! Another time, definitely.
As many of you might know, I spent a couple of weeks in Mumbai at the end of 2009/beginning of 2010. Half the time staying with a local friend in the suburbs of Navi Mumbai, the other half with a friend passing through in the thick of it in Colaba. Both places great, full of energy, excitement chaos and no lack of danger for people who don't look both ways when crossing the street. An unexpected pleasure was the number of cheap English books available, and I came back with quite a few. Otherwise: energy, excitement, friendliness, delicious food and I'd love to go back!
Some photos: http://bit.ly/mumbaiphotos
Finally, I recently read the bleak and depressing Hangover Square as a colleague/friend/aspiring writer swears by it. It's a dark book full of crushed hopes, failed dreams and cynicism. No lack of booze, I might add. However, the black humor in it made me laugh and Hamilton writes well of being in a pub alone with a beer and one's thoughts on a weekday afternoon. A quick, enjoyable read, but not for the easily depressed?
9avaland
>8 cwc790411: Fabulous pictures! I watched them as a slide show and just loved them!
11cwc790411
@9 Thanks, avaland! I love looking at people's sets as a slide show on Flickr myself. I could spend hours doing it, especially on a big monitor!
@10 There are some real winning essays in Consider the Lobster, pyrocow: "Big Red Son", "Up, Simba" and "Consider the Lobster" were all great. I felt a problem with both collections of essays in terms of who I would recommend them to. I have some friends who are 'inconsistent readers' so to speak, who I though would love those essays, but might end up putting the book down for some of the others, about lit. crit. or language. I also work with a lot of English speakers who are not from North America and I wondered, would people who aren't Americans appreciate this? Anyways. Loved it myself and your words are very encouraging! Can't wait to read Infinite Jest!
@10 There are some real winning essays in Consider the Lobster, pyrocow: "Big Red Son", "Up, Simba" and "Consider the Lobster" were all great. I felt a problem with both collections of essays in terms of who I would recommend them to. I have some friends who are 'inconsistent readers' so to speak, who I though would love those essays, but might end up putting the book down for some of the others, about lit. crit. or language. I also work with a lot of English speakers who are not from North America and I wondered, would people who aren't Americans appreciate this? Anyways. Loved it myself and your words are very encouraging! Can't wait to read Infinite Jest!
12nobooksnolife
(referring to #8 above) Thank you for posting the link to your fabulous photos of Mumbai. I'll probably never get a chance to go there myself, but your photos brought to life a bunch of my books: Maximum City, Shantaram, Bombay Time, Love and Longing in Bombay...and on and on. Several of these have been lying half-read but viewing your photos makes me want to get back to them.
13QuentinTom
GREAT GREAT GREAT!!!!!!! Now I want to go there as well.
I'm with you on Rushdie. Nothing he wrote subsequently to MC lived up to it.
(what) did you read while you were in Mumbai?
I'm with you on Rushdie. Nothing he wrote subsequently to MC lived up to it.
(what) did you read while you were in Mumbai?
14cwc790411
@12 nobooksnolife thanks for your comments! I still haven't read Shantaram, but going there made me want to read it. I read Maximum City years ago, but after going there it made me realize that I probably didn't understand half the references at the time, even though I enjoyed it, so I picked up a cheap copy in Mumbai to read again. Actually, I read a lot of books about/connected to Mumbai before going but I felt like I should read them all again after visiting!
@13 Thanks tomcatMurr! I want to go back, immediately! I've been thinking about how I can do another trip to India sooner than later, but this time include more than Mumbai. (Although I loved the place so much if I go back to India I'm obligated to give Mumbai another go!) The only thing I read in India was the Times of India, more or less. I was visiting more than one friend, and I spent nearly every moment wandering around or looking out windows (on the train - spent a lot of time on the Mumbai local) and I didn't do any reading. Getting on the plane back was great as I simply devoted myself to reading for a long stretch of time.
I just started reading Team of Rivals, which my friend in Mumbai gave me. It came highly recommended and it also seems relevant with the current political climate in the U.S. I'm less than 100 pages in, so I'll refrain from commenting.
@13 Thanks tomcatMurr! I want to go back, immediately! I've been thinking about how I can do another trip to India sooner than later, but this time include more than Mumbai. (Although I loved the place so much if I go back to India I'm obligated to give Mumbai another go!) The only thing I read in India was the Times of India, more or less. I was visiting more than one friend, and I spent nearly every moment wandering around or looking out windows (on the train - spent a lot of time on the Mumbai local) and I didn't do any reading. Getting on the plane back was great as I simply devoted myself to reading for a long stretch of time.
I just started reading Team of Rivals, which my friend in Mumbai gave me. It came highly recommended and it also seems relevant with the current political climate in the U.S. I'm less than 100 pages in, so I'll refrain from commenting.
15janemarieprice
14 - I'm hoping to get to Team of Rivals this year. I'll be interested to hear what you think.
16cwc790411
Finished Team of Rivals last night. Reading a bit slowly these days as books seem to be competing with films and a million other things. Speaking of films, I intend to follow up my read of that book with a viewing of John Ford's "Young Mr. Lincoln" (1939) this weekend.
Team of Rivals is a great read. It is layered with detail, but in a way that brings everything to life, rather than overwhelming someone with a general interest in the topic. The political maneuvers are quite interesting, as well as Lincoln's decision making process. A lot of great characterizations are done of both important figures and lesser known people of the era, many of whom are perhaps forgotten today. It's amazing how little I knew, but took for granted, so to speak, both about Lincoln and the Civil War. For learning about Lincoln, this book is great - the Civil War plays more of a background role.
Recommended!
Team of Rivals is a great read. It is layered with detail, but in a way that brings everything to life, rather than overwhelming someone with a general interest in the topic. The political maneuvers are quite interesting, as well as Lincoln's decision making process. A lot of great characterizations are done of both important figures and lesser known people of the era, many of whom are perhaps forgotten today. It's amazing how little I knew, but took for granted, so to speak, both about Lincoln and the Civil War. For learning about Lincoln, this book is great - the Civil War plays more of a background role.
Recommended!
17detailmuse
I think Team of Rivals is one both my husband and I would enjoy ... not too common an occurrence :)
I'm reading my first Wallace now, A Supposedly Fun Thing..., and enjoying it. Went to the bookstore yesterday to look at Infinite Jest. For the 10th anniversary edition, the publisher commissioned a foreward by Dave Eggers, who rates Wallace's writings (in order of increasing difficulty) as journalism then essays then fiction. I read the foreward and the first few pages of the novel ... and purchased it, so I guess I've committed! Though I suspect it'll take literally months to read.
eta: ack! foreword!
I'm reading my first Wallace now, A Supposedly Fun Thing..., and enjoying it. Went to the bookstore yesterday to look at Infinite Jest. For the 10th anniversary edition, the publisher commissioned a foreward by Dave Eggers, who rates Wallace's writings (in order of increasing difficulty) as journalism then essays then fiction. I read the foreward and the first few pages of the novel ... and purchased it, so I guess I've committed! Though I suspect it'll take literally months to read.
eta: ack! foreword!
18cwc790411
Sounds good, detailmuse. I definitely intend to read it someday! Eggers' intro sounds interesting.
19cwc790411
I've been really busy, so I haven't updated this in a while. However, I spent some time on vacation recently and, with the help of a good library in walking distance, I blew through a bunch of books. I'll write a few comments about each one, but will happily discuss any of them in more depth.
Country Driving: A Journey Through China from Farm to Factory by Peter Hessler
This doesn't read like travel writing, which is kind of what I wanted, but that's not entirely a bad thing. Hessler writes about a changing China, for the outsider, from the perspective of someone who is a bit less of an outsider, but one nonetheless. Kind of scary. Recommended.
The Library at Night by Alberto Manguel
A History of Reading by Alberto Manguel
Two books about books for lovers of books. This guy has read a lot of books and obviously loves them. Not as poetic as I might have hoped, but great for book lovers.
Irons in the Fire by John McPhee
A kind of odd collection of McPhee essays, but the title essay, about branding, is recommended for all. Collection is recommended for all McPhee obsessives.
The Spy Who Came in From the Cold by John Le Carre
I wanted to love this, but found myself only loving the atmosphere, rather than the story itself. Good writing. Maybe I should try another Le Carre.
The Radicalism of the American Revolution by Gordon S. Wood
The American Revolution: A History by Gordon S. Wood
The Radicalism… was a bit too academic for what I wanted. (Er, and what I wanted was some books to refresh and expand my knowledge of early U.S. History). The thinner volume, The American Revolution… was far more appropriate for me and I recommend it.
Living with Music: Ralph Ellison's Jazz Writings by Ralph Ellison
Poetic and beautiful. A must read for jazz lovers. Focus on bop.
I Married a Communist by Philip Roth
I'm a Philip Roth fan, so I like most of what he writes, but for some reason I found myself less involved with this story than I normally am when it comes to his work.
Dark Star Safari by Paul Theroux
Again, one of my favorite writers (I was sitting on the beach when I read all of these, so I was indulging myself). Basically, I like Theroux because he expresses the frustrations of traveling so well, or at least his voice makes sense to me. This is a real good one and he captures the atmosphere of where he traveled in East Africa quite well. Recommended.
Half the Sky by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn
Disturbing and informative. Recommended.
The Humbling by Philip Roth
If you're a Roth fan, than I recommend it - I feel like the reviews I read were fairly bad, yet I found myself totally involved with this slim volume.
The Routes of Man by Ted Conover
Excellent book on roads and their relationship to the people and cultures around them. Global in scope, the essay on Lagos is totally awesome, shocking and entrancing. Recommended!
Looking for a Ship by John McPhee
Solid one by McPhee on freighters and life on them. Recommended.
Country Driving: A Journey Through China from Farm to Factory by Peter Hessler
This doesn't read like travel writing, which is kind of what I wanted, but that's not entirely a bad thing. Hessler writes about a changing China, for the outsider, from the perspective of someone who is a bit less of an outsider, but one nonetheless. Kind of scary. Recommended.
The Library at Night by Alberto Manguel
A History of Reading by Alberto Manguel
Two books about books for lovers of books. This guy has read a lot of books and obviously loves them. Not as poetic as I might have hoped, but great for book lovers.
Irons in the Fire by John McPhee
A kind of odd collection of McPhee essays, but the title essay, about branding, is recommended for all. Collection is recommended for all McPhee obsessives.
The Spy Who Came in From the Cold by John Le Carre
I wanted to love this, but found myself only loving the atmosphere, rather than the story itself. Good writing. Maybe I should try another Le Carre.
The Radicalism of the American Revolution by Gordon S. Wood
The American Revolution: A History by Gordon S. Wood
The Radicalism… was a bit too academic for what I wanted. (Er, and what I wanted was some books to refresh and expand my knowledge of early U.S. History). The thinner volume, The American Revolution… was far more appropriate for me and I recommend it.
Living with Music: Ralph Ellison's Jazz Writings by Ralph Ellison
Poetic and beautiful. A must read for jazz lovers. Focus on bop.
I Married a Communist by Philip Roth
I'm a Philip Roth fan, so I like most of what he writes, but for some reason I found myself less involved with this story than I normally am when it comes to his work.
Dark Star Safari by Paul Theroux
Again, one of my favorite writers (I was sitting on the beach when I read all of these, so I was indulging myself). Basically, I like Theroux because he expresses the frustrations of traveling so well, or at least his voice makes sense to me. This is a real good one and he captures the atmosphere of where he traveled in East Africa quite well. Recommended.
Half the Sky by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn
Disturbing and informative. Recommended.
The Humbling by Philip Roth
If you're a Roth fan, than I recommend it - I feel like the reviews I read were fairly bad, yet I found myself totally involved with this slim volume.
The Routes of Man by Ted Conover
Excellent book on roads and their relationship to the people and cultures around them. Global in scope, the essay on Lagos is totally awesome, shocking and entrancing. Recommended!
Looking for a Ship by John McPhee
Solid one by McPhee on freighters and life on them. Recommended.
20QuentinTom
Interesting eclectic reading!
regarding your desire to learn more about American history and your foray into Lincoln land, have you read Gore Vidal's magnificent roman a fleuve
Narratives of Empire?
I thoroughly recommend the whole series, but I know you're very busy. if you have time to read just one, the central novel Lincoln is a masterpiece, Gore at his best, trenchant, witty, humane, and an excellent guide to to the political intricacies of Lincoln's reign sorry presidency.
regarding your desire to learn more about American history and your foray into Lincoln land, have you read Gore Vidal's magnificent roman a fleuve
Narratives of Empire?
I thoroughly recommend the whole series, but I know you're very busy. if you have time to read just one, the central novel Lincoln is a masterpiece, Gore at his best, trenchant, witty, humane, and an excellent guide to to the political intricacies of Lincoln's reign sorry presidency.
21cwc790411
Thanks for your comments, tomcatMurr! I had access to a very healthy library and had a free week on the beach, (and a round trip flight to Tokyo), so I kind of just ran with whatever I came across and/or wanted to read. Quite a bit of fun and I look forward to that experience again!
I know of Narratives of Empire, but have never read any of those books but have long, long wanted to. (I went through a period when I thought I should only read stuff in translation, to learn about other cultures and such, and at that time those books always called out to me when I saw them at the library!) Yes, I'd love to read them and thanks for the idea. I'm going to bring a bunch of books to the used book store in the next few weeks and I'll be on the look out for them! I'd also like to read some of his non-fiction.
I know of Narratives of Empire, but have never read any of those books but have long, long wanted to. (I went through a period when I thought I should only read stuff in translation, to learn about other cultures and such, and at that time those books always called out to me when I saw them at the library!) Yes, I'd love to read them and thanks for the idea. I'm going to bring a bunch of books to the used book store in the next few weeks and I'll be on the look out for them! I'd also like to read some of his non-fiction.
