honestly, not that big a fan. he was basically a lonely, depressed wanker. i like what i've read of Brecht's poetry... but if i had to read a poet i like the americans better. there are plenty of good german poets, but i'd take wallace stevens over any of them.HM-PuFFNSTuFF wrote:Do you ever read and Rilke? He makes me want to learn German.
currently reading....
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Nightshade
- Posts: 17020
- Joined: Fri Dec 01, 2000 8:00 am
In the Miso Soup (イン ザ・ミソスープ, In za Misosūpu?) by Ryu Murakami
It is about the dark side of Tokyo's nightlife.
Fucking ace Action & Adventure, Mystery, Thriller/Suspense novel.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_the_miso_soup
Twenty year-old Kenji is a Japanese "nightlife" guide for foreigners — he navigates gaijin men around the sex clubs and hostess bars of Tokyo. On December 29 he receives a phone call from an American named Frank, who seeks three nights of his services. While Kenji has promised to spend more time with his girlfriend, sixteen year-old Jun, the money is too good to pass up. He finds himself closing out the end of the year accompanying Frank around Shinjuku, wondering if his strange, plastic-skinned patron could be responsible for the gruesome events recently reported in the news.
Part of the novel's interest lies in the original perspective offered on Japanese culture. To begin with, the reader is addressed like an outsider - possibly another one of Kenji's foreign clients. Author and narrator, both native Japanese, are then challenged to re-examine the underside of Tokyo city life from an outsider's point of view as it is introduced to the reader, and explained to Frank over the course of the story.
It is about the dark side of Tokyo's nightlife.
Fucking ace Action & Adventure, Mystery, Thriller/Suspense novel.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_the_miso_soup
Twenty year-old Kenji is a Japanese "nightlife" guide for foreigners — he navigates gaijin men around the sex clubs and hostess bars of Tokyo. On December 29 he receives a phone call from an American named Frank, who seeks three nights of his services. While Kenji has promised to spend more time with his girlfriend, sixteen year-old Jun, the money is too good to pass up. He finds himself closing out the end of the year accompanying Frank around Shinjuku, wondering if his strange, plastic-skinned patron could be responsible for the gruesome events recently reported in the news.
Part of the novel's interest lies in the original perspective offered on Japanese culture. To begin with, the reader is addressed like an outsider - possibly another one of Kenji's foreign clients. Author and narrator, both native Japanese, are then challenged to re-examine the underside of Tokyo city life from an outsider's point of view as it is introduced to the reader, and explained to Frank over the course of the story.
[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v74/Turbinator/knocked_the_fuck_out.gif[/img]
Yeah, I quite enjoyed both of them. One thing that popped out with Ender's game was the nice description of the Internet and the tablet computers. Keeping in mind that it was published back in 1985 (and provided the author haven't edited it in the later editions) it provides a very realistic future in contrast to the usual Gibsonian variety published around the same time.menkent wrote:both favorites of mine :icon14:Grudge wrote:Enders Game by Orson Scott Card
Childhood's End by Arthur C Clarke
Arthur C Clarkes book was also interesting in a speculative future kind of way. I found it a bit amusing how humanity (with help from the Overlords) managed to achieve total national and racial peace and equality while maintaining 1950's gender equality values. Granted, it was written in 1956, and Clarke isn't perhaps really an authority on gender/sexuality issues, so...
It was also interesting in the somewhat gloomy outlook on human transcendance. The issue of how post-humanity are actually no longer being human anymore is worth discussing, as well as the issue of those being "left behind". I was actually a bit surprised that these thoughts were already around in 1956, as this whole posthuman thing feels like a more modern phenomenon. Then on the other hand, Teilhard de Chardin was around even before that, so I guess it's not really all that new.
Card is weird because Ender's Game is a total classic with real cross-genre appeal (i know people who "hate sci-fi" but love Ender), but the rest of the series is just sort of standard sci-fi stuff. I mean, the varelse/raman thing was interesting... but the plots sort of degrade into stereotypes as the series go on. Not that that's stopped me from reading both the Ender series and Shadow series.Grudge wrote:Enders Game by Orson Scott Card
Childhood's End by Arthur C Clarke
Clarke was much more cerebral in the way that sci-fi could be back before Star Wars turned it all into variations of the hero myth. More Kubrick than Lucas.
That sounds interesting, I'll have to take a look at it. I loved Ender's Game.
I also really like Robert Heinlein's stuff, which is about as "pre-Star Wars" as you can get. Stranger in a Strange Land is still incredible today, although I guess a "hollywood" correlation could be made with the protagonist from outer space.
I also really like Robert Heinlein's stuff, which is about as "pre-Star Wars" as you can get. Stranger in a Strange Land is still incredible today, although I guess a "hollywood" correlation could be made with the protagonist from outer space.
I finished Freakonomics this weekend, btw.
It's an excellent read, if just as a curiosity dabbling into sociological trends and behaviors. It really seemed like the book should have covered more tbh, but some of the insights into the data behind previously accepted causal relationships in society made it worth reading - and probably a second time as well.
The book spent a lot of time on looking at why people cheat -- i.e. students, teachers and even sumo wrestlers -- and a lot of different correlations between how well children do on early test scores when controlling for other socioeconomic/environmental factors. It makes you think twice about the way parents influence their children.
If you have a child, you will probably find it very interesting.
I started on The God Delusion this weekend as well. For such an acclaimed scholar and intellectual, Dawkins seems very plain-spoken in much of this book -- although that could be intentional, due to the subject matter and intended audience.
And some of the points he makes simply make me LOL while I'm reading. He's got a strong sarcastic wit, this guy, and he doesn't pull any punches with the religious fundies.
It's an excellent read, if just as a curiosity dabbling into sociological trends and behaviors. It really seemed like the book should have covered more tbh, but some of the insights into the data behind previously accepted causal relationships in society made it worth reading - and probably a second time as well.
The book spent a lot of time on looking at why people cheat -- i.e. students, teachers and even sumo wrestlers -- and a lot of different correlations between how well children do on early test scores when controlling for other socioeconomic/environmental factors. It makes you think twice about the way parents influence their children.
If you have a child, you will probably find it very interesting.
I started on The God Delusion this weekend as well. For such an acclaimed scholar and intellectual, Dawkins seems very plain-spoken in much of this book -- although that could be intentional, due to the subject matter and intended audience.
And some of the points he makes simply make me LOL while I'm reading. He's got a strong sarcastic wit, this guy, and he doesn't pull any punches with the religious fundies.
Foundation by Isaac Asimov
I'm trying to cover the top 20 of this list:
http://home.austarnet.com.au/petersykes ... rank1.html
I've already read most of them, so after finishing Foundation I have these left:
Robert A Heinlein - Stranger in a Strange Land
Robert A Heinlein - Starship Troopers
Larry Niven - Ringworld
Arthur C Clarke - Rendezvous With Rama
Dan Simmons - Hyperion
I'm trying to cover the top 20 of this list:
http://home.austarnet.com.au/petersykes ... rank1.html
I've already read most of them, so after finishing Foundation I have these left:
Robert A Heinlein - Stranger in a Strange Land
Robert A Heinlein - Starship Troopers
Larry Niven - Ringworld
Arthur C Clarke - Rendezvous With Rama
Dan Simmons - Hyperion
RANT by ChuckPalahniuk.
[b][url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/redandjonny/]My Flickr page[/url][/b]
[color=#FFBFFF]A lot of people would say it's a bad idea, on your first day out of prison, to go right back to stalking the tranny hooker that knocked out five of your teeth. But that's how I roll..[/color]
[color=#FFBFFF]A lot of people would say it's a bad idea, on your first day out of prison, to go right back to stalking the tranny hooker that knocked out five of your teeth. But that's how I roll..[/color]
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Nightshade
- Posts: 17020
- Joined: Fri Dec 01, 2000 8:00 am
both great books, although I thought the ending to Troopers was a little disappointing/anti-climactic.Grudge wrote: Robert A Heinlein - Stranger in a Strange Land
Robert A Heinlein - Starship Troopers
Stranger in a Strange Land is awesome for classic sci-fi, but make sure you get the reprinted, uncut version. When it was first released his publisher cut out 10s of thousands of words, and after his death his wife released it again with everything included. I haven't read the cut version, but it's not hard to pick out the parts they likely took out.