Updike has been on my to read list for over a decade now. I just never got around to reading him. But from everything I've read about his works (including your post here) tells me he's a fantastic writer and that I shouldn't delay reading his works, starting with the Rabbit novels of course.
But also the ending, getting that right, after all that amazing work if you don't hit the ending right...
Just finished J G Ballard's autobiography The Miracles of Life . It is a book that divides you own opinions . On the one hand , if you know anything about Ballard , you don't learn much that is new . It is also in need of an editor , it bobs backward and forwards in places and has some repetition. On the other hand , It is a moving account of an interesting and good person and the last thing written by a dying writer.
I am currently reading Becoming Supernatural by Dr. Joe Dispenza. It is about training the brain to communicate with the body on a subconscious level, to reprogram damaged DNA which helps to overcome degradation among other things like health issues, mental clarity, or intuition etc . . . Also helps with grounding and meditation work, energy work too.
Into Part 2 Chapter 5 of The Damnation Game, by Clive Barker. Had to stop reading Rama II, cause it was all dialogue and no get to the alien craft.
I am currently reading Dear Edward, by Ann Napolitano. It tells the story of a 12-year-old boy who is the sole survivor of a plane crash that kills all of the other 191 passengers, including Edward's family. It's interesting enough to keep my attention for awhile.
I had to read CivilWarLand in Bad Decline for school this semester. Like most short story collections, it was hit or miss for me. There were some interesting ones in there for sure but at times it seemed like he was trying too hard to be funny.
I’ve just finished reading The Sun Is Also A Star by Nicola Yoon. It’s a YA about how destiny works its magic for two people who fall in love in a single day who’s struggles and approach to life couldn’t be any more different. There were a few interesting coincidences over the course of the story but there was much meaning and magic in their conversations. It also teaches that life doesn’t always follow the course that it’s meant to take. It’s an interesting read to pass the time.
I'm just curious, but what was the class you had to read them for? To me, it sounds like that might have been a pretty cool class. I often read literary journals over collections, but I'm trying to incorporate reading more collections into by routine. I'm also reading the stories in order to see if that does anything different, you know, in the reading experience. Are there any collections you've read that were pretty much all hits? Just wondering if you have any suggestions. What about Jesus' Son by Denis Johnson? That's a good one that comes to mind for me. I do plan to reread in the near future since I've read every story but not in order. I have no idea if that means anything, reading these collections in order, but it's something I'm trying out. I mean the order must be somewhat important. It's the way the author delivers his or her work. I don't know why I tend to jump around, reading whatever catches my eye in the table of contents. I don't know if that matters at all. I'm stuck in the house with a small library. Saunders is pretty new to me. I've read a few stories before but this is the first time I am reading a collection of his.
I just saw your question and I did, indeed, read that one (it was very good). I think the author’s target audience was aimed for a younger sector than his First Law Trilogy. There’s still a very convincing story-line, however, filled with fantasy, struggle and adventure. It won’t disappoint.
Thank you, I know this isn't necessarily the right thread for a question like this but I also knew some here have read Abercrombie, myself included. I just haven't read that particular series. Sounds interesting; I'll have a closer look at it, especially with Christmas coming up.
I'm getting my MFA in Creative Writing and my reading list was a collaboration with an advisor. Here's the list: CivilWarLand in Bad Decline by George Saunders Call me Ahab: A Short Story Collection by Anne Finger No Country for Old Men by Cormac McCarthy Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison The Plague by Albert Camus The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen On Writers and Writing by John Gardner The Collected Stories by Grace Paley David Copperfield by Charles Dickens Oblivion: Stories by David Foster Wallace One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez Ficciones by Jorge Luis Borges Fox Tooth Heart: Stories by John McManus Austerlitz by W. G. Sebald I have only read Train Dreams by Denis Johnson but I would be interested in reading more of his work. Train Dreams reminded me a lot of Cormac McCarthy. One short story collection that is coming to mind is The Illustrated Man by Ray Bradbury. That is a great collection and he is one of my favorite short story writers. He has written great novels but I think he really shines with his short stories.
I'm finally reading Dune! Figure its time to get ahead of the movie so I can be the snobby jackass who talks about how the book is so much better.
The only thing with that is that it might make viewing the film more difficult. Dune's good though, best of his series.
Haha, I'm always the one to say the book is better than the movie. It's true with any book, it's way better than the movie.
It is though... Nope, this argument pops up in here every half year or so. I won't perpetuate it... Except Fight Club. I always disliked the book and thought the movie was better. Same with Cloud Atlas, though they are arguably different in structure so both are great in their own right. ...oh look, I perpetuated this nonsense again...
But, I strongly dislike it when there is a book then they make a movie out of it because it's like they cut out the best parts of the book, and they add things that ruin the story. Plus I like details so I'm always going to read the book then watch the movie.
Barak Obama's The Promised Land. Very similar in tone to his other two books (which I also enjoyed.) He has definitely developed his writer's voice. He always takes a thoughtful look at what he has done—as all three books are autobiographical—and analyzes what has been happening around him. Interesting to read his take on so much of what I remembered about his presidency. I'm not very far into the book yet, though. It's the kind of book that you can pick up and put down, as time allows.
David Suchet's Poirot is like that for me, only I put mine down about six months ago, haven't picked it up again. It is a little repetitive, in that he talks about his experiences on this programme, and then on that one. It's interesting but not captivating.
This is an amazing list of books. I've read about half of these. A few of them I haven't heard of, but that just gives me something to research over the next couple of days. Out of curiosity, how did you narrow down the list to these particular books?
