Summer Reading II: What's The Next Book You'll Read?

I'm going to read A Far Cry From Kensington by Muriel Spark. I was sent it by a bookcrossing.com buddy in return for an art book she wanted. I'll start it when I finish Look At Me by Anita Brookner, which was also a bookcrossing.com find... I seem to be in a phase of reading sharp, slightly posh books by ladies at the moment. I think it will be good, of course. I'll read it in bed, on the train, and in my lunch breaks.

flaubert temptions of st anthony i think

I am reading the Mervyn Peake-illustrated Alice which I bought yesterday. (I know that isn't what you asked but I like it and I can't be bothered to find the relevant thread.)

The next book will be Brideshead Revisited. I borrowed it from my parents-in-law. I will probably start it tomorrow. I chose it because I was disappointed with Vile Bodies and Scoop, although I liked Decline and Fall, and I am determined to persevere with Evelyn Waugh. My dad was telling me that he was enjoying the TV adaptation the other day and said I should read it. Also it is supposed to be the most snobbish book ever and I think I will like that. (Also (and I probably shouldn't say this because I am notoriously lazy and it will never happen) I have this idea for a story of my own which has been gestating for a few months now and I think it sounds a bit too similar to BR so I need to check.)

Having said that I don't expect it to be very good/funny. I love comic novels but EW doesn't seem to have the deftness and sureness of Amis and Wodehouse. I am giving him one last chance. It is his most famous book, no? so maybe it is his best. (martin skidmore and nabisco to thread?)

And after that, V. (yipes)

philip k dick's cantata-140. it was borrowed from the library. in a couple of days when i finish perec's 'a void' (also borrowed from the library). I read on the train (would read at home but aim chats stops me). I've read, what 15 books by PKD and they've all been at least good if not mind blowing and i expect this to be in that range.

Going to read Steve Erickson's Days Between Stations, after one of the old literature threads - I had to order it through the Te Puna National Bibliographic Database ($2 grrr) & only have it for two weeks (wouldn't normally be a problem; however, I stupidly ordered a whole lot of books during the same two-week period & have been furiously reading them, inc. Charles Portis, PKD & William T. Vollmann (halfway through Thirteen Stories & Thirteen Epitaphs) & etc).
Will be reading it whilst propped up in bed, I imagine - tired, sick, Auckland winter, etc.
Expect that it'll rewire my brane & all that, but I'm starting to feel guilty about not having read more, say, JG Ballard beforehand.

After Mark's thread about AM Homes I am about to start reading a collection of her short stories, just as soon as I've finished The Verificationist.

Cantata 140 - does that have another name Julio? I've read most of Dick's stuff and never heard of that one before.

If you haven't already, read the following: The Man in the High Castle, the Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch, Lies, Inc, Martian Timeslip, We can Build You, A Scanner Darkly, Valis and The Transmigration of Timothy Archer. These are probably his best. (The Blade Runner book is also strong, and very different from the movie).

Dick is slightly patchy (he wrote a number of his books for money, during 2-3 day speed jags hence the thin writing but supersonic narratives) but even at his worst he's never less than interesting.

Oh, and I forgot Ubik, too.

you forgot 'radio free albemuth' as well. I don't know if 'cantata' has another name.

You're right, I did forget RFA. And Flow my Tears. Google just told me Cantata 140 is another name for the Crack in Space one of the few I haven't read. Wasn't aware of the Dick thread - I'm newish.

just use the search function bcz there are several of them: he's one of 'our' faves!

oh yes and 'flow my tears' is grebt too!

>What's the next book you're going to read?

The second book in John Bellairs "The House with Clocks in its Walls" trilogy.

>Bought/borrowed/stolen/plucked from ether?

Borrowed from my sister.

>When are you going to start it?

As soon as I am finished with my current book ("The Three Imposters" by Aurther Machen - good stuff)

>Why did you choose it?

Childhood nostalgia. I read the first book when I was a kid but my library did not have the other two books.

>Where will you be reading it?

On my bed.

>How good do you think it's going to be?

Probably not too great.

Word Freak by Stephen Fatsis. It's about competitive Scrabble players. I have no idea why I picked it up. Unlike music where I usually have a very definite idea of what I want and strong opinions before I step into the store, with books I usually end up wandering the aisles hoping something captures my interests. This was used and reminded me of an article in Harpers I really liked about a competitive poker playing championship.

I have that Steve Erickson book if you need to borrow it etc.

I'm a big fan of short stories like Barry Hannah's or Paul Auster's ... if you have recommendations in that vein please hit me.

I have about a dozen purchased books I haven't gotten around to yet, the most tempting of which are a book on Chomsky's universal grammar and Hofstadter's Metamagical Themas, but Kramer's Sumerians is more likely because it's for work. I have about twenty books out from the library, and from them will probably read Paul McAuley's Fairyland next.

Don Delillo "Mao 2", I think. Bought for about 50c from a library withdrawals table, something like a year ago. Might never get round to starting it. I've liked other things by him and um, I don't know, why not. I'lll be reading it in beds and buses. I have a feeling it could be very good. (I didn't find "Brideshead Revisited" particularly funny, btw (though I loved it nad the series!), and I might prefer the "Sword of Honour" trilogy I think)

Crack In Space is one of the weaker Dicks, Julio - but even his worst are well worth your time.

Brideshead is hardly funny at all. It's more loved for the romanticising of a lost aristocratic lifestyle with huge gay under- and overtones. Beautifully written I thought - not writing prose as well as Wodehouse takes in almost everyone ever, bar a handful of novelists.

My next, to be started tonight if I don't fall asleep instantly, is Saul Bellow's Ravelstein. I've read most or all of his earlier ones, and I expect it'll have his usual strengths, and as usual I will continue to think he's very good and interesting and intelligent but overrated. I choose the next ten or so at a time, and then sort of space them out for variety. Lots of light crime at present due to buying loads by Lawrence Block, plus some Charlie Higson, so the odd more heavyweight serious lit is good for interleaving with the crime.

Ravelstein is great Martin.

This is a good question. I'll probably finish up that History of the Devil book first, after that, er.

Oryx and Crake is tempting, but I'll probably just shake a stick at ILX.

ooooh, also the most recent Houellebecq is finally being published in the US.