Deeply disappointing. I went shopping in a second hand shop recently looking for strange, bad books. The problem with bad books is they are usually quDeeply disappointing. I went shopping in a second hand shop recently looking for strange, bad books. The problem with bad books is they are usually quite conventional in their lack of quality and lack that bizarre quality that entertains, edifies and reveals. This book is essentially two paragraphs -- the blurb -- stretched out over 220 pages.
It's not nearly batshit enough for my liking. It seems that the main reason Noah's Ark has not been discovered, despite the author appearing to know quite well where it is, is because Lenin and his silly Bolshevism impeded valuable White Russian investigation. So it's the commies fault. As if they haven't spoiled enough....more
The Project Gutenburg selection from 1923, I imagine this misses a lot of Frost's best work, but The Road Not Taken is here, and After Apple-Picking, The Project Gutenburg selection from 1923, I imagine this misses a lot of Frost's best work, but The Road Not Taken is here, and After Apple-Picking, and a really bizarre narrative poem called A Hundred Collars, which I think is some kind of Whitman homosexual thing, though I haven't read much Whitman. I'm still kind of a novice in poetry and find it difficult to judge, or even more importantly, to enjoy, and I don't think Frost will ever be a favourite, but there's 40 years of poetry missing from this collection and I presume I am missing something....more
I read this book incorrectly, in about three sittings, rather than as something to be dipped into and sampled as Francis Bacon wrote. Among other thinI read this book incorrectly, in about three sittings, rather than as something to be dipped into and sampled as Francis Bacon wrote. Among other things, I thought about what the market might be for investigating fiction through books that are neither classics nor laughably bad. A study of mediocrity, of competence that doesn't sing. It's the kind of book I aspire to write, after all....more
In general, my enjoyment of Discworld books end when the 'action' begins. I suppose in these early books Pratchett didn't know what gold he had with hIn general, my enjoyment of Discworld books end when the 'action' begins. I suppose in these early books Pratchett didn't know what gold he had with his world and characters and thought readers wanted stories with plots, but we don't, Terry! Vibes only....more
I'm planning to dig into Pratchett a little more but this book was a little too light on humour to really be enjoyable.I'm planning to dig into Pratchett a little more but this book was a little too light on humour to really be enjoyable....more
It's always fun to read an anthropology book when you, your family, your people, are the subjects of study. Rural folk! With their Catholicism, poeticIt's always fun to read an anthropology book when you, your family, your people, are the subjects of study. Rural folk! With their Catholicism, poetic allusions to misery, contempt for the body! Bit disappointed Scheper-Hughes didn't write more on the corrosive influence of a potato-based diet on the soul and include a few cartoons of Hiberno-Iberian skull shapes.
Embarrassment aside, this is a well-written book even if it is very difficult to take seriously as an academic account. All it's really done is made me suspicious of the cultural narratives in anthropology books as a whole. Perhaps if a non-American, if a non-native English speaker, had tried such a study, it might have avoided some of Scheper-Hughes' numerous problems with her simultaneous romanticism and condemnation of weirdoes from West Kerry. Not to deny that a lot of what she observes rings true - I just don't know why she thought she would get a warm welcome returning back to her 'Ballybran' (what's the Orientialism of Ireland? Paddywackery?)
The exploitative nature of the text is laid bare in the title. No amount of quotation from poetry and literature can wipe away the Otherising tendency of the work. Perhaps I am just being sensitive, going from books about nomads in Botswana and forest pygmies to a book about my parents' generation, written in essentially the same style. A good, provocative read. ...more
I picked up this series through a humble bundle sale. Cerebus was a series I knew through its influence than any direct recommendation. In fact, nobodI picked up this series through a humble bundle sale. Cerebus was a series I knew through its influence than any direct recommendation. In fact, nobody recommends it. It is the series famous for not being recommended. It made its impression on me through tvtropes, the website which was closest to being my friend when I was a struggling thirteen year old. Cerebus was famous for two things - 'Cerebus Syndrome' and 'Creator Breakdown.' It started off as a comedy, and slowly became more dramatic until its comedic elements seemed to disappear entirely. This was appealing to me at thirteen, because this seemed to mirror what life was like. Its writer began to divert himself from the 'story' to share his mystic and esoteric religious beliefs. Cool. He also began going on rants about how women are spiritually and morally inferior to men, and other such delightful misogynies that is a lot less quirky in 2024 than in the 80s or whereever. (This is also why I have The Cantos on my shelf, mostly unread.)
For some reason or another, perhaps to put this lingering influence of an adolescent perception of maturity to rest, I picked up this series. So far, so mediocre. This volume covers the early comics, where the story is still ostensibly a parody of 'classic' sword-and-sorcery fantasy...a genre that basically only exists in parody now. I have no connection to Conan or Red Sonja or 1st edition DnD. It's all like Star Trek to me—it's got the nerd stink that never washes off, despite how mainstream nerd shit is now. So although I like the art and find aspects of the general vibe amusing, it's not a funny story at all, and is so far, completely inessential. Luckily, I'm more interested in reading it 'when it gets bad', than when it won its acclaim, so I'll keep going. ...more
I'm off the beer at the moment, and despite all the horrors of this brilliant novel, introduced to me by its brilliant film adaptation, I've never wanI'm off the beer at the moment, and despite all the horrors of this brilliant novel, introduced to me by its brilliant film adaptation, I've never wanted a drink more than when reading this.
I've lived in Australia for just about 2 years now, but I've only experienced Sydney and, briefly, Melbourne. I don't know what the real Australia is like, and I'm fascinated by it. Maddening. This novel is a bit shaky in places, which is why I can't give it the full five, but it should always be in the periphery when discussing Australia....more
One of those fantasy books whose inexplicable popularity is owed to it being a popular fantasy book. This is definitely fantasy - it's got elves and dOne of those fantasy books whose inexplicable popularity is owed to it being a popular fantasy book. This is definitely fantasy - it's got elves and dwarves - and it keeps telling you it's fantasy. Here are the heroes, they're going on an adventure! Why is this interesting? Because they're heroes, on an adventure! It's exciting because we're telling you it is! Everything is told, nothing is shown. I got 80 pages in without a reason to care. Apparently it was popular for teenagers. Not sure why. Never trust books that need two authors....more
The writer watched the Godfather and Silence of the Lambs and then sprinkled some batman villains on top. Amusing, but I was left cold. Don't know whyThe writer watched the Godfather and Silence of the Lambs and then sprinkled some batman villains on top. Amusing, but I was left cold. Don't know why I really bother with comics at all any more....more
For some ungodly reason I've become interested in George R. R. Martin's interminably unfinished A Song of Ice and Fire, despite the lack of any new boFor some ungodly reason I've become interested in George R. R. Martin's interminably unfinished A Song of Ice and Fire, despite the lack of any new book on the horizon. Its appeal is largely attributed to its ensemble cast -- there are absolute villains and a few heroes, but the bulk of characters are brilliantly psychologically rendered. Without the characters, the world itself would be pretty bland.
I picked up Vance due to his tremendous influence both on Martin et al. and on D&D. Most of his influence on contemporary D&D has been ironed out, which has possibly contributed to its success, because this is a really weird book that seems to belong to a niche I am not fully part of.
The prose is excellent - it is fabulously out of style, and between its extravagance and the book's lightness on characters, I'm not certain a book like this would find an audience today. I am not even truly its audience...as I read on I felt like I was walking through a frustrating art exhibition. I found certain things to appreciate, but I felt myself reaching to explain away its flaws as somehow intentional.
I do think a lot of fantasy fans should read this, as long as they know which lessons to take as edifying and as cautionary. I'll likely read more Vance, but only fleetingly, skimming, appreciating word paintings, but not as stories, not for meaning. As frequently as I groan and grumble at overly censorious contemporary moralising, I can't help but see the alluring infant role women take in this book, and in a general sense in 'classic' fantasy to be, at best, deeply embarrassing to read. At the same time, I do think we need to bring back the 'guilt' in 'guilty pleasure', so......more
Frank McCourt has been peddling lies about Limerick... In every television station, in every newspaper. He has told lies....about Limerick, about his Frank McCourt has been peddling lies about Limerick... In every television station, in every newspaper. He has told lies....about Limerick, about his mother, about Theresa Carmody, about Willie Harold. He has done nothing but lied. He. Is. A liar. He is a self confessed liar. Theresa Carmody was three days away from her death, when he wrote in this book that he had sexual intercourse with her. He never mentioned anywhere in this book, that it was with her consent. Was it with her consent Frank?
He hammered his mother, he, he depicted her as a lazy, loose-moraled, good for nothing hoor, that's what he depicted your mother as. He owes his mother an apology, Theresa Carmody's parents... Theresa Carmody's family at least, he owes her an apology.
Number three, number three, number three Frank. Why? If this miserable childhood that he had in Limerick, this so-called miserable childhood, that he, he's, he's, peddled your LIES all over the world. Right, miserable lanes of Limerick, miserable childhood, miserable people of Limerick, misery, misery, misery the whole flippin' way. If that's the case, why did he not discuss your well paid employment with Jackie Brosnan? Why did he not discuss your years with St. Joseph's boy scout movement? He never discussed it.
Did he also make up the name of the girl in Bavaria?
McCourt seems to have a morbid fascination...for necrophilia....more
In memoriam. I'll get around to reading another proper Auster in time - 4 3 2 1 sounds appealing - but this afternoon I chose to dive into this great In memoriam. I'll get around to reading another proper Auster in time - 4 3 2 1 sounds appealing - but this afternoon I chose to dive into this great adaptation of the first, and probably most accessible, part of the New York Trilogy. The real book is short enough this graphic novel is charming but generally unnecessary....more
That familiar Pinter menace. I'd like to see it; as is, it's completely impenetrable. That familiar Pinter menace. I'd like to see it; as is, it's completely impenetrable. ...more
I'm sure I will be misquoting bits and pieces of this book in mixed company to sound intelligent for the next five years, which is as good as non-fictI'm sure I will be misquoting bits and pieces of this book in mixed company to sound intelligent for the next five years, which is as good as non-fiction can get for a dilettante....more
Definitely not as obnoxious as Tintin and the Picaros, but still ultimately not something I'd recommend for young children. They'd probably find it boDefinitely not as obnoxious as Tintin and the Picaros, but still ultimately not something I'd recommend for young children. They'd probably find it boring anyway....more
Decided to pick up whatever Tintin was available from the library to see what the fuss was about this children's classic. It's to be expected that I mDecided to pick up whatever Tintin was available from the library to see what the fuss was about this children's classic. It's to be expected that I might not find it particularly funny or deep, but I hadn't expected that it would be little more than the dullest kind of bourgeois European morality. I don't know why I would want to give a child this, and colour their sensibilities of South America in such lazy posturing. I know I'm sounding like some awful leftist scold, and I'm really not - I just found this unimaginative and self-satisfied in its depiction of the Other, which is something I've always felt latent in some European students. I suppose by this logic I could go on some crusade against all children's literature for authors' biases, but that just doesn't interest me. Neither did this comic....more
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