|
|
Post by dij22 on May 4, 2023 18:54:54 GMT -6
Very good April:
1.) Through the Arc of the Rainforest by Karen Tei Yamashita
2.) Emplumada by Lorna Dee Cervantes
3.) Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward
4.) Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life by Dacher Keltner
|
|
|
|
Post by monasterymonochrome on May 5, 2023 5:47:18 GMT -6
Very good April: 1.) Through the Arc of the Rainforest by Karen Tei Yamashita 2.) Emplumada by Lorna Dee Cervantes 3.) Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward 4.) Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life by Dacher Keltner How was the Jesmyn Ward book? That’s been on my wishlist for a minute. |
|
|
|
Post by dij22 on May 5, 2023 7:02:07 GMT -6
Very good April: 1.) Through the Arc of the Rainforest by Karen Tei Yamashita 2.) Emplumada by Lorna Dee Cervantes 3.) Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward 4.) Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life by Dacher Keltner How was the Jesmyn Ward book? That’s been on my wishlist for a minute. A book that is fascinating and super valuable to have read but fairly tedious to actually read. |
|
|
|
Post by scoots on May 5, 2023 7:43:31 GMT -6
Finally read A Visit from the Goon Squad. Really really good. Otherwise pretty slow month. I just started Momo, or the strange story of the time-thieves and the child who brought the stolen time back to the people and it's pretty terrific so far
|
|
|
|
Post by dij22 on May 5, 2023 7:52:11 GMT -6
Finally read A Visit from the Goon Squad. Really really good. Probably top 10 novel ever |
|
|
|
Post by monasterymonochrome on May 5, 2023 8:13:52 GMT -6
How was the Jesmyn Ward book? That’s been on my wishlist for a minute. A book that is fascinating and super valuable to have read but fairly tedious to actually read. Haha damn I feel like this describes like 1 out of every 3 books I pick up |
|
|
|
Post by venom on Jun 1, 2023 7:32:18 GMT -6
i finally finished dan ozzi's Sellout after reading it on/off for months.
i thought it was a really interesting dive into major labels knowing or not knowing what to do with bands who they wanted to be the next nirvana or green day. there are a lot of great interviews and stories. the first half featured a lot of bands that i'm familiar with and had mild knowledge of being courted by a major in the 90s when that seemed to mean something. but the second half was a lot of bands that i don't know too well and really had no idea they ever were on a major. a lot of the same a&r folks came up, which made me realize just how small the punk/emo/etc. world was for labels.
one big omission seemed to be rocket from the crypt. they're mentioned in at least 4 different chapters, but they don't have their own chapter. and i think they had a pretty interesting major label story being a package deal with drive like jehu.
|
|
|
|
Post by chvrchbarrel on Jun 1, 2023 7:44:49 GMT -6
i finally finished dan ozzi's Sellout after reading it on/off for months. i thought it was a really interesting dive into major labels knowing or not knowing what to do with bands who they wanted to be the next nirvana or green day. there are a lot of great interviews and stories. the first half featured a lot of bands that i'm familiar with and had mild knowledge of being courted by a major in the 90s when that seemed to mean something. but the second half was a lot of bands that i don't know too well and really had no idea they ever were on a major. a lot of the same a&r folks came up, which made me realize just how small the punk/emo/etc. world was for labels. one big omission seemed to be rocket from the crypt. they're mentioned in at least 4 different chapters, but they don't have their own chapter. and i think they had a pretty interesting major label story being a package deal with drive like jehu. i'd like to read this but keep putting off buying it |
|
|
|
Post by monasterymonochrome on Jun 1, 2023 7:46:24 GMT -6
i finally finished dan ozzi's Sellout after reading it on/off for months. i thought it was a really interesting dive into major labels knowing or not knowing what to do with bands who they wanted to be the next nirvana or green day. there are a lot of great interviews and stories. the first half featured a lot of bands that i'm familiar with and had mild knowledge of being courted by a major in the 90s when that seemed to mean something. but the second half was a lot of bands that i don't know too well and really had no idea they ever were on a major. a lot of the same a&r folks came up, which made me realize just how small the punk/emo/etc. world was for labels. one big omission seemed to be rocket from the crypt. they're mentioned in at least 4 different chapters, but they don't have their own chapter. and i think they had a pretty interesting major label story being a package deal with drive like jehu. Damn, they got the Meat Puppets Our Band Could Be Your Life treatment. Same deal there, referenced in 3-4 entries but no standalone section of their own. I'm not super familiar with the bands Ozzi covers, but I'll probably check out this book sometime in the next year or two anyway - heard a lot about it. |
|
|
|
Post by scoots on Jun 1, 2023 7:46:42 GMT -6
Momo is definitely a YA book but I enjoyed the hell out of it. There's some stories within the story that I've been reading to my daughter. Also just about finished with this so I'll count it:  Hyped for the movie. Wild story. |
|
|
|
Post by venom on Jun 1, 2023 7:50:27 GMT -6
i finally finished dan ozzi's Sellout after reading it on/off for months. i thought it was a really interesting dive into major labels knowing or not knowing what to do with bands who they wanted to be the next nirvana or green day. there are a lot of great interviews and stories. the first half featured a lot of bands that i'm familiar with and had mild knowledge of being courted by a major in the 90s when that seemed to mean something. but the second half was a lot of bands that i don't know too well and really had no idea they ever were on a major. a lot of the same a&r folks came up, which made me realize just how small the punk/emo/etc. world was for labels. one big omission seemed to be rocket from the crypt. they're mentioned in at least 4 different chapters, but they don't have their own chapter. and i think they had a pretty interesting major label story being a package deal with drive like jehu. i'd like to read this but keep putting off buying it if you pull the trigger, get the paperback or make sure the digital version has the extra interviews. those interviews provide good perspective from a few bands who were courted by a major but didn't sign. |
|
|
|
Post by nanatod on Jun 1, 2023 7:52:10 GMT -6
I've had Bob Dylan: The Essential Interviews sitting on my desk since mid-2021, and I finally got around to reading it this weekend. Bob gives a lot of the same answers to various interviewers over the years who apparently asked him the same questions over time.
|
|
|
|
Post by chvrchbarrel on Jun 1, 2023 7:58:16 GMT -6
my girlfriend picked this up for me recently and it was a fun easy read, just finished last week  |
|
|
|
Post by doso on Jun 1, 2023 8:27:54 GMT -6
Also just about finished with this so I'll count it: Hyped for the movie. Wild story. The author was last week’s guest on Defector’s The Distraction podcast with Drew Magary and David Roth. An entertaining, informative interview and discussion - highly recommended. |
|
|
|
Post by zircona1 on Jun 1, 2023 8:31:57 GMT -6
I've had Bob Dylan: The Essential Interviews sitting on my desk since mid-2021, and I finally got around to reading it this weekend. Bob gives a lot of the same answers to various interviewers over the years who apparently asked him the same questions over time. I have a book called 'Dylan on Dylan: The Essential Interviews', is it the same book? I was over at someone's house, he saw me pull out the book to flip through it, he said, "you can have that." |
|
|
|
Post by chvrchbarrel on Jun 1, 2023 8:38:53 GMT -6
I've had Bob Dylan: The Essential Interviews sitting on my desk since mid-2021, and I finally got around to reading it this weekend. Bob gives a lot of the same answers to various interviewers over the years who apparently asked him the same questions over time. I have a book called 'Dylan on Dylan: The Essential Interviews', is it the same book? I was over at someone's house, he saw me pull out the book to flip through it, he said, "you can have that." actualol |
|
|
|
Post by dij22 on Jun 1, 2023 8:43:41 GMT -6
Unfortunately didn't read anything in May after plowing through like two books a week during the semester for grad school. But I did start Tao Lin's Taipei and it's fantastic so far.
|
|
|
|
Post by diamonddave on Jun 1, 2023 8:55:02 GMT -6
Hyped for the movie. Wild story. The author was last week’s guest on Defector’s The Distraction podcast with Drew Magary and David Roth. An entertaining, informative interview and discussion - highly recommended. Gotta stay busy with something after all that RUNNIN' WITH THE DEVIL i did with vh, haha, glad you enjoy the show man! Let's see Hagar pull a podcast this good out of his ass!!! |
|
|
|
Post by monasterymonochrome on Jun 1, 2023 8:56:51 GMT -6
May reads:
-- Scattered All Over The Earth by Yoko Tawada: didn't really like this one. It's a speculative fiction book dealing with climate change / migration and has a great premise that it never really delivers on. Didn't realize when I bought it that it was the first of a trilogy. Feels kinda uncool to write a ~200 page novel be the first of a trilogy. Just write one big book and don't charge me $20 for each bite-sized part.
-- Look Homeward Angel by Thomas Wolfe: A classic of the early 20th century. Like a 550 page coming-of-age story. Really struggled with bits of it - Wolfe's prose is very detailed and exacting, and the characters don't always pop, sometimes feeling too archetypical. But! When this book hits it hits. The last ~50-100 pages especially felt almost cathartic to read. Made the whole experience worth it, IMO. Some really beautiful reflections on *gestures broadly at the world* all this.
-- Thelonious Monk: The Life and Times of an American Original by Robin D.G. Kelley: One of the best music bios I've read. A remarkably thorough and deeply human portrait of a man too often reduced to the cliches of the eccentric genius. Highly recommended for jazz fans - and here's a big playlist I made from my Monk listening this month:
|
|
|
|
Post by sthubbins on Jun 1, 2023 9:12:36 GMT -6
2023 so far:
The Right to Sex by Amia Srinivasan
Midnight's Children by Salman Rushie
Tread of Angels by Rebecca Roanhorse
Taking Care by Joy Williams
Actual Air by David Berman
Rest is Resistance by Tricia Hersey
Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson (reread)
Minima Moralia by Theodor Adorno
10 Days That Shook the World by John Reed
Since my last update:
American Pastoral by Philip Roth
Stay True by Hua Hsu
A Personal Matter by Kenzaburo Oe
Now: Birnam Wood by Eleanor Catton
|
|
|
|
Post by zircona1 on Jun 1, 2023 9:23:40 GMT -6
2023 so far: American Pastoral by Philip Roth I read this a year or two ago, and it was a slog. It started out interesting, but then it seemed like it just went over the same shit again and again. It's the only novel of his that I've read - maybe the others are better? |
|
|
|
Post by sthubbins on Jun 1, 2023 9:24:37 GMT -6
Portnoy's Complaint is the only other one I've read. I liked it way more.
|
|
|
|
Post by Tweet on Jun 1, 2023 9:29:57 GMT -6
9 books so far: ahead of my "read 20 books" challenge according to Jeffery Bezos's booktracker: Autobiography of Malcolm X The Communist Manifesto Fahrenheit 451 The Young Bucks book What We Owe the Future The Crusades of Cesar Chavez Catholicism by John McGrevery Hiding in Plain Sight- Sarah Kendzoir The Overstory- Richard Powers Now reading: On Lighthouses and We Promised You a Great Main Event |
|
|
|
Post by monasterymonochrome on Jun 1, 2023 9:46:50 GMT -6
2023 so far: American Pastoral by Philip Roth I read this a year or two ago, and it was a slog. It started out interesting, but then it seemed like it just went over the same shit again and again. It's the only novel of his that I've read - maybe the others are better? Damn I've had this one my shelf for a while but haven't gotten around to it. Gonna keep that buried in the queue for now. |
|
|
|
Post by monasterymonochrome on Jun 1, 2023 9:48:52 GMT -6
2023 so far: The Right to Sex by Amia Srinivasan Midnight's Children by Salman Rushie Tread of Angels by Rebecca Roanhorse Taking Care by Joy Williams Actual Air by David Berman Rest is Resistance by Tricia Hersey Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson (reread) Minima Moralia by Theodor Adorno 10 Days That Shook the World by John Reed Since my last update: American Pastoral by Philip Roth Stay True by Hua Hsu A Personal Matter by Kenzaburo Oe Now: Birnam Wood by Eleanor Catton How'd you like the Hua Hsu book? Been seeing a lot of buzz around that one lately. |
|
|
|
Post by nanatod on Jun 1, 2023 9:49:29 GMT -6
I've had Bob Dylan: The Essential Interviews sitting on my desk since mid-2021, and I finally got around to reading it this weekend. Bob gives a lot of the same answers to various interviewers over the years who apparently asked him the same questions over time. I have a book called 'Dylan on Dylan: The Essential Interviews', is it the same book? I was over at someone's house, he saw me pull out the book to flip through it, he said, "you can have that." the book I read was edited by Jonathan Cott of Rolling Stone. |
|
|
|
Post by sthubbins on Jun 1, 2023 10:20:49 GMT -6
2023 so far: The Right to Sex by Amia Srinivasan Midnight's Children by Salman Rushie Tread of Angels by Rebecca Roanhorse Taking Care by Joy Williams Actual Air by David Berman Rest is Resistance by Tricia Hersey Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson (reread) Minima Moralia by Theodor Adorno 10 Days That Shook the World by John Reed Since my last update: American Pastoral by Philip Roth Stay True by Hua Hsu A Personal Matter by Kenzaburo Oe Now: Birnam Wood by Eleanor Catton How'd you like the Hua Hsu book? Been seeing a lot of buzz around that one lately. I liked it. There's a major event that the story centers around but its scope and point of view never feels limited to stuff directly connected to it. And I liked learning how his perspective as a writer developed through his relationships and the cultural stuff he was taking in. Made me wish I'd kept a more consistent journal myself. |
|
|
|
Post by doso on Jun 1, 2023 11:31:20 GMT -6
The author was last week’s guest on Defector’s The Distraction podcast with Drew Magary and David Roth. An entertaining, informative interview and discussion - highly recommended. Gotta stay busy with something after all that RUNNIN' WITH THE DEVIL i did with vh, haha, glad you enjoy the show man! Let's see Hagar pull a podcast this good out of his ass!!! Reeling in the first diamonddave post in 934 days ftw. |
|
|
|
Post by scoots on Jul 28, 2023 8:57:38 GMT -6
July books:
One Day by David Nicholls: Not terrible! There's certainly some cringeworthy moments, but it moves along well and I kind of love the concept. It is a bit annoying that Nicholls completely abandons the "one day" concept towards the end, but overall I enjoyed it, even if he basically stole the ending from City of Angels.
The Great Gatsby by some dude: I think this is about my 5th or 6th time reading it - still love it.
Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandel: This was terrific. Quick read for 300ish pages and I thought the author did a much better job with the characters than the show did (still enjoyed the show, but some of the adjustments the show writers decided to make are kind of wild by comparison). Also some really crushing lines of dialogue that I keep going back to in my head.
|
|
|
|
Post by scoots on Jul 28, 2023 8:58:42 GMT -6
I'm up to 13 for the year. Still a chance I make it to 20, but I don't even know what my next book is going to be right now.
|
|
