Have any of you read The Sympathizer?
It's by Viet Thanh Nguyen. The Sympathizer is magnificent. I enjoyed reading something that wasn't a failed attempt at replicating The Corrections.
Other recent books:
Here I Am, by Jonathan Safran Foer: hated it. Quit 55% of the way through.
Breaks of the Game, Halberstam: awesome, but not all that well organized.
Shotgun Lovesongs, Nickolas Butler: I talk about my hatred for this book every month or so. It deserves to be burned. I might re-start the Nazis just to collect and burn all copies of this shitty book. Then the new Nazis would disband. We wouldn't be anti-Semitic or anything.
The Interestings, Meg Wolitzer: this was more like Visit from the Goon Squad. I am starting to think women do contemporary big-city high-quality fiction better than men. Wolitzer's approach has a hell of a lot more heart, and far better characters, than Franzen's books. Even the good Franzen books, like Freedom, have bad characters.
Everybody's Fool, Richard Russo: maybe I'm alone, and LT and Buck will say this guy's too mass-market, but I think he succeeds with every book. I love this guy.
The Adventures of Augie March, Saul Bellow: not my cup of tea. Started to remind me of Portnoy's Complaint or an Updike book, neither of which are compliments from me.
My Name is Lucy Barton, Elizabeth Strout: I've mentioned this before. Elizabeth Strout is the best modern novelist in America. She's perfect. She, Russo, Richard Ford, and Jane Smiley (read the Last Hundred Years Trilogy, now that the weather is getting bad).
Complete thread:
- Have any of you read The Sympathizer? -
Kevin,
2016-10-27, 11:41
- I want to read the Iliad and Odyssey - never read it through -
Grantland,
2016-10-28, 09:27
- add the Bagg translation of the Oedipus Cycle -
professor,
2016-10-28, 09:35
- Oedipus is very funny -
Jay,
2016-10-28, 10:17
- It's gold, Jay! Comedy GOLD! - Brendan, 2016-10-28, 11:48
- done, thanks - Grantland, 2016-10-28, 10:11
- Oedipus is very funny -
Jay,
2016-10-28, 10:17
- Robert Fagles for Homer; Riverside for Shakespeare -
HCE,
2016-10-28, 09:30
- done, thanks - Grantland, 2016-10-28, 10:11
- add the Bagg translation of the Oedipus Cycle -
professor,
2016-10-28, 09:35
- I spent all summer reading McPherson's Battle Cry of Freedom -
HullieAndMikes,
2016-10-28, 05:12
- My first year teaching, -
Bryan (IrishCavan),
2016-10-28, 08:41
- What were the other books? -
Jim (OFD),
2016-10-28, 10:33
- If I recall correctly, - Bryan (IrishCavan), 2016-10-28, 16:00
- Were you teaching in the South? -
Grantland,
2016-10-28, 09:25
- No, it was in Illinois. - Bryan (IrishCavan), 2016-10-28, 15:48
- McPherson is clear on why the war was fought -
HullieAndMikes,
2016-10-28, 09:28
- Right I meant "whatever that means" as how could the guys -
Grantland,
2016-10-28, 09:39
- Even if you accept the states' rights argument on its face -
Jeremy (WeIsND),
2016-10-28, 10:19
- It was a fight over the states' rights to enable slavery -
Coach Gillespie,
2016-10-28, 11:39
- Exactly - Jeremy (WeIsND), 2016-10-28, 11:59
- It was a fight over the states' rights to enable slavery -
Coach Gillespie,
2016-10-28, 11:39
- Even if you accept the states' rights argument on its face -
Jeremy (WeIsND),
2016-10-28, 10:19
- Right I meant "whatever that means" as how could the guys -
Grantland,
2016-10-28, 09:39
- What were the other books? -
Jim (OFD),
2016-10-28, 10:33
- I'm about 60% of the way through Battle Cry -
Kevin,
2016-10-28, 05:19
- Same here. Really like it but progress is slow. And - BillyGoat, 2016-10-28, 06:42
- That's definitely true - HullieAndMikes, 2016-10-28, 05:24
- My first year teaching, -
Bryan (IrishCavan),
2016-10-28, 08:41
- I love book threads. Anyone read Skinny Dip? -
Turtlecrack,
2016-10-27, 16:39
- Hiassen's brother was actually my boss for awhile - HullieAndMikes, 2016-10-28, 05:08
- Fantasy subthread: -
Jim (OFD),
2016-10-27, 13:24
- I loved it. It gets better and better. I also liked - Turtlecrack, 2016-10-27, 16:30
- It'll be worth it in the end (IMO) -
PootND,
2016-10-27, 15:51
- And unlike Martin and rothfuss he actually churns out books -
Turtlecrack,
2016-10-27, 16:32
- I'll give Rothfuss a pass, Martin, not so much - Chris (HCC), 2016-10-28, 05:09
- And unlike Martin and rothfuss he actually churns out books -
Turtlecrack,
2016-10-27, 16:32
- I listened to both books on Audible - suave_andrew, 2016-10-27, 14:39
- I taught a Creative Writing Seminar a few years ago -
HCE,
2016-10-27, 13:55
- what short stories did you use as examples? -
Jay,
2016-10-27, 16:21
- I kept things pretty canonical -
HCE,
2016-10-27, 18:25
- Saying "anyone could do this" about Faulkner - HullieAndMikes, 2016-10-28, 05:16
- Shoulda made them read Raymond Carver. -
domer.mq,
2016-10-27, 18:59
- We might have read his "On Writing," but I can't remember - HCE, 2016-10-27, 19:46
- good stuff, thanks - Jay, 2016-10-27, 18:41
- I kept things pretty canonical -
HCE,
2016-10-27, 18:25
- what short stories did you use as examples? -
Jay,
2016-10-27, 16:21
- Its pretty good, but might be too much for him -
Jeremy (WeIsND),
2016-10-27, 13:51
- I can see that - Jim (OFD), 2016-10-28, 06:39
- RE: Bellow, Herzog is much better than Augie March -
HCE,
2016-10-27, 13:21
- You are wrong. - professor, 2016-10-28, 06:07
- I don't personally love Richard Russo -
LT,
2016-10-27, 12:42
- Sellout is also on the list. -
Kevin,
2016-10-27, 12:46
- This post amused me on at least three levels. - LT, 2016-10-27, 12:49
- Sellout is also on the list. -
Kevin,
2016-10-27, 12:46
- every time there is a great book thread, I feel shitty -
Jay,
2016-10-27, 12:28
- I hope you use abebooks.com. - Grantland, 2016-10-28, 09:28
- I hear you. I blame the internet - MattG, 2016-10-28, 08:59
- Amen. Amen, I say to you. - bk, 2016-10-27, 14:30
- You have Tsundoku (as do i) -
oviedoirish,
2016-10-27, 12:41
- Otherwise known as... - BPH, 2016-10-27, 13:53
- great word - Jay, 2016-10-27, 12:54
- meant to include: book threads on TPG -
Jay,
2016-10-27, 12:34
- Following that link, I quickly saw -
Kevin,
2016-10-27, 12:37
- Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk is now a movie by Ang Lee -
Jay,
2016-10-27, 13:32
- People HATE the format. - MattG, 2016-10-28, 09:02
- Seems like an awkward fit for a movie. - Kevin, 2016-10-27, 13:51
- Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk is now a movie by Ang Lee -
Jay,
2016-10-27, 13:32
- Following that link, I quickly saw -
Kevin,
2016-10-27, 12:37
- Using Kindle apps has greatly increased my volume -
Kevin,
2016-10-27, 12:29
- Especially when you can add the audio sync for $4.99. - Buck Mulligan, 2016-10-27, 12:34
- Good recs. Have you read The Flamethrowers by -
Buck Mulligan,
2016-10-27, 11:57
- Adding it to the list -- thanks. - Kevin, 2016-10-27, 11:59
- I want to read the Iliad and Odyssey - never read it through -
Grantland,
2016-10-28, 09:27