What book are you currently reading?

At the moment I'm reading "And the Hippos Boiled in their Tanks" which was the "lost" novel by William S Burroughs and Jack Kerouac, and is heavily based on a real life incident where one of their friends killed another. Written well before either writer was to achieved fame, it was discovered and published in 2008 (though the MS had been rumoured to exist for many years prior). So far, I've found it to be an interesting insight into beat culture (which I am largely ignorant about) and also how claustrophobic some friendships can become.

I recently finished all my bough and borrowed books and asked for some suggestions. Paul recommended, "Relic" which was already checked out at the library(the library here is really tiny, which makes no sense considering the size of the city) and had a waiting list. Go figure. So I borrowed "Intruder in the Dust" by William Faulkner. I haven't ready anything by him yet, so I thought I'd give it a try.

Happy reading.

Does anyone have any gothic-themed or goth-related books to recommend?

It's sort of hard to explain, but I could use some suggestions. Thanks in advance.

If you're looking for goth horror novels, you could always give Bram Stoker's short stories collection a go. Better literature than your average horror novel but still good for a sleepless night .

Lillian,
I loved " A Long and Fatal Love Chase " by Louisa May Alcott. Very dark, but good.
~Jen

*raised eyebrow* Lousia May Alcott doing horror? I have to see that! Thanks, Jen!

I'm about 500 pages into "Drood" by Dan Simmons, with 271 pages to go. It has caught my interest, but a few spots have been a bit thick and ponderous. But as I said, things are starting to pick up, with some very creepy and spooky moments raising their heads. The novel is set in Dickensian England, and is narrated by Wilkie Collins, a real life Dickens associate. Plenty of moments are spent in crypts and vaults, so if this combined with the Victorian setting qualifies as "gothic", Lilli, then this may be an interesting read for you.

I've heard good things about "Drood", though I've never read it.

I'm currently reading "Mockingjay", the final installment of Suzanne Collin's Hunger Games trilogy. Though I like the series, I'm not a big fan, and I was doubtful that Collin's could pull off a large-scale rebellion. So far, it's pretty decent, though I wanted to punch Katniss a couple of times for all the long-delayed PTSD that she seems to be experiencing just now, just in time for her to be conflicted.

I have finally picked up "The Picture of Dorian Gray" by Oscar Wilde, a novel I have heard a lot about. I am about 15 pages into it, and while this is much too soon to form a solid opinion I will say that I do enjoy the dialogue of his characters.

Ah yes, Oscar Wilde's characters are often highly amusing, if nothing else.
I have wanted to start that book for around a year now (pathetic, I know) but I always seem buried in an avalanche of other works. I have had the pleasure a reading a couple of his plays, (The Importance of Being Earnest and An Ideal Husband) both of which were excellent.

I heard about some homosexual inferences in The Picture of Dorian Gray, which seemed unlikely to me, considering how it was against the law during his time. Oscar Wilde even went to a work camp for a year on charges of gross indecency (they couldn't get him on the more severe charge of homosexuality, "buggery"). I believe hard labor camp knocked some years off his life span, a terrible pity and waste of such genius.

On a lighter note, I heard that he put up an excellent defense at his trial, with the court being thoroughly amused (which isn't hard to believe, if you have ever read some of his quotes).

He's a great author, Paul. I hope you enjoy the book.

March Hare wrote:

Ah yes, Oscar Wilde's characters are often highly amusing, if nothing else.
I have wanted to start that book for around a year now (pathetic, I know) but I always seem buried in an avalanche of other works. I have had the pleasure a reading a couple of his plays, (The Importance of Being Earnest and An Ideal Husband) both of which were excellent.

I heard about some homosexual inferences in The Picture of Dorian Gray, which seemed unlikely to me, considering how it was against the law during his time. Oscar Wilde even went to a work camp for a year on charges of gross indecency (they couldn't get him on the more severe charge of homosexuality, "buggery"). I believe hard labor camp knocked some years off his life span, a terrible pity and waste of such genius.

On a lighter note, I heard that he put up an excellent defense at his trial, with the court being thoroughly amused (which isn't hard to believe, if you have ever read some of his quotes).

He's a great author, Paul. I hope you enjoy the book.

The inferences were absolutely there, very thinly disguised, especially in the relationship between Dorian Gray and the artist who paints the fateful picture. Wilde was aware he could go only so far with the culture in England at the time, but to me and I think most other readers he made it fairly obvious. I admire both his bravery and his writing ability.

I am now reading "Never Let Me Go" by Kazuo Ishiguro. I have heard a lot of good things about Ishiguro and this book in particular. I am only about 10 pages into it, but his writing style has definitely caught my interest. I am looking forward to the rest!

Ah, I believe Lillian read and was a big fan of that.
I recently became interested in the author after I watched the movie, The Remains of the Day. Although I'm not a fan of watching movie adaptations in the place of books, this movie is a bit different. The author, Kazuo Ishiguro played a big part in the directing and I believe the movie left in most of the key scenes. Brilliant acting (Anthony Hopkins, Emma Thompson) and a amazing character studies. One of my all time favorite movies. I highly recommend it, if you aren't going to read the book anytime soon.
Kazuo Ishiguro sounds like an amazing author. I'd like to know what you think of him when you're finished.
I'd also like to know how to pronounce his name.....

Right now I am reading something called "Fragment" by Warren Fehy. It is, basically, a "Jurassic Park" wannabe about an island discovered in the South Pacific that has creatures, based on crustaceans of all things, that have evolved separately from the rest of the world. Of course almost all these creatures are voracious carnivores who slaughter every human they can get their "claws" on. The dialogue and many of the scenes are hilarious (in an unintentional way), such as when one character climbs up a 100-foot rock wall, while being attacked by killer sucker fish and fireflies, only to encounter a "spiger" (something that resembles a cross between a spider, a shrimp, and a tiger) waiting for him at the top, and you can almost hear the creature saying "hey, what took you so long? I'm hungry!".

I don't know how the hell I picked up this book, but believe it or not I am going to read it to the end...a masochistic part of me wants to see how far this farce is taken.

Paul, you never cease to amuse me. Let me know how it goes...

There are quite a few spin-offs which I believe were at least inspired (if not completely ripped off of) Doyle's classic, The Lost World. (How they got away with naming a Jurassic Park movie after it beats me) I highly recommend his book to anyway who enjoys classic science fiction or just Doyle in general. His style is a lot like his Sherlock Holmes, with the same writing and even the same themes.

It's too bad that I've been stuck on the same book for around 4 months now. I know some people who zip through books and are finished within a week. I'm never that lucky. I've basically reached a stalemate with most of my novels right now, although I do try to pick them up once a week. I've been a bit busy recently. Work and studying has claimed most of my time, and the rest is devoted to keeping a healthy social life. Oh well, I have around 45 years left and then I get to retire.

Although I am looking forward to seeing that book being bashed by you (you will bash it, right Paul?) on the review section.
This place has been rather quiet recently...it seems I'm not the only one who is busy...

Paul wrote:

I am now reading "Never Let Me Go" by Kazuo Ishiguro. I have heard a lot of good things about Ishiguro and this book in particular. I am only about 10 pages into it, but his writing style has definitely caught my interest. I am looking forward to the rest!

Mmmm, interesting, Paul. I find Kazuo Ishiguro to be a master of the understated tragedy which makes the ending all the more touching and horrific at the same time. Hemmingway was really onto something when he said, "Big feelings do not come with big words." (take note, theasaurus-raping authors!)

So how did you like it? Any comments?
Kazuo, also, on a interesting side note, has a lot of control over the movies, and the director seemed to ask his advice quite a bit from what I've heard.. After he saw it in a screening, he said some really lovely things about it here - http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kazuo-ishiguro/post_805_b_708269.html

I reviewed "Never Let Me Go" in the review section. I did indeed enjoy the book.

Speaking of reviews, I have to catch up when I have the chance. I finished "Fragment" (intelligent crustacean glow-in-the-dark life forms! They collect human trash and flotsam from the beach! ), and I also finished a much better book, "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest". Now I have started the last of the Steig Larsson books, "The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest". I will post reviews of all when I get the chance.

I am currently reading way too many the following books:
Julie Doucet's "My Most Secret Desire"
Mariko and Jilliam Tamaki's "Skim"
Bryan O'Malley's "Scott Pilgrim vs The World (beginning the series)
Seth's "It's a good life if you don't weaken"
(the above for a research paper)
Kathleen Stewart's "Ordinary Affects"
(also for a paper)
Sianne Ngai's "Ugly Feelings"
and, Sarah Ahemd's "The Cultural Politics of Emotion."

What a mouthful.

Jocelyn, is that Seth book you mentioned part of the series created by Seth "channeler" Jane Roberts? I read a few of those books many years ago, and while I was not sure what to think of them I thought some parts were pretty interesting.

Reading "The Runaways" by Marvel Comics ...

I actually like it a lot. It's cute .... first comic I ever read.

I am currently reading "Fingersmith" by Sarah Waters. It is set in mid-19th century England and involves two young women, an heiress and a thief (aka "fingersmith"), who get involved with a villain named Gentleman. There are twists and turns as they interact, each playing out their own plot. So far it is an interesting read.

Hey,

I'm reading Too Close To Home - Linwood Barclay. I came across one of his books, No Time for Goodbye last Saturday, and this is now the third book I'm reading by him. Loving it

~ JLT

Currently I am reading The Brutal Telling by Louise Penny. It's taking me a bit longer to get through it than I thought but I think that's due to mountains of homework. It's very good so far. I fell in love with this line from the book:
..and not just dead, but worse.


______
Hope everyone is well.

jocelynclaire wrote:

I am currently reading way too many the following books:
Julie Doucet's "My Most Secret Desire"
Mariko and Jilliam Tamaki's "Skim"
Bryan O'Malley's "Scott Pilgrim vs The World (beginning the series)
Seth's "It's a good life if you don't weaken"
(the above for a research paper)
Kathleen Stewart's "Ordinary Affects"
(also for a paper)
Sianne Ngai's "Ugly Feelings"
and, Sarah Ahemd's "The Cultural Politics of Emotion."

What a mouthful.

Now that is one hefty booklist.
Is "Scott Pilgrim vs the World any good?

I am currently reading a piece of mind candy titled "The Strain" by Guillermo Del Toro and Chuck Hogan. If Del Toro's name sounds familiar it is because his usual day job is that of a movie maker. He came out with one of my favorite movies in recent memory, actually: "Pan's Labyrinth".

Which was why I was willing to give this novel a shot. The fact that it is yet another take on vampires nearly turned me off, but I figured, what the hell. Maybe Del Toro is a decent writer as well as movie maker. Maybe his co-author, Chuck Hogan, an actual novelist, kept him on the straight and narrow.

I am now most of the way through it. It is an easy read, but right now I have to say that I am very much underwhelmed with the material. The fact that the vampires use an "Alien"-like retractable "stinger" that comes out of their mouths to suck the blood does not wow me. This reminds me as nothing so much as a mosquito's proboscis. Really, how scary is that?

A review will follow.