Books

[Hammoudi]

F. Scott Fitzgerald: The Great Gatsby

Short melancholic novel about a life of the cream of society (author had never reached that status so that's probably a ground for melancholy). It hardly attracts serious readers (at least in my opinion) so you should read it only if you have nothing better to do. Or maybe it is just my fault and I missed something hidden...

Well, I think it applies more to American society and stuff like American dream etc. I read it because I was forced to, and I found it to be one of the better ones, but that's mostly because of the theme (status illusion) like you said.

And I agree with Mo, I too find American authors a bit behind everyone else. Furthermore, I think they lack some 'class' in their writings. But I disagree on Anglo ones (if that would include British authors too.) I find them to have that 'class' that Amerciand don't, specially in fiction and specially in suspense/mystery.

 

[Michal]

2 recommendations...

Thomas Mann: Death in Venice

Great novella. Mann was in his 30s when he wrote this short story and his main character here is in his early 50s. Was it Mann's prognostication of his own future? You will find references to Greek mythology and Freud's psychoanalysis here. What's more interesting, there are almost no dialogues and even though it is engaging. Gustav von Aschenbach, main character, lived normal life, had a wife and daughter but suddenly fell in love with young boy... Hope this won't choke you off reading this very short book.

Truman Capote: Breakfast at Tiffany's

American Capote seems to be very good storyteller (at least according to this book) and he nicely portrayed himself into heroine Holly Golightly, who would like to live an American dream like every young girl. Narrator, another "incarnation" of Truman Capote, does not have any name and it gives some mysteriousness to this novelle. Well, you shouldn't like this American stuff but this one is much more better than Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby.

Tomorrow I will start with Rilke's The Notebooks of Malte Laurids Brigge.

 

[Fabio]

If Grade 10 = Year 10, then yes.

 

[BlueBacchus]

2 recommendations...

Thomas Mann: Death in Venice

Tomorrow I will start with Rilke's The Notebooks of Malte Laurids Brigge.

I definately agree with you on Mann.
I never read any of his material, but from the various introductions I read about him and his work, Mann is on top of my reading list.
I read a piece of Rilke in Kaufman's Existentialism and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

BTW I just finished Balzac's Lost Illusions, highly recommend it to anyone interested in 19th century french history and literature. Depending on whether I receive my copy of Stendhal's Charterhouse of Parma tomorrow I shall start that, or if not work my way through Zola's The Kill or purchase Dumas' The Women's War (or get Mann's Dr Faustus).

Edit: Oh yeah Hamed, I agree with you.
At that moment of writing my opinion, I was thinking of American novelists (the ones you are forced to read in high school). Indeed however my mom suggested me reading the work of the Bronte sisters, George Elliot and Walter Scott.

 

[BlueBacchus]

Ok so I went to my local bookstore (Borders) and picked up Hugo's Notre Dame de Paris. I had a 20% coupon, so it turned out cheaper than if I would have ordered it online. The premise and the introduction sold me. And my copy of the Charterhouse of Parma arrived today as well. Ah, how I love reading. 19th century French literature is by far my favorite. You Anglo phones should give those French master narrators a try.

 

[UhUhOleguer]

I ordered two non-fiction books for summer to read..

one is "The Mystery of Capital: Why Capitalism Triumphs in the West and Fails Everywhere Else" by Hernando De Soto and the other a book on Argentinian politics and history.

The first book is quite interesting, as it explains the failure based on the fact that property rights in most other parts of the world are not really declared. The guy is from Peru and a friend of mine spent some time there doing research work on property rights in slums in Lima..

 

[Mr. Hyde]

I read "On the Road" some years ago, the best book in everytime. the beats rules!

In Brazil the great writters are Paulo Coelho, Jorge Amado and Machado de Assis.

 

[INTER]

In Brazil the great writters are Paulo Coelho, Jorge Amado and Machado de Assis.

oh boy don't we all know Paulo Coelho?

 

[Karim]

My fab book is
The River of Time, It's an astronomy book and it expalins anything that has to do with the explanation of what is time and space from a scientific point of view

 

[M.Adnan]

My fab book is
The River of Time, It's an astronomy book and it expalins anything that has to do with the explanation of what is time and space from a scientific point of view

I am looking for such books. The Internet doesn't have enough information about it. I'll see if I can that book. But there's still a huge problem: each writer (or group) tells us his own scientific opinion, which might be wrong.

 

[La Bling]

Recently I am reading a lot of John Steinbeck, which I am enjoying.

Right now I am reading Eats, Shoots, and Leaves by Lynne Truss. It is a really funny book about grammar. No, not like that. It is hard to explain, but it is a good read.

For summer reading for my school, I have to read Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury and The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd. I read Fahrenheit 451 in 5th grade, so I didn't really understand it and don't remember it. Has anyone read either of them? Good? Bad?

 

[Marvinho]

I know its slightly off topic (Sorry, but this is busy thread and it was posted somewhere in 'transfers & rumours'). Someone the other day mentioned a really good book written by managers about football tactics.. could anyone gimme the name of it. I fancy a read to fill this boring summer an cheer me up after my shite A-levels lol.

 

[Luka]

http://www.amazon.com/Soccer-Modern...=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1250777865&sr=8-5

 

[n4l]

the book is called "Soccer Modern Tactics" by Alessandro Zauli

very good read....

 

[Marvinho]

Thanks guys, if the mods want feel free to delete the posts as its irrelevent to transfers

 

[vitomins]

Excellent book...I also own it!

 

[Marvinho]

I just looked, it says don't bother buying the english version cos the translation is awful. Is this true? i can't read italian lol

 

[vitomins]

I just looked, it says don't bother buying the english version cos the translation is awful. Is this true? i can't read italian lol

I have the English version and I had no problem with it...

 

[n4l]

if you know about football, the translation is irrelevant and you'll understand everything

 

[Opeum]

Catcher In The Rye