What are you reading?

[Inconuucl]

I just started "Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage" by Haruki Murakami, which I've delayed way too much in starting.

When I was young I would dig through a book in a day, I remember finishing the 7th Harry Potter book in an afternoon, completely oblivious to the outside world. Nowadays I purposefully take my time with books, reading a chapter or a couple at a time and taking small breaks to think about them. Has anyone else had that happen to them? It's made me enjoy certain books a lot more, but it's made me completely abhor others.

[Faldoe]

A couple things at once:

The Communist Manifesto

Martin Heidegger Basic Writings

[friendship]

I've been on a Jules Verne kick and just finished "Journey to the Center of the Earth." It was a little too light though, got pretty boring.

I have "Seconds" by the Scott Pilgrim guy coming to the library but that's comics.

I could really use some inspirational/enlightening non-fiction.

[sears]

"Augustus" by John Williams. It's about. Augustus

[The4455]

I just started "Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage" by Haruki Murakami, which I've delayed way too much in starting.

When I was young I would dig through a book in a day, I remember finishing the 7th Harry Potter book in an afternoon, completely oblivious to the outside world. Nowadays I purposefully take my time with books, reading a chapter or a couple at a time and taking small breaks to think about them. Has anyone else had that happen to them? It's made me enjoy certain books a lot more, but it's made me completely abhor others.

I've been curious about his work for a while now. What do you think?

Also could anyone recommend which fyodor dostoevsky book to start with?

[coldbrightsunlight]

I've only read Crime and Punishment and The Brothers Karamazov, so this is hardly the most knowledgable recommendation, but out of those two I'd definitely recommend Crime and Punishment first.

[oscillateur]

I really liked The Brothers Karamazov, definitely recommended. I should read it again actually, it's been a while. I would say that it might be better to avoid (at least at first) Dostoievski's early works, it might be because of the translation but they were a bit dense and hard to read I think (and not for good reasons).

Now reading : Perdido Street Station by China Mieville. So far, it's pretty good. Sort of a fantasy setting but it mostly deals with contemporary social issues. Not as mindbending as The City And The City but that might be a good thing (that only works once I think...). It's my third Mieville book and so far they're all quite different but very interesting.

Next : "Who Killed Mister Moonlight?: Bauhaus, Black Magick, and Benediction" by David J.
That one should be great. Bauhaus biography by David J. (Bauhaus/Love & Rockets bassist and super talented musician). Bauhaus is one of my favourite bands ever and everything David J. touches usually ends up being awesome so I'm really looking forward to reading this...

[terminator]

Perdido street station is so good. I read it years ago and recently couldn't remember what the title was. Thanks for the reminder.

[futuresailors]

I just started "Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage" by Haruki Murakami, which I've delayed way too much in starting.

When I was young I would dig through a book in a day, I remember finishing the 7th Harry Potter book in an afternoon, completely oblivious to the outside world. Nowadays I purposefully take my time with books, reading a chapter or a couple at a time and taking small breaks to think about them. Has anyone else had that happen to them? It's made me enjoy certain books a lot more, but it's made me completely abhor others.

I've been curious about his work for a while now. What do you think?

Also could anyone recommend which fyodor dostoevsky book to start with?

Curious as in you haven't read any Murakami?
If so, definitely pick him up. I wouldn't start with Tsukuru, maybe get his short story collection the elephant also vanishes so you can get a taste for his style.

[Inconuucl]

If you're into more realistic stuff, try the book that put his career on turbo, Norwegian Wood. If you're into more surreal styles, try Hardboiled Wonderland and the End of the World.

[futuresailors]

Huh, didn't know Norwegian Wood was what launched him. Weird for a book that was basically him dicking around with writing a "normal love story". Or whatever he actually said that was probably wittier.

I really liked hbwateotw, but the cyberpunk/fantasy mashup isn't everyone's cup of tea.

I'd say Kafka on the shore is probably the best starter novel since it's in the middle ground.

[MrNovember]

He's an author that I really want to read. I think I'll start with Hard Boiled or Kafka. I'm a pretty big fan of surreal and cyberpunk so they both sound like my cup of tea

[Inconuucl]

Huh, didn't know Norwegian Wood was what launched him. Weird for a book that was basically him dicking around with writing a "normal love story". Or whatever he actually said that was probably wittier.

I really liked hbwateotw, but the cyberpunk/fantasy mashup isn't everyone's cup of tea.

I'd say Kafka on the shore is probably the best starter novel since it's in the middle ground.

Norwegian Wood was so popular it made him leave Japan for a good while, as his sudden superstardom clashed with his solitary lifestyle. He came to the US to run away from this, teaching at various universities, but since has accepted his fame and moved back.

[The4455]

Wow, thanks all around guys. Yes I'm interested in reading Murakami as well as Dostoevsky. I do enjoy short stories, The Elephant also vanishes sounds like a good start to me. I'm going to try and find an Everyman's publication of dostoevsky's work as they have a character list in them, which I was told is helpful with all of the russian names being a bit confusing.

[phantasmagorovich]

A character list for Dostoevsky (weird how he's transcribed to english!) is definitely helpful.

I'm finishing Stephen Donaldsons Gap/Amnion series. I kinda liked it but it was overall a bit too dark in tone for my likings it felt like he deliberately made all the characters assholes. So then I'm picking up the diary of a german author he started when he was diagnosed with cancer and continued to his dying bed. Should cheer me up!