What are you reading?

I'm a few chapters into The Ancestor's Tale by Richard Dawkins, and I also started rereading The Trial by Franz Kafka to test-drive the kindle for leisure reading since it's useless at converting research papers from pdf (not bad, though I imagine a more refined kindle touch model would feel more intuitive).

There are a few books I'd like to get started with. I was bought My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell last year, I've also got Wild by Jay Griffiths, I'd like to reread The Outsider by Albert Camus, I've been highly recommended The Diving Bell and the Butterfly by Jean-Dominique Bauby, not to mention I'd like to buy 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami. It also occurs to me that I've not read any Vonnegut since I was 15. I just need to drag myself away from consoles and Minecraft for long enough to actually read them!

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Does this count as a bump yet? Cause bump.

Inspired by some lists I'd seen online I made my own of 50 books I'd like to read this year. I've made great strides since uni finished and I don't feel harrowing guilt every time I look at something other than a textbook or a research paper. Here are the ones I have finished so far.

I Hope They Serve Beer In Hell by Tucker Max - I didn't intend to read this, but knowing some quite laddish guys I ended up with a borrowed copy. It's ridiculous, I laughed out of incredulity for the most part.

1Q84 by Haruki Murakami - It was enjoyable to read, the third book moreso than the others, but I felt it came together too quickly and too neat at the end, and it took a while to get where it needed to be.

On the Road by Jack Kerouac - I heard this book was supposed to define the beat generation so I came away a bit confused by what it was trying to say. After reading that Kerouac wasn't trying to glorify the lifestyle it came together a bit easier. Correct me if I'm wrong, I can't remember where I read that. It synced up nicely with my recent forays into jazz as well.

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly by Jean Dominique Bauby - this was really lovely and poignant. Massive amounts of life perspective.

I, Robot by Isaac Asimov - not that I had much love for the film anyway but goddamn I understand the whole "pissing on Asimov's grave" comments now. I'd not read any of his work at all before this, it's great.

Currently on Heart of Darkness and I'm listening to an audio book of Moby Dick. Though to begin with I found it hard to take the latter seriously because the narrator (presumerably) unwittingly puts on an almost perfect Terrance and/or Philip voice when voicing Peter Coffin...

How ya doing, buddy?

Oh yeah man that's definitely on the cards, that's my boyfriend's favourite book series~ He's the one who insisted I drop everything and read some Asimov.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

There was certainly way too much dross, and I definitely agree that the ending was completely unsatisfying.

Spoiler:

Tengo suddenly remembers that he's been in love for 20 years, they live happily ever after yada yada. As soon as Aomame makes her bargain with Leader over Tengo's safety, it was just obvious they would find each other and survive, there was no tension to it. However I thought their search for each other (and Ushikawa for them) in the third book was reasonably well written. Also the Little People felt like a really vague and emasculated threat. Particularly in the last few chapters after Ushi's death, it felt like there was an intention for them to become a great obstacle, but it never went anywhere.

Kafka on the Shore has been my favourite novel so far; I've only read the Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman collection as far as shorts go but there's definitely something in a short story that is complementary to his style. Considering his dreamlike, non-sequitur style, less is more? I'd love to hear what you think of his new book when you get round to it, I'm feeling a bit tentative myself now (besides, if you have it now I assume you read Japanese!).

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Cool beans man, let us know what you thought of it!

Capo, I'll put that at the top of the Murakami list~

Peter, I get what you mean. Kafka on the Shore wasn't the first I read (that'd be Hard Boiled Wonderland) but there was something I found really compelling about it over the others. It's been a good few years since I read it but I've got a lot of warm feelings about it.

I was speaking idiomatically.

Starting this again cause I got a bone to pick!

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

Spoiler:

This was entertaining to read. It wasn't that I found it a slog to get through. I liked Blomkvist. I did not really "get" Salander. She felt like she'd been cobbled together out of Larsson's favourite ideas of edgy or alternative things. Her clothing was described so much. Once was enough to give the impression, every other time it didn't seem to add anything. Also another emotional cripple has special talent character. Bored bored bored of it. I also felt cheated when he hinted at the significance of her tattoos and then despite the name of the friggin book we never find out what was behind the dragon (I mean an educated guess can be made but really!). Steig you're such a troll!

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Originally Posted by Capo

Man, who would have thought mass market lit would be entertaining (read: distracting) drivel.

Yeah I did kind of bring this on myself, but I was caught off-guard! Someone I value the opinion of told me they were really good books and I thought, you know, not everything that is popular is bad right?

But I mean asides from being drivel, I actually find them borderline offensive. The whole thing reads like some poor abuse survivor's Mary Sue - if the author weren't male and needlessly sexualised Lisbeth I'd be inclined to think it really was. I was under the impression the books were meant to discuss and empower victims of sexual violence, yet I fail to see what is helpful about creating a 5 foot nothing "anorexically thin" abuse survivor who is essentially superhuman and able to fend off or actually beat sensless even the most ridiculously invincible attacker imaginable. That's actually really harmful stuff to be churning out.

FELIPE NO

Hopefully what they don't see won't hurt them!

talk about belated response

Just finished reading Flowers for Algernon. Incredibly eloquent, some absolutely wonderfully phrased thoughts. Also, this book is chuffing sad. I really enjoyed it.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Mistborn Saga - came highly recommended by friends. I certainly enjoyed it but there was something forced in the writing style that didn't sit well with me.

Way of Kings - Part One - I've only just started this but I'm finding it better than the Mistborn books - whatever was stuck in Sanderson's craw seems to be gone this time around.

A Song of Ice and Fire - Powered through these at the behest of a few friends so they could talk about the books and fan theories with me. Not to say I didn't enjoy them - I found them very readable, contrary to what others had said about A Game of Thrones in particular being too slow and dense, but then I like detailed high fantasy thick enough to be a murder weapon - but they are by no means perfect. Martin has a disgustingly good way with words in places.

Catch 22 - I started this between Mistborn and Way of Kings but got fed up being needled about not reading the latter by friends. A shame, because it's a very funny book.

Jam it back in, in the dark.