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I just finished Breakthrough by Konstantin Raudive. I still don't know what to make of Electronic Voice Phenomenon, and I was hoping this book would help me decide. It didn't, but it was still a very interesting read.

Finally finished The Complete Short Stories of J.G. Ballard, which someone mentioned earlier. I'd read many of them in other anthologies, but I like having all of it in one place. If pressed, I'd say Ballard is my favorite author.

Just started Lemmy's autobiography, White Line Fever, which is pretty entertaining so far. I'm also reading this hilarious piece of Christian propaganda called Dancing With Demons, which is a screed about how just about every musician or band, secular or Christian, is doing Satan's work. I love stuff like that.

the sports book talk, combined w/the relocation of my library, has reminded me of a special book that some of you may enjoy

no, it's not _foul!_, the connie hawkins biography. no, it's not _loose balls_, terry pluto's magnum opus about the aba. no, it's not even _the punch_, which is a great book about the aftermath of kermit washington destroying rudy tomjanovich's face.

it's not even about basketball. it's about football, kinda, and it's called:

_when all the laughter died in sorrow_, by lance rentzel.

lance is #7 on the following list:

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/print?id ... page2Story

a strong argument could be made that reading it is a complete waste of time that could be spent doing any number of better things, such as cleaning your teeth, knitting, or the dishes. but it is a very entertaining book, and i recommend it to anyone who has a few hours to spare.

stackmatic wrote:

Dylan wrote:

stackmatic wrote:_Fear Strikes Out_ by Jimmy Piersall.

I've been trying to find this used for about 2 years now, and no one seems to be selling it back.

I have a "pulp" paperback copy from the 50's. I found it at this weird little book store in my neighborhood.

I'd imagine any decent metropolitan library should have a copy. Same for _Night Studio_.

Ah, but the New Orleans Public Library, that is something else indeed! What a sad institution...

tmidgett wrote:the sports book talk, ...
it's not even about basketball. it's about football, kinda, and it's called:

_when all the laughter died in sorrow_, by lance rentzel.

oh, not sure if this of interest to anybody but I traded my copy of "Infinite Jest" by David Foster Wallace for Derek Bailey's Improvisation and this just because I could not take the tennis game descriptions of the former...

Guy wrote:

"not sure if this of interest to anybody but I traded my copy of "Infinite Jest" by David Foster Wallace for Derek Bailey's Improvisation and this just because I could not take the tennis game descriptions of the former..."

This is kind of like exchanging Rosie O'Donnel for Kate Moss.

We'll see if you can take the Jerry Garcia interviews of the latter.

Angus Jung wrote:This is kind of like exchanging Rosie O'Donnel for Kate Moss.

I don't like big books and, no, I don't like too big girls, although my companion is the biggest I've ever had

We'll see if you can take the Jerry Garcia interviews of the latter.

I'm quite satisfied with the interview Paul Morley did with him, in "ask: the chatter of pop" (this IS a book reccomendation, btw) and, weird, I also like short sets over long ones (Paul Morley confronts JG with the existence of the Fire Engines who played 15' sets)

Dylan done wrote:

Mr. Chimp, earlier he done wrote:Also Lethem's Fortress of Solitude (halfway through).

Another awesome book. It would be interesting to get your reaction, once finished, especially if you have read his older work.

Just finished....a very impressionable read. The first part seemed to take forever to get through, but along the way I really enjoyed the obvious time and craft spend on each conveyence.

As to the story...maybe a little too soon to tell. I am impressed though. I've enjoyed many of Lethem's prior outings, was suspicious of and then a giant fan of Motherless Brooklyn, yet with this book....if someone told me that it was written by Chabon or Wally Lamb I could have been convinced. At 511 pages, it certainly felt three times that size, yet with a fluid lyrical density & resonance that I would have never expected from the outset. It makes me want to go re-read his older works, which are favorites of mine, but wholly different.

It's like the transition of wacky actor Bill Murray into serious Bill Murray, actor. That's rough, but close enough.

That's the comments for now. Maybe more later. Thoughts?

Mr. Chimp wrote:Just finished....a very impressionable read. The first part seemed to take forever to get through, but along the way I really enjoyed the obvious time and craft spend on each conveyence.

As to the story...maybe a little too soon to tell. I am impressed though. I've enjoyed many of Lethem's prior outings, was suspicious of and then a giant fan of Motherless Brooklyn, yet with this book....if someone told me that it was written by Chabon or Wally Lamb I could have been convinced. At 511 pages, it certainly felt three times that size, yet with a fluid lyrical density & resonance that I would have never expected from the outset. It makes me want to go re-read his older works, which are favorites of mine, but wholly different.

It's like the transition of wacky actor Bill Murray into serious Bill Murray, actor. That's rough, but close enough.

That's the comments for now. Maybe more later. Thoughts?

I agree with everything you said. It is like a totally different author, which makes sense because each book of his seems to be an uncanny likeness to a known author in that genre. His "hard-boiled" Gun With Occasional Music was pretty spot-on (except for the sci-fi parts). I like a guy who's not willing to sit still and be pigeon-holed. And he can tell a story!

OKay, let me mention a book I just finished and can't really talk about. Sayonara Gangsters by Genichiaro Takahashi was pretty mind-blowing and, as the dust jacket copy says, you just have to read it to know what it's about. It's got elements of that Wind-Up Bird Chronicles author (can't remember the name right now), but more surreal and pop art. You get the idea that this guy is so full of ideas that he can easily toss them aside as soon as he introduces them, while producing a beautiful and totally unique image.

He came up in the Red Krayola thread (so aaron and Redline know where it’s at), but Donald motherfucking Barthelmeis just too important not to mention here.

I dare say there is not a worthy thread on this board, technical or otherwise, that he isn’t relevant to. He was just that good.

I hadn’t touched him in a while, but I recently hooked up w/ an old friend who reminded me that Donnie Barthelme of Houston Texas is the best cure for all ailments of mind and body ever to bear a beard without the moustache part.

I think I can safely recommend everything. Get thee to a bookstore.

Nearly finished "Dead Cities" by Mike Davis

He is a great writer on L.A., urbanism, psychic geographies and class struggle. All of this is beautifully illustrated with allusions to science fiction, references to high and low culture, as well as great grasp statistical data.

I also highly recommend "City of Quartz" his definative book on L.A., a modern distopia that far surpasses anything depicted in Blade Runner.