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Re: What are you reading?

Posted: Wed May 19, 2021 6:26 am
by A_Man_Who_Tries
A_Man_Who_Tries wrote: Mon May 03, 2021 5:41 am Currently reading Susie Day's 'The Brother You Choose', which is a great tell-all on American Black Radicalism told via interview. Would recommend.
Finished this this morning. Highly recommended.

Re: What are you reading?

Posted: Wed May 19, 2021 9:46 pm
by var
I really like those "Kitchen Confidential" style memoirs. I'm currently reading one called "Heads In Beds: A Reckless Memoir of Hotels, Hustles, and So-Called Hospitality". It's entertaining so far. Other favorites in this genre are "Dishwasher", "The Daily Adventures of Mixerman", and "Waiter Rant". Looking for other recommendations if anyone has some.

Re: What are you reading?

Posted: Thu May 20, 2021 12:50 am
by A_Man_Who_Tries
var wrote: Wed May 19, 2021 9:46 pm I really like those "Kitchen Confidential" style memoirs. I'm currently reading one called "Heads In Beds: A Reckless Memoir of Hotels, Hustles, and So-Called Hospitality". It's entertaining so far. Other favorites in this genre are "Dishwasher", "The Daily Adventures of Mixerman", and "Waiter Rant". Looking for other recommendations if anyone has some.
Different in tone but I loved 'Blood, Bones and Butter'.

Re: What are you reading?

Posted: Fri May 21, 2021 6:48 pm
by brownreasontolive
Reading "Eat A Peach", David Chang's memoir
and "Mindset", by Carol S Dweck (psychology)

Also rereading stuff I read in High School
"The Yage Letters", a bunch Burroughs/Ginsberg correspondence
"Grounding for the Metaphysics of Morals", Kant

Re: What are you reading?

Posted: Fri May 21, 2021 6:55 pm
by brownreasontolive
tonyballz wrote: Sat May 08, 2021 3:39 pm I read Infinite Jest during the pandemic (after failing miserably 1/4 way through Gravity's Rainbow) and I enjoyed it very much.
Pynchon makes my brain hurt. Also failed miserably at reading Gravity's Rainbow.

"The plaster baby, the oxen frosted with gold leaf and the human-eyed sheep are turning real again, paint quickens to flesh. To believe is not a price they pay — it happens all by itself. He is the New Baby. On the magic night before, the animals will talk, and the sky will be milk."

Got a band name from that part at least.

Re: What are you reading?

Posted: Sat May 22, 2021 4:13 am
by A_Man_Who_Tries
Just finished Small Hours, the John Martyn biography. Decent overview of a mercurial shithouse. Wasn't aware he had recorded so much still-unheard in his time with Scratch Perry.

Re: What are you reading?

Posted: Sun May 23, 2021 12:24 am
by Mickey242
brownreasontolive wrote: Fri May 21, 2021 6:48 pm
Also rereading stuff I read in High School
a bunch Burroughs/Ginsberg correspondence

Yeah, I had not read the Nova trilogy since high school and reread them since Captain Trips came around. Check out his essay "The Limits of Control" if you have not. I also would highly recommend the collection of Paul Bowels letters. My copy is from the 90's but I would imagine it's not hard to hunt down. I wish I could like Ginsburg's writing more. The Pattie Smith story is one of the funniest things I have ever heard about.

Re: What are you reading?

Posted: Mon May 24, 2021 3:34 pm
by AdamN
I just finished Gilead by Marilynne Robinson. Even though reading about religion usually makes my eyes glaze over, I was intrigued enough to make it through. Time will tell if I tackle the other three books in the quadrilogy.

I started rereading Journey to the End of the Night. One of my favorites.

Re: What are you reading?

Posted: Tue May 25, 2021 5:50 am
by brownreasontolive
Mickey242 wrote: Sun May 23, 2021 12:24 am
brownreasontolive wrote: Fri May 21, 2021 6:48 pm
Also rereading stuff I read in High School
a bunch Burroughs/Ginsberg correspondence

Yeah, I had not read the Nova trilogy since high school and reread them since Captain Trips came around. Check out his essay "The Limits of Control" if you have not. I also would highly recommend the collection of Paul Bowels letters. My copy is from the 90's but I would imagine it's not hard to hunt down. I wish I could like Ginsburg's writing more. The Pattie Smith story is one of the funniest things I have ever heard about.
Thanks for the rec's Mickey - I'll definitely be checking out that essay!

Also never got too into Ginsberg's writings, but his influence and proximity to some other writers was so important.
So much of Burroughs' and Keruoac's would have never seen the light of day, IMO

Re: What are you reading?

Posted: Tue May 25, 2021 4:51 pm
by var
A_Man_Who_Tries wrote: Thu May 20, 2021 12:50 am Different in tone but I loved 'Blood, Bones and Butter'.
Thanks, I'll check that out. The cover of that book looks familiar, so I probably skimmed over it before while looking for something new to read. I'll add it to my list.