5.04.2007

Reading list - oh my!

Well, I am still having some sort of internal upheaval. Blood tests on the way.

In the meantime, since I had so many requests about my book bingeing, here is a small taste of what's on the dockets (ones I haven't yet mentioned in the blog. These are in addition to Proust and Cervantes):

Fiction:
Voyage in the Dark, Jean Rhys. Couldn't help starting this one (it's relatively short). If you can stand the patented Jean Rhys downer, this is GREAT.
Margherita Dolce Vita, Stefano Benni. Just started this one, too. (See what I mean?) I MUST quote passages from this next week in blog. I actually burst out in giggles while reading. Brilliant voice. Stay tuned to hear more!
The Stories of Stephen Dixon. I've read two of these so far. He's very original; I haven't decided on how much (or little) I really like his stuff, though.

The Story of the Cannibal Woman, Marsye Conde
Why Did I Ever, Mary Robison
Everyman, Philip Roth
The Road, Cormac McCarthy
Kafka on the Shore, Huruki Murakami
All Aunt Hagar’s Children (Stories), Edward P. Jones
The Screwtape Letters, C.S. Lewis

Nonfiction:
Memoirs of a Dutiful Daughter, Simone de Beauvoir
Muhammad, Karen Armstrong
The Perfect Summer: England 1911, Just Before the Storm, Juliet Nicolson
Edith Wharton, Hermione Lee
The Glass Castle, Jeannette Walls
Tales from the Heart: True Stories from My Childhood, Marsye Conde

Criticism/Theory:
The Lonely Voice: Study of the Short Story, Frank O’Connor
Expanse of Vision: Essays on the Craft of Henry James, Laurence Holland
Lectures on Don Quixote, Vladimir Nabokov


Just to leave you hanging, I'm going to save the three "finds" I pounced on at a local bookseller that, alas, is being forced out of business. (To make room for some Gigantor Sports Equipment Store. As if we need another one of those!--)anyway, one of them in particular I think is a real score. I couldn't even find it on Amazon.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi LK! I have read Kafka on the Shore and loved it in a bizarro kind of way. I intend to read more Murakami.

Hope your internal upheavel turns out to be nothing more than a mere skirmish.

Anonymous said...

What a great book binge. Some of your books are on my TBR list. Hope all the tests come out ok!

Rebecca H. said...

Very interesting list -- I'm curious about the Edward P. Jones stories -- I've heard such good things about them. I'm also curious what you'll decide about Stephen Dixon. He's one of those people I never would have known about without blogs.

verbivore said...

I love Maryse Conde and have never read the one you mention - can't wait to hear what you think!

Andi said...

Wow, what wooonderful books. You have some fantastic reading ahead of you.

Anonymous said...

Hope everything is okay!! Books are always a good distraction! I want to read more Rhys--it has been ages since I read her. The Glass Castle was very good, too. A bit depressing, but in a funny way--if that's possible!