Finished The Love of the Last Tycoon by F. Scott Fitzgerald. This is the (largely) unedited and incomplete manuscript that Fitzgerald was working on when he died. A much more edited version of it was published by Edmund Wilson as The Last Tycoon in 1941. Not surprisingly, the quality of the writing varies greatly, some of the writing is bad, but some of it is excellent.

Copies of a considerable number of Fitzgerald's working notes are attached, including his outline of the novel's plot and his character list. As an entertainment work of fiction, its value is dubious, but if you're interested in Fitzgerald or in seeing how a writer works, its value is substantial.

I just finished Life by Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones. Interesting, but a rinse and repeat every the behind the music series, except they never went completely broke. He was much more likable than I expected.

I read Life a couple of years ago when it was published, and had the same initial reaction to it: Keith seems like a chap whose sensitivity has often been mistaken for aloofness.

Then I remembered how, immediately after Altamont (barely mentioned in this book), he said something about how the fans who had been crushed by the Hell's Angels (appointed by him) had been asking for it; and Nick Kent's story of how at a party thrown by Keith a couple of girls were hired to do a lesbian scene on a rug, someone set fire to it, and no one would help the girls because Keith deemed that would have been uncool; and I realised how much must have been left out of Life to make him look better.

It would also have been nice to have had a bit more inside information about some of the other pivotal moments in the band's history eg is it true that when Mick Taylor left, Keith wanted to replace him with Steve Marriott?

The only two Dostoevsky books I've read are 'The Gambler' and 'Crime and punishment'. The Gambler is alright, C & P is a masterpiece.

Hillbilly Elegy worked for me, even if - contrary to its reputation - it didn't offer much political insight, and the concept of the book, as the author admits in the intro, is odd, given the combination of the youth of the author and the relatively unremarkable story (despite the author's life success beating the odds that accompanied his upbringing).

Regardless of the fact that I don't feel much more politically informed now than before I started the book, I still thought it insightful at times, and the writing was engaging. On balance, I'm glad I put the time into it.

Finished At-Swim-Two Birds and The Third Policeman by Flann O'Brien; both are early post-modern fiction, hilarious in places and sometimes difficult to keep track of all the characters, for example in At-Swim, the narrator is writing a book about a novelist who has his characters come alive and, frustrated with the novelists control over them, the characters set out to find the novelist's son, who is the product of a tryst with one of the novelist's characters, in order to use the son to take the fictional fiction writer hostage and win their (the characters) freedom.

They are funny and entertaining.

Yea, exactly what I thought except I'm slightly more negative on having spent time on it (other than being current). The "political insight" angle was definitely marketing spin. If Trump had failed quietly in the primaries, they wouldn't have been able to market it on that and it would never have gotten as much traction. As it is, that traction seems like it's dying fast.

Still, there is arguably politics just below the surface, of the "look, I pulled myself up my bootstraps, and maybe they should too" variety.

Just read both of these myself. Both awesome, but goddamn did I have a heard time reading At Swim at parts. Really for me it became a bit tedious. Absolutely loved Third Policeman though, and much preferred its cooler, more mature style.

The Third Policeman is unquestionably one of the great books of the 20th century. That it was rejected and went unpublished in O'brians lifetime was a shame. A friend described some passages as "narcotic writing". Certainly Joyce had nothing on him talent wise though Flann's extreme drinking hurt his output. Recently I bought the CD version and the Irish acting company did themselves proud with their rendition...like listening to Ulysses the humor came alive. "Death's fantasy that life exists" which I heard in reference to Gravity's Rainbow seems applicable

Sold. Will be my next read. Although I may need cliffs for the previous books. Been quite a while.

Finished 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami. I love the surrealism. And the first half of the story kept me involved, but I think it petered out toward the end. Seemed to go on longer than it should have. Still an enjoyable read, just not quite worth the time investment.

Just finished Black Widow by Danial Silva. I place his books a step above the normal spy novel. Not the girth of a Clancy novel but an "insider" historical accuracy to the stories that make them enjoyable. Also, I have learned more about art and painting from his books.

While I understand your point, I think this thread is great for expanding your reading interests. I have delved into many different topics based on recommendations over the years but I also read the popular "trash" from the NYT lists.

For the first time in a long while, I read a magazine yesterday while traveling about the 20 assassination attempts on Hitler that could have changed history and a few other cerebral articles. I should have bought a book.

I do agree that this thread is useful for expanding one's reading experience...but it's also a place to express enthusiasm for whatever books you find yourself immersed in. There are some books I find I go back to again and again because of the world I can jump into such as Patrick O'Brian's sea stories.
I recently read Elephant Company by Vicki Croke. Although promoted as a ww2 story 3/4 of the book takes place in 20s Burma and centers on an Englishman working for a teak company. The last gasp of colonialism mixed with a wonderful depiction of close relationships between man and genius beasts. Many drawings and pictures taken by the protagonist Billy Williams. After a disastrous youth on the front in WW1 he sought a life away from people in the jungle. Eventually his elephants built bridges fighting the Japanese. Much of interest in the book from the solitary drinking...the company allotted huge liquor allotments (mad dogs and Englishman), Burmese independence movements, stealing elephants from the Japanes.

I think this thread is pretty awesome for not hating on any kind of reading.

I'm starting Mary Robison's Why Did I Ever. Apparently she had severe writers block for like 10 years and this book is her notes turned into 600+ mini chapters.

https://www.vice.com/en_uk/article/u...did-i-ever-010

It's a great thread about books! Started by Blarg, who read a lot.

I tried to start it before Blarg but this one was the one that took off. My thread even shows up in the sticky of "great threads" that Wookie assembled a decade ago. I guess he he picked a better title, plus Blarg was fun to read.

Never heard of it, but also sold and will be checking it out.

I thought of this thread as old the first time I posted in it... on page 6 in 2008. It was 6 months old then.

Almost 10 years later it is still my primary source for determining what to read next.

Blarg hated John Updike for some weird reason. I never really got that. I like John Updike a lot. At his best, he has a great feel for the English language.

Yeah he's solid, in that bland modern writer way. He reminds me of Hemmingway somewhat.

The series of Rabbit novels are a monumental literary achievement.

I read Weapons of Math Destruction by Cathy O'Neill last week. I highly recommend it.

The book goes through several examples of mass algorithms used in society nowadays that often have unjust or unfair outcomes. One of the goals of the book is to show how we sometimes have a blind eye towards mathematical models, considering them objective, when they are not necessarily so. For example, machine learning can claim they don't use race as a factor (to say give e-scores or health risks), but then they use other markers that corelate strongly to race (like say zip code). I think it is important to be aware of what blind spots algorithms can have and be vigilant as a society to the possible perils of automation without regulation.

It's a tricky subject, but I think the other does a great job of explaining the perils and pointing out the difference between a good model and an unfair one. An example of a good model involves baseball, as there is a lot of feedback, tinkering and it is transparent. Usually the bad models lack all three of these aspects.

Glad to see that one recommended. I've had my eye on it.

Sounds very interesting. What a bad title though. How many great books have a pun in the title?