It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way—in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.


Opening paragraph in A Tale of Two Cities, by Charles Dickens.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

There were no justifications to read any further. I sent the book back for retooling by The Authorities.

finished The Mars Room by Rachel Kushner. People do bad things and get locked up for it. The system makes some tragic and horrific mistakes along the way. Heavy-handed. boring, and devoid of subtlety or nuance, I began to understand why people wanted Kushner's characters out of sight.

Slumming with an over-educated upper-middle-class white woman who does good (not great, as a lawyer, I learned more in a few prison visits) research. The writing is mediocre and a reference to Kushner should be included in any revised edition of A Reader's Manifesto.

Foil: Kushner is perennially nominated for every writing award out there.

Finished The Order of Time by Carlo Rovelli. The book is well written and thought-provoking. There is one chapter with the writing so different (and of poor quality) that I wondered if a different translator was used for that chapter.

Rovelli says time is, or is like, an increase in entropy or an object losing heat or energy. If it has the same or similar qualities, there are significant implications for things like time travel. He also compares our everyday view and understanding of time with our view of the universe's (or any piece of matter's) atomic structure.

The jacket describes Rovelli as "the head of the Quantum Gravity group at the Centre de Physique Theorique of Aix-Marseille University and one of the founders of loop quantum gravity theory." He wrote Seven Brief Lessons on Physics.

It's a short and interesting book and worth the time to read it.

Books I'm currently reading: The Devil's Music: A History of the Blues by Giles Oakley; Noir: A Novel by Christopher Moore; and The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins.

I loved Animorphs. My dad would bring me to the bookstore to pick up the newest book every month and I would start reading it in the car on the way home. I've read some of the Chronicles stuff as an adult and I feel like it holds up decently well. Some dark themes for sure.

Did you read The Flamethrowers? I thought it was very good.

Yes, having lived in Italy during the leaden years, I have about the same opinion as with Mars Room; to be fair, I am equally suspicious of upper-middle-class white guys playing the delta blues. The Pulp singing Common People sums it up for me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yuTMWgOduFM

Obvs if you haven't read Dangerous Visions and Repent Harlequin! Said the TicktockMan do so immediately esp the latter as it's like 10 pages.

I’m reading the first Sister Pelagia novel. It’s not as good as the Fandorin ones, but Boris Akunin is definitely worth checking out if you like cosy crime.

John le Carre writes amazing spy novels. Yes, I'm only just now learning this.

I recently reread parts of Mark Helprin's Winter's Tale. I love it, but I'm drawn to novels set in NYC, even the fantasy version in Helprin. I'm wondering what others think of this one?

Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk

It's very well done.

Just read the "Paris" chapter in Bill Bryson's Neither Here Nor There. Not in the slightest bit enjoyable. Can't see any point in reading further.

Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk

The Tiger Woods book recommended in here finally arrived for me to pick up at the library a few days ago after I was waiting in a queue forever. Very interesting about 1/4 way in, enjoying it; thanks for the rec!

Just finished: The Book of Dead Philosophers, by Simon Critchley. This book is a quick historical overview of much of western philosophy, with a dollop of eastern philosophy tossed in, under the guise of reporting how most philosophers died, whether hit by a laundry truck, dinking themselves’ to death, or simply expiring in bed. It deals with the absurdities of life and death with biting irony and witty comments on the ravings of philosophers of all stripes. Unlike many philosophy works this is worth reading and shows uncommon clarity and erudition. Die laughing I recommend, with this book as a guide.

Leave the book on a park bench to better torture your fellow man. Or just burn it. I recently burned a bunch of books out near my garden. It feels good and you should indulge yourself in the same whimsy. It purifies the soul.

Came across this list of 100 greatest 20th century novels:

http://spinelessbooks.com/mccaffery/100/

I'd have David Markson represented, but it's an intriguing list, especially since it includes mostly post-modern fiction of different genres.

Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk

Interesting to see Tom Robbins at #70.

TR is great.

Re read Another roadside attraction. Last year. It’s been about 20 years (I was early college when I first read it)

Still works for me.

Interesting list. I see several Robert Coover books, always meant to read more of him after reading and liking Henry Waugh, the fantasy baseball one, back in the 1980s. Before there even was a fantasy baseball! Now that's visionary. I think Newsweek put him on a cover in the 70s when The Public Burning came out.

I always hated Tom Robbins btw.

That’s just like, your opinion man.

I can understand this. I have read most (all?) of his novels and the first one I read Still Life with Woodpecker was truly outstanding to me. It was hilarious and really resonated with me. After that I kept reading more from him and just being disappointed time after time.

In regards to TR. I was looking at some of Robbins’ letters the other day written to one of my best friends in which he thanked my friend (Bill Kendrick...another roadside Attraction dedicated to him) for getting him to start his first book. The letters are similar to Robbins’ fiction. The personal stories of the two of them running thru Richmond are hilarious though not without consequence. the two returned home (shared up and downstairs duplex) to find their clothes on the lawn from GFs/wives throwing them out. The two immediately fled to NYC for an unplanned visit of several years. That said TR’s work was always a bit to sweetly rich for my liking.

Much to admire on this list and much that I could say about them. I am surprised to find Robbins in this company. Pleased to see Stanley Elkin on it. His Searches and Seizures a great book of short stories. Robert Stone should be on it.

I'm surprised too at Robbins. But there's a couple there that are among my favorites: Gilbert Sorrentino's Mulligan Stew (although Steelwork is better and an easier read) and Paul Metcalf's Genoa: A Telling of Wonders. I doubt many have read Metcalf, the great grandson of Herman Melville, but he has some great fiction and Genoa is superb. I'm also pleased to see Samuel Delaney and Gene Wolfe on that list.

Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk

Tom Robbins should be expunged from the list. Replaced by Ken Kesey (Sometimes a Great Notion). But once you start on that path the argumentation never ends. The bane of creating a list. By the way, Richard Nixon knew better but he couldn't restrain himself.