Forum / Whatchya Reading Right Now?

• 
  Linda Simoni-Wastila

  Jul 22, 02:07am

  I just finished Steve Himmer's THE BEE-LOUD GLADE, a gorgeous and melancholy and uplifting book about solitude and busy-ness and needing others. It's made me pensive. Peace...

• 
  MaryAnne Kolton

  Jul 22, 03:12am

  Just finished Tom McNeal's "To Be Sung Underwater". So beautifully written, the prose is so elegant and yet so real. . .

• 
  Gill Hoffs

  Jul 22, 07:17am

  'Go to sleep' by Helen Walsh. Lit fiction about a new mother's struggle with sanity and maternal bonding when her newborn won't sleep - can TOTALLY identify with that one! Went to see her give an author talk a few nights ago with the lady who runs Wire Writers' Group, and she was ace. This is her new book, and I'm pleased I chose it from the tempting books she had from other years.

• 
  Linda Simoni-Wastila

  Jul 22, 10:11am

  Ooooh, MaryAnne, glad you liked Tom McNeal's book. His publicist just asked me to review his book on my blog, so I'll be getting a copy in a few days.

  Gill, Go To Sleep sounds like my life 9 years ago. I'll check it out. Peace...

• 
  Sam Rasnake

  Jul 22, 12:20pm

  The Heart Aroused by David Whyte.

• 
  James Lloyd Davis

  Jul 22, 12:24pm

  "The 2011 PEN/O. Henry Prize Stories."

  Some truly remarkable stories this year. Love the annual anthologies. An education, inspiration.

  I note that historical fiction is shifting into some interesting literary perspectives.

• 
  Andrew Stancek

  Jul 22, 12:42pm

  In addition to "The 2011 PEN/O.Henry Prize Stories" (we'll have to compare notes, James), I have through pure serendipity been on a Germany kick. I love Ursula Hegi and her latest, "Children and Fire", which deals with Hitler just coming to power in 1933/1934, gives you an excellent insight into how that was possible. I then went onto Fred Uhlman's "Reunion", same setting and time period, a terrific novella, and another novella, this one about Germany in 1945, called "The Invention of Curry Sausage". I highly recommend all these. I will have to continue my thread. I am not sure where to go next with it. Suggestions?

• 
  Robert Vaughan

  Jul 22, 01:22pm

  I'm reading Ben Loory's Stories for Nighttime and Some for The Day (Penguin Books) , as well as The Weather Stations, stories by Ryan Call (CakeTrain). Thanks for starting this thread, Linda. Occasionally I do the same on Facebook just to see what the buzz is around town!

• 
  Linda Simoni-Wastila

  Jul 22, 01:31pm

  Double oooh, just ordered the O'Henry prize stories. I'm stil lreading this year's Pushies as well, a story or poem a day. Not sure what is next, though the Loory collection sounds good. Andrew, I must admit, I am woefully bereft of German (and much modern European) writings. I may look for several you mention.

  Though I have read THE GLASS ROOM by Simon Mawer (did you see the banner for it running here for a few weeks?). His wife is German (does that count?), and the story takes place there. I heard him read (and met him!) in New Orleans last November. Amazing book.

  Another very good book I finished last week that takes place during WWII Germany, Weimar to be precise, is THOSE WHO SAVE US by Jenna Blum. Peace...

• 
  Christian Bell

  Jul 22, 01:52pm

  Three books I'm working on right now:

  The Best American Sports Writing 2009

  The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet by David Mitchell

  Sideways by Rex Pickett (a re-read--too funny to have read just once)

  The last three books that I've completed:

  The Best American Sports Writing 2008

  The Pale King by David Foster Wallace

  Point Omega by Don DeLillo

• 
  James Lloyd Davis

  Jul 22, 01:54pm

  Andrew, I have no recollection of titles, but went through a similar jag ... literature surrounding pre-WWII Germany. I'll try to recall what I read, but that led me into reading anti-Hitler historical documents from the same period and non-fiction work surrounding movements like the White Rose. There is a plethora of dramatic possibility that's more or less unexplored therein.

  I don't speak or read German, so I have to rely on translations.

• 
  Linda Simoni-Wastila

  Jul 22, 01:55pm

  Christian, how'd you like The Pale King? I've been contemplating.

  I have not read any DeLillo. I know, I know... I must, I must...

• 
  James Lloyd Davis

  Jul 22, 01:57pm

  Loved Point Omega, Christian. I regret having read all of DeLillo's books, because now, I'll have to read them all again. Not as much fun the second time.

• 
  James Lloyd Davis

  Jul 22, 01:58pm

  Linda, I envy you. You must, yes.

• 
  Joani Reese

  Jul 22, 02:11pm

  Linda: Begin with White Noise--it's incomparable. I also loved Libra. I just put down a book by a young, well-respected writer as it was too clever by half. I was fascinated with the premise--people's injuries and illnesses suddenly illuminating for all to see--but then I began to sense the author's manipulative hand pointing me to the responses I should experience.

  I also could not read DFW. I never thought I'd feel as though I were on the wrong side of an age gap in appreciating the new, trendy writing Gods.

  I'm about to read Dispatches (again) by Michael Herr, one of the finest non-fiction treatments of Vietnam I've ever read and will dive back into The Aeneid next week. I'm hoping to find more work by Jennifer Egan--I came to her party a bit late.

• 
  James Lloyd Davis

  Jul 22, 02:23pm

  "...too clever by half." Describes a lot of things that make it to print any more. I think perhaps, or hope perhaps, these trends will disappear ... either that, or I am too old by half to get it.

• 
  Linda Simoni-Wastila

  Jul 22, 02:34pm

  Ditto James! re 'clever by half. Sometimes writing makes me feel dumb (or manipulated). I have Dispatches on my shelf somewhere -- picked it up at a book sale. Will need to find.

  Joani, I presume you read Egan's latest? I've heard her earlier work disappoints, but haven't read. I loved Goon Squad. Thanks also re where to start with DeLillo. I have a feeling he will be on my syllabus this fall. Peace...

• 
  Joani Reese

  Jul 22, 02:40pm

  Yes, just finished Goon Squad and I loved it. Off to a huge library book sale this afternoon (with over 3000 books already jammed into every nook in my house, I certainly shouldn't), but if I find her work there, it won't be a great loss if I am disappointed. If you haven't read Independence Day by Richard Ford, it is one of the best pieces of writing I have EVER read. I bought a copy just to underline the concepts and phrases I could use to write poetry.

• 
  Christian Bell

  Jul 22, 02:43pm

  Linda, I liked The Pale King, though obviously it's not a finished novel and it shows. Lots of unfinished thoughts, plot points that seemingly go nowhere, and places that could've used some editing—all of it fascinating, which DFW always pulled off so well (an unfinished novel is not that dissimilar from his previous writings). There is sort of a morbid curiosity with this book, but once I got into it, I forgot about that and just went along for the ride.

  James, I was quite surprised by how much I liked Point Omega, given how underwhelmed I've been by his post-Underworld works. Like you, I've read all of DeLillo's works and have resorted to re-reading them.

  For DeLillo, starting with White Noise, as JP suggests, or Libra is a good way to proceed. Back in the 90s, a writing instructor turned me on to Libra, then I followed with Mao II and White Noise. White Noise is probably the one most likely to be taught in a literature class, but Libra, for me, was a great place to start because of its connection to history and it's one of the best examples of fiction mixing with history.

• 
  David Ackley

  Jul 22, 03:14pm

  Yes Joani and you others who mentioned DISPATCHES ( much of which finds its way into the script for "Full Metal Jacket" which Herr co-wrote with Kubrick.) Wonderful writing that captures not only the place and circustances of Viet-Nam, but the frantic era.

  Right now I'm reading Joseph McElroy's WOMEN AND MEN after finishing his quite wonderful short stories in the recently released NIGHT SOUL(Dalkey Archives.) Join the crusade to get this major, but undersung writer his due.

• 
  James Lloyd Davis

  Jul 22, 04:50pm

  Re-read Dispatches a while back and felt less of it than the first time I read it, back when it first hit the stacks.

  I don't know why. Would like to revisit both that and other books I loved so much back then, try to figure out what changed and why.

• 
  Susan Tepper

  Jul 24, 07:20pm

  Meg Tuite's quirky family saga "Domestic Apparition" is a novel I just loved, finished it a few weeks ago.

• 
  stephen hastings-king

  Jul 25, 02:27pm

  Iannis Xenakis: On Architecture.

• You must log in to reply to this thread.