The first 3 pages talks about "families" and that put me off.Persevere, just persevere.
It is a superb, exceedingly unsettling, and uncomfortably thought-provoking book.
The first 3 pages talks about "families" and that put me off.Persevere, just persevere.
It is a superb, exceedingly unsettling, and uncomfortably thought-provoking book.
That sounds most interesting; is it available in an English translation?Just got a book on a spontaneous purchase at the local bookstore. La Défaite de l'Occident (The Defeat of the West) by French historian Emmanuel Todd. I have read other works by him and Monsieur Todd does give an alternative view which I feel is interesting and necessary.
Not yet, I'll keep an eye out and give my impression of the book when I finish it.That sounds most interesting; is it available in an English translation?
Fascinating review, and thank you for taking the time and trouble to post it.Definitely looks interesting. I'll refrain from any detailed comment on its premise to avoid "political discussion", but here's an interesting review from Jacobin to get a sense of what it's about:
Emmanuel Todd Prophesies the Defeat of the West
French demographer Emmanuel Todd’s new book argues that secularization has left Western societies weak and divided. But his account of the US and Europe’s secular nihilism is deeply reductive, leaving no space for forward-looking political change.jacobin.com
I loved his Thursday Next books - a great fun seriesI just finished Red Side Story by Jasper Fforde. It is a fantasy/science fiction dystopian novel, and I enjoyed it very much. It is a sequel to his previous novel Shades of Grey. While Red Side Story stands alone, the previous novel does provide additional background details. The book is about a society who is hierarchy is based on the ability to see distinct colors.
An entertaining and engaging story, which I highly recommend.
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Agreed!Murakami is one of my favorite authors and Kafka on the Shore is one of those books that blew me away when I read it and opened my mind up to new ways of thinking about what literature could be. Kafka and Wind-Up Bird are high on my re-read list.
1Q84 - I could never get into that one.Agreed!
I have to decide which one is next: “1Q84” or “Norwegian Wood”?
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So read this book a few weeks ago and it looks like its going to be a movie with Ryan Gosling.
I wonder how they'll portray Rocky - the 5 legged rock monster who breathes ammonia and poops and eats from the same orifice. XD
Ok. You made the choice for me.1Q84 - I could never get into that one.
Norwegian Wood I liked very much.
Giving this a shot... one of you lot mentioned it..
I think it was you too...Love it so far!That was probably me. Especially read the afterword.
Agreed!
I have to decide which one is next: “1Q84” or “Norwegian Wood”?
I assume a good book.View attachment 2384874
So read this book a few weeks ago and it looks like its going to be a movie with Ryan Gosling.
I wonder how they'll portray Rocky - the 5 legged rock monster who breathes ammonia and poops and eats from the same orifice. XD
Thank you!Norwegian Wood is probably Murakami's most--for lack of a better term--"normal" novel. If you enjoy the other-worldly surreal aspects of Wind-Up Bird Chronicle and Kafka, Norwegian Wood isn't like that. It's still a beautiful novel, though.
1Q84 is of the other-worldly variety, and I liked it, but I also felt it was longer than it needed to be and parts of it were repetitive. I think if I had to rank my Top 5 Murakami it would be:
1. Kafka on the Shore
2. The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle
3. Killing Commendatore
4. 1Q84
5. Norwegian Wood
With the caveat that I haven't read everything yet, though I intend to. Looking forward to the release of The City and Its Uncertain Walls.
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir is a very good hard science fiction novel. Andy Weir is also well known as author of The Martian, which was also made into a successful movie of the same name. I thought Project Hail Mary was the better of the two but Andy Weir has a definite style/theme that is common across both novels.I assume a good book.