Oh man. Its been a good 15 years since I read "Barnaby Rudge," but I was wildly (and delightfully) surprised by it. The latter two thirds, to my recollection, are just nonstop rioting. It's not going to supplant "Bleak House" in your ranking, but (relatively fresh off of reading "Bleak House" and "Hard Times") I loved it at the time.
I'm wrapping up Raymond Chandler's "The Long Goodbye," my next-to-last step in reading the complete Marlowe novels. It's great (though more meandering than the earlier novels). Highly recommended.
One of my favorite things about Pee Wee's Big Adventure comes right at the beginning and, unfortunately, is lost when watched on a TV screen. It starts with huge Danny Elfman music. HUGE! HUGE! HUGE! Then "Pee Wee's Big Adventure" is splashed on the screen. In little teeny-tiny letters squished into the center of the screen. I still have a vivid memory of the first time I saw that in 1985.
PEE-WEE’S BIG ADVENTURE is a perfect movie. The ethos of the whole film is summarized in the look of delight on Pee-Wee’s face when he steps off Large Marge’s ghost truck and sees the dinosaurs for the first time.
We watched PEE-WEE'S BIG ADVENTURE prior to a recent trip to Austin. We spent two days in San Antonio, visited The Alamo, and of course we had to ask, "where's the basement?"
In a different “reading 19th century classics” mode right now with “Brothers Karamazov” in process. Next up is Richard Powers “Overstory” which I’m way overdue on.
Have to say that Dickens was never high up on my reading radar, but the PW/PW (Pickwick/PeeWee) parallel just knocked him up a few notches. Love how that leads into the Grey Bees book which sounds like an excellent read, so I'll be adding that to my list! I just finished The Bone People by Keri Hulme, which has been on my shelf staring at me for well over a year (maybe two?). Thoroughly enjoyed the writing style, poetic-- the main character was eccentric and excellent and heartbreakingly imperfect. Reading another Booker Prize right now, The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida, although this one has never been on my shelf glaring at me, I read it right away. Love that it's from the perspective of a dead person dealing with a bureaucratic afterlife, and also a heavy read learning about Sri Lanka's civil war politics.
Also a Kafka fan. Have you seen the 1991 film, Kafka, by Steven Soderbergh? I really liked the film in spite of it receiving pretty low reviews by most critics..... The way you characterized your fascination with Kafka pretty much summarizes what I liked about the overall feel of the film.
I know you clearly have a lot on your plate, but can’t help but make at least one recommendation based on your literary interests.... if you haven’t read this one already, I highly recommend Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón. A magical homage to storytelling and Barcelona.
Honestly, I was reminded of this beautiful book when I read your Wildwood trilogy.... similar energy and flow.
I’m reading Bleak House, per your recommendation. I’m about 150 pages in, but I still feel like I’m not “into it” yet. I think it’s because of the switching back and forth between the two stories. I’m sure it will become more cohesive at some point. My copy also has all the references in the back, which is also distracting to keep flipping back to. Maybe I should just forgo the references bit. You said this was your favorite Dickens book, so I trust you. 😊
I’m reading Kristan Lavransdatter by Sigrid Undset. I’m a Murakami fan so have on my dresser First Person Singular. Also reading Borderliners by Peter Hoag and If you haven’t read Smilla’s Sense of Snow , I highly recommend, definitely one of my favorites. I actually wore out a copy of it. Also have Denial by Jon Raymond on my dresser to read and Thus Spoke Zarathustra by Nietzsche.
from peewee to kafka, i like your taste in literature ;)
Have you seen the the BBC miniseries version of Little Dorrit with Claire Foy? It's SPECTACULAR.
Oh man. Its been a good 15 years since I read "Barnaby Rudge," but I was wildly (and delightfully) surprised by it. The latter two thirds, to my recollection, are just nonstop rioting. It's not going to supplant "Bleak House" in your ranking, but (relatively fresh off of reading "Bleak House" and "Hard Times") I loved it at the time.
I'm wrapping up Raymond Chandler's "The Long Goodbye," my next-to-last step in reading the complete Marlowe novels. It's great (though more meandering than the earlier novels). Highly recommended.
I just finished "The Old Curiosity Shop". No one writes villains like Dickens can.
Assuming you’re familiar with https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsundoku
p.s. https://www.goodreads.com/author/confirm/10741.Colin_Meloy
One of my favorite things about Pee Wee's Big Adventure comes right at the beginning and, unfortunately, is lost when watched on a TV screen. It starts with huge Danny Elfman music. HUGE! HUGE! HUGE! Then "Pee Wee's Big Adventure" is splashed on the screen. In little teeny-tiny letters squished into the center of the screen. I still have a vivid memory of the first time I saw that in 1985.
just finished Barbara Kingsolver's rewrite of David Copperfield
PEE-WEE’S BIG ADVENTURE is a perfect movie. The ethos of the whole film is summarized in the look of delight on Pee-Wee’s face when he steps off Large Marge’s ghost truck and sees the dinosaurs for the first time.
We watched PEE-WEE'S BIG ADVENTURE prior to a recent trip to Austin. We spent two days in San Antonio, visited The Alamo, and of course we had to ask, "where's the basement?"
There’s no basement at the Alamo, but there are thousands of uses for corn.
In a different “reading 19th century classics” mode right now with “Brothers Karamazov” in process. Next up is Richard Powers “Overstory” which I’m way overdue on.
The Singularity Is Near and The Origin Of Species. Yes, my head hurts.
Have to say that Dickens was never high up on my reading radar, but the PW/PW (Pickwick/PeeWee) parallel just knocked him up a few notches. Love how that leads into the Grey Bees book which sounds like an excellent read, so I'll be adding that to my list! I just finished The Bone People by Keri Hulme, which has been on my shelf staring at me for well over a year (maybe two?). Thoroughly enjoyed the writing style, poetic-- the main character was eccentric and excellent and heartbreakingly imperfect. Reading another Booker Prize right now, The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida, although this one has never been on my shelf glaring at me, I read it right away. Love that it's from the perspective of a dead person dealing with a bureaucratic afterlife, and also a heavy read learning about Sri Lanka's civil war politics.
Also a Kafka fan. Have you seen the 1991 film, Kafka, by Steven Soderbergh? I really liked the film in spite of it receiving pretty low reviews by most critics..... The way you characterized your fascination with Kafka pretty much summarizes what I liked about the overall feel of the film.
I know you clearly have a lot on your plate, but can’t help but make at least one recommendation based on your literary interests.... if you haven’t read this one already, I highly recommend Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón. A magical homage to storytelling and Barcelona.
Honestly, I was reminded of this beautiful book when I read your Wildwood trilogy.... similar energy and flow.
I’ll check it out!
One question -- shouldn't this be March '23? I think you've lost a year, brother.
Omg
Fixed!
Maybe you were just willin' the eternal recurrence
I’m reading Bleak House, per your recommendation. I’m about 150 pages in, but I still feel like I’m not “into it” yet. I think it’s because of the switching back and forth between the two stories. I’m sure it will become more cohesive at some point. My copy also has all the references in the back, which is also distracting to keep flipping back to. Maybe I should just forgo the references bit. You said this was your favorite Dickens book, so I trust you. 😊
I think that might be my favorite Dickens too. I hope you end up liking it!
I’m sure I will!
I’m reading Kristan Lavransdatter by Sigrid Undset. I’m a Murakami fan so have on my dresser First Person Singular. Also reading Borderliners by Peter Hoag and If you haven’t read Smilla’s Sense of Snow , I highly recommend, definitely one of my favorites. I actually wore out a copy of it. Also have Denial by Jon Raymond on my dresser to read and Thus Spoke Zarathustra by Nietzsche.
Ok, since this has to be a group of readers, has anyone read Tomb of Sand by Geetanjali Shree?