Junkie looking for a quick fix

[Icingsugar]

Help me! I am a book junkie! And my hands are starting to shake from the abstinence of not finding anything good to read for almost a week.

I just came down from an incredible high of reading the thee best novels I've laid my eyes on in years in less than a week:

The God Of Small Things by Arudhanti Roy
(A case study on how to tell a simple story in a way that noone else could even imagine.)

House Of Leaves by Mark Danielewski
(A case study on how to tell an absolutely surreal story in an even more surreal way.)

American Gods by Neil Gaiman
(A case study on how to spellbind a reader to the degree where you can punch him in the teeth, kick him in the bollocks and fuck him in the ass, and still make him beg for more. Oh, and he describes one character - a female deity - like this: "She was cunt-power". I think that says alot.)


So now I'm desperate for more of the same weirdness. Any bookworms in the hangout? Any suggestions?

 

[MathGirl]

American Gods by Neil Gaiman

NGaiman has collaborated with Terry Pratchett on several books. I suggest you start on Pratchett's novels.
MG
Ps. You are in the midst of a bunch of widely read people here.

 

[ffreak]

My name is Fred, and I'm a bookaholic.

I read about a book a week. My tastes vary, but quality is always necessary to keep me there. Right now I'm reading Walking the Dog by Walter Mosley. He's a good guy, and I like reading stories about where I grew-up. These are bout his harder character, Fearless Jones.

I also like some of the Newberry winners; expecially Holes by Louis Sacahar (yeah they made a movie out of it - I still liked it), and Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse (Scholastic did her a disservice by not nominating it for the Pulitzer - it was that good). This is actually a book of poetry that tells the story of a girl in the dust bowl. It's great, but beats the hell out of me why they thought it should be read by juveniles. The gritty reality of the events would either be over the head of the young readers, or make them depressed.

I could go on and on. The other folks on the site may tell you that to listen to me is to be dragged down a dark and unforgiving road of literature. They're right.

Maybe we could create a bookaholics anonymous. Wonder which books would be in the 12 step program.

 

[MathGirl]

Originally posted by ffreak I'm reading Walking the Dog by Walter Mosley. He's a good guy, and I like reading stories about where I grew-up.

Dear f,
W Mosley's books remind you of where you grew up? You must have been raised in a really bad neighborhood, then. His characters are also mean mofos. I like Mosley. Bad Boy Brawley Brown
MG

 

[The_Fool]

Gaiman has another good one called Neverwhere.

Guy Gavriel Kay does some interesting things to Fantasy by placing them into past cultures. My faves are "Lions of Al Rassan," Song for Arbonne" and "Tigana."

Charles De Lint has a way of putting magic into everyday life. He does so through short stories as well as full length novels.

For some absolute fluff I have enjoyed Janet Evanovich with her Stephanie Plum. Stephanie is a lingerie buyer turned bounty hunter.

Laurel Hamilton has a cool twist on Vampires and Werewolves and now I guess fairies. I pick up anything new she writes.

Always good to pick up Hemingway.

Fool

 

[jfinn]

Haven't read the other two (though I've added them to my list) but I loved Roy's book, she's an amazing writer.

If you like Indian authors I think you couldn't go wrong with A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry about India in the seventies and of course there's A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth about a Hindu family's search for an appropriate husband for their daughter (sort of, the book has more plots than a soap opera). Both of these have been kicking around for a while, but if you haven't read them they're worth a look.

I've read two books lately that are haunting me. The first is The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold (think that's how it's spelled, I'm moving and my books are packed). The narrator is a dead teenager who's telling the story of her family and how they struggle to survive her rape and murder by a serial killer. This sounds like the saddest story in the world, but amazingly it's often funny, especially right before it breaks your heart.

The second is Everything is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer, a novel about a young man (whose name just happens to be the same as the author's) who sets out to find his family's history by searching for the woman who may have saved his grandfather from the Nazi's. This is a debut novel from a very young author (22) and I could only wish I had his talent.

Jayne

 

[TheEarl]

Try looking at Tom Holt, or Christopher Brookmyre if you can find any. I'll second the recommendation of Janet Evanovitch; I'm currently working my way through them as we speak.

The Earl

 

[oggbashan]

My name is Fred, and I'm a bookaholic.

I read about a book a week. Maybe we could create a bookaholics anonymous. Wonder which books would be in the 12 step program.

I have been a bookaholic since age 3. I read about 5 or 6 a day, mainly at work because I own a secondhand book shop. If my customers were like me I might make a profit.

When I used to commute by train to London I'd read The Times and 3 books in the morning and 3 or 4 on the way home. They made for a heavy briefcase.

This morning (11.10am) here, I have read Decoy by Dudley Pope and The Leader and the Damned by Colin Forbes. Reasonable thrillers but not ones to add to my library so I'll try to sell them.

Og

 

[Guest]

House Of Leaves by Mark Danielewski
(A case study on how to tell an absolutely surreal story in an even more surreal way.)

So now I'm desperate for more of the same weirdness. Any bookworms in the hangout? Any suggestions?

What did you think of House of Leaves? I have heard so much about this book. People's impressions vary from 'downright wierd' to 'flippin excellent.' Did you find it hard to get into? I must get a copy of this book, I've also heard it's pretty ground-breaking.

As for what I'd recommend, I mainly read books within the horror genre, 'cause that's what I like. You can't go wrong with anything by Richard Laymon, Simon Clark, Bently Little or Edward Lee, if shocking is what you like. Graham Masterton and James Herbert are also good, and they tend to be more mainstream. Actual titles by these authors worth suggesting are:

Island, by Richard Laymon
The Traveling Vampire Show, by Richard Laymon
Body Rides, by Richard Laymon
Savage, by Richard Laymon
Blood Crazy, by Simon Clark
King Blood, by Simon Clark
Nailed by the Heart, by Simon Clark
Coven, by Ed Lee
Succubi, by Ed Lee
Monstrosity, by Ed Lee
The House That Jack Built, by Graham Masterton
Ritual, by Graham Masterton
The Dark, by James Herbert
The Rats, The Lair, Domain (The Rats Trilogy) by James Herbert

And many more, too numerous to mention.

Lou

 

[Sultan Mad Cat]

GIBSON!

William Gibson.....
David Webber is anouther happy one.... *ponders* or if your really looking to hurt youself you could try a little Anias NIN

 

[ffreak]

ooo LouLou, a woman after my own dark heart.

Have you read Whitley Strieber's The Last Vampire? I'm not the biggest fan of his, but this one explains a much different origin for vampires and is sexy as hell (freudian slip? is hell sexy? I dunno, I think I've met some pretty damned sexy angels. oops - there I go again - a little lear and they're lost.)


Looking for lost angels, lost books, both have good stories to share.
-FF

 

[Dick Cheyney]

Re: Re: Junkie looking for a quick fix

And many more, too numerous to mention.

Lou

I'm just here to say that I think Tatelou has the cutest and most adorable AV on all of Lit! Perhaps we need closer Anglo-American relations.

 

[Icingsugar]

Re: Re: Junkie looking for a quick fix

NGaiman has collaborated with Terry Pratchett on several books. I suggest you start on Pratchett's novels.
MG

Thnx.
I've read their Good Omens collaboration, it was pretty interresting. And I've ploughed through the whole Discworld series already. But I won't think their styles works as good together as they seem to belive themselves.

Where Pratchett is witty warm humor with a big warm heart, Gaiman is razor sharp dark humor with big, shiny brass balls.

 

[Icingsugar]

Re: Re: Junkie looking for a quick fix

What did you think of House of Leaves? I have heard so much about this book. People's impressions vary from 'downright wierd' to 'flippin excellent.' Did you find it hard to get into? I must get a copy of this book, I've also heard it's pretty ground-breaking.

Well, it is a bit of a technical challenge to read, with several layered stories, interlayrering narratives and a very carefully planned unfolding plot (or plots). Underrneath it all, however, is a pretty ordinary setup, an old uncovered document, a haunted house. But it is not as much what is told as how it is told. I'm not going to say any more though, it would ruin the surprise. It is both 'downright weird' and 'flippin excellent', and if your head doesn't explode while reading it, it is very much worth it.

But the bottom line is: Yes, it kicks ass. Get it.

 

[Icingsugar]

Thanks!

Wow.

I just want to say thankyouthankyouthankyou! Thank you all. Now I've got a good stack of new, fresh names to dig in to. First out, The Lovely Bones and Holes are shipping as we speak, along with Gaiman's short bibliography Neverwhere and Stardust. That'll keep me happy for another week or two.

So, now that I have spent my hard earned money on your literrrrary preferences, you'd better have good taste.

I'll probably dig through this thrread laterr after more inspiration. So be afflaid, be velly afflaid...

cheers!
Icgr

 

[ffreak]

Just got through The Black Prince by Shirley Ann Grau - a great dark southern gothic set of stories.

Hope you have sufficient batteries. (you can use them for your flashlight, so you don't keep your SO awake, or your SO can use them in other intimate electronic devices - I've been informed that I can easily be replaced by a machine).

grasping at straws or anything else that I can use to keep that page from flying away in this damn wind in my brain - don't try to understand - I haven't figured me out in years

 

[Wicked-N-Erotic]

Try Ann Rice's "Beauty and the Beast" trilogy.

Wicked

 

[Guest]

I've been informed that I can easily be replaced by a machine).

Not 'easily', Eff. Just bear in mind it's an alternative for gals.

Perdita

 

[Chicklet]

Try Ann Rice's "Beauty and the Beast" trilogy.

Wicked

you mean sleeping beauty?

Icing, I recently read The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown, The Homecoming Series by Orson Scott Card, Good Omens by Terry Pratchet and Neil Gaimon.

 

[ffreak]

The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty, Beauty's Punishment, Beauty's Release

Yeah, but be prepared - it's wicked and naughty and wicked.

I've actually been privileged to visit Ms. Rice at her home a couple of times (I have always been a fan of hers and of her husband, Stan. I've always thought he should have gotten the Pulitzer for his poetry. I miss him - he was a proper southern gentleman.)

My wife asked, in front of a convention room full of aspiring writers, what Ms. Rice's family thought of the Sleeping Beauty works. She said she had some of them read the stories for her. When asked why she did it (not by my wife) she said it was because she had not found it done well enough in the marketplace and thought she could do better. (I think she did a bang-up job.)

ps. If she ever agrees to it again, go to the New Orleans Writer's Conference. Sometimes Ms. Rice hosts an evening sampling of the Chefs of New Orleans at her Garden District home. Besides the pleasure of touring her home and the garcionnaire in her backyard (see Interview with the Vampire), the dozen or so chefs will delight your palette. For a picture of the house, see the flyleaf to The Witching Hour.

(had to add the top line - I take too long to type.)

 

[ffreak]

Hey, Perdita, Electra genius that you are, if you put one of those vibrating gizmos in one of the 'massaging' thingies that they're trying to pawn off on guys, do they make a mess, or just burn-up?

(who the hell makes those things anyway, are there recognized brand names? where do I invest?)

(see how far off we can get on any thread? Give me a subject, any subject, I'm sure I can come-up with a tangent - and it doesn't even have to be related to the subject, or the bananas.)



Jeff Dunham came to our town a few years back and was trying-out a new puppet - an ape. During the performance a lady in a bright yellow shift left from the front row to go to the bathroom. When she came back, the ape 'stared' at her while she wound her way through the crowd to her seat. Then he said, "BA-NA-NA. LIKE BA-NA-NA. PEEL BA-NA-NA." Wonder if she ever wore yellow again.

 

[Wicked-N-Erotic]

you mean sleeping beauty?

Opps, my bad! Yes that'd be the Beauty in question.

Yeah, but be prepared - it's wicked and naughty and wicked.

Yep and very, very good. I couldn't stop reading

Wicked

 

[Guest]

Re: Re: Re: Junkie looking for a quick fix

I'm just here to say that I think Tatelou has the cutest and most adorable AV on all of Lit! Perhaps we need closer Anglo-American relations.

Nah, get outta here, Dick. I've seen many who are more cute.
(Thanks anyway, I'm very flattered.)

FF, I haven't read Whitley Strieber's The Last Vampire, but it sure sounds like my kind of thing. I'll look out for it. You might like my erotic horror story, I submitted it yesterday.

Lou

 

[ffreak]

Well, if it's half as good as Living The Fantasy and has an element of horror, I'll be very happy indeed.

 

[Dick Cheyney]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Junkie looking for a quick fix

Nah, get outta here, Dick. I've seen many who are more cute.
(Thanks anyway, I'm very flattered.)

Liar, liar pants on fire!

Hmm, I wonder if anybody has ever used that tag line for a book title.