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Guest Jake Wifebeater

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Finished Michael Chabon's 'The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay'. It was absolutely brilliant. I thought it would take a while to get going like 'The Yiddish Policeman's Union' did, but it got right into the thick of it. Loads going on without making the plot complicated or difficult to follow.

Yay, brilliant books both of them. I reckon Kavalier and Clay is in my top ten books ever fo sho. Apparently a film has been touted for ages, and of course the Coens are making a Yiddish Policeman's Union film. Read any other Chabon?

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This week I read Stephen Fry's 'the Hippopotamus' which, although slightly disturbing in places, was excellent. Also the first volume of the 'Fell' comics by Warren Ellis, 'Fell: Feral City'. Damn good, but bleak bleak bleak.

Currently reading 'Surely You're Joking, Mr Feynman!' by Richard Feynman. He was a genius!

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Currently reading 'Big Chief Elizabeth'.

It's all about Elizabethan forays into America. It's interesting: first interaction with native Americans, treachery,deceit, abandonment. Breakdown of Anglo-Spanish relations, piracy, weak commanders, strong commanders, the recruiting of colonists fatigued by the filth, disease and crime of London, persuaded to leave by promises of status and land in the New World.

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This week I read Stephen Fry's 'the Hippopotamus' which, although slightly disturbing in places, was excellent. Also the first volume of the 'Fell' comics by Warren Ellis, 'Fell: Feral City'. Damn good, but bleak bleak bleak.

Currently reading 'Surely You're Joking, Mr Feynman!' by Richard Feynman. He was a genius!

Is Fell still being released? I was buying it in single issues and it seemed to disappear all of a sudden.

I'm reading Japrocksampler by Julian Cope at the moment. I always feel slightly guilty reading books about music, even if it is to help me find some new stuff. Very well written and informative so far. The ol' English student in me likes reading about what pop music means, as corny as that sounds.

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I'm reading Japrocksampler by Julian Cope at the moment. I always feel slightly guilty reading books about music, even if it is to help me find some new stuff. Very well written and informative so far. The ol' English student in me likes reading about what pop music means, as corny as that sounds.

Julian Cope's head on/repossesed memoirs are brilliant reads too. Seems like all the substance abuse hasn't damaged his intellect.

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Julian Cope's head on/repossesed memoirs are brilliant reads too. Seems like all the substance abuse hasn't damaged his intellect.

I must admit that I wasn't really familiar with him before picking this book up (I actually bought as a present for someone who already had it and ended up getting hooked instead of going back to the shop), but I might just look out for those. Thanks :)

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Finally got round to reading Filth by Irvine Welsh and enjoyed it. I was a bit scunnered about half way through as it was just filth and I wasn't sure where it was going but he wrapped it very nicely. I didn't think I had a prudish bone in my body until I started reading Irvine Welsh!

Got about a quarter of the way through The Ipcress File by Len Deighton but wasn't enjoying it. Used to love my espionage thrillers and apparently this is one of the best but I just wasn't getting it.

Now reading The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler which I can't believe I haven't read before now given the amount of more recent hard-drinking, chain-smoking, wise-cracking yet contemplative and philisophical detectives that I have read about which are clearly influenced by this character. Really enjoying it.

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Now reading The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler which I can't believe I haven't read before now given the amount of more recent hard-drinking, chain-smoking, wise-cracking yet contemplative and philisophical detectives that I have read about which are clearly influenced by this character. Really enjoying it.

One of my favourite books ever. Philipe Marlow is one of these eternal characters that will never die, constantly getting resurected in films and literature under different guises. After you finish, you should watch The Long Goodbye. Having that book fresh in your mind makes this great film even better. One down side is that I'm pretty sure The Big Sleep made me take up smoking. :down:

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One of my favourite books ever. Philipe Marlow is one of these eternal characters that will never die, constantly getting resurected in films and literature under different guises. After you finish, you should watch The Long Goodbye. Having that book fresh in your mind makes this great film even better. One down side is that I'm pretty sure The Big Sleep made me take up smoking. :down:

Class A recommendation, excellent book and awesome film. The Big Lebowski is also worth (re?)watching too after becoming familiar with Chandler

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Class A recommendation, excellent book and awesome film. The Big Lebowski is also worth (re?)watching too after becoming familiar with Chandler

I love the Big Lebowski as a film in its own right but for me it doesn't have that essentially Chandleresque seedy noir feel despite being a 'remake' of the Big Sleep. It's a bit too 'cool'. Coen brothers hit that nail on the head with The Man Who Wasn't There though (might just be because it's in black and white but hey). But yeah, BL is a must watch after the book.

Sorry,film chat in the book thread...

Recently read 69 by Ryu Murakami. A nice coming of age story set in 60s Japan.

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

Now reading The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler which I can't believe I haven't read before now given the amount of more recent hard-drinking, chain-smoking, wise-cracking yet contemplative and philisophical detectives that I have read about which are clearly influenced by this character. Really enjoying it.

I enjoyed this. Affa Noir! It reminder me of James Ellroy and more recently Dennis Lehane.

Found this interview excerpt:

CAPEN: Someone offhandedly made the remark that you had once said you were "Raymond Chandler reincarnate."

ELLROY: I never said that. Raymond Chandler is not a guy that I admire anymore. I think his books are softheaded and full of bad writing. I think Hammet is a much more important guy.

CAPEN: Even things like The Big Sleep?

ELLROY: Yeah.

Maybe not like you James, sorry.

Now reading World Without End by Ken Follett. Don't you love it when someone gives you a book to read and it's 1,200 odd pages!?

Zipping through it already - medieval England tale of adventure, friendship and change...see ya in a month.

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Just finished Blaze by Steven King. Was written ages ago under an alias (which i can't remember off the top of my head) that he used to write crime novels. If you've read any other King stuff, well worth a read. Still very much Kings style, but interesting to read it out of the horror genre.

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