What are you reading?

[goldenquagsire]

Have you read any of her novels? If so, might you be able to advise me where to start? I think I want to read either Mrs. Dalloway or Orlando, can't decide which.

I've only read Mrs. Dalloway. It's very good so I would definitely recommend it. Orlando is apparently really freaky (something about immortal hermaphrodites?) but I think Dalloway is the more popular book.

 

[opaltiger]

A lot of people call Orlando science fiction. I love the sort of early before-science-fiction-was-a-term stuff, so I'm really curious to read it.

 

[goldenquagsire]

A lot of people call Orlando science fiction.

In my experience, a lot of literary types get very snobby about sci-fi and would never allow anything by Woolf to be labelled as sci-fi. :(

I love the sort of early before-science-fiction-was-a-term stuff, so I'm really curious to read it.

I might be misunderstanding you, but I'm guessing you're referring to the HG Wells school of science fiction? I don't know if Orlando is really in that category. From what I can tell, it's more of a metaphysical mindfuck type thing, where the immortality and genderbending isn't so much speculative as "let's do something cool".

 

[opaltiger]

In my experience, a lot of literary types get very snobby about sci-fi and would never allow anything by Woolf to be labelled as sci-fi. :(

yes yes, I wasn't talking about snobby literary types :P

This reminds me of an article I read in the Guardian a while ago. It went like this: good literary fiction is better than bad genre fiction, therefore genre fiction will never be as good as literary fiction. No, seriously. The examples he used were Dan Brown and Stieg Larsson. I mean, ignoring the fact that literary fiction is as much a genre as science fiction, he was comparing Kazuo Ishiguro (only name I can remember, which is funny, because my sister recently recommended Never Let Me Go on the basis that it was science fiction-y viz. Murakami) to Dan Brown.

I might be misunderstanding you, but I'm guessing you're referring to the HG Wells school of science fiction? I don't know if Orlando is really in that category. From what I can tell, it's more of a metaphysical mindfuck type thing, where the immortality and genderbending isn't so much speculative as "let's do something cool".

Nope! Wells is quite obviously science fiction, even if the term wasn't quite around yet. I suppose the term I want is magical realism, but a) that wasn't around either and b) I really, really hate it. "metaphysial mindfuck" qualifies, in any case. I get the sense that it's sort of like Murakami?

 

[goldenquagsire]

I suppose the term I want is magical realism, but a) that wasn't around either and b) I really, really hate it.

Why? I think it's quite a handy label for stuff that isn't quite fantasy, but is too weird for straight literary realism. It's also useful when trying to convince people to read awesome books (say, The Master and Margarita) without scaring them off. ;D

This reminds me of an article I read in the Guardian a while ago. It went like this: good literary fiction is better than bad genre fiction, therefore genre fiction will never be as good as literary fiction. No, seriously. The examples he used were Dan Brown and Stieg Larsson. I mean, ignoring the fact that literary fiction is as much a genre as science fiction, he was comparing Kazuo Ishiguro (only name I can remember, which is funny, because my sister recently recommended Never Let Me Go on the basis that it was science fiction-y viz. Murakami) to Dan Brown.

I really do love the Guardian and I try to read the Review as often as possible, but their attitude to science fiction is disappointingly immature, especially since they don't seem to level the same criticisms at crime fiction.

"metaphysial mindfuck" qualifies, in any case. I get the sense that it's sort of like Murakami?

Like I said, I haven't actually read it but my English teacher describes it as such. Though obviously paraphrased. :P

 

[opaltiger]

Why? I think it's quite a handy label for stuff that isn't quite fantasy, but is too weird for straight literary realism. It's also useful when trying to convince people to read awesome books (say, The Master and Margarita) without scaring them off. ;D

It strikes me too much as an attempt to pass off fantastical elements as credible and Proper Literature, Not That Silly Science Fiction Stuff. :( See also: speculative fiction; Atwood, Margaret.

 

[goldenquagsire]

It strikes me too much as an attempt to pass off fantastical elements as credible and Proper Literature, Not That Silly Science Fiction Stuff. :( See also: speculative fiction; Atwood, Margaret.

I agree that 'speculative fiction' is euphemistic nonsense, but I still think there's a worthwhile distinction to be made here. Science fiction, as far as I see it, always involves speculation: 'what happens if x is different'. Good science fiction relates this to the human condition. Thus, we can call Atwood, Orwell, Bradbury and Ishiguro science fiction authors.

On the other hand, magical realism doesn't involve speculation: 'x is different, so what'. The implications of Margarita's meeting with Satan aren't really considered; it just happens.

 

[Teh Ebil Snorlax]

It strikes me too much as an attempt to pass off fantastical elements as credible and Proper Literature, Not That Silly Science Fiction Stuff. :( See also: speculative fiction; Atwood, Margaret.

I usually view speculative fiction as a blanket term for sci-fi and fantasy.

 

[Minish]

The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula le Guin.

Intriguing so far.

 

[Dannichu]

Have you read any of her novels? If so, might you be able to advise me where to start? I think I want to read either Mrs. Dalloway or Orlando, can't decide which.

Both are fantastic, but I'd go with Mrs Dalloway because it makes The Hours even more awesome!

Though I love that Woolf wrote genderbending before genderbending was cool.

 

[Byrus]

Both are fantastic, but I'd go with Mrs Dalloway because it makes The Hours even more awesome!

Though I love that Woolf wrote genderbending before genderbending was cool.

(I am writing this at 5:00am for god knows what reason so hopefully this mercifully short paragraph will actually make sense ha )

I kinda hate magical genderbendering when it completely ignores the whole body dysphoria* aspect of it (or worse, just plays it off for laughs) and instead just uses it to make a different point (like how women don't have equal rights etc). I've honestly never came across one that did it realistically.

* dammit why does my spell check keep saying I spelled that wrong

Also, I have nothing to read at the moment, blah.

 

[Professor Wesker]

Just got done with Stephen King's Nightmares and Dreamscapes. The book is made of a bunch of creepy stories that range from a journalist tracking down a serial killer who is a vampire, a demonic finger sticking out of a guy's toilet, a chattery teeth toy coming to life and biting a criminal to death, and many many more. While a bit on the trippy side, it did a great job creeping me out. I'd definately recommend it.

 

[Sandstone-Shadow]

Just finished the final book in DJ MacHale's Pendragon series. <3 The long wait was well worth it.

So now my crusade to read every unread book on my bookshelf continues. I'm reading Across the Wall by Garth Nix and I am contemplating starting another anthology of short stories at the same time.

I'm reading Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer as well. But I'm only mildly enjoying it; I don't think I'll stick around for any more of the series. Maybe if I'd first picked it up when I was younger.

So since I can read short stories at any time and it won't take me much longer to finish Artemis Fowl, I need to decide which series to reread/finish next. It's either going to be The Keys to the Kingdom by Garth Nix or Dragon Keeper by Carole Wilkinson. Probably Dragon Keeper since I have all of the books readily available and The Keys to the Kingdom is a treat I'll save for later. <3

Oh, and then I'm reading a really interesting book called When Elephants Weep: The Emotional Lives of Animals by Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson.

And then I'm reading Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad for English.

 

[Lili]

I started The Outsiders last night. I like it so far, and I'm probably gonna stop reading Jane Eyre for a while. You can only have so much Bronte at a time.

 

[opaltiger]

The Wise Man's Fear, Patrick Rothfuss. Finally.

 

[Phantom]

Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe. It's interesting, but there are so many big emotional turns that it's taking a little longer than intended to read; especially since I am rereading it. I read it in high school for my English class and I found the book while going through a few things at home.

I'm also reading TKM on the side. It's one of my favorite books. After that I plan on reading Demon King by Cinda Williams Chima.

 

[Diz]

The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. All five of them. In it's 800 some page glory!

 

[MentheLapin]

It's this crappy Readathon thing for school where we have to read three books in a week, so I've read Ostrich Boys by Keith Gray, which was better than I anticipated, and am halfway through I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore, which is pretty good, I guess.

 

[goldenquagsire]

so currently I'm near the end of Jared Diamond's Guns, Germs and Steel. it's a fascinating read: I'm gobsmacked by the sheer amount of history from Africa, Asia and the Americans of which I know absolutely nothing. after that, I have a choice of Frank Herbert's Dune (considering that it's the sci-fi equivalent of Shakespeare, I feel obliged to read it but it's just so long) or Olaf Stapledon's Last and First Men (which has an interesting premise but I remember reading the first chapter a while ago and drifting off to sleep).

I'm reading Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer as well. But I'm only mildly enjoying it; I don't think I'll stick around for any more of the series. Maybe if I'd first picked it up when I was younger.

oh god you missed out on so much. I was a fanatical Colfer reader when I was about 10~12, the Artemis Fowl books were absolutely brilliant, though I stopped reading them after the Opal Deception. some of his one-off books were also pretty good: I'd rate The Supernaturalist as one of the best kids' books I ever read.

honestly though, I can understand why you might not enjoy them much. they are quite adolescent in nature, and the plots seem to get more and more ridiculous the longer the series goes on. nevertheless, I think they served their purpose admirably.

The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. All five of them. In it's 800 some page glory!

on a particularly wet and miserable fortnight in Hungary, I managed to read all five in one go. my Hitchhiker's Omnibus is my most treasured book. <3

 

[opaltiger]

Dune isn't that long, and it's definitely worth it. I found the sequels to be somewhat superfluous, though.