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June 26
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Marcus
gave
to:
Gnome and Garden: A Gnovelty Kit (Hardcover)
by Marcus Mennes
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my rating:
Added to my books!
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Marcus said:
"The writer of this book is a friend of mine. He's a hack, but a pleasant enough guy. He bathes often, dresses sharp, a pretty good kisser...
o.k. o.k. so maybe this is shameless self-promotion in lieu of an agent. Whatever whatever...if you buy a co...more
The writer of this book is a friend of mine. He's a hack, but a pleasant enough guy. He bathes often, dresses sharp, a pretty good kisser...
o.k. o.k. so maybe this is shameless self-promotion in lieu of an agent. Whatever whatever...if you buy a copy of this kit, next time we meet, the drinks are on me......less
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Marcus
gave
to:
Maldoror and the Complete Works of the Comte de Lautréamont (Paperback)
by Comte de Lautréamont, Alexis Lykiard
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my rating:
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Marcus said:
"My favorite line from Maldoror is, "...laugh but weep at the same time. If you cannot weep with your eyes, weep with your mouth. If this is still impossible, urinate. But I warn you, some sort of liquid is needed here..." which pretty much ...more
My favorite line from Maldoror is, "...laugh but weep at the same time. If you cannot weep with your eyes, weep with your mouth. If this is still impossible, urinate. But I warn you, some sort of liquid is needed here..." which pretty much sums up the book's thesis. This book is (for lack of a better adjective) dark. It is also weird and funny. The laughter released is based in the gut, a coarse, foolish, belly laugh. It is distinct from the throaty chuckling made in response to some polite quip, or the safe, recognizable smirk of satire, sarcasm, farce, etc. The humor in Maldoror is based in exaggeration, with wild, physical, athletic poses. It is intended to provoke, to be ribald and aggressive, of muscular impulse, not for the faint of heart or those who prefer their jokes wholesome and clean.
Most readers are familiar with Rimbuad, while too few are aware of Latreamont, which is a shame. ...less
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Marcus
gave
to:
Fishboy (Paperback)
by Mark Richard
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my rating:
Added to my books!
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Marcus said:
"When I seek out writing where the language draws attention to itself, I usually turn to modern poetry, which is to say not that often. In his novel Mr. Richard is drunk with language and the results are intoxicating— the consonants are thick, the n...more
When I seek out writing where the language draws attention to itself, I usually turn to modern poetry, which is to say not that often. In his novel Mr. Richard is drunk with language and the results are intoxicating— the consonants are thick, the nouns rounded, caught upon the gag prickles on the back of the tongue, the words blur, the tone drones, the sounds are ground down into an insomniatic over a static radio in a bathtub on lithium W.C. Fields kind of address...and it works, for me at least. The story is pretty good too if you like high seas adventure involving secret tattooed maps on one armed men......less
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June 30
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Marcus
gave
to:
Final Exits: The Illustrated Encyclopedia of How We Die (Paperback)
by Michael Largo
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my rating:
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recommended for: mortals
read in June, 2007
Marcus said:
"I happened upon this book while browsing at the Seattle Public Library, and enjoyed it so much that I purchased a copy. Not that I take pleasure in the contemplation of death, or preoccupy myself with morbid thoughts of an early demise, but I found t...more
I happened upon this book while browsing at the Seattle Public Library, and enjoyed it so much that I purchased a copy. Not that I take pleasure in the contemplation of death, or preoccupy myself with morbid thoughts of an early demise, but I found this pop-encyclopedia to be damn fascinating.
In his preface the author explains, “It took more than ten years to gather the multitudinous statistics on fatality.” We might imagine him hanging around morgues, poring over thousands of coroners' reports. However he came upon his material, this project is impressive for the breadth of its categorizations and the numerous, and often gruesome incidents portrayed.
The book covers the common culprits: Heart Disease, Cancer, Automobiles, etc., but also has a particular emphasis on unusual ways of dying: Autocastration, Death By Umbrella, Narcissism, Quinsy, Kinky Hair Disease, Dandy-Walker Syndrome, ad infinitum…
The Big D is certainly a subject that relates to all of us, whether we accept it or not. It could be assumed that contemplating this book's portent might influence you to be overly cautious; apprehensive even to leave the house. Granted, it is good to be aware and take precautions. Yet, I would argue in favor of this book for the opposing P.O.V. I Mean, if there is a chance, however minute it might be, through some random, cosmic blunder…that today is the day when you will be taken out by a sniper, plowed down by an S.U.V., or plunked on the head by a meterorite…so be it, why worry about, or fear events that are out of your control?
Someday, my friends, we will all know death's enclosure…
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Marcus
gave
to:
Hundred Brothers, The (Hardcover)
by Donald Antrim
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my rating:
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recommended for: Anyone that likes to laugh, which is to say everyone, except maybe those that suffer from cataplexy
read in January, 2005
Marcus said:
"If you’re like me then you find exaggeration, at least in principle, to be exceedingly funny. A certain type of absurdity is created when too much of something is introduced, when a situation builds & builds to an anticipated level, and then, a...more
If you’re like me then you find exaggeration, at least in principle, to be exceedingly funny. A certain type of absurdity is created when too much of something is introduced, when a situation builds & builds to an anticipated level, and then, as they say, goes over the top.
In Donald Antrim’s novel there are literally one hundred brothers living together in a big, sordid mansion. It is a short book without sections or chapters, and should be read, I presume, with some momentum. Within the first few pages we are introduced to each brother in the dysfunctional fraternity, through the p.o.v. of Doug, one of the brothers. The narrative takes place during a single evening, set in the estate’s library where the brothers have gathered for a ceremonial supper. Hilarious antics ensue…impossible to summarize. The humor operates on the “how many clowns can you squeeze into the clown car” kind of dynamic. It is a fun romp, and reads like a Monty Python sketch — clever, silly, a little bonkers, and something completely different.
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May 23
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Marcus
gave
to:
Against the Day (Hardcover)
by Thomas Pynchon
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my rating:
Added to my books!
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recommended for: those with strong median nerves
read in January, 1913
Marcus said:
"At 1085 pages, accommodating hundreds of characters, locales, sub-plots, digressions, etc., "Against The Day" isn't exactly summer beach reading. I bought my copy the day it was released (Nov. 21, 2006) and started reading that day. I'm cur...more
At 1085 pages, accommodating hundreds of characters, locales, sub-plots, digressions, etc., "Against The Day" isn't exactly summer beach reading. I bought my copy the day it was released (Nov. 21, 2006) and started reading that day. I'm currently (May 23, 2007) on page 892. This pace doesn't reflect a lack of desire, or even time, but rather a cautious appreciation of this book. I figure writers gamble and devote years of their lives preparing a book, while the reader invests mere hours, or days digesting it. Given that Pynchon just turned seventy, and given the ten (or more) year spans between his novels, this could well be his last...so I'm milking it.
Pynchon has always been given the rap of being "difficult." True, you'll want to keep a dictionary close at hand, and those who desire a linear plot with fully developed themes and characters will certainly be disappointed by this novel (as goes for any of his other works), yet for the persistent few, his writing is able to elicit a kind of "unhealthy mental excitement."
In a sense, you need to learn how to read Pynchon, and really, the only way to read him is to surrender to his onslaught. It requires a spirit closely related to John Keats' concept of negative capability: "that is when man is capable of being in uncertainties, Mysteries, doubts without any irritable reaching after fact & reason..." In other words, the ability to let go, and read for sensation rather than full comprehension. Once you get into Pynchon's rhythm, style, and are able to crack his codes, there is, on nearly every page a kind of "aha!" moment. He lays little tripwires in the prose, so that upon careful reading, or re-reading, the running jokes and poetic asides have a renewed, and lasting vitality. Whether it is a turn of phrase, a strange metaphor, or a moment of comedic timing that produces a l.o.l. moment of absurdity, I am continually forced to put down the book, and silently marvel at this man's capabilites as a writer. He is a mad genius, a luminary, and I would argue, one of our national treasures.
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