Transgressive Fiction discussion
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A Clockwork Orange
A Clockwork Orange
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I love the movie but I liked the book even better. Anthony Burgess invents language... It is like when you skip over a word in a book and guess it's meaning. The book is littered with invented words and you start to figure them out as you read. By the end of the book you know the words and it makes for a really unique reading experience. Let me know what you think.
there is a really good intro by mr burgess the film was missing the last chapter so looking forward to that. my copy has a glossary so that will help with the new words.
Don't use the glossary Jason! It will take away from the magic of the language. And that last chapter... Ugh.... It was horrible! I won't give anything away but I'm glad Stanley Kubrick chose to end the movie with chapter 20.
ok thanks for the tip. will see how i get on my droog. hehe
It's class, Jason. I actually have a Clockwork tattoo taking up my full shin; it's my only literature tattoo other than Poe's raven. I'll try get a photo up at some point in the future.Ryan's bob on; the ending of the film stops short of the book so you don't get the full picture. I love the film, too.
Enjoy!
Nice, looking forward to seeing the tattoo. I haven't got any literacy tats, mine are dedicated to Bettie Paige.
I have hunter s Thompson on my arm and the last line of the gatsby on my ribs... "And so we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past"
show us photos then. One of my Bettie Paige Tattoos is in my photos on here.
Sounds ace, Ryan.Yeah; I've seen yours Jason. I'll get one up soon. I had a look online last night, but couldn't find it anywhere. It's about seven years' old now. I'll let you know when it's up.
I have read a bit this morning and it is surprising how easy it is to figure out what the words mean, I really thought I was going to need to use the glossary.
Isn't it kind of cool to decipher the words? I've really never read anything like it before. I'll post the tattoo pictures for you guys tonight. My UK drooges...
It is a lot like cockney rhyming slang, so good fun figuring it out.
Any other Burgess books worth reading? I've only read this.
I was thinking this when I started the book, cos in the Intro he thinks his other work is much better but always gets ignored.
Yeah; I may check out some other stuff when I wade through the next lot of books I've got lined up. Here's a great if not highbrow interview with Burgess which you may want to read after you've finished reading:http://www.masterbibangers.net/ABC/in...
Cheers for the link. What books have you got lined up then? Anything interesting?
I'm hoping to stick to this schedule in the immediate future: Constance by Patrick McGrath. Have you read any McGrath, Jason? He's one of my favourite authors. He writes what gets called 'new Gothic' fiction which is basically an update of the whole unreliable narrator Gothic fiction genre. In fact I'd say Spider by McGrath is one of the most transgressive, fucked up, weird and absolutely fantastic stories I've ever read and would highly recommend it. I only need to read Constance and Martha Peake and I've read everything he's done. However, I've got reservations about this particular book because of the reviews...
The Iremonger Trilogy book 1 and 2 by Edward Carey. I've read his other two books and one of them is among my favourites so I hope this is more of the same.
I want to read Post Office by Bukowski because I've never read any of his stuff and have intended to for too long now.
I'm also going to plough through one of the shit recommendations I've had -possibly starting with yours- just to mix things up.
I'm a slowed down by a number of books I'm reading as research for my next novel so it could be slow moving for a few months. Galveston, the book I'm reading at the minute, is good so far. I only got it because I thought True Detective was something else.
I have not heard of Patrick McGrath spider sounds interesting so I'll add that to my list. Post office is fantastic, you'll blast through that in no time.
Have you see the film adaptation of spider? Amazing movie, really looking forward to the book now.
I read the book before seeing the film in an art house type cinema in York. Me and my girlfriend at the time were blown away. There is also the most original dynamic that I have ever come across in the creative arts where movie adaptation actually compliments book. I want to tell you, but at the same time I don't want to spoil it. It blew me anyway because of the implications and I wonder how many people who have seen the film and read the book noticed it. Let me know if you want me to elaborate and I will. It wouldn't ruin the book, but it would take away seeing that particular subtlety. I'll PM you as to not put a spoiler out in the public domain.
Spider is unreal. I didn't recover for months.
Check out The Wanting Seed by Anthony Burgess http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Want...It is a different kind of book than A Clockwork Orange, but still transgressive and (in my opinion) easier to read.
I am going to get a copy of spider and rematch the movie when I have finished the book. Perfectly happy for you to send me an elaborate PM.Thanks for the recommendation Andrew, I will check out The Wanting Seed
Just been reading about the wanting seed, it looks pretty insane.
I want to read it again because I don't remember much of the middle or end...I just remember it being really creative. I might pick up a copy this weekend.
I've added that too. Nice one.
He has a book called 1985, I'm going to give this one a go too. It is an essay in response to Orwell's 1984 and then he has done his own dystopian vision.
I'll add that as well. It sounds great.
A couple of years ago I purchased a collection of Burgess books, just had a look to see if these two are included. Nope. :( it is a series he did called Enderby.
I haven't much left to read now, it is really amazing, I've not read anything like this before.
J.A. wrote: "If you are going to read Bukowski for the first time, I highly recommend starting with Ham on Rye. Possibly his best book. Post Office is great too, though."Cheers, bud. I'll change tack and add it now.
Glad you're enjoying it, Jason. I'll have to reread it sometime. I'll have to get that picture up soon, too! I'm sure it's out there on the internet...
I'd check out Women by Bukowski, my personal favorite.
Everything by Bukowski is brilliant, even his poetry is awesome.
Ryan wrote: "I'd check out Women by Bukowski, my personal favorite."Cheers, man. I'll get it on the list.
Late to the party on this post, but Jason glad you're version has a glossary. I first read it in the pre-internet days without a glossary & has to make up my own!!
I saw the film years ago, so might give that another viewing after I have done the book.