Got Herbert Selby's "Last Exit To Brooklyn" outta da library a month or so ago. It's a compelling read, with interesting tales, but it fails as literature. The characters are too over-the-top to be believable, and the continunity is dismal. As a collection of short stories it works. But I can easily see how a woman might be deeply offended by the way he portrays women: they're mostly victims. As Sartre maintained about Baudelaire (and every author save Rimbaud), this book reinforces the social order of the bourgeoise: all of the characters within get their "just desserts" in the end for their misdeeds. Most of the "justice served" is wholly out-of-proportion. But, taken with a grain of salt, there is some black humor within these pages.
Since it's summer, I also read a book I found for a quarter at a garage sale, an account of The Beatles, written by Anthony Scaduto. He wrote the first serious biography of Bob Dylan. This book isn't nearly as good. It's basically something that reads like something someone put together on a publisher's short deadline. However, he did dig up some great quotes, and it serves neither as a hatchet job or a puff piece.
Currently I'm reading a book put out a couple of years ago by Billy Bragg, "The Patriotic Progressive." (His current album, "Mr. Love & Justice," is one of his finest, by the way.) It is pretty damn good! It gives me a more complete understanding of the history of England. Being half-English (and half-Irish), it also affords me some insight into my ancient roots, vis-a-vis the heritage of Celts, Picts and Anglo-Saxons. (Since my English relatives were from Liverpool, I'm probably "pure" Celtic.) He also tells about how he came to a love of folk music and, being the same age as me (well, 5 months younger), I find some reflection in my personal past as well in that. I'm sure that when he enters his punk-rock phase it'll jog some memories for me as well! It's hard to put down and easy to pick up again.
I got an e-mail from Alter Net the other day in which they had an advert link to something along the lines of a progressive book club. I signed-up, getting books by Studs Terkel, Carl Oglesby and Rick Pearlstein (the spelling of the names probably aren't correct) in the process. It kinda serves a need for me, allowing me access to books I see advertised in publications such as The Nation but would most likely have to order from a bookstore, if I even remembered them. However, I'm not letting you all off the hook that easy - I'll still be posting the occasional review here. (Theay also have an on-line club much like Goodreads.)
Since it's summer, I also read a book I found for a quarter at a garage sale, an account of The Beatles, written by Anthony Scaduto. He wrote the first serious biography of Bob Dylan. This book isn't nearly as good. It's basically something that reads like something someone put together on a publisher's short deadline. However, he did dig up some great quotes, and it serves neither as a hatchet job or a puff piece.
Currently I'm reading a book put out a couple of years ago by Billy Bragg, "The Patriotic Progressive." (His current album, "Mr. Love & Justice," is one of his finest, by the way.) It is pretty damn good! It gives me a more complete understanding of the history of England. Being half-English (and half-Irish), it also affords me some insight into my ancient roots, vis-a-vis the heritage of Celts, Picts and Anglo-Saxons. (Since my English relatives were from Liverpool, I'm probably "pure" Celtic.) He also tells about how he came to a love of folk music and, being the same age as me (well, 5 months younger), I find some reflection in my personal past as well in that. I'm sure that when he enters his punk-rock phase it'll jog some memories for me as well! It's hard to put down and easy to pick up again.
I got an e-mail from Alter Net the other day in which they had an advert link to something along the lines of a progressive book club. I signed-up, getting books by Studs Terkel, Carl Oglesby and Rick Pearlstein (the spelling of the names probably aren't correct) in the process. It kinda serves a need for me, allowing me access to books I see advertised in publications such as The Nation but would most likely have to order from a bookstore, if I even remembered them. However, I'm not letting you all off the hook that easy - I'll still be posting the occasional review here. (Theay also have an on-line club much like Goodreads.)