What are we reading?

[a.santi]

Just finished reading:

Apparently, this was recently featured in an episode of Lost? I had no idea 'til I did a Google search. I bought it because of the cover, and the author's obsession with Louise Brooks. It's quite short (just over a hundred pages) and I thought it was a beautiful metaphor for cinema. Mmm.

oooooh...thats one of the best of argentine literature. what you think of it??

[MacGuffin]

I bought it because of the cover, and the author's obsession with Louise Brooks.

Does he go into this obsession? Good timing, because I've been going through my Criterion Pandora's Box lately.

[Gold Trumpet]

That's my favorite Louise Brooks picture (and it was hers too), but the picture is tortured because it doesn't show the man who was reading to Louise. The contrasts between the two people is what made the picture amazing, but it's lost in that cover. It doesn't even show all of Louise herself.

She's a personal hero of mine and I'm glad more people on the board are becoming aware of her. Anyone who wants further reading about her, should read the excellent biography by Barry Paris. Also, a must read is her collection of essays called, Lu Lu in Hollywood. It has one of the best essays ever about Humphrey Bogart.

[The Perineum Falcon]

oooooh...thats one of the best of argentine literature. what you think of it??

I pretty much summed up my feelings before, so I'm not sure what to expound on, but I'll give it a try (sorry if it's not satisfactory). And I hope I'm stepping around any spoils (at least they won't be explicit):

I certainly don't believe that i understood everything, and soaked up all it's meanings, because there seems to be a number of things at play here (especially something having to do with Argentina), but the cinematic allusions were what touched me the most. And, i guess, that would be the best word to describe it: touching. As silly as that sounds, it's the most succinct adjective to apply here (albeit, a bit simplifying). The idea of Cinema and what it could mean for Love is beautiful and the most memorable thing about it.

And that's about as far as the Brookes connection goes: she's never mentioned by name in the story. She is mentioned in reference to the author's personal infatuation on the back cover, and you certainly get a sense of his "obsession"--his feeling for this woman--but there are no explicit dedications to her. If she weren't mentioned by name on the back (or featured, lovely, on the cover), you'd never know. But, having that tidbit adds to it all the more, and made it a bit more identifiable for me. I understood that. And his dedication to her is not only a beautiful tribute to a woman, but to Cinema, if you ask me. (think Godard+Karina)

And GT, I found your observations very interesting, in terms of how perfectly the cover relates to the story itself, drawing another allusion to Brookes and Bioy Casares' tale. There is a reason it's edited like that, trust me, and it makes me appreciate the image all the more.

Definitely pick it up, and read it in one sitting.

[cinemanarchist]

The new McSweeney's App. Not sure if $5.99 is really worth it for six months, but you get short stories early as well as shorts that will appear in Wholphin. Something new each week in addition to easily readable versions to the stories on the website. Good little time-waster and I'll do pretty much anything to help them stay afloat.

[a.santi]

hmm...so interesting.
I read that book years ago, and I read it without knowing of Louise Brooks (my book has a different cover) and definitely not thinking of cinema. What got my attention was the whole idea of eternity and repetition (or eternal return) and how it relates to obsession.
for such a short novel it deals with a lot of interesting topics. Can't remember many things having to do with argentina...

And now that you mention it...the metaphore of cinema is quite obvious, and really beautiful. I havent thought of it before.

Now I want to read it again, will do it on the weekend.

[The Perineum Falcon]

I don't have it with me right now, but I believe Argentina or something was mentioned in sort of a rush, like a page and a half or something. It didn't add up to much for me, though I'm sure there was a theme there that ran thru it that I just couldn't pick up on. It may not even have been Argentina, incidentally, but I'll check on that.

[Champion Souza]

So far I like it a lot.  There are a lot of essays about his thought process towards film making.

[Reinhold]

i read Candide by Voltaire a little while ago. It's a great read for vonnegut fans as it was one of the most influential works to/on/for him. it's a very quick read full of rape, absurd violence, and endless despair but is definitely worth checking out.

by the way, welcome Champ... introduce yourself

[polkablues]

by the way, welcome Champ... introduce yourself

He's way ahead of you on that one.  http://xixax.com/index.php?topic=2.msg232122#msg232122


Anyway, currently reading:


So far it's not as good as I hoped.  It's very disjointed and most of it feels like a first draft.  He goes into all the same themes and ideas as in his stand-up, but more than anything makes you appreciate how much funnier his delivery makes his material.  I don't want to sound too negative about it, though; there's still plenty that's making me laugh.

[ᾦɐļᵲʊʂ]

Image lines were incredibly hit or incredibly miss.  Savage Dragon was one of those incredible hits.  Also:  The Maxx, anyone?

[pete]

finally they translated starting point!  it's one of my favorites!

[Champion Souza]

by the way, welcome Champ... introduce yourself

Yeah, I made a few posts here a long time ago.  I've been lurking off and on since then.  This site has always been my main place for film news.

finally they translated starting point!  it's one of my favorites!

Have you read it before in another language?

[pete]

yes in Chinese.
I was at a book store in Seattle and he had another book out called midpoint.  it was in a red cover I think.
I went on to read a few writers he talked about in the book.  you should do the same if their works were translated as well.

P, the book is out now.  go find it dude.

[Pas]

I have a hard time reading long books sometimes (or something like that)

I was having the hardest time finding the will to finish Anthem by Ayn Rand and I recalled I had bought the audiobook years ago. But I figured out later that I hate audiobooks. But... I put on the audiobook AND the book together and it wasn't too bad. Probably the lamest, most 2nd grader way to read a book but some are just hard.

So yeah, for what it's worth