- Finished this - brilliant, sharp, caustic but compassionate, uproariously funny, and written in a very original and distinctive voice. Enjoyed it very much. I now have a crush on Sarah Vowell.
- Finished this. His writing is brilliant. It manages to be both dense and bubbly at the same time. It's like a gold bar mixed with a glass of champagne. It leaves you dizzy.
My To-Read List
My project for the spring, composed of books and authors I've never read. I'm working on that, though.
Comments and faves
(afm) (38 months ago | reply)
I'm reading a Sarah Vowell book right now - it's great.
misspudding (38 months ago | reply)
I love the Great Gatsby!
hmf284 (38 months ago | reply)
I wish I could make myself read more fiction. I too have never read Kerouac or Garcia-Marquez. I heard Sarah Vowell interviewed about this book - it sounded worth reading. & the back-story behind Audrey Niffenegger getting Time Traveler's Wife published as a first time novelist is quite interesting.
Kevin H. (38 months ago | reply)
@afm - I've heard about her and have been curious to check out her writing.
@misspudding - It's pretty appalling that I've never read it, especially given my English minor.
@hmf284 - Thankfully, there's always time to correct our literary oversights. Assuming we don't get runover by trucks, anyhow.
kimberlyfaye (38 months ago | reply)
Out of all those pictured, the only one I've read is the Time Traveler's Wife. I loved it. The Great Gatsby has been on my list of books to read for quite awhile. Since I got my Kindle, I've downloaded a bunch of classics I've either never read (all the Jane Austen novels... yes, if there's such a thing as a "girl card" I should have it taken away) or can't remember reading, though I'm sure I did (Great Expectations, etc.). I look forward to hearing what you think about The Road, Love in the time of Cholera and On the Road. I've been interested in reading those as well.
Pixilista (37 months ago | reply)
Wow - those are some great choices!
Kevin H. (37 months ago | reply)
Thanks! I'm trying to plug some of the holes in my literary and pop culture education.
Marcellina. (37 months ago | reply)
Excellent choices!! I'm eager to hear what you think about them. I'm not much of a Gabriel Garcia Marquez fan, but my hubby is - he has almost all of his published works. I tried to read The Road before the movie's release...couldn't get through it, too slow. Again, my hubby loved it. LOL! I plan to get my hands on Neverwhere soon. My guys and I are comic book fans, so I'm hoping Neil Gaiman doesn't disappoint. ^_^
@ kimberlyfaye:
I can relate about the Jane Austen novels, my "girl card" was shredded and burned years ago. LOL! Plus I'm a chick who doesn't like to shop so I'll probably never get my "girl card" back. HAHAHHA!
kimberlyfaye (37 months ago | reply)
Kevin H. (37 months ago | reply)
Marcy - I've heard that Marquez is very much a guy's writer, kinda like Hemingway in that regard I guess.
Kim - Try "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies." Every time it starts to get dull they throw in some martial arts and undead slaying action.
Mr_Darling (37 months ago | reply)
Oh...nice collection! And it's eerily similar to the few I've read or attempted:
High Fidelity: The only book I've read more than once. Love.
The Road: Read it in 4 days. A record for me.
TTTW: Another one I tore through. Not typical for me.
Gastby/Cholera/Neverwhere: Started but never finished.
volcanojw (37 months ago | reply)
I'm doing my Mayflower heritage duty and reading Vowell's 'The Wordy Shipmates' right now, I've always loved her on This American Life. It's a great book.
The Road made me want to die, but in a good way.
Gatsby: Love.
Cholera: Meh, could go either way.
The rest, I have not yet read...
Kevin H. (37 months ago | reply)
Jim - I'm trying to decide if I should read "High Fidelity" early on or save it to give me more of an incentive to read the others. I love the movie, but then who doesn't? And it's never too late to finish a book!
JW - I'm reading "Assassination Vacation" now and loving it. She's so sharp, smart and funny that it's hard not to burst out laughing in public when I read it. I have to confess I've never listened to This American Life, or any other NPR program really. I know, I know! That's something else I need to work on.
volcanojw (37 months ago | reply)
Start with a smattering of these excellent podcasts on your daily commute:
RadioLab (genius)
Wait Wait Don't Tell Me (hilarious, and news-related)
This American Life (obv)
(afm) (37 months ago | reply)
@JW - I just finished Wordy Shipmates! It was really fun. I've got Assassination Vacation queued up, too. And to your excellent list of podcasts (I'm actually going to a taping of WWDTM in June!), I would also add All Songs Considered, which is one of my faves.
Kevin H. (37 months ago | reply)
Ooh, thanks for the podcast recommendations JW and Anne. I'm adding them to iTunes now.
hmf284 (37 months ago | reply)
Today's NYT has an interesting slide-show on "Cartagena, Colombia, the city that fueled the fiction of Gabriel García Márquez."
glassrose106 added this photo to their favorites. (23 months ago)