Literature (3 Viewers)

[aurelia jejune]

I really enjoyed The Blind Assassin, and I think she has great talent and ability as a writer. That said, I thought The Robber Bride was engaging and interesting but somewhat tacky; well-written pulp fiction. I started The Handmaid's Tale but never finished it, and I think her poem Journey to the Interior is nothing special. I appreciate her, but I think generally she doesn't have the same style I like, and I don't think her work is exceptional enough to be compared with the classics - although, of course, I don't think a lot of the classics are exceptional enough to be compared with the better classics, and who am I to say?

Some of my favourite books ever include: Lolita, 1984, The Grapes of Wrath, A Clockwork Orange, and The Virgin Suicides.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who doesn't care much for Austen. Everything else aside, I personally have trouble reading through endless 19th century English countryside. I, too, rarely voluntarily read anything published before the last 100 years (I don't read much published in the last 30 years either, I guess) - but I absolutely loved The Picture of Dorian Gray, and the beginnings of Anna Karenina and the original Dangerous Liaisons - which I really should get around to actually finishing soon.

Oh man, literature is awesome.
Although I tried reading The Inferno, and it sucked. In my opinion.

 

[Enlightened_One]

I quite liked My Brilliant Career by Myles Franklin. Does that count as literature, or rather Australian literature. It should, because it tears strips off Jane Austen (which I read straight after).

 

[fleepbasding]

In the holidays I read Dostoyevsky's "The Idiot". I really enjoyed it and thought it was a great novel. Well interesting protagonist.

Also read Zadie Smith's "On Beauty" which I also enjoyed. I like her writing style, nice and clever. Plus the subject matter being largely academia was fun!

Iain Banks- Dead Air. A good quick thriller/comedy with an entertaining and likable 1st person voice/protagonist.

Tried to start reading "The Rainbow" by Lawrence, but gave up. I'll have another go at it, but at the time I tried it just seemed to be too slow to get started and full of obtuse and unnesesary descriptions and metaphors/similes.

Catcher- read a few years ago. At the time I was more angsty and really liked it. I don't think it really depressed me, I probably found solace in it (or something like that). I think it's a good read.

 

[miss_unsquiggle]

I really enjoy Margaret Atwood "A Handmaid's Tale" is actually one of my favourite books and I really can't agree that her writing is in any way immature. I recently purchased "Robber Bride" and a collection of her poetry and while I did not find "Journey to the interior exceptional she is certainly a talented poet if you delve into more of her work.

I'm currently reading "Johnny Panic and the Bible of Dreams" by Sylvia Plath which is a collection of her short stories, pieces of journalism and fragments from her journal. So far it is pretty enjoyable. I also just finished "The Bell Jar" and I really liked her use of words and writing style.

Other than "A Handmaid's Tale", "The Bell Jar" is one of my favourite novels as well as "The Picture of Dorian Gray" by Oscar Wilde, "Brave New World" by Aldous Huxley, "Nineteen Eighty Four" by George Orwell and "Of Love and Other Demons" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez.

I recently read "Catcher in the Rye", I found it unsubtle and dated. While I didn't dislike it I didn't really enjoy it and I think its a bit overrated.

 

[nwatts]

I say we bring this thread up a bit ey.

I'm re-reading the divine comedy at the moment for uni. Oh, such a great text. One of my all time favourites indeed. Any other dante fans around?

 

[Benny_]

Other than "A Handmaid's Tale", "The Bell Jar" is one of my favourite novels as well as "The Picture of Dorian Gray" by Oscar Wilde, "Brave New World" by Aldous Huxley, "Nineteen Eighty Four" by George Orwell and "Of Love and Other Demons" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez.

I recently read "Catcher in the Rye", I found it unsubtle and dated. While I didn't dislike it I didn't really enjoy it and I think its a bit overrated.

I find 1984 to be pretty overrated. The concept is undeniably interesting, but the prose is oh so cringeworthy at times. Call me shallow, but so much of the pleasure I derive from reading is from good writing.

 

[fleepbasding]

Well, as I stated in another thread, I'm reading Crime and Punishment at the moment, started book 5 (out of 6 last night). Unfortunately, it really is too long, although its still a good read. I don't know, it just too long and lacks a kind of "cohesion"... But anyway, I look forward to finishing that and starting on Dostoyevsky's "The Gambler" haha... but maybe I'll read Miller's "Crucible" first. Yes, I think I'll do that.

 

[walrusbear]

I find 1984 to be pretty overrated. The concept is undeniably interesting, but the prose is oh so cringeworthy at times. Call me shallow, but so much of the pleasure I derive from reading is from good writing.

whilst i love 1984 your criticisms are pretty valid - it's hardly the best written novel ever written. for a famous 'classic' the characters are pretty thin and calls for it being sexist have fair grounds

Well, as I stated in another thread, I'm reading Crime and Punishment at the moment, started book 5 (out of 6 last night). Unfortunately, it really is too long, although its still a good read. I don't know, it just too long and lacks a kind of "cohesion"... But anyway, I look forward to finishing that and starting on Dostoyevsky's "The Gambler" haha... but maybe I'll read Miller's "Crucible" first. Yes, I think I'll do that.

crime and punishment is excellent, i thought. it's hardly too long in comparison to other russian novels, even other novels by dostoyevsky.
if you're going to read the crucible be sure to read death of a salesman too, if you haven't.

 

[absolution*]

I goddamned hate Dostoyevsky. Please dont tell me im alone in this.

 

[walrusbear]

I goddamned hate Dostoyevsky. Please dont tell me im alone in this.

well i think he's very good...
but if its any consolation noam chomsky and JG ballard are pretty awesome too

 

[libertine]

whilst i love 1984 your criticisms are pretty valid - it's hardly the best written novel ever written. for a famous 'classic' the characters are pretty thin and calls for it being sexist have fair grounds


crime and punishment is excellent, i thought. it's hardly too long in comparison to other russian novels, even other novels by dostoyevsky.
if you're going to read the crucible be sure to read death of a salesman too, if you haven't.

i see 1984 as easily one of the best books written...the depth of character is what makes the novel..how he reacts under oppression when for the msot of his life he has been "programmed" into an emotionless human with a purpose in life chosen by an external force. though, i havent read it for over a year but that was my impression of it..

 

[walrusbear]

i see 1984 as easily one of the best books written...the depth of character is what makes the novel..how he reacts under oppression when for the msot of his life he has been "programmed" into an emotionless human with a purpose in life chosen by an external force. though, i havent read it for over a year but that was my impression of it..

i think it's a novel of ideas, not characters
winston seems like a blank figure and the female character (julie??) goes no further than that notorious phrase 'rebel from the waste down' (probably got that wrong ).
i don't want to go on the record for saying orwell is a bad writer or anything because i love 1984 and i still remember being blown away when i first read it. it's just i think orwell is strong for his ideas and lucid, rather than amazing, writing.

 

[Benny_]

Agree walrusbear. For me 1984 is to ideas what Lord of the Rings is to fantasy worlds.. actually that's a pretty clumsy analogy, but you get the idea

i don't know whether this counts as "literature" as it is heavily influenced by pop culture, but the last book i read, which is now part of MY canon, was "kafka on the shore" by haruki murakami. i have to re-read it though, i'm still putting everything together.

Yay, another Murakami fan. It's nice to see he's getting more attention amongst people my age. Have you had a look at any of his other work?

 

[libertine]

i think it's a novel of ideas, not characters
winston seems like a blank figure and the female character (julie??) goes no further than that notorious phrase 'rebel from the waste down' (probably got that wrong ).
i don't want to go on the record for saying orwell is a bad writer or anything because i love 1984 and i still remember being blown away when i first read it. it's just i think orwell is strong for his ideas and lucid, rather than amazing, writing.

well i'll need to read the book again to reply to this.

as for "amazing writing" read Keep the Aspidistra Flying..its probably my favourite Orwell

and Benny_ that is a shocking analogy lol

 

[nwatts]

i see 1984 as easily one of the best books written...the depth of character is what makes the novel..how he reacts under oppression when for the msot of his life he has been "programmed" into an emotionless human with a purpose in life chosen by an external force. though, i havent read it for over a year but that was my impression of it..

Ah, no. 1984's most common criticism is that of character depth, especially that of Julia, who seems almost peripheral. The character that Orwell spends time developing and nurturing is his world. It's a novel of such richness in sensory description. We feel as if we're living under the oppression of the party alongside Winston. Winston, as a character, only serves Orwell as a vehicle to describe his world and his ideas on philosophy and politics. When reading, it's almost as if his characters are arbitrary. Orwell matches philosophy with brilliant descriptive language. His character development falls by the wayside.

 

[walrusbear]

Mmmm I think I want to read "Wind Up Bird Chronicle..." or "Dance, Dance, Dance" next, but "Norwegian Wood" seems to be the go with my reading club. I knew I had to check out Murukami after all the hype surrounding "Kafka...". Murukami's the sort of writer I aspire to be. Unfortunately, I am lacking in the talent department. Oh well.

i'm sure everyone here wishes they were as good as murakami

it's interesting you mentioned earlier that you're unsure whether he counts as 'literature' (i think he does). supposedly in japan he's criticised by the literary establishment for being to 'pop'. i guess he's like a nick hornby figure over there.