Obscure recommendations rock!
Once upon a time, in a land far, far away (Kentucky,) Eian recommended a book. A book he claimed I might enjoy, a book entitled The Unbearable Lightness of Being, by Milan Kundera. Being of the absorbent nature I am I quickly rushed out to buy, and read within mere days, this phenomenal piece of literature. Months later, as the creased, battered, over used book gathered dust on my shelf, he once again brought the work to my attention, asking if I’d liked it, and if so, if I felt he should read it. This struck me as odd, even betraying, him not having read a book he previously suggested and even encouraged I read. It makes no difference to me now, and in fact, I thank him for it. I’m sure I would have one day stumbled into the puzzling and rewarding world of Kundera without his praise, however, he simply accelerated the process. It’s funny though…I wonder if he’s picked up a copy yet.
I take recommendations from friends very seriously. Hell, I take recommendations from anyone seriously. Prof. Carney noticed me reading Calvino before class one day and dropped Thomas Pynchon into my list of must reads. A girl in my Modern Thought and Culture class opened my eyes to Clem Snide, and I’m sure, to this day, she has no idea how far her extol traveled. Kristen forced me into Jacqueline du Pre, “Camp Counselor” Brooke (actually my intern coordinator, not, a counselor at all) turned me on to Bill Bryson, Mary forced me to analyze the photography of Braco Demitrivec and an unknown bookstore clerk indirectly enlightened me on the nature of If Nobody Speaks of Remarkable Things through, at most, two sentences of abstract critique strategically placed within the recent publication sections of Politics and Prose. I wonder if all people are so greatly effected by the praise of others. If all people rush out to research, purchase, download, works others of merit, friendship or even anonymity, drop as nonchalantly as obscure references in academic jargon.
Anyway, that’s me. I’m that girl. The girl who rushes out to waste her money on virtual unknowns in hopes that I’ll appreciate them as much as the next guy, or at least, as much as the person responsible for forcing me to open my limitations of all that is artistic. That being said…any recommendations from my adoring fans?
I take recommendations from friends very seriously. Hell, I take recommendations from anyone seriously. Prof. Carney noticed me reading Calvino before class one day and dropped Thomas Pynchon into my list of must reads. A girl in my Modern Thought and Culture class opened my eyes to Clem Snide, and I’m sure, to this day, she has no idea how far her extol traveled. Kristen forced me into Jacqueline du Pre, “Camp Counselor” Brooke (actually my intern coordinator, not, a counselor at all) turned me on to Bill Bryson, Mary forced me to analyze the photography of Braco Demitrivec and an unknown bookstore clerk indirectly enlightened me on the nature of If Nobody Speaks of Remarkable Things through, at most, two sentences of abstract critique strategically placed within the recent publication sections of Politics and Prose. I wonder if all people are so greatly effected by the praise of others. If all people rush out to research, purchase, download, works others of merit, friendship or even anonymity, drop as nonchalantly as obscure references in academic jargon.
Anyway, that’s me. I’m that girl. The girl who rushes out to waste her money on virtual unknowns in hopes that I’ll appreciate them as much as the next guy, or at least, as much as the person responsible for forcing me to open my limitations of all that is artistic. That being said…any recommendations from my adoring fans?
posted by Chishiki Lauren at 6:46 PM
5 Comments:
I've been trying to subtly steer you toward Charles Bukowski's poetry, and what I've read of Haruki Murakami fiction seems promising. My friend Dan, who shares our opinion of authors like Vonnegut, has read most of Murakami's novels and quite likes them.
Hmm ... I'm trying to think of other authors you may not have read. Walter Mosley mostly does detective fiction, which I'm not particularly into, but his non-detective novels with Socrates Fortlow, Always Outnumbered, Always Outgunned and Walkin' the Dog are fantastic.
I'm not sure whether you've read Bret Easton Ellis' American Psycho, and I'm not entirely sure whether you would like it. In fact, I'm still haven't decided whether I liked it, but it was an interesting read, nonetheless ... Have you read anything by Hanif Kureishi? I haven't myself, but I've been meaning to add The Buddha of Suburbia to my stack of books as more than one person has recommended it to me. If I get around to it, I'll let you know ...
Brian - I don't believe I've mentioned it before, but I do in fact, somewhere, own a copy of Love is a Dog from Hell, though I have as of yet to read it, partially due to the fact that I'm thousands of fucking miles away. I have a Modest Mouse song to blame for that one. But maybe I'll order You Get so Alone at Times That it Just Makes Sense, considering it's received decent reviews. If I only had access to an English library...think of the damage I could do.
Jonny 4sooth - Kundera is, by far, and for reasons I can't adequately explain, one of my favorite authors. I have in fact read The Book of Laughter and Forgetting, but not The Art of the Novel, which surprises me...so thanks for the rec, I'll look into it. Amazon is going to love me.
music: charles mingus, bassist, composer, life-force. "mingus ah um". "kind of blue" is great and I understand why that's always suggested as an introduction to jazz, but mingus ah um, from the same era, is bursting with life and passion, is sexy as hell and angry and fun.
littacher: harry crews. "a feast of snakes." seriously grotesque americana.
Pat - I agree Charles Mingus' 'Mingus Ah Um' is fantastic, and sexy as hell. My favorite is, by far, Jelly Roll(just something about it,) with Self Portrait in Three Colors a close second. I'll have to check out the book though, it's new to me. Danke!
de nada! have you gone on to mingus' masterpiece, "the black saint and the sinner lady"? goddam! I tell you, goddam!
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