beachlass | (no subject)

(no subject)

Directly inspired by conversations following Kurt Vonnegut's death:

Five Authors I Haven't Read

Toni Morrison - I want to, I even have at least one of her books on my shelf, so I intend to, I just haven't yet.
Terry Pratchett - The enthuiasm with which people - some in my extended family - rave about Pratchett, makes me think I really do need to rectify this gap in my reading.
John Irving - I have no interest in Irving's books, I'd probably like them, but I've never even checked one out of the library.
Carol Shields - Canadian! Female Author! Award Winning! - Again, I've got at least one of her books (Unless) - but have not yet read it.
Salman Rushdie - Rushdie is probably at the top of the I should read this, but haven't yet list.

Tagging:

zookitty79,

lepah,

eshala,

na_no_nai,

horses_and_men, and

rainjoyous

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Oh gosh. I'm so lame I should just make a list of authors I have read instead. XD

*laughs* It's not meant to make you feel lame. It's just that I had a couple of "I always meant to read Vonnegut, but..." conversations. It reminded me that I have all sorts of books and authors that I've meant to read, or that everyone I know seems to have read except me, or that is sort of culturally assumed. (See earlier confession re: Lord of the Rings)

It's also been interesting to chat writing/reading with Americans and Brits because we've got different canons. Some of what I consider to be core reading up here - Timothy Findley, Robertson Davies, Margaret Atwood, Alice Munro - is obscure in the States.

I'm just so out of the loop when it comes to lit. A lot of my friends are into Anne Rice, but I just have no urge to read her stuff. Stephen King I did read one of his books when I was in junior high, but I'm over my little horror phase, so I doubt I'll be picking any more of those up. I have been wanting to read Irvine Welsh and Chuck Palahnuik, but that's kind of cheating since I liked the movies adaptations. XD Other than that, there's Dean Koontz and Nora Roberts books all over the supermarkets, so apparently they're popular around here. Haha. I fail.

You don't fail. Honestly. Primary school trauma notwithstanding - How can you fail at books? Especially when small children and life is factored into the equation.

XD I have the attention span of a small child, I swear. When I start reading, I usually finish it. It's just the decision to sit down and do it that gives me problems.

Toni Morrison - I want to, I even have at least one of her books on my shelf, so I intend to, I just haven't yet.

I find my reaction to Toni Morrison is very patchy; some I really liked at the time - though not apparently enough to remember the names accurately - and some I struggled with.

I suppose the connection with death is that I really ought to actually contact authors to say I like their work, particularly writers of the "classics" who may not be getting that feedback through sales any more. I wonder how Vonnegut would have taken "PLZ WR8 MooR"?

It's a good idea, to write and express appreciation - especially for authors whose books we buy used, or who we re-read off our own shelves.

Any books that you feel you ought to have read, but haven't?

The Master and Margarita; I just can't get into it though

newkate says it's worth it.

And A Suitable Boy though that's not the author since I'm blown away by An Equal Music. I'm bad with names and I think I need to keep notes of who's who as I read.

Vikram Seth - I enjoyed A Suitable Boy way more than An Equal Music...
But A Suitable Boy does mention my last name more than most books ;) And its' protrayal of Bengali culture/families is pretty accurate - all of which added to my enjoyment, especially because I had just spent 7 months living in a house with 40 relatives in Kolkata/Calcutta!

You tagged me? Teh evil!

(Tagging makes me feel like I was dozing off at the back of the class and the teacher suddenly snapped my name. One of those "Whuzzut?" moments of horror)

(And, my god, read Good Omens! Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman and the end of the world! Demons! Angels of questionable sexuality! A dog called Dog!!!)

I know! Everyone raves about him.

...sorry, all I heard was Pratchett. You haven't read it? Seriously? I don't really have room to talk, though, as I haven't read any of the other authors on your list.

Consider yourself tagged.

No, I really haven't read Pratchett, and clearly I'll be down at the library remedying that in the morning.

Seconding

rainjoyous' rec for Good Omens! It's a good place to start, either that or Guards! Guards!

Also, eep.

YOU!! You with the mesmerizing cat icons!

*stares*

You have to read at least one Rushdie novel, then, if only to experience the feeling of huge conflict brought on by unbearable annoyance and eternal love.

God, I never even think about the authors I haven't read, because O just kinda always fob that statistic off as 'too many to count'. I mean, that's what the rest of my life is for, right?

But I know I would like to be reading these people: Spinoza, Banana Yoshimoto, John Irving (is there like a universal Irving-block at work or something? XD), Ayn Rand, and Diana Wynne Jones (I know, I know, my soul is incomplete or something, I've been told).

Oooh... good list. I couldn't remember who Diana Wynne Jones was, and when I looked her up, discovered she'd written one of my all time favorite books as a kid. I don't know how many times I read Dogsbody.

oh yay! you did it :) the only one up on your list i've read is terry prachett, but only in conjunction with neil gaiman in Good Omens. it's been recommended i see. i may just have to mail you my copy if you don't have your own...*loves on the gaiman/prachett awesomeness*

sometime i can overwhelm myself thinking about all the authors in the world whose work i may never come across. i get anxious thinking about all the possibly fantastic books i might be missing. i think that solidifies my position as a 'book dork' :P

my list's on my lj of course. (because damn it, i love meme's!!!)

'Book Dork' - I think I should put that on my resume as my hobby.

I know that you already know this -- but my list is over at my lj...
But I also wanted to thank you for all of the conversations generated by the idea of this list!
*hugs in a literary way*
Now - I wonder what the non-fiction list would look like?

oooh... a nonfiction list...

Authors? Or just Books I Think I Should Read?

I believe it could be your choice...
I think that I would need to break it down into categories:
1. Theory Books
2. Science/Nature stuff
3. Random information gathering (this could include books like... musician details, or the history of living rooms, or even tracing the origins of every day things)
4. History
5. Wild Card (for things that magically do not fit into the other categories)

So ... What do you think???

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