I also want to state that I am currently suffering from “reader’s block.” I can’t seem to find a book I want to read. It’s like my short-term brain wants to read a book, but my long-term brain (I just made that term up, but maybe it gets my point across) doesn’t feel like it. So I keep getting intrigued by different books and then deciding that I don’t feel like committing to them. It’s frustrating.
What are you currently reading?
I just finished Alan Hollinghurst’s “The Folding Star” and highly recommend it. Mark’s currently reading “The Swimming Pool Library” by the same author. I read it last year and really enjoyed it too.
I’m re-reading the Chronicles of Narnia, getting ready for the movie. I’m about to start Prince Caspian. It’s easy reading, entertaining and reminds me of my childhood.
Samuel R. Delany’s memoir, The Motion of Light in Water. Lots of HOT MAN-TO-MAN ACTION! (amidst much erudition) A very accurate recounting of life in the East Village in the 60’s.
Until I Find You, John Irving’s latest…the size is daunting, but I sped through it.
I’m plodding through “The Dracula Code,” erm, “The Historian,” and I just picked up Michael Cunningham’s new “Specimen Days.”
But I’ve been in a similar boat … nothing’s holding my interest. Last gripper was “A Long Way Down” by Nick Hornby. Highly recommended.
I’m re-reading Larry Kramer’s “Faggots”, which I’m finding myself annoyed by this time around, oddly enough.
My version of reader’s block means that every time I pick up a serious book, I turn around and start reading Monty Python TV scripts or _The Complete Peanuts Vol. 3_ instead. But I’m working on Jefferson’s Demons, a brief biography of TJ that focuses on evidence of his depression and other emotional sufferings in the course of his rise to greatness. Perfect beach reading, in other words…
I’m reading “Pie” a cookbook on pies! Also a science fiction book “Airborn” about zeppelins- fun, easy reading.
Singularity Sky, by Charles Stross. Yum. And about four other things, but I always read more than one book at a time.
Hey Joe, why do you find yourself “oddly” annoyed by Larry?
Just last night I finished “Angels & Demons.” Previously I had been reading this loooooong but fascinating new novel called “Shantaram” by Gregory David Roberts. It’s autobiographical fiction about a convicted felon who escapes from prison in Australia and hides in Mumbai for a decade and gets caught up in the local criminal underground. Today I picked up “A Prayer for Owen Meany” by John Irving on a friend’s recommendation. I am also currently reading “Gay Theology Without Apology,” which I don’t recommend not only because I think it’s not really up your alley, but it’s pretty bad so far.
Right now I’m reading ‘The Children of Charlecote’ by Philippa Pearce and Brian Fairfax-Lucy because of its brevity. I’m sitting for my A levels come November. X-(
I recently suffered from reader’s-block as well. I’m now reading “The Devil Wears Prada”; which is very funny and not taxing on the brain. You are on vacation, right?
I’m not reading anything in particular, but I’m telling people to go back and read “Blue Heaven” by Joe Keenan, if they haven’t already. It’s gay-themed genre fiction that isn’t actually horrible, if you can imagine such a thing. It’s from 1988, but still very fresh. The follow-up is good, too.
“Blue Heaven” is fabulous; Keenan’s finally coming out with a third novel in the series next year.
I’m so glad to hear that there will be another Keenan book. I loved the first two so much I think I popped something inside.
I reccomend “Freakanomics.” Great book!
I’m up to page 840 of Christopher Isherwood’s Diaries Volume One 1939-1960 (First American edition 1997) – in other words: only 61 pages to go! Next book ‘off the block’: ‘Kathleen and Frank’, the diaries of Isherwood’s parents as edited by him ..
I’m also currently reading John Irving’s “Until I Find You”, but I would recommend other Irving novels before tackling the 800+ page new one. Someone else mentioned “A Prayer for Owen Meany” and I would enthusiastically recommend that one- it is among my favorite books ever- I was so effected by it that once I finished it I didn’t read anything else for weeks afterward because I knew nothing else could measure up. Some of his other books that are good are “The Fourth Hand” (much shorter and lighter than his other books), “The Hotel New Hampshire”, “The World According to Garp” and “The Cider House Rules”.
Sherrie (a librarian, natch)
I’m reading Looking for Mr. Goodbar, and I’m not sure why. I just picked it up at the library out of curiousity; I usually like novels set in New York in the 60s/70s.
Felt kind of strange though that the day I started it, Judith Rossner died.
I’d suggest heading down to St. Mark’s Bookshop on 3rd Ave (a block north of St. Mark’s) and picking up a copy of your fiction writing teacher’s new book The Singing Fish. If that doesn’t put the swim back into your swagger, then check out the aptly named book Reader’s Block by David Markson (which will be shelved just to the left of Peter Markus).
if you are still looking for a book i would recomend wizards first rule by terry goodkind i have read it a million times an it still has me hooked.