The Bar Towel

MatttthewGeorge wrote:I try to read the Giller Prize shortlist every summer, as they're Canadian and usually quite different from what I regularly read (ie classics, non-fiction, graphic novels, etc).

I just finished The Sisters Brothers by Patrick DeWitt, and highly recommend it. Before that I read Half Blood Blues by Esi Edugyan. A great story poorly told with an unsatisfying ending, sadly. I was going to read The Antagonist by Lynn Coady next, but my wife just finished it and said I would hate it, so I'm going to pass.

Next up is The Sentimentalists by Johanna Skibsrud, which won the previous year but I was never able to get around to it.

The Sisters Brothers is excellent. Somewhere between Charles Portis and Cormac McCarthy and Jonathan Lethem.

The majority of my reading tends to be fiction, but this summer I've been keeping it light and reading mostly non-fiction and biographies. A few that I've finished so far:

Class (Paul Fussell)
The Way You Wear Your Hat
Mr. S - My Life with Frank Sinatra
Not Taco Bell Material
Getting Things Done (haven't finished it yet)

As for fiction I'm almost finished with the latest Guy Vanderhaege novel 'A Good Man', and after that I might check out Skagboys. Thanks for the tip, I wasn't aware that a Trainspotting sequel/prequel book had been written. I loved Trainspotting, and Filth was good too.

Streets wrote:As for fiction I'm almost finished with the latest Guy Vanderhaege novel 'A Good Man', and after that I might check out Skagboys. Thanks for the tip, I wasn't aware that a Trainspotting sequel/prequel book had been written. I loved Trainspotting, and Filth was good too.

Did you read "Porno"? It's a sequel to "Trainspotting" that came out about 10 years ago. It also has some connections to and shares some characters with "Glue", which came out a year or two earlier. Welsh seems to have a way of connecting all of his work in one way or another.

Streets wrote:Not Taco Bell Material

Stern, Right? I knew it. is it a good book?

Currently I am reading Titanic, The Canadian Story by Alan Hustak at lunch at work and Three Sheets to the Wind at home by Pete Brown. Enjoying both. On deck is Tecumseh and Brock by James Laxer about 2 of my favourite heroes of the War of 1812.

Munrets, I too love hearing what others are reading. Gives me some good books to add to my own list of books to read

I've currently got two books on the go.

Shucked - Life on a New England Oyster farm

and

We Need To Talk About Kevin

Very different but both very good.

For non-fiction I just finshed Empire of Illusion by Chris Hedges, which was great. Something you would read and ponder while sippin' on a complex porter or stout.

Fiction has been lighter with the Thursday Next series from Jasper Fford. Currently on the third book, The Well of Lost Plots. Interesting characters and a humourous and clever writing style. If you've read The Hitch Hiker's Guide and enjoyed it, you'll probably enjoy this series too. Lots of quirky fun that goes well with an IPA on a hot day.

The Mick wrote:For non-fiction I just finshed Empire of Illusion by Chris Hedges, which was great.

One of my favourite from last year, a lot of his writing is excellent. I worked on a documentary about journalists in combat that he was featured in...that guy has seen quite a bit in his life.

Cool. What's the documentary called?

The Mick wrote:Cool. What's the documentary called?

It's called "Under Fire: Journalists in Combat", the director is Martyn Burke, who wrote "Top Secret" (yes, that "Top Secret") and "The Pirates of Silicon Valley" they did have a screening in Toronto when it was done, and there was a three part CBC version done (probably would only play once in the middle of the night for funding purposes). I was the online editor/colourist.

I'm about half-way through Turn Right at Machu Picchu by Mark Adams. A fun travel + history read that is pretty funny at times.

Just started Here Comes Trouble - Michael Moore's memoir...

It's actually pretty interesting how involved in politics he was at a very early age.

saints_gambit wrote:

MatttthewGeorge wrote:I try to read the Giller Prize shortlist every summer, as they're Canadian and usually quite different from what I regularly read (ie classics, non-fiction, graphic novels, etc).

I just finished The Sisters Brothers by Patrick DeWitt, and highly recommend it. Before that I read Half Blood Blues by Esi Edugyan. A great story poorly told with an unsatisfying ending, sadly. I was going to read The Antagonist by Lynn Coady next, but my wife just finished it and said I would hate it, so I'm going to pass.

Next up is The Sentimentalists by Johanna Skibsrud, which won the previous year but I was never able to get around to it.

The Sisters Brothers is excellent. Somewhere between Charles Portis and Cormac McCarthy and Jonathan Lethem.

Picked this up from the library and about 60 pages in, great book so far.

It's been a busy summer, but I've managed to squeeze some reading in. I've read:

-"American Fascists: The Christian Right and the War on America" by Christopher Hedges
-Reread "1984"
-Reread "Brave New World"
-"Inherent Vice" by Thomas Pynchon.

Now I'm working on four copies of "The Watchtower" that a co-worker has given me. I think she wants to save my immortal soul or something.

Just finished Jeff Lemire's "The Underwater Welder."

It was okay, but nowhere near Essex County. That book was full of genuine sadness, rivalling the best work by Chris Ware.