The Book Thread Book • Page 120

i’m really interested in that Saunders book! keep us posted

 

I actually haven't read them which I'm sure makes me a #fakefan, but obviously their reputation precedes them

 

considering trying to get through fanged noumena this year just to see if I can

 

If you were blown away by Amanda Gorman like I was, her poetry book is up for preorder.

 

She killed it.

 

Bought a bunch of DeLillo books recently and planning to do a deep-dive, I've somehow never read any of his work before. Gonna read something light after I finish this damn Pynchon and then jump into some DeLillo. I got Great Jones Street, The Names, White Noise, Libra, and Mao II.

Thinking of going in this order: 1) The Names 2) White Noise 3) Libra 4) Mao II since those were published in that order during what is considered his peak, and then I'll circle back to the earlier Great Jones Street if I dug the others. But if there's any DeLillo heads in here, feel free to suggest a different order or give me some stuff to look out for!

 

not at all suggesting that you start with Great Jones Street if you're thinking of going in another direction, but it would be a somewhat light introduction to his style compared to some of those others. I do have to mention that it wasn't my introduction to him and I still have to read a few of the ones you mentioned, myself. you can't really go wrong with DeLillo tho. he's one of our very best novelists

 

Alright. I’m finally getting back into reading. I just finished The Elementals yesterday by Michael McDowell, really liked it. I have Angels by Denis Johnson arriving tomorrow. I think I’m gonna do A Spy Came in From the Cold after that.....I’m gonna buzz through some of the suggestions here but does anyone have anything that I MUST READ.


Looks like Don Delillo is a must? What’s he 3-4 best?

 

Robert Walser’s The Tanners was quite honestly unlike anything I’ve read before. Somehow captures the transient nature of all tedium, joy, and dreaminess in life. Walser spent his final years in a psych ward, disturbed by voices in his head. Yet, the prose is hopeful, airy, filled with optimism. Meandering is the kinda the whole point of the book, so not much of a plot, but a joy to read.

 

Go Tell it on the Mountain was astounding. the final section is wild, nearly psychedelic in a hauntingly religious kind of way. Baldwin's prose is so powerful and precise. Like Giovanni's Room, I have a feeling this is one I'll think about for a long time and re-read a bunch as the years go by.

 

Anybody familiar with Stuart Turton? I'm gonna start his newest this next week

 

Psyched to have had this interview featured on The Poetry Question. We spoke about my recent poetry chapbook Palm Lines, the ideas behind the poems, universality, the bliss of self-dissolution, and more

Please check it out if you're so inclined.

“AN EXERCISE IN LEARNING TO SURRENDER.” TALK TO ME: JONATHAN KOVEN

 

Been reading Marguerite Yourcenar’s Memoirs of Hadrian. Short but dense, seems like a real literary achievement. Anyone ever check it out?

 

I did the second half of my list today! #5: Last Year's Books, pt. 2

 

very nice. I have been intrigued by The Memory Police for a while now but haven't read it yet. your brief review makes me want to change that

 

The Croning by Laird Barron

Just finished this.

Incredible, and terrifying.

 

Finished Maggie Nelson’s Bluets. Loosely-connected lyrical essay/meditation on the color blue, with disparate narratives about a sexually-charged ex-relationship and her close friendship with a quadriplegic friend. Lots of disjointed quotes and references here, many of which don’t seem to connect as neatly as the author intends, or maybe it just went over my head. Maggie Nelson’s writing is beautiful, though, so I enjoyed the ride for the most part. I found myself occasionally disagreeing with her, noticing its tendency to revel in melancholy and cynicism.

 

I recently finished reading A Head Full of Ghosts and LOVED it. Was wondering if anyone could recommend another horror novel with a similar atmosphere as that one.

 

If you haven't read Paul Tremblay's other works i'd recommend them after it. I read Cabin at the End of the World directly after and loved it.

 

A Head Full of Ghosts is so good

 

I agree. Feel like it's going to stick with me for a while.

Yeah, I think that one might be next up for me. Does it have supernatural/paranormal elements to it? Seems more like a cult story by the synopsis, but I could be way off lol

 

As far as i remember, its been a while, there's not many (if any) supernatural-esque elementals. It's more of a cult-y, end of the world suspense book that really gets you thinking "is this really happening?" which i guess its like HFOG.

 

Definitely sounds like something I'd enjoy. Thanks!

 

I remember checking out Cabin At The End of the World from the library when it first came out and never got around to reading past the first couple pages. Been meaning to get it again, especially since it's fairly short