The Book Thread Book • Page 155

Finished On the Road. 6.5/10. Wasn’t in love with it. Prose was amazing and I see how it would inspire love for travel, but certainly a wandering narrative.

Starting The Bell Jar. I’ve never really been a reader in my life so I’m trying to catch up on classics, specially ones related to music I love. Only a few pages in but enjoy it so far

 

This is always my number one example of an author who can write a perfect sentence but a thousand perfect sentences don’t add up to a great story.

 

The Bell Jar is amazing. On the Road is meh. I'm not huge on Kerouac.

 

Is there any other Kerouac books that you’d recommend that maybe have a tighter story?

 

I tried The Dharma Bums last year and it was very similar to On the Road, both from a sentence-level and narratively. I’ve heard that his other books that didn’t gain as much popularity are “his best,” (haven't read them) but that doesn’t necessarily mean from a plot standpoint. He was part of the Beat Generation, so generally that stuff is more language-driven.

 

I actually haven’t read anything else by him.

One thing that is fun about On the Road is catching all of the song titles and lyrics that emo bands lifted from it.

 

yeah I read naked lunch last year and talk about no plot haha. Yeah started with beats just because of their clear influence on music I love from the 70’s-80’s, but yeah, it’s definitely a time and a place thing. I think if I read it when I was younger, I’d like it more

 

I read Naked Lunch on my honeymoon cruise. Strange book that will now always be associated with that otherwise wonderful time.

 

there needs to be a playlist of this

 

Spitalfield putting “I Loved the Way She Said LA” and “Stolen From Some Great Writer” back to back is an A+ joke.

 

I actually prefer language-driven stuff but only a few of the Beat authors actually hit for me for whatever reason. Ken Kesey is one.

I also have Naked Lunch on my shelf, will have to get to it at some point.

 

I re-read Naked Lunch earlier this year and I found it to be a chore. Not for me.

 

you should watch the movie lol. wild stuff

 

def found it to be a chore as well

 

Any vintage book people in here? It’s taken everything in me as a recovering vinyl addict to not go crazy on vintage books now haha

 

I treasure my first/hard copies. It’s dope when I’m out book-shopping and the books I want are vintage or early editions. But I don’t go out of my way to look for them.

 

I don’t really go for specific editions outside of liking all books in a series to match. I did stumble on a first edition of In Cold Blood at a library sale once though.

What I really love is a used book that has someone’s note or inscription in it.

 

I just love a cool cover. I’m such a sucker for that

 

Cover reveal for my upcoming poetry collection published by Kelsay Books, out soon (official date still unclear but either October or November). Feel free to like/share/follow to support

 

Congrats, thats awesome! Really enjoyed the last one so will be picking this up!

 

Really loving the bell jar. Plath is a master of simile and how being descriptive actually adds to the depth of the story and not just for aesthetics

 

Also sorry to everyone who is super advanced. I just started reading last year so I’m trying to catch up on the stuff I missed in high school when I would just ask the smart kids for their answers to quizzes lol. I’m out here probably with the coldest book takes of all time haha

 

The number one rule of reading is don’t apologize for what you’re reading. The number two rule of reading is don’t judge others for what they’re reading.

 

that’s very validating thank you :)

 

If you just started reading for pleasure and you’re enjoying Plath, I think you’re going to be just fine.