The Books thread.

Naked_Lunch · Post by **Naked_Lunch** » Thu Jun 16, 2005 1:12 am

IIRC Number of the Beast was his last novel, and I guess he was totally insane at that point.

I don't think so. TCWWTW came out in 1985 (I thought the book was excellent, btw) and I believe he had a couple more out after that.

johnnygothisgun · Post by **johnnygothisgun** » Thu Jun 16, 2005 1:52 am

Caen: Anvil of Victory, Alexander McKee.

S4ur0n27 · Post by **S4ur0n27** » Thu Jun 16, 2005 1:22 pm

Reading the 3rd installment of the new edition of the Judge Dee serie.

Spazmo · Post by **Spazmo** » Sat Jun 18, 2005 2:29 am

I now work in a library (Westmount Library to sate Susan's curiosity and STAY AWAY FROM MY LIBRARY JERKASS) as a book shelver. Consequently, I see a lot of books on every shift. Consequently, I run into books with really kickass titles, which I will inflict on you in this thread whenever I find a good one.

Today's selection, which I figure ought to appeal to the "swell guy" "lol" crowd:

There Are Jews In My House, Lara Vapnyar.

Naked_Lunch · Post by **Naked_Lunch** » Sat Jun 18, 2005 2:05 pm

A review:
Whether set in Vapnyar's native Russia or in her adopted New York, the six understated stories in this debut collection are beautifully crafted and unswerving in their exploration of human frailty. Friendship shades into resentment and then betrayal in the title story, in which Galina, a Russian librarian in a small Nazi-occupied town takes in her best friend, Raya, a Jewish woman with an eight-year-old daughter. As time passes, Galina nurses an increasing number of petty grudges, until she considers going to the Nazi authorities, practicing her small stock of German: "Es gibt Juden in mein Haus." A final shock reveals to her the terrible transformation she has undergone. On a lighter note, "Love Lessons-Mondays, 9 a.m." is about the struggle of an inexperienced young teacher ("I wasn't a virgin. Or at least I hoped I wasn't") to teach a sex education class; she relies on her Aunt Galya's explicit stories for firsthand advice she passes off as her own. In "Mistress," a boy and his grandfather, recent immigrants from Russia living in Brooklyn, escape the scrutiny of the boy's nagging grandmother by losing themselves in study, the boy in his schoolbooks and the old man in English lessons. On a walk together one day, they encounter one of the grandfather's classmates, and a word the boy has uncomprehendingly heard gains new meaning. Vapnyar only learned English after moving to New York from Russia in 1994, but her deft, subtle way with language is as remarkable as her wry, knowing character portraits.

S4ur0n27 · Post by **S4ur0n27** » Mon Jun 20, 2005 1:45 pm

Hey, so you work at the city too, eh, Spazmo?

POOPERSCOOPER · Post by **POOPERSCOOPER** » Mon Jun 20, 2005 5:54 pm

I'm thinking about getting I Am Legend, do you object?

I also was looking for a good cyberpunk book like Snowcrash.

Blargh · Post by **Blargh** » Mon Jun 20, 2005 6:09 pm

POOPERSCOOPER wrote:do you object?

Yes.

Subhuman · Post by **Subhuman** » Mon Jun 20, 2005 6:24 pm

Spazmo wrote:I now work in a library (Westmount Library to sate Susan's curiosity and STAY AWAY FROM MY LIBRARY JERKASS)

Wait, hold up. You mean the Westmount Library in London, Ontario? You mean JUST DOWN THE STREET FROM ME?

Nicolai · Post by **Nicolai** » Mon Jun 20, 2005 6:27 pm

I feel your pain, Spazmo.

S4ur0n27 · Post by **S4ur0n27** » Mon Jun 20, 2005 6:56 pm

I'm on holiday next week, I'll consider going down to see Spazmo

Spazmo · Post by **Spazmo** » Mon Jun 20, 2005 7:35 pm

Subhuman wrote:Wait, hold up. You mean the Westmount Library in London, Ontario? You mean JUST DOWN THE STREET FROM ME?

No. If I were ever to live in rural Ontario, I would have to hang myself. Westmount, QC, in Montreal (for now).

Naked_Lunch · Post by **Naked_Lunch** » Mon Jun 20, 2005 8:33 pm

I would like to add that Watership Down > You all.

Kashluk · Post by **Kashluk** » Mon Jun 20, 2005 8:55 pm

Spazmo wrote:No. If I were ever to live in rural Ontario, I would have to hang myself. Westmount, QC, in Montreal (for now).

I understand your feelings on Ontario, but what's wrong with rural?

S4ur0n27 · Post by **S4ur0n27** » Mon Jun 20, 2005 9:02 pm

It's a synonym.

vendetta · Post by **vendetta** » Mon Jun 20, 2005 9:20 pm

Sauron, Outremont is just on the side of Westmount in Mtl, isn't it? So you're just down the street from Spazmo?

S4ur0n27 · Post by **S4ur0n27** » Mon Jun 20, 2005 9:25 pm

Spazmo · Post by **Spazmo** » Mon Jun 20, 2005 9:33 pm

Outremont is French for Westmount.

Nicolai · Post by **Nicolai** » Mon Jun 20, 2005 9:59 pm

Hey, go take a picture of Spazmo and post it on here, Susan!

Kashluk · Post by **Kashluk** » Mon Jun 20, 2005 10:47 pm

YEAH!!!1