What are you thinking of reading this year?

[Smeraldina Rima]

Similar to buttgammon's new books in 2023 you're looking forward to thread but for non-new books and your areas of aspiring interest. Do you want to get into new things (in genre, historically, geographically, linguistically etc.) or read lots of books by a single author or anything like that?

[Glebe]

I'll have to finish Dune!

[Video Game Fan 2000]

Brandom which means I'm going to do the Ph des Ge again - gave up last year
The Man Without Qualities is going to finally get a bash
headroad into Laruelle's Philosophie I - Machines Textuelles and Au dela le principe du pouvoir are up, never reading this guy in english again fuck that. all due respect to the translators. ive "noped out" out of most he's written since the mid 90s as the kids say.
gonna reread some Jane Austen over the summer I reckon for a treat, probably whack through some Simenon for the same reason
finally gonna decide which translation of No Longer Human I wanna have a pop at
Mulligan Stew came up, but there's a few other big "20th century experimental but not pomo exactly" ones I've never done and I should - Hopscotch comes to mind

bunch of shit for research and all that. had it in my head to give all notion of keeping up with contemporary big name theory the heave ho and just reading like... bachelard and greeks for a year. probably not going to happen since there's too much brain tinsel around to distract me from doing anything so sensible.

honestly after being ill and completing a long research thing id hope this year would finally be the year where i pull novels off the shelf and say "this looks cool, ill read it" and read loads of stuff that i really shouldve by now. but no im a thick cunt back on my programmatic reading of hegel horseshit

[buttgammon]

I'm liking Gerald Murnane at the moment but I've only read two of his books so far so I'm hoping to take a deeper dive into his bibliography this year.

[13 schoolyards]

Just like every other year, I swear this is the year I'll finally finish Gravity's Rainbow and/or Infinite Jest and/or the last half dozen Neal Stephenson novels.

And then give up and just read a bunch of comics instead (maybe this is the year I'll finally read those Love & Rockets collections).

[Magnum Valentino]

I was working through Cormac McCarthy but it takes so much concentration that when I get a break from the children I just want to read something easy so it looks like this year will be Chandler's Marlowe books for me.

Planning on reading Peter David's Incredible Hulk run (mentioned by S. Lee on Standup Comedian) this summer now the whole thing's been collected in four big fat books. Sandman as well, which I'm about halfway through.

[Sebastian Cobb]

Reading that Johnny Mains book had an afterword on what influenced the character he created, basically a mixture of George Harvey Bone from Hangover Square, George Smiley and Richard Aickman.

So I'm going to do some sniffing around those, I've already read Hangover Square quite some time ago. And Have picked up a copy of Aickman and Elizabeth Jane Howard's book of Ghost Stories We are for the Dark with the intention of reading a bit of both of their works (and maybe biographies) if it interests me. Then I'll do some sniffing around Le Carre I think.

Aside from that, I keep meaning to read the non-fiction book Dopesick and continue on with Henry Miller's Obelisk stuff having read Tropic of Cancer last year.

[Vodkafone]

I'll have to finish Dune!

It's worth it, I reckon. I toyed with the idea of re-reading them all, but decided to restrict it to the first one.

I plan on making a start on some early De Lillo and reading no. 5 of Knaussgaard's My. Struggle.

I also got Nothing on Earth by Connor O'Callaghan from a chazza and hope to read that in one sitting, as seems to be recommended.

[dontpaintyourteeth]

Got a big pile of Bukowski poetry books I suppose I should finish. Whisper it though: I think he's a bit rubbish? Or not for me, probably.

Still haven't gotten anywhere with Alan Moore's Jerusalem, a book I have owned since its release date. So that as well.

Don't want to put anyone else off but I have decided that life is too short for me to ever actually finish a Pynchon book besides The Crying of Lot 49. Have in my time started and failed to finish Vineland, V, Gravity's Rainbow, and Inherent Vice. Again, probably not for me.

David Keenan's Monument Maker, The Books of Jacob by Olga Tokarczuk, The Recognitions by William Gaddis and Underworld by Don DeLillo are all staring at me from the bookcase. Always like the idea of a great big fuck off book but I never seem to get around to most of them. At least I did 2666 last year, which was fucking amazing, to be fair.

Have also been getting through a fair amount of Target Doctor Who novelisations so probably more of those.

[Herbert Ashe]

Been trying not to buy books recently to try and get through the unread stuff a bit, got a few more lined up next:

Couple of Daniela Hodrová books that I want to read before trying to get to Prague later this year.
Also a couple of Jacques Roubaud (The Loop, Mathematics) which I got from a remainder bookshop in Brighton that's been closed for at least 5 years, so fuck knows how long they've been gathering dust.
Wild Geese Returning (Michèle Métail) on Chinese Reversible Poetry. Been saving this one up until I splurge on a decent Classical Chinese dictionary and spend some time working through it attentively.

Probably also continue the pre-modern Chinese Literature kick I've been on since lockdown: Julia Lovell's new translation/abridgment of Monkey, the Yang & Yang translation of Dream of Red Chamber (read the Hawkes-Minford one plenty, time for a change), maybe even Water Margin.

Things that I'm pretty sure will still be sitting on the shelf in a year include the 1st volume of Proust, and a biography of Edgar Varese which I must have had for 15 years without even getting close to bothering to read.

[Vodkafone]

Got a big pile of Bukowski poetry books I suppose I should finish. Whisper it though: I think he's a bit rubbish? Or not for me, probably.

Still haven't gotten anywhere with Alan Moore's Jerusalem, a book I have owned since its release date. So that as well.

Don't want to put anyone else off but I have decided that life is too short for me to ever actually finish a Pynchon book besides The Crying of Lot 49. Have in my time started and failed to finish Vineland, V, Gravity's Rainbow, and Inherent Vice. Again, probably not for me.

David Keenan's Monument Maker, The Books of Jacob by Olga Tokarczuk, The Recognitions by William Gaddis and Underworld by Don DeLillo are all staring at me from the bookcase. Always like the idea of a great big fuck off book but I never seem to get around to most of them. At least I did 2666 last year, which was fucking amazing, to be fair.

Have also been getting through a fair amount of Target Doctor Who novelisations so probably more of those.

As you're probably aware, I think Underworld is fucking brilliant. As do Famous Mortimer and buttgammon.

[Pink Gregory]

Crime & Punishment possibly, if I can find the copy we inevitably have.  Maybe see if I can chase up Vasily Grossman (I was working in Waterstones when a newish translation of Life & Fate came out, sounded interesting)

Some more Angela Carter probably, I've started Gormenghast and intend to finish it, a few more things that Repeater put out.

Not very ambitious but I think I'll beat last year's record of one (x1) book.

[Sebastian Cobb]

Whisper it though: I think he's a bit rubbish? Or not for me, probably.

Never read his poetry (kind of intrigued), but I read Post Office and it didn't do much for me.

[Famous Mortimer]

As you're probably aware, I think Underworld is fucking brilliant. As do Famous Mortimer and buttgammon.

thumbsup.jpg

The further I am from the occasionally / often confusing experience of reading "The Recognitions", the more I love it. I'd recommend it (it's a much less easy read than "Underworld", though).

Never read his poetry (kind of intrigued), but I read Post Office and it didn't do much for me.

I've read most of his fiction, but almost none of his poetry, and I was working for the Post Office at the time (I had a nice clean office rather than a mail route, though, and wasn't an alcoholic). I liked his style, although I'm not sure I'd ever want to revisit him.

Still haven't gotten anywhere with Alan Moore's Jerusalem, a book I have owned since its release date. So that as well.

I read the first 50 pages or and the sheer density of simile descriptions of things just began to bore me. I was begging him to find a different way to write, and in the end I just gave up. Maybe this year?

the last half dozen Neal Stephenson novels.

This is my aim for the year, too. I loved the Baroque Cycle and "Cryptonomicon", but for no good reason haven't read anything of his since then. Time to change that.

[dontpaintyourteeth]

As you're probably aware, I think Underworld is fucking brilliant. As do Famous Mortimer and buttgammon.

Yes many people tell me this! Only DeLillo I've read is The Body Artist, which did absolutely nothing for me, which probably didn't help. I will try and read Underworld this year for sure.

[Video Game Fan 2000]

The Recognitions by William Gaddis

recommend this one

[dontpaintyourteeth]

I read the first 50 pages or and the sheer density of simile descriptions of things just began to bore me. I was begging him to find a different way to write, and in the end I just gave up. Maybe this year?

I think my problem with Jerusalem is that I can't stop myself from comparing it to Voice of the Fire, a book I absolutely love. It's a bit... let it all hang out in comparison, do you know what I mean?

[dontpaintyourteeth]

Crime & Punishment possibly, if I can find the copy we inevitably have.  Maybe see if I can chase up Vasily Grossman (I was working in Waterstones when a newish translation of Life & Fate came out, sounded interesting)

Some more Angela Carter probably, I've started Gormenghast and intend to finish it, a few more things that Repeater put out.

Not very ambitious but I think I'll beat last year's record of one (x1) book.

Read Crime & Punishment for the first time last year, absolutely devoured it, five stars, highest possible recommendation.

[dontpaintyourteeth]

It's worth it, I reckon. I toyed with the idea of re-reading them all, but decided to restrict it to the first one.

I plan on making a start on some early De Lillo and reading no. 5 of Knaussgaard's My. Struggle.

I also got Nothing on Earth by Connor O'Callaghan from a chazza and hope to read that in one sitting, as seems to be recommended.

Just remembered I read part one of My Struggle last year, with every intention of finishing the whole cycle this time (I failed to do this when the books came out, stalled somewhere in the middle). I have not started the second one yet. Gulp

[Vodkafone]

Just remembered I read part one of My Struggle last year, with every intention of finishing the whole cycle this time (I failed to do this when the books came out, stalled somewhere in the middle). I have not started the second one yet. Gulp

I mean, don't feel compelled. The first one is the best in my opinion. 2 is also very good in a "I can't believe he's actually writing this, I should look away" sort of way. Returns a bit diminished in 3 & 4, though 1 & 2 are so good this is not a big problem for me.

[dontpaintyourteeth]

I mean, don't feel compelled. The first one is the best in my opinion. 2 is also very good in a "I can't believe he's actually writing this, I should look away" sort of way. Returns a bit diminished in 3 & 4, though 1 & 2 are so good this is not a big problem for me.

It did always feel like an ambitious thing, to try and maintain that level of quality for that long, and I guess it's not a surprise if it doesn't. Really, really liked The Morning Star from last year though, so I'm still on his side either way.

[Vodkafone]

Just remembered I'd wanted to read another Gerald Murnane. I've read Border Districts and have read that he returns to similar themes in a lot of his books - any recommendations for another one to read?

[buttgammon]

Just remembered I'd wanted to read another Gerald Murnane. I've read Border Districts and have read that he returns to similar themes in a lot of his books - any recommendations for another one to read?

His collected short stories are awesome.

Border Districts is the one I have lined up next.

[Vodkafone]

His collected short stories are awesome.

Border Districts is the one I have lined up next.

Cheers pal. Border Districts changed my perception of the world in a way that few books have. An amazing mind and writer.

[Famous Mortimer]

Cheers pal. Border Districts changed my perception of the world in a way that few books have. An amazing mind and writer.

This is a heck of a Wikipedia line:

In June 2018 Murnane released a spoken word album, Words in Order.[10] The centrepiece is a 1600-word palindrome written by Murnane, which he recites over a minimalist musical score. He also performs works by Thomas Hardy, Dezső Kosztolányi, DEVO and Killdozer.

[Vodkafone]

Bloody hell, that was unexpected. As was Gerald Murnane reads How I Wrote Elastic Man by The Fall

[Ferris]

Finishing From Hell by Alan Moore.

The sheer weight of the thing has put me off more than once.

[buttgammon]

Bloody hell, that was unexpected. As was Gerald Murnane reads How I Wrote Elastic Man by The Fall

That is incredible - what a strange thing for him to do!

[Vodkafone]

That is incredible - what a strange thing for him to do!

Interesting how well it works as spoken word though. Wouldn't have put Murnane and The Fall together though!

[buttgammon]

Interesting how well it works as spoken word though. Wouldn't have put Murnane and The Fall together though!

Me neither! Presumably he's a fan.