What BOOK are you reading right now?

Noisy Outlaws, Unfriendly Blobs, and Some Other Things...That Aren't as Scary, Maybe, Depending on How You Feel About Lost Lands, Stray Cellphones, Creatures from the Sky, Parents Who Disappear in Peru, a Man Named Lars Farf, and One Other Story We Couldn't Quite Finish, So Maybe You Could Help Us Out



A collection of stories for wise young people and immature old people, written by favorites of all ages: Nick Hornby (High Fidelity, About a Boy), Jon Scieszka (The Stinky Cheese Man), Neil Gaiman (The Sandman, American Gods), and many others. Each story features color illustrations by a different artist, including Barry Blitt, Marcel Dzama, and Lane Smith.

Lemony Snicket adds an introduction and a story of his own -- at least, he starts one, and then it is up to the reader to finish. The story appears on the inside of the dust jacket; you add your own thrilling, joyful, or disgusting ending. The jacket then folds up into a fancy envelope, addressed to us. Our favorite ending will receive a fabulous prize of some sort.

How's it going, spike? Have you learnt anything new (as opposed to what we read in the papers)?

That title should have read: They F**** You Up.

I didn't follow the papers closely enough to get more than the events. Leigh Sales gives the rationale behind the decisions made. I'm finding it fascinating. So much of it was facesaving at various levels.

Thanks, spike.
I might get hold of a copy, too. It's had very good reviews.

hmmm. Seaglass is reading Five O'Clock Angel, a collection of Tennessee Williams letters to long time friend Maria St. Just. Fascinating peek into the psyche of a tortured, alcoholic writer.

I bought Diahanne Carroll's The Legs Are The Last To Go. Haven't started reading it yet. Just don't seem to have time to read books and novels. Bought Goldie Hawn's autobio two years ago and haven't read it yet. I buy books for the days when I will have time to read again, whenever that may be.

This looks great! All the names I recognize (Lemony Snicket, Jon Scieszka, Barry Blitt, Lane Smith) are people I like. (OK I recognize Nick Hornby and Neil Gaiman too but haven't actually read any of their stuff.)

Oh and just looked it up and see it's put out by McSweeney's -- also a fave!

I think I have enough books for sozlet already this year but I'll add it to my wishlist as a possible use for holiday money...

Hold off for a couple of weeks and we'll find a way to get it to you. It's not the sort of book to treasure and reread.

the stories are geared more for adults or teens

Thank you, spike!

The Weetzie Bat Books - all of them in one volume. It belongs to my daughter (age 20; she's had it for years) but she told me to read it. I'm having a hard time... the sad parts make me really cry.

Also Russka, by Edward Rutherford. I've read it before, also his Sarum and London books, but they're all worth a re-read.

Set's been reading the books by Rutherford. I'm waiting to get at 'em.

I've been trying to read The Colony of Unrequited Dreams about Newfoundland. I'm not doing very well with it. I may never find out why it won so many awards.

I probably enjoyed The Forest, by Rutherfurd even more than London or Sarum.

Haven't read Russka. How does it compare?

I tried to read the Irish one a few months ago and just gave up. I'll never know if it was my mood or the book's fault.

"Almost a Miracle" by John Ferling

I never get attached to Rutherford's characters. They just don't flesh out for me and make me care what happens to them. The few times I did get interested in someone he killed them off to make room for a new character.

I've just started "Payback" by Margaret Atwood. Too early to say if I like it. It's not a novel, but rather the history of the concept of debt.

I read a review of Payback a few days ago, Green Witch. Sounded a very interesting concept to me. I'm a HUGE fan of her novels & was interested in what she might have to say on the subject. (Sounded very expensive - here, anyway - for a slim book of essays.) I might request that my local library purchase it, rather than buy it myself. Could you let us know what you think after you've read some more, please?
Thanks.

one of my cousins gave a copy of Payback yo my mother, i'm gonna read it, but it's not top of my list right now

Then I'd love to hear what you think of it, too, djjd!

Just finished Primo Levi (who knew I'd get engrossed... highly engrossed, raving, actually) and Luisa Valenzuela (v. good writer, much more controlled, with a horrendo last short story... the book very tuned).

Resting with New Yorkers...

May attack a thick Borges next.