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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 8 of 8. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Destroyo on November 13, 2003, at 20:59:30
I like to read fiction that's funny, poignant, and suspenseful, but I'll settle for two out of the three. The poignancy is the rarest find, surely hardest for the author to achieve. So easy to take a wrong turn on your way to poignantville, and end up instead in maudlinburg.
I like fantasy novels, but not the sword n' sorcery kind, those of the "magical realism" school. The milieu is recognizably our familiar Earth, but strange things start to happen. I like Jonathan Carroll a lot, read two of his, *Bones of the Moon*, and *The Marriage of Sticks*
Recently read a novel by Elizabeth Hand *Black Light*, now that one blew my mind. Fascinating, and very, very moving. The characters are wonderfully compelling. Read a Kinky Friedman mystery *Kill Two Birds and Get Stoned*, really loved it, it satified all three of my values. Kinky's very popular, I read one of his novels before, it was funny and suspenseful, no doubt, but light, not especiallay moving emotionally. Kill Two Birds is also funny and suspenseful, but it's very moving and poignant too; after reading the previous novel, I was surprised. Lastly, if you dare, try to tackle Mark Danielewski's mondo bizarro horror novel *House of Leaves* The prose is EXTREMELY dense. At times, it's like trying to tunnel through granite with a popsicle stick. But believe me, I regretted not a minute I spent reading it. If you can get through the first twenty pages without defenestrating the damn thing, it's a hell of a wild ride. You'll never say to yourself when you recall it, even if you live to be 110, "I read this book once, really good, now what was the name of that book, who was the author; Oh, I forget!" It'll be burned into your memory forever.
Posted by Liligoth on November 13, 2003, at 22:45:07
In reply to Stupid Books I Read, posted by Destroyo on November 13, 2003, at 20:59:30
<snip>
Lastly, if you dare, try to tackle Mark Danielewski's mondo bizarro horror novel *House of Leaves* The prose is EXTREMELY dense. At times, it's like trying to tunnel through granite with a popsicle stick. But believe me, I regretted not a minute I spent reading it. If you can get through the first twenty pages without defenestrating the damn thing, it's a hell of a wild ride.
<snip>
thanks for the recommendation. I really like 'dense' prose & too much horror & scifi these days is pulp trash. Not that pulp is bad, or didnt used to be - I love H.P. Lovecraft.
Posted by justyourlaugh on November 13, 2003, at 22:49:33
In reply to Stupid Books I Read, posted by Destroyo on November 13, 2003, at 20:59:30
destro.
my greatest"stupid book"..
was "stupid answers to stupid questions"
al gaffee.
what me worry?
Posted by Destroyo on November 13, 2003, at 23:29:30
In reply to Stupid Books I Read, posted by Destroyo on November 13, 2003, at 20:59:30
Jaffee's great, JYL. I found an old MAD magazine paperback compilation from the late 50's in my uncle's old left behind crap at my grandad's place after he died, 25 tears ago, and you know what....it's still in print! "Mad Strikes Back", at Amazon. The 50's MAD was INCREDIBLY sardonic, and clearly aimed at adults. No question, Al Jaffee would given generously to any visiting scholars of autoanesthesiology who requested a modest stipend. The fact that this tome is still in print indicates that there IS a God (he requires that I tear out your still beating heart and place it on Alfred E. Newman's sacrificial alter, but WHAT? You worry?)
Posted by Destroyo on November 13, 2003, at 23:52:47
In reply to Stupid Books I Read, posted by Destroyo on November 13, 2003, at 20:59:30
Liligoth, I too am slavishly compelled to answer the call of Cthulhu.
Not long ago, I read a compilation of short stories *Children of Cthulhu* (2001), edited by John Pelan.
Terrific! Lovecraft would have been proud to have inspired some of these fine stories.
Posted by Liligoth on November 14, 2003, at 0:51:43
In reply to Re: Stupid Books I Read, posted by Destroyo on November 13, 2003, at 23:52:47
> Liligoth, I too am slavishly compelled to answer the call of Cthulhu.
> Not long ago, I read a compilation of short stories "Children of Cthulhu" (2001), edited by John Pelan.
> Terrific! Lovecraft would have been proud to have inspired some of these fine stories.
>
>
>
lol
oh sounds great I will check it out. I cant get enough of the stuff that is not dead which can eternal lie. DrBob is missing out on all these potential amazon links so I'll try to edit that one in
Posted by NikkiT2 on November 14, 2003, at 7:02:16
In reply to Stupid Books I Read, posted by Destroyo on November 13, 2003, at 20:59:30
Hi,
If you put two "'s each side of a book title, you can then link it automatically to amazon (when you submit you rpost, you'll get allist below your post text of the books so you can check its linked to correct book)..
If you go to the Psycho babble Books link, we've recently had a discussion on magical realism.. thats by far my favourite genre!
Thanks for the all the reccomendations!
Nikki
Posted by Dr. Bob on November 16, 2003, at 11:56:25
In reply to Re: Stupid Books I Read, posted by justyourlaugh on November 13, 2003, at 22:49:33
> my greatest"stupid book"..
> was "stupid answers to stupid questions"
> al gaffee.I'd just like to plug the double double quotes feature at this site:
http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/faq.html#amazon
The first time anyone refers to a book without using this option, I post this to try to make sure he or she at least knows about it. It's just an option, though, and doesn't *have* to be used. If people *choose* not to use it, I'd be interested why not, but I'd like that redirected to Psycho-Babble Administration:
http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/admin/20020918/msgs/7717.html
Thanks!
Bob
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