what do you read?
- Thread starter bonefishjake
- Start date
Jersey_Girl_Rides
Member
Agreed sixseven. I did enjoy the film version of No Country for Old Men. Some people are not readers, and the movie did the book enough justice for non-readers to appreciate the story.
As far as The Road goes, as a movie, there is grand potential for monotony of scenery, theme, unpalatable situations, and grayscale that audiences may not be able to tolerate. On a note about hope, though, McCarthy tends to express exuberant hope even in his darkest prose. It is not his hope we are expected to understand, though; I think we, the readers, are supposed to project our own hope, either to pro-act or react in certain situations, that carries us through such dark places as The Road is apt to bring us.
The book starts out on even the most hopeful premise: that despite the apparent loss of all other life on the planet, or at least in the portion of North America where the man and his son are wandering, humans are alive and plodding onwards - not giving up or giving in, however horrific the existence of some might be. This signals that the survival instinct is still intact. The intelligence of the Father is evident, though possibly difficult to convey on film. The curiosity and compassion of the Son is also evident, and is eminently able to be conveyed on film. His thought for the well-being of the lone dog, his horror at the people chained for meat in the basement, his moment of giving thanks for the people who left the underground bounty that he and his father found - all are signals that hope for humanity is not lost despite the great challenges that might lie ahead of us.
I think perhaps McCarthy used dark prose and situations to foil the positive message of The Road. Just because some might fall into depravity does not mean all humanity will and ultimately snuff themselves out; there is hope in every action we take that does not directly harm life for the sole intention of deriving joy from the act of harm. That becomes the means of our salvation.
Whether or not this can be expressed on film is beyond me. I am not an advanced student of either criticism or methodology as far as film is concerned. I am glad, though, that I have read the book, so I can make a more informed and appreciative critique of the film when it is released.
Jersey_Girl_Rides
Member
PS, per my long-ago post in reaction to the unfortunate suicide of David Foster Wallace, I have begun to obsessively collect his published works and devour them. I particularly love "A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again," "This Is Water," and "Consider The Lobster."
I am about 2/3 through Infinite Jest and I find myself laughing at the humorous and squirming, sometimes slightly and sometimes more visibly so, at most parts of the novel.
Wallace is able to express what I usually feel. Many of the hyper-attentive, erratic, and detailed observations that are evident in his writings are a the type of account, more or less, that I tend to make in my own everyday life.
As much as I love him, I hate him. I am simultaneously inspired, energized, tired, and depressed by what he writes. He is gifted, genius, preternatural in his talent. For each time I wish I could have had the courage to write what was in my head, I am glad that I did not have to, because he did it for me, and spared me the process and its accompanying pains and pleasures.
I am about 2/3 through Infinite Jest and I find myself laughing at the humorous and squirming, sometimes slightly and sometimes more visibly so, at most parts of the novel.
Wallace is able to express what I usually feel. Many of the hyper-attentive, erratic, and detailed observations that are evident in his writings are a the type of account, more or less, that I tend to make in my own everyday life.
As much as I love him, I hate him. I am simultaneously inspired, energized, tired, and depressed by what he writes. He is gifted, genius, preternatural in his talent. For each time I wish I could have had the courage to write what was in my head, I am glad that I did not have to, because he did it for me, and spared me the process and its accompanying pains and pleasures.
southernerinnj
New Member
My Often read authors:
Fiction -
W.E.B. Griffin - Everything except for the detectives series
Dale Brown - Everything
Tom Clancy - Only really enjoy the splinter cell series
William W. Johnstone - Ashes series
Ted Bell
Stephen Coonts
Michael Farmer
Oliver North
Non-Fiction -
Factual accounts from WW2
Factual books pertaining to the Civil War
Metallurgy and Modern weaponry books
Fiction -
W.E.B. Griffin - Everything except for the detectives series
Dale Brown - Everything
Tom Clancy - Only really enjoy the splinter cell series
William W. Johnstone - Ashes series
Ted Bell
Stephen Coonts
Michael Farmer
Oliver North
Non-Fiction -
Factual accounts from WW2
Factual books pertaining to the Civil War
Metallurgy and Modern weaponry books
ChrisG
Unapologetic Lifer for Rock and Roll
As I understand it, The Road was directed by John Hillcoat, who did The Proposition from Nick Cave's screenplay. That movie was heavy-duty shit.
I'm kind of afraid to see The Road, I think it's gonna be like getting punched in the chest. At least if they get it right.
Books: Just finished The Logic of Life by Tim Harford. "Popular economics" stuff. Now reading Shop Class as Soulcraft by Matthew B. Crawford, in which the author explores how our society has come to devalue working in the trades.
Wobbegong
Well-Known Member
+1 on that Chris. However, I feel there is no way to put that book on film in a way that compares to its power on paper.
Finished Cemetary Dance by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child a few days ago, pretty good story with some interesting characters.
I never finished reading the Odd Thomas series by Dean Koontz, so I found a discount hardcover of Brother Odd at B&N and started reading it. Really good stuff so far.
ChrisG
Unapologetic Lifer for Rock and Roll
Just finished When Giants Walked The Earth by Mick Wall, a recently published (and exhaustive) biography of Led Zeppelin. Fun reading.
Also just about done with Levitt & Dubner's Superfreakonomics. This is the 6th "popular economics" book I've read, and I'm still having fun with them. All sorts of crazy connections being made, most of which make sense to me.
Also just about done with Levitt & Dubner's Superfreakonomics. This is the 6th "popular economics" book I've read, and I'm still having fun with them. All sorts of crazy connections being made, most of which make sense to me.
axcxnj
Hipster Keys
thats prettymuch how i felt when i left theater.
on another note, i just finished the C.S. Lewis trilogy : out of the silent planet, perelandra, and that hideous strength. Awesome 3 books. if you like C.S. Lewis, read these.
for christmas my sister got me "into thin air" the story about the everest disaster in the late 90s where about a dozen people died from a flash storm.
ChrisG
Unapologetic Lifer for Rock and Roll
Still haven't seen The Road. Seems like it hasn't been slated for wide release?
Those Lewis books are classics, they were on my list for years when I was doing the Tolkien/Herbert/Lewis thing. Maybe someday.
I have a square-bound, lavishly illustrated coffee table edition of Into Thin Air, it's amazing stuff.
Last edited:
I read Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts while I was on holiday recently. I enjoyed it. Big, sprawling and very ambitious but it works.
I picked up a battered copy of The Road on the same holiday and got half way through it before heading home... So now I need to find my own battered copy to finish.
I picked up a battered copy of The Road on the same holiday and got half way through it before heading home... So now I need to find my own battered copy to finish.
ChrisG
Unapologetic Lifer for Rock and Roll
I think Mrs. G has a copy you can borrow if yours doesn't turn up.
Sweet. Thanks!
the road is one of the best books i've ever read. i will not, under any circumstances, see the movie.
Into Thin Air is an amazing book. i read it quite awhile ago and should revisit it. if you want a REALLY crazy read, another krakauer book, Under The Banner of Heaven is completely insane. i wrote a review of it somewhere in this thread. and on yet another krakauer note, i just started reading Where Men Win Glory: The Odyssey of Pat Tillman. so far so good.
chris, is superfreakanomics by the same guys that wrote freakanomics? i enjoyed that book a lot...and actually managed to learn a thing or two which is always nice.
Into Thin Air is an amazing book. i read it quite awhile ago and should revisit it. if you want a REALLY crazy read, another krakauer book, Under The Banner of Heaven is completely insane. i wrote a review of it somewhere in this thread. and on yet another krakauer note, i just started reading Where Men Win Glory: The Odyssey of Pat Tillman. so far so good.
chris, is superfreakanomics by the same guys that wrote freakanomics? i enjoyed that book a lot...and actually managed to learn a thing or two which is always nice.
ChrisG
Unapologetic Lifer for Rock and Roll
Same guys.
http://freakonomics.blogs.nytimes.com/
Check out these as well:
-The Undercover Economist by Tim Harford
-The Logic of Life also by Harford
-Naked Economics by Charles Wheelan
-More Sex is Safer Sex by Steven Landsburg
The next one on my list is Uncommon Sense by Becker and Posner
duped
that's how i feel now, having just finished Where Men Win Glory: The Odyssey of Pat Tillman by John Krakauer.
by the title you can easily tell the book is about Pat Tillman, former NFL star who walked away from a multi-million dollar career and by all accounts charmed life to join the Army Rangers. what you learn is not only the back story of how Tillman was killed by friendly fire, but how the entire incident was covered up by some of the highest ranking officials in the government...all...according to Krakauer...in an effort to win and keep support of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
i've always felt good in saying that i've worked at some of the biggest and most prestigious marketing and advertising firms in the world but i now realize that's just a sham. in reality, the single biggest marketer...the single biggest advertising agency in the world is our own government. the way that they disseminate information and the rate at which it is accepted as truth is just staggering. the greatest brand managers and advertising executives flat out pale in comparison to these guys.
that's basically my take away from this book. it is truly a remarkable read in the sense that it causes one to think twice about all the information that we are given. any book that gives you the opportunity to expand your perception of truth is a good one, at least IMHO. so, if you are a fan of Krakauer or just looking for another good book to read i would certainly recommend it.
that's how i feel now, having just finished Where Men Win Glory: The Odyssey of Pat Tillman by John Krakauer.
by the title you can easily tell the book is about Pat Tillman, former NFL star who walked away from a multi-million dollar career and by all accounts charmed life to join the Army Rangers. what you learn is not only the back story of how Tillman was killed by friendly fire, but how the entire incident was covered up by some of the highest ranking officials in the government...all...according to Krakauer...in an effort to win and keep support of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
i've always felt good in saying that i've worked at some of the biggest and most prestigious marketing and advertising firms in the world but i now realize that's just a sham. in reality, the single biggest marketer...the single biggest advertising agency in the world is our own government. the way that they disseminate information and the rate at which it is accepted as truth is just staggering. the greatest brand managers and advertising executives flat out pale in comparison to these guys.
that's basically my take away from this book. it is truly a remarkable read in the sense that it causes one to think twice about all the information that we are given. any book that gives you the opportunity to expand your perception of truth is a good one, at least IMHO. so, if you are a fan of Krakauer or just looking for another good book to read i would certainly recommend it.
Last edited:
ArmyOfNone
Well-Known Member
training and racing with a power meter. I have not read this much since the training bible...
Interesting comments Jake. I've done some reading about this topic, and the reality is that news agencies simply can't afford to staff themselves like they used to. So we, as a society, are actually partly to blame. News agencies often times have no choice but to use the Washington press releases as sources since they have no way to fact check everything that actually goes on in the world.
Imagine if you were a marketer of food products to people locked in your basement. I bet you'd be really good at it.
oh, no doubt that we are all at fault to some extent. hell, we ELECTED to put a lot of these people in place.
but with the proliferation of smart phones and other small handheld devices capable of capturing video, the days when news agencies ruled the roost are pretty much over...hence their shortage of people. they just don't need that many on staff with literally millions of unpaid "journalists" running around just waiting to get their five minutes. in theory, that should keep the government in check. at least i think.
that basement analogy is really spot on.
but with the proliferation of smart phones and other small handheld devices capable of capturing video, the days when news agencies ruled the roost are pretty much over...hence their shortage of people. they just don't need that many on staff with literally millions of unpaid "journalists" running around just waiting to get their five minutes. in theory, that should keep the government in check. at least i think.
that basement analogy is really spot on.