The Spiritualized Book & Comic Club

All of the above.

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Stuart X.Hunter
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The Spiritualized Book & Comic Club

Post by Stuart X.Hunter »

Hi...are you sitting comfortably? Right, lets prop those tortoise-shell rimmed glasses back up to the bridge of our noses and dive in...

Have 3 on the go at the minute (and for sometime, right bunny ben!).

Kafka - The Trial (1 quarter read)
Philip K. Dick - The Man in the High Castle (just started)
Huxley - A Brave New World (4 fifths read)

I'm a novice reader...I used to be voracious as a young un with those Micahel Hardcastle football books but now I struggle to finish one...like the idea of making my mind up how things turn out, i guess.

Might be nice (if interested) to pass on books when you've read them...kinda like a library...but with looser return/finishing dates.

Anyway, enjoying the "matter-of-fact-ness" surrounding Josef K. trial and questioning so far. As a character he doesn't seem unperturbed by the fact that he's done nowt wrong and subjects himself to interference from authorities without question. Quite like Kafka method when describing scenes/apartments.
The first 2 chapters reveal (unknowingly) a large amount of information in The Man in the High Castle. Chuckle at the authors oversight of words when narrating through the mouth of Tagomi and also at the haughtey-ness of Childan...in his social desire to be elevated higher than what he is.
I'm at the stage in BNW where the savage or John's "mother" (can't say that word) or Linda has just died. Haven't touched it in a while...got a bit concerned after "they" turned on Bernard with "there" whispers...maybe it'l all work out.

For the future; can anybody recommend a decent travel writing book...perhaps not travel writing...but a story that centres 'round a culture/way of life interpreted by someone not familiar with said culture or way of life? I once read (then gave away and now cant relocate) Edward Marriot' "Shark Fishing In Nicaragua".

Well...I'm away to pop on a secondary fair-isle pullover as it's a bit perky in here...
Last edited by Stuart X.Hunter on Mon Apr 14, 2014 11:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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ebbsandflows
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Re: The Spiritualized Book Club

Post by ebbsandflows »

I really liked The Trial when i read it. It's utterly barking though - a most confusing but thoroughly worthwhile book. Brave New World is, of course an awesome classic. I read it the same time as 1984 and must confess to preferring the latter. Both top books though.

I'm currently a bit stuck. I started reading David Copperfield about 6 months ago and have stalled - i'm loving it but i think it's a book for holidays when you can read a lot at a time. I need a shortish pacey book. A page turner to get me back in the spirit of things so to speak. I've heard good things about Phillip k Dick, I always enjoy Iain M Banks. Any recommendations?

I must confess i know nothing of travel writing - sorry.
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Re: The Spiritualized Book Club

Post by Stuart X.Hunter »

Yes, The Trial does seem as if it's going too (perhaps already has) descend into madness.

As for Dick...this is my first. *ahem. Can't comment on any others but I believe Ubik or VALIS will be the next one I tackle...just trying to avoid the film based ones at present.

A fast paced read? Last was The Wasp Factory, which i'm sure you'l have read. Maybe a Rebus novel...Strip Jack was quite gripping if I remember.

Two of the most pleasant reads I have had are Dharma Bums and To Kill A Mockingbird but i'm more intrigued nowadays with isolationism and desolation and the human response to it...hence the crap I read.

Generation X was decent enough but probably a little tame in reality
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Re: The Spiritualized Book Club

Post by sunny »

Those are all great books you're reading. You've made me realise I need to re-read them too, since I have forgotten so much.

I'm not reading any novels right now. In fact I need to find one for my next tour (in 1 day)... Any recommendations? I tend to read slightly easier stuff when I'm traveling- funny and plot driven.

At home I'm reading whatever I found in my second hand bookstore this week...So right now it's;

'The Born-Einstein Letters '. I loved this when I was younger, I'm so happy I found it again. I am totally nostalgic about letter writing. No one bothers any more. Well, I do- but I don't ever get a response (in writing that is).

Image

'Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead' by Tom Stoppard. It's such a funny screen play. They showed the film again recently on TV.

Image

'One Robe, One Bowl'-the Zen Poetry of Ryokan. Excellent poetry by a drunken master. Spiritual man and a total pisshead (I guess I can relate, haha).

Image


'Mughal Miniatures'- A book with prints and descriptions and history about Mughal art.
Image
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ebbsandflows
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Re: The Spiritualized Book Club

Post by ebbsandflows »

As a book on isolation and somewhat in theme with your current books is "One day in the life of Ivan Denisovich" by Solzhenitsyn. If you've not read it yet then do so. Although it might be worth waiting for winter to experience the full effect. Proper isolation etc. If you DO read it then couple it with Slaughterhouse 5 by . . . ummmmmmm (help me google) ah, Kurt Vonnegut. Again, a must if you've not read it. Pretty funny in places too - so it goes.

Now if I were going on tour, i'd (after congratulating myself on reaching a lifetime goal) take some random 2nd hand book shop books but i'd also take the guilty pleasure of a Stephen King (sorry but there - i said it). Paolo Coelho is always good for moving around, travelling and general Nomad-like lifestyles but not very funny. Stephen Fry's books move with a pace and are often pretty funny - although if you don't like the man you won't like the books. "The stars tennis balls" is a modern adaption of the Count Of Monte Christo and is much better than that sounds. Dickens is genuinely funny - some of the funniest passages i've ever read - but IT IS NOT fast paced and tends to ramble somewhat. hmmmmm, not much help eh?

I'va got The Wasp Factory but have not read it and am too scared to open it - do you think it's time?
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Re: The Spiritualized Book Club

Post by runcible »

I have 2 hours of bus rides every day so I'm consuming books really quickly at the moment. Been reading thrillers mostly. Anything by Robert B. Parker always works - the best detective series I know.

Last couple of months:
Ken Bruen - London Boulevard
Natsuo Kirino - Out
Colin Harrison - The Finder
Joseph Finder - No Hiding Place
Joseph Finder - Paranoia
Robert Harris - Ghost
Johnny Glynn - The Seven Days of Peter Crumb
John McLaren - Black Cabs
Robert B. Parker - The Judas Goat
Robert B. Parker - Thin Air
Anonymous - The Book With No Name
Toby Litt - Beatniks
Scott Smith - The Ruins
Ewan Morrison - Swung
Mark McNay - Fresh
Brian Freeman - Immoral

The Wasp Factory is a very good read - start it today!
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Re: The Spiritualized Book Club

Post by sunny »

Thanks! I haven't read any of Stephen Fry's books, so I might give that a try. The Wasp Factory is great- read it! I was reading Paolo Coelho on my last trip. I might grab one of Runcie's thrillers too.
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Re: The Spiritualized Book Club

Post by bunnyben »

a book about travel that i've been recomended is '7 years in tibet' by harrer- spose to be the best insight into tibet- mr musik if you can wait possibly months then once i've read i can send it off to you- warning its burried under a pile of books including the complete short stoires of j.g ballard- a writer i'd strongly recomend.

i've just finished 'the gospel of the red man' -the natieve american bible- such a beautiful world that the white man destroyed- maybe the red man was eden?

also before that i read a book of zen poetry. han shan is awesome- so simplistic yet so beautiful.

next a book that was leant to me 'cider with rosie' by laurie lee- no idea what it's about but it was highly recomened to me by my previous manager who probs wants it back soon so i best read!
'raging and weeping are left on the early road
now each in his holy hill
the glittering and hurting days are alomst done
then let us compare mythologies
i have learned my elaborate lie
of soaring crosses and poisened thorns'
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Re: The Spiritualized Book Club

Post by bunnyben »

oh ofcourse- travel lit heart of darkness by joseph conrad- such a beautiful book- the prose is exquisit
'raging and weeping are left on the early road
now each in his holy hill
the glittering and hurting days are alomst done
then let us compare mythologies
i have learned my elaborate lie
of soaring crosses and poisened thorns'
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Re: The Spiritualized Book Club

Post by bunnyben »

ebbsandflows wrote:but i'd also take the guilty pleasure of a Stephen King (sorry but there - i said it).
the shining is my favorite book ever
'raging and weeping are left on the early road
now each in his holy hill
the glittering and hurting days are alomst done
then let us compare mythologies
i have learned my elaborate lie
of soaring crosses and poisened thorns'
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Re: The Spiritualized Book Club

Post by sunny »

Speaking of guilty pleasures... what is everyone's guilty pleasure (in terms of reading)? I used to have a real soft spot for comics when I was younger. I am still tempted on occasion. I have been reading Neil Gaiman novels too lately. :D
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Re: The Spiritualized Book Club

Post by ebbsandflows »

Isn't it though! Mrs ebbsandflows made me read it a couple of years ago - my first Stephen King. I have never been so scared of words and pages (and bricks and mortar). Good God. Amazing - pisses on the (great in itself) film, in a similar way to 2001 book and film.

*shudder*
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Re: The Spiritualized Book Club

Post by laid back in the sun »

while you're in kafka mode 'the castle' is another excellent read, 'america' on the otherhand didn't grab me quite so much tho. as for a loosely travel related book you could do worse than 'everybodys boswell' which documents dr samuel johnstons (compiler of the first english dictionary) trip round scotland, my copy must be nearly a hundred years old but im sure a modern edition is bound to exist
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Re: The Spiritualized Book Club

Post by gottafire »

If you wana read a decent Stephen King try 'Hearts In Atlantis' very good in my opinion
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Re: The Spiritualized Book Club

Post by Stuart X.Hunter »

Curses...crappy pc...just lost a long(ish) post at draft version :evil:

Ben; happy to be patient regarding the 7 years in tibet book...you'll end up with ABNW at the same time.
EDIT: Oh and how did that book by...erm...was it robert j lifton turn out?

Sunny; my jaw drops when you mention artists/authors...feels like you trawl the universe leaving no corner unturned...guess it's more knowing where to look. My guilty pleasure is an annual read of To Kill A Mockingbird...my copy is one stolen from the school library. For some reason I'm very proud pf my adolescent clepto tendancies. Also, batman comics/graphic novels seem to be drawing me in of late...

Runcible; thats quite a list...how are the Finder books?...the titles appeal to me.

Ebbs; have added your recomendation to a mental (or mental) list. Oh and get reading the Wasp Factory. If you enjoy the kind of underlying barren landscape painted...you may also enjoy a book called the Cone Gatherers by Robert Jenkins. I have this somewhere.
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Re: The Spiritualized Book Club

Post by Mustard »

A great travel book is 'Danziger's Travels' by Nick Danziger. He recieves a scholorship of such and travels overland through Europe, Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, Tibet & China. Travels with the Mujahadeen(?) through Afghanistan when it was occupied by the Soviets. Well worth a read.
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Re: The Spiritualized Book Club

Post by Stuart X.Hunter »

Mustard wrote:A great travel book is 'Danziger's Travels' by Nick Danziger. He recieves a scholorship of such and travels overland through Europe, Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, Tibet & China. Travels with the Mujahadeen(?) through Afghanistan when it was occupied by the Soviets. Well worth a read.
Ahh...nearly bought that the other day...I enjoyed the parts of Long Way Round (MacGregor/Boorman) when they left Kiev to Volograd, Almaty, Ullan Battar, Yakutsk and Magadan.

Ta Muchly
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Re: The Spiritualized Book Club

Post by runcible »

eleKtroniK:musiK wrote:Runcible; thats quite a list...how are the Finder books?...the titles appeal to me.
I just realised that Paranoia is in the vast pile of 'to read' books by my bed, but I read 'No Hiding Place' which was pretty good. It's second tier in terms of it's power - Ken Bruen's stuff is more gritty.

And Mark McNay's 'Fresh' was a superb read. Sory of Irvine Welsh-esque but less druggy and more worrying in some ways. I have the new Welsh book to read in the afore-mentioned pile too.
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Re: The Spiritualized Book Club

Post by bunnyben »

damn refresh

the lifton book was amazing. given me a lot to think about. it had a concept called 'doubling' where a person has two personalities. in the case of the drs the hyopcraitc dr commited to saving lives and the cold blooded killer. when analysing my own life i see i do it to a leeser extent which is terrifying for how can one know that one would not be manipulated by onself to carry out such atrocities. also a lot of geocide in the world comes down to low self esteem which again is terifying.

another good travel book (in the geographical and metaphysical sesnes) 'conversations with stalin' here you see the journey of stalin from a mild pschopathic killer into a true monster (worthy of mr king himself!)

and anyone else reading this who wants travel lit- on the road by kerouac. big sur is a better book but on the road is a must!

i partularly like my star wars comics...
'raging and weeping are left on the early road
now each in his holy hill
the glittering and hurting days are alomst done
then let us compare mythologies
i have learned my elaborate lie
of soaring crosses and poisened thorns'
ebbsandflows
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Re: The Spiritualized Book Club

Post by ebbsandflows »

Best book I ever read travelling was The Glass Bead Game. Incredible book, but one of those where the first three quarters is a bit of a plough but then the last quarter is like absorbing magic through the page. Utterly enlightening and life changing though. And rather nicely (if one is travelling in that direction) dedicated to "travellers to the east".

And of course on the Spz web board one must mention Sophies World.
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Re: The Spiritualized Book Club

Post by sunny »

Cool ebbs! I have loads of choices now... hopefully the bookshop at Kings X station will have one of them. 'I'm leaving on (jet plane) slow train'. :D
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Re: The Spiritualized Book Club

Post by SpacemanRob »

Really enjoying Dean Wareham's biography - Black Postcards.

One of the best biographys since Julian Cope's Head On. Full of abject honesty and self-deprecating humour. A brilliant insight of being in a semi-successful 'indie' band and beyond. Full of fabulous inter-personnel issues of being in a band and captivating in reading about a time and bands we all love. For anybody that has a little time on thier hands to read a great account of being in at least 2 of the best bands in the last 20 years this is a must.

Enjoy!
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Re: The Spiritualized Book Club

Post by ebbsandflows »

I've never really had the urge to read biographies. Maybe i'll try one day.

I've just (last week) realised that what i thought was The Wasp Factory is actually The Crow Road. Is it worth taking this on hols or should i hunt down the wasps?
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Re: The Spiritualized Book Club

Post by bunnyben »

i'm readin the koran (qu'ran)
'raging and weeping are left on the early road
now each in his holy hill
the glittering and hurting days are alomst done
then let us compare mythologies
i have learned my elaborate lie
of soaring crosses and poisened thorns'
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Re: The Spiritualized Book Club

Post by Hedspace »

Alan Carr : Easyway To Stop Smoking


fingers crossed
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Re: The Spiritualized Book Club

Post by ORBITAL »

Magick by A Crowely
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Re: The Spiritualized Book Club

Post by sunray »

ebbsandflows wrote: should i hunt down the wasps?
A question that could get you into trouble in some parts of the world. :wink:
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Re: The Spiritualized Book Club

Post by Sim »

ebbsandflows wrote:I've just (last week) realised that what i thought was The Wasp Factory is actually The Crow Road. Is it worth taking this on hols or should i hunt down the wasps?
Definitely recommend Crow Road. Kind of marked the second phase of Iain Banks' writing. Whereas the earlier Wasp Factory, Canal Dreams, Walking on Glass, Espedair St were almost 'cult' books, Crow Road marked a shift into more mainstream fiction- longer book by far than any of the earlier ones and an almost conventional storyline (although with Banks' twists thrown in). Plus it starts with the brilliant piece about his grandmothers funeral. This and Complicity are the only two of his later phase (not counting the SF, which is still fantastic) that I have returned to.

As an aside, for some reason when I first saw Fran Healy of Travis on TV, I thought that he was exactly how Prentice from Crow Road would look.
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Re: The Spiritualized Book Club

Post by norrin radd »

i've just finished 17 by bill drummond (yes, klf burn a million quid bill) and it's fantastic, for anyone who loves music and has pondered on its future, and "accepts the contradictions" this is a must.

also have to give praise to 45, his other music/diary book.
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Re: The Spiritualized Book Club

Post by Ian »

The Blind Watchmaker by Richard Dawkins - the seventh book of his I've read in the last seven months. All superb.
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Re: The Spiritualized Book Club

Post by sunny »

I just bought 'The Blues Highway', travel book to come with me in my RV......wroooooom! I am so excited about my roadtrip I doubt I'll get any sleep till Sunday. :D
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Re: The Spiritualized Book Club

Post by gally »

the huxley book is great impudent strumpet indeed
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Re: The Spiritualized Book Club

Post by sunny »

Leaves of Grass- by Walt Whitman.

Was going to post one (poem), but having a hard time picking... :D
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Re: The Spiritualized Book Club

Post by norrin radd »

i am thoroughly enjoying bill drummond (klf) and mark mannings (zodiac mindwarp) travel diaries of their holy journey to the north pole to place a picture of Elvis and hopefully bring about world peace through his sacred image transmitting the cosmic love vibes through the laylines down through the planet, the book is called "bad wisdom" this is one you should read before you leave the planet, trust me
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Re: The Spiritualized Book Club

Post by sunny »

norrin radd wrote:i am thoroughly enjoying bill drummond (klf) and mark mannings (zodiac mindwarp) travel diaries of their holy journey to the north pole to place a picture of Elvis and hopefully bring about world peace through his sacred image transmitting the cosmic love vibes through the laylines down through the planet, the book is called "bad wisdom" this is one you should read before you leave the planet, trust me
That sounds very cool! Thanks for the tip- I'm going to get that. :D
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Re: The Spiritualized Book Club

Post by norrin radd »

sunny wrote:
norrin radd wrote:i am thoroughly enjoying bill drummond (klf) and mark mannings (zodiac mindwarp) travel diaries of their holy journey to the north pole to place a picture of Elvis and hopefully bring about world peace through his sacred image transmitting the cosmic love vibes through the laylines down through the planet, the book is called "bad wisdom" this is one you should read before you leave the planet, trust me
That sounds very cool! Thanks for the tip- I'm going to get that. :D

The second part of this trilogy is also fantastic (i read this first) it's about them going into the congo in order to get their souls back from the devil, that one's called "the wild highway" I love all Bill Drummond's book's, he's a fucking awesome writer, he resonates with me, his book "45" is also worth checking out
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Re: The Spiritualized Book Club

Post by sunny »

:lol: :lol: I'm certainly liking your descriptions- the 'plots' sound really funny. Thanks again!
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Re: The Spiritualized Book Club

Post by sunray »

Yeah, Bill Drummonds "45" is hilarious. Well it is to me anyway. :D
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Re: The Spiritualized Book Club

Post by bunnyben »

i'm reading 'a freewheelin' time' by suze rotolo. so far a very interesting book
'raging and weeping are left on the early road
now each in his holy hill
the glittering and hurting days are alomst done
then let us compare mythologies
i have learned my elaborate lie
of soaring crosses and poisened thorns'
Stuart X.Hunter
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Re: The Spiritualized Book Club

Post by Stuart X.Hunter »

I'm enjoying currently "Run" By Jeff Abbott

Maybe for fans of the Bourne stuff (sais so on the book)...intelligence and unrecognised security factions of the CIA etc and members of paramilitary groups...good characters, nice weaving off plot/storylines, fairly fast-paced...yeah enjoyable.

Think he has another 5 books out

Best,

Stuart
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Re: The Spiritualized Book Club

Post by runcible »

I read 'Fear' and 'Panic' by him last year. They are good books, possibly a touch formulaic, and pretty exciting. I did find the similarities slightly off-putting - the hero has no one he can trust and is on the run being the main theme. I'll read another sometime I'm sure.

I seem to be reading lots of books by Boston writers for some reason. Robert B Parker, Joseph Finder, Tess Gerritsen, Michael Palmer - all of whom write really good thrillers (Parker is more detective). I'm into Joseph Finder's 'The Moscow Club' at the moment which is excellent.

I just finished 'The Treatment' by Mo Hayder last week, which was so harrowing and unpleasant it started to creep me out, but it's good nonetheless, and very worrying. Heavy child abuse as subject matter is always going to be a hard read.

The last non-fiction I read was 'Staring At Sound' which is a Flaming Lips biography by Jim Derogatis. Incredibly interesting generally although I found most of the Soft Bulletin (and beyond) period rather dull as it seemed to brown nose that whole era, as well as claiming Hit To Death In The Future Head was a rather unsatisfying record (which it most definitely isn't). It also didn't leave me with too much respect for Wayne Coyne who, although not without talent, seems a real control freak - the whole read rather reaffirmed my opinion of the Flaming Lips in fact. Jonathan Donahue and Ronald Jones were the key to the genius records the Lips made and without them I find little that satisfies me.
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Re: The Spiritualized Book Club

Post by SpacemanRob »

Been travelling with work this work and read a lot. Took Dave Simpsons's The Fallen with me. Never been a huge Fall fan but really enjoyed the book. Written from a fans pespective and from somebody that loves the Fall as much as we love Spz. Same sort of desire to understand MES as much as we would love to understand Jason. Came away and listened to some long forgetton Fall records and must admit many are brilliant. Nice easy read and again like Julian Cope's brilliant auto-biographies, Mark Mannings books as discussed in this thread, Bill Drummond for being very 'readable' but still a basterd and Dean Wareham's subtle auto-biography a good read.
Fascinating start to a chapter as below:
'I spent yesterday in Liverpool interviewing Spz singer/mainman Jason Pierce, another mystical musical talent with a reputation for hiring and firing. He drank an inordimate amount during and after the interview, and i couldn't help laughing at some of his explanations for why he goes through so many musicians - admittedly, most of them are hired for projects, rather than group members. He complained that 'most of them seem to think they should be playing stadiums by now but that's not what it's all about" "He sounded just like MES."

On a similar note watched Control on the flight back and we need the charisma of MES, Jason and Pete to keep music alive.


Cheers


Rob
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Re: The Spiritualized Book Club

Post by runcible »

Has anyone read 'Kill Your Friends' by John Niven? It's the most cynical look at working in the music industry imaginable and is set in 1997 with a blizzard of cocaine, booze etc. as a backdrop. The main guy hates every band he signs, every song he hears and everyone he encounters and is interested in nothing bar making money, taking drugs and fucking women. Pretty gratuitous in places but utterly hilarious throughout as he continually spouts his warped viewpoint about everything and everyone. Not to be missed...
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Re: The Spiritualized Book Club

Post by Luminescence »

I'm currently reading 'Pies & Prejudice' by Stuart Maconie. Really quite interesting after the initial Northerners v Southerners twaddle. Goes onto detail various towns and cities around the north of England. Informative and witty.
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Re: The Spiritualized Book Club

Post by SpacemanRob »

A True Classic - Bad Vibes - Luke Haines

I have no doubt a few of you would of purchased this but this is one of the best biographies since Head On. Fabulously egocentric maniac with a wonderful self-deprecating humour. Loved The Auteurs but this has no bearing on a great British eccentric that nearly conquered the world but didn't.... Just they way we always like it!

Also remembering the fabulous e-mail tennis with $26 about Blur, Luke argues my case so much more eloquently than i ever tried for. I wish this book existed 5 years ago.

If the regulars to this board don't enjoy this, then they will never enjoy anything!


And, as a byword after wondering how you could love The Auteurs more, everyone should have a copy of the Denim album Back in Denim. I am sure i mentioned before but an absolute master-piece!!!!
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Re: The Spiritualized Book Club

Post by sunny »

Bought a book with Paul Bowles' letters entitled 'In Touch' on my recent visit to New York. The Oscar Wilde bookshop in Greenwich Village was closing down (sad news that) and had a clearance- $3!

I also bought 'Artaud on Theatre' and 'Andre Gide- A life in the present' and Gore Vidal- 'Palimpsest'.
'Come and rock and roll me over, Let's get this damn job over.'
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Re: The Spiritualized Book Club

Post by Shaun »

John O' Farrell ~ An Utterly Impartial History of Britain: (or 2000 Years of Upper Class Idiots in Charge)

I've been trying to read this, on/off, for a few months now. Can't quite get into enough to want to keep an interest in it, but the book is well written and quite witty.
What more can the heart of a man desire?
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Re: The Spiritualized Book Club

Post by simonkeeping »

I have developed an obsession with books by gabriel garcia marquez. I was reading "'Love in a time of cholera' on the tube (last few pages to be exact) on my way to work and i didn't want to lose the flow of the story so I had to sit down in the tube station and finish the book. What an ending too! Genius! Does anyone else here like his writing?
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Re: The Spiritualized Book Club

Post by scratch »

I read one hundred years of solitude and the autumn of the patriarch and I think some other one I can´t remember..
I liked them but I started reading Asturias around that time so I didn´t go back to read more Marquez.
Asturias is my favourite latin american writer - like marquez he´s a bit kafka-influenced and sometimes dealing with the banana industry and dictators (but asturias is also strongly influenced by the mayan culture.)
Marquez on acid.. well.. not really.. but you should check him out if you like gabriel garcia.

It seems Asturias was a bit bitter that the much younger marquez stole his latinamerican style of magic realism and became more commercially successful.. but don´t let that stop you - it´s not blur vs oasis :lol:
"the greatest example of self-violation in the history of art"
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Re: The Spiritualized Book Club

Post by Already There »

I made a list on Livejournal. The 100 project. Off that list I am currently reading two books and I want to start another one today. ^^

Hell Bent To Leather - Seb Hunter
Der Name der Rose - Umberto Eco

Still 97 books to go, so I will be pretty occupied in the time to come. ^^
W: What are we supposed to do with that?
M: Eat it.
W: Eat it? Fucker’s alive.
M: Yeah, you’ve got to kill it.
W: Me? I’m the firelighter and fuel collector.

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Re: The Spiritualized Book Club

Post by Stuart X.Hunter »

Thus Spoke Zarathustra - Nietzsche

Interesting if a little self-indulgent
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Re: The Spiritualized Book Club

Post by gassjack »

I'm re-reading Place Of Dead Roads by William Burroughs - I had forgotten how funny this book is, I strongly recommend not reading it in a public place coz people may look at you strangely! It is more accessible than most Burroughs stuff but then I'm a total Burroughs freak.
and through wax seals and padlocks...a hand through my ribcage...past the choking I saw palms and fingers grasping shoulders...collarbone...crushing...I imagined myself hacking desperately at a sea of appendages...freeing myself like a butcher...
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Re: The Spiritualized Book Club

Post by Already There »

Stuart X.Hunter wrote:Thus Spoke Zarathustra - Nietzsche

Interesting if a little self-indulgent
Ha, I want to read that one.

Oh, well, who isn't self-indulgent? ^^
W: What are we supposed to do with that?
M: Eat it.
W: Eat it? Fucker’s alive.
M: Yeah, you’ve got to kill it.
W: Me? I’m the firelighter and fuel collector.

Gigs 2010: http://www.last.fm/user/Colin_in_Mexico/events/2010
Stuart X.Hunter
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Re: The Spiritualized Book Club

Post by Stuart X.Hunter »

Already There wrote:
Stuart X.Hunter wrote:Thus Spoke Zarathustra - Nietzsche

Interesting if a little self-indulgent
Ha, I want to read that one.

Oh, well, who isn't self-indulgent? ^^
It's a seemingly very floral piece of writing for the deconstruction of oblique themes.
I understand that after this Nietzsche became more concise.

I went in search of it as I was intrigued by the idea of "Ubermensch" but I'm still somewhat in the dark. Also the idea that Nietzsche was physically affected by his theories...i.e elation/desperation appealed.

So far (some 200 pages in) I'm not a great deal further forward; Zarathustra appears as a great orator, riddling away to both himself and others (disciples all of a sudden!) but hasn't dropped any true significants. This in turn makes me question if even he knows what he promotes and leaves me with more questions than answers. Which is not a bad thing really.

I thought it would have an intensly dark feel about it (the book). However it is light and a fairly quick-paced read. I had hoped it would deconstruct some of the ideas of the human psyche and whilst it has touched upon it slightly...it seems to package these ideas up very quickly and move on...

Best,

Stuart
Shoulders back, smash it
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Re: The Spiritualized Book Club

Post by bunnyben »

Stuart X.Hunter wrote:
Already There wrote:
Stuart X.Hunter wrote:Thus Spoke Zarathustra - Nietzsche

Interesting if a little self-indulgent
Ha, I want to read that one.

Oh, well, who isn't self-indulgent? ^^
It's a seemingly very floral piece of writing for the deconstruction of oblique themes.
I understand that after this Nietzsche became more concise.

I went in search of it as I was intrigued by the idea of "Ubermensch" but I'm still somewhat in the dark. Also the idea that Nietzsche was physically affected by his theories...i.e elation/desperation appealed.

So far (some 200 pages in) I'm not a great deal further forward; Zarathustra appears as a great orator, riddling away to both himself and others (disciples all of a sudden!) but hasn't dropped any true significants. This in turn makes me question if even he knows what he promotes and leaves me with more questions than answers. Which is not a bad thing really.

I thought it would have an intensly dark feel about it (the book). However it is light and a fairly quick-paced read. I had hoped it would deconstruct some of the ideas of the human psyche and whilst it has touched upon it slightly...it seems to package these ideas up very quickly and move on...

Best,

Stuart
stu, you should read

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dostoevsky-Kier ... 422&sr=8-1

it explores the 4 writers and compares and contrasts. it sheds light on the aforementioned book- i got a copy from borders
'raging and weeping are left on the early road
now each in his holy hill
the glittering and hurting days are alomst done
then let us compare mythologies
i have learned my elaborate lie
of soaring crosses and poisened thorns'
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Re: The Spiritualized Book Club

Post by enoughtomakemesick »

Great thread and some interesting choices to consider. I usually have a few books on the go, right now these are:

James Lee Burke - Tin Shack Blowdown. New Orleans set cop thriller series that transcends the crime genre, this is set at and after hurricane Katrina and gives both barrels to the Bush (non) government - fabulous sense of time and place. Very dark.

Gayle Dean Wardlow - Chasin that Devil Music. Early pioneer of "rediscovering" the blues in the 1960's, this is his story of tracking down surviving 1930's bluesmen (Skip James, John Hurt etc) intertwined with a broad blues history. Bit dated and there are better blues books but not bad. Great free 16 track CD with some very rare songs.

Tom Holland - Millenium. This guy is a fantastic writer of history, brings it to life and its often page turning stuff, almost novel like. This one is about the dark ages in Europe, fascinating and makes you feel grateful to be born in the 20th century.

Cheers all

Mark
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Re: The Spiritualized Book Club

Post by runcible »

enoughtomakemesick wrote:
James Lee Burke - Tin Shack Blowdown. New Orleans set cop thriller series that transcends the crime genre, this is set at and after hurricane Katrina and gives both barrels to the Bush (non) government - fabulous sense of time and place. Very dark.
That is an AMAZING book. He's a terrific author but this one slides all over the place and you go through all manner of emotion and worry as the story concludes. Top drawer stuff, as is almost everything he's written.
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Re: The Spiritualized Book Club

Post by enoughtomakemesick »

runcible wrote:
enoughtomakemesick wrote:
James Lee Burke - Tin Shack Blowdown. New Orleans set cop thriller series that transcends the crime genre, this is set at and after hurricane Katrina and gives both barrels to the Bush (non) government - fabulous sense of time and place. Very dark.
That is an AMAZING book. He's a terrific author but this one slides all over the place and you go through all manner of emotion and worry as the story concludes. Top drawer stuff, as is almost everything he's written.

Agree with all that mate. One story I like about Burke is that his first book (get lost boogie) was rejected by something like 110 publishers - and when it was finally published was nominated for a Pulitzer! Suppose there's hope for all of us.
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Re: The Spiritualized Book Club

Post by bunnyben »

just started juliet, naked nick hornby's new offering. if you liked high fidelity then i think you'll like it so far! it's about a man, obbsessed with a musican who hadn't recorded since '86, who then starts to get more than he bargined for
'raging and weeping are left on the early road
now each in his holy hill
the glittering and hurting days are alomst done
then let us compare mythologies
i have learned my elaborate lie
of soaring crosses and poisened thorns'
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Re: The Spiritualized Book Club

Post by spzretent »

I am also reading this at the moment.
Irvine Welsh Porno is my bathroom reading. Juggling two books at the same time. Porno is way too full of Scottish slang it takes twice as long for me to read it. So Juliet Naked provides an easier read.
I also just read Under Their Thumb by Bill German. A fans account of starting a Rolling Stones fanzine and becoming part of their inner circle in the New York years in the late 70's thru late 80's.
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Detroit, Music, Sports and Other Stuff(including Spiritualized, Spacemen 3)
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Re: The Spiritualized Book Club

Post by solarflarez »

[quote="spzretent"]I am also reading this at the moment.
Irvine Welsh Porno is my bathroom reading. Juggling two books at the same time. Porno is way too full of Scottish slang it takes twice as long for me to read it.quote]
Its a good book, not as good as filth but its ok, and i have Scottish parents so i got on alright with it! ha ha :lol:
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Re: The Spiritualized Book Club

Post by spzretent »

well for this Yank its tough sledding but I am enjoying it none the less.
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Re: The Spiritualized Book Club

Post by Mustard »

Yes I thought Porno was good as well. Pretty funny in parts. I noticed the other day he's got a new one out. Can't remember the name.
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Re: The Spiritualized Book Club

Post by runcible »

Just about everything he's written since Porno is enormously disappointing. Some of it is awful.

Anyone get that book 'Disco Biscuits'? It's all short stories and features about my favourite Welsh piece 'The State of the Party' which almost made me cry with laughter yet is still really twisted.
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Re: The Spiritualized Book Club

Post by Laz69 »

speaking of twisted (literally), i'm currentlky reading my first book in many many years... JG Ballard's Crash... thanks to BunnyBen :D
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Re: The Spiritualized Book Club

Post by Mustard »

Yes, I also enjoyed Crash and at the time of reading I lived around where it was set.

I've read the Welsh book about the masterchef or whatever it is called and that was just a pile of pants. I finished it but it took a while to get into and just not worth the read.
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