tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3953654.post3560219984119421568..comments2024-02-29T03:29:52.934-05:00Comments on A List Of Things Thrown Five Minutes Ago: Adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02113168955236758821noreply@blogger.comBlogger37125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3953654.post-73653821120753043802013-05-19T17:32:08.053-04:002013-05-19T17:32:08.053-04:00I read The Secret History in college and it was on...I read The Secret History in college and it was one of my favorite books of all time at that point. I am now kind of scared to re-read it, based on the comments below.KCosmonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3953654.post-23583261373688521462013-05-19T14:12:39.645-04:002013-05-19T14:12:39.645-04:00Thanks for sharing, Amy. After taking the poll and...Thanks for sharing, Amy. After taking the poll and then considering the list for a few days, I want less to quibble with some of the bizarre and unnecessary inclusions than to say that there should be a couple of books more directly about war -- and possibly about America at war -- on this list. This list is pitched to those in their 20s, which means that we've been at war for somewhere between 40 and 60 percent of the lifespans on the intended audience. But there are no books listed that attempt to convey the experience or consequence of fighting a war. Someone already commented that Tim O'Brien should be on this list, and I second that. But so, too, should one of the excellent books about our recent wars in the middle east (Jarhead, The Yellow Birds, and Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk all jump to mind, but there must be many, many more that I have not read). <br /><br />As for 9/11 books, I would vote for Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close over both The Emperor's Children and The Submission, but I have not read either Netherland or Saturday.jamnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3953654.post-41730649131303030262013-05-18T20:40:05.833-04:002013-05-18T20:40:05.833-04:00I actually got Pastoralia from the library just la...I actually got Pastoralia from the library just last week. I so liked CivilWarLand in Bad Decline, so I will be reading this next.Tinanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3953654.post-65155845699680923622013-05-17T12:24:21.864-04:002013-05-17T12:24:21.864-04:00I plan to read Pastoralia any week now. Seriously...I plan to read Pastoralia any week now. Seriously. Tenth of December was great!Russnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3953654.post-42143901694209991572013-05-17T11:26:15.023-04:002013-05-17T11:26:15.023-04:00In case you're curious, after 24 hours, no one...In case you're curious, after 24 hours, no one has read:<br />Lucy<br />Call Me By Your Name<br />Pastoralia<br />I Love Dick<br />Lunar Park<br />Dear Diary<br />Actual Air*<br />The Collected Poems of Kenneth Koch*<br />Alien vs Predator*<br />* = poetry<br /><br />Anyone wanna do an informal book club/readalong of any of these?<br /><br />And our most read book is:<br />The Elements of Style (which will enrage poor Bill.) with 39/54.<br />Interestingly, Bossypants is next, with 37/54. <br />I would've thought the Hemingway, by dint of being on so many high school reading lists, would've trumped the list.Wattsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3953654.post-76597021573094797532013-05-17T10:01:32.561-04:002013-05-17T10:01:32.561-04:00Yes! I really enjoyed this book.Yes! I really enjoyed this book.BarbL114noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3953654.post-67396744446897232292013-05-17T03:17:34.881-04:002013-05-17T03:17:34.881-04:00I've read 25, and there are quite a few other ...I've read 25, and there are quite a few other "mean to read" selections on there.<br /><br />Really, too few people have read Just Kids. A beautiful book.Tinanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3953654.post-89065635448428363892013-05-16T21:37:26.440-04:002013-05-16T21:37:26.440-04:00I don't have the book where I am (I'm not ...I don't have the book where I am (I'm not sure I still own it, actually), and the TOC isn't helping, but I remember that my revulsion arose from her view of what love was. I want to say it had to do with her belief that what she needed most to be loved was to be utterly adored. But I read it a long time ago and could be wrong. (Also, I'm separated and about to be divorced, so maybe what I thought 10 years ago about what love was or wasn't isn't entitled to too much deference.)Russnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3953654.post-15163997015427384012013-05-16T21:35:43.335-04:002013-05-16T21:35:43.335-04:00Delighted to see Slouching toward Bethlehem on her...Delighted to see Slouching toward Bethlehem on here; also happy to see both Julie Klausner and Pamela Des Barres. (Highly recommend all.)Adlainoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3953654.post-18638404449766682372013-05-16T21:28:45.924-04:002013-05-16T21:28:45.924-04:00Which essay?Which essay?Adlainoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3953654.post-52965255259304920202013-05-16T20:48:40.042-04:002013-05-16T20:48:40.042-04:00I'd go with Peter Hamill's Forever, myself...I'd go with Peter Hamill's Forever, myself.Joseph Finnhttp://profiles.google.com/josephfinnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3953654.post-52835539434120332692013-05-16T18:56:18.596-04:002013-05-16T18:56:18.596-04:00Having thought about it for awhile, the one thing ...Having thought about it for awhile, the one thing I think I'd add would be a personal finance book that emphasizes conscious decision making. (Your Money or Your Life is probably the prototype for that category, and I think it'd be as good a choice as any.)<br /><br />The reason I say that is because in your 20s it's easy to kind of fall into decisions about how you spend your money that can come back to bite you (whether because you've spent money you don't have or because you've golden-handcuffed yourself into a lifestyle that's not a great fit for you), and given how little personal finance education your average American teenager gets I think it's a useful perspective to encounter early.victorianoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3953654.post-1480479017608024682013-05-16T17:36:17.392-04:002013-05-16T17:36:17.392-04:00I looked at this list and thought "what the h...I looked at this list and thought "what the hell, all I was DOING in my 20s was reading books!" My job was really boring.Saraynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3953654.post-69981505390028878692013-05-16T17:28:20.998-04:002013-05-16T17:28:20.998-04:00Shouldn't have taken the poll - I think I read...Shouldn't have taken the poll - I think I read 4 (and all non-fiction...) Don't read as much as I used to or as much as I should and definitely tend away from fiction. The Power Broker has been sitting on my shelf a long, long time - maybe Adam's suggestion will be the impetus I need to get started.Maggienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3953654.post-63001143571882929032013-05-16T16:58:30.595-04:002013-05-16T16:58:30.595-04:00Loved Microserfs, so I probably should read Gen X....Loved Microserfs, so I probably should read Gen X.Genevievenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3953654.post-50302160978245395342013-05-16T16:38:27.254-04:002013-05-16T16:38:27.254-04:00Read a lot, have only read 11.
Of the ones I'...Read a lot, have only read 11.<br /><br />Of the ones I've read that are uncommon among the group so far, I can highly recommend Just Kids. It's excellent and a very quick read.victorianoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3953654.post-22370674042721404282013-05-16T16:27:15.914-04:002013-05-16T16:27:15.914-04:00Now I'm scared to take the poll. I haven't...Now I'm scared to take the poll. I haven't read any of the books mentioned so far, but I did find 20something insufferable even in my twenties (Don't get me started on Reality Bites or Ghost World). I read books! I swear! Just, um, not the ones everyone else reads.Beccahttp://twitter.com/tigerpantssnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3953654.post-54628228048829129592013-05-16T13:48:11.448-04:002013-05-16T13:48:11.448-04:00I feel better (read a lot, but only read 9). One ...I feel better (read a lot, but only read 9). One was already on my kindle but I couldn't drag myself through it (Goon Squad,), and another is in my kindle but not yet started (Kavalier & Clay). Three may soon be going on my kindle after this list.Jenn.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3953654.post-53737498192151878722013-05-16T12:54:53.965-04:002013-05-16T12:54:53.965-04:00By the way, I'll update tomorrow morning with ...By the way, I'll update tomorrow morning with the most and least read books, per the poll.Wattsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3953654.post-11516721309054722462013-05-16T12:51:24.856-04:002013-05-16T12:51:24.856-04:00Paul, agree with you on He's Just Not That Int...Paul, agree with you on He's Just Not That Into You. But your 20s is usually when (hopefully) you start to figure out that nursing crushes past their recommended expiration date is a bad thing. And that's what I'd take away from the book.<br /><br />Also, I've just found it true in my own life - If I'm making excuses for why a guy has stopped calling/emailing/texting/spending time with me, well, sometimes I need to cut the BS and realize "He's just not that into me." People make time, or at least try to, or at least apologize profusely for note being able to, for people they really want to be in a relationship with.Wattsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3953654.post-33197988532375845562013-05-16T12:31:47.974-04:002013-05-16T12:31:47.974-04:00Corrected!Corrected!Paul Tabachneckhttp://paul-tab.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3953654.post-33342682084129165172013-05-16T12:26:58.682-04:002013-05-16T12:26:58.682-04:00I'm another that reads a LOT and I've stil...I'm another that reads a LOT and I've still only read 8 on this list. Wild and Goon Squad were recent reads and I loved them, I read Generation X back when it was released and loved it then (same with Microserfs) - if I didn't have so many NEW books to read I would re-read them to see how they hold up.Karen Petershttp://twitter.com/kpetersnmnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3953654.post-67504151418493543632013-05-16T12:26:53.684-04:002013-05-16T12:26:53.684-04:00Amy, not me.Amy, not me.Adam B.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3953654.post-66653804964152387892013-05-16T12:13:04.143-04:002013-05-16T12:13:04.143-04:00I can understand your relief there, Adam. Palahni...I can understand your relief there, Adam. Palahniuk is a great writer but his characters are a TERRIBLE influence. Put a bunch of impressionable 20somethings in there and you've got dudes choking themselves in restaurants, raiding dumpsters for lipo fat, and setting mansions on fire all over the country. <br /><br />For my part, I'm super-glad there's no Rand on there either.Paul Tabachneckhttp://paul-tab.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3953654.post-58732474678370428182013-05-16T11:45:09.997-04:002013-05-16T11:45:09.997-04:00I read all the time but I've only read 9 of th...I read all the time but I've only read 9 of them. There are a bunch here where I've read another by the same author (mistakenly didn't check off White Teeth because I was mixing it up with The Autograph Man, which I couldn't get into, but I read and liked White Teeth and On Beauty). More that I have on my list to read but haven't gotten to yet, and a bunch that I wasn't interested in reading.Genevievenoreply@blogger.com