Let's Talk Books, Fuckers!

[NadineHurley]

Just pre-ordered this baby, due out in April! David Sedaris never dissappoints (same goes for Amy). I am consistently laughing my ass off and always sad to reach the last page. The rad title and cover art are an added bonus.

Also, a pretty funny interview here that includes a bunch of recommended reads (including Saunders and Chabon- lookin at you Granny). www.nytimes.com/2012/04/15/books/review/the-author-of-squirrel-seeks-chipmunk-would-like-to-go-back-in-time-and-collect-kindling-for-flannery-oconnor.html?_r=0

[Horned Gramma]

Man, I love David Sedaris' writing but one time that dude was the most tremendous asshole to me and I simply cannot read him anymore. Makes me sad.

[Horned Gramma]

He all writes about the humor and good grace with which he deals with difficult and painful situations, but I brought him the wrong kind of coffee at a reading he did in a store I worked at and he flipped his fucking shit and tried to get me fired.

Two weeks later, Courtney Love's mother came into the store and somehow managed to be a more decent human being.

[NadineHurley]

Feb 8, 2013 15:49:15 GMT -5 Horned Gramma said:

He all writes about the humor and good grace with which he deals with difficult and painful situations, but I brought him the wrong kind of coffee at a reading he did in a store I worked at and he flipped his fucking shit and tried to get me fired.

Two weeks later, Courtney Love's mother came into the store and somehow managed to be a more decent human being.

Ick! I've seen him talk in interviews about how he would never be friends with someone like himself. It's a shame that there seems to be a trend amongst seemingly hillairous/fun famous people being super douchey (Jim Carrey, Mike Meyers, Will Farrell, etc.).

[J. Walter Weatherman]

Drew! I must know if you've read A Memory of Light!

Also, on the sci-fi front, I just finished Dan Simmons most recent work, Flashback. Its pretty much a hard-boiled detective/dystopian novel in 2045, about 25 years after The Day It All It the Fan. 365 million americans are addicted to reliving the days prior to that by using flashback, and the whole world has gone to shit.

I highly recommend it.

[nick]

I didn't even know there was a new Simmons, that's awesome. I loved the Hyperion/Endymion cantos and Ilium was so fucking insane it was great. Still need to read The Terror, though.

[J. Walter Weatherman]

Oh my god yes!!!! The hyperion cantos is my favorite book series, with Ilium and Olympos coming in not too far behind. Plus I work at a used bookstore so I get to collect all the original hardbacks. You should totally read Flashback. Its funny that he went to near future after writing three historical fiction novels.

[nick]

I'd welcome him back with open arms, SF always seemed to be his strong suit.

[J. Walter Weatherman]

Absolutely, but I've loved everything I've read of his, even the Joe Kurtz novels. Nothing will ever topple Hyperion though, the universe is just too fucking cool, not to mention the story.

[nick]

The Fall of Hyperion is probably in my top 5, and Hyperion/Endymion are both top 15 easily. Such a rich, detailed universe and an amazingly compelling narrative.

[J. Walter Weatherman]

You can't beat ships that turn you into jelly when you use them in their intended manner, haha. My dad told me about that when I was like, 9 or 10 and I thought that was the coolest thing I'd ever heard. Still kinda do, haha.

[nick]

I mostly liked the idea of having my toilet on Pluto, living room on Jupiter, and bedroom on Mars. Also when I was a kid the Shrike was the epitome of badass.

[J. Walter Weatherman]

That for sure. I've always hated how the cover art depicts him with 2 arms. Always really bugged me.

[nick]

Right? I mean, it's explicitly stated that it's a four-armed being. Y U NO READ BOOK, COVER ARTISTS?!

[J. Walter Weatherman]

It really taints the cover of Endymion, which otherwise is amazing. I would love a fatty poster of that cover (updated to add the arms, of course).