Book Baton
From Pierce
Number of Books on the Shelf
Uncountable, but well over 1000 — at least 300 of which were purchased by me personally over the years. The rest were added by my roommates: L, a fellow English major and violent consumer of novels, plays & poetry, and S, a hedonistic communist whose books have the words “Oppression,” “Lies,” or “Halo 2: Player’s Guide” in the title.
This kind of situation is unavoidable when you live within walking distance of a city of books.
Last Book Purchased
Hard to say. The last book I remember buying from Amazon was The Zen of CSS Design, by Dave Shea and Molly Holzschlag, but I rarely make it out of Powell’s without a four-dollar used paperback (chosen for its cover design as likely as for its content).
Book Reading Right Now
I just picked up The Great Gatsby, which I haven’t read since my freshman year of college and which I can’t remember.
Last 5 Books Novels Read (I can’t remember the order)
1. Motherless Brooklyn, by Jonathan Lethem — private detective with Tourette’s
2. The Razor’s Edge, by W. Somerset Maugham — young man’s quest for the meaning of life
3. Flaubert’s Parrot, by Julian Barnes — historian searches for the truth about Flaubert
4. Prague, by Arthur Phillips — North American expatriates bring Western sex to recently-decommunistified Prague
5. Cosmopolis, by Don DeLillo — media tycoon spends a day in his car
wowzer. You know four people. I’ll try harder.
Comment by Pierce — July 26, 2005 @ 2:20 pm
Thanks for the baton, I’ll get right on it. Look for results later today.
Comment by Sloop — July 27, 2005 @ 10:30 am
Mine are up… I tried to read Julian Barnes before and couldn’t get into it… Can’t think of the novel. I did like his writing in the defunct Might Magazine.
Loved Razor’s Edge and am one of the few people who actually enjoyed the film with Bill Murray.
Comment by Jim Renaud — July 27, 2005 @ 11:15 am
I read Flaubert’s Parrot not long after reading (and loving) Sentimental Education, so the historical / literary aspect of the book was fresh in my mind and interesting. I’m not sure it would have held up as well without it.
I’ve never seen the Razor’s Edge movie. I tried to rent it a couple of times, but got put off by the cheesy cover. I’ll put it in my Netflix queue.
Comment by Feaverish — July 27, 2005 @ 1:04 pm
D’oh!
Comment by Jared Christensen — July 27, 2005 @ 1:54 pm
I may be hedonistic, but I’m no communist! Also, I would never stoop to buying the Halo 2 Players’ Guide, that implies the need for help to beat it. I’m a nerd of much higher caliber than that. Your insults hurt me.
Comment by S. — July 27, 2005 @ 2:49 pm
I just saw “Razor’s Edge” last week and really liked it. A little slow pacing, but a totally enjoyable side of the 80’s Bill Murray.
Comment by Sloop — July 28, 2005 @ 9:08 am
asked… and answered.
Comment by anne — August 1, 2005 @ 2:36 pm