BOOKS THREAD

I've actually only read nonfiction of his, mostly on semiotics. This summer when I have more time for pleasure reading, I'm thinking of picking up one of his fiction books. Would Foucault's Pendulum be your recommendation for a first one?

 

'Foucault's Pendulum' is definitely my favorite, although the plot has been rehashed by a lot of popular novels since then. During the height of the 'Da Vinci Code' popularity Da Brown quipped that he woke up one morning with the idea to right a dumbed-down version of 'Foucault's Pendulum.'

I really loved 'Baudolino,' too. I'd recommend either.

 

I still think The Name of the Rose is his most famous, but I definitely enjoyed both Foucault's Pendulum (what a ride of a book) and Baudolino.

 

'Name of the Rose' is definitely his most famous, and it's a good book. It's just not my favorite.

 

For sure. I've enjoyed them all; not sure I can decide on a favorite.

 

Finished King's "11/22/63" in about five days, and it was fantastic.

Like Evil, I thought the Oswald stuff turned out to be the least interesting part of a great story. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I'd say that when I first picked it up.

And the way he weaved in some old, familiar characters thrilled me to no end. Best King book I've read in a long time.

 

Did they make a movie out of that? Starring Sean Connery?

 

Yup. And a young Christian Slater.

 

I finally got around to reading DFW's "The Pale King" and I enjoyed it a lot. I found it more approachable than Infinite Jest, but not as endearing. I'm sure given DFW's brilliance, paired with the fact that it was unfinished at the time of his suicide, that was somewhat by design given its setting in an IRS building.

The chapters on Leonard Stycek's and David Cusk's childhoods were as powerful as anything he's ever written, in my opinion.

The "substitute Jesuit's" speech is lent so much mystical power to it by Wallace, and I'm not sure any other writer I've read could've convinced me of that classroom speech being a life-changing event. But DFW so skillfully weaved hindsight doubt from the narrator into it that it worked. I don't know how it worked, but he did it.

It's the last work of Wallace I hadn't read. I saved it for months, like an old valuable wine. Now there's nothing left of his to scale and that is awful.

 

Started "11/22/63." Zoomed through almost 100 pages already.

 

Thought "63" was good but probably won't be rereading it the way I have The Stand and It.

 

Just began reading "Hunger Games" at my daughter's recommendation. I always like to read the book before the movie. I'm enjoying it so I'll probably read the trilogy.