I did read it, and liked it, more than I expected to (I wasn't sure Gaiman could pull off something of that scope without visuals). It made me think of Tim Powers with a heart.
Recommendation, for you: it's kind of a cop out on my part, but check out the Year's Best Fantasy and Horror anthologies; they're amazingly consistent in quality, and have two of the best genre editors I've ever encountered (second only to Gardner Dozois in science fiction).
(all "thought provoking" schtuff I could recommend would likely be too depressing. But, I'll go ahead and recommend Angela's Ashes anyway, because it's very, very well written. But, you've gotta promise to read something fluffy afterward. You know: Balance and all....)
Really? I've avoided it because it seemed to have acquired the taint of Oprah, and I really distrust her and anything she touches (I blame her for permanently lowering the bar on daytime talk TV, and long for another Phil Donahue).
But, as for a recommendation: try Dream of Red Mansions (aka The Story of the Stone); it's a long, famous chinese saga, but it's fabulously lush, and the characters are keen.
i recommend this book all the time, and i talk to people who've read it and loved it but never anyone i've given it to. i think it's a great seventeenth c. ride, it's about this crazy antihero grenouille who has the most sensitive sense of smell in the history of scent. he parses out scents from miles and miles away, and what he wants to do with his secret talent is diabolical. the novel kept me in this dreamy, scent-aware strange place the entirety of the novel (and a good deal beyond), and while i don't always go for period pieces, this is one with a twist and is really well written.
While I generally recommend this book every chance I get, I think you'd really like "Kitchen" by Banana Yoshimoto; I want to view the world like her characters do. If you've already read it, give a shot to The Tale of Genji; it's lush and beautiful, but so long that I've never finished it.
I'll second Perfume. I read it when i was still in highschool and it was one of those things that you sit down and read cover to cover and then look up and simultaneously think "what in the hell was i just reading?" and "wow, that was amazing." Then again I'd recommend anything of Suskind for really quirky brilliance (The Pidgeon and The Bass were cool, but expecially Mr Sommer's Summer)
One book I've been wanting to tell you to read for pretty much as long as I've known you but haven't because it has a sexed premise and I'm just not sure, is Vita Brevis by Jostein Gaarder. It is basically a letter to St Augustine from his former lover. Again something i read very long ago, but it hsa stayed in my mind as one of the most beautiful books i have ever read
I'm going to cheat a little, and recommend that you read the books I've given you, specifically "A Lover's Discourse" (I'm curious to see if you find it as sweet and endearing as I do). But if you want a new recommendation or two... um, the Susan Cooper series; it's young adult, but played a huge role in my adolescent/early teen development, and, um... The Black Dahlia by James Ellroy (50s LA noir story that I literally could not put down) and The Holographic Universe by Michael Talbot (a neat sort of cross discipline science book that I also couldn't put down).
I read "The Golden Compass" upon recommendations from several folks, but... it left me a little cool. I didn't hate it, not by a long shot, but I guess it didn't quite grab me like I would have liked.
I'll check out the Delaney; I don't think I've read it.
Hmm... return recommendations: while you've probably already encountered it, take a look at "How Loathsome" by Tristan Crane and Ted Naifeh; it's really a pretty keen graphic novel. Otherwise... I'll recommend to you, as well, Barthes' "A Lover's Discourse"; it's responsible for making Barthes my A number one French academic crush.
I recommend that you read Culture Jam by Kalle Lasn. It discusses several techniques for debunking harmful dominant memes that may be of some interest. Kalle Lasn is the founder of Adbusters.
That sounds intriguing, thanks. In return, let me recommend anything by Ted Sturgeon to you. I tend to think of him as Phillip K. Dick with a heart, and more talent.
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branchandroot
Have you read "American Gods" by Neil Gaiman?
Date: 2005-03-11 04:30 am (UTC)Re: Have you read "American Gods" by Neil Gaiman?
Date: 2005-03-11 04:19 pm (UTC)Re: Have you read "American Gods" by Neil Gaiman?
Date: 2005-03-11 07:05 pm (UTC)Re: Have you read "American Gods" by Neil Gaiman?
Date: 2005-03-11 04:36 pm (UTC)Re: Have you read "American Gods" by Neil Gaiman?
Date: 2005-03-11 07:08 pm (UTC)Re: Have you read "American Gods" by Neil Gaiman?
Date: 2005-03-11 07:21 pm (UTC)Re: Have you read "American Gods" by Neil Gaiman?
Date: 2005-03-11 07:26 pm (UTC)Neil Gaiman and Tim Powers are among the contributors.
Plus I just had to pick up a book with "999" so interestingly displayed on the cover - freaked my honey out when he first saw it from upside-down.
no subject
Date: 2005-03-11 04:39 am (UTC)It's a hoot!
:)
(all "thought provoking" schtuff I could recommend would likely be too depressing. But, I'll go ahead and recommend Angela's Ashes anyway, because it's very, very well written. But, you've gotta promise to read something fluffy afterward. You know: Balance and all....)
no subject
Date: 2005-03-11 04:29 pm (UTC)But, as for a recommendation: try Dream of Red Mansions (aka The Story of the Stone); it's a long, famous chinese saga, but it's fabulously lush, and the characters are keen.
no subject
Date: 2005-03-11 01:23 pm (UTC)i recommend this book all the time, and i talk to people who've read it and loved it but never anyone i've given it to. i think it's a great seventeenth c. ride, it's about this crazy antihero grenouille who has the most sensitive sense of smell in the history of scent. he parses out scents from miles and miles away, and what he wants to do with his secret talent is diabolical. the novel kept me in this dreamy, scent-aware strange place the entirety of the novel (and a good deal beyond), and while i don't always go for period pieces, this is one with a twist and is really well written.
highly recommended.
no subject
Date: 2005-03-11 04:38 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-03-11 03:14 pm (UTC)One book I've been wanting to tell you to read for pretty much as long as I've known you but haven't because it has a sexed premise and I'm just not sure, is Vita Brevis by Jostein Gaarder. It is basically a letter to St Augustine from his former lover. Again something i read very long ago, but it hsa stayed in my mind as one of the most beautiful books i have ever read
no subject
Date: 2005-03-11 04:51 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-03-11 05:37 pm (UTC)i'm not sure what to recommend to you. have you read samuel delaney's "times square red, times square blue"?
no subject
Date: 2005-03-11 05:46 pm (UTC)I'll check out the Delaney; I don't think I've read it.
Hmm... return recommendations: while you've probably already encountered it, take a look at "How Loathsome" by Tristan Crane and Ted Naifeh; it's really a pretty keen graphic novel. Otherwise... I'll recommend to you, as well, Barthes' "A Lover's Discourse"; it's responsible for making Barthes my A number one French academic crush.
Funny how Golden Compass grabbed me...
Date: 2005-03-11 07:11 pm (UTC)Something about gutsy kids in extreme danger hooks me every time...especially when most of the adults are evil...kind of suits my world view.
no subject
Date: 2005-03-12 01:12 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-03-14 04:20 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-03-15 12:56 am (UTC)