What rarely shows in my LJ, for some reason...

[hmpf]

is that, after losing my great job with the German National Library this February, which ironically prevented me from reading much (well, from reading novels, anyway - it did* allow me to read more than 300 comics in the two years that I worked there. *g*), I have started to read prodigiously again. Well, relatively prodigiously, anway - interrupted by the near-nervous-breakdown a while ago, of course. So, just because for some unfathomable reason I never seem to write about reading here, here's what I've read in the last two or so months:

Karel Capek: Der Krieg mit den Molchen
Walter Moers: Ensel und Krete
Paul Auster: Ghosts
Paul Auster: The Locked Room
Gene Wolfe: Castle of Days
Iain Sinclair: London Orbital
Gert Loschütz: Dunkle Gesellschaft
Jasper Fforde: The Eyre Affair
Michael Marshall Smith: Only Forward
Rosemary Sutcliff: The Silver Branch

Most of these were interesting/pleasant experiences. The Loschütz didn't quite work for me, though (which is okay, as I found this book in the street *g*). I particularly recommend the Eyre Affair and Only Forward; those were two of the more insane, mind-boggling reads I've had in recent years. *g* London Orbital is brilliant, too - not an easy read, but fascinating if, like me, you're interested in the strange, neither city nor countryside places on the margins of big cities. And the Sutcliff I actually read years ago in German, and have been meaning to buy in English for years, which I finally did, recently, to reward myself for finishing my papers. I also bought the next in the series, The Lantern Bearers. (I already had The Eagle of the Ninth.)

Currently I'm reading mostly non-fiction:

Brian Aldiss: Trillion Year Spree
Andre Leroi-Gourhan: Hand und Wort
Herbert Marcuse: One-dimensional Man (rereading)

Comments

[beccadg.livejournal.com]

I particularly recommend the Eyre Affair and Only Forward; those were two of the more insane, mind-boggling reads I've had in recent years. *g*

Excellent! I picked up a copy of the Eyre Affair for cheap, but haven't been able to make up my mind as to whether or not to read it. I shall have to give it a try now, once of course I've finished a few more books. :D

[beccatoria.livejournal.com]

Dude you read the Eyre Affair!

I love those books - they get better as they go on (in my opinion).

Though I was saddened and utterly confused to learn that the author is apparently strongly anti fanfic. Which seems...ludicrously hypocritical. I'm trying not to let it affect my love of his books.

Tsk.

[hmpf.livejournal.com]

The silly man.

But, yeah. As long as the books continue to be good, he can believe whatever stupid thing he wants to, as far as I'm concerned. *g*

Well, I found it extremely fun to read.

[hmpf.livejournal.com]

However, my mother didn't like it at all, and I can see why - it is full of extremely absurd concepts, so if you like your fantasy based to some degree in reality, you may find it a bit too weird. I just happen to really like extremely weird stuff. :)