What are you reading

[Duality]

I've read a few books recently
My favorite book I read was The Wasp Factory. It was amazing how the story got weirder and weirder as it unfolded. I like these super surreal books which leave what is really happening up to you to guess.

The other book I read is called In The Miso Soup. It was a fascinating look at the psychology of a serial killer in the form of a fiction. It had some moments that were so intense that I lost sleep over them, there were also a lot of psychological mind games.

The other book I read was called The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka. I did not like this book what so ever, because it was simply depressing and seemed to be designed to throw the reader into existential despair.

One book I read half way through but dropped was called Story Of The Eye. It was a story written by a philosopher, which was supposed to explore transgressive themes. It seemed to play out like a dream, but the book itself was very relaxing to read, it's complete dive into the deep waters of depravity was something which made me feel like the world was lifting off my shoulders.

I'm not sure what to read next. I tried reading the first couple pages of a William S. Burroughs book, but I dropped them because I just didn't become interested enough. I find it hard to read stuff if I'm not all that interested. I'm still looking for something else to read very soon, I don't want to stop reading and get out of the habit and just forget about it altogether.

I hated Metamorphosis. It made me wonder why Bataille would even focus on him in Literature and Evil. Could somebody enlighten me to something great by Kafka?

It would probably be easy for me to just say "everything" but if you didn't like Metamorphosis, I can almost guarantee you won't like anything else by him.
The whole point of Kafka is how personal his stories are but they certainly won't appeal to everyone who doesn't want to be dragged into his pit of  despair.

[AMRadioWaveMessage]

It's strange; whenever I read Metamorphosis, it struck me so hard. I identified with it so much. I've certainly had periods where I turned into a complete monster towards others, without necessarily trying to.

So, I really enjoyed the book, because I felt close to the character.

[cr]

I've read a few books recently
My favorite book I read was The Wasp Factory. It was amazing how the story got weirder and weirder as it unfolded. I like these super surreal books which leave what is really happening up to you to guess.

The other book I read is called In The Miso Soup. It was a fascinating look at the psychology of a serial killer in the form of a fiction. It had some moments that were so intense that I lost sleep over them, there were also a lot of psychological mind games.

The other book I read was called The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka. I did not like this book what so ever, because it was simply depressing and seemed to be designed to throw the reader into existential despair.

One book I read half way through but dropped was called Story Of The Eye. It was a story written by a philosopher, which was supposed to explore transgressive themes. It seemed to play out like a dream, but the book itself was very relaxing to read, it's complete dive into the deep waters of depravity was something which made me feel like the world was lifting off my shoulders.

I'm not sure what to read next. I tried reading the first couple pages of a William S. Burroughs book, but I dropped them because I just didn't become interested enough. I find it hard to read stuff if I'm not all that interested. I'm still looking for something else to read very soon, I don't want to stop reading and get out of the habit and just forget about it altogether.

I hated Metamorphosis. It made me wonder why Bataille would even focus on him in Literature and Evil. Could somebody enlighten me to something great by Kafka?

It would probably be easy for me to just say "everything" but if you didn't like Metamorphosis, I can almost guarantee you won't like anything else by him.
The whole point of Kafka is how personal his stories are but they certainly won't appeal to everyone who doesn't want to be dragged into his pit of  despair.

That's right - if you don't like Metamorphosis, I think there's not much else you could like.

I remember in my late teens, not having any money, I suggested to my Mum what to buy for my birthdays, for x-mas, etc. and there was often a book by Kafka on my wishlist (The Trial, The Castle,...)
The saleswomen always told her that nobody buys these books, because they are so melancholy. My Mum got a bit scared and asked me what's wrong with me, because I like books nobody else likes... Haha, great memories.

I can also recommend the Illustrated Biography/Graphic Novel 'Introducing Kafka' by David Zane Mairowitz und Robert Crumb.

[Diseased Peasant]

The saleswomen always told her that nobody buys these books, because they are so melancholy.

I get asked for it fairly often at work, but that is probably because some the schools in my area have Metamorphosis is on the recommended reading books for AP English. Although I never get asked for any of his other books. I've had some parents come back in/or while still in the store, get annoyed with me recommending Bell Jar off their kids reading list for being far too bleak. She is one of my favorite writers though, so I normally try and sell her books anyways. I once had some one come in with their school list of recommended books and tell me they wanted Hiroshima as a light summer beach read. When I asked if they knew anything about that book they said just that is was short and they always wanted to visit Japan so thought it would be a nice read. She got Adventures of Huckleberry Finn instead.

Anyways, started Nightmare Alley by William Lindsay Gresham last night.

[Johann]

Kafka is easily one of the most important writers of this century. To think his work would almost be entirely lost if his friend had followed his wish to burn it, I think it's safe to say literature would not be what we know it to be today if it weren't for his contribution. I personally don't find his work to be depressing, it's more so absurdly funny. His short stories and parables are amazing, and there so short you can just pick it up and quickly read one and go back to whatever you got going on. The metamorphosis was enjoyable but I haven't read it in a long time, it's not my favorite of his but it's cultural impact is unmistakable. I've read the trial and recently listened to half of it at work as an audiobook, a scathing critique of life under the thumb of the buerucrate.

Recently i have been reading Ernst Jungers works, Storm of Steele being his most well known and quite possibly the greatest war memoir ever written. It reads like prose and the descriptions of the beginning of mechanized conflicts are amazing. For Junger war was the precipice that brought on mythic experience. A book so well loved by the third reich he was able to write books critical of them while serving and remain untouched.

I also finished his Aladdin's Problem, an incredible book about a man who seeks to open a necropolis in Turkey to create a sort of Mecca for the dead. A great work of philosophical fiction. It's such s short book I'd be afraid if I say more I'd give to much away.

[ProzacPatrol]

His style of writing is very intriguing. I just was not very captivated by the story itself. I think I am just not a very emotional person so a lot of literature and poetry is hard for me to get into. I am usually reading psychology or direct philosophical texts. Deep emotional sentimentalism is very hard for me. This is why I listen to noise tapes. I want to feel the adrenaline rush since normal emotions in music is very hard for me to achieve. 

[Jaakko V.]

[...] Ernst Jungers works, Storm of Steele being his most well known and quite possibly the greatest war memoir ever written. It reads like prose and the descriptions of the beginning of mechanized conflicts are amazing. For Junger war was the precipice that brought on mythic experience. A book so well loved by the third reich he was able to write books critical of them while serving and remain untouched.

...Which unfortunately often overshadows the genius of his later work; Eumeswil in particular.

Telos Press has recently published some of those later works in English.
http://www.telospress.com

[Johann]

Eumeswil is a beautiful piece of work, I have been starting then stopping. I heard on Helios is related and no English edition exist. Hopefully telos will find its way to giving it treatment soon...I also want to read on marble cliffs. But again English edition.

I read his glass bees which was a very good. Though kind of simple book by his standards. It follows a disgraced solider trying to find work and finally being offered a job that no man who wasn't already damned would accept. He ends up interviewing for a company that is not unlike Apple or Google. Regarded as implausible at the time (1950s), no one could imagine intelligence in an insect sized robot. Very ahead of his time. He is also regarded as one of the first people to predict a smart phone type device as well.

For those interested, he is mentioned in Albert Hoffmans LSD My Problem Child, Hoffman loved and respected Jungers works as well as his search of knowing in life.

[Duality]

The Black Sun Unveiled by James Pontolillo.
An extremely well researched and dense book about the development of the Black sun symbol and its involvement in the modern National Socialist movement. While it could have used a bit more editing, it still is a very interesting look at how a myth is developed. Pretty impartial as well, so it probably won't alienate its more right-wing readers.

[AMRadioWaveMessage]

Started, and nearly finished, The Communist Manifesto today. Not because I'm Communist, but because it is an important piece of literature I had always planned to read someday. And plus, I try to be open-minded to different ways of thinking, and philosophies, but obviously, that can be very challenging.

The only Communist I actually like is Slavoj Zizek. That guy is very intelligent, and insightful in so many ways.

[Andrew McIntosh]

Kafka is easily one of the most important writers of this century.

I believe he had a degree of significance in the last one, too.

[Duality]

The Black Sun Unveiled by James Pontolillo.
An extremely well researched and dense book about the development of the Black sun symbol and its involvement in the modern National Socialist movement. While it could have used a bit more editing, it still is a very interesting look at how a myth is developed. Pretty impartial as well, so it probably won't alienate its more right-wing readers.

Reading the chapter on the Order of Nine Angles, The author identifies the founder as David Myatt, though I know he denied it. Does anyone know if there is any actual evidence that Myatt was the founder?

[oOoOoOo]

I've been really trying to find something to read, but I usually pick up a book and can't get past a few pages of it without the writing style just totally adverting me. I read the first couple pages of Albert Camus's The Myth of Sisyphus, he uses so much jargon I can hardly understand what he's saying.

I tried reading Picture Of Dorian Grey by Oscar Wilde, I read the first page of that and I couldn't take the writing style.

I read the first two chapters of Notes From Underground, it had lucid moments, but then it would just descend into complete illegibility.

Same thing happened with Call Of Chthulu. I have a few books which I want to read, but if I can't take the writing style and I have to re-read the same paragraph or sentence over and over again to get the meaning, I often feel very little motivation to keep reading book. Catcher In The Rye is one I've wanted to try, as well as I wanted to try Brave New World again, which I did not like because of the writing style when I first picked it up.

I don't know what it is about me and books, I just don't have much luck. Two months ago I read about 3 1/2 books in just one week, because I happened to find a string of books which were easy for me to read which I could understand the writing style. I think that probably comes from just not having much experience in reading, I've never even really tried to get into reading until just recently. I can read stuff like Franz Kafka because I just seem to connect with what he's writing, but I just can't stand how depressed it makes me feel.

Maybe there'd be some sort of paradigm shift in the way my brain thinks from the first time I read Kafka, so the second time I read one of his books it wouldn't be so depressing. Just a thought, but I somehow doubt it. Idk if words and ideas work the same way in when you see hear feel taste or smell something that is unpleasant to you, or if they become less troubling as your mind gets used to the idea.

[Diseased Peasant]

Albert Camus's The Myth of Sisyphus, he uses so much jargon

Can't say I have ever thought of using the word jargon with anything of Camus. But I am rather a fan of his work, especially his book Resistance Rebellion and Death.

James Salter and Ernest Hemingway come to mind as far as simpler more to the point style of writing if that is what you are going for. I've seen a few others mention it on here recently but I would also recommend Storm of Steel. Maybe try Mark Twain's Dairies of Adam and Eve?

Anyways, haven't had the time I would like to read so stalled on Nightmare Alley. Took a day though to read Lawrence Ferlinghetti's A Coney Island of the Mind. Mixed bag of good and bad poems, however the good parts out weigh the bad and I would recommend it.

[oOoOoOo]

Albert Camus's The Myth of Sisyphus, he uses so much jargon

Can't say I have ever thought of using the word jargon with anything of Camus. But I am rather a fan of his work, especially his book Resistance Rebellion and Death.

James Salter and Ernest Hemingway come to mind as far as simpler more to the point style of writing if that is what you are going for. I've seen a few others mention it on here recently but I would also recommend Storm of Steel. Maybe try Mark Twain's Dairies of Adam and Eve?

Anyways, haven't had the time I would like to read so stalled on Nightmare Alley. Took a day though to read Lawrence Ferlinghetti's A Coney Island of the Mind. Mixed bag of good and bad poems, however the good parts out weigh the bad and I would recommend it.

Idk if I'd call the way Camus writes Jargon, maybe that was a poor use of the word. No, I wouldn't say he uses Jargon as far as I noticed, he wasn't referencing words not used by common man, I don't think. No the problem with Camus is sometimes the way he writes a sentence just makes no sense, I think that sums up what I'm trying to say a little better, I hope. Short of giving specific examples I'm not sure what else I could describe about his work, I only read 2 pages.