what are you reading now?

[entertainment]

I read White Noise for the first time this week. I think the satire must have lost some of the bite it had back then because it seemed a bit stale but I liked the writing a lot.

 

[version]

It's in its death throes, desultory. You can't have a conversation any more. It's just I like this, I don't like that, and dad jokes. Can't remember the last time it felt so moribund. I blame version.

I am more powerful and influential than you. It's true.

 

[Mr. Tea]

Slightly different complaint, or issue or whatever - I remember reading an Orhan Pamuk (probably My Name is Red) and struggling with the translation, at least partly cos it used words such as "gotten" which to me were non-neutral and so added an extra and unwelcome layer of translation between the original text and me. Although of course I do recognise that's subjective in itself... in my defence it was a clunky translation of what is already a confusingly written book (or is it?).

I read about a third of that book and realised I was struggling, and then realised that this was because it was quite pretentious and not very interesting.

 

[version]

I read White Noise for the first time this week. I think the satire must have lost some of the bite it had back then because it seemed a bit stale but I liked the writing a lot.

This is more or less how I felt, although I also thought the third section was much worse than the previous two. The whole Dylar plot. I also realised how much of a debt Wallace owed to DeLillo once I read WN. The tennis academy thread of Infinite Jest's basically White Noise with tennis.

 

[entertainment]

This is more or less how I felt, although I also thought the third section was much worse than the previous two. The whole Dylar plot. I also realised how much of a debt Wallace owed to DeLillo once I read WN. The tennis academy thread of Infinite Jest's basically White Noise with tennis.

haven't read any dfw.

delillos personality via the narrator reminded me a lot of luka. a similar ordering temperament of the weight and perspective of things.

 

[version]

delillos personality via the narrator reminded me a lot of luka. a similar ordering temperament of the weight and perspective of things.

Luka's going to hate this.

🤣

 

[version]

haven't read any dfw.

You're not missing much, imo. He isn't as good as the people he's often compared to.

 

[entertainment]

You're not missing much, imo. He isn't as good as the people he's often compared to.

what should I read then?

 

[version]

What do you mean?

 

[entertainment]

Luka's going to hate this.

🤣

haha if I have time tomorrow if I have time I will quote some passages, bring the evidence to light and you will see.

but really those lukean parts were the things I enjoyed the most

 

[entertainment]

What do you mean?

recommend something

 

[version]

I think he just logged out because you compared him to DeLillo.

 

[entertainment]

I'm sorry luka

 

[version]

recommend something

By Wallace?

 

[entertainment]

By Wallace?

by anyone. maybe i'll try reading Pynchon. is lot 49 the recommended point of entry?

 

[constant escape]

I ran out of gas with Gravity's Rainbow, as well as Thousand Plateaus, as well as Journey to Ixtlan. Indefinite hiatus. Happening to anyone else? @version I recall you mentioning how reading has gotten more trying lately, but perhaps I'm thinking of someone else.

edit: for GR, right where Tcitcherine is introduced

 

[luka]

I dont think you should read Stan. It would spoil the mystique completely. Keep it pure.

 

[version]

by anyone. maybe i'll try reading Pynchon. is lot 49 the recommended point of entry?

Yeah. It's his shortest, but isn't as "light" as the shorter stuff that came later.

 

[constant escape]

I should just succumb to the manic attention singularity of the teaching machine?

 

[luka]

I should just succumb to the manic attention singularity of the teaching machine?

Just stick with what you've been doing. Playing Metal gear Solid with a podcast on in the background. Maybe a Wikipedia check for background information every now and again. Books are for losers.