Originally Posted by ChiefFripp:
Maybe you can explain this one to me; Why do literary folk not consider Upton Sinclaire to be much of an author? The only praise I ever see the man receiving is based on his social commentary, not his actual writing. I've only read World war and The Jungle but both books were amazing, and to me a tleast, amazingly written.
Well, The Jungle is pretty much required reading for most high school American Literature courses, so it's hard to argue that he doesn't get much love. I just don't think he's considered much of a stylist. He's a journalist who ended up writing timely novels on important subjects in a journalistic fashion, whereas you have someone like Hemingway who was a journalist who wrote novels and elevated the style into something fresh and unique.
In all honesty, though, I haven't read Sinclair in ages. I should probably revisit him. [Reply]
Originally Posted by NewChief:
Well, The Jungle is pretty much required reading for most high school American Literature courses, so it's hard to argue that he doesn't get much love. I just don't think he's considered much of a stylist. He's a journalist who ended up writing timely novels on important subjects in a journalistic fashion, whereas you have someone like Hemingway who was a journalist who wrote novels and elevated the style into something fresh and unique.
In all honesty, though, I haven't read Sinclair in ages. I should probably revisit him.
It has been some time for me as well , but while reading World War, I realized I was having the same feeling as I hD while reading East Of Eden, almost like I had been living the book while I was reading it.
Originally Posted by ChiefFripp:
It has been some time for me as well , but while reading World War, I realized I was having the same feeling as I hD while reading East Of Eden, almost like I had been living the book while I was reading it.
Thanks for the reply.
Now when you talk East of Eden, you're talking my language. My thesis was on Steinbeck. :-) [Reply]
History and Future of the Roman Liturgy by Crouan
Comfortably Numb: Inside Story of Pink Floyd by Blake
Seeds of Contemplation by Merton
Elements of Philosophy by Wallace
Cognition: Epistemological Inquiry by Owens [Reply]
If you're in your 40's and love a good romp full of 80's pop culture, grap a copy of "Ready Player One" by Ernest Cline. I'm about 2/3 of the way through it, and it is fantastic.
Just finished a good short techno-thriller series, Daemon and Freedom by Daniel Suarez. [Reply]
History and Future of the Roman Liturgy by Crouan
Comfortably Numb: Inside Story of Pink Floyd by Blake
Seeds of Contemplation by Merton
Elements of Philosophy by Wallace
Cognition: Epistemological Inquiry by Owens
Originally Posted by Braincase:
If you're in your 40's and love a good romp full of 80's pop culture, grap a copy of "Ready Player One" by Ernest Cline. I'm about 2/3 of the way through it, and it is fantastic.
Just finished a good short techno-thriller series, Daemon and Freedom by Daniel Suarez.
I've been reading The Republic of Pirates: Being the True And Surprising Story of the Caribbean Pirates And the Man Who Brought Them Down by Colin Woodard.
Pretty interesting. I did not realize just how closely many of the pirates were affiliated with one another. [Reply]
Originally Posted by NewChief:
Now when you talk East of Eden, you're talking my language. My thesis was on Steinbeck. :-)
Never wrote a thesis (never been to college) but if I had to write one I'd pick Mark Twain or Steinbeck. I like Mark Twain a little more but no one creats a character like Steinbeck. I feel like I know the Cannery Row characters better than I know a lot of the flesh and blood people in my life. [Reply]
I'm eyeballing a couple of Doctorow titles. Too bad "For The Win" isn't available as an Audible title. I mostly listen to books during my commute. [Reply]
Originally Posted by RJ:
Never wrote a thesis (never been to college) but if I had to write one I'd pick Mark Twain or Steinbeck. I like Mark Twain a little more but no one creats a character like Steinbeck. I feel like I know the Cannery Row characters better than I know a lot of the flesh and blood people in my life.
Originally Posted by Braincase:
I'm eyeballing a couple of Doctorow titles. Too bad "For The Win" isn't available as an Audible title. I mostly listen to books during my commute.
I don't know what the hell I'd do without audible.
Probably read more print. But still, I'm the odd bird who prefers to listen to books rather than music when driving/running/cycling/walking and even gaming. [Reply]
Got assigned Moby Dick and Invisible Man for my last serious college class as an undergrad. I have to sign up for a Mark Twain class because school cancelled Philip Roth and Jewish Literature at the last second, but the Mark Twain class is online so I don't think it's going to be too strenuous. [Reply]
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court is my favorite Twain book.
For the people who like Cory Doctorow you may want to read a short story called Escape From Spiderhead. You can read it on the New Yorker's website I think. Buck, if you like Vonnegut, you'd like it, too. [Reply]