they have these things in southeast portland called little lending libraries or something

they look like christ on a cross in bavaria

i'm always like Why don the homeless steal all the books



she's like The homeless don read

They're all over Toronto as well; here we call them "little free libraries." Great finds in those boxes. I'd say over the past decade maybe 20% of what I've read I've found in these things.

Dark Entries (1964) by Robert Aickman. The author's earliest stories, not quite at the level of his later work, with the exception of “Ringing the Changes,” one of his very best.

Pushkin's Children (2003) by Tatyana Tolstaya. Essays and book reviews from 1990-2000 about Russian politics, history and culture at a time of great upheaval in that country. Tolstaya's witty and vicious, a little Gore Vidal-ish, especially when taking down Solzhenitsyn, who’s returned from America and bought himself two 15 minute chunks of TV time every month where he ''flies like an incorporeal spirit in a swirl of electrons through the indifferent ether, to beat against my television screen, begging to be let out with his moldy prophecies.'' Crazy detail: When Solzhenitsyn showed up in Vermont in 1974 (after having been expelled from the Soviet Union), Russian emigres tried to meet with him, and were rebuffed – because they were voluntary emigres (and therefore traitors), whereas Solzhenitsyn had been kicked out against his will. Fun guy!

I live in a small town in northern California, and we have them here too.

The Border by Don Winslow - DEA, drug cartels. a poorly disguised Donald Trump and Jared Kutscher are involved with drug money in the bood. Ver interesting

so whats the deal

do i have to leave a dollar or something

No money changing hands, at least not here in socialist Canada. You're merely asked to replenish the stock once in a while with your own book donations. At your own convenience, of course. Kind of a take a penny, leave a penny deal.

Posted by crazystengel on 3/8/2019 2:25:00 PM (view original):
No money changing hands, at least not here in socialist Canada. You're merely asked to replenish the stock once in a while with your own book donations. At your own convenience, of course. Kind of a take a penny, leave a penny deal.

We have those in Los Angeles, also free (plenty of socialists here).

In Praise Of Hatred by Khaled Khalifa

a little somethin bout boredom and fantasy and cloture

a little somethin bout jihad, Alleppo, and police states

whether its better to behead with blunt knives in the name of sacred or imprison and torture in the name of secular

The New York Times ran a piece yesterday on their original book reviews of some of the classics --

Ulysses
"The average intelligent reader will glean little or nothing from it... save bewilderment and a sense of disgust."

On The Origin of Species
"Shall we frankly declare that, after the most deliberate consideration of Mr. Darwin's arguments, we remain unconvinced?"

Catcher in the Rye
"This Salinger, he's a short story guy."

Lolita
"Dull, dull, dull in a pretentious, florid and archly fatuous fashion."

Tender is the Night
"Not the work of a wise and mature novelist."

Could be I'm just a cretin, but I think the Ulysses review holds up pretty well! (Kidding.) (Sort of.)

By the way, wouldn't it be great if there were a Rotten Tomatoes for books?

Definitely an acquired taste and sobering to realize that its most famous and debated passages were mainly translation errors. Love the idea of a Rotten Tomatoes for books! You should start one, crazy. I'm perfectly serious. First you need a clever name.

Did some looking and it appears something like a Rotten Tomatoes for books already exists.

Reviews are divided into four categories -- rave, positive, mixed, and pan -- and then averaged out.

Not as comprehensive as Rotten Tomatoes, but they're making an effort. I'll definitely visit the site now and then.

Re-reading some novels from my college days:

Confessions of Nat Turner--William Styron

The Milagro Beanfield War---John Nichols

The Sunlight Dialogues----John Gardner

The World According to Garp---John Irving

Posted by crazystengel on 3/11/2019 1:13:00 AM (view original):
Did some looking and it appears something like a Rotten Tomatoes for books already exists.

Reviews are divided into four categories -- rave, positive, mixed, and pan -- and then averaged out.

Not as comprehensive as Rotten Tomatoes, but they're making an effort. I'll definitely visit the site now and then.

Book * Mark

"It's free and always will be."

heh that's what NetZero said

I am fascinated to read what books you all are reading. Clearly there is an impressive level of intellect amongst you. I am humbled by your reading lists. This site is packed with smart people. That is very cool...

my recent reads aren't anything special but they were to me.

Life and Death in Shanghai by Nien Cheng chronicles her years f living during the cultural revolution . The level of her recall during this harrowing time is nothing short of astonishing. Her husband was an executive for Shell Oil in Shanghai and because of that her family had been harassed by the red guards. After her husband died she had become the target of the communist party. Her life had been turned upside down. She was continuously required to attend reeducation sessions, imprisoned for 5 years, shunned by her friends and associates, her house and possessions confiscated, her daughter murdered....Lon and on her life was pure hell. Her spirit never broken. Her grace under fire unshakable. Truly a remarkable woman. Non fiction. True story.

Waiting by Ha Jin is a wonderful fictional account of a high ranking soldier during the 1960's in China. He is stationed 1000 miles from home and serves on his base for 18 years. He gets home a couple times a year but it isn't enough time for him to sustain his marriage. He falls in love with another women with whom he works. He wants to divorce his wife and marry his sweetheart but the communist party will not allow him to divorce. It takes him 18 years of trying . The book is a glimpse into Chinese culture that fascinates me.

Ive read a myriad of poker books. Neagranu, Brunson, Harrington, warren, Helmuth but by far the very best by Alex Fitzgerald. His book Exploitative Play in Live Poker is worth 10 times the cost. Texas Hold Em has evolved . The top level pros use game theory optimal . The books, videos and Neagranu's Master Class all detail GTO. Fitzgerald's book reveals his years of statistical analysis of situational plays. He is a professional poker player and coach. He reveals what is necessary to do in order to win. You will learn to read hands and read situations. He gives you the plays to exploit your competitors. The book is oriented towards small and mis size stakes games. Unlike the others this book is written for the small stakes player ($100 to $1000 buy in tournaments or $1-$2 NL cash games). If you play Texas hold 'em in home games or small stakes tournaments you want this information. If you want to play in the WSOP try Neagranu's Master Class.