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Fav reads of 2008

In books on 30 December 2008 with no comments

I read embarrasingly little that was *new* in 2008. But I did get lots read - thanks, bus commuting and baby-enforced early nights. My best were:
- East of Eden, with a surprising amount of sex and violence for a book written in 1952 and set at the turn of last century.
- In Cold Blood, Truman [...]

Heavy going

In books on 14 September 2008 with no comments

David Foster Wallace killed himself at the weekend.
I should really attempt Infinite Jest again - I stalled at about the 600 page mark. It’s probably not one for the bus, in fairness. Dave Eggers reckons it takes a solid month.
Two links - Roger Federer as religious experience. And one from The Onion.

Sick. But I like it.

In books on 2 September 2008 tagged james ellroy with no comments

Here’s the paragraph that made me snort on the bus today:
I noticed a stuffed spaniel poised by the fireplace with a yellowed newspaper rolled into its mouth. Madeleine said ‘That’s Balto. The paper is the LA Times for August 1, 1926. That’s the day Daddy learned he’d made his first million. Balto was our pet [...]