I'll have to get back to you as I'm only one chapter in (I'm pretty slow because I'm also taking notes). Because I'm mostly a dummy on that area of the world, I expect it to be a revelation. Already it's quite striking (tho not terribly surprising) how much different and fluid Communist life was compared to the totalitarian models created by political scientists and propagandists.Silent Majority wrote: ↑24 Jun 2018, 5:34amRecommend it?Dr. Medulla wrote: ↑23 Jun 2018, 6:12pm
Reading this for possible inclusion in my class this fall. A few students have pointed out that my reading list is almost exclusively American—true, because I'm better equipped to contextualize the work better—but It's a fair critique so I'm seeing whether this might work.
Whatcha reading?
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Re: Whatcha reading?
"I used to bullseye womp rats in my T-16 back in Whittier, they're not much bigger than two meters.'" - Richard Nixon, Checkers Speech, abandoned early draft
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Re: Whatcha reading?
Tub book starting today:
Came in the mail this morning. I don't think this will be very good for a number of reasons. First, that title. Pompous and laughable. That's metal band absurdity. Second, oral histories are usually just bland presentation of material, collage more than history. They can be readable and entertaining, but it usually amounts to reading someone's research notes. And third, that definite article in the subtitle grates. Claims of being definitive are sand in my soul. However, there is the first book on the band, so I was kind of obliged to get it.
Came in the mail this morning. I don't think this will be very good for a number of reasons. First, that title. Pompous and laughable. That's metal band absurdity. Second, oral histories are usually just bland presentation of material, collage more than history. They can be readable and entertaining, but it usually amounts to reading someone's research notes. And third, that definite article in the subtitle grates. Claims of being definitive are sand in my soul. However, there is the first book on the band, so I was kind of obliged to get it.
"I used to bullseye womp rats in my T-16 back in Whittier, they're not much bigger than two meters.'" - Richard Nixon, Checkers Speech, abandoned early draft
Re: Whatcha reading?
I hate oral histories. I've been trying to get through Please Kill Me for ages.Dr. Medulla wrote: ↑26 Jun 2018, 11:01amTub book starting today:
Came in the mail this morning. I don't think this will be very good for a number of reasons. First, that title. Pompous and laughable. That's metal band absurdity. Second, oral histories are usually just bland presentation of material, collage more than history. They can be readable and entertaining, but it usually amounts to reading someone's research notes. And third, that definite article in the subtitle grates. Claims of being definitive are sand in my soul. However, there is the first book on the band, so I was kind of obliged to get it.
"Suck our Earth dick, Martians!" —Doc
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Re: Whatcha reading?
Yeah, that's a good example. There's also the similar one on the L.A. punk scene, We've Got the Neutron Bomb. They're decent research resources, occupying a weird primary/secondary source zone, but they feel like a bit of a cheat to me. They're an excuse to do only interview research and they let the author off the hook from making open assessments. Plus, in editing the interview transcripts, there's a framing of the evidence that the reader isn't fully aware of.
"I used to bullseye womp rats in my T-16 back in Whittier, they're not much bigger than two meters.'" - Richard Nixon, Checkers Speech, abandoned early draft
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Re: Whatcha reading?
Maybe cos of Legs McNeil, maybe the font, but everyone in Please Kill Me comes off as a dunce.Kory wrote: ↑26 Jun 2018, 12:20pmI hate oral histories. I've been trying to get through Please Kill Me for ages.Dr. Medulla wrote: ↑26 Jun 2018, 11:01amTub book starting today:
Came in the mail this morning. I don't think this will be very good for a number of reasons. First, that title. Pompous and laughable. That's metal band absurdity. Second, oral histories are usually just bland presentation of material, collage more than history. They can be readable and entertaining, but it usually amounts to reading someone's research notes. And third, that definite article in the subtitle grates. Claims of being definitive are sand in my soul. However, there is the first book on the band, so I was kind of obliged to get it.
Re: Whatcha reading?
It seems to me that format is fine for documentaries but not for books. It all just seems too scattered and difficult to get invested in. I suppose authors could make an argument that the people that were there are better judges of what actually happened or what it meant, but as you say, the editing and order of the quotes takes the place of what the "author" interprets, which kind of takes the wind out of that argument anyway.Dr. Medulla wrote: ↑26 Jun 2018, 12:47pmYeah, that's a good example. There's also the similar one on the L.A. punk scene, We've Got the Neutron Bomb. They're decent research resources, occupying a weird primary/secondary source zone, but they feel like a bit of a cheat to me. They're an excuse to do only interview research and they let the author off the hook from making open assessments. Plus, in editing the interview transcripts, there's a framing of the evidence that the reader isn't fully aware of.
"Suck our Earth dick, Martians!" —Doc
Re: Whatcha reading?
Is it a large font? I haven't looked at it in a while.Silent Majority wrote: ↑26 Jun 2018, 1:06pmMaybe cos of Legs McNeil, maybe the font, but everyone in Please Kill Me comes off as a dunce.Kory wrote: ↑26 Jun 2018, 12:20pmI hate oral histories. I've been trying to get through Please Kill Me for ages.Dr. Medulla wrote: ↑26 Jun 2018, 11:01amTub book starting today:
Came in the mail this morning. I don't think this will be very good for a number of reasons. First, that title. Pompous and laughable. That's metal band absurdity. Second, oral histories are usually just bland presentation of material, collage more than history. They can be readable and entertaining, but it usually amounts to reading someone's research notes. And third, that definite article in the subtitle grates. Claims of being definitive are sand in my soul. However, there is the first book on the band, so I was kind of obliged to get it.
"Suck our Earth dick, Martians!" —Doc
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Silent Majority
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Re: Whatcha reading?
Don't remember to be honest.Kory wrote: ↑26 Jun 2018, 1:08pmIs it a large font? I haven't looked at it in a while.Silent Majority wrote: ↑26 Jun 2018, 1:06pmMaybe cos of Legs McNeil, maybe the font, but everyone in Please Kill Me comes off as a dunce.Kory wrote: ↑26 Jun 2018, 12:20pmI hate oral histories. I've been trying to get through Please Kill Me for ages.Dr. Medulla wrote: ↑26 Jun 2018, 11:01amTub book starting today:
Came in the mail this morning. I don't think this will be very good for a number of reasons. First, that title. Pompous and laughable. That's metal band absurdity. Second, oral histories are usually just bland presentation of material, collage more than history. They can be readable and entertaining, but it usually amounts to reading someone's research notes. And third, that definite article in the subtitle grates. Claims of being definitive are sand in my soul. However, there is the first book on the band, so I was kind of obliged to get it.
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Re: Whatcha reading?
The author of this one claims that his choice is to preserve the multitude of perspectives to the story, not to privilege his own. Which sounds nice and noble, but it's more like evading authorial responsibility. Your fucking name is on the cover and you're getting some kind of income from this; it's not privilege to put your interpretation out there, it's the job.Kory wrote: ↑26 Jun 2018, 1:07pmIt seems to me that format is fine for documentaries but not for books. It all just seems too scattered and difficult to get invested in. I suppose authors could make an argument that the people that were there are better judges of what actually happened or what it meant, but as you say, the editing and order of the quotes takes the place of what the "author" interprets, which kind of takes the wind out of that argument anyway.Dr. Medulla wrote: ↑26 Jun 2018, 12:47pmYeah, that's a good example. There's also the similar one on the L.A. punk scene, We've Got the Neutron Bomb. They're decent research resources, occupying a weird primary/secondary source zone, but they feel like a bit of a cheat to me. They're an excuse to do only interview research and they let the author off the hook from making open assessments. Plus, in editing the interview transcripts, there's a framing of the evidence that the reader isn't fully aware of.
"I used to bullseye womp rats in my T-16 back in Whittier, they're not much bigger than two meters.'" - Richard Nixon, Checkers Speech, abandoned early draft
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Re: Whatcha reading?
Just looked at my Penguin edition—it's small print, Times-esque font. I dislike McNeil, tho. I first encountered him when he wrote for Spin in the late 80s, and he came off as a pompous doofus (mind you, that seemed to be Spin's editorial mission statement). I haven't seen anything to challenge that, so the impression remains.Silent Majority wrote: ↑26 Jun 2018, 1:10pmDon't remember to be honest.Kory wrote: ↑26 Jun 2018, 1:08pmIs it a large font? I haven't looked at it in a while.Silent Majority wrote: ↑26 Jun 2018, 1:06pmMaybe cos of Legs McNeil, maybe the font, but everyone in Please Kill Me comes off as a dunce.
"I used to bullseye womp rats in my T-16 back in Whittier, they're not much bigger than two meters.'" - Richard Nixon, Checkers Speech, abandoned early draft
Re: Whatcha reading?
Well, his name is "Legs."Dr. Medulla wrote: ↑26 Jun 2018, 1:23pmJust looked at my Penguin edition—it's small print, Times-esque font. I dislike McNeil, tho. I first encountered him when he wrote for Spin in the late 80s, and he came off as a pompous doofus (mind you, that seemed to be Spin's editorial mission statement). I haven't seen anything to challenge that, so the impression remains.Silent Majority wrote: ↑26 Jun 2018, 1:10pmDon't remember to be honest.Kory wrote: ↑26 Jun 2018, 1:08pmIs it a large font? I haven't looked at it in a while.Silent Majority wrote: ↑26 Jun 2018, 1:06pmMaybe cos of Legs McNeil, maybe the font, but everyone in Please Kill Me comes off as a dunce.
"Suck our Earth dick, Martians!" —Doc
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Re: Whatcha reading?
Wikipedia says it's actually Roderick. A pick 'em as to which is worse.Kory wrote: ↑26 Jun 2018, 1:30pmWell, his name is "Legs."Dr. Medulla wrote: ↑26 Jun 2018, 1:23pmJust looked at my Penguin edition—it's small print, Times-esque font. I dislike McNeil, tho. I first encountered him when he wrote for Spin in the late 80s, and he came off as a pompous doofus (mind you, that seemed to be Spin's editorial mission statement). I haven't seen anything to challenge that, so the impression remains.Silent Majority wrote: ↑26 Jun 2018, 1:10pmDon't remember to be honest.Kory wrote: ↑26 Jun 2018, 1:08pmIs it a large font? I haven't looked at it in a while.Silent Majority wrote: ↑26 Jun 2018, 1:06pmMaybe cos of Legs McNeil, maybe the font, but everyone in Please Kill Me comes off as a dunce.
"I used to bullseye womp rats in my T-16 back in Whittier, they're not much bigger than two meters.'" - Richard Nixon, Checkers Speech, abandoned early draft
Re: Whatcha reading?
I guess he could go by Rick at least. That's kind of a rock n' roll name...Dr. Medulla wrote: ↑26 Jun 2018, 1:49pmWikipedia says it's actually Roderick. A pick 'em as to which is worse.Kory wrote: ↑26 Jun 2018, 1:30pmWell, his name is "Legs."Dr. Medulla wrote: ↑26 Jun 2018, 1:23pmJust looked at my Penguin edition—it's small print, Times-esque font. I dislike McNeil, tho. I first encountered him when he wrote for Spin in the late 80s, and he came off as a pompous doofus (mind you, that seemed to be Spin's editorial mission statement). I haven't seen anything to challenge that, so the impression remains.
"Suck our Earth dick, Martians!" —Doc
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Re: Whatcha reading?
Orlando - Virgina Woolf. An absolutely brilliant novel, in love with language and writing. I adored Woolf's witty, heavy-minded but lighthearted prose and the journey of the person born a man who becomes a woman and then lives from Elizabethan times to the novel's publication and beyond. A Tilda Swinton film of this is now on my hard drive and I reckon it'll be a good one.
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Silent Majority
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Re: Whatcha reading?
Mack the Life - Lee Mack. I like this mainstream British comedian's quick wit, though his BBC sitcom is unwatchable. Nice easy read, uncomplicated with a few laughs along the way. Seems like a nice fella.