The Literature Thread

[Wedgie]

My library is absolute gooseberry fool and that's prior to them clearing out even more of the stock for non-book stuff

Everything always has to be ordered in from country storage at cost, they didn't even have a copy of Lolita

Now, we're getting there.

Did the librarian look at you in digust, face all winked up, scream foul things about you being a "dirty old man" and then run you out of the building with her well used stamp of authority?

[Irene Demova]

My library is absolute gooseberry fool and that's prior to them clearing out even more of the stock for non-book stuff

Everything always has to be ordered in from country storage at cost, they didn't even have a copy of Lolita

Now, we're getting there.

Did the librarian look at you in digust, face all winked up, scream foul things about you being a "dirty old man" and then run you out of the building with her well used stamp of authority?

Nah they had to order it from storage at the cost of just buying the book.

[Meep]

Okay, so I'm going on holiday on Saturday and burned through Shepard's Crown, which I was intended to read then, in a couple of days after running out of other materials. Any advice on something read while lying on a beach this year?

[Tafdolphin]

My library is absolute gooseberry fool and that's prior to them clearing out even more of the stock for non-book stuff

Everything always has to be ordered in from country storage at cost, they didn't even have a copy of Lolita

Now, we're getting there.

Did the librarian look at you in digust, face all winked up, scream foul things about you being a "dirty old man" and then run you out of the building with her well used stamp of authority?

Nah they had to order it from storage at the cost of just buying the book.

Lolita is strawberry floating killer. It's definitely one of my favourite books, Humbert is such a colossal prick but you can't help loving the guy. It's an amazing piece of work.

[Frank]

I started reading The Danish Girl the other week after seeing all the RAGE about them casting straight white posh boy Eddie Redmayne in the lead rold rather than an actual transgender actor/actress.

It's worrying how much of it I can relate to.

[Rocsteady]

Lolita is great. I remember mentioning at an internship a while back that was what I was reading; my supervisor gave me a weird look and asked me why I would read such a thing... Didn't realise it was a taboo read. Obviously the subject matter is controversial but it's a classic literary work.

[HSH28]

Okay, so I'm going on holiday on Saturday and burned through Shepard's Crown, which I was intended to read then, in a couple of days after running out of other materials. Any advice on something read while lying on a beach this year?

Have you read 'Ready Player One'?

[Irene Demova]

Lolita is great. I remember mentioning at an internship a while back that was what I was reading; my supervisor gave me a weird look and asked me why I would read such a thing... Didn't realise it was a taboo read. Obviously the subject matter is controversial but it's a classic literary work.

It's actually a recent stigma/misunderstanding (probably because of the film bringing it to the attention of non-readers), the book was a popular coffee table book when it came out in the 50's.

Agree with what Taf says too, it's probably my second most favourite book; that's what was so frustrating about the library being gooseberry fool - my English teacher was the one recommending it to the class in the first place, yet this universally acclaimed classic wasn't even in stock

[Denster]

Just started The Shepherd's crown.

[Captain Kinopio]

Started reading the Cicero trilogy again ahead of going to see Robert Harris this evening for the launch of the third book

I'd forgotten how good they are. Already powered through 300 pages, hopefully will finish by the weekend so I can move onto Lustrum and then the third book next week

[Moggy]

Started reading the Cicero trilogy again ahead of going to see Robert Harris this evening for the launch of the third book

I'd forgotten how good they are. Already powered through 300 pages, hopefully will finish by the weekend so I can move onto Lustrum and then the third book next week

I've been waiting to read those until the trilogy is complete. I recently rewatched HBO's Rome which has put me in the mood plus I love Robert Harris books.

[Curls]

I recently read 'Things The Grandchildren Should Know' By Mark Everett. It was a really good read and I'd urge any Eels fan to give it a go. Makes the songs even better.

I am now reading ' The Road' it's good so far.

[Captain Kinopio]

Started reading the Cicero trilogy again ahead of going to see Robert Harris this evening for the launch of the third book

I'd forgotten how good they are. Already powered through 300 pages, hopefully will finish by the weekend so I can move onto Lustrum and then the third book next week

I've been waiting to read those until the trilogy is complete. I recently rewatched HBO's Rome which has put me in the mood plus I love Robert Harris books.

I've read everything by Harris aside from The Ghost (seen the film though) and Fear Index.

The Cicero ones are definitely my favourite though and now I have the third in my hands

[Captain Kinopio]

Apparently there's going to be a tv series

[Poser]

All of King's stuff is set in the same multiverse with several books set in the same universe so you see recurring characters pop up across several books. Having read that entire reading list now, a lot of it is very tangential.

As Moggy says though 'Salem's Lot definitely isn't tangential and if you're going to read Dark Tower you probably should read it. Not least because it's arguably King's best book.

Here's the stuff from that reading order I'd keep with some additional notes in blue:

The Dark Tower I: The Gunslinger (2004 revised edition)
The Dark Tower II: The Drawing of the Three
The Stand (uncut edition)- While more tangential than some of the stuff I've left here, it's a good book and features a fairly major Dark Tower character.
The Talisman This is less connected to the Dark Tower books than its sequel Black House but you can't really read Black House without it and Black House is pretty heavy on Dark Tower relevance. I'm half convinced the writers of True Detective ripped off Black House massively.
The Dark Tower III: The Waste Lands
The Dark Tower IV: Wizard and Glass
Salem's Lot Don't skip this.
The Mist (Collected in Skeleton Crew)- This is skippable to be honest, though I like the story and I've been meaning to watch it on Netflix too. The reason I'm mentioning it is because Skeleton Crew has one of the most horrifying stories by King I've ever read (Survivor Type). No DT mythos in it but everyone should read that story.
It Almost entirely tangential to Dark Tower but if you're going to read King you need to read It, it's amazing.
Insomnia When you're reading this you'll probably be thinking it has massive DT significance but in the end not really. I'd still read it, but do so after It. It's a good book.
Everything's Eventual A cool short story but Little Sisters of Eluria in the same anthology is more DT relevant.
The Little Sisters of Eluria (Collected in Everything's Eventual) Dark Tower prologue story.
Hearts In Atlantis A really great anthology where the stories are all interconnected. Several DT characters feature.
Black House See my notes for The Talisman
The Wind Through the Keyhole This was the eighth DT book released but it's set right before V. Read it.
The Dark Tower Book V: Wolves of the Calla
The Dark Tower VI: Song of Susannah
The Dark Tower VII: The Dark Tower

Sorry for the big bumpety-bump... I've finished The Talisman, finally. While I enjoyed it in parts, it was incredibly heavy going in others. Just so many words.

Anyway, I'm now on with Dark Tower III, and it's already much easier to read.

However, I have a question: I read that Randall Flagg is also the antagonist in Eyes of the Dragon and wondered if you knew if/where that fits in to the above chronology? It's hard to Google this stuff without reading major spoilers.

[Moggy]

However, I have a question: I read that Randall Flagg is also the antagonist in Eyes of the Dragon and wondered if you knew if/where that fits in to the above chronology? It's hard to Google this stuff without reading major spoilers.

I have never heard of that book before. I looked on Wikipedia and it doesn't seem like it fits into the chronology, it looks like more of a sidebook, just something with familiar characters set in the same world.

I wouldn't read it until after you have read Wizard and Glass though, just in case.

[Errkal]

He is in quite a few of the books, you could easily argue he is king baddy from The Stand too.

[Poser]

However, I have a question: I read that Randall Flagg is also the antagonist in Eyes of the Dragon and wondered if you knew if/where that fits in to the above chronology? It's hard to Google this stuff without reading major spoilers.

I have never heard of that book before. I looked on Wikipedia and it doesn't seem like it fits into the chronology, it looks like more of a sidebook, just something with familiar characters set in the same world.

I wouldn't read it until after you have read Wizard and Glass though, just in case.

Looks like you're right. I did find this list that puts it immediately after the first book, but others seem to contradict that.

http://www.amazon.com/FULL-Dark-Tower-E ... 9GZH3HF6E6

[sawyerpip]

I read Eyes of the Dragon years ago, but I don't remember there being too much crossover with the Dark Tower series. It's almost a fairytale type book, I think I remember reading that King had written it so that his children could read some of his work.

[Poser]

Cool, I shall skip it for now. God knows I don't need to add to my list at the moment.