What are you reading?

[Magic1]

I've heard good things about Eros and Civilization too, let us know what you think when you finish it.

I've read some hegel, but not much. I think I try to keep it that way. I've read Civilization and Its Discontents--it's good. Haven't read other freud though. Hopefully that's enough for marcuse's one-dimensional man. I realized I should know more marx though (not just for marcuse, but for my general edification), so I'm reading Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts before goign back to marcuse. Read Estranged Labor, per Faust's recommendation, and it was very good, certainly a prerequisite to marcuse.

I haven't read anything from the Frankfurt school, but maybe after marcuse I'll check out the Dialectic of Enlightenment, as I hear that's a good place to get much of the theses of the school. any recommendations as to which translation to read would be much appreciated.

Originally Posted by Fuuma

Amusingly enough I am reading Eros and civilization right now.

To understand Marcuse you need to understand Marxist thinking and Freudian writings (especially civilization and its discontents) as he sorta crashes the two together, leaving the Marxist side more Hegelian (so read Hegel, if you can or say a few essays) than pure Marxist and the Freudian side more social than personal (so late Freud).

You can also look at the Frankfurt school as he was part of that movement and builds or spins on some of their concepts (so Adorno, Horkheimer, Benjamin, Fromm).

In the end Marcuse shouldn't pose too much problem because most have been exposed to fragments of his thinming that have made their way in popular culture and he writes in a very straightfoward way and takes great pain to refer to the concepts or authors he is borrowing from.

[BSR]

Originally Posted by Magic1

I've heard good things about Eros and Civilization too, let us know what you think when you finish it.

I've read some hegel, but not much. I think I try to keep it that way. I've read Civilization and Its Discontents--it's good. Haven't read other freud though. Hopefully that's enough for marcuse's one-dimensional man. I realized I should know more marx though (not just for marcuse, but for my general edification), so I'm reading Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts before goign back to marcuse. Read Estranged Labor, per Faust's recommendation, and it was very good, certainly a prerequisite to marcuse.

I haven't read anything from the Frankfurt school, but maybe after marcuse I'll check out the Dialectic of Enlightenment, as I hear that's a good place to get much of the theses of the school. any recommendations as to which translation to read would be much appreciated.

very strange, you talk about these books as if they were restaurants

[Magic1]

eh, you're right, huh.

[Fuuma]

Originally Posted by BSR

very strange, you talk about these books as if they were restaurants

Well the Marcuse book is sorely lacking in sex and pictures right now but I like how he loops philosophy from Aristotle to Hegel and says the rest is not that important, aside from say Nietzsche. I still much prefer Freud as you can sense the underlying kinkyness, old dude just wanna get down.

[cc-e]

fall of the giants by ken follet

[messenoire]

love looks not with the eyes
has anyone had a chance to thumb through the new(er) alexander mcqueen book? i have 2 other books on mcqueen and was wondering how this one is.

[Faust]

Originally Posted by messenoire

love looks not with the eyes
has anyone had a chance to thumb through the new(er) alexander mcqueen book? i have 2 other books on mcqueen and was wondering how this one is.

Full review in StyleZeitgeist Volume 3 by yours truly. If our ship with mags hasn't sunk off the coast of Atlantic!

Yes, a definite hit. A copy already has taken prime real estate on my bookshelf. For the first time I wished that there were more color photos though. Black and white just cannot fully capture McQueen's genius.

[FOREVER]

Bought Norwegian Wood by Murakami yesterday, hope to enjoy it; my first Murakami

[Faust]

In my experience the best one. Much less unreadable, pseudo-magical-realism bullshit that ruins his writing for me.

[trentk]

Could anyone recommend good 20th/21st century scandinavian/icelandic literature?

[Faust]

Originally Posted by trentk

Could anyone recommend good 20th/21st century scandinavian/icelandic literature?

Sorry, I had to!

[Atom]

Originally Posted by trentk

Could anyone recommend good 20th/21st century scandinavian/icelandic literature?

Is there a genre you're particularly interested in?

[trentk]

Whatever you think someone who reads lovecraft, borges, continental philosophy, huysmans, bataille, lispector, mann etc.. would like.

[dontbecruel]

Originally Posted by trentk

Could anyone recommend good 20th/21st century scandinavian/icelandic literature?

My Struggle by Karl Ove Knausgaard

[Philipppp]

Originally Posted by trentk

Could anyone recommend good 20th/21st century scandinavian/icelandic literature?

‪Pär Lagerkvist‬ - The Dwarf

‪Vilhelm Ekelund‬ - (maybe too hard to find in English)

August Strindberg - Alone

Harry Martinson- Aimless Journeys

Björn Larsson - Dreams by the sea

Maybe you would like some of it.

"I have noticed that sometimes I frighten people; what they really fear is themselves. They think it is I who scare them, but it is the dwarf within them, the ape-faced manlike being who sticks up his head from the depths of their souls."
- The Dwarf

[galia]

stig dagerman is probably the best 20th century swedish author. I particularly recomment "a burnt child" and "german autumn".

[Fuuma]

Originally Posted by galia

stig dagerman is probably the best 20th century swedish author. I particularly recomment "a burnt child" and "german autumn".

+1...

[viv1984viv]

Originally Posted by trentk

Whatever you think someone who reads lovecraft, borges, continental philosophy, huysmans, bataille, lispector, mann etc.. would like.

too funny

[chandler]

Speaking of Swedish authors, I'm reading My Life as a Dog by Reidar Jonsson -- thoroughly enjoyable (As an aside, if you haven't seen the movie, I'd recommend it, but the book seems a more natural expression even when translated.)

[Nissim]

I need a couple of books to put on the list for santa, any recommendations?