So, to create the list I had to have some criteria:
- The book is one I actually want to read. Books I think I should read, but have no real desire to, do not count.
- I actually own the book, showing a past intention to read it.
- The book has been on my TBR pile for years.
With those things in mind, my three books that have been waiting for me the longest:
by Alan Kaufman
A multi-generational anthology of Beat poetry, this collection includes some of my favorite poets: Whitman, Ginsberg, Kerouac, diPrima. And to make things even more interesting, it throws in Janis Joplin, Tupac Shakur, and James Dean. These are the coolest of the cool, defying tradition and bending boundaries. But sonofamonkeybucket it's still poetry which I can only handle in small doses. I really want to read this, cover to cover, but I always let my fingers skip right over it.
by Marquis de Sade
Okay, before you judge, let me explain. Er, sex is interesting and de Sade had some very unusual ideas. Maybe not the most moral explanation, but hey it's the truth. I bought this when I was a teenager...probably about 12 years ago or so, and for some reason, I've never picked it up. It's probably the academic nature of the book. We are talking about critical introductions, chronologies, and non-fiction stories, essays, treatise. For me, this will be an academic study instead of an entertaining read. Totally my fault; I can't help but get geeky with stuff like this.
by Thomas Pynchon
One word: Postmodernism. It's very difficult to work myself up to read a postmodern novel. Not that I don't love them, they are just so difficult to read. I know very little about the plot of the novel - I try to stay away from anything that could even remotely spoil a book for me - but I know that Gravity's Rainbow has actually been praised for its complexity. Complex Postmodernism. Yep, it's been waiting on my shelf for about a decade.
I fully intend on reading all three of these - and of course they are all chunksters of a high order. Maybe I can buckle down and read at least one of them this summer. I'd love to say I'd read all three, but since I've had two of these books for 10+ years (Outlaw Bible only like 5), I just don't see that happening.
I read Philosophy of the Boudoir a couple of years ago, thinking it was more philosophy and less...boudoir.
ReplyDeleteThe experience was, to say the least, scarring. You can check out my Bibliolatry post here, if you're interested. I was quite traumitized, though - I warn you!
And wow...I thought I had had some of my TBR books for a while. I give you props for holding on to these and meaning to read them for so long! I think 'one at a time' is a very healthy philosophy when it comes to long (and anticipated) books. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteMy post for The Book List this week is here.
+JMJ+
ReplyDeleteNot to judge or anything (Honest!), but perhaps the second book is best left unread. I tried it a few years ago and didn't get past a few pages before I started feeling really sick and depressed. Since my gag reflex and I had already made it through Trainspotting, I knew that I was reacting to something more than just visceral.
Anyway, I know I'm a new commenter who is coming out of nowhere to butt in with some advice. =P It's just that I've been to several other Book List posts this week, and it had just occurred to me that books that stay unread for years might really just not be worth the individual reader's time!
That may not be the case here, of course! It just kind of hit me that I'd love to be able to tell a Pynchon die-hard (and I've run into several), "I've had Gravity's Rainbow on my shelf for ten years and just never got around to reading it . . ." It's just the sort of thing to drive them crazy and say what I really think of Pynchon. =P
I won't judge you. In fact, I used to have two of the three books you mention in my own TBR stack. Eventually, I decided I was never going to read either of them and gave them both away to the local library book sale.
ReplyDeleteWrapped in plain brown paper. ;-)
Fabulous list, girl!
ReplyDeleteI actually have The Outlaw Bible of American Essays. I have read a couple of them and they have been very good. I haven't seen the poetry one, so dang, something else for the TBR pile!
Ha! I struggle with postmodernism too. And poetry - I think the mixture of poets in that book sounds great! You lost with me with the marquis de sade though.. :)
ReplyDeleteI think that a poetry anthology you've dipped into can't be quite considered unread :P Says the girl who has a "partially read" tag on library thing....
ReplyDeleteMy list has a different Pynchon on it but I think many of us are in that boat!
ReplyDeleteI think you made a very good case for ignoring all three of them!!1
ReplyDeletePynchon is just plain intimidating to me but de Sade's stories sound interesting. I have his biography that I really want to read.
ReplyDeleteI highly recommend Robert Shattuck's book Forbidden Knowledge as an excellent follow-up to the writings of Marquis de Sade. While Shattuck covers a number of topics in his book, his treatment of de Sade is terrific. Highly recommended !!!
ReplyDelete120 Days of Soddom is pretty high up on my TBR. I absolutely loved Incest. It's just short, so worthwhile!
ReplyDelete