Reading for October, 2005

William Faulkner, Light in August. Number 54 on the Modern Library list.
James T. Farrell, Young Lonigan. I think the Studs Lonigan Trilogy is only sold as a single volume these days, but I found a library copy of the first book. It is full of outdated references and deals with fairly dark subject matter, like “gangshags” and a plethora of prejudice.


A Reader’s Manifesto by B. R. Myers. This is a fun read, especially if you are feeling discouraged by the quality of today’s literary stars. The published version of the essay includes an addendum that addresses various complaints made against Myers. Of course the quality of Myers’ defense doesn’t really matter, because none of these people are going to pay attention to what anyone else says anyway. (I once read the first 30 pages of The Shipping News and feel no desire to continue.)
In progress:
For some reason I find myself doing a bit of parallel reading at the moment. I will read a short chapter from James Agee’s A Death in the Family, then I’ll pick up Kipling’s Kim. I’m halfway through An American Tragedy, and a third of the way into Studs Lonigan. And then I went and checked out the final volume of Hobb’s Tawny Man trilogy.
November should be a light reading month for me, it is National Novel Writing Month, so I’ll be needing to write 1600 words a day. There are other expected events this month as well.

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