October 22nd, 2009 / 10:44 am
Snippets

Lots of great in the Rumpus’s Last Book I Loved column. What’s the last book you loved?

92 Comments

  1. davidpeak

      honest answer to that question would be the last book i read: beckett’s molloy

  2. davidpeak

      honest answer to that question would be the last book i read: beckett’s molloy

  3. Kyle Minor

      Judge on Trial, by Ivan Klima, and Tlooth, by Harry Mathews, and Fishboy, by Mark Richard, and Netherland, by Joseph O’Neill, and Gotham: A History of New York City to 1898, by Edwin G. Burrows & Mike Wallace

  4. Kyle Minor

      Judge on Trial, by Ivan Klima, and Tlooth, by Harry Mathews, and Fishboy, by Mark Richard, and Netherland, by Joseph O’Neill, and Gotham: A History of New York City to 1898, by Edwin G. Burrows & Mike Wallace

  5. Blake Butler

      Mark Richard: Amy used to freak out over him. I never could quite grabbit. Some of the stories nail me, but a lot of it feels a wash. Fishboy, tho? Haven’t read that one, just the stories. Hm

  6. Blake Butler

      Mark Richard: Amy used to freak out over him. I never could quite grabbit. Some of the stories nail me, but a lot of it feels a wash. Fishboy, tho? Haven’t read that one, just the stories. Hm

  7. Beniamino

      Short stories, Wells Tower, Everything Ravaged, Everything Burned, Maile Meloy, Both Ways Is The Only Way I Want It, and Adam Hazlett, You Are Not a Stranger Here.

      And Victor LaValle, Big Machine

  8. Kyle Minor

      I think it’d be up your alley, Blake.

  9. Beniamino

      Short stories, Wells Tower, Everything Ravaged, Everything Burned, Maile Meloy, Both Ways Is The Only Way I Want It, and Adam Hazlett, You Are Not a Stranger Here.

      And Victor LaValle, Big Machine

  10. Kyle Minor

      I think it’d be up your alley, Blake.

  11. Richard

      Big World by Mary Miller. LOVED it. From start to finish. Technically it’s a short story collection, but that counts, right?

  12. Richard

      Big World by Mary Miller. LOVED it. From start to finish. Technically it’s a short story collection, but that counts, right?

  13. christopher higgs

      I read Nicholson Baker’s Human Smoke last week and really liked it, despite the fact that I tend to be entirely uninterested in anything having to do with WWII. Yesterday, I started reading Kenneth Goldsmith’s Fidget, which I intend to finish this afternoon — & I already think it is absolutely brilliant.

  14. christopher higgs

      I read Nicholson Baker’s Human Smoke last week and really liked it, despite the fact that I tend to be entirely uninterested in anything having to do with WWII. Yesterday, I started reading Kenneth Goldsmith’s Fidget, which I intend to finish this afternoon — & I already think it is absolutely brilliant.

  15. Blake Butler

      i agree, i can’t even really stand history at all, but HS killed me, hard.

  16. Blake Butler

      i agree, i can’t even really stand history at all, but HS killed me, hard.

  17. anon

      Bonsai, by Alejandro Zambra. It’s from the Melville House novella series and it’s wistful, nostalgic and great.

      Last night I started reading Ablutions by Patrick deWitt (based on a recommendation from someone on this website) and holy cow, it is awesome.

  18. anon

      Bonsai, by Alejandro Zambra. It’s from the Melville House novella series and it’s wistful, nostalgic and great.

      Last night I started reading Ablutions by Patrick deWitt (based on a recommendation from someone on this website) and holy cow, it is awesome.

  19. Matt Cozart

      Carl Martin, Rogue Hemlocks. It’s one of the Fence poetry titles. Very strange and delicious.

  20. Matt Cozart

      Carl Martin, Rogue Hemlocks. It’s one of the Fence poetry titles. Very strange and delicious.

  21. Brandi Homan

      Rising, by Farrah Field. I keep returning to it quite unconsciously…

  22. Brandi Homan

      Rising, by Farrah Field. I keep returning to it quite unconsciously…

  23. Brandi Homan

      Rising, by Farrah Field. I keep returning to it quite unconsciously…

  24. Dan Wickett

      Big Machine by Victor LaValle

  25. Dan Wickett

      Big Machine by Victor LaValle

  26. Dan Wickett

      Big Machine by Victor LaValle

  27. Bill

      The last one I really, really loved, was blown away by was Black Flies by Shannon Burke. He’s a local (Knoxville, TN) writer and former EMS in Harlem and this book is as gritty as a Harlem EMS guy. Beautifully writter, as well.

  28. Bill

      The last one I really, really loved, was blown away by was Black Flies by Shannon Burke. He’s a local (Knoxville, TN) writer and former EMS in Harlem and this book is as gritty as a Harlem EMS guy. Beautifully writter, as well.

  29. Bill

      That is ” beautifully written.”

  30. Bill

      That is ” beautifully written.”

  31. Bill

      The last one I really, really loved, was blown away by was Black Flies by Shannon Burke. He’s a local (Knoxville, TN) writer and former EMS in Harlem and this book is as gritty as a Harlem EMS guy. Beautifully writter, as well.

  32. Bill

      That is ” beautifully written.”

  33. Tim Jones-Yelvington

      “Phosphor in Dreamland” by Rikki Ducornet.

  34. Tim Jones-Yelvington

      “Phosphor in Dreamland” by Rikki Ducornet.

  35. Tim Jones-Yelvington

      love

  36. Tim Jones-Yelvington

      love

  37. Tim Jones-Yelvington

      “Phosphor in Dreamland” by Rikki Ducornet.

  38. Tim Jones-Yelvington

      love

  39. Tim Jones-Yelvington

      I read that Haslett book, but only liked it. Except for maybe 2 stories that I loved.

  40. Tim Jones-Yelvington

      I read that Haslett book, but only liked it. Except for maybe 2 stories that I loved.

  41. Tim Jones-Yelvington

      I read that Haslett book, but only liked it. Except for maybe 2 stories that I loved.

  42. Beniamino

      Word.

  43. Beniamino

      Word.

  44. Beniamino

      Word.

  45. Beniamino

      Which ones?

      I’m only halfway into Haslett’s. But I guess the list was prompted, rather than from one collection in particular, from a general sensation of how lively the American short story still is, as opposed to, say, the British or French or Italian.

      Meloy’s would be my favourite of the lot, for the record.

  46. Beniamino

      Which ones?

      I’m only halfway into Haslett’s. But I guess the list was prompted, rather than from one collection in particular, from a general sensation of how lively the American short story still is, as opposed to, say, the British or French or Italian.

      Meloy’s would be my favourite of the lot, for the record.

  47. Beniamino

      Which ones?

      I’m only halfway into Haslett’s. But I guess the list was prompted, rather than from one collection in particular, from a general sensation of how lively the American short story still is, as opposed to, say, the British or French or Italian.

      Meloy’s would be my favourite of the lot, for the record.

  48. KevinS

      Wells Tower. That’s mine too.

  49. KevinS

      Wells Tower. That’s mine too.

  50. KevinS

      Wells Tower. That’s mine too.

  51. Michael James

      physically or mentally?

  52. Michael James

      physically or mentally?

  53. Michael James

      physically or mentally?

  54. MG

      THE QUICK AND THE DEAD by Joy Williams.

      I read that over a year ago for the first time. After reading it, I could, for the first time in my life, give people a definitive answer to the question ‘What is your favorite novel?’

  55. MG

      THE QUICK AND THE DEAD by Joy Williams.

      I read that over a year ago for the first time. After reading it, I could, for the first time in my life, give people a definitive answer to the question ‘What is your favorite novel?’

  56. MG

      THE QUICK AND THE DEAD by Joy Williams.

      I read that over a year ago for the first time. After reading it, I could, for the first time in my life, give people a definitive answer to the question ‘What is your favorite novel?’

  57. alec niedenthal

      read hannah’s ray last night. what a disarming, beautiful book.

  58. alec niedenthal

      read hannah’s ray last night. what a disarming, beautiful book.

  59. alec niedenthal

      read hannah’s ray last night. what a disarming, beautiful book.

  60. Tim Jones-Yelvington

      I’m trying to remember — the first one, w/ the bipolar dad & son, was def one of them. And I think there was another one later in the collection that maybe also involved mental health?

      Also liked the one abt the sado-masochistic relationship w/ the classmate, but thought it could’ve hit harder.

      And I remember thinking the one that took place in the cornfield, the therapist who goes to treat the rural woman or whatever, was totally crappy.

  61. Tim Jones-Yelvington

      I’m trying to remember — the first one, w/ the bipolar dad & son, was def one of them. And I think there was another one later in the collection that maybe also involved mental health?

      Also liked the one abt the sado-masochistic relationship w/ the classmate, but thought it could’ve hit harder.

      And I remember thinking the one that took place in the cornfield, the therapist who goes to treat the rural woman or whatever, was totally crappy.

  62. Tim Jones-Yelvington

      I’m trying to remember — the first one, w/ the bipolar dad & son, was def one of them. And I think there was another one later in the collection that maybe also involved mental health?

      Also liked the one abt the sado-masochistic relationship w/ the classmate, but thought it could’ve hit harder.

      And I remember thinking the one that took place in the cornfield, the therapist who goes to treat the rural woman or whatever, was totally crappy.

  63. Amber

      The Slynx by Tatyana Tolstaya. So dystopian, so Russian, so insane, so good.

  64. Amber

      The Slynx by Tatyana Tolstaya. So dystopian, so Russian, so insane, so good.

  65. Amber

      I LOVED Black Flies. Some of his descriptions just killed me.

  66. Amber

      I LOVED Black Flies. Some of his descriptions just killed me.

  67. Amber

      The Slynx by Tatyana Tolstaya. So dystopian, so Russian, so insane, so good.

  68. Amber

      I LOVED Black Flies. Some of his descriptions just killed me.

  69. Ross Brighton

      Word up. Becket is the motherfucker.

  70. Ross Brighton

      Word up. Becket is the motherfucker.

  71. Ross Brighton

      Word up. Becket is the motherfucker.

  72. Ross Brighton

      Fidget is great

  73. Ross Brighton

      Fidget is great

  74. Ross Brighton

      Damn. That’s a good one too.

  75. Ross Brighton

      Damn. That’s a good one too.

  76. Ross Brighton

      Fidget is great

  77. Ross Brighton

      Damn. That’s a good one too.

  78. Ross Brighton

      Sandy Florian’s The Tree of No. It melts and slides all over you’re body, and rearanges organs via ectoplasmic extensions.

  79. Ross Brighton

      Sandy Florian’s The Tree of No. It melts and slides all over you’re body, and rearanges organs via ectoplasmic extensions.

  80. Ross Brighton

      Sandy Florian’s The Tree of No. It melts and slides all over you’re body, and rearanges organs via ectoplasmic extensions.

  81. Jonny Ross

      third

  82. Jonny Ross

      third

  83. Jonny Ross

      third

  84. Jonny Ross

      Mao II. DeLillo’s plots don’t so much unfold as hover, circle, and finally taper off. The results are mixed, but this one hits it just right. His prose could make the menu at Denny’s compelling and existential vital.

  85. Jonny Ross

      Mao II. DeLillo’s plots don’t so much unfold as hover, circle, and finally taper off. The results are mixed, but this one hits it just right. His prose could make the menu at Denny’s compelling and existential vital.

  86. Jonny Ross

      Mao II. DeLillo’s plots don’t so much unfold as hover, circle, and finally taper off. The results are mixed, but this one hits it just right. His prose could make the menu at Denny’s compelling and existential vital.

  87. alec niedenthal

      she was my professor last semester, great prose-poetry stylist/teacher/human

  88. alec niedenthal

      she was my professor last semester, great prose-poetry stylist/teacher/human

  89. alec niedenthal

      she was my professor last semester, great prose-poetry stylist/teacher/human

  90. Ross Brighton

      Word. I’m jealous.

  91. Ross Brighton

      Word. I’m jealous.

  92. Ross Brighton

      Word. I’m jealous.