Better Than Friday - 226
Good morning ya'll, I was going to shoot the 2024 TBR today (which is looking very exciting), however, I'm sick as a dog.
Just a cold, not the vid. Seems to be whatever is on tour stateside this winter. Bleh -
So, in my delirium and ill judgment, I did what many do, and joined TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@booksarebetterthanfood
Feel free to say Hullo on there.
Hope you're feeling far better than I, and you have a great weekend.
1. A Long Overdue Short Read: Roberto Bolaño's reportedly very bizarre first Novel, Antwerp
Was reminded of this one by @wastemailinglist.
Reading "The Magical Brain" (in both English and Spanish, granted I only understand every 30th word in Spanish) a gift from friend and patron James. Thanks!
3. Giant Severed Head in St. Louis
I found this downtown one winter when I was up there. What a cool sculpture.
4. My Bloody Valentine - Sometimes
What a gorgeous track. Classic.
I was reminded of it by friend and patron Collin who was mentioning the great cover by Boris. Thanks man!
5. Nabokov in Montreaux Interview
Very cool to watch. Talks some mad shit about Pasternak and Mann's Death in Venice.
Going to try and get some Nabokov on the channel this year.
The evening sky on the first day of 2024. A very nice evening.
Comments (8)
Wonderful interview with Nabokov, who vies only with Sollers (himself a Nabokov devotee) as my all-time favorite writer! You can read Sollers's defense of Nabokov here in French (unfortunately, translations of Sollers are likely to remain scarce for the foreseeable future): https://www.pileface.com/sollers/IMG/pdf/nabokov_defense.pdf?fbclid=IwAR0NmV-DV0xtxXV605x7gWb2ArR3djHIH4660hDhWAXD1zeJbbKwP833KUc
Thanks for the link! Ah that’s a shame, why do you think that is?
"No More Sorry" by MBV makes me feel like every dream I woke up weeping over.
Man, thank you, I've never heard that. A beautiful, very sad song. Seems like it may have inspired Tim Hecker.
Get well soon Cliff. I hope the reading is progressing regardless. I am currenty reading Minor Detail by Adania Shibli, translated by Elisabeth Jaquette. Though published in 2017 it has recently come to prominence not only because of recent international developments but also because of the Palestinian author's award ceremony being postponed at the Frankfurt book fair. Minor Detail is a short novel (novella?) that has a cold almost detached style that imho adds to the horrific events that take place at the story's core.
Serendipity! I just purchased "Antwerp" yesterday. My plan is to read "Paris Spleen" by Charles Baudelaire, then after read "Antwerp." I predict the two will pair well.
Forever thinking of the “Sometimes” scene in Lost in Translation. My favorite part of the film. Cheers Cliff feel better soon!
Sorry you are ill. Best wishes!