All Consuming : 2headedboy

A story about "Lovers for a Day"

nobody@allconsuming.net (2headedboy) — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 20:42:59 GMT

by Ivan Klima

These are not traditional love stories by any means…they all seem to involve the ragged, hopeful/hopeless fringes of love, searching for meaning in the arms of another. Good stuff—highly recommended.

Why I recommend "Mysteries: A Novel"

nobody@allconsuming.net (2headedboy) — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 20:40:56 GMT

Mysteries: A Novel

by Knut Hamsun

No exaggeration to say this is one of the very best books I’ve ever read. It is written in a style I’ve never encountered before—where the fascinating inner dialog of the 3rd person protagonist rings so true to how I often think. This “conversation” actually makes you feel uncomfortable at times because of its stark frankness regarding the secrets we keep from everyone. I could not put this book down, literally, carrying it from room to room to porch to car…a masterpiece. And don’t forget Hamsun won the Nobel Prize in 1920. Sheer genius.

A story about "Broken"

nobody@allconsuming.net (2headedboy) — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 04:40:13 GMT

Broken

by William Cope Moyers

The destructive, insidious horrors of crack addiction laid bare. While Moyers had the benefit of a seeming unlimited amount of money to receive the best drug rehab in our country, the book still should resonate with people who only think crack addicts are poor, homeless, urban refugees. Moyers is a privileged, white, high-income addict. This drug spares no one. My best advice: do not EVER try it. It’s addictive pull is instantaneous. Imagine the most intense orgasm you’ve ever had…now multiply that by 10. But it only lasts a few minutes, and suddenly you need more and more and more…and that overwhelming need doesn’t end until you’re broke, in jail, or dead. The percentage of successful recovery from crack addiction is minuscule. Don’t be a statistic.

Why I recommend "Growth of the Soil"

nobody@allconsuming.net (2headedboy) — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 13:14:32 GMT

Growth of the Soil

by Knut Hamsun

This is the best book by a Norwegian author I have ever read—it beats out “Hunger,” also by Hamsun.

But seriously, this should be required reading for college English majors at the very least. An incredible book, told with a deft touch. Somewhere between Thomas Hardy and Bukowski. This one is going on the top shelf, with Celine, Fante, Camus, Richard Ford, & Dostoevsky.