Not working has done wonders for my reading. It's amazing that having more free time and not hanging around in bars would have such a dramatic impact on my proverbial bookshelf. Books are not hard to come by down here but really good books are. Each hotel usually has some sort of book exchange and the more touristy towns tend to have an expatriate bookworm who has opened up a used book shop. Luckily for me I have run into some pretty good books so far.
The Book of Laughter and Forgetting by Milan Kundera
Great explanation of 'litost', a new favorite word.
Galapagos by Kurt Vonnegut
I appreciated his writing style but some of the more interesting characters only played small roles. This one never really got off the ground with me, good, but I kept wanting more.
The Thin Man by Dashiell Hammet
Great line in this crime caper, "it's too early for breakfast, why don't you pour me a drink."
Disgrace by JM Coetzee
Made me not want to be a professor.
The Crying of Lot 49 by Thomas Pynchon
Loved this one, you can see how this one influenced generations of artists and performers, noteably Radiohead (and most of you know how I feel about them)
Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury
Made me feel a bit like a kid again.
The Natural by Bernard Malamud
Quite different from the movie, both great in different ways but the glory of the movie edges out the disgrace of the book.
All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy
Really enjoyed this one. Haven't seen the movie but i'm curious how they changed it and how my future ex-wife Penelope looks. Just kidding, I know she looks fabulous.
This was a banner month for me, a bumper crop of reading. Usually i'm only good for one or two a month. Hopefully I can keep finding some good ones here and there, we'll see.
