The Book Store

Currently Reading:

Read (this year):

Ghostworld
Daniel Clowes

I watched the 2001 film before I read the comic and was pleasantly surprised how much the plot differs from one another. Having 2 outcast, 'weird' girls who have just gotten out of highschool struggle with their identities and what they want to do with their life really struck a chord with me too. There was one thing that (I think?) Enid said that really stuck with me, but I can't remember it clearly. When I find it though, I'll add it here because I really liked the open-ended and kind of melancholic the nature of Ghost World, it's relatablility (?) is kinda comforting.

Do Androids Dream of Elecric Sheep?
Philip K. Dick

This is such an exceptional piece of writing. The fact that Philip was able to achieve so much world building, philisophical debate and create such interesting and thought provoking characters in such a short piece of writing... genius. I REALLY liked how surreal this book is.

Maus
Art Spiegelman

A very intersting profile on Art's dad's experience of the Holocaust. I like that there is a big focus on the personal relationships of the people involved outside of the war (like Art and his dad in the present day for example), rather than JUST focusing on the events of WWII and the Holocaust (like the way it was done with Night). The artstyle was also really cool, and I think I'm going to look more into Art Spiegelman's work because I really liked it, especially the comic he made talking about the death of his mother (Prisoner on the Hell Planet),, it looks like it was made through a woodcut, very beautiful.

The Catcher in the Rye
J.D Salinger

No joke, I read this book in 3 days. I am normally a very slow reader but this book is very engrossing. Apparently, some people don'reallly like this book because there isn't really a plot and Holden doesn't really change as a person, but I kinda liked that about the story, it's realistic. How many people have actually came to any sort of major internal changes as a teenager? This book isn't something I'd die defending or anything, but it was a very interesting read that I liked a lot. (I have also suddenly have the urge to shoot John Lennon right now)

The Metamorphosis
Franz Kafka

A beautifully written book I really enjoyed that was also a real downer. One of the reasons I picked this book up from the library was becasue I kept hearing about 'Kafkesque' horror and I really wanted to find out what that was. I still don't think I understand it too much though because what was so scary? I'm still gonna give myself a bit of time to digest it, but it felt more sad and nihilistic ('you are a burden to your family and they will be so much happier without you in their lives') than anything. Waking up as a bug IS a really creepy thing though, so I'll give Mr. Kafka credit for that.

Men in Love
Nancy Friday

Technically speaking, I didn't finish this book but that's not something I'm too concerned about because that isn't necessary for this kind of book. This is such a interesting book that I honestly would love to write about more. I love the idea of compiling letters, 20th century sexuality and freudian analysis, so this was perfect for me lol. I did feel very strange (and sometimes uncomfortable) reading what was in this though, which is why I wasn't all that motivated to completely finish it.

Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands
Kate Beaton

I really appreciated this book. I liked how there was a multifaceted look at a way of life I'm all too familiar with living in Alberta (derogatory) and having a dad who works as a labourer. Beaton focusing on the need for money to survive despite the unhappiness of the career is something I also appreciate. The artwork is also quite beautiful.

Spies of the Balkans
Alan Furst

Reading this book was like reading one of those forgetable action movies you see on a random tv channel. It wasn't boring or anything, but I didn't like how this book had nothing to say about anything. The main character is a good guy who doesn't change AT ALL, and even though this takes place duing WWII and deals with a literal conflict and the MC helping Jewish people flee from Germany, it feels so empty and unsubstantial. I prefered spending a bunch of time reading a mediocre book insteading of watching stupid youtube videos so I guess it was good for something?

Paradais
Fernanda Melchor

a quick read that took me a little too long to finish. The writing style (very long sentences with very little paragraph breaks and no quotation marks) was very unique and intersting to read.

Night Fever
Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips

Much like any other Brubaker/Phillips combo, this book was crazy beautiful and incredibly intriguing.

Night
Elie wiesel

a very quick and very sad read. It's very sharp, specific and percise in its accounts of the brutality the author faced.

Famous Last Words
Timothy Findley
Did not finish I really loved reading some of his other works (see: The Wars, Stones) and out of a large collection of his other work available at the library, my friend decided I should read this one. The concept of the book and its beginning was so interesting and I really wanted to know more about the two main characters and their relaitonship, but so much extra stuff I don't care about happened and I lost motivation to finish it.
Stones
Timothy Findley

A compilation of short stories, all being very interesting. My favorite has to be "Dreams" but all of them are very good.
Also, the Mel Odom cover makes me love it even more.

The Wars
Timothy Findley

I honestly might put this one in my "all-time faves" list. The writing is so poetic and beautiful, despite the fact that war is being described. The use of first, second and third person was really cool too, especially its use in creating the image of who Robert Ross was- without actually hearing it through his direct perspective!!!

A Clockwork Orange
Anthony Burgess

omg I liked this book a lot. Thoroughly enjoyed the writing style and the nadsat speak (though it was crazy hard to understand at the beginning), and there was just enough details given about the society to make think more about it.

✦ Planning to read: ✦

  • Querelle of Brest by Jean Genet
  • The Skin by Curzio Malaparte
  • Fan-tan by Marlon Brando(re-read)
  • The Jungle by Upton Sinclair (re-read)
  • Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad
  • The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald