Barclays is torturing me! (and a poll)

[Anonymous]

Was recently approved for a Barnes & Noble Mastercard. It began reporting the day after the approval. Card is taking forever to arrive. (OK it's only been a week or so, but that feels like a month)

Don't they know I need to break it in and get that complimentary $25 gift card by pre-ordering Season 2 of Dexter?

I've already seen Season 2, btw. I'd be ordering it as a gift for a family member. Dexter is *such* a fun series.

So the poll is:

Which books, movies and/or CDs are on your wishlist? I'm looking for some recommendations.

[Anonymous]

You've GOTTA read The Fixer by Bernard Malamud. One of the best books ever in the world.

And then, The Master and Margarita.

Two of my favorites of all time.

[Anonymous]

Ooh.. thanks! Added both to my shopping cart.

[islandchild82]

Ivy,

Was The Fixer "heavy"? I usually have to be in a certain "mood", lol, to read dark or heavy literature. Which is still why I haven't picked up Night by Elie Wiesel.

Other than that, I have about 30 books on my bookshelf that have yet to be read. I can't stop buying them! I try to read one or two a week, but it doesn't help when you replenish faster than that.

Anyway, if you can offer some thoughts on The Fixer, I'd appreciate it!

[wmarat]

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ivyalmighty wrote:

You've GOTTA read The Fixer by Bernard Malamud. One of the best books ever in the world.

And then, The Master and Margarita.

Two of my favorites of all time.

---

Master and Margarita?????????????

You can't imagine the measure of my surprise.

Have you read it in English or Russian.

M.Bulgakov is one of the best world writers.

[fishbjc]

Beautiful Boy by David Sheff / his brilliant son becomes addicted to meth.  It's very moving and wonderfully written.

Tweak by Nic Sheff / his story about his addiction.

[Anonymous]

wmarat-

In English.. I'm not that worldly as to be able to read it in Russian .. what, did I not strike you as literary enough?

island-

The Fixer has moments of heaviness. I read Night, too, and it's a different kind of heavy than that. The Fixer spends more time being introspective, and instead of observations of the pain around him, it's more about observations of his own personal growth. Something about the writing style keeps you from feeling like slitting your wrists When I read it, I imagined it being narrated by a Brooklyn or Boca Raton transplant Jewish grandparent.. sort of an admonishing tone.

[islandchild82]

Fish-

A friend of mine just started Beautiful Boy the other day. He just picked it up on a whim. Nice to hear it recommended; I'll read it when he's done.

Ivy-

Thanks for your thoughts. I may have to pick it up. It doesn't sound like something I would normally read, but a good book is a good book regardless. And I am always willing to read some great writing. Thanks!

I'm waiting for finals to be over in a week or two so I can start Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri. I picked it up the day it came out last month, but I want to be able to enjoy it without any other distractions. She's one of my favorite authors. She won the Pulitzer for her first work, Interpreter of Maladies.

Ethnic literature is my thing, so if anyone has any good recommendations in that area, I'm always open to hearing them!

[Anonymous]

In that case, The Fixer should be right up your ally... a Jew imprisoned in Tzarist Russia.

Malamud won the Pulitzer for The Fixer, so it's not just me that liked it

And, The Lovely Bones is a fantastic book by Alice.. something... SEBOLD.. I heard it critiqued on NPR a few years ago and picked it up based on that critique .. It was great, but very draining to read. Very emotional, but not in a crying kind of way.

[WhirledPeasPlease]

Agreed, Lovely Bones was an excellent, but at times painful read.  My two faves in the past year or so are..

1.  Three Cups of Tea -- By Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin

2.  Eat, Pray, Love -- By Elizabeth Gilbert

The Kite Runner should be up there too, I suppose.