14/50 Primo LeviA couple years ago I paid a pretty price for this, Primo Levi is one of those names you hear about like Italo Calvino, but for me remain exotic, but I have to remind myself that I can read him, I can I can I can, the little reader than could!! choo... See More » (2)
13/50 -- Se7en Standalone SpecialAs my final act of the wake period I want to throw in the mix 7 standalones that shall act like a mini-universe all unto itself within this wacky free for all curriculum I got going, so ahem, sit back and take a sip of your drink and try not spitting... See More » (7)
12/50 Karin Slaughter (The Thriller Queen)I have to quit being such a literary snob, cuz people like Karin ROCK, in her brief but electrifying Intro to her debut novel she lays it down the line that she doesn't fall for that navel gazing stuff, she's here to write a goddamned page turner,... See More » (1)
11/50 Bertolt BrechtI paid something like $250 for all of this, and I've only read bits of the first and 2nd volumes. BB was a huge deal in the Theatre world. my first exposure to his name was listening to commentaries on arthouse cinema of the 60's films like... See More » (1)
10/10 The Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky translations of Fyodor Dostoevsky + a LONG BiographyThere's a group of online warriors that hate these translators, but I refuse to buy into their smear tactics, and will gladly place their hard work into my Curriculum for arguably the most famous 19th century Russian author 1. The Eternal Husband... See More » (2)
9/10 E.M. CioranI can almost hear him get angry with me, saying "please drop the number 1 thinker bullcrap, you are nothing to me, you hear!!" But I do love this guy's books, what is listed here are his French books translated by Richard Howard that I have nice... See More » (1)
8/50 The Four Roman Stoics that have come down to usHere are the 4 guys whose works, often transcribed from those who listened to them speak, that have survived, there is much to appreciate here, a kind of philosophy that can be put into practice, that helps you become a better you, living more in... See More » (4)
6/50 Joan Didion's Essay Collections & 7/50 My Eve Babitz collectionThese 2 should go together, both recently died in the same year (2021), their writings can have a cat-fight in my head for the next 2 years. It looks like I have all or most of her stuff, and wasn't she a looker back in the day? I'll save her... See More » (2)
