Jon Book Recommendations & Book Mentions

Jon

Thomas Pynchon, "V" -- this is GREAT. Funny, yes, and whilst I was expecting a kind of postmodern irony there's sincerity here too. To quote McClintic Sphere, “Keep cool but care.” https://t.co/uuByBiMEm3

Jon

78. Byung-Chul Han, "The Disappearance of Rituals: A Topology of the Present" -- another short series of essays on the neoliberal condition from perhaps the most interesting post-Heideggerian philosopher around. https://t.co/8qgeEGyz7p

Jon

Paul B. Preciado, 'Can The Monster Speak? Report to An Academy of Psychoanalysts" "I surgically removed the epistemic apparatus that diagnoses my body and my behaviors as pathological. What of you, esteemed psychoanalysts, have you had surgery?" https://t.co/svdcZZVCU2

Jon

Josh Cohen, "Not Working: Why We Have To Stop" -- the psychoanalytic companion to something like Sarah Jaffe's "Work Won't Love You Back." Whilst structurally a bit odd it is both diagnostic and reassuring, showing how work has reshaped our sense of self for the worse. https://t.co/vaA9FJJFtD

Jon

.@HealthUntoDeath "Infinitely Full of Hope: Fatherhood and the Future in an Age of Crisis and Disaster" -- hope is a way of seeing that takes us beyond our atomized selves, towards one another. It might just be the only way we'll make it. A beautiful book of public philosophy. https://t.co/zx2Qgae6K7

Jon

Isabel Allende, "The House of the Spirits' -- just a deeply enjoyable novel. Beautifully done magical realism which I guess was a big influence on something like Mexican Gothic which o read earlier this year. One for a long weekend of peaceful reading. https://t.co/beddlUFtqJ

Jon

Edward Carey, "The Swallowed Man" a retelling of a very old story and, in a way, a rather tender piece on fatherhood. Good but once you see where things are going the ending doesn't quite hit as hard as perhaps it could. https://t.co/lM9GzabDmI

Out of stock

Jon

James Joyce, "Ulysses" - has a reputation for being impenetrable but is poetic, beautiful, and really funny. Really takes off in the back half (Oxen of the Sun is amazing) - whilst it is tough I think Corbyn's advice for reading it for this 1st time is pretty good. A masterpiece. https://t.co/LSnf8jSpg0

Jon

Emily St John Mandel, "Station Eleven" -- well done, even beautiful in places but viral apocalypse fiction in the wake of COVID hits a little different and makes this feel slightly unsatisfying. Needs more Shakespeare! https://t.co/3KEwS7yYVe

Jon

Sally Rooney, "Beautiful World, Where Are You?" -- first time reading Rooney and whilst there's much that's interesting and some to admire this left me a little cold. The final quarter is the best but this all just reminded the Middlemarch is still unmatched. https://t.co/3VzPvtqnUl