Books Thread

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beantownbubba
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Re: Books Thread

Post by beantownbubba »

blueridgehiker wrote:
beantownbubba wrote:Yep. I read White Trash and I think wrote about it in this thread (which I should have checked before starting this response but so be it). I, too, have seen the books linked, which makes sense as to timing of release and general subject matter, but they're very different books. White Trash is more academic and big picture and tries to fit Vance's "hillbillies" into a broader theory or analysis of class. If I didn't say it here, I said it elsewhere: I think White Trash is an example of a leftist academic looking for a coherent world view in a post-Marxist world, which is meant as description, not as criticism or praise. The book is definitely worth reading but imho not as interesting as Hillbilly Elegy. That's not really a fair comparison because they try to do different things in different ways and as I say Isenberg's is intentionally more academic and broader in historical scope, but if I had to read one it would be Elegy.
Putting both of these on my reading list right now. I just picked up a copy of Those Who Work, Those Who Don't yesterday - seems like it explores similar themes but looks at Northern CA as opposed to Appalachia. Anyone read it?

Image
Not familiar w/ it but it looks like it fits right in. Let us know what you think.
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OkieinTexas
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Re: Books Thread

Post by OkieinTexas »

RIP Richard Adams. Watership Down was published when I was a child and I loved it. Plague Dogs is great as well.
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Clams
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Re: Books Thread

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Relatively short (200 pages) debut novel about losers, drunks, bar bands and killers set in modern day Appalachia. Reminds me of a Willy Vlautin story, but with a good dose of humor and not nearly as heavy. A fun, quick read.
Last edited by Clams on Wed Jan 04, 2017 9:24 am, edited 1 time in total.
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blueridgehiker
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Re: Books Thread

Post by blueridgehiker »

beantownbubba wrote:
blueridgehiker wrote:
beantownbubba wrote: Image
Not familiar w/ it but it looks like it fits right in. Let us know what you think.
Finished this over break and really enjoyed it. Pretty quick and simple read (clearly a dissertation turned book). The overarching theme was that those in poverty lack opportunities for significant economic and professional achievement, so they use morality to set themselves apart and above (morality being different than religion). She briefly talks politics and looks at changing views of masculinity (eg. moving from sole breadwinner to devoted father). I wouldn't call it a seminal work but it was interesting and enjoyable.
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Flea
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Re: Books Thread

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Just finished:

Image

Next up:

Image
Now it's dark.

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Clams
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Re: Books Thread

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blueridgehiker
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Re: Books Thread

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Clams wrote:Image
This is on my list! Let us know how it is.
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blueridgehiker
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Re: Books Thread

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whatwouldcooleydo?
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Re: Books Thread

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Image

I told Bill, BTB, et al. that this book did something I didn't think possible: it made me even more impressed with Bruce Springsteen than I already was for the past 35-40 years!!!
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Re: Books Thread

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whatwouldcooleydo? wrote:Image

I told Bill, BTB, et al. that this book did something I didn't think possible: it made me even more impressed with Bruce Springsteen than I already was for the past 35-40 years!!!
I ought to get round to reading my copy; it's been waiting for me since October

Just finished up Between the World and Me by Ta Nehisi Coates. Currently working my way through Joe Abercrombies First Law trilogy
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whatwouldcooleydo?
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Re: Books Thread

Post by whatwouldcooleydo? »

dogstar wrote:
whatwouldcooleydo? wrote:Image

I told Bill, BTB, et al. that this book did something I didn't think possible: it made me even more impressed with Bruce Springsteen than I already was for the past 35-40 years!!!
I ought to get round to reading my copy; it's been waiting for me since October
you can tear through it, his style makes for a quick read
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Kudzu Guillotine
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Re: Books Thread

Post by Kudzu Guillotine »

I've had this one on my radar for a while. I recently found it cheap at a local bookstore. Looking forward to digging in. Still making my way through Psychotic Reactions and Carburetor Dung which is sometimes enjoyable and other times not exactly a fun read as Lester Bangs seems to have been a grade A asshole. Perhaps that was part of his appeal but it's a turnoff to me.

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Clams
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Re: Books Thread

Post by Clams »

blueridgehiker wrote:
Clams wrote:Image
This is on my list! Let us know how it is.
Brilliant. Brutal and tragic. Worthy of all the accolades.
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blueridgehiker
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Re: Books Thread

Post by blueridgehiker »

Clams wrote: Brilliant. Brutal and tragic. Worthy of all the accolades.
Awesome, can't wait to get to it.
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blueridgehiker
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Re: Books Thread

Post by blueridgehiker »

Image

About half done and it's a fascinating look at the origins of 4-H at the turn of the century.

"4-H developed as an integral part of this broader push toward mechanized, industry-backed agriculture and the politics of progressive agricultural reform than eventually rendered rural American safe for agribusinesses."
"By making rural life more socially fulfilling for rural women, reformers could hope to retain the countryside's most eugenically fit."
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beantownbubba
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Re: Books Thread

Post by beantownbubba »

Kudzu Guillotine wrote: Still making my way through Psychotic Reactions and Carburetor Dung which is sometimes enjoyable and other times not exactly a fun read as Lester Bangs seems to have been a grade A asshole.
As a general, almost universal, rule, it's not a good idea to read collections of essays and other short pieces straight through as if they're a real book.
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Kudzu Guillotine
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Re: Books Thread

Post by Kudzu Guillotine »

beantownbubba wrote:
Kudzu Guillotine wrote: Still making my way through Psychotic Reactions and Carburetor Dung which is sometimes enjoyable and other times not exactly a fun read as Lester Bangs seems to have been a grade A asshole.
As a general, almost universal, rule, it's not a good idea to read collections of essays and other short pieces straight through as if they're a real book.
I'm interspersing it with chapters from this book. Either way, the picture Psychotic Reactions and Carburetor Dung paints of Bangs (as well as some of his subjects) isn't a pleasant one. At least that's been my assessment so far. I believe that would happen no matter what method I use to read.

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Cole Younger
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Re: Books Thread

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Father and Son by Larry Brown. I had never even heard of this one.

Also, the first book of the Foxfire series.
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Re: Books Thread

Post by whatwouldcooleydo? »

Cole Younger wrote:Father and Son by Larry Brown. I had never even heard of this one.
That's the first LB I read! Loved it
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whatwouldcooleydo?
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Re: Books Thread

Post by whatwouldcooleydo? »

Cole Younger wrote:Also, the first book of the Foxfire series.
this Foxfire series?

Image

I have a massive bunch of the Foxfire magazines given to me by a professor from grad school. Wonder if they are worth anything. Those books and magazines were very prominent in schools in western NC when I was in grade school. They are definitely a blast from the past for me
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Cole Younger
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Re: Books Thread

Post by Cole Younger »

whatwouldcooleydo? wrote:
Cole Younger wrote:Also, the first book of the Foxfire series.
this Foxfire series?

Image

I have a massive bunch of the Foxfire magazines given to me by a professor from grad school. Wonder if they are worth anything. Those books and magazines were very prominent in schools in western NC when I was in grade school. They are definitely a blast from the past for me
Those are the ones! I love these books. My dad always talked about them and some time around age fourteen or fifteen I was at my great aunt's house and was bored and started plundering through a box of books. Three or four of the Foxfire books were among them and I devoured them. I asked my wife for them for Christmas and they were waiting for me Christmas morning.

As you may remember, this project was the brainchild of a high school English teacher in Rabun county GA which is up in the mountains. It was a really great thing that he did because otherwise a lot of that knowledge of those old timers would have been lost. He also got those restless highschool students to realize just how lucky they were to live where they did and gave them a new respect and appreciation for their heritage and their grandparents and elders.

I'm pretty woods wise anyway. But I have learned so much from these books. I'm going to undertake building a log cabin the old school way at some point.
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whatwouldcooleydo?
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Re: Books Thread

Post by whatwouldcooleydo? »

Cole Younger wrote:
whatwouldcooleydo? wrote:
Cole Younger wrote:Also, the first book of the Foxfire series.
this Foxfire series?

Image

I have a massive bunch of the Foxfire magazines given to me by a professor from grad school. Wonder if they are worth anything. Those books and magazines were very prominent in schools in western NC when I was in grade school. They are definitely a blast from the past for me
Those are the ones! I love these books. My dad always talked about them and some time around age fourteen or fifteen I was at my great aunt's house and was bored and started plundering through a box of books. Three or four of the Foxfire books were among them and I devoured them. I asked my wife for them for Christmas and they were waiting for me Christmas morning.

As you may remember, this project was the brainchild of a high school English teacher in Rabun county GA which is up in the mountains. It was a really great thing that he did because otherwise a lot of that knowledge of those old timers would have been lost. He also got those restless highschool students to realize just how lucky they were to live where they did and gave them a new respect and appreciation for their heritage and their grandparents and elders.

I'm pretty woods wise anyway. But I have learned so much from these books. I'm going to undertake building a log cabin the old school way at some point.
I did know that about the teacher in Rabun County. That county borders NC, and shares the border with *Macon* and Jackson counties in NC. My folks used to always drive down to Dillard to buy GA lottery tickets (back before NC had its own lottery).

So Cole, do you want all of these Foxfire issues? They are just sitting in a box in my garage. I would just have to dig them out and box them up if you wanted. As long as you'd reimburse postage I'll give 'em to you. I like them but it sounds like you'd appreciate them much more. I had thought about trying to sell them but I'd much rather give them a good home with a friend. Just let me know, I am 100% serious.
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Re: Books Thread

Post by Smitty »

Those Foxfire books are required reading in these parts. The last time I broke one out was years ago when I was trying to get into ginseng hunting, which I wished I'd learned from my Grandpa before he died.
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whatwouldcooleydo?
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Re: Books Thread

Post by whatwouldcooleydo? »

Smitty wrote:Those Foxfire books are required reading in these parts. The last time I broke one out was years ago when I was trying to get into ginseng hunting, which I wished I'd learned from my Grandpa before he died.
I don't know for sure, but I would bet a lot that there is a piece in on about ramp hunting. I remember going ramp hunting with my dad when I was really young, he knew a few supposedly secret spots off the Blue Ridge Parkway between Asheville and Mount Mitchell. I recall getting sent home one day in second day when I accepted the dare of some kid to eat the ramp he had brought to school! Man, I was smellin' smelly :lol:
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Re: Books Thread

Post by whatwouldcooleydo? »

I'll make the same offer to all that I made to Cole regarding the Foxfire books. Of course, Cole has the right of first refusal
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Cole Younger
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Re: Books Thread

Post by Cole Younger »

whatwouldcooleydo? wrote:I'll make the same offer to all that I made to Cole regarding the Foxfire books. Of course, Cole has the right of first refusal
Pm sent my friend. I'll be happy to take them off your hands. I really appreciate it.
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Re: Books Thread

Post by disgruntledgoat »

Image

One of the best war reportage books I've ever read.

Cole Younger
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Re: Books Thread

Post by Cole Younger »

The Wild Man from Sugar Creek. The story of former Georgia governor Eugene Talmadge.

This part of our history is pretty dark but I'm as fascinated as I am repulsed by the Southern Demagogues like the Talmadges, Lester Maddox, Jesse Helms, George Wallace and the rest of that lot.
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Re: Books Thread

Post by beantownbubba »

Brighton by Michael Harvey is superb. Just an excellent novel masquerading as a mystery. The Brighton neighborhood of Boston plays a major role and this book immediately joins the classics I've mentioned before as really getting to the heart of the city. Incredibly, Harvey's previous books are all set in Chicago (and to some extent, downstate IL). I've read all or all but one and they are excellent and full of Chicago atmosphere then he turns around and writes like he's lived in Boston his whole life (apparently he grew up here). And if that's not enough for y'all Stephen King is quoted as saying this: "Brighton is the fucking bomb. I loved it.

Night School by Lee Child - A welcome somewhat return to form for the Reacher series after several increasingly bad "mail 'em in's". Not quite up w/ the classics but a good read and you won't find better airplane reading.

Bruce DeSilva - The Mulligan series. Accidentally tripped over this little gem of a 4 book series set in Providence and surrounding RI. Funny, clever, well-written. The quality of the mysteries themselves vary but they're all worth reading and worth reading in order. IIRC the first one is called Rogue Island [get it?]. The guy really captures the casual yet deep corruption which characterizes Rhody crime and politics.
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Re: Books Thread

Post by disgruntledgoat »

Just started Trouble Boys last night. Not one to open a beer at the start of, is it?

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