Your Favorite Five Books of 2002

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Caveat excemptor: I have to turn in this vote for the Voice. But I can't think of any book published in 2002 that was grate. Wait, did any Houellebecq come out in 2002? Well, not in America I don't think. Books published in 2002, reissues also count, but not as much. Please don't tell me the favorite book you read in 2002, it needs to have been published in 2002. Did I mention it has to have been published in 2002? Ok, go! Oh, more than 5, less than 5, ok! Now, go!

― Mary (Mary), Saturday, 2 November 2002 19:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

Can I answer in about 20 years from now? :)

I've never thought of the book world moving so fast!

― jel -- (jel), Saturday, 2 November 2002 19:06 (twenty-two years ago) link

Yeah, I'm with Jel here! Can't think of anything specifically published this year I've even read! *thinks* No wait, I'll take that back, two MST3K vets published this year -- Mike Nelson's Mind Over Matters and Kevin Murphy's A Year at the Movies. Both great, Murphy's especially thoughtful and evocative. Beyond that, hm...

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Saturday, 2 November 2002 19:15 (twenty-two years ago) link

'Jab' - Mark Halliday
'Skid' - Dean Young
'The Ice Age' - Paul Farley
'The New Biographical Dictionary of Film' - David Thomson
'The Nineties' - Michael Bracewell (I don't really like this last one so much, but it's the only published-this-year book I could think of to make 5. And bits of it aren't so bad).

― Jerry the Nipper (Jerrynipper), Saturday, 2 November 2002 19:25 (twenty-two years ago) link

I enjoyed The Next Christendom: The Coming of Global Christianity, but I'm not sure I'd call it "great."

― Rockist Scientist, Saturday, 2 November 2002 19:26 (twenty-two years ago) link

Oh boy!! That's a question I better look into since I'm applying for library jobs!!

Right Now I'd say:

1.'Shakey: Neil Young's Biography'-Jimmy Mc Donough

2. 'Live from New York: An Uncensored History of Saturday Night Live'-Tom Shales and James Andrew Miller

3. 'PPPPPP: Poems Performance Pieces Proses Plays Poetics'-Kurt Schwitters Exact Change Press Edition

4. 'Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal'-Eric Schlosser

5.'Our Band Could Be Your Life:Scenes From The American Indie Underground, 1981-1991'-Michael Azerrad

(ie: The last 2 I know the hard cover came out in 2001, but the paperback edition came out this year)

― brg30 (brg30), Saturday, 2 November 2002 21:42 (twenty-two years ago) link

'Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal'-Eric Schlosser

I have this, but I haven't gotten around to reading it yet. Is it better than Ray Kroc's Grinding it Out?

― Jody Beth Rosen (Jody Beth Rosen), Saturday, 2 November 2002 21:47 (twenty-two years ago) link

Lynn Peril's Pink Think and Ayun Halliday's The Big Rumpus

I bought Fast Food Nation in 2001!

Mary, is there a worst book of 2002 list? Ready, Steady, Go easily wins that category, as you well know.

― rosemary (rosemary), Sunday, 3 November 2002 02:37 (twenty-two years ago) link

(Oh, I just read brg30's note at the end.)

― rosemary (rosemary), Sunday, 3 November 2002 02:41 (twenty-two years ago) link

What about Obey The Giant by Rick Poynor (Princeton Architectural Press)? It was published December 2001, but didn't really hit stores until 2002.

― Momus (Momus), Sunday, 3 November 2002 02:49 (twenty-two years ago) link

Is Skid the one with the poem about whale watching? That poem is terrific! Jerry, look for Design With X, if you haven't already read it. I think Dean Young went to nursing school before he started publishing his poetry. His early poems reflect that, as if he spent a lot of time in emergency rooms instead of in classrooms.

I started The Book of Illusions by Paul Auster last night. I'm mildly disappointed with it because the narrator seems too sure of himself for someone in his condition. The writing has too much "summing up" about it. But I've only read the first chapter.

― youn, Sunday, 3 November 2002 06:52 (twenty-two years ago) link

The problem is I am too cheap to buy any hardcovers when they come out.

Felt: poems by Alice Fulton. I am enamored with her geeky science side. But much less so with her loopy Tori Amos side.

Sailing Alone Around the Room: New & Selected Poems by Billy Collins. He gets rather unjustly mashed by some critics who want to prove how above "poetry for the masses" they are.

The Frog King by Adam Davies. Soooo self-obsessed but with less charm then say a Dave Eggers. Still though, very tempting to a mid-twenties single type in the NYC. (Also the inspiration to my "Every Relationship Ever" thread.)

Chinese Whispers by John Ashbery - Some nutty girl gave this to me. I think it will probably be good once I machete my way into it.

― bnw (bnw), Sunday, 3 November 2002 07:57 (twenty-two years ago) link

My solitary nomination: Interesting Times - Eric Hobsbawn.
Fascinating autobiography by eminent historian, polyglot, intellectual, jazz fan and communist. The early chapters dealing with his childhood in pre-WW2 Vienna and Weimar Berlin, and the premature deaths of his parents, are especially evocative and moving.

― stevo (stevo), Sunday, 3 November 2002 10:14 (twenty-two years ago) link

Has anyone read Twelve by McDonnell (sp?). I phear it's probably a Dona Tarttesque hype but then Secret History was mildly enjoynable.

― nathalie (nathalie), Sunday, 3 November 2002 10:47 (twenty-two years ago) link

John Ashbery is unbelievably boring. I've seen interviews where he has expressed his surprise that anyone is interested in what he writes. I share his surprise.

― Rockist Scientist, Sunday, 3 November 2002 15:10 (twenty-two years ago) link

Thanks to everyone who has answered thus far. Your input is duly appreciated. As for the rest of you, I know you read, so come on then, help, please?

Rosemary: a worst books of '02 would be a lot more fun & groundbreaking, more Voice-ian perhaps, I'll propose it!

― Mary (Mary), Wednesday, 6 November 2002 08:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

three weeks pass...

So these were my final suggestions. Starred entries will most likely be included in the final list when it comes out next month (oh the suspense). In order of appreciation:

Lynne Tillman -- This is Not It *
Haruki Murakami -- After the Quake *
Koji Mizutani -- Merry (photos)
Irmgard Keun -- The Artificial Silk Girl
Chuck Palahniuk -- Lullaby *

These are books I would have maybe liked to nominate but never got around to reading:

Michel Suruya -- Bataille bio
Jamie O'Neil -- At Swim, Two Boys
Kenzaburo Oe -- Rouse Up O Young Men of the New Age

I am also curious to read B.R. Meyers -- A Reader's Manifesto.

Thanks again for everyone's help. Now I can get back to less boy-centric activities, listmaking, a dud!

― Mary (Mary), Wednesday, 27 November 2002 07:19 (twenty-two years ago) link

Mary, do you hate fun?

― M Matos (M Matos), Wednesday, 27 November 2002 07:23 (twenty-two years ago) link

Hahah -- how was St. Etienne? -- I guess I missed the Smiths cover encore -- so I must truly indeed hate fun!

― Mary (Mary), Wednesday, 27 November 2002 07:26 (twenty-two years ago) link

yeah i read that twelve book, i think thats the only thing i read that actually got publ'd this year. it's ok & shit. you've already read lots of stuff like it tho i bet. (i had)

― unknown or illegal user (doorag), Wednesday, 27 November 2002 07:26 (twenty-two years ago) link

so no i haven't got five favourite 2002 books yet. same thing jel said ok?

― unknown or illegal user (doorag), Wednesday, 27 November 2002 07:30 (twenty-two years ago) link

ok no problem...

― Mary (Mary), Wednesday, 27 November 2002 07:32 (twenty-two years ago) link

Goodbye Tsugumi - Banana Yoshimoto!

― jel -- (jel), Wednesday, 27 November 2002 09:39 (twenty-two years ago) link

I rarely read 'new' books, but I just finished Daniel Pinchbeck's Breaking Open the Head and that collection of Jonathon Franzen essays, most of which were just the author complaining the No-One Reads Anymore but at the very end of the book was a fantastic piece about the Opera fiasco.

― OCP (OCP), Wednesday, 27 November 2002 10:32 (twenty-two years ago) link

Sorry, re: Breaking Open the Head, I really had trouble putting it down. Enjoyed more than anything in a long time...

― OCP (OCP), Wednesday, 27 November 2002 10:36 (twenty-two years ago) link

and that's er, Oprah fiasco. Really doing my literary recommending credibility alot of favours here today!

― OCP (OCP), Wednesday, 27 November 2002 10:38 (twenty-two years ago) link

Ooh Mary, a friend of mine and Nick's works for Koji Mizutani!

Books liked:
The Little Friend, Donna Tartt
Cold Water, Gwendolyn Riley
The Impressionist, Hari Kunzru
After the Quake, Haruki Murakami
and..and..and...

This has been a major disappointment of a reading year; last year so much better!

― suzy (suzy), Wednesday, 27 November 2002 10:56 (twenty-two years ago) link

I'm getting After the Quake for Christmas and Sonic Advance for my Gameboy.

― jel -- (jel), Wednesday, 27 November 2002 11:02 (twenty-two years ago) link

Mary, if you'd like to borrow the Myers book, let me know.

― rosemary (rosemary), Wednesday, 27 November 2002 13:20 (twenty-two years ago) link

"Dancing with cats" was the best book I looked at in 2002.

― Mandee, Wednesday, 27 November 2002 14:17 (twenty-two years ago) link

I die a little when you say 'books published in 2002'. I am still slowly working my way through 1928.

― Aimless, Wednesday, 27 November 2002 17:49 (twenty-two years ago) link

Has anyone read 'If No-one Speaks Of Remarkable Things'?

― DavidM (DavidM), Wednesday, 27 November 2002 18:26 (twenty-two years ago) link

I forgot Houllebecq's Platform (fantastic and Brett Suede tried to steal my proof copy, ha ha), which is highly pish, seeing as this is for Mary's thread.

I've read If No-One Speaks... and it's okay, written in a tricksy style you get frustrated with.

― suzy (suzy), Wednesday, 27 November 2002 18:29 (twenty-two years ago) link

i daren't read the new houellebecq, is it really that bad? :(

― gareth (gareth), Thursday, 28 November 2002 00:31 (twenty-two years ago) link

It suxor! Read it Gareth! Speaking of which, I just bought Lights out for the Territory tonight!

Suzy -- the Impressionist is really good? Another one I would have liked to recommend but hadn't read! Wait, what does 'pish' mean?

Thanks Rosemary, we have that book floating around at work... What do you think of it?

Kurt Cobain's diaries are also really good, I kid you not!

― Mary (Mary), Thursday, 28 November 2002 09:05 (twenty-two years ago) link

i'm going to look for that stewart home book mary, how far are you into it?

― gareth (gareth), Thursday, 28 November 2002 09:38 (twenty-two years ago) link

mary, my poorly-read ass has only read two books of © 2002 status:
1. porno (irvine welsh) - good read but best? doubtful
2. nine horses (poet laureate billy collins) - does poetry really count? doubtful

― jason elliott, Thursday, 28 November 2002 09:43 (twenty-two years ago) link

No, I liked Platform, I was being pish for completely forgetting about it on Mary's thread. Pish means 'a bit rubbish'.

― suzy (suzy), Thursday, 28 November 2002 10:30 (twenty-two years ago) link

HOLES - Louis Sachar
BRUISER - Richard House

― dakatin, Thursday, 28 November 2002 14:20 (twenty-two years ago) link

Hey, Jerry - that was almost a Good Review from you.

― the pinefox, Thursday, 28 November 2002 17:16 (twenty-two years ago) link

I think I've read about a third of it Gareth. I stopped reading it cause I started reading Lights out for the Territory. Well, I don't like the beginning so much so far. What's with the overintellectualizing of graffiti?? Anyway, he starts talking about Stewart Home early on so it is quite handy. Walking around the East Village carrying Lights out for the Territory I felt all ILX-y...

Suzy do you like Platform in comparison to Whatever and Elementary Partilcles? I felt like it wasn't as strong as those... Sort of Houellebecq on autopilot... Though naturally if it came out here in 2002 I would have included it in my list....

― Mary (Mary), Friday, 29 November 2002 20:46 (twenty-two years ago) link

oh dear. i'm afraid the first chapter of lights out for the territory is the best chapter! note: this may be because its near my part of town so i get it better. having just waded through lud heat & suicide bridge i remninded myself how hardgoing he can be

― gareth (gareth), Friday, 29 November 2002 21:29 (twenty-two years ago) link

mary I am pleased to discover that a book I have been reading was actually published in 2002! well, the paperback at least. but I count that. and I actually like it, though I doubt I will finish it by dec 31 in order to officially grant it my seal of approval:

world and life as one: ethics and ontology in wittgenstein's early thought - stokhof

― Josh (Josh), Friday, 29 November 2002 21:43 (twenty-two years ago) link

hm...i felt like he was *trying* to be cool and subversive by discussing this crazy graffiti phenomenom...it seemed a bit stilted and trying too hard to me..i am enjoying the V(.) analogy as it develops though...and i really wish he would occassionaly write a complete sentence, you know, with like, a subject, verb and everything...which of his fiction books do you recommend gareth?

― Mary (Mary), Saturday, 30 November 2002 04:07 (twenty-two years ago) link

one year passes...

I think 'ice age' is...

― cozen (Cozen), Monday, 15 March 2004 20:10 (twenty years ago) link

phenomenal.

― cozen (Cozen), Monday, 15 March 2004 20:12 (twenty years ago) link

to rival the discovery of slowness.

― cozen (Cozen), Monday, 15 March 2004 20:12 (twenty years ago) link

as solemn as a groundsman's quiet.

― cozen (Cozen), Monday, 15 March 2004 20:12 (twenty years ago) link

a bee keeper's playful.

― cozen (Cozen), Monday, 15 March 2004 20:13 (twenty years ago) link

oh God

― cozen (Cozen), Monday, 15 March 2004 20:13 (twenty years ago) link

like walking for hours without moving.

― cozen (Cozen), Monday, 15 March 2004 20:13 (twenty years ago) link

the darkroom of your memory where the developer forms streets and kisses, limiting blindspots and addictions you never knew.

― cozen (Cozen), Monday, 15 March 2004 20:14 (twenty years ago) link

'a mattress pummelled into the shape of a kid and held tight by string'.

― cozen (Cozen), Monday, 15 March 2004 20:14 (twenty years ago) link

very good.

― cozen (Cozen), Monday, 15 March 2004 20:15 (twenty years ago) link

a set of drunk telegrams.

― cozen (Cozen), Monday, 15 March 2004 20:15 (twenty years ago) link

a collection of poetry.

― cozen (Cozen), Monday, 15 March 2004 20:15 (twenty years ago) link

http://www.nitro-movies.com/images/movies/Ice%20Age%20%5B2002%5D.jpg

― RJG (RJG), Monday, 15 March 2004 20:16 (twenty years ago) link

helping mark out the maginot lines of my taste.

― cozen (Cozen), Monday, 15 March 2004 20:17 (twenty years ago) link

if left, it's weight would torque or buckle train-lines.

― cozen (Cozen), Monday, 15 March 2004 20:17 (twenty years ago) link

probably a sexual turn-on in itself.

― cozen (Cozen), Monday, 15 March 2004 20:18 (twenty years ago) link

a set of wrecking ball towel-whips and punchlines.

― cozen (Cozen), Monday, 15 March 2004 20:19 (twenty years ago) link

was this a novelisation?

― RJG (RJG), Monday, 15 March 2004 20:21 (twenty years ago) link

I once got Michael Jones to read 'The Ice Age' to me on a v drunken eve and it was even better, spoken in the authentic, slurry scouse. I am glad you like it Coz - have you checked out the first buk? I must dig out my interview w/Farley.

― Jerry the Nipper (Jerrynipper), Monday, 15 March 2004 20:22 (twenty years ago) link

okay

― RJG (RJG), Monday, 15 March 2004 20:23 (twenty years ago) link

yes I have the first book, JtN, which I love immeasurably too. it was reading that on the train into town (to see 'infernal affairs', what a weird movie) which made me want his new one. wow. 'dead fish'!!! I was rooting around for press on farley yesterday and came across a quote by you too. in it you were spot on. it's probably not surprising that I'd like farley given the love for paterson. how about o'brien?

― cozen (Cozen), Monday, 15 March 2004 20:26 (twenty years ago) link

http://www.leweslivelit.co.uk/spring03/Paul_Farley.jpg

― cozen (Cozen), Monday, 15 March 2004 20:27 (twenty years ago) link

Gosh, This OFFICIAL page about Farley quotes me! http://www.contemporarywriters.com/authors/?p=auth02A15H405712626433

― Jerry the Nipper (Jerrynipper), Monday, 15 March 2004 20:29 (twenty years ago) link

that's the one!

― cozen (Cozen), Monday, 15 March 2004 20:30 (twenty years ago) link

Something that makes me love Farley more than ever - more than the fact that he once made up an imaginary Richard Meltzer/L. Bangs review of a record in a poem - is that, the first time he won a big literary prize he got so drunk he tried to take out his contact lenses... without realising they were already out. And caused his eyeballs some severe harm. Hurray for Paul!

― Jerry the Nipper (Jerrynipper), Monday, 15 March 2004 20:36 (twenty years ago) link

one year passes...

Oh, dear - the Nipper's last tale is gruesome!

But it is great to find a classic ilx literary discussion hidden on this thread.

I was wondering whether 'Favourite Books of 2002' would be different, now that we have had time to read them!!

― the pomefox, Saturday, 26 November 2005 14:05 (nineteen years ago) link

I never read any new books

I wonder how long it takes a book to get old enough for me to read

― RJG (RJG), Saturday, 26 November 2005 14:10 (nineteen years ago) link

How dead is Mark Twain?

― the bellefox, Saturday, 26 November 2005 14:15 (nineteen years ago) link

pretty unexaggeratable, I think

― RJG (RJG), Saturday, 26 November 2005 14:17 (nineteen years ago) link

I wish I'd typed "unexaggeratably", instead

― RJG (RJG), Saturday, 26 November 2005 14:18 (nineteen years ago) link

i never read new books either

― caitlin oh no (caitxa1), Saturday, 26 November 2005 14:23 (nineteen years ago) link

it seems like a waste, you can't really know if the book is going to be worth your time unless it's at least 10 years old

― caitlin oh no (caitxa1), Saturday, 26 November 2005 14:24 (nineteen years ago) link

I wonder why I don't read new books

― RJG (RJG), Saturday, 26 November 2005 14:30 (nineteen years ago) link

maybe I haven't heard of them

― RJG (RJG), Saturday, 26 November 2005 14:31 (nineteen years ago) link

there are enough old books to read anyway, especially the old french and russian ones. i don't worry about new books. (maybe sometimes new non-fiction)

― caitlin oh no (caitxa1), Saturday, 26 November 2005 14:33 (nineteen years ago) link

maybe it's because I know things about these old books that I haven't actually read and feel like a bit of a cheat or that I owe them the read

― RJG (RJG), Saturday, 26 November 2005 14:35 (nineteen years ago) link

me too :(

― caitlin oh no (caitxa1), Saturday, 26 November 2005 14:35 (nineteen years ago) link

I've been reading "the picture of dorian gray" this week

preconceptions are usually funny

it's gayer than I thought it would be, for some reason, and seems a bit desperate, in some of its descriptions. it's depressing and pretty silly, really. also v. v. boring, at the moment. hope it picks up, a little. I am enjoying it, though

― RJG (RJG), Saturday, 26 November 2005 14:40 (nineteen years ago) link

it wasn't written in 2002

― RJG (RJG), Saturday, 26 November 2005 14:40 (nineteen years ago) link

RJG, you are droll!

― the bellefox, Saturday, 26 November 2005 15:06 (nineteen years ago) link

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