brad1 Posted July 21, 2022 Author Share Posted July 21, 2022 I'm trying to read A Clockwork Orange, by Anthony Burgess. I say "try" because this book is trying my patience! It's almost like reading a foriegn language. The movie does it too, but the book does it much more. Almost every other word is some Russian infused English lingo that is hard to understand. And this book was written in 1962. I've had to go online and google some of the phrases. It's a short Novella. But it is going to take me some time to finish. And BTW, it is much more violent and nasty than even the movie was. I'm curious. Do you U.K. folk find it difficult at all to read? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted July 21, 2022 Share Posted July 21, 2022 20 minutes ago, brad1 said: I'm trying to read A Clockwork Orange, by Anthony Burgess. I say "try" because this book is trying my patience! It's almost like reading a foriegn language. The movie does it too, but the book does it much more. Almost every other word is some Russian infused English lingo that is hard to understand. And this book was written in 1962. I've had to go online and google some of the phrases. It's a short Novella. But it is going to take me some time to finish. And BTW, it is much more violent and nasty than even the movie was. I'm curious. Do you U.K. folk find it difficult at all to read? Who doesn't want a nice cold glass of milk from the Korova Milkbar? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brad1 Posted July 21, 2022 Author Share Posted July 21, 2022 (edited) 5 hours ago, Sgt. Pepper said: Who doesn't want a nice cold glass of milk from the Korova Milkbar? Lots of chellovecks like it. And you can usually find some real horrorshow devotchkas there as well. That's why malchicks and my droogs go there often. Edited July 21, 2022 by brad1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted July 21, 2022 Share Posted July 21, 2022 1 minute ago, brad1 said: Lots of chellovecks like it. And you can usually find some horrorshow devotchkas there as well. That's why malchicks and my droogs go there often. I saw the movie a few times. McDowell always takes on crazy roles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveFord Posted July 21, 2022 Share Posted July 21, 2022 (edited) There's a glossary in the very back of the book. How's that for a kick in the yarbles? I read the book in college and was told that Anthony Burgess' wife was gang raped when she went out for groceries one night, that's why the book is so powerful, he wrote it when he was helping her convalesce. The original version of the movie was pretty graphic, especially the gang rape and Ludovico treatment scenes. Edited July 21, 2022 by SteveFord Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brad1 Posted July 21, 2022 Author Share Posted July 21, 2022 (edited) 26 minutes ago, SteveFord said: There's a glossary in the very back of the book. How's that for a kick in the yarbles? I read the book in college and was told that Anthony Burgess' wife was gang raped when she went out for groceries one night, that's why the book is so powerful, he wrote it when he was helping her convalesce. The original version of the movie was pretty graphic, especially the gang rape and Ludovico treatment scenes. There's no glossary in the back of the edition I have. Edited July 21, 2022 by brad1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveFord Posted July 21, 2022 Share Posted July 21, 2022 Oh, well. My copy is from back in the 70s. I was so pissed, I struggled through the entire book and there was the Glossary just sitting there to mock me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brad1 Posted July 22, 2022 Author Share Posted July 22, 2022 39 minutes ago, SteveFord said: Oh, well. My copy is from back in the 70s. I was so pissed, I struggled through the entire book and there was the Glossary just sitting there to mock me. Well then, you may not have read the entire book. You see the original American released version only had 20 chapters. The U.K. version had a 21 st chapter. Kubrick also made his movie based on the American 20 chapter novel. It wasn't until 1986, I believe, that Americans were introduced to the printed 21 st chapter of the book. And the last chapter changes a lot of how the movie and book end. Alex actually decides to turn his life around and start acting good. The American publisher and Kubrick did not like the way it ended, and so changed it. I had no idea. And this is part of the reason I wanted to read it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveFord Posted July 22, 2022 Share Posted July 22, 2022 Alex the do-gooder? That's a new one. I'll have to pick up a copy of a newer version with the 21st chapter. Does he become a TV evangelist? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merciful-evans Posted July 22, 2022 Share Posted July 22, 2022 19 hours ago, brad1 said: I'm trying to read A Clockwork Orange, by Anthony Burgess. I say "try" because this book is trying my patience! It's almost like reading a foriegn language. The movie does it too, but the book does it much more. Almost every other word is some Russian infused English lingo that is hard to understand. And this book was written in 1962. I've had to go online and google some of the phrases. It's a short Novella. But it is going to take me some time to finish. And BTW, it is much more violent and nasty than even the movie was. I'm curious. Do you U.K. folk find it difficult at all to read? I have not read it, but recall similar experience reading Burroughs - Naked Lunch/Soft Machine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted July 22, 2022 Share Posted July 22, 2022 58 minutes ago, merciful-evans said: I have not read it, but recall similar experience reading Burroughs - Naked Lunch/Soft Machine Burroughs is tough to read. I’ve read a lot of his stuff. Those beat guys loved their heroin and underage boys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nhwildbill Posted July 22, 2022 Share Posted July 22, 2022 This year I've been alternating between Erle Stanley Gardner's Perry Mason novels in order from the beginning and Ian Fleming's James Bond books in order. You can see how each author's writing style improved as they move along book to book, the first ones of either series were a bit tough. I love that since Perry Mason was written in the 30's they're more hard boiled than the TV series, more like Chandler & Hammett novels. I was surprised how much the early James Bond movies actually followed the book closely, certainly not so much when Roger took over the role. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted July 22, 2022 Share Posted July 22, 2022 Irvine Welsh is tough to read. I've read Trainspotting, Glue, Filth, The Acid House, and some of Porno. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saturn Posted August 1, 2022 Share Posted August 1, 2022 I've been on the last half of Edge Of Eternity by Ken Follett. for about 3 years. It's the third in a trilogy spanning the 20th Century. I have no excuse for not finishing it other than procrastination. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveFord Posted January 16, 2023 Share Posted January 16, 2023 I picked up the S. Clay Wilson hardcover trilogy and just started Pirates In The Heartland. NOT suitable for children. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted January 16, 2023 Share Posted January 16, 2023 1 hour ago, SteveFord said: I picked up the S. Clay Wilson hardcover trilogy and just started Pirates In The Heartland. NOT suitable for children. Neither is a guitar forum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pinch Posted January 17, 2023 Share Posted January 17, 2023 On 7/13/2022 at 5:29 AM, saturn said: I'm reading The Atheist Handbook To The Old Testament by Dr Josh Bowen on Kindle. Have Volume 2 pre-ordered. I want "The Old-Guy Priest's Handbook To That Wussy New Testament". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pinch Posted January 17, 2023 Share Posted January 17, 2023 On 7/22/2022 at 3:36 PM, Sgt. Pepper said: Burroughs is tough to read. I’ve read a lot of his stuff. Those beat guys loved their heroin and underage boys. I've read "Junky" and "Queer" (I thought both were good because I'm edgy like that) but just couldn't get through "The naked lunch". I found myself reading five pages and remembering nothing. There are some funny stories from when the Ministry guy lived with Burroughs. He'd have him come out to shows, and whenever someone tried to talk to Burroughs, he'd hit them in the ankles with his walking stick. He was apparently the original "get off my lawn" guy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted January 17, 2023 Share Posted January 17, 2023 39 minutes ago, Pinch said: I've read "Junky" and "Queer" (I thought both were good because I'm edgy like that) but just couldn't get through "The naked lunch". I found myself reading five pages and remembering nothing. There are some funny stories from when the Ministry guy lived with Burroughs. He'd have him come out to shows, and whenever someone tried to talk to Burroughs, he'd hit them in the ankles with his walking stick. He was apparently the original "get off my lawn" guy. I read Naked Lunch and when I heard they were going to make a movie out of it, I said to myself how? My favorite Burroughs novel was Cities Of The Red Night. I wonder if the whole William Tell thing about how he killed his wife in Mexico happened, or was he high on junk and and just shot her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pinch Posted January 17, 2023 Share Posted January 17, 2023 22 minutes ago, Sgt. Pepper said: I read Naked Lunch and when I heard they were going to make a movie out of it, I said to myself how? My favorite Burroughs novel was Cities Of The Red Night. I wonder if the whole William Tell thing about how he killed his wife in Mexico happened, or was he high on junk and and just shot her. I know it did happen, but I can't remember the circumstances. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted January 17, 2023 Share Posted January 17, 2023 1 minute ago, Pinch said: I know it did happen, but I can't remember the circumstances. I’ve heard him talk about it in interviews, when he was alive obviously. But I’m sure he was on heroine at the time. He claims that moment made him a real writer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pinch Posted January 17, 2023 Share Posted January 17, 2023 8 minutes ago, Sgt. Pepper said: I’ve heard him talk about it in interviews, when he was alive obviously. But I’m sure he was on heroine at the time. He claims that moment made him a real writer. Most likely. He was on heroin and/or methadone from the moment he started until the day he died. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted January 17, 2023 Share Posted January 17, 2023 (edited) 16 minutes ago, Pinch said: Most likely. He was on heroin and/or methadone from the moment he started until the day he died. He was no broke junkie. He came from money. His family made the Burroughs Adding Machine. He went to Harvard. Edited January 17, 2023 by Sgt. Pepper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karloff Posted January 17, 2023 Share Posted January 17, 2023 just finished Les Miserables by Victor Hugo. rereading Dharma Bums by Kerouac . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted January 17, 2023 Share Posted January 17, 2023 (edited) 18 hours ago, SteveFord said: I picked up the S. Clay Wilson hardcover trilogy and just started Pirates In The Heartland. NOT suitable for children. The Checkered Demon and Ruby The Dyke are hilarious. Crumb was a nut job too. I saw a doc on him. Artist are weirdos. Edited January 17, 2023 by Sgt. Pepper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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