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Not sure how to rate this book. It's definitely a challenging read and pushes the limits of the novel form. It started out as an intellectual experience but by the end, I found that there was some emotional resonance. In general, it's asking some provocative questions about education and self-determination. It's not so much a book I enjoyed as one I will continue to think about. So a pick!

When the character of one book you're reading mentions the name of the author of the other book you're reading. Funny little book coincidence. 🤓

I‘ve FINALLY finished my March #TBRtarot ! 😂 It wasn‘t just that it‘s a long book; it‘s also particular. It‘s nothing like Infinite Jest except that it‘s very much a one-of-a-kind novel, where the author‘s intent might actually work against the reader‘s ability to comprehend it. It was rough at first, but by the end I was smitten. It‘s about child rearing, capitalism, language, compassion - lots of big themes within this story of mother and son.

Thank you for the tag @AkashaVampie and @Eggs ☺️

1. Literary Fiction (not really a genre but it‘s a category I read from mainly)
2. Crime fiction (love a good mystery)
3. Classics (again, not a genre but readers use it as a category)

Current read is tagged: “Genius single mother raises genius boy”.

This was really hard work and I didn't enjoy it at all. I get that the style is supposed to be challenging and clever but I just found it a chore.

Next up

For the first half of this book, I was in love and ready to marry it, but at about the halfway point when there is a shift of perspective from mother to son, I decided we were better as just good friends. At times the fitting of the narrative into the structure that Dewitt has created can feel forced. It's as if the structure gets in the way of the narrative. The gorgeous writing never falters though.

A glorious testament to the human spirit. Astoundingly original, here is a rich and earnest interrogation into what we are truly capable of—intellectually, creatively, morally.

This book was published in '07 and feels like it's pushing the boundaries of modern fiction even if it were written today.

"Many human dysfunctions and torments stem from problems of thought."

At times laugh out loud funny, at others way above my head. Would it have helped if I had anything but the vaguest memory of having seen Seven Samurai 35+ years ago? Maybe, but I doubt it.

#coffeeandabook
#mycover

Breakfast at the bookstore this morning.

Why must I go back to work today? I just want to read this all day long. Is that too much to ask?

This book about #fathers which has zero to do with the Tom Cruise movie is great and you should read it.

Ludo is a child prodigy being raised by a genius single mom. He reasons that his father must also have been a genius, so he narrows the possibilities down to six geniuses, all from different fields, who could possibly have been his dad and tracks them down to test their worthiness, influenced by Kurosawa's film Seven Samurai.

#junebookbugs

"Out it comes, a dribbling squall."

I'm pretty sure this is a #reread for me. Darn this old brain of mine though because I'm not entirely sure. At least it will be like reading a whole new book! 📖😁

I had taught myself German out of Teach Yourself German, and recognized several words in this sentence at once:
"It is truly something and something which the something with the something of this something has something and something, so something also this something might something at first something."

The Last Samurai is Helen DeWitt's first novel, about the relationship between a boy and his single mother, and his pursuit of surrogate father figures. We now have copies signed by the author in stock!

When, indeed? I've never read any of her books. Have you?

Full article: http://www.vulture.com/2016/07/helen-dewitt-last-samurai-new-edition.html?mid=tw...

This book is for all you kooky monomaniacs and obsessives, who think that boredom is worse than death (myself included). It is an odd book, and perhaps I loved it a little too much thanks to my obsession with languages, but it's a nerdy, funny, smart book about smarts (and limits thereof).

I got home and I thought I should stop leading so aimless an existence. It is harder than might think to stop leading an existence, & if you can't do that the only thing you can do is try to introduce an element of purposefulness.

Tonight's book and some hoji-cha.

Liked it and didn't. Enjoyed the stories, the languages, the premise. Didn't care much for the ending and some of the stylistic experiments seemed a bit forced.

Rereading this spectacular book to prep for an interview with the author. Easily in my top 5 favorite books of all time.

Really terrific 50% through