BOOK REVIEW: Requiem for a Dream by Hubert Selby Jr.

First off: I’m a big fan of Hubert Selby Jr., because of the incredibly dark, tortured subjects he writes about and his writing style as a whole. Having read “Last Exit To Brooklyn”, “The Room” and “Waiting Period”, I knew this was not going to be about rainbows and unicorns, but something about this piece of writing struck a chord in me deeper than either of the other three. This is probably down to the more realistic and cohesive storyline which concentrates on four characters and their descent into hardcore drug use and its effects on their relationships. 

BOOK REVIEW: Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

I’ll give some pretext as to why I checked this book out, because over the past few years, I’ve barely read any “new” books, unless it’s by Stephen King. If you didn’t know already, I’m a big Nine Inch Nails/Trent Reznor fan, and so I’ve been an avid listener of Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross’ collaborative soundtracks for David Fincher’s films over the past few years (I still haven’t seen “The Social Network” but pretty familiar with the OST!). So when it was announced that the two musicians would be writing music for another film – yet another adaptation of a novel – I was eager to hear the soundtrack, see the film and read the book (just like I did with the Millenium series). I still haven’t seen the film, but I was happy enough in spending time with the book and an author I’m unfamiliar with… and it was totally worth it.

BOOK REVIEW: The Wind-up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami

This was my first time reading something by Haruki Murakami, I was looking for something by someone I didn’t know when looking through my friend’s book collection. I chose three books: “Last Exit To Brooklyn” by Hubert Selby Jr., “The Stranger” by Albert Camus (I read and loved both of those) and “The Wind-up Bird Chronicle”. Safe to say, I picked three books that are rich with material to challenge or develop your thoughts and perceptions on human nature and life in general.

Stephen King – “‘SALEM’S LOT” Book Review

This is my first book review, so bear with me on this as I have no idea how to grade a book – despite having been an English student. However, I’ll just be up front with you and tell you how I feel about it and what I got from it, rather than go into possible Freudian or Lacan readings of it; and let’s be honest: Stephen King takes advantage of readers who know these guys.

So here it is.

I’m not sure whether or not to do short book reviews…

I do like reading, and sometimes I feel so breathless and lost after finishing a great book that I’m not sure what I should do afterwards, or how to think or feel. I’m feeling exactly this way right now at 3.33am on a Friday morning after just finishing Stephen King’s Carrie.

My knowledge in literature isn’t as extensive as it is with music though, admittedly. I’ve probably half-read or skimmed a lot more books than I’ve paid a 100% attention to – although books I will probably read from now on are the types I enjoy, not the ones I have to study or analyse while keeping post-modern or feminist issues in mind.

I’ll have to think about it, but I feel like I could easily do a short review or summary of what I think when I finish a book. I’m not sure if people would be interested in that? Let me know somehow.