So, it's time for Santa to get my wishlist. What should I pick from below?
>Infinite Jest
>Gravity's Rainbow
>The Crying of Lot 49
>2666
>The Savage Detectives
>Against Nature
>Aristotle's Politics
>The Brothers Karamazov
>Ficciones
Nigga, it's too late - Santa's already loading up his sled. Should have got your list in weeks ago.
>>7484290
This.
Also, don't Infinite the Jest, please.
2666 Sav Det n Ficciones nigga
The Savage Detectives desu
>>7484011
>No Gaddis, Gass
>No Barth, Barthleme
>No McElroy
>No Vollmann
Ask Santa for some fucking taste
>>7484577
I'd read The Savage Detectives before 2666. It's a much more polished work, and the themes are IMO more clearly explored. The structure is also very interesting and while not a full blown "river novel" like 2666 it does take a step into the more experimental direction.
I think 2666 is Bolaño's greatest novel, but Savage Detectives is just all around much more enjoyable
>>7484580
Thanks for spouting some memes. Any recs?
>>7484510
My thoughts exactly
>>7484591
Sorry senpai, meme potential was too strong.
Honestly if you haven't read any of the books on that list, they are all pretty good. Read Savage Detectives before 2666, but read Ficciones before Savage Detectives. Bolano was a big fan of Borges.
If you actually want any recommendations from the authors I was shitposting, here they are:
The Recognitions by William Gaddis - Despite it's mammoth size, it's actually really readable, and probably the least dense of his works. He only wrote 5 works, so you could start anywhere as long as you finish with Agape, Agape.
In the Heart of the Heart of the Country by Gass - Pretty good introduction to Gass, and you can move onto the Tunnel or Middle C from there. His novellas are GOAT-tier as well, and he just came out with a new set at age 91.
Lost in the Funhouse or The Floating Opera/End of the Road by John Barth. Barth is a funny, fun read, and pretty essential if you are trying to get a grasp on American Postmodernism.
60 Stories by Donald Barthelme, not much to say, influential postmodern short stories.
Night Soul and Other Stories by Joseph McElroy - Good intro to McElroy, as he gets fucking DENSE in his other works.
The Ice Shirts by William T. Vollmann - Its the 'first' of his Seven dreams series, and its fucking awesome. No one I've seen on /lit/ has read it, but it's well worth your time. Vollmann is one of the most interesting contemporary authors, and I think his Seven Dreams series will be a landmark in American fiction.
>>7484611
Thanks mate, that was of great help. As we say here: "Feliz natal!" :^)
>>7484011
ditch the pynchon and dfw
>>7484544
Read Machado, Graciliano, Euclides, Bandeira (both his chronicle and poems).
Read the Brazilian canon before, please.
Avoid pretty much all brazilian naturalism (only average work is O cortiço), Pompéia, Graça Aranha and Alencar (yeah Alencar sucks).
If you are planning on reading russian literature, DO NOT buy Paulo Bezerra's translation from the Editora 34.
Go with other ones (I know and recommend Rubens Figueiredo or Boris Schnaiderman), if there is not direct translation from russian to portuguese of the work you want, the oldest ones from russian to french and to portuguese are better than Paulo's translation.
>>7484011
aren't you too old to receive gifts on christmas?
>>7484847
I have already finished the Brazilian Canon pretty much, and I've read all of Machado's novels and short stories. Funny thing is, in middle school, I read all the authors you listed, except maybe for Graça Aranha.
So, if you don't mind, what would recommend from brazilian modern and contemporary lit?
Also, why is Paulo Bezerra's translation bad? I was craving for Editora 34's TBK as I loved their Don Quixote edition.
>>7485356
Yeah, in middle and high school you are obliged to read bad stuff. I can never get over the fact that I had to read A moreninha. Because of that I dropped brazilian literature, a few years ago I began to read it again, best decision I had.
As far as contemporany prose, I have no knowledge (and need to change that), and I mean in general.
I think the most modern prose I read was The Clown by Böll (the brazilian translation is: Pontos de Vista de um Palhaço - Trad. Soethe) which was originally published in 1963...
As far as poetry: Alberto da Cunha Melo and Bruno Tolentino.
Also, Luz Mediterrânea is a collection of poems by Raul de Leôni is worth reading. (one of my favorite poem is Legenda dos Dias, I could only think about Waiting for Godot when reading hte last stanza), it's from the beginning of the 20th century, but read it anyway.
>>7484611
Not op but thank you for these recs
>>7484011
The Recognitions
>>7485356
>>7485829
I remember reading an article (I don't have it here as I received it in the FB feed - I think one of the critic Rodrigo Gurgel's update), in which a student of russian was explaining why Paulo Bezerra's translation were inferior as other ones available.
Nonetheless, I have both the translation of Crime and Punishment and The Demons by Paulo Bezera. I read it and liked, no regrets.
It is better to read a bad/not the best translation than to not read at all.
Aight, lads, I've made my order. Here's what I bought:
Ficciones
The Savage Detectives
2666
A Hundred Years of Solitude
Politics
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
Gravity's Rainbow
The Crying of Lot 49
Moby Dick
Madame Bovary
Lost Illusions
The Symposium
Thanks to all that contributed to my merry Christmas, in special to Meme Anon and Sir Hueliterati.
>>7485962
What editions?
>>7485967
Penguin (English)
>Politics
>The Symposium
>Madame Bovary
>Lost Illusions
Companhia das Letras (Portuguese)
>The Savage Detectives
>2666
>Ficciones
Record (Portuguese)
>A Hundred Year of Solitude
L&PM Pocket (Portuguese)
>Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
Vintage Books UK (English)
>The Crying of Lot 49
>Gravity's Rainbow
Wordsworth Classics (English - Ugly Cover - Cheap as Fuck)
>Moby Dick
>>7484611
Jsut got 60 stories. I love short story compilations. Ty for the rec.
>>7485999
Get Madame Bovary in Portugese instead
>>7484011
HAVE YOU EVER FORMED AN ORIGINAL THOUGHT?
>>7487258
My bad, Madame Bovary and Lost Illusions are in Portuguese; I can't convince myself to read those French masterpieces in a language as dry as English. Got from Penguin Companhia, aka, Hue Penguin.
Also,
>should I consider Infinite Jest as a real contender for my upcoming shopping sessions?
>>7487767
Yes.
