Wow, no-one does weird like Murakami! Sounds like I need to reserve it! Thanks!

Also, if you are interested in other Japanese authors, you may like Kobo Abe. He is most famous for Woman in the Dunes. I've read The Box Man, and The Ruined Map, and enjoyed both. Kind of like the present-day, but there's an element of the future in his work, somehow.

Thanks Dave. I've seen the film of Waltz With Bashir which was superb. I'll look out for the others you recommended. 
The Murakami book isn't that easy to explain. It's set in Japan but not just the one we know.The two main characters had a moment of contact when they were at school which has influenced their subsequent lives. They haven't met since then but their actions seem to have an increasing influence on each other's lives. They both become aware that the world is becoming strange. No one else seems to have noticed. There is a cult interested in finding both of them. Really not sure where it is going but can't wait to find out.
dave said:

That Tardi book is superb! If you like (anti)-war books try-

• A Shooting War
• Waltz With Bashir
• Exit Wounds (takes place in Israel after a bomb has gone off, but not strictly a war novel)
• The Photographer
• and DMZ, an ongoing series that recently wrapped up. It takes place in an America that has been split in two, but most of the issues take place in Manhattan.

What is the Murakami book about? I've only read Hard-boiled Wonderland (great, but I have to be in the mood for a re-reading).

That Tardi book is superb! If you like (anti)-war books try-

• A Shooting War
• Waltz With Bashir
• Exit Wounds (takes place in Israel after a bomb has gone off, but not strictly a war novel)
• The Photographer
• and DMZ, an ongoing series that recently wrapped up. It takes place in an America that has been split in two, but most of the issues take place in Manhattan.

What is the Murakami book about? I've only read Hard-boiled Wonderland (great, but I have to be in the mood for a re-reading).

I've just finished It Was The War Of The Trenches by Jacques Tardi. It's a really good graphic novel based on the experiences of French soldiers in the First World War. I'm now reading Part 3 of 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami. I've loved his work since a friend lent me A Wild Sheep Chase.

A FUNtastic book on this mistreated genre....lots of juicy stills in it:):)!!!!

I meant to say , virtually no VOWELS. Still reading this book....
 
It's becoming less interesting, if only because I already know how it ends. But , I'm determined to finish it. The book also includes a CD of field recordings and live performances by Ya Ho Wa 13 / Spirit of 76 , dating back to 1973 .

John Battles said:

I'm reading the book about Father Yod/Ya Ho Wa and "The Family". For those who don't know , Father Yod was a decorated WW II Veteran , Wrestler , Weight Lifter , Jiu - Jitsu Master (Who was acquitted after killing two attackers with his bare hands.), unsuccessful Hollywood Actor (He tried out for the part of Tarzan.), and , later , Yoga Student and fabulously successful Restauranteur , named Jim Baker . Becoming increasingly alienated from his Indian Yogi , Baker decided to simply start a Religious group of his own. He started with the highly profitable Source Vegetarian Restaurant on Sunset Strip , leading chanting , meditation and spiritual studies. He quickly became a recognized Guru , embracing many faiths , philosophies and ideals. Ummmmmm.....including polysexuality. He was known to have had 14 wives at one point . Though his attitudes toward women were put to question , it was the women , not the men , who made the bulk of the business decisions , and  the men were not allowed to be the sexual aggressors , they ha to wait to be asked.

Ya Ho Wa (We're told , God's name in it's purest , Biblical , form , though  the Jerusalem Bible spells it as"Yahweh" , early Hebrew had virtually no consonants , so , that probably is accurate enough.) , Baker's new sobriquet (He would both confirm and deny that he was God incarnate.) , brought in followers as disparate as teenage runaways to Steve Allen's Son to Sky Saxon. Outside of Sky's sporadic involvement , the group is most famous for the many free form Psych - Rock LPs they released , independently , as Spirit of 76 , Ya Ho Wa 13 , and others. Nearly all these records featured Djin Aquarian (Late of the Late 60's Chicago Rock band , Soup (Pronounced "Thoup".) on Lead Guitar. The extent of Saxon's input is difficult to gauge , though he did oversee a reissue of all The Family's records on CD in the 90's. I'm finding this book fascinating , and not because I have fantasies of living in a Hippie Commune. Even if they DID live in a mansion.

And a Stress-Free 2013 to you as well. Take care.

sleazy said:

tHANX FOR THE HEADS UP dAVE........happy 2013 to YOU man....stay safe:)

dave said:

I just mentioned Ellison cause he was buddies w/ Bloch. Yr libraries probably got some short-story collections if yr interested. "Repent Harlequin, Said The TickTockMan" is great.

sleazy said:

Hi Dave,

I don't recall ever reading anything by that writer......I might be wrong though..:)

dave said:

Hey, Sleazy, are you a Harlan Ellison fan as well?

sleazy said:

tHANX FOR THE HEADS UP dAVE........happy 2013 to YOU man....stay safe:)

dave said:

I just mentioned Ellison cause he was buddies w/ Bloch. Yr libraries probably got some short-story collections if yr interested. "Repent Harlequin, Said The TickTockMan" is great.

sleazy said:

Hi Dave,

I don't recall ever reading anything by that writer......I might be wrong though..:)

dave said:

Hey, Sleazy, are you a Harlan Ellison fan as well?

sleazy said:

I just mentioned Ellison cause he was buddies w/ Bloch. Yr libraries probably got some short-story collections if yr interested. "Repent Harlequin, Said The TickTockMan" is great.

sleazy said:

Hi Dave,

I don't recall ever reading anything by that writer......I might be wrong though..:)

dave said:

Hey, Sleazy, are you a Harlan Ellison fan as well?

sleazy said:

Poppy Z Brite's Chef novels kick ass! I really hope she does more! Read the novelettes/short stories, too.

Bibliodiscoteque said:

I just finished Warren Ellis' Gun Machine for both review and for January's Podcast.
I'm also working on Liquor and Prime by Poopy Z Brite for Feb. 

Incidentally early copies of The Illustrated Man never contained that story - I don't know if it was fixed eventually - but it only appeared in an Issue of Esquire in the 50's(?).

I'm reading the book about Father Yod/Ya Ho Wa and "The Family". For those who don't know , Father Yod was a decorated WW II Veteran , Wrestler , Weight Lifter , Jiu - Jitsu Master (Who was acquitted after killing two attackers with his bare hands.), unsuccessful Hollywood Actor (He tried out for the part of Tarzan.), and , later , Yoga Student and fabulously successful Restauranteur , named Jim Baker . Becoming increasingly alienated from his Indian Yogi , Baker decided to simply start a Religious group of his own. He started with the highly profitable Source Vegetarian Restaurant on Sunset Strip , leading chanting , meditation and spiritual studies. He quickly became a recognized Guru , embracing many faiths , philosophies and ideals. Ummmmmm.....including polysexuality. He was known to have had 14 wives at one point . Though his attitudes toward women were put to question , it was the women , not the men , who made the bulk of the business decisions , and  the men were not allowed to be the sexual aggressors , they ha to wait to be asked.

Ya Ho Wa (We're told , God's name in it's purest , Biblical , form , though  the Jerusalem Bible spells it as"Yahweh" , early Hebrew had virtually no consonants , so , that probably is accurate enough.) , Baker's new sobriquet (He would both confirm and deny that he was God incarnate.) , brought in followers as disparate as teenage runaways to Steve Allen's Son to Sky Saxon. Outside of Sky's sporadic involvement , the group is most famous for the many free form Psych - Rock LPs they released , independently , as Spirit of 76 , Ya Ho Wa 13 , and others. Nearly all these records featured Djin Aquarian (Late of the Late 60's Chicago Rock band , Soup (Pronounced "Thoup".) on Lead Guitar. The extent of Saxon's input is difficult to gauge , though he did oversee a reissue of all The Family's records on CD in the 90's. I'm finding this book fascinating , and not because I have fantasies of living in a Hippie Commune. Even if they DID live in a mansion.

Sounds like an interesting book to read....I think I'll have it given to me as a gift for the coming holidays:):)

dave said:

Better Off Without 'Em, by Chuck Thompson

This is humor, folks, although it's thought-provoking humor. Thompson's view is that the worst traits in Amerika are embodied (and may even have started...

Without 'em we would be a cleaner, leaner, more benevolent nation, kinda like The United States of Canada. One of the better books from 2012. 

Hi Dave,

I don't recall ever reading anything by that writer......I might be wrong though..:)

dave said:

Hey, Sleazy, are you a Harlan Ellison fan as well?

sleazy said:

Hey, Sleazy, are you a Harlan Ellison fan as well?

sleazy said:

Better Off Without 'Em, by Chuck Thompson

This is humor, folks, although it's thought-provoking humor. Thompson's view is that the worst traits in Amerika are embodied (and may even have started) in the South.

Without 'em we would be a cleaner, leaner, more benevolent nation, kinda like The United States of Canada. One of the better books from 2012. 

I just finished Warren Ellis' Gun Machine for both review and for January's Podcast.
I'm also working on Liquor and Prime by Poopy Z Brite for Feb. 

Incidentally early copies of The Illustrated Man never contained that story - I don't know if it was fixed eventually - but it only appeared in an Issue of Esquire in the 50's(?).

Harpo Speaks. Harpo Marx autobiography. For a man who said little this says it all. True genius

I love the Illustrated Man. That first story, "The Veldt," freaked me out in high school. 

I'm about to start comedian Sarah Silverman's recent humor/memoir The Bedwetter.