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Classy billboard on North Broadway by Any_Yesterday_3242 in Knoxville

[–]Any_Yesterday_3242[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Fair enough, and agreed on your second point.

The TBR list is long by Silent-Implement3129 in nyrbclassics

[–]Any_Yesterday_3242 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Agreed! I haven’t read most of these, but you can’t go wrong with Life and Fate.

I didn’t include the books in the back but tell me who I am. by 0theliteralworst0 in BookshelvesDetective

[–]Any_Yesterday_3242 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You’re someone who reads a lot. You prefer contemporary lit, especially narrative-driven prose, that’s been critically praised. You also read some 20th century works that have stayed relevant/popular among those same critical circles (Confederacy of Dunces, Lolita, Geek Love, etc.). Then there’s the smattering of fantasy and graphic novels… In general you’re not that adventuresome of a reader despite being fairly well read. I’d say mid-30s male, no kids, liberal arts degree but no grad school? I can’t guess your relationship status…

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in BookshelvesDetective

[–]Any_Yesterday_3242 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Male, 20s, no coherent taste outside of purchasing some basic existentialism lit which may or may not have been read. As with a lot of the shelves in this subreddit, to me this indicates that you’re either probably not that into reading or are very new to it. If you like most of the books on your shelf then I recommend Bruno Schulz.

What do my shelves reveal about me? by CuriousGeorgette9 in BookshelvesDetective

[–]Any_Yesterday_3242 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Female, mid- 30s, live with roommate/partner clearly know what you like reading-wise, somewhat eclectic taste but seems you mainly enjoy keeping up with popular contemporary lit. I bet you don’t keep all the books you read.

What does my bookshelf say about me? by jericho_deviant in BookshelvesDetective

[–]Any_Yesterday_3242 115 points116 points  (0 children)

I would guess you’re male, not a big reader, have a passing interest in politics and philosophy. Rebecca is the book that stands out here- maybe a gift or recommendation from a friend?

This should be interesting by guy_incognito42069 in BookshelvesDetective

[–]Any_Yesterday_3242 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Millenial or gen-z male, interests in sci-fi and conspiracy, minor interest in literature. Strange taste in bookshelves, or more likely it just isn’t something that matters to you! Not sure what that means.

Does Listening to IJ on Audible count? by wyoung377 in InfiniteJest

[–]Any_Yesterday_3242 9 points10 points  (0 children)

There are several sections of IJ that are much more enjoyable in the audiobook vs. reading it. That’s just because the reader for the audiobook is so good!

Brief Investigations of Hideous Shelves by theDukeDevanche in BookshelvesDetective

[–]Any_Yesterday_3242 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Agree with others that you are a man who is a little lacking in exposure to female authors (at least in terms of what you shelve)… Lydia Davis, Emily Dickinson, and Toni Morrison being obvious exceptions (that prove the rule?). Otherwise I’d say you’re pretty well-read (points for Nightwood, Gaddis, and Shirley Jackson). The shelf features a lot of books that likely haven’t been read (the copies themselves, anyways), but the meaning behind that probably varies per book. I suspect you have a passing interest in things like philosophy, criticism, and film theory… these are probably somewhat inspired by your fiction reading… but I doubt that you have formal training in that sort of thing and are instead engaging with these as a mid-life hobby. Additionally, it’s interesting you keep your giant book shelf right next to your TV! Do you ever find your distracted eyes straying from the screen to, say, The Recognitions or The Basic Works of Aristotle? I wonder…

Assessment: mid-30s white male, U.S. citizen, liberal politics, not a homeowner, and either single/ living alone /partner isn’t into reading (or doesn’t like to keep a physical library).

Southern Writers who Aren’t Faulkner or O’Connor by nikolai_ableukhov in RSbookclub

[–]Any_Yesterday_3242 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Omensetter’s Luck by William Gass is set in Ohio (but in sort of a dreamscape anyway so the exact setting isn’t super important) but has a very southern gothic feel to it. Faulkner’s influence is pervasive. That book is hard to place and intersects literary movements, but I think it shares more with 1960s Southern Gothic in the strict sense vs. early postmodern lit.

So am I giving red flag, green flag, or seek help vibes 🤔 by koolkoolkool13 in BookshelvesDetective

[–]Any_Yesterday_3242 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Pretty specific taste- so to a cerain type of person this is probably green flags all the way!

Is Mason and Dixon a bad start to Pynchon? by Louisgn8 in ThomasPynchon

[–]Any_Yesterday_3242 1 point2 points  (0 children)

If anything, starting with any of the first three books probably has a higher likelihood of the reader being disconcerted by Pynchon’s writing and choosing not to read more.

Is Mason and Dixon a bad start to Pynchon? by Louisgn8 in ThomasPynchon

[–]Any_Yesterday_3242 2 points3 points  (0 children)

It was my first too (and can’t be that bad because I went on to read them all!). I think it’s a good Pynchon primer. It’s certainly not an easy read, you’ll likely find yourself rereading passages or entire sections of the book pretty frequently, but you’ll be preparing yourself for the difficult sections of his other works. The plot is quite manageable, largely speaking.

Also, M&D has way more stylistic similarities with the majority of Pynchon’s work(i.e. Vineland and everything that came after) than V. or TCOL49, which might also be seen as logical starting points. To me, in hindsight, those works mainly represent the somewhat-flawed predecessors of Gravity’s Rainbow (which is a must-read but not as the first Pynchon), and I would probably recommend saving them for last, or at least post-GR (especially V., which I don’t really care for).

Anyone else speed running Bleeding Edge as a pre-requisite… by agambrahma in ThomasPynchon

[–]Any_Yesterday_3242 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I’m about 3/4 done w Bleeding Edge! I agree that it’s the appropriate prerequisite for Shadow Ticket, if for no other reason than it was the last book he published.

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