Tuesday, September 22, 2009

How do you say, "thank you"?

With books, of course!

To share some of the awesome literary love I've been experiencing lately, I'd love to give away a couple of books to a couple of readers: The Savage Detectives, by Roberto Bolaño, and 2666, by Roberto Bolaño (in the newly released 1-volume paperback format).

Both books are brand new, fresh from the publisher (Picador). They have been thoroughly sniffed and have the feline paw of approval (the cat's a bit of savage detective herself). Since I already have well-worn copies of these, I'd like to pass these on (but I'm keeping the cat).

Here's a non-exhaustive list of some of the awesomeness that abounds:

The ARCs I've been receiving as a result of Twitter announcements and contests — I actually don't really understand Twitter, or how people use it, or how I should best make use of it, but will love it for now for at least this thing. The contest I won at Bookeywookey (Ted has weird and wonderful literary interests, happily sometimes intersecting with my own). The love from Susan at Pages Turned. The great group of people I stumbled upon who have been reading 2666 this summer, and their respective blogs. The dramatic spray of raspberry pink gladiolas on my kitchen shelf, which has nothing literary about it — I just love them and they make me happy! The Infinite Summer and how it (along with the subject of its attention, Infinite Jest) has sparked heartfelt conversations in both blogland and real life. The book drive I kind of got roped into organizing at work after I not so seriously proposed the idea, never expecting anyone to actually like the idea, as a means of not only raising some money for charity but also clearing some much-needed closet space; the fact that coworkers are bringing in their books to contribute to the cause (and I am trying very hard not to judge them by their cast-offs); the fact that other coworkers are actually buying these books; the fact that, being that I'm kind of in charge, I kind of get first dibs, and in this way I came to have an unread copy of Geek Love, which a bunch of people say is like their favourite book ever and now maybe soon I'll maybe be in a position to understand why; the fact that it turns out that Tony is not representative of my coworkers' mentality when he says, "Are you guys only selling, like, reading books?" (by which it turns out he meant something like, "as opposed to reference manuals"); the fact that it seems more coworkers read, and think, and breathe outside of this office space than I previously imagined; the fact that I had a conversation with a near stranger about Anna Karenina. Also, the fact of Generosity, by Richard Powers, the reading of which brought on my own kind of quasi-spiritual breakdown in recent days. Thanks, you crazy, messed-up world — even when I feel like I'm getting the raw end of the deal and times when work is stupid crazy and times when I want and can't have just 10 quiet minutes all to myself and times when I wish my sister lived around the corner so we could go out for wings and beer, somehow everything always turns out OK. Rather mysteriously, really.

If you are interested in receiving either The Savage Detectives, by Roberto Bolaño, or 2666, by Roberto Bolaño, state your preference in the comments section and tell me why you want to read it for your name to be entered into the drawing. This giveaway is open to anyone, anywhere. You have until midnight, October 2, 2009, to state your case. I'll announce the recipients shortly thereafter.

By that time, I should be finished reading my own copy of 2666! I fully endorse both these books as being worth the time and effort.

The Savage Detectives
Comments.
Excerpt: Stars like holographic projections.
Excerpt: Two islands.
Comments.

2666
Excerpt: Separate and interminable suburbs, with comments.
The part about the critics.
The part about Amalfitano.
Excerpt: A walk on the beach.
The parts about Fate and about the crimes and a vast introductory digression in which I compare and contrast 2666 and Infinite Jest.

Thanks!

10 comments:

SFP said...

The new Powers brings on breakdowns? Eeep. Maybe I should put it off until after the holidays, do you think? I've preordered but don't expect it until the middle of October and that may not give me enough time to recover.

I'm glad you're discovered that you have readers for co-workers. Last week while working at the precinct I found out that one of our new judges writes reviews for Amazon via the Vine program and we talked books a great portion of the day--a definite change for the better from the days when I was told I read weird stuff simply because I didn't read best sellers or paperback romances!

Stefanie said...

Put me in for 2666 please :)

claire said...

Thank you so much for the link love! I would love to be entered to win The Savage Detectives. I'm pretty sure I'll be dying to read another by Bolaño as soon as we're done with 2666.

I'm so very happy you stumbled upon us, as your blog has become one of my very favourites. Your insights are excellent! You write the kind of stuff I wish I had come up with, lol.

Stefanie said...

I didn't state my case for 2666 very well did I? Call it sneak reading blogs while at work :)

I'd like to read it because I've heard so much about it and everyone who has read it raves about how good it is. I also already have a copy of Savage Detectives that I haven't read yet but I imagine when I start reading Bolano I won't want to stop so would like to have a little collection on hand to prepare for the impending binge :)

Thanks for the drawing!

Anonymous said...

I'd love a copy of Savage Detectives. I read 2666 over the summer and just want more! Thanks so much!

Anonymous said...

I wasn't able to get a copy of 2666 in time for the read-along but I really think it is time to after reading everyone's thoughtful reviews of its parts.

Keshalyi said...

Well, I really have heard alot about the book, and I have been exploring Latin American lit this year, for the first time really. I have recently been reading Marx's Capital, which makes me interested to read a more human (?) leftist writer (not that I mean that in a mean way to Mr. Marx...). On top of it all, I am told that this is an extremely powerful book in terms of what ti says about violence and gender and cultural pressure, which is something very important to me... So yes, I'd love to win 2666 :).

Rise said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Rise said...

Hola. Thanks for the opportunity. I would like to join this giveaway for The Savage Detectives. For me, Bolaño’s books speak of an ongoing encounter between human nature and literature. Whether in dreams, semblances, or gritty reality, his words allow readers to strike a personal conversation with him.

Anonymous said...

Thank you so much for the link! I'd love to be entered for the Savage Detectives. :D