The Filipino Group discussion

The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides and The Stranger's Child by Alan Hollinghurst are two of the finalists in the 2012 National Book Critics Circle Awards. Awarding ceremonies are scheduled on March 8.

Other fiction finalists are the following:

Binocular Vision by Edith Pearlman
Open City: A Novel by Teju Cole
Stone Arabia by Dana Spiotta

So, who's your pick? I think this is a toss between Eugenides and Hollinghurst. :D

EUGENIDES!!! Anuvah. Haha. ;D

Of course, I've yet to read The Marriage Plot, so my bias is the result of the "high" that I got from reading Middlesex. :P

Sabi na nga ba eh, haha. But I'm a little torn between Eugenides and Hollinghurst. Both are brilliant writers. Haaay. Makabili nga ng recent books nila, hahaha.

I am torn din. Torn between two lovers/Feeling like a fool/Loving both of you is breaking all the rules/....

Ayan napakanta tuloy ako.

I've read two of Eugenides (both 4 stars): The Virgin Suicides and Middlesex. Mabasa nga ang "Marriage Plot" Mamaya na. Itigil muna si Henry James har har.

I've read only one of Hollinghurst (4 stars) pero it is stronger than Middlesex. But Suicides is the best.

So, kung pipili ako ng papakasalan, si Eugenides yon. Pero kung gusto kong mag-support ng GayProud, si Hollinghurst yon har har. Mabasa nga ang "Swimming Pool" Mamaya na rin. Sabay sila ng Marriage Plot.

Apir, Angus!

Kuya and Angus: Sige nga, recommend a Hollinghurst book to me. Yung pinakamaganda sa tingin nyo and I'll read it. Para naman objective yung vote ko, hehe. :)

Dalawa ang 1001 nya. The Swimming Pool Library at The Line of Beauty. Dati 3. Yong 3rd na na delist na ay yong Folding Star. Lahat yan meron na ako pati ang "The Spell" pero ang nababasa pa lang namin ng Formidable Chairwoman ay ang "The Line of Beauty."

Shocking pero maganda. Malinis pero may graphic sex scene. Nakakatuwa ang mga characters. Pero mas maganda kung kasama mong magbasa si Chairwoman kasi nae-explain nya yong mga dialogues har har. Yong mga plain dialogues ng gay iniexplain nya ang tuno har har.

Okay Kuya, noted. Yan ba yung isang buddy read nyo? I'll look for a copy. Thanks! :)

Oo. Kaya di ko malilimutan si Angus. Sya pa rin ang favorite reading buddy ko pero di na ako ang favorite nya. Si H na. Si H lagi na lang si H. har har

KD: BALIW! Hahaha, twice ko pa lang nakabuddy si H. At kita mo na, eh di sana maeennganyo natin si A.Monique kung hindi mo dinelete yung The Line of Beauty thread. HMMP!

A.Monique, maganda yung The Line of Beauty, huwag lang paintimidate sa pagiging Booker winner niya. Yung strength kasi ni Hollinghurst ay maganda siyang magsulat ng sentences. Very lyrical. Critics are saying that he is the best gay writer in Britain, or even the best living writer in Britain.

Yung The Folding Star nung nakita ko siya nagdalawang isip ako kung ibibigay ko ba kay KD, hahaha. Pero dahil nagwishlist naman siya nun nung Pasko, pagbigyan na ang nakatatanda. :D

Tig-isang Eugenides at Hollinghurst pa lang ako, pero parehong magaling. Sa plot at novel structure, si Eugenides. Sa language, si Hollinghurst. Hay!

Angus wrote: "KD: BALIW! Hahaha, twice ko pa lang nakabuddy si H. At kita mo na, eh di sana maeennganyo natin si A.Monique kung hindi mo dinelete yung The Line of Beauty thread. HMMP!"

Speaking of deleted threads... Hahaha! :))

About The Line of Beauty, di naman ako nai-intimidate sa books dahil naging Booker winners sila (or whatever literary award). Naiintriga na nga ako ng husto kasi if Hollinghurst is being pitted against Eugenides, ibig sabihin they're of the same caliber. I want to read a book by him kasi I've already read Eugenides.

Eto na oh, maghahanap na ako ng copy. :D

It's a little hard to come by his books, even at regular book stores. Once pa lang ako nakakita ng The Line of Beauty (FB High St.). Even Jessica Zafra, bumili pa ng The Stranger's Child sa Hong Kong (dahil hindi niya mahanap dito). Tapos yung The Swimming-Pool Library, hindi ko alam kung bakit hindi ko siya binili nung nakita ko siya sa Cubao Ex. What is wala sa sarili?

But you don't mind e-books naman yata, so it's easier for you, hahaha.

Hmm. Maybe it's time I bought something from Book Depository? :d

Ay, kung ganyang usapan, consult Kwesi. :D

Angus wrote: "Ay, kung ganyang usapan, consult Kwesi. :D"

I checked already. Mas murang di hamak yung Kindle edition from Amazon. Gaaaaahhhh. :))

Monique: Feeling ko di mo magugustuhan ang "Line of Beauty." Feeling ko lang.

K.D. wrote: "Monique: Feeling ko di mo magugustuhan ang "Line of Beauty." Feeling ko lang."

Mabasa na nga kaagad para malaman na, haha! :)

Hindi mo matatapos yan, Monique.

Aba, sinusubukan ka oh!

Mabo-bore ka. May pagka-bastos pa. Mandidiri ka.

Conservative ka lang!

Conservative si Monique.

Ang kulit ha? Haha!

Kuya: I've made it a personal rule to finish reading books that I've started. Kaya kung anuman po ang laman nitong kahindik-hindik, pag sinimulan ko tong book na to, tatapusin ko. :) Tsaka kung sa pagkabastos naman, binasa ko na po yung erotica ni Anais Nin, "Little Birds". Di naman ako nandiri. Heheh! :)

Angus: Bakit ba lagi mong inaaway si Kuya?? Baka tumaas ang presyon, lagot ka. :p

A.Monique: Siya nga ang nagpapataas ng BP ko eh, kung meron man, hahaha.

Har har. Okay. Di naman ako war freak today. :)