Nicholson Baker Book order (chronological)

Exploring the craft of painting, the author embarks on a personal journey during the COVID-19 pandemic, learning through books, workshops, and tutorials. Along the way, he reflects on the influences of past artists he admires, intertwining his artistic growth with insightful observations about the creative process.

Ten years into researching the potential use of biological weapons by the United States during the Korean War, Nicholson Baker faced frustration and disillusionment, particularly with the FOIA process. He encountered long waits for responses, often receiving documents heavily redacted to the point of being illegible. Rather than remain stagnant, Baker decided to keep a personal journal of his obstructed research, documenting his correspondence with government officials who hindered his requests. This led to a unique and compelling narrative that delves into some of the darkest secrets of the CIA and US government, which are often concealed despite the Freedom of Information Act. In his clear and unpretentious style, Baker reveals disturbing stories of CIA programs involving weaponized insects and the intentional spread of Lyme disease, as well as dangerous military experiments on unsuspecting citizens and harmful chemical munitions used against innocent civilians abroad. Alongside these revelations, he shares poignant moments from his life in Maine, such as feeding his dogs and watching the dawn. The result is a powerful exploration of waiting, bureaucracy, the horrors of war, and the lethal secrets that the US government keeps hidden from its people.

I supplenti hanno vita difficile. L'ha sperimentato anche Nicholson Baker, saggista e romanziere americano che nel 2014 diventa supplente a chiamata in un distretto scolastico del Maine. Lo aspettano ventotto giorni di insegnamento e quasi mille bambini e ragazzi di tutte le età, dall'asilo alla scuola superiore. Baker sceglie di raccontare la sua esperienza non nella forma di un libro di teoria pedagogica né di cupa diagnosi sullo stato di salute del sistema scolastico, ma con un resoconto dettagliato della vita reale delle classi e di chi le popola. Baker restituisce così il senso vissuto di quanto possa essere indaffarato, complicato, strano e lungo un giorno di scuola, di quanti alti e bassi ci siano e di quanto la scuola possa essere estenuante - e talvolta divertente - tanto per gli insegnanti quanto per gli studenti.

Unabh. Forts. v. "Der Anthologist". - Der Protagonist, der amerikanische Lyriker Paul, erzielt einen beruflichen Achtungserfolg, träumt von Musik und Tabaksorten, jagt seiner Ex-Freundin hinterher und liebt das Leben mit allen Kompromissen

Fünfzehn Jahre nach seinem Essayband «U & I – Wie groß sind die Gedanken?» wendet sich Nicholson Baker ein weiteres Mal diversen Problemen der Welterklärung zu und erzeugt bei ihrer Lösung eine funkensprühende, lachmuskelstrapazierende und zugleich stark informationshaltige Kunst. Die hier versammelten Perlen seiner Essayistik beschäftigen sich unter anderem mit der spezifischen Plattheit von Murmeltierschwänzen, der richtigen Technik des Abschreibens, dem Drachensteigenlassen, dem Gondelverkehr in Venedig, mit «Sex and the City» um 1840, mit dem kometenhaften Aufstieg der Lesegeräte sowie dem Rasenmähen. Klug, unterhaltsam und voller überraschender Entdeckungen.

Paul Chowder is a poet, but he's fallen out of love with writing poems. He hasn't fallen out of love with his ex-girlfriend Roz, though. In fact he misses her desperately. As he struggles to come to terms with Roz's new relationship with a doctor, Paul turns to his acoustic guitar for comfort and inspiration, and fills his days writing protest songs, going to Quaker meetings, struggling through Planet Fitness workouts, wondering if he could become a techno DJ, and experimenting with becoming a cigar smoker.

Presents an explicit new tale of carnal improprieties and comic raunchiness set in a surreal but familiar world of fantasy sex. A fuse-blowing, sex-positive escapade. Baker returns to erotic territory with a gleefully over-the-top novel set in a pleasure resort where normal rules don't apply. In charge of day-to-day operations is Lila, a former hospital administrator whose breast milk has unusual regenerative properties.

From the author of the acclaimed Human Smoke comes a brilliantly funny and skillfully crafted new novel.

With original and controversial insights brought about by meticulous research, 'Human Smoke' re-evaluates the political turning points that led up to the Second World War, and in so doing challenges some of the treasured myths we hold about how war came about and how atrocities like the Holocaust were able to happen.

Es begann mit einem Artikel von Nicholson Baker in «The New Yorker», der die Computerisierung von Bibliothekskatalogen kritisierte und deren Einfluss auf den Charme und die Effizienz eines Bibliotheksbesuchs beleuchtete. Daraufhin erfuhr er von der San Francisco Public Library, die aufgrund von Platzmangel hunderte von Büchern auf eine Müllkippe brachte. Seine Recherchen führten ihn zu den großen amerikanischen und englischen Bibliotheken, die wertvolle Zeitungsbestände nach der Mikroverfilmung auflösten. Baker entdeckte eine Lobby von Bibliothekaren, die von Fortschrittswahn und Raumnot getrieben sind und die Behauptung aufstellen, dass gedrucktes Material auf säurehaltigem Papier «zu Staub verfallen» werde. Diese Gruppe produziert fehlerhafte und benutzerunfreundliche Mikroverfilmungen und digitalisiert Bücher, obwohl die technische Infrastruktur unzureichend ist. Sie ignorieren die Warnungen von Kollegen, die sich für den Erhalt des Bestehenden einsetzen. Der Text informiert und argumentiert, während er die Kraft eines ironischen Manifests entfaltet, das in Amerika zu lebhaften Diskussionen geführt hat. Es wird beschrieben, wie Bibliothekare, oft unbemerkt, über das Schicksal von Büchern entscheiden, indem sie lediglich eine Seite umknicken und deren Zustand beurteilen.