tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4178357988504785712.comments2023-06-21T11:43:35.222+01:00Learning To ReadBen Carrollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03308876297341347389noreply@blogger.comBlogger429125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4178357988504785712.post-74928125794377307012014-03-11T05:56:56.984+00:002014-03-11T05:56:56.984+00:00I have not read anything by Michael Chabon, so I m...I have not read anything by Michael Chabon, so I may be a little out of my depth here; however, if his present works are fantastic, then they may make up (to a certain extent) for an overwritten, naive book written when he was only twenty-three. Great review; thank you. Dianehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07892633139515625176noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4178357988504785712.post-77713737343665280982012-07-20T19:36:18.765+01:002012-07-20T19:36:18.765+01:00Beagle [be agile minus i (me) = beagle qed)
But I ...Beagle [be agile minus i (me) = beagle qed)<br />But I really don't get<br />A display of lights = crossword<br />Any thoughts?Optimahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00774655011712668839noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4178357988504785712.post-74599774053668426982012-04-05T13:04:29.400+01:002012-04-05T13:04:29.400+01:00Jonathan Franzen is a well read author and a talen...Jonathan Franzen is a well read author and a talented writer so his narrations dig deep into a variety of literary sources.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.kamagracentre.com/" rel="nofollow">kamagra</a>Jojo P.https://www.blogger.com/profile/04518614435354339861noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4178357988504785712.post-1335706968665692182011-11-20T08:09:10.910+00:002011-11-20T08:09:10.910+00:00Hi Ben, do you ever write on children's books?...Hi Ben, do you ever write on children's books?youtube contributorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13602657238105418967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4178357988504785712.post-19442483012461250612011-10-14T03:02:08.320+01:002011-10-14T03:02:08.320+01:00Looks fun and quirky!
I like quirky.
XoxoLooks fun and quirky!<br />I like quirky.<br />Xoxoxoxohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04536775957390613454noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4178357988504785712.post-19104661828639516582011-07-15T16:42:45.122+01:002011-07-15T16:42:45.122+01:00The movie doesn't bring out the nuanses in the...The movie doesn't bring out the nuanses in the book. I view the two as more intellectual combatans. In a way white humours black as white feels that the world thinks he owes it to black. The real dichotomy I feel is that white has an real connection to moral reality, while being intellectually disconnected, and black has a real immoral connection to reality, while being intellectually connected. The conflict line is between the non- violence of black and the self- violence of white. And it is the innelectual connectedness that is the hand that is played. That is why white must be bought with intellectual interest, and black comes off as so powerless.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16671256096915722200noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4178357988504785712.post-79056402925907960692011-06-07T09:22:11.847+01:002011-06-07T09:22:11.847+01:00@ As The Crow Flies: I don't think it makes yo...@ As The Crow Flies: I don't think it makes you any less of a fan that you didn't finish it -- maybe just a more discerning one. Also, what does your edition look like? I spent ages trying to find a copy in the same 'cover series' as all the others, that deco look, but the pictured one is as close as I could get.<br /><br />@ Ellen: Finish it! It's so worth it. It's ages since I read it, but I remember reeling after I finished the last page, it's one of those books that gets inside you and gets a hold of you. In a good way.Ben Carrollhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03308876297341347389noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4178357988504785712.post-91760285639488007092011-06-07T09:14:52.138+01:002011-06-07T09:14:52.138+01:00I preferred "Pittsburgh" to Chabon's...I preferred "Pittsburgh" to Chabon's later work, but then - I've never been able to finish "Yiddish Policemen" or "K & C" despite having started both countless times. Chabon's always been a writer I like in theory, in his interest and promotion of genre fiction, but when I get down to reading his stuff....<br /><br />(Despite this, I am still desperate to actually read and like "K & C." That I've inexplicably never made it more than 100 pages into the book never ceases to baffle me.)<br /><br />I do recognize that feeling of turning back to an author's early works, though. When I read Nabokov's "Look at the Harlequins!" I can see the writer he is & is becoming, but I also think it's one of the worst books I've ever read. I probably wouldn't be so harsh in assessing it had it been written by a lesser writer, but I can't read it without holding it up against books like Ada, Lolita, Sebastian Knight.<br /><br />-- EllenAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4178357988504785712.post-67104796606850434802011-06-06T23:53:43.402+01:002011-06-06T23:53:43.402+01:00I really enjoyed reading this post. I remember my...I really enjoyed reading this post. I remember my excitement when I wandered into a used bookstore and found a really nice copy of Mysteries of Pittsburgh in a first edition soon after his Pulitzer Prize--apparently the store didn't know they had it. I'm afraid I didn't make it very far into the book. I admire Chabon but I guess I don't count among his true fans because I couldn't finish it. But I'm still really happy to have such a nice copy of his early work!As the Crowe Flies and Readshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12110661562901480120noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4178357988504785712.post-22794720328642249132011-06-06T16:54:36.280+01:002011-06-06T16:54:36.280+01:00I don't think The Yiddish Policemen's Unio...I don't think The Yiddish Policemen's Union is in any way coasting! But apart from that, I can see your point. <br /><br />Apparently his next novel is present day, non-genre stuff. Something in the way it's been talked about makes me think it might be a landmark of his career one way or another, I'm not sure why.Ben Carrollhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03308876297341347389noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4178357988504785712.post-61465811316190278672011-06-06T15:20:57.566+01:002011-06-06T15:20:57.566+01:00I remember liking this book more than you do. But...I remember liking this book more than you do. But I do agree that it is weaker than his later book. For me, Mr. Chabon's best work is The Wonder Boys, though my personal favorite is Kavalier and Clay. I think he's been dallying and coasting since those two, and really should get back to serious work.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06906212382849291562noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4178357988504785712.post-38049881098682456992011-05-28T22:09:49.395+01:002011-05-28T22:09:49.395+01:00Hmm.. very interesting. I hadn't heard of thi...Hmm.. very interesting. I hadn't heard of this author either. I'll need to think about finding something of his to experience. The author I chose also writes novels that, in my opinion, live, breathe, and think for themselves. We're of a similar mind on that!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4178357988504785712.post-42971616451961277242011-05-27T18:59:39.229+01:002011-05-27T18:59:39.229+01:00I'd never hear of David Lodge, but he sounds g...I'd never hear of David Lodge, but he sounds great! I love the idea that he can play around with writing while still writing clearly. <br />Thanks for participating in the hop!Christinahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16366906896853072205noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4178357988504785712.post-41305890315070000932011-05-27T11:51:52.283+01:002011-05-27T11:51:52.283+01:00Sounds so interesting. I really want to read his w...Sounds so interesting. I really want to read his works now.<br /><br />:-)Misha Gerrickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06364173848456424521noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4178357988504785712.post-13012759315086966682011-05-27T10:09:32.320+01:002011-05-27T10:09:32.320+01:00Sounds interesting. I cant think why I've neve...Sounds interesting. I cant think why I've never come across his work. I must add him to my TBR pile. great post.CHEhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04634088152624853449noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4178357988504785712.post-52204373707945519062011-05-14T20:09:51.540+01:002011-05-14T20:09:51.540+01:00so many people are scared of the perception of a &...so many people are scared of the perception of a "LITERARY book" that they won't even countenance the idea of reading it, which is a shame, so as a marketing device it's a bit hit & miss.@parridhlanternhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12793548943992250238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4178357988504785712.post-66644757797857278072011-05-14T18:53:49.062+01:002011-05-14T18:53:49.062+01:00Well... A lot of books are published under the gen...Well... A lot of books are published under the genre "literary fiction" but wear completely other guises once you peel off the marketing ploys. I <i>have</i> noticed in recent years the trend to slap that label (whatever it means... shouldn't if a book is literary be determined by the readers, not the publishers...?) on books that have little true literary merit is growing. Or sometimes it replaces the actual genre (sci-fi, mystery, thriller, etc.). Does that count?Meytal Radzinskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15805413335735169073noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4178357988504785712.post-68539691100097876432011-05-14T16:51:34.725+01:002011-05-14T16:51:34.725+01:00I was going to agree with you wholeheartedly about...I was going to agree with you wholeheartedly about literary not being a term that will attract many people to a book, but...<br /><br />Here in the Netherlands, we have a country full of literary snobs (well, at least half a country, the rest read Harlequins). To be certain that a mystery or thriller is of a certain standard we have a new genre here: literary thriller. I kid you not. People can now be assured of a good read and do not have to plough through the inferior stuff to find out if it's at their level. <br /><br />I think it's really silly. But there you go. Actually, a lot of the "literary thrillers" are just fun thrillers, but literary?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4178357988504785712.post-30212890878518669852011-05-13T19:21:09.337+01:002011-05-13T19:21:09.337+01:00I've not read either of these, though I've...I've not read either of these, though I've heard of both. I can't say I was ever attracted to Gonzo journalism. The closest I've ever got was Tom Wolfe's The Right Stuff which I think is loosely associated with Gonzo journalism.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06906212382849291562noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4178357988504785712.post-12204882841993385372011-05-11T20:20:56.472+01:002011-05-11T20:20:56.472+01:00That's interesting. I can't say I read it ...That's interesting. I can't say I read it as them trying to live up to anything... all the talk of the American Dream seemed to sway between the bitter and the mocking.Ben Carrollhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03308876297341347389noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4178357988504785712.post-65512360635785465302011-05-09T17:11:55.574+01:002011-05-09T17:11:55.574+01:00I love this book. I really do. It's one of the...I love this book. I really do. It's one of the best stories ever told on "absence". Two feral animals of the sixties, lost in a desert of meaninglessness, trying to live up to a promise that nobody believes in anymore. Very touching I thought. Despite the debauchery, I thought it pictured a loss of innocence not so far from mine.Benhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11483490020980574428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4178357988504785712.post-89703436738774151152011-05-09T11:57:07.514+01:002011-05-09T11:57:07.514+01:00Allegedly because of the muppet -- Fozzie was a be...Allegedly because of the muppet -- Fozzie was a bear, Kermit was quite clearly a frog, Animal was pure animal, but Gonzo was... Gonzo. A bit of everything, a bit of nothing, not definable with reference to other things.Ben Carrollhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03308876297341347389noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4178357988504785712.post-33829854554354316582011-05-09T10:52:26.319+01:002011-05-09T10:52:26.319+01:00why is it called Gonzo?why is it called Gonzo?Adamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08570363987483755715noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4178357988504785712.post-88435573445614022972011-05-09T10:20:29.319+01:002011-05-09T10:20:29.319+01:00I started reading a Martin Amis years ago, but did...I started reading a Martin Amis years ago, but didn't quite make it to the finishing line. I feel slightly guilty that I didn't give it enough attention, which both undermines and exaggerates my dislike of him... awkward. <br /><br />Biblibio, I agree: if you ARE going to recycle a plot, at least have the decency to pick a fantastic and unusual one.Ben Carrollhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03308876297341347389noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4178357988504785712.post-25687086274861700892011-05-08T17:41:05.345+01:002011-05-08T17:41:05.345+01:00I'm with you on the Harry Potter hype hate thi...I'm with you on the Harry Potter hype hate thing. In general, the hype backlash thing can be frustrating. Books with the same boring plot... <i>those</i> drive me nuts. It's bad enough to lack originality... but must the books choose the most boring, lamest, unoriginal stories?Meytal Radzinskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15805413335735169073noreply@blogger.com