BOOKS THREAD

Half way through The Art of Fielding. Harbach struggles with writing female characters, much like Franzen. Maybe that's why Franzen likes him so much.

Harbach is an editor for N+1 btw, which is fantastic: http://nplusonemag.com/

On another note, I recently finished Ernest Cline's "Ready Player One" ... total geekfest page-turner, but nothing that will leave a lasting impression.

 

Was thinking the exact same thing today. Enjoying the book, but I agree with you on Pella's parts. They are the weakest of the book. Well, except for the school president's rendezvous, but at least those characters are much better.

 

Seems to be the major criticism for AOF, then again women are strange creatures and hard to peg in the written word!

 

"How do you write women so well?"

"I think of a man, and I take away reason and accountability."


I was having the "male authros who can't write women well" vs. "female authors who can write men well" discussion with friend recently. We both decided that Zadie Smith and Jhumpa Lahiri write men much better than Franzen writes women, but based on Juliet, Naked you can make the case that Nick Hornby writes a pretty realistic woman. So do Chris Cleeve and Ian McEwan, so basically what it means is contemporary British authors are way better at gender switching than their American counterparts.

 

I think Wally Lamb writes women really well, especially in "She's Come Undone".

 

Knocked this out in two days. Very twisted in parts. Surprised by the ending, which I expected from this author.

 

Read two chapters of "The Leftovers" at the store because I'm a cheap ass. Got a solid "mehhhh" ... I'm sure it gets better.

Hammered "In The Garden of Beasts" a month ago, it's interesting. The ambassador's daughter = total slut.

 

Reading Odd Man Out now. About halfway through. A year in the life of a minor leaguer, Matt McCarthy, who went on to become a doctor, I believe.

Very good so far. This guy's recall is amazing.

 

If I recall, his recall was very much called into question after it was published. I believe he quoted people as saying things on road trips when they had in fact been called up a week earlier -- that sort of thing.

Having said that, I've been meaning to read it. Sounds interesting.

 

Just in time for hockey season, this gem has been issued in trade paperback.



Not that I'm biased or anything.

 

Awesome, Double J.

 

"Ready Player One," by Ernest Cline, his first novel. He created the film "Fanboys"

Very quick read; buzzed through the ~375 pp in about 6 hours. Incredibly paced and fun in unexpected ways. Flashes of Harry Potter, The Matrix, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Avatar.