BOOKS THREAD

Three Bags, I suffered the same torture during my time at the UofM. But I did not merely endure when I read it; I prevailed.

One night years ago, a group of Daily Mistake staffers (including yours truly) went on a drinking spree around Oxford. One of our stops was the cemetery where Mr. Faulkner is at rest. We sat by Faulkner's plot, toasting to his greatness and cursing his long and winding books. Afterwards, we rode out to Rowan Oak and wandered around the open grounds looking for ghosts. (Only recently did the university build a fence to keep out late-night riff-raff like us). The pressure of a six-pack of Bud in my bladder hit me hard while at Rowan Oak, so I simply took a long, relaxing whiz off the front porch. I'm sure Mr. Faulkner did the same thing on many a late night of drinking and writing. I felt a warm, tingling feeling of history come about me on that humid summer evening as I relieved myself in the dead of night -- as if the ghost of William Faulkner was on that porch, too, letting the bourbon flow freely from his system. It was an inspiring moment, to say the least.

 

Post of the year candidate. If only enough people could read it. Great story, Tom!

 

That is a hell of a story, Tom. Something about Mississippi that just brings out the writer in people. God bless the Magnolia State, as much now as ever.

 

I've had the chance to catch up on a lot of reading lately, and though I won't win any prize for exquisite reading lists, my thoughts:

"Nickled and Dimed" and "Bait and Switched" by Barbara Ehrenreich
Both books scared the shit out of me. As others have said, a very revealing look into worlds most people know nothing about. Though I think her 'undercover' approach was not as valid in the second book, it will hopefully solicit empathy and understanding for white-collar workers trapped in a hideous cycle.

"The Hours" by Michael Cunningham
I thought it was a very creative approach to a novelization of real people. Thought he could have done more with the mother at the end of the story, wanted to see inside her head a little more. I'll rent the DVD because I want to see how they adapted the screenplay.

"The DaVinci Code" and "Angels and Demons" by Dan Brown
I know he has his critics, but I found both Brown's books to be highly entertaining and the depth of his research, for a novel, to be astounding. I thought is main characters were well developed, and though the plots are fantastical, they held my attention. I also have an appreciation for anyone who can make symbology sexy.

"The Rainmaker" by John Grisham
Parts were entertaining, but it seemed to drag and I got bored quickly. Very predictable. I did like the portrayal of a less-than-perfect law school student as the main character.

"If You Don't Have Big Breasts, Put Ribbons On Your Pigtails" by Barbara Corcoran
A business book that interweaves childhood lessons with successful-business practices. A rare business book written from a woman's perspective with a down-home touch. You never feel like you're being lectured to by a multi-millionaire. I found it to be a good story, with lessons that have practical applications.


Next up on the reading list:
"Good to Great" and "Good to Great for the Social Sector" by Jim Collins
"Pledged" by Alexandra Robbins
"Eats Shoots and Leaves" by Lynne Truss
Some Barbara Kingsolver

 

Just finished reading "Dog Days" by Ana Marie Cox (of Wonkette fame). A fun read, but you've got to read "Washingtonienne" to understand "Dog Days" and how Melanie and Julie "wagged the dog." The parallels to the 2004 campaign are there, too. Think "Swift Boat."

I'm not big on politics or the D.C. scene - even though I grew up in close proximity to the Beltway - but I loved how Cox explained the parties, the nightlife, the indulgence, and the necessity of the Blackberry in all of this.

 

As I lay Dying is one of my favorite novels, though it probably helped that I was taking a Faulkner class the first time I read it.

I, too, have been shitfaced at Rowan Oak, and just about everywhere else in Oxford, though I never pissed off the porch.

 

Has anyone ever read any of Tom Perrotta's novels? Excellent.

 

All of em, in fact. Little Children is probably my favorite. Loved Election, enjoyed The Wishbones, but was kind of indifferent about Joe College. I have Bad Haircut (short story collection) on my bookshelf, but haven't gotten around to it just yet.

Last three sentences of Little Children, however, made me jealous of Perrotta's skills as a writer.

 

Little Children was one of those books I just couldn't put down. The guy has suburban, late '20s life down to a "T." I think it's as spot-on as American Beauty.

 

Perrotta's stuff is excellent.

Interesting, though, my least favorite of his was Little Children. Maybe, I admit, because it was such a departure from the rest of his work and I was not expecting that. It was a much darker, depressing view of suburbia.

 

Sirs, Madames,

Count me as one of a minority who considers Light In August Faulkner's best. I made it through S&F and liked As I Lay Dying--read Sanctuary but couldn't get through some of the others (when marks weren't on the line). I have two books of his short stories--one entitled The Collected Stories the other The Uncollected Stories ... which left me wondering, if they're collected here how are the still uncollected? Faulkner and Red Smith share my birthday, Sept 25. I hated Last Orders by the usually likeable Graham Swift which is a complete rip (not homage) to AILD and story of a movie starring Bob Hoskins among others.

Lowbrow: I bought Don Haskins's autobiography for my daughter (a big Glory Road fan). I read it on a flight before I gave it to her. A lot of fun. I have to say, it reminded me of the funniest sports book--by a lot--that I ever read, The Bank Shot by Minnesota Fats. And there's a great pool story or two in Haskins's tome that didn't make it into the movie.

Rereading American Tabloid for a third time. Other than My Dark Places and to a lesser extent The Cold Six Thou most Ellroy leaves me cold.

YHS, etc

 

Just finished Dennis Lehane's (Mystic River) Shutter Island. An excellent thriller which has nice details and a great setting (federal mental institution for criminally insane on island off coast of Boston, MA). Pretty quick read.