Comments for A Literary Life

Comment on All the Pretty Horses (Cormac McCarthy) by Pam

Pam — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 04:17:57 +0000

Try “The Crossing.” It’s book two in the Border Trilogy. It’s not quite as good as “All The Pretty Horses,” but the picture McCarthy paints of the desolation of the desert is outstanding. You should also read “Cities of the Plain” just to round out the trilogy but I didn’t like it nearly as much as the other two. But again, it’s about the pictures he paints. I loved “The Road” but would probably never have read it if I hadn’t first found McCarthy through the Border Trilogy.

Comment on Tidbit No. 32 by Aeonscope

Aeonscope — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 18:30:59 +0000

…but we haven’t even wed yet!

The video and song are excellent. This is one song for turning up on the home stereo.

Comment on Sacred Hunger (Barry Unsworth) by Pam

Pam — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 16:29:26 +0000

It’s summer. We should be reading like crazy, but somehow I’m not. I’m working my way through “Runaway,” a collection of stories by Alice Munro right now and have “Independence Day” and “A Thousand Splendid Suns” on deck. But it seems to take me forever right now to get through a book. Maybe it’s the endless hours of “Star Trek: Enterprise,” the painting (sadly, not artistic) and the warm alluring glow of the internet (Dr. Horrible’s Sing-along Blog is only up until July 20!). So, I have three week’s to read three books. Unless I renew them. Then six weeks. I have a kind of phobia about overdue library books. I suppose I should thank my elementary school librarian for that.

Comment on Tidbit No. 30 by jes

jes — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 01:31:49 +0000

i wondered if it would give me some sort of perverse pleasure to discover that i had read more of the books on the list than you. it did. i’m sure the book that tipped the scale to give me 63 to hold over your 62 was the bible. [how's that for self-righteous?]

next we can go head to head with the bbc’s list.

Comment on Tidbit No. 29 by Aeonscope

Aeonscope — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 12:38:00 +0000

Audio books are great, although I have yet to try them out. The problem is that I have too many other podcasts that are filling up my iPhone. Not to mention video as well. It is a great way to do two things at once and keep learning at the same time. Plus it helps to stay connected to the community that you are involved in (be it your profession, your hobbies, etc.)

Comment on Tidbit No. 29 by Pam

Pam — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 19:34:53 +0000

This sounds really cool. I’ll have to let my significant other know about it. He loves him some audio books. I think it’s because — despite being an engineer — he can’t actually read. But that’s just a suspicion.

Comment on The Gilded Chamber (Rebecca Kohn) by Kate

Kate — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 00:02:08 +0000

Hey! Bird By Bird is hardly light reading. It’s one that I’ve been meaning to get to for some time but haven’t, so you got props there.

Right now I’m in the middle of another heavy, Booker Prize-winner. It’s really good but slow. The library wants it back (no renewals, because it’s on request), so I guess I’m just going to have to PAY my way through the rest of it. Ach.

Comment on The Gilded Chamber (Rebecca Kohn) by Pam

Pam — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 23:15:13 +0000

I love that you have a nerdy summer reading list. I have been really bad with my summer reading so far. No, really really bad. I’ve read one “Dresden Files” book and part of “Bird By Bird.” What the hell have I been doing with my summer? I think it’s time for a trip to the library!

Comment on Tidbit No. 26 by Pam

Pam — Sat, 10 May 2008 15:51:34 +0000

I think they meant to say “low-class.” But that’s just my opinion.

Comment on The Remains of the Day (Kazuo Ishiguro) by Pam

Pam — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 16:06:51 +0000

Don’t mention it. Just trying to keep my editing skills honed.

Comment on The Remains of the Day (Kazuo Ishiguro) by Kate

Kate — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 00:34:50 +0000

Ah yes, I see now. The “i” was covered up by the library’s bar code on my copy. Whoops! Thanks for catching that.

Comment on The Remains of the Day (Kazuo Ishiguro) by Pam

Pam — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 21:39:10 +0000

I agree the new design is nice. Kicky, even.

Just a small nitpick, but I think it’s Ishiguro. At least that’s what it says on my copy of “Never Let Me Go” sitting here. I’m going to have to read “The Remains of the Day” now that I’ve finished this other book by him.

Comment on The Remains of the Day (Kazuo Ishiguro) by Kate

Kate — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 21:18:04 +0000

Thanks! I’ve been all about orange lately now that spring had sprung. At least it has in Colorado!

Comment on The Remains of the Day (Kazuo Ishiguro) by jes

jes — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 19:46:15 +0000

yes and yes. [this book hurts, in such a slow, simple, and beautiful way.]

ps - the new design is lovely.

Comment on World War Z (Max Brooks) by Pam

Pam — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 14:22:23 +0000

And don’t forget your copy of “The Zombie Survival Guide” also by Brooks. Because there is no winning the war, just surviving.

What is scary about the book is that this type of thing could really happen. Maybe not zombies, but illnesses, emergencies, war. Um, Hurricane Katrina, anyone? If we (and the government) can be so ill-prepared for a natural disaster–flood, hurricane, wildfires–imagine how effed up we’d be if you throw in a holy-crap-this-can’t-actually-be-real element like the living dead.

Comment on Tidbit No. 18 by Pam

Pam — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 17:08:06 +0000

But, but, I don’t understand. Why would someone steal a book? Isn’t that kin to stealing a baby? As a book lover (I don’t just love reading them. I love the paper, the binding. Don’t worry, I don’t “love” my books.) I don’t understand stealing or — gasp — mutilating books.

Comment on Tidbit No. 17 by Pam

Pam — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 15:25:08 +0000

But it has lettuce and tomatoes. It must be healthy, right? Right? …my heart hurts.

Comment on Goodbye, Columbus: And Five Short Stories (Philip Roth) by Kate

Kate — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 21:53:07 +0000

My version was my European history teacher, who got in trouble with the principal for using curse words in class and stood on his desk once or twice Dead Poet’s Society style. I read Machiavelli for that man.

Maybe if HE’D recommended Roth …

Comment on Goodbye, Columbus: And Five Short Stories (Philip Roth) by Pam

Pam — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 21:27:10 +0000

I know I read Roth in another lifetime (high school, I think) and it was “Goodbye, Columbus.” I don’t remember much about the book (read another lifetime ago) but I do remember I didn’t like it. And, if it was in high school, I would have been among the teary eyed over almost anything my “senior rhet” teacher assigned. He was totally awesome.

Comment on Tidbit No. 15 by Pam

Pam — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 23:23:25 +0000

Colin Farrell can read? I think Joyce made his brain ache. Spot on about Ewan though. He can read me a bedtime story. Rowr!

Comment on The History of Love (Nicole Krauss) by jes

jes — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 13:43:38 +0000

hoorah! i’m glad you enjoyed it. [although, i think i'm more prone to be swept away by sentiment than you... i could just gush about how much i love this book... but i think i already have.]

Comment on My Name is Asher Lev (Chaim Potok) by jes

jes — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 20:56:42 +0000

i can’t believe you hadn’t read this one, kate. as is, i’m honored that the book trail could introduce you. woo hoo.

Comment on Tidbits No. 14 by Pam

Pam — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 22:35:57 +0000

I read that story on Cracked and I can’t believe no one has made a horror movie about this bug. It’s Japanese, so maybe they have … and it fought Godzilla.

Comment on Tidbits No. 14 by Aeonscope

Aeonscope — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 22:03:51 +0000

Wicked. Well, until I meet one, get stung, and die a horrible death.

Comment on UMN No. 10 by Pam

Pam — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 20:58:52 +0000

I saw this and thought it was one of the funniest things I’d read in awhile (that wasn’t written by me or one of my literary friends). So scathing, so sad, so so true. My boyfriend wonders why I don’t like to watch the news. He doesn’t understand that it makes me sad. Ignorance is bliss.

Comment on The Book Thief (Markus Zusak) by jes

jes — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 15:50:11 +0000

i have a strange and vague recollection of visiting other classrooms to discuss the holocaust, diorama in hand. am i dreaming?

Comment on Brand, spankin’ new… by Kate

Kate — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 14:55:28 +0000

“Hi, Pam!” says the chorus of members with an understanding, supportive enthusiasm. There’s coffee and cookies in the back of the meeting room, k?

Comment on UMN No. 1 by Pam

Pam — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 16:35:54 +0000

Have you ever received a random fruitcake? In my entire life, I can’t say I’ve ever eaten fruitcake at Christmas. I think it’s time to retire a tired cliche.

Comment on Brand, spankin’ new… by Pam

Pam — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 16:34:30 +0000

“Graffiti-strewn bathroom door I currently have my nose in.” Eew. But I do look forward to reading your observations about the backs of cereal boxes. I, too, have spent many a morning munching my Kashi and reading about the virtues of organic cereal. And, yes, I’ve read it more than once. I also read all the descriptions of items in mail-order catalogs. So, hi Kate. My name is Pam. I’m a read-a-holic.

Comment on Housekeeping (Marilynne Robinson) by jes

jes — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 15:43:56 +0000

ah. thank you for telling me what i am: an introspective, pondering, impetuous, romantic, and idealist woman floating around the edges of life. i couldn’t have said it better myself (and didn’t, actually).

Comment on The Unknown Terrorist (Richard Flanagan) by jes

jes — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 18:37:50 +0000

here, here.
couldn’t stomach the kite runner for the very same reason.

Comment on Perfect from Now On (John Sellers) by Aeonscope

Aeonscope — Sat, 10 Nov 2007 15:44:13 +0000

Sorry to rain on the parade but you’ll need to remove the uploaded song. You’ll thank me later. Here is a YouTube video of the same song. Legally safer (sort of).

BTW, thanks to the indirect influence of this book, I am now a Shins fan as well!

Comment on The Time Traveler’s Wife (Audrey Niffenegger) by jes

jes — Sat, 10 Nov 2007 13:55:49 +0000

especially if you have had a miscarriage.

but that doesn’t explain why i had dreams for weeks that i was man with no legs searching for my feet in the snow.

Comment on The Time Traveler’s Wife (Audrey Niffenegger) by Kate

Kate — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 23:28:27 +0000

Yes, it did get to me, but I found the vivid imagery evocative as well as horrifying. It added to the drama of their lives and made the characters real to me.

Hmmm. It obviously struck both of you harder, though. Other points of the book return to my mind more often than the miscarriage imagery: specifically, the image of Claire racing up the steps to see Henry, who has long been dead, before he vanishes back to the past., her fingers outstretched. Perhaps I am not at the same stage of life — either trying to have or recently had a baby. The same book can mean different things to the same person at different life stages, right?

Comment on The Time Traveler’s Wife (Audrey Niffenegger) by jes

jes — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 15:28:46 +0000

interesting. interesting.
this book ripped my brain to shreds.
i could not handle many of the scenes, especially the miscarriages. oh. the miscarriages. claire curled in blood on the bed holding a fetus.
oh oh oh oh.

it didn’t get to you? or it did, and it was worth it?

Comment on Crippen (John Boyne) by Aeonscope

Aeonscope — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 13:52:19 +0000

Ah, Coupling. Great TV series!

Comment on The Known World (Edward Jones) by Pam

Pam — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 15:36:21 +0000

I have picked this book up more than once with the thought of checking it out (or buying it) and have yet to do so. I think your review has tipped the scales, and I will read it soon.

Comment on Empire Falls (Richard Russo) by Pam

Pam — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 14:28:55 +0000

I’m glad you enjoyed the book. Check out the mini series too. Ed Harris, Paul Newman, you can’t go too wrong.

Comment on The Road (Cormac McCarthy) by Pam

Pam — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 21:45:54 +0000

If you loved The Road, you really should read All the Pretty Horses (still in my top 10) and The Crossing. The Crossing has a very similar feel. McCarthy really knows how to paint a sparse picture and make it real and somehow colorful. I fully expected to be utterly depressed at the end of the book, but I wasn’t — only sad that the experience was over.

Comment on The Time Traveler’s Wife (Audrey Niffenegger) by Pam

Pam — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 21:41:35 +0000

I really enjoyed The Time Traveller’s Wife. I will have to read it again someday when some of the storyline doesn’t hit so close to home. I wept more over the losses in the middle of the book than I did over the finale.

It’s being made into a movie. I’m so afraid to see it after what they did to All the Pretty Horses.

Comment on Three Junes (Julia Glass) by Pam

Pam — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 21:38:24 +0000

That’s what I remember about the book as well. It was like comfy sneakers instead of sexy heels. The sexy heels are sometimes more fun, but the sneakers always feel good.

Comment on Water for Elephants (Sara Gruen) by Aeonscope

Aeonscope — Sat, 11 Aug 2007 05:41:36 +0000

While I can not speak at any length about this book (as I have not read it), I will say that the “Carnival” HBO series is definitly worth checking out. +2 for Carnival.

Comment on Ship Fever (Andrea Barrett) by Pam

Pam — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 16:30:08 +0000

I’m so glad you enjoyed it.

Comment on The Human Stain (Philip Roth) by Aeonscope

Aeonscope — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 23:57:29 +0000

3 out of 5 stars!?! Based on your review I would think a rating of 1 or 2 stars.

Comment on Time’s Arrow (Martin Amis) by Aeonscope

Aeonscope — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 13:03:42 +0000

Nice review. I have not read the book yet but want to. I find the concept of telling a story in reverse interesting as it is hard to pull off as one complete work without getting too monotonous. Yeah, the movie Pulp Fiction and even Memento are good examples but tackle reverse order in slightly different manners than what I can tell of this story.

Comment on The Secret History (Donna Tartt) by Kate

Kate — Thu, 07 Dec 2006 01:43:54 +0000

Ha! I just talked to a co-worker who also read this book and she also had trouble placing the time period. It’s not just my simpleton self who had difficulties.

Comment on Snow Crash (Neal Stephenson) by Aeonscope

Aeonscope — Thu, 16 Nov 2006 13:31:12 +0000

Ah, yes, I failed to follow the yellow brick road…

Yeah, link coloring can be easily fixed.

Comment on Snow Crash (Neal Stephenson) by Kate

Kate — Thu, 16 Nov 2006 02:45:29 +0000

Yes, Darling. That’s kind of what I was refering to–follow the link to the online version of Wired’s “Travel Guide: Second Life.”

But don’t blame yourself. I don’t think that this blog template displays links very obviously. In fact, they’re quite hidden. Can we fix that?

Comment on Snow Crash (Neal Stephenson) by Aeonscope

Aeonscope — Wed, 15 Nov 2006 14:47:12 +0000

Well, yes, it has been mentioned in Wired magazine but the biggest news in tech is the advent of SecondLife which comes very close to making some of the things mentioned in Snow Crash real.

Comment on Snow Crash (Neal Stephenson) by Pops

Pops — Wed, 15 Nov 2006 03:31:28 +0000

Cool