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[smiletara]

The only thing I knew how to do was to keep on keeping on, like a bird that flew…Probably one of the only remotely positive things about Sunday was that it afforded me the opportunity to finally finish The Corrections, Jonathan Franzen’s critically acclaimed 600 pages of postmodern angst. I actually liked it a lot- it was easy to read while still

Comments

[sonoftomorrow]

I thought Jude the Obscure was all whining and misery too. Clearly inferior. Last Exit to Brooklyn (my book of the day), on the other hand, is full of loads of joy and glee. [Misery and urban grit.]

But at least it isn't postmodern!

[evrything_but]

Jude the Obscure is borderline-modern, and Tara clearly has no problem with modern angst. She's into Hemingway; The Sun Also Rises is entirely Pointedly Meaningless Conversations (unless I was supposed to get something else out of it :-)).

[sonoftomorrow]

What if the conversations have meaning, but the topics being discussed indicate that the people are empty or worthless? Is there a distinction between that and just "meaningless"?

[smiletara]

There's probably a distinction, but I'd rather a book that discussed topics of actual weight and value. And so far I'm liking Jude the Obscure, so I guess you're right sharon, early modern angst is decidedly more acceptable to me. :)

[notalittlegirl]

Tara, I went to the used bookstore and bought Camus "The Stranger" and Upton Sinclair's "The Jungle" just so I could read literature and feel cool. Oh, and to be ejimikated.

Then I bought Heinlein for fun - You really should read Robert Heilein's "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress". It's about a political revolt on the moon and their politics and planning to become a seperate entity. Plus there's a devious mastermind robot with the rebellion.

[smiletara]

I'm pleased whenever people read things that aren't science fiction. :P But I should warn you, The Jungle is THE WORST BOOK EVER, IN THE HISTORY OF WRITING. I have read more literary comic books. I have seen higher quality writing produced by developmentally delayed 7 year olds. Its basically a 2 zillion page rant/ expose on the suffering of the poor and the horrors of the meat industry, with not even a vague appreciation for language or style. After 400 pages of bemoaning the sad life of poor, dumb, stolidly hardworking Jurgis, it degrades into a disconnected and fairly irrelevant 75 page socialist rant. Circumstance has forced me to read this monstrosity twice, and I begrudge every second it has stolen from me.

Uh so yeah, read The Stranger first maybe?

And I promise when I decide to read science fiction I'll read Heinlein. :)

[ticketsonmyself]

WHICH MEANS NEVER

tara is a a loser :)

[ticketsonmyself]

(although the only Heinlein I've read, Stranger in a Strange Land, is pretty execrable-avoid at all costs)