Book Club
Book Club
We gave up on Infinite Jest. Our last meeting related to the book will happen Thursday. Maybe some of us will read a few more pages. Maybe some of us won’t. I made it to page 300 something. I think. It’s been awhile.
We’ll have to vote on something else to take its place. Something else we’ll only read if other people make us read it. Except all we have is each other. So if we all give up together, then –
This could be perceived as a failure but it’s a New Year.
Life is too short for books that are too long.
Neither Here nor There
Is anything more perfect than this recent comment from Juliette Cove (author of
) on “Why Buy the Cow?”:My second address in San Francisco was near Bloomingdale’s in SOMA, where I would often nap on bedding and drink complementary Nespressos. Though a few blocks away the raw flames of Folsom were impossible to ignore, as I had to wander through it to return home. My only goal: to pass all random bare bottoms in chaps ungrazed. And someone always had a cow bell! Moo!! - I wish singing could have parted the herd!
I still maintain stories à la Edward Jones (aka long ass stories) are welcome to take their time. Related: Terry’s related commentary on “long ass” in his Substack
is also a pure delight.
Hi Alicia, thank you very much for the mention. What's this book club? I'm really pleased you gave up on Infinite Jest: I've started and stopped several times, and knowing I'm not alone in that is a great source of comfort, given that everyone says what a fantastic piece of work it is. I have to say, I have absolutely loved what I've read - I'm a huge fan of Foster Wallace -- but I've never got enough time to continue reading it before I forget what I've read, if you see what I mean. So my experience of Infinite Jest is a sort of literary Groundhog Day.
Alicia, I do have to say that life is not too short for David Foster Wallace, whose own life was indeed too short—but then I've read Ulysses by Joyce four times.So, go figure.
I love Terry's Substack and had already read his post that includes 'long ass' and a fab link to you, dear Alicia.
For short, fabulous books consider Colm Tóibín though not The Magician because it's long, though wondrous, and consider Julian Barnes--everything he writes is short and he is truly marvelous. I have a long list of favorite books and wish I could join your bookclub. xo ~ Mary