"The night of the big party came. I could practically hear the hubbubs of preparation going on down the hill and felt depressed. 'Oh my God, sociability is just a big smile and a big smile is nothing but teeth, I wish I could just stay up here and rest and be kind.' But somebody brought up some wine and that started me off."
- Jack Kerouac, "The Dharma Bums"
It's been a while since I read On the Road. A. was reading On The Road when she was in NY a few weeks ago, and while we were browsing at the Strand she picked up a nice hard cover copy of Dharma Bums. I decided to try it out because I was preaching to A. about how much I love Kerouac, and then realized I have read a very limited amount of his work.
I really liked Dharma Bums, but there were a few lines that really stayed with me (like the above quote). It is kind of a beautiful, meandering tale that touches on some very large subjects. It makes you think. And, I like that. Am now reading Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Hunter S. Thompson and Kerouac were supposedly buddies, and I have a book they co-authored on my bedside table right now. Dharma Bums and Fear and Loathing seem like total opposites stylistically, but they give you that same feeling that you are reading something that is a part of something bigger than just the book itself.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Thursday, February 24, 2011
"One Day," David Nicholls
Lainey recommended this one. Highly recommended it: "I’ve read One Day twice already, clutched it everywhere with me at one point because it’s so f-cking good." L.Gossip
I, on the other hand, did not think it was that good. In fact, I think it was kind of just, blah. But, I do think it will make an awesome movie. R. always says that bad books make great movies. I am a sucker for love stories though, so I did race through One Day pretty darn quickly. Not because I was so enraptured with the story, or the characters, but because I just wanted to know how it ended. And it ended just like I thought it would.
Like Barney's Version, I wanted to read this one before the movie's released. Unlike Barney's Version, it is not a book I would really recommend. Unless you are already down, perhaps sick, stranded on the couch, and the remote is just a little too far to reach... then go for it! If not, just wait for the movie. Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess play the leads Emma Morley & Dexter Mayhew. Good casting. Amazing poster. Looking forward to it.
I, on the other hand, did not think it was that good. In fact, I think it was kind of just, blah. But, I do think it will make an awesome movie. R. always says that bad books make great movies. I am a sucker for love stories though, so I did race through One Day pretty darn quickly. Not because I was so enraptured with the story, or the characters, but because I just wanted to know how it ended. And it ended just like I thought it would.
Like Barney's Version, I wanted to read this one before the movie's released. Unlike Barney's Version, it is not a book I would really recommend. Unless you are already down, perhaps sick, stranded on the couch, and the remote is just a little too far to reach... then go for it! If not, just wait for the movie. Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess play the leads Emma Morley & Dexter Mayhew. Good casting. Amazing poster. Looking forward to it.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
"Just Kids," Patti Smith
I picked this one up at the Strand the other day, after reading her interview with Jonny Depp in Vanity Fair and liking the way she writes. I read it pretty quickly, while crashing at my sister’s place in the West Village. ‘Just Kids’ is partially an ode to NYC, so it was nice to be here while reading it. I read most of it while soaking up the sun on the Highline, and yes, it is February but the city has been amazingly warm for the past couple of days.
I don’t usually take notes while reading, but I did during this one. I now have a long list of places to checkout, books to read, and artists to research; let’s just say, this one made me feel slightly lacking. Smith just had such an interesting life, at such a young age. She was younger than I am when she moved into the city alone, penniless and serendipitously met the man who was to become the ‘artist of her life’ (one of my favourite lines). Soon after, she began making art and moved within an incredible circle of artists. I felt especially low after reading this one because I am at a point in time where I really don’t know what I’m going to do next, and have no real inspiration. In no way did Smith have it easy. Her early years sound so cold and, hungry… but it seems like she was never lacking in inspiration. That’s not even it. She clearly lays out that there were periods when she was without motivation, unable to write, or draw… but her life just seems so rich, in retrospect I guess. I think that is largely because of where she was living with, and who she was surrounded by. Bumping into Ginsberg in a deli, sitting in on Janis Joplin’s jam sessions, and, oh ya, having Robert Mapplethorpe as your life partner offers a certain amount of creative stimulation.
In the course of the story Smith tells, the scene in NY changes. The era of The Chelsea as a safe harbor for starving artists ends, and an era of great political apathy begins. I am sitting in Grounded right now, and a little old woman just shouted “bring back the 60’s – protests,” as she walked out the door. How appropriate. Although, after reading ‘Just Kids,' I feel like for something really good to happen, we’ve gotta bring back the 70’s.
I don’t usually take notes while reading, but I did during this one. I now have a long list of places to checkout, books to read, and artists to research; let’s just say, this one made me feel slightly lacking. Smith just had such an interesting life, at such a young age. She was younger than I am when she moved into the city alone, penniless and serendipitously met the man who was to become the ‘artist of her life’ (one of my favourite lines). Soon after, she began making art and moved within an incredible circle of artists. I felt especially low after reading this one because I am at a point in time where I really don’t know what I’m going to do next, and have no real inspiration. In no way did Smith have it easy. Her early years sound so cold and, hungry… but it seems like she was never lacking in inspiration. That’s not even it. She clearly lays out that there were periods when she was without motivation, unable to write, or draw… but her life just seems so rich, in retrospect I guess. I think that is largely because of where she was living with, and who she was surrounded by. Bumping into Ginsberg in a deli, sitting in on Janis Joplin’s jam sessions, and, oh ya, having Robert Mapplethorpe as your life partner offers a certain amount of creative stimulation.
In the course of the story Smith tells, the scene in NY changes. The era of The Chelsea as a safe harbor for starving artists ends, and an era of great political apathy begins. I am sitting in Grounded right now, and a little old woman just shouted “bring back the 60’s – protests,” as she walked out the door. How appropriate. Although, after reading ‘Just Kids,' I feel like for something really good to happen, we’ve gotta bring back the 70’s.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
"Barney's Version," Mordecai Richler
Just landed in New York after a long trip (via Dallas) from Calgary. Miss K and jx3 already!
Thursday, February 10, 2011
"The Red Tent," Anita Diamant
The Red Tent is the story of Dinah, the only daughter of the biblical superstar Jacob. Dinah's 'life' (this is historical fiction, told in the first person) strays greatly from the one line or so about her in the bible which suggests that Dinah was raped by a foreign prince and disowned by her family. But, for Diamant, Dinah is a proto-feminist, a powerful midwife and most importantly, the cherished daughter of four women. For me, this is really a great story about motherhood. It was the perfect time for me to read this, because I am in Calgary visiting my beautiful friend K. and her amazing family. Would really recommend this one.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Franzen's Fav Books
Click Here
While doing a little reading on Franzen and his take on the American Mid-West, I came across this fab blog - www.blographia-literaria.com. Of the many interesting things to be found on this blog is this list of Franzen's favourite books. A little inspiration for further reading perhaps?
While doing a little reading on Franzen and his take on the American Mid-West, I came across this fab blog - www.blographia-literaria.com. Of the many interesting things to be found on this blog is this list of Franzen's favourite books. A little inspiration for further reading perhaps?
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