Thursday, December 15, 2005

Thursdays child has far to go

Large Hearted Boy's on his way to 52 books in 52 weeks. Otherwise, it's another nice list of books I have yet to read, although I doubt I'll find them all in the library. Well, there's still the kino sale I guess...
Btw, McSweeney's Quarterly, I discovered recently, retails at more than 40 bucks here!

The lovely Slate writers have also picked their top reads of the year, with many choosing Ian McEwan's Saturday. Must see what all the fuss is about...

Oh, and for some reason, The Guardian interviews The Sunday Times' AA Gill. An entertaining piece.
Then I saw this part.
His first piece of journalism was a 600-word piece on Craigie Aitchison for a friend's art magazine.
"I said, 'I can't spell'; they said, 'It doesn't matter, we've got subs.'"

And it led me to realise that Gill and I have something in common.
Gill is dyslexic.
Sometimes I feel like some people I sub for are dyslexic.

Turducken? Why do three birds in one when you can do
ten!

Since del.icio.us seems to be down for maintenance (although they claim it to be only an hour, it has been more like a day), I'm linking here instead a rare interview with Philip Roth who just can't be bothered to answer the same questions over and over again. And when I interviewed authors like Jasper Fforde, I am sure I was the millionth reporter or fan to ask them the same questions, but they were nice about it. But Fforde, he's no Philip Roth.

"Why don't you smile?" I ask.

"There once was this photographer from New York. 'Smile,' she always said. 'Smile!' I couldn't stand her or the whole phenomenon. Why smile into a camera? It makes no human sense. So I got rid of both her and the smile."

"Do you ever smile at all?"

He looks at me. "Yes, when I'm hiding in a corner and no one sees it."


Then later

"I would be wonderful with a 100-year moratorium on literature talk, if you shut down all literature departments, close the book reviews, ban the critics. The readers should be alone with the books, and if anyone dared to say anything about them, they would be shot or imprisoned right on the spot. Yes, shot."


Hmmm I like this man.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I have deep admiration for subs btw.
mcsweeny's - so expensive?! but where? Large hearted boy has a great list, 52 books in 52 weeks no less! I hope to go to kino (not borders)and pick up some JoanD, have yet to read her. How's the book you've been reading going?

-L/bossanoville

RealLifeReading said...

well wish there were more like u! heh.
mcsweeneys - i saw it at borders. not sure if kino has it.
I'm starting with the Rick Moody and the John Irving. Will let you know about the Didion when I get there!

Anonymous said...

i didn't get to read as much as i'd have liked during my break :P but anyway, thanks for letting me know abt how the wedding went. catch up with you soon.